Free Family Film Festival at Edwards/Regal Theaters


I just read about this and thought it was too good to not pass on. Edwards/Regal Theaters and Cinemas are having their 11th annual Free Family Festival this summer. It’s a fun filled 9 weeks of FREE movies for kids and parents. Selected G & PG movies start at 10AM each Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. First-come, first-served seating is limited to theatre capacity. The Free Family Film Festival is safe, lots of fun and a great way for kids to spend a weekday morning in the summer. The Family Film Festival starts June 24th and ends August 13th. I’m looking for ways of keeping my kids occupied this summer and what a better way than with something fun and absolutely FREE!! I’m currently in the process of compiling fun and free places to visit section on my page. Come back often for updates!!

For a participating theater near you and movie list click here.

Cerritos Public Library – not your ordinary library

A reader emailed me last week and suggested that I visit the Cerritos Public Library. If you are looking for places to visit this summer- this is a must!!! The Cerritos Library Children’s Area is modeled more after a children’s museum than a library. My kids loved it from the moment they stepped into the building. The Children’s library is located on the ground floor and the children’s area is united by a theme of saving the planet.

My kiddos were mesmerized from the start by the library’s 15,000 gallon saltwater aquarium. They could have stayed for hours admiring the many colorful fish.

Educational exhibits in the Children’s area include Stan, a 40-foot long, 12-foot high authentic Tyrannosaurus-rex replica. My son Michael fell in love with Stan. The library also has a scale-model NASA Space Shuttle called the “Spirit of Cerritos,” a lighthouse with a siting area, which was also a big hit with my kiddos . In addition, a rain forest tree in this area helps children learn about the rainforest’s healing properties and how trees help clean the air. It’s a popular place for kids to sit under the tree and read books.

The area also features a geologic core model with strata depicting eras of geologic time. Located above Stan the dinosaur is a ceiling painted with a sky that depicts different atmospheric conditions through lighting effects. A blue screen placed next to the Children’s area entrance is used during special events to take photographs of children in front of scenes from literature.

The Children’s Library is also home to The “Wetlands” computer workstation . It offers Internet access through a portal of safe sites for kids. Also in this area are updated and expanded interactive and educational CD-ROM products on topics such as math and geography. We visited during peak times and there were actually workstations available.

There are of course plenty of books, in fact, it has to be one of the largest children’s collections that I’ve ever come across. The library is also home to an Art Studio and a Little Theater. The Library is home to a summer reading program for kids, storytime and art classes.

I have to add – my kids favorite part of our Cerritos Adventure was the Dolphin fountain on the grounds of the Library. One of the Library Staff members suggested that next time we visit we bring a change of clothes and a swimsuit for the kids- she said that a little too late- as we were talking both of my kids ran in to the fountain and had the time of their life. I went home with soaking wet kids who had the time of their life.

Cerritos Public Library

18025 Bloomfield Avenue

Cerritos, California 90703

Phone: (562) 916-1350

Hours of operation:

Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. &

Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For additional information click here

Disneyworld Year of a Million Dreams Vacation in Comfort Giveaway

Summer is here and kids are trading classrooms for camp-outs, buses for bikes and math lessons for swimming lessons. Hanes also knows that the fun-filled season also means more family travel, which is why they are offering families everywhere in the US the chance to “Vacation in Comfort” during The Year of A Million Dreams at Walt Disney World® Resort. Buy specially marked packages of Hanes products.
When you purchase a Hanes® product, you could be one of seven winners of a Walt Disney World® vacation for four. Find the entry codes on specially marked packages of Hanes or in your shipments from Hanes.com, and enter them on the site for a chance to win. You can also enter to win with a free code at www.hanes.com/vacationincomfort (you just have to refer to the specific instructions – mailing in a hand printed self addressed envelope to a certain address and get back a promotional code).
The contest runs from June through August 30, 2008 and seven winning families will be drawn around September 21. You can visit www.hanes.com/vacationincomfort for additional details and to enter

I usually don’t post about giveaways but I’m a total Disney lover and this sounded like a dream come true. I’m also doing a little giveaway of my own – visit hanes.com, tell me what you would buy for your kiddos from your website , email me with your name and email address and be entered to win a $25.00 gift certificate to hanes.com. . Winner will be picked at random Sunday June 22.