Kids VT, September 2011

backpack stuffed with

SEPT 2011

LEARN. PLAY

Shots for Tots 26

When parents don’t vaccinate their kids, does it put others at risk?

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

Publisher Colby Roberts colby@kidsvt.com ext. 77

Editor Cathy Resmer cathy@kidsvt.com ext. 74

Creative Director Don Eggert don@kidsvt.com ext. 71

Associate Editor Kate Laddison kate@kidsvt.com ext. 73

Calendar Writer Maryellen Apelquist Maryellen@kidsvt.com ext. 78

Account Executive Katrina Roberts katrina@kidsvt.com ext. 75

Account Executive Kristi Batchelder kristi@kidsvt.com ext. 72

Marketing & Events Director Judy Beaulac judy@kidsvt.com ext. 76

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

• Published 11x per year.

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

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

Win this backpack from Buttered Noodles — it’s already stuffed with school supplies! Find out how on page 31.

Copy Editors/Godparents Pamela Polston

Paula Routly

Proofreader Beth Glaspie

Production Manager Krystal Woodward

Designers Brooke Bousquet

Celia Hazard

Rev. Diane Sullivan

Circulation Manager Steve Hadeka

Deputy Web Editor Tyler Machado

Office Manager Cheryl Brownell

Contributing Writers: Stina Booth. Erik Esckilsen, Kristin Fletcher, Sky Barsch Gleiner, Margot Harrison, Aimee Picchi, Ken Picard, Katrina Roberts, Leon Thompson

Photographers: Stina Booth, Andy Duback, Matthew Thorsen

Illustrators: Mo Oh, Andy Singer

Early Education

MY SON IS ONLY FOUR. So as fall arrives and other families are out school shopping, we’re still happily strolling the beach. But, as Oliver reminded me recently, schooling starts at home, long before the first bell rings.

One night, he asked when I’d be dead … which shows both the depth of his thoughts and his weakness with verb tenses. Chattering away another night before falling asleep, he asked whether there was a lot of blood when he was born; I had a C-section. On another recent occasion, he asked me to explain the removal of the manure truck that broke through a building on Main Street in St. Albans. I realized I didn’t conclusively know the answers to any of these questions, so we discussed the possible answers instead. He’s not in school yet, but he sure is learning.

Much of this month’s issue of Kids VT is devoted to school-related issues, including gifted education. Oliver’s probably not gifted — although, as a baby he produced a phenomenal amount of drool — but I’m OK with having a normally abled child. In fact, reading this month’s feature story by Aimee Picchi on gifted education (page 20) made me realize how complicated it can be to raise supersmart kids.

This month’s Kids VT also reports on the immunizations that children are required to get before starting school. Ken Picard’s feature (page 26) examines di ering perspectives on these vaccinations. An annotated photo (page 30) illustrates the ins and outs of backpacks, and this month’s craft (page 48) covers books with paper bags and contact paper. In “Go Ask Dad” (page 18), local fathers compare notes on negotiating with school-phobic kids.

From my perspective, it’s great preparation for... next year.

KATE LADDISON, ASSOCIATE EDITOR kate@kidsvt.com

BACK TO THE FUTURE

AfterSchool Programs

GREATER BURLINGTON YMCA

When kids participate in a Greater Burlington Y AfterSchool program, they enhance their learning through science, math and literacy activities; learn about the importance of physical activity and healthy food choices; learn to support their neighbors through community service projects; and, most importantly, learn how to be themselves. That makes for confident kids today and contributing and engaged adults tomorrow.

Fall enrollment is now open; for more information, visit or call: gbymca.org

862-9622

GREATER BURLINGTON YMCA 266 College St., Burlington VT 05401 802-862-9622

I never had detention, but I was forced to mulch the school grounds one Saturday as punishment for something that I cannot remember, conveniently enough.

MARYELLEN APELQUIST, CALENDAR WRITER

I played varsity where delinquency was concerned. I earned a two-day suspension from high school for some fisticuffs my freshman year. My behavior improved, but there was also some backsliding.

ERIK ESCKILSEN, WRITER

Nope, detention-free. I was never one to rock the boat during school because I just wanted to get out of there!

STINA BOOTH, WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER

Nope. Not even close. I’m a rule follower.

KRISTIN FLETCHER, WRITER

I mouthed off to one of my teachers in seventh and eighth grade so much that he referred to a table in the back of his classroom as my “office.”

CATHY RESMER, EDITOR

I got in trouble all the time. I was a chatterbox who just couldn’t stop talking. I felt like no matter what, I could not control the flow of words coming out of my mouth. When I have taught as a substitute, I empathize with kids struggling to stay quiet. I know that sometimes you really just can’t help it!

SKY BARSCH GLEINER, WRITER

Did you ever get a detention when you were in school?

spend time in the principal’s office?

Is the quality of our kids’ education improving? According to last month’s informal, back-to-school-themed poll, most Kids VT readers think Vermont’s schools are getting better, or at least not getting any worse; 69 percent of respondents said the quality of education their kids are receiving is the same as, or better than theirs.

COLORING CONTEST

This month we received our of first black-and-white submission to the coloring contest. Another first: pom-poms. Cool! Those and the many thoughtful titles kept us smiling as we judged your entries. Thanks for sending us your creative work, and congratulations to all of this month’s winners.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

TOP TROPICAL COLOR SCHEME (with judicious use of orange)

Zoe Glass, 7, Chittenden

BEST STARS-AND-STRIPED BASS

Tim Sweeney, 7, Alburgh

COOLEST FISH EYES

Myleigh Modun, 9, Richmond

BEST TURTLE SHELL

Emma Radler, 10, North Ferrisburg

DEEPEST, DARKEST PALATE

Audrey Whipple, 10, Monkton

about the same: 25%

worse: 31% better: 44%

Thanks for the mail!

Last Month’s Winners:

Fish-Counting Contest

Tim & Kelley Dunham of Spofford, NH and Erin, Gabe & Harrison Grimm of Williston correctly counted 20 fish swimming through the pages of the August issue. They’ll be heading to Ausable Chasm with their winnings: free passes!

The winners of our three $25 gift certificates to Texas Roadhouse are …

BEST BLACK-AND-WHITE

Audrey Whipple, 8, Vergennes

RAD ROYGBIV FISH

Thalia Baker-McNulty, Colchester

SENSATIONAL STROKES

Samuel Russell, 5, Plainfield

MARKER MASTER

Kaylee Hedding, 6, Williamstown

TOP TITLES

“Blub Blub Blub”

Ava Joy Draayer, 8, South Burlington

“Coop and Ted’s Excellent Underwater Adventures”

Cooper King, 6, South Burlington

“Down in the deep pond of colors”

Bryan Ford, 9, South Burlington

“Fishy and Frog and Lizard Picture”

Caleb Izor, 4, Williston

“Morning Tra c”

Bailey Pierce, 12, Waitsfield

“The Fish are Warm and Calm”

Ollie Cloutier, 6, Burlington

“The Underwater Color Collage”

Cooper Bromee, 8, Colchester Olivia Varricchione, 9

Creatures

Speak Up!

Kids VT wants to publish your rants and raves.

Q:Do you think the education your child is getting is better, the same, or worse than the one you got?

BY MARGOT HARRISON & KATE LADDISON

New Toys on the Block

Kids love to make things and take them apart again, and three new building toys from Burlingtonbased Learning Materials Workshop support that kind of open-ended constructive play. COLORATURO is a prismatically-colorful block set, VILLETTA o ers blocks with angles and triangles reminiscent of cottage roofs, and TAVOLINO combines blocks, bobbins and tubes. Karen Hewitt — artist, early childhood educator and toy historian — designed all three. Creative Child magazine recently honored Hewitt’s MAD Constructs block set with the Toy of the Year and Seal of Excellence distinctions. Hewitt collaborated with the New York City-based Museum of Arts and Design to create it. —K.L.

NEW BUILDING SETS: Coloraturo, Viletta, Tavolino building toys available in early September. $75, $29.99 and $199.99, respectively. Sold locally at Isabean and Weller in Burlington. Info, learningmaterialswork.com.

EDUCATION

Outdoor Ed

Preschoolers will get both nature and nurture this fall through a new Willowell Foundation program in Monkton. The new WREN’S NEST preschool is modeled on Willowell’s outdoor high school, the Walden Project. Wren’s Nest launches this fall as a one-day-a-week pilot taught by Bristol native Kathryn McEachen. Students will spend as much time outside as possible, using the outdoors a classroom. “Nature provides a lot of great learning opportunities,” she explains. McEachen trained at the Wilderness Awareness School in Washington and says she has seen amazing transformations in kids who get outdoors; being outside boosts both their confidence and joyfulness. What does having a “holistic, sensory-based approach” mean practically? McEachen is planning activities such as tracking animals, making natural dyes, building shelters and cooking outdoors. The goal, she says, is teaching primitive skills at a preschool level. —K.L.

WREN’S NEST PRESCHOOL PROGRAM: Classes begin September 15, $35 per day. Info, 453-6159, willowell.org.

FOOD

Kid in the Kitchen

Even if you’ve had your fill of the recent cupcake craze, make room for this morsel about an enterprising young baker in Stowe. Thirteen-year-old Drew Springer-Miller cut her sweet tooth a year ago after taking a cake-decorating class with her mom. Her creations — including coconut cupcakes with lime cream-cheese frosting — grew popular at school and community bake sales. She soon started filling orders for parties, and developed a business logo for CAKERY D. Now she’s selling her sweets at Edelweiss Mountain Deli in Stowe. Along the way, she’s used her mom and dad as “venture capital” investors; they helped her purchase baking pans and decorating equipment. They’ve also o ered advice on pricing, quantity estimations and delivery. “It’s been a good teaching experience,” says her mom, Tina Springer-Miller. Call it sweet smarts. —K.L.

CAKERY D: Cupcakes available made to order, or at the Edelweiss Mountain Deli on the Mountain Road in Stowe. Info, cakeryd@aol.com.

SPORTS Dribble Drills

School-aged girls can prep for this year’s basketball season in a new series of SKILLS CLINICS run by the St. Michael’s College women’s basketball team. The fourhour sessions run Sunday mornings, September 11 through October 9, and touch on di erent topics each week, including offense, defense and position play. Smallgroup, station-based instruction comes from current team members, as well as St. Mike’s Head Coach — and UVM Hall of Famer — Jennifer Niebling and Assistant Coach Shannon Kynoch. “It’s an opportunity to give back to the game,” says Kynoch of the $25 per session clinics. The team members enjoy teaching at St. Mike’s summer camps, and these fall clinics give them another chance to show they’ve mastered their skills by teaching eager young athletes. “It’s good for our players,” says Kynoch, “and good for the community as well.” —K.L.

ST. MICHAEL’S COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SKILLS CLINICS: Sundays, September 11, 18, 25 and October 9. $25 per session or $75 for all four. St. Michael’s College, 1 Winooski Park, Colchester. Info, 654-2503, facebook.com/SaintMichaelsCollege.

BOOKS Middle-School Crisis

The newest book from Hinesburg resident Chris Tebbetts is in its sixth week on the New York Times bestseller list. True, it helps that James Patterson’s name is on the cover of MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE. The bestselling mystery writer hired Tebbetts as a co-author after seeing his four-part fantasy and adventure Viking series. Patterson sent Tebbetts a detailed outline of Middle School, which the Vermont author fleshed out. Middle graders are likely to relate to the book’s narrator, Rafe, who sets out to break every rule in his school’s o cial regulation book, abetted by his only friend, “Leonardo the Silent.” Leonardo’s irreverent, cartoon-style drawings (actually by Laura Park) adorn the pages. Working with Patterson has “been a wholly positive experience for me,” says Tebbetts, who’s been writing for kids since 2002, and is currently preparing Middle School’s sequel. —M.H.

‘MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE’: by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts, with illustrations by Laura Park. Little, Brown, 284 pages. $15.99.

ASK DR. FIRST

What should parents know about sports-related head injuries?

SCHOOL IS BACK in session, which means that student athletes are hitting the fields — and, too often, their noggins. Coaches used to tell players to “shake it o ,” but no longer. Medical experts now warn that even a seemingly mild head injury can result in brain damage.

Lewis First, chief of pediatrics at Vermont Children’s Hospital at Fletcher Allen and editorin-chief of Pediatrics, describes how parents can help recognize and prevent head injuries.

KIDS VT: Explain the types of head injuries children experience.

LEWIS FIRST: There are two ways to think about head injuries: There are those that a ect the skin surrounding the skull and brain, what we call external head injuries. When you bump your head, you’ll get a lump or “goose egg ” from leakage from blood vessels filling the space between the skin and skull. Then you have internal head injuries, those that a ect the skull, brain and blood vessels inside the skull. Those can be life-threatening traumatic brain injuries. One of the common internal head injuries is a concussion — a bruise to the brain. A single first concussion doesn’t usually involve serious bleeding or brain swelling. However, the more you shake or bruise the brain, the more likely it is that permanent brain injury will result.

KVT: What are the signs of an external head injury?

LF: A lump, bump, cut or scrape. A child may cry but otherwise appear absolutely normal. They might even have a headache for an hour or two or even vomit once, but that’s it. They may also develop a black eye, but this type of external injury is rarely dangerous.

KVT: Since parents or coaches may not know whether a head injury is serious, what should they do first?

LF: Observation is key. What you may think is just a bruise to the skin may represent a concussion. With minor lumps and bumps, apply an icepack every 20 minutes for the first couple of hours. Then, observe the child. Most studies show that if the child has no change in symptoms in the first 12 hours, they’re probably fine.

KVT: What warning signs should parents watch for?

LF: The most serious symptoms are loss of consciousness, head or neck pain, repeated vomiting, convulsions, a change in mental status, an inability to walk, balance or speak, or any weakness on one side. If you’re a coach and your player seems dazed, confused or lightheaded, doesn’t know who they’re playing, or can’t recall what happened, those are all signs that a concussion has occurred. You need to get that player o the field and seek immediate medical attention.

KVT: What are the consequences of ignoring a head injury?

LF: The side e ects of concussions can last for hours or days, and about 15 percent of kids have symptoms that last for

months. Those can include persistent headaches, memory loss and problems with concentration. A concussion is a very serious injury. Because you cannot see the bruise, many players, particularly in middle and high school, want to get back in the game as quickly as possible. But they may be doing themselves a disservice.

KVT: Are the effects of head traumas cumulative?

LF: Studies show that repeated concussions can lead to lasting brain injuries. There’s about a four-fold increased chance that the second concussion will result in more serious signs, symptoms and risks of permanent brain damage.

KVT: How do you treat sports-related head injuries?

LF: If a child has been sidelined due to a concussion, he or she should not return to play without a doctor’s permission and without going through a gradual return-toplay routine. Kids need complete physical and mental rest to heal the bruise that occurs from a brain injury. That means no sports, schoolwork, physical activity, video games or computer time. Basically, they must lie down and listen to music until they’re symptomfree for at least 24 hours.

KVT: What about not letting children fall asleep after a concussion?

LF: If they’re up, watch them for the first 12 hours. If they’re sleeping, I recommend that parents check on them every two to three hours to make sure they’re moving and breathing normally. You may want to shake their shoulder and make sure they recognize you and can respond. Don’t wake them fully unless they don’t fuss when gently nudged. If they don’t fuss, sit them up to awaken them. If there is minimal response or your child is still confused, seek medical attention.

KVT: Any other recommendations?

LF: All kids playing sports should be wearing protective gear. Also, children need to understand the rules and basic skills of the game. If they don’t learn the fundamentals, they’re setting themselves up for injuries. Another simple measure: Look at the athletic field before a practice or game and clear away any debris and fill in holes and ruts.

— KEN PICARD

Disc Drives

RemembeR The giddy feeling you’d get as a kid when you launched a Frisbee through the air? Spin that disc again in a game of Ultimate Frisbee, a heart-pounding and sometimes comical sport that you and your kids can play just about anywhere.

Ultimate first emerged as an organized team sport in 1968. Since then, leagues have sprouted all over the country. Ultimate players don’t toss Frisbees leisurely back and forth; instead, two teams of players compete to advance the disc down a field. They score points by catching a throw in the end zone.

Ultimate is a simple, fun game that requires agility, stamina and strategic thinking. It’s a great family activity because it’s easily adapted to accommodate any size group, age of children or available field space. I recently met up with two families — the Savages and the Gamaches  — at the Collins Perley Sports Complex in St. Albans to give it a try.

While Ultimate teams can include as many as seven players, these two families were well-matched: four Savages — Sean, Jennifer, Zachary and Hailey versus four Gamaches — Ted, Liz, Robert and Gabrielle. Though the regulation field is normally a lengthy 70 by 40 yards with 25-yard end zones, we picked a much smaller space with loosely defined boundaries.

At the start of the half-hour game, the two teams lined up in their respective end zones and the Savages launched the Frisbee to the Gamaches.

Once the Gamaches started their offensive strike, they had to adhere to the one “catch” of the game: Players can’t move their feet once they’ve snagged the Frisbee. You can make the game easier for small kids — and easier on your knees — by allowing two steps after a catch, but we stuck with the original version of the game.

Players on offense can run up and down the field in any direction, opening themselves up for a pass. If the Frisbee goes out of bounds or hits the ground, the opposing team gets the disc and starts from that pick-up spot.

Defensive players can block and intercept the Frisbee to change possession. When someone scores a point, the teams line up again and restart play.

This was the first time the Savages and Gamaches had played Ultimate, but after a few minutes, everyone got

used to the rules. At just six months, my own daughter is a bit too young to play, so I observed from the sidelines as possession changed quickly, and everyone flew by. I got tired just watching.

WhAT you need: A Frisbee, boundary markers, water to keep everyone hydrated.

WheRe To pLAy: Any flat, open space.

eTiqueTTe: There’s no referee so players resolve their own disputes.

And it wasn’t long before everyone was laughing, whether it was at a fumble by Mom Liz, a diving catch by 12-yearold Zach, or just a wild throw grabbed by the wind. Another advantage to Ultimate: Any player contact is a foul. Kids can run, leap and dive, but aren’t allowed to elbow, push or grab. Sometimes crashes occur, as Robert and Zach learned while going head-to-head for a catch. For that reason, it’s a good idea to direct kids to cover opposing players who are about the same size.

As your kids get older, you can alter the game to make it more challenging. Use stricter rules, try playing on a larger field or schedule longer matches.

Both teams were out of breath at the end of their game in St. Albans; the Savages eked out a 3-2 win. But Zach said he’d like to play again, so a rematch may be in order. K

“Fit 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. Stina Booth is a writer and photographer living in Fairfield with her husband and daughter.

booK: The invention of hugo cabret by brian selznick

Age RAnge: 9-12

coffrin’s summary: What secrets hide inside a 1920s Paris train station? This book, full of mystery and magic, tells the story of Hugo, a 12-year-old orphan who lives in the station walls. Years ago, Hugo’s father discovered a rusty robot figure, and Hugo is determined to unlock the mystery of this machine using drawings in his father’s notebook.

Told through richly detailed blackand-white drawings as well as text, the story unfolds like a jigsaw puzzle in pictures. This book is inspired by the true story of French filmmaker, Georges Méliès.

Why kids will enjoy it: The pictures! This book is over 500 pages long, but it quickly draws readers in. Its fast pace and beautiful artwork capture young readers as they become part of Hugo’s adventure. It’s a great choice for reluctant readers and young artists. K

“The Librarian Likes” features a different librarian and book each month.

Got an idea for a future LL?

Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com.

LibRARiAn: Jill coffrin, youth services Librarian, dorothy Alling memorial Library in Williston.

Ultimate Frisbee is a simple, fun game that can be played in pretty much any flat, open space.

Sponsored by:

Like the y on Facebook for resources on how your family can become healthier!

Nine-year-old Robert Gamache leaps for the disc followed closely by opponent Hailey Savage, 9, right, during an Ultimate Frisbee game between the Gamache and Savage families in St. Albans. Robert’s sister Gabrielle, 12, left, gives him some room.

Promoting better health, education, and well-being for all children and families, with a focus on children and young adults with special needs.

To learn more about how we can help you, visit www.VermontFamilyNetwork.org or call 1-800-800-4005 for more comprehensive information about:

• Developmental Disability Resources, including Autism

• Assistive Technology

• Early Childhood Development

• Health Care

• Mental Health

• Parent Involvement in School

VERMONT FAMILY NETWORK provides a wide range of programs and services for parents and professionals to build lasting relationships that support the needs of children and families across the state.

• Special Education

If you do not speak English and need assistance, call and tell us your language and phone number. We will call you right back with an interpreter on the line.

— Kelly Gri n

THE LEARNING CENTER AT HEALTHY LIVING

✱ HOME COOKIN’ BY MARYELLEN APELQUIST

In the Lunchbox: Taco Salad To Go

Perfect Peanut Bu er Cookies

Tuesday, Sept. 13th ½ 3:30pm – 4:30pm ½ 20 ½ Pre-registration is required

Kids will mix, measure, bake and eat their very own batch of these classic cookies. They’ll go home with baked cookies as well as le over dough to bake at home!

Great Big Stuffed Pasta Shells

Thursday, Sept. 15th ½ 3:30pm – 4:30pm ½ 20 ½ Pre-registration is required

Kids will stuff jumbo pasta shells with creamy rico a and herb filling. Everyone will go home with a pan full of dinner, ready to go in the oven!

Making Real Chips and Chunky Salsa

Wednesday, Sept. 28th ½ 3:30pm – 4:30pm ½ 20 ½ Pre-registration is required

Kids will fry up fresh tortilla chips as well as chop tomatoes, peppers, herbs and more to make a colorful and flavorful salsa to jar up and bring home!

DORSET STREET, SOUTH BURLINGTON × AM- PM SEVEN DAYS A WEEK × HEALTHYLIVINGMARKET.COM

MOST KIDS ARE taken with tacos — crunchy or soft, meaty or vegetarian. Even picky eaters who won’t touch a garden salad might give taco salad a try. Wrapped in a whole-wheat tortilla, taco salad makes for a fun, south-of-the-border-inspired lunchbox treat, a welcome departure from the usual midday routine.

The traditional flavors of lime juice, cumin and chili powder brighten this pantry-friendly, economical and infinitely flexible recipe. Kids can easily put their own spin on the colorful wrap fillings, choosing black or red kidney beans, using cilantro and doubling up on fresh, local corn. Parents can adjust the spiciness to suit young palates.

Prepare the salad the night before, and fill and roll the wraps before the kids head o to school; they taste great chilled, and keep well in a lunchbox nestled against a cold pack.

TACO SALAD TO GO DRESSING:

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

TACO SALAD:

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground turkey

1-2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder (this makes for mild taco meat; for more kick, add more powder)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup fresh corn

2-3 medium tomatoes, diced

1 cup shredded carrot

1 15.5-ounce can kidney beans or black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup olives, sliced (optional)

Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

6-8 whole-wheat flour tortillas (at least 10 inches in diameter; the bigger the wrap, the more filling you can squeeze in without difficulty rolling)

6 leaves romaine lettuce (remove the “ribs” to make rolling easier)

1 cup cheddar, shredded

1 avocado, sliced (optional)

SERVES 6-8

2011-2012 ALL ACCESS SEASON PASSES ON SALE

MEAT SUBSTITUTES:

This recipe also works with thinlysliced chicken breast. For a vegetarian meal, omit the meat and increase beans to 2 cans.

WHAT KIDS CAN HELP WITH:

1. Make the meat mixture by sautéing the onion and garlic over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add ground turkey and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste.

2. Season meat mixture with cumin, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

3. Remove meat from heat and stir in fresh corn. Set aside to cool.

4. Make the salad mixture in a large bowl by tossing tomatoes, shredded carrot, beans, olives and fresh cilantro (if using).

5. Make the dressing in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Combine lime juice, white wine vinegar, cumin, oregano, and salt and pepper. Slowly pour in olive oil, whisking all the while. Refrigerate salad, dressing and meat mixture separately if not immediately preparing wraps.

• Choosing salad ingredients

• Rinsing the veggies

• Whisking the dressing

• Tossing the salad

• Rolling the wraps

*when

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6. Toss salad mixture with dressing.

7. To assemble the wrap, place one leaf romaine lettuce in center of tortilla; spoon 2 tablespoons of meat mixture about 1 1/2 inches from bottom; top with 2 tablespoons salad mixture and 1 tablespoon shredded cheddar. Layer the avocado slices over the salad mixture, if using.

8. Fold up the bottom edge of the tortilla until it partially covers the filling; fold in left and right sides of tortilla, then roll from bottom to top to form a cylinder, similar to a burrito. Slice the wrap in half diagonally to make it easier for kids to eat.

9. Package wraps snugly in waxed paper.

Skiing & riding closer to home: Bolton Valley is only 30 minutes from Burlington or Montpelier.

Nordic Adult Passes Only $110

Adult $549 Youth $159* Senior $289

purchased with parent’s Adult Season Pass. Prices valid through September 26, 2011.

Photo: Jay Silveira/J&E Productions

September 24, 201 1 9:00am — 1:00pm

359 Turtle Lane, Shelburne

It’s THE place to find treasures for your home, wardrobe, children and lifestyles!

In our modern economy, we could all use a little retail BLISS...

Doors open at 9am sharp!

SHELBURNE - west at Harbor Road light, right on Turtle Lane. 985-2827 www.LakeChamplainWaldorfSchool.org

NEW ENGLAND KURN HATTIN HOMES

Situated on 280 acres, New England Kurn Hattin Homes is a charitable, year-round residential school with more than 100 years of service to at risk boys and girls, in grades 1-8, from families affected by tragedy and social or economic hardship.

For more information call Sue Kessler at (802) 721-6932.

Moonlight

back-to-school supplies! Choose from a huge selection of brand name essentials including:

November 18th–21st

Frickle Fiends

Kids UndEr 10 eat for free every Tuesday at One Federal in St. Albans. Buy one adult entree, and you get one kid’s meal on the house at this eclectic eatery, which touts its commitment to local agriculture. It’s the perfect opportunity for a frugal single father, such as myself, to treat his daughter to a fine-dining experience.

It was easy to entice my 8-year-old, Bebo, to the restaurant on a recent Tuesday evening. She digs One Federal’s popular Frickles — beer-battered fried pickles with ranch dipping sauce.

And the tasty fried appetizers aren’t the only attraction; the kids’ menu is also packed with healthy $7 meals — seven entrees (from chicken fingers to salmon) and a choice of seven sides (from salad to kettle chips). But the options aren’t endless. When Bebo flipped the menu over, she said, “Dad, there’s nothing on the back.”

We placed our frickle order, and our waitress immediately got it into the kitchen. We had planned to eat the fried pickles as an appetizer, but they arrived just moments before the main course — our fault, for ordering them late.

listed on our more-than-reasonable bill. We were charged $1.25 for her beverage, though, which made me cringe a tad, considering her food was free. Why not the drink, too? Also, the Frickles weren’t free. Yes, I am frugal.

Bebo and I ordered, then chatted amiably while we waited for our food. Our server didn’t offer us the usual activities or coloring books. Maybe she thought Bebo was too old for them. Or maybe she realized my girl’s not at all the Tasmanian Deviltype. Bebo waited calmly and quietly.

At least until she realized: “We forgot the Frickles!”

They were worth the wait, though. When they arrived, Bebo started singing Heart’s 1985 hit “What About Love?” Then she looked down at all seven Frickles, her eyes wide with excitement, and announced, “You are about to be eaten by the monster that loves Frickles.” (Yup, kids dig ’em.)

Our meals were fantastic — chicken Alfredo and a side salad for her, and for me, nachos loaded (loaded!) with “all the good stuff,” as advertised on the menu.

We had plenty of food to bring home — including two Frickles. And, as promised, Bebo’s meal was not

Honestly, I was a little worried we might be charged for the meal. I knew that Tuesdays were kids-eat-free nights, and I saw it on the menu, but during our visit, none of the waitstaff brought it up.

The word is out, though. As we were leaving, I noticed a party with three children under age 10, a couple with a toddler, and another couple near the entrance with two children about Bebo’s age. All of these children seemed remarkably civilized. Perhaps they were on their best behavior, in anticipation of the Frickles. K

Q oUT To EAT by Leon t homp S on

kids’ menu is packed with healthy $7 meals.

Olivia Ste. Marie, 8, from Guilford, Conn. enjoys a salad at One Federal in St. Albans. The family dined on a recent kids-eat-free Tuesday.

FAmily-FriEndly AmEniTiEs: Booster seats, child-friendly plastic cups with lids and straw-holes, great kids’ menu. our bill for two: $23.26 (with tax and tip).

What

do you tell a kid who doesn’t want to go to school?

doug Wilhelm, Weybridge, WriTer Children: son, Brad, 24; stepson, Nate, 15

Observing first that it’s easier to give advice than to parent so wisely ourselves, I would suggest asking, listening and maybe offering a limited choice.

I’d ask, “Why don’t you want to go?” And I’d try to listen to the answer, without judging or dismissing. We tend to say, “It’ll be fine, just get in the car.” But giving a child five minutes of simple attention can be so soothing; it may be all they need. I might remind them of another time when they didn’t want to do something, but they did and it went well.

If this is an elementary-aged child and the conversation doesn’t turn up an issue that needs more attention, I might then ask, “What would make it easier for you to deal with school today?” Pondering this can get a child past the anxiety, and past the hope that resisting may get them out of going.

This links to the limited-choice approach: offering an option that can help a child accept the larger reality. For example: “Today you get total power over what you’ll wear to school.”

Or, “What would you like to do for the first hour after you get home from school?” Offering them time with you later on can give them the sense that you’re getting through this together. Just don’t offer to buy them something! That might get them to the bus stop, but it’s almost bound to create far greater trouble down the road.

Okay, I’d make an exception for ice cream. Or creemees. If I can have one, too. Then, of course, it’s okay.

Jim olmsTed, calais, educaTor specializing in learning disabiliTies

Children: son, Max, 13; daughter, Emma, 11

I try to make a connection so that they know that I hear them, that I’m really there for them. I say, “Yeah, I didn’t want to go to school either.”

I’ve also come up with strategies. For instance, if their confidence is low, I’ll remind them of the skills they have, especially skills that aren’t related to the classroom, that they can keep in mind for confidence when undertaking new things. Another strategy is to remind them that they have good friends and that friendships will help them through the day, and they can help their friends. That can also be part of another strategy: Think of one thing you can look forward to either during the school day or when you get home — friends can be part of that. Distractions are another great strategy — favorite music in the car, for instance.

So many times the anticipation is much worse than the task.

philip baruTh, burlingTon, auThor and sTaTe senaTor Children: daughters Olivia, 14, Gwen, 12, and Miranda, 7

There aren’t a lot of things that your kid doesn’t want to do that they’re legally required to do. They don’t want to eat their peas — but there isn’t a law that says you have to eat your peas. With school, there’s a cop who’s watching out. So that’s the first thing: They’re going to have to go to school because otherwise we’re going to get surveilled.

Then you’re in one of two movies. If you’re in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, the kid is bored. If you’re in The Karate Kid, the kid is being bullied. That’s the key, to figure what the situation is… My mom had this standard: You get out of bed, get dressed, eat breakfast and brush your teeth. She would not insist that we go to school but that we go through these stages. She delayed the final decision. Four out of five times, having your clothes on and having brushed your teeth conveyed the inevitable.

The other thing my parents were big on: If you stayed home from school, you were sick for the day — you could do nothing except rest. I sometimes remind my kids of that, especially if there’s something scheduled for later in the day.

rob doWney, burlingTon, co-oWner, american FlaTbread burlingTon hearTh and Farmhouse Tap and grill

Children: daughter, Emma, 10; son, Will, 6

“Why don’t you want you want to go to school today?” Isn’t that where it all starts? Then you work from that answer. If someone was mean to my daughter at school, we get to the root of it, and we realize that all this other person is really doing is craving attention or has some sort of insecurity that makes them want to be mean to feel more important. I’ll walk her through why this person might be doing that, and I’ll give her the tools to take charge and confront the problem.

My kids don’t play the sick card. Either Emma is struggling with somebody, or she’s feeling uncertain about some work. If the latter is the case, I’m going to level with her on the impact of missing a day of school — that’s a day you fall behind, and then the next day becomes more difficult. That’s pretty effective, the fear of falling further behind.

You have to confront your fears or the work that you’re doing. That’s just a life lesson. K

— IntervIews compIled by erIk esckIlsen

so many times the anticipation is much worse than the task.

Jim olmsTed

Quilting

BY KRISTIN FLETCHER

STITCHING MEMORY QUILTS MIGHT SOUND OLD-FASHIONED

for a generation of kids whose thumbs are more accustomed to using touch-screens than thimbles. But, June Bugbee, owner of Sew Many Treasures in Williston, says her young sewing students find the traditional skill habit-forming. Bugbee takes a moment from snipping through bolts of fabric to pluck a photo from the door frame behind her cutting table and cash register.

In the snapshot, seven smiling girls holding their beautifully patterned lucky-star quilts on a sunny summer’s day. “Once I get them once…,” Bugbee says, raising her eyebrows in amusement.

Bugbee teaches quilting during her annual summer sewing camp; she also o ers lessons the rest of the year. Camp attendance has multiplied from six students five years ago to 60 this year. In Camp 101, students learn about sewing machines, seam allowances and patterns, and receive an overview of types of fabric. “The kids come back year after year,” she says.

Anna Werner, 9, and Liza Stone, 10, are perfect examples of that devotion. Werner attended last year. Stone liked her first session so much that she signed up for a second one two weeks later.

For her first quilt, Stone says she chose fabrics in blues and purples and one patterned with glow-in-the-dark stars. Choosing the material is part of the fun. Quilts can display favorite color combinations or illustrate family memories using patches from

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

A SEWING MACHINE: Becoming familiar and skilled on one machine is a real time-saver and the primary reason to invest in a sewing machine of your own. Models start around $200 and you will want to select a machine based on your projects and fabrics.

Regularly $ 283.95

KIDS ART SUPPLIES

Art • Drafting • Framing Supplies

Handmade Paper • Paints

Brushes • Portfolios

Cards • Art Supplies

• sturdy

• inclinable

• handy tray for storing paints & brushes

• holds canvas up to 49"

outgrown baby clothes or old sports jerseys.

Once quilters have chosen the materials, they stitch together the patches that form the top side, then place the quilt top over the batting, and sew on a backing, binding the top and bottom together to make the finished product.

Because sewing requires precision — every fraction of an inch counts — kids might not be ready to start until age 8.

But Dee Lamberton of A Quilters Garden in Montpelier started her daughter sewing at age 6, cutting the pieces for her. Lamberton also o ers classes at her shop throughout the year. Novices begin by working on simple projects like pillowcases and doll-sized quilts. They learn to follow patterns, employing math skills in the process.

Lamberton advises beginners to choose a pattern made of squares or rectangles and not triangles; the seams of triangles are trickier to line up. She recommends a nine-patch quilt, with three rows of three squares.

The learning curve can be steep to start, but the excitement of turning a special piece of fabric into a keepsake provides students with an incentive. “Picking out their own fabric, they usually love that,” Lamberton says. “And having something that they’ve made.”

FABRIC, SCISSORS, CUTTING MAT AND RULER: Good, sharp scissors, a self-healing, slip-resistant craft cutting mat and a ruler can be purchased anywhere sewing supplies are found. While rotary cutters are the best tools for cutting fabric, they are a safety hazard and not necessary for new quilters. Adults should cut fabric for young and inexperienced children.

GOOD RESOURCES FOR BEGINNERS: Show Me How: Quilting,” (Sixth&Spring Books, 2007) a storybook for ages 9-12, and “Start Quilting with Alex Anderson: Six Projects for First-Time Quilters” (C&T Publishing, 2001).

WHERE TO LEARN: Sew Many Treasures, 8016 Williston Road, Williston, 8783373, sewmanytreasuresvt.com; A Quilter’s Garden, 342 River Street, Montpelier, 223-2275, aquiltersgarden. net; Yankee Pride Quilts, 9 Main Street, Essex Junction, 872-9300, yankeepridequilts.com.

“The Art of...” spotlights creative skills that enrich kids’ lives. Got a class or teacher to recommend? Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com. Kristin Fletcher is a former sports editor for the St. Albans Messenger and Barre-Montpelier Times Argus who lives in Cabot. She has two children, 12 and 9, and works for Re-Bop Records. Got a comment? Contact feedback@kidsvt.com.

98 Church Street Burlington 802.864.5475 www.boutiliers.com

194 COLLEGE ST, BURLINGTON 864.5475 • BOUTILIERS.COM

M-SAT 10-6, SUN 12-5

Emily Gagnon, 12, Shelburne

Quilts can display favorite color combinations or illustrate family memories.

Little Genius

When our older daughter was three and we lived in Manhattan, friends with older children gave my husband and me some well-intentioned advice: Better start preparing for the high-stakes game of kindergarten entrance exams.

In New York City, they explained, that meant hiring a tutor — to the tune of several thousand dollars — to help our preschooler prepare for “gifted testing.”

New York City’s public schools are ultracompetitive, with thousands of students applying each year for entrance to the city’s famed gifted and talented programs. Behind the pricey push to get preschoolers accepted into the G&T program is a simple calculation: Early investment in education can result in 12 years of top-notch, free schooling.

If we didn’t spend thousands to prep our preschooler, friends warned, she might end up in our poorly performing local public school, or we’d wind up having to shell out big bucks for a private-school education.

Cue the panic attack.

Aside from the question of whether we could a ord a tutor, this gaming of the public school system rankled. If our child didn’t test into G&T, would she end up on a lower-performance track for her entire school career? That’s a lot of pressure to put on three- and four-year-olds. And what about all the families that can’t pay?

Then Vermont called. After my husband received a job o er in Burlington, we sat down with an elementary school principal and brought up the question of gifted and talented programs.

“We don’t believe in gifted and talented in Vermont,” he informed us. “If you tell some kids they’re gifted, you’re telling all the other children that they aren’t.”

Vermont was o ering a good old-fashioned public school education.

To our ears, the principal’s words sounded sweet. But not everyone hears it that way. Many local parents, educators and advocates would like Vermont to do more to educate its brightest children. “What is the societal benefit to educating our leaders?” asks Ellen Koier, president of the Vermont Council for Gifted Education. “It’s to our benefit to highly educate them.”

Is Vermont Failing Its Gifted Children?

BY AIMEE PICCHI

VERMONT IS ONE of 15 states that do not require schools to provide special services to its Einsteins-in-training. But in 1996, the state passed a law defining the term “gifted and talented” — a possible prerequisite for any future statewide program that might serve those kids. According to the statute, they’re “children identified by professionally qualified persons who, when compared to others of their

she notes. She sees the definition as a first step toward ensuring that all of the state’s kids, including the brightest, have access to appropriate educational services.

“About 10 to 15 percent of Vermont students, or about 9000 children, need something other than what they are getting in regular classrooms,” she says. “All children’s needs should be taken care of.”

Lucy Bogue, a parent of gifted children who serves on the board of the Green Mountain Center for Gifted Education, notes that highly functioning children who aren’t challenged at school risk getting bored in the classroom, or even depressed as a result of insu cient intellectual stimulation.

Is Your Child Gifted?

We live in a society that trumpets the uniqueness of each individual. It’s no wonder so many parents are convinced their kids are exceptional.

But research shows parents are often right when they have a feeling their children are really smart. A study from the Gifted Development Center in Denver showed that parents who suspected their kids of being gifted were right about 84 percent of the time.

age, experience or environment, exhibit capability of high performance in intellectual, creative or artistic areas, possess an unusual capacity for leadership or excel in specific academic fields.”

Vermont Education Commissioner Armando Vilaseca says a gifted student might be a middle-schooler who won a top place in a math contest geared for Vermont’s top high-school students; or an elementary-age student capable of performing calculus.

Gifted children may express their talents through leadership or the arts, adds Carol Story, cofounder of the Green Mountain Center for Gifted Education, a nonprofit that supports brainy youth and their families. She o ers the example of a four-yearold boy who sent a letter to the governor, via dictation to his mother, expressing his concern about bovine growth hormone. Story, who earned a PhD in gifted education from the University of Connecticut at Storrs, has taught at Johnson State College and works as a consultant to schools and families with exceptionally intelligent children. She believes there should be a statewide mandate for gifted ed programs. She was one of the advocates who lobbied to get the definition of “gifted” passed into state law — an e ort that took nine years,

Bogue’s daughter dropped out of high school, but aced the SATs and now is attending Wellesley. Her son, frustrated by the lack of challenge in school, asked to be homeschooled, with the addition of college classes, she notes. He’s now attending the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Frustrated parents of gifted children in Vermont often resort to homeschooling, according to Story and Bogue.

“I’ve had it said to me, ‘All kids are gifted’,” Bogue says. “It’s okay to be an elite athlete, but to be really smart has something threatening about it.”

In a state known for its egalitarianism, gifted programs may be viewed as elitist. But philosophical di erences alone don’t account for their absence here — gifted programs cost money that cash-strapped Vermont school districts lack.

It can be di cult to convince taxpayers to support services that benefit a minority of students, and Commissioner Vilaseca believes that truly gifted students are indeed a minority. He disagrees with Story’s estimate that 10 percent of students fall into this category. “After working in schools for 30-odd years, I would say in my experience the number would be way, way smaller than that,” he says. “I would put it at 1 to 2 percent of Vermont’s student population.”

Fiscal pressures make it unlikely that Vermont will create a special statewide program to educate these kids, he says.

Numerous methods are used to determine the extent of the “gift,” according to the Green Mountain Center for Gifted Education. Traditionally, IQ tests helped educators to identify high-performing children, with a qualifying score of 125 or higher. But today, definitions include specific talents, including aptitude in music or leadership, or creativity. Polish psychologist Kazimierz Dabrowski suggests the definition extends to people who have psychomotor, emotional, intellectual, sensual or imaginational “overexcitabilities.”

Vermont has its own definition, which was signed into law in 1996. “Gifted and talented children” are “children identified by professionally qualified persons who, when compared to others of their age, experience or environment, exhibit capability of high performance in intellectual, creative or artistic areas, possess an unusual capacity for leadership or excel in specific academic fields.” Gifted children often show asynchronous development, with their talents evolving at a different rate than their emotional or social abilities.

Should parents get their children tested? The price-tag for the process, which involves hiring a consultant to perform the testing, can exceed $1000. In Vermont, the results won’t ensure that students will be treated any differently in school.

But, says gifted ed advocate Carol Story, parents can use the findings to lobby their district to provide more services. For some, having an outside expert affirm a child’s abilities might be its own reward.

It’s okay to be an elite athlete, but to be really smart has something threatening about it.

LUCY BOGUE, PARENT

LITTLE GENIUS, P. 22 »

“We have a situation that, for the last two years and the upcoming year, districts are asked to make a sizeable reduction,” Vilaseca notes. “To consider adding [a state mandate] in this climate would be a real challenge.”

In fact, the state is cutting, not strengthening, its support for gifted

education. For years, the state employed an “enrichment coordinator,” who helped schools develop lessons and programs that surpassed educational standards. That job is gone and won’t be coming back, Vilaseca says, citing budget pressures.

Right now, he says, the Department

characteristics of gifted Kids

How can you spot a gifted child? the national Association for Gifted children points parents to austega.com/gifted/characteristics.htm for several informal checklists including this one, which offers a set of general characteristics to look for. chances are at least one of these applies to your child. don’t get your hopes up, though — your kid’s above-average energy level, for example, could also be a sign of A.d d. According the website, a gifted child:

• is an avid reader

• has avid interest in science or literature

• provides very alert, rapid answers to questions

• has a wide range of interests

• is secure emotionally

• is venturesome, wanting to do new things

• tends to dominate peers or situations

• is an entrepreneur — readily makes money on various projects or activities

• needs little outside control — applies self-discipline

• is resourceful — solves problems by ingenious methods

• is creative in new ideas, sees associations, pursues innovations

• displays a great curiosity about objects, situations or events

• has the capacity to look into things and be puzzled

• is involved with many exploratory-type activities

• reveals originality in oral and written expression

• is perceptually open to his or her environment

• displays a willingness to accept complexity

• has the capacity to use knowledge and information other than to memorize

• shows superior judgment in evaluating things

• is a good guesser

• makes good grades in most subjects

• learns rapidly, easily and efficiently

• uses a lot of common sense

• retains and uses information that has been heard or read

• uses a large number of words easily and accurately

• asks many questions of a provocative nature

• has a power of abstraction, conceptualization and synthesis

• has an interest in cause-andeffect relations

• likes structure, order and consistency

• has a power of concentration, an intense attention that excludes all else

• is persistent

• has a high energy level

• is independent

• is friendly and outgoing

of Education’s primary focus is “to make sure that all students are meeting standards.”

And it’s not as if Vermont is doing a terrible job — the Green Mountain State has the second-highest high-school graduation rate of high-school graduates in the country, following top-ranked New Jersey, according to Education Week

The conservative American Legislative Exchange Council recently ranked Vermont first in educational performance, based on improvements in low-income students’ test scores over the past few years.

Vilaseca maintains that Vermont’s students perform just as well as graduates from other states, including those from areas with gifted programs.

“Vermont has kids who were gifted who went to Harvard, Brown, MIT and West Point, so I haven’t seen that our students are not being successful,” the commissioner notes.

In general, Vilaseca agrees that Vermont schools need to be more flexible and individualized to meet the needs of all their students. But adding strategies for coping with gifted children remains something that’s best addressed at the local level, he says.

“It’s up to parents or community members to meet with the school board,” Vilaseca notes.

EVEn Though ThEy don’t have to, some Vermont communities do fund gifted education and enrichment programs — classes which are often open to a larger percentage of students.

Vilaseca points to Georgia Elementary’s enrichment program as an example; the commissioner previously served as the superintendent of Georgia’s Franklin West Supervisory Union.

Nancy Mildrum, who runs Georgia’s gifted and enrichment program, notes her program touches nearly all the school’s students via souped-up classes such as “Brain Pilots,” a special neuroscience class that all fifth and sixth graders attend. But the program also offers more selective gifted offerings geared toward the best students.

“We’re not test-oriented,” she explains. Her sunny classroom is filled with examples of her program’s emphasis on engagement: Felt chessboards hang on the wall, while the Tower of Hanoi, a classic wooden logic puzzle, sits on a classroom table. This is the kind of instruction that has become passé in the age of No Child Left Behind.

The school district funds the enrichment program, which now employs one other full-time teacher, MJ Mitiguy, and a part-time teacher, Nancy Volatile-Wood. “We’re here because the community wants us here,” Mildrum points out.

That also seems to be the case in Cambridge, where Koier, of the Vermont Council for Gifted Education, runs a program that serves between 10 and 20 percent of the total elementary school population.

When the program first started in 1981, however, it was much more selective, serving just 3 percent of the students, she notes. During the program’s second year, it expanded to include half the school’s students.

“We were trying to strike a delicate balance,” Koier explains, adding that she often fears for her program’s survival. As it is now, she notes, many Vermont schools don’t have the resources to take children beyond the nation’s educational standards. “All of the energy is going to remediation,” she says.

Other school districts that don’t have specialized gifted or enrichment programs do find ways to serve gifted students, through “differentiation” and/ or “acceleration” (see sidebar, “Meeting the Needs of a Gifted Child”).

But because there’s no mandate to provide those opportunities, there’s

Vermont has kids who were gifted who went to Harvard, Brown, MIT and West Point.

armando VilasEca, VErmonT commissionEr of EducaTion

no guarantee they’ll exist in any given district. So it’s a safe bet that kids in cash-strapped Winooski will continue to have fewer opportunities than students in Shelburne or Charlotte. In theory, a statewide mandate would democratize the system.

Carol Story hopes the annual New England Conference on Gifted and Talented Education, which comes to Burlington October 13 to 15, will convince more Vermonters they should

meeting the Needs of a Gifted child

Gifted education experts say parents need to advocate for their high-ability children. the first step is to talk with your child’s individual teacher. If you have remaining concerns, Green mountain Center for Gifted education recommends moving the discussion to the principal or superintendent.

Increasingly, Vermont schools are employing something they call “differentiation,” which encourages teachers to vary content and activities for children according to their readiness levels and interests. burlington School District Superintendent Jeanne Collins notes it’s “the best way to meet the needs of gifted and non-gifted students. We have been training our teachers in ‘Differentiated Instruction’ for some time.”

at least be paying attention to this issue; in that spirit, the Vermont Council for Gifted Education is providing scholarships to teachers and parents who wish to attend.

The conference schedule includes workshops on “The Creative Odyssey,” best practices for gifted and talented programs, and how to advocate for high-quality gifted education. K

Acceleration is another option, according to gifted education expert Carol Story. “Subject acceleration is the single most successful strategy for kids,” she says. that means rather than jumping a child an entire grade, the student attends higher-gradelevel classes in a specific subject such as math, while remaining with his or her age group. parents may also consider combining homeschooling with traditional school — for example, supplementing one half-day of school attendance with one half-day of homeschool instruction, Story says.

Web resources to help parents learn more about gifted children include Hoagie’s Gifted education page and the Davidson Institute for talent Development.

The Green Mountain State has the secondhighest rate of high-school graduates in the country.

When my 22-monTh-old daughter Manya, landed in the emergency room at Fletcher Allen recently, after six days of fevers that occasionally spiked above 105º F, my wife and I feared the worst.

Thankfully, Manya’s illness eventually turned out to be roseola, a relatively harmless virus. But in diagnosing her, the ER pediatric team had to rule out several very scary infectious diseases. They immediately checked to see if our daughter was current on all of her vaccines — she is.

The vaccine question took on new urgency because of a case of measles had recently been confirmed in southeastern Vermont, the first in the state in 10 years. The disease resurfaced at a time when fewer Vermont parents are vaccinating their children — a nationwide trend that alarms many public-health officials, who fear a resurgence of preventable childhood diseases, such as polio, that were once considered eradicated from this country.

Consider measles. About 92 percent of Vermont children receive the measlesmumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine by age 3. That rate seems like it would be sufficient to keep the disease at bay. However, state infectious disease experts warn that it may not be high enough to prevent sporadic outbreaks of measles, which is highly contagious and still common in much of the developing world.

Why isn’t 92 percent high enough? For starters, because no vaccine is 100 percent effective. Some people who are vaccinated still develop the disease. Moreover, some children, including babies younger than 12 months old and kids with compromised immune systems, cannot be vaccinated. That means parents who choose not to vaccinate their kids, or delay vaccines until their children are older, may be putting others at risk.

Though measles cases are rare in North America today, they’re on the rise. Between January and June, 118 cases were reported in United States, more than twice the normal rate for an entire year. In Québec alone, 562 cases were reported in the first six months of 2011.

Dr. William Raszka, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Fletcher Allen, says that about 40 percent of measles patients are hospitalized, and about one in a thousand will develop encephalitis, or swelling of the brain lining, which can cause brain damage.

“Measles is a terrible disease,” he says. “Worldwide, it’s still a leading disease killer of children.”

So, why do some parents opt out of

vaccines? Some likely steer clear of needles out of ignorance, or for religious reasons. However, Patsy Kelso, the state epidemiologist for infectious disease at the Vermont Department of Health, says such explanations account for only a small fraction of the parents who say no.

“People who are opposed to vaccinations for their kids tend to be well read on what vaccines do and how they work,” she explains. “The primary objections seem to be, ‘Why so many vaccines at the same time?’”

This concern, sometimes referred to as “vaccine overload,” is based on a common belief that infants’ and toddlers’

doses of seven vaccines before the age of 6. Today, she notes, it recommends 69 doses of 16 vaccines before age 18.

Fisher points to a tripling in the number of children who suffer from chronic conditions such as autism, asthma and diabetes. While she doesn’t specifically blame vaccines for those trends, “You can’t leave increasing doses of vaccines off the table” when looking for possible explanations, she says.

“Why does the vaccine-safety story not go away?” she asks. “It’s because of a lot of personal experience by people who have suffered similar patterns of adverse events following vaccinations.”

Shots for Tots

immune systems cannot handle the growing number of vaccines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends by age 4. Barbara Loe Fisher, cofounder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, is a leading proponent of this position. The NVIC is a Virginia-based consumer group that advocates for more independent research into vaccine safety.

Fisher, whose own son was permanently injured by an adverse reaction to the diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) vaccine, emphasizes that her organization doesn’t advocate for or against specific vaccines, but favors “an informed-consent position.”

“We want everyone to have information about the risks and complications about these diseases and vaccines, so they can ask their doctors good questions,” she says. “The only thing we’re against is forced vaccination.”

When Fisher first got involved in this issue in 1982, the CDC recommended 23

By Ken Picard ShotS

But Dr. Raszka, who routinely travels the country talking to pediatricians about this issue, says concerns about vaccine overload are unwarranted. He acknowledges that parents who grew up in the 1960s and ’70s probably remember getting fewer shots than kids do today. But as he explains, modern vaccines don’t contain nearly as many antigens — the substances that stimulate the body’s immune response — as vaccines did 40 years ago.

“Everyone hates to see a child poked four or five times,” he says. But as for all those vaccines overwhelming the little one’s immune system, “It just doesn’t happen.”

Kelso agrees. In fact, she says, because medical science doesn’t show any benefit whatsoever in delaying vaccines until a child is older, putting them off only gives your kid more time to contract the disease — and spread it to others.

Currently, the state of Vermont

When parents don’t vaccinate their kids, does it put others at risk?

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requires eight vaccines, and recommends four more, in order to register a child for public school or licensed daycare. However, “requires” is a misnomer. Nearly all states permit medical and religious exemptions for vaccinations. Vermont is also one of about two dozen states that allow parents to sign a waiver based on a philosophical opposition.

Raszka reports that 5 percent of kindergartners are now covered by waivers.

“It’s a balance between individual rights and the state’s duty to protect,” Raszka says. “There’s no easy answer, to be frank. We do know that states that allow for philosophical exemptions have higher rates of pertussis (whooping cough) and higher rates of other vaccinepreventable diseases.”

roughly coincides with the timing of the MMR shots.

Today, a small percentage of parents in their thirties and forties are choosing not to vaccinate their kids against less-deadly diseases, such as chicken pox. Many remember a time when nearly all their childhood friends contracted it. Some even attended “pox parties,” where kids were deliberately exposed to the disease, which is safer in childhood than in teen or adult years. For most, the experience was no worse than a week of missed school, an itchy rash and perhaps a few small scars.

However, as Raszka points out, even this disease, which many assume is benign, has a darker side. Chicken pox can cause dangerous secondary com-

Perhaps the most common fear parents have about vaccines is the risk of complications. None is more widespread than the now-discredited link between the MMR vaccine and autism. This issue first arose in 1998 after an article about it appeared in the Lancet, a well-respected British medical journal. That one article has been blamed for a steep decline in MMR vaccines rates, and corresponding spikes in measles cases, in the United States and Britain, over the last 10 years.

Since it was published, however, the article has been retracted and discredited as fraudulent. Its lead author, Andrew Wakefield, manipulated the research data and was charged with other ethical breaches; he has subsequently lost his medical license.

Still, despite broad consensus in the international medical community that the MMR vaccine is safe, fears persist about a link between autism and vaccines. The reason, Raszka explains, is understandable: Children are often diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder shortly after age 2, which

plications, such as pneumonia, shingles and, if contracted by pregnant mothers, life-threatening birth defects. Prior to 1995, when the chicken-pox vaccine became available, the disease sent about 11,000 people to the hospital every year and killed 100 to 150, according to the CDC.

The good news, says Kelso, is that Vermont has had real success with vaccine-preventable diseases that were common as recently as a decade ago. Pertussis, which can be deadly to infants and newborns, hardly ever appears in the state anymore.

But in order for vaccines to be effective, Kelso warns, they need to work at both the individual and group level. In short, the actions of even one parent can affect — and infect — an entire community. This year in Indiana, for example, 10 kids with measles had contact with 700 other kids. Each had to be contacted to determine if he or she was immune.

“As a parent,” Kelso says, “I would want other parents to be vaccinating their kids to help protect mine.” K

Ken Picard is a staff writer at Seven Days. He lives with his wife and daughter in Colchester.

The percentage of parents nationwide who delay or opt out of vaccines has been rising since 2004.

in the Bag

Picking and packing school supplies

Ka T e Laddison

the journey back to school starts with a fresh set of supplies — notebooks, pencils and, of course, a book-bag. Here are some tips and tricks for outfitting your kids’ backpack or bag. We’ve tried to strike a balance between keeping it simple and being prepared.

Water bottle: Look for a bottle that will stand up to repeated banging, has a leak-proof seal and cleans easily. plastic is pretty yesterday, after the outcry over bpA contamination, so try out stainless steel. this beatrix bottle came from Kids town in South burlington. kidstown.com

Lunchbox: everybody needs a lunchbox or bag, even if just for snacks. many new designs are of machinewashable fabric — neoprene isn’t just for wetsuits anymore! this Cooltote bag. kidstown.com.

Bento Buddies: this set of containers came from Kids town in South burlington. kidstown.com.

For more information on backpack safety for kids, visit the American Academy of pediatrics’ website for parents, healthychildren.org.

Paper and writing utensils: Check with your school or teachers about specific needs, but pens, pencils and notebooks are handy no matter the subject. these supplies came from Jack rixon’s pharmacy in St. Albans. 524-2020.

Tag:

Backpack Basics

Pockets: Compartments help organize the contents and encourage good packing habits with small items in small pockets. Look for a pack with multiple pockets of varying sizes.

Wheels: Wheeled bags can be handy, but check to make sure your child’s school allows them. And, keep in mind, kids will be rolling packs through snow, sleet and rain.

Belt: An adjustable waist strap helps distribute pack weight evenly.

Pads: both the straps and the back of the pack benefit from a layer of padding to help bear the weight.

safety Tips

Pack light: experts recommend kids carry no more than 15 to 20 percent of their body weight. Do some homework before school starts — fill the bag and weigh it to see if it’s too heavy.

Pack wisely: place the heaviest items closest to the back.

Anything poke-y goes in a separate compartment, away from the body.

Two straps, two shoulders: encourage your kids to wear a backpack over both shoulders to avoid compensation strains and pains from slouching or leaning forward.

snuggle up: tighten the straps so that the bag sits against the back and above the waist.

Locker love: Kids should make locker-pit stops throughout the day and avoid carrying all materials all day long.

Bend carefully: Use common sense when lifting a heavy pack – bend the knees, not the back.

In the event a backpack is lost (gasp!), it’s helpful to have “return-to” information handy. Hang a Zippiees or other tag from your backpack; re-use it on luggage or key chains. zippiesfun.com.

EVENTS INCLUDE:

Erica S. Perl & Cynthia Lord

Erica S. Perl is the award-winning author of several crowd-pleasing children’s books including Dotty, Chicken Bedtime Is Really Early and ChickenButt! Her work has also been featured in the New York Times, DC magazine, Parents magazine, Washingtonian, Slate and the Huffington Post. Erica’s latest book, When Life Gives You O.J., is a novel for young readers and is set in her hometown of Burlington, Vermont. Cynthia Lord’s debut novel, Rules, was a New York Times Bestseller and has received numerous awards, including a Newbery Honor and Vermont’s Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award. A former elementary and middle-school teacher, Cynthia also spent a year teaching on a Maine island, which is the setting for her second novel, Touch Blue, which is nominated for the 2011-12 DCF Award. She is also the author of Hot Rod Hamster, a Parents’ Choice Recommended picture book, and the sequel, Happy Birthday, Hamster.

TIME: 11-11:30 AM

PLACE: Black Box, 3rd Floor, Main Street Landing’s Performing Arts Center

FOR YOUNGER LOVERS OF LITERATURE!

Jeannine Atkins & Tanya Lee Stone

Jeannine Atkins writes about history for children and teens. Her picture books include Mary Anning and the Sea Dragon and Aani and the TreeHuggers. Her most recent book is Borrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C. J. Walker, Marie Curie and Their Daughters, which is a Booklist Editors’ Choice 2010, a BCCB Blue Ribbon book and a Book Links Lasting Connection. She teaches Children’s Literature at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Check out her blog, View from a Window Seat, at www.jeannineatkins. livejournal.com.

Award-winning author Tanya Lee Stone’s books include the Young Adult novel, A Bad Boy Can be Good for a Girl; nonfiction for older readers, The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie and Almost Astronauts; and picture books Elizabeth Leads the Way and Sandy’s Circus. Her work has received many awards including ALA Notables, Kirkus Best Books, SLJ Best Books, New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, IRA Young Adult Choice, Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor, Amelia Bloomer Award, Junior Library Guild,YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction, Bank Street’s Flora Steiglitz Straus Award, and the Robert F. Sibert Medal. Forthcoming titles include Who Says Women Can’t be Doctors?; The House that Jane Built;

and Courage Has No Color. She teaches writing at Champlain College and has written for VOYA, Horn Book, School Library Journal and the New York Times.

TIME: 11:45 AM-12:15 PM

PLACE: Black Box, 3rd Floor, Main Street Landing’s Performing Arts Center

Reading In The Middle: A Panel Discussion

Featuring Sarah Albee, Sarah Aronson, Cynthia Lord, Kate Messner, Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erica S. Perl & Linda Urban

Join our panel of notable novelists and nonfiction authors who write for readers in elementary school and middle school for a discussion of their latest titles and the stories behind the unexpected stories when it comes to research and writing. Best for ages 6 and up. Sarah Albee is the author of over one hundred children’s books. Her latest title is a non-fiction history book for kids 8 and up entitled Poop Happened!: A History of the World from the Bottom Up. Three of her books have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. Before she began her career as a children’s book writer, Sarah worked as an editor at Sesame Street books, freelanced as a newspaper cartoonist and played semiprofessional basketball overseas.

Sarah Aronson has published two novels: Head Case, which was named a 2008 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and just this summer, a middle grade novel about luck, soccer and heroism, called Beyond Lucky. She speaks at many writing conferences and teaches online classes at writers.com.

TIME: 12-1 PM

PLACE: Great Room, 3rd Floor, Main Street Landing’s Performing Arts Center

Kara La Reau & Elizabeth Bluemle

byScott Magoon.

Kara lives in Providence,

Kara LaReau was born and raised in Connecticut. She received her Masters in Fine Arts in Writing, Literature and Publishing from Emerson College in Boston and later worked as an editor at Candlewick Press and Scholastic Press. She is the author of Snowbaby Could Not Sleep, illustrated by Jim Ishikawa, The Rocko and Spanky Stories, illustrated by her sister, Jenna LaReau, Ugly Fish, Rabbit and Squirrel, and OTTO: The Boy Who Loved Cars, illustrated byScott Magoon. Kara lives in Providence, Rhode Island with her husband and their two cats.

Elizabeth Bluemle has been an assistant to a television writer/producer, editor of a small press, creative director for a book packaging company, production manager for a literacy press, a volunteer literacy tutor, an elementary school teacher and a school librarian. She has a master’s degree in Education from Bank Street in NYC and a master’s in creative writing from Vermont College. She is the author of My Father

Bring the whole family for a full day of fun

Sarah Albee David Macaulay Cindy Lord

Kate Messner Sarah Aronson

the Dog (illustrated by Randy Cecil), Dogs on the Bed(illustrated by Swiss artist Anne Wilsdorf) and How Do You Wokka-Wokka?

TIME: 12:30-1 PM

PLACE: Black Box, 3rd Floor, Main Street Landing’s Performing Arts Center

David Macaulay

Born on December 2, 1946, David Macaulay was eleven when his family moved from England to the United States. Not surprisingly, he continued to grow up and in 1969 received his bachelor of architecture degree from Rhode Island School of Design after spending his fifth year in Rome on the European Honors Program. In January 1973, after a couple of years of dabbling and a bit of luck, Macaulay was off to France to work on the first of his twenty five books, Cathedral. He then constructed a colonial Roman town (City, 1974), erected monuments to the Pharaohs (Pyramid, 1975), dissected the maze of subterranean systems below and essential to every major city (Underground, 1976), built a medieval fortress (Castle, 1977) and dismantled the Empire State Building (Unbuilding, 1980).

readings, panels and presentations

Macaulay is probably best known for a very thick book called The Way Things Work (1988). Co-authored by Neil Ardley, this exhaustively researched compendium presents the hows and whys of much of the technology we take for granted. It was followed by Black and White (1990), a considerably slimmer volume and winner of the 1991 Caldecott Medal. 1997 saw the publication of a pigeon lead tour of the Eternal City called Rome Antics, and in the fall of 1998, The New Way Things Work, a revised edition of the ’88 book lumbered onto the stands. Building Big, the companion book to a five part PBS television series about major engineering feats around the world was published in 2000 and two years later Rome and pigeons once again took center stage for a book called Angelo. In response to the events of September 11, Mosque was published in 2003 and that same year work began on a book about the workings of the human body. The Way We Work was published in 2008. For his most recent book, Built to Last, Macaulay slipped into reverse and re-illustrated both Cathedral and Castle, only this time in color. In 2009, David Macaulay Studio, an imprint of Roaring Brook Publishers, was founded to produce books that ‘explain’ things. So far nothing has been produced – for which there is no explanation. In 2006, Macaulay was named a MacArthur fellow and turned sixty though the two are not related.

Teen Time: A YA Panel

Join our panel of young adult authors for a discussion of their latest books for teens, research, writing and more. Best for ages 12 and up. Events include:

Jeannine Atkins, Tanya

Lee Stone & Jo Knowles

Linda Urban is the author of the Dorothy Canfield Fisher nominated A Crooked Kind of Perfect and the picture book Mouse Was Mad. Her latest novel, Hound Dog True, was written in front of a woodstove at her home in East Montpelier.

to a five part PBS television series about major engineering feats

Jo Knowles is the author of the young adult novels Pearl, Lessons From A Dead Girl and Jumping Off Swings. Her books have appeared on Bank Street College’s Best Books for Children list,YALSA’s Best Books for Young Adults,YALSA’s Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers Top Ten and IRA’s Young Adults’ Choices list.

TIME: 1:15-2:15 PM

PLACE: Great Room, 3rd Floor, Main Street Landing’s Performing Arts Center

Kate Messner, Linda Urban & Ammi-Joan Paquette

Ammi-Joan Paquette (A. J. Paquette) is the author of The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies, which was on the ABC’s Best of 2009 list and was featured in Scholastic: Parent and Child magazine and, most recently, the middle-grade novel Nowhere Girl. She is also a literary agent with Erin Murphy Literary Agency, representing the authors of picture books through YA novels. She lives outside of Boston with her family and her very tall to-read pile.

TIME: 2:15-2:45 PM

PLACE: Black Box, 3rd Floor, Main Street Landing’s Performing Arts Center

Writing For Kids And Teens Superpanel And Q&A

TIME: 1:15-2 PM

PLACE: Black Box, 3rd Floor, Main Street Landing’s Performing Arts Center

Kate Messner is the author of The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z., winner of the 2010 E.B. White Read Aloud Award and Sugar and Ice, which is on the Dorothy Canfield Fisher list for 2011-2012. Her newest titles include Marty McGuire, the first in a new chapter book series with Scholastic, a Champ-inspired picture book called Sea Monster’s First Day and a winter picture book, Over and Under the Snow, both from Chronicle Books. Kate is a National Board Certified middle school English teacher as well as a writer.

Featuring Sarah Albee, Sarah Aronson, Jeannine Atkins, Elizabeth Bluemle, Jo Knowles, Kara La Reau, Cynthia Lord, Kate Messner, Ammi-Joan Paquette, Tanya Lee Stone and Linda Urban. For teachers, librarians and writers of all ages, this panel brings together many of the stars of Youthapalooza to answer your questions about how books are made. Covering everything from research, writing and revision to illustrating, polishing and publishing, this panel promises to offer a lively and informative exchange!

TIME: 3-4 PM

PLACE: Great Room, 3rd Floor, Main Street Landing’s Performing Arts Center

a full day of stories and fun as award-winning and notable picture book authors share read-alouds with young readers and answer questions. Suitable for all ages-especially for Pre-K to 2nd grade-but everyone who loves a story is invited! a

THE SCHOOLHOUSE

EXPLORE!

Schoolhouse students explore a school-wide cultural and science theme each year.

Teaching 21st Century Skills … now and for the future.

A Schoolhouse education encourages creativity, leadership, collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving and core skills through real-world applications of knowledge.

Explore what THE SCHOOLHOUSE can offer your child!

Our content-rich, daily afterschool program is open to all! Call to find out more.

Excellence in Education since 1971

For more information, visit www.theschoolhousevt.org or contact Liz Shayne at 658-4164

8 Catkin Dr., S.Burlington • 658-4164 • theschoolhousevt.org

10th Annual Small Farms Food Fest

Sunday, September 11 • 11:00-5:00

Free if under 12 or over 65 Otherwise, we ask that you pay $5

10th Annual Cider House Run & Pie Fest

Sunday, September 25 • 11:00-4:00

Truckload & Ginger Jack & Carboy Saturday

Saturday, October 15 • 9:00-6:00

For details or info about other events, please check our website!

Thanks for supporting farmers!

216 Orchard Road, Shelburne 985-2753

www.shelburneorchards.com

apple100@together.net

a-maize-ing mazes

Fitness

Boyden Farm corn maze

Intersection of Routes 15 and 104, Cambridge boydenfarm.com/activities/corn-maze

644-5974

ForT Ticonderoga’s Heroic maze

Ticonderoga, NY Fortticonderoga.org

518-585-6370

gaines Farm corn maze

6343 Coolidge Highway, Guilford gainesfarm.com/maze

257-0409

greaT VermonT corn maze

1404 Wheelock Road, Danville vermontcornmaze.com/index.html

748-1399

741 Prospect Hill Road, Rutland hathawayfarm.com

775-2624

sam mazza’s corn maze

277 Lavigne Road, Colchester sammazzafarms.com/corn_maze.shtml

655-3440

wey Bridge gardens

181 Thompson Hill Road, Weybridge weybridgegardens.com

545-2306

wHiTcomB’s Land oF PumPKins

347 Fay Lane, Williston vermontgrowersguide.com/results/ ?pid=188&searchcat=producers

879-5239 K

Lose yourseLF this fall in a bigger-than-life puzzle of pathways cut from a field of corn. There are several around the region, ranging in size from two to 12 acres. Some are more suitable for older kids or adults who are comfortable walking a mile or more. Corn fields aren’t stroller-friendly, so strap on a back or front pack and be ready for adventure. Many of these locations have other activities too, including laser tag, picnic areas, petting zoos and livestock. Before you go, call for directions and hours of operation. Got

HaTHaway Farm corn maze

SEPT CALENDAR

Belly laughs ensue when internationally acclaimed performers take the stage during the WATERBURY COMEDY FESTIVAL, celebrating three years of physical comedy, juggling and all-out fun to benefit the Waterbury Youth Services Bureau. “Parents and kids can have a gas at this thing,” says festival director Tom Murphy, who plans three different shows throughout the afternoon and evening to keep families laughing all day long. In addition to the performances, the festival Playpen keeps kids occupied with circus arts and craft activities throughout the day. Edgier than traditional kiddie crafts, Playpen doings include fleshing out a huge PVC-pipe dragon skeleton with rags and “painting a defunct car,” says Murphy. “The kids go at it. They love it.” Organic food vendors and live music add the festival atmosphere.

Waterbury Comedy Festival: Sunday, September 4; 1, 3:30 and 7 p.m. shows; Playpen open all afternoon. Murphy’s Barn and Hope Davey Field, Waterbury. All-day ticket covers three shows: $35 family of four, $5 additional child, $20 adult, $30 couple, $15 senior, ages 3 and under admitted free. Info, 244-5008. murphclown.com

1 THURSDAY

Fairs & Festivals

Champlain Valley Fair: Enjoy an array of concessions and rides on Vermont’s largest fair midway. 4-H competitions and shows on the grandstand, multiple classes of horse pulls over various distances in the pulling ring. Free daily entertainment including a 5 p.m. parade, pig racing, dog-agility demonstrations, hypnotist shows, jugglers, circus acts and a large-scale sand sculpture. Champlain Valley Expo, Essex Junction, 10-midnight. $10 ages 13 and up, $5 ages 5 to 12, free for children 4 and under. $6 after 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. $6 for adults on Labor Day. Ride coupons: $11 for 10 coupons, $21 for 22, or $51 for 60; $30 for a pay-one-price bracelet. Info, 878-5545.

Health & Fitne

Hot Mama Workout: Bring your babies in their strollers or your older kids for some playtime as you improve your fitness with Hot Mama Workout. Class includes circuits, weights, intervals and plyometrics for a fat-burning, muscletoning, heart-strengthening hour of fitness. City Hall Gymnasium, St. Albans, 9-10 a.m. $38 resident/six weeks, $42 nonresident/six weeks, $10 drop-ins. Info, 524-1500, ext. 266.

Public Skating: Public skating on an Olympicsize rink. Times and dates subject to change, especially during school vacations. Leddy Park/ Paquette Arena, Burlington, 8:30-11:15 a.m. $4 adult, $3 student. Skate rentals available for $3/ pair. Info, 862-8869.

Library & B ks

Home-Schoolers’ Book Group: Book discussions for home-schooled children cover a variety of stories. Choose from two groups: ages 8-10 or 11 and up. Preregister. St. Albans Free Library, first Thursday of every month, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Life in a Jar: Author Jack Mayer will discuss his work of nonfiction, Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project. The book recounts the heroism of Sendler during World War II: She knocked on doors in the Warsaw ghetto and asked Jewish mothers to give up their children in order to

NEW SECTION!

Cla es

Martial Way Self Defense Center

Please see website for schedule. Location: 73 Prim Rd., Colchester, 5 Chrisemily Ln., Milton, Collins-Perley Sports Complex, Saint Albans. Info: 802-893-8893, info@ martialwayvt.com, www.martialwayvt. com. Martial Way o ers small, fun, agespecific classes for children ages 4 and up. Our young students develop confidence, motor skills, good fitness habits, improved mental focus, a work ethic, and great martial arts technique, all in a fun and motivating environment. Summer and school vacation week camps available.

List your class or camp here for only $15/month!

Submit the listing by the 15th at kidsvt.com or email classes@kidsvt.com

save them; she and her network rescued 2,500 Jewish children from certain death. Refreshments will be provided during book signing and discussion. Brown Dog Books & Gifts, Hinesburg, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 482-5189.

2 FRIDAY

Co unity

Family Movie Night: Pack up your family, blankets and lawn chairs to catch a movie (or two) in a barn. Face-painting, tattoos and other activities for kids kick o the evening at 5 p.m. Concessions available; no coolers allowed. Pets are not welcome. How to Train Your Dragon shows at 5:30 p.m.; E.T. shows at 7:30 p.m. All ages. West Monitor Barn, Richmond. Tickets are $5 for one movie, $8 for both. Family rate (four or more): $20 for one movie, $32 for both. Info, 233-2338.

Kids VT Night at Centennial Field: It’s time to play ball with Kids VT! Check out the Vermont Lake Monsters as they take on the Tri-City Valley Cats. Come early: The first 500 fans get cool Kids VT prizes. You could win a $1,700 annual family pass to the Edge! Join Champ in the Kids Zone; $4 buys unlimited play in the bounce castle and use of the hitting and speed-pitch machines. Centennial Field, Burlington, 7:05 p.m. Ballpark admission. Info, 985-5482.

Education

Foodways Fridays: Follow a recipe for fun with Foodways Fridays, a program teaching children and adults how heirloom vegetables are used in historic recipes prepared in the Billings farmhouse kitchen. Each week a di erent recipe brings to life the history of old-variety veggies. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $12 adults, $6 children 5-15, $3 children 2 and younger. Info, 457-2355.

Fairs & Festivals

Champlain Valley Fair: See September 1.

Vermont State Fair: Don’t miss this 166-yearold family tradition featuring grandstand entertainment, midway, dog shows, a wide variety of agricultural exhibits and demonstrations, tractor pulls, ox-pulling contests, cooking competitions, harness racing, karaoke, parades, a demolition derby and more. Vermont State Fair, Rutland, 10-12 a.m. Gate admission prices vary daily. Call or check online. Info, 775-5200.

Health & Fitne

Public Skating: See September 1.

3 SATURDAY Arts

Traditional Craft Saturdays: Visitors are invited to explore a series of Vermont crafts — their history, process and uses — through informal learning and discovery. Topics covered include quilting, cooperage, sheep shearing and paper cuttings in the Polish style. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free with admission. Info, 457-2355.

Fairs & Festivals

Champlain Valley Fair: See September 1.

Plymouth Folk & Blues Concerts: Musicians from Vermont and nationwide team up for a lively two-day festival performed in the pure country air of historic Plymouth Notch. Festival features wagon rides on Saturday and children’s concerts on both days. Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site, Plymouth, 2-5 p.m. Free (donations appreciated). Info, 672-3773.

Ongoing Exhibits

BILLINGS FARM & MUSEUM

The Quilting Life The 25th Annual Quilt Exhibition features quilting activities and demos for all ages and skill levels, quilt stories for children and other daily quilt programs. All ages. Admission includes access to dairy farm, farm-life exhibits and farmhouse. Info, 457-2355.

ECHO LAKE AQUARIUM AND SCIENCE CENTER

Glow: Living Lights Explore bioluminescence with this exhibit that features light-up creatures including fireflies, glow worms and angler fish. All ages. Info, 864-1848.

Grossology: The Impolite Science of the Human Body Back by popular demand, Grossology is a fun, colorful and informative exhibit grounded in the theory that the No. 1 way to get kids interested in science is to present it in terms they find most appealing such as snot, vomit, gas and scabs. Why do colds spread? Why do certain foods make us have gas? What is the purpose of mucous? Discover the answers to these and other perplexing questions with the help of Nigel Nose and Burp Man. Info, 864-1848.

FLEMING MUSEUM

The Child in Art The universal experience of childhood becomes apparent in this exhibit’s overarching themes: innocence, protection, play and work. See depictions of children from cultures as di erent as 18thcentury China and 20th-century America, on display in the Fleming Museum’s Wolcott Gallery. Contact museum for hours. Info, 656-0750.

Vermont State Fair: See September 2.

Health & Fitne

Prenatal Yoga: Moms take in a session of prenatal yoga in Conference Room 3 (basement level) of the medical center. Central Vermont Medical Center, Berlin, 9-10:30 a.m. $10 momto-be. Info, alepage_1974@yahoo.com.

Nature & Science

Teen-ology Overnight: During this experience-based weekend (10 a.m. Saturday to 2 p.m. Sunday), teens connect with the meaning of the season by investigating how other living things prepare for winter. Activities include building shelter, fire making, harvesting and foraging. This is the first of four gatherings, each of which

GREAT VERMONT CORN MAZE AND SCIENCE CENTER

Great Vermont Corn Maze Revel in “cornfusion” as you get lost in the Great Vermont Corn Maze, located on a third-generation dairy farm. Open weather permitting; call first if weather is questionable. All ages. Info, 748-1399.

MONTSHIRE MUSEUM OF

SCIENCE

Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Info, 649-2200. Robot Zoo This nationally touring exhibit allows visitors to interact with complex mechanical animals. All ages.

SHELBURNE MUSEUM

New exhibits at the museum run through October. Open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m., mid-June to mid-August; Thursday hours are 10 a.m.-7:30p.m. Info, 985-3346.

Lock, Stock and Barrel The Terry Tyler Collection of Vermont Firearms: a rare collection of 106 firearms made from 1790 through 1900, recently acquired by Shelburne Museum.

Paperwork in 3D Ingenious work by 23 contemporary artists who transform flat sheets of paper into amazing three-dimensional

A Passion for Quilts Quilts collected and made by one of the pioneering art quilt makers. Featuring contemporary quilts by Joan Lintault along with 26 newly acquired

quilts.

Walking Tour: Full Steam Ahead Discover the restored 1906 steamboat Ticonderoga as it existed in 1923. Daily at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

VERMONT INSTITUTE OF NATURAL SCIENCE NATURE CENTER (VINS)

Through the Eyes of Raptors Explore the natural world through the eyes of raptors and be amazed by these e cient predators. Bird programs cover the mechanics of flight, seasonal migration and conservation issues. All ages. Info, 359-5000.

Raptors Up Close Explore the fascinating lives of birds. Learn how hundreds of birds are rehabilitated each year and the fundamentals of how raptors are trained. Touchable artifacts and hands-on materials. All ages. Info, 359-5000.

explores the land in a di erent season. Shelburne Farms, 10 a.m. $75 teen (scholarships available). Info, 985-0327.

Woodcarving Demo: See which birds are in progress or guess which ones will be added to the collection next during a woodcarving demonstration in the workshop. All ages. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 1 p.m. Free with admission. Info, 434-2167.

4 SUNDAY

Fairs & Festivals

Champlain Valley Fair: See September 1. Comedy Festival: See spotlight, page 36.

ADVANCED EXHIBITS (A DIVISION OF ADVANCED ANIMATIONS, LLC.)

art.

Ongoing Playgroups

THURSDAY

Burlington EvoMamas Playgroup: EvoMamas fosters community, support and friendship in the transition between pregnancy and motherhood. Evolution Physical Therapy and Yoga, Burlington, second and fourth Thursday, 2-4 p.m. Free. Info, 864-9642.

Burlington Family Play: Big Room: Activities for parents and children ages birth-5. Work on your GED or high school diploma, take ESL classes or parenting workshops. Baby Room: Learn about your child’s development, baby signs and baby massage. Sessions run simultaneously. St. Joseph School, Burlington, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

Burlington Family Play at Ethan Allen: Indoor and outdoor activities for parents and children ages birth-5. Ethan Allen Homestead Museum, Burlington, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

Georgia Playgroup: Time to kid around in a constructive, fun fashion. Ages birth-6 with caregiver. Georgia Youth Center, second and fourth Thursday, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Montgomery Infant Playgroup: Play time for little ones while parents meet and talk. Ages birth-2 and caregivers. Montgomery Town Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Morrisville Baby Chat: Playgroup for the youngest members of the community and their caregivers. Socialize while learning about development expectations. Local specialist in child health available. First Congregational Church of Morrisville, first Thursday, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3470.

Norwich Afterschool Superheroes: Afterschool program for children in grades 1-6 features homework help, outdoor play areas (including zip line and bouncy castle), art, science and cooking projects. Preregister (30 openings for fall). Upper Valley Events Center, Norwich, Mondays-Fridays, 3-6 p.m. Packages range from one day for $35 to one month (20 days) for $600 to 90 days (half of the school year) for $2,500. Info, 649-2772.

Richmond Welcome Baby Group: Welcome the newest community members with play and socialization. Richmond Free Library, second Thursday, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4415. St. Albans MOPS: Crafts and group play for kids while moms enjoy a speaker. Ages birth-6. Church of the Rock, St. Albans, third Friday, 8:45-11 a.m. Free. Info, 524-7047.

Stowe Creative Learning: Afterschool fun for kids in grades K-6 features hands-on activities to keep them playing and learning long after the school day is over. Stowe Elementary School, 2:45-5:30 p.m. $130 child (to participate weekly on a single day — every Monday, for example); $600 child (to participate weekly on all five days). Info, 253-6138.

Williston Music With Raphael: Come sing, dance and clap your hands with Raphael and his guitar. Up to age 5 with a caregiver.

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m. and Mondays, 10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Winooski Playgroup: Stories, songs and playtime. Ages birth-5 with caregiver. O’Brien Community Center, Winooski, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 655-1422.

FRIDAY

Burlington Crawlers, Waddlers and Toddlers: Learn about development stages, share with other parents, play, move and have fun in the VNA Family Room. St. Joseph School, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 999-5100.

Montgomery Tumble Time: Allow little ones to expend some of their abundant energy. Lots of toys and space to run in the gym, play mat for babies. Montgomery Elementary School, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Norwich Afterschool Superheroes: Thursdays.

South Burlington Tots and Tykes Open Gym: Open, unstructured play time in the gym. Ages 1-5 and their caregivers. Chamberlin School, South Burlington, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4108.

St. Albans MOPS: See Thursday, 8:45-11 a.m. Stowe Creative Learning: See Thursdays.

SATURDAY

Fairfax Summer Playgroup: Playground fun for kids and adults, weather permitting. Ages birth-5. BFA Fairfax, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Franklin Playgroup: Playgroup begins with a story followed by a snack and projects. Ages birth-6. Franklin Central School, second Saturday, 10-11 a.m. Info, 285-6678.

Morrisville Weekend Baby Chat: Playgroup for the youngest members of the community and their caregivers. Socialize while learning about development expectations. Local specialist in child health available. Lamoille Family Center, Morrisville, second Saturday, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3470.

North Hero Tumble Time: Children and adult caregivers enjoy stations and free play around the gym with a snack provided. North Hero Elementary School, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

MONDAY

Burlington Early-Months Playgroup: A mother-infant group for moms and their first babies during the first few months after birth. Baby massage, lullabies and information sharing. Held in the VNA Family Room. St. Joseph School, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

Norwich Afterschool Superheroes: See Thursday.

Stowe Creative Learning: See Thursdays.

Winooski Fathers and Children Together: Evening fun and dinner for dads and kids up to first grade. Winooski Family Center, 5-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 655-1422.

TUESDAY

Alburgh Playgroup: Children and adult caregivers enjoy lively music and movement. Alburgh Community Education Center, Every other Tuesday, 12:15-1 p.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Burlington Family Play: See Thursdays.

Burlington Fathers and Children Together: Evening fun for dads and kids up to first grade. Located in the VNA Family Room. St. Joseph School, Burlington, 5-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

Fletcher Playgroup: Kids come to play and interact with games, toys, arts and crafts, snacks and other resources in the school gym. Fletcher Elementary School, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 849-9368, 782-3370.

Hardwick Playgroup: Children get out and play while community parents meet each other. Hardwick Elementary School, 8:1510:15 a.m. Free. Info, 652-5138.

Johnson Baby Chat: Playgroup for the youngest members of the community and their caregivers. Socialize while learning about development expectations. Church of the Nazarene, Johnson, fourth Tuesday, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3470.

Norwich Afterschool Superheroes: See Thursdays.

Stowe Creative Learning: See Thursdays.

South Hero Playgroup: Free play, crafting and snacks entertain children and their grown-up companions.

South Hero Congregational Church, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

St. Albans Playgroup: Children and their caregivers socialize and play. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, St. Albans, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Tulsi Morning Playgroup: Featuring botanically-inspired storytelling with astrologer MaryAnna Abuzahra, this playgroup inspires little ones with art projects and games in the tea room’s kidfriendly environment. Ages infant-8. Tulsi Tea Room, Montpelier, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 498-8534.

WEDNESDAY

Enosburg Playgroup: Come to enjoy circle time, free play and a craft. Please bring a snack for your child. American Legion, Enosburg, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 933-6435.

Essex Welcome Baby Playgroup: Connect with other parents and babies. Essex Junction Teen Center, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 846-7621.

Burlington Family Play at Ethan Allen: See Thursdays.

Hinesburg Playgroup for Dads: Evening fun for dads and kids up to first grade. Enjoy food, activities and discussion with other adults. Annette’s Preschool, Hinesburg, 5-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

Isle La Motte Playgroup: Playful activities, social time and games on the playground (in the school gym if it rains). Isle La Motte School, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Norwich Afterschool Superheroes: See Thursdays.

Stowe Creative Learning: See Thursdays. Williston Baby-Time Playgroup: Baby play for infants and toddlers is sponsored by Building Bright Futures.(No playgroup the first Wednesday of the month.) Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 658-3659.

4 sunday (Continued)

new World festival: Main Street is transformed into a cozy pedestrian village for this 12-hour tribute to the Celtic and French American musical heritage brought to Vermont by English, Scottish, Irish and French-Canadian immigrants. Festival features concerts, dancing (including instruction), puppet shows, youth performances, crafts and specialty foods. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 12 p.m.-12 a.m. $32 adult, $11 ages 13-18, $5 ages 2-12. Info, 728-6464.

Plymouth folk & Blues concerts: See September 3.

Vermont state fair: See September 2.

Nature & Science

sundays for fledglings: Kids are invited to hike, create, explore, carve, act, write and investigate the lives of birds, their habitats and their neighbors. September’s theme: Where in the world is that bird? Intended for kids in grades 1-4, but all are welcome. Preregister. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 2 p.m. Free with admission. Info, 434-2167.

5 MONDAY

Fairs & Festivals

champlain Valley fair: See September 1.

Vermont state fair: See September 2.

6 TUESDAY

Fairs & Festivals

Vermont state fair: See September 2.

Health & Fitness

Public skating: See September 1. stroller strolling: Rendezvous with the stroller crowd in town and take a walk down the recreation path. Fairfax Community Park & Recreation Path, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-1941. Tuesday night Trail running: Check out the largest weekly trail-running series in the country. This fun event is for all ages and abilities and includes a 5K race, a 2.5K Cadets race (ages 9-12) and a short Cubs race (ages 8 and under). Catamount Outdoor Family Center, Williston, 6 p.m. $4 ages 13-17, $3 ages 9-12, free for ages 8 and under. Info, 879-6001.

Library & Books

craftacular Tuesdays: Creative kids get caught up in low-tech projects. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

Nature & Science

magnificent monarchs: Monarch butterflies have been busy all summer sipping nectar and laying eggs. It is time for young monarchs to prepare for their long journey south. Where do they go? How do they know? Find out during this ECHO Science & Stories program. All ages. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, 11 a.m. Free with admission. Info, 877-324-6386.

7 WEDNESDAY Arts

music in the meeting House: Raphael plays different instruments and sneaks in some basic music theory — all while emphasizing good fun, taking turns and using motor skills. This program is sponsored by Friends of Burnham

Memorial Library. Ages 3-5. Colchester Village Meeting House, 12:30-1 p.m. Free. Info, 879-7576.

Education

afternoons With farmer fred: Spend an afternoon with Plymouth’s own Fred DePaul. Farmer Fred, known for his engaging humor, will demonstrate historic farming activities such as sheep shearing and logging. Farmer Fred also loves to give wagon rides in good weather. Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site, Plymouth, 1-5 p.m. Free with admission. Info, 672-3773.

cookie decorating: Kids doll up freshly baked sugar cookies with sprinkles, frosting, sugar and nuts. Panadero Bakery, Burlington, 10:3011:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-8278.

Kids cook up stories: Kids gather to read a story and bring it to life through cooking. For prekindergarten-age children. L.A.C.E., Barre, 10 a.m. $3 suggested donation. Info, 476-4276.

Kids in the Kitchen: Blueberry-corn muffins: Kids make their own batch of blueberry-corn muffins from scratch — and honey butter to slather all over the muffins. All ages accompanied by adult. Preregister. Healthy Living Natural Foods Market, South Burlington, 3:304:30 p.m. $20 child. Info, 863-2569, ext. 1.

Fairs & Festivals

Vermont state fair: See September 2.

Health & Fitness

Kids open Gymnastics: Let kids tumble, jump and be active while adults connect with other young families. Sessions are sometimes outdoors and include an opening activity, snack and unstructured time on equipment. River Arts, Morrisville, 10-11:30 a.m. $5 child, $8 two children, $10 three or more children. Info, 888-1261.

Public skating: See September 1.

Nature & Science

Wagon-ride Wednesdays: Horse-drawn wagon rides are fun for the whole family. Admission to Wagon-Ride Wednesdays includes all farm and museum programs and activities. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Museum admission. Info, 457-2355.

8 THURSDAY

Fairs & Festivals

Vermont state fair: See September 2.

Health & Fitness

Hot mama Workout: See September 1.

Public skating: See September 1.

Library & Books

Lego club: Lego enthusiasts are invited to stop by for some creative building time with other kids. St. Albans Free Library, second and fourth Thursday, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

9 FRIDAY

Community

youth Booth at market: The Richmond Farmers’ Market Youth Booth showcases the entrepreneurial flair of local kids. Check out their baked goods, produce and crafts. Volunteers Green, Richmond, second Friday, 3-6:30 p.m. Free to browse. Info, 434-5273.

Ongoing Story Times

THURSDAY

Barre Kids Story Hour: Snacks and activities follow an hour of tales. LACE, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 476-4276.

Bristol Preschool Story Time: Explore early literacy skills with reading, music, movement and projects. Lawrence Memorial Library, Bristol, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 453-2366.

Fairfax PJ Story Time: Enjoy a bedtime story at the library with other little lit lovers. Ages birth-6. Fairfax Community Library, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Franklin Story Time: Preschool story time filled with fun crafts, silly songs and stories. Haston Library, Franklin, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 285-6505.

Middlebury Preschool Story Hour: Stories, songs, rhymes and a craft. Follows school calendar. Ages 3 and up. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Shelburne Story Time With Mary Catherine Jones: The musician and storyteller brings stories, songs and rhymes to the library. All ages welcome. Pierson Library, Shelburne, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 985-5124.

South Burlington Baby Story Time: Infants are introduced to the wonders of language with nursery rhymes, songs, finger plays and board books. For children who are not yet walking. Preregister. South Burlington Community Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

St. Albans Story Time: Book hounds hear stories, sing songs and play. Ages birth-6 and caregivers. St. Albans Free Library, 10:3011:30 a.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Vergennes Story Time: Themed stories with American Sign Language and an activity. Preschool ages. Bixby Memorial Library, Vergennes, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 877-2211.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: Early readers get together for group book time; snack and juice provided. Ages 1-7. Buttered Noodles, Williston, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 764-1810.

FRIDAY

Lincoln Children’s Story Time: Songs, crafts and other activities for children. Ages birth-5. Lincoln Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 453-2665.

Milton Toddler Story Time: Toddlers tackle tall tales and enjoy songs and crafts. Ages 18 months-3 years. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Montpelier Story Time: Join us for great books, singing, crafts and fun. Follows school calendar. Preschool age. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

South Burlington Preschool Story Hour: Stories and activities focus on developing early literacy skills and preparing preschoolers to read. Ages 3-5. Preregister. South Burlington Community Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Waterbury Preschool Story Time: A time for great stories, puppets and fun songs. Ages 3-6. Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: See Thursdays.

SATURDAY

Colchester Saturday Stories: Children of all ages enjoy great picture books. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-0313.

Shelburne Teddy Bear Story

Time: A bear-y good time with books and stories. Ages 3-5.

Vermont Teddy Bear Company, Shelburne, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 985-1643.

South Burlington Saturday Story Time: Sta read newly released books that will resonate with children up to grade 2. Barnes & Noble, South Burlington, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 864-8001.

Vergennes Story Hour for Young Sailors: Listen to a maritime-related story in the “Roost.” Sing a song and make a craft that goes with the story theme. Parents are welcome to join the fun or roam the museum grounds. (No registration is required, but call ahead so the museum knows how many children to expect.) Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, Saturdays from September 10 to October 8, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 475-2022.

MONDAY

Bristol Toddler Story Time: Introduce your little one to the library and children’s books with activities and music. Lawrence Memorial Library, Bristol, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 453-2366.

Burlington Stories With Megan: Enjoy a funfilled preschool story time with rhymes, songs and books. Ages 2-5. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216. Essex Story Time: Little ones relax with a mid-morning story. All ages. Essex Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

Marshfield Story Time: Read-aloud tales with a cross-cultural theme catch the ear of youngsters. Ages birth-6. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

Milton Infant Story Time: Little ones enjoy lap time, songs and stories. Ages birth-18 months. Milton Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Norwich Books and Beyond: This program combines great children’s literature and hands-on activities for fun science learning and exploration. Ages 3-5 and their parent or caregiver. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, Monday, Sept. 12, 10:15-11 & 11-11:45 a.m. Free with admission. Info, 649-2200.

Richmond Pajama Time: Enjoy stories with Douglas while decked out in your bedtime best. Ages 2-6. Richmond Free Library, 6:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.

Stowe Monday Morning Story Time: Little lit lovers share stories and songs in the community room. Stowe Free Library, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

Waterbury Toddlers-n-Twos: Active stories designed for kids ages 18-36 months and their

caregivers. Waterbury Public Library, a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: See Thursdays.

TUESDAY

Alburgh Story Hour: Little ones enjoy stories, songs, crafts and snacks. Ages 2-5. Alburgh Community Education Center, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 796-6077.

Barre Children’s Story Hour: Tots tune in for audible prose. Ages 2-5. Aldrich Public Library, Barre, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 476-7550.

Barre Kids Story Hour: Literature hounds show up for tall tales. Kids under 3 meet at 10 a.m., ages 3-5 meet at 10:30 a.m. East Barre Branch Library, 10 & 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 476-5118.

East Middlebury Preschool Story Hour: Kids get silly with stories and songs. Follows school calendar. Ages birth-5 with caregiver. Sara Partridge Community Library, East Middlebury, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 388-7588.

Grand Isle PJ Story Time: Curl up in your PJs with a good book. Ages birth-6. Grand Isle Free Library, first Tuesday of every month, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Highgate Toddler and Preschool Story Time: Listen to stories and songs, shake out your sillies and make a craft. Families from surrounding towns are welcome. Follows school calendar. Ages birth-preschool. Highgate Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

Hinesburg Preschool Story Hour: Drop by for stories, songs and games. Ages 3-5 with caregiver. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

Hinesburg Toddler Story Time: Songs, stories and finger plays. Ages birth-3. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, Every other Tuesday, 9:30-10 a.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

Huntington Story Time in the Nestlings Nook: Stories about birds are followed by a nature walk, crafts or music, depending on the weather. Intended for preschoolers, but all ages are welcome. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, second Tuesday, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free with admission (donations welcome). Info, 434-2167.

Lyndonville Baby/Toddler Story Time: Connect with library friends and enjoy stories, songs, storyboards and finger plays. Ages

birth-3 and caregivers. Cobleigh Public Library, Lyndonville, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 626-5475.

Montpelier Story Time: See Fridays. Richmond Story Time: Tall tales and simple stories. Ages 2-6. Richmond Free Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.

Shelburne Story Time With Webby: Lively readings of children’s books related to museum collections with new stories o ered each week. Intended for preschoolers, but all are welcome. Shelburne Museum, 10:30-11 a.m. Free with admission. Info, 985-3346.

South Burlington Tiny Tots Story Time: Enjoy stories, songs and interactive play stations that foster socialization skills and a love of reading. Ages 1-3. Preregister. South Burlington Community Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Williston Fall Story Hour: Stories and a craft entertain young readers. Ages 3-5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 11 a.m., starts September 20. Free. Info, 878-4918. Williston Reading With Frosty & Friends: Bring a book and read to a pooch. All dogs are registered with Therapy Dogs of Vermont. All ages. Preregister for 10-minute sessions. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3:30-4:30 p.m., starts September 20. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: See Thursdays.

WEDNESDAY

Colchester Pajama Story Time: Little ones (and big ones, if they so desire) wear their PJs to the library and enjoy stories, cookies and milk. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, third Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 879-7576.

Highgate Toddler and Preschool Story Time: See Tuesdays, 11:15 a.m., starts September 14.

Lyndonville Preschool Story Time: Enjoy stories, the letter of the day, a focus on one of the six early literacy skills each week, songs, crafts and friends. Ages 3-5 and families. Cobleigh Public Library, Lyndonville, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 626-5475.

Middlebury Stories With Shoopie and Lily: Read to a therapy dog. Preregister. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Montpelier Story Time: See Fridays.

Richford Story Hour: Join your friends and make new ones during this story hour for preschoolers. Preregister. Arvin A. Library, Richford, 9:30 a.m., starts September 21. Free. Info, 848-3313.

Shelburne Teddy Bear Story Time: See Saturday.

South Burlington Story Time:See Tuesdays. Swanton Story Hour: Come listen to stories and songs, and do an easy craft. Swanton Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 868-7656.

Waterbury Baby Lap Time: Story time designed for babies birth to 18 months with songs, simple rhymes and stories. Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: See Thursdays.

Education

Foodways Fridays: See September 2.

Fairs & Festivals

Vermont state Fair: See September 2.

Health & Fitness

Kids open Gymnastics: See September 7. Public skating: See September 1.

10 SATURDAY

Arts

Play With Fiber: Fiber-arts workshops for kids and adults are offered during SEABA’s Art Hop. Try your hand at finger-knitting, weaving, felting and more. Ages 3 and up. Fiber Roots Community Studio, Burlington, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 310-8676.

Traditional craft saturdays: See September 3.

Kids Hop

Community

Baby sale: Shop for baby and kids’ clothes up to size 6X, shoes, toys, books, games and gear. Event sponsored by La Leche League and Central Vermont Babywearers; proceeds support breastfeeding and babywearing in Vermont. Info, lizthomasvt@aol.com. Bethany Church, Montpelier, 9 a.m.-noon. Free to browse.

Fairs & Festivals

cheese & Harvest Festival: Celebrate the bounties of the harvest and award-winning Vermont-made cheese. Festival features cheese sampling offered by Vermont Cheese Council members, guided tours of the Plymouth Cheese Factory, wagon rides, historic farm and craft demonstrations, cheese-recipe contest, barbecue and other activities for the whole family. Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site, Plymouth, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 672-3773.

Kids Hop: See spotlight, this page.

Vermont state Fair: See September 2.

a kid-friendly component of Seaba’s souTH End arT HoP, the Kids’ Hop offers plenty of arty opportunities for the pint-sized. davis Studio instructors inspire kiddos with hands-on activities during this four-hour event — this year with new Kids’ Hop passports to help map the way. “What’s really special [about Kids’ Hop] is that it makes physical art accessible and interesting to kids,” says teresa davis, who owns davis Studio and leads the Kids’ Hop charge. “it helps families streamline their art Hop experience.” passports are stamped at six Hop stops: Champlain elementary School, featuring an art display in memory of bentley davis Seifer; Story Walk, sponsored by blue Cross blue Shield of Vermont; the maltex tent, a mecca for young crafters featuring projects such as mad Hatter hats, rain sticks and big-box vehicles; davis Studio, where a children’s art show and beading activity await; rebuild, for a round of art putt mini Golf; and the King Street Center, showcasing entertainment with a royal theme. the Kids’ Hop is sure to inspire your little artist.

Kids’ Hop: Saturday, September 10, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Locations throughout Burlington’s South End. Held in conjunction with South End Art Hop. Free. Info, 859-9222. seaba.com, davisstudiovt.com.

submit your october events by september 15 at kidsvt.com or to calendar@kidsvt.com.

…but you have the power to protect your child from 14 serious diseases.

Vaccinate for Life! Vaccinate for Life!

Many childhood diseases—such as measles, mumps and whooping cough— can spread quickly among children who haven’t had all their vaccinations. That’s why it’s important to get all their shots, at the right times. By Vermont law, you must now provide your child’s immunization record to your licensed or registered child care provider by October 1. Questions? Go to www.healthvermont.gov (click on the A–Z listing and find Immunizations) or call 800.640.4374.

10 saTurday, p. 42

Health & Fitness

Little Tykes soccer: This parent/child program is designed to introduce the game of soccer through fun games and activities. Instructors are South Burlington Recreation Department staff. Ages 4-5. Dorset Park, South Burlington, 8:30-9:30 a.m. $30 resident, $36 nonresident. Info, 846-4108.

Prenatal Yoga: See September 3.

Nature & Science

Kitchen chemistry: Learn about chemical reactions as you combine different common household products during an investigation in the Science Discovery Lab. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich. Free with admission. Info, 649-2200.

Native American Pottery Workshop: Archaeologist and artist Charles Paquin demonstrates how to make clay pots like those made by Native Americans in this program made possible by a partnership with the Vermont Archaeology Society. All ages. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free with admission. Info, 877-324-6386.

VPT Family day at montshire: Clifford the Big Red Dog will greet you at Vermont Public Television Family Day at the museum. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free with Vermont Public Television Family Club Membership ($60). Info, 654-3665.

Woodcarving demo: See September 3.

11 SUNDAY Community

Barn dance: Live music, hayrides, facepainting, three-legged races and more highlight this annual barn dance for the whole family. Evening also features door prizes and a silent auction. Snacks are available, and you can bring something to share if you like. Beard’s Barn, Waterbury Center, 2-5 p.m. $15 individual, $20 family. Info, 244-5605.

day of Remembrance: Site is open without charge to contemplate or honor past heroes. Hubbardton Battlefield, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Free. Info, 273-2282.

Education

First steps: This two-day workshop presented by First Steps Childbirth Education helps expectant parents prepare for the birth and care of their newborn. Franklin County Home Health Agency, St. Albans, 1-5 p.m. Call for fees. Info, 527-7531.

Fairs & Festivals

Ascension childcare community carnival: This family carnival celebrates the community with live music, food, games and information about early-childhood education. Event includes face-painting, bubbles, Frisbee, kites, story area, bouncy house, piñatas and refreshments. All ages. Dorset Park, South Burlington, 1-5 p.m. Free (nominal charges for refreshments and face-painting). Info, acckatie@ myfairpoint.net.

small Farms Food Fest: Nosh on treats prepared and sold by Vermont farmers and food producers while listening to live music, picking your own apples and bouncing along on a hayride. Face-painting and circus arts top off the day. Shelburne Orchards, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $5 person, free for kids under 12 and adults over 65. Info, 985-2753.

Vermont state Fair: See September 2.

Health & Fitness

Basketball clinics: The Saint Michael’s College women’s basketball program instructs girls in grades 6-12 during this series of skills clinics. Clinics cover offense, defense and rebounding, position play and special situations. Preregister. Saint Michael’s College, Colchester, 9 a.m.-noon. and Oct. 9, 9 a.m.-noon. $25/session ($75 if you register for all four sessions). Info, 654-2503.

Nature & Science

sundays for Fledglings: See September 4.

Reaping the Harvest

Families find much to be thankful for during the sHeLBURNe FARms

HARVesT FesTiVAL, a daylong tribute to Vermont’s farms and forests. on tap for the 33rd annual festival are educational exhibits and demonstrations ranging from cheese making to weaving and woodworking. Families can also enjoy seasonal foods, live music, storytelling and the back-bypopular-demand hay-bale maze. the wide variety of activities accounts for the festival’s multigenerational appeal. “parents, people who came here as little kids, now bring their little kids. We have three generations: grandparents, parents and kids,” says rosalyn Graham, Shelburne Farms’ director of community relations. “it’s an informal atmosphere; kids run around, looking at things, tasting things. it’s become such a tradition because there really is something for everyone.”

Shelburne Farms Harvest Festival: Saturday, September 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $8 adult, $5 child, free admission to members and children under 3. Info, 985-8686. shelburnefarms.org.

12 MONDAY Arts

monday music With derek: Kids enjoy music, stories and sing-a-longs with Derek in the JCPenney court. University Mall, South Burlington, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-1066, ext. 11.

13 TUESDAY Education

Kids in the Kitchen: PB cookies: Kids make classic peanut-butter cookies in this hands-on class. They leave with baked cookies as well as leftover dough to bake at home. All ages accompanied by adult. Preregister. Healthy Living Natural Foods Market, South Burlington, 3:304:30 p.m. $20 child. Info, 863-2569, ext. 1.

Fairs & Festivals

milton community Activities Fair: The Milton Community Youth Coalition sponsors this annual fair, offering one-stop shopping for families to learn about Milton’s sports, recreation, clubs and service opportunities. Milton Elementary School, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 893-1009.

Health & Fitness

Public skating: See September 1. stroller strolling: See September 6. Tuesday Night Trail Running: See September 6.

Library & Books

craftacular Tuesdays: See September 6.

Nature & Science

Animal camouflage: For wild creatures, blending in with their surroundings is a serious matter and many animals are masters of disguise. Learn more about the art of animal camouflage during this ECHO Science & Stories program. All ages. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, September 13, 11 a.m. Free with admission. Info, 877-324-6386.

14 WEDNESDAY Arts

music in the meeting House: See September 7.

Education

Afternoons With Farmer Fred: See September 7. Burlington La Leche League: Open to all women. Bring your questions, babies and older kids. La Leche League lending library available. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, second Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 985-8228. cookie decorating: See September 7. Kids cook Up stories: See September 7.

Health & Fitness

Kids open Gymnastics: See September 7. Public skating: See September 1.

Nature & Science

Wagon-Ride Wednesdays: See September 7. Young scientist (Afternoon session): This weekly preschool/kindergarten program with hands-on experiments and fun projects encourages exploration of the physical and natural sciences. A different topic is presented each week. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 1-3 p.m. $365 member child for 10 weeks; $395 nonmember child for 10 weeks. Info, 649-2200. Young scientist (morning session): See preceeding listing, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

15 THURSDAY

Education

Kids in the Kitchen: stuffed shells: Kids make dinner for the whole family in this hands-on class starring a classic Italian dish: cheesy stuffed shells. Everyone goes home with a pan full of dinner, ready to go in the oven. All ages accompanied by adult. Preregister. Healthy Living Natural Foods Market, South Burlington, 3:30-4:30 p.m. $20 child. Info, 863-2569, ext. 1.

Health & Fitness

Hot mama Workout: See September 1. Public skating: See September 1.

Library & Books

Young Writers Group: Home-schoolers: Improve your writing skills. Explore writing topics as a group, then work on individual projects while learning about revision, editing and proofreading. All ages. Preregister. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 355-1841.

16 FRIDAY

Arts

‘Bully Be Gone!’: Stowe resident, writer and director Elaine Davida Sklar uses song, animal characters and an alternate universe called “The Land Between” to address bullying. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, 7 p.m. $20-$35 ticket. Info, 760-4634.

Community

movie in the Park: Bring lawn chairs, blankets and snacks to stake your claim at the bandshell for a family flick. Movie begins at dusk (time listed is approximate). Call after September 14 for the movie title. All ages. Dorset Park, South Burlington, 7:45-9:30 p.m. Free. Info, 846-4108.

Education

Foodways Fridays: See September 2.

Health & Fitness

Kids open Gymnastics: See September 7. Public skating: See September 1.

17 SATURDAY

Arts

‘Bully Be Gone!’: See September 16.

“A midsummer Night’s dream”: Very Merry Theatre’s teen actors put their own unique spin on Shakespeare in their latest production, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the ’40s Musical.” Enjoy their performance while spending the day at the Shelburne Farms Harvest Festival. All ages. 11:30 a.m. & 2 p.m. Free with admission to Shelburne Farms. Info, 863-6607. music seeds demo: Music Seeds, a music and movement program for young children, presents a demo class during its grand-opening celebration. Come sing, chant, move and experience a Music Seeds class with your child. Ages birth-5 with caregiver. North End Studio, Burlington, 1:30-2 p.m. Free. Info, musicseeds@aol.com.

Traditional craft saturdays: See September 3.

Community

Bowling for Babies: Benefitting Share Southern Vermont, this event features two waves of bowling, lunch, a Chinese-style auction for the kids and prizes for the top fundraising teams/ families. Preregister by email (bowlingbabies@ gmail.com) or phone. Rutland Bowlerama, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. $10 person, $30 family (minimum donation); $1 shoe rental. Info, 226-7231.

Fairs & Festivals

shelburne Farms Harvest Festival: See spotlight, page 42.

Health & Fitness

Little Tykes soccer: See September 10.

Prenatal Yoga: See September 3.

Library & Books

Forces of Friction: Explore forces of friction during this craft hour at the library. All ages. Haston Library, Franklin, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 285-6505.

movie matinee: Kids catch a movie while snacking on popcorn and drinks. Call the library for details. St. Albans Free Library, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Pirate day With Rockin’ Ron: Arrgh! Don’t miss Talk Like a Pirate Day. Come dressed in pirate gear, listen to Rockin’ Ron’s pirate stories on the children’s story stage and go on a treasure hunt. All ages. Barnes & Noble, South Burlington, 11 a.m., 3 & 7 p.m. Free. Info, 864-8001.

Nature & Science

Let’s Go Fishing: Sign up the family for this fishing clinic and learn fundamental techniques. Meet at South Burlington City Hall; transportation. Ages 6 and up. Preregister; seats are limited. South Burlington Recreation Department, 1-5 p.m. $12 resident, $17 nonresident. Info, 846-4108.

Woodcarving demo: See September 3.

18 SUNDAY

Arts

‘Bully Be Gone!’: See September 16, 2 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

Harvest for Hunger Festival: Have a good time while helping neighbors by donating nonperishable food items during this fair that features bouncy castles, wagon rides, games and races, and a petting zoo. Snack on fair favorites like roasted corn, hot dogs and homemade desserts. Community Alliance Church, Hinesburg, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Nonperishable food donation. Info, 482-2132.

shelburne museum Goes to the dogs: Go dog wild with a party for pets and their owners. Cowboy parade, costume judging, Waldo and Woodhead, Rick and the Ramblers and working dog demos. Shelburne Museum, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. All ages. $10 adults, $5 children. Info, 985-3346.

Health & Fitness

Basketball clinics: See September 11.

Zumba-thon: Come join this party for Zumba lovers, Zumba first-timers and everyone in between — and help raise money and awareness for the Challenger Learning Center of Vermont to be built in Swanton. Sheldon Casino, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $15 person, additional donations accepted. Info, 881-3083.

Nature & Science

sundays for Fledglings: See September 4.

19 MONDAY Arts

monday music With derek: See September 12.

20 TUESDAY

Health & Fitness

Public skating: See September 1.

stroller strolling: See September 6.

Tuesday Night Trail Running: See September 6.

20 TuesdAY, p. 44

Vrooom!

Get your family’s fall motor runnin’ by checking out classic rides and sampling the season’s bounty during the BRisToL HARVesT FesTiVAL & BeTTeR L8 THAn neVeR cAR sHoW. Horse-drawn wagon rides and a children’s venue keep kids entertained, and parents can appreciate the handiwork of more than 90 crafters and artisans who set up shop for the day. Families with even the most finicky eaters find a satisfying nosh or two at the festival’s taste of bristol, and an apple-pie contest showcases the talents of local bakers. Sponsored by the Addison County Chamber of Commerce and the bristol recreation department, this festival offers everything from fenders to foodstuff to entertain fall-loving families.

Bristol Harvest Festival & Better L8 Than Never Car Show: Saturday, September 24, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (car show at 9 a.m.). Bristol Town Green. Free. Info, 388-7951, bristolharvestfest.com.

20 TUesdAY (Continued)

Library & Books

craftacular Tuesdays: See September 6.

Nature & Science

All About Apples: It’s apple-picking time! Listen to an apple story, taste-test local apples and make a craft to honor the season during this ECHO Science & Stories program. All ages. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, 11 a.m. Free with admission. Info, 877-324-6386.

21 WEDNESDAY Arts

music in the meeting House: See September 7.

Education

Afternoons With Farmer Fred: See September 7.

cookie decorating: See September 7.

Kids cook Up stories: See September 7.

Health & Fitness

Kids open Gymnastics: See September 7.

Public skating: See September 1.

Library & Books

Bless This mouse: Newbery award-winning

author Lois Lowry reads from and talks about her newest book, “Bless this Mouse.” Ages 5 and up. Flying Pig Children’s Books, Shelburne, 4 p.m. Free. Info, 985-3999.

Nature & Science

Wagon-Ride Wednesdays: See September 7.

Young scientist (Afternoon session): See September 14.

Young scientist (morning session): See September 14.

22 THURSDAY Education

AdHd Workshop: This two-hour workshop sponsored by Vermont Family Network covers attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Preregister. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Swanton, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 800-800-4005, ext. 201.

Health & Fitness

Hot mama Workout: See September 1.

Public skating: See September 1.

Library & Books

Lego club: See September 8.

Practice Pets on Parade: Help Erica Perl celebrate her new book, “When Life Gives You OJ,” with a “practice pets” activity, a parade, a Yiddish quiz and, of course, orange juice. Ages 6 and up. Flying Pig Children’s Books, Shelburne, 12 p.m. Free. Info, 985-3999.

Nature & Science

Home-schoolers: make it move!: Join other home-schoolers and their families for a day of science. Explore motion through hands-on activities and investigations, from marble shoots to engineering with Lego blocks. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Free with admission. Info, 649-2200. Kitchen chemistry: See September 10.

spider safari: Explore fields and forests looking for spiders and their cousins. Once you’ve found some, weave a web, catch insects and find out what it’s really like to be a spider in this gigantic world. Ages 3-5 with adult. Meet in the Sugarhouse Parking Area. Audubon Vermont, Huntington, 10-11 a.m. $8 member adult with child, $4 additional child; $10 nonmember adult with child, $4 additional child. Info, 434-3068.

23 FRIDAY Education

Foodways Fridays: See September 2.

Health & Fitness

Adventures With Parker T. Bear: Join Parker T. Bear of the South Burlington Recreation Department for a hike, snack and special outdoor activity. Parker T. kicks off the series at Red Rocks, but each week a different park and trail are explored. Ages 2-5. Red Rocks Park, Burlington, 9:30-11 a.m. $6 resident child, $10 nonresident child. Info, 846-4108.

Kids open Gymnastics: See September 7. Public skating: See September 1.

Library & Books

sign a story: Calling all babies and toddlers: join Amy as she reads stories while signing key words. Ages birth-4. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

24 SATURDAY Arts

Traditional craft saturdays: See September 3.

Community

Barn & Bake sale: Shop for family gear ranging from toys and sports equipment to books and housewares during this fundraiser to benefit Saxon Hill School. Don’t forget to pick up a nosh at the bake sale. This event is held in conjunction with the Old-Fashioned Harvest Market. All ages. United Church of Underhill, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Free to browse. Info, 899-3622.

Bouncy Fall Fest: This outdoor event features five bouncy houses. University Mall, South Burlington, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $5 child (all you can bounce), 25-cent games. Info, 863-1066, ext. 11.

Fairs & Festivals

Bristol Harvest Festival: See spotlight, page 44. Forest Festival Weekend: Held in conjunction with the Vermont Fine Furniture & Woodworking Festival, this event features kid-friendly

hikes, ranger activities and a make-your-ownwalking-stick craft. Marsh-Billings Rockefeller National Historical Park, Woodstock, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free for ages 18 and under. Info, 747-7900.

Health & Fitness

Little Tykes soccer: See September 10.

Prenatal Yoga: See September 3.

Nature & Science

Woodcarving demo: See September 3.

25 SUNDAY

Community

Barn & Bake sale: See September 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

Forest Festival Weekend: See September 24, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Youthapalooza: Held in conjunction with the Burlington Book Festival and sponsored by Kids VT and TD Bank, Youthapalooza is a celebration of writing for young lovers of literature. During this full-day program, award-winning and notable picture-book authors read aloud and answer questions. Check out the schedule of authors available online. Intended for pre-K to second-grade readers, but all who enjoy a good story are welcome. Main Street Landing, Burlington, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Info, 658-3328.

Health & Fitness

Basketball clinics: See September 11.

Nature & Science

sundays for Fledglings: See September 4.

26 MONDAY

Arts

monday music With derek: See September 12.

27 TUESDAY

Health & Fitness

Public skating: See September 1. stroller strolling: See September 6.

Library & Books

craftacular Tuesdays: See September 6.

Nature & Science

sink or Float: Explore the properties of different objects by making and testing predictions as to whether they’ll sink or float during this ECHO Science & Stories program. All ages. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, 11 a.m. Free with admission. Info, 877-324-6386.

28 WEDNESDAY Arts

music in the meeting House: See September 7.

Community

Takeout dinner: Purchase tickets in advance to pick up a homemade dinner for your family. Choose chicken or meatloaf. Proceeds benefit the Challenger Learning Center. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Swanton, $8.50 meal. Info, 881-3083.

Education

Afternoons With Farmer Fred: See September 7.

cookie decorating: See September 7. Kids cook Up stories: See September 7. Kids in the Kitchen: chips & salsa: Kids make their own batch of fresh, chunky salsa in this class that teaches them safe and proper knife skills. They’ll also snack on the salsa with tortilla chips fresh from the fryer. Class intended for ages 6 and up, but all ages are welcome accompanied by an adult. Preregister. Healthy Living Natural Foods Market, South Burlington, 3:304:30 p.m. $20 child. Info, 863-2569, ext. 1.

Health & Fitness

Kids open Gymnastics: See September 7. Public skating: See September 1.

Nature & Science

Wagon-Ride Wednesdays: See September 7. Young scientist (Afternoon session): See September 14.

Young scientist (morning session): See September 14.

29 THURSDAY

Health & Fitness

Public skating: See September 1.

Library & Books

PJ story Hour: Welcome fall by wearing your pajamas for a story hour featuring songs and a craft. Ages birth-6. St. Albans Free Library, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

30 FRIDAY

Education

Foodways Fridays: See September 2.

Health & Fitness

Adventures With Parker T. Bear: See September 23.

Kids open Gymnastics: See September 7. Public skating: See September 1. K

START A NEW CHAPTER

Every day at the Y, kids and families like yours are coming together to be healthier—in spirit, mind and body. Children are engaging in active play, learning new skills and building confidence. Parents are pursuing group exercise classes, making new friends, and discovering balance. And, families are playing together, having fun, and forging stronger connections with each other. The end result is a community that’s learning, growing and thriving together.

Everyone belongs at the Y, regardless of ability to pay. Thanks to the generosity of our members, donors, sponsors and friends, we can offer all of our camping, child care, swimming, family, and health and wellness programs for free - or at reduced rates - to anyone who needs it. We’d love to have you join us!

JOIN US FOR 2011 FREE PROGRAMS WEEK!

September 12-18, 2011

We’re offering a week of free programs designed to help kids and parents alike try something new — like Tiny Tots; Gym-tastics; Youth Swim Lessons; Happy Feet Run Club; Y-FIT Small Group Personal Training, and much more.

Pre-registration is required. For more information, please visit gbymca.org/kidsvt or call 862-9622.

And remember: You don’t have to be a member to enjoy the benefits of our free programs — so come down to our Burlington and Winooski locations and “Try the Y!”

Fall programs for kids & families

SWIM, SPORTS & PLAY

Dynamo Swim Team

Private & semi-private swim lessons

Progressive youth swim lessons

Social Infant & Parent Swim

Tiny Tots

Youth Basketball League

Youth Ballet (3 levels)

Youth Soccer

Autumn Adventure Camp

Beginner Basketball

Bitty Sports

Creative Movement for Preschoolers

Drop and Shop

Gym-tastics

Kids Nights Out

Kids Overnights

Preschool Winter Adventure Camp

Cooking Up Ways to Eat Healthy

Camel’s Hump Middle School & Underhill Central School

Learn to Play the Recorder Williston Central School

Yoga for Kids Brewster Pierce School (Huntington)

FAMILY TIME

Family Gym

Family Fun Nights

Family Cooking Night Thatcher Brook Primary School (Waterbury)

Halloween Parties Burlington, Essex, Georgia, Waterbury, Williston, Underhill

Family Movie Night Essex Elementary School

Breakfast with Santa

Birthday Parties

Sponsored by

For complete descriptions of all our fall classes and programs, please stop by our Burlington or Winooski locations, or download our program guide at: www.gbymca.org/kidsvt

CRAFTING WITH KIDS

Got It Covered instructions

1. Cut along one seam of the paper bag, from the opening to the bottom of the bag.

2. Cut the bottom off, leaving one long rectangle of paper.

As kids’ textbooks begin piling up in lockers and backpacks, here’s a new twist on a classic method of protecting them. Recycle paper grocery bags to make book covers using the tried-and-true method described below. Then place comic strips, pictures of favorite pop stars, meaningful quotes or helpful hints on the cover and encase it in contact paper, making the cover more memorable — and durable! Add schedule reminders or other useful information on the inside flaps. Contact paper even works as a dry-erase surface. Draw a tic-tac-toe or hangman board on your book covers and you’ve got a little extra entertainment in your bag. Just don’t do it during class.

3. To estimate how long the cover needs to be, set your book on the paper fold one end onto the book and around to the inside of the front cover. Allow the paper to overlap about two-thirds of the length of the inside cover.

4. Mark the paper with a line at the spine of the book; this is the mid-point of the cover’s length.

materials

• Paper bag

• Scissors

• Pencil

• Magazine cutouts, comics, posters, stickers, baseball cards or other embellishments

• Tape

• Clear contact paper

5. Remove the book and fold the paper at the line. Trim the excess paper, so that you have two equal halves, with the fold in the middle.

6. To make the cover the correct height, place the book on the paper and mark the top and bottom edges of the book.

7. Fold along the length of the paper at the marked spots to create creases at the top and the bottom.

8. Set the book on the paper and fold the front cover flap over the front cover. Then insert the edges of the cover into the slots at the top and the bottom of the inside flaps. Repeat this step for the back cover.

9. Once the cover is done, clip your favorite cartoons or other decorative elements and place them on the cover. Put a small piece of tape folded into a barrel on the back to hold them in place.

10. Cut a piece of contact paper large enough to cover the decoration, remove the backing, and stick it on.

Congratulate your family publicly in Kids VT for only $25/tile. submit your info at kidsvt.com or celebrate@kidsvt.com by september 15.

Happy 2nd Birthday, manya!

so far, there’s nothing terrible about this two. Here’s wishing our little sweet potato the sweetest year yet!

Welcome Elliot!

elliot steven Wheeler was born at 10:09 p.m. on August 22, 2011. He weighed in at 9 lbs. 5 oz. and was 21.5 inches long. Congratulations mike, Jen and emmy!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Noah!

Wishing our big boy the happiest of days!

— much love, mommy, Daddy & baby brother

Happy Birthday, Victoria!

14 already! Have a fantastic birthday.

— Love you lots and lots, mom, Dad, Katie, Obi & rusty

Happy Birthday, sweet Lily James!

Wishing you the most wonderful of days on your 7th birthday! Your family loves you so very much.

— mom, Dad, Nola and rose

Champlain Valley Head Start Serving

Early Head Start and Head Start are national programs that provide services to families with children ages 0 – 5. Services include: education, health, nutrition, mental health, and social services that help families and children to grow and to do well in school and in life.

Early Head Start and Head Start help parents to take the lead role in their child’s learning and development, to be their child’s first teacher, and to build positive family relationships. CVHS also provides services for children with special needs, including those with severe dis abilities, and helps families to find transportation services.

Early Head Start serves pregnant women and families with children from birth to 3 years of age. Head Start serves families with children 3 to 5 years of age. Services are free for all eligible families, though some childcare fees may apply in childcare centers in which Head Start services are provided.

Say

Leave it to the Pros

Home-grown, homethrown birthday parties are nice. Sometimes, though, you want someone else to stress over the devilish details so you can enjoy the celebration as a participant. When your child asks for a rock-star, fashion-show birthday party with all the trimmings, you might want to call a pro. Here are two I recommend:

Preschool Ages

ellie tetrick of Ellie’s Preschool Parties has more than 20 years of experience as a music teacher. She knows how to keep active preschoolers entertained and happy. tetrick plays guitar and specializes in active, hands-on activities to engage children in physical play. Her bag of tricks includes songs, rhythm sticks, musical instruments, fabric for parachute play, giant ribbons and everyone’s favorite — bubble time!

Fee: $175 for 45 minutes, up to 20 children. Info: elliesparties@comcast.net.

Ages 3-8

mike randall, the Big Blue Trunk guy, has helped families throw amazing birthday parties for years. Kids choose from among themes such as medieval, princess, super hero, pirate and fashion show. mike arrives an hour early, sets up, executes the party and then helps with cake and clean up.

the medieval package comes with period tableware, as well as crossbows, jousting, sword games, cardboard castles and trumpeted announcements. talk about taking a theme to the extreme. parties include a personalized bottle of sparkling cider and a keepsake photo slideshow set to music.

Fee: $225 for set-up, clean-up and two hours of party time, with flexible number of guests. Info: thebigbluetrunk.com.

Ages 8-13

For older kids, randall offers the rally, a birthday party themed after the Amazing race. the party takes place on Church Street and in the burlington town Center and includes must-do challenges just like the tV show, such as figuring out a combination, beading a bracelet or bouncing ping pong balls.

Fee: $200. Info: thebigbluetrunk.com. K

Birthday club

Sponsored by Zachary’s Family Fun Center in South burlington

every month, birthday kids win prizes, and their picture appears in Kids VT to make their birthdays extra special!

Congratulations to these September Birthday Club winners:

Grand Prize Winner

Krisanta lives in Colchester and turns 10 in September. Her favorite school subjects are art, reading and writing.

Krisanta wins a birthday party for eight at Zachary’s Family Fun Center!

molly lives in Hinesburg and turns 3 in September. She loves to sing, dance, read books, play with her friends and be silly with her big sister.

Noah lives in essex Junction and turns 6 in September. He loves riding his bike and spends a lot of time browsing his books. He can’t wait to learn how to read.

samuel lives in Georgia and turns 8 in September. He likes basketball, riding his bike and playing outdoors. Join

to enter your kids, submit information using the online form at kidsvt. com/birthday-club.

Just give us your contact info, your children’s names and birthdates and a photo, and they’re automatically enrolled in our Kids VT birthday Club.

$5

ANSWerS p. 54

pUzzLe pAGe

Kids AcRoss/PARENTs doWN

Puzzles4Kids

Riddle search — Lazy

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 a lazy kangaroo? bONe LAzY

bY HeLeNA HOVANeC

enjoy fun time with mom, dad or your favorite grown-up. the across clues are for kids and the down clues are for adults.

Let it B

Kids AcRoss

1. teachers used to write on this with chalk

3. A fisherman’s pail

5. If you travel to philadelphia, you can see the Liberty ____

6. Wet and wild Halloween party fun: _______ for apples

8. What the three Little pigs used to build the house the wolf could not blow down

9. A round toy people blow up at the seaside (2 wds)

13. “Flintstones” baby (or sound made by banging on a door)

14. A sack with shoulder straps for books and more (or a friend who’s always behind Dora)

15. It stops to take kids to school

16. Glass or plastic soda containers

PARENTs doWN

1. What the spineless are said to lack

2. blues legend

4. Color a bookkeeper longs for when he’s seeing red

5. prickly irritant beneath a pony’s saddle

7. Famous band generated “Good Vibrations” when they released “California Girls” (2 wds)

8. Hold tight: Linus treasures his security _______

9. Lean times: multi-lingual tower of biblical proportions

10. title track and movie featuring mexican music “La _____”

11. All-out dust-up

12. makes macaroons or creates cookies

riddle Answer:

COLORING CONTEST!

Send us your work of art by September 15

You could win a $25 gift certificate to Texas Roadhouse!

Be sure to include the info at right in your submission. Winners will be chosen in the following categories: (1) ages 4 and younger, (2) ages 5-8, and (3) ages 9-12. The best artwork will be featured on kidsvt.com, and 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.

The R-Word

Teach your kids not to say it

my broTher shane is funny, outgoing, social, caring and kind. He appreciates the smallest gestures — receiving a postcard, being invited to a party, being asked to help make dinner. He never thinks twice about showing his love; recently he took my husband’s hand and placed it on his heart.

But cognitively speaking, Shane, who has cerebral palsy, is what we once called “mentally retarded.” Through no fault of his own, his cognitive abilities are quite low. He can’t do simple math, he can’t read, he can’t write, save for an approximation of his name. He has severe physical limitations as well — he can’t walk, he can’t really use his right hand, and his speech is impaired.

He and the millions of other individuals with intellectual disabilities already struggle with so many things. Why, then, is it so common to hear people using their plight as a derogatory term for when something is messed up? I’m hearing it more and more lately, even from elementary school-aged kids. The word “retarded” has become pervasive as a putdown. It’s in songs (Black Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get Retarded”). It’s on TV. When Lady Gaga was asked if her new song was a ripoff of a Madonna song, she called the comparison “retarded.” Apparently, “Born This Way” applies to everyone except people with disabilities. (She has since apologized.)

When people use that word, I don’t think they mean to attack those who are intellectually disabled. I know many otherwise kind and thoughtful people who use the R-word out of habit.

As with any habit, the best way to break it is to nip it in the bud, or, better yet, stop it before it starts. I’m not out to be the language police, and I don’t mean to sound preachy; I have certainly used language I shouldn’t have used. But in honor of my brother, and kids and adults like him, I want to ask you, as parents, to talk with your kids about the R-word. Ask them to consider what using it really means.

When you call something “retarded,” you’re taking a word that describes people who have been given limited opportunities in life, the least amount of

by Sky b ar S ch Gleiner

independence, the least amount of normalcy, and you’re using that word to say something is … stupid.

When you use the word “retarded” as a putdown, you’re saying something is so awful, so stupid, that it’s as bad as my brother. Like, my brother is the ultimate low. Your computer isn’t working? You might say, “This thing is so retarded!” You might as well be saying, “This thing is such a bad piece of equipment, it’s like Shane!”

When your teacher makes you angry, and you say, “He’s so retarded,” you could be saying, “He’s so horrible, he’s Shane.”

Try substituting “retarded” with another condition that an individual has no control over.

“She’s acting leukemia.”

“He’s multiple sclerosis.”

“That’s so breast cancer!”

Would you ever feel comfortable using these serious medical conditions this way?

When you stop and think about it, it’s easy to understand why the R-word is hurtful. You can help your kids make the connection by talking about it in the same way you talk about insults based on race, gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation.

You can also help by introducing your children to a variety of different people. You could invite a classmate with disabilities and his or her parents over for lunch (parents of kids with disabilities often feel left out of normal social gatherings). If this is all new territory for you, be honest with the parents, and ask if their child will need any special accommodations.

If a classmate isn’t an option, bring your kids to cheer at the Special Olympics, or at a Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports event. If you have a good time, consider volunteering with one of these organizations. It’s much easier to explain to someone how the R-word can be hurtful if they personally know someone with disabilities.

There’s been a lot that Shane hasn’t been able to do during his lifetime. But he has made a lasting impression on friends, family and even strangers, showing them that those with disabilities have an immense capacity for love, acceptance and friendship. There’s nothing stupid about that. K

The word “retarded” has become pervasive as a putdown.

Vermont Apples

Pick for Your Neighbor

Throughout September and October, visit participating local orchards to pick and purchase apples for donation to the Vermont Foodbank. PFYN will provide fresh, healthful apples to over 280 hunger relief organizations across Vermont. PFYN also increases business for local orchards, which are important parts of our communities.

Apples to iPods

Vermont’s apple growers are working again with the Vermont Department of Tourism, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture and Small Dog Electronics of Waitsfield to provide an extra reason to visit Vermont orchards this fall. Find the wooden “voucher” apple in an orchard and redeem it for an Apple iPad or other Apple electronic accessories. For more details, visit www.vermontapples.org