'F' is for Free & Frugal Family Fun: Week of April 9

LOCAL LIBRARY EVENTS
Make This: Assemblage Art: on Saturday, April 14 from 1-3 PM, Grades 7-12, Register Online or call 612-543-6200

Solar Energy: Edina Library on Saturday, April 14 from 11 AM - noon. Learn basics about renewable energy technology options including solar PV, solar hot water and space heating.

Guys Read Book Club: Southdale Library on Saturday, April 14 from 11 - 11:45 AM, Grades 4-6, Join other guys to talk about a great book! Pick up a copy of the book at the librarian's desk.

Teen Anime Club: Penn Lake Library on Wednesday, April 11 from 3:30–5 PM, Grades 6-12, upcoming dates: May 9 & 23, May 23, 3:30–5 p.m.

MALL of AMERICA EVENTS
Toddler Tuesdays: The Adventures of Super Stretch - Kids Yoga: Tuesday, April 1 from 10 AM - noon, The Patio, FREE!

Andre: Saturday, April 14 at 10 AM, Free Family Flicks at the Mall of America, first-come, first-served, as seating is limited to the theater capacity. FREE!
Future Showings: April 21 - We Bought a Zoo, April 28 - Rango, May 5 - Hugo, May 12 - The Road to El Dorado, May 19 - Chicken Run, May 26 - The Wizard of Oz, June 2 - Puss in Boots, June 9 - Mouse Hunt, June 16 - Spirit, June 23 - Space Jam, June 30 - The Goonies

Teen Accident Avoidance Driving Course: Saturday & Sunday, April 14-15, Mall Hours, Met Lot

Susan G Komen Race for the Cure Twin Cities Shop for the Cure: April 9-13

Fraser Walk for Autism: Saturday, April 14 from 8 - 10 AM, Rotunda.

Global Youth Service Day: Saturday, April 14, 3 - 6 PM, Rotunda.

Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Sports Medicine Fair: Sunday, April 15 from 11 AM-3 PM, Rotunda.

American Girl Doll Store Events
McKenna Bracelet Craft: American Girl Doll Store on Wednesday, April 11 from 4 - 6 PM, FREE! Upcoming dates: April 25, May 9 & 23, July 15 (2-4 PM)
McKenna "Take the Challenge" Scavenger Hunt: American Girl Doll Store, Wednesday, April 11 from 4 - 8 PM FREE! Upcoming dates: April 18 & 25, May 2, 9, 16, 23, & 30, June 6, 13 (1-5 PM), 20, & 27, July 4, 11, 15 (2-6 PM), 18, (1-5 PM), & 25.
Innerstar University Spirit Scrunchie Craft: American Girl Doll Store on Friday, April 13 from 4 - 6 PM FREE! Upcoming dates: May 25 & June 26 (2-4 PM)
Rebecca's Embroidered Card Craft: Sunday, April 15 from noon - 2 PM FREE!
Rebecca's Charity Box Craft: Sunday, April 15 from 2-4 PM FREE!
American Girl Historical Character Scavenger Hunt: Sunday, April 15 from noon - 4 PM FREE! Upcoming dates: April 22, 27 (3-7 PM), May 18, June 1, 3 (2-6 PM), 5, 12, 19, 29, 30, July 1, 20 (3-7 PM), 21 (1-5 PM).

EXHIBITS & THEATRE EVENTS
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: Friday Night Family Movies, Friday, April 13 at 6 PM, West Side Perk, FREE!
Real Pirates Exhibition: Science Museum of Minnesota, now through Sept. 3. Don your pirate hat and climb aboard a recreation of a pirate ship. Learn to tie knots, hoist a pirate flag and explore what life was like on a real pirate ship. See more than 200 artifacts from North America’s only authenticated pirate shipwreck.MOVIES & THEATRE

NATURE EVENTS
Wood Lake Nature Center, Minneapolis Parks and Recreation and Three Rivers Park District offer a wide variety of fun activities and events for all ages including preschoolers. Three Rivers also has Free Family Fun Days.

Birdhouse Building: Woodlake Nature Center, Sunday, April 15, 1-2:30 & 3-4:30 PM, $3 (free for members)+ $7 for birdhouse.

Farm Babies: at the Minnesota Zoo, through April 30. Cost of regular zoo. admission.
Reptile Care 101: Minnesota Zoo, Saturday, April 14 from 9-10:30 AM, $10.

PLAYTIME
Creative Kidstuff Toddler Play Time at the West End St. Louis Park and Wayzata stores (Wednesdays at 10 AM) 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!

Pump It Up Pop-In Playtime: Schedule is subject to change on school out days. No registration required.
Eden Pairie - Pop-In Playtime - Mondays: 1:30-3 PM; Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays: 10-11:30 AM and 1-3:30 PM; Family Jump Time: 6:30-8 PM
Parents Night Out, Fri, Apr 12, 5:30-8:30, 2nd Friday of the month, $25, Call for reservations, spots fill quickly

Burnsville - Tuesdays, Pop-In Playtime: 10 AM - 11:30 AM , Family Jump Time: 6:30-8pm, Wednesdays, Pop-In Playtime: 1:30 - 3 PM, $6 per person1:30PM - 3:00PM Pop In Playtime 6:30PM - 8:00PM Family Jump Time
Parents Night Out, Fri, Apr 12, 5:30-8:30, 2nd Friday of the month, $25, Call for reservations, spots fill quickly

MISCELLANEOUS
Fairy Tree House (Ages 8 to adult; Ages 6 & 7 with a grown up helper).
Three Sessions: Saturdays, April 14, 21 and 28 10:30 am - 12:30 pm. $44.
Build a multi-level fairy house using salvaged branches and organically shaped pine slabs. We will need three sessions to complete our tree houses: in the first, we will concentrate on building the structure; the additional two sessions will be devoted to decorating and accessorizing.

Beeswax 101: Aliens & Monsters: (Ages 7 to Adult), Saturday, April 14, 4 - 5 pm. $16.
Beeswax is a fabulous modeling material. Once warmed in your hands, it becomes malleable and then the fun really begins. Learn techniques for making figures and animals; we will start with a bright green alien guy, move onto a dragon and then create more monsters from our imaginations.

Bachman's Spring Ideas House: now through April 15 (open 7 days a week), 5936 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis Cost: $5, with 20% benefiting Art in Bloom. Buy Spring Ideas House tickets now

Special Class: DIY Kitchen Projects: Saturday, April 14, 11 AM, Discover the joys of growing mushrooms and sprouts and making your own cheese. In this class you’ll find out just how easy it is with our new do-it-yourself kits, which are great projects for the whole family. Participants enjoy 10% savings on same-day store purchases. For more information and to register, call Williams-Sonoma at (952) 285-1338. Class size is limited. FREE!

Technique Class: Cooking with Herbs: Sunday, April 15, 12 PM, Fresh herbs can easily transform a good meal into a great one. Learn how to select and store some of the most popular culinary herbs, and understand the best time to add them in cooking. Participants enjoy 10% savings on select same-day store purchases. call Williams-Sonoma at (952) 285-1338. Class size is limited – be sure to register. FREE! 

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Click here for CRAFT SHOW Calendar

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.