Kids VT, March 2018

12 Classic Movies for Kids

4th Grade DJ

Entertainment

Hardwick’s Modern Times Theater is a family a air

BY BRETT STANCIU PAGE 18

Juggling 7 Sons

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

COPUBLISHER/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Cathy Resmer cathy@kidsvt.com

COPUBLISHER

Colby Roberts colby@kidsvt.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Alison Novak alison@kidsvt.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Mary Ann Lickteig maryann@kidsvt.com

ART DIRECTOR

Brooke Bousquet brooke@kidsvt.com

MARKETING & EVENTS DIRECTOR

Corey Grenier corey@kidsvt.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Kaitlin Montgomery kaitlin@kidsvt.com

CALENDAR WRITER

Brett Stanciu brett@kidsvt.com

PROOFREADERS

Katherine Isaacs, Kara Torres

PRODUCTION MANAGER

John James

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Don Eggert

DESIGNERS

Kirsten Cheney, Rev. Diane Sullivan

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Matt Weiner

BUSINESS MANAGER

Cheryl Brownell

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Luke Baynes, Jillian Kirby, Astrid Hedbor

Lague, Ken Picard, Kristin Ravin, Erinn

Simon, Autumn Spencer, Jessica Lara

Ticktin

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Stefan Hard, Sam Simon, Matthew Thorsen

ILLUSTRATOR

Hatiye Garip, Marc Nadel

P.O. BOX 1184 • BURLINGTON, VT 05402

802-985-5482 • KIDSVT.COM

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Omnipresent Entertainment

When I was a kid, TV and movies played a formative role. I remember waking up early on Saturday mornings to binge on Snorks and Muppet Babies. Once a week, my parents let me stay up late to watch Family Ties, which taught me about weighty issues, from politics to addiction. I have vivid memories of discussing the logistics of time travel after seeing Back to the Future — my first movie in a theater. As a teenager, Jack Nicholson and his “You can’t handle the truth!” monologue from A Few Good Men blew my mind.

Of course, this was before Netflix and iPads came on the scene, before “screen time” was a loaded term, synonymous with wasted hours that could be better spent engaged in low-tech pursuits.

I don’t think my mom or dad ever felt like they were being delinquent by letting me spend time in front of a screen. But, for today’s parents, feelings of guilt often come with letting our kids zone out in front of electronic devices. Maybe it’s the ubiquity of screens that makes them so problematic. In the ’80s, consumption of television and movies was compartmentalized into certain times of the day. Other times — meals, car trips, family outings — were sacred.

Today, nothing seems sacred when it comes to digital entertainment. Case in point: Last month, during a trip to a water park, I saw a young teen pecking away at her tablet — encased in a waterproof bag slung around her neck — in the wave pool.

In this month’s issue, Brett Stanciu spotlights Rose Friedman and Justin Lander, a homesteading couple creating unplugged shows for families that harken back to yesteryear — think handmade puppets, gramophones and pie ra es — in “Home-Grown Entertainment” on page 18. The creators of Modern Times Theater and parents of two young children are performing a series of storefront puppet shows on the main drag of Hardwick this month.

If you’re tired of your kids watching unboxing videos on YouTube, turn to page 22 for “Oldies but Goodies,” a roundup of quality movies for kids and teens made way before the Internet age.

If music is your favorite kind of entertainment, check out Ken Picard’s interview with the University of Vermont’s Dr. Jim Hudziak (page 16), who’s studied the e ects playing an instrument has on a child’s brain. Or flip to page 11 for Mary Ann Lickteig’s piece about a young DJ who mixes music for a cause.

Another place to turn for analog entertainment is our monthly events calendar (page 38). You’ll find dozens of fun happenings — from egg hunts to maple open houses — that will help your family put down the screens and experience all our sweet state has to o er.

ALISON NOVAK, MANAGING EDITOR

STAFF QUESTION

What was your favorite movie as a kid?

STAR WARS — the first one, released in 1977. I saw it in the theater and spent most of my childhood convinced that I would someday become a Jedi.

CATHY RESMER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

CINDERELLA — the 1965 Rodgers and Hammerstein TV movie with doe-eyed Lesley Ann Warren and the original McDreamy, Stuart Damon. It came on TV once a year, and I sank into our red, crushed velvet couch and swooned.

MARY ANN LICKTEIG, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

WATERSHIP DOWN — an action-packed adventure tale in a beautifully animated field with a whole world of rabbits — good and bad.

BRETT STANCIU, CALENDAR WRITER

It wasn’t DUMBO, that’s for sure. My sisters took me to see it at the drive-in when I was 4 or 5. I wound up ugly-crying in the bathroom, and they had to take me home.

DIANE SULLIVAN, DESIGNER

I loved THE SOUND OF MUSIC! My mom and I would watch it every year and sing along when they would play it on TV.

BROOKE BOUSQUET, ART DIRECTOR

CONTRIBUTOR’S NOTE

MAGGIE VAN DUYN (“Use Your Words,” page 55) is a writer, blogger and breast cancer warrior living and thriving in Richmond with her husband and two spunky, hilarious and active children. She is digging this parenting adventure and crosses her fingers each day that she isn’t screwing her kids up too much. Find more of her musings at maggiesbrightside.com, where she writes about life and parenting with stage IV breast cancer.

The Novak family gets theatrical at last year’s South End Art Hop

By saving for college, you’re creating opportunities that will last a lifetime. With Vermont’s state-sponsored 529 college savings program, you can open an account with as little as $25, and the Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan is the only college savings plan that qualifies families for a 10% Vermont income tax credit on annual contributions for higher education.

AUTUMN ANSWERS

How do I help instill confidence in my kids?

Ineed to tell you something important. The majority of us are raising average children. Not Olympians, not Nobel Prize winners, not multilingual, entrepreneurial, world-saving geniuses.

Before you write me an angry email explaining the many ways your kids are very much above average, please understand, I think my own children are spectacular. When my daughter sings, I hear angels. When my son plays basketball, I imagine his first NBA courtside interview. You know, the one where he thanks his mom for her tireless support and promises to buy her a house? I think my kids are gloriously, stunningly special, and I hope you feel the same way about your kids, too. This is exactly as it should be.

The statistical truth, however, is that most of our kids are not gifted athletes or musical prodigies. It’s not personal, it’s just math. It’s kind of a relief, really. Takes a little bit of the pressure o , doesn’t it?

Yet, our mostly average kids can accomplish amazing — even extraordinary — things. How do we help them do this? By encouraging the development of a healthy, realistic sense of self-confidence. Our job is not to give endless ambiguous pep talks about reaching for the stars and chasing dreams (although these certainly have their place). Our job is to help our kids be able — able to self-reflect, able to set goals, able to work hard and able to be independent.

In its Expert Tips & Advice column, PBS Parents o ers “12 Tips for Raising Confident Kids.” The list includes allowing kids to fail, embracing imperfection and helping them find their passion. My favorite tip is “praising perseverance” because “confidence isn’t about succeeding at everything all the time, it’s about being resilient enough to keep trying, and not being distressed if you’re not the best.”

In the Parents magazine article “9 Secrets of Confident Kids,” writer Alina Tugend points out that we should stop preventing our children from feeling discouraged or making mistakes. We also need to promote problemsolving, nurture our kids’ special interests, and find ways for them to be of service to others. These things provide opportunities for our kids to feel capable.

No matter how much we’d really like our future NBA star to buy us a sweet new house, instilling confidence in our kids is not about deluding them — or ourselves — about the nature of their talents and limitations. It’s about helping them try and letting them fail. It’s about teaching them to get back up and try again.

In this monthly column, comedian, writer and mom Autumn Spencer answers tricky parenting questions. Have a question for Autumn? Send it to ideas@kidsvt.com.

TRENDING

Burlington High School joins Montpelier High School in raising a Black Lives Matter flag on campus. ”The flag is just a symbol,” said senior Hawa Adam. “The real work is inside the school.”

Hasbro to release Cheaters Edition of Monopoly, encouraging players to skip spaces or remove opponents’ hotels while they’re not looking. The perfect gift for the little con artist in your life.

Seventeen-year-old snowboarder Red Gerard of Colorado wins gold in PyeongChang after staying up late watching TV and sleeping through his alarm. Olympic medalists — they’re just like us!

New Peter Rabbit movie criticized by Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and parents for making light of life-threatening food allergies. For shame, Cottontail.

Girl Scouts of Colorado changes policy, allowing members to sell cookies outside of marijuana dispensaries. The new rule “empowers Scouts to be the best cookie entrepreneurs they can be,” said a Scouts spokesperson.

Survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting are organizing March for Our Lives on March 24 to “demand that we end the epidemic of mass shootings in our schools.” What’s that about young people being apathetic and disengaged?

KIDS SAY WHAT?

“Mom, can you put the air conditioner in my hair?”

—CLIO, AGE 2

PARENT PARTICIPATION

Dobra Tea.

—LIZ SIDDLE

We had an amazing afternoon at Wonderfeet in Rutland recently.

—MEGAN JAMES

Absolutely cannot say enough about the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain. Not only does Elise love it, but it’s a great time for the whole family.

—TRISTAN VON DUNTZ

THROWBACK

MARCH 2017

Wrestlemania: How I Learned to Stop

Worrying and Love Youth Wrestling

Last March, Cathy Resmer wrote about youth wrestling in Vermont, a sport that’s “physically, mentally and emotionally demanding — for kids and their parents.”

Read the full story at kidsvt.com/wrestling

PET CORNER

Gonzo’s HD Sports, Get Air & Petra Cliffs Climbing Center.

—ANASTACIA ORBACZ

The airport! We love meeting friends there and grabbing muffins, then running around.

—BECKY GROBERG

Cairns Arena.

—MICHELE PALMER

Movies, Get Air, ECHO, Spare Time, Essex Speedway, MetroRock, the pool at the Edge.

—STEPHANIE GLOCK

#INSTAKIDSVT

Thanks for sharing your family photos with us using the hashtag #instakidsvt. We loved this picture showing a snowy walk in the woods. Share a picture of your kids enjoying winter this month.

Christina DeGraf-Murphy shared this photo of her 7-year-old daughter, Madeline, with her three new kittens, Snow, Belle and Dinah. “Although we had anticipated only getting two kittens, sometimes these special ones fall into our laps!” said DeGraf-Murphy.

HERE’S HOW:

Follow @kids_vt on Instagram.

Post your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #instakidsvt. We’ll select a photo to feature in the next issue.

lauren_randi Fresh snow and a boardwalk in the woods to nowhere

This month, we asked parents in our new closed Facebook group, “What’s your family’s favorite local indoor destination?”

BY ALISON NOVAK

LITERACY Bountiful Books

In 1997, management consultant Duncan McDougall left his corporate job in Boston for a farmhouse in New Hampshire, in search of more meaningful work. After months of researching how to meet the needs of low-income, at-risk and rural kids, the Tuck School of Business grad founded the CHILDREN’S LITERACY FOUNDATION (CLIF), providing small-town public libraries in New Hampshire and Vermont with new children’s books and literacy presentations. In the two decades since, the now-Waterbury-based nonprofit’s reach and scope have grown enormously. In 2017, it served more than 36,000 children under age 12 and gave away $700,000 in new children’s books. The organization celebrates its 20th anniversary on March 9 with a gathering of community partners and supporters at Norwich’s Montshire Museum. The celebration will highlight CLiF’s work over the years, ranging from the organization’s flagship Year of the Book program — which awards 10 elementary schools each year with $25,000 worth of literacy programs, support and new children’s books — to the Senior Reading Buddies program, started last year, which connects elementary school kids with local senior citizens. As part of its birthday celebration, the organization also is collecting stories about how literacy has helped shape people’s lives. Share yours on social media using the hashtag #clifstories.

Learn more about the Children’s Literacy Foundation at clifonline.org.

PHILANTHROPY

Piles of Pampers

MOMS & BABIES

On the Fly

Burlington-based MAMAVA and online retailer Zappos have teamed up and installed deluxe lactation pods in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The six pods, covered with images of smiling babies, feature lactation pad dispensers, cleaning wipes and trash cans. An upgraded Mamava app features a special soundtrack with baby giggles and ocean waves meant to get the milk flowing. The company, founded by Sascha Mayer

and Christine Dodson in 2013, aims to support nursing mothers by providing a clean, private place for them to nurse and pump.

It has installed hundreds of lactation suites in diverse locations across the country, ranging from Burlington International Airport and Fenway Park to the Bronx Zoo and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. There are currently 75 Mamava suites in 37 airports across the country. Said one Instagram user, in reaction to Atlanta’s new addition: “Waiting for my turn in the pump pod. These things are amazing and should really be everywhere.”

Learn more about Mamava at mamava.com.

bank. It plans to distribute

Shelf initially, with the hope

Got diapers? One in three U.S. moms say they don’t have enough, according to the National Diaper Bank Network, an organization that supports more than 300 community-based diaper banks across the country. The Junior League of Champlain Valley hopes to address this shortage locally by opening VERMONT’S FIRST DIAPER BANK early next year. The 55-member local women’s organization, focused on improving the community through volunteerism, is currently running a diaper drive to benefit the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf. As of mid-February, the group had donated 10,000 diapers. Prior to the drive, eight to 10 Food Shelf clients asked for diapers each day and there was very little supply, said Amanda Herzberger, the JLCV diaper bank chair. The Junior League is currently looking for a free or highly subsidized, climate-controlled storage space to house the diaper bank. It plans to distribute diapers through the Food Shelf initially, with the hope of expanding.

To participate in the drive, drop off diapers, wipes and diaper cream at Healthy Living Market & Café and Lowell’s Moving & Storage in South Burlington and at Kismet Place in Williston through the end of March, or buy diapers online and ship them to the Junior League through its Amazon wish list. Learn more at jlcv.camp7.org/diaper-drive.

Ann & Ariel

Ariel, how long have you been playing the cello?

Ariel, 11: Seven years.

Ann, when did you start playing music?

Ann, 49: I started playing classical music when I was young but came to the drums by accident, really, when I was in my mid-twenties.

Do you play together as a family?

Ann: Yeah. Ariel actually played a show with us at Radio Bean.

Ariel: That was great. Everyone liked it a lot. And more people came than at their usual shows!

My dad wrote a ton of songs, so I played on a couple of those.

Do the two of you like the same music?

Ariel: We’re very di erent. I’m into some of the newer music, like pop. I like the Point and 95 Triple X, but Mom —

Ann: It’s sort of a range. Father John Misty, old stu like Sonic Youth, of course Neil Young. Led Zeppelin is always on my Pandora.

Do you try to get Ariel into any of your favorite music?

Ann: Always. If there’s a song, and I know she hasn’t heard it —

Ariel: She’ll be like, “Ariel! Listen to this!” And she’ll turn up the volume, like, five notches!

Want to be featured in an upcoming Parent Portrait? Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com.

PARENT PORTRAIT PHOTO BY SAM SIMON • INTERVIEW BY ERINN SIMON

Ann Mindell plays drums in the Nancy Druids, the band she formed with her husband, Sean Toohey. Their daughter, Ariel, is an accomplished cellist who plays with Vermont Youth Strings, part of the Vermont Youth Orchestra Association.

DESTINATION RECREATION BY KRISTEN RAVIN

The Barns at Lang Farm

Upper Main Street, Essex Junction

As anyone who has taken a day trip with a toddler knows, getting a squirmy tyke in and out of a car seat can be challenging, especially when making multiple stops. Three businesses located at the Barns at Lang Farm in Essex Junction o er a one-stop, family-friendly destination for food, play and retail — without the back-seat battles.

My 1-year-old daughter, Virginia, and I began a late-January day at Sweet Alchemy Bakery and Café, a small eatery located at the pastoral venue, which hosts weddings and other events. The weather was cold, but the vibe inside was warm, with sun-soaked tables, decorative succulents and sitar music on the speakers. After scanning the menu — co ee, tea, smoothies and all-day eats such as “super tuber tacos” and multigrain wa es — I ordered from the pastry case, which boasted vegan and nut-, gluten-, and soy-free options. Virginia scarfed down her maple-glazed doughnut ($2) while I savored my toaster pastry ($3.50). Then we headed one door down to Wildflowers Studio.

Owned by long-time educator Lyndsy Blais, the creative play studio is a space where kids can get handson with art supplies, sensory activities and tinkering. In addition to its robust schedule of camps, therapeutic groups and after-school programs, Wildflowers o ers Open Studio each weekday morning. For two hours, young children can independently explore four learning areas filled with materials, from paints and chalk to blocks and tools, known in the studio as “invitations to learning.”

When we arrived, Virginia and I met Blais, who was on hand to facilitate the fun. She warned me to be on the lookout for choking hazards (the marbles set up to roll down wooden ramps, for example) and assured me that, aside from a marked storage area, nothing in the room was o -limits.

Caregivers are encouraged to act as engaged observers, and it was refreshing to let Virginia guide her own exploration. She sat at a desk and played with stamps, stood at a light table and drew with washable markers, and plopped down in a rowboat filled with sand. Older kids hammered golf tees into Styrofoam blocks and pushed miniature tractors through blobs of paint. Virginia spent most of her time in front of three plastic bins of soapy water, where she scrubbed toy dump trucks with an oversized sponge. (She also soaked her shirt; it’s a good idea to bring extra clothes.)

The studio changes its focus every six weeks, but the activities change weekly. During our visit, the theme was Artful Science; Past themes include Natural Beauty, Color Lab and Community. I had to pry Virginia away from a pile of pinecones and tree branch-inspired blocks for our final stop.

We walked next door to Boho Baby, a recently opened boutique o ering gently used, locally made and fairtrade clothing, accessories and toys for babies and kids. Secondhand items hung by size while local brands — like Essex-based Morado Designs, which makes eco-friendly clothing, totes and bibs — had their own displays. Locally produced pieces were generally priced higher than pre-owned items, giving the option to browse on a budget or splurge on something special. (I did both, snagging a secondhand smock for $4 and a handmade toddler dress by another Essex brand, Maple Frosting, for $26.)

As I left the store, owner Lisa Golding nodded to Virginia. “Is she going to sleep in the car?” she asked me.

MAKE A DAY OF IT

“She is definitely going to sleep in the car,” I replied.

I’ll take a car-seat nap over a carseat tantrum any day.

In “Destination Recreation,” local parents review family-friendly attractions. Got a spot you think we should feature? Email us at ideas@ kidsvt.com.

• Sweet Alchemy Bakery and Café is open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Find more info at facebook.com/ sweetalchemyvermont.

• Wildflowers Studio offers an open studio most weekday mornings from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and on most Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Admission is $15 for families with one child and $5 per additional child. Find a detailed schedule at wildflowerstudiobtv.com.

• Boho Baby is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Go to bohobabyvt.com for information about consigning and selling clothes.

The Barns at Lang Farm in Essex Junction

Boho Baby

Virginia plays at Wildflowers Studio

MARY ANN LICKTEIG

Music Mixer

Fourth grader DJ Zandro finds his groove with electronic music

Disco lights throw flashing medallions over a darkened dance floor. The music is thumping, the crowd is rocking, and the DJ is 10 years old.

Dancers may be able to see only the top of his head bobbing behind the controls, headphones clapped over a baseball cap. Clean-cut, freckled and resembling a slim Beaver Cleaver, he is Zane White: Richmond Elementary School fourth grader by day, DJ Zandro by night.

That’s ZAHN-dro. “He prefers the Italian pronunciation,” says his mom, Brooke White. People would know that, he points out, if she hadn’t squelched his social media presence.

That will come in good time, she tells him.

Already, hundreds have learned his name. In the last three years, old-fashioned connections and phone calls have landed him gigs all over Burlington. He has played at Nectar’s and Half Lounge, a sales event at Ecco clothing store and a monthly residency at now-defunct Bugatti Barbers. Last fall, he supplied the soundtrack for a fashion show at an upscale Boston boutique. On March 31, he will co-host the third annual To the Max Dance Party at ArtsRiot, a benefit for Boston Children’s Hospital. With 280 attendees last year, it’s his biggest — and favorite — event. Each of the last two parties raised more than $10,000.

Zane has found his groove. And it came at the perfect time. Three years ago, his only sibling, Max, then 5, was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a genetic disorder that disrupts the production of collagen. Collagen, his mom explains, acts like the glue that holds the body’s cells together. “So it affects literally every system in his body,” Brooke says.

The diagnosis led to about 15 sub-diagnoses, including an unstable cervical spine, hernias requiring multiple surgeries, and a rare vascular condition that puts Max at risk for aneurysms and arterial tears. He goes to Boston Children’s Hospital at least 12 times a year. That first year, he went nearly every week.

“Sometimes I think it was hardest on Zane of our whole family,” Brooke says, “because he was watching, and he had to watch emergency ambulance rides.” Zane, who was 7, exhibited typical responses

The To the Max Dance Party and silent auction benefiting Boston Children’s Hospital takes place at ArtsRiot in Burlington on March 31 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets — $10 for kids and $25 for adults — are available at artsriot.com and at the door. Find more info at the “To the Max Dance Party at ArtsRiot” Facebook page.

to stress, says his mom, a psychologist. He had difficulty sleeping and trouble focusing at school.

Then, while Brooke and Max were away in Boston one time, Zane and his dad watched an online video of Swedish DJ Alesso. Instantly enthralled, Zane began to copy him and to put on shows. Family videos show him in his grandparents’ backyard behind a blanket-draped table bouncing to an electronic beat. He points confidently, shakes his index finger, swings his arms and then leans forward, rocking his shoulders as he maneuvers his pretend controls. The music builds, and he yells to his audience, “Let me see you jump!” And then he jumps, pumping both hands, fingers spread wide, to the sky.

It was the perfect therapy. “There’s no question,” his mom says. For some of those early shows, Zane tore up toilet paper and directed his “manager,” Max, to fling it into the air to simulate pyrotechnics. “It really just gave him his confidence,” Brooke says. “And it gave him something to focus on, and it just let him feel really positive again during a time that was hard.”

While still 7, Zane started taking lessons at Burlington’s Studio 5, a DJ training school for kids and adults where Jason Baron – aka D Jay Baron –was lead instructor. “There is nobody else I would have wanted to fall into my child’s life at that time,” Brooke says. A professional DJ who plays clubs, weddings and events for companies, including

NAME: Zane White

AGE: 10

TOWN: Richmond

Burton and Red Bull, Baron continues to teach Zane the technical aspects of blending songs, the business side of creating events and landing gigs, and how to read a crowd. Baron performs with Zane at most shows.

Zane stores music — mostly EDM (electronic dance music) and Deep House — on his MacBook Air and blends it using his Traktor professional DJ controller. “He is producing music live in front of an audience,” Baron says.

His first gig was a friend’s 7th birthday party. Now, he hopes to land school dances, and he dreams of playing at Tomorrowland, a massive electronic music festival usually held in Belgium, and the New England Patriots’ Gillette Stadium, even though he doesn’t like the home team. “It’s a popular stadium,” he says matter-of-factly, “so I might as well just play there.”

He aspires to learn to make music, which DJs do using computer software and by manipulating their own keyboard recordings as well as song samples from other artists. “His future’s bright,” Baron says. “He’s interested in packing stadiums.” And that’s possible, Baron says. “Oh, absolutely.” K

“One to Watch” shines a light on a young Vermonter who is going places. Know someone we should profile? Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com.

MEALTIME BY ASTRID HEDBOR LAGUE

Irish Barmbrack

Tea-Infused Fruit Bread for St. Patty’s Day

My cooking is heavily influenced by my Swedish roots, but I’m also part Irish. Because of this heritage, my family has always held a special place in our hearts for St. Patrick’s Day.

Most people are familiar with corned beef and cabbage, accompanied by a nice frothy Guinness, but there’s much more to Irish food than this old standby.

Take barmbrack, which roughly translates to “speckled loaf.” The dense, brown bread is studded with a variety of dried fruits. In Ireland, it’s traditionally served on Halloween with several small trinkets baked into it, much like king cake for Mardi Gras. It can be made as a yeasted bread or without yeast, which makes it more like a tea cake.

made during times when yeast was either expensive or not readily available. Halloween barmbrack often contains autumnal fruits like raisins and currants, but I brought the flavors into spring with golden raisins and dried blueberries, cranberries, apricots and cherries. I also added candied citrus peel to give the bread a little kick. The dried fruit is soaked in brewed tea before putting it in the bread, a process which infuses it with flavor and moisture. That same tea is also

used in the batter. (For a real Irish treat, substitute a little whiskey for some of the tea; the alcohol bakes off.) If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like to see things go to waste, reserve the leftover tea to sip with the bread.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups Irish breakfast tea, brewed

• 1 cup sultanas (golden raisins)

• 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

• 1/2 cup dried cherries, cranberries and blueberries (or a similar mixture)

• 2 tablespoons chopped candied lemon

• 2 tablespoons chopped candied orange

• 2 cups white whole-wheat flour (This makes for a lighter, less dense loaf than standard whole wheat.)

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

cally begs for a good slathering of

than standard American butter — all the better.

Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, this loaf keeps for several days on the counter, but it will be hard to hold off that long. The bread practically begs for a good slathering of butter. If you can find Irish butter — creamier because it has less water than standard American butter — all the better.

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional, but lovely)

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1 egg

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Before baking, I asked an Irish coworker which type he preferred. He steered me toward the teacake version, which he thought was a more authentic preparation,

can be made as a without yeast, was a more authentic preparation,

2. Put the brewed tea in a small saucepan and add the dried fruit and citrus. Simmer on low heat for at least 15 minutes (you could also soak the fruit in the tea overnight). Strain the fruit out of the tea, reserving 1 cup of the liquid for the batter. Let liquid cool.

3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices and sugar. Add the egg and mix to combine. Stir in the fruit, then the cooled tea.

4. Transfer the batter to a wellgreased 9-inch loaf pan. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for at least 10 minutes, then slice and enjoy with a generous amount of butter.

Puppets: World on a String is underwritten by Donna and Marvin Schwartz and the Stiller Family Foundation.

HABITAT BY ALISON NOVAK

The Little Pink House

When Jamie Cudney’s husband, Ken, began building a structure in their Hinesburg backyard in the fall of 2016, neighbors were curious. When they asked what it was, Jamie told them to wait and see; it would be obvious soon enough. Once the paint — in a cheerful shade of bubblegum pink — was applied, the neighbors caught on. It was a playhouse for the couple’s youngest child, Nora, now 4. Ken, a pharmacist with a knack for carpentry, built the 48-square-foot house from his own imagination, without any formal plans. It was, Jamie says, a “complete labor of love” for their daughter. Ken included sweet details, like a split Dutch door, pink window knobs, and a cast-iron flying pig bell. A large window boasts chalkboard shutters that open out. Those shutters became a menu board earlier this winter, when the

family hosted “Cocoa for a Cause” to help their 11-year-old son, Cole, raise money for Special Olympics Vermont. About 60 customers showed up on a Wednesday afternoon in January for hot chocolate with all the fixings — chocolate chips, marshmallows, candy canes and whipped cream — served from the playhouse window.

Last April, Nora dished up ice cream with sprinkles for her friends out of that same window at her fourth birthday celebration. And for middle child and Little League enthusiast Sawyer’s baseball-themed ninth birthday party in June, the playhouse became a ballpark concession stand. Attendees were each given four quarters to spend on 25-cent snacks, including popcorn, chips and Big League Chew.

Family pictures hang in frames on the interior walls of the house. A small

lavender table in one corner serves as Nora’s art station. In another corner, a shaggy pink floor pillow and a hanging bookshelf create a cozy reading nook. A pink play kitchen, chalkboard with magnetic letters, cash register, and a baby doll in a car seat create more opportunities for imaginative play. And the play mop from a Melissa & Doug cleaning set does real work when the pine floor gets slippery from snow.

Well aware that a playhouse can quickly be outgrown, Ken built the structure tall enough for adults to stand up in. Jamie and Nora spend mother-daughter time there reading together, and there’s talk of a playhouse campout when the temperatures rise. Nora even welcomes pets. She lures the family’s Golden Lab, Cinnamon, into the house with dog treats kept inside. K

“Habitat” celebrates places where Vermont families live and play. Got a sweet space you’d like us to see? Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com.

PINK PLAYHOUSE PARAMETERS

• The Cudneys got cedar shingles for the roof for free from the Hinesburg Front Porch Forum. The finished wide-plank pine boards on the floor of the playhouse are leftovers from a friend’s remodeling project. The pig bell is from Amazon.

• The house’s exterior is painted Behr Raspberry Pink. The door’s shade is Behr Heart Potion

• Inside, a hanging lantern — a birthday party favor — filled with a strand of LED lights provides a (dim) overhead light. Jamie snagged the art table and play kitchen from a Facebook swap group.

• A metal mailbox with Nora’s name written in cursive holds notes from neighbors and cards from grandparents, secretly transferred from the real mailbox by Jamie.

• Ken estimates the playhouse cost approximately $2,500 to build and furnish. It took him from October 2016 to June 2017 to build, with a break for winter weather.

Chalkboard shutters

Nora pretends to lock the playhouse door

BY JESSICA LARA TICKTIN

Raising Seven Sons

Her dishwasher has been broken for a year and a half; still, Lisa Laverty seems cheerful about doing dishes and keeping her small, three-bedroom house in order for her family of nine. A devoted caregiver, Lisa’s contentment is rooted in her Catholic faith. She and her husband, Kevin, are actively involved in their local parish, St. Pius X, and in their Essex community. Both parents teach religious education at their church several days a week, and Kevin is the Cub Scout master for Essex-based Pack 635.

The centerpiece of the Lavertys’ home is a large farm table — big enough to seat the whole family and a guest or two. Last summer, Kevin and Lisa made the sturdy piece of furniture, with the help of their sons, from wood milled from cherry trees on their property. They eked out small chunks of time in their day to plane, chisel and sand the table, finishing it with legs made from black-iron plumbing pipes. The end result is a lovely, smooth surface for the family to gather around at mealtime.

On the standard morning routine: Lisa: I typically get up around 5 or 5:30. I usually pray. I say the rosary for about 15 minutes or half an hour, and that gets me ready for the day. Then, I might do some dishes if I haven’t done them the night before. Then I get people up. The older boys, I wake up around 6:10 — Kris and Carl and Roland sometimes. They get up and get themselves breakfast; Carl will make himself lunch. Val, the oldest, gets up about 15 minutes before it’s time to leave. That’s a struggle!

Kevin: That’s being generous. I am actually kind of excited there is snow outside because that gets him motivated to get up — knowing I can get a snowball and bring it inside his room!

Lisa: I don’t remember which baby it was, maybe it was after baby number five, I told Kevin I couldn’t do lunches anymore, that he had to do it. It was

just too much! Then he transferred power to the children, and I was like,“OK!”

On feeding seven boys: Kevin: We’ve kind of gone back and forth for a while. I was doing a lot of the grocery shopping at night after the kids went to bed. The last few years, Lisa has been doing it. Lisa: Sometimes I am really good about meal planning and then shopping, and other times not. Kevin likes baking, so we do a lot of that — for example, pizza on Friday night. Kevin likes to cook more than I do, but he has less time, so I learned to cook because I fought it for a lot of years! When he met me, I lived by myself, and when he looked in my fridge, I had Spanish olives and ice cream!

Kevin: You had maraschino cherries, too.

Lisa: I was all set! I would much rather make art and just do things than cook, you know? But I learned, by necessity, and it really nurtures the kids. So that inspires me to cook more.

On finding father-son time: Kevin: We make maple syrup, and we have a sugarhouse that I made a bit bigger so that the boys could be out there with me. This past spring, we had a little table in there, and we played cards. And I had a dartboard out there, and there were a few nights when Val stayed up extra late with me, and we got some one-on-one time together. It might be a male thing, but you end up talking more when you focus on another activity besides the talk, so if there’s a lull, there’s not an awkward silence because you are doing something.

On being the sole woman:

Lisa: It’s such a different world. I get some time with the mothers’ groups I am part of, and I have a lot of girlfriends. But it is funny because I am just immersed. I went over to the middle school today and the secretary said, “Oh, you cut your hair!” And I

DAD: Kevin Laverty, 42, technology, engineering and design teacher at Christ the King School, Burlington

MOM: Lisa Laverty, 46, fulltime caregiver and blogger at makingitinvermont.com

SONS: Val, 16, Kris, 14, Carl, 11, Roland, 9, Ollie, 6, Gus, 5, Paul, 3

was like, “Oh! Someone noticed!” And it’s so funny to me every time it happens because we women are so much more aware of that stuff and say it, and I just don’t get it in my everyday life at all.

On having a child with Down syndrome:

Lisa: Number one, he is healthy. Like with any of the kids, you are just trying to meet their needs. So I don’t see him as different. We all have special needs.

Kevin: The biggest difference with Gus is that he is not as verbal as the other guys. He may need a little more of this, but the other ones need a little more of that, so it all comes out in the wash.

Lisa: I don’t use the label “Down syndrome” in our family. They know, and we’ve talked about it, but I don’t define Gus that way. That’s not who he is. I never wanted him to be defined in their eyes that way. He is their brother, he’s another human being, and that’s that.

On the intersection of religion and parenting:

Lisa : I would say, for me, my faith has helped me most with parenting. I don’t know what I would do without it.

Kevin: It gives me greater perspective, and it gives me patience and helps me maintain my cool. It helps me love the kids for who they are.

Lisa: And reminds us to be kind, to the children and to each other.

On creativity and the gift of giving:

Lisa: I used to be an art teacher, and I find little creative projects to do around the house. Today, I just reworked an old painting. And recently, I learned how to print on fabric. Val is really into chemistry and I thought, Oh, I can take the periodic table of elements and print it on fabric and sew it together. Yesterday, I just went at it and now (above the piano) is the framed periodic table of elements! It cracked me up that this is what I want to hang in the house now. It’s not a painting, but the boys love it! They are into that kind of thing. It’s not my thing, but I wanted to do it for them, which is so funny and wonderful at the same time. And that’s, like, parenthood, right? It’s not about me. And I think that’s what I’ve learned most about parenting — is to give of myself. When you give, that’s the gift. K

A large family on meeting individual needs, keeping the faith and the gift of giving

THE ART OF BY JILLIAN KIRBY

At-Home Kids’ Haircuts

Hair salons and toddlers don’t always gel. Sitting still in a new environment while a stranger touches your head? The experience can be stressful for parents and kiddos alike. I’ve heard tales of stylists who are magicians with the under-3 set. But last year, when it was time for my son Mo’s first haircut around age 1, we decided to skip the salon and go the DIY route. It was a natural choice for me. Until I started cutting my own hair when I was in high school, my dad always cut my hair at home – and he

other’s hair with the same clippers I would use on him. He imitated the buzzing sound and laughed as we vigorously brushed hair off our necks.

One reason I like clippers is that their tiny, moving blades are covered by metal fingers and plastic guards, making them less likely than scissors to hurt a squirming child.

On the day of his haircut, Mo and I talked about the process.

“It will be a little noisy, and you will need to sit still, but you will get a cool new hairstyle!” I told him.

Later that day, I stripped Mo down to his diaper and sat him in his high chair. I handed him the comb and the unplugged clippers, and let him look at them for a few minutes so he’d get comfortable with the tools. Then I plugged in the clippers and held them up for a minute so he could get used to the noise.

THE MANE EVENT

Hoping for a peaceful at-home haircut? Here are my top tips:

• Give your child time to get used to the idea. Watching YouTube videos of haircuts together is a great way to familiarize kids with the process and to teach yourself haircutting techniques. Here’s a great video to get you started: youtube.com/ watch?v=QuWcmJrZqcU Keep it simple. I rarely use more than two different guard lengths, one for the sides and back, and the longest one for the top. You can always go shorter, so if you’re unsure, start with a longer guard.

• You can cut longer hairstyles with clippers, too: My stylist actually uses clippers on my bob. Here’s a helpful video: youtube.com/ watch?v=5NTw16azudc

did a great job. After I grew up, he taught me how to use clippers so I could cut his hair.

Confident in my styling abilities, I turned to childcare expert Janet Lansbury for tips on how to bring Mo on board. In a blog post about taking your kids to doctor, dentist and hair appointments, Lansbury writes, “Babies like to be included in a process, to participate as much as possible, even if it just means being informed about all that is happening to them. When babies are treated with this kind of respect, they are surprisingly cooperative, because they are aware and engaged.”

In that spirit, I began preparing for the haircut long before it actually happened. Mo watched as his dad and I took turns trimming each

I worked slowly, pausing frequently for Mo to move around and look at things. Using a #3 guard, which leaves hair about three-quarters of an inch long, I started at the nape of his neck, pulling out and away from his scalp as I went up to create a smooth transition between lengths.

Mo got frustrated because he couldn’t watch, so we took a fiveminute break. When we came back, I attached the longest guard, a #8, and loosely combed it through the top of his hair, stopping periodically to assess the shape and cut. For the finishing touch, I clicked on the shortest guard, a #1, to clean up his sideburns and neck line.

When I was finished, Mo looked handsome and somehow much older without the fluff of waves framing his pudgy cheeks. Brushing the little hairs from his neck and shoulders,

• If your child gets upset, take a break, brush off the hair (I use my largest makeup brush for this task) and come back to the cut after he or she has calmed down.

• Take deep breaths and go slowly; accept that your toddler is not going to sit still and look in the same direction the whole time. Setting up a screen with a favorite movie or having another caregiver positioned in the direction you want your child to look can help.

I was glad we had gone through this rite of passage together, in the comfort of our own home.

One year later, we’ve made it through four drama-free home haircuts. At 2 years old, Mo has graduated from sitting in a high chair to a regular chair during the process. He enjoys playing with the soft hair as it falls, and, when I crouch in front of him to check our progress, he likes to assume the role of stylist and comb my hair. K

Providing a mixed-aged, developmental program for children 18 months through 12 years of age.

Providing a mixed-aged, developmental program for children 18 months through 12 years of age.

A child-centered alternative education.

A child-centered alternative education.

All inquiries: 802-479-0912 info@mscvt.org

dedicated to the philosophy and teachings of Maria Montessori

All inquiries: 802-479-0912 info@mscvt.org

... dedicated to the philosophy and teachings of Maria Montessori

Jillian cuts Mo’s hair

How Does Learning to Play an Instrument Affect a Child’s Brain?

Anyone who’s learned to play a musical instrument knows that it helps to develop discipline, coordination and time-management skills. But research from the University of Vermont indicates it can also make kids smarter and more emotionally balanced.

Dr. Jim Hudziak is a professor of psychiatry, medicine, pediatrics, and communication sciences and disorders at UVM’s Larner College of Medicine. He also directs the Vermont Center for Children, Youth and Families, which brings together medical experts to treat kids and adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders.

In 2014, Hudziak and his colleagues published a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry on the effects of learning a musical instrument on child brain development. As expected, researchers saw improvements in areas of the brain involved in muscle control and coordination in kids ages 6 to 18 who played an instrument. But Hudziak and his team also saw improvements in regions of the brain that regulate behavior, emotions, working memory, attention and future planning. We asked Hudziak what lessons parents can take from his work.

KIDS VT: What were some of the practical benefits that came out of your research?

JIM HUDZIAK: For me, it’s an invitation not just for the field of psychiatry but for all medicine to be more brain-centered, and understand that the development of the human brain is a dynamic process that’s influenced not only by our genes but also by the environment we exist in.

KVT: What, exactly, are the benefits of music lessons?

JH: The regions of the brain that we reported on that were most interesting are those involved in emotional

regulation, executive processing and attention skills. Sure, if you learn to juggle, the parts of your brain that require you to be a good juggler will change. But in learning music, there’s even more going on. My colleagues in other projects are looking at the effects of producing music on, for example, language

do good neuroimaging or outcome studies to prove it. There’s no question that your environment influences your genomes and thus the structure and function of your brain. We know that if a pregnant woman is stressed out, her corticosteroid stress hormones have direct effects on her baby, which

arts. [Northwestern University researcher] Nina Kraus has done some incredible work involving a two-year dose of one-hour-a-day music training in children raised in disadvantaged populations. A child raised in poverty often grows up with a massive word gap. By age 5, that child may have heard 50 million fewer words in his or her life than a child not living in poverty. After two years of music lessons, those same kids’ academic performance went through the roof.

KVT: Why does that happen?

JH: Happiness and success in life are often measured by our ability to regulate our emotions. Nowhere is that more true than in a child. A child’s brain isn’t fully developed until their twenties. But there are things we can do to help in the development of those frontal and prefrontal regions of the brain, which are involved with attention and emotional regulation. Musical practice is one such workout.

KVT: Years ago there was a trend of playing classical music for babies, purportedly to boost their brain activity. Was there real science behind it?

JH: You’re referring to the Mozart effect, which was only defeated not because of any good evidence against it, but because it was hard to

impacts the structure and function of the child’s brain. Playing soothing classical music has impacts on heart rate variability of the mother and, indirectly, puts the child in a better environment for developing their little brain. In our OB/GYN program, we give instruction in yoga, mindfulness, nutrition and stress-reduction strategies to pregnant mothers from Medicaid and disadvantaged populations. Why are we doing all that? We’re investing in their babies’ brains.

KVT: What other environmental factors boost kids’ brain development?

JH: There are things that humans have done for as long as humans have written things down — music, art, exercise, religion. Humans wouldn’t do these things for thousands of years if there wasn’t some benefit to our species. All of the kids in our clinic are taught breathing and mindfulness exercises, because that’s where modern medicine is heading. It’s not “crunchy Vermont thinking.” I wouldn’t have all these violin lessons going on here unless there was sound brain science to back it up. All families should be given the knowledge, skills and attitudes to help their children engage in these behaviors, for which there is no risk and high returns. K

The development of the human brain is a dynamic process that’s influenced not only by our genes but also by the environment we exist in.

BOOKWORMS BY BRETT STANCIU

A Science Story

Center for Ecostudies will have presentations about migration, vernal pools and citizen science. Kids can learn about salamander crossing places and how they can help protect amphibians.

KVT: What do you hope readers will get out of this book?

When Vermont writer and educator Katy Farber was growing up in Pennsylvania, she saw another child throw an Eastern newt against a wall at summer camp. “Knock it off!” she remembers shouting.

Farber’s lifelong love of the natural world and her drive to protect the environment — and amphibians in particular — have carried her far in her adult life. This month, Farber celebrates the publication of her first picture book, Salamander Sky It comes on the heels of her 2015 young adult novel, The Order of the Trees — the recipient of a Green Earth Book Award.

Salamander Sky stars a curious little girl and her scientist mother, with beautiful illustrations by Meg Sodano. The pair venture into a rainy night to help vulnerable migrating salamanders across a road. The story teaches young readers about life cycles, adaptations and human impact, and demonstrates how kids and adults can make a meaningful difference in their world.

The Middlesex mother of 10- and 12-year-old daughters, who share Farber’s “utter delight” in the natural world, recently spoke with Kids VT about her work.

Kids VT: I’m impressed by your range of writing — from three adult nonfiction books about education to award-winning children’s literature. How do you write such different books?

Katy Farber: I’ve always been a writer and observer of the world. I’ve been honored with ideas that came to me, and I don’t honor genre.

I ask myself, What are the things that bother you, and how can you tackle that? Through nonfiction and creativity, I’ve been given the ability to do a lot of things.

KVT: The illustrations in this book are so evocative of Vermont in springtime. Did you have a specific place in mind when you wrote this story?

KF: Salamander Sky was inspired by the dirt road right in front of my house, with a nearby wetland filled with cattails, leeches and amphibians. It’s one of my family’s favorite places that we’ve been going to for years, and it’s an active crossing spot.

KVT: Tell us about your unusual book launch at Montpelier’s North Branch Nature Center on March 10.

KF: There will be great big salamander cookies. I’m going to put that right out there, because this is a kids’ book and snacks are important. I’m going to read from the book and talk a little about the creative process. Bear Pond Books will be there with Salamander Sky and many other books about amphibians. The North Branch Nature Center and the Vermont

KF: I hope Salamander Sky inspires people to see the beauty of the sunshine, but also of rainy nights and the hidden pockets of what is not usually seen. Slow down. Notice the intricate beauty of the world and work to protect our world. Remember that clean water is an incredibly important resource.

KVT: What’s your advice for young writers?

KF: Aspire to write and be who you want to be. Too many stories have been filtered or discouraged. Don’t worry about what happens later. That comes after you’ve written your words. I encourage reckless abandon to get your story out. K

Visit katyfarber.com for more information.

Kids’ Museum

A book launch party for Salamander Sky takes place on Saturday, March 10, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., at North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier. Farber will read from and sign her book at other venues this month, including:

• The Nature Museum in Grafton, Saturday, March 3, 1-2:30 p.m.

• Fletcher Free Library in Burlington, Sunday, March 11, 1-3 p.m.

• Bridgeside Books in Waterbury, Saturday, March 17, 10:30 a.m.-noon.

• Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, Saturday, March 24, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Fiber Arts Week JULY 23-27

20-24

Farber

Home-Grown

Hardwick’s Modern Times Theater is a family affair

BY BRETT STANCIU

Hardwick, Vermont, has a reputation as a local food hot spot thanks to Ben Hewitt’s 2010 book, The Town That Food Saved. But puppeteer Justin Lander makes a case for another savior.

“As much buzz as local food gets,” says Lander, “local entertainment is also really important.”

That’s what Lander and his wife, Rose Friedman, are serving up. The East Hardwick residents — parents to 7-year-old Eva and 3-year-old Charlie — founded Modern Times Theater, a troupe that specializes in unplugged amusement for the whole family.

In March, Modern Times presents three Saturday-afternoon puppet shows in Hardwick, in the unoccupied ground floor of the Gohl building on Main Street, which the pair dubbed the Blinking Yellow Light Theater. The exquisitely restored 1895 storefront is a fitting setting for these original, old-timey shows — a trilogy based on 300-year-old Punch and Judy routines. The festive preshow entertainment includes popcorn, donuts, live novelty music and a real gramophone that kids can crank.

The stars of the performances are Lander’s lovingly crafted papiermâché puppets. He makes them with cornstarch glue, newspaper, brown paper bags and paint. Some heads and hands he carves from wood, others he fashions from recycled cloth. He designs certain puppets to surprise the audience — a monkey sticks out its tongue, a baby pees by spraying water, and a cyclops has an eye that comes out of its socket (it’s attached with a thick rubber band).

During shows, Lander works the puppets behind the set while Friedman, seated in front, narrates the action. Live music energizes this low-tech spectacle, with Friedman on ukulele, and Lander laying down the puppets and playing cornet. Audience

members who attend all three shows will hear the pair play an upright bass, a five-string banjo, a bicycle pump and a completely original “Garbagematron” that Lander assembled from junk, noisemakers and toys.

“It’s the opposite of Netflixcentered, California-centered entertainment,” he observes.

In fact, it’s hard to imagine Modern Times’ puppet shows springing up anywhere but Vermont. Friedman and Lander met while working for the world-renowned Bread and Puppet Theater in Glover. The innovative, grassroots company is known for its enormous papier-mâché puppets, left-leaning politics, and the homemade bread and garlicky aioli served at performances.

Baked goods play a role in Modern Times’ Saturday Storefront Puppet Show Series, too — during a break in the action, Lander will raffle off a cake baked by Glover-based Red Sky Trading.

On and off the stage, the couple gives off a playful, vintage vibe. Lander sports a mustache. Friedman wears a headband to tame her thick, black bob, and favors dresses over jeans when performing. Their creative yet industrious approach to life is evident during a visit to their home — a 1790s farmhouse with a 1970s addition — on a Saturday afternoon in February. A small greenhouse, used for seed starting, leads into a spacious living room and kitchen, heated by a central wood-burning cookstove. Soup simmers on the stovetop in a well-used, green Dutch oven. The space is filled with stacks of library books, wooden toys and instruments, including an upright fiddle and a large bass drum. A yellow and red hammock hangs from ceiling beams, and an oversized rainbow Slinky lies at the bottom of the stairs.

The two speak passionately about their lifelong fascination with the stage and their determination to turn

what might have been a hobby into their livelihood.

Friedman, 36, is an only child. Her mother worked as a director and playwright, and her father acted — often they worked on the same production. The name Modern Times Theater is recycled from her parents’ troupe, which performed politically

motivated theater, including protests against the Vietnam War.

Between her parents’ touring and their various jobs in higher education, Friedman’s childhood was marked by a series of moves. Her family lived in Ohio, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom and New York City. “It took

me a while,” she admits, “to recognize theater was actually my passion and wasn’t something my parents were foisting on me.”

While studying at the New School university in Manhattan, Friedman spent a semester in 2002 at the Moscow Art Theatre through the National Theater Institute. When she graduated from college, she joined Bread and Puppet as a company member.

In contrast to Friedman’s artsy roots, Lander, 42, describes his parents as “straight-up scientists who literally met in the lab.” As a boy in New Jersey, he obsessively made things with his hands, such as, at age 11, “a museum of oddities.” Creating stand-up comedy routines was a favorite hobby, and, all through his teen years, he played in a rock band. He studied psychology, with a focus on neuroscience, at Bates College in Maine, but gradually shifted away from the family’s scientific track as his work in a mental health hospital and, later, with refugees seeking asylum, widened his experience. Joining the performing staff at Bread and Puppet offered him the opportunity to mix the “activist-y world and music.” He also helped reinvigorate the theater company’s farm.

After Lander and Friedman married in 2007, they linked up with two other couples, bought a short school bus and spent three months on the road, performing original musical skits in pick-up gigs as far west as Minneapolis and as far south as New Orleans.

“We were six stinking puppeteers in a dirty bus,” Lander says with a laugh. “We could burn the grease we got from a Chinese restaurant, and it was fun.”

When they returned to Vermont, they were determined to set down roots and begin a family. Lander and Friedman purchased an old farmhouse on a hillside just outside

It’s the opposite of Netflix-centered, California-centered entertainment.

JUSTIN LANDER

PHOTOS BY STEFAN HARD

Lander’s “Garbage-matron,” made from junk, noisemakers and toys

Home-Grown Entertainment

farmhouse on a hillside just outside East Hardwick, population 1,100. Friedman calls the village “a little jewel hidden off the highway.”

The couple was mesmerized by aspects of rural living, like how dark the sky is at night, and the way in which people make their living from the land. From friends and neighbors, they learned to grow and preserve their own produce, raise livestock and cut meat. They quickly discovered that their house needed a lot of work. They’ve rebuilt and insulated the older section, wall by wall, and have plans to replace the roof this year.

Friedman’s parents, now retired, live in a house they built on a section of Friedman and Lander’s 17 acres. The arrangement is “the dreamiest long-term option,” Friedman says. Eva and Charlie can walk unaccompanied to their grandparents’ door and are learning, Friedman says, that “Grandma and Grandpa are going to help you do this, but also, I need you to help them.” The symbiotic arrangement also allows the couple, who homeschool Eva, regular kid-free time.

In backroads Vermont, Friedman acknowledges, “homeschool is also car-school a lot of the time,” ferrying kids between friends’ homes and activities. A deeper thread of the couple’s educational philosophy is their desire “to include our kids so entirely into our work, so that it isn’t You’re going here and we’re going there.”

“At the same time, it’s a family business we’re running,” she continues, “with deadlines and stresses. We’ll be in the middle of reading a book, and I’ll go, ‘Hold on!’ and jump up and do something I’d forgotten. I sometimes worry Eva isn’t getting what she deserves, but then I also think, That’s so cool, because she’s right there in it.” Eva has appeared on stage in small roles, and her brother made his first cameo appearance as an infant.

From the beginning, Friedman and Lander aspired to balance a homesteading-based family life with earning a living as artists — two endeavors which generally don’t mesh in rural Vermont. At first, they believed they would have to choose between

CONTINUED FROM P. 19

those two paths. Then, in 2009, they teamed up with friends Maya and Brent McCoy, also of Hardwick, to start Vermont Vaudeville, a company welcoming to families but with more adult material than Modern Times.

Vermont Vaudeville’s shows,

performed twice a year in the Hardwick Town House, quickly grew in popularity. With a core cast of seven and rotating guest performers — from magicians to break-dancer Snap Boogie — the shows mix comedy, live music and circus acts linked by a

common theme. Last fall’s humorous and Vermont-specific “Front Porch Forum, The Musical” was a big hit.

In 2014, a grant from the Vermont Arts Council enabled Vermont Vaudeville to make a statewide winter tour, which included performances

PHOTOS BY STEFAN HARD

Lander plays the banjo while Friedman turns the crank of a handmade paper “movie.”

The family’s East Hardwick abode features a woodburning cookstove.

at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in Burlington and Bennington’s Oldcastle Theatre Company.

Vaudeville’s success made the couple realize that growing a devoted local following was not just a pipe dream. “I never knew it was a possibility as a performer to know so much of your audience, which is what living in a small rural area gives you,” Friedman says. “It’s pretty nice.”

Each summer, Modern Times Theater produces a new Punch and Judy show based on the Collaborative Summer Library Program theme. The troupe performs in numerous libraries around the state, at festivals — such as First Night North in St. Johnsbury and Sandglass Theater’s Winter Sunshine Series in Putney — and offers school residencies.

To make ends meet, the couple has worked a variety of jobs through the years: Friedman as a children’s librarian and Lander as a sugarmaker and carpenter. Last year, they made what Lander describes as a “leap of faith” and committed themselves almost entirely to their creative work, although Friedman continues to do occasional homeschooling evaluations for local families.

The couple often doesn’t have a set schedule six months out, which creates what Friedman calls a “very scary” and uneven financial landscape at times. Still, she describes their life as “incredibly rich and meaningful beyond any measure.” She and Lander cultivate an enormous garden, raise beef cows, tend a flock of chickens and raise pigs with a nearby family. Until recently, they had a milk cow, too.

The notion that entertainment is linked to a specific place — bucking generic, mainstream, digital entertainment — is evident in the couple’s love for the 1860 Hardwick Town House. Now in their 10th year performing Vermont Vaudeville on that stage, Friedman and Lander note that their live

music and comedy shows resemble performances that captivated audiences over 100 years ago. Why is the work they’re doing important?

Lander points to Hardwick’s annual Memorial Day celebration at Atkins Field, the site of the town’s early 19th-century granite industry. The local food co-op sets up shop on one side of the field, with alternative healers and organically centered businesses, while, on the opposite side, the Kiwanis Club organizes a chicken barbecue with traditional fair vendors and traveling carnival rides.

The divide, Friedman and Lander acknowledge, reflects a tension between long-established, multigenerational families and more recent transplants, often from out-of-state — a cultural division in Vermont by no means unique to Hardwick. The couple readily acknowledge that their goal to unite these two halves through live, local entertainment might be impossible.

But that won’t stop them from trying. “One of the real hopes for the Vaudeville project,” Lander says as he leans forward intently, “is that the Town House be a totally democratic space, equal, open, all welcome and comfortable — for everyone — not for this half or that half.

“At this moment, what better work could we do?” he continues.

“Theater is a place in America today that is supposed to be for everyone. To have everyone laugh at the same thing right now would be a miracle.” K

The Saturday Storefront Puppet Show Series takes place on March 3, 10 and 17, at 2 p.m., at the Blinking Yellow Light Theater, 101 South Main St., in Hardwick. $7 suggested donation per person at the door; sponsored by the Vermont Community Foundation and the Northeast Kingdom Arts Council. Info, moderntimestheater.com.

The couple aspire to balance a homesteadingbased family life with earning a living as artists.

Classic movie recommendations for kids and teens

Oldies but Goodies

BY LUKE BAYNES

It only takes one movie to change a person’s life.

In 1946, Catherine Scorsese took her 4-year-old son, Martin, to see the lavish Technicolor epic Duel in the Sun. Though the saucy Western melodrama, nicknamed “Lust in the Dust,” might seem like an odd choice of cinematic fare for a child, it was a transformative experience for the asthmatic boy from New York City’s Little Italy.

It was “a flawed film,” the Oscar-winning director and film-history bu recalls in his 1995 documentary, A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies, “but nevertheless, the hallucinatory quality of the imagery has never weakened for me over the years.”

My earliest theatrical movie experience was not nearly as momentous as Scorsese’s. When I was 6, my parents took me to see Benji the Hunted (1987). It’s ostensibly a children’s movie, about a domesticated dog forced to fend for itself in the wilderness against a variety of predators. I made it about half an hour before I fled to the lobby, sobbing. I still don’t know how the film ended.

My eureka moment came at age 13, when I rented the 1961 pool-hall drama The Hustler from my local video store. I chose it simply because I liked shooting pool and thought it would contain some interesting billiards footage. I was wholly unprepared for a brilliantly shot and acted morality play, featuring Paul Newman in the performance of a lifetime as pool shark “Fast Eddie” Felson.

From that moment on, I was hooked on motion pictures. I watched as many classic movies as I could find

at video stores and libraries. At times, I saw as many as five films in a single day. Besides the fact that many of the greatest movies of all time were made during the 1950s or earlier, classic films were a portal for me into the way things were when my parents and grandparents were growing up. Perhaps more than any other art form, cinema serves as a visual time capsule of societal trends and the cultural mores of past eras.

Want to introduce your kids to the magic of classic movies? Start with the following list. Whenever possible, I’ve chosen films with characters roughly the same age as the intended viewer. Many of the earlier films aren’t rated by the Motion Picture Association of America, but, where applicable, I’ve added the MPAA rating. Commonsensemedia.org also has detailed information about the age appropriateness of most of the films on the list, including all of the unrated titles.

If you’re accustomed to watching movies on Netflix or Hulu, you might be disappointed to find that most classics aren’t available there. As of this writing, Netflix has just 20 movies

made prior to 1960 — and 13 of those are World War II-era documentaries. However, 10 of my 12 recommendations are available for streaming rental on Amazon Video. The remaining two — Sherlock Jr. and Little Fugitive — are available on DVD. At the local level, the 2013 shuttering of Burlington’s Waterfront Video was a significant blow to classic-movie lovers who prefer the tangible experience of in-person video rental. But Tempest Book Shop in Waitsfield has thousands of titles for rent in both DVD and VHS format, and many local libraries are still clinging to their DVD collections. While tracking down classic movies is more challenging these days, it’s worth the e ort. Though these films might not turn your kid into the next Scorsese, there’s always the chance that they could be life-changing.

For Children

DUMBO (1941, G): The delights of the animated Disney universe are myriad and span decades. So, where to begin? Dumbo has never gotten as much love from critics as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Pinocchio, but I’ll take the underdog. Young children will be entranced by the menagerie of animated animals, while any school-age kid who’s ever been bullied, or just felt insecure, will be uplifted by the story of a young circus elephant who’s ridiculed for his enormous ears before triumphing as a high-flying star.

THE CIRCUS (1928, G): If your child enjoys Dumbo , then Charlie Chaplin’s The Circus is the perfect segue into live-action silent comedy. Also set under the big top, it features Chaplin’s ‘Little Tramp’ alter ego as a would-be clown who’s only funny when he’s not trying to be funny. One of the best showcases for Chaplin’s trademark combination of humor and pathos, the film features some of his most ingenious set pieces, from a caged encounter with a sleeping lion to a high-wire act that goes hilariously awry.

Dumbo

The Circus Sherlock Jr.

SHERLOCK JR. (1924): While Chaplin’s humor tugs at the heartstrings, the deadpan comedy of Buster Keaton thrills with its technical virtuosity. Sherlock Jr. features arguably the most gifted physical comedian in movie history as a film projectionist who dreams (literally and figuratively) of becoming a famous detective. An extended film-within-a-film dream sequence — including a chase scene with Keaton on the handlebars of an unmanned motorcycle — is pure magic. Although countless Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies animated shorts took their cues from Keaton’s comedy, nothing beats the original.

THE RED BALLOON (1956): An ideal introduction to the world of international cinema, Albert Lamorisse’s 34-minute fantasy stars his son, Pascal, as a lonely boy from the drab Belleville neighborhood of Paris who befriends an anthropomorphic balloon that seems to have a mind of its own. Magic realism has rarely been as magical as the film’s soaring climax. It’s subtitled, but the dialogue is minimal.

For Preteens

LITTLE FUGITIVE (1953): This landmark in low-budget independent filmmaking is about a 7-year-old boy who runs away from home after being pranked by neighborhood kids into thinking he has killed his older brother. François Truffaut — whose coming-of-age masterpiece The 400 Blows (1959) borrows liberally from the film’s Coney Island sequences — credited director Morris Engel’s street-photography techniques with inspiring the guerrilla aesthetics of the French New Wave movement. Historical significance aside, Little Fugitive contains charmingly rendered life lessons about work ethic and the importance of sibling responsibility.

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951, G): There’s no better intro to the world of science fiction than this flick, which was unimaginatively remade in 2008 as an often violent action movie, starring Keanu Reeves.

Seek out the original. A precursor to Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Robert Wise’s Cold War classic, about a UFO that lands in the middle of Washington, D.C., features an alien life form that carries a rational message of mutual assured preservation, not destruction. Even if the film’s Red Scare politics fly over the heads of youngsters, they’ll surely identify with the preteen character who discovers the truth about the mysterious visitors before any of the adults do.

SHANE (1953): With all due respect to the young Scorsese’s cinematic epiphany, there’s no better starter Western than Shane. One of the archetypal films of the genre, George Stevens’ meticulously directed oater stars Alan Ladd as a reformed gunslinger reluctantly forced to defend a family of Wyoming homesteaders against a greedy cattle baron. As seen through the eyes of a precocious 8-year-old (the Oscar-nominated Brandon de Wilde), the action assumes a mythical, larger-than-life grandeur. The film contains a pair of non-gory gunfights and the granddaddy of all barroom brawls.

For Teens

SHADOW OF A DOUBT (1943, PG):

Alfred Hitchcock is probably the bestknown director from Hollywood’s Golden Age. While his twin masterpieces — Rear Window (1954) and Vertigo (1958) — are perfect places to start a discussion of film as art, Shadow of a Doubt occupies a special place in his oeuvre. Cowritten by Our Town playwright Thornton Wilder, the film — Hitchcock’s favorite of his own work — concerns an 18-year-old girl (Teresa Wright) who gradually begins to suspect that her beloved uncle (Joseph Cotten) is a murderer. Like a homey Frank Capra film turned upside down, Shadow is a darker portrait of seemingly idyllic smalltown America.

A RAISIN IN THE SUN (1961): This film version of Lorraine Hansberry’s landmark 1959 play — the first by an OLDIES BUT GOODIES, P. 24 »

The Red Balloon

Little Fugitive

The Day the Earth Stood Still

African American woman to be produced on Broadway — retained seven members of the original cast, including Ruby Dee, Ivan Dixon and the superb Sidney Poitier. The plot isn’t complicated: A black family living in a cramped apartment on Chicago’s South Side go about their daily routines as they debate what to do with a $10,000 life-insurance check that could be their ticket to a better life. But within that basic framework, the film explores the complexities of racism, the generational clash between a mother and her children, and the quiet dignity of a dream deferred but not deserted.

DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989, PG): A companion piece to director Peter Weir’s haunting mystery Picnic at Hanging Rock

(1975) — which was set at an all-girls boarding school in his native Australia — Dead Poets Society follows a group of boys at a fictional Vermont prep school (it was filmed in Delaware), whose lives are transformed by an unconventional teacher. At

Dead Poets Society

Breaking Away

A Raisin in the Sun

Shadow of a Doubt

Shane

times tragic (it contains a suicide which might be disturbing for some viewers) and laugh-out-loud funny, the film speaks volumes about the importance of critical thinking and the profound impact a teacher can have on students. Featuring Robin Williams, in one

of his most well-rounded perfor mances, as poetry instructor John Keating, the movie also stars the fresh-faced Ethan Hawke as a painfully shy but talented student. If you’ve never seen it, I suggest promptly following Keating’s advice: “ Carpe diem.”

BREAKING AWAY (1979, PG): This quirky coming-of-age comedy, filmed on location in Bloomington, Ind., pits a group of 19-year-old townies against Indiana University frat brothers in a class-conscious turf battle. The film’s modest scale and goofy brand of humor belie its resonant message of embracing one’s roots and the dignity of blue-collar labor. The climactic cycling race is every bit as exciting as the car chase in the Steve McQueen ve hicle Bullitt (1968), also directed by the versatile Peter Yates.

AMERICAN GRAFFITI

If your kid has seen any films from the Star Wars they may well know the name George Lucas. But they might not be familiar with his second feature, an autobiographical slice of early-1960s nostalgia, about a group of recent high school grads pondering their futures as they listen to rock ’n’ roll on AM radio and cruise the streets of Modesto, Calif. Set on the last day of summer vacation, it’s a great movie to watch as a family before your son or daughter leaves the nest for the great unknowns of college and adulthood.

American Graffiti

Green Mountain Conservation Camp

This Summer Let Nature Nurture...

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.

Clown around at camp this summer!

Did you know that many Smirkus Big Top Tour troupers first learned to fly, flip, juggle, and clown at Smirkus Camp? You can too! Join us at our Greensboro, Vermont camp this summer!

Sessions For Ages 5-18 & Adults 21+

www.smirkus.org

presents Celebration

Classes & Camps

Tell us about a favorite camp game, activity or song

COMPILED BY ALISON NOVAK ILLUSTRATIONS BY HATIYE GARIP

In addition to riding, one activity the kids love is doing a beauty contest with the ponies. They love to decorate them and parade them around the ring. They also like to paint the horses and have Tasha, our face painter, paint their faces as well.

-KIM JOHANSEN, OWNER, LIVERY HORSE FARM, HINESBURG

My favorite camp game is Captain’s Coming. We make the outline of a boat in a grassy area or on the beach and all of the campers become the “crew” of the ship. In the game, crew members learn and practice the parts of a boat and get their silly on by pretending to be mermaids, row a boat or become bells on the ship. I cannot get through a game without laughing out loud with the crew.

My favorite camp activity is Camp Olympics. We set up a series of events for the entire camp on our dock and in the swim area. Everyone is wearing a life jacket as they perform different tasks like a paddling obstacle course, dock-line throw or relay races.

-MARY DOWD, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY SAILING CENTER, BURLINGTON

My favorite time of our day is when the entire camp comes together in a circle at the end of the day. It’s here where we give thanks for the day, look ahead to tomorrow and sing our closing song. We also have

an all-around-camp relay race for our oldest campers called “Call of the Loon,” which everyone looks forward to every year.

Our flagship activity is exploring our wetland at the Ethan Allen Homestead. Campers are given nets to catch frogs and other critters, like turtles, fish and various aquatic insects. We have buckets to hold the animals and aquatic magnifying glasses so campers can observe them. To wrap it all up, counselors explain what each creature is, how it is specially adapted for its environment and what its presence tells us about the water quality of the wetland. Campers are rewarded with the unforgettable experience of catching and observing wild creatures up close and learn important lessons in ecology, conservation and stewardship.

-REMY CRETTOL, PROJECTS & PROGRAMS COORDINATOR, S.O.L.E. CAMP (WINOOSKI VALLEY PARK DISTRICT), BURLINGTON

For overnight Talent Development Institute participants, a highlight is the talent show each Friday evening. In a very supportive, fun environment, campers, teen leaders and staff can show off their polished and unpolished

talents, such as playing a musical instrument, reciting Pi (from memory) to 100 places, all types of dancing, speed solving of Rubik’s cubes and singing. These serious talents are tempered by silly skits, jokes and “non-talents” (such as a staff person licking her own elbow). The talent show often ends on a high note with music and group dancing before campers head back to the dorm.

-LUCY BOGUE, CO-DIRECTOR, TALENT DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE SUMMER CAMP, JOHNSON

Each year at LEtGO Your Mind, STEM campers build motorized Lego cars. We love to build and modify our Lego cars on a 15foot track. This year’s vehicle will be a motorized Lego dragster!

-JIM HARVEY, OWNER, LEtGO YOUR MIND, BURLINGTON/ESSEX JUNCTION/SOUTH

BURLINGTON/ WINOOSKI

One of my favorite Honest Yoga camp games is smelling different essential oils and then guessing which one it is. At our B-Tru Dance camps, we enjoy creating a small end-of-the-week performance for parents. In our Hip Hop: Funk and Breakin camps, we learn the history of American culture through movement.

Snorkeling is the number one activity at LCMM, but going deeper underwater with Eva, our ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicle), is pretty close. We also love casting metal and building boats. And finding treasure maps and shipwrecks. Did we say firing our cannon on July 4th? That, too.

-ELIZABETH LEE, EDUCATION DIRECTOR, LAKE CHAMPLAIN MARITIME MUSEUM, VERGENNES

One of my favorite songs is “All I Ask Of You.” We often sing this at our campfires and closing circle. The refrain is “All I ask of you is forever to remember me as loving you.” The lyrics speak of taking time to be with one another through times of pain, joy, laughter and tears. This is a wonderful example of what it means to make friends, be friends and keep friends.

Fun-Yaks are a blast! They are small sit-on-top kayaks, and campers can’t get enough of them. I love to watch as they experience the excitement of what it means to balance on a tippy watercraft in big waves and to manipulate the paddle to move themselves through the water. Of course, campers just know they’re having a ton of fun!

-SHERRY

-KAREN

SANTORELLO, MANAGER, HONEST YOGA, SOUTH BURLINGTON

Green and White Day is a camper and counselor favorite. Campers travel in teams of 10, completing challenges that focus on collaboration and teamwork. Last summer, during Moanathemed Green and White Day,

-JOHN HAMMOND, DIRECTOR, HOSMER POINT, CRAFTSBURY COMMON

OSBORN, CAMP DIRECTOR, ROCK POINT SUMMER CAMP, BURLINGTON

campers battled with pool noodles atop paddleboards, built and sailed boats constructed of cardboard, aimed for balloons at the archery range, and presented their loudest, most enthusiastic renditions of Moana soundtrack favorites.

Paddleboard yoga is a popular way to start the day at camp. Lifeguard-certified staff take groups of campers out onto the beautiful morning waters of Lake Champlain. As campers practice yoga positions atop paddleboards, they strengthen their focus, test their core strength and share friendly laughter as they attempt particularly challenging feats of balance that often result in quick dunks in the lake.

-HANNAH BOGARD, CAMP DIRECTOR, CAMP HOCHELAGA, SOUTH HERO

One of my favorite camp activities is our climbing Olympics. They are usually on one of the last days of camp and are a culmination of many of the skills we learned during the week, as well as an introduction to some fun, new activities. While we do a lot of activities that may dip into the climbing skills we have learned, we also dip into fun activities, ranging from obstacle courses to crate stacking. I have even run an Olympics that culminated in a Grease-style dance-off. I also enjoy teaching kids to belay. Belaying is the process where one climber is pulling the rope through a specialized device as the other scales the wall. For

kids, it’s really cool to have the responsibility of holding one another up. While newer belayers always have an experienced person on backup, those who are veterans at belaying and who have been monitored for maturity and skill proficiency will have the opportunity to earn various levels of belay privileges through tests. Kids who pass these tests take great pride in having done so. These privileges also serve as a great aspiration for newer belayers to work toward.

-MATTHEW BUTLERBUGHER, GENERAL MANAGER, METROROCK VERMONT, ESSEX

It’s hard to choose a favorite activity because we love the trail rides, jumping lessons, games on horseback, tubing down the river, campouts, and daily games of capture the flag and kickball. But if we have to pick, our most favorite is the weekly movie production. We love seeing what the campers come up with. They choose the story and plan the costumes, the script, the shooting locations and roles for everyone, and have a blast creating films of their own imagining. Some of the highlights have been Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Wizard of Oz and the stories invented by the campers themselves — all starring our horses, as well as the kids, of course!

-PAT READ, CAMP DIRECTOR, ROUND ROBIN FARM RIDING CAMP, TUNBRIDGE

Summer learning = Adventure

Night Eagle

June 25-Aug 6, 2018

Offerings below are ideal for children 7-18

Wilderness Adventures

Academic Instruction

Tutoring

Lessons available to focus on the following:

June 25-August 6

 Reading: Fluency and Comprehension

 Summer Reading List Support

 Math

 SSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

 Writing and Spelling

Camp Compass Team Building Summer Institute

Activities to teach the following:

 Initiating communication

 Reciprocal interactions

 Understanding the thoughts and feelings of others

A unique summer camp for boys, ages 10-14, in the

June 25-Aug 6, 2018

 Communication skills

 Self-regulation skills

Camp Compass Team Building Summer Institute

Lessons available to focus on the following:

Stern Center for Language and Learning www.sterncenter.org 802-878-2332

Call today! Register now for a successful summer!

Stern Center for Language and Learning sterncenter.org 802-878-2332

Set Sail

Use this handy sheet to plan your summer camp schedule. Find a downloadable version at kidsvt.com/campplanner.

Kevin Sneddon’s Hockey School

GUTTERSON ARENA UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT

On- and off-ice training — Catamount style! 802-324-6876

ksneddon_21@hotmail.com | www.kshockeyschool.com

CAMP ABNAKI

• Overnight camp for boys that have completed grades 1-10

• 100 years on North Hero’s shores

• Archery, sailing, camp fires, more

• Learn skills, build confidence, have fun! campabnaki.org

BEST.

SUMMER. EVER. Y Summer Camps

• Boys and girls ages 5 - 16

• Burlington, Essex, Fairfax, Ferrisburgh, Georgia, North Hero, Underhill, Waterbury gbymca.org/camp

For kids who are wild about animals

For kids who are wild about animals!

For kids who are wild about animals!

Kids Ages 5-7: $195

Animal Adventures (ages 7-9)

Kids Ages 8-9: $390

Animal Adventures (ages 7-9)

Week 1: Monday - Friday, July 9 - 13

Afternoons only still available!

Session One: 8:30AM - 12:30PM

Afternoons only still available!

July 13-17 ● July 20-24

Week 2: Monday - Friday, July 16 - 20

July 13 -17 ● July 20-24

Session Two: 8:30AM - 12:30PM

Week 3: Monday - Friday, July 23 - 27

Session Three: 9AM - 3PM

Summer Safari (ages 10-12)

Full-day camp: A few slots available

July 27– July 31● Aug 3-7 ● Aug.10-14

-12)

day camp: A few slots available Aug.10-14

Register: (802) 862-0135 x 12 Or visit chittendenhumane.org.

Week 4: Monday - Friday, July 30 - August 3

Session Four: 9AM - 3PM

Before & after care hours are available.

Kids Ages 10-12: $390

Week 5: Monday - Friday, August 6 - 10

Session Five: 9 AM - 3 PM

0135 x 12

Or visit chittendenhumane.org.

Week 6: Monday - Friday, August 13 - 17

Session Six: 9 AM - 3 PM

Scholarships funded by Redducs Foundation

Before & after care hours are

MARCH CALENDAR

Enchanting Exhibition

Visitors get a glimpse behind the curtain at puppets and the various worlds they create at PUPPETS: WORLD ON A STRING, a multimedia exhibit on display through June 3 at Shelburne Museum, featuring works from local and national artists. The Fairytales & Fantasy section includes animated depictions of Pinocchio, the Blue Fairy and other characters made by Frank Ballard, considered the Father of Puppet Arts, as well as works by Jim Henson and whimsical woodland rod puppets by Sarah Frechette of Georgia, Vermont. A large papier-mâché-and-house-paint installation from Glover-based Bread and Puppet Theater fills the back wall of the gallery, next to Polaroids of Howdy Doody by Andy Warhol. In the Dancing Shadows, Moving Silhouettes section, gallery goers are encouraged to immerse themselves in Laura Heit’s “Two Ways Down,” an installation that combines shadow puppets, film and hand-drawn digital animations projected onto the walls. On Saturday, March 24, the museum presents Puppet Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with live theatrical performances, crafts, a curator-led gallery tour and a puppet-making workshop.

Week to Week

Ben & Jerry’s Winter Festival: Families play in the snow and take part in free factory tours. Additional happenings include ice cream and local food tastings, sugar-on-snow, a live raptor program and customizable cardboard pinball machines. 11 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Ben & Jerry’s Factory in Waterbury.

Northeast Theatre on Ice Festival: Teams from around New England tell stories on ice through short and long programs. Detailed schedule at champlainvalleyskatingclub.org. Team practice on ice begins at 7 a.m.; exhibitions from noon to 9 p.m. at the Leddy Park Arena in Burlington.

To The Max Dance Party: Families get moving and grooving to tunes spun by 10-year-old DJ Zandro and D Jay Baron, with a silent auction, too. 4-7 p.m., at ArtsRiot in Burlington. Benefits Boston Children’s Hospital.

Like the University of Vermont Medical Center on Facebook and get weekly updates from Dr. First! See “First With Kids” videos at uvmhealth.org.

“What the Moon Saw” by Sarah Frechette

SUBMIT YOUR APRIL EVENTS FOR PRINT BY MARCH 15 AT KIDSVT.COM OR CALENDAR@KIDSVT.COM

1 Thursday

ADDISON

Carnival at Town Hall Theater: In celebration of its affiliation with Town Hall Theatre, Courageous Stage gets a jamboree with music by Clint Bierman of the Grift, games, fire tricks, cotton candy, ice cream, tacos and much more. Courageous Stage offers innovative arts programming in more than 20 schools. Town Hall Theater, Middlebury, 5:30-7:30 p.m., free admission; food and drink available for purchase. Info, 388-6124.

CALEDONIA

School Vacation Week Classes: Artist and educator Heidi Lyons offers a variety of art options for students on school break. Ages 5-8 and ages 9 and up. See website for details. Outback Artspace, St. Johnsbury, 10 a.m.-noon & 1-3 p.m., $10-15; scholarships available. Info, 748-2600, ext. 2.

CHITTENDEN

Babytime: Infants through pre-walkers have a ball with books, rhymes, songs and socializing. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:15-10:45 a.m. Info, 865-7216. FREE

Coffee and College Planning: Parents of prospective college students learn the basics of financially planning for their children’s educational future. Professional Financial Associates, LLC, Colchester, 9-10 a.m., preregister. Info, 865-4067. FREE

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

Kids Concert with Mr. Ethan: Rhythm lovers revel in musical merriment and dancing with a special guest from Music for Sprouts. All ages. CarpenterCarse Library, Hinesburg, 4 p.m. Info, 482-2878. FREE

Williston Preschool Music: Lively tunes with local musicians strike the right note among the wee crowd. Second Thursdays feature Spanish music with Constancia Gomez. Ages 5 and under with a caregiver. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m., limited to one session per week per family. Info, 878-4918. FREE

FRANKLIN

Franklin Lego Thursdays: Kiddie constructionists combine their creativity with the library’s supplies. Haston Library, Franklin, 2-5 p.m. Info, 285-6505. FREE

St. Albans Circle of Parents for Foster & Adoptive Families: Parents share childrearing stories to strengthen skills and build strong families. Franklin County Seniors Center, St. Albans, 5:30-7:30 p.m., preregister. Info, 524-1700. FREE

That Funny Guy: Magician Tom Joyce: This one-man show mesmerizes an audience of all ages with silliness and skill. St. Albans Free Library, 1 p.m. Info, 524-1507. FREE

2 Friday

CALEDONIA

Dr. Seuss’s Birthday Storytime: Little listeners soak up stories by this beloved children’s author and celebrate spring with simple activities. Ages 8 and under. Galaxy Bookshop, Hardwick, 10:30 a.m. Info, 472-5533. FREE School Vacation Week Classes: See March 1.

CHITTENDEN

Family Gym: Indoor playground equipment gives tiny tumblers a chance to run free. Ages 7 and under. Greater Burlington YMCA, 10:15-11:45 a.m., $5-8 per family; free for members. Info, 862-9622.

Family Wheel Drop-In: Parents and kids try out the pottery wheel and form clay sculptures with assistance from staff. BCA Studios, Burlington, 5-7 p.m., $9-10 per participant; $5 additional for each piece fired and glazed. Info, 865-7157.

Egg Hunts

EASTER is

GroovaRoo: Moms, dads, caregivers and moms-to-be bust a move in this beginners’ class led by certified babywearing dance teacher Kadina. For children 6 weeks to age 2. Please wear comfortable exercise clothes and shoes; bring water and an approved baby carrier. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10-10:45 a.m. Info, 865-7216. FREE

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

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

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

Preschool Yoga with Danielle: Small ones stretch and relax. Ages 2 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:45 a.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Teen Advisory Board: Teens tackle library projects. Grades 9 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Tot Yoga: Mamas, papas and small ones stretch themselves with stories, songs, and silliness. Ages 2-5. Jericho Town Library, 3-4 p.m., preregistration required. Info, 899-4686. FREE

ORLEANS

GLOW-IN-THE-DARK EGG HUNT: Lights out! Middle school kids and tweens search out sweet treats and prizes in the nighttime park. Ages 9-12. Prouty Beach, Newport, FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 8:30 P.M., preregister; $12 per child. Info, 334-6345.

BARRE EGG HUNT: Kids find the goods in an eggs-cellent adventure. Ages 3-10. Rotary Park, Barre, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 10 A.M.; nonperishable foodshelf donations accepted. Info, 476-0256. FREE COLCHESTER EGG HUNT: Well-placed eggs await capture by little hands. Colchester Bayside Park, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 10 A.M.; bring a foodshelf item. Info, 264-5500. FREE

ESSEX EGG HUNT: Little gatherers collect eggs and treats to celebrate the start of spring. Toddlers through grade 4. Maple Street Park, Essex Junction, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 10 A.M.; nonperishable foodshelf donations encouraged. Info, 878-1375. FREE

FAIRFAX EGG HUNT: Kiddos line up for a finding frenzy, searching for rewards in plastic eggs. Immediately following, the Fairfax Community Library offers hot cocoa, photo-ops with the Bunny and craft activities. Fairfax Community Park & Recreation Path, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 10 A.M. Info, 849-6111, ext. 20. FREE

MILTON EGG HUNT: Young scavengers ages 6 and under meet the Easter Bunny and race to find candy-filled eggs. This year, kids separate into age-designated areas. Bombardier Park, Milton, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 10 A.M. Info, 893-4922. FREE

MONTPELIER EGG HUNT: Sharp-eyed kiddos search out sweet treats. Event begins promptly at 10 a.m. Hubbard Park, Montpelier, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 9:45 A.M. Info, 225-8699. FREE

MUD SEASON EGG HUNT: Laughing Moon Chocolates and the Green Mountain Club team up for a festive morning featuring eggs hidden along a trail. Afterward, families head to Laughing Moon to meet the Easter Bunny. Green Mountain Club, Waterbury, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 10 A.M.-NOON. Info, 244-7037.

FREE

NEWPORT EGG HUNT: Sprightly youngsters meet the Easter Bunny, make crafts, play games and search for sweet treasures. Ages 10 and under. Prouty Beach, Newport, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 10:45 A.M.-NOON, $3 per child. Info, 334-6345.

ST. ALBANS EGG HUNT: Eager youngsters seek sugary delights. Ages 1-9. Arrive early. Taylor Park, St. Albans, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 10 A.M. Info, 524-1500, ext. 266. FREE

STOWE EGG HUNT: Little and big kids spread out in separate egg hunts, followed by face painting, festive activities and a face-to-face meeting with the special bunny of the day. Stowe Elementary School, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 10-11:30 A.M., $5. Info, 253-6138.

WILLISTON EGG HUNT: A parade of celebrators culminates in frenzied sweet seeking. Williston Central School, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 8:45 A.M. Info, 865-2738. FREE

Craftsbury Lego Club: Petite ones build with plastic blocks and chat companionably. Ages 4-12. Craftsbury Public Library, Craftsbury Common, 3-4:30 p.m. Info, 586-9683. FREE

WINDSOR

Bethel First Friday Flicks: Families flock together for free films on the first Friday of each month. Seating available or bring blankets and beanbags. Bethel Town Hall, 6:30-8:30 p.m., donations accepted; popcorn and drinks available for purchase. Info, 234-6305.

Branch Out Teen Night: Teens enjoy time together with monthly themed activities. Grades 7-12. ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 6 p.m. Info, 457-3500. FREE

3 Saturday

CALEDONIA

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

CHITTENDEN

Essex Winter Carnival: Families flock together for snowy-season activities inside and out, music, performances and a chili cook-off. Essex Middle School, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., please bring a nonperishable for the local food pantry. Info, 878-1375. FREE

3 SATURDAY, P.40

3 Saturday (cont.)

EvoKids Saturday Drop-In Yoga: Youngsters master basic yoga poses through games, songs and dance. Mindfulness activities improve focus and concentration. Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, Burlington, 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., $15. Info, 899-0339.

MARCH CALENDAR Classes

Family Game Afternoon: Host Oliver Dienz takes over the library’s tabletops with board challenges for all ages and abilities. Snacks served, too. Pierson Library, Shelburne, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Info, 985-5124. FREE

Ongoing Exhibits

ECHO LEAHY CENTER FOR LAKE CHAMPLAIN, BURLINGTON

Info, 864-1848

My Sky: Astronomy lovers explore the sun, moon and stars in this immersive exhibit which encourages scientific skills such as observing, noticing patterns, predicting, imagining and more. Regular museum admission, $11.50-14.50; free for children under 3. Through May 6.

MONTSHIRE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, NORWICH

Info, 649-2200

Playing Around: Engineering and Toys: Curious explorers dig into scientific concepts through playing. Activities include an inside examination of classic childhood toys — Jack-in-the-box, Hokey Pokey Elmo, and Etch A Sketch — and creative building with Big Blue Blocks and Tinker Toys. Regular museum admission, $12-15; free for children under 2. Through March 25.

The Light Around Us: Inquisitive visitors learn about light through experimenting with lenses and mirrors, changing the color of everyday objects, separating white light into colors, discovering what lies beyond the visible spectrum, and more. Regular museum admission, $12-15; free for children under 2. Through May 2.

SHELBURNE MUSEUM, SHELBURNE

Info, 985-3346

Puppets: World on a String: Storytelling and the visual arts collide in this immersive, multimedia exhibit from 19th century marionettes to contemporary digital installations. Animals speak, shadows come alive, and politicians face critics, by artists including Jim Henson, Peter Schumann and Andy Warhol. Regular museum admission, $5-10; free for members and children under 5. Through June 3.

Family Mini-Craft Workshop: Families start the weekend by pursuing projects in workshops with skills varying by week, including hand-building with clay, printmaking and visual arts. Ages 6 and up.

Shelburne Craft School, 10 a.m.-noon, preregister; $25 per person. Info, 985-3648.

Felted Flower Fun: Caregivers and kids meet sheep, wash and card raw wool and create their own colorful creations. Ages 5 and up with adult. Shelburne Farms, 10 a.m.-noon, $3-4/$6-7 per adult-child pair; preregister. Info, 985-8686.

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, preregister at workshops.homedepot.com. Info, 872-0039. FREE

Read to Cleo The Therapy Dog: Canine and reading enthusiasts visit with a personable pooch. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m., preregister. Info, 893-4644. FREE

Saturday Drama Club: Thespians help Very Merry Theatre produce a show in just three hours. Ages 6-12. Very Merry Theatre, Burlington, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., $15 or pay what you can. Info, 355-1461.

Spanish Story Time: Amigos learn Latin American stories, music and games. All ages. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Storytime for Kids – En Français: French native and experienced teacher, Caroline Juneau, leads little ones in an immersion storytime, from beginners to bilinguals.

Ages 2-10. Alliance Francais of the Lake Champlain Region, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m., $5; $2 for each additional sibling; free for members. Info, 881-8826.

Webby’s Art Studio: Popping Puppets: Young artists explore characters from the museum’s temporary exhibit ‘Puppets: World on a String’ and create a unique pop-up character. Shelburne Museum, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., regular museum admission, $5-10; free for children under 5. Info, 985-3346.

RUTLAND

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: More than 50 vendors peddle produce, fresh salad greens, apples and cider, artisan cheeses, homemade breads and other local products. Vermont Farmers Food Center, Rutland, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Info, 342-4727.

Story Time With Author Sarah Dillard: This Waitsfield writer shares her new story about forming true friendships. Phoenix Books Rutland, 1 p.m. Info, 855-8078.

ORLEANS

Rodeo Round-Up Theatre Workshop: Fledging thespians swing into Old Westthemed storytelling and songs, with an emphasis on character work and a performance for family and friends at 4 p.m. Ages 5-8. MAC Center for the Arts, Newport, 12:30-4:30 p.m., $25; $40 for 2 participants; preregister; inquire for scholarship info. Info, 334-1966.

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.

EVOKIDS AND EVOBABIES YOGA CLASSES: Now in Burlington AND Essex Junction! Register now for our spring sessions of baby and kids yoga, ages 6 months to teen. Weekday and weekend classes available in both locations: Evolution Family Yoga Center, 20 Kilburn St., Burlington and at the Barns at Lang Farm, Essex Junction. Info,  evolutionprenatalandfamily.com.

PRENATAL & POSTNATAL YOGA CLASSES

AT EVOLUTION PRENATAL 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: Saturdays, 11:30 a.m.; Sundays, 10:15 a.m.; Mondays, 5:45 p.m.; Tuesdays, 4:15 p.m.; Wednesdays, 5:45 p.m.; Thursdays, 12:30 p.m.; Fridays, 8:15 p.m. Postnatal Yoga: Sundays, 12:15 p.m.; Tuesdays, 10 a.m.; Thursdays, 10:45 a.m.; Fridays, 8:15 a.m. and noon. Drop-ins welcome, $15/class, $130/10 class pass, or $75/monthly unlimited. Location: Evolution Prenatal Yoga Center, 20 Kilburn Street, Burlington. Info, evolutionprenatalandfamily.com.

MARTIAL WAY: Colchester and Milton locations. Classes in self-defense, Karate, Kung Fu, Jiu Jitsu and Tai Chi. We have 14 different age and experience levels, so the training is always age- and skill-appropriate. Beginner or experienced, fit or not yet, young or not anymore, we have a class for you!

Martial Way Self Defense Center, 73 Prim Rd., Colchester. See website for schedule and fees. Info, David Quinlan, 893-8893, info@martialwayvt.com, martialwayvt.com.

BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU: The future of our nation lies in the courage, confidence and determination of its people. Our Kids BJJ Program promotes self-esteem, self-confidence, character development and 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 bullyproofing and self-defense skills that they can use for the rest of their lives! Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu builds endurance, patience and self-respect. Give your kids the ability to get stronger, gain confidence and build resilience! Our sole purpose is to help empower people by giving them practices they can carry with them throughout life. Remember you are raising children, not flowers. First class is free! Please stop by our school at 55 Leroy Road, Williston; call 598-2839; visit our website vermontbjj. com or email julio@bjjusa.com to register your son or daughter!

WASHINGTON

Ben & Jerry’s Winter Festival: Families play in the snow, check out free factory tours, and sample ice cream, local food tastings and sugar-on-snow. Happenings include a Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences live raptor program from 1-2:30 p.m., customizable cardboard pinball machines and more. Ben & Jerry’s Factory, Waterbury, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Info, 866-257-6877. FREE

Capital City Winter Farmers Market: Root veggies, honey, maple syrup and crafts change hands at an indoor off-season celebration of locavorism. Montpelier City Center, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Info, 223-2958.

WINDSOR

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

4 Sunday

CHITTENDEN

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., $8-14. Info, 655-3300.

Family Concert: The Phineas Gage Project — ‘Music for Happy Brains’ — gets the audience toe tapping with pholk punk and pholkgospel grassicana music. Deborah Rawson Memorial Library, Jericho, 2 p.m. Info, 899-4962. FREE

Family Gym: See March 2.

5 Monday

CHITTENDEN

Colchester Preschool Music: Bitty ones dance and sing to a brisk beat. Ages 3-5. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 11:30 a.m. Info, 264-5660. FREE

SUBMIT YOUR APRIL EVENTS FOR PRINT BY MARCH 15 AT KIDSVT.COM OR CALENDAR@KIDSVT.COM

Go Club: Game lovers get into the action of this 4,000-year-old strategy pastime. All ages. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956.

FREE

Itty Bitty Public Skating: Tiny feet learn the art of sliding on ice through jolly games. Ages 2-5 with caregiver. Leddy Park, Burlington, 10-11:30 a.m., $8 per family; $1 skate rentals. Info, 865-7558.

Milton Circle of Parents: Moms and dads meet to strengthen parenting skills and socialize, with a focus on guardianship. New Life Fellowship Church, Milton, 6:30-8 p.m., preregister. Info, 498-0607.

FREE

Milton Legos at the Library: Builders fashion architecturally sound constructions in this STEM program. Ages 6-12. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Info, 893-4644. FREE

Pajama Story Time: Flannel-clad wee ones tote their stu ed toys for tales.

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6:30 p.m. Info, 878-4918. FREE

Stories with Megan: Little listeners learn and laugh. Ages 2-5. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Info, 865-7216.

FREE

Williston Preschool Music: See March 1, 11 a.m.

FRANKLIN

Movie Matinee: Dim the lights and pass the popcorn for a playful PG-rated flick. St. Albans Free Library, 1 p.m. Info, 524-1507. FREE

RUTLAND

Babies & Toddlers Rock: Mini-musicians ages 2 and under sing songs and engage in early literacy activities. Rutland Free Library, 10-10:30 a.m. Info, 773-1860. FREE

WASHINGTON

Capoeira: Families train together in this Afro-Brazilian martial art which combines dance, acrobatics and music. Zenbarn Studio, Waterbury, 4:30-5:30 p.m., $12; $15 per class includes Kids Yoga at 3:30 p.m.; preregister. Info, 244-8134.

Kids Yoga: Youngsters stretch for strength and flexibility, building focus and selfesteem. Ages 5-12. Zenbarn Studio, Waterbury, 3:30-4:15 p.m., $12; $15 per class includes Capoeira at 4:30 p.m.; preregister. Info, 244-8134.

6 Tuesday

CHITTENDEN

Art Play Day: Little ones and caregivers drop in and get messy with provided materials, moving between stations to spark imagination. Ages 18 months to 5 years. Radiate Art Space, Richmond, 8:4510:15 a.m., $4 per child; $6 max per family.

Crafternoon: Dr. Seuss: Little library lovers celebrate this beloved children’s author with a Seussian craft. Ages 5-10. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 2-3 p.m. Info, 482-2878. FREE

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

Dorothy’s List Book Club: Middle readers make merry conversation around a DCF pick. Call the library for the title.

Ages 8-11. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 4 p.m. Info, 264-5660. FREE

Library Elementary Event Planners: Junior helpers pursue a STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art and math — activity of journal making. Grades

6-8. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Winooski Lego Club: Budding builders bust out plastic-block creations with the weekly Lego challenge. Free meals available for ages 18 and under. Winooski Memorial Library, 3-6 p.m. Info, 655-6424. FREE

FRANKLIN

Adoption Support Group: Families facing adoption issues and challenges join forces in a respectful setting. All welcome. Franklin County Seniors Center, St. Albans, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Info, 524-1700. FREE

Cardboard Box Drive-In Movie: Construction-minded kiddos design their own cardboard cars, then enjoy an animated flick from their parking spot while munching popcorn. Movie begins at 1 p.m. St. Albans Free Library, noon. Info, 524-1507. FREE

RUTLAND

Chess Club: Strategists of all skill levels partner up for playing. Ages 6 and up. Sherburne Memorial Library, Killington, 3-4 p.m. Info, 422-9765. FREE

WINDSOR

Norwich Lego Tuesdays: Junior builders bust out blocks and get busy. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Norwich Public Library, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Info, 649-1184. FREE

7 Wednesday

CHITTENDEN

Essex Nurturing Parent Program: Moms and dads deepen parent-child communication skills and gain practical tools to empower their families. Essex Elementary School, 6-8 p.m., preregister; light dinner and childcare provided. Info, 498-0607. FREE

Family Game Day: Grownups and youngsters rally for a weekly round of tabletop fun. Free meals available for ages 18 and under. Winooski Memorial Library, 3-6 p.m. Info, 655-6424. FREE

FFL Bookworms: Third and fourth graders get together for lively reading and discussion around chapter books celebrating diversity. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3:30-4:30 p.m., preregister. Info, 865-7216. FREE

7 WEDNESDAY, P.42

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MARCH CALENDAR

Live Performances

‘PETER AND THE STARCATCHER’: Theater lovers soak up the humorous backstory behind the children’s classic tale, Peter Pan, in this UVM production of the other side of Neverland. Royall Tyler Theatre, UVM, Burlington, THURSDAY, MARCH 1, FRIDAY, MARCH 2, AND SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 7:30 P.M., AND SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2 P.M., $10-28. Info, 656-3131.

BALD MOUNTAIN THEATER’S ALL-STARS: Talented local youngsters perform their own staged versions of favorite Aesop’s Fables through theater, songs, live music and lots of fun. Spice Studio, Rochester, FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 7:30 P.M. AND SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2 & 7:30 P.M., $10. Info, 767-4800.

‘NARNIA: CHRONICLE OF THE DAWN

TREADER’: Junior thespians ages 9 and up bring C. S. Lewis’s imaginary world to life with dance, original song and storytelling. Lost Nation Theater, Montpelier City Hall Auditorium, FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 5:30 P.M. AND SATURDAY, MARCH

3, 11 A.M., $5. Info, 229-0492.

SATURDAY STOREFRONT

PUPPET SERIES: The creators of Vermont Vaudeville get the kiddie crowd roaring with laughter in three unique puppet shows with a handmade cast, live music, a pre-show gramophone dance party and plenty of jokes for parents, too. The Gohl Building, Hardwick, SATURDAY, MARCH 3, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, AND SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2 P.M., suggested donation $7. Info, 472-1387.

RUG CONCERT: Young classical music lovers meet instruments, composers and singers in an intimate and childfriendly setting. Ages 5 and under with caregivers. Elley-Long Music Center, Colchester, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 11 A.M.-NOON, $5-10; preregister; limited seating. Info, 655-5030.

JEH KULU DANCE & DRUM THEATER: This high-spirited celebration of traditional West African music and dance engages the audiences with traditional rhythms and dances of Guinea, Senegal and Mali. Chandler Music Hall, Randolph, SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 4 P.M., $6-12. Info, 728-6464.

PETE’S POSSE WITH SHARON COMEAU: Vermont’s own Pete Sutherland, Oliver Scanlon and Tristan Henderson perform Irish fiddle, mandolin and vocal tunes for St. Patrick’s Day. Local dancer Sharon Comeau shares simple dance steps for the audience to try. Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hanover, N.H., SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 11 A.M. Info, 603-646-2422. FREE

‘NICK OF TIME’ — BOH PRESENTS: No Strings Marionettes mesmerize the audience with the tale of astronaut Nick Eastman and his hoverbot Glitch on their special mission exploring a mysterious dark object nearing planet Earth.

Barre Opera House, SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2 P.M., $7.50. Info, 476-8188.

‘DOROTHY IN WONDERLAND’: The worlds of Oz and Wonderland collide to amuse the audience in this fanciful combination of L. Frank Baum and Lewis Carroll, presented by Websterville Christian Academy. Barre Opera House, THURSDAY, MARCH 22, AND FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 6:30 P.M. $7.50. Info, 476-8188.

IN SEARCH OF AIR: GROWING UP DYSLEXIC: Vermont dancer, choreographer and spoken-word artist Lida Winfield shares her struggles with the audience of how she learned to read. Chandler Music Hall, Randolph, FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 10 A.M., $7; preregister. Info, 728-6464.

TRIP DANCE COMPANY: This competitive young dance company, associated with the Stowe Dance Academy, shows off a wide range of classical and original choreography. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, FRIDAY, MARCH 23, AND SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 7 P.M., $25-30; proceeds benefit the dance company. Info, 253-5151.

MINI MUD YOUTH VARIETY SHOW: Young performers strut their stuff during this showcase of music, dance, theater and more. Chandler Music Hall, Randolph, SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 7 P.M., $6-16. Info, 728-6464.

NORTHEAST THEATRE ON ICE FESTIVAL: Teams from around New England tell stories on ice through short and long programs. Tickets good for the entire day. Team practice on ice begins at 7 a.m.; exhibitions from noon to 9 p.m. Detailed schedule on champlainvalleyskatingclub.org. Leddy Park Arena, Burlington, SATURDAY, MARCH 24., $5. Info, 865-7558.

PUPPET DAY: In honor of World Puppet Day and the museum’s special exhibit, ‘Puppets: World on a String,’ theater lovers enjoy a day of performances, create puppets and shows in the museum’s interactive theater, and take a gallery tour. Shelburne Museum, SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 10 A.M.-3 P.M. regular museum admission, $5-10; free for children under 5; $10 additional fee for workshop with preregistration required. Info, 985-3346.

7 Wednesday (cont.)

Read to Daisy the Therapy Dog: Book buffs bring a selection from home or borrow from the library to amuse an attentive canine. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4 p.m., preregister online. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Reading Buddies: Little literati pair up with volunteers for literacy and laughs. Kindergarten and up. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 3:30-4:30 p.m., preregistration appreciated but not required. Info, 264-5660. FREE

Yoga for Kids: Young yogis engage their energy and explore breathing exercises and relaxation poses with professional instructor Melissa from Evolution Yoga. Ages 2-5. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Info, 865-7216. FREE

FRANKLIN

Fit Moms: Expectant mamas work out together, preparing for labor with cardio, strength, stretching and breathing. Northwestern Medical Center, St. Albans, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Info, 288-1141. FREE

RUTLAND

Killington Lego Club: Busy kiddos build with plastic blocks, inspired by a weekly theme. Ages 6 and up; children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Sherburne Memorial Library, Killington, 3-4 p.m. Info, 422-9765.

FREE

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 3, 3-6 p.m.

ORANGE

Randolph Lego Wednesdays: Aspiring architects construct creatively while chatting. Kimball Public Library, Randolph, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Info, 728-5073. FREE

WASHINGTON

Walk-Through Wednesday at Orchard Valley: Parents checking out an alternative education for their children tour classrooms for grades 1-8, a mixed-age kindergarten and Farm & Forest classes. For adults. Orchard Valley Waldorf School, East Montpelier, 8:30-10:30 a.m., preregister by noon on the preceding day. Info, 456-7400. FREE

WINDSOR

Sensory Lab for Tots: Wee ones explore selfguided art stations, including finger painting, modeling dough, moon sand and more. Ages 5 and under; adult supervision required. ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 9:30-11:30 a.m., $5 per family. Info, 457-3500.

Story and Yoga Time with Angel: Angel Rubino of the North Chapel Spiritual Exploration for Children and Families Committee leads little ones and caregivers in storytelling, movement, meditation and more. Ages 2-6 with adult. Norman Williams Public Library, Woodstock, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Info, 457-2295. FREE

8 Thursday CALEDONIA

‘Dream, Girl’ Screening: Sponsored by Wonder Arts in celebration of International Women’s Day, this documentary showcases the stories of ambitious female entrepreneurs around the globe in today’s economic and political climate. An informal panel of local participants follows with discussion. Hardwick Town House, 6:30 p.m., suggested donation $5. Info, 533-9370.

CHITTENDEN

Audubon Homeschool Program: Homebased learners use the outdoor classroom to explore a variety of seasonal topics, from insect investigations to wilderness skills. Ages 6-8. Parent attendance optional. Audubon Vermont, Huntington, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., $20-25; preregister. Info, 434-3068.

Babytime: See March 1.

Colchester Lego Club: See March 1.

Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Discussion: Little literati chat about DCF pick It Ain’t So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas. Grades 4-8. Milton Public Library, 6:30-7:30 p.m., preregister. Info, 893-4644. FREE

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See March 5.

SoundCheck: Hosted by slam poet Rajnii Eddins, The Young Writers Project and Burlington City Arts sponsors a writing workshop for adolescent authors and an open mic at 7 p.m. Pizza provided. Burlington City Arts, 6-8:15 p.m. Info, 865-7166. FREE

Ukulele Kids: Musical ones join Joe to sing and play to traditional children’s songs. All ages. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Info, 865-7216. FREE

Williston Preschool Music: See March 1.

FRANKLIN

Chess Club: Checkmate! Kids of all ability levels scheme winning strategies. Fairfax Community Library, 3:15-4:45 p.m., preregister. Info, 849-2420. FREE

Fairfax PJ Story Time: Children chill in their jammies while listening to stories. Fairfax Community Library, 6-7 p.m. Info, 849-2420. FREE

Franklin Lego Thursdays: See March 1.

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

LAMOILLE

Art Play: Toddlers drop in and create selfdirected projects with diverse art supplies. Ages 1-4; caregiver required. Helen Day Art Center, Stowe, 10-11:30 a.m., $5. Info, 253-8358.

WASHINGTON

History for Homeschoolers: Eager learners launch into history-related activities organized around monthly themes. Ages 7-12. Check vermonthistory.org for specific details. Vermont History Museum, Montpelier, 1-3 p.m., $6.50-8; preregister. Space is limited. Info, 828-1413.

TRIP Dance Company

SUBMIT

9 Friday

CHITTENDEN

Art Play Day: See March 6.

Dungeons & Dragons: Players embark on invented adventures, equipped with their problem-solving skills. Grades 6 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Family Gym: See March 2.

Family Wheel Drop-In: See March 2.

GroovaRoo: See March 2.

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See March 2.

Kids Night Out: While parents take some needed time o , kids delight in dinner and fun. Ages 3-12. Greater Burlington YMCA, 6-8:30 p.m., $10-19; preregister. Info, 862-9622.

Live-Action Role Play: LARPers create characters and plots in an amazing and imaginary adventure. Grades 6 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-5 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Milton Homeschool Project Day: Out-ofclassroom learners share projects. Milton Public Library, 1 p.m. Info, 893-4644. FREE Music with Raph: Melody lovers of all ages play and sing. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Music With Robert: See March 2.

ORLEANS

Craftsbury Lego Club: See March 2.

WASHINGTON

Developing a Sense of Place through Waldorf Education: Author and educator David Sobel and teacher Jen Kramer inspire parents with research and stories about immersing children in nature, and discuss how Waldorf education and outdoor learning are a powerful pairing. For adults. Orchard Valley Waldorf School, East Montpelier, 7-8 p.m. Info, 456-7400. FREE

10 Saturday

CHITTENDEN

Burlington Winter Farmers Market: Local farmers, artisans and producers o er fresh and prepared foods, crafts, and more in a bustling indoor marketplace made merry with live music. Free face painting for little ones ages 2 and up. UVM Davis Student Center, Burlington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Info, 310-5172.

EvoKids Saturday Drop-In Yoga: See March 3.

Family Contradance: Movers and groovers swing to music by the Woodbury Strings Jam Band, with family dance instruction from experienced callers. The Schoolhouse Learning Center, South Burlington, 3-5 p.m., suggested donation $5-8; free for children under 13. Info, 223-8945.

Harry Potter Club: Wizardry and witchcraft experts dig into discussion and trivia. All ages. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-3 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Magic Hat Mardi Gras Family Zone & Parade: Families party before the parade, beginning at noon, in a Family Zone with necklace and mask-making, juggling with Circus Smirkus founder Troy Wunderle, superhero meet-and-greet, and beads and more for sale. Parade begins at 3 p.m. Families with children under 10 can watch the parade roll by from the Little Jambalaya Viewing Zone located outside City Hall this year. Burlington City Hall, free to view parade; family zone admission $5 per child; all proceeds benefit the Vermont Foodbank. Info, 658-2739.

Saturday Drama Club: See March 3.

Spanish Musical Playgroup: Rhymes, books and songs en español entertain niños Ages 5 and under. Non-Spanish speakers welcome. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Info, 878-4918. FREE

Webby’s Art Studio: Forever Flowers: Crafters create take-home foil flowers. No green thumb needed. Shelburne Museum, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., regular winter museum admission, $5-10; free for children under 5. Info, 985-3346.

FRANKLIN

Vermont Rails Model Railroad Show: The Northwestern Vermont Model Railroad Association hosts the state’s largest model railroad show, featuring multiple operating HO, N, G and O-scale layouts, with over 100 tables of exhibits and vendors of model railroading supplies, videos and books. Hands-on children’s activities round out the fun. Collins-Perley Sports Complex, St. Albans, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., $1-5; free for kids under 6. Info, 598-0905.

RUTLAND

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 3.

WASHINGTON

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, 831-337-8632.

WINDSOR

Norwich Winter Farmers Market: Local growers present produce, meats and maple syrup, complementing baked goods and crafts from area artists. Tracy Hall, Norwich, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Info, 384-7447.

11 Sunday

CHITTENDEN

Essex Open Gym: See March 4.

Family Gym: See March 2.

RUTLAND

Open Poetry Mic: Literary lovers of all ages listen to original works or sign up at the door to read their own creations. Phoenix Books Rutland, 2-4 p.m. Info, 855-8078.

FREE

12 Monday

CHITTENDEN

Colchester Preschool Music: See March 5.

Go Club: See March 5.

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See March 5.

Queer Care Support: Adult family members and caregivers of queer and/ or questioning youth swap stories and resources in a supportive space. Adults only. Outright Vermont, Burlington, 6:30-8 p.m. Info, 865-9677. FREE

Sew Delightful: Junior crafters stitch together material to make flowers. Ages 9 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:15-4:15 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Stories with Megan: See March 5.

Story Time in French: Kids in PJs snuggle in with their stu ed animals for stories in French and English with Delphine Quenet. Snacks served. All ages. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6:30 p.m. Info, 878-4918. FREE

Williston Preschool Music: See March 1, 11 a.m.

FRANKLIN

St. Albans Nurturing Parent Program: Moms and dads deepen parent-child communication skills and gain practical tools to empower their families. First Congregational Church, St. Albans, 5:30-7:30 p.m., preregister; light dinner and childcare provided. Info, 498-0607. FREE

RUTLAND

Babies & Toddlers Rock: See March 5.

WASHINGTON

Capoeira: See March 5.

Kids Yoga: See March 5.

13 Tuesday

CHITTENDEN

Art Play Day: See March 6.

Creative Tuesdays: Young artists involve their imaginations with interesting materials. Kids under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3:15-4:45 p.m. Info, 865-7216. FREE

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. Info, 865-7216. FREE

STEAM Tuesdays: Eager youngsters engage with inventive science, technology, engineering, art and math projects. Check online for specific program details. Best for grades 1 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:15-4:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956.

FREE

Winooski Lego Club: See March 6.

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13 TUESDAY, P.44

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MARCH CALENDAR

13 Tuesday (cont.)

Winooski Nurturing Parent Program: Moms and dads deepen parent-child communication skills and gain practical tools to empower their families. John F. Kennedy Elementary School, Winooski, 5:30-7:30 p.m., preregister; light dinner and childcare provided. Info, 498-0607.

FRANKLIN

Sewing Club: T-Shirt Rehab: Crafty kids bring new life to old clothes in a two-part class. Bring an old t-shirt. Ages 8 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4:30 p.m., preregister. Info, 849-2420. FREE

LAMOILLE

Tot Time: Wee ones move and groove in pop-up forts, a ball pit, a small bounce house and more. Caregiver supervision required. David Gale Recreation Center, Stowe, 10-11 a.m., $5 per child. Info, 253-6138.

WASHINGTON

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Maker Program: Crafty kiddos dig into different projects using the library’s materials and mentoring. Ages 8-11. Waterbury Public Library, 3-4 p.m., preregister. Info, 244-7036. FREE

WINDSOR

Norwich Lego Tuesdays: See March 6.

14 Wednesday

CHITTENDEN

Dorothy’s List Group for Homeschooled

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

Family Game Day: See March 7.

FFL Bookworms: See March 7.

Green Mountain Book Award Book

Discussion for Homeschooled Students: High school homeschoolers spark lively conversation around award-winning books. Grades 9-12. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9-10 a.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Read to Daisy the Therapy Dog: See March 7.

Red Clover Group for Homeschooled

Students: Budding book lovers bury themselves in bibliophile activities. Grades K-3. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9-10 a.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Yoga for Kids: See March 7.

Young Writers & Storytellers: Small ones spin their own yarns. Ages 5-11. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 4-5 p.m. Info, 264-5660. FREE

FRANKLIN

Fairfax Lego Club: Amateur architects construct creatively with colorful blocks. Ages 6 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m., preregister. Info, 849-2420. FREE

Fit Moms: See March 7.

History & Homeschoolers: The library teams up with Saint Albans Museum director, Alex Lehning, for a historybased miniseries for home learners. This month’s topic is the Central Vermont Railway, with suggested reading The Railway Children by E. Nesbit. St. Albans Free Library, 1 p.m. Info, 524-1507. FREE

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

RUTLAND

Killington Lego Club: See March 7. Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 3, 3-6 p.m.

ORANGE

Randolph Lego Wednesdays: See March 7.

WASHINGTON

History for Homeschoolers: See March 8.

WINDSOR

Sensory Lab for Tots: See March 7. Story and Yoga Time with Angel: See March 7.

15 Thursday

CHITTENDEN

Audubon Homeschool Program: Homebased learners use the outdoor classroom to explore a variety of seasonal topics, from forests and trees to wildlife tracking. Ages 9-12. Parent attendance is optional. Audubon Vermont, Huntington, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., $20-25; preregister. Info, 434-3068

Babytime: See March 1.

Burlington Mother Up! Meet-up: Families discuss the realities of climate change, what that means on a local level, and how to transition to a safer and healthier world. Vegetarian meal and childcare for ages 3 and under provided. Unitarian Universalist Society, Burlington, 5:30-7:30 p.m., RSVP requested. Info, 490-6393. FREE

Colchester Lego Club: See March 1. Itty Bitty Public Skating: See March 5. Milton PJ Story Time: Small tots in jammies snuggle in for stories, songs and crafts, Ages 3-6. Milton Public Library, 6-6:45 p.m. Info, 893-4644. FREE

Read to a Dog: Pet-lovers peruse books with registered therapy pooches. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3:30-4:30 p.m., preregister. Info, 878-4918. FREE

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

Williston Preschool Music: See March 1.

FRANKLIN

Chess Club: See March 8.

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Family STEAM Night: Moms, dads and kids team up for activities around science, technology, engineering, art and/or math, with varying monthly themes. Fairfax Community Library, 6:30-7:30 p.m., preregister. Info, 849-2420. FREE

Franklin Lego Thursdays: See March 1.

LAMOILLE

Art Play: See March 8.

Tot Time: See March 13.

WASHINGTON

AB2: Books Come to Life: This Active Body-Active Brain class, led by a literacy professional, combines reading and movement. Babies through preschoolers. Waterbury Public Library, 10:15 a.m. Info, 244-7036. FREE

16 Friday

CHITTENDEN

Art Play Day: See March 6.

Essex Story Time: Library lovers listen to picture books and have a ball with puppets, songs and rhymes. All ages. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Family Gym: See March 2.

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

FREE

Family Wheel Drop-In: See March 2.

GroovaRoo: See March 2.

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’

Bassick: See March 2.

Lego Fun: Budding builders bring out the blocks. Children under age 8 must be accompanied by a responsible caregiver. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Music With Robert: See March 2.

ORLEANS

Craftsbury Lego Club: See March 2.

WASHINGTON

Montpelier Mother Up! Monthly

Meet-Up: Families discuss the realities of climate change, what that means on a local, state and national level, and how to create a more just and nature-friendly world. Dinner and nature-themed kids’ programming included. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 5:30-7:30 p.m., RSVP requested. Info, 229-0041. FREE

17 Saturday

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

CALEDONIA

Caledonia Winter Farmers Market: See March 3.

CHITTENDEN

EvoKids Saturday Drop-In Yoga: See March 3.

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

Family Art Saturday: Families drop in and ignite their imaginations with a current exhibit, then get hands-on with an artistic endeavor. Burlington City Arts, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Info, 865-7166. FREE

Family Game Afternoon: See March 3.

Family Mini-Craft Workshop: See March 3.

Family Yoga: Parents and children partake in the pleasure of movement together through songs, games and stories. Ages 1 to 5. Iyengar Yoga Center of Vermont, Burlington, 3:30-4:30 p.m., $12 per adult-child pair; $5 each additional child; preregistration recommended. Info, 379-3789.

Junior Iron Chef Vermont: Middle and high school students duke it out for cafeteria supremacy in a culinary competition celebrating the state’s farm-to-table routes. Champlain Valley Expo, Essex Junction, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., $3 per person; $5 per family (up to 4 people). Info, 434-2831.

Read to Cleo The Therapy Dog: See March 3.

Ride 365: The Queen City celebrates foot-pedaled motion with a Cycle the City Ride, a Winooski Wiggle Fat Bike Ride and more. See enjoyburlington.com for details. Various locations (Burlington), 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Info, 864-0123. FREE

Saturday Drama Club: See March 3.

Story Time with City Market: Listeners soak up the silly story O’Sullivan Stew, then share a healthy snack. All ages. Phoenix Books, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Info, 448-3350. FREE

Webby’s Art Studio: Encapsulated

Creatures: Eager artists explore the museum’s new exhibit, ‘In the Garden,’ then make a mixed media insect with a terrarium home. Shelburne Museum, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., regular winter museum admission, $5-10; free for children under 5. Info, 985-3346.

FRANKLIN

Leprechauns in the Library: Little ones in green take in Irish lore and music, build a leprechaun trap and hunt for hidden gold. Ages 5-12. Fairfax Community Library, 10-11 a.m., preregister. Info, 849-2420.

FREE

St. Albans St. Patrick’s Day Parade: The crowd comes out for this short but spirited shindig, with side events including a corned beef and cabbage dinner and socializing. Parade begins at the court house and ends at the City Hall Auditorium. Main Street, St. Albans, 6-8 p.m. Info, 524-1500. FREE

17 SATURDAY, P.47

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needed.

Science & Nature

CRAFTSBURY FULL MOON

SNOWSHOE: Lunar lovers trek along snowy trails, then relish a bonfire and hot chocolate, courtesy of WonderArts. Ages 6 and up. Craftsbury Town Garage, THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 6:30-8 P.M., suggested donation $5; preregister; snowshoe rentals available for $5 by prearrangement. Info, 533-9370.

FULL MOON SHOWSHOE: Families trek through fields and forest without headlamps or flashlights, followed by a bonfire with Fairbanks Museum educators and a chance to view the ‘Snow Moon’ through telescopes. If possible, bring snowshoes and binoculars. Ages 8 and up with adult accompaniment. Rankin Family Conservation Lands, Danville, THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 6:30 P.M., preregister; suggested donation $5. Info, 748-2372.

MARCHFEST: This school vacation week, the museum electrifies visitors with hands-on activities exploring electrons and light through squishy circuits and family-friendly science-based demonstrations throughout the day. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, MARCH 1-6, 10 A.M.-5 P.M., regular museum admission, $11.5014.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

MONTPELIER SUGAR-ON-SNOW: The sweet season is celebrated with sticky stuff, doughnuts and dill pickles in a steaming sugarhouse. Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks, Montpelier, FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, 11 A.M.-4 P.M., $4-6. Info, 223-2740.

MONTSHIRE MAKERS: Middle school inventors use their imaginations and the museum’s materials to create cool projects, with different monthly themes. Grades 6-9. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 6:30-8 P.M., $8-15; preregistration encouraged. Info, 649-2200.

MARVELOUS MAPLE SYRUP: This family program explores the life-cycle of a jug of maple syrup from tree to sugarhouse to a plate of waffles, with hands-on learning and lots of sampling. The Nature Museum at Grafton, SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 10-11:30 A.M., by donation; preregister. Info, 843-2111.

MEET AUTHOR KATY FARBER: Junior naturalists listen to this Vermont author read from her new picture book, Salamander Sky, then soak up some savvy about amphibian migrations and how to protect these creatures. The Nature Museum at Grafton, SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1-2:30 P.M. admission by donation. Info, 843-2111.

MONTPELIER FULL MOON

SNOWSHOE HIKE: Hot chocolate fuels walkers for a sparkling stroll beneath lunar light, with activities illuminating how wildlife survives the long winter nights. Snowshoes provided. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 7-8:30 P.M., $5-10; preregistration recommended. Info, 229-6206.

SHELBURNE SUGAR-ON-SNOW

PARTY: Families sample the state’s “liquid gold” and delight in boiling demonstrations, a petting zoo, walking trails and live music. Palmer’s Sugarhouse, Shelburne, SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, NOON-4 P.M.; SATURDAY, MARCH 24, AND SUNDAY, MARCH 25, 9 A.M.-5 P.M. Info, 985-5054. FREE

SUGAR-ON-SNOW AT SHELBURNE

SUGARWORKS: Families see the sweet stuff boil, sample fresh syrup, listen to live music from 12:30-3:30 p.m. and explore miles of hiking in the sugarbush.

Shelburne Sugarworks, SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, NOON-5 P.M.; food and syrup available for purchase. Info, 233-7531. FREE

TAKE APART DAY: Curious kiddos explore the “guts” of everyday items, from toasters to toys. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, SATURDAY, MARCH 3, NOON-3 P.M., regular museum admission, $12-15; free for members and children under 2. Info, 649-2200.

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, SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, 1:30 P.M., $6 plus regular museum admission, $7-9; free for children under 5. Info, 748-2372.

SCIENCE & STORIES AT ECHO:

Preschoolers rally ‘round for nature-inspired tales and activities. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, WEDNESDAYS, 10:30 A.M., regular museum admission, $11.5014.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

MAGIC MAPLE SYRUP: A

PRESCHOOL PROGRAM:

Adventurous tots tromp through the forest in search of maple trees, taste local maple syrup and create sugar shack crafts to take home. Ages 3-5 with caregivers. The Nature Museum at Grafton, FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 10-11:30 A.M., $5-8 per child; preregistration available. Info, 843-2111.

‘SALAMANDER SKY’ BOOK LAUNCH: Naturalists of all ages celebrate with local award-winning author Katy Farber the release of her new book, illustrated by Meg Sodano. Info also available about how kids can get involved in Vermont-based amphibian monitoring work. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 3:30-5:30 P.M. Info, 229-6206. FREE

‘SALAMANDER SKY’ — A BOOK LAUNCH AND SALAMANDER CELEBRATION: Audubon Vermont hosts an afternoon of all-thingsamphibian with the release of Vermont author Katy Farber’s new picture book, illustrated by Meg Sodano. Activities prepare conservation-minded children to participate in the Amphibian Migration this spring. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 1-3 P.M., donations accepted for Audubon Vermont; preregister. Info, 434-3068. FREE BOOKS AND BEYOND! SCIENCE FOR PRESCHOOLERS: Children’s literature and hands-on science activities engage eager youngsters. Ages 3-5 with caregiver. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 10:15 & 11:30 A.M., regular museum admission, $12-15; free for children under 2. Info, 649-2200.

POP-UP NESTLINGS: Naturalistsin-training and their caregivers have a blast with winter learning activities, including hiking, observing, collecting, questioning, exploring and more. Dress for the weather. Ages 3-6.

Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10:30-11:30 A.M., regular museum admission, $3.50-7; free for members and children under 3; preregistration encouraged. Info, 434-2167.

MUD SEASON (MAPLE SEASON)

BIRD MONITORING WALK: Eagle-eyed participants search out early-returning migratory birds in various habitats and take part in identification and counting. Intended for birders with experience using binoculars and listening to birdsong. Audubon Vermont, Huntington, SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 8-10 A.M., donations appreciated. Info, 434-3068. FREE

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. Audubon Vermont, Huntington, THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 9-10:30 A.M., $8-10 per adult-child pair; $4 for each additional child; preregister. Info, 434-3068.

MAPLE OPEN HOUSE: The sweet maple season starts off with sugarhouse tours, face painting, sugar-on-snow, maple-boiled hot dogs and more. Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks, Montpelier, SATURDAY, MARCH 24, AND SUNDAY, MARCH 25, 9 A.M.-5 P.M., free activities; fees charged for food. Info, 223-2740.

MAPLE OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND: Sweet-toothed visitors find satisfaction when sugar shacks all over the state open their doors. Various locations statewide, SATURDAY, MARCH 24, AND SUNDAY, MARCH 25, visit vermontmaple.org to find a list of participating sugarhouses. Info, 858-9444. FREE

SUGAR-ON-SNOW PARTY:

Seekers of the sweet stuff tour the sugarbush, learn tapping techiques, observe sap boiling and taste the yummy result. Audubon Vermont, Huntington, SATURDAY, MARCH 24, AND SUNDAY, MARCH 25, 11 A.M.-4 P.M.; food and syrup for sale. Info, 434-3068. FREE

BABY FARM ANIMAL CELEBRATION: Visitors “ooh” and “ah” over cute and cuddly calves, lambs, chicks, ducklings and goslings. Farm life exhibits, tours of the 1890 farmhouse and children’s activities round out the day. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, FRIDAY, MARCH 30, AND SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 10 A.M.-4 P.M., regular museum admission, $4-15; free for children under 3. Info, 457-2355.

BIRD MONITORING WALK: Avian enthusiasts bring binoculars to search the museum’s property for fluttering feathers. Best for adults and older children. Please bring your own binoculars. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 8-9 A.M., donations welcome; preregister. Info, 434-2167. FREE CARDBOARD CITY: Architects of all ages and abilities design and build a free-standing structure of cardboard and tape to join other buildings, parks, bridges, boats and buses. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, NOON-4 P.M., regular museum admission, $12-15; free for members and children under 2. Info, 649-2200.

PHYSICS PHUN DAY: ECHO staff and UVM Society of Physics Students explore the force of energy and matter through hands-on activities and aweinspiring demos. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 10:30 A.M.-3 P.M., regular museum admission, $11.50-14.50; free for members and children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

Audubon Vermont

17 Saturday (cont.)

LAMOILLE

Spanish Musical Kids: Buenos Aires native Constancia Gomez shares stories, singing, dancing and Latin culture with small ones and caregivers. Ages 5 and under. Varnum Memorial Library, Je ersonville, 10-11 a.m. Info, 644-2117. FREE

RUTLAND

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 3.

Shiver Me Shamrocks 5K Fun Run/Walk: Kids ages 1-12 launch the Leprechaun Leap Fun Run at 1 p.m. with prizes for the finest green costumes, followed by a 5K and post-race party at The Hop’n Moose. Heritage Family Credit Union, Rutland, 1-4 p.m., $30-35; free for kids’ fun run; proceeds benefit the Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum. Info, 888-252-8932.

WASHINGTON

Author Katy Farber: Junior naturalists listen to this Vermont author read from her new picture book, Salamander Sky Bridgeside Books, Waterbury, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Info, 244-1441. FREE

Capital City Winter Farmers Market: See March 3.

Woodbury Pie Breakfast: Hungry eaters fill up on the all-you-can-eat sweet and savory bu et, while listening to local musicians.

Woodbury Elementary School, 8:30-10:30 a.m., $4-7; free for children under 4; proceeds benefit the Woodbury Community Library. Info, 472-5710.

18 Sunday

CHITTENDEN

Essex Open Gym: See March 4.

Family Gym: See March 2.

19 Monday

CHITTENDEN

Chess Club: Players of all ages pursue a game of strategy. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Colchester Preschool Music: See March 5.

Go Club: See March 5.

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See March 5.

Stories with Megan: See March 5. Williston Preschool Music: See March 1, 11 a.m.

FRANKLIN

Crafternoon: Artsy kiddos get imaginative with the library’s materials. Ages 6 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m., preregister. Info, 849-2420. FREE

Let’s Grow Kids Yoga: This 30-minute children’s movement class blends playfulness and mindfulness. Ages 6 and under. St. Albans Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 524-1507. FREE

RUTLAND

Babies & Toddlers Rock: See March 5.

WASHINGTON

Capoeira: See March 5.

Kids Yoga: See March 5.

20 Tuesday

CHITTENDEN

Art Play Day: See March 6.

Creative Tuesdays: See March 13.

Spanish Musical Kids: See March 13.

STEAM Tuesdays: See March 13.

Winooski Lego Club: See March 6.

FRANKLIN

Sewing Club: T-Shirt Rehab: See March 13.

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

WASHINGTON

Maker Program: See March 13.

WINDSOR

Norwich Lego Tuesdays: See March 6.

21 Wednesday

CHITTENDEN

Chess Club: Smart players check out this strategy game and improve their skills with rooks, pawns and knights. All ages and experience levels. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 5:30-7 p.m. Info, 878-4918. FREE

Circle Time: Storyteller and musician, Katie Coons, gets little ones moving through song, play, rhyming games, craft and snack. Ages 5 and under. Jericho Town Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Info, 899-4686. FREE

Family Game Day: See March 7.

MARCH CALENDAR

21 Wednesday (cont.)

FFL Bookworms: See March 7. Read to Daisy the Therapy Dog: See March 7.

Spring Solstice Activity: Folks eager for Easter drop in and dye eggs with natural products. Coffee and live music make for more merriment. City Market/Onion River Co-op (Downtown Burlington), 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Info, 861-9753. FREE

New Parents

ESSEX LA LECHE LEAGUE: Moms bring their bitty ones to a discussion of parenting and breastfeeding. Siblings welcome. Essex Free Library, Essex Junction, FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 6:30-8 P.M. Info, 879-0313. FREE

EVOLUTION POSTNATAL YOGA: New mamas tote their precrawling kids to an all-levels flowing yoga class focused on bringing the body back to strength and alignment in a relaxed and nurturing environment. Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, Burlington, SUNDAYS, 12:15-1:30

P.M. TUESDAYS, 11 A.M.-12:15 P.M., THURSDAYS, 10:45-11:55 A.M., AND FRIDAYS, 8:15-9:15 A.M. AND NOON-1 P.M., $15; $130 for a 10-class pass. Info, 899-0339.

EVOLUTION PRENATAL YOGA: Mothers-to-be build strength, stamina, comfort and a stronger connection to their baby. Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, Burlington, SUNDAYS, 10-11:30 A.M., MONDAYS, 5:45-7 P.M., TUESDAYS, 4:15-5:30

P.M., WEDNESDAYS, 5:45-7 P.M.,

THURSDAYS, 12:30-1:30 P.M.,

FRIDAYS, 8:15-9:15 A.M., AND SATURDAYS, 11:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M., $15; $130 for 10-class pass. Info, 899-0339.

HOW TO BREASTFEED PRENATAL CLASS: Expectant mamas and their partners learn the basics of breastfeeding, how to get off to the best start with their baby and where to find assistance when needed. Central Vermont Medical Center, Berlin, FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 8-9:30 A.M. AND FOURTH TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 4:30-6 P.M., preregister. Info, 371-4415. FREE

HYDE PARK BABY CHAT: Parents with babies mingle, learn more about developmental needs and expectations, and have the opportunity to ask questions of a maternal health specialist. Lanpher Memorial Library, Hyde Park, FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10-11:30 A.M. Info, 888-5229.

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, MONDAYS, 12:15-1:15

P.M. TUESDAYS, 4:30-5:30 P.M., WEDNESDAYS, 12:15-1:15 P.M., THURSDAYS, 4:30-5:30 P.M., AND SATURDAYS, 10:30-11:30 A.M., $15. Info, 829-0211.

NEW PARENTS PLAYGROUP:

Families with very small ones support each other, with assistance from staff. Birth Journeys, Burlington, FIRST AND THIRD FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10-11:30 A.M., suggested donation $3. Info, 233-7909.

BOSOM BUDDIES: New and expectant mothers, babies and supportive grandmas rally in a relaxed evening, when peers and professionals answer mothering and breastfeeding questions.

Central Vermont Medical Center, Berlin, FIRST MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 5:30-7 P.M. Info, 371-4415. FREE

BOSOM BUDDIES TOO: Nursing mamas of toddlers and mobile wee ones socialize and swap supportive stories and advice with peers and professionals. Babies welcome. Central Vermont Medical Center, Berlin, FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 5:30-7 P.M. Info, 371-4415. FREE

MOM AND BABY YOGA: Brand-new mamas and their littles relax, stretch and bond. Followed by a free mothers’ gathering at 11:30 a.m. Embodied, Montpelier, TUESDAYS, 10:30-11:30 A.M., $11. Info, 223-5302.

STEM Maker Lab: Hands-on experimenting entertains entrepreneurial engineers. Grades 5-8. Milton Public Library, 3:30-4:30 p.m., preregister. Info, 893-4644. FREE Yoga for Kids: See March 7.

FRANKLIN

Fit Moms: See March 7.

PRENATAL YOGA: Moms-to-be stretch and bend. Embodied, Montpelier, TUESDAYS, 6-7:15 P.M. $16 per drop-in class. Info, 778-0300.

BURLINGTON EARLY MONTHS

INFANT MASSAGE: This motherinfant group includes baby massage and postpartum new mama support. The Janet S. Munt Family Room, Burlington, WEDNESDAYS, 11 A.M.-NOON. Info, 862-2121.

MIDDLEBURY LA LECHE LEAGUE

MEETING AND PLAYGROUP:

Families with infants and toddlers socialize and swap nursing stories. Junebug Mother and Child, Middlebury, FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10 A.M. Info, 388-1055. FREE

MAMA’S CIRCLE BARRE: This supportive gathering brings moms of new babies and toddlers together to foster friendship through unique-but-shared experiences. Yoga Barre, SECOND FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 9:3011:30 A.M. Info, 595-7953. FREE

MORRISVILLE BABY CHAT: Parents with babies socialize, learn more about developmental needs and expectations, and have the opportunity to ask questions of a maternal health specialist. Lamoille Family Center, Morrisville, SECOND SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10-11:30 A.M. Info, 888-5229.

TRAINING CAMP FOR NEW DADS: New dads pose questions to a professional parent educator. Topics include length of paternity leave, time management and bottle versus breastfeeding. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 9 A.M.-1 P.M., preregister. Info, 595-7953. FREE ‘HOW TO POSTPARTUM LIKE A BOSS’: A professional leads expectant mothers in rocking their birth recovery by learning how to care for themselves. Topics include perineal care, sleep, setting up a meal train, postpartum simplifying and more. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 6-8 P.M., preregister. Info, 595-7953. FREE

RUTLAND

Killington Lego Club: See March 7.

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 3, 3-6 p.m.

ORANGE

Randolph Lego Wednesdays: See March 7.

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, SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10:15 A.M. Info, 985-8228. FREE

LA LECHE LEAGUE OF THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM: Expectant, novice and experienced moms join nursing experts for advice and support. Enter through the children’s section of the library. Siblings welcome. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10:30 A.M.-NOON. Info, 720-272-8841. FREE LA LECHE LEAGUE OF CENTRAL VERMONT: Breastfeeding mamas swap stories and support each other, with a professional available for consultation. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, THIRD THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 9:3011:30 A.M. Info, 595-7953. FREE

NURSING BEYOND A YEAR: In a supportive setting, mothers discuss the joys and challenges of breastfeeding children approaching one year old and beyond. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, THIRD FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 9:30-11:30 A.M. Info, 595-7953. FREE

INFANT OWNER’S MANUAL: Moms and dads learn the basics of newborn baby care, including breathing, umbilical care, diapering, taking baby’s temperature, bathing, clothing and more. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, MONDAY, MARCH 19, 6-8 P.M., preregister. Info, 595-7953. FREE

TODDLER LA LECHE LEAGUE

MEETING: Moms who are nursing beyond a year share stories and solutions to nighttime parenting, mealtime tips, biting, weaning and other topics. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Middlebury, THIRD MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 1:30-2:30 P.M. Info, 388-0363. FREE

BREASTFEEDING CAFÉ: Mamas nurse their babies, chat and ask for answers from a certified lactation consultant. Pregnant women, supportive dads and older siblings welcome. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 11:30 A.M.-1 P.M. Info, 349-3825. FREE

BREASTFEEDING FAMILIES GROUP: Nursing moms (and supportive dads, too!) gather for snacks and advice. Church of the Nazarene, Johnson, THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 11 A.M.-1 P.M. Info, 888-3470. FREE

COMMUNITY BABY SHOWER AND RESOURCE FAIR: New and expecting families check out what Motherhood Village — a women’s wellness and resource center — offers, with vendors, free demos and raffle prizes. St. Albans City Hall, SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 10 A.M.-3 P.M. $5 per family. Info, 488-0413.

SECURE ATTACHMENT HACKS: Moms and dads get straight talk about what it takes to strengthen a strong attachment to their wee ones, including emotional, practical and developmental information. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, MONDAY, MARCH 26, 6-8 P.M. preregister. Info, 595-7953. FREE

JOHNSON BABY CHAT: Parents with babies mingle, learn more about developmental needs and expectations, and have the opportunity to ask questions of a maternal health specialist. Church of the Nazarene, Johnson, FOURTH TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10-11:30 A.M. Info, 888-5229. FREE

MOMMY GROUP: Breastfeeding peer counselor Angela Scavo hosts mamas and answers questions in a relaxed setting. Middlebury Recreation Center, FOURTH WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 9:30-10:30 A.M. Info, 349-9084. FREE

POSTPARTUM AND YOU: Sabrina Sydnor Leal, MSW, leads an online discussion about new mothers’ health and wellness, with a focus on postpartum depression. Various Locations, FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 8 P.M., $20; preregister. Info, 373-8060.

WASHINGTON

Kids’ Movies: Cinema-lovers of all ages take in a short flick before community dinner is served. A full-length, off-the-beaten-track film screens at 7 p.m. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 5:30 p.m. Info, 426-3581. FREE

WINDSOR

Sensory Lab for Tots: See March 7. Story and Yoga Time with Angel: See March 7.

22 Thursday

CHITTENDEN

Babytime: See March 1.

Colchester Lego Club: See March 1.

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See March 5.

Read to a Dog: See March 15.

Read to Archie the Therapy Dog: See March 15.

Ukulele Kids: See March 8.

Williston Preschool Music: See March 1.

FRANKLIN

Chess Club: See March 8.

Franklin Lego Thursdays: See March 1.

St. Albans Library Legos: See March 8.

LAMOILLE

Art Play: See March 8.

23 Friday

CHITTENDEN

Art Play Day: See March 6.

Dungeons & Dragons: See March 9.

Family Gym: See March 2.

Family Wheel Drop-In: See March 2.

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’

Bassick: See March 2.

Live-Action Role Play: See March 9.

Music with Raph: See March 9.

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. Info, 878-4918. FREE

Yoga Storytime: Little yogis blend body movement with books. Ages 2-5. Richmond Free Library, 11 a.m. Info, 434-3036. FREE

ORLEANS

Craftsbury Lego Club: See March 2.

24 Saturday

CHITTENDEN

Burlington Winter Farmers Market: See March 10.

EvoKids Saturday Drop-In Yoga: See March 3.

Movies at the Library: Film lovers snuggle down, see a big-screen PG-rated flick and savor snacks. Milton Public Library, 1-4 p.m. Info, 893-4644. FREE

Saturday Drama Club: See March 3.

Webby’s Art Studio: ‘Once Upon a Time…’: Theater fans of all ages design a fairy-taleinspired finger puppet and perform a show in the Shelburne Museum puppet theater. Shelburne Museum, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., regular winter museum admission, $5-10; free for children under 5. Info, 985-3346.

FRANKLIN

Baby Story Time: Small ones soak up nursery rhymes, songs and a simple story. Ages 2 and under with caregivers. St. Albans Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 524-1507. FREE

RUTLAND

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 3.

ORLEANS

Intro to Indigo: WonderArts’ Skye Livingston teaches artists of all ages and abilities how to dye fabric shades of blue, and shares simple Shibori folding and binding techniques. Ages 6 and up; younger children should have a caregiver. Craftsbury Town Hall, 1-3 p.m., preregister; $15-20. Info, 533-9370.

WASHINGTON

Author Katy Farber: See March 17, KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Info, 223-4665. FREE

25 Sunday

CHITTENDEN

Essex Open Gym: See March 4. Family Gym: See March 2.

Williston Firehouse Pancake Breakfast: Community members sit down to a full spread of morning eats, meet and greet firefighters, and touch a truck. Williston Fire Department, 8 a.m.-noon, $5-8; free for children under 2; proceeds benefit the firefighters. Info, 878-5622.

WINDSOR

Norwich Winter Farmers Market: See March 10, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

26 Monday

CHITTENDEN

Colchester Preschool Music: See March 5. Go Club: See March 5.

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See March 5.

Sew Delightful: See March 12. Stories with Megan: See March 5.

Williston Preschool Music: See March 1, 11 a.m.

FRANKLIN

Lab Girls: Hands-on scientific experiments and explorations empower young women. Grades 4-8. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m., preregister. Info, 849-2420. FREE

RUTLAND

Babies & Toddlers Rock: See March 5.

WASHINGTON

Capoeira: See March 5.

Kids Yoga: See March 5.

Pacem School Open House: Prospective parents and students learn about this stateapproved school’s grades 6-12 curriculum and programs, meet faculty, current parents and students, and check out support for homeschoolers ages 10-18. Ages 9 and up.

Pacem School, Montpelier, 4:30-6 p.m. Info, 223-1010. FREE

27 Tuesday

CHITTENDEN

Burlington Circle of Parents for Adoptive & Guardianship Families: Moms and dads come together to socialize about their parenting experiences and strengthen skills. Childcare and dinner included without fee. Howard Center, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m., preregister. Info, 864-7467. FREE

Creative Tuesdays: See March 13.

Spanish Musical Kids: See March 13.

STEAM Tuesdays: See March 13.

Winooski Lego Club: See March 6.

WASHINGTON

Maker Program: See March 13.

WINDSOR

Norwich Lego Tuesdays: See March 6.

The Vermont Cub Project

One to Watch

Do you know a local kid (age 17 or under) who's recently done something amazing? Won a spelling bee? Written an opera? Raised a bunch of money for a great cause? Tell us more! He or she could be featured as One to Watch in an upcoming issue of Kids VT.

MARCH CALENDAR

28 Wednesday

CHITTENDEN

Count Me In! Preschool Math Night: This program, co-sponsored with the Williston School District, provides an introduction to hands-on mathematics activities families can apply to everyday life. For preschoolers and caregivers. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6-7 p.m., preregister. Info, 878-4918. FREE

Family Game Day: See March 7.

LGBT+ Drop-In Group: LGBT+ teens and allies socialize with peers and propose projects to increase awareness. Grades 8 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Read to Daisy the Therapy Dog: See March 7.

Yoga for Kids: See March 7.

Young Writers & Storytellers: See March 14.

FRANKLIN

Fit Moms: See March 7.

Read to a Dog: See March 14. STEM Club: Sciencey types challenge their imaginations with themed activities. Ages 6 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m., preregister. Info, 849-2420. FREE

RUTLAND

Killington Lego Club: See March 7.

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 3, 3-6 p.m.

ORANGE

Randolph Lego Wednesdays: See March 7.

WASHINGTON

Family Music and Movement Class: Dads and moms encourage love of music in their wee ones. Newborns through age 5. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 10:3011:30 a.m. Info, 223-1242. FREE

WINDSOR

Sensory Lab for Tots: See March 7. Story and Yoga Time with Angel: See March 7.

29 Thursday

CHITTENDEN

Colchester Lego Club: See March 1.

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See March 5.

Read to a Dog: See March 15.

Read to Archie the Therapy Dog: See March 15.

Ukrainian Easter Egg Decorating: Artistic ones enjoy a special holiday craft. Ages 13 and up. Milton Public Library, 6-7:45 p.m., preregister. Info, 893-4644. FREE

Williston Preschool Music: See March 1.

FRANKLIN

Chess Club: See March 8.

Franklin Lego Thursdays: See March 1.

LAMOILLE

Art Play: See March 8.

30 Friday

CHITTENDEN

Art Play Day: See March 6.

Essex Story Time: See March 16.

Family Gym: See March 2.

Family Wheel Drop-In: See March 2.

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See March 2.

ORLEANS

Craftsbury Lego Club: See March 2.

31 Saturday

CHITTENDEN

EvoKids Saturday Drop-In Yoga: See March 3.

Family Game Afternoon: See March 3.

Saturday Drama Club: See March 3.

To The Max Dance Party: Families get moving and grooving to tunes spun by 10year-old DJ Zandro and D Jay Baron, with a silent auction, too. ArtsRiot, Burlington, 4-7 p.m., $10-25; proceeds benefit Boston Children’s Hospital. Info, 540-0406.

Vermont Kids Day: Indoor family fun busts cabin fever, including arts and crafts, a bouncy house, a photo booth with dress-up clothes, giant games with The Big Blue Trunk, and much more. Doubletree Hotel & Conference Center, Burlington, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., $8; $30 for a 4-person family pack; free for children under 1; food available for purchase. Info, 872-9000, ext. 118.

Webby’s Art Studio: Trivet, Trivet, Trivet!: Curious crafters learn what a trivet is by checking out the museum’s collection, then turn natural wool fibers into a colorful felt trivet. Shelburne Museum, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., regular winter museum admission, $5-10; free for children under 5. Info, 985-3346.

LAMOILLE

French Hour: Monsieur Loup and French-speaking pals invite youngsters to an hour of language learning, dancing, art and storytelling. Ages 5-8 with caregivers. Varnum Memorial Library, Jeffersonville, 10-11 a.m. Info, 644-2117. FREE

RUTLAND

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See March 3.

ORLEANS

Easter Egg Decorating: WonderArts and the Highland Center for the Arts team up for an afternoon of Easter and spring-themed crafts, using recycled and Earth-friendly materials. Refreshments served. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, 1-3 p.m., suggested donation $10; lunch fare available for purchase. Info, 533-9370. K

Counting Sheep KIDS JUST FOR

Sherman the Shepherd was enjoying an early spring day when he decided to count his sheep. Starting with the one closest to him, he counted clockwise. How many sheep does he have in his flock? What do you think has happened?

KIDS JUST FOR

Writing Contest

Saturday, March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, an Irish holiday associated with good luck. What’s the luckiest thing that ever happened to you? Write a detailed paragraph explaining what happened and why you considered it so lucky.

COLORING CONTEST WINNERS

SPONSORED BY

Love was in the air this month as judges perused the dozens of dazzling entries in our coloring contest. Ten-yearold Izzy drew a huge heart around an orange and yellow, polka-dotted puppy, prancing on spring green grass. Jose, 8, created a multicolored mosaic around his lime green pooch, whose muzzle was sweetly decorated with bright red hearts. Gracie, 5, added a slew of ponytailed girls beneath a smiling purple and gold sun to her masterpiece. Awesome art, kids. Send us your stellar work again this month!

HONORABLE MENTIONS

PEACE-LOVING PUP

Zoey Copp, 12, Brownington

RAINBOW RUFFER

Abigail Hammond, 5, Richmond

CUTE CANINE

Jacey Josey, 8, Colchester

VALENTINE’S DAY DOGGIE

Electra Tremblay, 6, Ferrisburgh

BONE CHEWER

The winners of annual family memberships to the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium are…

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.

WRITING WINNERS

Name Age Town Email Phone

Léonie Fournier, 9, Montpelier

SHY FIDO

Janelle Webb, 5, Colchester

PATCHWORK PAWS

Macy Jarvis, 9, Isle La Motte

HEARTS AND FLOWERS

Hailey Deso, 6, St. Albans

BARKING IN THE RAIN

Stella Devitt, 5, Williston

DR. DOGGY

Whitney Butnor, 8, Charlotte

SUN AND ICE

August Champlain, 4, Colchester

PUPPY LOVE

Avery Casavant, 11, Fletcher

“Patch Puppy”

Luna Gordon, 5 GLOVER

5 & under

If I was president, I would… Give homeless people homes. Hire people to build pollutioneliminating robots. Make world-peace summer camps. Stop all bullying in schools.

Save people, give people hugs, also give people flowers. Giving people kisses and hugs (only if they want them). Also, giving people stickers. Also giving people butterfly hair- clips and dead butterflies to look at. Also getting them new things.

TOP TITLES

“LUCY, THE BEST DOG EVER”

Bruce Creason, 5, Burlington

“THE SURPRISED T-SHIRT DOG”

Shayna Walker, 8, Burlington

“IT’S STILL NOT SPRING!”

Sophia Van Zyl, 10, Addison

“Colorsplash”

Sagan Holm, 7 VERGENNES

6 to 8

“Crazy Colors”

Mariela Swiech, 10 NORWICH

9 to 12

In our February issue, we asked kids to tell what they’d do if they became president. Below, find the very sweet winning entries. Victor and Juniper each receive a $25 gift certificate to Crow Bookshop in Burlington.

Juniper Schwartz, 4 BOLTON

Victor Bergeron, 8 EAST CALAIS

Coloring Contest!

Three winners will each receive an annual family membership to the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium. 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.

Sponsored by

KIDS JUST FOR

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.

LANE lives in Georgia and turns 5 on March 25. He loves animals and learning about nature and wildlife. He enjoys sampling peas, beans and carrots from his family’s garden and has never met a cake he didn’t like. Lane wins four day passes and four 3-D movie tickets to ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain in Burlington.

SPONSORED BY

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.

Print your answer here:

Puzzles4Kids

Riddle Search — NICE!

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: What do you call a nice vegetable?

CHARMING CIVIL DECENT DUCKY ENCHANTING EXCELLENT FINE

GENTLE GOOD

BY HELENA HOVANEC

KAMDON lives in Wolcott and turns 7 on March 9. He’s a sweet boy who always takes care of others. His hobbies include basketball, skiing, camping, drawing and making things like MacGyver.

To enter, submit information using the online form at kidsvt.com/birthday-club Just give us your contact info, your children’s names and birth dates, and a photo, and they’re automatically enrolled.

Kamdon, Bowen and Autumn each win four ECHO day passes.

to ski, swim and play with his older sister, Harper. He’s looking forward to spending his birthday this year at a water park.

GRAND HAPPY KEEN NOT BAD

OKAY PEACHY PLEASANT POLITE SWELL

Riddle Answer:

ANSWERS P. 55

AUTUMN lives in Hardwick and turns 4 on March 28. She’s adventurous, smart, caring and playful. She loves animals, gymnastics and spending time outside, and has just started to ski.

BY MAGGIE VAN DUYN

Grim and Me

Building a legacy, moment by moment

My kids wake up and eat breakfast, go to school and come home, and eat dinner and go to bed, just like kids in ordinary homes. But we aren’t an ordinary household. Two and a half years ago, the Grim Reaper came to live with us. Some days, when the kids are at school and my husband works, Grim and I have long, in-depth conversations about how living with death on your doorstep can impact your life. Other days I don’t talk to him at all.

Before Grim showed up, I was crushing motherhood. I worked full-time as a social worker, then dropped down to part-time when my youngest was 3. I attended playgroups, enrolled my kids in preschool dance classes and volunteered at the elementary school. In 2014, I was even a gestational surrogate for a dear friend of mine.

The summer of 2015 was the best summer of my life. My kids were independent enough that I could finish a conversation with other adults, but they still thought I was the coolest person they knew. I was finished with childbearing and focused on getting back “inside my body” since I wouldn’t have to endure pregnancy and milk production again. I was becoming more familiar and comfortable with the skin I was in.

So when I detected some pimples on my breast that wouldn’t go away, I asked a doctor about them. A few weeks later, much to my shock and awe, I was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, or metastatic breast cancer (MBC). For those who don’t know, MBC is incurable. I know what you’re thinking. Your sister’s neighbor’s daughter had breast cancer four times and she beat it every time, and you know I can too. Don’t. Just don’t.

Listen. MBC does not have a cure yet. People with MBC may get to a point where they have “No Evidence Of Disease,” but still, they will not be considered cured. I don’t make

Planning a kids event?

List it for free in the Kids VT monthy calendar. Submit your April event by March 15th online at kidsvt.com or to calendar@kidsvt.com

up these rules. I just know them now because I, like so many others, have MBC. The doctors have told me that the plan is to keep the disease at bay for as long as possible, but that eventually it will take my life.

My brutal education started on September 29th, 2015. I heard a knock on my door. And standing on my doorstep was the Grim Reaper. He offered me my likely cause of death. Cancer. I invited him in and offered him some tea, as if, through a conversation over hot beverages, I could make a deal with the devil. I tried to reason with him.

“I’m just 35. My kids are 4 and 7,” I said. “Shouldn’t I be able to see them grow?”

“I can’t give you any guarantees,” he replied.

“But my husband,” I pleaded, “he doesn’t even know that when you run out of dish soap, you have to go buy more dish soap. How will he run a household without me?”

“There is still some time for you to teach him these things,” Grim said, “but he’ll eventually figure that one out.”

“But Grim,” I said, “I’m a good person, how can this be?”

He shrugged resolutely.

There is no time line for me. No expiration date. Hell, I could live for the next 20 years. Maybe I’ll even get to meet my grandchildren. I could see my kids fall in love and get married. If I’m lucky, I’ll get to comfort them when they have their first breakup. Or embarrass them as I drop them off at middle school on their first day. There is no time line, but the American Cancer Society states that women with MBC have a 5-year relative survival rate of 22 percent. I’m halfway there.

The moments I am with my kids, and even when I’m not, I’m painfully aware that our memories outlive our temporary and fragile bodies. I wonder, even in this moment, typing away at my computer while my daughter sits across the table

working on a craft project, Will this be one of the moments that she thinks about when I’m gone? What will she remember?

This wonder about what my kids will carry with them is constant. I’ve become obsessed with my “legacy” and making memories with them. Snorkeling in the cenotes in Mexico, playing Heads Up! while waiting in the customs line for hours, bridesmaid dress shopping with my daughter for my sister’s wedding, snuggling while watching The Great British Bake Off, singing Brandi Carlile while making dinner; all of these are opportunities to assist in solidifying their idea of me as a mom. This could be it. But there is so much more to show them. So many more memories we could make. How can I fit it all in before I’m gone?

Did I hug them enough when they hurt themselves? Was I too hard on them about their sugar intake? Is it going to cause a complex? This is mental chatter that all parents grapple with, but these passing thoughts seem heavier now than they did before my diagnosis. When my kids are adults and spend their therapy sessions wondering why they won’t let anyone hug them when they’re hurt — and then realize it was all because their mom told them to “get up and brush it off” — I won’t be there to defend myself. I’ll be dead.

For now, I’ve mastered the art of living with love and intention. I let my kids stay up late. I invite my friends over for coffee and long chats on my couch. Self-love, yoga and spa treatments have become priorities. The Grim Reaper sits at our table, but we don’t let him rule our lives. He isn’t in a rush, but he is a constant reminder that time is not a luxury I can count on.

So I get up from the table, put the plates in the dishwasher, and read my kids bedtime stories. The moment is all I can truly be sure of. So that’s where I stay. K

CALENDAR

PUZZLE PAGE ANSWERS

SEE “JUST FOR KIDS” SECTION FOR PUZZLES

Happily, when he awoke, there was Sheldon, his own loyal sheepdog, still guarding all eight of his little lambs.

In his dream, Old English Sheepdogs had replaced his whole fluffy flock, and a lamb had replaced his dog.

When Sherman started counting sheep, he fell asleep.

COUNTING :SHEEP

WORD SEARCH ANSWER: A sweet potato.

The tallest player on the baseball team made a great —SHORTSTOP

RIDDLE ANSWER:

TRY. PUSH. S0ON. MOTH.

JUMBLES

Ski and Ride for FREE for the rest of this season when you purchase a 2018 - 2019 All-Access Season Pass

(Includes Alpine, Nordic/Backcountry, and more bene ts)

BOLTON VALLEY IS CLOSE TO HOME AND OFFERS NIGHT SKIING UNTIL 10PM, TUESDAYS - SATURDAYS SO YOU CAN SPEND MORE TIME ON THE MOUNTAIN.

2018 - 2019 Season Pass Prices through April 2

Adult (26-64): $529

Youth (7-17): $109 *

Senior (65-74): $219

Night (All Ages): $159

NORDIC, UPHILL, & BACKCOUNTRY:

This Summer...

This summer the Sports Center will be open featuring games and activities for all ages. This is the perfect spot for keeping the kids entertained no matter the weather. Buy your 2018 Summer pass by April 2 and it will also include a membership to our 18 hole disc golf course.

SUMMER ALL-ACCESS ADD-ON:

Youth (13-17): $25

Adult (18+): $50

Bolton Valley All-Access Season

Passes are PACKED WITH VALUE!

*UNLIMITED ALPINE SKIING AND RIDING ON 71 TRAILS

*OVER 1200 ACRES OF NORDIC AND BACKCOUNTRY SKIING

*A 20% DISCOUNT ON DAILY RENTALS, RETAIL SHOP PURCHASES, DAILY GROUP SKI AND RIDE LESSONS, AND LODGING (INCLUDES CONDOS, SUITES, OR HOTEL ROOMS)

*WINTER SPORTS CENTER MEMBERSHIP INCLUDING ACCESS TO AN INDOOR HEATED POOL, HOT TUB, AND SAUNA

*SPECIAL OFFERS AT LOCAL BUSINESSES.

A family of four saves $520 over the retail rate when purchased by April 2!

5 YEARS: $2,000

Adult (18+): $119

Youth (7-17): $79 :

Season-long ski and ride programs!

SEASON LONG SKI AND RIDE PROGRAMS ARE THE PERFECT WAY TO GET YOUR KIDS TO LOVE SKIING AND RIDING. KIDS GET CLASSES NEARLY EVERY WEEKEND WITH CONTINUAL ATTENTION TO THEIR SKILLS TO MAXIMIZE THEIR FUN AND PROGRESSION OVER THE SEASON

KIDS LOOKING TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND EXPLORE THE ENTIRE MOUNTAIN WILL LOVE THE BV FREERIDE TEAM. THIS PROGRAM MEETS FOR 38 DAYS OVER THE SEASON AND IS DESIGNED TO GET KIDS COMFORTABLE SKIING AND RIDING ON ANY TERRAIN THEMOUNTAIN CAN THROW AT THEM!