• Frogs — A Chorus of Colors
  Georgia Aquarium
  Included with General Admission
  Adding 15 new species to the thousands of creatures at the Georgia Aquarium, this traveling exhibit will bring you “eyeball to eyeball in a hands-on, minds-on adventure with living frogs from around the world.” Explore the 3,000 square-foot ecosystem filled with cascading water, live plants and dozens of colorful frogs. Interactive components include trivia challenges, recorded frog choruses and videos. Afterwards, be sure to visit the touch pools to play with horseshoe crabs, manta rays, shrimp and sharks.

• Wild Encounters
  Zoo Atlanta
  Prices Vary - not Included in General Admission
  Three of the zoo’s coolest creatures are available for behind-the-scenes, hands-on discovery. Now your child can feed an African elephant, a Komodo dragon or a giant panda! This innovative experience is available for all ages, though children 3-8 must be accompanied by an adult.
  
  Also be sure to check out these Safari Day Camps where kids discover what snacks are most loved by their favorite critters.

Photo courtesy of Zoo Atlanta ©2012

• LEGOLAND Discovery Center Atlanta
  Opening March 17
  Bring imagination to life brick by brick! Here, kids ages 3-10 will enjoy hours of building creativity and curiosity with interactive, hands-on fun. Highlights inside the world’s biggest box of LEGO® bricks include a 4D Cinema and classes with a LEGO® Master Model Builder. Plus, be sure to star in your own knight’s tale aboard the Kingdom Quest LEGO® ride - an immersive adventure to vanquish mythical monsters and rescue the Princess!
  
  Buy tickets online to save 10% on general admission and enjoy unlimited access to all Discovery Center attractions.

• American Girl Boutique & Bistro
  Open 7 days a week
  Explore rooms with floor-to-ceiling displays of dolls, accessories and award-winning books. Be sure to bring along their favorite girl and visit the Doll Hair Salon - watch their Girls get a new hairstyle or opt to pierce the doll's ears. On the opposite side is the Bistro, which offers tasty menus for kids and adults, as well as Treat Seats® so the dolls can join the meal. The Atlanta store also offers free and cheap activities, including crafts and cooking classes.
  
  Wanna make a weekend of it? Book one of these great hotel packages and watch her face light up as she spends the night in a pretty-in-pink bedroom. Select packages include matching robes for daughter and doll, as well as a keepsake doll bed.

Photo courtesy of American Girl Boutique & Bistro  ©2012

• Imagine It! The Children’s Museum
  Open 7 days a week
  General Admission: $12.75+tax for ages 2 and up
  Featuring hands-on exhibits and activities, kids can discover, imagine and explore as they learn how things work in their world. At Imagine It! you can build a sandcastle, paint on the walls and explore the latest exhibit – Adventures with Clifford the Big Red Dog!

• Fernbank Museum of Natural History
  Open 7 days a week
  General Admission: $15.50 ages 3-12
  From sky-scraping dinosaurs to interactive exploration, Fernbank offers multi-sensory excitement for all ages. Kids 2-10 will love NatureQuest - the cutting-edge children's wing that promotes open-ended discovery and helps debunk some common myths of critters found in your own backyard. Offering seven zones of innovative interaction spread over nearly 7,000 square feet, you’ll find intricately detailed replicas of one Georgia's major ecosystems. Don’t forget to visit the latest exhibit - Wildlife Rescue – and discover how everyday people help protect our furry friends with hands-on activities, animal encounters and educational exhibits.

For me, the weekend after Halloween marks the beginning of the holiday season. (Now that’s a scary thought!) Luckily, the fun doesn’t stop after that last sugar rush - for kids in Atlanta, this weekend is packed with holiday festivities! When they’re “bored” after the candy coma, opt for one of these family-friendly activities:

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Center for Puppetry Arts
Nov. 3-Dec. 31
Back after a sold out, standing ovation first year, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer charms the unique qualities in us all. Using hand and rod puppets, this family-friendly show is adapted from the beloved 1964 stop-motion animated film. Join Rudolph and his quirky friends for a seasonal special that’s sure bring a smile to kids and the kids at heart

Single show tickets are $16.50 each and include access to the Create-A-Puppet Workshop (the Rudolph shadow puppet is adorable!) as well as admission to the puppet museum.

Showtimes vary, but this week you can get into the holiday spirit every:
Tuesday-Friday: 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Storytelling Saturdays
Wren’s Nest
Saturdays, through Dec. 17
Once the creative headquarters of the Brer Rabbit and Uncle Remus stories, the Wren’s Nest is where famed author Joel Chandler Harris penned much of his tales, which became the world’s first serialized storyline of walking, talking animals. Join these long-loved characters and the much-lauded Wren’s Nest Ramblers for live storytelling every Saturday at 1 p.m. - just walk up and ring the bell!

Macy’s Pink Pig
Macy’s at Lenox Square
Through Jan. 1
Almost six decades after her debut “flight” over the Rich’s toy store, Priscilla The Pink Pig is back, making yet another generation squeal with delight. Now gliding around the top level of the parking deck at Macy’s Lenox Square Mall, the Pink Pig takes children of all ages for the most “pink-tacular” ride of the season! Hop aboard the train and explore Priscilla’s larger-than-life storybook, which includes the original Pink Pig and other holiday friends.

Each ride costs $3 and repeat rides have a special discounted price: 2 rides for $5.50, 3 rides for $7.50. In keeping with tradition, a portion of proceeds will benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Riding hours for November are:

Monday through Friday - 10a.m. to 8p.m.
Saturday - 10a.m. to 9p.m.
Sunday - Noon to 6p.m.
Black Friday, November 25 - 8a.m. to 9p.m.
*closed for Thanksgiving Day*

BOO-seum Trick-or-Treat
Fernbank Natural History Museum
October, 29 2011
Free with General Admission

Fun for even the smallest ghouls and precious princesses, the BOO-seum Trick-or-Treat offers kid-friendly crafts, face painting and games, set to a jamming soundtrack by Little Beat Music, Inc. Fill those pumpkins and pillowcases from candy and toy stations throughout the Great Hall - and don’t forget to wear your costume!

Martinis & IMAX® Fright Night
Fernbank Natural History Museum
Friday, Oct. 28
Cover and IMAX®:  $12 for adults, $11 for students and seniors and $7 for members

Whether that prom date turned into your Prince Charming or was just plain ghoulish, you can reminisce (or reunite) at Fright Night! Head to the Fernbank Museum for “1.21 gigawatts of high voltage ‘80s rock & pop classic” and a one-night only screening of Carrie. Be sure to resurrect your most horrifying ‘80s fashions to be nominated from Prom King and Queen!

Looking for even more ways to treat yourself for cheap? Check out Atlanta’s Big Boo for family-friendly seasonal fun (and a few no-kids-allowed events!)

The Ugly Duckling
Center for Puppetry Arts
Through September 18

The Ugly Duckling is a quirky, comedic adaptation of the long-loved fable. The main character, a hatchling, tries in vain to find its match. Deemed "ugly" by the fellow forest dwellers, the would-be duckling braves the Winter snows and awakens to Spring as an elegant swan. The 35-minute production features a host of cute (and sometimes cruel) creatures which are brought to life by two forest sprites using overt tabletop puppetry. Brilliantly, the entire dialogue of the story consists of four core words, driving home the harmony and importance of finding beauty in our differences.

Specifically designed to engage younger audiences, this transformative tale also features live music. As the two sprites frolic through the forest, they herald in the changing seasons by playing musical instruments incorporated directly into the set. With a marimba and bongos in the forest floor, a zither and tom tom in an ancient oak and metal bells molded into flowers, the cast of creatures interact and expose the power of words, appearance and being true to oneself. (An adorable play, to be sure! My guy and I found ourselves laughing and tapping our toes along with the toddlers.)

The Ugly Duckling launches the Center's 2011-12 Family Series and is performed every Thursday-Sunday. Thursday and Friday matinees are at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., Saturday shows are at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. while Sunday performances begin at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Coming up next: Old Man and the Monkeys & Other Chinese Tales. Beginning September 21, this show recounts stories of Ancient China, teaching compassion and consideration through elegant imagery and stunning effects.

For all you kids at heart: don't forget, the Center for Puppetry Arts also offers a Teen & Adult Series which incorporates pop culture craves and characters with traditional (and sometimes experimental) puppetry for a unforgettable evening of live theatre.

It’s all fun and games at Imagine It! The Children's Museum. The latest exhibit - TEAM Up! Explore Science & Sports - merges the power of physics and imagination to create a hands-on, action-packed experience for kids of all ages!

TEAM Up! Explore Science & Sports exhibit

Through September 11
Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta

Free with museum admission

This Summer, learning can be fun as kids perfect their balance and try their hand at gymnastics, basketball, snowboarding and more! Focusing on team work as well as coordination for ages 12 and under, TEAM Up! offers kids a chance to explore sports from all new angles. Can you guess what’s inside of a baseball? How fast is your curve ball? Join the Imaginators to discover all of this and more while working up a sweat. Cool down with Cross Training!, a fun mini-musical about the mechanics and physics of favorite childhood games or hit the slopes on the virtual reality snowboarding game. In addition to exploring the manual and virtual stations, the Imaginators lead a number of group activities, including Little Rascals Field Day, All-Star Storytime and the Ultimate Challenge. The TEAM Up! Explore Science & Sports exhibit is free with museum admission.   

A Downtown favorite since 2003, Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta offers a vast indoor playspace with interactive, hands on fun at every turn. Whether you’ve got an hour or a day, Imagine It! is the perfect place to play. Vending (and coffee) machines are available, as well as lunch tables, so pack a picnic and stay all day. Featuring five exploration stations as well as a toddler space, kids can hone motor skills and balance, paint the walls, build soaring towers, milk a cow and so much more! The museum is open 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. every weekday and 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.  Tickets are just $12.50 for anyone over the age of 2.

Sleuth Savings: For just $125, the Family Membership covers two adults and unlimited children. It’s also accepted at all Children’s Museums throughout the country.

Canvasing 33 acres in the heart of Buckhead, the Atlanta History Center features four historic houses, six signature exhibits and the largest collection of Civil War memorabilia in the world. Also offering gorgeous gardens, plenty of conversation topics and two delicious, on-site dining options, this is a great way to spend the day with the entire family!

Atlanta History Center
Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Sun.12-5:30 p.m.
Buckhead

While every inch of this complex is worth a tour, here are a few featured family-friendly highlights:
1996 Centennial Olympic Games Museum - An homage to the events which helped launch modern-day Atlanta into the international spotlight, this exhibit features many priceless pieces, including a collection of coins and torches from each of the modern games. Other authentic artifacts include a section of the championship basketball court, Michael Johnson's track shoes and a winners podium which visitors can pose atop of. Upstairs, the hands-on Sports Lab features rowing machine races, tons of trivia and a long-jump apparatus - perfect training for your aspiring Olympian!

Connor Brown Discovery Trail - This self-guided pathway through the Quarry Gardens offers younger visitors the chance to connect with Georgia's native plants and animals through numerous interactive stations which promote exploration and imagination.

Smith Family Farm - A landmark of the city since 1847, this farm offers a unique opportunity to get back to basics and discover the rustic ways of rural Southern life. Featuring a fully-functional  19^th-century weaving lomb, as well as a kitchen and blacksmith shop, this is a great way for kids to compare today's family roles with those of early America. Grab a rustic toy or two from the gift shop and work up an appetite before picnicking in the gardens.

Other hot historical highlights include:
Swan House - The cornerstone of the museum, this early 20^th century gem features gorgeous, opulent furnishings, antique architecture and appliances and tons of family gossip! Guided tours are offered daily, or take the audio tour (both free with admission,) and enjoy a plug ‘n play approach to let you explore at your own pace.

Turning Point: The American Civil War - Boasting the world's largest collection of Civil War memorabilia and artifact, this exhibit also explores the humanistic and economic sides of the conflict, as well as the residual effects in today's world. Must-see pieces include amputation aids, one of Sherman's supply wagons and a Confederate flag battered and flown over the city the day Atlanta surrendered.  

The upcoming Atlanta's Book: The Lost Gone With the Wind Manuscript - In celebration of the 75^th anniversary of the world's second best selling book, the Atlanta History Center will exhibit the sole remaining copy of the last four chapters of Gone With the Wind. These rare pages bare editorial markings and revisions by both Margaret Mitchell and her husband, John Marsh.

Be sure to check out the full list of Summer Camp activities for 2011. Whether your kid is a nature lover, foodie-to-be, aspiring writer or historian-in-training, the Atlanta History Center has the perfect program for every age and interest.

Although the weather is just now warming up, it's time to plan for out-of-school activities for your curious city kids. While fond memories of sleep-away camps filled with cabins, camp fires (and mosquitos) abound, these urban day camps could be just the cure for those Summertime Blues!

CampMODA 2011
MODA (Museum of Design Atlanta)
Beginning June 13

CampMODA is a week-long course which encourages campers to explore their creativity by building LEGO® models. Ages 6-8 will participate in LEGO® WeDo, which pairs off campers to build creations then use a computer program to add voices and movement. LEGO® NXT - for ages 9-12 - gives campers the chance to build their own functioning robot. Each course is five days long, beginning each Monday from June 13 through July 25.

Environmental Day Camps
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Beginning June 13

Environmental Day Camps feature two week-long segments for campers ages 4-6 and two for ages 7-10. Sprouting Chefs (June 13-17 or 20-24) is an interactive course which teaches how to cook freshly harvested ingredients and explores many fun food facts. Habitat Explorers (July 11-15 or 18-22) teaches campers to use their five senses to engage with the wild things found in their own backyards. Junior Garden Chefs (June 27-July1) uses more advanced cooking techniques and intriguing ingredients to help kids learn how to create healthy meals. Adventures in the Garden (July 25-29) treats campers to exotic encounters, a trek through the treetops and days of digging in the dirt.

Drama Day Camps
Alliance Theatre
Beginning May 31

The Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre is offering 11 Summer courses for kids in grades K-12.  While a number are already sold out, be sure to check out Once Upon a Time for second- and third-graders, Performing Arts Camp: Twist, Shout and Honk! for grades four through six, and Around the World in 80 Days for seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders. Each camp encourages theatrical expression and helps campers develop and hone skills useful for both creative work as well as social interaction. Plus, singing and dancing is just plain fun!

Sleuth Secret: Only need to entertain for a few hours? Be sure to check out the Affordable Atlanta section which features free and cheap activities as well as discount info!

The weather may be a tad bit nasty and the daily grind even more so, but with two circuses in town, you can run rampant through the forgotten cracks of your imagination! Send Reality fleeing for its security blanket with this multicultural mashup of gravity-defying stunts, body-contorting exhibitions, and of course - lions, tigers and bears.

Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey® Barnum's FUNundrum
Feb. 17-21 at Phillips Arena
Feb. 24-27 at Gwinnett Arena

Although 200 years in the making, the aerial, optical and animal mastery, FUNundrum is definitely not your grandma's circus. Using magic, mystery and a mega-watt grin, the ringmaster guides audiences through this spine-tingling, squeal-inducing phenomenon. Take your head for a spin as the physics-defying motorcycle troupe race around the Spherical Miracle, while the Masters of Musculature contort their bodies into mind-bending poses! Now, you too can learn the tricks of circus performers in the FREE pre-show, available to all ticket holders. Just show up an hour early for a meet and greet with clowns, acrobats and even a few animals!

Sleuth Savings: Save 20% on tickets with promo code "GASSOUTH", courtesy of Atlanta on the Cheap and Gas South.

UniverSoul Circus
Through Feb. 27
The Green Lot at Turner Field

Celebrating 16 years of vaudevillian spectacle, this quirky show is a dynamic collaboration of traditional feats and modern entertainment. Touring under the tag "Hip Hop Under The Big Top", UniverSoul Circus is a cultural homage of acrobatics, pyrotechnics and raucous laughter!

Sleuth Savings: Save on weekday matinees, (courtesy of Atlanta on the Cheap,) or enjoy $15 Grandstand seating with the Channel 2 President's Day deal!

What better way to teach kids healthy habits than by taking them on a rollicking romp through their own bodies? Through March 13, the Center for Puppetry Arts performs The Body Detective - a hilarious, toe-tapping, finger-snapping "whodunit" - which explores the mysteries of our senses and systems.

The Body Detective
Center for Puppetry Arts
Through March 13
Tickets start at $9

Built around a film noir theme, The Body Detective puts classic sleuthing tools to work discovering just who plopped a living, breathing body into the office of Sam Flat Foot, P.I. What ensues is a 45 minute-long, delightful journey through Body Town to discover muscle functions, sensory perceptions and skeletal schemes. Filled with cheeky characters, witty puns ($5 says you bust one out over the water cooler!) and a sensational score, The Body Detective is a can't-miss family musical. Says director Jon Ludwig, "In a way, this play is an owner's manual for the human body. It is astounding that we each have a body and most of us have no idea how it works." (For instance, neither Jon now I knew that our central nervous systems process approximately 50 million "calls" per second.)

This delightful mash-up of School House Rock and The Magic School Bus was written and directed by the acclaimed Jon Ludwig, known for such hits as The Ghastly Dreadfuls and Safe as Milk. A part of the Center for Puppetry Arts for more than 25 years, Ludwig has produced numerous shows for families and children, as well as teens and adults. When asked what he likes most about doing children's theatre, he says he enjoys the challenge of making "their first [theatrical] experience ... amazing," as well as the chance to teach kids (and parents) the responsibilities of a good audience.

Speaking of kids and responsibilities, The Body Detective is part of the Center's Healthy Children Initiative, which partners with local organizations such as the Center Helping Obesity in Children End Successfully (C.H.O.I.C.E.S.) to help distribute health-related information to families. Says Ludwig, "Our main goal is to help foster education on the various ways to keep a body healthy; we can help ... the appropriate information reach families who come to see our show and exhibits." Quite inspiring, no?

While Fall officially began on Wednesday, it’s the weekend activities that bring my favorite season to life. To help you celebrate the first few days of Fall, here are some quick ideas for cheap family fun!

Grab your kids or friends and get cultured with:
Free Museum Day
Saturday, Sept. 25
11 In-town and Metro Atlanta Museums
As participants in the 6^th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day, local museums are free to the public all day long. For the artistically inclined, visit Art on 5, the High Museum of Art, Museum of Design Atlanta and Hammonds House Museum. Learn how your body works at the CDC’s Global Heath Odyssey Museum, or explore the mind of Jim Henson at the Center for Puppetry Arts. These entertaining explorations will give your kids enticing tales for Monday morning!

Find your inner artist at:
Fourth Saturday Fun Day - Our May Cultures
Saturday, Sept. 25
Centennial Olympic Park
Themed events and art projects help kids (and parents) explore the diversity of the city. Treats, street performances and games accompany the hands-on activities for one unforgettable day; and best of all, it’s free. I predict gorgeous weather, so be sure to bring your swimsuit for one last run through the Fountain of Rings!

Looking for bright lights and one silly night? Head to:
Gwinnett County Fair - Final Weekend!
Sept. 16-26
Tickets: $2 kids 6-12, $5 adults, kids under 6 years FREE
Filled with the sights, sounds and scents of Fall, the County Fair is great way to create lasting childhood memories. Fun rides, silly characters, and the cheesy, greasy goodness of Fair fare awaits!

Have an active family? Why not check out:
Skate Escape
1086 Piedmont Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30309
(Directly across from Piedmont Park)
Located directly across the street from Piedmont Park, this shop is a great, cheap way to get one last bit of fun in the sun. The End-of-Summer special allows you to rent skates and bikes (for kids and parents) at just $6 an hour. Can’t quite keep up with your tyke’s energy? Rent a tandem bike forr $12 and enjoy your no-worries, leisurely adventure.

Holiday Heads-Up: Next Friday, be sure to check out opening weekend of Scarecrows in the Garden at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. This month-long, walk-through exhibit has tons of costume inspiration for your own little ghoul!