We've been on vacation for the past week! We go to the Outer Banks of North Carolina every year so you would think that we've seen everything there is to see there. But we're still making discoveries of new and cool places to visit! Flippers Arcade is one of those places. It's not in the Outer Banks but on the way, in Grandy, which is the perfect place for a pit stop on the way home to keep the fun going.

Flippers isn't huge but it is packed with arcade games. There are traditional skee ball and air hockey and a few racing games but the real highlight are the dozens of pinball machines that line the back and side walls. There are over 60 machines in all, and seeing all of them was almost as fun as playing them. There was a Metallica pinball machine, South Park, Flintstones, and Game of Thrones, among others. In the way back of the store are some vintage arcade games, including Asteroids, Cetepede,  Pac-Man and Tron.






My only complaint was that the tokens work out to be a little pricey, since almost every game requires two (to four) to play. And not many machines give tickets so the kids were a little upset when it came time to trade them in, there weren't many options for low ticket counts. Luckily there's pizza and soda and ice cream and candy available for purchase which you can distract them with.

On our recent trip to Philly we also stopped by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. So much fun to be had in this space -- I could probably write several thousand words about how well curated their collection is and how much fun it would be for littles to walk through! Instead, though, I'll write several hundred about some of the fun books we found in the gift shop and took home to read.



Kid Artists: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends by David Stabler. I brought this back as a souvenir for Anouk and we've been reading a chapter or two every night before bed. Who ever imagined Picasso of Van Gogh as a little kid? But it makes these greats seem very accessible and gives a hint into why they focused their art the way they did. For instance, knowing Beatrix Potter was the lonely child of rich and inattentive parents makes you really appreciate the tiny animal friends she created for herself. Knowing Theodore Geisel (AKA Dr. Seuss) was bullied mercilessly at school makes you understand why he would want to escape into a world of fun and silliness. There's a Kid Athletes and Kid Presidents volume in the series, too.




The Game of Patterns by Herve Tullet: Tullet of Press Here fame has a whole series of books that we got to play with at the museum's play area. The Game of Patterns, The Game of Finger Worms, The Game of Shapes. They were beautifully done like all of Tullet's works and a nice break from ducks and rabbits and traditional board book fare.



A is for Art Museum by Katy Friedland. Alphabet books are nothing new but this one highlights a masterpiece seen at PMA for each letter. The text also helps children begin to understand how to see and talk about art. (Next to Picasso's Three Musicians: "M is for music. Three men dressed in costumes play music. Can you see the circles and lines of their musical notes?") Friedland's other books is Art Opposites which also focuses on the PMA collection.

I wish we could go back to Philadelphia Museum of Art soon because their Wild: Mike Nichols exhibit opens at the end of June with tons of photographs of the natural world and creatures in it. If you can't make it either, see a trailer for the exhibit here.

West Ghent is a quiet area of town but can be the perfect place to spend a morning or afternoon. We found our way there with friends a week or two ago and visited some of our favorite Ghent spots and sights -- and found some new ones to explore as well. Our walk started off on Redgate Avenue, looped down to the Chelsea neighborhood, and back. All in all, we spend about three hours exploring, and saw some really amazing things.

The first was the Wishing Tree on the median on Redgate. You can't miss it, with the rectangles of bright paper fluttering from its branches. Feel free to write and leave your wish, and then spend a little time reading and reflecting on others. (NOTE: there were pencils and paper provided when we went but you might want to put some markers or crayons in your bag to bring along if you want something brighter and more colorful).

If you keep walking down Redgate to Langley, you'll reach the Elizabeth River Trail, which runs by the river for over nine miles. If you head one way you'll reach Norfolk State University; the other and you'll eventually get to Harbor Park. But in the meantime you can experience the river ecosystem and stretch your legs on this walking and bicycle trail.

If you head north on the trail, one of the sights you can see is the Weyanoke Bird and Wildflower Sanctuary, which we wrote about years ago for My Active Child. We love this sleepy, simply, but beautiful spot. The park is maintained by the Cape Henry Audubon Society and open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays (though you can call ahead to arrange a visit).

On your way back, stop for coffee and a scone at the Bakehouse at Chelsea. We LOVE their wood-fired pizza!

Ever since Darcy blogged about Philadelphia's Magic Gardens yeaaaaars ago I knew that I wanted to go there. A few weeks ago during a girls' weekend in the city, I got the opportunity to do just that and to take Gus along.

The Magic Gardens is an outdoor art installation featuring sprawling mosaics made by artist Isaiah Zagar. The mosaics are made up of bits of broken plates and tile, mirror, and ceramic cast by Zagar himself. At first it seems like total chaos, but after a while you realize that the flow of the mosaics highlight different aspects of the artist's life, his marriage and friendships, his feelings about himself. Altogether the space spans several different levels and is twisty turny. We went through the exhibit several times and saw something new on each turn. NOTE: there is a lot of nudity to see, as Zagar seemed to enjoy depicting it very much! Something to keep in mind based on your comfort level with this subject matter.

I especially liked the Magic Gardens because the little ones could enjoy it even without knowing all this backstory. They loved creeping up and down the stairs and popping into the little cubbies and hideyholes all over the place. For older kids, the staff has arranged a scavenger hunt, and I wished so hard Anouk was there to help me find each little bitty shard.








Besides the outdoor space there was an interior gallery with more examples of Zagar's (non-mosaic) work and a small but awesome gift store.

The Magic Gardens has a ton of family friendly events including mosaic workshops, twilight events, and hands on family fun. If you're local or planning a trip, click here for more info.

Ahoy, mateys, it's June! The 18th annual Blackbeard Pirate Festival happens in Hampton on June 3 and June 4. Then on June 2, the much anticipated Rockin Rollin roller rink opens for the summer at MacArthur Center. June 3 is the 29th annual Clean the Bay Day, if you're looking to help make our beaches beautiful for summer. Registration is required, but there are a few walk-up locations.

Get outside for some stargazing on June 6Boardwalk Astronomy at the Oceanfront from 6:00 to 11:00 PM. If you can't make it, the Pretlow Planetarium at ODU is holding a free planetarium show and then a stargazing session the next evening, June 7. . The Virginia Beach Planetarium hosts

June 9-11: time for Harborfest, with all its fun! Visit the historic Francis Land House for a magical day of gardening and fairy-themed activities on June 10. Also on June 10: fireworks at the Portsmouth waterfront, one of the biggest pyrotechnics shows on the East Coast!

Spend an afternoons the week of June 12 at the Mt. Trashmore carnival, which runs throughout the month.

On June 17, Virginia Zoo will host a day at the Zoo for people with disabilities. Admission to the Zoo will be free for people with disabilities and a caregiver from 10 AM to 2 PM. ASL and Braille resources will be provided. That evening, you can check out a movie (Pete's Dragon!) at Portsmouth City Park. Suffolk Public Library hosts a day of free fun, including a bike parade. Virginia PrideFest is this weekend, too (We love the Pride Boat Parade.)

Get ready for the cuteness, because the Teeny Tiny Farm will be at the Great Neck Library in Virginia Beach Tuesday, June 20.

Saturday, June 24, is World Giraffe Day and the Virginia Zoo is celebrating with giraffe-themed activities. You can also see the new white rhino that is arriving this month. And why not take tea in the garden at the Hunter House Victorian Museum on Sunday the 25th?

On June 30, get ready for Family Fun at the Chrysler Museum. That evening, be thankful for Ocean View at the Thank Goodness It's Ocean View concert! There will be activities and games for kids in addition to music.

NOTE: Dates and times are subject to change, so please remember to check and confirm the details for an event in advance to be sure. MCK is not to be held responsible for missed events and bummed out kids! 

What else is going on around town in May? Drop your link and info in the comments!