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Spring Into Fun at the St. Pete Pier’s Spring Festival! cover

Spring Into Fun at the St. Pete Pier’s Spring Festival!

Home / Easter / Easter Egg Hunts and Events Easter is right around the corner and the St. Pete Pier is bringing back one of our favorite events – the Spring Festival and Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 30! What to Expect at the Spring Festival The festival will have tons of family-friendly entertainment…

Footgolf at Disney World
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The Coolest Non-Theme Park Things to Do at Disney World: FootGolf, Fishing, and MORE!

Did you know you can spend your entire trip to Walt Disney World and not step foot into the parks and still have a magical time? We’re showing you how!

Danielle Bayard Jackson
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Moms to Know: Danielle Bayard Jackson, Friendship Coach, Educator & Author

With schedules that are packed with playdates, sports, school, and the many other ways we socialize our kids, what, then, is left for us parents who also dream of a Monica to our Rachel? This is where a Friendship Coach comes in.

ZooTampa Manatee Critical Care Center
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ZooTampa’s Manatee Hat Trick: Rescue, Rehab, Release 

Manatees are among Tampa Bay’s natural gifts. Aquatic mammals and herbivores, manatees spend spring days swaying through our area’s warming waters. Endangered species, manatees don’t thrive in water colder than 68 degrees. With no natural predators, cold temperatures and boat propellors are manatees’ greatest threats. Through more than 20 years of life-saving work, ZooTampa’s world-renowned…

Spring Break destinations for families
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Spring Break is for Families: The Best Sunny or Snowy Destinations of the Season

Whether hitting the slopes or the beach is your idea of a perfect family adventure, you can enjoy your dream vacation in spring. We asked writer Terry Ward, an expert on family travel who’s visited 14 countries with her two children (ages 6 and 7), to share her top domestic and international picks for the…

Library Resources for toddlers

Top Library Resources for Parents of Toddlers and Preschoolers

Looking for some fun free things to do with your little one? Look no further than your local library! Check out some of our favorite library resources for toddlers: Early Learning Hives Located at Riverview Public Library, New Tampa Regional Library and Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, our early learning hives are designated spaces for…

Mono

Understanding Mononucleosis: A Comprehensive Guide

Mononucleosis, often known as ‘mono,’ is a contagious disease primarily caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Commonly affecting teenagers and young adults, mono is notorious for its fatigue-inducing capabilities, alongside other symptoms such as fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and occasionally, an enlarged spleen. Understanding mono’s transmission methods, symptoms, treatment options, and preventive measures…

Prevent Summer Slide Shorecrest Prep summer camps
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5 Fun and Easy Ways to Prevent Summer Slide

It seems that each year as students return from spring break, there is a sense of anticipation in the air. Summer is nearly upon us, and families are penciling summer camps and family vacations into their calendars. (Or, if your family is anything like mine, you are just beginning to plan your child’s summer activities. No…

Supporting Developmental Disabilities

Embracing Unique Abilities: Supporting Developmental Growth for Every Child

As we dive into March, we embark on a journey of awareness and understanding, shining a light on Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. It’s a time when we come together to celebrate every child’s unique abilities and talents and to ensure that families have the support they need to navigate any challenges along the way. At…

Half-day camps at Corbett Prep kids with slime

Half-Day Summer Camps Combine for Full-Day Fun

Your kids want summer camps where they can battle robots, decorate cupcakes, design video games and play with American Girl dolls and Legos. Your goals for them are academic practice, exercise, time away from screens and maybe an opportunity to try a new activity. Can one Tampa summer camp accomplish all that before school is…

Child Life specialists help care for the whole family

Care for the Whole Family: Child Life Specialists

When Ashlyn Strathman had surgery as a high schooler, it was a member of the hospital’s Child Life team who eased her nerves by giving the teen a hospital tour and teaching her relaxation techniques. Today, with a master’s degree in Child Life Studies, Strathman works at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in a role that…

Florida Strawberries

The SWEETEST THING: The Florida Strawberry

Did you know February is Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month? In fact, Plant City is recognized as the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World and is the dominant supplier of strawberries in the United States from November through March. Pretty sweet, right? Here’s another fun fact: Most of our Florida strawberries are grown within a 20-mile…

Ready for Kindergarten

They’re Ready… But Are You? (It’s time to sign up for kindergarten!)

Alright mamas, hold onto your heartstrings … especially if you have a preschooler! It’s time… To register them… For KINDERGARTEN! (And the sobs were heard round the bay.) Don’t worry; Hillsborough County Public Schools makes getting ready for kindergarten easy for you and fun for them! Schools across the district will hold Kindergarten Ready Open…

Valentine's Day lunchbox ideas pop tarts

Adding Lunchbox Love is easy with these simple tips from @Lunchboxmafia!

Hello friends! It’s Jenny from @Lunchboxmafia sharing some easy Valentine’s ideas to make your kiddo’s lunch box extra special—and delicious. Check out these ways to bring hearts, pink and red, and everything sweet into your little one’s Valentine’s Day breakfast and lunch. Valentine’s Day Lunchbox Ideas: A Pop of Flavor These mini pop tarts taste…

Gorrie Elementary School Tampa
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Kids to Know: The Students of Gorrie Elementary School in Tampa

When Gorrie Elementary School mother Haylie Katz discovered Bess the Book Bus, she immediately thought of her children’s school community. With a committed PTA team that partners with nonprofits monthly to teachers who encourage students’ kindness potential, this neighborhood school has nurtured many standout kids to know.   How did collecting for Bess the Book…

Black History Month at the library

Celebrating Black History Month: A Journey of Learning and Empowerment for Families

February is the month of love and a time to celebrate and honor Black History Month. It’s an opportunity for families to come together and explore the richness of African American history, culture and contributions. Families that foster an inclusive understanding of different heritages can empower our children to appreciate diversity and promote a more harmonious society….

tampa ymca summer camp options

Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA and YMCA of the Suncoast Offer Plenty of Summer Camp Options for Families

Fun Fact: America’s first known summer camp was opened in 1885 by the YMCA, Camp Dudley in Orange Lake, New York. It has been a mainstay of Y programming since then. Thanks to the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA and YMCA of the Suncoast – from Citrus to Pinellas County – there is a Summer Camp…

Complex medical needs Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital

Meet Levi, the ‘mayor’ of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital

Dubbed “the mayor” for his outgoing personality and winning ways, Levi, 7, has spent more time in the hospital than many people do in a lifetime. While you might think that experience would lead to a dislike of medical facilities, in Levi’s case it’s just the opposite. “He loves Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital,” says his…

congenital heart defect Dr. Courtney Wein

Evan’s Fight to a Healthy Heart

Patricia and Chris were ecstatic to tell family and friends that they were expecting. What they did not expect however, were concerns after their baby’s 18-week anatomy scan. “When they came in and told us something was wrong with his heart, we were just completely shocked,” Patricia recalls. Doctors referred Patricia to Courtney Wein, D.O., a pediatric…

Library Early Literacy programs
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Awesome Things to Do at the Library with Toddlers and Preschoolers

Arrrgh you looking for a free adventure to enjoy with your bitty buccaneer this Gasparilla season?  Aye know just the place. Point your sails in the direction of your local library and sally forth! With five types of early literacy programs being offered in-person, you’re sure to find a story time that fits your needs. We can’t…

Education Rock Stars

Hillsborough County Public Schools Celebrates its Education Rock Stars

Have you seen the commercial where employees keep calling each other rock stars, and then actual rock stars show up and shut them down?! Well, we challenge Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol or Joan Jett to step in one of our schools and shut US down – because our employees are as close to rock stars as you…

Prehistoric Predators at ZooTampa
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Prehistoric Predators exhibit NOW OPEN at ZooTampa

ZooTampa at Lowry Park is once again transporting you back into prehistoric times so you and the kids can go nose to snout with some of the world’s most ferocious prehistoric predators. Prehistoric Predators is a limited-time exhibit and the final day to experience it is Sunday, April 28, 2024. The best part — it’s…

Mike and Brian Kleinschmidt
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Tampa Bay’s Dream Couple: Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt of HGTV’s “100 Day Dream Home”

Long before Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt were hosts of the popular HGTV series “100 Day Dream Home,” they were classmates at Riverview High School. Now married for eight years, living in their own dream home in Ruskin, and raising Mika’s 14-year-old daughter, Jade, together, they’re reflecting on their journey and looking ahead to an exciting new year.