Get Out and Play - May 12-16

Monday - Kids ages 2-5 can try out a free gymnastics class at the newly opened Java Mama.  Check out the link for a schedule of other free classes during this opening week.  5916 Covington Road.  10-11am.

Tuesday - Comic Book Art: A Workshop - Comic book creators Matt Gross and Jeremy McFarren are in town for the Appleseed Comic Convention, and tonight they're at the Main Library.  Hear how they write and draw their comics, and design your own comic.  (And adults are invited back tomorrow to "Comic Books Are for Reading," a discussion about the value of comics.)  Ages 6-11, 6-7:30pm.

Wednesday - Princess Party at the Woodburn Library.  Princesses ages 3 and up are invited to dress in their royal best for games, crafts, and refreshments.  3pm.

Thursday - Slide down the really big slide at Lawton Park.  1900 N Clinton.

Friday - Visit sheep, watch spinning demonstrations, and try your hand at some simple fiber crafts for kids at the Salomon Farm Fiber Arts Celebration.  Admission free, donations encouraged.  817 W Dupont Road, 10am-3pm.  Then, this evening, take in Youtheatre's production of Snow White.  Adults $15, children $10, Arts United Center, 7pm (also showing tomorrow at noon and 3pm).

Weekend Fun in the Fort - May 10-11

This weekend we're looking forward to checking our our first (Fort Wayne's 5th) DisAbilities Expo and then spending a relaxing Mother's Day away from anything resembling a buffet.  (I like buffets, but I don't consider them relaxing with small children.)  Maybe we'll check out the brand new Earth Fare grocery store or Java Mama coffee shop & play area.  If you haven't been to Science Central recently, this weekend is your last chance to play at the "My Plate" traveling exhibit.

No pictures this week because of computer problems.  But we'll try to put up a few shots on Instagram--and you're welcome to join in at #playfortwayne.

Saturday, May 10

Grand Opening of Java Mama.  Check out this new coffee shop with a kids play area, and take a look at their schedule of kids activities, crafts & classes.  Free play and entertainment all day.  5916 Covington Road.  9am-6pm.

DisAbilities Expo - Explore adaptive services available in our area.  Along with displays from vendors there will be an art show & sale, demonstrations of adaptive sports, and dance & theater performances.  Follow the link for times & descriptions of performances.  10am-4pm, admission is free, parking $4.  Memorial Coliseum.

Games! Dogs! Play! - Compete with your pup at a variety of come-as-you-are games.  Meet with vendors, rescue dogs, and adoptable dogs.  Watching is free, dogs must be registered to compete, $12 per dog.  Franke Park, 3411 Sherman Blvd.  9-11am

Lego Club at the Main Library.  Meet in the Globe Room to sift through buckets and buckets of lego bricks.  2-3:30pm.

Hot Wheel Races at the Waynedale Library - Kids ages 4-12 can race their cars on Waynedale's track.  2:30pm.

New American Youth Ballet Spring Performance - Featuring performances of Peter and the Wolf, George Balanchine's Valse-Fantaisie, and other mixed repertory.  Tickets $20, 6pm, St. Francis Performing Arts Center, 431 W Berry.

Komets play in the Conference Semi-Finals against the Cincinnati Cyclones.  7:30pm.  Memorial Coliseum.

Sunday, May 11

Mother's Day in the Garden.  Each mom receives a free plant, while supplies last.  Noon-4pm.  Regular admission applies, adults $5, children $3, 2 and under free.

Last day to check out the traveling "My Plate" exhibit at Science Central.  Learn about healthy eating by digging in a garden, serving up food in a restaurant, dancing through a quiz computer game and more.  Ages 3+ $8, 0-2 free, noon-5pm.

Komets play in the Conference Semi-Finals against the Cincinnati Cyclones.  6pm.  Memorial Coliseum.

Get Out and Play - May 5-9

Monday - Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at the Dupont Library with activities in Spanish and English.  Ages 3-5, 2:00pm.  536 E Dupont Rd.

Tuesday - Vote!  There won't be lines for the primary, so it's a great time to bring the kids along and show them democracy in action.  Not sure what's on your ballot today?  Check type in your address to check out your sample ballot here.

Wednesday - Pick up a half price Frappuccino at any Starbucks.  This deal is good May 1-10, only from 3-5pm.  And yes, Toby can recommend several flavors that contain no coffee.

Thursday - Marvel at Mark Phencie's "Spaceships from Found Objects" now showing at the First Presbyterian Art Gallery.  These steampunk spaceships are amazing.  Your little rocket fan will get a kick out of them, but I promise you'll stare at them even longer.  The free gallery is open weekdays from 9-5, enter through the church's west entrance.

Friday - Take a trip to the Little Free Library in front of Haverhill Elementary School.  4725 Weatherside Run.

Weekend Fun in the Fort - May 3-4

The Jug Huffers playing at Sol Fest 2013.

Whatever else you're doing this weekend, get out to Sol Fest, okay?  Two days of music and food and hoping for summer.  And the cover charge goes to scholarships & school programs at the Allen County Parks.  Bring a blanket or some lawn chairs and settle in for the groovy-est celebration of the season.  If the weather is even a little bit warm bring along a change of clothes, because your kids will end up in the lake.

Saturday, May 3
Free Comic Book Day - Several area comic stores are celebrating this nation-wide promotion.  Stop in and pick up one of this year's free comics.  (There will be several titles to choose from, and some are appropriate for even the youngest comic fans.)  Hours vary by location.

Shoaff Park Family Fun Day - Outdoor games, crafts, inflatables, petting zoo, used book & toy sales.  3-5 year olds can "Trike the Trails", and kid from 6-11 can race in the "Spring Sprint."  Admission is free, follow the link for race registration times and fees.  Conklin Pavilion at Shoaff Park, 6401 St. Joe Road.  9:30am-3pm

Northern Indiana Pet Expo - The Allen County SPCA hosts their annual celebration of pets.  Meet pets ready for adoption, watch dog trick performances, bounce and play through children's activities, and pick up lots of free swag for your pet.  Adults $5, children 6-12 $3, 5 and under free, pets $1.  Memorial Coliseum, 11am-4pm.

Sol Fest at Fox Island County Park - Two days of music, children's activities, hayrides, nature hikes and activities, food vendors and a beer garden.  Adults $5, kids 11 & under are free (annual passes are not honored).  11am-7pm (kids activities end at 5pm).  7324 Yohne Road.

Miami Indiana Heritage Days -  From May to November the History Center sponsors events on the first Saturday of each month.  Local artists, performers, and representatives of Native American groups demonstrate aspects of their culture.  This month features "Medicine Woman Drum."  Adults $7, Students $5.  Fee includes programming and a tour of the Chief's home.  1-4pm, Chief Richardville House, 5705 Bluffton Road.

Fun in the Early Learning Center: Making Music - One Saturday a month the Main Library hosts activities for kids 6 and under and their adults.  This month come to sing songs and make an instrument to take home.  2-2:30pm.  900 Library Plaza.

Tincaps vs. South Bend at 5:05.

Sunday, May 4 
Northern Indiana Pet Expo - The Allen County SPCA hosts their annual celebration of pets.  Meet pets ready for adoption, watch dog trick performances, bounce and play through children's activities, and pick up lots of free swag for your pet.  Adults $5, children 6-12 $3, 5 and under free, pets $1.  Memorial Coliseum, 11am-4pm.

Sol Fest at Fox Island County Park - Two days of music, children's activities, hayrides, nature hikes and activities, food vendors and a beer garden.  Adults $5, kids 11 & under are free (annual passes are not honored).  11am-7pm (kids activities end at 5pm).

Cinco de Mayo at el Azteca Mexican Restaurant - Start off Cinco de Mayo a day early with face painting and balloons from Sweetcakes Entertainment.  2-4pm, 535 East State.

Tincaps vs. South Bend at 3:05 - It's an autograph Sunday.  After the game, fans are invited on the field to get autographs from their favorite Tincaps players.

Get Out and Play - April 28-May 2

Checking out the lake at Lindenwood Nature Preseve.

Rain, rain, go away.  Or start off the week with some indoor play, and hope that the clouds part before the Tincaps first pitch on Friday.

Monday -Celebrate the extra hour many Fort Wayne families are finding with their kids, now that we're done making up for snow days.  Stop by the Georgetown Library branch for a game of BINGO for Books with the whole family.  6600 E State Blvd.

Tuesday - Tot Tuesday at Roller Dome North.  Preschoolers have the run of the rink.  Kid friendly music is playing, and tots can bring along their own (clean) riding toys to scoot around the floor.  $4 admission for kids 6 and under, includes skate rental.  For an extra $3 you can add on lunch & 4 tokens.  Parents can come along for free, adult skate rental is $2.  444 W Coliseum Blvd.

Wednesday - Get a cup of coffee at Fortezza, downtown's newest coffee shop.  The shop features Fort Wayne's first Modbar, an espresso brewing system that hides all the machinery under the table.  Modbars were invented and are manufactured here in Fort Wayne, and now we can see one at work.  819 S Calhoun Street.

Thursday – Lindenwood Nature Preserve opens today!  Even if the weather is still wet, I just might put the boys in boots and take them over.  It's centrally located, but you feel like you're out in the woods--and the network of short trails are a good length for short legs.  Open 9am-6pm, 600 Lindenwood Ave.

Friday - The Tincaps know how to throw a good theme night, and tonight's Family Game Night should be a hit.  7:05, tickets start at $5.

Weekend Fun in the Fort - April 26-27

New exhibits and special events are happening at the Botanical Conservatory and the Art Museum.  Earth Day celebrations are happening around town.  Big trucks are revving up at Ivy Tech.  And, of course, spring is finally here, because the Zoo is opening.

There's no way any one family could check out all that is happening this weekend.  So let's start sharing some photos on Instagram with the hashtag #playfortwayne.  (If you'd rather not share your kids' faces then take some pictures of the venues, the projects, the food, or anything else that shows off all of the great activities for kids in our city.)

Saturday, April 26
Fort Wayne Children's Zoo opens for the season.  Brave the crowds to get a look at the improvements in the Australian Outback and welcome some of the new additions born into the Zoo's family this year. 9am-5pm.  Adults $14, children 2-18 $9, under 2 free.

Children's Book Character Fair at the University of St. Francis - The Cat in the Hat, Nate the Great, and Junie B. Jones (among others) will all be reading and leading activities.  9-10:30am, $5 per family, USF Performing Arts Center, 431 W Berry.

Touch at Truck at Ivy Tech - Get your little truck-lover up close to all sorts of vehicles, from firetrucks to smart cars.  Coliseum East Parking Lot, 10am-noon, free. 

Fort Wayne Ballet Youth Company presents "The Little Mermaid."  Introduce children to the ballet through a short (about 30 minutes) familiar tale, presented by the Fort Wayne Ballet's youngest performers. All ages welcome, tickets $10, call 260-422-4226 to reserve.  Performances at the Fort Wayne Ballet studios, 300 E Main Street, at 10am and 11:30am.  Please bring a blanket to sit on.

Fort Wayne Museum of Art - Check out the Classic Bike Showcase presented by the Hoosier Antique and Classical Bicycle Club.  Then stroll through the new "Rims and Fins: The Golden Age of American Bicycles" (through June 29).  If your kids are fascinated by how bodies work, or get a giggle out of gooey body parts, make sure to walk through the playful (and not too disgusting) "Biological Canvas" exhibit.  After all that looking, spend some hands-on time in the FWMoA's new Early Learning Center where you can draw on the walls, experiment with building materials, and watch videos of artists at work.  Today is Dollar Day, so admission is just $1 each. Classic Bike Showcase begins at 11, museum open from 10am-6pm.

Family Garden Close Up: Tropical Temperatures - Each Month the Botanical Conservatory hosts activities for families and their young children.  This month learn about the plants and animals that live in the hot humid environment of a tropical rainforest.

The Butterfly Effect opens today, too!  11am-1pm.  Included in regular admission, $5 for adults, $3 for kids, ages 2 and under free.  1100 S Calhoun Street.

13^th Pennsylvania Drill 1776-1782 at the Historic Old Fort. 10am-4pm, donations accepted.

Phil Pops Series: Cirque Mechanics - Arial acrobatics, moving machinery, and our local Phil musicians.  Matinee tickets are 25% off, and kids matinee tickets are 50% off.  2pm and 8pm.


April Flowers at the Main Library - On the last Saturday of each month, the library has special activities for children of all ages and their grown-ups.  This month come and plant and craft flowers.  2pm, Main Library.

Sunday, April 27
Earth Day Fort Wayne at Eagle Marsh - Displays and activities from local nature and conservation groups, educational activities, hawks and owls from Soarin' Hawk Raptor Rescue, a farmers' market and more. 1-5pm.  6801 Engle Road.

Party for the Planet at the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo - Celebrate Earth Day with special activities from noon - 3, free with zoo admission.  Adults $14, children 2-18 $9, under 2 free.

Wine and Canvas Family Paint – Kids and parents are invited to paint "Flower Dance" together.  Ages 10 and up, 3-6pm, $25 per person

Fort Wayne Museum of Art is free on Sundays.  So if you didn't make it over there yesterday, you can check out all the fun from yesterday (minus the Bike Showcase) for free.  Noon-5pm.

Get Out and Play - April 21-25

Monday – Check out Fort Wayne’s first Little Free Library at Washington Elementary School.  The library is facing busy Washington Street, and there’s plenty of street parking in the surrounding blocks.  Take a book, leave a book.  Then stroll over to Moody Park, just three blocks away, to read your story and climb on the playground.

Tuesday - Tuesday is forecast to be the coolest day of the week, but you can't spend Earth Day inside!  Take a brisk walk with the stroller along the paved outdoor pathways at Salomon Farm, then let the kids out to visit the animals often out near the barn.

Wednesday - Travel to Banh Mi Barista for a Vietnamese lunch.  The casual counter-service makes this sandwich shop a win for dining alone with kids.  Make sure to save room to sample their variety of familiar and not-so-familiar sweet treats (bubble tea, ice cream, and more).

Thursday -Have you played at the "My Plate" exhibit at Science Central yet?  Learn about healthy eating by digging in a garden, serving up food in a restaurant, dancing through a computer game quiz, and more.  There's lots of room for hands-on free play in this exhibit developed by Purdue.  Ages 3+ $8, 0-2 free, 10am-4pm.   (And while you're there, make your reservations for the last Half-Pint Science session of the school year, Wet and Wild Science, Tuesday, May 6 from 10:00-11:30.  $12 for one preschooler and one adult, reservations required one week in advance.)

Friday – With the budding gardens and plenty of baby ducks and geese, spring is our favorite time to walk around Lakeside Park.  It's always a struggle pulling Toby away from the rolling slide, but he always enjoys the walk around the lake and gardens once we get moving.