Fun Things to do on and around Halloween!

LeBonheur Zoo Boo
The Memphis Zoo goes all out for this wonderful annual event. The zoo is decorated with lights and decorations, there are trick or treat stations, and there is also ice cream donated by Blue Bell (sooo delicious). They have a dance area, a magician, and a costume contest. Hayrides, trainrides, and more will keep everyone entertained. Zoo Boo is on Oct. 16, 17, 23, and 24 from 6:30pm-9:30pm. The cost is $10 for members and $12 for non-members if you purchase your tickets in advance. Purchasing at the gates at the time of the event costs $12 for members and $15 for nonmembers. You can buy your tickets and get more information on this very fun event by going to the Zoo website here

Halloween Hike
The Memphis Botanic Garden will be hosting a special Halloween Hike on October 31 from 10am to 2pm. There will be crafts, hayrides, spooky decorations and more. The cost is $5 per person and children ages 2 and under are free. Call 636-4126 to register. For more information, click here!

Halloween on the Island Mud Island has a wonderful annual family event to celebrate Halloween. They decorate the island with lights and great decorations and have several trick or treat stops for the little ones. The haunted hay ride was a lot of fun last year. The event also includes a stage with music for the little ones to dance and a hot air balloon ride. There is a concession stand that will be open for the event. The cost of admission is only $2 per person and it is from 6:30-8:30 pm on October 31. For more information click here!

Bookstar Storytime Review

For those of you who haven't yet checked out Bookstar's Storytime with your child, you need to go some time.

We went on July 11th to hear a story about and then see the character Biscuit. Biscuit is an adorable dog. Storytime is for children of all ages. There are coloring projects you can do and the cafe is right there if you need a snack. I really enjoy going so I can see what new books have come out or what is on sale after we finish up with storytime.

Storytime at Bookstar is 2pm every Saturday.

They are located at 3402 Poplar Ave. in Memphis in the Poplar Plaza shopping area.
Click on my calendar to see what stories are coming up and what other characters will be coming to the store.

Pink Palace Dinosaur Exhibit

We went to the Dinosaur Exhibit with our free trial membership to the Pink Palace. It was a great time. The dinosaurs were animatronic-style. Later, we toured the rest of the museum. I hadn't been through the museum (besides Enchanted Forest) since I was in grade school and am very glad we checked it out.

The dinosaurs are on exhibit through September 20th.
General Admission is:
$8.75 for adults
$8.25 for seniors age 60 and up
$6.25 for children ages 3-12
Free for children age 2 and under
Admission is free on Tuesdays beginning at 1pm

The Pink Palace is open:
Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Japanese Garden Candlelight Tour Review

My daughter and I had a lovely time our first time at the Memphis Botanic Gardens. We went to a once a year candlelit evening tour of the Japanese Garden of Tranquility. There were fans that you could handpaint with Japanese words and complimentary refreshments. The Tapas at the Garden was a separate event inside the building. I can see myself relaxing at one of those events enjoying a glass of wine and a nice appetizer one night before this summer ends while my daughter spends some time with family or friends.

I really enjoyed the guided tour of the grounds of the Japanese Garden.

These trees are worked on in a method similar to Bonsai trees. This tree would be ninety feet tall without sculpting. It was shorter than me.More of the trees:


The Koi fish were very happy to see us.
The tour was candlelit, but as you can see from my photos, it never got dark enough to need them. Regardless, it was the perfect weather for a stroll through the Garden. The Botanic Garden is normally open from Monday - Saturday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Admission on regular days is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for children 3-12, and free for 2 and under.
The Botanic Garden is free on Wednesday.

They will be hosting a special event on Saturday August 1st to celebrate the opening of the brand new Children's Garden. Gates open at 11 am. Check the Memphis Botanic Garden's website for more information.

Family Friendly Fireworks Celebration

It looks like Mud Island is the place to be for this year's Fourth of July holiday. The people I talked to who worked there said this is a great place to bring your kids for this year's festivities. We went to Mud Island for Halloween last year and had a blast. If you've never been downtown to watch the fireworks, it is a treat. I've watched the fireworks a few years ago from a restaurant downtown and they were incredible. I think it will be a lot of fun to watch them from the other side this year.

Bring your children and a blanket and enjoy the sights together. Festivities begin at 6pm and the fireworks will get started around 9pm. There will be a carousel, a moonbounce, and food and drinks available for purchase. Parking is $5 in the lot at Poplar and Front St. The monorail is four dollars or you can just take the free walk across. Mud Island allows no personal fireworks.

For more information go to: http://www.mudisland.com/

Japanese Garden Candlelight Tour

At the Memphis Botanic Garden tonight from 7:00 pm -8:30pm, there will be a guided tour of the Japanese Garden of Tranquility. Children are welcome, but this event looks to be designed for all in mind. Cost is $8 for non-members, $5 for members, and free for kids 2 and younger. There will also be Tapas at the Garden from 5pm-9pm so you can have refreshments before or after the tour. It looks like it will be a lovely time.

Friday May 22-Saturday May 23

The Memphis Children's Theatre Festival will be held at Rhodes College this weekend. Hosted by Voices of the South, this festival features theatre, music, games, food, and more! Go to this website for a detailed schedule of the events.

The cost for Friday's events is $10 per person with grounds opening at 6:30pm for a picnic and things wrapping up at 9:30 pm. An artist will be there to do free caricatures, there will be circus performances including aerial stunts and stilt walking, a performance of "Frindle", live music by Two Way Radio, a milk and cookie buffet and more. It looks to be a lot of fun.

Saturday's admission is pay what you can. The performances include one of my favorite tales, "The Red Shoes" by Hans Christian Andersen. You can also watch performances of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and "The Ugly Duckling", "School House Rocks" and many more. There are a host of activities that day including face painting, bubbles, sculpture, games, and more. The festival on Saturday begins at 9:30 am and ends at 4:30 pm.

I just have to share this with you

At Borders in Germantown, there is an awesome bargain section. The section includes a lot of children's books at great prices. My favorite find that I went ahead and bought for my child (a whole year before she will probably even play it) is a four game set for only $12.99.

This four game set includes childhood favorites: Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, Memory, and Hi Ho Cherry O. If you buy these games separately, you'd probably pay twice that amount or more. I first saw this game set there a few months ago and passed on it because my child is too young to play these games at this point, but I couldn't pass up on a good deal twice. Now that I have got our game set, I don't have to worry about it selling out! I just wanted to share this great deal with you guys. Don't you remember how much you loved Candy Land?

Wednesday June 10

This looks like fun and it is at a good price!

Saturday May 23

Sunset Symphony is an annual downtown Memphis event at Tom Lee Park. I have never been, but I have heard a good time is always had. It is Saturday May 23rd from 2pm to 9pm. The cost is $8.00 per person and is free for children 6 years old and younger. Music will be performed by Three Dog Night and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. There will be food vendors, but you may also pack a picnic and beverages. Be sure to bring a blanket to relax while taking in the sunset on the river. Check out the Sunset Symphony website for more information.

Monday May 18

The Memphis Zoo is having Stroller Cubs on Monday May 18 from 10 am-10:45. Stroller Cubs is storytime designed for children ages 18 months to 4 years old. If you are a zoo member, the cost is only $5. The cost is $15 if you are not and that includes the price of admission. The story that will be read is “Erick’s Hungry Winter” (A young elk’s tale) By Lois L. Sando. Visiting with specific animals and playtime are part of Stroller Cubs. We should be attending this one. Hope to see you guys there!

For more information, go to the Education section of the Memphis Zoo's website.

Saturday May 9

Saturday May 9 will be filled with music with two separate events you can take your little ones to that day.

The Germantown Performing Arts Center hosts a special monthly musical event for kids called Peanut Butter & Jam.

May 9th's PB&J has a Big Band theme. There are two times you can attend-either at 9:30 am or at 10:30 am. It costs $8 for children and it is free for adults. Call 751-7500 or go to this website for more information. We went to one and it was a lot of fun!

At 2pm on May 9th, there will be a benefit for Revolutions Community Bicycle Shop in the Cooper-Young area. Revolutions assists people in repairing/rebuilding their bicycles for no cost. The kid-friendly part of the event is a concert.
Bands play from 2pm-midnight.
The schedule is:
2:00pm Soul Enforcers
3:00pm While I Breathe I Hope
3:45pm Monsieur Jeffrey Evans
4:45pm Two Way Radio
5:45pm Pezz
6:45pm Hope Clayburn
7:45pm Yazoo Shakes
8:45pm Jessica Jones
9:20pm Jeffrey James and the Haul
10:20pm Bluff City Backsliders
11:20pm Bulletproof Vests

The cost is $10 per person for an all day pass. Kids under 12 get in free. There will be grassy areas to relax, so be sure to bring a blanket to sit on. There will also be a moonbounce, which kids always love. There will be water and other beverages for kids. Food is provided by the Cooperative Association of Memphis. Prior to the concert, there will be a bike ride that will also benefit Revolutions, but those 16 and up are the only ones who are asked to ride bikes for this event. For more information on the bike ride or the concert, go to the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center's website.

Thursday May 7

The first Thursday of every month, Cooper Young hosts a special night out. There are things to do for grownups and for kids from 5pm-9pm.

There is family-friendly live music all around the area. The event on May 7th includes special performances by Valerie June and Jason Freeman. They will be performing at the gazebo at the corner of Cooper and Young. Both musicians can also be seen in MTV's Five Dollar Cover.

At Young Avenue Deli and Soulfish Cafe, bring your child in for dinner and their meal is free with the purchase of your dinner that night. Central BBQ is offering half price BBQ Nachos. There are so many more things to do and see, so go check out the Cooper Young Night Out website to learn more about these great monthly events and the one that will be hosted on May 7.

April 25 Rock and Romp Review

The April 25th Rock and Romp show was a blast! Rock and Romps are held at private homes in backyards and at various venues around town. This show was held in a very awesome midtown backyard. The location was perfect: spacious, it had an excellent playset, and lots of sand. There was a setup for children to make their own music. There were delicious beverages and treats. Best of all, the music was great. If you have a kid, you must take them to a Rock and Romp! You and your children will have fun listening to music that you and they both will like. A great time is had by all. The weather was perfect for the show this past weekend. Three musical acts performed that afternoon. One was my friend, David Brookings.


The next Rock and Romp will be Saturday June 6. I wish they had them every weekend. Go to the Memphis Rock and Romp website for more information and to get on their mailing list so you can receive information about upcoming shows!

Lichterman Nature Center

Today my daughter and I checked out Memphis' Lichterman Nature Center. There were trails to walk down and a big meadow where you can run around and play.

Canada Geese enjoying the weather





The meadow


Lake views



Inside the Visitor's Center, there were a bunch of stuffed animals (taxodermy-style) and areas with facts about nature. Check out the awesome Bison we saw



On Tuesdays from 1 until close (4pm), Lichterman has free admission. Otherwise, their cost for admission is:
Adults-$6.00
Seniors-$5.50
Children ages 3-12-$4.50
Children 2 and under-Free

There was so much more to see there than what we saw today. I recommend this place highly as it was a very nice way to spend a sunny afternoon.
Read my previous post about the upcoming Earthfest Lichterman is having on Saturday April 25.
Check out the website for Lichterman Nature Centerfor more information and upcoming programs.

April 25 and 26

This year is the thirtieth year for the mineral, fossil, and jewelry show called The Earth Wide Open. The show will be held at the Agricenter at 7777 Walnut Grove Rd. on Saturday April 25 and Sunday April 26

Admission is $2 for children under 12 and $5 for adults. A portion of the proceeds from admission will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House. Doors are open 9am-6pm on Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday.

There is a special children's activity area called RockZone. Children can pan for crystals in a Gem Flume, paint a pet rock, dig for fossils, minerals, and crystals, and spin a wheel to win prizes. There are also door prizes every hour including jewelry, fossils, and minerals.

A very interesting item you can win is a genuine egg fossil from a Hadrosaur. This is not a door prize and the deadline to enter is April 22. To enter this contest, go to this website and submit your name for the egg via email. The names for the dinosaur egg will be voted on at the show this weekend. Surely, a lot of children will be entering, but how much would your little one love you if you won them a real dinosaur egg with your creative name?

Go to The Earth Wide Open website for more information about this show.

Saturday April 25

From 10 am until 2pm, Lichterman Nature Center will be hosting EarthFest. From their website:

"EarthFest is a family-friendly celebration of Earth Day that includes musical entertainment, an Earth Day Parade, games, canoeing demonstrations, environmental information, earth art activities, animal presentations and fun for the whole family. Picnic and relax by the lake or follow walking trails winding through forest, lake and meadow habitats. Explore new exhibits in the Visitor Center and view animals native to the Mid-South in the Backyard Wildlife Center building."

Chef Rick Farmer of Jarrett's Restaurant will be grilling food for this event.

If you arrive between 10am-noon, admission will be free.

Go to the Lichterman Nature Center's website for more information


A Rock and Romp will also be held from 3pm-6pm--my friend David Brookings is playing along with Unstoppable Juggernaut and King Louie & Loose Diamonds. Rock and Romps are concerts held in backyards and inside venues such as the Ornamental Metal Museum. The cost is only $5 per parent and free for youth. Beer is provided for the grownups and be sure to pack a snack and a blanket to sit on for outdoor events.

If you have not signed up to receive emails from the organizers of Rock and Romp, be sure to do so in order to receive updates on new shows and where they will be located. Here is the website to get signed up.

Monday April 20

The Memphis Zoo has Stroller Cubs on Monday April 20th from 10:00am-10:45am. These are designed for children from 18 months to 4 years old. The cost is $5 for adult members and $15 for adult non-members. The cost of admission does not increase for children attending the program. This month's story is Old Mother Bear by Victoria Miles. Go to Memphis Zoo's site for more details.

Saturday April 18

Memphis Tigers' football team is hosting a special scrimmage game for the fans at CBHS. The reason it is located elsewhere is because the Liberty Bowl is being renovated. The game is free for all and will be on Saturday April 18th at 1pm.

Family-Friendly and Free things to do in Memphis this Spring!

**Go see the Peabody ducks downtown--we still have yet to do this--maybe we'll go this week. 11am and 5pm are the times to see the ducks march to and from the lobby. For location and more info click here.

**National Civil Rights Museum is free on Mondays from 3pm-close (5 or 6 pm depending on time of year) and it is always free for children ages 3 and younger. For location and more info click here.

**Lichterman Nature Center is free on Tuesdays from 1pm until close and is always free to children ages 2 and younger (thanks for this tip, Shelby!) For location and more information click here.

**Memphis Zoo is free for TN residents on Tuesdays from 2pm-5pm and is always free for children ages 2 and younger. For location and more info click here.

**Memphis Botanic Gardens have free admission on Wednesdays from noon until closing and admission is always free for children 2 years old and younger. For location and more info click here.

**Dixon Gallery and Gardens has free admission on Saturdays from 10a-noon--note that admission for children 6 years and younger is always free. For location and more info click here.

If you guys know of any other free or inexpensive family friendly things to attend in Memphis, please let me know! :)

Memphis Storytimes

I am listing some storytimes and my reviews on them.

David Kidd Storytime
Located: Poplar/Perkins area
Days: They have it on most Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
and most Saturdays through the summer--if you go to one, they'll give you a calendar of all the upcoming storytimes
Time: at 11:00 a.m.
No age specifications
Review: I went to Davis Kidd's storytime on a Friday a few months ago. It was not for me, but maybe you'd like it. The adults sing and dance along with the kids to songs like 'The Wheels on the Bus'-- and a story is read.

Bookstar Storytime
Located: Poplar/Highland
Days: Saturdays
Time: at 2:00pm
No age specifications
Review: I went to this one once a few months back and loved it. The storyteller read 2 books that were really nice-they had pop-outs and all. Classic Pooh showed up and took photos with the kids. Was a great time. I think a character comes every month-like Pooh or Maisy. There was coloring and playtime afterward. Loved it and would definitely go again.

Pinocchio's Bookstore
Located: Brookhaven Circle (just past Mt. Moriah on Poplar)
Days: Fridays
Time: at 10:30 am
No age specifications
Review: We had a really great time at this storytime. The storyteller began with a few well known songs that she sang along with the kids. She then read two stories for the children. She was a very good storyteller and most of the kids were really into the books. Afterward, toys were brought in for all the kids to play with including several dollhouses, blocks, and the perennial favorite: the slide. Everyone had a good time. My little one was ready to go right after playing so I didn't get to look around very much, but there were a lot of cute little dolls and a wide variety of books available for purchase in the bookstore. We will be back to this storytime. An added bonus is the TCBY next door. It makes storytime an extra special day when you can have frozen yogurt right after. :)

Central Library
Located: Poplar Ave.
Days: Wednesdays
Time: 10 am
Ages 2-3
Review: have never been
Note: Central Library also has storytimes for kids age 4-5 on Mon and Th at 10 am and you have to preregister--you don't have to preregister for the Wed. storytime.

Memphis Zoo
Their program is called 'Stroller Cubs'
Days: Mondays--only once every couple of months
Time: 10-10:45 am
Ages: 18 months-4 years old
Review: They used to have this on Saturdays. You have to preregister by calling a couple days in advance. It costs $5 for members and $15 for non-members (this includes 1 adult and zoo admission). I called and they just told me to show up. We showed up and it had been canceled with no notice. I really wanted us to go because not only is there a good story, but there is also an animal there for the children to look at and maybe even get to pet. Go to this site for more info.

Any other storytimes that you know of please post in the comments! :)