Are you in the Raleigh/ Durham/ Chapel Hill area? Come support a wonderful cause and have fun with the whole family! The WonderGirl 5K & Fun Run celebrates the Girls on the Run organization and its commitment to helping make a difference in the lives of girls everywhere.

The WonderGirl 5K & Fun Run brings together the greater Triangle community to celebrate young girls along their journey to choosing healthy lifestyles
and adopting a strong sense of self. Read the rest »

A Fun Filled Family Event to Help Cure Juvenile Diabetes

Saturday, September 8th - 10AM until 4PM
Join Tookie’s Toys and the other merchants of Falls Village Shopping Center as we host a benefit for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation this Saturday.
There will be entertainment throughout the village including:

• Kids Entertainment -Lower Level by Tookie’s Toys- See below for details!
• Star Wars Characters at Raleighwood
• Atlantic Tire Race Car at Chick-fil-A
• Diabetes information and screening at Chick-fil-A
• Hair Painting at Hair Cuttery
• Root Beer Floats at Fresh Market
• Chick-fil-A Cows
• Fire Truck

How does this benefit JDRF?

• Participating stores donate a percentage of sales to JDRF
• Buy JDRF Sneakers for $1 at select stores
• Register for Prizes by visiting participating stores - you could win while helping a great cause!

Go to the JDRF Information Booth near Fresh Market on Saturday for a detailed schedule of events and for prize registration form.
Kid’s Entertainment Schedule at JDRF Benefit
10 AM - Trish Miller, Children’s Music - www.trishmillermusic.com
11 AM - Stacy Clearman’s LittleLand, Children’s Music - www.stacyclearman.org
12 Noon - Storybook Safari, Creative Storytelling - www.storybooksafari.com
12:30 PM - Dinosaurs Rock, Dinosaur Presentation - www.dinosaursrocknc.com
10AM - 2PM - Oogles n’ Googles, Crafts & Activities - www.ooglesngoogles.com
10AM - 3PM - Dinosaurs Rock, Dinosaur Exhibit
10AM - 3PM - Storybook Safari, Children’s Activities
11:30AM - 3PM - Captain Pete the Party Pirate - www.captainpetethepartypirate.com

Looking for a place to watch fireworks this 4th of July in the Triangle area? Here’s a list of events happening July 3rd and 4th.

Tuesday July 3rd
FUQUAY-VARINA: 6 p.m., South Park. Fireworks, live music, food and carnival rides.

GARNER: 5 p.m., Lake Benson Park, 921 Buffaloe Road. N.C. Symphony performs at 8:30 p.m. Fireworks start at 9:30 p.m. Information: 662-5703.

WAKE FOREST: 5:30 p.m., Wake Forest-Rolesville High School’s Trentini Stadium. Fireworks, games and live entertainment. Admission: $5 for ages 7 and up. Information: 554-6196. Read the rest »

Join Tookie’s Toys, PolkaDots/Be-Tween and Baskin Robbins for a fun filled family concert featuring Sandbox Kids and Family Fun Band on Sunday, May 5th from 4:00PM - 6:00PM at Cameron Village. Bring your chairs or blankets. Concert will be held in front of the sponsoring stores. Enjoy $1 Kids Scoops at Baskin Robbins. For more info call 828-5574 or visit tookiestoys.com.

About Sandbox Kids and Family Fun Band: Sandbox is a four-piece Raleigh/ Durham/ Chapel Hill band specializing in twangy, upbeat traditional children’s music. We are well known for our exceptionally fun, interactive performances and a strong vocal presence. We target 1-8 year olds, but our music appeals to folks of all ages. Learn more about Sandbox Kids and Family Fun Band at www.sandbox-band.com

Earth Day is April 22nd, and no matter where you live in North Carolina, there is plenty going on! Are you looking for events and activities for you and your family? You need look no further than the Environmental Education Calendar hosted by the Office of Environmental Education. Simply type in your zip code and how far you are able to travel. It’s that easy! Even better…it’s not just for Earth Day! You can use the new calendar any day of the year to find fun, educational outdoor events and activities happening across North Carolina!

Come celebrate the color children add to our lives at the first annual Black & White Bash, a benefit for Playspace Children’s Museum in downtown Raleigh. Hosted on Thursday, May 17th, from 7 to 10:30 p.m. at the Exploris Museum, the Black & White Bash features a live and silent auction with fabulous items up for bid, live jazz by Laura Ridgeway & Friends, catering by Lady Fingers, black and white attire and desserts by Hereghty heavenly delicious. Tickets are $45 per person for members, $50 for non-members, and can be purchased by calling Playspace at 919-832-2617, online at www.playspacemuseum.com/bash/ in person at Tookie’s Toys or Playspace Children’s Museum. Proceeds will support Playspace’s mission of advancing young children’s creative, social and emotional development through hands-on, interactive play – paving the way for success in school and later in life.

When our kids are young, they need us every second. As they grow older and more independent, they need us less and less. So how do you continually maintain a strong family unit? We found a way that worked for our family:

My son was five when ‘it’ started. He went from a needy infant and toddler that needed my undying attention every minute to a sports fanatic who suddenly was only interested in talking to his dad and uncles in a foreign language of statistics and rosters. Determined not to lose him (and equally determined not to become immersed in a subject I despised) I decided we needed to find a common interest that both of us could enjoy. What we discovered was so much more. Read how finding a shared passion has brought my son and I closer together and we urge all families to find a passion of their own. Read the rest »