Kids VT, April 2016

APRIL 2016

ON

Time After Time ...27

From Popsicle days to tippy tests, summer camps share traditions that keep kids

Players take risks and hope to reap the rewards in illustrator Matt Mignanelli’s colorful Game of Life.

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

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

Copublisher Colby Roberts colby@kidsvt.com ext. 77

Managing Editor Alison Novak alison@kidsvt.com ext. 75

Contributing Editor Meredith Coeyman meredith@kidsvt.com ext. 75

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

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

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

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

Proofreaders Katherine Isaacs

Marisa Keller

Production Manager John James

Creative Director Don Eggert

Designers Rev. Diane Sullivan

Charlotte Scott

Circulation Manager Matt Weiner

Business Manager Cheryl Brownell

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

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Contributing Writers: Darcie Abbene, Grace Per Lee, Ken Picard, Erinn Simon, Jessica Lara Ticktin, Katie Titterton, Sarah Yahm

Illustrator: Matt Mignanelli

Photographers: Sam Simon, Matt Thorsen, Shem Roose

For What It’s Worth

MY FAMILY HAS a new after-dinner ritual: Monopoly. Not the junior version with the plastic game pieces and low-stakes investments. No, we’ve moved on to the real-deal, deluxe edition, with the hefty metal pieces, houses and hotels, and multitude of rules.

When we started, my first reaction was shock that both my kids are now old enough to play an involved board game without knocking things off the board or pouting when things don’t go their way. But when that wore off, I realized that the game is actually a great teaching opportunity.

While rolling dice and buying properties, we’ve had conversations about the meaning of words like mortgage, rent and insurance. And counting cash and calculating change make for great math practice.

Monopoly has also helped me learn about the misconceptions my kids have about money. Six-year-old Theo, for example, feels like he’s winning if he gives the bank one bill and gets two bills in return, regardless of the value of the currency. We’ve tried to explain that more bills doesn’t always mean more money, but I’m not sure that’s sunk in yet. He’ll learn. Eight-year-old Mira is cautious about spending her dough, so we’ve tried explaining that investing in property isn’t the same as giving money away. I think she’s beginning to understand that concept.

Navigating money matters doesn’t get much easier as you get older. In “Tough Choice$” (page 20), contributor Katie Titterton explores how

Vermont families avoid falling over the “benefits cliff.” That’s the point at which parents make too much money to qualify for health care and childcare subsidies. It seems counterintuitive, but couples who do the math discover that sometimes it pays off when one partner declines a raise or leaves their job altogether. But does it really make sense for the state to incentivize workers to scale back or drop out of the workforce?

This story anchors our annual Money Issue, timed to coincide with tax day on April 15. Our package of stories also includes a profile of a young entrepreneur (“One to Watch,” page 10), a recipe for making your own yogurt and granola (“Mealtime,” page 16), and an inspirational “Habitat,” (page 51), which explains how a Burlington mom turned her sons’ bedroom into a batcave — on a budget.

This month’s “Bookworms” offers recommendations for resources that teach kids about personal finance (page 13).

And finally, with summer vacation just around the corner, you’ll want to peruse the camp guide starting on page 27. In “Time After Time,” we surveyed local camps to find out about their quirky, fun traditions that keep kids coming back year after year. Perhaps reading it will be the jumpstart you need to get your kids signed up for a session! Playing board games will only get you so far during that 10-week school break.

ALISON NOVAK, MANAGING EDITOR

Some of this month’s Kids VT contributors:

GRACE PER LEE (“Destination Recreation”) lives in Burlington, with her husband, son and her son’s pet “snake,” Boy actually a draft stopper made from flannel and beans.

DARCIE ABBENE (“Fit Families”) is a freelance writer, educator and book reviewer living in Morrisville with her husband and two daughters. When not wordsmithing articles about kids, books or farms, she enjoys writing fiction.

Game night at the Novak household

Winners’ Circle

Vermont has some talented young people! Here are a few who were recently recognized for their accomplishments.

KIRAN WAQAR, a sophomore at South Burlington High School, was the recipient of a Prudential Spirit of Community Award for her work making gift bags, packed with art supplies and activities, for hospitalized kids. Kiran received donations from local stores and recruited a team of volunteers to donate their babysitting proceeds to her project. Twelve-year-old MIRANDA WALBRIDGE, a student at Barre City Elementary and Middle School, was also recognized for her work as a buddy partner for athletes in the Special Olympics United Sport program. As part of the award, sponsored by Prudential Financial and the National Association of Secondary School Principals, Kiran and Miranda will each receive $1,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in May to participate in a national recognition ceremony.

On February 20, Burlington Technical Center junior ELIZA KISSAM took top honors at the seventh annual Vermont Brain Bee, a neuroscience competition

Test Your Financial Knowlege

How smart are you when it comes to money matters? We borrowed questions from the Vermont Treasury Cup Challenge, an annual contest for local students that took place last month, on topics ranging from inflation to credit. Find it at kidsvt.com. Congratulations to the winning team from Essex High School!

for Vermont high school students that covers topics related to the human brain including intelligence, emotions, memory, sleep and addiction. Fellow Burlington Tech junior RYAN MARTIN placed second. Eliza advanced to the National Brain Bee in Maryland in March, where she placed 27th in a field of 57 competitors from 29 states.

Fourth grader DAVID HARRIS won a $1,000 scholarship for growing a giant cabbage as part of the National Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program. Last year, third graders at his school, Founders Memorial School in Essex, were given baby cabbage plants from Bonnie Plants. His family planted theirs in a bed along their driveway with organic compost and good topsoil, said David’s mom, Maria. Every time they watered the plant, they used fish and seaweed fertilizer from Gardener’s Supply Company. After 11 weeks, David’s cabbage weighed in at a whopping 53 pounds, earning top honors in the state.

MORE THAN ALRIGHT

We had a blast sponsoring the Kids Are Alright concert, held at Higher Ground on Saturday, March 19. The show, a fundraiser for arts programs at the Integrated Arts Academy at H.O. Wheeler in Burlington, featured local musicians including Swale, Steady Betty, members of Rough Francis and Guster’s Ryan Miller. DJ Necutron, aka Essex eighth grader Ben Sprenger — who we wrote about in the June 2015 “One to Watch” — spun tunes in between bands. And kids from the school’s ONE Strings program took to the stage with their violins for a rousing rendition of Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” The show raised $11,000 for the magnet school. Can’t wait to jam with you next year!

Word Sleuths

We were delighted to see kindergarteners at C.P. Smith Elementary School in Burlington using copies of the March issue of Kids VT to hunt for consonant-vowel-consonant patterns and SnapWords (also known as sight words). Kudos to the budding readers and writers for their good literacy work, and to teacher Adam Deyo for his resourcefulness!

Eliza Kissam and Ryan Martin

Kiran Waqar

David Harris

Breakfast of Champions

Research shows that o ering students breakfast after the first school bell, rather than before school, is an e ective way to increase participation in school breakfast programs. And when students start the day with a healthy meal, their behavior and academic performance gets a boost. That’s the rationale behind the Vermont Breakfast

After the Bell Challenge, a program launched in January by the New England Dairy & Food Council and Hunger Free Vermont aimed at increasing school breakfast availability by 20 percent statewide. In March, Morristown Elementary School got a special visit from New England Patriots player DURON HARMON and 2015 Vermont Dairy Farmer of the

COLORING CONTEST

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

Year LES PIKE to celebrate a $12,000 award split between that school, Peoples Academy High School and Stowe Elementary School to support their breakfast programs. Harmon, a 25-year-old safety for the Pats, played with students in the gym and gave a pep talk about staying healthy — and staying in school.

Writing Contest Winners

Congratulations to these talented young poets who submitted St. Patty’s Day-inspired poems this month. They both win a $25 gift certificate to Crow Bookshop in Burlington.

Lily Kate Keech, 9 CHARLOTTE

Down in the depths and earthen caves live very special men, with pots of gold. The young and old are merriest of all when the winter is done and spring has come, the merriest time of year. But how do they find the precious gold, when few of us humans can?

It’s leprechaun magic inside of their heart, the luckiest thing they have.

Hunter Norton, 10 FERRISBURGH

There once was a king, of Irish descent.

But he didn’t want a princess, for he loved a peasant.

They both got married, and they had a child.

But the child hated dresses, and her heart was very mild.

One day in the woods, the child was a-swing. Then, deep in the grasses, the girl found a ring.

But a dark spirit dwelled, inside that ring. It loved to play tricks, so it made the girl sing.

Unlike this winter’s snow, the March coloring contest entries piled up high, creating some di cult choices for our judges. Maxwell McCalla, 11, wasn’t quite ready to let the season go. His bear took a journey to the South Pole, complete with artistic snowflakes and pu y clouds. Flying birds, golden sunshine and tiny flowers created an idyllic scene around 4-year-old Violet Sky Marias’ rainbow-colored bear. Kai Maha ey, 8, worked carefully with red and blue markers to keep his coloring within the lines, adorning his teddy with tattoos — a clover on one arm and “Mom” on the other. Keep the creativity coming, and congratulations to all the winners.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

CLOVER-LEAF CUB

Dominic Russell Mazzilli, 10, Moretown

BOWLING BEAR

Caitlan Reed, 7, Hinesburg

POT OF GOLD

Ida Eames, 12, Craftsbury Common

PRESIDENT BERNIE

Andrea Henderson, 5, Burlington

RIDING A RAINBOW

Alice & Lily Ide, 5, Richmond

LUCKY LEAVES

Ruby Shangraw, 8, Williamstown

TANGLED-UP TEDDY

Cullen Gerlach, 2, Colchester

EAGER EXPLORER

John, 6, East Montpelier

BEARY ADVENTURE

Humiliated, the girl fled, from her father’s throne. She roamed around, until she found a new home.

A leafy green forest, as leafy as can be.

A place where she could keep, her dreadful singing to the bees.

So there she stayed, without the company of her mother. And there she perished, without the company of any other.

So let that be a lesson, to those who find rings. In the tall grass of forests or you may learn to sing.

Lily O’Brien, 10, Shelburne

FOUR-SEASON PICTURE

Tess Barker, 10, & Sadie Harris, 10 Burlington

LEAPING LEPRECHAUN

Lumia Beeli, 7, South Burlington

BROWN BEAR AT DUSK

Maria Bush, 5, Hinesburg

TOP TITLES

“3 BEARS IN THE RAINBOW FOREST”

Harper Hayes, 7, Bolton Valley

“JUST CHECKING MY BANK ACCOUNT”

Veronica Lindstrom, 9, South Burlington

“BLACK BEAR’S CAVE/MINE WORLD”

Sebastian Hempey, 5, Richmond

Hanna

“Snow

Gustafson, 11 SOUTH BURLINGTON

White & the 7 Bears”

Sylas Weaver, 5 SOUTH BURLINGTON “Pond Hockey Bear”

Sophia Van Zyl, 8 ADDISON “Pop Star Power”

NFL player Duron Harmon and a student

COURTESY OF NEW ENGLAND DAIRY AND FOOD COUNCIL

THE BEAT

BY ALISON NOVAK

PARTY

Retro Reveling

Big hair, awkward slow dancing, hideous dresses — not everyone has fond memories of their high school prom. But there’s a chance for a do-over at the end of the month. An ADULT PROM at ArtsRiot in Burlington will raise money for the Handle With Love VT Doula Scholarship Fund, which provides need-based financial aid to families who want to hire a doula for birth or postpartum support. Research has shown that doula support during birth has many benefits, including fewer medical interventions and more positive feelings about the birth experience, says Handle With Love founder Francesca Arnoldy, a certified childbirth educator and doula with VT Birth Haven.

The ADULT PROM benefitting the Handle With Love VT Doula Scholarship Fund takes place on Saturday, April 30, from 8:30-11:30 p.m. at ArtsRiot in Burlington. Tickets can

or at the venue, or for $30 at the door.

COMMUNITY

Catching the Bus

If you see a tennis-ballgreen minibus whizzing down the road, it’s likely filled with Burlington kids headed out on a community adventure. The KING STREET LEARNING BUS hit the streets last month, thanks to a grant from Dealer.com and additional funds from Champlain Valley Head Start. After an unveiling at the Magic Hat Mardi Gras Parade in early March, the green machine — which replaced an older vehicle known as Clifford the Red Bus — will be taking kids of all ages served by the King Street Center, the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington and the Greater Burlington YMCA to Shelburne Farms for barnyard frolicking, the EDGE Sports & Fitness for tennis and Wind Ridge Fjords & Friends for horseback-riding lessons. The vehicle even has built-in car seats with threepoint harnesses for preschoolers.

educational illustrations, designed by artist Scott A. Campbell, that show the highest and lowest points on Earth, the most commonly spoken languages in the U.S., and a color wheel. There’s also an apt quote paraphrased from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: “Where should I go?” it reads. “That depends on where you want to end up.”

Look for the KING STREET LEARNING BUS around town. For more information about the King Street Center, visit kingstreetcenter.org.

At the grown-up gala, a DJ will spin tunes from the ’70s to’90s, and revelers are encouraged to dress as pop-culture icons from that era. Attendees can pile into a photo booth, enjoy mini cupcakes and kombuchabased cocktails, and vote for the best-dressed prom goer. A lucky raffle winner will go home with a gold and pink sapphire necklace from Von Bargen’s Jewelry at the end of the night. Why put on a prom? “It’s a guaranteed good time for attendees,” says Arnoldy. “Cheesy as it sounds, prom ensures the ‘fun’

NOMINATIONS

Unsung Heroes

Know an early childhood educator who’s truly amazing? For the second year, the nonprofit Permanent Fund for Vermont’s Children will honor a top-notch teacher with the EARLY EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD.

Two finalists will be recognized at the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children Conference in October, where one of them will be awarded $5,000 and have all expenses paid at several conferences.

The winner’s workplace will get an additional $2,500; the runner-up and his or her program also receive a monetary prize.

Last year, the award focused on home-based providers, and the top prize went to Geralyn Barrows —

CHARITY

Fixer-Uppers

When Tim Mathewson, owner of Little City Cycles in Vergennes, was growing up in the ’60s, he remembers that getting a bike was just part of being a kid. Now he’s helping to ensure that children in the foster-care system can enjoy that typical childhood experience. Along with friend Tanya Bashaw, Mathewson recently started GREEN MOUNTAIN FOSTER BIKES, a program focused on refurbishing old bicycles and giving them to kids in foster care. With help from volunteers, Mathewson is converting donated cycles — many of which have what Mathewson calls “Walmart fall-apart brakes” and cheap gears — into onespeed coaster bikes with back-pedal brakes.

Mathewson has revamped about 15 two-wheelers so far — replacing brakes and gears, putting on new tires, seats, chains, pedals and grips, if needed, and detailing them so that they are “as pretty as possible.” His vision is to create a fleet that can be returned and swapped out as needed.

Along with a tricked-out ride, every kid who receives a bike will get a helmet, pump, and rag and oil for maintenance. With the help of the

a 30-year veteran childcare provider who runs Discovery Hill Family Child Care and Preschool in New Haven. “We are caring for the children during their most formative years,” she said. “We have a chance to make an impact on their future success.”

Nominate a center-based childcare professional you know and love for the EARLY EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD before May 1 at permanentfund.org.

Vermont Department for Children and Families, Mathewson plans to distribute bikes in Middlebury and move south from there. Ultimately, he dreams of creating a program model that can be used nationwide.

“I can’t help kids with their problems,” he says, “but I can give them a bike and the bike will help them with their problems.”

Donate bikes to GREEN MOUNTAIN FOSTER BIKES at Little City Cycles, 10 N. Main St., Vergennes. To learn more about the program, visit facebook.com/ greenmountainfosterbikes. To donate money to the program, visit gofundme. com/gmfosterbikes.

Selling Spirit

A teen entrepreneur runs a lacrosse-inspired business

PARENTS TODAY MAY remember that when they were kids, starting a business meant creating flyers, making copies and stu ng mailboxes — methods that might seem archaic for today’s savvy young entrepreneurs.

In 2014, a domain name was one of the first things on Olivia Machanic’s mind when she decided to start Liv Lax, a company that sells lacrosse-inspired bracelets and key chains. A priority: check to see if the web address livlax.com — a clever mash-up of her first name and “lax,” which is short for lacrosse — was available. It was, which she took as a good sign.

The love of lacrosse runs in Olivia’s family. She’s been playing since eighth grade and currently competes on Champlain Valley Union High School’s varsity team, and club team 802 Lacrosse during the o -season. Her two younger siblings also play, and her parents coach Shelburne Youth Lacrosse.

The initial inspiration for Liv Lax came two summers ago, after Olivia’s dad, Rick, and younger brother, Aiden, noticed the many vendors selling clothing, bags and other athletic gear at out-of-state lacrosse tournaments. Olivia and Rick started brainstorming and thought bracelets would fill a niche and capitalize on Olivia’s craftiness. Mom Jen has a background in retail management and o ered to help run the business.

After she checked on the domain name, Olivia went to Kevin Smith Sports, a sporting goods store in South Burlington, to purchase rolls of sidewall string, used to fasten the mesh pocket to the head of a lacrosse stick. Then she began experimenting by weaving the brightly colored string in various patterns. She settled on a crisscross design and, for the bracelets, chose a squeezable cord lock that allows wearers to adjust the size.

GETTING TO THE GOAL

We asked Liv Lax founder Olivia Machanic to share some advice with Vermont’s budding young entrepreneurs. Parents might find her tips relevant, too.

• Take the time to learn from your mistakes and don’t let problems get you down.

• Be confident and tell your story to anyone who will listen.

• Be innovative and step outside of the box; it’s OK to color outside of the lines.

Trademark O ce. Going “the o cial route” came at a price, Jen says, but they felt it was worth making Liv Lax a “legitimate business” and have since recouped their start-up costs.

It’s been “a great thing for our family,” Olivia says of Liv Lax. Rick, an entrepreneur who started Tag New Media, helped design the company’s logo — Ls intertwined to look like a bracelet — and deals with legal matters. Olivia created the Liv Lax website using Squarespace, while younger siblings Aiden and Emma help pick bracelet colors and talk up the products to their friends.

Olivia and her mom make each bracelet and key chain. “I am the hired hand,” Jen jokes. “She’s really running the show.”

• Work hard and do your very best. If you can do that, then the sky’s your only limit.

• Have fun, and love what you do! If you stop having fun, then it’s time to make a change.

The Machanics registered Liv Lax as a limited liability company, or LLC, with the state and got their name trademarked with the U.S. Patent and

Mother and daughter have traveled to lacrosse tournaments in Middlebury, Stowe, Massachusetts and New York to sell their wares. They’ve also set up shop at hockey tournaments in Vermont since, Olivia explains, many athletes play both sports. For added appeal, she researches team colors before tournaments and makes bracelets in those color combinations. They retail for $10 online; key chains are $8. And they o er group discounts so teams can buy in bulk and show team solidarity. Most of the money they’ve made goes back into the business.

Olivia isn’t sure what the future holds for Liv Lax. The high school senior is planning to sell bracelets at summer lacrosse tournaments and eventually wants to expand her product line to include bags, hats and shirts.

She hopes that, with her family’s help, the business will remain in operation when she goes to college in the fall. “I was thinking about bringing the materials with me,” she says.

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

COURTESY OF OLIVIA MACHANIC

NAME: OLIVIA MACHANIC TOWN: SHELBURNE AGE: 18

Olivia (right) with mom Jen

Speed Stacking

IT WAS LUNCHTIME at the first Vermont Family StackFest competition at Camels Hump Middle School in Richmond. A crowd of kids and adults were gathered in the cafeteria, munching on hot dogs and baked goods and getting their faces painted.

But 9-year-old Finian Towle was standing at a rectangular table in the gym, focused on a singular task: stacking cups as fast as he can. He was practicing a sport known as speed stacking.

Finian started by slapping a StackMat timer — a long strip of rubber with a built-in stopwatch — before quickly assembling and disassembling 12 plastic cups in a specific sequence of pyramids known as “the Cycle.” When he was finished, he stopped the timer by slapping the mat again and proudly stood back.

That afternoon, Finian won this category for his age group with a time of 14.179 seconds, and take third place overall.

“I basically practice two hours a day,” Finian explained. “When I get home from school, I get my cups out and stack.” At this point, he said, “I can basically do it with my eyes closed.” Will Towle, Finian’s dad, said he loves hearing the click, click, click of cups at home, knowing that his son is getting a little better each time.

Speed stacking originated at a Boys & Girls Club in California in the 1980s, and now has its own governing body, the World Sport Stacking Association, which hosts national and international tournaments. This event was a local a air organized by Richmond Elementary School physical education teacher Brian Godfrey. He added sport stacking to his curriculum when a student with a health condition required a less physically taxing activity.

While stacking and unstacking cups as fast as possible might not

seem like a sport, it helps strengthen hand-eye coordination, ambidexterity and muscle memory, Godfrey explained. The movement of reaching across the body to construct the cup sequences is especially helpful to kids with certain disabilities, who need practice crossing their midline — an imaginary line down the center of their body.

Fourteen adults and 101 kids registered for the StackFest, and it was a lively scene: Godfrey was in constant motion directing students, parents and volunteers. Spectators sat in the bleachers and gathered around 11 long tables, watching competitors race to stack cups in three di erent sequences.

O cials recorded results, which were then ferried to the front of the gym by timesheet runners, entered

into a database and projected onto the wall.

Godfrey was able to get equipment donated from Speed Stacks, a cupstacking equipment manufacturer. Sta ers from the WSSA also helped run the event.

Finian’s mom, Allegra Carpenter, said she likes sport stacking for its simplicity: It doesn’t require supervision, there are no practices to drive to and it’s relatively inexpensive. Forty bucks will buy a set of cups and a stack mat.

Another mom, Genevieve Burnell Habeck, attended StackFest with her first grader, Caleb. She volunteered as a timesheet runner and was almost as excited about the competition as her son, whose face was painted like a green zombie.

“It’s really great that it teaches sportsmanship without being super athletic and hardcore,” Habeck said.

What did Caleb say he liked about it? “Getting timed, and beating myself.”

PHOTOS: SHEM ROOSE

See a speed stacking video from the StackFest at kidsvt. com. To learn more about sport stacking, visit thewssa.com.

Third grader Juniper Galvani at the Vermont Family StackFest

I can basically do it with my eyes closed.

9-YEAR-OLD FINIAN TOWLE

Second graders Caleb Brookens, Reuben Lodish and Nolan Beckert (left to right)

Creativity Blooms

Wildflowers Studio, 1 Executive Drive #103, South Burlington, 318-8880, wildflowerstudiobtv.com

I LOVE ART, and I’d always looked forward to sharing that love with my children. But my 2 1/2-yearold, Levi, would rather climb and jump — or anything other than sit still with a crayon in his hand. So I was curious to see how he would do visiting Wildflowers Studio, an art-focused play space that opened last year.

Two minutes after entering the spacious studio on a frosty Monday morning, I knew our visit would be a success. Levi’s eyes widened as he peered around the bright, inviting room. He often hangs back in a new environment, but I’d barely finished signing us in before he was pulling me to a pegboard wall full of gadgets.

Phones, remote controls, locks and other doodads that are off-limits at home were right at his level, begging to be fiddled with. This was my first clue that Wildflowers is about much more than art, in the strictest sense of the word.

In fact, it’s a self-described multisensory creative play space.

Alongside more traditional artistic pursuits like clay and painting, there are other interesting things: building materials; colored tape and yarn; an old typewriter; a bunk bed upcycled into a fort with a Lego loft; and much more.

Levi spent the majority of his time in a play kitchen in the middle of the room, where shelves of utensils and trays of multicolored macaroni kept him busy for the better part of an hour. He was so engaged that I knew he’d play past the point of hunger, so I had to insist he take a mid-morning snack break.

The studio offers a separate, quieter room for snacking, with couches, a table and a sink. Some mothers used the space for nursing while their kids played on the floor with provided books and toys. Wildflowers is full of these thoughtful touches. From coffee and tea in the snack room to a diaper-stocked changing table in the bathroom, there’s a feeling of being well cared for — something all parents can appreciate. K

DETAILS

Open-studio time is offered in two-hour blocks, Monday-Friday; times vary. Wildflowers also offers six-week class sessions and camps for kids ages 18 months to 10 years. Visit their website for details.

PROS

• A clean, welcoming space where parents can relax and explore with their kids

• Activities for every age, from infants to 10 years

CONS

• At $15 for the first child, and $5 each additional kid, it’s not cheap. Monthly passes available for $55

• Only open weekdays, with occasional weekend events, making it difficult for working parents to enjoy with their children

Levi playing with multicolored macaroni at Wildflower Studio

By the Numbers

IF YOU WANT YOUR KIDS to be responsible and self-sufficient adults, it’s important to discuss things like budgeting, investing and managing money. But it’s not always easy, or fun. We reached out to two local educators to find out how they do it. Lisa Helme, director of financial literacy at the Vermont State Treasurer’s Office, recommended relevant resources aimed at elementary and middle school students. For teens, we turned to George Cook, a business teacher at U-32 High School in East Montpelier, which won the 2014 Vermont Jump$tart Financial Literacy Champion award. We usually write about books in this column, but both Helme and Cook pointed parents to online resources where kids can learn about money management through reading, watching tutorials and playing games. Maybe learning about money can be fun?

Helme advises parents to explore what the State Treasurer’s Office has to offer. Its Reading is an Investment program has generated six years’ worth of lesson plans, activities and reading lists aimed at teaching personal finance to elementary-age children. All those materials are archived online on the Reading is an Investment page, one of the financial literacy links listed on moneyed.vermont.gov. Here are some of her other suggestions:

Money-focused games — like Know Your Dough, which trains kids to spot the differences in U.S. currency — can be found at the Fun Vault at doughmaineducation foundation. org, the website of the DoughMain Education Foundation.

The U.S. Mint website hosts an interactive animated story that illustrates how a coin is designed and produced (usmint.gov/kids/ cartoons/birthofacoin).

Biz Kid$ is a national initiative based on an Emmy Award-winning public television series about kids, money and business. The bizkids. com site includes video clips, lesson plans, and a game called Dollar a Glass

that challenges kids to keep a lemonade pitcher full and customers happy. As the game progresses, students are asked to make business decisions to keep their stand open.

For middle schoolers Visa has developed two competitive, sports-themed games — Financial Football and Financial Soccer (vermont.financialfootball.com/ games). Players move down the field and score points by answering multiple-choice questions like, “When should you report a lost or stolen credit card?” and “If you save $25 a month, how long will it take you to save enough to buy a $300 mountain bike?”

For helping high schoolers, Cook raves about the work of financial planner and New York Times columnist Carl Richards. Writing under the name “Sketch Guy,” Richards shares simple black-andwhite drawings and stories that address financial planning, investing and concepts like “Keeping up with the Joneses.” Cook’s students regularly analyze Richards’ sketches. “Kids come in, they try to decipher them,” Cook explains. “They’re great conversation starters.” Find Richards’ work at behaviorgap.com

ACT BY BY JESSICA LARA TICKTIN

‘Tiny Town’ Life

How a couple with a jewelry business redefined success after kids

JACOB ALBEE DIDN’T SET OUT to be a jewelry maker. He took undergrad classes in art and wildlife biology at the University of Vermont and planned to study birds of prey in graduate school at Montréal’s McGill University. But after a summer job at the former Grannis Gallery in downtown Burlington, his interest in jewelry took flight.

On his lunch breaks from the gallery, Albee frequently went to Penny Cluse Café, where a waitress named Kristin caught his eye. They’d both attended UVM and had some mutual friends. In the fall of 2005, Jacob had his first gallery show at Grannis. Kristin stopped by and bought one of his pieces. After that, they popped into each other’s workplace more often than necessary, and soon began dating.

Jacob opened his own studio, Jacob Albee Goldsmith, in 2006. Kristin, who has a degree in English literature, was figuring out her career path but had always loved jewelry and deeply admired Jacob’s work. After she helped him put on his first national show in Washington, D.C., they came to the realization that they worked well together. So, before getting married, she bought into Jacob Albee Goldsmith, and they became equal partners.

The couple married in 2008, and their first child, Axel, was born two years later.

Traveling to craft shows is essential for sales and promotion, and, as new parents, the Albees brought young Axel along to shows around the country. But when their daughter, Noël, was born in 2013, Jacob says they decided to “divide and conquer.” He traveled solo while Kristin stayed home with the kids. She now works three days a week at the

studio and spends two days at home with Noël.

When Jacob and Kristin head out to their office on Maple Street, Axel and Noël say their parents are going to “tiny town,” referring to the micro tools Jacob uses to craft jewelry. But running a business and a family with your partner is no small feat.

On the morning hustle:

KRISTIN: Lately the kids have been letting us sleep in until it’s time to wake them up on a school day, usually around 6:30 or 7. Then it’s a mad rush to get them dressed, lunch packed and asking Axel to put his shoes on about 30 times. I think that’s the thing we say most in the world!

JACOB: It’s usually, “Get off the floor and put your shoes on,” or “Stand up and put your shoes on.”

KRISTIN: Jake has gotten really into bicycling so now, almost every day, he puts both kids on the back of his bike and he takes Axel to IAA [Integrated Arts Academy], then he takes Pine Street to the bike path and drops Noël off at Pine Forest [Children’s Center] on Flynn

Avenue. Then back here to the studio, so that’s how Dad gets his exercise!

JACOB: That’s right. If I do that, it’s 16 miles a day. With a very heavy bicycle!

On meal prep:

JACOB: Kristin does 97 percent of the cooking.

KRISTIN: He’s a goldsmith, so he makes beautiful food.

JACOB: But I don’t make it in 21 minutes.

KRISTIN: He’s too much of an artist to make the quick kid dinner.

JACOB: I am very good at turning whatever is in the refrigerator in the form of leftovers into—

KRISTIN: —a smoothie!

On changing priorities:

KRISTIN: Jake used to get really stressed out right before craft shows, about two weeks before.

JACOB: I would be here [in the studio] like 20 hours a day.

KRISTIN: He wouldn’t even come home to eat. Now that we have kids, his priorities have shifted so much because he cares about making that all happen right.

JACOB: So I’ll come back to work sometimes at night, but less so now. Work will last longer than my children being little, unfortunately. We will be working when they are in high school. We will be work-

ing when they are in college, or whatever they do.

On housework:

JACOB: I would say that it’s 97 percent Kristin.

KRISTIN: When it happens, it’s usually me.

JACOB: I would say our division of labor is: If it’s inside the house, it’s almost always Kristin who does it. If it’s anything broken or outside the house, it’s almost always something that I do.

KRISTIN: It’s always a struggle getting to that. Sometimes I’ll tackle it late at night.

JACOB: Sometimes it’s 8:30 and the children are asleep, we want to be in bed by 11 and the house needs to be cleaned, so the two of us will do it.

KRISTIN: It’s the hard part of the whole mix, getting the house cleaned!

On how becoming parents has changed them:

JACOB: I am more patient at work than I am as a parent. It’s only done when it’s done, as far as work goes!

KRISTIN: I think it made me realize that work is actually easy! [They both laugh.] My work days are my easy days. I love being home with the kids, but those are the hard days.

JACOB: I’d say it’s been a good priority shift being a creative person. I’m not staying up until three in the morning making jewelry and having panic attacks before I go to a craft show because … it’s just a craft show, really. It doesn’t warrant that level of stress.

It’s taken me a few years and [our first] child to stop taking myself so seriously. There are way more important things than my little job.

KRISTIN: That’s the way it’s influenced our business model. We had dreams of going big — of being in Saks Fifth Avenue…

JACOB: Yeah, I wanted different things, that’s true.

KRISTIN: It was actually a decision after having Axel that that wasn’t what we wanted. It’s made us redefine success.

JACOB: Success is having enough money, and I don’t care about the vain parts of fame or any of that like I did 10 years ago. The focus right now is to be a spouse, dad and then jeweler.

KRISTIN: Right now, I love the lifestyle and flexibility that all this gives us. I don’t know if there will be another career for me in my future or not, but right now I love working together, and I love Jacob’s work. K

Dad: Jacob Albee, designer/co-owner at Jacob Albee Goldsmith, 40

Mom: Kristin Albee, business manager/ co-owner at Jacob Albee Goldsmith, 38 Kids: Son, Axel, 5, and daughter, Noël, 3

I don’t care about fame like I did 10 years ago. The focus right now is to be a spouse, dad and then jeweler.

JACOB ALBEE

THE LEARNING CENTER AT HEALTHY LIVING

GREEK VEGGIE BURGERS

2 cups canned chickpeas, drained

1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped

2 large carrots, shredded

3 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp baking powder

- Tbsp flour

DIRECTIONS:

Greek Yogurt Sauce

1 cup Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped

2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Fresh cracked pepper, as desired

1 bunch green onions, diced

Salt & fresh cracked pepper as desired

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients.

In a Cuisinart, pulse chickpeas until coarse, about the size of peas or smaller. Add onion, parsley and cilantro and pulse for another second. Turn into a bowl and mix in carrots, cumin, baking powder, and enough flour to make the mixture nice and tacky (so it holds enough to be formed into burgers). Season with salt and pepper. Heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a straight sided pan on medium high heat until oil begins to helicopter. Form chickpea mixture into pa ies and fry in pan for approx. 3 minutes per side until golden brown. Serve warm.

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN IN APRIL

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Fries: Thursday, 4/7 · 4:00 - 5:00pm

Breakfast Calzones: Saturday, 4/16 · 11:00am - 12:00pm

Celebrate Earth Day with a Double Dose of Dirt: Friday, 4/22

Corn Dogs and Ketchup: Thursday, 4/28 · 4:00 - 5:00pm

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

A Perfect Pairing: Homemade Yogurt & Granola

EVERY DAY I COOK for 45 toddlers and preschoolers at the Burlington Children’s Space. To promote healthy eating, and to stay on budget, I make cooking from scratch a priority.

I follow the same philosophy with my three kids. Though it’s difficult to go completely homemade, I’m always looking for practical recipes to try in my own kitchen and at school. Because of this, I was already familiar with the DIYyogurt process before I attempted it for Kids VT

Last year, I also experienced a pretty funny yogurt-making experience at work. BCS kids love yogurt at snack time, so a coworker

decided to try making it in the lunch kitchen. The process is all about temperature; you need to keep the milk warm, but not too warm, while it ferments into yogurt. We don’t have a slow cooker at the center, and can’t leave the oven on overnight, so, unbeknownst to me, my friend came up with a brilliant plan. She put the milk and yogurt-starter mixture into two half-gallon mason jars, wrapped them in towels and zipped them up in a kid-size winter jacket, which she set on the counter.

Upon arriving at work the next morning, I screamed at the sight of a disembodied jacket upright on the counter. Teachers came running.

Homemade Yogurt

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 gallon milk (I used 2 percent)

4 tablespoons plain yogurt (This is your starter culture; for the next batch you can use your homemade yogurt instead.)

EQUIPMENT:

Slow cooker

Large saucepan

Instant-read thermometer

2 glass quart jars with tight-fitting lids

Aluminum foil

Large clean towel

“What is this?” I implored, thinking it was a practical joke.

“Oh! I didn’t mean to scare you!” my coworker apologized. “It’s just Yogurt Kid!”

Despite my alarm, the yogurt was a huge success. The kids loved it, and we certainly saved money by making our own.

At home, I enlisted a slow cooker to warm my first batch. It was easy and made a good amount: Set it up on Sunday night, and you’ll have yogurt for the week on Monday morning. Pair it with homemade granola, and you’ve got two healthy, tasty, homemade breakfast staples — and you can leave the coats in the closet.

(makes approximately two quarts)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash all of your equipment in hot soapy water and dry well with a clean towel. Fill your slow cooker halfway with warm water and set to the lowest setting, or to “warm” if you have the option. Keep the lid off.

2. Heat the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat, whisking gently. Check the temp with your thermometer and watch carefully — don’t let it boil! When the milk reaches 180-190 degrees, remove it from the heat and let it cool to 125 degrees. This will take about 30 minutes. You can cool it faster by setting the pan in a sink of shallow, cool water.

3. Check the temp of the water in your slow cooker to make sure it’s between 110 and 125 degrees. (Essential bacteria will die if the temp goes above 130.)

4. Divide the milk between your two jars, and stir 2 tablespoons of yogurt into each jar. Make sure the milk and yogurt are well blended, and screw the lids on tight.

5. Put the sealed jars into the slow cooker and cover the whole thing (yep, base and all) with aluminum foil to keep the heat in, then turn it off and unplug it. Wrap a large,

Erinn’s Favorite Granola

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts or a combination work well)

DIRECTIONS:

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit (optional)

clean towel around the foil (again, base and all) to further insulate the jars. Make sure it’s in a warm spot in your kitchen, and leave it alone for eight hours, or overnight.

6. To see if your yogurt is ready, open one of the jars and tilt it from side to side. The yogurt should be set and just a little jiggly. If it’s still runny, you can wrap it back up for another hour or two.

7. When the yogurt is done, promptly refrigerate it. It will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Warm coconut oil, honey and brown sugar in a small saucepan over mediumlow heat until it melts and begins to bubble. Remove from heat.

2. Stir together oats, nuts, seeds, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour the sugar mixture over the top and toss to coat evenly.

3. Spread the mixture on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

4. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden. Cool completely, add dried fruit (if using) and store in an airtight container.

Papa Frank’s

13 West Center Street, Winooski, 655-2423

WHEN OUR FAMILY of four wants to dine out without breaking the bank, we head to Papa Frank’s. Years ago, before my partner Ann-Elise and I got civil unioned, before we had steady jobs and kids, we went there because we could eat half of our generous portions and save the rest for lunch the next day.

So much has changed since then — we’re now gainfully employed Winooski homeowners with a son, daughter and real marriage license. And the Onion City’s downtown has become a hipster haven.

But Papa Frank’s has remained remarkably consistent — with the same creaky wooden floor, framed sports-car photos on the walls and decent, reasonably priced food. The menu doesn’t say if the pasta is homemade or where the chicken came from, but it hasn’t hurt their business any. On any given night, the place is filled with families enjoying no-frills Italian fare.

Ann-Elise, Graham, Ivy and I had an early dinner there on the Sunday after the end of Daylight Saving Time. I got my usual linguine with red clam sauce. Ann-Elise ordered the fettuccine alfredo special. Graham, 10, had a small bu alo chicken sub and Ivy, 7, chose a small cheese pizza.

Puff-Pastry Pizza Twists

AFTER-SCHOOL HOURS, WEEKENDS and school vacations always bring extra kids to our house to play or, in 12-year-old terms, “hang out.” I love when we have a full house, but lots of kids need lots of snacks. For those times when carrot sticks and goldfish crackers just won’t cut it, I make these pizza twists. The recipe is customizable — try using pesto or salsa instead of marinara sauce or, for a sweet twist, skip the sauce and cheese and use Nutella!

INGREDIENTS

Frozen puff pastry sheets

Marinara or pizza sauce

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Egg Salt

Black pepper

HITS:

• Reasonable prices

• Generous portions

• Gluten-free options

• Family atmosphere

• Crayons and paper plates for coloring

— kids’ gallery above the counter

• Near a scenic riverfront walking path for an afterdinner stroll

MISSES:

• Salads and a broccoli side are available, but not included with entrées

• They were out of apple juice when we visited

While we waited for our food, Ann-Elise and I reminisced about the days when the kids needed high chairs and shared our meals. “Remember when we used to bring you here after we picked you up from daycare?” she asked them.

The kids barely acknowledged us. They were more interested in the picture Ivy was drawing on the back

of a paper plate, using the restaurant’s crayon collection.

Our two pasta dishes came with a half basket of garlic bread each, which we ordered with cheese on top. The bread arrived first, making a gooey and satisfying appetizer. The pasta, pizza and sub showed up shortly afterward, and we eagerly dug in. Graham and Ann-Elise finished almost all of theirs. Just like the old days, I took home enough for lunch the next day. We boxed up half of Ivy’s pizza, too.

We each had a soda — I skipped my usual pint of Switchback — and a mini cannoli with rainbow sprinkles for dessert. Before tip, the bill totaled $46.82. While we settled up, the waitress found a spot for Ivy’s artwork among the other colorful paper plates above the restaurant’s take-out counter.

It was still light out when we left, so we walked o our meals along the Winooski Riverwalk as the sun lingered low in the sky.

White-Bean Chipotle Enchiladas

WHEN I NEED A BREAK from tacos, it’s enchilada time. I make a few di erent variations, but this one is my current favorite. My family likes it so much, it just might give Taco Tuesday some competition. It’s quite spicy as is, but you can adjust the heat by using fewer chipotles and/or adding more white beans. Serve with a green salad and some guacamole, of course!

INGREDIENTS

Great northern beans

Garlic Chipotle chilies in adobo

Shredded cheddar cheese

Refried beans

Flour tortillas

Crushed tomatoes

Scallions

Olive oil

Salt

Black pepper

PHOTOS: ERINN SIMON

Linguine with red clam sauce

Graham and Ivy

Q THE ART OF BY SARAH YAHM

Poetry Recitation

THE ORNATE BARRE OPERA HOUSE typically hosts world-renowned actors and musicians. But at the Poetry Out Loud semifinals on March 9, Vermont high school students took center stage. In formal attire, they recited the words of Elizabeth Bishop, Edgar Allen Poe and a range of contemporary poets.

If the idea of a poetry-recitation contest sounds old-fashioned, these devoted participants are reviving the tradition. Many spent hours memorizing and practicing their poems, and the teens in the audience were rapt.

“Students are really taking to the idea of oral storytelling,” says Erika Lowe, arts education program manager for the Vermont Arts Council. “And many of these poems are telling a story.” She suggests the cultural resurgence is in part due to the rising popularity of podcasts and story slams, like the ones organized by the Moth, a nonprofit that hosts gatherings across the country.

The competition is a product of Poetry Out Loud, a program sponsored by the National Foundation for the Arts and the Poetry Endowment and administered by local arts councils. To start, hundreds of teachers in English classrooms throughout Vermont helped students chose from a bank of 800 provided poems. Then, with additional help from artistsin-residence, students worked to interpret line breaks and punctuation, research context, and learn performance techniques.

One winner from each of the 35 participating schools advances to the state semifinals, which produces 10 finalists. The last student standing in each state wins an all-expense-paid trip to the national competition, which takes place next month in Washington, D.C.

According to POL rules, each student must prepare three poems that together cover two criteria: pre-20th century and shorter than 25 lines. In the semifinals, participants chose two of the three to recite.

There was a teleprompter offstage,

but no one seemed to need it. During breaks between performers, judges tallied scores evaluating physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, evidence of understanding, and overall performance.

One might assume that kids with theater or poetry-slam backgrounds were shoo-ins. Not necessarily, says Lowe. Those students sometimes find it harder, because at POL, dramatic flourishes must be used judiciously. “Whatever emotions, physical gestures, a student uses should be in service of the poem, rather than overpowering the poem,” Lowe explains.

Sharon Academy junior Taite Clark advanced to the state finals. Though he describes himself as “a quiet person — timid, shy, whatever,” he projected confidence reciting Tony Hoagland’s “Requests for Toy Piano” to a nearly full auditorium. Many students chose poems that tackled big issues like death, aging and violence, and Taite’s was no exception.

Mt. Abraham High School senior Hannah Funk enjoyed accessing the universal emotions in poems by writers very different from her. She performed works by Native American Louise Erdrich and Chicana Pat Mora at the semifinals, and says POL taught her how to find “that one nugget in your poem that connects to you.”

Funk, who made it to the finals, also appreciated the level of concentration required to memorize a poem. “I love that POL forces me to slow down,” Funk says. “You spend weeks, months, memorizing it and interpreting it in such depth … it’s something we rarely do anymore.” K

THE POETRY OUT LOUD state finals took place at Vermont PBS in Colchester on March 17. The winner, Rice Memorial High School’s Maggie Fitzgerald, will represent Vermont at the national competition in May.

Students are really taking to the idea of oral storytelling.

ERIKA LOWE, VERMONT ARTS COUNCIL ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM MANAGER SAM SIMON

Managing Night Terrors

BAD DREAMS ARE COMMON during childhood — almost every parent has comforted a child upset by one. But on rare occasions, sleeping children may sit up in bed, scream and act very frightened. Though seemingly awake, they are completely unaware of their surroundings. This more-intense phenomenon is called a night terror.

Dr. Lewis First, head of pediatrics at Vermont Children’s Hospital, differentiates between nightmares and night terrors, offers advice for what to do if your child experiences them, and helps make them a little less scary — for parents.

KIDS VT: Are night terrors the same as nightmares?

LEWIS FIRST: No. Nightmares are basically very bad dreams and are generally triggered by things that bother you. For a toddler, that can be separation from a parent, something scary they saw on television, a new school or the birth of a sibling. With older children and adolescents, they can result from the fear of losing a parent, friend or pet, news of a disaster or something else that’s emotional. They usually occur in the wee hours of the morning or toward the end of sleep, when the brain is in rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep — the phase when the brain is processing images, thoughts and ideas from the day. REM sleep is not deep sleep, so you tend to remember what happens in that phase.

KVT: What exactly is a night terror?

LF: Night terrors are far more dramatic — and they can be very scary to witness. Kids will bolt upright in bed, scream, shout, breathe fast, sweat, thrash about and act very frightened. This usually occurs in the first half of the night — or whenever the child is asleep for enough time to enter a deep

sleep. We’re not exactly sure what’s happening in the brain but the belief is kids experience night terrors as they transition from one deep state of sleep to another.

KVT: What should parents do if it happens?

LF: They can try to comfort their child, but often the child is not going to want comforting. Don’t worry if the child doesn’t acknowledge that you’re there and even tries to push you away. Their eyes may even be open but they’re not processing what’s going on around them. Parents should just wait it out and make sure the child doesn’t get hurt by thrashing or falling. Usually within five to 15 minutes, the child will quickly stop shouting and flailing and return to sleep. The one thing you don’t want to do is wake the child up during a night terror.

KVT: Why not?

LF: Because it’s very tough to do, and when kids are woken up during a night terror they’ll be disoriented and confused and it will take them a lot longer to settle down and go back to sleep. But the next day, they’ll have no memory that they even had one because they were in such a deep sleep.

KVT: Do night terrors tend to occur at a certain age?

LF: Generally they happen between the ages of 4 and 12. They may happen just once and never happen again. Or they may happen periodically. Only 3 to 6 percent of children will ever have one, though they tend to run in the family. If a child has night terrors, about 80 percent of the time another immediate family member has had them, too.

KVT: Are night terrors a symptom of some underlying problem?

LF: No, they’re not indicative of some deep psychological problem, and they will eventually self-correct. They’re

very scary to watch but only dangerous if your child gets out of bed and starts moving around the house and gets hurt.

KVT: Is there a way to prevent nightmares or night terrors?

LF: They’re not preventable, but there are ways to reduce their frequency. For example, being overtired or sleeping in a new environment may trigger them. Having a regular bedtime, taking a nice warm bath, a little snuggling, some reading and quiet talk, providing a favorite stuffed animal or toy — all these things make the child feel supported and calm and generate pleasant thoughts as they drift off to sleep.

KVT: What should parents do if night terrors occur repeatedly?

LF: If they’re occurring, say, two or three hours into sleep, there’s some evidence that waking the child up shortly before then will disrupt the cycle. If parents are worried about a child who’s having an ongoing sleep problem, the best thing they can do is keep a sleep diary. Parents should record where the child sleeps, what the child needs to fall asleep, how long it takes, how many hours of sleep the child gets and how often he or she wakes up during the night. With that information, your health care professional can begin to help work through the problem.

KVT: Anything else parents should know about night terrors?

LF: Make sure babysitters and other caregivers know this can happen, otherwise they may panic if they see one. Also, if a child has had night terrors before, especially if he or she has gotten out of bed, it’s important to have gates at the top of stairs and keep windows and doors locked to prevent falls. K

The one thing you don’t want to do is wake up the child.

Ilove working — solving problems, thinking creatively, collaborating with other adults. I even like meetings. So until recently, I never thought I’d voluntarily quit my job.

My husband and I both worked full time at nonprofits, which meant we didn’t make a ton of money. But we had enough income to meet our needs and sock some away. We had insurance through my husband’s employer, and though premiums were expensive and the deductible was high, it still beat paying out of pocket.

Then we had a baby. When we crunched the numbers, some big gaps appeared in our budget. Namely, health insurance; adding a kid to our plan was shockingly expensive — $450 more each month just for the premiums. Another blow: We’d have to pay for childcare. The combined cost of keeping us insured and our child cared for almost matched my salary.

Then we realized that, minus my income, our son would qualify for Dr. Dynasaur, Vermont’s cheap or free health insurance for kids. And if I were able to stay home and care for him — and freelance as a writer during his naps and on weekends — we’d save thousands on childcare costs. I’d also get to be home with him during his first year, a time that parents of grown children are always reminding me is precious.

Vermont parents

BY KATIE TITTERTON

Tough Choice$

So I quit.

My family had backed right up to what’s known as the benefits cli . The term refers to the point at which an increase in income triggers a loss of government-funded benefits. For example, if your kids’ state-subsidized health insurance costs $5,000 a year, and the $2,000 raise you’ve been o ered puts you over the income threshold to retain that insurance, you’re better o declining the pay increase. If you lose the state-provided insurance, the premiums on your new policy will quickly eat up your extra $2,000 — and possibly thousands more.

If you take that raise, your income will go down, not up.

In many cases, families fall o the benefits cli as they climb out of poverty. My family was about to go over it backward: The benefits of dropping my income outweighed my continuing to work.

Leaving my job made financial sense, but something still doesn’t sit right. It’s not that there’s an incentive for me to stay home with my kid — it’s that there’s a disincentive for me to go to work. As a born worker, I feel ambivalent about my decision.

It’s not an easy thing to discuss openly. I found several Vermont families in similar situations (see “Cli

Notes”) but for each one I interviewed for this story, two or three backed out, or didn’t want to be named.

Steve Ames is the regional coordinator for Building Bright Futures in Lamoille County and teaches skiing at Stowe Mountain Resort. He says he kept his income low for years to qualify for benefits and parent his kids. It’s a choice he’s more comfortable with now that his kids are older. But there was a time when, he says, “I felt like I was copping out, or somehow less successful of a person.”

It’s not just parents who are conflicted. Economist Paul Cillo, founder and executive director of the Public Assets Institute, thinks the situation is problematic, too.

“The concern has been, it’s a deterrent or impediment to people having a work life if they want to,” he told me. “It’s one thing to say, ‘I want to stay home with the kids.’ It’s another to say, ‘I’d like to work, but it doesn’t make financial sense.’ It becomes a poor financial choice, frankly, and I think that’s what’s bothersome about it.”

Costly Care

The problem, according to Cillo, is that families struggle to a ord healthcare and childcare — “these basic things that should just be part of being a citizen in the state.” But in the U.S., they’re not. And families have to make trade-o s to meet those needs.

Paradoxically, e orts to make them more a ordable also contribute to the problem. Government subsidies for insurance and childcare include income thresholds, which make benefit cli s inevitable.

It doesn’t help that navigating the income qualifications for various programs can be really confusing. “They’re all a little di erent, as opposed to having one comprehensive system,” Cillo explains. “I think that’s what the struggle has been. How do you get this disparate bunch of programs to make sense to the human beings whose lives are a ected by them?”

And Vermont also faces a unique benefit-cli challenge: Because the state’s income-eligibility cuto is relatively high, many middle-class parents find themselves on the edge. To qualify for the national Children’s Health Insurance Program, for example, a family of four must earn $48,500 or less. By contrast, to qualify

To qualify for Dr. Dynasaur in 2015, a Vermont family of four could earn up to $71,550.

are opting out of work to retain their benefits

for Dr. Dynasaur in 2015, a Vermont family of four could earn up to $71,550, or 300 percent of the poverty line.

Why is Vermont’s cuto so much higher? The state has a history of investing in health care, especially for children. Before the A ordable Care Act, Vermont was one of only a few states to o er subsidized health care to families earning up to 300 percent of the poverty line, though “that’s pretty standard now,” says Robin Lunge, Vermont’s director of health care reform.

The good news: Lunge says that since the passage of the A ordable Care Act, 94 percent of Vermonters, and 99 percent of Vermont kids, have health insurance. And even though health care costs soak up a huge portion of the state budget, 55 percent of Dr. Dynasaur, which is basically Medicaid, is federally paid; Vermont pays only 45 percent. From the state’s perspective, it makes sense to invest

Cliff Notes — Stories from Families on the Edge

A few families were willing to speak on the record about how they navigate the benefits cliff — the point at which an increase in income triggers a loss of government-subsidized benefits. If having options is an indicator of wealth, everyone I spoke with is doing OK. They’re college-educated and capable of increasing their household income, and probably will once their kids reach school age. But while their kids are young, they’re taking the better deal.

Ashley DiMercurio started a side business before she decided to stay home with her kids, a newborn and an almost-4-year-old. As a brand representative for a fitness company, she coaches people through homeworkout programs. She also started writing for the Burlington VT Moms Blog and picked up high-end baby swag through photo shoots. The blog also gave her a support network: When she was pregnant, she says, people in that community gave her baby clothes.

“Vermont is expensive,” DiMercurio says. “I hear more and more people saying, I stay home but I tutor on the side. Or the multilevel marketing companies: you can sell essential oils, or you can sell yoga clothes or you can be a passion party consultant. It seems like more and more moms have home businesses now.”

DiMercurio used to teach, and after her first child she went back to work full time. “We felt like I had to go back to work at that point because of finances,” she says, “and as a teacher, you get really good health insurance. I was providing the benefits for our family.”

She and her husband wanted a second child but couldn’t afford childcare for two kids. Then, just as her side business began to grow, DiMercurio found out her teaching position was going to end. So instead of looking for another job, she and her husband decided to have another baby.

“I’m still staying home because I think it would be $500 a week to put them in childcare. With us being single income except what I make on the side, our kids are eligible for Dr. Dynasaur,” she says. “Even when I was teaching, money was still tight. But at least now both kids are eligible for that supplemental insurance. When I was teaching, we were just over the cutoff.”

Sometimes she wonders if she made the right choice. Would it have been better to keep working and have the income, even if most of it would pay for insurance and childcare? “It’s a very hard decision … it’s hard to keep up with all the expenses. Kids outgrow clothes overnight.”

Becky and Ben Colley of Waterbury are both self-employed and successful, Becky as a creative director, Ben as the owner of a coffee-equipment service. Being self-employed and having help from Becky’s mom gives the Colleys a degree of scheduling flexibility. They spend a lot of time with their almost2-year-old daughter.

But with that flexibility comes the responsibility of purchasing their own health insurance. As a freelancer, “sometimes I have to wait months at a time to get paid,” explains Becky. But Vermont Health Connect, the state’s health care exchange, looks at monthly income to determine subsidy level. During a lean month, the Colleys may qualify for subsidies. But the next month, if several paychecks come through, they may not. Their approach is to go with a modest average and claim the subsidy. If they make too much money and end up owing, they pay it in a big chunk at the end of the year.

“I know that’s technically not what I’m supposed to be doing, but it works for us,” Becky says. “I don’t think there’s enough flexibility for self-employed people. Also, the time-suck part of it is huge. Just to get in touch with them and change my income level on a monthly level? My income changes every month, sometimes by thousands of dollars. I don’t have time. I don’t have time to take a shower

When Becky picked up a couple of new clients this past year, it was too much money to turn down, she says. And it was great for her business. But it also means the Colleys will start paying full freight for insurance. “I think it’s awful that people feel they have to give up income and give up growing their own businesses in order to have reasonable health care costs,” she says.

Even before they started a family, Morgan and Andy Greenwald of East Montpelier had an idea of how they wanted it to unfold. “We’re having kids because we want to raise them, we want to be with them,” Morgan says. “We’d sacrifice other things in order to have one of us stay at home.”

The Greenwalds have a 4-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter. After their son was born, Morgan went back to work part time, Andy worked full time and their son was in daycare two days a week. When their daughter arrived, they looked at costs. “You make more if you work full time, but you’re paying more,” Morgan says. She brought her case to her employer, who offered her a fulltime position and a raise. She accepted, and now Andy is the kids’ primarycaregiver.

The family is on Morgan’s employer’s insurance, but it’s a highdeductible plan. As a single-income family, they still qualify for Dr. Dynasaur, which covers the balance of what Morgan’s insurance doesn’t pay.

“We’re so tied to this benefit thing, and needing insurance from your employer right now, that we’re pretty much stuck,” she says. “We would do something a little less mainstream, but you can’t really gamble with not having health insurance when you have kids. It really does tie you to a traditional job with an employer with

year, too

You can’t really gamble with not having health insurance when you have kids.

MORGAN GREENWALD

in a social program that doesn’t rely solely on state funding, Lunge says.

The bad news: Because the state uses federal funds for Dr. Dynasaur, it can’t gradually decrease subsidies as parents earn more money. Families either qualify, or they don’t. That’s also true for programs that predominantly a ect low-income families, like Reach Up (Vermont’s name for its Temporary Assistance for Needy

Families program), SNAP (food stamps), fuel assistance, Section 8 housing and others.

“The challenge with any eligibility process is that under federal law, the feds will not approve a program that just phases out,” Lunge explains. “It’s just the way Congress wrote the statute. Not just Medicaid, but all benefits programs have that divide. There’s not much the state can really do about

YOU DO THE MATH

that, unless we pay for [programs] with 100 percent state dollars.”

Contrast that with childcare subsidies in Vermont, which are paid for entirely with state dollars. That means they can be o ered on a sliding scale. Vermont’s Child Care Financial Assistance Program supports families whose income is up to 200 percent of the 2015 poverty level, or $48,500 a year. Subsidies range from a 10 percent discount for a family of four earning no more than $3,975 per month, to 100 percent for a family of four earning $1,988 per month.

“Improving the Odds for Kids” illustrates the problem. The authors point out that families of four with two working parents lose more resources than they earn in income when they’re hovering between 101 and 250 percent of the poverty line.

The report notes that the council heard stories from parents who yearned for financial stability but chose to decline raises or quit jobs in order to keep benefits for their kids. “Yet this decision was often accompanied by discouragement and despair, because it meant they remained in poverty and dependent on government support.”

These hypothetical situations weigh family incomes against gains and losses. There are many variations, including employerprovided retirement plans and health insurance, and other state or federal benefits. While these situations are not comprehensive, they are designed to illustrate a family’s decision-making process.

insurance, and other state or federal

Maria and Marcy have two young children and work full time. Their combined income is $82,000/year

They pay $21,000/year for fulltime childcare for two kids, and $14,500/year in premiums for a family health-insurance plan through Marcy’s employer.

They decide that Marcy will quit her job to spend more time with the kids. Their household income drops $41,000/year. They pay $7,332/ for subsidized health insurance through Vermont Health Connect, and the kids go on Dr. Dynasaur.

Robyn Freedner-Maguire is director of Let’s Grow Kids, a statewide campaign that highlights the need for high-quality a ordable childcare for children ages 5 and under. She says CCFAP does a “fairly good job of supporting families who are most on the fringes,” but as soon as families cross that income threshold, they’re paying “an exorbitant amount of money.”

Let’s Grow Kids pegs the current cost of home-based care at $150 a week per child, and center-based care at $205 a week. The initiative estimates that a family with two kids needing full-time childcare spends more than $19,000 a year. Says Freedner-Maguire: “We know middleincome families are paying up to 40 percent of their household income on childcare.”

Drawing eligibility lines, and deciding which values to prioritize isn’t easy, says health policy consultant Steve Kappel. He notes that this conflict is inherent in the way humans make representative decisions on a broad scale. It’s “a group of people providing incentives and disincentives to another group of people,” he says. “What behavior do I want to incentivize? What behavior do I want to disincentivize? And who am I to decide, anyway?”

Unmeasurable Losses

$31,400/year. He receives a 50 percent subsidy through Vermont’s Child Care Financial Assistance Program, bringing his childcare costs — $10,250/year — down to $5,125/ year. Jerome’s boss offers him a promotion, and a raise of $8,200/year

If he accepts, he would no longer be eligible for CCFAP subsidy. He also couldn’t claim the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, which on his 2015 taxes was $3,359

His choices, by the numbers

1. Take the raise: lose benefits, make $284 less a year

2. Decline the raise: stay at $29,634/ year after the tax credit and childcare costs, retain benefits

3. Negotiate a lower raise: slight income increase, retain benefits

They are eligible for a $5,548 Earned Income Tax Credit. And with Marcy staying home, they save $21,000/year on childcare. Since she’s no longer commuting, they sell her car to bring expenses down. They decide that the intangible benefits of Marcy being with the kids are worth a temporary income drop.

Their choices, by the numbers:

1. Both work full time: make $46,500/ year after major expenses

2. Marcy stays home: make $1,784/ year less, gain time spent with kids

To learn more about the resources your family may qualify for call 211, visit vermont211.org or dcf.vermont.gov.

She suggests that this is in part because the state budgets the same dollar amount for CCFAP annually, even if the actual cost and demand for care has increased. As a result, there isn’t enough money to aid all families eligible for tuition assistance. Many parents find themselves on a waitlist, forcing them to cut work hours or quit.

“We’re creating this vicious cycle for families here in the state who want to get ahead and want to provide for their children and want to contribute to Vermont’s economy as employees or entrepreneurs,” says FreednerMaguire, “but the cost of childcare is so high and so prohibitive to accomplishing that.”

Lunge notes that the legislature is aware of the unintended consequences of these benefits programs. When a new one is implemented, she says, it’s studied by the Agency of Human Services and discussed in the legislature.

In other words, the benefit cli is no secret. A 2009 report by the Vermont Child Poverty Council called

It’s di cult to ascertain how much productivity is lost when parents opt out or scale back out of financial necessity. But anecdotally, Vermont employers say they see it happening.

“I’ve seen people linger at part time a lot longer than they might have liked to,” says Laura Slavin, human resources manager of Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op. She hasn’t had an employee refuse a raise in order to keep their subsidies, she says, but sometimes workers will ask her to reduce their hours. Slavin complies, but it “gets tricky, if it’s an incredibly well-skilled individual, and you actually need somebody four days a week.”

Public Assets Institute founder Cillo says that while there isn’t a way to measure the number of parents who drop out of the workforce to retain benefits, it’s clear that providing benefits to all Vermonters would have a positive economic impact.

“What we know is 99 percent of job growth in Vermont is the result of either startups or expansions by people who already live here,” he says.

“So if you make it easier for those individuals to start a business and find employees, then you’ve made Vermont a friendlier place for these startups and expansions.

Jerome is a single parent to a 3-year-old son and earns

Marcy to for

“When you make it hard for Vermonters to get basics for their families, like health care and childcare, you’re making it unfriendly.”

Ironically, for some employers, the only economical way to be “familyfriendly” is to encourage parents to seek government subsidies. Slavin says she offers full-time employees health insurance, and covers them generously. But spouses and children are not eligible to join — even to buy in at full cost — to protect families who rely on subsidized insurance. The co-op can’t offer enough toward family premiums to beat the amount the employee would receive from the government. “If we offered for a spouse or child to join the plan but didn’t offer a substantial amount of money toward their coverage, that employee would lose their subsidy,” Slavin explains. “We cover that employee better by offering the single plan.”

“It’s a loophole in the system,” she says.

Freedner-Maguire from Let’s Grow Kids notes that the way the system is set up doesn’t just hurt Vermonters — it’s a drag on the economy, because it deters people from moving to the state. “We’re hearing from business leaders all the time about the challenge their employees are facing, because they’re trying to recruit families to the state of Vermont and the highest costs are housing and childcare.”

Making Progress

Vermont is no longer pursuing singlepayer health care. But would universal coverage for kids keep parents working? Health care advocate Peter Sterling is studying whether Dr. Dynasaur should be extended to all Vermont children, regardless of income.

“Covering kids is a good investment,” says state health care reform director Lunge, even though Medicaid is expensive. “Just to be frank, kids are cheap [to insure],” Lunge says, and quality preventive care in childhood makes for healthier adults.

The state isn’t pursuing universal childcare, either. But efforts like the Let’s Grow Kids campaign are raising awareness about the need for affordable care. Let’s Grow Kids was one

of the organizers of a March gubernatorial candidate forum on early childhood education, for example.

According to a report from Vermont Public Radio, former Windsor county state senator Matt Dunne specifically addressed childcare subsidies and the benefits cliff. “Too many Vermont families, too many single parents, are literally making the choice to not pursue their career because they will end up net behind if they’re doing right by their children,” he said.

And last legislative session, a group of parents, early childhood professionals, business leaders and administration figures came together as a Blue Ribbon Commission to take testimony on how to finance affordable childcare. The group will present a report to the legislature on November 1.

Even if there’s interest and, as Cillo points out, it’s in the long-term economic best interest of the state, Vermont still has to decide if it will budget for expanded benefit programs for families. Health policy consultant Kappel says, “One of the things that is simultaneously wonderful and challenging about Vermont is we want to do a lot of things for the population. Probably more things than we can afford to do.”

In the meantime, parents must look at the whole picture: income and costs; family values; professional goals; life in Vermont. There’s no way to measure the joy of raising kids, but as Ames at Building Bright Futures wryly says of taking the leap into parenthood: “There is a profound choice one makes when deciding to take on a round-the-clock job that has no cultural support or recognition — and that presents no economic incentives.”

As for me, I’m still ambivalent. I’m aware that my decision to step away from the workforce may hold me back when I return full time. I’m lucky that my family is resilient enough to absorb a lower income for a while. Most of all, I’m grateful to have this time with my son. But when a parent’s choice whether to work or be a caregiver is determined solely by the family’s net income and access to healthcare and childcare, it’s not really a choice. K

The benefits of dropping my income outweighed my continuing to work.

Book ’em Learning

Burlington kids get an inside look at law enforcement at the Junior Community Police Academy

STORY BY KEN PICARD

PHOTOS BY MATTHEW THORSEN

The 14 children gathered in the Burlington Police Department’s community room last January all seemed to have the same thing on their minds: When do we get to meet the police dog?

The kids asked that question several times during a late-afternoon session of the Burlington Junior Community Police Academy. The free program is in its second year, and gives Burlington residents ages 8 to 15 the opportunity to meet local police officers and learn more about their work. For about an hour a week throughout the month of January, kids get to tour police facilities, learn about crime scene investigations, climb aboard police vehicles and try out other crime-fighting tools.

The program got its start after a 10-year-old Burlington girl learned about a community police academy for

adults that her grandmother attended, and asked then-police chief Michael Schirling if he’d create something similar for kids. He obliged.

At a time when kids’ and teens’ interactions with police sometimes make national news due to their confrontational and even tragic outcomes,

Burlington’s junior community police academy helps kids and cops connect in a safe, friendly and fun environment.

On this particular afternoon, the group’s third session, the kids got plenty of hands-on experience trying out police equipment

— minus their weapons, of course — including handcuffs, helmets, radios, riot shields, and the lights and sirens on a police cruiser.

Until the police dog arrived, Officers Philip Tremblay and Daniel Delgado kept the kids occupied, and vice versa, with questions about the various tools of their trade.

“So, does anyone know what we use the radio for?” Tremblay asked.

“To take breaks if you have to go to the bathroom?” one boy answered.

“Yes, exactly,” Tremblay said. “Anyone else?”

“To call another police if you need help,” one girl suggested.

“Or, if you have a mini toilet on your

vest and you’re missing one and you need to go to the bathroom and you need to call for a new mini toilet?” said the first boy.

“Hmm, I’ve never run into that situation,” Delgado mused, “but that’s absolutely possible.”

“Are you guys on the squat team?” asked another boy.

“No, we’re not on the SWAT team,” Delgado clarified.

Shortly before class ended, Corporal Trent Martin and his K9, a 9-year-old German shepherd named Capone, arrived. For the remaining 20 minutes, Martin taught the kids how to read the “language of dogs” and how to approach an unfamiliar dog. Never run away from one if it’s growling or barking, he advised, as it can trigger the dog’s predatory chase instinct.

Then, after a brief demonstration of

“I’m ready for the zombie invasion!” announced Rob Safran, trying on a police gas mask outside the Burlington Police Department’s tactical platform vehicle.

Javain Headley checks out a Burlington police cruiser.

Martin ordered the dog to attack Delgado, who was wearing a special burlap sleeve to protect his arm.

Capone’s drug-sniffing abilities — the dog quickly located a cache of narcotics hidden in a fire-extinguisher case — Martin showed the group how he trains Capone to attack. Using a verbal command, Martin ordered the dog to attack Delgado, who was wearing a special burlap bite sleeve to protect his arm.

Capone quickly ripped off the sleeve, then paraded playfully around the room with it in his mouth as the kids laughed and cheered. Said one girl, “He doesn’t look that mean.”

“He’s not,” Martin reassured her, as she scratched the dog on his chest. K

For information about future Junior Community Police Academies, contact Kimberly Caron at kcaron@bpdvt.org or visit burlingtonvt.gov/police.

“What’s this vest made of?” this boy asked. “Kryptonite,” said Officer Daniel Delgado (right), straight-faced.

Lincoln Safran gets handcuffed by a fellow student as Officer Phillip Tremblay looks on.

K9 Capone, a 9-year-old drugsniffing patrol dog, has been with the Burlington Police Department since 2008 and is one of its most effective community ambassadors.

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.

Ididn’t go to the same sleepaway camp year after year, but many of the people I grew up with did — including my husband, Jeff. Ask him about his beloved alma mater, Camp Androscoggin in Wayne, Maine, and he’ll excitedly explain the annual Color War, which started with a helicopter landing on the camp property during mealtime. All the boys rushed out to greet it and the competition officially began.

Not every camp commands a ’copter, but most have rituals that set the camp apart and bind campers together. Doug Bishop,

2016 CAMP GUIDE

Time After Time

director of communications for the Greater Burlington YMCA, which runs multiple camps in Vermont, says that traditions are a crucial part of the camp experience. Often they create “the memories that kids keep with them for the rest of their lives,” he says.

This month, we reached out to a variety of summer programs — from specialized day camps to traditional sleepaway ones — to find out about the special traditions that make their programs unique and make kids want to return every year.

ALISON NOVAK

Get out your summer calendar! If you haven’t already signed your kids up for camp, it’s time to take action.

Check out all the programs advertising in this year’s Kids VT camp guide, and find more information about Vermont camps at kidsvt.com

Jon Kuypers, director, Camp Abnaki, North Hero

Each two-week session, campers and staff end the last night at our closing campfire, a decades-old tradition that allows campers and staff to reflect on their time at camp. It includes songs and skits by campers and is held at the Cedar Circle Fire Pit, which was built in 1921 as a tribute to the campers and staff who fought in World War I. At the end of the campfire, the camp director tells the story of the early days of camp.

After the story, campers and staff each take turns throwing a stick into the fire. This ceremony, called the Wish Stick ceremony, connects present-day campers to the generations of campers before them. The stick represents their wishes, dreams, hopes and prayers. As the fire burns, the ashes of the sticks float up to the heavens to be granted. The morning after the ceremony, one designated camper scoops up the ashes and saves them in a special place. At the beginning of the next session’s Wish Stick

ceremony, those ashes are poured into the fire.

Another tradition is the Candlelight Ceremony, where campers and staff form a circle on the soccer field and listen to speakers while holding lit candles.

Andrea Charest, Petra Cliffs SumMAT Day Camps, Burlington

Every week, Petra Cliffs begins our day camps with our five-finger contract, sitting in a big circle with our campers and explaining rules and expectations. We’ve been using this for the last 15 years. The thumb stands for encouragement and support for other campers who are trying new things and being challenged. The index finger stands for communication. We don’t hold up the middle finger. The finger itself isn’t bad — we definitely need it for rock climbing — but it represents all of the bad or negative things we want to keep out of camp, like physical fighting, using inappropriate language

Candlelight Ceremony at Camp Abnaki

From Popsicle days to tippy tests, summer camps share traditions that keep kids coming back for more

SUMMER 2016 SEASON

The following are camps will be offering Spring Break & Summer 2016! Limited Space | Descriptions on our registration site

Full days 9am-3pm, before and after care available upon request 8am-6pm

June 13-17

Breakdance Camp

July 1 and 5-8

Contemporary Dance Techniques (plus ModernGraham & Horton) age 10 plus

July 18-22

Hip Hop Camp age 7 plus

July 25-29

Yoga Camp age 4-9

August 1-5

Contemporary Dance Techniques (plus Modern-Graham & Horton) age 8 plus

Aug 8-12

Dance Sampler Camp age 5-10

Aug 15-19

Tween/Teen

Yoga Camp

SPRING BREAK

Dance & YogaSAMPLER CAMP

ENROLL TODAY!

Season Spots fill fast!

June 27-30

Nike Yoga Camp for Kids in S. Burlington, VT

Ages 5-10: 9AM-12PM,

Ages 10-16: 1:30PM-4:30PM For More Information and to Register in VT:

Nike Yoga Camp at Honest Yoga in South Burlington, VT

1-800-NIKE-CAMP (645-3226) yoga@ussportscamps.com

150 Dorset St. (The Blue Mall) South Burlington 497-0136 www.honestyogacenter.com

Discovery Adventure Camp

JUNE 20-AUG 19 • 8AM-3PM

Ages 3-7

Regal’s science-based summer camp is designed especially for children ages 3-7 years old! Daily activities will center/focus around sensory play and science experiments.

2 Day, 3 Day & 5 Day options

Every day of fun-filled camp includes:

• 1 hour of instructional gymnastics

• Open gym time

• Cooperative games

• Outdoor eporations & play

• Theme-based experiments, stories, crafts & activities

• Nutritious lunch and snacks provided

Instructional Gymnastics Camp

JUNE 20-AUG 19 (Ages 6-14)

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

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Summer

For advanced students entering grades 4-9 who want to have fun while learning! Come to one or both weeks!

Johnson State

June 19-25 & June 26-July 2, 2016

“TDI has provided an environment where being intelligent is encouraged….TDI has given me confidence to be myself outside the camp and introduced me to friends I look forward to seeing each year.” — Camper For

Time After Time

CONTINUED FROM P.27

and being mean to each other. The ring finger means commitment. Finally, the pinky finger stands for safety. We seal the contract with high fives around the circle, then break into a giant icebreaker group game, and finally separate into our smaller groups to get going for the week.

Bruce Moreton, Night Eagle Wilderness Adventures, Cuttingsville

Being a primitive camp, Night Eagle’s traditions stem from woodland activities. In order to encourage our campers to build a fire with a homemade bow drill, hand drill or pump drill, we give a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to any camper who can successfully build a fire with any of the abovementioned techniques. Another tradition is our Night Eagle Olympics, which involves throwing tomahawks and atlatls, canoeing, racing, shooting arrows, and building fires with flint and steel.

Sophie Cassel, New Village

Farm, Shelburne

Every meal that we share during our Farm and Garden camp is preceded by our Snack Blessing. Once everyone is settled at the table, around the fire or in the grass, we take a few deep breaths and then say together — while doing accompanying hand motions — “The Earth who gave to us this food / the Sun who made it ripe and good / Blessed Earth and blessed Sun / We won’t forget what you have done.” It gives us time during the busy day to show gratitude for the natural world that we spend our week immersed in, and provides space to discuss where our food comes from. The campers catch on quickly, and many parents have told us that their kids bring it to the dinner table. We also sing a song

called “Dirt Made My Lunch” when we’re feeling silly.

Teresa Davis, Davis Studio, Burlington

If it goes over 90 degrees on a given day, everyone at camp gets a Popsicle in the afternoon. So instead of complaining about the heat, the kids are excited for the warm days. We pass out the treats and have a quiet “Popsicle meditation.” It is very refreshing, and then we’re ready for a bit more art making at the end of the day.

Deb Sawyer Jorschick, Camp Hochelaga, South Hero

This tradition has been happening for over 50 years: A camper and counselor for each age group are chosen to speak at the bonfire and share what Hochelaga means to them. Each girl has a candle that is lit from the fire, soft camp songs are sung and the traditional walk to the waterfront takes place. There, two swimmers swim out with torches to a wooden “H” and light it on fire. Then the girls stand on the edge of the water, make a wish and place their candle into the water. Later the girls return to their cabins and write themselves letters, which are collected and mailed back to them at Christmastime.

John Hammond, Hosmer Point, Craftsbury Common

One of the most special traditions is our Community Tree. This tree sits atop our hillside and holds signs depicting our six camp community values. At the end of each residential session, our campers are given a copper tag with their name engraved and they’re able to add it to this tree. It’s a special feeling, being able to add your name. It’s even more special for

Fire building at Night Eagle Wilderness Adventures

CONTINUED FROM P.29

each session’s “community leader” who is recognized in front of the entire camp and has the privilege of adding his or her name first. One of the greatest visions is watching campers return year after year, looking for their names from previous summers.

Ruth Dunkley McGowan, Dunkleys Gymnastics Camp, South Hero

Once a week, our counselors dress up during the evening workout and “visit” the camp as strangers who know nothing about gymnastics. The time is filled with crazy antics with our counselors moving from apparatus to mats, with screams of horror and laughter from the campers. Our evening dip in the lake each night as the sun sets is another tradition. “Dress up” dinner is a weekly event, with a trip to Seb’s Snack Bar for the campers with the craziest costumes.

Tai

Dinnan, Turtle Lane Camp, Shelburne

Our weeks are themed Earth, Air, Sun and Water. During Sun Week, we celebrate all things sunny and fiery. Our beloved kindergarten teacher, JoAnne, visits and, with campers, she builds a fire in the dragon oven. Campers then bake fire bread, look for signs of the sun in nature and share stories about the sun within us.

Maggie Standley, Wingspan Studio, Burlington

An important tradition at our camps is our morning open-studio time. When campers arrive, they choose from a variety of self-directed, creative options. Choices include working with art materials such as watercolors, colored pencils, oil pastels and markers; drawing in one of our “alternative” coloring books that

Baking bread in the dragon oven at Turtle Lane Camp

Campers attempt to pass the tippy test at Rock Point Summer Camp

Cyber

An

July 17 – 23, 2016 • Free for all participants!

Interested in getting involved in information security and digital forensics? Want to learn how to defend against cyber attacks and protect yourself online?

GenCyber@NU features:

• An intensive introduction to data security and cyber forensics through lectures, labs and guest speakers.

• Hands-On Exercises in a cyber security “War Room.”

• An outdoor cyber treasure hunt where the rogue WiFi hotspots mark the spot!

• A tasty trip to the home of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream will show how cyber is even in the heart of an ice cream factory.

• Surprise cyber forensic challenges. Prizes will be awarded to the winners.

GenCyber@NU is funded by a grant from the National Security Agency and National Science Foundation – and is FREE to attending students who will be juniors or seniors in Fall 2016.

The application deadline is April 15, 2016. To apply, visit profschools.norwich.edu/business/gen-cyber-camp/

2016 CAMP GUIDE

Time After Time

CONTINUED FROM P.31

leave lots of room for imagination; playing with one of the many natural treasures or other cool recycled objects or toys in our Imagination Station; or reading a book in English or French. That’s accompanied by soothing music. This quiet window of choice is a wonderful way to start the day and allows for participants to grow in their confidence and decision-making skills.

Sherry Osborn, Rock Point Summer Camp, Burlington

In order to use the canoes and go on paddling expeditions, one has to pass a tippy test. Paddle out, safely tip over, get back into a canoe filled with water and hand-paddle it back to shore. Good skills to learn and hysterically funny to watch and participate in! Our closing event for residential camp is called the Episco-Disco. It begins with campers dressing in nice clothes — from clean T-shirts and shorts to dresses and bow ties. There’s a fancy banquet dinner, crazy group games, a dance in the Craft Cabin with a disco ball and a closing campfire to end the evening.

Harley Johnson, Summer Fun University at Smugglers’ Notch Resort

Our Discovery Dynamos program, for 3- and 4-year-olds, and our Trailblazers program, for 5- and 6-year-olds, has a parade every

Thursday to celebrate the week of fun. The children make costumes based on the theme of the week, and then participate in the weekly parade. Families are invited to come and watch. Our costumed characters, Mogul Mouse and Billy Bob Bear, join us for the fun. Our other great tradition is our weekly Sound and Stage camp. It’s a performance-based session where the children create a performance (usually involving dancing and singing) and work on it all week long. At the end of the week, they perform at the Thursday parade and then again at our evening family event, the Vermont Country Fair. The children love creating their own choreographed dance.

Hannah Stanton-Gockel, Smirkus Camp, Greensboro

Throwing a pie in someone’s face is a classic circus gag, so of course it is a central part of Smirkus Camp activities. Pie Day happens every session at Smirkus Camp. Our clown coaches teach campers how to properly throw pies at each other and how to take a pie in the face safely. Contrary to popular belief, the pie is actually made out of shaving cream, which is not sticky and doesn’t attract bugs like whipped cream does. Campers have the option to pie each other, and counselors and coaches line up so that campers can practice pie-ing them! K

Throwing pie at Smirkus Camp

COURTESY OF CIRCUS SMIRKUS

2016 CAMP GUIDE

Kevin Sneddon’s

The Barn Yard

Summer Camps ~ Roxbury, Vt.

It’s a Bug’s Life: July 18-22nd — 3-5 year olds explore and learn all about the role of bugs on a farm — this camp is half day 8:30-11:30

Farm & Theatre Camp: August 1-5th — express your inner talent while exploring the farm, learn about play wright and acting

For more details visit www.thebarnyardvt.com

NORWICH UNIVERSITY

Summer Design

Architecture + Art July 10 - 16, 2016

Bring your ideas to life in a weeklong design program at the only NAAB accredited architecture school in northern New England!

• Learn, explore and experiment as you study architecture with your peers and faculty mentors.

Teresa Davis, Davis Studio, Burlington

• Studio, seminar and ‘hands-on’ learning to improve your design-build skills and enhance your portfolio.

If it goes over 90 degrees on a given day, everyone at camp gets a Popsicle in the afternoon. So instead of complaining about the heat, the kids are excited for the warm days. We pass out the treats and have a quiet “Popsicle meditation.” It is very refreshing, and then we’re ready for a bit more art making at the end of the day.

• Workshops, lectures, demonstrations and offcampus field trips plus extracurricular activities.

• Open to all junior and senior students effective Fall 2016.

$750 per student includes tuition, room and board expenses, studio supplies and transportation for field trips.

The application deadline for the 2016 Academy is April 25, 2016. For more information and to apply online, please visit profschools.norwich.edu/architectureart/summer-camp-application/

Danny Sagan, Architecture +Art Associate Professor 802-485-2882 or dsagan@norwich.edu

Children with and without disabilities, ages 2-7, learn and play together. The program is available to your family at no cost.

Upcoming locations: Middlebury and Essex

For more information contact Caitlin Jenkins at cjenkins@vtso.org / 802-861-0274

called “Dirt Made My Lunch” when we’re feeling silly.

Vermont Ballet Theater School presents Celebration of Dance 2016!

Our annual showcase of talent from ages 4 through pre-professional will dance their way onto the Flynn Main stage in Burlington for 2 exciting performances,

Saturday May 28, 2016 at 1:00 & 6:30 pm.

For show & ticket information visit www.vbts.org.

Classes & Camps

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

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

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

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

This summer come dance with the best at VBTS! For schedule and enrollment information at both the Essex & Shelburne Campuses visit us at WWW.VBTS.ORG OR CALL: 802-878-2941 OR EMAIL US AT: INFO@VBTS.ORG

Celebrating 16 Years!

July 11th - July 15th

In order to reach new musical heights, The VT Jazz Camp 2016 curriculum/activities will include:

Improvisation Sessions

Basic Theory and Music Composition Listening and Jamming Sessions

Our faculty includes the area’s finest musicians and teachers

Decades of experience as music teachers, band directors, and stage performers. Go to www.vtjazzcamp.com for a registration form. Or, contact Tony Pietricola at tonyvje@gmail.com

Held at the Elley-Long Music Center at Saint Michael’s College, 223 Ethan Allen Ave., Colchester, VT

k12v-JazzCamp0416.indd 1

2016 SUMMER

During Vermont Restaurant Week, participating locations across the state o er inventive prix-fixe dinners for $20, $30 or $40 per person. Try lunch, brunch or breakfast specials, too!

Special events include:

Best Bite Bash, Culinary Pub Quiz, Belly Laughs Comedy Night, Feeding Frenzy and The Dish.

TO BENEFIT

$1 provides 3 meals to Vermonters in need.

In 2015, with your help, we raised more than $20,000 for the Vermont Foodbank. This year, The Vermont Community Foundation will once again match our total donation up to $5,000. Help us connect all Vermonters with local healthy food.

Donate today at vermontrestaurantweek.com.

CALL A SITTER!

3 Squares Café

51 Main at the Bridge

A Cuisine*

A Single Pebble Apple Core Luncheonette & Brew (Cold Hollow Cider Mill)

Ariel’s Restaurant

Armory Grille and Bar

ArtsRiot Kitchen

August First Bakery & Café

The Bagel Place

Bar Antidote

The Bearded Frog

The Bench

Bistro de Margot*

The Black Krim Tavern*

Bleu Northeast Seafood

Blue Cat Steak & Wine Bar

Blue Moose Bistro*

Blue Paddle Bistro

Bluebird Barbecue

The Bobcat Café & Brewery

Charlie B’s Pub & Restaurant at Stoweflake*

Church & Main

Citizen Cider

City Market/Onion River

Co-op

The Cook Academy at The Essex Resort*

Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen

The Daily Planet

Doc Ponds*

Down Home Kitchen*

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS (SO FAR!)

¡Duino! Duende*

duo Restaurant*

E.B. Strong’s Prime Steakhouse

East West Café*

El Cortijo Taqueria y Cantina

Erica’s American Diner*

Falls General Store*

The Farmhouse Tap & Grill

Fire & Ice Restaurant

Fireworks Restaurant*

Fusion Grill at Maplewood Lodge*

Grazers

The Gryphon Guild Tavern

Halvorson’s Upstreet Café

Hazel*

Hen of the Wood (Burlington, Waterbury)

Idletyme Brewing Company*

Istanbul Kebab House

J. Morgan’s Steakhouse

Joyce’s Noodle House*

Junction at the Essex:

Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa

Juniper

Kingdom Taproom*

Kismet

The Kitchen Table Bistro

La Puerta Negra*

Leunig’s Bistro & Café

The Lighthouse Restaurant

Linda’s*

The Lobby

Lucky Next Door

Maple City Diner

Maxi’s Restaurant

Michael’s on the Hill

Misery Loves Co.*

Mule Bar*

NECI on Main

New Moon Café

One Federal Restaurant & Lounge

Our House Bistro

Park Squeeze*

The Parker House Inn & Bistro

Pascolo Ristorante

Pauline’s Café

Peter Havens*

Pingala Café & Eatery*

Pizza Barrio

Pizzeria Verità

Popolo*

Positive Pie (Barre, Hardwick, Montpelier)

Positive Pie Tap & Grill

Prohibition Pig

The Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm*

The Reservoir Restaurant & Tap Room

Revolution Kitchen

Roots the Restaurant

Sarducci’s Restaurant & Bar

For the latest dish ... vermontrestaurantweek.com

The Scu er Steak & Ale House

The Skinny Pancake (Burlington)

Shanty on the Shore

Sherpa Kitchen

Sotto Enoteca

Starry Night Café

Storm Café

Stowe Bowl*

Superfresh! Organic Café*

Sweetwaters

Table 24 Restaurant*

Tavern at the Essex:

Vermont’s Culinary

Resort & Spa

The Tavern Restaurant*

Thai Dishes*

Three Brothers Pizza & Grill

Three Penny Taproom

Toscano Café & Bistro

Tourterelle

Trattoria Delia

Tulsi Tea Room*

Two Brothers Tavern

Waterworks Food + Drink

Whetstone Station

Restaurant & Brewery*

The Whiskey Room at Rí Rá Irish Pub

The Windjammer Restaurant & Upper Deck Pub *

CALENDAR

& LISTINGS BY BRETT STANCIU

FRIDAY, APRIL 8

FAMILY AMPHIBIAN BIG NIGHT

Naturalists in mud boots discover why the first wet and warm night of spring is so important to Vermont’s semiaquatic friends. Bring a flashlight. Meet at the Education Barn on Sherman Hollow Road at the Green Mountain Audubon Center in Huntington. 7-8:30 p.m. $8-10 adult/child pair; $4-5 each additional child; preregister. Info, 434-3068. vt.audubon.org/events/ family-amphibian-big-night

TUESDAY, APRIL 12

On the farm, spring means a haircut for our four-legged, wooly friends. At SHEEP AND SHEAR DELIGHTS, little ones gather the shorn locks and remove the dirt, then wash the fleece clean. Using flat cards with sharp teeth, they can also try combing the curly fibers, which straightens the wool for spinning. Other activities include yarn-bracelet making and warm-water felting. For a cuddly end to the day, small hands get a chance to pet mama sheep and baby lambs.

SHEEP AND SHEAR DELIGHTS: Saturday, April 16, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., at Shelburne Farms. All ages. $5-6. Info, 985-8686. shelburnefarms.org/calendar/event/ sheep-and-shear-delights

Spi ing a Yarn

BEN & JERRY’S FREE CONE DAY

The concept is easy — free ice cream! — but choosing between flavors like Chunky Monkey and Chubby Hubby is oh so hard. All ages. Ben & Jerry’s, Burlington and Waterbury. Free. Info, 846-1500. benjerry.com/scoop-shops/ free-cone-day

SATURDAY, APRIL 16-SUNDAY, MAY 1

MUDFEST

Young ecologists celebrate Vermont’s messiest season with 16 days of activities, games, live music and a daily Mud Fling. All ages. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain. Regular museum admission, $10.50-13.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848 echovermont.org

FRIDAY, APRIL 22-SUNDAY, APRIL 24

VERMONT MAPLE FESTIVAL

Come on, get sappy! A giant parade, marionette shows, Main Street entertainment, specialty foods and more showcase Vermont’s signature sweet. All ages. Various locations, St. Albans. Check vtmaplefestival.org for schedule. Info, 524-5800. vtmaplefestival.org

SPOTLIGHTS

1 FRIDAY

Arts & Crafts

Family Wheel Drop-In: Families form clay sculptures with assistance from sta . All ages. BCA Print and Clay Studio, Burlington, 5:307:30 p.m. $7-8 per participant; $5 additional for each piece fired and glazed. Info, 860-7474.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: Mothers-tobe build strength, stamina, comfort and a stronger connection to their baby. Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, Burlington, 8:15-9:15 a.m. $15 or $130 for 10-class pass. Info, 864-9642.

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

Community

Milton Community Dinner: Hungry community folks celebrate Spirit Week with a savory meal. Milton High School, 4:30-7 p.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 893-1009.

Education

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

White River Junction: Let’s Grow Kids Speakers Bureau Training: Parents and community members learn to write and deliver their own persuasive stories to campaign for high-quality, a ordable childcare. (See spotlight on page 48.) Hartford Town Hall, White River Junction, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 578-7796.

Games

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

Library & Books

Book Launch: ‘Woolly Bear Winter’ & ‘The Comstock Crimebusters’: Vermont authors and illustrators Cam Sato and Abbie Bowker celebrate the publication of their picture book, and team up with Vermonter Ruth Wallace-Brodeur and her middle school novel. Shelburne Town Hall, 4-6 p.m. Free. Info, 985-5689.

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

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

Music

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: Toe-tapping tunes captivate kiddies. Radio Bean, Burlington, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 660-9346. Music With Robert: Families sing along with a local legend. All ages. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Theater

‘Mary Poppins’: This magical nanny changes the lives of her young charges and charms the audience through song and dance. (See spotlight on page 43.) All ages. Flynn MainStage, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $18-38. Info, 863-5966.

2 SATURDAY

Arts & Crafts

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

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

Origami Workshop: Paper folders let their imaginations run wild. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Jeudevine

Claes

Memorial Library, Hardwick, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 472-5948.

Visual Storytelling Workshop: Small Spielbergs collaborate on a group film to be screened April 3. Ages 5-7. Catamount Arts, St. Johnsbury, 10-11:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 748-2600, ext. 108.

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

Baby & Maternity

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, 10:3011:30 a.m. $15. Info, 829-0211.

Community

Cailey’s Closet Prom Dress Event: Young ladies in search of a stylish dress for prom season choose the perfect one from a selection of donated frocks. Highgate Public Library, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

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

EvoKids Yoga at Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center: New sessions in EvoKids Yoga classes beginning April 2. Kids yoga promotes a healthy lifestyle for your child through exercise, focusing and relaxation tools and family fun. Classes seven days a week for all ages, babies to teens. See detailed schedule on website for age groupings, descriptions and pricing.

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

Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga Classes at Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center: Have a more comfortable pregnancy and prepare for birth with stretching, strengthening and relaxation in prenatal yoga — and then bring your body back to balance and strength in postnatal yoga. Join our community of mothers at any point in your pregnancy, and 6 weeks or later in your postpartum time (until baby is crawling).

No yoga experience necessary.  Prenatal Yoga:  Sundays, 10 a.m.; Mondays, 5:45 p.m.; Tuesdays, 4:15 p.m.; Wednesdays, 5:45 p.m.; Thursdays, 12:15 p.m.; Fridays, 8:15 a.m. Postnatal Yoga: Sundays, 12:15 p.m.; Tuesdays, 11 a.m.; Thursdays, 10:45 a.m.; Fridays, noon (postnatal core).  Drop-ins welcome; $15/class or $130/10 class pass.

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

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for children promotes self-esteem, self-defense and bully-proofing, self-confidence, character development, a physical outlet with discipline, cooperation with other children, respect for peers and adults, perseverance and a healthy lifestyle. Brazilian JiuJitsu will help your kids to learn realistic

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

FlynnArts Summer Camp Registration

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

Burlington Kids & Parents Taiko

Drumming: Japanese Drumming with Stuart Paton of Burlington Taiko! Class is on Monday & Wednesday, 4:30-5:20 p.m. Session starts April 25: $60/child or $112/ parent-child for three weeks. Location: 208 Flynn Ave., Suite 3-G (12 steps from Chef’s Corner in Burlington’s South End). A fiveperson minimum is required to run most classes, so invite friends! Please register online or just come to the first class! Information: 999-4255. burlingtontaiko.org

Montpelier Kids & Parents Taiko

Drumming: Japanese drumming with Stuart Paton of Burlington Taiko! Class is on Thursday, 4:30-5:20 p.m. Session starts April 28. $48 or $91/parent-child for 4 weeks. Location: Capital City Grange, 6612 Vermont Route 12, Berlin. A six-person minimum is required to run most classes, so invite friends! Please register online or just come to the first class. Information: 9994255, burlingtontaiko.org

The FUN Group: Children with intellectual and developmental delays enjoy art and amusing activities in a peaceful space. Wildflowers Studio, South Burlington, 1:30-3:30 p.m. $6 drop-in donation; RSVP appreciated. Info, 310-1861.

Maple Madness: The state’s sugaring season is celebrated locally with activities on the green, bike riding and a scavenger hunt. All ages. See woodstockvt.com for locations, times and fees. Info, 457-1601.

Education

Mother’s Helper Class: Junior babysitters learn the basics of child development, how to keep kids safe, hazards and basic first aid. This is not an o cial Babysitter Safety course. Ages 9-12. Milton Municipal Complex, noon-3 p.m. $15. Info, 893-4922.

Fairs & Festivals

Huntington Sugarmakers’ Open House: Beat the mud-season blues! Folks tour the town’s maple-syrup operations and taste this year’s crop. Map of participating locations available at Beaudry’s store in Huntington. All ages. Various locations, Huntington, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 434-3269.

Maple Open House Weekend: Sweet-toothed visitors find satisfaction when sugar shacks all over the state open their doors. All ages. Various locations statewide. Free; visit vermontmaple.org to find a list of participating sugarhouses. Info, 858-9444.

Sugar-on-Snow Parties: Seekers of the sweet stu tour the sugarbush, learn tapping techiques, observe sap boiling and taste the yummy result. All ages. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Food and syrup for sale. Info, 434-3068.

Food

Burlington Winter Farmers Market: Local farmers, artisans and producers o er fresh and prepared foods, crafts and more in a bustling indoor marketplace with live music and lunch seating. All ages. Memorial Auditorium, Burlington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 310-5172. Caledonia Winter Farmers Market: Freshly baked goods, veggies, handmade crafts, meat and maple syrup figure prominently in displays of Vermont wares. All ages. Welcome Center, St. Johnsbury, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 592-3088.

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

Maple Sugar Open House Weekend: Junior sugarmakers see sap boil, learn how trees are tapped and sample syrups, spreads, candies and mustards. All ages. Sugarbush Farm, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 457-1757.

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

Rock Point School Maple Brunch & Run: Families kick o the spring season by running a 5K, then savor pancakes with syrup made on-site and tour the sugarhouse. Rock Point School, Burlington, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. $5-25. Info, 863-1104.

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: Fifty vendors peddle produce, artisan cheese, homemade bread and other local products. All

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

APRIL CALENDAR

ages. Vermont Farmers Food Center, Rutland, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 342-4727.

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

Games

Vermont Scholastic Chess Championships: Checkmate! Players of all abilities sit down for a strategy game focusing on fun and sportsmanship. Grades K-12. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. Berlin Elementary School, 10 a.m. $12-20 to participate; free to watch. Info, 223-1948.

Health & Fitness

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

Library & Books

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

Music

Young Tradition Vermont Touring Group

Performance: Led by artistic director Pete Sutherland, accomplished adolescent performers get the audience’s toes tapping with traditional Irish tunes. Black Box Theater, Main Street Landing, Burlington. 7-9:30 p.m. $15 suggested donation. Info, 233-5293.

Nature & Science

Science Challenge: Kids of all ages tackle tough problems with a mixture of materials and tools. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, noon & 2 p.m. Free with $10.50-13.50 museum admission; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848. Tour the Cosmos: This 50-minute live presentation takes the audience on a journey deep into the universe. Ages 6 and up. Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, St. Johnsbury, 1:30 p.m. $7-9 regular museum admission; free for children under 5. $6 per person per planetarium show. Info, 748-2372.

Theater

‘Mary Poppins’: See April 1, 1 & 7:30 p.m.

3 SUNDAY

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: Moms tote their pre-crawling kids to an all-levels flowing yoga class focused on bringing the body back to strength and alignment in a fun and nurturing environment. Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, Burlington, 12:15-1:30 p.m. $15; $130 for a 10-class pass. Info, 864-9642.

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

Maple Madness: See April 2.

Dance

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

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

Fairs & Festivals

Maple Open House Weekend: See April 2.

Sugar-on-Snow Parties: See April 2.

Food

Maple Sugar Open House Weekend: See April 2.

Open Sugarhouse Weekends: See April 2.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: Energy-filled kids flip, jump and tumble in a state-of-the-art facility.

Ages 6 and under, 1 p.m.; ages 7-12, 2:30 p.m.; ages 13 and up, 4 p.m. Regal Gymnastics Academy, Essex, 1-5:30 p.m. $8. Info, 655-3300.

Nature & Science

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

Science Challenge: See April 2.

Tour the Cosmos: See April 2.

Theater

‘Mary Poppins’: See April 1, 1 p.m.

4 MONDAY

Arts & Crafts

Craft for Kids: Artsy youngsters put their imaginations to work. Ages 5 and up. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Baby & Maternity

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

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

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: Expectant mothers get a ballet-inspired workout. Prenatal Method Studio, Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $15. Info, 829-0211.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Education

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

4 MONDAY, P.40

Want to Quit Smoking? Want to Quit Smoking?

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

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

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

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

Because

with seat

belts

Library & Books

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

Essex Lego Challenge Club: Kids press together plastic-piece creations. Ages 5 and up. Essex Free Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

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

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

Story Times

MONDAY

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

Bristol Story Time: Lawrence Memorial Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 802453-2366.

Brownell Preschool Story Time: Brownell Library, Essex Junction, April 4, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stowe Story Time for 2- to 3-Year-Olds: Stowe Free Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

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

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

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

TUESDAY

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

Barre Children’s Story Hour: See Monday.

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

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

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

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

Music

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

Music for Preschoolers: Lively tunes with local musicians strike the right note among the wee crowd. Ages 5 and under with a caregiver. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library,

Williston, 11 a.m. Free; limited to one session per week per family. Info, 878-4918.

Nature & Science

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WEDNESDAY

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

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

Highgate Story Time: See Tuesday.

Hyde Park Story Time: See Monday, 10 a.m. Jericho Story Hour: Jericho Town Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4686.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stowe Story Hour: Stowe Free Library, 10:15-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

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

Warren Preschool Story & Enrichment

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

THURSDAY

Bristol Story Time: See Monday.

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

Hinesburg Youngsters Story Time: See Tuesday.

Northfield Children’s Story Time: See Monday, 10-11 a.m.

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

Shelburne Musical Story Time: Pierson Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 985-5124. St. Albans Story Hour: See Monday.

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

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

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

FRIDAY

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

Craftsbury Story Time: See Tuesday. Enosburg Story Hour: Enosburg Public Library, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 933-2328. Essex Musical Story Time: Essex Free Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

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

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

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

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

Montpelier Story Time: See Tuesday.

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

South Burlington Story Time Adventures: South Burlington Community Library, April 1, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7539.

St. Johnsbury Story Time: St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 748-8291. Stowe Baby & Toddler Story Time: Stowe Free Library, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

SATURDAY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 TUESDAY

Arts & Crafts

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

Baby & Maternity

See

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

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See April 3, 10:4511:55 a.m.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1, 4:155:30 p.m.

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

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 4:30-5:30 & 6-7 p.m.

Community

Burlington Summer Camp Fair: Representatives from Burlington organizations — including the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club and Sara Holbrook Community Center — provide information about upcoming summer programs. Translators, childcare activities and

refreshments available. Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes, Burlington, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 540-0427.

Games

Fairfax Family Game Night: Families take over the library’s tabletops for a fun evening. Ages 5 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 849-2420.

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

Library & Books

Author Visit: Jennifer Armstrong: The author of Vermont Reads book, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, answers questions about this true-life Antarctica adventure story. Refreshments served. Fairfax Community Library, 5-6 p.m. Free. Info, 849-2420.

Gaming For Teens & Adults: Players of all skill levels enjoy Magic: The Gathering and other amusements. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult or have parental permission to attend. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 5-7:45 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7216. Hinesburg Crafternoons: Maker-minded kiddos mix it up with marble runs. Ages 7 and up. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 482-2878. Read to a Dog: Pet-lovers peruse books with registered therapy pooches. All ages. Dorothy

Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-4918.

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

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

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

Movies

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

Music

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

6 WEDNESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Arts for Tots: Music, movement, free play and projects inspire creativity in young minds.

Ages 2-4. Purple Crayon/ArtisTree, South Pomfret, 10-11 a.m. $12 drop-in; preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1, 5:457:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Food

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See April 2, 3-6 p.m.

Library & Books

Creative Writing Club: Youthful literati let their imaginations loose through prompts, games and other activities. Ages 9 and up. Essex Free Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Discussion: Avid readers ages 8-11 enjoy a spirited chat around the award-winning The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

6 WEDNESDAY, P.42

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

Blades of Grace

The ice outside may have melted, but the Zamboni keeps the rink slick inside the Leddy Park arena. Youth and adult figure skaters from Vermont and neighboring states lace up their skates for the NORTHEAST THEATRE ON ICE FESTIVAL. Teams dressed in black begin the bash with a choreography showcase, followed by theatrical entertainment featuring snazzy music and glitzy costumes. The University of Vermont’s exhibition and synchronized skating teams show their stuff, and kids from Burlington’s Park, Recreation & Waterfront’s Sk8 Across the Stage program get a turn on the rink, too. With officials present to offer feedback but not formal judging, skaters pull out the stops to wow the audience before gliding on to upcoming competitions.

NORTHEAST THEATRE ON ICE FESTIVAL: Saturday, April 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at Gordon H. Paquette Ice Arena, Leddy Park in Burlington. All ages. $5. Info, 865-7558. champlainvalleyskatingclub.org

6 WEDNESDAY (CONTINUED)

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

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

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

Movies

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

Nature & Science

ECHO: Science & Stories: Tales with naturerelated teaching team up with crafts, activities and socializing. Ages 3-6. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30-11 a.m. Free with museum admission, $10.50-13.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

Parenting

Hinesburg Nurturing Parent Program: Moms and dads deepen parent-child communication skills, develop empathy and

determine how to empower their family. A light dinner and childcare are included. Hinesburg Community School, 6-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 498-0607.

7 THURSDAY

Arts & Crafts

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

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

Webby’s Art Studio: See April 2.

Baby & Maternity

Essex La Leche League: Moms tote their little ones to a discussion of parenting and breastfeeding. First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 383-8544.

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

Infant Massage Class: Masseuse Nell Ishee teaches basic techniques to alleviate colic and promote better sleep in pre-crawling tots, and build mindful bonds between baby and parent.

Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 12:30-2 p.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2. 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Library & Books

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

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

Lego Thursdays: Kids combine their creativity with the library’s supplies. All ages. Haston Library, Franklin, 2-5 p.m. Free. Info, 285-6505.

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

Word Play for Kids: Professional storyteller

Peter Burns spellbinds early learners with stories, nursery rhymes, finger plays and art projects that encourage emerging language skills. Ages 3-4. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Music

Music for Preschoolers: See April 4, 10:30 a.m.

Nature & Science

Feathery Friends: Young naturalists take flight on an avian adventure where they build a nest, guard their eggs and learn to fly. Ages 3-5. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 9-10:30 a.m. $8-10 adult/child pair;

$4 each additional child; preregister. Info, 434-3068.

Home School Program: Spring Inquiry: Learners explore the outdoors in a hands-on environment. Ages 9-12. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $20 per child; $15 each additional sibling; preregister. Info, 434-3068.

Parenting

Colchester Nurturing Parent Program: Moms and dads deepen parent-child communication skills, develop empathy and determine how to empower their family. A light dinner and childcare are included. Union Memorial School, Colchester, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 498-0607.

Theater

‘Mary Poppins’: See April 1.

8 FRIDAY

Arts & Crafts

Family Wheel Drop-In: See April 1.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1. Mother’s Gathering: See April 1.

Community

Kids’ Night Out: While their parents appreciate time o , youngsters enjoy dinner, a movie and games. Grades K-6. David Gale Recreation Center, Stowe, 6-10 p.m. $15 per child. Info, 253-3054.

Education

Early Bird Math: See April 1. Milton Homeschool Project Day: Out-ofclassroom learners exhibit their current endeavors to an audience of parents and siblings. Grades K-12. Milton Public Library, 2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Games

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

Library & Books

Brownell All-Ages Story Time: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers pass through for picture books and finger plays. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Family Story Time: See April 1.

Music

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See April 1.

Music With Robert: See April 1.

Nature & Science

includes light breakfast for the whole family. Info, 748-2372.

Family Amphibian Big Night: Naturalists in mud boots discover why the first wet and warm night of spring is so important to Vermont’s semiaquatic friends. Bring a flashlight. Meet at the Education Barn on Sherman Hollow Road. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 7-8:30 p.m. $8-10 adult/child pair; $4-5 each additional child; preregister. Info, 434-3068.

See

Theater

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

‘Mary Poppins’: See April 1.

9 SATURDAY Arts & Crafts

Webby’s Art Studio: See April 2.

Baby & Maternity

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2.

Community

Big Rig Day: Families get up close and personal with large vehicles, then follow the Storywalk to Swanton Central School for games and activities. All ages. Swanton Village Municipal Building, 9 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 868-5077.

Good Beginnings Baby and Child Expo: Over 40 local vendors and community exhibits celebrate the 25th birthday of this organization devoted to supporting families with newborns. Rockin’ Ron and Marko the Magician add to the festivities, with car seat safety checks, games and refreshments. All ages. Berlin Elementary School, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. $8; free for children. Info, 595-7953.

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

Vermont Achievement Center Open House: In honor of the Month of the Young Child and Autism Awareness Month, families enjoy a VINS Raptor Encounter, a bouncy house, yoga and hands-on music demonstrations. Adults take part in workshops on topics from nutrition to behavior analysis. All ages. Vermont Achievement Center, Rutland, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 775-2395.

Welcome Baby Celebration: Book donations, giveaways and refreshments honor Milton’s newest — and smallest — residents. For ages 1 and under with their families. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644.

Dance

Companhia Urbana de Dança Modern Moves: Created in the the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, this energetic troupe mixes hip-hop, b-boy and contemporary styles. (See spotlight on page 47.) Ages 3 and up. Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hanover, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 603-646-2422.

Fairs & Festivals

Ongoing Exhibits

ECHO LEAHY CENTER FOR LAKE CHAMPLAIN, BURLINGTON

Info, 864-1848

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

MONTSHIRE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, NORWICH

Info, 649-2200

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

SHELBURNE MUSEUM, SHELBURNE

Info, 985-3346

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

Library & Books

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

Music

Good Governess

An umbrella-toting English nanny breezed into the Banks’ household on an east wind in the classic 1934 novel MARY POPPINS This spring, the 40-year-old Lyric Theatre performs this fanciful story with Broadway-style song and dance. Audience members of all ages delight in the children’s madcap adventures, featuring a comical chimney sweep and park statues that miraculously come to life. With a touch of magic and a “spoonful of sugar,” the beloved caregiver lends her charms to transform an unhappy family into a kite-flying picture of happiness.

MARY POPPINS: Friday, April 1–Sunday, April 10, various times, on the Flynn MainStage in Burlington. All ages. $18-38. Info, 863-5966. flynntix.org

Northeast Theatre on Ice Festival: Teams from around New England perform choreographic exercises and skate routines. Tickets good for the entire day. See spotlight on page 42. Leddy Park Arena, Burlington, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $5. Info, 865-7558.

Food

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: See April 2.

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

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See April 2.

Open Sugarhouse Weekends: See April 2.

Health & Fitness

EvoKids Saturday Yoga: See April 2.

Eric Herman: This Washington state singersongwriter delivers cool tunes for kids. St. Albans Free Library, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Nature & Science

Animal Buddies: Night at the Museum: See April 8.

Berlin Pond Waterfowl Walk: All-age ornithologists look for song birds, waterfowl, loons and herons returning from their winter in the south. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 7-9:30 a.m. $10-15. Info, 229-6206.

Science Challenge: See April 2.

Tour the Cosmos: See April 2.

Theater

‘Jack & the Beanstalk’: Crabgrass Puppet Theater reimagines the boy who plants magic seeds, climbs a vine and battles a giant. Thatcher Brook Primary School, Waterbury, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-5605.

‘Mary Poppins’: See April 1, 1 & 7:30 p.m.

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

Playgroups

MONDAY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TUESDAY

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

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

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

Burlington Playgroup: See Monday.

Essex Junction Building Bright Futures

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

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

South Burlington Playgroup: See Monday 9:30-11:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY

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

Fairfield Playgroup: Bent Northrop

10 SUNDAY

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See April 3.

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

Community

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

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

Memorial Library, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 827-3945.

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

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

Purple Crayon Play Group: Purple Crayon/ ArtisTree, South Pomfret, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 457-3500.

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

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

South Burlington Playgroup: See Monday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

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

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

Stowe Tumble Tots: David Gale Recreation Center, 10 a.m.-noon, By donation. Info, 253-6138.

THURSDAY

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

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

Essex Junction Building Bright Futures Playgroup: See Tuesday, 9:30-11 a.m.

HInesburg Infant Playgroup: CarpenterCarse Library, 12:30-2 p.m. Free. Info, 482-4667.

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

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

South Burlington Playgroup: See Monday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

West Fairlee Playgroup: Westshire Elementary School, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 6852264, ext. 24.

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

Food

Open Sugarhouse Weekends: See April 2.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See April 3.

Music

Family Concert: Muscian Eric Herman puts on a show for a family-friendly crowd. All ages. South Burlington Community Library, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

FRIDAY

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

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

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

Randolph Toddler Time: Kimball Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 728-5073.

Rutland Playgroup: Rutland Free Library, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 773-1860.

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

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

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

Winooski Playtime: See Monday, 9-11 a.m.

SATURDAY

Hinesburg Family Playtime: Hinesburg Community School, second Saturday of every month, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 482-4667.

Morrisville Baby Chat: Lamoille Family Center, second Saturday of every month, 1011:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-5229.

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

Nature & Science

Discovery Sundays: See April 3.

Tour the Cosmos: See April 2.

XOXO: Love the Lake: Hands-on activities and workshops, with guest presenters from Puppets in Education and Burlington’s Peace and Justice Center, challenge youngsters to think creatively about how they can assist in lake clean-up. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular $10.50-13.50 museum admission; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

Theater

‘Mary Poppins’: See April 1, 1 p.m.

11 MONDAY

Baby & Maternity

Birthing From Within: Birth Healing: Local professionals teach post-delivery self-care and parenting techniques. Babes in arms welcome. Free on-site childcare for elder siblings may be available on inquiry. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, 6-8 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 595-7953.

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

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Food

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

Library & Books

Babies & Toddlers Rock: See April 4. Blizzard of Books Raffle: Library visitors take a gamble on winning their favorite booktastic prize. South Burlington Community Library, 3-8 p.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Egg-cellent Scavenger Hunt: Middle schoolers host a treasure hunt, a craft project and serve snacks for kids grades K-5. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Essex Lego Challenge Club: See April 4. Food for Thought Teen Group: Young adults polish o pizza as they discuss library projects. Grades 7-12. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

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

Reading Buddies: See April 4.

STEM Club: Science-y types work their hands and minds. Ages 6 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 849-2420.

Music

Music & Movement for Preschoolers: See April 4.

Music for Preschoolers: See April 4.

Nature & Science

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup: See April 4.

Parenting

Parenting Workshop: Power Struggles: In conjunction with the Charlotte Children’s Center, educator Scott Noyes assists adults in forming a more positive and less stressful relationship with children. Childcare may be requested. Charlotte Congregational Church, 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 425-3328.

12 TUESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Creative Tuesdays: See April 5.

Baby & Maternity

Breastfeeding Support Clinic: See April 5. Burlington La Leche League: New moms bring their babies and questions to a breastfeeding support group. Older children welcome. Lending library available. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:15 a.m. Free. Info, 985-8228.

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See April 3. 10:45-11:55 a.m.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1, 4:15-5:30 p.m.

Education

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

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

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

Montpelier Postnatal Yoga: See April 5.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 4:30-5:30 & 6-7 p.m.

Education

Brattleboro: Let’s Grow Kids Speakers Bureau Training: See April 1, Brooks Memorial Library, Brattleboro, 1:30-5:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 578-7796.

Food

Free Cone Day: The concept is easy — free ice cream! — but choosing between flavors like Chunky Monkey and Chubby Hubby is oh-sohard. All ages. Ben & Jerry’s, Burlington and Waterbury, noon-8 p.m. Free. Info, 846-1500.

Games

Magic: The Gathering Drop-In Gaming Tuesdays: See April 5.

Library & Books

Gaming For Teens & Adults: See April 5.

Read to a Dog: See April 5.

Read to Daisy the Therapy Dog: See April 5.

Spanish Musical Kids: See April 5.

Wearable Words: Artsy youngsters drop in and design their own buttons. All ages. South Burlington Community Library, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Movies

Youth Media Lab: See April 5.

Music

Preschool Music: See April 5.

13 WEDNESDAY

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1, 5:457:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

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

Food

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See April 2, 3-6 p.m.

Games

Dungeons & Dragons Night: Players don invented personas and use cleverness and luck to overcome challenges, defeat enemies and save the day. Beginners welcome. Ages 9-13. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 6-7:45 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 264-5660.

Library & Books

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

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

Reading with Charlie the Therapy Dog: Emerging readers spend literary time with a poodle. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 3:15-4:30 p.m. Free; preregistration appreciated. Info, 482-2878.

Wacky Word Zentangles: Design-minded youngsters drop in and detail their own colorful bookmark. All ages. South Burlington Community Library, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Movies

After-School Movies for Kids: See April 6.

Nature & Science

ECHO: Science & Stories: See April 6.

Parenting

Hinesburg Nurturing Parent Program: See April 6.

14 THURSDAY

Arts & Crafts

Crafternoon: Creative ones make inventive masterpieces. Ages 6 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 849-2420.

Preschool Art Drop-In: See April 7.

Webby’s Art Studio: See April 2.

Baby & Maternity

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

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Education

History for Homeschoolers: See April 13.

Games

Game Night: Participants play with the library’s stash of board games with a character from Where the Wild Things Are. All ages. South Burlington Community Library, 4-8 p.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Jericho Lego Club: Creative construction workers get going with plastic blocks. Grades K-6. Younger children must be accompanied by an adult. Jericho Town Library, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 899-4686.

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

Library & Books

Colchester Lego Club: See April 7.

Homeschoolers Geography Fair: Local home-educated learners share their personal projects. Ages 5 and up. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Lego Thursdays: See April 7.

Read to Archie the Therapy Dog: See April 7. St. Albans Library Legos: Aspiring architects engage in construction projects with their peers. St. Albans Free Library, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Word Play for Kids: See April 7.

Music

Music for Preschoolers: See April 4, 10:30 a.m.

Nature & Science

Home School Program: Spring Inquiry: Home learners soak up studies in an outdoor classroom. Ages 6-8. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $20 per child; $15 each additional sibling; preregister. Info, 434-3068.

Invasive Species Exhibit Opening Event: Very Merry Theatre helps over 200 students from grades K-8 perform original plays about invasives in our very own big lake. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10:30 a.m. Free with regular museum admission, $10.50-13.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

Parenting

Colchester Nurturing Parent Program: See April 7.

15 FRIDAY

Arts & Crafts

Family Wheel Drop-In: See April 1.

Baby & Maternity

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

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1.

Mother’s Gathering: See April 1.

Education

Early Bird Math: See April 1. Fairbanks Homeschool Days: Students expand their scholastic horizons in the museum’s galleries and other venues with a variety of programs. Call for specific topics and location. Grades K-8. Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, St. Johnsbury, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. $8-10, includes museum admission; $5 for planetarium; one free adult per paying child. Info, 748-2372.

be accompanied by an adult. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

Health & Fitness

EvoKids Saturday Yoga: See April 2.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See April 3.

Nature & Science

Discovery Sundays: See April 3. Tour the Cosmos: See April 2.

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

Morristown: Let’s Grow Kids Speakers Bureau Training: See April 1, Morristown Centennial Library, Morrisville, 12:30-5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 578-7796.

Library & Books

Family Story Time: See April 1.

Songs & Stories With Matthew: See April 1. Teen Advisory Board: Young adults talk up their favorite reads of the year. Grades 9 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Movies

Teen Movie: Young adults enjoy a film about the Force while munching free popcorn. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Music

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See April 1.

Music With Robert: See April 1.

16 SATURDAY

Arts & Crafts

Webby’s Art Studio: See April 2.

Baby & Maternity

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2.

Education

Rutland: Let’s Grow Kids Speakers Bureau Training: See April 1. Vermont Achievement Center, Rutland, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 578-7796.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: Young ecologists celebrate Vermont’s messiest season with 16 days of activities, games, live music and a daily Mud Fling. All ages. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular museum admission, $10.50-13.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

Food

Caledonia Winter Farmers Market: See April 2, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Capital City Winter Farmers Market: See April 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: See April 2.

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See April 2.

Open Sugarhouse Weekends: See April 2.

Games

Chess Club: Teen players teach novices new moves. All ages, but children 8 and under must

Library & Books

Cleo the Therapy Dog: See April 2.

Jiggity Jog: A musical meetup includes singing, dancing and instrument playing. Ages 3-5. South Burlington Community Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Spanish Musical Playgroup: Rhymes, books, songs and crafts en español entertain niños Snacks provided. Ages 5 and under. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

A Wild Rumpus at the Library: Inspired by the classic picture book, a themed party includes music, meeting Wild Things and making a crown like Max’s. Ages 6 and under. South Burlington Community Library, 9 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Music

Green Mountain Youth Symphony 15th Anniversary Concert: Nearly 100 young musicians in three orchestras perform classic works, including pieces by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, and original music composed for this occasion. All ages. Barre Opera House, 3:30 p.m. $5-15 suggested donation; free for children under 5. Info, 888-4470.

Nature & Science

Bird-Monitoring Walk: Beginning birders embrace ornithology on an identification walk. All ages. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 7:30-9:30 a.m. Donations appreciated. Info, 434-3068.

Sheep and Shear Delights: Little lambs leap while participants get a feel for wool, watch a sheep get sheared, wash wool, and learn how to spin and felt. All ages. Shelburne Farms, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $5-6. Info, 985-8686.

Tour the Cosmos: See April 2.

Volunteer Work Day: People of all ages lend their helping hands for the museum’s spring opening. Sandwiches provided. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 434-2167.

17 SUNDAY

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See April 3.

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

Community

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

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Food

Open Sugarhouse Weekends: See April 2.

18 MONDAY

Arts & Crafts

Camp Build-It!: Creative kiddos challenge their hands and imaginations using recycled materials. Ages 6 and up. Highgate Public Library, 9-11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 868-3970.

Craft for Kids: See April 4.

Baby & Maternity

Birthing From Within: Birth Healing: See April 11.

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

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Library & Books

Babies & Toddlers Rock: See April 4. Burlington Stories With Megan: Preschoolers have a ball with rhymes, songs and books. Ages 2-5. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Dino-mite Days: Students on school break drop in for di erent daily activities, including play-dough making and a dinosaur hunt. South Burlington Community Library, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Essex Lego Challenge Club: See April 4. Jennifer Armstrong Author Visit: The author of Vermont Reads book selection Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World answers the audience’s questions about this Antarctic tale. Norwich Public Library, 4 p.m. Free. Info, 649-1184.

Rutland Library Book Sale: Bibliophiles thumb through hundreds of hard covers, paperbacks, CDs and puzzles. Proceeds support library collections and activities. All ages. Rutland Free Library, 4-8 p.m. Free. Info, 773-1860.

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

Music

Music & Movement for Preschoolers: See April 4.

Music for Preschoolers: See April 4.

Nature & Science

Nature Walk: Rain or shine, kids on spring break venture out with naturalist Mr. K to explore the world. All ages. Highgate Public Library, 11:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 868-3970.

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup: See April 4. Seed Planting Workshop: Little green thumbs get their gardens growing. Grades 1-5.

14 THURSDAY (CONTINUED)

Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644.

19 TUESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Camp Build-It!: See April 18, 9-11 a.m.

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

Baby & Maternity

Breastfeeding Café: Moms 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, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 349-3825.

Breastfeeding Support Clinic: See April 5.

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See April 3, 10:4511:55 a.m.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1, 4:155:30 p.m.

Montpelier Postnatal Yoga: See April 5.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 4:30-5:30 & 6-7 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Games

Magic: The Gathering Drop-In Gaming Tuesdays: See April 5.

Library & Books

Dino-mite Days: See April 18, 10 a.m.-noon.

Fairy Story Time & Fairy Houses: Spritely kids hear whimsical tales, followed by a fairy house construction session. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Gaming For Teens & Adults: See April 5. Teen Book Club: See April 5, 3:45-4:45 p.m.

Movies

Family Movie: Viewers enjoy a family-friendly film while munching free popcorn. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Library Movie Matinee: Kids see a film about a dinosaur and his unlikely companion. Popcorn and drinks provided. Rated PG. St. Albans Free Library, 2 p.m. Free; space limited to the first 30 viewers. Info, 524-1507.

Youth Media Lab: See April 5.

Music

Preschool Music: See April 5.

Nature & Science

Animal Teeth and Skulls: With naturalist Kurt Valenta, eager learners examine how predator and prey have adapted their bodies to the foods they consume, then craft animal skulls from foam. All ages. Jeudevine Memorial Library, Hardwick, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 472-5948.

Raptor Encounters: Live falcons, hawks and owls grace the library with their presence, in conjunction with the Vermont Institute of Science. All ages. Milton Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Groundbreaking Moves

Ten years ago, Brazilian choreographer Sonia Destri Lie noticed her casting calls were filled with talented young male dancers from the city’s favelas, or slums. Seeing their untapped potential, she founded COMPANHIA URBANA DE DANÇA. The now-international troupe draws from hip-hop, b-boy and contemporary styles to create movement that’s both athletic and graceful. With the troupe members intimately involved in choreography, the performance reflects the complexity of Brazilian racial and economic life. In 2014, one troupe member told the New York Times, “We’re making a revolution with dance.”

20 WEDNESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Camp Build-It!: See April 18, 9-11 a.m. Harry Potter Coloring Pages: Art lovers put together markers and pages from a coloring book of J.K. Rowling’s magical world. Ages 8-14. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Kids’ Craft: Butterflies: Creatives ones celebrate the spring season with colorful crafts. St. Albans Free Library, 1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 524-1507.

Maker Space Workshop: Hands-on experimenting entertains entrepreneurial engineers. Ages 11 and up. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1, 5:457:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Food

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See April 2, 3-6 p.m.

Games

Wii Fun: Gamers check out Lego Star Wars and Wii Sports Resort, in addition to classics

like Mario Kart. All ages. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Library & Books

Dino-mite Days: See April 18, 10 a.m.-noon. Pajama Story Time: Small ones cozy up for bedtime tales, cookies and milk. Ages 18 months-5 years. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Movies

After-School Movies for Kids: See April 6. Marshfield Family-Themed Movies: A wholesome flick captivates viewers of all ages. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

Parenting

Breastfeeding Families Group: Nursing moms (and supportive dads, too!) gather for snacks and advice. Church of the Nazarene, Johnson, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 888-3470. Hinesburg Nurturing Parent Program: See April 6.

21 THURSDAY

Arts & Crafts

Preschool Art Drop-In: See April 7. Webby’s Art Studio: See April 2.

Baby & Maternity

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

THE COMPANHIA URBANA DE DANÇA: Saturday, April 9, 11 a.m., at the Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College, in Hanover, N.H. Ages 3 and up. Free. Info, 603-646-2422. hop.dartmouth.edu

21 THURSDAY, P.48

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

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Library & Books

Colchester Lego Club: See April 7.

Dino-mite Days: See April 18, 10 a.m.-noon. Lego Thursdays: See April 7.

Pajama Story Hour: Kids get cozy for a pre-bedtime treat of tales, tunes and a craft. St. Albans Free Library, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Word Play for Kids: See April 7.

Movies

Family Movie: See April 19, 2-3:30 p.m.

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

Parenting

Colchester Nurturing Parent Program: See April 7.

22 FRIDAY

Arts & Crafts

Crafternoon: Crafty ones create refrigerator magnets. Grades 2 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Family Wheel Drop-In: See April 1.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1.

Mother’s Gathering: See April 1.

Education

Burlington: Let’s Grow Kids Speakers Bureau Training: See April 1, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 578-7796.

Early Bird Math: See April 1.

Fairs & Festivals

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

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Vermont Maple Festival: Come on, get sappy! A giant parade, marionette shows, Main Street entertainment, specialty foods and more showcase Vermont’s signature sweet. All ages. Check vtmaplefestival.org for schedule. Downtown St. Albans. Most events are free. Info, 524-5800.

Games

Dungeons & Dragons: See April 8.

Library & Books

Brownell All-Ages Story Time: See April 8.

Dino-mite Days: See April 18, 10 a.m.-noon. Family Story Time: See April 1.

Movies

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

Music

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See April 1.

Theater

‘Yo Joe! What a Guy’: This magician gets the audience rolling with laughter. All ages. St. Albans Free Library, 1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

23 SATURDAY

Arts & Crafts

Animal Mask Making: Artist Janice Walrafen

demonstrates how to construct wearable 3-D masks with posterboard and paint, in preparation for Montpelier’s All Species Day Parade, on May 1. Children under 6 must be accompanied by an adult. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 9:30 a.m.-noon. $4 materials fee. Info, 426-3581. Webby’s Art Studio: See April 2.

Baby & Maternity

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2.

Community

Girl Expo: In this “everything exciting for girls” day, young women can climb a tower, visit with Miss Vermont, chat with children’s book authors, dabble in belly dancing, speak with a pirate, get painted to look like a zombie and more. Geared toward girls ages 5-18. Champlain Valley Expo, Essex Junction, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $3-5. Info, 603-627-4158, ext. 4119.

Education

Preschool Math Program: Little ones and their favorite stu ed animals practice addition, subtraction and grouping. Ages 2-6. Snacks and a free puzzle provided. CarpenterCarse Library, Hinesburg, 10:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 482-2878.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Vermont Maple Festival: See April 22.

Food

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: See April 2.

Norwich Winter Farmers Market: See April 9.

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See April 2.

Health & Fitness

EvoKids Saturday Yoga: See April 2.

Talking Points

Nature & Science

Tour the Cosmos: See April 2.

What Do Owls Eat For Lunch?: Avian admirers make a mask, and discover what these birds devour by dissecting an owl pellet. Ages 5 and up. Shelburne Farms, 10 a.m.-noon. $5-6; preregister. Info, 985-8686.

Theater

‘Caps for Sale’: To mark the 75th anniversary of this classic book, puppets put on a performance of a peddler, mischievous monkeys and some funny business. Purple Crayon/ArtisTree, South Pomfret, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 457-3500.

24 SUNDAY

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See April 3. Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1, 1011:30 a.m.

Community

All Souls Interfaith Kids Gathering: See April 10, 5-6 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Vermont Maple Festival: See April 22.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See April 3.

Nature & Science

Discovery Sundays: See April 3. Tour the Cosmos: See April 2.

25 MONDAY

Baby & Maternity

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

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See April 4.

High-quality childcare is essential for working parents, yet often it’s either difficult to find or prohibitively expensive. Let’s Grow Kids, a public awareness and engagement campaign, hosts SPEAKERS BUREAU TRAININGS around the state to teach community volunteers how to advocate for highquality, affordable early childhood education. During a day of activities and discussion, parents, pediatricians, business owners and others learn to craft persuasive narratives that combine scientific research and statistics with personal anecdotes. Participants are asked to then bring their passion for childcare to public forums, such as rotary clubs or business associations, in an effort to broaden public support around the issue. Childcare affects all parts of our society, says campaign director Robyn Freedner-Maguire. “We can do better.”

SPEAKERS BUREAU TRAINING: April 1-27, various times and locations around the state. Free; preregister. Info, 578-7796. letsgrowkids.org/ lets-grow-kids-speakers-bureau

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2. 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Education

St. Albans: Let’s Grow Kids Speakers Bureau

Training: See April 1, Church of the Rock, St. Albans, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 578-7796.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Library & Books

Babies & Toddlers Rock: See April 4. Burlington Stories With Megan: See April 18.

Essex Lego Challenge Club: See April 4. Reading Buddies: See April 4.

Music

Music & Movement for Preschoolers: See April 4.

Music for Preschoolers: See April 4.

Nature & Science

Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup: See April 4.

26 TUESDAY

Baby & Maternity

Breastfeeding Support Clinic: See April 5.

Evolution Postnatal Yoga: See April 3, 10:45-11:55 a.m.

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1, 4:155:30 p.m.

Montpelier Postnatal Yoga: See April 5.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 4:30-5:30 & 6-7 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Games

Magic: The Gathering Drop-In Gaming Tuesdays: See April 5.

Library & Books

Gaming For Teens & Adults: See April 5. Read to Daisy the Therapy Dog: See April 5.

Movies

Youth Media Lab: See April 5.

Music

Preschool Music: See April 5.

27 WEDNESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Arts for Tots: See April 6.

Baby & Maternity

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

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1, 5:457:15 p.m.

Prenatal Method Postnatal Rehab: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Barre: See April 4.

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Education

Middlebury: Let’s Grow Kids Speakers Bureau Training: See April 1, Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 578-7796.

Young Writers & Storytellers: See April 13.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Food

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See April 2, 3-6 p.m.

Games

Dungeons & Dragons Night: See April 13.

Library & Books

Read to a Dog: See April 13.

STEM Club: See April 11.

Movies

After-School Movies for Kids: See April 6.

Music

Community Sing-A-Long: Songbirds of all levels raise their voices with the instrumental accompaniment of Rich and Laura Atkinson. All ages. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

Nature & Science

ECHO: Science & Stories: See April 6.

Parenting

Hinesburg Nurturing Parent Program: See April 6.

28 THURSDAY

Arts & Crafts

Clay for Tots: See April 7.

Pirates and Mermaids: The magic of the open seas sets the scene for nautical-themed preschool art projects. Purple Crayon/ArtisTree, South Pomfret, 9:30-10:15 a.m. $12 per drop-in class; preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Preschool Art Drop-In: See April 7.

Webby’s Art Studio: See April 2.

Baby & Maternity

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

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, May 1, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Games Jericho Lego Club: See April 14, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Library & Books

Colchester Lego Club: See April 7. Lego Thursdays: See April 7.

Read to Archie the Therapy Dog: See April 7. St. Albans Library Legos: See April 14, 3-5 p.m.

Word Play for Kids: See April 7.

Music

Music for Preschoolers: See April 4, 10:30 a.m.

Parenting

Colchester Nurturing Parent Program: See April 7.

29 FRIDAY

Arts & Crafts

Family Wheel Drop-In: See April 1.

Baby & Maternity

Evolution Prenatal Yoga: See April 1.

Mother’s Gathering: See April 1.

Education

Early Bird Math: See April 1.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Games

Magic: The Gathering: See April 1.

Health & Fitness

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

Library & Books

Brownell All-Ages Story Time: See April 8. Family Story Time: See April 1.

Music

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See April 1.

Nature & Science

Spring Migration Bird Walk: Avian aficionados of all ages bend their birding ear to warblers, vireos, thrushes and waterfowl, under the guidance of nature center sta . All ages. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 7-8:30 a.m. $10; free for members. Info, 229-6206.

Theater

‘CATS’: The Jellicle tribe of felines sings and dances the night away. Ages 5 and up. Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30 p.m. $17-30. Info, 457-3981.

30 SATURDAY

Arts & Crafts

Webby’s Art Studio: See April 2.

Baby & Maternity

Prenatal Method Prenatal Yoga: See April 2.

Community

The FUN Group: Karen Sharpwolf from Puppets in Education puts on an engaging show for children with intellectual and developmental delays. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1:30-3:30 p.m. $6 drop-in donation; RSVP appreciated. Info, 310-1861.

Fairs & Festivals

MudFest: See April 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. St. Johnsbury World Maple Festival: This sweet celebration features the 5K Sap Lap, a hearty pancake breakfast complete with this year’s bounty, a downtown street fair and a kids’ fun zone. All ages. Downtown St. Johnsbury. Free. Info, 626-4124.

Food

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: See April 2.

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See April 2.

Health & Fitness

EvoKids Saturday Yoga: See April 2.

Healthy Kids Day: Youngsters explore the importance of nutrition and exercise with active play, entertainment, snacks and prizes. All ages. Pomerleau Family YMCA, Burlington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Pittsford Trail Run: Athletes young and old lace up for a 5K or 1 mile run/walk on town trails to benefit the Pittsford Recreation Department. Pittsford Rec Area, 9 a.m. $5-15. Info, 483-6500.

Movies

Movie Matinee: See April 21.

Nature & Science

Bird-Monitoring Walk: Eagle-eyed participants bring binoculars to search the museum’s property for fluttering feathers. Best for adults and older children. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 7:30-9 a.m. Free; donations welcome; preregister. Info, 434-2167.

Opening Day: Agricurious youngsters explore this operating dairy farm with horse-drawn wagon rides, free ice cream and hands-on programs celebrating the museum’s 34th year. All ages. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular museum admission, $4-14; free for kids under 3. Info, 457-2355.

Tour the Cosmos: See April 2.

Q HABITAT BY ALISON NOVAK

Batcave Bedroom

WHEN KELE BOURDEAU moved into a house in Burlington’s New North End two years ago, she wasn’t a fan of the wood paneling covering many of its walls. In the living room, she painted the planks a soft grey and was surprised by how much that lightened up the space.

She took a much bolder approach in the bedroom shared by her sons, Phin, 7, and Zac, 5. Inspired by their love of the 1960’s “Batman” TV series, Bourdeau painted a Gotham-style cityscape with bright yellow windows. She covered their paneling with purple and black vertical stripes. Light beams bearing Bat-Signals emanate from two of the skyscrapers. Inside the rays of light, Bourdeau used glow-in-thedark paint to spell out her sons’ names — a fun feature when it’s time for lights out.

Bourdeau — who took art classes in college — did the mural freehand. Painting, she says, provides her with a “creative release.” She let her first grader and preschooler pitch in, even though it meant a less-thanperfect paint job in some spots.

The caped-crusader motif extends to other parts of the room: Batman-themed blankets and sheets adorn the twin beds, and a retrolooking bat light scored at Big Lots hangs on the wall. A bright purple

Parents: Kele and Chris Bourdeau

Kids: Sons Phin, 7, and Zac, 5

blanket, knitted by the boys’ grandmother, adds a personal touch. And there are plenty of Bat-toys scattered around, including a plastic Batcave, and a Joker alarm clock Phin recently got for his seventh birthday.

But not everything adheres to the theme. There’s a cat poster on the wall, and Superman stickers are strategically placed inside each Bat-Signal.

Bourdeau’s philosophy: “When it’s your room, you can do what you want.” K

Budget-Friendly Touches

• Bourdeau bought the mural paint on sale at Lowe’s. The yellow hue used for the light beams and windows came from the return shelf and cost less than a dollar.

Bat lanterns hanging in the corners of the room and little strings of bat lights came from a dollar store.

Bourdeau pulled apart a sparkly black bat wreath she got for 15 cents at a drugstore after Halloween, and affixed the winged creatures to the wall with poster putty.

“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.

Where Home Begins...

COLORING CONTEST!

Three winners will each receive an annual family membership to the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium in St. Johnsbury Send Kids VT your work of art by April 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 May 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.

PUZZLE PAGE

BY DAVID L. HOYT & JEFF KNUREK

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

Maze

Print

your answer here:

Puzzles4Kids

Riddle Search — GET A JOB!

BY HELENA HOVANEC

JUDGE MODEL NANNY

NURSE REPORTER

STONEMASON SURGEON TRAINER TUTOR USHER WRITER Riddle

certificates to:

VEDA lives in Middlesex and turns 6 on April 25. She’s an excellent artist with a strong eye for detail. She enjoys playing basketball and baseball and loves rainbows and unicorns.

SAM lives in Winooski and turns 6 on April 8. He’s a science lover who wants to be “all the scientists in one” when he grows up. He loves building with Legos, writing and illustrating comic books, and going out in the woods for adventures.

lives in Swanton and turns 6 on April 14. His favorite food is spaghetti and his favorite color is blue. He loves being a big brother to his baby sister and playing soccer and hockey.

LIAM lives in Hinesburg and turns 5 on April 23. He likes to play with Legos, learn about animals and visit the water park. He can’t wait to start kindergarten in the fall so he can ride the school bus.

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.

These and Kids’ Pool Birthday Parties

winners get gift FIGHT APRIL SHOWERS with a HilltopInnPool Membership K8v-HilltopInn0316.indd 1 3/24/16 1:00 PM

Sam, Mason and Liam win family day passes to the pool.

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.

Fear Not

A mother reflects on parenting in the shadow of a fatal disease

IN JANUARY, OUR FAMILY of four celebrated our twin daughters’ 10th birthday by bowling and playing air hockey at a loud, neon-infused entertainment center. That evening we ate take-out from our favorite local Thai restaurant and had a purple star-shaped cake with ice cream for dessert. I created a photo album for Uma and Sylvie with some of my favorite pictures of them over the last decade.

It all seemed so normal, yet for us it was particularly poignant. Sylvie has a fatal degenerative disorder, so the fact that we were joyfully celebrating both girls’ birthdays was unexpected.

A year after my daughters were born, it became apparent that Sylvie was not hitting the typical developmental milestones and was actually losing ground. Within months, her abilities to sit, feed and entertain herself vanished. She became increasingly agitated and limp and started having mild seizures. It took almost another year — and a battery of tests, a muscle biopsy and a weekend in the intensive care unit — for the doctors to diagnose her with a rare condition known as Krabbe disease, which affects one in 100,000 children. It impairs the growth or development of the myelin sheath, the fatty covering that insulates nerve fibers, causing severe degeneration of mental and motor skills.

When we got the news, we were shocked — not at the confirmation of her delays but because we learned that her life would be very short. Eighty to 90 percent of children diagnosed with Krabbe don’t live to their third birthday. Statistics are less reliable for those who survive past that point, since there are such a small number of cases. It would be realistic to think a child could live for four years after the date of diagnosis; an optimist could hope for seven and a half years. For our family, a birthday marking a decade of life was cause for celebration and reflection.

Author and public speaker Brené Brown suggests that parenting — even under the best of circumstances — is utter, excruciating vulnerability like most of us have never known before. In a culture that she describes as “allergic to vulnerability,” Brown explores the crazy things parents will do to protect their children from the world. Yet, as I stand witness, when you have a child with a life-threatening illness, losing that child — your worst fear — is a daily reality. There is no protection.

Parents of children with unremitting health problems experience chronic stress, depression and unrelenting fatigue. Physical and social isolation, economic hardship, and lack of social services and support are all common for families such as mine. It’s the kind of vulnerability neither my partner nor I had anticipated in deciding to become parents.

We never expected that our day-to-day lives would be filled with scheduling personal care assistants, navigating inadequate nursing services and advocating for full inclusion of children with disabilities in our schools. Most days

we just fight like hell to get out of bed, take a deep breath and show up for whatever comes our way. But this extreme vulnerability has an upside. Because we know we are living on borrowed time, we feel an intense sense of urgency. We know this disease will eventually wear Sylvie down. But I’ll be damned if that means we’re not going on vacations, visiting with friends, riding bikes, canoeing and enjoying what little pleasures we can afford. I understand why some parents of kids with special needs don’t leave a threemile radius of their homes. But I also have a healthy child who needs to be out in the world — and I want the world to see both of my kids.

When people first meet our nonverbal and nonmobile daughter, sitting in her wheelchair, her physical limitations are immediately apparent. Her differences often make people uncomfortable and sometimes fearful. They assume that Sylvie cannot see, hear or understand what those around her are saying, or that she is still a baby or toddler because she cannot walk or talk. Yet in her tiny, frail body, our daughter is a warrior. She laughs at our jokes and squeals when we get to a good part in a book or when a favorite song comes on during a movie. If you ask her to choose between vanilla or chocolate, she will always pick the latter with her eyes. Our daughter is more than just a disability and a rare disease.

Sylvie’s disorder has offered our family, our friends and our larger community an opportunity to humbly think about life and death. We have had numerous moments when people have rallied to our defense: sitting with us as we process new medical information; playing secret Santa; delivering food to our family when Sylvie has been hospitalized; or organizing a fundraiser to get a cargo bike for family outings. We’ve learned a lot about the goodness of people and the power of community.

When my daughters were first born, friends gave us a rendition of a Maya Angelou poem, illustrated with neoexpressionist paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat. It begins:

Shadows on the wall

Noises down the hall

Life doesn’t frighten me at all

Bad dogs barking loud

Big ghosts in a cloud

Life doesn’t frighten me at all

I read this book a lot when we were getting Sylvie’s diagnosis, and somehow it made me feel just a little less vulnerable and more courageous. Its defiance of fear resonates with me — I see it in Sylvie, too.

With Krabbe, it feels as though we’re walking a plank, and we keep getting moved to the back of the line so we can keep on living. As we watch other children we know succumb to this illness, I have tears in my eyes. But I, too, refuse to be frightened. K

In her tiny, frail body, our daughter is a warrior.

Sylvie and family