This Frozen February is Full of Fun for Kids

February has brought us some bitter cold weather already and more is on the way. Personally, I am not a fan; snow’s fun, but I'm not too favorable of temperatures below 50 degrees.

On the other hand, February brings quite a bit of fun and excitement with local festivals and events in Clawson like the last weekend and the Valentine's Day craft party at this Saturday.

Even though I don't like the cold and freezing winds, I suck it up every year and enjoy some fun time with my son, Johnny. Here are some of our favorite February experiences.

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day: a classic night to propose, a special day to spend with a significant other, possibly the day that puts the most pressure on a new relationship, or, for kids my son’s age (7), a fun little party in school where students trade valentines with their favorite cartoon characters on them. will have their Valentine's party today.

I remember Valentine’s Day parties when I went to , buying matching valentines for everyone in the class, but being so nervous and excited to give them to the girls I was crushing on, not that they knew. I miss that innocent happiness, but I enjoy watching it from a father’s standpoint as my son gets sweaty palms and bashful glances.

Hopefully you've already taken care of getting your kids valentines for class parties, but if you plan on picking up some gifts for family and friends you may want to stop in: always has festive candy and treats for most holidays with plenty of chocolates available, which are an obvious tradition on Valentine's Day; is another great place with all kinds of Valentine's Day gift ideas for the whole family. 

Though gifts are fun to give, this holiday makes me really consider love, what it means to me, which is an unwavering affection for someone or thing. It’s a very powerful emotion to be celebrating and has become very commercialized over the years. But beyond all the parties and paper cards and expensive dinners with girlfriends and boyfriends and husbands and wives, consider what you truly love and celebrate that. I know who I’m celebrating with— a 7-year-old with two front teeth missing.

A frozen festival

The seventh annual Motown Winter Blast is this weekend in Detroit at the Campus Martius Park. Though you'll have to venture outside of Clawson for this event, the fun, kid-friendly activities are worth the drive. 

Last year, my son and I went and saw ice dancers while roasting marshmallows and making s’mores in the middle of closed roads; we saw one of our favorite local bands called The Muggs in a giant heated tent; we saw ice sculptures and enjoyed samples of local restaurants’ fare from little booths.

This year, most, if not all, of that fun will be available again, plus much more. There is a kids stage where puppeteers, magicians, jugglers, comedians, and interactive performances by Radio Disney can be seen. There is also a giant snow slide, winter carnival, and free ice skating. Good news for Johnny, myself, and any other fans of blues-rock music, The Muggs will also be performing (bring ear plugs for the kids, or stand at the back of the tent).

Black History Month

Johnny didn’t have to go to school Monday, Jan. 17, and he wanted to know why. I explained to him who Martin Luther King, Jr. was and why he was so important to our country’s history. It was very hard for him to wrap his mind around the idea of bigotry and racism. He just doesn’t really understand why it exists, which made my eyes well up a little; I sure do love that boy.

Being that February is Black History Month, it got my gears turning as to how I can better illustrate this delicate history of racism in our country to a forward-thinking first-grader; no easy feat. And then I remembered the Titans.

Back when I played football for the Clawson Mavericks, my teammates and I would watch the movie Remember the Titans before almost every game. It’s a great football film. But it’s also a competent social commentary on the bigotry of the 1960s, all wrapped up in a neat Disney package.

As parents, it is important to instill our moral and social beliefs on our children as they develop personalities. I’m not saying delve into the bloody riots and burning crosses of a sorted history, but a movie night watching Remember the Titans isn’t a bad idea this Black History Month.