Weekend Round Up
For the past month, Chris has been working night and day to prepare for the Target Family Theater Festival. It’s a festival that his theater puts on and that is sponsored by Target (totally coincidental, by the way…). The festival lasts all weekend and includes all kinds of outdoor activities for kids and then indoor performances for families. This year there were people from The Blue Man Group, magicians, singers, dancers, puppeteers, storytellers, and actors. And they all put on shows for kids!
Since Chris was working, my mom and Grandma came down to go with me and the kids. While I waited with the kids for them to arrive, we stood in a long line and waited for Bean to get his face painted. Thankfully, next to the line was a mini-golf set up, so Bean entertained himself by playing a quick round of golf.
When we got up to the face painting tent, I worried that Bean might get a little scared. They were painting kids to look like Spiderman and lions and tigers. Maybe it would freak him out? But Bean climbed up into the chair, asking for “Spidyma’am.” Rather than do a whole face, like they do with older kids, they just did a few spiderwebs for him. It was perfect and Bean was so proud of himself!
Shortly after, my mom and grandma arrived and so we headed in for our first show, Justin Roberts and the Not Ready For Nap Time Players show. He sang great kids music and must have been really popular because he packed the theater!
Bean ask Nana to take him down to the floor so he could dance, so the two of them sat front and center.
After the show, Chris stopped by and played for a while at the drum circle with Bean and our friends Dawn and Rob and their daughter, Claudia. The kids loved the drum circle. What could be more fun than beating things with tubes and shaking noise makers???
We had a really great day at the festival. As I walked around seeing all the kids and families enjoying the festivities, I beamed with pride in all the hard work Chris and his staff put into making it a special event. It’s been rough not having him around much this summer, but I’m so proud of him.
Now, let me pause and climb up on my soapbox for a minute. If you’ve never taken your kids to a theater production, then get thee to a theater! If you’re not a fan of theater, then take them to the ballet or the symphony or the opera. Most major arts institutions have children’s performances and I can guarantee you that the experience will enrich your kid’s lives. Music, acting, painting, drawing, dancing, or any other kind of art enhances a child’s creativity and gives them a view of the world that they might not normally see. A lot of people are hesitant to take their kids to arts performances because they’ve never been to them themselves, but think of it as sharing a new experience together with your kids.
So far, we’ve taken Bean to the ballet, symphony, and several different children’s plays. Sadly, through these experiences, we have learned that Bean does not have a gift for The Dance. But, we’re having fun finding the artist in him anyway!
22 Comments
Sara @ embrylovescookies
Katy, I totally agree about exposing your kids to the arts at a very young age. Even if you just download some classical music to your iPod and play it in the car, your kids will love it! My daughter’s kindergarten class went to the symphony a year ago and she’s still talking about it!
Waiting for Bulgaria
Does Sesame Street Live count as a theater production? I hope so. I do plan on taking my son to some of the broadway musicals that come to San Antonio. I love musicals. Anyway, Bean is just so cute, and it looks like y’all had an awesome time.
Heather@keepcalmandloveon
Looks like you guys had a great day. I’m down here in Texas about to stroke out because of the heat…looks like you guys had nice weather for the festival?
Ella
Looks like a fun day out! Great dance moves Bean 🙂
Diana @ A Little Bit of Life
We almost went down to the festival but decided to wait and do it next year when Jellybean is a little older and can actually appreciate some of it!
Michelle
I couldn’t agree with you more!
My grandma took me to see The Nutcracker for Christmas when I was three. My parents thought I was too young, but she politely told them they were being silly. I loved it and it became a Christmas tradition for the two of us that we have cherished through the years. My mom has since said that she wants to do that once she has grandkids, too.
My grandma also took me to see tons of plays and festival performances. I have always felt fortunate that I was able to experience those things at a young age and plan on doing as much of that as I can with my own children.
Glad you guys had a fun time and that Chris’ hard work paid off!
Britt@knewlywifed
I think that’s a great idea to expose your kids to all kinds of different things to see what their interests and talents are!
Mollie @ Jennings Brae Bank Farm
I’m a teacher and I couldn’t agree with you more. Kids should be exposed to the arts as much as possible. Whenever some of our classes get to go on that kind of field trip they just love it!
Casey
Get on that soapbox, girl! The arts are such an important way for children to get in touch with their creativity! With depleting funding from public schools and the increased emphasis on academics due to tests like FCAT, kids don’t get to be as creative as they used to in school. It’s up to us parents to show our kids that imagination is important!
Jen @ Caved In
We just took Sullivan to a jazz festival and since we play a lot of different types of music at home including jazz, he loved it.
Jody
That video was so cute! His moves look like mine after too many beers (you know, that don’t-move-too-much-or-you-may-fall-down dance?). Both of my daughters have been to plays and love them, I agree, all kids need that exposure to the arts.
Ann G-B
You really want us to believe that the Target sponsorship was really just a coincidence????
Callie
Aw, Bean is so cute! He may not have dance moves yet, but he did get a little wiggle in there!! I agree with exposing your kids to the arts; I don’t have any of my own yet, but my mother is an author so the arts in general have always been something she placed as a high priority. My favorite childhood summer memories are of attending outdoor music festivals and theater festivals. Also: Bean and Grandma sitting right by the stage made me smile. I can totally see my mom doing that one day 🙂
Nikki
I love it! I love all these types of activities, including museums, that I cannot wait to take our child to one day! When I actually have a kiddo….
Kristin H
Yay! As another theatre professional I support this soapbox statement wholeheartedly!
Gin
Don’t you dare step off that soapbox for a second, and make sure you don’t let anybody escape if they get up there with you!
I’ll be the first to admit that I am a scientist, not an artist, it is who I am and it is what I do. But, it is that scientist in me that knows how vitally important the arts are to both personal development, but humanity as a whole. I play (though not well) the saxaphone, and have been to the Nutcracker every year since I was 2 (so this year will be my 23rd year). My hope is that this decline of the arts in schools will not continue!
Ashley @ A Recipe for Sanity
If you watch that video and you DON’T smile like a maniac, I think something is wrong with you! Bean is so cute.
I’m in complete agreement with you about the arts. That was always a big priority with my parents growing up and it will definitely be my priority when I have my own kids someday. It’s too important and it affects so many other areas of a child’s life, like their academic success! Way to go, Chris for all of the hard work! Looks like a ton of fun!
P.S. Had to point out that Gracie’s face looks like, “Um, where’s the stuff for my size people? When do I get to dance around?”
Betty
That video is so cute! Congrats to Chris for pulling off that great festival, and yay for you having a husband again 🙂
All My Monkeys
OK. please tell me you noticed the twirling girl totally knock into and send the other little girl in ?orange/yellow flying.
Bean was cute too. You should feel good. My kids refuse to dance at ALL!
Lindsay (Young Married Mom)
Why is it that it looks cute when kids do this, but ridiculous when adults try? Go, Bean, go!
Calypso
Go Bean! Go!!!
Lori @ I Can Grow People
High five for giving a huge shout out to the arts! You don’t need to be an artist to enjoy the arts–art is for everyone. You don’t have to understand it, you just have to let yourself feel it.