ed note Welcome to our March/April 2023 Issue!

Seems like we just wrapped up our February issue and our 30th Annual Camp Expo, and here we are knocking on the door of our combined March/April 2023 issue, as well as our Special Needs Expo on March 18!

Please enjoy this issue committed to special needs, baby and a lot of great other topics like travel, parties and more. Be sure to check out our “new and improved” calendar with a link to our extensive ONLINE calendar. Remember you can also use the online version to take you to the venues with your smart phone! And upload your own events here! Check out the online version here: https://birminghamparent.com/directory/events/

Save the date for our Special Needs Expo on March 18 at the Exceptional Foundation in downtown Homewood/Oxmoor Road, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Admission is FREE. Great information, giveaways, a stage with local entertainment and much more! Contact us for a vendor booth or sponsorship at carol@birminghamparent.com or 205-624-2405. You can also register as a VISITOR or as a vendor here: https://birminghamparent.com/directory/special-needs-expo/

And we are already planning our BACK-TO-SCHOOL EVENT, the annual Happy Healthy Kids Fair, this year at McWane Science Center Lobby on Aug. 19. Come beat the heat in August and join us for another fun day where admission to the event is free, and we’ll have discount admission tickets for McWane Science Center Adventure Halls. As a visitor, sponsor or vendor, check it out here: https://birminghamparent.com/directory/2023-happy-healthy-kids-fair/

We are so excited to reveal what 2023 has in store for us and our readers. We are just getting started! As always, we want to hear from you! Do you want other types of stories? What topics and special sections do you enjoy most? Our events? Please e-mail us your comments and suggestions.

Happy Easter, and Happy Spring!

Carol Muse Evans publisher/editor carol@birminghmparent.com

ABOUT THE EDITOR:

Carol Muse Evans is the publisher/editor/owner of Birmingham Parent magazine, a publication she and her husband David began in 2004. The Birmingham, Alabama-based parenting publication attracts more than 60,000 readers monthly in a four-county area and receives 10,000 hits per month on its website. The magazine has a 20,000+ print circulation, plus several thousand in readership of the digital edition online. It is the only independently audited free publication in our area. Evans is an award-winning writer and editor who has also has written for several other publications as a freelance writer since the late 80s. She is a graduate of Auburn University in journalism and is a graduate of Scottsboro High School. She is married with two grown children and lives in Alabaster. She is a member of the National Federation of Press Women and Alabama Media Professionals.

703 Logan Rd., Suite 150

Clanton, AL 35045

205-624-2405

205-624-2515 FAX www.birminghamparent.com editorial

PUBLISHERS

David & Carol Evans

EDITOR

Carol Muse Evans

CONTRIBUTORS

American Camp Association

Audra Claire Boyd

Cherie Gough

Dr. Winn Mathews

Juvenile Products

Manufacturers Association

Paige Townley

Sarah Lyons sales

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Tom Gonzales

SR. MARKETING CONSULTANT

Kayla Fricks

MARKETING CONSULTANT

Ashley Lottes print & web production

Digtial Doo-Wop

DISTRIBUTION

T&P Deliveries

Legal Counsel

Balch & Bingham LLP

BIRMINGHAM PARENT IS A PUBLICATION OF EVANS PUBLISHING, LLC. Publishers: Carol Muse Evans, David K. Evans Sr. Birmingham Parent (EIN20-0694149) is published monthly by Evans Publishing LLC. www.birminghamparent.com or editor@birminghamparent.com. Birmingham

Parent is © 2023 by Evans Publishing LLC. Family Connections Media ©20212023 by Evans Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Editorial submissions are welcome. For back issues, please send a self-addressed 10” x 13” envelope with $4 for postage and handling.

Spring is in the air! Here is a fun, floral activity to try with your little sprout! Making native plant seed balls is a great way to bring some color to the world while teaching kids the importance of native plants and the environment.

You Will Need:

2 parts potting soil

5 parts pottery clay mix from your local art store

2 parts water (or enough to moisten the mixture)

2 parts native wildflower seeds

A large bowl or bucket to mix ingredients

4 5

Mix the soil, clay and 1 part water thoroughly. There should be no lumps. Add more water until the mixture is the consistency play dough

Add your seeds until they are well incorporated

Take small bits of the mixture and roll into 1 inch balls. They should hold together easily

Dry your seed balls in a box or egg carton for 1 or 2 days

Finally, sow your seeds! Let your little one toss the seed balls into the garden. No need to bury or water them. Just let nature get to work!

To learn more about Itty Bitty Magic City, visit mcwane.org or follow us on social media @mcwanescience