RM Parent June 2018

JUNE 2018 • RMPARENT.COM

Winging WITH it!

UNSTRUCTURED

PLAY

SIGNING

WITH

BABY

Kids and their dogs

WHITEWATER RAFTING on the

Cache la Poudre River

Hooked

on fishing

SUMMER

road trip!

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JUNE 2018

Departments PERSPECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

To build a fort—winging it holds unexpected virtues

FIRST YEARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Looking for a sign—communicate your way to a smarter, more engaged baby

FAMILY ACTIVITIES . . . . . . . 10

Family whitewater thrills—take a rafting adventure down the Cache la Poudre River

Features 18 WINGING IT Ditch organized activities for its messier

cousin—unstructured play—this summer and you’ll likely end up with kids who are more flexible, more able to solve challenges and better socially. Make it a goal this summer to let your kids have more unstructured adventures. Plus, get some tips for safe roaming.

LEARN AND LIVE . . . . . . . . . . 12

Get hooked on fishing—craft your own family fish tale this summer

COMMUNITY NEWS . . . . . . . 14 Healthy, active choices make NoCo strong— helping kids be active, No. 1 bike city, support for breast feeding

HEALTHY LIVING . . . . . . . . 16

Kids and their dogs—caring for pets builds self-esteem, compassion, empathy and a sense of responsibility

CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 6 Events and activities for parents, kids and families

TIME OUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Summertime=party time—how many parties are too many?

School District News

22 THE URGE TO WANDER It’s summer and many families are packing their bags and getting out of town for a few days or maybe longer. Make sure your plans include ways to make traveling enjoyable for the whole family, because nothing can add stress to travel like unhappy little ones or restless, bored older kids or teens.

Poudre School District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Harris students get hands-on learning through gardening, PSD enters next phase of school start-time discussion, ‘MakerSpace’ areas in libraries give students opportunities to create

Greeley-Evans District 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Franklin honored for personalized learning, Early College Academy named top school, District 6 dedicates new garden project

Thompson School District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Summer food program serves up free fare, Chief Academic Officer departs district

ABOUT THE COVER: Elias, loves to climb trees, jump, ride his bike, draw and color. Photo shot

on Sheldon Lake by Cheri Schonfeld, courtesy of Sky's Open Design.

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perspective To build a fort

Winging it holds unexpected virtues

O

ur daughter, Aly, was assisting a friend, Ashton, one evening to guide a group of kids and their parents. They were at a park in Fort Collins with lots of trees and tall grass along the Poudre River. I’m guessing you can imagine it. It was more of an open-spacetype area and was not groomed. Fallen branches lay under trees. It was early evening when they started; that time when the woods start to come alive again with sounds and movement. One of my favorite times to be out.

They split the large group into smaller groups. The task was seemingly simple: build a shelter or fort or whatever you wanted to call it from the materials available. The kids were excited, as you might imagine, and started tugging at the parents to get going. The funny dynamic was with the parents. They started asking questions and wanted more direction.

Where should we go? Can we use this or that such as shoelaces to help hold it together? How will you evaluate the structures? What about mosquitos and other bugs?

By now, the kids had headed off and left their parents behind to determine the rules. The consistent answer given by Aly and Ashton was to repeat the initial directions. They weren’t going to let the parents spoil the adventure with a set of rules. Some parents got it right away and headed off with the kids to see what might happen. Others remained frustrated.

As the evening wore on, a magical thing happened. The parents relaxed and started working with the kids. They forgot that they needed rules and just immersed themselves in the adventure. The outcome really didn’t matter anymore. It was not about building the best structure or even one that actually stood up. It was the whole thing: playing and working with your team, being out in nature at a magical time of day, forgetting about structure (the other limiting kind), and doing something that was ultimately ridiculous but was still so much fun to do.

Take a look at Lynn Nichols story, page 18, called Winging It! It’s about the value of unstructured adventures from high self-esteem to a strong ability to be flexible and to adapt to changing circumstances. Lynn also provides a list of tips for safe outdoor roaming.

The other factor is time outdoors. Much has been written about nature deficit disorder, a term coined by Richard Louv in his book Last Child in the Woods. In this issue, we offer many choices for you to get outdoors as a family. Katie Harris writes, in Family Activities, about taking a family whitewater-rafting adventure on the Cache la Poudre River. And Kim Sharpe offers some bait in her Learn & Live column about fishing.

The sun is shining. So kick the kids outside (and maybe get out yourself ). You’ll be glad you did!

Scott

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June 2018 • Volume 23, Issue 1 PUBLISHER Scott Titterington, (970)221-9210 scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com EDITOR Kristin Titterington, (970)221-9210 kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Kim Sharpe calendar@rockymountainpub.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Emily Zaynard emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Greg Hoffman, (970)689-6832 greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com DISTRIBUTION Rob Martin, Susan Pettit COVER PHOTO Cheri Shonfeld, schonfeldphotography.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lea Hanson, Katie Harris Lynn U. Nichols, Kim Sharpe

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING 825 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521 Voice 221-9210 Fax 221-8556 editor@rockymountainpub.com www.RMParent.com Rocky Mountain Parent magazine is published monthly by Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. Publication of this paper does not consitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised.

RMP reserves the right to refuse any advertisement for any reason. The opinions expressed by contributors or writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rocky Mountain Publishing. ©2018 Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without express written permission is prohibited.

OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS:

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first years

Looking for a sign

Communicate your way to a smarter, more engaged baby LY N N U. N I C H O L S

W

ouldn’t it be great if your 10-month-old baby could tell you if she needed medicine for her teething pain? Or if you could communicate to your 8-monthold baby that a diaper change is coming but it will be over soon and he can go back to playing afterwards? Some parents are relying on sign language to convey these more complicated ideas to their babies.

You can go crazy with it and get flash cards and training tools to teach up to 600 signs, or you can learn a few key ones to enhance your daily communication with your baby. It’s really up to you how far you want to take it. While there isn’t a ton of research available on baby signing, the research that is there is mostly promising.

RESEARCH ON BABY SIGNING A study in the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior of 100 babies found that 11-month-old babies who were taught sign language had more advanced verbal skills than their non-signing counterparts, and they stayed ahead of their peers at 2 years old, again at 3 years, and even at 8 years old. A follow up study found the babies who were taught sign language had IQs that were 12 points higher than the control group, putting them in the top 25 percent of IQ scores for their age group.

Baby signing can also strengthen your bond with your baby. Some moms report feeling more tuned in to their babies and better able to meet their needs.

If you want to give it a go, you can start when your child is just four months old, but don’t expect her to sign back until she’s closer to eight months old. After all, her fingers have to work well enough to get the job done.

The trick is using the word along 8

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with the sign, and doing it frequently and consistently each time. Let’s start with the basics, and move on to a few other handy signs.

SIGNS TO TRY Eat—Pinch your fingertips together in one hand and move your hand to your mouth. Repeat this motion as you say, “Eat,” and “Do you want to eat?”

Drink—Place your finger on your chin and trace a line down to your stomach, following the path the water will take. Say, “Drink?” Ask, “Are you thirsty?” “Do you want a drink?”

Done—A handy one, no pun intended, is to let your child know you are done with something, whether it’s eating a treat or playing in the sandbox. To sign “done” raise both hands with your palms facing inward, then turn them together so your palms face outward.

Change—A combination of the symbol for change and the symbol for done (after you complete the diaper change) let your baby know you are

taking a break for a diaper change. Parents have found this combination eases the transition to a diaper change, as babies understand it’s temporary.

Make a fist with both hands, and rotate your fists back and forth, together.

Say, “Diaper change,” or “Time for a change.” When done, give the “Done” hand signal, and say, “done.”

Medicine—When your baby gets old enough to sign, this one will help him tell you whenever he is in pain and needs medicine.

Open up the palm of one hand, then place your finger of the other hand in the palm and make a circular motion, as if you are mixing. Remember to say the word medicine as you do it.

Baby signing might be a fun experiment that turns into a great way to communicate early on with your baby.

Imagine the fun when your baby starts signing back to you! Whether you decide to sign or not, remember to talk with your baby all the time to help enhance her language skills.

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family activities

Family whitewater thrills

Take a rafting adventure down the Cache la Poudre River K ATIE HARRIS

F

ew recreational activities can boast high adventure while simultaneously being kid-friendly, but whitewater rafting is one of them.

Rafting trips down the Poudre River are available for children as young as 7 at several local outfitters, and with no experience necessary for most trips, virtually everyone can get in on the fun.

“One of the greatest things about rafting is that anybody can do it, with any ability level, and with all sorts of handicaps,” says Brad Modesitt, owner of Mountain Whitewater in Fort Collins. “It’s a great team sport, and as long as you have a good team you can get down the river safely.”

Mountain Whitewater offers a 2-day trip, full-day trip and two half-day trips from its location at 1329 N. Hwy. 287. Each of the trips allow children and require no prior experience.

“In early June water levels are higher and our minimum age is 13, but by late June we’ll take kids as young as 7 on all of our trips,” says Modesitt. “I’ve had a 7-year-old and a 93-year-old in my raft before so we get a pretty good age spread.”

Pat Legel, owner of A Wanderlust Adventure at 4120 W County Rd 54G in Laporte, says his company offers a 12-mile, high-excitement half-day trip for ages 14 and up, along with a more mild, 6-mile version for ages 7 and up.

He says aside from pregnant women and people with heart conditions and extreme balance issues, just about anyone can join in on a rafting trip.

“We have tons of families with kids who go on the easy trip and it’s a lot of fun because there are a lot of rapids on this trip,” he says. “It’s not a float trip, it’s a lot of rapids but easy rapids. It’s really fun for everybody.”

Both outfitters provide all needed gear, including helmets, wet suits, booties, and two types of jackets, one a

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waterproof paddle jacket and the other a fleece jacket.

“That water can be cold in June,” says Modesitt. “Our philosophy is ‘You’re warm, you’re happy.’”

Families interested in rafting on the Poudre River should make reservations at least two weeks ahead of time during the busy season, from late June through mid-August. In May and early June, and mid-August up until Labor Day when most rafting companies close for the season, reservations can often be made a day in advance.

“The Poudre is Colorado’s only wild and scenic river, which is like a national park for a river,” explains Modesitt.

“We’re highly regulated [by the U.S. Forest Service] on how many people we can take out per day, and most people want weekends, so the earlier you can book the better.”

Poudre River rafting is a highly coveted activity for several reasons, including knowledgable guide companies,

most of which have been in business 20 years or more, a short and scenic bus ride through the pine-forested Poudre Canyon to reach the river, abundant yet mild rapids, and a limit to the number of people allowed on the river at once.

“It’s a fun time with the family,” says Legel. “There’re usually six to eight people in the raft with the guide, and everyone gets a paddle and participates.”

From young to old, and everyone in between, whitewater rafting is a perfect family activity.

“It’s one of the best team-building, family-bonding things you can do,” says Modesitt. “We have families come out and they just glow about it. With teenagers it can be hard to find things that they enjoy and think are really fun and they just love it, too.

“There aren’t many adrenaline sports that you can do without much experience,” he says. “Whitewater rafting is one of them.”

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learn and live

Get hooked on fishing Craft your own family fish tale this summer

KIM SHARPE

S

unfish, trout, walleye, catfish, bass.

Pick your “poisson” (or “fish” in French). There are many varieties to catch along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains and you might just get hooked yourself. Even if you don’t like to eat fish, the sport of fishing can be a favorite activity for the whole family.

“Fishing is a wonderful way to build relationships—our anchors in life—and it can lead to a lifetime of hobbies, like fly-tying and rodbuilding,” explains David Sanchez, fly-fishing expert and instructor at Colorado Youth Outdoors.

When he teaches families to fish, Sanchez emphasizes the catch-andrelease conservation philosophy and how it benefits native fish populations.

“The ecology of fishing is really, really important,” he says.

Beyond lessons in ecology and biology, Louie Silvestri, a local fisherman and father of three, believes the sport teaches patience, discipline and problem solving. He explains: “Fish don’t usually bite nonstop, so developing the ability to enjoy the non-fish moments is

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huge. And problem solving on the water takes many forms. From the ‘How do I get that fish to bite?’ problem to ‘How do I hold this fish?’ to ‘How to do I take the hook out and return it safely to the water?’, kids are always processing solutions to problems.”

Silvestri has been fishing with his children, Luke (11 years), Joanna (8), and David (5), since they were toddlers. “It’s low-cost and high fun!”

But he admits, “It’s an activity that requires a little patience with kids at the beginning (I’ve seen my fair share of fishing lines cast into trees by my kiddos), but once they get the basic mechanics, you can take them anytime for any length of time.”

Silvestri’s family has their favorite fishing spots, but often enjoy fishing at “…ponds connected to parks and playgrounds. The benefit there is that if the fishing ends up not being great, there’s another engaging activity just waiting. It’s a win-win. Plus, any opportunity I can get as a parent to get my kids out of the house and doing things outside and enjoying nature is a parent-win!”

Find yourself at a fishing hole From quiet ponds to world-class raging rivers, northern Colorado offers fishing for every angler.

Carter Lake, Berthoud City Park Pond (Sheldon Lake), Fort Collins Horsetooth Reservoir, Fort Collins Troutman Park Pond, Fort Collins Allen Park Lake, Greeley Poudre Ponds, Greeley Promontory Point Park Ponds, Greeley Boyd Lake, Loveland North Lake Park Pond, Loveland Watson Lake, LaPorte Windsor Reservoir, Windsor Wellington Reservoir, Wellington Poudre River Big Thompson River

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community news

Healthy, active choices make NoCo strong Helping kids be active, No. 1 bike city, support for breastfeeding KIM SHARPE

LOCAL WARRIOR PRINCESS INSPIRES YOUNG GIRLS The Warrior Princess all began with a story designed to motivate a Thompson Valley High School girls’ cross-country team to overcome many obstacles and eventually become Colorado State Champions. Now the book is inspiring young girls around the world to persevere.

Its author, Kris Ayers, shares wisdom gained from her lifelong athletic pursuits and her 30-year teaching and coaching career, which earned her the Colorado State Secondary Physical Education Teacher of the Year in 2011, plus national recognition.

“I published the Warrior Princess story as a children’s book, but it’s so much more than that as it encompasses themes relevant to all ages and cultures,” says Ayers. “I emphasize messages of perspective, perseverance, teamwork, friendship and support, and have included discovery questions at the end of the story to facilitate discussions about these impactful topics. My goal is to spread the joy, confidence and love of moving our bodies to as many as possible.”

The Warrior Princess is being used in classrooms in Greeley-Evans School District 6, Thompson School District and St. Vrain School District, and Ayers has given presentations in Colorado, Wyoming and Arizona. Learn more at www.iamawarriorprincess.com.

GREELEY COMPANY RECOGNIZED FOR SUPPORTING NEW MOMS TTEC (formerly TeleTech), a call center facility in Greeley and one of Weld County’s largest employers, is making it easier for working moms to continue breastfeeding after returning from maternity leave. They recently received the Breastfeeding Friendly Works-site Award from the Northern Colorado 14

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Breastfeeding Coalition (NCBC).

TTEC recently upgraded their lactation room to include two comfortable nursing chairs with privacy partitions, plants, sound machine and a refrigerator for storing milk.

“I wanted to create a stress-free environment for our new mothers, where they could feel like they are not at work. Where they can sit and relax and not have to worry about anything,” says Jeffery Stoker, TTEC facilities administrator, who attended a worksite lactation support training provided by the Weld County Health Department and NCBC. Nursing employees at TTEC appreciate the accommodations. Shaloon Honeyghan, an employee since 2012, says “I’m most grateful to TTEC for providing its employees with a clean and inviting space to extract milk for our babies. The room is very inviting, calming and clean, which allows for relaxation

while pumping.”

Federal and Colorado law require employers to provide reasonable break time and a private area, other than a toilet, where employees who are nursing a child can express breast milk. The

excited to build on this momentum to make bicycling even more attractive and comfortable for Fort Collins residents and visitors!”

For more information, visit www. peopleforbikes.org.

NCBC Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite award is given to employers that go above the law by implementing a written worksite lactation support policy. Employers that meet the criteria are provided with a framed certificate, listed on the NCBC breastfeeding-friendly employer directory at www.nocobreast feeding.org, and promoted on social media. Any employee or patron may nominate an employer by completing the nomination form on-line. For more information visit www.weldhealth.org or contact mschwan@weldgov.com.

FORT COLLINS RATED NO. 1 BIKE CITY Fort Collins can add another notch to its bike helmet. PeopleForBikes just named it the No. 1 best medium-sized city for bicycle riding, as well as the safest place to bike.

PeopleForBikes is a well-organized bicycling advocacy organization that has established a bicycle-friendliness rating system which takes into consideration Ridership, Safety, Network, Reach and Acceleration (how fast they’re getting friendlier). PeopleForBikes looks at data collected from local governments and private citizens through surveys, because, “What gets measured gets done,” says PeopleForBikes Research Director

Jennifer Boldry, Ph.D., who’s spent three years developing the rating system. “I would love if this were a tool for cities to measure where they are and track their progress.”

“We are thrilled that Fort Collins has been designated both the best and safest bicycling city, according to PeopleForBikes’ recent City Ratings announcement,” says Tessa Greegor, FC Bikes program manager. “This recognition reflects years of hard work by many people throughout the community to create a city where bicycling is safe, accessible and enjoyable. We’re

TEE OFF FOR KIDS The Loveland Parks & Recreation Foundation is now accepting registrations for its annual Tee Off for Kids golf tournament to be held at Mariana Butte Golf Course on Friday, June 8, beginning at 1pm. Tournament proceeds fund recreation scholarships for Loveland youth.

“Tee Off for Kids is a great way for our community to get behind the social equity pillar of Loveland Parks and Recreation,” says Molly Elder, Parks and Recreation Department business manager. “These scholarship funds help ensure all children in Loveland have access to recreational opportunities to improve their quality of life.”

Organized in a two-person scramble format, the tournament consists of friendly competition in three divisions of play: men, women and co-ed. All community members and businesses are encouraged to join the fun and compete for a great cause. Cost is $230 per two-person team, which includes range balls, cart, 18-hole round of golf, awards and dinner.

Register online at www.plan mygolfevent.com/31310-TeeOffFor Kids/ or call 970-962-2728.

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healthy living

Kids and their dogs

Caring for pets builds self-esteem, compassion and more LEA HANSON

C

hildren naturally love dogs.

Dogs have all the qualities kids love most; they’re cuddly, furry, snuggly, fluffy, and great companions.

But, having a family dog can benefit your child in additional ways, as well. Growing up around a loving, well-behaved canine companion can benefit your child’s emotional intelligence, have a positive impact on your child’s health, and much more.

Kate Boyd, Animal Care Tech at Animal House in Fort Collins says working with dogs—or any animal for that matter— builds social skills and empathy that doesn’t stop surprising her. “Fostering and nurturing compassion for animals is important for everything from relationships with other humans to taking care the environments,” Boyd says.

HIGHER SELF-ESTEEM AND SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY When given age-appropriate tasks to complete, such as helping with the care of a pet, kids show an improvement in self-esteem. Having to remember to feed, provide water, exercise, and clean up after a dog can give children a sense of importance and satisfaction that they can’t get from school or other chores.

INCREASED COMPASSION AND EMPATHY Children who own pets are more empathetic towards others. Just like humans, dogs feel emotion and pain. Everything from petting, meeting physical needs, and learning to judge the dog’s feelings and mood are empathy-building skills.

“The emotional aspect of owning a dog is extremely helpful for kids’ social skills,” Boyd says. “Young people [and all people] can learn from dogs in many ways.” Boyd says social skills based on language and conversation as well as those which develop from learning body language are nurtured through

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relationships with animals. She says, “Think about it, if you can read a dog’s body language, you can more easily read a human’s.”

BETTER PHYSICAL HEALTH Whether it’s walking the pet or playing fetch, kids who have dogs spend more time outdoors. Additionally, children who have dogs have a decreased chance of developing allergies. Babies raised in close contact with a pet get sick less often in their first year of life, meaning fewer visits to the doctor’s office. Exposure to pet dander and the microbes that pets carry into the home from the outdoors is suggested to improve babies’ developing immune systems.

THEY’RE HAPPIER AND LESS STRESSED Interaction with animals raises levels of serotonin and dopamine, which are the chemical building blocks of positive feelings. Simply petting a dog lowers cortisol levels in both people and pets.

Also, children’s stress levels decrease when reading aloud to a dog.

Fostering and nurturing compassion

Volunteer at an animal shelter

One of the best ways kids can spend time with animals—especially those who don’t have a pet at home—is by volunteering with animals. Animal House accepts volunteers who are 10 years and older. Those between the ages of 10-17 need to be accompanied by an adult. Go online to animalhouse.org/volunteer/ to learn more.

In addition to kids’ development, parents and kids who volunteer together have fun and often use it as a bonding experience.

And, volunteers interact with humans as well as animals maybe even more so animals, Boyd says. “When volunteering at the shelter, you’d expect to interact with dogs more than people, but it’s really the other way around.” As a volunteer, kids interact with staff as well as other volunteers. “It certainly benefits everyone,” Boyd says, “and for some, it really helps them come out their shells to gain a variety of skills they might not otherwise get.”

for animals is important for everything from relationships with other humans to taking care the environment.

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W

t i g n i g in

D

itch organized activities for its messier cousin—unstructured play—this summer and you’ll likely end up with kids who are more flexible, more able to solve challenges and better socially. Make it a goal this summer to let your kids have more unstructured adventures.

Maybe you recall summer days as a child when you spent hours on end messing around with friends building forts, riding bikes, making up games or exploring open spaces. It may seem like you were just wasting time, but it turns out you were really gaining vital life skills, such as learning to get along with others, negotiate disagreements, and figure out things on your own.

“Unstructured play is hugely important. Kids who are allowed ample

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The value of unstructured adventures Lynn U. Nichols

opportunities for unstructured play learn how to negotiate relationships outside of a structured setting. They also learn how to think critically and problem solve.

With these skills, they don’t need to be entertained all the time and they are less bored,” says Andrea Holt, Marriage and Family Therapist with UCHealth Family Medicine Center in Fort Collins.

To prove the value of unstructured play, German researchers recently surveyed 134 people to learn how free play affected their adult social success. The findings were greater than they imagined.

Adults who had high self-esteem and a high ability to be flexible often had ample opportunities for free play as children.

They concluded that free play gives kids the ability to change and adapt to circumstances more readily, which comes in

handy in our adult lives when we need to roll with the punches presented to us.

Did you know the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends kids get 60 minutes of unstructured, free play every day? That’s because it’s good for developing kids’ brains and bodies. It may take a conscious effort to do nothing.

Outside time and unstructured play often go hand-in-hand. If your kids are too young to venture out on bikes alone, consider ways you can let them break loose in the backyard. Let them build a fort or make up a game, with you as simply a willing participant.

“It’s important that parents allow kids the chance to practice self-reliance, otherwise they can grow up without knowing how to make sound decisions and good choices,” Holt adds.

LET THEIR IMAGINATIONS GO WILD Having time to daydream and imagine helps kids work out real-life issues. In make-believe worlds, kids can experiment with control and power or act out feelings. A recent study at the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland found that 6- to 8-yearolds who used a lot of imagination during play scored higher on tests that measured their ability to do well under stress. In other words, they were better problem-solvers.

Having free time allows kids to recharge, clear their minds and tap into their own creativity.

“Studies on elementary kids show imaginary play is a large part of brain development,” Holt says.

LIMIT MEDIA TO CERTAIN TIMES AND PLACES In order to make time for creative, unstructured play, you have to clear out the easy go-tos for fun—like gaming systems, tablets, computers, televisions and phones. Make simple rules around media use and stick to them. Ideas include limiting media to one hour a day, or

restricting it to certain times like only in the evening after dinner, only during family movie nights, only on road trips or only when stuck waiting for mom or dad.

According to Nielsen Media Research, American kids spend close to 24 hours a week watching television or playing video games.

That’s a lot of time that they could be doing something else, like creating a treasure hunt for friends or writing and acting out a play.

Remember that less media time gives kids more chances to do other quiet activities, like reading, painting, making something, or daydreaming on the living room rug. It’s important that kids don’t automatically associate relaxing and de-stressing solely with media.

BE SPONTANEOUS AS A FAMILY Make a conscious effort to have an unstructured adventure this summer, one that is loosely planned so it allows for plenty of spontaneous decisions—ones where your kids take the lead. For example, go camping but let them pick the spot, choose where to pitch the tent and how to best build the fire. If they want to explore, pretend they are the guide and you are their eager participant. If your trip involves a weekend away, be open to spontaneous stops at cheesy roadside attractions. Or, let your kids use a (real) map to find a pit stop or a scenic drive home. Giving kids the power to decide for the entire family enhances their self-esteem and builds leadership skills.

The next time you hear your kids say, ‘We’re bored,’ don’t fret.

Take it as a sign that you have created some healthy downtime in their lives. Provide a few tools for an unstructured adventure, like large cardboard boxes and duct tape for fort building. Or, map out a safe route for them to ride their bikes to the nearest park for a bug-catching adventure. Just remember, by doing less you are actually setting them up for more.

Tips for safe roaming

There is no golden age when children are ready to venture out on their own, but you likely have a sense of what works for them. As a general rule, late elementary is a good time to allow for some watchful venturing. Here are a few ways to ease in:

BE IN THE BACKGROUND

Create opportunities for kids to explore under an unobvious, watchful eye. For example, let your older elementary kids hang with friends at the park while you walk nearby and keep an eye on them across the way. Or, let your younger kids explore the playground alone, having them stay where they can see you.

REQUIRE CHECK INS

If your child is walking to a friend’s house or headed to ride bikes around the neighborhood with friends, ask them to text you that they’ve arrived safely and again when they plan to return home. Review the route so you know just where to expect them if you need to check on them.

SAFETY IN NUMBERS

Remember the old buddy system? Going in pairs or as a small group increases your kids’ sense of safety and decreases your worries. Remind your kids to watch out for each other and help keep each other safe.

TEACH KIDS ROAD SKILLS

Just as we need to teach our kids the intricacies of driving when they approach 16, we need to teach them the intricacies of road signs and lights when they’re 9 and 10. Tag along on several bike rides to the nearby store that involve crossing lights. Point out how lights work, when cars turn and to watch out for cars turning right against the light. Finally, let them lead and observe how they do. If they pass your safety test, you can let them try it alone or with a buddy.

SEND ALONG A DOG

That is, if you are lucky enough to have one that’s calm and won’t tug your child off a bike or scooter!

GRANT PERMISSION TO BE RUDE IF IT’S WARRANTED

Guide kids to avoid strangers that behave strangely, even if they have to cross the street or ignore someone who intuitively feels unsafe. You may think kids can be lured by fake kindness, but they are often much more perceptive of the vibes someone is putting off than you know. If it eases your mind, review suspicious behaviors with your kids—like offering gifts, talking fast and acting aggressive—and give them permission to be blunt and turn away if they are scared.

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A

s school lets out for summer, many families are packing their bags and getting out of town for a few days or maybe longer. If trends stay the same, more than one-third of U.S. families will travel between June and August, the majority going by car. “Road trips are the most popular form of travel,” says AAA Colorado’s Skylar McKinley.

But flying is the most popular way to reach more remote destinations.

Whichever way you choose to go, make sure your plans include ways to make traveling enjoyable for the whole family, because nothing can add stress to travel like unhappy little ones or restless, bored older kids or teens.

TRAVELING TOTS Fort Collins mom Amelia Velarde could be considered an expert when it comes to traveling. By the time she graduated from high school, Velarde had traveled to 50 countries. Now she’s passing on her wanderlust to her children.

With her first-born in tow—Vivienne (2 ½ years)—Velarde visited Peru, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and 32 U.S. states, including Hawaii. Together with “Vivi” and her little brother John (1 year), Velarde has taken two cross-country road trips, driven to 20 states and flown to New Orleans. The trio’s most recent journey included Paris, Caen (Normandy), London and Edinburgh. “We were gone for almost four 22

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weeks, touring and sightseeing mostly,” she says. “My husband, Brian, joined us for one week of our European adventure.

It was his first time out of the county!

All the other trips have been just me and the kids.”

You might be wondering how she globe trots with two babes in arms. “It’s not so bad,” Velarde says. “When flying,

I put Vivi in a window seat when possible to give her something to look at and be consistently entertained by. I also make sure to bring a bag of new-to-her toys—anything she hasn’t seen yet that will be exciting for at least 15 minutes and that I don’t care about losing. The baby mostly just eats and sleeps, but when he is awake, I have a few rattles

and chew items to keep him busy.”

When driving, Velarde keeps her toddler occupied with fun food, stickers and a Magnatab. She also finds that taking frequent, consistent “out-of-the-car” breaks to be helpful.

Whether going by land or air, Velarde says, “I bring a stroller even if neither kid is going to ride in it just to cart around all of our stuff.”

THE MIDDLE AGES Molly North, mom to Ryan (11) and Finn (10), says when she and her husband plan family vacations, they often choose places “... we want to go and then add in a little or a lot of kid-specific activities, depending on the trip.” Consistent with her family’s values, North and her husband discuss their plans with the boys.

“They always want to know why we picked a certain place to visit or why certain family vacation traditions are important to us, and we try to indulge them with honest and sometimes more-sophisticatedthan-their-age answers. It’s amazing how this incites even more questions and excitement for our trips.

So, a lot of keeping them occupied is including them in conversations about the plans,” North says.

Consistent with AAA data, North says they love to take road trips, especially when they take along the family’s camper trailer. “It is so convenient to have everything we need with us wherever we go. We are like a turtle with our home on our back.”

What’s her trick to keeping boredom at bay with two active kids? “We cultivate non-screen time activities throughout the year so they have hobbies they can hone in the car, train or plane,” North explains.

“Ryan likes to draw and play an electric keyboard with headphones. Finn likes to play with his Rubik’s cube and organize his football cards. They both like to read.

Sometimes, if we have a long drive (like 12 hours or more) we will let them watch movies, everything from old classics to movies about animals to documentaries which can inspire conversation.”

TRAVELIN’ TEENS When traveling with his teenage daughters—Madison (14) and Faith (17)—Bryon Kerbs says he and his wife include the girls in the whole planning process to make sure the trip is fun for everyone. “Ask them what they want to do and don’t pooh-pooh their ideas. Also, don’t expect to begin each day early. Even at home, teens will sleep till noon if you let them, and they’ll sleep till noon on vacation, too. Brunch is a good thing.”

Unlike traveling with younger children, teens should be allowed to take responsibility to pack their own clothes and entertainment. Kerbs says, “You can review what everyone may need and how long you’ll be gone, but let them decide what to bring.”

WANDER WISDOM Regardless of how well you plan, “traveling requires flexibility. Planes run late, cars break down,” says Kerbs. While accepting those realities, consider North’s advice: “Traveling can be hard and it will probably be different than you expected, but it is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children. They’ll learn compassion for people different than themselves and gain an awareness that the world is bigger than their own neighborhood. Traveling nourishes our young people to become amazing adults who we can be proud of. Just do it!”

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poudre school district news Students get hands-on learning through gardening

Students at Harris Bilingual Elementary School recently got their hands dirty (literally!) when they spent a day working in the school’s new learning garden.

Kids from all grades spent part of their day outside in the sunshine planting seeds and learning about plant life and food waste. As part of the garden-day activities, the students visited different stations around the garden to learn how plants grow and how they can use food scraps to make compost.

PSD ENTERS NEXT PHASE OF SCHOOL START-TIME DISCUSSION After combing through survey responses from more than 10,000 people, the Board of Education and District leadership have decided to move forward with a community scenario committee and community discussions about changing school start times.

So far, the District has received generally positive feedback about starting middle and high school classes later in the morning, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools Scott Nielsen explained to the Board 24

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at a recent meeting.

PSD middle and high schools currently start between 7:25 and 8:15am. The Board has asked the District to explore changing times to 8:30am or later, possibly starting in the 2019-2020 school year. Nielsen said the surveys show many in the community are familiar with research that shows teen students learn better when they get more sleep.

At the meeting, Nielsen summarized the answers from more than

10,000 survey respondents including students, guardians, staff and community members. Nielsen said this is three times the district’s average survey response.

Approximately 85 percent of respondents said the issue of later start times for secondary schools was important. The majority of parents (85 percent from middle school and 87 percent from high school) picked 8-8:30am as the optimal start time with 3-3:50pm as the favored ending time.

Approximately 39 percent of elementary parents indicated they prefer an earlier start time for elementary students, which could give the district some flexibility when developing start time scenarios, Nielsen said.

Respondents also highlighted common concerns about the logistics of changing school start times including impacts to childcare, student jobs, after-school extracurricular activities and athletics, as well as reduced family time in the evening. Approximately 50 percent of high school students indicated they are involved in either PSD or community-based after-school activities and athletics, and 33 percent said they have an after-school job.

Now that it has gathered initial feedback from the community, the District will move into the next

phase of this process, which involves working with a community scenario committee comprised of parents from elementary, middle and high schools, teachers, classified staff, administrators and community members.

This committee will analyze the survey findings and create specific scenarios for possible new start times based on the values expressed by survey respondents. The committee will also factor in how changing school start times could affect elementary students, childcare needs, extra-curricular activities and transportation operations within the district.

PSD will share recommended scenarios with the community in the fall via a survey while gathering additional input at community forums.

Input will be shared with the Board of Education with a final decision expected in January 2019.

Timeline of next steps: • A pril–June of 2018: School Start Time Scenario Committee will develop start time scenarios

• August or September 2018: PSD will share these scenarios with the community • F all 2018: PSD will gather community feedback on these scenarios via a second survey and community forums •D ecember 2018 or January 2019: A decision will be made

‘MAKERSPACE’ AREAS IN LIBRARIES GIVE STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE If there’s a way to give a school project some artistic flair, you can count on Poudre High School senior Kacey Murphy-Brandt to find it.

And the PHS library has the perfect place for her to do that. Across the district, libraries have created “MakerSpace” areas, places equipped with tools such as 3-D printers and craft supplies. At Poudre High School, the MakerSpace area has sewing machines, power tools, audio recording equipment and yes, 3-D printers.

Kacey spent one of her recent free periods sewing a doll for one of her German class projects. She

carefully sketched out the outline for Oskar, her doll designed to look like the protagonist in a book her class recently read. He will be the star of her upcoming presentation.

“I’m kind of crafty,” she said, as she cut her fabric.

PHS Media Specialist Matt Benson has been curating items for the MakerSpace for years, and has put an emphasis on making the space a place teachers can bring their students to bring lessons to life. One of the school’s science classes built a weather balloon.

Students studying dystopian literature are using the 3-D printers to design and create objects they imagine might be found in a dystopic society. Benson said he has one student who comes in regularly to use the recording studio to record songs he’s learned on his banjo.

“My goal is to be a creative library, where kids don’t aren’t just coming in to consume information,” he said. “I’m trying to (make it) a space where kids can create.”

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greeley-evans district 6 news Franklin honored for personalized learning Franklin Middle School has been recognized as a Summit Learning Spotlight school for its outstanding use of personalized learning practices to meet each student’s individual needs. The inaugural Summit Learning Spotlight honors and celebrates community-nominated teachers and schools across the country that are outstanding examples of personalized learning implementation and instruction.

In 2017, Franklin Middle School joined the Summit Learning Program.

As part of the Summit Learning community, Franklin Middle School has exhibited a strong commitment to ensuring that all students are known deeply inside and outside of the classroom, become advocates for themselves and have opportunities to ignite their passions through schoolwork, real-world learning experiences and ongoing, one-to-one mentoring between teachers and students.

Developed by Summit Public Schools in partnership with nationally acclaimed learning scientists, researchers, and academics, Summit Learning is a personalized approach to teaching and learning inspired by the vision to equip every student to lead a fulfilled life.

Through the free Summit Learning Program, more than 330 schools have implemented and tailored Summit Learning for their communities, reaching more than 54,000 students across 40 states.

Teachers and administrators at Franklin Middle School are dedicated to providing all students with an education that reflects the skills and habits necessary for success in life — an education that takes into account students’ individual needs, aspirations, and how they learn best. Franklin went from receiving a ranking of priority improvement, one of the lowest ratings given by the Colorado Department of Education, to the state’s highest ranking of performance in just one year.

Franklin Middle School has embraced the Summit Learning philosophy, 26

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creating a culture of collaboration in which students across grades are becoming self-directed learners. Teachers and administrators show their focus on student growth through frequent meetings to discuss student data, opportunities, and needs. Franklin has cultivated family and community support through Parent Academy Nights, community outreach, mentor groups, and school culture building.

“We are proud to be recognized as a Summit Learning Spotlight school,” says Franklin Middle School Principal Chris Joseph. “With Summit Learning and our teachers’ dedication and innovation, Franklin Middle is not the same school it was a year ago. Our students are more engaged in their own learning, more confident in their abilities, and building stronger relationships with their teachers, mentors, and peers.”

As a Summit Learning Spotlight school, the Franklin Middle School community will have the opportunity to share their educational best practices, lessons learned, and keys to success with educators across the country.

“Franklin Middle School is an example for schools everywhere of what’s possible of when educators collaborate to give students choices, challenges and

personalized support,” says Diane Tavenner, CEO and co-founder of Summit Public Schools. “We are honored to be a part of Franklin Middle School’s journey and to celebrate their hard work to meet the needs of each and every student.”

EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY NAMED TOP SCHOOL Early College Academy, a GreeleyEvans School District 6 high school that operates in collaboration with Aims Community College, has been named one of the top high schools in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

ECA was awarded a bronze medal based on the level of college readiness of its students. U.S. News & World Report has four criteria to select schools for the list. This includes students exceeding expectations in their states, underserved students performing better than the state average in reading and math, the school’s graduation rate exceeding 80 percent and the school preparing graduates for college-level work.

“This award is really a reflection of all of the hard work many people have done,” says Ray Chard, Assistant Director of High School Programs at Aims.

“There were many individuals from Aims and District 6 who took ECA

from an idea to reality three years ago.

The individuals who had the greatest impact are the faculty at ECA, these individuals have spent countless hours working with students and making ECA the wonderful place it is today.”

“It’s a lot of hard work. Students must put in the time to excel in their high school and college level work, and our students want to be here and want to put in the work,” says Mindy Marshall, Aims Academic Advisor at ECA. Early College Academy was founded in 2015 with the concept of helping students get a head start on post-secondary education. At ECA, students are able to earn both a high school diploma and an Associate of Arts degree through Aims Community College by taking college courses at a decelerated pace. There is no additional cost for the students. The class of 2018 is the first graduating class at ECA and more than 80 percent of students will graduate this spring with their associate’s degree. Many of the remaining students have already

signed up for Aims summer classes to finish their degree.

A mix of District 6 teachers and Aims professors instructs ECA students.

As students progress from their freshman year to senior year, they take more college level courses with faculty from Aims in order to complete their degree.

DISTRICT 6 DEDICATES NEW GARDEN PROJECT Greeley-Evans School District 6 dedicated a new garden project called Growing Grounds at Bella Romero Academy K-3 Campus on Thursday, May 17, which will serve not only as a working garden but will provide educational opportunities for students.

Officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Colorado Department of Education joined District 6 officials Thursday to view the first stage of the Growing Grounds project. Earlier in the day, Bella Romero students planted produce in the garden.

“We in Nutrition Services not only strive to ensure our students receive

healthy meals every day, but we are looking for ways to expand educational opportunities that help students get hands-on experience growing and harvesting food, so they better understand the life cycle,” says District 6 Nutrition Services Director Danielle Bock.

This project is being funded through grants from the United Way of Weld County and The Colorado Health Foundation. The site includes raised garden beds for students to grow produce that will eventually be used in school meal programs. It will also provide education opportunities and eventually employment for some District 6 students, while better connecting District 6 to the larger community.

The area also includes a greenhouse that will be installed with a hydroponic growing system that can be used nearly year-round. Eventually, the space will also include a community garden, fruit tree orchard and Playscapes for District 6 families to utilize. District 6 Nutrition Services is looking to secure more grants to build out the project over the next few years.

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thompson school district news Summer food program serves up free fare The Thompson School District Nutrition Services Department announces their sponsorship of the 2018 Summer Food Service Program. The program serves children (18 months – 18 yrs) free of charge during the summer months. It will begin Tuesday, May 29 and run through Friday, July 27, excluding the week of July 2 - 6. Days of service vary by site. A nutritious breakfast and lunch will be served at the sites. Serving times will be 8-9am for breakfast and 11:30am-12:30pm for lunch. Some enrolled programs will also serve meals. Please check with your specific program for more information. Here is a list of this year’s program sites:

• Monroe Elementary 1500 N. Monroe Ave. • Laurene Edmondson Elementary 307 W. 49th St. • B F Kitchen Elementary 915 Deborah Dr. • Sarah Milner Elementary 743 Jocelyn Dr. • Truscott Elementary 211 W. 6th St. • Lincoln Elementary 3312 N. Douglas Ave. • Winona Elementary 201 S Boise Ave.

For more information, please contact the TSD Nutrition Services office at 613-5143.

CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER DEPARTS DISTRICT Thompson School District Chief Academic Officer Dr. Margaret Crespo will be departing the district, effective July 1. Dr. Crespo has been hired by Boulder Valley School District in Boulder, Colo. to serve as Assistant Superintendent of School Leadership-Secondary.

Dr. Crespo arrived in Thompson in July 2011, joining the administration team as the Director of Secondary Education. A year later, she was named the Executive Director of Secondary Education and in 2013, she was promoted to her current role. As Chief 28

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Academic Officer, Dr. Crespo has managed the instructional programs of the district and has also overseen a variety of school safety and operational efforts throughout TSD. “The students, families, staff and community members of Thompson School District are amazing,” Dr. Crespo says. “I have greatly enjoyed working with so many people throughout the district who are genuinely interested in doing all that they can to support our entire student population. Although I will no longer be a member of this terrific staff team, I will remain a resident here in Thompson and I look forward to being a part of this community as we continue to move forward.”

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JUNE 2018 ONGOING Free Online Indoor Air Quality Assessment The City of Fort Collins offers a Healthy Homes do-it-yourself assessment tool, plus related resources. Available anytime online: www.healthyhomes.fcgov.com.

MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS Read and Seed Youth Program Preschool readiness activities including story and related craft. Ages 2-5 with adult. Pre-registration required for groups over five students. $3. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 10-10:45am & 11-11:45am. 416-2486 www.fcgov.com/gardens.

SECOND THURSDAYS Hugs Social Group for Grandparents and Other Kin Raising Kin Connect with others in similar situations.

Mountain View Presbyterian Church, 2500 N. Garfield Ave., LV. 11:30am-1:30pm.

669-2837, www.GrandFamilyCoalition.com.

THIRD THURSDAYS Children’s Book Reading with OtterCares Monthly reading event about how to follow your dreams, enjoy snacks and meet Ollie the Otter. PreK-1st grade. Otter Shop, 151 W. Mountain Ave., FC. 11am12noon. 825-5650. www.facebook.com/ottershop.

FOURTH THURSDAYS Hugs Social Group for Grandparents and Other Kin Raising Kin Connect with others in similar situations. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 5450 S. Lemay Ave., FC. 12noon-2:30pm. 669-2837, www.GrandFamilyCoalition.com.

JUNE 1 THROUGH 3 & 4 THROUGH 8 Lifeguard Training Course Lifeguard skills, CPR/AED and First Aid certification. 15+ (must be 15 years by first day of course). $205 includes manual, resuscitation mask, certification. Splash Swim School, 1110 W. Prospect Rd., FC. Friday 4-8pm and Saturday/Sunday 9am5pm. 631-8227, www.splashpoolservices. com/lifeguard-and-cpr-training.

FRIDAYS, JUNE 1 THROUGH JULY 27 Teen Volunteer Corps Group work projects include sprucing up library, shifting materials, etc. Farr Regional Library, 1939 61st Ave., GR. 10am. 888-861-7323, www.MyLibrary.us.

JUNE 1, 15, 29 Discover Habitats: Around the World Learn about arctic, ocean, jungle and mountain habitats and their animals. Ages Birth-Pre-K. Farr Regional Library, 1939 61st Ave., GR. 10:30am. 888-861-7323, www.MyLibrary.us.

JUNE 2-17 Butterfly Pavilion Learn about nature’s fluttering pollinators.

All ages. Gulley Greenhouse, 6029 S. Shields St., FC. 9am-6pm. 223-4769, www.gulleygreenhouse.com/event.

JUNE 1 THROUGH AUGUST 12 Fit Families on the Move!

Keep families moving and active this summer. Registered families receive a FITPASS for 300+ discounted/free activities in FC, LV, WS. $7 (ages 2+).

Locations vary. www.healthykidsclub.org.

MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS IN JUNE Music Lab at Poudre Libraries Explore music with instruments and activities. All ages. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC - Mondays, 11am. Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC - Tuesdays, 1:30pm. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC - Thursdays, 1:30pm.

221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

TUESDAYS, JUNE 5 THROUGH JULY 24 Kids’ Summer Movie Club Free screenings of Smurfs, Pete’s Dragon, Paddington 2, E.T. and more. Rialto Theater, 228 E. 4th St., LV. 10am and 2pm.

962-2120, www.rialtotheatercenter.org.

Hours of Operation: M-Th 8-5pm, Fri 8-4 Fort Collins (970) 493-7442

Loveland (970) 493-7442

SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY

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Book your WE time at the Mini-Course at Cattail Creek.

easy Fun and y golf way to pla u yo r e wheth lfer o g a are or not!

$7 per round, $6 (5-12 yrs.), 4 & under FREE Price includes equipment rental.

Specialized SNAG (Starting New At Golf)

equipment available

• Zero intimidation • Self-teaching Stations • 9 Holes of Fun

970-663-5310 | 2116 W. 29th St. | Loveland | GolfLoveland.com

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THURSDAYS, JUNE 7, 14, 21, 28 Family Night at Council Tree Different activity each week: view Disney’s Coco, go fossil hunting, enjoy karaoke and explore science of sound. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 7pm. 221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

TUESDAYS, JUNE 12 THROUGH AUGUST 7 The Incredible Years Parenting Group Free 10-week program for families with children 3-6 years. Life Center, 1511 E. 11th St., LV. 5-6:30pm. 342-5325.

WEDNESDAYS, JUNE 13 THROUGH AUGUST 8 Lagoon Summer Concert Series Variety of music styles each week: country, folk, rock, etc. Bring lawn chairs/blankets.

Food trucks onsite. All ages. West lawn of Colorado State University’s Lory Student Center. 6pm. www.lagoonseries.com.

JUNE 14 THROUGH AUGUST 4 Fort Collins Nursery Rock Garden Concert Series Rob Drabkin with Brian David Collins, Whippoorwil with Mike Clark, Sean Kelly of the Samples and HoneyHoney.

Each concert supports a different nonprofit. $15/advance, $18/door, free-12 and under. Fort Collins Nursery, 2121 E. Mulberry St., FC. Doors-5:30pm, Show6pm. 482-1984, www.facebook.com/pg/ FortCollinsNursery/events.

THROUGH JUNE 17 Man of La Mancha Award-winning show affirming resilience of the human spirit. Prices and times vary. Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, 4747 Marketplace Dr., Johnstown. 744-3747, www.coloradocandlelight.com.

FRIDAYS, JUNE 29 THROUGH JULY 27 Movies on Main Family friendly outdoor films. All ages.

Promenade Shops at Centerra, Main Plaza, 5971 Sky Pond Dr., LV. 7pm. 461-1285, www.thepromenadeshopsatcenterra.com/ events.

THROUGH AUGUST 18 Healthy Kids Run & Fit.Teen Run Series Run Series (ages 5-12) & Fit.Teen Run Series (ages 13-18) includes six local races in northern Colo. Participants can earn prizes. Registration required. Kids-free, teens-$10 per 5K. Location varies. www.healthykidsclub.org.

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THROUGH AUGUST 19 Poudre Libraries Summer Reading Challenge: Rock On! First 5,000 to sign up and visit a library earn a prize (while supplies last).

All ages. Register in person or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 2 O’Dea Elementary Children’s Triathlon Triathlon: $30/$35 day of; Fun Run: $7/$10 day of. O’Dea Core Knowledge Elementary, 312 Princeton Rd., FC. 7am-2:30pm. 221-6987 www.fortcollinschildrenstriathlon.com.

Paws on the Promenade - Fire Hydrant 5k Walk/run for homeless animals plus expo and kid zone. Promenade Shops at Centerra, 5971 Sky Pond Dr., LV. 8am. 530-2945 www.Fh5k.org.

Gardener’s Expo New gardening trends, ideas and products. Special offers, prize drawings and more. Fossil Creek Nursery, 7029 S. College Ave., FC. 10am-3pm. 226-4924 www.fossilcreeknursery.com.

Teen Songwriting Workshop Need basic skills to play instrument or be able to match notes with their voice.

Registration required. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 2pm. 221-6740 www.PoudreLibraries.org.

MONDAY, JUNE 4 Kid Zone: Fossil Hunters Secrets of the past hidden deep in the earth.

Ages 6-9. Registration required. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 1pm and 3pm. 221-6740 www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Discover the Universe Parts 1-2 With Fiske Planetarium’s portable minidome. Registration required. St. Mary School, 2351 22nd Ave., GR. 1pm-Part 1, 1:30pm-Part 2, 888-861-7323, www.

MyLibrary.us.

TUESDAY, JUNE 5 Funny Bunny Magic Show Comedy magician Connie Elston takes children on a magic journey. Ages 2-5.

Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 10-10:45am and 11-11:45am.

686-5603, http://clearviewlibrary.org/ event/752014.

Great Teen Waffle-It Challenge Working in teams, teens prepare two dishes using waffle iron and ingredients provided. Ages 14-18. Registration required. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 2pm. 221-6740 www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Tunes for Tots Explore music and instruments from around the world. Ages 3-5. Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 6pm.

221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6 Tween Zone: Rock On! to the Sounds of Nature Crafting and music making. Ages 10-13.

Registration required. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 2pm.

221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Hip Hop Dance Party Learn newest hip hop dance moves from local professional dancer. Music included!

Ages 9-12. Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 6:30-7:30pm. 686-5603, http://clearviewlibrary.org/event/751938.

THURSDAY, JUNE 7 Bicycle Friendly Driver Learn traffic safety laws for cyclists and motorists and how to avoid crashes. Ages 15+. City of Fort Collins, 222 Laporte Ave. FC. 12-1:30pm. 221-6987. http://engage.fcgov.com/Calendar.

Rec & Tech in the Park Play with tech toys, fly drone, compete in lawn games, crafts and snacks. All ages. Lakeview Park, 512 Mallard Dr., Severance. 4-5pm. 686-5603 http://clearviewlibrary.org/event/753434.

FRIDAY, JUNE 8 Teen Council Plan a murder mystery party for other teens at the library. Grades 6-12. Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 2pm.

221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 9 Art by Bike Tour Bring own bike, helmet, water bottle and appropriate clothing. Min. age: 11 years with adult. Registration required. $4. Mehaffey Park south parking lot, 3285 W. 22nd St., LV. Check-in 7:45am. Ride 8am–12noon. www.cityofloveland.org/ BikeLoveland.

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Join us this season for the best of Fort Collins: bikes, beer, farms, food and fun.

We create fortified connections through events with a purpose.

F O R T I F I E D C O L L A B O R AT I O N S . C O M CULTIVATED BY:

OUR 2018 SEASON 6/10 Second Sunday Supper 7/15 Heart of Summer Farm Dinner 8/26 3 Forks Progressive Farm Dinner 9/16 Harvest Moon Salmon Bake 10/7 Harvest Brunch 10/20 Bounty and Brews Beer Dinner 11/11 Mad Farmer Dinner

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Spring Plant Walk Find early wildflowers and learn facts about local plants. All ages. Registration required. Devil’s Backbone Open Space, just west of Loveland off Hwy 34. 8-10am. http://offero.larimer.org.

MONDAY, JUNE 11 Steve Weeks Music Silly acoustic-based songs with unusual percussion and diverse styles. All ages. Old Town Library Park, 201 Peterson St., FC. 10am. 221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Zen Butterfly Fairy Garden Create a soothing Zen garden. All ages. $30. Gulley Greenhouse, 6029 S. Shields St., FC. 9am-6pm. 223-4769 www.gulleygreenhouse.com/event.

Kid Zone: Dance-a-Palooza!

Celebrate music, movement and dance.

Ages 6-9. Registration required.Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 1pm and 3pm. 221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Day of Play in Evans and Greeley Volleyball, kickball, soccer, basketball and more with local police, fire and recreation departments. City Park, 3929 Golden St., EV and Centennial Park, 2201 23rd Ave., GR. 10:30am, 888-861-7323 www.MyLibrary.us.

TUESDAY, JUNE 12 Tiny Trekkers Crafts, stories and fun facts. Ages 2-5 with adult. Registration required. Devil’s Backbone Open Space parking lot, just west of Loveland off Hwy 34. 10-11am. http://offero.larimer.org.

FARMERS MARKETS Berthoud Local Farmers Market Fickel Park in downtown Berthoud Saturdays, 9am-1pm, June 23-Sept. 29 www.berthoudlocal.org/farmers-market/

Erie Farmers Market Briggs Street between Wells and Moffatt, Erie, Thursdays, 5-8pm, May 17-Sept. 20 www.realfarmersmarketco.com

CAMC Fort Collins Farmers Market Harmony Road and Lemay Avenue In front of Ace Hardware Sundays, 11am-3pm, May-mid-Nov. (weather permitting) Wednesdays, 11am-3pm, June-Sept. www.fortcollinsfm.com

Estes Valley Farmers Market Bond Park on E. Elkhorn Ave. Thursdays, 8am-1pm, June 7-Sept. www.facebook.com/ EstesValleyFarmersMarket

CAMC Loveland Farmers Market 3133 N. Garfield Ave. (Hwy. 287) In front of Hobby Lobby Saturdays, 9am-1pm, June-Sept.

Tuesdays, 11am-3pm, June-Oct. www.fortcollinsfm.com Farmers Market at Fairgrounds Park 700 S. Railroad Ave., Loveland Sundays, 9am-1:30pm, June 24-Sept. 30 www.cityofloveland.org/farmersmarket Downtown Mead Farmers Market Mead Town Park Sundays, 10am-1pm, June-Sept. www.townofmead.org Drake Road Farmers Market 802 W. Drake Rd., Fort Collins Saturdays, 10am-1pm, April 21-Oct. www.drakeroadfarmersmarket.com

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Greeley Farmers’ Market The Depot, 902 7th Ave. Saturdays, 8am-12noon, May 19-Oct. 27 www.greeleygov.com/fm Johnstown Milliken Farmers Market Saturdays, Downtown Johnstown, Aug. 18Sept.15 www.jmchamber.com Larimer County Farmers Market 200 S. Oak St., Fort Collins Saturdays, 8am-12noon, May 19-Oct. 28 www.larimercountyfarmersmarket.org Louisville Farmers Market 824 Front St., Louisville Saturdays, 9am-1pm, May 19-Oct. 13 www.realfarmersmarketco.com Wellington Farmers Market Centennial Park, 3815 Harrison Ave. Saturdays, 9:30am-1:30pm, June-Oct. www.wellingtoncofarmersmarket.org

Dance and Tumble with Super Jes! Explore how the body moves and obstacle courses with master instructor. Ages 18 months-5 years. Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 10:30-11:15am.

686-5603, www.clearviewlibrary.org/ event/751996.

Teen Amazing Race Solve puzzles, complete challenges and overcome obstacles to help your team save everyone. Registration required. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 2pm. 221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13 Touch-a-Truck Explore community trucks and vehicles and visit first responders, law enforcement, emergency crews, etc. All ages. Old Town Library Park, 201 Peterson St., FC. 9am.

221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Family Bingo Night Play and win prizes. All ages. WindsorSeverance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 6:30-7:30pm. 686-5603 www.clearviewlibrary.org/event/752751.

THURSDAY, JUNE 14 SafeSitter Essentials with CPR Learn first aid, rescue and business skills, plus CPR training but not certification.

Ages 11-13. $45. McKee Medical Center Conference & Wellness Center, 2000 N. Boise Ave, LV. 8am-3pm. 810-6633 www.bannerhealth.com/calendar.

FRIDAY, JUNE 15 Harmony on the Green: Papa Juke Outdoor concert with 4-member R&B band, Papa Juke. Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 6:30pm. 221-6740 www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Campfire at the Cabin Complete with stories and s’mores! All ages.

Registration required. Coyote Ridge Natural Area, 3 miles south of Harmony and Taft Hill Roads on west side, FC. 8-9:30pm.

416-2043, http://engage.fcgov.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 16 Family Yoga in the Gardens Meditate, flow through postures, partner poses and games. All levels. Ages 4+. $10-child; Free-adults. Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 8:15-9am.

416-2486, www.fcgov.com/gardens.

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Father’s Day Fun Arts, crafts and games. Ages 2-5.

Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 10:30-11:15am. 686-5603 http://clearviewlibrary.org/event/751998.

Teen Breakout Box: Zombie Apocalypse Teams solve clues to save the world. Ages 14-18. Registration required. Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 2pm.

221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Stargazing with Northern Colorado Astronomical Society (NCAS) Telescopes provided. All ages. Registration encouraged. Devil’s Backbone Open Space parking lot, just west of Loveland off Hwy 34. 9-11pm. http://offero.larimer.org.

MONDAY, JUNE 18 African Drum and Dance Traditional African drum and dance.

All ages. Old Town Library Park, 201 Peterson St., FC. 10am. 221-6740 www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Kids Zone: Homemade Instruments Make fun musical instruments to shake, rattle and Rock On! Ages 6-9.

Registration required. Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 1pm and 3pm.

221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

TUESDAY, JUNE 19 Under the Sea Ocean-related art and science activities.

Ages 2-5. Windsor-Severance Library, 720 3rd St., WS. 10:30-11:15am. 686-5603, http://clearviewlibrary.org/event/752001.

Ukulele Class with Danielle Ate the Sandwich Registration required. Bring your ukulele.

Loveland Museum, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., LV. 3–5pm. 962-2410 www.lovelandmuseumgallery.org.

THURSDAY, JUNE 21 Outdoor Safety Hike Learn safety and preparedness when outdoors from Larimer County naturalists.

All ages. Registration required. River Bluffs Open Space, east of I-25 between Windsor and Timnath. 5:30-6:30pm. http://offero.larimer.org.

Loveland Summer Concerts: Patty Larkin Folk-urban pop music with inventive guitar wizardry, vocals and lyrics. Foote Lagoon, 500 E. Third St., LV. 6:30pm, 962-2120, www.rialtotheatercenter.org.

Painting with a Twist FUNdraiser Wine and paint outing where 50% of class proceeds benefit Pathways. All ages. $35.

Painting with a Twist, 1112 Oakridge Dr., #107, FC. 6:30pm. 825-5131, www. paintingwithatwist.com.

FRIDAY, JUNE 22 Windsor Grind Skateboard & Scooter Competition Compete in 3rd annual event. Ages 9-18.

Registration required. Eastman Park Skate Park, 7025 Eastman Park Dr., WS. 1-3pm.

686-5603, http://clearviewlibrary.org/ event/752007.

SATURDAY, JUNE 23 Art by Bike Tour Bring own bike, helmet, water bottle and appropriate clothing. Min. age: 11 years with adult. Registration required. $4.

Senior Center, 700 E. 4th St., LV. Check-in 7:45am. Ride 8am–12noon. www.cityofloveland.org/BikeLoveland.

Smart Cycling: Road Rules Learn to ride safely and legally. Ages 12+.

Summitview Church, 1601 W Drake Rd., FC. 8:30-11:30am. 221-6987 http://engage.fcgov.com/Calendar.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20 Tween Zone: Chopped Ages 10-13. Registration required.

Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 2pm. 221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

MONDAY, JUNE 25 Kid Zone: Playing with Music Lively, up tempo activities. Registration required. Ages 6-9. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 1pm and 3pm. 221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Junior Ranger Hike Hike with Larimer County naturalists and receive guidance for places to go, what to do and how to be safe outdoors. Ages 8-12.

Registration required. Devil’s Backbone Open Space, just west of Loveland off Hwy 34. 5-7pm. http://offero.larimer.org.

TUESDAY, JUNE 26 Tiny Trekkers Crafts, stories and fun facts. Ages 2-5 with adult. Registration required. River Bluffs Open Space, east of I-25 between Windsor and Timnath. 10-11am. http://offero.larimer.org.

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Up, Up in the Air! Crafts and activities involving things that fly. Ages 2-6. Severance Town Hall, 3 Timber Ridge Pkwy., Severance.

11:15-11:45am. 686-5603 http://clearviewlibrary.org/event/753320.

Babysitting 101 Learn top-notch babysitting skills. Ages 12+. Registration required. Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 1pm.

221-6740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27 Bike to Work Day FC Bike Station Visit FC Bikes breakfast station for good eats, hot drinks, fun. All ages. City Park, east side along Jackson St. FC. 6:309:30am. 416-2628, http://engage.fcgov.com.

Tween Zone: Storytelling – What’s Your Story?

Come prepared to share and/or create a story, song or poem that may include sound effects, music or instruments.

Registration required. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 2pm. 2216740, www.PoudreLibraries.org.

THURSDAY, JUNE 28 Loveland Summer Concerts: Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband Fiddler, electric/acoustic guitar and mandolin player. Foote Lagoon, 500 E. Third St., LV. 6:30pm, 962-2120 www.rialtotheatercenter.org.

FRIDAY, JUNE 29

Family BINGO Night Play BINGO and win prizes. All ages.

Range View Elementary, 700 Ponderosa Dr., Severance. 6:30-7:30pm. 686-5603, http://clearviewlibrary.org/event/ 753566.

SATURDAY, JUNE 30

Missoula Children’s Theatre: The Princess and the Pea Local students perform. $8. Rialto Theater, 228 E. Fourth St., LV. 3pm and 5:30pm.

962-2120, www.rialtotheatercenter.org/ missoula-childrens-theatre.

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time out Summertime = party time How many parties are too many?

LEA HANSON

W

e’re lucky to have lots of great friends. Most of them have similarly aged children and all of them are social beings. We like to hang out as much as possible.

To put it mildly (and sometimes to our chagrin), we’ve got a busy social calendar and as a result, so does our kid.

I’ve read many articles in which the thesis is ‘not every day needs to be an adventure’ and ‘let your kid be bored,’ but…. What if I want consistent adventures, too? And I don’t want to be bored? Plus, once the sun comes out for good and the neighborhood pool-opening looms, socializing season is in the air. We can’t stop ourselves.

And here’s the deal (and you know the drill): if we want to fit pool time, camping time, visits to and from outof-town family, BBQs, concerts, bike rides, a trip to the zoo/aquarium/water park, and maybe a family vacation, we’ve got to socialize four days a week.

There’s no other choice. Poor us.

Once summer rolls around, we go into lawn/pool/BBQ/camping party high-gear. And we like it. But are we entertaining our kid too much? I mean, for the most part, she’s along by default because we’re doing family things. We’re actually rarely planning a hangout that revolves around her and her friends. But still.

So how much fun is too much? At what point do we need to ‘force’ some down time? Don’t get me wrong. I’m a good enough mom (on paper, at least) to force things like the library’s summer reading challenge, for example. So there’s required reading time (pretty much) every day. But, I won’t pretend there’s a lot more than that because there isn’t.

But I have to wonder, am I setting my kid up for a lifetime of unattainable expectations of fun and excite42

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ment? I can see yes because surely this active, partying, fun lifestyle filled with friends and sleepovers and the pool can’t be maintained forever. I say no because I’m not far from my fourth decade of life and although there have been some ebbs and flows; I’m not seeing things let up.

But downtime and the ability to self entertain is important. And constant excitement isn’t real in real life.

As the ‘I’m Bored’ generation, many argue today’s kids need a serious, hard restart. There are many good things that result from boredom including creativity, independence, ambition, motivation and drive, and (ahem) quiet. These are all things I want for and from my kid.

How to strike the balance, then?

Research says to create strict guidelines around screens, role model down time, and avoid over-scheduling; all things I could work on, sure. While I rarely put my kid in more than one formal activity at a time, there are times I do. And, at the end of the day, what’s the difference between a swimming lesson and dinner at the neighbors’? Both are time commitments.

I can also work on screen time.

Once April rolled around, I got totally lazy and slipped the slippery slope of allowing it before school. BEFORE SCHOOL. Who have I become? Shrug.

As a parent, there are always things to do better. And there are always ways to have more fun! Lucky for us, summer is here and I’ll be honest, we’ll probably shoot for the latter.

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