For 30 years, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theatre (HOBT) has been using water, flour, newspaper, paint, and a hefty dollop of glorious imagination, to tell stories that explore and celebrate the human experience, and the world's cultural richness and natural wonders. The productions are a feast for the eyes, but simple - no lavish budget for materials here - and as a result, often truly heart-warming.

HOBT is best known for its annual MayDay Parade & Festival, a joyous, community-building extravaganza of art, theatre, pageantry...and really, really big puppets. HOBT's artists, and countless volunteers, spend months preparing for this eagerly-awaited spring ritual that takes place the first Sunday in May. Each year's festival centers around a different theme, building up to a somber presentation in Powderhorn Park which culminates in an uplifting affirmation of life, love, and community. It's a unique must-see experience, with plenty of opportunities for families and children to get involved before and during the event.

In addition to MayDay, HOBT hosts low-cost Saturday puppet shows from October through March in the theater lobby; produces a season of original, company-generated plays; and offers youth and adult classes in puppetry, pageantry, performing arts, and more - including workshops parents and kids can take together. Some programming takes place at Celebration Hall, HOBT's studio space on the third floor of Plaza Verde, just up the street from the theater.

Summer camps: HOBT's unique and creative themed week-long camps give kids ages five to 14 a chance to build puppets, create toy theaters, and learn skills such as taiko drumming and stilt-walking. Full-day ($245) and half-day ($140) options are offered.

Family-to-Family and Kidshops workshops are two of the many programs offered by the Minnesota chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness to provide coping strategies and support to parents and children who are dealing with a family member with a mental illness. The free workshops are held at sites throughout the metro area. Preregistration is required.

Other NAMI programs offer information, advocacy, and support for caregivers of mentally ill children. A Dakota County Parent Liaison helps organize parents in that region.

Financial problems caused the Resource Center of the Americas to close back in 2007, but less than a year later, the center reopened, occupying just a basement suite in its former building and offering Spanish classes and special programs in pursuit of its mission to promote education as the key to cross-cultural understanding.

The Twin Cities River Rats perform free hour-long waterskiing shows throughout the summer. A hillside at their home site just north of downtown Minneapolis provides seating; blankets and lawn chairs are encouraged, and concessions are available for purchase during performances.

The Mini-Rats, a junior development team open to kids ages four to 18, perform a weekly pre-show before the main show. No waterskiing experience is necessary to join the team; kids just have to be comfortable in water. Practices start in late-June and parent involvement is welcome. Contact the team for more information.