Great post today on Family Ties about rainy day activities. One idea I want to add to the mix includes:

• Spoon dolls: Buy some wooden spoons or use an old one from the kitchen that you no longer want. Paint the wooden spoon, make clothes by attaching fabric around the handle using a pipe cleaner, glue on yarn and ribbons for hair, draw a face or clip images of eyes/noses/lips from magazines and paste on the spoon. Voila! Mixed-media art project!

In addition to all these indoor activities, I thought it might be useful to point out some great places to visit on rainy days. Outside of the obvious book stores, Leapin’ Lizards , Edventure , and Richland County Public Library locations, you might be surprised to find that the State Museum is really great for kids. There are quite a few hands-on exhibits throughout the museum, a small playroom for children, and the Crescent Cafe where you can buy light refreshments. I took my children (ages 4 and 18 months) last week, and they were both perfectly content and very occupied touring the museum for 2+ hours. If you haven’t been to the State Museum, try it. Oh, and one other added bonus…we practically had the whole museum to ourselves. Everyone thinks of taking the kids to Edventure. Next time, think State Museum!

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If you haven’t shopped on Etsy yet, you are missing out! Not only can you find handmade, one-of-a-kind items, but you can search by location! Etsy makes it easy to support your local artists and crafters…and you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Who knew there were so many creative-types lurking in the far reaches of South Carolina! Below, I have listed some Etsy vendors that sell cool stuff for kids…and they all have ties to our great state! Honestly, you can find just about anything on Etsy, including jewelry, clothes, artwork, pillows, costumes, graphic design services, books, stationery…you get the picture. Check it out when you have a few minutes.

• Jack and Jane - Super cute hair accessories (shown below). They have some boy items, as well.

• Jelene’s Pop Shop - Colorful, affordable Pop Art will brighten up your child’s playroom, bedroom, bathroom…you name it! Some great choices for the little boys out there!

• Moppet Murals - Local creator of do-it-yourself murals. She provides the pattern, you do the painting!

• Palmetto Threads - Former Columbian, currently living in Atlanta, offers custom-made dresses for girls and appliqued t-shirts for boys and girls.

• The Dreamy Giraffe - This artist has an interesting style. She really tries to capture all the different emotions/hopes/dreams/fears that girls experience from time to time - some would be great for a little girl’s room (like The Sweetest Dream, which is shown below), others would be more appropriate for teens, and still others would make great gifts for adults.

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The Nickelodeon Theatre has announced a new Family Film series, called Second Saturdays at the Nick , which began last weekend with the Muppet Movie. The Muppet Movie sold out, and while it was terrible that anyone had to be turned away, it was wonderful to see such strong community support for the Nick’s new family programming! The series will attempt to alternate between material suitable for younger viewers (3+) and material suitable for older viewers (7+). Admission is $1. As an aside, they are looking for sponsors for the series, which will allow then to keep the entry fee at $1. If you know any businesses that would like to help sponsor the series, call Larry Hembree at the theatre. Hope to see you there!

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Here is another clip from the Tamra Davis cooking show. This time, she makes banana pancakes (and as usual, she makes it look so easy).

Also, she mentions Pancake Mountain as part of the background for this segment. We have some of the Pancake Mountain dvds, and my daughter likes them. If your child likes seeing bands perform and seeing kids dancing and goofing around, you should check them out. You get to see performances and interviews with great bands like Arcade Fire, The Flaming Lips, The Evens, and The White Stripes, all hosted by a clever puppet named Rufus Leaking. You can find out all the details you want on the Pancake Mountain website. I would recommend the dvds for the older child, like 4+.

(Image from Pancake Mountain website)

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You won’t believe the list of activities planned at the SC State Museum this weekend. Starting at 8am on Saturday with a Family Fun Bike Ride/Walk along the Three Rivers Greenway, the SC State Museum’s 20th Birthday Bash has something for everyone. Family-friendly activities include balloon art, scavenger hunts, amusement rides, visits from Dora the Explorer and Blue (from Blues Clues), storytelling, live music, arts & crafts, and more….and it is all FREE! Starts at 8am with the walk/bike ride and concludes 20 hours later (yes, at 5am on Sunday morning). Fireworks at 9pm.

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Friday: Family Night at the Columbia Museum of Art. Lunch Money will be performing. If you haven’t seen them before, you are missing out! Go see them at the museum if you can!

Saturday: The Muppet Movie begins at 10am at the Nickelodeon. $1 admission.

Saturday: Devine Street Sidewalk Sale from 9am - 6pm. Tickled Pink, Little Lambs & Ivy II, Retail Therapy, Half-Moon Outfitters, Bohemian Home, and Gibsons all carry items for children….clothes, bibs, towel sets, toys, jewelry, furniture…you get the idea. Support your local retailers!!

Note: The Shop Tart is an awesome blog that posts updates on all the latest sales happening around town. Check out this recent post about Tickled Pink .

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Great article today on The State’s Family Ties Forum about eating out. Most restaurants want to wash their hands of responsibility, claiming that the parents must make healthy choices for children. We all know, however, that the kids are going to beg for the fries and sodas if those items are available (and most likely featured prominently on signs and posters in the restaurant). I applaud restaurants that at least help the parents a bit by promoting the healthy options as part of the kids’ meals.

Take Yesterdays in Five Points. The kids menu is better than most. Not particularly imaginative (grilled cheese, hamburger, hot dog, corn dog, chicken fingers, linguini, mac ‘n cheese), but they also offer a veggie platter, and most importantly, all the items come with a vegetable of choice. Yes, fries are on there, but so are applesauce, green beans, black-eyed peas, cole slaw, baked potato, and more! Hooray that I can read the menu and say, honestly, to my daughter, that the grilled cheese sandwich is served with broccoli or apple sauce. And you know what….no complaints. She just says "I want the applesauce!" So take that Chili’s.

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Fooey is having a summer clearance sale. Great prices! Don’t miss out!

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The local Music Together instructor is offering free demonstration classes on Tuesday, August 5th.

9:15am at Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church (in the fellowship hall)

11:45am at The Yoga and Wellness Center of Columbia (on Devine Street)

Please contact Sherri Almeida at sherrialmeida@hotmail.com or (803) 546-7930 with any other questions.

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