JUNE 2013 ~ÛÝÛLivingston Parent Journal ÝÛ¨ ©Û ¤~ ÛÝÛooo Canaf_klgfGYj]flAgmjfYd [geÛ
ÛÝÛLivingston Parent Journal ÝÛ¨ ©Û ¤~ ÛÝÛooo Canaf_klgfGYj]flAgmjfYd [geÛ
Features... An Independent local publication.
MISSION STATEMENT: The mission of Livingston Parent Journal is to share worthwhile information with area parents by listing family-oriented events, educational opportunities for parents, and by providing feature articles and tips on topics relevant to raising children of all ages.
JUNE 2013 — EDITOR/ PUBLISHER — Rick & Terri McGarry —WRITERS— Gary W. Schmelz Greg Bishop Jennifer M. Koontz Christine Turnbow Eve Putman Sam Larioza Barbara Dianis — COVER PHOTO —
Angela Cox — GRAPHIC DESIGN/LAYOUT —
Mindy Simon
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a gift from my father
Academic Regression
10
16
His Father’s Voice
In every issue...
Tips For Dads
Events......................................................................... 11-14 Day Trip Planner .............................................................17-21
ClassiďŹ eds ....................................................................... 22
The Livingston Parent Journal does not necessarily endorse the views of the authors or the products of the advertisers. Medical and health advice is not intended to replace the care of a physician. Member of
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866.806.1680 Š December 2012 All rights reserved.
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From
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Dear Friends,
It is the official position of this publication that the world would be much improved if parents spent more time with their kids. Of course we irrationally love them and want the best for them just because they are our children, but prolonged time spent in close proximity provides some very practical benefits as well. For example, it’s more fun to spend time with functional productive people, so the more time we spend with our children the more motivated we are to encourage and help them to become as productive and functional as they can be. We can, and usually should, ignore destructive patterns of behavior in casual acquaintances.
However, when they occur across the dinner table from us on a regular basis, we rightfully feel obliged to take corrective action. The parent is also one of the few people in the world who can confidently expect to be in relationship with their child for the rest of their life, so they should have the greatest inducement to invest for the long term in the character development of their children. If I meet a child who is rude or selfish, I can afford to overlook it, since I may never see them again. However, when my own child learns to be considerate and unselfish, I benefit from that for the rest of my life. Therefore, apart from my moral obligation to parent as effectively as I can, I can also know that
the return on my investment in the character of my child is likely to be huge. It takes months or even years to help children become responsible members of society, but the benefit for the parent personally normally lasts a lifetime. Enjoy your children. Spend time with them for every kind of sentimental reason, and know that time together is often both the means and the motivation for effective parenting. We’re all in this together,
June Happy Birthdays! 0 1 M yla J an e L im b e r s 0 2 E lla G r ayb ill J o r d yn Ryb in s k i 0 3 Taylo r S h o o t e r B r yan In e ic h A u s t in Po p e 0 4 Rae g an C h am b e r s H ayd e n Wag n e r 0 5 J u lian n a Ro s e J o n e s Ty B ialo b r z e s k i C ad e n C o n n e r s L au r e n N ic h o ls 0 6 A le xan d e r O s o lin d
We are always looking for more sponsors for the Birthday Club. Email rick@livingstonparentjournal.com or call 866.806.1680 for details. Kids! Join our Birthday Club and we’ll send you a special treat and let everyone know it’s your special day! Send your child’s date of birth to birhtdays@livingstonparentjournal.com
109 West Grand River, Howell 517.579.2206
07 Grace Galyean O li v e r We n d e l 08 Joeseph Cooper A u st i n N i t z 09 Delaney Richter 10 Kody Sweet War r i c k B l e w e t t 1 1 K ia r a L o n g Te s s a S m i t h 1 2 J ac o b S a p i e n z a 1 4 M ic a e l a Ta y l o r 1 9 Rile y R o s e P o r t e r E mm a Ta y l o r
Homemade Chocolate 129 E. Grand River. Fowlerville 517.223.1322
22 Ryan Curnalia Kaitlyn Curnalia 24 Aspen Sundberg Kayla Ineich 26 Sasha McNaney 28 Brianna Chodyniecki Ian Dolen Katelyn Milano 29 Jillian Rittenberry 30 Clayten Minock
Howell Big Boy 10006 Highland Rd. Hartland 2222 E. Grand River. Howell 810.632.6932 517.548.1800
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BRIGHTON VIRTUAL ACADEMY Grades 7 through 12
Are you are a family looking for a more flexible way to earn a fully accredited high school diploma? The Brighton Virtual Academy can provide that opportunity for you. We are now entering our second year, and we are excited to be expanding to include seventh and eighth graders in our program. WE PROVIDE: s 4UITION FREE HOME BASED PROGRAM INCLUDING ADVANCED PLACEMENT classes, music, art, foreign language, and physical education. s !LL REQUIRED -ICHIGAN -ERIT #ORE COURSES s / PPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN "RIGHTON !REA 3CHOOLS ATHLETICS AND CO CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT "RIGHTON (IGH AND 3CRANTON -IDDLE 3CHOOL s (IGHLY QUALIl ED TEACHERS FOR EACH COURSE THROUGH -ICHIGAN 6IRTUAL 3CHOOL and a local mentor s ! FREE LAPTOP COMPUTER AND m EXIBLE CONNECTIVITY IF NEEDED s 4UTORIAL ASSISTANCE OPTIONS
A Great Way to Learn!
ENROLLMENT IS NOW OPEN FOR FALL 2013 We can be reached at www.brightonk12.com and link to online learning Or call us at 810.299.4010
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Fight Summer Academic Regression Over the summer, there should be an educational activity every day. Whether it's practicing math facts, reading for 30 minutes to an hour, or going online to learn more about a bug found in the backyard, learning needs to be a daily experience all year. Spend some time at local libraries, museums, metroparks, zoos, etc. Write a letter or send an email to a friend or to a grandparent about what you are doing over the summer.
up, keep up, or get ahead. We have 28 years of experience in Livingston County. Older kids should keep up too. Is there an ACT test in the future? Does he or she want to take an extra class to help him or herself be more prepared for college? What about a summer job or internship? Older kids without any summer plans tend to get into trouble and have a harder time adjusting to the demands of the school year when it starts up again.
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Summer camps can be educational, fun, and help your child get to know other kids. Check with your child's Teamwork and leadership are teacher before the end of skills often learned at camps the school year to see what o b that are invaluable for their dern skills your child may need to Christine Tu velopment and future. continue working on for the upcoming school year. Sometimes the school Christine Turnbow has taught 7th grade may offer a list of suggested reading activi- summer school and high school English. She ties, etc, to do over the summer. is the Center Director at Sylvan of Brighton. Workbooks can also offer a fun, easy way to She has a Master's Degree in Education and is a Brighton resident. keep your child up to par. Sylvan Learning Center offers year round, individualized programs to help students catch
As the joyous cries of, “No more pencils, no more books,” ring throughout the community, the reality is that the summer months can be a great time for parents to cultivate rich reading lives for their children. As an educator, I highly recommend parents read with students over the summer. Research is clear that students need to spend as much time as possible with high interest, just right text in front of them. Some creative reading recommendations for parents are:
Check out Sylvan’s recommended reading list: http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/summer_reading_list.cfm
E Pair movies with books. After you finish a book together, rent the movie, pop the popcorn, and enjoy! E Get kids reading nonfiction. Encourage your students to check out books about baseball, baboons, or balloon animals– whatever interests them. E Scholastic Reading Challenge is another great incentive program for students to utilize. scholastic.com/summer
E Be a model. Read avidly around and to E Listen to Books on Tape. One of the best pastimes for long car rides! your children. E Link reading with summer activities. E Have your students form a book club If you are headed to a baseball game, read with their friends. Students can read the a book about baseball or a famous player. same text and meet once in a while to discuss the book. E Use the library reading incentive programs. This is a great tool for your Eve Putman – Hartland Schools 4th grade children to have access to thousands of at Round Elementary School. high interest books.
S a m L ario z
a
Research has shown that most children regress academically over the summer. Progressive parents know how to make summer an opportunity to learn by concentrating on the two keys to developing highly successful children – Courage and Self Discipline. Kids that are not held back by fear or self doubt and are highly disciplined cannot help but become super kids! Here are three things you can do to help your child develop more discipline: E Keep as much structure as possible in their lives. Get them up at the same time and put them to bed at the same time every day you are home (kids thrive on structure and certainty), E Have daily family “homework” time (the great thing here is you can just make this 15 minutes of reading anything they want!), E Develop a high level of self discipline. Make them do something every day that they “do not really want to do”. This last one is the most powerful. It could be a simple chore or task like picking up your room. Self Discipline is just a habit – what habit is your child learning over the summer? Use these simple tips and your child will start school in September miles ahead of their peers! Sam Larioza, Ohana Karate www.ohanakarate.com
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E Review the past grade level’s grammar concepts and begin to work on the next year’s concepts – 2-4 grammar lessons a week will do. E Have your student write a creative paragraph each week – it will improve their written language skills and is a fun and creative activity! E Pinpoint the subject that your child had the most trouble with the previous school year and make sure to work in some practice in this area each day.
Brian Ed wa
rd s
Laurie Marr Umlauf Reading, casual review while doing everyday stuff (cooking, road signs, writing letters) and we hire a weekly tutor. Christy Rose Vernier We use the Bridge book series throughout the summer. It also helps that our 7 year old loves to read!
L a u ri e M a r r
Christine Turnbow My daughter is not in school yet but we are already starting by making learning a positive and daily experience. She is only 2 but every day we try to explore, do art, practice counting, Sometimes she sits in bed reading books! Amanda Gerrity We take our daughter to the most amazing tutor in Brighton. We’ve been going there a year now, and she literally saved my daughter’s academics and selfesteem. Erin Brown Conroy (erinbrownconroy@gmail. com) is a master teacher that is an expert in homeschooling as well as teaching kids with learning differences, a published author and she has eigh children, many of them adopted from other countries.
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Clan Coop We start by setting a “summer routine” days can go by fast witout a bit of structure. We also start working through our summer “bucket list” that we compile in May and kick off the first day of summer break! e C h ri s t y R o s
r Ve
C lan C o o p
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E Consider offering your child or teenager a reading comprehension workbook, which will test them with self-quizzes.
Lacie Philipp-Steelmon We have reading hour almost everyday.
ni
E Work on 3-4 math problems a day that the student learned during the previous school year so their mathematical skills don’t get rusty.
Brian Edwards Pray.
aug
E Students should practice affixes and vocabulary words to help improve their reading and spelling skills – make it a fun game by putting together flashcards.
This is what parents said on our Facebook page when we asked: What does your family do in the summer to make sure your kids are ready to succeed when they go back to school in the fall?
’s D
E Set aside time for your student to read each day during summer break – 15 to 30 minutes is all it takes, and the time will fly by!
Tips from Parents on Facebook
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Barbara Dianis, education mentor for over 21 years, Founder and CEO of Dianis Educational Systems, and author of the new book Don’t Count Me Out! says continuing to review old concepts, learn new ones, and stretch the mind during summer break is imperative to students entering the next school year prepared. She offers seven tips for setting your student up for summer success:
rn Christine Tu
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See more summer learning tips at our web site www.LivingstonParentJournal.com For more parenting tips join Livingston Parent Journal on Facebook A m an d a G e
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ÛÝÛLivingston Parent Journal ÝÛ¨ ©Û ¤~ ÛÝÛooo Canaf_klgfGYj]flAgmjfYd [geÛ
a gift from my father My father worked hard all of his life. When my parents started their stationery store business he would get up at 5:00 A.M., walk over to their shop, sort newspapers, and deliver them to the residents in the apartment building above the store. At midnight he would lock up and walk home. If he was lucky and the weather didn’t slow him down, he got to bed at 1:00 A.M., but he never settled in for the night without bending over and giving me a kiss goodnight. In the early years he worked seven days a week, but when I was about 10 years old and the store began to prosper, my parents closed their shop on Sunday, and Dad began to share his love of fishing with me. I don’t know where my father’s love of fishing came from. He was raised in a city environment by foster parents who had no interest in the activity. Perhaps it was one of his friends.
“Sometimes,”
Dad responded.
When I was old enough he started to spend some of his free time teaching me how to tie knots and rig up fishing line. I still remember the first time he took me fishing in the Hudson River. A good fisherman must have patience he told me, so after he showed me how to cast my line into the murky waters of the Hudson I set my pole down and waited for the fish to bite. To my chagrin nothing showed interest in our bait. “Is fishing always like this?” I asked as we picked up our gear and headed home after three hours of “fishing” with nothing to bring home for dinner.
“That’s just
the way life is.”
“Sometimes,” Dad responded. “That’s just the way life is.” Dad never stopped taking me fishing and I grew to love the sport we shared. In the years that followed I discovered there was a lot more to learn about how to catch a fish. Dad taught me about the tides and how the moon and the sun played a role in which kind of fish we would catch. And then there were the different species of fish we hooked. Dad had names for most of them, but with some we landed he would just scratch his head and say he had no idea what they were. “Maybe we can get a book and look up what they are,” Dad suggested one day. So off we went to a book shop to see if we could find a publication that would help us identify the different species that lived in the waters off the Jersey shore. Sunday mornings were spent thumbing through the pages trying to identify the different fish, and much to our surprise we even learned that some of the fish we were throwing back were good to eat. Although catching fish was our primary objective, my father would often pull up on the shoreline as the tide receded so the two of us could walk the flats and look for critters that were stranded on the exposed flats. Here we discovered horseshoe crabs half buried in the mud, bay scallops hopping about in the eelgrass beds and tiny shrimp hiding amongst the green folds of sea lettuce. “There’s so much to discover and learn about,” my father would say as we explored the sandbars. I couldn’t have agreed more. The ocean world held lots of secrets and the more we walked together along its shoreline, the more I wanted to learn about this mysterious world.
Fathers have a lot to offer their children; I know mine did. His interest in fishing got me involved in a lifelong hobby that I shared with him until his death. But it also did more. Reading about the fish we caught piqued my interest in studying the natural world in which we live and why it is important to protect the creatures we share our planet with. This interest remained with me throughout college and ultimately led me to pursue a doctorate in marine biology and acquire a job as director of education for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. The wonderful learning experiences I shared with Dad are a gift I will always treasure. I still walk the flats in Florida at low tide and think of him, and sometimes I believe I see him waving to me to hurry over and see a new discovery he has made. Thanks, Dad, for making me the man I am today. Gary W. Schmelz is the author of the book Journey to the Edge of Eden. He received his B.S. and M.S. in Zoology and his PhD in marine biology. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard an oceanographic research vessel and is the former Director of the Big Cypress Nature Center and Director of Education for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. He received the Elsie M. B. Naumburg Award as the leading environmental educator in the United States in 1985, and in 2007 he received the Howard Converse Award for his outstanding contributions to Florida Paleontology. Gary shares more about his relationship with his father at LivingstonParentJournal.com
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His Father’s Voice
After the birth, a baby is usually scared, screaming, flailing around, and quite frankly, just pissed off that he’s been born. I was often the nurse who would carry the baby into the newborn nursery and start checking his vital signs. Normally the monitor would show a high heart rate, elevated blood pressure, rapid respirations, all of which reflect how stressed he is.
Then I’d see the baby’s father hanging around, often not sure what to do, also looking a little stressed and unsure of his surroundings. So I would say, “Come over here, stand right here next to your baby, and just start talking to your son.” I would encourage the father to lean down close to his baby, and speak some quiet words of comfort. I would say, “It’s, okay, he knows your voice. Go ahead and talk to your baby.”
The father would start to talk to his child, sometimes using his child’s chosen name, and say things like, “1 love you. It’s okay. I’m here. You’re going to be okay. You’re safe. You’re my son. I love you. Everything’s going to be alright. I’m here now, I’m here.” Remarkably, once the baby heard his fathers gentle voice, he would calm down, his body would relax and find rest, he’d become very quiet. The baby’s heart would stop racing, his respirations would calm down. This little newborn child would often strain to turn his head towards that voice, blinking through the bright lights, instinctively trying to see the voice that he knew so well. In this very scary new world outside of his mothers warm and safe womb, this little child had found peace, he knew he was safe, he knew he was not alone, he knew everything was going to be alright, he knew he was where he was supposed to be, within the sound of his father’s voice. Julie, a former nurse in the newborn nursery, in a eulogy to her father. Excerpted from Hit the Ground Crawling, by Greg Bishop, Head Coach, Boot Camp for New Dads. Available at newdads.com
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FARMERS MARKETS Brighton Saturdays 8am-1pm 200 North 1st Street 810.955.1471 brightoncoc.org Howell Sundays 9am-2pm Downtown Courthouse Lawn 517.546.3920 howell.org Green Oak Sundays 10am-3pm Green Oak Village Place Mall 313.590.1960 greenoakmarket@gmail.com
Fowlerville Fridays 3-7pm City Parking Lot on Grand River 517.375.5132 fowlerville.org Hartland Old Hartland High School Saturdays 9am-1pm 810.632.1030 hartland.market@hotmail.com
JUNE List your event for free at LivingstonParentJournal.com
Sat & Sun 1 & 2 Art in the Park Arts and crafts festival featuring over 125 crafters, food, and family entertainment. Downtown Pinckney Pinckney Library Book Sale 8,000 books; $5/bag (bag provided), DVDs/audiobooks $2. Pinckney Library Sat 9am-7pm Sun 10am-2pm friendsofpcpl@pinckneylibrary.org
Safety Day at Independence Lake Explore emergency vehicles, play games, speak with trained professionals, and play in the new spray play facility, Blue Heron Bay. 10am-Noon 734.449.4437 Charyl’s Run-2B-Fit 5K and 10K Trail Runs and a 1 Mile Trail Walk. Huron Meadows Metro Park 9am 810.632.4778 run2bfit@sandsathleticboosters.org
Sunday 2 YMCA Camp Copneconic Open House Sample summer camp activities. Staff will be available to answer questions and help you select activities. 2-5pm FREE campcopneconic.org
Wildwing Watch The herons are back on the rookery. There will be spotting scopes out to get a better look. Kensington Noon-4pm 810.227.8910 CEF metroparks.com Zip Line and Climbing Tower 500’ zip line over a pond. Tallest outdoor tower in Michigan. Howell Nature Center $17 Reservations are required. Howell Nature Center 517.546.0249 howellnaturecenter.org
Tuesday 4 Family Tae Kwon Do Every Tuesday and Thursday in June. Kils Tae Kwon Do 6:30-7:30pm or 7:30-8:30pm $100 517.546.0693 howellrecreation.org
Fri & Sat 7 & 8
Open Mic Poetry, comedy, singing, dancing, and other performance art. Bennett Recreation Center 7-9pm $2 517.546.0693 howellrecreation.org Summer Reading Kick-Off Party Ice cream, popcorn, balloons, face painting and registration for summer programs. Hamburg Library 7pm 810.231.1771 hamburglibrary.org
Sat & Sun 8 & 9 Marion Township Heritage Days Steam engines, antique tractors, petting farm and fire station tours with Freddie the Fire Truck. Sat 9am-10pm Sun 9am-4pm $10/car 517.546.1588 mariontownship.com Monsters University Scarers Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic 10am 517.548.3475 lowesbuildandgrow.com
Canoe Trip 2-3 hour trip down the Huron River. Some paddling experience and personal flotation devices are required. Huron Meadows Metropark 10am 734.954.0429 bobjackpmt@gmail.com
Saturday 8 Meet On Main Crafts, artists, children’s games and book sale. Downtown Whitmore Lake Noon-4pm 734.637.0680
Lawn Mower Pencil Holder Hands-on workshop for children ages 5-12. Free workshop apron, commemorative pin and certificate of achievement. Home Depot 9am-Noon 517.548.3742
Wildlife Park Guided Tour Learn about the more than 60 native Michigan animals who live in Livingston County’s only zoo. Howell Nature Center 11am $7 517.546.0249
Kid 2 Kid Sale Kids can sell or trade used toys or games. All children must be supervised. Fenton Community and Cultural Center 10am-1pm 810.714.2011 slpr.net
metroparks.com
Friday 7
Zip Line and Climbing Tower see June 2 Antique Gas Engine and Tractor Show Hayrides, pedal pull contests, games, mini horses, tractor pulls, tractor games and horseshoe tournament. Hudson Mills Metro Park 248.804.8507
Saturday 1
Primitive Firestarting Steve Stanley from “Bushcraft Gone Wild” will cover fire by friction using the bow drill. Learn how to get an ember, create a “bird’s nest” and build a sustainable fire, plus take a bow drill set home, too. Bring folding saw and locking pocket knife. Hudson Mills Metropark 10am $40 734.426.8211
Antique gas engine
Breeding Bird Survey Volunteers will help to identify the species of birds that nest at Kensington by looking and listening for them from designated points along the trail. Kensington 7-10am 810.227.8910 metroparks.com
Antique gas engine
Car entry fee.
Reservations required. Please call ahead.
ooo Canaf_klgfGYj]flAgmjfYd [geÛÝÛ¨ ©Û ¤~ ÛÝÛLivingston Parent JournalÛÝÛ11 ~~ÛÝÛLivingston Parent Journal ÝÛ¨ ©Û ¤~ ÛÝÛooo Canaf_klgfGYj]flAgmjfYd [geÛ
Flip and Flop Fishing Tournament Bring your pole. Bait provided. Catch and release. Howell City Park 8:30am $7 517.546.0693 howellrecreation.org Touch a Truck Fire Trucks, police cars, and boom trucks. Learn about safety, ask questions, and find out how these trucks are used. Bush Park 7-9pm FREE 810.714.2011 slpr.net
Sunday 9 Springfest Colors the Clown and her petting farm, balloon art by Tim Thurman, magic by Jeff Wawrzaszek, free face painting and ice cream treats. Brighton Library 1-4pm FREE 810.229.6571 brightonlibrary.info
Cardboard Boat Regatta Build a boat out of cardboard and duct tape, and launch it. Work alone or with a group. Ages 12 and up. Prizes awarded. Howell City Park 10am-2pm $15-$45/boat 517.546.0693
Tiny Tot Olympics Hopping, jumping, skipping and racing for children ages 3-6. Bike obstacle course, relay race, balance beam walk and potato sack races. Bennett Recreation Center 10am-Noon $30 517.546.0693 howellrecreation.org
Wednesday 12 Readers of the Lost Book presented by Acting Up Theatre Company Fowlerville Library 3:15pm FREE 517.223.9089 fowlervillelibrary.org
Thursday 13 Kensington Woods Open House and Art Show High School students will be presenting their work from Project Term, a 3 week term where students take part in engaging, experiential, project-based classes. Students will have their final projects on display for the community and will be there to answer questions about their work. 517.545.0828 kwoods.org
howellrecreation.org
Sanchin-Ryu Family Karate Thursdays through 8/8 see June 11
Monday 10 Swingfusion Youth swing dancing event. Mondays through 10/14. Brighton Gazebo 7-10pm $1
Fri-Sun 14 -16
thedanceproject@live.com thedanceproject.info
The Taming of the Shrew presented by the Pinckney Players in Pinckney Towne Square in front of the gazebo. 6:30pm FREE pinckneyplayers.com
Tuesday 11 Sanchin-Ryu Family Karate Physical techniques, drills and exercises. Tuesdays through 7/30 Barnard Community Center 7-8pm $104/family 517.546.0693 howellrecreation.org
Saturday 15 Butterfly Count Join an interpreter to help locate and identify butterflies and skippers. Bring binoculars and
Springfest, June 9th, Brighton Library. insect nets if you have them. You may also wish to bring lunch and water. Ages 10 years and older. Kensington Noon – 4pm 810.227.8910 metroparks.com Arc of Livingston Family Fun Day for individuals with disabilities and their families. Fishing and food. Fishing supplies provided. Bring your own lawn chairs or picnic blankets. Registration required. 11am-2pm FREE 517.546.1228 livingstoncd.org
June 14-15 The Addam’s Family (Friday, June 14 – Saturday, June 15, 2013): Finally, enjoy the smash-hit musical comedy that brings the darkly delirious world of Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Grandma, Wednesday, Pugsley and, of course, Lurch to spooky and spectacular life. Olyent.com Car entry fee.
June 22 MythBusters: Behind the Myths Tour, starring Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, co-hosts of the Emmy-nominated Discovery series MythBusters. Wharton Center’s Cobb Great Hall 3 7 8pm $25 517.432.2000 whartoncenter.com
Reservations required. Please call ahead.
~ ÛÝÛLivingston Parent Journal ÝÛ¨ ©Û ¤~ ÛÝÛooo Canaf_klgfGYj]flAgmjfYd [geÛ
Try the Montessori Difference!
Summer Camp and Enrichment Programs
Half Day and Full Day Options for Children Aged 2 1/2 to 12 Spanish
Enrichment Classes Offered Include
Computers
Sewing
Chinese
Violin
Experimental Science
Art
We’re Giving 3 FREE* Places per Week of Summer Camp. Call Now to Reserve a Place for Your Child! 2944 S. Old www.mapletreemontessori.com US 23, Brighton | (810) 225-8321
www.mapletreemontessori.com *One free week for new enrollments only and can be redeemed once per family ooo Canaf_klgfGYj]flAgmjfYd [geÛÝÛ¨ ©Û ¤~ ÛÝÛLivingston Parent JournalÛÝÛ13
Amazing Amphibians Kids will go outside to explore the frogs, toads and salamanders. Hudson Mills 11am $3 734.426.8211 metroparks.com
Sunday 16 Dragonfly Count Help an interpreter find and name them. Binoculars, boots, lunch and water are suggested as you are expected to be out for about four hours. Ages 10 years and older. Kensington Noon-4pm 810.227.8910
Bug Soup Get a look at the plant and animal life that live under, on and above the pond’s surface during this hands-on family program. Kensington 2-4pm 810.227.8910 metroparks.com
metroparks.com
Father’s Day Come visit the farm with your family and take a hayride. Kensington Noon-4pm $5 810.227.8910
Nature’s Nasties Learn the good, the bad and the downright ugly traits of some of Michigan’s most infamous animals. Meet some of these creatures and make a craft. Ages 7 years and older. Kensington 1pm $3 810.227.8910 metroparks.com
metroparks.com
Father’s Day Treasure Hunt Travel by land & sea looking for marked locations using your treasure map. Heavner Canoe Rental 1-3pm. 810.299.4130
Wednesday 19
brighton.registryinsight.com
Insect Safari with Dad Catch and release. Harris Nature Center in Okemos 3pm $3 517.349.3866 harriscenter@sbcglobal
Tues-Fri 18 - 21 Farm Camp offers kids ages 8 to 13 years the opportunity to discover the wonders of life on the farm and participate in daily farm chores as well as many fun organized activities. Kensington 9am-3pm $175 810.227.8910 metroparks.com
It’s Simply Magic with award-winning Metro Detroit Magician Tom Plunkard. A cage full of birds will vanish and a volunteer will be suspended in mid-air. Free ticket available 15 minutes before the program. Brighton Library 11:00-11:45am FREE 810.229.6571 brightonlibrary.info
Babysitter’s Training How to supervise children and infants,performing basic child-care skills.Bring paper, pencil, and snack. American Red Cross 8:30am-3:30pm $95 517.546.0693 howellrecreation.org
Treasure Hunt Bring shovels, pails, rakes and sifters to find the treasures in a mountain of sand. Howell City Park 1-3pm 517.546.0693 howellrecreation.org
Monday 24 1875 Great Lakes Boating Adventure with schooner captain Bill Thomas. Deliver passengers and cargo from Buffalo to Chicago and Sault Ste. Marie to Duluth. Songs and history of the Great Lakes region. Ages 6 and up. Free ticket available 15 minutes before the program. Brighton Library 11am - Noon FREE 810.229.6571 brightonlibrary.info
Saturday 29 Poison with Purpose Discover which poisonous plants and venomous animals are found in the area. Kensington 1pm $3 810.227.8910 RR metroparks.com
Zip Line and Climbing Tower see June 2
Sunday 30 Beasts at the Boat Rental Snakes and turtles are among the most fascinating of all animals. Sort out what is true and what isn’t. Kensington 1-3pm 810.227.8910 metroparks.com
Tuesday 18
Friday 21
Watoto’s Children Choir is comprised of Ugandan children who have all suffered the loss of their parents due to war or disease, but have been taken in by Watoto and raised in their community. The Commons (7526 Grand River Avenue, Brighton) 7pm FREE watoto.com
Skateboard Day Open skate, DJ, giveaways, and raffles. Parker Skate Park $5 517.546.0693
Muggle Quidditch Learn from members of the U of M Team, then try it yourself. Bring your own broom. Ages 11-18 Brighton Library 6:30-7:30pm FREE 810.229.6571 brightonlibrary.info
Sat & Sun 22 & 23 Zip Line and Climbing Tower see June 2
Saturday 22 Fun Family Field Day Hayrides, catch-n-release fishing, archery, 1 mile fun run/walk, demonstrations and educational booths. Nature Center on Roberts Road 9:30am-3:00pm FREE 517.548.1553 livingstoncd.org
Car entry fee.
Reservations required. Please call ahead.
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Brighton Montessori t YFBS SPVOE .POUFTTPSJ FEVDBUJPO TVNNFS FOSJDINFOU DIJMEDBSF t 4QFDJBMJ[JOH JO .POUFTTPSJ &EVDBUJPO GPS UP ZFBST PME DIJMESFO t .VMUJ BHFE DMBTTFT NFFU .POEBZ UISPVHI 'SJEBZ t #FGPSF "GUFS 4DIPPM DIJMEDBSF BWBJMBCMF
Summer Camps start May 28
Call to learn about our quality Montessori education and arrange an individualized tour. Now enrolling for the 2013 - 2014 school year Celebrating 26 years in 2013!
Scan with your smartphone to view our website
5291 Ethel Brighton, MI 48116 www.brightonmontessori.com
810-229-8660 WANT YOUR CHILD TO HAVE A FUN SUMMER, AND RETURN TO SCHOOL WITH MORE FOCUS, BETTER LISTENING SKILLS, AND HIGHER SELF-ESTEEM? Dear Fellow Parent, I’m just like you. I want my son to be a healthy, happy, well-balanced little guy. I want him to have unbreakable self-discipline, unshakeable respect (for himself and others,) and high levels of conďŹ dence that will enable him to tackle all of life’s obstacles. I’d want the same things for my daughter. But let’s face it. It’s a rough world out there. Especially for kids! That’s why I believe that today’s children, our children, need an “edgeâ€?. My name is Sam Larioza, and this is what my school, “Ohana Karate,â€? does for local young people. It gives them an edge in key areas like, Self-ConďŹ dence, Listening, Discipline, Respect, Focus, Concentration, and more. The program works because we don’t just academically teach the kids about these skills. We construct situations in our class room that force them to use these skills. Then they are coached to apply them in their outside life. So that at home, at school, and really just in their own self image they are empowered by higher levels of all these qualities until they become unstoppable! Along the way they have a ton of FUN! And guess what, they also learn a martial art, gain the ability to defend themselves, and get heaps of athleticism in the process! Find out why hundreds of local families love our school! Here’s the good news: I’ve created a new special summer program that will give you a chance to try it, and see if I can make good on these stunning claims. Here’s the even better news: You can try out four weeks of classes this summer for only $99 (* $69 for preschool program), and if after that you decide to do the entire summer you get to do so at a 25% discount. If you call and register before 6/30/2013, you will also get: Introductory Lessons I’m offering you one 15 minute introductory lesson to get you and your child off to a strong start.
Parent-Teacher Conference After your child’s introductory lessons I will personally sit down with you and discuss your child’s individual needs. Group Orientation Session Designed to smoothly ease you into your classes. FREE OfďŹ cial Uniform ($35 value) Your child will get an ofďŹ cial Karate Uniform. Call today, we ďŹ ll up extremely fast when summer vacation hits, and we are on a ďŹ rst come, ďŹ rst served basis. The number is (517) 586-1001. Ask for Sensei! (Make sure you check out our website at www.ohanakarate,com) P.S Maybe you think this won’t work for you because your child doesn’t have much interest in learning Karate. Many children who are on my oor today came at the encouragement of their parents - but found out that they really LOVED doing this. The free introductory classes are designed to get kids to want to do karate. If you can convince them to try one 15 minute lesson, we can convince them to try a summer program! I promise! Consider what this Mom, in a similar situation THREE years ago has to say: “I thought karate was a strict, military style activity – nothing a 7 year old girl needed. After one trial lesson, I was impressed. You get aerobic training, exibility training, stretching, focus and concentration, balance and coordination all rolled into one sport. After being at the school for awhile, I also realized the beneďŹ ts of self conďŹ dence and self esteem and responsibility. And let’s throw in respect, too, for others. It just has a little bit of everything a child needs. Katie feels like she has to set an example for others.â€? - Vicki Webster Yours for rock solid kids,
Sam Larioza Where Success is an Attitude and a Habit!
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Tips For Dads diaper change? After you’ve tried to fix the above issues and the crying continues, try a change of scenery (and bring the baby with you). Walk outside around the house or up and down the street. Eventually, you will usually succeed in calming your baby, so don’t be too quick to give up.
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Toddlers, and even older children, love to cuddle with their dads. Dads are warm and calm, they talk in a low-pitched voice, and they can sit for hours snuggling and watching baseball.
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L
et’s face it, sometimes fathers feel left out and a little unsure of their abilities in the parenting department. Sometimes moms want to save fathers from feeling bad and prevent as much fussing as possible, by both the father and the child. So we repeatedly step in. Having a mom is great, but children also need the special perspective that dads offer.
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Don’t be afraid to be alone with your baby. If your child is in the baby stage, the most important thing to remember is this: babies cry sometimes. You cannot always prevent it. So, rather than being intimidated by it, go through a mental checklist: Is the baby hungry, tired, hot, cold, or in need of a
Work together with mom to raise the children. Children know when parents are uninformed and disengaged. It makes them feel insecure, and they use it to their advantage. So get the information you need to appear competent. When it comes time to set boundaries of any type, don’t let mom go it alone. She needs your support. Create a system together and stick by it, no matter what. Your child needs you to be firm, calm, and unwavering. Your child wants to respect you
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Words mean things to kids. Your words of comfort, support, love, and pride will stay with your child forever. Choose your words carefully, so that they will be a resource to your child as she grows.
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Play. You work a lot, so when you are with your kids, play. It is the best way to bond with children, because it equalizes you, at least for the time that you are playing. Children let their guard down a little when they play, and reveal things they would normally conceal, so as you play, if you notice your child beginning to open up, just listen. You don’t have to give advice. Every now and then, say, “Do you feel like you need any help with that situation?” and follow the prompts.
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Turn off the box. No matter what the box is, turn it off for a while. If it’s your cell phone, your iPad, your Blackberry, your laptop, your TV, your gaming system, or anything else technological, turn it off. Spend time with your child doing something that you’ve never tried before. If they roll their eyes, ignore it. Some children never want to try new things, so it’s up to you to encourage them. If you have taken the time to have fun with them in the past, they will give you the benefit of the doubt. Children love to build things, and so do you. Get some blocks, some Legos, or even just some rocks and sticks.
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Carve out a niche. Dads usually don’t get a chance to spend as much time with their kids as moms do,so don’t waste it. Create traditions. Don’t spend too much money and don’t stuff him full of junk food, but think of ways that you can give meaning to the precious time that you have with your child. Offer something that is different from what anyone else has to offer.
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Dispense wisdom, not just money. If your child asks for something, and you can afford it, please feel free. But simply being the money distributor teaches your child nothing. If your child asks for money, ask a few questions. Take advantage of the fact that you have their attention to talk over the consequences of the choices they are making. Whatever you do, don’t hand out money just to stop the “Please Dad, please Dad, can I, Dad, c’mon dad”. You are responsible for helping to teach your child the value of money. Children often benefit when they earn money by doing chores. It’s easier just to give it to them and do the work yourself, so steel yourself for the difficult task of showing them what to do and how to do it, and following up to make sure it is done right. Then pay promptly.
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Admit your mistakes. Don’t pretend to be a superhero. All parents make mistakes, and it doesn’t discredit you to admit yours. Explain briefly to your child the mistake you made in your parenting, and then explain how the situation will be corrected. Say, “Everyone makes mistakes, and I made one. I’m sorry. I have learned from it, and I’ll do my very best to not make that mistake again.” Don’t sell yourself short, and don’t give up. All parents need practice to parent well. Give yourself a chance to practice, and if you do it wrong, your child will let you know, regardless of their age. More and more often, however, you’ll get it right. Jennifer M. Koontz is a mother and an educator who has taught students of all ages, from preschool through college. She is the author of When Your Centerpiece is Made of PlayDoh and The Dog Has Eaten Your Crayons: A Mother’s Perspective on Parenting. facebook.com/jmkoontzforparents
~ ÛÝÛLivingston Parent Journal ÝÛ¨ ©Û ¤~ ÛÝÛooo Canaf_klgfGYj]flAgmjfYd [geÛ
DAY TRIP PLANNER FAIRS & FESTIVALS Michigan Challenge Balloonfest June 28 - 30 1200 West Grand River, Howell Spectacular hot-air balloons fill the sky with color and excitement, but the Michigan Challenge is a lot more than balloons. It’s a weekend filled with entertainment and fun including a carnival, fireworks, arts festival and skydivers. New attractions include the PNC Grow Up Great Mobile Learning Adventure and Meijer mobile touring display with video games, a photo booth, interactive games and product sampling. Balloonfest also includes activities in downtown Howell including family activities on Saturday, Farmers’ Market on Sunday and shopping all weekend. Visit michiganchallenge.com for the complete schedule, or follow them on Facebook and Twitter. The grounds are generally passable with a stroller, though some areas are grassy. 517.546.3920
Howell Melon Festival August 16-18 Downtown Howell The Howell Area Parks & Recreation Authority and its community partners present the 53rd annual Howell Melon Festival. Friday night signature event is the 36th annual Melon Run, a 5K/10K race through downtown Howell. Later that night the Livingston Arts Council will be hosting a free Concert at the Courthouse in the amphitheatre at 7pm. On Saturday Grand River will shut down between Barnard and Center Streets to facilitate street vendor booths, a Fine Arts section, food vendors, a main entertainment stage; classic car show, and a kids activity area on the Courthouse Lawn and Michigan Avenue. The historic train depot will be the site for train rides from Howell to Byron. Tours of historic properties will be plentiful including the Train Depot, the Opera House, the Courthouse and the First Presbyterian Church. Family favorites include the children’s contests on the courthouse lawn, Howell Melon Ice Cream (sponsored by the Howell Rotary), sales of celebrated, homegrown Howell Melons, and at dusk a free Saturday night movie at the amphitheatre. Don’t miss our main entertainment stage Saturday night featuring a rockin’ legend from 7 9pm, sponsored by Citizen’s Insurance. Sunday the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce will host the Farmer’s Market on Grand River Ave. from 9am-5pm and the Livingston Press and Argus’ Livingston Sensation singing contest will be in the amphitheater in the afternoon beginning at 3pm. 517.546.0693 x7704 HowellMelonFestival.com
MUSEUMS Sloan Museum 1221 E. Kearsley Street, Flint
Buick Automotive Gallery 303 Walnut Street,Flint 810.237.3450
Milford Memories Summer Festival August 9-11 22nd Annual summer art show with artists from all over the United States, kids’ activities, live entertainment on three stages, and great food! Also featuring: Cold Butt Euchre Tournament, 5,10K & 10 Mile Run, 3-On-3 Basketball Tournament, Kids’ Fishing Tournament, Blind Canoe Race, Civil War Encampment, and Beer Tent. This is a festival that really does have something for everyone!
Regional history, historic automobiles, and hands-on science are major features of the Sloan Museum. Wisner’s Whizbang Emporium designed for young and the young at heart to play together. Reminisce and wonder at toys from the past as your little tykes “shop” for food and go to the kitchen to “prepare” a meal. Spend time with your favorite kids by playing a board game or discovering a book together. Dramatic settings, video programs and hundreds of artifacts and photographs portray the area’s tumultuous 20th century history in the Flint and the American Dream
exhibit. Traveling exhibits fill the Temporary Gallery with a variety of educational and entertaining displays yearround. June 15-Sept 8, 2013 Ask the Man Who Owns One. September 28-Jan 4 will feature an exciting exhibit all about Trucks and January 25-May 4, 2014 Space: A Journey to Our Future. All these exhibits are great for kids and kids of all ages! Buick Automotive Gallery presents major automotive exhibits including Dream Machines April 2-July 14; Corvettes: 0-60 July 20-September 29; and finally an exhibit all about the 50’s. Monday - Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday & Sunday Noon to 5 p.m. Adults $9, Senior (60+) $8, Youth (3-11) $6, Child (2 & under) Free. Add Longway Planetarium for just $4 more. Take US 23 North to I-69 East to I-475 North. Exit Longway Blvd (Exit 8A). Turn right and then another right on to Forrest. www.SloanLongway.org
Longway Planetarium 1310 E. Kearsley Street, Flint The Robert T. Longway Planetarium has star and laser shows each Saturday and Sunday at 12:30, 2:00 and 3:30pm. Daily Shows July 1-August 31 at 12:30 and 2:00, check website or call for show schedule. Featuring 285 seats under an impressive 60-foot dome, the Longway Planetarium is Michigan’s largest planetarium. The real ‘star’ of all sky theater presentations is the planetarium projector, located at the center of the domed theater. After 43 years, the Spitz Model B projector has been retired and replaced with a new Digistar 2 projector. The Digistar 2 uses digital technology to create three-dimensional images ranging from star fields to molecules. Video projection systems, auxiliary projectors and a new sound system complete the experience. The Longway Planetarium’s Family Science Center provides opportunities for fascinating new learning experiences. These include hands-on activities and toys with science themes. Admission cost for Planetarium: Adult $5, Senior (60+) $4, Child (3-11) $4, Child (2 & under) Free. Add Sloan Museum and Buick Automotive Gallery for just $4 more. 810.237.3400 www.SloanLongway.org Take US 23 North to I-69 East to I-475 North. Exit Longway Blvd (Exit 8A). Turn right and then another right on to Forrest.
Friday 10am - 8pm (beer tent open till midnight) Saturday 10am - 7pm (beer tent open till midnight) Sunday 10am - 5pm Free, but some individual events have individual fees - check website. 248.685.7129 milfordmemories.com Milford is a beautiful village in Western Oakland County. It is located 20 minutes east of Brighton, approximately 6 miles north of I-96, just south of M-59, and west of Wixom.
~ ÛÝÛLivingston Parent Journal ÝÛ¨ ©Û ¤~ ÛÝÛooo Canaf_klgfGYj]flAgmjfYd [geÛ
DAY TRIP PLANNER Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum 220 East Ann Street, Ann Arbor The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum inspires the imagination of kids of all ages with nearly 250 interactive exhibits. Climb a rock wall, play in a real ambulance, explore the world with an immersive Google Earth experience, surround yourself in bubbles and much, much more. Spend a day at this one-of-a- kind museum and you’ll see why it’s been awarded a family best time and again.
Waterloo Farm Museum 13493 Waterloo Munith Road Take your family on a trip back in time with a visit to the Waterloo Farm Museum. Johannes Jacob Ruehle was six years old when he came to this country from Germany in 1884 with his mother, his stepfather, and his sister. They had sold their house and property for cash, packed what little they could carry in trunks, and left from Stuttgart, Germany in May. They traveled by ship to New York City, up the Hudson River to Albany, through the Erie Canal to Buffalo, and by steamship across Lake Erie to Detroit. The family boarded a train to Ann Arbor, then Chelsea. Where they bought a team of oxen and a wagon. They followed Indian trails, now M-52 and Waterloo Rd, until they arrived in East Postage, later renamed the Village of Waterloo, in July. The family moved into the existing log house and within ten years, added an extra room (now the sitting room). That addition was the start of the farmhouse we have today. It was constructed of fieldstone and brick from the Beeman Brick Factory, located just outside the village. In time, the north rooms and upstairs bedrooms were added. Finally in the 1880’s, long after Jacob’s stepfather had passed on, the log house was torn down and the frame ell was completed, providing a dining room, pantry, kitchen, and woodshed. Waterloo Farm Museum provides guided tours of the ten-room farmhouse, log cabin, barns, blacksmith and woodworking workshop, bake house, ice house, milk cellar, and windmill. These tours are led by knowledgeable guides in period dress. The gift shop will also be open at this time as well, to browse and purchase books, crafts, toys, collectables and clothing $5 Adults $2 Children aged 5-12 June 7- September 1 Friday, Saturday and Sunday 1-5pm Last tour begins at 4:15 p.m. waterloofarmmuseum.org info@waterloofarmmuseum.org Time Cost Computer Contact Location
The Preschool Gallery is a special place for children four years old and under, including an enclosed infant area and Engineers on a Roll, a hands-on, bodies-on physics environment designed for our youngest engineers. Drive a kid-sized fire truck, splash in the three-tiered water-play area or explore a series of discovery boxes. Special events are offered most weekends – check www. aahom.org for topics, times and dates. Special events offer hands-on activities to explore unusual and unique topics in a fun, festive environment. Special guests and demonstrations awaken the curiosity in everyone. $10, ages 2 and up Members and infants are always FREE Monday - Saturday: 10am – 5pm Sunday: Noon – 5pm Special extended hours Tuesday 9am – 5pm and Thursday 10am – 8pm. Special pricing Thursday from 5 pm – 8 pm. 734.995.5439 aahom.org or Join them on Facebook Located in downtown Ann Arbor, take US 23 south to M14 west (Ann Arbor) to Exit 3. Turn right on Ann Street and park in Ann Ashley parking garage. ($1.40 an hour and $3 flat rate on Saturday). Cross back over Main Street and walk one block. Museum is on your right. Visit www.aahom.org for complete driving directions.
Plymouth Historical Museum 155 South Main Street, Plymouth The Plymouth Historical Museum features a late 19thcentury Victorian re-creation of Main Street, tracing the growth of the small town from the railroad depot to the general store. The largest Lincoln collection in the state of Michigan is housed in a separate room off of Main Street. A timeline of Plymouth on the lower level is the newest permanent exhibit, featuring displays on the Daisy Air Rifle, Ford Village Industries, the Alter Motor Car, World War II, communication history, and much more. The Plymouth Historical Museum is owned by the Friends of the Plymouth Historical Museum. The Museum features 26,000 square feet of exhibits, a museum store, an extensive archives and research library, and a meeting room. In addition to the three permanent exhibits, the Museum usually has three special exhibits each year. Made in America runs through June 9. The Museum will close to change exhibits June 10-20. On June 21, B4TV will open, featuring summertime leisure activities before the advent of television. This exhibit runs through November 10, 2013. This summer the Museum will again hold its annual History Kids Kamp on Saturday, Juy 27, with A Kids’ Eye View of the Civil War. Tickets are $30 per child. More information can be found on the website. Admission: Adults $5, students 6-17, $2 734.455.8940 plymouthhistory.org From 1-96 take M-14 west; take Exit 20, Sheldon Road; turn left at the light onto Sheldon Road; turn left on Penniman Avenue; turn half-left on Church Street; go through the stoplight at Main and Church Streets, Museum is on the northeast corner of intersection.
Phone
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DAY TRIP PLANNER outdoor climbing tower, modern lodges, miles of hiking trails, Alexandria’s Naturescape play area, the handson Nature Zone, Livingston County’s only zoo—Wild Wonders Wildlife Park—and much more. Owned and operated by the Presbytery of Detroit, the Howell Conference & Nature Center is a non-profit organization funded primarily through programs, private donations, and special events.
ANIMALS & NATURE Howell Conference & Nature Center 1005 Triangle Lake Road Celebrating 50 years in 2013, the Howell Conference & Nature Center provides a comprehensive wildlife rehabilitation, environmental and outdoor education, and recreation facility to individuals and groups. Spend an hour, an afternoon, a day or a week. Features of the 270acre facility include: a 500’ zip line, Michigan’s tallest
Country Family Barbecue Fundraiser Time: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm Date: Friday June 7th A barbecue with fun for the entire family! Activities will include food, music, a campfire with s’mores, pony rides, games for kids and face painting. Proceeds will go to FROM THE GROUND ON UP, a non-profit youth outreach program that utilizes horses to build confidence and self-esteem!
Individual Tickets: $15 Family 4 Pack: $40 for 4 Kids under 5 are FREE To purchase tickets call: 517-410-7851 or visit www.datekeeper.org/event/bbq Brighton Recreation Area Riding Stable on Chilson Road near Bishop Lake Campgrounds For more information visit: www.FromTheGroundOnUp.org Under “Events”
Northfork Farms and Outback 3637 Morrice Rd., Webberville Don’t let your kids get bored this summer, come join the fun at Northfork Farms and Outback.
The Wild West Adventure allows you to experience the 1800’s Wild West, Texas, and a Native American Village. Northfork Outback offers These features are open 10-5 daily: lots of hand on activities s!LEXANDRIA S .ATURESCAPE IS A HANDS ON AND that make history fun and interactive play area for children age 2 -10. The goal you may learn something of this new play area is to reconnect children with along the way. nature and to UNPLUG! At our NatureScape, children Kids’ Train and Horse and can: SPLASH, DIG, CLIMB, EXPLORE, AND DISCOVER! Pony Rides are available. Parents must supervise their children when playing in Petting Zoo animals love the Naturescape. to be visited and fed. s 7ILD 7ONDERS 7ILDLIFE 0ARK IS ,IVINGSTON #OUNTY S ONLY zoo. Over 60 permanently-injured animals reside in Enjoy farm animals as naturalistic habitats. Free will donations for visiting well as hedge hogs, this area for a self-guided tour are $4 for adults and alpacas, pot belly bigs, $2 for children. All proceeds benefit the creatures and Torpedo the trick that live in Wild Wonders, as well as the more than pony. 2,000 injured and orphaned animals that are treated Wild West Adventure in the Nature Center’s Wildlife Infirmary every year. is open the last two s 4HE .ATURE :ONE IS A HANDS ON INTERACTIVE AREA FOCUSING Saturdays of each month for the public on the creatures you might find in your own backyard. and small groups. These programs are by registration only, please call 517- Larger groups can call 546-0249 to save your place: ahead to schedule field trips. s ,IVE 7ILDLIFE 0ROGRAMS ARE FOR ADULTS FOR CHILDREN AGE Call ahead to make reservations and to get information on 2-12 and are scheduled for 10 a.m. on: May 4, June 8, July dated events. 13, August 3, September 7, and October 5. Cost varies according to package. s 'UIDED 4OURS OF 7ILD 7ONDERS 7ILDLIFE 0ARK ARE FOR 517.881.9142 adults, $4 for children age 2-12 and are scheduled for 11 northforkoutback.com a.m. on: May 4, June 8, July 13, August 3, September 7, and October 5. M&MS Farms Register for both programs on the same day and pay just $10 adults, $5 children age 2-12. s #LIMBING 4OWER AND :IP ,INE AGE June 2, 8, 9, 22, 23, 29 July 6, 7, 20, 21, 27, 28 August 3, 4, 10, 11, 18, 24, 25 September 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29 October 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 November 2, 3, 9 $11/climb, $6/ zip line ride
1180 Linn Road, Williamston Horses and Donkeys, Oh My! M&MS Farms was established in 1987. It’s the residence of an elite collection of miniature horses, miniature donkeys, Morgan horses, a Quarter Horse, and Australian Shepherds. Visitors are able to tour the barns, learn more about all the animals and interact with them. Miniature horse cart rides available. Driving and riding lessons also available.
s (IGH 2OPES !DVENTURE $AYS TH GRADE
By appointment only.
June 22, July 20, August 10, September 14 October 12
Averages $100/hour - or $10/person mmsfarms.com
$25/person
Just 2 miles off I-96 @ Exit 117
Want some time to take an “adult day trip?” Howell Nature Center also offers Summer Day Camp for kids in grades 1-5, and Day Camp Extreme for middle schoolers grades 6-8.
Time
517.546.0249
Cost
howellnaturecenter.org
Computer Contact
Off D-19 (Pinckney Rd.) 4.5 miles south of I-96 (exit 137)
Location Phone
ÛÝÛLivingston Parent Journal ÝÛ¨ ©Û ¤~ ÛÝÛooo Canaf_klgfGYj]flAgmjfYd [geÛ
DAY TRIP PLANNER Carls Family YMCA Day Camp 300 Family Dr. Milford
OTHER IDEAS
The Carls YMCA invites your campers to participate in a summer worth remembering. Through hands on experience we will explore several new adventures in 2013 through weekly theme-based programs. Kids will also enjoy playing games each and everyday and through positive relationships each camper will experience growth in social development, character development and educational learning. We strive to be the best we can be for your campers. Whether your child is a preschooler, youth or teen, the adventures they will experience are endless! They are a state licensed program with safety as their motivation. We hold our programs to the very highest standards through internal assessments and external inspections. All camp staff are dedicated to making sure camp is an amazing experience for every camper and serve as “Professional Role Models” as well as endure a 40 hour staff training program that is second to none. Each staff person holds CPR/First Aid certifications, Child Safe certifications, drug screening and background checks. Some staff are also lifeguard,certified.
Southern Michigan Railroad Museum 320 South Division Street, Clinton Come Ride the Rails at Southern Michigan Railroad! You’re sure to enjoy a leisurely ride aboard antique and historical railroad equipment as your travel takes you over one of Michigan’s, oldest rail corridors. As the General Electric switcher engine pulls or pushes you to the next city, you may sit inside the enclosed 1926 Chicago South Shore car which traveled along the rail system near our most southwestern border into Chicago along the lake. Then venture outside into the New York Central Railroad gondola outfitted with bench seating and enjoy the summer sun and the views over fields and the River Raisin and its wetlands in this rail car used in transporting freight from the Detroit steel markets. At the end of the train you will find a caboose used during the Penn Central era. The train outing takes two and a quarter hours round trip, with a layover in between. During the layover in Tecumseh you’ll be able to walk around the town, visit the various shops, see the winery or pick up fresh cheese, or grab an ice cream cone. Southern Michigan Railroad also offers group tours where the Red Hat Ladies might enjoy a day out for tea and cake at the British Tea Garden or maybe it’s time for the seniors to have a lunch date at a number of restaurants in the downtown. Our “Ride to Dine” special evening train on the third Thursday of each month, May through September, allows you to take a ride to downtown Tecumseh to enjoy dinner in the area restaurant of your own choosing. The city hosts their monthly Auto and Motorcycle Show, along with a Music in the Park series on these dates which may add to your evening out aboard Southern Michigan Railroad. The “Ride to Dine” train waits for your 8:30 p.m. departure to return to Clinton to end the evening. The Southern Michigan Railroad Society is dedicated to building and operating a museum railroad using the first branch rail line into Michigan – the Palmyra and Jacksonburgh – and preserving its historical railroad era from 1837-1982. The volunteer members manage, maintain, and operate the railroad providing you with an opportunity to experience how it was to travel by rail through the years. The rail line, almost 14 miles in total length, crosses the River Raisin twice as it winds it way through scenic countryside. Passenger train tours operate between May through November. Festivals in both towns draw quite a crowd on the train. Fall colors may be viewed as the train winds south from Tecumseh during the month of October with reservations required for these popular tours. SMRS also has historical displays housed in one of Clinton’s historical buildings, which was the site of the first electric plant in the village and also served as a manufacturing plant for the famous Clinton Engines. Specific dates, times, and fares, are posted at www. southernmichiganrailroad.com. Prices vary as to the excursions, but all prices are under $20! 517.456.7677 smrs49236@yahoo.com southernmichiganrailroad.com facebook.com/southernmichiganrailroadsociety
Amenities include pavilions and shelters, archery range, paintball, gaga pit, canoeing, swimming pool and gym, several miles of trails, close proximity to Milford Library and downtown Milford.
The Bee’s Knees Art & Craft Studio 149 East Main Street, Northville Spend quality time with friends or family while creating your own original work of art. Adults, teens, and children of all ages are welcome. No experience is necessary. Instruction is included. Originally a paint-your-own-pottery studio; clay, mosaic, jewelry, glass fusing, t-shirt painting are now offered.. Party packages are available for a variety of events for all ages. Walk in or make reservations. Ladies Night every Friday Night! Bring your friends and anything you would like to eat or drink. We walk you through projects step by step! Guests must be ten or over. Call for reservations: 347.347.6718 Summer camp starts June 18th and is available for adults and children and includes the following: s 4UESDAYS &UN EASY MOSAIC PROJECTS IN CERAMIC OR GLASS tiles. This year’s projects include turtles, horses, garden fairies and best friend hearts. Artists enhance projects with beads, found objects, glass and glitter. s 7EDNESDAYS %XPLORE THE MANY TECHNIQUES OF HAND building with clay. Projects include coiled bird feeders, carved tile mirrors, large stamped trays, and pouring molds. All beautifully crafted and embellished then glazed & fired. s 4HURSDAYS 0AINT YOUR OWN POTTERY INCLUDES DRAGONS OWLS funky birds and koi – just to name a few projects. New techniques will be taught every week. s &RIDAYS #LASSES IN GLASS FUSING WILL EXPLORE CUTTING colored glass to use in projects for pocket wall hangings, sushi dishes, safari scenes and pendants. Projects will be fused in the kiln. Camp sessions are held Tuesdays through Friday from 1pm–3pm. Enrollment is open to ages above 8. $28 each session. Pick and choose all summer long, every week. Starts June 19th! Reservations are required. 248.347.6718 thebeeskneespottery.com
I96 East to Milford Rd. exit. Go north on Milford Rd to GM Rd. (Milford Rd dead ends). Turn Right on GM Rd. Turn left on Peters Rd. Turn left on Commerce Rd. Turn left on Family Dr. and go past the library. The Y is at the end of Family Dr. The Carls Family YMCA provides financial assistance to qualified families. The annual Strong Kids Campaign makes financial assistance available for those who qualify. For more information or for application materials, please do not hesitate to contact the Y. Camp fees are determined by number of days attending camp, which camp you are attending, and member vs. non member rates. There are sibling discounts available for multiple weeks of attendance. 248.685.3020 www.ymcadetroit.org/carls
Do You Struggle With The Big 5? FREE WORKSHOP Tuesday, June 11, 2013 6:30 - 8:00 PM
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Flint Youth Theatre A Program of the Flint Institute of Music
DRAMA SCHOOL Summer Acting Classes begin June 24 Classes and performance opportunities for all students age 3 – grade 12
Make plans now for an exciting summer! It’s a short drive to FYT and registration is now open.
F LINT Y OUTH T HEATRE.ORG 810.237.1530
Explore how FlexTech is high school... done differently. Earn a high school diploma in a technology-centered program for students who want a distinctively relevant high school experience.
Flexible scheduling options, including
Fall 2013 Enrollment for 9 th & 10 th grade
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innovative technology. Tuition-free public charter school.
810.844.3366 | FlexTech-HS.org 7707 Conference Center Drive Brighton, MI 48114
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Register Now! 2013 Innovative School-Age Summer Camps and Fall Preschool
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BeneďŹ t from a quality licensed child care that has:
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Come Grow in Our Garden
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www.garden-gatemontessori.com
(810) 632-2118 2100 Progressive Drive, Hartland, MI 48353 (1 mile east of US-23, south of M-59)