TN Aquarium Keeper Kids: What a blast!

Yesterday my kids and I were treated to a visit at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. It was our first trip there and I must say I was impressed. The aquarium consists of two buildings: one focused on river life and one on the ocean. In both, you start at the top and wind your way down.

Though there's tons to see every day, we went during spring break for the special Keeper Kids experiences. You can sign up for two of 19 different behind-the-scenes, hands-on interactions with certain animals, that are offered on a first come, first serve basis. Since a limited number of children are allowed with each experience, you're never crowded and the kids have time to ask questions.

Our first Keeper Kids experience was Otter Edibles and Trout Chow. The otters are so cute at feeding time--like meerkats of the water. The fish were not slimy and were easy for the kids to throw. The trout chow were pellets that made the whole tank swarm in seconds.

Our second Keeper Kids experience was Really Awesome Reptiles. Since Bobby and Devin ADORE lizards, this was perfect. They learned that even though the box turtle is the TN state reptile, it too has seen its numbers dwindle over the past decade. We found one in our backyard once and started to care for it. She recommended leaving them in the wild, as taking them out of their habitat even temporarily is very confusing and possibly detrimental for box turtles. When a lizard native to the desert came out, Bobby recognized it immediately. It was fun for me seeing him spout his wealth of knowledge of these creatures. They got to touch both animals--quickly followed by hand sanitizer; thank you!

Our last encounter wasn't a scheduled experience but they brought out a few shrimp for the boys to feed the sting rays. When a ray came up to the glass to get his treat, he startled Bobby and me. I didn't expect the rays to climb the wall of the tank! The exhibit was set up well so that all the kids had plenty of opportunities to stroke a sting ray as it swam by. Even my two-year-old Brooke got into the action.

The aquarium certainly has the WOW factor year-round, but getting to touch and feed the animals will be experiences they'll never forget. By interacting with them, hopefully they will value efforts to protect animals and their dwindling habitats all over the world.

Don't forget to check out my video at the bottom of this post. If you can't make it to the TN Aquarium during spring break, they will continue the Keeper Kids experiences through April 17. There's a list of programs by times here. Thanks for your feedback on the video and for sharing which Keeper Kids experience would interest your kids most.

Here's more info:

Dates available: March 12-April 17, 2011
Hours: 10:30 am-4:30 pm (Aquarium hours 10 am-6 pm)
Price: Keeper Kids activities are FREE with Aquarium admission
Reservations: Call 800-262-0695, Monday-Friday, 8 am-5 pm

I'm on TV!!! (sound of Mike Wazowski from Monsters Inc.)

Ok, I'm not as ecstatic as Mike Wazowski from Monsters Inc., but it was kindof fun to see myself on the tube today. All those years behind the scenes and now I'm in front of the camera. Click here for the story.

The basic gist is that even if you haven't planned a big trip, you can still make spring break special. I'm most excited about our ventures to Chattanooga for the special behind the scenes events at the TN Aquarium and Ruby Falls. I'll post about our experiences in the next couple of days.

But there are also ways to save locally at some of my kids' favorite locations:

• Chuck E. Cheese: With a close vote between Bounce USA and Chuck E. Cheese, the big mouse won out today. I used a coupon from the paper to purchase 160 tokens for $25. I can spread these out to last us three trips. I played the ticket blaster game online before going to earn 30 free tickets for each child. Having 90 extra tickets gave us lots more options. Finally, I saved the most money by not eating lunch there; we arrived at 10:00 and left by 11:30.
• Bounce USA: If we have time this week, we'll be heading to Bounce USA (our favorite bounce house because of more options for the toddlers). They also offer lots of B1G1 coupons.
• Children's Museum of Oak Ridge: From Thursday, March 17 through Tuesday, March 22, the Children's Museum and AMSE will have FREE admission. This is huge! Both places will probably be crowded, but we will likely take advantage of this offer.
• Strike n Spare: Wednesdays are the best day to go bowling with the kids because it's dollar game day. If all four of us bowl two games, this saves us $14.16. With the $12 voucher I got from Half Off Depot for $6 awhile back, we can all have a day out for a bargain. Make sure you ask for the ramp assist and the bumper guards that can be programmed to go up for the kids and down for the adults. However, Bobby likes to remind me I would be a MUCH better bowler with the bumpers!

For a few more options, check out this blog on Knoxmoms. Where are you going this week and how do you plan to save?

Our big yet local spring break plans

Spring break is here and for those of us not already on a trip, there's the question: What do we do this week? I have a 7, 4, and 2 year old and have to find activities that interest and involve all three. When Ali posted the special activities in Chattanooga, I got excited about the "behind the scenes" opportunities for my kids.

Having looked at all the ideas with the boys, two stood out for us: the Keeper Kid program at the TN Aquarium and spelunking at Ruby Falls.

We haven't been to either and are hoping to work both into our schedule next week. You can choose 2 of 19 different Keeper Kid activities. They are free with paid admission to the aquarium but fill up on a first come, first serve basis. I'm thinking feeding the otters and releasing butterflies might be fun for my crew.

I love that Ruby Falls is Green Globe Certified and the only solar powered cave. Click here to learn all the measures they've taken to be more sustainable.

From Monday through Wednesday only, you'll have access to tour a portion of the cave normally off limits with a helmet light and lantern only. The kids get to keep the miners helmet with a working light. You'll also get a lighted tour of the main cave and waterfall, a fossil dig for children, and 10% off gift and food purchases.

Make sure you check out the coupon section for discounts to most attractions.

If you already have plans this week, many of the special events are going through mid-April.

What exciting plans do you have for the kids this week? What do you like best about the aquarium and Ruby Falls? Any must see parts?