Baton Rouge Summer Archives - Baton Rouge Family Fun

Baton Rouge Summer of Amazing – Monday Funday and Kid’s Fest

May 28, 2019 by Baton Rouge Moms

It’s that time of year! Join Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital for another fun Baton Rouge Summer of Amazing! All are welcome to this FREE, fun, educational month-long event at the Mall of Louisiana for children and their families to learn more about good health and wellness.

Monday Fundays and Kids’ Healthy Fun Fest are jampacked with games, giveaways, free carousel rides, and important health and fitness activities for the whole family!

Baton Rouge Summer of Amazing Calendar:

Monday, June 3 at 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. for Learning & Development Week
Monday, June 10 at 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. for Behavioral & Emotional Health Week
Monday, June 17 at 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. for Exercise & Nutrition Week
Kids’ Healthy Fun Fest on Saturday, June 22 at 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Get all the details and be sure to preregister HERE for the days that you would like to attend! It’s a fun few hours of games, giveaways, activities and important wellness and health information for the whole family. By attending you can enter to win a Nintendo Switch!

30 Things To Do in Baton Rouge & Beyond #BRMSummer

June 1, 2018 by Baton Rouge Moms

Summer break is just around the corner, time to relax and enjoy the lazy days of summer… but tell that to kids who are bouncing off the walls or singing the boredom blues. As parents, we want each summer to be more memorable than the last, and with that comes the need for a few new ideas, especially if your child is too young to go to a summer camp. Here are 30 Things To Do in Baton Rouge and beyond that are sure to keep you busy all summer long!

30 Things To Do in Baton Rouge & Beyond This Summer

LSU Lakes – Bike, Picnic, Splash Pad – Between feeding the ducks, the great little bike path, the kids playground, and a little splash pad behind the art gallery this is such a fun little day to have with the kiddos.
Tiki Tubing – Just a hop skip and jump away down the Amite. While you’re there grab some grub at Day’s Smokehouse & Specialty Meats
Blueberry Picking – There are an abundance of places to do this around the area. Sooner the better before they are all picked over. We love to make Blueberry Scones with a Lemon Glaze with our fresh crop.
Pottery Painting – Brushfire Studios – This is a quaint little studio in downtown Denham Springs. Perfect place to bring the kids. Bonus – they offer some
Water Balloon Fight – This is a summer classic. Want to make it more fun? Add a little food coloring to the balloons and put the kids in white shirts. Just get ready to hose them down.
Young Chefs Academy – This is one of my oldest’s favorite places. They have summer programs and fun little classes.
Overtones Music Class – I am so excited about this. We are enrolling the oldest in a lesson and the toddler will start a little class in August.
Blackwater Conservation
Tunica Falls – Okay if I am being honest, I am a bit dubious of this one. This seems like a “Am I in good enough shape for this?!” But I supposed there’s one way to find out, but if the girls and I disappear, we are probably stuck somewhere hiking…
Louisiana Peach Festival – Okay so maybe this isn’t quote the day trip, but it’s totally worth the drive to the home of my Alma Mata, Louisiana Tech University (Can I get a “How ‘bout them dawgs?” from my peeps?). Happening June 23-24, 2017 in Ruston, Louisiana. Peach ice cream and some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
Delcambre Shrimp Festival – While we are on the festival beat, this is totally a day trip. You haven’t gone Cajun till you go Acadiana. A bit later in the summer this happens August 16-20, 2017. Bring your dancing shoes.
Old State Capitol – This is one of those things I am embarrassed I haven’t taken the girls to yet. While you’re downtown hit up the Louisiana Art and Science Museum.
Global Wildlife – This is one of the most underrated experiences of my childhood. Letting a giraffe eat out of your hand might be the highlight of your kids summer, and who am I kidding, your’s as well.
Myrtles Plantation Tour – My oldest is very into mystery and more. One day her and I will have a slumber party here, but till then a day tour is on the agenda. On your way home do yourself a favor and stop at Chloe’s in Zachary for a snowball.
WWII Museum – I don’t really know that this needs much introduction or a reason why. Pair this with
Louisiana Children’s Museum – Until Baton Rouge opens up their fabulous place this is one of my fondest childhood memories.
Audubon Zoo / Cool Zoo – I will spare you the song, but they do all “ax for you.” So don’t let those animals down. When you’re there, it’s totally worth the “pop” bracelet that gets you admission into the Cool Zoo and unlimited rides on the train and carousel.
Audubon Aquarium of America’s & Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium – What kid doesn’t want to touch a urchin and eat crickets.
Write and Illustrate a Children’s Book – Because after all these big adventures you are going to need some time at home.
T-Shirt Totes at EBRL – The East Baton Rouge Parish Library has so many little classes and fun projects for all ages. Check out their event calendar and enjoy!
Michael’s – Michael’s has some amazing little classes and fun summer programs for kids and adults of all ages. Cost of supplies and you are good to go!
Dinosaur Park Henderson – I have heard amazing things and this summer we intend to find out for ourselves, they sat that this park uses amusement park management system so I have big expectations!
Livingston Parish Library – Just a little hop next door and there are so many fun programs form Spingeneering to Toddler Dance (wiggle) classes.
Baton Rouge Ballet is touring around the parishes to a library near you!
Dig a Garden – There is no greater joy than watching my kiddos play in the dirt. It´s pretty much like teaching a class of gardening for beginners, except it´s very fun with your kids. I am quite positive my plumbing pipes do not agree, but it doesn´t matter, I have to install new pipes with Watertite Plumbing & Heating Bristol so they can have all the fun the want. Letting the kiddos grown and harvest their own veggies is the best way to inspire them to eat them.
Make a Nana recipe from scratch – No box mixes here, just some love, wooden spoons, and old family recipes.
Lemonade Stand – The earliest form of entrepreneurship at its south Louisiana finest.
Barnhill Preserve in Ethel – (sloths…nuff said) hands-on animal encounters and programs!
Aqua Pards Water Park –One can never get enough water fun during the summer heat!
Cajun Pride Swamp Tour – take a unique and educational journey back to the early days of Louisiana bayou and swamp explorations on this authentic Louisiana swamp eco-tour.

#BRMSummer

You can follow our Summer adventures on Instagram just search #BRMSummer for more Things To Do in Baton Rouge. Use the hashtag to share your summer adventures and have a chance at winning Gift Cards and prizes throughout the summer!! Each Friday we will do a #BRMSummer roundup on Instagram to share what other moms are doing in to keep the boredom blues at bay!

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Dry Drowning 101: Know the Signs with Dr. Mindy Calandro – Ask the Experts

June 27, 2017 by Dr. Mindy Calandro

As if the idea of drowning didn’t strike enough fear into the heart of every parent, recent news headlines and social media posts have brought a new term to the forefront… dry drowning. You might be thinking, “Well of course my kiddo has had a cough a time or two after their face inadvertently went into the water. Is this something to worry about?” Here is what parents need to know about so called “dry drowning.”

What is dry drowning?

To get scientific, there are actually two entities here:

Dry drowning– This occurs when a small amount of water gets into the nose or mouth, and this water causes a sudden spasm of the airway where it shuts close. It is almost like the airway is “over protecting” itself from the water that isn’t supposed to be there. With dry drowning, there is no water in the lungs. In these cases, you will see symptoms almost immediately after the water gets into the airway (the airway will not spasm if the water isn’t there).

Delayed or Secondary drowning– In delayed drowning, a child inhales a bit of water through their nose or mouth, and the water actually does make it down into their lungs. Once in the lungs, the water begins to cause significant irritation and inflammation (after all, water is not supposed to be in our lungs) which leads to something called pulmonary edema. This can occur anywhere from 1-24 hours after the initial inhaling of the water.

You can see that while these two terms mean something different from a medical standpoint, the term “dry drowning” is often used in the news headlines and on social media to refer to secondary drowning.

How common do these type of submersion injuries occur?

Good news…these are both UNcommon! It is estimated that either dry or secondary drowning probably account for only 1-2% of all drowning related injuries in children. Think about all the times your child has inhaled a bit of water while in the bathtub or the pool, and vast majority of the time, they are a-ok.

What are the symptoms?

Good news again…dry and secondary drowning do not occur without warnings signs. When it comes to dry drowning, the symptoms will often be sudden in onset and remember, they will occur at the time of the incident (like while they are still standing in the pool water). Children will have immediate coughing that doesn’t resolve and sudden difficulty breathing. Now, with secondary drowning the symptoms usually do not start immediately after they inhaled the water. It takes time for the inflammation to begin in the lungs. Rather kiddos will start with coughing, trouble breathing, faster breathing, fever, vomiting, extreme sleepiness or a drastic change in behavior anywhere from 1-24 hours later.

What should parents do if they suspect dry or secondary drowning?

If your child has been swimming and in the hours following a swim they show any of the above signs, they need to be brought to medical attention immediately. These symptoms certainly might end up being just the start of a circulating summer virus, but it is important to make sure that it is not secondary drowning. Often a good physical exam by your child’s doctor as well as checking of vital signs including their oxygen levels and sometimes even a chest x-ray can help to ensure that their lungs do not have fluid that shouldn’t be there.

And a quick reminder here as well…anytime a child has required a pool rescue of any kind, at a minimum there needs to be a call to your child’s pediatrician. Depending on how long the child was under water, many of these kiddos also need to be evaluated by a medical professional.

How can you prevent dry or secondary drowning?

Both of these entities really fall on the spectrum of drowning related injuries, and the best way to prevent any kind of drowning is constant adult supervision while swimming. I have written before about drowning prevention (you can click here to check out that blog post), but close attention to child while they are in the water and vigilance for new onset of symptoms after a swim are key. And again remember, these dry or secondary drownings are NOT common.

So hopefully now that you understand these frightening terms of dry or secondary drowning, you will breathe a sigh of relief knowing that this does not happen commonly. Kiddos will be kiddos playing in the water which often means an inadvertent inward snif while in the water. Let them continue to play, of course under an adults watchful eye, and if something doesn’t seem right after pool time is done, then you know the next step. Happy summer!

“Ask the Experts” is a series on Baton Rouge Moms where local experts share their thoughts, opinions and answer questions relating to health, wellness, parenting and living in Baton Rouge.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this site is to share BRM moms’ experiences with food, fitness, health and life as well as opinions from some of our local experts. This content is for informational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice. When it comes to your health or the health of your child, please be sure to contact your physician.

Water Fun Guide for Baton Rouge & Beyond – Splash pads, pools and water parks.

May 24, 2016 by Baton Rouge Moms

Make the most of the hot-n-humid days of summer with our Water Fun Guide for Baton Rouge kids & beyond! Here you’ll find a collection of area water parks, splash pads, and public pools and all the information you’ll need for a summer of water fun! If you want to get in shape for this summer check out Bikini Popping Girls to get many essential advice,

Water Fun Guide for Baton Rouge Kids – Splash pads, pools and water parks

Liberty Lagoon

Plunge 75 feet down an enclosed tube into the Gator Bowl. Speed down 205 feet of the enclosed slide through spins and turns before landing in a 3-foot-6-inch lagoon. Play at the water playground for interactive fun with three slides for the little ones, mesh to climb on, spray nozzles, large dumping bucket of water and water sprays throughout for lots of water fun! Or take it easy on the lazy river, there is so much to do at Liberty Lagoon, your kids won’t know where to start! No outside food allowed.

Ages 1 and younger—FREE (Admission fee WILL be charged if age is questionable)
Under 48″ tall—$9.o9
48″ and taller—$11.10
Lazy River tubes (limited quantities available)—$1 plus tax each per day (all day use)
Public lockers (limited quantities available)—$4 plus tax each per day (all day use)

Greenwood Community Park
At BREC’s Greenwood Community Park, you can not only enjoy a splash pad, includes a golf course, a community playground, tennis courts, Raising Cane’s Dog Park and ExxonMobil Cypress Bayou Lake Trail. You can also fish, kayak or canoe in the 18-acre lake at the park. All splash pads are open daily from 8a.m. – 8p.m. The Greenwood splash pad is activated with two yellow poles in the splash pad area and will engage the system. Spray features will run for approximately 2-3 minutes and turn off. Pushing the button will re-engage the system. To learn more about our splash pads, visit brec.org/aquatics.

City-Brooks Community Park
154.53 Acres – This park is located in the southwestern part of East Baton Rouge Parish by LSU. City-Brooks Community Park serves a larger geographic area than a neighborhood park and is designed to engage the entire family for a whole day, includes a splashpad. City-Brooks Community Park splash pad can be activated with a green push button on the three foot brown pole next to the spray feature area at the edge of the brick near the landscaping.

Forest Community Park
BREC’s Forest Community Park’s splash pad can be operated from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. all summer long. Be sure to also enjoy Forest Community Park’s trails, playground, Raising Cane’s Dog Park and bank fishing. The splash pad is an interactive water play area with no standing water. The splash pad is activated with the green push button on the light blue pole in the splash pad area. Spray features will run for approximately 2-3 minutes and turn OFF. Pushing the button will re-engage the system.

Repentance Park – Downtown Water Fountains
Play in the fountains at the Shaw Center for the Arts and at North Boulevard Town Square!

Blue Bayou Water Park
Located on 80 acres at I-10 and Highland Road in Baton Rouge, LA right next to Blue Bayou Water Park, Dixie Landin’ is an Amusement Park designed for the entire family!

Dixie Landin’ contains 29 rides, including 4 Roller Coasters, 10 games and much, much more. We have retail shops for you to pick up souvenir t-shirts, hats, cups and many more items to bring home. Dixie also has a large variety of food items.
Blue Bayou Water Park has over 20 water attractions like the High Water Slide, a triple 7 story serpentine slide. And there’s nothing like the twin 8 story speed slide, the Ragin’ Cajun! See our 6 story Mad Moccasin water slide which twists and turns in complete darkness. Ride CONJA’, the world’s largest in-line water slide; and try out Racers, The tallest and fastest water racer in the world!

Guests 48″ and taller – $36.99
Guests under 48″ – $29.99
Senior Citizens – $29.99 (Those guests 60 years of age and up)
Under 35″ – Free

Bring a Coca-Cola can to get $5 off your daily admission.

Oak Grove Community Park – Prairieville
Located at Hwy 42 and Hwy 73in Prairieville, this splash park offers visitors a chance to enjoy splash fountains and a recreational park and playground with Beach Volleyball.

Jambalaya Park – Gonzales
Cool down at Jambalaya Park’s spray park in nearby Gonzales. The City of Gonzales is happy to offer a Spray Park for your enjoyment, includes a pool. Admission to the park is free to the public. Open Tuesday – Sunday: 8am – 9pm Pool is $5 per person. Closed on Mondays for cleaning.

Denham Springs North ParK Aqua Pards
The largest of the parks in the Denham park system with over 110 acres and is the site for athletic programs operated by the parks department. The park’s multi-purpose Fitness & Aquatics Facility has a fitness center, indoor swimming pool and the Aqua Pards splash park. ($5 in-district/$8 out-of-district) – Kids under 30″ are free.

BREC Pools

Brooks Pool – This park is located in the southwestern part of East Baton Rouge Parish by LSU. City-Brooks Community Park serves a larger geographic area than a neighborhood park and is designed to engage the entire family for a whole day. Higher levels of maintenance, security, and recreational opportunities are offered at community parks.

Howell Pool – This park is located in the mid-west part of East Baton Rouge Parish. Howell Community Park serves a larger geographic area than a neighborhood park and is designed to engage the entire family for a whole day. Higher levels of maintenance, security, and recreational opportunities are offered at community parks.This is one of BREC’s oldest parks. It is one of BREC’s busiest parks, due in large part to the number of facilities available.

Anna T. Jordan Pool – Anna T. Jordan Community Park serves a larger geographic area than a neighborhood park and is designed to engage the entire family for a whole day. Higher levels of maintenance, security, and recreational opportunities are offered at community parks.

Pools are open daily from 2-5 p.m.
Pool hours are subject to change based on low participation, operations and/or weather.
Fee: $1.25 per person, per day

Beyond the Baton Rouge Area

New Orleans
Make a trip to NOLA for the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans! Their Cool Zoo is a splash park with jumping water spouts, an alligator water slide and even water-spitting snakes. Parents don’t have to worry about little ones getting in the way of the older kids, as there is a separate area designated for toddlers.

State parks also offer opportunities for water fun. The water playgrounds at Tickfaw State Park in Livingston and Fontainebleau State Park in Mandeville are close enough for a day trip or a great weekend trip and worth the drive. 19 of Louisiana’s 22 state parks offer opportunities for water recreation, from pools and beaches to water parks and splash pads.

Land-O-Pines Family Campground in Covington

Swim in sandy-banked shallow clear rivers at Land-O-Pines Campground. You can also enjoy their pools and water slides along with many other activities.

Splash Kingdom Family Waterpark

You might want to head up to Shreveport for a weekend of fun and visit Splash Kingdom Family Waterpark (formerly Water Town USA) reopened in 2010 with new owners and renovated attractions. This 20-acre waterpark has wave pool, lazy river, kiddie pool and more than a dozen water slides. The park also has a large picnic area and catering for groups.

White Sands Lake Day Beach in Enon, LA {1 hour 30 minutes from Baton Rouge}

White Sands Lake Day Beach is a family-oriented, recreational facility offering a full day of FUN in the SUN in the cool, clear, spring-fed lake that contains a water park complete with inflatable water slides, trampolines, the blob bag, teeter-totters, floating mats, and more! White Sands Lake is located in Enon, LA, which is just north of Folsom in Washington Parish. (See directions page for location map). Enjoy the sandy, white beach playing volleyball or just relax under one of our shaded cabanas. All cabanas include a BBQ grill, or you are welcome to bring your own shade and grill. White Sands Lake is also a great place to have a birthday party, family reunion, church or youth group gathering, etc. (See party package page).

Be sure to “Join” our community event page on Facebook for FREE and Affordable Baton Rouge events and activities all summer long!