Family concerts will take be held at 11 a.m. every Saturday from June 2-July 28. In addition, there will be two  Wednesday morning children’s performances  at 11 a.m. July 11 and 18.

Kicking off the season is the African Benga Stars part of SteelStacks Passport to Adventure series which will introduces children to a new country each month. The group is made up of Kenyan musicians who pay tribute to the rhythms of Benga, the popular genre of Kenyan music that evolved between the late 1940s and late 1960s in the Kenya's capital city of Nairobi.  

With the Passport series, children can pick up a passport at the ArtsQuest Center and have it stamped each month when they check out the Passport performer. The series encourages children to learn about the many cultures that make up our world. Also, when they get their passport stamped each month, they’ll also be entered to win prizes.

On June 9, families learn about environmental awareness with Bash the Trash which combines science, music and environmental awareness into a unique performance and educational program. The group will perform on a variety of musical instruments made from trash, recycled and found objects, then lead kids on a parade through the grounds.

Go down under to Australia July 7 with Seona McDowell. McDowell is one of the most unusual and versatile performers to come out of Australia and New Zealand in many years. Drawing from her own colorful background, as well as her extensive travels, she performs both traditional and contemporary songs from around the world.

Children can feel the rhythms of Brazil on Aug. 25 with an energetic Zumba class. Zumba is a Latin dance-inspired fitness program that incorporates moves from hip-hop, soca, samba, salsa, merengue and mambo.

Other highlights include Big Bang Boom, the family-friendly power pop trio featuring Chuck Folds, younger brother of Ben Folds, which will perform one of the Wednesday shows on July 11; Miss Amy & Her Big Kids Band, the Grammy Award winning artist who will serve musical fitness July 14; and Moona Luna, which sings English and Spanish music filled with joy, hope and discovery is the other Wednesday performer on July 18.

 The complete line-up of family series performers is: The Deedle Deedle Dees, June 16; Hector Rosado Latin and Caribbean Drum Workshop, June 23; Stacey Peasley Band, June 30;  Seona McDowell, July 7; Big Bang Boom, July 11; Miss Amy & her Big Kids Band,July 14; Moona Luna, July 18; Princess Katie and Racer Steve, July 21 and The Anna Banana Band, July 28.

There also will be giveaways of sunscreen, silly bands to children and other goodies.

Levitt Pavilion also will be the site of a free family movie series under the stars June 13 to Aug. 15.

Movies will start at 8 p.m. and debut June 13 with "Most Valuable Players," the documentary that follows three high school theater troupes on their journey to the 2008 Freddy Awards ceremony at the State Theater in Easton. The film by Christopher Lockhart and Matt Kallis has aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network and captured a Documentary Channel Audience Award at the 2011 Nashville Film Festival.

Other movies are "Cars," June 20; "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never," June 27; "Despicable Me" July 11; "The NeverEnding Story," July 18; "The Incredibles" July 25 and "Toy Story" Aug. 1.

Info: www.artsquest.org/family.

SkyRush, a $25 million Intamin mega/hyper steel coaster, is a super thrill coaster that swoops riders at breathtaking speed on a twisting curving steel track that dwarfs the wooden coaster Comet, over which Skyrush passes.

But what makes SkyRush truly awesome is the way the cars are designed. The cars feature four across seats with the outer two actually extending out over the edge of the track so riders will feel as if they are hanging in mid-air. The extended seats called "wings" also are floorless which will really give riders an exposed sensation as well as a 270-degree panoramic viewing perspective. The cars are the first of their kind in the United States.

The first time the car twists to the side the rider is seated on you feel like you're flying through the air. The G forces force you back against the seat and you float on the numerous air-time hills.

The train is propelled rather than pulled up the 200-foot first hill at 26 feet per second and plunges down an 85-degree drop. The ride continues at 75 miles per hour through four high-banked turns and five airtime hills as it travels over Spring Creek, along nearly 3,600 feet of steel track back to its station.

Another neat aspect of the new ride is the opening about three acres of land that have been closed to the public since 1972. The land is the site of the park’s former “Sunken Gardens,” a popular place for early visitors to Hershey to take a stroll. The area features a secluded scenic observation path that’s lined by globe streetlights, fencing, trees, landscaping and flowers. It seems like you're far away from an amusement park, until Skyrush thunders through the area. The paths offer great views of the new coaster as it zips by.

Height limitation is 54 inches or taller.

Hesheypark is open daily through Labor Day. Tickets are $56.95 for ages 9 and up and $35.95 ages 3-8. Info: www.hersheypark.com.

Watch the point of view video of a ride on SkyRush below.

Six Flags Great Adventure opened its new thrill ride Sky Screamer to the public Wednesday after debuting the ride a week ago for 30 Elvis impersonators, members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts.

The impersonators who dubbed the Sky Screamer, a 24-story tall swing tower, "a hunka, hunka burning ride" were the first to swing around 242 feet off the ground at 40 miles per hour.

The ride adds another thrill to he Jackson, New Jersey amusement park which already boast 13 coasters including Nitro, which made the top of my best coaster list last year; tallest coaster record-holder Kingda Ka and El Toro, the wooden coaster with the steepest drop.

“Sky Screamer has redefined our skyline,” says park president John Fitzgerald, “and will offer guests a 360-degree, bird’s-eye view of the property.”

The two-minute long ride loads two to a seat and can handle 32 rides. The riders are lifted aloft to the top of the ride for a spectacular view of the surrounding lake. The ride spins riders around at a dizzying pace and then half-way through drops about 20 feet before speeding up again.

It’s the cornerstone of the amusement park’s new Adventure Alley section, which caters to those looking for classic thrills with a retro vibe. Other rides in Adventure Alley, which will be fully open by June, include a Deja Vu, a music-themed scrambler, Air Dumbo, a flying-elephant ride and Fender Benders, new bumper cars.

The new ride looms over much of the park and a particularly good view of Sky Screamer can be seen from the Big Wheel ferris wheel which at a paltry 15 stories tall, looks at its neighboring ride. Patrons must be 48 inches or taller to ride Sky Screamer.

The park is open daily through Labor Day.

Tickets are $41.99 to 61.99 for adults and $39.99 for kids. For more info, visit www.sixflags.com/greatadventure.

This year the annual festival in Allentown returns to Cedar Beach today through Monday with more hands-on activities for kids and lots of family-friendly entertainment.

KidSpace, with its distinctive (and climb-able) oversized letters, returns to the area near the creek with the KidStage open later until 8 p.m. all four days. The stage will feature favorite Lehigh Valley childrens performers such as musician Dave Fry, ventriloquist Scott Wagstaff, juggler Al Grout and magician Joe Keppel.

Also visit the new stage at the Artist Esplanade at the Ott Street entrance, where area dance schools and groups will have students performing, and on Monday members of the Lehigh Valley Storytelling Guild will do a marathon of family storytelling 1-4 p.m.

The festival has partnered with Allentown School District to offer Colonial-themed children's activities in honor of Allentown’s 250^th anniversary all weekend. Four tents at KidSpace will features arts acitvities by Lehigh Valley arts teachers, crafts with products donated by Crayola, an instrument petting zoo with the Allentown Symphony and science fun with Da Vinci Science Center. Kids also can help paint the giant Mayfair mural. At 5:15 p.m. Friday Da Vinci Science Center will bring its “Mix and Matter” show that demonstrates mixing chemicals that are at extreme temperatures.

There will be more strolling performers in the KidSpace area. Look for Wagstaff, Keppel, the Banjo Man Jim Haner, Grout, magician Tom Yurasits and even the Cat in the Hat.

In a tent near the Kids Stage, Middle Earth Studios returns with its daily interactive theater in which children — and parents — can become princesses and knights as they act out the story of “Meistersingers of Nurnberg.”

Highlights include the ever popular Fry who performs at 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Monday with knock-knock jokes, interactive songs and banjo strumming; Miss Maggie, a Kutztown grad who combines singing, guitar, percussion, poems and stories, returns with her friendly puppets at 3 p.m. Saturday and the Paisley Pickles, a trio of rockin’ Haddonfield, N.J., dads will perform at 4 and 7 p.m. Sunday.

Mock Turtle Marionettes of Bethlehem will give kids a “backstage view” of the marionette theater in “Time Out for Puppets,” as well as the short show “The Puppet Zoo” which will feature a puppet-making workshop. Mock Turtle performs at 5 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Families can enjoy theater with a preview of Muhlenberg’s “Hairspray” at 6 p.m. and the winners of the Freddy Awards at 7:15 p.m. Saturday at the cabaret stage.

Enjoy a magical afternoon of stories Monday when Larry Sceurman, Karen Maurer, Mary Wright, Charles Kiernan, Tina Fowler and Robin Reichart all put their own spin on both fairy tales and original yarns.

Don’t miss the artists market where kids also can create a tie-dye shirt or try making a clay bowl on a pottery wheel at an additional charge.

Admission is $5 a day; $10 for the entire festival. Ages 10 and under are free. Info: www.mayfairfestival.org.

A: The Help for Families panels lauds you for being concerned and trying to make your family stronger.

“Having a new parent coming into the family is a huge transition,” says panelist Mary Lou Scarf. “Everyone is making an adjustment.”

They acknowledge that it is probably scary when your parents fight, but conflict is a part of being human.

“When parents disagree or argue, it doesn’t necessarily mean the family structure is threatened,” says panelist Denise Continenza. “Conflict is OK. It happens in all relationships.”

The panel says arguing once a week doesn’t seem excessive, but recognizes your concern.

“They are arguing about things most couple argue about,” Continenza says. “They are bound to have differences. Do they resolve things? I would be more concerned if they are not resolving the issues.”

However they agree these are adult matters and need to be resolved without involving the children.

Even if the arguments aren’t serious, you are being affected by it, Continenza says. It may be you have a sensitive temperament.

“Talk with your father at a neutral time,” she suggests. “Tell him, ‘Sometimes I get really worried when I hear you argue.’ Let him know how you feel.”

Tell your father you want him and his new wife to stay together, Scarf says. Let him know that you are seeing something positive in the relationship.

Or you could ask for a family meeting at which you and your sibling could explain your parent’s fighting is affecting you and you want them to work things out, Scarf says. Parental arguments can really affect children.

Your parents may not be aware how scary this if for kids, Continenza says.

If they are having serious issues, don’t feel you or your siblings are responsible, Continenza says.

“So many kids take too much on in these situations,” she says.

“Don’t feel guilty — it’s not your fault,” agrees Scarf.

Talk to your friends and to the guidance counselor at your school, Continenza says. “You may find that your parents are pretty normal.”

Your parents may want to examine how they fight. There's nothing wrong with arguing but they need to treat each other with respect, the panel says. And they should always take the argument to a resolution, because they are modeling problem-solving.

Your parents may want to check out the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy at www.aamft.org, a resource for marriage and family therapy.

Kids will be dancing to the rocking sounds of drum, bass and guitar. Food-centric songs are about pizza, watermelon and, of course, pickles. The Pickles are best enjoyed by ages 3-10.

Band members Pickle Paul, Pickle Mark and Pickle Frank will be characters and write music for a new PBS series “I Play With My Food,” a cooking show to teach kids about healthy eating and fitness. The show is set to debut later this year.

Tickets are $10. The theater is at 24 W. Temple Ave. Info: www.st94.com or call 215-257-5808.

Events that emphasize hands-on learning in a historical context are held on the third Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Burnside Plantation, 1461 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem.

This Saturday learn about “Colonial Gardening.” Children can help cultivate plants in their own garden plot. They get to take home a mini version of their garden and return in the fall to see the bounty of the harvest.

Upcoming programs include “Eggs and the Birds That Lay Them,” during which children can hold newly hatched chicks, on June 16; “Dairy Daze,” about milking cows, on Aug. 18, and “The Amazing Husk,” which demonstrates the many uses of cornhusks, on Sept. 15.

Children are free with paid adult admission of $7.

For the full schedule of “Back to Your Roots” events see www.historicbethlehem.org or call 800-360-TOUR.

The event just for kids celebrates Native American crafts and life skills with hands-on workshops from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the museum at 2825 Fish Hatchery Road, Salisbury TownshipAllentown.

Children will learn about primitive pottery making, quillwork and medicine-wheel wrapping, Ojibwa-style dream catchers, Iroquois-style cornhusk dolls, cattail mat weaving and flintknapping.

There also will be nature walks, a scavenger hunt, a chance to try a bow and arrow or atlatl (spear). Lifeways exhibits will feature artifacts and cultural heritage displays.

Lunchtime activities will include a storytelling theater, the short film “Native Americans Today,” and a visit to the Museum of Indian Culture's Trading Post. Children must bring a bagged lunch, wear sturdy shoes and be accompanied by an adult. Registration is $20 per child/adult pair.

Sign-in is 9-9:45 a.m.; activities begin at 10 a.m.

To register, go to www.museumofindianculture.org or call 610-797-2121.

A: Try not to worry so much, the Help for Families panel says.

“You need to trust your child a little more,” says panelist Joanne Nigito-Raftas. “He will make good decisions if he comes from a good solid place.”

If you have taught your values to your children, they will tend to be attracted to kids with values like themselves, says panelist Denise Continenza.

If you are panicking, some of that fear may be translated to your son, Nigito-Raftas says.

“If he already is nervous about going to middle school, your panicking will not help,” she says. “You need to make this fun and successful, not about fear and more rules.”

You can’t protect children from every bad influence, says panelist Michael Daniels.

“You can teach a child to respond in ways that they are comfortable,” he says. “You need to give them the skills to deal with problems. It is harder if the child has been isolated or protected.”

You may feel you will have less control over your son’s life in middle school, says Nigito-Raftas.

“There are still opportunities to get involved,” she says. “I encourage all parents to get to know the kids that their children are around. They are all the same age as your son, and kids will gravitate toward kids they are comfortable with. Right now your son needs your guidance and support.”

Have a discussion with your son about friendship, says Continenza.

“Talk about the criteria for selecting a good friend,” she says. “Peers become more important at this age. Talk about choosing friends for the wrong reasons.”

You need to maintain a balance of love and limits, she says.

“You also need to get a level of comfort for yourself,” Daniels says. “Recognize you have feelings about your child growing up. Transitions mean change. It can be stressful but you need to communicate: We will get through this together and I will support you the whole way.”

Talk to the parents of other children going to middle school, he says.

“There is strength in numbers, and they are experiencing similar things,” he says.

The panel recommends you read the book “How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk” by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.

Many area middle schools offer the Strengthening Families Program, a parenting skills, children's life skills and family life skills training program. If your school doesn't offer it, there is a home DVD of the program available at strengtheningfamiliesprogram.org.

Yogeshwar was named the regional winner after he competed against nearly 300 students from 30 Lehigh Valley area middle schools and won the 28th annual Lehigh Valley MathCounts Regional Competition contest. He went on to win the Pennsylvania MathCounts 2012 State Competition in March. The Parkland student also won the regional competition last year.

The competition began Thursday and the Countdown Round in which students compete face to face will be streamed live at 2 p.m.

The past two years we've taken part in a great program that offers two free games every day for kids through the entire summer. That's right. Two games absolutely free for the kids. You just have to rent shoes.

Kids Bowl Free is now in its 5^th year, and more than 1,000 bowling centers across the country are taking part in the program. To sign up register online at www.kidsbowlfree.com and receive emailed vouchers valid for two free bowling games each day for a week every Sunday morning from your local bowling center.

Locally the bowling centers participating in Kid Bowl Free are Playdrome Rose Bowl, 801 N. 15th St., Allentown which is offering the program from May 15-Sept. 15; Town N Country Lanes, 1770 Stefko Blvd., Bethlehem offering the program now through Aug. 31 and Hampton Lanes, 326 Main St.,  Northampton offering it now through Sept. 17.

AMF Bowling Centers which has a location at AMF Parkway Lanes, 1630 South 12th St. Allentown, also has its own free bowling for kids program called Summer Unplugged. It is open to children age 15 and under. Register at www.freebowling.amf.com/ and you will receive two free passes each day via email. Passes are good until 8 p.m. May 14-Sept. 3.

Mothers get in for half price at Lehigh Valley Zoo Sunday. Moms and their kids can learn about animal moms from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and shop for a perennial such as coneflower or black-eyed Susan, or a colorful annual at the zoo’s annual plant sale (also Saturday). Hear the keeper talk about the zoo’s penguins at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at Jaindl Penguin Pavilion. Regular prices are $10.75 adults and $8.75 children age 2-11. Info: www.lvzoo.org.

Take mom on a ride back in time along the scenic Delaware River. The Delaware River Railroad in Phillipsburg is giving all mothers a free ride Saturday and Sunday when accompanied by a ticketed rider. Enjoy an hour-plus diesel train ride along the Delaware River at 11 a.m., 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $16, adults; $8, children; $2, lap sitters. For an additional $5, stop at the Ol’ Susquehanna gem stone mine and learn how to pan for real gem stones. Info: www.877trainride.com or 1-877-train-ride.

Moms get in for half-price at Dorney Park on Sunday. Mothers just need to identify themselves at the gate  on Sunday and will receive a ticket for $23. Season passholders also can bring up to four friends Sunday for $14.99 per ticket. Moms can get their photo taken with Snoopy from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will receive coupons and a gift at the Mother's Day tent in the Main Plaza. Quantities are limited.

 

Take mom to Ruby Tuesdays on Mother's Day and she'll receive a free voucher for a "Ruby Tuesday Simply Fresh Cookbook." Reservations are recommended.

Mom can get a free frozen yogurt on Mother's Day at participating TCBY stores. Also some Rita's are offering mothers a buy one large item, get one free on Sunday. Call to make sure your local store is participating.

Treat Mom to a free Redbox rental movie on Mother's Day. Any one-day rental is free on Sunday. Just send a free Mother's Day e-card through the Redbox Facebook page.

ArtsQuest announced its new Summer Family Movies Series Wednesdays  June 13 to Aug. 15 at Levitt Pavilion.

Movies will start at 8 p.m.  and debut June 13 "Most Valuable Players," the documentary that follows three high school theater troupes on their journey to the 2008 Freddy Awards ceremony at the State Theater in Easton. The film by Christopher Lockhart and Matt Kallis has aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network and captured a Documentary Channel Audience Award at the 2011 Nashville Film Festival.

Other movies are "Cars," June 20; "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never," June 27; "Despicable Me" July 11; "The NeverEnding Story," July 18; "The Incredibles" July 25 and "Toy Story" Aug. 1.

Bring your blanket or lawn chair. Free parking is available at the parking lots on First Street immediately adjacent to Steelstacks; food and beverages will be available at the Mack Truck Stop at the Levitt Pavilion, as well as the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, located across the street from the Levitt Pavilion.

For more information on the Summer Family Movies Series at SteelStacks, go to www.artsquest.org.

The event includes free helmets to the first 100 children who need them, helmet fittings for both adults and children, bicycle safety checks and a traffic-free basic skills course. There also will be rides on the Lehigh Canal towpath and on the road led by members of the League of American Bicyclists certified cycling instructors. There will be music by DJ Discreet.

Advance registration is $5 per family; and $10 per family at the event. To register, call 610-954-5744 or go to www.car-free.org.

If it rains or you can't make it for any reason to the Bike Jam your registration is good for a one-day pass at the Bethlehem Bicycle Cooperative, 14 W. Raspberry Street in downtown Bethlehem any Thursday 5-9 p.m. or Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until the next Bethlehem Bicycle Jam on July 14.

The Emmy-winning Disney favorites, the Imagination Movers, will be rocking the house for two big shows at the Keswick Theater on May 12. Rich, Scott, Dave and Smitty will perform tracks off their new CD/DVD 'Rock-O-Matic' that features their most diverse and exciting collection of music to date, with a genre-defying sound that straddles rock, dancehall and ska at 1 and 4 p.m. at the theater in Glenside.

Tickets are $34.50 and $29.50  but readers of this blog have a chance to win a family 4-pack of tickets to the 1 p.m. show. Just repond to this post with the name of your child's favorite Imagination Mover song and you will be entered. The winner will be chosen at random Wednesday.

For information or tickets call 215-572-7650 or go to www.keswicktheatre.com/.

The four guys who make up the Movers have come a long way.

In 2005, three of the guys who make up the Movers had lost everything during Hurricane Katrina and the fourth, a New Orleans firefighter, was leading relief efforts. Now, with their popular self-titled series on Disney Channel and their 2012 national tour, the Movers are bonafide stars.

    And the flood was a galvanizing force that pushed them to follow their dreams, says group founder Scott Durbin.

    He says the idea started in 2002 as a concept cooked up by four regular guys, three of whom were new dads.

    "We're not actors," he says. "We're the guys from your neighborhood -- a teacher, a journalist, an architect and a fireman."

    Durbin says they came up with an idea for a TV show about four brainstormers who worked in an idea warehouse and decided to pitch it to the local PBS affiliate.

    "Once you have children you're born into this whole world of children's music and television," he says. "There seemed to be a huge void of real people in kid's programming."

    For the proposed show, they penned a number of songs about kid topics such as "I Want My Mommy" and "My Favorite Snack."

    "It was all planned after we put the kids to bed," Durbin says.

    Although the show fell through because of a lack of funding, "all of our friends wanted copies of the songs," he says. The catchy pop songs became the group's debut CD, 2003's "Good Ideas," which spawned an XMKids satellite radio hit and received a number of parenting awards.

    "The music took on a life of its own," Durbin says.

    Spurred by the positive response to the CD, the group donned blue coveralls and started doing concerts. A self-financed DVD "Stir It Up" was released in 2005 and garnered more positive reviews, as did a second CD "Calling All Movers."

    "It was all grass roots," Durbin says. "We were starting to be recognized for what we were doing."
Then Hurricane Katrina hit.

    Durbin and fellow Movers Rich Collins and Dave Poche were among the thousands who lost their homes.

    "We were at a crossroad," Durbin says. "We had lost everything but the clothes on our back and we didn't know if we had jobs. It put everything in perspective."

    The four guys borrowed instruments and put on a show in New Orleans to an overwhelming response.
"Parents told us "you put a smile on my kids' faces,"' he says. "What we created had taken on a new meaning and our music became a soundtrack of recovery for children."

    They were inspired to write the anthem "We Got Each Other," for their third CD which they called "Eight Feet," a homage to both the height of the water in their neighborhoods during the flood as well as the solidarity of their combined feet.

    The following year, Disney saw the group performing at New Orlean's Jazz Fest and signed them, putting their videos in frequent rotation on Playhouse Disney and putting out their CD "Juice Box Heroes."

    The Disney series retains much of the group's original concept and combines the performers' high-energy antics and music with education.

    "We wanted whatever we did to be educationally grounded," Durbin says.

A new project of the Junior League of Lehigh Valley, combines children’s love of trucks with information about protecting the most vulnerable part of their body – their brain.

The first annual “Trucks & More” will give kids a hands-on opportunity to explore trucks and other heavy machinery and meet the people who build and operate the huge vehicles from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Satuday May 12 at Mack Customer Center, 2402 Lehigh Parkway South, Allentown.

Kids will see construction trucks, emergency vehicles, tractor trailers, utility trucks, motorcycles and more.

The Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania will hold a “Brain Safety Fair” at which children can get a free bicycle helmet and fitting. There also will be a display about how the brain works and what families can do to safeguard children’s heads and brains.

Tickets are $5 per person and proceeds benefit projects of the Junior League of the Lehigh Valley that serve children in the community. For information go to www.jllvpa.org.

The free festival which is celebrating its 30^th anniversary is presented by the Lockridge Theatre Group who plays Renaissance music and wear historically-accurate costumes as they perform outdoors among the ruins of the Lockridge furnace outbuildings. The performance which begins at 2 p.m. includes archers, posies, jesters, wenches, singers, dances, a fire twirler, and the culmination with the weaving of the May Pole and the crowning of the May Queen. The performance is directed by Faith Andrews, daughter of the festival’s founder, Jean Stoneback. Named as this year’s May Queen is Elizabeth Klarine Patterson and Alexis Keeler the Duchess of Lockridge.

There also will be crafts, arts, children’s activities and food from noon to 5 p.m. and visitors can take a self-guided walking tour to learn about the local history of the anthracite iron industry.

The Lehigh Valley Photography Club will display photographs of the park and furnace. William Wentz who paints watercolors inspired by the natural beauty of the Lockridge Park is the featured artist and will be painting throughout the day. The Alburtis Fire Company will have emergency vehicles on display; East Penn Children’s Fitness Academy and the Lower Macungie Library will offer children’s activities.

The park is on the site of historic Lock Ridge Iron Works which was built by the Thomas Iron Company in 1868. Info: 610-965-5517.

During the celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, visitors to the Allentown science center can learn about photography, clay, anodizing metals and get a chance to make their own miniature book.

At 3 p.m. Saturday Jeff Lieberman, the host of the former Discovery Channel series “Time Warp,” will be the guest presenter for ScienceWorks when he gives a talk at Alumnae Hall, Cedar Crest College, 100 College Drive. The center will close at 2 p.m. Saturday for the presentation and tickets to see Lieberman cost $10, adults and $7.50, children..

Center activities will include a color darkroom at which all kids can get a free photo strip and Cedar Crest College art students will teach children and adults how to make a pocket-sized books with their C.R.E.A.T.E. Book Cart (Community Related Experiences in Art Through Engagement).

Artists from Baum School of Art in Allentown will demonstrate both days. Rosemary Geseck will show visitors how to draw at 12:30 p.m. Saturday and Jennifer Nahan-Gidley will discuss stages of clay and Bill Leth will demonstrate anodizing metals at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Peter C. Dent, Chairman of the former Leonardo da Vinci’s Horse organization will talk about Leonardo da Vinci’s art and science work at noon Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Center admission is $11.95, adults; $8.95, ages 4-12, seniors and military and free, 3 and under.

For information go to www.davincisciencecenter.org or call 484-664-1002, ext 144.

The NETworks touring production which features the original Broadway team from the show’s Tony-winning Broadway run from 1994 to 2007, still looks fresh and delivers a parade of memorable performances during its run through Thursday at Easton’s State Theatre.

Belle as played by Emily Behny is winsome and sweet, with a little bit of much-needed sass to keep her character from becoming too saccharine. Plus she has a great set of pipes especially showcased in the song “A Change in Me,” added to the show in 1998.

Matt Farcher was all over-the-top fun as the insufferable Gaston, and he could sing well too. And Gaston wouldn’t be as much fun without his comic foil in the buffoonish LeFou, played to perfection by Jimmy Larkin. The song “Gaston” was a standout with amazing sound effects, a dance line with synchronized clinking tankards and a flying tooth.

Michael Haller made a memorable and charming Lumiere who made you believe he had been a ladies man before being turned into a candlestick and Jessica Lorion, was a sparkling, if a bit sexy, Babette.

James May was well cast as a too “tightly wound” Cogsworth and Jen Bechter was hilarious and larger than life as Madame de la Grande Bouche.

Julia Louise Hosack sang a lovely “Beauty and the Beast” as the Beast, played by Dane Agostinis, and Belle, dressed in an unbelievably frothy dress, waltzed.

Interesting and adding to the effect of the castle were actors dressed as gargoyles come to life, who moved the large set pieces around. The costumes by Ann Hould-Ward were across the board spectacular.

Innovative use of large puppets made the opening scene with the enchantress more spectacular and also stood in for the menacing pack of wolves in the forest.

Agostinis made an appealing beast, moving from angry and aggressive at the beginning to unsure and hesitant as he fell in love with Belle. His transformation at the end was one of those “how’d they do that?” moments.

The direction by Rob Roth was fast paced and the dance numbers, particularly “Be Our Guest” were high energy.

Before the show, children can attend a Sweet & Sassy Princess Party 5-7 p.m. in the State Theatre's Acopian Ballroom. The party includes a princess makeover, including a hair up-do, sparkling makeup and nail polish from Sweet & Sassy, Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley. Tickets for the party are $10.

The show is at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Tickets are $55 and $60. Info: 610-252-3132 or www.statetheatre.org.

This is a great weekend to see musicals done by kids. Both Pennsylvania Youth Theatre and Stagemakers at the J are doing shows cast with children. PTY's features just two adults while Stagemakers is comprised entirely of just kids.

PYT's new production of “The Little Prince,” opening May 4 and continuing through May 20 at the Ice House in Bethlehem chronicles the adventures of a world-weary aviator who gets stranded in the Sahara Desert, where he meets the little prince. An arrary of characters help guide the aviator to a once-in-a-lifetime realizaiton.

The play was adapted by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar from French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s popular novella, “The Little Prince.”

“As a child, I loved the crazy characters, the traveling to different planets and the fairy tale aspects of the book. As a young adult, it was the main theme of the story — it is only with the heart that one can see rightly and what is essential is invisible to the eye — that spoke to me,” says Michael , the adult actor who plays the aviator.

The cast includes 54 PYT actors, 14 of which play the role of the little prince.

“I wanted to cast multiple Little Princes for the simple reason that each time our aviator encounters the Little Prince in the book and musical, he remembers something different about himself that has been long forgotten as an adult,” says Gary Minyard, PYT artistic director. “These Little Princes open up the Aviator’s memories about his own past, the choices he has made, and help him re-connect with the boy he once was in order to find love again.”

Performances are at 7 p.m. May 4, May 11 and 18; 1 and 4 p.m. May 12, 13, 19 and 20. Tickets: $20, reserved seating; $15, general admission, adults; $12, general admission, seniors and children. Info: 610-332-1400 or www.123pyt.org.

A cast of children will portray the poor dairyman Tevye, his five daughters and all the inhabitants of their little town of Anatevka when the Stagemakers at the J present “Fiddler on the Roof Jr.” May 3 and 6.

The story follows Tevye as he tries to instill the traditions of their small, tight-knit Jewish community in his five daughters against the face of changing social mores and anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia.

The Tony Award-winning musical ran on Broadway from 1964 to 1972 and introduced beloved songs, including “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “Tradition.” The junior version re-creates the show for young performers.

Performances will be at the JCC of Allentown, 702 N. 22nd St., at 7:30 p.m. May 3 and 2 and 6 p.m. May 6. Tickets: $18, adults; $12, children. Info: www.allentownjcc.org, 610-435-3571.

Harley, whose face seems to be made of rubber as he twists it to create his characters, performed his new “orchestrated story” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” at the performance.

The story based on the traditional tale is a humorous take, as well as markedly family-friendly, on the well knows story of the boy who trades his cow for magic beans and then shimmies up the resulting beanstalk to find a giant.

The story uses themes from traditional song and underlying orchestration arranged by Paul Phillips, who was at the cocnert, to enhance Harley’s telling. The result is a delightful romp as Harley hilariously voices the giant, his wife, Jack and his mother. The orchestra music is cleverly used to emphasize characters and punctuate action throughout the story.

Equally successful was Harley’s long-form story “Come On Out and Play” in which a bear invites other animals to a party. Each animal is represented by a different instrument and theme, which add on each other until the entire orchestra is playing together.

The performance opened with the orchestra performing Overture from Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro.” Harley stepped out on stage, noting that his father loved Mozart and then self-deprecatingly quipped “After a composition by Wolfgang, here’s one by Bill Harley.”

He then sang his classic parent versus child song “There’s a Pea on my Plate,” accompanied by the orchestra complete with slide whistle as the pea fell on the floor.

The orchestra also performed Hoe-down from Aaron Copland’s “Rodeo” and the Colonel Bogey March, during which Harley led all the kids in the audience in a march around Symphony Hall.

The concert concluded with a satisfying performance of Harley’s song  “You’re in Trouble” and a wish it could’ve lasted longer!

The free festival which is celebrating its 30^th anniversary is presented by the Lockridge Theatre Group who plays Renaissance music and wear historically-accurate costumes as they perform outdoors among the ruins of the Lockridge furnace outbuildings. The performance which begins at 2 p.m. includes archers, posies, jesters, wenches, singers, dances, a fire twirler, and the culmination with the weaving of the May Pole and the crowning of the May Queen. The performance is directed by Faith Andrews, daughter of the festival’s founder, Jean Stoneback. Named as this year’s May Queen is Elizabeth Klarine Patterson and Alexis Keeler the Duchess of Lockridge.

There also will be crafts, arts, children’s activities and food from noon to 5 p.m. and visitors can take a self-guided walking tour to learn about the local history of the anthracite iron industry.

The Lehigh Valley Photography Club will display photographs of the park and furnace. William Wentz who paints watercolors inspired by the natural beauty of the Lockridge Park is the featured artist and will be painting throughout the day. The Alburtis Fire Company will have emergency vehicles on display; East Penn Children’s Fitness Academy and the Lower Macungie Library will offer children’s activities.

The park is on the site of historic Lock Ridge Iron Works which was built by the Thomas Iron Company in 1868. Info: 610-965-5517.

A: The fact that the food is ethnic may or may not have anything to do with why he isn’t eating lunch, the Help for Families panel says.

Sometimes children don’t eat because lunch is the only time they have to socialize with friends and they are too busy, says panelist Suzanne Mulhern. How much do you pack? Maybe you are sending too much food with him.

Another thing to check is when his lunch period is. Some schools have such early lunch periods that children are not hungry yet, Mulhern says.

“A lot of kids don’t want to eat at school,” agrees panelist Joanne Nigito-Raftas. “Talk to him and ask him why he’s not eating. This may be about food and it may not.”

Also consider if he is taking any medications; some medications suppress the appetite.

“I would be more concerned that he isn’t eating lunch, than about what he is eating,” says panelist Michael Daniels.

It is possible he doesn’t eat the food you send because he wants to fit in with the other kids,

“When you are sitting at a table with your peers, it is difficult to be different,” says panelist Rochelle Freedman. “He may be worried about negative comments from the other kids.”

And if he isn’t eating it because he’s worried about his peers’ comments, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have pride in his culture, says Nigito-Raftas.

“Kids just want to fit in,” she says. “They don’t want to feel different. This is your culture at home, but when he goes to school he’s going into a different culture that he wants to be a part of.”

You could invite his friends over to try some of the foods at your house, suggests panelist Denise Continenza.

Try asking him what he wants to eat in his lunch, Mulhern says.

“Use problem-solving skills,” Nigito-Raftas says. “If he doesn’t want to eat that kind of food, help him figure out another way he can incorporate his culture. There are many way he can be a part of his culture besides just food.”

It is important that he not totally abandoned his culture, Mulhern says. “Respecting differences starts young.”

But don’t give him an ultimatum, Daniels says. “Cultural pride is important but you don’t want him to feel ostracized.”

“A 9-year-old shouldn’t be under that much pressure about food,” adds Nigito-Raftas. “It’s more important that he eat. This won’t make or break a child at age 9.”

A: It is a parent’s responsibility to make sure their child gets to school, the Help for Families panel says.

“You are doing a lot of reacting,” says panelist Michael Daniels. “You need to be more proactive in responding to what he needs. You need to find out what’s behind his school refusal. You might have to plan to take a day off to spend some time with your son to find out what is going on.”

The problem is that you’re not taking action, says panelist Joanne Nigito-Raftas.

“This didn’t just happen,” she says. “He missed a lot of school to get to this point. Something is going on. Maybe he is being bullied. There is some sort of struggle.”

Talk to your son and ask open-ended questions about why he doesn’t want to go to school, says panelist Denise Continenza.

“School is not always a great place to be,” says panelist Rochelle Freedman.

First rule out any physical problems, says panelist Suzanne Mulhern. Is he getting enough sleep?

Make a list of things to look at, Nigito-Raftas says.

“If he sleeps late, is he up all night?” she asks. “Make sure there is no television, computer or phone after 9 p.m. if he can’t get up.”

Parents forget that they own all that stuff, says panelist Michael Daniels. “We can cancel services.”

You have lost your parental power and you feel helpless, says Nigito-Raftas.

“Any child will take advantage of parents who feel helpless,” she says. “You need to take back your power as a parent.”

Look at any changes in his life, Daniels says. Did he miss a lot of days last year? Did something happen over the summer? Was there a move or a loss in his life?”

Does he have new friends, asks Continenza. Could he be depressed or have other mental health issues?

If he seems to be getting overloaded you can always give him a “mental health day,” says panelist Suzanne Mulhern. “It can act as a pressure release.”

The referral to the magistrate came from the school, Daniels says. Contact the school and talk to the counselor. Put a plan together.

Also look at yourself. Do you model responsibility? Are you getting up at the last minute?

Start a morning ritual, Freedman says. Even if it means you have to get up earlier to make breakfast, to assure he’s up and dressed. You have to reinforce and build in rewards,

Also try using humor in the morning, Continenza says.

If you feel overwhelmed, seek help.