Newsletter – Parent

Summer is an ideal time to get kids into the kitchen, especially teens and tweens. Learning to prepare food is an essential life skill and an excellent way to keep active minds busy while school is out. Research points to what we know intuitively as caregivers, that involving kids in meal preparation increases their enthusiasm […]

What is hate speech? Hate speech is defined as having target groups and is characterized by harmfulness, such as belittling, humiliating, dehumanizing or threatening targets. Derogatory expressions can take the form of words, social media posts, text messages or videos. Hate speech fuels discrimination and hostility and undermines the principles of equality and respect for […]

MAY Storytime – Early Learning for Ages 1–5 Thursdays, 9:30am-1:30pm. Through May 22. Each week is a magical journey with books, crafts and themed movement activities. From bear hunts to ocean waves, there’s something new to explore every class. Class for ages 1-2 is 9:30-10:30am. Class for ages 3-5 follows at 12:30-1:30pm. Register at bit.ly/Funshop_Storytime. […]

“We need the tonic of wilderness…we can never have enough of nature.” – Henry David Thoreau Recognizing that much of the world was becoming increasingly industrialized, American naturalist and essayist Henry Thoreau was already urging folks to reconnect with nature back in the mid-19th century. If only he could see us now, with screens and […]

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 […]

Third spaces used to be ubiquitous in our cities, for both adults and children. A third space can be described as a place other than home or work (or in the case of children, school) where people to go to connect with others. Often it is intended to mean places that do not charge money […]

I have found that children’s books are a great way to learn more about history in general or specific history-makers, so much so that children’s books are a large part of what I read for fun. There are a couple of books I read recently that fall into this category that are great options for […]

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 […]

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 […]

NOVEMBER This Is Our Culture Fundraising Event Fri., Nov. 15, 7-10pm. Experience West African-inspired appetizers, interact with Sierra Leonean culture and help orphans in this fundraiser for the Hope Orphan Home in Sierra Leone. Includes an interactive gallery showcasing each child’s journey, a replica fishing boat exhibit and partake in our auction showcasing artisan-made pieces. […]

If you’ve ever imagined going down a rabbit hole and emerging into a magical world, then make it come true with a visit to a new museum fashioned as an ode to children’s literature. The entrance to The Rabbit hOle in North Kansas City, Missouri, winds visitors through a grotto-like maze to land amidst dozens […]

Dungeons and Dragons was released 50 years ago, and quickly fell into the stereotype of being a game for nerds. In the 1980s, DND got swept up in satanic panic. Despite its rough start, DND has been thoroughly enjoyed through the decades, and with the 2023 DND movie, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, has […]