Free movies every Tuesday

There are 3 area theatres that have free movies every Tuesday at 10 am. The Regal in Harrisburg also has them on Wednesday and I just learned that the Great Escapes Theater in the Harrisburg Mall offers the same movie Tues, Wed and Thursday! Lots of opportunities to beat the heat and catch a movie. See links below for more information.

Regal Theater near Shoppes of Susq Place

07/15/2008-07/16/2008
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (G)
Alvin And The Chipmunks (PG)
07/22/2008-07/23/2008
Mr. Bean's Holiday (G)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (PG)
07/29/2008-07/30/2008
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (G)
The Last Mimzy (PG)
08/05/2008-08/06/2008
March Of The Penguins (G)
Madagascar (PG)

Great Escapes at Harrisburg Mall

July 15 Week 6 Happy Feet
July 22 Week 7 Charlotte's Web
July 29 Week 8 Shrek 3
Aug 5 week 9 Ice Age, The Meltdown
Aug 12 week 10 Surf's Up
Aug 19 Week 11 Horton Hears a Who

Cinema Center of Camp Hill
get there early, it fills up fast

July 15 Charlottes Web
July 22 Evan Almighty
July 29 Over the Hedge
August 5 The Grinch
August 12 Madagascar

www.cinemacenter.com
www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestivalschedule.aspx
www.greatescapetheaters.com/theater.asp?q_theaterid=28

Conodoguinet Creek off East Penn Drive

Sometimes you just want to get out of the house for an hour! That was our goal recently when we stopped by this area of the creek to let the kids throw rocks and look for crayfish. This section of the creek is flat, rocky and shallow and offers lots of space to explore. The rocks can be a little slippery sometimes so make sure the kids where shoes. All you need for this activity are some towels to dry them off when they are done! There is even a picnic table where you can have a snack or sit to watch the kids while they play.

From 21st Street in Camp Hill, go left on Center Street/East Penn Drive, make the first right before you cross the bridge onto Creek Road. Go under the bridge and park at the second area where there is a blue PARK sign. This is part of Seibert Park and if you want to explore some more, you can walk to the left of the fenced in power equipment on a path that will take you into the woods, over a little stream and eventually up to the playground and pool. Email me if you have any questions!

Five Senses Garden, Capital Area Greenbelt

I can't believe I have lived here most of my life and have never been here!! Writing this blog has given me more motivation to seek out places to take the kids and share the results with my friends. I felt like I hit the jackpot today after our morning outing. The Capital Area Greenbelt is a 100 year old system of paths and parks that are all connected and circle the Harrisburg area. They continue on for 20 miles around the city and offer so many things for families to do. Riverfront Park, Italian Lake and Wildwood Lake are all connected to the Greenbelt. Five Senses Garden is an area that has a parking lot just across the street and was close to our end goal of the free movies at Great Escapes Theater today so we decided to check it out on our way there this morning. This beautiful park has a labyrinth, paths, a butterfly bench, a creek to explore and walk in and lots of flowers and plants. The CAG Association maintains the parks and is an all volunteer organization. Al, one of the volunteers, showed the kids a plant that when the leaves are torn smells of oranges. They loved this! Max kept asking about the playground but when he realized there was so much to explore here he didn't want to leave. To get to Five Senses Garden, get off the Paxton Street aka Harrisburg Mall exit from 83 N, at Paxton Street make a right, go to 28th Street and make a left, continue about 1/2 a mile to the parking area on the right. There is a CAG sign marking the entrance. Once you park, walk to the left (if 28th St. is at your back) on the path, cross the street into the garden. The 20 miles of paths are mostly paved and would make a great bike outing with your kids. Check out their website http://www.caga.org/ or email me and I'll send you a brochure with maps of the area and information on where to go to park. I hope you will check it out! Call me, maybe we'll

Little Buffalo State Park

100 degrees and I couldn't decide if we should stay home in the a/c or try the park that I went to as a child, Little Buffalo State Park in Perry County. My sister and I decided if it was going to be that hot we might as well go to a pool in the country where it might be cooler. We were right! There was a great breeze and so many different areas of the pool that we were always cool, always moving and having a great time.
The pool was redone about 5 years ago and is probably the largest pool I have ever been to.
It goes up to 5 ft but about half of it is only 1 foot deep so the kids had so much fun crawling, swimming and getting comfortable in the water and I had an easy time keeping an eye on them. This section of the pool also has some mushroom fountains and dumping buckets and is the largest "kiddie pool" ever! We never felt crowded and the kids didn't want to get out.
Two water slides as well as a splash zone make this truly a pool for everyone.
While sitting at the pool you look out over lush green trees and glimpses of the lake. You can find shade under a tree at this park which is pretty rare at most pools in the area. The only downside to this pool is that you aren't allowed to bring in food or drinks. There are about 100 picnic tables under the trees just outside the pool and they also overlook the lake. I think this policy is to help keep the park clean and free from critters, and it was a really clean park.
From Lemoyne it took me 45-50 minutes and was 33 miles away. I took Wertzville Rd to 34 North the entire way until I saw a sign for the park. The state park website gives directions from 322 North. Either way you get there, it is a beautiful park and worth the $5 entrance fee and the drive. If you visit Little Buffalo, please leave me comments and let me know what you thought of it!

Mayfred Lane Playground

I made up the name of this playground based on the street you take to get there and hope a reader will correct me if another name exists.
On South 21st Street in Camp Hill Borough there is a Fiala Field, a Fiala Building and before the street dead ends to the barrier wall of 581, Mayfred Lane. Turn right on this street and at the end there is a small playground. The structure is nearly new and at 9 am was entirely shaded!!
I would estimate that it remains completely shaded until about 11:30 am when it shifts to blazing sunshine. Large pine trees, a picnic table and bench make this a really quiet spot for some morning playtime for the kids, maybe coffee and the paper for the parents.
Two tall slides are reached from a climbing wall and steps with a few other "toys" added on below. There is little for the younger set (up to age 2) but my 3 and 4 year old love it here. The sign at the park says it is for children aged 5-12 and younger ones need supervision.
There are actually restrooms here that are fitted with very modern fixtures for a public facility. The toilets are metal w/no lids and the sinks spout upwards like a fountain. The fields here are used mostly for soccer and are #2 and #4, hence the bathrooms.
There is one lone baby swing too far from the play structure to even count as part of the park, in my opinion, but there is a nice tire swing about 100 ft away.
All in all, great shady spot to take your kids if they are at least 3 years old but only go in the morning.

Fort Hunter Park

Fort Hunter is a beautiful shady park right along the Susquehanna River and Front Street in Harrisburg. There are two playgrounds, one on each side of front street, but on this visit we were only visiting the park on the east side of Front Street. Not only is there a nice big play structure, swings and baby swings but at 3:00 pm it was very shady. There are bathrooms and benches and a picnic pavilion on this side of the park. We saw signs for the Canal Trail but didn't venture to check it out.
If you visit the west side of the park, closest to the river, the kids can walk down a little path with a flat spot to throw rocks in the river and look for frogs. The restrooms on this side of the park are actually a deluxe port-a-potty with a hand sanitizing station outside. They are probably the nicest port-a-potties you will find since they are in in a building but walk across the park when nature calls to the real bathrooms, which were very well maintained.
From Camp Hill, take 2nd Street North to Division to North Front Street (where 2 way begins), continue North until you see the signs for Fort Hunter.

Lake Tobias Wildlife Park

Lake Tobias is a wilflife park in Halifax, north of Harrisburg and over Peter's Mountain.
They have animals in cages like a traditional zoo as well as a petting zoo where you can mingle with goats and alpacas. When you are done walking around and looking at the animals you can take the safari tour. School buses have had their tops removed and a tour guide takes you all over the park while telling you about all the wildlife you are seeing. The animals are very used to people b/c most of them allow you to get very close. An elk actually climbed on board and his friends ate crackers out of the kids hands. I think the kids were most excited about riding a school bus and not being buckled into a car seat!
I had never been to Lake Tobias and was expecting a small little mom and pop operation. It is actually a very large business and we counted at least 5 school buses with the tops cut off. The day we were there they were expecting 1,000 guests.
There are bathrooms, a concession stand (very slow service), a picnic pavilion and a small gift shop.
I would recommend going on a cool or overcast day b/c there isn't a lot of shade and it can get hot on the open top buses. We packed a lunch and ate under a shady tree at a picnic table overlooking the man-make lake. There are often buy one get one free coupons in the Clipper for the Safari tour. We had a great outing here, I highly recommend it!
On the drive home you'll pass 3B Ice Cream on the right hand side as you come down from Peter's Mountain. They have delicious ice cream and huge portions.
http://www.laketobias.com/

New Cumberland Park

Although the playground here is super sunny, it is still one of our favorites. The play structure is very large and almost entirely enclosed. The ramps go up pretty high but are safe b/c there are no gaps for younger kids to fall through. It has a castle or tree house feel to it and the kids always love it. There is also a zip line and a few other toys that I haven't seen around anywhere else.
Two picnic tables take up the only available shade under young tress but at least you can have a snack or lunch out of the sun.
The borough recently constructed a beautiful gazebo but that is all there is, no table or benches are in it. A sign says it is for authorized use only so I wonder if you have to rent it to have tables there. I think this would be a great place for a party if you can get the gazebo. The kids could play on the playground and there are bathrooms right next door. The park runs along the Yellow Breeches so when the kids tire of the playground you can walk over and look for ducks or throw rocks in the creek.
There is also a smaller tot playground about 100 yards from the gazebo and larger playground. This part of the park is very shady and perfect for younger children.
I highly recommend visiting this park!
If you are looking for a snack on the way there, Dingeldein's bakery is on the right in downtown New Cumberland. Right before you get to town, also on the right, is TJ's Homestyle, it is a small restaurant but has great breakfast.
DIRECTIONS: From Market Street in CH, turn left on 3rd and continue through New Cumberland, make a right on Front Street before the iron bridge and the park is on your left.

Wormleysburg Memorial Park

We started out at the West Fairview boat dock to feed the ducks but it was pretty muddy so we left and were trying to find a small park in Wormleysburg we visited once last year. While I was trying to locate that park I saw signs for the Memorial Park. If you go north on Front Street make a left at Edna or Haldeman and it runs along River between those two blocks. River is parallel to Front and Second streets.
The kids were immediately drawn to the carousel horse merry-go-round! There is a big wooden play structure that seems to be in good shape but if you have younger children you would have to really be hands-on with them b/c there were quite a few openings that they could slip through. This park has some of the nicest baby swings I've seen around the area. They have high backs, are one piece molded plastic and looked brand new. There was a large pavilion with 10 picnic tables and bathrooms beside it but they weren't open today. The location isn't very scenic as it looks over basketball courts and another paved, fenced court as well as facing houses and garages across the alley that is River Street. All in all, it was a good place to stop and play but I wouldn't schedule a picnic or birthday party b/c the scenery isn't very attractive.

The value of play

My friend Mellicent told me about a recent NPR story on the value of free time and unstructured play. Imaginative play helps children learn self regulation and impulse control in a way that scripted activities or classes can't. It was really interesting and timely on the day I created my new blog.

Read the article here.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514

I'll be at the beach a few days and won't be blogging. Please share your outings with me in the comments section while I'm gone!

Shipoke Playground in Harrisburg

We had a great outing last week with some school friends at Shipoke playground in Harrisburg.
It probably takes less time to get to Shipoke than to the Hampden Township playground!
There is a shady pavilion where you can eat your lunch and a fairly new play structure. We brought our bikes and the kids rode on the riverfront path, there is very little traffic so it is very safe. This is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Harrisburg and the houses are very cute and quaint. If you have never been to this part of town, check it out.
From Front Street in Harrisburg, go south until you see Passage to India, at the light, stay right, go right on Race Street and the park is on your right.
If you prefer to eat lunch out, Passage to India has a delicious lunch buffet every day and kids under 5 are free.