 KENT COUNTY, MI—Celebrate the 2009 Michigan Reads title, The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen, with the Kent District Library. Several KDL branches invite you to Come See What’s in the Sea where you’ll enjoy an ocean of fun activities, music and fishy critters. And don’t miss your chance to meet Diesen on Sunday, October 18 at 1:30 p.m. at the Cascade Township branch of KDL. This visit is sponsored by the Friends of the Cascade Library. Come See What’s in the Sea: Saturday, September 12, 10:00 AM – EGR Saturday, September 12, 2:00 PM – WAL Tuesday, September 22, 10:00 AM – KWD Wednesday, September 23, 7:00 PM – KWD Saturday, September 26, 10:30 AM – SAN Saturday, October 3, 11:00 AM – WYO Sunday, October 18, 1:30 PM – CAS Tuesday, October 27, 6:30 PM – ROC Tuesday, November 3, 6:30 PM – LOW Wednesday, November 4, 10:00 AM – CUT Thursday, November 5, 10:30 AM – CAL Monday, November 9, 10:30 AM – ALT Thursday, November 12, 6:30 PM – SPE Saturday, November 14, 10:00 AM – PFD Monday, November 16, 10:30 AM – COM Registration may be required. Check www.kdl.org for more information.   Here's the Deal I have (5) tickets to Michigan's Adventure that I need to give away! They are worth $26 each and will get you into the park for the remainder of the 2009 season. Have plans for Labor Day? This would be a perfect family outing! To get these tickets, you just need to do something you were probably going to do anyway...tell your friends about grkids.com! Contest ENDS at NOON on Wednesday! That doesn't give you much time, but that's because I want to get the tickets to the winner ASAP. Here's what you need to do. Tell your friends about grkids.com and get them to sign up for our e-newsletter. The more friends you get to sign up, the more chances you have to win because your name will be entered into a drawing each time you are referenced when someone joins our mailing list. Just be sure that your friends type your name in when they join our mailing list. GOOD LUCK! Sample Email: (you can copy & paste this and change it if you'd like!) Hi Friend! I'm excited to tell you about a great website. It has everything for families in one spot! www.grkids.com's comprehensive event calendar shows what's going on around town...you click day-by-day and look hour-by-hour to find fun things to do with your family! Plus, each week you can get this info delivered to your email inbox! Join their email mailing list today and enter my name where it asks "how did you find us" and I'll have a chance to win Michigan Adventure tickets! This is just one of the great giveaways you'll find at grkids.com! Right now, you can enter to win Meijer Garden passes and soon they'll be giving away tickets to the Ringling Brothers Circus at the Van Andel Arena. Thanks for signing up for the grkids.com email newsletter and entering my name!  Your child's artwork could be featured on the 2010 Red Cross Calendar! The Red Cross has created the following competition in the spirit of ArtPrize. Who are the Red Cross’s helping hands? How do they reach out to you and your community? What have you done to be a Red Cross helping hand? How has Red Cross helped you prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies? Create a piece of art that answers any of these questions and enter to win a chance to be in a Red Cross 2010 calendar! The top 9 submissions from each age category (grades K-5, 6-8, 9-12) will be displayed at the Grand Rapids Public Library (Main Branch) from September 23rd to September 27th during the ArtPrize contest in downtown Grand Rapids. These semi-finalists will be chosen based upon artistic merit, creativity, an accurate portrayal of the American Red Cross, and the artist’s statement. The public will have the opportunity to vote in person for their favorite semi-final submission during this display. The 4 most popular semi-final submissions from each category will be included on an American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids 2010 Calendar! Rules: Must be submitted on 8 ½ x 11 inch sheet of paper (any paper weight or type) Image MUST include the American Red Cross symbol (a red Greek cross on a white background—; no text necessary) For more rules and submission guidelines, click here.    Before you know it, the leaves will be beautiful shades of orange & red, the days will be cooler & shorter, and football will be on the minds of many. If you plan it right, your family could also enjoy some of the fall festivities at Meijer Gardens (the giant pumpkins are a personal favorite!). And if you're lucky, you could do this for free! Meijer Gardens has donated a family 4-pack of general admission tickets, a $48 value. Some of the fantastic happenings this fall include: COLORFALL September 19 – October 31, 2009 This annual celebration of the autumn season features an extensive chrysanthemum display with hundreds of flowering plants in both interior and exterior areas. Fall is the most colorful season of the year as it features constantly changing hues of scarlet, auburn, yellow and gold. The many colors of nature can be found along the walking trails of Meijer Gardens and at Michigan’s Farm Garden where heirloom vegetables, herbs, maize, gourds and giant pumpkins can be found. Color tours, tram rides and seasonal children’s activities offer a unique way to experience autumn.
Winners will be announced in the Sept 8 grkids.com e-newsletter. If you're not a subscriber, sign up here! Splash Tower...What a Birthday Blast! 08/24/2009
If you're like me, you didn't know that there is a giant waterslide at the corner of 28th St and the East Beltline. That's because the Splash Tower is hidden inside of the Ramada Plaza Hotel! Anyhow, one day I decided to drop in and view this giant waterslide. My first thought was BIRTHDAY PARTY! So, that's what we did. We booked the slide and a poolside room, invited some kids & adults and had a blast. (We had kids between the ages of 2-6 at the party.) I loved the way the pool and patio were set up. One section was shallow enough that the 2-year olds could walk around. Plus, it was enclosed by a wall, so that made keeping up with them even easier. Another similar section was a bit deeper, and finally, the deepest section housed the water slide. The pool is surrounded by a fence. Patio tables outside of this gate let us eat pizza from neighboring Old Chicago and birthday cake without fear that our little ones would find their way to the water without us. (Just in case, Ramada provides a life guard for parties, which added peace of mind. We also had the kids wear life jackets for added safety.) The party went from 10am-2pm and the kids made the most of their 4 hours. Some adults took the younger kids down the slide, but the 5 & 6 year olds were quite independent. If you would happen to get bored at this Grand Rapids oasis, they do have a video game arcade. Overall, I'd recommend this the Ramada Splash Tower for any kid-oriented get-together (especially nice during the winter!) work with Lindsey at the front desk and she'll take care of all of the details. Happy Splashing! Hudsonville Bowling 08/21/2009
This was sent to me by grkids.com user Amy...thanks! Hudsonville Lanes is having their annual Dollar Days special for the month of August. Each game of bowling is only $1. Shoe rental is also $1 along with various food items. They are very family friendly and have been updating their facility. This is not a smoky old alley and they have electronic themed scoring. The themes range from Birthday to Fairy tales, Disco to Halloween. My kids love to pick out our theme. The COOLEST place to be! 08/17/2009
 I'm over the top excited about our very first Grand Rapids Kids event! I wanted an excuse to meet some of my peeps that live in my online world, so I came up with this party. On Saturday, Aug 22 from 10am-2pm we're having a blast at Wee Play in Cascade at the Coolest Little Party! This event is designed for moms and kids alike (we'll also let dads, grandmas, aunts in the door, too :) For the kids: Face painting, tattoos, mini-concerts, eat Culver's Frozen Custard, and playing on the fun variety of *toys. For the moms: have fun with your kids, then let them *play supervised and come shop the great vendors, including Tastefully Simple, Genesis One Jewelry, Suburban Stash Boutique, It's all About Our Princess Accessories, Skin & Bath Products & More! Vendors will be offering special deals exclusive to Coolest Party Attendees. Find great discounts on jewelry, childcare packages, and more. *Kids can play supervised while you shop. $3 first child, $2 second child, $1 third child. Email Me if you have any questions. Hope to meet you there! Melody Whitecaps Offer Free Kids Tickets 08/13/2009
(sent to me my STAR 105.7 FM Tommy & Brooke) COMSTOCK PARK –The West Michigan Whitecaps are looking to ease the strain on the wallets of West Michigan families. For the first time ever, the Whitecaps are offering free admission to kids 12 and under during their 7:00 p.m. home game against the South Bend Silver Hawks on Monday, August 17. Up to four kids, 12 and under, can get free reserved seats when accompanied by an adult who purchases a full price reserved seat. The offer only applies to reserved seats and cannot be combined with any other offer. The free tickets will only be issued at the West Michigan Glass Block Ticket Office at Fifth Third Ballpark. Phone and on-line orders for the free tickets will not be accepted. “We know that it’s been a rough year for everybody and we wanted to give families in West Michigan an affordable night out,” said Whitecaps CEO Lew Chamberlin. “We also realize that our fans have been extremely loyal to us during these tough times so this is both an incentive and a reward.” The Whitecaps return home Saturday, August 15 to take on the South Bend Silver Hawks at 7:00 p.m. Individual and group tickets are on sale and can be purchased at the West Michigan Glass Block Ticket Office at Fifth Third Ballpark, by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131 or by visiting www.whitecapsbaseball.com. Pitch a Tent! 08/07/2009
Why do we camp? It is not for the mounds of laundry it creates or the endless packing and unpacking. It is not for the requisite bug spray or the long hike to the bathroom. We camp because we love to be outdoors and our kids love it even more. I put up with the sand on my air mattress to see the sheer joy of a toddler scooping dirt for hours on end. We camp for the camaraderie found around the campfire and the "naughty" foods that are consumed in quantity out in the woods. It is not too late to get a quick trip in this summer! August and September are wonderful months to camp. Even better, it is an inexpensive getaway. Borrow a tent and some gear and head out. Here are some local places that you might want to try...and if you have a favorite camping spot in the area, leave a post in the comments. We'd all appreciate it! Duke Creek Campground Cedar Springs heated pool, woods, hayrides, biking & hiking trails & more Rates start at $26.50 Grand Rogue Campground & Paddlesports Belmont The campground is a quiet, family park...NOT a party park. There are sites with electric and water hook-ups ($33.50 per night), no hook-up sites ($24.00), as well as wilderness sites ($20.00). The nightly rate is based on 2 adults and 2 children. The campround is open from May1 - the end of September each year. We have a man-made lake for fishing and swimming, bathhouse and laundry facilities, a camp store, a pavilion with ping-pong tables, legos, lincoln logs, checkers etc., a train (which is FREE) that takes campers on a fun ride throughout the park, paddlesports, pedal kart rentals, basketball and beach volleyball. We offer tube, kayak and canoe trips down the Rogue and Grand Rivers as well. The prices for these trips are listed on the website. All paddlesport trips are done by reservation only and are no alcohol trips. The campground number is listed on the website for reservations. They still have openings for Labor Day weekend so perhaps this will pique your interest! Woodchip Campground Byron Center grassy, shaded camping sites, wagon rides, playground, swimming pool, free WiFi Hungry Horse Campground Dorr heated swimming pool, hayrides, horseshoes, 90 acres Greatest Hits 08/03/2009
What to write about in the blog? I've already blogged about all of the places we went this week... I realized that must mean we really enjoy these places and they could all use another shout out, so here goes, a quick recap of where we were last week: Monday: I took 4 kids (ages 4, 4, 2, and 9 months) to Meijer Gardens by myself. I don't say this to impress you, I say this to let you know it is do-able. We stayed from 9am to noon and everyone was splendid! We walked out to the waterfall and watched the fish, visited the farm garden and pumped water at the windmill, got lost in the maze, listened to stories about colors, climbed the treehouse, dug for artifacts, and got soaked at the Great Lakes Garden. Tuesday: GR Symphony Lollipops concert, Gerald McBoing Boing. I never tire of these concerts for 3-6 year olds. Color-coded musical sections make for an interactive learning time, and the conductor does a great job walking kids through the musical basics. Costumes, sound effects, and a great price keep me coming back for more. Plan on breaking the winter blahs when the Lollipops Series returns in January. Thursday: Woodland Mall. Dare I say it? I started school shopping last week. We found a backpack at Children's Place for $15 that looks pretty good, and we visited the breakfast foods for some great climbing fun. If you're a clearance junkie, I found some great deals on ksummer stuff at Younkers in Rivertown Crossings | Welcome!This blog is a place to share the ways we spend our time with kids. A pleasant experience should not be wasted! Where did you go, what did you do, how was it? We all want to know. I will be documenting the things that I do with my two kids,6 & 3 and I'll be sure to add in a little commentary along the way. Go Ahead! Grab My Button!
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