Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in new orleans, LA

Look out Cinderella, there's a new princess in town

by Kelly Leahy

July 29, 2009

I just saw the new trailer for Disney's The Princess and the Frog. As you know, it features our fair city and is bound to be a hit with local audiences as well as Disney fans worldwide.

There has been some local grumblings amongst the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana who think that Cajuns are depicted unfairly as toothless baffoons which is unfortunate but I'm sure their voices won't be the only ones complaining. Disney seems to draw it out of folks.

The movie opens on December 11th and I for one and looking forward to it!

Family Home Theater

by Kelly Leahy

May 25, 2009

There will soon come the day when it is even too hot to go outside after the sun goes down here in New Orleans. When the dreaded day arrives and summer is in full swing, one way to have fun as a family is to create a weekly movie night.

What to watch: You won't have a hard time finding DVDs to rent this summer. Recent new DVD realeses include Bolt, The Tale of Despereaux, and Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler. For those of you who were big Lea Thompson fans back in the day, you might be pleased to know that Howard the Duck was also just released on DVD.

What to eat: I have recently discovered the joys on homemade popcorn -- not the kind that comes in a bag and goes into the microwave. Popping corn on the stovetop allowes me to control what goes in and eliminate the preservatives and much of the fat that's in the bagged stuff. To liven things up, you can add some dried fruit or nuts. Of course, don't let me stop you from adding M&M's or Reeses Pieces. For tips on homemade popcorn, check out this recipe from Good Eats.

Don't forget that Walgreens sells theater style boxed candies in their candy aisle for significantly less than what the cineplexes charge.

Other tips: Make movie night a weekly event and scatter bean bags and overstuffed pillows on the floor for seating. You may also want to clean up ahead of time so you are not focused on the clutter when the lights are dimmed. Have fun!

Best Bet: "Be Water Wise"

by Kelly Leahy

April 17, 2009

The weather forecast does not look great for Saturday. However, if the storms hold off, my first pick for this weekend is a visit to Longue Vue House and Gardens. The weather has been mild and spring is in full bloom. What better place to spend a Saturday afternoon? If you can make there for 10 a.m., Longue View is offering a class called “Be Water Wise.”

This class teaches students of all ages how to conserve water through through games, activities, crafts, and
demonstrations. It's free for members and only $5 for non-members and is in connection with National
Environmental Education Week.

If it does indeed storm all weekend, might a suggest a screening of Monsters vs. Aliens at the Prytania Theater? I love this theater because of its neighborhood feel and the fact that I don't have to push through hoards of teeny boppers to get inside. There have been a lot of updates made to the sound and projection systems over the past couple of years that makes the quality just as good as the multiplexes.

Best Spots for Indoor Play

by Kelly Leahy

January 20, 2009

We are lucky in that winters here are usually mild enough to keep us from getting cases of cabin fever (that comes in July). There are days however, some recent, that keep us shivering and away from our favorite outdoor spots. For days like these, I'm recapping favorite indoor spots around the city to let your toddler run wild. The Monkey Room features plenty of climbing equipment for toddlers  Read more...

This Weekend's Best Bet: Cinema, Stage and Shopping

by Kelly Leahy

December 19, 2008

Kirikou and the Sorceress Saturday, December 20th @ 10:00 am The Prytania Theater, 5339 Prytania Street FREE I've had my eye on a free show at Prytania Theater for a couple of weeks. Kirikou and the Sorceress by Michel Ocelot is airing free on Saturday at 10 am. I find this intriguing because I like movies and I LIKE FREE. I was a little hesitant because it has a few things that make me  Read more...

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

by Kelly Leahy

November 12, 2008

I can't tell you how many times Madagascar has been viewed in our house. For a while "The Zebra Show" was airing every afternoon in order to get my daughter to sleep -- not because it was boring but because she had seen it so many times that she would conk out somewhere around 25 minutes in. It was with great anticipation that I shuffled her into the car on Saturday to see the new opened  Read more...

Seeing Stars

by Kelly Leahy

October 15, 2008

My three-year-old has been into the solar system for quite some time now. It's her father's fault. He's even made up a song entitled, "The Sun" to get her to sleep at night. Because of this I've been looking into local planetariums. The closest planetarium is the Kenner Planetarium Megadome Cinema in Rivertown. Various planet themed shows are scheduled Tuesday through Saturday during the day.  Read more...

Great films celebrating preschool buddies

by Kelly Leahy

September 23, 2008

Today's list is all about preschool friends and the books and movies that celebrate children and their pals. I feel like I have a pretty limited database on this topic 'cause I have no idea what the kids watch nowadays except for what sneaks its way on our TV (which is pretty much Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or Spongebob Squarepants). However, there are some films that I remember from my childhood  Read more...

This weekends best picks

by Kelly Leahy

July 18, 2008

The Bywater Art Market makes its monthly appearance on Saturday. Not only is this a great place to pick some reasonably priced artwork for yourself but also gifts for others -- especially if you like to start your Christmas shopping early. There is usually live music for little ears and many food options including kid-friendly juices and kettle corn. What I like best about city's art markets are  Read more...

Free drive in movies, without the driving

by Kelly Leahy

June 09, 2008

Saturday night I packed up the kids and we went to St. Patrick's Park in Mid-City to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang projected on the big screen. The movie didn't start until well after 8 p.m. due to how long it took for the last of the sun to disappear but the girls had a great deal of fun regardless. My eldest chased her buddy around the baseball diamond which was swarming with kids of all ages.  Read more...

Bugs, dolphins and monsters swarm the IMAX

by Kelly Leahy

June 06, 2008

My husband and I just had a brief discussion the other day as to whether our two year old (she'll be three in August) would be ready for the IMAX. I said that she could probably handle it but we might want to wait. Well, that was before I saw that Bugs! , Dolphins and Wales , and Sea Monsters were on the marquee (not all on one screen at the same time -- that would be a little much). The  Read more...

99 Things to do With Your Preschooler Before Kindergarten

by Kelly Leahy

January 27, 2008

For today we at Savvy Source are listing 99 things to do with your preschooler before the big K. I can't even wrap my head around kindergarten right now but it's fast approaching. Rather than come up with 99 things, I'm going to start off the list with nine. Please add more in the comments! Take a ride on the Algiers Ferry. I keep saying that I'm going to do this but I haven't yet. Know the  Read more...