KC Parent Magazine April 2021

FREE | APRIL 2021 | KCPARENT.COM

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KC’s #1

CAMP GUIDE!

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YOUR LOVE WILL PROTECT THESE MOMENTS.

Your donations fuel surgical advancements available at Children’s Mercy.

Like the combined kidney and liver transplant that saved Brylynn’s life, giving her and Mom more moments just like this. Learn how your LOVE WILL help more kids by giving today at childrensmercy.org/lovewill.

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APRIL

2021

IN EVERY ISSUE 10 Craft Corner 12 Date Night 13 Words from Dad SUMMER CAMP GUIDE, PGS. 34-45

14 Tasty Treats 16 Dear Teachers 18 5 Things 19 Media Mix 20 Ask the Experts

FEATURES

SPECIAL SECTIONS 26 Party Guide 34 Camp Guide 58 Calendar of Events

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Party Guide

Difficult Conversations Green Routine

Great ideas and locations for your next birthday party.

Tips on how to discuss difficult topics with children.

Ways for the entire family to go green all year long.

FREE | APRIL 2021 | KCPARENT.COM

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Camp Guide

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Is Your Child Ready for Overnight Camp?

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Healing Homesickness

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Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Camp

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KC’s #1

CAMP GUIDE!

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The starting point for a healthy smile.

We specialize in giving kids the care and special consideration they need for successful dental care.

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LEGENDS 913-948-8688

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EDITOR’SLETTER APRIL 2021 Publisher Michael Gimotty Michael@KCParent.com Associate Publisher Darrell Dean Darrell@KCParent.com Editor Margaret Sarver Margaret@KCParent.com Art Director Kim Tappan Tappan Design Kim@KCParent.com Advertising Sales Debbie Clark Debbie@KCParent.com Darrell Dean Darrell@KCParent.com Digital Media Manager Kristina Light Kristina@KCParent.com Digital Media Intern Anna Hiestand Copy Editor Susan Crainshaw Susan@KCParent.com Distribution To be added to our distribution list, e-mail Distribution@KCParent.com

LOCAL CONTENT

Local Contributing Writers Kim Antisdel (Liberty), Christian Barnes (Kansas City), Bill Bartlett (Belton), Hannah Berry (Kansas City), Janelle Cumro-Sultzer (Overland Park), Julie Collett (Overland Park), Sandy Foster (Grain Valley), Judy Goppert (Lee’s Summit), Rebecca Ishum (Belton), Gina Klein (Kansas City), Kristina Light (Kansas City), Sarah Lyons (Olathe), Julie McKinley (Lee’s Summit), Kerrie McLoughlin (Peculiar), Emily Morrison (Independence), Jessica Samuel (Kansas City)

Mailing Address 11936 W. 119th #335, Overland Park, KS 66213 913.782.3238 phone • 913.681.5139 fax OUR PRODUCTS FREE | APRIL 2021 | KCPARENT.COM

kansas city’s #1 travel guide since 2010

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maternity

APRIL- JUNE 2021 | KCPARENT.COM

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QUIRKY KC THE UNUSUAL & UNIQUE

KC’s #1

CAMP GUIDE!

500+

AMAZING ATTRACTIONS

BABY SKIN CARE 101

AGRITOURISM FUN ON THE FARM

TACO TOUR TASTEBUDS TANTALIZED

3-DAY REUNION MAKE MEMORIES

PREGNANCY PERKS

AZINE

the ins and outs of your

hospital delivery expecting again?

BEAUTIFUL BYWAYS SCENIC DRIVES

find out what items to keep and what to toss

.com

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was a homebody as a child. Although I enjoyed a sleepover with my cousins or at a friend’s house, I didn’t like being away from home for too long. Because of this, I wasn’t a good candidate for overnight camp. The closest I got was when I went to Florida with my cousin to stay with our aunt for the week. I was homesick the entire time, which affected the trip and my enjoyment of my time away (read: I didn’t enjoy it much at all). Imagine my surprise that my daughters, while still getting a touch of homesickness, actually enjoyed overnight camp! It can be so hard when your child is homesick, and one of the best ways to prepare is to talk about it in advance. For great tips on how to prepare for and deal with homesickness, head to pg. 40.

Here’s a thought—to get homesick, one needs to be away from home. Often a child’s first extended time away from home can be at camp, but camp offers so many more life lessons than simply how to deal with homesickness. And even if your child isn’t ready for overnight camp, Kansas City offers so many great day and specialty camps. You’re sure to find the perfect fit in our camp guide, both here in print, starting on pg. 34, and online at KCParent.com.

April is here and that means spring is in full swing! From spring cleaning to celebrating Earth Day to creative Easter egg hunts, we’ve got you covered to help you make the best of it all month long!

Happy April, Kansas City!

Facebook.com/KansasCityParent Pinterest.com/KCParent @KCParent

KC Parent is giving away

Member of:

Circulation verified by:

Margaret Sarver, Editor

10 FAMILY 4-PACKS to Sea Life Aquarium or Legoland Discovery Center.

Details and to enter, visit KCParent.com.

Kansas City Parent Magazine is published 12 times a year by Family Media Group. It is distributed free of charge throughout the Kansas City area. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect KC Parent’s opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission. Kansas City Parent Magazine does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

All photography and letters sent to KC Parent will be treated unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and are subject to unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. KC Parent often includes websites that may be helpful to our readers. We verify each site prior to publication. However, content changes frequently. We encourage you to use caution and discretion when visiting a website.

Postmaster, please send changes to KC Parent, 11936 W. 119th #335, Overland Park, KS 66213

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KCPARENTWEBSITE

KCPARENT.COM Even More Local Parenting Information, Articles, Events and Surprises

SEARCH KCPARENT.COM FOR MORE AFFORDABLE FUN IDEAS: 1. Best Parks in KC 2. Arts & Crafts 3. April Fools Guide

4. Online Camp Guide 5. Indoor Play Places 6. Kids Eat FREE

SPOTLIGHT EARTH DAY

Celebrate Earth Day in Kansas City with the family! Discover ways to go green, events, nature centers, activities, crafts and more at KCParent.com.

kids eat

FREE

(or cheap) guide

7. Easter Egg Hunts 8. Rainy Day Fun

LABOR & DELIVERY GUIDE Choosing the best hospital for the arrival of your baby is an important decision. Use the KCParent.com Labor & Delivery Hospital Guide to find the perfect location for you and your child.

9. Easter Fun Guide 10. Calendar of Events

4 MORE WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED

Like us on Facebook facebook.com/KansasCityParent Repin us on Pinterest // Follow us on Twitter @KCParent // Subscribe to our FREE e-newsletter at KCParent.com

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CRAFTCORNER

Let’s hop into spring with these cute bunny planters!

l

easter bunny planters et’s hop into spring with these cute bunny planters! They are easy to make, and you can easily craft some of your other favorite springtime friends! Happy Easter!

Step one: Paint soup can white. Depending on your paint, you might need to paint an additional layer of paint. Let dry.

Step two: As paint is drying, cut out bunny ears, feet and nose.

Step three: Glue inner ear pink sections onto the ears and pink pads onto the feet. Let dry.

Step four: Once everything is dry, glue ears to back of can and feet to front of can.

Step five: Add eyes, glue on nose and draw on mouth using a sharpie.

Step six: Transfer a small plant into the can and add additional soil if needed.

Step seven: Enjoy your cute planter!

Janelle Cumro-Sultzer lives in Overland Park with her husband, son and two dogs. Janelle is a former health care executive director and is a mediator in Kansas, helping families in conflict. Janelle loves to focus on learning through play and getting messy with crafts.

Egg Shell Art

Earth Day Handprints

Cork Stamped Flowers

For TONS more great craft projects, log onto KCParent.com!

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Materials needed:

• Empty, clean soup can • White paint • Paintbrush • White foam craft sheet • Pink foam craft sheet • Glue • Googly eyes • Black Sharpie • Scissors • Plant • Extra soil (optional)

Building Great Smiles for Life!

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DATES WITH LETTER R

DATENIGHT

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“R”eady for another date night? If so, check out these great ideas!

ROOM 39 Room 39 is an unassuming, cozy and quaint restaurant located on West 39th Street in one of Kansas City’s funkiest neighborhoods. We went there for lunch on a recent Saturday, and I had their VGB (veggie, grain, bean) burger, which was absolutely delicious—cooked perfectly and right up there with the best I’ve had anywhere. And the sautéed veggies that I got, instead of fries, were amazing. My husband thought so too. Not sure what all they put on them, but they were very tasty. My husband got fruit with the meat quiche of the day, which was of the cheeseburger variety filled with hamburger, jalapeño and cheddar.

Wow. It was a huge piece of quiche! Fluffy eggs and flaky, buttery crust.

And all for just 10 bucks. The service was excellent and personable, and I personally loved the fact that they give you water without ice.

ROAD TRIP R is for road trip! On a bright sunshine-y day, we decided to head up to St. Joseph, MO, for a little day trip. We started off with lunch at Jake’s Steakhouse downtown. It’s a fun, casual spot for great burgers. The fiesta burger with jalapeños, pico, tortilla strips and queso was amazing! After that, we decided to get a little exercise, so we wandered around their downtown and saw some fun artwork. Then we headed over to Krug Park, which has trails, a waterfall, historic buildings and a small castle.

It’s a great place to while away an hour or so. Our next stop was Kris & Kate’s Ice Cream, which is in a giant pink and white ice cream cone.

We had read lots of good reviews, and their ice cream did not disappoint. On our way back to KC, we stopped off at Jowler Creek Winery in Platte City. This is one of our favorite wineries. They have pretty scenery, an amazing patio and huge white, heated tents.

RIVERDANCE Riverdance is a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish music and dancing. Back in March 2018, we got to see them at the Kauffman Center. Then we had plans to go see them again in the summer of 2020 for their 25th anniversary season. Due to COVID, that performance was cancelled. Riverdance, though, was able to do a few shows at the beginning of their 2020 season, one of which was done in Dublin and filmed. It’s available to watch on PBS Passport. As is characteristic of Riverdance, the music is mournful and melodic and lively. The dancing is energetic, expertly choreographed and nearly perfectly synchronized. For their 25th season, Riverdance was reimagined. It is now filled with bits of tango, hip hop, ballet and folk dancing and a whole lot of tap, and there is more of an emphasis on song and instruments. While I will say it was better in person, it was still a joy to watch the live show on video.

Hannah Berry is a freelance writer who lives with her husband in Kansas City.

They enjoy regular date nights and love trying new restaurants and activities.

FOR GREAT DATE NIGHT IDEAS STARTING WITH A-Q, HEAD TO KCPARENT.COM!

WORDFROMDAD

special skills “Can your kids do anything better than normal kids can?”

I’ve heard that question many times and in many ways since my sons were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and each time, it makes me wonder. Do youngsters on the spectrum need to do anything better? Isn’t it enough that they’re just kids? But, they don’t stay little.

One is now twenty-one and the other will soon be twenty, so the question becomes more relevant with each tick in my clock of life.

James likes ancient Middle Eastern languages like Syriac, the source of Arabic and Hebrew. Could he parley that interest into a career? Maybe, but he’d have to master at least one of those languages to be a translator, possibly for the Defense Department. He remembers details of things that interest him. From the writings of J. R. R. Tolkien to the history of the Byzantine empire, to the techniques of stop motion animation, he spouts out knowledge that surprises even me.

Ian also has his own talents. Horses relax around him, and, when he works with them, they act as if they’d found their soul mate. His coach noticed, saying that it was like they fell asleep with him in the saddle. Can he make a living as a groom, though? Equine career opportunities may be limited with his disability. Outside the barn, he absorbs the tiniest minutia from comic book-based action movies. He searches the web constantly for updates, which he breathlessly relates to me as his latest discovery.

Sleep evaded me after someone asked me of their talents. The answer hit me with the simplicity of a pie in the face. It doesn’t matter. Whatever comes, we’ll deal with it. It’s enough that they are who they are. I closed my eyes and drifted off.

William R. Bartlett lives in Belton with his family.

Want More in Life?

Here’s a way to experience the joy of parenthood and help children 4,000 Kansas City area children are in crisis due to child abuse, neglect or other family challenges. The need for new foster and adoptive parents is greater than ever.

Whether you are single or married, own or rent your home, have children already or don’t, work full-time or stay home, you may qualify.

We provide free training, 24/7 support, and monthly reimbursement to meet the child’s needs.

Contact us to learn more. (888) 655-5500 | www.kvckansas.org kcparent.com april 2021

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TASTYTREATS

create a sweet easter treat (Family Features) This Easter, satisfy guests of all ages with festive cupcakes modeled after the Easter bunny. For more Easter recipes, visit Culinary.net.

Bunny Butt Cupcakes Recipe courtesy of Amanda Rettke of “I am baker” PREP TIME: 45 minutes COOK TIME: 20 minutes SERVINGS: 24 INGREDIENTS: 1 2-layer size white cake mix 1 T. plus 2 t. McCormick Pure Lemon Extract, divided 1 T. McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract 3/4 c. white chocolate chips 2 sticks butter, softened 16 ounces confectioners’ sugar 2 T. milk 10 drops green food color 1-2 drops red food color 12 large marshmallows, halved crosswise 3 T. white nonpareil sprinkles DIRECTIONS: Prepare cake mix as directed on package, adding 1 tablespoon lemon extract and vanilla.

Spoon 3 tablespoons batter into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Bake as directed on package for cupcakes. Cool cupcakes on wire rack.

TO MAKE BUNNY FEET: In medium, microwavesafe bowl, microwave white chocolate chips on high 30 seconds. Stir until completely melted and smooth.

Spoon into pastry bag or re-sealable plastic bag. Snip small corner from bag. Pipe 24 pairs of bunny feet onto

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parchment or wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Use toothpick to smooth out bumps or rough edges, and gently tap cookie sheet on counter to help settle.

Allow to harden 2 minutes in freezer or 15 minutes in refrigerator.

TO MAKE FROSTING: In large bowl, beat butter and remaining lemon extract until light and fluffy. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating well after each addition and scraping sides and bottom of bowl frequently. Add milk; beat until light and fluffy. Remove half the frosting and place in medium bowl. Add green food color; mix until evenly blended. Spoon into pastry bag fitted with grass decorating tip. Set aside. Remove half the remaining frosting into small bowl. Add red food color; mix until light pink. Spoon into another pastry bag.

Using pink frosting, pipe three toes and padding on each bunny foot. Once frosting has set (about 1 hour) gently press down on pink frosting to create smoother look.

TO ASSEMBLE CUPCAKES: Pipe green frosting onto each cupcake in series of short motions to create individual grass spots. Cover top of each cupcake completely.

TO MAKE BUNNY BUTTS: Place cut sides of marshmallow halves onto each frosted cupcake, leaving room for bunny feet. Shape remaining white frosting into dime-sized balls then roll with white sprinkles to cover. Pipe small drop of remaining pink or white frosting onto top of each marshmallow. Press bunny tail on top.

Place both bunny feet against base of marshmallow with toes facing down.

ADVERTORIAL

STAYCATION OR VACATION: THE LIBRARY CAN TAKE YOU ANYWHERE! Summer break is just around the corner, and for many families, this means it’s time to bust out the swimsuits and suitcases and pack for a vacation. At the top of the packing list, behind the socks and sunglasses, is a stockpile of reading and listening material to enjoy along the journey. Mid-Continent Public Library, offering both hard copies and digital— freeing up more room in that bag—is the perfect one-stop shop for these essentials.

This year, some families aren’t quite ready to strike out on a new adventure. If you are staying close to home this summer, MCPL has the perfect staycation resources for you to create virtual cultural experiences.

As part of this at-home immersive experience, families can begin by exploring the culture of their chosen destination and learning a few phrases in a new language. At the end of the day, they can head to the kitchen to make a traditional recipe using an online resource or a cookbook checked out from a local MCPL branch, and then read a book or watch a movie related to the staycation destination.

If your family is interested in France, you could use the Library’s online resource World Geography & Culture Online to learn about the country’s folklore, famous people, sports, and more. Then use Mango and Muzzy, two free online language learning resources, to practice learning a few key French phrases. And finally, end your day by preparing a recipe from Rustic French Cooking Made Easy by Audrey Le Goff and sitting down to watch a streaming documentary about French cheeses through Access Video on Demand, or perhaps a more kid-friendly movie like Ratatouille.

While the Library has many books on international destinations including travel guides and cookbooks that are available for check out, these online resources can also aid your journey:

n CultureGrams

is an online resource that provides a glimpse of daily life in faraway places —from the region’s language to geography, climate, religions, and more.

n Teachables

has an “Around the World” section with art projects to add some creativity to your staycation!

There are many to choose from including a stained-glass windows art project from France, coloring paper mosaics from Israel, and printing Egyptian hieroglyphics.

n Smithsonian

Global Sound has music and sounds from around the world, including albums with expressions for traveling in France and French folk songs!

n National

Geographic Kids has a section on people and cultures. Staycationing in Scandinavia? Check out their “30 Cool Things to Know about Norse Mythology” with information about the Norse Goddess of Winter, Skadi, one of the inspirations for Elsa from Frozen!

Bringing the world right to your doorstep is easy with your Library card!

Get one today at mymcpl.org/NewCard.

MCPL’s Summer Library Program (June 1 – August 24) will open to kids and adults. Kids and teens can earn up to three books and qualify for prizes, such as a Kindle eReader, or tickets to a local attraction including the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, Science City and the Kansas City Zoo. Sign up at mymcpl.org/ShowMe.

Q&A DEARTEACHERS

BY PEGGY GISLER AND MARGE EBERTS

WHEN IS RETENTION THE ANSWER?

CUTTING HOMEWORK TIME

QUESTION: The school wants to keep my son in third

QUESTION: Is there anything parents can do to cut

grade again next school year. They say he is not working on grade level in reading, math, science or social studies.

Do you think this is a good idea? – Looking for an answer

children’s homework time? Doing homework at our house just takes so long there is not time for family fun activities. – Too Much Work

ANSWER: If retention is truly going to be successful, it definitely needs to be done in the lower elementary grades.

Whatever problems your son has, retention is not likely to solve them. Many years of research have shown retention to be ineffective in helping children improve the skills that caused them to be retained in the first place. Most children do not “catch up!” Furthermore, although some retained students do better at first, these children often fall behind in later grades. In addition, retention after fifth grade is rarely successful. Plus, it is usually very traumatic for older children.

There are still 6 to 8 weeks left of this school year, enough time for you and the teacher to devise a plan that will start working on improving your son’s skills. Testing might be advisable to make sure that his academic problems are not a learning disability and should identify exactly where his problems lie.

Fortunately, there is an entire summer to bring up his many weak skills. Summer school, a tutor, a college learning center for reading and math help—all are good choices to help him.

Frequently, multiple skill weaknesses are connected to reading problems. You should start reading aloud nightly with your son to bolster his confidence in his ability to read.

Go also online to the Dear Teacher website where you will find ways to improve his reading in our Skill Builders section.

If you start working now and throughout the summer with your son, he should be better prepared to handle the challenges of fourth grade and avoid being retained.

ANSWER: You really can’t do much about your children’s volume of homework, but you can help them be more efficient in the way they handle it—reducing homework time. Whether you like it or not, your job is to help your children learn how to take care of the details of homework, so homework time is reduced. First of all, have an established homework routine so time is not wasted on battles about when kids should do their homework.

Have a dedicated homework area. It should be away from the nosiest and most distracting part of your home.

The area should definitely have good lighting and have a large, flat surface for doing work. It’s also helpful to have a box, bin or shelf filled with all the supplies children are likely to need, like pencils, pens, ruler, stapler, notecards, notebooks, glue, colored pencils, crayons, dictionary and thesaurus so time will not be wasted looking for materials.

One reason homework may take too long is that children do not have a plan of attack for the order in which they will do assignments. Work with your children on this until they can handle it themselves. Some like to do the easier assignments first, and some prefer to start with the more difficult ones.

When children simply cannot do an assignment, you may need to do some teaching. Always try to use concrete materials when teaching them. If this occurs frequently, it is time for a chat with their teachers as this may be why homework is taking them so long to do.

Parents should send questions and comments to dearteacher@dearteacher.com or to the Dear Teacher website. © Compass Syndicate Corporation, 2020

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“My dog’s nails are getting very long, but she won’t let me clip them. When I try to hold her paw, she struggles to get away, yanks her leg from me and screams in terror. I’ve tried desensitizing her by feeding her treats while gently tapping her feet with the clippers and she accepts that, but as soon as I take her paw in my hand, the drama begins. She lets me touch her feet in other situations but not when she can see the clippers. What do you suggest?” - Maureen Rose “Play some games that require holding her paws like shake or high-five.

Reward her when she lets you hold her paws. Play with her toes a little when you are holding her paw in your hand and give her big rewards when she lets you do that. Lay the clippers on the ground and throw some treats around them. Let her get used to them without trying to trim her toes. Then open and close the clippers to make noise so she gets used to the noise and give her treats if she stays close by. Each training session try to go a little closer to her paws. When she is ready, cut just one toenail. If she does a great job, reward and be done. Try to get a few more nails the next time and a few more the following time. Go slowly and you will get this.” - Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

“How much is a normal amount for a puppy to pee? How long can they hold it? I’m having trouble housebreaking a new puppy. Please help me.”

- Fraser Martinez “Establishing a routine is an absolute must for housetraining puppies. Put your puppy on a regular feeding schedule so you can predict when your puppy will need to go potty. Take the puppy out frequently, like every hour, and reward every time the puppy eliminates outdoors. You can tether the puppy to you with a leash and hook it to a belt. Every time you see the dog start circling or sniffing, take the puppy outside immediately. Keep your puppy on leash while outdoors during potty time to stay focused on the purpose for being outside. Your puppy can free roam outside once fully house-trained.”

- Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA “I dropped some medication on the floor and my dog almost ate it! It scared me to death to think she could have gotten sick or worse. How do I get my dog to stay away from dangerous things like medication that falls on the floor?”

- Pippa Capolino “I recommend teaching her the ‘Leave it’ command. Put a treat on the ground and cover it with your hand. You can use your foot if you have a mouthy dog.

Say, ‘Leave it’ and wait for the dog to

stop trying to get the treat. Once the dog stops trying to get the treat, ask the dog to sit, then reward her with a different treat. She does not get the ‘Leave it’ treat because that could be medication. ‘Leave it’ is different from the ‘Wait’ command. ‘Wait’ means she gets it eventually and “Leave it” means she never gets it. Repeat this until she sits and watches you when she hears ‘Leave it.‘ Then try not covering the treat and ‘Leave it.’

Repeat until she gets it. Once she has learned the command, you can use ‘Leave it’ for things that drop on the floor, dead animals on the road when you are walking, or even other people and animals on walks. It is a great command that can help keep your dog safe.”

- Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA

FEATURED PET

PLUTO

Pluto was rescued by the Great Plains SPCA HERO (Humane. Education. Resources.

Outreach.) team after living on a chain for his entire 10-year life. Despite the hardships of his past, he is an incredibly gentle soul. He makes friends with everyone he meets as long as they go slow and provide lots of treats. Pluto’s most adorable behavior is when he ever-so-gingerly paws at his favorite humans to ask for more attention and love. He's an out of this world good boy ready to be adored by his forever family.

Email askashley@greatplainsspca.org for a chance to have your pet question answered here in KC Parent magazine.

Animal expert, Ashley Flores, CPDT-KA, is the Director of Animal Behavior & Training at Great Plains SPCA. Ashley has more than 16 years of experience in animal training and behavior.

www.greatplainsspca.org

Great Plains SPCA is an independent 501(c)(3) no-kill shelter serving approximately 6,000 animals annually in the Johnson County community. As Kansas City’s premium family shelter, we continue to support the seven municipalities with which we are contracted including Overland Park, Leawood, Lenexa, Shawnee, Lake Quivira and Johnson County Parks and Recreation and unincorporated Johnson County.

FIVETHINGS

Paper Towels

Hair Dryer My dad used to say that when he won the lottery, he was going to hire a driver. I always say that when I win, I’m hiring someone to style my hair each day. It’s just not my strongest skill, but I love how it looks when styled by a pro.

A friend mentioned an all-inone brush/hair dryer combo she uses, so I researched (and by researched, I mean I read Amazon reviews) and saw it was positively rated, so I ordered one. While it’s not the answer to all my hair styling dilemmas, it does do a great job of drying and straightening at the same time! Available at local retailers.

Years ago, when select-a-size paper towels were introduced, I wasn’t a fan. I don’t remember specifically why I didn’t approve of the third-size option. I don’t like change, so I think that must have been the reason. My views, however, have made an about-face, and now I get frustrated when I accidently purchase regular-sized paper towels. By mistake, I recently bought paper towels that can be torn off in quarters, and that was a happy accident! For anyone who is constantly tearing paper towels into smaller pieces, these are for you! Brawny.com

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THINGS WE

LOVE RIGHT NOW

Compiled by Margaret Sarver

Lessons from Lucy I am a big fan of humorist Dave Barry. My very favorite piece of his is “Bang the Tupperware Drum Slowly.”

Stop now, Google it and enjoy.

One of his most recent books, Lessons from Lucy, not only features that Dave Barry wit and humor I love, but also includes touching stories and life lessons he’s learned from his dog, Lucy. It’s an easy read, a touching read, and contains such simple lessons we all need to be reminded of. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy today.

DaveBarry.com

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To-Go Containers On most Sundays, my girls and I prep lunches for the upcoming week.

We’ll choose a recipe or rotate through a list of favorites. Often, the meal we make has several parts, and we need something for the extras—the shredded cheese, pico de gallo, tzatziki—and that’s where these little gems come in so handy! We can neatly pack the sides and then place everything together in a reusable container! In addition, these babies are perfect for craft items. Tip: The best deal I’ve found is on Amazon, 200 for $11.99.

Amazon.com

Crumbl Cookies Crumbl Cookies recently opened two locations in the metro, and I took it upon myself to try it out so I could report to you, dear reader, on how they stack up. I am here to tell you they are good.

I mean really, really good! Warm and delicious-o! Their rotating menu features six flavors each week. I ordered on the app, set a pickup time, pulled up and texted and, in no time, cookie goodness was delivered right to my car. They are a generous size, so easy to share. CrumblCookies.com

MEDIAMIX

In a Jar Written and illustrated by Deborah Marcero

In a Jar is a stunning picture book with a beautiful message about friendship and loss.

Llewellyn, the protagonist, collects items in jars. Things like fallen leaves, feathers, seashells and stones. Mostly what he collects are memories.

One day while he is out collecting, he meets Evelyn, and together they collect extraordinary things like rainbows, the wonders of winter and even the soft sounds of summer.

Their friendship blossoms, but the time comes that Evelyn must move away. That makes Llewellyn’s heart feel like an empty jar. But he finds a way to stay close to Evelyn, even though they are so far apart.

This story is beautiful and magical. It’s a reminder to notice the little things and cherish the big things. It would make an incredibly special book for children who find themselves leaving friends and family behind.

The Proudest Blue, A Story of Hijab and Family Written by Olympic Medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali. Illustrated

by Hatem Aly The Proudest Blue is an important story about universal themes of childhood like having confidence in your identity, bullying and the bond between siblings.

The first day of school is always exciting, but this year it’s also the first day of hijab for sixth-grader Asiya. Little sister, Faizah, is proud of the beautiful, blue hijab her sister chooses to wear.

Boys at school, whom the illustrator chooses to make faceless shadows, point and make fun of Asiya, calling her hijab a tablecloth. Faizah overhears and remembers Mama’s words, “Don’t carry around the hurtful words that others say. Drop them. They are not yours to keep. They belong only to those who said them.”

The message this beautifully illustrated book provides is an empowering one for all children.

Mixed, A Colorful Story Written and illustrated by Arree Chung Mixed is a delightful story about three colors: Reds, who are the loudest, Blues, who are the coolest, and Yellows, who are the brightest.

The three colors live nicely side by side until one day a Red announces that he is better than the other colors.

Soon, the only way the colors can get along is by segregating their city into three distinct parts of town. One for each color.

They all stay separate until one day a Yellow meets and befriends a Blue.

Over time, they fall in love, get married and have Green!

Green is so cute that even the grumpiest colors fall in love with her, and opinions about “mixing” begin to change. Eventually, other colors mix, and soon there are many new colors! Mixed presents the topics of inclusion and diversity in a simple yet imaginative way.

Sandy Foster lives in Grain Valley and is a Bookstagrammer (@picturebookapotamus), freelance writer and mother of two.

You can find children’s book reviews and resources at HappyBeingMom.com.

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ASK THE EXPERTS

MEET THE

EXPERTS We have a wide range of experts on hand to answer your questions on everything from dental visits and playdates to dance lessons, lawns and so much more!

If you have a question that needs answering, get in touch.

Dr. Jeremy Fry

Christina Low Kapalu, PhD

FRY ORTHODONTICS

CHILDREN’S MERCY

At Fry Orthodontics, we have been providing superior service to patients of all ages for more than 40 years while helping them achieve a healthy and beautiful smile.

913.469.9191, FryOrthodontics.com

Children’s Mercy is one of the nation’s top pediatric medical centers. With hospitals and specialty clinics in Missouri and Kansas, we provide the highest level of care for children.

816.234.3000, ChildrensMercy.org

Jennifer L. Schultz

Megan Maciel

ADVENTHEALTH

KVC KANSAS

AdventHealth Shawnee Mission’s pediatricians and primary care providers offer compassionate, expert care for children of all ages. Find a provider at AdventHealthKC.com.

KVC Kansas provides heart-centered services to children and families through in-home family support, foster care, adoption, behavioral healthcare and children’s psychiatric hospitals.

913.499.8100, Kansas.kvc.org

ASK THE EXPERTS...If you have a question, send it our way and we’ll ask one of our experts to answer.

Email editor@kcparent.com and put “Ask the Experts” in the subject line.

As always, please consult your health care provider with any medical questions or concerns.

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kcparent.com april 2021

ASK THE EXPERTS

Q

Q

My son lost a permanent tooth.

What are some options to get it repaired?

What are some signs of anxiety in kids?

If an accident has caused an adult tooth to be knocked out, there are some key factors to consider.

The best place for the tooth is back in the mouth where it was originally located. Putting the tooth back provides the best chance of having fewer longterm problems with the tooth. Parents will need to rinse the tooth as best they can, reinsert the tooth, and immediately see a dental professional. If there are reasons that the tooth cannot be replaced, the most readily available option is to put the tooth in some milk. Milk can preserve the tooth as you get immediately to a dentist.

Anxiety in children can be difficult to distinguish from other behaviors, and kids may not be able to tell us what is bothering them. Signs of anxiety may include irritability, tearfulness, fear/distress, withdrawal, need to be close to caregivers, reassurance seeking, bellyaches or headaches, sleep problems, change in appetite, shallow breathing, racing heart and sometimes noncompliance. When trying to tease apart what might be going on, think about when symptoms started, whether they have changed in intensity and what stressors may be present. If your child is distressed by symptoms or is experiencing disruptions in school, social or family functioning, it is time to seek help.

Dr. Jeremy Fry

Christina Low Kapalu, PhD–Child

Fry Orthodontics

Psychologist, Children’s Mercy

Q

Q

My son has terrible spring allergies.

How can I help ease his symptoms?

What age children have the highest need for foster care?

There are many treatments for seasonal allergies, both non-medicinal and medicinal. When the allergen counts are high, avoid leaving windows open. Showering after outside play helps rid the skin and hair of allergens that could transfer to bedsheets. Using a nasal rinse can help remove allergens from the nasal membranes. If medication is needed for more persistent symptoms, an over-the-counter antihistamine can relieve congestion, sneezing and itching. For bothersome eye symptoms, allergy eye drops are available. If the child is comfortable using a nasal steroid spray, this may help improve nasal congestion significantly. Parents should speak to their doctor about the best options and dosing for their child.

Jennifer L. Schultz

We have the greatest need to find foster families for children ages 8 and up and groups of siblings. Many families request to foster younger children; however, a majority of children in care are school age, and it can be challenging to find placement. Sometimes foster parents can be reluctant to parent older children, however KVC is committed to providing support to parent any age child by providing training opportunities, a Family Support Worker and access to community supports. There is an especially high need to provide foster homes for teens, and oftentimes foster parents can mentor these teens as they transition back into their birth parents’ care, or as they move out of the foster care system.

Pediatrics and Internal Medicine AdventHealth Medical Group Internal Medicine & Pediatrics

Director of Recruitment and Communication KVC Kansas

Megan Maciel

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Just remember, spring cleaning is a process. If you determine to do everything in one day, you will most likely end up frustrated and give up. Pace yourself and understand it’s a messy process, but in the end, you’ll end up with a cleaner, more functional space.

spring cleaning!

i

’m not sure what it is about the warmer, longer days of spring that makes me want to get my home in tip top shape, but it happens every year. The birds start singing, the flowers start budding and I start looking in closets and cabinets wondering where all that stuff came from.

If your family is like ours and the garage or basement has become a dumping ground over the winter, take heart—there’s hope!

I spoke with professional organizer Karen Swart from KC’s Organizing-Etc. about how to get our homes clutter free. Just remember, spring cleaning is a process. If you determine to do everything in one day, you will most likely end up frustrated and give up. Pace yourself and understand it’s a messy process, but in the end, you’ll end up with a cleaner, more functional space.

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Where to begin? “Usually, if you’re stressed out about several locations in your house, start small. Pick a small place in your house like a laundry room or linen closet,” Swart says. “If you dive into your garage or basement, it can be overwhelming.

You’ll want to start small and achieve a victory.”

Clear the Space. “If you are organizing a laundry room, take it all out. Make a staging area in the hallway or an adjacent room. Categorize everything. In one area, you have all your cleaning supplies. Maybe you have utilitarian things, like light bulbs or batteries, cleaning towels.”

Swart says this is an important step because it allows you to see what you have. You may be surprised to find out you have five lint rollers or 10 boxes of lightbulbs. Instead of just rearranging what you have, clearing the space allows you to determine what you actually need.

Edit. “This is just an organizer’s fancy word for ‘getting rid of.’

Getting rid of things can scare people, but you need to look at things critically. Do I really need this or do I need this many?”

Swart says. “Ultimately, these things just take up space. You can give items away or donate them. You don’t need to just throw things away; you can give it a new home.”

This is a difficult step for many people. Ultimately, it comes down to how you want your space to function. The more stuff you are willing to let go, the less stuff you have to keep organized. Keep the items you currently use and know you will use in the future. Consider releasing what you don’t.

Contain. “Then, look at what you have to put back into that space and find the proper way to contain those items. I say proper because people get really excited about containers and drawers. But sometimes, containers can just take up more space, so it’s important to find the appropriate way to corral items. So it’s a mistake to run out and buy things before you begin.”

Once again, look at how you use your space. Do you want to be able to just reach in and pull something out, or is it okay if it has a closed lid? For example, it’s easier to access detergent pods from a container with an open top. It’s the same with makeup or baking supplies. But if you have batteries or cleaning towels, putting them in a container with a lid so you can stack them makes more sense. You need to know what you have and how you’re going to use it before you buy anything.

Label. “Label just about everything, especially if you are going to have other people helping you to keep the space organized,” Swart advises. “They need to know batteries go in this container, etc. It doesn’t have to be fancy. You don’t need to buy a Cricut maker. You can use mailing labels and a sharpie.”

If your children are too young to read and you’re organizing their room or play area, you can label containers with pictures.

Keeping them involved in the process teaches them to put their things away and will help you so you don’t end up with a huge pile of toys to clean on your own.

Maintain. “The piece of it that people kind of forget about is that once you do have a space organized, you’re going to need to take a few minutes, frequently, to keep it that way. It doesn’t have to be all the time, but once a week or once a month, clean up the stuff you’ve shoved in the closet. It does take maintenance. It’s okay to just put things down, but you do need to address it,” says Swart.

Cutting down the clutter and keeping your home organized allows for you to live in a less chaotic, better functioning home.

A streamlined, organized closet, kitchen or office saves time, effort and even frustration, but it can take time and effort to get there. Even organizing small spaces can take several hours.

Professionals like Swart can whip your garage into shape in a few hours, but we regular folks need to pace ourselves, give grace and make the hard decisions—but just imagine being able to find your keys or your kids’ shoes when you need them!

Christian Barnes lives in Kansas City with her husband and two nearly grown sons. She’s fascinated by how children think and learn and enjoys sharing any information that she’s gathered with others.

Keeping Kids Organized Kids can be a little messy, from toys to paper to clothes. Here are a few tips from Karen Swart, professional organizer, on keeping the clutter to a minimum.

Clothes: “Put a bin in their closet for clothes they’ve outgrown and add to it every time something becomes too small. At the end of the season, you will be ready to donate instead of having to sort through their closet.”

Paper: “Keep a storage container for random artwork and notes. Each year, sort through what you are going to keep or get rid of. Organize artwork or notes in a portfolio that’s accessible and easy to look at.”

Toys: “Keep toys manageable by rotating them.

Put some in bins in a storage area and exchange them every few months. It keeps kids interested in what they have, and it allows play areas to stay clean(er).”

Teen Closet: “Before you go shopping for new school clothes, work through your teens’ closets to see what they want to keep. Hold up each piece and get a yes or no. There’s no point in keeping things in the closet if you aren’t going to wear it.”

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should kids be paid for chores?

There are many reasons why youngsters should be given some sort of compensation for helping out around the house.

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a

s children grow, they mature and better understand all you do as a mother and father to keep the house humming along—be it vacuuming, dusting, doing dishes, making beds, cleaning the bathroom, mowing the lawn, raking leaves or feeding the dog.

Each of these activities are chores kids can also do themselves.

Begin by simply having children help you as you go about the routine of life.

Then, as they become accustomed to the chore, explain to them that you will give them the opportunity to complete the task by themselves and, if they do it correctly,

you will give them a small allowance. This teaches kids about the concept of work.

Of course, young children shouldn’t have to hold down a job of any kind. Their work is to learn how to behave appropriately and do their schoolwork. But the reality is that the way the world works is by people doing jobs and getting paid for them. It might not always be monetarily, but you get something in return, even if it is just the satisfaction of seeing a clean house.

With that in mind, consider how paying kids a few dollars for completing their chores can teach them both about the concept of work and how things in the house aren’t just paid for by magic. Someone has to work to earn the money to pay for them. So, giving kids a few bucks every week or month for consistently doing their chores is great preparation for adulthood and will get them in the habit of doing their chores on a regular basis.

Be careful to explain exactly what they will be paid for. That way, when you ask them to help you with the garden or watch their younger sibling, they won’t ask how much they’ll be paid for it!

As children acquire money on a regular basis for contributing to the household workload, they begin to see it add up, which gives them a sense of accomplishment. Be sure to select a special jar or box for them to collect their money, so they have a daily visual of their progress.

Keeping their progress and goals in mind will drive kids to finish all their chores in enough time to go out and spend that $10 at the movies with friends or save up enough money for that new pair of shoes they’ve had their eye on. Adding a little monetary incentive can teach kids that if they work hard, they can achieve goals. It will take a while, but your children will learn the value of a dollar. And once they’ve acquired enough to buy the shiny new video game or tennis shoes they want, they might even change their minds and decide to keep the money for something more important instead. They did, after all, work hard for it.

Another reality is that moody teenagers or elementary-aged children who never seem to listen will often respond to money, and it will make it easier to get them to actually do the chores. Instead of nagging, just explain they either do the chores or they don’t get paid.

We don’t want our kids to think we’re unreasonably putting them to work when they are busy enough as it is with school.

Chores are jobs. You can explain to them that you, as parents, do lots of household chores as well—but you don’t get paid for them!

Another approach is simply tasking kids with chores and eliminating money from the equation. This tactic lets kids see that everyone contributes equally to the household. It’s not a job, but just something that must be done.

There are different schools of thought as to what type of an allowance is appropriate, but regardless of what kind of system you use to funnel money to your kids, the most important component is to have frequent discussions about how they manage their money. It’s easy to get caught up in the bustle of our daily lives and forget the long-term consequences of our actions or inaction. As parents, our primary job is to prepare our children to successfully handle life in the world by teaching them crucial skills—and money management is certainly one of them.

Spring Has Sprung 27610 E Wyatt Rd. Blue Springs, MO 816.229.1277 colonialgardenskc.com 'an expreience to inspire'

An avid outdoors girl, Judy Goppert lives in Lee’s Summit. She enjoys drawing on her personal experiences to write about the nuances of everything wonderful about life.

creative ways for your kiddos to earn money: Chores you have around the house are plentiful, and you can pay your children to load the dishwasher, make their bed, feed and walk the dog, clean the windows, fold the clothes out of the dryer and put them away, dust, pull weeds in the garden, vacuum, take out the trash, wash the car, water the flowers or help you make macaroni and cheese! As they get a little older, encourage them to offer to mow the neighbor’s grass or shovel snow. And whether the recipient pays them homemade cookies, lemonade or money, teach them to show gratitude.

Little smiles can have a BIG impact!

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kcparent.com april 2021

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party

KC Parent’s

guide

Ceramic Café Celebrate your child’s birthday at Ceramic Cafe. All parties are scheduled for one-and-a-half hours, giving you plenty of time to open presents and serve cake and ice cream. Choose from painting pottery, creating with clay or a glass fusion project. Ceramic Cafe birthday parties are creative and fun for any age. Call 913.383.0222 or visit www.CeramicCafeKC.com for more

• fresh ideas • terrific themes • great venues

details. See display ad on pg. 62.

Lenexa Rec Center Let us make your next party a blast! Fly down 40-foot-tall water slides, bounce your way through an inflatable obstacle course, or challenge friends in the Nerf Battle Zone. The Lenexa Rec Center has something for everyone. Birthday

Have an Unforgettable Party!

PARTIES STARTING AT

Movies2U is KC’s premier provider & facilitator of outdoor and indoor cinema events

$295

What’s included with your cinematic experience: • • • • • •

26

All NEW equipment Movies2U host for your entire event Huge HD-formatted 16:9 cinema screens with NO blower running High Definition 5,100 Lumens Projector Premium RCF Audio System LOCALLY OWNED Cinema popcorn available

kcparent.com april 2021

Outdoor Cinema • Special Events

913.424.9444

•

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party packages range from $155–$345

Princess at My Party

and ancient Egyptian mysteries. Then

for up to 25 kids and adults (more

Have your child’s favorite character come

celebrate your victory with a pizza party,

participants can be added for a fee).

to their birthday party! Choose from

cake and ice cream, or whatever your group

We’re ready when you are, so book your

Elsa, Anna, Rapunzel, Moana, Elena,

would enjoy. (Food not included. Call us to

party today. See display ad on pg. 30.

Ariel, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella,

reserve the party room.) See display ad on

Lenexa.com/RecCenter

Jasmine and Snow White. Inquire

pg. 31. TickTockEscapeRoom.com

about our Super Girl, Wonder Woman,

Movies2U

Batman, Captain America and Spider-

Urban Air Trampoline Park

Roll out the red carpet and celebrate that

Man parties! Watch the magic unfold

At Urban Air, in Overland Park (143rd &

special occasion with a movie! Round

as the children go on an adventure that

Metcalf) and Lenexa (87th & I-435), no age

up the kids to watch their favorite movie

includes a story, games, music, and a

limits means fun for all! Face off against

on one of our larger than life inflatable

treasure hunt. See display ad on pg. 29.

friends in the Warrior Obstacle Course,

screens. Throw in our popcorn machine

816.830.4841. PrincessAtMyParty.com

Tubes Playground, or Slam Dunk Zone. Fly

and the effect will be complete. The

sky high and bounce off the walls of our

kids won’t forget it and you’ll love it

Tick Tock Escape Rooms

APEX trampolines, then join an epic battle

as our professional staff takes care of

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of dodgeball. New attractions, SkyRider and

every detail. One of our 4 differently

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sized screens is sure to fit your occasion

and family to Tick Tock and you’ll find

the ultimate birthday party, team party and

and budget. See display ad on pg. 26.

exciting adventures filled with secret

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agents, eccentric billionaires, space travel

ad on pg. 27. UrbanAirTrampolinePark.com

Where fun

TAKES FLIGHT! With attractions that cater to any level of adventurer, there’s something fun for everyone.

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UrbanAirOverlandPark.com

14401 Metcalf Ave • Overland Park, KS 66223 • (913) 298-0626

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27

PARTYGUIDE PARTYGUIDE

the anti-pinterest birthday party:

a peek behind the curtain

i

admit it—I am not a Pinterest parent. Right off the bat, please know I harbor zero judgment for those who shine brightly in that department. My children’s’ lives are only made amazing and more magical by moms and dads out there who live and breathe a good theme and can whip up a costume in a few hours.

All that said, it’s just not my forte.

When I visualize a lunch box in my mind’s eye, I see bread, turkey, some cheese, mustard, an apple, a bag of Cheetos and—if I have the energy—two cookies. But a Pinterest parent? They see an opportunity. A chance to design a crafted charcuterie board specially tailored to their child’s nutritional needs topped off with a newly developed juice spritzer with a splash of Grenadine.

It’s intimidating.

For those of you that are like me, feeling less than stellar in the preplanning department, allow me to share with you exactly how my son’s 5-year birthday party went. It was a doozy.

(Pinterest parents, we seriously love you, but today it’s our time to shine.)

A Non-Pinterest Parent’s Birthday Party Planning Experience: Six weeks out: Hmm, six weeks. I know it’s not much, but it sort of feels like a lot. *Shrugs.* Maybe I should look up ideas on what to do for the birthday party. I have to get a cake, which will probably rot the kids’ teeth but—oh shoot, I need to schedule my husband’s dental appointment because he will never do it on his own. Also, the dog needs to poop, so maybe I’ll look at party ideas after his walk.

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Five weeks out: How has a week passed? I haven’t even started planning this party. Time to get serious. Who are we even inviting to this thing? It’s COVID times, so we can’t do anything indoors and can only have a few people. And we need a theme.

What does my kid even like these days? I should ask him tonight.

Four weeks out: Okay, finally asked him what he wants. He definitely wants a Mario party. Easy peasy! I can hit up the party store in the next few weeks and get everything I need. Party stores will definitely have Mario stuff.

Two weeks out, standing in party store with a blank look on my face: Okay, the party store definitely does NOT have Mario party stuff. *Snaps fingers.* But I bet Amazon does! *Searches Amazon.* Nineteen dollars for a Mario tablecloth? How about no!

One-and-a-half weeks out: New plan! We’re doing a Sonic the Hedgehog theme. He loves Sonic right now, and I definitely saw Sonic stuff when I was at the store last week. For entertainment, we’ll also do a bouncy house. It’s October, so it’s not like the bouncy places will be booked up. *Calls bouncy house place.* You’re booked up for the third? Can you double—you’ve been booked for the last six weeks? Well, do you have anything at all? Oh, a Jurassic Jump bouncer? I mean it’s not really Sonic-themed, but we’ll do that. Can I get a quote? Wait, is that quote in dollars? American dollars? To clarify this is for a bounce house. Dang, I am in the wrong line of work. Fine, ring it up. See you on the third!

One week out: No honey, I didn’t hand-make your birthday invitations. We can only invite three of your friends from daycare anyway. I’ll just text their moms. Because of the virus. I know it’s not fair. No, I can’t have Sonic show up at your party. How about a super cool Sonic Hedgehog cake? Yeah? Okay, I bet I can make one! *Looks up Sonic cakes on Pinterest.* Uh, yeah, I definitely can’t make one. *Drives to bakery.* Hi, I’m not seeing a Sonic the Hedgehog cake in your little cake binder. Could you just draw a Sonic on a cake that’ll serve about eight people? For this Saturday. What do you mean you don’t have a license for Sonic Hedgehog imaging?

You have every child’s cartoon imaginable in that binder! No, I realize Sonic isn’t there but I promise no one will sue you. Here, I’ll pull the picture up on my phone. See? This little guy. I just need his face on a cake. That’s all! *Leaves with a plain blue cake and pays $32.00 for Sonic the Hedgehog figurines to place on it.* Three days out: I’m off to the store to get the Sonic Hedgehog plates, napkins and balloons! *At party store.* Wait, how are you out of Sonic plates? They were here three weeks ago! We’re having a Sonic-themed party. I BOUGHT CAKE FIGURINES!

P rincess at my Party Parties Include: Story Games Facepaint Music Prizes & More

Rachel Johnson

rachel@princessatmyparty.com

816.830.4841

www.princessatmyparty.com

The Anti-Pinterest Mom’s Guide to Parties Going … Less Badly Pick a theme early. Stick with it. No, really, don’t change it.

When you see things you need at the store, buy them right then. They will be gone tomorrow.

Bakeries are busy. Very busy. Book your cake early.

Relax. As long as there’s a smile on your child’s face, that’s all that matters. Or maybe that’s just what we Anti-Pinterest parents tell ourselves. Wink.

Kim Antisdel is a freelance writer and interior design sales rep for KC. She lives in Liberty with her husband, stepdaughters and son.

LET’S PARTY!

KCPARENT.COM

Have your favorite princess at your party!

Day of party: Thank you all for coming to the party! Please enjoy the bouncy house, Mario Brothers plates, Mickey Mouse bowls, PJ Masks cups, random balloons, Lightning McQueen napkins from last year, Sonic Hedgehog cake and dinosaur eggs as your child’s party favor. Please feel free to continue this new trend of “Whatever Was Left at the Store” parties! *Cracks open a beer.* Now that’s how it’s done.

We have everything you already love about our site plus a bunch of new features, including an ALL NEW PARTY GUIDE where parents can search by location with venues displayed on Google Maps plus search for party type AND see photos and video.

Find the perfect entertainer, arcade, party supplies, inflatable, live animals, face painter and

MUCH MORE! VISIT KCPARENT.COM TODAY! kcparent.com april 2021

29

PARTYGUIDE

SEVEN TIPS

for saving on birthday gifts

i

don’t know about you, but I always seem to be toting my kids to a birthday party. Buying all those gifts can be a real budget buster, and nobody wants to go into credit card debt trying to impress little kids (and their parents) with lavish gifts.

Below are some thrifty tips to save hundreds of dollars every year on birthday party presents.

Check your budget.

This will be harder for some of you than for others, but I promise if you stop worrying about what other people think, you automatically will save some serious cash. Focus on your own finances and spend only what you can afford.

LENEXA REC CENTER 30

kcparent.com april 2021

Plan ahead.

Know what a kid wants.

Card trick.

Make a list of upcoming birthdays and parties and factor in several last-minute invitations to accommodate those you haven’t received yet. Computer-savvy mommas can set up a spreadsheet, but notebook paper also works just fine. If you have gifts ahead of time, you’re likely to spend less on a last-minute present.

Some classic, frugal gift ideas for kids of different ages include stickers, crayons, sketch pads, baby dolls, Barbies, balls, puzzles, small cars, beads with string, lacing kits, Legos, tea sets, dinosaurs, Perler beads, DVDs and books.

I haven’t bought a greeting card for a child in 10 years, because they are expensive and just get thrown away or recycled. I used to make my own cards for kid parties, but then my own kids started wanting to do it. You can go old school and use construction paper, or have your kids make a card on the computer.

Stock up.

Stocking up on gifts saves money on gas, because you aren’t running to the store every time you get a birthday party invitation. I also tend to spend more when my own kids are with me, helping me to pick out a present for their friend. It’s so comforting to know you have a stockpile of gifts in a big plastic tub somewhere for any birthday party invitation that may come your kid’s way. What to stock up on? Read on!

Where to find deals.

Look at thrift stores, garage sales, consignment shops and Craigslist, because usually kids don’t care whether something is USED, as long as it is USEFUL to them.

For new items, check back-to-school sales, sales after school has been in session a couple of weeks and going-out-of-business sales. (Think of the huge book store that just folded and the savings that were offered!)

There’s a large department store chain (hint: It has a bull’s-eye logo.) that has great $1 stocking stuffer-type items year-round.

Wrap it up.

If you have gift bags lying around the house, use them up! I’ve been known to put birthday gifts in Christmas gift bags—year-round—and have never had a kid complain. Otherwise, you can wrap gifts in the Sunday comics section of the newspaper or have your kids decorate plain copy paper with markers, stickers and rubber stamps.

Kerrie McLoughlin lives in Peculiar, MO, and has a blast raising her five kids on a budget. For more frugal living ideas, head to TheKerrieShow.com.

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GREAT FAMILIES BAD HABITS

“Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.” ~Aristotle

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kcparent.com april 2021

B

ad habits are hard to break, especially when they’ve been a part of our lives for a long time.

It’s hard enough when they’re just our own personal bad habits, but once we have a family of our own, new habits form, and that’s when things get even more difficult. Busy schedules, growing children and even changes in lifestyle can create these habits. Although you can’t put a sudden halt on them, you can create changes with time.

Listed below are some of the bad habits many of today’s families struggle with, along with some ideas on how to change them.

Overscheduling. So many great extracurricular activities in schools and communities are available nowadays, and we don’t want our kids to miss out, especially if they really want to participate in them.

However, when our kids are in too many activities, stress takes over the household, and the entire family eventually goes into survival mode. To avoid overwhelming the household with a daily demand of being somewhere on time, take great care in choosing which commitments you and your children take on. By doing fewer things, your household will experience a much lighter, happier feeling, and you’ll have more time to spend together.

Arguing. Households with teenagers often find themselves snared in daily battles of bickering. To curb this habit, make a conscious effort every day to avoid arguing with your teens. Abstain from the use of sarcastic and argumentative comments and, instead, demand everyone speak to one another with positivity, love and respect.

Not eating together. When everyone has places to be, the family dinner table becomes barren and lonely. Making time for a few family dinners each week, where every family member is required to sit around the table together, is worth it. Statistics show that families who have regular family mealtimes have happier, healthier households!

Fast food. When you’re running from Johnny’s soccer game to Anna’s swim practice, drive-thru windows are a true blessing. However, drive-thru windows should be saved for family vacations and other occasions. Nothing in the grease-laden

bag is nutritious, so if you find yourself feeding your family from a drive-thru more than a couple of days a week, it’s time to cut back. Dust off your crockpot and fill it up in the morning so it’s ready for dinnertime or spend a couple of weekend hours making a few dinners for the week and pop them into the freezer for later use. Keep your family fueled the right way and pass on the importance of healthy eating to your kids.

They’ll remember.

Messy home. Does this sound familiar? The kitchen is piled with dirty dishes, the carpets need vacuuming, and stuff is piled on top of every piece of furniture. If your house has become disorderly due to everyone’s busy schedules and no time to clean up, you’re sending the wrong message to your kids. Although hiring out the task of house cleaning may seem easier, your kids will never learn how to care for a home or what goes into doing the chores. The best way to battle the mess is to have a weekly family cleaning day.

Assign everyone a couple of chores, turn on some music, and everyone work together on cleaning up the house. After all, everyone helps make the messes, so shouldn’t everyone be responsible for cleaning up?

The answer is yes.

No family time. Time spent together as a family is important in keeping up with what’s going on in each other’s lives. Make family time a habit by making time for each other every week. Before your calendar fills up, plan some days or evenings to spend with only each other. While away an evening watching a movie together or playing a board game you haven’t played in ages.

Evenings like this are much more important than all the other activities during the week.

Too much screen time. Are you or your kids spending more than an hour or so a day in front of a screen (TV, video game, computer, phone, etc.)? If so, you’re probably spending too much. Families with major addictions to electronics have higher rates of obesity and other health problems, not to mention they’re missing out on so many other worthwhile things. So turn off the screens (or use a screen time app on all devices to help control the time spent each day), and revisit books, playtime in the great

outdoors, board games and conversations with each other. These are the things that matter most, and you will reminisce years down the road.

Wasteful spending. It’s amazing how fast money disappears. Making everyone aware of how the smallest expenses add up can help the family budget substantially. Help your kids break their own bad habits, such as buying soda or bottled water when out and about, by carrying along a reusable water bottle. Have your kids take their lunches to school a couple of days each week rather than buying them every day, and as a family, eat at home more and dine out less. It all adds up!

Exercise. When your schedule is full, there’s little time for workouts. But when there is time, we often fail to do it. It’s up to us parents to set a good example for our kids. So, if we aren’t exercising, the example we’re setting is not a good one. Leading a sedentary lifestyle can lead to all kinds of health problems, so mark a day on your calendar that’ll work for everyone to go for a hike as a family. Look up hiking trails in your area and try out new locations each week or month. You can also change it up by including other activities, such as hiking one week and doing something sporty the next week (e.g., playing a family soccer game, ice-skating, swimming, biking, etc.). Have fun with it!

Changing habits is never easy, but most of the time, it ends up being the best thing a family can do. Although families sometimes make many not-so-great choices with no major consequences, when those choices become habits, problems eventually arise. If you see some of the negative habits mentioned above making regular appearances in your household, your best bet is to act fast to correct them. With a little work, you can replace the bad habit with a good habit and together work on making it the norm instead.

Kansas City mom and author Gina Klein loves going on hikes each weekend with her husband and girls, playing board games a couple of nights a week, and spending time at the dinner table each night together. Time together creates fun memories! kcparent.com april 2021

33

Special Advertising Section

Summit Christian Academy serves Christian families by partnering with parents and the church. Daily and weekly rates are available. See display ad on pg. 43. Summit-Christian-Academy.org

Camp Wood YMCA Give your child an unbelievable summer at Camp Wood YMCA! For over 100 years, Camp Wood has inspired kids to discover who they are and lead lives of adventure. Our week-long camp lets your child engage in archery, canoeing, high ropes, and more. All while growing in character and making new friends.

KC Parent’s

Camp Guide

Register by visiting www.campwood.org or explore camp at a free open house Sunday, April 25th or Saturday, May 1st from 2:00-6:00. See display ad on pg. 37.

Camp Eagle Summit

through students entering 6th grade in

Summit Christian Academy offers a safe

the fall are eligible for Camp. Camp is

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summer of fun through Camp Eagle

held from 8:00-5:00, May 24 -August 6.

Get ready for The Great Adventure

Summit and Camp Eagle Summit, Jr.

Campers enjoy lots of fun, sunshine and

July 18-23 with Vacation Bible Camp at

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summer activities in a safe environment.

the United Methodist Church of the Continued on page 38

34

kcparent.com april 2021

CAMPGUIDE

overnight camp is your child ready?

T

he cold winter months have ended. Are visions of summertime dancing through your head? If so, you’re not alone. Soon we’ll be saying bye-bye to the final chill mornings and a welcoming hello to the warm sunshine, flip-flops, bomb pops, summer vacation … and for some of our children, overnight camp!

Before enrolling your child in any particular camp, look over the following ways to prepare yourself and your child for the overnight camp experience:

Involve your child in the selection process. You don’t want her to feel as if you’re just sending her off to some strange place. Go through camp brochures and/or websites together.

Let your child know what to expect and review the checklist of things that will happen each day.

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kcparent.com april 2021

Ask questions. Ask everything and anything you can think of and don’t feel silly about it. What is the camperto-staff ratio? What is a typical day like at camp? Are there background checks on staffers? What happens if someone bullies your child? Asking questions will help ease your mind.

Plan your correspondence. Email or

Prepare for camp together. Read through the packing list together, bring your child with you when shopping for camp supplies and pack together.

you’re excited for her by telling her things like, “Can’t wait to hear all about the fun things you’ll do at camp!” What you don’t want to do is disrupt her enthusiasm with your own nerves. Don’t linger too long when you drop her off and avoid using the word homesickness or making deals with her by promising to pick her up if she’s sad.

Homesickness is completely normal.

Make sure your child can take care of herself. Be sure she can bathe by herself, brush her own teeth, comb her hair, unpack her own bags, decide what to wear and make healthy food choices. It’s also important that she can verbally express her basic needs (i.e. if she needs help or doesn’t feel well).

snail mail? You and your child decide.

Make it easy for her by addressing and stamping envelopes which she can use to mail letters home. Camps typically have no-phone-call policies.

Stay positive about the camp experience! Let your child know

Gina Klein writes from her home in Kansas City, where she resides with her husband and two daughters.

Explore life in the dark, investigate animal habitats, or discover where fact meets fiction with animal myths and mystical creatures. A typical week includes exclusive zoo tours, science experiments, games, and crafts.

Camp runs June 7 through August 19 Full day camps are available for ages 5-12 Monday-Thursday, 8:30am-3:30pm COST: $225 10% discount for FOTZ members.

www.KansasCityZoo.org/programs/day-camps

CAMP WOOD

Sign Up Today! visit www.campwood.org or call 620-273-8641

Be You. Be Adventurous.

Belong.

From trail rides through the prairie to bonfires under the stars, Camp Wood YMCA offers your child a life-changing summer experience! Trusted by families for over 100 years, Camp Wood allows campers to experience the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas while growing in character kcparent.com april 2021

37

CAMPGUIDE Resurrection. Pre-schoolers–5th graders

Studio Basics, Art Explorers, Painting, Clay

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Tale Dreams Ballet, Hip Hop, Jazz, Ballet

From Outdoor Discovery to Just for Fun,

VBC is at each of Resurrection’s five

& more! COVID SAFE! Openings limited!

we offer over 75 different and well-

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See display ad on pg. 35. 913.393.3141.

supervised camp programs conveniently

well as an online virtual experience. Parents

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located throughout Johnson County.

are always welcome to join the fun as

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volunteers! Registration opens in April 4 at

Genesis Mighty Camp

promote emotional, intellectual and

cor.org/VBC2021. See display ad on pg. 42.

At Mighty Camp, we leverage everything

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Camper Receives: • Soccer Ball • Camp T-Shirt

Victory Soccer Camp focuses on fundamentals, skills, and the understanding of the game. We have created a fun and exciting environment for children to learn. We encourage every child to live a life of good character qualities through our daily Bible Halftime. Goran was born in Croatia, Europe. He played 19 years in Europe, US, and in 18 different countries. He played locally for KC Sporting (Wizards) and the KC Comets.

Camp Director GORAN HUNJAK 19 years Pro and US National Team

June 14th - 18th (8am - 11am) Lenexa, KS June 28th - July 2nd (8am -11am) Blue Springs, MO

o

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Register online:

For more information: 913-284-7601 kcparent.com april 2021

Sc h

nt me Pay le! d n s a i la b h i p a va l a rs a re

July 5th - July 9th (8am - 11am) Lee’s Summit, MO

www.victoryinsoccer.org 38

rg

Ages 5-12

816.531.4022 • KCYA.org

Looking for SPRING BREAK CAMPS? 3 weeks to choose from: March 15-19, March 29-April 2, April 5-9

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camps, and private instruction at their creative space on Main Street. Summer Camps begin in June. Scholarships are

Summer camps for boys ages 8-18.

Located in mid-Missouri.

Leadership and Confidence Camps! Plus academic, jazz (co-ed), and sports camps.

available. 816.531.4022. See display ad on pg. 38. www.KCYA.org

Kansas City Zoo Make your summer a little wilder with Summer Break Camp. Camp runs June 7 through August 19. Explore life in the dark, investigate animal habitats, or discover where fact meets fiction with animal myths and mystical creatures. A typical week includes exclusive zoo tours, science experiments, games, and crafts.

Full day camps are available for ages 5-12, Monday-Thursday, 8:30am-3:30pm COST: $225. 10% discount for FOTZ members. See display ad pg. 37. www.KansasCityZoo.org/programs/day-camps Continued on page 44

MMA

M I S S O U R I M I L I TA RY A C A D E M Y

Hang with us this summer! missourimilitaryacademy.org/summer

kcparent.com april 2021

39

CAMPGUIDE

healing homesickness

b

elieve it or not, summer is right around the corner, and your child (and you!) are anxiously awaiting not only warm weather, flip flops and more freedom in your schedule, but possibly an overnight camp experience too! While summer camps bring fun and excitement, they can also bring homesickness. Being homesick is totally natural, normal and can happen at varying ages. The good news? With a few simple steps, your child will be prepped and ready for camp in no time!

Involve your child

Your child will have a wonderful time and, homesick or not, come home with great stories and memories for life.

As parents, we have our own ideas about what we want our children to be doing this summer. Some of those ideas are based on necessity because of work and schedule constraints, but whenever possible, involve your children in decision making about summer camps to let them feel part of the process. This helps create buy-in and offers a sense of control as well. Plus, it’s exciting for kids to be involved in the decision of choosing their camp!

Prepare Adequately preparing your kids prior to camp can go a long way toward creating a successful opportunity. Look at pictures together of the camp they will be attending, chat with other people who have been, learn about the area (especially if the camp is out of town), speak openly about the possibility of homesickness and, if possible, even visit the camp ahead of time. And don’t forget to go shopping for a few new camp supplies together too!

Practice Instead of sending your child off on his first overnight in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people, start small. Plan a sleepover at Grandma’s house or with a friend. You can also practice with your child handling different camp scenarios that might be unfamiliar to him. Spend time practicing necessary skills for developing your child’s independence as well.

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kcparent.com april 2021

Start local Before sending your child to a summer overnight camp out of town, plan to try a short one locally first. This will not only ease your child into the idea, but she’ll also know you are still close by.

Friends To ease your child’s nerves and curb the homesickness, sign up for camp with friends! “My son had just finished third grade, but I signed him up for Youthfront with about 15 friends, and they were thrilled to be together. I signed my daughter up with five other friends, so she was happy to be together with them.

I think that was key for us,” says Leah, an Overland Park mom of four.

Stay in contact Find out what communication methods will be allowed or preferred, then plan to keep in touch with your children while they are gone. “My kids are pretty independent, but when my daughter went

to Tekakwitha overnight, we were able to send her messages on ‘camp notes,’ and the camp printed them off to give to her,” shares Megan, Lenexa mom of two.

Care packages and treats Who doesn’t love a care package or opening little surprise treats you find hidden in your suitcase? Your little camper is no different! Kristen, an Overland Park mom of three, says, “When our son went to overnight camp for the first time, I wrapped a surprise for him each day. I included favorite treats and a small note on each like ‘open when you’re missing Mom’ or ‘open when you are missing home.’ I also gave him a journal and encouraged him to write the fun activities he did. We happened to have a family gathering the day before he left, so each person wrote a short note that I was able to sneak into his bag too. When he got home, we did see that he had written every day and even written contact info of some friends he made.”

Whether it is Kanakuk, Girl Scout, Tekakwitha, Missouri Military Academy, YMCA or another camp you are choosing, rest assured your child will have a wonderful time and, homesick or not, come home with great stories and memories for life!

Julie Collett is an Overland Park mom of four children, ages 10, 8, 6 and 3.

Do not make a “pickup plan” as part of your child’s camp preparation, saying to your child that if he isn’t happy or doesn’t like camp, you will come and get him. Set the expectation of seeing it through, then encourage and share your confidence in your camper. By the same token, if you do get a phone call from a crying, homesick child, resist the urge to rescue—as hard as that will be. Be positive but firm and let your child know you believe in him to see this through.

kcparent.com april 2021

41

CAMPGUIDE

v e i f questions to ask before choosing a camp

t

he time has arrived to start planning for how to keep our children occupied and entertained during summer vacation. Pool passes, splash pads and family vacations may be in the picture, as well as the possibility of sending your children to summer camps. When I was growing up, we had a local Bible camp that some of my friends enjoyed, but camp was not something I experienced. Nowadays, especially in a more suburban area, camps come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. How do you know where to start looking and which one is right for your family?

What type of camp?

First consider what type of camp your child would enjoy and that you would like for him to experience. Maybe your budding artist would be thrilled to continue learning art techniques at an art camp. Perhaps your child is interested in learning more about becoming a chef,

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kcparent.com april 2021

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making a cooking camp helpful. Sports camps hone kids’ athletic skills, and faithbased camps are another option.

What is camp’s duration?

The length of the camp is also a critical detail to consider. If your child is enthusiastic about a particular camp, she may want to spend a week or two enjoying what the camp has to offer. On the other hand, maybe she wants to have the experience but also enjoy a more laid-back summer as well. Check to see whether there are morning- or afternoon-only camps compared to full-day camps to cater to your needs. The age of your child can be a big deciding factor for how long she will be able to enjoy a day at camp as well.

Are we overnight ready?

One of the main questions that pops into my mind when I hear “summer camp” is will it be overnight? My kids are still in their younger years, but we are definitely entering this era.

As a parent, you need to determine whether

you think your child is ready and able to go to an overnight camp or not. You also need to decide whether you are ready for that leap as a parent. Discuss details and expectations with your child, as well as what to do if he needs you or changes his mind while he’s there.

Will any of my child’s friends be attending?

One of the best parts of camp, and summer in general, is spending time with your friends. Now we know that children can make friends once they acclimate to camp, but having friends go to the same camp with you is fun too. Check with the parents of your children’s pals to see what they’re looking into for summer camps. If your child knows he will have a familiar face to look for once at camp, he may feel at home there sooner.

What is the mission of the camp and how is safety handled?

As with any facility caring for your children, make sure to do some background checks on what this camp’s mission

statement is, as well as what their staff-tocamper ratio is. Also learn how the camp staff is screened and trained, and whether a nurse is on staff. Make sure you know how to be reached in case of an emergency and how you will be able to communicate with your child while she is away.

Summer camp has all the sentimental feel of carefree summer movie reels, with time spent figuring out who you are as an individual, how to work as a team, and making memories with possible lifelong friends. Word of mouth is a great method to find hidden summer camp treasures and activities, too, so ask around your friend circles, neighborhood, community centers, churches and even schools.

Stephanie Loux is the mother of three and has sent her kids to three different VBS programs during the summer to enjoy a bit of summer peace.

Ca mp Eagle Summit and Ca mp Eagle Summitr Ju n i o

May 24 - August 6

Camp Eagle Summit, Jr. is for children age 2½ by July 31 (and potty-trained) through entering kindergarten in fall 2021.

Camp Eagle Summit is for children entering grades 1-6 in fall 2021.

$50 Application Fee ($75 after May 24) Weekly and Daily Rates Available

Call 816-525-1480 or visit summit-christian-academy.org

SCA utilizes faculty and staff to facilitate the summer camp daycare program.

The Program Director is Assistant Principal Julie Madsen. Mrs. Madsen has a B.S. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education and an M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction.

Summit Christian Academy serves Christian families by partnering with parents and the church. At least one parent must have made a profession of faith in Christ and agree with our Foundational Documents. A pastor reference will be requested as part of the enrollment process. kcparent.com april 2021

43

CAMPGUIDE KC Parks

every level of rider. Included with camp

Get ready for 10 weeks of fun with

is instruction from our top-level coaches,

Missouri Military Academy Summer Camps

KC Parks Summer Enrichment Camp!

gear, and a light lunch. Kids bring a

Build confidence, learn to lead, and

This year’s camp includes educational

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have fun! For boys, choose Confidence

enrichment opportunities, crafts, games

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or Leadership Camp for experiences

and safe socialization. KC Parks follows

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such as paint ball, rappelling and obstacle courses to build teamwork

CDC guidelines for all our programs.

Campers will also enjoy guest speakers,

Leawood Camps

and leadership skills. Summer Academy

art projects, sports and more! Camp is

The City of Leawood Parks, Recreation

focuses on academic support, plus fun,

$80 per week. Visit www.KCParks.org for

and Cultural Arts department is offering

outdoor activities. Check out our All

details. See display ad on pg. 45.

a variety of summer camps for all ages

Sports Camp and Summer Jazz Academy

and interests! Join us for creative and

(co-ed). See display ad on pg. 39.

KC Watersports

engaging art camps, fun and active sports

MissouriMilitaryAcademy.org/summer

Camps are held Monday - Friday from

camps and day camps, and curiosity

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inspiring nature camps. Increased staff,

Oakhill Day School

how to enjoy watersports at every level.

social distancing and mask wearing will be

Ready for a fully charged summer?

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have never ridden any kind of board

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like a vacation every day. Our flexible

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org or call 913-663-1954 to register today.

weekly themed day camps for campers

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age two years old – Middle School

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kcparent.com april 2021

summer training: june 11august 14

are high energy combining play and

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excellence in sports with a focus on

creativity! Embark on a journey of what

ONLINE at www.pembrokehill.org. See

the fundamentals of the game, skills

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and understanding of the game. Our

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the pool, and more from our fantastic

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age level. Our camp is for students

online: www.oakhilldayschool.org/summer.

Arts Summer Camp. For only $189, you

with all levels of athletic ability. Every

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can spend your summer training at our

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uniform and below and unlimited martial

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enriching classes while focusing on what summer is really about... having fun!

Victory Soccer

Open to all students ages 2 through 18.

Victory Soccer Camp provides quality

Registration begins on April 19, 2021.

soccer instruction in a fun and exciting

Classes have limited enrollment so you

environment. Children learn to combine

DID YOU KNOW? KCParent.com has a NEW Geo-based, searchable Camp Guide with maps, descriptions, photos and videos.

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kcparent.com april 2021

45

difficult conversations

with kids

A

fter you’ve regained your sleep and schedule after parenting through the baby and preschool years, it’s time to prepare yourself for the fun of educating your children and having some difficult conversations with your growing youngsters.

More discussions than just “The Talk” can be classified as “more serious conversations.”

Other important but difficult discussions with growing kids include noticing differences in others, bullying, lifting a veil from a tradition, technology and screen time rules, death, puberty and scary world events.

If you lead the conversation, have a plan and the proper tools, you can make these topics as easy to talk about as anything else. As Blair Vigil, mother of two, advises, “When I am preparing myself to talk to my kiddos, I

46

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always tell myself ‘Just the facts, ma’am.’ I try to just tell the truth with as much love and empathy as I can.”

With all topics, I look for books to be my main tool to introduce the subject I would like to address. This begins early on with picture books about kindness, differences, characters of various ethnicities and abilities, as well as important aspects of history. Picture books, both fiction and nonfiction, can be incredible resources.

Then moving on to lifting the veil from certain holiday traditions, I have used and loved the book Love, Santa by Martha Brockenbrough.

“The Talk” can be a dreaded discussion for both parents and children alike, but it doesn’t have to be! First, start out using correct terminology for body parts when

children are just learning words. This is important as they grow, so they can tell you if something hurts, is uncomfortable or if someone else touches them in an area that was uncomfortable or inappropriate. When you begin using terminology that can seem taboo early on, it becomes normal and not embarrassing for you or them. Utilizing books is a great way to introduce things and have some framework to work with instead of not knowing where to begin.

Everyone Poops by Taro Gomi is a humorous entry into talking about our bodies which comes pretty naturally when potty training and bathing. It’s important to keep talking about all of their body parts in case they ever have a question or concern, just like they would if they had a sore throat. Terri Demarest, mother of three, wisely advises, “My husband and I like to speak to our kids about difficult topics together so that they know they can come to either one of us to talk or ask questions.” If you’re not married, make sure to tell your children who else they can go to with any questions, especially if you’re unavailable.

Other books for the younger crowd to educate and keep the conversation open about their bodies is It’s Not the Stork!: A Book about Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends by Robie H. Harris. If your children aren’t reading yet themselves, you can pick and choose how much you would like to read and expose them to, depending on their age and your comfort level. However, the sooner and more often you read books like this, the easier and more natural your conversations will be.

You are also ensuring your children learn correct information before their peers start discussing things they may not know correctly. For a faith-based approach, there is also God Made All of Me: A Read-Aloud Story to Help Children Protect Their Bodies

by Justin Holcomb and Lindsey Holcomb.

Even young children tend to come up with the question of “Where do babies come from?” Oftentimes, a new sibling growing in Mom’s tummy prompts the question. Again, beginning to explain in age-appropriate terms and levels at this age just helps build the foundation of further discussions as

Keeping the lines of communication open throughout their childhood is the best way to keep having conversations to ensure your children hear the truth from you and your household instead of from their peers on the school bus, at school, at a playground or at a friend’s house. kids mature and understand more advanced concepts. Lay the groundwork while they’re young, and then as they grow older, they’ll ask more questions that you can answer truthfully, pulling back various “veils” depending on their maturity level. The “veils” can keep peeling off as they grow in maturity and can read on their own. It’s Not the Stork!: A Book about Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends is a valuable handbook to refer back to for more detailed explanations as your children grow older.

As your children enter the preteen and teenage years, American Girl has a superb line of books for both boys and girls to guide you through discussing their changing bodies. I will continually praise and recommend these books because they guided these discussions so nicely. These titles include The Care & Keeping of You 1 and The Care & Keeping of You 2, Is This Normal? and Guy Stuff: The Body Book for Boys by Dr. Cara Natterson. Personally, I began reading these to my kids when they were around age 8. I try to make this a cozy one-on-one time with each kid periodically and will continue to refer back to these titles for a few years because the kids attain different bits and pieces of the information each time.

I love these books for children to understand their own bodies and to not be ashamed of entering puberty. I also think it’s so important to have a heads-up on what’s to come so they can feel empowered and to know what to do next in any situation. I also like the idea of my own kids being able to help explain things to their friends who might not be familiar with what’s going on or how to take care of themselves. I think this is also a great time to discuss what to

do when they stumble upon or are shown something inappropriate on a screen, especially at a friend’s house when peer pressure can be a big deal..

This leads into the discussion of what your family rules are about technology and screen time and, most importantly, why?

I find children accept rules a little better if they understand the reason behind it.

Maybe your family values time together, so screens are only allowed in a group setting like playing video games or watching a movie together. Or maybe your family decides that all screens must remain in a public space to keep everyone accountable about what they are engaging in, or that Mom and Dad have access to viewing all online accounts of all kids to ensure their safety from strangers on the internet.

There are many reasons to have rules for technology and screen time, so listing them out may help your children understand the dangers they are most likely unaware of.

Finally, simply keeping the lines of communication open throughout childhood is the best way to keep having conversations to ensure your children hear the truth from you and your household instead of from their peers on the school bus, at school, at a playground or at a friend’s house. Try thinking back to when you were their age and what you would have appreciated or benefitted from knowing and understanding better than what you did.

Stephanie Loux is the mother of Layla, 10, Mason, 9, and Slade, 6, and is entering into all sorts of fun new conversations and enjoying continually learning with her children. kcparent.com april 2021

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get into th

Turn off your electronics

en routin e r e eg

The earth is made up of roughly 30 percent land and 70 percent water.

Turn out the lights We’re all guilty of leaving the lights on every now and again. I’m guilty of leaving the bathroom light on after I curl my hair.

Most times it just slips my mind. Other times, I’m in a rush and I just dart out of the bathroom. Your light hang-up may be leaving on the front porch light all day or the garage light. You can easily save money and the environment by setting a timer or going out of the way to make sure you cut off those lights. As parents, we have to be cautious of the things we expose our children to and the things we do in front of them. Kids mimic everything, so do yourself a favor: Don’t start a trend in your house that you’ll end up yelling at the children for later.

Eco Friendly

water. Each day this amazing planet spins, though,

A nice segway from turning the lights off is putting the lights in. When you’re replacing bulbs, consider buying energy efficient ones. Energy efficient bulbs on average cost about 4 dollars more a box than normal light bulbs, and that four-buck jump is for the really pricy ones. What most people don’t know is that energy efficient bulbs last three times longer than average bulbs. So not only do you save money, you save energy and you keep less trash from going into landfills.

everything on it—plants, wildlife and people—is

Eat raw

E

arth is the third planet from the sun and the only planet we know to host living creatures. It’s said the earth is made up of roughly 30 percent land and 70 percent

exposed to all sorts of harmful chemicals and so many other things. So, here’s the challenge: How can we make this world a greener place? I’m sure you can find a few solutions here.

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As silly and simple as it may sound, turning off all your electronics when you aren’t using them can save you hundreds of dollars each year and also help your family save the environment. Think about it—how many things are running when you aren’t home? Things like your computer, gaming systems or your TV should be off when they aren’t being used.

kcparent.com april 2021

Eating green for a day or even a week can dramatically help you, your body, your household and the environment.

Eating green can cut costs on the bills because you don’t have to turn on the oven. It saves money for your pockets, energy for the environment and the gallons of water it takes to preserve the meats we love so much. And in today’s world, there are so many vegan, dairy free and gluten free options available for everyone to try and enjoy. Don’t be afraid to introduce your family to a little something meatless!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Most people don’t know that it takes decades for glass to naturally decompose. Glass bottles, especially, are items that can be used over and over again! Recycling glass and plastic bottles can reduce up to 70 percent of air and water pollutants. Can you say green? Reducing the amount of glass and plastic you use daily, reusing what you can and then recycling combine for savings for you and saving the planet.

Eight Things You Can Easily Recycle

1 Disposable cups (most are biodegradable and

easy to recycle)

2 Crayons (melt easily and can be used over

and over)

3 Ink pens (can donate to office supply stores like

Office Max)

4 Razors and toothbrushes (Hard to recycle, but

Whole foods has a way and collects the donations.)

5 Ink and toner cartridges (Can donate to office

supply stores.)

6 Clothes (Resale shops and revamping oldies to goodies.)

7 Electronics (Electronics stores break them down

and reuse the parts.)

8 Aluminum Cans (Recycle centers will pay you

to recycle them.)

Don’t waste napkins Guilty as charged. If there were a prison sentence for the misuse of napkins, I’m sure I wouldn’t be the only person doing life!

Think about it—have you ever used more than one napkin to dry your wet hands? Have you ever used more than one to wipe your mouth? Guilty! So, here’s a tip: Try to cut back on unnecessary double napkin use! If everyone on this earth used one less napkin a day, we would save billions of pounds in landfill space.

Save on the paper Office spaces alone waste up to 21 million tons of paper each year.

Post-it made an amazing $2.9 billion last October according to MarketWatch.com. So businesses like 3M are making loads of money, and we use their products to contribute to landfills. If you can save the notes and save the paper, do it! You’ll be grateful later.

Shorten your shower Who doesn’t love a good, long, hot shower? Showers are a great way to save time, and they use less water than a tub bath, but did you know you can save 10 or more gallons of water each month by taking a two-minute shower? Try it out for a month and watch the difference in your bills. You’ll also notice how much higher in the sky the sun is when you wake up those extra minutes later.

Plant something Gardening with your family can be so much fun, especially when it’s done right. Start by planting something. You can plant a tree or even start a garden with all the things you know and love. One of the best parts about building a garden or planting a tree is that you can dedicate it to someone. Some other bonuses of a garden are the grocery savings you’ll harvest— plus, it’s closer than the grocery store when you need a cucumber for your dinner salad. Gardening is also a lot of fun. Kids love to get down and dirty, and when parents jump in, fun rises to the next level. Invest in the idea and see it through. I know you’ll thank me later.

Knowing these facts and tips can dramatically change the way you live, and it can dramatically change the future for your children. Let’s make the planet and our children whole again!

Jessica Samuel lives in Kansas City and is a freelance writer and photographer.

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NURTURING A SUCCESSFUL CO-PARENTING RELATIONSHIP

W

hen a family’s dynamic changes because a relationship ends, it can be sad and confusing for everyone.

Once you and your partner have decided to part ways, the best way to make sure your kids’ needs are met is to encourage and support their continued relationship with both parents.

Kids will move toward healing as both parents continue to play an active role in their lives.

Although every co-parenting situation has its own circumstances, many families face similar struggles. Finding common ground with your co-parent after separation might be easier said than done. Remember, the relationship you have with your former partner has changed completely. It may be helpful to frame your co-parenting situation as a business partnership: You and your ex are the partners, the business is your children. Putting aside your differences and finding ways to amicably work together will influence your kids’ mental and emotional well-being for the better.

Your goal should always be to put your child’s needs ahead of your own—whether your co-parent does or not. Taking the responsibility to be mature about the situation makes a huge difference, and anything that makes life easier for your kids is worth the effort!

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Below, you’ll find 10 ways to nurture a successful relationship with your co-parent.

Keep in mind that if your family has faced serious issues such as violence or abuse, all of these may not be possible to achieve from the start (or ever)—and that is okay.

If you struggle with day-to-day communication with your co-parent, don’t lose heart! It’s never too late to introduce these ideas.

1

Establish Boundaries. This can

2

Be Flexible. Demonstrate to your co-

be especially challenging when a relationship has just ended. Things that are totally outside of your control—like who your ex is dating, their job stress or their family drama—are not worth trying to fix.

If your co-parent wants to be involved in your personal business, calmly (but firmly) remind them that you will only discuss issues that concern the kids.

parent your willingness to work with them when it’s for something that benefits the kids. If your co-parent offers to take them to a special, one-time event that you

know the kids would love, let them go! Kids don’t want to pick and choose where they spend their time, but they do want to know that both parents are looking out for their best interests. If that means that you lose a few hours of time, don’t sweat it. Regardless of what your parenting time split looks like, keep in mind that fair doesn’t always mean equal—and let the kids have as many adventures and experiences as possible.

3

Don’t Manipulate. Always recognize that kids need to have a relationship with both parents. Don’t try to control their allegiance! You’re in a co-parenting relationship—not a contest of which of you is the better parent. Attempting to make your kid think poorly of your ex helps no one. Instead, allow the kids to miss their other parent when they are with you, and show empathy when they talk about wishing they could be at their other home.

4

Take Advantage of the Digital Age. It is definitely possible to stay up to date on things that are going on in your kids’ lives— even if those things happen when they’re with their other parent! Create a Google

Drive where you can each upload photos and mementos. You can include school photos, report cards, art projects, homework examples, cute stories or quotes, videos of their accomplishments and more! Bonus: when your kids are grown up, they’ll have a digital scrapbook of their childhood created by both of their parents.

5

Respect Your Co-Parent. When it

comes to minor, day-to-day issues, the way your co-parent parents your child is really no longer any of your business! Don’t constantly badger your kids with questions about what is happening during their time with their other parent, and don’t quiz your ex about silly things—like whether or not the kids had enough vegetables with their meals. It’s not worth the conflict! Trust that your co-parent also has your kids’ best interests at heart, just like you do.

6

Be Positive and Consistent. Remind

the kids often how much you love them.

Being positive with your co-parent might be a different story, but strive to be friendly and kind when you do interact with them.

Consider co-parent counseling if you’re unable to work together with your ex effectively. Co-parenting can be stressful, but even when things are difficult, you can still be positive for your kids!

7

Let Your Children Love Their Other Parent. Remember, your children still

love their other parent! Don’t badmouth your ex to your kids and don’t air your complaints on social media, either (once it’s on the internet, it stays there!). Instead, reach out to a trusted friend if you need to vent. You can even help your children make their other parent a birthday card or take them to the store to pick out holiday gifts. A little bit of kindness goes a long way.

8

Parenting Time Transitions. It’s best

to keep transition times as easy and stress-free as possible. If things are tense between you and your ex-partner, make the transitions consistent and quick.

Encourage your kids to have fun, kiss them goodbye and be on your way. Take time after the exchange has ended to

process your own emotions. Your kids are dealing with enough of their own feelings; they shouldn’t have to take yours on, too.

9

Be Kind to Yourself. If your co-parent has the kids, that means you get a break!

So enjoy it! Read a book, schedule a massage or binge watch a whole season of TV in a weekend. Make time to take care of you so that you can be the best version of yourself when your kids come back home.

10

Forgive Your Ex. This is tough, but it’s so important! Make a conscious choice to forgive your ex and put the past behind you. Recognize that the only thing you can control is your own behavior. You’ll be modeling to your kids how to handle big emotions in a mature way—and that is something you can be proud of!

Julie McKinley is a single homeschooling mom, freelance writer and theater teacher.

She lives with her two cats and two kids in Lee’s Summit.

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kc@backyardspecialists.com | www.backyardspecialists.com www.facebook.com/BackyardSpecialistsKC/ kcparent.com april 2021

51

TEACHING KIDS

A

self-control

s our children grow, they will face with many difficult choices. Each choice they make will determine their success in school, friendships and their future. Every parent’s goal is to raise kids who make smart decisions. So how do we begin to teach them to make good choices in the moment?

The answer is by teaching them self-control.

Self-control is defined as the ability to control oneself, in particular one’s emotions and desires, especially in difficult situations.

Research shows that it is worth the effort to teach our kids self-control beginning at an early age. “Kids who displayed greater amounts of self-control at age 4 went on to earn better grades, were more popular with peers and teachers, were less likely to report problems with drug use and earned higher salaries as adults,” according to ThrivingFamily.com. On the other hand, ParentingScience.com points out that studies show that “[k]ids with poor selfcontrol are more likely to have aggressive

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kcparent.com april 2021

behavior problems … and are also more likely to experience anxiety and depression.”

It is well worth the time and effort it takes to teach your children self-control now, so they will benefit from these skills later in life. Now that we have established the importance of self-control, how do we go about teaching it?

Encourage activities that teach self-control Activities like sports, music lessons and clubs like Boy Scouts teach kids self-control.

Children may not always want to practice, but spending the time to work on their skills will help them become more skilled.

Parents can also encourage kids to play games that teach self-control, such as red light-green light and freeze tag. Having children spending time in solitary activities like puzzles helps them work toward an achievable goal on their own. All these activities will help your kids build their selfcontrol without even realizing it.

SELF-CONTROL AND DISCIPLINE Quite often, young children become upset when being disciplined. Teaching children to respond positively to correction helps build self-control. Try these tips:

• Teach children to work through

their emotions.

• Don’t brush off their feelings;

rather, talk through them.

• Model appropriate behavior and

self-control.

• Enforce limits and praise

children when they make good choices.

• Be consistent with discipline.

Give kids responsibilities Kids who have regular chores they are responsible for are more likely to learn self-control. Young kids often need reminders to help them be successful, but older children can be trusted to get tasks done by a certain time each week without frequent reminders. When kids are given tasks they do not always enjoy, they must use self-control to complete them. Taking the time to figure out what motivates your children will help them be successful, reach their goals and increase self-control.

For some children, motivation may be a reward for completing assigned chores, such as an allowance, an outing or time with a parent or friend. Each child and family situation is different, so it may take a few attempts to figure out what works well for your household.

Enforce limits Setting limits for children and enforcing them is healthy for all families,

but it also has the added benefit of teaching young children self-control.

If a child’s ball rolls into the street, she has to make a quick decision whether to run after the ball or stop and ask an adult to retrieve it. A child who waits is showing that she understands the limits her parents have set and is exercising self-control as she waits to get the ball back. Enforcing limits at a young age and giving kids the choice to stay in the limits or step out of them (within reason) help them develop self-control.

As children grow older, they will be able to use the skills they have learned from a young age to make better decisions when the consequences can be more serious.

hard work over time. In today’s society, instant gratification is becoming the norm. When parents delay the reward, kids have a goal to aim for and they feel a sense of accomplishment because they have worked toward and completed their goals. This method not only teaches self-control but builds self-esteem and emphasizes the value of hard work.

Self-control is not something kids will learn overnight. That being said, it is never too late to start using these tips to build your child’s self-control. Playing board games and sports, setting limits, and rewarding your children for when they do have to be patient can all help them build these skills they will need in the future.

Delay gratification and reward self-control When teaching self-control, it is important to reward kids for waiting, for finishing the task and for their

Sarah Lyons is a freelance writer and stayat-home mom living in Olathe with her husband and their six children.

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Six Creative Easter Egg Hunts

F

illed with family, friends, a little bit of competition and lots of candy, Easter egg hunts are easily one of the most-anticipated yearly events among kids everywhere.

Sometimes though, it’s fun to change it up a bit! These ideas are sure to make this year’s Easter egg hunt an event for the memory books!

Color-Coded Egg Hunt: Instead of making it a free-for-all, assign each participating child his own color. When it’s time to start the hunt, make sure kids know to pick up only the eggs in their designated color and leave any other colors behind for someone else to find. This is a great way to make sure all the kids get an equal chance to play and an equal number of eggs at the end.

Different Sized Egg Hunt: Mix it up a bit by giving your kids different sized eggs to look for instead of just the standard size. Because they are different sizes, you’ll be able to hide some of them in smaller spaces, making the game a little bit harder for older kids. To increase the competition a little bit, tell the older kids they can find only the mini eggs, and the kid who finds the most gets an extra prize.

Easter Egg Store: Not every parent is a fan of how much candy is collected during the hunt. Instead of stuffing eggs with candy, try stuffing them with tokens or tickets. Set up a small “store” in a separate room for after the hunt, filling it with inexpensive books, crafts and novelty toys. Let kids redeem their tokens and tickets for prizes that aren’t riddled with sugar.

Scavenger Easter Egg Hunt: Older kids might particularly like this one! Instead of hiding Easter eggs in the backyard, hide them around town with clues. Give the kids their first clue, then send them to find the rest. This hunt may take a bit more planning (and driving!) on your part, but it’s sure to be one of the best Easter egg hunts they’ve ever had.

Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt: Instead of having an Easter Egg hunt during daylight hours, try having it at night! Use glow-in-the-dark Easter eggs, or have your kids decorate them with glow-in-the-dark paint. Hand out glow sticks and flashlights to each participant after dark and send them to find as many eggs as they can. Feel like this might be too easy?

Use non-glowing eggs and arm the kids with just flashlights.

Reverse Easter Egg Hunt: Play this version if you dare! Have your kids make a list of parent-approved privileges they want or chore assignments they don’t want. Fill each Easter egg with a slip of paper naming one item from that list and tell the kids to hide them in the playing field. The adults are the ones who get to find them! Any eggs the adults find are reclaimed, but any eggs they miss belong to the kids. They can redeem those eggs for privileges over the next month.

Rebecca Ishum lives in Belton with her husband, Sean, and their 7 children.

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kcparent.com march 2021

50+ Things to Fill Easter Eggs (That Aren’t Candy)

O

ur family loves an Easter egg hunt. Seeing the kids run through the yard, rushing to find the most eggs, is such fun. As a mom of a child with food allergies, I have the challenge of finding non-candy items to fill all those plastic eggs. Having a variety of egg sizes helps you be able to stuff all your new ideas into the eggs without frustration. Whether your child has a food allergy like mine does or you just want to cut down on sugar overload, here are some non-candy ideas to fill all your eggs for the annual hunt.

Small toys There are numerous ideas for small toys that could fill eggs: bouncy balls, small craft items, Play-Doh, tiny cars like Micro Machines, Shopkins, whistles, mini kazoos, hand stamps, Polly Pockets, Barbie accessories, mini rubber ducks or other bath toys, finger skateboards, marbles, jacks and a ball, fake bugs and worms, pirate patches, play money, stickers, tops, Legos, sticky hands, or—just for fun—confetti! When choosing small toys to fill your eggs, please consider the age of the children participating in the egg hunt. Small toys may pose a choking hazard for young children.

Something practical Practical items can be fun too. Try filling eggs with erasers, pencil sharpeners, key chains, magic towels, cute Band-Aids, travel size lotion or hand sanitizer. My kids’ favorite practical Easter egg filler is money!

Something to wear Your kids can have fun and accessorize with these ideas: barrettes, hair ties, socks, nail polish, ChapStick, lip gloss, silly shoelaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, temporary tattoos, zipper pulls or bead necklaces.

Snacks If you are avoiding candy because of the sugar rush, try these little snacks that are the perfect size for Easter eggs: Goldfish crackers, pretzels, grapes, soup crackers, cuties (oranges), veggie straws, berries, animal crackers, bite-size graham crackers, nuts, raisins or other dried fruit.

Sarah Lyons is a part-time freelance writer and full-time mom. She lives in Olathe with her family.

REUSE IT, REPURPOSE IT & RESTORE IT, KANSAS CITY As we raise the next generation to think more about the world around us and to take care of its resources, one of the simplest and funnest ways to “go green” is to develop a habit of repurposing and reusing things that cannot be recycled or could serve a new and useful purpose before they are. These local places make it easier than ever to reuse it, repurpose it and restore it!

LOCAL NATURE CENTERS & GARDENS “Of all the questions which can come before this nation, short of the actual preservation of its existence in a great war, there is none which compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

T

ruly the embodiment of conservation education, Kansas City’s local nature centers all offer educational exhibits on nature and conservation, as well as a plethora of classes. Programs teach about wildlife, plants, fishing and nature, but more than that, local nature centers offer classes on making projects with natural and recycled materials and projects that benefit the earth. For instance, rain barrel projects, bird houses and feeders and terrariums are just a few of the classes offered.

Visit local nature center websites or call for current schedules.

Missouri Nature Centers & Gardens Powell Gardens: 1609 NW US Hwy. 50, Kingsville, 816.697.2600 Burr Oak Woods: 1401 NW Park Rd., Blue Springs, 816.228.3766 Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center: 4750 Troost Ave., Kansas City, 816.759.7300 George Owens Nature Park: 1601 S. Speck Rd., Independence, 816.325.7115 Kemper Outdoor Educational Center: 8201 Jasper Bell, Blue Springs, 816.229.8980 Lakeside Nature Center: 4701 E. Gregory Blvd., Kansas City, 816.513.8960 Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Center: 407 N. Lafrenz Rd., Liberty, 816.781.8598 Burroughs Audobon Nature Center: 7300 W. Park Rd., Blue Springs, 816.795.8177 Cave Spring Nature Center: 8701 E. Gregory Blvd., Kansas City, 816.358.CAVE Parkville Nature Sanctuary: 12th & East streets, Parkville, 816.741.7676

Kansas Nature Centers Overland Park Arboretum

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Ernie Miller Nature Center: 909 N. Hwy. 7, Olathe, 913.764.7759 F.L. Schlagle Nature Library: 4501 West Dr., Wyandotte County Lake Park, Kansas City, 913.299.2384 John Barkley Visitor Center: 7900 Renner Rd., Shawnee, 913.888.4713 Prairie Park Nature Center: 2730 Harper St., Lawrence, 785.832.7980 Prairie Oak Nature Center: 14701 Mission Rd., Leawood, 913.681.0902 Overland Park Arboretum: 8909 W. 179th St., Overland Park, 913.685.3604

HABITAT RESTORE “A creative mind sees every pile of junk as a jigsaw puzzle.” ~ Unknown

D

id you know Habitat for Humanity is about more than building houses for those in need? Taking things a step further, they have set up Habitat ReStore shops, selling remodeling materials that would otherwise be discarded. Donated materials—everything from hardware, tile and carpet to the proverbial kitchen sink and furnishings—are sold at a fraction of retail. This is a great way to buy inexpensive materials and reuse supplies that may otherwise wind up in a landfill. Plus, the proceeds also benefit local Habitat for Humanity affiliates to fund the Habitat Restore, Martin City, MO construction of Habitat homes within the community. Good for the budget, good for the environment and a good cause for the community! Truly a win-win-win!

There are four ReStore locations in the metro, and they are a Pinterest fanatic’s dream! All those pallet projects, door swings and beautifully decorated walls of knobs? You’ll find your supplies at Habitat ReStore. If you’re working on a home project, you’ll find paint, carpet squares, tile, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, hardware, some countertops, windows, doors and much more.

The catch is that the store is stocked completely from donations, so you never know what you’ll find. But you know the saying: “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” TIP: Watch the Habitat ReStore Kansas City Facebook pages for photos of some items and inventory ... you’ll find truly unique and inspiring treasures.

In addition to selling materials, the stores also offer classes. You will find Inspired Pallet classes (for tips on all those great Pinterest pallet ideas!), as well as ones on glass, tile, windows and woodworking. Simply visit HabitatKC.org for locations.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore East Bottoms: 4701 Deramus Ave., Kansas City, MO 64120 Johnson County: 8722 Santa Fe, Overland Park 66212 Martin City: 13531 Wyandotte St., Kansas City, MO 64145 Northland: 8516 N. Oak Trfwy, Kansas City, MO 64155

URBAN MINING “The world’s junk is a creative man’s treasure.” ~ Unknown

D

Urban Mining, Kansas City, MO

o you love the idea of furnishing your home with repurposed pieces, but you’re not one to break out the tools and do it yourself?

In the heart of Midtown, one of Kansas City’s truly green businesses, Urban Mining (3111 Gilham, Kansas City, MO), is dedicated to handcreated, repurposed, recycled and renewed pieces, thanks to a team of more than 30 creative entrepreneurs. The vintage market sells furniture, decor, gifts, textiles, architectural elements, antiques and collectibles. Boasting that their inventory is 99 percent recycled, repurposed and renewed, they offer shoppers a great way to support a local business, find a great treasure and minimize waste. The shop maintains unique hours, open only for the four-day weekend with the first Friday of each month. The shop is dedicated to going green in every facet of their business, and they hope to inspire their customers to do the same.

Kristina Light dedicates this story to the memory of her mentor and friend Evelyn Bartlow, a leader in conservation in Kansas City, who taught generations of Girl Scouts to take care of the planet. The local council’s conservation award is named in her honor. kcparent.com april 2021

57

april

FOR EVEN

MORE EVENTS, HEAD TO THE ONLINE CALENDAR AT KCPARENT.COM.

CALENDAR

Kids Club at Colonial Gardens

No part of this calendar may be reproduced in print or web format.

Please call to verify event details.

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create

learn

celebrate

visit

enjoy

Bring the young kids to Toddler Time on Thursdays at Ceramic Café.

From 10:00 to 2:00, toddlers 5 and under can paint one selected item for just $10!

CeramicCafeKC.com

Head to Colonial Gardens on April 10 for Kids Club. Kids enjoy fun activities while you shop at Colonial Gardens or enjoy a coffee.

Pre-reg at ColonialGardens KC.com.

April 18 StoneLion Puppet Theatre presents Earth Day Celebration. Create art, see a puppet show and learn about the need for clean water. Limited space; pre-reg at 816.221.5351.

On April 24 visit Mahaffie for the Spring on the Farm event. Activities may include sheep shearing, washing and skirting the wool, and planting in the garden.

Mahaffie.org

Spend a night under the stars at Family Campout on April 30 at Black Hoof Park.

Enjoy s’mores and a family program, plus donuts, juice and coffee in the morning. Pre-reg at Lenexa.com.

We encourage readers to call ahead or verify online before heading out to events.

Most events require advance reservations.

1 Thursday Little Critters Day Out 9:00, Ernie Miller Nature Center. Enjoy a snack, make a craft, play games and meet an animal visitor. Ages 3-5. Pre-reg at 913.826.2807.

Toddler Time 10:00, Ceramic Café. On Thursdays from 10:00 to 2:00, toddlers 5 and under can paint one selected item for just $10!

CeramicCafeKC.com Spring Equinox Scavenger Hunt 10:00, Martha LaFite Thompson Nature Sanctuary.

Search high and low to complete this outdoor hunt. Turn in sheet for a chance to win!

NatureSanctuary.com Exotics R Us 7:00, MCPL360. Exotics R Us brings the zoo to the library with its collection of unique animals. Facebook.com/mcpl360

2 Friday Kids Day Out 7:30, Johnson County Museum.

Have fun when school’s out! Kids enjoy handson activities, exploration of Kidscape and more!

Pre-reg at JCPRD.com.

Jumperoo 9:00, Urban Air (Overland Park).

A special time when entire park is open for children 5 and under with a parent. Jump, bounce and crawl! UrbanAirTrampolinePark.com

Easter: 1860s Style 10:00, Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm. See and smell hot cross buns baking, learn about the original Easter Bunny and more! Mahaffie.org

Bridging the Gender Divide 10:00, National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Exhibit explores how toys once marketed to boys have evolved over time to encourage all children.

816.235.8000

Early Explorations 10:00 or 2:00, Nerman Museum. Learn about symmetry in art and then create a mask sculpture using clay shapes.

Pre-reg at NermanMuseum.org.

Easter Egg Hunt 10:00, Lion’s Park (Bonner Springs). Hunt for 20 paper eggs hidden in the park. When you find one, scan the QR code.

Prizes if you find all the eggs! 913.441.4461

Orienteering Egg Hunt 10:00, Ernie Miller Nature Center. Find the eggs using a compass and course coordinates, then return the compass to earn a sweet treat! Pre-reg at JCPRD.com.

Egg Hunt Geocache 1:30 or 3:00, Antioch Park. Each group is loaned a GPS and hunts for caches hidden around the park. Caches are filled with Easter eggs. Pre-reg at JCPRD.com.

Easter Bunnies & Animals Thru April 11, Country Club Plaza. See larger-than-life bunnies and other springtime animals in the courtyards and on the street corners. CountryClubPlaza.com

3 Saturday

Public Tours 11:00, Cedar Cove. Experience Cedar Cove with an experienced guide. See these epic animals and learn about them. Tours start every half-hour. SaveOurSiberians.org

Farmers Market 8:00, Downtown Lee’s Summit.

Purchase a variety of fresh produce, plants, meat, baked goods, handmade crafts and more.

DowntownLS.org

kcparent.com april 2021

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4 Sunday Easter Sunday Easter Services 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00, Lenexa Baptist Church. Join us for services to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. LenexaBaptist.com

5 Monday Camp Imaginarium Thru Friday, KCYA. Spring break camp immerses students into the world of performing art and imagination. Pre-reg at KCYA.org.

Koala Bears 10:00, Kansas City Zoo. Meet koalas Chuckels and Thackory! These two cuddly marsupials are visiting the zoo through November! KansasCityZoo.org Parenting Workshop 7:00, virtual. Workshop helps parents better understand emotional states and what to do when children face difficulties. Pre-reg at Youthfront.com.

6 Tuesday Drive-Thru History Tuesdays 9:00, Missouri Town 1855. Drive into Missouri Town to explore the village and visit with our living history interpreters. MakeYourDayHere.com

Discovery Kits 9:00, Overland Park Arboretum. Visit the arboretum and pick up a monthly kit for your family to enjoy and be creative with. Available at ticket kiosk.

ArtsAndRec-op.org/arboretum Discover Nature: Naturalist Hour 2:00, Burr Oak Woods. Go on an adventure with a naturalist to make amazing discoveries as you explore on a trail. Pre-reg at MDC.mo.gov/events.

7 Wednesday Kids Day Out 7:30, Johnson County Museum.

Have fun when school’s out! Kids enjoy handson activities, exploration of Kidscape and more!

Pre-reg at JCPRD.com.

Step Right Up 9:30, Science City. Come one, come all! Experience thrilling heights at nine new exhibits recently opened at Science City!

ScienceCity.com Spring MATS 10:00, Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm. Field trip on the historic grounds with activities that align with Nearpod lessons (available on Mahaffie website). Mahaffie.org

8 Thursday Toddler Time 10:00, Ceramic Café. On Thursdays from 10:00 to 2:00, toddlers 5 and under can paint one selected item for just $10!

CeramicCafeKC.com Bridging the Gender Divide 10:00, National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Exhibit explores how toys once marketed to boys have evolved over time to encourage all children.

816.235.8000 Live at Colonial Gardens 6:00, Colonial Gardens. Date night! Come enjoy wine, great food and great tunes from the Aeradynamics.

Tickets at ColonialGardensKC.com.

9 Friday Jumperoo 9:00, Urban Air (Overland Park).

A special time when entire park is open for children 5 and under with a parent. Jump, bounce and crawl! UrbanAirTrampolinePark.com Planting Independence 9:00, the Whole Person. Volunteer to help with annual, city-wide event that provides yard cleanup for people with disabilities. 816.627.2232

W

WEE

Child Development Center ORKSHOP “Where Your Child is Special”

2 weeks to 12 years ChildAges Development Center 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

“Where Your Child Is Special”

NOW OPEN! LIMITED Group Size Morning and Afternoon Sessions Enhanced Cleaning

Ages 2 weeks to 12 years 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

10% OFF infant room for Two Convenient Locations: Child Development nd & enrollment.

MetcalfCenter Ave 127th &year Antioch first with162 new “Where Your Child is Special” 913.681.2191 913.681.2190 2 weeks to 12 since years FamilyAges Owned and Operated Part-Time Preschool (Ages 1990 3-5) 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

9:00-11:30 or 9:00-3:00 weeworkshopchildcare.com Mother’s Day Out (12 mos-3 years) 9:00-3:00

Two Convenient Locations: 127th & Antioch

Museum

8788 Metcalf Ave Overland Park, KS jocoahc.com

For more info & to book your session: JCPRD.com/Museum

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162nd & Metcalf Ave

913.681.2190 Two Convenient913.681.2191 Locations:

162nd &and Metcalf Ave 127th & Antioch Family Owned 913.681.2191 913.681.2190 Operated Since 1990 Family Owned and Operated since 1990 weeworkshopchildcare.com weeworkshopchildcare.com

Homeschool Conference 9:00, Eagle Creek Church (Harrisonville). Receive info on homeschooling techniques and curriculum choices. MidwestHomeschoolers.org

Scavenger Hunt 10:00, Kemper Museum. Get clues for a self-guided scavenger hunt and then take home an art activity kit inspired by the theme of the hunt. Tickets at KemperArt.org.

Spring Fever Today & tomorrow, Louisburg Market Street. Join us for the annual spring event and shop more than 26,000 square feet of vendor booths. LouisburgMarketStreet.com

Skate with Synchro 3:00, Line Creek Ice Center.

Try an introduction to synchronized skating in which teams perform routines in unison. Ages 3+, all skill levels welcome. 314.800.8994

Adult Egg Hunt 8:00, Hidden Valley Sports Complex (Blue Springs). Bring your friends to share a night by the fire, enjoying food, drinks and flashlight egg hunt. 816.228.0137

11 Sunday

10 Saturday Contemporary Creations 10:00 or 2:00, Nerman Museum. Learn about sculptural ceramics and then create a clay sculpture with a twist. Pre-reg at NermanMuseum.org.

Kids Club 10:00, Colonial Gardens. Kids enjoy fun activities while you shop at Colonial Gardens or enjoy a coffee at the Bean Counter.

Pre-reg at ColonialGardensKC.com.

Babysitting and CPR Classes 10:00, Olathe Indian Creek Library. The best sitter is a safe sitter! Learn how to handle emergencies when caring for children. Pre-reg at OlatheLibrary.org.

Visit Legoland 9:30, Legoland Discovery Center.

Take the kids to the ultimate indoor playground for the biggest fans of Lego. Purchase tickets at LegolandDiscoveryCenter.com.

Public Tours 11:00, Cedar Cove. Experience Cedar Cove with an experienced guide. See these epic animals and learn about them. Tours start every half-hour. SaveOurSiberians.org

12 Monday Koala Bears 10:00, Kansas City Zoo. Meet koalas Chuckels and Thackory! These two cuddly marsupials are visiting the zoo through November! KansasCityZoo.org

13 Tuesday Drive-Thru History Tuesdays 9:00, Missouri Town 1855. Drive into Missouri Town to explore the village and visit with our living history interpreters. MakeYourDayHere.com Counting Cows 10:00, MCPL360. Join Mr Stinky Feet for songs about counting and colors. It’s sure to be a great time! Facebook.com/mcpl360 Animal Tales Story Time 10:30, Ernie Miller Nature Center. For ages 2-6. Join a park naturalist for animal stories and surprises geared for preschool age children. Pre-reg at 913.826.2800.

14 Wednesday Early Explorers 9:30, Science City. Bring the younger set to visit the new Early Explorations areas designed for babies and toddlers. Pre-reg at ScienceCity.com.

Retro Story Time 10:00, Johnson County Museum. Enjoy a story from long ago, read by a special guest from the 1950s All-Electric House. You’ll also get to make a craft. Pre-reg at 913.715.2570.

kcparent.com april 2021

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Spring MATS 10:00, Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm. Field trip on the historic grounds with activities that align with Nearpod lessons (available on Mahaffie website). Mahaffie.org

15 Thursday

16 Friday Jumperoo 9:00, Urban Air (Overland Park).

A special time when entire park is open for children 5 and under with a parent. Jump, bounce and crawl! UrbanAirTrampolinePark.com

Open House 8:30, Whitefield Academy. Come take an inside look at our loving, Christian culture and vibrant learning environment.

Pre-reg at WhitefieldAcademyKC.org.

Roaring Through the ’20s 10:00, Kearney Historic Museum. Enjoy a variety of displays depicting daily life in the 1920s in Kearney and the surrounding area. 816.903.1856

Bloom Fest: Play Outside 9:00, Powell Gardens. Brand new festival features spectacular displays, inventive design and activities for the whole family.

PowellGardens.org

Campus Visit Days 1:00, Summit Christian Academy. Call to schedule a time to see what we have to offer your child. RSVP to Jami Roth at 816.525.1480 or jroth@sca-kc.org.

Discovery Kits 9:00, Overland Park Arboretum. Visit the arboretum and pick up a monthly kit for your family to enjoy and be creative with. Available at ticket kiosk.

ArtsAndRec-op.org/arboretum

Farmers Market 7:30, Downtown Overland Park. Vendors offer a wide variety of products including fresh produce, local foods and unique specialty items. OPKansas.org

Tulips at Twilight 7:00, Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Historic Site (Topeka). Features 35 lighted displays and more than 25,000 multi-colored tulips. 785.251.2989

17 Saturday

Serve and Celebrate 8:30, Argentine Area (KCKS). Lend a hand to local ministries! Spend the day helping with outdoor projects. Pre-reg at Youthfront.com/wgitnevent Craft Show 9:00, High Blue Wellness Center.

Perfect for Mother’s Day gifts! A variety of craft vendors to check out. BeltonParks.org

Family Field Trip Days 10:00, Lanesfield Schoolhouse. Families experience a bit of life in 1904—from life on the farm to completing chores and more. Pre-reg at JCPRD.com.

Bread-Making Demonstration 11:00, Shawnee Town 1929. Join us in our historic farmhouse kitchen for a raisin bread-making demonstration. ShawneeTown.org

18 Sunday Earth Day Celebration 2:00, StoneLion Puppet Theatre. Create art, play games, see a puppet show and learn about the need for clean water. Limited space; pre-reg at 816.221.5351.

19 Monday Mom & Me Bumper Bowling 9:30, Summit Lanes. For just $3 per person, you get a game, shoe rental and drink on Mondays and Wednesdays. SummitLanes.com Visit Sea Life 10:00, Sea Life Aquarium. Bring the kids to see the Doodle Reef, the touch pool, Stingray Bay and more! Purchase tickets online at VisitSeaLife.com.

piano lessons

Learn to play piano and have FUN doing it!

AGES 7+ | ALL SKILL LEVELS | AFFORDABLE | FLEXIBLE VOICE LESSONS | EXPERIENCED TEACHER (12 YRS)

IN-PERSON OR ZOOM CLASSES AVAILABLE!

THURSDAY TODDLER TIME PRESENTS

ON THURSDAYS FROM 10-2, TODDLERS (5 AND UNDER) GET TO PAINT ONE OF OUR SELECTED ITEMS FOR

JUST $10 Both daytime and evening lessons available!

Call Spring Terburgh at 913-636-4472 LOCATED RIGHT OFF I-35 AND 119TH ST IN OLATHE AND IN SOUTH KCMO

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20 Tuesday

23 Friday

Tots on Tuesday 10:30, streaming. Sing songs, read books, explore art and make your own creation with a Kemper Museum educator.

Pre-reg at KemperArt.org.

Bloom Fest: Play Outside 9:00, Powell Gardens. Brand new festival features spectacular displays, inventive design and activities for the whole family.

PowellGardens.org

Nature Time Yoga 10:30, Ernie Miller Nature Center. Join the nature center staff as we act out stories with animal and yoga moves. Prereg at JCPRD.com/Calendar.aspx.

Discover Nature: Naturalist Hour 2:00, Burr Oak Woods. Go on an adventure with a naturalist to make amazing discoveries as you explore on a trail. Pre-reg at MDC.mo.gov/events.

21 Wednesday

Earth Day and Arbor Day Celebrations 10:00, Prairie Oak Nature Center. Family friendly activities with an emphasis on reducing, reusing, repurposing and recycling.

Leawood.org Campus Visit Days 1:00, Summit Christian Academy. Call to schedule a time to see what we have to offer your child. RSVP to Jami Roth at 816.525.1480 or jroth@sca-kc.org

Mad Science Celebrates YOU! 4:00, virtual.

A birthday party celebration for all ages.

Registration closes 30 minutes before program beings. Space is limited. MyMCPL.org

Kids Night Out 6:00, Shawnee Civic Centre.

Kids enjoy a night out with dinner, games, crafts, free play and a movie to end the night.

Pre-reg at 913.631.5200.

22 Thursday

24 Saturday

Bridging the Gender Divide 10:00, National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Exhibit explores how toys once marketed to boys have evolved over time to encourage all children.

816.235.8000

Farmers Market 8:00, Lenexa Civic Campus.

Support local farmers and purchase your produce, meat, flowers and artisan-made goods. Lenexa.com

Spring on the Farm 10:00, Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm. Activities may include sheep shearing, washing and skirting the wool, and planting in the garden.

Mahaffie.org Earth Day Celebration 10:00, Greenway Corridor (Gardner). Help with a group cleanup and then enjoy a free hot dog lunch. Pre-reg by calling 913.856.0936.

25 Sunday Step Right Up 9:30, Science City. Come one, come all! Experience thrilling heights at nine new exhibits recently opened at Science City!

ScienceCity.com Public Tours 11:00, Cedar Cove. Experience Cedar Cove with an experienced guide. See these epic animals and learn about them. Tours start every half-hour. SaveOurSiberians.org

26 Monday Discovery Kits 9:00, Overland Park Arboretum. Visit the arboretum and pick up a monthly kit for your family to enjoy and be creative with. Available at ticket kiosk.

ArtsAndRec-op.org/arboretum

kcparent.com april 2021

63

Visit Legoland 9:30, Legoland Discovery Center.

Take the kids to the ultimate indoor playground for the biggest fans of Lego. Purchase tickets at LegolandDiscoveryCenter.com.

Koala Bears 10:00, Kansas City Zoo. Meet koalas Chuckels and Thackory! These two cuddly marsupials are visiting the zoo through November! KansasCityZoo.org

27 Tuesday

29 Thursday

Jumperoo 9:00, Urban Air (Lenexa). A special time when entire park is open for children 5 and under with a parent. Jump, bounce and crawl! UrbanAirTrampolinePark.com

Discovery Kits 9:00, Overland Park Arboretum. Visit the arboretum and pick up a monthly kit for your family to enjoy and be creative with. Available at ticket kiosk.

ArtsAndRec-op.org/arboretum

Drive-Thru History Tuesdays 9:00, Missouri Town 1855. Drive into Missouri Town to explore the village and visit with our living history interpreters. MakeYourDayHere.com Animal Tales Story Time 10:30, Ernie Miller Nature Center. For ages 2-6. Join a park naturalist for animal stories and surprises geared for preschool age children. Pre-reg at 913.826.2800.

28 Wednesday Early Explorers 9:30, Science City. Bring the younger set to visit the new Early Explorations areas designed for babies and toddlers. Pre-reg at ScienceCity.com.

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Flights of Fancy 10:00, MCPL360. Join talented duo Jay and Leslie Cady for family fun and lots of laughs in this program.

Facebook.com/mcpl360 Bridging the Gender Divide 10:00, National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Exhibit explores how toys once marketed to boys have evolved over time to encourage all children. 816.235.8000

30 Friday Art Course 10:00, Nelson-Atkins. Make a reservation to play the art-themed miniature golf course on the south lawn of the NelsonAtkins. Nelson-Atkins.org

Roaring Through the ’20s 10:00, Kearney Historic Museum. Enjoy a variety of displays depicting daily life in the 1920s in Kearney and the surrounding area. 816.903.1856 Visit Sea Life 11:00, Sea Life Aquarium. Bring the kids to see the Doodle Reef, the touch pool, Stingray Bay and more! Purchase tickets online at VisitSeaLife.com.

Family Campout 5:00, Black Hoof Park. Enjoy an evening under the stars with s’mores and a family program, plus donuts, juice and coffee in the morning. Pre-reg at Lenexa.com.

MAY 1 Saturday Farmers Market 8:00, Downtown Lee’s Summit.

Purchase a variety of fresh produce, plants, meat, baked goods, handmade crafts and more.

DowntownLS.org Petting Zoo 11:00, Indian Heights USC. Enjoy animals, visit with KC Wolf, snacks, games, prizes, music and lots of fun.

IndianHeightsUMC.org

take note: april ’21

National Pecan Month Prothe’s Pecans is a local pecan farm near Paola, KS, known for selling a variety of the nuts.

You can purchase them online or mark your calendars to tour the farm during the Miami County Farm Tour on the second weekend in May. ProthesPecans.com

April 1: National Burrito Day Burrito Bros. Mexican Grill in the River Market is our top pick for delicious made-fromscratch-burritos. Flame-grilled chicken, carnitas, steak, portabella, shrimp and veggie burritos are offered at this local eatery. Facebook.com/burritobroskc

Lawn and Garden Month Family Tree Nursery is our go-to for beautiful plants and expert lawn advice.

With three locations, the nursery is a fun family outing as one

April 16: National Librarian Day Celebrate the library’s virtual services this year. The MidContinent Public Libraries offer

April 4: Easter Sunday Visit the Country

tutoring, research assistance,

Club Plaza and take a photo with the

virtual story times, programs

iconic spring animal statues, including the

and a vast catalog of materials

signature bunnies. The statues have been

available to borrow for free, all

decorating the local landmark since the

at MyMCPL.org.

1930s. CountryClubPlaza.com

April 10: Golfer’s Day Treat the family

April 25: World Penguin Day Spend

to a day of miniature golf at Cool Crest, Smiley’s or Aaron’s

the day at the Kansas

Family Fun Center. You’ll find all the local miniature golf

City Zoo and head to

courses in our Going Places guide on KCParent.com.

the Helzberg Penguin Plaza, featuring a dozen

of the most engaging shopping experiences in the area. Their coffee and snack bar

April 11: National Pet Day If your

Humboldt penguins and

family is looking for a new pet to love

nearly 40 cold water penguins.

or would like to support the mission of

KansasCityZoo.org

Great Plains SPCA, the region’s largest

is a hit with moms.

no-kill shelter, visit GreatPlainsSPCA.org.

FamilyTreeNursery.com

April 13: Scrabble Day Septuagenarian—the word to describe Scrabble, the board game originally invented in 1938. Celebrate the day by challenging the kids to ultimate Scrabble and celebrate the classic NEED COPY

game enjoyed by generations.

kcparent.com april 2021

65

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