Screen-Free Week — it sounds great, doesn’t it? One whole week when we don’t have to tell our kids to put away their phones or to turn off the TV, because they were never turned on. One whole week when our children will read books, play with friends, bake cookies …
Yeah, right. Here at Baltimore’s Child, we’ve been parents for just a minute. Long enough to know that if you are going to get your kids to do something good for them, sometimes you need to plan a small campaign.
Here, friends, are a few great activities happening around the Baltimore area next week that focus on non-electronic fun. Put a few on your calendar in case the board games start to bore or the TV is too tempting.
Monday, April 30
The Park School celebrates International Jazz Day from 6 to 10 p.m. with a community concert at R. House in Remington, featuring Park’s Big Band, Jazz, and Modern Music ensembles. The concert includes special guests, The Lima Interescolar Big Band from Peru, a group of teenaged musicians who travel the U.S. East Coast each spring to entertain and to share jazz traditions. Get ready for a passion and joy-filled performance. And enjoy some great food while you are there.
Homeschooling families can also explore the outdoors at Homeschool Day at Lake Roland, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Start with an animal adaptation program, take a break for lunch and finish off with a hike. $5/person. Please bring your own lunch. Registration required. lakeroland.org
Tuesday, May 1
Take note, the first Tuesday of the month is always Thrifty Tuesday at B&O Railroad Museum, which means admission is half price. Go screen free and be economical. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., $10 adults, $6 kids, borail.org
Wednesday, May 2
The Orioles are out of town, but there are plenty of local teams to support. Towson University’s baseball team takes on George Mason University at 3 p.m. at TU. Take your tykes to cheer on the Tigers! towsontigers.com.
From tigers to panthers: Stop by The Children’s Bookstore in Roland Park to hear Ronald L. Smith, author of Marvel’s latest Black Panther book, “The Young Prince.” 3:30 p.m. thecbstore.com
Thursday, May 3
Bring your wee ones, ages 3 and up, for Shoots and Letters, an hour of stories, crafts and nature-themed adventure every Thursday at 10 a.m. at Oregon Ridge Nature Center. Themes this month include pollinators, snakes and turtles. Cost is $2/child. oregonridgenaturecenter.org
Two more authors visit Baltimore. J.H. Diehl and Lauren Abbey Greenberg will stop by The Children’s Bookstore in Roland Park at 3:30 p.m. Diehl has a new middle grade novel, “Tiny Infinities” and Greenberg’s latest book, also a middle grade novel, is “The Battle of Junk Mountain.” thecbstore.com
On Thursday night, enjoy a special evening of music for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s OrchKids 10th Anniversary Celebration. The concert is a salute to the program’s 10 years of empowering students and providing opportunities to city youth. Baltimore City War Memorial, 7 p.m. $10. bsomusic.org
Friday, May 4
First Friday celebrations are often great ways to check out popular attractions at more economical prices. For example, the first Friday of every month means $10 admission to the Maryland Science Center, the perfect place for some hand-on fun. 5-8 p.m. mdsci.org
Another great place to be is the National Aquarium, where they host Half-Price Friday Nights. Start your weekend with 20,000 plus amazing, aquatic animals. 5-8 p.m., Tickets $12+. aqua.org
For more ideas, check your local library, gym or restaurants. You can also check our regular calendar for additional events.
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