Friday, October 27, 2017

Lehigh Valley Birthday Party Guide

Summer has been certainly taking it's sweet time moving on this year but fall is coming and if your kids have fall or winter birthdays it can be hard to plan an indoor party a if you don't have a ton of room for entertaining.  



We've gathered some amazing ideas for birthday party locations in the Lehigh Valley that won't break the bank and take the stress of planning a party off of your shoulders! 



One of the area's newest party locations is Imagi Nation... We've loved this place since they've opened in fall of 2016 but recently Imagi Nation is seriously upping their game! They've added a real fire truck to their space and added a diner and construction zone to their imaginative world for kids! 




Visit Their Market Cafe, Doctors's office, Media Center, Real Fire Engine, Construction site and more!



If their full range of imaginative kids activities weren't enough to entertain the kids at your event, you can add on a ice cream making experience from their Ice Cream Lab to round out the fun! 

Parties for 10 children start at just $259



There are a few other points about this special place that we would be remiss if we didn't mention...
  • The playtime is actually directed by the birthday child, they get to chose the activity spaces that that they want to go to, the birthday child gets to direct the flow and direction of the play!
  • The effort needed to put forth to plan/host/throw the party here is non-existent Imagi Nation will l take care of everything for you, and even offers a printable invitation.
  • You are not responsible for clean up afterward, grab your items we brought and be on your way!
  • Imagi Nation provides each of your guests a coupon for discounted return visit. 
  • Each Imagi Nation Ambassador is a certified and experienced educator skilled in engaging children in play while developing their social skills.  This is an element that really helps Imagi Nation stand out! Parents can relax knowing that their children are being entertained and well cared for by professionals. 





Up next is a Birthday Party favorite of kids everywhere in the Lehigh Valley. Their two locations (Easton and Allentown) cater to a wide range of kids (3 through 10) and possibly even older with some of their cool add on options (Cosmic Bounces, Blaster Wars and Balloon Drops)



Bounce U Hosts a streamlined party perfect for parents looking for a high energy event that requires little planning.  
Guests will be welcomed by Bounce U party pros who helps facilitate your event along the way. The party will take place in both of their will equipped bouncing rooms that feature a number of different attractions including giant slides, inflating batting stations, obstacle courses and more.  Once the bouncing fun is done the party gets moves to a private room for refreshments, chosen based on your party packages. 


Pricing starts at just $179 and Bounce U regularly offers specials as well, so subscribe to their newsletter for updates and exclusive deals. See specials that are being offered right now here and subscribe to their newsletter! 








The Mill is the ultimate indoor play experience for kids of all ages! With their extensive list of awesome activities kids from age 5 through their teens will love this space. 


 The Mill offers Bubble Soccer, Laser Tag, Aero Ball, and indoor mini golf! all in one location!

You can easily and affordably can host a party your kids will absolutely love. They can choose their activities, you get a space to share pizza and refreshments and an assigned professional to help with your event.



Pricing starts at $250 for 10 guests and includes pizza, paper products, you choice of events (Bubble Soccer, Laser Tag, Aero Ball, and indoor mini golf) , a souvenir for the guest of honor and you can bring in your own cake to celebrate with. You can add on guests and extra food too if you need it!




We love how The Mill is making hosting parties for children who are a a bit older super fun, safe and easy for Lehigh Valley parents to host! 


The Udder Bar - Who doesn't LOVE ice cream? Planning a party around this sweet treat seems pretty fun! 



The Udder Bar has thought of everything! They have dairy free ice cream for guests with allergies and italian ice too! Their parties include a hostess, games, a craft, and everything the guests need to create their own delicious sundae.


See their full menu here (it's ALL delicious) and stop in to see their space! 


To inquire about hosting your event at The Udder Bar just contact at info@theudderbar.com with the subject Birthday Party.



Kids can get out their creative energy at Paint and Party! The birthday child will choose a painting they love and will be lead by an experience artist to create their own masterpiece! 




This beautiful sunny kids painting studio is surrounded by windows and makes for such a fun and bright atmosphere. Parties can be as big a 30 children and cost $325. There is no guest minimum and families can bring in their own food, drinks and refreshments. 



These parties offer an incredible value if you have a crowd of kids to invite. The space in ample for children to all have their own painting spot and there is plenty of room to set up your treats in the back of the studio. 




Are the kids bouncing off the wall? gymtiME is ready to host an awesome birthday party for you that is sure to get those wiggles out! 





Our little ME Birthday party is designed for children ages 2 to 4 years old. Two of our very qualified lead instructors will lead you, your child and your friends through 1 hour of activities in our TWO gymnastic rooms!


Our MAT tiME Birthday party is designed for children ages 5 years & older. Two of our very qualified instructors will lead your child and friends through 1 hour of activities in our TWO gymnastic rooms! Our Lead instructor will design an age appropriate gymnastic based obstacle course and skills to be introduced and incorporated throughout the party. 


Our gym tiME Warrior Challenge Birthday party is designed for children ages 6 to 12 years old. Two of our very qualified lead instructors will lead you and your friends through an AWESOME OBSTACLE COURSE fit for WARRIORS! Both rooms will be filled with approx. 10 obstacles each to test your strength and endurance. 


Parties at gymtiME are super reasonable and start at $220 for members and $245 for non members. for up to 15 guests. Enjoy a clean private party space, paper products, invitations and a experienced hostess/instructor to help you along the way. 



Get WILD at your next party with Wildlands Conservancy!

This out of the box birthday party spot is perfect for your little nature lover. A number of different programs are available to choose from including some that offer an up close visit with a number of precious animals that are in the care of the staff at the Wildlands. Additional options include s'mores over a campfire and an outdoor hike, or during warm weather months  you can host a tubing party on the river!  If their location in Emmaus, PA isn't convenient they will come to you (within 25 miles) and give a one hour presentation at your home or other venue. 



Hosts can bring in their own food and cake and provide a trained naturalist to help lead your party.  Spaces available include their indoor educational center or their outdoor pavillion. 


Party pricing is based on package choices and starts at $200 for 20 guests.  One awesome park of hosting a party with The Wildlands Conservancy is that the money you've spent to host your party goes back to a locally run non-profit organization that is working to help preserve green space where we live, rescue and heal injured animals and help educate adults and children about the value of conservation. 




Still looking for the perfect party spot? 







Sponsorship/Affiliate Disclaimer: 


lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net only exists because of hours upon hours of work that comes directly from the heart of a mom who wants to make the Lehigh Valley a better place to raise your family. Because of our effort we publish a resource that makes your life as a parent easier, makes the Lehigh Valley more welcoming to a family new to the area and helps make the Lehigh Valley a more vibrant and engaging place for families to grow and live. In order to make it possible to continue doing this we must find ways to generate income from our work. At times you will see posts from sponsors who pay us a fee to help them spread the word about their business or event. This article may contain affiliate links from businesses that give us a very small portion of your purchase should you decide to purchase. Barters and fees that we receive from our sponsors and affiliates help make the website the best it can possibly be, they put food on our family's table and allow us to keep doing what we do! By patronizing the businesses who support us and by choosing to opt in to offers we share you keep lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net alive - making it possible for us to continue to provide information and engaging content for years to come. Without you and without our valued sponsors the website could not continue to operate. Opinions expressed in this article are 100% honest and real and are not in any way altered based on sponsorship agreements, barters or payments we have received as a media partner. We love all of our LVFGS Families and thank you for you support. 







Monday, October 9, 2017

Four Money Saving Apps for Moms


Before kids I used to spend my Sunday mornings clipping coupons and hopping from store to store stocking up on free diced tomatoes and paper towels for 9 cents.  It was fun! I loved the hunt, matching up coupons and saving money. I actually started a blog to share the deals I found locally (my first blogging gig!) but soon after kids came and a house and than more kids and another house and couponing went out the door.  

I still like saving money (who doesn't!?) but I just didn't have the time to do it like I used to. So over the years I've caught on to a few different (and easier) ways to save some moolah without the headache.



If you're not already on ebates, you must sign up! Most people have caught on to this one already but its a MUST mention! This is a great way to get cash back from items you buy online. It doesn't cost you anything to join, just click through their website or their app when you order an item from participating online stores you rack up money (between 1% and 10% of your purchases) every time you buy - keep an eye out for special double cash back days. I've racked up nearly $200 back in cash since I've been a member.





My NEW favorite is ibotta. This is an awesomely easy way to earn cash from things you already buy and TONS of local stores.  Before you shop just scan their app for rebates for all of the stores you shop at, add them to your account. After you shop simply snap a photo of your receipt and the app automatically adds credits to your account for every matching rebate (double check! sometimes it misses things!).



Some rebates are "any item" rebates meaning you get cash for buying anything at the store, others are not brand specific so you can choose items you already buy and stick to your regular brands and still get cash and others offer money back for buying specific products. Join now and get $10 for redeeming your first receipt! I've racked up over $48 in cash back in less than 8 weeks of using the app! Your money can then be transferred to paypal its super easy!


                                            

Up next is Shopkick! This one is pretty fun - if you remember supermarket sweep - the incredible Lifetime gameshow of the 90's where people ran through grocery stores spending as much money as they could to win money ... Shopkick is similar - well OK that might be a a bit of a stretch but you do get to search stores for specific products are earn points for scanning or buying select items. You also earn a point for every dollar you spend - just scan your receipt at the end of each trip.




You can choose different rewards to work towards (Target, Walmart or Starbucks gift cards and more!). Plus just by turning the app on when you walk into a store you'll earn points! Sign up now here!



                                        

Shoparoo is a little bit different because it doesn't actually earn YOU money but it does help local schools earn cash from your reciepts. My favorite part of this app is that it doesn't care where you shop. You can generate money for your child's school if your shop at locally owned mom and pop shops or larger national stores too!

Just download the app here select the school you'd like to support and snap those receipts. You can snap photos as you go or collect your receipts and enter them all in at a time. You have 7 days after a purchase to add your purchase to the app. If your school isn't on the list you can apply to have them added!





Sponsorship/Affiliate Disclaimer: 

lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net only exists because of hours upon hours of work that comes directly from the heart of a mom who wants to make the Lehigh Valley a better place to raise your family. Because of our effort we publish a resource that makes your life as a parent easier, makes the Lehigh Valley more welcoming to a family new to the area and helps make the Lehigh Valley a more vibrant and engaging place for families to grow and live. In order to make it possible to continue doing this we must find ways to generate income from our work. At times you will see posts from sponsors who pay us a fee to help them spread the word about their business or event. This article may contain affiliate links from businesses that give us a very small portion of your purchase should you decide to purchase from that affiliate.  Barters and fees that we receive from our sponsors and affiliates help make the website the best it can possibly be, they put food on our family's table and allow us to keep doing what we do! By patronizing the businesses who support us and by choosing to opt in to offers we share you keep lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net alive - making it possible for us to continue to provide information and engaging content for years to come. Without you and without our valued sponsors the website could not continue to operate.  Opinions expressed in this article are 100% honest and real and are not in any way altered based on sponsorship agreements, barters or payments we have received as a media partner. We love all of our LVFGS Families and thank you for you support. 


Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Just Between Friends Fall Sale Preview




We LOVE previewing Just Between Friends Children's Consignment event! 

We always come home with some fabulous stuff for a fraction of the retail cost, and the sale is really fantastic, you can find just about anything you could possibly want there for your kiddos. Stock up on holiday gifts, winter gear, fall/winter clothing, toys, books, shoes and everything for baby too! 

Check out our Live preview of the full sales floor! Look for items you want to find while you are shopping as our camera scans their whole huge inventory! 

                                                  


See our Haul! 

Check out everything we snagged at JBF for only $84! This video outlines each of the items we got while shopping today, prices, brands and the quality. We also share some great tips on what to buy and what to look for while shopping consignment sales! Looking for more tips on how to save? Check out this recent article


                                                   


                                         




Their location is at the Lou Ramos Center in Allentown (Just minutes off of Airport Road and Union Blvd. The Address is 1344 N. Sherman Street Allentown, PA 18109.  It is easy to find and perfectly location right in between Allentown and Bethlehem just off route 22 for shoppers to access from any direction. 

           





                        
       



How To Shop! 

Prime Time Shopping - Presale Day
Want to shop BEFORE the PUBLIC to get the biggest and best selection and the best prices? Purchase a PRIME TIME SHOPPING pass!

Presale starts Wednesday 9/13 at 3pm! Make sure to check your ticket for your admission time!

Public Shopping Days
Thursday, Friday and Saturday are Public shopping days! Admission to the sale is $3 or FREE if your reserve your ticket in advance here https://jbfallentownfall2017.eventbrite.com



Are you a first-time parent, grandparent, teacher or member of the military? You can shop at one of our special presales! Click here for tickets








Sponsorship/Affiliate Disclaimer: 

lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net only exists because of hours upon hours of work that comes directly from the heart of a mom who wants to make the Lehigh Valley a better place to raise your family. Because of our effort we publish a resource that makes your life as a parent easier, makes the Lehigh Valley more welcoming to a family new to the area and helps make the Lehigh Valley a more vibrant and engaging place for families to grow and live. In order to make it possible to continue doing this we must find ways to generate income from our work. At times you will see posts from sponsors who pay us a fee to help them spread the word about their business or event. This article may contain affiliate links from businesses that give us a very small portion of your purchase should you decide to purchase from that affiliate sponsor.  Barters and fees that we receive from our sponsors and affiliates help make the website the best it can possibly be, they put food on our family's table and allow us to keep doing what we do! By patronizing the businesses who support us and by choosing to opt in to offers we share you keep lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net alive - making it possible for us to continue to provide information and engaging content for years to come. Without you and without our valued sponsors the website could not continue to operate.  Opinions expressed in this article are 100% honest and real and are not in any way altered based on sponsorship agreements, barters or payments we have received as a media partner. We love all of our LVFGS Families and thank you for you support. 


Saturday, September 9, 2017

The Best Toddler Toy Ever : Spark Kitchen Sink Review

Since the big kids have all been in school for about three weeks now my 2 year old has been a little lonely and has been LOVING "helping" me wash dishes and wash her hands in our kitchen sink. Its literally her favorite thing to do. Which I love but it HATE all of the water it wastes and that it means that I cannot do anything at the sink while she is playing. I recently saw a momma share a video of her daughter using this little sink in one of the online parent groups and I immediately went in search of one for myself.

I bought one online for store pick up the next day at Wal Mart and I can easily say this is the best money on a toy I have ever spent in my 7.5 years as a parent.

I shared the below video on my Facebook Page because I'm seriously impressed with this thing and my kid is pretty cute.....  I believe I singlehandedly sold out every Wal-Mart in a 25 mile radius within 24 hours of sharing it. I have a feeling this is going to be a pretty hot holiday item and so far the only place I see that is carrying them is Wal-Mart. If you see them pop up somewhere else please let us know by commenting below so we can help more families grab this awesome toy!


Shop Now at Zaycon Fresh


A post shared by Miss. Chickadee (@lvfindandgoseek) on

The Spark Kitchen Sink  and Just Like Home Kitchen Sink run on 2 AA batteries and pumps water through the back of sink like a champ. It recycles the water over and over and kids can easily turn it on and off using the little faucet handle. 


                                                             
I believe it to be the only toy sink/kitchen item that actually has working water that does not require hand pumping to make it flow. The Little Tykes Splish & Splash Sink which also seems super cute is similar but the child or parent needs to pump the water by hand to get it to flow.  

These things are now coming back into stock regularly so keep an eye on Walmart.com or click here for a direct link to try and grab one! They also are available a few other places including Amazon.


                  

                                 









Sponsorship/Affiliate Disclaimer: 
lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net only exists because of hours upon hours of work that comes directly from the heart of a mom who wants to make the Lehigh Valley a better place to raise your family. Because of our effort we publish a resource that makes your life as a parent easier, makes the Lehigh Valley more welcoming to a family new to the area and helps make the Lehigh Valley a more vibrant and engaging place for families to grow and live. In order to make it possible to continue doing this we must find ways to generate income from our work. At times you will see posts from sponsors who pay us a fee to help them spread the word about their business or event. This article may contain affiliate links from businesses that give us a very small portion of your purchase should you decide to purchase from that affiliate sponsor.  Barters and fees that we receive from our sponsors and affiliates help make the website the best it can possibly be, they put food on our family's table and allow us to keep doing what we do! By patronizing the businesses who support us and by choosing to opt in to offers we share you keep alive - making it possible for us to continue to provide information and engaging content for years to come. Without you and without our valued sponsors the website could not continue to operate.  Opinions expressed in this article are 100% honest and real and are not in any way altered based on sponsorship agreements, barters or payments we have received as a media partner. We love all of our LVFGS Families and thank you for you support. 

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Birthday Party Fun with Imagi Nation


We recently celebrated Middle Chickadee turning FIVE at Imagi Nation and are really excited to share our experience with everyone.  Imagi Nation is one of the newer birthday party locations in the Lehigh Valley so we hope you learn something!

This was the first time that we hosted a birthday party for one of our kids outside of our home, so it was really a whole new experience for us.  The preparation that it takes to get ready to host even a small get together in your home is exhausting. Cleaning, rearranging furniture, making food and then cleaning up again after the whole thing is over is quite the headache. Our party at Imagi Nation was an absolute breeze! The staff at really took care of everything for us! I actually had a mini panic attack the morning of the party because I realized I didn't prepare anything!



The staff at Imagi Nation was excellent, patient with the children and really helped our little one feel special on her special day. They kept the event moving at a very comfortable pace and still fit in each of the important elements of the celebration.



We visited Imagi Nation a few months back and after having to literally drag the kids out the front door when our session was over, it occurred that this might be a great place to celebrate a birthday!

                                 

The Enterprises 

Imagi Nation features a number of different "Enterprises" that help children experience all kinds of occupations and community experiences. Children can fulfil orders for ice cream, act a part, go shopping and more! These are the different spaces featured at Imagi Nation

In the Media Center children can put on a show, create a live broadcast, or read the news just like a real anchor.


The Market Cafe and Recycling Center is a family favorite. Children enjoy shopping, cooking and checking out customers at that cashier station! Right outside the door is the Post Office, deliver and send mail from Imagi Nation!


The Manufacturing Center allows children to pack, fulfill and ship out orders from the ice cream factory! 



The Health Center is all set up with a dentist chair, receptionist's desk, a baby nursery, and X-Rax examination space! 




Their Fire and Police Center is all set up for little rescuers to get trained for the job.




The Creation Station is full of activities for building, creating and play! Design a logo for a new ice cream

For our party we opted for a Make Your Own Ice Cream Experience! The might be one of the coolest features of Imagi Nation Birthday Parties. Children get to choose and add flavoring to plain vanilla ice cream and mix until their heart is content! Then they get to choose from a variety of delicious toppings and mix ins to add to their signature flavor!  



                               

Ice Cream Making was AWESOME... 
  • Children with allergies could easily choose something that fit their needs. The facility does not offer nut products as mix in or topping options. 
  • Everyone got something exactly the way they like it! 
  • All of the leftover ice cream went home with the kids and we didn't need to toss half of a sheet cake into the garbage after each kid ate the frosting off or only took two bites!



There are a few features in particular that really stand out that we thought made this party just perfect. 

  • The playtime was actually directed by the birthday child, she chose the activity spaces that she wanted to go to and our staff person from Imagi Nation ushered our group to each space following her lead and then helping us to move on when she decided she wanted to play somewhere else. It didn't feel rushed or hurried as some parties often feel and it worked perfectly for our group. 
  • The effort we needed to put forth to plan/host/throw the party was non-existent Imagi Nation took care of everything for us, and even had a printable invitation we could use to send out to our friends! I threw together a quick favor but even that wasn't necessary. 
  • There was no clean up afterwards, we picked up the few items we brought and were on our way! Plus our house was still clean (or at least the way we left it!) when we got home!
  • Imagi Nation provided each of our guests to return for a discounted visit which was fantastic!
  • Additionally each Imagi Nation Ambassador is a certified and experienced educator skilled in engaging children in play while developing their social skills.  This is an element that really helps Imagi Nation stand out! Parents can relax knowing that their children are being entertained and well cared for by professionals. The staff that worked with us doing the party was outstanding. 

 

We owe an ENORMOUS thank you to Imagi Nation for hosting us for this most spectacular Birthday Party and letting us share our thoughts about the experience with all of our readers! 

               



You don't need to wait for a party to visit! 
You can stop by to visit them during one of their daily open play sessions, see our recent article about their space, open play and more fun here







Sponsorship/Affiliate Disclaimer: 
lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net only exists because of hours upon hours of work that comes directly from the heart of a mom who wants to make the Lehigh Valley a better place to raise your family. Because of our effort we publish a resource that makes your life as a parent easier, makes the Lehigh Valley more welcoming to a family new to the area and helps make the Lehigh Valley a more vibrant and engaging place for families to grow and live. In order to make it possible to continue doing this we must find ways to generate income from our work. At times you will see posts from sponsors who pay us a fee to help them spread the word about their business or event. This article contains no affiliate links but we have received products/service for free in exchange for services related to promoting the noted business. Barters and fees that we receive from our sponsors and affiliates help make the website the best it can possibly be, they put food on our family's table and allow us to keep doing what we do! By patronizing the businesses who support us and by choosing to opt in to offers we share with you you keep lehighvalley.findandgoseek.net alive - making it possible for us to continue to provide information and engaging content for years to come. Without you and without our valued sponsors the website could not continue to operate. We love all of our LVFGS Families and thank you for your support.


Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Top Shopping TIPS for Kids Consignment Sales

From My Perch


Tip Shopping Tips for Kids Consignment Sales


Happy September! With back-to- school upon us, it’s time to start thinking jeans and backpacks, winter gear, sleds, and toys for Christmas! Kids grow fast (most budgets don’t!), so why pay retail! Shop at the upcoming Just Between Friends of Allentown/Bethlehem consignment sale event, and get MORE for LESS!




10 Tips you Need to Know!

Think 3-4 pairs of jeans for the price of ONE at the retail stores. Bikes, diaper bags, cribs & carriers, puzzles and MORE… they have it all! Here are my top shopping tips to get the most bang for your buck!

1. Bring a list! With over 50,000 items in 20,000 square feet of space, hit your top priorities first, THEN shop the other areas.

2. Write down upcoming birthdays and holidays. JBF is a great place to get gifts for a reduced price! They also offer a HUGE selection of brand-new Melissa and Doug items… all at 25% off
retail price!

3. Use their Ikea shopping bags and hold area. Those bags are huge! You can fill them to the brim, them put them in the hold area until you are done shopping! Just pick them up on the way to the register!

4. Claim your free tickets ahead of time! Why pay at the door when free tickets are available online? Get your tickets here (don’t forget one for grandma, or your BFF!)

5. Want the very best selection? Consider shopping during presales! Presales are Wednesday afternoon/evening. If you are an expecting mom (or foster or adoptive mom), or have a child under age 12 months, are a teacher or have served in the military, you get to shop a day before the public! Don’t fit into one of those categories? No problem! Reserve a PRIME TIME ticket! Get tickets here 

6. Make a second trip during the 50% off sale! Come back on Saturday to shop, when many items will be reduced 50% off!

7. RSVP to the JBF facebook event to stay in the know! They have lots of contests and giveaways,












How and When to shop!
When: September 12-15, 2018
Where: The Lou Ramos Center – 1344 N Sherman Street, Allentown (located right off Airport Rd!)
Who: You! Plus your friends and family (don’t forget to invite them!) Get tickets here!

Cash, Debit, Visa, Mastercard and Discover are accepted children and strollers are always welcome!
Check out their website  www.allentownbethlehem.jbfsale.com Follow them on Facebook for announcements and giveaways at www.facebook.com/JBFallentown you can also contact the sale owners directly at kendrasalem@jbfsale.com Follow them on Facebook for announcements and giveaways at www.facebook.com/JBFallentown you can also contact the sale owners directly at kendrasalem@jbfsale.com