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“Kids Eat Free Guide” for Area Restaurants

Most kids eat free deals are for DINE-IN only. Please contact them if you have a question about their policy.

No one wants to sit at home every night, and we all love to come home to a clean kitchen!  Here is a list of places in town that make eating out easier AND more affordable.  All restaurants were called for verification, but policies do change. Note that specials and age requirements vary per restaurant. When in doubt, call the restaurant first!  Contact Us if you find more deals or changes to current policies.

“I’ve used this guide for years and saved tons of money every week.”

Sundays

  • Steak n’ Shake. Kids 12 years and younger eat free with the purchase of an adult meal over $9 on the weekends.  Springfield location on Wabash and other participating locations 217-787-0392
  • Xochimilco.  A Springfield Moms favorite for decades! Kids eat free on Sundays. Dine-in Only. Two area locations off Dirksen Parkway and off Iles Avenue near Sam’s Club. xochimilcorestaurant.com/

Mondays

  • Huddle House:  Kids eat free at huddle house in Williamsville 1 free meal per adult entree on Monday and Tuesday nights!
  • Mario’s Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria on Clear Lake Avenue and their location at Piper Glen. Kids eat free with an adult paying entree on Mondays.  At 3073 East Clear Lake Ave, Springfield. 217-523-2211 and 2841 Mansion Rd. (Piper Glen) Springfield, IL 217-483-6888.
  • McAlister’s Deli Kids eat free with an adult purchase, from 4:00 p.m.- close at both locations: 3130 S. Dirksen Parkway 217-210-0780 and  2917 West Iles (near Home Goods) 217-210-0695.
  • MCL Kids 12 and under eat free Monday. With the purchase of one adult entree, kids choose and entree with two sides and a kiddie drink!   Dine-in only.  2151 Wabash Ave, Springfield, IL  217-787-8706

Tuesdays

  • Bob Evans. Kids age 12 and under receive one free meal per 1 adult entree.  From 4:00 p.m.- close Tuesdays only.  Located at 4221 Conestaga Drive, Springfield 217-698-3800.
  • Godfather’s Pizza. Tuesdays Kids 10 and under eat free from the buffet; drink included. One free child per paying adult. Valid at participating locations.
  • Huddle House:  Kids eat free at huddle house in Williamsville 1 free kid meal per adult entree on Monday and Tuesday nights!

Wednesdays

  • Brickhouse: Kids eat free on Wednesday with adult entree purchase.12 and under with purchase of an adult entree. 3136 W. Iles, Springfield (off Koke Mill Road). Phone: 217-546-BRIK. NOTE: Half-off Build Your Own Pizza on Monday and Tuesday.
  • Home Plate Grill Kids Eat Free on Wednesday with adult entree purchase. 2571 S. Koke Mill Road (off Iles Road) 217-679-3313.
  • Dublin Pub: All day. Kids meal free with with paying adult entrĂ©e.  1975 West Wabash (off Chatham Road), Springfield. 217-793-6871.

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Saturdays

Steak n’ Shake. Kids 12 years and younger eat free with the purchase of an adult meal over $9 on the weekends.  All Springfield locations and participating locations.  217-787-0392

If you have discovered a “Kids Eat Free” deal at an area restaurant, please email us so we can add to our list.

Our Summer Camp Directory 2024 is updated weekly!

Keep saving money and check out neighborhood garage sale guide…particularly busy April-July and Sept-October.  Send us your sales year-round! More than 100 area neighborhood sales posted each year on our guide.  Learn more and send in your neighborhood sale.

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Abe for All: Sensory Friendly Evening

Don’t miss Tuesday, April 2 in recognition of the 16th annual World Autism Awareness Day, the Abe for All series at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum will offer a Sensory Friendly Evening. During this special event from 4:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. They are offering guests free admission and a sensory-friendly experience. Our theater and Journey lights will be turned up, and the sound turned down. Some special effects will be turned off. A quiet room will be provided. Advance registration is not required. We have developed a pre-visit preparation packet that ranks areas of the museum based on their potential to overstimulate. This can be found in the “Plan Your Visit” section of our website or email ALPLM.GuestEntry@illinois.gov and request a packet.

We are committed to providing an inclusive experience for all and if there are other things we can do to ensure a more welcoming experience, please let us know. You can reach us 9am – 5pm daily by calling 217-558-8844 (TTY/TDD 1-888-440-9009) or email ALPLM.GuestEntry@Illinois.gov

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College for Kids 60 Camps at Lincoln Land Community College for 1st-12th Grade


Make this summer unforgettable with College for Kids!
College for Kids at Lincoln Land Community College is growing! This year CFK will offer more than 60 camps, classes and pop-ups for students entering 1st through 12th grades.
Here’s a sampling of the fun!

·         Astronomy & space

·         Chemistry

·         Computer coding

·         Culinary

·         Gardening

·         Geology & paleontology

·         Journalism

·         Legos

·         Music

·         Painting & mixed media

·         Sign language

·         Theatre

·         Workforce construction

·         Yoga & mindfulness

It’s fun to learn!

Camps start June 10 and run through July 25.

Registration begins in March.  Watch our website  for the latest details.

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Register for the Color Me Holi 5K Run/Walk April 27

Lace up and get ready for the happiest run and the most fun spring event of 2024!

The Asian Indian Women’s Organization presents ‘COLOR ME HOLI 5K RUN/WALK & BOLLYWOOD ZUMBA’ on Saturday April 27 at Washington Park in support of the Springfield chapter of ‘Share the Spirit Foundation, Inc’. 

The Indian festival of Holi celebrates the arrival of spring, unity and diversity by playing with colors with everyone as a group, and victory of good over evil! We are adding a dash of health and fitness to this colorful festival!

You don’t want to miss this colorful celebration of spring as you run, walk or dance to high energy music!

Click here to register and claim your complimentary swag bag, event t-shirt, holi color, and box of indian food! 

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Basketball Camp at UIS for Ages K-12 for Boys

 

Come join the 2024 Summer Camp Fun at UIS for boys grades K-12.

  • Future Stars: boys grades 1st-2nd grade June 3-6, June 24-27 July 8-11
  • Youth Camp: boys grades 3rd-8th grade June 3-6, June 24-27 July 8-11, July 15-18
  • Guard Skills: grades 7th-12th grade July 15-16
  • Shooting Camp: grades 7th-12th grade June 24-25

Full & Half Day options available.

Early drop-off and late pick-up are also available.

This week long camp includes fundamental skill instruction on all basketball skills including: Shooting, Passing, Ball-handling, Footwork and Defense, contests and competitions, 3 on 3 and full-court game play.

Players receive: a camp T-shirt and camp ball, professional instruction by college coaches and college players; each camper is evaluated on their skills with suggestions for improvement.

What to bring: Campers should bring: basketball shoes or court shoes, Water bottle, and snacks. Campers can bring their own lunch. Concessions will be available.

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For more information and to register online visit: uisbasketballcamps.com

UIS_Basketball_Logo_Clear

Matt Brock, Head Men’s Basketball Coach

University of Illinois Springfield

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Kidzeum STEM/STEAM Full-Day Camps

Take flight this summer at Kidzeum!

Join us for a full-day camp focusing on STEM/STEAM, literacy, and social-emotional learning through exploration and play! 

June 10 – August 2, 2024
Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 3:30pm

Children may attend one or more weeks. 

Two Age Groups Available:
– Children who have completed 1st & 2nd grade
– Children who have completed 3rd & 4th grade

Themes include: 

June 10 – 14: Eco Camp

June 17 – 21: Sport Science (Juneteenth off)

June 24 – 28: Flight School

July 1 – 5: Survivor Camp (4th off)

July 8 – 12: Superhero Science

July 15 – 19: Deep Sea Adventures

July 22 – 26: Cardboard Carnival 

July 29 – Aug 2: Food Science 

Registration is OPEN! 

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Kids Good Grief Camp Registration Open

Coming Sunday, April 14 Kids Good Grief Camp hosted by Staab Funeral Home will take place from 12:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. at Erin’s Pavilion in Southwind Park.

As a parent or caregiver of a child who has experienced the death of a loved one, perhaps you’re wondering how you can best support your child through the grieving process. Grieving children often feel isolated because they rarely know anyone their age who has experienced the death of a friend or family member. Grief comes in waves for children. Support can be beneficial whether it has been just weeks, several months, or even years since the death of a loved one. Kids Good Grief Camp is a supportive and fun camp for children who have experienced the death of a loved one. Open to children ages 6 – 12, it’s held annually each spring at Erin’s Pavilion at Southwind Park. Kids Good Grief Camp is an afternoon of both support and fun.

Your child will learn valuable tools to help them grief in a healthy way, while connecting with other children, making new friends, and participating in a wide range of activities.

For more information on Kids Good Grief Camp call (217) 528-6461 or email Info@StaabFamily.com 

Learn more and register here.

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Music Factory Camps & Classes for Kids of ALL Ages!

info@SpringfieldMusicFactory.com  #spimusicfactory

Camps, Classes, & Lessons for Babies, Toddlers, Children, Teens, & Adults!

Our Summer 2024 Schedule is online now!

Register Now IconReview the offerings and register online here.

  • We are planning to have a full in-person schedule this summer, with limited class sizes. All classes (excluding camps) can be joined remotely via Zoom upon request.

  • Bouncing Babies – Birth to 16 months
  • Babies enrolling will use a delightful collection of songs and activities from our “Baby’s Musical World” collection.  In this 30 minute class, adults have the opportunity to play musically with their baby so that their well-being and total development might be served. Parents or caregivers will learn many songs for touching eyes and ears, hands and feet – to help baby learn about the body and to build body awareness; songs for wiggling and tickling – to help baby enjoy the delight of music; songs for movement – to allow baby to feel the flow, beat, meter, phrase, and nuance for music.
  • This class is rich in interactive songs – bouncing, rocking and dancing songs – to express the joy of playing together. We sing rocking and quiet songs to help baby calm him/herself. We explore various rhythm instruments that baby can use and manipulate as he/she learns about sound, timbre, and vibration. There is much repetition from week to week because repetition of simple songs and rhymes enhances memory, oral expression, and later, written language.

Our goal is to awaken baby’s natural curiosity and response to music, to develop aural perception, a musical sense, and a sense of beat, and to encourage pleasure in listening to and making music together at home.  Come enjoy a wonderful playtime with your baby, and meet other moms and dads!

Wandering Walkers – 15 to 28 months

    • The busy Wandering Walkers will love making music for 30 minutes using fun songs about nursery rhymes, instruments, and every day activities!  We’ll experience the joy of playing together through finger plays, wiggling and tickling activities, body awareness songs and bouncing songs to experience the joy of playing together! Lots of movement is part of this class to allow children to feel the beat of music and learn about spatial awareness while enhancing their gross motor skills and coordination.
    • Activities include singing, dancing, focused listening, and simple instrument playing, creating an environment in which the child’s music aptitude is nurtured and skills are developed. Occasional use of drums and hoops enhance the delightful playtime. Patterns continue as part of every class to shape listening skills and acquaint the child with the rhythms of music. Dancing with scarves and hiding games are part of the fun! Parent (or other grown-up) and child enjoy a time of bonding, playing and music-making!

Jaunty Jumpers – 29 months to 3 and ½ years

  • Busy, inquisitive Jaunty Jumpers will love making music in our 40-minute class, using songs that relate to nursery rhymes, different instruments, and daily activities. This class is very similar in content to the Wandering Walkers.  We’ll experience the joy of playing together through finger plays, wiggling and tickling activities, body awareness songs and bouncing songs! Songs from all over the world with contrasting tonalities, moods, and meters are used throughout each class. Lots of movement is part of this class to allow children to feel the beat of music and learn about spatial awareness while developing their gross motor skills and coordination.  Because their language is starting to explode, the children often make suggestions for various movements to enjoy – such as running, jumping, twirling, tip-toeing and marching!
  • Simple rhythm instruments are played while we develop musical concepts such as high/low, fast/slow, loud/quiet. Occasional use of drums and wooden hoops enhance the delightful playtime. Patterns continue as part of every class to shape listening skills and acquaint the child with the rhythms of music. Dancing with scarves and hiding games are part of the fun! A wonderful, fun environment is created for these children, where their musical aptitude is nurtured and skills are developed.

Walkers/Jumpers Combo – 15 months to 3 and ½ years

  • The Walkers/Jumpers Combo class is great for “Singles & Siblings!”  It is essentially the same as a Walkers or Jumpers class, but is designed for families with two or more children who would like to attend together, although a “single” child is also welcome to attend with his/her grown-up!  Children love making music along with their parent (or other grown-up).   Songs of contrasting tonalities, moods, and meters are included in every class, as are songs from other cultures. We do finger plays, wiggling and tickling activities, body awareness songs and bouncing songs to experience the joy of playing together! Lots of movement is part of this class to allow children to feel the beat of music and learn about spatial awareness while developing their gross motor skills and coordination.
  • Activities include singing, dancing, focused listening, and simple instrument playing, creating an environment in which the child’s musical aptitude is nurtured and skills are developed. Occasional use of drums and hoops enhance the delightful playtime. Patterns continue as part of every class to shape listening skills and acquaint the child with the rhythms of music. Dancing with scarves and hiding games are part of the fun!

Precocious Preschoolers (music only) – 3 and ½ to 5 years

  • The Precocious Preschoolers use a curriculum called The Cycle of Seasons ~ Summer.  This marvelous program draws its central themes from nature and aims to bring the family into the music, movement, and environmental experience. Life on earth is subject to seasonal changes – a wonderful phenomenon! This class cultivates the child’s musical development through songs, tonal and rhythm patterns, drumming, poetry and stories, movement activities, listening games, instrumental play, and manipulative games.
  • The children will explore songs, dances, and instruments using themes from the seasons and nature – a subject children love! Children are reminded that music is all around them – even in a sunset or a breath of wind! The children are introduced to musical language for the rhythm and tonal patterns (Du Du-de for the rhythm patterns, and “do-mi-sol” solfege for tonal patterns.) The children begin to transfer tonal patterns to resonator bars. Understanding of musical tonal and rhythm patterns is the first step towards music literacy!  We continue with active listening and enjoy poetry to experience of the music of language. At this age, the child’s language is exploding and is a source of joy and pleasure.
  • We do group dances for gross motor development and cooperation. A lot of movement is incorporated in all classes to develop balance, control, and coordination, and to raise the level of consciousness of how to move, where to move, and how parts of the body feel while in action.
  • The senses – sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste – are the pathways to knowing, and the language for the sensory discoveries is confirmed by touch. As neurological networking occurs through movement, hand-eye coordination develops.
  • Humans are social beings and naturally seek community. Through making music with other children and adults, young children are invited to become part of a music-making community. Adults will join us for the first 15 minutes of this class. Holding hands, listening and moving to music together bond the child to the larger family through shared activities that bring pleasure and enjoyment to everyone.

Precocious Preschoolers Camp – 3 and ½ to 5 years

  • Our morning camps include over 2 hours of music, art, snack, and play time.  Children attend camp once per week (Tuesday or Wednesday) and rotate between music, snack, play time, and art.
  • The Precocious Preschoolers use a curriculum called The Cycle of Seasons ~ Summer.  This marvelous program draws its central themes from nature and aims to bring the family into the music, movement, and environmental experience. Life on earth is subject to seasonal changes – a wonderful phenomenon! This class cultivates the child’s musical development through songs, tonal and rhythm patterns, drumming, poetry and stories, movement activities, listening games, instrumental play, and manipulative games.
  • The children will explore songs, dances, and instruments using themes from the seasons and nature – a subject children love! Children are reminded that music is all around them – even in a sunset or a breath of wind!
  • The children are introduced to musical language for the rhythm and tonal patterns (Du Du-de for the rhythm patterns, and “do-mi-sol” solfege for tonal patterns.) The children begin to transfer tonal patterns to resonator bars. Understanding of musical tonal and rhythm patterns is the first step towards music literacy!  We continue with active listening and enjoy poetry to experience of the music of language. At this age, the child’s language is exploding and is a source of joy and pleasure.
  • We do group dances for gross motor development and cooperation. A lot of movement is incorporated in all classes to develop balance, control, and coordination, and to raise the level of consciousness of how to move, where to move, and how parts of the body feel while in action. The senses – sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste – are the pathways to knowing, and the language for the sensory discoveries is confirmed by touch. As neurological networking occurs through movement, hand-eye coordination develops.
Music_Factory_1_Girl
Music_Factory_ElementaryAge
Music Makers Camp – 6 to 9 years
  • Our camps include 2 and 1/2 hours of music, art, snack, and play time.  Children attend camp once per week (Tuesday or Wednesday) and rotate between music, snack, play time, and art.
  • Children explore the music, dances and stories of different cultures. As always, the key ingredients are singing, listening, playing instruments, lots of movement, and tonal and rhythm patterns. Through echoing patterns, the children will build a vocabulary of musical phrases which they can recognize aurally and visually.   The children work with isolated patterns written in music notation, and begin looking for those patterns on song pages.
  • We learn an increased repertoire of songs, and then build more complex instrumental ensembles to accompany our singing. Children start reading music patterns with the games, and finding rhythm and tonal patterns in the music we sing!  This is a holistic musical education – singing, movement, composing, improvising, and listening.   You will be amazed at what your child learns in this class!

Private lessons – 6 years and up

Private lessons are available for students of all ages and levels wishing to study piano, voice, harp, ukulele, flute, saxophone, or oboe.  Lessons are scheduled at a mutually convenient time, and focus on the student’s goals and interests, while presenting a thorough and sequential development of musical skills.Music_Factory_2_Keyboard

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Foster Care & Placement: An Unexpected Journey

Foster care is a system that provides temporary care for children who cannot live with their birth families due to various reasons, such as abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Foster parents provide a safe and nurturing home environment for these children while they await reunification with safe family members or are placed into adoption. In this blog, we will discuss becoming a foster parent, assessing a child’s needs, finding a suitable home for neglected children, and the need for CASA advocates even after placement. As always, contact CASA of Sangamon County in Springfield, IL to learn more about advocacy and how you can help.

Learn more on the CASA Blog here.

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Bike, Hike and Area Outdoor Fun


We’re continually updating our outdoor directories so you can plan quality time outside with your friends and family!  We all need to disconnect more often from our phones and laptops, and participating in any of these activities will force you to do so.  Enjoy your downtown and share your favorites with us.  As always, we welcome your pictures out and about!  Email to springfieldmoms.org@gmail.com.

Area Parks Directory

Bike Trails

Dog Parks

 

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