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Health & Fitness

"F" is for Free and Frugal Family Fun: Things to do the Week of Feb. 7-12

Free and Frugal Family Fun written by Megan Cassidy author of www.alphabetadventures.wordpress.com.

CELEBRATE VALENTINE'S DAY
Valentine Workshop at Heartfelt: Saturday, Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring your list and make Valentines for a whole classroom of friends using pretty papers, doilies, stamps, stickers, glitter and magic crayons. Ages 6 to adult; younger children with a grown up helper. Cost is $20. Call 612.877.8090 for more information to register in advance and come at a time that works best for you.

Creative Kidstuff: Saturday, Feb. 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring a box to make a fantastic mailbox for all of your Valentines.  FREE at all locations.

Valentine’s Treasure Hunt: Saturday, Feb. 11, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Begins at Famous Dave’s in Linden Hills. Children under 18 years must be accompanied by an adult. FREE!

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STORY TIME
Family Storytime at the Hennepin County Libraries (recurring) FREE!
Augsburg Park Library: Tuesdays; Feb. 7-28 at 10:30 a.m.
Oxboro Library: Mondays; Feb. 6, Feb. 13 & Feb. 27, 10:30 a.m.
Penn Lake Library: Tuesdays; Feb. 7-28 at 10:30 a.m.
Southdale Library:  Tuesdays; Feb. 7–28 at 7 p.m.
Southdale: Wednesdays; Feb. 8–29 at 10:30 a.m.

Wild Rumpus Tail Time - Mondays at 10:30 a.m. The Wild Rumpus also has a program for book clubs. Register your book club and receive 20% off. (recurring) FREE!

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Barnes and Noble Story Time (all FREE events)
Wednesday – Feb. 8 at 11 a.m., Edina, Disney Story Time Classics (recurring)
Thursday – Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. Highland Park, St. Paul, Toddler story time (recurring)
Friday – Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. Highland Park, St. Paul, PJRama story time (recurring)
Monday – Feb. 13 at 11 a.m. Burnsville, Preschool (recurring)
Monday – Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. Eagan (recurring)

Creative Kidstuff Story Time, Thursdays at 10 a.m. at all stores, (recurring) FREE!

NATURE EVENTS
Wood Lake Nature Center,  Animal Tracks with the Nature Adventurers, Tuesday, Feb. 7 or Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 10-11:30 a.m. ages (3-5 years) accompanied by an adult will have an exciting time exploring a different natural topic each visit. Enjoy stories, puppet shows, crafts, hands-on activities, snack, and outdoor discovery time. Registration and prepayment required by calling 612-861-9365. $8/child. Upcoming Feb. 21 and 22 – Owls Around Us.

Minneapolis Parks and Recreation and Three Rivers Park District offers a wide variety of fun activities and events for all ages including preschoolers.  They also have Free Family Fun Days.

MUSEUMS, THEATRE, MOVIES, & JUST PLAIN FUN
Creative Kidstuff Toddler Play Time: at the West End St. Louis Park and Wayzata stores (Wednesdays at 10 a.m.) is hosting a weekly Play Time for toddlers and parents in our inviting playroom stocked full of toys and activities that toddlers will love. We'll prepare the room and plan the activities, set up and clean up! Your only job is to play. FREE!

Toddler Tuesday: Llama Llama Red Pajama: Tuesday, Feb. 7 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Mall of America Rotunda. When Baby Llama faces bedtime, concerns arise? Is Mama still here? Will she come back if Llama calls? Where: MOA Rotunda, FREE!

LEGO Monthly Mini Model:Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 5 p.m. Visit the LEGO store at the Mall of America the first Tuesday of every month and you can learn how to build a cool mini model, and take it home. A new model will be available every month, especially themed to that month. Ages 6-14 years. FREE!

MusicLink Playathon: Feb. 11-12, 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Nordstrom Court at the Mall of America.  Music students from around the state will be coming to Mall of America to participate in a MusicLink Playathon sponsored by Minnesota Music Teachers Association and Schmitt Music. Students will perform to raise money for the MusicLink Foundation. All donations are tax deductible.

The Voice: Feb. 11, Mall of America. Celebrate Season 2 of NBC’s The Voice!  You will have the opportunity to sit in an exact replica of the coach's chair, hit the button making the chair spin around and light up. Your experience will be recorded and emailed to you so you can share it with friends.

Family Friendly Zumba Dance Party: Feb. 12 from 9-10 a.m., Mall of America rotunda.

Toddler Tuesday: Dancercise Kids: Mall of America Rotunda, Feb. 14 from 10 a.m. to noon. Join Tessa for a fun Valentine’s Day at Toddler Tuesdays! Get those hearts pumping with a song called “My Heart” about our favorite muscle and tap your feet to a sweet love song called “It’s Puppy Love!” (Park in East parking ramp and enter through East entrance). FREE!

Target Family Day at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts: Sunday, Feb. 12 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for the free monthly event for families, kids, and the young at heart. One Sunday a month, you'll have a blast making art, going on artful adventures, meeting local artists, musicians, dancers, and storytellers, and more! This month’s theme: Earth, Wind, Fire, Water. FREE!

Almost to Freedom: at the Stepping Stone Theatre in St. Paul, now through Feb. 26, great for grades 2-8. Children and seniors $11, adults $14.  Visit Macaroni Kids Edina  for a chance to win a family 4 pack of tickets

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown: at the Bloomington Theater and Art Center now through Feb. 12. Cost is $28 adults, $25 senior, $25 student, and $12 student.

Llama Llama Red Pajama: at Stages Theatre Company now through Sunday, Feb. 12.

Harold and the Purple Crayon: at the Children’s Theatre Tuesday, Jan. 24 through Sunday, March 4.

Alpha and Omega
: Family Flicks at the Mall of America on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m. Free, first-come, first-served as seating is limited to the theatre capacity. FREE!

Omnifest: at the Science Museum now through Friday, Feb. 17. Five films-One amazing theater. Omnifest 2012 brings you five new films showing daily in our Omnitheater. Movies are: Journey Into Amazing Caves, Amazon, Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure, Search for the Great Sharks, and Wolves.

COOKING
Williams-Sonoma demonstrations at the Galleria in Edina. Call 952.285.1338 for more information. FREE!
Feb. 9 at 11 a.m. - Asian-Inspired Pasta Salad
Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. - Science in the Kitchen: Asian Noodles
Feb. 11 at 11 a.m. - Edible Inspiration for Valentine’s Day
Feb. 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Coffee Workshop with Nespresso
Feb. 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Coffee Workshop with Nespresso
Feb. 12 from noon to 1 p.m. - Technique Class: What’s in Season – Winter Vegetables (class size is limited, registration is required, call 952-285-1338.  Participants enjoy 10% savings on select same-day store purchases).
Feb. 13 – Easy-to-Use Decorating Tools

SPORTS
Minnesota Swarm: Family Day/Dog Day at the Hive on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m., Xcel Energy Center. Visit Macaroni Kids Edina website for a discounted ticket code and a chance to win a family 4 pack of tickets. 

Family Gym Time: Thursday, Feb. 2 at the Edina Community Center from 10 a.m. to noon. Gym time is an interactive time with your children. This facility will give you and your pre-schoolers a chance to dance, run, wiggle and play. The Edina Family Center provides the environment and age appropriate equipment, and you provide the snacks and supervision. No registration required. Cost is $3 for First Child, $5 Maximum, Annual pass $80

Find Richfield Sports and Recreation events at Richfield Patch.

Support Richfield High School Spartans and our local students!

Boys Varsity Basketball
Feb. 10 - Hill-Murray School at Hill-Murray at 7 p.m.

Girl's Varsity Basketball
Feb. 10 – Hill-Murray at RHS at 7 p.m.       

Girl's Varsity Gymnastics

Feb. 8 – Conference Meet at Simley at 6 p.m.
Feb. 9 – Conference Meet at Simley at 6 p.m.

Boy's Varsity Hockey
Feb. 9 – Away vs. Henry Sibley at WSP Arena at 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 11 – South St. Paul at RHS at 12:45 p.m.

Varsity Wrestling
Feb. 9 – Fridley at RHS at 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 11 – Tournament at RHS at 9 a.m.

RICHFIELD RESOURCES
Richfield Bloomington Community Education catalog
Richfield Recreation catalog
Richfield Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks locations and hours
Richfield Ice Arena website

Richfield Historical Society

Tours of the Bartholomew House (usually Wednesdays 12-8 p.m. and Saturdays 12-4 p.m.) 

This 150 year old house has witnessed Richfield’s change from an agricultural community, to a truck-farm town, to one of the earliest and fastest growing suburbs.

Richfield: House & Home: Now showing until August, 2012
This main gallery exhibit takes a closer look at the “lookalike” houses of Richfield. We see our local Cape Cods, Ramblers, and other suburban houses every day. This fun and interactive exhibit will let us explore what makes a rambler a rambler, why Cape Cods came back into fashion, and why those “lookalike” house don’t look alike any more.

Minnesota on the Map: Showing until March 10th, 2012. Calling all map lovers!
This traveling exhibit from the Minnesota Historical Society makes a stop in our library gallery for a short time only. See how our state has been represented in maps from past to present and take a look at some of the gems in Richfield Historical Society’s great map collection. 

ADDITIONAL ARTS & HISTORY RESOURCES
Bloomington Art Center Classes
Eden Prairie Art Center Class Schedule
Edina Art Center - Class Schedule
Hennepin History Museum
- $5 adults, $1 seniors and all under 18 years, free for members, closed on Mondays
Hopkins Art Center - Class Schedule
Joann Fabric - Edina store class schedule
Michael's - Richfield store class schedule, Bloomington store class schedule
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
- FREE daily admission, closed on Mondays

Visit Alphabet Adventures for more family fun at home and around town. Please share FREE and FRUGAL FAMILY FUN ideas in the comment section or email them to meganmmc@yahoo.com

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