Kid Archives • Page 13 of 21 • diy mama

by Shelly on June 26, 2017 2 Comments

Symphony on the Prairie at Conner Prairie

Symphony on the Prairie at Conner Prairie is off to a great start this summer! The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and guests perform every weekend of the summer from June 16th through September 3rd. I recently shared an post at VisitHamiltonCo with what you should Know Before You Go. I wanted to share a few more tips here that I’ve learned from going the past couple years.

Symphony on the Prairie at Conner Prairie

5 Things You Should Know about Symphony on the Prairie

I have linked our favorite items to bring to Symphony on the Prairie with affiliate links. I will only promote items we use and love on DIY Mama. This is not a sponsored post.

Ride Your Bike- If you’re close enough and have good safety lights/reflectors on your bike you should consider riding to the concert. You will be able to easily bypass parking traffic on entering and exiting the venue. We were able to pile all of our necessities in the bike trailer with our daughter and it made for a special little spot for her to play with toys when she got restless.
Get up close- It’s often intimidating to get up close to the orchestra members during a performance at the Hilbert Theater. At Conner Prairie you have the chance to show your children the performers in action by getting close to the stage. Check out the Teddy Bear series for preschoolers as well as Community Concerts (free) where families can learn more about playing in the orchestra.
BYOT- Bring your own treats! Although Conner Prairie has concessions at the event, there’s nothing like packing your own picnic for an outdoor concert. I’ve seen everything from people bringing in Jimmy John’s to people setting up a table with candles, linens and place settings for a gourmet meal! Our favorite treats are chicken salad on croissants, potato salad, frozen grapes and chocolate covered strawberries.
Bring the fun- Symphony on the Prairie is a great chance to introduce young children to the arts. It’s a wide open area for children to be able to dance and sing as they wish. We like to bring light up toys like Lite Brite or Crayola Light Up Drawing Pad. If we know we’re in a kid zone or it’s an especially kid friendly event, we’ll break out the light up balloons and glow necklaces.
Let your family choose- Check the Symphony on the Prairie series lineup and ask your family which ones they want to attend. The ISO performs their top concerts each year (John Williams and Beatles) so if you aren’t able to attend multiple you won’t miss out. The Star Spangled Symphony is an awesome event. Very kid friendly and they have an amazing firework show.

Tickets can be purchased at ISO online or at central Indiana Kroger locations. Accessible parking is available with golf cart transportation to and from the gates. For more information, please contact the Hilbert Circle Theatre Box Office at 317.639.4300. Be sure to tag photos with #SOTP and #DiscoverCP and enjoy the show!

by Shelly on June 21, 2017 9 Comments

Camping at Brown County State Park

Camping at Brown County State Park in Nashville Indiana makes for the perfect weekend. I would recommend staying at least 3 nights to get the most of your stay as there is so much to do. Indiana’s largest park is nicknamed ‘Lil Smokies’ for it’s 16,000 acres of rugged hills, deep ravines and scenic vistas overlooking miles of uninterrupted forestland. Large campgrounds, hiking and mountain biking trails, a saddle barn for guided horse rides and a separate horseman campground with 70 miles of horse trails are some of the things that make Brown County State Park popular year-round.

*Our favorite sites are highlighted in the map above*

Camping at Brown County State Park

The Site

This past weekend we took our pop-up camper and shared a site with friends who had a tent. Although I do suggest checking out the sites ahead of time, many of them are large enough for two families. Ours was perfect as it was flat, shaded, relatively close to the bathrooms (but not too close) and was far away from the main area which meant there weren’t many cars driving around our site. TIP: Sites near culdesacs mean less traffic so kids can ride bikes and scooters safely. Make sure you check ‘driveway grade’ when reserving your site. If it says ‘sloped’ or ‘slight angle’ that could mean you’re on a hill. Hills aren’t as big of a deal with a camper but pay attention if you’re tent camping.

The site had pit toilets near by but there were also showers and normal toilets near by. We were able to easily walk to the playground that is nicely tucked away in the trees in a nice shady spot. Bike trails surround the playground making it a fun hiking obstacle course for kids.

The Park

Brown County State Park is the kind of park you can go any time of year and it is absolutely stunning. I’ve heard it’s highest season is during the fall when all of their trees have turned beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow. I’ve been during the winter where everything is blanketed in soft white snow. The sledding hills at Brown County are awesome. During the spring and summer you can spot various types of wildflowers on the trails after learning about them at the Nature Center. There is a small wild flower garden marked with the flower names right by the Nature Center (keep going and you’ll see a beautiful vista view behind the center).

We’re putting together a binder of maps with all of our favorite sites. Where are your favorite parks to camp? What do you look for in a park?

Print out this free Family Camping Checklist for your summer trip!

by Shelly on January 24, 2017 3 Comments

Sweet Kids Valentine’s Day Ideas

Valentine’s Day is a tricky holiday for me. I love what Valentine’s Day stands for. LOVE! Sharing your love with those you care about should be celebrated everyday! Pinterest is great for ideas of how to celebrate holidays but it can sometimes feel overwhelming. The pressure to have the most clever or coolest Valentine can get the best of us sometimes. I wanted to do a simple round up of Sweet Kids Valentine’s Day ideas showing a range of Valentine crafts, snacks and cards. There are simple print out Valentine’s Day cards or crafts as well as crafts that will help your child learn simple sewing techniques.

Sweet Kids Valentine’s Day Ideas

Crafts

Felt Heart Mobile by sew yes!

Crayon Hearts made by Martha Stewart

Valentine’s Day Envelope by Craft-O-Maniac

Valentine’s Day Heart Garland by DIY Mama

Rainbow Heart Suncatchers by Fireflies & Mudpies

ASL I Love You Card by Busy Mommy Media

Treats

Teddy Graham Valentine’s Day Treats- hello, Wonderful

Tic-Tac-Toe Valentine’s Day Snacks by Sippy Cup Mom

Heart Rice Krispies Treats from Babies, Paper and Song

Valentine’s Chocolate Pretzel Bark from A Night Owl

Valentine’s Day Popcorn by Gimme Some Oven

Valentine’s Day Cards

Color My World Crayon Valentine’s by Crazy Little Projects

Valentine Bookmark by Positively Splendid

Magnifying Glass Valentine from Dandee

Valentine Bracelet by Dandee Designs

Tiny Animal Valentines by Sweet C’s Designs

ExSTRAWdinary Valentine Printable by i Heart naptime

How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day with those you love? Do you give gifts or make a nice breakfast? I always hang my heart garland and have a little card and treat for my daughter and husband. Sophie and I usually create a Valentine’s Day craft together as well. I think we’ll try the Wax Crayon Hearts this year!

Check out my V-day board on Pinterest for more crafts, treats and Valentine ideas!

by Shelly on October 5, 2016 Leave a Comment

Three is a Magic Number

My sweet Sophia turns 3 today. The pride I have of being Sophie’s Mom is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. When people say ‘she’s so sweet’ or ‘she’s so smart’ I don’t take it as a compliment to my parenting, I give full props to her because she is so sweet and so smart by nature. She recently asked me if I will be her best friend forever. Every time she asks me this it breaks my heart a little because I wish more than anything that she will always feel this way about me. My answer to her is ‘ALWAYS’.

She is my sidekick. We explore everywhere together. We are very much alike in that we’d always rather be around people than at home. Right now, I’m lucky enough to work at Sophie’s school. When we leave school, we have 3 hours to play and it is rare that we will spend that time at home. Our favorite place is Conner Prairie because we can see animals, play in the splash pad, play in the indoor or outdoor playgrounds, visit the tree house, go on a hike or talk to the Prairie folk. Our other favorite spots are the library, the Y, the park, the Zoo and the Children’s Museum.

She’s also my shadow. She always has a song in her heart and a dance to her step. She loves family hugs, waiting for Daddy in the driveway, having tickle fights and giving raspberries and snuggle snuggles. She’s not a fan of eating unless it’s strawberries, strawberry yogurt, oatmeal or chocolate milk but somehow is still a head taller than the other kids her age. She’s digging My Little Ponies, Barbies, Lego Juniors and anything Disney related. Her favorite color is pink&purple and she must be the one to let Lexi out of her room in the mornings. One of my favorite things is seeing Lexi lay her head on Sophie. She always responds by hugging Lexi and saying ‘Awe. I love you too, Lexi.’

Basically, I’m head over heels for Sophie. The thing that keeps me up at night is worrying about her. Her present and her future- from something as simple as the fall she had earlier to what school she should go to. Honestly, before Sophie was born, I was worried I would not have a connection with her. I was so worried that I would love our dog Lexi more than our baby because Lexi was our first ‘furbaby’. I now can laugh at the ignorance ‘pre-Sophie Shelly’ had. Before bed every single night Jeffrey and I talk about the funny things she did and said that day and I go to sleep with a smile on my face and a knot in my throat with how lucky we are to have her. Happy Birthday my love.

by Shelly on August 26, 2016 Leave a Comment

Wee Wednesdays at the IMA

If you’re looking for a way to introduce art into your child’s life, greater Indianapolis has got you covered with Wee Wednesdays at the IMA! My favorite spot to learn about art is the Indianapolis Museum of Art but it’s not easy to be immersed in a painting or sculpture while shushing my two year old as she’s trying to climb the dragon vase. Thankfully the IMA shares my passion for children exploring the arts and has many options for families to explore the museum and grounds. We’ve been to the museum on Family Day, seen Saturday morning movies and just had the opportunity to check out Wee Wednesdays. Their programs range for children of all ages but Wee Wednesdays is perfect for my almost 3 year old.

What is ‘Wee Wednesdays’?

Wee Wednesdays is geared for children 2-5 but don’t let that stop you from bringing your younger children. There were several families that had their babies in a carrier or stroller while their toddler was able to be a part of the activities. You’ll meet Ashli in the lobby who will give your child an art smock as well as a name tag. If your child is like mine, and new to the program, they will refuse the smock and put their name tag on you. You’ll then head upstairs to the Star Studio Classroom where the guide will explain to the children what they’ll be looking for in the gallery by way of song. Our song was telling us we’d be looking for pets throughout the art work.

Off we went to the galleries with a photo in hand where the guide would have the children look at the photo and find that art piece within the gallery. Once all of the children had found the piece she would give a background on the piece in a way they found interesting.

The children loved circling up for story time right in the middle of the gallery to listen to a story called The Moose Belongs to Me. One piece of pottery we were looking for had a painting depicting a goat standing under an arch to symbolize it’s home. This piece of art lead us right back to the Star Studio where we made habitats for the finger puppet pets we were given.

We all talked about habitats and what that animal might need to survive in their home. I was very pleased with the integration of art education and nature at a level the toddlers could understand. It’s no surprise this event sells out within hours of it’s announcement.

It was coming close to nap time but we couldn’t leave without a short round of mini golf (free with admission). Although she was no Tiger Woods, she giggled with excitement at each new hole we came upon. You can also find a snack bar outside at the mini golf area but we opted to have lunch at the IMA Cafe. The food at the IMA Cafe is delicious but next time I’d like to pack a picnic to enjoy at one of the gardens or 100 Acres.

More Information

Wee Wednesdays runs every Wednesday from 11a-noon at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The Museum is located at 4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208. Meet in the lobby with activities taking place in the Star Studio. $8 Members | $12 non-members | Free for grown-ups and children under 2 (ticket required). Registration for this even it required and it sells out within hours of the announcement. Unfortunately the remaining dates through December of 2016 are sold out but you can sign up for the newsletter to be first informed for the next session. To be placed on the waitlist email weewednesdays@imamuseum.org. For more information, visit imamuseum.org or call (317)- 923-1331

Symphony on the Prairie at Conner Prairie

Symphony on the Prairie at Conner Prairie

5 Things You Should Know about Symphony on the Prairie

Camping at Brown County State Park

Camping at Brown County State Park

The Site

The Park

Sweet Kids Valentine’s Day Ideas

Sweet Kids Valentine’s Day Ideas

Crafts

Treats

Valentine’s Day Cards

Three is a Magic Number

Wee Wednesdays at the IMA

What is ‘Wee Wednesdays’?

More Information

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