The Bluebird Patch

The Atlanta Science Festival is an eight-day, citywide collaboration showcasing science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The second annual event will be held March 21-28, 2015. Simply put: it’s a remarkable opportunity to raise awareness and build interest in science and technology across different ages, neighborhoods and education levels. The metro Atlanta area has been a growing science and technology corridor. This Festival is an annual citywide event with that history (and future) in mind, with a clear goal of making science programming exciting and accessible to every resident. There will be more than 100 events over an eight-day period, and most will be free. Events vary in topic, style, and target audience, including art exhibits, film screenings, guided tours, panel discussions, food and drink, interactive demos, stage shows, comedy nights, flashmobs, storytimes – some for adults and some for children. The Exploration Expo is a free, family-friendly

This year I had the wonderful pleasure to become a Chick-fil-A mom and one of the perks is that I get to try new menu items and get the inside scoop of all the new and exciting things happening at the restaurant. For example, did you know the Chick-fil-A is intoducing a new Frosted Lemonade? The refreshing treat combines two of the fast food restaurant’s most beloved offerings, fresh-squeezed lemonade and its signature Icedream®. Chick-fil-A’s lemonade is made from scratch daily at each restaurant using only fresh lemon juice, pure cane sugar and water. They are also working with suppliers to establish a stable, sustainable, supply chain that can deliver on Chick-fil-A promise of no antibiotics ever. This means every customer, at every restaurant across the country will be served chicken without antibiotics everyday. For our Chick-fil-A fans in the northeast, AWESOME news! You are getting the the first freestanding Chick-fil-A restaurant in New York. The thre

This is hands down one of the best out-of-the-box family friendly Easter events in Atlanta.  As the rising warm air moves in and the cool air moves out,  all the kids want is to hit the pool. Bogan's Park aquatic center is an aweome place because it has an indoor competition pool & an indoor leisure pool with zero-depth entry, a giant water-slide and water play structures. On Easter weekend kids can hunt for eggs under the water at the aquatic center, then dry off and head to the community recreation center. Get their picture taken with the Easter Bunny, enjoy a snack and make a craft. Spots are limited so make sure you register early! Where : Bogan Park Community Recreation Center & Aquatic Center  2723 North Bogan Road, Buford, GA 30519 When : 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Who : Children under the age of 6 years old must be accompanied in the water by an adult 18 or over. All ages. How : Must pre-register by 3/21  online  with code: BOP11402 or call 678-2

27th Cabbage Patch Kids Magical Easter Eggstravaganza is a Cleveland Tradition at BabyLand General Hospital on Saturday, March 28, 2015. Pancake Breakfast starting at 8 a.m. (Cost-$10. Reservations Required-706-865-2171, Ext. 0), Parade through town at 11 a.m., Car Show starts at 12 p.m., Cupcakes and Carrots at 1 p.m., Easter Bonnet Contest at 3 p.m. All day prize giveaways, arts & crafts, rides, costume characters, music and dancing.  http://www.babylandgeneral.com/?p=1906

pow●er●ful (pou(ә)rfәl/) “ You cannot write for children. They're much too complicated. You can only write books that are of interest to them. ” - Maurice Sendak Date:     March 24 Time:    7 PM At:          The Breman Museum // 1440 Spring Street (across from Puppetry Arts) Click Here for more information :  http://thebreman.org/Events/Powerful-The-Responsibility-of-Childrens-Literature Storytelling has been used to share experiences and life lessons since the beginning of time. Children’s literature in its many forms has powerfully affected generation after generation, shaping not only how we act as children but the adults we become.  Ø  If children’s books influence the way we live as adults, do today’s authors carry a social responsibility? Ø  Has the digital age changed the way children read and how we read with our children? Ø  What should we be reading now? The answers to these questions will be explored in an enlightened and dynamic conv

Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation and Live Healthy Gwinnett are celebrating National Public Health Week with a festival April 10. Spring Break Out Family Wellness Festival, set to be held at Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville, is a free event starting at 5 p.m. and intended to encourage positive health habits. Participants will experience health and wellness exhibitors, fitness demos, educational performances and park-wide family activities. The event also includes the GLOW 3k Fun Walk/Run at 8:00 p.m., which costs $12 total per person, and a free movie on the lawn afterwards. Registration for the 3k ends April 2. Rhodes Jordan Park is located at 100 East Crogan St. For more information, visit www.gwinnettparks.com or call 770-822-8869.

Lauren's Run & CURE Annual Picnic   Presented by NCR Lauren’s Run was founded in 1992 in memory of Lauren Zagoria, a sweet two-year old girl from Atlanta with big, golden curls, and continuing in memory of Lauren Kochman, a beautiful, brown eyed girl who lost her battle with neuroblastoma at only twenty months old. Since its beginnings, Lauren’s Run has raised more than $3 million for pediatric cancer research. Lauren's Run is a Peachtree qualifier! Please Note: Only pre-registered runners will be timed. Runners competing in the 10K must be able to complete the 10K in 75 minutes, and will not be allowed to start the second loop of the route after 40 minutes. Walk-up (day-of) registrants will not be timed. 10K - 5K - 2K Run/Walk - Tot Trot  Sunday, April 26th 8:00 am - 1:00 pm Concourse Office Park in Atlanta, GA  Highlights of the day include: - Meet Disney Princesses - - Dozens of Games with Prizes - - Rock Climbing

5K Run to Feature Obstacles, Mud and Fun for All Ages Chamblee Middle School (CMS), together with the City of Chamblee and the DeKalb County Fire Department, today announced plans for the inaugural Chamblee Fun Mudder event, scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2015 at 8:00 am.  Presented by Ed Voyles Automotive, the event is a 5K fun run, with obstacles involving mud. All proceeds will benefit the Chamblee Middle School Education Foundation (CMSEF). The 5K course begins and ends at Chamblee Middle School (CMS), winding through the Keswick Village and Sexton Woods neighborhoods.  Participants will complete four different obstacles throughout various locations in Keswick Park, involving simple challenges in the mud. The Chamblee Fun Mudder is open to the community and is appropriate for kids and adults of all abilities. There will be a 3K (1.91 mile) Muddy Buddy race immediately following the Chamblee Fun Mudder, in which participants will complete the mud obstacles, bu

Instead of a traditional egg hunt, this year Fernbank is offering a new format, inviting guests to enjoy a twist on the popular springtime activity. Visitors are invited to bring baskets and search for special egg stations, complete activities and participate in games as they collect a variety of eggs. This festive event is the perfect way for families to welcome in spring with opportunities to meet live baby animals, find prize-filled eggs, play fun games, participate in special activities and more.  Cost: Included with Museum admission and   free for members . Export this event (iCal) .

Mark your calendars, Smith-Gilbert Gardens is hosting the first annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 4! The garden will be open during normal business hours (9am – 4pm). The first hunt will start at 10am and the last hunt will be at 2pm. Your entry fee includes garden admission, 1 Easter egg hunt, a chance to meet the Easter bunny, free craft tables, as well as other vendors. The price for non-member children is $10.00 and adult entry is $7.00. There is a discounted rate for SGG Members ($5.00 per child & adults free) as well as the opportunity to register early.

                                                                                              MUST Food Pantries distributes more than 370,000 pounds of food throughout the year; donations to directly benefit neighbors in need For the 5 th  consecutive year, MUST Ministries is partnering with Six Flags Over Georgia to host an Opening Weekend Food Drive on Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15. Each guest that donates six or more non-perishable food items will receive a Buy One Get One Free coupon for a general admission ticket to the park. Season Passholders that donate six or more non-perishable food items will be granted park access an hour before the park opens to experience the new BATMAN™: The Ride BACKWARDS. Suggested items to donate include canned meats, peanut butter, cereal bars, cereal and dry foods.

Hilarious Tale of Exploration Pokes Fun at Victorian England’s Patriarchal Ideals Prepare for an adventure filled with zany humor, mad science and a touch of gender inequality, oh my! Hilarity unfolds as one woman propels Victorian England’s prestigious Explorers Club into a tizzy when she is nominated to join the all-male sanctum! With the potential to uproot the patriarchal foundation of the British Empire,  The Explorers Club  combines wry humor with cheeky disposition to present a riveting engagement at  Aurora Theatre, March 26 – April 19, 2015 . With its fast-paced and witty dialogue, the show takes audiences on a journey of juxtaposition of feminine ideals against the oppressive backdrop of conservative 19 th  century Great Britain. "What I love most about this play is that every character is so much fun; you can't take your eyes off of them!  Playwright Nell Benjamin created roles for men who are each uniquely hilarious and display a ton of heart – and Court

  “ Modern Day Mr. Rogers” Teaches Audiences the Importance of Being True to One’s Self How do you cheer up when life gets you down? What does it mean to be yourself? When Mr. Nicholas, the sock puppet, makes an unnerving self-discovery that causes him to spiral down a path of loneliness and despair, his soul mate Joshua teaches him to celebrate his differences in this quirky show full of songs, comedy, whimsy, abundant joy, and just a smattering of tap dancing.  WHAT :      The Joshua Show  by Joshua Holden of New York, N.Y.

  The Melting Pot is celebrating Easter in a BIG way – KIDS EAT FREE and all four-Atlanta area locations will open at NOON!   Hippity Hoppity Fondue’s on its Way!  Celebrate the start of spring with an EGG-ceptional Easter lunch starting at noon on  Sunday, April 5  at The Melting Pot! Enjoy a three-course fondue experience including your choice of creamy cheese fondue, savory entrée and every bunny’s favorite chocolate fondue. What makes this deal so EGG-cellent? KIDS EAT FREE! The Easter Bunny will be hopping around and hiding treats for guests at each table. Post a photo of your family with the Easter Bunny on Facebook (tag  Melting  Pot Atlanta!) for a chance to fill your basket with gift certificates for future fondue fun!

For years, families have come to YouTube, watching countless hours of videos on all kinds of topics. Now, thanks to their new kid-friendly mobile app, parents can rest a little easier knowing that videos in the YouTube Kids app are narrowed down to content appropriate for kids. Some of our favorite features about this app are: Timer : Let the app be the bad guy with a built-in timer that lets you limit kids’ screen time. The app alerts your child when the session is over, so you don’t have to. (You’re welcome. ;) ) Sound settings : Sometimes you need a little peace and quiet! You have an option to turn off background music and sound effects, so your kids can keep watching while you catch a breather. Search settings : If you’d rather limit your children to just the pre-selected videos available on the home screen, you can turn off search. Product feedback : The goal is to improve YouTube Kids all the time, so if you see something you don't like

Welcome spring with basketfuls of fun at Mall of Georgia, Northlake Mall and Town Center at Cobb Easter is just a hop, skip and a jump away! To help families get into the spring sprit, Atlanta-area Simon malls are hosting a variety of holiday events and activities. Children can hop on over to  Mall of Georgia, Northlake Mall  and  Town Center at Cobb  to hunt for eggs, enjoy crafts and even spend time with the Easter Bunny himself!

Families are invited to experience the opening night of a big, loud, funny, silly, visually arresting production of  Blue Man Group  at the  Fox Theatre . In honor of the occasion, Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta is throwing a family-focused event on  Tuesday, April 7 . The  FREE  Family 2 Family  Kids Night on Broadway  celebration will take place in the  Grand Salon Ballroom  from  5:30 p.m-7 p.m.  Attendees can enjoy sweet treats from Jake’s Ice Cream, snack-on pouches from GoGo squeeZ, learn circus skills from Circus Camp, participate in fun science demonstrations by the Children’s Museum of Atlanta and more. As if the deal couldn’t get any sweeter,  half price  tickets are available now for the 7:30 p.m. performance of Blue Man Group that evening using code “ KIDSNIGHT .”

President Obama is giving the gift of nature to all fourth graders and their families with free admission to national parks and other federal lands for a full year. The Every Kid in a Park initiative is part of an effort to get schoolchildren outdoors and more active. It will start in the school year that begins next fall, which coincides with the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service in 2016. In a speech at Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy, President Obama said: "We want every fourth-grader to have the experience of getting out and discovering America.  We want them to see the outside of a classroom too; see all the places that make America great.  Put down the smartphone for a second.  Put away the video games.  Breathe in some fresh air and see this incredible bounty that’s been given to us. No matter who you are, no matter where you live, our parks and our monuments, our lands, our waters -- these places are the birthright of all Americans.”

The Walt Disney Company is partnering with the United Negro College Fund to provide scholarships and professional tools to African American students. The goals of The Walt Disney Company UNCF Corporate Scholars Program is to help create a diverse pipeline of college educated professionals poised to assume fulfilling off-camera careers in entertainment, and to help increase the number of underrepresented minorities employed in the entertainment industry. Eligibility Requirements: * Underrepresented African American freshmen, enrolled full-time at a four-year college or university * Preference will be given to students attending a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) * Students must have a demonstrated financial need as verified by their college or university * Students must have a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale * Students must have an interest in pursuing an off-camera career in the entertainment industry (e.g. film, television, hospitality

The Georgia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Georgia SPCA) is excited to announce the 5 th Annual Run for the Rescues 5K, Fun Run and Festival benefiting homeless pets in the Atlanta Metro area. This year’s annual event is scheduled for Saturday March 28th at Suwanee Town Center from 8am - 4pm. Come strut your mutt at the Georgia SPCA Run for the Rescues which has helped thousands of local animals annually by raising critical funding for their rescue, care and adoption. Participants can choose between a 5K (beginning at 9:15am) in front of the Library on Main Street, and a 1-mile Fun Run course (beginning at 8:30am) at the Suwanee City Hall. This year the certified race course (USATF #GA12061WC) is a 2016 Peachtree Qualifier event. Runners of the 5K will have the opportunity to be chip-timed for award opportunities. Awards include trophies based on race times and category (Overall Male/Female; and standard age groups). The top 3 dogs in the 5K will re