If you happen to have read the earliest installments of ZipPicks for the South Shore, you would know that I am obsessed with fireworks.  I think it’s partly because my birthday is just before the 4th of July or maybe it’s because I grew up on a lake that draws people from various towns to see the fireworks show in this area… or maybe it just feels like the official kick-off to the summer.

The town of Sharon’s fireworks display and concert is the best that there is for the July 4th celebration.  The fireworks (which start at 9:30 pm) are always held on the 3^rd, and along with it come a small carnival and concert.  Everything lasts all day and into the night.  The food vendors are prefect for my little snack attack monsters. The carnival rides vary from year-to-year, my memory fails me here – maybe because my oldest is totally against getting on anything that moves!  Either way, the 4th of July festivities here are a ton of fun.

This holiday conjures up so many feelings and memories about school coming to an end, filling my days with swimming lessons at the lake, and just enjoying the summer sun.  I know the meaning of the 4^th of July holiday is to recognize our independence as a country.  But I also think it sort of feels like independence of our spirit – that free feeling of summer break.  I always think about how well Will Smith put it with his lyrics in “Summertime”… “the smell of the grill that sparks up nostalgia” – that’s totally on my iPod!

Years later as a mom, the kids and I now spend a lot of our summer days on the beach of Lake Massapoag.  Luckily for us, my parents are still residents there and we are able to enjoy the same waters that I once enjoyed as a tot, teen and now mom.  They too have witnessed the amazing and awesome fireworks display.

I truly don’t know anywhere else that has a show like the one Sharon puts on for the 4th.  Bring the whole family to the fireworks and enjoy that same lake… non-residents welcome.  Tough parking if you don’t live right down the street, but you can usually park at the Ames Street Playground (Walter Griffin Playground) and walk across the field over to the High School and then to the lake.

Free yourself from it all and take pleasure in having a long weekend with celebratory fireworks!  Happy Birthday America!

From ZipNews this week, here are my “Top 5 ZipPicks” for this weekend: (Subscribe to ZipNews here!)

Top 5 ZipPicks for the Weekend!

• Friday am – Last day of The Blue Bunny: Chinese Origami Week in Dedham, 10:30am. Call 781-493-6568 to register or email janet@bluebunnybooks.com Deposit required to hold your place in class.
• Friday pm -  Movies Under the Stars Winslow Farm Sanctuary in Norton, 8:15pm showing “Babe”.
• Saturday – Patriot Place: Bounce House Fun, 12pm-3pm.
• Saturday and Sunday - Cinemaworld: Summer KidFest in Lincoln RI showing “Alvin and the Chipmunks the Squeakquel”, 10am (kids are FREE).
• Sunday – FIREWORKS!!  (Sharon, MA) Happy 4th of July!

Save the date and sign up!

• 7/6 – Last Wednesday for this program!  Parents and Tots at South Shore Natural Science Center in Norwell, 9:30-10:45am. Please call 781-659-2559 for more information and to register.
• 7/7 – Happy 7th Birthday Hingham Magic Beans!  Come Ziptivity and get your face painted at the Magic Beans Birthday Bash all day long!
• 7/7 – we did this last year and still wear our very own, handmade Tie-Dye from the Children’s Museum in Easton, 10am-3pm plus FREE ice cream 12-2pm.
• 7/11 - first in the Stardust Gym summer camp series!

Check out the site for more upcoming events in and around the South Shore!

Every year, the Saturday before the 4th, Carlisle celebrates “Old Home Day”, probably my kids most favorite day of the year, next to Christmas of course. The day starts with a 5-mile and a 1-mile road race, followed by a pancake breakfast and parade. The parade has floats, bands, decorated bikes, mini cars and even animals (yes, Carlisle does have a few native llamas).  What’s so great about this parade is that all kids can join in.  Simply show up on a bike, trike, big wheel, or stroller and you’re part of the fun!

Tip: stand by  Ferns Country Store  where you can get some shade and enjoy a latte and muffin to keep you fueled for the day.

Next we head to Gleason Library for the annual book sale, sure to find some good summer reading. Then it’s the country fair, complete with local vendors, a farmers market and a BBQ lunch sponsored by the Carlisle Boy Scouts.

Up next? You guessed it:  games, potato sack races, egg toss, frog jumping contest, children’s pet show and corn shucking. It doesn’t get any more Americana than that!  But wait, there’s more… Old Home Day would not be complete with out the famous soap box derby, softball game and ice cream social. I am tired already just thinking about it and there is still more!

The BBQ chicken dinner at the fire station and the cake walk with live music round out the day. This event is open for all, Carlisleans or not.  So if you are in the area, stop by and check out what I am talking about. Your next stop might be the realtor’s office in town center!

I would live to hear what you do in your town for the 4th.  Enjoy the weekend and Happy Birthday to our nation!

From ZipNews this week, here are my “Top 5 MetroWest ZipPicks” for this weekend: (Subscribe to ZipNews here!)

• Acton Independence Day Celebration at Nara Park, Saturday, 3 pm- 9:30 pm. Food, Family Fun and Fireworks.
• Gleason Public Library: Annual Used Book Sale, Carlisle, Saturday, 10:30 am- 4pm.
•  DAN FOLEY – The Airborne Comedian, Springs Brook Park, Bedford, Saturday at 3 pm.
• Lexington Lions Club: 4th of July Carnival 

• Thursday & Friday 6 pm-11 pm
• Saturday noon – 11 pm (Fireworks 9:30 pm)
• Sunday 1 pm – 11pm
• Monday 1 pm – 7 pm

• Emerson Field: Picnic in the Park, Concord, Monday July 4th, 11:30 am- 4:30 pm.
• Town of Lincoln: 4th of July  7:45 pm- 9 pm.

Save the Date 

• CATs the Musical, Theatre with a Twist in Acton, Saturday, June 9^th.
• Yoga in the Park at DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Sunday, July 10^th.
• Countdown to Harry Potter Party,  Gleason Library, Carlisle on Friday, July 8^th at 7 p.m.

BONUS!

Free Summer Weekdays! - all summer Tuesday-Friday at DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln.

 For more MetroWest Boston area activities, search here!

Last year, we went with two other families to the Independence Day celebration in Lincoln. I thought it was a lovely evening – the bucolic setting, noshing and talking with the adults while the kids chased each other and dodged picnickers planted in the grass, followed by a thrilling fireworks display. But when I asked my kids if they had fun (and truly, I expected them to say it one was one the best nights of their lives), my daughter said something like, “I never want to do that again.” She was completely freaked out by the proximity, intensity, and deafening sounds of the fireworks (even through her earplugs). Although it’s a year later, she is still holding her ground: “No fireworks!” I love to celebrate Independence Day, so I have been looking for fun alternatives. If your kids are like mine, and fireworks are not an option, check out these family events in Waltham and Newton:

Waltham 4th of July Celebration: Family Event, Prospect Hill Park, 10am-2pm.

My kids will think the pony rides are reason enough to go to this event, but there will be lots more to do: enjoy the music, watch an animal show, overindulge in food and drinks, and go on free children’s rides. If fireworks are in the cards for your family, head to Leary Field around 5:30pm for the music of Profile, followed by the big show in the sky at 9:30pm.

Newton July 4th Celebration: Kids Morning, Newton Centre Playground at Tyler Terrace, 10am-12pm, Ages 3-12.

Bring the kids and the pets for a Grande Pet Parade. If stuffed animals are the closest things you have to a pet, join the Teddy Bear Parade or the Decorated Doll Carriage Promenade instead. After they stuff their faces with free ice cream, candy and drinks, the kids can burn off their energy in Foot Races. The show must go on, but in this case, the event will be cancelled if there is rain. Call the July 4th Weather Hot Line at (617) 796-1903 if you’re unsure about the conditions.

Newton Community Pride: July 4^th Celebration, Russell J. Halloran Field & Sports Complex, 11am-10pm.

Starting at 11:00 over at the Sports Complex, weave your way through the handmade and international crafts, food, and other vendors at the Open Air Market. Or amuse yourself and your kids on the Amusement Rides all day. Dance the night away to live music performed by the Zaitchik Brothers, beginning at 6pm. Then (this is when we will leave), pull out your blankets and lawn chairs for fireworks at 9:00pm!

When all the fireworks are exploding in the sky that night, we will be at home – the children snug in their beds, with visions of pony rides and ice cream dancing in their heads. With Pa in his pajamas and I in my cap, we’ll settle in front of the television for fireworks and a little nightcap.

From ZipNews this week, here are my “Top Metro Boston ZipPicks” for this weekend: (Subscribe to ZipNews here!)

TOP 5 ZipPICKS FOR THIS WEEKEND

• Waltham Library: Play Group, Waltham, Friday, 11am-12pm. For 12 to 36-month-old children and their families.
• Museum of Science: Stargazing at the Observatory, Friday, 8:30pm-10:00pm. Weather permitting.
• Colonial Theatre: West Side Story, Boston, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm, Sunday at 2pm and 7:30pm.
• Puppet Showplace Theatre: Paul Bunyan Story – Family Workshop, Brookline, Saturday, 10:30am-12:30pm. Pre-registration strongly encouraged.
• Zoo New England: Enrichment Day at Franklin Park Zoo, Boston, Sunday, 10:30am-3:00pm.

SAVE THE DATE!

• Robbins Farm Park: Independence Day Celebration, Arlington, Monday, July 4^th, 7-11:30pm.
• JCC of Greater Boston: Welcome Baby! Meet-ups, Arlington, Wednesdays, July 6^th through August 3^rd , 10am-12pm.

For more Boston area activities, search here!

It’s that time of year for the heat and humidity to kick it up a notch, but it’s also – finally – Spray Park Season! I have the scoop on some of the nicest ones around the Boston area, from Somerville to Waltham and a few in between:

The wait is over! On Monday, June 27^th, all the spray parks in Waltham are open for business. One of Waltham’s parks, Msgr. McCabe/Warrendale Playground, has gotten a makeover in the past couple of years. During the summer months, this neighborhood park at Fitzgerald Elementary School is home to Little League, pick-up basketball games, tennis players, and kids who just want to cool off in the spray park. Starting June 27^th, the spray park is open Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturday, 10:00 – 3:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. through late August.

In Arlington, the Spray Pool is located at Lussiano Park, next to Thompson School on North Union Street. It is open daily from 10 a.m. — 7 p.m., weather permitting. Have the kids use the potty before they go – there are non bathrooms available.

Tucked away in a neighborhood of Somerville is Albion Park. Boasting an award-winning design, the park offers a community garden, play areas for different age groups, gathering spaces, shade, and a water spray area, of course.

In Cambridge, an unofficial favorite is the spray fountain in front of the Harvard Science Center at 1 Oxford Avenue. The water appears to come out of giant rocks, and when it’s warm, there are always toddlers in diapers skipping on the grass around the rocks and delighting in the spray mist. If you need some eats, just pop into the Science Center, where there is a nice cafeteria with snacks, real food, and even a hot bar featuring Indian cuisine. Your older kids might enjoy the exhibits inside the Science Center, where the Department of the History of Science is located. Check out their Foyer Exhibition Space, Science Center 371. On Tuesday afternoons, there is the added bonus of the Harvard Farmer’s Market, featuring vegetables, baked goods, cheese, chocolates, and live music.

To locate the more official spray parks in Cambridge, take a look at the Department of Cambridge Community Development’s website, where there is a handy-dandy Waterplay Map. Pure genius!

Finally, it’s the Boston ParkARTS Summer’s Wading Pool Opening! Be at the Boston Common Frog Pond from 11am-1pm on Wednesday, June 29^th for a ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Menino and other festivities, including splashing around in the water under a 30-foot spray flume.

Happy Summer!

From ZipNews this week, here are my “Top Metro Boston ZipPicks” for this weekend: (Subscribe to ZipNews here!)

TOP 5 (okay, 6) ZipPICKS FOR THIS WEEKEND

• Newton Library: Under One Sky: A Multi-Cultural Celebration, Newton, Friday June 24^th at 10am.
• Jewish Community Centers: Shabbat Under the Stars – Summer outdoor Shabbat sing-along and picnic, Arlington, Friday June 24^th, 6-7:30. For families with children ages 0-5 years. Registration required.
• Museum of Science: Let’s Talk About Food Festival, Cambridge Parkway, Saturday June 25^th at 10am. Rain date June 26^th.
• Children’s Concert at the Franklin Park Zoo – Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys, Boston, Sunday June 26^th at 10:30am.
• The Rose F. Kennedy Greenway: Chinatown Main Street Festival, Chinatown Park, Boston, Sunday June 26^th, 10am-5pm.
• Club Passim: Rolie Polie Guacamole, Cambridge, Sunday, June 26^th at 4:30pm.

SAVE THE DATE!

• JCC: Breastfeeding Support Group, Cambridge, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am-12pm. For nursing mothers. Babies welcome.
• Titus Sparrow Park: 2011 Children’s Performance Series, West Newton, Tuesdays at 10am through August 9^th.
• Boston ParkARTS Summer: Wading Pool Opening, Boston Common, Wednesday June 29^th, 11am-1pm. See blog for spray parks in your area!

For more Boston area activities, search here!

If you are free on Saturday, think about spending it at Verrill Farm for their annual  Strawberry Festival. Get the hard stuff out of the way, like picking the strawberries when it opens at 11 am.  Then sit back the rest of the afternoon and enjoy lunch, hamburgers and hotdogs which will be offered along with what else but strawberries, biscuits and fresh whipped cream.

Let your food settle while being entertained by Ben Rudnick and Friends and the Tanglewood Marionettes. And, don’t leave until you have been taken for a ride… a pony ride or hay ride, that is!  Lastly, if you have a strawberry dessert that is Aunt Betsey’s secret recipe, consider entering it into the strawberry dessert contest. Who knows? You may take home a prize.

Next week, when my kids are finally finished with school, we are going to make a trip to our favorite place to pick strawberries (and blueberries soon):  Parlee Farm in Tyngsboro, along the Merrimack River. There is something for everyone at this family farm.  Not only can you pick strawberries, you can visit with the farm animals, cut your own fresh flowers, drive a mini tractor and enjoy a treat such as cider donuts or kettle corn from the nut-free farmstand.

The last very “berry” cool idea is to get a sitter and check out The 2011 Strawberry Dessert Fest!  The Mass Farmers Markets Strawberry Dessert Festival was created to highlight local strawberry season and raise funds for their mission as the only state-wide non-profit dedicated to sustaining and strengthening our farmers market system.  At over 40 restaurants, bakeries and cafes from now until July 3rd, you can savor the taste of fresh native strawberries AND help support farms and farmers markets across Massachusetts. Simply consult the list of participating eateries below, and make a date with the ones you love.  Eat well and do good – it doesn’t get any better than that!

Have a berry good weekend!

From ZipNews this week, here are my “Top 5 MetroWest ZipPicks” for this weekend: (Subscribe to ZipNews here!)

Top 5 ZipPicks for the Weekend!

• Splash Mash Dash: Kids Triathlon Lincoln, Saturday 8:30 am.
• Amazing Things Arts Center: Wayne from Maine, Framingham, Saturday 10:30 am.
• Davis Farmland: Carnival Weekend Sterling, Saturday & Sunday 11 am- 3 pm.
• Verrill Farm: Strawberry Festival Concord, Saturday 11 am- 3 pm.
• Ballerina Books Story Hour and Craft  Tewksbury, Saturday 2 pm- 3 pm.

Save the date!

• ACTON INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION AT NARA PARK
• Carlisle’s Old Home Day 2011
• Lexington Lions Club: 4th of July Carnival  
• Little Dabblers Story & Craft

 For more MetroWest Boston area activities, search here!

Ever go for a run with your kids in the stroller and have to stop every two feet?  Not because you’re winded or have a side cramp, but because your kids want to “pick that flower, no wait that flower… awww, she has more than me!!!”  This is why I don’t run with them anymore.  Well, that’s not the entire truth.  There’s another, more compelling reason: they make me work 4 times harder than I am in shape for at this point in life!  But it does hinder the ultimate workout having to stop and smell the flowers.  Now I know where that cliche comes from!

Well, thankfully, Borderland State Park has the answer to my conundrum this Saturday… a beautiful walk in the park learning about wild flowers!

As soon as I saw this event, I was so excited – I just know how much my girls will love this type of activity.  Borderland really has a lot to offer.  If it isn’t great weather this weekend, then check them out during the week for “Nature on the pond, ponding”.  Or check out the mansion tours.  Or how about the “Off the Beaten Path Hike”… you get the picture.  The options are endless.  And even though the parking is only $2 at Borderland, if you get yourself a DCR pass, you can get into all the DCR parks, pools, and beaches for just $35!!  Check out all the great DCR events and places to see on the South Shore by entering “DCR” into the search criteria on Ziptivity’s search page.  And don’t forget to widen your search beyond 20 miles.  I will drive for triple that just to get relief from the heat!

So, more important question here:  should I dry out or wax paper the flowers that we collected on our walk from the beach to my aunt’s house?  Then I can see if the folks running the Borderland event can identify the ones we picked today!  Seriously, I almost had an older gentleman chase me off his property because the girls just HAD to have the pink flowers!

Girls will be girls.  Enjoy your ZipPacked Weekend!!!

From ZipNews this week, here are my “Top 6 ZipPicks” (sorry had to add that extra pick!) for this weekend: (Subscribe to ZipNews here!)

• Friday: Ames Free Library: Best Library Bash! 1pm-4pm, FREE!
• Saturday: 2011 Family Fun Fest in Milton, 9am-2pm.
• Saturday: Expo for the Senses at the Attleboro Arts Museum, 12pm-5pm, FREE!
• Saturday: The Natural Child Collaborative Info Table at Healthy Living Expo in Hanover, 10am-4pm.
• Sunday: Mom’s Morning Out: Un-Birthday Party in North Attleboro, 11am, FREE!
• All Weekend: Borders Legacy Place: Literary Arts and Music Festival in Dedham, 12pm and FREE!

Save the Dates!

• 7/11 – 8/31 Priority Registration for Isis Child Development Classes at Isis Parenting.
• 7/20 – Get your tickets: South Shore Conservatory presents Vanessa Trien & the Jumping Monkeys!
• 7/31 – 2011 Duxbury Music Festival: FAMILY CONCERT

Check out the site for more upcoming events in and around the South Shore!

A bit of info on these gems just off the coast of our beloved city of Boston…

The mission of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area is to make the Boston Harbor Islands system—with opportunities for education, recreation, and restful solitude within an urban area—an integral part of the life of the region and the nation by protecting the islands and their associated resources while at the same time improving public knowledge and access.

The Boston Harbor Islands, 34 islands in total, is a unit of the National Park Service. The land mass of the Boston Harbor Islands totals approximately 1,600 acres at high tide and 3,100 acres at low tide. The area extends seaward 11 miles from downtown Boston.  Visitors can come to learn about the history – dating back to Native American populations – and understand the unique ecosystems representing the dichotomoy of such a nature-rich habitat in such close proximity to a major metropolitan area.

Visitors can enjoy everything from  great birdwatching of native and migratory bird species, to quiet contemplation and exploration, to “rustic” camping, to (and here’s where Ziptivity comes in) an amazing array of family activities.  From summer camp and Outward Bound Summer Expeditions to a weekly calendar full of events, families can enjoy this beautiful Massachusetts resource without hurting the wallet.

The calendar of events caters to the active family (Healthy Heart Trail Run/Jog/Walk), philanthropic family (Stewardship Saturdays), the artsy family (Make a Mosaic), and the family who love New England culinary faire (think Camp Stove Cooking and Full Moon Clambakes!).  Here are just a few upcoming events this week:

• 1st Annual Spectacle Island 5K Road Race and Kids Fun Run and Let’s Move Outside Family Fitness Day this Saturday
• Take Dad on an Adventure! on Father’s Day this Sunday
• Free Ferry Day on Tuesday, June 21

As previously mentioned, rustic camping is also an option on the islands.  Now, what do they mean by “rustic”?  Well, not for the newly manicured.  This is serious stuff, despite the gorgeous city skyline view.  Rustic camping means no flush toilets, showers, fresh water, electricity, telephones, or supplies. So you’ll have to carry it all in, and carry it out. But while you’re camping, you can see the sun rise over the harbor and experience the islands in a whole new light.

Treasure hunts are also an option! You and the kids can go IslandCaching.  Use your own Global Positioning System (GPS) unit and clues provided by the IslandCache Site Sheets for a fun day in the park. Park GPS units are available for one-day loan: ask a park ranger at the Spectacle Island visitor center to check out a GPS unit and Site Sheets for the day!

Swimming is allowed in Boston Harbor – beaches on the islands range from sandy to pebbly. Spectacle Island has a sandy, lifeguarded, swimming beach. Lovells Island has a popular cobble beach. Most shorelines have cobbled beaches. The lighthouses are magnificent and there are three to visit: Long Island Light, Boston Light on Little Brewster Island where tours are given, and Graves Light.

Other helpful tips to know before you go… if you pack your meals (or even a grill), you must remember their carry on/carry off policy: all items brought on the islands must be taken off; this includes any charcoal briquettes, whether new or used. Georges Island has several stationary grills as well.  Pets are only allowed on four islands:  Deer and Nut Islands, Webb Memorial Park, and Worlds End. In terms of bathrooms, all the boats have adequate bathroom facilities, indoor bathrooms with plumbing are located on Spectacle Island, while other islands have composting toilets.

So head out on an adventure this summer and enjoy every minute of your trip to Boston Harbor Islands!  Whether it’s a guided tour or self-exploration, the whole family will (reluctantly) return home energized.

From ZipNews this week, here are my “Top 5 Metro Boston ZipPicks” for this weekend: (Subscribe to ZipNews here!)

• Saints Constantine and Helen Church: Grecian Festival, Cambridge, 10 am-6pm Friday, Saturday & Sunday.
• Boston Harbor Islands: Let’s Move Outside! Boston, Saturday, 9:30am-3pm. Note: Event is free, but ferry fares apply.
• Museum of Science: EurekaFest, Boston, Saturday, 11am.
• Mt. Auburn Cemetery: Circles & Spirals – a family program, Cambridge, Saturday, 10am.
• The Esplanade Association: Sunday Fun in the Park, Boston, Sunday, 2-4pm.

SAVE THE DATE

• Newton Library: Dance Classes with All That Jazz Dance Studio, Newton, Tuesday, June 21^st at 1:30pm. Ages 3 and up.
• Gore Place: Preschool Storytime – Farm Animals, Waltham, Wednesday, June 22^nd, 10-11am. Ages 3-4.  Register by June 21^st.
• Payson Park Music Festival – John Penny Band, Belmont, Wednesday, June 22^nd at 6:45pm.

For more Boston area activities, search here!

1. Acton’s NARA Park  - a man-made lake that has lifeguards, a playground, bathrooms and showers. Be warned there is very little (ok, zero) shade by the water or playground. Bring an umbrella or plan your trip for the early morning or late afternoon. They do have a pretty good snack bar with shaded picnic tables.
2. Bedford’s Springs Brook Park is a man-made filtered lake that has a concrete bottom and sprinklers park. It has a basketball court and sand for building. Check out the amazing list of events going on there this summer! Just key word search “Springs Brook” on Ziptivity or go to their website.
3. Bedford’s Wedgewood Swim & Tennis Club
4. Billerica’s Sprinkler Park at Manning Park is great for toddlers and Micozzi at Nuttings Lake  is better for the older kids.  Micozzi opens June 19.
5. Chelmsford Swim & Tennis – get your name on the wait list! Reknown for their great swim team program.
6. Concord’s  Heritage Pool & Racquet Club – same deal as Chelmsford…  get your name on the wait list! Also, a great swim team program.
7. Concord’s Walden Pond - history and swimming! What more could you ask for? Can get VERY crowded though, given it’s a major tourist attraction.
8. Framingham – Suburban Athletic Club
9. Harvard Town Beach
10. Lincoln Codman Pool
11. Littleton Long Lake - swim lessons can be had through the Littleton Recreation Department. This is a public swimming hole – you just need to pay for parking. No resident stickers required.
12. Sterling’s Davis Farmland Adventure Play & Spray – opens with a bang – “Splash-tacular Weekend” – over Father’s Day weekend.  Free admission for Daddy!! This family-owned attraction has it all:  animals, reptiles, hay rides, pony rides, a spectacular playground, maze, and more! We just had my son’s preschool field trip there this week and there were plenty of baby goats, pigs, calves, lambs and chicks to adore.
13. Stow’s Pine Bluff Beach
14. Sudbury’s Atkinson Pool  
15. Wayland Swimming and Tennis Club
16. Wayland Town Beach 
17. Wellesley’s Morses Pond

From ZipNews this week, here are my “Top 5 MetroWest ZipPicks” for this weekend: (Subscribe to ZipNews here!)

• The Pinocchio Show, presented by Theatre with a Twist in Acton on Saturday. 3 pm & 6:30 pm shows.
• Davis Farmland: Splash-Tacular Weekend, Sterling. Splash into summer as we open Adventure Play & Spray, All weekend.
• Springs Brook Park: Season Opening Celebration Day, Bedford, Saturday, 10 am- 7:30 pm. Yo-yo Guy performs at 3:00!
• Strawberries, strawberries, strawberries! Tons of options on Saturday… Strawberry Picking Day at Drumlin Farm in Lincoln from 10 am- 2 pm.  Also in Weston at Land’s Sake Strawberry Festival from 10 am- 2pm.
• Children’s Discovery Museum: Meet a Ballerina!, Acton, Saturday at 10 a.m.

Save the Dates!

Tues, 6/21: Emerson Umbrella Center: Musketaquid/ OARS Summer Solstice, Concord, 6:30 p.m.

Wed, 6/22: 

• Wellesley Concert Series @ Town Hall Green, 7 p.m. Runs through August 3.
• Concord Band at Fruitlands, Harvard. Sunset concerts through July 27 at Fruitlands.

Thurs, 6/26: Free Summer Concert Series at Acton’s NARA Park. “A Far Cry” is a can’t miss orchestral performance by outstanding young musicians – one the whole family will enjoy.

Sat, 6/25: 

• In case you hadn’t enough… more strawberries at Verrill Farm’s Strawberry Festival in Concord from 11 am-3 pm.
• Amazing Things Arts Center: Wayne from Maine, Natick, 10:30 am.

 For more MetroWest Boston area activities, search here!

It was several years ago – hmm, maybe it was just last year (I can’t remember much these days let alone when things occurred!) – when the girls and I went to the Bullfinch’s 7th annual Duck Races for the UMass Memorial Foundation Inc (which was created for a 3-yr old who was diagnosed with cancer in 1996 to help fund non-medical services).  It was awesome and for a good cause, no less.  You adopt a duck for $5 and then watch it float down a river, off the edge of an old mill-type structure and down to the finish line.  We cheered our ducks on hoping to see them win.  Little did we know we’d actually win money if they came in 1st place.  That was just the icing on the cake… for us, it was just a nice way to spend the day together and raise money for this foundation.

But there was something missing… Daddy!  The last time we went to the race it was a weekday and he was working.  Luckily, with today’s technology, we sent Daddy lots of pictures of what we were up to and his response?  “I miss my girls!”

So thanks to Ziptivity, this year we are going to the Neponset Valley Sunrise Rotary Club Duck Races in Dedham.  It’s this Saturday and it helps fund the various local programs like School on Wheels, Meals on Wheels, and the Challenger Program (which organizes sports programs for handicapped children).  This Rotary Club services all the towns I cover as a Ziptivity Community Ambassador and it’s fitting that we join in on the fun and help raise money for these programs.

This year we will be cheering on our ducks (you can get 5 for $20, that’s an extra duck) and enjoying all the activities surrounding this event.  Usually they have sweet treats, bounce houses,  and pony rides!  I’m not sure just yet if you can get a duck the day of the race, but you can definitely purchase them online.  Oh, and did I mention, the 1st place prize is $1,000, 2nd place is $500, 3rd $250, and 4th $100?!  First place (any place really) would help our family, seeing as though my husband’s car just died.  That would be right after we had the roofer over for an estimate – cha-ching!  Either way, win or lose, we will spend the day as a family, raising money for charitable programs, and enjoying each others’ company!

Quack, quack!

From ZipNews this week, here are my “Top 5 ZipPicks” for this weekend: (Subscribe to ZipNews here!)

• Friday am: Free mommy and me play/support group at Kidz Wurld in North Attleboro, 10am-12pm.
• Friday pm: YMCA Old Colony Stoughton: Summer kick off block party, 6pm-8pm.
• Saturday: Cars 2 Movie Event at 3 Borders locations: Dedham, Mansfield, North Attleboro, 2pm.
• Saturday: Shaws Easton - Father’s Day Snack Cake Decorating, 10am-3pm.
• Sunday: 17th Annual Father’s Day Road Race at the Children’s Museum in Easton, 9am.  And a bunch of other Father’s Day activities listed on last week’s blog!

Save the dates…..these events sound AWESOME!!

Wed, 6/22

• Magic Beans Baby Registry Night in Hingham, special guests from Mamas Move, 6:30pm-9pm. Please call the store for more ticket information. 781-749-2321. $10 per couple and receive a $20 Magic Beans gift card at the event.

Saturday, 6/25

• 2011 Family Fun Fest in Milton
• The Natural Child Collaborative: Info Table at Healthy Living Expo- Hanover, 10am-4pm.

Check out the site for more upcoming events in and around the South Shore!

The Discovery Museums are the children’s and science museums of Metrowest Boston, paired on a single campus in Acton.  The two museums—the Science Discovery Museum and the Children’s Discovery Museum—serve families and schools from towns throughout the region, with a commitment to informal education that enhances classroom learning.  The hands-on, playful exhibits, developed by professional educators, inspire curiosity, exploration, experimentation and imagination.  The Discovery Museums combine manageable scale, convenient location and free parking to provide a fun and engaging experience where children and adults can discover their world together.

This weekend Ziptivity will join Bessie for her Birthday Bash! Bessie, the big green dinosaur, has graced the front lawn of The Discovery Museums since opening in 1982—making her 29 years old.  And she doesn’t look a day over 28! 

Enjoy fun activities all weekend, including FETCH!™ Lab science challenges, a magic show, dinosaur egg hunt, dinosaur crafts, face painting, outdoor dinosaur dig and more.  And of course, birthday cupcakes to celebrate this big girl’s special day.

New this summer, the Discovery Museums are pleased to announce their Free Friday Night Fun! program for summer 2011, offering free admission to both museums along with extended evening hours. Every Friday night between June 24 and August 26, both the Children’s Discovery Museum and the Science Discovery Museum will be open until 8:30pm, with free admission beginning at 4:30pm.  Families are invited to picnic under the stars and enjoy the Museums at night.  Visitors may bring a picnic dinner or purchase available food from the Dawg Days food cart.

Free Friday Night Fun! is an important component of the Museums’ Open Door Connections program, which provides opportunities for those who face a variety of barriers—financial, geographic, developmental, or cultural—to experience the Museums.  In addition, the Discovery Museums will collect donations for the Acton Food Pantry on Fridays as party of this special family promotion.  AFP’s wish list items include peanut butter, juice boxes, jam/jelly, Parmalat, baking mixes, and diapers.

The Discovery Museums are a great place for all kids. When my children were new walkers at a mere 11-months, I found the Children’s Museum, which is the first building as you approach the campus, was a phenomenal way to simultaneously bring both a fun and cognitively-rich activity to their developing minds.  From the first floor train room, chain reaction ball room, and bubble room, up to the restaurant role play area and everywhere in between, the toddlers just love it.  Just one precaution:  watch your wobbly ones near the staircase as they go from room to room.  The exploration opportunities abound!

These days, I can take my four kids ages 6, 8, 9 and 11 to the Science Discovery Museum building at the top of the hill.  And you know what?  They can still stay entertained – but now for hours.  It’s as if we brought the science classroom right into our weekends.  All the senses are stimulated and challenged from discoveries about light and sound, to trying their hands at woodworking and various crafts.

Be sure to bring your own food and drinks as they do not have a  snack bar on site, but they do have shaded picnic tables and encourage you to stay all day.  If you want to head out for a meal, our favorite is Not Your Average Joe’s right down the street.  Kids and adults alike get great meals there.

Lastly, if you are looking for a great place to host your child’s birthday, I highly recommend Discovery Museums.  We went to my son’s friend’s 4th birthday party last year and the kids had a ball while the adults could enjoy themselves without spending too much time planning or cooking!  Learn more about booking a party at Discovery here.

We hope to see you this weekend to celebrate the birthday of all birthdays – Bessie’s 29th! Imagine what her 30th will be like.  If it is anything like mine was xx years ago, …  oh, never mind.

From ZipNews this week, here are my “Top MetroWest ZipPicks” for this weekend: (Subscribe to ZipNews here!)

• Bessie’™s Birthday Bash! at Discovery Museums, Acton on Sat & Sun.
• Strawberry Festival, Billerica First Parish Church, Saturday, 11 am- 2 pm.
• Bluegrass Festival & Car Show NARA Park in Acton, Saturday, 12 noon -10 pm.
• Birds of Prey, Davis Farmland in Sterling, Saturday, 11 am- 3 pm.
• In Lincoln, you can shop at the LFA Kids’ Stuff Tag Sale on Saturday from 9 am- 12 noon.  Then release that shopping euphoria with some Yoga in the Park! at DeCordova Sculpture Park + Museum in Lincoln on Sunday from 10 am- 12 noon.
•  Beach Concert and BBQ, Wayland Children & Parents Association, Saturday, 5:30-8 p.m.

PMC Rides this Weekend

• Bedford, Saturday, 9 am- 1 pm.
• Concord, Saturday, 8:30 am – 12 pm.

Save the Dates!

•  Wed, 6/15: Be Our Guest: Admission Free Summer Evenings at Concord Museum.
•  Fri/Sat, 6/17-18: James and the Giant Peach presented by Children’s Theatre Workshop of Wilmington.
•  Sat, 6/18:
• 8th Annual Sharon Timlin Memorial Event to Cure ALS, Hopkinton.
• Westford Parks & Rec Dept: Fun Run for Kids.
• Next Saturday is also the return of strawberry season! Celebrate at Drumlin Farms in Lincoln, Land’s Sake Farm in Weston, or Smolak Farms in North Andover!