PDX Parent February 2019

PLUS: SUMMER CAMPS & SCHOOL OPEN HOUSES

FREE

New tech that lets you peek at your kids at day care, p.12

for the long days and short years

F i n d You r

GParkour roov e for kids » » Workouts with

child care » Pick a pediatrician PDXPARENT.COM

PORTLAND | VANCOUVER | FEBRUARY 2019

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Contents

xx

FEATURE STORIES

DEPARTMENTS

Day Care IRT................................................................ 12

Editor’s Note..................................................... 6

Time Out............................................................ 46

Play Room........................................................... 8

Take your kids to the Capitol day,

Portland child care centers let parents peek in at their kiddos all day long, thanks to technology. By Beth Slovic and Jeni Banceu.

Special Section:

Get gemütlich in Leavenworth, DIY valentine inspo and teen roller-skating champs (and cousins).

Family Health & Wellness

Hands On......................................................... 38

You Better Work......................................................20

More crayon stubs than you can

New options around town to get your sweat on. By Niki Reading.

Choosing Your Child’s Doctor..................... 24 A local pediatrician’s practical tips for finding the right provider for your kid, at any age. By Whitney Casares, M.D. Field Trip.........................................................................28 Turn your kid into a playground ninja at Forge Parkour. By Julia Silverman.

count? Turn them into works of art with our easy tutorial. By Denise

Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day kid-date ideas.

Parentlandia.................................................. 50 A comic for parents. By Tom Toro.

RESOURCES

Castañon.

Child Care and Preschool......................15-19

Family Supper.............................................. 44

School Open Houses............................ 30-32

A new dumpling king comes to town.

Montessori Focus.....................................34-37

By Julia Silverman.

Summer Camps......................................... 39-41

Recipe File........................................................45 Almond-butter balls for a snack on the playground, after school or any time.

By Judith Rich.

* cover stories

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Editor’s Note for the long days and short years

NICK MACDONALD

N

ormally, in this space, I write about my kids — what they’ve done lately that has me overflowing with pride, or gnashing my teeth in complete frustration. But this month, given that it’s Valentine’s Day and all, I thought I’d take some space for my partner in parenting, my husband, Jeff.

They say that having kids takes a toll on a marriage, particularly in these earliest years, when the kids are young and needy and at the top of your priority list, because after all, they’re too young to write out their own list. That’s been true for us, for sure.

Like most of you, we have many (most?) days when life seems not much more than a blur of logistics, of negotiations over playdate pick-ups and tooth fairy notes written in haste at 11:30 pm and an endless mountain of unfolded laundry.

But someday, these children will grow up and (we sincerely trust) move out and build their own lives, and Jeff and I will (again, we sincerely trust) be back on our own, just us two. At the end of the day, he’ll be there. He always is.

And so, I’m trying, month by month, to move the two of us back to the top of my priority list. It’s a good resolution for this most romantic of months, especially since it’s also our annual family health & wellness issue. Local pediatrician Whitney Casares gets real about how to find the right pediatrician for your family (page 24), and writer Niki Reading has the lowdown about great new workout options around town, many of which offer the ultimate perk: child care.

But don’t neglect your mental health, either, and a strong relationship with all the loves of your life is crucial to that. (Even more important than that monster laundry pile.) So Happy Valentine’s Day to Jeff, my number one, top-of-the-list person — I’m so glad I can count on you.

—

This month, only on pdxparent.com: »G reat giveaways to Oregon Children’s Theatre, Oregon Symphony, Pietro’s Pizza and Mad Science » Our real-time review of The Starlings Present: Dinosaurs! »U mbrella, our accessible and inclusive directory + calendar of events

PDX Parent P.O. Box 13660 Portland, OR 97213-0660 Phone: 503-460-2774; Fax: 503-331-3445 Publisher Rose Caudillo, 503-460-2774 publisher@pdxparent.com Editor Julia Silverman, 503-922-0893 julia.silverman@pdxparent.com Managing Editor Denise Castañon denise.castanon@pdxparent.com Art Director Susan Bard Web Director Michelle Carew, 503-914-6151 michelle.carew@pdxparent.com Calendar / Newsletter Editor Amy Conway calendar@pdxparent.com Customer Accounts Manager Christie Kline, 503-810-9817 christie.kline@pdxparent.com Distribution Coordinator Melissa Light melissa.light@pdxparent.com Senior Account Executive Ali King, 503-331-8184 ali.king@pdxparent.com Account Executive Kristy Olsen, 503-914-6481 kristy.olsen@pdxparent.com Account Executive Jill Weisensee, 503-309-8272 jill.weisensee@pdxparent.com Web Administrator Casey Rhodes casey.rhodes@pdxparent.com President Keith Goben, 503-460-2774 keith.goben@pdxparent.com For distribution issues, e-mail us at distribution@pdxparent.com For calendar submissions, e-mail us at calendar@pdxparent.com PDX Parent is published monthly by Metro Parent Publishing, Inc., and is copyright 2019 Metro Parent Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

PDX Parent is distributed free of charge throughout the Portland, OR / Vancouver, WA metropolitan area.

PDX Parent reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. Distribution of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised herein.

On our cover: Don’t let February’s gray skies stop you from getting out and about with your family! Case in point: Our cover models put on their raingear and got moving at the annual Worst Day of the Year ride. Find out more details about this year’s familyfriendly bike-a-palooza event on page 47.

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PDX Parent does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex or sexual orientation.

Although every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy of published material, Metro Parent Publishing, Inc., and its agents and employees cannot be held responsible for the use or misuse of any information contained herein. The contents of PDX Parent and its website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

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Play Room For 15-year-old Annie MacKay and her cousin 16-year-old David

Kids to Know:

The

Roller-skating

Dynasty

Hamblin, roller skating is more than a competitive sport, it’s a family tradition. The two competed in the World Roller Skating Championships in France last October, earning the 6th spot (in the world!) in the Junior Couples Dance category. Oh yeah, and they were the youngest couple in the competition. “Our mothers were both competitive roller skaters, so we were practically born with skates on. Basically as soon as we could walk, we could roll,” says Hamblin, who attends Roosevelt High School. Plus David’s brothers Charlie and Bobby, and Annie’s sister Susie, are all competitive skaters, too! David’s mom, Amy, is their coach, so the whole family is at practice together at the Oaks Park roller rink.

The two get rolling four days a week in the early season, then ramp it up to six days a week when a big competition is looming.

Their family members keep a close eye on their progress, especially Annie’s mom, Emily MacKay, who is the Marketing and Events Manager at Oaks Amusement Park. “That our moms are there [at practice] all the time and can have a flow between work and skating is huge,” says MacKay. Hamblin adds, “There is no place in the world (literally!) that

EMILY MACKAY

gives its skaters more support than Oaks Park. We would not be the skaters we are without The Oaks.” — Denise Castañon

Playlist:

TOP 5 ...

Bilingual Beats

sources for Valentine’s Day inspo

What sets Mi Amigo Hamlet’s album Happy Land is Tierra Feliz apart from other bilingual records is the high level of musicianship. This is no watered down rumba and merengue for kids, but real deal Latin music with fun and educational lyrics preschoolers will adore.

The title track from Guatemalan-born

➊ The kits at

Hamlet Meneses starts things off, with

Paper Source feel

strong and

handmade, but are

infectious

easy for the crafts-

Latin beats

challenged to put

that keep

together.

rolling through the whole album. And I dare you and your kids not to start dancing when the bongos come in on the song Los Instrumentos. — D.C.

MULTNOMAH COUNTY LIBRARY

➋ Local art supply store chain-let

Collage is bursting with Valentine-themed stickers, stamps and other goodies.

➌ Many local libraries sponsor Valentine-making parties in the first half of this month — check websites (and page 47) for more info. ➍ Spend an

afternoon at SCRAP in downtown Portland, where donated and recycled art supplies can be repurposed into fun and creative valentines.

➎ Visit PNW-

chain Craft Warehouse’s stores in Beaverton and Gresham for great deals on supplies for an at-home card-making party. — Julia Silverman

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LEAVENWORTH REINDEER FARM

Getaway: Leavenworth, W ashington

In most people’s minds, the small, North Cascades-set town of

are strategically placed benches for snack breaks. Visiting

Leavenworth, Washington, is a stage-set, a series of picture-

in the winter means that you can hit up the Leavenworth

perfect Bavarian-themed storefronts, thanks to the former

Ski Hill, which has a 100-foot tubing hill, with rental tubes on

logging stronghold’s decision to recast itself as a bit of the

site (and the requisite hot cocoa afterwards at the Ski Hill

Black Forest in the PNW. But look more closely, beyond the beer

Lodge). For indoor fun, check out the town’s one-of-a-kind Nutcracker Museum, with

steins and gingerbread trim, and you’ll find an authentically family-

thousands of different Nutcrackers

friendly getaway, set in one of the

on display. Don’t forget to pick up

most beautiful pockets of our region.

a surprisingly difficult scavenger

Start your visit with a horse-drawn

hunt guide at the museum before

sleigh ride at lovely Eagle Creek

you enter. When it is time to

Farms, about eight miles from

fuel up your crew, check out the

downtown Leavenworth. Warm up

Leavenworth Cider House,

afterwards with some hot cider by

which has a short-but-sweet kids’

their wood stove. Or book a tour at

menu and an indoor play area.

the Leavenworth Reindeer Farm,

And don’t miss the Gingerbread

where it’s Christmas all year long and

Factory, with its candy-bedecked

the resident Rudolphs will happily

gingerbread houses available year-round. Finally, give in to the

graze right from your hand. Keep the snowy theme going with a family hike at the nearby Icicle

whole Bavarian-theme thing with a stay at the Bavarian

River, including a stop at a local fish hatchery that releases

Lodge, smack in the middle of downtown, which has an

more than a million salmon every year, or just meander along

outdoor heated pool and make-your-own-waffles at breakfast

the signed trails at the city’s Waterfront Park, where there

time. — J.S.

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Play Room Portland is sneaker nirvana, thanks to Nike, Adidas, KEEN, and any number of smaller companies that have flocked to our small corner of the globe. But not every

Good Deeds:

Kicks for Kids

athletic shoes of any size for kids ages 5 to 18 are always welcome.

They also hold regular volunteer events, where volunteers help pack up bags for students,

kid can afford a spanking new

including a new pair of shoes and

pair of kicks every time their feet

a handmade card with well wishes,

grow. (Memo to kids: Man, your

packaged in a fabric bag that can

feet grow fast! It’s hard to keep up.)

do double duty as a pillowcase.

That’s where My New Red Shoes

There’s no age limit for volunteers,

comes in. After starting up in the

and events are held throughout

Bay Area, the nonprofit expanded

the year, usually when groups

to the Portland area in 2015,

get in touch with offers to help.

serving students in Multnomah,

Follow them on Instagram for more

Washington and Clackamas

information on upcoming volunteer

counties. Since then, more than

opportunities via PHOTOS: MY NEW RED SHOES/PORTLAND

2,000 kids in our region have

or get in touch

via the organization’s “Clothing for Confidence” program. They

with Portland

partner with local shelters, schools and service organizations to

Director Michela

reach kids, including familiar names like the Immigrant Refugee

Bedard at michela@

Community Organization, and Impact NW’s Schools Uniting

mynewredshoes.org.

Neighborhoods programs. You can help: Donations of new

— J.S.

Chalkboard: 100 percent:

Child Care Prices

The amount that small home-based child care has increased in Oregon between 1994-2018.

157 percent:

The amount that center-based child care increased during the same time period.

68 percent:

The increase in the costs at larger home-based child cares during the same time period.

SOURCE: OREGON CHILD CARE MARKET RESEARCH STUDY

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@mynewredshoes

received new shoes and clothing,

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You don’t need us to tell you that day care and preschool are expensive.

But just in case, a new report from the Oregon Department of Health Services bears that out. According to researchers from Oregon State University, prices increased markedly for just about every age and type of care over the past 25 years. Day care centers, which employ multiple staff members and often offer parents the longest hours and the most flexibility, saw the greatest price increases, with prices increasing faster than inflation in the last 10 years, particularly for infant and toddler care. Still, in-home centers weren’t too far behind; while prices stabilized somewhat during the recession of 2008-2012, they’ve been on the rise since then, even for small, in-home caregivers. So how much are you paying? Well, hourly prices for small, home-based toddler care rose from $1.75 to $3.50 in the past 25 years, while for center-based care, the price jumped from $544 a month to $1,400 a month for full-time care. Researchers also found that it matters where you live. In Portland and its suburbs, where salaries are higher and the job market is more varied, you’ll pay more for child care than you would in rural Oregon. — J.S

Color and Create Drawing Pad by Murtha Design, Inc. A simple and versatile drawing app that will let your kids doodle away. Kids can choose from a variety of drawing tools such as pencils, crayons, markers and even stickers. iPad, Android, Kindle Fire. $1.99.

Faces iMake - Right Brain Creativity by iMagine Machine Israel LTD Kids can create collage portraits using everyday objects in imaginative ways — think macaroni art for digital natives. iPad. $2.99.

Toca Hair Salon Me

by Toca Boca AB This app allows kids to insert photos of themselves (or you, or your pet) and then creatively wash, cut, curl and color hair. (Younger kids may need help sizing and lining up face images.) Get ready to see what you’d look like with a curly rainbow mohawk! iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire. $3.99. — D.C.

Ask Dr. Doug:

Q

:W e recently had our first baby, and while those first weeks were hard,

A

she was sleeping for five- to six-hour stretches at night by the time she was 3 months. She’s 4 months now, and now she’s waking up every two to three hours again. Is this the dreaded 4-month sleep regression? What should we do?

: Sleep issues are one of the most common questions I tackle in my practice, and for

good reason. A good night’s rest is essential to not just feeling functional the next day for us as parents, but for overall health, brain development and growth for our kids.

What you’re describing is 100 percent normal, and is based on how sleep changes in babies as they grow.

Newborns spend their sleep time between active sleep (REM sleep) and quiet (deep) sleep.

But at around four months, their sleep phases become more like ours — light sleep, down into deep sleep, then up into dreaming sleep for a sleep cycle. This means 4-montholds spend much more time in light sleep, with more chances to wake up during the night. Some babies put themselves back to sleep without a peep, but most don’t!

If babies are used to falling asleep a certain way, when they come up to light sleep, they want those same conditions recreated. This is called a sleep association. The analogy I like to use is if we went to sleep in our beds and woke up at 2 a.m. on the living room floor, we wouldn’t just roll over and go back to sleep (well, maybe we would as sleepdeprived parents).

In the same way, if babies fall completely asleep while nursing, or while being rocked, often they’ll wake more at night and need our help getting back to sleep.

Four- to 5-½-months-old is a perfect time to make sure your bedtime routine is consistent and predictable and to work on sleep associations at bedtime.

Try to get your baby down where you want her to sleep for the night (while sleepy, but still a bit awake), so she can feel comfortable falling asleep on her own. Often bedtimes naturally move earlier at that age, too.

If she is rolling consistently, you need to wean her out of the swaddle. This can be its own challenge, but there are lots of transitional swaddles to try that may help.

Please remember the safest sleep environment for an infant is a flat, firm surface next to your bed, with no blankets or soft bumpers.

Keep in mind there is no one off-the-shelf solution for sleep problems at each age.

Be sensitive to your routine, your goals and your child’s temperament. Some babies are laid back and regardless of what we do, they’ll progress towards longer and more independent sleep. Some are a bit less into the whole nighttime thing, and you’ll need to adjust accordingly.

And please don’t be shy about bringing up sleep issues with your pediatrician. My goal is always to take care of the whole child, and I frequently spend entire visits just focused on sleep. Here’s hoping for more sweet slumber for your little one!

Dr. Doug Lincoln practices general pediatrics at Metropolitan Pediatrics in Happy Valley. He is board certified in both pediatrics and preventive medicine, with special interests in helping parents meet their breastfeeding goals, caring for neurodiverse children with behavioral health needs, and advocating for children via teaching and policy. As a dad of two boys, he understands the joy and hard work that comes with parenting. Find out more about Dr. Doug and Metropolitan Pediatrics at metropediatrics.com.

pdxparent.com

DR. DOUG

Apps We Love:

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W

hen Craig Richardson steps onto the elevator to leave work in downtown Portland, it’s as if he’s already talking to his toddler’s teacher.

With a few swipes on his smart phone, Richardson can see a full rundown on his 2-½-yearold daughter’s activities at day care, including when she napped and what she ate. By the time he gets to the Children’s Garden, also in downtown Portland, he has a sense of his daughter’s mood and questions he might have about her day.

“You could inquire further, because you already had a conversation going,” he said. “It’s like, ‘Oh, she didn’t sleep. Oh, great.’”

Richardson’s view into his daughter’s school experiences comes via an app called KidReports, which the Children’s Garden adopted this fall. Gone are the days of handwritten notes shoved into diaper bags or lost on the floorboards of cars. Now, an increasing number of day cares and preschools are using apps to communicate with parents, allowing teachers to send real-time updates, photos and videos throughout the day.

Richardson and his wife, Kirsten Eckelmeyer, love the change, especially because their daughter, who was born prematurely, required extra care at feeding time. Eckelmeyer could pull up the center’s app on her computer at work and read updates every time a teacher wrote one.

“It was kind of nice to know how her nap was and what she was eating,” said Eckelmeyer, “because otherwise I would call them all the time.”

As with all things digital, the arrival of new technology brings with it anxiety about screen time, privacy (or the lack thereof) and distracted adults. The New York Times highlighted that nervousness last October when it published a report about tech titans who ban nannies from using mobile devices in front of their charges.

“Even a little screen time can be so deeply addictive, some parents believe, that it’s best if a child neither touches nor sees any of these glittering rectangles,” The Times wrote. “These particular parents, after all, deeply understand their allure.”

Day Care New apps let

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you keep tabs on your k

A balanced approach Freaked out yet? Well, there’s good news.

The point of view in The Times’ story is, well, not realistic for all families and not entirely supported by available evidence, said Caroline Knorr, who evaluates research on raising kids in the digital age for Common Sense Media, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that offers consumer advice to parents.

“We think that’s a privileged view point, and a class issue,” she said of The Times’ report on Silicon Valley techies. “They have so many resources, they can start pruning their resources.”

Still, Knorr said she understands the fear parents might have, especially if they’re new. All kinds of research make clear that a loving connection with an adult is what’s best for kids, she said.

But except in the case of children under 2, there’s no evidence that says no tech is good for kids, she said.

“What we’re trying to recommend is balance,” she said. “We’re really modeling the behavior we want our kids to emulate.”

Teachers and schools should keep that in mind, she said, because children shouldn’t operate at day care or preschool as if everything will be recorded and shared with their parents. “Too much of that can make a child feel that they are constantly having to perform,” she said.

e IRT

kids at day care.

BY BETH SLOVIC AND JENI BANCEU

of Education, Marc Siegel, said the technology still isn’t used widely enough for the state to gauge apps’ effectiveness in that area.)

Millman said she believed her schools strike the balance recommended by Common Sense Media — and that surveys show parents love the streamlined electronic communication that apps allow. “It just gives you more connection,” she said. (Her schools do allow parents to opt out, she added.)

To ensure children’s safety and privacy, teachers may use only the school’s tablets to take pictures and talk to parents, she said. The tablets also are locked so teachers can’t mess around on the Internet or check their personal email. If a teacher wants to document a particular lesson with children, he or she is encouraged to ask another employee to snap pictures. The teacher would then write a description of the activity for parents during naptime or other breaks in activity, Millman said.

“We don’t want an employee focused on a tablet,” she said.

Neither do they want children to “perform” for the camera. “The last thing we want is someone saying, ‘Everybody stop, I need to take a picture!’”

Via the app, teachers can quickly tell parents that their kids need more diapers at school or that a field trip is coming up; this year, they’ll add the ability to pay monthly bills via the app.

“When you need to be in touch with your parent community quickly, it’s the fastest way possible,” Millman said. “It’s one place where we can communicate everything.”

Still, there are some things that will never be communicated electronically. A significant injury, she said, would always get a phone call and a written report, for example.

Millman is also a parent. “I would not want to see that on my app,” she said.

‘What is it not saying?’

And, for older children, the point of going to school is to experience some independence. Giving parents too much information can feed their helicopter instincts, she said.

Plus, there are concerns about privacy. Any time a person uploads a child’s photo to the Internet, there’s a risk it could fall into the wrong hands (or the hands of a Facebook-addicted parent of a classmate). So any time a day care or school adopts an app, there should be an option for parents to opt out, said Knorr.

On the ground Danielle Millman oversees 42 schools in the United States, including Portland’s two branches of the Children’s Garden, from her home base in Georgia.

Parents and teachers can use the KidReports app to check in or check out their children. (Many other apps have similar functions. See Apps at a Glance on page 14.)

So at any given moment, the chief operations officer for the Garden’s umbrella company can evaluate the student-to-staff ratio at all her campuses — a clear bonus owing to state-by-state rules that strictly regulate such matters. (Asked whether Oregon regulators had noticed any improvement in compliance rates regarding ratios since apps gained popularity, a spokesman for the Oregon Department

For Sue Pritzker, the head of school at Childpeace Montessori School, the use of apps in early childhood settings raises questions.

Childpeace, which operates in Northwest Portland, prefers to communicate with parents in person. It also sends home written activity reports for toddlers.

She said an app could help some parents feel confident in their choice of school. “You want to know you made the right decision,” she said.

But she also wondered whether apps, with their boxes and checklists, could limit the kinds of information a parent gets. “What is it not saying?” she asked.

At the preschool on the Clark College campus in Vancouver, Washington, teachers use Educa, a web-based program rather than an app, for tracking the development of children and telling parents about group activities and new milestones in their children’s lives.

(Disclosure: reporter Beth Slovic teaches at Clark College, and reporter Jeni Banceu’s son attends the preschool.)

Terry Haye, a lead teacher, said colleagues used to have different ways of assessing students’ growth and creating portfolios of their work to share with parents. Educa, which they’ve used in the whole school for a year, allows for consistent assessment across classrooms.

And it’s authentic, too, she said. She and her fellow teachers aren’t just checking boxes. They’re writing stories about a child’s day and

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13

incorporating quotes from the kiddos into those stories.

With Educa, parents can write their own stories about their kids at home, filling in gaps in the teachers’ knowledge about their students. “It’s that dialogue between the classroom and the home,” said Haye.

“Lots of questions get answered in that process, which is very cool.”

The school still offers regular, in-person meetings with parents. Teachers say Educa complements faceto-face communication, but doesn’t replace it.

“It is a complement to what we’re already doing,” Haye said. “It’s a way to make visible what children are learning … and to consistently show learning over time throughout the classrooms.”

Marsha Kennell, a lead teacher at the Helen Gordon Child Development Center at Portland State University, uses the app Bloomz to communicate with her kiddos’ parents. She’s been a teacher for 40 years

and today, she said, it’s tough to get people to look at paper notices.

“It’s a hard sell,” she said.

Recently, after she took a group of children to a concert at the Old Church in downtown Portland, she wrote a summary of the excursion for Bloomz, something that’s in keeping with the communityminded spirit of the center’s Reggio Emilia philosophy.

It was quick and easy, and then she could see how many parents read it.

“It’s so beyond a newsletter,” she said.

Beth Slovic is a former staff writer at Willamette Week, The Oregonian and the Portland Tribune. She teaches journalism at Clark College. Jeni Banceu is the managing editor of the student newsmagazine at Clark. Their kids enjoying playing together in the college newsroom.

Apps at a Gl a nc e

BY JENI BANCEU

i

t used to be that child care centers sent parents home

with little slips of paper that listed what their kids ate, how they napped and when they got new diapers. Those

communicate with parents.

Many have similar features for sharing daily summaries, messages, pictures and videos. They create digital archives of children’s activities even as they age and move classrooms, and many of them have backend functions for billing and compliance with state regulations. Here’s a rundown of what’s popping up in the Portland area.

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February 2019

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children when teachers tag photos of them

40 languages. Teachers

or complete developmental assessments.

can share photos and

Parents who want to know how their child’s day is going don’t have to wait for the end-of-day report; they can receive timely

through text or email, also can add an

updates throughout the day.

unlimited number of family members to their accounts, granting Grandma and Grandpa

Bloomz keeps

access to photographic evidence of their

parents up to

little one’s Picasso-like paintings.

Like KidReports,

Increasingly, day care

schools) are using apps to

automatically creates online portfolios for

and real-time reports in

Parents, who may choose to get updates

phonebook.

even some elementary

parents of the entire classroom. The app

parents daily summaries

videos that families can view and download.

may soon go the way of the

centers, preschools (and

KidReports offers

Brightwheel gives parents end-of-day reports and updates as events unfold. Parents and staff use the app to check kiddos in and out of school, too, helping administrators monitor the staff-to-student ratio. If parents need to add adults to the pick-up list, they can do that electronically as well. Teachers also can make calls and send messages directly through the app.

date with a bloglike timeline that can include pictures of children and their artwork. It also sends daily reports. Parents can use the app’s messaging system to talk with other parents, arranging playdates without ever exchanging phone numbers. Teachers can coordinate conferences and volunteers, and parents not signed up through the app can still receive updates generated by Bloomz through email.

Tadpoles’ website says it aims to reach 100

With HiMama, parents can view photos, videos and daily reports through the app or website. Teachers can use in-app email and texting to message individuals — or

percent of parents. That’s why, unlike most of the apps, Tadpoles sends information directly to parents’ email as the main form of communication. Along with daily reports, parents can get notes, pictures and videos

CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOL GUIDE

11675 SW Butner Rd Portland , Oregon 97222 www.amiguitos.org 503-720-6457

Amiguitos Preschool Amiguitos Preschool offers a full language immersion experience.

All teachers are native Spanish speakers who know how to introduce a new language through play, song, art, and fun activities.

The staff is nurturing and loving and the children feel welcome from the moment they walk into our school.

without going through the app. The app does

Seesaw encourages

give parents additional features, such as viewing

students to be more

their child’s full portfolio.

involved in the content

Amiguitos Westside will be making some changes!

Schedule a tour and find out about our new exciting program!!!

creation. It allows teachers and students

ClassDojo supports more than 30 languages, allowing teachers to share photos, video and updates with individual families, an entire class or an entire school. ClassDojo, which some teachers in Portland Public Schools use, gives older students some control, too. Kids can add pictures or videos to their own profiles. And parents can interact with the material teachers post through

to build a profile for parents to view together (although the app may be used by teachers alone, too). In either case, parents may view, like and comment on posts. Teachers using Seesaw can access thousands of digital classroom activities on almost 20 subjects, and the app can be used on any device or accessed directly from the Seesaw website.

“liking.”

Educa lets teachers create

Kangarootime

online “stories”

technology sends the

about students

daily report at pick-up

with photos and

time so parents have the chance to go over it before leaving. If parents want the information sooner, that’s no problem.

They can log in and see information as it’s entered throughout the day. The in-app calendar keeps track of events and sends reminders. Need to change pick up plans? Parents can authorize a new guardian using the app as well.

notes, giving parents a view into their children’s world.

Families can even add “stories” of their own. Educa software is web-based but parents may access them from any device. Student profiles don’t have to stay digital; parents may print them with a choice of borders, giving families ways to create keepsakes.

1855 South Shore Blvd.

Lake Oswego, OR 97034 caisoregon.com 503-348-3028

Chinese American International School Learning and Thriving in a Multicultural World CAIS offers a developmentally appropriate Chinese Immersion education and culture program for preschool and kindergarten students and after school programs for 1st grade and above. CAIS teachers appreciate each student’s unique approach to learning by providing a well-rounded curriculum in a fun and nurturing environment.

• Full and Part time • Before and after care • Ages 3 and above • After School Programs • Summer Camp

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CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOL GUIDE

3030 SW 2nd Ave Portland, Oregon 97201 www.cedarwoodschool.org 503-245-1477

6651 SW Capitol Hwy Portland, OR 97219 pjaproud.org 503-535-3533

Cedarwood Waldorf School

Portland Jewish Academy

Our classrooms are designed to immerse little ones in the work of childhood, which we believe is play. Children are met with kindness, simplicity, and a wellrounded experience. Every aspect of our program is created intentionally to meet the developmental needs of the young child, providing students with a variety of hands-on practical activities in a social setting that fosters a sense of competence, skill, and community.

025 SW Sherman St Portland, OR 97201 intlschool.org 503-226-2496

The International School A world of possibilities awaits. For almost three decades, we’ve been helping to guide and prepare today’s generation of explorers for the challenges of tomorrow.

• We’re the only school in the United States to provide a true immersion experience in Chinese, Japanese, or Spanish under one roof.

• At least 80% of the school day is spent immersed within these vibrant languages and cultures.

• We were Portland’s first International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) elementary school, which promotes strategic thinking skills and hands-on engagement, rather than memorization and passive learning.

Our small classes and international faculty provide a warm, multicultural environment that engages students in academics and the arts. We educate approximately 420 students in preschool through 5th grade.

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PJA values each child as an individual who learns in a multitude of ways.

PJA programs provide welcoming and inclusive settings that recognize children’s diverse abilities, interests, needs, and learning styles.

Full and half day options available.

4235 SE Salmon St. Portland, OR 97215 childswork.org 503-234-3611

Childswork Learning Center Childswork Learning Center is a non-profit preschool and kindergarten located in SE Portland. Since 1984, our play-based early childhood center has served children ages 3-6 years old, focusing on the development of the whole child with respect and compassion. Childswork is a safe place for children to explore, take chances, make messes and learn through play. At Childswork we nurture wonder, embrace joy and foster discovery.

CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOL GUIDE

5839 SW Hood Ave Portland, OR 97239 letoilefrenchschool.com 503-715-1258

L’Etoile French Immersion School L’Etoile French Immersion School is an independent school accredited by the French Ministry of Education for students aged 2.5 years through grade 5. Located in the heart of Portland in John’s Landing, our approach to learning prepares children to be capable, confident students who are empowered to achieve in both French and English. Our nurturing teachers engender a lifelong passion for learning and instill a respect for cultural traditions around the world.

We welcome you to visit our school and experience this vibrant community.

14750 SE Clinton Portland, OR 97236 fmes.org 503-760-8220

Franciscan Montessori Earth School The Franciscan Montessori Earth School/St. Francis Academy offers a remarkably different education for children age 2.5 to 14 years on 10 picturesque acres. Students are empowered to become confident, selfmotivated learners for life.

- Montessori curriculum - Small class size - Foreign language programs - Gardening program - Before and after care - On campus extracurricular activities

Please attend an open house or schedule a tour!

Oregon Metropolitan Elite Gymnastics Academy OMEGA Gymnastics 9700 SW Harvest Ct, Ste. 180 Beaverton, OR 97005 omega-gymnastics.com 503-466-4872

OMEGA Discovery We believe every child is a champion and we have a role in setting children up for success. OMEGA’s Discovery Program incorporates gymnastics training to start children on a successful path by providing a full range of physical and mental development. OMEGA’s instructors guide children through gymnastics lessons that encourage gross motor skill development as well as provide educational activities that encourage fine motor skills, cognitive development, and problem solving.

Call today to schedule your tour of our facility.

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CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOL GUIDE

GET YOUR CAMP NOTICED! The advertiser deadline for our March Guide to Summer Camps is February 13!

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PDX PARENT

SUMMER CAMPS

GUIDE

Summer done right.

CHILD CARE & PRESCHOOL GUIDE

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YOU BETTER

WORK

F

Where to exercise with kids in tow — and relax kid-free.

BY NIKI READING

inding time to work out as a parent can feel like a no-win situation: You can wake up early and miss sleep, work out late and miss sleep plus partner time, or try to work out during your child’s naptime, which somehow only guarantees they won’t sleep.

When we first moved to Portland back in 2016, I left behind a beloved gym with ample, cheap child care. My exercise routine has since been reduced to biking to work and around town, and lots of short, slow walks with my kids, ages 3 and 6. So I recently spent some time getting out of my comfort zone to try some new classes that are parent-friendly.

NIKI READING

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Pictures of aerial yoga seemed to promise the relaxation of being enveloped in a fabric cocoon with the fun of trapeze — minus the heights.

So I took a friend to A-WOL Dance Collective for a Sunday morning restorative aerial yoga class. (Note: This studio does not currently offer child care, though it does have classes for kids, starting at age 4.) Stepping into the studio space felt like walking into the backstage of a circus: Silks hang from the rafters, an impossibly tall Chinese pole used for acrobatic tricks is placed near one end of the room, and an assortment of large metal hoops and other curiosities line the walls.

The instructor helped us select the right station and taught us a few moves before class started. Her descriptions were basic and patiently delivered, so we were dangling safely upside down in minutes without fear.

During the hour-long class, we moved through classic yoga poses using the hammock in various novel ways. Down dog was performed with hands and feet on the ground and the silk bunched up and supporting my hips. I felt a deep, relaxing stretch in my low back. Tree pose was one of my favorites: We stood in the hammock, balancing on one foot while gently swaying.

The class-ending move was magic: You flip into the hammocks, gracefully(ish) landing on your back with fabric supporting the length of your body. As we relaxed, she offered each of us a gentle push so we would sway back and forth.

It was just the ticket for tired parents.

After class, the instructor volunteered to help us get into a very Instagrammable pose and snap pictures — who were we to decline?

WORKOUT: Calming stretching and strengthening.

COST: $17 for drop-in class. Class packages and

series rates vary.

LOCATION: 513 NE Schuyler St. awoldance.org WOULD I RETURN? I loved the novelty, support

and relaxation. I’ll definitely be back.

BIKE DANCE PARTY Star Cycle is described as a dance party on a bike. I bike a lot, but I don’t dance often, so I was half intrigued, half concerned. I took both kids to the Happy Valley location one evening and checked them into the child care area, which was well stocked with art supplies and toys.

When I entered the cycling classroom, I started to understand the cyclingdancing combination. The lights are turned off and the room is lit by candles.

The bikes all face a low stage in the front, where the instructor’s bike was located, facing everyone. The front wall was a giant mirror, but the light was so low, I could barely make out my own reflection.

The instructor greeted me (and every student) warmly, helped me set up my bike and handed me some 2-pound weights. As I cycled slowly waiting for class to start, I noticed other students filing in, laughing, and smiling like they were about to do something … fun? I started to dread the moment the child care instructor would pull me out of class (my son was going through whatever developmental stage involves assaulting everyone within arms’ reach).

And then the music started. For the next 45 minutes, I was fully immersed in the atmosphere — low light, exuberant dance music, and an instructor who could sprint on her bike while delivering both practical instructions and deeply positive affirmations. I messed up almost every dance and rhythmic element for various reasons, but nobody saw — because you literally cannot see what you’re doing, let alone what others are up to.

At the end of class, I realized I wouldn’t have been able to hear anything from the child care area and frankly wouldn’t have cared in the moment. I checked in with the child care provider who confirmed (politely and only when asked) that my son had, in fact, committed some light assault. When she described her gentle, appropriate intervention, she didn’t indicate a hint of judgment.

SPIN CYCLE

FLY THROUGH THE AIR

WORKOUT: Sweat-fest. Bring a water bottle!

COST: $15 for the first class, child care is extra. Class packages vary.

LOCATION: Various locations around Portland metropolitan area,

starcycleride.com.

WOULD I RETURN? Definitely. The pick-me-up combination of music and endorphin release is hard to beat.

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On a recent Sunday morning, my two kids and I each picked a mat at Nest Playground in Northeast Portland and sat down for an hour-long parent-child yoga class.

I was a little concerned with how my son would fare during class — or, specifically, whether my workout would consist of chasing a toddler around rather than breathing into a stretch.

But when class started, that fear dissipated quickly. Heather, our instructor, was playful, kept the class moving, and included songs, movement and animal-themed exercises to keep both of my kids engaged. Toward the end of class when my son started to lose momentum (read: he was yelling “I’m done” repeatedly and trying to squeeze his body into shoe cubbies), she calmly invited him back, offered an engaging exercise, and reminded him that he would very soon get to play.

After class, we grabbed a healthy snack and some coffee at the snack bar, then my kids put their socks back on and spent more than an hour exploring the various rooms at Nest, including a bouldering wall, large indoor play structure with a slide, and a quieter area with magnetic tiles and blocks.

YOGA FOR EVERYONE

KNOT SPRINGS away: You don’t soak naked at Knot Springs.

There’s absolutely no clubby vibe. And yes, it’s worth it.

Knot Springs is part gym, part spa, and part European hot-and cold-springs located in the inner east side. The “springs” consist of a series of soaking tubs: One is tepid, one is hot, one is brutally, freezing cold. There’s also a sauna and steam room, and everything has a gorgeous view of downtown Portland.

The recommended cycle for moving through the hot- and cold- springs feels methodical

Where to unwind — sans kids

There are no shortage of tried-and-true ways to relax and unwind — from hiking to yoga to meditation. Here are two local destinations that offer a twist on the spa experience.

and relaxing. (You can spot members and regulars because they’ll sit in the freezing water for extended periods of time rather than dipping in with a silenced yelp.) You can take breaks at any time to read and relax in the modern seating or sit outside and take in the view.

Drop-in soaks are $55 for two hours in the springs, which is the perfect amount of time to cycle through each soaking tub and sauna a couple times. They also offer massage and the rate includes time in the soaking tubs to fully relax. Pro tips: Reservations are strongly recommended.

Stay hydrated and plan to have a healthy meal or snack afterward.

COST: Ranges: $55 for a two-hour soak, $130 for a 60-minute massage includ-

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WOULD I RETURN? I’ll definitely be back for rainy day playtime for the kids.

Flotation therapy is, in many ways, ideal for

parents. For 90 minutes, you’re in a warm, dark sound-proof cocoon, floating in skin-temperature water that’s so full of Epsom salt that you are rendered weightless. Here’s the real magic: No one is asking you for anything. It’s just you and your uninterrupted thoughts.

Flotation therapy — also called sensory deprivation therapy — was designed in the 1950s by a neuroscientist who wanted to control variables while he conducted brain experiments. The story goes that he then discovered all kinds of other benefits, including relaxation, pain relief, increased creativity and lower cortisol levels.

Like Knot Springs, you can find devotees who swear by regular sessions. Unlike Knot Springs, Float On is a solo pursuit: There is one flotation tank per

room, and one person per tank. That means space is limited and reservations are required.

My husband and I both went for a 90-minute float and had vastly different — but similarly relaxing — experiences. My brain tends to jump rapidly from one unrelated subject to the next, so the first minutes felt a little like flipping through midday TV. At some point, that melted away and I floated safely off to sleep. My husband, however, experienced deep relaxation and benign hallucinations — a fairly common experience, according to Dr. Google.

the gym and social events.

Groupon.

LOCATION: 33 NE 3rd Ave., Suite 365,

LOCATION: 4530 SE Hawthorne Blvd.,

knotsprings.com.

|

LOCATION: 6517 NE Sandy Blvd.

COST: $77 for a 90-minute float, though discounts and specials can often be found on their

Niki Reading lives in SE Portland with her husband, two kids and a dog.

February 2019

access to the playground, class packages available

ing soak, $200/month for a 12-month membership that includes access to

22

COST: $15 per class with all-day

FLOAT ON

I’ll answer the top three questions right

MARIA LAMB PHOTOGRAPHY

WORKOUT: Gentle. A great way to get my kids thinking about mind-body awareness, plus they played so hard in the play area after class, I could have easily done some additional stretching while they played (but I didn’t!).

web site, email list or on discount sites like

floathq.com.

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How to find the right pediatrician for your family.

Choosing Your Child’s Doctor

S

PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATES OF THE NORTHWEST

BY WHITNEY CASARES, M.D.

o you need to find a pediatrician. Someone you can trust, someone you feel comfortable with, someone you can count on when your child is sick and well. We know choosing a medical professional for your child can be daunting, whether you’re searching for your baby’s first doctor or are looking for a new provider who can connect with your angsty teen. Here are my top tips for choosing a doctor who’s right for your family:

and confident. Some parents are all about the end product. They take the information medical professionals give them at face value and don’t need a lot of discussion to feel comfortable. Neither is better, but knowing what bucket you fall into, or if you are somewhere in the middle, is extremely important. Just like you can’t or wouldn’t want to change your personal style, neither can the human being from whom you are seeking care.

1.

4.

Evaluate experience and certifications: All pediatricians

who are certified to practice medicine by the American Academy of Pediatrics have to pass certifying examinations regularly, keep up to date on policy recommendations, and graduate from an accredited medical school and residency program. You may want to ask how many years your prospective physician has been in practice and if she has any specialty areas of training. Don’t be scared off by fledgling providers, though. Newbie pediatricians are usually some of the most careful, evidence-based practitioners on the planet.

2.

Check out the office practice: Take a look at the nuts and

bolts of the practice in which you’re interested. Are there nurses available to give advice and answer questions (day and night)? How tech savvy is the office? Can you make your own appointments online? Can you get an appointment for your feverish kid right away?

Do they have weekend or holiday hours? What are the additional services they offer — is there a lactation consultant, a dietitian, a behavioral health provider? Above all, make sure the practice you choose focuses on your child’s social, developmental, and mental health as well as his physical health.

3.

Assess your style and needs: Some parents are all about the process. They need more explanation and information to feel heard

Take online reviews with a grain of salt: A pediatrician’s website and online presence can provide an important indicator of how well he cares for patients, but be cautious when relying solely on social media or patient feedback from sources like Yelp, Healthgrades or Google Reviews. Remember, not all patients write reviews. Those who do take the time to publicly grade their providers sometimes do so in the heat of the moment, either offering scathing criticism or lavish praise. Instead, ask a variety of trusted friends and family for their recommendations.

5.

Double check: If you’re not sure, ask for a meet-and-greet appointment. Pediatricians know choosing or changing doctors can be a big deal! Many offer free opportunities to meet them so you can feel comfortable as you start out or transition care. An in-office appointment will allow you to get a clear sense of how well you connect and will allow you to ask questions face-to-face.

Is there a 100-percent-perfect-in-every-way-shape-and-form pediatrician or pediatrics practice out there? No way. Are there amazing professionals in the Portland area with a strong knowledge base and a vested interest in your child’s health and your parenting success? Absolutely. Look for health care providers who are sincere, who practice evidence-based medicine, and who fit your needs profile so you can optimize your child’s health now and for years to come.

Whitney Casares, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P., is a mom to two young girls and a pediatrician at Pediatric Associates of the Northwest. Every day, she tries to balance taking care of work, her kids and herself, laughing at the craziness of the early years with young ones. She developed modernmommydoc. com to inspire, educate and encourage moms and dads so they can win at parenting without losing themselves.

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PD X

RENT P PA I

S CK

The votes are in! Thousands of you let us know about your favorites spaces, places and faces in PDX. We’re tallying up the votes, so stay tuned — we’ll announce the first wave of winners in March.

CELEBRATE THE CITY 2019

And don’t forget to save the date for our big celebration of the winners at Oaks Park on June 22! pdxparent.com

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«

SPONSORED CONTENT

»

A Closer Look

The Elks Children’s Eye Clinic Preschool Vision Screening Program

The Oregon Elks Preschool Vision Screening Program was established in 2003 to detect preventable vision loss in children.

In partnership with the Oregon State Elks Association, the Oregon Elks Children’s Eye Clinic at OHSU, and the Oregon Head Start Association, thousands of Oregon children are screened each year for eye problems.

Hundreds are referred for a complete eye exam.

Follow up on the eye exams indicate that at least 15 percent of all preschool children need to be treated for eye problems.

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Why Perform Preschool Vision Screenings?

To detect preventable vision loss in children. Some vision disorders can be reversed if treated before age 5.

Undetected vision problems in children are common, yet if your child’s eyes are straight and are not crossed, your child’s vision problem may go unnoticed. This is especially true in young children who do not complain of blurry vision. This is because a blurry world is normal to them. An objective vision screening is the best way to detect a vision problem in preschool children. Unfortunately, there is a lack of public awareness of how important it is to detect a vision problem while the visual system is developing. In the United States, very few preschool children receive a vision screening during the critical window of visual development.

Ideally, a child’s pediatrician would

provide an annual vision screening using an objective vision screening methodology, such as photoscreening.

The results would be part of the child’s medical record, and all follow-up eye exams would be monitored by the pediatrician. Unfortunately, most preschoolers do not receive a vision screening from their pediatrician during their 10-minute well-child check. If they do, it is often performed with an outdated chart.

The program uses photo-screening technology.

Why Do Children Lose Vision?

Treating Amblyopia

Amblyopia is the number one reason why children lose vision.

Children who are referred after a vision screening need to be seen by an eye doctor to receive a full comprehensive dilated eye exam. Treating amblyopia involves strengthening the weaker eye. This can be done by patching the strong eye for several hours a day or by placing a drop in the better eye to blur vision, forcing the use of the weaker eye. Successful treatment of amblyopia depends on how early it is detected.

What Is Amblyopia? \am-blē-`ō-pē-ə\ A central nervous system disorder that develops when the brain and the eye are not working together, amblyopia is usually caused by unequal focusing power, misaligned eyes, or blockage of vision.

Amblyopia Affects 5 percent of Preschool Children Only children can get amblyopia. It can develop in the first few years of life if one eye is not getting enough use.

Amblyopia often goes undetected in children with straight eyes.

Earlier Is Better • School age screening may be too late.

• Amblyopia is difficult to treat after age 5. (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, known as AAPOS) • Permanent vision loss occurs by age 7. (AAPOS) • Children entering kindergarten with amblyopia are not prepared to learn.

• 80 percent of learning in the first years comes through vision.

• Undetected vision disorders can lead to developmental delays.

• Behavior problems may be undiagnosed vision problems.

More Resources Available Additional information and educational resources are available online. The Elks Preschool Vision Screening Program offers a list of eye doctors who accept OHP patients and are willing to provide comprehensive dilated eye exams for preschool children. Go to, www.ohsucasey/oregonelksvision.

Oregon State Elks Thanks to generous donations from the Oregon State Elks, the program provides vision screenings at Oregon Head Start preschools, libraries, and public health fairs across the state. Oregon Elks volunteers from the local Elks lodges volunteer their time to assist with the screenings. Since 1949, the Oregon Elks have donated over $50 million and countless hours of service to provide the gift of sight to thousands of Oregon children.

In focus What Causes Amblyopia?

Unequal Focusing Power Unequal focusing power is the most common cause of amblyopia, but it is difficult to detect.

The child’s vision will be blurred, but their eyes will appear straight. Children with this condition who are not treated before age 7 are likely to lose use of their weaker eye.

Crossed Eyes Strabismus, often referred to as crossed eyes, is a vision disorder where the eyes are not aligned in a similar direction. One or both eyes may be turned inwards, up, down, or outwards. The eyes will focus on different fields of view, causing confusion. If left untreated, the brain may learn to ignore the weaker eye in response to this confusion, resulting in amblyopia.

Blocked Vision Vision can be completely blocked by a cataract or droopy lid. The eye is prevented from developing because it sees no images.

These conditions must be corrected, usually with surgery, as quickly as possible so amblyopia treatment can begin.

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Field Trip Scaling the obstacles at Portland’s indoor parkour gym.

STORY AND PHOTO BY JULIA SILVERMAN

TH

p a e L g i B E

A

few weeks ago, during a visit to Seattle, we were standing on line for our turn to ride the Great Wheel at sunset when my son nudged me.

“Check it out, mom,” he said, pointing down the pier to two men and a woman who were atop a low-slung nearby building. As we watched, one of them leaped, lightly as a cat, from one rooftop to the next, a distance of perhaps 7 or 8 feet, landing upright. I gasped in horror, but my son was captivated.

“That’s parkour!” he said. “EPIC.” Up until then, if I was aware at all of parkour — a fast-growing sport where practitioners navigate their way through urban obstacle courses by running, jumping and climbing — it was from an old episode of The Office. You know the one — Michael, Dwight and Andy try it out, but mainly just wind up careening off the side of the Scranton Business Park while yelling “PARKOUR” at the top of their lungs.

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or as f ide visit: e r mo / gs, For outin t.com n fun xpare pd d-trip fiel

But once Ben got fixated on it, I figured it was time to learn more. He started with an on-site after-school program, but wanted even more of a challenge, so we ventured to Forge Parkour, in outer southeast Portland, to check it out.

First impressions: Forge is a clear example of the boutique workout studio culture that’s supplanting old-school gyms all over Portland, and it’s not just for kids, though it is exceedingly kid-friendly. The physical space is lovely, full of light and natural wood and built-in obstacles for kids and grown-ups alike to learn to safely navigate, from jumps of all sizes to ramps to run up and mats to practice rolling on.

Their website implies that it’s best for anyone to begin by taking their four-class intro package before letting loose on the open gym hours. The friendly folks at the front desk confirmed that that’s preferred, but not required — so if you’re only interested in the $15/hour drop-ins, that’s fine, and much of the

Other Parkour-friendly Spaces in Portland REVOLUTION PARKOUR Great for westsiders, this Beaverton facility offers camps and classes for homeschoolers, in addition to a full complement of all-ages classes. 5651 SW Arctic Dr., plus locations in Tualatin and Gresham.

Perennial favorite THE PLAYGROUND GYM offers indoor and outdoor parkour classes for ages 5 to 13, at both their locations on NE Grand and N Lombard.

THE MOVEMENT PARK This brand new parkour spot opened in Hillsboro in late 2018, and is super-welcoming to kids. 2240 NE Griffin Oaks St., Ste. 1000.

equipment will be intuitive, particularly to kids who are used to playground equipment.

There are special times set aside for “family open gym,” aimed at ages 3 to 6, when parents can try out the obstacles with preschoolers; open gym is for ages 6 and up, though some sessions are reserved for ages 13 and older.

That said, an intro series is well worth the price tag — we bought the four-class intro to parkour pack for $65.

I’m always looking for ways to keep my kids moving and active, especially in the rainy winter months in Portland, and this is one of the best ways I’ve found to do so. After every hourlong session, Ben has been sweaty and panting, but also exhilarated.

Different classes have focused on different skills — how to jump with precision and land on your feet, say, or how to navigate the bars.

Each class begins with a stretching and movement session, to get the kids limbered up, and then segues to obstacles.

Patient instructors demonstrate the ideal and manage to offer meaningful and individual feedback to each kid as they move through a series of progressively more challenging obstacles.

The instructors also keep the classes moving along, and set clear expectations for the kids — “We’ll try this two more times apiece, and then move on.”

I especially appreciate that parkour is a very mind-body connected activity for kids. My son really needs to concentrate on what’s being asked of him — specific hand placement on the vault, or forward rolling on your shoulder. It’s also great for balance challenges and core muscles — to stick the landing or stand up from a roll without using your arms, you’ve got to have a strong midsection.

Do note that this isn’t easy. I’ve heard more than one kid vocalize how hard a particular obstacle or moveset is, and

instructors always matter-of-factly acknowledge it. It’s good to create a space where kids feel safe acknowledging that they feel challenged, and great that it’s an activity where success won’t come easily, and they’ll have to work for it. Even for extra-agile kids, there’s always a progressively harder obstacle to conquer.

And while the sport isn’t without risks, gyms like this are the safest possible places to learn the needed skills. Instructors can easily correct bad form that could lead to injury, and there are thick padded mats everywhere to break any falls. Much safer than our basement, where Ben has taken to practicing jumping onto the armrest of our beat-up sofa, with only a thin IKEA tumbling mat beneath.

Parents who aren’t participating and smaller siblings can watch all the action from a second floor overlook, where there are also books, puzzles and games for kids, and a miniature-sized obstacle course for new walkers.

From there, I could easily observe Ben’s fist-pumps when he successfully navigated a particularly challenging jump from one platform to the next, and revel in the glances that he snuck up at me, to make sure I’d seen his latest feat of derring-do.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised, too, that Ben’s interest has only grown as he’s moved through open gyms and class series.

The gym setting seems to foster a camaraderie — during open gym, he’ll usually hook up with kids his own age, even if they’ve never met before — and they’ll pace each other. And even though he’s only been going for a month or two, he’s already noticeably lighter on his feet — not, perhaps, ready to leap between Seattle buildings with a single bound, but certainly much better than one Michael Scott, regional manager of Dunder Mifflin.

If you go: Forge Parkour, 311 SE 97th Ave. forgeparkour.com.

Julia Silverman is PDX Parent’s editor. She keeps attempting to try to imitate her son’s parkour moves, and then realizes at the last second that her body just doesn’t bend that way anymore. Find her at barre class instead.

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OPEN HOUSES

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CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

The Choice that Makes a Difference!

• Academic Excellence • Faith Formation • Rich Co-Curricular Activities • Before and After School Care

• Registered and Recognized by the State of Oregon • Accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA)

Holy Cross Catholic School • Grades PreK-8

St. John Fisher School • Grades K-8

Now accepting applications. Apply online today.

Apply today!

5202 N Bowdoin St. Portland, OR 97203 503-289-3010 • Fax: 503-286-5006 www.holycrosspdx.org

4581 SW Nevada St. Portland, OR 97219 503-246-3234 mholub@sjfschool.org www.sjfschool.org

Holy Redeemer Catholic School • Grades Preschool-8 Open House: Wednesday, February 13, 4-7pm

St. John the Apostle Catholic School • Grades PreK-8

127 N Rosa Parks Way Portland, OR 97217 503-283-5197 development@holyredeemerpdx.org www.holyredeemerpdx.org

Open House: Tuesday, February 5, 5-7pm

St. Agatha Catholic School • Grades PreK-8

St. Matthew Catholic School • Grades PreK-8

Joing us for our St. Patrick’s Festival & Parade, March 16

Apply today!

7960 SE 15th Ave. Portland, OR 97202 503-234-5500 Fax: 503-232-7240 christine.pashley@stagatha.us www.stagathaschoolpdx.us

221 SE Walnut St. Hillsboro, OR 97123 503-648-2512 info@stmatthewschoolhillsboro.org www.stmatthewschoolhillsboro.org

St. Cecilia School • Grades PreK-8

St. Rose School • Grades PreK-8

Apply online today!

Open House: Middle School, Tuesday, February 5, 6pm

12250 SW 5th St. Beaverton, OR 97005 503-644-2619 www.stceciliaschool.us

5309 NE Alameda St. Portland, OR 97213 503-281-1912 www.strosepdx.org

St. Francis School • Grades K-8

St. Thomas More Catholic School • Grades K-8

Open House: Thursday, February 21, 3:30-7pm STEM Expo, Thursday, May 9, 6-8pm Tours & Shadow Days Daily by Appointment

Call our office to set up a tour.

15643 SW Oregon St. Sherwood, OR 97140 503-625-0497 wsummer@stfrancissherwoodschool.org www.stfrancissherwoodschool.org St. Ignatius School • Grades PreK-8 Open House: Tuesday, March 5, 6-7:30pm

3330 SE 43rd Ave. Portland, OR 97206 503-774-5533 office@sipdx.org www.sipdx.org

516 Fifth St. Oregon City, OR 97045 503-742-8230 • Fax: 503-742-8239 www.sja-eagles.com

3521 SW Patton Rd. Portland, OR 97221 503-222-6105 stmschool@stmpdx.org www.stmpdxschool.org The Madeleine School • Grades K-8 New Parent Info Night: Monday, February 4, 7pm School Tours: Tuesday, February 5, 10am – 1pm

3240 NE 23rd Ave. Portland, OR 97212 503-288-9197 ssteele@themadeleine.edu www.themadeleine.edu

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OPEN HOUSES

OPEN HOUSES Chrysalis Preschool - 4330 NE 70th; 503-287-8481; chrysalishomeschool. com; 2/13/2019, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Fiddleheads Urban Forest Preschool - 5830 SE Taylor Street; 207-831-5655; fiddleheadsurbanforestschool.com;

Cedar Hills Kindergarten & Preschool - 11695 SW Park Way; 503-643-9010; cedarhillskp.org

cedarwoodschool.org

3030 SW 2nd; 503-245-1477; Chrysalis Preschool 4330 NE 70th; 503-287-8481; chrysalishomeschool.com

4015 SW Canyon; 503-471-9917;

Fiddleheads Urban Forest Preschool

portlandcm.org/opalschool; 2/9/2019,

- 5830 SE Taylor Street; 207-831-5655;

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Small Friends School 7475 SW Oleson; 503-388-2266; smallfriendsschool.com; 1/31/2019,

fiddleheadsurbanforestschool.com Franciscan Montessori Earth School - 14750 SE Clinton; 503-760-8220; fmes.org

7:00 PM

French American International

St. Agatha Catholic School -

503-292-7776; faispdx.org

7960 SE 15th; 503-234-5500; stagathaschoolpdx.us; 1/31/2019, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

School - 8500 NW Johnson St.; German International School of Portland - 3900 SW Murray, Beaverton; 503-626-9089; gspdx.org

St. Rose School - 5309 NE Alameda;

Northwest Academy - 1130 SW Main;

503-281-1912; strosepdx.org; 1/31/2019

503-223-3367 x104; nwacademy.org

and 2/5/2019, 6:00 PM

Prince of Peace Preschool and

Swallowtail Waldorf School and Farm - 460 S Heather, Cornelius; 503-846-0336; swallowtailschool.org; 3/2/2019, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM (Held at main campus in Cornelius and farm

Kindergarten - 14175 NW Cornell; 503-645-1211; princeofpeaceschool.com Small Friends School 7475 SW Oleson; 503-388-2266; smallfriendsschool.com

campus in Hillsboro (31620 NW Camp

St. Agatha Catholic School -

Ireland St.))

7960 SE 15th; 503-234-5500;

Trackers Earth Portland 4617 SE Milwaukie; 503-345-3312; trackerspdx.com; Add’l Location: 2334 NE 57th Ave Portland, OR 97213; 2/20/2019, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM (Tours available on appointment) Tucker Maxon School 2860 SE Holgate Blvd; 503-235-6551; tuckermaxon.org; 2/27/2019, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Village Home Education Resource Center - 5150 SW Watson, Beaverton; 503-597-9100; villagehome.org; 03/04/2019, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM (Beaverton) and 1800 SE Water Ave Portland, OR 97214; 3/6/2019, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM (Portland)

pdxparent.com

503-644-8407; achildsway.com

Franciscan Montessori Earth School

Opal Beginning School -

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Preschool - 12755 NW Dogwood;

Cedarwood Waldorf School -

fmes.org; 2/12/2019, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

February 2019

A Child’s Way Kindergarten

2/16/2019, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

- 14750 SE Clinton; 503-760-8220;

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TOURS

stagathaschoolpdx.us Sunstone Montessori School 6318 SW Corbett; 503-768-3847; sunstonemontessori.org The International School 025 SW Sherman; 503-226-2496 x110; intlschool.org The Marylhurst School - 1232 Linn, Oregon City; 503-650-0978; themarylhurstschool.org Tucker Maxon School 2860 SE Holgate Blvd; 503-235-6551; tuckermaxon.org Village Home Education Resource Center - 5150 SW Watson, Beaverton; 503-597-9100; villagehome.org; Add’l Location: 1800 SE Water Ave Portland, OR 97214

The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth. - Dr. Maria Montessori

Portland Montessori Collaborative PROGR AM HIGHLIGHTS » Montessori program for children three months through Kindergarten; full and part day care options available » Chef on site, organic snacks and meals provided » Art and music curriculum » O utdoor environment, curriculum and the cultivation of ecological intelligence » Cloth diapers, potty training » Engaged and active parent community » Founded in the spirit of environmental sustainability

Now enrolling for 2019/ 2020

Portland M on tes s or i Col l ab orati ve A learning community for infants, toddlers, children and their families

503-972-7 100 4817 SW 53rd Ave., Portland 97221

w w w. p d x M C .o r g

MONTESSORI FOCUS SPONSORED CONTENT

»

Montessori 101 D

eveloped in 1907 by Dr. Maria Montessori, the Montessori education method centers on specific, child-focused learning.

Using child-led activities, referred to as “work” in Montessori lingo, children set the pace of their learning and development. A Montessori school’s purpose and goal is to provide a well-thought-out, stimulating environment to foster a child’s educational foundation in a positive and creative manner.

A 2017 study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that preschool children with a Montessori education mastered concepts quickly and exhibited elevated performance levels. The study also observed that the Montessori method cultivated a love for learning, and children had a positive outlook on school altogether.

So what makes Montessori different from traditional curriculum?

Read on to discover the unique method that may be exactly what you’re looking for!

Mixed-Age Classes With a typical span of three years, a Montessori class is composed of a mix of ages. This encourages children of various levels to work alongside one another, with older students mentoring and helping younger friends. Not only does this foster strong community and relationships among the students, it encourages peer-topeer learning and enhances social interaction.

Set up to be more of a community than a traditional class, the mixed-age environment promotes cooperation and respect.

The Montessori curriculum focuses on developmental milestones. For example, within the mixed-age class, younger children work on gross motor skills and independence, while older students sharpen fine motor skills and comprehension.

“Our students have, for 50 years, been the embodiment of joyful learning, and our graduates have gone on to make many varied and meaningful contributions in the world,” said Delila Olsson, Assistant Head of School at West Hills Montessori, located in Southwest Portland. “While mastery of a new skill or concept may evoke in a child a well-deserved sense of gratification, the depth of learning that occurs within a Montessori environment extends far beyond the moment and is revealed throughout the course of a child’s schooling and life.” West Hills Montessori is currently celebrating 50 years of bringing Montessori education to the Portland area.

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BY AMY CRAWFORD

The Classroom Set up to inspire and engage, the Montessori classroom is made up of different work stations and creative spaces that meet the developmental needs of each child, while encouraging choice.

With the belief that a child’s environment is essential to learning, Montessori classrooms are playroom-meets-workshop-meets-school.

With no center focal point of the room, areas are open and spacious, with children working on tables or floors, allowing hands-on learning within each defined space. This includes language arts, culture, math, science, art, geography and more. Each and every material in the classroom is thoughtful, there to support the student’s natural interests. Overall, Montessori classrooms aim to be peaceful, organized and inviting.

“Multi-age, multi-year classroom experiences, together with a diverse and integrative curriculum at every level, uniquely prepare each child for social, emotional, and academic successes in school, and form the essential building blocks for joy and resilience in life,” explains Olsson.

Teachers as Guides Different from a traditional classroom where the teacher is the center of attention, Montessori method educators have an unobtrusive role in the classroom. As a guide, the teacher introduces activities to the class, allowing students to learn at their own pace, with their own interests, while observing progress and providing encouragement and one-on-one education. Students tend to focus on the act and joy of their work, rather than the end result, cultivating creativity and process comprehension.

The same skills and subjects of traditional schools are taught in Montessori, but are presented in an integrated approach, allowing students to fully dive into a topic. This method advances self-discipline, concentration and motivation.

Many Montessori schools are bilingual, enabling children to absorb a different language naturally. “One of my favorite things about Montessori of Alameda is that we are bilingual, and every classroom has a fluent Spanish speaking teacher and a Montessoritrained teacher,” says Rose Witteveen, Head of School at Montessori of Alameda, located in Northeast Portland. “We follow the child’s natural development by observing their needs and providing them with a consistent and safe place to learn.”

PHOTOS: ELIJAH HASAN.

«

MONTESSORI FOCUS

Find Your Fit Portland boasts many Montessori programs, from established centers that cater to infancy through middle school to smaller in-home Montessori-inspired options. Whether you’re looking for a multilingual curriculum or outdoor-based education, you can bet Portland has it.

“Families looking for a school that supports children in developing independence, self regulation and executive function skills would be well matched to the Montessori method,” says Mercedes Paine Castle, Head of School at Portland Montessori Collaborative, based in Southwest Portland. “Because all Montessori schools practice Montessori a little different from one another, it’s a good idea to visit lots of schools, both Montessori and non-Montessori, in order to find the right fit.”

For even more information on preschools and child care, school open houses and education visit pdxparent.com/guides for comprehensive listings.

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MONTESSORI FOCUS

MONTESSORI LISTINGS

Agia Sophia Academy 14485 SW Walker Rd,

Beaverton, OR 97006 Ages: 3 - 12 years asapdx.org

503-641-4600 info@asapdx.org BeLoved Montessori 19393 Willamette Dr,

West Linn, OR 97068 Ages: 3mos - 6 years

belovedmontessori.com 503-305-7777

hello@belovedmontessori.com Community Montessori School Pilkington Rd,

Lake Oswego, OR 97035 Ages: 2.5 - 6 years

communitymontessorischool.net 503-577-7846

communitymontessorischool@ yahoo.com Franciscan Montessori Earth School

14750 SE Clinton, Portland, OR 97236 Ages: 2.5 - 15 years fmes.org

503-760-8220 info@fmes.org

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MONTESSORI FOCUS

Lewis & Clark Montessori Charter School 15600 SE 232nd Dr, Damascus, OR 97089 Ages: 3 – 15 years LCMCS.org 503-427-0803 info@LCMCS.org MSB 11065 NW Crystal Creek Lane, Portland, OR 97229 Ages: 3 - 12 years msb.org 503-439-1597 info@msb.org Portland Montessori Collaborative 4817 SW 53rd Ave, Portland, OR 97221 Ages: 3 mos - 6 years pdxMC.org 503-972-7100 info@pdxMc.org Sun Fern Montessori Children’s House 2936 SE 78th Ave, Portland, OR 97206 Ages 2.5 - 6 years sunfernmontessori.com 503-775-1011 info@sunfernmontessori.com Sunshine Montessori Preschool and Childcare Center 4845 SW Murray Blvd, Beaverton, OR 97005 Ages: 2 - 6 years

sunshine-montessori.com 503-644-1466 info@sunshine-montessori.com Sunstone Montessori School 6318 SW Corbett Ave, Portland, OR 97239 Ages: PreK - 6th grade sunstonemontessori.org 503-768-3847 info@sunstonemontessori.org The Portland Montessori School 205 NE 50th Ave , Portland, OR 97213 Ages: 3 - 12 years portlandmontessori.org 503-688-2992 info@portlandmontessori.org West Hills Montessori School 4920 SW Vermont St, Portland, OR 97219 Ages: 15 mos - 12 years westhills-montessori.com 503-246-5495 vermontstreet@ westhills-montessori.com Whole Child Montessori 5909 SE 40th Ave, Portland, OR 97202 Ages: 3 - 6 years wholechildmontessori.org 503-771-6366 enrollment@ wholechildmontessori.org

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Hands On

Melt With You

Add a little heat to transform all those broken bits of crayon into mini-masterpieces. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DENISE CASTAÑON

T

he amount of broken crayons rolling around my house

MATERIALS

(and, I’m guessing, yours) is staggering. Wanting a way

to put them to good use, I recently started playing around

Construction paper, white and another color

with melting crayon shavings onto paper. My daughter, who

Pencil

loves an art project as much as I do, added her own flair to

Ruler

the project by drawing with her preferred medium — black

Scissors, or craft knife and cutting mat

ballpoint pen — on the paper before adding the crayon bits.

Black ink pen (optional)

The melted crayons spread quite a bit, so small amounts go a long way. And the effect is surprisingly beautiful. Hung up on a window, they resemble stained-glass. Small kids will be quite mesmerized by the almost magical way their crayon bits transform. I also love that this project not only uses sad

Crayons Pencil or crayon sharpener Old dish towels or other fabric Ironing board

stubs of crayons, but gives them new life by getting their

Iron

ends sharp and ready for your child’s next burst of creativity.

Extra-fine glitter (optional) Tape

Managing editor Denise Castañon is a craft fanatic. The only time her iron and ironing board see the light of day is when she and her two kids are working on an art project.

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SUMMER CAMPS

DIRECTIONS 1. Use the ruler and pencil to draw a 2-inch border onto the colored construction paper.

2. Make the colored construction paper into a frame by using scissors or a craft knife and cutting mat (for grown-ups only) to cut out the rectangle in the center of the paper.

3. Fold the white construction paper in half and then let your child draw a picture with the black ink pen on the bottom half of the paper. Or, if your child prefers a more abstract look, go straight to the next step.

4. Use the pencil sharpener to make different colored crayon shavings. Keep the colors in their own piles. Pro tip: Crayons are easier to shave in a larger sharpener opening.

5. Place an old dish towel on an ironing board to keep the board’s surface from getting coated in melted crayon. Heat the iron to medium, making sure to keep it and the cord out of reach of younger children.

Place the white construction paper on the dish towel and let your child sprinkle the crayon shavings on the paper as they choose. Pro tip: Use a toothpick if they want to get crayon bits in a specific spot.

Sprinkle lightly with extra-fine glitter, if you wish (or if you dare).

6. Carefully fold the top of the paper down on the crayon shavings and then place a second dish towel on top. A grown-up should lightly move the iron over the surface of the towel for about 15 seconds. Remove the towel to see if the crayons have melted. If not, cover and iron for a few seconds more. Remove the towel, wait a few seconds, then carefully lift the top flap of the paper completely up.

Allow to cool for a few minutes, then cut the paper at the fold.

7. Tape the art to the back of the frame and you are done!

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SUMMER CAMPS

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For more kid-friendly restaurant reviews, visit: pdxparent.com /family-supper

Family Supper Hit the mall for the newest outpost of Taiwan’s wildly popular hot spot, Din Tai Fung.

Time to Make the

Dumplings!

BY JULIA SILVERMAN

T

igard’s sprawling Washington Square is perhaps not the first place you might think of for a destination meal out with your kids.

And yet, as soon as word filtered down that long-awaited international soup dumpling palace Din Tai Fung would be opening their first Oregon location there, we made a beeline for the mall.

There’s some backstory here. Din JULIA SILVERMAN Tai Fung has been on the global foodie map since at least 1993, when The New York Times named the original location in Taiwan as one of the top 10 restaurants worth traveling for in the world. Accolades and expansion followed, including to California and Washington state.

At the new Oregon location we had a lunch reservation (unfortunately, they have since switched to walk-ins only), and were greeted by name at the door of the restaurant and seated promptly, the start of what would be uniformly excellent service throughout our meal. Our waiter cheerfully walked us through the restaurant’s DIY dipping sauce (one part soy sauce to three parts vinegar, mixed with some julienned ginger), and got drinks to the table quickly; more importantly, he made certain that JEFF AZERRAD the meal was well-paced.

In other words, the food came in waves, not all at once, so we could enjoy one dish before starting another.

And boy, was there a lot of food. We started with the famous xiao long bao soup dumplings. (Faithful readers will remember that a year ago, we recommended XLB, on North Williams, which also specializes in these delicate, broth-filled dumplings, filled with a pinch of gingery pork.) We tried both the pork and pork/shrimp versions, which come 10 to an order. They were good, but not transcendent, and for me, not as luscious and lip-smacking as the homegrown varieties at XLB. But beyond soup dumplings, Din Tai Fung has a much more versatile and balanced menu.

Their pork potstickers, a surefire kid-pleaser, were as good a version as I’ve found in Portland, crispy yet light, and full of flavor.

My husband’s order of vegetarian hot and sour soup was properly spicy, stopping his incipient sinus cold in its tracks (helped along by

the restaurant’s piping hot pot of jasmine tea, which came in a huge insulated kettle, a nice touch).

My daughter refused to share her order of garlic-sauteed string beans, the stealth MVP of the menu (we spied them on almost every table as we walked out), and allowed us to try only a few spoonfuls of her shrimp-fried rice. My son was somewhat more generous with the sticky sesame ribs he’d ordered as an appetizer, but gave me the stink eye after I’d already taken two and tried to filch a third.

And the cucumber salad, tossed with a slick of chili oil, is a nice crunchy palate cleanser.

We were too full to even contemplate dessert, but their molten chocolate filled xiao long bao seem made for our Instagram age.

All of these treats added up to over $100 for the four of us, more than we would usually spend for brunch/lunch out — but it was enough food to yield lunches for the next day, and we were all still so full by the time dinner rolled around that I didn’t have to cook that night. Win-win!

Maybe because of their mall location, Din Tai Fung seems especially family friendly. There’s no play area, but there is a giant stack of high chairs and booster seats, and changing tables in both restrooms. Little kids will demand to be boosted up to better see the window outside the restaurant where employees can be observed making all varieties of dumplings, patiently twisting and folding to get them just right. It’s the best window shopping at the mall, bar none.

9724 SW Washington Square Rd, Tigard, dintaifungusa.com.

Monday-Thursday, 11 am-9 pm; Friday, 11 am-10 pm; Saturday, 10 am-10 pm; Sunday, 10 am-9 pm.

Julia Silverman is the editor of PDX Parent. She and her kids have still never met a dumpling they did not like.

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Recipe File

These yummy, no-bake energy balls make a great snack for busy kids.

STORY AND PHOTO BY JUDITH RICH

S

nacks, snacks, snacks! Any parent knows that no matter where they are or how recently they ate, kids are always in the mood for snacks.

Enter these delicious almond-butter energy balls — a healthy snack filled with tons of protein and fiber. I love them because they’re easy and require no baking.

You do need to let them set in the fridge overnight so they keep their form.

I recommend using a goodquality almond butter, but you can easily substitute peanut butter or even add other ingredients such as unsweetened cocoa powder. Kids (and grownups) will love these pop-in-yourmouth snacks, which keep really well in your fridge or in the freezer.

Almond-butter Energy Balls

Directions

Looking for more

Makes 12 energy balls

1. Stir all ingredients together in a bowl

kid-friendly recipes?

1 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats ½ cup almond butter 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (without alcohol) cup raisins or craisins ¼ cup of shredded coconut (optional)

2. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour 3. Scoop out with a big spoon, roll into 1 - 1 ½-inch balls and then store in an airtight container overnight.

Visit pdxparent.com / recipe-file

Judith Rich creates kid-inspired recipes and writes about her family’s dining out adventures in and around Portland at her blog, Eaty Pie. Find her at eatypie.com.

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Time Out birds of a feather If you have a 3-year-old, you probably know a lot about dinosaurs. Like the fact that modern-day birds are the descendants of those terrible lizards. So who better to present your preschooler with even more dinosaur facts than the Northwest Children’s Theater’s stalwart bird puppet troupe, The Starlings? The feathery flock always puts on an interactive and humorous show, often swooping through the audience, which makes The Starlings Present: Dinosaurs great for ages 3 and up. Starting Saturday, February 2 and running through February 24. All shows are Saturday or Sunday at 11 am or 2 pm. Find tickets at nwcts.org.

DAVID KINDER

shed some light In rainy Portland, around this time of year, it can seem like winter will never be over. That’s why we are such unabashed fans of the Portland Winter Light Festival. For three

February | 2019

go. play. explore.

nights in darkest February, the city lights up with illuminated art installations, kinetic fire sculptures and stand-out performances. Many are situated along the banks of the Willamette, between the foot of the Tilikum Bridge and the Hawthorne Bridge, but keep an eye out for festival expansion across the river. Best of all, it’s free and extremely family-friendly. Thursday, February 7 to Saturday, February 9.

Starts at dusk.

wet surfaces

OREGON ZOO

AMY SAKURAI

Help your kids learn about the importance of wetlands for the animals that depend on that ecosystem at World Wetlands Day at the Oregon Zoo. Zookeepers and biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will give talks on river otters, crocodiles, turtles and flamingoes, and lead activities inside the Nature Exploration Station. Saturday, February 2, 10 am-3 pm. Oregon Zoo. Free with zoo admission.

LAN SU GARDEN

crazy cool new year

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The most joyful cultural festival of the year is back at Lan Su Chinese Garden.

Welcome in the year of the pig with lion dances, cultural performances, martial arts, calligraphy demonstrations, and arts and crafts activities for the whole family, plus the chance to meet and pet miniature pigs. Daily events begin Tuesday, February 5, and last for the next two weeks, but schedules are especially packed on the weekends. Check out lansugarden.org for more info and ticket pricing. For more Chinese New Year fun, stake out a spot on the route of the fourth annual Portland Chinatown History Foundation Dragon Parade on Saturday, February 9, which starts at NW Davis and 3rd Avenue, and wends its way through downtown to the Oregon Historical Society. 11 am. Free.

EMPORIUM PRESENTS

rush the stage Two nationally known toddler faves are performing live in Portland this month — go ahead, just try to stop your kid from rushing the stage, we dare you. First up is PJ Masks Saves the Day, Saturday,

Shake off winter torpor by signing the whole family up for the annual Worst Day of the Year ride, held traditionally on the rainiest, stormiest, bleakest day of the year, or thereabouts.

This is about as family-friendly as a bike event gets (just ask our cutie-pie cover models); there are pre-ride snacks, more snacks at strategically located rest stops throughout and hot soup, grilled cheese and cocoa at the finish. Plus costumes are highly encouraged, and there are prizes at the end for the best decked-out family. And it all benefits a great cause, the Community Cycle Center, which fixes up donated bikes for those who can’t afford to buy their own. Sunday, February 10. Find out more and get your tickets at eventsbyaxiom.com/worstdayride. (Pro tip: Kids 12 and under ride for free!)

February 9 at Keller Auditorium. Catboy, Owlette and Gecko have a new buddy — PJ Robot — and our heroes will try to stop a new trio of sneaky villains from wreaking havoc. Next up on Saturday, February 26, comes Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live, when everyone’s favorite not-at-allfearsome feline learns just what it takes to be king. Find tickets and more info about both shows at portland5.com.

play all day It’s time for KidFest, Portland’s biggest family expo.

You’ll find pretty much everything under the sun at this huge event — bouncy houses, character meet ’n greets, cooking demos, sports classes, rock climbing, Mad Science experiments and more.

PINT SIZED PRODUCTIONS Saturday and Sunday, February 16-17. Portland Expo Center. Visit kidfestnw.com for times and to purchase tickets. Pro tip: If a big, crowded event is too much for your kiddo, look into the low-sensory “Magic Hour” admission.

magic beyond all we do here Calling all Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Slytherins! Yes, even those wily Slytherins are welcome at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on February 16 and 17 to watch the Oregon Symphony perform the score to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban while the film plays on the big screen. Many Potter aficionados consider this film the best one of the eight installments. But it can’t fail to be OREGON SYMPHONY improved upon by the soaring crescendos of the symphony musicians during pivotal action scenes and Quidditch matches. Go to orsymphony.com for tickets and showtimes.

HEIDI HOFFMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

FLICKR-CREATIVE COMMONS/KTESH

cycle city

spread the word Celebrate Black History Month and the works of African American authors at the Multnomah County Library’s African American Read-in. Local community

Get social with us!

Make heartfelt Valentine’s crafts with your child at the Multnomah County Library’s Valentine Fun event. They’ll provide all the fun bits for your little one to make adorable cards. Saturday, February 2, 10:30 am-12:30 pm at St. Johns Library. Saturday, February 9 at 2 pm-3:30 pm at Central Library and 2 pm-4 pm at Holgate Library. Free. Or hit up adorable new bookstore Books Around the Corner in Gresham, which is hosting a Valentine’s Day-themed origami class on Saturday, February 10, from 3 pm-4 pm. Your kids will get to create both an origami heart and an origami flower to give to someone special. $5. Call 503-489-8804 to save your spot.

! /pdxparentonline | ( @pdx_parent | % /pdx_parent/ | $ /pdx_parent/

my crafty valentine

leaders, teachers, students and celebrities will read aloud their favorites passages from black writers. Books for kids, teens and adults will be spotlighted. Sunday, February 10, 2 pm-3:30 pm. North Portland Library. Free. First come, first served.

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Time Out

kids invade salem!

There’s no school on Monday,

Taking a class with your kiddo is a great way to spread the love this Valentine’s Day. Get artistic by painting yummy cupcakes together at the Happy Palettes kid-parent class at the Happy Valley Station food carts on Monday, February 11 at 6 pm. $25. Visit happypalettes.biz to get tickets. Or check out the Little Chefs chocolate fondue cooking class from Feed the Mass. Saturday, February 16 at 1 pm at the Whole Foods at 1210 NW Couch. $15 per kid, with a parent helping. Sign up at feedthemass.com.

February 18, so why not honor the memories of Presidents George Washington

your legislator (rumor has it that Happy Valley Rep. Janelle Bynum’s office will be particularly strong in the snack game), watch a committee meeting and check out the House and Senate in session. You can even climb together to the top of the building’s golden dome. Or if you’re feeling more politically active, join teachers from around the state at the March for Our Students to press for more stable and equitable funding for public education. Meet at the Salem Convention Center at 10 am to join the march to the Capitol. If you need to blow off some steam after all that activism and civic duty, detour to the Legacy of Play free admission day at the Gilbert House Children’s Museum.

new at the museums Two new exhibits are in the works at two of our favorite kid landmarks this month. Over at OMSI, their next blockbuster exhibit, The Science Behind Pixar, opens Saturday, February 23. The exhibition delves into the creation of Pixar’s greatest hits, from Woody and Buzz to the Incredibles, and all the characters in between. Meanwhile at the Portland Children’s Museum, work by the artists’ collaborative known as the Living School of Art, which is based in an affordablehousing complex in outer Southeast Portland, will be on view every day from now through the end of May. Stop by to check out an installation of life-sized jellyfish made from recycled materials, paintings that draw on personal stories of immigration and to make your own sculptures from everyday objects.

AMANDA LEIGH EVANS

and Abraham Lincoln by heading down to Salem for Kids at the Capitol Day? Meet

’til the clock strikes midnight

GILBERT HOUSE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

You and the kids will have access to 15 hands-on exhibits within three historic houses. And there’s also the massive Outdoor Discovery Area to explore. Gilbert House is open from 10 am-5 pm, but will be breaking out some additional special activities from 10 am-2 pm.

116 Marion St. NE, Salem.

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Get swept away (see what we did there?) with Oregon Ballet Theatre’s gorgeous performance of Cinderella. Even little kids will respond to the slapstick humor of our heroine’s evil stepmother and her shrewish stepsisters; older kids will be transported by the glamorous, romantic night out at the ball.

Saturday, February 16 to Saturday, BLAINE TRUITT COVERT February 23. Keller Auditorium.

Visit obt.org for ticket prices and showtimes.

FEED THE MASS

REP. JANELLE BYNUM

classy valentine

Portland Audubon

SUMMER CAMPS

Something for every artist, adventurer, & wildlife enthusiast!

JUNE 24 - AUGUST 30 | GRADES 1-12 For more information, call 971-222-6131

Register online at ww.audubonportland.org

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Parentlandia

“It’s so embarrassing that my parents still do their nurturing in analog.”

Tom Toro is a freelance cartoonist and writer whose work appears in The New Yorker, Paris Review, American Bystander and elsewhere.

His collection of Trump cartoons TINY HANDS was published in 2017 by Dock Street Press. His fiction writing has been shortlisted for the Disquiet International Literary Prize. Tom is currently developing an animated TV show, and finishing a graphic memoir about becoming an artist during turbulent times. He lives in Portland with his wife, preschooler and cat. To see more of his work, visit tomtoro.com.

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Check out

pdxparent.com/guides for all your go-to guides.

We cover it all: education, camps, child care, preschools and many more!

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