S IMP LY B UC K HE A D COVE R STO RY
Family affairs
Birthdays made simple Where to find the best birthday parties in Buckhead
Top spring events for parents and kids By Meghan Cooper
As we move away from our brutal winter, you’ll start to see more events hitting the calendars. It’s the time when we come out of hibernation, brush off the snow and get out and about. Here are some family-friendly events to keep you busy this spring. St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival March 12, 12 p.m. Enjoy St. Patrick’s day with this fabulous event for the whole family. Beginning at the intersection of Ralph McGill Boulevard and Peachtree Street, the parade ends at Underground Atlanta with vendors, food and free entertainment. Your family will enjoy laughing at clowns, petting horses and dogs, and dancing along with Irish dancers. www.stpatsparadeatlanta.com Atlanta History Center Magic Mondays March 14, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Take your toddlers (18 months to 5 years old) to the Atlanta History Center for their Magic Mondays program, where they’ll meet new friends and enjoy story time and a craft or activity. While you’re there, check out Tullie Smith Farm and its 33 acres of woodland trails and gardens. www.atlantahistorycenter.com Easter Egg Hunt at Chastain Park April 23, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
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March/April 2011 | Simply Buckhead
Hunt Easter eggs in beautiful Chastain Park at an event sponsored by Peachtree Presbyterian Church. Enjoy some Chick-Fil-A or your own picnic lunch in between jellybeans! Invite your friends and their kids to join you for a fun time of goofing off at the playground and hunting eggs. Nothing brings smiles to kids’ faces like finding handfuls of candy! (Ages 2 and under will hunt at 10:30 a.m.; ages 3 to 5 will hunt at 10:45 a.m.; ages 6 and up will hunt at 11 a.m.) www.peachtreepres.org/ ChildrensPrograms.aspx Celebrate Shakespeare’s Birthday April 23, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Join Georgia Shakespeare for a fun-filled afternoon at Oglethorpe University to celebrate William Shakespeare’s birthday. You’ll take part in Shakespeare-themed arts and crafts, face painting, performances, and, of course, birthday cake! www.gashakespeare.org
BIO Meghan Cooper is the creator of Atlanta Moms on the Move, a website for family-friendly events in and around Atlanta. She’s also a busy mom trying to keep up with her little JaMonkey. When she isn’t being supermom or blogging about her family and local events, she’s a marketing coordinator. www.atlmomsonthemove.com
By Jessica Jones
BIO Jessica Jones is an Atlanta-area mother of three and blogger. She enjoys exploring everything the city has to offer with her kids and sharing what they do around town and at home with her readers. From reviews of local attractions to funny stories to giveaways and deals, Atlanta Mothers Guide www. atlmomguide.com has a lot to offer the mothers of Atlanta!
INFO BOX Art & Soul Pottery Studio 4920 Roswell Road Atlanta 30342 404.303.9959 www.artandsoulpotterystudio. com Buckhead Pizza Co. 3324 Peachtree Road Atlanta 30326 404.869.0678 www.buckheadpizzaco.com Mighty Jumps 1019B Collier Road Atlanta 30318 404.351.1818 www.mightyjumps.com Young Chefs Academy: Sandy Springs 220 Hammond Drive NE, Suite 368 Sandy Springs 30328 404.255.9263 www.youngchefsacademy.com/ sandysprings
Living in Atlanta means having a huge selection of great places to celebrate your child’s special day! In my search for the perfect party place, I came across everything from Buckhead Pizza Company (where your kids can make their own pizza) to Art & Soul Pottery Studio (where they can tie dye shirts and paint their own plates). If your kid loves to help in the kitchen, then The Young Chefs Academy of Sandy Springs is the place for Junior’s shindig. You can host a themed party there where kids can make Alien Pizza or fondue. Have a teen or tween in your life? She and her friends can whip up “copycat recipes” like Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino, California Pizza Kitchen pizza and Olive Garden salad. Another great party place for children is Mighty Jumps in the heart of Buckhead. Boasting bouncy houses, arcade games, a snack bar and toddler area, this place has everything a family could want. Plus, to celebrate your child’s special day, they also have private party rooms decorated with your little one’s favorite character.
Great Birthday Freebies Let these Atlanta businesses chip in to make your child’s birthday memorable •
Tell Publix it’s your child’s first birthday, and they’ll give you a free smash cake when you purchase a regular cake.
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Join the Toys“R”Us Birthday Club and your child will receive a phone call and card from Geoffrey the Giraffe, along with a special gift.
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Register online with Zaxby’s, Burger King, Captain D’s, Moe’s and Sonic, and your child will receive a free kids’ meal on his big day.
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Coldstone Creamery, Baskin-Robbins, Marble Slab Creamery and Bruster’s all offer ice-cream coupons by mail after registration.
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Kiddie Kandids and Olan Mills both offer free portraits and discounts for the birthday child.
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Register online with Monkey Joe’s and your birthday child gets one free admission during the week of his or her birthday.