Monday, August 31, 2009
Kidwinks.com eNewsletter 8/30/2009
We had a marshmallow roast in our backyard last night, and my daughter wore her winter boots to keep her feet warm. Earth to Mother Nature: "It's August! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING???"
Listen, we'd like to ask your help. Many of you have emailed us about all the fun new things and great restaurants you've found using kidwinks. Thank you for that - we love to know we're helping our fellow busy parents (and even grandparents!). So WE know how helpful the website is; and YOU know how helpful it is. It's time our listings businesses knew it too. Would you mind telling the manager the next time you visit a business or event after finding it on kidwinks? Honestly, they like to know how best to reach customers, and will appreciate your feedback. It will also help us gain advertisers (our only source of income), and hopefully open the door to some new prizes for us to offer you. Thank you in advance!
Since the coming weekend is a long one, I thought I'd just concentrate on the first part of the week in this newsletter, and send a separate one tomorrow covering the Labor Day Weekend. If you don't see something that tickles your fancy here, you can find lots more to choose from by clicking through our Events Calendar or browsing through the Ongoing Activities section. Don't spend more money than you have to when taking the kids out to eat: check our Kids Eat Free Calendar first.
Monday, August 31
End of Summer Concert - Millenium ParkChicago, IL Family Fun Festival Presents Robbert Bobbert and the Bubble Machine/Bunny Clogs.
Monday Morning Playgroup - Morton Grove Library Morton Grove, IL Tots of all ages and their parents or caregivers can gather to meet new friends, play and have …
Mom & Tots Playdate - Pinstripes Northbrook Northbrook, IL Kids can enjoy a complimentary yogurt & fresh food buffet and a coffee station for moms & dads.
Movies in the ParkChicago, ILCatch a free outdoor flick at one of the Chicago Park District's many parks this summer.
Tuesday, September 1
Free Admission 2009 - Adler Planetarium Chicago, IL Museum admission is free today.
Summer Luau Niles, IL Put on your grass skirts and flowered shirts and enjoy a morning of games, songs, crafts and …
Matinee Movie Magic - Kerasotes Theatres Chicago Area, IL An opportunity for parents to attend first-run films in a baby-friendly environment, and …
Howling Hideouts - The Morton Arboretum Lisle, IL Sneak into the life of the coyote and learn about these smart but secretive howlers.
Wednesday, September 2
Cirque Shanghai - Navy Pier Chicago, IL Kidwinks’ members give this show a 5-wink rating. Read what they have to say.
Wild Wednesdays at Cantigny Park Wheaton, IL This is a hands-on, nature exploration geared towards preschool through elementary ages.
Apple Pickin' Family Festival - Apple Holler Sturtevant, WIFresh ripe apples, crisp fall air, families playing together in the great outdoors and enjoying family activities …
Cool Cars Under the Stars Elmhurst, IL This family-friendly classic car show will be cruisin’ away until next year after tonight.
Thursday, September 3
Free Admission - Notebaert Nature MuseumChicago, IL Thursdays - Admission is FREE.
Come Meet Frog and Toad Morton Grove, IL Arnold Lobel's lovable characters, Frog and Toad, will visit. Come hear a story, do a craft and …
Horse Drawn Hayrides Danada Forest Preserve Wheaton, ILEnjoy a 30-minute horse-drawn hayride through prairies and woodlands while learning about …
Movie/PJ Night at Nibbles Play Cafe Wheeling, IL Come in your pjs and watch some of your favorite children's movies with us every Thurs. evening!
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Saturday, July 18, 2009
The Food Game By Dream Weaver
How many games do we play in order to get our kids to eat a decent meal? From empty threats to fancy presentations, I think I’ve tried it all. I have a negotiator who starts every meal by declaring how many peas she will eat, what portion of the chicken breast she will consume, and how much ice cream she will get in return. I have a sensitive artist who takes great delight in the presentation of the meal, and tries foods based on the appearance on her plate. For her, I arrange pasta in a semi-circle around the edge of the plate, add 3 meatballs for eyes and nose, and gently place peas across the bottom to look like a smile. Last, I have a picky eater who shrieks at the threat of being seated at the table for hours until the plate is clear. It never worked when I was a kid, and yet there I am telling my son that he can sit there until his peas are gone.
I was recently given a game called The Food Game that takes a new approach to an old problem. The game consists of placemats with color-coded squares that correspond to a type of food. Each person spins a spinner and moves his piece along his placement. If he lands on a green space, for example, each person at the table must eat a vegetable from his or her plate. Other colors translate to a protein or a starch.
Although I thought my 9 year old would consider herself too old or too cool for this game, I quickly realized that her hyper-competitive nature turned her into a policewoman who would evaluate whether others followed the rules and ate what they were supposed to eat. My other daughter treats it like an X game – Extreme Eating, the crazier the meal, the better. It was an instant hit with my 4 year old who likes to follow the rules that came with the game (as long as he wins - otherwise rules are added at the last minute to change the outcome). We read through the rules together the first time we played and we made a few changes such as dice instead of the spinner and a prize for the winner.
I started playing this game with meals I knew they would like, and I have gradually introduced new foods. We laugh throughout the game at the faces and methods used to down an unfamiliar vegetable or brown rice. With one hand placing a green bean in her mouth while the other hand is plugging her nose, my daughter grimaces and quickly chugs a shot of milk. I sometimes feel like I am preparing my children for a future on a reality TV show where they will be forced to eat gross things, because they often compare vegetables to earthworms, compost, or mud (I should note that I do wash my vegetables before I cook them). Sigh. Maybe they’ll just end up with an appreciation for broccoli…
If you think you’ve tried everything to get a healthy meal in your child’s belly, give this simple and fun Food Game a try. I would also recommend this game as a gift for a parent of young kids.
You can find out more about The Food Game on www.kidwinks.com.
I was recently given a game called The Food Game that takes a new approach to an old problem. The game consists of placemats with color-coded squares that correspond to a type of food. Each person spins a spinner and moves his piece along his placement. If he lands on a green space, for example, each person at the table must eat a vegetable from his or her plate. Other colors translate to a protein or a starch.
Although I thought my 9 year old would consider herself too old or too cool for this game, I quickly realized that her hyper-competitive nature turned her into a policewoman who would evaluate whether others followed the rules and ate what they were supposed to eat. My other daughter treats it like an X game – Extreme Eating, the crazier the meal, the better. It was an instant hit with my 4 year old who likes to follow the rules that came with the game (as long as he wins - otherwise rules are added at the last minute to change the outcome). We read through the rules together the first time we played and we made a few changes such as dice instead of the spinner and a prize for the winner.
I started playing this game with meals I knew they would like, and I have gradually introduced new foods. We laugh throughout the game at the faces and methods used to down an unfamiliar vegetable or brown rice. With one hand placing a green bean in her mouth while the other hand is plugging her nose, my daughter grimaces and quickly chugs a shot of milk. I sometimes feel like I am preparing my children for a future on a reality TV show where they will be forced to eat gross things, because they often compare vegetables to earthworms, compost, or mud (I should note that I do wash my vegetables before I cook them). Sigh. Maybe they’ll just end up with an appreciation for broccoli…
If you think you’ve tried everything to get a healthy meal in your child’s belly, give this simple and fun Food Game a try. I would also recommend this game as a gift for a parent of young kids.
You can find out more about The Food Game on www.kidwinks.com.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sometimes the Perfect Day does not go as planned… By Dream Weaver
My two daughters, who enjoy live theater very much, expressed an interest in seeing Mary Poppins this summer. When I looked at the available dates, I noticed that Kids Restaurant Week was the end of June and I was thrilled to pair an elegant dinner downtown with Broadway in Chicago. This was the rare occasion when my girls eagerly coiffed their hair and donned a fancy dress without any hassle from mom. We invited their cousins and grandma for a very fancy girls’ night out.
We started our night at Lockwood in the newly remodeled Palmer House Hilton. The young girls’ jaws dropped when we walked up the steps to the main level. From the fine furnishings to the well dressed hipsters milling about, it was one of their more memorable people-watching experiences. We requested the special menu for Kids Restaurant Week, which is an annual fundraising and awareness event for Green City Market in Chicago. Participating restaurants create three course meals for children to introduce them to new dishes made with ingredients from local and organic farmers. My girls still talk about last year - the edible flowers at Prairie Grass and the mini fish tacos at Blue Water Grill (now closed). The menu at Lockwood was disappointing because of the standard fare that was offered to kids. When my daughter ordered grilled cheese, I envisioned whole grain bread with an exotic cheese and baked sweet potato fries. Instead, it was American cheese on white bread with a side of deep-fried potatoes. My other daughter had a bowl of spaghetti with marinara sauce. Both choices were very bland – not what I was expecting from an upscale restaurant participating in Kids Restaurant Week. My niece started with a bowl of fruit that looked delicious, but it did not reflect what is in season right now. Although I was disappointed with the meal, the young girls were thrilled with the ambience and certainly didn’t complain about French fries for dinner.
We went to Mary Poppins at the Cadillac Theater in Chicago and we had a good view from our seats. Ten minutes into the production the curtains went down and the audience was told the show would be delayed due to technical difficulties. The girls were very well behaved for about 5 minutes before they started to fidget. We appeased them with some games on our cell phones and a quick tutorial on how to send a text message to Daddy. When that grew old, we left our seats and walked around the theater lobby enjoying the ornate decor. Almost an hour after the start, a man appeared on stage and said the show could not go on. Of course, the girls kept saying “the show must go on”, and I was thinking the same thing.
We stood there stunned for a few minutes and then started to file out of the theater. My darling 7 year old in her sparkling sequined dress looked up at me with her big blue and said, “Mommy, this sucks.” I asked where she learned that language and she said she heard it at a Blackhawks game. I didn’t bother reprimanding her. I held her hand as we walked into the pouring rain and said, “Yep. It sure does.”
We started our night at Lockwood in the newly remodeled Palmer House Hilton. The young girls’ jaws dropped when we walked up the steps to the main level. From the fine furnishings to the well dressed hipsters milling about, it was one of their more memorable people-watching experiences. We requested the special menu for Kids Restaurant Week, which is an annual fundraising and awareness event for Green City Market in Chicago. Participating restaurants create three course meals for children to introduce them to new dishes made with ingredients from local and organic farmers. My girls still talk about last year - the edible flowers at Prairie Grass and the mini fish tacos at Blue Water Grill (now closed). The menu at Lockwood was disappointing because of the standard fare that was offered to kids. When my daughter ordered grilled cheese, I envisioned whole grain bread with an exotic cheese and baked sweet potato fries. Instead, it was American cheese on white bread with a side of deep-fried potatoes. My other daughter had a bowl of spaghetti with marinara sauce. Both choices were very bland – not what I was expecting from an upscale restaurant participating in Kids Restaurant Week. My niece started with a bowl of fruit that looked delicious, but it did not reflect what is in season right now. Although I was disappointed with the meal, the young girls were thrilled with the ambience and certainly didn’t complain about French fries for dinner.
We went to Mary Poppins at the Cadillac Theater in Chicago and we had a good view from our seats. Ten minutes into the production the curtains went down and the audience was told the show would be delayed due to technical difficulties. The girls were very well behaved for about 5 minutes before they started to fidget. We appeased them with some games on our cell phones and a quick tutorial on how to send a text message to Daddy. When that grew old, we left our seats and walked around the theater lobby enjoying the ornate decor. Almost an hour after the start, a man appeared on stage and said the show could not go on. Of course, the girls kept saying “the show must go on”, and I was thinking the same thing.
We stood there stunned for a few minutes and then started to file out of the theater. My darling 7 year old in her sparkling sequined dress looked up at me with her big blue and said, “Mommy, this sucks.” I asked where she learned that language and she said she heard it at a Blackhawks game. I didn’t bother reprimanding her. I held her hand as we walked into the pouring rain and said, “Yep. It sure does.”
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Recycle Bingo By Dream Weaver
It has been a while since my last post, mainly because I was swept up in the end of the year flurry that I affectionately dubbed the storm before the calm. From the start of spring sports to the end-of-year recitals, the well planned class parties to the impromptu back yard barbecues, these last weeks of school have been a flurry of celebrations that seem to reflect the end of a very long winter.
I have to share our experimental and shockingly successful PTO-sponsored family event: Recycle BINGO. With a limited social budget and local shop owners (who have generously donated prizes in the past) squeezed in a tight economy, I was challenged with hosting a game night for elementary school kids with no prizes. I did not want to waste PTO money on cheap trinkets that would fall apart in one day.
I read many stories about the increased market for second hand goods, so I floated the idea of using old toys from families as BINGO prizes. Some parents turned up their noses, but many more jumped forward and offered to donate their gently used books and games.
The result was amazing! We collected entire book series (Magic Tree House, Mary Kate & Ashley, Boxcar Children) in mint condition. Families brought board games still in plastic wrap, complicated puzzles with all the pieces, and current video games. The children’s eyes lit up as they entered the gym and saw the prize table. Parents were thrilled to empty their closets and share old toys with new friends.
If you’re looking for a low-cost, earth-friendly summer activity for your community, block party, homeowners association, or other social network, consider Recycle BINGO. Remember to check the quality of donations before you put them on the prize table. Most important, be prepared for parents to gush about your brilliant idea.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wanderlust - St. Louis
With that said let me get to the interesting stuff. One of my favorite driving trips was the one to St. Louis. Who knew??? But I am here to tell you that St. Louis is such a great city for kids. It is also very budget friendly. I think it took about 5 hours to drive there. On this particular trip my husband did join us. I booked a hotel through either hotwire or priceline. We got a great deal $64 per night (3 years ago) in the St. Louis Union Station Marriott. Our room overlooked the mall area, which was cool. The hotel has an outdoor pool that we couldn’t use because it was still too cold out. We stayed for 3 nights but we could have easily spent another 4 nights.
My all time favorite museum geared for kids of all ages is the City Museum. It is a bit pricey if you add in the aquarium. So unless they have changed the aquarium section within the City Museum I would suggest skipping it. Check the internet and some of the travel magazines, you might find a coupon for a couple of $$ off admission, this is true for all of the places in St. Louis. The City Museum is soooo amazing! We got there when it opened and we were the last ones to leave. Go on a day when you can spend some time in the outdoor area. Check out their website because I don’t know how to describe it properly.
We went to the Arch and rode to the top. That was neat and I would do it again. The Saint Louis Zoo was nice but it took a while to find parking. It was the first nice weekend so everyone had the same zoo idea. The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum is the best I have ever been to and I have been to a lot of Children’s Museums. The Butterfly House is huge and definitely worth a visit.
One night we ate at Fitz's American Grill and Bottling Works. They brew both beer and root beer. You can see the brewing area from the restaurant. I had found 2 coupons for free ice cream floats. They let us use both coupons and brought us two floats that were as big as my head. Another night we went to Crown Candy Kitchen for ice cream sundaes. It is an old candy shop that opened in 1913 and still looks that same. I love that kind of stuff.
There are a ton of things to do that we skipped because we didn’t have enough time or our kids were a bit too young.
Here are some of the other sites and activities that we didn’t have time for Six Flags St. Louis, Steinberg Rink in Forest Park, Riverfront and KATY trails, Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis, Grant’s Farm, Purina Farms, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, and the Missouri Botanical Garden. St. Louis has a lot of free kid friendly places such as the Saint Louis Science Center, Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis Art Museum, Grant’s Farm, Saint Louis Zoo, Purina Farms, Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, and the Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour.
If you have taken your kids to St. Louis, please share. Do you know of a great driving trip from Chicago?
Want to hear about more great driving trips from Chicago?
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
February Kidwinks Prize
The February Kidwinks Prize, a new child’s bedroom design, was awarded to Sarah in Des Plaines. Her 4-year-old son, Matthew, needed a bedroom makeover and their wishes had come true – they won, but what would it be like? Would Matthew think his new room looked cool, or would he want his old one back?
Before
Before
Affordable Interiors owner Deborah Oberschelp arrived at the home and told Matthew he was in for a big treat, but he would have to stay busy in another room for most of the day until his big surprise. He was a willing participant and played happily with his mom all the long hours of waiting.
Finally Deborah was ready to reveal the finished room. All eyes were on Matthew as Deborah led him down the hallway to his new digs, his hands over his eyes. At the count of 3, Deborah asked him to look, and Matthew began to jump up and down, and around in circles, shouting “I love it, I love it!” What a great day for the family.
Deborah chose a racecar theme. She transformed the room by
¨ Moving furniture to the right spot
¨ Removing clutter
¨ Replacing old strawberry curtains with a custom car & checkered-flag valance
¨ Adding a custom checkered-flag pillow to the bed
¨ Painting a racetrack around the perimeter of the room
¨ Painting a red rectangle frame on the wall to showcase 3 hubcabs hung as wall art
¨ Arranging Matthew’s car-&-truck collection on shelves to complete the theme
What a difference a great design makes! These photos show Matthew’s room before and after the makeover, and Matthew and mom’s happy faces. Congratulations Matthew, and to Deborah on a job well done!
For children’s rooms and more designs that reflect your style and respect your budget, see www.selectredesign.com and contact Deborah for information.
After
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Exercise and Your Immune System by Missy Vacala
Did you know that regular exercise can help keep your immune system in good shape? Fitness enthusiasts have frequently reported that they experience less sickness than their sedentary peers. An American Council on Exercise study revealed that 61% of 700 recreational runners reported fewer colds since they began running, while only 4% felt they had experienced more. Many other studies have shown that regular moderate exercise on a “near-daily” basis aids in keeping the immune system strong.
More technically speaking, while exercising, your body increases the speed at which it removes waste products. Since your breathing rate increases, more bacteria and foreign particles are flushed from the lungs. The same is true when your body perspires during exercise. Bacteria is released from your body via sweat. Extra waste removal decreases your risk of illness simply because fewer infectious agents are present in your body.
Also there is a cumulative effect of exercise and the immune system. The more regularly you exercise the more often your body is flushing bacteria, the more efficient your body becomes at fighting infections.
Therefore, every time you hop on that treadmill, participate in a cycle class, or pop-in an exercise DVD, your immune system is getting a boost! That increases your chances of fighting off cold viruses over the long term. And that’s good news!!
Missy Vacala - Vital Fitness
More technically speaking, while exercising, your body increases the speed at which it removes waste products. Since your breathing rate increases, more bacteria and foreign particles are flushed from the lungs. The same is true when your body perspires during exercise. Bacteria is released from your body via sweat. Extra waste removal decreases your risk of illness simply because fewer infectious agents are present in your body.
Also there is a cumulative effect of exercise and the immune system. The more regularly you exercise the more often your body is flushing bacteria, the more efficient your body becomes at fighting infections.
Therefore, every time you hop on that treadmill, participate in a cycle class, or pop-in an exercise DVD, your immune system is getting a boost! That increases your chances of fighting off cold viruses over the long term. And that’s good news!!
Missy Vacala - Vital Fitness
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