Just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Brentwood, on the west side, is a super-fun indoor play place named The Monkey's Treehouse.
 

It's only about 7 miles west, located in Bellevue, and well worth the trip.

In case you haven't already noticed, the Brentwood Library is under construction.

The expansion will increase the size of the library by 13,000 sq. ft.

It will include a new media room, study rooms, conference room, and a larger children's area, and should be completed by October 2009.

 

If you are looking for an adventurous way to spend a beautiful Brentwood afternoon, try Letterboxing!

My family discovered letterboxing several years ago, and we were excited when we moved to the area to see what local letterboxes we could find here.

We had some friends in town and thought it might be a good way to show them Brentwood, so we chose 2 letterboxes to hunt down.

Like us, they have a high school child and younger kids as well; this is an activity that is fun for different ages. (It makes a great date activity, as well.)

Pocketbooks are getting tighter as entertainment costs are going up.

This is leaving families extra creative as they try to find ways to have affordable fun.

As a relative newcomer to the Brentwood area, I've been thrilled with all the coupon books and half-off dining options that I have found.

There are lots of great discounts around that have allowed me to try some pretty great places in Brentwood.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries is a fairly new restaurant in the Brentwood Place Shopping Center.

Unlike most restaurants, it has very few items from which to choose.

They have stayed with the "basics" on their menu but those basics are fantastic!

Consignment season is quickly upon us.

If you live in Brentwood, you might already be familiar with two of the finest consignment sales in the area.

In case you're not familiar with consignment sales, they are sales held (usually in the spring and fall) where you can either shop for incredible deals on gently-used children's items or bring your gently-used children's toys, clothing, and gear to sell.

Generally speaking, most sales run anywhere from 2 days to a week. The last day is "half-price day" where items that are not marked with a special symbol (an X, a red dot, or ND) will be sold at half of the tagged price.

If you're looking for another place to get the word out about upcoming events and fun things to do in Brentwood, then you've come to the right place!

Rain, rain, go away!

While I'm sure the rain is much needed, all of the wet, cold, rainy days we've had lately are not my idea of the beginning of a happy new year.

Luckily, older kids are back in school now but if you are at home with a preschooler, you might be looking for some dry things to do to pass the time.

We like to explore new places to find the little gems hidden within. It seems that if you keep your eyes open, even the strangest places can be a diamond in the rough for entertaining a child on a rainy day.

I love the great clothes I get from children's consignment sales, but I usually don't enjoy shopping them: 

pushy moms

overpriced Walmart brands

picked over presale merchandise

I didn't have high hopes when I stopped by Brentwood's Otter Creek Church for the fall/winter sale.

Now I think Otter Creek's consignment sale is one of the best in Nashville.  Here's why....

One of Brentwood's best assets is its stellar public schools.  Both Ravenwood and Brentwood high schools offer highly ranked academics and standout sports.

If your child doesn't find the right fit in Williamson Co. public schools, there are many great private schools nearby.

Here's a quick list of Brentwood, TN's top private schools:

I set out to write the definitive guide to Kids Eat Free restaurants near Brentwood.

Turns out, there aren't many Kids Eat Free deals in Nashville any more.

Never fear! 

We've compiled a list of the best values in kid-friendly restaurants instead:

Q:  I will be visiting Nashville with my kids this summer.  What child-friendly activities or attractions would you recommend?

A: Nashville is full of fun things to do with kids! 

Here's a short list of places kids love to visit in Nashville, from one mom to another.

I've included links, suggestions, and videos to make planning a fun summer vacation even easier!

Are there any maternity stores in Brentwood, Tennessee?

You'd better believe it!

I've spent all weekend trying maternity dresses at every Target, Motherhood, department and consignment store near Brentwood!

Here is a guide to the best places to buy great maternity clothes in the Nashville area, from Green Hills to Cool Springs.

Green Hills is the area of Nashville just northwest of Brentwood. 

 Its shopping is a bit more luxury than Cool Springs, with the glam Green Hills Mall and Hill Center on Hillsboro Rd.

But Tiffany and Nordstrom aren't exactly kid friendly.  Are there any fun things to do with kids in Green Hills?

Let's find out!

Looking for a childrens museum in the Nashville area?

The Adventure Science Center is a fun place to take kids, and it's just off 8th Ave. near downtown.

Let this family-membership mom tell you what you need to know before visiting the Adventure Science Center in Nashville...

Cool Springs is the mega shopping center that sits between Brentwood and Franklin, TN.

With such a huge sprawl of restaurants and stores, it can be hard to find ALL the fun things to do with kids in Cool Springs.

Never fear!  The Fun Times Guide To Brentwood has compiled a guide to every children's activity in the Cool Springs area.

We Brentwood families are lucky--many of Nashville's most kid-friendly places are located on our side of town.

I've put together a guide to help you find them all!

Let's take a virtual driving tour down Franklin Rd., from downtown to Cool Springs.

Get ready for some fun things to do with kids in Brentwood and south Nashville!

Mark your calendars for two more fun things to do for the holidays in Brentwood!

The Brentwood Library hosts two free Christmas events:

• Photos with Santa Claus
• The City of Brentwood's Christmas Tree Lighting!

What can I say? Advertising works!
My five-year-old has been asking us to take him to Beech Bend Park and Splash Lagoon in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Turns out, Beech Bend is the closest amusement park to Middle Tennessee.

After our weekend trip, we think Beech Bend Park is worth the hour-long drive from Brentwood.

You can buy discount books online, but sometimes I just want to flip through the pages in real life.

Thanks to The Book Gallery Half Price Books in Cool Springs, you can save money and enjoy browsing at the same time!

How did I let this news slip by me? There is a brand new park in Brentwood, Tennessee!

Let's face it: Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World is a monument to testosterone.

But that doesn't mean you should send the men to Opry Mills alone!

Find out why Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World is a fun place to take the kids in Nashville!

Of all the fun things to do with kids in Nashville, Super Saturdays at Ellington are some of the best. Your kids will love the living history activities at the Tennessee Agricultural Museum.

Did I mention that Super Saturdays are FREE?

We love discovering fun places to go in (and around) Brentwood, TN.

Sharing my finds is equally fun, so I didn't expect this ethical challenge:

Should I tell you about Nashville's best swimming beach,
or should I keep Percy Priest Lake's Anderson Road Recreation Area all to myself?

Are you buying school uniform clothing for Metro Nashville Public Schools? Interpreting Nashville's school attire guidelines is trickier than I thought it would be!

Also, MNPS finally released the list of additional shirt colors for each Nashville school.

Here are a few "real parent" tips for interpreting Nashville's new Standard School Attire clothing rules: