Kids VT, August 2015

Day - cations

Last Licks of Summer

✱ WATERFALL WALKS

✱ CAMP FOR KIDS WITH AUTISM

✱ RECIPE: CRUNCHY CORN SALAD

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STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

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

Copublisher Colby Roberts colby@kidsvt.com ext. 77

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

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

Contributing Editor Megan James megan@kidsvt.com ext. 73

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

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

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

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

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Proofreaders Marisa Keller

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Production Manager John James

Creative Director Don Eggert

Designers Aaron Shrewsbury

Rev. Diane Sullivan

Bobby Hackney

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Business Manager Cheryl Brownell

Contributing Writers: Erik Esckilsen, Sean Markey, Ken Picard, Brett Sigurdson, Erinn Simon, Laura Sorkin, Gretchen Stern, Jessica Lara Ticktin, Molly Walsh

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

ofLake Champlain over the

THESE GUYS CAN PUT A HEALTHY SMILE ON YOUR FACE.

Each orthodontist at Timberlane Dental Group is board-certified, and has the additional training and experience to make sure you get the best smile. Our orthodontists are well versed in all the treatment options for straightening teeth, and creating healthy smiles for you and your family.

To arrange an initial consultation at no-charge, please call Timberlane Dental Group at 802-864-6881, or visit timberlanedental.com

The orthodontists at Timberlane Dental Group are pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Matthew Rogers to the practice. With extensive experience treating adults, Matt is looking forward to providing patients of all ages with the care they need for beautiful smiles.

• Interceptive treatment of developing bite problems for children

• Comprehensive orthodontic treatment for adolescents and adults •

of complex bite problems and jaw deformities •

No Place Like Home

MY FAMILY TRAVELED to Los Angeles for the first time, in early July, for a long-planned vacation to visit my sister. We had a blast exploring the city and the coast, but we were also happy to return to Vermont just as summer hit its stride.

As I reflect on our trip, I can’t help but draw some comparisons between California and Vermont. A desert hike in Malibu’s Charmlee Wilderness Park, where we picked sage and took in sweeping ocean views, was pretty magical. But so is an excursion up Camel’s Hump.

The bánh mì from a Vietnamese food truck in Venice Beach was delicious, but it didn’t have much on the gnocchi and short ribs I scarfed down last summer at ArtsRiot’s Friday night Truck Stop in Burlington.

Frolicking in the powerful Pacific was invigorating, but I’m just as rejuvenated by an after-dinner paddleboard on Lake Champlain.

The Santa Monica Farmer’s Market, which locals told us was a can’t-miss destination, boasted juicy, ripe peaches, pears and pluots. But they weren’t any more mouthwatering than the ruby red strawberries and plump blueberries we get from Adam’s Berry Farm in Charlotte.

My conclusion? Nothing beats Vermont in the summertime. And because the season is so short and our

winters can be so brutal, Vermonters probably appreciate the season a bit more than those who enjoy balmy days year-round.

Kids VT celebrates summer with our annual series of family day trips — or “Day-cations” — that explore the unique beauty and culture of our region. In this season’s final installment (page 22), Sean Markey and his family bike around the urban oasis of Montréal, and Jessica Lara Ticktin and her girls hike to the top of Elmore Mountain and descend for a dip in Lake Elmore.

Find more summer fun in “Fit Families” (page 11). Contributor Gretchen Stern visited the Tuesday Night Trail Running Series at Williston’s Catamount Outdoor Family Center, where enjoyment, not competition, is the primary goal. Newark-area residents get to speed around trails every week on two wheels at the Ide family’s backyard bike park, featured in “Habitat” (page 43).

All of these stories should give you a sense of what’s so special about Vermont at this time of year. Now get out there and pack as much camping, hiking, biking and merrymaking into the month as you possibly can! Then read this month’s “Checkup” (page 16), which o ers tips for helping kids transition back to school.

ALISON NOVAK, MANAGING EDITOR

Some of this month’s Kids VT contributors:

SEAN MARKEY (“Wheel Good Time”) is a journalist and former sta writer for National Geographic News currently working on his best assignment of all — dad — in Peacham, Vermont.

GRETCHEN STERN (Fit Families) is a lover of language and grammar. She spends her time working in organizational development, freelance writing, honing her reasoning skills on her 4-year-old son and dancing to stay sane.

COURTESY OF ALISON NOVAK

A family photo at the top of L.A.’s Griffith Park

An Excellent Adventure

Last month, we awarded 8-year-old Zephyniah Havens of Essex an entry to the Kids Adventure Games — a nationally touring race in which teams of two navigate zip lines, rope swings and climbing walls — at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe. Zephyniah’s mom, Pam, sent us race-day photos of her son and his teammate, 7-yearold Sam Bent, who competed under the team name Super Boys #28.

Says Pam: “It was awesome! I volunteered as well. Zephyniah’s favorite parts of the games were the mud pit and extreme Slip’N Slide. One of Sam’s faves was the raccoon crawl through a storm drain. Thank you for the amazing opportunity. We really had a blast and cannot wait until next year!”

Best of the Blog

Middle & High School Students Immerse Themselves in a Foreign Language

BY ALISON NOVAK

It all starts with the pledge.

On the second day of the four-week MiddleburyMonterey Language Academy (MMLA) — a rigorous language immersion program that originated at Middlebury College in 2008 — middle and high school students take the Language Pledge. It’s a formal promise that they will only communicate in the language they’re studying at the academy.

That means English is o -limits — not just in class but during meals, dorm meetings and o -site excursions. The exceptions are twice-weekly phone calls home and two hours allotted for English speaking on Saturdays.

This month, Spanish, German and Arabic academies for students entering eighth through 12th grade took place at Green Mountain College in Poultney while Saint Michael’s College in Colchester hosted 149 students for a French academy and 125 students for a Chinese academy.

The programs attract students from all over the country, as well as international students from far-flung locales including Moscow, Dubai, Nigeria and the Philippines. Locals attend, too; 34 Vermonters signed up for the July academies at GMC and St. Mike’s.

One of those students was 16-year-old Zoe McClure, a rising junior from St. Johnsbury. On the afternoon before graduating from the French academy, she spoke about her experience — in English.

Knowing she was going to have to speak exclusively French for almost a month was a bit scary at first, she said, and the first few weeks were di cult. With a smile, she recalled resorting to pantomime to figure out how to do things like laundry.

But the hard work — doing internet searches using Google France, giving presentations and designing PowerPoints in French and reading articles from Frenchlanguage publications — paid o . “Oh, my gosh, I’ve learned so much,” she said. As she neared the end of the immersion experience, she said she was having trouble remembering words in her native tongue...

Read more at kidsvt.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAM HAVENS

Chinese Academy students do Tai Chi Fan at St. Mike’s

Getting Out and Giving Back

In July, contributor Sarah Galbraith wrote about ways families can help care for Vermont’s outdoor spaces, to ensure they’re around for future generations to enjoy. Here are her suggestions:

• Get involved with your local mountain bike club. There are 17 around the state, and they are all doing really cool projects. Many of them, like Mad River Riders (madrriverriders.com), have excellent programs for kids and families. All of them have regular work days, too. Learn more from the Vermont Mountain Bike Association (vmba.org).

• Attend one of the familyfriendly educational programs or hikes at the Green Mountain Club (greenmountainclub.org), and sign up to volunteer. GMC oversees the Long Trail, a longdistance hiking trail that stretches from Massachusetts to Canada. A great way for families to volunteer is to adopt a shelter or section of trail and check on it in spring, summer and fall.

Home Cookin’: Cold Summer Noodle Bowl

BY ERINN SIMON

When the hot and humid days of summer finally arrive, I crave cold, crunchy, rainbow-colored veggies, and delicious dinners that don’t require a lot of heat to prepare. This recipe is my dream summer dinner: fresh, colorful veggies, cool noodles and adjustable spice. Quick, easy and super delicious, it became an instant favorite at my house. Next time you feel like take-out pad Thai on a steamy weeknight, give this a try instead.

COLORING CONTEST

The winners of our three gift certificates to Petra Cliffs are…

• September is River Cleanup Month in Vermont. Join activities around the state coordinated by Watersheds United Vermont (watershedsunitedvt.org).

• The Catamount Trail is a backcountry ski and snowshoe trail that runs the length of Vermont. Sponsor the trail, adopt a section, join the backcountry community forum hosted by CTA (catamounttrail.org) or show up for some trail work.

What a bunch of cool cats. The 90 young artists who submitted their colorful creations last month wowed us with their interpretations of a kitty wearing roller skates. We loved the worldly cat visiting the Ei el Tower; the moonwalking feline with flame-throwing skates; and, of course, all the patriotic fur balls celebrating the Fourth of July. Keep the creativity coming and congratulations to all the winners!

HONORABLE MENTIONS

TERRIFIC TIE-DYE

Amelia Kane, 10, Fayston

INTERNATIONAL CAT OF MYSTERY

Dahlia Rubin, 11, Burlington

SWEET STRIPES

Samantha Martin, 9, Bristol

FIERY FEET

Hiba Ali, 11, South Burlington

PATRIOTIC PURR-FECTION

June Yates-Rusch, 7, Bristol

RAINBOW BRIGHT

Olivia Harris, 7, Montpelier

WONDERFUL WHISKERS

Crosby Waite, 8, Richmond

UTTERLY UNIQUE

Ella McEntee, 8, Underhill

COOL COLORS

Colin Kane, 5, Fayston

BEAUTIFUL BIRDS

Thia Uthmann, 5, Graniteville ON FIRE!

Jakobi Kmiecik, 5, Worcester

MAGNIFICENT MR. CAT

Hazel Rost, 5 DUXBURY “Skating in the Woods in the Summer”

❑ lo mein noodles or thin spaghetti

❑ red pepper

❑ carrots

❑ red cabbage

Find the full recipe at kidsvt.com.

❑ scallions

❑ sesame seeds

❑ peanut butter

❑ honey

❑ sesame oil

❑ rice wine vinegar

❑ sriracha or chili paste

❑ soy sauce

❑ garlic

Jazmine Quinn, 5, Underhill

TOP TITLES

“THE MEOO”

Nora Krumperman, 9, Cabot

“CRAZY NIGHT FOR CATS”

Joshua Vidrine, 11, Woodstock

“UN-CAT”

Eliza Kane, 8, Fayston

Natalee Kneeland, 8 LOWELL “Cat Land”

Raegan Decker, 10 FAIRFAX “Glitter Kitty”

Find this month’s coloring contest on page 46. The deadline for submissions is August 15

Read more at kidsvt.com

Galbraith’s daughter, Elise, in the forest

FILE: SAM SIMON

COURTESY OF SARAH GALBRAITH

REAL FUN! Real Science.

THE BEAT

BY MARY ANN LICKTEIG & ALISON NOVAK

FUNDRAISER

Pedal Power

Mountain bikers hit the trails in Huntington at the end of this month for DEL’S RIDE, an event to raise money and awareness to fight Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC), a rare and painful neurological disorder. Participants, who are asked to raise at least $75, can choose from loops that range from five to 25 miles. There’s also a short trail ride for kids. All proceeds go to the nonprofit Cure AHC.

Ride organizers Ben Johnson and Katrina Sliwka of Essex Junction are the parents of 6-year-old Delaney, who was diagnosed with AHC when she was 10 months old and epilepsy when she was 4. AHC is characterized by recurring episodes of temporary paralysis that often a ect one side of the body and last minutes, hours or days. There’s no known cure or completely e ective treatment.

“The trails for Del’s Ride are really challenging, and it speaks to what everyday life is like for Delaney,” Sliwka says of her oldest daughter. “She is the hardest worker I’ve ever known.” —MAL

DEL’S RIDE takes place on Sunday, August 30, from noon to 6 p.m. at the Sleepy Hollow Inn Ski & Bike Center in Huntington. Rain date, September 20. To register, visit delsride.org. Prefer to eat for a cause? On Wednesday, August 12, Burlington’s Bluebird Barbecue will donate 10 percent of evening sales to Del’s Ride.

BOOKS

Tough Love

New York Times columnist and VPR commentator Jessica Lahey takes on the overparenting trend in her new book, THE GIFT OF FAILURE: HOW THE BEST PARENTS LEARN TO LET GO SO THEIR CHILDREN CAN SUCCEED. The New Hampshire-based educator and mother of two boys argues that while packing our kids’ lunches, driving their forgotten homework to school and tying their shoes might make us feel like good and attentive parents, these actions might actually be harming our kids. “The setbacks, mistakes, miscalculations and failures we have shoved out of our children’s way are the very experiences that teach them to be resourceful, persistent, innovative and resilient citizens of the world,” she writes in the introduction to the book. In September, Lahey embarks on a book tour to share her well-researched findings. Stay tuned for local engagements. — AN

THE GIFT OF FAILURE, HarperCollins, 304 pages, $26.99. August 11 release date. Visit jessicalahey.com for more information.

COMMUNITY Troubled Teen Center

The NORTHEAST KINGDOM COMMUNITY ACTION TEEN CENTER is a hub for at-risk youth in the Newport area. For more than a decade, the center has provided at-risk 12- to 21-yearolds with a place to use computers, play games, get a hot meal, and access services such as employment and substance-abuse counseling. It’s open five afternoons a week, year-round. But that may soon change.

Due to cuts in federal funding, the center could close before the end of the year. It’s already had to scale back services, says teen center coordinator Allyson Howell. In early July, she brought kids together with state and local law-enforcement agents to play basketball and chat, just to get to know each other. She says she’s unable to plan anything like that in the foreseeable future: “I can’t buy food and print o flyers anymore.”

The organization has applied for grants and is thinking creatively about how it might partner with other agencies. Additionally, NEKCA has launched a GoFundMe campaign to keep the doors open. “This place needs to be sustained,” says Howell. —AN

To learn more about the NORTHEAST KINGDOM COMMUNITY ACTION TEEN CENTER and support its campaign to stay open, visit gofundme.com/ saveourteencenter.

COURTESY OF BEN JOHNSON & KATRINA SLIWKA

Left to right: Ben Johnson, Katrina Sliwka and their daughter Delaney

Together,

Middlebury’s Pop-Up Park

I’M NEW TO THE PLAYGROUND SCENE. My 15-month-old daughter, Joni, has just started walking. Most climbing equipment is too advanced for her, and she’s not a fan of infant swings. But she loves slides and stairs. So we were thrilled to discover a new pop-up park in downtown Middlebury.

Address: 20 Main Street, Middlebury

A team of architecture students from the University of Vermont and Middlebury College conceived and built the temporary park this spring. It’s on the site of the former Lazarus building, which was torn down in January to make room for an upcoming reconstruction of the railroad overpass. The students used recycled materials to build simple climbing structures, a slide, skate ramps and planters. In early June, the park opened to the public.

Since then, Joni and I have spent many mornings circling the little slide. It’s only about four feet high — close enough to the ground that she can easily climb the ladder up to it, and I can feel comfortable letting her go down by herself. The park will only be there until next spring, though, so enjoy it now!

PLUSES

• The slide is perfectly sized for wobbly toddlers.

• Funky, recycled materials (rustic wooden climbing ramps fastened to big wooden spools) give the park an edgy, adventureplayground feel.

• Skate ramps for bigger kids

• A woodchip ground cover softens inevitable face plants.

MINUSES

• No swings

• There are gnarly holes in some surfaces; be careful!

“Destination Recreation” reviews a play space each month. Got a spot you’d like us to feature? Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com.

Joni plays with the wooden spools

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MEGAN JAMES

name: noah schwartz

age: 11

Town: waitsfield

noah schwarTz liVes on a remote dirt road, but his lemonade stand business is booming. Since launching Noah’s Fizzy Lemonade four years ago at an East Warren kids’ farmers market, the rising sixth-grader has seen demand for his concoction climb.

Noah first began experimenting with the tried-and-true summer beverage when he was just 7, carbonating kegs of lemonade using his dad’s home-brewing equipment. The formula was a success — he sold five gallons at the 2011 Vermont Music Festival, held at the Lareau Farm, home of American Flatbread. Two years later, his sales at that festival doubled.

In 2014, Clay Westbrook, president of American Flatbread Co., asked Noah to help represent Vermont at the Big E, a major food, music and agricultural fair held in Springfield, Mass. Noah accepted, and upped his lemonade game, adding maple syrup — courtesy of local sugarmaker Eastman Long — to the mix.

With help from family and friends, he squeezed some 560 lemons to make 50 gallons of his signature blend, renamed Noah’s Fizzy Maple Lemonade. He nearly sold out at the Big E. And just last month, according to his dad, Joshua, Noah sold his entire 25-gallon stock of lemonade at Warren’s Fourth of July parade and celebration for $3 per 16-ounce cup.

As savvy as the young entrepreneur has been in moving his product, he’s also enthusiastic about research and development. “Figuring out recipes is like tinkering,” he says.

Noah has a voracious appetite for invention, and a portion of his profits fund other projects, such as the standing lemonade cooler and dispenser he built with the help of a neighbor, woodworker Eddie Merma. The unit includes a bottle opener and a hidden, built-in bank of magnets that ensures bottle caps stick to the side of the cooler instead of falling to the ground.

Noah has filled his family’s garage with all manner of creations: a duct-tape hat emblazoned with the Youtube “play video” icon, a robot Halloween costume, complete with voice modulator and flashing LED-light eyes, and a Lego vending machine, which dispenses M&Ms when you feed it a coin.

His crown jewel is a rocket launcher that uses pressure from a bicycle pump to propel a paper-and-duct-tape rocket more than 100 feet into the air. Noah

showcased the contraption at the 2013 Champlain Mini Maker Faire in Shelburne, where he’d set up a booth to teach attendees how to rapid-prototype their own rockets in minutes — and then launch them.

learn more about noah’s Fizzy lemonade at his website, drinkfizzy.com.

Noah says he isn’t sure what his next project will be, but he knows it will be “fun to make and fun to use.” Producing lemonade should keep him busy until the start of the school year, and he and his parents are in talks with restaurants and food-truck vendors interested in tapping into his fizzy refreshment.

To kids looking to keep busy during the lazy days of summer, Noah offers this advice: “You don’t have to just go out to a store and buy something.”

Except maybe duct tape, or a bag of lemons. K

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

Trail Running

ArriVing AT The cATAmounT Outdoor Family Center for a recent Tuesday night trail run felt like walking into a family picnic. Toddlers trundled along on balance bikes while their parents socialized. Giggling kids played tag on the grass.

As the start time for the 2.5-kilometer Cadets race — geared toward kids ages 12 and under — approached, young runners donned athletic gear and bib numbers and headed to the starting line. After a short countdown, they took off with gusto, many accompanied by Mom or Dad. Spectators cheered on the runners as they snaked around a field, climbed a hill and entered the woods.

Shortly after the Cadets departed, toddlers and beginning runners ages 8 and under lined up for the Cubbies race. The gaggle of adorable pint-size kids did a quick 200-meter loop while parents looked on. The last event of the evening was a 5-kilometer run for teenagers, adults and more experienced kids as young as 10.

The Tuesday Night Trail Running Series, which takes place at Catamount every week from mid-May to mid-September, is a great way to introduce kids to the sport, said Catamount executive director Mike Stearns. Many young runners who started at Catamount have gone on to compete on high school and college track and cross-country teams, he added.

Located just five miles from bustling Taft Corners in Williston, Catamount is an oasis of inviting woods and mountain views, with more than 20 miles of trails for walking, running and mountain biking. The land has been in the McCullough family for six generations, since 1873.

“Fit

ArriVe eArLy Tuesday Night Trail Running Series race registration begins at 4:30 p.m. at the Family Center. To eliminate prerace jitters, leave plenty of time to get your bibs, warm up, head to the starting line and relax. Summer passes, available for individuals

and families, are good for seasonal trail use, entrance to the trail running series and a bib for the whole season, eliminating the need to register each week. Visit catamount outdoorfamilycenter. com for prices.

The family still lives on the site, which is now managed by a nonprofit. The trail running series began in the early ’90s; some families have been loyal participants for as long as they can remember.

Six-year-old Kate Carlson from Jericho belongs to one such family. Her parents first ran at Catamount years ago as young adults. Now they frequent the series with their kids.

dress For The occAsion. Wear comfortable and breathable clothing and trail-running shoes for traction on muddy sections of the course.

sTAy hydrATed Water and restrooms are available on site.

Kate was 2 when she first participated in the Cubbies race. Last summer, she enjoyed the Cadets race so much that she set a goal to attend every week of the series this summer. Her 9-yearold brother, Taylor, runs with her, and their parents run the 5K course.

Kate said that she loves how every time she runs at Catamount, there’s a bit of surprise because the race rotates between three different

Bring The whoLe FAmiLy There’s no minimum age for racing. Kids 7 and under in the Cadets race generally run alongside a parent or an older sibling. Stearns recommends that kids wait until they’re at least 10 years old to run the 5K race.

courses. No matter the trail, the race is “always fun.”

Times and rankings for the Cadets and 5K races are posted online about three hours after the races conclude, which encourages runners to strive for their personal best, said Stearns. There’s still room for sibling rivalry, though. Kate’s mom, Jenn Carlson, joked that when Kate and her brother hit the trail, “the gloves come off.” K

Kids take off at the start of Catamount’s Tuesday Night Trail Running Series

Families” is a monthly feature that offers easy and affordable ways to stay active. Got an idea for a future FF? Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com.

TiPs From cATAmounT eXecuTiVe direcTor miKe sTeArns

The gaggle of adorable pint-size kids did a quick 200-meter loop while parents looked on.

Birth Mom

How a nurse midwife from Elmore juggles work and family

When Kipp boVey was in middle school in Massachusetts, she already knew she wanted a career in childbirth some day. “I just thought it was amazing,” says the 39-year-old.

After graduating from the University of Vermont, she completed a three-year midwifery program in Connecticut, then landed a job as a nurse at Copley Hospital in Morrisville.

When her first child, Anna, was just a year old, she began working as a midwife at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph, where she stayed for five years. During that time, she had another baby, Charlie.

In 2012, Bovey returned to Copley as a midwife. These days she’s oncall for two 24-hour shifts per week, plus every third weekend from Friday morning to Monday morning. It’s a lot of juggling, she says, and often requires, “leaving in the middle of the night, missing things.” Fortunately, she has friends to call in a pinch, and a supportive husband, Mark Isselhardt. “I couldn’t do it without him,” she says.

Kids VT visited Bovey at her rambling farmhouse, which sits behind rows of blueberry bushes on a steep dirt road in Elmore. We talked about how she balances raising her children with delivering other people’s babies.

on mitigating the stress of being on-call:

I sleep with the pager under my pillow. We found that that doesn’t stop our hearts quite as much when it goes off in the middle of the night. It’s a little muted.

parenting lessons she’s shared with her patients:

In terms of making a birth plan, you have to be flexible. You can’t ensure

that you’re going to get what you want. And that goes on through parenting.

[Birth] is just the beginning of having these assumptions, and then having them pulled out from under your feet.

What being a midwife has taught her about her family:

[This work] makes me feel incredibly lucky for the life that I have, the family I have, the support I have, the love. I see people from all spectrums, and it makes me grateful that I’m in a healthy relationship and have a loving family and the means to have what we need.

how her job has rubbed off on her kids:

We’re all very comfortable with our bodies. We talk a lot about anatomy and the [birth] process. And when we see people [whose babies I have delivered] around town, the kids are always like, How do you know her? Well, I can’t really go into it. What’s her name? I can’ t tell you that. Why not? Well, because it’s her privacy, and health care’s private.

on surviving her children’s baby and toddler years while working an overnight shift:

There were certainly times when I would lie on the couch [after a night at the hospital] and they’d watch a little TV, not as babies, but later. Mostly, you just power through. I don’t drink coffee. But [as a parent to young kids] you’re sleep deprived anyway, just for a different reason. You cope somehow. You get good at sleeping through the day, when you can.

What she does with time to herself: I love to read and garden. I just read Amy Poehler’s book Yes Please. And there was a great line in there that I want to write down and stick on the refrigerator: “No is the end of a discussion, not the beginning of a negotiation.”

on the morning routine: Typically it works best if we set a timer. Then we’re like, “You need to be downstairs in 10 minutes,” or eight minutes, depending on how groggy

they are. That seems to be what gets them out of bed.

What she wishes she had time for: Patience. I’m patient with most other things in my life, but with the kids, I’m not patient enough, and that definitely hurts my heart a little bit. And the other thing would be exercise. But there are only so many hours in the day.

The most rewarding part of her job: Watching women realize what they’re capable of, physically and mentally — because labor is both. And pregnancy is both. And hearing them, when it’s over, proud of themselves. They’re not saying, “I couldn’t have done it without you.” They’re saying, “I can’t believe that I did it.”

And watching people make changes in their life about unhealthy choices, whether it be nutrition or exercise or relationships. Watching them take control. Because there are some things we have control over. Sometimes. K

mom: Kipp bovey, nurse midwife at Copley Hospital dad: mark Isselhardt, researcher at the university of Vermont’s Proctor maple Research Center

Kids: anna, 10, Charlie, 6

Life Aquatic

August in Vermont is all about getting outside. That’s why we have just one book to recommend this month: Vermont Waterfalls. The new guidebook, by Russell Dunn, will help families explore the state’s many cascades during the dog days of summer.

Dunn, who lives in Albany, N.Y., has written half a dozen other waterfall guidebooks, plus hiking and kayaking guides, many of which focus on his home state. He has a soft spot for Vermont, though. “I must confess, both my wife and I have a love for Vermont and its pastoral setting,” he says. “It can’t be beat.”

Dunn has visited all 184 waterfalls described in his new book. We asked him to recommend some lesserknown ones that are fun, safe and easily accessible for families.

Book-Inspired Contest Winners

Congratulations to these talented young flower-garden designers who submitted illustrations of their dream gardens, with captions. We love your creativity! Each wins a $25 gift certificate to Crow Bookshop in Burlington.

SUTHERLAND FALLS, PROCTOR

This 125-foot-high waterfall on Otter Creek is approachable from both top and bottom. The 700-foot trail to the bottom, which Dunn deems the safest, passes several cascades and a dam. At the base of the falls, you can stand in a pool of water for an up-close view.

CHAFFEE FALLS, PITTSFORD

A half-mile walk past big rocks leads to the bottom of this Furnace Brook waterfall, which Dunn describes as a series of five elongated cascades totaling 30 feet in height. Feeling energetic? There’s also a more extensive, 1.7-mile hike.

DOG’S HEAD FALLS, JOHNSON

This roughly seven-foot-high waterfall on the Lamoille River will appeal to kids because of the rock formation close by that looks just like the head of a canine. “It doesn’t require a lot of imagination to see it,” says Dunn. The falls are just a hundred feet from the parking area, making it a great choice for tiny travelers.

BROWNS RIVER FALLS, JERICHO

These falls, located in Old Mill Park, aren’t particularly big, says Dunn, but they’re pretty and great for a photo op. An easy hike running parallel to the Browns River leads you through wetlands and past several tiny cascades to an impressive gorge with small cascades and huge boulders. You’ll also find an 1855 gristmill nearby that houses a historical society museum and an exhibit about Vermonter “Snowflake” Bentley, the first person to photograph snow crystals.

JEUDEVINE FALLS, HARDWICK

This series of cascades on Tucker Brook is the only commercialized waterfall in the state. That means there’s a $5 entrance fee for adults (kids are free). But “the owner has done a tremendous job putting in trails and making it very safe,” says Dunn. The main cascade is 120 feet high and 75 feet wide and clearly visible from the road. The falls and walking paths are lit at night for evening excursions. The property is closed on Wednesdays and available to rent for weddings and other events.

Honorable Mentions:

Otis Taylor, 4 MONTPELIER

Liam Jurkiewicz, 9 WOODBURY

Firdaus Muhammad, 11 ESSEX JUNCTION

Tess Drury, 10 RICHMOND

“In the summer garden there are lemonade flowers, flip flop trees and beach ball bushes. And they all grow in sand.”

THE LEARNING CENTER AT HEALTHY LIVING

SHRIMP & VEGGIE SPRING ROLLS

FOR THE ROLLS:

1/2 cup cooked rice noodles

1/4 carrot; julienned

1/4 cucumber; julienned

4-5 sprigs cilantro

4-5 mint leaves

DIRECTIONS

2 le uce leafs, cut into thin strips

2 shrimp; poached and halved down the spine

2 rice paper

Soak the rice papers in warm water until so ; about 30 seconds. Remove from water, add veggies and greens, then noodles, then a shrimp at either end, as if you were filling a burrito. Roll rice paper around noodles, vegetables, and shrimp, tuck in either side, and roll again to close. Serve immediately with peanut sauce.

FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE:

1/4 cup honey peanut bu er

1/4 hoisin sauce

In a small bowl, mix ingredients well until combined. Serve with spring rolls.

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN IN AUGUST: Cookie Cup Sundaes!

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Register online at healthylivingmarket.com

Crunchy Corn Salad

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, my family gathered for barbecues in my grandparents’ backyard almost every summer weekend. I’d help my grandmother shuck piles of corn while my grandfather grilled burgers, hot dogs and Speidies — upstate-New York-style meat on skewers. I vividly remember sitting at their picnic table, wrapped in a beach towel after a swim in the pool, eating as many ears of corn as I could.

The summer I turned 10, I got braces. I was kind of happy about it — they were highly fashionable in the fifth grade at Charles F. Johnson Elementary School in 1985 — until I realized that corn on the cob was o limits for metal mouths. I sat glumly at my first barbecue with braces on, depressed by the prospect of an entire summer with no corn on the cob.

My grandmother picked up on my dismay and sprang into action. She took me, and a few ears of uncooked corn, into the kitchen, where she used a sharp knife to slice the juicy kernels right o the cob and into a bowl. Then, she drizzled a few spoonfuls of melted butter, and a sprinkle of salt, over the top and handed me the bowl.

“Try this,” she said.

It was absolutely delicious — crunchier and sweeter than cooked corn and, best of all, consumable with a fork. Brilliant!

The recipe below also uses uncooked corn, sliced o the cob, along with other raw summer veggies, held together with a creamy dressing you can whip up in a few minutes. It’s perfect to bring to a barbecue or summer dinner party. The braces-wearing guests will thank you.

CRUNCHY RAW CORN SALAD

serves 6 as a side dish (adapted from Food52)

INGREDIENTS:

3 scallions, thinly sliced

3 ears of fresh, uncooked corn kernels

(Use a sharp knife to scrape them from the cob into a bowl, about 3 cups total.)

2 medium cucumbers, unpeeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice

1 large red pepper, seeded and diced

1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh dill

¼ cup minced fresh parsley

1 ½ cups crumbled feta cheese (for garnish)

FOR THE DRESSING:

⅓ cup buttermilk

½ cup plain yogurt (not Greek; it’s too thick!)

1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

3 tablespoons minced white or yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, minced well

¼ cup olive oil

salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Add all the chopped veggies to a large bowl and toss well.

In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, vinegar, onion, yogurt and garlic. Add the oil slowly while continuing to whisk until it’s incorporated. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

This salad is best when it’s slightly chilled, so leave it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it. Serve the feta and dressing on the side so folks can use as much or as little as they like. to eat it. Serve the feta and dressing on the side so folks can use as much or as little

How should parents prepare their kids for school transitions?

summer is TradiTionally a time when kids relax and unwind. But as the season draws to a close, many children experience anxiety about making the big switch from daycare or preschool to kindergarten, or elementary school to middle school. Those fears are normal, and there’s a lot parents can do to allay them. This month, Dr. Mary Ann DonnellyDeBay, a clinical psychologist for the Winooski School District, offers advice for easing the stress of school transitions.

Kids VT: What are some of the challenges kids face when entering kindergarten?

MARY ANN DONNELLY-DEBAY:

A lot of kids feel scared that first week of school, and, for many, their worries are much different from their parents’: Where am I going to eat? Who will I know there? For some kids, just going to the bathroom in a new school is a big deal. Where is it? Is the toilet flush loud and terrible? In one school I worked in, we had to change the flush because it was so loud!

KVT: What skills do teachers expect from incoming kindergartners?

MADD: Schools want to know if a child can sit and listen to a story for 10 minutes. Can he or she summarize a story’s main idea and support it with details? Does he or she have a good number sense? Can the student get from point A to point B without major problems? But ultimately, kids’ social skills at this age are more important than their academic abilities.

KVT: Why?

MADD: Social skills are the biggest predictor of future academic success. Children who have difficulty in social interactions and get rejected by their peers in kindergarten tend

to perform worse in school, and have more absences and negative attitudes toward school that last throughout their school years. Some parents are needlessly freaked out if their kid can’t write the alphabet by the time they enter kindergarten. Kids don’t have to arrive in kindergarten knowing how to read, but having been in daycare or regular playgroups is really helpful.

KVT: What do you recommend for kids in home-based care who haven’t spent much time in classrooms or group settings?

MADD: Even if kids are at home with few or no peers, it’s important for them to have those social experiences. So if parents take them to social settings, such as library story times and play dates, especially with someone who will be in their class, the child goes in not feeling quite as isolated.

KVT: How else can parents ease the transition?

MADD: Parents should visit the school in advance and meet the teacher, even if they can’t make it to an officially scheduled orientation. That can help the teachers learn about the child’s strengths and weaknesses. Figure out what time the bus pickup is, or when you’ll leave home on school mornings, and change your child’s routine a few weeks beforehand so the first week isn’t so traumatic. Discuss little things so kids know in advance what to expect, such as what their lunch period is going to be like or that they may have to open containers for themselves.

KVT: What are your thoughts about holding a child back if he or she isn’t ready for kindergarten?

MADD: Some kids get retained for another year of preschool. But holding a child back is really not an intervention. The skills that a child will need in kindergarten don’t magically develop. There are exceptions, of course, but scientific research suggests that it’s not an effective solution. Today, most schools have social skills groups, school therapists or highly qualified teachers who incorporate different programs to address kids’ social needs.

KVT: What challenges do elementary school kids face when transitioning to middle school?

MADD: Mostly, it’s the change in peer composition and reduced adult supervision. When kids are making more moves from one classroom to another throughout the school day, that can be a lot to handle socially. For some kids, they go from being the king of the hill to the bottom of the barrel, so that can be tough. If a kid is on the younger side of the class, that can be even harder socially. If you have a child who’s potentially a victim of bullying, down times when there are fewer adults monitoring what’s going on can be difficult.

KVT: What can parents do to prepare kids for that transition?

MADD: The tips are almost the same for middle schoolers as they are for kindergartners: Encourage social opportunities or summer camps, play with your child indoors and out, and explore new activities. Limit kids’ screen time and establish consistent routines for meals and bedtime. Show your kids you are proud of them and express a positive attitude about school. Try to normalize their fears. Talking to your child — and really listening — are key. Finally, be sure to make time to sit down together as a family. Families that stay engaged with these transitions will experience more school success. K

For some kids, just going to the bathroom in a new school is a big deal.

Hovercrafts

THE FiVE sTudEnTs in Bob Gurwicz’s new, weeklong Hovercraft Camp were eager to get some air time.

“Wag your tails when you’re ready!” he instructed them.

At his command, the 9- to 13-yearold pilots excitedly pushed the radio controls to their hovercrafts, swiveling the rudders (aka the “tails”) of the DIY contraptions they’d just spent a week building at a session organized by Shelburne Parks & Recreation.

One by one, the kids engaged their controllers’ throttles to rev up the motors, lifting their hovercrafts slightly off the floor on a cushion of air.

“Go!” yelled Gurwicz, a fourth and fifth grade teacher at Shelburne Community School and smallelectronics hobbyist.

Instantly, the Shelburne Town Gym filled with a buzz that sounded like thousands of bees being sucked into a giant vacuum. The hovercrafts, which resembled miniature pink tombstones covered in wires and electronics components, glided just above the floor like pucks above an air hockey table. The students maneuvered them around a racetrack marked by cones.

Over the next 20 minutes, hovercrafts zipped around the gym, banged into walls and other vehicles, got caught in corners or just slowed down as their batteries died. The scene was utter chaos, but Gurwicz, the students and the parents in attendance were beaming.

“It’s so fun driving these things!” yelled Niko Kapsalis, 9, over the ruckus.

Five days earlier, on the first day of camp, none of the students had known much about hovercrafts, let alone the finer points of electronic assembly, but Gurwicz quickly sparked their interest.

As they sat in a classroom filled with glue, spray paint, toolboxes and bags of parts, the instructor asked the group to name the essential components of a hovercraft.

It has to have a propeller to move forward, said Skyler Heininger, 13.

It needs to be light enough to float on air but strong enough to support

electronics, and have a fin to turn “like a fish,” added Nina Peck, 11.

It has to have something soft to land on, a motor and batteries, Max Foerg, 9, told the group.

As Gurwicz explained the mechanics of the hovercraft — threading in a discussion of Isaac Newton and his laws of motion — he displayed the materials they’d use to make their own: a motor, electric fan, 40-amp speed controller, radio-controlled transmitter system and rechargeable batteries, plus simple materials including foam-board insulation for the body and garbage bags for the air-filled “skirt” on which their hovercrafts would glide.

For the remainder of the first day, kids worked with Gurwicz to create the bodies of their hovercrafts. He helped them cut thick slabs of foam into aerodynamic shapes and then

carve out an oval in the interior so that, when covered with a thinner piece of foam and the fan, it would trap air in the skirt, giving the hovercraft lift.

On the last day of camp, just before testing their creations in the gym, students displayed the projects for their parents.

“It works well,” said Nina as she stood beside her hovercraft, which she decorated with a drawing of a blue-and-purple koi fish. She pointed to the electronic components taped along the top. “It was fun to solder these,” she added.

Nearby, Max showed his father, Florian, how the rudder helped steer his hovercraft, which he dubbed “Bullet.” Before Hovercraft Camp, Max was interested in Legos. “Now we have that plus electronics,” said Florian.

Florian enrolled Max in the class for “something fun, something different,” he said, adding that Gurwicz has not only helped Max build a cool new toy — he’s also helped him learn something about science.

“Bob does a great job explaining the physics of things like thrust,” said Florian.

As he watched Max race his hovercraft around the circle of cones a short time later, Florian smiled at the crazy scene along with everyone else. When Max’s hovercraft ran into a wall and stopped working, his son rushed over to fix it with a quick adjustment to the battery cable.

“You’ve learned a valuable skill if you ever have to repair something electronic,” Gurwicz told his campers. “But first, ask your parents.” K

For more information about camps and classes through shelburne Parks & Recreation, visit shelburnevt. org or call 985-5110.

Students in Bob Gurwicz’s weeklong camp display their hovercrafts

instantly, the shelburne Town Gym filled with a buzz that sounded like thousands of bees being sucked into a giant vacuum.

Free to Be

Summer, for many families, means carefree time spent together, often outdoors. But New Hampshire dad Rob Sylvan says that typical seasonal activities haven’t always been easy for his clan. That’s because his 13-year-old son, Quinn, has an autism spectrum disorder.

Children with autism have a camp of their own

When Quinn was younger, “something as simple as going to the beach was a real challenge,” Sylvan says, because his son wanted to touch every towel on the sand. Other beachgoers, who couldn’t see Quinn’s developmental disability, would glare at both him and his parents. “It looks like you have a kid who’s not behaving,” Sylvan explains.

by mo LL y WAL s H

This past June, though, Quinn and his dad enjoyed some carefree summer fun at Camp Kaleidoscope. The annual four-day family camp at the Common Ground Center in Starksboro, is designed specifically for kids with autism and their families.

There, campers can relax and swim, do archery, play tennis, run through meadows and zoom down a Slip’N Slide in a safe, supportive, judgment-free environment.

After coming to Kaleidoscope five years in a row, tall, dark-haired Quinn is familiar with the other families, and he’s gained independence. Today, he is calmer and less impulsive, his dad says. Quinn likes to socialize, but in his own way — he might respond to questions with just one or two words. And he still makes sense of the world through touch. His dad says, “If he sees a snake, he wants to touch it and pick it up.”

At Camp Kaleidoscope, no one asks why.

The camp, which sits on 700 acres in the foothills of the Green Mountains, is open to children with autism, their siblings and parents. At the end of June, 31 kids and their families took part.

The nonprofit Common Ground Center where the camp is held hosts an eclectic range of gatherings: weddings, yoga retreats, Camp Outright for LGBT teens and allies, camps for divorced parents in conflict, and family camps for parents and kids. Camp Kaleidoscope uses the same facilities, with a few modifications.

Autism spectrum disorders “can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Managing those challenges are paid staff who work with autistic children during the school year. College students studying speech language pathology also help out for credit or experience, offering one-on-one supervision to campers who need it.

On a humid summer morning during this year’s session, a converted horse barn was set up with various play options: arts and crafts, Legos, a gooey Oobleck station and, just outside the door, a playground and sandboxes. Temporary fencing encircled the barn so that staffers would have time to reach any child who might try to run off.

“Bolting’s an issue,” explained Margaret Novotny, a

speech language pathologist who helps run Camp Kaleidoscope and has worked with autistic children for many years. She said safety measures such as the fencing allow children to roam from activity to activity. “You try and stop something before it happens,” she said. “So they can have a lot of play and creativity without us having to say no.”

In the morning, kids go off to supervised activities while their parents linger over coffee or hike mountain trails. After lunch, families spend time together trying out different sports, games and crafts with the help of staff.

That morning, kids played on the swings, painted with shaving cream and mused about what they would perform at the talent show that night. The relaxed performance brings some parents to tears every year — their children with autism don’t typically participate in school concerts and plays.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are on the rise in the U.S. CDC data from 2010 show that one in 68 U.S. children are on the spectrum. That number has increased steadily since 2002, when one in 150 children met the criteria. Part of the increase might be due to an uptick in diagnoses and a broader definition of what constitutes ASD. Increased prevalence is also a possible factor, according to the CDC.

Some children experience mild impairment, others severe. The impact on family life can be profound. Families often have to scout outing destinations in advance, even if they’re only going to the grocery store.

“Some of these families haven’t been able to take a vacation for 10 years,” said Camp Kaleidoscope founder Jim Mendell. He established the Common Ground Center with his wife, Peg Kamens, and purchased the property, a former horse farm, in 1998. Before that, it operated as the Tatro family dairy farm for more than a hundred years. It encompasses forest, fields and dramatic rock outcroppings. Tatro Road climbs past a swimming pond to the Hogback Mountains.

Mendell grew up attending Camp Killooleet in Hancock and always enjoyed the last week, when parents were invited to stay over for a few nights with the kids. He created the Common Ground Center to host family camps and gradually expanded to offer other programming.

He added Camp Kaleidoscope to the list nine years ago, after several parents with autistic children had expressed interest in family camp. It became clear that the typical camp format wouldn’t work for them, so Mendell reached out to organizations that specialize in services for children with autism, and veterans in the field like Margaret Novotny. They helped create Camp Kaleidoscope, a place where children are safe and free to explore, and where staff and interns understand the particular challenges that autism presents.

Changes in routine, for example, can be unsettling to autistic children, even at an accommodating place like Camp Kaleidoscope. One of this year’s families left the camp a day early, exhausted and harried after a sleepless night with their child, who had trouble adjusting to the mostly vegetarian menu at camp. The family’s exit elicited friendly good-byes and nods of understanding from other parents whose children were able to handle the new experience, at least this time.

One of the best aspects of the camp is being around other parents who have walked in the same shoes, said Nina Nsilo-Swai as she visited with a reporter one morning during the June camp session. “It’s good to be with people that get it,” she said.

On this morning, the sounds of birdsong and water running through Lewis Creek mingled with the voices of children, and parents chatting and exchanging ideas.

Kibo’s parents talked about their sports-loving son with another parent, who had set up swimming lessons back home specially tailored for his autistic child. This opportunity to share resources is one of the things parents said they like about the camp.

Once school lets out, it’s not easy to find engaging activities for children with autism, parents said. This void can be challenging for energetic kids such as Kibo, as well as their parents.

“From the time that he’s up, you’re on,” said Nsilo-Swai.

The great thing about Camp Kaleidoscope is “having the down

She and her husband, Mark LaRocca, have come to Camp Kaleidoscope from their New Jersey home for the past three summers with their son Kibo, who has autism, and his younger brother, who does not. She runs a business from home and LaRocca works at an advertising agency in New York.

At camp they slept in a cabin with no electricity, unplugged from computers and phones, and went to bed with the setting sun. In the roughhewn, solar-powered dining hall, they ate fresh soups, casseroles, tangy salad greens and other vegetables grown at local operations including Footprint Farm right up the road.

time, being in a community where you feel comfortable and free and nothing that your child does would raise an eyebrow,” she said.

Kids with autism and their siblings who do not have autism do activities together. They all make friends, sometimes without knowing who is on the spectrum and who isn’t. Nsilo-Swai has found Camp Kaleidoscope to be a good experience for both her sons.

Siblings of children with autism learn to be patient, she said. “They have a lot of empathy, I think.”

There are other camps for youngsters with autism and related special needs around the region, but the list is short. In almost a decade of operation,

it’s good to be with people that get it.

NiNa Nsilo-swai, moTher of a child wiTh auTism

Camp Kaleidoscope has developed a solid following and strong bond with families, mostly through word of mouth among parents and recommendations from advocacy groups around the Northeast. Grants help fund scholarships; cost per family ranges from $250 to $500 on an income-based sliding scale.

This year, to accommodate kids too old for the regular program for ages 3 to 11, the camp offered a pilot program for teens during the same week as the regular Camp Kaleidoscope.

Four teenagers, including Quinn Sylvan, took part. They slept in their own bunkhouse — which for some was their first overnight away from their parents, who tented or stayed in cabins on the property.

Quinn made pizza with the other campers and had no trouble falling asleep — to his dad’s relief. Sylvan said it was exciting to see his son growing up toward what he hopes will be a happy adulthood.

The teen program went so well this year that it might expand next summer.

“As the kids get older, they need to become more independent from their parents if they are going to go out on their own at all,” Mendell said. “So this is a really great step forward for them to do that.” K

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more AbouT AuTism

• Vermont has at least 789 people under the age of 21 who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, according to the latest numbers from the state department of Health.

• The causes of autism are not fully understood. A combination of genetic, biological and environmental factors is likely at play, according to the cdc, which is a clearinghouse for the many studies conducted on the disorder. These have not fully answered emerging questions such as why boys are five times more likely than girls to have Asd and why children of older parents are more likely to be on the spectrum.

• Find local autism resources on the Vermont department of Health’s website healthvermont.gov/family/autism. aspx.

Day-cations

School’s out, and “Day-cations” are in. Every summer, Kids VT seeks out familyfriendly destinations where you and your kids can experience the natural beauty and unique culture of our region. They’re all places you can visit in a day.

Each of our three summer issues features two recommended trips, complete with tips on nearby dining and attractions. This month, Sean Markey and his family explored Montréal by bike, and Jessica Lara Ticktin took her girlpower posse up Elmore Mountain, followed by a dip in Lake Elmore.

Looking for more daytrip ideas? Read the rest of our award-winning “Day-cation” series at kidsvt.com.

Wheel Good Time

BY SEAN MARKEY

Lachine Canal National Historic Site, Montréal, Canada, pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/canallachine/activ/ piste-path.aspx

My wife, Judith, 8-year-old son, Liam, and I parked our bicycles and collapsed on a broad patch of grass overlooking Montréal’s Lachine Canal. It was a bright Sunday afternoon and the locals were hard at play.

We watched a tattooed, Frenchspeaking foursome play a game of pétanque — similar to bocce — urging each other on with shouts and howls.

On the bike path beside them, a crosssection of Montréal wheeled past: families, couples, slowpokes, artsy types, Lycra-clad racers, out-of-shape mountain bikers and Rollerbladers. Walkers pu ed past on two legs; dogs padded by on four.

My family had driven from our tiny Vermont hamlet of Peacham (pop. 732) to the world’s second largest French-speaking city, armed with

bicycle helmets and a plan for a day jam-packed with urban delights.

Our goal was to explore the city of 1.7 million the way many residents do: on two wheels. Montréal o ers miles of dedicated bike paths and bike lanes. We planned to take the mostly flat, mostly tra c-free Lachine Canal path because of its proximity to food, water, pit stops and city fun.

Our day began when we parked our car at Sir George-Étienne Cartier Square, a modest threeblock oasis of flowers, fountains and trees near Atwater Market. Liam had brought his new bike; Judith and I rented two of the city’s 5,000 BIXI bikes — the name is a hybrid of the words “bike” and “taxi” — which we found nearby, at one of the city’s 460 self-serve kiosks. A swipe of our credit card bought us access to two of the chunky and indestructible three-speeds (see sidebar for rates).

In short order, our peloton was saddled up and pedaling two blocks to the canal. To our right, the bike

path wended southwest for five-plus miles to Musée de Lachine, an art and history museum.

We turned left, following the wellmarked, paved pathway toward the Vieux Port in downtown Montréal. The trail twisted over bridges and under roads, detoured around construction and passed new condos and gra ti-clad warehouses. Liam, riding ahead of us, cranked his bike as fast as it would go. As we pedaled, we shouted the same three phrases — Judith: “This is great!” Me: “Hey Liam, wait up!” Liam: “Dad, can we go now?”

The balmy weekend weather meant the path was heaving with bike and pedestrian tra c, yet no one we saw crashed or clipped a handlebar. I couldn’t help note the irony: We were probably safer cycling here than we were at home, where there are no sidewalks or shoulders and most of the roads pitch straight up or down. Best of all, we were having a blast navigating the city.

After about three miles, we

Liam Markey with dad Sean

FILE: PAT LEWIS

Our goal was to explore the city of 1.7 million the way many residents do: on two wheels.

reached the Vieux Port and locked our bikes outside the Montréal Science Centre. It was Museums Day, an annual event during which the city’s 30-plus museums open their doors for free.

We ducked inside the science museum. The hands-on experiments and tables of DIY projects and gizmos looked excellent. But the lines were staggering.

Liam begged to queue up. Judith and I recited the catechism of parents trying to deflect disappointment. “Um, how about we come back another day when it’s not so crowded? Like, on a Monday? That way we can really enjoy it and spend the whole day here.”

We managed to exit before morale sank any further. We were hungry, so we used our smartphones — equipped with a pre-purchased international data plan — to track down one of the city’s celebrated food trucks: a Polish seller of gourmet pierogies and sausage sandwiches. The food was good. But the hike there, through the crowded

summit & swim

BY Jessica Lara Tic KT in Elmore state Park, 856 Vt. route 12, lake Elmore, 888-2982, vtstateparks.com/htm/elmore.htm

When a close friend of mine from Montréal decided to bring her two tween girls to visit us in Vermont one lovely July weekend, I knew exactly where to take them.

Elmore State Park is one of my family’s favorite places in any season, but it’s especially fun in summer because of Lake Elmore beach. When I mentioned it to my girls — ages 11, 9, and 5 (the 5-month-old baby didn’t weigh in on this one) — 9-year-old Lola excitedly suggested, “How about after we hike, we order pizza from the Elmore general store and then eat it at the beach after our swim?!”

What a fine idea!

We agreed on a plan: Begin hiking up Elmore Mountain at 2 p.m., hike down just in time to catch the golden afternoon sun on the beach, swim, then fill our hungry bellies with gourmet pizza.

Elmore Mountain, one of the peaks in the Worcester range, rises gracefully from the western edge of the lake. My kids love hiking there because there’s so much to see: babbling brooks and streams, thick forests and rocky ledges, and one of Vermont’s few remaining fire towers. They couldn’t wait to show their friends.

At the state park’s entrance, we paid

for a day pass. At this late hour, the parking lot was quite full, but we found a spot. We pulled on backpacks full of water, apples and cookies; I strapped baby Mabel to my back. Then our pack of females — two women and six girls, ranging in age from 5 months to almost 13 years — set off.

Recent heavy rain made the trail muddier than I remembered it. I picked my way carefully around the puddles and muck, while my 5-year old, Kaya, plunged into the mud with unabashed glee. While the older girls raced ahead, my friend and I enjoyed the birdsong, the sound of trickling water and the dappled sunlight peeking through the shade canopy.

After about an hour, we reached the lookout, a rocky ledge overlooking the lake. I learned later that a fire watcher

manned the Elmore Mountain tower from 1938 to 1974. An earlier tower was destroyed in the hurricane of 1938. The fire watcher lived in a small cabin on the ledge — its ruins are still visible — and would make the steep, quarter-mile climb to the tower each summer day to look for forest fires.

We sat down at the lookout to eat our apples and cookies. The view from the top, of the valley and the rolling green hills beyond, was fantastic. The lake, fully visible below us, beckoned.

“I can’t wait to go swimming!” Dahlia shouted.

The girls were eager to make the final quarter-mile ascent to the top and climb the fire tower.

This part required hands and feet, and the rocks were somewhat slippery. With Mabel strapped to me, I took care not to slip and fall. Scampering up the boulders was my older two girls’ favorite part — they’re regular rock climbers at Petra Cliffs in Burlington.

I was the only one who didn’t climb the fire tower — I’m afraid of heights. I’ve done it once before just to show my daughters that it’s important to face your fears. This time, though, I nursed the baby while my friend and her daughters marveled at the tower’s height and open stairs. Then they all went up.

To tease me, my friend’s 12-yearold, Eva, leaned out the top window and pretended to fall. I managed a small laugh, but my heart raced.

Instead of returning the way we came up, a 1.2-mile hike, we took the 2.2-mile Ridge Trail down. It’s a

Lake Elmore beach

Elmore Mountain Fire Tower

IT’S ABOUT THAT TIME

Day-cations: Lachine Canal

ContinueD from p. 23

Know before you go:

Built nearly 30 years ago, montréal’s Lachine canal multiuse trail often ranks among the world’s best urban pathways. urrounded by green space, the trail and canal belong to a parks Canada national park. Check the website — pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/ qc/canallachine/activ/piste-path.aspx — to plan your trip and learn more about where to find free Wi-fi hot spots, open-air chess games and summer food trucks.

Don’t want to lug your bikes across the border? enter BiXi the montréal bike-rental service charges $7 (Canadian) for a 24-hour pass, which gives you access to the bikes. You pay additional surcharges based on how long you use each bike. rides longer than 90 minutes get pricey, so the service is best for short, point-to-point rides. Longer day trippers might rent bikes ma Bicyclette (mybicyclette.ca) in old ontréal, which also offers kids’ bikes and tag-along trailers. if you choose to bring your own bike, don’t forget a good lock. montreal.bixi.com

Hit up montréal Blog — mtlblog.com — for insider city tips. Amid posts on the best

places to get day drunk, or where to speed date, this hipster site dishes familyfriendly insights on montréal’s best public swimming pools, food trucks and festivals. oh, and the upcoming 1,000-foot slip’n slide on August 15.

Don’t forget your passport! Children ages 15 and under can cross the border with a certified birth certificate.

Where to eat:

montreal food trucks are back for a second year the city has licensed 30 of them to serve sublime gourmet grub through the summer. Visit montreal.streetfoodquest. com to find the closest truck or, better yet, plot your course.

Atwater market, adjacent to the Lachine Canal, is a multi-vendor food mall and montréal institution. it’s a bit touristy, but the location is perfect, and there’s a playground. if you’re looking for something a little more off the beaten path, hop on the metro at the nearby Lionel-groulx station and take the orange line to Jean-Talon market in Little italy.

path and headed past Atwater Market back to Sir GeorgeÉtienne Cartier Square, where we returned our rented bikes to the kiosks in the park.

tourist core of Old Montréal, was a killer.

That’s when I realized we’d tried to squeeze too much into one day, especially with an 8-year-old on a hot day after a long drive. So we decided to slow down and ditched the rest of our urban superhero itinerary. No public pool. No metro ride. No Jean-Talon Market. Our goal shifted to simply enjoying the day.

After our snack, we reclaimed our bikes and retraced our route. We stopped for ice cream and lingered a while, watching pétanque players, kayakers and dog walkers along the canal. Then we hopped back on the

Liam played with maple-seed helicopters and “adopted” an ant, which he named Travaux. Judith and I took in the neighborhood of three-story stone townhouses, with wrought-iron staircases and pocket-size balconies dressed like tiny theater sets. At dinnertime, we walked two blocks to F+F Pizza, an amiable spot with a façade open to rue Notre Dame. We ordered salads and a pie. I sipped a St-Ambroise beer, which is brewed just down the street next to the canal and bike path. (There’s even a canal-side beer garden with bike racks. Did I mention what a civilized country Canada is?) Our Francophone waitress delivered our greens in large bowls of baked pizza dough. Liam set a record for the most spinach eaten in one sitting and fed leftovers to Travaux, now marooned on a bamboo skewer.

From our table, we watched the neighborhood pass by. A woman in a teal dress carried the day’s groceries in white plastic bags. Some goth-looking teenagers strutted down the opposite sidewalk. A Sikh in a burgundy turban stepped from his storefront.

We talked, enjoyed our dinner out and then drove home, smuggling Travaux and two slices of pizza across the border. K

Judith markey wth son, Liam, at F+F Pizza

Day-cations: Elmore state Park

beautiful, wilder trail along the ridge of the mountain, dipping down little by little into ferns, mosses and mushrooms amid a dense forest. The girls enjoyed passing by Balancing Rock, a giant boulder perched precipitously on the edge of the mountain. Mabel fussed and whimpered for a bit until she fell asleep on my back.

Three hours had passed by the time we reached the car. (If we had taken the fire tower trail down, it would have taken less than two hours.)

The beach, which is a short walk from the parking lot, has changing rooms, but our girls wore their bathing suits under their clothes. They stripped off their shorts and T-shirts and raced into Lake Elmore. A shallow sandbar allows even the youngest or most timid swimmers access to the lake; the wide beach is a blank slate for imaginative sand sculptures.

The girls dunked and splashed around, cooling themselves and washing off their muddy feet, the fire

Know Before You Go:

Daily entrance fees to Elmore state Park are $4 per adult, $2 per child ages 4-13, free for children under 4. Pets aren’t permitted on the beach but are allowed on trails and in other parts of the park. camp sites are available.

the family-friendly beach has a pavilion with restrooms, a concession stand and boat rentals.

Where to Eat:

Fire Tower Pizza, located at the Elmore store (1208 route 12, Lake Elmore) serves stone-cooked, thin-crust pizza made with Elmore mountain Bread dough. other prepared foods and creemees are also available. it’s open thursdays through sundays, 4-8 p.m. info, 888-2296.

tower now 2,600 feet above them. My friend and I sat on the beach with the baby, tired and happy, watching our crew frolic in the sun.

I called the Elmore Store on my cellphone and ordered two large pizzas, one with cheese and one Jupiter Farm Special, which features whatever local produce the nearby farm has on hand. That day, it was fresh tomato sauce, garlic, basil, mozzarella cheese and purple potatoes — yum!

The store, which is about a quarter mile from the beach, had just opened a brand new deck facing the lake. We decided to eat there, surrounded by several other families. The pizza was delicious; even baby Mabel enjoyed gumming a piece of crust.

The girls were all smiles. And then came the question of the summer: “Can we have creemees now?”

They were in luck; the store serves the classic Vermont dessert, and I couldn’t think of a better way to end our adventure. K

try the Bees Knees (82 Lower main street, morrisville) for home-cooked meals emphasizing locally grown and organic ingredients. the place has a casual coffeehouse atmosphere and serves local beer and organic wine. info, 888-7889.

the recently opened Rogue Artisans café (74 Portland street, morrisville) offers breakfast, baked goods, paninis, italianstyle sodas and iced lattes seven days a week in an art gallery setting.

Also Nearby:

if you’re in the mood for another short, scenic hike in the area, head to moss Glen Falls (moss glen falls road, stowe). there’s a place to swim above the falls.

2015/2016 Season

The all-female crew at the Lake Elmore overlook.

AUG CALENDAR

Highlights

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, AUGUST 1-2

FESTIVAL OF FOOLS

Mighty Muscles

In 2002, a couple of acrobats from Binghamton, N.Y., formed an ensemble inspired by “galumphing” –Lewis Carroll’s word to describe the rambunctious energy of young animals and children. GALUMPHA! entertains through fast-paced action, combining creative choreography with comedy. This family-oriented show, which has traveled to more than 30 countries, pushes the limits of what seems physically possible. Audience members are likely to head home from

Why walk when you can galumph?

GALUMPHA!: August 6, 7 p.m., at Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center. Recommended for ages 7 and up. $20-43. Info, 7604634. sprucepeakarts.org

Wacky entertainers take over the Queen City with mindboggling circus arts, music and comedy, with four mainstage locations featuring continuous street theater. Downtown Burlington, 10 a.m. Donations accepted. Info, 865-7166.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8

DO YOU BELIEVE IN FAIRIES?

Young sprites take a story walk around the pond, then create their own diminutive houses to take home. Ages 3-10. Gardener’s Supply, Williston, 10-11 a.m. & 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 658-2433.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 21

SIZZLING SUMMER ICE SKATE PARTY

The coolest celebration in town is followed by a bonfire and s’mores at 9 p.m. Central Vermont Memorial Civic Center, Montpelier, 7-10 p.m. $5 per skater; $5 skate rental. Info, 225-8699.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30

ZOE’S RACE

Community members partake in a 1K fun run/walk or 5K run to raise money for children and families who receive support from the HowardCenter. Music and festivities follow. All ages. Oakledge Park, Burlington, 9:30 a.m. $10-40. Info, 488-6911.

SPOTLIGHTS & LISTINGS BY BRETT STANCIU

COURTESY OF GALUMPHA!

1 SATURDAY

Arts & crafts

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.

Baby & maternity

chace mill Postnatal core class: New moms tone and shape their postpartum bodies. Babies welcome. Prenatal Method Studio, Burlington, 9-10 a.m. $15. Info, 829-0211.

chace mill 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, 10:30-11:30 a.m. $15. Info, 829-0211.

Education

summer Naturalist Program: Hands-on exploration of the natural world — from bugs to trees — piques the curiosity of kids of all ages, followed by a craft or game. (See spotlight on page 41.) Mill Trail Property, Stowe, 10:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. Free. Info, 253-7221.

Fairs & Festivals

Festival of Fools: Wacky entertainers take over the Queen City with mind-boggling circus arts, music and comedy, with four main-stage locations featuring continuous street theater. Downtown Burlington, 10 a.m. Donations accepted. Info, 865-7166.

Food

Burlington Farmers market: Producers and artisans offer fresh and prepared foods, crafts and more in a bustling marketplace. All ages. Burlington City Hall Park, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 310-5172.

capital city Farmers market: Veggies, honey, maple syrup and more change hands at a celebration of locally grown food. All ages. Downtown Montpelier, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 223-2958.

champlain islands Farmers market: Farms, specialty food businesses and artisans sell their high-quality wares. St. Joseph Church, Grand Isle, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 617-652-2304.

middlebury Farmers market: Crafts, cheeses, breads, veggies and more vie for spots in shoppers’ totes. Marble Works District, Middlebury, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 537-4754.

Rutland Farmers market: Local vendors sell farm-fresh veggies and fruits, artisan cheese, handcrafted breads, and more at this outdoor emporium. Downtown Rutland, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 342-4727.

shelburne Farmers market: Musical entertainment adds cheer to this exchange of fruits, veggies, herbs, honey, maple syrup and more. All ages. Shelburne Village Green, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 482-4279.

Library & Books

Breakfast with a Hero: Each week, a different community helper shares stories and answers questions. Breakfast treats provided. All ages. Waterbury Public Library, 9 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

movies

Ben & Jerry’s summer outdoor movie Festival: Cinema lovers bring blankets and chairs to watch a flick under the stars. Showtime begins at dusk. Ben & Jerry’s Factory, Waterbury. Free. Info, 846-1500.

Nature & science

Bird Banding demonstration: Avian admirers catch, measure and band a variety of songbirds, studying their survival success. Come anytime. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 6:30-11 a.m. Free; donations accepted. Info, 229-6206.

incredible insect Festival: Nature fans of all ages explore the importance of these amazing creatures through hands-on activities, music, story and crafts. Vermont Institute of Natural Science Nature Center, Quechee, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Included with regular admission, $11.50-13.50; children 3 and under free. Info, 359-5000. my sky: Astronomy enthusiasts learn about celestial objects in this 20-minute program geared toward kids ages 4-8. Arrive 15 minutes in advance of presentation. Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, St. Johnsbury, 12:30 p.m. $3 per person; call to reserve tickets. Info, 748-2372.

Raptors in Residence: The mysteries surrounding birds of prey are revealed as visitors come face-to-face with live owls and hawks. All ages. Shelburne Farms, 1-1:30 p.m. $5-8; free for children under 3. Info, 578-8013.

Theater

‘Fiddler on the Roof’: Young actors mesmerize the audience in this beloved historic show. Vermont Children’s Theater, Lyndonville, 2 & 7 p.m. $5-10. Info, 626-5358.

‘Romeo & Juliet’: Vermont Shakespeare Company stages a story of sword fights, forbidden love and poison — in the open air. Bring your own chair or blanket. Knight Point State Park, North Hero, 6 p.m. $15-25; free for children under 12 with a paying adult. Info, 877-874-1911.

‘stone’: A cast of many characters portrays the monumental history of this granite city. Vermont Granite Museum, Barre, 2-4 p.m. $10-25. Family admission $65. Info, 229-0492.

Tomáš Kubinek: certified Lunatic & master of the impossible: The eclectic performer puts on a vaudeville and comedy show for an evening of laughter. Recommended for ages 7 and up. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, 7 p.m. $20-43. Info, 760-4643.

‘You’re a Good man, charlie Brown’: The cast of the “Peanuts” comic strip delights spectators with a play about an average day in the life of Charlie. Greensboro Town Hall, 2-3:30 p.m. $10. Info, 533-7487.

2 SUNDAY

Baby & maternity

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

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: Mothers-to-be build strength, stamina, comfort and a stronger connection to their baby in this all-levels class.

Evolution Prenatal and Family Yoga Center,

Burlington, 10-11:30 a.m. $15 or $130 for 10-class pass. Info, 864-9642.

Fairs & Festivals

Festival of Fools: See August 1, noon. Lake champlain dragon Boat Festival: Aquatic athletes, community members and breast-cancer survivors paddle their way to victory on 41-foot boats. Onlookers enjoy lively entertainment, food and children’s activities on land. Proceeds benefit Survivorship NOW. All ages. Waterfront Park, Burlington, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Info, 999-5478.

Food

stowe Farmers market: Live music, food and craft vendors make for a bustling atmosphere. All ages. Stowe Farmers Market, Mountain Road, Stowe. 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 472-8027.

Winooski Farmers market: Local produce, farm goods, artisan crafts, kids activities and tunes come together on the banks of the Winooski River. Champlain Mill, Winooski, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, winooskimarket@gmail. com.

Health & Fitness

‘Book it for the Bookmobile’ 5K Fun Run & Walk: A flat 3.1-mile course supports the Franklin/Grand Isle Bookmobile’s literary services. There’s a quarter-mile kids’ race, too. Walkers are welcome. All ages. Lincoln Park, Enosburg Falls, 8-11 a.m. $5-15; preregister. Info, 868-5077.

Essex open Gym: Energy-filled kids flip, jump and tumble in a state-of-the-art facility. Ages 6 and under. Regal Gymnastics Academy, Essex, 1-2:30 p.m. $8. Info, 655-3300.

Library & Books

Hamel Family Puppet show & craft: Kids ages 3 and up enjoy animated entertainment, followed by an art project. Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 244-7036.

music

music in the meadow: The mountains and sunset provide a backdrop for an outdoor concert, with lots of space for picnicking. Gates open two hours before performance. Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, 7 p.m. $10-30. Info, 253-5720.

music on the Porch summer concert: Audiophiles listen to a wide selection of jazz, rock and blues. All ages. Green Mountain Coffee Visitor Center and Cafe, Waterbury, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 882-2700.

Nature & science

my sky: See August 1.

Theater

‘Alice in Wonderland’: Lewis Carroll fans travel down the rabbit hole in a classical ballet rendition, produced by Burklyn Youth Ballet. Dibden Center for the Arts, Johnson State College, 2:30-3:30 p.m. $8-10. Info, 635-0438.

Bread & Puppet Performance: The renowned theatrical company performs new works following a tour of the museum’s puppets, masks and paintings at 1 p.m. Bread and Puppet Museum, Glover, 2 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Info, 525-3031.

shakespeare in the Park: See August 1. ‘stone’: See August 1.

3 MONDAY

Baby & maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 5:457:15 p.m.

chace mill Prenatal Barre: Moms-to-be get a ballet-inspired workout. Prenatal Method Studio, Burlington, 5:30-6:30 p.m. $15. Info, 829-0211.

chace mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 5:306:30 p.m.

La Leche League: Moms and moms-to-be drop in for help with specific nursing questions and to connect with others. Babies and older children welcome. Vermont Department of Health, St. Johnsbury, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 274-1023. Pee Wee Pilates: New moms strengthen their cores with babies in tow. Prenatal Method Studio, Burlington, 10:30-11:30 a.m. $15. Info, 646-206-0514.

Fairs & Festivals

‘dig in Vermont’ open Farm Week: A weeklong celebration of local food origins offers various venues for hands-on farm activities, with music and tasty treats. Various locations statewide. Free; fee for some activities. Info, 434-2000.

Games

chess club: Game players have fun with the library’s sets. All ages but children 8 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 4-5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

Health & Fitness

Essex open Gym: See August 2, 11 a.m.-noon. shelburne open Gym: Tumbling tots burn energy on trampolines, balance beams, rings and more. Gymstar Gymnastics, Shelburne, 8:30 a.m. $3-6. Info, 985-8948.

Library & Books

Brownell Hero stories comics Workshop: Junior graphic novelists develop their own books with professional assistance. First session is for ages 7-10. Second session is for ages 11-14. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, noon-2 & 3-5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956. Preschool Tea Party: Tea and treats delight little ones. Ages 2-5. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, noon. Free; preregister. Info, 264-5660.

summer Reading Program: Garden Heroes: Cooking projects and plant care captivate dedicated bookworms. Milton Public Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644. Tea Party & Fairy Homes: Fancy revelers sip flavored teas and make tiny dwellings. Haston Library, Franklin, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 285-6505.

music

music for Preschoolers: Lively tunes with local musicians strike the right note among the wee crowd. Ages 5 and under with a caregiver. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11 a.m. Free; limited to one session per week per family. Info, 878-4918.

Chores of Yore

Young history buffs are transported to the 19th century during TimE TRAVEL TuEsdAYs at the Billings Farm & Museum, a working dairy farm featuring an authentically restored farmhouse and creamery and a menagerie of barnyard animals. during the weekly event, kids get hands-on experience with what farm life was like more than a century ago. Visitors experiment in a non-mechanized kitchen, complete laundry chores, churn butter, handcopy records into the farm office’s ledger books and relax with once-popular pastimes in the parlor. Who’s up for a game of tiddlywinks?

TimE TRAVEL TuEsdAYs: Tuesdays through August 18, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock. All ages. Free with regular museum admission, $14 for adults; $4-8 for children; free for children under 3. Info, 457-2355. billingsfarm.org

Theater

‘The sound of music’: The Very Merry Theatre teen tour takes over the stage with this timeless tale of the Von Trapp singers. Rainsite Holley Hall. Bristol Town Green, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 355-1461.

4 TUESDAY

Arts & crafts

Heroic crafting: Creative types make herothemed projects. Ages 4-12. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644. super craft Tuesday: Youngsters enjoy crafting of all kinds. Ages 4-12. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644.

Baby & maternity

Burlington Postnatal Yoga: See August 2, 10:45-11:55 a.m.

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 4:155:30 p.m.

chace mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 12:151:15 & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

community

milton’s National Night out: Community spirit soars as neighbors gather for food, tunes, children’s games, safety demos and more. Shine your porch light from 9-11 p.m. to show solidarity in crime prevention. All ages. Milton Municipal Complex, 5:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 893-1009.

Education

Time Travel Tuesdays: Kids of all ages learn what daily life was like in 1890 by helping prepare seasonal meals, churn butter and wash laundry the old-fashioned way. All ages. (See spotlight.) Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $4-14; free for children under 3. Info, 457-2355.

Fairs & Festivals

Addison county Fair & Field days: Vermont’s largest ag fair includes a barnyard for pint-size animal lovers, arm wrestling for kids and adults, exhibits, a parade, pulling competitions, rides, crafts, and 4-H shows. Admission includes parking, shows and exhibits. (See spotlight on page

submit your september events for print by August 15 at kidsvt.com or to calendar@kidsvt.com.

38.) Addison County Field Days Grounds, New Haven, 10 a.m. $5-12 daily admission; $15-40 for season pass; free admission for children under 6; $12-20 for a ride bracelet. Info, 545-2557.

‘dig in Vermont’ open Farm Week: See August 3.

Games

chess Night: Kids take on peers in games of strategic thinking. Beginners welcome! Ages 6-12. Milton Public Library, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644.

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.

Family Games: Kids and their caregivers compete at various pastimes. Grand Isle Free Library, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 372-4797.

Putt ’n Play: Families take to the mini-golf links, then check out the bouncy house and face painting. Ages 3-12. Stowe Golf Park, 4-7 p.m. $7 for children ages 6-12; $3 for children under 6. Info, 253-9951.

Health & Fitness

catamount Trail Running series: Athletes of all ages and abilities choose between 2.5 and 5 kilometer courses — with a 10K option on the second Tuesday of each month — during this fun evening race. Catamount Outdoor Family Center, Williston, 6 p.m. $3-8; free for children under 8. Info, 879-6001.

shelburne open Gym: See August 3, 8:30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Library & Books

Burnham Hero stories comics Workshop: Junior graphic novelists design their own work with assistance from a pro. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 12-2 p.m. Free; sign up online. Info, 264-5660.

Fairfax Read to a dog: Book lovers choose stories to share with a furry friend. Ages 5-10. Fairfax Community Library, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free; preregister for a 15-minute time slot. Info, 849-2420.

Fresh from the Garden: Small gardeners walk to the Summit Street garden to weed and water, then relish their harvest at the library. Grades 1 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9:30

Balance

Childhood

a.m.-noon. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

Messy Art Day!: Aspiring creators find pleasure digging into paint. Ages 5 and under. Winooski Memorial Library, 3-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 655-6424.

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

Police Officer Story Time: A local hero takes a turn at tale-telling. All ages. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918. Summer Story Time: Listeners of all ages delight in di erent stories each week. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Movies

Stories On The Screen: Favorite tales come to life on film. Call for movie title. South Burlington Community Library, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Music

Castleton Summer Concert Series: Listeners enjoy a live performance under open skies. Castleton State College, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 468-6052.

Gazebo Concert: Musicians make a merry outdoor evening. Rainsite Stowe Community Church. Helen Day Art Center, Stowe, 6:307:30 p.m. Free. Info, 253-8358.

Owl’s Head Music Night: Berry pickers groove to local bands while gathering nature’s little treasures. Owl’s Head Blueberry Farm, Richmond, 6-7:30 p.m. Two-quart minimum blueberry purchase for entry. Info, 434-3387.

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

Nature & Science

Raptors in Residence: See August 1.

Theater

‘The Sound of Music’: See August 3, Charlotte Public Library, 3 p.m. Free. Info, 355-1461.

5 WEDNESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Fun with Crafts: Creative weekly projects put active hands to work. Ages 4-10. Richmond Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 434-3036.

Milton Hero Stories Comic Book Workshop: Junior artists draw original, animated heroes in their own unique graphic books. Milton Public Library, 9 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644.

Teen Time: Bigger kids enjoy crafting galore through CD scratch art, tie-dye with sharpies and more. Ages 10-15. Winooski Memorial Library, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 655-6424.

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 5:45-7:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Postnatal Core Class: See August 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Barre: See August 3.

Montpelier Postnatal Yoga: Brand-new mamas and their littles relax, stretch and bond. For moms with babies age 1 and under. Emerge with Amy Lepage-Hansen, Montpelier, call for

directions. 10:30-11:30 a.m. $15. Info, 778-0300.

Community Community Evenings at the Farm: Families bring a picnic or buy some farm-fresh fare, then settle on blankets for live music. Shelburne Farms, gates open for picnicking at 5:30 p.m., music at 6:30 p.m. Free; burgers and salads available to purchase. Info, 985-8686.

Fairs & Festivals

Addison County Fair & Field Days: See August 4.

‘Dig In Vermont’ Open Farm Week: See August 3.

Food

Champlain Islands Farmers Market: See August 1, St. Rose of Lima Parish, South Hero, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 617-652-2304.

Colchester Farmers Market: Rain or shine, local farmers, artisans, food vendors and musicians gather on the green. All ages. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 4-7 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

The Lunchbox Summer Meal Program: Children ages 18 and under receive nutritious meals at no cost from this mobile learning kitchen. Barton Public Library, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 334-2044.

Middlebury Farmers Market: See August 1. Woodstock Market on the Green: Fresh vegetables, farm eggs, local meats and cheeses, cut flowers, and seasonal fruits and berries represent the best of the growing season. Woodstock Village Green, 3-6 p.m. Free. Info, 457-3555.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See August 2, 11 a.m.-noon.

Library & Books

Colchester Read to a Dog: Summer book lovers share stories with Hank, a sweet retriever, while little ones listen. Ages 4-10. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 11:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 264-5660.

Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Discussion: Seven Stories Up by Laurel Snyder engages readers in lively discussion. Ages 8-11. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Lego Building Challenges: School-age children dig into 10,000 plastic pieces. Rutland Free Library, 1:15-2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 773-1860.

Reading Buddies: Teen mentors while away an hour reading with youngsters. Bring a favorite book if you want. Grades K-5. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

Teddy Bear Sleepover: Tykes drop o stu ed animals during the day, then teens photograph the furry friends, make cards and munch pizza. Teens attend from 6:30-8:30pm. Brownell Library, Essex Junction. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

Wednesday Wacktivity: Superhero-themed crafts and games change each week. Ages 5-10. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 264-5660.

Wonderland Tea Party: Little ones and their

parents enjoy the outdoors with lemonade, cookies, games and crafts. Ages 2-8. Wheeler Homestead and Garden Park, South Burlington, 10-11 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 652-7080.

Movies

Movie Night: Snacks are provided for bigscreen flicks. Call ahead for selection. Milton Public Library, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Music

City Hall Park Concert Series: Lunchtime musical performances in genres from folk to rock and bluegrass to country entertain al fresco

Playgroups

diners. Burlington City Hall Park, noon-1 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7166.

Craftsbury Chamber Players Mini-Concerts: Little ones take in classical compositions with their adult companions. All ages. UVM Recital Hall, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free. Info, 800-639-3443.

Nature & Science

Kingdom Community Wind Tours: Green Mountain Power gives curious community members the chance to experience an operating wind farm and learn how wind power generates electricity during this 90-minute visit to two turbines. Sturdy footwear recommended.

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. Contact the playgroup organizer or visit kidsvt.com for sitespecific details.

MONDAY

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

Charlotte Playgroup: Charlotte Central School, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 764-5820.

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 Dad’s Night: VNA Family Room, 3-7 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

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

WEDNESDAY

Burlington Playgroup: See Monday.

Chace Mill New Mothers/Infants Playgroup: Prenatal Method Studio, 1:30-3 p.m. $3 suggested donation. Info, 829-0211.

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

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

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

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. Info, 764-5820.

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

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

THURSDAY

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

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

Burlington EvoMamas Playgroup: Evolution Prenatal and Family Yoga Center, second Thursday of every month, 10:2011:50 a.m. Free. Info, 864-9642.

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.

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

FRIDAY

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

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.

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

SATURDAY

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

Kingdom Community Wind Farm, Lowell, 10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 744-6664.

Wacky Wednesdays: Junior inventors design a hands-on solution to di erent weekly challenges using simple materials, then test their results. Ages 6 and up. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, 10 a.m. Free with museum admission, $10.50-13.50; free for kids under 3. Info, 864-1848.

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

Wagon Ride Wednesdays: Horse-drawn rides provide fun for the whole family. Admission includes all farm programs and activities. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. $414; free for children under 3. Info, 457-2355.

6 THURSDAY

Arts & Crafts

Art on Park: White tents house the works of jewelers, potters, painters, fiber artists, food vendors and more. Live music adds to the atmosphere. Park Street, Stowe, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 253-2275.

T-Shirt Hacks: Junior techies upcycle old clothes by sewing LEDs and simple circuits into them. Ages 11 and up. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 1-3 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-4918.

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 12:151:15 & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Essex La Leche League: Moms bring 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.

Community

Summervale: Live music, Slow Food Vermont tastings, kids crafts and food-focused activities varying by week promise locavore fun in the sun. No pets. Burlington Intervale Center, 5-8 p.m. Free admission; cost of food and drink. Info, 660-0440.

Youth Shop: Young bikers spend the first half of the session volunteering labor, in exchange for bike repair and instruction in the second half. Ages 12 and up. Bike Recycle Vermont, Burlington, 2:30-5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 264-9687.

Education

LCATV Child Producers Workshop: Directorsin-training get techie and complete a short project. Ages 8-9. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 2-3:30 p.m. Free; sign up online. Info, 264-5660.

Fairs & Festivals

Addison County Fair & Field Days: See August 4.

‘Dig In Vermont’ Open Farm Week: See August 3.

Food

The Lunchbox Summer Meal Program: See

August 5, Gardner Memorial Park, Newport, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 334-2044.

Health & Fitness

Walk/Run Trail Series: Athletes of all ages and abilities break a sweat in a 5K race, 3K walk/run or 1K kids run. Hard’ack, St. Albans, 6 p.m. $4-6; kids 1K is free. Info, 524-1500, ext. 266.

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 Summer Reading Finale: Summer book lovers celebrate the program’s end with a magic show, grand prize drawing and cake. Fairfax Community Library, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 849-2420.

Fun with Family History: Fledging genealogists get a glimpse into their past. Jeudevine Memorial Library, Hardwick, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 472-5948.

Lego My Library: A block party to celebrate summer gives kids something constructive to do. Preschool and up. Highgate Public Library, Highgate Center, 2:30-4 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 868-3970.

Let’s Party at the Library!: Little book-lovers engage in story-centered crafts. Ages 3-6. Winooski Memorial Library, 3-4 p.m. Free. Info, 655-6424.

Milton Therapy Dog Visit: A patient pooch listens to kids read aloud. Ages 3 and up. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Music & Movement for Babies: Babies and caregivers sing, finger play and have fun learning about rhythm and mobility. Swanton Public Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 868-7656.

PJ Storytime: Snuggle up in your pajamas for bedtime tales. Milton Public Library, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Teens Raid the Garden and Cook: Young adults prepare and share a meal with seniors. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, noon-2 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

Music

Craftsbury Chamber Players Mini-Concerts: Small music lovers experience an excerpt of the group’s evening concert, with selections and commentary geared toward young audiences. East Craftsbury Presbyterian Church, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 800-639-3443.

Free Summer Concert Series: Picnickers settle down for the evening with family-friendly bands. Old Schoolhouse Common Gazebo, Marshfield, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581. Groovin’ on the Green: Shoppers bring blankets and chairs for an open-air concert, complete with face painting, temporary tattoos and clowning around. Maple Tree Place, Williston, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 646-5263.

Music for Preschoolers: See August 3, 10:30 a.m.

Snow Farm Vineyard Summer Concert Series: Weather permitting, crowds gather

5 WEDNESDAY (CONTINUED)

6 THURSDAY (CONTINUED)

for a weekly rotation of classical, jazz, swing, bluegrass and rock. Picnicking begins at 5 p.m.; music starts at 6:30 p.m. Food and drink available to purchase from various vendors. (See spotlight.) Snow Farm Vineyard, South Hero, 5-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 372-9463.

Nature & Science

Discovery Drop-In Day Camp: Young explorers ages 3-8 learn about the many ways nature changes throughout the year with games, activities, puppet shows and hikes. 3- and 4-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult. The Nature Museum at Grafton, 10 a.m.-noon, $8-10 per session. Info, 843-2111.

Raptors in Residence: See August 1.

Theater

‘Galumpha!’: Three performers combine acrobatics, comedy and choreography for an evening of fast-paced movement. (See spotlight on page 26.) Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, 7 p.m. $20-43. Info, 760-4634.

Reader’s Theater: Budding thespians prepare impromptu skits, then pause for pizza. Show begins at 5:30 p.m. Ages 8 and up. St. Albans Free Library, 3-6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 524-1507.

7 FRIDAY

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 8:309:30 a.m.

Community

Burlington Fire Trucks at ECHO: Fire prevention pros o er safety tips and open their truck doors for a tour. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, 10 a.m.-noon. Free with $10.50-13.50 museum admission; free admission for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

Grape Jams

Family Fun Night: This evening program features a rotating lineup of guests from a race car driver to a magician. All ages. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

Friday Night Family Fun Series: Eclectic entertainers — including magicians, theater troupes, Irish musicians and jugglers — make for family-friendly fun at this weekly outdoor fête. Maple Street Park, Essex Junction, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-1375.

Education

Family Fridays at Rokeby Museum: Outdoor workshops touch on history, crafts and nature — with a di erent theme each week. All ages. Rokeby Museum, Ferrisburgh, 10 a.m.-noon. $3 or free with $8-10 museum admission; free museum admission for children under 5. Info, 877-3406.

Fairs & Festivals

Addison County Fair & Field Days: See August 4.

‘Dig In Vermont’ Open Farm Week: See August 3.

Lake Champlain Maritime Festival: Kids’ activities at this musical waterfront event include a tie-dye workshop on Saturday and a ticketed ride area. See www.lcmfestival.com for more details. Waterfront Park, Burlington, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free; admission charged for nightly concerts. Info, 482-3313.

Food

Five Corners Farmers Market: From natural meats to breads and wines, farmers share the bounty of the growing season at an outdoor exchange, complete with live entertainment and kids activities. Lincoln Place, Essex Junction, 3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 5cornersfarmersmarket@ gmail.com.

Foodways Fridays: Visitors tour the heirloom garden, then watch how veggies make their way

The vintners behind South Hero’s Snow Farm Vineyard had a vision when they started their business in 1992: Keep Vermont farmland alive with working agriculture. Since then, the winery’s reds, whites and rosés have won numerous Tasters Guild International awards. Every summer, the winery hosts a SUMMER CONCERT SERIES on its scenic grounds, with a lineup varying from bluegrass to classical. Pack up the car with your basket, blanket and family for a musical evening under the starry sky.

SNOW FARM VINEYARD SUMMER CONCERT

SERIES: Thursdays through September 3; grounds open for picnicking at 5 p.m., music from 6:30-8:30 p.m., Snow Farm Vineyard, South Hero. All ages. Free; food and drink available for purchase. Info, 372-9463. snowfarm.com

into historic recipes prepared in the 1890 farmhouse kitchen. All ages. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular admission, $4-14; free for children under 3. Info, 457-2355.

The Lunchbox Summer Meal

Program: See August 5, Pavilion Park, Island Pond, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free. Info, 334-2044.

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

Richmond Farmers Market: Vendors peddle hand-held pies, honey ice cream, homemade pickles, just-picked produce and much more at this lively showcase of locavorism. All ages. Volunteers Green, Richmond, 3-6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 343-9778.

Games

Tabletop Games: Players share their favorite game or choose one from the library’s supply. Snacks provided. Ages 5 and up. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 2-4 p.m. Free; sign up online. Info, 264-5660.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See August 2, 11 a.m.-noon.

PaddleSurf Family Jam: Disc golf, hula hooping, surf skiing, jousting and balance games make paddleboarding fun for the small set, while accompanying parents explore the lake. Ages 4-14. Oakledge Park, Burlington, 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. $12 per child; parents paddle free. Info, 881-4905.

PlayGYM Class: Kids get moving in di erent ways, including aerobics, locomotion and yoga. Kids’ RehabGYM, Colchester, 1 p.m. $10 per class; 4 classes for $30. Info, 861-3600.

Shelburne Open Gym: See August 3.

Library & Books

Colchester Story Time: Little ones enjoy stories, crafts and activities. Ages 3-6. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Early Bird Math: Young children and their caregivers put two and two together using interactive books, songs and games to explore arithmetic concepts. Ages 3-6. Richmond Free Library, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.

Movies

Brownell Family Movie Night: Viewers admire a superhero family in this flick. Popcorn and drinks provided. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Music

City Hall Park Concert Series: See August 5. Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: Toe-tapping tunes captivate kiddies. Radio Bean, Burlington, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 660-9346. Songs and Stories with Matthew: Listeners of all ages applaud tales and tunes. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:45 a.m. Info, 878-6956.

Theater

‘Romeo & Juliet’: See August 1. Shelburne Museum, 6 p.m. $15-25; children under 12 free with ticketed adult. Info, 877-874-1911.

8 SATURDAY

Arts & Crafts

Do You Believe in Fairies?: Young sprites take a story walk around the pond, then create their own diminutive houses to take home. Ages 3-10. Gardener’s Supply, Williston, 10-11 a.m. & 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 658-2433.

Baby & Maternity

Chace Mill Postnatal Core Class: See August 1. Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1.

community

community Yard sale: Folks browse tons of tables filled with household essentials, children’s clothing, books, collectibles, furniture and more. Proceeds benefit the KidSafe Collaborative in its efforts to prevent and address child abuse and neglect. Donation times and info available at www.kidsafevt.org. Champlain Valley Expo, Essex Junction, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. $1 donation per adult. Info, 863-9626.

Education

summer Naturalist Program: See August 1. Fairs & Festivals

addison county Fair & Field days: See August 4.

‘dig in Vermont’ open Farm Week: See August 3.

Lake champlain maritime Festival: See August 7.

Ongoing Exhibits

EcHo LaKE aQuaRium aNd sciENcE cENTER, BuRLiNGToN

Info, 864-1848

smokey Bear & Woodsy owl: Home sweet Home: This traveling exhibit, created in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, teaches young woodland stewards how to care for natural resources through on-the-job forest ranger training. Every other Friday from 10 a.m. to noon, the Burlington Fire Department teaches about preventing fires locally. Through September 13.

FaiRBaNKs musEum & PLaNETaRium, sT. JoHNsBuRY

dinosaur discoveries: ancient Fossils, New ideas: Prehistoric bones and computer simulations provide a vivid picture of dinosaur-era life and how our understanding of it has changed in the last two decades. Through December 15.

HELEN daY aRT cENTER, sToWE

Info, 253-8358

‘Exposed’: National and local outdoor sculpture of all sizes spreads through the town of Stowe. Through October 14.

moNTsHiRE musEum oF sciENcE, NoRWicH

Info, 649-2200

Prehistoric menagerie: Life-size sculptures of animals from the Cenozic Age ‚— including a woolly mammoth, a tiny horse and a 7-foot-tall carnivore with the head of a warthog — transport visitors back in time. Through September 7.

Food

Burlington Farmers market: See August 1. capital city Farmers market: See August 1. champlain islands Farmers market: See August 1.

middlebury Farmers market: See August 1. Rutland Farmers market: See August 1.

shelburne Farmers market: See August 1.

movies

Ben & Jerry’s summer outdoor movie Festival: See August 1.

Nature & science

Bird monitoring Walk: Beginner and experienced birders take a stroll in the woods, identifying different species and gathering data. All ages. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 7-9 a.m. Free; donations welcome. Info, 434-3068.

my sky: See August 1.

Raptors in Residence: See August 1. super science day: splash! Exploring Water: Curious kiddos float homemade boats, make liquid rainbows and test surface tension during a day devoted to getting wet in the outdoor science park. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Summer museum admission, $13-16; free for children under 2. Info, 649-2200.

Theater

‘Romeo & Juliet’: See August 7. ‘stone’: See August 1.

9 SUNDAY

Baby & maternity

Burlington Postnatal Yoga: See August 2. Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2.

community

community Yard sale: See August 8. 10 a.m.-noon.

Fairs & Festivals

‘dig in Vermont’ open Farm Week: See August 3.

Lake champlain maritime Festival: See August 7.

Food

stowe Farmers market: See August 2.

Winooski Farmers market: See August 2.

Health & Fitness

Essex open Gym: See August 2.

music

music on the Porch summer concerts: See August 2.

Nature & science

my sky: See August 1.

Theater

Bread & Puppet Performance: See August 2.

circus smirkus: Circus goers whet their appetite with a culinary-themed performance under the Big Top, featuring acrobats, jugglers

9 suNdaY p.34

AUG CALENDAR

9 SUNDAY (CONTINUED)

and aerialists. The Circus Barn, Montpelier High School, 4 p.m. $14.50-21.50; children under 2 free. Info, 533-7443.

‘Romeo & Juliet’: See August 7, 2 p.m.

‘Stone’: See August 1.

10 MONDAY

Arts & Crafts

Tween Night: Teens-in-training grab a friend for crafts and fun. Highgate Public Library, Highgate Center, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 5:457:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Barre: See August 3.

Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 5:306:30 p.m.

Pee Wee Pilates: See August 3.

Community

Colchester First Time Kindergarteners: Grade school novices and their parents mingle and share stories and crafts. Call the library to sign up. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 10:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 264-5660.

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.

Games

Chess Club: See August 3.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See August 2, 11 a.m.-noon.

Shelburne Open Gym: See August 3.

Library & Books

Magic Show: Summer Reading Finale: Comedy and mystery intertwine in this evening performance for all ages. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Music with Lesley Grant: Little dancers and singers swing to music with a local songstress. Ages 18 months-4 years. Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Summer Reading Program: Garden Heroes: See August 3.

Teen Book to Film Discussion: Teens read

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand in advance, then watch the movie and compare the two versions. Pizza and snacks provided. Milton Public Library, 6 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644.

Music

Music for Preschoolers: See August 3.

Nature & Science

STEAM Mondays: Science, technology, engineering, art and math concepts are explored through hands-on activities and experiments.

Grades K-5. Highgate Public Library, Highgate Center, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

Theater

Circus Smirkus: See August 9. 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

11 TUESDAY Baby & Maternity

Burlington La Leche League: New moms bring their questions to a breast-feeding support group. Babies and older children welcome. Lending library available. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 985-8228.

Burlington Postnatal Yoga: See August 2, 10:45-11:55 a.m.

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 4:155:30 p.m. and 4:15-5:30 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 12:151:15 & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Education

Time Travel Tuesdays: See August 4.

Games

Putt ’n Play: See August 4.

Health & Fitness

Catamount Trail Running Series: See August 4.

Shelburne Open Gym: See August 3, 8:30 a.m., & 6 p.m.

Library & Books

Comic Books Magnets: Crafty kids of all ages create refrigerator-worthy art pieces. Rutland Free Library, 3 p.m. Free. Info, 773-1860.

Story Times

MONDAY

Cruisers & Crawlers Play & Stay Story Time: Highgate Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

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

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

St. Albans Story Hour: St. Albans Free Library, 10:30 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 Community Education Center, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 796-6077.

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.

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

Highgate Music & Movement 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.

South Burlington Tiny Tot Time: South Burlington Community Library, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

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

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

End of Summer Reading Program Ice Cream

Social: A sweet ending to a season of books pleases program participants. Milton Public Library, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Fresh from the Garden: See August 4.

Fun with Mr K.: The Mighty Tree: Little naturalists learn about these amazing members of the plant kingdom. Highgate Public Library, Highgate Center, 10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 868-3970.

Music

Castleton Summer Concert Series: See August 4.

Gazebo Concert: See August 4.

Owl’s Head Music Night: See August 4.

Preschool Music: See August 4.

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

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

FRIDAY

Craftsbury Story Time: See Tuesday.

Enosburg Story Hour: Enosburg Public Library, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 370-4797.

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

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

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

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

WEDNESDAY

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

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

Essex Summer Preschool Story Time: Brownell Library, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

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

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

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.

Swanton Story Hour: 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

Northfield Children’s Story Time: See Monday.

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

St. Albans Story Hour: See Monday.

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

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

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

South Burlington Story Time Adventures: South Burlington Community Library, 9:30-11 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.

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

SATURDAY

Barnes & Noble Saturday Morning Story Time: Barnes & Noble, 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 Story Time: Burnham Memorial Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 264-5660.

Franklin Story Time: Haston Library, first Saturday of every month, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 285-6505.

Swanton Story Hour: See Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.

Nature & Science

Raptors in Residence: See August 1.

Story Time in the Nestlings Nook: Tales about birds are followed by a nature walk, crafts or music, depending on the weather. Intended for preschoolers, but all ages welcome. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free with museum admission, $3.50-7. Info, 434-2167.

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

Theater

Circus Smirkus: See August 9. 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

12 WEDNESDAY

Arts & Crafts

Maker Space: Unmask a Hero: Curious kids use pliers, screwdrivers and more to discover what’s inside small appliances. Grade 6 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-5 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

Teen Time: See August 5.

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 5:45-7:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Postnatal Core Class: See August 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Barre: See August 3.

Montpelier Postnatal Yoga: See August 5.

Community

Community Evenings at the Farm: See August 5.

Food

Champlain Islands Farmers Market: See August 5.

Colchester Farmers Market: See August 5.

The Lunchbox Summer Meal Program: See August 5.

Middlebury Farmers Market: See August 1.

Woodstock Market on the Green: See August 5.

Games

Dungeons & Dragons Night: Players assume 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, 5:307:45 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 264-5660.

Family Game Night: Friendly competitions of Candy Land, checkers and Monopoly enliven the library. Bring your own board or borrow from the library. Georgia Public Library, Fairfax, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-4643.

Legos for the Little Ones: Builders fashion architecturally sound constructions. Ages 4-7. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See August 2, 11 a.m.-noon.

Library & Books

Colchester Read to a Dog: See August 5. Lego Building Challenges: See August 5.

Reading Buddies: See August 5.

St. Albans Summer Reading Finale: Successful readers celebrate with cake and a complimentary book. St. Albans Free Library, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Wednesday Wacktivity: See August 5, 2-3:30 p.m.

Movies

LCATV Young Producers Workshop: Aspiring filmmakers create their own stories, then learn how to animate them. Ages 8-9. Milton Public Library, 1:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644.

Music

City Hall Park Concert Series: See August 5. Craftsbury Chamber Players Mini-Concerts: See August 5.

Open Rehearsal with Evan Premo & Scragg Mountain Music: Family-friendly musicians practice classical music in a relaxed atmosphere and answer questions. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

Nature & Science

Kingdom Community Wind Tours: See August 5.

Summer Science: Flying Machines: Junior inventors craft wingless planes, rotocoptors, boomerangs and parachutes for fun-filled flights. Fairfax Community Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 849-2420.

Wacky Wednesdays: See August 5.

Wagon Ride Wednesdays: See August 5.

Theater

Circus Smirkus: See August 9. 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

13 THURSDAY

Arts & Crafts

Art on Park: See August 6.

DIY Henna: Artists design temporary skin decorations. Kids under 18 must have a parent’s written permission. Fairfax Community Library, 6-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 849-2420.

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 12:151:15 & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Community

Summervale: See August 6.

Youth Shop: See August 6.

Food

The Lunchbox Summer Meal Program: See August 6.

Health & Fitness

Walk/Run Trail Series: See August 6.

Library & Books

Colchester Lego Club: See August 6. Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Discussion: The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel strikes up spirited conversation. Snacks provided. Milton

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13 ThursdAy (continued)

Public Library, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 893-4644.

Let’s Party at the Library!: See August 6. st. Albans Library Legos: Young building enthusiasts engage in creative construction with their peers. St. Albans Free Library, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

music

craftsbury chamber Players mini-concerts: See August 6, Greensboro Fellowship Hall, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 800-639-3443.

Free summer concert series: See August 6.

Groovin’ on the Green: See August 6. music for Preschoolers: See August 3, 10:30 a.m.

snow Farm Vineyard summer concert series: See August 6.

Nature & science

Bug Walk: Creepy-crawly fans grab their nets and go for a stroll in search of insects. Arrive anytime between 3:30 and 5 p.m. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. $3-5; preregister. Info, 229-6206.

richmond Farmers market: See August 7.

Games

dungeons & dragons: Players exercise their problem-solving skills in imaginary battles. Grades 6 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6-8:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

health & Fitness

Essex open Gym: See August 2, 11 a.m.-noon. Paddlesurf Family Jam: See August 7. PlayGym class: See August 7. shelburne open Gym: See August 3.

Library & Books

Axis & Allies: War at sea: Teens play a World War II game of strategy using battleships, air fleets and submarines to decide the fate of the world. Grade 6 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956. colchester story Time: See August 7.

Early Bird math: See August 7. Essex Junction drop-in story Time: Babies, toddlers and preschoolers stop by for picture books and finger plays. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956. milton Kindergarten story Time: Rising kindergarteners enjoy school-related stories, songs and crafts. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

music

city hall Park concert series: See August 5. Kids music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See August 7.

DISCOVER the DIFFERENCE

Visit k8h-purplecrayon0515.indd 1 4/23/15 11:07 AM

caterpillar Lab: Kiddos marvel at these small creatures through videoscope and other tools. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Summer museum admission, $1316; free for children under 2. Info, 649-2200. discovery drop-in day camp: See August 6. insect Extravaganza Preschool Program: Little explorers glide through the goldenrod in search of six-legged friends. Ages 3-5. Meet at the sugarhouse parking area. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 9-10:30 a.m. $8-10 per adult-child pair; $4 for each additional child; preregister. Info, 434-3068. moonlit campfire: A flickering bonfire sets the scene for s’mores, a visit from a live owl and other nature activities. Shelburne Farms, 6:308:30 p.m. $5-6; preregister. Info, 985-8686. moth Night: Multitudes of moths visit the light station for a marvelous nighttime show, celebrating National Moth Week. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 8:30-10:30 p.m. $3-5; preregister. Info, 229-6206. raptors in residence: See August 1.

14 FRIDAY

Baby & maternity

Burlington Prenatal yoga: See August 2, 8:30-9:30 a.m.

community

Friday Night Family Fun series: See August 7.

Education

Family Fridays at rokeby museum: See August 7.

Food

Five corners Farmers market: See August 7. Foodways Fridays: See August 7. The Lunchbox summer meal Program: See August 7.

submit

Nature & science

caterpillar Lab: See August 13.

Theater

circus smirkus: See August 9. The Circus Barn, Greensboro, 7 p.m. $14.50-21.50; children under 2 free. Info, 533-7443.

‘romeo & Juliet’: See August 7, Royall Tyler Theatre, UVM, Burlington, 7:30 p.m. $10-25. Info, 877-874-1911.

15 SATURDAY

Baby & maternity

chace mill Postnatal core class: See August 1. chace mill Prenatal yoga: See August 1.

community

children’s day: Young visitors play Victorianera games and explore this historic building with a scavenger hunt. All ages. Noyes House Museum, Morrisville, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free; donations accepted; preregister. Info, 888-7617. city Fest: Music, food and family activities celebrate the 150th anniversary of the city of South Burlington. South Burlington Community Library, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4108.

Education

summer Naturalist Program: See August 1. Food

Burlington Farmers market: See August 1.

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Capital City Farmers Market: See August 1.

Champlain Islands Farmers Market: See August 1.

Middlebury Farmers Market: See August 1.

Rutland Farmers Market: See August 1.

Shelburne Farmers Market: See August 1.

Library & Books

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

Create Music with Bob Brookens: The littlest musicians beat the drums during this rollicking hour. Ages 18 months-4 years. Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Library Drop-in Day: Book aficionados of all ages come together for conversation, community building and snacks. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

Nature & Science

Caterpillar Lab: See August 13.

Family Campfire Night: Into the Dark: The amazing nocturnal world comes alive through songs, stories and a short night hike. Meet in the Sugarhouse Field. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 7-9 p.m. $10-12 per adult-child pair; $4-5 each additional child; preregister. Info, 434-3068.

Heritage Chicken Day: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Visitors can ponder this big question as they visit newly hatched chicks, study di erent livestock breeds and engage in farm-life stories and crafts. All ages. Billings

Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular admission, $4-14; free for children under 3. Info, 457-2355.

My Sky: See August 1.

Raptors in Residence: See August 1.

Theater

Circus Smirkus: See August 14, 1 & 6 p.m.

‘Romeo & Juliet’: See August 14.

16 SUNDAY

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Postnatal Yoga: See August 2.

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2.

Food

Pie & Ice Cream Social: Home-baked delicacies of the peach, apple and berry variety — topped with a scoop — make for a delicious gathering. Rokeby Museum, Ferrisburgh, 1-4 p.m. $4-5 per slice of pie; $1 for ice cream; proceeds benefit the museum. Info, 877-3406.

Stowe Farmers Market: See August 2.

Winooski Farmers Market: See August 2.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See August 2.

Music

Music on the Porch Summer Concerts: See August 2.

Nature

& Science

Caterpillar Lab: See August 13.

Heritage Chicken Day: See August 15.

My Sky: See August 1.

Theater

Bread & Puppet Performance: See August 2.

‘Romeo & Juliet’: See August 14, 2 p.m.

17 MONDAY

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 5:45-7:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Barre: See August 3.

Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 5:306:30 p.m.

Pee Wee Pilates: See August 3.

Community

Colchester First Time Kindergarteners: See August 10.

Kindergarten Kickoff: New kindergarten students and their parents from Williston and St. George meet other families, enjoy stories and get a library card. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6:30 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-4918.

Games

Chess Club: See August 3.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See August 2, 11 a.m.-noon.

Shelburne Open Gym: See August 3.

Library & Books

Summer Reading Program: Garden Heroes: See August 3.

Music

Music for Preschoolers: See August 3.

Nature & Science

Caterpillar Lab: See August 13.

18

TUESDAY

Baby & Maternity

Breastfeeding Cafe: Moms nurse their babies, chat and pose questions to 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.

Burlington Postnatal Yoga: See August 2, 10:45-11:55 a.m.

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 4:155:30 p.m. and 4:15-5:30 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 12:151:15 & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Community

Meet Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl: These nature-dwelling characters chat about forestry and lead craft projects, too. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, 10 a.m. Free with museum admission, $10.50-13.50; free for children under 2. Info, 864-1848.

Education

Superheroes of Science: Engaging and educational props – like a blow-up dinosaur – make

All’s Fair

Celebrate summer with miniature donkeys and giant pumpkins at ADDISON COUNTY FAIR & FIELD DAYS. Vermont’s largest agricultural fair serves up spirited pig races, banging blacksmith demos and dusty tractor pulls. Marvel at sleights of hand by magician Tom Joyce, snap aerial photos from a hot air balloon or enter your favorite legume recipe into the Baked Bean Bonanza. The children’s barnyard and midway rides are open all five days, ensuring lots of opportunities for good, old-fashioned fun.

ADDISON COUNTY FAIR & FIELD

DAYS: Tuesday through Saturday, August 4-8, starting at 10 a.m. Fair & Field Days Road, New Haven. All ages. Adult admission, $10-12; child admission $5; children 5 and under free. Season pass adult $40, children $15. Ride bracelet $12-20. Info, 545-2557. addisoncountyfielddays.com

learning fun. Best suited for ages 5-12. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 2 p.m. Free; sign up on-line. Info, 264-5660.

Time Travel Tuesdays: See August 4.

Games

Putt ’n Play: See August 4.

Health & Fitness

Catamount Trail Running Series: See August 4.

Shelburne Open Gym: See August 3, 8:30 a.m. & 6 p.m.

Library & Books

Fresh from the Garden: See August 4.

Wild Art: Aspiring artists of any age experiment with charcoal drawing and discover how paint is made. Jeudevine Memorial Library, Hardwick, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 472-5948.

Music

Owl’s Head Music Night: See August 4. Preschool Music: See August 4.

Nature & Science

Raptors in Residence: See August 1.

Starry, Starry Night: Families look upward for an evening of stargazing and moon watching. Bring a lawn chair, binoculars and bug repellent. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 9 p.m. $5-10; preregister. Info, 229-6206.

19 WEDNESDAY

Baby & Maternity

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

$10-15; free for children under 36 inches. Info, 525-3555.

Food Champlain Islands Farmers Market: See August 5.

Colchester Farmers Market: See August 5.

Middlebury Farmers Market: See August 1. Woodstock Market on the Green: See August 5.

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 5:457:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Postnatal Core Class: See August 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Barre: See August 3. Montpelier Postnatal Yoga: See August 5.

Community

Community Evenings at the Farm: See August 5.

Fairs & Festivals

Orleans County Fair: Agricultural demonstrations — from horse shows to oxen pulls — figure prominently in this town tradition, also featuring arts and crafts, carnival rides, live music and a demolition derby. See website for event schedule. Orleans County Fair Grounds, Barton,

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See August, 11 a.m.-noon.

Library & Books

18 TUESDAY (CONTINUED) 19

Back to School Brunch: Girls and boys gear up for a new school year with a light meal, backpack keychain crafts and cartoons. Ages 5 and up. St. Albans Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 524-1507.

Brownell Final Summer Reading Party: No Strings Marionette Company performs The Hobbit for youngsters who have successfully completed their book goals. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-3:15 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

Brownell Kindergarten Story Time: Students

and their parents meet new friends and share school stories. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

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

Colchester Read to a Dog: See August 5.

Water Play: End of Summer Reading Celebration: Junior library patrons cool down after a summer of books. Highgate Public Library, Highgate Center, 10 a.m. Free; preregister. Info, 868-3970.

Movies

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

Music

City Hall Park Concert Series: See August 5.

Craftsbury Chamber Players Mini-Concerts: See August 6, First Baptist Church, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free. Info, 1-800-639-3443.

Nature & Science

Wacky Wednesdays: See August 5.

Wagon Ride Wednesdays: See August 5.

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.

20 THURSDAY

Arts & Crafts

Art on Park: See August 6.

Tween Craft: Middle-school kids craft cool duct-tape pencil cases. St. Albans Free Library, 2 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 12:151:15 & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Community

Summervale: See August 6.

Youth Shop: See August 6.

Fairs & Festivals

Orleans County Fair: See August 19.

Health & Fitness

Walk/Run Trail Series: See August 6.

Library & Books

After Hours Teen Volunteer Party: Young summer helpers reap rewards, including pizza, a scavenger hunt and a ra e. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 5-7 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 878-6956.

Colchester Lego Club: See August 6.

Fairfax Read to a Dog: See August 4, 4-5 p.m.

Milton Therapy Dog Visit: See August 6.

Music & Movement for Babies: See August 6.

Music

Craftsbury Chamber Players Mini-Concerts: See August 13.

Groovin’ on the Green: See August 6.

Music for Preschoolers: See August 3, 10:30 a.m.

Snow Farm Vineyard Summer Concert Series: See August 6.

Nature & Science

Discovery Drop-In Day Camp: See August 6. Raptors in Residence: See August 1.

21 FRIDAY

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 8:309:30 a.m.

Community

Burlington Fire Trucks at ECHO: See August 7.

Fairs & Festivals

Orleans County Fair: See August 19.

Food

Five Corners Farmers Market: See August 7. Foodways Fridays: See August 7.

Richmond Farmers Market: See August 7.

Games

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

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See August 2, 11 a.m.-noon. PaddleSurf Family Jam: See August 7. PlayGYM Class: See August 7.

Shelburne Open Gym: See August 3.

Sizzling Summer Ice Skate Party: The coolest celebration in town is followed by a bonfire and s’mores at 9 p.m. Central Vermont Memorial Civic Center, Montpelier, 7-10 p.m. $5 per skater; $5 skate rental. Info, 225-8699.

Library & Books

Colchester Story Time: See August 7. Early Bird Math: See August 7.

Music

City Hall Park Concert Series: See August 5. Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See August 7.

Songs and Stories with Matthew: See August 7.

22 SATURDAY

Baby & Maternity

Chace Mill Postnatal Core Class: See August 1.

Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1.

Education

Summer Naturalist Program: See August 1.

Fairs & Festivals

Orleans County Fair: See August 19.

Food

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

Burlington Farmers Market: See August 1.

Capital City Farmers Market: See August 1.

Champlain Islands Farmers Market: See August 1.

Middlebury Farmers Market: See August 1.

Rutland Farmers Market: See August 1.

Shelburne Farmers Market: See August 1.

Health & Fitness

Parents Night Out: Adults looking for some alone time drop o their young yogis for dancing, game playing, pizza eating and relaxation activities with di erent themes each month.

Ages 4-11. Evolution Prenatal and Family Yoga Center, Burlington, 5:30-7:30 p.m. $25 for one child; $15 for siblings; preregister. Info, 864-9643.

Music

‘Peter and the Wolf’: Live classical music and narration help to tell Prokofiev’s timeless tale. A free ice cream social follows the performance. All ages. Chandler Music Hall, Randolph, 10:3011:30 a.m. $6. Info, 728-9402.

Nature & Science

Kingdom Community Wind Tours: See August 5, 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.

My Sky: See August 1.

Raptors in Residence: See August 1.

Super Science Day: Microworlds: Investigation of the Very Small: Using hand lenses and compound microscopes, little ones investigate tiny things invisible to the naked eye. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Summer museum admission, $1316; free for children under 2. Info, 649-2200.

Theater

Lyric Theater’s Children’s Auditions: Budding performers vie for roles in the fall musical production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas Spotlight on Dance, South Burlington, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; preregister. Info, 658-1484.

23 SUNDAY

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Postnatal Yoga: See August 2.

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2.

Fairs & Festivals

Orleans County Fair: See August 19.

Food

Stowe Farmers Market: See August 2.

Winooski Farmers Market: See August 2.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See August 2.

MVP Health Care Run for Fun: Youth ages 4-14 get their own shot at athletic glory after the adult-geared North Face Race to the Top of Vermont. Stowe Mountain Resort, 12-3 p.m. $10; preregister. Info, 864-5794.

Music

Music on the Porch Summer Concerts: See August 2.

Nature & Science

My Sky: See August 1.

Theater

Bread & Puppet Performance: See August 2.

24 MONDAY

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 5:457:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Barre: See August 3.

Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Pee Wee Pilates: See August 3.

Community

Colchester First Time Kindergarteners: See August 10.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See August 2, 11 a.m.-noon.

Music

Music for Preschoolers: See August 3.

25 TUESDAY

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Postnatal Yoga: See August 2, 10:45-11:55 a.m.

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 4:155:30 p.m. & 4:15-5:30 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 12:151:15 & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Community

Meet Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl: See August 18.

Games

Putt ’n Play: See August 4.

Health & Fitness

Catamount Trail Running Series: See August 4.

Music

Preschool Music: See August 4.

Nature & Science

Raptors in Residence: See August 1.

26 WEDNESDAY

Baby & maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 5:457:15 p.m.

chace mill Postnatal core class: See August 1, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

chace mill Prenatal Barre: See August 3.

montpelier Postnatal Yoga: See August 5.

community

community Evenings at the Farm: See August 5.

Fairs & Festivals

caledonia county Fair: Good old-fashioned festivities include alpaca demonstrations, oxpulling, a demolition derby and rides. August 26 is Children’s Day. Caledonia County Fairgrounds, Lyndonville, $10-17; free for children under 36 inches. Info, 626-5917.

Food

champlain islands Farmers market: See August 5.

colchester Farmers market: See August 5. middlebury Farmers market: See August 1. Woodstock market on the Green: See August 5.

Health & Fitness

Essex open Gym: See August 2, 11 a.m.-noon.

Library & Books

colchester Read to a dog: See August 5.

music

city Hall Park concert series: See August 5.

Nature & science

Kingdom community Wind Tours: See August 5.

Wagon Ride Wednesdays: See August 5.

27 THURSDAY

arts & crafts

art on Park: See August 6.

Baby & maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

chace mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 12:151:15 & 4:30-5:30 p.m.

community

summervale: See August 6.

Youth shop: See August 6.

Fairs & Festivals

caledonia county Fair: See August 26.

Library & Books

colchester Lego club: See August 6.

music

music for Preschoolers: See August 3, 10:30 a.m.

snow Farm Vineyard summer concert series: See August 6.

Nature & science

Raptors in Residence: See August 1.

28 FRIDAY

Baby & maternity

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 8:309:30 a.m.

Fairs & Festivals

caledonia county Fair: See August 26. champlain Valley Fair: Cotton-candy fun and carny curiosities collide at the state’s largest fair, complete with midway rides, daily parades and live entertainment. Midway opens at 11 a.m. All ages. Champlain Valley Expo, Essex

Junction, 3 p.m. $5-12; free for children under 5; advance tickets available at Price Chopper Stores at a 25 percent discount from early August through August 27; additional tickets required for grandstand concerts and rides. Info, 878-5545.

Food

Five corners Farmers market: See August 7.

Foodways Fridays: See August 7. Richmond Farmers market: See August 7.

Games

dungeons & dragons: See August 14.

Health & Fitness

Essex open Gym: See August 2, 11 a.m.-noon.

Paddlesurf Family Jam: See August 7.

PlayGYm class: See August 7.

Library & Books

colchester story Time: See August 7.

Early Bird math: See August 7.

Essex Junction drop-in story Time: See August 14.

movies

Fourth Friday Family Film Night: Families enjoy a movie while eating their own snacks or the library’s. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 6 p.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

music

city Hall Park concert series: See August 5. Kids music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See August 7.

Hike Through History

Who doesn’t like a walk in the woods? since 2013, stowe Land trust’s summER NaTuRaLisT PRoGRam series has offered guided hikes on an easy, family-friendly loop, beginning at the Mill trail Property. Bought and conserved by the Land trust in 2003, the site includes the remains of an old mill, a one-time hill farm now grown into forest and a former ski inn. After the hike, families are invited into the Mill trail Cabin for naturebased activities and crafts. It’s a perfect way to explore stowe’s natural and cultural history.

29 saTuRdaY, P.42

28 FRIDAY,

29 SATURDAY

Baby & Maternity

Chace Mill Postnatal Core Class: See August 1.

Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1.

Community

Hoedown Showdown: Live music from The Speckers sets the stage for this outdoor picnic with food available to purchase. One Credit Union, Springfield, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free; all proceeds from ra e and food benefit the Springfield food shelf. Info, 546-5999.

Education

Summer Naturalist Program: See August 1.

Fairs & Festivals

Caledonia County Fair: See August 26.

Champlain Valley Fair: See August 28, 10 a.m.

Food

Burlington Farmers Market: See August 1.

Capital City Farmers Market: See August 1.

Champlain Islands Farmers Market: See August 1.

Middlebury Farmers Market: See August 1.

Rutland Farmers Market: See August 1. Shelburne Farmers Market: See August 1.

Games

King of the Court: Everyone is a winner in this day of fast-moving tennis action. A splash in the pool and ice-cold lemonade provide a muchneeded cool down. All fees go directly to the King Street Center programs. Burlington Tennis Club, South Burlington, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $30 per adult player; $20 per child player; preregister. Info, 862-6736.

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, 7:30-8:30 a.m. Free; donations welcome; preregister. Info, 434-2167.

My Sky: See August 1. Raptors in Residence: See August 1.

30 SUNDAY

Baby & Maternity

Burlington Postnatal Yoga: See August 2.

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2.

Fairs & Festivals

Caledonia County Fair: See August 26.

Champlain Valley Fair: See August 28, 10 a.m.

Food

Stowe Farmers Market: See August 2.

31 MONDAY Baby & Maternity

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

Winooski Farmers Market: See August 2.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See August 2.

Zoe’s Race: Community members partake in a 1K fun run/walk or 5K run to raise money for children and families who receive support from the HowardCenter. Music and festivities follow.

All ages. Oakledge Park, Burlington, 9:30 a.m. $10-40. Info, 488-6911.

Music

Music on the Porch Summer Concerts: See August 2.

Nature & Science

My Sky: See August 1.

Theater

Bread & Puppet Performance: See August 2.

Burlington Prenatal Yoga: See August 2, 5:45-7:15 p.m.

Chace Mill Prenatal Barre: See August 3.

Chace Mill Prenatal Yoga: See August 1, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Pee Wee Pilates: See August 3.

Fairs & Festivals

Champlain Valley Fair: See August 28, 10 a.m.

Health & Fitness

Essex Open Gym: See August 2, 11 a.m.-noon.

Music

Music for Preschoolers: See August 3.

Backyard Bike Park

KnighT ide is a pro at designing and building mountain-bike trails. His clients include Q Burke Mountain Bike Park, the renowned Kingdom Trails — and his family.

Over the years, Ide has built a pump track and dirt jumps behind the 1800s Newark farmhouse he shares with wife, Jen, and their 11-year-old son, Daymien. Ide’s backyard bike park has been included in professional videos and is the site of an annual daylong bike jumping festival called the Jump Jam.

All three Ides are adept at bike handling, arcing smoothly into turns and catching air, and they use their personal park to practice. But they also open it up to others one evening a week in the summer. On a recent Wednesday, more than 20 local kids, ages 7 to 21, navigated the track and used shovels to repair and maintain the jumps. Parents and grandparents sat in lawn chairs and at picnic tables, offering encouragement. People brought potluck dishes and stayed late into the evening.

Knight Ide has been hosting casual bike gatherings since before he became a husband and a dad. Now the kids he taught back in the day mentor young riders at the weekly community nights.

These gatherings have also given Daymien a chance to shine. “Even though he’s younger than some of the kids, he’s very skilled,” says Jen, “so he can give pointers to everyone out there.” K

• The 40-by-60 foot pump track is a small, looping trail system of dirt berms and smooth mounds of dirt called rollers. Ide built it five years ago, with the help of a friend and a small excavator he owns for his masonry business. It took them just two days.

• Dirt jumps, ranging from 10- to 20-feet high, feature multiple lines or paths for riders to follow. There’s also a daring jump-off point made with tall scaffolding. Ide built the jumps over several months in 2001 with the help of friends and bigger machinery, including a full-size excavator and a skid steer.

• Knight and Jen Ide are founders and lead coaches of a kids’ bike race team, IdeRide, which includes regular weekly practices and weekend races with the Eastern States Cup series. They also run adult mountain-bike tours. For more information, visit ideride.com.

parents: Knight and Jen ide son: Daymien, 11

Jamie Two Coats Toyshop Summer Fun!

Jamie Two Coats Toyshop Summer Fun!

Book-Inspired Contest

Jamie Two Coats

Book-Inspired Contest

Sponsored by

Located in the of Shelburne Village

Located in the of Shelburne Village

Monday-Saturday 10-6

Calling all bookworms!

Located in the of Shelburne Village

Monday-Saturday 10-6

Monday-Saturday 10-6

Sunday 11-5

Sunday 11-5 • 802-985-3221

802-985-3221

Send us a drawing and caption inspired by the book for the chance to win some literary loot.

In Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig, donkey Sylvester Duncan finds a wishgranting pebble. When he encounters a lion, he wishes to turn into a rock — but then can’t wish himself back to being a donkey. Happily, he is reunited with his family at the end of the story.

If you found a wish-granting pebble, what would you wish for?

Calling all bookworms!

Sponsored by Name Age Town Email Phone

Send us a drawing and caption inspired by the book for the chance to win some literary loot.

In Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig, donkey Sylvester Duncan finds a wishgranting pebble. When he encounters a lion, he wishes to turn into a rock — but then can’t wish himself back to being a donkey. Happily, he is reunited with his family at the end of the story. If you found a wish-granting pebble, what would you wish for? Tell us in 2-3 sentences. Then draw a picture illustrating your wish.

We’ll pick the four most creative entries and publish one of them in the next issue. Winners receive a $25 gift certificate to Crow Bookshop. Deadline to enter is August 15. Send your entries to: Kids VT, attn: Book Review, P.O. Box 1184, Burlington, VT 05402.

PUZZLE PAGE

Jumble

BY DAVID L. HOYT & JEFF KNUREK

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

Birthday Club

to:

LILY lives in Swanton and turns 5 on August 31. She loves running races, catching bugs for her pet turtle, swimming and fishing. She also enjoys books, telling jokes and anything pink. Lily wins a birthday-party package for up to 10 kids.

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.

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

Puzzles4Kids

Riddle Search — It flies!

Search up, down and diagonally, both forward and backward to find every word on the list. Circle each one as you find it. When all the words are circled, take the UNUSED letters and write them on the blanks below. Read from left to right, top to bottom to answer this riddle: What do you call an elephant that flies?

AIRPLANE

ANT AUK

BEETLE

BUTTERFLY

EGRET

GLIDER

HAWK

HELICOPTER HERON

BY HELENA HOVANEC

NORA lives in North Ferrisburgh and turns 8 on August 3. She likes to sew, swim, dance and play the piano. She loves all animals — especially her two dogs, two cats and guinea pig — and hopes to get a pig for her birthday.

MAX lives in East Barre and turns 4 on August 30. He’s a bright, happy, adventurous boy who loves preschool, going to camp with his cousins, and his John Deere tractor. He has a great smile that touches everyone he meets.

KITE

LARK

LOCUST

MACAW

MOTH

OWL

PIGEON

ROADRUNNER ROCKET WASP

Riddle Answer:

MYLES lives in South Burlington and turns 6 on August 31. The outdoor enthusiast has a knack for inventing, dreaming up new games and expressing himself artistically. He’s mastered the art of making pancakes, hitting a baseball and playing Sequence.

More to do under one roof than anywhere in VT!

Nora, Max and Myles each win a player pass.

COLORING CONTEST!

Three winners will each receive a one-day pass to Petra Cliffs

Send Kids VT your work of art by August 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 September issue of Kids VT. Send your high-resolution scans to art@ kidsvt.com or mail a copy to Kids VT, PO Box 1184, Burlington, VT 05402.

Cultivating Curiosity

A mom

watches her son grow — in the garden

my son, Henry, is a DIY kid. He has never been interested in sports or fast cars or superheroes. At 11 years old, he is passionate about engineering, cooking, carpentry, art and gardening. He is a creator.

If you have a child like this, I already know two things about your household: 1. You own many pairs of scissors but cannot locate any of them and 2. You are out of duct tape.

Before my two kids were born, I’d hoped to be the kind of parent who could step back and let them learn from their mistakes. I wanted my children to take chances and explore their world, following their curiosity, even if it led to failure. Then I had children and realized how difficult that is.

I have always been proud of Henry’s curiosity and drive to learn how the world works.

Once he repurposed the entire contents of the recycling bin to build a working gumball machine. I heard the rustling of detritus coming from the kitchen, followed an hour later by a delighted cry from his little sister and, “Mom, come check this out!”

But hands-on learning is messy, and occasionally expensive, like when he built a full-size, functioning water fountain — in his bedroom. Despite a liberal application of duct tape, it was not watertight.

Henry prefers to make salsa from scratch and is passionate about developing a new flavor of seltzer. Recently, he has wanted to formulate an original cookie recipe and to engineer a new ice cream maker (we already have one).

I have tried to teach him to clean up after himself, but inevitably these projects result in a puddle of tomato juice or a film of flour over everything and a very sticky floor.

Yes, he has learned from these explorations. But they have also turned me into the kind of parent I never wanted to be: a stifling nag. I find myself saying, “Just let me do it for you,” or often just, “No.” Instead of praising his creativity, I am more likely to say, “You are going to clean that up, right?”

Thank goodness it’s summer and we can get out into the garden.

Henry has loved gardening since he was a toddler. When we first set up the backyard, eight years ago, I made three raised beds, two for a kitchen garden and the other filled

with sand for Henry to play in while I planted. He wasn’t that into the sandbox but was fascinated by what I was up to in the soil. I will never forget the first time he ate a green pea straight from the pod. His eyes lit up at its fresh sweetness, and the whole concept of the garden immediately clicked.

We replaced the sand with soil, and, ever since, the third box has been his to experiment in as he pleases. For better or worse, we now share this addiction for growing things. He is the only kid I have ever known who brought a potted tomato plant to sleepaway camp.

I give him guidance, of course. I explained the basics of growing plants. But Henry likes to do things his own way, so if he chooses to plant a towering sunflower a few inches from sun-loving carrots, I don’t say a word.

In the garden, Henry can follow his own path, and I can be the parent I set out to be — which sometimes means letting him fail. Last year he learned the hard way that you either keep up with weeding or surrender the harvest. He also discovered that growing melons in Vermont is an exercise in heartbreak.

He has good instincts, though, and has already figured out that healthy soil is the key to everything. From his small plot, he’s gleaned luscious tomatoes, abundant edamame and fat gourds. His missteps haven’t diminished his interest; they’ve only strengthened his resolve to make a better plan this year.

Letting my child’s curiosity flourish is simple in the garden. I am hoping when he is older that he won’t remember me losing my temper about the hot glue getting on everything but will think of the two of us side by side, tending our plants in the sun.

Presently, I’m trying to think before I nag. The other day he came in from the porch and said, “Hey, Mom, come check out my new fountain,” so I went outside to see the latest project.

“At first it didn’t work,” he said. “But then I cut out the hole in a different way and now it does.”

I looked at his creation, made from junk from the playroom, an old water pump he got from his cousin and my best Tupperware. I looked at the store-bought, decorative box that was now cut up and soaked through with water. I looked at my son and said, “That is really cool, kid.” K

He is the only kid i have ever known who brought a potted tomato plant to sleepaway camp.