Kids VT, March 2016

Adventures of a Lifetime

Vermont families share the ABCs of living overseas

✱ ROLL-YOUR-OWN SUSHI ✱ BOUTIQUE BOWLING ✱ BACKYARD GREENHOUSE

2016 CAMP GUIDE

DAYCARE TRAGEDY

Childcare providers review safety protocols and reassure parents

LEARN. PLAY

ON

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

Copublisher/Executive Editor Cathy Resmer cathy@kidsvt.com ext. 74

Copublisher Colby Roberts colby@kidsvt.com ext. 77 Managing Editor Alison Novak alison@kidsvt.com ext. 75

Art Director Brooke Bousquet brooke@kidsvt.com ext. 41

Marketing & Events Manager Corey Grenier corey@kidsvt.com ext. 76

Account Executive Kaitlin Montgomery kaitlin@kidsvt.com ext. 72

Calendar Writer Brett Stanciu brett@kidsvt.com ext. 78

P.O. Box 1184 Burlington, VT 05402 802-985-5482 kidsvt.com

Editorial in Kids VT is for general informational purposes. Parents must use their own discretion for following the advice in any editorial piece. Acceptance of advertising does not constitute service/product endorsement. Kids VT is a proud member of the Parenting Media Association. Kids VT distribution is audited for accuracy.

Da Capo Publishing shall not be held liable to any advertiser for any loss that results from the incorrect publication of its advertisement. If a mistake is ours, and the advertising purpose has been rendered valueless, Da Capo Publishing may cancel the charges for the advertisement, or a portion thereof as deemed reasonable by the publisher. Da Capo Publishing reserves the right to refuse any advertising, including inserts, at the discretion of the publishers.

Contributing Editor Meredith Coeyman

Proofreaders Carolyn Fox

Katherine Isaacs

Marisa Keller

Production Manager John James

Creative Director Don Eggert

Designers Rev. Diane Sullivan

Charlotte Scott

Circulation Manager Matt Weiner

Business Manager Cheryl Brownell

Contributing Writers: Sarah Galbraith, Ken Picard, Kymelya Sari, Erinn Simon, Nancy Stearns Bercaw, Gretchen Stern, Jessica Lara Ticktin, Katie Titterton

Photographers: Sam Simon, Matt Thorsen, Tristan Von Duntz, Jeb Wallace-Brodeur

Thinking Globally

TWO WEEKS AFTER I graduated from college, I hopped a plane to Thailand to take a job as a kindergarten English teacher at a bilingual school in a small city called Khon Kaen. I didn’t speak Thai or know a single person in the Southeast Asian country. But I was eager to do something adventurous before finding a “real” job and settling into a routine. When better to do it, I figured, than when I was a single 21-year-old with no one counting on me?

excitement. In “Mealtime,” Erinn Simon writes that cooking new foods is a way to add a little adventure to your life — without even leaving the kitchen. She shares a recipe for vegetarian sushi rolls that she made with her son, Eli.

April 1-3 & 7-10, 2016 Flynn Center MainStage

Tickets: $23-$38

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I traveled a lot during my year abroad. I didn’t meet many Americans, but I did encounter numerous twentysomethings from places like England, New Zealand, Israel and Canada. They had saved up money so they could spend the year traveling internationally, or even circumnavigating the globe. It struck me that foreign exploration felt like an essential part of their cultures — much more so than in the United States.

Thailand, 1999

This month’s “Out to Eat” expands on the international theme. Contributing editor Meredith Coeyman took her family to Burlington’s Sherpa Kitchen on a frigid February evening for some warming curry and other delicious Nepalese food. And in “Balancing Act,” Jessica Lara Ticktin interviews the Tamang family, who fled Bhutan in the early ’90s for a refugee camp in Nepal, then came to Burlington in 2011 through the refugee resettlement program.

That’s why I was so impressed to read about the Vermonters who left their homes in America to live temporarily in Europe, the Middle East and Indonesia. In “Adventures of a Lifetime,” Nancy Stearns Bercaw describes her experience relocating to Abu Dhabi with her son and husband, and she talks with three other local families about their extended stays abroad. All agreed that the experiences were culturally enriching and taught their kids many things — including the fact that the U.S. isn’t the center of the world.

But you don’t always need to travel to far-flung destinations to find

As we were putting the finishing touches on this month’s issue, we got the news that Parker Berry had died. The Hyde Park 3-year-old drowned in a creek behind his Waterbury daycare, Elephant in the Field. The farm-based program may be familiar to Kids VT readers — Ken Picard profiled it in the spring of 2014. Like everyone else, we’ve been wondering how this tragedy happened. At press time, there’s still much we don’t know about the incident, which is under investigation. In this issue, Picard writes instead about how other nature-based childcare programs are working to ensure that kids are safe, and reaching out to reassure parents. Our hearts go out to Parker’s friends and family.

ALISON NOVAK, MANAGING EDITOR

Some of this month’s Kids VT contributors:

JESSICA LARA TICKTIN (“Fit Families,” “Balancing Act”) is an independent multimedia producer and storyteller.  She is also a childbirth educator and facilitator of a new mother’s group at Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center in Burlington.

NANCY STEARNS BERCAW (“Adventures of a Lifetime”) is an international journalist whose work has appeared in many publications, including the New York Times and the Korea Herald. She is the author of Brain in a Jar, a memoir about her family and Alzheimer’s disease.

Generous support from

Community partner Media sponsor

Readers Respond “Young and in Transition”

Our February cover story, about transgender Vermont kids and their families, prompted a tremendous response.

More than 1,000 likes.

“Thank you for this important article. We are proud to o er a new Transgender Clinic to families.”

UVM Medical Center

“This is great!”

Vermont Midwives Association

“Super #SBproud of Marcus Pizer one of two transgender #VT youth featured in @kidsvt. He has taught me so much!”

Patrick Burke

PRINCIPAL, SOUTH BURLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

Raising Awareness

We have posted about the story on social media (the second it came out!) and sent the link out to several of our networks statewide. We’ve received emails from two new families interested in our group based on their reading about it in Kids VT, which is amazing. Getting the word out about our services, especially Gender Creative Kids, Trans Group and our parent support group, ensures that both youth and families are getting the support and resources that they need.

Melissa Murray EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OUTRIGHT VERMONT

Being Transgender Is Not a Pathology

Thank you for bringing needed attention to this very important issue with such a beautiful article. It occurs to me that a reader might inadvertently be led to the conclusion from my quote that being transgender is a pathology, and a fatal pathology at that. I feel it is important to clarify that being transgender is not a pathology, but instead a normal variation of

Gimme a Kiss

human experience. The term “gender dysphoria” describes a situation where a transgender person is experiencing a significant amount of discomfort and distress by the mismatch between their sex assigned at birth and their own gender identity, such that it interferes with day-to-day life.

We see that transgender youth are at higher risk of depression and suicide than their peers. This is not because they are transgender, but rather because, sadly, it is has historically been all too common for transgender youth to be marginalized, lack acceptance from peers/family/ teachers, and lack access to transa rming resources and health care.

The point that I wished to convey is how important it is that trans youth su ering from gender dysphoria receive timely access to trans-a rming resources, support and medical care. Given what we know about the increased risk of suicide and depression, failure to provide support and intervention to su ering youth can create a potentially life-threatening situation. If a family is concerned that a young person is struggling with gender dysphoria, we encourage them to reach out to local resources like Outright Vermont, their pediatrician or family doctor, or, later this year, to the youth gender clinic that we are in the process of starting at University of Vermont Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Jamie Mehringer

Sixth-grade students at Hinesburg Community School recently organized an unusual fundraiser for a proposed recreational facility in their town. Along with a schoolwide walkathon on February 19, they convinced teachers to kiss farm animals to raise additional funds. In total, their efforts generated more than $4,700 for the town of Hinesburg. Here are some photos of the brave educators puckering up for a good cause.

Can’t Beat Wonderfeet!

[Re “Rutland’s Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum Receives Grant,” February 2016]: That is awesome news! Wonderfeet is so amazing and such an asset to the community! There is hardly anything in Rutland for little ones to do or be a part of. This place is truly a jewel in the community. I can’t wait to see what the future brings for the museum.

Lanie Alise Sinclair RUTLAND

and in Two Vermont families talk about transgenderraising kids

Contests

Count the Kayaks

We’ve hidden kayaks throughout this issue. Count them and you could win a free two-week session for your child to Camp Birch Hill in New Hampshire — a summer camp focused on fun. Tell us how many you found at kidsvt.com. The deadline to enter is March 18 at 5 p.m.

COLORING CONTEST

In February, our mailbox filled up fast with fabulous coloring contest entries. Lucy Kasvinsky, 5, found a creative use for every crayon in her box, alternating colors on each of her peacock’s feathers. Tilly Josephine Veysey, 6, circled her bird with Cupid’s arrows and added polka dots to its sneaks. With delicate detail, Audrey Acosta, 9, decorated her background with swirls and zigzag designs and bedecked the peacock with a flowered shirt and tiny heart necklace. Keep the spectacular submissions coming, and congrats to all the contestants.

Writing Contest Winners

Congratulations to these talented young poets who submitted verse that incorporated the word “heart.” Each wins a $25 gift certificate to Crow Bookshop in Burlington. Below are the winning poems.

Ari Jurkiewicz, 7, WOODBURY

Love comes from your heart.

Love is like eating a sweet apple.

Love is like caring about a pet.

Love is like falling snow.

Love never stops

It just keeps going.

Keenan Garlieb-Meno, 9, SHELBURNE

Cupid sharpened up his dart, And ever since we’ve been apart

I’ve felt a pain inside my heart.

I’m going to Walmart

To fill up my shopping cart

With spray paint for graffiti art — Our names inside a scarlet heart.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

A FANCY FAN

Alyssa Secor, 9, Montpelier

RAINBOW TURKEY

Stella Rodgers, 7, Hyde Park

BIRD IN THE GREEN MOUNTAINS

Sebastian Hempey, 5, Richmond

PERFECT IN PINK

Hadley Harris, 10, Ferrisburgh

A SWEET STORM

Willow Heywood, 5, Middlebury

THE RAINBOW SKY

William Acosta, 7, Montpelier OUT FOR A STROLL

Chester Goodwin, 8, Middlesex

FLUFFY FEATHERS

Phoebe Omland, 5, Jericho

MR. LOVEBIRD

Kady Cassani, 9, Williston

JUST PLAIN DOTTY

Rocco Lukas, 4, St. Albans

EASY BEING GREEN

Isis Potvin, 9, Cambridge

PEACOCK OF HEARTS

Kelsey Glanz, 4, Jericho

TOP TITLES

“BE MINE, MR. STRIPE”

Leo Bush, 8, Hinesburg

“WADDLES”

Savitt First, 5, Richmond

“THE MAGIC PEACOCK”

Mikayla Adams, 9, Montpelier

The winners of annual memberships to the Fairbanks Museum

are…

Find this month’s coloring contest on page 52. The deadline for submissions is March 15.

Samantha Martin, 9 BRISTOL “Peacock Galore”

& Planetarium

Breccan Hempey, 3 RICHMOND “Coloring in the Lines”

Ella Cisz, 8 DUXBURY “Rainy Rainbow, Peacock Love”

THE BEAT

BY ALISON NOVAK AND KYMELYA SARI

Picture Books

Burlington-based tech company Notabli allows parents to post photos, notes, quotes and audio recordings of their children on a scrollable timeline they can share with family and friends. Think of it as a virtual scrapbook. Now, Notabli users can also create real books chronicling their kids’ lives. In January, the company introduced NOTABLI BOOKS, a subscription service that generates and sends hardcover volumes with high-resolution photos for $39 per book.

“There’s no shortage of places you can get books printed,” Notabli CEO Mike DeCecco acknowledges. But he says Notabli’s photo books stand out because of the quality — of the prints and the books themselves — the price, which he describes as lower than comparable o erings from other companies, and the process by which they’re created. Before launching its book-printing service, Notabli talked with parents, many of whom said that making photo books online often feels labor- and timeintensive. That’s why Notabli automatically loads images into books as users post them. When 50 photos have been uploaded with captions, the book is printed and shipped for free.

It’s possible to exclude unwanted photos or make books featuring one or multiple children — and more custom upgrades are on the way. It’s enough to make you want to smile for the camera. —A.N.

To learn more about NOTABLI BOOKS, visit about.notabli.com/books.

EDUCATION Training in Tech

Even parents need a little extra tutoring sometimes — especially when it comes to technology. When participants in Burlington’s PARENT UNIVERSITY received 23 donated iPads from the city’s school district, PU manager Ali Dieng sought tech support from Williston-based nonprofit Technology for Tomorrow. Dieng’s “students” at PU are mainly New American parents from countries including Angola, Burma, Burundi, China, Guinea and Senegal, and they’re seeking the skills and knowledge to become partners in their children’s education. Last month, they got a 90-minute session on how to use an iPad from T4T program manager Carly Stine, assisted by interpreters. Stine had hoped to help participants download apps and understand internet safety, but there wasn’t time; some participants had to rush o to work or other classes. One Burmese mom, Paw Wah, said she planned to use her newly acquired iPad to check her email, fill out her time sheets from work and call her own parents in Burma. The mother of three said she has her own iPad already, but her kids are often using it to play math games. —K.S.

Parent University participants and instructors

CONTEST

Write Stuff

In an age of omnipresent technology, the idea of writing and illustrating a story using pen and paper is a novel one. But kids in kindergarten through third grade are tasked with doing just that in the PBS KIDS WRITERS CONTEST. Designed to promote children’s reading skills through hands-on, active learning, the contest encourages kids to submit original stories with five or more illustrations. Twelve winners — three from each grade — will be announced in April. They’ll have their stories published online and take part in an awards ceremony at the Vermont PBS Studio in Colchester. They’ll also be invited to a Storytime Party, where they can sign up to read their stories aloud to family and friends. The deadline to enter is Friday, March 18, so let those creative juices flow. —A.N.

Find out more about the VERMONT PBS WRITERS CONTEST at vpt.org/writers.

COMMUNITY Dress for Less

Formal wear and libraries don’t typically go together. But this month, sparkly gowns — along with high heels, purses and jewelry — are streaming into Highgate Public Library. For the fifth year, the library will host CAILEY’S CLOSET, an event where Vermont teens can try on and go home with dresses to wear to the prom free of charge. Librarian Liza Comiskey started the program — named after her oldest daughter — after the library participated in a

similar prom-dress drive where the gowns were then shipped out of state.

“We didn’t get to see the benefit,” Comiskey said. So the next year she decided to hold an event for local girls. She gave away 16 dresses at the first drive, and the program has grown ever since. Last year, 250 dresses made their way to appreciative owners. Formal dresses can cost several hundred dollars and are often worn once and forgotten, Comiskey explains. “Why not give the dresses another life?” Even families who aren’t struggling financially may appreciate putting money toward their mortgage rather than a party frock, she says.

In the past, local volunteers have collected dresses at work, built a rack for the gowns and o ered to do free alterations. The day of the event, the library is transformed into a boutique. Girls come in with friends or parents and try on gowns in bathrooms and closets.

“A lot of people think, You do what at your library? ” Comiskey says. “We work hard to meet the needs of the community, and right now this is a need of the community.” —A.N.

CAILEY’S CLOSET, Saturday, April 2, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at Highgate Public Library. Learn more, including how to donate a dress, at facebook.com/ caileysclosethighgatelibraryvt, or email Liza Comiskey at lcomiskey@ highgatevt.org.

to donate a dress, at facebook.com/

Camping for a Cause

A Westford girl braves the cold to raise money for homeless teens

CELIA ANDREWS ADMITS that she doesn’t like being the center of attention. But the sporty, low-key seventh grader has been getting a lot of it since she came up with the idea to start a kids’ fundraiser as a complement to Spectrum Youth & Family Services’ annual Sleep Out.

Celia hatched the plan in 2012 when her mom’s friend came over to borrow a sleeping bag for the Sleep Out — a March fundraiser in which business and community leaders spend the night outside to raise money for the nonprofit organization and show solidarity with teens and young adults who are homeless.

Sleeping outside sounded like fun to Celia, who’s an avid backpacker in the summer months. So the next year, then-9-year-old Celia and her mom, Julia, asked if they could join in. Spectrum sta told them it was an adult-only event and suggested that the pair make cookies and deliver them to Sleep Out participants. But Celia wanted to camp. So, with the help of her mom, she set up a crowdfunding site, secured $1,200 in donations for Spectrum from family members and friends, and spent a night in a tent with her mom in their Westford backyard.

Along with the novelty of sleeping out in the cold came more serious

conversations between mother and daughter about the true meaning of the fundraiser. “Yes, it’s fun to sleep outside,” Julia remembers saying to Celia, “but it’s not fun if you can’t go inside.” Celia took that to heart. “You do start to think about what would it be like if you didn’t have a bunch of blankets,” she said.

Spectrum executive director Mark Redmond’s son, Liam, heard about what Celia was doing and was also inspired to sleep outside in 2013. The next year, Spectrum’s development office created an

official Student Sleep Out. The nonprofit invites kids across the state to camp outside with school and church groups, sports teams or friends to raise money for Spectrum.

For Celia’s second Sleep Out, Julia publicized the event on Westford’s Front Porch Forum, and Celia and many of her friends camped on the small-town common, where community members brought them hot chocolate and cookies.

The weather didn’t cooperate, though — there was a foot of snow with water underneath, and it poured all night, Julia remembers, joking that it was “total misery.” Still, Celia’s group raised more than $3,000. Another 120 students at 14 locations in Vermont raised a total of $26,653. Last March, 380 Vermont kids and teens participated in the Student Sleep Out and raised more than $45,000.

In November 2015, Celia received the Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy Award at the Association of Fundraising Professionals Conference in Stowe, an honor that came with a $5,000 educational scholarship. Organizers introduced Celia’s award with a video featuring her family, her principal, her soccer coach and even Gov Peter Shumlin singing her praises.

“It’s pretty cool to get an award for this,” Celia said, noting that “it was a little nerve-racking.”

At the end of this month, Celia will take part in her fourth Sleep Out. She hasn’t firmed up plans yet but says she’ll probably camp in her backyard. Her 10-year-old sister, Shea, will join her, and Julia plans to invite Celia’s Far Post soccer teammates as well. They’ll have a campfire, make s’mores and snuggle in with lots of blankets. Thanks to Celia, hundreds of kids in backyards around the state will do the same.

“One to Watch” shines a light on a young Vermonter who is going places. Know a local child, age 17 or under, who’s recently done something amazing? Nominate him or her at kidsvt.com/vermont/kidsvtonetowatch/page.

COURTESY OF JULIA ANDREWS

NAME: CELIA ANDREWS TOWN: WESTFORD AGE: 12

The Spectrum Student Sleep Out happens the weekend of March 31 to April 2. To get involved, visit spectrumvt.org.

Celia and her family at the Association of Fundraising Professionals Conference in November

Mother-Daughter Nia

WE LIVED IN BROOKLYN when my oldest daughter, Dahlia, was born. She was about 8 weeks old when I brought her to our first mother-baby Pilates class. I desperately wanted to get some exercise but was terrified that she’d wake up and scream. She did, but I continued to go, because the mental benefits of getting out of the house and being around other mothers was worth it.

On a Sunday afternoon earlier this winter, I felt that familiar desperate need for exercise — perhaps more so now that 11-year-old Dahlia has three siblings. Again I chose to bring my oldest with me — not out of necessity this time, but because I thought it might be fun.

Our destination was South End Studio in Burlington, which o ers mother-daughter Nia classes a couple of times a year. I’d taken Nia classes there a few years ago and was eager to return.

Dahlia, on the other hand, was confused. “What is Nia?” she asked when I told her the plan. Before I could explain, she said, “Wait! I know what it is!” The previous week, Sabrina Gibson, owner of South End Studio, had led a Nia routine in Dahlia’s PE class at Edmunds Middle School.

The name Nia (pronounced NEEah) is an abbreviation for “nonimpact aerobics.” The dance-cardio-fitness routines comprise 52 basic movements and techniques that combine a wide variety of dance styles and body/mind healing arts including Feldenkrais and the Alexander Technique. Classes are done barefoot to a wide range of music and follow a distinct pattern: warm-up, sustained nonimpact aerobic conditioning, strength training, cooldown, stretches.

Nine girls and six moms attended our session. We began in a circle, facing each other. Like in yoga class, we set an intent for our workout. Mine was simple: I wanted to enjoy working out with my daughter. The excitement in the room gave me the sense that we

were about to embark on something meaningful.

“Does it matter if you don’t get all the steps?” asked the energetic, curlyhaired Gibson as we found our spots on the shiny studio floor. The girls shook their heads — a few of them were taking Gibson’s after-school Nia class series for girls. Gibson later explained that Nia is unique because within the choreographed steps “there is freedom to move your own way,” which “takes the pressure o having to do the steps right or having to look a particular way doing them.” Most important is that you move your body and have fun, she said.

She pumped up the music, and we began our warm-up, lifting our arms and legs as we moved back and forth across the floor. We jumped, danced and slid around the studio to pop songs like “Shake It O ” and “Uptown Funk,” trying to keep up. With our feet doing the cha-cha and our arms punching like boxers, the girl power was flowing. After a couple of high-intensity songs, Gibson let us catch our breath with some calmer world music.

Hadley Bunting and her 8-year-old daughter, Abernathy, wanted the shared experience of trying something that Bunting said was “outside our comfort zone.” Abernathy described the class as “relaxing” and enjoyed the mix of choreographed and free-dance pieces that let participants move to their own rhythm.

“There is something special about a room full of mothers and daughters,”

SOUTH END STUDIO

(696 Pine Street, Burlington) offers 55-minute mother/ daughter Nia classes several times a year for $15 per person, as well as adult Nia classes seven days a week.

Bunting said. As I watched Dahlia express herself physically in a safe, comfortable space, I felt the same way. We could both be playful, let loose and be free from a new and sometimes tense dynamic as adolescence approaches.

This class was a great way to do things our own way, together in the same space.

By the end of the 55-minute class, everyone was sweaty and red-faced. Gibson brought the energy down with yoga-style stretches and led awareness back to our breath. We ended in a circle, where Gibson reminded us of our initial intents, and we had a moment to meet eyes with our fellow classmates in appreciation.

I took Dahlia’s hand, and we stepped out of the studio feeling sweatier — and more connected — than when we stepped in.

With our feet doing the cha-cha and our arms punching like boxers, the girl power was flowing.

Mothers and daughters practice Nia at South End Studio

Boutique Bowling

Stowe Bowl, 1613 Mountain Road, Stowe, 253-2494, stowebowl.com

BOWLING ISN’T particularly romantic, but it’s what my family chose to do for Valentine’s Day this year. On that subzero Sunday morning in February, my husband, Je , our two kids and I cruised down I-89 to check out the just-opened Stowe Bowl, a swanky eight-lane alley that’s part of the expanded Sun & Ski Inn and Suites on Mountain Road.

We planned to get there just after the 11 a.m. opening to beat the crowd. But when we arrived at 11:15, the lanes were already full of families, and the line stretched to the door. The smartly dressed guy behind the desk broke the news that we had a two-hour wait.

We contemplated bailing but then realized that we — like everyone else there — didn’t have anything better to do on a minus 10 degree day. Luckily, Stowe Bowl makes for a comfortable and stylish place to bide one’s time. We sat down at a four-top in the bar/restaurant section — complete with a shiny starburst pendant lamp and

midcentury-modern furniture — and perused the food and drink menu. Typical bowling-alley burgers and pizzas met with more elevated fare, like an Asian noodle bowl and a butternut-squash salad. There’s also an extensive drink list with coveted local brews and cocktails aptly named Spare Me and Team Captain. Since

it was before noon, we forewent the hard alcohol in favor of tru e-oil popcorn, followed by noodle bowls and pizza.

Bellies full, we settled into the lounge-like area to enjoy the gas fireplace, stone seating nook and flat-screen TV playing NBA highlights. Between chowing down, people watching and warming our hands by the faux fire, time passed quickly.

When it was our turn to bowl, we tucked into a tufted pleather sofa in front of our lane. The electronic bowling interface was the most sophisticated I’d seen, with the option to take a selfie that displays next to your name. They had the usual kids’ accoutrements: bumpers that automatically pop up during kids’ turns and a metal ramp to help little ones guide the ball down the lane. A waitress came by to take our drink orders, and pop music blared from the sound system as we tried — some of us more successfully than others — to knock down the pins. Our allotted hour of play went too fast.

While bowling, Je and I remembered that we’d spent one other Valentine’s Day bowling, on our second

DETAILS

Stowe Bowl is open MondayWednesday, 2-11 p.m., and Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

Visitors can rent lanes by the hour for up to six people ($30-40), or pay per person, per game ($5.506.50) — unless it’s a holiday, in which case visitors must pay by the hour, and the price goes up to $50. Shoe rentals are $4 per person.

PROS

• Stylish décor

• Friendly and helpful staff

• New, cutting-edge equipment

• No video arcade meant no haggling over tokens and tickets

CONS

• Pricier than your average bowling alley

• A kids’ menu with cheaper, simpler items would be a nice addition

• With the bowl-per-hour option, there’s a chance you’ll get cut off mid-game

date 15 years ago. Back then, we went to Chelsea Piers in New York City, had a bit too much to drink and walked hand in hand to a small candlelit restaurant afterward. This time around, we stopped at Pete’s Greens Farm Market in Waterbury on our way home to pick up soup and bread for dinner and provisions for the work and school week ahead. Two vastly di erent Valentine’s Days, both spent with the ones I love.

Fierce Females

March is Women’s History Month. We asked Jane Knight, children’s book buyer at Bear Pond Books in Montpelier, to recommend educational, entertaining reads that feature strong and influential women.

Grades 5 & up

Rad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries Who Shaped Our History … And Our Future

BY KATE SCHATZ

This hardcover anthology profiles 26 powerful American women from the 18th through 21st centuries — including Zora Neale Hurston, Carol Burnett and Sonia Sotomayor.

Knight says: “This is not only an A to Z of some of the most overlooked, influential women in American history, but a call to action to define what it means to be ‘rad’ and how each of us can step up and act radically.”

Grades 3-7

Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor (An Abolitionist Tale About Harriet Tubman)

BY NATHAN HALE

This graphic novel, part of a series of books, tells about Tubman, who helped escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad in the 1800s.

Knight says: “Hale doesn’t sidestep the gritty, harsh bits of history and always infuses his narratives with a bit of levity and humor. This is a great introduction to the harrowing journeys of slaves fleeing the South and the steadfast courageousness of Tubman, the nurse, spy and rebel.”

The House That Jane Built: A Story About Jane Addams

BY TANYA LEE STONE

Activist Jane Addams is the heroine of this picture book by Vermont author Stone. Addams aimed to transform the lives of people living in poverty and, in 1889, founded the Hull House in Chicago, where rich and poor people lived together and learned from each other.

Whether you’re considering clear aligners, retainers or today’s braces, an orthodontist is the smart choice. Orthodontists are specialists in straightening teeth and aligning your bite. They have two to three years of education beyond dental school. So they’re experts at helping you get a great smile—that feels great, too.

Children and Adults

Grades K-2

Knight says: “Addams was the first woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, but Stone instead focuses on the huge impact Addams made within her community, allowing young readers to make connections to Addams’ story within their own lives.”

BY JESSICA LARA TICKTIN

The Teacher and the King

A Bhutanese couple juggles work, school and family

BHUTAN HAS AN ANCIENT, indigenous Buddhist culture and prides itself on striking a balance between the spiritual and the material. In the early 1990s, the country became a place of instability and danger due to ethnic conflict.

In 1992, Hemant Tamang-Ghising was one of more than 100,000 refugees who fled Bhutan. He and his parents spent two months in India before making their way to a refugee camp in Nepal, where he met and fell in love with Surja. They married in 1998 and had their first son, Hessain, in 2001.

Surja completed 10th grade in the refugee camp, the highest grade available there. And although Hemant had no dreams of being a teacher, his patient and gentle temperament suited him to the job. He started teaching English and social studies to kindergarteners in the camp in 1994, an experience that put him on the path to becoming an educator.

Hemant traveled back and forth from Nepal to India, first to finish high school and then to the University of North Bengal, where he earned his BA in 2001. He was soon hired as an assistant principal back in the camp — in a school with 32 classes of 55 students each.

In 2003 he earned his teaching degree and moved with his family to Kathmandu, Nepal, to teach social studies at a grade 1-12 school where he eventually became assistant principal.

In 2008, Hemant and Surja applied for resettlement in the U.S. They arrived in Burlington in 2011, and Hemant quickly found work as a paraeducator at Flynn Elementary School. He was later hired for his current position as an administrative assistant for the grants and after-school programs for the Burlington School District.

Along with working full time, Hemant is a second-year doctoral student in educational leadership and policy studies at the University of Vermont. He also volunteers at the Vermont Bhutanese Association; cofacilitates the “speaking with confidence” training program at Mercy Connections; is on the City of Burl-

ington’s Diversity and Equity team and the Partnership for Change steering committee; and recently started a group for refugees and immigrants called the New American Learning and Sharing Forum. In summer and fall he works part time as a referee for the Vermont Soccer Association.

Surja, who speaks limited English, graduated from a childcare-training course through the Association of Africans Living in Vermont in 2015. She worked at the Converse Home until she had her third son this past December and is now the family’s primary caregiver.

policeman. [Surja laughs] That’s part of her job, so I can take care of waking up the children, and she makes sure they have eaten and get dressed. It is very hard sometimes, and the elder one sometimes misses the bus. Then I have to drop him first and then the other one [at daycare], then I go to work.

On setting an example for the children:

SURJA: Normal. I am used to it.

HEMANT: She often tells me I won’t be getting a wife like her!

On partnership:

HEMANT: Without her, my life would be very di cult. I can say that my achievement, and my successes, must also be shared with my wife. I have a lot of time to be involved in voluntary work because she takes care of everything at home — looking after babies, cooking, cleaning. She is the “king of the home.”

On balance:

A typical morning at

A typical morning at the Tamang home:

HEMANT: Wake up at six o’clock, get myself ready. I have to wake my elder son up more than three times! I put on the light. Then I go to the bathroom and brush my teeth, then go back to his room, knock on the door and ask him to wake up. The 3-year-old doesn’t always wake up, so I have to wake him up. We have to go back and forth to two rooms waking up the boys, then my wife takes care of breakfast and lunch for the kids. She has to be like a

HEMANT: Whenever I think about moving forward in the world, [I ask myself,] How are people around me going to benefit from my presence? From my work? With my services? It’s not about, How can I be best? I don’t have that kind of thinking. I have a thinking of collaboration, of community. As a Buddhist, we believe in compassion: be compassionate, be a good listener, be loyal, give others a chance. I am trying to be a role model for my kids, to be an example, to show them things are possible, and then it’s easier for me to say, “I went through this process,” so I can guide my sons.

On Surja spending long days on her own [Hemant leaves early for work, and spends Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at his doctoral classes]:

HEMANT: Sometimes, where the needs are, I put my studies aside. Kids are very important; I am doing this all for the kids, for the family. Some days are very stressful. I have a lot of assignments, so I am consoled by being with my family, talking with them, playing with them. That helps me a lot. Family is not stressful for me. I am going to school, they are also part of my studies. They help me to lower my stress. At the end of day, this is my family. I am going to be with them. If I am selfish and only going for my studies, that’s not going to be meaningful.

Dad: Hemant Tamang-Ghising, 42 Mom: Surja Tamang, 40 Kids: Sons Hessain, 14, Hwang, 3, and Hrimsang, 8 weeks

educator at Flynn Elementary School.

THE LEARNING CENTER AT HEALTHY LIVING

LOADED POTATO SOUP

1 large yellow onion, small dice

1/2 stick bu er

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp flour

1 quart vegetable stock

3 large russet potatoes, partially peeled for texture

diced & cooked

2 cups whole milk

DIRECTIONS:

12 oz bacon, diced & cooked

2 bay leaves

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 bunch green onions, diced Salt & fresh cracked pepper as desired

In a large soup pot on medium heat, melt bu er with garlic and onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are so and translucent. Sprinkle in flour and cook to toast, stirring constantly and making sure no flour sticks to the bo om of the pan. Carefully and slowly whisk in the veggie stock and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes, bacon, milk and bay leaves and bring back to a simmer. Let simmer for a few minutes and then turn off heat. Whisk in heavy cream, sour cream and cheese. Fold in green onions and season as desired with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Enjoy!

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN IN MARCH

So Pretzel Dippers with Cheese Sauce: Thursday, 3/3 · 4:00 - 5:00pm • $20

Ain’t No Thing But a Chicken Wing: Friday, 3/11 · 4:00 - 5:00pm • $20

Pepperoni Pizza Sticks: Saturday, 3/19 · 11:00 - 12:00pm • $20

Easter Bunny Bait: Wednesday, 3/23 · 4:00 - 5:00pm • $20

Cheesecake-Filled Chocolate Easter Eggs: Saturday 3/23 · 4:00 - 5:00pm • $20

All classes require pre-registration. For a full schedule, or to register, go to healthylivingmarket.com; or call Customer Service at 802.863.2569.

Roll With It: Vegetarian Sushi

RECENTLY MY 12-YEAR-OLD SON, Eli, picked up a lovely graphic memoir I’d been reading called Relish: My Life in the Kitchen. In it, author Lucy Knisley chronicles her childhood traveling the world with her chef mom and each chapter ends with an illustrated recipe. Eli flipped to a two-page spread with instructions for making huevos rancheros, studied it for a moment, then asked, “Can we make these?” I immediately said yes.

These days Eli is a busy middle schooler, so when he suggests something we can do together I jump at the chance. We made the huevos for dinner that night, and they were delicious. Eli

felt really good about cooking a meal for the family — so good that he immediately wanted to try another recipe. He read even further in the book, and when he came to the recipe for vegetarian maki — “roll” in Japanese — he decided it would be our next project. We don’t do a lot of traveling as a family, but I like to think we’re adventurous in other ways. Eating is one of them. All five of us are usually up for tasting new foods and flavors, so we couldn’t wait to try the maki recipe. It uses rice, avocado, cucumber and carrot sticks and, to our delight, thin strips of batter-dipped, fried sweet

potato, all wrapped in nori, or seaweed sheets. In preparation, we made a trip to Homeport to buy bamboo sushirolling mats and chopsticks.

At home, we assembled our ingredients, following the recipe to the letter.

DIRECTIONS:

I prepped Eli by reminding him that this was a tricky process and that our first attempts might not come out perfect. While I painstakingly smoothed the sticky rice to the edges of my nori sheet, Eli studied the illustration, laid out his rice and vegetables, flipped up the edge of his mat, and rolled a nearly perfect sushi roll. “Boom!” he said, holding it out for me to inspect. We kept on rolling until we’d used up all the nori.

Everyone loved the maki, especially with the salty-sweet unagi sauce we prepared. And Eli and I had so much fun that we’re already planning our next recipe adventure.

1. Cook the rice according to package directions. When it’s done, spread it on a baking sheet to help it cool quickly.

2. While you’re waiting, heat about an inch of oil in a skillet. Mix a few tablespoons of flour with a few tablespoons of water in a small bowl until you have batter with glue-like consistency. When the oil is hot, dip the sweetpotato strips in the batter, then fry them in the oil in batches until crispy, about a minute or two per batch. Place the strips on paper towels to drain excess oil.

MAKI ROLLS

INGREDIENTS:

About 2 cups sushi rice (located in the Asian food section of the supermarket), which yields three cups cooked

Vegetable oil for frying

A little flour to make the batter for frying

Half a sweet potato, peeled and cut into long strips about 1/4-inch wide

1 avocado, peeled and cut into thin strips

Half a medium cucumber, peeled and cut into thin strips

1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips

1 package of 10 nori (seaweed) sheets

Tamari or soy sauce and/ or unagi sauce (you can make your own unagi by mixing equal parts soy sauce, sugar and rice wine, also called mirin) Wasabi and pickled ginger for garnish/extra flavor (optional)

You’ll also need: a bamboo sushi-rolling mat (I recommend getting two or three so that several people can roll the sushi; $2.99 apiece at Homeport in Burlington) and a sharp knife.

3. Set up your bamboo mat, a bowl of cooled rice, your prepped veggies, a sharp knife, a large spoon or spatula and a small bowl of water in a clean area. We used our dining room table so we could spread out.

4. Lay a sheet of nori in the center of your bamboo mat. Spread rice evenly in about a 1/4-inch layer, leaving a little space at the end nearest you and 1 1/2 inches of space at the end farthest from you. Arrange your veggies in a horizontal line at the midway point of your rice.

5. Wet your fingers with the water in your bowl, and run them over the exposed sections of the nori so it will stick together when you roll it.

6. Flip up the end of the mat closest to you and use it to roll the end of the Nori over the rice a bit.

7. Roll the mat back so it doesn’t get rolled up in your sushi, then use your fingers to roll a bit more.

8. Next, roll the mat up behind the sushi roll and use it to sort of push the roll along. This is surprisingly easy to do, but hard to explain. You have to roll a bit, then roll up the mat behind the sushi roll, and repeat until you’re at the end. When your sushi roll is finished, use the mat to squeeze it gently, which will seal it up.

9. To portion the roll, use a damp cloth to wet the blade of your knife, then cut it into 1-inch slices. One roll makes 7-8 slices of sushi.

10. Use chopsticks or fingers to dip your maki into tamari, soy or unagi sauce.

(from Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley) Makes about 10 sushi rolls, enough for 4-6 people

PHOTOS :SAM SIMON

BY MEREDITH COEYMAN

Sherpa Kitchen

119 College Street, Burlington, 881-0550

MY KIDS ARE FAIRLY EASY to please when my family dines out. Still, when I told them we were trying Nepalese food on a recent Friday night, they didn’t know what to expect. “Think noodles, curries and rice, similar to Indian food,” I said, explaining how the Himalayas span many countries in an arc between India and China, and Nepalese food reflects that diversity.

We pulled into a space across the street from Sherpa Kitchen, its storefront a blur of tiny white lights. I was intrigued but nervous: Was the dimly lit, tranquil restaurant a wise place to bring famished kids on a weekend night? It was minus 8 degrees outside, and I was desperate for warmth, so it was worth the risk for a delicious curry.

Warm air and turmeric-orange walls enveloped us as we entered to face a gently gurgling fountain featuring a Buddha, one hand cupping a lotus flower. Tranquil, indeed. Our host greeted all of us with a smile, putting my nerves at ease as we slid into a bright red booth.

While Sherpa is not particularly equipped for children (no kids’ cups, crayons or a kids’ menu), we felt welcome. There were other families there, some utilizing the high chairs on o er. The waitsta was kind and never made us feel like we had invaded a prime date-night spot with our rambunctious o spring.

Next came the fun part: the food. To start we ordered veggie samosas, beet salad and ti momo, or Sherpa bread, which is steamed and sliced into a fun flower shape. Color photographs of the Himalayan region and people, and small stu ed-animal yaks, provided fodder for games of I-spy while the adults sipped Switchbacks on tap. In the short time it took for our apps to come, the restaurant had filled up, yet the atmosphere remained calm.

For entrées, we settled on the egg curry with green peas special and the chicken tikka masala for the adults, and chicken momos, or dumplings, and chicken chow mein for the kids.

My 6-year-old son, Leo, gobbled up everything,

Homemade Marshmallows

EVEN THOUGH THE WEATHER HAS BEEN WACKY lately, it’s still hot chocolate season! At my house, we’ve been experimenting with cocoa variations — spicing our cups with cinnamon and chili powder or using all white chocolate. Recently, while we were looking online for new cocoa tricks to try, we discovered a recipe for marshmallows. The first time we added our beautiful, springy, homemade marshmallows to our hot chocolate, it was a revelation. They were so much more delicious than the store-bought kind, I don’t know if we’ll ever go back.

INGREDIENTS:

Unflavored gelatin

Cold water

Granulated sugar

while my 5-year-old daughter, Mila, nibbled reluctantly until the chow mein arrived. She then devoured the slightly oily noodles flecked with tender chicken and carrot slivers while Leo usurped my egg curry. He especially liked the slightly crisped, halved hard-boiled eggs in a light curry sauce.

Between the steaming food and glowing candlelight, Sherpa Kitchen delivered the warmth, though gusts of frigid air wafted through the room every time the door opened. Despite the chilling blasts, we couldn’t pass up the kulfi for desert. “We’re having Nepali ice cream!” announced sweettoothed Mila. We shared the dish of milk-flavored frozen chunks pressed with pistachio crumbles and drizzled in mango puree. It was a bit hard to scoop up, but the creamy-nutty tang made for a flavorful treat, and Mila licked the bowl clean.

Light corn syrup

Salt

Vanilla extract (or substitute coconut, lemon or almond extract)

Egg whites

Powdered sugar

Find these recipes and more on kidsvt.com!

Seeded WholeWheat Bread

HITS: Patient waitstaff and cozy, kid-friendly atmosphere. Tasty food with generous portions that yield plenty of leftovers.

MISSES: No vestibule means patrons endure bursts of cold air on busy winter nights. No crayons, so bring your own.

As I paid the bill ($64 excluding tax, tip and beer) and my kids began to unravel, the sta remained patient. With full bellies, we wrangled our kids into jackets and ventured out into the cold. My husband, Dave, and I agreed that Sherpa Kitchen belongs on our list of family-friendly restaurants. Next time, though, we’ll order it spicy and leave the kids at home.

I BAKE BREAD pretty often at home but almost always default to my favorite basic crusty white loaf. Truthfully, I feel a bit overwhelmed by the vast world of bread making. There’s so much to learn, and I can never figure out where to start. But while browsing baking blogs recently, I came across a lovely little recipe for whole-wheat bread with a mix of seeds that inspired me to break out of my baking rut.

INGREDIENTS:

Warm water

Active dry yeast

Light brown sugar

Warm milk

Unbleached

white flour

Mixed seeds (like flax, sunflower, pumpkin and sesame)

Vegetable oil

Honey

Salt

Whole-wheat

flour

COURTESY OF MEREDITH COEYMAN

PHOTOS: ERINN SIMON

Mila enjoying chow mein

Pop-Up Play

SHIVERING OUTSIDE the Maple Street Recreation Center on a chilly Saturday morning, my 5-year-old son, Emmett, gazed up at me, his eyes full of doubt. He’d never experienced Pop-Up Adventure Play, so he had no idea what we were waiting for. Frankly, neither did I. But I’d seen photos of the first of three art sessions hosted by Essex Recreation and Parks, and I suspected that Emmett’s doubts would soon subside.

Within minutes, Tara Gravelin — the series founder, mom of two and a former preschool teacher — guided us into the center’s multipurpose room. Our eyes were immediately drawn to a tower of cardboard stacked on a boldly colored rug. Next to it was a six-foot-tall appliance box surrounded by piles of banana boxes, jumbles of wrapping-paper tubes, empty paper-towel rolls, egg

crates, painter’s tape and a bundle of sheer fabric. We joined Gravelin and her 3-year-old son, Levi, on the floor. The Pop-Up Adventure Play movement, largely influenced by the field of playwork in the United Kingdom, contends that children should be allowed to tinker without adult interference, Gravelin explained: “There is an unknown to it. It’s messy. Pop-up play is all about the process.” With time for play dwindling in schools and society at large, Gravelin’s goal is to put “beautiful, found, natural and recycled materials” in the hands of kids and see what happens.

By 9:45 a.m., other guests streamed into the room. One girl dashed straight to the big cardboard box, toppling it over with a loud thump. Several kids clambered through this new tunnel. Another child jumped up to greet her friends, shouting, “Look! I’m making a hat!” Emmett wandered past, the sheer fabric over his head like a ghost costume.

Four-year-old Sawyer Josey shouted, “Blast o !” and pushed a cardboard box across the room. Meanwhile, Lilly Dolan, 7, and Nathalie Hooker, 6, friends from Essex Junction, diligently built a house. One girl suggested adding a garden, and

the other excitedly began twisting colorful tape into the shape of a flower.

The play experience looked di erent for each child. Most of the young boys in the room engaged in grossmotor activities: tug-of-war, making cardboard vehicles and drumming on empty boxes. Lilly and Nathalie, meanwhile, quietly added swinging doors and a flag to their intricate cardboard house.

Gravelin explained that Pop-Up Adventure Play is for everyone and can meet a range of needs. It incorporates movement, art and even

science and math at times. During the January session, for example, kids engineered ramps and raced marbles, testing and revising their designs.

As the pile of cardboard dwindled and kids scattered the materials around the room, I marveled at how the once-lifeless space buzzed with creativity. Emmett whizzed by again, this time pulling Levi on some black fabric. Like a game of improv, one child started a creative thread and others followed. “Kids don’t understand that they’re learning,” Gravelin said, smiling. “That’s the fun part.”

Play session

There is an unknown to it. It’s messy.

TARA GRAVELIN, POP-UP ADVENTURE PLAY SERIES CREATOR

Engaging with recycled materials

Is

IT’S OFTEN SAID that kids grow up fast these days. Turns out, it’s true. Researchers have found that over the last century, the average age of puberty for boys and girls — once in the late teens — has decreased significantly. And with this new normal, some children go through puberty at an even younger age, experiencing what’s known in the medical world as “precocious puberty.” It’s a condition that can influence a child’s psychological and developmental well-being.

This month, Dr. Lewis First, chief of pediatrics at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, explains precocious puberty and what to do if it’s a ecting your child.

KVT: To start, what exactly is puberty?

LEWIS FIRST: Puberty is the process of physical change during which a child becomes sexually mature. Hormones begin to be released in the brain’s hypothalamus, which send a message to the pituitary gland (also in the brain) to turn on the ovaries or testes.

KIDS VT: What is precocious puberty?

LF: Precocious puberty is when sexual maturation begins at an earlier-thanaverage age. It’s now defined as girls who begin to develop breasts before age 8, and boys who grow pubic hair and show genital development before age 9. In the past 25 years, 20 percent of girls have undergone puberty before age 8; for boys, this disorder is 10 times less common. The reason for the di erence is unclear and continues to be studied.

KVT: How much has the average age of puberty dropped, and why?

LF: If you look back to the early 1900s, girls got their first period at an average age of 16. In the past 25 years, puberty has decreased to younger than 13 for girls and happens anywhere from six months to two years earlier than in the past for boys, depending on what study you read. Two factors that have changed in that time period, and may be playing a role in the onset of precocious puberty, are diet — leading to increased obesity in children — and

environmental stress. While we can’t prove cause and e ect, obesity can prompt increased estrogen production. Sixty percent of girls who experience precocious puberty are overweight. Environmental stressors such as poverty, food insecurity, substance abuse, neglect, and physical or sexual abuse may stress the brain and cause it to release hormones earlier, triggering puberty. Studies also implicate pesticides, phthalates, PCBs and other compounds in the environment that are considered “endocrine disruptors” as contributing to the increased prevalence of precocious puberty, especially in girls.

deal with the emotional consequences of maturing early.

KVT: Are there physiological concerns?

KVT: What should parents do if they suspect their child is experiencing precocious puberty?

LF: If parents see that their daughter is developing breasts before age 8, or their son’s penis and testicles have enlarged before age 9, they should have their child evaluated by a doctor. They may also need to be referred to a pediatric endocrinologist for special hormonal testing to see if there is a specific cause.

KVT: Does precocious puberty have developmental consequences?

LF: There’s no question that most children who experience precocious puberty will be bothered by it. They can experience a significant amount of emotional di culty. Remember, you basically have the brain of a child in the body of a young adult. They can be teased or bullied by their peers who have not yet started puberty. Boys who are teased can become more aggressive. Oftentimes it’s assumed that because some kids look older than their peers, they’re being held back in school. Precocious puberty can also be associated with increased risk-taking behaviors such as earlier initiation of sexual activity, drug abuse, tobacco use, loss of peer relationships, etc., if parents or health professionals don’t

LF: Kids with precocious puberty may get earlier growth spurts, but their bones may not continue to grow for as long as they would if they were to develop at an older age. Some parents, in consultation with an endocrinologist, may choose to slow the early pubertal process to maximize their child’s height potential and prevent some emotional distress. One way to slow down early puberty is the use of a synthetic hormone that basically delays puberty for several years. For a child who displays gender dysphoria — an emotional or psychological gender identity di erent from the one assigned at birth — parents may also choose to stop puberty, not because it is coming early but to allow the child to mature and decide at a later age what to do about their gender identity.

KVT: Are there risks involved with synthetic hormones?

LF: These compounds may come with side e ects including hot flashes or vaginal bleeding, which can be scary for a child. Also, these compounds cost an average of $15,000 a year, and may not be covered by insurance.

KVT: How can parents support a child experiencing precocious puberty?

LF: Watch for a drop in grades, problems at school, a loss of interest in friends, even depression. Parents need to create a supportive parent-child relationship. Parents also need to set clear rules and expectations, perhaps earlier than they might have expected, around sexual behavior. Parents need to play up their child’s strengths — build their child’s self-esteem — so kids don’t succumb to acting older than their true age. The good news is, with good parental support and education, most kids who experience precocious puberty do just fine.

You basically have the brain of a child in the body of a young adult.

Adventures of a Lifetime

Ispent my infancy and toddlerhood near Clark Air Base in the Philippines while my surgeon father tended to wounded Vietnam War soldiers. When I returned to the United States at age 2, I was too young to experience culture shock. My mother recalls a single side effect of our trans-Pacific crossing: For a week afterward I had sea legs, which gave the vague impression that I was a tipsy toddler. I grew up to be a serial expat, and a less wobbly one at that. In my twenties, I lived in Kenya, Korea and England — and traveled to nearly every country in between. When my son, David, was born in 2004, I swore I’d give him similar mind-expanding experiences. My husband, Allan, is also an itinerant wanderer, and he helped me make good on that promise. In 2010, we spent six months in Singapore, where David attended kindergarten and learned some Mandarin. We devoted 2014-2015 to Abu Dhabi, where David successfully navigated Arab culture — and fifth grade at the American International School.

were the life lessons that came with knowing people like Abdulrahman Asfari, a Syrian boy who came to David’s 11th birthday party in Abu Dhabi. Learning about what he and other Syrians endured to relocate to the United Arab Emirates made our transition to the country look like a walk in the park.

Four families share their experiences living overseas

BY NANCY STEARNS BERCAW

As far as I’m concerned, the places we’ve been are less remarkable than the people we’ve met and the relationships we’ve developed abroad. Moving to another country — rather than vacationing in one — offers an opportunity to get to know the locals and see the world through their eyes. And I always want to see more, despite the challenges that come with relocation.

Living overseas with kids requires equal parts planning and flexibility. Guidebooks and Pepto-Bismol will get you only so far — ultimately, you’re making a giant leap of faith. I spoke with three other Vermont families who’ve lived abroad, and they all agreed that the experience opened up a new world for their children.

Making the Move

We endured a lot of stomachaches in strange bathrooms and took some flak for being Americans overseas. In Abu Dhabi, a Jordanian boy who’d heard bad things about Uncle Sam’s foreign policies punched David in the face on the school bus.

Yet being in our discomfort zone also came with remarkable fringe benefits. Not only does David have friends around the world, he’s learned a thing or two about the round sphere on which we all reside. Visiting places like Petra, the pyramids and Angkor Wat offered valuable history and geography lessons for our whole family.

But perhaps far more important

Often the opportunity to live abroad is connected to one parent’s job. My husband’s work as a film professor at New York University took us to their Tisch Asia program in Singapore in 2010 and Abu Dhabi’s New York Film Academy for 20142015. Allan hedged a bit before taking the assignments, but I leapt at both opportunities despite the distance to Singapore and turmoil in the region around Abu Dhabi. In the UAE, I found work in the communications office of Khalifa University, a government-owned engineering school.

Burlington dad Andy Barker had the opportunity to cover a colleague’s

NANCY STEARNS BERCAW

Nancy and David visiting the Sphinx in

Exploring Petra in Jordan

David taking a plunge into the Indian Ocean

In front of the Taj Mahal

Allan and David in Abu Dhabi

eight-month maternity leave at Ben & Jerry’s European headquarters in 2013. His wife, Ana Ruesink, says they “jumped at the chance to take our family abroad.” They relocated their two daughters, Emma and Tess, then 10 and 7, respectively, to “a little brick Victorian row house just a short stroll down the hill from the queen’s residence at Windsor Castle” in England.

Parents who work for themselves can sometimes pull off an overseas adventure — with a lot of planning. Katie and Lou Natale of Shelburne, who both had prior experience living overseas, took 5-year-old Tia and nearly 4-year-old Rowan to Bologna, Italy, in 2012-2013 for exploration and immersion. “We wanted to expose the kids to another language and culture while they are young,” explains Katie. They planned and saved for the move several years in advance. Because Lou is self-employed, he was able to address business issues remotely and hand off some of his responsibilities to his business partner.

When taking a new job overseas, there’s always the chance that things won’t work out as planned. Victor Prussack; his spouse, Lisa Kusel; and their 13-year-old daughter, Loy, live in Burlington, where Prussack is assistant director of curriculum and instruction and coordinator of K-8 registration for the Burlington School District. In 2008, the family of three relocated from northern California to Southeast Asia for an exciting new venture: Prussack had been hired to teach at “a brand-new, rural K-8, and soon-to-be K-12, international school” in Bali.

Unfortunately, the leadership there “turned out to be so dysfunctional and ill-equipped to carry out both the mission and day-to-day runnings of the school,” Prussack says. They returned home after four months, but Prussack says he met “remarkable people” and that the experience was valuable.

All four families found responsible people to stay in their homes while

they were away. Ana Ruesink hired a recent Saint Michael’s College graduate to housesit. The Natales rented out their former apartment in Burlington and camp in Milton during their absence. “That helped financially,” Katie says, “but packing and storing all our things, and finding and preparing for tenants while gearing up for a year away, was challenging.”

School Choice

One of the most important and difficult decisions our family had to make in Abu Dhabi was where to send David to school. The best ones had long waiting lists and cost up to $40,000 per year. We settled on the American International School because they had an opening and their tuition was on the lower end. But we didn’t foresee the complications that came with the word “American” in the Gulf region. Initially, David was the recipient of some anti-American taunts on the playground, but he learned to “fight back” by walking away. He earned a special award from his principal for being nonconfrontational and even ended up making friends with the culprits.

We received emails periodically from the American embassy about credible threats against American teachers and schools. Even the school bus avoided using the word “American” on its signage, presumably for the safety of its young passengers, though more than half of them weren’t from the United States.

The Ruesink-Barker kids attended local neighborhood schools in Windsor “to truly experience life in another culture, not as expatriates or tourists but as local residents,” their mother explains. The girls walked to their respective schools in uniforms through narrow English streets each day.

Katie and Lou Natale made the default choice to enroll their young

The Natales in Venice

Exploring streets in the town of Dozza Rowan and Lou in the front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Rowan and Tia playing in a church piazza in Tuscany

kids, Tia and Rowan, in the only available small, private preschool in Bologna. Upon their arrival in June, Katie explains, all the most desirable Italian preschools were already full for September. It ended up being “more like a lame daycare,” says Katie, “which was especially disappointing because the preschools in that region can be excellent.” But it wasn’t a total bust. “In the end, our kids learned to speak Italian with the help of the 10 other 3- to 6-year-olds,” she says.

The school decision was easy for Victor Prussack, who was able to enroll Loy in the private school where he taught in rural Bali.

Trials and Tribulations

Though disorienting on many levels, living in Abu Dhabi was remarkably navigable once we got the hang of it. Many people there speak English, and the Emirates were very welcoming. We soon learned that locals and expats live parallel existences for obvious cultural reasons. We wound up joining the British Club, which had members from around the world, and made a number of friends there.

David and I both su ered a lot of intestinal troubles in Abu Dhabi, and all three of us wilted in the searing desert heat that sometimes reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Fortunately, we had access to excellent doctors and a plethora of swimming pools. The only time I felt in any real danger was while riding in a cab; the drivers were erratic, and everyone on the road goes much faster than the speed limit.

Prussack says his family had a love-hate relationship with their extraordinary living accommodations, a two-story, 1,600-square-foot bamboo house with 20- to 30-foot ceilings and a palm tree growing through the center. On one hand, their residence o ered “the sounds of tropical birds, insects and geckos, beautiful Luna moths … and the alluring aromas of the cooking of neighbors.” But the open-air house a orded little to no privacy from passersby and zero sanctuary from dengue-fever-carrying mosquitos. Perhaps the biggest drawback, says Prussack, was the “weekly smoke and smell of burning bodies being cremated on funeral pyres a literal stone’s throw from our house, which bordered a cemetery.”

Merry Old England o ered the Ruesink-Barker clan great opportunities for cultural assimilation and across-the-pond connections. By the end, reports Ruesink, their daughter Tess “looked and talked like a British schoolgirl.” The experience did come with a few stressful moments, including an incident when the girls hopped on a car in the London underground and the doors closed before their parents got on. “We caught up with them at the next station stop, but the trauma of that experience left my oldest daughter with lingering anxiety about trains and crowds,” Ruesink explains.

Bologna was molto bueno, or very good, says Katie Natale though learning the city and finding an apartment and a preschool — all with “nonexistent Italian and with two small kids in tow” — was stressful. The amount of paperwork involved, including visas, insurance and proof of bank-account balances, was all-consuming for a while. “There is a big di erence in what you need for a European stay of less than 90 days as compared to a year,” she says.

“A regular highlight was seeing how kind and patient the Bolognese were with us and our limited Italian skills,” she says, adding that frequent stops at gelaterias for Italian ice cream were essential.

The Final Word

Living in Abu Dhabi was a real brain changer for us. While there, we traveled to Oman, Egypt and Jordan despite regional conflicts — and found ourselves to be welcome visitors in places where tourism has dwindled since the Arab Spring.

Part of that was because everywhere we went we did our best to be respectful of Islamic traditions. We refrained from public displays of a ection, wearing “indecent” clothing like shorts and tank tops, and swearing or using Allah’s name in vain. David learned to read the Arabic alphabet, even though he couldn’t necessarily translate what the words meant. He developed a taste for spicy chicken shawarma grilled on a vertical spit, and dates, but flat-out rejected camel milk and meat.

David also came to love, as I did, the sound of the muezzin calling Muslims to prayer time at the mosque. Most importantly, though, he learned that the United States is not the center of the universe.

Coast exploration in Cornwall COURTESY OF ANA RUESINK

Ana, Tess and Emma on the grounds of Windsor Castle

Hiking at Runnymede

The time in Bali left Prussack and his family with visceral memories: striking up conversations with Balinese locals about their lives, history and culture; “eating a new food such as martabak [pan-fried bread] washed down with pulled tea”; “mapping the topography of the school’s riverbed with students”; and “living with an international mix of brilliant, funny and passionate colleagues from five continents.”

The young Natale kids left Bologna with a better understanding of how to navigate the world. “In Italy, our kids saw that we didn’t know what was going on half the time initially, but we asked a lot of questions and did the

best we could,” recounts their mother. “It was a positive thing for our kids to see that it is OK to not know all the answers, to make mistakes and to have to figure things out.”

Ana Ruesink says their trip to England also served as a journey to the very core of their family. “We all came to understand ourselves as a strong family unit and as citizens of an enormous and diverse world full of art, culture, history and natural beauty,” she explains. “We also had challenges, but we overcame them. There’s no better way to teach your children resiliency than that.” K

TAKEAWAYS FROM FAMILIES WHO’VE LIVED OVERSEAS

FROM VICTOR PRUSSACK:

• Do your homework before you go. If possible, visit first. Even then, realize that so much will be unexpected.

Be prepared. If you have young children, allow them to bring a few special things — dress-up clothes, toys and lots of books. Depending on where you are, children’s books may not be available.

• Take a team approach. Before making the move, we agreed that it was a threeyear commitment unless two out of three of us felt it was intolerable. It seemed unwise to allow one person’s serious regrets be able to end it for all of us.

FROM ANA RUESINK:

• Keep a blog We authored a jointly written family blog throughout our time abroad (sloppyjoeswiththequeen. wordpress.com). It was a great way to keep family and friends informed of our adventures, and it forced the girls to record some of their own thoughts, feelings and experiences. Back home in Vermont, we used the selfpublishing platform Blurb to create a book based on the blog so the girls have a permanent hardcover record.

• Bring presents. Gifts from home were a great way for us to share a bit of our Vermont culture with our new friends overseas. We brought treats from Lake Champlain Chocolates and T-shirts from Champlain Elementary School. It’s true: strangers bearing gifts are always more warmly received.

• Let your children lead you Socially, our girls were magic — they made friends at school, on playgrounds and in the

neighborhood, and suddenly we had friends, too. Culturally, our girls led the way as well. Many of our excursions were guided by their interests and delights, and we all benefited. From visiting the Roald Dahl Museum to seeing Billy Elliot in London’s West End to watching the guards march at Windsor Castle to eating tea cakes at the Bodiam Castle tea shop, we found activities we all could enjoy.

FROM KATIE NATALE: Get a “letter opener” at home. Find a dependable, competent person to open your mail and address any issues. We paid a trustworthy friend for this service and the peace of mind she provided cannot be overstated.

• Lean on each other. Be prepared to be entirely dependent on your family members. We didn’t make any friends for at least three months; the lack of a safety net in the event of an emergency was a concern.

• Join an expat forum. The International Women’s Forum’s website provided helpful information (IWF branches are found in many places). I met people through that group, but taking language classes proved to be the best way for my husband and me to make friends and feel connected to the city.

FROM NANCY STEARNS BERCAW:

• Send postcards from the edge. Make sure you have a Skype account before you go. Some places, like Abu Dhabi and Singapore, have restrictions on internet access and software platforms. When all else fails, or even if it doesn’t, send oldfashioned postcards with the colorful stamps from your country.

PRUSSACKKUSEL FAMILY BALI 2008

Victor in the family’s bamboo house

PRUSSACK

Loy and Lisa

Loy in Indonesian garb

Safety First

Childcare providers reassure parents in the wake of a tragic drowning death

BY KEN PICARD

Parents naturally have to trust that their kids are being well supervised and cared for by their teachers and daycare providers. So what happened to 3-yearold Parker Berry shocked and saddened moms and dads across the state. On Thursday, February 11, according to the state police report, the Hyde Park child apparently wandered off from Elephant in the Field, his home-based daycare program in Waterbury Center. It wasn’t until family members came to pick him up that the staff noticed he was missing. The boy was eventually found floating, unconscious, in a semi-frozen brook that borders the property. He was resuscitated but died two days later.

Though this was the first time many Vermonters had ever heard of Elephant in the Field, it was familiar to me. I visited and profiled the daycare program for the April 2014 issue of Kids VT. Children there fed livestock, gathered eggs and explored nature on the 42-acre family farm. At the time, I characterized owner Marlena Tucker-Fishman’s educational approach as representative of the “free-range” style of parenting.

The parents I interviewed for that story all told me they chose Elephant in the Field in part because of that approach. They liked that their kids spent lots of time outdoors and came home dirty at the end of the day.

As this issue of Kids VT went to press, the details surrounding Parker’s death had not been made public. The Vermont State Police, the Department for Children and Families, and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office were

all investigating the incident. In the meantime, the state has closed the program indefinitely pending those agencies’ findings. Tucker-Fishman, the program’s owner, did not respond to requests for comment.

Similarly, parents of children who attended Elephant in the Field also declined to comment publicly, out of respect for Parker’s family as well as for all the other families and teachers affected by this tragic event.

Dozens of other people, however, have weighed in with online comments. “A little too much freedom and non-supervision,” wrote one reader on kidsvt. com. “There are days that a child should be kept inside,” wrote another.

Though this tragedy occurred outdoors, wilderness- and nature-based programs aren’t inherently less safe than other childcare options. In fact, all the child-development experts interviewed for this story agree that, with proper supervision, such programs go a long way toward improving children’s comfort with, understanding of and selfconfidence in the outdoors. Still, some nature-based childcare providers didn’t wait for parents to raise concerns — they’re talking about the accident, and their own safety protocols, proactively.

When the news broke, Allison Coeyman — sister of Kids VT contributing editor Meredith Coeyman — said that she and

other educators at Saxon Hill School in Jericho felt obliged to acknowledge the tragedy to their students’ parents, and to thank them for trusting the teachers with their kids’ well-being.

Coeyman is a lead teacher at the parent cooperative preschool in Jericho. Several days a week, she cares for 17 3- and 4-year-olds who are supervised by her, an assistant teacher and a parent helper. As the Saxon Hill School backs up on Mills Riverside Park in Jericho, which has a river, a pond and woods to explore, she and the kids use it “just about daily.”

“Even though I don’t know that center or those families,” she said, referring to the EITF daycare program, “it still feels like part of our community.”

While saying that she didn’t want to sound judgmental in any way, Coeyman suggested that some people may misinterpret the term “free range” as meaning that kids are given no boundaries or supervision whatsoever.

The day after Parker Berry’s accident, a GoFundMe campaign was created in his name. It has already raised more than $22,000 for his family. Some of the EITF parents have also discussed setting up a book donation program in Parker’s name at the libraries in Hyde Park and Waterbury Center. Kids VT will update readers as more details become available.

“Our kids [at Saxon Hill] do feel free to explore and climb and jump and do things they want to do, but they’re not left out on their own,” she emphasized. “We’re always there to guide their decisions.”

When her students walk along the river, she said, they’ll often stop, look and listen to it, then talk as a group: How fast is the water moving? Is it iced over? Does it

COURTESY OF REAVA BURNOR

FILE: JEB WALLACE-BRODEUR

look safe enough to cross, or even approach? And how close is too close?

Do parents choose Saxon Hill for its emphasis on outdoor learning? Coeyman, whose daughters are now 14 and 10, said that’s one reason she sent her girls there.

“Kids need those sensory experiences. They need that connection to nature to care about nature and care about the environment,” she added. “If anything, it’s more important for kids to have those experiences early on so they can be safe when they have to make their own choices.”

The North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier offers similar experiences. The center runs a forest preschool, nature camps and playgroups, and other wilderness-based educational programs for all ages on its 28-acre reserve on the North Branch of the Winooski River.

“Our staff continuously reviews and works to improve our own safety procedures and practices, and, of course, Parker’s tragic death has us scrutinizing them thoroughly,” said executive director Chip Darmstadt.

He explained that the center has been communicating with forest preschool families about safety protocols already in place, including head counts, conducted every three to four minutes from the time of drop-off to pick-up, and “safety sandwiches.”

“Whenever we move from point A to B, adults bookend the children,” he said. “We have an enormous responsibility, one we can never take lightly.”

Joanne Pillsbury is director of Heartworks Williston, one of four preschool programs that Heartworks operates in Vermont. Pillsbury said that Berry’s death also hit home for her and members of her staff.

“We’re all in this because we love children,” she explained. “A lot of us are moms, and we know what it’s like when we drop off our children. It’s like handing your heart over to somebody.”

Although the on-premises playground of Heartworks Williston is fenced in, Pillsbury said that her classes routinely take walks off their property to what they call the “magic forest.” And, as their program is also affiliated with the Renaissance Elementary School at Shelburne Farms, her students often take field trips there to explore the lake, streams and hiking trails.

On the Monday after the news broke of Parker’s death, Pillsbury sent an email home to the parents of the 112 kids enrolled at the Williston school. It reiterated the many safety policies and protocols they follow, including procedures for counting heads and signing children in and out whenever they enter or leave the building.

“We want to allow our children to explore the world and experience nature and discover things,” she added. “We don’t want to hover or have kids feel like they’re constantly being watched — even when they are.”

Like everyone else interviewed for this story, Pillsbury wasn’t comfortable commenting on Parker’s death. Was she concerned that a tragedy like this one might make some parents more apprehensive about naturebased programs? She hoped not.

“I do know it makes parents hug their kids a little bit tighter,” she said. K

Keeping kids safe around water — indoors and out

Although deaths in Vermont daycare programs are exceedingly rare, water accidents involving young children are not. According to national statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 10 people die every day from unintentional drowning. Among children ages 1 to 4, drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death, second only to motor vehicle collisions.

• Experts point out that infants and young children can drown in as little as three inches of water. Children often drown in places such as bathtubs, wading pools, toilets and even mop buckets. As a consequence, several Vermont daycare providers report that they have policies of never allowing any standing containers of water to be left unattended where an infant or toddler could fall into them.

• Seventy percent of preschoolers who drown were in the care of one or both parents at the time of the accident — and 75 percent of them were gone from an adult’s line of sight for five minutes or less

• Of those who survived a water accident, one study reported, the vast majority (92 percent) were discovered within just two minutes of their submersion. Typically, such a drowning happens silently rather than with noisy splashing, flailing about or audible cries for help.

• Barriers such as fences and gates can prevent kids from slipping and falling into pools, lakes, rivers and streams. But natural bodies of water are ubiquitous in Vermont, and it’s not feasible to fence them all off. Experts suggest talking to kids’ teachers or daycare providers about their policies and procedures for when kids

are near water. If your child’s school or daycare has a brook, pond, river or lake nearby, ask the staff under what circumstances they allow children to walk or play near water, and find out how children are supervised.

• Some swim instructors and water safety programs offer classes for children as young as 2 years old to teach them how to be water wise. Parents, older children and other caregivers can also get certified in infant, child and adult CPR. For more information, contact your local YMCA or regional Red Cross chapter.

Valuable! Affordable! Inclusive!

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A lot of us are moms, and we know what it’s like when we drop off our children.

It’s like handing your heart over to somebody.

JOANNE PILLSBURY, DIRECTOR, HEARTWORKS SCHOOL IN WILLISTON

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JUNE 20-AUG 19 • 8AM-3PM

Ages 3-7

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2 Day, 3 Day & 5 Day options

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• Theme-based experiments, stories, crafts & activities

• Nutritious lunch and snacks provided

Instructional Gymnastics Camp

JUNE 20-AUG 19

(Ages 6-14)

Come experience all that Regal has to offer! Our full-day camp includes morning meeting, group warm-ups, daily instructed gymnastics, open gym, daily challenges, cooperative games, outdoor activities including water slides and arts & crafts. Children will showcase their skills in an end of week gymnastics exhibition!

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Feeding Body & Mind

A Richmond program provides kids with a traditional camp experience — and more.

BY KATIE TITTERTON

Visit Camels Hump Middle School in Richmond over the summer, and you’ll see kids painting murals, tending vegetables in a raised bed, memorizing camp songs and learning to play instruments. They’ll be riding school buses, too — to the local pool.

Sounds like a traditional day camp, but this one-month program is far from typical. The campers — from Richmond, Huntington, Bolton, Jericho and Underhill — are all kids who might not get nutritious food and enrichment over the summer, which puts them at risk of falling behind their peers. The session is designed to feed their bodies and their minds, and it’s totally free for their families.

It’s called Our Community Cares Camp. “I hope that a lot of people in town are thinking, We’re taking care of our kids because our community cares,” says executive director Marie Thomas.

“We address three things: food security, the achievement gap and the opportunity gap,” she says. These issues are closely linked to learning during summer months: According to the National Summer Learning Association, kids in low-income households lose more than two months of reading achievement

as compared to their middle-class peers, who make slight gains. The association also states that children — especially those already at high risk of obesity — gain weight faster when school is out.

Thomas looks at issues such as the state’s opiate crisis and sees OCCC as a preventative step. “I see us as promoting a healthy society and community and helping these kids come up with tools for making better choices,” she says.

The campers like it for simpler reasons. “We get to go outside a lot,” says 12-yearold Richmond resident Alex Hansen, who likes to play basketball, Ping-Pong and field hockey at OCCC. He’s been a camper there for the past two years. “And I like that you don’t just have to be home all day and bored out of your mind,” Alex says.

Thomas is flexible about OCCC’s eligibility requirements. “We don’t have income guidelines, per se. We say: kids who would benefit from a summer camp. Family situations change all the time,” she explains, citing a family whose kids started going to the camp after their family business went under.

The Mount Mansfield Modified

2016 CAMP GUIDE

Get out your summer calendar! If you haven’t already signed your kids up for camp, it’s time to start thinking about it. Check out all the programs advertising in this year’s Kids VT camp guide, and find more information about Vermont camps at kidsvt.com

Campers pose on a play structure

I like that you don’t just have to be home all day and bored out of your mind.

ALEX HANSEN, OCCC CAMPER

Talent Development Institute

2016 CAMP GUIDE

Feeding Body &Mind

Union School District/Chittenden

East Supervisory Union refers some students to OCCC; others are accepted at the discretion of Thomas and her team. She was key in opening the program up to the community.

The camp began in the 1990s as a volunteer-sta ed summer nutrition program run by Richmond’s Congregational Church at a local low-income housing development. Thomas got involved when an organization she volunteers with o ered to help pack lunches. At one meeting, Thomas voiced a concern that serving only kids in the housing development was profiling — that there were kids throughout the district who were food insecure.

Soon after, the church’s nutrition program struck a deal with the school district, which was already busing kids to summer school at Camels Hump Middle School. OCCC would use district buses to transport kids from throughout the district to their program, and summer-school kids would receive healthy meals through OCCC.

With this arrangement, OCCC started taking shape as a summer camp. Thomas and Linda Parent, Richmond’s town clerk, incorporated the camp as a nonprofit in 2009. And in the seven seasons since, camper registration has nearly doubled, and they’ve formed a leadership program for campers 12 and older and a junior counselor program for kids 14 and up. Between camp and summer school,

OCCC feeds about 250 kids every summer.

The camp’s first program director was Liz Russell, a preschool teacher whom Thomas credits with developing its empathetic culture. Russell, who left after the 2014 season, says that designing a camp to serve local kids went beyond just feeding them. It was about “being part of a community and, with that, security and belonging and a liation,” she explains. “When you’re in camp and you know the vernacular, you’re really part of something. So I wanted to provide that kind of a liation to kids who were right here in the community.”

One way that campers bond is by playing ukuleles. Huntington musician Buddy Dubay runs an annual workshop that gets kids strumming the four-stringed Hawaiian instruments, and there’s even a chance to win one. Those who want to keep playing earn a ra e ticket for every song they learn. The camp ra es o two ukuleles each year, Thomas says, and has a dozen more on hand for kids to play while at camp.

Alex Hansen won a ukulele, tuner and music book during his first summer at OCCC. “I was on a field trip when it happened, and I came back and was surprised, because it’s really hard to win those,” he remembers. He still plays it, he says.

That the camp takes place at Camels Hump Middle School

A construction challenge

provides a unique benefit: Incoming students can get acclimated to their new school in advance. “For the emotional muscle memory, for kids to have had a really positive experience in that building where they’re going to middle school, I think there’s value in that,” Russell says.

Jenn Hansen, Alex’s mom, remembers how he was anxious the summer before starting middle school. At camp he became good friends with a boy from Huntington, and they ended up in the same class together. “He found out that these new kids coming from these other schools weren’t horrible,” she says. “It relieved a lot of anxiety for him.”

Four years ago, OCCC launched the Leadership Adventure Camp for

seventh and eighth graders — kids too young to be junior counselors and too old to play at the Lego table.

“They need to be separate, and they need to be acknowledged as rising stars,” Thomas says. LAC allows older campers more independence and responsibility; last year, for example, they went into the fields with the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps to help harvest vegetables for that organization’s own food-security programs.

“Camp gives kids the opportunity to find success, whatever that may be,” says Elizabeth Morris, a college senior from Richmond who started at OCCC as an intern in 2010. “They find

Local farmer Tucker Andrews teaching kids about the garden

Gardening

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S.O.L.E. CAMP

Sustainable Outdoor Leadership Education

S.O.L.E. Camp is a nature based, outdoor adventure day camp that strives to empower youth to be comfortable exploring nature and to develop a sense of place by encouraging curiosity, observation and respect. Activities include wildlife tracking & identification, habitat explorations, hiking, gardening, fishing, science experiments, outdoor survival, and much, much more!

WONDERS OF WATER 1. June 27–July 15. July 25 – 29

OUTDOOR ADVENTURERS 2. July 5–8. August 1–5; no camp Monday July 4, prorated $170/week

WILD ABOUT WILDLIFE 3. July 11–15 7. August 8 -12

BUDDING NATURALISTS 4. July 18–22. August 15-19

Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Ages 6–12 years old Ethan Allen Homestead, Burlington $200/week per camper (Full/Partial scholarships available) Contact info@wvpd.org or (802) 863-5744 for more information.www.wvpd.org

Classes & Camps

• Week-long ballet themed camps for ages 3-9; Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Toy Shop Ballet and more!

• Week-long ballet Mini-Intensive for ages 12-18, for the serious dancer looking to stay in shape for various summer-long intensives

• “A Jazz Genre a Day” Jazz Camp for ages 7-11, learn a new jazz genre each day and perform your favorite at the end of the week.

• Weekly ballet classes for young dancers - adults - beginner - advanced

WINOOSKI VALLEY PARK DISTRICT

Feeding Body & Mind

happiness through discovering music, art, cooking.” Morris continued her involvement with the camp well past her counselor days, helping Thomas with fundraising and communication in the o -season. She’s majoring in economics and journalism at Ithaca College and is interested in addressing poverty issues through public policy.

“Camp has steered my interests into everything I want to do,” she says, recounting one experience as a teenage counselor. A camper was eating ravenously after being absent for a few days. She told Morris that she had been watching her baby sibling while her mother recovered from a sickness, and that all the food in the house went to her father so he could stay healthy enough to work. The camper’s matter-of-fact description of the situation opened Morris’ eyes. “There are a lot of moments like that with kids,” she says.

Morris thinks the camp’s aspirational structure is critical to its success. Kids are encouraged to look toward the future, to being junior counselors, then maybe counselors one day. And because they see other campers moving up through the ranks, it’s an attainable goal with a clear path.

Seeing the same sta year after year also allows campers to build enduring relationships with young

adults, says Morris. “It creates this really nurturing environment that is really stable and consistent,” she says, pointing to OCCC’s statistics. More than half of the sta members have been involved with the camp for three or more years, and, in 2015, 70 percent of paid sta had gone through the camp’s junior counselor program.

Kaitlin Scherber was a camper for four years and a junior counselor for two. She hopes to be hired as a counselor this year. “I think it’s helped me grow up,” she says, explaining how she helps her parents at home, stays on top of schoolwork and is aware when a peer needs help.

Kaitlin’s mom, Lori Aldrich, corroborates her daughter’s experience. “She was happy, she was growing, she was maturing. She wasn’t afraid to take risks,” Aldrich says, and she credits OCCC’s welcoming culture with inspiring personal growth: Campers know their families can’t a ord much, and it’s not an issue. “It’s a non-judgment zone,” Aldrich says. “I think when you’re pretty much all in the same predicament, no one cares that you’re not wearing the latest fashion, you’re not in a big house. There’s no stigma.”

To learn more about Our Community Cares Camp, visit ourcommunitycarescamp.org.

Buddy Dubay teaching ukuelele

Summer Camp Adventures

Green Mountain Conservation Camp

This Summer Let Nature Nurture...

One to Watch

Canoeing, fishing, archery, campfires and s’mores. What a great way to spend a week this summer. Discover Vermont’s wildlife and master outdoor skills. Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department offers one-week sessions for girls and boys, ages 12 to 14. Sessions run from June through August at two beautiful lake-side locations.

MARCH

CALENDAR

STANCIU

The streets of Burlington get a jolt of color during the MAGIC HAT MARDI GRAS PARADE. Festive floats, masquerade costumes and pulsing music get the Queen City dancing. The Afro-Brazilian samba street band Sambatucada! steams up the streets, while Bindlestiff Family Cirkus entertains with vaudeville-inspired antics. Families with kiddos under 10 can catch the festivities — and colorful beads, moon pies and sweet treats from Lake Champlain Chocolates — at the Little Jambalaya Viewing Zone, located on the north side of Main Street, between South Champlain and Battery.

MAGIC HAT MARDI GRAS PARADE: Saturday, March 5, 3 p.m., in downtown Burlington. Parade begins at South Winooski and Main. All ages. Free. Info, 865-5202. magichat.net/mardigras

Catch as Catch Can

Highlights

SATURDAY, MARCH 5

EARTHWALK VERMONT WINTER COMMUNITY DAY

Snow village building, nature games, crafts, skill sharing, earth-oven bread, fireside stories and songs warm up a wintry day. EarthWalk Vermont in Plainfield, 2-5 p.m. $3 suggested donation; $10 per family. Info, 454-8500.

SATURDAY, MARCH 12

MODEL RAILROAD SHOW

Little ones go loco for locomotives as they watch operating models chug on by, with more than 100 tables of exhibits and child-friendly handson activities. Collins-Perley Sports Complex in St. Albans, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $1-3. Info, 878-1135.

SATURDAY, MARCH 19

JUNIOR IRON CHEF VERMONT

Middle and high school students duke it out for cafeteria supremacy in a statewide culinary competition celebrating Vermont’s farm-to-table roots. Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $3 per spectator; $5 per family (up to 4 people). Info, 434-4122.

SATURDAY, MARCH 26

BABY ANIMAL DAY

Visitors “ooh” and “ah” over cute and cuddly calves, lambs, chicks, ducklings and goslings. Horse-drawn wagon rides, tours of the heirloom garden and children’s activities round out the day. Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Regular museum admission, $4-14; free for children under 3. Info, 457-2355.

SPOTLIGHTS & LISTINGS BY BRETT

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1 TUESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Preschool Art: Miniature Michelangelos dig into clay, paint, collage and printmaking. Shelburne Craft School, 10-11 a.m. $10 per child. Info, 985-3648.

Baby & Maternity

Breastfeeding Support Clinic: A certified lactation counselor answers nursing questions in a supportive setting. Prenatal Method Studio, Burlington, 9 a.m. $15. Info, 829-0211.

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: Moms tote their pre-crawling kids to an all-levels flowing yoga class focused on bringing the body back to strength and alignment in a fun and nurturing environment. Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, Burlington, 10:4511:55 a.m. $15; $130 for a 10-class pass. Info, 864-9642.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: Mothers-tobe build strength, stamina, comfort and a stronger connection to their baby. Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, Burlington, 4:15-5:30 p.m. $15 or $130 for 10-class pass. Info, 864-9642.

Montpelier Postnatal Yoga: Brand-new mamas and their littles relax, stretch and bond. For moms with infants and early crawlers. Emerge with Amy Lepage-Hansen, Montpelier, 10:45 a.m.-noon. $15. Info, 223-5302.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: Women prepare for birth through yoga, with a focus on strengthening the body and mind. See prenatalmethod.com for class descriptions. Prenatal Method Studio, Burlington, 4:305:30 & 6-7 p.m. $15. Info, 829-0211.

Games

Fairfax Game Night: Moms, dads and kids bring their own boards — or borrow from the library’s stash — for tabletop fun. Ages 5 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 849-2420.

Magic: The Gathering Drop-In Gaming Tuesdays: New and experienced players team up for card playing. All ages. Haston Library, Franklin, 4-7 p.m. Free. Info, 285-6505.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: Energy-filled kids flip, jump and tumble in a state-of-the-art facility. Ages 6 and under. Regal Gymnastics Academy, Essex, 11 a.m.-noon. $8 per hour. Info, 655-3300.

Library & Books

Build, Build, Build!: Creative kids collaborate with K’Nex, Legos, cardboard tubes and boxes. Ages 5 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Hinesburg Crafternoons: Maker-minded kiddos mix it up with marble runs. Ages 7 and up. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 482-2878.

Legos at the Library: Young builders spread out blocks and get building. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Norwich Public Library, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1184.

Read to a Dog: Pet-lovers peruse books with registered therapy pooches. All ages. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston,

3:30-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-4918.

Read to Daisy the Therapy Dog: Book buffs bring a selection from home or borrow from the library to amuse an attentive canine. All ages. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:15-4 p.m. Free; preregistration appreciated. Info, 878-6956.

Movies

Youth Media Lab: Aspiring Spielbergs film, edit and produce videos while exploring the depths of digital media. Grades 4 and up. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Classes

Music

Preschool Music: Small ones dance and sing to a lively beat. Ages 3-5. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Theater

‘Let’s Dance!’: The audience joins Sesame Street friends Elmo and Ernie onstage for an all-ages dance party. Flynn MainStage, Burlington, 3:30 & 7 p.m. $21.20-61.63. Info, 863-5966.

List your class or camp here for only $20 per month! Submit the listing by March 15 at kidsvt.com or to classes@kidsvt.com.

Burlington City Arts Pottery SchoolBreak Camp: Friday, March 25, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Ages 6-12. Spend the day exploring clay in all its elements. Campers will use their creative ideas to turn clay into beautiful works of art through hand building, sculpture and a heavy dose of wheel throwing. Campers will use a range of decorating techniques to make their pieces unique and one-of-a-kind. All materials provided. Registration required. Please bring a bag lunch. Snacks provided. Cost: $85/$76.50 for Burlington City Arts members. Location: BCA Clay Studio, 250 Main St., Burlington. Info: burlingtoncityarts. org/youth-classes, 865-7166

EvoBaby & EvoKids Yoga at Evolution

Prenatal & Family Yoga Center: Registration is now open for our spring sessions of EvoBaby & EvoKids Yoga classes! Join us to bond with your baby or give your child tools to help self-regulate and find more joy. Classes 7 days a week for ages 6 weeks to teen. Spring classes begin April

2. See detailed schedule on website for age groupings, descriptions and pricing.

Location:  Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, 20 Kilburn St., Burlington.  Info: evolutionprenatalandfamily.com, 899-0339

Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga Classes at Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center: Have a more comfortable pregnancy and prepare for birth with stretching, strengthening and relaxation in prenatal yoga — and then bring your body back to balance and strength in postnatal yoga. Join our community of mothers at any point in your pregnancy, and 6 weeks or later in your postpartum time (until baby is crawling). No yoga experience necessary.  Prenatal Yoga:  Sundays 10 a.m., Mondays 5:45 p.m., Tuesdays 4:15 p.m., Wednesdays 5:45 p.m., Thursdays 12:15 p.m., Fridays 8:15 a.m. Postnatal Yoga: Sundays 12:15 p.m., Tuesdays 10:45 a.m., Thursdays 10:45 a.m., Fridays noon (postnatal core).  Drop-ins welcome, $15/class or $130/10 class pass.  Location:  Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, 20 Kilburn St., Burlington.  Info:evolutionprenatalandfamily.com, 899-0339

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for children promotes self-esteem, self-defense and bully-proofing, self-confidence,

character development, a physical outlet with discipline, cooperation with other children, respect for peers and adults, perseverance, and a healthy lifestyle.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will help your kids to learn realistic bully-proofing and selfdefense skills that they can use for the rest of their lives. Regular BJJ training builds endurance, resilience, patience, discipline, self-respect and helps to instill courage and self-confidence. First class is free! Location: 55 Leroy Rd., Williston. Please stop by our school, call 660-4072 or email julio@bjjusa.com to register your son or daughter and receive a free uniform with their first month enrollment. vermontbjj. com

FlynnArts Summer Camp Registration

Now Open: Summer camp registration is open and filling quickly! FlynnArts offers over 30 summer camps for ages 3-19, taught by professional educators & performing artists at the Flynn Center and other locations. Visit flynnarts.org or email flynnarts@flynncenter.org for more information.

Burlington Kids & Parents Taiko Drumming: Japanese Drumming with Stuart Paton of Burlington Taiko!  Mondays & Wednesdays, 4:30-5:20 p.m.  Session starting March 7: $60/child or $112/ parent-child for 3 weeks. Session starting March 28: $40/child or $76/parent-child for 2 weeks (no class first week of April). Session starting April 25: $60/child or $112/parent-child for 3 weeks. Location: 208 Flynn Ave., Suite 3-G (12 steps from Chef’s Corner in Burlington’s South End). A five-person minimum is required to run most classes, so invite friends!   Please register online or just come to the first class!  Information: 999-4255. burlingtontaiko.org

Montpelier Kids & Parents Taiko Drumming: Japanese drumming with Stuart Paton of Burlington Taiko! Thursdays, 4:30-5:20 p.m. Sessions start March 10 and April 28. $48 or $91/parent-child for 4 weeks. Location: Capital City Grange, 6612 Vermont Route 12, Berlin.  A six-person minimum is required to run most classes, so invite friends!  Please register online or just come to the first class.  Information: 999-4255, burlingtontaiko.org

2 WEDNESDAY

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 5:45-7:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: New moms work on toning and relaxation. Prenatal Method Studio, Burlington, 10:30-11:30 a.m. $15. Info, 829-0211.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: Expectant mothers get a ballet-inspired workout. Prenatal Method Studio, Burlington, 5:306:30 p.m. $15. Info, 829-0211.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Education

One-on-One Tutoring: Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences students coach elementary-age kids in reading, math and science. Ages 6-12. Some assistance available for other grades in certain subjects with inquiry. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 4-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 264-5660.

Food

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: Fifty vendors peddle produce, artisan cheese, homemade bread and other local products. All ages. Vermont Farmers Food Center, Rutland, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 342-4727.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See March 1.

Library & Books

Creative Writing Club: Young literati let their imaginations loose through prompts, games and other activities. Ages 9 and up. Essex Free Library, Essex Junction, 3:304:30 p.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Discussion: Avid readers ages 8-11 engage in spirited conversations around the award-winning The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Dorothy Canfield Fisher Group for Homeschooled Students: Books nominated for this esteemed award generate group discussion. Grades 4-8. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Green Mountain Book Award Activity for Homeschooled Students: High-school homeschoolers meet monthly and make video book talks of their favorite literary finds. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Read to a Dog: New readers select stories to share with a furry friend. Ages 5-10. Fairfax Community Library, 3:15-4:15 p.m. Free; preregister for 15-minute time slot. Info, 849-2420.

Red Clover Group for Homeschooled Students: Budding book lovers enjoy bibliophile activities. Grades K-3. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Sticky Fingers

The maple season returns this month at MORSE FARM MAPLE SUGARWORKS SUGAR ON SNOW. With sugaring roots that stretch back eight generations, the Morse family serves up the traditional “liquid gold” drizzled over fresh powder, accompanied by doughnuts and sour dill pickles to cut the sweetness. In the primitive Woodshed Theatre, visitors sit on maple-stump seats to watch a humorous and educational video showing the sap-tosyrup process. Don’t miss the detailed antique replica of the Vermont Statehouse near the gift shop and Burr Morse’s large wood carvings of people and animals in the sugarhouse and surrounding woods. Just don’t call them works of art. “I’m no artist,” the legendary patriarch says on the farm’s website. “I’m just darned good with a chainsaw!”

MORSE FARM MAPLE SUGARWORKS SUGAR ON SNOW: Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, March 4-27, noon-4 p.m., at Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks in Montpelier. All ages. $2.50-5. Info, 223-2740. morsefarm.com

Movies

After-School Movies for Kids: Film bu s settle down for an afternoon viewing. Children under 9 must be accompanied by an adult caregiver. Norman Williams Public Library, Woodstock, 3 p.m. Free. Info, 457-2295.

Nature & Science

Science & Stories: Champ!: Little lovers of Lake Champlain’s mystery monster swap stories. Ages 2-5. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30 a.m. Free with museum admission $10.50-13.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

3 THURSDAY

Arts & Crafts

Preschool Art Drop-In: Petite Picassos craft cool projects in a variety of mediums. Ages 6 months to 5 years with accompanying adult. BCA Center, Burlington, 9:30-11:30 a.m. $5-6. Info, 865-7166.

Webby’s Art Studio: The museum’s temporary and permanent exhibits inspire specialized art activities for all ages. Shelburne Museum, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Regular admission, $5-10; free for children under 5. Info, 985-3346.

Baby & Maternity

Essex La Leche League: Moms tote their little ones to a discussion of parenting and breastfeeding. First Congregational Church

of Essex Junction, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 383-8544.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Food

Kids in the Kitchen: Soft Pretzel Dippers with Cheese Sauce: Chefs-in-training roll out their own made-from-scratch, easypeasy shapes, topped o with a gooey dipping sauce. Healthy Living Market & Café, South Burlington, 4-5 p.m. $20. Info, 863-2569.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See March 1.

Library & Books

Colchester Lego Club: Mini-makers participate in surprise challenges with colorful interlocking blocks. Ages 6-10. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 4 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Fairfax PJ Story Time: Children chill in their jammies while crafting and listening to stories. Ages 6 and under. Fairfax Community Library, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 849-2420. Food for Thought Teen Group: Young adults polish o pizza as they discuss library projects. Grades 7-12. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Lego Thursdays: Kids bring their creativity to the library’s supplies. All ages. Haston

Library, Franklin, 2-5 p.m. Free. Info, 285-6505.

Read to Archie the Therapy Dog: An attentive canine listens to little people read. All ages. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:15-4 p.m. Free; preregistration appreciated. Info, 878-6956.

Music

Music for Preschoolers: Lively tunes with local musicians strike the right note among the wee crowd. Ages 5 and under with a caregiver. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m. Free; limited to one session per week per family. Info, 878-4918.

4 FRIDAY

Arts & Crafts

Family Wheel Drop-In: Families form clay sculptures with assistance from sta . All ages. BCA Print & Clay Studio, Burlington, 5:30-7:30 p.m. $7-8 per participant; $5 additional for each piece fired and glazed. Info, 860-7474.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 8:15-9:15 a.m.

Mother’s Gathering: Moms and new babies spread out, sip tea, nurse and swap stories. Children under 2 welcome. Yoga Mountain Center, Montpelier, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-5302.

Education

Early Bird Math: Young children and their caregivers put two and two together using interactive books, songs and games to explore arithmetic concepts. Richmond Free Library, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.

Food

Sugar On Snow: The sweet season is celebrated with sticky stu , doughnuts and dill pickles in a steaming sugarhouse. All ages. (See spotlight.) Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks, Montpelier, noon-4 p.m. $2.50-5. Info, 223-2740.

Games

Magic: The Gathering: Planeswalkers seek knowledge and glory in this trading-card game. New players welcome. Grades 6 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See March 1.

Library & Books

Family Story Time: Experienced librarian and storyteller Molly Pease leads little ones in songs, stories, crafts and more. Bridgeside Books, Waterbury, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-1441.

Songs & Stories With Matthew: Musician Matthew Witten kicks o the morning with tunes and tales of adventure. All ages. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

2 WEDNESDAY (CONTINUED)

Teen Advisory Board: Young adults jam with poetry, get going with suggestions for the summer reading program and enjoy games. Grades 9 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Music

See Dr. First videos “First With Kids” at uvmhealth.org.

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: Toe-tapping tunes captivate kiddies. Radio Bean, Burlington, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 660-9346.

Parenting

Life of the Child: How Boys Become Men: Author and psychologist Ted Braude opens a weekend conference with this talk about supporting a boy’s path to adulthood with strength, joy and confidence. Lake Champlain Waldorf High School, Shelburne, 7-9 p.m. $20. Info, 495-0834.

5 SATURDAY

Arts & Crafts

Craft School Saturday Drop-In: Artsy types create seasonal masterpieces in this ever-changing weekly series. Projects available for pickup at a later date. Ages 5-15 with an adult. Shelburne Craft School, 10-11 a.m. $10 per child. Info, 985-3648.

Family Clay: Kids and their parents make memories firing and glazing special pieces. All ages. Purple Crayon/ArtisTree, South Pomfret, 10 a.m.-noon, $20 per parent-child pair; $5 per additional family member; preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Kids Building Workshop: Handy helpers learn do-it-yourself skills and tool safety as they construct seasonal projects. Ages 5-12. Home Depot, Williston, 9 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister at workshops.homedepot.com. Info, 872-0039.

Origami Workshop: Paper folders let their imaginations run wild. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Jeudevine Memorial Library, Hardwick, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 472-5948.

Webby’s Art Studio: See March 3.

Baby & Maternity

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Community

EarthWalk Vermont Winter Community Day: Snow-village building, nature games, skill sharing, earth-oven bread, fireside stories and songs warm up a wintry day for all. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Bring a washed and chopped ingredient for

Saysawyou it in

stone soup. EarthWalk Vermont, Plainfield, 2-5 p.m. $3 suggested donation; $10 per family. Info, 454-8500.

Highgate’s Duct Tape Derby: The town gets silly with homemade sleds fabricated from cardboard, duct tape, paint and zip ties, competing in assorted categories. Helmets required. Carter Hill, Highgate. Registration, 10:20 a.m.; derby, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

Open House & Kitten Shower: Feline fanciers gather for refreshments, activities and furry fun. Donations of canned kitten food and other pet supplies appreciated. Central Vermont Humane Society, East Montpelier, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free; donations suggested. Info, 476-3811.

Vermont Family StackFest: Competitors of all ages and abilities engage in this timed Junior Olympic Sport of stacking specialized plastic cups in specific sequences. See website for categories and to register. Camels Hump Middle School, Richmond, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. $20-30 per individual; $30-40 per family; proceeds benefit area elementary schools’ fitness activities. Info, 434-2461.

Dance

Vermont Ballet Theater Summer Intensive Auditions: Young ballerinas do their best in tryouts for summer programs. Visit vbts.org to sign up for a time slot. Vermont Ballet Theater & School, Essex, 1-4:15 p.m. $10-14; preregister. Info, 878-2941.

Education

One-on-One Tutoring: See March 2, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Safe Girls, Smart Girls: Girls ages 9-12 learn safety tips for di erent situations. Milton Municipal Complex, noon-3 p.m. $15. Info, 893-4922.

Fairs & Festivals

Magic Hat Mardi Gras Parade: Bead catchers boogie to music from festive floats and clap for the Bindlesti Family Cirkus. Families with children under 10 can watch the parade roll by from the Little Jambalaya Viewing Zone located on the north side of Main Street, between South Champlain and Battery. (See spotlight on page 36.) Downtown Burlington, 3 p.m. Free. Info, 658-2739.

Food

Burlington Winter Farmers Market: Local farmers, artisans and producers o er fresh and prepared foods, crafts, and more in a bustling indoor marketplace with live music and lunch seating. All ages. Memorial Auditorium, Burlington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 310-5172.

Caledonia Winter Farmers Market: Freshly baked goods, veggies, handmade crafts, meat and maple syrup figure prominently in displays of Vermont wares. All ages. Welcome Center, St. Johnsbury, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 592-3088.

Capital City Winter Farmers Market: Root veggies, honey, maple syrup and crafts change hands at an o -season celebration of locavorism. All ages. Montpelier High School, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 223-2958.

amounts for college are three times more likely to attend and complete college. And Vermont’s state-sponsored 529 college savings program, the Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan (VHEIP), is the only college savings plan that qualifies families for a Vermont state income tax credit on contributions.

families

MARCH CALENDAR

Story Times

MONDAY

Barre Children’s Story Hour: Aldrich Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 476-7550.

Bristol Story Time: Lawrence Memorial Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 453-2366.

Colchester Preschool Story Time: Burnham Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 264-5660.

Essex Preschool Story Time: Essex Free Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

Hyde Park Story Time: Lanpher Memorial Library, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 888-4628.

Milton Infant Story Time: Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Northfield Children’s Story Time: Brown Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 485-4621.

Richmond Pajama Story Time: Richmond Free Library, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.

Richmond Story Time: Richmond Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.

Shelburne Story Time: Pierson Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 985-5124.

St. Albans Story Hour: St. Albans Free Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Stowe Story Time for 2- to 3-Year-Olds:

Stowe Free Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

Waitsfield Story Time: Joslin Memorial Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 496-4205.

Waterbury Baby & Toddler Story Time: Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Woodstock Baby Story Time: Norman Williams Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 457-2295.

TUESDAY

Alburgh Story Hour: Alburgh Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 796-6077.

Barre Children’s Story Hour: See Monday.

Brownell Baby & Toddler Story Time: Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9:10-9:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

Brownell Story Time for 3- to 5-Year-Olds: Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6955.

Colchester Toddler Story Time: Burnham Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 264-5660.

Craftsbury Story Time: Craftsbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 586-9683.

East Barre Story Time: East Barre Branch Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 476-5118.

Fairfax Preschool Story Time: Fairfax Community Library, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 849-2420.

Hinesburg Youngsters Story Time: Carpenter-Carse Library, 9:30-10 a.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

Milton Preschool Story Time: Milton Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Montpelier Story Time: Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

South Burlington Tiny Tot Time: South Burlington Community Library, 9:15 & 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Early-literacy skills get special attention during these read-aloud sessions. Some locations provide additional activities such as music, crafts or foreign-language instruction. Most story times follow the school schedule. Contact the story-time organizer for details.

Hinesburg Youngsters Story Time: See Tuesday.

Northfield Children’s Story Time: See Monday.

Rutland Story Time: Rutland Free Library, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 773-1860.

Shelburne Musical Story Time: Pierson Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 985-5124.

St. Albans Story Hour: See Monday.

Vergennes Story Time: Bixby Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 877-2211.

Waterbury Preschool Story Time: Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Westford Story Time: Westford Public Library, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-5639.

FRIDAY

Williston Story Time: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Winooski Pajama Time: Winooski Memorial Library, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 655-6424.

Woodstock Preschool Story Time: Norman Williams Public Library, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 457-2295.

WEDNESDAY

Barnes & Noble Story Time: Barnes & Noble, South Burlington, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 864-8001.

Brownell Story Time for 3- to 5-Year-Olds: See Tuesday. 10-10:45 a.m.

Highgate Story Time: Highgate Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

Hyde Park Story Time: See Monday. 10 a.m.

Johnson Story Time: Johnson Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 635-7141.

Marshfield Story & Activity Time: Jaquith Public Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

Norwich Story Time: Norwich Public Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 649-1184.

Quechee Story Time: Quechee Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 295-1232.

Randolph Morning Story Time: Kimball Public Library, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 728-5073.

Richmond Toddler Story Time: Richmond Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.

South Burlington Baby Book Time: South Burlington Community Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Stowe Story Hour: Stowe Free Library, 10:1511:15 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

Swanton Storytime: Swanton Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 868-7656.

Warren Preschool Story & Enrichment

Hour: Warren Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 595-2582.

THURSDAY

Bristol Story Time: See Monday.

Colchester Preschool Story Time: See Monday.

Franklin Story Time: Haston Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 285-6505.

Brandon Preschool Story Time: Brandon Free Public Library, first Friday of every month, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 247-8230.

Craftsbury Story Time: See Tuesday.

Enosburg Story Hour: Enosburg Public Library, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 933-2328.

Essex Musical Story Time: Essex Free Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

Georgia Preschool Story Time: Georgia Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 524-4643.

Huntington Story Time: Huntington Public Library, 10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 434-4583.

Lincoln Toddler/Preschool Story Time: Lincoln Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 453-2665.

Milton Rhythm & Movement Toddler Story Time: Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Montpelier Story Time: See Tuesday.

South Burlington Pajamarama: Barnes & Noble, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 864-8001.

St. Johnsbury Story Time: St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 748-8291.

Stowe Baby & Toddler Story Time: Stowe Free Library, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

SATURDAY

Barnes & Noble Saturday Morning Story Time: Barnes & Noble, South Burlington, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 864-8001.

Barre Story Time: Next Chapter Bookstore, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 476-3114.

Burlington Story Time at Phoenix Books: Phoenix Books, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 448-3350.

Colchester Saturday Drop-In Story Time: Burnham Memorial Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Enosburg Story Hour: Enosburg Public Library, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 933-2328.

Franklin Walk-in Story Hour: Haston Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 285-6505.

Hardwick Preschool Story Hour: Jeudevine Memorial Library, first Saturday of every month, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 472-5849.

Milton Drop-In Saturday Storytime: Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Swanton Storytime: See Wednesday. 10:30 a.m.

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: Crafts, cheeses, breads, veggies and more vie for spots in shoppers’ totes. All ages. Mary Hogan Elementary School, Middlebury, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 537-4754.

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sugar On Snow: See March 4.

Open Sugarhouse Weekends: Families sample the state’s “liquid gold” on snow and enjoy boiling demonstrations, maple candy, live music, walking trails and a petting zoo. All ages. Palmer’s Sugarhouse, Shelburne, noon-4 p.m. Free. Info, 985-5054.

Health & Fitness

EvoKids Saturday Yoga: Youngsters master basic yoga poses through games, songs and dance. Mindfulness activities improve focus and concentration. Ages 3-9. Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, Burlington, 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. $15. Info, 864-9642.

Wintry Wander: Adventurous families snowshoe through the woods in search of checkpoints during this three-hour race sponsored by the Green Mountain Adventure Racing Association. All ages. Bolton Valley Resort, 10 a.m. $5 per person; free for children in backpacks and sleds; preregistration recommended. Info, 825-1101.

Library & Books

Cleo the Therapy Dog: Canine and reading enthusiasts visit with a friendly pooch from Therapy Dogs of Vermont. Ages 3 and up. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Laura Williams McCaffrey & Tod Olson: These two YA authors discuss the writing process and answer questions. Bear Pond Books, Montpelier, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 229-0774.

Trapped in the Ice: Really cool science experiments take kids on an exploration with the 2016 Vermont Reads hero Sir Ernest Shackleton. Ages 6 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 11 a.m.-noon. Free; preregistration encouraged. Info, 849-2420.

Music

BarnArts Jazz & Funk Masquerade Winter Music Carnival: Five hours of local and regional music, plus an expansive taco bar, mask making and lots of fun are served up at this annual festival. Costumes welcome. Masks encouraged. Barnard Town Hall, 6-11 p.m. $10-20; free for children 6 and under. Info, 234-1645.

Dartmouth Youth Winds: Led by student conductors, dedicated middle-school musicians from the Upper Valley perform a new repertoire. Ages 5 and up. Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 603-646-2422.

Nature & Science

Little Explorer Program: Nature-minded preschoolers discover the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge with Mr. K. Ages 3-8. Call for location and details. Highgate Public Library, Highgate Center, 9 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 868-3970.

Science Challenge: Kids of all ages tackle tough problems with a mixture of tools.

5 SATURDAY (CONTINUED)

ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, noon & 2 p.m. Free with $10.5013.50 museum admission; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

Tour the Cosmos: This 50-minute live presentation takes the audience on a journey deep into the universe. Ages 6 and up. Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, St. Johnsbury, 1:30 p.m. Regular museum admission $7-9; free for children under 5. $6 per person per planetarium show. Info, 748-2372.

6 SUNDAY

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:30 p.m.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 10-11:30 a.m.

Community

All Souls Interfaith Kids Gathering: Little ones engage in mindfulness and yoga. Grades K-4. Parents must remain on-site. All Souls Interfaith Gathering, Shelburne, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 985-3819.

Dance

Dance, Sing & Jump Around: A lively intergenerational afternoon includes traditional dances, with songs, chants and live music.

Ages 3 and up. Plainfield Town Hall Opera House, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-1509.

Food

Pancake Breakfast: Hungry eaters fill up with flapjacks topped with fresh maple syrup. Proceeds benefit the East Montpelier Elementary School’s Educating Children Outdoors program. Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks, Montpelier, 8-10 a.m. $8. Info, 223-2740.

Sugar On Snow: See March 4. Open Sugarhouse Weekends: See March 5.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: Energy-filled kids flip, jump and tumble in a state-of-the-art facility. Ages 6 and under, 1 p.m.; ages 7-12, 2:30 p.m.; ages 13 and up, 4 p.m. Regal Gymnastics Academy, Essex, 1-5:30 p.m. $8. Info, 655-3300.

Music

Sunday Concert: Singer-songwriter Amy Dixon-Kolar blends Celtic, traditional, blues and folk influences into her melodies for a pleasing acoustical afternoon. Deborah Rawson Memorial Library, Jericho, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 899-5433.

The Vermont Center on Behavior and Health is conducting a study to help mothers quit smoking.

With your participation, you could earn up to $1,310.

If you have at least one child under the age of 12, you may qualify for this study.

To see if you qualify, go online at http://j.mp/1MSDgeE to take our online survey or call (802) 656-1906 to learn more about this study.

Nature & Science

Discovery Sundays: Families have fun with hands-on science experiments and investigations, using wheels, towers, magnets, feathers, water and bubbles. All ages. Vermont Institute of Natural Science Nature Center, Quechee, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Free with $11.50-13.50 museum admission; free for children under 3. Info, 359-5001, ext. 228.

Science Challenge: See March 5. Tour the Cosmos: See March 5.

7 MONDAY

Arts & Crafts

Crafts for Kids: Clever kiddos pursue artsy projects. Ages 5-9. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 5:45-7 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Education

One-on-One Tutoring: See March 2, 6-8 p.m.

Library & Books

Babies & Toddlers Rock: Little musicians ages 2 and under sing songs and take part in early literacy activities. Rutland Free Library, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 773-1860. Brownell Preschool Story Time: Picture books, songs, rhymes, puppets, flannel stories and early math activities entertain wee ones. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Burlington Stories With Megan: Preschoolers have a ball with rhymes, songs and books. Ages 2-5. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216. Essex Lego Challenge Club: Kids put together plastic-block creations. Ages 5 and up. Essex Free Library, Essex Junction, 3:304:30 p.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

Middle School Planners & Helpers: Students play games and plot cool projects for the library over snacks. Grades 6-8. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Milton Legos at the Library: Junior builders bust out interlocking blocks. Grades K-5. Milton Public Library, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Get Egg-cited

An annual rite of spring ushers in the new season at the end of this month. The MILTON EGG HUNT rolls into Bombardier Park West with more than 2,000 candy-filled containers scattered across the grass for little ones to collect. Be sure to shake the paw of the master of ceremonies — otherwise known as “the Bunny” — before getting in on the action. Kids should bring their own baskets for stockpiling their sweets — and dress appropriately. The hunt takes place come rain or shine, snow or mud.

MILTON EGG HUNT: Saturday, March 26, 10 a.m., at Bombardier Park West in Milton. Ages 6 and under. Free. Info, 893-4922. miltonvt.org

Music

Music & Movement for Preschoolers: Educator Emily Lanxner gets the beat going with creative storytelling, movement and rhythm. Geared toward preschoolers, but all ages welcome. Jeudevine Memorial Library, Hardwick, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 472-5948.

Music for Preschoolers: See March 3, 11 a.m.

8 TUESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Creative Tuesdays: Young artists engage their imaginations with recycled materials. All ages. Kids under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7216. Preschool Art: See March 1.

Baby & Maternity

Breastfeeding Support Clinic: See March 1.

Burlington La Leche League: New moms bring their babies and questions to a breastfeeding support group. Older children welcome. Lending library available. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:15 a.m. Free. Info, 985-8228.

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See March 1.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1.

La Leche League of the Northeast Kingdom: Expectant, new and experienced moms join breastfeeding experts for advice and support. Enter through the children’s section of the library. Siblings welcome. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 720-272-8841.

Montpelier Postnatal Yoga: See March 1. Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1.

Games

Magic: The Gathering Drop-In Gaming Tuesdays: See March 1.

Library & Books

Gaming For Teens & Adults: Players of all skill levels engage in Magic: The Gathering and other amusements. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult or have parental permission to attend. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-7:45 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Legos at the Library: See March 1.

Read to a Dog: See March 1.

Read to Daisy the Therapy Dog: See March 1.

Spanish Musical Kids: Niños celebrate Latin American culture through tunes and games en español. Ages 1-5 with a caregiver. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:45 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Movies

Youth Media Lab: See March 1.

Music

Preschool Music: See March 1.

Nature & Science

Starry, Starry Night: Families look upward for a winter evening of stargazing and moon watching. Dress warmly. North Branch

Ongoing Exhibits

ECHO LEAHY CENTER FOR LAKE CHAMPLAIN, BURLINGTON

Info, 864-1848

XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness: Developed by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, this interactive exhibit asks participants to open their hearts and minds, through puzzles and art, in a giant conversation starter. Through May 15.

MONTSHIRE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, NORWICH

Info, 649-2200

Human Plus: Real Lives & Real Engineering: Cutting-edge science and engineering match forces to assist the human body through low- and high-tech tools. This hands-on experience includes a neuroprosthetic limb controlled by a person’s thoughts and a touchless computer mouse, controlled through slight movements of the head. Through May 8.

SHELBURNE MUSEUM, SHELBURNE

Info, 985-3346

32 Degrees: The Art of Winter: Snowy season-inspired artwork graces the museum’s gallery spaces and grounds, from to contemporary photography to Monet’s “Wheatstacks” to sound pieces and games. Through May 30.

Nature Center, Montpelier, 7-9 p.m. $5-10. Info, 229-6206.

Theater

‘The Cat in the Hat’: The feline with the striped hat finds mischievous amusement, in an autism-friendly setting. All ages. Flynn MainStage, Burlington, 7 p.m. $15-25. (See spotlight on page 48.) Info, 863-5966.

9 WEDNESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Arts for Tots: Music, movement, free play and projects inspire creativity in young minds. Ages 2-4. Purple Crayon/ArtisTree, South Pomfret, 10-11 a.m. $12 drop-in; preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Create It! After-School Maker Lab: Mechanically-minded kids investigate imaginatively with electronics. Grades 3 and up. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-4918.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 5:45-7:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

7 MONDAY (CONTINUED)

Education

History for Homeschoolers: Eager learners launch into history-related activities organized around monthly themes. Ages 6-12. Check vermonthistory.org for specific details. Vermont History Museum, Montpelier, 1-3 p.m. $6.50-8; preregister. Space is limited. Info, 828-2291.

One-on-One Tutoring: See March 2. River Rock School Open House: Prospective parents meet the teachers behind this school’s K-8 innovative educational program while their kids enjoy activities. River Rock School, Montpelier, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4700.

Young Writers & Storytellers: Small ones spin their own yarns. Ages 5-9. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Food

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 2.

Games

Dungeons & Dragons Night: Players don invented personas and use cleverness and luck to overcome challenges, defeat enemies and save the day. Beginners welcome. Ages 9-13. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 6-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 264-5660.

Library & Books

Fairfax Lego Club: Fledgling architects construct creatively with colorful blocks. Ages 6 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 849-2420. Reading with Charlie: Emerging readers spend literary time with a poodle. CarpenterCarse Library, Hinesburg, 3:15-4:30 p.m. Free; preregistration appreciated. Info, 482-2878.

Movies

After-School Movies for Kids: See March 2.

Nature & Science

Science & Stories: Beach Treasures: Imaginative wee ones play with sand toys for this make-believe journey to the seaside. Ages 2-5. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30 a.m. Free with museum admission $10.50-13.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

10 THURSDAY

Arts & Crafts

Clay for Tots: Little potters practice, poke and play with a malleable medium. Ages 3-6. Purple Crayon/ArtisTree, South Pomfret, 10:30-11:15 a.m. $12 per drop-in class; preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Preschool Art Drop-In: See March 3.

Webby’s Art Studio: See March 3.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Education History for Homeschoolers: See March 9.

Games

Lego Fun: Budding builders bust out the blocks. Grades K and up; kids under 5 are welcome to participate with adult supervision. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Library & Books

Colchester Lego Club: See March 3.

Lego Thursdays: See March 3.

Read to Archie the Therapy Dog: See March 3.

St. Albans Library Legos: Aspiring architects engage in creative construction with their peers. St. Albans Free Library, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Winter PJ Story Hour: Little ones in jammies snuggle in for stories, songs and a craft. St. Albans Free Library, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Music

Music for Preschoolers: See March 3.

Nature & Science

Journey From Sap to Syrup: Wee ones tap a tree, collect buckets of sap and watch it boil into thick “liquid gold.” Taste tests guaranteed. Ages 3-5. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 9-10:30 a.m. $8-10 per adult-child pair; $4 for each additional child; preregister. Info, 434-3068.

11 FRIDAY

Arts & Crafts

Family Wheel Drop-In: See March 4.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 8:15-9:15 a.m.

Mother’s Gathering: See March 4.

Education

Early Bird Math: See March 4.

Milton Homeschool Project Day: Out-ofclassroom learners exhibit their current endeavors to an audience of parents and siblings. Grades K-12. Milton Public Library, 2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Food

Sugar On Snow: See March 4.

Games

Dungeons & Dragons: Players embark on imaginary adventures, equipped with their problem-solving skills. Grades 6 and up.

Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Library & Books

Brownell All-Ages Story Time: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers pass through for picture

books and finger plays. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Family Story Time: See March 4.

Music

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’

Bassick: See March 4.

Music With Robert: Families sing along with a local legend. All ages. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216..

Nature & Science

Montshire Unleashed: An Evening for Adults: The museum opens its doors after hours so grown-ups can let their inner curiosity go wild. Beer and wine available for purchase. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 6-9 p.m. $14 museum admission; free for members. Info, 649-2200.

Theater

‘Brundibár: A Musical Tale’: Two children serenade townfolk for milk to aid their ailing mother, then battle a brash organ grinder. This retelling of a classic tale features magical animals and a singing army of children as warriors against oppression. Burlington City Hall Auditorium, 7 p.m. $10-15; $36 family 4-pack; free for children under 4 who sit on a guardian’s lap. Info, 863-5966.

12 SATURDAY

Arts & Crafts

Craft School Saturday Drop-In: See March 5.

Pottery Wheel: Clay enthusiasts learn the craft of creating cups, bowls and more. Price includes one fired and glazed piece per participant. Ages 6-12. BCA Print and Clay Studio, Burlington, 1:30-3:30 p.m. $22.50-25; preregister. Info, 865-7166.

Webby’s Art Studio: See March 3.

Baby & Maternity

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1.,10:30-11:30 a.m.

Community

Dabble Days: Families with kids ages 10 and under engage in di erent types of art activities, from painting to collage, murals to modeling clay. Snack provided. Thatcher Brook Primary School, Waterbury, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 244-5605.

The FUN Group: Mr. Chris leads children with intellectual and developmental delays in this musical and social afternoon on the farm. Children should wear play clothes. Bread & Butter Farm, Shelburne, 1:30-3:30 p.m. $6 drop-in donation; RSVP appreciated. Info, 310-1861.

Ice Carving Demonstration: Local sculptor Colleen Bunnell shows the crowd how to chip away at the cold stu . Fairfax Community Library, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 849-2420.

Kids Trade & Play: Families exchange clean and gently used clothing and toys, size newborn to 12. Capital City Grange, Berlin, 9:30-11:30 a.m. $3 per family. Info, 337-8632.

Model Railroad Show: Little ones go loco for locomotives as they watch operating models chug on by, with child-friendly hands-on

activities and more than 100 tables of exhibits. All ages. Collins-Perley Sports Complex, St. Albans, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $1-5; free for children under 6. Info, 878-1135.

Education

One-on-One Tutoring: See March 2, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

Irish Heritage Festival: Kids count their lucky charms and celebrate Celtic culture through traditional tales, crafts and music. All ages. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Vermont Chili Festival: Restaurants and caterers ladle out spicy stews from the sidewalks, while street performers, live music and face painting further heat things up. All ages. Downtown Middlebury, 1-4 p.m. $5-7; free for kids under 8.

Food

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: See March 5.

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sugar On Snow: See March 4.

Open Sugarhouse Weekends: See March 5.

Health & Fitness

EvoKids Saturday Yoga: See March 5.

Library & Books

Colchester Read to Hank the Therapy Dog: Book lovers share stories with a sweet retriever, while little ones listen. Ages 4-10. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 10:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 264-5660.

Jedi Academy: The Star Wars galaxy commandeers the library with costumes, crafts, games and other worldly refreshments. All ages. Milton Public Library, 1-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644.

Pierson Library Spring Cleaning Book Sale: Thousands of gently used books o er bibliophiles the opportunity to stock up at bargain-bin prices, then check out the kids’ craft area and local-goods ra e. Shelburne Town Hall, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 985-5124.

Russian Playgroup: Little rompers enjoy music, puppets and a snack. Non-Russian speakers welcome. Ages 5 and under. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Second Saturdays: This child-friendly afternoon, a collaboration between the Norwich Public Library and the Norwich Bookstore, celebrates reading with various themed activities. Check norwichlibrary.org for location. Norwich Bookstore, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1184.

Music

Young Tradition Vermont Touring Group

Performance: Led by artistic director Pete Sutherland, accomplished adolescent performers get the audience’s toes tapping with traditional Irish tunes. Main Street Landing, Burlington, 7 p.m. $15 suggested donation. Info, 233-5293.

Nature & Science

Bird-Monitoring Walk: Beginning birders embrace ornithology on an identification walk. All ages. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 8-10 a.m. Donations appreciated. Info, 434-3068.

Family Snug in the Snow: With assistance from Green Mountain Audubon, young naturalists learn about meadow voles and river otters nestling under the powder and skidding atop it. Ages 3-8. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 11 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 482-2878.

Play Date! Spring on the Farm: Little ones drop in to meet wiggly worms, burrow underground like a woodchuck or tap a maple tree, with the help of farm educators. Ages 2-5, accompanied by an adult. Families are welcome to bring a snack or lunch. Shelburne Farms, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $3-5 per child. Info, 985-8686.

Science Challenge: See March 5.

Playgroups

MONDAY

Burlington Crawlers, Waddlers & Toddlers: VNA Family Room, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 862-2121.

Burlington EvoMamas Playgroup: Evolution Prenatal and Family Yoga Center, second Monday of every month, 2:30-4 p.m. Free. Info, 864-9642.

Burlington Playgroup: Robert Miller Community & Recreation Center, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 578-6471.

Charlotte Playgroup: Charlotte Central School Early Education Program, 9:30-11 a.m. Free.

Jericho Playgroup: Jericho Community Center, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4415.

Swanton Monday Playgroup: Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 9:45-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 868-7656.

TUESDAY

Bradford Playgroup: Grace United Methodist Church, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 685-2264, ext. 24.

Brookfield Playgroup: First Congregational Church of Brookfield, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 685-2264, ext. 24.

Burlington Dads’ Night: VNA Family Room, 4-7 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

Burlington Playgroup: See Monday.

Essex Junction Building Bright Futures

Playgroup: Maple Street Recreation Center, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 876-7555.

Johnson Baby Chat: Church of the Nazarene, fourth Tuesday of every month, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3470.

WEDNESDAY

Burlington Playgroup: See Monday.

Essex Building Bright Futures Baby Playgroup: Move You Fitness Studio, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 876-7555.

Fairfield Playgroup: Bent Northrop Memorial Library, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 827-3945.

Seed Starting Workshop: Master gardener Diane Xiques gets the library’s community garden going with junior horticulturists. Grades 1-5. Milton Public Library, 9-11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644.

Tour the Cosmos: See March 5.

Theater

‘Brundibár: A Musical Tale’: See March 11, 1 & 7 p.m.

13 SUNDAY

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:30 p.m.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 10-11:30 a.m.

Community

All Souls Interfaith Kids Gathering: Creative kiddos engage in arts and crafts. Grades K-4. Caregivers must remain on-site. All Souls Interfaith Gathering, Shelburne, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 985-3819.

Fairs & Festivals

See Dr. First videos “First With Kids” at uvmhealth.org.

Wintervale: Outdoor activities, local food and hot chocolate — plus three miles of groomed cross-country ski trails, weather permitting — await nature-loving Vermonters in Burlington’s backyard. All ages. Burlington’s Intervale, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 660-0440.

‘Brrrlington’ Winter Bash: Sled-dog rides, games, goodies and a real-live reindeer and a goat get this community outdoor party going. Robert Miller Community & Recreation Center, Burlington, noon-3 p.m. $3; free for children under 3. Info, 881-7767.

XOXO: Peace & Reconciliation: The center shares food from the community’s many cultures while exploring ways to approach unity and nonviolently curtail conflict. All ages.

ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $4. Info, 864-1848.

Kids enjoy fun and games during these informal get-togethers, and caregivers connect with other local parents and peers. The groups are usually free and often include snacks, arts and crafts, or music. Most playgroups follow the school calendar. Contact the playgroup organizer for site-specific details.

Hinesburg Playgroup: Hinesburg Town Hall, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 482-4667.

Milton Playgroup: Milton Public Library, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Richmond Playgroup: Richmond Free Library, 8:45-10:15 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4415.

Shelburne Playgroup: Trinity Episcopal Church, 9:30-11 a.m. Free.

South Burlington Playgroup: Leo O’Brien Civic Center, Mondays-Thursdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 489-0410.

South Royalton Playgroup: United Church on the Green, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 6852264, ext. 24.

St. Albans Building Better Families Playgroup: NCSS Family Center, St. Albans, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

THURSDAY

Alburgh Playgroup: NCSS Family Center, Alburgh, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Brandon Stories & Crafts: Brandon Free Public Library, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 247-8230.

Essex Junction Building Bright Futures

Playgroup: See Tuesday. 9:30-11 a.m.

Milton Playgroup: See Wednesday.

Montgomery Playgroup: Montgomery Town Library, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Randolph Playgroup: White River Craft Center, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 685-2264, ext. 24.

South Burlington Playgroup: See Wednesday.

West Fairlee Playgroup: Westshire Elementary School, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 685-2264, ext. 24.

Williston Play Time: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 878-4918.

FRIDAY

Huntington Playgroup: Huntington Public Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4415.

Marshfield Open Gym: Old Schoolhouse Common, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

Montgomery Tumble Time: Montgomery Elementary School, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 347-1780.

Randolph Toddler Time: Kimball Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 728-5073. Rutland Playgroup: Rutland Free Library, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 773-1860.

Swanton Friday Playgroup: Swanton Public Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 868-3033.

Underhill Playgroup: Underhill Central School, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4415.

Williston Babytime Playgroup: Allen Brook School, first Friday of every month, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Winooski Playtime: O’Brien Community Center, Mondays, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 655-1422.

SATURDAY

Morrisville Baby Chat: Lamoille Family Center, second Saturday of every month, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-5229.

Swanton Tumble Time: Swanton Elementary School, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 868-3033.

Food

Sugar On Snow: See March 4.

Open Sugarhouse Weekends: See March 5.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See March 6.

Library & Books

Pierson Library Spring Cleaning Book

Sale: See March 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Nature & Science

Discovery Sundays: See March 6.

Tour the Cosmos: See March 5.

Theater

‘Brundibár: A Musical Tale’: See March 11, 1 p.m.

14 MONDAY

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 5:45-7 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Community

Bolton Family Week: This winter celebration includes indoor inflatables and video games, campfires, ice cream socials, kids’ movies and balloon sculptures. Bolton Valley Resort, 2-7 p.m. $8 for general public; $6 for Bolton Valley lift ticket holders; $5 for season-pass holders. Info, 434-6804.

Education

Homeschool Program: Vermont Geology: Environmental educator Kristen Littlefield digs up fun facts about the underlying layers of our state’s soil through literature, crafts and hands-on rock and fossil exploration. Ages 6 and up. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-4918.

Food

Mama Mangez: Families prepare and share a meal and conversation. Tulsi Tea Room, Montpelier, 4-6 p.m. Free; ingredient donation optional. Info, 595-7953.

Library & Books

Babies & Toddlers Rock: See March 7. Burlington Stories With Megan: See March 7.

Essex Lego Challenge Club: See March 7.

Pajama Story Time: Flannel-clad wee ones bring their stuffed pals for seasonal tales, crafts and a bedtime snack. All ages. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Reading Buddies: 8th-grade mentors make time to read with youngsters. Bring a favorite book. Ages 5-10. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

Music

Essex 40th Army Band Performance: Patriotic American tunes and contemporary musical favorites get the crowd clapping. All ages. Essex High School, Essex Junction, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 338-3480. Music & Movement for Preschoolers: See March 7.

Music for Preschoolers: See March 3, 11 a.m.

Nature & Science

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup: Little explorers and their caregivers discover the sights, sounds and sensations of the forests and fields while learning how the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play. Dress in outdoor clothing. Ages 5 and under. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Free; donations welcome. Info, 229-6206.

15 TUESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Creative Tuesdays: See March 8.

Plattsburgh Preschool Story Hour: Young art connoisseurs and their caregivers listen to a picture book, look at original works of art and create a project to take home. Ages 3-5. Plattsburgh State Art Museum, 10 a.m. Free; preregistration appreciated. Info, 518-564-2474.

Preschool Art: See March 1.

Baby & Maternity

Breastfeeding Café: Moms nurse their babies, chat and ask for answer from a certified lactation consultant. Pregnant women, supportive dads and older siblings welcome. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 11:30 a.m.1 p.m. Free. Info, 349-3825.

Breastfeeding Support Clinic: See March 1.

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See March 1.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1.

Montpelier Postnatal Yoga: See March 1.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1.

Community

Bolton Family Week: See March 14.

Games

Magic: The Gathering Drop-In Gaming

Tuesdays: See March 1.

Library & Books

Gaming For Teens & Adults: See March 8.

Legos at the Library: See March 1.

Read to a Dog: See March 1.

Read to Daisy the Therapy Dog: See March 1.

Spanish Musical Kids: See March 8. Teen Book Club: Young adults engage in lively chat about I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. Jeudevine Memorial Library, Hardwick, 3:45-4:45 p.m. Free. Info, 472-5948.

Movies

Youth Media Lab: See March 1.

Music

Hartford 40th Army Band Performance: See March 14. Hartford High School, White River Junction, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 338-3480. Preschool Music: See March 1.

16 WEDNESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Arts for Tots: See March 9.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 5:45-7:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Community

Bolton Family Week: See March 14.

Food

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 2.

Holidays

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration: Kiddos get creative with crafts, play with a straw and connector set, and consume cupcakes. Grades K-6. Highgate Public Library, Highgate Center, 2:45-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 868-3970.

Library & Books

Irish Stories for Kids: In celebration of the green-themed holiday, a local storyteller shares legends and tales from the Emerald Isle. Ages 6 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:15 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Pajama Story Time: Small ones curl up for bedtime tales, cookies and milk. Ages 18 months-5 years. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Read to a Dog: See March 2.

Movies

After-School Movies for Kids: See March 2.

Marshfield Family-Themed Movies: A wholesome flick fascinates viewers of all ages. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

SAINT

A family-friendly show with a profound history and a powerful message March 11-13 & 18-20

Contois Auditorium • Burlington City Hall Fridays & Saturdays, 7pm Saturday & Sunday matinees, 1pm Tickets available at flynntix.org or 802-86-FLYNN

More information available at theatrekavanah.org

Brundibár is produced in partnership with Burlington City Arts and is supported in part by the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts

A Fearless Fable

In 1943, a cast of children debuted BRUNDIBÁR: A MUSICAL TALE in the Czechoslovakian concentration camp Theresienstadt. The children performed the opera, created by Jewish Czech composer Hans Krása, numerous times before they were transported to Auschwitz where, tragically, most of them were killed. This spring, Burlingtonbased Jewish theater company Theatre Kavanah stages a production of the singing story with local Vermont kids. In it, a fatherless sister and brother serenade villagers to earn money for their sick mother, until an evil organ grinder tries to thwart their plans. In true fairytale fashion, a fearless sparrow, canny cat and clever canine arrive to assist the brave innocents. Music and history mix in a still-relevant story about children’s courage in times of darkness.

BRUNDIBÁR: A MUSICAL TALE: Multiple showtimes between Friday, March 11, and Sunday, March 20, at Burlington City Hall Auditorium. All ages. $1015; $36 for a family four-pack. Info, 503-1132. theatrekavanah.org

Music

Community Sing-A-Long: Songbirds of all levels raise their voices with the instrumental accompaniment of Rich and Laura Atkinson. All ages. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 6:45 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581. Montpelier 40th Army Band Performance: See March 14. Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, 7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 338-3480.

Nature & Science

Science & Stories: Maple Sugaring: Emerging explorers enjoy the woods and try a taste of this year’s tasty yield. Ages 2-5. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30 a.m. Free with museum admission, $10.50-13.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

Parenting

Breastfeeding Families Group: Nursing moms (and supportive dads, too!) gather for snacks and advice. Church of the Nazarene, Johnson, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 888-3470.

17 THURSDAY

Arts & Crafts

Clay for Tots: See March 10. Crafternoon: Creative ones make winter masterpieces with masking tape, glue, crayons and paint. Ages 6 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 849-2420.

Leprechaun House Craft: Art-minded kiddos create a tiny green man and a wooden abode. St. Albans Free Library, 4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 524-1507.

Preschool Art Drop-In: See March 3. Webby’s Art Studio: See March 3.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Montpelier La Leche League: Breastfeeding moms make new friends as they discuss the joys and challenges of nursing. Lending library available. Babies and toddlers welcome. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 879-3000.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Community

Bolton Family Week: See March 14.

Library & Books

Colchester Lego Club: See March 3. Lego Thursdays: See March 3. Read to Archie the Therapy Dog: See March 3.

Music

Music for Preschoolers: See March 3.

Orwell 40th Army Band Performance: See March 14. Orwell Town Hall, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 338-3480.

Theater

‘The Lone Ranger and the Cherokee Princess’: Hi-Yo, Silver! Very Merry Theatre kids perform this original sequel to the Lone

Ranger tale, which highlights the plight of the Cherokee. Edmunds Elementary School, Burlington, 12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 355-1461.

18 FRIDAY

Arts & Crafts

Family Wheel Drop-In: See March 4.

Baby & Maternity

Central Vermont Nursing Beyond a Year: Mothers discuss the benefits and challenges of breastfeeding, including nighttime parenting, weaning, healthy eating habits and setting limits, in a supportive setting. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, 9:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 879-3000.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 8:15-9:15 a.m.

Mother’s Gathering: See March 4.

Community Bolton Family Week: See March 14, 2-7 p.m.

Dance

TRIP Dance Company: This competitive Stowe-based dance company, made up of performers ages 9-18, shows o a wide range of classical and original choreography. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, 7-9:30 p.m. $20-25; proceeds benefit the dance company. Info, 253-5151.

Education

Early Bird Math: See March 4.

Food

Sugar On Snow: See March 4.

Games

Live-Action Role Play: LARPers create characters and plots for an amazing adventure of the imagination. Grades 6-10. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Library & Books

Family Story Time: See March 4.

Songs & Stories With Matthew: See March 4.

Movies

Family Movie: Viewers enjoy a familyfriendly film while munching free popcorn. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Movie Screening: This film about Antarctica complements the Vermont Reads books about Ernest Shackleton’s adventures. Fairfax Community Library, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 849-2420.

Music

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See March 4.

Music With Robert: See March 4.

Theater

‘Brundibár: A Musical Tale’: See March 11.

‘The Lone Ranger and the Cherokee Princess’: See March 17, 7 p.m.

16 WEDNESDAY (CONTINUED)

19 SATURDAY

Arts & Crafts

Craft School Saturday Drop-In: See March 5.

Jewelry Making Workshop: Aspiring artists create their own baubles. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644.

Webby’s Art Studio: See March 3.

Baby & Maternity

See Dr. First videos “First With Kids” at uvmhealth.org.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Dance TRIP Dance Company: See March 18.

Education

Open House at Orchard Valley Waldorf School: Parents and students get a flavor of this independent school with a sample lesson at 10:30 a.m., followed by program walk-throughs and dialogue with faculty and sta . Geared toward parents. Orchard Valley Waldorf School, East Montpelier, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; preregistration appreciated. Info, 456-7400.

Food

Burlington Winter Farmers Market: See March 5.

Caledonia Winter Farmers Market: See March 5.

Capital City Winter Farmers Market: See March 5.

Junior Iron Chef Vermont: Middle and high school students duke it out for cafeteria supremacy in a statewide culinary competition celebrating Vermont’s farm-to-table roots. Champlain Valley Expo, Essex Junction, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $3 per spectator; $5 per family (up to 4 people). Info, 434-4122.

Kids in the Kitchen: Pepperoni Pizza Sticks: Junior cooks of all ages put together and polish o portable pizzas. Healthy Living Market and Café, South Burlington, 11 a.m.noon. $20. Info, 863-2569.

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: See March 5.

Norwich Winter Farmers Market: Local growers o er produce, meats and maple syrup, which complement baked goods and handcrafted items from area artists. All ages. Tracy Hall, Norwich, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 384-7447.

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sugar On Snow: See March 4.

Open Sugarhouse Weekends: See March 5.

Health & Fitness

EvoKids Saturday Yoga: See March 5.

Library & Books

Born-to-Read Social: Highgate’s 2015 newborns are honored with a book dedicated to the library in their name. Highgate Public Library, Highgate Center, 9:30 a.m. Free; RSVP. Info, 868-3970.

Cleo the Therapy Dog: See March 5.

Story Hour with Flora: Young story and song lovers get the morning rocking with

shakers, bells, scarves and percussion. St. Albans Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Music

‘The Kids Are Alright’: An all-star local lineup of Ryan Miller, Swale, High Breaks and more rock the house during this family-friendly concert. Food and drink available for purchase. Doors open at noon. Higher Ground, South Burlington, 12:30 p.m. $5-7 for children; $10-12 for adults. Info, 652-0777.

Upper Valley Music Center: Ensembles & More: The school’s chamber ensembles and chorus play and sing in harmony. Ages 3 and up. Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., 11 a.m. Free. Info, 603-646-2422.

Vermont Symphony Orchestra Masterworks Series: Bella Hristova performs an original violin concerto after a Dvorak warmup. Free interactive discussion with the conductors and guest artists, 7 p.m. Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Burlington, 8 p.m. $16-61; $9 for students. Info, 864-5741, ext. 10.

Nature & Science

Dinoman Science: What do the world’s fastest toilet paper shooter and T. rex have in common? The secret is revealed in this fast-paced morning. Ages 4 and up. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Seed Swap: Gardeners exchange their non-GMO gems and partake in a plant-andtake seed starting kids’ activity to welcome spring. All ages. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7216. Tour the Cosmos: See March 5.

Theater

‘Brundibár: A Musical Tale’: See March 11, 1 & 7 p.m.

‘The Lone Ranger and The Cherokee Princess’: See March 17, 4 p.m.

20 SUNDAY

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:30 p.m.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 1011:30 a.m.

Community

All Souls Interfaith Kids Gathering: Kiddos engage in musical activities while caregivers remain on-site. Grades K-4. All Souls Interfaith Gathering, Shelburne, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 985-3819.

Food

Sugar On Snow: See March 4.

Open Sugarhouse Weekends: See March 5.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See March 6.

Nature & Science

Discovery Sundays: See March 6. Maple Sugaring Celebration: The sugar season gets under way with a steaming-hot

pancake breakfast, tours in the sugarbush and a meet-and-greet with live birds. Shelburne Farms, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Activities free; breakfast $4-8. Info, 985-8686.

Tour the Cosmos: See March 5.

Theater

‘Brundibár: A Musical Tale’: See March 11, 1 p.m.

Lost Nation Theater Production Camp Auditions: Aspiring thespians try out for roles in the theater’s summer camp productions. Ages 9 and up. Call or email to register. Lost Nation Theater, Montpelier City Hall Auditorium, 3-6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 229-0492.

21 MONDAY

Arts & Crafts

Crafts for Kids: See March 7.

Baby & Maternity

Birth Planning From the Heart: Local professionals teach birthing and recovery skills, and self-care and new parenting techniques. Babes in arms welcome. Inquire about free childcare for older siblings. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, 6-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 595-7953.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 5:45-7 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Education

Count Me In!: Preschools and their parents partake in hands-on activities to foster a love of math in their daily lives. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-4918.

One-on-One Tutoring: See March 2, 6-8 p.m.

Library & Books

Babies & Toddlers Rock: See March 7. Burlington Stories With Megan: See March 7.

Essex Lego Challenge Club: See March 7. Milton Legos at the Library: See March 7, 3:30-5 p.m.

Reading Buddies: See March 14.

‘Star Wars’ Club: Young fans channel the Force. All ages. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

STEM Club: Sciencey types put their hands

to work. Ages 6 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 849-2420.

Music

Music & Movement for Preschoolers: See March 7.

Music for Preschoolers: See March 3, 11 a.m.

Nature & Science

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup: See March 14.

22 TUESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Creative Tuesdays: See March 8. Preschool Art: See March 1.

Baby & Maternity

Breastfeeding Support Clinic: See March 1.

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See March 1.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1.

Montpelier Postnatal Yoga: See March 1.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1.

Games

Family Games: Board game lovers engage in some friendly competition. Ages 5 and up. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Magic: The Gathering Drop-In Gaming Tuesdays: See March 1.

Library & Books

Gaming For Teens & Adults: See March 8. Legos at the Library: See March 1.

Read to a Dog: See March 1.

Read to Daisy the Therapy Dog: See March 1.

Spanish Musical Kids: See March 8.

Movies

Youth Media Lab: See March 1.

Music

Preschool Music: See March 1.

23 WEDNESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Arts for Tots: See March 9.

Baby & Maternity

Champlain Valley Nursing Beyond a Year: Moms and their nurslings discuss the joys and challenges of breastfeeding in a nonjudgmental atmosphere. Topics include nighttime parenting, weaning, healthy eating habits and setting limits. Aikido of Champlain Valley, Burlington, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 879-3000.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 5:45-7:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Education

One-on-One Tutoring: See March 2.

Food

Kids in the Kitchen: Easter Bunny Bait: Young chefs learn how to lure in a rabbit with a mixture of popcorn, pretzels and mini chocolate eggs. All ages. Healthy Living Market & Café, South Burlington, 4-5 p.m. $20. Info, 863-2569.

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 2.

Games

Dungeons & Dragons Night: See March 9.

Movies

After-School Movies for Kids: See March 2.

Nature & Science

Science & Stories: Turtle Talk: Little ones check out six kinds of shelled reptiles, then scamper around on a scavenger hunt. Ages 2-5. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30 a.m. Free with museum admission, $10.5013.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

24 THURSDAY

Arts & Crafts

Clay for Tots: See March 10.

Preschool Art Drop-In: See March 3.

Webby’s Art Studio: See March 3.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Education

Pacem School Open House: Parents interested in this state-approved grade 6-12 program meet faculty and current students. Pacem Learning Community, Montpelier, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 223-1010.

Library & Books

Colchester Lego Club: See March 3. Lego Thursdays: See March 3.

Read to Archie the Therapy Dog: See March 3.

Read to Van Gogh the Cat: Feline fanciers sign up for 10-minute sessions with a furry friend. All ages. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister for a reading slot. Info, 878-4918.

St. Albans Library Legos: See March 10, 3-5 p.m.

Music

Music for Preschoolers: See March 3.

Parenting

Parenting Workshop: Anxiety in Children: Moms and dads learn from professionals about how to gauge their child’s emotional well-being, and gather general information about this common disorder. St. Albans Free Library, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

25 FRIDAY

Arts & Crafts

Crafternoon: Junior citizens construct a paper-bag village together. Grades 4 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Family Wheel Drop-In: See March 4.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1.,8:15-9:15 a.m.

Mother’s Gathering: See March 4.

Education

Early Bird Math: See March 4. Fairbanks Homeschool Days: Students expand their educational horizons in the

museum’s galleries and other venues with a variety of classes. Call for specific topics and location. Grades K-8. Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, St. Johnsbury, noon-2 p.m. $8-10; includes museum admission; $5 for planetarium; one free adult per paying child. Info, 748-2372.

Food

Sugar On Snow: See March 4.

Games

Dungeons & Dragons: See March 11.

Health & Fitness

Preschool Yoga with Danielle: Simple movement, stories and songs satisfy children ages 5 and under and their caregivers. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Library & Books

Brownell All-Ages Story Time: See March 11.

Family Story Time: See March 4.

Movies

Friday After-School Movie: Kids and caregivers snuggle in for snacks and a screening. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 3:15 p.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

Seuss on the Loose

What child hasn’t giggled at the antics of the mischievous feline with the tall red-and-white striped hat that Theodor Geisel — aka Dr. Seuss — created almost 60 years ago? Award-winning Arizona-based theater company Childsplay performs a theatrical version of THE CAT IN THE HAT, featuring Sally, her brother,

the goldfish, and Thing One and Thing Two alongside the title character. Can the kids clean up before Mom comes home? Even those who already know the answer will be delighted by this playful tale of a rainy afternoon that turns into a lively adventure.

THE CAT IN THE HAT: Tuesday, March 8, 7 p.m., at the Flynn MainStage in Burlington. Ages 3 and up; appropriate for children with autism and other sensory sensitivities. $15-25. Info, 863-5966. flynntix.org

Music

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See March 4.

26 SATURDAY

Arts & Crafts

Webby’s Art Studio: See March 3.

Baby & Maternity

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Education

One-on-One Tutoring: See March 2, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Food

Kids in the Kitchen: Cheesecake-Filled Chocolate Easter Eggs: Aspiring culinary artists fill hollowed-out chocolate eggs with homemade cheesecake “egg white” and citrusy jam “yolks.” Healthy Living Market & Café, South Burlington, 11 a.m.-noon. $20. Info, 863-2569.

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: See March 5.

Norwich Winter Farmers Market: See March 19.

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sugar On Snow: See March 4.

Open Sugarhouse Weekends: See March 5.

Health & Fitness

EvoKids Saturday Yoga: See March 5.

Holidays

Barre Egg Hunt: Kids find the goods in an eggs-cellent adventure. Ages 3-10. Rotary Park, Barre, 10 a.m. Free; nonperishable food-shelf donations accepted. Info, 476-0256.

Colchester Egg Hunt: Treats hide in wellplaced eggs awaiting capture by little hands. Participants should bring bags or baskets to hold the goodies. Hunters will be broken into groups by age. Colchester Bayside Park, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 264-5500.

Essex Egg & Scavenger Hunt: Little gatherers collect eggs and treats to celebrate the start of spring. Ten-egg limit per child. Grades Pre-K-4. Maple Street Park, Essex Junction, 10 a.m. Free; nonperishable foodshelf donations accepted. Info, 878-1375.

Milton Egg Hunt: Kids ages 6 and under meet the Easter Bunny and race to find over 2,000 candy-filled eggs. Rain or shine. (See spotlight on page 42.) Bombardier Park, Milton, 10 a.m. Free; bring your own basket. Info, 893-4922.

Montpelier Egg Hunt: Gold and silver prize-winning eggs are hidden amid the chocolate kind. Ages 12 and under. Hubbard Park, Montpelier, 9:45 a.m. Free. Info, 225-8699.

Mud Season Egg Hunt: Laughing Moon

Chocolates and the Green Mountain Club present a festive morning featuring eggs hidden along a trail. Afterward, families head to Laughing Moon to meet the Easter Bunny. Green Mountain Club, Waterbury, 10 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 253-9591.

Library & Books

Café Make: Intergenerational patrons drop in during this open time for creative col laboration using the library’s craft supplies. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

Colchester Read to Hank the Therapy Dog: See March 12.

Movies

Movie Matinee: The big screen shows a family-friendly feature. Snacks included. Milton Public Library, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Nature & Science

Baby Animal Day: Visitors “ooh” and “ah” over cute and cuddly calves, lambs, chicks, ducklings and goslings. Horse-drawn wagon rides, tours of the heirloom garden and children’s activities round out the day. All ages. Billings Farm & Museum, Wood stock, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $4-14 regular museum admission; free for children under 3. Info, 457-2355.

Bird-Monitoring Walk: ticipants bring binoculars to search the museum’s property for fluttering feathers. Best for adults and older children. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 8-9 a.m. Free; donations welcome; preregister. Info, 434-2167.

Tour the Cosmos: See March 5.

27 SUNDAY

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:30 p.m.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 10-11:30 a.m.

Community

All Souls Interfaith Kids Gathering: See March 13, 5-6 p.m.

Food Sugar On Snow: See March 4.

Open Sugarhouse Weekends: See March 5.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See March 6.

Holidays

Bolton Easter Egg Hunt: Kids ages 12 and under search for hidden treats on the Mighty Mite hill. Bolton Valley Resort, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 434-6804.

Nature & Science

Discovery Sundays: See March 6.

28 MONDAY

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 5:45-7 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See March 2.

Is your child allergic to ragweed?

Education

One-on-One Tutoring: See March 2, 6-8 p.m.

Library & Books

Babies & Toddlers Rock: See March 7.

Burlington Stories With Megan: See March 7.

Your child may qualify for a clinical research trial for children and adolescents with ragweed allergies. Timber Lane Allergy & Asthma Research, LLC is looking for individuals who are:

• 4-17 years of age

• allergic to ragweed

may be compensated for time and travel!

See Dr. First videos “First With Kids” at uvmhealth.org.

Essex Lego Challenge Club: See March 7. Reading Buddies: See March 14.

Music

Music & Movement for Preschoolers: See March 7.

Music for Preschoolers: See March 3, 11 a.m.

Nature & Science

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup: See March 14.

Theater

‘The Pirates of Penzance’: Students from the Initiative: A Waldorf Vermont High School perform this rollicking Gilbert and Sullivan story of the seas. All ages. Main Street Landing, Burlington, 7 p.m. Donations accepted to support the school’s arts program. Info, 454-1053.

29 TUESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Creative Tuesdays: See March 8.

Preschool Art: See March 1.

Baby & Maternity

Breastfeeding Support Clinic: See March 1.

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See March 1.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1.

Montpelier Postnatal Yoga: See March 1.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1.

Games

Magic: The Gathering Drop-In Gaming Tuesdays: See March 1.

Library & Books

Gaming For Teens & Adults: See March 8.

Legos at the Library: See March 1.

Read to a Dog: See March 1.

Read to Daisy the Therapy Dog: See March 1.

Spanish Musical Kids: See March 8.

Movies

Youth Media Lab: See March 1.

Music

Preschool Music: See March 1.

Theater

‘The Pirates of Penzance’: See March 28. Johnson State College, 7 p.m.

30 WEDNESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Arts for Tots: See March 9.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 5:45-7:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See March 2.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Education

One-on-One Tutoring: See March 2.

Food

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 2.

Library & Books

Read to a Dog: See March 2. STEM Club: See March 21.

Movies

After-School Movies for Kids: See March 2.

Nature & Science

Science & Stories: Spring: Little ones share and celebrate signs of seasonal change. Ages 2-5. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30 a.m. Free with museum admission, $10.50-13.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

Theater

‘The Pirates of Penzance’: See March 28. Hardwick Town House, 7 p.m.

31 THURSDAY

Arts & Crafts

Clay for Tots: See March 10. Preschool Art Drop-In: See March 3. Webby’s Art Studio: See March 3.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 12:151:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See March 1, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Education

Homeschoolers’ Project: Microscopes 101: The library’s sta entomologist uncovers his insect collection and shows home learners how to work with a magnifying lens. St. Albans Free Library, 1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 524-1507.

Library & Books

Colchester Lego Club: See March 3.

Lego Thursdays: See March 3.

Read to Archie the Therapy Dog: See March 3.

Music

Music for Preschoolers: See March 3.

Theater

‘The Pirates of Penzance’: See March 28. Plainfield Town Hall Opera House, 10:30 a.m.

28 MONDAY (CONTINUED)

Writing

Sponsored by

Contest

Calling all poets!

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, this month’s word is “LUCK.” Please use the space below to write a poem, in any style, using the word “luck.” Be creative and have fun!

We’ll pick two winners and publish their names and poems in the next issue. Winners receive a $25 gift certificate to Crow Bookshop. Deadline to enter is March 15.

Send your entries to: Kids VT, attn: Writing Contest, P.O. Box 1184, Burlington, VT 05402.

New Books, Used Books, Remainders at GREAT PRICES!

Name Age Town Email Phone

next issue. Winners receive a $25 gift certificate to Crow Bookshop. Deadline to enter is March 15.

Send your entries to: Kids VT, attn: Writing Contest, P.O. Box 1184, Burlington, VT 05402. 14 Church Street Burlington crowbooks.com 862-0848

PUZZLE PAGE

Jumble

BY DAVID L. HOYT & JEFF KNUREK

The letters of these crazy words are all mixed up. To play the game, put them back into the right order so that they make real words you can find in your dictionary. Write the letters of each real word under each crazy word, but only one letter to a square.

LYNX lives in Essex Junction and turns 4 on March 19. He loves to run everywhere and is a fan of race cars, especially Lightning McQueen from the Cars movies.

Lynx wins a birthday-party package for up to 10 people.

To

You are now ready to solve this month’s Jumble For Kids. Study the picture for a hint. Then play around with the letters in the circles. You’ll find you can put them in order so that they make your funny answer.

Maze

MARCO lives in South Burlington and turns 9 on March 13. He’s curious, friendly and funny and loves Legos, Star Wars, playing soccer and reading.

Puzzles4Kids

Riddle Search — Cards

Look up, down, and diagonally, both forward and backward to find every word on the list. Circle each one as you find it. When all the words are circled, take the UNUSED letters and write them on the blanks below. Go from left to right and top to bottom to find the answer to this riddle: Why can’t you play cards in the jungle?

ACE CLUBS DEAL DECK DEUCE DIAMONDS GO FISH HEARTS

Riddle Answer:

PETRA lives in Waterbury and turns 5 on March 18. She loves all animals, especially cats. She enjoys reading, fishing and playing outdoors and wants to be a scientist when she grows up.

photo, and they’re automatically

Marco, Petra and Malaya each win a player’s pass.

MALAYA lives in Essex and turns 6 on March 19. She has an adventurous, lively spirit and loves to try different foods. Some of her favorite things are mud, horses, cooking, crafts and dressing up.

Backyard Greenhouse

WHILE MOST VERMONTERS spend their winters dreaming of tender, leafy veggies, the Zeilenga family eats greens they’ve grown in their backyard greenhouse.

In the spring of 2015, dad Jack Zeilenga purchased the greenhouse online from Massachusettsbased Hoop House Greenhouse Kits. For about $600, the family bought a 10-by-20-foot model called the Serious Gardener, designed to withstand the weight of snow in a typical Vermont winter.

The kit included the metal bones of the structure, heavyweight agricultural plastic sheets, screws and instructions. Jack bought $200 worth of plywood to construct the end walls, from which he cut windows and a door. He built it in a day, with help from a neighbor with carpentry experience.

They chose a spot on top of an old garden plot that

had already been tilled for planting. And the greenhouse plants need little watering because they are constantly respirating — and that creates condensation on the inside walls that falls on the plants. “It’s like its own little ecosystem out here,” Jack says.

The Zeilengas are just beginning to experiment with growing veggies in the winter. The greenhouse is not heated, and plants go directly into the ground. This winter, the family grew a two-foot row of claytonia and a few short rows of kale. They lost the kale this winter in a recent cold snap, but the claytonia is still growing.

The greenhouse really shines in the summer: They use it for veggies that do best in hot climates, including peppers, fennel and five kinds of tomatoes. Jack starts his own vegetable seedlings indoors

Where Home Begins...

under grow lights and in June moves them outside to the greenhouse.

Kids Caelan and Elliot are reluctant to admit they like vegetables, but Jack says they helped harvest baskets full of produce last summer — some of which they even ate. Together the family picked, processed and preserved their bounty, putting away 13 quarts of homegrown tomato sauce and soup, plus gallon-size bags of frozen peppers for the colder months.

The Zeilengas have always been avid gardeners, with expansive vegetable plots and fruit trees. They also raise chickens for meat and eggs and share a beef cow with a neighbor. The greenhouse was a natural extension of the family’s grow-your-own philosophy and self-su ciency. “It was the best investment I’ve made,” Jack says.

The greenhouse in warmer months

COLORING CONTEST!

Three winners will each receive an annual family membership to the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium in St. Johnsbury Send Kids VT your work of art by March 15. Be sure to include the info at right with your submission. Winners will be chosen in the following categories: (1) ages 5 and younger, (2) ages 6-8 and (3) ages 9-12. Winners will be named in the April issue of Kids VT. Send your high-resolution scans to art@kidsvt.com, or mail a copy to Kids VT, P.O. Box 1184, Burlington, VT 05402.

Candidate Debate

An attempt at nonpartisan parenting

GROWING UP IN suburban Detroit in the 1980s and ’90s, it seemed to me that everyone was a Republican — my Catholic family, my friends, Alex P. Keaton. I figured I was conservative, too. I wasn’t even sure what the other options were.

A desire to protect the environment and fight for women’s rights eventually inspired me to break ranks. At 17, I volunteered for the Clinton-Gore campaign. My auto-worker uncle jokingly referred to me as “the Little Liberal” and “Cathy Rodham Resmer.”

As a parent, I try to present all sides when talking politics with Graham, 10, and Ivy, 7. I want them to be engaged in the democratic process, to ask questions, to figure out for themselves what they believe and where they stand.

That’s why, the night before the Iowa caucuses, I suggested that the four of us — the kids, me and my partner, Ann-Elise — sit down in front of our flat-screen and learn about the candidates. Using our Apple TV, we visited several of their YouTube channels for an educational and entertaining “movie night.”

We started with a familiar face: Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Naturally, the kids know about our socialist senator. Graham met Sanders once at a climate-change rally. They’ve heard his pitch about income inequality, so we watched just one video on his YouTube channel — an emotional montage of huge crowds of Sanders’ supporters backed by the Simon & Garfunkel song “America.” Both patriotic and progressive, it was a big hit. Ann-Elise was so inspired that she reached for her phone and said, “I’m giving him more money right now.” I sighed.

Ivy decided that she was supporting Sanders, too. “You haven’t seen any other candidates yet!” I protested, and switched to the Hillary Clinton channel. We watched “Dorothy,” an ad in which Clinton describes her mother’s di cult childhood, which motivated Hillary to enter politics.

But it was a video of Bill Clinton speaking on Hillary’s behalf that resonated with us. In it, the former president says of his wife, “She made everything she ever touched better.” Even Ann-Elise agreed that Bill made her sound appealing. Graham declared: “I’d vote for that kindly grandmother.”

“Not so fast,” I said, pulling up the leading Republican candidate’s channel. The kids had already heard about Donald Trump during his Burlington visit and were not impressed. As students at Winooski’s JFK Elementary School, they have many

computer programmer. I thought that might spark the kids’ interest, since my mom was once a programmer, too.

But then we watched a debateperformance clip in which he spoke of carpet-bombing Syria. I was hoping she’d keep an open mind, but Ivy announced her nickname for the Texas senator: “Ted Cruel.” I couldn’t help smiling at her wordplay.

Next up: Sen. Marco Rubio. We watched “Bartender,” an ad about how his bartender father worked hard and sacrificed for young Marco, and another, called “Safe,” in which Rubio lashes out at President Obama, saying “I approve this message because America needs a real commander in chief.” Afterwards, Ivy dubbed him “Marco Rude-io.”

Muslim friends and have a hard time understanding why someone would want to keep Marissa and Khadija out of the country.

“Get the Trump out!” said Ivy — quoting a sign she’d seen in photos from the Burlington protests — as I queued up the first TV ad he released. It cuts from photos of President Obama and Hillary Clinton to images of the San Bernadino shooters, then shows photos of armed men wearing masks. A menacing voice promises that Donald Trump will “quickly cut the head o ISIS.”

We’ve talked with the kids about terrorism, and the situation in Syria, so they had a vague idea what it was about. “How do you think he wants you to feel after seeing this ad?” I asked them when it was over. “Scared,” Graham replied.

But they weren’t frightened. Ivy came up with a nickname for the Donald — “Dumb Old Trump.”

Next we checked out some of Sen. Ted Cruz’s videos, including one where he reveals that his mother was a

I was beginning to despair over her partisan tone when we flipped to the Jeb Bush channel. His campaign commercials taking aim at Donald Trump were the cleverest ones we’d watched all night. A spot called “Enough” begins with someone googling “Donald Trump is a jerk,” which made Graham laugh out loud. In it, Bush takes the businessman to task for mocking a disabled reporter. Graham liked the ad so much he wanted to see it again.

Still, Ivy dubbed Bush “Jeb Mush.”

Lastly, we tried the John Kasich channel. His ad “Lift” begins: “Both of my parents always taught me that those people who are hurting are those we need to help.” We could all agree with that.

Ivy couldn’t think of a nickname for him. “Is he a bad guy or a good guy?” she asked, confused. “Neither,” I explained. “These are all good people. They just disagree over how to run the country.”

I’m not sure that lesson sunk in. But I know the kids are interested in the 2016 presidential election — every time there’s a vote, they’re as eager to hear the results as I am. At least they’re not begging me to change the channel.

I was hoping she’d keep an open mind, but Ivy announced her nickname for the Texas senator: “Ted Cruel.”