http://www.parentography.com/ Kid friendly reviews, recommendations and advice - for families on the go en-us I LOVE this school! When I started with my 1-year-old a year ago, I didn't know what to expect. Instructors seemed to be proceeding at a painfully slow pace, there wasn't a good place for me to change out of my swim suit, and parking was limited. But over the course of the year, I've seen my daughter blossom as a swimmer. I realize their patient instructors and well-researched techniques build trust and positive associations that form a strong foundation for more adanced swimming skills (something I never achieved from my YMCA lessons as a teen). When swimming with friends and their toddlers who are in other swim schools, I really see the difference. My daughter has a calmness and focus that other young swimmers are lacking. The manager / owner, Brett, is a real gem. He'll do whatever it takes to make sure his customers are happy, such as payment flexibility and changing his schedule to help a young child transition to a new teacher. These classes have been my best investment yet. I'm excited to know that in another year, my daughter should be fully self-sufficient in a pool, and will have a lifetime of water enjoyment ahead of her. ParkvilleGirl Fri, 16 May 2008 09:40:33 -0700 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/931 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/931 I am a mom of 2 boys ages 5 and 2 and this zoo was great. It's not too big (or expensive) but still has lots to see. The terrain is a bit rough with a stroller in certain areas, but it was worth having it. The boys loved the pony ride and the train. They have a food court, although we did not eat their. Rest rooms were clean and so was the rest of the park. They seem to be in the middle of renovating certain areas of the zoo which will only improve it. I highly recommend it! Have Fun! momofboys Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:49:39 -0700 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/930 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/930 This is a great spot for all! Both my children love this zoo and have from the time they were toddlers. They never get bored of it, but in fact love visiting the animals they know by name. We can spend a full day here or just an hour or two. It is a county zoo so it is not as vast as the Bronx Zoo and you can see it all. There is a farm with pony rides and a petting and feeding section that my kids always enjoy. There are picnic areas, a small play area, a carousel, a train ride, reptile house and more. Turtleback Zoo is a great place for young children. coop Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:13:03 -0700 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/929 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/929 The play area in the former food court at Zona Rosa is a great place to bring toddlers to run, play and burn energy. The soft fruits are similar to what you'll find in other mall play areas, but to me it's easier to keep tabs on my child here than in a big shopping center! It is in the lower level of the Marshall's building; the best part is that it's connected to covered parking, so it works year-round in all weather. There are nice, clean restrooms in the building, including a large family restroom with diaper-changing area. My complaints are: Often you'll find lots of older kids who play rough (which is probably an issue at any play place). The entire "fruit plate" is surrounded with a horseshoe-shaped seating area for parents - great for supervision, but it is so close to the play area that I see kids get hurt on it every time I'm there. Since all of the vendors in the food court have closed, it is rather dull for the parents. thinblueline Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:58:24 -0700 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/928 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/928 My husband & I just went on Apr. 5, 2008. YES, they take credit cards!! We spent 3 1/2 hrs. there and just loved it. This was the most lively reptile house I'd ever seen. Most places, the snakes & such are curled up under some heat lamp. The grounds, cages, animal food dishes were all clean. Alot of animals to see. Great day to bring the kids. TDJRPM Sun, 06 Apr 2008 07:12:55 -0700 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/927 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/927 My son has been attending Floaties since he was 3months old and is turning 2 next week! He can jump off the side of the pool and swim all by himself to the other side of the pool. Floaties customer service is 5 star. I wouldn't go anywhere else. kfm Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:13:13 -0700 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/924 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/924 We wanted to stay "on the resort" to save time & get the extra hours. It took us 20 min. to get to the Magic Kingdom & Epcot after we got on our bus provided at the resort. I think we would have been better off staying off-resort at a hotel that had shuttle service. The resort is nice & maybe if we had a room facing the park where the animals are it would have been worth it, but for us, it didn't pay. The food at the hotel is as expensive if not more than it is in the park. Yes, our room was nice, but not that nice. We had a king bed with a daybed. They brought us railings for the daybed & it worked well for our 2 yo. It was a long walk for us to get to our room, which was not fun with a tired kid. We've decided that unless we stay at the Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian or Polynesian, it's not worth it fo rus to stay on the resort. We did like that we didn't have to pay for parking, but if you stayt at a hotel that has a shuttle you don't have to worry about it. We would have liked to be able to go to a grocery store to get snacks & go to a restaurant off the resort without walking for 10 min to get to our car & then driving for another 20 minutes to get out of the park. The pool area is nice & there are opportunites to see the animals even if your room doesn't face the park, but we spent most of our time in the Magic Kingdom, so that wasn't much to us. Buhbells Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:40:32 -0700 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/923 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/923 One of the best mexican restaurants in a city with a lot of them. Family friendly atmosphere, but a fun place for parents to let loose a bit. tweinthal Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:17:54 -0700 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/922 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/922 My daughter has been attending Murray Callan since she was 10 months old. She is now 31/2 and swimming wonderfully. She can swim the length of the pool. I have had her swimming 3 days a week, even through the summer, and she enjoys her teachers. I have been fortunate to have had the same amazing teacher from her start. She has had a sprinkle of other teachers throughout her lessons, which I believe has taught her to work well with other adults. It is only in the summer that they require you attend 3 days a week, and this is of course so that your children are really taking to the lessons. I believe their strict regiment is for your childs own learning and experience. Rigidity and Structure are important for a child to come out of this swim experience with You feeling safe in knowing that if and when your child falls in, you know they will come out alive! JeaneneE Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:07:52 -0800 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/920 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/920 The Donna Reed Performing Arts Center in Denison, Iowa was built in 1914 as the Deutsch Opernhaus Gesselschaft von Denison, housing a beautiful auditorium space, a soda fountain and various other businesses. It still greets guests with tasty treats at the soda fountain and is a regional center for entertainment. Since the building was purchased and restored in the late 1980s by the Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts, a small museum and gift shop has been established just off the lobby, devoted to the vintage film and television actress Donna Reed. Reed was born on a farm south of Denison and her legacy of performing arts education thrives through the Donna Reed Foundation. Free opera house tours are available during the Museum's open hours, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday through Friday. These tours are given by long-time area residents who share personal stories and local lore involving the historic building. The auditorium is often rented for various occasions, like concerts, weddings, special church services, and private movie parties. The Donna Reed Center is a vital landmark to Denison, Iowa's uptown business district, and appeals to those who love history, performance, and a friendly small-town welcome. kennykahl Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:03:17 -0800 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/919 http://www.parentography.com/reviews/show/919