Get into the Act

At the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, kids don’t just get to learn about the circus. They can actually pretend they’re in the circus themselves, thanks to all of the interactive exhibits found in the site’s Circus Museum and Tibbals Learning Center.

Ever wondered what it would be like to take to the high wire? Kids (and adults) can make like Nik Wallenda and test their balance on the museum’s tightrope. Just a few inches above the floor, it starts off wider than usual but narrows as it goes along. It’s not that hard at first, but by the end both Lindsay and I were wiggling and wobbling (and gaining a whole new appreciation for Wallenda’s recent Niagara Falls feat).

We had a hard time getting Lindsay off of the bareback “horse,” where she practiced her arabesques and other tricks. She also squeezed into a clown car and admired all the sparkly costumes and ornate circus wagons on display.

The Tibbals Learning Center is home to one of the museum’s coolest exhibits: the Howard Bros. Circus Model. The largest miniature circus on the world, it includes eight tents, 152 wagons, 1,300 circus performers and workers, and more than 800 animals, capturing all of the spectacle that surrounded the arrival of the circus in town.

But it’s not just all clowns and acrobats at the Ringling Museum. The site also includes the over-the-top Cà d’Zan mansion, a 56-room Venetian Gothic estate right on Sarasota Bay. Wannabe princess Lindsay was ready to move right in.

The Museum of Art houses the collection of Old Masters artwork amassed by circus magnate John Ringling and his wife, Mable. It’s impressive but might feel a bit highbrow for most kiddos. (And be warned—all the naked statues and cherubs on view might lead to giggles, uncomfortable questions, or some combination of the two.)

Ticket prices for adults are a bit steep at $25, but kids six to 17 are just $5, and kids under six are free. Want to save some cash? Plan your visit for September 29, when the Ringling Museum will be participating in Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day Live! program. Register in advance for free admission for two and you can enjoy the site’s cultural riches even if you’re on a budget.

Wondering No More

I will admit it: That upside down building on International Drive in Orlando has always intrigued me. So much so that I suggested a trip to WonderWorks Orlando during a recent visit to the city. But after I got my husband, daughter, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law on board, I started to worry a little about what we might find there. Would it be wackily whimsical or weirdly woeful?

Luckily, WonderWorks exceeded my expectations. Yes, it was teeming with tourists and summer campers. But it also offered opportunities for many entertaining and educational experiences.

In the course of a couple of hours, Lindsay felt the force of a simulated magnitude 5.3 earthquake, created some monster bubbles, lay (very briefly) on a bed of nails, climbed into a replica Mercury space capsule, and stuck her hand into some icy cold water meant to demonstrate the conditions faced by the passengers on the Titanic.

We all got a good laugh when she posed in full astronaut gear, and again when her body appeared to disappear thanks to a mirror-covered box. And we adults got to put our powers of perception to the test in the Far Out Illusion Gallery, where we marveled at an image of Jesus floating on the wall and other tricks that our eyes and minds played on us.

“I love WonderWorks!” Lindsay shouted as we neared the end of our visit. And I was just happy that our trip to what could have been a tourist trap didn’t wind up being an experiment gone wrong.

Streetcar Simplicity

My daughter knows what a tweet is. She can navigate an iPad with the best of them. So during a recent visit to Tampa, it was heartening to see that she got just as much of a thrill from an old-fashioned form of transportation as from a spirited session of Angry Birds.

We were cruising around the city on the TECO Line Streetcar System, which travels between Tampa’s Ybor City neighborhood and the southern edge of its downtown area. In car-centric Florida, we don’t get many chances to try out different modes of public transportation. So Lindsay excitedly climbed aboard the bright yellow, vintage-looking electric streetcar that pulled up to our stop in Ybor City.

We were the first passengers to board, so we had our pick of the car’s polished wood seats. Soon we began to make our way to the Channel District. My husband and I were happy to let someone else do the driving; Lindsay enjoyed watching the driver as he maneuvered the streetcar down the tracks, tooting its horn now and then to alert cars and pedestrians to its movements.

Thanks to this throwback to the early twentieth century, we were able to cover a lot of ground during our day in Tampa, without having to traverse unfamiliar city streets or search for parking spaces. And Lindsay got a taste of what life was like before everyone just punched coordinates into their own GPS devices.

Want to read more about our day riding the TECO Line Streetcar System? Check out my story in the July/August 2012 issue of RSW Living (free registration required).  

Forging a Pint-Sized Patriot

“Mom, did George Washington really live here?” my daughter, Lindsay, asked me as we stood outside the picturesque stone house set amidst a cluster of towering trees. While many spots along the Eastern Seaboard love to lay claim to the fact that the first prez spent a night under their roofs, this place provided more than just overnight accommodations for Washington. The general lived here for several months during the Continental Army’s 1777-1778 winter encampment at Valley Forge during the American Revolution.

We saw where Washington held strategy sessions and where he laid his head after a long day of commanding the troops. Much of the house is original, so as we went up and down the stairs we were using the same banister George himself had used, which I thought was pretty cool.

What Lindsay was most intrigued by was the contrast between Washington’s somewhat swanky sleeping quarters (a cushy bed, a pretty rug underfoot) and the huts made from logs and mud that the soldiers shared along Valley Forge’s lines of defense. As she peered into a few replica huts, she noticed the dirt floors, very uncomfortable-looking bunk beds, and the darkness that resulted from a lack of windows.

These were a few stops we made as we took the self-guided driving tour of Valley Forge National Historical Park in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. A ranger-led walking tour was also available, but that might have been pushing it with a five-year-old. But Lindsay did thoroughly enjoy the Once Upon a Nation storytelling benches at a couple of spots along the driving tour, where we learned about the first official celebration of George Washington’s birthday and the German word for “stupidhead” (told to us during the tale of how Prussian army officer Baron von Steuben helped train the Continental Army).  

I’m a self-proclaimed history nerd, so I’m glad to see that my daughter is developing an appreciation for our country’s past. And Valley Forge was a great place to nurture that appreciation, with its historic buildings, impressive statues and monuments, pretty scenery, and ample leg-stretching opportunities. Plus, if offers some interesting perspective on the perks of being in power. 

Just Pretend

“What would you like for lunch?” my apron-clad daughter asked me as I sat in a little booth in a replica train dining car. After I made my selection off of the laminated menu, Lindsay scurried off to the “kitchen” to prepare my “meal.”

The Bucks County Children’s Museum isn’t huge. And a tween-ager might get a little bored there. But the under-ten set can definitely give their imaginations a good workout at this recently opened spot in New Hope, Pennsylvania.

Lindsay spent lots of time in the museum’s Town Square section, home to the train car as well as a general store exhibit where kids can shop or play cashier. In the post office area, she carefully sorted postcards into their proper P.O. boxes, begrudgingly handing over the mailbag (and her orderly handiwork) to another little one who wanted to give postal delivery a try.

With shovel and brush in hand, Lindsay dug for “fossils,” uncovering artifacts like a wagon wheel and a conch shell used on the Delaware Canal. After a few trips down the slide at the indoor tree house and a stroll through a small-scale covered bridge, she created her own car using bins of Lego-like blocks, then gave her vehicle a test ride down two hilly tracks.

This is exactly the kind of place I wish I had close to my hometown. With its reasonable general admission prices ($7) and membership rates ($75 a year for a family of four), the museum offers a fun, fantasy-filled, budget-friendly spot at which to spend an afternoon.    

On the Same Page

I love the library. I always have. I still have fond memories of attending story hour at the library in my childhood hometown, of making my way to the special space over which an amazing children’s librarian presided.

I’ve been known to visit libraries during my travels. And not just world-famous ones like the New York Public Library. But smaller, more community-centric ones like the library in Bridgton, Maine, into which my husband, daughter, and I strolled during a summertime day trip to the town. And every time we visit my in-laws in Pennsylvania, my daughter pays a visit to the Warminster Township Free Library.

We frequent the library when we’re not traveling too, checking out books and taking part in some of the free programming offered for kids. We’re blessed with two great libraries in our current hometown of Venice, Florida, the Venice Library and Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda Library. Both offer all kinds of free kids’ activities, from story time and Lego clubs to screenings of popular animated movies. Lindsay is particularly partial to the arts-and-crafts sessions, where she’s made a cute little owl out of a toilet-paper roll, a fashion-forward Father’s Day card, and other masterpieces.

Of course, all those books also prove a big draw for her, just as they do for her mom. I’ve got a little library lover on my hands. And someone who’ll willingly wander with me into any library we come across in our travels. Who knows what kind of program or activity we’ll find waiting inside? And if all else fails, we won’t have any problem finding something good to read.

Wet but Not So Wild

Lots of the hotel pools at the Walt Disney World Resort have waterslides that twist and turn and splash riders into the water below. But if you have a kiddo like mine who’s not known for being brave, the pool area at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is a great place for little ones to test the waters when it comes to slipping and sliding.

The children’s water play area includes three waterslides sized just right for kids under 48 inches tall, two standard slides and one tube-style slide. Kids splash down into a shallow, contained area, so there’s no need to worry about them navigating deeper waters or crowded pools.

There’s water squirting out from all over the pirate ship–themed play structure; kids can even control the level of spray in most places by turning wheels that reduce or increase the flow. The whole time they’re playing, a huge bucket fills up with water overhead. When a bell starts ringing, that signals that the bucket is about to tip over, spilling its contents all over anyone below. Some kids relish this soaking; others (like my daughter in her younger days) run away from the dousing.

On our most recent trip to Caribbean Beach, Lindsay braved the slides at the main pool area, including an 80-foot-long one that traveled inside a faux fort. But she still spent lots of time skipping and splashing through the children’s play area, even standing in the path of the spilling bucket a few times. She may be getting bigger, but she’s still able to appreciate when good things come in small packages.

A Delicious Deal

We’ve been going to Gold Rush BBQ in Venice since my daughter, Lindsay, was a baby. From a very young age, she would dig into whatever kind of sampler plate we made up for her from our meals, feasting on chopped barbecue pork, green beans, barbecue beans, and melt-in-your-mouth cornbread. She’s now graduated to choosing for herself off of the kids’ menu, but she still always includes the green beans in her order.

Gold Rush is an ideal spot for kids. The opposite of formal and stuffy, the restaurant’s always humming with activity—bustling servers, customers coming in and out—which helps drown out crying, whining, or a stray shout here and there. There’s lots to look at in the dining room that’s done up like a gold miner’s shack, everything from lanterns and canteens to a faux flickering campfire. It’s a game of “I Spy” just waiting to happen. And all of the meals are served in metal mining tins, which means that Junior won’t break anything if he “accidentally” throws his plate on the floor.

Available for diners ages 12 and under, the kids’ menu features old standards like a burger, hot dog, and chicken nuggets along with options like chopped barbecue beef and a quarter rack of baby back ribs. Everything comes with one side dish; choices include applesauce, corn on the cob, cucumber salad, and the aforementioned green and barbecue beans. Expect a kids’ meal to ring in at $3.99, except for the pricier ribs, which will run you $5.99.

Unless you visit Gold Rush on a Monday from May to October. During that time frame, kids eat for free on Mondays. Here’s how it works: With the purchase of adult entrées, up to two kids per table can dine at no charge. Any additional kids eat for just $2 each. Face painting and a bike giveaway add to the family fun.

After devouring a platter loaded with tender barbecued meat, two sides, and a sublime square of cornbread, grown-up diners might not find a meal at Gold Rush to be easy on the waistline. But for families who visit on a Monday, the dining experience will definitely be easy on the wallet.

Pier-ing into the Past

It felt a little as if I were walking the plank, as we ventured out onto the Anna Maria City Pier. The structure became more rickety the farther out we went. And with no railings in sight and at just about a foot or two above the turquoise waters of Tampa Bay, it felt like someone could have tumbled off at any time. Luckily, I kept my footing, and I’m blessed with a kiddo who stayed a safe distance from the edge.
 

The pier dates from 1911 and originally welcomed visitors to Anna Maria Island who arrived by steamship. It was co-commissioned by Charles Roser, who’s credited by some for having developed the recipe or baking process for the Fig Newton cookie.

Today, you won’t see any paddlewheelers pulling up to the pier. Instead, it’s a prime spot for sightseeing and fishing. Those who make it to the end of the 776-foot-long protrusion are rewarded with sweeping views of Tampa Bay and of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge arching over the water. The white dome of Tropicana Field can be spotted in the distance, along with downtown St. Petersburg.

If staring at the vista works up an appetite, the City Pier Restaurant occupies prime real estate at the end of the pier. Not surprisingly, its menu features plenty of seafood dishes, from chowder and fish sandwiches to fried shrimp and blackened grouper.

If you’ve got a runaway toddler or a let-me-just-see-if-I-can-touch-the-water type of kid, the Anna Maria City Pier might lead to more anxiety than relaxation. But if you’ve got a safety-conscious kiddo, or one on which you can keep a firm grip, a stroll on the pier helps bring a little of the area’s past alive. And in looking at the view, it’s easy to understand why folks hopped aboard those steamships en route to the island.

A Sweet Spot

One trait my daughter and I share is a major sweet tooth. So we were both thrilled to get the opportunity to visit the Sarasota Cupcake Company recently.

Located on Sarasota's St. Armands Circle, the shop occupies a colorful spot with rainbow stripes on the wall, groovy light fixtures hanging over the counter, and some seriously pretty photographs of its products hanging throughout the space. Flavors change daily but might include combinations like chocolate mint, caramel apple, and orange passion fruit.

The cupcakes cost $4 each, but they’re definitely big enough to split or to save half for later, if you can control yourself. Lindsay clearly couldn’t when her choice of red velvet was put in front of her.

I had the shop’s version of a Hostess cupcake; its chocolate ganache, creamy filling, and moist chocolate cake far surpassed the original. And no, I didn’t save any for later. Which just gives us an excuse to pay the Sarasota Cupcake Company another visit!

Shellfish by the Sea

Happy National Shrimp Day! In honor of this illustrious holiday, I’m highlighting the place where my daughter Lindsay recently made her first restaurant order of a kids’ helping of fried shrimp. The setting was Crabby Bill’s Seafood Restaurant in St. Pete Beach, a casual, two-level spot that sits along the Gulf of Mexico. We were sitting under an umbrella at a rooftop table, still in our bathing suits from the shelling cruise we’d taken that morning out of nearby Pass-a-Grille. The sun was shining, a breeze was blowing, and the beach views made a perfect backdrop for our meal.

I had narrowed in on the Fried Popcorn Shrimp ($9.99) when Lindsay announced she was doing the same. She eats shrimp at home and isn’t what I would call a picky eater, but at restaurants she often sticks to her staples of grilled cheese, chicken fingers, and mac and cheese. So my husband and I applauded the fact that she was branching out, and she seemed pleased by her very reasonably priced meal ($4.99), which came with one side dish, a soft drink, and a package of Oreos for dessert.

Maybe it was the beachfront setting or the appetites that we had worked up while searching for shells, but that lunch hit the spot for all of us that day. Crabby Bill’s isn’t anything fancy, but its rooftop dining area is a fine place to enjoy a little seafood just steps from the sea.

An Easy Escape

Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant & Bar on St. Armands Circle in Sarasota might not immediately pop to mind when thinking of kid-friendly dining. But it’s actually more accommodating of the pint-sized set than you might imagine.

On our first visit there several years ago, we rolled up with our daughter still in her stroller and were warmly welcomed, wheels and all, to a table. We’ve been back several times since and the reception’s been the same.

With its walls done up in soothing shades of green and yellow and ceiling fans spinning lazily overhead, the upstairs dining room at the restaurant exudes a relaxed, tropical atmosphere. For mom and dad, that mellow mood can be heightened with a mai tai or mojito served alongside dishes like blackened fish tacos or a Cuban sandwich.

Little ones aren’t an afterthought here, with kids’ menu offerings ranging from steak medallions and mini cheeseburgers to a grilled chicken salad. Lindsay went for the chicken quesadillas, which came with fries and a little paper umbrella typically found adorning a fruity cocktail. Her drink arrived with a plastic swordfish in it.

Toward the end of our meal, our server asked Lindsay what her favorite color was, and Lindsay gave her usual response—pink, purple, orange, red, blue… A few minutes later, the server came back with five more paper umbrellas in a variety of hues that Lindsay could take home to use with her dolls.

But here’s the thing: The island vibe and friendly service will cost you. The kids’ menu doesn’t even list prices, so diners need to either ask or wait to be surprised when the bill arrives. Lindsay’s chicken quesadillas rang in at $8; the milk was another $3.25.

So we save Tommy Bahama’s for times when we really need to experience that feeling of getting away from it all. It’s something of an indulgence, but it’s definitely a whole lot cheaper than buying a plane ticket to a tropical isle. 

Home Away from Home

I recently took my daughter to my former hometown of Walpole, Massachusetts, to see my grandmother and aunt. And during that wonderful family visit, we got to spend some time at one of Walpole’s greatest natural assets, Francis William Bird Park.

I’ve always loved this park, with its wide open green spaces, ponds, and bridges that span gurgling brooks. More than three miles of paths meander through the site, which is home to red maple, white pine, white and northern red oak, and yellow birch trees. I attended day camp here as a youngster, tried (and failed) to perfect my forehand on its tennis courts, and even had my engagement pictures taken at the park.  

On this most recent visit, Lindsay had a ball in the new playground area, which proved a major improvement on the old-school equipment found at the park during my childhood. She hopped onto the outdoor stage, once slightly rundown but now nicely renovated and used for concerts and other events. She admired the flowering trees, lush lawns, and little waterfalls she encountered during her exploration.

In addition to soaking in the scenery, I learned of the park’s connection to my current hometown of Venice, Florida. Both the city of Venice and Francis William Bird Park were designed by city planner John Nolen, a disciple of Frederick Law Olmsted. Bird Park was created and endowed in 1925 by local industrialist Charles Sumner Bird Sr. and his wife in memory of their oldest son, Francis William. Nolen’s network of paths and waterways were designed to help easily connect the public with the natural surroundings.

In 1926, Nolen would complete his plan for the city of Venice, a plan that would include plenty of parks and other green space still prized by residents of Venice today. In fact, one of my daughter’s favorite playgrounds in Venice is at the city’s John Nolen Park. As she skipped through Bird Park, she may not have realized the connection, but I was struck by how lucky I was to have lived in two places that benefited from Nolen’s vision.  

Grilling Greatness

“It was the best cheeseburger I ever had.” So said one of my daughter’s best little guy pals of his meal at BrewBurger’s Pub and Grill, located in Venice, Florida, off Jacaranda Boulevard near Interstate 75. With a ringing endorsement like that, we just had to check the place out, and based on my multiple visits to the restaurant, I’d say the praise was warranted.

Occupying a former Waffle House, BrewBurger’s gave the space an update but maintains the basic layout of the breakfast joint, including the open kitchen and counter seating. On our first visit, we snagged a spot at the latter, where my daughter felt like a very big kid and could watch all the burger flipping and assembling.

Burgers range from the basic to options like the Black & Bleu Burger ($8.50) and the Smokey Burger with barbecue sauce and pepper jack cheese ($8.50). They’re juicy, just the right size, and cooked perfectly.

My daughter has never strayed from the kids’ cheeseburger ($5.95) on the Little People’s Menu. (“I want to get what the restaurant is called,” she told me the last time we ate lunch there.) She attacks the all-American classic with gusto, leaving red streaks of ketchup behind on her smiling face. Other choices for children are a hot dog, grilled cheese, chicken fingers, and fish tails.

With cups of crayons for the kids and cold draft beers for the adults to go along with the friendly service and satisfying burgers, it’s no wonder the place has won local “Best New Restaurant” honors and draws both a regular clientele and guests from three nearby hotels. So the next time you need a burger fix, head to BrewBurger’s. You won’t be disappointed.

Puppy Love

Like lots of other kids, my daughter Lindsay is constantly asking for a dog. Her dad and I aren’t ready to take that step yet, but we understand her fascination with the idea of a four-legged friend. So on a recent Saturday, we took her to Southeastern Guide Dogs’ Sarasota Discovery Center for its free Puppy Hugging program. Once a month, eight-week-old future guide dogs visit from the nonprofit’s campus in nearby Palmetto, Florida, for some serious cuddling.

Attendees are given a number and then called in to an enclosed petting area by groups of twenty. Kids get right down on the floor and wait for Southeastern Guide Dogs staffers and volunteers to place a puppy in their lap or guide one over for some playtime. A few balls and toys are provided to help draw canine to child (or to grown-up; adults are also welcome to get in on the puppy petting).

We arrived near the beginning of the puppy-hugging timeframe, so the little yellow Labradors still had lots of energy. Which meant that everyone had to get their hugs in quickly, since the pups would only sit in people’s laps for a minute or so before making their escape to explore their surroundings. Scampering all over the space, they paused for a pet here and a pet there or to sniff out everything from shoes to purses. Our desperate-for-a-dog daughter loved the softness of their fur, but she squealed and wriggled away the first time one of the puppies tried to lick her face. (Though she now remembers that fondly as her favorite part of the experience.) We heard that by the end of the session, the puppies usually start getting sleepy and sometimes doze in visitors’ laps.

The Discovery Center hosts other events aimed at kids and dog lovers, like art projects, seminars, and dog-training classes. It also houses a great gift shop with all kinds of doggie treats, toys, and supplies, with all of the proceeds going to support the organization’s mission of providing guide dogs for the visually impaired and U.S. veterans free of charge. So the puppies are more than just cute; they’ll be changing people’s lives one day.

Riding (Not So) High

I do not have a brave child. Which shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, since I’m not the most courageous person myself. She’s definitely inherited her sense of caution and her trepidation concerning new experiences from me. So as my five-year-old daughter’s friends whoop it up on age-appropriate roller coasters and other theme-park rides where the thrill levels have been amped up a bit, she’s content to take things slow and get her kicks on merry-go-rounds, flying elephants, and other kiddie fare.

That’s why she’s always up for a trip to Busch Gardens Tampa, which offers plenty of ride options for kids whose tastes skew more mild than wild. She may have outgrown Elmo and Grover, but she still has a ball at the park’s Sesame Street Safari of Fun. There she takes in the view from an egg-shaped car on Big Bird’s Whirly Birdie Ferris wheel and gleefully giggles as she splashes down the speed bump–sized hill on the Zoe-patra & the Hippos of the Nile flume ride.

In the park’s Timbuktu area, she hops astride a (usually pink or purple) motorcycle, picks out the most bedazzled horse on the carousel, and flies through the sky in a kiddie-controlled biplane. Maybe one day she’ll want to tackle rides with big hills and high speeds. But for right now, she’s in no rush to grow up, and I’m just fine with that.

After all, once she does grow up a bit more, she’ll no longer be eligible for the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Preschool Pass, one of the greatest perks the parks offer to Florida residents. Children five and under can get free, unlimited admission to both SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa during 2012. Just register your kiddos by May 31, and they can enjoy the parks for the rest of the year at no cost. And mom and dad can enjoy this rare instance when they don’t have to shell out cash at a theme park.

Child's Play

Welcome to my new blog! I’m a freelance writer and the mom of one curious five-year-old who loves eating at new restaurants, visiting museums, checking in to hotels, and otherwise exploring both our home state of Florida and anywhere else she, my husband, and I might find ourselves. Through my work and our everyday life, I’m often discovering killer kids’ menus that offer variety and value, historic sites with sections aimed at small fries, and all kinds of other places and things that are cool and kid-friendly. So I created this blog to share what I uncover. Family fun can be found almost anywhere, so I hope this blog encourages you to get out and explore with your kids!