Mountain View
RocketCityMom
Spicing Up 1st Day of School Photos
Most of us make our kids pose by the front door – backpacks slung over the shoulder – for that First Day Of School photo at the start of every year. I have one child who is about to start THE 11th grade and I know I’ve done it every August since he was five. I planned on doing the same thing with my daughter as she starts Kindergarten this year, but after going through the photos I have of her brother I came to a shocking realization. Those First Day Of School photos are neither interesting nor informative. It’s actually a little hard to tell what picture goes with what grade, unless I pull them all together and stack them by Size Of Child In Photo.
Hacking The Homework Hassle
When the New Year rolls around I always feel a little guilty thinking that I should be making grand self-improvement plans when really I just want to get the kids back to school and catch my breath. I have friends who talk about their resolutions, and the goal setting they’ve done, and to be honest I feel like a bit of a slacker. Goal setting? Sheesh, I just survived the holidays with some shred of sanity intact, isn’t that enough? But even though I won’t be committing to losing 25 pounds, or writing my first novel, I do feel like there are areas of my life I want to put more effort into. The most important of those areas right now is trying to make homework time more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Kindergarten Readiness – Twelve Ways to Prepare Your Child
Veteran Randolph teacher Mary Jones has strong opinions about Kindergarten, calling it “the best part of school, the most important part of school.” She explains that this first stage of formal schooling gives teachers the opportunity to intervene early to thwart a student’s belief that he or she “can’t.”
Extracurricular Fees Can Be Exorbitant: These Parents Want to Help
By invitation, I joined the recent board meeting of Patrons and Players. Patrons and Players provides funding for kids who need help with fees associated with extracurricular activities. I sat down to a table filled with volleyball and gymnastics moms, band and track dads, and one proud grandmother who shared their passion for helping others get the same experiences. I was met with smiles all around the table, paired with enthusiasm and genuineness. Their heart for getting kids with financial need access to extracurricular activities was evident.
Legacy Park of Huntsville is a Local Gem
A brand new, $4.6 million park just opened at the former campus of JO Johnson High School in Huntsville, and it is a site to behold! Legacy Park in North Huntsville is a brand new unique recreational space for the entire community to enjoy. The playground’s main attraction is the eye-catching CLIMBING SPHERE, which sports a massive web of crisscrossing climbing ropes. This equipment provides versatile play activities, exploration, and high-capacity play for numerous children, all while working on those social and physical skills.
Go On a Hunt for These Artistic Huntsville Murals!
Huntsville is not only a place for rocket scientists and engineers, but a city full of creative artists with fun murals spread throughout for us to discover and enjoy. Whether you are brand new to the city or have never branched out, this tour of local murals can help you discover the unique and creative side of Huntsville while having fun with your family. How many can you find together? It’s time to go on a mural hunt!
The Stain Left Behind by Birth Trauma
Author’s Note: The following story contains graphic descriptions of blood, infant respiratory distress, and birth trauma – please proceed with caution. Blood so dark it was almost black coated my hand, my blood. Alarm bells had been ringing in my head since I’d started the pushing phase of the delivery process, but until this moment I had dismissed them as the overactive nerves of a first-time mom. As it would turn out, it was only the beginning of a traumatic birth experience that would stain my early motherhood moments as surely as the blood on my hand. For Birth Trauma Awareness Week, I’ll be sharing my story and resources for those that have found themselves in the same boat.
Explore the history of the gold rush & tour BabyLand General Hospital on this Dahlonega roadtrip
The historic town of Dahlonega, Georgia, located roughly 40 minutes south of the Alpine-esque Helen, Georgia, is a beautiful and unique town nestled in the mountains of North Georgia that is well worth a visit. Dahlonega is the site of the first major U.S. Gold Rush in 1828 (twenty years before the California Gold Rush). This small town is bursting with Southern charm, earning it Southern Living Magazine’s award for “The South’s Best Mountain Towns.” While on our visit we were able to explore the Dahlonega Gold Museum in the heart of Downtown Dahlonega and the Consolidated Gold Mine. Dahlonega is also famous for its antique shops, where amateur and professional antiquing is a stone’s throw away from almost anywhere in town. Between Helen and Dahlonega rests the small mountain town of Cleveland, Georgia. Here you will feel the nostalgia of the 1980s’ most famous babies, the Cabbage Patch Kids. Intrigued? Read on to learn more!
Huntsville Weekend Roundup July 7-9
Get ready to slide into a weekend full of fun! Find our top picks below or check out our full event calendar for even more family fun!. This post is updated weekly with current family-friendly events and republished on a monthly basis. Summer 2023 Activities Guide. Summertime is perfect for...
19 Family-Friendly Events Happening in Huntsville this July (17 are FREE!)
Summer is halfway over! Don’t fall prey to FOMO – below are our July picks for can’t-miss family events happening in Huntsville before school starts again and many are completely FREE! Just one caveat… we put all the 4th of July events in their own list, so be sure to click here if you’re looking for those celebrations.
When is the Back to School Tax Free Weekend in Huntsville?
Go ahead and mark your calendars! Alabama will hold its 15th annual sales tax holiday, beginning at 12:01 a.m. (CST) on Friday July 21, and ending at twelve midnight on Sunday July 23, 2023. This weekend gives shoppers the opportunity to purchase certain school supplies, computers, and clothing tax free. Local sales tax may apply.
The Knight School Chess Academy: Fostering Academic Confidence and Lifelong Success
In education, chess is making waves that go far beyond the checkered board. With countless chess moms and dads attesting to its transformative power, the impact of chess on academic confidence cannot be understated. As a chess coach and educator at The Knight School Chess Academy, I have witnessed firsthand the profound influence chess has on students’ readiness to conquer their classrooms.
Race on over to Bowling Green for ice cream, an underground boat tour, & speedsters
Wanting to explore Kentucky but not sure where? Look no further than Bowling Green. A mere 3-hour drive from the Huntsville Metro Area, Bowling Green is a fun destination for a weekend getaway whether you have teens or toddlers. Read on to participate in the journey with us!. Chaney’s Dairy...
The North Georgia Mountains Offer a Perfect Retreat for Families
North Georgia offers an incredible variety of outdoor activities and scenic places for the whole family. It is the perfect weekend getaway with the kids to see waterfalls, mountain peaks, and small mountain towns. Where to Stay in North Georgia. We stayed in a cabin located between Blue Ridge, GA...
Climb Aboard the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum with Kids
All Aboard! We took our three-year-old to A Day Out with Thomas event at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (TVRM), and she loved it! The TVRM in Chattanooga is about a 2-hour drive from Huntsville and is well worth it! The highlight of the event was a beautiful scenic 25-minute ride with the talking Thomas the Tank Engine. The train ride is just one of several activities at the Thomas event. There are photo opportunities with Sir Topham Hatt, an activity zone with train sets, live magic shows and various Thomas & Friends themed activities such as mini-golf, inflatables, and yard games (think ring toss, hopscotch, bubble machines). For all of those little ones (up to about the age of 8) who love trains, this is a must!
What happens at a Rocket City Learning Center Parents’ Night Out?
Rocket City Learning Center is a great place for kids to learn, grow, and have fun. And when parents need a night out, they can trust that their kids are in good hands. With exciting activities planned all night long, Rocket City Learning Center’s Parents’ Night Out makes sure that the kids have a great time while the parents relax.
Awesome Moms of Huntsville: Melanie Thornton
A champion of the community, Melanie Thornton earns her title of Awesome Mom by creating a better tomorrow for the City of Madison. As the Executive Director of Madison Visionary Partners and a passionate community volunteer, Melanie gives her time planning projects that will benefit everything from parks to the arts.
Recharge While the Kids Play at Sharon Johnston Park
Right outside of Huntsville, tucked away in New Market, you’ll find a hidden treasure just a couple of miles off the main road. As a little girl and a New Market native, many of my childhood days were spent playing at Sharon Johnston Park – visiting the playground, feeding the geese, riding bikes, fishing and walking the trails.
Wild Alabama encourages kids to go Wild on Wednesdays!
One of the things my family treasures most about living in the Tennessee Valley is having easy access to natural spaces. Whether it’s a city greenway, Monte Sano State Park, or one of North Alabama Land Trust’s numerous properties, we are never far from spots to walk a trail, splash in a creek, or just poke around in the woods. Sometimes we like to go a little farther from home and spend a day in one of Alabama’s wilder areas. For last week’s adventure, we joined other families for an excursion led by Wild Alabama. Their Wild Wednesday program offers great summertime fun off the beaten path!
Explore the Kid Zone Playground in New Hope
If you’re on the hunt for a playground that isn’t your typical community playground, you’re going to want to make the trip to New Hope’s Kid Zone. A sprawling wooden structure that winds up and around the park, Kid Zone is the perfect place to play royals and knights.
RocketCityMom
1K+
Posts
2M+
Views
A hyperlocal website dedicated to all aspects of parenting in Huntsville and North Alabama. We share information that makes parenting in Huntsville easier.
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.