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Weekend Roundup - Easter Time!

by Amy Kuras

April 09, 2009

Hippity Hoppity Easter's on its wayyyyyy....unless you're celebrating Passover this week, in which case your family is gathering for the holiday and trying to stay clear of all the eggs and bunnies everywhere else.

If you are, however, embracing those eggs and bunnies, there's a ton of stuff to do this weekend.

Tomorrow, one of the funniest events I have ever witnessed takes place at 9 am at Elizabeth Park in Trenton, and 11 am at the Hines Park picnic area at Nankin Mills Metropark in Westland. The annual Marshmallow Drop involves hundreds of kids awaiting thousands of marshmallows, which are dropped from a helicopter flying overhead. When I was a young reporter covering this my first thought was of the classic "Turkey Drop" episode of WKRP in Cinncinnati: "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!" But that said, it's a fun event and the little kids just go crazy collecting their marshmallows, which they turn in for prizes. It's been more than a decade, but I still have fond memories of the happy little kids swarming this event.

All of the Metroparks are having some sort of Easter-themed event this weekend as well;  one of the most interesting ones is at Metro Beach Nature Center, where children can learn to make natural dyes from plants to color Easter eggs.

And finally, there is Bunnyville at the Detroit Zoo. Play games, watch shows, and dance the Bunny Hop.

And now for some other news: this will be my last post for Savvy Source. Other obligations have taken over, and I need to let something drop. I am not sure who will be taking over this space quite yet, but if our awesome leaders here at Savvy do their thing, I think it will be an upgrade for you all. Thanks so much for your readership, and please keep it up and spread the word!  Read more...

Weekend Roundup: Final FOUR, Baby!!

by Amy Kuras

April 02, 2009

Really, is there anything else of any importance going on this weekend than the Final Four? With MSU playing Saturday right here in downtown Detroit? No? Didn't think so.

I think the atmosphere downtown is going to be a little bit crazy and boozy, but there are some family friendly events that can let your little Spartans in on the fun.

Friday at 5:30, there's a community pep rally for MSU at the Somerset Collection North in the Grand Court. MSU coach Tom Izzo is scheduled to speak and there are free hot dogs and pop if you show up in MSU attire.

Families can also enjoy free practices for all the four teams, followed by the College All-Star game at 3 pm at Ford Field on Friday. Given that a Final Four ticket is going for upwards of $1000 last I heard, this is a pretty nice bargain for families to get in on some of the excitement.

There is also the Big Dance concert on the Detroit Riverfront Friday through Sunday. Plenty of well known acts and some of our best local ones will be playing, all for free.


And at Cobo Hall, there's the NCAA Hoop City event , with all kinds of fun activities.

If you'd rather stay out of the "hoop-la" altogether, I'd be willing to bet most restaurants will have the TV tuned to the game. One of my favorite spots that's very family friendly is Royal Oak Brewery. Sister restaurant Detroit Brewing Co. is one of the four downtown bars designated for fans of the Final Four teams (they are hosting North Carolina) and will probably be packed, although they are great with kids as well. Royal Oak has just enough TVs so you can see them but few enough that they aren't overwhelming, and they are very welcoming to kids, the food is good and reasonable, and the beer is pretty darn good too.


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Tuesday Top Five: April Fool's Day Fun!

by Amy Kuras

March 31, 2009

Yay! It's April!
Okay, if you have low tolerance for pranks or silliness, tomorrow is not so much of a fun day. If you love them, like me, you've been looking forward to April Fool's Day with great glee.

Now, of course, with little kids there's a fine line between "prank" and "just being mean to a little kid for no reason." So here are some fun ways to celebrate his day of foolishness with your little ones -- they are, after all, delightfully goofy and love to make us laugh!

Funny clothes: At my daughter's school, they are letting the kids wear PJs on April Fool's Day and bring a favorite stuffed animal to cuddle during story time. Just make sure to coordinate with the teachers and other parents so your kid isn't the only one coming to school dressed strangley tomorrow!

Backwards Day: Have, say, chicken and vegetables for breakfast, something strange for lunch and pancakes or scrambled eggs for dinner.

Poisson D'Avril: In France and French-speaking Canada, children go around trying to stick paper fish to people's backs without their noticing on April 1, hence le poisson d'Avril (April Fish). Cut out the fish today, and have them ready to tape tomorrow. This is a fun, kind-spirited prank that shouldn't result in scared or hurt feelings!

Other Pranks: Family Fun magazine has a whole host of things to do on April Fool's Day. Quite frankly I think some of them are gross (messages in the toilet? Ew), but some are cute (I like the balloon swarm thing).

Jokes: If none of these other things work out for your family, there's always joke-telling. My daughter loves knock-knock jokes. Enjoy (and forgive me).





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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.

 

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Weekend Roundup

by Amy Kuras

March 12, 2009

Happy St Patrick's Day weekend! For most of us, this is hardly the partyfest it was back in our younger days. I know I'll count myself lucky if I get to have a black and tan on the day itself! But there are plenty of family friendly events this weekend to celebrate Irish heritage (and the imminent arrival of spring!)

There are not one but two parades this weekend: One Saturday at 11:30 am in downtown Royal Oak , and of course the Big One Sunday down Michigan Avenue in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood (near the old Tiger Stadium). It begins at 2 pm, and is preceded  by the Corktown Races, which include a fun run for kids. And the fabulous Ladel's Books, at Brooklyn and Bagley a few blocks off the parade route, will have great activities for kids on parade day.

Looking for something a little less Irish? At the Mt. Clemens Public Library at 11 am on Saturday, puppeteer Mariah Newborne will present "The Wizard Of Oz" in the library auditorium.


This weekend also kicks off the Marquis Theatre's production of "The Little Mermaid " running through the end of April. Shows are Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 pm. Tickets are $8.50, and children under 3 are not permitted.

And now for something completely different: The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, or MOCAD , has its monthly Family Day Sunday from 1-3 pm. Children will be encouraged to make collage pieces, inspired by the current show "Black Is, Black Ain't".

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Kids' Music for Grownups Too

by Amy Kuras

February 23, 2009

love music, and always have. I can't keep up on the latest stuff as much as I used to, but I love listening to music and sharing favorites with my kids. And one of the most enjoyable parts of parenting for me is finding out about some of the amazing and talented musicians who are making music aimed at children these days.

But of course, there's plenty of music that we like that our kids will too. Here are some that we like:

We love Lyle Lovett, most reggae, INXS, the Beatles, New Order, the White Stripes -- basically, anything with a strong beat and danceability. I hate, hate most kids' music, with its corny rhymes and cutesy-poo cheerfulness and pandering silliness, so anything that's appropriate for my kids and enjoyable for me gets my vote.

of course, there's really great kids' music, too. Elizabeth Mitchell has been a favorite since we saw her play at Ladel's Bookstore summer before last, and she was lovely and gracious and signed our CD. I would have loved the music, which is pretty and simple and folky, without her being so nice but we'll be fans forever now.
There's our local champions of the "Mom Band" genre, the Candy Band, who play hard rocking versions of classic kid favorites and some great original songs of their own from a kid's perspective like "Timeout" and "Playdate." There's no cutesy here, just a chance to rock out.

And another one of our favorites is, of course, Dan Zanes. Watch this space for some exciting giveaways on that front very, very soon.

What are your grown up favorites for your kids? Any suggestions for us?  Read more...

Weekend Roundup: Paczki, Music, Mardi Gras and More!

by Amy Kuras

February 20, 2009

I just heard it's supposed to snow, a lot, this weekend. Bye-bye thaw! Nice knowing you!
But assuming we can get out a little bit, there are some things this weekend to tempt you out from underneath your Snuggie:
Elmo's Birthday ! Okay, I always thought Elmo's birthday was Feb. 3, and yes I am deeply embarrassed I know that. Fans of the eternally three-year-old, fuzzy red monster can celebrate at Borders stores this weekend with an Elmo birthday party. There will be stories, games and giveaways, all celebrating the little red guy kids love to love and grownups love to grumble over.

Mardi Gras: If an independent bookstore is more your thing, the fabulous folks at Ladels in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit are helping kids create Mardi Gras masks and flags for a Mardi Gras parade.

Mardi Gras, Detroit Style: In other parts of the world, the last Tuesday before Lent is all about festivity and food and color and letting loose. In Detroit, we go crazy for what's essentially a jelly doughnut --although  being Polish myself, I can tell you exactly why the paczki is different than your standard issue Dunkin's fare. Just for starters, there is more egg and fat in the dough and it's generally more rich. And a real packzi has things like prune or custard, none of this happy fruity filling!
If you haven't introduced your kids to this goofy Detroit tradition yet, you can avoid the crowd on P-Day itself with the Countdown to Paczki Day event in Hamtramck on Saturday. Sample free paczki, see tradtional Polish dancers, play the paczki toss, and enjoy polka music. Buses will take revelers around to the different bakeries later in the day. It's in the Hamtramck Town Center parking lot at Holbrook and Jos Campau.
Perhaps a little music is more your thing. the Jewish Community Center hosts its annual Stephen Gottleib Music Festival. Sunday is Family Day, and a highlight for families of young children would be the Kids and Strings Concert Sunday at 2 at the Jimmy Prentis Morris Center in Oak Park. The concert features the Ambassador Quintet of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and tickets are only $7 for adults and $4 for children over 3, or $18 for a while family.
So dig out and have fun!
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Tuesday Top Five: Time Passing

by Amy Kuras

February 17, 2009

There is nothing like parenthood to make you very aware of the passage -and preciousness -- of time. these sweet little people who were wrinkly newborns last week and sturdy toddlers yesterday are somehow, now, bright, verbal, intelligent preschoolers with independent minds of their own.
Teaching our darlings to tell time, and explaining the concept to them, is challenging and fun all at once. My daughter got a watch in a fast food meal (yes, I know, bad mother) and loved the idea that she now can tell us what time it is, although she's still a good bit shaky on the concept. Still, asking her to tell me the numbers on the clock or on her new watch is a nice way to explain it (not to mention maybe lessening the morning wakeups by telling her "no getting us up until it says seven-oh-oh. Think it will work?).
Another fun way to explain time, and beginning to show your children how it's expressed by clocks and signs, is by looking for public clocks. Here are a few cool ones I know of:
Old Main on the campus of Wayne State University. The beautiful old building, the major landmark of the campus and the original location of the school, was renovated in 1995 and the clock tower was illuminated again.
A surprising number of native Detroiters don't know the first thing about one the jewels of my area of town, the University of Detroit Mercy campus. Facing onto McNichols Road -- which is the local name for Six Mile and the name of an early dean of the university -- the World War I clock tower is a lovely part of this pretty, if small,  campus that serves as an oasis in the part of town. The clock tower even sounds bells on the hour and half hour! And if you're looking for something to do with your kids nearby, there's the Gesu Community Green playground across McNichols, which has handicapped accessible swings and play equipment. I am especially found of this park because I helped get it built --we're members of the parish that created it.
It's not a clock, but the Millennium Bell is an interesting way to discuss large amounts of time and the turns of the years. The bell was first rung on Dec. 31, 1999 to ring in the new century and has continued to be rung every New Year's Eve.
And the weather is not conducive to this right now, but when spring and summer comes, visit Belle Isle for the giant floral clock at the entrance to the island, right off the bridge. The different blooming times of the flowers track the progress of the sun over the course of the day.

There is nothing like parenthood to make you very aware of the passage -and preciousness -- of time. these sweet little people who were wrinkly newborns last week and sturdy toddlers yesterday are somehow, now, bright, verbal, intelligent preschoolers with independent liveds and minds of their own.
Teaching our dalrings to tell time, and explainng the concept to them, is challenging and fun all at once. My daughter got a watch in a fast food meal (yes, I know, bad mother) and loved the idea that she now can tell us what time it is, although she's still a good bit shaky on the concept. Still, asking her to tell me the numbers on the clock or on her new watch is a nice way to explain it (not to mention maybe lessening the morning wakeups by telling her "no getting us up until it says seven-oh-oh. Think it will work?).
Another fun way to explain time, and begingto show your children how it's expressed by clocks and signs, is by looking for public clocks. Here are a few cool ones I know of:
Old Main on the campus of Wayne State University. The beautiful old building, the major landmark of the campus and the original location of the school, was renovated in 1995 and the clock tower was illuminated again.
A surprising number of native Detroiters don't know the first thing about one the jewels of my area of town, the University of Detroit Mercy campus. Facing onto McNichols Road -- which is the local name for Six Mile and the name of an early dean of the university -- the World War I clock tower is a lovely part of this pretty, if small,  campus that serves as an oasis in the part of town. The clock tower even sounds bells on thr hour and half hour! And if you're looking for something to do with your kids nearby, there's the Gesu Community Green playground across McNichols, which has handicapped acessible swings and play equipment. I am especially found of this park because I helped get it built --we're members of the parish that created it.
It's not a clock, but the Millenium Bell is an interesting way to discuss large amounts of time and the turns of the years. The bell was first rung on Dec. 31, 1999 to ring in the new century and has continued to be rung every New Year's Eve.
And the weather is not conducive to this right now, but when spring and summer comes, visit Belle Isle for the giant floral clock at the entrance to the island, right off the bridge. The different blooming times of the flowers track the progress of the sun over the course of the day.
 Read more...

Tuesday Top Five: The Shapes of Detroit

by Amy Kuras

February 10, 2009

With our theme this month being math, and getting our little ones ready for it, I admit I am a bit at a loss. I am, um, definetly a writer when it comes to math. Luckily my husband has a good head for numbers and so far I've been successful in not infecting my dauhter with my dislike and fear of it; she likes all the math activities at school.

So today's sitewide topic about teaching your little one math around town rung a bell with me for the one kind of math I am good at --geometry. And what more fun way to learn about shapes than by picking them out of our downtown skyline?
Here's my top five:

Help Us Out Here, Woody!

by Amy Kuras

February 02, 2009

Happy Groundhog Day! Did you know Michigan has its very own groundhog predictor? His/her name is Woody the Woodchuck, and she lives at the Howell Nature and Conference Center . If you're reading this early in the morning and don't have to be anywhere, the center will be coaxing her out to make her prediction at 8am sharp. Afterwards you can explore the center and enjoy a light breakfast,  Read more...

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: Things That Matter -- and Things That Don't

by Amy Kuras

January 06, 2009

As parents, we're always worrying about doing right by our kids, and can stress out abut the smallest details (especially, I must say, with the first child -- I am finding, and everyone I know reports, a much more mellow time with the second). Our theme today is Top Five Things That Really Matter with preschoolers, and five things that really don't. Here's my take on this: What  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...

Winter Break Survival: Detroit Children's Museum

by Amy Kuras

December 22, 2008

Lots of us are looking forward to a nice long break between Christmas and New Year's -- even businesses that are open tend to slow down and work with skeleton staff. But for many of us, our kids' winter break starts today, leaving us with two solid weeks of fun to fill. Yikes. And I know for me, I am solo parenting without the help of school or spouse while it's like a degree outside at  Read more...

We the (Big and Little) People

by Amy Kuras

October 27, 2008

Did you notice this is an election year? Hee hee. Funny story from my house -- we were watching something on Nickelodeon one day, and as I was fast forwarding past commercials there was one for the " Kids Pick the President " show, in which both Obama and McCain appeared. Huh, I thought, we've been talking about elections and she probably has some idea of what's going on from our  Read more...

Trick or Treating with Trees or Time Travel in Troy

by Amy Kuras

October 23, 2008

With Halloween falling on a Friday this year, this weekend is really the crescendo of fun, daytime, little-kid friendly Halloween activities. I talked about a lot of them in Tuesday's post, but I'll be discussing a few others today and tomorrow so you can take your pick. Troy will be hopping this weekend, with two Halloween-themed events that bring something beyond the usual. At the  Read more...

DIY Arts and Crafts in Ferndale

by Amy Kuras

September 19, 2008

My favorite current trend -- or maybe more correctly, movement-- right now is thw whole hipster crafts revivial. I love,love love that telnted people are making their own stuff, some of which is extra cute. And none of which looks super-polished or perfect, which is part of its charm. I especially like this because I love doing crafts like sewing and crocheting and so on, but I am Bad  Read more...

Tuesday Top Five: Cooling Off in the Dog Days

by Amy Kuras

August 26, 2008

It's the dog days of summer here in MI and right now we're experiencing an odd mix of beautiful, perfect days that make you think "I wish summer could last forever!" and horrible, swampy, humid, sweaty days that make you think "When is summer going to be OVER?" For the latter kind of days, here's a quick roundup of places to go to cool off, some high-impact, some low-impact, and some simple but  Read more...

Talk to the Hand: Teaching Geography Via the Great Lakes

by Amy Kuras

August 25, 2008

Our lovely national Being Savvy writers are writing about teaching geography via the waterways. I wasn't sure if I was going to jump in on that. Then, it occurred to me that, hello, we live in the only state where you can hold up your hand to show people where you live which people from other states tend to find kind of goofy but all Michganders love and smile at each other for doing. If nothing  Read more...

Shakespeare In The Park -- And Kids Free!

by Amy Kuras

August 01, 2008

So your preschooler is into Shakespeare, right? Okay, I know all our kids are brilliant and curious and wonderful, but appreciating the Bard is probably a bit of a stretch. But here's a chance to expose them to the wonder that is Shakespeare in a fun, relaxed environment. The Water Works Theater Company is putting on "Romeo and Juliet" at Starr Jaycee Park in Royal Oak, and kids are admitted  Read more...

Learn More and Have Fun Too

by Amy Kuras

July 28, 2008

Here on Savvy, we're chock full of cool, interesting things to do that can aid your child's development and get them ready to learn when they start K-12 schooling. But kids don't always develop on track. Luckily, there is help if you are concerned about anything to do with your child's development and it's better to act than wait. That's the philosophy behind Early On, the federally funded  Read more...

History and Stories in Flint

by Amy Kuras

July 18, 2008

Want to hear a good story? Well, then you're in luck this weekend, if you're interested in taking a road trip up to Flint. The Michigan Storytellers Festival starts today and runs through tomorrow. It's sponsored by the Flint Public Library. The event features performances and workshops with LaRon Williams, Mokoto, and Waddie Mitchell, with local storytellers performing at 5:30 pm each day.  Read more...

Petanque For Bastille Day? Allons-y!

by Amy Kuras

July 14, 2008

Bonjour! Et Joyeuz Quatorze Juillet! In other words, Happy Bastille Day! In this city with a French name, founded by French settlers, whose major streets include Gratiot and Dequindre and Livernois (and one of whose best-known products is Chevrolet), we don't actually do much to celebrate the French culture. We boast a few French restaurants, almost all of which are far, far too high end to  Read more...

Good, Dirty Fun!

by Amy Kuras

July 07, 2008

How much fun is this? Wayne County Parks annual Mud Day is Tuesday! Which is exactly what it sounds like according to the parks people it's 2,000 feet of topsoil, 20,000 gallons of water, and lots and lots of kids running around in the mud. Organizers request that kids wear bathing suits or old clothes, and there's a changing area for kids to get hosed off and put on fresh clothing, so bring a  Read more...

by Amy Kuras

July 04, 2008

Happy Independence Day, everybody! We're barbecuing ribs, eating watermelon and hanging out on the patio. Hope you're having an equally nice holiday weekend today. If you're still looking for something to do that feels "Fourth of July," maybe this is the year to introduce your kiddos to the wonder of fireworks. Mine's a little young she's afraid of loud noises and much as I think she'd love the  Read more...

Up,Up and Awayyyy...

by Amy Kuras

June 27, 2008

High on the list of "things I love the idea of doing but will never actually do" (right up there with playing bass in a band and appearing on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire") is riding a hot air balloon. They're just so pretty, and silent, and float so magically over the earth. They're also, you know, HIGH UP. And I am afraid of heights. So, no hot air balloons for me. Because of that, this  Read more...

Art Among Us: The Heidelberg Project

by Amy Kuras

June 26, 2008

Dear readers, sometimes I am slow. Like, really slow. We were all asked to do a post about essential things to do with your child before they grow up, and I could only come up with seven . Completely and totally forgetting about one of the coolest, most "Detroit" things about Detroit a visit to the Heidelberg Project . For those of you who don't know, the Heidelberg Project is a nationally  Read more...

River Navigation: Family Picks for River Days

by Amy Kuras

June 20, 2008

Starting today, one of the newest, and for my money one of the best, festivals of the summer gears up along the Detroit River. It's GM River Days weekend! If you haven't already checked out all of the great things happening along the riverfront, now's the time. There will be carnival rides, music, food, a tour of a tall ship, art, cars, and even more along the waterfront this weekend. Based on  Read more...

Keep learning going all summer with free museum visits

by Amy Kuras

June 12, 2008

For many kids around here, school's out this week, if it's not already. If you're not selling a kidney to get your child into their preschool's summer program, you're likely getting a little nervous about finding things to do that will be fun, enriching and won't break the bank. Lovely reader Lisa reminded me about the Museum Adventure Pass , sponsored by Macy's. This awesome program lets you  Read more...

Tuesday top five: Father's Day picnic spots

by Amy Kuras

June 10, 2008

Still looking for something to do for Father's Day? How about a picnic? We've been doing a Father's Day picnic at least since my husband became a father four years ago, and it's a fun, relaxed way to celebrate the day. Whether it's sandwiches and potato chips or something more elaborate, everything tastes better when you eat it outside. Here's a roundup of some great picnic spots to enjoy the  Read more...

Getting to Know Detroit

by Amy Kuras

June 05, 2008

People don't necessarily think of Detroit as a kid-friendly place. But it is. I've lived here as a kid myself, a young single, a newlywed and a not-so-young mom, and people in the city are always nicer than the scare stories tell you and often incredibly nice when you have a little child or two in tow. Police officers wave and smile, panhandlers leave you alone, and store owners chat,  Read more...

Exploring: Introducing Children to World Cultures Through Art and Music

by Amy Kuras

June 04, 2008

I loathe hot weather, and it's supposed to be hot this weekend, blazing, 90-degree-ish hot. But instead of languishing in the nearest air -conditioned room I can find, I'll be moseying about the Wayne State campus area. Only one thing could get me to not only brave the heat but be excited about the prospect the Detroit Festival of the Arts . Words cannot describe the coolness of this festival,  Read more...

Budding Art Critic

by Amy Kuras

June 02, 2008

Probably my favorite place in the whole city, nay, the whole metro area, is right at the corner of Woodward and Farnsworth. On one side, the gorgeously-renovated Detroit Institute of Arts , and on the other, the main branch of the Detroit Public Library. The two huge white marble sturcutures sit impressively back from the street facing each other, like two lions of knowledge and culture. Before  Read more...

Mozart to Moby to Miles

by Amy Kuras

May 30, 2008

It's summer in Detroit, and if you haven't managed to get out and see a live band, much less introduce your kids to the greatness of live music, you are just not trying. With all the festivals and fairs going on every weekend all over the Metro area, you practically trip over great musicians just walking out your front door. And the beauty part is, much of it is free and all of it happens at  Read more...

Five Things to Do On a Rainy Day

by Amy Kuras

May 27, 2008

We're not in one of the rainier parts of the world, but there's always that week in the summer where it seems like it rains every single day. Sure, there's curling up and watching Noggin, arts and crafts, and floor picnics, but after awhile even the most creative parents feels like we're climbing the walls after being trapped cooped up with small kids raging maniacs all day. So here's our top  Read more...

More of Our Favorite Activities and Things to Do in detroit

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Creatures & Critters:
Our Urban Jungle

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Do, Re, Mi! Places to Hear, Sing & Play a Tune

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Artistic Endeavors:
Our Favorite Art Venues

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Room to Run:
Run, Jump & Wiggle Outdoors

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Rainy & Quiet Days:
Cozy & Crazy Indoor Fun

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A Sense of History:
Our City's Stories

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Tot's Science Fair:
Science & Nature Sites

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Splash, Spray, Play! Local Spots to Get Wet

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The Most Fun in Life Is Free!

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The Best of... Our Top Can't-Live-Without Spots

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