Family Focus

ON THE GO

Ronelle Grier

Special to the
Jewish News

Spring Fever

Get outside this season for family fun.

W

armer weather,
longer days
— spring has finally
arrived! Trade in those snow-
balls and sleds for Frisbees and
kites, and welcome the season
with some of these fun fam-
ily activities. And while you're
out, remember to pick up some
extra charcoal (or propane) for
the grill!

lambs at the Firestone Farms.
Tickets are $22 adults, $21
seniors (age 62 and up) and
$16 youth (ages 5-12). Children
under 5 and members are free.
Call (313) 982-6001 or visit
www.thehenryford.org/. For an
added treat, visit your local
Big Boy restaurant and receive
free tickets for the carousel
ride from April 18-May 10.

WALK IN THE PARK

WALK A MILE,
HELP A CHILD

Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy
a day of hiking, biking, boat-
ing, bird watching or other
outdoor activities at one of the
13 Metroparks located through-
out the area. Attend a special
event, such as the Spring
Farm Festival at Kensington
Metropark Farm Center near
Milford on April 25 and 26.
A $20 season pass provides
unlimited access to all the
parks. Daily vehicle passes
are also available. Visit www.
metroparks.com for a complete
listing of park locations, facili-
ties and activities.

GREENFIELD VILLAGE
SPRINGS ALIVE

Take steps to help at-risk
children at the second annual
Kids Helping Kids Walk on
Sunday, April 26, in Shain Park
in Birmingham. One-, two- and
three-mile walks make it easy
for the whole family to partici-
pate. The event is sponsored
by the Children's Charities
Coalition, a group of four non-
profit agencies that promote
and protect the well-being of
children throughout Metro
Detroit.
Registration 9 a.m.
Walk begins at 10 a.m.
Refreshments, games, raffle
and live entertainment from
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Contact
Patricia Rosen at (248) 332-
7173 or visit
www.kidshelpingkidswalk.org .

Greenfield Village in Dearborn
reopens for the season on
April 15, with new activities
and displays for visitors
of all ages. Watch
CALLING ALL
the "Hero of the
TREKKIES
Rails" come to
Old and new
life as Thomas
generations
the Tank Engine
of Star Trek
chugs into town
fans will be
for a special
thrilled when
Day Out with
they visit
Thomas, April
"Star Trek: The
24-26 and May 1-3,
Exhibition" at
$11.75-$33.75 includes
the Detroit Science
Green field
storytelling, live music
Center, now through
Villag e train
and a 20-minute train
Sept. 7. This interactive
ride on a real steam
exhibit features cos-
engine pulled by Thomas.
tumes and props from the five
Times vary. Other spring activ-
TV series and 10 feature films,
ities include sheep shearing at
including a full-scale recreation
the Ford Home, wool spinning
of the U.S.S. Enterprise bridge
at Daggett Farmhouse and vis-
and a full-motion flight simu-
iting the new family of Merino
lator. $18.95 adults, $14.95

C14

April 16 • 2009

children, group rates available.
For a unique theatre experi-
ence, see the Star Trek movie
in the 67-foot, four-story IMAX
Dome Theatre starting May
8 and visit the new Toyota
Engineering Theater. Detroit
Science Center is located
at 5020 John R in Detroit.
General admission $11.95-
$19.95, membership packages
available. Call (313) 577-8400
or visit www.sciencedetroit.
org/ for hours and information.

STOCK YOUR SHELVES
AT BOOKSTOCK

Get ready for summer reading
and beyond with at
Bookstock, where
you'll find tens
of thousands
of bargain-
priced books,
DVDs, CDs,
magazines
and books on
tape for chil-
dren and adults.
Metro Detroit's larg-
est used book and media sale
runs from April 26-May 3 at
Laurel Park Place in Livonia,
6 Mile Road, east of 1-275.
Proceeds benefit local literacy
and education projects. Pre-
sale is from 8:45-11:45 a.m.
Sunday, April 26 ($10 charge
for pre-sale only.) Regular
hours are noon-6 p.m. Sundays
and 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-
Saturday. All books are half-
price on Sunday, May 3. Call
(248) 645-7840, ext. 365 or
visit www.bookstock.info.

FAMILY-STYLE
ART FEST

The Farmington Hills annual
Festival of the Arts features
five days of displays, events
and activities. The Free Family
Festival from noon-5 p.m.
Sunday, April 26, is an exciting
day that offers art experiences
for all ages, with ongoing live
performances, hands-on art

activities for children, and
demonstrations by local art-
ists. Costick Center, 28600
W.11 Mile Road in Farmington
Hills. Call (248) 473-1870 for a
complete schedule.

CURTAIN UP!

• Catch the Baldwin Public
Library's Tween Readers
Theatre Troupe performance
of Really Rosie from the book
by Maurice Sendak from 7-8
p.m. Wednesday, April 29. No
charge. Baldwin Public Library,
300 W. Merrill St., Birmingham.
Call (248) 647-1700 to register.
• Enjoy the adventures
of pint-sized heroine
Thumbelina at 1:30
p.m. Sunday,
April 26, at
the Michigan
Theater, 603
E. Liberty, Ann
Arbor. Tickets
$14, members
$12. www.
ticketmaster.com or
(800) 745-3000.
• The classic Bible story
comes to life in the musical
production of Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat by the Pinckney
Players. April 18, 24 and 25
at 7:30 p.m.; April 19 and 26
at 2 p.m. Adults $13, seniors
and students $11. Jane Tasch
Performing Arts Theatre, 2100
E. M-36 Highway, Pinckney.
Visit www.pinckneyplayers.com
to buy tickets online or call
(810) 220-9332.
• Don't miss the Michigan
Youth Theater's spring produc-
tion of Shakespeare's Twelfth
Night. At 7 p.m. Thursday, April
30, and Friday, May 1; at 2 and
7 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Tickets
$7. Holly Academy School, 870
Academy Road, Holly. www.
michiganyouththeater.org .
• Spend some time with the
famous spider, the lovable pig
Wilbur, their friend Fern and
the rest of the farmyard gang

in the Chelsea Players produc-
tion of Charlotte's Web by E.
B. White. At 7 p.m. Friday-
Sunday, April 24-26. Adults
$10, students and seniors $5.
Washington Street Education
Center Auditorium, 500
Washington St., Chelsea.

CINDERELLA'S DRESS
FOR LESS

Spring is party season —
proms, graduations, weddings
and even an occasional grand
ball at the palace. Outfitting
your kids for all these festivi-
ties can present a challenge to
the family budget when your
son has outgrown last year's
suit and your daughter is
invited to three different par-
ties in the same weekend. Here
are some innovative ways to
dress them royally without the
princely price tags.
Local thrift or resale stores
are filled with amazing bar-
gains on dress clothes for kids
of all ages. A friend of mine
found practically new suits and
sport coats for each of her
three sons at the Salvation
Army, along with two gorgeous
designer label dresses for her
daughter. Shop discount stores
like TJ Maxx, Marshalls and
Loehmann's for party clothes,
shoes and accessories. These
stores get new merchandise
several times a week, so check
back often.
Host a "dress-up" party
where your daughter and her
friends can exchange dresses.
Include any same-age neigh-
bors or cousins, and ask each
guest to bring at least one
dress that she's willing to lend
or trade. Order pizza or pre-
pare some simple snacks. The
girls will have a great time
trying on each other's clothes
and finding the perfect "new"
dress for their next party. It's
like having a shopping spree
at their favorite store, only
better! El