Things to Do in Druid Hills

Throughout KangaZoom's 12,000-square-foot facility, youngsters aged 2–12 and their parents whoosh down giant slides, carom about jump castles, and dart through obstacle courses during daily open play sessions. The inflatable basketball court's added bounciness makes it easier for kids to dribble the ball or each other, and a separate area for toddlers allows them to safely interact away from older children’s high-octane play. Though adults can join their children as long as they're wearing socks, they can also kick back in the lounge café and snack on concessions and drinks. Three private rooms host birthday parties for groups of up to 20 revelers, and KangaZoom's staff run regular dance and fitness classes for kids to learn impressive moves before the kindergarten prom.

A pediatric physical therapist, Marc Castelo has witnessed impact of play and therapeutic touch during his work with infants and in early child development. Recognizing that babies could benefit from massage just as much—if not more so—than adults, he created Play 2 Grow. At his child-care center, techniques such as loving touch and innovative play are a vehicle for improved growth and caregiver-child bonding. In that vein, he and program director Jenny Smith-Davids interweaves play, games, and socialization, all with an eye toward improving infants’ developmental capabilities and future cribbage skills. Parents are also welcome to take part in the learning process through “scaffolding,” during which they are active participants in family play activities.

The Atlanta Chef's Expo plates up a citywide taste test, showcasing local culinary artists while raising proceeds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Throughout the event, chefs from area eateries including Baraonda, Thrive, and Clement Catering Co. sling edible specialties from one of four neighborhood-themed divisions, including Restaurant Row, the Sugar Shack, and Catering Alley, where food is delivered hot and garages are built from soup crackers. Emmy-nominated television personality Holly Firfer and food blogger Broderick Smylie dish out awards with a panel of judges, and cooking demos from such celebrity chefs as Scott Serpas and Joe Arvin reveal professional methods and tricks of the trade. The beats of DJ Joel Rabe of Lethal Rhythms Entertainment punctuate the event, adding rhythm to exploratory bites and attempts to translate satisfied "mmm"s into English.

In 1976, busy California mother Joan Barnes wanted nothing more than to find a play place where she and her kids could enjoy age-appropriate, educational activities. Finding none, she developed her own innovative play environment within a developmental-based program structure now known as Gymboree Play & Music. Today, kids tumble and learn in more than 650 locations in 33 countries around the world, engaging in open play and classes designed to build cognitive and motor skills. As parents participate in their child’s development, their child learns to paint, play music, and interact socially outside of preschool knitting circles.

The Swim School of Memphis's instructors, drawing from Swim Schools International's programs, teach water-safety skills to fledgling divers and swimmers of all ages. Classes and activities range from the Scuba Rangers club—where kids aged 8–12 learn to snorkel and scuba dive from the safety of a pool—to open-water dives, swimming lessons, and more advanced stress-and-rescue dive sessions, during which instructors turn dog paddlers into almost-mermaids, minus the pet octopuses.