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Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

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My Montessori-Sudbury Sudbury, MA 978-883-8000 Nashoba Montessori School Lancaster, MA 978-365-6669 Newburyport Montessori School Newburyport, MA 978-462-7165 Newton Montessori School Newton, MA 617-969-4488 North Shore Montessori School Rowley, MA 978-495-2244 Norwood Montessori School Norwood, MA 781-769-6150 Notre Dame Children’s Class Wenham, MA 978-468-1340 Oak Meadow School Littleton, MA 978-486-9874 Old Colony Montessori School Hingham, MA 781-749-3698 Panda Cub Academy Brookline, MA 617-614-7709 Pincushion Hill Montessori School Ashland, MA 508-881-2123 Pinewood School of Montessori Plymouth, MA 508-746-5127 Pioneer Valley Montessori School 413-782-3108 www.msmresources.org Pond View Montessori School Dedham, MA 781-801-7939 Acton Montessori School Acton, MA 978-263-4333 Acton Montessori School Acton, MA Reading Montessori School Petersham Montessori School Reading, MA 781-944-1057Petersham, MA Adams Montessori Quincy, MA 617-773-8200 AdamsSchool Montessori School Quincy, MA River Valley Charter School Pincushion Hill Newburyport, Montessori MA School 978-465 0065Ashland, MA Amesbury Montessori School 978-518-5113 Amesbury Montessori Amesbury, School MA Amesbury, MA Pioneer Valley Montessori Rock and Roll Preschool Cambridge, MASchool 857-259-6891Springfield, MA Amherst Montessori School Amherst, MA 413-253-3101 Amherst Montessori School Amherst, MASam Placentino Elementary Reading Montessori School School Holliston, MA 508-429-0647Reading, MA Andover School of Montessori, Andover, MA 978-475-2299 Andover SchoolInc. of Montessori, Inc. Andover, MA Sandwich MontessoriRiver School SchoolValley Charter Sandwich, MA 508-888-4222Newburyport, MA Bay Farm Montessori Academy Duxbury, MA 781-934-7101 Bay Farm Montessori Academy Duxbury, MASeaside Montessori School Riverbend School Hull, MA 781-773-1588Natick, MA Bedford Montessori Bedford, MA 781-275-3344 BedfordSchool Montessori School Bedford, MA Sam Placentino Elementary School Holliston, MA Shrewsbury Montessori School Shrewsbury, MA 508-842-2116 Bellingham Children’ s HouseChildren's Bellingham, 508-966-2752 Bellingham House MA Bellingham, MA Seaside Montessori School Hull, MA Summit Montessori School Framingham, MA 508-872-3630 Bridgeview MontessoriCanton, SchoolMA Sagamore, MA Shrewsbury Montessori School Shrewsbury, MA Blue Hill Montessori 781-828-5230 Sunrise Montessori School Franklin, MA 508-541-8010 BurlingtonSchool Montessori Sagamore, School MA Burlington, MA Silver Spruce Montessori School Grafton, MA Bridgeview Montessori 508-888-3567 Tara Montessori School Manchester, MA 978-526-8487 CA Montessori CenterMA Framingham, MA Spanish Immersion Montessori Newton, MA Burlington Montessori School Children's Burlington, 781-273-0432 Thacher Montessori School Milton,School MA 617-361-2522Framingham, MA Cambridge Montessori School Cambridge, MA Summit Montessori CA Montessori Children’s Center Framingham, MA 508-628-8429 781-334-6436Franklin, MA Children'sSchool Montessori Cambridge, Center MA Danvers, MAThe Bethlehem SchoolSunrise Montessori School Cambridge Montessori 617-492-3410 The Bilingual Montessori Children's Own School, Inc. Winchester , MA Tara Montessori School Manchester, MA Children’s House Montessori West Roxbury, MA 617-325-2233 School of Sharon Thacher Montessori Sharon,School MA 781-784-3000Milton, MA Children's Workshop Montessori Marblehead, MA Children’s Montessori Center Danvers, MA 978-774-2144 of Bilingual Montessori School Christian Family Montessori School Holliston, MAThe Montessori School The Sharon, MA Children’s Workshop Montessori Marblehead, MA 781-631-8687 Northampton, MA 413-586-4538Canton, MA Concord Montessori School Concord, MA Northampton The Blue Hill Montessori Christian Family Montessori School Holliston, MA 508-429-5478 of Montessori School of the Berkshires Cottage Montessori Arlington, MAThe Montessori School The Lenox Dale, MA Concord Montessori School Concord, MA 978-369-5900 the Berkshires Lenox Dale, MASchool 413-637-3662Sandwich, MA eBridge Montessori School Westborough, MA The Sandwich Montessori Dandelion Montessori Coop 617-354-6400 The Riverbend SchoolThe T.E.C. School Natick, MA 508-655 7333Worcester, MA Hands-On Montessori Cambridge, School MA Mansfield, MA Hands-On Montessori School 508-339-4667 The Wellesley Montessori School, Inc. Wellesley, MA 781-237-6670 Harborlight Montessori Beverly, MA The Westwood Montessori School Westwood, MA Harborlight-Stoneridge School Westwood, 781-329-5557Boston, MA Hill View Montessori Charter Public School Haverhill, MAThe Westwood Montessori Torit Montessori School MA Montessori Beverly, MA 978-922-1008 Cambridge, MA 617-349-6600Sturbridge, MA InlySchool School Scituate, MATobin Montessori School Treetops Montessori School Inly School Keystone Montessori School Scituate, MA 781-545-5544 ToritMA Language CenterVineyard MontessoriMontessori Boston,School MA 617-292-5181Vineyard Haven, MA N. Chelmsford, Keystone Montessori SchoolMontessori North Chelmsford, MA 978-251-2929 School Park Montessori Sturbridge, MA King's Wood School Foxboro, MA Treetops Montessori Walnut School 508-347-8059Newton, MA King’s WoodKingsley MontessoriMontessori School Foxboro, MA 508-543-6391 School Boston, MA Urban Village Montessori Wild Rose Montessori Haverhill,School MA 978-361-0793Somerville, MA Kingsley Montessori School Boston, MA 617-226-4900 Lexington Montessori School Lexington, MA Montessori School Vineyard Montessori Wildflower School Vineyard Haven, MA 508-693-4090Cambridge, MA Lexington Montessori School Montessori Lexington, MA 781-862-8571 Longmeadow Internationale Longmeadow, MA Park Montessori Wollaston Walnut School Hill Montessori Newton, MA School 617-969-9208Quincy, MA LongmeadowMarigold MontessoriMontessori School Haverhill, MAWollaston Hill Montessori Woodside Montessori Academy 617-237-0722Millis, MA School Quincy, MA Internationale Longmeadow, MA 413-567-1820 Meeting House Montessori Braintree, MAWoodside Montessori Academy Millis, MA 508-376-5320 Melrose Montessori Melrose, MA 781-665-0621 MelroseSchool Montessori School Melrose, MA Country Village Montessori Northeast SchoolMontessori Amherst,Institute NH 603-672-3882Rockport, ME Oaks Montessori School Auburn, MA Hollis Montessori School Seacoast CenterHollis, for Education Mighty OaksMighty Montessori School Auburn, MA 508-304-7110 NH 603-400-1515Warren , ME Montessori Beginnings School Sandwich, MA Winfield Children’s House Falmouth, ME Montessori Academy of Cape Cod North Falmouth, MA 508-563-9010 Seacoast Center for Education Stratham, NH 603-590-6360 Montessori Day SchoolSandwich, of Wellesley Wellesley Hills, MA Casa dei Bambini Children’s Center Bow, NH Montessori Beginnings School MA Hills 508-477-7730 Southern NH Education Center Londonderry, NH 603-818-8613 Montessori Escuela Belmont, MA Hollis Montessori School Hollis, NH Montessori Country Day Montessori of Greenwich Bay East Greenwich, RI 401-234-1243 Institute-New England Beverly, MA New England Montessori Goffstown, NH School ofMontessori Holden Holden, MA 508-829-2999 Brattleboro,VT Montessori Boston, MA Hilltop Montessori School Southern NH Education Academy 802-257-0500Londonderry, NH Montessori Day School Parent Child Center Montessori School of Northampton Northampton, MA Montessori Pathways of New England Exeter, RI of Wellesley Hills Wellesley Hills, MA 781-795-5571 The listed schools do not discriminate in admission, My Montessori of Sudbury Sudbury, MA Montessori School of Greenwich Bay East Greenwich, RI Montessori Escuela Belmont, MA 508-454-0631 My Montessori of at Woburn Woburn, MA Sea Rose Montessori Co-op School Portsmouth, RI Montessori Institute-New England Harborlight-Stoneridge practices on theSchool basis of race, color, Brattleboro, VT Nashoba Lancaster, MAand employment Hilltop Montessori Montessori School Montessori School Beverly, MA 978-927-9600 Newburyport Montessori School Newburyport,national MA or ethnic origin, or any other protected category Montessori Parent Child Center Boston, MA 617-513-4270 Newton Montessori School Newton, MA under applicable Federal or State laws. My Montessori of Woburn Woburn, MA 781-333-4898 The listed schools do not discriminate in admission, financial North Shore Montessori School Rowley, MA aid, or administration of their educational policies and Norwood Montessori School Norwood, MA employment practices on the basis of race, color, national or Oak Meadow School Littleton, MA ethnic origin, or any other protected category under applicable Old Colony Montessori School Hingham, MA

Montessori IS 21st Century Education

Find a Montessori school near you...

Federal or State laws.

February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com

Contents

February 2018 Volume 33 • Number 6

What’s Inside 6

Family F.Y.I.

Valentine’s Day Ideas Black History Month Happy Chinese New Year

20 Calendar 30 Singleminded

Don’t Take it Personally

Features

Trip! 10 Road The Inn at East Hill Farm Not only is East Hill Farm easy to get to—it is both an all-inclusive resort and a true recreational and educational farm experience.

Smiley Snowy Tarzan

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE INN AT EAST HILL FARM

Directories 17 25 27 29

Camps and Summer Programs Schools & Childcare Centers Entertainment & Party Needs Classes and Enrichment

Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

Boston Parent 841 Worcester Street Suite 344 Natick, MA 01760 Tel/Fax 617-522-1515 Email us at info@bostonparentspaper.com Visit us online at BostonParentsPaper.com

Vacation Week Road Trip Ideas for an enjoyable road trip

A Grand Camp Experience Grandparents and Grandkids Share the Fun

PUBLISHERS Robert and Tracy McKean ART DIRECTOR Debbi Murzyn ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jean Abernathy ADVERTISING SALES Holly Castro, David Morney

Boston Parents Paper is published monthly by Parenting Media Inc. Please note that the advertisements in this magazine are paid for, which allows this magazine to be free to the consumer. 60,000 copies of Boston Parents Paper are distributed to more than 1600 locations in the region. Past issues are available on our website, www.BostonParentsPaper.com Send letters to the editor or article submissions to editor@bostonparent.com. Submit events to our Family Friendly Calendar at bostonparentspaper.com/event/

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Rich curriculum for Preschoolers age 2.9 to 5 years, on our beautiful campus with ample outdoor activities, all just minutes from RT. 9. Call CSC Director Lynne Love, 617-731-7039 400 Heath St., Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 | www.pmc.edu/csc

VACATION ART PROGRAMS

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FEBRUARY, APRIL & 10 WEEKS OF SUMMER Drawing, painting, clay, and performing arts for Grades K-11! www.newartcenter.org 617.964.3424 February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com

✼ Family F.Y.I. tine’s Day Hug) and let your child decorate the heart and arms with markers, crayons, glitter, stickers and/or stick on gems. Fold the arms over as if they are giving the heart a hug. This makes a great decoration around the house or a great gift for a loved one.

4 Sweets & Treats 5Handmade Valentines 6Valentine Crayons

Head to the kitchen and make cookies or cupcakes to decorate with pink frosting and sprinkles. Make Valentines for your children’s friends and loved ones, or even deliver to a local nursing home!

Valentine’s Day Ideas FOR KIDS

alentine’s Day is all about romance and chocolate. Once you have children, the holiday tends to change a little. It usually includes spending time celebrating with your children – and having to share that box of chocolate with them. Make this year’s Valentine’s Day fun and special for your children. Check out the 10 ways to celebrate below.

1Get Crafty

Decorate a T-shirt or onesie with your child. They can decorate with hearts and puffy paints, and wear it proudly!

Breakfast Surprise

Surprise them with cupcakes for breakfast, surrounded by candy hearts. You can tie a heart balloon on their chairs for an extra surprise.

Create Hearts

Trace your child’s arms and hands. Cut them out and then attach to each side of a heart. In the center you can write a saying (Happy Valentine’s Day XOXO, A Valen-

Buy a silicon tray with hearts (you can pick these up at a craft store). Collect all your broken crayons and fill each heart with different colors. Place in a 200 degree oven and watch closely until they melt. Let cool and you now have a great Valentine crayon heart to give out to friends.

7Crafts

Decorate the house with Valentine’s Day crafts. For an easy craft, cut strips of paper and fold them into a heart shape. Great way to make paper chains!

8Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt 9 Family Move Night

Write clues on pieces of paper that lead children to a special treat or gift. Get the popcorn ready and snuggle in to watch a cute Valentine’s Day movie like Lady and the Tramp or Mickey and Minnie’s Sweetheart Stories.

10Love Letters 11Game Night

10 “love” notes telling your children something special you love about them. Have a special dinner with the family, then enjoy a night playing their favorite games. These 10 ideas, crafts and treats are the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with you family.

1822

Valentine’s Day just wouldn’t be the same without a signature heart-

shaped box of chocolates. But do you know who originated the sweet treat? In 1822, John Cadbury, originally a coffee and tea shop owner, began producing chocolates. That very same year his son Richard brainstormed the idea of packing them up in the first-ever heart-shaped box. We’d love to know if recipients back then looted through to find the caramels like we do. 6

Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

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Untold American Stories: Black History Month February School Vacation Week Programming Tuesday, February 20 to Friday, February 23 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Join us for a fun-filled week of educational programming, as we explore inspirational tales of an inventor, a dancer, and a freedom fighter! In collaboration with Sweet Blackberry, as well as local artists and innovators, the Library will offer morning and afternoon activities, centered on invention, dance, poetry, and art-making, to complement short film screenings. Don’t forget to check out our all-day art activities. And be sure to explore the Mapparium®—it’s free all week for everyone 17 and younger! 200 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston

MBELIBRARY.ORG | 617-450-7203 Open Tuesday–Sunday · 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com

✼ Family F.Y.I. History and Fun During Black History Month

frican Americans lived freely in Boston during a time when those in the South were still living in slavery. By the year 1800, Boston’s free African-American community was one of the largest in North America. If you’re looking for ways to observe Black History Month in February with your family, try these Boston attractions:

Celebrating February Holidays

he whole world is familiar with Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year, and in the U.S. we have Groundhog Day, Presidents’ Day, plus a few important birthdays to celebrate, but how many other February holidays are you familiar with? Maybe you celebrate No Brainer Day or Polar Bear Day, both on Feb. 27. Then there is Lost Penny Day on the 12th which was ‘invented’ to encourage people to look around their homes for all of their stray coins (lost pennies), gather them up and donate them to charity. Other honorable mentions are National Margarita Day, World Thinking Day and Be Humble Day all share the 22nd. There are certainly some great holidays to celebrate during February and if you don’t get any chocolates on Valentine’s Day don’t worry as the 15th of February is Gumdrop Day so you can have your fill of sugar then!

1976

The Boston African American National Historic Site – The National Park Service has designated 15 pre-Civil War structures located on the north slope of Boston’s Beacon Hill as a historic site. The area is comprised of the Black Heritage Trail and the Museum of African American History, among other structures. These all honor the 19th-century African Americans who lived freely in Boston and were leaders in the Abolition Movement, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War and early struggles for civil rights and education. Learn more about this site at nps.gov/boa. The Black Heritage Trail – This 1.6-mile walk takes you past 14 Beacon Hill-area sites related to Boston’s 19th-century black community, beginning with a memorial honoring Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts’ 54th Regiment, the first African Americans to fight in the Civil War. The African Meeting House, established in 1806 and the last stop on the trail, is the oldest existing black congregation church in the country. The National Park Service offers guided walking tours of the trail daily from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend and at other times by special request. Self-guided tour information is also available. For more information, contact the park service at 617-742-5414 or visit afroammuseum.org/trail.

The Black Heritage Trail

The Museum of African American History – Located at 46 Joy St., in Boston, the historic African Meeting House and Abiel Smith School make up this museum that chronicles black history in Boston. The school building, the nation’s first public school for African American children, houses the museum’s exhibit galleries. See our calendar for more ways to celebrate Black History Month.

Happy Chinese New Year! 2018 is the Year of the Dog, specifically the “wood dog” as earth is the governing element of the two year-period corresponding to the year 4716 within the chronology of the Chinese calendar. Feb. 16 is Chinese New Year Day, the first day of the Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese Spring Festival. In China, the celebration starts on Feb. 15 (New Year’s Eve) and continues for seven days.

It was in 1976 that the federal government officially declared February as Black History Month. Initially, in 1926, it simply began as a weeklong recognition of the role blacks have played in the evolution of the United States, thanks to NAACP leader Carter G. Woodson. The second week of February was chosen because it concurred with the birthdays of both abolitionist Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. 8

Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

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The Inn at East Hill Farm Year-Round Family Farm Stays

By Alyson Gregory

EARCHING FOR YOUR NEXT MEMORABLE VACATION DESTINATION SANS AIRFARE? You might not have been thinking “Agritourism,” but that isn’t a reason not to pull out your wellies! Not only is East Hill Farm easy to get to—it is both an all-inclusive resort and a true recreational and educational farm experience. With a nonstop immersive activity schedule for all ages, home-cooked meals, mountain

Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

views, and a spotty WiFi connection endearingly referred to as “Country WiFi,” quality time with the fam is a sure thing. Think sleepaway camp for the entire family! You’ll find the Inn nestled at the base of Mt. Monadnock, just a short drive north from New Hampshire’s southwest “quiet corner.” A couple of full-body breaths will come easy as you admire the panoramic backdrop of this rural, working farm on your stroll into the main Inn’s cozy

ICE HARVASTING PHOTO COURTESY OF THE INN AT EAST HILL FARM

Road Trip!

farmhouse, complete with a wooden screen door that will bang shut behind you. Check-in is an exciting affair for everyone among the hustle and bustle of new and returning families settling in, and it starts with a quick orientation tour and rundown of the weekend activity schedule. Among them: DJ family dance party and cheese making with Farmer Dave. Your kids will beam when the friendly staff hands them over an empty egg carton for collecting their breakfast from the chicken coop the next morning. This is the moment you forget where your car is parked. Other morning “working” farm activities include milking a cow and a goat in the barn—and there’s no shortage of daily chores that need getting done if you’d like to lend more of a hand! Talk to the barn staff, and while you’re in there, sign up for horseback riding. There are pony rides for the littlest, and Junior Wrangler lessons and trail rides for the bigger kids. Don’t miss the Udder to Butter workshop after lunch for the ultimate buttermaking experience for all ages—you’ll be able to taste it on your bread come dinnertime! Most indoor activities take place back in the main Inn, where you’ll want to keep an eye on the illustrated

Mount Monadnock at 3,165 feet is North America’s most frequently climbed mountain. activity board. The full day’s schedule is laid out visually so even the youngest of your clan can gather round and make their picks. What does the picture of the marshmallow tower mean? A Marshmallow Building Contest of course—fun no matter what the season! The downstairs rec room is where you’ll find the ping-pong tournaments, and is a hive of activity offering various arts & crafts for toddlers to teens. EHF’s warm and multitalented staff turn out to be expert face painters! They are the ones who will be hosting the kids-only party later on while the adults gather in the dining hall upstairs for cocktails and some classic retro-style hors d’oeuvres. The not-to-be missed activity of the evening? Family Bingo—with prizes from the gift shop! The dining room is a great open and inviting space resembling a cross between the mess hall from The Parent Trap and your favorite coffee shop. You may have spotted your name on a place card on your first lap through —just another way you’ll know you’ve arrived somewhere special! Each family has their own separate table assigned to them for the weekend, and meals are home-cooked and all you can eat. Diet restrictions? No problem—the staff will happily accommodate any and all special requests including gluten-free, low-sugar,

UPCOMING EVENTS Feb 9-11

February Flashback Weekend

Feb 16-19

President’s Day Weekend

Feb 19-23

February Vacation Week

Mar. 30-Apr.1 Easter Weekend April 13-15

Step Back in Time Weekend

April 27-29

Cooking with Kids Family Weekend

May 4-6

Connect with Nature Weekend

and allergies. A weekend stay includes three meals a day plus a bottomless cookie jar (homemade of course) with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and snacks available anytime. Breakfast includes fresh-baked muffins and cooked-toorder eggs, lunch a savory hot and cold buffet, and dinner a full-course, family-style affair with entrée choices and a full kids menu. And don’t forget to take your table’s leftover bread—the farm animals will be expecting it for breakfast the next morning! Whether you choose lodging in the main Inn’s 1834 farmhouse, or opt for one of the property’s cottages, you’ll be sure to find something that suits your family. With 65 guest rooms ranging from basic to deluxe, all accommodations have private bathrooms and the more modern units have beyond-basic amenities like television, AC, and fireplaces. Layout options are plentiful with sitting areas, twin rooms, and private living rooms and can be viewed on the Inn’s website. Many have stunning views of Mt. Monadnock and the property’s Perkins Pond. With 150 acres to explore, and an abundant seasonal activity schedule 365 days a year, there’s no reason to leave the grounds until you are headed home. So dress for the weather and inspire a love of the great outdoors in your family. Winter activities include sledding, ice skating in a “naturally cooled” outbuilding, and even a Night Walk led by Naturalist Hans Meyer. Bring your own skis if you have them, or rent them at the Inn and take off on the cross-country trails steps away. Want to learn to snow shoe? The Inn’s got you covered! When you get cold, there are plenty of cozy nooks to warm everyone up back at the main lodge. Grab a game or book from the front desk, kick off your boots, and relax around the fireplace with your family. If the Inn at East Hill Farm had a motto, it would be “Where Traditions Start.” 460 Monadnock St., Troy, NH, 603-242-6495, east-hill-farm.com

GLAD YOU KNOW

Tradition abounds here at the farm in every season with many families rebooking the same dates next year, so choose your week or weekend wisely. You’ll have first dibs on your accommodations when checking out! If you opt for one of the more rustic cottages, you may want to throw some extra blankets and pillows in the car! Also, accommodations requiring a cot may elicit a Princess and the Pea response from certain children. February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com

VACATION WEEK ROAD TRIP

Going Away By Anne Sandoval

for February Vacation?

USE THESE IDEAS FOR AN ENJOYABLE ROAD TRIP.

he road less traveled can be a long one filled with a whole lot of "Are we there yets?" Curb their boredom by packing creative travel kits for kids, no matter how big or small your brood. Whether your focus is on filling tummies, entertaining or pulling off the perfect surprise, these tips can help you have the best family vacation yet!

Snack Attack

No long road trip or airplane ride is complete without snacks. It’s essential to ensure the whole family has the energy needed for a lengthy day of travel. Too often vacation snacks are chosen for their convenience, resulting in break foods that have less nutritional value, offer less variety and provide less satisfaction. For road trip snacks that make every traveling tummy smile, try one of our suggestions for fun snack packs.

Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

A healthy option is bento snacks. Inspired by the traditional Japanese box with compartments for various food items, bento boxes are perfect for providing variety and organization. You can purchase bento lunchboxes, but it’s just as easy to find plastic storage containers with divided sections at your local grocery store. For healthier boxes, pack the most nutritional items in the larger container sections, and place special treats in the smaller sections. Here are a few ideas for delish snack boxes your kids will love. Keep in mind, most bento boxes should be packed in your car cooler to keep them fresh. • PB & Fruity – In the large section of the container, add slices of your child’s favorite fruit, such as sliced apples. In the smaller section, place 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, almond butter or similar. In the third section, add grapes or pretzels.

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February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com

• Please & Crackers – In the large section of the container, place a variety of reduced fat or wholewheat crackers. In the smaller sections, place your child’s favorite sliced cheese and lunch meat. Think of this as a make-at-home lunchable box. • Beachy Keen – This seaside-themed box is fun for travelers heading toward a beach destination. In the smaller sections, place goldfish crackers and Swedish fish. In the larger section, include graham crackers for sand and blueberries for ocean water. For a different type of snack-time fun, select a variety of healthy snacks your kids enjoy and place them in a brown paper lunch bag. Pack one lunch bag for each member of the family. When it’s snack time, have the kids close their eyes and pull out a snack surprise!

Game On

Classic car games like counting license plates and new technologies like portable tablets are fine for entertaining your kids on long car rides, but it’s only so long before you tire of counting or the tablet battery goes kaput. We recommend making a road trip activity kit for each of your young travelers to keep them entertained well into the next state. It’s easier than you think to put together your own road trip activity book. The best way to keep your kids interested is to theme your activities around the trip you’re taking. Whether you’re visiting a famous landmark or journeying to see loved ones, basing your child’s activities on your destination is a great way to get them excited about your trip. Start with a classic three-prong folder with pockets. Write your child’s name on the front, but leave most of the cover available for them to decorate with vacationthemed stickers you’ve placed in the folder pockets. Fill the folder with activity pages that are age appropriate. For younger kids, we recommend coloring sheets. You can print-out coloring sheets online, or put a prompt at the top of a blank page like “Our February Vacation” and see what they produce with their imagination! You can even write a short story about your trip and have them illustrate it. For older kids, add in vacation-themed word searches, crosswords, mad libs and more. Add blank pages for things like postcards and family photos. Along with the folders, activity pages and stickers, be sure to pack colored pencils and washable markers. Never pack crayons in the car, since the wax will melt in the hot vehicle. Place the coloring tools in a plastic zip-top

usscm.org | 617-426-1812 • Interactive exhibits for all ages! • Open 7 days a week • Admission by donation 14

Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

bag or pencil pouch. If you have multiple kids, you’ll avoid complaints by packing the same colors for each child. Activity books can turn typical road trip activities into something specially made for your vacation. Plus, these folders offer a great way to remember your vacation.

Happy Hunting

Everyone loves a good scavenger hunt. Why not turn your road trip into one? There are plenty of ways to plan a road trip scavenger hunt, depending on how much time you want to devote to the activity. If you’re the type of planner who wants to get to your destination ASAP, you won’t want to be adding extra stops to your journey. The best thing to do is create a photo hunt so that the kids can hunt for and take pictures of solutions to their clues right from the back seat. With silly clues that are slightly vague, you will end up with some pretty fun photos and happy kids. For example, “Hunt for something that is red and has animals inside,” could be a barn or it could be a car driving next to you!

Night Cap

For safety reasons, we don’t usually recommend driving “straight through.” Make the most of an added stop by turning it into a surprise for the kiddos. Research ahead of time which towns and cities are near your midway point and choose one that has some unique attractions the whole family can enjoy. Remember, it might be worth going an hour out of the way for a pristine beach, a national monument or a city on your bucket list.

Oddities & Attractions

Some of the most unique attractions can be found along America’s highways. When you see billboards advertising the world’s largest rocking chair or the Leaning Tower of Pizza, go ahead and exit the highway. These odd-ball attractions are one of the coolest things about road trips, and they make for fun photo opportunities that might even be worthy of your annual holiday card.

Element of Surprise

For the ultimate kiddy surprise this winter vacation, see if you can get away with keeping your entire destination a surprise! For older kids, this is a fun way to get them to use their investigative skills. For younger kids, the awe on their faces when you arrive might be totally worth it. Anne Sandoval is a travel lover and marketing manager for hotelcoupons.com and Drive the Nation.

“The best hands-on Museum I’ve seen.”

Down the Black Hole at Camp Tecumseh YMCA’s Grand Camp

A Grand Camp Experience Grandparents and Grandkids Share the Fun By Teresa Nicodemus

rush of wind, then letting go. Down The Black Hole they fly! Choking back laughter, eight-year-old Kayla clutches the sled. She can’t see the delighted smile from her grandmother Jane, who sits close behind her as they whirl through the darkness — but she can feel it. No snow, hats, or mittens needed as they fly into the

vortex and out the other end in a whoosh of air and a big exhale of hilarious glee. The Black Hole slide is the resounding favorite of older and younger campers alike during Camp Tecumseh YMCA’s Grand Camp in Brookston, Indiana. Fifty-seven-yearold grandparent Jane VanSickle has attended the camp every year with February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com

her granddaughter Kayla since the inaugural Grand asleep immediately. Isn’t parenting grand!” comments Camp session four years ago. “It is the one time when we VanSickle. are able to get together without mom and dad. I get her Or, you can just go fishing. With a glistening pond all to myself,” says VanSickle. “Camp makes me look like stocked with trout, grandparents and grandchildren a hero in the eyes of my granddaughter. I don’t have to at Lazy F Camp and Retreat Center in Ellensburg, cook or do anything. The camp does it all.” Washington, like to “catch the big one.” “Catching fish is Kathy Holderly, grandmother of two grandchildren a real highlight!” says Carol Anne “CA” Roys, a sixty-fiveages five and six, agrees, “My grandchildren were year-old grandmother who has been going to Lazy F for impressed that ‘grandma’ would actually go down The thirty years – the first twenty years in camp counseling Black Hole. Not every grandparent would go down it, – then the last ten taking all three of her grandchildren, you know. It’s fun for the grandkids to see me in jeans Brittany, the oldest, started camping at age five; Natalie, and a sweatshirt, sweating it eleven; and Garik, eight. “Going to out with the rest of them. The grandparents’ camp gives them a kids are always talking about foundation and security to go to what a good time they had camp on their own. My grandson with me at camp. We stay in Garik says he’s more responsible Grand Camps have successthe same cabin; it’s like a big and he can go to camp by himself. fully emerged to meet the needs slumber party.” He went to camp for the first time of significant numbers of acby himself this year,” comments Fun and Adventure! tive senior citizens across the Roys. Use your imagination and country. The growth in the older When granddaughter Brittany the simple Black Hole slide was asked about her favorite acpopulation is expected to mushconstructed of corrugated tubtivity with her grandmother, she room between the years of 2010 ing becomes an all-weather, replied, “The time that we spent at and 2030 as the baby boomers dry-run sledding adventure. campfire doing songs and games. reach sixty-five, according to the “We wanted a safe alternative Just the fact of spending time with government’s Administration to snow sledding. The Black my grandma.” Hole is perfect,” comments Jaon Aging. By the year 2030, the son Sims, retreats and group Camp: The Generation Connection elderly population will reach 70 experiences director for Camp Dave Burfeind, director of Lazy F million, more than double the Tecumseh. “We’ve found that Camp and Retreat Center, feels the number of seniors in the year this weekend session was a Grand Camp sessions are “a good 2000. At least 25.4 percent of great time for the two generaway to connect generations. It’s a the elderly population will be tions to spend quality time great opportunity for grandparents minorities. together to share stories, famto have their own bonding time ily history, and an experience with the grandkids.” that lasts a lifetime.” “When I arrive at camp with my Use your imagination again, grandchildren there is a joy in my and an afternoon at camp becomes a day in the life of a heart. I have this little moment where I say, ‘Here I am, pioneer as Camp Tecumseh grand campers and children God!’ I think it is extremely important to go to camp. It learn the art of dipping candles and grinding corn to changes people’s lives. You find support and caring from make “Johnny cakes.” VanSickle says Kayla is a picky other people as you raise your grandchildren. It’s a safe eater, but because the kids prepare the cakes, she loves place to take the children; you don’t feel the fear that you them. sometimes experience in society,” comments Roys. The pioneer plan for making Johnny cakes isn’t as In Portland, Oregon, at the Oregon-Idaho Conference easy as eating them. The young and young at heart learn United Methodist Church, which operates three camps, what it was like to live without grocery stores, elecincluding Grand Camp sessions from Idaho to Oregon, tric ovens, and McDonald’s, reliving together pioneer Executive Director Lisa Jean Hoefner sees those generamoments as real as the calluses on their hands, which tions connecting firsthand. “Grand Camp strengthens slowly appear from grinding corn with a rock. “Campers relationships through the shared experience. Ten years make delicious Johnny cakes from the simple ingredifrom now children will remember, ‘when we did this . . ents of homegrown (and ground) corn, sugar, and water,” .,’” says Hoefner. “It’s about the sheer joy of seeing the explains Sims. “They learn about growing wheat, thresh- world through a child’s eyes – a hummingbird going to ing wheat, processing it for cooking. They bake biscuits the feeder, the waves, accomplishing rowing together, in an earthen, igloo-shaped beehive oven, similar to an building that sense of shared memories.” old-fashioned pizza oven. Of course, they all enjoy eatSometimes those shared memories are not only ing what they make, too! Probably a highlight of their measured in significant moments but in earning yelpioneer learning experience!” low, brown, or blue beads that are worn with pride on “Kayla enjoys the pioneer activities. She never, ever campers’ name tags. At Camp Magruder in Rockaway wants camp to end. It is a wonderfully exhausting week- Beach, Oregon, one of the three camps operated by the end. When we get in the car to meet her mother, she falls Oregon-Idaho Conference United Methodist Church, each

Counting Seniors In!

Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

CAMPS AND SUMMER PROGRAMS Exxcel Gymnastics and Climbing

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Crafts, Games, Cooking, Outdoor Fun and Field Trips. Open to boys and girls ages 21 months - 12 years old Online registration now open! Sign up today at cambridgemontessori.org Contact: Beth Johns-Thomas Director of Summer Programs 617.206.4662 passport@cambridgemontessori.org

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February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com

grandparent and grandchild sports a lanyard nametag. Beads are added every day for completing an activity (e.g., boating, learning a new skill, crafts). “I remember during one session at Camp Magruder when a few grandparents joked, saying, ‘We want a naptime, and the kids want beads. Hey, why don’t we get a bead for naptime?’ Now, campers earn a bead every day for naptime . . . ,” laughs Hoefner. Naptime isn’t the only bead-earning adventure at Camp Magruder. Hoefner confirms that sand sculpturing is a big hit at camp culminating with a four-star art show of sand sculptures. Intergenerational challenge course initiatives are popular, too. “Common camp activities are extra special because of who you are sharing it with. Making s’mores can be an adventure if you are doing it with grandpa,” says Hoefner.

log so grandparents can give a tangible present,” comments Hoefner. • Send notes to campers while at camp. • Encourage the entire family to attend family camp sessions. • Offer to have your grandchildren stay with you overnight to help them experience being away from mom and dad. Burfeind adds, “If you don’t have grandchildren, you can volunteer and be part of the program. We have individuals who volunteer in nursing and assistance with facility issues such as watering the grass and maintaining buildings and property. It’s staying involved that’s important.”

Today’s Seniors Are Active, Healthy, and Engaged

Meeting the demands of today’s active seniors, Clemson University’s Camp Again! offers programBut, how can grandparents share in this quintessential ming exclusively for older adults. This five-day, Monday through Friday program with four scheduled sessions in experience if they are unable to travel or participate in the fall has provided a unique intergenerational opportuthe camp? There are a number of ways: Send your grandchild to camp and give the perfect gift. nity although not between grandparents and grandchildren. “For the last five to six years, we have had volunteer Contact the camp and inquire about scholarships for your grandchild. Often camps will offer the scholarships participants from Camp Again! during our other summer camps. We operate two summer programs, which serve with a creative approach. “When grandparents purchase a camp scholarship [at camps through the Oregon-Idaho children and adults with special needs,” states Leslie Conrad, director of Camp Again! Conference United Methodist Church], we send them a Each session accommodates up to sixty seniors particicertificate and a daypack with the quotation: ‘I’m going pating in activities ranging from canoeing/sailing, crafts, to camp no matter what!’ We also send an activities cata-

Giving the Gift of Camp

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Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

pontoon boat rides, and hayrides to whitewater rafting and ropes courses. The most evident benefit of this innovative camp experience “is the fellowship. I think sometimes it’s hard for them to try something new. My grandmother, for example, didn’t want to come for several years due to feeling obligated at home. She felt guilty for ‘playing.’ The first year she came she didn’t know anyone. Now she can’t imagine not coming,” says Conrad. Camp isn’t just for kids anymore. Whether bonding with grandchildren or finding fellowship with other seniors in the pristine outdoors at a camp program planned exclusively for them, seniors are coming to camp by the droves.

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RESOURCES FOR GRANDPARENT/ GRANDCHILD PROGRAMS www.CampParents.org – The American Camp Association’s family Web site includes a Find-A-Camp database featuring searchable options for senior camps with locations around the country. www.roadscholar.org/collections/intergenerational/ – RoadScholar offers intergenerational programs from wilderness canoe camping to cooking, marine biology, and crime scene investigating. www.sierraclub.com – The Sierra Club has several unique programs. www.grandtravel.com – Grandtravel has a variety of programs specifically for grandparents and grandchildren.

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DedhamHealth.com The Ultimate DAY CAMP

www.grandcamps.org – These camps are sponsored and operated by local organizations using the teaching and curriculum produced by Christian Grandparenting Network. To learn more about camp and child development, please visit the American Camp Association’s family Web site: www.CampParents.org.

RE by FEBRGISTER UARY 28

BIG DIS

COUNToSr

Originally printed in CAMP Magazine, reprinted by permission of the American Camp Association © American Camping Association, Inc February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com DHAC_1/4_Camp_1217.indd 1

12/13/17 2:13 PM

Calendar

Wednesday, February 14

Chinese New Year Parade and China Cultural Village – Boston 11 am, Beach Street and other nearby streets in Chinatown. This event marks the biggest annual celebration in Boston’s Chinatown, home to the third largest Chinese community in the U.S. With troops of colorful lion dancers, drums and cymbals, firecrackers, and great food, this is a special event you won’t want to miss! FREE 20

Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

\ Calendar All events are subject to change or cancellation. We recommend calling first to confirm and purchasing tickets in advance whenever possible.

Live Music: Tony Fonseca – All Hands Drumming Circle — Boston Children’s Museum– Boston As part of Black History Month, Cape Verdean drummer Tony Fonseca leads a lively and upbeat drum circle with his masterful drumming style. 1pm. Boston Children’s Museum 308 Congress St. Free with admission. 617- 426-6500; bostonkids.org

First Friday Nights Free – Acton

1 Thursday

4:30 - 8:30 pm. The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Enjoy free admission and explore the museums at night during this special monthly event, during which the museums gratefully accept food donations for area food pantries. FREE. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

Littlest Sailors: Preschool & Family Program – Charlestown

3 Saturday

10 – 11 am, USS Constitution Museum, Charlestown Navy Yard, Building 22, Ship Shape - Get a sneak peek into the Museum’s annual ship model show! Explore over 50 handcrafted models with your family and then make your own model boat to take home.617-426-1812; ussconstitutionmuseum.org

Art Carts: Family Fun – Worcester 1 & 2:30 pm. Worcester Art Museum 55 Salisbury Street, Worcester. Are you curious about the museum’s mosaics and how they came to WAM? What about those Greek gods and pottery? Are those busts what real Romans looked like? How did the seasons affect everyday life in early America? Touch materials, draw things, and discover the answers to these questions and more. Led by our knowledgeable—and fun!—educators, these lively gallery gettogethers are for all ages! Free with admission. www.worcesterart. org

The Young Company Winter Festival – Stoneham This winter, The Young Company introduces students and audiences to people who have felt like outsiders, and what amazing adventures we all go through to feel accepted. Thru 2/04. See website for details. $15. 781-279-2200;www.stonehamtheatre. org

2 Friday, Groundhog Day Groundhog Day, Children’s Museum-Easton 9 am – 5 pm, 9 Sullivan Ave., North Easton. Make a Punxsutawney Phil puppet and see if he can make a forecast. Free with admission. 508-230-7130; childrensmuseumineaston.org

Groundhog Day – Lincoln 10am to noon, Drumlin Farm, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln. Help the famous groundhog, Ms. G, decipher the weather clues and deliver her annual forecast. Free with admission. 781-259-2200; massaudubon.org

Groundhog Day Shadows – Acton 10 -11 am, The Discovery Museums, 177 Main St., Acton. Explore how shadows work using light, paper and messy materials. Free with admission. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org

Disney’s Beauty & The Beast– Boston Based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, this “tale as old as time” follows Belle, a young woman who doesn’t quite fit in her village, and the Beast, a cursed prince. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will be lifted and he will be transformed into his former self. Every week on: Sun, Fri, Sat through 3/4 Wheelock Family Theatre 200 The Riverway. 617-8792300; www.wheelockfamilytheatre.org

Lunar New Year Celebration at the MFA– Boston 10 am- 5 pm, Celebrate the Year of the Dog with free admission all day long. Explore Chinese, Korean, and art and traditions while enjoying activities, demonstrations, and performances throughout the day. FREE. 617-267-9300 www.mfa.org

African-American Patriots Tour – Boston 12:45 pm Visitor Information Center, 139 Tremont St., Boston. In celebration of Black History month join a 90-minute walking tour of the Freedom Trail focusing on African-American Bostonians. Weekends through Feb. 25. Adults, $12, children, $6.50. 617-3578300, http://www.thefreedomtrail.org

Owl Festival: Live Owl Show – Natick 1 & 3 pm, Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot St., Natick. Get an up-close view of local owl species, including the great horned and screech owl. Registration required. Adults, $18, children, $10. 508-655-2296; massaudubon.org

Mary Poppins – Brookline 10:30am, Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline. Experience the extraordinary animation and award-winning music of Mary Poppins, presented on our big screen! Repeats Sun. Adults, $9, children, $7. 617-734-2501, coolidge.org

Masters of Miniature: 39th Annual Model Ship Show– Charlestown 10am-4pm. USS Constitution Museum, Charlestown Navy Yard, Building 22. Explore the show through our scavenger hunt or join in the fun of a hands-on activity – either way, a visit to the Museum and the show is a great way for your family to spend the day! USS Constitution Museum. Thru Mar. 24. Admission by donation. 617-426-1812; ussconstitutionmuseum.org

Science on Saturday: Materials with Magical Properties – Cambridge 10 -11 am MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Experience a presentation with fun demonstrations in which students can volunteer, and explore hands-on activity booths explaining the science of flight and rocketry. FREE. 617-2535927;mit.edu/museum

Kids in the Kitchen – Boston 10-11am. All about Chocolate: Learn how to make chocolate pudding and chocolate ganache with Christine from Taza Chocolate. Advanced registration is required! Kids 6-12. $9 per Trustees of Reservations member; $15 per non-member. www. thetrustees.org/kitchen

February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com

\ Calendar

Thurs., Feb. 8 Free Admission at the Institute of Contemporary Art — Boston

4 Sunday WinterFest Weekends – Harvard PHOTO BY SMART DESTINATIONS

Noon to 5pm, Fruitlands Museum, 102 Prospect Hill Road, Harvard. Bring your sleds, snowshoes and cross country skis to explore the snow covered hills and trails. Then warm up at the fire with cocoa and explore the museum. Weekends through March 25th. $5. 978456-3924, fruitlands.org

5 Monday MFA Playdates – Boston 10:15 am. Museum of Fine Arts 465 Huntington Ave., Boston. Bring your toddler to enjoy story time and looking activities in the galleries, followed by art making. Tours leave on a rolling basis starting at 10:15 am. Each month focuses on a specific theme. Recommended for children ages 4 and younger with adults. No registration required. 617-267-9300, www.mfa.org

6 Tuesday Babywearing Tour at the Gore Museum– Waltham 10-11am. 52 Gore Street, Waltham. Are you a new parent? Looking to get out of the house and be with other adults in a museum? Come to our special babywearing tour led by a veteran babywearer. Come see the gorgeous 1806 mansion, and we won’t mind if your baby sleeps – or cries – through our tour! $12. 781-894-2798;goreplace.org

7 Wednesday Exploring Music – Easton 10-11am, Children’s Museum in Easton, 9 Sullivan Ave., North Easton. This popular program offers a variety of creative musical activities: singing, rhythm making, dramatic interpretation, listening and learning about different forms and styles of music and lots of movement. Free with admission. 508-230-7130; childrensmuseumineaston.org

9 Friday Salem’s So Sweet – Salem A chocolate and ice festival featuring samples and chocolate inspired menu items as well as a series of ice sculpture installations throughout downtown. Through Feb. 11. FREE. 978-744-0004 x15; salemmainstreets.org

The Fairy Tailor- Puppet Theatre– Brookline 7pm, Puppet Showplace Theatre, 32 Station St., Brookline. Magical beings are known for their great sense of fashion. But who stitches together all of their stories? Meet the Fairy Tailor, hard at work in her enchanted shop. Ages 4 and up. Repeats Sat&Sun 1&3pm. $12. 617-731-6400, puppetshowplace.org

10 Saturday Grand Opening Weekend! At the New Discovery Museum – Acton 9am-4pm. Your NEW museum is ready! Join us to play, explore, and learn in our expanded, completely renovated, ADAcompliant new building! 12 & under FREE. 978-264-4200, www. discoverymuseums.org

Lunar New Year Celebration at the MFA – Boston 10am-5pm, Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Avenue, Boston. Ring in the Year of the Dog with a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, to celebrate Lunar New Year! Explore Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese traditions while enjoying a variety of music and dance performances throughout the Museum. FREE. 617-267-9300; www.mfa.org

11 Sunday WinterFest Weekends – Harvard ust 24 une 18 - Aug J | 4 -1 4 s e sessions For Youth Ag and afternoon g in rn o m y kl Wee

The Airborne Comedians at the Coolidge– Brookline 10:30am, Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline. The Airborne Comedians are two performers who’ve traveled the

Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

CAMPS AND SUMMER PROGRAMS

SUMMER PROGRAMS

Mu Classlti-week AvaiSlaavings ble!

Join us for 1-week OR

the entire Summer! Full-day and half-day programs available for Pre-K to Grade 12

Summer classes begin June 25th!! FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO REGISTER

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DAY CAMP / SPORTS CAMPS / SPECIALTY CAMPS

Girls and Boys Pre-School â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Grade 10 Half Day, Full Day, and Extended Day Programs

BOSTON UNIVERSITY CAMP TERRIER 2018

Monday through Friday 8:30am-5:30pm June 18-August 17

1 and 2-Week Sessions Available Ages 5-15 Camp Terrier Options:

General Recreation (Ages 5-9) General Sports (Ages 8-13) Dance Arts (Ages 8-13) Sailing (Ages 9-13) Competitive Swimming (Ages 9-14) Rock Climbing (Ages 11-15)

bucamps@bu.edu 617-353-CAMP bu.edu/fitrec/camp

fessendensummercamps.org

This camp must comply with regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (105 CMR 430.000) and be licensed by the City of Boston Board of Health.

West Newton, MA | 617-630-2373 February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com

\ Calendar globe performing their high-energy, unorthodox comedy juggling show to the delight of all ages. Adults, $13; children, $10. 617-7342501; coolidge.org

Valentine Craft Part at Fruitlands Museum – Harvard 1-3 pm. Come to the Wayside Visitor Center for a family craft program in preparation for Valentine’s Day! Choose from various designs of pop up card gifts and greetings-each with a unique heart-shaped message of love for your Valentines. Free with winter admission. 978-456-3924; fruitlands.org

Fun with Animal Footprints and Signs– Natick 1-2:15 pm. Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot St., Natick. Explore Broadmoor looking for tracks and signs of otters, rabbits, deer, coyote and many other animals. Learn what tracks can tell us about which animals are active during the winter, where they go and how they survive. This program is for ages 6 and up. Registration required. Adults, $14, children, $8. 508-655-2296, massaudubon.org

13 Tuesday Snowshoes at the Gore Museum – Waltham 10am-3pm. 52 Gore Street, Waltham. Bundle up and enjoy the snow this winter! Snowshoes are available for children and adults to rent when the grounds are snow-covered (January – March). See website for rental fees. Rental hours are Monday through Friday 10 to 3 and Saturday 12 to 3. Admission $12. 781-894-2798; goreplace.org

14 Wednesday, Valentine’s Day Chinese New Year Parade and China Cultural Village – Boston

16 Friday Providence Children’s Film Festival– Providence Various locations, Providence, R.I. A two week festival of exciting films from around the world, presentations and hands-on filmmaking workshops. Through Feb. 25. See website for a full line up of events. 401-209-7585; pcffri.org

Bugs Bunny Film Festival – Cambridge Varying times. The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge. This fun annual festival brings Bugs and friends to the screen. Catch all three films! Through Feb. 26. 617-876-6837, brattlefilm.org

17 Saturday Lego Maritime Festival– Charlestown 10am-4pm. USS Constitution Museum, Charlestown Navy Yard, Building 22. Inspired by the different ship designs on display in Masters of Miniature, head to the USS Constitution Museums to build your own ship with LEGO® and DUPLO® Bricks! USS Constitution Museum. Thru Feb. 24. 617-426-1812; ussconstitutionmuseum.org

Kids in the Kitchen – Boston 10-11am. Baking Bread: Learn how to make honey whole wheat bread and sourdough bread. Advanced registration is required! Kids 6-12. $9 per Trustees of Reservations member; $15 per nonmember. www.thetrustees.org/kitchen

WinterFest Weekends – Harvard

11 am, Beach Street and other nearby streets in Chinatown. This event marks the biggest annual celebration in Boston’s Chinatown, home to the third largest Chinese community in the U.S. With troops of colorful lion dancers, drums and cymbals, firecrackers, and great food, this is a special event you won’t want to miss! FREE

Exploring Music – Easton

Magic & Beyond featuring Illusionist David Garrity at the Coolidge– Brookline

10-11am, Children’s Museum in Easton, 9 Sullivan Ave., North Easton. This popular program offers a variety of creative musical activities: singing, rhythm making, dramatic interpretation, listening and learning about different forms and styles of music and lots of movement. Free with admission. 508-230-7130; childrensmuseumineaston.org

10:30am, Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline. Illusionist David Garrity presents “Magic & Beyond,” a one-person illusion show that features unique theatrical and visual magic and comedy to a custom-edited musical soundtrack. Adults, $13; children, $10. 617-734-2501; coolidge.org

15 Thursday

Chinese New Year Celebration- Boston

Littlest Sailors: Preschool & Family Program – Charlestown

10:30am-2pm. Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Road, Boston. In celebration of the Chinese New Year, enjoy special performances, crafts and zookeeper chats! 617-989-3742; zoonewengland.org

10 – 11 am, USS Constitution Museum, Charlestown Navy Yard, Building 22, Animals Aboard Ship - Introduce your family to the many animals who lived on Constitution! Sing a song about Constitution’s fuzziest sailor, Guerriere the Terrier, engage in creative puppet play, and search the museum for animals of all shapes and sizes. 617-426-1812; ussconstitutionmuseum.org

Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

MFA Playdates – Boston 10:15 am. Museum of Fine Arts 465 Huntington Ave., Boston. Bring your toddler to enjoy story time and looking activities in the galleries, followed by art making. Tours leave on a rolling basis starting at 10:15 am. Each month focuses on a specific theme. Recommended for children ages 4 and younger with adults. No registration required. 617-267-9300, www.mfa.org

SCHOOLS AND CHILDCARE CENTERS

Lesley E

Join us for one of our casual open houses.

Les

Preschool - Grade 8

Welcome Wednesday Sunday, November 5 1 - 3 p.m. Preschool - Grade 8

7 - 8:30 p.m. Middle School (Grades 5 - 8)

Welcome Wednesday Little Learner Series April 4, 2018

All are welcome to this casual open house. Meet our faculty, see our classes in action, and chat with the head of school. Tricia Moran Director of Admission 781.641.1346 tmoran@lesleyellis.org

Thursday, February 8, 2018 Thursday, March 8, 2018

For parents and young children, ages 2 - 5 years.

Outs

Accepting applications for 2018. Contact us today for a tour!

34 Winter St. | Arlington, MA 02474 | 781.641.1346

Our mission is to create an early childhood program that fulfills the cognitive, emotional, social and physical needs of what is known to be the most significant period of human development.

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The Campus

is our Classroom

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Friends Childcare offers an exciting, creative curriculum, as well as fun and stimulating learning activities for all age groups. Tailor-made schedule 7AM-6PM, 5 days a week. Regular in-house enrichment programs such as nature exploration, music, gross motor program, and baby massage are included in the tuition.

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www.peopleplayhouse.net 32 South Fairview Street ♦ W. Roxbury/Roslindale Line ♦ 617-323-2566 4019 Washington Street ♦ Roslindale/Jamaica Plain ♦ 617-323-6144 February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com

34 Winte

\ Calendar 18 Sunday

Sun., Feb. 18 Boston Area Chantey & Maritime Sing – Charlestown

Boston Area Chantey & Maritime Sing – Charlestown 2-5pm. USS Constitution Museum, Charlestown Navy Yard, Building 22. Listen, learn, and lift your voices! Participate in your Maritime Heritage by joining a rousing chorus of sea chanteys at the USS Constitution Museum. Repeats 3rd Sunday of every month. 617426-1812; ussconstitutionmuseum.org

19 Monday, Presidents’ Day Free Admission at the I.C.A. – Boston

5-9 pm. The Institute of Contemporary Art, 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston. The ICA offers a robust variety of exhibitions, music, dance, film, talks, tours, family activities, and teen programming throughout the year. Expand your horizons with every visit and discover something new. FREE. 617-478-3100; icaboston.org

Celebrate National Engineers Week at the Discovery Museum – Acton 11am-2pm. Engage in some everyday engineering as you construct and create with repurposed and recycled materials. Free with admission. 978-264-4200, www.discoverymuseums.org

SCHOOLS AND CHILDCARE CENTERS

Mount Alvernia Academy Faith First, Learning Foremost

onal i t a N on b b i R Blue hool Sc

Preschool - Grade 6

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Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

Search Our New & Improved Kids Camps Site!

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Celebrate Little Joe’s 24th Birthday– Boston

Moon Mouse: A Space Odyssey– Newton

10:15 am. Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Road, Boston. Cake, cards and decorations mark this western lowland gorilla’s birthday. Zookeeper encounters and crafts round out the day. 617-989-3742; zoonewengland.org WEST Valentine Card Making Party, 10am, The Eric Carle The Fairy Tailor-Puppet Theatre– Museum, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst. PopBrookline in to make special valentines for your family, friends or classmates. 1&3pm, Puppet Showplace Theatre, 32 Station St., Brookline. Registration recommended. $12 pergreat pair or trio.of fashion. But Magical beings are known for their sense 413-658-1100; carlemuseum.org. who stitches together all of their stories? Meet the Fairy Tailor, hard at work in her enchanted shop. Ages 4 and up. $12. 617-7316400, puppetshowplace.org Make Your Party MOVE The Enchanted Forest, 10:30am, Coolidge Corner THEa DANCE FORCE Feb Fest290atHarvard the MIT Museumwith – Cambridge Theatre, St., Brookline. Artbarn, youth community theater company, presents the tale of a 9:30am-3:30pm, MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Games & Contests family vacation gone wrong. $13; youth, $10. 20year, years ... 250,000 Kids ... Adults, Every during Massachusetts February school Prizes for Allvacation Guests week, 10,000,000 Smiles! 617-734-2501; coolidge.org. the MIT Museum celebrates National Engineers Week, with Available for All Occasions

11am&1pm. Leventhal-Sidman JCC 333 Nahanton Street, Newton. Join Marvin the mouse as he sets out on a cosmic adventure and learns that being different is cool! $18. 617-588-6522; bostonjcc. org

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Vacation Week Crafts – Concord 11am-3pm, Concord Museum, 200 Lexington Road, Concord. Get

ENTERTAINMENT creative & PARTY NEEDS during vacation week with crafts available daily in Brooke

29 Sunday

• Karaoke Singalongs • Dancing • Bubble Machine • Games hands-on engineering-based activities,Professional workshops,Dance and afternoon NORTH • Contests Line Dances Instructors demonstrations led••by MITto students. Thru Feb. 24. 617-253-5927; • DiscoWinter Lights Limbo Ward Fest, noon 3pm, Ward Reservation, • Live “on TV” Video • Prizes & Fun! web.mit.edu/museum Party at ourorplace or yours! Andover. Explore the property on a guided hike, Any event is MORE FUN with Mr. DJ!

bring your snowshoes and sled to play. Then warm up Norwood 781.762.2288

Call (508) 588-6096 with refreshments by the fiLincoln re. $10 per car. 978-886-5297; Visit with President –www.thedanceforce.com Concord www.youarethestardj.com

ttor.org. 1-2pm, Concord Museum, 200 Lexington Road, Concord. The Museum is pleased to host Steve Wood and his amazing Try Something performance as Abraham Lincoln. Wood’s first-person Reallyhistorical Different! interpretation, “A Visit with Abraham Lincoln,” includes of Certified stories instructors WEST early life, campaign debates, the CivilFor Lincoln’s War, and concludes kids ages 8 and up Backwards Storytime, The Discovery with a stirring reading of10am, the Gettysburg Address. $16 Adults,range $8 Safe Museums, indoor shooting 177 Main978-369-9763; St., Acton. Celebrate NationalHave Backwards Day Party at Children. concordmuseum.org your next Birthday with silly stories and activities. Free with admission. 978-264-4200; discoverymuseums.org.

31 Tuesday

Hall. Come take part in presidential crafts, make your own tricorn hat, and vote on your favorite object in the museum! Included with Museum admission; 978-369-9763; concordmuseum.org

Providence Children’s Film Festival– Providence ®

Various locations, Providence, R.I. A two week festival of exciting films from around the world, presentations and Interactive r hands-on Educational filmmaking workshops. Through Feb. 25. See Animal websiteShows for w a full line up of events. 401-209-7585; w Rosalita's Puppets pcffri.orgwww.curiouscreatures.org www.rosalitaspuppets.com 617-633-2832

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February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com

NEW! Host your

\ Calendar Bugs Bunny Film Festival – Cambridge Varying times. The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge. This fun annual festival brings Bugs and friends to the screen. Catch all three films! Through Feb. 26. 617-876-6837, brattlefilm.org

Farmer for a Day: Kids in the Kitchen– Dover 10am-12:30pm. Powisset Farm, 37 Powisset St., Dover. Venture out during school vacation and spend the week with Powisset Cooks and Chef, Instructor and Cookbook author, Didi Emmons. Ages 8-12, $30. 508-785-0339, ttor.org

21 Wednesday

23 Friday Disney On Ice: Dare To Dream– Boston 1&7pm, TD Gardens, 100 Legends Way, Boston. You’ll love Dare to Dream, an enchanting presentation where Mickie Mouse and Minnie Mouse share the exciting stories of five courageous Disney princesses, enacted by the dazzling performers skating across the ice. All ages. $22 and up. 1-888-456-8499; www.ticketnetwork.com

24 Saturday A Teddy Bear Tea – Concord Noon&2pm, Concord Museum, 200 Lexington Road, Concord. Bring your teddy for an elegant outing with tea, cocoa and sweet treats. Reservations required. $20 adult, $17 child includes museum admission. 978-369-9763, concordmuseum.org

Snowglobe Making – Harvard

WinterFest Weekends – Harvard

1-3 pm. Come visit our Wayside Visitor Center at Fruitlands Museum for an afternoon of crafting and bring the outdoor winter wonderland indoors by making your very own snowglobe.$10. 978-456-3924, fruitlands.org

Hands-On Tour of the Paul Revere House – Boston 10am&2pm, Paul Revere House, 19 North Square, Boston. Designed to bring our oldest historic house to life by offering opportunities to engage with reproduction objects in each room and to consider 17th and 18th century life from a kids-eye-view, the approximately 30 minute tour is aimed at families. Free with admission to the Revere House. 617-523-2338, paulreverehouse.org

22 Thursday Celebrate National Engineers Week at the Discovery Museum – Acton 11am-2pm. Engage in some everyday engineering as you construct and create with repurposed and recycled materials. Free with admission. 978-264-4200, www.discoverymuseums.org

Bugs Bunny Film Festival – Cambridge

25 Sunday Fun with Animal Footprints and Signs– Natick 1-2:15 pm. Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot St., Natick. Explore Broadmoor looking for tracks and signs of otters, rabbits, deer, coyote and many other animals. Learn what tracks can tell us about which animals are active during the winter, where they go and how they survive. This program is for ages 6 and up. Registration required. Adults, $14, children, $8. 508-655-2296, massaudubon.org

Karen K and the Jitterbugs– Brookline 10:30am, Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline. Karen and her Jitterbugs will have you clapping your hands and tapping your feet - and shaking your tails - at this totally-fun, interactive show for kids and kidults. Adults $13, children $10. 617734-2501, coolidge.org

Varying times. The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge. This fun annual festival brings Bugs and friends to the screen. Catch all three films! Through Feb. 26. 617-876-6837, brattlefilm.org

27 Tuesday

Masters of Miniature: 39th Annual Model Ship Show– Charlestown

5:00-8:00 p.m. Blue Hills Ski Area, 4001 Washington St. (Route 138), in Canton. Join the Friends of the Blue Hills for a free evening of winter fun at Winter Fest! Come for a night hike or get your exercise on the slopes downhill skiing. Whether or not you choose the outdoor activities, there is plenty of inside fun too: you can tap your feet to the spirited Irish tunes of Songs for Ceilidh, taste chili from some of the best local restaurants, entertain the kids with crafts, and warm up to the company of old and new friends. FREE. 781-828-1805; www.friendsofthebluehills.org

10am-4pm. USS Constitution Museum, Charlestown Navy Yard, Building 22. Explore the show through our scavenger hunt or join in the fun of a hands-on activity – either way, a visit to the Museum and the show is a great way for your family to spend the day! USS Constitution Museum. Thru Mar. 24. Admission by donation. 617-426-1812; ussconstitutionmuseum.org

Galapagos George, Puppet Theatre– Brookline 10:30am&1pm, Puppet Showplace Theatre, 32 Station St., Brookline. This puppet production, called an “uplifting ecofable” by the Smithsonian Museum, is inspired by the true story of the last remaining Galapagos tortoise and the islands he calls home. Ages 4 and up. Repeats Fri. same hours, Sat&Sun 1&3pm. $15. 617-731-6400, puppetshowplace.org

Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

Blue Hills Winter Fest – Canton

28 Wednesday Exploring Music – Easton 10-11am, Children’s Museum in Easton, 9 Sullivan Ave., North Easton. This popular program offers a variety of creative musical activities: singing, rhythm making, dramatic interpretation, listening and learning about different forms and styles of music and lots of movement. Free with admission. 508-230-7130; childrensmuseumineaston.org

Snowshoes at the Gore Museum – Waltham

Vacation Camp

10am-3pm. 52 Gore Street, Waltham. Bundle up and enjoy the snow this winter! Snowshoes are available for children and adults to rent when the grounds are snow-covered (January – March). See website for rental fees. Rental hours are Monday through Friday 10 to 3 and Saturday 12 to 3. Admission $12. 781-894-2798; goreplace.org

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Bay State Skating School

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Contact Molly Howard at 617-999-8794 pianoplaytime@yahoo.com www.pianoplaytime.com February 2018 BostonParentsPaper.com

✼ Single Minded

Don’t Take It Personally By Susan Solomon Yem

aitlin is a daughter of divorce. It was reasonably amicable. Mom and Dad shared custody and Caitlin split her time pretty evenly between the two households. Both parents remarried. Both had children with their new spouses. From the outside looking in, all seemed well and Caitlin appeared to be thriving. I met Caitlin several years ago when she was in high school. She was a stellar student and an outstanding athlete. Caitlin has since graduated from college. She is a successful young professional who got married about a year ago. Shortly after her college graduation, Caitlin came back to her high school and spoke about what her life had really been like while she was a student there – hard.

friends step in to alternate escorting my youngest son to see his dad twice a month. Those visits usually included a meal and an activity – bowling, a movie, shopping. They were cordial, but formal. Sometimes the escorting dad brought along one of his children, but this usually ended up with the kids playing together and the dads chatting. I never asked for details about the supervised visits – remarkable considering how I like to get information about EVERYTHING! I knew that if there were something I needed to know, one of the visit supervisors would tell me. The biggest challenge for me was the few hours after the visit – what I now call decompression.

50/50 Is 50/50

Irritable and Irritating

50/50 custody sounds like the ideal solution when divorced parents get along well. The child divides the week as evenly as possible to allow for living in both households for an equal amount of time. Mom and Dad can participate fully in daily activities and feel like they are not missing out on big chunks of parenting time. There is even a website (www.custodyxchange.com) with grids, charts and calculators to facilitate easy scheduling. But if Caitlin’s experience is common, the impact on the child is significant. I remember her telling us how difficult it would be if she were in one house but her textbooks were at the other. Or if she needed a piece of sports equipment, a school uniform or some other necessary item and it was not in the same location she was in. Caitlin felt split, just like the custody.

Supervised Visitation

At my divorce I was awarded full legal and physical custody of my children. That meant they lived with me 24/7. When we first separated, my ex-husband would stop by unannounced and ask to take the kids out for the day. I was fine with that until he stopped telling me where he was taking them or when they would be back. This information was crucial, not just so I knew they were safe, but so that I could plan my time to be sure to be home when he dropped them off. The randomness of these visits wore on my children as much as they wore on me. When our divorce was finally granted, the judge mandated that my children’s visits with their father be scheduled and supervised. The older ones chose to opt out of any visits. I was blessed to have two

Boston Parents Paper | February 2018

Jake was always very cranky when he got home from a visit. I figured he was tired, so I gave him some space to wind down and relax. It took me quite a while to realize that while he may have been tired, his irritability was more likely a reaction to having such a short time with his dad. I asked my friend, Carrie Cavigioli, a marriage and family therapist, why Jake was so fussy. “It is rather common for children to go through a period of emotional turbulence when they return from a visit with the noncustodial parent,” she said. “Transitions can be stressful.” Jake was usually very quiet after his visits, but if I asked him a question, like what he wanted for dinner or if he was ready to do his homework, he would snap at me. While this would frustrate me, I tried to not take it personally. Carrie suggests giving the child some space to process and quiet down before connecting again. “It helps to show empathy. Verbalize your understanding towards the struggle. Validate difficult feelings. Give the child hugs and attention if that is what is needed.”Carrie recommends doing an activity that helps soothe transition, like preparing a meal together. I was glad that Jake’s decompression usually only took a couple of hours. I fought against the desire to blame his dad for Jake’s behavior. I needed to put myself inside my son’s skin to imagine how he must feel in such an uncomfortable situation. And that’s when I stopped taking it personally. Susan Solomon Yem is singleminded about raising her five children to adulthood. She’d like to hear your stories about single parenting. Contact her at susansyem@gmail.com

They say you never forget your first walking shark. Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t imagine why.

Immersively nerdy. Incredibly cool. Get tickets to see the Halmahera Walking Shark at neaq.org

February Vacation Week Kids Get in Free! Monday–Friday, February 19–23

Make art, see performances, and join a story hour at Cogan Family Foundation Vacation Week Adventures. And don’t miss “Takashi Murakami: Lineage of Eccentrics”! mfa.org/vacation

Courtesy of Jenna Talbott