Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in tampa, FL

Ten Ways to Enjoy Earth Day with your Children

by Caroline

April 21, 2009

Tomorrow is Earth Day! As parents of very impressionable young ones, we should use this opportunity to kick off a year round family commitment to caring for our environment by reusing, reducing and recycling. Here are five suggested activities to honor Earth Day. And once you’ve checked those out, pull your kid up onto your lap and click through my top five suggested Earth Day websites for children. Get green, Tampa Bay!

1. Plant something today: Whether its a row of sunflowers, a new tree or a simple potted plant, you’ll be teaching your child about the outdoor world while doing something beneficial for your environment.
2. Go for a walk at a local park: Florida is a beautiful state worth protecting with its gorgeous state, county and city parks. If your child learns to love the outdoors, they will be more likely to protect it.
3. Enjoy Florida wildlife: Grab the binoculars and watch birds land near a pond, observe a squirrel jumping through your yard or use your pass and enjoy a day at the zoo. Florida wildlife is amazing so teach your children all about it.
4. Turn off the TV: Read books, play games, do crafts and spend a day enjoying something other than Noggin.
5. Visit a local farm: Teach your child about where fruits and vegetable are grown and then buy some produce while during your visit to support your local farm.

There are quite a few interactive websites that teach children about the environment that you might want to check out with your children also.

1. PBS Kids: This site offers Earth Day videos and the fun interactive Eeko World
2. Playhouse Disney: Games, printables and videos
3. Nick Jr.: Guides, gifts, crafts and garden fun
4. Kaboose: Crafts, food, games, projects and fun
5. Savvy Source: Our national site celebrates Earth Day

This Weekend's Family Activities

by Caroline

March 05, 2009

It is suddenly March and spring is finally on its way. The temperatures promise to warm up this weekend so it’s the perfect time to get out with the family and enjoy a weekend of “sunny and seventy-five“.

Visit the Florida Strawberry Festival this Weekend

by Caroline

February 26, 2009

If you’re from Florida, you know that this state is known for more than just oranges. In fact, we grow some very fine strawberries in this state of ours. And to celebrate just that, it is once again time for the annual Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City.

Visit the Florida State Fair with your Family

by Caroline

February 06, 2009

Ready the family, the Florida State Fair has begun here in Tampa! Sure, there are all sorts of crazy, spinning, "lose your hot dog" type of rides that aren't exactly preschooler appropriate. But the State Fair is not limited to just rides, flashing lights and cotton candy. My family has been pleasantly surprised to find all sorts of fun for our young children and, as a result, have made the  Read more...

Top 10 Things to do in Tampa before your kids grow up.

by Caroline

November 07, 2008

Part of being a parent is creating memories with our children. As a child, I can certainly remember being thrilled to ride a local carousel with my father and we have the pictures to prove it. Well, now it's our turn to make the same kind of memories for our children. Tampa offers so much for our families. Here are some suggested spots in Tampa Bay that we should all visit before our children  Read more...

Get Lost with your Child in Sweetfields Corn Maze

by Caroline

October 29, 2008

Last weekend, my family and I were determined to enjoy this lovely fall weather by doing something seasonal. After some thought, we followed up with a local organic farm (found just over the border of Hernando county) that boasts a 4 acre butterfly shaped corn maze during the months of October and November. With a resounding cheer of approval from both of my sons, we set off to Sweetfields  Read more...

Things to do, upcoming week

by Becky

September 01, 2008

Monday, Sept. 1 Labor Day 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Pioneer Days , Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, Dade City, children's games, arts & crafts show, war re-enactment, call 352-567-0262 for more information. 1-3 p.m. Fun in the Sun ~ outdoor brass-band concert, Carrollwood Cultural Center, free, call 813-269-1310 for more information. 4-9:30 p.m. Salsa En St. Pete Celebration ,  Read more...

Three days in Tampa, Day 3

by Becky

July 10, 2008

As part of our July Escapes theme , I am highlighting over three days fun things for travelers with preschoolers to do in Tampa. On Tuesday, I suggested Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo , rated the No. 1 children's zoo in the country. On Wednesday, I talked about The Florida Aquarium , which offers 200,000 square feet of exhibits, shows and indoor fun. Today, I have suggestions for great festivals and  Read more...

Three days in Tampa, Day 1

by Becky

July 08, 2008

As part of our July Escapes theme , I am highlighting over the next three days fun things for travelers with preschoolers to do in Tampa. First on the list is one of the best children's zoos in the country, Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo . It was rated the No. 1 zoo for kids in 2004 by CHILD magazine. It has more than 2,000 animals, including elephants, Florida panthers and even penguins. It also  Read more...

Birthday party ideas

by Becky

June 03, 2008

Here are some unique birthday-party ideas. Hire a Fire Truck : For $350, a firefighter will arrive in a real fire truck, complete with lights, siren, horns and hoses. Parties are geared to the age of children, who will get fire tips, a tour of the engine, and they will get to try on firefighter gear. Each child gets promoted to junior firefighter and gets a plastic fire helmet and goody  Read more...

99 (or So) Things To Do in Tampa Bay Before Your Children Grow Up

by Becky

May 29, 2008

Air, land & sea Carriage rides at The Pier (St. Pete) HMS Bounty  (St. Pete) Hot-air balloon rides Jolley Trolley (Clearwater Beach) MacDill AFB Air Fest Streetcars (Ybor City) Suncoast Beach Trolley (St. Pete) Trains (Largo) Aquariums Clearwater Marine Aquarium The Florida Aquarium Parker Manatee Aquarium (Bradenton) The Pier Aquarium (St. Pete) Tarpon  Read more...

Room to run on Granma's Hug-n-Farm in Crystal Springs

by Becky

May 23, 2008

Do you live in the city (or the suburbs) and want your children to experience a taste of farm life? Make the books you've been reading about farm animals come alive. (Oink, oink! Moo, moo! Cock-a-doodle-doo!) Put on your overalls and straw hat and check out Granma's Hug-n-Farm in Crystal Springs. The farm is a large fenced-in, grassy area with lots to see and do. Children can pet  Read more...