Des Moines Families

THIS JUST IN: Read with Dogs at Beaverdale Books

Beaverdale Books is currently signing up kids for their Paws & Effect reading program, which will take place every other Sunday starting June 29.

From 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., two therapy dogs will be in the store and area kids will get to read to them. Is that cute or what?

The books are provided by the Paws & Effect organization, and after the kids read six books to their dog, they receive a free book.

The program is designed for kids learning to read up to second grade. Only four kids each Sunday will get the chance to participate (2 at 3:00 and 2 at 4:00), so call now to register! The number is 515-279-5400.

THIS JUST IN: Newborn Twins Needed for Photo Book

Danielle Fox Photography has announced a casting call for brand new babies, specifically newborn twins and triplets. She requests newborns one week old (or one week out of the NICU). Ms. Fox is working on the production of two books to be published in the next year.

If you have brand new twins or are anticipating their arrival, contact Ms. Fox at danielle@daniellefoxphotography.com.

THIS JUST IN: Free Play & Learn Group at City Parks This Summer

There is such a thing as free lunch!

Just received this flyer today. Looks like a pretty cool program for toddlers and their parents. Free lunch and playtime in city parks. Best part is that it's every day from 9:30 to 11 from June 16 through August 8.

Click here to learn more about Play & Learn.

THIS JUST IN: $6 Movies at Wynnsong, Southridge & Cobblestone

I was pleasantly surprised when the kid behind the ticket counter at Wynnsong 16 last night said, "That'll be $12." Never one to risk correcting a mistake that might cost me money, I just paid the boy and moved on.

Throughout the movie, I kept thinking about the $6 tickets and started to wonder if it had anything to do with the weird line I'd seen on my TiVo's Fandango screen. When I'd attempted to buy $9 tickets via TiVo, there had been a third line that said "Adult tues all, $6."

So, I asked the manager about it after the movie. And sure enough, all Tuesday movies are now $6. She says they plan to continue the promotion throughout the summer.

Also, Tuesdays are BYOB (Bring Your Own Bucket). You can literally bring any container up to a gallon in size to the movie and they'll fill it with popcorn for 50 cents up to three times.

A little poking around on the Carmike Cinemas Website revealed the same specials hold at Southridge 12 and Cobblestone 9 (according to the site, their Tuesday movies are $4!)

Take advantage now before school lets out and there are lots of bodies in there!

THIS JUST IN: New T-Shirts Are Here

The new SMASH-designed T-shirts promoting our fair city are here (I just need to get down to the East Village to pick them up). The design is below.

SMASH printed the T in baby blue on a hot, lemon-yellow shirt. Super cool. Sizes are 18 to 24 months (snap onesie), 2T, 4T and 6T (from what I can see, they run a little small, so order big), and they are available for $18 plus tax (and shipping if applicable).

We're anticipating a quick sell out (ala the Des Moines Baby onesie), so we're open for pre-orders. Just send an email with your size and quantity, and we'll make arrangements to get the T to the lucky kiddo in your life.

THIS JUST IN: Brenton Skating Plaza Hosts Music & A Movie

Ice skating season is over, but Brenton Skating Plaza is still entertaining the DSM masses with family-friendly movies every Friday this June.

A band starts at 7 p.m. and the movie -- E.T., Ghostbusters, The Cutting Edge, and Evan Almighty -- starts at 9 p.m.

If anyone gets a chance to check it out, drop us a review.

THIS JUST IN: Kids Dance Party Back On

Just got an email update on the first-ever kids' dance party, which had been postponed to allow for a remodeled venue. The new date is Sunday, June 22, from 1 to 4 p.m.

I'm a little bummed about the naptime scheduling, but maybe I should look at the silver lining... they're likely to sleep like angels after an event like this.

Click the image below for details.

THIS JUST IN: Voting for Little Angels Calendar is Now Open

 

THIS JUST IN: New Water Park Coming This Summer

Have you seen the commercials for the new Kokomo Kove coming to Adventureland this summer?

I just Googled it, and it looks pretty cool. They're calling it a "water play structure," and it will be available with the price of admission to Adventureland. (I'm not too totally pumped about that, as we really can't take advantage of the rest of the park with a 3- and 1-year-old).

Anyway, the play structure is going to include seven water slides, 120 different water-jet features (guns, tipping cones, hoses, umbrellas) and 90 playscapes (bridges, tunnels, ropes).

Oh, and for you parents lucky enough to have older kids, they promise 200 lounge chairs for "relaxing," whatever that means.

Watch a video here.

THIS JUST IN: Kids' Dance Party POSTPONED

UPDATE: This event has been postponed until a later date... keep watching this blog, as we'll be sure to update you.

How about this for a cool idea...

Michelle Hanson, one of the two genius minds behind baby T company Slick Sugar, wrote in to let us know about Rockabye Ball, a kids' dance party scheduled for the first Saturday in May.

For $12, kids 9 and under and their parents will get a morning full of rock-n-roll fun, including a kids DJ spinning chlid-friendly music, giveaways, snacks, bubbles, a suprise guest and a tattoo parlor (temporary of course).

Read more.