The Ark Row Center for Enrichment is now open in Tiburon! Owner Robin Briskin has been an educator since 1974 and has opened the center with the whole community in mind, offering a wide variety of classes and programs for children, adults, and seniors.

Programs for children include Two’s Together, a preschool prep class; messy fun with Mush & Gush for ages 2 to 4; yoga for kids of all ages; and Princess Ballet for ages 3 to 5. Classes for parents include pre- and post-natal yoga; Mommies Meeting Mommies, a great get-together for moms and children; and Mama Sings, where pregnant mommies can learn to sing to their unborn children. The center will offer a series of sample classes during its March open houses on Saturday, March 13, 20, and 27 from 10 am to 2 pm. Sample classes include Family Yoga, Dance Jam for Kids, Recycled Art for the Family, and Family Theater.

Ever wonder if homeschooling is right for you and your children? Marin mom and homeschooling parent Barbara McVeigh writes about her experiences, as well as local resources for homeschoolers, in this guest article.

Last August my daughter’s assigned first grade desk sat empty, and I felt a lump in my throat. Because instead of driving her to our local school, one noted for its academic achievements and containing her kindergarten friends from last year, we decided to take an alternative route. We went fishing that day where we got hooked… with a creative group of homeschoolers, a community growing in Marin. Our homeschooling journey began as we dived into a world filled with boundless schooling choices.

Making an educational decision for a child is such a personal one, and it can be a very sensitive topic. Reasons might be based on pedagogy, religion, health issues, logistics, or finances. We personally chose homeschooling for balance we could not find in private or public schools. And, living in Marin we’ve discovered extraordinary resources that make this journey for our child and family immensely memorable, rich and, of course, educational.

Mill Valley’s Waldorf-inspired Greenwood School is presenting “Movement in Childhood: The Role of Sport and Free Play in Healthy Childhood Development” tonight, Thursday, March 4, from 7 to 9 pm. Remember the days when sports were not everything and children’s time wasn’t so overbooked? When you went over to your friend’s house, just to play? We sensed something important was going on back then—and we were right. Play rises above other activities.

Masque Unit Junior Theatre presents Cinderella, its 48th live musical production for children. Written and adapted by Jim Eiler from Charles Perrault’s beloved classic, the story is presented through the eyes of a wise, comical Fairy Godmother. She and her fairy helpers create potions like the Sneeze Polka to aid an honest and unpretentious Cinderella in overcoming her domineering stepmother and zany stepsisters. Prince Charming, his near-sighted father, an enchanted coach, a glass slipper, and catchy original music add to this tale where love and forgiveness triumph over jealousy and ambition. Audiences will leave smiling and humming the whimsical melodies for days to come.

Public performances take place at the Marin Center's Showcase Theater on Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7 at 1 and 3 pm. Tickets are $8, and you can order them by calling Marin Center Box Office at (415) 499-6800

Masque Unit Junior Theater of Marin was established in 1961 by a group of women who saw a need to provide live theater experiences at a reasonable cost for the youth of Marin County. Masque Unit is a non-profit organization of volunteers who combine their talents in costuming, writing, choreography, set design, producing and on-stage performing. Learn more about Masque Unit at www.masqueunit.org.

Marin mom Tina Fredericks, a culinary baker and certified pastry chef, has created a career for herself with Little Piggy Cupcakes, a business that supplies the tasty treats for birthday parties, baby showers, weddings and other events. You can purchase cupcakes, try a free sample, and meet Chef Tina at the Little Piggy Cupcakes booth at the Marin County Farmer's Market at the Civic Center in San Rafael (Sundays, 8 am to 1 pm). For more information, visit www.littlepiggycupcakes.com or call (415) 572-3483.

Got a question about children's health? Ask the pediatrician in our new feature here on Marin Mommies! Submit your medical questions to us via email and we'll choose some every month to be answered by our frequent guest contributors, pediatricians Dr. Steven Martel and Dr. Oded Herbsman.

Drs. Martel and Herbsman are the founders of Child’s Light Pediatrics, Inc., an innovative, house-call based pediatric practice that serves Marin County and San Francisco. For more information, please visit them at www.childslightpediatrics.com.

Anyone who loves stickers, knows about Mrs. Grossman’s Sticker Factory. Located just north of Marin in Petaluma, I’ve been wanting to take my kids on their famous factory tour so we can see how their stickers are made.

This family-owned company is a must-visit place for families in the Bay Area. For $3 per person, you get a guided tour, a goody bag of stickers, and more. Tours are held Monday through Thursday by reservation only. You can give them a call at (800) 429-4549 to schedule a tour. Tours last about an hour.

King Tut is in the news again this week. While it seems he had some pretty miserable health problems, he also had a lot of really beautiful and amazing stuff, much of which is on view through March 28, 2010 at San Francisco's de Young Museum. If you haven't seen the show yet, this weekend may be the time to do so, because it's free! That's right, this Saturday and Sunday, February 20 and 21, admission to Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs will be absolutely free, courtesy of the generous folks at Target

The only catch is that the free tickets to see Tut are handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, and a limited number of people can go through the exhibition each day. Expect the free tickets to be gone early in the day. There's a limit of four tickets per adult, and tickets will be timed and dated. The museum box office will open at 8:30 am on Saturday and Sunday; the first exhibition entry is at 9 am.

Stark Ravens Historical Players present Panto! The Musical Fairy Tale Adventure on February 13, 14, 20, and 21, at the Little Theater on the Drake High School campus, 1327 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in San Anselmo. Matinee show times are 11:30 am and 2:30 pm Saturdays and Sundays.

This all-new Panto! delivers an outrageously original twist to some traditional fairy tale favorites. By sewing together Cinderella, Aladdin, the Big Bad Wolf, enchanting fairies and more, it delivers a refreshing family tour-de-force which gets all ages laughing and singing. The second major musical panto from Bay Area-based Stark Ravens Historical Players, this original show will help introduce Americans to traditional British pantomime. This year's program will again feature a Punch and Judy puppet show prior to curtain time.

Advance discount tickets $15; $20 at the door. Children 4 and under are free with accompanying adult. Visit www.pantomarin.com for more information and to order tickets online. You can also purchase tickets at Doodlebug (641 San Anselmo Avenue, San Anselmo) and D'Lynne's Dancewear (1850 4th Street, San Rafael).