Capital City Parent

The start of a new school year with a new routine that takes over most of the kids’ waking hours is a significant transition from the long, lazy days of the summer. Whether your child is just beginning school for the first time or a seasoned student, a new grade level or school with new […]

May is finally here, and with it comes the end of the school year. Between all of the spring sports, concerts, plays, graduations and family parties, so many of us parents are ready for a well-earned break from the rush and are excited for the lull of lazier, slower, summer days. And while the first […]

Lincoln Memorial Garden has been a cherished outdoor space for generations of families, and this summer LMG will unveil its largest installation in nearly 60 years: The Children’s Woodland Garden. This natural playscape is located just beyond the nature center, which was also upgraded over the winter to include a large, shaded deck with picnic […]

Most people are probably able to conjure the sound of a howling wolf. Whether you’ve heard a wolf howl in real life or as part of the soundtrack to a spooky movie, the sound of howling is ubiquitously associated with wolves in the dark, dusky midnight. But did you also know that several species of […]

The school year is coming to an end and summer is quickly approaching. Summer is a time where school-age kids have more time to enjoy all sorts of fun things, like sports, bike rides, time with friends, vacations … and reading. Just like any other skill, it is important to continue to spend time reading […]

The term “sandwich generation” was first coined in the 1980s by sociologists Dorothy Miller and Elaine Brody to identify people in their 30s and 40s who were taking care of their children as well as their elderly parents or extended family members. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 54% of Americans in their 40s […]

The Springfield Art Association and Springfield School District 186 have entered into a partnership that allows art to flourish for students selected to participate. The program in total involves 52 District 186 students this year, with 16 high school and 10 grade school students participating each semester. SAA asked art teachers from the three Springfield […]

I’ve mentioned this before, but one of the many things I love about children’s literature is the author’s ability to help young readers learn a lesson, at times without explicitly calling out that lesson. As a parent, kid lit can be a helpful tool to use when conversations are difficult or when your child needs […]

Every parent on the planet likely knows the importance of reading as it relates to their kids’ future literacy. You probably also know that when very young children are read to their vocabulary increases and their language development blossoms. Reading with your kids is also quality time that ultimately strengthens the parent/child bond. And it’s […]

FEBRUARY Lilacs and Letters Through March 22. This one-act play features a single actor portraying Walt Whitman, one of America’s most influential poets, as Whitman processes the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and tends to wounded Civil War soldiers. Free with admission. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, 212 N. Sixth St., 217-558-8844. Ho Etsu Tauko Drummers Sat., […]

One of my favorite children’s book authors is Mac Barnett, who has authored numerous picture books and middle-school chapter books. Each book I’ve read that he has written brings a smile to my face, and often also a chuckle. The likelihood that my kids and I laughed while reading one of his books is at […]

We know about “Take Your Daughter/Son to Work” days, but what if you could take your infant to work every day? That is what is happening at the Illinois Educators’ Credit Union here in Springfield, and many companies across the U.S. have implemented a program known as Infant at Work. According to the Parenting in […]