1. Arden Children’s Theatre is top-notch. They’ve been doing shows for kids for 16 years and put the same resources into their Children’s Series Shows – professional actors, designers, sets, etc. – that they do for their Mainstage shows. And this one’s a musical…added bonus!

2. The Stinky Cheese Man takes classic stories that all children know and mixes them up in wacky ways. Your kids will get that the stories are all parodies of the original (even though the main character doesn’t,) and they’ll love being in on the joke.


3.Your kids won’t know that they are learning…but they are! Live theatre enhances literary knowledge (this one is based on a book) and increases tolerance and empathy. What parent doesn’t want that?

4.Post show Q&A and meet & greets with the cast give kids the chance to ask questions like, “Was that really supposed to happen?”, “Is your tail real?” and “How much do you make?”


5. Belly Laughs. Lots of them. Probably centered around a giant cow patty. And really, is there any better sound than hearing your kids belly laugh?


For more information:   Call the Box Office at 215.922.1122 or visit www.ardentheatre.org

Location:   Arden Theatre Company
F. Otto Haas Stage
40 N. 2nd Street, Old City Philadelphia 19106

This event is appropriate for:   children ages 5 and older.

Dates: Now through June 12th

Cost: $18-$36 depending on age and the performance chosen

Group discounts available for 20+

Student Rush tickets at the door 30 minutes before curtain for $10 cash, pending availability (must present valid student ID)

Looking to have some fall family fun?  Head to Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in Lancaster PA.  Last weekend my family and I visited the family friendly farm that has something for everyone.

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm is a 15-acre farm, with 50+ Farm Fun activities, including the Hay Chute Slide and Straw Bale Racer, Jump Pillow, Farm Tour Wagon Ride, Petting Zoo and Farm Experience Center, Corny’s Ball-cade, and everyone's favorite the Corn Maze.


They have thought of everything to keep everyone having fun!  Forgot your stroller or the kids tired of walking rent a wagon for the day.  Kids hungry their are plenty of options for the family to get something to eat or drink.



Cherry Crest has been open for 20 years and this year the corn maze is a locomotive just like it was 20 years age.  I loved the fact the there were 3 options when going through the maze,  Easy, intermediate and advanced.   The advance takes the longest to complete 3.5 to 4 hours and the easy takes under 30 minutes.   There are different stations that you can visit while going through the maze where you can get clues on how to get out of the maze.   If you get hungry to need to use the bathroom while in the maze no worries they have food and bathrooms in the maze.



After the maze you can enjoy the many activities around the farm the will certainly tire your family out after a day at the farm.  Looking for more adventure?  Hop on the Strasburg Railroad you can by tickets inside the farm and catch the train.




On October 31st Cherry Crest Adventure Farm will hold Pumpkin Madness Fest

The Pumpkin Madness Fest begins at 12 noon with Corny’s Costume Parade – for kids who come in family-friendly costumes (no masks permitted). Cherry Crest’s mascot Corny will be joined by the Pumpkin Princess for the parade and to greet guests throughout the day.


Pumpkin Madness proves you can get very creative when it comes to smashing pumpkins. Activities include:

• Reverse Pumpkin Darts – where you will hurl pumpkins at a board filled with pointy darts!
• Pumpkin Shotput Contest – carefully monitored, where competitors with the farthest throws in their category win a Cherry Crest Adventure Farm season pass!
• Pumpkin Ring Toss - based on the classic carnival game with various levels for different ages.
• Notes from the Sky Pumpkin Drop – where your pumpkin is hurled from the top of a giant boom lift and crashes onto the target below. The bigger the pumpkin the better the splat! People really have fun with this as they can write messages on their pumpkins which are read over the microphone before they’re dropped!
• Pumpkin Smashing – with a big rubber mallet – very therapeutic for all ages!
• Pumpkin Bowling – for kids age 10 and under.
• Pin-the-Face-on-the-Pumpkin – a play on Pin the Tail that’s perfect for small children.
• Flyby Pumpkin Pie Drop – at 3:45 p.m.,where you can watch parachuted pies fall from the sky, just for fun!
• Flyby Candy Drop – at 4 p.m., where kids age 12 & under can grab all they can as a plane drops the goods from 200 feet.
• Monster Pumpkin Drops:
• at 3 p.m. see a 800+ pound pumpkin fall from the giant crane.
• at 5 p.m. the Grand Finale Giant Pumpkin Drop starring the largest pumpkin we can find. The largest to date – at 1,744.5 pounds – is the record to beat this year!

No worries if you can't make it for a visit this fall, they will open again in the spring for more fun adventure.


For more information:  http://www.cherrycrestfarm.com

Location:   150 Cherry Hill Road, Ronks, PA 17572

* Disclosure: Thanks Cherry Crest Adventure Farm for arranging for our complimentary visit to facilitate this review. As always all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Last weekend I visited Adventure Aquarium to check out their newest exhibit Turtles: Journey of Survival. This limited-engagement exhibit showcases an array of land and aquatic turtle and tortoise species from all over the world - over 20 different turtles - including two recently rescued Loggerhead Sea turtles. The exhibit includes the largest and most diverse collection of turtles ever assembled at Adventure Aquarium and will feature special character appearances, live shows and programming designed to shed light on local conservation efforts and practical ways to help protect turtles in the wild.

This exhibit is a great way for kids to learn about turtles up close and understand their habitat.  I never realized that there were so many different species of turtles.  My kids loved comparing the turtles in size, color and texture.




We got to meet 'Ozzy"a yearling (toddler) who was deemed “non-releasable” by US Fish & Wildlife officials. Ozzy will remain a permanent member of Adventure Aquarium’s collection, serving as an ambassador for Loggerhead Sea turtles worldwide. 



One of my favorite parts of the exhibit was the Terrapin Tide Pool, you can't touch the turtles but it's a great way to get up-close and see the turtles.  We fell in love with two turtles following one another around the pool.



If your looking for a family fun adventure this winter head to Adventure Aquarium  before March 24th to check out the Turtles: Journey of Survival. 



For more information:   www.adventureaquarium.com

Location:   1 Riverside Drive Camden, NJ 08103

This past weekend my family and I traveled to Hershey Park to check out Hershey's Christmas Candylane.  Christmas Candylane opens each year in November and runs until December 31st.  You will definitely be in the holiday spirit after spending a day at Hershey.


Hershey's Christmas Candylane features many attractions for guests of all ages including over 30 rides. The park comes alive with holiday cheer including lights and festive decorations. The shops in the park sell holiday items, to get some special gifts for those hard to shop for people on your list. Sing-along at the heart-warming Christmas show, A Rockin' Music Box Christmas, or take a break from the rides for the Christmas Candylane Storytime.

Cinderella & Prince Sebastian

I recently had the chance to see Cinderella at the Arden Theater.  This is not your Disney Cinderella, but I love the twist that the Arden put on this show. It's still the basic Cinderella story about a young girl who loses her mother, her father remarries and Cinderella has new sisters.  The fairy godmother is a bird who helps to guide Cinderella throughout this difficult time in her life.  Cinderella becomes friends with a young boy that she doesn't know is really the prince.  One of my favorite characters was the Prince's friend Wolfgang, as in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  The King also stole the show with his crazy ideas that made every kid in the audience crack up.

Cinderella & Fairy Godmother

One of my favorite parts of the show was how they used shadows and light to tell the story.  .  This show is for the whole family, when boys hear Cinderella they think it's the typical story, but the show has many positive male role models that boys can relate to.  As usual the Arden theater puts on another amazing performance this holiday season!

Cinderella

For more information:  www.ardentheatre.org,


Location:    Arden Theatre Company 40 N. 2^nd Street, Old City Philadelphia 19106      


This event is appropriate for:   ages 5 and older


Cost: Weekday Performances (Tuesday – Friday, excluding Friday nights at 7pm)

Adults: $32; Teens (13-17 yrs): $20; Kids (12 yrs and under): $16

Weekend Performances (Friday nights at 7pm; Saturdays and Sundays)
Adults: $36; Teens (13-17 yrs): $22; Kids (12 yrs and under): $1