ParentMap March 2017 by ParentMap

SRISIN

•M

WE-FIN

See page 13

INER

•

KRISTI

’cause parenting is a trip!

PAID LEAVE ADVOCATE

GET MUDDY It’s good for you! PAGE 22

How to save money, time and get dinner on the table 14

Summer! GUIDE INSIDE

MARCH 2017

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inside MARCH 2017

Parenting

31 R AISING KIND

4 PARENTMAP.COM

St. Patrick’s Day; rainy-day adventures; volunteering made easy; Hamiltunes; paid leave advocate to speak in Seattle

4 PLAY LIST

35 S TREAM

The science fair The rise of STEM may mean the rebirth of a classic in American education

Out + About

March is a good month to . . .

Embracing failure How mistakes boost motivation and learning

20–21 M ARCH CALENDAR

6 DEAR READER

22 G ET MUDDY

What’s mud got to do with it?

Grab rain boots Revel in outdoor play that’s joyful and healthful

8 NEWS

Paid family leave Could it finally happen in Washington state?

Advertising Sections

18–19 B irthdays 25–30 C amps + Activities 32–33 Schools + Preschools 34 NWAIS Schools 38–39 Montessori Schools

Summer! G U I D E INSIDE

Feature

11 HEALTH

Marijuana edibles They may be legal, but that doesn’t make them safe for kids

14 B EING DEVOURED BY

YOUR FAMILY FOOD BILL?

Grocery shopping experts share saving secrets

14 parentmap.com • March 2017 • 3

play list

navigate great stuff daily!

PHOTO COURTESY WESTCREST YOUTH VOLUNTEERING AT FORTERRA / LARISA LUMBA

Spring into a new season

It may not feel like it but spring is just around the corner (March 20, in case

Volunteering made easy Spring break is the perfect time for your

you’re counting).

college-focused teen to rack up those

Plan ahead with

volunteering hours. Find super easy options

these backyard

around Puget Sound with this comprehensive

adventures that are

list. And hey, maybe you can tag along too?

great for a rainy day

parentmap.com/volunteerteens

in. parentmap.com/ springbackyard

Women’s March on Washington: Meet a speaker spoke in front of millions as one March on Washington. Now, organization MomsRising takes

will be making its way to Seattle next year

the stage at Town Hall Seattle.

but for now, satisfy your family’s Broadway

Join us for this FREE event on

tendencies with Hamiltunes Seattle. Dates are

March 28 as Rowe-Finkbeiner

variable so keep an eye out. You don’t want to

talks paid leave, politics and

miss your shot. parentmap.com/hamiltunes

more. parentmap.com/krf

WILL AUSTIN

your musical teen’s heart? The smash musical

Don’t get pinched! Add a little luck to your wee lad or lass’ St. Patrick’s Day with these treats and tricks perfect for March 17. On the list: ways to construct the perfect leprechaun-catcher because who doesn’t want to find the end of the rainbow? parentmap.com/stpatricksday

facebook.com/ParentMap

@ParentMap

4 • March 2017 • parentmap.com

pinterest.com/ParentMap

If your fam is stuck in the late winter doldrums, we have an easy fix: Take them to the local roller rink, a magical place where pop songs and vintage arcade games never die and disco balls spin. Best of all, kids can learn in an afternoon. parentmap.com/roller

3 TRY A CAT CAFÉ l

of the speakers at the Women’s

Can any other word strike so much joy into

1 GET YOUR ROLLER BOOGIE ON l

Spring hiking is officially on, and we have the perfect guide for you: a list of fun and adventurous lowland hikes that boast a nearby warm-up spot. parentmap.com/ springhikes

Rowe-Finkbeiner

the CEO of grassroots

is a great month to . . .

2 BREAK OUT THE TRAIL MIX l

On Jan. 21, Kristin

How well do you know ‘Hamilton’?

March

instagram.com/ParentMap

We laughed when the first cat café opened in Seattle (Seattle Meowtropolitan). But now that we’ve experienced the joy of watching our kitten-crazy kids pet shelter cats while we enjoy a latte, we’re purring instead. parentmap.com/cat 4 PLAN SUMMER CAMPS l

We’re speeding toward summer; do you know what your kids will be doing? Explore dozens of camps at one of ParentMap’s two FREE camp fairs in March (parentmap.com/campfair). ParentMap’s camps calendar is also a great resource: parentmap.com/camps 5 F IND A NEW STORY TIME l

Story time doesn’t have to be ho-hum. Try one of these unusual story times, in settings from a tugboat to a chocolate factory, to shake up your family’s reading habits. parentmap.com/storytimes

FR EE

TEEN ACTION FAIR MAKE A DIFFERENCE

March 8 – May 24 BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION VISITOR CENTER

Saturday, March 18, 2017 10am-3pm CELEBRATING YOUTH CHANGEMAKERS

Music by Archers Beats /// Performances by Northwest Tap Connection /// Hands-on activities /// Connect to volunteer opportunities /// Free and open to all ages MORE INFO AT FACEBOOK.COM/GATESVC

gatesvc.org /// #TeenActionFair Next to Seattle Center 440 5th Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98109

Generations of children have grown up reading stories of the endearing monkey, Curious George. But few people know about George’s creators, Margret and H.A. Rey, and their true journey to escape the Nazi invasion of Paris. This family-friendly exhibit tells the story of their journey in 25 illustrated prints.

March 19 – Family day! Explore the exhibit with children of all ages, and enjoy a day of Curious George activities, including story time, passport stamping, coloring, stone painting, and more!

Plan your family’s visit today!

HolocaustCenterSeattle.org parentmap.com • March 2017 • 5

ParentMap Partners

note

What’s mud got to do with it?

W ParentMap is so proud to sponsor

Girl Scouts’ 2017 Luncheons.

e know our recommendation to go puddle jumping this muddy March may raise eyebrows. But when’s the last time you and your young ’uns whipped your shoes off and experienced the “sensations of disgust and pleasure” from mud oozing between your fingers and toes? “Mud Play” (p. 22) encourages you to abandon the hand sanitizer and make some memories. Speaking of over-sanitizing, “Embracing failure” (p. 31) debunks the longstanding super sanitized self-esteem movement of yesteryear. Praising our kid’s intelligence rather than emphasizing effort diminishes grit, which is proven to be more strongly linked to success than IQ. We’re reminded that every rescue is a lesson lost. And we’re all about learning. “Embracing failure” kicks off our year-long conversation “Raising Kind” (you may remember a brief mention of this last issue). “Raising Kind” will include stories in print and online plus discussions via our social media channels, email newsletters and events. Our goal: Encourage kindness, self-compassion and mindfulness in our children, our communities and ourselves. Why? Throughout my life I’ve found that the darkest moments offer the greatest learning opportunities. Those moments build empathy and compassion — qualities in high demand during these unfamiliar and uncharted political times. We’re particularly keeping an eye on both sides of the aisle in Olympia as our politicians discuss paid family leave. MomsRising founder and 2008 ParentMap Superhero Kristin RoweFinkbeiner has been instrumental in leading the paid family leave charge in our state and beyond. She’ll join us March 28 at Town Hall Seattle for a lively (and free!) discussion around paid leave, on-ramping and off-ramping in the workplace, child care, gender equality and finding ways to make it all work for you and your family (parentmap.com/krf). We hope to see you there!

Raising

q KIND

SAVE THE DATE! SEATTLE: APRIL 5, 2017 SOUTH SOUND: MAY 4, 2017 At these events, the Girl Scouts of Western Washington community comes together to help empower every girl—regardless of her race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, or geographic location—to fulﬁll her potential and make the world a better place. Together, we can support the next generation of go-getters, innovators, risk-takers and leaders, and ParentMap will be there to help in any way we can!

For information about these events:

GirlScoutsWW.org/luncheon

ing m o c

2017

Golden Teddy Awards

,cause parenting is a trip!

6 • March 2017 • parentmap.com

Voting starts April 1!

ParentMap

March 2017, Vol. 15, No. 3 PUBLISHER/EDITOR Alayne Sulkin

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR Elisa Murray ASSOCIATE EDITOR Elisabeth Kramer CALENDAR EDITOR Nancy Chaney OUT + ABOUT ASSISTANT Jessica Plesko PROOFREADER Sunny Parsons CONTRIBUTORS

Nancy Schatz Alton, Rebecca Hill, Malia Jacobson, Tiffany Doerr Guerzon, Rachel McClary

PARENTMAP.COM DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER

Lindsey Carter

PUBLISHING ASSISTANT

Nicole Persun

ADVERTISING SALES + PARTNERSHIPS Ida Wicklund and Dani Carbary ADVERTISING CLIENT SERVICES SPECIALIST

Summer Dance Camp!

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MARKETING/EVENTS EVENT OPERATIONS Tara Buchan EVENT + MARKETING COORDINATOR

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ART + PRODUCTION DESIGN + PRODUCTION, PRINT MAGAZINE

Emily Johnson

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Amy Chinn

ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS MANAGER Sonja Hanson OPERATIONS MANAGER Carolyn Brendel

One week sessions

June 26 - August 4 evergreencityballet.org

Camps for ages 3 - 10 with different Go Outside and themes! Play!

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT + DISTRIBUTION

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ODESSA BROWN CHILDREN’S CLINIC

Joan Duffell COMMITTEE FOR CHILDREN John Gottman, Ph.D. THE GOTTMAN INSTITUTE PROFESSOR EMERITUS, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

Laura Kastner, Ph.D.

PSYCHIATRY + BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

Bea Kelleigh

VICE PRESIDENT AT DOVETAILING, LLC

Yaffa Maritz, M.A.

LISTENING MOTHERS + COMMUNITY OF MINDFUL PARENTS

Ron Rabin THE KIRLIN FOUNDATION Daniel J. Siegel, M.D.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MINDSIGHT INSTITUTE ADVERTISING INFORMATION

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BASEBALL • SOCCER • TENNIS • ROWING • LACROSSE • BIKING • HIKING • FISHING

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parentmap.com • March 2017 • 7

news

Will Washington State pass paid family leave? Despite current politics — or perhaps because of them — this could finally happen By Nancy Schatz Alton

n a cold Tuesday in January, more than 50 men, women and children gathered in Olympia to help launch a campaign organized by the Washington Work and Family Coalition (WWFC), a grassroots group that lobbies for family-related workplace policies. Some Seattleites in the group had braved icy conditions, delayed school start times and that notorious Interstate 5 traffic to attend the press conference. Participants sat on the steps of the Capitol as Rep. June Robinson, D-Everett, and Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, introduced the paid family and medical leave bill they hope to turn into state law during this year’s regular legislative session. The goal: Finally provide paid family and medical leave to families in Washington state.

“Ultimately, the best-case scenario is that one bill would pass [in both the Senate and the House],” says Marilyn Watkins, policy director for the Economic Opportunity Institute, which convenes the WWFC. Of course, Watkins hopes the bill her organization is supporting, SB 5032/ HB 1116, makes it through: “[I hope] sometime in early May, we’ll all stand behind Gov. Jay Inslee when our bill becomes the law.” As of press time, SB 5032 and SB 5149 were still being discussed by committees, and HB 1116 had passed the first step toward legislative approval by moving out of the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee. Updates are expected throughout the end of February and into March. The legislative session is scheduled to end by April 23.

How do the bills differ?

The difference paid leave could make This is the first time since 2007 that paid family leave proposals have been introduced by both sides of the aisle in the state legislature. It’s no wonder: Paid family leave has wide voter support. In a March 2016 poll conducted by Lake Research Partners, 72 percent of surveyed registered voters supported passing paid family and medical leave. (The survey didn’t ask for political party affiliation.) West Seattle Helpline executive director Chris Langeler says now is the time to implement paid family and medical leave. Because West Seattle Helpline provides emergency services to at-risk individuals and families, he sees a lot of people who have needed a program like paid leave. “For the folks we serve and thousands more throughout the state, the lack of paid family and medical leave is putting them in unfair, frightening and dangerous situations,” Langeler says. “It’s an easy, fair and affordable way to make families safer, healthier and less likely to find themselves in crisis because of an unforeseeable health issue, which could happen to any of us.” According to Langeler, enacting paid leave will do more than help those who use it. “It would allow us to dedicate more resources to services that prevent crises — keeping our neighbors healthy and safe.” 8 • March 2017 • parentmap.com

Just a couple of bills The paid family leave bill developed by WWFC is in both the Senate (SB 5032) and the House of Representatives (HB 1116). In both, Washington state workers could use extended paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, a personal health emergency or the care of an ill family member. Funding would be split between employees and employers — costing a typical employee about $2 a week, according to Robinson and Keiser. There’s a second paid family leave proposal, too: SB 5149 from Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn. Leave provided through SB 5149 would be fully paid by employees (not shared with employers as in the other plan). Employees would pay an estimated $3 a week, according to Fain. But wait: Didn’t Washington already pass paid family leave? Yes and no. Back in 2007, it passed but without a funding plan. Then came the 2008 Great Recession, and any hopes of adequate funding quickly dried up. So here we are, a decade later, with two new options on the table. And, unlike the 2007 policy, these proposals specify how they’d be funded.

The bill WWFC supports, SB 5032/HB 1116 (Keiser and Robinson’s), offers up to 26 weeks of paid family leave, starting in October 2019, and up to 12 weeks of paid medical leave, starting in October 2020. The benefit would cover all employees who worked 340 hours during the qualifying year. Meanwhile, SB 5149 (Fain’s) offers workers up to eight weeks of paid leave beginning in 2020 (that be 12 weeks by 2023). It applies to all employees who worked at least 26 consecutive weeks; part-time employees would be eligible after 175 days of regular employment. As for the benefit amount, final numbers are in flux but Fain’s will likely offer a weekly benefit of up to 50 percent of an employee’s average wage — capped at an estimated $541 for 2020 and increasing annually until 2023 (67 percent of an employee’s wage, capped at an estimated $725). Meanwhile, SB 5032/HB 1116 (Keiser and Robinson’s) will likely offer a weekly benefit capped at $1,000. Despite these differences, proponents of paid leave say they are just happy to see both sides of the aisle talking about these options. “I’m going to stay open-minded during this negotiation. I really want to see something get

Come meet Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner FREE • MARCH 28 parentmap.com /krf

passed,” says Fain, who recently welcomed a child. “Even with my wife’s work providing paid family leave, it’s exhausting to make ends meet,” he says. “No family’s difficulties should be manifested in spending less time with your child.” In Jan. 30 testimony before the Senate Committee, Watkins offered her thoughts on the differences: “We are pleased with the bipartisan interest in paid family and medical leave, but it’s important that we build a program right from the start. We’ve spent years talking with business owners, studying the health research and the research on other state programs . . . All of that input and research is reflected in [SB 5032/HB 1116].”

your turn

The best news? Elected officials in 2017 are more eager than ever to talk to their constituents, says MomsRising executive director and CEO Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, who supports SB 5032/HB 1116. “Many representatives have been thrown for a loop with the outcome of this presidential election,” says Rowe-Finkbeiner. “I was worried there would be increased resistance to hearing from people. Instead, the opposite has happened: The door has opened wider.” n When she’s not meeting deadlines or teaching writing, Nancy Schatz Alton writes poetry and essays and works on her memoir. Find her blog at Within the Words.

Legislators are deciding right now if paid family leave will become state law in 2017. While lawmakers definitely notice when voters show up in Olympia, Kristin RoweFinkbeiner of MomsRising says contacting your legislator works, too. “Call your legislator and tell them a strong paid family and medical leave bill that covers everybody in Washington state is important to you.” “After you call your legislator, text five of your neighbors or friends and ask them to do the same,” adds Maggie Humphreys, the Washington state organizer for MomsRising. “I can’t even begin to underline how powerful your story, your letter, your call or your physical presence is; it’s really remarkable.”

HIBULB CULTURAL CENTER EVENTS

EXHIBIT NOW OPEN Think about the color red. What is the first thing that comes to mind?

In this interactive exhibit visitors will; experience how color impacts our daily lives, view colorful object displays and learn about the significance and usage of color by our contemporary artists.

STORYTELLING • Guided tour • Outdoor scavenger hunt • Listen to traditional stories in the longhouse CANOE • Guided tour • Gallery scavenger hunt • Sand and design your own cedar paddle necklace

Whether we are aware of it or not, color impacts our lives. Since time immemorial, color has influenced humans historically, socially and artistically.

All of the Summer Programs include a guided tour and lunch space is available.

•

Interactive exhibit

•

Fun for all ages

•

Explore & learn about color

WEAVING • Guided Tour • Weaving scavenger hunt • Weave your own cedar mat pendant For more details and registration please contact Mary Jane Topash, Group Tours Specialist at 360-716-2657, mjtopash@hibulbculturalcenter.org

360.716.2600 HibulbCulturalCenter.org parentmap.com • March 2017 • 9

Saturday Family Concerts at Town Hall | Kids FREE!

March 18, 11am

Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons

American roots music from the early 20th century. Ramshackle, rambunctious, & radical.

April 22, 11am

Kevin Connor and Swing 3PO Vintage swing music with a modern twist. Get ready to cut a rug!

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with

ature e F l a Speci

health

A recipe for trouble

How do we keep kids from the temptation of pot-laced treats? By Malia Jacobson

eens looking to catch a buzz after an Eastside high school’s recent winter tolo dance were met with a little less smoke and a lot more sugar. Instead of joints and cigarettes, marijuana edibles — mostly candies and cookies — were pocketed and slipped into the dance and after-parties, often without raising suspicion among supervising adults, says 17-year-old Hannah, a junior at the school. “That was the main way I heard about parties going down,” she says. “It’s a very recent trend. [Pot] has always been around, but this seems much more prevalent.” It’s easy to understand why: Marijuana edibles look like supermarket products, and there’s no smoke, so kids can use them without adults catching on. Even though pot edibles, like all marijuana products in Washington state, are legally off-limits to the under-21 crowd, acquiring the treats is no problem for kids, says Hannah. In her experience, many kids get edibles from older siblings or college-age friends, most of whom purchase them at one of Seattle’s many retail pot establishments. Since the state’s first recreational marijuana shops opened in 2014, the state has granted nearly 1,000 producer licenses and almost 500 retail licenses, making pot truly mainstream.

The new drug of choice While today’s teens are less likely to use tobacco or drink, youth marijuana use is creeping up. Washington’s most recent Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) showed decreasing alcohol and tobacco use with teens two times more likely to use marijuana than smoke cigarettes. One in five high school sophomores and one in four high school seniors reported marijuana use in the past month. It’s important to note that the HYS indicates fewer teens believe marijuana to be harmful, says Liz Wilhelm, M.S., of the Adolescent Medicine division at Seattle Children’s Hospital’s and the drug-free communities coordinator

with the Prevention Works in Seattle (WINS) Coalition. “As beliefs about perceived harm go down, use goes up,” says Wilhelm. If teens don’t believe marijuana is harmful, it’s likely because adults don’t, either. A majority of Seattleites voted to legalize recreational pot in 2012, making it clear that we don’t object to potrelated relaxation for adults. But kids’ bodies and brains differ from those of adults, and tolerance for marijuana products varies widely among youths, says Dr. Erica Liebelt, medical director for the Washington Poison Center (WAPC). Marijuana-related calls to WAPC rose to 288 in 2016. In 2015, there were 272 calls, with teens ages 13–19 representing the largest age group, according to WAPC’s clinical director, Alexander Garrard, Pharm.D. The largest share of pot-related WAPC calls involved the familiar, mossy green plant form. The second-highest number of calls were related to accidental or intentional ingestion of marijuana-laced edibles, followed by the use of marijuana concentrates, often by “dabbing,” i.e., inhaling vaporized dabs, or highly concentrated THC, the drug’s main mind-altering component. Regardless of the form of marijuana, taking in too much of the drug can have serious medical consequences for children, though those effects are usually not life-threatening. Symptoms range from irritability and crying to uncontrollable vomiting, psychosis and loss of consciousness,

says Liebelt. Longer-term use impacts cognitive development because the brain’s frontal lobe — the home of executive functions, such as planning and organizing — continues to develop into a person’s mid-20s. According to research by Duke University, youths who use cannabis regularly showed an average decline in IQ of 8 points as adults.

The cookie crumbles While youth marijuana use in any form should concern parents and caregivers, there’s

Youths who use cannabis regularly showed an average decline in IQ of 8 points.

something particularly troubling about kids and pot edibles, says Liebelt. First, there’s the undeniable appeal of a piece of candy or gooey chocolate brownie, raising the risk of mistaken ingestion. Accidentally smoking or dabbing pot isn’t likely, but accidentally eating a marijuana cookie? It happens all the time, says Garrard of WAPC. Because the THC in an edible marijuana product can take an hour or two after ingestion to take effect, overdosing is all too easy, says Liebelt. Kids may eat a piece of candy and feel no effect, so they’ll eat another piece 20 minutes later. Within a couple of hours, they could be feeling sicker than they’ve ever felt, or worse — they could lose consciousness. >> parentmap.com • March 2017 • 11

n you e h w t se jus u y are a c e e h t , ...B e e stag n o t u o next! figure e h t o on t

Creative Kids exhibit Kids ages 6-15 years can exhibit their creativity and skill at Spring Fair!

Participants receive a FREE Spring Fair admission ticket. Register online through April 10, 10pm.

March 18th & 19th Century Link Field Event Center

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12 â&#x20AC;˘ March 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ parentmap.com

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A recipe for trouble continued from page 11 Making matters more difficult: Packaging laws haven’t caught up to the vast array of edibles on the market, says Wilhelm. Most pot edibles are wrapped in plastic, not unlike a brownie you’d buy at any snack counter, so kids aren’t able to easily tell that the treat on the counter could be dangerous. If your child does end up in the emergency room, there’s often no way to know how much pot a child has ingested, because manufacturers can’t guarantee a uniform distribution of cannabis within an edible pot product. That means treating an overdose becomes a guessing game, says Leibelt. “Cutting a pot cookie or piece of candy in half doesn’t mean that half the THC is in one half of the cookie,” she says. “So, two kids can take a bite of the same brownie and get vastly different doses of THC.”

Sticker shock A new rule may help with preventing accidental ingestion. As of February 2017, a distinctive “Not for Kids” label with a red hand and the WAPC emergency helpline number (800-222-1222) is now required to appear on Washington pot products. “It’s another step in the effort to deter youth access to marijuana edibles,” says Garrard. The label is affixed to the product’s exterior packaging, which may soon be different, too. A new bill under consideration in the 2017 legislative session calls for “childresistant” packaging for edible marijuana products. Still, more work remains to resolve this issue, says David Baker, the mayor of Kenmore. Baker has been actively involved with local prevention efforts. “Simply affixing

a new label to a dangerous product isn’t enough if the product itself is attractive to kids,” he says. Ultimately, the main responsibility lies with adults. “Adults need to lock up their pot edibles like they lock up medicine,” says Baker. Parents also need to talk about pot not only with their children, but with the parents of their kids’ friends, says Wilhelm, whose team recently surveyed parents of local middle school students about pot. “Most parents who responded said that they talked to their kids about pot, but that they didn’t think other parents in their community were doing the same,” she says. Talking to kids is one of the best ways to keep ingestion by underage consumers from happening. “We know that if parents communicate that they don’t want kids to use pot, it has a strong protective effect,” Wilhelm says. Because your kids likely spend time at homes other than their own — homes where edibles may be stored in plain sight — it’s vital to keep communication flowing, not just between parents and children, but between parents, teachers, neighbors and community members. Seventeen-year-old Hannah agrees. “The no. 1 thing that parents can do is just to reinforce the message that they don’t want their kids to do this,” she says. “If you don’t want your kids doing it, it’s about keeping the message consistent.” n Malia Jacobson is an award-winning health and parenting journalist and mom of three who contributes regularly to more than 90 national and regional publications.

From Peek-a-boo to Paid Leave: Making Career,

Child Care and Family Work

FREE event!

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner Executive director and CEO of grassroots organization MomsRising and author of The Motherhood Manifesto

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, who spoke at the Women’s March on Washington on January 21, is an activist and leading figure in the ongoing push for equal pay, affordable health care, and early education. Be part of the important discussion around paid parental leave, on-ramping and off -ramping in the workplace, childcare and gender equality.

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parentmap.com • March 2017 • 13

feature

Being devoured by your family food bill? Grocery shopping experts (they exist!) share secrets for saving

family of four — two parents and two children between ages 6 and 11 — will spend between $636.40 and $1,273.40 a month at the grocery store, according to a December 2016 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Not surprised by those high numbers? We didn’t think so. Although prices vary nationwide, food costs represent the third-highest budget item for families after housing and transportation, according to data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in August 2016. But unlike rent or car payments, food is one of the few areas where consumers can exert some control. But how do you do it, particularly if you’ve got a family with food allergies, dietary needs or specific preferences? We talked with several experts to gather food shopping advice that even the busiest of parents can use. One thing all the experts agreed on: 14 • March 2017 • parentmap.com

By Tiffany Doerr Guerzon Organization is key. “If you don’t have a grocery budget, make one,” says Heather Clarke, founder of Queen Bee Coupons (queenbeecoupons.com), a website that shares rebates, sales and other pricesavings information for common grocery items. “Track your grocery spending for a month or two to get an idea of how much you spend,” Clarke says. “Then, look for ways to cut.” So, what are you waiting for? Read on for tips on how planning a menu, shopping sales and stocking up on basics can mean lower prices at the register.

Taking the ‘extreme’ out of extreme couponing

When you think of coupons, do you picture extreme couponers trolling store aisles with giant binders, clearing store shelves and holding up checkout lines? Coupons can be a valuable addition to a thrifty shopper’s arsenal without going to extremes, says Clarke of Queen Bee

Coupons. She started cutting coupons when she couldn’t cut any more corners, and now regularly saves 20–25 percent on her grocery bill. (Combining coupons with sales gets her even bigger returns — up to 50 percent, says Clarke.) To start, get organized. “Get a simple coupon organizer from the Dollar Store or use envelopes,” she says. “Set up a system that works for you. The coupon you put on the refrigerator won’t help if you forget it when you go to the store.” Next, create a menu plan based on sales — information you can get without poring over the newspaper. “Find a source that does the work for you,” Clarke says. “Go to one of the many free blogs that list sales and matching coupons. Coupons aren’t just from the newspaper insert anymore. There are e-coupons, printable coupons and rebate apps.” Clarke says it’s a myth that it takes hours of preparation to see significant savings with coupons. >>

Washington’s

Biggest

celeBration of spring!

Time is money

4 grocery services to add to your list Going to the grocery store can feel so 20th century. Skip checkout completely by ordering groceries online and having them delivered right to your door. — Elisabeth Kramer

AmazonFresh (amazon.com/AmazonFresh): Amazon — maybe you’ve heard of ‘em? This Seattle darling changed the grocery game when it introduced AmazonFresh more than a decade ago (fun fact: Mercer Island was the first spot in the world to try the new-fangled product in 2007). Shop online, place your order and choose the delivery time that works best for your family. Only available for Amazon Prime members, who can add Fresh for an additional $14.99 per month. (An annual Prime membership costs $99.) Free 30-day trials available for both Prime and AmazonFresh. Instacart (instacart.com): As the name suggests, this delivery service aims to get you your grocery cart instantly. You enter your zip code to find affiliated stores; depending on the products you purchase, you can get groceries delivered in an hour. But note: Instacart has its own type of “surge pricing.” When demand is high for a delivery time, a “Busy Pricing” fee may apply in addition to the delivery cost. Cost of food plus a delivery fee of between $3.99 and $5.99 (there’s an annual membership option, too). Tip: Delivery is free on your first order.

parking is free! free kids thursday 2pm–10pm Kids 6-18 get free admission on 4/20 with a suggested non-perishable food donation for Puyallup Food Bank. Kids 5 and under are always free.

Envoy (helloenvoy.com): Envoy bills itself as a more hand-curated

option for grocery delivery (the same person shops for you every time). This San Francisco-based startup also does more than food; the Envoy concierge service can, among other things, run your errands and do your housekeeping. For the grocery bit, choices are slightly limited with only two stores on the roster: Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. First 30 days are free; membership costs $19 per month. Grocery shopping is an additional hourly rate of $12 to $30 per visit plus 10 percent of your grocery bill.

Amazon Go (amazon.com/b?node=16008589011): And for

those who still want to pick their food but skip checkout, there’s Amazon’s latest wonder: Amazon Go. This store looks like a traditional grocery except without the checkout lines and is currently only open in downtown Seattle to Amazon employees (that should change this year).

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feature Being devoured by your family food bill? continued from page 15

Wanna save money? Try these apps If you want to save at the store but aren’t up for searching sales or clipping coupons, try using what you already have: Your smartphone! Some apps search weekly sales fliers to save you time, some offer in-store savings and many offer cash back. Check out this selection. — Tiffany Doerr Guerzon

Ibotta

Target Cartwheel

This is a good app for people who buy mostly generic grocery items. Almost every week, there are rebates offered on Ibotta for items such as “bread, any brand” or “bananas, any brand.” Over the past year, I’ve received an estimated $150 in rebates, much of which I redeemed as Starbucks gift cards. (You can also have the money deposited into a PayPal account.) I often find rebates on my favorite brands as well. It takes a few minutes to scan item barcodes and photograph your receipt (with your phone via the app), but I redeemed my first $20 as an Amazon gift card and received it via email within minutes. You can also team up with friends to earn bonuses. Do note that sometimes in order to get the rebate, you have to watch a short video clip or take a survey (I’ve never had one be more than one question).

This app needs to be used in conjunction with a Facebook account. You can save from 5 to 50 percent on as many as 12 items per shopping trip to Target. There are two ways to find savings: Browse through categories or scan the item on the shelf. If there isn’t a Cartwheel discount available, the app will suggest similar products that are discounted. (Savvy shoppers, note that you can use a Cartwheel discount, manufacturer coupon and a Target coupon on the same purchase.) Once you’ve chosen your discounts, the cashier will scan a code on your phone. Reviewers say to hand over any other coupons before the Cartwheel savings code to ensure that it works.

Checkout 51 This app works like Ibotta but has mostly brand items. The list of available rebates renews every Thursday. For most, there are only a certain number of rebates available, so you have to act fast. To redeem, you check the item you bought on the list and then photograph your receipt with the app. Once you reach $20, you can request a check, which comes in the mail in from one to two weeks. Pro tip: You can redeem rebates from both Ibotta and Checkout 51 on the same receipt.

16 • March 2017 • parentmap.com

Favado This app comes from Savings.com, with some users saying it saves them as much as 70 percent on groceries. Favado searches weekly sales fliers across stores to find the week’s best deals. It also tells you where to find coupons. You can make your food list on the app for extra convenience.

Store loyalty cards and apps Don’t forget to sign up for savings at your favorite store! Store loyalty cards offer savings to members. Some stores, such as Fred Meyer, even offer quarterly savings that can be applied directly to your next shopping bill. Most stores allow you to sign in via a phone number, so you don’t need to carry a bunch of cards around. Most major grocery chains also have an app by which you can see sales and load in-store coupons to your card.

“I find that even if I spend just 15 minutes writing a grocery list and gathering coupons, I save both money and time in the store.” An example: “Last week, I bought ground turkey at Target that was on sale for $5.99 a pound. I had a $2 coupon and saved 15 percent by using the Target Cartwheel app. This brought the price down from $5.99 per pound to $3.39 per pound.” That’s a saving of nearly $3 per pound. Once you’ve written out your sale-based meal plan and gathered your coupons, get in and out of the store as quickly as possible, Clarke advises. “Studies have shown that the longer you spend in the store, the more you spend,” she says. She’s right. In a study of 400 supermarket shoppers published in 2015, University of Notre Dame researchers found that people are more likely to spend money on unplanned splurges the longer their shopping trip lasts. “Basically, buying one thing you weren’t planning on getting makes you remember all of the other things you might have needed but didn’t put on your list, so that first impulse item you pick up opens the floodgates,” according to a June 2015 article in Time magazine about the study. “The likelihood you’ll splurge on an unintended purchase is almost 10 percent higher at the end of a shopping trip.”

Cook once a month Once-a-month cooking, freezer cooking and bulk cooking are some of the many names used to describe cooking meals ahead of time and freezing the food for later. But Tricia Callahan prefers the term “reality-proof meal planning.” Callahan is the founder of the mealplanning service website Once a Month Meals (onceamonthmeals.com). She’s also a devotee of reality-proofing her kitchen. "You might have a meal plan, but then something comes up,” she says of realityproofing. “You have a late meeting, something comes up with the kids or it’s a rough homework night and the meal doesn’t get cooked. Then your ingredients can spoil.” For busy parents, this type of cooking can save both time and money. Plus, buying in

bulk often means less waste (not to mention more savings) since you’re working from a meal plan for which every ingredient has a purpose. Of course, the downside is you might spend a weekend in the kitchen, but Callahan says it’s worth it. Cooking 30 meals at once can save you up to 30 hours in a month, according to Once a Month Meals. Not that you have to begin at 30 meals. “Try starting with a smaller menu,” Callahan says. “Our minimenu [which only takes a couple of hours to make] has five recipes that are doubled to make 10 meals.” Callahan also suggests spacing out the work, perhaps by spending one day doing prep work, such as chopping vegetables, and the next day completing the recipes.

Back to basics

In my home, I have one child with nut allergies and two others who are pescatarian (they eat seafood, dairy and eggs, but no meat). A pescatarian diet is healthy but expensive — salmon costs more than ground beef — not to mention there’s all the pricy fresh produce. But despite this, I’ve found easy ways to save money at the grocery store. (In fact, I’ve found enough tips to compile them in an e-book titled Saving on Groceries by Going Back to Basics.) I call my method “back to basics” because techniques such as buying in bulk, cooking from scratch, wasting less and shopping locally are how most of our grandparents shopped and cooked. The bulk-food aisle — that area in the grocery store lined with bins with scoops attached — should become your new best friend in your quest for a lower grocery bill. For flour, sugar, oatmeal and other dry items,

you can buy as much or as little as you need. Not to mention you save a ton on dried spices. At Fred Meyer, bulk dried basil costs 69 cents per ounce. Packaged basil from the spice section of the store costs $5.59 for a half-ounce container. That means you could buy a jar of basil for $5.59, or get the same amount in the bulk section for 35 cents. So, the next time you run out of a spice? Keep the jar and refill it from the bulk section. I also cook from scratch whenever possible. Preparing a dish from raw ingredients is almost always cheaper than using a packaged product or mix. Plus, you control the ingredients, which is helpful for those with dietary restrictions — or if you just want to know what’s in your food! For canned goods, try store brands for extra savings. According to Consumer Reports, store brands are often at least as good as national brands and cost much less. Try different store brands until you find one you like. To save on fresh produce, shop your local produce stand or consider communitysupported agriculture (CSA). One good resource for finding current local listings is Puget Sound Fresh (pugetsoundfresh.org). Then there’s always the old adage “Use up and make do.” Don’t throw out leftovers. Instead, invest in a good thermos and lunch box and send leftovers to school and work. Or have a weekly “leftover buffet” for dinner by reheating leftovers from the past few days and having family members fill their plates with a bit of this and a dab of that. Add a tossed salad and bread to round out the meal. >>

JUL 10 – 28 2017 Olympic Sculpture Park Monday–Friday, 9 am–3 pm After-camp care available till 5:30 pm Three fun-filled weeks of creativity and inspiration at SAM! Campers will sharpen their art-making skills, unleash their imaginations, make new friends, and explore SAM’s galleries and outdoor spaces. Designed for kids entering grades 1–5, each week includes a visit to the Seattle Art Museum. Attend one week or all three! JUL 10 –14 Earth Guardians Investigate the landscape of the park and paint outdoors. JUL 17–21 Imaginative Inventors Discover the world of design and architecture! JUL 24–28 Globetrotters Travel around the world and explore cultures through SAM’s global collection.

visitsam.org/samcamp Registration required. Early registration discount before April 1. More information samcamp@seattleartmuseum.org or 206.626.3144

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Photo: Robert Wade

parentmap.com • March 2017 • 17

Celebrate your child’s next birthday party at

3 unforgettable spots for outdoor birthday parties Spring’s right around the corner and that means a whole new menu of venues for birthday parties. During our beautiful Pacific Northwest seasons, no one wants to be inside! If you are looking for an outdoor birthday venue, we’ve rounded up plenty of choices to fit any birthday kid’s style. Here are a few ideas: 1 Farrel-McWhirter Farm l Park, Redmond This gem of a

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park in Redmond feels like it is out in the country, with wideopen spaces dotted with picnic tables and family-friendly trails. You can take your party guests on a fun and educational tour to see animal such as pigs, goats, rabbits, chickens and more. Or experience a horse or pony ride. 2 Kelsey Creek Farm, l Bellevue Another fun Eastside experience, this Bellevue farm boasts a playground, trails and farm animals as well as farm

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BIRTH DAY PARTIES

education programs. Kids can spend the first 45 minutes of a two-hour party interacting with and learning about animals. 3 Moss Bay, Lake Union, l Seattle For a unique Seattle birthday party experience, take your guests kayaking on Lake Union! Moss Bay, a well-known water-sports center that also offers many camps for kids, offers two different instructional group tours that can make for a memorable party. Get the rest at parentmap.com/ outdoorbirthday. —Tiffany Doerr Guerzon

BASEBALL BIRTHDAY PARTY

Celebrate your child’s birthday at the Historic Carousel! For more information, visit zoo.org/birthdays or call Group Sales at 206.548.2590.

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BIRTHDAY PARTIES AT SAFECO FIELD Parents should enjoy their child’s birthday party as much as the kids…and you can…when you host it at Safeco Field!

www.zoo.org/birthdays 18 • March 2017 • parentmap.com

The lineup includes a ballpark tour with stops on the field and at the playground, food and festivities in a group suite, and a final surprise with your child’s name on the Out-of-Town Scoreboard. For extra fun, add a Mariner Moose appearance or test your skills at the batting cage. The only thing to worry about with this party is how you will top it next year!

For more information, call (206) 346-4246 or visit Mariners.com/Tours

feature Being devoured by your family food bill? continued from page 17

But what about organics? Of course, we all want to feed our families the healthiest possible food, and often, that means organics. Unfortunately, organic products cost, on average, 47 percent more than conventional counterparts, according to 2015 information from Consumer Reports. So, what’s a crunchy mama to do? Jen Dotson and Sia Hills, owners of Thrifty Northwest Mom (thriftynorthwestmom.com), a website that offers money-saving tips for families in the Northwest, like to feed their families organic and less-processed food. Along the way, they’ve learned how to save. “Our main method . . . is to follow the sales cycles and stockpile [that is, buy enough items for one to two months] when those items are at

items, like meat, Dotson says. She their lowest prices,” Dotson says. "We also take advantage of Get a recommends a company called any coupons to pair with Zaycon Fresh (zayconfresh.com). crash course those sales.” “You buy large quantities of in couponing Of course, to buy at meat at a time,” says Dotson, Queen Bee Coupons the lowest price, you whose family typically buys queenbeecoupons.com first need to know what 40 pounds of boneless, The Krazy Coupon Lady your favorite foods skinless chicken in one go. thekrazycouponlady.com typically cost. She then repackages her order Thrifty Northwest Mom “[For a month or two], in freezer bags. “Meat is one of thriftynorthwest think about the foods that mom.com your biggest expenses for your your family eats the most and grocery budget, so this is a significant start tracking prices,” Dotson says. savings,” she adds. n “By doing this, you are familiarizing Tiffany Doerr Guerzon is a freelance writer, the yourself with the prices for the items your family mother of three children and author of Saving uses the most so that you will be aware to stock on Groceries by Going Back to Basics, which is up when it goes on sale at its lowest price.” available on Amazon. This advice also applies to higher-priced

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march

SUNDAY

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MONDAY

TUESDAY

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Enjoy the breathtaking beauty of Washington’s Cascades, superb cuisine, a luxurious spa and accommodations in harmony with nature. Plan your spring getaway at:

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ParentMap Camp Fairs, March 18 and 25

PACIFIC SCIENCE CENTER

First Viewing at the Seattle Japanese Garden, March 5 Polar Science Weekend at Pacific Science Center, March 3–5

“From Peek-a-boo to Paid Leave,” FREE lecture with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, March 28

First Viewing at the Seattle Japanese Garden. Embrace the dawning of spring with a dramatic Shinto blessing, tea and tour of this lovely garden. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Included with admission. Seattle. seattlejapanesegarden.org Seattle Family Dance. Have a blast dancing with your family and learn easy line and square dances with live music. 3–5 p.m. $7/person or $20/family. Ages 10 and under with families. Phinney Neighborhood Center, Seattle. seattledance.org

Early Childhood Art Studio. Dig into paints, crafts, gluing, sculpting and more. Monday, 10–11 a.m. $10; preregister. Ages 2–4 with adult. Kirkland Arts Center. kirklandartscenter.org ONGOING EVENT Let’s Play: The Emperor’s New Clothes. Olympia Family Theater invites little ones to enjoy live theater made just for them. March 6, 9–11; 10:30 a.m. $5. Ages 0–5 with caregiver. Olympia. olyft.org

Toddler Time. Open-early play gym lets the little ones burn off energy with bikes, slides and toys. Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.– noon. $2. Ages 3 and under with caregiver. Issaquah Community Center. ci.issaquah.wa.us ONGOING EVENT PEPS Benefit Luncheon. Gather with other PEPS parents to support a beloved community organization. Donations requested; preregister. 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center. peps.org

Tacoma Resident Free Day at PDZA. City of Tacoma dwellers enjoy free admission to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, with proper I.D. March 12 and 22. pdza.org Mercer Slough Family Ranger Hike. Go on a kid-oriented 1.5-mile walk through this in-city wetland area. 2–3 p.m. FREE; RSVP requested. Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center, Bellevue. bellevuewa.gov

Monday Cheapskate. Among a few weekly discount sessions, this one offers free admission to the preschool crowd. Monday, 9:30–11:30 a.m. $6.84; ages 5 and under free. Sprinker Ice Arena, Tacoma. sprinker.org ONGOING EVENT Juggling Club. Learn and practice juggling; all skill levels welcome. Mondays, 7–9 p.m. FREE. Ages 5 and up. Top Ten Toys, Seattle. toptentoys.com ONGOING EVENT

Preschool Playtime. Take a breather while the kids play at this drop-off program. Tuesday, Thursday; 9–11 a.m. or noon–2 p.m. $10; call ahead or drop in. Ages 3–6. Lynnwood Recreation Center. ci.lynnwood.wa.us Meditation for Baby and Me. Music for babes followed by meditation practice for grown-ups. Tuesday, 10:30–11:30 a.m. FREE. Adults with infants. Sahaja Meditation Center, Seattle. seattlemeditation.org

State Parks Free Day. Explore Washington’s spectacular state parks FREE today in honor of the state park system’s 104th birthday. No Discover Pass required. Statewide. discoverpass.wa.gov French Fest. Festál celebrates diverse French-speaking cultures around the world with live music, dance performances and kids’ activities. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. FREE. Seattle Center. seattlecenter.com/festal

OmTots Play Gym. Bounce around, swing from the ceiling and play like a monkey. Monday–Friday, 9:30 a.m.–noon. $12; discounts available. Ages 1–5 with caregiver. OmCulture, Seattle. omculture.com ONGOING EVENT Member Mondays and Bubble Time. A delightful flurry of bubbles drops in to play time on members day at Children’s Museum of Tacoma. 11 a.m. Ages 1–6 with families. playtacoma.org ONGOING EVENT

Indoor Playground. Tots play with push buggies, climbers, trikes and more. Tuesdays, Thursdays, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.; Wednesdays, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. $3. Ages 9 months–5 years with caregiver. North Kirkland Community Center. kirklandwa.gov ONGOING EVENT Drop-in Hip Hop Class. All welcome to get moving in this supportive and energetic class. Tuesday, 6:30–7:30 p.m. $13. All ages. MLK FAME Community Center. dassdance.org ONGOING EVENT

WILL AUSTIN

Story Time and Crafts. Last chance this season for this nature story and craft time. 1:30–3:30 p.m. FREE; preregister. All ages. Cedar River Watershed Education Center, North Bend. seattle.gov/util/crwec Squatch! The Musical. A quintessentially Northwest musical about our favorite northwest legend. March 24–April 9. $15– $35. Ages 8 and up. Centerstage Theatre, Federal Way. centerstagetheatre.com

20 • March 2017 • parentmap.com

Free Organ Demonstration Recital. Organist Joseph Adam plays selections to showcase the Watjen Concert Organ in Benaroya Hall (tour before or after). 12:30 p.m. FREE. Seattle. seattlesymphony.org Maker Monday. Visit the Maker Space to experiment with 3D modeling and the 3D printer. Monday, 1–5 p.m. $5; printing extra. Ages 11–18, under 15 with adult. Future of Flight Aviation Center, Mukilteo. futureofflight.org ONGOING EVENT

From Peek-a-boo to Paid Leave: Making Career, Child Care and Family Work. MomsRising founder Kristin RoweFinkbeiner leads a lively discussion around family leave, on- and off-ramping, gender equality and the juggle of family life. 7 p.m. FREE. Town Hall, Seattle. parentmap.com/lectures

WEDNESDAY 1 Toddler Tales & Trails. Kids and caregivers enjoy story time and a short nature hike. Wednesday, Saturday; 10–11 a.m. $2. Ages 2–5 with caregiver. Seward Park Audubon Center, Seattle. sewardpark.audubon.org ONGOING EVENT Play to Learn. Community play and circle time at Children’s Museum of Tacoma. Tuesday, 10–11:30 a.m. FREE. Ages 6 and under with caregiver. Parkland/Spanaway Library (additional weekly times and locations). playtacoma.org

THURSDAY 2 Dr. Seuss Day. Celebrate the birthday of the super popular author with story times, crafts and “Seussian” activities. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Included with admission. Ages 1–10 with caregiver. The Children’s Museum, Seattle. thechildrensmuseum.org Free First Thursday. Visit local museums for FREE, including Seattle Art Museum, Burke Museum, Northwest African American Museum, Wing Luke Museum and MOHAI. parentmap.com/freemuseum

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Small Frye: Storytelling in the Galleries. Stories spring to life with Seattle Children’s Theatre at this first Friday event with art-making session. 10:30–11:45 a.m. FREE; preregister for art. Ages 3–5 with caregiver. Frye Art Museum, Seattle. fryemuseum.org Tot Shabbat. Gather with other families to celebrate with songs and snacks; play time after. 9:45–10:30 a.m. FREE. Ages 0–5 with caregiver. Stroum Jewish Community Center, Mercer Island. sjcc.org

Girls’ Day. During renovation, Seattle Asian Art Museum moves its Free First Saturday to Miller Community Center. This time experience the Japanese holiday Hinamatsuri, or Girls’ Day. 11 a.m.–2 p.m. FREE. Seattle. seattleartmuseum.org Polar Science Weekend. Pet polar bear fur, try on a survival suit and investigate the properties of ice. Friday–Sunday, March 3–5. Included with admission. Pacific Science Center, Seattle. paciﬁcsciencecenter.org

Conservatory Story Hour. Turn up for stories and crafts amid the verdant surroundings. 11 a.m. Suggested donation $3. Ages 3–8 with caregiver. W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, Tacoma. seymourconservatory.org We Are All Here Concert. Students in community arts program present a culminating performance alongside Seattle Symphony musicians. 7–8:30 p.m. FREE. Benaroya Hall, Seattle. pathwithart.org

Tugboat Story Time. Get your sea legs on and board a tugboat for stories and fun. Second and fourth Thursdays of the month, 11 a.m.–noon. FREE. Ages 2–5 with caregiver. Center for Wooden Boats, Seattle. cwb.org ONGOING EVENT Into the West. A mysterious white horse called Tir Na n’Og enters the lives of a family on the coast of Ireland in this suspenseful drama. Through March 19. $22–$40. Ages 9 and up. Seattle Children’s Theatre. sct.org

It’s Time to Wake Up, Bear. Join a park ranger to discover how and why some critters sleep through winter. 10–11 a.m. FREE; preregister. Lake Hills Greenbelt Ranger Station, Bellevue. bellevuewa.gov Visit Old McDebbie’s Farm. Explore the Eye Spy trail, play area, exotic and domestic animals; plus ride a pony, visit a wallaby or catch a fish for an extra fee. Friday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. $6 farm entry. Spanaway. oldmcdebbiesfarm.net

St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Irish Festival. Get your green on and celebrate Irish pride; any heritage welcome. 12:30 p.m. FREE. Parade along Fourth Ave. toward Seattle Center, where Irish Fest takes place (Saturday–Sunday). irishclub.org Dino Weekend. Dig into paleontology and find clues from dino teeth, bones, poop and more. Saturday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Purchase timed tickets in advance. The Burke Museum of History and Culture, Seattle. burkemuseum.org

Storybook Corner. Cozy up for story time and nurture a love of books in the little ones. Wednesday, 10:30–11 a.m. FREE. Ages 1–5 with adult. Island Books, Mercer Island. mercerislandbooks.com ONGOING EVENT Lil’ Diggers Playtime. This giant, indoor sandbox is perfect for rainy day play. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday; 9:30–11 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. $8. Ages 5 and under. Sandbox Sports, Seattle. sandboxsports.net ONGOING EVENT

Family Nature Class. Science-based exploration and outdoor play. Thursday–Saturday, 9:30–11:30 a.m. $18 per adult/child pair; preregister. Ages 2–5 with caregiver. Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle. botanicgardens.uw.edu ONGOING EVENT Music with Marco. Marco Cortes shares songs and stories in English and Spanish. Thursday, 1 p.m. and Sunday, noon. Included with admission. Ages 1–10 with families. Imagine Children’s Museum, Everett. imaginecm.org ONGOING EVENT

Sewing Stuﬀed Fruit and Veggie Friends. Stop by the Maker Space to craft some unusual stuﬃes. Friday–Saturday, March 17–18, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Included with admission. Hands On Children’s Museum, Olympia. hocm.org Blarney Bash. Wear your green for a treasure hunt, lucky magic show with Louie Foxx and more. 6:30–8 p.m. $5. Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center, Seattle. seattle.gov/parks

ParentMap North Camp Fair. Browse oodles of summer camp options and ask questions of camp providers. 10 a.m.–1 p.m. FREE; RSVP to be eligible to win prizes. Shoreline Community College. parentmap.com/campfair Family STEAM Day. Explore robotic vehicles building with Lego Mindstorms. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. p.m. Included with admission. LeMay – America’s Car Museum, Tacoma. americascarmusuem.org

Toddler Gym. Seattle’s neighborhood community centers have eliminated fees from most drop-in programs, including toddler play times. Monday–Saturday, various times. FREE. Ages 5 and under with caregiver. Seattle. seattle.gov/parks ONGOING EVENT Story Time for Kids. Get comfy and listen great new and classic stories 11 a.m. FREE. Ages 1–5 with caregiver. University Bookstore, Mill Creek. ubookstore.com ONGOING EVENT

Kaleidoscope Play and Learn. Meet and play with other families. Thursday, 10:30–noon. FREE. Ages 0–5 with caregiver. Third Place Commons, Lake Forest Park. thirdplacecommons.org ONGOING EVENT Stories Alive. Kids become a part of the story We’re Going on a Bear Hunt at this interactive story time. 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Included with admission. Ages 1–6 with families. Imagine Children’s Museum, Everett. imaginecm.org

Baby Jam. Multilingual movement and percussion class for tots. Friday, 10:30 or 11:15 a.m. $12. Ages 0–5 with caregiver. Balance Studio, Seattle. babyjam.net ONGOING EVENT Family Movie Night: Finding Dory. Cozy up on your blankets and pillows for a Friday night feature. 7 p.m. FREE. Film rated PG. Lakewood Community Center. piercecountywa.org

ParentMap South Sound Camp Fair. Meet and chat with dozens of South Sound-area summer camp providers. 10 a.m.–1 p.m. FREE; RSVP to be eligible to win prizes. All ages. STAR Center, Tacoma. parentmap.com/campfair A Year with Frog and Toad. Kids love this musical version of the sweet story of a friendship wending its way through the seasons. Saturday–Sunday, March 25–April 15. $10. Ages 5–12; Sunday shows are all ages. SecondStory Repertory, Redmond. secondstoryrep.org

Moisture Festival Comedy/Varieté. Musicians, acrobats, comedians and can’t-be-categorized performers present amazing variety shows. March 16–April 9. $11–$25. Most shows all ages; see website. Hale’s Palladium, Seattle. moisturefestival.com Boardwalk Stroll at Shadow Lake Bog. Go on a self-guided, half-mile walk through this fascinating bog preserve. Daily during daylight hours. FREE; donations accepted. Shadow Lake Nature Preserve, Renton. shadowhabitat.org

SkyMania Toddler Time. Let preschoolers burn off morning energy. Tuesday–Thursday, 10–11:30 a.m. $5. Ages 5 and under. SkyMania Trampolines, Kirkland. skymaniatrampolines.com ONGOING EVENT Seedfolks. A girl plants a few seeds in an abandoned city lot and grows much more than a handful of beans in this one-woman show. March 23–April 16. $22–$40. Ages 8 and up. Seattle Children’s Theatre. sct.org

Seattle Center Whirligig! Find tons of inflatables, balloon artists and more awesome kid stuff. Daily, March 31–April 16, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. $8/day pass; $4.50/toddler zone; $1.50/single ride; Thursdays FREE. Ages 12 and under. Seattle Center Armory. seattlecenter.com Alice in Wonderland. Last weekend to catch this whimsical, world-premiere adaptation of the classic tale. March 17–April 2. $13–$19. All ages. Olympia Family Theater. olyft.org

Seattle Center Whirligig! March 31–April 16

parentmap.com • March 2017 • 21

out + about

MARCH IS FOR

MUD PLAY Kids are right — puddle jumping and mud play are not just fun, they’re good for you

22 • March 2017 • parentmap.com

By Rachel McClary

“SPLODGIAMUS!”

my daughter shouts, pointing a stick at her sister, who picks up a clump of mud with her shovel and dumps it into a plastic cauldron mounted inside an old tire. Dipping their pots into the cauldron and dropping in more mud to thicken it, they decide it’s a dark potion with magical properties — it can make you run really fast. Mud is my kids’ favorite play material; even my teenage daughter has been known to revel in it. On a trip to the park last March, she discovered a boggy patch of grass, kicked off her shoes and socks, and started wading. Her friends followed, rolling their jeans up to their knees. I watched them, remembering my childhood excursions to a muddy beach near home: The mixed sensations of disgust and pleasure as the mud oozed between my toes were unexpectedly satisfying. Life in the rainy Puget Sound region makes mud encounters a regular occurrence. Parents avoid it, while kids typically relish squelching around in it. It turns out that kids are right: Mud is not only one of the most equitable play materials out there — easily accessible to children around the world — but it’s also good for children’s health and development. In March, when rain and mud flow freely around Puget Sound, put on your boots and make the most of this muddy season.

exposure to the bacteria, viruses and parasites typically found in mud and soil, may be more likely to develop allergies and asthma. Other studies, including a 2016 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, report that children raised on farms are significantly less likely to develop asthma than children who are not. A 2010 study by Northwestern University in Chicago, following thousands of children in the Philippines over 21 years, reports that when children are exposed to germs and pathogens during infancy, their risk of developing cardiovascular inflammation and autoimmune diseases in adulthood is reduced. Surprisingly, outdoor activities such as playing in mud may also improve eyesight. Longitudinal studies from the Children of the ’90s project in the United Kingdom found that children who spend more time outdoors at age 8 are less likely to become nearsighted by the age of 15. Children’s mental health also gets a boost from dirt and mud play. A study from the U.K., jointly conducted by Bristol University and University College London, found that the friendly bacteria in soil activates neurons responsible for producing the brain chemical serotonin — which is a natural mood stabilizer. A 2004 study from the American Journal of Public Health reported that ADHD symptoms lessened in children within minutes of seeing green spaces.

How mud play boosts health

Squish, shape, imagine, play

Playing in mud isn’t just fun, it boosts health: Research shows that it strengthens the body’s immune system. According to the “hygiene hypothesis,” first proposed by epidemiologist David Strachan in 1989, children raised in extremely clean environments, who have little

so children can practice science and math by exploring its properties, experimenting, manipulating and navigating. I’ve seen preschool-age children, for example, dig trenches in the mud patch to make water flow from one hole to another. They work together to determine the best place to dig and change plans if it doesn’t turn out as expected. As an open-ended, creative material, mud also stimulates artistic expression and imagination. Plus, while kids are squishing around outdoors, they naturally challenge themselves to become more adventurous. And as one of the most basic elements of the earth, mud allows children to develop an appreciation for the environment as they experience its diversity.

More mud >>

As children like my daughters know instinctively, mud is a wonderful, openended material for play and learning. During unstructured, outdoor play, children form ideas, solve problems and think critically. Mud is an abundant and cost-free material, parentmap.com • March 2017 • 23

Presented by Bellevue Parks & Community Services Bellevue Youth Theatre

out + about

MUD PLAY continued from page 23

Favorite mud activities March 17–26, 2017

Bellevue Youth Theatre 16051 NE 10th Street, Bellevue Presented by Bellevue Parks & Community Services Bellevue Youth Theatre

A mud kitchen is an outside version of the indoor play kitchen but more fun as you can make sloppy concoctions without worrying about the mess. Mud kitchens do not have to be complicated or expensive. Our first was made with planks of wood balanced on a stack of bricks, with a collection of pots, pans and utensils collected from neighbors. Our current setup doubles as a potion station, with a large plastic cauldron inside a tire, an old play kitchen, and kitchen utensils and pans hanging from a tree trunk. An old piece of furniture is also a good base or you can create something from pallets, tires or crates. Place it near a water source for additional fun.

PHOTO COURTESY MARY RIVKIN / MAKING A MUD KITCHEN

Build a mud kitchen

Dig trenches and pathways Designate an area where children can dig with shovels to create trenches and pathways. Give them buckets of water to make a muddy river.

Small-world play

March 31–April 9, 2017

Advance tickets: $12. After March 13 tickets for The Ugly Duckling will be $15. After March 27 tickets for The Little Mermaid will be $15. All seats are reserved and we do sell out. Buying your tickets early is highly recommended.

For group rates and special pricing, show information or tickets, call Sheila Framke at the BYT Box Office, 425-452-7155.

Use mud for art Painting with mud works well on all kinds of surfaces, including paper, cardboard, plastic sheeting or even on the ground. Try other art activities: Make muddy footprints, mold mud into sculptures or make patterns with a stick and natural materials.

Make mud faces on trees Kids can stick wet mud onto a tree trunk and decorate it with a face shape using seeds, petals, leaves and sticks. When dry, the faces will remain on the tree.

24 • March 2017 • parentmap.com

PHOTO COURTESY RACHEL MCCLARY / RACHEL MCCLARY.COM

Bellevue Youth Theatre 16051 NE 10th Street, Bellevue

Kids can create a swamp for toy dinosaurs by pouring water onto a dirt patch or adding lots of water to the sand in a sand box. The dinosaurs can make muddy footprints as they stomp around. Make a building site for toy cars and trucks, and drive them through the mud to make tracks.

Parks and trails for puddle jumping Of course, the simplest way to experience mud is to find (or make) a mud puddle, throw off your shoes and step in, feeling it ooze between your toes. If you would like to venture a little farther than your neighborhood, here are some great March destinations for muddy explorations. Golden Gardens Park, Ballard With two wetlands, trails, hikes and a beach, this northwest Seattle park abounds with muddy encounters. Walk along the trail and take a bucket and spade to dig in the sand, or kick up some mud in the grassy area in the northern end of the park.

Farrel-McWhirter Farm Park, Redmond

foothills. Trails are abundant, or kids can play in the mud along the river’s edge. If you are feeling more adventurous, stay overnight at the campground, which has yurts and an ecofriendly camping cabin upcycled from an old shipping container.

Beaver Lake Park, Sammamish

You’ll find lots of mud around the stream or in the wide-open meadow at this park. It also includes a children’s animal farm, a horse arena and multiuse trails. The farm is open yearround from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Beaver Lake is a favorite for dog walkers and nature lovers. Sit along the edge of the lake and dig in the mud, stomp in the wet, grassy areas or walk along the muddy trail through the woods to the play park on the other side. Find trees for making mud faces; we’ve even spotted the odd fairy house or two.

Tolt MacDonald Park, Carnation

Mercer Slough, Bellevue

This 574-acre park sits at the confluence of the Snoqualmie and Tolt rivers in the Snoqualmie Valley. A 500-foot suspension foot bridge crosses the Snoqualmie River and offers terrific views of the river and Cascade

C A M P S

Mercer Slough is the largest of Lake Washington’s freshwater wetlands. Walk the wetland trails, spot some of the 170 species of wildlife, stop at the visitor center or even take a canoe along the water trail.

Boeing Creek Park, Shoreline This lovely and wild park on the south side of Hidden Lake offers 36 acres of woodlands and streams. Walk the trails, cross over the creek on the stepping-stones, explore the water retention ponds or the banks of the babbling brook and make your way to the lake. All will be abundant with mud during March.

Visit a working farm You can always find a muddy encounter on a farm and, as a bonus, you can discover how vital mud is for agricultural production. Some U-pick farms, such as Garden Treasures in Arlington, open in late spring, and farms such as Oxbow Farm in Carnation and Seattle Tilth’s farms and gardens offer children’s parties, field trips and children’s education programs. Rachel McClary is a writer, early education consultant and mother to three girls. Visit her blog at rachelmcclary.com.

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raising kind

Embracing failure

How mistakes boost motivation and learning By Malia Jacobson

ate-fall light streamed through my minivan’s windshield as I approached the school pickup line, eager to hear about my first-grader’s day. But when she climbed into her booster seat, clambering past her two younger siblings in their car seats, her small face trembled with accusatory rage. “I didn’t get to check out a book at the school library,” she said. Why? “Because YOU forgot to put my last book in my backpack this morning.” I sat quietly, feeling a momentary swell of parental shame. That’s right — it was Library Day. I let out a breath. “I’m sorry, honey. That must have been hard. But remembering to return a library book is your responsibility.” Predictably, she didn’t agree. But I held my ground: With a new baby in the family, I simply couldn’t stay on top of the school library books she was checking out. So, she had to — and, over time, she did. With the help of a designated spot for library books in her room and handwritten reminder notes, she remembered to throw last week’s book into her backpack on the day it was due, her face beaming with hard-earned pride. While at that time I felt guilty, I unwittingly gave my child a gift, and it’s one that’s gaining ground as a highly valued learning tool: the gift of failure.

What failure fosters New research shows that childhood failures pave the way for a successful adulthood (if only I’d known this on Library Day). Failure teaches kids about perseverance, creativity, resilience and motivation in ways that nothing else can, says

Jessica Lahey, New York Times best-selling author of The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. Kids who aren’t allowed to fail won’t develop perseverance, adds Angela Duckworth, a University of Pennsylvania researcher who wrote the well-known Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. It turns out grit is more strongly linked to success than IQ, good looks or physical health, says Duckworth. Kids who are protected from failure by a parent who swoops in to the rescue by, say, handdelivering a late homework assignment or demanding that a teacher change a poor grade wind up without the perseverance needed to succeed. Failure is so central to learning that the Girl Scouts of America began a recent PSA with a message about being “prepared to fall down, get back up and go for it.” That message “is central to what Girl Scouts is all about,” says Stefanie Ellis, spokesperson for Girl Scouts of Western Washington. “We want girls to discover what they’re passionate about, and [that] that comes with challenges and pitfalls. How those challenges are handled is paramount to success.” Though I didn’t know it at the time, the library book experience provided a near ideal platform for early learning about failure. The stakes were relatively low: A couple of late fines for early readers wouldn’t keep my daughter out of college. Plus, she had weekly opportunities to repeat the experience, along with the lesson, because if she failed to remember her books one week, she could try again the next.

Raising

q KIND Join us in #kindfulness Finding time (and mind) for the things that matter most — from connecting with family to engaging in meaningful work to contributing to the community — is a daily struggle. Yet we know how important it is to our readers. That’s why ParentMap is embarking on a year-long conversation to explore how families and schools can nurture empathy, mindfulness and kindness. We’ll look at research, share tools and practices and listen to your stories and questions.

parentmap.com/raisingkind

Like many of life’s lessons, failure’s learning value is enhanced by repetition, so allowing children to experience small failures, like forgetting a lunch box or flubbing an assignment due date, sends the message that failures aren’t catastrophic, says Tacoma-based psychotherapist Kent Hoffman, co-author of Raising a Secure Child. Kids can always try again. And for parents who are tempted to turn into knights in shining armor, the message is even simpler. As Lahey of The Gift of Failure puts it: “Every rescue is a lesson lost.”

How failure boosts motivation When parents struggle to embrace failure as a natural part of learning, kids notice. According to Stanford researchers Kyla Haimovitz and Carol S. Dweck, parents’ beliefs about failure help shape kids’ motivation to learn. Their 2016 study found that children could accurately determine whether their parents viewed failure as a setback or an opportunity. These beliefs influenced kids’ intelligence mindsets, defined as their beliefs about their own potential for learning and growth. The researchers theorize that when parents focus on performance and ability (or the lack thereof) instead of on learning, children tend to believe that their own potential is limited. That drains motivation to learn. Children who parentmap.com • March 2017 • 31

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raising kind

NOW ENROLLING!

Embracing failure continued from page 31 view smarts as something they grow instead of something they’re given tend to approach obstacles more creatively. When one strategy doesn’t work, they’ll devise another and try again. Emphasizing results over effort sidesteps the sometimes messy process of creatively approaching a problem, which subtracts the learning value from the equation, says Lahey. That’s why dangling carrots in the form

of rewards or bribes is ineffective and even counterproductive. “Extrinsic motivators, or motivators that come from outside, undermine motivation,” says Lahey. “Kids who are rewarded for creative activities produce less creative products and are less invested in the endeavor.” n Malia Jacobson is an award-winning health and parenting journalist and mom of three who contributes regularly to more than 90 national and regional publications.

how to make failure matter Raising resilient, motivated kids who bounce back from failure isn’t easy, but it is possible, with these expert strategies.

Check yourself — In order to let kids fail, parents may first need to get over their own fear of being judged, says Susan Smith Kuczmarski, Ed.D., author of Becoming a Happy Family. Yes, you might be the parent who sends a coatless child to school on a cold day, but your child’s long-term emotional resilience is worth a few disapproving glances. (And he’ll likely remember that coat the next time.)

Acknowledge your own failures — When parents strive for perfection themselves, children pick up on their anxiety, says Tacomabased psychotherapist Kent Hoffman, co-author of Raising a Secure Child. “Establish a rule of thumb that when mistakes do happen — yours or your child’s — you’ll learn from them and move on.”

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Prioritize connection — When we show kids that mistakes are OK, they learn that they don’t live on a flat world; even if they fail, there’s no way to fall off, says Hoffman. After a slip-up (yours or theirs), prioritize reconnecting and repairing the relationship. “The more our children can trust in our commitment to them, the more they can trust that mistakes are part of being loved,” Hoffman says.

Emphasize effort — Encourage motivation and creativity by breaking the habit of rewarding results. Instead of “No screen time until you’ve fixed the mistakes on that worksheet,” try “Give that homework your best effort for 45 minutes, and then we’ll take a break.”

Focus on your long-term parenting goals — Parenting is a long-haul job. “Stop being so stressed out and anxious about this homework assignment, this soccer game,” says Jessica Lahey, New York Times best-selling author of The Gift of Failure. “Sometimes, difficult decisions about approaching failure are easier if you think in terms of long-term goals of competence and learning.”

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MARCH 2017

R AY S O F R A D I A N C E

by Rakan AlDuaij - 2016 Photo Contest Winner

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The rise of the science fair Why it may be just what STEM needs By Rebecca Hill

An estimated 10 million students in the United States participate in science fairs every year, according to Kenneth Hess, CEO of Science Buddies, a nonprofit that provides online science learning tools, including science fair project ideas (sciencebuddies.org). Unfortunately, 10 million is a mere 5.5 percent of our nation’s 54.8 million K–12 students, which might explain why science fairs are “lagging,” as The New York Times described it in a 2011 article. Of course, not everyone thinks science fairs are on the way out. Gayle Kansagor, chief communications officer at the Society for Science and the Public (societyforscience.org), says in her experience, national science fairs are on the upswing. “We estimate that the number of students in the U.S. and U.S. territories competing in our network of affiliated science fairs is 157,000, with about 65,000 of these students competing at a high school level,” Kansagor says. “Our participation data from the last three years remains steady.” The society regularly puts on three science competitions: the Regeneron Science Talent Search

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n 1931, students from Long Island’s Newton High School won first place in the American Institute’s Children’s Science Fair. Their project: “The Work of a Tree.” The exhibit featured a diorama of a large dogwood tree divided into four seasons. Each seasonal section showed a part of the tree’s life cycle. Eighty-five years later, teenager Naveena Bontha of Hanford High School in Richland, Washington, won top prizes in three of the world’s largest science fairs: the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the 2016 Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology, and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Her project: to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. She created inexpensive coatings that acted like sunglasses for windows, reducing energy loss while also blocking infrared light. What a difference 85 years makes.

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(student.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts), the Broadcom MASTERS (student.societyforscience. org/broadcom-masters) and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (student.societyfor science.org/intel-isef). Of course, tracking participation numbers for such large national and international fairs is much easier than figuring out how many local, regional and state science fairs happen in any given year. For those types of fairs, there’s really no way to get an accurate count, says Hess. Despite their long history in the American education system, very little research has been done on science fairs.

The return of the science fair Fairs look very different than they did just a few decades ago, says Sarah Scripps, a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. Scripps’ dissertation, “Science Fairs Before Sputnik” (scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/3053), argued that science fairs shaped an adolescent scientific culture that continues to impact us today. The first science fair was called The Children’s Fair and was held in 1928 at the American

Institute in New York City. Its goal: Connect students with nature. Science fairs steadily expanded from there, says Scripps. They began to include diverse scientific topics in physics, engineering, astronomy and biology. By the end of World War II, science fairs had a new purpose: Groom the scientists of the future. That goal isn’t so different from that of our modern STEM-centric world. Thanks to the influence of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) and STEAM (the “A” is for arts), science fairs are poised for a resurgence, says Scripps. Adding fuel to the fire is a broader transition at work: We’re changing how we teach science. Historically, American science teachers have done well teaching children about the multifaceted, ever-changing world of science, says William McComas, Ph.D., a professor of science education at the University of Arkansas and a fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science. “But we haven’t done a good job of teaching students how knowledge is acquired in a scientific frame,” he says. “I am a huge advocate for helping students understand how knowledge is acquired in science.” And what’s a good way for kids to learn how that happens? You guessed it: a science fair. Students need to learn how science is conducted in the real world, according to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Created by a team of research experts and through EDITOR’S NOTE: Science, technology, robotics, engineering, art and math: In our schools and communities, there is more demand than ever for STREAM. Yet only about a third of eighth-graders score “proficient” in math and science. In this ongoing series, sponsored this month by Camp Invention, we’ll explore how schools and organizations are approaching STREAM in new, gamechanging ways.

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stream The rise of the science fair continued from page 35 end-of-year assessments took too much time from state-led efforts, the NGSS provide a framework Allender requires science fair participation for her that describes how science should be taught in classroom learning; and — perhaps most telling — STEM lab concentration class. She even makes our schools; they treat science not only as a body they felt unprepared to teach the inquiry method. the fair project 15 percent of the grade in her AP of knowledge, but as an evidence-based process. Creating standards such as the NGSS could help psychology course. With the NGSS as a framework, each state can even out such inconsistency, but, as of January To help her students navigate the fair, adopt or adapt the standards for use in its schools. 2017, only 18 states and the District of Columbia Allender helps edit research plans and write Because previous standards don’t take into had adopted the NGSS. The good news: Among scientific abstracts; she also sets check-ins account major advancements in science as they those adopters is Washington state. throughout the semester. Her students begin happen, the NGSS marry changing science content researching their topics during the summer Your local fair to the goal of improving a student’s ability to and once school starts, they do research at the Kate Allender is a science and psychology teacher compete in this world of science and technology. University of Washington. at Tesla STEM High School in Redmond. Unlike The standards do this by teaching students how to Of course, as any parent will tell you, it’s many teachers, including many at Tesla STEM, ask questions, conduct investigations, rarely just the student who gets track and analyze data and ultimately involved in a science fair project. design solutions. In other words, Tiffany Pitts’ kids go to Cascade they are the same standards by which K-8 Community School, a public judges rate projects at a science fair. STEAM school in Shoreline. The But not all states have approved Google Science Fair — An online Intel International Science science fair is a big deal at Cascade, the NGSS, and that means science science competition open to and Engineering Fair — For says Pitts; every child is expected to students ages 13–18. TOP PRIZE: high school students who qualify education standards remain a mixed participate. $50,000 first at an affiliated fair. TOP bag across the country. Research PRIZE: $50,000 in scholarships “One year we tested all sorts shows that such inconsistency hurts IN WASHINGTON STATE of materials to see which ones students. In 2012, the Program for Regeneron Science Talent Washington State Science Search — For high school seniors conducted electricity, ” Pitts says International Student Assessment and Engineering Fair (WSSEF) only. TOP PRIZE: $250,000 of her kids’ entries. Last year, her took the educational performance — For Washington resident students in grades 1 through of 15-year-olds in the U.S. and son chose an experiment that he Broadcom MASTERS — For 12. Winners of WSSEF proceed sixth- through eighth-graders measured it against the international could do on his own (a welcome to the Intel International who qualify first at an affiliated educational systems in 34 other relief for Pitts). “He found the Science and Engineering fair. TOP PRIZE: $25,000 countries. The U.S. ranked 20th for experiment online and was able to Fair. TOP PRIZE: More than Siemens Competition in Math, $1 million in total prize and science education. tweak it to his needs without a lot Science and Technology — Teachers, meanwhile, remain scholarship money of help,” she says. High school student competition. skeptical of teaching scientific Students also get a lot of support Imagine Tomorrow — TOP PRIZE: $100,000 scholarship inquiry, which an authentic practice Sponsored by Washington from teachers, adds Pitts. “Our Junior Science and Humanities State University with a focus of science heavily relies upon. A teachers are really dynamite at Symposium — A high school on environmental science 2015 study by researchers at the walking the kids through all steps,” competition that is in collaboration and engineering. TOP PRIZES: University of North Carolina and she says. with the U.S. Department of $300–$400 Belmont Abbey College surveyed Defense. REGIONAL WINNERS go Another benefit of the fair: By 275 middle school and high school Student Bio Expo — A to a national competition. allowing kids to do this kind of biotechnology fair for high science teachers from four North International BioGENEius work on their own, they learn that school students sponsored by Carolina school districts about their Challenge — For high school the Northwest Association for it’s OK to make mistakes, says Sarina attitudes toward teaching science students who are interested in Biomedical Research. Behar Natkin, MSW, a Seattle-based inquiry. In general, the teachers biotechnology. State, national parent coach. and international fair hosted by believed that the inquiry method was “They have a greater ability to deal the Biotechnology Institute. “an important effective component TOP PRIZE: $7,500 with setbacks that will come to them of science teaching,” but a majority of all through life without you having the teachers did not teach inquiry. to come and fix it,” she says. Behar Why? They felt it took too much Natkin experienced this herself when time to develop effective lesson her sixth-grade daughter recently did plans; they were reluctant to teach a project based on the work of famed inquiry because of classroom size;

a fair near you

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But is it enough?

Rebecca Hill is a freelance writer who lives in Zionsville, Indiana, and is the mother of two high school boys.

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Still, many are concerned that science fairs won’t allow students to learn as much content as a curriculum requires. McComas, however, makes the case for depth rather than breadth. “A science fair is a pageant of expertise,” he says. “I think that you can do the type of coverage that a teacher desires and the curriculum demands while also giving students the chance to learn a massive amount on their own about how science functions.” Plus, once a student learns the scientific inquiry process, she can apply it elsewhere when learning science, McComas explains. As a science teacher, “You have to keep coming back to the inquiry process, and we have to keep teaching it,” he says. But if schools are teaching science inconsistently from school to school, the inquiry process suffers. A 2014 case study done at Portland State

University demonstrated such inconsistencies. The study found that 31 percent of students often didn’t fully understand the inquiry process related to their science fair project. They had difficulty writing a research plan, collecting, managing or presenting data or conducting an investigation. In addition, though they found working with coaches and mentors helpful, 34 percent said there was a “lack of support” from teachers, facilitators and coaches during the process. Julia Betts, author of the case study, says that obviously, there’s still plenty of room to improve when it comes to teaching inquiry-based learning. “I found in examining inquiry-based learning [that] science fair participating was mandatory for some, and voluntary for other students,” says Betts, who is now the STEM center manager at Portland Community College. Betts would like to see more science fairs and, ideally, a standardized system. Such changes may help address the kinds of concerns students voiced in her case study. “Science fairs carry immense potential for supporting successful inquiry-based learning in alignment with the NGSS,” she says. McComas agrees. He strongly believes that the science fair experience is something that should be required for all students. “We want all learners to understand the pageant of science, its process and rules of science. . . . That is why the science fair is irreplaceable.” n

inventor Rube Goldberg; students had to come up with their own Goldbergesque plan. “[My daughter] had an idea and started her own work on it,” says Behar Natkin. “She was very proud and excited about it — and she did it all herself.” Of course, science fairs can also put us parents in a difficult situation; we don’t want our children to feel overwhelmed or to fail. In such cases, rely on scientific inquiry yourself, advises Behar Natkin. Testing a hypothesis, breaking a project into parts and developing solutions are all valuable lessons whether they relate to science or not. “I think that science fairs bring the real world to life, instead of just learning it in a book,” she says. “There’s huge value in that.”

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