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The Children’s Playhouse Celebrates Eleventh Birthday With a Five-Day Birthday Celebration Nov. 12-16

Nov. 12, 2013. The High Country’s only children’s museum, The Children’s Playhouse, will celebrate its eleventh birthday with a five-day celebration running from Tuesday, Nov. 12 through Saturday, Nov. 16. The Playhouse Eleventh Birthday Bash will feature free admission, membership discounts, special activities all week and free pizza and cake on Saturday. The Children’s Playhouse is located at 400 Tracy Circle in Boone. 

playhouse“If you’ve never visited The Children’s Playhouse, this is your no-excuses chance to check it out,” said Playhouse cofounder and current executive director Kathy Parham. “Thanks to our generous sponsor, admission will be free all five days and we will be offering $5 off a one year family membership and $10 off a Passport Membership.”

Normally $100, a family membership gives a whole family unlimited admission and other discounts at The Playhouse for a whole year. Passport Memberships, normally $125, offer the same benefits, plus half-price admission to over 150 other children’s museums around the country. Because The Playhouse is a 501c.3 nonprofit, $75 of the membership fee is tax-deductible. 

The Playhouse Birthday Bash is presented by the Orthodontists and Pediatric Dentists Drs. Mayhew, Scheffler, Hardaway & Conn. Additional “Free Play Days” are sponsored by Harmony Center for Women’s Health and Vitality, Kiwanis Club of Boone and the Mast General Store. 

Media sponsors areLamar Advertising, Ray’s Weather and Todd’s Calendar. Prize books provided by The Scholars Bookshop, ASU Bookstore. Pizza and healthy snacks will be provided by Earth Fare and cake will be provided by Stick Boy Bread Company. 

The museum will host special free activities all week. Highlights include a chance for kids 4-8 to make their own dream “Green” home out of cardboard on Tuesday afternoon with students from the ASU Solar Decathlon team and a visit from Grandfather Mountain’s Jill Goodwin who will bring “Creepy Critters” including owls, snakes, opossums, and hissing cockroaches on Thursday morning. Families will have opportunities to make and eat healthy snacks on Tuesday morning and Thursday afternoon thanks to Earth Fare and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension service. Birdie, Birdie will be providing professional face painting on Wednesday afternoon. On Friday morning, families can sample a rollicking music class with Laura Donovan, who regularly teaches six week classes for infants, toddler and preschoolers at The Playhouse.  For more information, see sidebar or www.goplayhouse.org

“Saturday is going to be super fun” says Parham, “We’ll have Angel Bear Yoga at 10:15, then we will enjoy an all kids performance of mountain music  from the Junaluska Wildcats featuring Liam Purcell, 12 and Willow Dillon, 14,  followed by a while-supplies-last party featuring Earth Fare pizza and Stickboy birthday cake.  “Liam has been playing at The Playhouse since he was a toddler,” says Parham, “but he is more widely known for playing his fiddle and banjo at Horn in the West, Merlefest and all sorts of regional competitions.”

Playhouse fans will have opportunities to give back as well.  “Like any 11 year old, we love presents!” jokes Parham.  “Truly, we have to fundraise year round to keep improving our facility and to keep our fees low for families.” Admission and membership fees cover less than 30% of the museums total budget and The Playhouse also gives away over 50 free memberships a year to low-income families and social service agencies. During the Birthday Bash, the museum will post a wish list of needed items ranging from glue sticks to money. When families bring in a donation, they can add a decoration to a giant birthday cake poster. Members are encouraged to bring in new guests and when they do will be entered into daily prize drawings for a free Parents’ Night Out.  All Bash attendees will be entered into twice daily drawings for children’s books donated by the ASU Bookstore.

About The Children’s Playhouse

A nonprofit children’s museum founded in 2002, The Children’s Playhouse provides an enriching play environment for children from birth to age eight while at the same time offering parents and caregivers friendly support in the important job of raising children. It is located at 400 Tracy Circle near downtown Boone.  Daily admission is $5 per person. A one year Playhouse Passport Membership for $125 includes admission to The Playhouse and half-price admission to more than 150 children’s museums nationwide. Scholarship memberships are available for families that meet income guidelines. The Children’s Playhouse is supported in part by grants from the Barnickel Foundation, the Janes Foundation, Watauga County, the High Country Women’s Fund, the Watauga Legacy Fund, the High Country United Way, Boone Service League, and donations from individuals.  For more information, call 828-263-0011, like it on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/Childrens.Playhouse), or visit the website, www.goplayhouse.org.

Playhouse Birthday Bash Activities

All activities will be held at The Children’s Playhouse, 400 Tracy Circle, Boone, NC 28607. The Playhouse is open from 10-5 Tuesday-Friday and 10-3 on Saturday.  Admission during the Birthday Bash will be free (normally $5 per person). 

Tuesday, 11/12: 

OpSmiles (Orthodontists and Pediatric Dentists Drs. Mayhew, Scheffler, Hardaway and Conn) Free Play Day (Free admission)

11:00 Make Fruit Kabobs with Earth Fare 

3:30 Make a Cardboard “Green” Home with the ASU Solar Decathlon Team

Wednesday 11/13:

10-5 pm Harmony Center for Women’s Health and Vitality Free Play Day (Free admission)

3-4 pm Face-painting by Bryony Renouf of Birdie, Birdie and Bluebird Exchange

 Thursday 11/14:

10-5 pm Mast General Store Free Play Day (Free admission)

10:30 “Creepy Critters”from Grandfather Mountain—Owls, snakes, hissing cockroaches, and more—Oh My!

3:30 Kids Like Healthy Food—make a healthy snack and learn strategies for avoiding picky eaters with ASU interns and Margie Mansure of the NC Cooperative Extension

Friday 11/15:

10-3 pm Kiwanis Club of Boone Free Play Day (Free admission)

10:30 Try-It Music Class with Miss Laura—musical fun for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers!

3:30 Sand Art

Saturday 11/16: 

OpSmiles (Orthodontists and Pediatric Dentists Drs. Mayhew, Scheffler, Hardaway and Conn) Free Play Day (Free admission)

10:15 Angel Bear Yoga 

11:00 Junaluska Wildcats  (Traditional Mountain Music on fiddle and banjo) with Liam Purcell, age 11 and friends

Noon-2 pm Earth Fare Pizza and Stick Boy Birthday cake (while supplies last)