ML Interest Tag: treasure-map

Hunting for Treasure at Randolph Street Market

by rtlisasnart

X marks the spot at the Randolph Street Market – the largest urban antique market in the country, where the whole family can go on a treasure hunt. Whether your idea of a treasure is a one-of-a-kind antique, a classic record, a sweet treat or a fun way to pass an afternoon, the Randolph Street Market provides all of the above and more. Read on to learn about the many offerings of the Market and start to plan your family adventure today!

Who would enjoy this treasure hunt?
The Randolph Street Market offers something for everyone, young and old. In addition to booths filled with antiques and indie crafts, there’s food, music and activities to keep guests busy.  The Market is even stroller friendly, but all the goodies make for some tight aisles so you might choose to leave the double-wide at home. Adults pay $10 at the gate to enter, less if tickets are purchased in advance.  Kids under 12 are free and student discounts are available, too.  If you’re bringing the whole crew, be sure to check out the family packages.

What can we do on this journey?
As you enter through the front gate, kids can pick up a treasure map and activity sheet.  With over 8 acres and 250 vendors, there’s plenty to browse through at Randolph Street Market and much treasure to be found.  It’s bigger than any store in Chicago! The lively atmosphere makes it fun for even the hardest to please shoppers.  Look through the stalls and find plenty of things to teach your kids . . . maybe you’ll see a camera that takes film or a set of Encyclopedias (the original Google).  After browsing and finishing the scavenger hunt, kids can turn it in at the Washington Street Gate to pick a prize from the treasure chest and receive a goody bag with bubbles, crayons and more.

Wander through the stalls and you’ll eventually stumble into the children’s area in Plumbers Hall.  Kids won’t want to leave until they’ve visited the balloon artist and face painting booths.

All of this treasure hunting will leave your stomach grumbling, so be sure to check out the Market Bar which offers goodies for breakfast and lunch in addition to boozy beverages for grown-ups.  Treat yourself to the Bloody Mary Bar for a drink and snack in one.  The Market is a great chance to try trendy food vendors, too.  Dinky Donuts, Taco-in-a-Bag and Dia de los Tamales have made recent appearances at Randolph Street Market. If you’ve got picky eaters, check out the website for an up-to-date vendor list prior to each event.

Where can I begin this adventure? 
All of these activities can be found in Beaux Arts Plumbers Hall at 1340 West Washington Street in Chicago.  There’s even more fun to be had May through September when an outdoor section is added to the market.  Don’t worry if you miss it though, the air conditioned and heated Plumbers Hall offers plenty of options year round.

When can I set sail?
If your boots are laced and your telescope is ready for this treasure hunt, you’ll be happy to know that the market happens one weekend a month and twice in November and is open from 10am-5pm. The upcoming Garden Party Market on May 28 and 29 is the largest market of the year.

How did this all begin?
In 2003, planner extraordinaire Sally Schwartz was busy raising her 6 year-old daughter and establishing the Chicago Antique Market.  Sally’s expertise in marketing, planning and mothering has helped make the event a fun experience for all. Since then, the Chicago Antique Market has expanded to become the Randolph Street Market and now attracts over 70,000 treasure hunters a year.

2016 Market Dates
May 28-29
June 25-26
July 30-31
August 27-28
September 24-25
October 29-30
November 19-20
November 26-27
December 10-11

Special One-Time Activity for Kids
Plan to be at the Market May 29 (noon-3 p.m.) when The Kids’ Table will be making a special appearance. They’ll be hosting a complimentary recipe making activity for kids in the East lot by the Shade Shack/kids activity area. Taking groups of 6 at a time, they’ll instruct kids on how to put together a quick recipe they can eat immediately. Their focus will be on teaching kids that healthy can be delicious!

Randolph Street Market
Beaux Arts Plumbers Hall
1340 W. Washington St.
West Loop
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cost: $10/adult at the gate; $8/adult in advance; free for ages 12 & under
312-666-1200
Online at: Randolphstreetmarket.com

What treasures have you found while exploring Randolph Street Market?  Share your experiences in the Comments below.

— Lisa Snart

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Passover the Fun: 5 Easy Ways to Get Kids Involved

by Leah R. Singer

Getting the littles involved in religious celebrations is always a great idea (and easier said than done!). Lucky for you, Passover is one of the most kid-friendly Jewish holidays of the year. With its emphasis on jumping frogs and searching for buried treasure (that is, matzo), this celebration of freedom is a great way to get everyone participating. Read on to discover five ways to get little ones around and enjoying the seder table.

1. Make an Elijah’s cup. Elijah the Prophet is an important part of Passover, and it’s customary to leave a glass of wine on the table for his arrival. Kiddos can be part of this tradition by creating his cup. They can get crafty with multi-colored yarn and beads, or simply buy a plastic cup and grab some permanent markers. Then fill it with wine (or grape juice) and wait for Elijah.

Photo: Judaica.com

2. Put kids in charge of the Passover plagues. The ten plagues are an integral part of the Passover story (blood, frogs, darkness, beasts, etc.). Before Passover begins, put a “goodie bag” together with items that represent each of the different plagues. Dollar stores are a great way to find inexpensive items for each plague. Finger puppets are also a great alternative. During this portion of the seder, have the kids take over by explaining each plague and demonstrating it with the toys from the bag. If you have multiple kids attending, consider making a “plague bag” for each kiddo.

Photo: Epicurious

3. Make a matzo house. Who said December is the only time to construct an edible house? Chances are you’ll be buying matzo for your seder anyway. So don’t let the leftover crackers go to waste. Have kids create a Passover house out of matzo and decorate it with Passover candy. Then place them on your seder table as decorations.

4. Don’t forget the afikomen hunt. Kids love to search for the afikomen (dessert matzo) during the seder. How about making it more involved by creating clues or a treasure map leading to the afikomen. Offer a prize for the kid who finds the treasure, as well as little gifts for all the kids who participate. And parents: while the kids are hunting, use this time of the seder to go back to the adult Haggadah.

5. Create your own seder plate and haggadah. Nothing makes kids feel more involved in their Passover celebration than seeing their personal creations on the  on the seder table. Spend some time before the holiday creating a seder plate. There are so many ways to create a plate. You can buy an inexpensive glass plate and have kids decorate it with paint markers, or even use items such as LEGO or painted rocks (check out all the great ideas here). While the adults read from the traditional Haggadah, keep the kiddos entertained with their own booklet filled with Passover coloring pages and worksheets. Bonus tip: Have them create their own cover!

How do you involve your kids in the Passover festivities?

— Leah R. Singer (photos too, unless otherwise noted)

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Just Released: Locals Craft “The Peculiar Tales of the S.S. Bungalow”

by Suzie Ridgway

Big Audio World, made up of a collective of Portland musicians and other seasoned pros, just released a new children’s album, The Peculiar Tales of the S.S. Bungalow. The nautical-themed album offers a stellar production filled with rich vocals, catchy tunes, inventive storytelling and plenty of life lessons for kids along the way.

photo: The Peculiar Tales of the S.S. Bungalow album cover, by Magmatic Northwest

The album opens with the sights and sounds of a fisherman’s market, where people are invited to step inside The Museum of Maritime Wonderments and Nautical Oddidies. Listeners are then transported back in time to the story of Sleepytime Gregory, a struggling fisherman who discovers a treasure map. In no time flat, the captain, his best friend Toothpick and pet beagle, Tater-Tot, prepare to set sail on a grand sea voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, headed to the Lullaby Islands in search of treasure.

Along their journey, the crew transforms the fisherman’s old, wooden boat into the S.S. Bungalow, say good-bye to friends, make new friends and discovers how powerful a beagle’s nose (and appetite) can be. Songs about obstacles, riddles and legends carry the listener through the album until the end, where an albatross leads them to meet the Lullabeans on the islands where Monsters Never Sleep. It is here that they uncover the treasure that’s more powerful than gold.

photo: Big Audio World by Magmatic Northwest

Creators, Laki Karavias (founder of Magmatic Northwest creative studio), and singer-songwriter Jason Reuter, selected the musicians from Portland and a nationwide talent pool, including narration by Kevin Barbare, instrumentals and vocals with Eric Earley, from Blitzentrapper, as well as songs sung by gospel singer, Liz Vice. Instruments on some of the songs include a washboard, fiddle and spoons.

Most of the album is mellow, but a few tunes keep it lively, like Swab the Deck, Sleepytime Greg, This Island Life and Life Is Good. Fair warning, if you have a little one who is having a sensitive day, you may be able to avoid additional tears by skipping the song, Aquinas, and save it for another time. The song is a sentimental number about saying goodbye to a pet fish who passes.  It is a beautiful song though and, if you do happen to hear it, just be ready for the conversation.

Unlike some other kids’ albums that might grate on your nerves from the moment you hit the play button, The Peculiar Tales of the S.S. Bungalow is pleasant to listen to all the way through and would make a nice addition to a family road trip or during a play date where it can be heard in its entirety.

The Peculiar Tales of the S.S. Bungalow is available on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby and ssbungalow.com, and is also being released this month as a two-CD, illustrated digi-pack, at places around town, including Green Bean Books. The digi-pack includes one CD with the story, punctuated by music, the second CD is just the music.

Have you heard the album yet?  Let us know in the Comments below!

-Suzie Ridgway

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10 Last-Hurrah Things to Do Before Summer Ends

by Ayren Jackson-Cannady

Summer gives kids—of all ages—license to do silly things; things that just don’t fly during the school year. Popsicles for dinner? Sure! Sleep in a backyard tent for two weeks straight? Of course! Wear pajamas (over swimsuits) all day? You know it! If you and your crew haven’t quite let loose yet, now is as good as a time as any. There are just a few weeks left before your little scholar has to get school serious. Before then, check some of these awesome antics off of your to-do list.

#1 Have a family date night at Warwick Pool.
The 25-yard outdoor watering hole is an Alexandria, Va staple. Adjacent to a picnic area and playground, it’s the perfect place to celebrate the last days of summer…with splashy cannon balls and grilled burgers on the side.

#2 Dig for dinosaur bones.
On the first and third Saturdays of each month The Dinosaur Fund, an organization that raises money for dinosaur research in D.C., offers digs where kids search for real bones and fossils. Talk about a show-and-tell to remember—any dino artifacts you find are yours to keep.

#3 Candy store hop.
D.C. is awash with candy stores of various stripes. Whether kiddo likes chocolate, gummies, or taffy, there’s something that will get their sweet tooth throbbing. Worried about cavities? Strike a deal with them—one piece of loose candy per store (if they promise all A’s on their first report card).

#4 Ride the rails.
If you haven’t already, pack up your train-loving crew and check out the brand new Silver Line. Go during the day when rush hour crowds are at their lowest.

#5 Tour the city by land (and water).
On a D.C. Duck tour you’ll catch a ride on an amphibious vehicles (originals used during WWII) to various spots around the District—from Union Station to Gravely Point. The coolest part is when the bus/boat plunges into the Potomac River without skipping a beat.

#6 Nosh on Ethiopian food.
…And order injera, a bread that is eaten with your hands. Try out a back to school meal at kid-friendly Meskerem. It just might go down as the best meal you’ve had in ages.

#7 Bounce around (for hours) at a trampoline park.
Come September you’ll likely have to come up with other ways to keep kids from jumping off of your coffee table. Until then, let them get their fill of high-flying fun at Flight Trampoline Park or Rebounderz.

#8 Go fish at Leesburg Petting Zoo.
If you have animal lovers in your brood, you’ve probably already spent an ample amount of time at the zoo. But, have you gone fishing at the zoo? On Aug. 30-31 meet at the Leesburg Zoo’s pond for a fishing derby where kids can catch their own guppies. There are even incentives (in the form of prizes) for the biggest catches.

#9 Aaaargh your way through a Pirate Adventure Cruise.
In Annapolis, Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake is an awesome place to get carried away for the day in real life adventure (they’ll actually have to follow a treasure map to find their way around. .

#10 Go glamping.
It’s like camping without the “roughing it” part, so that newbies—young and old—can appreciate the process on their own terms. Ones to try: Rose River Farm, Rock-n-Creek Cabin, and Primland Resort. Bonus: If melting s’mores fireside isn’t cutting it, you can always pop them into the microwave or stove.

What are your plans for the last few weeks of summer? Tell us in the comments section below. 

—Ayren Jackson-Cannady

Photos courtesy of Pirate Adventures via Facebook, DC Ducks, Woodleywonderworks via Flickr, Flight Trampoline Park via Facebook, Lars Ploughmann via Flickr

 

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