playdate
Free! Please take one
A Magazine for Yakima Valley Parents playdatemagazine.com
22 places to have your party…
e Li k e t h’s s od a um M u s e u nt a i n! fo
Let’s
Party! Fun at
Family Expo April is… National
Autism Month CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS April | May 2012 • VOL. 6, ISSUE 2 p l ay dat ema g a z i n e . c om
A s p e c i a l i n t e r es t p u b l i c at i o n o f t h e ya k i ma h e r a l d – Re p u b l i c
Arbor Day Festival • Yakima Valley Trolleys Spring Sports • Star Gazing • Playdate ExpO
Even when the tank is half empty, it thinks it’s half full.
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Child Care Resource & Referral “Building a strong foundation for children’s success”
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Phone line hours are Monday through Friday 10am-2pm Find child care online: www.ccrrcentralwa.org
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PlaydateMagazine.com
• April | May 2012
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Yakima Regional Medical & Cardiac Center is excited to participate in the 3rd Annual Playdate Expo. Bring this page to our booth for a special gift.
This hospital is partly owned by physicians.
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April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
b
a note from Scott
become a fan: facebook.com/ playdateyakima
Visit our website
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PlaydateMagazine.com
• April | May 2012
CONTRIBUTORS
Birthdays have been on my mind lately. By the time the next issue publishes, I’ll hit the “Big 3-0.” I’ve heard many people dread this transition from 20s to 30s. Surprisingly, I’m not too panicked by this number. It’s been on my mind, though, since my wife loves to remind me — frequently, and with some degree of glee — of my soon-to-be age. I’ve also been thinking about my kids’ ages more and more. My daughter just turned 5 — another milestone — and my son has until this June to get out of the “terrible two” stage. (I’m sure, once he turns 3, that all of his inclinations to pester his sister and mother will be completely dissolved. It’s all a numbers game, after all. …Anyone buying this?) Even if we make more out of numbers than we ought to, each birthday is a transition that should be recognized and honored. Celebrated. Which brings me to one of this issue’s themes: birthday party ideas. And do we have you covered! You’ll find tons of birthday party resources: check out all the information compiled on 22 venues around the area, plus information on businesses that will help you get all the birthday “stuff” you’re looking for. We also have a number of birthday party themes to help get you started. Please share with us your birthday party details!
April is Autism Awareness month, so we’ve included two features about local families who are living with the condition. And, since this is the spring issue, we’ve got plenty of details on events that will get you moving outside and enjoying the turning weather. As usual, visit our website at playdatemagazine.com for updated calendar events and the latest installment from our resident blogger and dad of three, Scott Mayes. (Scott has included a little birthday advice in this edition, too.) We’d love to hear from you, so if you have questions or ideas, please email me at sklepach@yakimaherald.com. Be sure to friend us on Facebook, too.
Scott mixes up a soda at the Yakima Valley Museum’s Soda fountain. Photo by 0TJ Mullinax
Happy Springtime!
An editor by day, Scott Mayes is also dad to Matthew, Micah and Nathan. He’s a high school parent, a youth basketball dad and changes diapers. You can read his Dadventures blog at playdatemagazine.com.
David Pommer, MD, is a family physician with Selah Family Medicine and a graduate of Whitworth University and the University of Washington. He is happily married with three children. 5
contents
april | may
Volume 6, Issue 2 April / May 2012
2012
Niche Products Manager Playdate Coordinator Design and Layout Illustration
Robin Salts Beckett Scott Klepach Jr. Sarah J. Button Sarah J. Button
Playdate 114 N. Fourth St. Yakima, WA 98901-2707 509-577-7731 www.playdatemagazine.com For advertising opportunities, call (509) 577-7743 or e-mail amitchell@yakimaherald.com
Publisher Sharon J. Prill VP of Sales James E. Stickel April / May 2012 Published every other month by Yakima Herald-Republic. 114 N. Fourth St., Yakima WA 98901-2707 www.playdatemagazine.com
D’Lisa Raquel Bridges, 6, and Kaiyana Davis, 4, share the Soda Fountain’s “Playdate” shake.
© 2012 Yakima Herald-Republic. All rights reserved. The magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork; they will not be returned.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TJ Mullinax.
Get Outside and Get Active!
8 Check out our roundup of spring activities and events around the area. Time for some fresh spring air!
Easter Events
29 Ten events throughout our region to keep you on the hunt all through the Easter holiday.
playdate
Free! Please take one
A MAgAzinE fOr
Second Opinion: Autism
10 Dr. David Pommer offers an educational look at autism spectrum disorder, and shares what it’s like to raise his own son with autism.
Leavitts’ Journey to Hope
34 Placing family above all, Wayne and Sherrie Leavitt are doing all they can for their autistic son, even if it means making drastic changes.
Birthday Party Venues and Resources 16
Playdate Family Expo
Twenty-two places to throw a birthday party for your kiddo, along with five birthday themes and other resources to make the day go smoothly!
Clowns, bouncy houses, giveaways, food… all under our Playdate Family Expo Big Top!
[in every issue ]
note from Scott 5 minute for mom 12 family fare 14 odds & ends 30, 38 story times 48 calendar 48 gotcha! 62 6
When Birthday Plans Go Awry
22
Let’s
Party!
places to have your party…
Fun at
Lik e the sod a M use u m’sin! fou nta
Family Expo
40
46 Our dad columnist Scott Mayes shares the time when good intentions didn’t work while planning a young one’s birthday party.
yAkiMA VAllEy pArEnt plAydAtEMAgAzinE.cO S M
april is… national
CALeNDAr HIGHLIGHTS
April | MAy 2012 • VOl. 6, iSSUE 2 p l Ay dAt E M A g AzinE.cOM
autism month
A SpEciAl int E r E S t p U b l i c At i O n O f t h E yA kiMA hErAld– rEpUb
ArbOr dAy fEStiV Al • yAkiMA VAllEy trOllEyS Spring SpOrtS • StAr gAzing • plAyd AtE ExpO lic
on the cover
D’Lisa Raquel Bridges, 6, enjoys the Soda Fountain’s “Playdate” shake. PHOTOGRAPHY BY TJ Mullinax.
April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
COME JOIN US AT THE PLAYDATE EXPO! Saturday March 31, 2012 at the Yakima Convention Center, 10 N. 8th St.
10am-4pm
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´ 1. Futbol 6. Soccer 2. Portero 7. Goalie 3. Defensa 8. Defense 4. Golazo 9. Goal 5. Estadio 10. Stadium 11. Fiesta Foods
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PlaydateMagazine.com
• April | May 2012
7
get outside!
Free swim lessons at YMCA, April 2-6 Call 509-248-1202 or go to the YMCA to pick up a registration form.
Love soccer? Watch the YakAttack soccer tournament at Chesterly Park, May 19-20! yakattack.org Yakima Greenway’s Kiddin’ Around resumes this spring It’s
back! Yakima Greenway’s Kiddin’ Around series begins April 28 with its “Kids’ Fish-In” program for ages 5-14. The cost is $8 per child, which includes rod, reel, bait and a T-shirt. Fish will be cleaned and bagged in ice on site. Registration limited to first 1,000 sign-ups; register by April 27 to reserve T-shirt size. The event is located at Reflection Pond at Sarg Hubbard Park, 111 S. 18th St., Yakima. “Family Field Day” is scheduled 1-4 p.m. May 12. The free event combines fun activities and nutritional information, bringing families together with physical activities such as kayaking, canoeing, tennis, hula hoops, jump rope, soccer, obstacle course and tag. Check out fruit and vegetable sampling and nutritional games. All ages are welcome. Held by Subway, CWU’s Dietetic Internship, FitKids USA and the Yakima Greenway Foundation. Check out the Yakima Greenway’s website, yakimagreenway.org, for a full lineup of this year’s Kiddin’ Around program. We will update the offerings on our website, too! 8
Itty Bitty Soccer league. Boys
and girls, ages 3-4. Parent-child class teaches kids the fundamentals of dribbling, passing and shooting. Learn teamwork, make new friends and play games. Meets from 6-6:45 p.m. Thursdays, April 12-May 3 at Chesterley Park. Cost is $40-$48, depending on residency; includes a T-shirt and ball.
Golf! Golfin’ Around: May 6, 1 p.m.
Ages 5-14. Free. Call 509-949-6349 or visit firstteeyakima.org to register. Must preregister by May 1. Friday Night Glow Ball. 8 p.m., May 18 and June 1. Nine holes of glow-in-the-dark golf. Cost: $25 each; includes greens fee, one glow ball and glow stick, glow-inthe-dark necklace, and snacks. Register a week before each event.
Pee Wee Soccer League. Boys and girls, ages 5-6. Kids learn fundamentals of soccer, including dribbling, passing and scoring. Positive, noncompetitive atmosphere. Meets 6-7:15 p.m. Thursdays, May 10-June 7 at Chesterley Park. Cost is $40-$48, depending on residency; includes a T-shirt and ball. Soccer Camp. Boys and girls, grades 3-6. Meets 6-7:30 p.m., April 3-5 at Chesterley Park. Camp teaches kids the fundamentals of soccer, including ball control, shooting, offense and defense drills, and scrimmages. For beginning and moderate players. Cost: $30-$36, depending on residency; includes T-shirt.
To register for all soccer programs, call Yakima Parks & Recreation. 2301 Fruitvale Blvd., Yakima. 509-575-6020
April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
Sports!
• Youth Soccer. Registration is open in May and June. Practices run July-August, and games are played at Yakima School District fields. • Youth Flag Football. Registration is open in April and May. Practices run late May-July, and games are in June and July. Coed divisions only. Ages 5-12 with four age divisions. • Youth Baseball. Registration is open in May and June. Practices run from June-August, and games are in July and August. Yakima and West Valley divisions: ages 6-9 coach pitch; ages 10-11 minors; 12 years majors. Cost for each program: $65 members, $55 nonmembers. Itty Bitty Soccer and T-Ball for spring and summer: Call YMCA for details. Call Gilbert at 509-972-5273 or Tyler at 509-972-5276. YMCA, 5 N. Naches Ave., Yakima; 509-248-1202. yakimaymca.org Selah sports and activities • Selah T-Ball. Boys and girls, ages 5-7. Registration
runs through April 16. League play runs May-June at Lince Fields in Selah. Cost: $38.92/$49.77/$60.59, depending on residency; includes T-shirt. Selah Parks, 216 S. First St., Selah; 509-698-7300. • Selah Youth Flag Football. Boys and girls, grades 2-6. Coed play with two divisions: grades 2-3 and 4-6. No-tackle play. Registration runs through April 16. League play runs May-June. Cost: $47.61/$58.43/$69.25, depending on residency; includes T-shirt. Selah Parks, 216 S. First St., Selah; 509-698-7300. • Selah offers family survival course. In April, Selah Parks and Rec is offering a “Family Basic Outdoor Survival Course.” Instructor Danny Snider will teach families survival skills, which include starting fires, building shelters, addressing hypothermia and heat exhaustion and working with maps, compasses and survival kits. The meetings are set for 6:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays, April 2-16, and Saturday, April 28, at Selah Civic Center. Cost: $50/$55/$60, depending on residency. Selah Parks, 216 S. First St., Selah; 509-698-7300. Reach for the Stars Now you can reach for the stars, at least
PlaydateMagazine.com
• April | May 2012
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with your eyes! The Yakima Astronomical Society is partnering with Yakima Parks and Rec to meet one evening each month April through October at Randall Park in Yakima for stargazing. Come see the moon, planets, stars and other sky objects. Contact Yakima Parks and Rec at 509-575-6020 for more info. Here’s the schedule, but note that dates might switch depending on weather conditions. • Saturday, April 28 (National Astronomy Day): 8 p.m.-midnight. • Friday, May 25: 8:30 p.m.-midnight. • Friday, June 29: 9 p.m.-midnight. • Friday, July 27: 8:30 p.m.-midnight. • Friday, Aug. 24: 8 p.m.-midnight. • Friday, Sept. 21: 7 p.m.-midnight. • Friday, Oct. 19: 7 p.m.-midnight.
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second opinion
autism: when a winter coat tastes like a marshmallow
A
April is Autism Awareness Month. In this issue, I present a definition and a few issues regarding this disease. Autism is becoming more and more common. Approximately one in 110 children has autism, affecting four times more boys than girls. And the challenges we face will grow right along with these children as they become adults who might require long-term assistance. Defining autism is kind of like nailing Jell-O to a wall. In fact, the medical community will likely have a modified definition in a few years. With several different types of autism, it is actually a spectrum of diseases. Three core features characterize the spectrum: delays in social interaction, impairments in language, and restricted and repetitive behavior. Perhaps because autism can look so different between people, there is still some disbelief. There are segments of society that feel that autistic children are products of poor parenting or a misguided medical community. My wife and I are more aware of autism than we would like to be. Our oldest son, Josiah, has autism. I’ll use Josiah’s story to illustrate and explain the three core features. First, his social interaction was different when he was a toddler. He had limited eye contact. Most children learn how to coordinate the use of eye contact, facial expression, gestures and language
10
by Dr. David Pommer
together as they grow up. This is nearly impossible for those with autism. Usually, when you point out something to a toddler, the toddler will look at the object. Josiah was more fascinated by the finger being pointed. He couldn’t develop peer-topeer relationships well, which still affects him today. Second, he has had language impairments. His first words were delayed. Normal speech development starts by age 1 with some words, growing to 10-20 words by 18 months. Josiah was still working with a small handful of individual words at age 2 while his peers were starting to combine words. He also has echolalia, evidenced by wanting to repeat words said by a teacher or a public speaker. This makes school, church and going to movies problematic. Finally, he has restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. He fixates on certain patterns (for example, he can only
wear a particular article of clothing on a certain day of the week), which makes it harder for the household to function. Regarding repetition, he often asks the same question again and again and watches the same video over and over. All of these traits combined to produce some interesting life moments, like when Josiah put his mouth on another student’s coat. Granted, I had not sat my son down to explain that we don’t eat inanimate objects, particularly other people’s coats. But as we got more information from him, we learned that he was hoping that the coat, which was made with a puffy white material, would taste like a marshmallow. No such luck. Lesson learned. If you are concerned that your child shows signs of autistic behavior, your doctor can screen your child for autism by age 2. And if you are around parents of children with autism, please extend some extra grace. It will be appreciated.
Three core features characterize the spectrum: delays in social interaction, impairments in language and restricted and repetitive behavior.
April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
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PlaydateMagazine.com
• April | May 2012
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Give me a break!
A minute for
Text by Robin Salts Beckett
If you ever get a minute for yourself, this is what we think you should do with it! • Do you ever look around your living room, maybe even your entire
house, and think, HOW did it get this bad? WHEN did I begin thinking that toys scattered from wall to wall was normal? The other day our family cat got up from his nap and pawed across the floor with a sucker stuck to his fur. I had to laugh. Poor kitty had to walk around all day like that. Cleaning with kids is easy in theory, difficult in practice. If you’re like me, those previously high standards slip slowly until you realize you’re watching Hoarders on television while being surrounded by your own episode. I’m still pretty hooked on Hoarders (watch, if you can stomach it, at 9 p.m. Mondays on A&E), but a new show has come along that sheds my mess in a better, more pro-active light: The Amandas. The show is on at 10 p.m. Wednesdays on the Style Network — a suitable station, because this glam group does its dirty work while decked out in the latest fashions and 4-inch heels. Led by style maven Amanda LeBlanc, these “ultra-organizers” turn plain craziness into crazy-amazing spaces. Want to know how to organize a pantry? The Amandas will show you. Stuck with a chaotic closet? They’ve got that, too. And, of course, there’s always a little drama to keep it interesting. The only problem is finding a time to clean my own house.
• So an enduring obsession of mine lately is rainbow anything. There’s something about the vibrancy of those bright, stacked primary colors that’s just thrilling, even though I’m not 11 anymore. I’m constantly looking for ways to incorporate rainbow into my world (that’s why, in fact, these pages are so colorful). After watching all these makeover shows, I thought I could tackle a couple of “to dos” at once: organize my closet, donate all the clothes I don’t wear and … wait for it … color-code the clothes that remain. I was so excited at this brainstorm that I did the whole project during one lunch hour.
t need No w I j u s t h o s e to work onrs! ha nge 12
I used to have everything in my closet arranged by type: all skirts went here, pants there, etc. I still have them in that order, but within those groups they now are organized by color, starting with white and spanning through pink, red, brown, green, black and grey. You know what? It actually helps me get an outfit together. And I love staring at it. While I watch The Amandas, of course. April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
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• April | May 2012
901 Summitview Ave, #220 • Yakima facebook/temptedcloset • (509) 592-9308
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The Soda Fountain at the Museum Text & Photo by Robin Beckett
I like hoity-toity food as much as the next girl, but I have to admit that comfort food holds a special place in my heart. And by comfort food, I mean hot dogs. My son thinks comfort foods are pancakes (pancakes have displaced waffles, which were so 2011). But we agree to disagree. The only thing that makes a hot dog better is chili. And this is where the Soda Fountain enters the picture. During summer, when Yakima Parks & Recreation hosts its Thursday night concert series at Franklin Park, my husband, son and I make the trek early to get one of the soda fountain’s “Bosco Dogs” before we find a seat on the grass. What is a Bosco Dog, you ask? Only a huge hot dog slathered in “Bosco’s chili,”
14
cheese AND onions. (Onions here are key, since after eating them nobody ever wants to sit too close to us, and we can spread out our blanket.) It comes with tortilla chips that you can crunch on top. I pair my Bosco dog with a cherry Coke — a real cherry Coke! But the real cherry on top is the price: Bosco dogs are only $4.95. The soda fountain, which opened in 1996, also offers junior Bosco dogs for the little ones, plus all sorts of kid menu items and adult items, like sandwiches, soups, milk shakes, special soda fountain drinks and, of course, ice cream galore. It’s kind of like a kidfood paradise. They also offer a ton
of ice cream toppings if your kids are into the “sprinkles.” The Soda Fountain even has a new addition to its menu — the “Playdate” shake — it’s a cherry milkshake with marshmallows, whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry on top! My son’s not yet into hot dogs or ice cream (crazy, huh?), but he does love the chips that come with the Bosco dog. If you haven’t been inside the Soda Fountain, the retro interior is amazing and worth the trip, even if there weren’t a Bosco Dog on the menu. Museum Soda Fountain 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Monday-Saturday 2105 Tieton Drive • Yakima 509-248-0747 yakimavalleymuseum.org/soda
April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
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PlaydateMagazine.com
• April | May 2012
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Let’s
Party! Text by Scott Klepach, Jr.
Birthday parties happen all year, but the better weather makes us a little more eager to throw one. So we’ve gathered some resources to help you with your little one’s next annual shindig.
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April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
Kaiyana Davis, 4, sips a “Playdate” milkshake at the Yakima Valley Museum’s Soda Fountain. Photo by TJ Mullinax PlaydateMagazine.com
• April | May 2012
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11th Ave. Ballet Ballerina Birthday Party. Birthday boy or
girl can invite seven other “Luckiest Guests in the Land” for dancing and celebration at the studio or your own home. Cost: $180 for 2 hours, 1-3:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Packages designed for up to eight children. A $50 non-refundable deposit is required; full balance due one week before party. Food, favors and other products are provided by the host family. Custom-fit parties with a wide variety of theme options, spanning ballet classics, fairy tales, around the world, fables and stories and holiday and seasonal selections. Parties include mini ballet class, story telling and dance lessons. Costumes, props and music bring each theme to life. The birthday boy or girl takes home a tiara, crown or pirate hat. Extras available: autographed pointe shoes, $25; additional children (up to 12) at $10 each; 30 minutes extra time, $50; art projects, $5 each; live accompanist, $65 (for 45 minutes).Contact Noël: 509-457-6791. 1014 S. 11th Ave., Yakima. Allied Arts/ArtsVan. Have the
ArtsVan come to you. Basic package: $150 for 2 to 2/12 hours, for up to 12 kids. Teaching artist brings the ArtsVan, a mobile arts classroom to your location. Choose up to two projects. Party package is designed to be custom-made for various ages and ideas. Projects can be split up by age, gender and themes. Allied Arts of Yakima Valley, 5000 W. Lincoln Ave., Yakima; 509-966-0930. alliedartsyakima.org Children’s Activity Museum in Ellensburg. Party room and museum
play. Basic party package includes access to museum for 90 minutes and “Birthday Room” (30 minutes additional prep time allowed). $50 for members, $65 for non-members for up to 15 children and four adults. $3 extra per additional child. Bring your own food and food supplies. 118 E. Fourth Ave., Ellensburg. 509-925-6789. childrensactivitymuseum.org
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April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
DIY your birthday party with easy-to-make and inexpensive crafts. Inspired by Pinterest: Scrapbook Popcorn Holders Directions: Just cut strips of desired width (the wider, the more popcorn it will hold) from any piece of scrapbook paper with some heft. Using pinking shears makes it more decorative. Tape or glue ends together, so that a baking cup can sit in the bottom easily, but without falling out. Fill with popcorn and add sprinkles!
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Flying Hat Ranch. Pony parties! Two ponies for 1 hour for $125; $50 more for each additional 30 minutes. 1090 Cabin Lane, Yakima. Call 509-480-0017 for scheduling, or 509-698-4426 for questions. flyinghatranch.bravehost.com Franklin Pool. Outdoor pool with slide, grassy area and tables with large umbrellas. Opens for the summer in June. 2101 Tieton Drive, Yakima. 509-575-6035. ci.yakima.wa.us Hands On Art. Party-goers can paint their own pottery! Kids package includes two hours in the private party room, one pottery piece per child, full use of decorating supplies and staff help. Renters can bring in food, drinks, cake and other party supplies. Groups of 10-24 fit in the private party room; larger groups are welcome in the larger working area. $15 per child. A $25 non-refundable reservation deposit is required, which applies toward total price. Mobile parties bring the art to you. $10 per person plus the cost of each bisque. 5603 Summitview Ave., Suite 100, Yakima. 509966-4248. Hands-on-art.com Kids Castle. Private party rooms, games & indoor play structure; pool available Saturdays in the summer. Basic party package: MondayFriday reservation for up to 10 children; $65, $6.50 for each additional child. Saturday & Sunday; $90, $9 for each additional child. Includes 1 ½ to 2 hours of play, helium balloons for each guest, a Mylar balloon for birthday child, invitations, tables and chairs and party host. Super Party Room package: Weekdays for up to 15 children; $100, $8 per additional child. Saturday & Sunday, up to 15 children; $135, $11 per additional child. Extra party options available: Baskin Robbins ice cream cakes; soda; tableware; extra play time; special superhero or princess characters. A $25 non-refundable reservation deposit is required for Circus,
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Photos by Robin Salts Beckett
I nspired by Pinterest: Baking Cup Paper Lantern Directions: Glue baking cups to the outside of a paper lantern. You can purchase frilly/unusual baking cups at The Cake Decorator’s Shoppe, Michael’s or Craft Warehouse. Make sure that cups are crowded, so they aren’t perfect circles. Add stick-on gems or streamers if desired. Light it up!
I nspired by Martha Stewart: Paper Towel Kazoos! Directions: Gather empty paper towel rolls, tissue or wax paper & rubber bands. Poke hole in the end of the rolls, wrap paper around end & secure with rubber bands. Hum ‘til your heart’s content!
April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
Select from... • Clothing • Toys & activity • Room decor • Bath decor • Back-to-school • Learning books • Seasonal • and many more! CP-04824
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www.kirbyscharacters.com
2010 Characters Club LLC. All rights rexerved. All names, logos, & characters shown here are propeties of their respective owners.
Programs Available For Your Child: •Pre-K/Barely 5 Years Old • 4-Years Old • 3-Years Old Nurturing the development of your child’s mind, body and spirit by providing an education based in academic preparation and Christian Values.
for information & registration forms log onto:
www.wesleyofyakima.org
Wesley United Methodist Church and Preschool
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J uice Box Directions: Wrap an empty juice box like a present with paper. Glue construction paper arms and legs onto the box — even hands if you can. Draw a face and attach “googly” eyes. Add felt hair (pipe cleaners would be fun too). Ta-da! (Better than a pet rock, huh?)
N. 48th Ave. & Chestnut • (509)966-2370 Serving the community for over 30 yearS
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• April | May 2012
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Castle, or Jungle Room, or $50 for the Super Party Room. Inside Gymnastics Plus, 2121 W. Lincoln Ave., Yakima. 509-453-8126. gymnasticsplus.net Lions Pool. Party at a pool — inside!
Rentals are available during nonprogram times. Another option is to host a birthday party during recreational swims. Renters must call the Wednesday before an event to reserve during recreation swims. General admission price: $2 youth, $3.75 adults, $10 family (up to two adults, four children), seniors $2.25. Groups of 30 or more receive a 20 percent discount. Fifth Avenue and Pine Street, Yakima. 509-575-6046. ci.yakima.wa.us
Make a party hat! Directions: Get a circle to trace — the diameter determines the height of the hat. Trace the circle onto a sheet of pretty craft paper or poster board that’s not too thick to bend. Draw a “pie piece” into it that’s about ¼ of the circle. Cut out the circle without the pie piece. Roll into a cone and adhere with glue or stapler. Decorate with pom poms, glitter, ribbon, artificial flowers, old jewelry or whatever you have on hand.
Meadowbrook Family Fun Center. A basic party package
starts at $56 ($7 per child). Requires a minimum of eight children for 90 minutes in the party area, which includes balloons and other decorations. Each child receives 12 arcade tokens, two slices of pizza and a drink. Invitations are included in price. A $10 deposit is required, and full payment is due two days after reservation. Starting in April, the “basic plus” party package is available, which includes everything in the basic package plus three hours of unlimited bumper boats and miniature golf. Package starts at $120 ($15 per child, minimum 8 children). Meadowbrook has discounted addons, including go-karts, more time in the party room and extra food and balloons. If you’d rather bring your own balloons, the staff will blow them up for $.50 each. 7200 W. Nob Hill Blvd., Yakima. 509-966-3836. yakimafamilyfun.com Monkey Dooz. Glamour, princess and pirate parties … argh! Other options include make-up, manicure and hair parties. Minimum four girls. Club spa: Girls, ages 8-13. Peppermint pedicure, Shea Butter manicure, Monkey Dooz Mud Mask and foot massage. Spa experience complete with robes, scented candles and leopard lounge chairs. Other 22
Photos by Robin Salts Beckett
We asked our Facebook friends, “Where’s the best place to host a kids’ birthday party in the area?”
“In the summer time we love Kissell Park!” — Nancy D. “ Low key family and a few friends in your family home. Bday parties for kids are getting a little out of hand.” — Ann N. “ We have done summer bdays in the park or the backyard. We have also done Kids Castle and my son is having his at Meadowbrook this month, it all depends on what you want. At home its 100% on you. At a venue some of the pressure is off your shoulders.” — Sarah L. “ I really like Kids Castle but now that my daughter is getting older I’m thinking about Skateland. I’ve been to parties there and it’s been nice.” — Monica E.F. “YMCA does great parties!” — Shasta B-F. April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
Begin at Stewart Subaru. Go anywhere.
Test-drive the 2012 Outback with road-gripping Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive standard and 29 mpg 3. Don’t forget your map.
STEWART SUBARU 506 Fruitvale Blvd., Yakima
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*EPA estimated highway fuel economy for Outback 2.5i CVT models PlaydateMagazine.com
• April | May 2012
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options include “Pedicure Pit” party and “Fresh Face” facial. Glenwood Square, 5110 Tieton Drive, Yakima. 509-853-4247. monkeydooz.net The Museum Soda Fountain.
Old-fashioned sodas, ice cream — and atmosphere. Private facility rental available before and after business hours. Call for hours, as they change throughout the course of the year. 2105 Tieton Drive, Yakima. 509-457-9810. yakimavalleymuseum.org/soda Nob Hill Lanes. Birthday packages available 12:30-2:30 p.m. & 3-5 p.m. Saturdays; 12-2 p.m. & 2:30-4:30 p.m. Sundays. $35 per lane for two hours, which includes shoes and a pitcher of pop per lane. Birthday package must be paid in full before party at bowling alley. 3807 W. Nob Hill Blvd., Yakima. 509966-1070. Selah Gym Kids. Birthday parties include 45 minutes in the gym and another 45 minutes in the party room for food and gifts. Each child receives a balloon. Party director and assistant included. $110 for up to 10 kids. $10 for each additional child. Saturdays at 12, 2, or 4 p.m. 709 N. Park Centre, Selah. 509-698-5437. selahg ymkids.com Selah’s J. Francis Pool. This outdoor
pool in Selah is available Saturday mornings and evenings during summer. 214 S. Third St., Selah. 509-698-7306. Skateland Fun Center. Can
you “shoot the duck” and sing Happy Birthday at the same time? Standard package does not require reservations, and regular admission fees apply per person. Reservations required for Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Birthday group gets photographed and the birthday child’s name and age are announced. Deluxe package: up to 10 skaters. Friday & Saturday reservations: $77.50 (each additional skater is $7.50); Saturday & Sunday afternoons, Wednesday evenings: $72.50 (each additional skater is 24
Want to choose a theme for your child’s birthday party? Here are some fun ideas: Robin Hood Games/Activities: Archery (the
Nerf kind) • Ball toss with target • Escape from the Sherriff’s “prison” (your “shackles” are burlap sacks. Have a race!) • Sherwood Forest Hide-and-Seek (in the backyard). Set up obstacles for hiding. • Food/ Drink: Drink juice from a goblet • Roast meat off the bone (chicken legs) • Create a castle or sword cake • Costumes/Crafts: Make a hat, like the one on page 22. Use green felt and stick a feather in it.
Pirates Games/Activities: Wooden leg race (threelegged race) • The Black Spot (a variation of Hot Potato — don’t get caught holding the Black Spot when the music’s over!) • Bob for Pieces of Eight (bob for apples). • Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of Kool-Aid (pass the bottle with music; when music stops, the winner holding the Kool-Aid gets to keep it) • Pin the Eye Patch on the Pirate • Food/Drink: Doubloons (chocolate coins). • Treasure chest of treats. • Pirate ship cake. • Costumes/crafts: Make pirate hats and eye patches. Arghh!! Sock Hop Games/Activities: Hula hoop contest • Limbo rock
• Dance contest • Food/Drink: Old-fashioned soda • Milkshakes (gather ingredients, so each child can create his/her own!) • Burgers and fries • Costumes/Crafts: Poodle skirts & T-shirts and jeans • Kids can make skirts and style their T-shirts with paint and other items Wizard of Oz Games/Activities: Construct the “Yellow
Brick Road” out of cardboard, and then draw in the bricks. • Play games on the road, such as hop scotch or foursquare. • Set up stations representing various characters (Lion, Scarecrow, Tin Man, the Witch), and let kids go on a scavenger hunt. • Food/ Drink: Lollipop favors • Toto cookies/character cupcakes • Ruby red shoe cake • Costumes/Crafts: Flower crafts • Dress up as munchkins or your favorite character Teddy Bear Games/Activities: Each child can bring a favorite
teddy bear for a contest. (We recommend giving out an award to each child, such as “Most Beautiful Bear,” “Cuddliest Bear,” and “Most Loved, a.k.a. Most Worn-Out Bear.”) • Play musical chairs — partner up with your teddy bear. • Food/Drink: Story time over tea and snacks • “Puddington” Bear cake • Costumes/Crafts: Pajama party! Bring along pillows and blankets • Set up craft stations to bedazzle those teddy bears
April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
Now eNrolliNg with 3 locations to serve you… Yakima Center • 402 N. Second St. • 469-1103 Toppenish Center • 302 & 307 Asotin Ave. • 865-5100/2 OpeN YeAr-rOuNd Monday - Friday, 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. State licensed 1 month - 12 years. • Nutritious uSdA • Field trips approved breakfast, lunch • Clean, secure and safe and snacks environment • private, state & tribal pay • parent/child bonding • Quality educational care activities to help create • Kindergarten readiness strong families. program 12.176046.PD/N
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• April | May 2012
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$7). Includes admission, regular skates, 20 minutes in party area, cupcake, ice cream sandwich and Pepsi for each guest and coupons and discounts. No outside food or drink allowed. Cash only. 2506 Old Town Road, Union Gap. 509-575-6446.
Premium: $140 members, $160 non-members. Includes basic party package items plus decorative birthday tablecloths, party coordinator and plates, cups and silverware. Add-on options: Pool blow up slide for $30; “Lights OUT! Music ON!” The Cake Decorator Shoppe. pool party for $25; extra bounce Cake and candy-making supplies, house time for $35; two bounce classes, and parties. houses for $35. Basic party package: $150 for 2 Swimming accommodates up to 50 hours. Includes instructor time, balloons people. Youth room includes shuffleboard, (three color choices), beverage (2-liter soda, darts, pool table, video games and juice, lemonade or water), to-go boxes, and basketball hoops. aprons for in-class use. $50 non-refundable fee required Four themes: Cake Party for six students, to reserve (price goes toward and Cupcake Party, Cake Pop Party and total party cost). Parties available Paper Doll Cookies for eight students each. on Saturdays and Sundays only. 5 N. Naches Ave., Yakima. 509-248-1202. Additional students (up to 12-15) for $15-$25. Outside food accepted; allow yakimaymca.org for extra time. 5679 Summitvew Ave., Yakima. Yakima Ice Rink. Public or private 509-494-0975. parties available. Public parties occur Yakima Bears Baseball. Batter up! during public sessions. $10 per child, Two options are available: the “Home includes three hours of skating, Run” and the “MVP.” skate rental, two large pizzas and Home Run package includes 10 reserved two liters of soda. Public skate sessions: bleacher back seats, 10 hot dogs, chips 7-10 p.m. Fridays, 5-8 p.m. Saturdays. and small sodas, 10 souvenir vouchers, a Public session open October through visit from Boomer the Bear, personalized March, but call for specific public session birthday cake, birthday child’s name on season dates. video board and one autographed card Private: $125 per hour, includes from Bears players. Party receives a 10 exclusive use of ice rink. $1 skate percent discount in the team store. $200 rental per pair. Concession stand open MVP package includes everything in the for purchasing food, but renters can bring Home Run package plus the opportunity in outside food. 1700 E. Beech St., Yakima. for the birthday child to throw out the 509-469-0597. yakimaicerink.com ceremonial first pitch. $225 Yakima Speedway. Bring your No outside food or drink. Additional partygoers to watch the race cars. Call for attendees are $17.50 each. Adults more information. 1600 Pacific Ave., Yakima. seeking to pay for admission only can have a bleacher back seat for $6. 509-248-0647. yakimaspeedway.us 509-457-5151. yakimabears.com Yakima Valley BMX & Indoor Yakima Family YMCA. Rent the Track. Indoor and outdoor tracks indoor pool and a party room at the available for young partiers on the YMCA in downtown Yakima. move! 509-833-4293. genesbmx.com/ Kids can party for 2 hours: 1 hour in YakimaBMX.html the party room and 1 hour for an activity. Activity options: pool, bounce house or fun Yakima Valley Trolleys. Charter a nostalgic trolley ride through Yakima. room (with games). Basic and premium Streetcars available for $110 per packages available. hour. Third Avenue and Pine Street, Yakima. Basic: $100 members, $120 nonmembers. Includes invitations, setup and 509-249-5962. yakimavalleytrolleys.org white tablecloths. Two hours. 26
Whether your birthday party is at home or not, here are a list of places where you can find all the frills. A-1 Jumpers — Inflatable jumpers. Track 29, 1 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima. 509-853-2980. Balloons By Design — Designer balloon bouquets and character rentals. Clown party option. 509-575-8698 or 509-945-0987. The Cake Decorator Shoppe — Cake and candymaking supplies and classes. 5679 Summitvew Ave., Yakima. 509-494-0975. Fiesta Foods — Piñatas and cakes. 1008 E. Nob Hill Blvd., Yakima. 509-928-2274. Free Cakes for Kids Contact: Tara, 509-969-1970. yakimafreecakesforkids.webs.com. It’s a Blast — Superheroes, princesses and other character entertainment. Yakima. 509-949-0436. J & S Jumpers — Inflatable jumpers; table and chair rentals. Jumper prices start at $90 (or $75 Monday-Friday) Sunnyside. 509-391-5761. jandsjumpers.com Jumpers, Inc. — Inflatable jumpers. 201 S. Third Ave., Yakima. 509-469-5867. jumpersinc.com Just Ask Rental — Helium, cotton candy, dunk tanks and more. 1722 Morgan Road, Sunnyside. 509-8373737. sunnysidejar.com La Bodega Yakimex — Piñatas. 511 N 1st St, Yakima. 509-469-6194. Miles of Smiles — Tambow the Clown. Tammy Danforth: 509-930-4527. clowntoday.com/ and clowntoday.com/wp Party Connection — Costumes, balloons, decorations and party rentals. 1104 Tieton Drive, Yakima. 509-453-7877. party-connection.com Party Palace — Decorations, balloons and rentals. 2011 W. Lincoln Ave., Yakima. 509-453-0048. partypalaceyakima.com Ruben’s Tortilleria & Bakery — Piñatas, jumpers and cakes. 1518 S. First St., Yakima. 509-454-5357.
April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
Apple Valley Dental & Orthodontics and The Brace Place encourage healthy smiles...
Three locations to better serve you. Yakima – 4309 W. Nob Hill Blv. 823-4480 • The Brace Place 823-4485 Union Gap — 2100 S. 14th St. 457-6300 Sunnyside — 3217 Picard Place 790-0722 • The Brace Place 790-0728 12.177051.PLD.N
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• April | May 2012
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“My Mom says Ginger’s has the best dance and fitness clothing in Central Washington. My Mom’s always right.”
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TSS is simply scrumptious yogurt! Top it off with fresh fruit, candy or cookies. 509-249-2995 Scarborough Fair • 901 W. Yakima Ave. 4B
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• Enrollment open for Second Semester • Accelerated Reader™ and Math™ programs • Christian based for ALL faiths • Kindergarten – half day and full day options • Providing – passion for learning, safety to grow & reasons to serve • “Don’t miss the kindergarten music presentation ‘I Want To Be Like Jesus’ at www.yacsschool.org.”
Yakima Adventist Christian School
1200 City Reservoir Rd. 28
Yakima, WA 98908
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509-966-1933 www.yacsschool.org April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
*Happy *
* Photos with Easter Bunny at the Valley Mall. The Easter Bunny is
back and more photogenic than ever. Or maybe the kids are more photogenic than ever! Kids can meet the Easter Bunny and have their pictures taken with him at the Valley Mall. Hours and dates are not yet available. For more info, contact the Valley Mall at 509-469-9308. Sunday, April 1 COMMUNITY EASTER EGG HUNT. 1
p.m. arrival; all hunts begin at 1:30 p.m. Easter egg hunt, Easter bag decorating, and pictures with the Easter Bunny and Sparky the dog. For children 12 and under, with three ages groups. Hosted by West Valley Fire Department. Location: West Valley Training Center, 10000 Zier Road; 509-966-3111.
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Saturday, April 7 CHALET PLACE 4TH ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT. Begins at 10 a.m. Free
Easter egg hunt. Bring your own baskets and stick around to see the Easter Bunny. Chalet Place, 56th and Summitview avenues, Yakima. COMMUNITY EGG HUNT AT LOWER NACHES COMMUNITY PARK. 9:30
a.m.-12 p.m. Community Egg Hunt at Lower Naches Community Park, 9:30 a.m.12 p.m. Face painting, balloon animals, inflatable bouncy house, hot dogs and popcorn. Various egg hunts for kids up to 10 years old, with more than 5,000 eggs! Presented by Memorial Bible Church. Located at Lower Naches CommuPlaydateMagazine.com
• April | May 2012
Easter! nity Park, 111 E. Gleed Road, Gleed. Call Chris at 509-966-6500.
PROSSER’S ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT. Starts at 10 a.m. Kids up to age
9 can bring their Easter egg baskets to go on an Easter egg hunt. The Easter Bunny will read stories and be available get their eggs! This year, the egg hunt for pictures. Each egg hunter will get a will not held on the Darigold site, but at storybook to take home. New location South Hill Park behind Bi-Mart in Sun- this year: Prosser City Park, 7th St., Prosser nyside. Contact Tami at 509-837-4321 or call (across from Prosser High School). Contact 509-837-8000. Prosser Chamber of Commerce: 509-786-3177. DARIGOLD’S ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT. 10 a.m. Arrive early so kids can
DAVIS COMMUNITY EASTER EGG HUNT. Starts at 10 a.m. The hunt takes
place at Davis High School Soccer Field, at 7th Ave. & Tieton Drive, Yakima. Bring your own basket. Sponsored by First Presbyterian Church of Yakima. Contact: Shan, 509-248-7940, ext. 142 or shan.trick@fpcyakima.com.
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Sunday, April 8 WHITE PASS. 1 p.m. Egg hunt at High
Camp Lodge. Ski up to the lodge to get to start hunting. Located 50 miles west of Yakima on U.S. Highway 12. Call 509672-3101 for more details. skiwhitepass.com EASTER AT THE SUNDOME. Starts
at 11:30 a.m. Easter service in the Yakima Valley SunDome, followed by Multiple Easter egg hunts for various an Easter egg hunt with 30,000 eggs. ages. Games, hot dogs, on-site DJ and Light shows, live mixed martial arts music, prizes, face painting, family demo and bands. VIP section offers portraits and a visit from the Easter more prizes. Free. Concessions stand Bunny. Free. Yakima Evangelical Church, available. Hosted by Changing Pointe 7901 W. Nob Hill Blvd., Yakima; 509-965- Church. Call Frank Ramirez at 509-9495216. yakimaec.com 9762 for more information. EASTER EGG HUNT. 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
MorningStar Church Easter Sunday at Yakima County Stadium. Service is called “Safe At
Home!” Candy dash on the field for children up to 5th grade immediately following the service. Doors open at 10:30, service starts at 11:30. Free. Call 509-248-2291 for more information.
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Spring Forward to Good Times, Good Weather! “Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s party!’” (That’s according to Robin Williams.) Take a cue from Williams and look into a number of ways to get your spring on in Yakima… Edward Messer, 5, digs into a flavored ice at the 2010 Farmers' Market. Photo by Sara Gettys
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April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
Flu or Cold
have your family down?
Our clinic offers same day appointments
Photo by Sara Gettys
• Pediatrics • Women’s Health exams • DOT exams • Simple procedures • Preventative care • Vaccines • Health Education
We Also Manage Chronic Illnesses
Learn more about us online at
Yakima Farmers’ Market opens May 13 Beginning May
13, Yakima Farmers’ Market runs each Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. until the end of October. Each week vendors provide patrons fresh local produce, crafts, activities and locally made products. Live music is also offered. Yakima Farmers’ Market is located in front of the Millennium Plaza on South Third Street in downtown Yakima, between Yakima and Chestnut avenues. 509-457-5765. yakimafarmersmarket.org
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• Diabetes • Hypertension • Asthma
bestpracticesfhc.com
Raney Commet DNP, ARNP
509-426-BEST(2378) 5 S. 14th Ave. • Yakima
Forming the Future
Selah Farmers’ Market opens June 6 Each Wednesday,
beginning in June, from 5-8 p.m the Selah Farmers’ Market will be open behind King’s Row on First Street. 509-480-2844. selahwednesdaymarket.wordpress.com Community Days
May 12: Zillah Community Days. Starts at 8 a.m. and ends at dusk. Downtown Zillah. Parade, family activities, breakfast, 10k run and vendors at Stewart Park. 509-740-7451. cityofzillah.us May 17-20: Selah Community Days. Highlights include arts and crafts, vendors and carnival. Thursday, May 17: opens at 4:30 p.m. Annual Hobo Feed at Selah Civic Center. Saturday, May 19: 6-10 a.m. pancake feed; 10 a.m. parade; 9:30 p.m. fireworks show. Location: Wixon Park, Selah. selahdays.org
oAkridge monteSSori
offers a unique opportunity for children as young as 18 months – in their bilingual toddler room – through 8th grade on two sites: the pre-school/ toddler/kinders are on 2-1⁄2 acres on Summitview and the elementary site on 50 acres. We hAve opportunitieS AvAilAble. enrolling now for Summer & Fall Current toddler openings pools at both sites for summer swimming. 6403 Summitview Ave. • Yakima (509) 966-1080 • Fax (509) 969-6577
oakridgeyakima@aol.com
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• April | May 2012
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odds + ends
All Aboard! Trains ‘n Trolleys spring openings
Arbor Day and Arbor Festival Get ready to spring green!
That’s what the Yakima Area Arboretum has in mind for two events in April. Arbor Day Tree Planting is set for Wednesday, April 11. Check with the Arboretum for details on times and locations, so you can plant your own tree. Then, the 13th annual Arbor Festival is Saturday, April 14. The year’s event, dubbed “Go Green!,” runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the arboretum grounds. The free event gives families the opportunity to learn how to be environmentally friendly. The day will be packed with crafts, displays and other hands-on activities. More than 600 families will get to take home a tree to continue the tradition of planting a tree for Arbor Day. There will be more than 30 organizations with booths at the festival. You can visit the arboretum’s website at ahtrees.org for the list and other information. The Yakima Area Arboretum is located at 1401 Arboretum Drive in Yakima. 509-248-7337.
Spring might cause “achooing,” but “choo-chooing” sounds like a lot more fun. So hop on a train or trolley! First, the Northern Pacific Railway Museum in Toppenish opens for the season May 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Visitors will be treated to a century-old railroad depot, which contains artifacts, a rail yard and gift shop. The cost for adults is $5, and children 17 and younger $3. Contact Roger O’Dell at 509-865-1911 for more information. Northern Pacific Railway Museum, 10 Asotin Ave., Toppenish. nprymuseum.org Next up, trolleys! Yakima Valley Trolleys will open for the season May 26, with rides on weekends and holidays until Labor Day. Operating hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost: Adults $4; seniors and children 12 and younger $3, children on lap no charge. Yakima Valley Trolleys, S. Third Ave. and Pine Street, Yakima. 509249-5962. yakimavalleytrolleys.org
Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra puts on spring concert Spring is in the air — can you hear it? You
certainly will April 29, when the Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra teams up with Yakima Ensemble for Strings to perform a spring concert, scheduled for 3 p.m. at The Capitol Theatre. Tickets are $5 at the door. The Capitol Theatre is located at 19 S. Third St. in Yakima. Call 509-248-1414 or visit yyso.org for more information.
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April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
Free Child’s Chocolate Chip Waffle! With the purchase of any entrée off the regular menu & 2 beverages.
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Valid with coupon only, 1 offer per table please. Expires 05/25/12
Open 7 Days a Week 6am - 2:30pm
1510 N. 1st Street • 574-0920 (across from Clarion) 7200 W. Nob Hill • 972-3240 (inside Meadowbrook Mall)
PlaydateMagazine.com
• April | May 2012
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• Quality Preschool & School Age Programs • State Licensed 12 Months to 12 Years • USDA Approved Nutrition Program • Family Style Meals • State Pay Accepted
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YAKIMA CENTER: 1 W. Yakima Ave. #39...................................................249-1992 GLEED CENTER: 3431 Mapleway Rd. .......................................................972-1992 NACHES YOUTH PROGRAM: 2700 Old Naches Hwy. ...................................................910-7665
Let your child have a positive dental experience in a fun and child friendly environment.
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April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
by Scott Klepach, Jr. Photos courtesy of The Leavitt Family Some might see autism as a roadblock for families. But others, like Wayne and Sherrie Leavitt, see it as an opportunity to head down a different road, one that forges deep familial bonds. The Leavitts’ oldest son, Colby, 10, has such severe autism that he functions at the level of a 6- to 12-month-old. Because of the severity of his condition, the entire family functions at a different level too. While they assist Colby in the day-to-day (he has to wear adult diapers, for instance), they also encourage Colby’s growth. This means Colby’s brother Connor, 7, who doesn’t have autism, can be limited by his experiences. Wayne and Sherrie have tried a variety of therapies with Colby — music therapy as well as other homeopathic and naturopathic methods. He’s taken part in some local programs and resources that have been helpful. He has benefitted from a special education program in the West Valley school district, and he has also been involved in The Pegasus Project, a local organization that provides therapy to special needs children who learn to ride horses. He has gone to Clear Lake to attend a special camp for autistic children, and he even has a therapy dog, Luke. But Colby’s case requires more care and resources than most school districts and local organizations can offer. THE SITUATION LED HIS PARENTS to make a major decision: Colby would head to Gilbert, Ariz., to attend Pieceful Solutions, a K-12 charter school connected with Leading Edge Academy, which specializes in helping autistic children. Colby now goes to school in a self-contained classroom specifically designed to serve children with lower-functioning autism. Fewer than a dozen other students occupy the classroom. “It doesn’t look any different than any other Kindergarten classroom,” Wayne says, “but each teacher is highly trained, and the classrooms are sensory rooms.” So far, the school is helping Colby make tremendous strides in learning. “He’s had amazing progress with non-verbal [skills],” says Wayne, adding that iPads have been essential tools for his growth. Top: Colby in his current classroom. Left: Colby with a teacher. PlaydateMagazine.com
• April | May 2012
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Above: Sherrie Leavitt with Colby. Right: Connor, Colby & Wayne Leavitt.
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MAKING THE MOVE WASN’T AN OVERNIGHT DECISION. In fact, Wayne Leavitt has dreamed for years of opening his own private school in Yakima for special needs children, specifically those with autism. While that plan didn’t pan out, the Leavitts did begin a special needs program at First Presbyterian Church, which they attend. The program is held in what is now called “Colby’s Room.” But all the while, Wayne and Sherrie continued looking for the right place that could help Colby. Early on in their search, the Leavitts found a school in Florida that cost $2,000 a month — the best deal Wayne could find at the time. He happened to check facilities in Arizona once more, and that’s when he discovered Pieceful Solutions. Wayne doesn’t think that was chance, though. When he called the institution, he found out there was a rare opening to get Colby on board. “We were really blessed. It was definitely divine intervention to find this place,” says Wayne. “We followed God’s will for us. It wasn’t a comfortable thing for us to do, splitting up the family.” Wayne added this split was especially difficult for Connor, whom Wayne describes as “his shadow.” When the couple learned of Pieceful Solutions, and the associated Autistic Research Institute in Arizona, they took a long, hard look at their options. First, Colby couldn’t be sent alone. But not everyone can just pick up and leave for several months at a time. Wayne, who owns a Farmers Insurance office in town, was able to make arrangements so he could live with his son and continue working from Arizona. Sherrie and Connor are staying in Yakima for the five months that Wayne and Colby will be gone. The Leavitts visited Arizona the first week of December to check out the charter school, and Colby started at the new school in January. His first stint will last for five months.
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Since Arizona is one of the only states in the nation to accommodate families with developmental disabilities, the Leavitts do not have to pay for tuition currently. The school also covers Colby’s speech and occupational therapy, health insurance and diapers. THE FAMILY HAS BEEN COMMUNICATING via Skype and Facebook so they can stay connected when they are physically apart. The whole family will head down to Arizona in May to determine if they will make a permanent move or continue to commute from Yakima. Wayne inherited his father’s insurance business, so leaving would be moving away from a generational link to Yakima, but he is considering it for the sake of his son. The separation is difficult on Sherrie, too. In a February post on Facebook, she wrote:
As the Leavitts look to a higher power for guidance, it looks like their search for the right place to help their son has finally become realized. “The school is working out fantastic,” Sherrie says, “ just like we knew God had in his plan for Colby.” Resources Camp Prime Time Camp for terminally ill or disabled children Office: 6 S. Second St. • Yakima • 509-248-2854 Camp: Near Clear Lake on Road 744 • Wenatchee National Forest (east of White Pass) • 509-672-2430 • campprimetime.org Children’s Village Autism Treatment Center 3801 Kern Way • Yakima • 509-574-3200 or 1-800-745-1077 yakimachildrensvillage.org Visit this site for Early Signs and Symptoms of Autism: childrensvillage.memfound.org/early-signs-symptoms-autism
Pegasus Project Therapeutic Riding Center Therapeutic horseback riding for those with special needs or disabilities 4680 Highway 12 • Yakima • 509-965-6990 • pegasusrides.com Pieceful Solutions piecefulsolutions.com • 480-309-4792
• Licensed for Ages 1-12 • Strong Structured Curriculum • Loving Environment • Nurturing and Caring is our specialty • State Pay Accepted
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“ To my son Colby, Where are you this moment, my darling young child, where have your thoughts taken you? Where are you this moment, my darling young Angel, is there something you need me to do? Is there a way I can touch you, is there a sign I should know, Is there a path I could follow that would help you to learn and to grow? If i could reach down inside you If I could cuddle your heart, If I could take the mystery away, would you know we never will truly part? Where are you this moment my child, where are your thoughts taking you? Please know I love you no matter what life takes us through.”
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odds + ends
Hamlet coming to The Capitol
The timeless gift of Shakespeare will be delivered this April as Hamlet hits The Capitol Theatre stage for one performance at 10 a.m. April 16. The Seattle Shakespeare Company will put on the 90-minute play, and students will host a Q&A afterward. Young kiddos may not be ready for the heavy subject matter of Hamlet, but this version is intended to be accessible for young adults. Tickets are $7 for all ages. For reservations and information, call 509-853-8000. Circle Music Jam and fiddling performances for all ages Don’t be befuddled by the fiddling world. Every
third Thursday of each month, Gone Fiddling Again hosts a “Circle Music Jam” for all ages. The jam is nutrition for the music soul, and combines musical ingredients including country, folk, fiddle, bluegrass and blues. All ages and abilities are welcome to play. The jam runs 7-9 p.m. April 19 and May 17 at 217 S. 63rd Ave. in Yakima. The “Fiddle Kids” third annual show is set for Friday, May 18, at 7 p.m. at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, 7809 Tieton Drive in Yakima. This event is free and open to the public. On May 19, the group will host a Community Dance from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Broadway Grange. Dances will be taught during the event, including reels, circles and squares, so no dancing experience is necessary. Call Cheryl at 509949-2100 for more info, or visit gonefiddlingagain.com.
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Start Your Engines! Warmer weather also means revving those engines. Renegade Raceway in Wapato opens April 7 with its “Test N Tune & Swap Meet” event, followed by more meets and races throughout spring and summer. Gates open at 4 p.m., with races beginning at 8 p.m. on event nights. Ticket prices vary. Renegade Raceway is located at 1395 N. Track Road in Wapato. Call 509-877-4621 or visit renegaderaceway.com for full schedule. Yakima Speedway also opens its doors this spring with its Apple Cup, which runs April 14-15. Gates open at 4 p.m., and the race begins at 6 p.m. Ticket prices vary. Yakima Speedway is located at 1600 Pacific Ave. in Yakima. Call 509-248-0647 or visit yakimaspeedway.us for schedules and other details.
If you’re looking to go “old school,” check out the Old Steel Car Club Show on Sunday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fulbright Park, 4508 Main Street in Union Gap. Free. Sponsored by the Central Washington Agricultural Museum. Call 509-457-8735 or visit centralwaagmuseum.org. The car craze continues in May with “Reflections Weekender,” a free event held in Yakima and Moxee May 18-20. From 5-8 p.m. May 18, cars will be displayed at the McDonald’s on North 40th Avenue. At 10 a.m. May 19, cars will begin cruising from Bi-Mart on North 40th throughout Yakima. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 20, the open car show takes place at Moxee Park. Call 509-965-2547 for details.
April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
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• April | May 2012
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We call the annual Playdate Family Expo the happiest place on Earth — at least in Yakima — even if for one day out of the year. On March 31, more than 60 businesses will come together under one roof (we like to call it a “big top”) to offer information, activities, lots of games and giveaways and, most of all, lots of fun to area families. This is our third annual Playdate Expo, and we’ve heard rave reviews of the past two events from parents and kids alike. The fun takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Yakima Convention Center, 10 N. Eighth St. in Yakima.
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April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
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Playdate magazine, the event’s media partner, is a living resource for Yakima Valley parents. This family magazine is meant to inform parents about the fun and useful activities going on in the area; offer recipes, craft ideas and tips on parenting in general; and feature stories that celebrate the challenges and joys of parenting. The Family Expo is an extension of what Playdate magazine is all about: bringing Yakima families closer to each other and to resources in the community. For more information, visit our website: playdatemagazine.com/familyexpo. Here’s just a sample of businesses and organizations that will be at the event — and the fun you can expect! Achieve Total Fitness Information
on Achieve’s program, plus games and prizes for the kids.
Advocare Learn about the importance
of water and maintaining hydration during daily activities and exercise. Offering samples of nutritional supplements, too. Allied Arts Kids can create art
projects to take home and display on the fridge! American Red Cross Visit with
Freddie the Fire Truck and clowns, while learning safety skills. Visitors have the chance to win a basket of safety supplies. Avail Learning Test yourself with
brain teasers, prizes and bookmarker coloring and decorating.
Banner Bank … Fun giveaways! Bright White of Central Washington Information and a
discount on tooth whitening.
Cake Decorator Shoppe Families
can decorate an edible treat and sign up for parties and classes … plus there will be “Curious Chef” items for sale.
Catholic Family & Child Services, Yakima County Project LAUNCH Ready By Five, ESD 105, Washington Migrant Council
Visit this huge “Play and Learn” area with five activity/play areas, including math, science, literacy/stories, arts and crafts and an infant/early learning area. Central Lutheran & Learning Together Preschools Plant seeds in a
sandwich bag to take home!
Central Washington Agriculture Museum See a display of antique
farm items, plus kids can watch a live demonstration of churning butter! Parents can take pictures of kids on a tractor!
Clover Leaf RC cars & planes,
models, puzzles and more! Hands-on demonstrations throughout the day.
Face Art Magic Offering professional
pay-per-face painting to kids and kids at heart. Raffle too!
Fiesta Foods Sample authentic recipes
like tres leches cakes, aguas frescas and pan dulce. See our on-stage cooking demonstration at 1:30 p.m.
Ghormley Meadow See fun pictures
of summer camp and enter a drawing for a free week of camp! Plus fun games, too.
Grace Lutheran Get an inflatable
globe and a customized “tattoo.”
Hope Healing Health Council/ Yakima Divorce Care Learn about
the process of forgiveness, plus giveaways and art projects. Jadiloo Fun and colorful toys for
children, from birth to 13, are for sale.
Jane’s House Hands-on science and sensory experiences for all learners. Kids can take home Playdough with a recipe. Junior League of Yakima Find
information on our local chapter of Junior League.
Kids Inc. Play Kids Inc.’s Wheel of
Fortune, plus there will be pencil and candy giveaways and raffles!
Comprehensive Mental Health
Learn how to help keep children safe, while kids can make their own buttons on a button machine.
Kid Sense Free pens, plus information about its foster care program.
Council for International Education Exchange Learn about
exchange student programs.
Stage shows Dance performances Singing Fiddling 42
Country Financial Kids can get
temporary tattoos and fingernail decorations. Also giving away a $100 gift card OR bike to a lucky winner. Country Kids Early Learning Center Homemade file-folder games for
parents to make at home, plus a raffle!
EPIC of Yakima Bean bag toss, hula hoops and its version of Wheel of Fortune … or try fishing for a book.
Bouncy Houses! Faceing! Paint
April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
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• April | May 2012
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Kirby’s Characters Kids can play a
Partylite Candle samples available, plus
musical memory game, plus there will be candy!
a drawing. Kids can spin the wheel and win a prize.
K12 Rock samples, microscopes,
magnifying glasses and activity pages.
Scentsy … will feature its newest line: “Layers.”
La Salle High School of Yakima
Silpada Jewelry Designs
Ohhh … a reptile petting zoo! Plus kids can get their pictures taken with a friendly critter.
Shop for jewelry while kids enjoy a ring toss ... Plus there will be ring and bracelet giveaways, stickers and suckers.
Melody Lane Performing Arts Center Dancers will perform on stage,
Solarity A day at the beach: visit
doing ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance routines. Kids can dress up in a tutu and learn too!
Miles of Smiles Tambow the Clown
and JR Kludders the Clown will be “clowning” around, making balloon animals for all the kids! Plus, enter to win prizes.
NAMI of Yakima The NAMI booth
will be hosting a raffle drawing.
New York Life Insurance Learn
more about child I.D. cards, plus there will be giveways. Pampered Chef Play with the new
kitchen tools available … prizes too!
March 31 • 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Yakima Convention Center Tickets: $6/adults; $2/kids 3-17; kids under 3 FREE For more info, go to PlaydateMagazine.com/ familyexpo
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g Battin ! Cage
Yakima Greenway Foundation Solarity’s sandbox with toys for kids. Plus, Get information on the Greenway’s a special appearance by DAHLER, the Spring & Summer “Kiddin’ Around” dog. Giveaways for everyone! activities. St. Joseph/Marquette School
Children can check out a portable “Smartboard” that is installed in every classroom. There will also be craft projects and stickers. St. Paul’s Cathedral Shoot a basket
or toss some rings for a treat! Get information about enrollment and St. Paul’s summer program.
Stewart Subaru Five Subarus will be on display, and Stewart has brought two bouncy houses for kids to enjoy — one in each ballroom. Tree Top Create a spring craft project,
play food trivia and learn about healthy food choices.
s! Decorating Cake
Co
! s n o i s nc e s
Wags to Riches Dog tag giveaways, paw print tattoos and kids coloring books will be available! Weber Chiropractic and Nutritional Healing … will show how
Yakima Bears Hey batter, batter,
batter! … Take a swing at the Yakima Bears batting cage! Yakima Herald-Republic Go fishing
for prizes and enter to win $150 in groceries!
Yakima Neighborhood Health
Get information on free or low cost insurance that covers medical, dental, vision and more. Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center Check out the
“FunZone,” complete with Twister, Operation, coloring and great prizes! Yakima Tennis Club Hit the target and win a prize! All participants will get a treat or candy. Plus, raffles! Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic Learn about nutrition and make a
craft at the same time!
foods and sugars affect health and bodies. Yakima Valley Hearing & Speech Their “Please BUG ME” table West Valley Fire Department Meet encourages kids to play, talk and discover Sparky the dog and learn about fire safety. bugs, draw, color and play with stickers. See the library truck and a smoke detector Sign up for free hearing screenings, plus that sings and dances! drawings for free custom-made earplugs and cookbooks. Yakima Area Arboretum See the “miraculous” working composting worms Yakima YMCA Get information on activities at the YMCA — also, kids can and worm bin — prizes too! make a “Y” bead necklace! April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
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It’s all fun and games until you hurt the piñata
k
Kids seem to go through fascination phases — at least in my house. In the past 17 years, we’ve been through Bear in the Big Blue House, The Wiggles, Bob the Builder, Spider-Man, Batman, Fantastic Four, Star Wars, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. That’s not an exhaustive list, but it’s a good start. Anyhow, when your kids are in these stages, birthday parties are easy, right? You head off to the store and everything is a piece of cake — right down from the cake itself, to the gifts to the decorations. I remember when my now 11-year-old was turning three. It was all Spider-Man all the time. If you’ve had a phase like that in your house, you even know the “spin a web” pose. In case you don’t, it’s palm up, index finger and pinky finger stretched out and the middle two fingers curled up in your palm. That’s what Spidey does when it’s time to spin that web. The year was 2003 and we were ready. We had our gifts, our cake, our everything decked out in the Spidey theme. We even went to the next step with the Spider-Man piñata. Out went the invitations, the pizzas were ordered and we were ready to go. Eight years into parenthood and two kids later, we had it licked. We were proud. We nailed the birthday party. Not so fast. As parents, sometimes you get humbled. (Maybe you’ve had this experience.) In our case, we failed to think about one little detail. And, it was in the piñata.
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By Scott Mayes
After pizza was eaten and 3-year-olds (and some older kids) were running around hyped up on punch, it was time for the piñata. We got the youngest kid outside first with a baseball bat. A few swings of that bat and Micah’s face turned very quickly from a Spidey smile to a frown followed by real tears. “Stop hitting Spider-Man,” he yelled as he cried and ran full speed to save his favorite superhero. It didn’t crush the party, but it did give it a few moments of sadness — nothing that a few hugs and some cake couldn’t solve. But I did learn a valuable lesson: Don’t have any activity at your party that involves physically destroying your kid’s favorite character. You can probably get away with it on the cake since there’s sugar A 3-year-old Micah stands in front of one of his favorite heros. involved. But, having figurines atop the cake that won’t be eaten expect — and more importantly, how is probably a good compromise. much food you’ll need. Here are a few other tips than should get • Plan ahead. Make sure you have you on the right track for a great party: enough adults on hand to manage the • Save cake and presents for the end. party. It’s also a good idea to charge Those two events can involve chaos. the camera batteries and make sure Saving them for the end will help the birthday boy or girl gets a good keep order. nap before the guests arrive. • Keep your party size manageable. • Set a budget. If you can’t afford the Too many kids = crazy. world’s greatest birthday party, don’t put • Get an accurate head count. Use the that pressure on yourself. Live within tried and true RSVP method (and Evite your means. It will still be fantastic. works too), so you know how many to
April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
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LET’S READ! — CHILDREN’S STORY TIMES IMAGINATION LIBRARY STORY HOUR . Meets at Yakima Valley Museum,
2105 Tieton Drive, Yakima. Presented by Ready by Five and Catholic Family Child & Service. 509-8532052. Second and fourth Wednesday of each month: Apr. 11, 25, May 9, 23. 10 a.m., English hour. Noon, Spanish hour. INKLINGS BOOKSHOP. Chalet Place, 5629 Summitview Ave., Yakima; 509965-5830. Toddler story time at 10 a.m. Tuesdays. MOXEE LIBRARY. 255 W. Seattle,
Moxee; 509-575-8854. Preschool story hour, 11 a.m. Mondays, Mar. 26Apr. 30. Creative Gaming Club, hangout and games for teens at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 27.
NACHES LIBRARY. 303 Naches Ave.,
Naches; 509-653-2005. Preschool story time and craft Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m., Mar. 28-May 9. Kids Zone, featuring craft fun for kids through middle school years, 4 p.m. Thursdays, Mar. 29-May 10.
SOUTHEAST YAKIMA LIBRARY. 1211 S. 7th Ave., Yakima; 509-576-0723. Kids’ Club, with drop-in after school crafts for kids, Fridays at 3:30 p.m., Mar. 23-May 25. SUMMITVIEW LIBRARY. 5709 Summitview Ave., Yakima; 509-966-7070. Preschool story time, 11 a.m. Mar. 28-Apr. 30. TERRACE HEIGHTS LIBRARY. 4011
Commonwealth Drive, Yakima; 509457-5319. Preschool story time Thursdays at 10:30 a.m., Mar. 29May 10. UNION GAP LIBRARY. 3104 S. First St., Union Gap. 509-452-4252. Preschool story time, 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Mar. 27-May 29. YAKIMA LIBRARY. 102 N. Third St., Yakima; 509-452-8541. Call for details, or visit yvl.org for more info.
Nita Srisuwan, Age 4 FRIDAY, MARCH 23 FUNKY FRIDAY NIGHTS. 7-8:30 p.m. ’80s-themed music and swim. Reduced price: $1 adults, $0.50 youth, $0.75 honored citizen, or $3.25 for the family. Lions Pool, 509 W. Pine St.; 509575-6046.
SATURDAY, MARCH 24 BUILD AND GROW KIDS CLINIC. 10 a.m. Free building workshop for children and parents. Preregistration suggested. Lowe’s, 2500 Rudkin Road, Union Gap; 509-248-3032. lowesbuildandgrow.com
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OFFICIAL YU-GI-OH! DUELIST KING TOURNAMENT. Starts at 12:30 p.m. Cost: $5. Bring your own deck. Ron’s Coin & Book, 6 N. Third St., Yakima. 509248-1117. SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. 7-9:30 p.m. Free drop-in program open to youth ages 7-15, in partnership with Yakima Valley Young Life. Swimming, sports, games, and Christian message. Yakima Family YMCA, 5 N. Naches Ave. 2481202 or 961-9898.
April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
The Care of Home The Education of School SUNDAY, MARCH 25 PARENTING CLASS. 11 a.m. Last class offering this season. Instructed by Certified Family Life Educator and author Laurie Kanyer. Some topics include: Why kids misbehave, understanding temperament, acknowledging feelings and gaining trust, accountability, gaining trust and cooperation, ways to reduce stress, offering healthy alternatives, setting reasonable limits and teaching life skills. Free. First Presbyterian Church, 9 S. 8th Ave., Yakima; 509-248-7940. Contact: shan.trick@fpcyakima.com.
MONDAY, MARCH 26
emphasize thematic, structured and interactive play, and are open to everyone. Meets every Tuesday at 8-9:30 a.m., and every Thursday from 1:30-3 p.m. Ready By Five, 414 N. Third St., Yakima. 454-2493. readybyfive.org.
KIDS’ CLAY STUDIO. 3:305:30 p.m. Tuesdays. For ages 6 and older. Red Art Studio & Sunflower Studio, 2522 W. Nob Hill Blvd.; 509469-2766. LA LECHE LEAGUE. 6 p.m. Support group for pregnant and breast-feeding mothers; children welcome. Free. Meets at Cascade Women’s Health, 1601 Creekside Loop. For nursing help or questions, call Katy, 509-248-2610, or Denita, 509-388-6866.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28 MOM & BABY. 10 a.m.noon. This group is for moms and their babies up to 12 months of age. No registration is needed and the group is free to attend. This group allows other moms to meet and receive helpful suggestions when it comes to raising a baby. Located at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital’s Education Center in Nob Hill Plaza, 2506 W. Nob Hill Blvd.; 509248-7322.
One Heart. 12-1:30 p.m. Support group for relatives raising relatives’ children. Casey Family Programs, 404 N. Third Street, Yakima. Call 509-952-5162.
TUESDAY, MARCH 27 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. Ready by Five’s Kaleidoscope Play & Learn groups
BABY AND ME. 10-11 a.m. For tots 6 months-3 years. Pool time for parents and kids. Lions Pool, 509 W. Pine Street; 509-575-6046.
We believe parents are the “first and most important teacher” in their child’s life. • Childcare For Ages 4 Weeks - 12 Years • Tours available until 3:30 • Hours 6:30am-6:00pm
• All meals and snacks provided • Creative Curriculum as a foundation for Children To Learn & Grow
Now a
ccept
SE HABLA ESPAñOL
453-8688 641 N. Keys Rd. Terrace Heights
ing in
453-4462 909 N. 21st Ave. Yakima
fants!
CALL TO SCHEDULE YOUR TOUR!
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DIVORCECARE FOR KIDS. 6:30-8 p.m. Support group for children, ages 5-12, whose parents are divorced, separated or reconciling. Adult group meets at the same time. Roosevelt Elementary School, 120 N. 16th Ave., Yakima. Contact Dan, 509-930-1420, or Jenni, 509-654-2124. yakimadivorcecare.net ITTY BITTY ART. 1:30-3:30 p.m. Wednesdays. For ages 0-5; drop-in classes. Red Art Studio & Sunflower Studio, 2522 W. Nob Hill Blvd.; 509-469-2766.
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GO GREEN with Elite Towing & Recovery the company dedicated to... keeping YOUR family safe. • Safe and Professional Drivers • 24 Hr. Emergency Roadside Assistance • Direct Insurance Billing
Lincoln Charles Gause, 7 months
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Prosser Sunnyside Yakima 509-788-4TOW 509-457-4TOW 509-837-4TOW
KIDS’ CASTLE 2-FOR-1 DAY. Open at 10 a.m.; call for closing. Two kids play for the price of one. Cost: $2.50 up to age 2; ages 3 and older are $5.25 for one hour or $8 unlimited; weekend rates are higher. Clean socks required. Located inside Gymnastics Plus, 2121 W. Lincoln Ave.; 509-453-8126.
KIDS’ OPEN ART STUDIO. 4-5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. All ages drop-in classes. Red Art Studio & Sunflower Studio, 2522 W. Nob Hill Blvd.; 509-469-2766.
See Us At The
PLAYDATE EXPO 2012 Saturday, March 31st
The dance fitness workout for kids ages 4-12. While mom does Zumba or a workout!
MOMMY CONNECTION. 9:30-11:30 a.m. First hour is Mommy & Me, second hour is just for moms; all ages welcome. Free. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6015 Summitview Ave. For child care reservations and more information, email Kate: katejoyt@hotmail.com. MOPS — MOUNTAINVIEW CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. 6-7:30 p.m. Meetings are free; child care provided, through grade 5. Food, fellowship, speakers. Meets the second and fourth Wednesdays each month. Mountainview Christian Fellowship, 7105 Alpine Way. Contact: Danielle, 509-833-2228.
Thursday, MARCH 29 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
SATURDAY, MARCH 31 OFFICIAL YU-GI-OH! DUELIST KING TOURNAMENT. Starts at 12:30 p.m. See Mar. 24. PLAYDATE FAMILY EXPO. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dozens of businesses and organizations will come together under one roof to offer information, activities, games, giveaways, and lots of fun. Cost: $6/adults, $3/kids 3-17 Yakima Convention Center, 10 N. Eighth St., Yakima; call 509-577-7731 for more info. playdateyakima.com SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. 7-9:30 p.m. See Mar. 24.
SUNDAY, APRIL 1 HAPPY APRIL FOOLS’ DAY!
MONDAY, APRIL 2 MOM & BABY. 10 a.m.noon. See Mar. 26.
TUESDAY, APRIL 3 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
KIDS’ CLAY STUDIO. 3:305:30 p.m. See Mar. 27.
FRIDAY, MARCH 30 FUNKY FRIDAY NIGHTS. 7-8:30 p.m. See Mar. 23.
248-1202 50
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Join the world’s most accomplished BJJ team with hundreds of representatives bringing the Gracie Family legacy to thousands of individuals around the globe.
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Learn the Art Play the Sport Live the Life
Shudokan Karate-do
50 Years in Yakima, Centuries of Tradition Call for NEW class schedule 457-5462
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13 N. 7th Ave., Yakima Chief Instructor • Shihan Morris L. Mack
COMPLETE BREAKFAST SERVED DAILY John Weston Wilson, 1 month WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4
Fridays each month. Meeting dues: $5. Child care, food, fellowship, speakers. First Presbyterian Church, 9 S. 8th Ave., Yakima; 509-248-7940.
BABY AND ME. 10-11 a.m. See Mar. 28.
SATURDAY, APRIL 7 OFFICIAL YU-GI-OH! DUELIST KING TOURNAMENT. Starts at 12:30 p.m. See Mar. 24.
DIVORCECARE FOR KIDS. 6:30-8 p.m. See Mar. 28. KIDS’ CASTLE 2-FOR-1 DAY. Open at 10 a.m. See Mar. 28.
911 Summitview Ave. 453-4376 1801 S. 1st 452-7211
SERVING YAKIMA SINCE 1980 Open Mon-Fri 6:30am Sat-Sun 8:00am
MOMMY CONNECTION. 9:30-11:30 a.m. See Mar. 28.
Thursday, April 5 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. 7-9:30 p.m. See Mar. 24. TEST N TUNE & SWAP MEET. Gates open at 4 p.m.; races start at 8 p.m. Ticket prices vary. Renegade Raceway, 1395 N. Track Road, Wapato; 509-8774621. renegaderaceway.com
SUNDAY, APRIL 8
FRIDAY, APRIL 6 FUNKY FRIDAY NIGHTS. 7-8:30 p.m. See Mar. 23.
HAPPY EASTER!
MOPS — First Presbyterian. 9-11:15 a.m. Meets the first and third
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MONDAY, APRIL 9 MOM & BABY. 10 a.m.-noon. See Mar. 26. One Heart. 12-1:30 p.m. See March 26.
TUESDAY, APRIL 10 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
KIDS’ CLAY STUDIO. 3:305:30 p.m. See Mar. 27. LA LECHE LEAGUE. 6 p.m. See March 27.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11 BABY AND ME. 10-11 a.m. See Mar. 28.
MOPS — MOUNTAINVIEW CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. 6-7:30 p.m. See March 28.
Thursday, April 12 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
FRIDAY, APRIL 13 FUN FRIDAY. 6-9 p.m. Drop off kids ages 3-10 for a supervised open gym and playtime. Cost: $18 first child, $16 siblings; includes pizza dinner. Reservations not necessary. Selah GymKids, 709 North Park Centre, Selah; 509-698-5437. FUNKY FRIDAY NIGHTS. 7-8:30 p.m. See Mar. 23.
SATURDAY, APRIL 14 ARBOR FESTIVAL. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Crafts, displays, hands-on activities. More than 30 vendors. Yakima Area Arboretum, 1401 Arboretum Drive, Yakima; 509-248-7337. ahtrees.org. See page 32.
DIVORCECARE FOR KIDS. 6:30-8 p.m. See Mar. 28.
BUILD AND GROW KIDS CLINIC. 10 a.m. See Mar. 24.
KIDS’ CASTLE 2-FOR-1 DAY. Open at 10 a.m. See Mar. 28.
GYMKIDS SATURDAY PLAYDATE. 10–11:30 a.m. Open gym and playtime for children ages 1-5 years, accompanied by a parent. Zip line, popcorn, other activities. Cost: $10.
MOMMY CONNECTION. 9:30-11:30 a.m. See Mar. 28.
What sets La Salle apart?
• Small class sizes w/student-teacher ratio of 16:1 • Safe and contained, closed 40-acre campus • 100% of graduating seniors have received college & post-secondary school acceptances for four consecutive years • More than $2,000,000 in scholarships offered to seniors last year alone • 60 distinct course offerings • Recent average La Salle student mean SAT scores raned 30-47 points higher than the national mean score • 37% of families receive tuitio assistance • Student body represents all faiths • College preparatory courses and curricula that challenge students and ensure that graduates are college-ready • Opportunities for participation in AP and Honors courses, with college credit through the University of Washington • 100% of student body participates in on-going community service • 40% of student body participates in week-long service immersions • Opportunities for hands-on learning, such as the student-run salmon htachery, which will help restore the CoHo Salmon run on the Ahtanum Creek
La Salle proudly introcudes it’s new iPad Initiative: EVERY sutudent will receive an iPad as of the 2012-2013 school year!
Kaimi Coleman, 11 months
We would be honored to serve your family’s high school educational needs. Please contact the Admissions Office at 509-225-2928 today. 12.175889.PLD.N
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Much of what children learn is driven by vision! AppLE VALLEy EyE CEntEr Dr. Ed LaBissoniere and Dr. rachael Kenyon • Providing comprehensive eye exams for the whole family.
FrEE InfantSEE screening program. (6-12 months)
We accept Medicare, Medicaid, Group Health and most insurances
Se Habla Español
Medical Eye Care Comprehensive Eye Exams Children's Vision and Contact Lenses Emergency Eye Care
966-8801
applevalleyeyecenter.com 1121 S. 40th Ave., Yakima (One block S. of nob Hill) 12.175063.PLD.N
AppleValleyEyeCenter.com
We Make You SMile! Iris Vasquez, 7 months MONDAY, APRIL 16
Selah GymKids, 709 North Park Centre, Selah; 509-698-5437.
HAMLET. 10 a.m. Seattle Shakespeare Company presents 90-minute classic OFFICIAL YU-GI-OH! DUELIST KING for young adults. Cost: $7. The Capitol TOURNAMENT. Starts at 12:30 p.m. Theatre, 19 S. Third St., Yakima; 509-853See Mar. 24. ARTS. capitoltheatre.org
Dentistry for the whole family.
Mike L. Clark, D.D.S.
1012 South 40th Avenue – Yakima, Wa. 98909 509.966.9253
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. 7-9:30 p.m. See Mar. 24. Women! Created for Competence. 8:30-10 a.m. Marriage classes for women. Classes taught by Jamal Zakhary and Robin Stuber at First Presbyterian Church Chapel, 9 S. Eighth Avenue, Yakima. No childcare available. Email Shan.trick@fpcyakima.com for more information.
MOM & BABY. 10 a.m.noon. See Mar. 26.
TUESDAY, APRIL 17 ADHD OR VISION PROBLEM? 7 p.m. Work covers how certain types of vision
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exteme couponing April 20
problems can mimic or complicate ADHD. Free. Presented by Dr. Benjamin C. Winters. At Washington Vision Therapy Center, 3909 Creekside Loop, Suite 150, Yakima (In Creekside Business Park, adjacent to Pediatric Dentistry). Call 509-654-9256 to RSVP.
THURSDAY, APRIL 19
KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
FRIDAY, APRIL 20
KIDS’ CLAY STUDIO. 3:305:30 p.m. See Mar. 27.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18 BABY AND ME. 10-11 a.m. See Mar. 28. KIDS’ CASTLE 2-FOR-1 DAY. Open at 10 a.m. See Mar. 28. MOMMY CONNECTION. 9:30-11:30 a.m. See Mar. 28. MOMS CLUB OF YAKIMA. 9:30-11 a.m. Daytime activities for stay-at-home mothers and their children. Childcare opens at 9:15. Meets at Central Lutheran Church, 1603 West Yakima Ave., $30 annual dues. Nonmembers are allowed to attend two park days/ business meetings before joining. Meets the third Wednesday each month. Contact Tara or Debbie at 509-4948177. momsclubofyakima@yahoo.com.
PlaydateMagazine.com
CIRCLE MUSIC JAM. 7-9 p.m. 217 S. 63rd Ave., Yakima; 509-949-2100. gonefiddlingagain.com. See page 38. KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27. EXTREME COUPONING 101. 1011:30 a.m. Frugal Yakima Mom presents a class to help you learn the tricks and tips of couponing. Cost: $10 per person, per class. Class taught at Selah Civic Center, 216 S. 1st St., Selah. Call the center at 509-6987300. Register online: frugalyakimamom. com/p/coupon-classes_12.html FUNKY FRIDAY NIGHTS. 7-8:30 p.m. See Mar. 23. LOWER NACHES MOPS. 9-11:30 a.m. Meets third Fridays each month. Memorial Bible Church, 111 Old Stage Way, Gleed. Contact: Angie, 945-0617. MOPS — First Presbyterian. 9-11:15 a.m. See April 6. MOPS — NILE VALLEY. 8:45-11:15 a.m. Meets third Fridays each month. Child care, food, fellowship and speakers. Nile Valley Community Church, 60 Bedrock Lane, Naches; 509-658-2904.
SATURDAY, APRIL 21 OFFICIAL YU-GI-OH! DUELIST KING TOURNAMENT. Starts at 12:30 p.m. See Mar. 24.
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FREE FAMILY EVENT EPIC’s 14th Annual Community Resource Fair Celebrating Children and Families New Location:
Washington State National Guard-Yakima Armory 2501 Airport Lane
Date:
Thursday, April 26th
Time:
6:00PM-8:00PM Please join us to learn about the many valuable community resources available to you and your family, and to learn how to enroll in EPIC Programs. Contact: 509-895-6431 for more information or go to the EPIC website at www.epic.net
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Storytime:
Tuesdays for Toddlers at 10am
Come Join The Fun!
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. 7-9:30 p.m. See Mar. 24.
MOMMY CONNECTION. 9:30-11:30 a.m. See Mar. 28.
Women! Created for Competence 8:30-10 a.m. See April 14.
MOPS — MOUNTAINVIEW CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. 6-7:30 p.m. See March 28.
MONDAY, APRIL 23
Thursday, April 26 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
MOM & BABY. 10 a.m.-noon. See Mar. 26.
FRIDAY, APRIL 27 FUNKY FRIDAY NIGHTS. 7-8:30 p.m. See Mar. 23.
One Heart. 12-1:30 p.m. See March 26.
SATURDAY, APRIL 28
TUESDAY, APRIL 24 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
A Place Set Aside for Books & Their Friends 5629 Summitview • Yakima www.inklingsbookshop.com
965-5830
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Aren Barshes, 8 months
KIDS’ CLAY STUDIO. 3:305:30 p.m. See Mar. 27.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25
NATIONAL ASTRONOMY DAY. BUILD AND GROW KIDS CLINIC. 10 a.m. See Mar. 24. KIDS’ FISH-IN. Ages 5-14. Cost: $8 per child. Register: Sarg Hubbard Park, 111 S. 18th St., Yakima. See page 8. OFFICIAL YU-GI-OH! DUELIST KING TOURNAMENT. Starts at 12:30 p.m. See Mar. 24.
BABY AND ME. 10-11 a.m. See Mar. 28. KIDS’ CASTLE 2-FOR-1 DAY. Open at 10 a.m. See Mar. 28.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. 7-9:30 p.m. See Mar. 24.
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STAR GAZING AT RANDALL PARK. 8 p.m.-midnight. See page 9. Women! Created for Competence 8:30-10 a.m. See April 14.
SUNDAY, APRIL 29 OLD STEEL CAR CLUB SHOW. 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Free. Sponsored by Central Washington Agricultural Museum. Located at Fulbright Park, 4508 Main Street, Union Gap; 509-457-8735. centralwaagmuseum.org SPRING CONCERT. 3 p.m. Yakima Youth Symphony Orchestra and Yakima Ensemble for Strings perform a spring concert. Cost: $5 at the door. The Capitol Theatre, 19 S. Third St., Yakima; 509-248-1414. yyso.org
MONDAY, APRIL 30 MOM & BABY. 10 a.m.noon. See Mar. 26.
TUESDAY, MAY 1 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
KIDS’ CLAY STUDIO. 3:305:30 p.m. See Mar. 27.
NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY MUSUEM OPENS. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Cost: $5 adults, $3 children 17 and under and seniors. Call Roger at 509-865-1911 for info. Northern Pacific Railway Museum, 10 Asotin Ave., Toppenish. nprymuseum.org. See page 32.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 2 BABY AND ME. 10-11 a.m. See Mar. 28. KIDS’ CASTLE 2-FOR-1 DAY. Open at 10 a.m. See Mar. 28. MOMMY CONNECTION. 9:30-11:30 a.m. See Mar. 28.
Thursday, May 3 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
FRIDAY, MAY 4 FUNKY FRIDAY NIGHTS. 7-8:30 p.m. See Mar. 23. MOPS — First Presbyterian. 9-11:15 a.m. See April 6.
SATURDAY, MAY 5 OFFICIAL YU-GI-OH! DUELIST KING TOURNAMENT. Starts at 12:30 p.m. See Mar. 24.
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Gage Burson, 9 months
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SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. 7-9:30 p.m. See Mar. 24.
MOMMY CONNECTION. 9:30-11:30 a.m. See Mar. 28.
Women! Created for Competence 8:30-10 a.m. See April 14.
MOPS — MOUNTAINVIEW CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. 6-7:30 p.m. See March 28.
MONDAY, MAY 7
Thursday, MAY 10 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
Come see our display at the Playdate Family Expo Saturday, March 31st Slip on authentic farm clothing and have your picture taken on a Allis-Chalmers Planter.
MOM & BABY. 10 a.m.-noon. See Mar. 26.
FRIDAY, MAY 11
TUESDAY, MAY 8 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
KIDS’ CLAY STUDIO. 3:305:30 p.m. See Mar. 27.
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Central Washington Agricultural Museum 4508 Main Street – Union Gap
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FUNKY FRIDAY NIGHTS. 7-8:30 p.m. See Mar. 23.
SATURDAY, MAY 12
LA LECHE LEAGUE. 6 p.m. See March 27.
BUILD AND GROW KIDS CLINIC. 10 a.m. See Mar. 24.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9
Bring Your Camera!
See the old farm memorabilia. It’s a hands on experience you’ll never forget. Fun for the whole family.
FUN FRIDAY. 6-9 p.m. Drop off kids ages 3-10 for a supervised open gym and playtime. Cost: $18 first child, $16 siblings; includes pizza dinner. Reservations not necessary. Selah GymKids, 709 North Park Centre, Selah; 509-698-5437.
FAMILY FIELD DAY. 1-4 p.m. Free. Part of Yakima Greenway’s Kiddin’ Around program. See page 8.
BABY AND ME. 10-11 a.m. See Mar. 28. KIDS’ CASTLE 2-FOR-1 DAY. Open at 10 a.m. See Mar. 28.
GYMKIDS SATURDAY PLAYDATE. 10–11:30 a.m. Open gym and playtime for children ages 1-5 years, accompanied by a parent. Zip line, popcorn, other activities. Cost: $10.
April | May 2012 • PlaydateMagazine.com
A CLEAN & FUN
Yakima Farmers’ Market opens May 13!
FAMILY Dining Experience
Full kid’s menu with lots of healthy choices Selah GymKids, 709 North Park Centre, Selah; 509-698-5437. OFFICIAL YU-GI-OH! DUELIST KING TOURNAMENT. Starts at 12:30 p.m. See Mar. 24.
MONDAY, MAY 14 MOM & BABY. 10 a.m.-noon. See Mar. 26. One Heart. 12-1:30 p.m. See Mar. 26.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. 7-9:30 p.m. See Mar. 24. Women! Created for Competence 8:30-10 a.m. See April 14. ZILLAH COMMUNITY DAYS. 8 a.m. until dusk. Parade, family activities, breakfast, 10k run, and vendors at Stewart Park. Downtown Zillah. 509-7407451. cityofzillah.us/currentevents.html
SUNDAY, MAY 13 MOTHER’S DAY SPRING FAIRE. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Food, drinks, artists, handcrafted items, hourly silent auctions. Each mom gets a flower. Donation goes to Voices for Children Foundation. Cascade Garden, 5704 W. Washington Ave., Yakima; 509-966-3744. cascade-garden.com
PlaydateMagazine.com
TUESDAY, MAY 15 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
KIDS’ CLAY STUDIO. 3:305:30 p.m. See Mar. 27.
VOTED BEST Breakfast, best lunch, best desserts, ONE OF THE best FOR STEAKS & DINNERS in yakima Yakima Valley Business Times & Yakima Business Journal
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16 BABY AND ME. 10-11 a.m. See Mar. 28. KIDS’ CASTLE 2-FOR-1 DAY. Open at 10 a.m. See Mar. 28. MOMMY CONNECTION. 9:30-11:30 a.m. See Mar. 28. MOMS CLUB OF YAKIMA. 9:30-11 a.m. See April 18.
THURSDAY, MAY 17 CIRCLE MUSIC JAM. 7-9 p.m. 217 S. 63rd Ave., Yakima; 509-949-2100. gonefiddlingagain.com. See page 38.
• April | May 2012
Reservations available (509) 469-9900
3807 River Road • Yakima, WA
Sun-Thurs 6am-10pm, Fri & Sat 6am-11pm
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YAKIMA FARMERS’ MARKET. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Fresh local produce, crafts, activities, locally made products, and live music. Located in front of the Millennium Plaza, S. Third St. in downtown Yakima, between Yakima and Chestnut avenues. 509-575-5765. yakimafarmersmarket.org
breakfast • Lunch • dinner
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Austyn Hutton and Lyon Preston, 12 weeks months KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27. SELAH COMMUNITY DAYS. 4:30 p.m. start today. Runs May 17-20. Arts and crafts, vendors, and carnival. Today: Annual Hobo Feed at Selah Civic Center. Wixon Park, Selah. selahdays.org 12.177220.PD/N
THE VISION AND LEARNING LINK. 7 p.m. Workshop for parents or teachers who deal with young people who are behind in reading or have trouble with comprehension. The workshop covers vision problems and what can be done to resolve them. Free. Presented by Dr. Benjamin C. Winters. At Washington Vision Therapy Center, 3909 Creekside Loop, Suite 150, Yakima (In Creekside Business Park, adjacent to Pediatric Dentistry). Call 509-654-9256 to RSVP.
FRIDAY, MAY 18
OFFICIAL YU-GI-OH! DUELIST KING TOURNAMENT. Starts at 12:30 p.m. See Mar. 24. REFLECTIONS WEEKENDER. 10 a.m. Cars cruise from Bi-Mart on N. 40th Ave. to various places in Yakima. More info: 509965-2547. SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. 7-9:30 p.m. See Mar. 24. SELAH COMMUNITY DAYS. 6-10 a.m. pancake feed; 10 a.m. parade; 9:30 p.m. fireworks show. See May 17.
SUNDAY, MAY 20
FUNKY FRIDAY NIGHTS. 7-8:30 p.m. See Mar. 23. MOPS — NILE VALLEY. 8:45-11:15 a.m. See April 20. MOPS — First Presbyterian. 9-11:15 a.m. See April 6. LOWER NACHES MOPS. 9-11:30 a.m. See April 20. REFLECTIONS WEEKENDER. 5-8 p.m. Runs May 18-20. Free events in Yakima and Moxee. Today: Cars displayed at McDonald’s on N. 40th Ave. in Yakima. More info: 509-965-2547. SELAH COMMUNITY DAYS. See May 17.
COMMUNITY DANCE. 5:30-7 p.m. Gone Fiddlin’ Again hosts instruction night of dances at Broadway Grange. See page 38.
Women! Created for Competence 8:30-10 a.m. See April 14.
FIDDLE KIDS. 7 p.m. Free show. Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, 7809 Tieton Drive, Yakima; 509-949-2100. Gonefiddlingagain.com. • 3-5 & 6-9 years • Prima Ballerina • Hip Hop • Jazz • Princess Camp • Each Week is Exciting! • Only trained teachers
SATURDAY, MAY 19
REFLECTIONS WEEKENDER. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Open car show at Moxee Park in Moxee. Free. More info: 509965-2547. SELAH COMMUNITY DAYS. See May 17. YAKIMA FARMERS’ MARKET. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. See May 13.
MONDAY, MAY 21 MOM & BABY. 10 a.m.-noon. See Mar. 26.
TUESDAY, MAY 22 KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
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KIDS’ CLAY STUDIO. 3:305:30 p.m. See Mar. 27.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23 BABY AND ME. 10-11 a.m. See Mar. 28.
holidays. Opens today! Cost: $4 adults, $3 seniors and children 12 and under. Children on lap are free. Yakima Valley Trolleys, S. Third Ave. & Pine St., Yakima; 509-249-5962. yakimavalleytrolleygs.org. OFFICIAL YU-GI-OH! DUELIST KING TOURNAMENT. Starts at 12:30 p.m. See Mar. 24.
SUNDAY, MAY 27
KIDS’ CASTLE 2-FOR-1 DAY. Open at 10 a.m. See Mar. 28.
YAKIMA FARMERS’ MARKET. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. See May 13.
MOMMY CONNECTION. 9:30-11:30 a.m. See Mar. 28.
YAKIMA VALLEY TROLLEYS. 10 a.m.3 p.m. See May 26.
MOPS — MOUNTAINVIEW CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. 6-7:30 p.m. See March 28.
MONDAY, MAY 28
Thursday, MAY 24
KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY AND LEARN. 1:30-3 p.m. See Mar. 27.
FRIDAY, MAY 25 FUNKY FRIDAY NIGHTS. 7-8:30 p.m. See Mar. 23. STAR GAZING AT RANDALL PARK. 8 p.m.-midnight. See page 9.
SATURDAY, MAY 26 BUILD AND GROW KIDS CLINIC. 10 a.m. See Mar. 24.
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!
TUESDAY, MAY 29
KIDS’ CLAY STUDIO. 3:305:30 p.m. See Mar. 27.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 30 BABY AND ME. 10-11 a.m. See Mar. 28.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. 7-9:30 p.m. See Mar. 24.
KIDS’ CASTLE 2-FOR-1 DAY. Open at 10 a.m. See Mar. 28.
YAKIMA VALLEY TROLLEYS. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays, and
MOMMY CONNECTION. 9:30-11:30 a.m. See Mar. 28.
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Yakima Valley Trolleys start May 26! PlaydateMagazine.com
• April | May 2012
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gotcha!
Send us your best! The deadline for the next Gotcha! photo contest is 11:59 p.m. May. 11, 2012. Send photos to sklepach@ playdatemagazine.com. Peterson Kegley is about ready to turn 4 on April 15. Standing next to the donkey, Sonar, it looks like he might have a good idea of what he wants for this birthday. (What do you say, Pete’s mom and dad?) Peterson enjoys school, dinosaurs, trains, and playing Itty Bitty sports at the Yakima Family YMCA. Now you can add donkeys to his list of “likes,” too!
“Animals are such agreeable friends — they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.” — George Eliot
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