{Re-Cap} 2nd Annual “Kick off to Summer” Carnival!

Summer came in with a BANG this year, didn’t it?! All of the sudden it’s 100 degrees with 1000% humidity and we are all searching for air-conditioned activities!! (By the way, if you’re looking for indoor fun this year, click here for a great list of indoor playspaces!)

We, too, were grateful for the luxury of air-conditioning as we celebrated our 2nd annual “Kick off to Summer” Carnival!  It was a beautiful day, and we had so much fun watching you and your kiddos play games, bounce in the bouncy houses, and have a snack together.

Our Sponsors

Special, special thanks to our amazing partners for this event.  Without their help and support, these fun family-friendly events would not be possible!  Thank you!!

The Family Dental Center:  Our friends at the Family Dental Center are a valued partner for ICMB, and we are so appreciative of their support as we continue to bring these events to you and your families throughout the year.  As we often share on our page, the staff at the Family Dental Center are literally some of the NICEST people you will ever meet, and they have their office set up in a way that is not only welcoming, but FUN, for the littlest members of your family.  Added bonus: their lunch-size reusable bags were not only PERFECT for gathering carnival prizes and snacks, but they are seriously the BEST size for packing up a quick snack or meal and heading to the park!  Thanks for always thinking of us and our needs!

Mercy Pediatric Clinic:  Another of our favorite offices around town, the lovely ladies of Mercy Pediatric Clinic in Coralville!  As many of you moms know, the attitudes of staff and doctors can absolutely change the experience for the good or the bad, and at Mercy, it’s definitely for the good!! They are conveniently located off 965, with same-day appointments AND weekend hours.  Once again, an office who is putting the needs of moms and their children first, and we love them for that!!  In case you missed it, the Mercy staff has been contributing on our blog as well, sharing information about fevers in kids, congenital heart disease, food allergies, and dry drowning. Stay tuned for more helpful tips/stories from them in the next few months, too!

Carnival Game Sponsors

Montessori School of Iowa City:  It’s always a pleasure having the staff of Montessori School at our events.  Interesting fact: did you know that this is one of the oldest Montessori schools on the CONTINENT?  Yes! It’s over 50 years old, and in 2012 they expanded from the primary class (3-6 years old) to include Elementary (6-12 years old) as well.  If you are looking for a Montessori-based education for your kids, be sure to check out their website here.  Special thanks to their friendly staff for joining us at the Carnival and providing a fun activity for the kids!

First Steps Learning Center:  First Steps is a BRAND new child care center in Coralville! If you’re looking for somewhere to take your kiddos, be sure to check out their website!  First Steps has six classrooms and a gym, and they offer an infant program, a toddler-one’s program, a two-years Pre-K program, and a school-aged program (perfect for your after-school and no-school day needs!).  The kids loved checking out the First Steps table at the Carnival this year, making super fun crafts to take home!

Order Up Iowa City:  If you haven’t been using the services of Order Up yet, you are MISSING OUT.  They provide delivery service to your home or office, for all of those places that you WISH had delivery but they don’t yet!  What could be better for a busy working mom or a busy stay at home mom?!  Thank you to their amazing staff for being at the Carnival and hosting  a fun bean-bag toss game.  Also, for handing out some awesome lunch boxes and water bottles! The kids loved them!

Location

Special thanks to Scanlon Gymnasium for hosting us, we absolutely love that space and the kids love all of the room to run around (and the bounce houses, of course!).  For more information on their tot-time activities and other events on their schedule, check out their website here.

Thank You!

Thank you so much to everyone who attended the Carnival with your families, we were so thrilled to see you!  We hope you are enjoying your summer, and we hope to see you at some of our Park Hop activities! (see below)

Sara
Sara and her husband Matt (sweethearts since they were just 16) got married in 2007, and since then have welcomed four beautiful children (Sam in 2008, Cooper in 2010, Nora in 2012, and Adam James in December 2015). A born-and-raised Iowan, Sara received both her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees (in Spanish Literature) from the University of Iowa. She's still teaching Spanish wherever and whenever she can, but her true passion is owning Iowa City Moms and building this community alongside her amazing team. Sara is also the Community Engagement Coordinator for City Mom Collective, and the owner of Cowork Collective downtown Iowa City. Common denominator in all of these jobs: community, community, community.

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