That Fish Place/ That Pet Place



The stingrays in the touch pool

That Fish Place/ That Pet Place is really just a HUGE pet store, but my kids love to go and spend an hour or two.  The biggest highlight is a touch pool with probably a dozen stingrays swimming around.  My son could spend
the whole time waiting for the stringray
s to
come up so that he can "pet" them... don't worry the stingers have been removed.  This is an easy feat for adults, but for a small toddler sometimes this takes some patience since the water is just a little too deep for his small arms.  The pool also
includes several fish, and a small shark that eludes us even after several visits.  Take home pamphlets about the various sea creatures in the pool also provide an educational experience to continue learning at home.  Demonstration feedings of the stingrays are held on Saturdays and Sundays.

    Not into stingrays?  They have a room with Princess Alice, a 16 lb Flemish rabbit.  This is one big bunny!  Sometimes she is allowed to roam around the room, but whether in her cage or roaming, she is always available for petting.  This is my daughter's favorite place in the store.  They also have two ferrets that I have heard are sometimes out.  However, they always seem to be sleeping when we visit.

    Additionally, they have a reptile room, and sometimes at your request you can have them take one out to see, or you may just want to observe as a prospective customer examines a creature.  There are birds as well to watch.  In the fish room, there are a large variety of both freshwater and saltwater fish to see.  (Our neon tetra and fancy guppies came from here.)  Again, this can be very educational for a fish lover!  Maybe next time we'll play a scavenger hunt for different types of fish...

Monkey Joe's - Camp Hill, PA

We have been waiting for Monkey Joe's in Camp Hill, PA to open, and we finally got to go today!
Monkey Joe's is an inflatable/bounce gym for children up to the age of 12. The cost of admission varies from $5 for children 2 and under, up to $10 for older children on the weekends and holidays. (Weekdays are $8). This adds up a little too quickly for me to take my three children frequently, but will definitely be on our once-in-awhile list, or the we-can't-stay-in-this-house-one-more-day cabin-fever list.

There are security measures in place, where they tag each child with a numbered bracelet at check-in, and then label the parent with an identical number. Supposedly, this is to ensure no adult leaves with the wrong child. However, nobody checked my tag on the way out. I could assume that that's because my clan is easily identifiable, and nobody else would be crazy enough to walk out with 3 boys under 3. Let's go with that. Otherwise, it's just a waste of time at check-in when the kids are antsy to get to the giant colorful inflatables.

The inflatables are great. My 2-year-olds had a blast, and there were kids there maybe in the 8-10 age range who also looked to be having fun. I will say that they weren't quite 1-year-old friendly, even though they still charged for my 13-month-old. But, he did manage to have fun, anyway.

The workers are also really good - willing to help the smaller children up into the equipment, and even sliding down the slides with children unwilling, or unable to go down themselves. I should say not just "willing," but they seemed to be enjoying the children, which is always a plus! It definitely made me feel comfortable enough to not need to keep an eye on them at all times. Which really isn't even possible for me, but at least I didn't feel guilty about it. Adults are allowed to "assist" children under 4, but are not permitted to "bounce" on the equipment.

There is a snack bar on-site, and the prices didn't seem overly inflated. A large pizza was $13, and I saw one come out that looked like it would be pretty tasty. I think popcorn was 99 cents. I forgot to check the drink prices, but there was a water fountain, and the worker did give me a free cup to use for it (not always a given at places like this).

It was much more crowded than I expected for having just opened. But maybe we aren't the only ones who've been closely watching for the "Now Open!" signs.

So, while I wish they had a different pricing structure, or at least offered discounts to families with more than one child (they do offer a "frequent user" card, but it only helps those 3 and over, at $70 for 10 uses), it was a lot of fun, and I hope to take the boys again soon!

Gymnastic Center of Hershey Open Gym

During the winter, Gymnastic Center of Hershey opens their facility to allow children to come in and play. There is no formal instruction during this time.  In addition to some of the usual equipment (balance beams, trampolines, etc.), they blow up a large bouncy house for the children to enjoy.  Another favorite is the foam pit with a rope swing ...but beware it is hard to get out and you may loose a sock!  The cost in the past has been $5 per child for each hour of play (infants or children too young to use the facility are free).  It's a great way to tire out energetic children in the wintertime!

Days and times have not been posted on the website, but open gym hours have been held on Friday mornings in the past.

Music & Motion (Etown)

Music & Motions is a preschooler program held most Wednesday mornings during the school year at Elizabethtown Brethren in Christ Church from 9:30 to 10:30am. Come play with your child and have a cup of coffee with other area parents and grandparents for the first half hour, then enjoy a half hour of fun music together. A donation of $3 is requested from each family.

Lowe's Build and Grow/ Home Depot Kids Workshop

  Our children have been going to the Lowe's Build and Grow program for several years now. It is totally free and is geared towards children ages 3 and up, but even our 2 year old loves doing it! Lowe's Build and Grow clinics are on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month from 10 am to 11 am. You can check out their website to see what projects are coming up and to register for that project.

  Walk-ins are also welcome, but they sometimes run out of kits if you don't preregister. Each project has precut and predrilled wood pieces and comes with instructions. They are very easy to follow and put together. Each child participating also receives a free work apron, goggles, a project themed patch and a certificate of merit once they have completed the project. It is a great way to build confidence in your kids while also teaching them how to follow instructions, hammer a nail and project safety to name a few. I love seeing their faces as they show family and friends the project that "they built". Home Depot has a similar program that is once a month, check out their website for more details!

  

Servant's Heart Play Area

Servant's Heart is a Christian bookstore in Camp Hill. They have a free play area in the back of the store that is a good place to get out of the heat in the summer or just out of the house on a winter's day. There is a small plastic climbing structure with a "rock wall" and slide, as well as a fairly large selection of toys. They also have a large screen TV, with a selection of Veggie Tales (and other?) videos for viewing. Blocks, puzzles, and a small kitchen are some of the toys available for playing with.

Additionally, there is coffee and tea available, although I've never partaken of these options, so I can't speak to their variety or quality.

I have been to this play area only two or three times, and have never seen any kids in it other than the ones I was there with. My kids have always enjoyed this play area, and we will probably make good use of it this winter when we're suffering from cabin fever!

My only struggle with this play area is that it's located at the back of the store, which requires a little bit of creativity to get my three 2 and unders from the front of the store to the back without breaking anything on the way. I do wish they had a "kid-friendly" path to the play area, but so far, we've made it without incident!

Playhouse Cafe

I recently visited Playhouse Cafe with a friend and her daughter. The Cafe is located in Lemoyne, at the corner of Erford Road and Walnut Street. Their slogan is "Kids Play, While You Cafe." They have 2 separate play areas for children: one for "under 2," (the Tot Spot) and the other for "two through 6" (the Playroom) The 2-6 room doesn't open till 10 a.m., and we arrived early. Since my 2-year-olds are on the small side, and there was nobody else there, they allowed us to play in the Tot Spot. The Tot Spot costs $1 per child, and is filled with small, soft, toys. There is a play kitchen, and a play tent/house, and a small squishy climbing area with a very small slide (like maybe a foot of drop). There are some ride-on toys, and some puzzles. We were told we needed to supervise our children in the Tot Spot, although another mother dropped her child off with us and went off to "cafe."

Altogether, we had (2) 2-year-olds, a one-year-old, and a 10-month-old, and all four children seemed to enjoy this area. It was well-worth a dollar a piece for the air conditioning, and the exposure to new toys.

I did purchase a smoothie from the cafe, mostly to feel like I wasn't using their space for free. I did feel that the smoothie was overpriced ($4+), and not the best I'd ever had, but again, a total of $7 for the morning didn't seem too bad.

There is also a "mother's room" for nursing mothers. We did not look in here at all to judge its comfort or usability. There are 2 family restrooms available, with changing tables.

We did not make use of the Playroom, since we were pretty well ensconced in the Tot Spot, but we did peek in. They have some larger toys there, including a pretend airplane frame, and a bigger climbing structure. The playroom costs $5 per child for 90 minutes. My opinion was that it didn't look worth $10 for my children, but it seemed like it got pretty busy after it opened at 10 a.m. I think a lot of parents like the option of having someone else supervise their children for an hour and a half. There was one mom in our corner of the cafe who works from home, and she brought her laptop to the cafe to get some work done while her son played. Compared to other indoor options, it may be a good alternative when the weather is bad, or you just need a break.

Port Discovery

Port Discovery is a large hands on children's museum (voted in top 5 in nation) located in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore, MD. The highlight for many, including my 2 year old son, was KidWorks, the 3.5 story up-only climbing structure centrally located in the building. Around KidWorks, there are numerous activities which require the use of your child's imagination. My 4 year old daughter loved the Convenience Store & Gas Station and the Tiny Diner. They also enjoyed the play train, water exhibit, and the Drumming Studio (subject to change).

My family had a great time, but personally, I'd have a hard time paying full price. In addition to the admission price (almost $13 for 2 and older), there are parking fees for either a parking garage or lot. However the museum runs some great specials periodically . We visited on a special free admission day. Additionally, every third Friday of the month, admission for the evening from 4-7 pm is only $2. This would be a great time to go, although I'd suggest getting there before 4 to ensure entrance. On free day, we arrived at opening time, and still waited 40 minutes in line to enter. For food, there is a McDonald's within a few hundred feet. We had no problems with reentering the museum after a short break for lunch.There is also a small area with a vending machine, tables and chairs within Port Discovery if you choose to bring your own food and snacks.

Attendance in the building is capped to maintain a safe environment. We were there when attendance was maxed out. Despite the crowd, I was surprised that we were still able to move around and access the exhibits fairly well. However, I would stay close to your children; there are plenty of places for them to quickly disappear from your sight! Fortunately, the security seems to be well planned out. Upon admittance, each member of the family receives a wristband with a unique number on it. Wristbands are checked closely whenever exiting to ensure that your child will not leave with another adult. Overall, I would say it is a great way to spend a few hours!

Chocolate World and Cocoa Castle

Go see how America's favorite chocolate bar is made at Hershey's Chocolate World. The free ride tells the story starting from the cacao beans and continues through the chocolate factory tour and on to the finished chocolate product. Although my children enjoy the ride, the best part is the free product sample after the ride. The ride is only several minutes long, so we will often ride it several times...I think our record is five times on one trip.

In addition to the chocolate factory tour, young children may enjoy the KissWorks Factory, where they receive a free factory hat (okay, it's paper, but it makes them happy) and participate in a special little dance as they package up some special Hershey Kisses. You may opt to purchase a package, which also includes the Kisses and a Factory Worker ID badge, but my personal opinion is that it is overpriced. The kids just enjoy the experience as much as anything.

Thanks to advice from my sister, we never leave the house without some pennies to throw into the waterfall area in the food court area. It's amazing how this simple activity will please and entertain the kids until the coins are all thrown. I believe that the money collected is used to support local charities, but I am uncertain as to which ones. Another activities passed on to me was the color game on the picture on the floor at the entrance of Chocolate World. If the lobby is not crowded, we take turns shouting out colors or letters, and everyone has to quickly find and stand on that color/letter. I have yet to find a child (up to the age of 7) who has not enjoyed playing this game with us!

I've found Chocolate World to be a great option in the wintertime, when the weather is too cold to be outside. It is usually less crowded during this time, at least during the weekdays, so we can walk right onto the ride without a wait. It you choose to go in the warmer weather, think about also visiting Cocoa Castle, a wooden playground just minutes away. The Hershey Outlets are close by as well. At busier times, including weekends, avoid the crowds by arriving at 9 am when Chocolate World opens. Parking is free for two hours in the adjacent parking lot. However, during the winter I have rarely seen anyone enforcing the 2 hour rule. If you choose to go during times when HersheyPark is open, if you stay longer, you will have to pay!

There are several activities at Chocolate World that cost a fee including "Create Your Own Chocolate Bar", a 3D show, and a chocolate tasting adventure. Since I have never done any of them, I am unable to comment on the quality of these programs. Also special events take place around Halloween, Christmas, and Easter.

Bass Pro Shop / Enchanted Forest

Located at the end of Harrisburg Mall, Bass Pro Shops has more to offer families than the typical outdoors and sporting goods store. The "fishy place", as our family likes to call it, has a large aquarium full of fish that the kids can watch, and even learn to identify. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, you can watch the feeding frenzy at 1 PM. The store can also be an adventure in taxidermy--you know, stuffed animals. Throughout both floors you can spot animals frozen in action -- a moose and bear fighting, ducks flying overhead, wolves attacking, bear cubs playing, and much more. Don't miss the bear giving a high five upstairs! Other activities are available at a small fee, including a rock climbing wall, a shooting gallery, and arcade style games.

Bass Pro often runs special events which include free activities for kids and family. During the Christmas season, Santa visits and the children receive a free photo. The Easter Bunny appears in the Spring. Although the quality of the photographs may not be as good as the mall, it's an inexpensive alternative to the ever increasing package prices required at most other malls. During the summer, the store becomes Family Summer Camp, including the opportunity to make s'mores!

When there isn't a special event occurring at Bass Pro Shops, I often pair a visit to see the animals and fish with a trip down the mall to the indoor play area for young children called the Enchanted Forest. Centrally located in the playground is a large tree, which used to periodically sing, moving its arms and mouth. As far as I know, the tree has stopped working and is not planning to be repaired. However, under its branches are two small slides for children to enjoy. There are several other structures for children to climb over, sit on and just pretend. The area can become crowded at times, especially during the winter. To avoid the crowds, it is best to go early or in the afternoon, when many children are napping. The mall is open two hours before the stores open, which makes a perfect time to hit the play area!

Local Libraries

Perfect for winter time, or hot summer days, the local libraries have a lot to offer. Two of my favorite libraries are the New Cumberland Library and the Fredrickson Library in Camp Hill due to their special programs and great selection of children's books; however, almost every library has something unique to offer. Attending story times regularly has helped my children to learn proper behavior during a structured time and provided another avenue to encourage lifelong learners. My children respond differently to the unique styles of the children's librarian at each of the branches, and you may find that you want try out several different library story times as well. Simpson Library in Mechanicsburg also has a wonderful program for children, although its location is not as convenient for me. I also frequently visit a small local library in York County which my children have enjoyed. However, York County requires a small fee for signing out a video, but at the Cumberland County libraries it is free. Don't forget to use the interlibrary loan system to have interested items transferred to a convenient location for you.

All of these libraries have separate children's rooms so that you feel your child is not distracting other adults, but again each has its unique appeal. My 4 year old loves the computers and the listening areas in the children's area at Fredrickson. However, the selection of puzzles and toys at New Cumberland is superior, in my opinion. In the Redland Library (Etters), the train table is an enticing option. As you explore different libraries, you'll also discover your favorites.

Don't forget to check out the summer reading programs too. Children have opportunities to earn special prizes which vary at each libraries. Special programs are also offered over the summer to help entertain and educate. Special guest performers, Maryland Science Center programs and movie nights are just a few. Although others also have summer movie nights, I especially like the New Cumberland Family movie night every Tuesday during the summer which includes a hot dog BBQ before the movie.


Libraries of

Dauphin County

York County

Cumberland County