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April 2018 • free South Jersey

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Contents

April 2018 • Vol. 23, No. 4

CAMP 2018

Camp 2018 18 Horseback Riding 20 Great Outdoors 22 Camp Directory

Autism Awareness 4 Autism Awareness Events 15 Managing Mealtime 16 Autism School Survey 19 Hippotherapy

15

In This Issue 6 A is for April 6 Win It! 8 A Corner for Kids 10 A Global Mindset 12 Caffeine and Kids 14 Talking About Disabilities Family Fun 25 Day-by-Day Events Calendar 28 Nature Centers

The experts in orthopaedic care for kids

12

Ad Sections 11 Education; 17 Special Needs; 19 Camps; 30 Child Care

COMING

SOON

Discover SpecialKids, an annual resource directory for parents and caregivers of children with special needs in the Tri-State region.

Sign up for your FREE copy:

Metrokids.com/SpecialKids APRIL 2018

215-430-4000

www.shrinersphilly.org We’re social!

@shrinersphilly MetroKids.com 3

MK Memo

AUTISM AWARENESS EVENTS All month

Autism Ambassador Program Autism New Jersey provides tips and tools to individuals who want to spread awareness in their school, workplace or community.

Bubbles 4 Autism Help South Jersey’s Faces 4 Autism spread bubbles of hope.

Whether you blow bubbles with a community group, school group or family, join in the movement to create awareness and acceptance.

April 1

Flyers Autism Awareness Day, Wells Fargo Center, Phila.

April 7

Phillies’ Autism Awareness Night, Citizens Bank Park, Phila.

April 8

Autism Awareness Day, Philadelphia Zoo, Phila. Expect an autism research expo and marketplace, sensory and craft stations, magic shows, jugglers, live music and character appearances.

April 15

Huddle Up for Autism with the Philadelphia Eagles, Lincoln Financial Field, Phila. Meet players, tour the field and locker room, and enjoy face painting, magic shows and resource tables.

1412-1414 Pine St., Philadelphia, PA 19102 215-291-5560; 856-667-3555; 302-224-3020 Toll Free: 888-890-4668 Fax: 215-291-5565 Visit us online at MetroKids.com

President: Nancy Lisagor, PhD, ext. 109 nlisagor@metrokids.com Publisher: Darlene Weinmann, ext. 108 dweinmann@metrokids.com Managing Editor: Dave Gilmartin, ext. 102 editor@metrokids.com Resource Editor: Cheyenne Shaffer, ext. 101 calendar@metrokids.com

April 18

Hands Around the Lake, Main Campus Lake, Atco. After forming a circle around the lake, participants enjoy entertainment and refreshments. Hosted by Archway Programs.

Contributing Writers: Terri Akman, Suzanne Koup-Larsen, Frank Lipsius, Kathy O’Connell, Ann L. Rappoport, PhD Production Manager: Veronica Hanna, ext. 103 production@metrokids.com Finance: Marcella Reis, ext. 104 finance@metrokids.com

April 28

Safety Day for Special Needs Families, Egg Harbor Twp. Community Center, Egg Harbor Twp. Explore emergency vehicles and enjoy live music, games and activities.

Marketing/Circulation: Susan Braverman, ext. 100 marketing@metrokids.com Intern: Jada Davis

FIND US Open Houses -April 7th May 19th

ONLINE

smart. local. parenting.

ADVERTISING SALES 888-890-4668 Chrisy Holsopple

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Pam Kuperschmidt

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We welcome your ideas and feedback. Write us at editor@metrokids.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus and Instagram.

MetroKids® is published monthly by KidStuff Publications, Inc. © 2018 MetroKids® Magazine. All rights reserved by KidStuff Publications, Inc. ISSN 1094-8503. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material. MetroKids® or KidStuff Pub­lica­t­ions do not assume responsibility for statements or opinions expressed by editorial contributors or advertisers. MetroKids® and SpecialKids® are trademarks of KidStuff Publications, Inc. The acceptance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products, services or information. We do not knowingly present any product or service which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. Advertisers indemnify and hold harmless the publisher from any claim and all loss, expense, or liability arising out of the publication of any advertisement.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S.A. $36, one year; $72, two years. Single copies free.

MetroKids.com 4 MetroKids.com

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MetroKids.com 5

Your MK

A is for April!

Kids see free Watching a live theater performance can be an inspiring experience for kids who are used to getting their entertainment on a screen. It can also be expensive.

The East Lynne Theater Company in West Cape May, NJ, however, makes it easier on families since anyone 12 or under is admitted free to their performances. Maybe that next rainy day at the shore, try a live show instead of a movie. The kids will see that special effects can include watching a real person just a few feet away trying to connect with an audience.

Mussel Up There is a mussel hatchery at Fairmount Water Works.

Mussels don’t create much of a ruckus, so you can be forgiven for not knowing about it, but more than 19,000 people have found the hatchery since it opened last year.

Spring is a pretty good time to head down to the Schuylkill River with the kids, take a stroll along its banks, watch the rowers glide by and learn how these bivalves can improve water quality.

It may not, however, be the best time to tell the kids how mom and dad also love mussels in a bucket washed down with some Belgium brews.

Skip the line at the Barnes If you’ve ever gone to the Barnes museum in Philadelphia on a Free First Sunday, you know that the wait to get tickets can be pretty long.

But now, if you bring the kids along, you can skip to the head of the line.

Last month, the Barnes Foundation and its sponsor, PECO, renamed the first Sunday of each month Free First Sunday Family Day and gave priority access to families with children under 18. They also are adding lots of family-focused activities, all of which will be more pleasant for not having had to keep the kids happy while standing in line.

Visit us online at MetroKids.com/MKMemo for all the relevant links.

Have a suggestion for a cool thing to do? Email editor@metrokids.com.

FIND US ONLINE MetroKids.com 6 MetroKids.com

smart. local. parenting.

Win It!

g n i r p S

FUN! The Kurio Smartwatch does more than tell time.

Kids can snap selfies or videos with filters on the front-facing camera, play single- or two-player games, text friends and family via Bluetooth messaging, use the activity tracker and play music.

(6+; $59.99)

No garden, no problem!

Back to the Roots offers a variety of indoor gardening kits, such as mushrooms, herbs, cherry tomatoes and chili peppers. The goods come ready to grow, straight from the can or jar, so no experience is needed. ($9.99 & up) American Plastic Toys’ My Very Own Ice Cream Cart playset is a supersweet way for little ones to use their imagination and boost social skills as they interact with “customers.” The colorful, rolling cart lets kids scoop ice cream and make sundaes, and it features a pretend freezer compartment, credit-card scanner, coins and all the culinary tools needed to run the shop.

(2+; $29.99) Log on to MetroKids.com/winit and enter to win your favorite prize, beginning April 1. Prizes marked with an asterisk (*) must be picked up at the MetroKids office in Center City. Other prizes will be mailed by the provider to the address given on the entry form.

APRIL 2018

As Easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Submit a photo of your natural, good-looking kid to MetroKids.com/coverkids

2.

Finalists Selected for in-person interviews with

2

17 • free nia March 20 Pennsylva

EAR 7Y S

modeling, acting coaches and photographers. t Small bu

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tagram terest • Ins itter • Pin ebook • Tw Events • Fac

s.com MetroKid

The Photo Shoot

Deadline: July 1, 2018 s• es • Guide Magazin

MetroKids.com/coverkids

How to enter: Mail or submit one recent photo online, with the date it was taken, to be reviewed by the judges. Photo tips: Entrants must be photographed individually. Do not wear make-up or costumes. This is NOT a beauty pageant. We’re looking for kids with natural good looks and lots of personality!

What happens next: CoverKids’ Finalists will be selected for a live final audition in August. Grand Prize Winners and Finalists will be announced in MetroKids magazine. Grand Prize Winners will appear on a MetroKids’ cover or one of our other publications including SpecialKids, Educator’s Edition and MetroKids’ Ultimate Family Guide. Entrants must be available for a local cover photo shoot at a later date. All entrants’ photos will appear on MetroKids.com.

Music

By Jada Davis

Kathy O’Connell and “Kids Corner” are celebrating 30 years of entertaining and educating kids over the air on Philadelphia’s WXPN.

Kathy O’Connell never thought that “Kids Corner” would become a lifetime gig.

In 1987, O’Connell was working in New York as a co-host for the national call-in kids’ radio show “Kids America.” When it was canceled due to a lack of funding, she was offered what she calls the “golden ticket” by WXPN, a public radio station run by the University of Pennsylvania, to host a new kids’ show in Philadelphia.

She packed her things and moved, but didn’t know that she’d soon be calling this place home. “The Delaware Valley is a very special place,” she says. “I found a home. I found generations of listeners who continue to inspire and energize me.”

This year marks the 30th anniversary for O’Connell and “Kids Corner,” which is broadcast on 88.5 FM from 7-8pm Mondays through Thursdays. Focused on kids 5 to 13, it incorporates music, games, discussion and educational segments, like Pet Sounds, Kitchen Chemistry and Tech Talk, and brings in local experts to discuss a wide array of topics. However, there is one element that ties the whole thing together and that’s O’Connell, its eccentric host.

“I love talking on the radio,” she says. “I have pretty much been talking to entertain myself my whole life. Now I’ve added other people.” Her quirkiness coupled with her unique ability to engage her listeners has managed to draw in thousands of listeners every night and draw out even the shyest of children to call in and have their voices heard.

Photo by Joe del Tufo

A place to give shy kids confidence

8 MetroKids.com

“I was a bit socially awkward,” said Rebecca Lima of Willow Grove, PA, who was a frequent listener of the show in her youth. “I remember calling in to play flute and read poetry. I felt important, excited and, often, nervous. I always felt proud after, though.” Today at age 30, Lima, who grew up in Abington, PA, credits the show with helping her gain confidence. “It provided me with a strong sense of self at an early age. The show gives kids a chance to find greatness within themselves.”

Along with confidence, kids can gain other useful qualities by tuning in to “Kids Corner.” Mia Blitstein, a Wyncote, PA parent, former teacher in the Philadelphia School District and professional

APRIL 2018

Music developer of the Children’s Literacy Initiative, says that having a kids’ radio show is crucial to developing their learning abilities. “I used to ask my students’ families to listen in to boost their listening skills,” she said. “There are too many screens for kids to use. This is a great way for kids to be connected without the screen. Also, it gave them interesting topics to discuss in school the next day.”

Unafraid of tough subjects

The topics on the show include pets, books, science and other subjects that interest kids. But it also tackles topics of wider importance. “There have been news stories, both tragic and joyous, that we are able to address in the moment,” says O’Connell. “We have brought in experts to address issues like domestic violence and sexual abuse with the hope that it will spark information within families.”

Creating discourse with children about a difficult subject is not easy, but O’Connell has a knack for interacting with young people. “She’s able to talk to kids and not talk down to them,” says Eric Schuman, an on-air host and producer at WXPN. “You have to be really dedicated and a really special person to do that.”

Her industry colleagues agree, having given the show 23 broadcasting awards including a Peabody Award, broadcasting’s version of the Pulitzer.

Schuman has his own personal history with the show. “I was very young when I listened to ‘Kids Corner,’” he says. “It was my gateway into arts, science, books, and all sorts of things. It’s probably responsible for my interesting taste in music.”

“Kids Corner” at the birth of kindie

The music on “Kids Corner” is a huge part of the show. It’s fun, zany and enjoyable for every member of the family.

When “Kids Corner” began, O’Connell relied on artists from her own music collection. “Allan Sherman, Spike Jones and Abbott & Costello were long dead, but their work was familiar to new audiences

recognition of this genre has grown to include Grammy awards and international accolades,” says O’Connell. “Even while its finest are still selling CDs from the back of their car.” O’Connell describes the kindie scene as “a wonderful, vibrant, supportive community of kids’ independent musicians who share a passion for entertaining families with peak musical excellence.” She also admires kids’ ability to spot talent. “The beauty of a kids’ audience is they know authenticity when they see it, and the musicians in the kindie community are the real deal.”

A 30-year celebration

In celebration of kindie music, WXPN and “Kids Corner” created KindieComm, a biannual event for the kindie music clan.

“KindieComm brings together the kindie musical family to share experiences, songs, fun, and inspiration,” said O’Connell. This year’s event will be held April 2022. Additionally, “Kids Corner” is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a concert on April 22.

Trout Fishing in America and Lard Dog & The Band of Shy will be headlining.

“Kids Corner” has become so much more than a radio show.

Photo by Amanda Villier With O’Connell at its center, the show has developed a multi-generational community of listeners. “There through “Kids Corner,’” says O’Connell. are people my age, people in their In the ‘90s, artists emerged that thirties, who enjoyed the show when they changed everything. “Artists like Trout were young and now their kids listen to Fishing in America and Dan Zanes creit,” says Schuman. “The show gets passed ated a new approach to music the whole down from generation to generation and family can enjoy. Their own work has there’s something amazing about that.” become a template for artists who have come after them,” O’Connell notes.

Jada Davis is a MetroKids intern from Temple “Kids Corner” is often credited with University. helping to revolutionize this genre of See Kathy’s favorite kindie kids’ independent music, better known albums. as kindie music. “In the last few years, Go to Metrokids.com/Music

Anniversary Concert, Kindie Conference On April 20-22, WXPN and “Kids Corner” will host KindieComm, its biannual event in celebration of kids’ independent music. Tickets are $90, $75 if purchased before April 2.

Trout Fishing in America

APRIL 2018

For its 30th anniversary, “Kids Corner” will also host a concert in conjunction with KindieComm on Sunday, April 22 at 10:15am. There will be musical performances by Trout Fishing in America, Lard Dog & The Band of Shy, Chibi Kodama and Billy Kelly. Tickets are $18 each; 2 for $30 or $15 if you are also attending KindieComm. For more information on KindieComm, visit Kindiecomm.org.

MetroKids.com 9

Education

A GLOBAL MINDSET Educational strategies with origins around the world

By Ann L. Rappoport, PhD Education in the United States often attracts worldwide attention but it is also improved and enhanced by adapting international approaches to schools and learning. Here are four effective and popular strategies with origins elsewhere that are being implemented in local schools.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

International Baccalaureate programs, developed in the 1960s, emphasize rigorous inquiry and project-based learning that transcend the classroom for students aged 3-19. “They connect the real world and the subject,” notes Ralph Lelii, IB program director and teacher at The George School in Newtown, PA. Approximately 1,700 schools in the US offer IB programs, though not necessarily an IB high school diploma. Lelii explains that the IB diploma is accepted across the world because it meets internationally recognized standards and assessments that other high school programs do not.

“There are no multiple choice questions in IB,” he says.

Instead, IB measures student progress through the learners’ portfolios, papers, exams and collections of many assessments over a period of time. These assessments are reviewed by multiple outside educators – often overseas – to ensure standards and objectivity.

Design of original experiments isn’t something reserved for science fairs. IB students in biology, for instance, are required to create, run and explain original experiments and in calculus students are expected to create, solve and discuss 10 special problems beyond the scope of their course.

IB programs are demanding while encouraging flexible thinking and fresh approaches to problem solving. Their international scope has a unifying and connective benefit across cultures as well.

Center was a founding member of the Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools in the US. Outdoor Classrooms typically combine structured time with child-driven free play. Students make berries and leaves into ink; they journal and draw outdoors, sometimes in the snow. They skate on ponds. When sticks are employed in play – which is inevitable – students learn safer ways to wield them and alternative uses for them, from picture frames to brooms. “Everything in nature is multi-purpose,” emphasizes Eaddy.

“We try to say ‘yes’ as much as possible,” she continues. So when students climb trees, build forts or engage in other forms of what some adults consider “risky play,” degreed and licensed educators, who are also trained in natural education, facilitate safe practices to enable children to explore to their own limits.

This helps kids build technique, competence and confidence.

Nature Classrooms support social and emotional growth as well, says Schuylkill Center Director of Early Childhood Education Sandi Vincenti, because different kinds of learners thrive in this community of students. Finally, when these students move to a new educational environment, the transition is smoother because they have discovered how to learn, negotiate challenging situations, and take responsibility for their own learning.

Outdoor Classrooms, Forest Schools

“There is no bad weather, just bad clothing,” explains Kristina Eaddy, lead teacher in the Outdoor Classroom preschool program at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Northwest Philadelphia.

Layers of appropriate gear and plenty of snacks are how youngsters prepare for a full day’s curriculum in nature, even during a chilly winter.

Forest Schools are popular in Germany and the Schuylkill

10 MetroKids.com

Outdoor Classroom program at Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education.

APRIL 2018

Education Singapore Math

Teachers at the independent St. Anne’s Episcopal School in Middletown, DE are excited that a different approach to teaching math has transformed first graders from saying, “I can’t do math” to saying, “I tried this and it worked.” They now beg for additional math time, both in and outside of school.

Singapore Math is credited with keeping Singapore students ranked among the best in complex problem-solving and mathematical thinking. The approach is rooted in child development, moving from the concrete, to the pictorial and the abstract with each topic, according to first-grade teacher Tara Liguori.

Instead of memorizing which formula to apply to get the right answer, Singapore Math helps students develop a deeper understanding – a number sense – so they can think about mathematical problems and explain how to work them, says another first grade teacher, Melissa Meier.

Practice, not drills, helps students solidify their basic math facts; meanwhile, class members collaborate to address daily “anchor problems.”

This approach rejects rote steps in favor of learning the meaning behind them, says Meier. Students learn why, not just how. The result is students who think flexibly on their feet and generate multiple ideas to solve complex problems.

International Exchange Programs

Experiencing a foreign country directly is not the same as

talking about a foreign country and that’s why Greene Street Friends School’s Costa Rica Exchange Program for seventh and eighth graders is powerful, says Ryan Kimmet, associate head of the Philadelphia-based Quaker school.

He believes this special connection between US students and their peers in another culture is “life changing for our kids.”

Some students remain in touch with their Costa Rican friends into adulthood, he says.

From PreK, Greene Street Friends students start learning Spanish but the exchange also integrates history, social studies, science and other curricular and philosophical objectives.

In a period of just less than two weeks, seventh-grade students visit the homes and schools of their Costa Rican pen pals; tour bat caves, cloud forests and coffee plantations; engage in indigenous cooking and decorative arts, and provide service.

During eighth grade, Costa Rican hosts visit Greene Street Friends in Philadelphia.

When young people leave their home or country for the first time, they benefit from understanding diversity and resources in a new way, says Kimmet. Their eyes open and their worlds expand as they couldn’t have imagined otherwise. Students document their growth through journaling and presentations.

These four educational strategies are among the many global approaches to learning that inspire curious students, engaged parents and bold teachers in our region.

Ann L. Rappoport, PhD, is a contributing writer to MetroKids.

Great Kids Start Early Please visit us at an upcoming Open House: Tuesday, April 17, 9 a.m.

For more information or to RSVP, call (856) 914-4426, email admiss@mfriends.org or visit www.beginningsatmfs.org.

Preschool Prekindergarten Kindergarten 110 E. Main St., Moorestown, NJ 08057

APRIL 2018

Learn about our Coding program!

MetroKids.com 11

Health

Caffeine

Kids Teens turn to coffee, soda and energy drinks for a boost, but some can pack a caffeine wallop

By Suzanne Koup-Larsen Caffeinated beverages are a cheap and easy way for teens to get through busy days where they get up too early and go to bed too late.

While teenagers need eight and a half to nine hours of sleep a night, some are getting as little as five, says Dr. Michelle Karten, pediatrician at Nemours duPont Pediatrics in Villanova, PA. So it may not be surprising that a 2014 study found that 73 percent of children (ages 2-22) drink caffeine on any given day. With their busy schedules, students today get worn down and look for ways to keep going, says Jared Scherz, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Mt Laurel, NJ, and “caffeine is an available and legal form of stimulation.”

High caffeine levels in some drinks

Soda is a well-known source of caffeine, but as soda consumption among children has declined, it has been replaced by coffee and energy drinks, according to the 2014 study, Trends in Caffeine Intake Among US Children and Adolescents.

Energy drinks, such as Red Bull, Monster and 5-Hour Energy, can have between 200 and 80mg of caffeine per container. Coffee-shop coffees, however, can have even more. While a 12oz cup of coffee made at home might have 60 to 80mg, a 20oz Starbucks or Dunkin

12 MetroKids.com

Donuts coffee can have 400 or more milligrams of caffeine and as much as 300mg in a 16oz version, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Caffeine’s presence in other products might be harder to spot since the FDA doesn’t require caffeine content on nutrition labels, says Emma Donnelly, pediatric registered dietitian at Family Food in Bala Cynwyd, PA. A coffee-flavored yogurt or ice cream can have as much as 70mg of caffeine per serving, says Donnelly.

Caffeine is a drug

Caffeine is a stimulant that creates a false sense of alertness even when the body is still sleep deprived or not well rested, says Scherz. “It’s not physiologically addictive,” says Dr. Eileen Everly, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia pediatrician at Karabots Pediatric Care Center in West Philadelphia, but it may create dependence. While it’s not addictive in the same way as a controlled substance, you can become dependent on the effects of caffeine in a behavioral way, explains Everly.

“Caffeine affects the neurological system and cardiovascular systems in developing children,” says Donnelly.

Those effects include: • Increased heartbeat

How much caffeine is in your drink?

Drink

Milligrams of Caffeine

Starbucks Blonde Roast, 20oz ............. 475 5-hour Energy, 2oz ............................... 200 Monster Energy, 16oz .......................... 160 Starbucks Chai Latte, 16oz..................... 95 Mountain Dew, 20oz .............................. 91 Honest Tea Organic Lemon Tea, 17oz.... 90 Red Bull, 8oz........................................... 80 Folgers House Blend, 12oz................60-80 Pepsi, 20oz.............................................. 63 Coke, 20oz ..........................................56-57 Black tea, 8oz ......................................... 47 Green tea, 8oz ........................................ 29 Arizona Iced Tea, green, 16oz ................ 15 Hershey’s Chocolate Lowfat Milk, 12oz... 2 Sprite, 12oz............................................... 0 Source: Center for Science in the Public Interest • Increased blood pressure • Feelings of anxiousness • Trouble sleeping These effects usually aren’t long lasting, but in some cases, kids may need to be weaned from caffeine to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Consuming caffeine does not cause anxiety disorders or ADHD, says Everly.

But if you already have one of those con-

APRIL 2018

Health

Natural ways to get energy 1. Do 20 jumping jacks or jog in place 2. Drink a glass of water to counteract dehydration 3. Consume natural sugars, such as fruits ditions, caffeine augments the symptoms of jitteriness and anxiousness.

Many of these caffeinated drinks are unhealthy for other reasons too, says Donnelly, because they have higher sugar content and lack essential nutrients, so it’s best to avoid them altogether.

When is caffeine okay for kids?

“A smaller amount of caffeine has a much bigger effect on a small body than it does on anyone after puberty,” says Everly. “Kids are much more sensitive to the effects because they’re getting an adult dose.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says kids younger than 12 shouldn’t have any caffeine, and kids over 12 should have no more than 100mg per day, Donnelly advises. The AAP says that energy drinks have no place in the diets of children or adolescents.

DiscoverPreK

at Holding Hands

Will your child be ready for kindergarten?

The prekindergarten program at Holding Hands will help prepare your child to succeed in kindergarten — academically, socially and emotionally.

P Academically: Our experienced teachers provide daily activities that build pre-reading and pre-math skills.

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P Emotionally: With low ratios, our staff can build individual relationships that support independence, flexibility and self-confidence.

Call for more information or to arrange a tour:

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138 Tomlin Station Road • Mullica Hill, NJ 08062 www.holdinghandsfamily.com

Energy drinks, alcohol a risky mix

It has become popular among young adults to mix Red Bull energy drinks with liquor such as vodka. While it combines a depressant and a stimulant, much like rum and Coke, energy drinks have a far higher concentration of caffeine in a small amount of liquid. “It’s problematic in a number of ways,” says Scherz.

“In a way it short circuits the brain,” he says, because the brain is getting confusing messages.

“It’s like alcohol on steroids,” agrees Everly. This drink combo masks the ill effects of the alcohol and delays the feeling of drunkenness, she says. “You don’t realize you’re as drunk as you are,” which makes it more likely that you will drink too much.

Suzanne Koup-Larsen is a MetroKids contributing writer.

Some supermarket chains in the United Kingdom have decided to no longer sell energy drinks to anyone under 16. Go to metrokids.com/caffeine to learn more.

APRIL 2018

Simplicity Peace Integrity Community Equality Stewardship

OPEN HOUSE NOW ENROLLING APRIL 12

TUESDAY MORNING TOURS

8:30-9:30 AM

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(856) 429-6786 | hfsfriends.org

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admissions@hfsfriends.org 47 N. Haddon Avenue, Haddonfield, NJ 08033-2476 MetroKids.com 13

Parenting

Tips for

Talking to Your Children About DISABILITIES

By Amy Kelly Conversations about people with disabilities have been at an all-time high thanks to movies and TV shows that feature characters with a variety of differences and special needs, including Finding Dory, Speechless and Atypical.

There have also been heart-warming headlines of communities coming together to support those with autism. These stories have helped reduce the painful stigma people with emotional, behavioral or cognitive differences face every day.

Professional and clinical experts encourage parents to take advantage of this heightened awareness to initiate conversations with their children to develop an understanding of, and compassion for, children and adults with disabilities.

Below are some tips to help parents kick off these conversations.

1. Educate yourself first: There are

many kinds of disorders and disabilities and not all are visible. If you learn the basics and understand them, talking to

14 MetroKids.com

your child will be much easier. Plus, it sets a great example for your children to model.

2. Use casual opportunities to start conversations: If possible, try to relate

the individual with the disability to your child. For example: “Look at that! Johnny likes trains just like you do!” Ask general questions to discover what your child knows and thinks about disabilities; it’s an easy way to initiate a conversation.

For instance: “What did you think of that part (XYZ) in the movie?” or “The character (name) was a pretty cool part of the show. He/she has XYZ disability or is in a wheelchair. Do you know anyone like (name of character)? What do you think about that?”

be enough. “His/her brain works a little differently than yours, honey. That’s OK – we’re all different and special in our own way,” or “The wheelchair David is sitting in helps him get around, just like you use your legs to walk and run.” Of course, older children can understand more detailed conversations, so you may want to research the topic together so you can both learn more.

4. Reassure your child: Let him

know that people with special needs and disabilities are human beings, just like everyone else. They feel the same feelings, have the same basic needs and didn’t choose to be different. Disabilities aren’t contagious or something that can be passed from one person to another.

5. Remind your child about treating others with respect: Talk to your

child about the Golden Rule: “Treat others the same way you want to be treated.” It’s also critical to understand that an individual is not defined by his or her disability. For instance, use person-first language, such as: “Annie has autism” instead of “Annie is autistic.”

6. Take it slow: Allow your child to take some time to think about your conversation and follow-up later. To kick off this discussion say, “Remember when we were talking about disabilities? I was wondering if you had any thoughts or questions, now that you’ve had time to think about it.”

Use stories and examples to promote understanding and awareness of disabilities with your children. It is a vital way to reduce stigma and make our communities more welcoming places for all.

Amy Kelly is the director of family/community services for Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health.

3. Provide accurate but digestible information: Depending on the age of your child, you will want to deliver information in an age-appropriate and understandable way. If your child is younger, a simple sentence or two may

APRIL 2018

A Managing Mealtime SpecialKids

How to Get Children with Autism Who Have Eating Problems Back on a Healthy Diet

By Debra Wallace Jackson Cointot was more than a finicky eater when he was 3 years old. His extremely limited diet of pizza, cheese curls and Cheerios led his desperate parents to search for help and nutritional guidance.

Before being diagnosed with autism at age two-and-a-half, Jackson was eating baby food and a small variety of other foods.

Gradually, his strong gag reflex and an aversion to eating with a spoon resulted in him choosing only carbs and snack foods – a common problem for children on the autism spectrum, as well as some typical children.

An estimated 25 percent of typical children develop feeding or eating problems, but among children with autism it is as high as 80 percent, according to the Indiana University Resource Center for Autism in Bloomington.

Taste, texture, smell or color

Allison Cointot, 36, Jackson’s Ridley Park, PA mom, and her husband, Keith, looked into intensive food-therapy programs and force-feeding options.

Instead, they decided to have Jackson work with behavior analyst Jennifer King, the owner of Teaching Together, who says that the majority of children she works with who have autism are extremely picky eaters, which often translates to problems with taste, texture, smell or color.

The family’s goal for Jackson was to add more nutritional food choices, fruit,

vegetables and textures – basically anything other than carbs.

“I use a softer and gentler approach than many other behavioral programs,” says King.

King takes foods that the child used to eat and encourages him to begin with touching, smelling and licking the food and then take a bite – all of this is done with patience, positive reinforcement and family cooperation.

“I make feeding therapy fun.

The long-term goal is for the child to eat fruits and vegetables,” King explains, “but the short-term goal is for the child to learn to trust me.”

their goals. Almost all of them have been able to add all five food groups back into their diet.”

So, how did King’s therapy and the family’s follow-through change the life of Jackson, now a 4-year-old preschooler?

“My son now eats every texture and items from every food group,” says Allison. “Our family can go to a restaurant and can find items for Jackson to eat. He is getting vitamins and nutrients. He was starting to gain weight by eating all those carbs and now his belly is thinning out.

Mealtime is no longer a battle and he can make his own choices.”

Gateway foods

King may take a picky eater’s love for French fries as a gateway for her to try sweet potato fries and, eventually, carrot and red pepper sticks.

“Many children will try crunchy foods as opposed to squishy foods, like soft veggies. After we’ve been working for a while, children will go along with me and try Nutella on a sandwich, with or without peanut butter, and after a year or two they may have graduated to roasted broccoli.”

She says often parents want the child to eat the entire portion, while King sees one bite as a victory.

Her advice: “I would say to go slow, go back to the foods like apple sauce the child used to eat. I know that parents get frustrated, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Most of the children I have worked with have been successful in meeting

Her advice for parents of children with autism who are picky eaters? “Consistency pays off,” explains Allison. “Find the program for your child and your family that is the best fit.”

Food issues a common problem

Developmental pediatrician Caroline Eggerding, who has been diagnosing and treating children with autism for 37 years, is well versed in family eating and feeding concerns.

“In my experience, a child who has a diagnosis with autism and eats well is the exception,” says Eggerding, the division head of pediatric neurology and development at Cooper Children’s Regional Hospital in Camden, NJ. “The majority of the toddlers and children on the autism spectrum have fairly intense food likes and dislikes, and extremely limited diets. Rarely do parents bring in a child who has no eating or feeding rules,” she says, “and like all early

Continued on p. 29 APRIL 2018

MetroKids.com 15

2018-2019 AUTISM SCHOOL SURVEY

Below is a survey of key information about local autism-support schools in southern New Jersey to help families identify the best fit for their children regardless of where they are on the autism spectrum, including those with co-existing emotional, behavioral or physical needs.

The table includes school’s enrollment, grades and ages served, staff-tostudent ratio and tuition structure. Many schools charge tuition directly to the referring school district under the Free and Appropriate Public Education law, indicated as (FAPE) on the survey.

SUPPORT SERVICES OTHER SERVICES = Residential = Medical staff/nursing = Extended day = Counseling = Summer program = Art therapy = Transportation = Music therapy = Hippotherapy STAFF/STUDENT RATIO OT = Occupational therapy = 5 students per teacher or fewer PT = Physical therapy = 5-10 students per teacher ST = Speech therapy = 10+ students per teacher

There is also a summary of each school’s specific educational approach and learning strategies it employs and the support services, vocational opportunities and extracurriculars it offers. Abbreviations at the end of each school’s description capture the range of special needs the school serves. See the key below to identify the abbreviations and icons.

Once you have narrowed down your choices, arrange to speak with administrators and schedule a visit. You can find contact information, addresses and more about each school’s programs at MetroKids.com/ SpecialKids.

KEY

LEARNING STRATEGIES & SPECIAL NEEDS SERVED VOCATIONAL ABBREVIATIONS ASP Asperger syndrome HI Hearing impairment/deaf LD Learning disability/ADHD AUT Autism ABA = Applied Behavior Analysis, behavior improvement through MD Muscular dystrophy CP Cerebral palsy interventions based on learning theory NI Neurological impairment COM Communication/social Orton-Gillingham = multisensory, PDD Pervasive development disorder sequential, language-based reading approach disorder DD Developmental disability PHY Physical disability EMO Emotional/behavioral T2C = Transition to college disorder VI Visual impairment/blind Teaching Family = Model of care used in residential settings EP Epilepsy/seizure disorder

Enrollment

Grades/ ages

Tuition

Archway Programs Atco Archwayprograms.org

210

Ages 3-21

FAPE

Bancroft School, The Haddonfield Bancroft.org

220

Bancroft School Early Education Program, The Cherry Hill Bancroft.org

38

Ages 3-9

FAPE, Private Pay

Augmentative Devices, Assistive Tech

Brookfield Schools Cherry Hill Brookfieldschools.org

133

Ages 5-21

FAPE

Chromebooks, 1:1 iPads, Smart Boards

School

Staff/student ratio

Tech

Support services

Learning strategies

Vocational opportunities

Extracurriculars

Digital learning, mobility & speech tech

OT, PT, ST

Functional academics

Life skills, Pre-vocational and Vocational Instruction Planning

Art, music, sports, horticulture

Other services

NJ-approved private school for students with multiple disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, communication disabilities, multiple handicaps & behavioral concerns. ASP, AUT, CP, DD, EMO, HI, LD, MD, NI, PDD, VI

Ages 3-21

FAPE

Augmentative devices, iPads, PECS

ABA

Life skills, vocational training

Sports, Music, Art, Field trips

OT, PT, ST

ABA

Life Skills

Art, Field trips, Library, Music Phys. ed., Sports

OT, PT, ST

Behavior modification

T2C

OT, PT, ST

Helps children & youth ages 5-21 with intellectual & developmental disabilities. AUT, CP, DD, EP, HI, LD, MD, NI, PDD, PHY, VI

Art, Horticulture, Field Trips, Sports,

Three Camden Co. sites, segmented by grade, serve those with ASDs who need intensive behavioral/therapeutic intervention. All programs are NCASES accredited. ASP, AUT, EMO, LD

Durand Academy Woodbury Durandac.org

50

Ages 5-21

FAPE

Computer lab, iPads, Smart Boards

OT, PT, ST

ABA

Community-based instruction, vocational training

Art, music, tech class

Teaching Family

Work study, vocational training

Sensory Exploratorium

Serves students with social, emotional & learning difficulties who are likely to return to their home school districts. ASP, AUT, EMO, LD

Garfield Park Academy Willingboro Garfieldparkacademy.org

160

Ages 5-21

FAPE

Digital learning

OT, PT, ST

Individual education, equine therapy and biofeedback for those with multiple and/or severe emotional and learning challenges. ASP, AUT, COM, DD, EMO, LD, NI, PDD

Hampton Academy Mount Holly Hamptonacademy.com

90

Grades 1-12

FAPE

Digital learning

OT, PT, ST

OrtonGillingham

Job placement

Sports, Field Trips

Life skills, prevocational training

Art, Music, Field Trips

School for those with ASDs, various disabilities and clinically diagnosed issues like anxiety disorder; partners with Burlington Co. College. ASP, EMO, LD, NI

Kingsway Learning Center, Elementary, Haddonfield Kingswaylearningcenter.org

160

Ages 3-14

FAPE

Assistive tech

OT,PT,ST

Functional academics

Preschool, elementary school and services for students with a wide range of developmental, learning, physical and behavioral challenges. ASP, AUT, CP, COM, DD, EMO, EP, HI, LD, MD, PDD

Kingsway Learning Center, Secondary, Moorestown Kingswaylearningcenter.org

100

Ages 14-21

FAPE

Assistive tech

OT,PT,ST

Functional academics

Vocational training

Sports

Provides academic and therapeutic services that facilitate a successful transition to an active post-secondary life. ASP, AUT, COM, CP, DD, EMO, EP, HI, LD, MD, NI, PDD

St. John of God Community Svcs., Archbishop Damiano School Westville Grove Sjogcs.org

180

Ages 3-21

FAPE

iPads, Smart Boards, touchscreen computers

OT, PT, ST

Common Core

Work study

Sports, Horticulture

Sensory experiences enhance education for those with autism and moderate to severe intellectual disabilities. AUT, CP, DD, EMO, LD, NI, PHY, VI

16 MetroKids.com

APRIL 2018

UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL IN EACH CHILD Bancroft School and Children’s Services NOW in Mt. Laurel The Bancroft School A new day has begun in educational and therapeutic programs for

Lindens Neurobehavioral Program

children with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Residential Treatment Program

Bancroft, a pioneer in special education and evidence-based therapeutic

Health Center

practices, has created a world-class campus in Mt. Laurel that marries

Instructional Kitchens

the excellence of its programs with an environment inspired by the children we serve.

Vocational Storefronts Art and Music Studios

Located on 80 acres just off Routes 38 and 295, the campus provides

Activity Pool

abundant learning and therapeutic environments and opportunities

Fitness Center

aimed at arming students with the ability to communicate and develop

Indoor/Outdoor Play Areas

skills for life, work and community.

Gymnasium Horticulture Program

800.774.5516 Bancroft.org

Bancroft Raymond & Joanne Welsh Campus • 311 Walton Avenue, Mt. Laurel, NJ ©2017 The Bancroft School. All Rights Reserved.

Camp

GIDDYAP The Thrill and Benefits of Horseback Riding Camp

By Terri Akman As a kid, Mallory Jaskolka was very bright, but she had some learning issues that led to emotional anxiety. Her mom, Maggie, knowing that Mallory loved animals, enrolled her in Ashford Farm horseback riding camp in Miquon, PA when she was 7.

“Everything about it just fit her,” says Maggie, from Elkins Park, PA, who watched her daughter blossom around

horses. “Everything you do is part of a team, either you and your horse or you and the partner you’re sharing that horse with. It allows you to feel a sense of success. It’s really empowering.”

Mallory spent the next seven summers at Ashford Farm learning to ride and care for horses. She then advanced to their residential horseback riding camp in Virginia. Now 24, Mallory is pursuing equine-facilitated therapy as a career.

The benefits of horseback riding

Mallory Jaskolka has been horseback riding since she was 7.

18 MetroKids.com

Horseback riding offers riders physical activity while developing balance, coordination as well as mental and emotional benefits. It’s also an activity people can enjoy throughout their lives.

“It teaches them responsibility for another living thing,” says Caroline Canavan, owner of Ashford Farm, which offers a camp for boys and girls aged 7 to 14 who have a range of horseback-riding ability.

“Kids love animals and have a passion for riding, so it’s an outlet away from school, their telephones and their parents.

“Campers learn how to do a lot of basic flat work (walking, trotting) on the horse and they also learn how to jump,” Canav-

CAMP

an says. “The more advanced children get to take lessons out of the ring. They like to do cross-country jumping.”

Horseback riding is a unique sport where you become one with the animal, says Eleanor Robinson, owner and riding instructor at Pembrook Farm in Woodbury, NJ. “You have to think about what the horse or pony is thinking about, what it is feeling and its needs. It also gives the kids a lot of confidence when they work with the animal and love the animal. That connection is immeasurable.”

Hippotherapy at Quest Therapeutic Services

“Unlike sports and school where kids are competing against other peers, in horseback riding there’s no competition,” says Sue Campbell, owner of Sunset

APRIL 2018

Camp

Choose a camp carefully

As with any camp, a personal visit will allow you and your child to see the facilities and speak with the staff.

“Not all camps are created equal, so parents should really check the camps out,” says Canavan. “Children can get hurt so they have to have good instruction.” Horseback riding is not for everybody, she cautions, so gauge your child’s interest before committing to a camp.

While costs differ depending on the camp, campers will need proper clothing, including a helmet and riding boots or sturdy-heeled shoes. Summer camp at Ashford Farm cost from $1,300 for two weeks to $4,960 for eight weeks, while Pembrook Farm costs $250 per week.

Half-day camp at Sunset Stable costs $200 per week and $300 per week for full day.

Terri Akman is a contributing writer to MetroKids.

APRIL 2018

Hippotherapy and therapeutic riding Literally meaning “treatment with the help of the horse” from the Greek word “hippos,” hippotherapy is how physical, occupational and speech therapists use the movement of the horse as part of their intervention to help achieve their objectives.

“The horse’s movement has a therapeutic effect on the child because it imparts a precise repetitive pattern of movement that’s very similar to a person’s pelvis during normal walking,” says Lisa Newcomb, executive director of Quest Therapeutic Services in West Chester, PA. “It helps with balance, strengthening the core, and sensory input.”

The goal is not to learn to ride a horse, but to use the horse’s movement as a tool. Children sit or kneel on the horse in any direction as three adults guide the horse, provide the therapy and make sure the child is safe. While on horseback, children can also participate in other activities like basketball, putting rings on poles, and working puzzles.

“We’re using the horse’s movement as that tool to facilitate the physical, speech and occupational therapy,” says Newcomb.

Therapeutic riding Unlike hippotherapy, therapeutic riding focuses on using the movement of the horse to give a recreational experience or to teach riding skills to people with disabilities, says Barbara Wertheimer, executive director of Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy in Northeast Philadelphia. Through that process the rider derives physical, psychological, mental and emotional therapeutic benefits.

Quest Therapeutic Services

Stable in Bear, DE. “Children who are reluctant to participate in sports feel very comfortable riding. They don’t have that outside pressure.”

“Being on the horse gives the rider the feeling of self confidence, independence, and enjoying an activity that she can call her own,” says Wertheimer.

CAMP

MetroKids.com 19

Camp

DOWN AND DIRTY Learn about science and nature in the great outdoors

By Carol Anne Pagliotti

Nature camps are a good way to get kids away from their screens and off of the sidewalk so that they can explore the great outdoors.

Kids who go to outdoor camps gain some of the traditional wisdom their parents and grandparents learned about plants, birds and insects, including practical lessons such as how to identify poison ivy. Summer days spent in nature also connect kids to the environment and that connection can build empathy and an appreciation for the world around them.

Here in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, kids are close to natural areas where they can take part in a wide variety of nature and environmental camps.

‘Let your kids get messy and dirty’

Images Top: Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education Middle: Whale Camp & Fundy Marine Science Institute Bottom: Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge

20 MetroKids.com

“We’ve seen a lot of research over the last decade that suggests kids aren’t spending enough time outside,” says Courtney McKinley, camp coordinator for the Delaware Nature Society. “The amount of screen time kids have is going up and the amount of time they have outside to play is going down.”

While a kid sitting by a screen in the living room may make parents feel safe because they know where their child is, there are benefits to pushing him out the door.

“Let your kids get messy and dirty,” says Cathy Perrotto, camp coordinator for the Delaware Museum of Natural History.

“Just being outside is such a great thing for children. It allows them to explore without instructions. They can go pick up sticks and try to build something out of it.

“It’s a lot of free activity for them. It not only challenges them mentally, but physically. We hit the gamut of mental, physical and social stimulation.”

Even walking over uneven ground, like kids would do in the woods, as opposed to being on a playground with a paved surface, is really good for their gross motor development, McKinley says.

“Sometimes kids benefit the most from activities where they can just be free to roam and explore, but at camp they get to do it with an adult who is watching out for them,” says Keara R. Giannoti, executive director and director of Eco Studies at Camp Creek Run in Marlton, NJ.

CAMP

Learn lessons from nature

A summer at nature camp will help a child learn how to identify plants and animals, but the lessons go beyond ecosystems.

“The most important piece we focus on is getting kids, especially young children, comfortable with the practices of science,” says Erin McCool, director of education at Riverbend Environmental Education Center in Gladwyne, PA. “Our focus is guiding children through inquiry-based learning on how to explore nature. Kids learn how to talk and think like a scientist.”

Even kids who do not go on to be biologists and naturalists might develop an appreciation for protecting the world around them.

“We’re showing them how to take care of the forest and the soil and prevent pollution and problems in their neighborhood and watershed,” says Aaliyah Ross, director of education at Philadelphia’s Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. “It has to do with connecting with nature and learning how to be a good environmental steward.”

Explore for the fun of it

Separate from the science and environmental awareness, one of the benefits of an outdoor camp experience is simply the chance to make a discovery.

“Kids experience and discover a lot because we want them to do things on their own; we don’t necessarily want to take them outside and lecture,” says Erin Kiefer, camp director at Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge in Medford, NJ. “We find that they really enjoy what they are doing a lot more when they are discovering it themselves.”

McKinley says the Delaware Nature Society sees a key benefit as simply the “deep experience in just being in nature.”

Parents can encourage a positive experience if they focus on finding an outdoor camp that is suited to their child, says Cailin Burmaster, program director of Whale Camp & Fundy Marine Science Institute in New Brunswick, Canada.

“This improves the likelihood that your camper will be surrounded by like-minded peers with common interests, which makes it much easier to make friends, have fun and be themselves,” she says.

Carol Anne Pagliotti is a freelance writer.

APRIL 2018

NATURE DAY CAMP

for Ages 3- 13 Weekly Day Camps: Walk in the woods, dig in the dirt, and wade in the water during our week-long nature camps.

NEW

“Girls Go Wild for STEM” Camp

Daily activities include:

Hands-on experiences and experiments, visits with native wildlife, and creative play.

Camps run June 25-August 24, 2018 Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge 4 Sawmill Road | Medford, NJ | 856-983-3329

www.cedarrun.org

Philly's, South Jersey's, and the Shore's

#1 Choice for Summer Camp Q,

OPE N H Apri OUS l 4th E •

Open House- April 21 and May 19

• Horseback Riding • Swim Lessons • Over 20 Sports including Golf and Archery • Dual Zip Lines& i� Rope Courses � • Dance& Performing Arts 1 • Crafts and Woodworking · School of Rock I fl un. . Extended Care f met M tl.

A S • ·Teen travel program ft/Yla]J � · A/C Buildings N ew Fam1·1y and s·b1· I 1ng o·ISCOUnts .

A/CTransportation

6:30 Cam Lincoln pm den Coun Hall, Blac ty Coll kwoo d ege,

Convenient South Jersey locations!

Call today 856-262-3900 For registration rates and fees

tallpinesdaycamp.com

IJ -� fl

email: fun@tallpinesdaycamp.com

1349 Sykesville Road, Williamstown, NJ 08094 Lunch and snack provided. Nut-free facility.

Delaware Valley's Premier Day Camp

Ages 5-18

REGISTER NOW!

Mention MetroKids when registering!

Accredited by the American Camp Association. State Certified.

APRIL 2018

NURTURING, FUN, SAFE ENGAGING

CAMP

mainstage.org 856-302-6485

MetroKids.com 21

CAMP 2018

Directory

BURLINGTON

Thrilling adventures are in store for children at summer camps throughout the Delaware Valley in 2018! This camp directory includes an ample array of choices for all abilities, ages and interests.

Navigate the directory by focusing on your preferences for: • Geographic area: Camps are grouped by county & outlying areas.

• Category: Each description is prefaced by camp type — day, program, residential, special needs or travel.

• Special features: Blue icons at the end of each listing indicate if a camp offers extended day care, part-day or part-week schedules, financial aid or transportation. Abbreviations denote whether a camp is ACA accredited, has a counselor-in-training program or may accommodate some special needs. See the key at the bottom of the page.

Find a searchable version at MetroKids.com/camps.

Contact camps to express interest and mention you saw their listing in MetroKids.

Camp Creek Run 199 Taunton Lake Rd., Marlton; 856-596-4250 campcreekrun@yahoo.com Campcreekrun.com

DAY Get close to nature at Camp Creek Run! Located in Marlton on 50 wooded acres, we offer certified teachers; sports, arts & nature programs; fishing & boating; swim instruction; pools; archery range; nature center; hiking trails; basketball, volleyball & gaga courts; challenge course; gardens & butterfly house; and farm sanctuary.

ESF Summer Camps William Allen Middle School 801 N. Stanwick Rd., Moorestown info@esfcamps.com esfcamps.com

DAY Our award-winning programs are filled with the perfect blend of education, sports & fun. With 60+ activities for every interest, we offer the widest variety of experiences for boys and girls, ages 3-15. June 25 Aug. 24, 2018

Future Scholars Early Learning Center 1351 Rt. 38 W., B-1, Hainesport 609-518-1333 admin@futurescholarslearning.com Futurescholarslearning.com

DAY Summer Camp offers full & half days with various schedules available. Activities include field trips & in-house visitors along with moonbounce, water play, cooking classes, music & sports, just to name a few!

We continue to educate your child through our themebased activities & curriculum so your child won’t fall behind this summer. Private tutoring available.

6:30am-6:30pm.

JCC Camps at Medford 400 Tuckerton Rd., Medford 856-751-1666 jcccampsatmedford.org

DAY, TRAVEL JCC Camps at Medford enriches children’s lives by teaching values and life skills in a fun, safe and inclusive Jewish environment while building confidence, sharing successes and creating lasting friendships. Register at Open House on 4/15 ACA CIT SN and save $250 per camper!

Liberty Lake Day Camp 1195 Florence-Columbus Rd., Bordentown 609-499-7820 Libertylakedaycamp.com

DAY Liberty Lake is a truly transformative experience, teaching life skills to inspire children and adults to change the world. Campers expand their talents, make friends and have the greatest summer experience ACA imaginable!

Moorestown Friends School Summer Programs 110 E. Main St. Moorestown 856-914-4493 mcameron@mfriends.org Summer.mfriends.org

DAY Moorestown Friends School offers a number of exciting summer opportunities for children entering grades 1-10. The Summer Scholars Program options include innovative and exciting approaches to science, robotics, technology, STEM, sports, design, thinking, arts, economics and more. In addition, Academic Transitions courses offer the chance for your child to improve in math, writing and study skills. Many Summer Programs Master Teachers are MFS teachers and department heads, most of whom hold advanced degrees from prestigious universities.

Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge 4 Sawmill Rd. Medford, NJ 856-983-3329 cedarrun.org

DAY Walk in the woods, dig in the dirt and explore Cedar Run during our week-long nature camps.

Daily activities include hands-on experiences and experiments, visits with native wildlife, games and creative play. There’s a special session just for you.

Don’t miss out, sign up today! Camp runs weekly June 25-August 24 for ages 3-13. CIT SN

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

Camp Invention Multiple locations throughout Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey 800-968-4332 campinvention@invent.org Campinvention.org

DAY Camp Invention’s all-new summer program, Fast Forward, shows children that even the wildest and craziest ideas can become reality! Campers in grades K-6 will create a vehicle of the future, design a mechanical robot dog and build futuristic dream homes.

Local educators lead the week of fun, hands-on, STEM activities that encourage children to think big, explore their curiosity and never give up! Visit campinvention. org or call 800-968-4332 to register. Use promo code ThinkBig15 to save $15 (expires 5/4).

iD Tech www.idtech.com 1-888-709-8324

DAY iD Tech is the world’s #1 summer STEM program for ages 7-18 held at 150 prestigious universities including Princeton University, Monmouth University, The Hun School Of Princeton, University Of Pennsylvania, Rowan College- Mount Laurel. With world-class instructors and innovative courses in coding, game development, robotics, and design, our programs instill in-demand skills that embolden students to shape the future.

Learn more at iDTech.com.

ISC Summer Day Camp of Cherry Hill

DAY ISC is the place to be this and every summer!

Open all summer long! June 18-Aug. 31 Roller skating, indoor sports fields, arts & crafts, special guests & so much fun every day! Additional Options: Field trip, swim trips, sports camps and enrichment camps available. Mon.-Fri. 7am-6pm. Flexible scheduling.

Daily rates. Weekly tuition payments. Lunch, drinks and snacks included!

3 Locations (Deptford, Cherry Hill & Mt. Laurel) 856-428-8588 Intsports.com

Lavner Camps!

PA, NJ and DE 610-664-8800 info@lavnercampsandprograms.com Lavnercampsandprograms.com

DAY, RESIDENTIAL Lavner Camps is the Leader in Summer Enrichment Camps. As the #1 CAMP EXPERIENCE IN SPORTS, TECHNOLOGY, & THE ARTS, we have AWARD WINNING SUMMER CAMPS at 14 Philadelphia Metro, New Jersey & Delaware locations, with 35+ Specialty Camps to choose from... an INCREDIBLE summer camp experience awaits for your child! Our Cutting-Edge Summer Camps include Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, Robotics, Minecraft, Coding, Game Design, Culinary Arts, Fashion, Film & Lots More! Our New Jersey location is at the Katz JCC in Cherry Hill. Additional camp locations in NYC, Manhattan, Washington DC, St. Louis MO, Nashville TN & Los Angeles CA! Ages 6-15, Co-ed.

Space is limited, register now!

ACA

CAMDEN COUNTY Early Childhood Camps at the Katz JCC 1301 Springdale Rd., Cherry Hill 856-424-4444 ext. 1242 donnasnyder@jfedsnj.org Katzjcc.org/ecccamps

DAY Early Childhood Camps at the Katz JCC is the place for little campers to have big fun! Children enjoy creative arts, music, sports, swim lessons, cooking and more, supervised by loving and professional staff.

Register at Open House 4/15 and save $100 per new SN camper!

Key: Extended hours Offers financial aid Part-day or part-week sessions Provides transportation ACA: ACA-accredited CIT: Counselor-in-training program SN: Some special needs may be accommodated

22 MetroKids.com

CAMP

APRIL 2018

SUMMER CAMP

NOW ENROLLING June 18th - August 17th

2.5 years - 8th grade Camp offers: PreK, projects, swimming and counselor-in-training (856) 429-6786 | hfsfriends.org | summercamp@hfsfriends.org

47 N. Haddon Avenue, Haddonfield, NJ 08033-2476

The #1 Summer STEM Camp for Ages 7–18 Empower your child to take their STEM skills to the next level. From coding and game development to robotics

Held at 150 Prestigious Universities

and design, your child will develop in-demand skills

Princeton | Monmouth | The Hun School of Princeton UPenn | Rowan College - Mount Laurel

and ignite lifelong passions—all within a fun, inclusive environment. Get ready for the best summer ever!

CAMPS & ACADEMIES

APRIL 2018

Get a brochure and find a camp near you! iDTechCamps.com | 1-844-788-1858

CAMP

MetroKids.com 23

CAMP 2018

Directory

OUTLYING AREAS

CAMDEN COUNTY

Echo Hill Camp 13655 Bloomingneck Rd., Worton, MD 410-348-5303 info@echohillcamp.com EchoHillCamp.com

RESIDENTIAL Echo Hill Camp on the Chesapeake Bay is a traditional, sleep-away summer camp with 2- to 8week sessions. Non-competitive, free-choice program.

Waterskiing, sailing, wakeboarding, crabbing, ropes course, nature, art and much more! ACA

Haddonfield Friends School Summer Camp 47 N. Haddon Ave., Haddonfield 856-429-6786 ext. 211 Hfsfriends.org

DAY All activities are supervised by trained, experienced, certified educators. Each session incorporates an ageappropriate enrichment theme such as music, sports, cooperative games, crafts, drama, computers, science, cultural connections, nature study & water play. Many theme weeks culminate with events, performances & trips.

Pilot Summer Camp The Pilot School, 208 Woodlawn Rd., Wilmington, DE cshivone@pilotschool.org pilotschool.org

DAY Children ages 5-12 will benefit from our multi-sensory approach, which offers them the opportunity to engage in activities while learning.

This fun, hands-on camp focuses on special skills, team building, science experiments and nature while integrating reading and math.

Super Star Summer Camp 5 Larwin Rd., Cherry Hill 856-795-4599 theGCAcademy.com

DAY Super Star Summer Camp is where kids learn how to be awesome. We offer a variety of activities for children to enjoy, including swimming, ninja obstacle courses, flip-training, basketball, soccer, gymnastics, tumbling, cheerleading, arts & crafts and more.

SN

Science Camp Watonka PO Box 127, Hawley, PA 570-857-1401 mail@watonka.com Watonka.com

RESIDENTIAL For boys 8-16. Camper-selected program includes hands-on laboratory experiences in astronomy, biology, chemistry, computers, electronics, earth science, physics & robotics. A wide range of other activities includes ropes, archery, climbing, woodworking, sailing, rocketry, mini-bike riding, sports, windsurfing & trips. 2-, 4-, 6- & 8-week sessions available. CIT SN

Tall Pines Day Camp 1349 Sykesville Rd., Williamstown 856-262-3900 fun@tallpinesdaycamp.com Tallpinesdaycamp.com

DAY Serving Center City/South Jersey/shore points.

State certified & accredited by ACA. 66 acres include 45,000 sq. ft. of A/C indoor space, climbing tower, pedal karts, gymnastics, driving range, horseback riding, 8,500 sq. ft. of pools, soccer & baseball fields, hockey, basketball, tennis courts, arts & music programs. Open houses on Saturdays from 12-3pm, ACA April 21 and May 19.

Whale Camp at the Fundy Marine Science Institute Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick, Canada 888-54-WHALE info@whalecamp.com WhaleCamp.com

RESIDENTIAL, TRAVEL No other marine science camp offers as many face-to-face encounters to closely observe and study whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and puffins in their own natural habitat. Board our research vessel for unmatched opportunities to observe marine life. Explore beaches, coastal trails and fishing villages on beautiful Grand Manan Island. Ask about our $40,000 College Scholarships, STEM projects & College Credits.

YMCA Camp Conrad Weiser 201 Cushion Peak Rd., PO Box 147, Wernersville, PA 610-670-2267 SMYMCA.org

RESIDENTIAL We welcome you to our 600 mountaintop acres in Berks County, PA. While we offer a variety of session lengths, most campers come for 2- or 4-week sessions. We are a coed program for campers 7-16 years old. Traditional camp programs including horseback riding, swimming, boating, athletics, target sports, mountain biking, creative arts, nature, adventure & teen leadership. We also offer a variety of specialty theme camps, adventure trips and international trips. We can’t wait to see you on the mountain! ACA

Young People’s Theater Workshop (YPTW); Theatre Arts Summer Overnight Camp at Eastern University 363 Radford Ct., Glen Mills, PA 610-558-0988 yptw@aol.com; yptw.org

DAY, RESIDENTIAL Overnight camp for ages 11-18 at Eastern University June 24-29, 2018. Classes include musical comedy, Shakespeare, improv, monologues, dance, characterization, auditions, showtunes. Airconditioned dorms, good food, experienced staff of professional educators.

GLOUCESTER

OUTLYING AREAS Adventure Camp at Roundtop Mountain Resort 925 Roundtop Rd. Lewisberry, PA; (717) 432-9631 skiroundtop@skiroundtop.com Roundtopmountainresort.com

DAY, RESIDENTIAL Book your child’s best week of the summer at South Central PA’s favorite ski resort where campers enjoy a multitude of adventure-based activities including zip lining, rock climbing, boating, paintball and OGO balling all right here on our 1,200 acres. CIT

NEW Camp Haluwasa 377 Ehrke Rd. Hammonton, NJ 08037 877-234-2267 Campingnj.com

DAY, RESIDENTIAL The Ultimate Christian Camping Experience! Exciting overnight & day camp programs for boys & girls ages 6-16 in a Christian environment.

Water park with rope swing, waterslides, zip-line & a sandy beach! Activities include: swimming, obstacle course, climbing walls, field games, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, ropes course, arts & crafts, and a ride-on railroad! Open House: May 19 & June 16, 2018, 10am-3pm with free train tours & BBQ.

Key: Extended hours Offers financial aid Part-day or part-week sessions Provides transportation ACA: ACA-accredited CIT: Counselor-in-training program SN: Some special needs may be accommodated

What are you looking for?

KIDS’ CAMPS

CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE CAMP DIRECTORY

MetroKids.com/camps 24 MetroKids.com

CAMP

APRIL 2018

Family Fun

Special needs event

Editor's Pick

$ = $1-$5; $$ = $6-$10; $$$ = $11-$19; $$$$ = $20 & up

1 Sunday

Easter Brunch with the Bunny at the Pop Shop, Collingswood. $$$ Easter Parade at Historic Smithville & Village Greene, Smithville.

FREE Ed’s Funcade Easter Egg Hunt at the 23rd Ave. Beach, N. Wildwood. FREE Morey's Piers Easter Celebration at Mariner's Landing, Wildwood. Enjoy an egg hunt, face painting and strolling entertainment. FREE Springtime in the Park at Hersheypark, Hershey, PA. Preview the summer season with live entertainment and dozens of rides. $$$$

3 Tuesday

Museum Playdate at the Penn Museum, Phila. Exploration, storytime and dramatic play are themed to the Greek gallery. $$

5 Thursday

World War II Exhibit at the Museum of American History, Deptford. Through May 27, view paraphernalia such as weapons, uniforms and flags. $

6 Friday

Day-Off Adventures at Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge, Medford. Activities include animal presentations, crafts, hikes and games. $$$$ Kids and Critters Preschool Program at the Plainsboro Preserve, Cranbury. Listen to a story, meet a resident animal, walk the trails and make crafts. $$ Girl Scout Crafty Campout at Appel Farm Arts and Music Center, Elmer. Brownies and Juniors partake in a nature scavenger hunt, campfire, s’mores and an ice cream sundae party while they earn badges. $$$$

APRIL 2018

Girl Scouts at Appel Farm's Crafty Campout, April 6, have fun while they earn badges.

7 Saturday

Animal Superhero Weekend at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Phila. Discover how animals influence characters such as Spider-Man and Catwoman via animal visits, activity stations and crafts. $$$ Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival at Morris Arboretum, Phila.

Browse the arboretum’s cherry trees and partake in art, culture and garden-inspired family activities. $$$ Phillies’ Autism Awareness Night at Citizens Bank Park, Phila. $$$$ Springtime in the Park at Hersheypark, Hershey, PA. See April 1. $$$$

8 Sunday

Animal Superhero Weekend at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Phila. See April 7. $$$ Autism Awareness Day at the Philadelphia Zoo, Phila. See “MK On the Scene,” below. $$$$

On the Scene

April is Autism Awareness Month and families can mark the occasion at venues throughout April. The MK crew will join you at the Philadelphia Zoo’s Autism Awareness Day on April 8. There’ll be an autism research expo and merchandise market, sensory and craft stations, magic shows, jugglers, live music and character appearances. Be sure to stop by our booth to stock up on magazines and make a craft.

MetroKids.com 25

Paws for Art at Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, Millville. Watch the the “Wheaton Barks Dog Show,” view animal-themed glass-making demos, run with your pup through the agility course and browse pet supplies. FREE PECO Family Jams: The Shape of a Legacy at Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, Phila. Create mixed-media collages that explore family, history and dreams. $$ Science at the Ballpark at Citizens Bank Park, Phila. Join the Phillie Phanatic for activities, crafts and games, then watch the team take on the Miami Marlins. $$$$ Springtime in the Park at Hersheypark, Hershey, PA. See April 1. $$$$

9 Monday

Tiny Tots Walk at the Watershed Center, Pennington. Join your little one for a stroll on the reserve, art activities and storytime. $$$

10 Tuesday

Read and Explore: Getting Ready for Spring at Terhune Orchards, Princeton. After a story, kids plant seeds to take home. $$

11 Wednesday

Tiny Tot Explorers at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Phila. Explore nature through songs, games and museum exploration. $$$$

13 Friday

Frog Slog Night Hike at Wargo Pond, Pennington. Bring a flashlight and wear boots to walk in shallow water and mud. $$$

14 Saturday

Beginners Geocaching Workshop at the Plainsboro Preserve, Cranbury. $$ Camden Comic Con at Rutgers University, Camden. This all-ages convention introduces kids to pop-culture fandom with tabletop gaming, costume contests, workshops, comic-book artist meet-and-greets and face painting. FREE Dino Day and Bug Bonanza Festival at Camden Children’s Garden, Camden. Dig for fossils, try a planting activity and make crafts. $$ Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival at Morris Arboretum, Phila. See April 7. $$$ PNC Grow Up Great at the Kimmel Center’s Commonwealth Plaza, Phila. Kids are introduced to jazz and musical theatre. FREE Read and Explore: Getting Ready for Spring at Terhune Orchards, Princeton. See April 10. $$ Second Saturday at the Penn Museum, Phila.

Tours, scavenger hunts and crafts focus on cities around the globe. $$ Springtime in the Park at Hersheypark, Hershey, PA. See April 1. $$$$

15 Sunday

Dino Day and Bug Bonanza Festival at Camden Children’s Garden, Camden. See April 14. $$ Huddle Up for Autism with the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, Phila.

Meet players, tour the field and locker room, and enjoy entertainment and resources. REE International Haiku Poetry Day at the Watershed Center, Pennington. Celebrate this Japanese form of poetry with a ginko, or haiku walk, where you’ll try your hand at it. Bring a journal and a book for sharing passages. FREE Springtime in the Park at Hersheypark, Hershey, PA. See April 1. $$$$ Sakura Sunday at the Fairmount Park Horticultural Center, Phila. Celebrate Japanese culture with music, dance and martial-arts performances, fashion shows, karaoke, arts & crafts and the Prettiest Pet in Pink Parade. $$$

Fan of . . ."Kids Corner" Kathy O’Connell, longtime MetroKids contributor and host of the acclaimed “Kids Corner” on WXPN, celebrates a major milestone for the show this month: three decades on-air!

Read our profile (p. 8) and join the party April 22 during the “Kids Corner” 30th Anniversary Concert at the World Café Live in Philly. Spanning two stages and featuring some of kindie music’s hottest acts, families can rock out to Trout Fishing in America, Lard Dog & the Band of Shy, Chibi Kodama and Billy Kelly.

26 MetroKids.com

Town & County: Earth Day

18 Wednesday

Hands Around the Lake at Main Campus Lake, Atco. After forming a circle around the lake, participants enjoy entertainment and refreshments. Hosted by Archway Programs.

Donations welcome

19 Thursday

Tea by the Sea at Jenkinson’s Aquarium, Point Pleasant Beach. Enjoy afternoon tea while you meet animals and keepers. $$$$

Find new ways for the family to go green and get outside in celebration of Earth Day on April 22.

ATLANTIC COUNTY The Earth Day Festival (April 22) at ACUA Environmental Park in Egg Harbor Twp. lets families take hayrides to the top of a landfill, tour the recycling center, wind farm and wastewater facility, attend workshops and try yoga.

BURLINGTON COUNTY Get in touch with nature during the Earth Day Hike and Cleanup (April 22) at the Rancocas Nature Center in Westampton.

CAMDEN COUNTY Green thumbs all around!

Bring the family to the Earth and Arbor Day Festival at Camden Children’s Garden (April 28 & 29) for themed gardens, the butterfly house, crafts and planting activities.

And the Sustainable Cherry Hill Earth Festival (April 28) at Croft Farm features 100plus vendors, a family bike ride and entertainment.

OCEAN COUNTY Find what steps you can take to protect the environment during the Earth Day Celebration (April 22) at Jenkinson’s Aquarium in Point Pleasant Beach.

21 Saturday

Art Walk at Historic Smithville & Village Greene, Smithville. More than 40 artists put their creativity on display. FREE

APRIL 2018

Family Fun Brick Fest Live at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, Oaks, PA. Build and race a Lego derby car, watch Lego-themed movies; play in a “brick sandbox”; create a brick-art mosaic; and try mini golf with Lego obstacles. $$$$ Earth Day Celebration at Jenkinson’s Aquarium, Point Pleasant Beach. See “Town & County,” p. 26. $$$ ECC Cheerleading Shore Showdown at the Wildwoods Convention Center, Wildwood. $$ Naturepalooza Family Festival at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Phila. Enjoy hikes, crafts and environmental art activities. FREE Under the Sea Movie Party at the Kelsey Theatre, West Windsor. Fans of The Little Mermaid unite for a movie screening and costume parade. $$$

22 Sunday

PERFORMANCES The Myth of Icarus at the Garden State Discovery Museum, Cherry Hill. Performed by Discovery Theatre. April 3-5 & 7, 14, 21 & 28. $$$ The Amazings at the Broadway Theatre of Pitman, Pitman.

April 13 & 14. $$

Earth Day Festival at the ACUA Environmental Park, Egg Harbor Twp. See “Town & County,” p. 26. FREE

Sesame Street Live: Let’s Party (pictured) at the Liacouras Center, Phila. April 14-16. $$$$

Earth Day Hike and Trail Cleanup at the Rancocas Nature Center, Westampton. See “Town & County,” p. 26. FREE

Mr. Malcolm’s Crazy Science Show at the Broadway Theatre of Pitman, Pitman. April 18-20. $$

Storybook Ball at the Please Touch Museum, Phila. Themed “Medieval Fantasy,” kids can check out a medieval castle; meet Sleeping Beauty, Merida and a knight in shining armor; and explore history through stories and play. $$$$

Disney's Alice in Wonderland Jr. at Collingswood Middle School , Collingswood. April 27 & 28. $$

24 Tuesday

Community Night at the Franklin Institute, Phila. FREE Read and Explore: Composting at Terhune Orchards, Princeton.

Read themed stories and learn how composting works. $$

26 Thursday

Girls Night Out in downtown Haddonfield. Participating shops and boutiques offer discounts, food and drinks. FREE

27 Friday

Dinos After Dark at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Phila.

There will be animal presentations, activities and, for adults, a beer garden. $$

Junie B. Jones at the Kelsey Theatre, West Windsor. April 28. $$$

28 Saturday

Arbor Day Family Day at Morris Arboretum, Phila. Design a tree house, make a “tree map” of the area and shadow an arborist to find out what the job entails. $$$ Bird-Feeding Program at the Plainsboro Preserve, Cranbury.

Visit bird-feeding stations and discover the components that will attract these feathered friends to your yard. $$ Build a Birdhouse at the Watershed Center, Pennington. $$$$ Earth and Arbor Day Festival at Camden Children’s Garden, Camden. See “Town & County,” p. 26. $$ Maker Day at the Elisabeth Morrow School, Englewood. Kids showcase their engineering prototypes, crafts, science experiments and DIY projects. FREE Read and Explore: Composting at Terhune Orchards, Princeton.

See April 24. $$ Renaissance Faire at Historic Smithville & Village Greene, Smithville. See “Fab Freebie,” left. FREE Science Carnival on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Phila.

The culmination of the Philadelphia Science Festival educates and entertains families with hands-on demos, experiments and entertainment. FREE

Fab Freebie

Once upon a time, lords and ladies of all ages gathered at the “Shire of Smithville” (aka Historic Smithville & Village Greene) for the Renaissance Faire on April 28 & 29.

During this journey to the past, you’ll find a mix of comedy and tragedy, sword fighting, music, dancing, jesters, knights and merchants..

APRIL 2018

Sustainable Cherry Hill Earth Festival at Croft Farm, Cherry Hill.

See “Town & County,” p. 26. FREE

29 Sunday

Earth and Arbor Day Festival at Camden Children’s Garden, Camden. See “Town & County,” p. 26. $$ Renaissance Faire at Historic Smithville & Village Greene, Smithville. See “Fab Freebie,” left. FREE

Log on to MetroKids.com/familyfun for more information, including address, phone number, time & website.

MetroKids.com 27

Family Fun

In Our nature

Nature provides a wealth of fun for kids as they burn energy, get imaginative and enjoy a day of play. It’s also a truly interactive educational experience — if you ask the right questions. While you’re exploring these local parks and nature centers, use our prompts to spark conversation and discovery

CREEKS & PONDS

TREES

DISCUSS

DISCUSS

What animals do you think come here to drink?

What creatures do you see living in the water?

What about at the edge of the water?

What is different about the plants by the water?

How do you think plants grow in the water?

VISIT

What signs of the season can you see?

Can you see any treasures that have fallen from the tree?

How old do you think the trees are?

How many different types of trees can you find?

What is similar and different about the trees you see?

What animals do you think live in the trees?

Rancocas State Park, Westampton

VISIT

A network of trails meanders along the north branch of the Rancocas Creek.

Explore the banks while hiking or rent a canoe or kayak for an up-close look at the water and the species that dwell there.

The trails here snake through the Pine Barrens, so there are plenty of treeidentification opportunities while you wander through an upland pin-oak forest, a pitch-pine lowland forest and the Atlantic cedar swamp.

DISCUSS

From wetlands to streams to the 4-acre Wargo Pond, the reserve boasts a vibrant community of plants and critters. Don your boots and trek along the perimeter during family hikes and kid-specific programming.

28 MetroKids.com

Palmyra Cove Nature Park, Palmyra

The state-endangered peregrine falcon may be the fastest animal in the world, but you can catch them residing in the park. Head to the Tacony Palmyra Bridge to spot their nesting box, or use the Falcon Cam on the park’s website.

South Cape May Meadows, Cape May

This preserve is a hotspot for birders and wildlife watchers. In addition to a host of migratory waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors, the habitats here also support mammals, reptiles and insects. You might catch a glimpse of river otters, muskrats, an Eastern box turtle or butterflies.

Brandon T. Byrne Forest, Woodland Twp.

WILDLIFE

Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Reserve, Pennington

VISIT

What signs of wildlife do you see here?

Find 10 critters or signs of critters.

Where do you think birds live?

How do you think they built their nests? What materials do you think they used?

Why do birds sing?

What animal do you think left that track?

Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge, Medford

Meet rehabilitated animals at the wildlife compound, many of which are elusive in their natural habitat. Inside the center, see critters such as turtles and snakes, or hit the trails to encounter pine warblers, gray catbirds, tree frogs, barred owls and butterflies.

Prompts compiled by Dorothy Sasso, a Montgomery County, PA-based teacher with Tinkergarten, an outdoor early education program.

Log on to MetroKids.com/familyfun for more info, including address, phone number & website.

APRIL 2018

SpecialKids

Continued from p.15

intervention, we should be embracing this and addressing it early on.”

Eggerding believes many of the eating issues stem from the fact that some children with autism have a more sensitive taste system. For example, one reason many children with autism refuse green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli, is that those foods can be bitter to their taste buds.

“This can be a lifetime of challenges that hopefully get better over time. Feeding therapy is a long-term process,” Eggerding says. “By the

Like

time you get to feeding therapy, there has often been a whole history of negative experiences that haven’t been effective.”

Parents have an instinctual need to feed their children because it connects them to their role of nourishing their children. “When the experience goes badly, it can be extremely overwhelming,” she says.

3

Tips on How to Deal With Eating Problems.

1. Bring back old favorites. Start with foods the child has eaten in the most recent past before his or her diet became extremely narrow.

2. Go slow. Many therapists will start with having the child touch, smell or lick the food before he or she ever takes a tiny bite.

3. Alter one variable. Graduate from regular French fries to sweet potato fries or cubed sweet potatoes. If the child eats vanilla yogurt, introduce banana or another light color yogurt.

Debra Wallace is a freelance writer.

Follow

Log on to MetroKids.com/EatingProblems to see how to help a typical child with eating problems.

.com

Visit

Welcome to SpecialKids, an annual resource directory for parents and caregivers of children with special needs in the Tri-State region.

COMING

APRIL 2018

Explore over 800 resource listing and view detailed information in three distinct surveys of 75 schools serving children with mild attention and learning differences, Autism and those requiring significant support.

Sign up for your FREE copy or browse the Digital Edition:

Metrokids.com/SpecialKids APRIL 2018

MetroKids.com 29

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Early Education Directory DAY CARE FY: Full Year AY: Academic Year SP: Summer Program MP: Meals Provided

•

PREK

•

KINDERGARTEN

BS: Before School AS: After School DA: Diapers Accepted TP: Transportation Provided

SN: Special Needs DHS*: Licensed: Dept. of Health & Human Serv.

DE*: Licensed: Dept. of Education DYF: Licensed: Dept. of Youth & Family Serv.

NAEYC: Accredited by National Association of Education of Young Children PAIS: Accredited by PA Assoc. of Independent Schools MSCES: Accredited by Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools AMS: Accredited by American Montessori Society

* Note: DHS* License: requires annual on-site visits. DE License: 20% of all facilities are inspected annually.

BURLINGTON COUNTY BEGINNINGS AT MFS: THE MOORESTOWN FRIENDS SCHOOL Early Childhood Program, 110 E. Main St., Moorestown, NJ 856-914-4428 • MFriends.org Ages: 3 & up • Hours: 8:05am-3:10pm Beginnings at MFS: The Moorestown Friends School Early Childhood Program offers a values-based education for 3-year-olds and up. A project-based approach to learning and wide range of special subject areas are hallmarks of the experience. Moorestown Friends School is one of the only schools in the United States to offer a Coding Program to all Lower School students - Preschool through Grade 4. This innovative program has three strands: coding, problem solving and teamwork. These skills will be in high demand as the 21st century progresses.

Half-day and full-day Preschool is available. Prekindergarten and Kindergarten are full-day programs. AY, SP, BS, AS, MSCES ESSENTIAL BEGINNINGS LEARNING CENTER 1329 Rte. 38, Hainsport, NJ 609-667-7838 • info@essentialbeginningslc.com Essentialbeginningslc.com • Ages: 2-1/2 yrs.-13 yrs.

Hours 6:30am - 6:00pm Essential Beginnings embraces the differentiation approach to teaching. This method ensures that all children can learn the content based on their learning style. FY, AY, SP, SN, DYF FUTURE SCHOLARS EARLY LEARNING CENTER Bruni Square, 1351 Rte. 38 W., B-1, Hainesport, NJ 609-518-1333 • FutureScholarsLearning.com Ages: 6 wks.-13 yrs. • Hours: 6:30am-6:30pm “Where Generations Come and Grow” Full- and half-day classes available year round. Family-owned and operated with an owner on premises daily. Offering Infant & Toddler Care, PreSchool, Drop-In Hourly Daycare, Established Full-Day Kindergarten, Before- and After-School Care with bussing for township students, Private Tutoring and Summer Camp! We are your one-stop solution for early education and child care! STOP BY TODAY FOR A TOUR! FY, AY, SP, BS, AS, DA, DYF LITTLE DARLINGS CHILDCARE CENTER 624 Moorestown-Mt.Laurel Rd., Mt. Laurel, NJ • 856-787-0737 Ages: 10 wks.-10 yrs. • Hours: 6:30am-6:30pm Come visit Little Darlings’ State-of-the-Art Child Care Center located on 2½ acres in Mt. Laurel, NJ. We offer full- and part-time care, emergency drop in and a before/ after kindergarten program. We serve breakfast and two snacks daily. Little Darlings has separate age-appropriate play areas with colorful and fun play equipment, soft surface flooring and rubber mulch. All staff is First Aid, Infant and Child CPR Certified. Tuition includes all Preschool programs as well as daily specials such as: Hands-on Science, Cooking, Spanish, Gym, Music, Art, Yoga and much more. Little Darlings offers a full range of Summer Camp activities, including Certified Swimming Lessons in our in-ground pool. Owner-operated / Security System. Rated #1 childcare center in five surrounding counties. FY, AY, SP, BS, AS, DA, TP, DHS*, DE, DYF OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER 32 W. Main St., Moorestown, NJ • 856-235-5371 • www.olgcnj.org/school Ages: 4 yrs.-6 yrs. • Hours: 8:30am-3pm • school@olgcnj.org Our Lady of Good Counsel School features full- and half-day pre-kindergarten programs, as well as full-day kindergarten. Children in first through eighth grades are educated in a top-notch, Catholic school environment, where our mission to form students in the image of Jesus Christ is reinforced daily. We provide education in music, art, specialized clubs, sports, after-school enrichment programs such as Lego Robotics and Latin, Spanish, technology, and physical education. Students do not need to be Catholic to attend our school.

Please call to arrange a tour. Financial aid and volunteer opportunities available. AY, SP, AS

CAMDEN COUNTY BEECHWOOD SCHOOL, PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN 441 Beechwood Ave., Haddonfield, NJ • 856-429-0303 • TheBeechwoodSchool.com • Ages: 2½ yrs.-K Preschool, Kindergarten, Childcare. Beechwood School is a family-owned, independent, statelicensed school since 1951. We offer both half-day and full-day classes year round for children 2½ through kindergarten. Call for a tour. FY, AY, SP, MP, BS, AS, DYF PRIMROSE SCHOOL OF CHERRY HILL 1875 Rt. 70 East., Cherry Hill, NJ 8856-242-0034 • www.primrosecherryhill.com Ages: 6 wks.-Pre-K • Hours: 6:30am to 6:00pm Primrose Schools® is a national system of accredited private preschools that provides a premier early education and child care experience for children and families. Our Franchise Owners, Leadership Teams and School Staff partner with parents to help build the right foundation for future learning and in life. FY, AY, SP, BS, AS, MP, DA, SN, NAEYC

30 MetroKids.com

CAMDEN COUNTY (continued) SARI ISDANER EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER AT THE KATZ JCC 1301 Springdale Rd., Cherry Hill, NJ • 856-424-4444 • KatzJCC.org/ECE Ages: 6 wks.-K • Hours: 6:45am-6:15pm, M-Th; 6pm, F Infant/Toddler Day Care, Flexible Part-Time Nursery Programs, Half- & Full-Day Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Transitional Kindergarten, & Parent/Child Classes. Enriching curriculum, based in Jewish values, in state-of-the-art, child-friendly facility.

Program allows children to develop cognitively, academically, socially and emotionally and encourages the development of their inner resources: curiosity, creativity, imagination, independence, love of learning and self-esteem. Children will learn reading readiness, science, math, language, social studies, music, art, swim, gym & Jewish holiday and cultural celebrations. STEAM is incorporated to encourage creative learning and problem solving.

Facility includes age-appropriate classrooms with learning and play centers, computer labs, 3 playgrounds including indoor play structure, indoor pool, gym & secure entrance. Contact for free tour. FY, AY, SP, BS, AS, DA, SN, DHS*, DE, NAEYC SHINING LIGHTS PRESCHOOL AND DAYCARE CENTER 1720 Springdale Rd., Cherry Hill, NJ • 856-424-4915 www.shininglightsonline.org • Ages: 6 wks.-5 yrs. • Hours: 7:00am-6pm M-F Bible-based curriculum designed by our degreed director and certified teachers focuses on your child’s individual needs. Each classroom boasts hands-on exploration and discovery promoting learning centers. Small class sizes allow a variety of programs, which include: field trips, holiday shows, cooking projects and themed days. State-of-the-art security system and fenced-in playground. FY, AY, SP, DA, DYF SOUTH JERSEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 406 Church Rd., Sicklerville, NJ • 856-728-2001 www.sjchristianacademy.org • Ages: PK - 7th Grade • Hours: 8:15am-3pm M-F South Jersey Christian Academy offers an affordable Christian education for students, Preschool through 7th Grade, in the South Jersey area. We educate today’s children to be tomorrow’s Christian leaders. AY, BS, AS

GLOUCESTER COUNTY BUILDING BLOCKS CHILDCARE Applewood Dr., Logan Township • 856-975-6247 www.buildingblockscc.vpweb.com • Ages: 6 wks-12 yrs • Hours: 24 hours Building Blocks Childcare is a 24-hr. home care facility. We have daily age-appropriate activities.

We also go on local trips to the park and library, as well as field trips. We are very flexible and have rates from daily to rates that include overtime. We also accept Rutgers vouchers. Rutgers Resource and Referral. FY, MP, BS, AS, DA, TP, SN HOLDING HANDS FAMILY CHILD CARE & PLAY CENTER 138 Tomlin Station Rd., Mullica Hill, NJ • 856-467-6811 Ages: Infant-School Age • Hours: 6am-6:30pm A place for families providing exceptional care, engaged learning and everyday play.

A full-service center in a new facility with a gym, three playgrounds, access control system and video monitoring. FY, SP, BS, AS, DA, DHS*

BUCKS COUNTY BRIGHT BEGINNERS ACADEMY 800 Clarmont Ave., Suite A, Bensalem, PA 19020 267-520-7200 • http://brightbeginnersacademy.com Ages: 6 wks.- 6 yrs. • Hours: 6:45am - 6pm Our preschool is designed to meet the needs of every child in a developmentally inclusive setting. Our program encourages progress at a child’s own pace and according to individual needs and abilities. Play-based learning centers for math, science, dramatic play, blocks, music, creative art and technology provide opportunities to balance and stimulate both shared and independent learning experiences. Private pay and subsidized funding accepted, infant and toddler care available. Parent volunteer opportunities available. FY, AY, SP, DA, SN, DHS*, DE

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Terms/Conditions: Two ways to redeem this offer: 1) For guaranteed entry, book online at LEGOLANDDiscoveryCenter.com under the “buy tickets” tab select “promotional code” and enter the code provided below. 2) Walk-up and present this offer to LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia. Offer valid at admissions only when walk-up tickets are available. This offer is only valid on the full price rate and does not include a LEGO collectible. Online reservations strongly encouraged. Copies are not accepted. Cannot be combined with any other promotional offers. This voucher must be surrendered upon arrival. Final interpretation resides with Merlin Entertainments.

Code: MetroKids18 Exp: 12/31/2018

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Private Special Education … an Option You Should Know About!

Sometimes, it starts with a twinkle in the eye. Just a little spark of curiosity that soon blossoms into a journey of discovery, learning and achievement. That’s because at our private special education schools, we see beyond a child’s disability, and awaken the joy and creative expression within.

Our schools are welcoming places where students feel at home and are able to enjoy a rich and rewarding social life. Our students feel cherished, well cared for and respected for a very good reason—it is part of our mission and our commitment.

Students at our special education schools experience a school day as it should be—filled with discovery, achievement, learning and friendship. Here, they have people they know they can count on—outstanding teachers, therapists, counselors, psychologists and job coaches who constantly encourage and support them.

With individualized attention, on-site therapies and vocational training, our schools deliver unparalleled services for students with special needs. Our New Jersey Department of Education certified special education teachers, licensed therapists and counselors provide expert, advanced instruction and support … along with plenty of smiles.

These unique services are provided at NO COST for families.

Find out if private special education is the right fit for your child. Our staff can help answer your questions.

To find out more about what programs may be right for your child, call us at 1-800-697-8555 or visit SpecialEducationSchools.org

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