If you are looking for Cedar Rapids family events in January, we’ve got you covered! We’ve put together a round-up of this month’s need-to-know weekend events! If you’re looking for events taking place during the weekdays, be sure to visit our Events Calendar! Do you know of an event we should add? Email us at info(at)cedarrapidsmomsblog.com!
Mom’s Guide to Cedar Rapids Family Events in January
January 4th-6th
Ongoing, January 2-13: If We Ran the Zoo: Animals in Children’s Book Illustration | varies @ Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Stories about animals have always been a staple of children’s literature. One of the earliest known books aimed at children, the 17th century publication Orbis sensualium pictus, taught children the alphabet by mimicking animal noises. This trope continued in the early- and mid-20th century, called the Golden Age of children’s book illustration. Drawn from the Zerzanek Collection of Original Art from Children’s Literature on loan to the CRMA from the Cedar Rapids Public Library, If We Ran the Zoo looks at the various ways animals have shaped children’s literature, from simple science books to loyal pets to fantastical, talking companions.
Saturday, January 5: Kids Can Stitch Too! | 2:00-3:00 p.m. @ Village Needlework
This is an introductory to cross stitch. You can choose from a variety of patterns and learn the basics of cross stitch. Free. Recommended for kids 12 or younger.
Saturday, January 5: Webelos Workshop: Earth Rocks | 9:00-11:00 a.m. @ Indian Creek Nature Center
*FULL* Have you ever wanted to know more about rocks? Come to the Nature Center to find out why geology is important to you! We’ll identify rocks, test minerals and learn about Moh’s hardness scale. You’ll find out about Iowa’s geological past, and get to take home a little souvenir. Fee: $5.00 per Parent Chaperone, $10.00 per Scout.
Saturday, January 5: Webelos Workshop: Castaway Getaway | 12:30-2:30 p.m. @ Indian Creek Nature Center
*FULL* Have you ever wondered what supplies you would need if you were stranded on a desert island? Come learn which tools and skills would come in handy in an outdoor emergency. Light a fire, make a shelter, learn about outdoor survival kits, and cook a snack over a campfire. Fee: $5.00 per Parent Chaperone, $10.00 per Scout.
Saturday, January 5: CoderDojo | 1:00-3:00 p.m. @ NewBo Co K-12 Education
CoderDojo is a free K-5 STEAM program by NewBoCo K-12 Education that encourages creativity, fosters entrepreneurship, and helps kids learn to code. Attendees are welcomed at 1 pm and everyone is given the details on what stations are available that day. This is an opportunity for kids to explore technology, coding, critical thinking at various entry levels. You can always expect several computer science options that range from Code.org‘s Hour of Code to database development, web development, or custom projects to help kids learn a new skill. Stations may include a varitey of robotics, VR, app development, HTML, intro to coding, circuitry, engineering challenges and more!
Sunday, January 6: National Skating Month Free Public Skate | 2:00-5:00 p.m. @ Cedar Rapids Ice Arena
January is National Skating Month! Help celebrate with our FREE public skate session. FREE admission & skate rental. Skates are limited. First Come First Serve.
January 11th-13th
Friday, January 11: Pied Piper Concert (Percussion) | 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. @ Cedar Rapids Downtown Library
Join us for a music concert presented by Orchestra Iowa and designed for preschool age children. This months’ event will feature percussion. Concert times are at 9:30 and 10:30. Call 319-366-8206 to register. (Registration requested, but not required.)
Saturday, January 12: 5th Annual Mid-Winter Renaissance Faire | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. @ Cedar Rapids Downtown Library
Experience the mischief and magic of the Renaissance! The classics are back, with plenty of new merriment for the whole family. Visit with the King and Queen and wander with jugglers and pirates, all against a background of live Renaissance music. Listen to “Shakespeare from the rafters” while a live sword fight clangs through the commons. Attend Pirate Comedy Hour, make a pirate hat, or learn Calligraphy and listen to live Renaissance music. There’s something for everyone at the largest indoor Renaissance Faire in the state.
Saturday, January 12: Music on the Move | 9:15-10:00 a.m. or 10:15-11:00 a.m. @ Baby Time
Join us for Music on the Move Family Class at 9:15 or 10:15 am. Please RESERVE your seat online. Sing, play, listen, laugh, move, learn and bond with your little one (baby – preschooler). We will have fun each week tickling our senses while playing with (learning!) music, language, motor, and pre-academic skills. Lisa is a board-certified music therapist – all children are welcome!
Saturday, January 12: Trail Trekkers: Winter Water Wonders | 10:00-11:00 a.m. @ Indian Creek Nature Center
Investigate the wonders of water—snow and ice—in the winter. How does snow actually help plants and animals? Make sure to dress for the weather as we plan to spend time outside enjoying this beautiful season. Registration encouraged. For preschoolers with adult. Free.
Saturday, January 12: Kid N Canvas | 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. @ Hy-Vee (Collins Rd)
Kid N Canvas classes are for kids 8 to 16. Join us at Hy-Vee (279 Collins Rd NE Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402) cafe on Saturday Morning 10 am. $20 per painting, please only 1 painter per ticket. All supplies (canvas, paints, brushes and apron) are provided for you, but please on clothes that are ok to get paint on. Class lasts about 1.5 to 2 hrs. Hy-Vee is providing a $10 gift card (per ticket) to shop with while your kids are painting. Check in at 9:45 am, painting starts at 10 am.
Saturday, January 12: Glass Snow Flakes | 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. or 2:00-3:30 p.m. @ Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio
This is a great way for kids and parents alike who are interested in creating in the studio. Make a glass sun catcher in the shape of a snowflake in this class using warm glass techniques. Cost is $20. Kids 8 and under must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Saturday, January 12: Bear Workshop: Fur, Feathers and Ferns | 12:30-2:30 p.m. @ Indian Creek Nature Center
*FULL* Go for a hike — snow or shine! — and look for signs of animals, birds and plants on this Required Adventure. Look for signs of wildlife outside. Do you know who’s endangered and why? Investigate the species that no longer live here and have a closer look at plants with a magnifying glass. Fee: $5.00 per Parent Chaperone, $10.00 per Scout.
Saturday, January 12: For Goodness Snakes! with Wickiup Outdoor Learning Center | 1:00-3:00 p.m. @ Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Help us say goodbye to the animals in our exhibition, “If We Ran the Zoo: Animals in Children’s Book Illustrations” (open through January 13) with a reptile party! Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center brings us live species of snakes and turtles native to Iowa. Develop an awareness and admiration for nature’s scaly critters, and find out more about Wickiup Hill’s mission to help save our world’s reptiles.
Sunday, January 13: Coralville WinterFest 2019 | 1:00-4:00 p.m. @ Iowa River Landing
Join us for the 12th Annual Coralville WinterFest. This celebration of Winter is a fun afternoon of family bonding, kids laughing, and exploring what the area has to offer. Partner agency’s will have crafts and games for the kids, the horse-drawn trolley is back, and we are lining up great live entertainment. Bring the family for an afternoon of free family fun!!
January 18th-2oth
Friday, January 18: Tiger Workshop: The Sky is the Limit | 7:00-8:30 p.m. @ Indian Creek Nature Center
Use binoculars and telescopes, and talk about constellations, how to use star charts, and more. Create your own constellation and give it a name! (You will be responsible for Requirement #3). Fee: $5.00 per Parent Chaperone, $10.00 per Scout.
Saturday, January 19: Baby Sing & Sign (3-week course) | 9:15-10:00 a.m. or 10:15-11:00 a.m. @ Baby Time
Reduce Frustration! Reduce Crying! (Really!!) Increase Communication! Registration required. Baby Sing and Sign is equal parts sign language, play, and music. This course will teach you basic sign language to communicate with your hearing baby or toddler. You will learn a vocabulary of commonly used signs (foods, animals, people), songs to reinforce the signs, and practice using your signs (with support if you wish) with your baby. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to communicate with your baby! Baby Sing & Sign is a 3-week workshop. Saturdays, Jan 19, 26, Feb 2 at 10:15 am. (No refunds for missed dates.)
Saturday, January 19: Kids Paint Class – Abominable Snowman | 9:00-10:30 a.m. @ Artwork by Julia Kulish (4198 Pikeview Dr, Center Point)
Kids get creative! This is a fun step by step instructional class for kids ages 7-12 (exceptions on ages can be made, email for more details – julskul@msn.com) . All art supplies are provided – kids just come, create, and we clean up the mess! Tickets: $20/child
Saturday, January 19: Wolf Day: Call of the Wild, Paws on the Path, Finding Your Way, and Howling at the Moon | 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. @ Indian Creek Nature Center
We’ll have great fun making our way through requirements for all four adventures! (Finding Your Way is an Elective Adventure, the other three are Required Adventures.) Tie knots and play games. Learn about animals, bugs and birds. Pack items you need for camping and hiking. Gather around the campfire and create your own exciting campfire skit! End the afternoon with your pack on a one-mile hike and put your compass skills to the test. Includes a one-hour lunch on your own. Fee: $5.00 per Parent Chaperone, $25.00 per Scout.
Saturday, January 19: Elephant and Piggie Visit the Ely Public Library! | 10:00 -11:00 a.m. @ Ely Public Library
Come and meet Elephant and Piggie from the Mo Willems books! Dress as your favorite book character, hear amazing stories, make awesome crafts, and get your picture taken with Elephant and Piggie. All ages. Free and open to the public. Registration is not required. For more information, please call 319-848-7616.
Saturday, January 19: Open Studio | 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. @ The Music and Arts Studios at the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy
Kids K-12 join us in the studios to try your hand at different types of music and various art mediums with guidance from professional artists and musicians. Bring a friend! Free for Members, $5 non members.
Saturday, January 19: Kid N Canvas | 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. @ Hy-Vee (Mt Vernon Rd)
Kid N Canvas classes are for kids 8 to 16. Join us at Hy-Vee (4035 Mt Vernon Rd SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403) cafe on Saturday Morning 10 am. $20 per painting, please only 1 painter per ticket. All supplies (canvas, paints, brushes and apron) are provided for you, but please on clothes that are ok to get paint on. Class lasts about 1.5 to 2 hrs. This location is not providing gift cards. Check in at 9:45 am, painting starts at 10 am.
Saturday, January 19: Family Film: The Emperor’s Nightingale | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. @ National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
Based on the children’s fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, The Emperor’s Nightingale tells the story of a young Chinese emperor who learns to appreciate the real world over the material. This adaption is told with puppets created by Jirí Trnka, a famous Czech puppeteer, and narrated by Boris Karloff (who also narrated the original animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Run time is 55 minutes, in English. Admission is $2-5.
January 25th-27th
Friday-Saturday, January 25-27: Enchanted Tale Series – Little Mermaid | multiple showings @ Marcus Wehrenberg Cedar Rapids Cinema
Join us for our first film in the Enchanted Tales Series…The Little Mermaid. A mermaid princess makes a Faustian bargain with an unscrupulous sea-witch in order to meet a human prince on land.
Friday, January 25: Doodlebugs at HPL: Shake it All About! | 1:30 a.m. @ Hiawatha Public Library w/ the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Doodlebugs at the Hiawatha Public Library: Shake it All About! Our friend Carol Rezabek returns to teach us some silly steps that President Kennedy danced with his friends. That’s what it’s all about! Doodlebugs is a free preschool series for families, but if you have a daycare or school group, contact us about setting up a private Doodlebugs class designed just for you!
Friday, January 25: STEM Family Free Night | 5:00-8:00 p.m. @ The Iowa Children’s Museum
Admission is free to all visitors from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on the last Friday of every month sponsored by Collins Aerospace. Help solve a unique Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math challenge in the STEM Studio focused on problem-based learning.
Saturday, January 26: Music on the Move | 9:15-10:00 a.m. or 10:15-11:00 a.m. @ Baby Time
Join us for Music on the Move Family Class at 9:15 or 10:15 am. Please RESERVE your seat online. Sing, play, listen, laugh, move, learn and bond with your little one (baby – preschooler). We will have fun each week tickling our senses while playing with (learning!) music, language, motor, and pre-academic skills. Lisa is a board-certified music therapist – all children are welcome!
Saturday, January 26: Valentine Coil Bowls | 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. or 2:00-3:30 p.m. @ Iowa Ceramics Center and Glass Studio
This is a great way for kids and parents alike who are interested in creating in the studio. Create a unique bowl for Valentine’s Day using coil techniques. Cost is $18. Kids 8 and under must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Saturday, January 26: Valentine Footprint Craft 2019 | 11:15 a.m. – 2:15 p.m. @ Baby Time
We will be making a DIY Valentine footprint craft with your baby! Pre-printed canvas and tempura paint is included. Cost is $10 per canvas (one for you and another for grandma? Go crazy – each print is only $10 each!) Please book for as many prints as you need. Drop in between 11:15-2:15. The craft should only take 2-3 minutes per print. Booking and paying ahead of time really helps us have enough supplies for everyone. There are no refunds for this event, but if you have to miss, you can still pick up your canvases at the shop and DIY at home.
Saturday, January 26: Winter Princess Party | 1:00-2:00 p.m. @ Ushers Ferry Historic Village
Hey Princesses! It’s time for a party with your favorite fairytale BFF’s! Dress in your best princess clothes and join us for music, games food and fun with fairy tale princesses in a winter wonderland. Don’t forget to wear your tiara! Ages 2+ years. Cost: $16 Child, $2 accompanying adult. To register, call 319-286-5566 or visit our registration site.
Sunday, January 27: Meet a Raptor | 1:00-1:45 p.m. @ Indian Creek Nature Center
Visit Indian Creek Nature Center and learn about raptors! Raptology is pleased to present a 45 minute program featuring two education raptors. Come and learn about these amazing birds, their place in the ecosystem and why we all need to work to protect them. Program is appropriate for ages 4 and up. Please be ON TIME for the program; due to the nature of the program we are unable to admit late-comers. If you are bringing a group, please call to let us know to expect you. Bring your questions and get up close to a raptor! Free.
Sunday, January 27: JoJo Siwa Dance Clinic | 1:00-2:00 p.m. @ Hiawatha Community Center
Children in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to learn how to dance like JoJo at this fun, interactive clinic taught by Coach Miranda and the Kennedy Cougars Dance Team. Each child should wear a T-shirt, gym pants and tennis shoes. We would like each child to bring plenty of spirit and most importantly, their smiles! In case of inclement weather the program will be moved to February 17th. Fee: $25.
Sunday, January 27: 80th Anniversary Wizard of Oz | 2:00 & 5:00 p.m. @ Marcus Wehrenberg Cedar Rapids Cinema
A special 80th anniversary event is coming to select theaters. In this classic musical fantasy, Judy Garland stars as Dorothy Gale, a young Kansas farm girl who dreams of a land “somewhere over the rainbow.” Dorothy’s dream comes true when she, her dog, Toto, and her family’s house are transported by a tornado to a bright and magical world unlike anything she has seen before. Unfortunately, she makes a mortal enemy of a wicked witch when the house falls on the hag’s sister. Now, befriended by a scarecrow without a brain, a tin man with no heart and a cowardly lion–and protected by a pair of enchanted ruby slippers–Dorothy sets off along a yellow brick road for the Emerald City to beseech the all-powerful Wizard of Oz for his help to return home.
Cedar Rapids Winter Family Fun Quick Links:
When and Where Kids Eat Free or Cheap in Cedar Rapids
Guide to Indoor Play Areas for Kids in Cedar Rapids
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