Dancing Meatballs

  There’s no better way to start Mother’s Day than with a scrumptious brunch outing. Spring weather and tasty breakfast offerings make dining out for mom mid-morning the perfect annual tradition...

  Saturdays spent at the market often make me feel like I’m adrift in an endless sea of Goldfish crackers – especially since my kids tastes lean more generic than global...

  Even though winter has finally given way to spring, temps are still a bit chilly and most playgrounds, still deserted. With April’s showers upon us, I need to add a little variety to our usual schedule to keep my kids from becoming couch potatoes...

  Congratulations to the following 12 readers: Janine R., C.P., Robyn G., Susan W., Philippe W., Stephanie Z., Susan L., Rachel H., Tracy F., Jennifer M., Diane H. and Lisa B.

  Popcorn is a great snack for kids, especially if you make it yourself. It's reasonably healthy, incredibly easy to make (check out Alton Brown's easy methods for home popping), and even the pickiest eaters like it...

 We’re raffling off 3 family 4-packs! You simply need to (1) be a Dancing Meatball subscriber and (2) email us at contests@dancingmeatballs.com with "Baby Loves Salsa" in the subject by Sunday, 04/19/09, 11:59 P.M. EST. Winners will be announced on Monday, 04/20/09.

  Free Event Celebrating Immigrant Heritage Week – Step back in time with From Very Far Away, a free celebration of New York City’s Immigrant Heritage Week at the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden. On Saturday, 04/18 from 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M...

  Doesn’t it seem like birthday parties have taken on much more social significance than they did when we parents were kids? When I was growing up, your standard party consisted of cake and ice cream and maybe a party game or two thrown in for good measure...

Or choose from among many other characters old and new from around the world at the Penn Museum. There are so many galleries to travel through. Also included are themed games, arts/crafts and prizes for you & your friends. For ages 6-12; available Saturdays & Sundays...

 Congratulations to the following 5 readers for winning $100: fabstar23, mlptleed, kate312, steve.peters and tlvana.

  50% Discount on Patti Vasquez’s Mamacita – Comedian and local WGN radio personality Patti Vasquez knows a thing or two about being a diaper diva. See her perform Mamacita, a hilarious show about new motherhood, at the Wilmette Theater on Thursday, 03/26/09 at 8:00 P.M...

We are raffling off 3 family 4-packsto this show! You simply need to (1) be a Dancing Meatballs e-newsletter subscriber and (2) email us at contests@dancingmeatballs.com with "Monsters and Aliens" in the subject by Monday, 03/23/09, 11:59 P.M. CST. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, 03/24/09.

  With 8 kids in the communal household I share with my sister’s family, dinnertime can be challenging...

  Parents can finally share a collective sigh of relief that the days of small, dark kid-intolerant cafes are over...

  We are raffling off Three $100 cash prizes! You simply need to (1) fill out the survey by Friday 03/27/09; and 2) be a Dancing Meatballs subscriber. Winners will be announced on Monday, 03/30/09.    Dear Dancing Meatballs Reader,  In order for us to grow and improve, we need your help...

  Prix-Fixe Meals at a Discount – In the mood for some escargots en croute? Or perhaps blue cheese encrusted sirloin? Eat more for less and take advantage of Chicago’s Restaurant Week – extended until 03/06/09...

  Save $5 on Select Tickets to Dora The Explorer Live! – Dora the Explorer comes to you live at Radio City Music Hall from 04/08/09 until 04/12/09 in “Search for the City of Lost Toys.”...

  Wise moms and dads know kid-friendly means much more than offering a kids menu and crayons to young diners. It’s also a feeling of being welcome as a parent with children in tow...

  Got only 10 minutes ... Get into the groove with Universal Music's Totally '80s for Kids. Let’s face it the ‘80s are retro cool now, and although that’s making me feel a little too ancient to comprehend, even I can admit the music is just as good as ever...

  The All Aboard Diner pulls out all the stops when it comes to its family-friendly atmosphere. It’s a train lover's paradise the minute you step through the door...

  Before we had kids, my husband and I would spend hours at Sunday brunch, eating inspired breakfasts at cozy cafes while sipping strong coffee and reading the New York Times. Now that we have three kids under the age of 5, those days are long gone...

  50% Off A World-Class Tennis Showdown – Are you game to watch world-class tennis at a discount? Venus, Serena, and other top-ranked tennis stars square off in a one-night single elimination challenge for $1.2 million in prize money at the BNP Paribas at Madison Square Garden on 03/02/09...

  2-for-1 Tickets Every Tuesday in March at The Academy Of Natural Sciences – Beat the winter doldrums and head to the Natural History Museum. For the month of March, the museum admission is 2-for-1 every Tuesday. It’s a “buy one, get one free” opportunity you shouldn’t miss...

  After schlepping a two year old son and new born from playground to playground during one of the city’s worst summer heat waves, I swore I’d never do it again. Through sleuthing, trial and error, and good old-fashioned word of mouth, I’ve found some fabulous summer programs...

  I strapped on my boots to battle the frozen sidewalk with my shovel, dreaming of summer days, which reminds me – where will my son go to camp this year? I love my kid, but I am all for him burning energy on someone else’s watch...

I always keep a hefty stash of bananas in my house. It's the perfect finger food for baby Molly and the perfect lunchbox snack for her big brothers Declan and Ronan...

  Try Baby Plays for Free – Constantly buying new toys for your growing tot? Why not give renting a try? BabyPlays is the Netflix of baby booty – sign up for a monthly plan and choose from a variety of safety-tested and sanitized toys for your baby. Keep them for a month or longer...

  Not to get all Oprah on you, but it’s a new year, a new administration, and a time of new hope in our country. What better time to pull your kids away from the Wii to go out into the world and give back? Volunteering in New York can feel a bit overwhelming. You want to get involved . . ...

  These days it’s hard to find a balance between saving money and having fun. Local museums and attractions can be a big budget buster, especially when you add up admission costs, snacks and everything else that goes along with a family outing...

Let's face it: not everyone's got an inner Martha Stewart. But, even you can get active in the kitchen with your kids...

  I got no argument from the kids, when I packed them up and headed out to lunch at the Trolley Car Diner in Mt. Airy. They love the retro diner with an actual 1948 trolley car. And the flashing neon sign is the largest in the city, which always wows the little ones...

  Send Your Valentine’s Flowers Early and Save 25% – Roses are red, violets are blue . . . and it’s never too early to surprise your valentine! Send your valentine flowers from 1-800-Flowers.com before 02/12/09, and receive 25% off the floral bouquet of your choice...

  $75 off the Pennsylvania Ballet – In the mood for a little Love and Longing? Get your fix at the Merriam Theater where the Pennsylvania Ballet performs Love and Longing, a set of three contemporary works that explore romance and heartbreak through dance...

  These days buying used kids items has become a personal no-brainer. It’s environmentally friendly, and is much less of a nuisance on my ever-tightening family budget...

  Got only 10 minutes ... Try making some alphabet fun with the recently-released Sara Midda puzzle book, How to Build an A. The book comes with a bunch of puzzle pieces that join to form letters of the alphabet. This is a quick way to let kids get a real “feel” for the ABC’s...

  The first time my husband and I dined at Distrito with another couple, we whispered to each other, "The kids would love it here!" Don't get me wrong: our kids aren't fine dining connoisseurs...

  Chicago's unforgiving winter weather might be tough, but wrangling a stir-crazy terrible-twoer who is fed up with his own toys is ten times tougher. Add a tiny two-month-old to the mix, and climbing the walls alongside my kids doesn't seem like such a bad idea...

  “Pay The Weather” When You Visit the Philadelphia Zoo - Get polar with the penguins at the Philadelphia Zoo. Until 02/27/09, you’ll “Pay the Weather” to enter: as temperatures drop, so do admission prices. If it’s in the 40s outside, you’ll only pay $4 per person. In the 30s, $3...

  Save 50% on Elmo Makes Music - Tickle your kids by taking them to see Elmo and friends, performing live in Elmo Makes Music. The gang from Sesame Street will be at the WaMu Theater in Madison Square Garden from 02/05/09 to 02/15/09...