Reading is one of the most important things we can do with our kids, as we all know. Getting them involved in it is just as important, especially as they get older and other things come into play and the attention span. Annapolis is home to two independent bookstores that have a home for kids within and if you have not been to visit them, now is the time, as Saturday is National Independent Bookstore Day.
The Annapolis Bookstore, 53 Maryland Ave., will celebrate with an open house all day long, with readings, children’s activities, and prizes. On Thursdays, at 10 a.m., Nanny K, a wonderful British nanny, reads stories and does activities with the kids. It is a lovely way to spend a morning. On Fridays at 4:30 p.m., the bookstore hosts Children’s Reading Hour, where intrepid young advisory board members, ages 9 to12 years of age, meet to read and select books for peers and younger readers. Advance copies of new books are available.
Old Fox Books and Coffeehouse, 35 Maryland Avenue, will also host an open house all day Saturday, with live music, and all sorts of fun. Tuesday, the shop continues the celebration from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. with a release party for “Dragons Love Tacos – the Sequel”, a follow up to a favorite book for many kids today. This taco and reading party will celebrate Dragons, Tacos, and Silliness. Costumes welcome.
Call 410-626-2020 to reserve your copy of “Dragons Love Tacos – the Sequel” and your share of tacos.
Every Friday at 10 a.m., enjoy story time with Frolic the Fox, with stories, music, and movement for the youngest book lovers.
Is your family more Pirates or Princesses? Mine, with all boys, is decidedly Pirate. And, maybe a fairy king or two. But, this weekend, everyone can have fun at the Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake, as they host a Pirates and Princesses Tea Party and Pizza Party Cruise. Join Ariel and Tinkerbell for a tea party or pizza party after a Pirate Adventure aboard the pirate ship Sea Gypsy in the Annapolis Harbor.
Search for sunken treasure, fire the water cannons and return for tea or pizza with Ariel and Tinkerbell, and probably some pirates, after the trip. Call 410-263-0002 for reservations for this popular event and visit http://www.chesapeakepirates.com/pirates-and-princesses-cruise/ for more info.
You only have a couple more weeks to see the “Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails” exhibit at Port Discovery. It will be on site through May 7.
Thomas & Friends fans can climb aboard Thomas’ cab, fix wobbly wheels, pull levers, dress as a train conductor and more. Don’t miss the huge train table where you can build train tracks and play with friends new and old.
This hands-on exhibit lets children’s imaginations go wild and engages children in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) concepts in a fun way.
Open during museum operating hours, admission is free with museum entry, which is $14.95 for individuals ages 2 and up. Members and children younger than 2 years of age are admitted for free.
Every Wednesday, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Port Discovery is Wonderful Wednesday. It is a day of imaginative music and literacy programs, designed for children ages 6 and under. Learn about amazing sounds and musical techniques in the Percussion Garden. Take part in a series of movement challenges at Scooter Mania and enjoy a lively music experience at Jingle Jangle Time, where toddlers will shake, dance and learn about rhythm.
Visit www.PortDiscovery.org for more information.
