Family event calendar
Bingo! night Wednesdays, 5:30-6:30pm. Ages 8 and older. Hosted by the Springfield Park District. Call for more information. Free. Erin’s Pavilion, Southwind Park, 4965 S. Second St., 217-585-2941. Illinois State Fair Aug. 12-22. It’s back. Entertainment, grandstand shows, midway, exhibits, agricultural shows and more. Admission. Visit the Facebook page for event updates. Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 Sangamon…
Back-and-forth over back to school
I vividly remember that early afternoon on March 13, 2020, when my children walked home from school for the final time. I watched as they slowly ambled down the sidewalk and up our driveway, weighed down by book bags that had been stuffed to the brim with the entire contents of their desks and crinkled…
Having kids help with chores
Not long ago, I was moaning to a friend about not being able to keep up with the messy chaos of my household. Stacks of dishes teetered in the sink, never-ending piles of unfolded laundry towered behind the couch and I constantly felt stressed, cranky and joyless. In response, my brilliant friend pointed out that…
Backyard fun
Whether you’re hosting a party or entertaining your kids, outdoor games are fun for everyone. Traditional games like horseshoes and bocce ball can be played in a spacious backyard, as can croquet. These games are relaxing and require negligible athletic skill, though supervision is advised with children, given the nature of flying horseshoes, balls or…
Neurodivergent friendships
One of the challenges of being autistic is making and keeping friends. How can you as a parent help nurture these friendships? The neurodiversity movement recognizes and celebrates the diversity of how our brains are wired, instead of pathologizing some as normal and some as abnormal. The brains of autistic kids are wired differently. They…
Nonfiction books that spark conversation
Honestly, as an adult, one of the reasons I enjoy reading nonfiction children’s books is not only because I can usually read them pretty quickly, but also because I learn something new almost every time, especially when I read books around historical events. When I read these types of books with or recommend them to…
Buzz at reopened Kidzeum
Kidzeum reopened July 3 after a 16-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and things have been buzzing. Children rushed to climb Active Alex, splashed in the water table and searched for queen cells in the observation beehive. “Real bees? That’s so cool!” one girl squealed in delight upon seeing the buzzing beehive. Children’s museums…
Turn to turnovers for easy meals and school lunches
Delicious, savory, hand-held pies are found in cuisines all around the globe. Whether they’re Cornish pasties or empanadas or just old-fashioned, Midwestern turnovers, these portable pies are a tasty way to transform whatever ingredients are on hand into portable, make-ahead meals that are fun to prepare with kids. Littles will enjoy mixing filling ingredients, helping…
