Mark your calendar for these awesome Central Illinois family events. Visit the PeoriaParent.com calendar for full info, and other fun events. Check back continually for updates.

FREE Admission to the Peoria Zoo until Feb 12

Be the Dinosaur™ Life in the Cretaceous at Lakeview Museum runs until May 20

Feb 3-4: Monster Jam

Feb 3-4: Midwest Truck & Trailer Show

Feb 3, 17: Friday Night Fun at Jump Start

Feb 4: Bradley Women's Basketball Family Fun Day

Feb 4: Home Depot Kids Workshop: Keepsake Box

Feb 4: PAWS to Read at Dunlap Public Library

Feb 4, 8: Story Time at Fired Up! Rainbow Fish

Feb 4: Winter Tales with the Peoria Prairie Tellers

Feb 7: Black History Storytime at Peoria Public Library Lincoln Branch

Feb 7: Owl Prowl at Forest Park

Feb 9: Valentine Puppet Show at Peoria Public Library Lincoln Branch

Feb 9: Daring Program for Girls at Fondulac Library

Feb 10: Owl Prowl at Wildlife Prairie State Park

Feb 11: Chillicothe Bald Eagle Watch

Feb 11: FREE Build & Grow Clinic at Lowes: Valentine Card Creator

Feb 11: Sign and Valentine Party!

Feb 11: Mother Nature's Story Corner

Feb 11-12: Auditions for the Corn Stock for Kids production of Cinderella

Feb 11: Buddy Bash at Jump Start Gymnastics

Feb 11: Val Pal Bash at Jump Start

Feb 17- Mar 4: Garish Garden Show

Feb 17: Moonlight Walk at Wildlife Prairie State Park

Feb 18: NASA Climate Days at Lakeview Museum

Feb 18: Junior Chefs at Fondulac Library

Feb 19: National Engineers Week at Lakeview Museum

Feb 21: Owl Prowl at Camp Wokanda

Feb 25: THE FRESH BEAT BAND

Feb 25: A Sunny Day with Julie K: Children's Hospital of Illinois Benefit

Feb 25: FREE Build & Grow Clinic at Lowes: Rumblin' Race Car

Feb 25: Kids in the Kitchen at Fondulac Library

Feb 25: Kids in Motion Open Gym at Jump Start

Feb 26: Opening Day at Wildlife Prairie State Park - FREE ADMISSION!

Feb 28-29: Knee High Naturalists- The Deep Blue Sea

Feb 29: Leap Day Event at the Zoo!

We are Broad Branch Farm - a local organic family farm growing organic vegetables and raising pastured chickens for eggs and meat, pastured hogs and grass fed grass finished beef. We are growers, consumers, and strong advocates for local organic agriculture. We are raising 3 daughters on the farm and they have learned to appreciate from an early age the amazing food we raise here on the farm. And what we don't raise ourselves, we find local organic farmers who do.

And we share our harvest through a Community Supported Agriculture program or CSA. With delivery to Peoria and Peoria Heights, customers purchase a share of the harvest of vegetables, eggs, and meat. Customers receive a delivery every week or every other week for vegetables and eggs and once a month for the meat shares.

If you cross all these activities off, then you’ll have an AWESOME winter! Also, look at the PeoriaParent.com calendar for additional ideas! Happy winter!

- The Peoria Zoo is fun regardless of the weather, so go to the zoo. It’s FREE admission until Feb 12

- “Be the Dinosaur” at Lakeview Museum’s newest exhibit from Jan 28 – May 20. Learn about the Life of Cretaceous Dinosaurs.

- See the animals frolic at Wildlife Prairie State Park on a weekend. AND visit Gertie the Groundhog on Feb 2, Groundhog’s Day.

- Do a winter, nature hike at Forest Park Nature Center. Do a compare & contrast from a summer & fall hike with your kids

- Thursdays at Jillians is Family Day. For $5, get a kid’s meal and a $10 game card. What a bargain for $5.

- Attend one of the Peoria Civic Center’s big events: Nickolodeon’s The Fresh Beat Band, Skippy, John Jones Theatre, Monster Jam Trucks, and more

- Show your home team spirit with the Bradley Braves Basketball and Rivermen Hockey teams.

- Participate in your local libraries awesome story times and craft times. And, of course, read and check out great books!

- At the next big snowfall, go sledding, make snow angels, throw snowballs, and build a snowman.

- If you want to play indoors, burn energy at Monkey Joes and Rainbow Play Systems.

- Watch a movie matinee. It’s $4 at Landmark, and $5.50 at Willow Knolls.

- Sign up for fun lessons with your local park district.

- Go for a day trip to the Children’s Museum of Normal!

Junior League of Peoria Press Release

The Junior League of Peoria will host its fourth annual Frolic with the Fairies Mother Daughter Tea and Style Show on Saturday, March 10, 2012 in the Par-A-Dice Hotel Ballroom.

The grand ballroom will be transformed into a magical Winter Wonderland where daughters can model their fairy costumes and dine on a light, themed meal. Entertainment includes the décor of McKinley Park Events, the ballerinas of Peoria Ballet, and the music of JulieK. Tickets are $30 each or Tables of ten may be reserved for $250. Tea times are 9:00 am, 12:30 pm, or 4:00 pm. Please don’t miss this unique event! Proceeds support Junior League of Peoria and its mission to build a better community.

Alternatively, a ladies-only “Mad Hatter Tea Party” will be held the night before, March 9 from 6-10 pm. Tickets are $25 each and include heavy hors d’oeuvres, a signature drink, a Mad Hat costume contest, and a specialized shopping experience in the Winter Wonderland.

Reservations are limited! To reserve your seat to one of the tea parties, please contact the Junior League of Peoria office at 309.685.9312. For additional information, visit www.juniorleagueofpeoria.org.

Join now to receive a FREE membership to the coolest club in town! Members must be 12 years or under, and be AWESOME Peoria Chiefs fans. All members will receive the following for FREE! Sign up online today!

- 1 box ticket to SIX Kids Club games
(April 18, May 23, June 6, July 11, July 25, August 15)
- Super cool official membership card
- Run the bases after every Kids Club game (except June 6)
- Chance to throw out the first pitch for Kids Club games
- Chance to paint the plate for Kids Club games
- Chance to be the play ball kid for Kids Club games
- Chance to participate in the High Five Tunnel for one of the Kids Club games
- Chance to be guest P.A. Announcer for a half inning
- April to September Newsletter
- Awesome meet the team party with Chiefs players
- Packet Pick Up Party before first Kids Club game
- Kids Club Appreciation Night with chances to win GREAT prizes
- Kids Club Happy Hour with FREE inflatables 1 hour before every Chiefs home game
- Kids Club member for each home game (winner will win tickets, and be honored pre game)

Kindermusik at Trinity sessions run from Feb 13-May 28. Morning and afternoon music and movement classes for infants through age 7 and their caregiver. Discover how the power of music can help your child grow socially, academically, physically and emotionally! For more info visit www.kindermusikpeoria.com for complete schedule.

Cock-a-Doodle-MOO (birth to 1½ yr)
Hop on the hayride—it’s time to head for the farm! In this class, you will sing songs about the farm, including “Old MacDonald,” “Hayride,” and “Clever Cows.” You’ll engage in rituals and playful activities with your baby, including infant massage, lap bounces, exercise, and quiet time. Your home materials include: 1 Home CD with lyrics, Sunshine Jingle instrument, Picture book of farm animals and the sounds they make, Art banners to strengthen vision and promote early literacy

Dew Drops (birth to 1½ yr)
Stop and smell the roses—and lily of the valley, and tulips, and pansies. In this class, parents and babies will play and move together to songs about flowers, such as “Jasmine Flower,” “How Does Your Garden Grow?,” and “White Coral Bells.” You’ll also hear traditional Irish music, dance a jig and move to the “Irish Trot.”
Your home materials include: 1 Home CD with lyrics, Flower Bells instrument, Picture board book of colorful flowers, Art banners to strengthen vision and promote early literacy

Away We Go(1½ to 3½ yr)
Hop on the train, get in the car, board the plane, and Away We Go! This class focuses on transportation, a favorite topic for toddlers who are on the go, go, go! Sing and play along with favorite songs, such as “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad” and “Wheels on the Bus”. Explore fast and slow, smooth and bumpy, and high and low. Read stories about ways to get around. Shiny Dinah tells the story of a train, and Giddy-Up! has a horse, speedboat, racecar, and more to help you get where you want to go.
Your home materials include: 2 Home CD with lyrics and sounds, Two harmonicas (one for your toddler and one for you), 2 Storybooks(Shiny Dinah and Giddy Up!) to develop early literacy skills

Toys I Make~Trips I Take (3½ to 5 yr)
Think of it like taking a course inside a child’s imagination. We’ll use the theme of a toy shop to make our pretend-creations, using rhythm and songs with every imaginary saw, hammer, and nail. The result is building the preschooler’s sense of a sequence of events, which is good for storytelling, as well as making his ideas a reality. Your home materials include: 2 Home CD, Toys I Make, Trips I Take Play Set and a drum, 2 books— If I Had a Big Blue Boat and Tippity Tippity Too

Kindermusik for the Young Child!™ (5 to 7 yr)
Semester 2 Playing simple musical patterns and songs on the featured instrument from the first session—the glockenspiel—is a central focus this semester. While learning to sing a melody, and then play the pattern on the glockenspiel, we'll delve deeper into the understanding of musical concepts such as piano and forte through orchestra-style music such as the William Tell Overture and Peter and the Wolf. Music appreciation and understanding continues with a complete introduction to the instruments—and the families in which they're grouped—of the orchestra.
Semester 4 - In this final semester, we'll introduce the recorder instrument. As your child is introduced to basic methods of playing simple melodic patterns and songs on this wind instrument, we'll also incorporate the instruments, concepts, and songs from previous semesters. With a special emphasis on multicultural music, your child will learn to improvise and write music, as well as experience the musical styles of the Pacific Islands, Europe, and Africa; plus play special dances and children's games from around the world, including Alpine dances, Mexico, and Ecuador. Your home materials include: Children’s folder with stickers, 1 Home CD of music from class, Family Songbook, Glockenspiel (Semester 2), Soprano Recorder (Semester 4)

Family Time “Our Kind of Day” (multi-age)
Music time isn't just at music class, it's all day long! What better way to build family bonds than to sprinkle music and movement throughout playtime, mealtime, clean-up time, bath time, and nighttime? At each lesson, parents are given ideas for creativity and insights into their child’s development. With catchy songs such as “Wishy, Washy, Wee” for bath time, “Go Into the Kitchen” for mealtime, and "Love Somebody" at bedtime—parenting becomes easier and a lot more fun! Over the course of 10 weeks, each lesson is packed with singing, listening, story time, puppet play, creative movement, instrument play, family jams, and sharing. Your home materials include: 2 Books—Bouncing on the Bed and Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, 2 Home CD with lyrics, 2 double-egg shaker instruments, Family Guide, domino game

Add some sunshine to your day and a ray of hope for children and families! Come out and enjoy a festive lunch and kids fashions show along with a kids concert by award winning children's recording artist Julie K who will brighten your day!!!

It's a great way to support the Children's Hospital, so round up your friends and grab a table. Buy your tickets today! Call the Foundation Office at 309-566-5666. $45 per adult, $15 per child, $400 per table

February 25, 2012 11:00 AM
Embassy Suites Conference Center

Mark your calendar for these awesome Central Illinois family events. Visit the PeoriaParent.com calendar for full info, and other fun events. Check back continually for updates.

FREE Admission to the Peoria Zoo for the whole month of January

January 5: College Admissions 101

January 7: Home Depot Kids Workshop: Make a Savings Shed

January 7: Bald Eagle Day at Forest Park Nature Center

January 7: Peoria Push Derby Dames

January 7: Heartland Festival Orchestra New Year's Greeting: Vienna To Broadway

January 10: College Visits: Why, When, How?

January 13: Penguine Project 2012 presents: Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr.

January 14: FREE Build & Grow Clinic at Lowes: Castle

January 14: Bald Eagle Day- Pekin Library

January 14: Parent's Night Out at Jump Start

January 17: Movie: "March On!...

January 18: Harlem Globetrotters

January 19: “The Lion & the Mouse” Puppet Show

January 21: Family Fest 2012

January 23: Award-Winning Pajama Storytime

January 24: Knee High Naturalists- Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland

THE FRESH BEAT BAND live in concert at the Peoria Civic Center. Feel the beat on Saturday, February 25, 2012, at 3:30 pm at the Peoria Civic Center Theater.

The Fresh Beat Band, Nickelodeon's popular preschool music group and stars of the hit TV series of the same name, will hit the road in February 2012 for the first time ever on a 15-week nationwide concert tour. The tour will include a stop at the Peoria Civic Center Theater on Saturday, February 25. Kiki (Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer), Shout (Thomas Hobson), Marina (Tara Perry), and Twist (Jon Beavers) will perform The Fresh Beat Band hits from seasons one, two and three of the live-action music series that teaches preschoolers about music appreciation and how to express their feelings through movement, song and instrumental music. Fresh Beat Band Party packages, which include a meet and greet with The Fresh Beat Band will be available.

Tickets on sale November 18 at 10 am, $25, $29 and $35 at the Peoria Civic Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and online at Ticketmaster.com.

It is FREE admission to the Peoria Zoo until Feb 12. Visiting the zoo animals in the winter is a great experience. Donations are appreciated. For more info, visit peoriazoo.org.