Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in atlanta, GA

A-Z of Atlanta: K & L

April 27, 2009

I'm sorry I've been a bit absent lately. I've had some other things that needed taking care of. But I'm back now with more things to do in and around our fair City!

So, to jump back into things, we're continuing on with our A-Z tour of the Atlanta area.  This week, brought to you by the letters "K" and "L."

K is for:

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is one of our family's favorite places to visit on the weekend. There are walking trails that bring you to the top of the mountain. The climb is not too bad, but slightly steep in some areas. Both our boys can climb it, but they go slowly. If walking up the trails isn't your thing, you can either walk up the road or drive up. On weekends there is no driving up the mountain, but you can take the bus for a small fee. The visitors center has cannons and large fields. The walk up the mountain you can see some of the fortifications that were built and at the top of the mountain, there are more cannons.  The view is beautiful and on a clear day you can see Stone Mountain.

And while you're up at Kennesaw Mountain, check out the city of Kennesaw . There are lots of beautiful parks and playgrounds and the Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History has a huge children's wing designed for toddlers through elementary schoolsers. The city hosts several family friendly events throughout the year including the Big Shanty Festival, Folk Tails of the Trails, Santa Claus Parade, Touch-a-Truck and many other fun, free events. It's no wonder Kennesaw has been named one ofFamily Circle's 10 Best Towns for Families two years running.

L is for:

With summer approaching us quickly here in Hotlanta, we'll be looking for ways to keep cool! Lake Lanier Islands has plenty of ways to help us stay cool.  Chattahoochee Rapids and Waterpark is home to Wild Waves, Georgias largest wave pool, water slides, The Kiddie Lagoon and Wiggle Waves are perfect for toddlers and relaxing is easy on the half-mile of sandy white beach.

Lakewood Antiques Market is a fun way to entertain the kids as well. You can give them a few dollars and help them find a treasure among the stalls of collectables at this monthly market. If they have toothfairy money or allowance to spend, this is a great place to go for a change of pace. They'll be sure to find some different and unique treasures not sold at the local dollar store!
 Read more...

Family Fun This Weekend

by Mimi Jenkins

November 07, 2008

This weekend there is plenty going on around town. Pow Wow & Indian Festival Stone Mountain Park is a favorite place to play and visit for many Atlanta families. There are lots of things to do for people of all ages, abilities and interests. Not only do they have some stock-standard attractions, like Crossroads, the Summit Sky Ride, the Great Barn, the Antebellum Plantation, and  Read more...

A-Z of Atlanta: G & H

by Mimi Jenkins

November 06, 2008

As promised, we are continuing on our journey around the Atlanta area. G is for: Gone With the Wind : How could I not mention Gone With the Wind ? And there are two museums to visit with movie tie-in's. One is the Gone With the Wind Movie Museum in Marietta. The museum is a must for all fans of GWTW with movie memorabilia on display -- including Scarlett O'Hara's original wedding gown  Read more...

All Aboard the Choo Choo Train! Fun for the little Train Conductors

by Mimi Jenkins

October 29, 2008

What is it about that trains that are so magical? There seems to be some sort of romance and excitement that surrounds them. I can remember when I was little we would visit train yards and look at engines. My had (and still does) have a large electrical train collection. Which really is fun to play with! Thankfully, the boys love trains too. And while they love Thomas the Tank  Read more...

Talking About the Election

by Mimi Jenkins

October 27, 2008

The first Presidential Election I remember was in 1972. I was in first grade and my teacher held up a newspaper with Richard Nixon and George McGovern on the cover. She asked us all who our parents voted for, and each and every hand went up for Richard Nixon. I suspect it was because in the picture, the day after the election, Nixon was surrounded by balloons, confetti, smiling happy  Read more...

A-Z of Atlanta: e & f

by Mimi Jenkins

October 15, 2008

Continuing on our alphabet tour of Atlanta, today we feature the letters "E" and "F." Don't forget your camera for our ABC Book around the city... "E" is for: Environment : The Wright Environmental & Educational Center in Marietta has 19 acres of protected land. Walking trails throughout the property allow for visitors to study the diverse plants and animals native to this  Read more...

Let's Use Our Imagination! Places that Inspire Imagination

by Mimi Jenkins

October 14, 2008

I am always amazed at how rich my boys' imaginations are. Seriously, I don't know where they come up with it. My husband is great at inspiring them as well. Perhaps it's because he's a child at heart... I don't know. I seem to have a harder time kick-starting my imagination. But I love playing with them and I find the more I do play with them, the easier it is to use my imagination.  Read more...

I Want My Mummy! The Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University

by Mimi Jenkins

October 08, 2008

You know it's October when all the ghosts and ghouls come out and the kids start getting excited about getting dressed up and trick or treating. Forget the pumpkin patch... or save it for another day. Bring your kids to see real mummies at the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University. The Museum hosts a large collection of Egyptian artifacts... including the oldest Egyptian mummy  Read more...

Did you miss these? Five Favorites...

by Mimi Jenkins

September 30, 2008

Today on Savvy we're revisiting some favorite posts. Things you may have missed over the last few months, or posts that you genuinely liked. Since this is the end of my first month here, I've been having fun reading the entries from "before my time." Here are some of my favorites. Be sure to visit them and let me know what your favorite posts are so far. With the long lines at the gas pumps and  Read more...

The A-Z of Atlanta: Part 1, A & B

by Mimi Jenkins

September 24, 2008

Each week at my son's preschool they feature a different letter of the alphabet. I think this is fairly common practice with preschools. The idea is that each week the kids focus on one letter of the alphabet and do activities, art projects and such around that letter. I think this is such a great idea that I'm going to do incorporate it here in an A-Z guide around Atlanta. Featuring  Read more...

The Return of "Friday Family Fun Night"

by Mimi Jenkins

September 05, 2008

Last spring we started what I hope will be something we can do for a long time. Well, at least until the boys are in High School. We call them "Friday Family Fun Nights." It's a great way for us to spend time together as a family at the end of a long week. We try to think of something fun to do together. My kids ages are 7 and 3. That is quite a span when you think of how to entertain them. So  Read more...

Five Great Ways to Introduce a Pre-Schooler to Atlanta History

by Amy Davis

June 24, 2008

I've mentioned before that Atlanta is a city that takes great pride in its history. But as the city grows, and as more of us from other parts of the country come to Atlanta, I wonder if the local history will start to fade away. I want my children to appreciate Atlanta and to understand what makes it such an awesome city, so I've been seeking out ways to introduce them to our local history  Read more...

Summer Movies at the Fabulous Fox Theatre

by Amy Davis

June 05, 2008

Seeing a movie at the Fox Theatre is near the top of my list of 99 Things Atlanta Kids Must Do (which actually, right now, only numbers about 15 things). At the rate that culture and technology are changing, I'm not entirely sure movie theatres will even be around by the time our children are adults, so taking them to a real-live movie house not a multiplex or a shoe-box-sized mall theatre  Read more...

History Lessons: The Carter Center

by Amy Davis

May 20, 2008

Whether you're a native Atlantan or a transplant, you've probably figured out by now that this city has some incredible history. From the Civil War to the civil rights movement, there are scores of landmarks, important dates, notable people, and local customs that are important to know and understand. Sadly, it took having children for me to really appreciate this city's rich history. But now  Read more...

Girls Day Out

by Amy Davis

May 19, 2008

As a mom of two boys, it's a rare treat for me to enjoy "girlie" activities, so I had to wrack my brain for ideas when a friend asked for recommendations on entertaining her 5-year-old niece from out of town. Here's what I suggested: 1. Visit the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum. Enjoy a 60-minute tour of Apartment 1 , where Mitchell wrote Gone With the Wind, and the GWTW  Read more...