Head outside in beautiful weather and visit one of Raleigh’s many wonderful parks. A few of our favorites are:

• Banbury. Tucked between Glenwood and Wade near Cantebury, this park has swings, a sandbox, and a fun climbing and sliding play set. It’s next to a hill and a soccer field - perfect for children who like to run and run and run. 1700 Banbury Road, Raleigh, NC 27608.
  
• Laurel Hills. The best thing about Laurel Hills is its gigantic wooden structure that kids can climb up, down and through. Slides, bouncing bridges, and tires are a few of the many highlights of this great play set. 3808 Edwards Mill Road, Raleigh, NC 27612, Phone: 919-420-2383. Read the rest »

The Asheboro Zoo, located 75 miles west of Raleigh, is nationally recognized as one of the nation’s finest zoos. It is the nation’s largest walk-through natural habitat zoos and is home to polar bears, sea lions, river otters, alligators, elephants, gorillas, baboons, rhinoceros, giraffes, and zebras, to name a few. The 37-acre African Plains exhibit alone is as large a many entire zoos. Visit the Asheboro Zoo website to plan your adventure.

Discover fish, turtles, waterfalls, butterflies, snakes, dinosaurs and more in this four-story museum for parents and children alike. Admission is free. The museum also offers these special free programs:

• Meet the Animals. A must-do for children who love animals. Monday through Friday at 11am. Recommended for ages 2 and older. Presentation lasts approximately 25 minutes (3rd floor).
• Live at the Museum - Science Show. 10:30am and 11:30am Monday through Friday. General animal presentation (1st floor).
• Discovery Room. Let your child play in the museum’s interactive room for children. Tuesdays through Fridays 1pm-4pm.
• Butterfly Room. An enclosed tropical space with hundreds of butterflies flying free, turtles in a small pond, a sloth (generally asleep near the ceiling) and a (caged) tarantula! Tuesdays through Fridays, 1pm-4pm.

Admission is free. Visit the museum’s website for directions and more information.

Meet Elizabeth Jordan. The birth of her son Jack in 2004 got her thinking about the big picture and she asked herself what did she want to teach him? Share with him? What life lessons should she expose him to? A life long volunteer and non-profit director, Elizabeth knew that she wanted to teach Jack the value of giving back. Figuring other parents were thinking the same thing, Kids Connect was born. Kids Connect¸ a non-profit organization based in Raleigh, North Carolina, connects families with volunteer opportunities. Read the rest »