Happy Hanukkah, North Penn!

It looks like the weather has eased up just in time for tonight's Menorah Lighting at Railroad Plaza in Lansdale! There's something wonderful about watching the lights come up on a crisp December evening. But, if you prefer to avoid the cold, there is also a Hanukkah celebration happening at Montgomery Mall tonight at the same time that includes crafts and activities. Decisions, decisions!

Further details are on the North Penn Under Ten calendar.

Happy Holidays to all!!

Eagles Pep Rally at Elmwood Zoo Tomorrow!

Elmwood Park Zoo is holding an Eagles Pep Rally at Noon tomorrow featuring the one and only Swoop the Eagle! 

Join us at the Elmwood Park Zoo and show us how you eat, sleep, and bleed GREEN. 

With a number of football themed activities for the kids, as well as an appearance by Swoop, it's sure to be a fun-filled day for the whole family!

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!

Get a Little Extra Cash from the Little People's Shoppe

The Little People's Shoppe, a terrific consignment shop in Lansdale, is looking for a few specific items this week. Need to purge before the holidays? They are looking for highchairs, pack 'n plays, "anything Thomas the Train & anything American Girl Doll/Bitty Baby". If you have any of those items and wish to consign them, just give them a call at 215.412.3339. Think extra holiday cash!

Babies Boogie Class Added at Indian Valley Public Library

We are so fortunate in our area to have so many great libraries!

Indian Valley Public Library, which is in nearby Telford, has some truly awesome programming that's well-worth the short drive. Today they announced that, due to overwhelming interest, they've added a second "Babies Boogie" class to their fall programming. Here's the skinny. (These classes are also listed on the North Penn Under Ten Calendar.)

"Babies Boogie" is for children ages 0-3 and their caretakers and will meet on Fridays at 11 am for 30 minutes of songs, music, dancing, stories, movement, rhymes and motion from November 19th to December 17th. You can register at the library, by phone (leave a message) 215-723-9109 ext. 112, or by email.

Time For a Safety Check, Mom & Dad!

Once you've finished changing your clocks, take a minute to check the batteries in your smoke and CO detectors. If you're like many busy parents, you might not have checked them since your child came home with a reminder notice during Fire Prevention Week last month. So, now is the perfect time to begin that once-per-month habit that is so hard to start.

While we're on the topic of safety, just a reminder that all food and product recalls are automatically posted in the margin of every page on NorthPennUnderTen.com (as is our local weather forecast). So, if you are looking for info on that recent Britax car seat recall or for accurate info on the recent lollipops recall, its all right there!

Have a great (and safe!) week!

Pick a Holiday! Any Holiday!

Check out the NPUT Calendar for the scoop on more than two dozen events within a twenty minute drive of downtown Lansdale! This weekend, you have your choice of a turkey dinner, a visit with Santa, or some late-season pumpkin picking! Not that this should surprise any of us when we live in a town that celebrates Mardi Gras in November!... Have fun!

PS...don't forget about First Friday tonight!!

The Reporter To Feature Local Children's Artwork

The Reporter is inviting young artists to share their Thanksgiving-inspired artwork with the paper's readers. Kids grades K-12 are welcome to submit a high-resolution jpeg of their artwork for publication Thanksgiving weekend in The Reporter’s Lifestyle section on both the website and the print edition. Send submissions by November 21st to aixaeditor@gmail.com, with "Thanksgiving Art" in the subject line. This is not a contest.

Tweet Your Child's Wish List to Santa!

This just in! Beginning today, the Montgomery Mall is offering a "Tweet Your Holiday Wish List to Santa" program. Mall management tells us, "Parents are welcome to sit down with their kids and tweet Santa their child’s holiday wish list. This is a Web 2.0 alternative to writing Santa a traditional wish list letter and mailing it to the North Pole. In addition, by utilizing the social media tool, parents can research which Montgomery Mall stores carry the toy or gift that they are looking to purchase for their child or family."

Want to try out this new spin on an old tradition? Simply login to Twitter and write a tweet to Santa at @MontgoMallSanta.

Food For Fines Program Launches at Lansdale Library

Have some overdue fines on your account at the library you're feeling ashamed of? Now you can feel good about them instead!

Now through Monday, November 15th, bring in non-perishable food items to the Lansdale Public Library to help Comfort Keepers stop Senior Hunger. For each food item you bring, the library will waive $0.50 in overdue fines up to a total of $6.00.

Of course, you don't have to have overdue fines to donate food! For more information on the types of items needed, visit www.StopSeniorHunger.com.

Additional Info on Santa's Arrival - Catch a Sneak Peak Friday Night!

We have received additional information regarding Santa's debut at Montgomery Mall, direct from the source! (No, I don't have a private line to Santa. Oh how I wish! But, this comes direct from mall management.)

The mall will host its annual Santa's Arrival Parade starting at 6 p.m. Friday night outside of the Salsa’s Mexican Grill entrance where Santa will climb aboard a Montgomery Township Fire Department fire truck. He will ride around the mall’s perimeter accompanied by the Montgomery Township Police Department and mall security officers. The parade will end at the LensCrafters mall entrance where Santa will descend from the fire truck, enter the mall for an indoor parade, and find his way to the Santa set in the mall’s Elevator Court. Radio Disney and costumed characters will keep guests entertained at the mall’s Sears Court until 8 p.m. Santa will be available to visit and get photos taken with local families and children throughout the holiday season.

During the holiday season, the Montgomery Mall will also offer charity gift wrapping services, two Pet Photo Nights with Santa (11/21 & 12/12 - see the NPUT Calendar for more info on this), a "Tweet Your Holiday Wish List to Santa" program, among other festive events. Additional details will be listed in future posts.

This could be a warmer, drier alternative to First Friday if the weather doesn't improve soon!

Santa Claus is Comin' to Town...This Week!

Whoever said "Christmas seems to start earlier every year" had probably just visited the Montgomery Mall. This year, you can get your face time with the big guy early and avoid the rush because Santa arrives at our local mall THIS SATURDAY!

You can find Santa in the Elevator Court and visiting hours are posted below. For added convenience, these hours are also posted on the North Penn Under Ten Calendar. Yes, it was painstaking, but the awesome feedback from you all is worth it! (Now, don't forget to click on some ads while you're here...)

Nov 6 (Sat) 10:00 AM-8:00PM, Nov 7 (Sun) 11:00AM-6:00PM
Nov 8 (Mon) through Nov 11 (Thu) 11:00AM-8:00PM
Nov 12 (Fri) & Nov 13 (Sat) 10:00AM-8:00PM, Nov 14 (Sun) 11:00AM-6:00PM
Nov 15 (Mon) through Nov 18 (Thu) 11:00AM-8:00PM
Nov 19 (Fri) & Nov 20 (Sat) 10:00AM-8:00PM, Nov 21 (Sun) 11:00AM-6:00PM
Nov 22 (Mon) through Nov 24 (Wed) 10:00AM-8:00PM, Nov 25 (Thu) THANKSGIVING- CLOSED
Nov 26 (Fri) & Nov 27 (Sat) 10:00AM-8:30PM, Nov 28 (Sun) 11:00AM-7:00PM
Nov 29 (Mon) through Dec 2 (Thu) 10:00AM-8:30PM
Dec 3 (Fri) 10:00AM-9:00PM, Dec 4 (Sat) 11:00AM-9:00PM, Dec 5 (Sun) 11:00AM-7:00PM
Dec 6 (Mon) through Dec 9 (Thu) 10:00AM-8:30PM
Dec 10 (Fri) & Dec 11 (Sat) 10:00AM-9:00PM, Dec 12 (Sun) 11:00AM-7:00PM
Dec 13 (Mon) through Dec 16 (Thu) 10:00AM-9:00PM
Dec 17 (Fri) 10:00AM-9:30PM, Dec 18 (Sat) 9:00AM-9:30PM
Dec 19 (Sun) 10:00AM-8:00PM
Dec 20 (Mon) through Dec 23 (Thu) 9:00AM-9:30PM
Dec 24 (Fri) 8:00AM-6:00PM

Surviving Election Day in Lansdale

So the kids are off from school on Tuesday and you're wondering how you're going to navigate Election Day, eh?

Here is our suggestion...

First, visit SmartVoter.org, by the League of Women Voters, to see who the candidates are for our area and to read unbiased info on all of them.

Next, drag your kids along to the voting booth. Sure, it might not be easy or particularly fun, but voting is important and teaching that to our kids is extremely important!

Finally, when your kids behave beautifully at the polling location, or at least don't break anything there, reward them with a trip to Kidz Rule because Kidz Rule is holding special hours on Election Day and each two-hour block is just $5 per child.

Good luck and may the best candidates win!

Another 20+ Halloween Events in Lansdale for Kids and Families!

Good morning, North Penn! The day awaits and what choices we have today! Celebrate fall, Halloween, harvest time, you name it! Scary, fun & friendly...the Lansdale area has it all this weekend!

Check out the North Penn Under Ten calendar and head on out! Its a beautiful day!

And If You STILL Need a Costume...

If you are still looking for that perfect Halloween costume or want to add to your kids' dress up box, you are in luck. Here are a few places worth checking out, in addition to the many party and Halloween specialty stores in our area:

2nd Avenue (Welsh Road near Redner's Market): This morning there were at least a few dozen ready-to-wear children's costumes in assorted sizes on the racks. Not to mention a huge selection of discounted clothes to create your own unique ensemble.

Impact Thrift (now located on Rt 309 across from Babies R Us):  Yesterday morning had at least a dozen, as well.

Little People's Shoppe (The Pavillion): has all of their costumes now marked at 50% off.

Happy Shopping & Happy Halloween!

More Free Meals for Kids This Halloween Weekend

Well, the local restaurants sure are fighting over the chance to fill your little trick-or-treaters bellies! Here's a brief rundown of the places in town that are offering specials this weekend. Get your printer ready because some require you to present a coupon (links provided below):

Boston Market (Allentown & Forty Foot Roads, Towamencin):  Free kids meal with adult purchase and this coupon thru 10/31.

Chipotle (Airport Square, Rt 309, Montgomeryville): Get a burrito (or BOOrito!), bowl, salad, or oder of tacos for just $2.00 when you come dressed up as a processed food - really! - between 6pm and 10pm on the 31st. No coupon required, further details here.

Chili's (DeKalb Pike across from Montgomery Mall): Free kids meal with an adult entrée purchase and this coupon between 3pm and 10pm on the 31st.

T.G.I. Friday’s (Montgomery Mall parking lot): FREE Appetizer on Friday and Saturday (10/29-10/30) for anyone wearing a costume. Choose from Mozzarella Sticks, Pot Stickers or Crispy Green Bean Fries. Free Kids Meal on Sunday 10/31 for any child in costume accompanied by one paid adult entrée. No coupon required, further details here.

A big "Thank You" to MamaCheaps for these! MamaCheaps is a great source of discounts, coupons and money-saving strategies, particularly for families. Lucky for us, she is locally-based, too, so nearly every fantastic deal is available in our area. Check her out sometime - you'll be glad you did.

Turn Your Candy Into Cash for the North Wales Library!

The Halloween Candy Buy Back program returns to North Wales Area Library! 

Bring your unwanted candy to the library and a generous local dentist will make a donation to the library - up to $1,000! Plus, every child who brings in candy will receive a non-candy prize in return.

The program runs from November 1st through the 14th during normal library hours:

Monday:  1:00pm - 9:00pm
Tuesday:  10:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday:  10:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday:  10:00am - 9:00pm
Friday:  1:00pm - 5:00pm
Saturday:  10:00am - 4:00pm
Sunday:  Closed

Win Free Tix to Kidz Rule's Halloween Party

Be sure to stop by Kidz Rule in Hatfield this weekend for some great Halloween fun! Parties are happening on Friday and Saturday from 5:00 to 8:00PM and on Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00PM. (In the event of rain, Kidz Rule will extend their party hours. Great idea, Kidz Rule!) 

The parties feature trick or treating, haunted house, free cider & donuts, free arts & crafts and...unlimited bouncing! Admission is $10 per child, adults and infants are free.  But...right now, if you "Like" Kidz Rule on Facebook, you will be automatically entered to win two free party passes! Woo hoo! Winner will be chosen at random on Thursday, so get clickin'!

Only a Few Spots Remain for Halloween Bash at Gymboree

Gymboree Play & Music of Montgomeryville is hosting its annual Halloween parties this weekend. Friday night is already sold out! But, a few spaces remain for the Saturday party (as of Noon today, there were 5 spots left). 

Gymboree Halloween parties are fun, not scary, events full of seasonal songs and games. Wear your cutest costumes and be ready to take home a goodie bag. All kids from birth through four years are welcome. Price is $19 per adult child pair. For exact times and to make your reservation, call 215-412-5257. Hurry before those remaining few spots are filled!  Additional details are available on the North Penn Under Ten Calendar.

Lansdale Library Longs for Legos

Coming soon to the Lansdale Public Library...its The Little Builders Club!

If you have lots of Legos or "krazy" amounts of K'nex hanging around your house or know of someone who does, drop them off at the Lansdale Public Library and help build up the excitement about this awesome new club!

For library hours or information on the many other wonderful clubs, programs, and materials available, click here.

Kids Eat Free at Applebee's This Halloween!

Get a good solid meal in those bellies before the candy hits! Kids eat free all day at Applebee's on Halloween with a paying adult.

Applebee's wants you to know: Kids must be accompanied by an adult to receive free kid's meal. Two free kid's meals per adult entree purchase. 12 and under from the kid's menu dine-in only one meal per child per visit. Can not be combined with any offer or discount. Not redeemable for cash. Tax and gratuity not included. Kid's eat free meal valid at participating Rose Group Applebee's in the greater Philadelphia and surounding market,Wilkes Barre/Scranton, Delaware, Baltimore, MD & DE Eastern Shore Markets and Lawrenceville & Hamilton, NJ.