Animal Grossology at The Academy of Natural Sciences (and a GIVEAWAY!)

GROSS!


I hear this phrase at least a dozen or more times for day. My girls are simultaneously amazed by nature and completely grossed out by nature. Whether it's the bug crawling on the driveway or the random animal poo at the park, there is something to learn, even in the disgusting stuff.


Author Sylvia Branzei knew this when she write Animal Grossology, one of several in her Grossology children’s book series. The book was a big hit and is traveling the country as a hands-on exhibit. Philadelphia, are you ready to get grossed out? Because Animal Grossology has arrived at The Academy of Natural Sciences!

Animal Grossology was a ROARING success!

We got to check out the exhibit a few weeks ago right before it opened on May 16. We are BIG fans of The Academy of Natural Sciences, and it was a special treat to get a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Animal Grossology exhibit. We got to test our knowledge about blood, learn about vomit and get the scoop on poop as we perused the various stations. I don't want to give *too* much away, but suffice it to say it was educational, hilarious and most definitely gross!

"Owl pellets?! EW! GROSS!"

Animal Grossology offers a fresh take on some of the more disgusting things animals do and engages visitors in how blood, vomit, pellets, dookie, and slime can be fun, funky and even fascinating. Visitors will:

• See larger-than-life bloodsuckers and learn where they store blood in their bodies. 
• Learn why a cat’s anatomy is the reason why cats spit up hairballs. 
• Unravel the mystery of the incredible tapeworm. 
• Discover how snail and slug slime may lead to a treatment for cystic fibrosis. 
• Find out why cows chew cud. 

In addition to the exhibit, educators at the Academy’s Carts of Curiosity will engage visitors with live animals and animal products with gross origins (honey, silk, perfume and a type of coffee made from a certain animal feces). On most Wednesdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., visitors will be able to witness the dissection of a worm, squid, urchin, or eye of a cow.

Really? You just need to check it out for yourselves! Animal Grossology is on view through Aug. 30. Tickets may be purchased online at ansp.org.

BUT WAIT!

The great people at the Academy of Natural Sciences would like to award one lucky reader 1-day admission for 4 to the museum as well as a family 4 Pack of tickets to the Animal Grossology exhibit!


To enter: fill out the Rafflecopter below! (Giveaway ends on Wednesday, May 10. I will pick and email a lucky winner thereafter!)

Note: entering this giveaway entitles you to receive the Academy’s enewsletter. You can unsubscribe from the enewsletter at any time.

Happy Winning!


a Rafflecopter giveaway



This post was sponsored by The Academy of Natural Sciences.

Summer Boredom Busters Week 2: 7/8-7/12

Last week's Summer Boredom Busters post was a hit! I'm hoping you found some new ideas and inspiration on fun things to do with your kids. I'm going to do my best to have a new list each week so we can go into each week armed with some new ideas. 

Here are 5 more ideas for making most of your (and your children's) week!

Week of 7/8-7/12

$1 Family Movies

It's been hot as a boy band in Philly, and it doesn't look like it will be letting up soon. Nothing beats the heat like sitting in a nice cool movie theatre enjoying some cinematic entertainment, amright? I know for me, I often pass on taking my kids to the movies because it's costly. And since they are so young, I can't guarantee they'll sit still through an entire movie, which would make a $10 ticket a total waste. Well, then let me tell you about the Regal Movie Express. HELLO!  $1 movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays! (And part of the proceeds go to the Will Rogers Institute). All the movies are family-friendly, with most of the films being specifically geared toward younger kids. Check out the schedule for your local theatre - there are a few theaters in most states! Our local Regal in Downingtown should be on Week 5 of the schedule, so this week Coraline and ParaNorman are on the schedule. That might be a bit too "scary" for our girls, so we might opt for next week's The Lorax or Big Miracle.

Reading Nook/Fort

Courtesy alannageorge.com from her post
http://www.alannageorge.com/2012/07/11/summer-day-camp-hula-hoop-hideout/ 

I came across this super cute idea on Pinterest, and had to try it out! My kids love forts, and this canopy-via-hula-hoop idea seemed perfect (and, if I might add, somewhat princess-y, which is always a plus for Chica and Bug). We attempted it last week, and it did not come out nearly as pretty - but the girls LOVED it. And really, that's all that mattered, right? You can get cheap shower curtains at Kmart or Walmart (or you may just have one lying around), and hula hoops are literally $2 or $3. We had to cut our hoop, then duct-tape it into a smaller hoop so the shower curtain could cover more area. We have exposed beams in our screened porch, so we set it up there with twine we had lying around. You could string it up with ribbon or any kind of string you might have.  Check out Alanna George's post for more instruction.

Pick Your Own Fruit

Fresh fruit. Does it get any better than fresh fruit?!  Well, actually yes, it does. Fresh fruit you pick yourself. We are lucky to live near several local orchards who have the option of PYO (pick-your-own) produce during the various growing seasons. I take my girls to the same orchard my mom took me to as a kid: Highland Orchard. As a kid, we would pick peaches in the Summer, apples in the Fall. Now, I take my kids to every opportunity that Highland Orchard offers! Last month we picked strawberries with friends. During the Summer we'll pick blueberries and peaches. In the autumn we'll go back for apples and pumpkins. I am hoping to make it over this week, as blueberries and black raspberries just came ripe for picking.  This is a quick schedule of their harvests. Check out what PYO orchards are local to you on PickYourOwn.org.

Make Fruit Crisp

Now that you've picked your own fruit, it's high time you make some delicious homemade Fruit Crisp!  If you can't get to orchard to pick your own, try to hit up your local farmer's market and support your local farms!  I love fruit crisp. Borderline obsessed. And it's a little less intensive than making a homemade pie (although I am a pretty fantastic pie maker), which allows your kids to help you make the top crumble part. Get those kids involved in kitchen endeavors, people! During the Summer, I opt for making peach crisp or blueberry crisp (or, in the wise words of Joey Tribiani: Put your hands together. A peach-blueberry crisp would be divine). I have a very simple fruit crisp recipe that can be adapted for any kind of fruit or season: Steph's Fruit Crisp Recipe. Apologies, as the post is from years ago when I was a new blogger, so it's not terribly pretty. Also also, warning: it is a very butter-laden recipe. You can cut back on the butter, but I will say it does make it truly delectable. It's a treat, right? 

Visit a Science Museum

School may be out for the Summer, but that doesn't mean the learning can't continue on. And luckily, there are kid-friendly science museums all around the country that make science pretty darn cool. Also? They are air-conditioned, which is a bonus option for uber hot days. Three of my favorite local science museums to take kids to are the Franklin Institute and the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philly, as well as the Delaware Museum of Natural History.  Each of these museums has fantastic kid-centric attractions (including dinosaurs), and you can really make a day out of visiting each one. Pack a lunch and have a picnic or adventure to a new cafe for a day of fun!



Where will your adventures take you to this week? What crafts, recipes or activities will you be trying? I want to hear all about it, so leave a comment and inspire us all with new Boredom Buster ideas (heck, I may even feature your idea in an upcoming post!)

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