With summer just around the corner, many parents are probably wondering how to keep kids busy, as well as engaged with all of the learning they’ve accomplished over the last school year. Look no further than your local library for great options that are both entertaining and educational. Summer reading has been proven to help […]
Pamela Savage
Posted inSpecial Issues
Free family fun
Summertime is the perfect opportunity to spend time with your friends and family, and there are tons of opportunities to do so right here in Springfield and the surrounding communities. But enjoying summer doesn’t have to mean spending money. Read on for some free opportunities to soak up the fun and sun with your family. […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Running fun for the whole family
Running is a great sport for kids that can benefit both their physical and mental development. And luckily, there are ample regional opportunities this spring and summer for kids to participate in running. Lace up your sneakers and check out these family-friendly runs and races. Healthy Kids Running Series Multiple locations Ongoing The Healthy Kids […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Family-friendly day trips
Now that the weather is warmer, you and your kids may be jonesing for some windows-down, get-out-of-town, road trip-vibes adventures. Springfield offers tons of stay-at-home options, but if you are wanting to leave town and stretch out a little bit, check out the following excursions. Each day trip listed below is close enough that you […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Flowers for every season and budget
As far back as ancient civilizations, wedding flowers have been used to ward off evil spirits, symbolize fertility and encourage new beginnings. During the Victorian era, “floriography” became a popular practice in weddings, with specific flowers carrying specific meanings – for example, orange blossoms representing purity and roses symbolizing love. Nowadays, many engaged couples want […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Celebrate Valentine’s Day as a family
In the middle of a cold, dark winter sits a bright spot called Valentine’s Day. As a holiday, I think Valentine’s Day gets some (justified) bad PR for being too commercial, or being too snobbishly exclusive to those experiencing romantic love, but the older I get the more I figure we may as well lean […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Try these podcasts for kids
I don’t know about you, but we have had a bevy of unwelcome germs come through our house so far this winter. Combined with the ultra-cold weather, conditions have been ripe for entirely too much screen time. And while we did exceed our Netflix limit this winter (any port in a storm), one thing that […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Family fun for a cold winter day
Winter’s cold and dark days are upon us. All of a sudden, we are temporarily stuck indoors, and kids are complaining of boredom. Before you turn on the television and download yet another streaming subscription service, have you considered breaking out a board game? Board games offer opportunities to teach turn-taking, communication skills, strategy and […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Help kids learn to give back this holiday season
For many families, the winter holidays offer a chance to reflect on good fortune. The opportunity to practice gratitude is at the center of the Thanksgiving holiday, and the importance of helping others through the darker, longer days ahead is a theme that comes up again and again this time of year. Whether it’s doing […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Fall for these seasonal beverages and treats
Like so many of us, I am a fall person through and through. The leaves, the books, the sweaters, the colors, the coffee: What can I say? Fall has it all. One of my first childhood literary friends, Anne Shirley, proclaimed, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” Ditto, Anne. […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Take fantastic fall family photos
Many families choose autumn and early winter to take family photographs. The light seems just right, the pace of life has slowed down and there are upcoming holiday cards to consider. But taking family pictures can also be fraught with indecision – how do you know who to hire? What location should you choose? What […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Kids and technology
Somehow, the back-to-school season is upon us. As we prepare for another year of growing and learning in today’s digital age, parents may have some concerns and questions about how to help their children utilize technological tools effectively and appropriately. I sat down with Emily Cherkin, also known as “The Screentime Consultant,” to discuss how […]
