“Let kids be kids a little longer” is a motto of Wait Until 8th, an organization that encourages parents to delay giving their children smartphones until the end of eighth grade. With the advent of the iPhone in 2007 and the rise of YouTube and TikTok, our children have slowly become the “anxious generation,” a […]
Special Issues
Posted inCapital City Parent
Teach children citizenship
How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It’s Up to You to Do It) by Lindsey Cormack. Jossey-Bass, publisher, 2024. $15.80. “A well-informed citizenry is the backbone of a healthy democracy,” writes Lindsey Cormack in her 2024 book How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It’s Up to You to Do It). She contends that raising engaged […]
Posted inCapital City Parent
Summer meal prep
As another summer begins, it’s time to dust off those no-cook or low-cook summer recipes. Since spare time in the kitchen can be scattered during the summer, planning ahead and pre-preparing snacks and meals can be useful, as can planning for dishes that can be made in stages instead of all at once. Read on […]
Posted inCapital City Parent
Family event calendar
ONGOING “The Road to Adventure: Exploring Route 66” Wednesdays-Sundays, 9am-4pm. Through Dec. 31. This hands-on exhibit brings the magic of the historic Mother Road to life – and it’s fun for the whole family. kidzeum.org. $5-$12. Kidzeum of Health and Science, 412 E. Adams St., 217-679-2123. Kids Fare Garden Club Mondays, 4-5pm. Through May 25. […]
Posted inHome & Garden
Year-round container gardening
Container gardening offers a practical and beautiful solution for growing flowers, vegetables and herbs in central Illinois where weather extremes and limited space often challenge traditional gardening. For leafy edibles, start with herbs and salad greens, which tolerate a wide range of light conditions from windowsill to kitchen garden and actually favor a little shade […]
Posted inHome & Garden
New community garden available at Hobbs Park
The Springfield Park District is transforming former baseball fields into a community garden at Hobbs Park, located south of Bunn Park near the intersection of Fox Bridge Road and Culver Avenue. Building on the success of the Jefferson Park Community Garden, this new initiative will provide a community garden serving the east side of Springfield. […]
Posted inHome & Garden
Illinois launches paint recycling program
If you have old cans of paint stashed in your basement or garage that you don’t how to get rid of, there’s good news for you. Illinois residents can now recycle latex and oil-based architectural paint products at numerous retail hardware and paint stores, including in Springfield and surrounding communities. This is due to the […]
Posted inHome & Garden
Easy refreshes for spring
According to the daffodils and tulips popping up outdoors, we made it through another Midwest winter! Now that we are surrounded by more green plants and sunshine, many people start to feel the urge to shake off those winter blues and let the bright light in. And while the impulse to do a full-blown spring […]
Posted inHome & Garden
Recycle your household batteries
Illinois residents can now conveniently recycle household batteries. As a result of legislation that took effect Jan. 1, Illinois has a battery stewardship program. Lowe’s in Springfield and Home Depot in Jacksonville are examples of places where people can take household batteries to be recycled at no charge. The Portable and Medium Format Battery […]
Posted inHome & Garden
Home & Garden Events 2026
ONGOING Spring Migration Bird Hikes Tuesdays, 8-9 a.m., through May 12. Matt Hales of the Illinois Audubon Society will lead hikes looking for migratory species as well as resident species. Free. Adams Wildlife Sanctuary, 2315 Clear Lake Ave., 217-544-2473. April Nature Walks Saturdays in April, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Nature lovers can enjoy guided […]
Posted inHome & Garden
Spring Home & Garden 2026
This year’s Spring Home & Garden issue has 10 easy projects you can tackle to freshen up your home, tips on container gardening, new options to recycle paint and batteries and more. Plus, find a special calendar of upcoming home and garden events.
Posted inWomen's Business Showcase
6th Annual Women’s Business Showcase
Spring in Central Illinois is the perfect time to put your business in front of new customers—and the Women Entrepreneurs of Central Illinois (WECI) Women’s Business Showcase is built to do exactly that. Join us on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel for one of the region’s most anticipated events celebrating women-owned […]
