Kids VT, November 2011

around with our cover toys

month. Most were collected from our staff, others were generously lent to us by Barge

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

Copublisher Colby Roberts colby@kidsvt.com ext. 77

Copublisher/Executive Editor Cathy Resmer cathy@kidsvt.com ext. 74

Creative Director Don Eggert don@kidsvt.com ext. 71

Managing Editor Kate Laddison kate@kidsvt.com ext. 73

Director of Marketing & Events Corey Grenier corey@kidsvt.com ext. 76

Account Executive Kaitlin Montgomery kaitlin@kidsvt.com ext. 72

P.O. Box 1184 Burlington, VT 05402 802-985-5482 kidsvt.com

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Copy Editors Margot Harrison

Megan James

Paula Routly

Proofreaders Meredith Coeyman

Janice Obuchowski

Production Manager John James

Lead Designer Brooke Bousquet

Designers Celia Hazard

Rev. Diane Sullivan

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Office Manager Cheryl Brownell

Contributing Writers: Nancy Stearns Bercaw, Victoria Brown, Dan Bolles, Kristin Fletcher, Anaïs Mitchell, Cindy Morgan, Ken Picard, Ana Ruesink, Lindsay J. Westley

Photographers: Jim Deschler, Andy Duback, Matthew Thorsen

Illustrators: Thomas James, Rev. Diane Sullivan

Cover image: Matthew Thorsen

Photographer Matt Thorsen played

this

Canal

in

Early Head Start and Head Start are national programs that provide services to families with children ages 0–5. Services include: education, health, nutrition, me ntal health, and social services that help families and children to grow and to do well in school and in life.

Early Head Start and Head Start help parents to take the lead role in their child’s learning and development, to be their child’s first teacher, and to build positive family relationships CVHS also provides services for children with special needs, including those with severe disabilities, and helps families to find transportation services

Early Head Start serves pregnant women and families with children from birth to 3 years of age Head Start serves families with children 3 to 5 years of age. Services are free for all eligible families, though some childcare fees may apply in childcare centers in which Head Start services are provided.

Fisher-Priceless

WHEN I WAS A KID, one of my favorite toys was a Fisher-Price castle. My younger brother, sister and I would lie on our bellies for hours on the livingroom rug, flinging Little People o the spring-coiled flagpole and trapping unsuspecting woodsmen in the secret chamber under the stairs.

That castle stood the test of time, too. My dad still has it tucked away in a closet, and a second generation of kids now draws the bridge. Fond memories of those old-school FisherPrice moments motivated me to search Ebay last Christmas for retro toys my son Oliver might enjoy.

That nostalgia inspired this year’s gift guide (page 18.) Knowing how strongly grown-ups can feel about the toys of their youth, Nancy Stearns Bercaw trolled local retail outlets to find contemporary equivalents of the dolls, games and books we loved so much.

That Little People castle will be back on the living room floor when my brothers and sisters gather for Thanksgiving at my dad’s house this year. He battled some heart issues recently, so we’re all thankful for the opportunity to share another dinner at his table.

Kids VT dads share their thoughts on thanks, too, in “Go Ask Dad” on page 16.

Big, end-of-year celebrations can be stressful for separated and blended families. Our story about the COPE class (page 22), a court-ordered “session” for divorcing Vermont couples, includes advice parents shouldn’t forget in the holiday crush: Stay focused on your kids. Kids VT endorses that lesson, too: Find time to get down on the floor and play with your little people.

— Kate Laddison Managing Editor

Some of this month’s Kids VT contributors:

Nancy Stearns Bercaw (“Toys Were Us”) is a freelance writer who penned last year’s award-winning gift guide for Kids VT. In April 2013, Broadstone Books will publish her book, Brain in a Jar, about her neurologist father’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Nancy lives in Burlington with her husband, Allan Nicholls, and their son, David.

Victoria Brown (“Use Your Words”) is a freshman at BFA-Fairfax. This essay about hosting Chinese exchange students is her publishing debut. Congratulations, Victoria! Welcome to the club.

Anaïs Mitchell (“Because Project”) is a singer-songwriter who grew up in rural Addison County. She has produced five albums — four of them, including the soundtrack to her rock opera Hadestown, are on Ani DiFranco’s record label, Righteous Babe Records. Her latest album, Young Man in America, came out on her own Wilderland Records earlier this year.

Intimate, comfortable and confident. The Copley Birthing Center gives our moms and babies the kind of care that only a small, family oriented facility can offer. From our homey décor of cozy quilts and soothing earth tones to the comfy, hand-made knitted caps we give to each new arrival, our family of doctors, nurses and midwives provide our moms and newborns with a very personal level of support, both physically and emotionally.

READERS RESPOND Color Me Happy

Attached is my son’s “Octoweenie” coloring contest picture.

We were at Essex Pediatrics on a Sunday afternoon. My son Jason had been sick for five days already and was running a high fever, was very lightheaded, could hardly walk, was whiter than a ghost, etc. I picked up one of your newspapers and starting thumbing through it while waiting for the doctor. When I pointed out the coloring contest page to Jason, he became very excited and definitely wanted to participate.

As a mom, just that moment of him showing signs of life over something — anything — was delightful!

Thank you!

COLORING CONTEST

Kids sure do love Halloween. What other explanation — other than candy-fueled creativity — could account for last month’s record number of coloring-contest entries? Thanks for 139 sweet and spooky cephalopods.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

PURR-FECT PURPLE OCTO-CAT

“Octopus”

Lea Wetzel, 10, Milton

BEST SPOOKED FACE

“Super Octopus!”

Noah Cueto, 12, St. Albans

WILDEST WIG

Congratulations to the KidsVT-sponsored Greater Burlington Girls Soccer League teams on a successful fall 2012 season.

Lisa J. Vanat Burlington

“Superfloating Alien”

Emily Deibler, 10, Essex Junction

BOLDEST BRAIN

“Frankenbrain”

January Simpson, 11, Montpelier

PRICELESS PATCHWORK

“Color Changing Octopus”

Maejeannette LaVallee, 11, Winooski

TRANSFORMATIVE TRICKS

“When Aliens Trick-or-Treat”

Bryan Ford, 10, South Burlington

STUPENDOUS SUCTION CUPS

“Going Trick or Treating Under the Sea”

Mason Tirrito, 6, St. Albans

MOST UNEXPECTED PATTERN

“Patty the Plaid Octopus”

Maeve McCullagh, 8, Colchester

TOP TIGER-STRIPED TREATER

“Trick or Treat”

Callie Tomlinson, 7, Georgia

FABULOUS FREESTYLE

“Skeleton Spooky”

Addison Smith, 5, Shelburne

CRAZY-COOL CLASH OF COLORS

“Spooky Puss”

Aubrey Verdon, 4, Williamstown

AWESOME ARMS

“Trick or Treat”

Ella Collins, 4, Barre Town

TOP TITLES

“Moaaaaaaaaaaa (Evil Laugh)”

Creed Stilwell, 8, Lincoln

“The Halloween Miracle”

Soni Laughlin, 8, Burlington

“Octo” ber “Pus”

Sela Joy Baker, 3, Jericho

These winners get $25 from TD Bank.

4 and under

Enzo Napolitano, 4 BURLINGTON

“Trick-or-Treating With Detective Octopus”

Samantha Wilkinson, 8 SOUTH BURLINGTON

5 to 8 9 to

Emma Lowry, 9 BURLINGTON “Octovamp”

THE BEAT

BY DAN BOLLES, MIKE GARRIS AND KATE LADDISON

FITNESS

Jump Start

Kids at St. Albans City elementary school swung into action last month, demonstrating for Governor Peter Shumlin the hula skills they’ve honed for a new early-morning exercise program. Sta ed by the Greater Burlington YMCA and funded by a $25,000

MUSIC Jolly Rocker

grant from the Beverage Association of Vermont, the twice-weekly, 30-minute RISE ’N SHINE sessions start kids on the right foot by getting them moving before the bell rings. They also o er info on healthy food, a nutritional side dish to accompany the federally funded school breakfasts. Rise ’N Shine is already working — out — at Winooski’s JFK Elementary School and is scheduled to start up

Cap’n Jack Sparrow he ain’t. But as marauding swashbucklers go, Je ersonville’s Rockin’ Ron the Friendly Pirate does have a certain dashing, if hokey, charm about him. With his debut DVD, LIGHTS … CAMERA … RRR! MUSIC VIDEOS BY ROCKIN’ RON THE FRIENDLY PIRATE, the local children’s entertainer and would-be picaroon o ers a video companion to his 2010 CD, Give Me an RRR! The 10 songs here are culled from that rollicking album and, despite egregious overuse of the “RRR!” thing, comprise a genial collection of tunes that should amuse young buccaneers and keep parents from turning to Captain Morgan on repeated — and repeated and repeated — viewings. The DVD’s spare production value may seem waterlogged compared to slicker releases from, say, Ra . But if the eye-patch-wearing, sabre-rattling kids dancing a jig in the crowd are any indication, Rockin’ Ron’s silly shanties are indeed seaworthy.

LIGHTS … CAMERA … RRR! MUSIC VIDEOS BY ROCKIN’ RON THE FRIENDLY PIRATE

soon at the Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes in Burlington. The Y wants to see early morning Freeze Tag being played all over Vermont. Good thing the gov is game.

— K.L.

RISE ’N SHINE: In St. Albans on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:30-8 a.m., for kids in kindergarten to sixth grade. Offered in Winooski on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

TECHNOLOGY Pick the Loc

Looking for a nonviolent mobile game both you and your iPad-toting teen will enjoy? Download LOC, a devilishly tricky 3-D puzzler developed by Burlington-based Birnam Wood Games. The premise: You’ve been taken prisoner by the vengeful queen of the faeries, who wants to keep you in her kingdom. To escape,

you must solve the puzzles that lie between you and freedom. Loc is a simple, block-moving puzzle game. Players shift blocks to direct a stream of green energy from a starting point along a path to the finish tile. The puzzles get progressively more challenging as you advance. Downsides: The graphics are a little dark, and because you have to move blocks around each other, it can be cumbersome to arrange the board how you want. Still, Loc will gobble up your time and give you a great mental workout. Plus, it was made by

a group of Champlain College grads. Maybe it’ll inspire your kids to design games instead of just play them.

WINTER SPORTS Whoosh Come True

FIFTH GRADE PASSPORT PROGRAM: Passports are valid December 1 to May 1. Purchase online or by mailing a report card or birth certificate and a $10 processing fee to Ski Vermont, attention Fifth Grade Passport, P.O. Box 368, Montpelier, 05602. Info, skivermont.com.

There are so many reasons to love being 11 — and grade-school dominance is just one of them. In Vermont, every fifth grader skis for free. That’s right. The FIFTH GRADE PASSPORT PROGRAM provides coupon booklets containing free lift tickets and trail passes for young snow lovers good for up to 88 days of no-charge skiing and riding at Vermont’s alpine and Nordic resorts. There’s only one catch: accompaniment by an adult with a full-price lift ticket. Last year, 2400 middle schoolers hit the slopes courtesy of the program, which has a new, easyto-use online ordering system. There are worse things to get hooked on than downhill skiing in Vermont.

— K.L.

Dyslexia Story

Reading is rough when you’ve got dyslexia. That’s what motivated Vermont author Sean Plasse, who su ers from the learning disability, to write THE . With its phonetic spelling of “plaid,” the book aims to “turn reluctant readers into relentless ones,” according to the Facebook page for the book. Plasse’s brother Matt edited and financed the project. Appropriately, the story is of two young brothers on a quest to fish a remote trout hole in the Northeast Kingdom. Along the way, readers encounter the icons, vocabulary keys and phonetic spellings that make the written narrative dyslexic-friendly. It’s the Hardy Boys, but dressed in plaid and fighting through Green Mountain puckerbrush to land a brookie.

— K.L.

THE BROTHERS PLAD: by Watermelon Tourmaline, aka Sean Plasse, illustrated by Kevin Ruelle, self-published, 272 pages, $23.95. Info, thebrothersplad.com.

COURTESY OF BIRNAM WOOD GAMES

MoST pARenTS ToDAy ARe olD enough to remember the era when tonsillectomies — and their post-op promise of endless ice cream — were a routine part of childhood. No longer. These days, pediatricians try to avoid putting their young patients under the knife unless it’s essential.

What’s behind sore throats? Just in time for winter, Dr. Lewis First, chief of pediatrics at Vermont Children’s Hospital at Fletcher Allen Health Care, offers a tongue-depressor’s view of what can go wrong back there.

KIDS VT: What causes a sore throat? LEWIS FIRST: A sore throat represents an inflammation in the back of the throat, often in the tonsils or adenoids. What causes a sore throat is a germ setting up shop in the back of the throat.

KVT: What do the tonsils do?

LF: Basically, they help trap germs and prevent them from getting further into the system. Sometimes, when a lot of germs build up, the germs start winning and cause the tonsils to become inflamed — hence, tonsillitis. The same thing happens with the adenoids, which are tissues we don’t see at the back of the nose and above the throat. When those tissues become inflamed, it’s called adenoiditis.

KVT: Why are these problems more common in kids?

LF: For whatever reason, before the immune system matures, the tonsils and adenoids play a bigger role in protecting young patients than they do in adults. As we get older, our immune systems are more seasoned so we don’t need that initial line of defense as much as children do. That’s why we don’t immediately remove the tonsils.

KVT: How do the doctors decide if surgery is necessary?

LF: Given the protection tonsils provide, the goal is to weigh the risks and benefits. So if your child has recurrent sore throats — defined as seven episodes in a year, with kids missing a lot of school — that may warrant removing them. Often we remove the adenoids and tonsils at the same time. Obviously, if the tonsils get so swollen that the child experiences difficulty breathing, swallowing or sleeping due to persistent snoring, or they stop breathing for several seconds because

of an airway obstruction, those are reasons to remove them. With the adenoids, recurrent ear infections can also be the reason for removal. But we first try to treat the infection medically — not surgically.

KVT: What’s the best way to treat sore-throat symptoms?

LF: Rest, acetaminophen or ibuprofen, lots of hydration and usually in a day or two the swelling will go down. The concern is when the inflammation of the throat is due to a bacterial infection. That’s where strep throat may come into play.

KVT: Can you have strep and not even know it?

LF: Yes. About 20 percent of people will carry strep, not even knowing they have it, and pass it on to others. That’s why it’s so important for kids to wash their hands and not share eating utensils. If parents have any question about whether a sore throat is strep, their health care provider can usually do a rapid diagnostic test in the office and can tell with about 80 to 90 percent certainty.

KVT: How long is strep contagious?

LF: The good news is that after 24 hours of taking an antibiotic, kids are no longer contagious and can return to school. But parents still need to treat this infection for about 10 days. What you’re preventing are those long-term complications of the streptococcal bacteria.

KVT: Are there other throat viruses parents should know about?

KVT: When should parents suspect strep?

LF: A sore throat in the absence of other cold symptoms — along with fever, perhaps some belly pain — may point to a potential streptococcal — or strep — infection. It’s rare for strep to come with a runny nose.

KVT: Why is strep such a concern?

LF: Strep will actually get better without an antibiotic. The concern with strep is the complications that can follow an untreated infection include problems with the heart, kidney and joints, or what we call rheumatic fever. The reason we treat strep throat is not so much to take care of the sore throat but to prevent those complications.

LF: There’s a virus that causes ulcers or blisters in the back of the throat called Coxsackie. It can also cause blisters on the hand, foot and mouth. The other one is mononucleosis. If your child has the sore throat for at least a week, despite an antibiotic, or excessive fatigue and their glands are swollen, it may be mono. That illness can be verified with a simple blood test.

KVT: Does gargling with saltwater help a sore throat?

LF: It actually does. It doesn’t make the virus or bacteria go away any faster. But the tonsil or adenoid is swollen because it’s full of fluid as part of the inflammation, so putting salt on it draws out that fluid and makes it less painful. Another way to deal with the pain is to have your child suck on a popsicle, which numbs the back of the throat. K

If a child has recurrent sore throats — defined as seven episodes in a year — it may warrant removing the tonsils.

FAMILIES BY ANA RUESINK

Curses, Foiled Again!

WEEKS BEFORE HALLOWEEN, the Charlotte Central School gym was full of swashbucklers clad in sti jackets, black mesh masks and leather gloves. They lunged and parried with their long, slender, blunt-tipped weapons. The gym floor could almost have passed for the deck of Jack Sparrow’s ship, the Black Pearl.

But these weren’t pirates seeking plunder — they were foil-wielding fencing students, ages 9 and up, gathered for their Tuesday evening class.

I stopped in to try my hand at fencing. Our instructor was Viveka Fox, who leads the Vermont Fencing Alliance. “Fencing builds flexibility, balance and strength,” she told me beforehand. Evidently those virtues have broad appeal — preteen boys were the dominant demographic, but we middle-aged moms were well represented, too.

We began with stretches and exercises in a big circle, then moved on to footwork. “What’s most important in fencing is how you move your body,” said Fox. “What you do with your weapon is secondary.” So we practiced the en garde position — feet perpendicular to each other and shoulderwidth apart, knees bent, leading arm relaxed and bent at the elbow. We practiced advancing and retreating, scuttling back and forth like crabs.

WHERE TO GO: Vermont Fencing Alliance holds weekly classes in Middlebury and Charlotte. The next 10-week session starts in early January.

EQUIPMENT: Fencers need a jacket, mask, glove and foil; VFA rents a set for $20 per 10-week session. Expect to spend roughly $125 to purchase all that gear; Fox recommends online retailer absolutefencinggear.com.

FEES: A 10-week session costs $100, plus VFA dues of $10 per session. See a cost breakdown on the VFA website, vtfencingalliance.com.

THE LIBRARIAN LIKES

Finally we each took up our foil and practiced lunging forward to poke our opponent. That was pretty fun.

I asked the boy next to me why he decided to try fencing. “I like stabbing things,” he said cheerfully. His friend chimed in, “Fencing’s like mental chess. I like the strategy and figuring out all the rules.”

According to Fox, forms of fencing have existed for thousands of years in many cultures, but modern foil-fencing dates to the 17th century court of French King Louis XIV. Complex rules, plus a high degree of hand-eye and body coordination, make it both a mental and physical challenge.

The range of experience at the gym that night was broad; there were beginners like me, as well as accomplished fencers. But everyone got instruction at his or her own

level. I picked up some tips from Fox’s assistant coach, Ray Schuppe, who knows what it’s like to pick up a foil later in life; he took up fencing to get in shape and to be active with his family. Now he trains side by side with his teenage daughter Sharon, a member of VFA’s competitive Junior Team.

By the end of practice I was drenched in sweat, and my thighs were burning from all that crouching and lunging. Fencing is a surprisingly good workout.

When the kids in the gym took o their masks, they looked confident and strong. I imagined where fencing might take them — not to a pirate’s life, but to an adolescence that’s assertive and focused, respectful of rules, and mindful of when to advance and when to retreat.

En garde!

Who will like it:

LIBRARIAN: Sarah Allerton, children’s librarian, St. Albans Free Library

BOOK: Just a Second: A Different Way to Look at Time by Steve Jenkins

Allerton’s summary: In this stunning, nonfiction picture book, Just a Second, Steve Jenkins explores time in a way that’s radically different from clockwatching. He uses dramatic examples of what takes place in an hour, a day or a year to make mind-boggling comparisons that demonstrate just how much — or how little — happens as time passes. For example, a midge beats its wings a thousand times in a second, while a sprinting cheetah travels 100 feet. A baby blue whale gains 10 pounds an hour. In two billion years, the Earth’s oceans will have boiled away. Jenkins weaves together math, science and natural-history lessons while artfully explaining how people have experienced and measured the passage of time throughout history.

AGE RANGE: 4 and up

The picture-book format will appeal to preschoolers, but even older kids and adults will enjoy Just a Second It’s a thought-provoking choice for the kitchen table or the classroom, a jumping-off point for discussions and projects.

“The Librarian Likes” features a different librarian and book each month.

Got an idea for a future LL?

Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com.

What’s most important in fencing is how you move your body. What you do with your weapon is secondary.

VIVEKA FOX

for

A Whale of a Time

and see See more photos on our Facebook page.

Are you a friend yet? Check out more photos on our Facebook page.

BECAUSE

PROJECT

WITH SUPPORT FROM

The Vermont Children’s Trust Foundation supports statewide prevention programs for children and families to help give all kids a fair chance at success.

The Because Project asks Vermonters to share their stories about people and experiences that have shaped their lives, especially during their formative years — stories that may inspire others to get involved. Because together we can all make a di erence.

Igrew up close to my maternal grandparents — their house was just down the driveway from ours. They helped raise my brother and me. My granddad was retired, but when I was 7 years old, he was still doing some consulting, so he and my grandma traveled a lot. I remember my excitement when they’d return home from their trips, full of exotic stories and descriptions of new friends. Their suitcases inevitably held a gift for my brother and me. Once, after a trip to Hong Kong, they returned with a tiny, one-eighth-size red violin, perfect for a small pair of arms like mine.

They knew I wanted one. A series of musicians had just visited my elementary school to demonstrate di erent instruments. One stunningly beautiful, elfin-looking woman played the violin. I had fallen instantly in love with it; when I got home I had announced that I wanted to play, too.

So I started taking lessons, organized and paid for by my grandparents. My granddad would pick me up from school, drive me to my weekly lesson and read the newspaper in the car until I’d finished. I’d practice before school in my grandma’s sewing room. She’d bring tea with milk and say things like, “You’re sounding great!” and “You’re really getting that piece now!”

I dreaded the recitals that were an inevitable part of the lesson cycle. Somehow all the music that was so easy to play in my grandma’s sewing room became nearly impossible on stage. My heart pounded, and my hands trembled, giving every note a scratchy, unintended, unprofessional vibrato. It never ceased to amaze me as a kid, riding home from what I thought had been an unmitigated disaster, when my family told me with glowing faces, “You were wonderful!”

I played for several years, then crossed a threshold of adolescence through which the violin could not pass. I was so afraid to disappoint my family, especially my grandparents, by quitting. They’d never been pushy about the instrument, but they had made it clear that if they were going to pay for my lessons, I was going to have to practice. To my great relief, everyone understood the changes I was going through, and they were unsurprised when, a year or two later, I quietly picked up the guitar and began writing songs. So much about those violin years informed and inspired my life as a songwriter today. There was the ear training and sense of melody that becomes second nature to very young players. There was the practicing — the daily dedication to a craft — which I still find di cult, but it’s still true that cups of tea and encouraging words make it easier. There was the knowledge that I could get up on stage even if my hands trembled and that, no matter what, my family loved it.

I travel a lot nowadays, too; It was my grandparents who showed me that we can be at home in the world even when we’re far from home and that the world is a friendly, wonderful place, full of people who will take us in.

Submit your stories for the Because Project!

Email them to fagan@vtchildrenstrust.org.

Submissions should be 300 to 600 words long and respond to the prompt "I am/decided to/ learned to _______ because of ______." Kids VT will feature one of these stories in each issue.

I started studying music BECAUSE my grandparents gave me a violin.

VERMONT CHILDREN’S TRUST FOUNDATION PRESENTS THE

The Spot

YoU pUll YoUrsElf oUT of ThE ocEAn after a morning of riding the waves, dry off in the warm sun, throw your board on top of the car and head to the local surf shack for breakfast. Then you wake up from the dream: It’s stick season in Vermont — gray skies, plunging temps and not a warm wave in sight.

The perfect antidote is on the south side of Burlington at the Spot, where they serve island ambiance along with delicious food. Four years ago, owner

back at the tank before our server had put away her pad.

The Spot is loud and casual — perfect for families. That my two kids were running back and forth from tank to table with fish reports didn’t seem to bother anyone. When it’s nice out, families with kids enjoy even more freedom outside on the patio.

The kids menu offers smaller portions of the Spot’s breakfast entrées: one egg with toast; one pancake; crêpes with fruit; or a bagel

Russ Scully bought a 1950s gas station on Shelburne Road and converted it into a California-Hawaii, surf-themed restaurant. Picture surf posters, skylights, potted palm trees and a 150-gallon, salt-water fish tank. The original car bays are fitted with custom roll-up windows that, even closed, let in so much light you quickly forget it’s 45 degrees and cloudy outside.

On a chilly Saturday morning after my daughter’s soccer game, we hit the Spot for breakfast. The 20-minute wait flew by as I enjoyed a hot cup of coffee and the kids focused on the fish-tank, their noses pressed against the glass. Once we got a table, they tore themselves away to order but were

with cream cheese. But my kids ordered the Morning Surfari off the adult menu, which invited them to choose from a long list of ingredients — everything they wanted and nothing they didn’t — to build their own omelets or breakfast wraps.

The meal satisfied us in a way that only good, warm breakfast food can. My daughter rhapsodized over the breakfast potatoes, putting away hers and most of her brother’s in between bites of her egg-bean-and-cheese wrap. My son savored his sausage-andcheese omelet — each bite yielding just the right proportions of egg, cheese and delicious breakfast meat. My à la carte scrambled eggs were not too wet,

not too dry. In a word: perfect. The bagel I ordered on the side was crispy around the edges, chewy everywhere else. Chased down with more good hot coffee, I was in my happy place — warm and content as if we were on vacation.

We paid our bill and spent more time at the fish tank, deciding which was our favorite and trying to find the elusive eel. It wasn’t snorkeling in Hawaii, but on a dreary fall day in Vermont, it was the next best thing. K

oUr bill for foUr: $28.91

The spot is open for breakfast and lunch all week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., and for dinner Tuesday through saturday, 3 to 9 p.m. Kids entrées, from $2.50-$6.95, are available at every meal.

Kid-friEndlY AmEniTiEs: three high chairs, three boosters, crayons, paper and, of course, the fish tank.

“Out to Eat” is a monthly family-friendly restaurant review. Where should we eat next? Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com.

Montshire Museum of Science

My kids order the Morning Surfari, which invites them to build their own omelets or breakfast wraps.

4-year-old emerson and cole, 6 months

Andy BArKer, BurlingTon

sociAl

I’m really thankful for good neighbors who help create a great space for our kids to grow up in. We have a small backyard, but the neighborhood has trees to climb, a sledding hill and a place to play sardines, a game that’s like hide-and-seek. We don’t have pets, but when our neighbors go away, our kids have pets. It takes a village, and our neighbors really are the village.

I’m grateful that the girls want to pursue music and have taken to their instruments — they’re getting to be pretty good on their violins. I think I’m now the weak link in the Barker Family String Band; I’m grateful they’ll still play with me! One thing I try not to take for granted is the ability to create our own set of family traditions. We have to accept so much about the world and the way it is, and we can’t change it. But in our own family, we can make our own rules and have our own shared understandings and relationships. All four of us get a chance to shape the family in our own way. That’s a great experience to have.

sTewArT Jensen, shelBurne

greg BrAnd, underhill

owner of weB-design firm Bluehouse group

Daughters Nina, 21, and Lindsey, 15

I’m very thankful for how much our family still talks to each other. Now that we have a daughter who’s out of the house, the times when we get together for a meal, or to play cards, are even more special.

When they’re teenagers, most kids are actively trying to become their own person, and by 21 might not always think they need parents. I’m just thankful that we can still have interesting conversations with them about the world and about their lives.

I’m also grateful that my kids have a love of the outdoors. When they were little, they’d talk about hiking like it was a forced march through the woods, but now that Nina’s older, she’s going hiking and camping with her friends. Lo and behold, she likes it! You never know what’s going to stick. Many of the things they resist or ignore actually end up becoming part of who they are.

Joe mcVeigh, middleBury

AuThor And english-lAnguAge

TeAching consulTAnT

Son Nathaniel, 8

owner of Jensen

mArKeTing serVices Sons Lars, 10, and Erik, 8

In our house, we celebrate Thanksgiving with a healthy dose of introspection and humble thanks for having enough to eat, a dry and warm place to sleep, loving family, and our good health. We give thanks for those blessings nightly all month long.

We’re also looking forward to visiting family in Boston — we’ve got a big gathering of folks from all over coming together there, so we’re excited to see them and to go sightseeing with the kids. We’re also thankful for the rapidly approaching winter — we’re all avid skiers. We like to get out and take some early-season hikes to get conditioned and excited for the upcoming ski season.

Fall is also the time when my wife re-trenches herself in the kitchen. She makes great soup and does a lot of bread baking. She also makes the world’s best pumpkin-spice chocolate-chip cookies — that’s something we’re all thankful for.

We’re really grateful that our son, Nat, had a good experience in the opera Madama Butterfly at Town Hall Theater in Middlebury last month; he played the role of Madame Butterfly’s son. My wife and I are both singers, so we were happy for him to find something he liked doing and had a good time with.

It was really cool to see him rising to the occasion; when you’re a kid and you’re home with mom and dad, you can get away with a lot of stuff, but that’s not true when you’re part of a production. He was onstage in front of a lot of people and really had to pay attention. It was great to see how very focused he was and how much he ended up loving the experience — especially since he wasn’t sure that he wanted to do it initially.

As a freelance editor and writer, I’m also thankful that my workload and deadlines have lessened a bit. As the weather has gotten colder, we’ve had some fires in the fireplace and have played checkers in the evenings — it’s nice to have some of the professional pressure taken off so that I have time to hang out and be with my family.

IntervIews compIled by lIndsay J. westley

mission speciAlisT, Ben & Jerry’s Daughters Emma, 10, and Tess, 7

sTrATegic

they’ll still play with me!

Playing the Piano

EighT-y Ear-old Addie DeLeonardis-Page perches on the edge of the piano bench, legs dangling, as she works her way through “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” She only misses one or two notes, but corrects herself after a quick glance at piano teacher Randal Pierce.

“Wait, no, it goes up, not down,” she mutters, before plunking the right key.

Pierce, Addie’s instructor since September, praises her for using her wrist correctly when striking the keys, then asks her what she’d like to work on next. She launches into a rendition of “Ode to Joy” — by heart.

“My sister plays that on violin,” she tells Pierce, who has never heard her play Beethoven. “I try to listen to her and make things up so we can play together.”

In that brief exchange, Addie reveals the secret behind successful piano lessons, and it has nothing to do with talent: It’s all about discovering what’s fun. Pierce, a local composer, performer and now full-time teacher, encourages her interest.

“Parents tell me stories about how their old piano teachers were really rigid and enforced really strict discipline, which can be as big a deterrent as

“The

skills

anything,” he says. “Kids see and understand music differently, so you try to figure that out, and then take it further.”

For Addie, this approach means playing a game in which Pierce points to a note on the page of music, and Addie plays the note on the keyboard. He points to notes all over a page of sheet music, sending her up and down the octaves to find the correct notes and explaining how the treble staff (for upper notes) and bass clef (for low notes) differ. She’s only

been taking lessons for a few months, but already has a good grasp of what the notes are and how they relate to one another.

Not all students respond cheerfully when piano teachers suggest new songs, though. For the reluctant learners, Pierce says he just has to keep working at it until he finds something that interests them. “I happen to find music and piano really interesting stuff, so there’s usually something I can find that strikes a kid’s interest,” he says.

enrich kids’ lives. Got a class or teacher to recommend? Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com.

Pierce notes that parents — even non-musical ones — can help their child learn the piano by putting music on around the house. “Even from an early age, what you associate with music and what speaks to you is really personal,” he says. “Just listen and talk about music as much as you can — it doesn’t have to be any certain kind. Just let them express how it makes them feel.”

For Addie, it’s all about practicing so she can accompany her violinist big sister.

“I got a keyboard for Christmas, and now we can play ‘Hot Cross Buns’ and ‘Twinkle, Twinkle’ and ‘Ode to Joy,’” Addie says. “I mostly like playing along with her best.” K

whaT you’ll nEEd:

a piano or keyboard. If you don’t have a piano, and don’t intend to buy one, Pierce recommends getting a weighted keyboard that imitates the force needed to strike an actual piano key. Pierce suggests looking for one at advance music in burlington. they carry sheet music, too.

randal Pierce gives lessons out of his home for kids ages 6 and up. half-hour lessons are $25; hour-long lessons are $40. Daytime lessons are available for home-schooled kids or kids with flexible schedules; he teaches adults, too. Info, randalpiercepianostudio.com.

Art of” spotlights creative

that

matthew thorsen

Randal Pierce and Addie DeLeonardis-Page

Toys Were Us

A nostalgia-fueled gift guide to holiday shopping for your kids

BY NANCY STEARNS BERCAW

It’s impossible for me to shop for my son without thinking about the things I loved as a kid. And I can’t help but compare this era’s o erings with those of mine. What could hold a candle to LiteBrite? Which board game could corner the market better than Monopoly? How could Weebles ever be toppled? Just thinking about an Easy-Bake Oven warms the cockles of my heart.

Luckily, some of those old favorites are still around. Between reproductions of Raggedy Ann and Andy, which are available at the Vermont Country Store, and re-releases of Gumby that can be found at Homeport, our progeny are privy to the past. Besides, Barbie is still kicking back with Ken — although their digs have evolved from a camper to a hot-tub party bus. And little buckaroos around the world continue to have access to a wooden hobby horse because of Vermont’s homegrown Maple Landmark Woodcraft.

But times do change. In a particularly delightful turn of events, some styles have done a Freaky Friday flip-flop. Thanks to the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, there are footie pajamas for adults. Courtesy of Zutano come bow ties for babies. All of which remind me of a recent night when I curled up on the couch and watched the original Planet of the Apes with my son and our sock monkey.

Then there’s the improvement movement. Eco-Dough, made with gluten-free rice and natural dyes, rivals Play-Doh’s recipe. The same principle drives Green Toys, a company that makes cars and trucks from 100-percent recycled plastic milk containers instead of VOC-laden plastic from China.

Parodies abound, too. Goodnight Moon, which has charmed sleepyheads for generations, recently spawned Goodnight iPad — last line reads, “Goodnight gadgets everywhere.”

If, like me, you long for certain toys of yore, consider the following newfangled renditions for your youngsters. I’ve categorized each grouping based on my own “if you liked that, your kids might like this” logic. This holiday season, it’s time to think outside the Xbox.

Scene & Herd

Back in its “hayday,” the Fisher-Price Family Farm occupied a category unto itself. Cooped-up kids spent hours rearranging the animals and white fences. And lo, that glorious “moo” as you opened the barn door. Here are a few modern-day variations on the barnyard and animal themes.

tions on the barnyard

Want the reprise of the real deal? Look no further than the FISHERPRICE LITTLE PEOPLE ANIMAL SOUNDS FARM. Ages 1-5, $49.99, Kids City

Horse around with STABLEMATES’ COUNTRY STABLE WITH WASH STALL, a two-stall barn with four corral fences, tack storage and loft with moveable ladder. Ages 4+, $40, Jamie Two Coats

Tomorrow’s vets can check sick farm animals into the CRITTER CLINIC a self-contained animal clinic that comes with two plush patients and a hospital with six rooms. Ages 2+, $44.99, Woodbury Mountain Toys

Young MacDonalds will “E-I-E-I-oh” over the MELISSA & DOUG FOLD & GO BARN, a self-contained, two-story wooden barn with seven farm animals and a folding corral. Ages 3+, $49.99, Kids City

Absolute beginners can meet and greet the barn animals with PLAN TOYS POP-UP FARM. Ages 1+, $16, Jamie Two Coats

Little doggies learn to “git along” on a MELISSA & DOUG HORSE GIANT STUFFED ANIMAL, 35 inches tall. Ages 3+, $99.99, Buttered Noodles

Guys & Do s

My brother and I played out our differences with toys. When his Stretch Armstrong tugged at my paper dolls, I had no choice but to have Barbie throw Chewbacca in the toilet. In cahoots, though, we tied my troll doll’s pink hair to his troll doll’s purple hair. If we were back at it today, here’s what might make our play/hit list.

PAPER FASHIONS, by Klutz, which include 12 itty-bitty wire hangers (sorry, Joan Crawford), double-sided patterned paper, vellum specialty paper, glue, stencils, sequins, colored seed beads, craft jewels, ribbon, cording and faux-fur trim. Ages 8+, $21.99, Kids City

FOREST FOLK, from the Felting Source, features easy instructions to make leprechauns, gnomes and trolls for ornaments, pins or play. Kit includes green felt, pine-cone felt and wool fleece — and makes three dolls. Ages 8+, $14.95, Jamie Two Coats

LULU REHEMA KIBWANA DOLL by Karito Kids, is an 11-year-old soccer player from Nairobi who hosts a TV show called “KenyaKidz.” Her kit includes a hardcover book. Ages 3-13, $99.99, Woodbury Mountain Toys

The KIMOCHIS CLOUD BOX SET or “feelings” in Japanese. Each Kimochi represents a human emotion such as happiness or sadness. Ages 8+, $29.99, Homeport

comes with three pillowy plushies known as “Kimochis,”

is a super-stretchy chimp who slingshots through the air (up to

The AMAZING FLYING MONKEY chimp who slingshots through the air (up to 50 feet) with a screech. This tiny toy is totally bananas. Ages 4+, $5.99, Homeport

The 15-INCH VINTAGE

CHRISTMAS BEAR with plaid scarf is a foolproof offering for any gender or generation. Ages 3-103, $64.99, Vermont Teddy Bear Company

Acro the Board

After a nice Salisbury-steak TV dinner, families of the ’50s and ’60s turned away from the boob tube to focus on the game of Life. Plenty more games give the modern family a reason to turn off the plasma HDTV and play together.

BLOKUS is a strategy board game that challenges spatial thinking — just like its predecessor, Hex. Ages 5+, $29.99, most toy retailers and bookstores

Celebrating 25 years of a-mazeing fun is the RAVENSBURGER LABYRINTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

FAMILY GAME, which earned the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal. Ages 8-15, $29.99, most toy retailers and bookstores

A few years ago, BANANAGRAMS came on the scene, challenged players to arrange their words on a grid faster than their opponents could — and sent Scrabble scrambling. Ages 7+, $14.99, most toy retailers and bookstores

A decade old, but still fresh, is APPLES TO APPLES, a party-card game of hilarious comparisons in which players’ strategies must change with each new dealer. Ages 12+, $26.99, most toy retailers and some bookstores

The AXIS & ALLIES franchise, now in its 25th year, continues to add to its offerings of board games set in World War II. In Axis & Allies Pacific, the main powers (players) draw their battle lines against the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean. Ages 12+, $89.99, Kids City

If that 1000-piece American flag puzzle wasn’t hard enough, try the AFRICAN SAVANNAH 1000 PIECE MAGIC 3-D JIGSAW PUZZLE by Clementoni, with uniquely shaped pieces. A pair of 3-D glasses is included. Ages 10+, $15.99, Kids City

Dr. Whoseywhatsit

Signature gifts of the mid-to-late 20th century had such marvelous monikers as Silly Putty, Slip ’n Slide, Sit ’n Spin, Lite-Brite, Rubik’s Cube and Etch A Sketch. Today’s novelty gifts may have more lackluster nomenclature, but many have a fun, retro slant. Here’s a sampling of back-to-the-future bounty.

Shrinky Dinks’ THE ELF ON THE SHELF KIT features pre-cut characters that kids color, pop in the oven and watch transform. Ages 7+, 24.99, Learning Express

Trash Pack’s TRASHIES collectibles, reminiscent of Garbage Pail Kids and advertised as “the gross gang in your garbage,” are teeny tiny, squishy dis-figurines with names like Putrid Pretzel and Cery-Ill. Ages 5+, $2.99, Buttered Noodles

Hit it out of the Jurassic Park with SMITHSONIAN PREHISTORIC SEA MONSTERS, which gives kids the rare chance to grow an ancient pet in an aquarium. Ages 8+, $14.99, Kids City

MARS MUD, by Toysmith, is an ooey gooey, marbled, space-age slime putty that makes sounds and bounces. Ages 5+, $1.99, Buttered Noodles

ZUBE TUBE, billed as the “ultimate cosmic sound machine,” is a space kazoo of sorts. Shout into it. Shake it. Pluck it. All ages, $11.99, Buttered Noodles

Going Up

Building sets just don’t get much better than LEGOs, Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys, despite attempts to expand on their impressive foundation. For budding architects, we submit these presents firmly rooted in the past.

CLASSIC FORT is a wooden building set that comes in a canister, à la Lincoln Logs, with 140 interlocking pieces. Ages 4+, $27.50, Jamie Two Coats, Woodbury Mountain Toys

SUPERSTRUCTS SUPER SET, with a step-by-step construction guide, shows you how to build a working Ferris wheel, carousel and large crane by tinkering with 230 colorful pieces of rods, connectors, panels and tires. Ages 4-8, $64.99, Woodbury Mountain Toys

LEGO BRICKS & MORE BUILDERS OF TOMORROW SET comes with 650 bricks in white, orange, red, blue, yellow, brown, black, dark green and light green. Better yet is what these bricks don’t come with — preconceived notions. Ages 4+, $34.99, Kids City

THE DA VINCI CATAPULT KIT lets kids create their own hurling machine (complete with a lump of clay for lobbing) based on the artist’s original plans. Ages 12+, $19.99, Kids City

Valtech’s 3-D MAGNA-TILES are magnetized pieces that attach along their sides to make basic 3-D shapes, such as cubes and pyramids. Tiles come in cool, transparent colors. Ages 3+, $51.50, Buttered Noodles

Don’t forget BEADS! All sizes, shapes, stones and strings can become art, necklaces, rings or just about anything. Ages and prices vary, Bead Crazy, Creative Habitat

I PLAY SUPER SKIPPER, by Kidoozie, requires kids to jump over a revolving pole while listening to groovy tunes. Great for coordination and balance. Ages 3+, $39.99, Buttered Noodles

Big Wh ls K p On Turning

The hot wheels of progress have been turning since the Neolithic Age. But it wasn’t until Joshua Lionel Cowen sold his first electric train in 1901 to a store in Manhattan that children literally were sold on the idea. These days, the locomotion and automation toy market shows no sign of slowing down.

Team Hot Wheels’ DOUBLE DARE SNARE includes two lanes, two cars and a heart-stopping loop that ends in a dangerous jump. The faster car is saved by a snare; the slower car plummets to the bottom. Ages 4+, $29.99, Kids City Moving in on Thomas the Tank Engine’s territory is CALLEY’S RESCUE SET, by Tomy International Chuggington Wooden Railway. This kit offers two rescue cars and two hazard areas, in addition to train characters Calley and Wilson, and lots of track. Ages 3+, $124.99, Kids City, Jamie Two Coats, Buttered Noodles

Young imaginations soar with the Kid-O AIRPLANE, which features a sleek design to keep living rooms looking ship shape instead of like a rug rat’s runway. Ages 1+, $18.99, Buttered Noodles

The Quercetti SKYRAIL MARBLE RUN ROLLER COASTER teaches basic principles of mechanics and physics — gravity, speed, inertia and weight — using a roller coaster for marbles. Ages 8+, $64.99, Buttered Noodles

Automoblox’s RED SPORTS CAR is a classic wooden toy car for the iPod age. The sleek car blends ultra-modern styling with a mix-and-match design. Ages 3-10, $39.99, Kids City, Jamie Two Coats, Buttered Noodles

PUSH N PULL TRUCK, made in Middlebury, is crafted from locally sourced, responsibly harvested maple with hardwood components, laser detailing on both sides and no finish ... just wood and glue. Ages 6 months+, $18.60, Maple Landmark Woodcraft

A court-ordered class for parents helps ease the transition

COPEing with

Divorce

DIVORCE CAN BE A MESSY, PAINFUL PROCESS, especially for parents. When childless couples split, they may never speak to each other again. But no matter how acrimonious their break-ups, most parents still have to communicate at some point about their kids.

Navigating those relationships can be challenging for everyone. In Vermont, parents get help from the Coping with Separation and Divorce Seminars, aka COPE. Vermont’s family court judges require the fourhour workshop for all parents of minor children who file for separation, divorce, civil-union dissolution, establishment of parentage, and changes in parental rights and responsibilities — formerly referred to as custody. COPE teaches parents strategies for communicating with kids and each other, and reassures them that they can guide their families through the transition.

Heather Twombley Ruggles of St. Johnsbury took the class in 2011. She remembers sobbing through much of it, but says it was helpful.

“I knew what I didn’t want to happen,” she says of the aftermath of her divorce, “but I couldn’t exactly say what I wanted to happen.” She knew she had to shield her daughter, Molly, then 12, from the impact of the break-up, but she didn’t know how. COPE provided some strategies.

“I don’t think any two parents think they’re going to end up in our class,” says Susan Fay, a mediator who’s been an instructor for the program since its inception 20 years ago. She helped write the handbook. “When they start having children their intention is to be together ... But if both parents focus on the needs of the children, the children can come out of this really just fine.” That’s a welcome message for divorcing parents.

Approximately 200 participants a month attend COPE seminars, which take place at 12 locations around the state. The workshop costs $50, though courts o er a sliding-scale fee based on financial need. Although the class is required for individuals going through a divorce, it’s open to anyone. Parents who are

BY CATHY RESMER WITH REPORTING BY KRISTIN FLETCHER

considering separation, or caregivers who want advice on co-parenting after a break-up, can also attend.

Each seminar is led by a male and female instructor, many of whom have backgrounds in social work. They help participants see separation and divorce from a child’s perspective and explain the grieving process everyone experiences during a reorganization of the family unit.

“We’ve asked that of thousands of parents, and the answers are always that they want their children to have a happy life; to love and know both parents; to come out with the least possible harm — for them to feel safe and loved,” she says.

After the survey, the Barre instructors attempted to help parents see separation and divorce from the point of view of a child. One of their tools: video interviews with kids.

In role-playing exercises, instructors played both child and adult in various conversations, illustrating where communication breakdowns happen and how to avoid them. The exercises o ered parents various strategies for helping children express their emotions. Kids might feel they’re to blame for their parents’ split; getting them to talk about their feelings helps parents dispel that notion. Some kids need to be told repeatedly the divorce is not their fault.

On a recent September afternoon, 17 participants gathered in Barre’s family court for their COPE class, led by Judy Cyprian and Rob Chickering. The participants ranged from young men and women to middle-aged moms and dads, representing a variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds — a true cross-section of Vermont. The only thing they seemed to have in common was their role as parents or caregivers; as a group, they were responsible for 33 children, ages 7 months to 31 years.

The class began with an anonymous written survey asking participants how they felt about being there, and inviting them to name one thing they wanted for their kids.

Fay, who has led this exercise many times, says answers to the first question typically range from tortured to optimistic. Responses to the second question, however, tend to be universally consistent.

The instructors also emphasized the damage to children when parents fight in front of them, or within earshot, and covered ways to communicate with an ex without harming the kids. They advised parents not to pressure kids to take sides or use them to deliver messages to the other parent.

The participants weren’t just learning from the instructors; they also had opportunities to share with and support each other. They commiserated about the confusion that can arise when di erent households have di erent expectations, and they talked frankly about how to respond when the other parent is mired in sadness.

Not surprisingly, the conversations in these classes aren’t always so positive. Some parents resent having to be there, as the four-hour session may necessitate missing work — and wages — and potentially paying for childcare. Defenses are up; emotions are raw. Ruggles says the angrier parents dominated the discussions in her class.

But without talking to others who understand the experience, she says, “there’s no one to guide you or

If both parents focus on the needs of the children, the children can come out of this just fine.

SUSAN FAY

give you advice. You’re just trying to feel your way in the dark.”

Vermont started providing that guidance about 20 years ago. In 1990, a state law created a separate family court system to handle parental disputes. Soon after, University of Vermont professor Larry Shelton, a trained clinical child psychologist, developed a course for graduate students called Parenting Through Separation and Divorce, which is still offered today. It was based on his decade of experience working with courts on behalf of children in parental-rights cases.

At that time a UVM Extension agent, Judy Brook was a student in his first class. She researched an Atlanta workshop for parents that then became the basis for COPE. By 1992, with the backing of prominent judge Shireen Avis Fisher and the support of UVM Extension Services, Shelton and Brook were piloting the first COPE program in Orange County.

“It turned out to be very helpful to the parents and to the court,” says Shelton. “We began to get requests to extend it to other counties.” Although they were skeptical at first, within three years the presiding judges in every Vermont county had adopted the program.

It was a harder sell to attorneys. Shelton says they were initially wary of the kind of advice their clients might hear at the seminars.

“What we brought to them was a different model that was focused on parenting the kids,” Shelton says. But they eventually came around, too.

Since then, a variety of programs similar to COPE have sprung up all over the country, though most are voluntary.

Meanwhile, Shelton points out the COPE curriculum has been rewritten and revised from the original Atlanta model to incorporate current research and the experiences of its instructors, who meet once a year to compare notes and evaluate the materials. “Everyone who has taught it is transformed by it,” Shelton says.

CoPeing with Divorce

ContinueD from P. 23

“We try to get together, share new experiences and new solutions, and tweak the curriculum.”

That includes incorporating new technologies.

Marcia Bedig, COPE program manager, offers an example of an anecdote a parent once shared that has now become part of the workshop. The parent described taking a child to the beach and building a sandcastle, then texting a photo of the sandcastle to the other parent, so he or she could share in the experience. This kind of non-face-to-face communication is particularly useful, Bedig says, “if things are difficult, or if there’s been domestic violence.” It’s an easy way for parents to honor the other parent’s relationship with the child, without actually having to communicate much with each other.

COPE also connects participants with online resources, such as sharekids.com, a tool that enables parents to share scheduling information and photos with each other and with other relatives.

Of course, the internet can also make things harder. Bedig says the class now talks about Facebook, and sharing on email and social media — how it’s sometimes better to write an email, then sleep on it before sending it, for example. “We do a lot of talking about how these tools can be helpful and not helpful,” she says.

COPE can’t fix everything, Shelton points out. He

notes that many divorces involve people with significant problems, such as alcohol and drug abuse, anger issues, or mental health challenges — problems the workshop touches on, but can’t possibly solve in four hours.

“Half of the families in Vermont walk through … family court at a time when everybody’s hurting, and it would be the perfect time as a society to put them in touch with every kind of therapeutic, counseling and educational service available,” he says. “Family court gave us a way to find out how many problems there really were, but we still haven’t done much to tackle those problems.”

COPE is a good start, though. At the very heart of the program, Shelton notes, is a lesson in interpersonal skills — actively listening to children, keeping grownup communications respectful and businesslike, and practicing empathy for all involved.

Those are skills Ruggles, who teaches 3- to 5-yearolds at a Head Start preschool, has made a concerted effort to adopt.

She says the class helped her deal with her own situation, but it’s also helped her relate better to the families with whom she works. “For people that are going through this, this is a main focus for them, and other parts of their life take a backseat,” she says. “I get it now. I didn’t before.”

Another thing she got: the importance of putting her child’s needs first. “If you act in their best interest,” she says, “they’re going to be okay.” K

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Talkin’ Tom

While you’re tucking into your Thanksgiving dinner, turkeys in the wild are scratching up their own meal from leaf litter on the forest floor: acorns, beechnuts, beetles, spiders and worms. Brush up on more fun facts about our feathered friends at this month’s hour-long preschool program from Audubon Vermont: LET’S TALK TURKEYS. Kids learn to spot the differences between males and females, listen to their calls, and then head outside to pretend to be toms and hens themselves, building nests, hunting, hiding and roosting. Youngsters finish the session with a turkey version of the “Hokey Pokey,” shaking about their snoods, spurs and wattles.

Like Fletcher Allen Health Care on Facebook and get weekly updates from Dr. First!

SPOTLIGHTS AND LISTINGS BY KATE

See “First with Kids” videos at FletcherAllen.org/firstwithkids

LET’S TALK TURKEYS: Thursday, November 15, Education Barn, Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 10-11 a.m. $8-10 per adult-child pair; $4 for each additional child. Info, 434-3068, vt.audubon.org

1 THURSDAY Arts

Art Explorers: A story, music and movement augment creation stations that include drawing, painting, collage, sculpture and printmaking activities. Children may be dropped off or parents may stay. Ages 3-5. Purple Crayon Productions, Woodstock, 3-4:30 p.m. $10 drop-in. Info, 457-3500.

Little chefs cooking class: Kid chefs toss together a pizza and bake cookies. Ages 3-5. Miller Community Recreation Center, Burlington, 10-11:30 a.m. $24. Info, 316-1510.

mom’s matinee: Parents and their wee ones catch a flick with dimmed lights and baby-friendly volumes. Palace 9, South Burlington, 10:30 a.m. $6-7.50; free for kids under 2. Info, 864-5610.

Pollywog drop-in Art: Tots get their art fix with a variety of craft materials, from homemade play dough to colorful ribbons. Ages 6 months-5 years accompanied by adult. Burlington City Arts, 9:3011:30 a.m. $5-6 per child/parent pair. Info, 865-7166.

Baby & Maternity

Breast-Feeding support Group: Lactating moms bring their babies and share stories, advice and company. Preregister. Family Birthing Center, Northwest Medical Center, St. Albans, first Thursday of every month, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 524-7970.

La Leche League of Essex: Moms and little ones meet to discuss parenting and breast-feeding. Pregnant and planning moms are also welcome. First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, first Thursday of every month, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 383-8544.

middlebury La Leche League: Breast-feeding moms and kids gather for fun and conversation. Expectant mothers welcome, too. Junebug Mother and Child, Middlebury, first Thursday of every month, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 382-1589.

Community

candy Buyback: Peeps looking to offload their Halloween take are paid $1 per pound for the sweet stuff, with another $1 donated to Vermont flood relief. Champlain Orthodontic Associates, Burlington. Free. Info, 862-6721.

Education

Ending the Homework Battle: Webinar attendees get tips on strategies for helping with homework, giving incentives and reducing anxiety. Preregister. Building Strong Families, 8-9 p.m. Free. Info, 1-866544-4075, strongfamilies.us.

Fairs & Festivals

Vermont dance & drum Festival: Four days of West African music and movement inspire all ages during this Jeh Kulu Dance and Drum Theater event. Artists from Guinea, Senegal and Mali share their rhythms during workshops and performances, including a Saturday class just for kids and presentations by Jeh Kulu’s youngest members. Preregister to participate in classes. Burlington City Hall. Free to watch. Info, 859-1802.

Health & Fitness

Hot mama Workout: Kids are welcome to hang out while moms squeeze in some fitness. City Hall Gymnasium, St. Albans, 9-10 a.m. $10 or free with preregistration. Info, 524-1500, ext. 266.

Postnatal Yoga: Sore shoulders and backs feel some stretch and abdominal muscles get a tone-up in a class designed for moms and their pre-crawling kids. Evolution Yoga, Burlington, first Thursday of every month, 1:30 p.m. $14. Info, 864-9642.

submit your december and January events by November 15 at kidsvt.com or to calendar@kidsvt.com.

Winooski Family Gym: Indoor playground equipment gives tumblers a chance to burn off some energy. Ages birth to 7. YMCA, Winooski, 10:30 a.m.-noon. $5-8 per family. Info, 862-9622.

Library & Books

ductTapeParenting signing: Parenting on Track creator Vicki Hoefle discusses and signs her new book, which takes a less-is-more approach to raising resilient children. 51 Main at the Bridge, Middlebury, 8 p.m. Free. Info, 388-8209.

Fairfax PJ story Hour: Children don pajamas to listen to a story and make a craft before bedtime. Ages birth-6. Fairfax Community Library, first Thursday of every month, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 849-2420.

Food for Thought: Teen volunteers chow down on pizza and work on library projects. Grades 7-12. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, first Thursday of every month, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Hand in Hand: This kid-initiated volunteer group creates “birthday boxes” for local food pantries. School-aged children. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, first Thursday of every month, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Highgate Youth Advisory: Kids in grades 5-8 plan projects with the Crossroads After-School Program. Highgate Public Library, Highgate Center, 3-4:45 p.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

Homeschoolers’ Book Group: Out-of-classroom

learners gather for talks on a variety of books. Regular attendance required. Preregister. Ages 10-14. St. Albans Free Library, first Thursday of every month, 1-2 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

shelburne magic club: Illusionists practice card tricks and share their most successful sleights of hand. Grades 5-8. Pierson Library, Shelburne, first Thursday of every month, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 985-5124.

2 FRIDAY Arts

‘A Year With Frog and Toad’: Young thespians wow the crowds with their interpretation of this musical children’s classic. Very Merry Theatre, Burlington, 4 & 7 p.m. Free. Info, 355-1461.

Family clay drop-in: Parents join kids for some work on the wheel. All ages. Burlington City Arts, 5:30-7:30 p.m. $5-6 includes one glazed/fired piece; $5 per additional piece. Info, 865-7166.

First Friday Youth classical music concert: Young instrumentalists perform polished pieces in an aesthetically and acoustically beautiful setting. All ages. Christ the King Church, Burlington, 7:30-9 p.m. Free. Donations support young musicians in need. Info, 864-6411.

Friends of the Library Book sale: Readers of all ages browse thousands of books for sale. Proceeds the library collection and programming. Rutland Free Library, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Info, 773-1860.

Preschool clay drop-in: Fledgling potters craft cool stuff using the wheel or working by hand. Preschool ages. Burlington City Arts, 9:30-11:30 a.m. $6. Info, 865-7166.

Community

candy Buyback: See November 1.

First Friday Family dance: Supper kicks off a wholesome evening of live music and dancing. All ages. Worcester Town Hall, first Friday of every month, 5:30-10 p.m. $5-12. Info, 229-0173.

Fairs & Festivals

Vermont dance & drum Festival: See November 1.

Health & Fitness

Afternoon Hoops: Basketball-loving high school students spend the afternoon dribbling, shooting and scoring. Preregister. St. Albans City Hall, 2:303:45 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1500, ext. 266.

Burlington Family Gym: Indoor playground equipment provides active fun for kids and their parents. Ages 7 and under. YMCA, Burlington, 10:30 a.m.noon. $5-8 per family. Info, 862-8993. cochran’s ski & Ride sale: See spotlight, pg. 38. dancin’ With my Baby: Rock, reggae, pop, hip-hop and more inspire movement in parents and young dancers. Ages 6 weeks to preschool. Windancer Movement Center, Middlebury, 10-11:15 a.m. $12 drop-in. Info, 388-3381.

Kids open Gymnastics: Tykes tumble and jump while adults connect with other families. Snacks provided. River Arts, Morrisville, 10-11:30 a.m. $510. Info, 888-1261. open Gym: Free play in the gym gives kids a chance to burn off excess energy. Ages birth-10; ages 10 and up 5-7 p.m. Sunrise Gymnastics, Barre, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. & 3-5 p.m. $10 per child, $5 each additional sibling. Info, 223-0517.

Library & Books

After-school movie: Film buffs put up their feet and watch a flick, popcorn in hand. KelloggHubbard Library, Montpelier, 3 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

Giant Book sale: Shoppers browse and buy gently used titles with proceeds benefiting the library. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Nature & Science

Let’s Talk About Race: story Hour: Literature and personal stories engage kids and their caregivers in conversations about race and racism in the United States. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, 11 a.m. $9.50-12.50; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 877-324-6386.

3 SATURDAY Arts

‘A Year With Frog and Toad’: See November 2. 7 p.m. mixed media drop-in: Kid-creators craft boats, prints, masks, cards and clay projects in a hands-on session. All ages. Shelburne Craft School, 10-11:30 a.m. $12. Info, 985-3648.

saturday drama club: Thespians help Very Merry Theatre produce a show in just three hours. All ages. Preregister. Very Merry Theatre, Burlington, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $15 (or pay what you can). Info, 863-6607.

saturday Youth Art studio drop-in: Paint, draw, sculpt and more in the studio classroom with provided materials. Parents may stay or drop kids off. Ages 6-12. Burlington City Arts, every other Saturday, 1-3 p.m. $9-10. Info, 860-7474.

Education

Ending the Homework Battle: See November 1. 12-1 p.m.

Kids Workshops: Children learn do-it-yourself skills and tool safety as they build a different project each session. Ages 5-12. Home Depot, Williston, first Saturday of every month, 9 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 872-0039.

Queen city chess club: See spotlight, pg. 28. saxon Hill school Fall open House: Curious caregivers explore a parent-cooperative preschool, getting information from staff and family members. Ages 3-5. Saxon Hill School, Jericho, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 899-2400.

Fairs & Festivals

Vermont dance & drum Festival: See November 1.

Wagon-Ride Weekend: Relax with the family during narrated tours around Billings’ fields, and don’t miss the farm’s other programs and activities. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $3-12; free for members and kids under 3. Info, 457-2355.

Food

Butter making: Children churn up golden goodness. All ages. Shelburne Farms, 11:30 a.m. $5-8; free for kids under 3. Info, 985-8686.

Health & Fitness

cochran’s ski & Ride sale: See spotlight, pg. 38. Enosburg Tumble Time: Children burn off some extra energy with playtime in the gym. Ages birth6. Enosburg Elementary School, Enosburg Falls, first Saturday of every month, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Winooski Family Gym: See November 1.

Library & Books

Friends of the Library Book sale: See November 2. 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Kids craft: Glitter, felt, bottle caps, paper and paint transform into holiday-themed ornaments. All supplies included. Ages 5 and up. Creative Habitat, South Burlington, 1-3 p.m. $3. Info, 862-0646.

Giant Book sale: See November 2. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Russian story Time: Children find new friends while listening to stories and songs presented in a new language. English speakers welcome. Age birth-5. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Nature & Science

Family camp-in at the museum: Families explore the Montshire on an overnight adventure that includes a nighttime walk and a peek at the sunrise from the tower. Preregister. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 5:30 p.m. $35. Info, 649-2200.

Fossils: Science enthusiasts handle preserved remains and use clues to guess their origins. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. $10-12; free for kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

moonlit Wagon Rides: Horses draw the wagons while you take in the evening scenery and night sky. Snacks and activities at the education center follow. All ages. Preregister. Shelburne Farms, 5:15, 6, 6:45 & 7:30 p.m. $7-10. Info, 985-8686.

4 SUNDAY

Education

open House: Prospective students meet faculty, students and staff to learn about the school’s rigorous, hands-on curriculum. Ages 10-16. Vermont Commons School, South Burlington, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 865-8084.

Fairs & Festivals

Vermont dance & drum Festival: See November 1.

Wagon-Ride Weekend: See November 3.

Health & Fitness

Burlington Family Gym: See November 2. cochran’s ski & Ride sale: See spotlight, pg. 38. open Gym: See November 2.

Postnatal Yoga: See November 1. First Sunday of every month, 12:15 p.m.

YoGirl: Yoga for Girls: Girls learn about themselves through movement, games and crafts. Ages 7-11. Preregister. Chabad Jewish Community Center, Burlington, 11 a.m.-noon, $10. Info, 318-3598.

Nature & Science

Berlin Pond Waterfowl Walk: Birders look for lingering loons and other waterfowl that haven’t made their fall migration. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 7:30-10 a.m. $5-15; free for kids. Info, 229-6206.

our next issue will be on newsstands for december and January. submit events for both months by November 15 at kidsvt.com.

4 suNdAY (conTinued)

cells!: Inquisitive eyes compare plant, animal and even their own cheek cells under museum microscopes. Ages 9 and older. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. $9.50-12.50; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

Hoopster Gliders: Creativity soars as kids craft a flying contraption. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. $10-12; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

Classes

5 MONDAY Arts

imagination studio: Kids apply their minds to creative projects with supplied tools and materials. Ages 5 and up. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Baby & Maternity

montpelier Prenatal Yoga: Moms-in-the-making give their full attention to relaxation and strength building. Yoga Mountain Center, Montpelier, 5:30-7 p.m. $15. Info, 778-0300.

Yoga After Baby: New moms focus on their core, pelvic floor and arm strength, bringing their infants

List your class or camp here for only $15/month! submit the listing by the 15th at kidsvt.com or to classes@kidsvt.com.

Green mountain music Together:

Cost: contact for info. Location: Burlington, Colchester, Shelburne, VT. Contact info: Alison Mott at 310-2230, greenmountainmusic@ gmail.com. Description: Green Mountain Music Together at www. greenmountainmusictogether.com offers family music classes for parents and caregivers and their children from babies to toddlers to preschoolers. Music Together pioneered the concept of a research-based, developmentally appropriate early childhood music curriculum that strongly emphasizes and facilitates adult involvement.

The Parent operative: Six-week series starting September 20, November 8 and January 10. Thursdays, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Cost: $280. Location: 34 Patchen Road, South Burlington. Contact info: Heather Lynch, MA, associatesinpsychotherapy.net, 6584208. Description: The Parent Operative is a psychologist-facilitated support and educational group for parents and caregivers of all kinds. The objective is to create a supportive environment to reduce stress

On Board

Want to get your kids involved in a brain-building activity? rook no further. The QuEEN ciTY cHEss cLuB’s Saturday morning drop-in sessions are open to kids ages 5 through 14. Players get a quick lesson, solve puzzles and play games while coaches encourage critical thinking and empathy in a low-pressure environment. Paul Fitzgerald started the group four years ago when his son, then in kindergarten, started playing chess. With support from South burlington’s Healthy living market & café, which hosts the sessions, the kids in the club are playing — and winning — at state chess tournaments, and challenging adults from the burlington chess club.

Saturdays from September through May, Healthy Living Market & Café, South Burlington, 8:30-9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 324-8450.

along if they choose. Shambala Center, Montpelier, 11 a.m.-noon. $10. Info, 778-0300.

Community

candy Buyback: See November 1.

Education

Ending the Homework Battle: See November 1. 3-4 p.m.

spanish immersion class: Join an experienced Spanish teacher for an interactive music class teaching language basics through songs and games especially designed for ages 1 to 6. Preregister. Tulsi Tea Room, Montpelier, 9-9:45 a.m. $16. Info, 917-1776.

Health & Fitness

Hoopla: Large, easy-to-use hoops and great music make for a funky, fitness/dance experience. All ages. Windancer Movement Center, Middlebury, 7-8 p.m. $8-12 per child accompanied by an adult. Info, 388-3381.

and increase confidence when parenting a spirited child.

Preschool and Youth classes/camps at wingspan studio: Pre-School FRART!

Weekly on Fri., Nov. 2-Dec. 14 (no class Nov. 23), 12:30-1:30 p.m., $125, ages 2-5 w/ adult, and weekly on Mon., Nov. 12-Dec. 17, 11 a.m.-noon. After-school: ART/NATURE

Explore! Theme-Animal Tracking and Habitats, Weekly on Mon., Nov. 12-Dec. 17, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $175. Thanksgiving Vacation

Camp: French Modern Art & Language, Nov. 19-21, 8:30 a.m.-2:30p.m., $200. Christmas Vacation Camp: Found Object Sculpture Treasures, Dec. 27-28, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., $125. Location: wingspan Studio, 4A Howard St., Burlington. Info: Maggie Standley, 2337676, maggiestandley@yahoo.com, http:// wingspanstudio.com/classes.html. Come create, learn and have fun in a beautiful, working artist’s studio. Offerings include Preschool FRART!, parents and preschoolers learn French through art projects, movement and music, ART/NATURE Explore! Afterschool classes use art to explore nature, and vacation camps.

Hot mama Workout: See November 1. my First Yoga: Beginners learn simple poses and principles through stories and songs. Ages birth-4. No session October 8. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 388-4097. open Gym: See November 2. 10 a.m.-noon.

6 TUESDAY Arts

From Page to stage: Young actors explore classic children’s books and bring the characters to life in front of an audience. Very Merry Theatre, Burlington, first Tuesday of every month, 3:45-5:45 p.m. $12. Info, 355-1461.

Community

candy Buyback: See November 1.

Kids Vote: Pint-size politicos cast ballots in a mock election and make patriotic crafts. All ages. St. Albans Free Library, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Education

Parent-child sign Language: Wee ones use their hands to communicate with mom and dad. Ages birth to 5. Preregister. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 879-7576.

spanish immersion Hour: Join an experienced Spanish teacher for an interactive music class teaching language basics through songs and games especially designed for 1- to 6-year-olds. Preregister. Warren Town Hall, 3:30-4:15 p.m. $16; first session free.

Health & Fitness

dancin’ With my Baby: See November 2. 10:3011:45 a.m.

Library & Books

craftacular Tuesdays: Kids get caught up in lowtech projects. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, first Tuesday of every month, 3:30-5 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

creative Tuesdays: Crafters use their imagination and recycled materials. All ages. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Nature & Science

science & stories: Animals in November: Curious kids learn how their furry friends make ready for a long winter. All ages. Preregister. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, 11 a.m. $9.50-12.50; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 877-324-6386.

7 WEDNESDAY Arts

Art for Tots: Children create their own masterpieces using a wide range of materials in a relaxed yet adventurous atmosphere. Ages 18 months-4 years. Purple Crayon Productions, Woodstock, 10-11 a.m. $10 to drop-in. Info, 802 457-3500.

creative Kids: Parents and kids roll out play dough and construct with craft materials. Ages 3-5. Miller Community Recreation Center, Burlington, 10:3011:30 a.m. $8. Info, 316-1512.

Patchwork: Piecing Together Family History: Vermont author Natalie Kinsey-Warnock discusses the stories that inspire her books, including children’s title The Canada Geese Quilt. All ages. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

Community

Breast-Feeding-mom support: New mothers get to know each other during this informative and informal session. Children welcome. Grace Church, Rutland, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 747-8665.

QuEEN ciTY cHEss cLuB:

milton community youth coalition meeting: Community members hear from school staff about the Positive Behavioral Intervations & Supports system and how it supports teaching and learning.

Dr. First videos “first with Kids” at FletcherAllen.org/ firstwithkids

Free dinner and childcare provided. Milton Public Library, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 893-1009.

Parent Playgroup: Caregivers share stories and dessert while crafting a toy to bring home to the kids. Adults only. South Burlington Community Library, 7-8 p.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Education

Ending the Homework Battle: See November 1. 10-11 a.m.

social Thinking: Kids with nonverbal learning disabilities, Asperger’s syndrome and high-functioning autism develop their social skills. Call for times. Ages 6-17. Preregister. Maple Leaf Clinic, Wallingford, Info, 446-3577.

Winter Birds: Birds of Vermont staffers get youngsters enthused about birding during a discussion of the winged wonders who winter in Vermont. Milton Historical Museum, 7:30-9 p.m. Free. Info, 734-0758.

Food

cookie decorating: Budding bakers doll up treats with sprinkles, frosting, sugar and nuts. Panadero Bakery, Burlington, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 863-8278.

Health & Fitness

afternoon Hoops: See November 2.

Kids open Gymnastics: See November 2. open Gym: See November 2, 10 a.m.-noon.

Library & Books

Book discussion: Critical readers voice their thoughts on Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award titles, including The Finger Tips of Duncan Dorfman Ages 8-11. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-0313.

LEGo afternoons: Youngsters create freely from big buckets of building blocks. Parents encouraged to send a snack; popcorn provided. Ages 6 and up. Lincoln Library, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 453-2665.

may’s music & movement: Kiddos and their caregivers don their dancing shoes for a turn on the floor. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

movin’ & Groovin’ With christine: Tots let loose to the rhythms of rock and world music. Ages 2-5. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

NooK Kids aPPtivity: Tots tap tablets, playing, creating and learning using store-provided NOOK devices and kid-friendly apps. Barnes & Noble, South Burlington, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 864-8001.

Preschool music With raphael: Little ones dance and sing to guitar tunes. Ages 3-5. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 12:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-0313.

richford PJ story Time: Kids gather with friends for bedtime prep through stories, songs and crafts. Ages birth-6. Arvin A. Library, Richford, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

youth media Lab: Aspiring Spielbergs make movies and explore technology in this drop-in collaboration between the library and Middlebury Community Television. Grade 3 and up. Preregister. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Nature & Science

Preschool discovery Program: Nature investigators explore hibernation, cold-weather survival and where songbirds have gone. Ages 3-5. No session Thanksgiving week. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 10-11:30 a.m. $5-8. Info, 229-6206.

8 THURSDAY Arts

a World of complications: Local youth actors bring an original comedy to the stage. Very Merry Theatre, Burlington, 4 p.m. Free. Info, 355-1461.

art Explorers: See November 1.

mom’s matinee: See November 1.

Pollywog drop-in art: See November 1.

Education

ViNs Homeschooling series: Educators foster kids’ curiosities in hands-on programs about streams, fields, forests and animals. Separate sessions for grades 1-3 and 4-6. Preregister. Vermont Institute of Natural Science Nature Center, Quechee, 10-11:30 a.m. $10-12. Info, 359-500, ext 223.

Health & Fitness

Hot mama Workout: See November 1. Winooski family Gym: See November 1.

Library & Books

ductTapeParenting signing: Parenting on Track creator Vicki Hoefle signs her new book which takes a less-is-more approach to raising resilient children. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 223-3338.

Highgate youth advisory: See November 1. read to a dog: Rainbow and Nancy listen as kids read aloud during 15-minute time slots that encourage literacy and connection with animals. Preregister. Fairfax Community Library, free. Info, 849-2420.

VolunTeens: Young adults plan events for the library. Grades 7-12. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

9 FRIDAY

Arts

family clay drop-in: See November 2.

Preschool clay drop-in: See November 2.

Teen movie Night: Young adults see Thor and watch as the powerful but arrogant warrior reignites an ancient war. PG-13. Lincoln Library, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 453-2665.

Education

Homeschool Project day: Kids learning outside the classroom present projects they’re working on. Milton Public Library, 2:30 p.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Health & Fitness

afternoon Hoops: See November 2.

Burlington family Gym: See November 2.

dancin’ With my Baby: See November 2. friday Game Night: Nerf games, tag and other active play keep kids happily moving at a Burlington Parks and Recreation-sponsored event. Ages 5-11. Preregister. Edmunds Elementary School, Burlington, 6-8 p.m. $12. Info, 316-1512.

Kids open Gymnastics: See November 2. open Gym: See November 2. Waitsfield ski and skate sale: See spotlight, pg. 38.

Library & Books

after-school movie: See November 2. spanish stories & music: Kids learn to rhyme, read and sing en español. Ages birth-6 and their parents. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Keeping up with the Joneses

Story Times

MONDAY

Bristol Toddler Story Time: Lawrence Memorial Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 453-2366.

Burlington Stories With Megan: Fletcher Free Library, Nov. 5, 1111:30 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Colchester Preschool Story Time: Burnham Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-0313.

Essex Free Drop-In Story Time: Essex Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

Fairfax Story Hour: Fairfax Community Library. Info, 849-2420.

Marshfield Story Time: Jaquith Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 426-3581.

Milton Infant Story Time: Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Richmond Pajama Time: Richmond Free Library, 6:30-7 p.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.

St. Albans Story Time: St. Albans Free Library, Thursdays, 10:3011:30 a.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Stowe Story Time for 2- to 3-Year-Olds: Stowe Free Library, 10 a.m. Free.

Waitsfield Story Time: Joslin Memorial Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 496-4205.

Waterbury Toddlers-’n’-Twos: Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: Buttered Noodles, Mondays-Fridays, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 764-1810.

TUESDAY

Alburgh Story Hour: Alburgh Community Education Center, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 796-6077.

Barre Children’s Story Hour: Aldrich Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 476-7550.

Berkshire PJ Story Time: Berkshire Elementary School, second Wednesday of every month, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Burlington Science & Stories: ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, 11 a.m. $9.50-$12.50; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 324-6386.

Colchester Toddler Story Time: Burnham Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-0313.

East Barre Kids Story Hour: East Barre Branch Library, 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 476-5118.

East Middlebury Preschool Stories: Sara Partridge Community Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Essex Toddler Story Time: Brownell Library, 9:10-9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Fairfax Preschool Story Time: Fairfax Community Library, 9:3010:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Early-literacy skills get special attention during these free readaloud sessions. Some locations provide additional activities such as music, crafts or foreign-language instruction. Contact the story-time organizer or visit kidsvt.com for details.

Fairfax Story Hour: See Monday.

Georgia Pajama Story Time: Georgia Public Library, third Tuesday of every month, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-4643.

Grand Isle PJ Story Time: Grand Isle Free Library, first Tuesday of every month, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Highgate Story Time: Highgate Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

Hinesburg Preschool Story Time: Carpenter-Carse Library, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

Hinesburg Toddler Story Time: Carpenter-Carse Library, first Tuesday of every month, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 482-2878.

Milton Preschool Story Time: Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Richmond Story Time: Richmond Free Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 434-3036.

South Burlington Tiny Tot Time: South Burlington Community Library, 9:15 & 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Williston Reading With Frosty & Friends: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Williston Story Hour: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: See Monday. MondaysFridays, 10-10:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY

Colchester Pajama Story Time: Burnham Memorial Library, Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 879-7576.

East Barre Realms of Reading Crafts: East Barre Branch Library, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 476-5118.

Essex Free Toddler Story Time: Essex Free Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

Fairfax Story Hour: See Monday.

Highgate Story Time: See Tuesday. 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Montgomery Story Hour: Montgomery Town Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, montgomery.librarian@ gmail.com.

Richford Story Hour: Arvin A. Library, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 848-3313.

South Burlington Baby Book Time: South Burlington Community Library, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Stowe Preschool Story Hour: Stowe Free Library, 10:15 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

Swanton Story Hour: Swanton Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 868-7656.

Warren Preschool Story & Enrichment Hour: Warren Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 595-2582.

Waterbury Baby

Lap Time: Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Williamstown Story Time: Ainsworth Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 433-5887.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: See Monday.

THURSDAY

Bristol Preschool Story Time: Lawrence Memorial Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 453-2366.

Colchester Preschool Story Time: See Monday.

Essex Free Preschool Story Time: Essex Free Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

Fairfax Story Hour: See Monday. Franklin Story Time: Haston Library, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 285-6505.

Jericho Preschool Story Time: Deborah Rawson Memorial Library, Nov. 8, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4962.

Middlebury Early Literacy Story

Time: Ilsley Public Library, 10:3011:15 a.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Rutland Story Time: Rutland Free Library, 10-10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 773-1860.

Shelburne Story Time With Mary Catherine Jones: Pierson Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 985-5124. St. Albans Story Time: See Monday.

Vergennes Story Time: Bixby Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 877-2211.

Westford Story Time: Westford Public Library, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-5639.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: See Monday.

FRIDAY

Enosburg Story Hour: Enosburg Public Library, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 933-2328.

Essex Musical Thirds: Essex Free Library, third Friday of every month, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

Fairfax Story Hour: See Monday.

Georgia Preschool Story Time: Georgia Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 524-4643.

Huntington Story Time: Huntington Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 434-4583.

Lincoln Children’s Story Time: Lincoln Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 453-2665.

Milton Toddler Story Time: Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

South Burlington Pajamarama: Barnes & Noble, 7 p.m. Free. Info, 864-8001.

South Burlington Story Time Adventures: South Burlington Community Library, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Stowe Baby & Toddler Story Time: Stowe Free Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 253-6145.

Waterbury Preschool Story Time: Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 244-7036.

Williston Story Time at Buttered Noodles: See Monday.

SATURDAY

Barre Story Time: Next Chapter Bookstore, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 476-3114.

Colchester Drop-In Story Time: Burnham Memorial Library, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 878-0313.

Fairfax Story Hour: See Monday.

South Burlington Saturday Story Time: See Wednesday. 11 a.m.

South Burlington SecondSaturday Stories: South Burlington Community Library, second Saturday of every month, 10:15 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 652-7080.

SUNDAY

Fairfax Story Hour: See Monday.

9 FRidAY (Continued)

Nature & Science

Let’s Talk About Race: story Hour: See November 2.

10 SATURDAY Arts

A World of complications: See November 8.

Kids craft: See November 3. 1-3 p.m.

major mess: Young artists explore holiday-themed projects with mixed media. All ages. Children under 4 must be accompanied by an adult. Purple Crayon Productions, Woodstock, 10:30-11:30 a.m. $10. Info, 457-3500.

mixed media drop-in: See November 3.

saturday drama club: See November 3. Tween Night: Grab a friend or two and come for pizza and a Hunger Games movie night. Preregister by November 8. Grades 5 and up. Highgate Public Library, Highgate Center, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

Community

Burlington’s changing community: Museumgoers join a conversation on Burlington’s changing demographics during workshops, facilitated panels, performances and a screening of a film on race. All ages. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $2. Info, 1-877-324-3686.

Project Graduation craft Fair: Shoppers browse products, including wreaths, clothing, jewelry, artwork and specialty foods. Proceeds support Project Graduation. Mt. Abraham Union High School, Bristol, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Info, 453-2333.

Education

dr. First videos “First with Kids” at Fletcherallen.org/ firstwithkids

open House: Prospective students and their parents check out a Waldorf education during tours and presentations by teachers and students. Lake Champlain Waldorf School, Shelburne, 10 a.m.noon. Free. Info, 985-2827.

Queen city chess club: See spotlight, pg. 28.

Fairs & Festivals

community Harvest Festival: Attendees support the the Richmond Elementary Farm to School program by lunching and listening, grinding grain, making corn cakes and seed art, blending smoothies by bike power, and climbing hay bales. All ages. West Monitor Barn, Richmond, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Info, 434-5853.

Wagon-Ride Weekend: See November 3.

Food

Butter making: See November 3.

Health & Fitness

Franklin Tumble Time: Gym time provides an opportunity to run, jump and play. Ages birth-6. Franklin Central School, second Saturday of every month, 9-10 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Kids Night out: Small ones make a splash at swimming and movie activities with groups for tots ages 1-4 and older children ages 5-12. Preregister. YMCA, Burlington, 5:30-8 p.m. $8-16. Info, 862-9622. make Your own Hula Hoop: A member of UVM’s hooping team shows folks how to make and decorate their own. All ages. Robert Miller Community & Recreation Center, Burlington, 10 a.m.-noon. $20. Info, 864-0123.

okemo ski & snowboard swap: See spotlight, pg. 38.

Waitsfield ski and skate sale: See spotlight, pg. 38.

Winooski Family Gym: See November 1.

Library & Books

Local Readers, Local Writers: Vermont authors Phoebe Stone, Doug Wilhelm, Ted Scheu, Kimberly Jones, Kendra Gratton, Pat Weber and Jeanne Blackmore meet with young writers. All ages. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Nature & Science

Bird-monitoring Walk: Birders bring binoculars for a walk on museum property. Best for adults and older kids with some experience. Preregister. Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, 8-10 a.m. Donations. Info, 434-2167.

Parachutes: Curious kids make their own ’chutes to test air resistance. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. $10-12; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

Raptor Romp: Birders meet and greet raptors in their natural environment on an interpreterguided walk. All ages. Preregister. Shelburne Farms, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $5-8; free for kids under 3. Info, 985-8686.

Who sank the Boat?: Newbie boat builders craft a vessel, then see how much weight it can hold before sinking. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. $10-12; free for kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

11 SUNDAY Community

Babysitter search: Parents connect with sitters, nannies and mommy’s helpers in a round-robin open house session followed by free time to talk. Preregister. Stowe Elementary School, 1-3 p.m. Free. Info, 253-6138.

The Geography Game show: Cape Cod artist Neal Nichols uses a marker and white board to draw the world from memory, quizzing the audience on continents, capitals, countries and cultures in an engaging geography lesson. Preregister. The Renaissance School, Shelburne, 1-4 p.m. $10 person; $30 for a family of four or more. Info, 425-2355.

Fairs & Festivals

Wagon-Ride Weekend: See November 3.

Food

city market Kids cooking class: Young kids and teens give thanks by preparing homemade soup and sharing a pot with the Committee on Temporary Shelter. Ages 8 and up, accompanied by an adult. Preregister. McClure Multigenerational Center, Burlington, 3-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 861-9700.

Health & Fitness

Burlington Family Gym: See November 2. okemo ski & snowboard swap: See spotlight, pg. 38. open Gym: See November 2. 5-7 p.m.

YoGirl: Yoga for Girls: See November 4.

11 suNdAY, p. 33

Martha Speaks

SAT | DEC 1 | 3 PM

Musical adaptation of the endearing children’s book series about a very chatty canine

H CH

THE CHRISTMAS REVELS

AN IRISH CELEBRATION OF THE WINTER SOLSTICE THU-SUN | DEC 13-16

for the whole family!

Fun

True Colors

As the burlington School District struggles to address an achievement gap between students of color and their white peers, a new exhibit at eCHo Lake Aquarium and Science Center is a timely conversation starter: “Race: aRe We so diffeRenT?” is “in the right place at the right time,” says eCHo’s director of education, molly Loomis. The large panels may seem daunting for little kids, but the exhibit also packs a punch with photographs, videos and visual representations of abstract ideas exploring the biology and history of race in America. Preschoolers can learn more at Friday morning story sessions, offered in partnership with the reading to end racism program. And, according to Loomis, the bSD plans to hold faculty meetings at eCHo to introduce educators to the material. other outreach includes community programs, lectures and a special, $2-admission day on november 10 focused on burlington’s changing demographics.

“Race: aRe We so diffeRenT?” Open through January 27, 2013, at ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington. $9.50-12.50; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 864-1848, echovt.org

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF ARTISTIC INSPIRATION, DISCOVERY AND PASSION!

Climb aboard the Glenna Troy as a group of hopeful émigrés create a memorable Christmas at sea. Featuring a spirited céilidh band, all-ages chorus, storytellers, step dancers—and all the usual Revels magic!

Nature & Science

Batteries & motors: Science lovers explore circuits and electricity. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. $10-12; free for kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

Glaciers: Small geologists explore the properties of ice while making model glaciers. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. $10-12; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

12 MONDAY

Arts

imagination studio: See November 5.

Baby & Maternity

montpelier Prenatal Yoga: See November 5.

Yoga After Baby: See November 5.

Education

spanish immersion class: See November 5.

Health & Fitness

Hoopla: See November 5.

Hot mama Workout: See November 1. my First Yoga: See November 5. open Gym: See November 2. 10 a.m.-noon

13 TUESDAY

Education

money smart child Workshop: Parents learn how to teach kids about money, spending, budgets, credit and saving. Free pizza and childcare provided. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6-8 p.m. Free. Info, 878-6956.

Parent-child sign Language: See November 6.

spanish immersion Hour: See November 6.

Food

Kids in the Kitchen: chai Tea Latte: Small chefs blend chai from scratch, tying up the tea in sachets that are great for gifts. All ages. Preregister. Healthy Living Market and Cafe, South Burlington, 3:30-4:30 p.m. $20 per adult/child pair. Info, 8632569, ext. 1.

Health & Fitness

dancin’ With my Baby: See November 2. 10:3011:45 a.m.

Library & Books

creative Tuesdays: See November 6.

ductTapeParenting signing: Parenting on Track creator Vicki Hoefle discusses and signs her new book, which takes a less-is-more approach to raising resilient children. Brandon Free Public Library, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 247-8230.

Essex Pajama story Time: The sandman visits kids at the library who are dressed for bed and ready to read. All ages. Essex Free Library, Essex Junction, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 879-0313.

Game on!: Kids learn new diversions or play old faves. All ages. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpe lier, 3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

Nature & Science

science & stories: migration: Preschoolers learn which birds head south for the winter, and which ones chill out in Vermont. All ages. Prereg ister. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, 11 a.m. $9.50-12.50; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 877-324-6386.

14 WEDNESDAY

Arts

Art for Tots: See November 7.

creative Kids: See November 7.

Baby & Maternity

Burlington La Leche League: Moms bring their questions, babies and older kids, too, to this breast-feeding support group. Lending library available. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 985-8228.

Community

Georgia Family Game Night: Candy Land, checkers and Monopoly bring gamers to the library. Visitors are welcome to carry in other favorites, too. Georgia Public Library, Fairfax, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 524-4643.

Education

social Thinking: See November 7.

Food

cookie decorating: See November 7.

Health & Fitness

Afternoon Hoops: See November 2.

Kids open Gymnastics: See November 2. okemo ski & snowboard swap: See spotlight pg. 38.

open Gym: See November 2. 10 a.m.-noon.

Library & Books

LEGo Afternoons: See November 7. may’s music & movement: See November 7. movin’ & Groovin’ With christine: See November 7.

NooK Kids APPtivity: See November 7.

Preschool music With Raphael: See November 7.

A Top-secret Program: Undercover agents work together to complete a mission before time runs out. Ages 8 and up. South Burlington Community Library, 3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Youth media Lab: See November 7.

Nature & Science

Bringing in the Harvest: Kids and parents explore the natural world through a farm field trip. Ages 3-5. Preregister. MapleWood Organic Farm, Highgate, 11 a.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

Preschool discovery Program: See November 7. 15 THURSDAY Arts

Art Explorers: See November 1.

mom’s matinee: See November 1. Pollywog

See November 1.

SPONSORED

Nov. 10-11

9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Waitsfield Elementary School

Find new and used winter gear for skiers and riders of all ages.

Consignment drop-off Nov. 9th, 4-7pm.

Waitsfield Elementary School

Route 100, Waitsfield, VT 802-496-3643

WESSkiSkate.com

Sweet Dreams

Jump-start the holiday season with a performance of THE NuTcRAcKER full of dancing candy canes and the sugar plum fairy, the classic two-act ballet satisfies everybody’s christmas craving. kids love the larger-than-life gingerbread soldiers and the nutcracker’s battle against the evil mouse king. and adults appreciate one of tchaikovsky’s most famous compositions, brought to life by the student performers of the touring albany berkshire ballet. like most sweet dreams, it’ll be over before you want it to be.

THE NuTcRAcKER: Saturday, November 24, 3 & 7 p.m; Sunday, November 25, 1 p.m. Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Burlington, $21-35. Info, 863-5966, flynntix.org

15 THuRsdAY (continued)

Health & Fitness

Hot mama Workout: See November 1. Winooski Family Gym: See November 1.

Health & Fitness

Afternoon Hoops: See November 2.

Burlington Family Gym: See November 2. dancin’ With my Baby: See November 2.

Food

Butter making: See November 3.

Health & Fitness

PM

WE’VE GOT THEM COVERED FROM THE FIRST LAYER TO THE LAST CHILDRENʼS CLOTHING, RAINWEAR AND SKIWEAR BECOME A FAN • FOLLOW US k8v-yellowturtle1112.indd 1 10/24/12 2:41 PM

Library & Books

Highgate Youth Advisory: See November 1. LEGo club: Building-block lovers of all ages get busy with the library’s sets of Duplos, Quatros and Legos. St. Albans Free Library, 3-5 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

PJ story Time With Author Jeanne Blackmore: This Vermont author’s first picture book, How Does Sleep Come?, sends kids off to snoozeland in style at an event that includes activities supplied by Middlebury College’s Page One Literacy Project. All ages. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 6-7 p.m. Free. Info, 985-3999.

shelburne magic club: See November 1.

Teen craft: Young adults make a chunky ring out of shrinking plastic. Ages 12-18. Preregister. St. Albans Free Library, 4 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Young Writers club: Budding scribes work on exercises and prompts designed to ignite a creative spark. Grades 4 and up. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

Nature & Science

Let’s Talk Turkeys: See spotlight, pg. 26.

16 FRIDAY Arts

A dangerous Night of Writing: Young scribes gather for a write-a-thon inspired by National Novel Writing Month. Ages 7 and up. Phoenix Books, Essex Junction, 7-9 p.m. Free. Info, 872-7111.

Family clay drop-in: See November 2. Preschool clay drop-in: See November 2.

submit your december and January events by November 15 at kidsvt.com or to calendar@kidsvt.com.

Kids Night out in Waterbury: YMCA staff supervise kids as they play games, watch movies and eat pizza. Ages 5-12. Preregister. Thatcher Brook Primary School, Waterbury, 6-8:30 p.m. $8. Info, 244-7195.

Kids open Gymnastics: See November 2. okemo ski & snowboard swap: See spotlight, pg. 38.

open Gym: See November 2.

Library & Books

After-school movie: See November 2.

Jiggity Jog: Kids let music move them via song, instrument and dance. Ages 2-6. South Burlington Community Library, 10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Youth Night: Teens and tweens hang out and enjoy movies, snacks and projects. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, third Friday of every month, 6-9 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

Nature & Science

Let’s Talk About Race: story Hour: See November 2.

17 SATURDAY

Arts

Kids craft: See November 3.

mixed media drop-in: See November 3.

saturday drama club: See November 3.

saturday Youth Art studio drop-in: See November 3.

Education

Queen city chess club: See spotlight, pg. 28.

Fairs & Festivals

Wagon-Ride Weekend: See November 3.

Family Fun Night: The whole family enjoys an evening at the Y with swimming, snacks, movies and more. Swimming is from 5-6:30 p.m. and the movie starts at 6:30 p.m. All ages. YMCA, Burlington, 5-8 p.m. $3-5. Info, 862-9622.

okemo ski & snowboard swap: See spotlight pg. 38.

Winooski Family Gym: See November 1.

Library & Books

movie matinee: Kids catch a PG-rated flick while snacking on popcorn. All ages. St. Albans Free Library, 1 p.m. Free. Info, 524-1507.

Nature & Science

Felt Pouch making: Handy crafters make pouches from sheep’s wool while learning about fleece and felting. Preregister. Shelburne Farms, 9:30-11:30 a.m. $5-6. Info, 985-8686.

Fingerprints: Kids get up close and personal with their prints, exploring what makes them unique. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. $10-12; free for kids under 2. Info, 649-2200. mirror, mirror: Little ones use looking glasses to investigate reflection and symmetry. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. $10-12; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

18 SUNDAY

Fairs & Festivals

Wagon-Ride Weekend: See November 3.

Health & Fitness

Burlington Family Gym: See November 2. okemo ski & snowboard swap: See spotlight pg. 38.

open Gym: See November 2. 5-7 p.m.

YoGirl: Yoga for Girls: See November 4.

Nature & Science

creeping colors: This science-packed session teaches kids about capillary action as they watch water crawl up paper and find hidden colors inside a marker. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. $10-12; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

Leafcutter ants: Nature fans examine the secret life of insect fungus farmers during this hands-on investigation. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. $10-12; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

19 MONDAY

Arts

Positive Prints: Kids make a lasting impression in clay, molding handprints into special keepsakes. All ages. Kids under 4 will need help. Purple Crayon Productions, Woodstock, 3:30-4:30 p.m. $10 per child; $5 per each additional print. Info, 457-3500.

Baby & Maternity

montpelier Prenatal yoga: See November 5. yoga after Baby: See November 5.

Education

spanish immersion class: See November 5.

Health & Fitness

Hoopla: See November 5.

Hot mama Workout: See November 1. open Gym: See November 2.

Library & Books

chess club: Pawn pushers learn the game and play against others in friendly matches. Ages 6-14. Milton Public Library, 6:30-8 p.m. Free. Info, 893-4644.

Nature & Science

Books & Beyond: Children’s literature meets hands-on activities for science learning and exploration. Ages 3-5 with a caregiver. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 10:15-11 & 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. $1012; free for kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

20 TUESDAY

Education

Parent-child sign Language: See November 6.

spanish immersion Hour: See November 6.

Health & Fitness

Dr.

dancin’ With my Baby: See November 2. 10:3011:45 a.m.

Library & Books

creative Tuesdays: See November 6.

magic: The Gathering: Fans of this trading-card game gather for play with their own deck, or borrow one from the library. Grades 6-12. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 4-6 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

The seussification of romeo & Juliet: Very Merry Theatre takes a different look at a classic love story. All ages. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 482-2878. south Burlington crafternoons: Creative kids drop in for a hands-on activity. South Burlington Community Library, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 652-7080.

Nature & Science

Nature art: Budding nature lovers explore their creative proclivities with Exordium, Inc. Kids in preschool to grade 4. Preregister. Highgate Public Library, Highgate Center, 10 a.m. Free. Info, 868-3970.

21 WEDNESDAY Arts

art for Tots: See November 7. creative Kids: See November 7.

Education

social Thinking: See November 7.

Food

candy-cane-making demo: Families watch candy makers in action, or they can get in on the fun and make twisted treats of their own. Preregister to participate.Laughing Moon Chocolates, Stowe, 11 a.m. Free to watch. $6 person to make your own. Info, 253-9591.

cookie decorating: See November 7.

Health & Fitness

afternoon Hoops: See November 2. Kids open Gymnastics: See November 2. open Gym: See November 2. 10 a.m.-noon

Library & Books

LEGo afternoons: See November 7.

NooK Kids aPPtivity: See November 7.

Preschool music With raphael: See November 7. youth media Lab: See November 7.

Nature & Science

Preschool discovery Program: See November 7.

22 THURSDAY

Community

community Thanksgiving dinner: Friends dine together at a traditional feast. To donate food or time, or to receive a home-delivered meal on Thanksgiving Day, call 229-9151. Bethany Church, Montpelier, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Info, 229-9151.

Health & Fitness

Turkey Trot: A quarter-mile kids race starts at 10:45 a.m. just before the 5K jaunt. UVM Gutterson Field House, Burlington, 11 a.m. Donations, including food for the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf. Info, gmaa.net.

First videos “first with Kids” at FletcherAllen.org/ firstwithkids

23 FRIDAY Fairs & Festivals

Thanksgiving Weekend: Turkey Day doings from 1890 are showcased during this holiday celebration on the farm, complete with tasty treats and wagon rides. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. $3-12; free for members and kids under 3. Info, 457-2355.

F d

Candy-Cane-Making Demo: See November 21.

Health & Fitne

Stratton Mountain School Ski Sale: See spotlight, pg. 38.

Playgroups

MONDAY

Barre Open Gym: Sunrise Gymnastics, Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-noon. $10 child. Info, 223-0517.

Burlington Crawlers, Waddlers & Toddlers: St. Joseph School, 11 p.m. Free. Info, 999-5100.

Colchester Playgroup: Malletts Bay School, Tuesdays, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 264-5900.

Essex Open Gym: Regal Gymnastics Academy, Fridays, 11 a.m.-noon. $8; free for children under 18 months. Info, 655-3300.

Isle La Motte Playgroup: Isle La Motte School, 7:30-9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Jericho Playgroup: Jericho Community Center, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4415.

Montgomery Playgroup: Montgomery Town Library, second Monday, Wednesday of every month, 4-5 p.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Rutland Babies & Toddlers Rock: Rutland Free Library, first Monday of every month, 10-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 773-1860.

South Hero Playgroup: South Hero Congregational Church, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Swanton Playgroup: Mary S. Babcock School, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Williston Music With Raphael: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 10:45 a.m. Free. Info, 878-4918.

Winooski Fathers & Children Together: Winooski Family Center, 5-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 655-1422.

TUESDAY

Alburgh Music and Movement: Alburgh Community Education Center, Every other Tuesday, 8:45-9:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Baby Time: Faith United Methodist Church, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 658-3659.

Bristol Playgroup: Bristol Baptist Church, 9:3011 a.m. Free. Info, 388-3171.

Burlington Family Play: VNA Family Room, Thursdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

Burlington Fathers & Children Together: VNA Family Room, 5-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

Burlington Music With Robert: Fletcher Free Library, 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 865-7216.

Colchester Playgroup: See Monday.

Colchester Teddy Bear Picnic: Malletts Bay School, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 264-5906.

Dr. First videos

“First with Kids” at FletcherAllen.org/ firstwithkids

Turkey Day Basketball Clinic: Young players pick up skills from St. Michael’s men’s basketball team coaches and players. Ages 7-18. Preregister. St. Michael’s College, Colchester, 9 a.m.-noon. $15 per day. Info, 654-2739.

Nature & Science

Fossils: See November 3.

Hoopster Gliders: See November 4.

Let’s Talk About Race: Story Hour: See November 2.

24 SATURDAY Arts

Kids Craft: See November 3. Mixed Media Drop-In: See November 3.

The Nutcracker: The Albany Berkshire Ballet performs the holiday classic. All ages. Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Burlington, 3 & 7 p.m. $21-35. Info, 863-5966.

Saturday Drama Club: See November 3.

Scrooge: No Strings Marionette Company animates Dickens’ classic story with 15 large-scale puppets who introduce the themes of sharing and giving. Attendees sample sweets from the holiday bazaar after the show. Chandler Center for the Arts, Randolph, 11 a.m. $6. Info, 728-6464.

Education

Queen City Chess Club: See spotlight, pg. 28.

Fairs & Festivals

Thanksgiving Weekend: See November 23.

Butter Making: See November 3.

Candy-Cane-Making Demo: See November 21. 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.

Health & Fitne

Stratton Mountain School Ski Sale: See spotlight, pg. 38.

Turkey Day Basketball Clinic: See November 23. 9 a.m.-noon.

Winooski Family Gym: See November 1.

Kids enjoy fun and games during these informal get-togethers, and caregivers connect with other local parents and friends. The groups are usually free and often include snacks, arts and crafts, or music themes. Contact the playgroup organizer or visit kidsvt.com for site-specific details.

Essex BBF Playgroup: Essex Junction Recreation and Parks Department, Thursdays, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 872-9580.

Essex Open Gym: See Monday.

Georgia Playgroup: Georgia Elementary & Middle School, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Hardwick Playgroup: Hardwick Elementary School, 8:15-10:15 a.m. Free. Info, 652-5138.

Johnson Baby Chat: Church of the Nazarene, fourth Tuesday of every month, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3470.

Middlebury Playgroup: Middlebury Baptist Church, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 388-3171.

Milton Playgroup: New Life Fellowship Church, Thursdays, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 893-1457.

Montpelier Tulsi Morning Playgroup: Tulsi Tea Room, 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 223-0043.

Montpelier LEGO Club: Kellogg-Hubbard Library, third Tuesday of every month, 3:30 p.m. Free. Info, 223-4665.

Richford Playgroup: Cornerstone Briddges to Life Community Center, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Worcester Playgroup: Doty Memorial School, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 229-0173.

WEDNESDAY

Barre Open Gym: See Monday.

Enosburg Playgroup: American Legion - Enosburg, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 933-6435.

Essex Open Gym: See Monday.

Essex Welcome Baby Playgroup: Move You Fitness Studio, 10 a.m.-noon, Free. Info, 872-9580.

Fairfield Playgroup: Bent Northrup Memorial Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Hinesburg Playgroup for Dads: Annette’s Preschool, 5-7:30 p.m. Free. Info, 860-4420.

Richmond Playgroup: Richmond Free Library, 8:45-10:15 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4415.

Shelburne Playgroup: Trinity Episcopal Church, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 764-5820.

Shelburne Sing-Along: Lemon Peel Cafe and Creperie, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 985-9511.

South Royalton Playgroup: United Church on the Green, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 685-2264.

St. Albans BBF Playgroup: NCSS Family Center, St. Albans, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Vergennes Playgroup: Congregational Church of Vergennes, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 388-3171.

Williston Baby-Time Playgroup: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Free. Info, 658-3659.

THURSDAY

Alburgh Playgroup: NCSS Family Center, Alburgh, Free. Info, 527-5426.

Bolton Playgroup: Smilie Memorial School, Nov. 15, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4415.

Burlington EvoMamas Playgroup: Evolution Physical Therapy and Yoga, second Thursday of every month, 2-4 p.m., and second Thursday of every month, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Free. Info, 864-9642.

Burlington Family Play: See Tuesday. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Essex BBF Playgroup: See Tuesday. Tuesdays, 9:30-11 a.m.

Essex Open Gym: See Monday. Mondays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-noon.

Fletcher Tumble Time: Fletcher Elementary School, second Thursday of every month, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Fletcher Playgroup: Fletcher Elementary School, third Thursday of every month, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Milton Playgroup: See Tuesday. Tuesdays, 9:3011 a.m.

Montgomery Infant Playgroup: Montgomery Town Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Williston Music With Raphael: See Monday.

Winooski Playgroup: O’Brien Community Center, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Info, 655-1422.

FRIDAY

Essex Center Playgroup: Memorial Hall, 9-11 a.m. Free. Info, 878-6751.

Essex Open Gym: See Monday. Mondays- 11 a.m.-noon.

Fairfax Community Playgroup: BFA Fairfax, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Ferrisburgh Open Gym: Ferrisburgh Central School, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 388-3171

Huntington Playgroup: Huntington Public Library, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Info, 899-4415.

Montgomery Tumble Time: Montgomery Elementary School, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426. St. Albans MOPS: Church of the Rock, third Friday of every month, 8:45-11 a.m. Free. Info, 891-1230.

Swanton Late-Morning Playgroup: Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Underhill Playgroup: Underhill Central School, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 899-4415.

Williston Playgroup: Allen Brook School, 9-10:30 a.m. Free. Info, 876-7147; jakruwet@yahoo.com.

SATURDAY

Fairfax Open Tot Gym & Infant Playtime: BFA Fairfax, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Franklin Playgroup: Franklin Central School, second Saturday of every month, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

Morrisville Weekend Baby Chat: Lamoille Family Center, second Saturday of every month, 10-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 888-3470.

North Hero Tumble Time: North Hero Elementary School, Every other Saturday, 10-11 a.m. Free. Info, 527-5426.

South Burlington Tots & Tykes Open Gym: Chamberlin Elementary School, 9:30-11 a.m. Free. Info, 846-4108.

Nature & Science

Bird-monitoring Walk: Bring binoculars and explore museum property for avian activity. Best for older children. Preregister. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, 8-10 a.m. Free. Info, 434-2167. magnetic moments: Budding scientists experiment with magnets. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. $10-12; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 649-2200. microscopic investigations: Kiddos get an upclose look at everyday items using hand lenses and microscopes. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. $10-12; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

25 SUNDAY

Arts

The Nutcracker: See November 24. 1 p.m.

Baby & Maternity

Newborn 101: Moms- and dads-to-be get the skinny on tiny babies and how to enjoy the first three months of parenthood. The class covers tips on setting routines, breast-feeding basics, newborn care, how to handle prolonged crying and participant questions. Preregister. Franklin County Home Health Agency, St. Albans, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $30. Info, 527-7531.

Fairs & Festivals

Thanksgiving Weekend: See November 23.

Food

candy-cane-making demo: See November 21.

Health & Fitness

Burlington Family Gym: See November 2. open Gym: See November 2.

Nature & Science

machine madness Pre-Build: Budding builders bring supplies to help construct contraptions for a conference in December. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $10-12; free for kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

optical illusions: Young minds discover that things are not always what they seem during this science-based session. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 3 p.m. $10-12; free for kids under 2. Info, 649-2200.

Playing Telephone: Kids craft paper-cup phones and explore the properties of sound waves. All ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 11 a.m. $10-12; free for kids under 2. Info, 649-2200. science & stories: Hibernation: Nature-loving kids explore why some animals sleep to survive winter. All ages. Preregister. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, Burlington, 11 a.m. $9.5012.50; free for members and kids under 2. Info, 877-324-6386.

26 MONDAY

Baby & Maternity

montpelier Prenatal Yoga: See November 5.

Yoga After Baby: See November 5.

Education

spanish immersion class: See November 5.

Health & Fitness

Hoopla: See November 5.

Hot mama Workout: See November 1. open Gym: See November 2. 10 a.m.-noon

Library & Books

intergenerational dessert Book discussion: Anyone who loves a good read-rant-and rave-session gets their chance to eat a sweet and talk books.

Grade 6 through adult. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 6:30 p.m. Free. Info, 878-313.

27 TUESDAY Arts

Art safari: Tots dive into stories and art activities related to the museum’s collections. Ages 3-5 with adult. Preregister. Shelburne Museum 9:30-10:30 a.m.. $5-7.50 child. Info, 985-3346.

Education

Parent-child sign Language: See November 6. spanish immersion Hour: See November 6.

Food

Kids in the Kitchen: magical matzo Ball soup: Winter days inspire a cooking lesson that yields chicken soup and from-scratch matzo. All ages. Preregister. Healthy Living Market and Café, South Burlington, 3:30-4:30 p.m. $20 per adult/child pair. Info, 863-2569, ext. 1.

Health & Fitness

dancin’ With my Baby: See November 2. 10:3011:45 a.m.

Library & Books

creative Tuesdays: See November 6.

28 WEDNESDAY

Arts

Art for Tots: See November 7. creative Kids: See November 7.

Baby & Maternity

Nursing Beyond a Year: Moms gather to discuss the joys and challenges of an older nursling. Discussion topics include nighttime parenting, weaning and setting limits. Bring a snack to share. Aikido of Champlain Valley, Burlington, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Info, 879-3000.

Pregnancy circle: Pregnant moms check in with open discussion, hear positive birth stories, and practice labor breathing and relaxation. A healthy snack is provided. Preregister. Birth Journeys, Essex Junction, 6-7:30 p.m. $5-15 sliding scale. Info, 324-8809.

Education

social Thinking: See November 7.

Food

candy-cane-making demo: See November 21. cookie decorating: See November 7.

Health & Fitness

Afternoon Hoops: See November 2.

Kids open Gymnastics: See November 2. open Gym: See November 2.

Library & Books

LEGo Afternoons: See November 7.

may’s music & movement: See November 7.

movin’ & Groovin’ With christine: See November 7.

NooK Kids APPtivity: See November 7.

Preschool music With Raphael: See November 7. Youth media Lab: See November 7.

"A heartwarming family favorite!" — St. Louis Post Dispatch

Gearing Up

Hitting the slopes can cost a pretty penny. But savvy skiers and boarders know the secret to outfitting their families affordably: swap sales. Parents of quickly growing athletes can pick up low-cost, gently used equipment and sell gear their little shredders have outgrown. Now that’s a cool idea.

NOVEMBER 3-4

Cochran’s Ski & Ride Sale

Camel’s Hump Middle School, Richmond

Consignment drop-off: Friday, November 2, 6-8:30 p.m.

Sale: Saturday, November 3, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, November 4, 10 a.m.2 p.m. Info, 425-2665, cochranskiclub.org

NOVEMBER 10-11

Waitsfield Ski and Skate Sale

Waitsfield Elementary School

Consignment drop-off: Friday, November 9, 4-7 p.m.

Sale: Saturday and Sunday, November 10 and 11, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Info, 496-3643, wesskiskate.com

NOVEMBER 16-18

Okemo Ski and Snowboard Swap

Okemo Mountain School

November 11, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wednesday, November 14, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sale: Friday, November 16, 4-7 p.m.; Saturday, November 17, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sunday, November 18, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Info, 228-1513

NOVEMBER 16-18

Ski and Snowshoe Swap

Trapp Family Lodge Outdoor Center, Stowe

Consignment drop-off: Friday, November 16, 3-7 p.m.

Sale: Saturday, November 17, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, November 18, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Info, 800-826-7000, trappfamily.com/ activities/special-events

NOVEMBER 23- 25

Stratton Mountain School Ski Sale

Stratton Mountain Resort

Consignment drop-off: Friday, November 23, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Sale: Friday, November 23, 3-7 p.m.; Saturday, November 24, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

$5 admission on Friday; free on Saturday Info, 865-1165, gosms.org/skisale

MOUNTAIN ROAD, STOWE 802.253.4411 PIECASSO.COM

Nature & Science

Preschool discovery Program: See November 7.

29 THURSDAY

Arts

Art Explorers: See November 1.

mom’s matinee: See November 1.

Pollywog drop-in Art: See November 1.

Health & Fitness

Hot mama Workout: See November 1.

Winooski Family Gym: See November 1.

Library & Books

Highgate Youth Advisory: See November 1. mysterious Hogwarts Reading society: Fantasy fans gather to discuss magical reads. Grades 4-6. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Info, 388-4097.

30 FRIDAY

Arts

Family clay drop-in: See November 2. Preschool clay drop-in: See November 2.

Food

candy-cane-making demo: See November 21.

Health & Fitness

Afternoon Hoops: See November 2. Burlington Family Gym: See November 2. dancin’ With my Baby: See November 2. Jedi Night: Jedi Padawans join YMCA staff for Star Wars-themed crafts and self-defense clinics. Kids choose from activities including a screening of the original movie, making Emperor dolls and fighting light-saber duels. Ages 5-12. Ferrisburgh Central School, 6:30-8:30 p.m. $8. Info, 862-9622.

Kids open Gymnastics: See November 2. open Gym: See November 2. open Gym: See November 2.

Library & Books

After-school movie: See November 2.

Nature & Science

Friday Nights for Teen Tinkerers: Young adults plan and build cool creations, such as robots that draw, electronic bugs or tessellating designs. Grades 6-9. Preregistration recommended. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, 6:30-8 p.m. $14-16. Info, 649-2200.

Let’s Talk About Race: story Hour: See November 2. K

submit your december and January events by November 15 at kidsvt.com or to calendar@kidsvt.com.

Choose coverage for yourself or your whole family.

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Plan highlights include:

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High annual maximums up to $2,000 per person

One-time deductible

Access to the nation’s largest dental PPO network* Vision discount program included with all plans

Lake Champlain Waldorf School

Holiday Fair

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 AM

ARTISAN MARKET

Come for a shopping experience like no other! Browse for all your holiday gifts from over 60 artisans, while enjoying a caffè latte and savory treats. Live music. For adults and older teens.

BOOK REVIEW

CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE ENTHUSIASTIC YOUNG CRITICS who shared their reading recommendations this month. Each wins books from Kids VT and a $25 gift certificate from Crow Bookshop in Burlington. We loved reading about all the entrants’ literary adventures and have included some of our favorite excerpts below.

If you didn’t win this month, send in another submission. Send them to: Kids VT attn: Book Review, 255 South Champlain Street, Burlington, VT 05401

Helena Wolfel, 3 BARRE CITY

FAM ILY FAIR

Bring your family early because you’ll want to stay the whole day! Huge artisan market, holiday singing, children’s craft making, storytelling, magical activities, games, African drumming, homemade bistro foods and more!

www.lakechamplainwaldorfschool.org

Asthma in Children Research Study

We are performing a study of a new investigational asthma medicine for children with mild to moderate asthma.

Who

qualifies for the study?

• Patients aged 5-11

• Must have a history of symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of asthma for at least 6 months

• Are using a stable dose of asthma therapy

• Must not have had an asthma episode requiring oral steroids in the past 3 months or requiring hospitalization for asthma in the past 6 months

• Can attend 5-7 evening clinic visits between 3PM-9PM

• Compensation provided for time and travel

The Great Paint Problem by Kimberly Weinberger

“My favorite is on pages when they make lemonade.”

Addison Urch, 7 WILLISTON

Pirates (Magic Treehouse Research Guide) by Will Osborne and Mary Pope Osborne

“Here are some pirate [rules]. 1. Every man gets equal amount of what is stolen. 2. No fighting 3. No gambling.”

Yukima Benjamin, 8 ST. ALBANS

The Dragon Prophecy, the Kingdom of Fantasy, Book 4 by Geronimo Stilton

“I like it because Geronimo is out on a journey with six friends … it helps me think of my friends.”

Cole Fenton, 9 COLCHESTER

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

In his glowing review, Cole notes that the intro to the book claims the Earth is 98 million miles from the sun. Cole adds, “I thought it was only 93 million miles.”

Crafting Corner

BY KATE LADDISON

After their daughter

Parents: Liz and Eric Small

Children: Savannah, 4, and Danyon, 7 weeks

Savannah was born, Liz Small and her husband, Eric, finished their basement and added a crafting space. They wanted to make room for both Savannah and Liz, a graphic designer for Terry Bicycles, to get creative. Liz says a Pottery Barn desk inspired the space, though she ended up buying most of the supplies at Michaels and the Christmas Tree Shops for just $75. “I’m a do-it-yourselfer,” she says.

• A repurposed door makes for an extended work surface.

• Art supplies are sorted into easy-to-reach buckets.

• Scissors are stored up high, where kids can’t get to them.

• Wrapping paper and ribbon hang from dowels on the wall.

• Paper lanterns add light and color.

• Old-school desk, a roadside find, is a work space just for kids.

Now 4, Savannah loves to spread out her paints and paper on the desk, and the Smalls love that they can keep those supplies organized. A big bonus: Because the living room is adjacent, Liz can make cards while Savannah plays, or Savannah can paint while Liz folds laundry. Pretty crafty, indeed.

Turkey Hand Puppet

AH, THE THANKSGIVING TURKEY

— a magnificent beast, delicious feast and source of inspiration for seasonal art. Try this easy, turkey-themed project with your kids, from infants to tweens. No matter their age, they’ll love seeing their traced hand come to life as a festive fowl, and you’ll give thanks for the simple joys of childhood.

My family has done this craft project annually since 2007. It’s delightful to see my children’s hands — and artistic skills — grow with each passing year.

— BY ANA RUESINK

Materials

• markers, crayons or colored pencils

• heavyweight or construction paper in white, red and yellow

• scissors

• glue

• fancy decorations such as googly eyes, feathers, glitter glue and sequins (optional)

• straws or popsicle sticks

Instructions

1. Using a pencil or marker, trace your child’s hand on heavyweight white paper; let older kids do this themselves.

2. Invite older children to cut out their handprints with scissors; do the honors for younger kids whose eyehand coordination may not be up to the task.

3. Cut a triangular beak out of yellow paper and a squiggly wattle (the fleshy dewlap that dangles from a turkey’s neck) out of red; glue them onto the thumb of the paper handprint.

4. Glue the finished puppet onto a popsicle stick or straw.

5. Decorate!

6. Use the puppet for a Thanksgiving-themed puppet show or make several turkeys and arrange them in a vase for a quirky holiday centerpiece.

Join VPT for PBS Kids Holiday Specials!

Thanksgiving week, join the Cat in the Hat and other kid’s favorites as VPT kicks o the holiday season! The Cat stars in an all-new special, “The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas!”

It’s joined by “Arthur’s Perfect Christmas” and “Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas.”

Multiple airings Wed., Nov. 21, Thurs., Nov. 22 and Fri., Nov. 23. Check daytime schedules at vpt.org. Kick o the Holiday Season with VPT!

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT

For grownups who used to be kids and kids who are still kids!

Kids’ songs reinterpreted and ready to ROCK, all to benefit the Integrated Arts Academy at H.O. Wheeler, Vermont’s one and only arts magnet school.

ROUGH FRANCIS

JAMES KOCHALKA SWALE

The CLEARY BROTHERS

TRAPPER KEEPER

SPECIAL LIVE PERFORMANCES BY SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1st Sponsored by

RICH PRICE & DJ DISCO PHANTOM at HIGHER GROUND

Doors at 12:00 p.m. Show starts at 12:30 p.m. $10 for adults, $5 for kids

Tickets: www.highergroundmusic.com, at the Higher Ground Box O ce, or 888.512.SHOW

LOOK CLOSER…

IT’S TIME TO DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW!

ATTENTION CLASS INSTRUCTORS!

List your class in Kids VT for only $15/month!

Submit the listing by the 15th at kidsvt.com or classes@kidsvt.com

CENTRAL TO YOUR NEW LIFE

“I have nothing but good things to say. Everyone was wonderful and attentive and fabulous. It was a wonderful experience – better than I dreamed it would be or could have asked for.” And Ellianna Grace Green is that very dream come true. She is wonderful and fabulous – all 6lb/8oz and nineteen inches of her! And her Mama and Papa, Janelle and Kris Green, are wonderfully attentive and obviously smitten with their beautiful first born. Ellianna is named after her paternal great-grandmother and her maternal grandmother is on her way from Kentucky to meet her first grandchild. It feels to us like wonderful and fabulous describe the Green family well. We wish them every happiness and all the best. Mom, Dad and Ellianna live in Barre.

✱ CONTEST

Book Review

Sponsored by

Like to read? Send us a few sentences about a book you read recently for a chance to win some literary loot.

Book:

Author:

Why did you like it?

What was your favorite part?

Name

Age Town ________________________________

Email Phone

We’ll pick the four most creative entries, and winners receive free books, along with a $25 gift certificate to Crow Bookshop. We’ll print some of the winning entries in the next issue. Deadline to enter is November 19. Send your entries to: Kids VT, attn: Book Review, P.O. Box 1184, Burlington, VT 05402.

Feel free to use additional pages! 14 Church St., Burlington crowbooks.com 862-0848

New Books, Used Books, Remainders at GREAT PRICES!

Stevie Balch, RN, CBE, IBCLC, Lactation Consultant Best  Hospital

Abiola StittaBey, MD, Ob/Gyn

Krissa Hammond, RN, Ob Nurse

Margaret V. Lindsay, MD, Pediatrician

COLORING CONTEST!

Send us your work of art by November 15 for an opportunity to win $25, sponsored by TD Bank

Be sure to include the info at right with your submission. Winners will be chosen in the following categories: (1) ages 4 and younger, (2) ages 5-8 and (3) ages 9-12. The best artwork will be featured on kidsvt.com, and winners will be named in the December/January issue of Kids VT. Send your high-resolution scans to art@kidsvt.com or mail a copy to Kids VT, PO Box 1184, Burlington, VT 05402.

HELENA HOVANEC

Not-So-Foreign Exchange

A Vermont teen “visits” China — without leaving home

BY VICTORIA BROWN

MY FAMILY HOSTED a pair of 13-year-old Chinese girls for two weeks this past summer. The first time I met Yumy and Jojo, I felt totally overwhelmed. I had never interacted with foreign students before, and until the moment we introduced ourselves, I knew nothing about them — not even their names. I was sure about one thing: These girls would be really di erent from me.

I had convinced my family to take part in my school’s SPIRAL International exchange program. Over the course of the two-week camp, my American classmates and I would mentor Chinese students, teaching them English and taking them on field trips. At the end of each day, they’d come home with us.

This was a first for my family. But I’d been wanting to host exchange students ever since I heard about the SPIRAL program from my friends who participated last year. I was curious about these kids, their language and their culture.

there. The first time they looked up at the Vermont night sky, they were shocked to see so many stars. I was shocked when they told me they’d never walked on grass. So our field trip to Shelburne Farms on a bright, sunny day was especially exciting.

In class earlier that day, the Chinese kids had learned the English names of farm animals. But when we got to Shelburne, it was the sky they wouldn’t stop talking about; they couldn’t believe how blue it was. In their city, smog gives the sky a hazy brown hue most days. They marveled at the soft grass and picturesque green landscape, the things I have always taken for granted. I looked around at the big, open fields, trying to see them through their eyes.

smog gives the sky a hazy brown hue most days. They marveled at the soft grass the things I have always taken for granted. I looked around at the big, them their eyes.

Walking toward the bus to greet them for

Walking toward the bus to greet them for the first time, I found myself surrounded by 30 students speaking a language I didn’t understand — I only knew a handful of Chinese phrases. I couldn’t imagine how we were going to communicate. My family and I had no idea how much English they could comprehend, and we worried about confusing them. It was nerve-racking, too, because we wanted to like them, and for them to like us.

We were nervous and giddy while introducing ourselves. Jojo and Yumy knew the basics in English — “hello,” “thank you,” “you’re welcome” — and enough simple vocabulary to make small talk. So we stuck to that, excited to be communicating at all.

When we got home that night, we played the card game Go Fish, figuring it was simple enough to break the ice. Yumy and Jojo had never played the game, but they caught on quickly. Soon, we were laughing and talking together. And when one of the girls complimented my hair, I said “thank you” in Chinese — I’d learned the phrase from watching “The Amazing Race.” They were so excited I’d spoken a bit of their language.

I started to get a good feeling about the next two weeks. But the first day of camp began awkwardly. I had decided I should act strictly as a mentor, focusing only on helping the Chinese students improve their English, and not try to be their friend. That didn’t last. By the end of the day I realized I could do both, and it happened naturally. I loved talking to them and wanted to find out as much as I could about their lives.

Chongqing, the city in southwest China where Jojo and Yumi live, is gigantic; more than 28 million people live

As the days went by, I began to feel more comfortable with everyone. I chose to sit with the exchange students, rather than with my fellow mentors, whenever we rode the bus. I liked hearing how di erent their schools are — in China the school day goes until 10 p.m., with a break halfway through for a nap. My new friends were fascinating. The best part? They seemed as interested in me as I was in them. Every time I taught them an English word, they’d teach me the Chinese version. We were learning together.

As the days went by, I began to feel to sit with the exchange students, rather than with my fellow mentors, whenever we rode the bus. I liked hearing how di erent

In some ways, I had been right from the start: These kids were really di erent from me. When we went bowling, for example, the Chinese students cheered every time I did well, rather than booed my successes like American kids do.

But we were alike in so many more ways. When I walked into the gym where we met each morning, the Chinese boys would be horsing around and playing basketball — just like normal goober American boys — and the girls would be playing games or listening to Justin Bieber and Katy Perry.

At the program’s closing ceremony, it was hard to keep myself from crying. I broke down afterward while hugging my new friends, knowing I might never see them again. Yumy and Jojo had quickly become much more than my mentees, classmates and friends; they felt like family. I hadn’t expected to become so close to them, and neither had the rest of my family. When Yumy and Jojo returned to China, it took us a few weeks to get used to life without them.

My teacher says there’s a possibility that we could reverse the SPIRAL exchange in the future, and I could visit my new friends in China. In the meantime, there’s email.

SPIRAL International exchange program promotes cross-cultural understanding through exchange programs. Info, spiralinternational.org. “Use Your Words” is a monthly essay in which writers reflect on parenting and childhood.Got a story to share? Email us at ideas@kidsvt.com.

Big. Burn. noun. stay.

RIDDLE ANSWER: What do you call a rabbit with fleas? bugs bunny

RIDDLE SEARCH ANSWER: it has a million degrees.

Brown is a freshman at BFA Fairfax. The Burlington-based