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Family Fun
All year long, indoors and out, Central Pennsylvania offers great opportunities for recreation and fun. Check out these family-friendly options, activities and games and have a blast!
 
Proclaim your Mom as Best!
Calling all kids, dad, grandparents and more! Almost everyone knows a great mom. Tell us why yours is the best by entering Central Penn Parent's annual Mother's Day Essay Contest and score said mom some amazing prizes!... more
HACC to Celebrate PA German Heritage
A free festival celebrating Pa. German heritage through arts and crafts, foods, music and more will be held this Saturday, March 6, at HACC's Lebanon Campus. Speakers will offer up historical lessons as well. Top it all off with a slice of Shoofly pie!... more
Visit Central Penn Parent at the Garden Expo
Central Penn Parent's Family Night at the PA Garden Expo will offer up fun in all shapes and sizes. From marvelous mascots to cute critters to creative crafts, we've got it all. And admission is FREE for those under 12 years of age.... more
It's Girl Scout Cookie Time!
All this snow got you down? Just think about Girl Scout cookies and it’s sure to bring a smile to your face. Everyone seems to have a favorite. Thin Mints, Samoas, Tag-alongs. Vote for yours, find a local Scout troop and more at www.gshpa.org/home.html.... more
Valentine's Day Craft helps Heal Boo-Boos
Try this Valentine's Day themed craft to create band-aids that shower your little one with love.... more
Are you a Chocoholic? This is your weekend!
Sampling chocolate for a good cause? Sign us up! Keystone Human Services will host its 15th Annual Chocolatefest at the Hershey Lodge on Jan. 17. Aside from tasty treats, local youth will provide musical entertainment.... more
Where Do Kids Eat Free in 2010?
Do you know of a great local restaurant where kids eat free? Tell us about it and you could win a $50 gift card to the restaurant of your choice.... more
Think Spring! Enter the Hershey Gardens "For the Birds" Contest
Hershey Gardens is going to the birds. Well, sort of. Next summer’s exhibit, "For the Birds" will feature dozens of colorful, handmade birdhouses. Whether made by a child or a professional artist, all eligible birdhouses will be accepted as part of this distinctive contest and exhibit. ... more
Flakes + Imagination = FUN!
Winter weary? Don't worry. Snow can bring indoor and outdoor fun.... more
Our Holiday Giveaway winners are announced
We've picked the winners in our Big Holiday Giveaway. Were you one of them?... more
8 Steps to Finding the Perfect Family Pet
Bringing a pet into your home is a decision that should be taken seriously. After some research and self-examination, you might find adopting a family-friendly pet can be an easy and rewarding experience for your family. These eight steps should help get you started.... more
Win $100 of Free Chocolates from Wolfgang Candy Company!
Are you a chocolate lover? If so, make sure you get your entry form in for a chance at this sweet prize.... more
Choo Choo Barn collects canned goods. Gives free admission.
Join in the spirit of giving! The Choo Choo Barn continues its passion to serve the community with the 21st annual Canned Food Fridays event Dec. 11 and 18 from 10am to 8pm. ... more
Holiday Activities Galore at 23rd annual Winter Fair
Looking for some activities to get you in the holiday spirit? Check out the 23rd Annual Winter Fair at the Susquehanna Waldorf School... more
Walk and off Turkey Day calories in advance
A slice of pumpkin pie is mandatory on Thanksgiving, so you might want to walk off those calories ahead of time with Kings Gap Environmental Education Center's Turkey Trek.... more
Free Exhibit Celebrate's Hershey's Commitment to Children
Opening this Saturday, Nov. 14, "Living the Vision" is a free exhibit at The Hershey Story that explore Milton and Catherine Hershey's opening of The Milton Hershey School and their dedication to children.... more
Make a Thanksgiving Table Turkey
This fun and easy craft is a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving with your preschooler.... more
Reader Pet Essays
They’re cute. They’re cuddly. They’re members of the family. We asked you to tell us why your pet is best and here’s what you had to say:... more
Fall Festival to Offer Fun for All
First United Methodist Church, Mechanicsburg, will offer an event with something for every member of the family on Nov. 7 from 7 to 11:30 a.m. Adults can bid on items like an autographed Pittsburgh Steelers helmet at the auction and kids can get messy at the "Slime Fest."... more
1st Annual "The Celebration Festival" Oct. 10 in York
Celebrate how we're all alike, despite our differences, at "The Celebration Festival" in York this Saturday from 10am to 4pm. The event will feature motivational talks, mascot appearances, a skateboarding demonstration and more. Admission is free.... more
10 Tips to Carve a Perfect Pumpkin
Can get past cutting out simple triangle eyes and a jagged mouth on your pumpkin each year. Try these tips and your friends and neighbors will think you're a pro!... more
Put Me in the Zoo
Looking for a wild zoo adventure? You can find it here in the midstate! Try these three attractions with your children and experience a quality zoo trip without the hassle of travel.... more
Marketplace, Ministries and More
Oct. 3, from 9am to Noon, the 2nd Annual MARKETPLACE AND MINISTRIES will be held rain or shine at Mission Central, located at 5 Pleasant View Drive, Mechanicsburg. The event is a unique combination of a yard sale, a mission/ministries fair and more. ... more
Step out to Snitz Fest this weekend
Like apples? Try lots of them at the 22nd Annual Snitz Fest planned at The 1719 Hans Her House and Museum in Willow Street this Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Also featured will be traditional children's games, crafts and more.... more
Bel Voce To Perform Children's Concert This Sunday
Bel Voce, under the artistic leadership of Dr. Teresa Bowers is pleased to collaborate with the Carlisle Arts Learning Center to present Songs for Children: Hello, Sunflower and friends, a program of music, art and theatre especially for children on Sept. 27 in St. John's Episcopal Church, Carlisle.... more
COBY's Bike and Hike Set for Sept. 13
COBYS Family Services is trying to turn 13 into a lucky number. The 13th annual COBYS Bike & Hike is slated for Sunday, Sept. 13, at the Lititz Church of the Brethren. Events begin at 1:30 p.m.... more
5 Easy Steps to Family Volunteering
There is no shortage of nonprofit agencies in the midstate that depend upon in-kind, hands-on assistance from caring individuals. Yet many people who would otherwise be thrilled to give those organizations a few of their hours a month hesitate to take time away from their spouses and children. In their minds, volunteering is an “either-or” prospect – either volunteer alone or spend time at home with the family.... more
Dining Out With Children: Planning for a Pleasant Experience
When my children were little, I longed to have dinner at a restaurant - a real restaurant. You know, the kind that serves food on a plate instead of in a Styrofoam box. But I learned early on that taking kids out to eat was like sitting on a time bomb. With each passing minute the food did not arrive, we got closer to an explosion of energy and frustration. I realized if I ever wanted to dine out with my children, I would have to get them prepared (and me too!). ... more
First Friday Getting More Family Friendly in York
Downtown Inc. has partnered with Bring On Play (BOP) to plan a more family-friendly First Friday event for September. Kid-friendly activities will be presented by businesses throughout the downtown district, and BOP will host a children's activity area in Cherry Lane Court featuring live children's music by The Cat's Pajamas (www.howlinrecords.com), as well as a downtown scavenger hunt.... more
Donating Can Do a Body Good
There are more individuals and families requiring the assistance of the Abbottstown Food Bank than ever before and donations are needed.... more
Jesters, Joust and More
Beginning Aug. 8 on the grounds of the Mount Hope Estate, the Pennsylvania Renaissance Fair brings to life hundreds of colorfully costumed characters in a grand country festival.... more
Win 8 tickets to York Little Theatre's Beauty and the Beast
Win eight tickets to see York Little Theatre’s coming production of Beauty and the Beast, Nov. 6 – 22, 2009! ... more
Want to Meet Jane?
Come out for coffee, conversation and more with plain jane columnist Jane Suter tomorrow, July 23, at the Cocoa Perk Cafe, Hershey.... more
Win a $100 gift certificate for a pottery or beads party at The Pottery & Bead Works!
The Pottery & Bead Works is a paint-your-own studio and a bead shop where you can custom-make your own pottery and jewelry creations! Have your child's birthday party in our private party room. It's a great place for the entire family to be creative and relax.... more
Join a Book Release Party for "Popcorn, Popcorn"
Come out and celebrate the release of the new children's book, "Popcorn, Popcorn" written by Floyd Stokes and illustrated by Stephanie Lewis on July 9 at 6:30pm at Strawberry Square, Harrisburg.... more
Your Child's Horoscope: Cancer (June 22-July 22)
According to BabyCenter.com, your Cancer daughter or son is most comfortable at home, surrounded by family and pets, as well as familiar sights, sounds and smells. ... more
Celebrate Father's Day with Products Made in the U.S.A.
Made In America offers you a chance to get up close and personal with a piece of Americana in the making, as you "Walk the Line" at Harley-Davidson. Let your senses soar with a trip to Wolfgang Candy, voted one of the "Top 5 Tasty Tours" by the Food Network. Don’t miss trying a warm potato chip fresh off the line at Martin’s Potato Chips, the bipartisan snack aboard Air Force One during the G.W. Bush, Clinton, and Obama administrations. ... more
Get Your Bite of a Big Ice Cream Sundae
Celebrate Dairy Month with a free sundae at Harrisburg's Capitol Building June 9 at 1pm.... more
Take A Step Back In Time
A visit to the Old Tyme School Room is an opportunity for all ages to step back in time and glimpse the days of education at the East Berlin High School. New curators Leslie Deardorff and Bobby Weaver will be on hand Saturday, May 23 from 10am to 2pm as they host an open house to celebrate the school’s legacy.... more
HACCSTOCK Open to the Community
This year’s creative arts festival, HACCSTOCK, at the Harrisburg Campus of HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, will be a day of peace and music – with a purpose. Proceeds from the event will go to the Allison Hill Community Center, where young students can gather after school.... more
Do You Ride? Pedal for a Cure for Diabetes
The Central Pennsylvania office of the American Diabetes Association is challenging local cyclists to dig deep within themselves and un-tap the determination, strength and courage it takes to participate in the 2009 Tour de Cure, an annual cycling event to raise money for diabetes, the nation’s sixth leading cause of death by disease on May 30 and 31.... more
Ladies! Pamper Yourself at the PA Women's Show This Weekend!
The first annual Pennsylvania Women's Show is coming to Central Pennsylvania. Doors open Friday, May 1 with over 300 exhibitors, how-to demonstrations, celebrity appearances, entertainment and more at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex Expo Hall. The three-day Women's Show will offer fashion shows, cooking demonstrations, charity auctions, a pampering tent, great prizes and much more. Celebrity attendees include reality TV stars Jon & Kate Gosselin, Take Home Handyman Andrew Dan Jumbo and daytime TV star Eric Martsolf. ... more
Share Your Home this Summer
You can enjoy a picture-perfect summer this year by inviting a Fresh Air child into your home! Close to 5,000 New York City children visit volunteer host families every summer through The Fund’s Friendly Town program in communities from Virginia to Maine and into Canada. Hosting a child does not take much – just a little room in your heart and your home – but the experience creates friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. ... more
Keep Play Fun
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Name your favorite play area and help a charity
Two-time “Dancing with the Stars” champion and Mercury Nashville recording artist Julianne Hough has partnered up with KaBOOM!, a national non-profit, to map and rate playspaces everywhere online. ... more
Movie Review: Race to Witch Mountain
Should you race to "Race to Witch Mountain?" Race to Witch Mountain isn’t the best movie you’ll see this year, but it’s an entertaining family movie, and it has some pretty cool special effects.... more
Experience Life Under the Sea -- In 3D!
Experience the sea and its marvelous marine life streaming into Select Medical IMAX® Theater. Through the visual majesty of IMAX, audiences will be transported to the crystal blue domains of diverse underwater dwellers, including the Leafy Sea Dragon and the Flamboyant Cuttlefish. ... more
Cold Weather is no Reason to Slow Down!
Tempting as it is to keep children warm, safe and content in front of the television this winter, there are many reasons to pick up the pace. ... more
Cold weather adventures
Who says winter has to be long and miserable? On the contrary! It should be fun and exciting. PLUS, it’s the perfect opportunity for your family to get out and breathe in the crisp, fresh air, explore the outdoors and enjoy the activities that only winter can provide. ... more
Preserving Leaves
Make your leaves last for months with this easy technique. ... more
Buying the Right Bike
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How To Make a Gingerbread House
Kids can enjoy this mini craft as a Christmas treat or as a decoration for years to come.

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Geocache for Conservation
The trail beckons. The air is crisp. The trees tantalize in a mix of summer green and fall color. The GPS unit in your hand says you’re close . . . so close . . . and there it is! The hidden treasure!... more
 

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