Tampa Bay Parenting

06/01/2026

New Month 💙 New Issue

Happy June 1 and Happy Summer Break!!

Get ready to soar into summer with , where you can explore the new ‘Above and Beyond’ exhibit, and the kids can experience Summer Science Camps.

But that’s not all…here’s what else you’ll find in our print and digital pages:

🐓 Our June cover family, the Hartneys of Tampa, is giving us a peek at their life at home with a flock of chickens, and they’re telling us why they make such great family pets!

🪡 just opened in Ybor City, and we’re taking you there and learning more about the rise in popularity of needlepoint.

🐘There are new tours at this summer where you can get a behind-the-scenes look at how they care for the animals, and we’ve got the details!

🌀 ’s Denis Phillips is sharing what we need to know about changes in hurricane forecast maps and his thoughts on AI-driven forecast models.

And SO MUCH MORE!

If you don’t have a print version nearby, you can flip through the digital version of the magazine now: https://tampabayparenting.com/issues/

Happy summer break!!! ☀️

05/28/2026

Love is in the air at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, and Christmas is pretty much everywhere. And there’s a really cool reason why…

The holiday romance movie “Christmas in Clearwater” is being filmed right now at CMA, and we got a sneak peek today.

Hollywood veterans Hope and Nicholas, the dolphins, have already shot a few scenes with the actors, and some of the other animals that call CMA home are making their screen debuts, including two of the three sea harbor seals, Pharaoh and Ocean (or Cocoa and Marshmallow in the movie!)

The plot is everything you’d expect from a Christmas romance movie, but with a local twist that centers on CMA’s mission of rescue, rehab, and release.

The production company, Country Mile Entertainment, tells us it will be a family-friendly film, and you won't have to wait long to see it. It may be available to watch on a major streaming platform as soon as this holiday season.

While the company is based out of Nashville, several of the owners call Clearwater home.

We’re putting this story together now, but we wanted to share some of what we captured today.

We’re leading with one of our favorite moments…as Sq**rt the dolphin tried to capture our attention while film crews worked in the distance. It’s safe to say these animals aren’t camera shy. So cute!

05/23/2026

There’s a new way to play at Peppa Pig Theme Park Florida! Get ready to go globetrotting without ever leaving Florida!

The “Pig Family Travel Adventure” is ready for take off, and the Pig family needs your help along the way as they make stops in five countries around the world.

Kiddos can pick up their passports and trek to each of the five stops throughout the park, where they’ll experience a new challenge or activity as they collect passport stamps along the way.

Here’s what they’ll get to do:

*Australia – Discover the beauty of the coral reef while counting how many sea animals you can spot.
*China – Use giant foam blocks to recreate the Great Wall of China.
*France – Create a family portrait to display alongside Peppa and her family in a gallery setting.
*South Pole – Dress Peppa Pig and her family for icy weather with a variety of winter gear.
*USA – Work together to complete a puzzle inspired by iconic American landscapes.

At the end of the globetrotting adventure with the Pig family, kids will earn an event-exclusive pop badge.

The best part is they’ll get to explore and PLAY at the park as they make their way through each activity zone. (And it wouldn’t be a theme park in Florida without a splash park, so make sure to pack swimsuits when you go!)

The “Pig Family Travel Adventure” will run on select dates through June 28. (Scroll for event dates.)

We had so much fun during our sneak peek! Constance W. from our team and her kiddos got to explore the park for the first time, and we think it’s one of their new favorite places to play!

There are 16 rides and attractions, and the park is right next door to LEGOLAND Florida Resort and SEA LIFE Florida, making it the perfect family getaway this summer!

Event dates are May 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, and June 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28. June 20 and 21.

05/22/2026

Bluey and Bingo are heading to Disney’s Animal Kingdom on May 26! 💙 You’ll find them at Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station, where you’ll experience the most adorable playdate ever!

This isn’t a typical meet-and-greet. It’s an interactive experience where you’ll play games with Bluey and Bingo like Magic Asparagus and Keepy Uppy!

You’ll also get to meet some of the animals that call Bluey’s Australia home at Jumping Junction and experience returning favorites at Conservation Station.

There will be a virtual queue to see Bluey via the My Disney Experience app at 7 a.m. and at 10 a.m. You will need to be at the park to join the 10 a.m. queue.

We’ll have more awesome new experiences heading to Walt Disney World Resort this summer, but just had to share this little tidbit with you!!

05/08/2026

May is National Water Safety Month, but it’s something Watermelon Swim advocates for every single day. Especially here in Florida, where we are surrounded by water.

And water safety starts young. Did you know babies can start swimming lessons as soon as their umbilical cord falls off??

offers a free Water Babies class for parents and their babies who are 0-6 months old and it grows from there.

You can more about the lessons offered at Watermelon Swim and a new partnership with St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation to ensure even more families in our area receive life-saving water safety lessons by visiting TampaBayParenting.com.

05/01/2026

is celebrating National Space Day today in an EPIC way…by sending footage of guests like us experiencing the all-new Galacticoaster to the edge of space!

Master Model Builders created a custom-built LEGO® Galacticoaster spaceship from 410 LEGO elements, along with the embedded video clips.

The spaceship was thensent up 100,000 feet above Earth on a high-altitude weather balloon, creating an out-of-this-world moment you don’t get to see every day…if ever!

Thank you to our pals at LEGOLAND Florida for sharing!

You can read all about , including an interview with one of the people who helped build the ride, by heading to the link in our bio!

Happy !

Video clips provided by LEGOLAND Florida.

05/01/2026

Attention parents of preschoolers!! Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has extended the deadline for the Preschool Card through May 31! 😍

The free Busch Gardens Preschool Card is BACK for 2026, and it includes visits to Adventure Island, too!

05/01/2026

NEW MONTH 💛 NEW ISSUE

Happy May 1 and Happy FriYAY!

We are delighted to feature our friends at and in our May issue as we recognize National Water Safety Month. We can’t talk about the importance of water safety and swim lessons enough here in Florida. It’s an honor to share the story of the important new partnership between Watermelon Swim and the St. Joseph’s Children’s Foundation to ensure more children in our community recieve life saving water safety education.

Here’s what else you’ll find as you flip through the pages of our print and digital magazine:

😎 Our Favorite Staycation Resorts for Families
💚A Spotlight on Manatees at
✏️ Tips from on how to prepare for PreK
💼 Inspiring future small business owners in Florida
💜 How you can support this summer

AND SO MUCH MORE!

You can find the link to our magazine on TampaBayParenting.com and in hundreds of locations where families gather in Tampa Bay.

We hope you have the best May ever!

04/30/2026

Get ready for BIG fun at the Kids Zone at Riverfest in Tampa this weekend!

Presented by our pals at BayCare Kids, this all-new space is packed with hands-on excitement. Think science experiments, dance classes, a Bucs QB toss, puppy adoptions, arts & crafts, putt putt, the magical Lantern Parade, and MORE!

Don’t miss the ultimate family-friendly experience at Tampa Riverfest presented by Publix.