Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in detroit, MI

Signs of Spring

by Amy Kuras

March 30, 2009

Ignore the snow on the ground -- spring, my friends, has sprung. Yesterday was terrible weather, yes. Bit you can see it in the faces of the people you pass, in everyone's generally lighter attitude despite the uncertain times we are facing. And I don't entirely think it's about Michigan State's general awesomeness.

Here are some fun ways to celebrate some of our local springtime rituals:

Take the kids to the ballgame. Maybe skip the craziness and general drunken atmosphere of Opening Day, but the Tigers have several day games coming up and thanks to the recession, some seats are even affordable.

Can't swing the major leagues? College and high school softball and baseball are in full swing right now. University of Detroit Mercy has a good women's softball team and a really nice ballpark.


Take a nature walk -- try to spot trees with buds on them, plants, like tulips and daffodils, that are popping up leaves, and other signs of spring like puddles and crocuses. Of course the metroparks are lovely right now as well.

Got a kid obsessed with High School Musicial? Schools all over the metro area are presenting their spring musicals right now. I remember going to see one when I was a kid and the actresses in the play, who seemed like grownups to me, signed autgraphs. Of course now, as a grownup, I realize that must have been as much of a thrill to them as it was to me!

Farmer's markets are starting to reawaken after the long winter. Shop for strawberries, asparagus, and greens and talk with your kids about how plants need different conditions to grow.

Even better, take a trip to your local garden center and choose seeds and seedlings to grow this year.

99 Things To Do Before Kindergarten

by Amy Kuras

January 27, 2009

1. Go ice skating at Campus Martius 2. Do the giant slide at Belle Isle 3. Play on the playscape at Belle Isle 4. Have a picnic at Belle Isle 5. Go on a nature walk through the neighborhood 6. Have a two-park day -- go to one in the morning and one in the afternoon 7. Meet friends at Jungle Java 8. Go to storytime at Ladel's Books 9. Go to storytime at the Southfield Public Library in the space  Read more...

Tuesday Top Five: Favorite Posts of the Year

by Amy Kuras

December 30, 2008

Wow, I can't believe 2008 is almost over! It quite frankly has not been the best one ever here in Detroit, but one of the highlights of my year is taking on this Savvy Source job. It's been so much fun learning more about this city I have called home for almost my entire life, and getting to know and connect with all of you. Here's a Top Five posts of the year for me -- just a simple  Read more...

Catch a Last Bit of Summer at Movies in the Park

by Amy Kuras

August 22, 2008

Summer is almost over, peeps a thought which makes me sad. It's been a nice one over here, and I hope it's been the same for you. Time's running out to do many of the fun things we swore we'd do this year, and this week seems to mark a lot of "lasts." Here's one fun one I'd like to highlight Birmingham's Movies in the Park . Tomorrow is the last event "Sandlot" shows at dusk, although fun  Read more...

Tuesday Top Five: Things You Didn't Know About Taking a Kid to Comerica Park

by Amy Kuras

July 29, 2008

I come from a baseball family. Even when the team was horrible during the 1990s, we still managed to get to as many games as we could, and some of my best memories are hanging with my family at Tiger Stadium or Comerica Park (and I'm extra sad now to see the stadium being torn down). My little son has something like five or six Tigers outfits, between gifts given to us and hand-me-downs of the  Read more...

Three Days in Detroit: Pigskins, Pucks and Puppets

by Amy Kuras

July 09, 2008

So yesterday, we soaked up a little culture in the Midtown area. Today, we're visiting another major part of life around here our sports culture. We're the City of Champions, Tigertown, Hockeytown. The Tigers are playing extremely well after a slow start, the Pistons made it to the Eastern Conference finals this year (and the last several), the Shock's dominated the WNBA, and the Red Wings are  Read more...

Tuesday Top Five: Getting to Know Local Landmarks

by Amy Kuras

June 24, 2008

What better time to get to know Detroit than during this (so far glorious) summer? Of course, there are the many fun events that can drag even the most homebody-ish of families out for a good time. But did you know that many of Detroit's most intriguing venues offer tours? Of course there are the public attractions you might expect, but many unexpected venues offer peeks behind the scenes. One  Read more...

7 Must-Do Things Before Your Child Grows Up

by Amy Kuras

May 29, 2008

What are the no-miss experiences for a Detroit kid? What are the five, or 10, or 100, things you must do with your child before they grow up? Here's what I've come up with, a mix of things I loved as a Detroit kid, things I love doing with my children, and things I haven't done yet but will. A day at the lake: Doesn't matter which lake, since we have a large amount to choose from around here,  Read more...