FYI Jan/Feb 2015

Winter Fun Guide!

• Where to Sled, Tube, Skate & More • Hacks for Winter Comfort • Secondhand Snow Gear

Staying Indoors?

SW Michigan’s best family resource

Jan/Feb 2015

Create an Active Playroom

Plus: Handmade Feeder for the Birds Great family Events

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Kalamazoo Central High School Auditorium

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2 • Jan/Feb 2015

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fyiswmichigan.com •

3•

Who are these lovely people? See below.

If you’re sick of the cold and gloom, Tiffany has some uplifting words for you: “The best part about winter, and I really thought this as a kid, is that it ends. One way or another, the Northern Hemisphere will dip closer to the sun once more and we will feel warmth again.” In addition to being FYI’s editor, Tiffany is also a staff writer at Encore. A transplant from Colorado, she lives in Kalamazoo with her husband and two children, ages 3 and 12.

Jef Otte

Tiffany Fitzgerald

Winter Fun Guide!

SW Michigan’s best family resource

• Where to Sled, Tube, Skate & More • Hacks for Winter Comfort • Secondhand Snow Gear

Staying Indoors?

Jan / Feb 2014

Create an Active Playroom

Plus: Handmade Feeder for the Birds Great family Events

Published by

Publisher

encore publications, inc.

Our Family Man admits he has become rather pessimistic about winter. “Probably the best thing about winter for me as a kid was getting bundled up to the point of immobility and careening with my grandpa on his ATV over a frozen lake,” Jef recalls fondly. “Now I don’t know anyone with an ATV, so I hate it.” Guess that leaves him with more time to pursue an MFA in creative writing at Western Michigan University, in addition to being a father of two.

Editor

tiffany fitzgerald

Contributing Editor marie lee

Graphic Designer alexis stubelt

Contributors

jarett coy, john lacko, brian lam, melissa lam, jef otte, brian powers

Melissa Lam

Brian Lam

Advertising Sales krieg lee celeste statler kurt todas

FYI is published 6 times a year by Encore Publications, Inc. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.

Editorial, circulation and advertising correspondence should be sent to Encore Publications, 117 Cedar St. Suite A, Kalamazoo MI, 49007. Phone: 269 383-4433. General email correspondence to publisher@encorekalamazoo.com FYI is distributed free of charge at locations throughout Southwest Michigan; home delivery subscription rate is $18 per year. Advertising rates and specifications at fyiswmichigan.com or by request.

If you read this month’s Last Laugh column, you might think there was never a time this Kalamazoo native really thought winter was wonderful. “I used to love winter, especially sledding on the hills behind Kalamazoo Christian High School,” Brian says.

“Then I reached snow shoveling age and I have loathed Mother Nature’s yearly snow assault ever since.” When not braving the elements to bring home milk, Brian coaches improvisation and spends time with his wife and daughter.

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Melissa’s contribution to Creation Station shows her soft spot for her fine-feathered friends. When not watching the birds out her window, Melissa likes to watch snowflakes fall under the street lamps on those wintery Michigan nights. Melissa was a Montessori teacher in Colorado and Kalamazoo for several years before starting her own day care, where designing fun and creative projects with household objects went from a hobby to a necessity. Currently, she enjoys refurbishing furniture and sharing her love of art with her 5-year-old daughter, Sienna.

FYI does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors; articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect FYI’s opinions or those of the FYI staff.

To learn more about us visit fyiswmichigan.com

About the cover:

The Ablao family (from top), Meredith, Maya and John, of Portage, enjoy a ride together on a local sledding hill.

Photo by John Lacko

Jan/Feb 2015

In Every Issue 3

From the Editor

4

Our Contributors

6

9

Fun for Free

Family-friendly fun for no charge!

Make This!

Spinach and Cheese Quiche from local chef Kelly Aggers

10 Everyday Hacks

Handy tips to keep you warm and cozy

12 Creation Station

A handmade feeder for the birds

14 Is this Normal?

FEATURE

27 Kids’ Corner

Art & poetry created by local kids

16 Winter Fun Guide

If there’s snow, you gotta go! Our guide to the sledding, sliding, skiing, skating and other winter pastimes

29 Cool Kids

Turning K-cups into eco-friendly art and compost

17 Helmets for Winter Play

PARENT TO PARENT

18 Secondhand Gear

19

Picky eaters, shy at the playground: You ask, experts answer

Active Playrooms With a few pillows, bean bag chairs and balls, you can create a play space for those “stuck inside” days

21 Family Man

30 Last Laugh

Ac tivities

Hey, helicopter your own kids!

His wintery trek to the store wasn’t treacherous until he got to where he was going

23 Family Events A full slate of fun!

fyiswmichigan.com •

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Fun For Free FYI

It might seem that in the dead of a Michigan winter, there wouldn’t be anything to do.

But our Winter Fun Guide on page 16 shows there are a plethora of outdoor and indoor options for Southwest Michiganders to keep the winter blahs at bay.

If you’re looking for something a little warmer and still family-friendly (not to mention free), check out these amazing Southwest Michigan treasures that provide entertainment for everyone.

Winterfest Kids’ Day

It’s the race of kings! Furry kings, that is. The Race of Kings Hamster and Gerbil race is one of the most anticipated events of Grand Haven’s Winterfest Kids’ Day and it takes place inside. Bring your furry rodent buddies and a ball for them to race in. If you come early, you can watch the cardboard sled race starting at 11 a.m. at Mulligan’s Hollow.

Kids’ Day takes place at the Tri-Cities Family YMCA in Grand Haven, which is roughly 80 miles northwest of Kalamazoo, from noon-3 p.m. and features creative projects, balloons, face painting, a bounce house and more. Check out WinterfestMi.org for more activities your family might enjoy doing during the three-day long festival.

Date: Jan. 24, registration at 1 p.m.; races begin at 2 p.m; Kids’ Day is noon-3 p.m.

Route: Tri-Cities YMCA, 1 Y Drive, Grand Haven Ages: All ages Kevin Ryan

More info: WinterfestMi.org

Check out our event calendar on page 23 for a complete list of family-friendly activities.

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Portage District Library

It’s magical for kids to be in a space built just for them, where everything is their size and appeals to their inquisitive and exploring natures.

That’s what makes the Preschool Room at the Portage District Library such a great hangout for the little ones.

Everything is kid-sized, from the bookshelves to the chairs, and the room is decorated with a fairy tale-inspired mural by local artist Conrad Kaufman, a tree sculpture, a playhouse, a puppet theatre and other kidfriendly décor meant to spark the imagination.

It’s the perfect place to go on winter days (or any day for that matter), and there are activities during the day for little kids. For the older children, the library’s youth section offers afterschool programs and events for tweens and teens. Check the calendar (page 23) for a complete listing.

Dominic Gladstone

Hour: 9 a.m.- 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday Place: 300 Library Lane, Portage Ages: All ages (Preschool Room is best suited for toddler to preschool age) More info: PortageLibrary.info

Kalamazoo Valley Museum

Tornado and sandstorm simulations, slot-car racing, hands-on exhibits about physics, an original Checker cab, a toddler room and more — there is something to pique any child’s interest at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum.

Museum admission is free, but for $3 each, you and your family can sit under the stars in the planetarium and enjoy a laser projection show with a 5.1 channel surround sound system. Be sure to check FYI’s calendar for a listing of the museum’s exhibitions and activities (page 23).

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Monday-Thursday & Saturday; 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday; 1 p.m.-5 p.m Sunday Place: 230 N. Rose St., Kalamazoo Ages: All ages More info: KalamazooMuseum.org

fyiswmichigan.com •

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Who Made Print and the Web Rivals?

People love Allrecipes.com. The website has a reach of close to 30 million people. Yet at the end of 2013, Allrecipes launched distribution of a printed magazine.

With all of this online success, what’s the point of going into print? What does Allrecipes know?

The company did the research and found readers love both the digital side and printed side of the business. Quite simply, print still holds a profitable opportunity for the business.

Food product advertising is one of the strongest advertising categories in print these days. Despite the shift to online advertising and the attention given to social media, print advertising brings attention to products and services.

Internet and print marketing aren’t rivals. They are opportunities.

Online marketing reaches for people who are already looking for your products and services. Print marketing comes to you.

Allrecipes expanded and grew by going into print. Have you asked lately what print can do to expand your business?

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Sunday | 3pm | Chenery Auditorium For tickets, visit KalamazooSymphony.com or call 269.387.2300

We are not a Museum…yet we produce Art Hop, twelve times a year. This FREE program adds over $700,000 to the local economy.

We are not an Orchestra…yet we bring FREE live music to Bronson Park every Sunday, June through August, at Concerts in the Park.

We are not a Theatre…yet we produce All Ears Radio Theatre. Hailed as one of Kiplinger Magazine’s “Must Do” FREE events in Kalamazoo.

We are not a Social Service Agency…yet we offer teens in Kalamazoo County a FREE summer program called United Teens Talent which gives them a chance to express and find themselves as they work with seasoned directors and mentors.

We are not a School or Government Agency…yet we provide FREE workshops and regrant State of Michigan funds helping arts organizations and artists contribute to our local and regional communities.

*Meet us up close @ KalamazooArts.org •

8 • Jan/Feb 2015

Make this! FYI

Family Dinner Spinach and Cheese Quiche Easy-to-make winter comfort food

Ingredients 1 refrigerated pie crust (we use our family dough recipe, but for ease you can use an uncooked refrigerated or frozen pie crust) 5 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1 handful of fresh spinach 1 cup your choice of shredded cheese, divided How to: 1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Prepare crust according to package directions.

3. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk and salt and pepper.

4. Sprinkle ½ cup of shredded cheese in bottom of pie shell.

5. Place spinach leaves on top of the cheese.

6. Pour the egg mixture over the top carefully.

7. Top with the rest of the shredded cheese.

8. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper.

9. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Quiche is done when the top is light brown and the center is set.

From the kitchen of local chef Kelly Aggers With her mom, Maryann Vassallo, Kelly Aggers operates Barista Blues Café, a restaurant and catering company at 91 Michigan Ave. W, Battle Creek.

Aggers, a mother of three children who attend Portage Public Schools, has graciously offered up her easy-tomake, protein-filled quiche recipe for a dinner that is as quick to whip up as it is delicious.

“We sell out of this one as fast as we make it,” she says.

“Our customers love it.”

Chances are your family will like it as much as Barista Blues Café customers. And, the fact that you have 30 minutes while it bakes to put together a simple salad, cut up some fresh fruit or just do nothing is a bonus. (Okay, so maybe that last one is a stretch.)

Hints: • If your spinach is from a bunch, cut off stems and wash the spinach. Dry the spinach using a salad spinner or by patting dry with towels. Make sure your spinach is dry before using.

• Get a little experimental with your cheese. Blends of different cheeses can add a new taste. Make your own by combining shredded Parmesan, Romano or Swiss with pre-shredded Cheddar or Colby cheeses.

• Some people like it hot. Serve with a bottle of red pepper sauce to give it a little zing.

Gluten Free Option: Gluten-free, premade pie crusts and dough are available in the frozen and refrigerated pastry sections of health food stores such as Natural Health Food Center, 4610 W. Main Street; People’s Food Co-op, 507 Harrison St.; and Sawall Health Foods, 2965 Oakland Dr. Makes 8 servings. Nutrition per serving: Calories 118, Carbs 2.9g, Fat 8.5g, Protein 7.7g, Sugar 1g

Share your recipes with FYI readers! Submit to editor@fyiswmichigan.com

fyiswmichigan.com •

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Everyday Hacks FYI

Winter Hacks Whoever coined the term “winter wonderland” obviously forgot about coughs, cabin fever, high-energy bills and the interminable cold. But, we didn’t forget (how could we after the winter we lived through last year?) and we’re offering some great hacks to ease the challenges of winter so you can enjoy the wonderland part.

Colorful Frozen Orbs A reason kids love science class is because they geek on watching things transform. This winter, we’ve got a crafting hack for your kids that will allow them to change water into ice, balloons into orbs and clear liquid into beautiful colors, making them feel like science superstars or magicians in the process.

1.

Fill water balloons with water; before tying a knot in the end of the balloons, add a couple drops of food coloring into the water. Use different colors for variety.

2. Tie the balloons off, and place them outside on a below-freezing day until they are frozen solid (or put in the freezer, if you’re the impatient type and don’t want to wait for a freezing cold day).

3. When frozen, cut the ties off the balloons, take the frozen colored orbs out and line your walkway with them or make a design in your yard. Beautiful outdoor winter art has never been so easy.

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A Honey Hack for Your Hacking Cough Coughing and winter go together like…well, like coughing and winter, really. The two seem to be synonymous. When scouring the shelves for relief, particularly syrups children can have, you’ll find homeopathic options containing honey. Honey is a natural remedy for coughing, so this hack uses what you have in your kitchen to make a cough syrup everyone over one year of age can have. (Important: do not give honey to children under one year of age.)

1. Mix together 3/4 cup raw honey, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and the juice of three lemons in a small pot.

2. Cook over medium heat until steaming; turn off heat and let mixture cool.

3. Store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in refrigerator for up to three months.

4. Stir and warm before using. Give a dose of a teaspoon up to a tablespoon to ease coughing and sore throats.

Hot Chocolate “Hack” Okay, so this isn’t so much a “hack” as it is a great piece of advice. Stir a spoonful of Nutella or another sweetened hazelnut spread into your hot cocoa. That’s it. Isn’t that genius? Then you can pretend it’s healthy. We’re full of good ideas around here, especially when it comes to chocolate.

Woolen Soles for Winter Warmth

Flip a Switch to Save Energy

If we learned anything from last winter, it’s that boots can always be warmer. Use this amazingly easy boot sole hack to add a little warmth to your feet. They’ll thank you.

Use your ceiling fan to save energy and money this winter:

1. Draw an outline of the insole of your tennis shoe or boot on a piece of thick wool material.

2. Cut around the outline, making a duplicate insole out of the wool.

3.

Place inside the bottom your boots/shoes for extra comfy warmth.

1.

Flip the ceiling fan’s reverse direction switch (usually located on the staff of the light, or for fans without a light, on the center plate), directing the blade to rotate in a clockwise direction.

2.

Turn the fan on at low speed. This pushes heated air back to the ground level instead of letting it rise to the top of the room or house, creating an updraft.

3. Turn your heat down a couple of degrees to compensate for the added warmth.

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fyiswmichigan.com •

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Creation station FYI

Homemade Winter Birdfeeder by

In the wintertime, food can be scarce for our feathered friends. Help a bird out! This homemade winter birdfeeder is a family craft that not only provides a snack for small winter birds, but the crafters as well.

See, you get to eat this as you make it. And once it’s done, you can hang it outside within sight of a window and enjoy watching the birds eat all winter long.

Here’s how to do it: Materials Needed: • An orange, grapefruit, melon or pineapple • Raw cranberries • Wild birdseed • A knife (sharp enough to cut the fruit) • A spoon • 24 inches of twine • Toothpicks or wooden skewers • A long, straight stick or dowel Directions: 1. Cut the fruit in half with the knife.

2. Spoon out the insides of the fruit so you’re just left with the rind. (This is the part where you get to eat the fruit.)

3. Cut a tiny hole in the bottom of the rind shell.

4. Slide the stick or dowel through the hole.

5. Tie the twine around the top of the stick or dowel, leaving enough to wrap around a branch several times.

•

12 • Jan/Feb 2015

Melissa Lam

6. Poke your toothpicks or skewers through a cranberry and then through the side of the rind.

7. Hang your fruit bird feeder from a branch.

8. Fill the feeder with wild bird seed.

Tips: • To keep snow off the seed, either hang the feeder from a low branch under a thick pine tree, or slide the top half of the fruit rind on to the stick about six inches above the bottom.

• Because of the points on the toothpicks and the size of the cranberries, this activity is probably best for ages 3 and up.

• Though birds might just choose to stand on the cranberries, they are safe for them to eat.

• Find your own creative ways to decorate your feeder, just make sure you’re not using anything harmful to birds.

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Is this normal? FYI

You Ask, Experts Answer Picky eaters and ketchup loyalists, shying away from playing with others and regressing after the birth of a new sibling: The experts from Bronson Methodist Hospital, Child and Family Psychological Services and Comstock Community Learning Center answer the questions of three local parents wondering, “Is this normal?”

Q:

My 5-year-old and 2-year-old are very particular about what they eat. My 5-year-old only wants to eat macaroni and cheese and my 2-yearold will only eat food with ketchup on it. We have a really hard time with both kids because mealtimes turn into fights if we try to feed them something other than what they want to eat. Is this normal?

— Parent in Schoolcraft Sally Bonnema, M.A., R.D., Pediatric Dietitian, Bronson Methodist Hospital: Picky eaters are not uncommon at these ages, but pressuring kids to eat often backfires. P arents should prepare kids ahead of time by letting them know the what, when and where of meals. For example, mention to your kids in the morning what you will be serving for dinner so they aren’t surprised later when they sit down at the dinner table. Still, kids need to decide what foods and how much they actually eat. Continue to offer new foods along with their preferred foods. Eventually they’ll get comfortable enough to try something a little different.

Q:

Recently, my 8-year-old daughter started talking like a baby. She •

14 • Jan/Feb 2015

goes into character, saying things like “look at the choo choo,” and even clings to us or throws tantrums. We had a baby about two months ago.

Could this behavior be related to feeling insecure about the attention the baby gets? What can we do?

— Parent in Kalamazoo Alyssa Noonan, LLMSW, Private Practice at Child and Family Psychological Services Kalamazoo and Nichole Holliday MA, LLPC, LLMFT, Private Practice at Child and Family Psychological Services Portage: What you have described sounds like a perfectly normal reaction to a new addition to the family. Regression, or baby-like behavior, often occurs when an older sibling sees a new baby receiving attention. Your daughter is likely mimicking the baby's behavior in hopes of getting similar attention. Often new babies require an abundance of hands-on and one-on-one interaction and your older child may be feeling a little left out, even though it's not your intention. As a result your 8-year-old is creating situations where she may get a reaction from you akin to what her new baby sibling may get.

It can be helpful to reward the “big girl” behaviors that she previously engaged in regularly, to highlight the privileges and fun responsibilities of being older and being a big sister.

Reinforcing positive interactions between siblings by using verbal praise and/or small rewards or extra

privileges, can make the addition of the baby to the family more positive for the older child. It is important not to shame or punish her for baby-like behavior or talk, but rather encourage her to do or say things like a “big girl”. Focusing on positive interactions between siblings and avoiding shaming can prevent feelings of resentment that an older child may develop toward her younger sibling who is now sharing the spotlight.

If, however, the behaviors begin to indicate more serious distress, such as attempting to harm the baby or self, regularly soiling of self/clothing or prolonged sleeping/eating disturbances, it may be time to seek a professional consultation.

Q:

When I take my 3-year-old to the playground, he stands on the side of the play area, watches the other children and doesn’t engage in play at all. He doesn’t use the equipment unless there are no other children

present. I’ve tried talking to him about what’s going on, but he’s not able to verbalize his feelings. Can I force him, or put him next to the other children? Should I be worried that he acts like this? — Parent in Otsego Comstock Learning Center Staff: Many children are unsure in new social situations, just like some adults. And social skills can come more easily for some kids than for others.

Talk to your child about his anxiety of playing with other children. Be sure to tell him that he can ask you questions about what to say in situations or for ideas about feeling more comfortable in social situations.

Role-play with your child at home before he enters a social situation. Pretend that you are a child and give your child words he can use when approaching another child to play with him. Make sure to show your child positive interactions, for instance, sharing toys and taking turns with toys.

You can also help him to feel more comfortable by playing with him on the equipment next to and with the other children. Ease yourself out of the play when your child starts to engage with the other children on his own.

You may have to be a play partner a few times before he is ready to be by himself.

Also, support your child’s confidence. Building confidence and self-esteem in children is important. For some kids, it takes a lot of courage to enter play with someone that they have never met. Some suggestions to foster self esteem in your child: • Be truthful with your child. Be sure to praise and encourage accomplishments and the effort that they made in meeting new people. This will help your child learn how to cope with disappointments in a positive way.

• When your child verbalizes inaccurate beliefs about him or herself, redirect them to be positive.

• Acknowledge your child’s feelings and encourage your child to make the right choices if he or she makes a mistake.

• Create a safe, loving home environment and show your love for your children in positive and spontaneous ways.

Do you have a question about your child’s development or behavior? Send them our way and we’ll take them to our team of experts! Email your questions to editor@fyiswmichigan.com.

Dr. Susan M. Carter

Child & Family Psychologist

Dr. Watson, CCG

Canine Play Therapy Assistant

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• Neurofeedback-a non-medicinal approach to treating ADHD • Parenting and School Issues Consultations

Center for Change & Growth, PLC 3315 Greenleaf Blvd Kalamazoo • (269) 657-5800

www.playtherapytoday.com

Working together to help all students succeed.

The Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency collaborates with Kalamazoo County schools to inspire educational excellence.

We provide responsive, cost-effective support for learners, parents and educators.

For more information, visit www.kresa.org or call 269-250-9200

fyiswmichigan.com •

15 •

Winter

fun

Go ahead – embrace the cold! There’s plenty to do in the great outdoors with your family this winter from sledding to skating to skiing Sisters Sylvie, front, and Mira Graziano enjoy sledding.

Sledding, Snow Tubing & Tobogganing For cost: •E cho Valley Winter Sports Park, tobogganing and tubing, no personal sleds or tubes allowed, opens Dec. 20; $18 for an all-day pass, $50 season pass, 8495 E. H Ave., Kalamazoo, hours and info at EchoValleyFun.com •T imber Ridge Ski Area, snow tubing, $18, 7500 23½ St., Gobles, hours and info at TimberRidgeSki.com.

•P rairie View County Park, bring your own equipment, warming shelter available, 899 East U Ave., Vicksburg, $5 fee per vehicle

Free: • Brookside Park, M-89 east at city limits, Otsego •C rane Park, (hill above tennis courts), 2001 S. Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo •H illside Middle School, 1941 Alamo Ave., Kalamazoo

• Leila Arboretum, 928 Michigan Ave. W, Battle Creek • Maple Street Magnet Middle School for the Arts, 922 W. Maple St., Kalamazoo • Meyer Broadway Park, 59475 Roberts Road, Three Rivers • Milham Park Kalamazoo

Golf

Course,

4200

Lovers

Lane,

• Oakland Drive Park, 7650 Oakland Drive, Portage • Portage Northern High School, 1000 Idaho Ave., Portage • Spring Valley Elementary School, 3530 Mt. Olivet Road, Kalamazoo • Thurl Cook Park, end of Oak Street, south end of Glenview Circle, Plainwell • West Middle School, 7145 Moorsbridge Road, Portage

• Kindleberger Park, 650 S. Riverview Drive, Parchment

• Woods Lake Elementary School, 3215 Oakland Drive, Kalamazoo

•L ake Cora Hills Golf Club, 56640 County Road 671, Paw Paw

• Woods Lake Park, (this is a steep hill), 2900 Oakland Drive, Kalamazoo

•

16 • Jan/Feb 2015

Graham Russell of Pelham, Ala., tries snow tubing.

Slick deals ..

Secondhand Equipment Skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and ice skating offer active outdoor winter options, but the price of equipment can feel out of reach. For those looking to dive into a new winter hobby for less, there are some local options to get secondhand equipment.

• Move on up — Looking to upgrade equipment or switch skis for a snowboard? Take advantage of equipment swaps, which are often hosted by ski resorts (Timber Ridge has one in early November) or sports equipment retailers.

•V icksburg Cemetery (hill next to the cemetery), 335 Highway Street, Vicksburg

Ski Resorts •B ittersweet Ski Resort, snow tubing, snowboarding and skiing starting at $29, 600 River Road, Otsego, hours and info at SkiBittersweet.com •S wiss Valley Ski and Snowboard Area, skiing and snowboarding, $10 for beginner-area lift tickets up to $39 during peak hours, 13421 Mann St., Jones, hours and info at SkiSwissValley.com •T imber Ridge Ski Area, snow tubing, snowboarding and skiing, $20-$29, 7500 23½ St. in Gobles, hours and info at TimberRidgeSki.com

Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing Courses •F ort Custer Recreation Area, groomed trails, free with State of Michigan Recreation Pass or $11 one-time fee, 5163 W. Fort Custer Drive, Augusta •K alamazoo Nature Center Trails, 1,100 acres and 8 miles of trails from easy to more difficult, $4 for children and students, $7 for adults, free for ages 3 and under, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo •M ilham Park Golf Course, cross-country skiing only, 4200 Lovers Lane, Kalamazoo, conditions available at KalamazooNordic.com •P igeon Creek Park Trails, 10-plus miles of trails from easy to difficult, 2 lighted trails, 12524 Stanton St., West Olive

• Check the listings — You can save hundreds of dollars by looking for your winter sports equipment online. We found a pair of Volka downhill skis on the Kalamazoo Craigslist priced at $60 used and in good condition that would normally be $500 to $800 new. eBay is another great option for looking for outdated equipment that’s still in good shape but doesn’t hold retail value such as the youth snowshoes we found starting at $20.

• Online sale racks — If you have your eye on a specific brand of ski, snowshoe, ice skates or other equipment, search for outlet and bulk purchase online retailers like Evo.com that sell earlier models at slashed prices. Searching clearance sections at normal winter sport seller sites can also provide a selection of products offered at lower prices.

• Thriftstores — Sure, thriftstores aren’t always a reliable source of winter sports equipment, but lots of people donate unwanted but still usable ice skates, ski boots, snowshoes and cross-country skis, particularly those for beginners, to their local thriftstores. It’s always worth a look.

• Ask around — Put an all-call out on social media to see if friends and relatives will let you buy/borrow or just have their used skis, snowboards, sleds, kids winter sports equipment, etc. As kids grow out of equipment and people tire or move on from previously favorite pastimes, cheap or free options are often closer than you might think.

fyiswmichigan.com •

17 •

difficult, free with State of Michigan Recreation Pass or $11 one-time fee, 2104 South Briggs Road, Middleville

Curling

•P rairie View County Park, 3 miles of groomed trails, warming shelter available at beach house, $5 per vehicle, 899 East U Ave., Vicksburg •R iver Oaks County Park, 4 miles of groomed trails, $5 per vehicle, 9050 E. Michigan Ave., Galesburg •W .K. Kellogg Experimental Forest, 700-acre preserve with trails, 7060 N. 42nd St., Augusta • Yankee Springs State Recreational Area Trails, 5,000-acre facility with 7 miles of trails from easy to most

• Kalamazoo Curling Club, located at the Wings Stadium Annex, more info at KalamazooCurlingClub.com

Ice Skating • Echo Valley, begins Dec. 20, $5 including skate rental, $25 unlimited pass, 8495 E. H Ave., Kalamazoo, hours and info at EchoValleyFun.com • Lawson Ice Arena, open skate noon-1 p.m. weekdays, 2-3 p.m. weekends; $1 admission and $1 skate rental weekdays, $3 admission and $1 skate rental weekends, 2009 Howard St., Kalamazoo, info at WMich.edu/Lawson/Open-Skate

Winter Helmet 101

Fitting the right helmet for the right sport by

Jarett Coy

It’s snowing and the kids are eager to play outside. Such cherished winter activities as downhill skiing, ice hockey, snowboarding and sledding can be fun-filled, but also dangerous.

If your kids’ winter activities involve speed or possible head impact, helmets are an excellent way to ensure they are protected, say experts at Bronson Children’s Hospital.

“Nearly half of all head injuries in children are attributed to sports or recreational activities,” says Deb Carpenter, a childhood injury prevention coordinator at Bronson, noting that helmets can reduce the risk of severe brain injuries by 88 percent.

Before you go strapping a bike helmet on to go sledding, note that not all helmets are effective for every activity. Helmets are designed to shield the head from impact associated with a particular activity. For winter activities such as sledding, skiing, snowboarding and ice-skating, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends winter sports helmets meet the Snell RS-98 standard.

•

18 • Jan/Feb 2015

• Millennium Park, begins Dec. 12, $4 admission, $3 skate rental, 280 Romence Road, Portage, info at (269) 324-9400 • Otsego Ice Rink, begins Dec. 14, outdoor skating, bring your own skates, corner of Court and Farmer streets, Otsego, info at (269) 6923391 • South Haven Ice Rink, begins late November-early December, covered outdoor rink with cooling system, $4 day pass, $3 skate rental, 546 Phoenix Road, South Haven, hours and info at SHIceRink.com • Wings Stadium, public ice skating and drop-in ice hockey, 3600 Vanrick Drive, Kalamazoo, schedule and info at WingsStadium.com

“Although wearing a helmet does not decrease the risk of injury, it greatly decreases the severity of an injury by absorbing force and spreading impact throughout the helmet,” says Rita Cox, Bronson’s trauma program manager.

“Correctly fitting your child’s helmet is important. A snug fit around the head is essential to the effectiveness of the helmet,” says Cox. Wearing extra padding or hats under the helmet can interfere with the helmet’s fit and defeat its purpose.

Bronson Children’s Hospital, in partnership with Safe Kids Kalamazoo County, fits kids with a reduced-cost helmet on the first and third Thursday of each month at Bronson Hospital’s Trauma Center. Helmets are $25 and offered in sizes from toddler to extra large. (The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under one year of age not wear helmets because of babies’ weak neck strength.)

While it would be ideal if children willingly and happily wore helmets, they don’t, and it can be difficult to impress on them the benefits and necessity of wearing helmets.

The first step in this process starts with parents.

“When parents wear helmets, they act as great role models for their children to do the same,” says Cox.

Brian Powers

Zoe Horton-Bierema, 10, enjoys a ball pit in her mom’s active playroom.

Stuck Indoors?

Create an Active Playroom!

D

espite what you might see on Pinterest when searching “active playroom,” you do not need to hire an architect or install a full jungle gym in your basement to have a functional and fun indoor play space.

Sensory and active play are often used in occupational therapy to enhance the at-home play of children who have been diagnosed with sensory or developmental disorders, but any child benefits from sensory play and indoor active equipment, especially in the dead of winter.

It’s easy to get started. Wendy Horton-Bierema, occupational therapist and owner of Arcadia Center for OT in Portage, recommends three things to create an active playroom: a pile of softness kids can crash in, a memory foam bean bag chair and large exercise balls.

Perhaps the easiest to create is a crash pile. Horton-Bierema tells her clients to pile rolled-up sleeping bags, stuffed animals (without hard plastic parts like eyes or sound boxes), comforters, old bed and

fyiswmichigan.com •

19 •

Brian Powers

decorative pillows and large pieces of fabric together on a floor.

“Anything soft and squishy,” she says. “Kids can roll over the piles, bury under it, bulldoze through it.

They just have the best time.”

If you want to get even more movement for the kids, you can: • Have a ball — Inflatable kids’ pools, tents and playpens can be transformed into ball pits easily — just buy the plastic balls. Check Craigslist for hand-me-down options or find the balls online and in stores like Target and Walmart starting at about $20 for 100 balls and ranging up. You can also substitute cut-up pool noodles, pillows or foam bricks or use items from the crash pile.

• Monkey around — Every home has joists in the ceiling. Why not make good use of them this winter and create a small-scale jungle gym for your kids? Install hooks into the ceiling joists of your playroom or child’s bedroom that allow you to hang a ring and bars set (about $30) and to •

20 • Jan/Feb 2015

switch the rings out for swings ($25) or chairs, as well.

Most manufacturers include detailed hanging instructions (and also sell small gym mats to place on the floor). KidsDreamGym.com is a leading manufacturer of indoor play equipment and has a plethora of options available for purchase online to serve as a good jumping-off point when shopping around.

If you want to hang a swing or hammock, Horton-Bierema says to make sure you have six feet of room from each wall to the swing for safety purposes.

• Reach for the top — For about $70, you can hang a set of 10 climbing wall holds on the wall of your playroom or kid’s bedroom. The holds should be home-climbing grade and come with instructions about how to properly mount the holds so they’ll hold the weight of your child.

Some parents and caregivers attach the holds directly to the drywall, while others attach the holds

Zoe Horton-Bierema enjoys laying amid the softness of a crash pile.

to a piece of plywood and then attach the plywood to the wall. Many at-home rock climbing walls sets are traverse walls meant to be climbed horizontally rather than vertically, so having a not-so-tall wall isn’t an issue.

Visit EverlastClimbing.com for a great climbing wall example.

No space? Horton-Bierema says you can still create a soothing sensory area in a small space such as a closet. Throw in a beanbag chair, drape a piece of furry fabric over it, add a battery-operated push-on light and a little music and you’ve got a cozy spot for kids to hang out inside.

Stop by our Pinterest page to get even more ideas and tutorials for sensory play and indoor at-home playgounds at Pinterest.com/fyiswmichigan.

Family Man FYI

HELICOPTER YOUR OWN KIDS by

Jef Otte

Going to a restaurant with children is like going to court with a crook. The difference is, in court, only the crook gets judged. Also usually the crook will not scream and throw food.

Thus, we avoid taking our kids out to eat, and when we must, we go to the kind of loud, cavernous eateries that serve mostly cheese and have the word “Factory” in their name. It’s just easier that way. Even there, though, one faces the harsh eye of judgment.

Witness: Once, when he was 18 months old, we took our younger son to a place we’ll call “The Food Product Factory.” He put aside all the toys we brought about 14 seconds after we sat at a table, because what he really wanted to play with was a butter knife. It was a knife in only the loosest sense of the word, really more of a flat metal stick, so we said, “Why not?” and let him have it.

Within seconds, the waitress, who looked to be about 18, swooped in and snatched the knife away from our son.

“Ha, ha, oh, let’s not play with knives,” she said, laughing a fake laugh and rolling her eyes at us with a look of You poor ignorant rubes, I pity this child who must suffer

your idiot negligence at home, but at least not here, not on my watch. Then she gave him a fork.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I submit it to you: who, then, is stupider?

Clearly, I don’t let my toddler son, who is now three, play with knives — not sharp ones, at least. That would be irresponsible. But I do believe in allowing my kids leeway enough to make their own mistakes, some of which might result in mild physical injury.

A smart man learns from his own mistakes, as they say, and a wise man learns from the mistakes of others, but nobody learns from being told what not to do, because then they’re like, “Oh yeah? Don’t touch that hot stove, you say? Alright, I’ll just stand here near it, not doing anything in particular, and hey, what’s that over there?”

Oldest trick in the book. I “fell” for it and now my 3-yearold doesn’t touch hot stoves anymore.

This is how we learn to be responsible for our own behavior: by being responsible for it. My 3-year-old is not old or responsible enough to handle sharp knives, but my 12-year-old is and does. He might cut himself, maybe even badly enough to end up in Urgent Care (as I did one

fyiswmichigan.com •

21 •

time when I was about his age trying out of you. This seesaw was about to scrape a microwaved Jolly Ranch- three feet high and came gently to er off one of my mother’s plates and rest upon a polymer surface that felt stabbed a knife through my hand. like an industrial pillow.

I’m pretty confident in my 3-yearThe blood was insane. In conclusion, old’s sense of his own limits — he has being 12 + microwaves = fun!).

According to me, an authority, mild yet to hurt himself at a playground, injuries build character. These are and while that doesn’t mean he can’t, rites of passage.

I pretty much let him do his own I don’t expect everyone to agree thing. Then something happened with me, and many don’t. A couple of that I wish was strange, but, lamentaweeks ago I took my 3-year-old to the bly, was not. A woman, who did not park, where he was playing on a see- seem to be related to any of the kids saw with three other kids. This seesaw on the seesaw (the other three kids’ was not like the high rickety wooden parents were all within sight), rolled in seesaws of my childhood, where your and started handing out orders.

“Two at a time, please,” she said to friend would quickly hop off at the bottom so that you slammed into the the children, even though there were KPL_FYI_NovDec14_TFFAd.pdf 1 10/1/2014 4:29:20 PM ground and got the wind knocked four seats on the seesaw.

“Play nice,” she admonished them, even though they all appeared to be playing nicely.

“Is this your son?” she asked me, lifting him and placing him gently on the ground. “Cute little guy. But he won’t be so cute when reconstructive surgery leaves him hideously deformed.” (Note: she didn’t actually say that last part.)

Touché, anonymous lady at the playground. I will take your views on safety into account. But in the meantime, hands off. Helicopter your own kids all you want. Just please don’t helicopter mine.

Calling all teen filmmakers!

Enter your films in the 12th Annual Teen Filmmaker Festival, the best film festival for teens in Michigan!

Expert judges will award prizes for the best films in eight categories, plus a grand prize. Audience members will vote for the People’s Choice Award.

C

M

Y

Are you the next Judd Apatow, Sofia Coppola, Spike Lee, Sam Rami, or Zack Snyder? Start shooting and find out.

CM

MY

CY

Action!

CMY

K

Learn more at: kpl.gov/teens/filmmakerfest

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22 • Jan/Feb 2015

WEEKLY Mondays I’m a Big Kid Now Storytime, activities & stories for 4- & 5-yearolds, 10 am in January, Portage Library, portagelibrary.info 2-3 Year Olds Storytime, stories, songs & other activities, 10:3011:15 am, Comstock Library, comstocklibrary.org Tuesdays Baby & Toddler Time, stories & activities, 9:30 am & 10:30 am, Portage Library, portagelibrary. info Baby Lapsit, songs, bounces & rhymes for babies from birth to walking & caregivers (siblings welcome), 9:30 am in February, KPLCentral, kpl.gov 1-2 Year Olds Storytime, stories, songs & activities, 9:45-10:15 am, Comstock Library, comstocklibrary.org I’m a Big Kid Now Storytime, activities & stories for 4 & 5-yearolds, 10 am in February, Portage Library, portagelibrary.info

Preschool Pals Storytime, stories, songs, fingerplay & crafts, 10:15-11 am, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary.org Family Storytime, stories & activities, 10:30 am, KPL-Alma Powell, kpl.gov 3-5-Year-Olds Storytime, stories, songs, activities & crafts, 10:30-11:15 am (no event Jan 7), Comstock Library, comstocklibrary.org Baby & Me Time, 20 minutes of fun for you & your baby, 11:1511:35 am (no event Feb 18), Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary.org Baby Talk, parents talk about infant care with facilitator Connie Koning, RN, 1:30 pm, KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov

Thursdays Knee-High Naturalists, handson education about the natural world (registration required), 9:30-11:30 am (no event Jan 1), Binder Park Zoo, 7400 Division Toddler Talk, songs, rhymes, Drive, 979-1351, $10 1 child & 1 movement & story (must have adult, $6 each extra child; $7 excaregiver), 10:15-10:45 am, Parch- tra adults; children under 2 free ment Library, parchmentlibrary.

Preschool Storytime, stories & org Toddler Storytime, songs, move- activities, 10 am, Portage Library, ment & stories for 2- & 3-year-olds portagelibrary.info & caregivers, 10:30 am in January, Great Start Playgroup, stories, activities & play, 10 am, KRESA KPL-Central, kpl.gov Baby Steps, Rhymes, songs & West Campus, 4606 Croyden books for little ones from walking Ave, 250-9640 to 24 months & their caregivers Family Storytime, stories & (siblings welcome), 10:30 am in activities, 10:30 am, KPL-Eastwood & KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov February, KPL-Central, kpl.gov

2-3 Year Olds Storytime, stories, songs & activities, 10:30-11:15 am, Comstock Library, comstocklibrary.org Preschool Pals Storytime, stories, songs, fingerplay & crafts, 1-1:45 pm, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary.org Wednesdays Knee-High Naturalists, hands-on education about the natural world (registration required), 9:30-11:30 am, Binder Park Zoo, 7400 Division Drive, 979-1351; $10 1 child & 1 adult, $6 each extra child; $7 extra adults; children under 2 free Great Start Playgroup, stories, activities & play, 10 am, KRESA West Campus, 4606 Croyden Ave, 250-9640 2’s & 3’s Storytime, stories & activities, 10 am, Portage Library, portagelibrary.info Toddler Talk, toddlers play, parents chat, 10:15 am, KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov

3-5-Year-Olds Storytime, stories, songs, activities & crafts, 10:30-11:15 am (no event Jan 1 & 7), Comstock Library, comstocklibrary.org Winter Warm-Up, cider, hot chocolate, snacks, games & movies, 4-6 pm, KPL-Central, kpl.gov Fridays

Family Storytime, stories & activities, 10:30 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov Saturdays Home Depot Kids’ Workshop, weekly projects, call for scheduled project, 9 am-noon, Home Depot, 6685 S Westnedge Ave, 324-8100 Build & Grow Workshop, weekly clinics (registration required), 10 am, Lowe’s Home Improvement-Kalamazoo, 5125 W Main St, 345-2110; Lowe’s Home Improvement-Portage, 5108 S Westnedge Ave, 276-0215

LEGEND Ages:

Infant Toddler, ages 1-3 Preschool (up to 4) School Age 4-11 Tweens & teens, ages 12-17 All ages Indoor activity Outdoor activity C ost is free, otherwise cost is indicated

WHERE IS?

Comstock Library — Comstock Township Library, 6130 King Highway, 345-0136

KIA — Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S Park St, 349-7775

KPL-Alma Powell — Kalamazoo Public Library-Alma Powell, 1000 W Paterson Ave, 553-7960

KPL-Central — Kalamazoo Public Library-Central, 315 S Rose St, 342-9827 KPL-Eastwood — Kalamazoo Public Library-Eastwood, 1112 Gayle Ave, 553-7810

KPL-Oshtemo — Kalamazoo Public Library-Oshtemo, 7265 W Main St, 553-7980

KPL-Washington Square — Kalamazoo Public Library-Washington Square, 1244 Portage Rd, 553-7970 Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 230 N Rose St, 373-7990

Parchment Library — Parchment Community Library, 401 South Riverview Drive, 343-7747

Portage Library — Portage District Library, 300 Library Lane, 3294544

ONGOING Thru May 17 — Kalamazoo for the Union! An Exhibit of Civil War, Civil War through the eyes of Kalamazoo County residents, 9 am-5 pm Mon-Sat; 1-5 pm Sun, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, kalamazoomuseum.org Thru Jan. 19 — Voices for Social Justice, explore race, equity & social justice through oral histories of Kalamazoo residents, 9 am-5 pm Mon-Sat; 1-5 pm Sun, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, kalamazoomuseum.org Thru March 19 — Orion Nights, learn to find stars within the constellation & about their cycle of life, 3 pm Tues & Thurs, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, $3, kalamazoomuseum.org Thru March 8 — How to Return?

Contemporary Chinese Photography, visual examination of post-boom China, 11 am-5 pm, Tues-Fri, KIA, free to members, youth under 12, $5, kiarts.org Thru Jan. 31 — Let’s All Get Along, circle time program, 10 am & 1 pm Mon-Fri; 11 am Sat, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, kalamazoomuseum.org Thru March 15 — Wired & Wrapped: Sculpture of Seungmo Park, contemporary Korean sculptor, 11 am-7 pm Tues-Fri, 11 am-5 pm Sat & Sun, KIA, free to members & kids under 12; $5, kiarts.org Jan 5 thru Feb 28 — BEAR Bingo, pick up card at Young People’s Desk, complete & cross off

activities for a trip to the treasure chest & entry in a prize drawing, Comstock Library, comstocklibrary.org Jan 14 thru March 2 — 1,2,3 Play With Me, 5-week parent/child workshop with child development specialists (registration required), 10:30-11:45 am Jan. 14, 21, 28, Feb 4 & 11 @ KPL-Central; Feb 2, 9, 16, 23 & March 2 @ KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov Jan 12 thru 18 — High School Exam Care Packages, free exam care packages for teens with treats, distractions & more (1 per Portage high school student while supplies last; bring school ID to Library Youth Desk), Portage Library, portagelibrary.info Jan 25, Feb 1 & 8 — Downhill Ski or Snowboard Lessons, group lessons taught by professional instructors (space limited; pre-registration required), 2-3:30 pm, Timber Ridge Ski Resort, 7500 23 1/2 St. Gobles, pre-register before Jan 23 @ 323-1942; $5 individual, $10 family, $60 payable to Timber Ridge on Jan 25 (fees include equipment rental, 3 weeks instruction & lift ticket valid until 8 pm on each lesson date Feb 20 thru 27 — The Hobbit, stage adaption of JRR Tolkien’s beloved classic, call for times & prices, Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, 329 S Park St, 343-1313 (continued on page 24)

fyiswmichigan.com •

23 •

ONGOING

am,

Feb 9 thru 11 — From the Heart, make valentines for residents of a local nursing home, all locations of Kalamazoo Public Library, kpl.gov Feb 14 thru 21 — 2015 USA Curling Nationals, the 10 best national men’s & women’s curling teams compete, game times & tickets contact Wings Stadium, 3600 Vanrick Drive, 345-1125, $10 & up

Miss Lisa: Stories & Dance, movement, music & dance, 10:30 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov

(continued from page 23)

JANUARY Thursday, Jan. 1 John Daley Memorial One One Run, 31st annual 2.2 or 4.4 mile walk/run, Spring Valley Park, 2600 Mt Olivet Road, 337-8191, $30 registration fee Friday, Jan. 2 Miss Lisa: Stories & Dance, movement, music & dance, 10:30 am, KPL-Washington Square, kpl.gov Books to Movies, enjoy popcorn, watch The Fault in Our Stars, 1 pm, KPL-Alma Powell, kpl.gov Saturday, Jan. 3 Lego@ the Library, build, race, inspire & imagine, 10:30-11:30

KPL-Oshtemo,

kpl.gov

First Saturday@KPL, stories, activities & door prizes, 2:30 pm, KPL-Central, kpl.gov Monday, Jan. 5 Teen Advisory Board, plan programs & service projects, discuss books, movies, music & websites, eat snacks, play games, 3:30 pm, KPL-Central, kpl.gov Animanga Club, watch anime, check out manga, share fan art, swap books, cosplay & snacks from Japan & Asia, 4:30-6 pm, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary.org Wednesday, Jan. 7 Digital Filmmaking @The Hub, learn digital film editing, 6 pm, KPL-Central, kpl.gov Thursday, Jan. 8 KIA Public Tour, tour Wired & Wrapped: Sculpture of Seungmo Park exhibit, 6-7 pm, KIA, free to members & youth under 12, $5, kiarts.org Digital Filmmaking @The Hub, learn digital film editing, 6 pm, KPL-Central, kpl.gov

Free Upcoming Shows JAN 10 - The Green Hornet JAN 24 - Grandfather Faraday Calling FEB 7 - The Cowfoot Stand Down FEB 21 - The Adventures of Zorro MAR 7 - The Ventriloquist Curse

All Ears Theatre performs newly scripted radio programs for live audiences, complete with old school sound effects, from January through May. Shows are later broadcast on 102.1 WMUK-FM. Performances are at 6:00 pm at the First Baptist Church and are FREE to the public.

For a complete schedule of shows, visit Kalamazooarts.org Funding provided by

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24 • Jan/Feb 2015

Teen Advisory Group, enjoy a pizza slice & talk books, make crafts & discuss the library, 6:30 pm, Portage Library, portagelibrary.info Friday, Jan. 9 Art Hop, art at locations in downtown Kalamazoo, 5-9 pm, kalamazooarts.org Art Hop Event, A New Year That Shines Like All Our Glass, 5-9 pm, KIA, kiarts.org Saturday, Jan 10 Ice Skating Lessons, learn to skate with expert instructors, 9:30-10:30 am, The Ice Rink at Millennium Park, 280 Romence Road, pre-register at 329-4522, $20 per student KSO Peter & the Wolf, Wellloved family classic comes to life (registration required), 10:30 am & noon, KPL-Central, kpl.gov Sunday, Jan 11 January Brunch & Winter Festival, free winter-related activities all day & an optional brunch, 10 am-4 pm, Cedar Creek Institute, 791 W Cloverdale Road, Hastings, $7-$8 for child brunch; adults $14-$16 Monday, Jan 12 Yoga Storytime, pairs stories with yoga poses, 10:30 am, KPLOshtemo, kpl.gov Teen/Tween Advisory Board, earn community service hours planning teen events, snacks provided, (registration required), 5-6 pm, Comstock Library, comstocklibrary.org Tuesday, Jan 13 Lego@ the Library, build, race, inspire & imagine, 6:30 pm, KPLWashington Square, kpl.gov Wednesday, Jan 14 Lego@ the Library, build, race, inspire & imagine, 4:30 pm, KPLWashington Square, kpl.gov Thursday, Jan 15 “Drive In” Movie, decorate a cardboard box car & enjoy a short film, 10:30 am, KPL-Washington Square, kpl.gov Snowball Express, snow stories, snowflake craft & a cool treat, 4:30 pm, KPL-Eastwood, kpl.gov Lego Brick League, create, build & collaborate, 4:30-5:30 pm, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary.org Friday, Jan 16 Just Move Storytime, by Just Move Fitness & More, 10:30 am, Portage Library, portagelibrary. info

Saturday, Jan 17 Snowshoe Nature Hike, explore West Lake Nature Preserve with Kalamazoo Nature Center naturalists, 2 p.m., West Lake Nature Preserve, 9001 S Westnedge Ave, 323-1942 Ice Skating Lessons, learn to skate with expert instructors, 10:30-11:30 am, The Ice Rink at Millennium Park, 280 Romence Road, pre-register at 329-4522, $20 a student Lego@ the Library, build, race, inspire & imagine, 10:30 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov Redefining the Multiple, Japanese printmaker exhibition, 11 am - 5 pm, KIA, $5; free to members & youth under 12, kiarts. org Family Game Day, play fun games, 2-4 pm, KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov Sunday, Jan 18 Princess Tea Party, tea, petit fours, savories, pictures, storytelling, dancing & a castle tour, 1-3 pm, Henderson Castle, 100 Monroe St, 344-1827, $25 Teen Exam Late Night, special after-hours study session with food & drinks, 4:30-9 pm, Portage Library, portagelibrary.info Monday, Jan 19 J-Pop Club, Japanese anime, manga, Pocky & food, 3:30-4:30 pm, KPL-Central, kpl.gov Teen/Tween Book Club, read & discuss a new book each month, enjoy activities & snacks, 5-6 pm, Comstock Library, comstocklibrary.org Tuesday, Jan 20 Teen Game Club, video, board & card games, 4-5:30 pm, Portage Library, portagelibrary.info A Long Winter’s Nap, learn about hibernating animals, fun activities, 6 pm, KPL-Eastwood, kpl.gov Wednesday, Jan 21 Beauty & the Beast, Disney’s stage adaptation, 7:30 pm, Miller Auditorium, 2200 Auditorium Drive, 387-2300, $27.50-$68 Thursday, Jan 22 Yoga for Teens, fun & easy introduction to yoga (registration required), 4:30 pm, KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov Bookworms, book club for kids & their grown ups (featuring Igraine the Brave), 4:30 pm, KPLCentral, kpl.gov

Try-It-Yourself Wire Sculpture & Performance by DancEXperiment, try your hand at wire sculpture & enjoy a dance performance, 6-7 pm, KIA, $5; free for members & youth under 12, kiarts.org Beauty & the Beast, Disney’s stage adaptation, 7:30 pm, Miller Auditorium, 2200 Auditorium Drive, 387-2300, $27.50-$68 Friday, Jan 23 Half-Day Hootenanny, Lego & crafts, 2-4 pm, KPL-Central, kpl. gov Saturday, Jan 24 Winter Blues Drop-in Crafts, choose three crafts to do, 10:30 am-3:30 pm, Comstock Library, comstocklibrary.org Zumba for Kids, high-energy dance party with kid-friendly routines, 1-2 pm, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary.org

Epic Center, 359 S Kalamazoo Mall, 226-8784, $5 student; $25 general admission Monday, Feb 2 Yoga Storytime, pairs stories with yoga poses, 10:30 am, KPLCentral, kpl.gov Teen Advisory Board, plan programs & service projects, discuss books, movies, music & websites, eat snacks, play games, 3:30 pm, KPL-Central, kpl.gov

Forecaster Phil: A Groundhog Program, stories, fun facts, crafts & activities, 4:30 pm, KPL-Alma Powell, kpl.gov Animanga Club, watch anime, check out manga, share fan art, swap books, cosplay & enjoy snacks from Japan & Asia, 4:306 pm, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary.org Teen/Tween Crafternoon, afternoon craft session with snacks (registration required), 5-6 pm, Comstock Library, comstockliMonday, Jan 26 brary.org T(w)een Anti-Valentine’s Day Party, anti-Valentine’s Day- Yoga for Teens, fun & easy inthemed games, crafts & pizza troduction to yoga (registration (registration required), 5-7 pm, required), 6 pm, KPL-Oshtemo, Comstock Library, comstockli- kpl.gov Tuesday, Feb 3 brary.org Wednesday, Jan 28 Lego@ the Library, build, race, Snowball Express, snow stories, inspire & imagine, 6:30 pm, KPLsnowflake craft & a cool treat, 4:30 Washington Square, kpl.gov pm KPL-Alma Powell, kpl.gov Thursday, Feb 5 Thursday, Jan 29 Teen Lego Club, shake off midLego@ the Library, build, race, dle/high school stress & build inspire & imagine, 4:30 am, KPL- like a kid again, 4-5 pm, Portage Library, portagelibrary.info Eastwood, kpl.gov Saturday, Jan 31 Cross-Country Ski Class, introductory class on safety, proper use of equipment & more, 9-11 am, Milham Park Golf Course, 4200 Lovers Lane; pre-register

by Jan 29 in person at Lee’s Adventure Sports, 311 Kilgore Road, or Breakaway Bicycles, 185 Romence Road, $15 person (8-14 years); $20 person (15 & up) Winter Jamboree, cross-country skiing, kayak sledding, snowman & igloo building, 9:30 am-1 pm, Milham Park Golf Course, 4200 Lovers Lane, 337-8295, k a l a m a z o o c i t y. o rg / d e p a rt ments/parks-and-recreation

t 1 1 A M on erts held a c n o c e iin Em n under th These FRE ow childre ll a s ute g in morn y a 45-min Saturday ies to enjo il m fa ir d e n en a and th c in an op age of five utiful musi a e b f o one feels e c le your litt if performan n e v e t— of vironmen and plenty flexible en m to move o ro dly is n e re e ri ! Th kid-f like crying Nutritious, . g in rk a p . roller rformance space for st er each pe ft a d e id v snacks pro nch

mo Bra KPL Oshte nter ilmore Ce Bronson G Education for Health Branch L Central P K r 8 1 r Ap ore Cente nson Gilm ro B 6 1 May Education for Health

Jan 17 M ar 1 4

fontanamusic.org 269.382.7774

Music Instruction for All Ages & Abilities

Friday, Feb 6 Art Hop, art at locations in downtown Kalamazoo, 5-9 pm, kalamazooarts.org Art Hop Event, Chase Away the Chills, KIA, 5-9 pm, kiarts.org Saturday, Feb 7 Lego@ the Library, build, race, inspire & imagine, 10:30-11:30 am, KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov Winter Snow Party, activities, snowman & cardboard sled contests, hot chocolate & bonfire, 12-3 pm, Oakland Drive Park, 7650 Oakland Drive, portagemi.gov

Just Move Storytime, by Just First Saturday@KPL, stories, acMove Fitness & More, 10:30 am, tivities & door prizes, 2:30 pm, Portage Library, portagelibrary.

KPL-Central, kpl.gov info Lego@ the Library, build, race, inspire & imagine, 10:30-11:30 am, KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov Sunday, Feb 1 Gilmore Rising Stars, Italian pianist Beatrice Rana, 4-5:45 pm,

FEBRUARY

s t r e c n o C Crybaby

Our mission is your musical growth and enjoyment!

• Study & learn in a positive and supportive atmosphere with professional, enthusiastic, experienced, university-trained teaching artists including Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra Artists-in-Residence • Private instruction on strings, woodwinds, brass, piano, guitar, percussion, voice, theory and composition • String and wind chamber ensembles • Community Voices ensemble for disabled teens and adults • Music Together® classes for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers • Orff Studio classes for grades K-5 & adults • Gift certificates available!

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fyiswmichigan.com •

25 •

Sunday, Feb 8 February Brunch & Winter Festival, free winter-related activities & an optional brunch, 10 am-4 pm, Cedar Creek Institute, 791 W Cloverdale Road, Hastings, brunch $7-$8 for children; adults $14-$16 Kzoo Baby & Family Expo, family-friendly exhibits, activities & entertainment, 11 am-4 pm, Radisson Plaza Hotel, 100 W Michigan Ave, kzoofamilyexpo. com KSO Family Discovery: Peter vs. The Wolf, introduction to the instruments of the orchestra by the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, 3-4:30 pm, Chenery Auditorium, 714 S Westnedge Ave, 337-0440, $6-$12 Monday, Feb 9 Teen/Tween Advisory Board, earn community service hours planning teen events, snacks provided, (registration required), 5-6 pm, Comstock Library, comstocklibrary.org Wednesday, Feb 11 Valentine Fun, make a valentine for someone special, decorate a cupcake, 3-5:30 pm KPLAlma Powell, kpl.gov

Thursday, Feb 12 Valentine Fun, make a valentine for someone special, decorate a cupcake, 10-11 am & 3-5:30 pm KPL-Eastwood, kpl.gov Valentine Fun, make a valentine for someone special, decorate a cupcake, 4-5 pm, KPL-Washington Square & KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov Teen Advisory Group Meeting, talk books, make crafts & live the library a piece of your mind while enjoying a piece of pizza, 6:30 pm Portage Library, portagelibrary.info Saturday, Feb 14 Fancy Pants Theater, pretend play with songs, stories & games, ages 3-6, 10 am; ages 6-11, 11am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov Just Move Storytime, by Just Move Fitness & More, 10:30 am, Portage Library, portagelibrary. info Drop-in Valentine’s Day Craft, choose three crafts to create, 10:30 am-3:30 pm, Comstock Library, comstocklibrary.org Valentine’s Skate Date, bring your partner or kids for a private

EVIDENCE FOUND

February 14 – August 30, 2015 EXPLORATIONS IN ARCHAEOLOGY

It’s not what you find, but what you find out. kalamazoomuseum.org 269.373.7990 The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is operated by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and is governed by its Board of Trustees

•

26 • Jan/Feb 2015

skate, live music & dinner on the ice (registration required), The Ice Rink at Millennium Park, 280 Romence Road, $15 per person, portagemi.gov Sunday, Feb 15 Princess Tea Party, tea, petit fours, savories, pictures, storytelling, dancing & a castle tour, 1-3 pm, Henderson Castle, 100 Monroe St, 344-1827, $25 Monday, Feb 16 “Drive In” Movie, decorate a cardboard box car & enjoy a short film (registration required), 10:30 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov

Family Game Day, play fun games, 2-4 pm, KPL-Oshtemo, kpl.gov Sunday, Feb 22 MiniMax Slopestyle Competition, for skiers & snowboarders under 14 (entry-level competition), 9 am to 5 pm, Timber Ridge Ski Resort, 7500 23 1/2 St Gobles, $16 to $19 admission TimberRidgeSki.com.

Teen Filmmaker Festival, 12th annual Teen Filmmaker Fest screenings, 2:30 pm, Chenery Auditorium, 714 S Westnedge Ave, 337-0440, kpl.gov

J-Pop Club, Japanese anime, manga, Pocky & food, 3:30-4:30 pm, KPL-Central, kpl.gov Tuesday, Feb 17 Crybaby Concert with Fontana Chamber Arts, 45-minute miniconcerts for preschool children & their caregivers, 11 am, KPLOshtemo, kpl.gov Teen Game Club, video, board & card games, 4-5:30 pm, Portage Library, portagelibrary.info

Monday, Feb 23 Teen/Tween Book Club, read & discuss a new book each month, enjoy activities & snacks, 5-6 pm, Comstock Library, comstocklibrary.org Thursday, Feb 26 Little Scientists, early literacy & STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics), read stories & practice narrative, 10:30 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov

Wednesday, Feb 18 Lisa Ballerina, (aka Lisa Bredahl) presents songs, dance, stories & fun (registration required), 10:15-11:15 am, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary. org Thursday, Feb 19 LEGO Brick League, create, build & collaborate, 4:30-5:30 pm, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary.org MLK Day Celebration, short film, activities & remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 4:30 pm, KPL-Alma Powell, kpl.gov Tape it! Bring inspiration & create with a variety of tape provided by library, 4:30 pm, KPLWashington Square, kpl.gov

Bookworms, book club for kids & their grown ups (featuring The Night Fairy), 4:30 pm, KPL-Central, kpl.gov Twilight Skate, late night skating under the stars, prizes, (registration required), The Ice Rink at Millennium Park, 280 Romence Road, $5 skate and rental, $3 skate only, portagemi. gov Friday, Feb 27 Lego@ the Library, build, race, inspire & imagine, 2 pm, KPLAlma Powell, kpl.gov

Cupcake Wars, decorate cupcakes (ingredients provided; registration required); prizes for best cupcakes, 6:30-7:30 pm, Portage Library, portagelibrary. info Friday, Feb 20 Just Move Storytime, by Just Move Fitness & More, 10:30 am Portage District Library, portagelibrary.info Saturday, Feb 21 Lego@ the Library, build, race, inspire & imagine, 10:30 am, KPL-Central, kpl.gov

Movie & Snacks: Muppets Most Wanted, screening (movie rated PG), 2 pm, KPL-Alma Powell, kpl.gov STOMP, explosive, inventive & unique theatre experience, 8 pm, Miller Auditorium, 2200 Auditorium Drive, 387-2300, $35-$50 Saturday, Feb 28 Fancy Pants Theater, pretend play with songs, stories, games & short performance, ages 3-6 10 am; ages 6-11 11 am, KPLCentral, kpl.gov Zumba for Kids, high-energy dance party packed with kidfriendly routines, 1-2 pm, Parchment Library, parchmentlibrary. org

Kids’ Corner FYI

Imagination Gallery Privileged I’d like to say I try to make a difference in this world.

I’d like to say I care about the girl who’s beaten by her father and the boy who hasn’t eaten in three days and the mother who lies beside her child’s grave because she has nowhere else to go.

But instead I try to forget and tell myself— the girl, the boy, the mother, the child— they’re not my problem.

Someone else will probably help those who need it the most.

Just like they always haven’t.

“The King” Eli W.

Age 9 Lawrence

Found Poetry answers, sweeping in the star of that chance success still would guarantee questions. season with months, ending before it starts, unique could be similar to drafted wonder.

Nina Molitor

Age 9 Parkwood-Upjohn Elementary School

The years pass and the girl grows into a damaged woman taught that she is worthless to anyone of worth so instead of giving love she sells it.

The boy still hasn’t eaten, so thin he’s invisible to those who pass and tip over the can with the coin that rolls out of his reach and again he’s left with nothing.

The mother at last takes a place beside her child yet no one notices the extra tombstone.

I look back and see nothing for I’m blind to the suffering that surrounds me in my life of privileges.

Marleigh Thom

Age15 Gull Lake High School

If you know a kid who’s up to great stuff or a child who would like to share their artwork, writing, projects and more with FYI readers, let us know! Send all info to editor@fyiswmichigan.com.

fyiswmichigan.com •

27 •

Cool Kids

theayres-group.com

Local kids doing great things

Laryn Kuchta, 11

Putting K-cups to Good Use A deathly fear of spiders and daddy longlegs resulted in an unexpected eco-friendly mission for local Kazoo School student Laryn Kuchta. Every day, when the rest of her class wandered into a dense wood to observe nature, where spiders and daddy longlegs abound, Laryn stayed behind.

“My science teacher wanted me to do something educational and productive while they were in the woods,” she explains. “I started studying recycling and helping out with the school’s recycling.”

That’s when Laryn realized the school had a problem — an excess of “about 1,000” used Keurig coffee cups, which are not recyclable. She needed to figure out what to do with them.

After she did some research, Laryn found she could compost the filters and grounds and recycle the lids. Then she turned to Dr. Sally Read, Kazoo School’s interim head of school, for help with the plastic cup portion.

“That’s when Dr. Sally came us with a great idea — we could give the leftover cups to the preschoolers at Kazoo and they could make crafts out of them,” Laryn says. “And I could help them.”

That’s what Laryn’s been doing since — disassembling the cups, composting, recycling what she can and then teaching preschoolers how to make crafts out of the plastic cups. She gets crafting ideas like painting with the cups, stacking them on a glow-light table or making snowmen or bells for the holidays from her mom, Pinterest and the teachers at Kazoo School.

The students she works with are incredibly excited to craft with her, says Laryn. Even she is surprised by their commitment.

“During their free time, when I thought they would go play on the slides or the swings, I’d say about 70 percent of the kids came over to keep helping,” she says. “One even told me she remembered me coming last time and thought it was really cool. I think it’s cool that they know they’re helping out but they still like doing it because it’s not boring.”

Laryn says she’s looking forward to doing more projects like these, but she’s also taking her knowledge of Keurig cup recycling home with her, too.

“We have a Keurig machine,” she says. “We’re thinking about starting a compost at home with the filters and I can do crafts with the cups, too.”

•

28 • Jan/Feb 2015

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The Last Laugh (continued from page 30) I pushed on, step-by-step, house-by-house, block-by-block, Ignoring the damp in my glove and my sock.

Now driven with purpose like the day’s driven snow, I laughed as I cried at just one block to go.

Some sun through the gray! Just a ray, nothing more, Shone down from the sky when I first saw the store.

The feeling I felt cannot be overstated, That ray, like a finish line, reading, “You made it!”

The warmth of the store quickly thawed out my tears, The Kenny G song was Muzak to my ears.

I loaded my cart up with coffee and meats,

Potato chips, pizzas, Hot Pockets and treats, Card packs and magazines, dog food and wine, And even a DVD in the checkout line.

As the register tallied the bounty I had, I thought of my daughter, so proud of her dad, Who gave his own safety and warmth no concern, For the joy of his family upon his return.

Then I thought of my wife, how this trek would impress her.

‘Til I reached for my wallet . . . back home on the dresser.

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fyiswmichigan.com •

29 •

LAST LAUGH FYI

The Month After Christmas

By Brian Lam

‘Twas the month after Christmas in Kalamazoo,

And I, with my family, had nothing to do.

The car in the driveway was just a white mound, And the neighborhood snowplow had not been around.

The cupboards were empty from being snowed in, While the last of the hooch was an ounce of sloe gin.

Our dog, just a Yorkie, couldn’t get out the door, So we watched helplessly as he peed on the floor.

As I peered through the window for traces of sun, My daughter demanded we do something fun.

It seemed ditching cable had been a bad call, So the screen of the TV just mocked from the wall.

“I’ve got it,” I said, “I shall trek to the store.

I’ll pick up some food and some games and much more.”

D&W sat just a mile away, And I called to confirm they were open that day.

I bundled, I binded, I suited and strapped, With layers, with liners, with laces and flaps, And into the snow and the wind and the gray, I lunged step by step and began on my way.

Through each window I saw neighbors sip their tea smugly, As they watched a man plodding through weather so ugly.

Each TV was on. Each fireplace blazing.

Each oven filled, surely, with something amazing.

Each pickup truck passing with tires for snow, Made my steps feel so small and spirits so low.

The seconds like minutes. The minutes like hours.

I began to hallucinate: lengthy hot showers.

In madness, I lathered and shampooed with snow, I soaped up with a snowball, I scrubbed high and low, When the sound of a passing snowplow brought me back, My legs back to churning, my mind back on track. (continued on page 29)

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30 • Jan/Feb 2015

Find out why SW Michigan families Upcoming Issues: Summer Camp Preview

March/April

Yes, we are thinking about summer in March — you have to plan ahead for your kids’ summer activities! From sports to science, glass to golf, there’s a camp your kids will love and we tell you where to find it!

Want to share information about a camp?

Visit fyiswmichigan.com/summer-camp-guide for more information.

Deadline for information is Jan. 16, 2015

Swing Into Spring

Family Summer Fun

We are soooo ready to get out and do something!

Our spring issue offers a chance to stretch those winter-weary legs a bit and have some family fun.

With festivals, farmers’ markets and lakes to frolic in, you don’t have to look far to find family fun in SW Michigan. We highlight the best summer activities to enjoy the sunny season!

July/August

May/June

SW Michigan’s best family resource

Want to reach thousands of families in Southwest Michigan?

Advertise in FYI! Call (269) 383-4433 or visit our FYIswmichigan.com fyiswmichigan.com •

31 •

Kalamazoo Public Schools

are reaching higher! ion for it tu e g e ll o c e e fr : e romis  The Kalamazoo P idency & attendance requirements apply) KPS graduates (res have been or ts n e d u st S P K 0 0  More than 3,0 of The Kalamazoo Promise are beneficiaries ents in d u st 0 0 ,0 2 n a th  Growth of more the last 9 years school and le d id m , ry ta n e m le  Rising e res high school test sco taking ts n e d u st f o r e b m u the n 6 years st la  More than double e th in s e rs u o c nt Advanced Placeme

For enrollment or more information please contact Kalamazoo Public Schools at

269.337.1572