The Franklin Institute...a "not so far away" treasure.

Every once in a while, my family & I get the "itch" to leave the Lehigh Valley.  Crazy, right?  Why leave the Lehigh Valley?  We've got everything right here!

Yeah, well a few weeks back we headed down to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.  My husband & I had visited many years ago, pre-kids.  But the recent television advertisements about the Titanic Exhibit had wet our appetites enough to make the trip.

So we packed the kids up, jumped on I-476 and we were at Pat's Steaks in 1-1/2 hours.  Pat's Steaks?  That's right, Pat's Steaks.  Since we were making the trip, we decided it warranted a trip to Pat's.  

Ah Pat's Steaks...The Cheese Steak Sandwich that can't be duplicated ANYWHERE!  All that glorious cheese mixed with that heavenly steak on a warm roll... my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

OK, where was I?  Right, the Franklin Institute.  

The day of our visit was a particularly busy one and the on-site parking garage was full.  Five blocks later we dumped the car and we headed to the museum.  We enjoyed our stroll, checking out the nearby shops and eateries.

Upon our entry we saw Ben Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States.  A man of many trades.  It totally makes sense why he sits at the front door.  A man responsible for many of the major steps in history:  the lightning rod, bifocals, and the theory of electricity.

After winding through the halls, we found ourselves in front of Maillardet's Automaton.  WOW!  What an incredible piece of machinery!  I saw a TV show about the Automaton, so I knew about it before seeing it at the museum.  I highly recommend checking it out on the the museum's website.  The Automaton imitates life by mechanical means.

Next we browsed the section with all of the pulleys & gears.  My girls just LOVED touching all of the displays.  And that is what is really cool about the Franklin Institute...most exhibits are totally touchable!

We wandered from floor to floor and ended up in a huge room dedicated to Electricity.  The kids LOVED being able to see how electricity worked, especially when I became the conductor for a static charge and jumped from the shock.  :)


We hit the Train Factory next, which was my 6 year old's favorite part of the museum.  There was a display which allowed you to see how coal turns into energy and both my girls really enjoyed this.  We also liked touring the locomotive and touching all of the levers and turning the knobs inside.

But my absolute FAVORITE part of the museum was Fel's Planetarium!  Space junk, planets, constellations are some of the titles they show, and I LOVE IT!  I could have sat in there for hours staring at the state-of-the-art aluminum dome.

Well, I have to say, the Franklin Institute was totally worth the trip.  But I won't lie, it is definitely a whole day event if not more.  If you have the option of staying over at a hotel, I would highly recommend in doing so. There is a TON of things to see and do and this blog only scratched the surface.

Be sure to plan your visit by checking out their website first.  This will allow you to prioritize what you want to see, whether an exhibit or show in the planetarium or IMAX Theater.

Many thanks to the Franklin Institute for this opportunity!  In the spirit of full disclosure, I received tickets in exchange for a review of the museum.  However, all opinions are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Not Your Father's Game Preserve

I remember going to the Trexler Game Preserve with my father when I was a little girl. Or, more precisely, I remember leaving the Game Preserve. Driving through the creek to exit was always the highlight. Wondering if we were going to be washed away in the car. Craning our necks to see down to the water as we drove through. Yelping as dad pretended to lose control of the car. Good times.

I promise you still get to drive through the creek to exit the new Lehigh Valley Zoo, but it will no longer be the highlight of your trip. In fact, I really had to drama it up to get a reaction from the rooks who were completely tuckered out after hours at the zoo.

And yes, I said zoo! You know how you used to have to schlep all the way to Philly to take your kids to a zoo with real animals? Not anymore.

Want to see a zebra or an emu or a crocodile or a camel or a horse or some-manner of horned, four-legged mountainy creature? Just head up Route 309.

Want to walk along a path lined by only a rope close enough to touch a kangaroo? Just turn off Route 100.

Want to watch wolves feed on an actual deer? Ok … want to stand on a lovely walking path basking in the beautiful spring sunshine while your children safely watch wolves feed on a deer a mere 2 feet away? Just do it!

Because this, moms & dads, is the absolute best part about the Lehigh Valley Zoo. It’s in the Valley! You do not have to chain your children to your hip for safety. You can watch them follow the sea otter around and around while you sit and take photos. You can enjoy the stroll as they race toward the penguins. You can ….wait for it … relax and actually enjoy your outing as much as your kids.

No seriously. The rooks and I did just that on April 6^th when we attended Opening Day at the Lehigh Valley Zoo. I have to admit that I was skeptical over my impending level of enjoyment because 1) I do not like animals and 2) I am not that much fonder of crowds. I know; so why was I going to a zoo? Because my rook girl loves animals. She loves animals the way all pre-teen girls love animals … times about 100. Oh, and she has this thing for wolves.

On Saturday, she learned all about wolves. She watched wolves eat a deer. She got to enter a wolf howling contest. She touched a wolf pelt. She begged for a stuffed animal wolf in the gift shop. She debated her case as to how wolves are really friendly if approached properly, and we should be allowed to pet them. She learned how to lose a debate with grace. It. Was. Fantastic.

Oh and the rook boy had a blast too. His favorite part of the day was the playground. Yep, a full playground with swings and slides and a merry-go-round. It is right next to the large sandbox-like area where kids can dig up dinosaur bones. Right next to the petting zoo. And right in the middle are benches and a beautiful gazebo and a large pavilion. This is where I sat and watched each rook run this way and that enjoying everything at their individual will and pace. Because I could see each child at all times. Not even seeing Dr. Doolittle’s pushmi-pullyu could beat that.

So go to the new Lehigh Valley Zoo. Enjoy your day trip with the kids. You've earned it!

Not convinced? How about now ….

You can bring in your own food or drinks, and the food at the Bison Prairie Grill is not grossly over-priced. (Nor are the gift shop items.)

There are several beautiful and peaceful places to sit and eat or just enjoy nature.

You can pet a turtle or a possum at the Bison Auditorium or touch a snake at the Zoomagination Deck.

Parking is free. Yes, FREE!

Leaving is a picturesque climb through the mountains past bison and elk which drops you off right on Route 309; rather than a stressful creep down Girard past strange men selling bottles of warm water which drops you off right in the middle of the ironically named Schuylkill Expressway.

You can adopt a penguin, or attend a summer camp, or spend the night at the zoo. (This sounds so cool!)

There are more Zoo Signature Activities and Events than there are feathers on a peacock.

There are special prices for grandparents who bring their grandchildren. (Oh yeah, I'm talking to you, Grandpa Castle. When was the last time you traversed the treacherous Jordan Creek??)

The zoo is open year-round with incredible rates as well as fantastic membership plans.

Seriously? Why have you not gone to the zoo website yet? Go. Buy tickets. Take the kids this weekend. They are having a Party for the Planet this Saturday the 20^th.

You will want to thank me, I promise.

Instead … buy your child a stuffed wolf and say it’s from my rook girl. Then they can fawn over its cuteness via Instagram posts. If you don't understand, congratulations on not having a pre-teen daughter. Go adopt a prairie dog instead.

StoryPirates.org: Channel Your Child's Inner Writer

Do you ever wonder what your kids will be when they grow up? A lawyer? Doctor? Teacher? My husband and I swear (hope?) that one day our girls will use their creative talents. We both work in marketing, and grew up with a strong appreciation for art and literature. At five, my oldest loves reading, drawing, playing the drums and putting on shows. At one, my youngest already exhibits creative abilities and has painted several mini-Picassos.

Our little family also enjoys music. The hubs is a big Avett Brothers fan, and I love Billy Joel and Ryan Adams. However, in the car, we often give into our oldest's request to listen to Kids Place Live (KPL), channel 78 on SiriusXM. One of the featured vignettes that we like best is the Story Pirates.

All rights reserved by storypirates

WHY WE LOVE THE STORY PIRATES

The Story Pirates are an acting troupe based out of New York City that encourage young writers to write and they also perform for children. On KPL, they take real stories that have been submitted by kids (for kids) and act them out during the Absolutely Mindy Show. We all enjoy the stories ... wow, the imaginations that some kids have! I just love it.

I think this quote sums them up best:

“The Story Pirates teach kids a love of creative writing.  It helps kids to see that their words and ideas are really important.  I believe that what the Story Pirates are doing is helping America, nay, humanity – helping humanity itself. It’s crazy entertaining.”
- Jon Stewart, The Daily Show

OUR RECENT STORY PIRATES SUBMISSION

I'm proud of my daughter's imaginative story and am grateful that we can share it with you via Lehigh Valley Family Fun. My hope is that you'll be inspired to sit down with your little one and ask them to tell you a story ... any story ... while you write it down or record it on your smartphone to transcribe later. So, without further ado, I give you The Giant Onion, as told to me by my five-year-old aspiring writer: 

THE GIANT ONION BY AVA

Once upon a time, there was a onion that got thrown into the woods. Every year, when it rained and sunshined, it grew and grew. One morning a little girl woke up and looked outside her window. She saw a giant onion.

Giant onion illustrated by Ava's Mom

She went outside her front door and saw the giant onion walking around the town and destroying the place. Her dad and mom woke up and they saw it too. The onion was destroying all of the grocery stores!

They were afraid they'd have no food left. The family walked to find the farm. The farm was not there, but the onion was. The onion smashed the farm! So, they got a giant rope and lassoed the onion. They spun the onion around and around until he spun into outer space and landed on Onion planet.  

Everyone was now safe and they lived happily ever after. 

Are you interested in submitting your little author's story? Here is the link to send it to the Story Pirates. I hope that some child from the Lehigh Valley is featured on the air and that we all get to hear it!

Sunny Days and Super Heroes: Sesame Street Live at Stabler Arena

Image from SesameStreetLive.com

Did you grow up watching PBS? Do you have children anywhere between the ages of two and four? If so, I would encourage you to get tickets to see Sesame Street Live. My daughter and I recently attended "Elmo's Super Heroes" at Stabler Arena, Lehigh University, and loved seeing our Sesame Street friends live on stage.

The show is filled with characters you already know and love, as well as iconic Sesame Street music and catchy, new songs. Here is an overview of Elmo's Super Heroes directly from the Sesame Street Live website:

Everyone's favorite Sesame Street friends.

"Super Grover has lost his super-ness and Sesame Street needs a hero! Never fear, the fabulous five Super Heroes are here -- featuring Elmo as Captain Fuzzy!  Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Big Bird and all their friends are on a quest to put the “super” back in Super Grover.  Singing and dancing their way through fun lessons on healthy habits, they discover how exercise, rest, nutritious food and good hygiene can save Super Grover -- and turn your children into Super Heroes, too!  You’ll be feeling good when Elmo’s Super Heroes comes to town!"

Meet & greet with Bert and Elmo before the show.

My one recommendation is this: if you can splurge ... go for the good seats. At Stabler Arena, the characters walked through the aisles of the floor seats, giving the kids and up close encounter with some of their favorite Sesame Street characters, including Abby Caddaby, Cookie Monster, Zoe and more. While the mezzanine level seats were good, we both would have loved to have been closer to the action.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR LATER THIS SPRING

Elmo, Big Bird, Telly and the rest of the neighborhood will be back -- in and around our area -- later this spring. See "Sesame Street Live" in Reading at the Sovereign Center from April 30 - May 1, 2013, or in Newark, Delaware at the Bob Carpenter Center, May 11 - 12. For a complete list of show dates and to purchase tickets, visit Sesame Street Live. Ticket prices for the show range from $20 per person to $50, and may vary more based upon location.

As a mom who grew up watching and loving Sesame Street, honestly, I felt a little nostalgic. Big Bird has and probably always will be one of my favorite characters, but that Elmo ... I can certainly see why the little ones love him! La la la la ...

OZ: A Bit Too Great & Powerful for Little Ones

When a good friend texted me last week about taking our kids to see "Oz The Great and Powerful," my initial message back to her was:

Do you think it's too scary?

After doing some brief, additional research, we couldn't find much information about age appropriateness. So ... I met her at RAVE in Center Valley, Pa. Our daughters, both five, have seen the original Wizard of Oz and were excited to go the movies.

Now, this is just one mom's opinion, but I wish that we would have erred on the side of not watching this particular movie. The wicked witch (played by Mila Kunis), flying baboons, fog and fire, eerie music, broken china doll and violence were all a bit too much for the girls, and quite frankly, the moms. My daughter spent the majority of the movie scared and curled up on my lap with her eyes covered.

I've seen other sites claiming that Oz is the "biggest hit so far in 2013" (CBS News) and it's received nearly 800,000 likes on Facebook. Overall, the movie did nothing for me. As we were leaving the theater, I even overheard some young women in their 20s talking about how they were "bored halfway through it."

As a James Franco and Zach Braff fan, I'm sort of bummed that I didn't enjoy the movie. As a mom, I feel irresponsible for taking my 5-year-old to see it. I can only hope that it doesn't cause her to have nightmares.

My clan is a big Disney movie family, but this film just seemed a bit all over the place: sometimes weirdly funny, sometimes fantastically beautiful ... but then other times, down-right scary.  I asked my little one for a quote to include in this post, here's what she had to say, "It was sort of scary, but sometimes cute. I think it's OK for ... like ... 7 or 8 year olds." And, I agree. Oz The Great and Powerful is more appropriate for older children.

It's really not my style to post something negative online. However, as a mom, I feel it's important for other moms (and dads) to make informed decisions when it comes to what their children watch. My hope is that this "review" helps you to decide whether or not to take your little ones to see Oz.

Saturday Mornings are for Families at ArtsQuest

Instead of cleaning the house while the kids sit glued to Saturday morning cartoons, why not pack up the gang for some quality time at the ArtsQuest Center! There is only one weekend left to enjoy "Peas & Qs" and the St. Luke's Farmers Market (winter session).

The clarinet mesmerizes the little ones.

Peas & Qs is a free, one hour family program hosted Saturday mornings at 11:30 a.m. On March 16, I braved the wintry mix along with my husband and two girls, and headed to the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, located at 101 Founders Way in Bethlehem.  

Melissa Zirkel -- a senior at Moravian College majoring in Music Education -- was the star of Peas & Qs. She did a wonderful job of keeping a large crowd of 0 - 6 year old kids entertained. She read books, played her clarinet, and had the kids moving and singing along.

The Pennsylvania Youth Theater will host a workshop on March 30. After family hour, everyone is invited to visit the Farmers Market from 12 - 4 p.m. located in the same building.

In its second year, the Farmers Market is a great way to support local farms and have a real farmers market experience. "This is the perfect segue for families ... you go from Peas & Qs to the farmers market," said Lorraine, manager of the market. "It's a community service and the kids love it!" And, this mom agrees.

Vegan and organic produce for sale.

There are crafts for the kids and whole host of natural food options, including: vegetables and free range eggs from Jett's Produce, honey, syrup and jams from Old Mill Gourmet, artisan breads from Apple Ridge Farm, and baked goods and quiches from the Hereford Country Store. We left with a smoked bacon quiche, chocolate mousse and a chimichurri marinade. Mmm mmm mmm!

All in all, we had a wonderful morning together. Our minds, imaginations and bellies were fed. There is free parking, no entrance fee, no crowds, and ArtsQuest is just a healthy place to be for kids and parents.

Arts, Crafts & Playtime? Yes, Please!

Motherhood is a glorious, joyful experience filled with love and kindness and a lot of tantrums … both from child and mom. The only people who ever say that raising little people is easy never had any. And the only thing harder than raising kids is entertaining them especially when they are little and home all .. day .. long.

How many of you moms out there were nodding along just now?? Well, last weekend I found a little gem that you are going to love. No really.

At 52 South Main Street in Nazareth, moms (and dads too) will find the entrance to Jelly Bean Town, USA. Your children will be so entertained upon entertaining that you will actually be able to – gasp – enjoy playing with them while not arguing or bartering or pitching tantrums! You won’t find jelly beans though, so read on for the scoop.

Jelly Bean Town USA is the vision of its owner, Tara Carson. It is, at its core, an arts and crafts center; but it is nestled inside a kid-friendly ‘town’ complete with a library, mail stop, dress-up center, grocery store, tool station and train table. A town whose every colorful detail is perfect and exact; thanks largely to its co-owner, Tara’s husband (vision-realizer & architect) John Carson.

You will see a bookshelf full of Dr. Seuss, a map listing capital cities, tables covered in art paper and supplies, several Purell stations, a water cooler, a coat rack and a clean bathroom. Your child will see the clouds on the ceiling, the jelly beans on the walls, the princess hat and knight mask, the balloons, the Legos, the trains, the huge chalkboard, and the stickers, oh and the STICKERS!! Together, you and your child will spend an afternoon laughing and creating and forgetting why you hate Barney and naps respectively.

And it is not just for the ultra-mini set. I brought along my Rooks (or little Castles), who are 11 and a half (so important to a girl) and 9. I knew my daughter would love the crafts. I was surprised to see how much fun my son had banging around in Tool Time and playing with the trains.

Jelly Bean Town, USA received 2 Thumbs Up from the Rooks. What better endorsement could you need?

Details:

Open Play Times are only $5 per child no matter how long you stay. (Seriously!!)

Monday 9:30a – 2p

Tuesday 11a – 5p

Wednesday 9:30a – 3p

Friday 9:30a – 2p

Every Sunday from 1 – 3p is a themed craft and playtime. Again, only $5.

There are also several one-day and one-week camp sessions during the summer.

Best Detail:

2 words – Birthday. Party.

Oh yeah. Tara loves birthdays and has several themes from which you can choose such as Princess Royalty or Diggin’ for Dinos. She is also open to any ideas you or your birthday bean may have. Ready to break out of the boring birthday bash grind? Of course you are. So call Tara.

 

Cool Details:

Jelly Bean Town, USA offers art classes after school for the young, budding-Picasso set. There are also special Crafting Sessions for adults several times a month. In the future, look for after-work art classes for adults too!

Tara, who studied art in school and is a graphic designer, really does see art everywhere. Her ultimate vision is to help old and young alike experience it for themselves too.

Helpful Details:

Need to fulfill an art credit for your home-schooled kids? Want to earn an art-centric merit badge for your troop? Yep, Tara does that too. Shoot her a call or email to make special arrangements for your class or troop.

Quirky Detail:

Jelly Bean Town USA’s mascot, Shelly Jelly Bean, can come to your parade or event. Guess how you find out more? Yep, call or email Tara.

Necessary Details:

52 South Main Street, Nazareth, PA 18064

610.248.0549

www.JellyBeanTownUSA.com

info@JellyBeanTownUSA.com

Cash, Visa, MasterCard and Discover accepted.

It's not all about the cheeseburger...

Like most Moms & Dads out there, I use McDonald's as a back up. On a morning we are running late, drive-thru pancakes at our local Mickey D's hit the spot. When I don't feel like making dinner or we need a quick lunch, McDonald's is an easy answer. But how quick am I to admit this?

Yes, I do find myself making excuses, "why" I visit those Golden Arches. I LOVE their french fries but in "Mommy and Daddy world", going to McDonald's on a regular basis, seems to make you an irresponsible parent.

Why, you might ask, am I bringing all of this up? Well, McDonald's is working on this perception with a better menu, calorie information and options.

In addition, the folks at McDonald's reached out to bloggers in the Philadelphia region, including Lehigh Valley Family Fun, asking them to be part of the new "McCafe Moms" group. This new group will have access to information and can provide feedback about their products.

Recently, we met down at the Ronald McDonald House in South Jersey to learn more about the "McCafe Moms", their intentions, take a tour of the facility and meet the key players at McDonald's.

When I think about "McDonald's" I don't think about the faces behind the scene. But as it turns out, they are Moms & Dads too! AND they have the same concerns. They want a menu that provides healthy alternatives to that heavenly french fry. They want to change that perception that Ronald McDonald ONLY consumes cheeseburgers, fries and soda.

McDonald's also does a lot for the community and our non-profit friends. Lehigh Valley Family Fun LOVES to hear this and wants to get involved on this philanthropic journey. We will keep you posted as we learn more.

So, you see, it's not all about the cheeseburger anymore.  It is so much more and we want to get to the bottom of it.  Keep an eye out for more to come from "McCafe Moms". This topic will appear on our blog from time to time and we will have coupons to share!

Check out the Social Scene at the Lehigh Valley Mall!

 

 

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Pizza, Playtime & Prizes in Allentown

Looking for a family-friendly restaurant where you don't even watch your kids? Okay, well you can sort of watch them ... play that is. Boston's Restaurant & Sports Bar near Fogelsville is putting the fun back into going out to dinner with your kids.

No longer do you have to cringe when the kids start whining in public or have to tell them to, "sit down and eat." Just lettem' play! And, enjoy your meal while the awesome staff entertains your kids. Boston's recently kicked off their Kids' Corner and we had to go check it out.

Kids' Corner is every Thursday from 5:00 to 8:15 p.m. in their Allentown location, where I-78 meets route 100. Kids can choose from a great menu designed just for them: chicken bites, personal pizza, spaghetti and meatball, mac-n-cheese or mini cheeseburgers. The best part ... your mini-yous eat FREE with the purchase of an adult entrée. Personally, I just love the Mediterranean salad.

My daughter getting her arm painted.

"We want to have a more family feel," said Amber, a Boston's employee and organizer of the evening. And, they nailed it!

The kids played games, got their faces painted (well, my daughter actually got her arm painted), made puppets, colored, blew bubbles, and won prizes. Honestly, I trusted the Boston's team to watch my oldest while I chatted with a good friend and fed the baby. It was almost like having a GNO (girls' night out).

Coloring their puppets.

There were balloons inflated around the designated "kids' area" and our girls each plucked one on our way out. We also left with a fab goodie bag filled with trinkets, treats and coupons -- one for 20% off a catering order and the other for a free kid's meal.

The only downside to the evening was that my five-year-old barely ate and wanted to play the entire time we were there ... I suppose that's what take-home containers are for! Thank you to Boston's for hosting Kids' Corner. I have a feeling we'll be back.

Leave with a great coupon!

Grand Opening of BounceU’s 3rd Location to Benefit Lehigh Valley Foster Children

Popular party and recreation destination BounceU calls itself “#1 for Active Family Fun,” but when it celebrates the opening of its third Lehigh Valley location (1800 Sullivan Trail, Easton 610/258-4800) this summer, the beneficiaries will be local kids whose greatest hope is to simply have a family someday to call their own.  

“We’ve always had a special place in our hearts and in our stores for kids who are in foster care, and we know that many of them lack some of the simplest things that other children in permanent homes take for granted— like school backpacks. With the help of our customers, we’re going to change that when we celebrate the grand opening of our new location in Forks Township,” declares BounceU Lehigh Valley owner Mike Principato.

As part of BounceU Lehigh Valley’s “Bounce It Forward” charitable program, which donates thousands of dollars’ worth of free parties, passes and merchandise annually to local family service nonprofit agencies, BounceU Lehigh Valley will donate  backpacks to agencies in the Greater Lehigh Valley Foster Care Coalition, who will distribute them to school students in foster care.

Throughout the weekend of July 13-15, all three BounceU Lehigh Valley locations will  celebrate the grand opening of the newest store by holding “open bounce” events that are open to the public and free…with a catch, adds Principato.

“The ‘price’ of admission is a donation of at least $5 worth of school supplies per guest. We’re expecting hundreds of customers to check out the new Easton location, and at least that many to visit our Allentown and Bethlehem stores over the grand opening weekend. We’ll take the supplies donated during those free events and use them to fill the backpacks—and we’re prepared to buy as many backpacks as we need to accommodate the supplies we collect,” he explains.

BounceU Easton features a layout and operation similar to the Bethlehem and Allentown stores. The facilities  are extremely  popular  with  active-minded kids  and  parents  who  enjoy  each center’s huge “bounce stadiums” filled with the company’s exclusive, giant interactive inflatable rides  and  games,  100%  private  party  packages  and  well-trained  staff  of  high-energy  “party pros,”  most  of  whom  are top students  at  area  high  schools  and  colleges. Twenty-five  new employees who have been training at the Bethlehem store  will transfer to BounceU Easton; the company employs about 100 in all.

General Manager Carissa Santos says since the phones have been busy with customers inquiring about the new location. “We think the new Easton store will be very convenient for current and new  customers who  live  in  New  Jersey,  the  Pocono  Mountain  region  and  the  northeastern portion of the Valley, since it’s within a twenty-minute drive of any of those areas,” she says.

Is this the summer of Dorney Park?

Two years ago my family & I had season passes to Dorney Park.  However, the "DP" atmosphere was a bit "tired", the rides needed a good scrub, not to mention a paint job and the overall feeling was just "blah".  So, we decided to take the following summer off and visit the community pool instead.

 As we began to discuss plans for the summer of 2012, we tossed around the idea of getting season passes again.   What to do, what to do...

Ok, ok, so we decided to go for it and get the season passes this summer...AND I was pleasantly surprised by what I found when we made our first trip there in the beginning of June.

Camp Snoopy is now Planet Snoopy.  I remember hearing about the Planet Snoopy change on the radio last summer...  WOW!  What a difference!  

There were new rides and it was clean...CLEAN!  The rides were painted and everything looked fresh.  They took down the tired looking play gym area with the sand - THANK GOODNESS!  I can't be the only Mom out there who used to cringe when her kids would ask to play in the sand.

 (inside the Family Care Center)

A new thing that I found, is the Family Care Center, located in Planet Snoopy.  What a great idea!  They have restrooms inside, a refrigerator for Moms packing formula or other refrigerated goods and a play area for lost children. 

The one thing they did not have was a band aid, which bummed me out.   Come on...anyone with little ones knows that having first aid supplies is essential.  And yes, I'm THAT Mom who didn't bring first aid stuff with me.

Nudge, nudge Dorney Park...please add a first aid kit to the Family Care Center.

This air conditioned area has got to a HUGE help for Moms & Dads who visit with little ones.  How nice being able to stop in, nurse or feed your baby in a cool, quiet place and just being able to take a break from the heat.  I remember lugging around that bulky diaper bag in 100 degree weather....  And the sweat pouring down my face while I pushed that stroller up the park hill. 

I also highly disliked taking my kids to public toilets during the potty training stage.  But the Family Care Center has their own bathrooms with baby changing facilities.  And again, they are CLEAN!

Parents, if you haven't all ready found this gem within the park, please plan to check this out on your next visit to Dorney.  In my mind, the Family Care Center is a little piece of heaven!

Well, we had a great time on our first visit to Dorney Park.  I expect to be a "Regular" there this summer and plan to check out the Water Park & the new "Dinosaur Exhibit" in the near future.  So, more to come from this "Lehigh Valley Family Fun" Mom!

**I was not paid for this review and all opinions are my own**