Children’s Fairyland is a relic that has been rejuvenated over the past couple of years. With a great urban location, this wonderland is a hit with the under 7 age set. With rides for even the smallest tykes, and animals that all toddlers can appreciate, this colorful amusement park has undergone a facelift to include some new features, freshly painted scenes and an excellent puppet theatre. The shows for the puppet theatre start every couple hours and last about 25minutes. The puppets are exquisitely done and the shows are based on traditional fairytales from all over the world. The food is cheap and most of all, kid friendly. Memberships come with free cotton candy and some drinks – I’ll take it. During Christmas, it is even great for the older kids since they do a wonderful Christmas wonderland. The whole place is magically lit and a very believable Santa comes every night and gives each child a great deal of attention. Then he leads a parade through the park. Watch out for his helper, who is a cat though, as my kids weren’t expecting this addition and were a little freaked out. They also host summer camps, birthday parties and acting classes for slightly older kids. They can be a bit pricey, but Fairyland is a non-profit so they charge only what they need to in order to stay afloat. Avoid paying for parking on the weekends by parking on Grand Avenue and walking across the street. Avoid wasting time with the phonebook by using globalYP.net, yellow pages that are online.

Starz Ice Cream is a local, privately-owned restaurant, though you wouldn’t have been able to tell if you walked inside. The establishment is professionally organized, with clean tile walls and flooring, superior to most chain establishments in both construction and intense attention to cleanliness. The colors used are very lively, instantly creating an air that is both friendly and fun. Starz Ice Cream only uses the best brands of ice cream and frozen yogurt for their dishes, most notably Blue Bell Ice Cream. However, they have many original and classic variations of ice cream, one of their most popular dishes being the Chunky Monkey. The Chunky Monkey, costing only a couple dollars, is a good treat for any time of the year, packed with chocolates of several kinds inside of a delicious, creamy, well-blended chocolate ice cream. Located right next to Food Lion on Trotwood Avenue, Starz Ice Cream is the perfect place to stop for a good treat after any event. They also host parties for all kinds of occasions, including birthday parties. They tend to close pretty early, especially in the Winter, so make sure you stop by earlier during the day. To find other great places in your area, visit globalYP.net, a local online directory.

There aren’t many things to do in a small town like Madera, but one of the main attractions is the bowling alley. It’s fun to go to Valley Bowl with the whole family or a group of friends. You can go during the week, or on a Saturday night. Most nights they play a constant stream of golden oldies on the radio, so you can get all nostalgic while you bowl. I’ve gone many times with my family and friends, and we always have a great time. They serve many snacks at the snack bar, from hot dogs, to nachos, the chili cheese fries. There are lots of drinks to choose from as well. They have bowling leagues, and you can join up and compete with others! They have a Men’s league, Ladies League, Mixed (co-ed) League, Youth League, and Seniors Mixed (co-ed) League, so the whole family can get in on the action. You can host your own or your kids’ birthday parties at Valley Bowl. It’s fun for all your friends, and your kids’ friends, too! So, what are you waiting for? Head on over and play a few frames! Keep your fingers crossed for a strike or two. Head on over to globalYP.net for local business listings available online.

Stop lusting over that expensive, cookie cutter “hand painted” place setting for your new dining room and stop by the Ceramic Lodge in Round Rock, Texas and paint your own! This Paint-Your-Own pottery studio is the perfect place to have fun, relax, and let the creative juices flow. With over 50 non-toxic paint colors and hundreds of bisque molds to choose from, the Ceramic Lodge is the go-to place for family fun and creativity. Create one of a kind mugs, picture frames, ornaments, plates, bowls, piggy banks, boxes, and platters and more that are perfect for around the house or unique and thoughtful gifts. Not into painting? The Ceramic Lodge also offers fused glass and Lilly Ollo pure silver workshops that are sure to please. They also offer special packages for birthday parties for children and teen and adult parties so friends can paint together in their work room that seats up to 20 people! I have painted at the ceramic lodge a number of times and have always been impressed by the competitive prices and timely return on my painted items. The friendly staff and helpful guidebooks and examples make the process very beginner friendly, so any experience at the Ceramic Lodge is enjoyable. Now, get ready, get set, and paint! Find more great businesses where you live with globalYP.net, yellow pages that are online.

Until Rock N Rollers opened in Avon, IN, I thought skating rinks were going extinct. I probably thought that partly because the one I went to as a kid shut down after a huge fire. The only one left in Indianapolis isn’t located in the safest area. We had only taken our son skating there once when he was younger. Due to the rough crowd we decided not to go anymore. Fortunately, for him, Rock N Rollers opened a couple of years ago. They have security working during all weekend and evening events, which reassures us that our son will be safe. He is a teenager now and enjoys social events with his friends. We have been able to drop him off and discretely introduce ourselves to security. We can leave him there without the anxiety that parents can sometimes feel when the teenager wants to exert independence in a social situation. In addition to excellent security, they are available for parties and regularly host all night skates. He loves to go to the all night skates and hang out with friends. He also enjoys telling us about interactions he has with his friends at the rink. As most parents know, anything that gets a teenager to open up and talk to them is worth every penny and every moment of separation anxiety we may feel as they grow into young adults. Don’t feel anxiety over trying to find something in the phone book. Find local listings online hassle free at globalYP.net.

If you have a preschooler in the Charleston, South Carolina area, you have to check out Rolly Pollies of Summerville. We discovered this great place when my five year old was invited to a birthday party there. From the moment I walked in the door, I was blown away. I was really amazed at how clean the gym was. My son immediately ran into their huge gym floor and began playing in the gigantic above ground foam pit. They also had a trampoline, jump castle and tons of mats and gymnastics equipment for the kids to play on. The best thing though was the great staff. Mr. Patrick kept the party running smoothly the whole time (I didn’t see the birthday girl’s mom have to lift her finger once). Since they only do one party at a time, our group had the whole place to ourselves, and the staff knew every kid’s name by the end of the party. What’s even cooler is that they also teach non-competitive gymnastics and physical fitness classes too. I ended up enrolling my two-year old in a class and he loves his special time with mommy at Rolly Pollies. Take it from this mom Rolly Pollies is perfect and a great place to get your kids moving in a safe, clean environment! For a fast and easy to use online directory, visit globalYP.net.

Bubbles Playhouse is the best place to host your child’s party. The owner Elaine Gil, also known as Bubbles the Clown, personally attends each party making sure that guests of all ages are having fun. Children of all ages (and adults too) are kept moving, dancing and playing throughout the entire party. The parties I have attended at Bubbles Playhouse are the most interactive parties I have been to. I like that there is always an activity for the kids to be involved in from the time you step in the door until the party is over. She also will work with to you personalize the party for your child and to accommodate the different ages of the children who will be attending the party. Best of all there is only one party at a time at Bubbles Playhouse, so you are sure to get Bubbles’ full attention. The Playhouse party room is large, colorful and very busy. There are so many things to play with and look at. In addition to hosting parties there are also fitness, kickboxing and other classes held Bubbles Playhouse. Ms. Gil herself gives back to the community. She has performed as Bubbles the Clown at hospitals and Police and Fire Department benefits. Now she has started a group at her Playhouse called Kids Gone Giving. Through this group she hopes to get children more involved in volunteering. Get more involved in your community by seeing what else it has to offer and searching on globalYP.net, local directory listings that are online.

Some people have a fear of clowns, but I guarantee that after a visit from Greenie the Clown, any child will be able to turn that frightened frown upside-down. Greenie the Clown has made herself a staple when it comes to Midland/Odessa entertainment. To start, I have had the pleasure of watching her perform simple yet mind boggling magic tricks. Greenie didn’t stop there, after indulging the kids in some balloon animals, she brought out a couple objects to create laughter both myself and my wife could enjoy. Personally, it only took a couple seconds for Greenie to bring me along for the ride, and I’m not 7 years old! One of the best traits of this unordinary clown is her interaction with children and parents. Greenie is not afraid to include some of the older “kids” in her fun and games. Just like her jokes, she is always on time, not to mention at a very competitive rate. To put it in comparison, you can have three hours of entertainment from Greenie for about the same price of 15 kids going to a ninety minute movie. If personal appearances don’t interest you, she is available for larger events like school assemblies or company picnics. To find other, affordable businesses and services, try looking on globalYP.net, a local directory available online.

There are children’s museums in many cities in the United States. Each one has its own unique flavor, and the Children’s Museum at Saratoga is truly hands on. First, it has a huge tree house inside filled with faux habitats of different creatures. Next, it has what is one of the most fun exhibits, a giant bubble maker. You take a huge bubble stick with a circle and dip it into a large base. You can actually surround yourself with a large bubble. There is a beautiful park in Saratoga Springs called Congress Park. It is recreated to an extent in the museum and the children can use the accessories in that section to make their own music. Another great section allows them to explore bones and skeletons. They have a mini bone and fracture area complete with how x-rays work. Who knows, you could have a doctor in the making. In another part of the museum is a replica of a 100-year-old attic. There is also a replica trolley, a theatre, a make believe bank, a grocery store, a post office, a fire house, a diner and a school house all reproduced in different sections of the museum. The exhibit takes hours for the children to enjoy. In addition to visits, they hold birthday parties and have lots of different packages depending on what you would like them to supply. The Museum is a great place to take the kids for fun and learning. To find more activities to do with your kids, go to GlobalYP, your local yellow pages.