Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in milwaukee, WI

Family Friday Fun June 19,2009

by Amy Jo Jones

June 18, 2009

Festivals and Fathers Day. That's just a taste at what Milwaukee is serving up this weekend. Here are the highlights!

JUNETEENTH DAY
Milwaukee's Juneteenth Celebration marks the last day of slavery in the United States There will be a parade at 10 a.m., traveling down Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. There will also be food and entertainment. This is a family friendly event; join the festivities Friday night on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive between Center and Burleigh Streets.
www.juneteenth.com/wisconsin.htm

Catch the Wave!
The Milwaukee Wave hosts the Chicago Storm in a beach soccer challenge on Bradford Beach. The event is free! www.milwaukeewave.com/

FATHERS DAY AT THE ZOO
Spend Father's Day at the Milwaukee County Zoo. Father's enter free all day Sunday. Take a ride on the train, see the new "Wings from Down Under" exhibit or hang out together celebrating Father's Day.
www.milwaukeezoo.org/

POLISH FEST
Polish Fest hits the Henry Maier Festival Grounds this weekend. The largest Polish festival in the country, the weekend showcases folk dancing, Polka music, exhibits and a children's stage.

www.polishfest.org/

WINGS OVER WAUKESHA
Waukesha salutes veterans this weekend with flying events all weekend long. See the B-17 Flying Fortress and a variety of other World War II aircraft, contemporary airplanes and helicopters plus an interactive display for both kids and adults. Admission is free!

www.wingsoverwisconsin.org

See you next week!

Best Places to Celebrate Father's Day!

by Amy Jo Jones

June 16, 2009

It's that time of year again. Time to shower your dad with love. What? You do that every day? Of course you do! Are you looking for a special way to spend the day with dad? Here are some great ideas of Milwaukee celebrations for all things Father-ly:

Father's Day at the Betty Brinn Children's Museum: Dads get free admission, and kids can create special cards and coupon books.

Father's Day at the Milwaukee Public Museum: Free admission for dads to the museum on Father's Day.

Free golf at Milwaukee County Parks courses: Take dad golfing after 1 p.m. on Father's Day at several Milwaukee County courses and he can golf and ride for free.

Father's Day at the Domes: Sample food from Milwaukee's finest restaurants, enjoy music, shoulder massages and get dad some golf tips from GolfTec and more.

Father's Day Outside Vintage Car and Model T Show: Bring dad to the Waukesha County Museum to see the show. Ticket price is just $1 for dads.

Father's Day Family Firefly Frolic: Bring dad to the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center for an evening firefly frolic. Start inside with songs and stories, and then head outside to catch fireflies. Nets and jars will be provided.

Lakefront Festival of Arts: Take dad to the grounds of the Milwaukee Art Museum for this annual festival and enjoy some family-oriented fun. Craft a Father’s Day card for Dad, make a curiosity box, or take part in a variety of other creative art projects.

Father's Day at Discovery World Museum: If dad is a music lover, take him to check out Les Paul's House of Sound for Father's Day. Best of all, dad gets in free.

Tool Box at the Harley-Davidson Museum: Give dad a closer look at his favorite motorcycle brand with this interactive, short tour at the Harley-Davidson Museum led by a museum staff member.

ABC Garden Explorers

by Amy Jo Jones

June 15, 2009

HELP BETTY BRINN PLANT AN ABC GARDEN!

On June 18 from 5 – 8 p.m, during WaterStone Bank & FOX 6 Neighborhood Night , you can bring your little green thumbs for a free, fun-filled evening of planting the Museum’s ABC Garden, sponsored by Garden Room!

Join them outdoors on the balconies to fill the Museum’s whimsical garden boxes with flowers and plants that begin with each letter of the alphabet - from Azaleas to Zinnias. Kids will “dig” gardening programs, crafts, a special story and more!  

Kids are invited to try simple experiments and make observations about colors, seeds and plants, sun and water, and other summer weather subjects while outdoors in the museum's ABC Garden (weather permitting).

414.291.0888

Family Friday Fun June 12, 2009

by Amy Jo Jones

June 12, 2009

Are you ready for Father's Day? If not, why not treat dad to a big party just for him (and all of the other dads, of course!)

Read on for all the fun waiting for you this weekend:

SATURDAY

FOR THE DADS
The "That's My Dad!" event is happening, organized by the Milwaukee Fatherhood Collaborative and Public Allies Milwaukee in the Washington Park Bandshell. The celebration features entertainment, a resource fair for fathers, food, activities, games, free door prizes and best of all- Free for the whole family!
www.milwaukeefatherhood.com/

HUNGRY?

The Urban Ecology Center's community gardeners and other members of our community invite you to a Community Garden Potluck this Saturday. Bring a dish to pass along with a healthy appetite!
www.urbanecologycenter.org/

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MPM!
Celebrate the Milwaukee Public Museum's 125th anniversary with a day of fun. Experience ancient Egypt in a novel way at "mummy wrap" station, witness the unveiling of the Museum's 125th Anniversary mural, take a scavenger hunt through the exhibits and more. Juice and anniversary cake is free with Museum admission.
www.mpm.org

LOCUST STREET DAYS
Head to Riverwest for the 33rd annual Locust Street Festival! Get there early for the Beer Run / Walk, and stay for the arts and crafts, vendors, live music on five different stages, food and fun for the whole family. http://www.locust-street.com/locuststreetfestival.htm

See you next week!

Like Sands through the Hourglass

by Amy Jo Jones

June 11, 2009

It's time for the Bradford Beach Sandcastle contest!

Come down to Bradford Beach on Sunday June 14th, 2009.

It's a fun-filled day of family-focused activities and you can participate in being involved in the lakefront community revitalization effort. Have you been to Bradford Beach? With improved concessions, groundskeeping and a burger stand you really should.

The Kiwanis Club of Milwaukee holds a sand building contest for the following age groups: under 6, 7 to 10 and 11 to 14. The official times are at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Prizes will be presented for the top three winners of each age category but fun will be had by all.