Capital City Parent

FEBRUARY Funshop: Little Creators Thursdays, 5:30-6:30pm. Through Feb. 26. Get a little messy in this four-week, hands-on art program designed to spark creativity and self-expression. Young children will explore colors, textures, and materials through painting, sculpting and more. Caregivers can join in. All classes blended ages 3 to 5 years of age. Activity #150971. Register […]

In 2025, Kidzeum was voted the Best Family Fun Spot in the Illinois Times Best of Springfield competition. Kidzeum is that and so much more. It is a place where children explore new skills, think critically and engage in hands-on learning.  Kidzeum recently received a grant of nearly $150,000 from the National Science Foundation to […]

Do you know a young person interested in the fire service? Springfield’s Fire Explorer Post 300 is a program open to youth between the ages of 14 and 20 that provides a unique opportunity to experience the life of a firefighter firsthand. In partnership with Scouting America (formerly known as Boy Scouts of America), this […]

Imagine coming home from a long day of work or errands and meeting your partner at the door. Your partner gestures for you to take off your coat and sit down at the table. Would you like a snack or a glass of water? There is some big news to share with you! Would you […]

The many benefits of reading to young children are well-documented. The 1000 Books Foundation promotes reading to newborns, infants and toddlers and encourages parent and child bonding through reading.  Its 1000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge is a simple way to do this.  Many local libraries promote this initiative and create incentives to participate as part […]

Growing up, my brother had a Game Boy that he let me use on long car rides. It simply wasn’t my thing. I remember not having any patience for leveling up in Zelda, often choosing to stare out of a window rather than take a turn on the device. As an adult, I am thus […]

Few images evoke the whimsical magic of the holidays as much as a brightly decorated gingerbread house, trimmed with snowy white icing and sparkling gumdrops, perhaps nestled in a frosty forest scene with a snowman. Lovely as it sounds, the thought of constructing such an edible display can be as intimidating as it is appealing, […]

Kids of all ages love to be read to, and reading together as a family can boost connection in so many ways. Books allow you to talk about all sorts of different topics and themes with your kids and teach empathy and compassion for different kinds of characters and circumstances. This is such a wonderful […]

Here we go again – daylight savings time. The changing of clocks. The unsettling reality of darkness at 4 p.m. While initially cozy, the drastic reduction in sunlight that our bodies experience during the winter can unfortunately cause mood changes, fatigue and a weakened immune system – not to mention, it’s just sort of a […]

Corners and countertops are cluttered, you’ve stepped barefoot on a Lego again and you just found your crumpled fun fair assignment in the bottom of a backpack, due tomorrow.  Happens all the time. Take a breath and listen to Joe Scruggs’ delightful song “By the Way” from Deep in the Jungle. He gets it.  But […]

NOVEMBER 2025 Arts and Crafts Fair Fri., Nov. 14, 5-8pm and Sat., Nov. 15, 9am-3pm. Find unique gifts, beautiful art and amazing crafts – all handcrafted by local artisans. Free admission. Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 745 Woodside Road, Springfield, IL 62711, 217-585-9550. Funshop Kids Club Fri., Nov. 14, 5:30-8:30pm and Fri., Dec. 12, 5:30-8:30pm. […]