Gauteng Choristers Human Rights Concert - WIN TICKETS

Human Rights Concert

The Gauteng Choristers celebrate Human Rights Day with a glorious two-day choral concert

POSTPONED FOR NOW!

Human Rights day is upcoming on 21 March. The Gauteng Choristers, alongside a 53-piece Orchestra, will commemorate the role of struggle stalwarts and the church with two cantatas performed on 20 – 21 March 2020 at the  Linder Auditorium at the Wits Education Campus in Parktown.

We love Arctic Justice - WIN tickets

Arctic Justice in cinemas from 24 January 2020

Going to a cinema to see your favourite movie is still a great outing! Especially for the family. We saw Arctic Justice (see also Arctic Dogs or Polar Squad in other parts of the world) at Cedar Square yesterday morning. It is a sweet movie, with a number of life lessons thrown in the mix. The director is Aaron Woodley, with a great cast including Jeremy Renner, Heidi Klum, James Franco and John Cleese.

We have two tickets up for grabs for a reader of this blog. See below.

View this post on Instagram

Arctic ice - such a cool awesome movie with great lessons: “Be true to yourself!” #ArcticIce #hosted Swifty and his ragtag group of friends must band together to fight an epic battle. It’s only when Swifty embraces his natural abilities that he is able to save Taigasville—and the Arctic—from utter destruction. #MoviesToSee #MoviesForThrWholeFamily #ThingsToDoWithTheFamy #SterKinekor #EmpireEntertainment

A post shared by Karen Du Toit (@karentoittoit) on Jan 26, 2020 at 2:51am PST

Johannesburg International Mozart Festival - WIN tickets

JIMF 2020

Johannesburg International Mozart Festival to give resonance to Beethoven’s concept of unity

It is a special time of the year when it is the Johannesburg International Mozart Festival. The Mozart Festival has so much to offer families, whether you have a passion for classical music, or want to bring the joy to your children as well. We have been going for the past 2 years, and we have received tickets for the upcoming Chamber Music Orchestra with the Buskaid Soweto String Ensemble.
See details below on how two families can also win tickets for this Saturday's Show.

The JIMF  runs from 25 January to 2 February 2020.

Nerf Fest 2019 was the Nerf - in photos

Nerf Fest 2019

Nerf Fest 2019 was awesome! The girls had so much fun. The competitor activities was all the rage, and the stunning GOG Lifestyle Park added to the fun of the day! This is not a Wordless Wednesday, but here are some of the photos. The heat on Saturday was the only reason we left. It was a scorcher of a summer's day!

There was 4 competitor's areas that the children had to complete. They were in a team of 5 each, and the Nerf Monsters (each team had to choose their own name) did a few good rounds. The last round was in the water area, and it was perfect to cool down after the exercises. The smaller children could also play in a number of areas, but I think it would be great if they get their own competitor slots, with parents running alongside them. A fellow blogger told me her son was so disappointed that he could not yet partake! (Just a suggestion?)

Nerf Fest 2019

NERF FEST 2019 hits Joburg in a week!

NERF Fest fun 

NERF FEST - "the ultimate Nerf obsessed fan experience" - hits Johannesburg on 26 and 27 October at GOG Lifestyle Park! We remember last year and how much the kids enjoyed the fun! The excitement is high, especially because we see that the venue is larger, and there are more activities. Nerf fans are again trying out the latest Nerf blasters and going to test their skills against each other. The title of Nerf Fest 2019 champions and some amazing prizes are up for grabs.

Nerf Fest caters for the whole family, and there's a whole day of activities.

KidsCon 2019 - mark your diaries for September

COMIC CON AFRICA WELCOMES FIRST KID-FOCUSED CONVENTION IN AFRICA –KIDSCON! 

For the first time in Africa there will be the most exciting family-friendly, kids-oriented convention! KidsCon promises ‘fun and games’ by empowering kids to be expressive and embrace their individuality.

KidsCon

KidsCon will be at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand between the 21st and 24th of September 2019.

Disney Toy Story 4 is a fun adventure - Giveaway

At the movies - Disney Toy Story 4 

“Every ending is a new beginning.”

~Josh Cooley, Director, Toy Story 4

Is it possible to have a whole new adventure, and another Toy Story? Yes, Disney Toy Story 4 delivers yet again. I can't believe we saw the first Toy Story in 1995. My eldest was two at the time.

All the well-known characters, Woody, Buzz and the gang, are back, with some new additions that bring a delightful twist to the story-line. Forky is already a firm favourite, and we are sure he is here to stay. Miss Fine and I saw the preview last Thursday, and we loved it!

Joburg has now The Kids Gym at Cedar Square

The Kids Gym

Who thought of a concept like this? The Kids Gym is now in Johannesburg as well, at Cedar Square in Fourways. It's a gym just for kids! My first reaction was to ask but why? Why would kids need their own gym? You have to go and see for yourself. The gym is fitted out with the latest high tech state-of-the art equipment for the young ones, while making sure that adult supervision is a constant while they are having fun. Miss Fine was immensely impressed, and I had to promise PROMISE to bring her again. The fee structure is very adaptable, and we can go for a once-off, or pay monthly and seasonal fees.

View from the parent's seating: The Kids Gym - on the treadmills

The Kids Gym is the answer for parents wanting to take their children to a non-competitive space that nurtures a love for physical activity, regardless of their ability. Replicating the model of a typical adults-only gym, The Kids Gym provides children from 18 months to 15 years with the opportunity to exercise and develop skills when it suits them in a fun, activity-oriented venue. The second branch (after Cape Town) of South Africa’s first dedicated children’s gym, seeks to encourage every child, no matter their physical or sporting ability, to be active and embrace exercise and fitness as a lifestyle option. Unlike the adult offering, The Kids Gym does not make use of weight training, instead focuses on the children learning to best utilize and control their own body weight through fun-filled, life-enhancing physical activities, all in a completely non-judgmental environment.

On-hand trainers at The Kids Gym

“Exercise and physical activity has the power to transform lives. As a national gymnastics coach and father of a daughter with a physical disability, I‘ve seen the transformation both emotionally and physically for children that exercise regularly,” says Glenn Joselowitz, co-owner of The Kids Gym and father to eight-year-old Emily, who serves as inspiration behind the idea.

There are different areas for different age groups, and Miss Fine had to test out the smaller kids area as well. 

The Kids Gym - cedar Square

Next time you will find me at The Ninja Bean Café which focuses on health-orientated drinks and organic and low-gi snacks. I can see many a weekend breakfast while Miss Fine gets rid of all her pent-up energies. Best of all, they are open 7 days a week.

Check out The Kids Gym for different classes as well as pricing options. Also, check out the party options!
Tel: 0106016444 email jhb@thekidsgym.co.za.

The Kids Gym - "Where Kids unmask their inner awesome"

Disclaimer: We were invited to the opening of The Kids Gym at Cedar Square last Tuesday. Thanks so much! 

BEE MORE - Inspirational Bumblebee

Bumblebee - CC Transformers South Africa

Bumblebee, the movie: It's 1987, 20 years before the events of the first Transformer movie. Charlie, an 18-year old not so ordinary girl, discovers a yellow beetle in the local junkyard of a small California beach town. Her dad, who has taught her how to work on cars, has died, and together with a scared and broken Bumblebee they are able to help each other. The antagonists are Sector 9 (a government Agency led by Agent Burns) as well as the Decepticons from Cybertron. See the Trailer

Bumblebee - CC Transformers South Africa

Bumblebee released here on 21 December, and it's still on the circuit. The whole family loved this movie. Most kids can identify with Charlie. She is a worthy female role model for our girls. We, Hubby and I,  also downloaded the Bumblebee soundtrack and has been listening to all the eighties music. We love the eighties time period of the movie.


The movie has been graded for fans from 10 years and older. They are very strict now with the age restrictions. Luckily Miss Fine just made the mark. 

The character of Bumblebee inspires fans to be more when they need motivation and courage. Educational Psychologist, Melanie Hartgill, has put together a list for parents, teachers and caregivers on how to help kids embrace kindness, fearlessness and confidence. To be the BEST they can BE!

The boy who cried Ninja - Take the kids

THE BOY WHO CRIED NINJA 

By Alex Latimer

Adapted and directed by JENINE COLLOCOTT

with TARYN BENNETT, JAMES CAIRNS and TONI MORKEL

Designed by ALISTAIR FINDLAY

Original Score by SUE GREALY

Puppets by ANDY JONES

Daphne Kuhn and Contagious Theatre's new show, The Boy Who Cried Ninja, is still on until 22 December at the Auto & General Theatre on the Square. The show is based on Alex Latimer’s book of the same name and we totally agree with the rave reviews from local theatre critics. It is aimed at young families - recommended for children between 4 - 10 years - but we know older kids would find it just as delightful!

The Boy who cried Ninja - Alexa Latimer 

We were invited to attend the show on Saturday. It is well worth going to Auto & General Theatre on the Square as the vibe in Mandela Square is festive at this time of the year. It makes for a great outing lingering there before and after the show.

The boy who cried Ninja is a story with a subtle lesson about honesty.

In the show, Tim witnesses some strange happenings around his house, but no one believes his explanations. In fact, no matter what Tim says, his parents just punish him with chores. To save himself, he hatches a clever plan to expose the truth. Will it work, or will Tim have to spend the rest of his life raking the yard?

The boy who cried Ninja - Contagious Theatre: Throwing balls into theatre

The show is bubbling with humour from start to finish, and keeps children and parents laughing out loud. Taryn Bennett is superb in the role of Tim. We love how she makes Tim come alive with all the mannerisms of a lively boy.

The boy who cried ninja, by Alex Latimer - still on until 22 December. We had such a great time this afternoon 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Well done @ContagiousStory #theboywhocriedninja#contagioustheatre#theatreonthesquaresandton#alexlatimer#thingstodowithchildren pic.twitter.com/mKOOAi0gLl

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) December 15, 2018

Bookings  can be made through Computicket or can be made by calling the theatre on 011 883-8606.

It's only the last few days, and this show is so special! Please take the kids.


Disclaimer: We got tickets to attend the show on Saturday

Fourways Mall with Santa Live heats up the Christmas spirit

Elf at Fourways Mall

Santa's Elves sent an invite to Miss Fine to Skype Live with Santa from the North Pole at Fourways. We love all the festivities and activations around Christmas during this time of the year. This is super awesome to take the kids to experience. Miss Fine was a bit shy to talk to him, but the super-friendly Elf helpers made it easier on her. And we got the photos to prove she spoke to him.

Video Chat with Santa - Fourways Mall

The Live Video chats are available from 1 - 24 December. Love that it is free.

Miss Fine Skype call to Santa at the North Pole

See the Santa Live call on my Instagram Stories: Santa Fourways

Fourways Mall has a number of festive activities. Bring the kids.

Fourways Mall

We made a whole outing on Saturday, with a lovely breakfast at Mugg & Bean (which is near Dischem Court and the Santa Live activation area) before speaking to Santa.

Breakfast at M&B at Fourways

Miss Fine got a Christmas cracker and popcorn from the Elf on the bicycle when we arrived. (See photo on top) Track him down when you see him.

Miss Fine with a Christmas Cracker

Thanks, Santa!

Disclaimer: Miss Fine was very lucky to get a Carry and care Baby Doll from Santa. Thanks to Fourways Mall and Tribeca for the invite.

The Greatest Christmas at Menlyn - on our bucket list

We are not so lucky to be able to go away this December. The budget is non-existent. Fortunately there is a lot going on in Gauteng. We still like to do things that are festive and family orientated. If it is "free" even more so!

Menlyn Park in Pretoria has launched their Greatest Christmas at Menlyn campaign on Saturday with a Carols in the Sky show. It was fantastic! I wish I knew how grand it would be, so I could have told you before the time. *Sorry*
See my Instastory for some of the magic. Conductors Tim Roberts and Unathi Malunga were fantastic together with the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra. Then there was Zanzi Afrirca and Brandon October as soloists. The Ndlovu Youth Choir was the cherry on top. Excellent! Excellent! Next year make sure you attend as well.

First ever The Greatest Christmas Carols In The Sky @MenlynSA #MenlynSky#CarolsInTheSky#ChristmasAtMenlyn pic.twitter.com/BXeWMBH95e

- Karen from the Roof (@karentoittoit) December 1, 2018

Ed Sheeran Shape of You in Zulu The Ndlovu Youth Choir #ChristmasatMenlyn #MenlynSky #CarolsintheSky: https://t.co/naguuYdXtO via

— iloveza (@ilovezacom) December 2, 2018

Fortunately Menlyn has a whole programme running until 23 December.

Santa Visits

Meet up with Santa at Mini Cavendish Court from 9am - 7pm.

We got our photo. Santa is friendly and he doesn't mind posing for hundreds of photos every day. He wanted to know what Miss Fine wants for Christmas. She doesn't want to tell us, but we have a good idea.

Zip Zap Circus

Zip Zap Circus - CC Menlyn

Every day at 3 pm and 7 pm at Cavendish Court.
We missed the launch tonight *crying*, but this is definitely on our list for December.

The Zip Zap Circus is a social circus that was founded in Cape Town in 1992, with the aim to inspire young people and help build a new culture of peaceful coexistence in South Africa.
Working with a diverse community of children from all backgrounds, Zip Zap helps kids to ‘dare to dream’ and learn to make those dreams a reality.

Menlyn is raising funds for the Topsy Foundation, which empower rural communities infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. You are welcome to give a donation at Menlyn or online.


See you at Menlyn?


What more is happening in Pretoria this holiday?

A Christmas tradition: The Garden of Lights at Emperor's Palace

"Garden of Lights" - pose with the Garden Princess

By now we have a firm Christmas tradition: Visiting the Garden of Lights at Emperors Palace each year during the December holidays. The lights never disappoints, and it's a great way to start the Festive Season with kids. The best: The proceeds go to charity.

Santa Claus, Mrs Claus, Olaf, the Magical Fairy, the Gingerbread Man... There's too many of our favourite characters, but they are all there. It's all magical!

Santas Village at the Garden of Lights

Magical carriage at The Garden of Lights at Emperor's Palace

The Garden of Lights

The parentals were there 

We got our Christmas photo as well. 

Family Christmas photo at The Garden of Lights last night @emperors_palace #ChristmasPhoto #FamilyPhoto#FatherChristmas #MrsKlaus #SantaKlaus#GardenOfLights#emperorspalace #FestiveSpirit#ChristmasSpirit https://t.co/9TRcLeUVcP pic.twitter.com/smeM6Ygm01

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) November 29, 2018

You won't be disappointed in visiting this year. This is the 11th Annual Garden of Lights at Emperors Palace, and there are a few surprises. (Hint: It gets better each year)
The Garden of Lights is on from 30 November until 9 January 2019, from 19H00-22H00 daily.
It should be on your bucket list for the holidays. 

Disclaimer: We got tickets to attend the opening night.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast JR at Peoples Theatre - WOW!

Disney's Beauty and the Beast JR #BeautyBeastJR

Jill Girard and Keith Smith have done it again with the most recent production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast JR at Peoples Theatre. It's amazing, entertaining and totally different than the previous shows. It's not only theatre for young people, but for the whole family. The "storybook comes to life" shows are always a total treat. I am surprised each time at how creative they use the stage and the characters while still staying true to the original story. Well done! This is a great way to introduce children to theatre, and making them want to come back for more.

Miss Fine asked for the first time about the kids playing in the show.  How do they get to be there? They are such wonderful actors already, and inspires her immensely. I had to tell her about the auditions, but hopefully she forgets to ask again (*thumbs crossed*). It looks like they have so much fun on stage, but I am thinking about all the repetition and hard work and getting the children there...

MomAgain@40 clan at People's Theatre

Miss Fine waiting for the show to start at People's Theatre

We were blown away by the set and lighting for this show. The transparent drops with moving images added so much more to the eerie and somber scenes.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast JR will be on until 24 December. It will be great for an exam reliever or a great holiday outing in December.

Final bow at Disney's Beauty and the Beast

Related:

Upbeat Annie JR at Peoples Theatre 

Beneath African Skies at the Peoples Theatre


Disclaimer: We got tickets to attend the show on Friday night. Thanks, Peoples Theatre and Buz Publicity

Fun at My Little Pony Live Shows

MLP Live Show #FriendshipIsMagic

It was a live fest for all the My Little Pony fans. The My Little Pony Live Shows was on at the Mardi Grass Theatre at Carnival City. Judging by the queues on Saturday it was a dream for a great many little girls to see their Ponies in action.

I must confess that I am living My Little Pony vicariously through my daughter. They did not exist in the 70s. (Ouch, giving away my age.) Now I think they are the cutest ever. My daughters both loved combing and styling the hair of their My Little Ponies. I personally love the positive characters and energy of My Little Pony. The Equestria girls have upped their staying power considerably.

Coming to a cinema near you: Smallfoot - Win tickets

"Get Yeti" - SmallFoot Movie poster

Yetis or BIG Foots. Who knew they would be afraid of a SMALLfoot? Thinking of  a humans as a monster mythical creature... This is definitely a must see for the whole family. The movie will be in Ster-Kinekor cinemas from 28 September.

Perfect for the upcoming school holidays. Even better: Watching Smallfoot at the Kid's Cinema would be the perfect outing.

A Yeti called Migo (Channing Tatum) has a run-in with a small foot (a human) after a plane crashes in the Yeti world up in the clouds. Migo is terrified and curious of small foots because Yetis believe they are mythical creatures, in the same way small foots think of Yetis.   When Migo tells his tribe about his encounter, the tribe starts to panic and the stern elder of the tribe banishes him for telling tall tales.
With the help of Meechee (Zendaya) and the Smallfoot Evidentiary Society (S.E.S), which Meechee heads, Migo must come down to Earth and capture a human as evidence that small foots exist. The journey is hilarious, with lots of twists and turns, but it’s equally heart-felt with a message that sometimes what we fear, fears us too, and to never judge anyone based on what they look like.

HOW TO WIN TICKETS TO SMALLFOOT (FILM)

Two readers of this blog can each win a set of 4 family tickets each.

These are the participating cinemas that the winners can win tickets:

Greenstone
Mall @ Carnival
Cedar
CapeGate
N1
Parow
Promenade
Sandton
Gateway
Mall of Africa
Cresta
Eastgate
Blue Route
Cavendish
Tyger Valley
Bayside
Somerset
Irene

HOW TO WIN:

1. Comment below with the Ster-Kinekor cinema (listed above) where you would like to go and see the movie.
2. The competition starts today, and ends Friday 28 September at 12pm.
3. Only residents of South Africa who can get to the cinema by own transport is eligible.
4. The winner will be selected by Random.org and it will be announced here and on Facebook.
5. An entry is only allowed when you have not won here in the past three months.

Good luck, Smallfoots! ;-)

Thanks, Ster-Kinekor, for the opportunity, and for giving us two tickets as well to attend. 


WINNERS:

Congrats to Jessie McKay and Leandra du Toit. Please send your email addresses?

Disney on Ice - Dream Big this year

Disney on Ice at Ticketpro Dome

We were at the opening night of Disney on Ice at the Ticketpro Dome on Friday night. It was a great way to start the holidays. Families, young and old, big and small. All were there, and all had a great time.

The show is getting better and better each year. We are looking at highlights of Disney one after the other. All the Disney princesses and princes from the great stories are included, and although we thought we could not handle another Frozen, the whole Dome was singing with gusto "Let it Go" together on Friday night. Your kids will totally thank you for taking them.

Upbeat Annie JR at Peoples Theatre - WIN family tickets

Annie Jr - Peoples Theatre

Annie JR opened last week at Peoples Theatre in Braamfontein. We are Peoples Theatre groupies by now. The Show always ticks all the boxes. Great entertainment. Great cast. Great script. Great fun. Great for the whole family, from ages 2 to 100. Annie JR did not disappoint. The ever-fresh 1924 comic character story of an optimistic upbeat Annie JR has been done so many times, but the story never disappoints. Annie is such a breath of fresh air in her circumstances; so much so that you the children are cheering her from the sidelines all the way. Singing "Tomorrow" with gusto at the end of the musical.
SO. MUCH. FUN.

At the Peoples Theatre on a Friday night - Perfect!!

Annie an absolute delight - for the kids AND adults. We loved it!
Well done 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻@peoples_theatre #AnnieJr#PeoplesTheatre#TheatreForTheFamily#ThingsToDoWithKids#TheatreForKids pic.twitter.com/mH5cQY10sq

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) June 8, 2018

Theatre veteran Jill Gerard says Annie is a firm favourite. "Annie stands for innate decency, courage and optimism in the face of hard times, pessimism and despair. Shje is an inspiration all of us."

Peoples Theatre has made available two family tickets (4 each) to be won here.

Annie JR photo op

Stunning Kids' Cinema at Sandton City Mall and how to win a birthday bash

Ster-Kinekor Kids' Cinema at Sandton City Mall

We were invited to a movie at the newly revamped Ster-Kinekor Cinema at Sandton City Mall on Sunday. Miss Fine was truly impressed. She said the seats are really REALLY comfy. Luckily Mom and Dad also get bigger chairs higher up, but some parents ventured onto the smaller seats.

Mom and Dad's view from higher in the cinema

Early Man releasing 2018 A.D. - Free Activity Sheet

Early Man poster

Stop-motion animation at it's best. EARLY MAN is the latest film from the Aardman studios. The EARLY MAN Official Trailer is already a hoot. We can't wait to take the family.

The prehistoric comedy adventure from four-time Academy Award®-winning director Nick Park is done in Aardman’s own distinctive style. The film takes audiences on an extraordinary journey into an exciting new world, unleashing an unforgettable tribe of unique and funny new characters voiced by an all-star British cast.