Philly Spells Writing Center Presents "Write Your Own Fairy Tale!"

You may have heard of bestselling author Dave Eggers (What is the What, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) or you may have heard of his excellent writing center in the Mission district of San Francisco, 826 Valencia, that gets kids ages 6-18 excited about writing and helps teachers inspire their students in the literary arts.

The creativity and inspiration of both Eggers and 826 Valencia is heading to Philadelphia in the form of Philly Spells Writing Center, a wonderfully welcoming, unabashedly wacky world of self-expression. Their mission is to excite young people about all forms of writing through wacky and wonderful programs. They open their physical space in 2010 but offer free workshops throughout the year to the public, schools, and youth-based programs. They'll be working hard throughout the city to raise funds to open the center, but in the meantime Germantown Avenue parents can support the cause right in our own neighborhood!

“Once upon a time, a little boy lived in a big city, on a medium-sized street, in a tiny house. One summer afternoon, he walked out of his front door…”

And THEN what happened?

Bring your budding – or resistant – writers to finish this story or start one of their very own! Join Spells for Write Your Own Fairy Tale, a free wonderful and wacky writing workshop. Led by educator and author Angelina Sciolla, the program culminates with each child writing a unique timeless tale.

SPELLS WRITING CENTER PRESENTS
Write Your Own Fairy Tale
Saturday, July 11, 2009
2pm-4pm
Big Blue Marble Books
551 Carpenter Lane
Cost: Free!*
Best for children in grades 2-6, but open for all ages.

*Space is limited! Call 267-670-0869 or email write@phillyspells.org to reserve yours now. And please check out their fabulous website for event updates, information on writing programs, and how to donate to this wonderful new writing venture!

Bamboo Photography- Unique School Portraits and More!

I'd like to welcome Bamboo Photography, Mt. Airy's newest business, a photography studio that captures the essence of community -- focusing on the spirit of children, the evolution of eco-consciousness, and the heart of local culture. Dana Scherer, owner of Bamboo Photography, has recently opened an office in the Green on Greene building on the corner of Greene Street and Carpenter Lane, which also houses the Environmental Homestore and the Moving Arts Studio of Mt. Airy.

Bamboo Photography will hold an open house on Saturday, June 13, 2009 from 11:00 am-3:00 pm, introducing their new location and offering children's activities, refreshments, and giveaways. The children's activities for the day include African storytelling by Yomi Awodesu at 12:30pm, a children's drum circle with Joe Tayoun at 1:15pm, and a special portrait session/door prizes giveaway at 2:45pm.

Scherer started Bamboo Photography with the actual image of bamboo in mind. "Bamboo is very sustainable, resilient, flexible, strong, and adaptable," she says, "much like the qualities of children.” She feels that working with children is a gift, a constant reminder of why we must strive and give the best of ourselves, and work to build communities where our children are embraced and given strong roots to grow.

Focusing her efforts in the local community, Scherer is redefining school photography, offering parents and schools a creative approach to this traditional service. “As a parent, I’ve been too often disappointed with the lack of choices and the quality of my own children’s school portraits, and I felt there was a definite need for something different.” Scherer says. “If I can create portraits that make parents smile, then I know I’m doing something right.” She does away with the studio backdrop all together, preferring the natural light and setting of the outdoors.

Aside from offering a high quality service and product, Scherer is also creating a business model based on sustainable and eco-conscious decisions. “If we are to consider our shared future, we have a responsibility to our children (and theirs) in making conservative and innovative choices about how we live and do business today.” Bamboo Photography represents a vision where the future of our children and our environment go hand in hand. From using digital film, which bypasses harmful chemicals, to offering a completely online ordering process, and working with local artists on collaborative and eco-friendly products, Bamboo Photography is continually evolving their eco-conscious mission.

Scherer was drawn to Mt. Airy because of the community spirit, family focus, and positive energy of the neighborhood. For more information on Bamboo Photography and their open house please visit their website: Bamboo Smiles, or contact Dana Scherer at 215-796-4758.

Tennis

As the weather gets warmer and warmer I've been thinking about tennis-- a sport I used to do as a kid and absolutely loved. I never took lessons and never got very good at it but I adored taking up the racket and hitting the ball as hard as I could, and then trying different swings, imitating Andre Agassi as I played.

It got me thinking about tennis courts in this area, and on my walk to Germantown Pediatrics the other day I went past the Woodford Tennis Club, right on Wister Street in Germantown, tucked behind large trees with a beautiful, gigantic house in the front. I didn't get a chance to walk through and check out what it was all about but if this intrigues you like it intrigued me, I suggest looking at this website list of Philadelphia Tennis Courts where there are listings for an Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis Center and more in and around this area.

Let me know if you find any free tennis lessons for children or tennis camps. Heck, let me know if there are tennis groups for moms who are reminiscing about their past sporty selves too.

And of course, you can always just stop by Allen's Lane Playground and try and reserve a tennis court there. Happy swinging!

NOT Like Pulling Teeth: A Visit to Dr. Bresler's Cavity Busters

It was time to take Caroline to her routine six month dentist appointment. While some parents may have to drag their children kicking and screaming to the dentist, my kids actually look forward to going to Doc Bresler's Cavity Busters. 

 

Upon entering the office, you realize this is no ordinary dentist office! The sound of little hands banging furiously on white video arcade buttons echos across the room. In the corner, kids stand on plastic steps stools play Ms. Pacman, Donkey Kong 3 and                                                                 Q-Bert.   

      

An ocean of Nemo characters greets patients in the waiting room. My favorite is Crush (the sea turtle) and his son, Squirt. Bruce the Shark is showing off his new braces, courtesy of Doc Bresler, no doubt.  

 

There is no shrieking drill or small closet size dental room. Instead, patients enter a door with Mr.Incredible's son, Dashiell, karate-kicking on it. This door leads to a large room with red, yellow and blue dental chairs. The kids get to pick out a toothbrush and receive prizes for being brave.  The kids even choose their own flavor fluoride treatment: mint, orange or vanilla.                                                                                      

Caroline appeared grinning from ear to ear to show  me her pearlly-white smile. In her hands, she held her treasures: a plastic fluorescent yellow bracelet, a red thumb ring that glittered, a red toothbrush and sticker.

Now I know why they call Doc Bresler's "the kids' dentist." Kids love to visit! 

Doc Bresler's Cavity Busters is located at 6801 Ridge Avenue.  

For more information go to www.cavitybusters.com or call:

215-483-6633.

Hansberry Garden and Nature Center Flea Market

Hansberry Garden and Nature Center is a beautiful community garden located on the corner of Wayne Avenue and Hansberry Street in the Germantown neighborhood. Its membership consists of wonderful neighbors with diverse backgrounds and gardening experience ranging from absolute beginners to experts.

They'll be holding their first Flea Market for the season on Saturday, May 9, 2009, from 10:00am-4:00pm, with a special plant sale for Mother's Day, an absolutely amazing selection of kids' books, adult fiction/non-fiction, and much more for prices as low as 25 cents, and an eccentric variety of flea market finds (toys, clothes, electronics, oddities) for great prices. There will also be a baked goods sale, a garden cafe selling refreshments, and an assortment of flea market vendors with tables packed with goodies. 

This is so fun to take the kids to because the garden is such a family-friendly space- it's enclosed from traffic and has plenty of places for children to run around, toys to climb on, and plants to admire. I love taking my children for the morning, finding some great deals on children's picture books while they run around the garden plots. They get a special sweet treat made with love by one of the neighbors as we leave and everybody's happy.

Hansberry Garden will hold flea markets every second Saturday from May until September so if you miss this one be sure to check out next month's. This year they'll also be holding free gardening workshops from local garden enthusiasts during the flea markets, and possible kids' activities too. So come support local gardens and community with your family!

*Membership to the garden is only $15 a year (plus a small amount of work which can be joining a committee, attending meetings, and/or working a few hours in the garden) and members are given their very own plot to grow flowers or vegetables in this chemical-free community garden.

What is MALT?

Mt. Airy Learning Tree is a community-based "school" that draws on the human, geographical, and architectural resources of Germantown, Mt. Airy, and Chestnut Hill. Students enroll for $5.oo per term and can participate in classes that range from swimming to computer basics to aromatherapy. Classes may run for 2 hours on an afternoon or for up to 8 weeks. The spring term is underway and continues through June.

Three reasons why MALT classes are a boon for GAPpers:

1. For those new to the area, courses can take them into private area gardens, local history can be learned, and other like-minded neighbors can make contact.

2. Classes are offered for children as young as three.

3. Participants can choose classes convenient to their schedules: nights, weeksdays, weekends, and registration can be done online!

I have taken several classes through MALT and will be starting another next week: Meditation for Beginners. What parent cannot benefit from a few minutes to him or herself?

Mt. Airy Learning Tree

6601 Greene Street

Philadelphia, PA 19119-3114

215-843-6333

Fax registration: 215-843-6655

This Weekend: Grand Opening of The Little Treehouse!

If you haven't been by the new location of The Little Treehouse, this weekend is the perfect chance to check it out. And it is well worth it! I was amazed at the amount of space and high ceilings. All of the toys from the previous location remain, but there are several, new fun additions as well. There is also a cafe with a great selection of food for children and adults and a nice, big seating area.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, May 1st-3rd are all FREE PLAY ALL DAY! So, stop by and see it for yourself for free! And enjoy all the great kid entertainment too, including a magic show, music class, concert, juggling, face painting, a stilt walker and more! Here is a full schedule.

The Little Treehouse is now located at:

10 West Gravers Lane in Chestnut Hill, right off of Germantown Avenue

(This is a one-way street, so you might need to turn on another street and double back to find a spot)

Also, outside food other than sippy cups etc. is no longer permitted.

Call The Little Treehouse at 215.247.3637 for more info. Hope to see you there!

Searching for Spring: Book-Making with Kids

Last week, during one of those gorgeous 70 degree days, we decided to head out to a favorite park and spend the afternoon there.  Being a shutterbug, I grabbed my pocket camera, some snacks for the kids, and sunscreen. 

We started out in the usual spot.... playing on playground equipment.  But the park we chose had gorgeous scenery all around, so we decided to hike for a bit and “look for spring”.  My three year old and his twenty one month old sister were up for the challenge, and when my preschooler wanted me to take a picture of his first “find”, an idea was born. 

I started snapping photos of every sign of spring they discovered... from the puddles on the ground, to the gorgeous spreading tree starting to green up.  Once they knew their observations were being recorded, they were really motivated to find more.  It sparked great conversations about what was and what wasn’t a sign of spring (we decided the many cars in the parking lot were a sign of spring, but trash on the ground might be a bit of a stretch).   

If I had planned ahead, I’d have also brought along our trusty clipboard and some drawing/writing tools... my preschooler loves to be the scientist, recording what he sees.  But we relied upon our photos and memories of the day, of which there were many.  We saw dogs splashing in the creek, found a worm on the sliding board, chased after some butterflies, discovered flowers and seedlings, couldn’t shake our shadows, and even tracked fish in the fast-moving stream.   

Once we returned home, we put the pictures to work; my preschooler and I set about creating the photo book.  Since our pictures seemed publish-wort

hy, we opted for a photo book from an online shop.  Many online photo printers now have book-making options... artscow, shutterfly, picaboo, and snapfish come to mind.  These companies provide software and templates (just add photos and text) that make book-making a snap.  Ours took about an hour total to complete. 

We went through the pictures on the computer together, sorted them into categories, and then started telling our story.  My three year old was more than happy to narrate the entire book himself, but we made sure to put some quotes from our toddler in as well.... my favorite being, “yook mommy, fwowa!” (Translation: Look Mommy, a flower!). Using their words and memories really made the book come to life.   

We conducted our investigations at Valley Creek Park in Malvern because it is a lovely park and we had errands to run nearby, but this is a nice portable activity you can do just about anywhere.  You could even repeat for all 4 seasons... publish your own family series!  The only downfall has been a certain little boy requesting photo print-outs and homemade books about virtually everything he does, at which point I promptly introduced him to the additional wonders of the homemade book. 

Cost for a 20 page 8 X 8 hardback book from artscow.com = $9.99

(These make great gifts for friends too!)

Celebrate Earth Day with Art This Weekend!

Caroline, my four-year-old daughter, sat working so intently on her memory book. She was carefully cutting out hearts from scrap book paper to create a textured front-cover. “Mommy, I love this pink pen,” she said as she held up a fluorescent glitter pen.  Meanwhile, my six-year-old daughter, Sarah, studied a plastic model of a horse as she used a brown colored pencil to draw a picture of a “wild horse.” “I am going to make a storybook about wild horses,” she said, smiling.

  

We arrived late to Mindy Flexer's Studio, at 5225 Greene Street, but she didn’t mind.  The kids around the table talked about their storybook.  One little girl was making a storybook for her best friend, a story about all the things they love to do together.  Later, Caroline walked slowly holding her book with two hands.  “Mommy, I have to hold my book carefully, like this,” she said, as she skipped down the hallway.  

I couldn’t wait to come back for more fun and creative activities for the family! Well, I don’t have to wait much longer...

Please come join us on Saturday, April 25, 9:30 to 5:30 and/or April 26, 1:30 to 5:30 for the Earth Day/Mother's Day Make-In. Here’s how it works:

  

      Drop in when you want, for however long you want. 

      You can come as a family, or leave your child so they can make a special gift for  Mom! 

      Unaccompanied children six years and older are welcome, and can  stay for up to  two hours.       Younger children are welcome with parents or chaperons.  

      

       Unaccompanied teenagers and adults are also welcome. 

      Light refreshments will be served. 

      $10 for individuals or $20 for families covers all materials you can  use for making cards, prints, pictures, small books, or stationery.  In addition, blank tote bags,  cloth lunch bags, and sun hats will be available for $10 each if you would like to  decorate one! Make art for mom that is also good for the earth! 

 

Other Events at Mindy Flexer Art School: 

One-Week Summer Art Programs Run All Summer

Half-day Summer Art Studio runs most weeks of the Summer, June 15 to September 4.  Full-day Artstory (art and history) Camp runs the weeks of August 17, 24, and 31, in collaboration with Grumblethorpe Historic House.  You can sign up for as many or as few weeks of either program as you would like.   

Art Classes for Children and Adults Offered This Spring and Next Fall

Art classes start March 29, May 4, and September 8.  There are after-school, home school, and Sunday morning classes for children, and weekday morning, weekday evening, and Sunday morning classes for teens and adults. 

See you at the studio!

Sendak on Sendak: Fun for All at the Rosenbach Museum

If you find yourself lamenting that the Please Touch Museum did away with their Sendak exhibit in their new digs, there’s another local spot to get your Sendak fix. Nestled in between the rowhomes and brownstones of Rittenhouse Square, the Rosenbach Museum is home to the largest collection of Maurice Sendak’s work. 

Sendak, of course, is most famous for his monstrously illustrated picture book, Where the Wild Things Are. The Sendak exhibit at the Rosenbach (on display in this form through May 3rd) takes visitors well beyond that famous story. Our family attended with one adult and three children (ages 3, 5, and 9). And while it wasn’t necessarily geared towards the preschool crowd, the museum offered something for each of us. 

There was a wonderful seek-and-find guide for families to follow. Kids can grab their very own Chicken Soup with Rice folders to house the cards they collect in each of the four Sendak galleries. The cards have wonderful information about the exhibits, interactive ideas and discussion points for caregivers and children, and beautiful cut-outs of some of Sendak’s most treasured characters (Really Rosie, Max, Bundibar, to name a few). Once home, the folder unfolds to create a set, and the cut-out characters have their very own stage! That was a nice take-home that my kids all really enjoyed.

During the self-guided tour/treasure hunt, questions and ideas help guide visitors. Parents and children are prompted through questions to connect with the illustrations. Topics included fears, friends, bullying, tantrums, dressing up, and everything in between. Our favorite explorations included looking for Jenny and the dog throughout the exhibits, counting monsters, and finding pictures “bathed in moonlight”. The guide provided information, as well as ways to keep busy children focused on the images. But all three of my children especially loved gathering the cards for their folder, and really used the cards as a way to relate to the displays. 

The images themselves are stunning for any Sendak fan to see... from small sketches showing the drawing process, to original drawings of favorite pages, to wall-sized murals that made us feel truly a part of the stories. The exhibit is definitely multi-layered. It is very kid-friendly, but also highlights Sendaks’ struggle with life’s darker side. It pays an apt tribute to this author/illustrator/producer/set designer who refuses to believe that children are one-dimensional. 

Before you leave, be sure to visit the wonderful gift shop. In addition to many Sendak books, dolls, cds, and prints, there are also signed copies of posters and books available for collectors and dabblers alike. 

The museum is closed on Mondays. Tuesdays-Saturdays open from 10-5, with later hours Wednesday nights until 8pm.  

Adult admission is $10, students and children are $5, and children under 5 are free.