Kids VT, December 2018-January2019

Timber Lane Pediatrics

We’ve been providing pediatric care in the Burlington area for over 40 years. Our physicians and staff continue to dedicate themselves to the health and care of infants, children and adolescents from birth through age 22. Our goal is to provide you with the best medical care for your family. We are accepting new patients at our 3 locations.

51 Timber Lane, South Burlington, VT 05403

To make an appointment, please call 802-864-0521

Checkout

1127 North Ave., Burlington, VT 05408

To make an appointment, please call 802-846-8100

11 Haydenberry Drive, Suite 103, Milton, VT 05468

To make an appointment, please call 802-893-1200

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

COPUBLISHER/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Cathy Resmer cathy@kidsvt.com

COPUBLISHER

Colby Roberts colby@kidsvt.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Alison Novak alison@kidsvt.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Mary Ann Lickteig maryann@kidsvt.com

ART DIRECTOR

Brooke Bousquet brooke@kidsvt.com

STAFF WRITER/CALENDAR WRITER

Brett Stanciu brett@kidsvt.com

MARKETING & EVENTS DIRECTOR

Corey Grenier corey@kidsvt.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Kaitlin Montgomery kaitlin@kidsvt.com

PROOFREADERS

Katherine Isaacs, Kara Torres

PRODUCTION MANAGER

John James

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Don Eggert

DESIGNERS

Kirsten Cheney, Todd Scott, Rev. Diane Sullivan

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Matt Weiner

BUSINESS MANAGER

Cheryl Brownell

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Heather Fitzgerald, Astrid Hedbor

Lague, Elisa Järnefelt, Ken Picard, Autumn Spencer, Jess Wisloski

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Andy Brumbaugh, James Buck, Tristan Von Duntz

ILLUSTRATOR

Marc Nadel

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A Cold Embrace

Afew months after my husband, Je , and I got married — almost 15 years ago — we relocated from New York City to Vermont. When we told people of our plans before the move, a common refrain was, “But what about the winters?” It was as if people imagined we were packing up and heading to the tundra, where we’d have to develop keen survival skills to make it through the cold season.

We moved to Burlington in July. By the time winter rolled around, we were ready to go all in. We loaded up on cold-weather gear, learned to snowboard and scaled peaks on snowshoes. On our second anniversary, we were gifted a snowstorm and spent the day gleefully riding down the mountain at Sugarbush.

When kids came into the picture, it complicated our winter plans a bit. Some days, we preferred to stay home watching “Peppa Pig” and reading the Berenstain Bears, rather than bundling Mira and Theo up for the snow. But still, many of our greatest family memories are of snowman making, winter festivals and — as the kids have gotten older — cross-country skiing and epic sledding adventures.

At Kids VT, we subscribe to the mentality that it’s easier to get through winter when you embrace it. Check out our events calendar, starting on page 36, for two months’ worth of indoor and outdoor events that will keep your family busy and entertained.

Flip to page 22 for recollections of favorite winter memories from accomplished Vermonters, from renowned author Chris Bohjalian to Olympian Judy Geer. In “Fit Families,” on page 17, get insider tips for getting your little one on skis or a snowboard. And in “Destination Recreation,” on page 12, learn about the Intervale Sea Caves in Burlington, a fun family excursion when the water freezes over.

Of course, parenthood is not always easy and simple. In “The Strength Within” on page 18, I write about Kelly Breeyear, a mom of two who leads a support group for pregnant women and moms who are in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Breeyear’s own story of addiction and recovery is a powerful one, and it puts a human face on the opioid epidemic we hear so much about in the news. I hope you’ll take the time to read her heart-wrenching but hopeful story.

ALISON NOVAK, MANAGING EDITOR

STAFF QUESTION

What’s the most fun you’ve ever had in the snow?

SKIING! We’ve been bringing our kids to the mountain since they were in bucket car seats, hanging in the lodge while we took turns skiing. Now they can carry their own equipment. It’s always a special time riding snuggled up close on the chairlift, having conversations about random things, then cruising down together as a family.

BROOKE BOUSQUET, ART DIRECTOR

My siblings used to make EPIC SNOW FORTS when I was a little kid. Seems like there was so much snow back then. Maybe it’s just because I was shorter.

DIANE SULLIVAN, DESIGNER AND COLORING CONTEST CREATOR

I loved building snow forts and hanging out at the base of our BACKYARD PINE TREES as the snow fell. After the Empire Strikes Back came out, I would pretend I was in a secret base on the ice planet Hoth.

CATHY RESMER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

CONTRIBUTOR’S NOTE

HEATHER FITZGERALD (“Destination Recreation,” page 12) has taught environmental science to college students for more than 15 years. She lives with her family in Burlington. She is somewhat tyrannical about chores, but fairly relaxed about swearing. She’s working on a children’s book about a girl who discovers a magical forest.

P.O. BOX 1184 • BURLINGTON, VT 05402

Alison, Mira and Theo at Shelburne Farms in 2011

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A Standout Season

AUTUMN ANSWERS

Winter in Vermont can be truly magical. Particularly at the beginning, when we’ve had several months’ break from the cold, and the first snow of the year ushers in the holiday season. It’s cozy — romantic, even. Snow-capped mountains, hot cocoa, Crock-Pot stews and fuzzy blankets lure us in, and, for a while, it’s not hard to embrace winter in Vermont. Or, at least the Instagrammable idea of it.

Once the holidays are over and the decorations are put away, reality sets in. It’s dark, it’s cold and it’s going to stay this way for several more months. For many Americans (an estimated 10 million, according to Psychology Today), winter triggers the telltale symptoms of seasonal a ective disorder (SAD), such as fatigue, feelings of sadness and a desire to avoid social situations. Estimated age of onset is between 18 and 30. SAD isn’t just an adult problem, however. It also a ects kids.

An article titled “Winter Blues — Seasonal A ective Disorder and Depression,” published on the American Academy of Pediatrics website states that, “Researchers have not pinpointed what causes

How can I help my child cope with Seasonal A ective Disorder?

SAD. There is some evidence pointing to a disruption of a person’s ‘circadian rhythm’ — the body’s natural cycle of sleeping and waking. As the days shorten, the decreasing amount of light can throw o the body’s natural clock, triggering depression.”

It can be di cult to distinguish between SAD symptoms and your typical angsty teen, but there are specific things to look for. In U.S. News & World Report, psychiatrist Dr. Gail Saltz writes, “Along with feeling sad and irritable, a child will also experience unusual fatigue, an increased appetite and a particular desire to eat carbohydrates ... They have di culty concentrating and schoolwork will su er.”

There are steps you can take together as a family to help relieve the symptoms of SAD. The Mayo Clinic o ers several ideas, including establishing a regular yoga or meditation practice. (Download a meditation app like Calm or Headspace and start with just a

#INSTAKIDSVT

Thanks for sharing your cute kid photos with us using the hashtag #instakidsvt. We loved this picture of a young boy being pulled on a sled through the snow-covered forest. Share your wintry photos with us this month.

TRENDING

HERE’S HOW: Follow @kids_vt on Instagram.

Post your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #instakidsvt. We’ll select a photo to feature in the next issue.

couple of minutes a day.) The Mayo Clinic also recommends exercising regularly to increase endorphins, and spending time outside — especially on those elusive days when the sun actually does shine.

Yes, Vermont winters are long, and it can be a serious struggle to stay positive from November through mud season. This winter, make a plan with your family for surviving and thriving. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive. Focus on staying connected — suit up and get outside for a walk, or schedule something to look forward to like a movie outing or family game night. For kids and adults alike, just knowing that we don’t have to su er alone, and understanding what it is we’re feeling, can be a huge relief. In this monthly column, comedian, writer and mom Autumn Spencer answers tricky parenting questions. Have a question for Autumn? Send it to ideas@kidsvt.com.

Arizona grandmother Wanda Dench, who mistakenly invited teenager Jamal Hinton to Thanksgiving via text three years ago, hosted him again this year. Over the river and through the woods...

Hundreds of Vermonters flocked to Burlington’s DoubleTree by Hilton hotel to meet a sloth the weekend after Thanksgiving. It was the most exciting animal event in Vermont since a moose got loose in Winooski back in 2012. A mystery man paid for all the layaway items at a Northeast Kingdom Walmart in November. “That’s the Christmas spirit walking among us,” one lucky shopper told WCAX.

Canadian chanteuse Céline Dion launched a genderneutral children’s clothing collection. We’re behind it in concept, but no kid — boy or girl — needs a $290 leather jacket.

PET CORNER

pretty much joined at the hip,” Busby wrote. “They love spending time together and are rarely apart when home.”

THROWBACK

DECEMBER 2016/JANUARY 2017

Making Tracks

Two years ago, we wrote about 10 spots for family cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, from Blueberry Hill in Goshen to Sleepy Hollow in Huntington. Get the full list of places for a snowy outdoor adventure at kidsvt. com/xcountry.

KIDS SAY WHAT?

My friend speaks Spanish, but he also speaks Vermont. AIDAN, AGE 6

Lisa Busby of Bridport shared this photo of her 11-year-old daughter, Katelyn, and her furry best friend — retired Vermont State Police K-9 Vincent — playing in a field of hay bales. “Vincent and Katelyn are

This month, we asked our Facebook followers to share photos of their kid athletes. Find their sporty snapshots below.

Whether you’re considering clear aligners, retainers or today’s braces, an orthodontist is the smart choice. Orthodontists are specialists in straightening teeth and aligning your bite. They have two to three years of education beyond dental school. So they’re experts at helping you get a great smile—that feels great, too.

Winter Sport... ICE FISHING

Braces for Children and Adults

I ce fishing is a great way to get outdoors with friends and family, and get the fixings for a locally grown fresh fish fry.

Try Before You Buy

Saturday, January 26 is FREE Fishing Day, a day when anyone can fish statewide without a license.

Not Sure How? No Problem

Join us on January 26 at Knight Point State Park in North Hero, VT for our FREE Ice Fishing Day Festival! Get hands-on experience and tips on using ice-fishing gear and enjoy a fresh fish fry. Bring your own equipment or borrow ours.

Learn more about the festival and Vermont’s ice fishing by visiting our website: www.vtfishandwildlife.com

BY MARY ANN LICKTEIG AND ALISON NOVAK

NUTRITION

Selling School Lunch

Want to get kids to eat more vegetables in school lunchrooms?

CHILDBIRTH Labor of Love

Research shows that women who have continuous support during labor have better birth outcomes. Sometimes a family member is able to provide this support, but other times women turn to a doula — a birth companion or coach who provides emotional and physical support before, during and after labor. Hiring a private doula can be expensive, with an average cost of $750 to $1,500 according to the journal Health A airs. A new VOLUNTEER DOULA PROGRAM at the University of Vermont Medical Center aims to eliminate that financial barrier. In November, 30 women attended the first volunteer doula training session — two full days during which they learned hands-on labor skills, confidentiality guidelines, and what to expect behaviorally and emotionally from laboring women. The instruction, led by a Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association trainer, also taught volunteers how to support women with psychosocial and emotional issues, such as trauma. Volunteer doulas must commit to two 12-hour shifts on the labor and delivery floor per month, with the first volunteers starting in January. They will support women during birth but will not provide prenatal or postpartum support like most private-practice doulas. The program is modeled on similar programs at hospitals around the country and is supported by a grant from the UVM Medical Center Auxiliary, a volunteer organization. The hospital plans to o er two trainings per year, said program founder Marti Churchill, who is the lead midwife at the medical center. The first cohort of volunteers includes nursing students, women’s studies majors and local mothers. “There are a lot of women who love birth and want to be able to help women in labor” but might not be able to make a substantial commitment of time, said Churchill. This program gives them the opportunity to give back, while also providing a new resource for patients. —AN

For more information about University of Vermont Medical Center’s Volunteer Doula Program, contact Marti Churchill at martha.churchill@uvmhealth.org.

Try borrowing a technique that Costco and grocery stores use to boost sales: O er a sample. “It’s a long-standing marketing tool that works,” said Jane Kolodinksy, one of four UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT RESEARCHERS who found that kids are more likely to eat school lunch — even vegetables — if they have had a prior opportunity to sample the entrée. In an article published in the December issue of Preventive Medicine Reports, Kolodinsky and her colleagues outlined the three-month study they conducted at Milton Middle School three years ago. Milton food service sta , in consultation with the researchers, developed four new menu items: chicken & broccoli Alfredo, root vegetable stew, savory turkey loaf and eggplant Parmesan. Each month, one of those items was o ered each week. In September 2015, each dish simply appeared on the lunch line, like any other entrée. In October, students were o ered a sample of the dish the day before it was served. Then, in November, each item again appeared on the lunch menu. Each day, Milton students could choose a di erent alternative, including pizza, a sandwich or salad bar. In November, 40 percent of the kids opted for the new entrée, up from the 31 percent who chose it in September. Milton has o ered taste tests in the seven years that Steven Marinelli has been the district’s food service director. “It does work extremely well in our cafeteria,” he said. One example: “We taste-tested kale, and then we made a kale, apple and cheddar salad, and the kids just went crazy over it,” he said. A robust school lunch program, the researchers reported, boosts child nutrition, supports local agriculture by o ering local foods, and benefits the broader community by helping food pantries and other organizations battle food insecurity. The researchers hoped to show that everyone can win, Kolodinsky said, “and, indeed, we were very pleased with the results.” —MAL

PLAY Cavorting & Co ee

A new play space in Barre caters to kids who need to burn energy — and parents who need a jolt of ca eine. ROMP! INDOOR PLAYGROUND opened December 1. The 3,000-square-foot space, located in a former organic bedding showroom, boasts a tunnel climber, a bounce castle with a slide, pedal go-carts, oversized foam blocks, a swing and an assortment of toys. An espresso bar serves drinks for the grown-ups, as well as organic snacks. Jackie Scribner of Cabot is the driving force behind Romp! A grandmother of two, Scribner formerly owned the now-closed Hestia Espresso Bar in Plainfield. She explained that even though it was a “teeny-weeny café,” moms and kids would often gather there. She recognized the need to provide a gathering spot for parents who are home during the day with their kids. “This is my dream project,” she said. After a long search for a location, she decided on the space in Barre because its high ceilings can accommodate a bouncy castle and because the town could use more kids’ activities. Romp! will o er open play five days a week, designated hours for kids with special needs and birthday parties. —AN

Romp! Indoor Playground is located at 131 South Main St. in Barre. Learn more at rompindoorplayground.com, or find it on Facebook.

COURTESY OF JACKIE SCRIBNER

Intervale Sea Caves

North Avenue, Burlington

If you’ve drive on Route 127, the Burlington Beltline, you might have caught a glimpse of a mysterious, black, keyhole-shaped opening standing out in the hillside to your right.

This spot, known as the Donahue Sea Caves or Ice Caves, is one of the first places I brought my now-10year-old son to ice skate. It’s a real adventure to walk through the woods to skate on a pond and into a cave. The only tricky part is lacing up your skates while kneeling or sitting on the ground.

To get there, take the North Avenue bus or park across from Burlington High School on Institute Road and cross to the east side of North Avenue at the light. At the small brown-and-white sign that says “Donahue Sea Caves,” just south of the City Bluffs Condominiums, follow a wide old road, lined with dignified oaks and other deciduous trees, down a gentle grade.

As the path curves to the left at the bottom of the hill, look up at the north-facing section of the cliff to see a stand of coniferous hemlocks. You can see this pattern in other places, too; hemlocks tend to grow in shadier, cooler ravines and on north- and eastfacing slopes. It’s about a five-minute walk down the hill to the pond where the trail ends.

To get to the cave, you have to slide or skate about 600 feet along the pond’s edge. It’s a good starter cave to explore with kids because it’s basically just one big chamber. There’s nothing tricky or unsafe about it, although the temperature inside is likely a little warmer than it is outside, so it’s best to go when you’re sure the ice is good and thick. (My own rules of thumb are:

1. The temperature has remained below freezing for a month or more, or 2. I see cars driving on Lake Champlain.)

You won’t actually be underground, just in a hollow in the rock. As soon as you slide or glide inside, you’ll see beautiful rounded walls of an orange rock called dolostone (limestone with some magnesium in it). The rock is made up of the

bodies of marine organisms and other sediments that were deposited around 500 million years ago, when Vermont lay under a shallow tropical ocean.

Experts disagree about how the cave was formed. University of Vermont geologist Stephen Wright thinks water dripping through cracks in the bedrock dissolved the rock and formed the cave, and then the cave was “fortuitously exposed” when a glacier eroded the surrounding rock. Naturalist Sean Beckett thinks it was created by an ancient Winooski River channel cutting down through the sand of its old delta “like a knife through butter” and wearing away existing cracks in the bedrock until it formed the smooth cavern you see today.

“Sea caves” seems to be a misnomer, though. The scientists I talked with did not think it was actually formed by wave action at the edge of the Champlain Sea. Plus, as far as I can tell, there is only one cave. (See sidebar to learn more about glaciers and the Champlain Sea.)

Looking at a place through the lens of geologic history is a lot to take in. A round of hot chocolate may be in order when you’re done exploring. K

Heather Fitzgerald teaches field ecology and environmental science at the Community College of Vermont and the University of Vermont.

GEOLOGY LESSON

Glaciers form when, year after year, it snows more than it melts. The last big glacier in Vermont, the Laurentide Ice Sheet, grew anywhere from centimeters to meters per day and grew to be about 1 1/2 miles thick in the Burlington area 23,000 years ago, according to geologist Stephen Wright. Then it started retreating, which means it melted faster than snow accumulated for many years in a row.

One and a half miles of ice becomes a lot of water, so for thousands of years, as the glacier was melting, two large bodies of water covered the Champlain Valley. First, around 13,500 years ago, came Glacial Lake Vermont, which was about 600 feet above sea level and stretched to the foothills of the Green Mountains. The water was prevented from draining by the not-yet melted glacier to the north. When this glacial ice dam collapsed 12,000 years ago, water rushed out so quickly that the lake level fell almost 300 feet “within a matter of hours or days at most,” according to Wright. Because the glacier was heavy, it pushed the land low enough to let in sea water, which gave us the Champlain Sea for a few thousand years, until the land slowly rebounded above sea level by about 9,000 years ago. The Champlain Sea filled the Burlington area to around 300 feet above sea level. Today, Lake Champlain is only about 100 feet above sea level. You can see if you would have been underwater in a given spot by checking your elevation. My favorite way to do this is with a free app called Rockd, which will also tell you what geologic formation you are standing on.

The entrance to the cave

Skating near the Sea Caves

HABITAT BY MARY ANN LICKTEIG

Play Loft

The story of Reagan Wentz’s play loft begins, as many good stories do, once upon a time. When Reagan’s mother, Lauren, was a little girl, she dreamed of having a slide in her basement or a climbing wall or roller blading rink, but her wishes never came true.

Still, young Lauren got to climb at a gym and at camp, and she raced down mountains on skis. She grew up, got married and had a little girl of her own. She and her husband, Michael, decided to make their daughter’s bedroom fun and adventurous. They eyed her closet and thought two things. One, what does a 4-year-old need a closet for? Her tiny clothes fit in her dresser. And, two, those are some ugly doors. They were, Lauren said, “classic late 1960s hollowcore sliding doors.” So Michael took them off, and the couple transformed the closet into a loft.

They scoured the internet for how-tos, hit Home Depot for lumber and hardware and dove in. Reagan, who turns 5 in December, slid the stud finder over the walls and helped measure, mark and paint. She picked the color. It’s her favorite, and it was one of her first words: blue.

The family built and installed the platform in one day. Two-by-fours screwed into walls around the perimeter of the closet form the frame. Two crosspieces support the decking, and all corners are reinforced with metal brackets.

Artist friend Daniel Mather designed and built the climbing wall ladder, a plywood board with a birch veneer wall that has poplar handrails. Michael and Lauren attached the climbing holds. They bought an upholstery cushion online and cut it to fit the loft platform. Mather’s wife, fiber artist Katherine Guttman, gave them invaluable tips for that: Use an electric knife, cut it outside and wear eye protection, because the dust flies. Also, if you want a slipcover that won’t stick to the foam when you take it off for laundering, put muslin or another inexpensive fabric over the foam first.

Start to finish, the loft took about four days to build, but the work stretched over five months due to jobs and family life. The couple started in May, when Lauren was six months pregnant. Their son, Sage, was born in August.

The loft railing was the last piece to go up. Lauren liked the sleek ones she saw on bunk beds constructed by Young House Love bloggers John and Sherry Petersik. “So the design of the railing, I totally pilfered from them,” she said. It has pocket screws on the back and a double rail, which will help ensure that Sage won’t slip under once he’s old enough to join his big sister on the loft.

Tucked under the platform are a bookcase, costumes, games and toys. Instead of storage, the space could easily accommodate a rod to hang clothes.

Michael plans to install a shelf or magazine rack at one end of the loft for his book-loving daughter, who thinks she might like to paint the ceiling red. For now, it’s dotted with glow-in-the dark rocket, star and alien stickers, an apt metaphor for Lauren’s shoot-for-the-stars advice to other parents considering a similar project. “Just go for it,” she said. “Gut check yourself that it’s safe and structurally sound,” she said. Then dive in. “There’s very few things that aren’t reversible.” K

LOFT LINE ITEMS

Lauren and Michael sunk about $290 into their closet loft. Here’s the breakdown:

• Wood and hardware from Home Depot: $100

• Climbing holds from atomikclimbingholds.com: $85

• Foam cushion, Amazon: $60

• Cushion cover fabric, J0Ann Fabric & Craft Stores: $45

• Inspiration from biggerthanthethreeofus.com and younghouselove.com: Free!

Reagan Wentz has a loft where her closet used to be

MAKING FAMILY MAGIC HAPPEN!

Swedish Vanilla Dream Cookies

A heavenly addition to your baking repertoire

Reduced Shakespeare Company’s The Ultimate Christmas Show

Saturday, December 15, 7pm

National Ballet Theatre of Odessa Swan Lake

Saturday, January 26 at 7pm

Step Afrika

Wednesday, February 6 at 7pm

Noam Pikelny & Stuart Duncan

Saturday, February 16 at 7pm

American Girl Live

Wednesday, February 20 at 7pm

Thursday, February 21 at 7pm

Le Cirque Esprit: Spirit of the Machine

Thursday, March 28 at 7pm

Under the Street Lamp

Saturday, April 13 at 7pm

Fika is a wonderful Swedish tradition. Though the word loosely translates to “coffee break,” it doesn’t just mean grabbing a coffee. Rather, it is time to slow down, taking a moment to sit and savor a warm drink. You’ll rarely see a Swede running around with a big ol’ coffee to go. (Though, as national coffee chains spread throughout the world, it’s becoming more common.) What makes this custom extra sweet is that it usually involves a treat.

There is an old Swedish tradition of “seven sorts of sweets” that should accompany any good fika. Seven is considered a somewhat magical number in Sweden. During the summer holiday of Midsommar, it is said that if a young woman places seven kinds of flowers under her pillow, she will dream of her future husband. Seven is also considered the proper number of dessert varieties. If you make more, you could be seen as showing off. And if you make fewer, you might seem stingy. Dreams (or drömmar) are a wonderful addition to any dessert tray.

Traditionally, they are made with baker’s ammonia, a leavening agent that is hard to find in American grocery stores. You can substitute baking powder — I did in this recipe — but if you can get baker’s ammonia, it will give the cookies a delightful, melt-in-yourmouth texture.

These cookies are similar to shortbread, but slightly less dense. For a variation, top them with sliced almonds before baking or drizzle them with chocolate after they cool. Even plain, though, they are a perfect little bite of cookie. You might even say they’re dreamy. K

INGREDIENTS:

• 7 tablespoons butter, softened

• 1 1/4 cups sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup canola oil

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees.

2. Beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.

3. With the mixer still running, drizzle in the oil.

4. Mix the flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl, then add gradually to the rest of the batter, stirring until well combined.

• 2 teaspoons baking powder (or 1 teaspoon baker’s ammonia, available from King Arthur Flour)

• Sliced almonds or melted chocolate (optional)

5. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, place small balls of dough, about 1 inch in diameter, onto parchmentlined baking sheets, topping each cookie with an almond slice if you like.

6. Bake for around 20 minutes. The bottoms of the cookies should just barely turn brown, but the tops should remain light.

7. Serve, ideally with coffee. (Or freeze them for up to three months, and pull them out when you need them!)

MEALTIME BY ASTRID HEDBOR LAGUE

The Power of Art, Engaged Youth & Great Diners

Admirers of Vermont’s M.T. Anderson have come to expect the unexpected from this prolific and widely imaginative writer of young people’s literature. Anderson’s books range from his dystopian novel, Feed, to his epic work of nonfiction, Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad, to thought-provoking picture books, including The Serpent Came to Gloucester

The critically acclaimed author of more than 20 books won the 2006 National Book Award for The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party. His latest, The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge, marks his second time as a National Book Award finalist. Starring an elf and a goblin, the fantasy for grades 5 and up is laugh-aloud clever and endearingly charming, while also providing a timely social commentary on our contemporary post-truth society. Anderson said the book, illustrated by Newbery Award honoree Eugene Yelchin, explores the “feeling of what it is like when cultures confront each other and are not equipped to understand each other.”

From 2001 to 2006, Anderson taught at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, serving as chair of the MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults program for the last four of those years. He now serves on the college’s board of trustees. Fitting for a writer with a love of history, Anderson lives in the oldest standing house in East Calais, which he described as having “all the internal paneling and ghosts and the whole business … really, really fun.” As a young boy, his family lived abroad for a year, in a centuries-old Italian monastery with statues of saints and classical gods in the garden. When the family returned to Stow, Mass., Anderson said, “Americanness stood out for me because I’d tasted something di erent.” That experience, coupled with a great-uncle who had returned shell-shocked from World War II combat, contributed to Anderson’s understanding of how politics and history a ect family life.

This November, shortly after returning from the National Book

City — a black tie shindig he attended with his parents — Anderson shared his thoughts at the Village Restaurant in Hardwick over spicy sausage and shredded hash browns.

Kids VT: Can you speak a little about why history figures so prominently in your writing?

M.T. Anderson: Especially in the ’90s, we were encouraged as Americans to understand ourselves as post-history. History was a set of awful things that had happened to other people. You looked overseas and everything seemed topsy-turvy … 9/11 changed that. We were plunged back into a sense of history. But of course, we were always there, and our lives have always been a ected by the politics of the situation… One of the things that makes me quite joyful is the engagement of the young now. They’re all saying, Mom, Dad, climate change is what we’re going to be living with. This is one of the central facts in our lives.

KVT: You write about difficult things — such as the devastating siege of Stalingrad — and yet your writing is also suffused with joy.

MTA: In a way, a sense of the calamity in history is also part of loving so much of what life can be about. It can be about great diners that overhang beautiful rivers… So I feel like the two are connected in the sense that the solution to a lot of creative anger is a recognition of joy... We’re coming up to Thanksgiving at this interview and, despite all the irritating experiences around Thanksgiving that happen when families get together, there are

also moments when we’re all sitting together, and you’re eating together, and someone is telling a story, and you think how great it is that we’re all together hearing these stories together — and then living stories together. I think that is the power of art — and also the power of stu ng.

KVT: Can you talk about why you’re adamant about not speaking down to young people?

MTA: Unfortunately, one strain of American cultural thought going through the ages has been this kind of know-nothingness, this sort of almost pride in a certain amount of ignorance. While I understand how it ties into all these complicated issues of class, in particular, and rejection of European elites and all that kind of thing, in a way we also shot ourselves in the foot while trying to kind of outrage the enemy. The typical rhetorical response to the idea of knowledge and intelligence in this country is, Oh, that’s fine for fancy people. My response is: That does not need to be. That’s our decision.

What America should be about is saying to each and every kid that all of human history, all of human science, all of human knowledgeis your inheritance. That is what you should receive — as well as a vote in a republic like America. I find that — despite everything — an incredible idea. It’s what we need to fight for.

A conversation with National Book Award honoree M.T. Anderson

Illustrations from The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge

COURTESYOF SONYA SONES

M.T. Anderson

How Do Parents Recognize and Reduce Chronic Stress in Children?

kids experienced headaches or sleep troubles due to stress.

KVT: Stress isn’t always bad for kids, is it?

include the expectations of parents, teachers and coaches, interactions with friends and classmates, as well as a child’s fears and anxieties about the future and the world in which they live.

Stress is a normal part of growing up. But when it becomes overwhelming for a child and begins to affect their physical and emotional health, it may be time to seek professional help. Dr. Lewis First, chief of pediatrics at University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, offers advice for recognizing the signs and symptoms of unhealthy stress in children and what parents can do to alleviate it.

KIDS VT: How common is stress in kids?

LEWIS FIRST: If a parent doesn’t think their child is stressed, they need to wake up and smell the coffee. Stress is up across the board in this country, including in kids. According to the American Psychological Association, more than one-third of children ages 8 to 17 reported headaches in a given year that they attributed to stress, and about 44 percent reported sleep difficulties due to stress. But only 13 percent of parents thought that their

LF: No. A little stress can be a good thing. For a child who’s preparing for a test, who’s a little nervous on the first day of school or is about to compete in a sporting event, stress gets their adrenaline up, makes their senses sharper and clearer, and gets them energized to do well. Having these experiences helps a child develop positive coping mechanisms for dealing with stress. But stress can become overwhelming when it involves an unhealthy environment at school, at home or in the big-picture environment, such as what’s happening nationally in terms of violence, environmental disasters and other current events.

KVT: Why is stress particularly unhealthy for children?

LF: Stress diverts a child’s energy away from normal growth and development, such as growing healthy brain cells and fighting infection, and redirects it to the production of what we call “stress hormones” like cortisol and adrenaline, which rev up the child and can lead to emotional overload, such as feeling constantly worried, scared, angry or frustrated. Those hormones are part of the body’s

normal fight-or-flight response. But when a child constantly feels these emotions all day from stressors in their environment, and those emotions aren’t channeled in a positive direction, a child can get burned out and experience physical or emotional ailments that can be associated with stress.

KVT: What are warning signs that a child is experiencing unhealthy stress?

LF: In toddlers and preschoolers, parents may notice changes in the child’s daily behavior. Kids may become more irritable, lose their appetite and have difficulty sleeping. They may seem sad, angry, clingy, withdrawn, or have tantrums or nightmares. Some may start sucking their thumb, chewing their hair or going to the bathroom more frequently. Parents may also hear more physical complaints, such as, “My tummy hurts” or “My head hurts.” Some kids may even develop tics, twitches or other abnormal movements.

KVT: And in school-aged kids?

LF: Older children may lose interest in classes and activities that they previously enjoyed. They may stop spending time with longtime friends, and seem more fearful and sad. If there’s a family problem, such as a parental separation, a child may incorrectly think that they caused the problem, which can lead

to guilt and feelings of depression. As kids enter adolescence, the same signs and symptoms will apply, including withdrawing from friends, losing interest in extracurricular activities, spending more time alone in their room, and disrespecting parents and other family members. Negative behavior in teens isn’t necessarily always linked to excessive stress. But many preteens and teens, who find their normal coping mechanisms for stress are not enough, may opt to deal with excessive stress through substance abuse, self-harm and even suicidal thoughts and expressions.

KVT: Anything else?

LF: All kids will be better equipped to deal with stress if they’re eating healthy meals, playing outside regularly, getting eight hours of sleep each night, and if they aren’t overscheduled. But if a child’s symptoms of stress last longer than six weeks, it may be time to consult your health care professional to seek formal counseling that might involve helping your child learn relaxation techniques or behavioral strategies to help them overcome whatever may be causing them undue stress. Less commonly, a medication in addition to counseling and behavioral therapy may be recommended to help an older child or teen deal with anxiety or depression resulting from severe stress. K

Slopes for Beginners

The picture of toddlers in giant helmets, carefully pizza-pie-ing their skis down a blanket of snow as downy flakes alight on their small shoulders, is a vision of Vermont life to which many of us have subscribed. Yet the fantasy of being able to enjoy downhill skiing or snowboarding with offspring in tow can quickly thaw when confronted with what it really entails: money, meltdowns, and lots of motivation.

It wasn’t until I began talking to other parents, after a particularly troublesome day with my 3-year-old one winter, that I learned the truth: Every family who is out there on the slopes? They’ve all been there.

There is no effortless transition from child-who-can-barely-walkwithout-injury to slick little shredder. That point, at which parents weigh whether the lessons, the gear, the driving and the cost are all worth it can be a challenging crossroads — especially for parents who didn’t grow up skiing or snowboarding.

In the interest of those of you hunting for a winter activity to help your household survive what often feels like six months of winter, here’s some intel — gleaned from my own experiences and a few experts — on introducing your kids to downhill sports.

1. Start Small Snow is free. And it’s everywhere. The biggest commitment to starting a downhill sport is getting gear, but most ski shops offer affordable kids’ rental packages that last the whole season for about $100. Once you’re suited up, think small. Really small. Before my daughter’s first snowboarding lesson, she got used to the board in our backyard and at a local sledding hill. On her first day on skis, and her first few snowboarding outings, a kid-sized terrain park was perfect for her. Furthermore, “pretend” skiing and riding in the living room or backyard, or toys like balance boards and trampolines, will help kids associate skiing and riding with fun, according to Smugglers’ Notch public relations director Michael Chait. “If they do that, getting up to the hill, where you’re dealing with wind, snow and more, you’ve got a leg up because they’re stoked to be there.”

2. Set Realistic Expectations

Several mountains offer mom-andme or dad-and-me packages: lessons that allow parents with intermediate skills to work with their little ones on starter skills. Because kids ages 5 and under often ski free, lessons may be your one big expense when kids are learning. Keep expectations low and don’t force it, says Harley Johnson,

director of Snow Sport University at Smugglers’ Notch and a mother of three. “Make small introductions to the sport that are fun.”

3. Offer Treats — or Not

In her early days of skiing, my child collapsed at my feet and a fellow mom told me she always had cookies on hand. I soon found that if I filled my pockets with Skittles, my kid would try anything on her board, then beg for the treat. What can I say, I’m a fan of bribery. Johnson, however, is against this tactic. “Forcing them or even bribing them can make them resent the sport and not want to do it,” she says. “Letting them get excited to go skiing or riding and building off of their enthusiasm is best.”

4. Let Someone Else Take Charge

I was trained as a snowboard instructor, but I still put my kiddo in lessons rather than deal with the tirades and tears. At her first private lesson, I waved, then disappeared to go ride. She was buoyant afterwards, and proud

to show her skills (and the society of mini-snowmen her group had built). My own relationship with skiing may have been doomed when, at age 6, my eyeball slid right into my mom’s ski pole tip. Thankfully, I was able to take part in an after-school ski program in fourth grade, just like children all over Vermont still do. In these school- or recreation department-sponsored programs, lessons are often included and transportation is provided.

5. Remember Why You’re There

Most people looking at season passes and lessons are in it for one thing: family time. Essex Junction mom Sarah Rogers Spaulding said that, for her, the motivation for finding a winter activity was being able to spend time outside with her whole family. Last year, a friend told me that her most cherished time with her 9-year-old was when they drove up to the mountain together and could just talk uninterrupted. Adds Johnson: “Making memories is what it’s all about.” K

How to raise little shredders — and stay sane in the process

Jess Wisloski snowboards with her daughter at Middlebury Snow Bowl

The Strength Within

Kelly Breeyear helps fellow moms fight addiction

Mothers of young children often gather in groups: to seek advice, to offer support, to commiserate. Four moms sitting in a circle of chairs in a large room in downtown Burlington are doing all three. They speak in the familiar banter of women who don’t just know each other, but get each other.

A woman wearing jeans and a T-shirt — whose 9-month-old daughter lies on a crocheted blanket, banging two oversized Legos together — announces, with chagrin, that her husband is planning to paint their bathroom purple.

“Lavender or Barney purple?” another mom asks.

“Barney purple,” the woman confirms.

“That’s just wrong,” responds another. A collective laugh confirms

they’re all in agreement — it’s a bad decision.

Their taste in decorating isn’t the only thing these women have in common. They are all in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction, and requested to be quoted here anonymously. They’ve gathered for a meeting of the New Moms in Recovery Program at the Turning Point Center of Chittenden County in Burlington. The year-old group helps new and expecting moms stay sober.

The need is dire. The number of moms addicted to drugs has increased dramatically over the last two decades, driven largely by the opioid crisis. Nationally, rates of opioid use disorder among women giving birth quadrupled between 1999 and 2014.

In Vermont, the number of infants exposed to opioids in utero in 2013 — 33.3 per 1,000 births — was almost 48 times higher than it was in 2001.

BY ALISON NOVAK

This trend has serious consequences for kids as well as moms. In addition to withdrawal, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that infants exposed to opioids during gestation can be preterm and have low birth weight, reduced cognitive ability, and physical and behavioral deficits. Of the approximately 500 children under age 6 currently in the custody of the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF), more than 60 percent are there due to parents’ substance abuse issues.

Vermont has made progress through initiatives like the Children and Recovering Mothers, or CHARM, Collaborative, a 16-year-old program which brings together physicians, social workers, state officials and healthcare professionals to help pregnant women with opioid use disorder access treatment. Turning Point’s new moms’ group takes the effort a step

further, helping moms to sustain their recovery. The program provides a safe, judgment-free space where women can be open and honest about their struggles.

At its helm is Kelly Breeyear, a 38-year-old mother of two. Like nearly all of the employees of Turning Point, Breeyear is in recovery herself. If a client grieves the loss of a parent, Breeyear can understand. Death of a partner or separation from a child? Yes, she shares those experiences, too. Her addiction story stretches back nearly 20 years and contains its own setbacks and second chances. “Sometimes it feels like I’m getting paid to work on my recovery,” she says.

Parenting while in recovery “can get very overwhelming,” Breeyear says. “It’s definitely taken down a lot of women who are doing their best and not getting enough support and can’t

Kelly Breeyear plays with a baby at the New Moms in Recovery Program she runs at Turning Point

cope well with that stress in a realistic way.”

Women like Madelyn Linsenmeir: The 30-year-old Burlington mom died in October after years of drug addiction, leaving behind her 4-year-old son, Ayden. She had been a regular at the Turning Point Center, though not in the moms group.

In a candid obituary, her sister Kate O’Neill wrote movingly about Linsenmeir’s struggle to maintain recovery from opioid addiction. “After having Ayden, Maddie tried harder and more relentlessly to stay sober than we have ever seen anyone try at anything,” the obituary read. “But she relapsed and ultimately lost custody of her son, a loss that was unbearable.”

The obituary struck a chord and was shared by people around the globe, as well as media outlets and celebrities, including Alyssa Milano and Ivanka Trump.

Breeyear is committed to helping other Vermont moms avoid a similar fate. Turning Point executive director Gary De Carolis describes her as “a great listener, very enthusiastic and upbeat.” But she doesn’t shy away from tough topics.

The conversation that November day pivots from paint colors to the looming holiday season. Holidays can be an especially perilous time for those in recovery.

Breeyear — a petite woman with delicate features and a dark, wavy bob she likens to Betty Boop’s — invites the moms to share what’s worrying them. They talk about the difficulty of attending gatherings where family members aren’t sober, of the pressure to be happy during this time of year, of not getting to spend Thanksgiving or Christmas with their children.

The mom of the 9-month-old relates that, two years ago, her own father died right before Thanksgiving. Her mom didn’t invite her to the funeral. The woman showed up anyway and her mom called the police, who asked her to leave the church. That drove her to drink.

Later, she speaks about her almost4-year-old son, who is no longer in her custody. Recently, she tells the group, she came across a picture of him on Facebook. Fighting back tears, she says he had a different haircut than

she remembered. He didn’t look like himself.

It’s important to work toward “progress, not perfection,” Breeyear reminds the women. “We’re doing the best we can. It’s exhausting, but we’re choosing to do it.”

A DESCENT INTO ADDICTION

Like so many stories of opioid addiction, Breeyear’s begins with prescription drugs. When she was a senior at Winooski High School, she tore her anterior cruciate ligament during basketball practice and needed surgery. She was given Percocet for pain, but it made her sick, so her doctor prescribed codeine. Though her mom made sure she didn’t take the medication longer than needed, Breeyear thinks that codeine was the spark to what would become, more than a decade later, full-blown addiction.

It was “just a little click,” she remembers. “Like, this works, and it feels good.”

Breeyear graduated from high school, worked as a nursing assistant for two years, then attended Vermont Technical College and fulfilled a childhood goal of becoming a registered nurse. She worked with patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, eventually moving to the Boston area with her high school boyfriend.

But she was dogged by chronic back pain due to scoliosis and degenerative joint disease. She tried managing it with physical therapy, chiropractic treatment and massage, but eventually, prescription painkillers were the only thing that seemed to work.

“Then life struck,” she recalls.

Breeyear’s mother, then living in South Carolina, was diagnosed with cancer, and Breeyear moved there to care for her. Breyeear’s stress level spiked, she says, leading to intense physical pain. Her terminally ill mom had copious amounts of opioids in the house, which Breeyear used to self-medicate.

After three months, with her mom’s treatment going well, Breeyear returned to Boston, where she resumed

nursing and began taking drugs from work to support her habit.

Her mom told her that her one regret if she died would be never getting to meet her grandchildren. So Breeyear got pregnant. She continued to use prescribed opioids during pregnancy. Both Breeyear and her mother had moved back to Vermont by the time Breeyear’s son, Jack, was born in 2008. Breeyear’s mom got to spend three months with her first grandchild before she passed away.

The stress of her mom’s death, caring for a baby, and working opposite shifts from her boyfriend to avoid childcare costs exacerbated her addiction. Breeyear began using opioids not just to manage her pain, but to cope.

Her relationship with her boyfriend dissolved before their son turned 1. When Jack was 14 months old, Breeyear had a seizure at work — which she believes was brought on by taking too much of the pain medicine Tramadol — and fell, suffering a traumatic brain injury. That setback spiraled into more prescriptions and an extended recuperation period.

During that time, she began seeing a counselor for the first time in her life and realized she was misusing painkillers. She started working with her doctor to taper off medications.

And then, at a wedding, she met Shawn Carter.

‘BIG

RED FLAG’

Breeyear and Carter bonded quickly over their shared pain. Carter had a history of drug and alcohol addiction, and his mother had died of a drug overdose when he was 5. The two moved in together seven months after they met; Breeyear shared custody of Jack with his father.

With Carter, Breeyear started drinking heavily. She went to work at a nursing home and began diverting drugs at work again. Her brain injury made it difficult for her to work efficiently; she sometimes had to leave the nursing home to pick up her son from his childcare center, then bring him back so she could finish her paperwork.

She stopped seeing her neurologist

because, by then, she had a documented history of drug use, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to get a prescription for pain medication. That led her to buy drugs, including OxyContin, off the street for the first time.

Six months into her new job, Breeyear mistakenly gave a patient a double dose of medication and was fired. Around this time, she became pregnant. She used the opioid Opana and smoked cigarettes throughout her pregnancy.

She gained just 12 pounds, had two episodes of false labor and developed gestational diabetes during her pregnancy. “I wasn’t able to make the healthy choices I wanted to, which should have been a big red flag,” Breeyear recalls. She believes her obstetrician had suspicions about drug use, but never asked about it.

If the doctor had voiced her concerns, Breeyear says, she believes she would have been more likely to seek treatment sooner.

Instead, her drug use was exposed when her daughter, Marlee, was born a week and a half early — in an ambulance on the way to the hospital during Hurricane Irene in 2011.

The newborn was rigid, and had tremors and a shrill cry, some of the telltale signs that she had opioids in her system. At the University of Vermont Medical Center, doctors immediately began collecting the baby’s urine. As a nurse, Breeyear knew what that meant: It would be tested for drugs.

Their release from the hospital was delayed and Breeyear got a call from the pediatrician, coincidentally her own childhood doctor, saying there were concerns that her baby had been exposed to drugs.

Breeyear was struck by the doctor’s caring and compassionate manner and worried about Marlee’s health. Babies born with opioids in their system sometimes experience withdrawal symptoms that require special medical attention. She admitted to using drugs during her pregnancy, and DCF was called. A caseworker came to the hospital to interview Breeyear and Carter.

Breeyear downplayed the frequency of her drug use, and the couple was allowed to leave the hospital with THE STRENGTH WITHIN, P.

Sometimes it feels like I’m getting paid to work on my recovery.

KELLY BREEYEAR

The Strength Within CONTINUED FROM P. 19

Marlee. For several months, the Visiting Nurse Association and DCF visited to assess Marlee’s health and the home environment. Even though Breeyear continued to abuse drugs, she was able to allay the caseworker’s concerns, and DCF closed its investigation.

If she had been subject to a urine test, Breeyear says, it would have been clear she was continuing to use drugs. In hindsight, she wishes she’d been tested, and believes health professionals and social workers need better training when it comes to assessing parents.

In the months after Marlee was born, both Breeyear and Carter made attempts to detox on their own, but each time they relapsed. Though Breeyear was on unemployment, the couple wasn’t able to keep up with their bills. They were evicted from their apartment and floated around to relatives’ and friends’ homes. Breeyear started snorting heroin, and Carter began selling it to support their habit.

“Heroin was always my ‘would never touch’ drug, so immediately there was the guilt and shame of even having tried it,” Breeyear explains. Her addiction was immediate.

On New Year’s Eve of 2012, the police were called to a friend’s home, where Breeyear and Carter were staying, to investigate an assault. Breeyear was highly intoxicated and DCF opened another investigation.

Breeyear dodged their calls.

REACHING FOR RECOVERY

Eventually, Breeyear and Carter began living in hotel rooms through the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity’s home assistance program. Jack, then 5, went to live with his father.

In the early spring of 2013, the family of three found a slightly more permanent place to stay. Carter’s uncle, Paul Somerville, and his wife, Lori, took Breeyear, Carter and Marlee into the basement of their Colchester home. Somerville, a pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Milton, had been in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction for 25 years. His parents were recovering alcoholics and his sister — Carter’s mother — died of

a drug overdose on Somerville’s 17th birthday.

Though Breeyear might not have known it, Somerville says he was aware the couple were abusing drugs when they moved in. “Kelly tried to pretty up her addiction for me,” Somerville explains. As Carter’s addiction worsened and he began stealing things from the house, Breeyear “had to be the functional one.”

Though Somerville was concerned for Marlee and his own teenage kids living at home, he showed compassion for the couple, inviting them to dinner and praying with them before meals. “I treated them like suffering addicts,” Somerville says. “I didn’t treat them like they were criminals. I didn’t treat them like they were on the fringe.” He tried to reinforce the idea that Breeyear, Carter and Marlee were a family unit.

“We wanted her to understand that we saw her as Marlee’s mom — she was a real person, a mom, Kelly. She wasn’t an addiction with a child,” continues Somerville.

Breeyear describes walking up the basement stairs hand-in-hand with Carter after they decided, once again, that they would try to get off drugs on their own. The Somervilles agreed to take care of Marlee while Carter and Breeyear detoxed in their home.

But, in the absence of medical help, their efforts failed. Breeyear’s drug use escalated; she began injecting heroin intravenously. Things went downhill quickly. The couple began stealing together to support their habit.

In June 2013, after months of dodging DCF, Breeyear called them back. “I don’t remember what it was that made me finally call,” she says. But DCF asked her to come in for an assessment with a caseworker, which she did. “I just spilled my guts,” she remembers.

Along with Carter and the Somervilles, the caseworker helped Breeyear make a treatment plan. She detoxed at Act 1 in Burlington, then went to rehab at the now-closed residential Maple Leaf Treatment Center. She celebrated Marlee’s second birthday there, with a cake on a picnic table. “That could be seen as sad,” says Breeyear. “It’s definitely not ideal, but, you know, it’s a healthy choice.”

Despite his family’s urging, Carter refused to go to rehab until Breeyear was finished with her stint at Maple Leaf; he felt that Marlee should have one parent living with her. Though it might be difficult to understand why an addicted parent would feel that being with his or her child is more important than receiving help, Breeyear says that’s a common mindset.

Despite their addiction, she

explains, she and Carter were “still parents and loving our kids … people don’t get that we’re not choosing [drugs] over our kids. That is not what happens. It’s so hard to leave them to get well to be a good parent.”

DCF Deputy Commissioner Karen Shea underscores that point. She often hears about parents who find it difficult to take time off from parenting to take care of their own needs. Feelings of shame and stigma, or fear of losing their children if they admit they need help, are also common. In Vermont, she says, “we don’t have a lot of treatment options built to support women who are wanting to seek treatment while also actively parenting.”

One program that allows that to happen is run by the social services organization Lund. After Maple Leaf, Breeyear entered Lund’s residential program, which provides substance abuse and mental health treatment to pregnant women and moms of children under age 5. Kids are allowed to live in the South Burlington facility and attend daycare while their moms receive treatment.

According to Lund’s case management and community clinical services coordinator, Amy Woodruff, women in the program are assigned a case manager, a family educator to help with parenting skills, a medical

Women and babies at Turning Point’s New Moms in Recovery group

JAMES BUCK

support worker, a counselor and, in some cases, an academic advisor or family engagement specialist to help set up visits with older children or partners. There is no set time frame for how long women stay in the program. Rather, they set goals and leave Lund when they’ve met them.

Woodruff first met Breeyear in 2013, when DCF was helping her make a plan, and remembers her as both motivated and sad. Breeyear wanted whatever help she could get, Woodruff recalls.

Breeyear spent seven months at Lund with Marlee. At first, she felt superior to the other women there because she was older than many of them and had already established a career. “It took me a while to realize that I had a bed there, too,” she says. “I was there for a reason, too.”

RELAPSE & A SECOND CHANCE

Breeyear says she had her “eye on the prize” during her stay at Lund; she completed her treatment there in seven months. She left in April of 2014 with a plan to renew her nursing license and return to professional work.

But she had difficulty coping. “I didn’t understand that even though I had participated in all these programs, I hadn’t really done any of the work,” she recalls. She had just been going through the motions.

“I got all the information like a sponge in case I needed to pull it out to use it, but I hadn’t really practiced any of it,” she explains. “I didn’t realize how much my addiction had changed me and my thinking. Every time anything came up when I was stressed out, I was immediately thinking about drugs.”

Woodruff says it’s common for those who leave Lund to struggle, especially due to isolation and loneliness. In the absence of the supports that the residential program provides, women sometimes don’t know how to reduce their emotional distress without using drugs, she explains.

While at Lund, Breeyear had broken off her relationship with Carter, who had not been able to kick his addiction. She got a job at Goodwill in South Burlington and took two buses each morning from her apartment in Winooski to get Marlee to childcare at Lund. She then walked to her job at

Goodwill, worked a full day, picked up Marlee and took two buses home.

Around eight months after leaving Lund, despite fighting the urge to use drugs every day, she says, Breeyear relapsed. Several weeks later, she called Lund, and within a month, she was back in the residential program.

“I just sat there in bed looking at the bare walls, thinking, How the hell did this happen? How did you end up back here?” Breeyear says.

Though she was ashamed, the staff at Lund told her what she could not see herself: She was strong and brave to come back. Breeyear spent another 11 months there. This time, she dug in, working to change her thought patterns and employing cognitive behavioral therapy to better understand her codependent relationship with Carter.

When she left Lund the second time, she was better equipped to deal with her life. She received a medical deferment from work so that she could focus on her recovery, accessing benefits through the state’s Reach Up program and 3SquaresVT. She worked regularly with her clinicians from Lund and enrolled in Howard Center’s Parent Child Interaction Therapy program to learn positive strategies for communication and discipline.

Carter wasn’t as fortunate. Just shy of a year after Breeyear left Lund for the second time, she got a call from her son’s father telling her Carter had died of a drug overdose.

Breeyear was driving with Marlee in the back seat when she found out. She began crying and repeating out loud, “How am I going to tell her?” When Marlee asked what had happened, Breeyear said it didn’t concern anyone she knew.

A few days later, Breeyear and Carter’s family sat across from then-5year-old Marlee and told her that her father was gone. Marlee’s first reaction was anger that her mom had lied to her.

“I said, ‘You’re right, and I’m sorry,’” Breeyear recalls. “These conversations — where do we get the strength for that?”

PUTTING HER PAIN TO WORK

Last spring, a clinician at Lund told Breeyear that Turning Point was going to start a group focused on moms in recovery, with help from the Vermont Department of Maternal Child Health. Breeyear went to Turning Point and introduced herself to director Gary De Carolis. She started volunteering at the center and, after about six months, was tapped to run the group.

Because of her temperament and first-hand experience, De Carolis calls her “a perfect match” for the job.

Participation in the group has grown steadily. In November 2017, its first month, 28 women came to meetings. From July to September of this year, a monthly average of 46 women attended — along with numerous infants, toddlers and older children. The group meets three times a week. Participants can come for an entire session or drop in for part of it. In addition to working through personal issues, women share hand-me-down baby clothes and help each other adjust car seat straps. A variety of toys entertain the kids while the moms talk. During Saturday groups, the center serves donated pizza and Breeyear brings Marlee, 7, and Jack, 10. Though Jack lives primarily with his father, Breeyear now sees him on weekends and school vacations.

One mom, who has been coming to the group regularly since April, says she’s gotten attached to the other women who attend. “It feels like home to me,” she says. Breeyear is down-toearth, she continues, and, because of her background as a nurse, she’s able to give good advice.

At the end of November, Turning Point moved to a bigger space, a red brick building on the corner of King and South Winooski streets. There’s a large room designated for the moms and young kids who come to the center — it will be dedicated to Maddie Linsenmeir. Her widely read obituary asked for donations to Turning Point, and 330 of them rolled in, totaling $18,000. The room itself is a testament

to growing awareness of the need to support moms in their recovery.

Breeyear’s office is next door, with a window that looks into the room. She’s excited to grow the moms program in the new space, and says she’s there to support the women she works with in anything that happens, unconditionally.

Helping others navigate the same issues she’s experiencing is one reason Breeyear thinks she’s been successful. Addiction isn’t win or lose. It’s a constant battle, she says.

“There are days that are really hard, when my brain is saying, You can turn this off right now and it wouldn’t be difficult,” she continues. “Some days are easier than others.”

Yoga, meditation and vitamin supplements are tools she’s found to help manage her physical pain. She has reconnected with her spirituality, as well, and attends church regularly. Cognitive behavioral therapy has given her a better understanding of her thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

Somerville says he’s seen a change in Breeyear from the inside out. In recovery, he explains, you reach a point where “you stop running away from something, and you start to run toward something. Really early in her recovery, she started walking out of the woods.”

“What Kelly did,” he continues, “is made the decision that she was going to put her pain to work.”

Lest she forget where she has been and what she is capable of, Breeyear had a tattoo inked on the inside of her slender forearm two years ago. It’s a semicolon — a recovery community symbol that signifies that the story could have ended, but it continues. Then, these words: “The strength within me is greater than any fears.” K

If you or someone you love need to access treatment or recovery services, visit the Turning Point Center of Chittenden County website at turningpointcentervt.org, or call 861-3150. For more information about other peer-run recovery centers in Vermont, visit vtrecoverynetwork.org.

What Kelly did is made the decision that she was going to put her pain to work.

PAUL SOMERVILLE

A Standout Season

Vermonters share memorable winter stories

COMPILED BY BRETT STANCIU

Vermont’s daylight hours dwindle in December and remain scarce deep into January. But this season of darkness also carries a magical mystique. In early winter, even grownups — who will tire of digging out driveways and braving snowy roads by March and April — are entranced by the transformation of our landscape into a winter wonderland. In the season that carries so many memories — of holidays, family and the enchantment of childhood — we asked a handful of accomplished Vermonters to share favorite winter memories.

From Kimberly Harrington, author of Amateur Hour: Motherhood in Essays and Swear Words, published in May 2018: Although I tend to think of winter as something to endure versus enjoy, the truth is some of my best memories of raising kids in Vermont revolve around winter — sleigh rides at Shelburne Farms, sledding at the Old Round Church in Richmond, the River of Light lantern parade in Waterbury, watching candy canes being made in Stowe, walking out on a frozen Lake Champlain, snow days (if I also miraculously don’t have to work), and, in general, having a valid excuse for a daily hot chocolate.

But one of my best winter memories is of something I wasn’t even here for. I was in L.A. for almost three weeks for a freelance job. And while it took a small village to get through it (friends to take my kids after school, my husband’s employer being flexible about his shorter hours), the real weight fell to my husband. So he did the obvious thing — built an igloo with “stained glass” windows in our backyard. (Side note: This is definitely not what I would have done in his place.) He worked with the kids to fill empty milk cartons with water and food coloring, then stuck them outside to freeze, although wildly fluctuating

temperatures constantly threatened keeping the structure to code. I still can’t quite believe I never saw it in person — the full loop of snow bricks and colored ice windows topped with a pine branch roof — as it had mostly melted by the time I returned. But that one project reminded me why we moved here. It showed that, while the places we live and some of the things that happen in our lives aren’t always easy, that doesn’t mean they don’t offer the opportunity to be surprising or beautiful.

From Brandon del Pozo, Burlington Police Chief:

When one of the children in your family is a few years younger than the other, the younger one might feel like they’re always playing catch-up. Rex was 5 last winter, and his brother, Zane, was 10. My wife, Sarah, and I took them skiing together nearly every weekend. The first time Zane got on a ski lift without me having to hoist him up was surprisingly emotional. When Rex did the same, it was doubly so, because I realized there would soon be a time they

would both be doing this without me. But not quite yet: Rex had a hard time keeping up with the family, and he got cold easily. He was on a tiny pair of skis, and when he fell, it was always a yard sale — skis and poles everywhere — and we were grateful that little boys are so elastic. He literally broke one of his hand-me-down ski boots in two one afternoon. A roll of duct tape at the summit house saved the day. Rex loved being out with us, but I worried that he felt … too small. He seemed to get discouraged sometimes.

We never stopped taking Rex with us because the family joy of

watching him learn how to move his little body over snow was better than any of the time we could spend skiing without him. By midwinter, it all started coming together: he started skiing parallel, and he was able to do a few jumps. We put him on longer skis. He hardly fell, and he didn’t complain about the cold as much. There was one Sunday last February I’ll never forget: Rex skied his first black-diamond run, and teased his mother about keeping up. He skied alongside his brother, and followed him through the terrain park without missing a beat. You could tell that he felt so happy that we could all ski together as a family, and that he didn’t feel so little anymore.

When we got down to the lodge at the end of that day, the sun was still out, and he was warm and smiling from ear to ear. “Dad,” he said, “I wish every day could be like today.”

“Me, too,” I said to him. “Me, too.”

Rex and Zane del Pozo at Jay Peak

COURTESY OF BRANDON DEL POZO

Kimberly Harrington’s children, Hawthorne and Walker Hughes, in their igloo COURTESY OF KIMBERLY HARRINGTON

From Chris Bohjalian, New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 books, including his latest novel, The Flight Attendant:

Among the photos I keep on my phone is one of my mother introducing me to a doll that’s about an inch or two taller than I am. It’s Christmas morning, and I’m 3 years old. The doll is called Peter Playpal and it is — literally and metaphorically — that year’s big present from Santa Claus. My mother has honey blond hair (perfectly coiffed), a pressed skirt, and impeccably straight legs. She has dressed me to look like the doll: a red blazer, short pants and red socks. In the photo, I seem bewildered.

According to family lore, Santa brought me the Peter Playpal doll because I used to talk to the mannequins at a department store when my mother was clothes shopping. (Given the amount of time my mother spent clothes shopping, the fact that I talked to mannequins should have surprised no one.) But I was always reassured that the

doll was never meant to replace me, even though it could wear my clothes — and did.

I have no memories of playing with the doll, but I have very fond memories of the way the doll always appeared in my mother’s Christmas tableaus. Christmas wasn’t Christmas without Peter –and, at some point, Patti. Yup, my mother bought the doll a sister: Patti Playpal. I’ve found TV ads for Patti on YouTube, and based on the commercial, she’s zombie scary.

But back in the 1960s and early 1970s, she and Peter were simply part of a quaint Bohjalian holiday tradition: life-size dolls to celebrate Christmas, ring in the New Year, and (apparently) frighten the houseguests.

From Ann Braden, author of the middle grade novel, The Benefits of Being an Octopus, and founder of GunSense Vermont and the Local Love Brigade: The woods behind our house have trails that are used by lots of people. This means even when

Jamie Two Coats

Toyshop

COURTESY OF CHRIS BOHJALIAN

Chris Bohjalian with Peter Playpal on Christmas morning

Adventure Leadership Teamwork Friendship

WE THINK OUTSIDE. outside of the box and outside our walls

WE THINK OUTSIDE. outside of the box and outside our walls

Now enrolling for 2019-20

K-8th grades.

WE THINK OUTSIDE. outside of the box and outside our walls

Now enrolling for 2019-20

K-8 grades • Preschool • Elementary

Preschool, Elementary, Middle School, Afterschool

Now enrolling for 2019-20

K-8th grades.

theschoolhousevt.org

Preschool, Elementary, Middle School, Afterschool

theschoolhousevt.org

The Vermont Cub Project

Vermont Teddy Bears are more than fur & stuffing. Everyday we see Bears come to life in the arms of children, and we knew we needed to share this love with our fellow Vermonters. This is why we created The Vermont Cub Project. Through this project, every Vermonter four years of age can come to our Bear Shop in Shelburne and pick up a FREE best friend (up to $39.99). Come be a part of this great new program today!

Visit VermontTeddyBear.com/cub-project to register!

A STANDOUT SEASON

CONTINUED FROM P. 23

there’s deep snow everywhere else, the snow along the trails is so packed down that you can just use sneakers. It also means that some of the hills turn into luge tracks. In the late afternoon, when the sun was starting to set, we’d hike in, towing our beat-up plastic sled behind us. Then we’d climb to the top of that luge track, squish onto the sled together, and let go — and those woods would no longer be silent. Yelling Woooooohoooooo at the top of your lungs has all sorts of health benefits. And you might assume all this backcountry sledding happened when I was a kid, but I was 29 years old and not quite yet a parent when I first went. It’s never too late to start new traditions.

From Judy Geer, three-time Olympian in rowing, earlyeducation and outdoor-sports advocate, and codirector of the Craftsbury Outdoor Center:

One of my fondest winter memories with the kids was digging snow caves in the driveway pile. Once the plowing was done, and it was safe to play, we would get to work. We’d make a plan for where to build the tunnel, whether it would have two entrances or

just one — occasionally three if it was a really good pile! — and various other design details. Sometimes, if the snow was good enough for cutting blocks, we would make it an “igloo.” Then we’d get to work with our shovels. Ideally, and most often, it was a snow day, and I was lucky enough to be able to do some work from home when I needed to, so I could be fully involved. As I recall, we didn’t end up spending much time in the caves afterwards — it was more about the process of building them! K

Ann Braden’s children, Ethan and Alice, in their backyard

Judy Geer’s children, Emily and DreissigackerHannah

2018 TALENT SHOW FOR VERMONT’S RISING STARS

SATURDAY, December 8, at noon

Kids ages 5-13 wow the crowd with two-minute acts showcasing their talents.

Featuring Enoch & Woodhead masters of mayhem & masters of ceremony.

Higher Ground Ballroom. Kids 6 & under free, $7 in advance, $10 at the door.

Visit kidsvt.com/talentshow for ticket information.

SPONSORED BY:

JUST FOR

Seasonings’ Greetings

BY MARC NADEL

At this time of year, everybody’s cooking new recipes, experimenting with as many herbs and spices as they can. So most of those dishes will taste terrible! Why not skip the funny food, and solve a special secret, directly from those ingenious ingredients themselves? First, fill in the missing letters in the names of the seasonings. Next, put those letters in the matching numbered spaces at the bottom of the page. (They’re not all in numerical order.) Once you decode it, their mystery message will be ready for you to enjoy!

KIDS JUST FOR

Writing Contest

In December and January, we often get lots of snow here in Vermont! Imagine if it wasn’t snow that fell from the sky, but ice cream. Write a poem, starting with the words “If snow was made of ice cream…” Feel free to make the poem as silly or strange as you’d like!

COLORING CONTEST WINNERS

SPONSORED BY

This month, submissions showcased squirrels stocking up on supplies for the winter. Anna, 7, celebrated the season with a radiant rainbow and shimmering snowflakes, embellishing her frisky friend with a sparkly tail. Elevenyear-old Arianna’s squirrel sported an upper-arm acorn tattoo, surrounded by a shady brown forest. Oliver, 4, colored his cute creature with crimson and orange crayon. Our judges can’t wait to be wowed again with your spectacular works of art in January!

HONORABLE MENTIONS

“THE HYPNOTIZED SQUIRREL”

Liam McGuire, 9, Vergennes

“ROSE”

Samantha Frank, 5, Burlington

“LIGHTNING SQUIRREL BLASTS

OFF”

Elijah Elliott, 9, Burlington

“SAM THE SQUIRREL”

Wesley Murphy, 3, Rutland

“KING OF HEARTS”

Calliope Donforth, 4, Burlington

“SQUIRREL UP”

Ruby Amor, 11, Williamstown

We’ll pick two winners and publish their names and poems in the next issue. Winners receive a $25 gift certificate to Crow Bookshop Deadline to enter is January 15. Send your entries to: Kids VT, attn: Writing Contest, P.O. Box 1184, Burlington, VT 05402.

WRITING WINNERS

In our November issue, we asked kids to write about their favorite Thanksgiving traditions. Here are the winning entries. Meredith and Amelia each receive a $25 gift certificate to Crow Bookshop in Burlington.

Meredith Power, 11

STRATTON Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy galore

Cranberry sauce and much, much more But I can’t wait for dessert.

Amelia Stacey, 6 BERLIN

I love Thanksgiving. But I feel bad they kill turkeys for it. I love the good food, including all the yummy desserts. Pie is my favorite!

Trifle is my favorite and two full bowls won’t hurt. Let’s go outside and play some football, We’re surrounded by trees where the leaves start to fall.

“ASTRONAUT VIOLET”

Stella Devitt, 6, Williston

“MAMA AND BABY SQUIRRELS”

Eva Lander, 8, East Hardwick

“NUTTY SUNSET”

Phoebe Omland, 8, Jericho

“RAINBOW SQUIRREL”

Priscilla Thompson, 11, Coventry

“GREAT SQUIRREL”

Cambria Trombley, 5, Swanton

“MR. SQUIRREL”

Lana Lasnier, 7, St. Albans

TOP TITLES

“CHIPPY THE COLORFUL LASEREYED SQUIRREL DEFEATS THE BAD GUY”

Jean-Luc Nicole, 5, Burlington

“RODENT ROYALTY”

Ashton Starr, 7, Montgomery

“HIBERNATION PREPARATION”

Jenny Blanshine, 10, Charlotte

The winners of annual family memberships to the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium are…

Acadia Enman, 8 HUNTINGTON

6 to 8

“Gone Nuts!”

Sebastian Figliola, 10 WINOOSKI

9 to 12

“Bandit Squirrel”

“Peace Squirrel” Victoria Bove, 4 COLCHESTER

5 & under

Coloring Contest!

Three winners will each receive an annual family membership to the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium. Send Kids VT your work of art by January 15. Be sure to include the info at right with your submission. Winners will be chosen in the following categories: (1) ages 5 and younger, (2) ages 6-8 and (3) ages 9-12. Winners will be named in the February issue of Kids VT. Send your high-resolution scans to art@kidsvt.com or mail a copy to Kids VT, P.O. Box 1184, Burlington, VT 05402.

Sponsored by

KIDS JUST FOR

Jumble

BY DAVID L. HOYT & JEFF KNUREK

The letters of these crazy words are all mixed up. To play the game, put them back into the right order so that they make real words you can find in your dictionary. Write the letters of each real word under each crazy word, but only one letter to a square.

THEO lives in Colchester and turns 5 on December 27. He’s a vibrant, funny, energetic little person who loves hugs, riding his bike and playing games with his big brother, Nico. He is looking forward to being a big brother himself in December.

Theo wins an assortment of children’s books.

To enter, submit information using the online form at kidsvt.com/birthday-club.

You are now ready to solve this month’s Jumble For Kids. Study the picture for a hint. Then play around with the letters in the circles. You’ll find you can put them in order so that they make your funny answer.

Print your answer here:

Puzzles4Kids

Riddle Search — CRAFT SUPPLIES

Look up, down and diagonally, both forward and backward, to find every word on the list. Circle each one as you find it. When all the words are circled, take the UNUSED letters and write them on the blanks below. Go from left to right and top to bottom to find the answer to this riddle: What craft do Christmas trees like to do?

BUTTON CHALK

COTTON BALL

CRAYON FOAM

GEL

GLITTER GLUE INK LOOM MARKER

PAINT PAPER PASTE

PENCIL RULER SEQUIN SPONGE STAPLER TAPE

YARN

BY HELENA HOVANEC

DOMINIC lives in Barre and turns 3 on December 7. He loves his cats and playing with and learning about dinosaurs. His favorite species is the triceratops.

LILY lives in Middlebury and turns 10 on January 8. She is a vocabulary virtuoso who loves art, writing, swimming, skating and animals. She is always ready with a smile and a fun project or activity to pass the time.

Just give us your contact info, your children’s names and birth dates, and a photo, and they’re automatically enrolled.

Dominic, Lily and Kendall each win a children’s book.

Riddle Answer:

ANSWERS P. 55

KENDALL lives in Orleans and turns 6 on January 30. She’s a kindergartener who loves school and dance class. She also enjoys singing, climbing trees, swimming and reading stories to her baby brother, Jonah.

tickets l gift membership l classes l camps l workshops l gift certificates

DECEMBER

4 Tuesday at 7:30 pm

Cirque Mechanics

6 Thursday at 2 & 7 pm

NTL: Antony & Cleopatra

7-8 Fri. & Sat. at 8 pm

Keigwin and Company: Places Please!

9 Sunday at 3 pm

Vice President Joe Biden

9 Sunday at 7 pm

The Paul Asbell Quintet

13-15 Thurs. & Fri. 6 & 8 pm Sat. 1 & 3 pm

Flynn Show Choirs

14 Friday at 8 pm

Parsons Dance

31 Monday at 7:30 pm

Flynn, Lyric Theatre, VSO

Burlington Does Broadway

JANUARY

10 Thursday at 6 pm

The Magic School Bus

11-12 Fri. & Sat. at 8 pm

Bill Shannon: Maker Moves

25 Friday at 8 pm

Bassem Youssef

31 Thursday at 2 & 7 pm

NTL: I’m Not Running

FEBRUARY

4 Monday at 7 pm

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

6 Wednesday at 7:30 pm

Herbie Hancock

13 Wednesday at 7 pm

Cirque Éloize: Saloon

14 Thursday at 8 pm

17 Sunday at 6 & 8:30 pm

Sam Shalabi: Carnival of Souls

17 Sunday at 6 & 8:30 pm

Peditro Martinez & Alfredo Rodriguez

21 Thursday at 7 & 9:30 pm

The Sweet Remains

22 Friday at 8 pm

Candoco: Let’s Talk About Dis, Face In

23 Saturday at 8 pm

New Voices Series

From Burma to the Balafon

26-27 Tues. & Wed. at 7 pm

The Sound of Music

MARCH

3 Sunday at 7 & 9:30 pm

Jim Gaffigan: Quality Time Tour

15 Friday at 8 pm

Québecfest: Le Vent Du Nord & De Temps Antan

18 Monday at 7 pm

Kodo

27 Wed. at 7 pm [FREE]

The US Army Field Band & Soldiers’ Chorus

28-30 Thurs.-Sat. at 7 pm

Actors from the London Stage: King Lear

31 Sunday at 7 pm

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

APRIL

3 Wednesday at 7:30 pm

Angélique Kidjo

4 Thursday at 7:30 pm

6 Saturday at 8 pm New Voices Series

World Party

7 Sunday at 2 pm

The Beethovens of Today: Host Soovin Kim

20 Saturday at 8 pm Ballet Hispánico

26 Friday at 8 pm Hot Brown Honey

MAY

11 Saturday at 8 pm

TURNmusic

19 Sunday at 4 pm

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live On sale to Flynn members 12/11 and to the public 12/14. Flynn membership is open to anyone at any time.

9 Saturday at 8 pm

Storm Large

Jazzmeia Horn

TURNmusic FLYNNCENTER.ORG/BFCM.HTML

FRÉDÉRIC SILBERMAN

Season

Spectacular Kids

A look at some of the performers in our annual talent show

Three brothers from Vergennes rocking out to Danish heavy metal. A 7-year-old with an old soul singing a tune from Anything Goes. A 10-year-old pianist channeling classical composer Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (son of Johann Sebastian). A Burlington hip-hop dancer bringing the energy to “Icon” by Jaden Smith (son of Will). What do these acts have in common?

They’re all part of Kids VT ’s fifth annual

Riley LeFevre, 8, Williamstown

Singing and dancing to “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton

Reason for auditioning: I love to be on stage and meet new friends.

Favorite performer: Taylor Swift

Favorite place in Vermont: Get Air!

Who inspires you: My brother, Alex

“Spectacular Spectacular” talent show, hosted by Masters of Ceremony Enoch and Woodhead. It takes place on Saturday, December 8 at Higher Ground in South Burlington. Doors open at noon and the show starts at 12:30 p.m.

We couldn’t fit all of the awesome acts on these pages, so instead, we’re spotlighting six of the 20 soloists and groups taking the stage. Get tickets to see them perform at highergroundmusic.com. Maybe these dazzling performers will even inspire your kiddo to audition next year!

Raquel Harris, 9, and Hazel Stoddard, 11, Starksboro

Dancing to “Set Fire to the Rain” by Adele

Who inspires you:

Raquel: Patrick Swayze and his wife dancing

Hazel: Mia Hamm, Simone Biles

One word to describe you: Raquel: Athletic Hazel: Creative

One word to describe your act:

Raquel: Graceful Hazel: Athletic

Favorite food:

Raquel: Pizza

Hazel: Asian

Evan Benoit, 10, Montpelier Playing “Solfeggietto”

by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach on piano

Who inspires you: Beethoven

Favorite performer: Joey Alexander

Why did you decide to audition: I like to play in concerts.

One way to describe your act: Fast

Annika Redmond, 12, Burlington

Dancing to “Icon” by Jaden Smith

What inspires you: Seeing others reach their goal.

How did you get your start: I’ve been dancing since I was 3.

One word to describe you: Energetic

Favorite place in Vermont: Jay Peak

Karissa Lynch, 10, St. Albans; Allison Roy, 11, Milton

Dancing to “Star Spangled Banner” by Boyce Avenue

My mom because she is a dance teacher. Mary Hondal My parents

One word to describe you: Unique Small Energetic

Who inspires you: Abby: Karissa: Allison: My Abby: Unique Karissa: Allison: Patriotic Cool

One word to describe your act: Abby and Allison: Patriotic Karissa:

Abby:

Hobbies: Dance, soccer, saxophone, student council Karissa: Dance, soccer Allison: Dance, softball, skiing, gymnastics

Bjorn Peterson, 10, Burlington Playing fiddle to “Growling Old Man and Grumbling Old Woman,” a Québécois folk song

Who inspires you: Great musicians

Favorite performer: Black Violin

One word to describe you: Happy

Favorite food: Anything with bacon or cheese

Sense and Sensitivity

BY KEN PICARD

The scene opens with the sun rising over the Green Mountains on a typical Vermont family farm, where brown dairy cows graze and happy pigs munch apples and get their bellies rubbed. Amid vegetable rows strolls a singing farmer carrying a leather satchel and wearing a trilby hat and navy shirt with a yellow heart stitched onto the chest pocket.

The farmer, Mister Chris, enters a barn — actually, a TV studio set at Vermont PBS headquarters in Colchester. There he swaps his outdoor hat for an indoor cap, finishes his song and welcomes his audience.

“Hi, friends. How do you feel today? I feel glad to be together on this fall day in the barn studio. I feel comfortable here. I feel excited to dance,” he says, giving a quick pirouette and a warm smile. “I feel confident to sing. And I feel brave to learn new things. Do you like to learn new things?”

Thin, blue-eyed and elf-like, Mister Chris pulls an apple from his satchel. He explains that he picked it from a tree his grandmother planted many years ago, when he was “just a little, little kiddo. And now it’s a big, big tree, just like you’ll be big one day.”

What follows is the 35-minute pilot episode of “Mister Chris and Friends,” a new locally produced children’s television program from Vermont PBS. The show, which launched its first season of six episodes on November 21, uses live music, movement and “everyday adventures” around Vermont to explore science, nature, and emotional and social development. It’s designed primarily for preschoolers.

In an age when much of children’s media is loud, frenetic and hyperstimulating, and contains peril and violent themes, “Mister Chris and Friends” is almost revolutionary in its gentle approach and leisurely pace. It’s like the slow-food movement of children’s programming, evident in the show’s opening song, “Listening Is Giving.”

“It’s our theme song as well as our guiding theme that we’re trying

to express and actually live by,” explained Chris Dorman, the show’s creator, who also portrays its titular character and writes and performs most of the music. “We feel that it’s a true gift to be listened to, and there are many different ways to listen. So we sing that, and we portray that throughout the show.”

“Mister Chris and Friends” got its start on New Year’s Eve 2015 when

character as I am in real life, which is a music and movement teacher who lives on a farm and who believes that the music can really be inspired by our everyday adventures.”

After pitching the concept to Vermont PBS, Dorman launched a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised more than $29,000 to produce the pilot. The idea, he explained, was to demonstrate that Vermonters were

“If we meet them where they are in a way that deeply respects them, we won’t just reach them. We’ll also reach kiddos who are younger, who are more sensitive, and who are older … [in a way that] leaves them feeling respected and listened to.”

Each show includes familiar elements at the beginning and end and introduces new adventures and characters along the way. In the pilot, viewers meet the Wishing Well character, whom Dorman called “a symbol of [a child’s] imagination if we’ve got a question or a wish or a wonder.”

And that heart stitched into Mister Chris’ shirt pocket? Another visual metaphor, he explained.

“The Heart Pocket is like wearing our heart on our sleeve, a symbol of the vulnerability of expressing emotion,” he said. “But it’s also a place to hold things close to our hearts.”

Longtime Vermonters will recognize many of the locations where the show was filmed, including Shelburne Orchards, Mount Philo in Charlotte, the Vermont Institute of Natural Science in Quechee, and the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain in Burlington.

Dorman, a professional musician and educator, performed a concert at First Night Burlington. After the show, a Vermont PBS staffer approached him to ask if he’d ever considered doing children’s television.

He had. In fact, Dorman had a notebook full of ideas he’d jotted down years earlier. Dorman lives on Bread & Butter Farm in Shelburne, which he and his wife, Corie Pierce, founded nine years ago after moving to Vermont from Michigan. Their son, Henry, was then 2 years old. In 2012, Dorman started a children’s music and movement class on the farm called Music for Sprouts, which inspired much of “Mister Chris and Friends.”

“If I was going to be in the TV show,” explained the 35-year-old father of two, “I just wanted to be as close to the actual

interested in and would financially support a locally produced children’s program.

Vermont PBS has a long history of local programming, noted Holt Albee, the show’s producer and director. But as Albee pointed out, a locally produced children’s program is “definitely out of the ordinary, not just for our station but for all member stations across the nation.”

“Mister Chris and Friends,” he explained, follows a traditional threeact structure. “In each episode, Mister Chris makes a wish to learn something new and goes on a fun adventure of discovery and learning. Along the way, he meets new friends, interviews inquisitive kids and celebrates with a big, big concert.”

The show’s target demographic is kids ages 3 to 6. But as Dorman noted,

Each episode takes on a simple theme or lesson, such as how pollinators do their work, how birds fly and how water moves across the landscape. In the process, Mister Chris also tackles different emotions, such as how to cope with the absence of a parent or loved one.

Even before the show aired, news stories were already favorably comparing “Mister Chris and Friends” to Fred Rogers’ iconic PBS series, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” The similarities are immediately evident, from Dorman’s gentle nature and singsong voice to his literal tip of the hat to Mister Rogers at the start of each episode — by switching hats, Dorman honors Rogers’ signature practice of removing his jacket and shoes and donning a cardigan and sneakers.

But the parallels run deeper than mere wardrobe changes. As author

When Mister Chris asks viewers, ‘How do you feel today?’ that’s not just a catchphrase.

HOLT ALBEE

Chris Dorman

‘Mister Chris and Friends’ revives the art of slow and gentle children’s television

Maxwell King explains in his new book The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers, Rogers’ placid nature belied the intense care and scrutiny he put into choosing every word and song on the show. Rogers’ on-air manner of speaking to children with kindness, respect and humility, King notes, amounted to a distinct language that his writers referred to as “Freddish.”

Those who work on “Mister Chris and Friends” see many of those same qualities in Dorman.

“When Mister Chris walks into the barn studio and asks viewers, ‘How do you feel today?’ that’s not just a catchphrase. That’s genuinely who Chris is, in every aspect of the show,” Albee said. From the dialogue to the arc of the story to the musical score, “He’s always thinking about the most sensitive kiddos. I’m just in awe of all he’s able to juggle in his head.”

Early in the show’s development, Vermont PBS brought in Heather Duhamel, an early childhood education consultant from St. Albans, to advise on the scripts. But as Duhamel noted in a recent interview, it was often Dorman who’d stop production to question whether a particular scene or line of dialogue was fully meeting the needs of every viewer.

She recalled one project in which the team was creating a supplemental activity plan that accompanies each episode. Dorman, she said, noticed that the activity plan included physical movements that not all kids could perform.

So the team reached out to the University of Vermont Center on Disability and Community Inclusion to consult on adding more inclusive language. From then on, Duhamel said, the center worked on all of the activity plans to ensure more sensitivity to viewers’ needs and abilities. It addressed such issues as neurodiversity, physical and developmental disabilities, literacy, and Englishlanguage proficiency.

As Duhamel put it, “With Chris’ encouragement, we’ve slowed things down and have gone through so many channels of support in the community to make sure that they’re reaching all learners” — traits that she, too, likened to those of Rogers.

How does Dorman feel about such comparisons?

“I feel honored,” he said. “At the same time, I feel as if it would not be very Mister Rogers to feel as though we have to fill those sneakers. He said so many times that he likes us just the way we are.”

“I wish that Mister Rogers was not the only available comparison when a guy like Chris comes along who also happens to be deeply respectful of young children,” said Mark Sustic, a musician and early education professional whom Dorman described as his mentor. (Though Sustic appears in one episode, he has no formal role in its production.) “Chris’ contribution and example are important for all of us,” he said, “especially all the young children and families he inspires.”

Evidently, there’s a real yearning for children’s television that slows things down and speaks to, as Dorman put it, “the most sensitive ears in the room.” When Vermont PBS posted its first episode of “Mister Chris and Friends” online, it was viewed in 50 states and provinces across North America.

Despite its initial popularity, however, Dorman said he’s not eager to see the show expand nationally, at least not yet. Like all parents, he said, he doesn’t want his “baby” to grow up too quickly.

“I consider ourselves to be children in this process,” he said. “My hope is that this first season will reach children genuinely and that it’ll be the first of many, and we’ll see an evolution of this project as the years go on and as we learn, too.”

How very Freddish of him.K

This story first appeared in the Nov. 21 issue of Seven Days.

Stream all six episodes of “Mister Chris and Friends” at vermontpbs.org/ misterchris.

Jingle all the Way

HORSE-DRAWN WAGON RIDES: Giddy-up! Families have fun sailing over farm fields. First-come, first-served; rides leave every half hour.

Saturday, December 22 through Tuesday, January 1. Closed Christmas Day. Saturdays and Sundays, January 5 through February 24, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Shelburne Farms, Shelburne.

Week to Week

Resolution Run & Walk: Out with the old, in with the new. The FirstRun 5K morphs into a 5K and 1 miler on New Year’s Eve. Registration opens at 1:30 p.m; race starts at 3:30 p.m., Champlain Valley Expo, Essex Junction.

Winter Wildlife Celebration: Animal enthusiasts explore exhibits and wintery trails with interactive guided tours and talks in the morning, followed by afternoon games, crafts and a campfire with treats. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee.

Ice Fishing Festival: Aspiring anglers of all ages learn the basics of this winter sport with expert volunteers and Vermont Fish & Wildlife. A free fish fry, hot cocoa and a warming hut keep the day toasty. Dress for the weather. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Knight Point State Park, North Hero.

4 Tuesday

CALEDONIA

Hardwick Lego Club: Fledgling architects construct collaboratively with colorful blocks. Jeudevine Memorial Library, Hardwick, 3-5 p.m. Info, 472-5948. FREE

CHITTENDEN

After-School Snacks on Tuesdays: The library teams up with the Hinesburg Community Resource Center and offers munchies for after-school readers and library users. All ages. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 2-3 p.m. Info, 482-2878. FREE

Creative Tuesdays: Young artists involve their imaginations with interesting materials. Kids under 6 must be accompanied by an adult. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 3:15-4:45 p.m. Info, 865-7216. FREE

Dorothy’s List Book Club: Middle readers make merry conversation around DCF pick The Wonderling by Mira Bartok. Ages 8-11. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 4 p.m. Info, 264-5660. FREE

Lego Day: Amateur architects snap together buildings of their own design. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 2-3 p.m. Info, 878-4918. FREE

Teen Advisory Board: Teens take time together and plan projects for the upcoming year. Grades 9 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-3:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Tinker Tuesdays: Inquisitive kiddos investigate what makes technology tick by taking apart objects and designing new creations. Use the library’s materials or bring in computers, keyboards or other old electronics. Winooski Memorial Library, 3:30-5 p.m. Info, 655-6424. FREE

New Parents

BOSOM BUDDIES TOO: Nursing mamas of toddlers and mobile wee ones socialize and swap supportive stories and advice with peers and professionals. Babies welcome. Central Vermont Medical Center, Berlin, FIRST TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 5:30-7 P.M., THROUGH DEC. 4. Info, 371-4415. FREE

EVOLUTION POSTNATAL YOGA: New mamas tote their pre-crawling kids to an all-levels flowing yoga class focused on bringing the body back to strength and alignment in a relaxed and nurturing environment.

Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, Burlington, SUNDAYS, 12:15 P.M., TUESDAYS, 10 A.M., THURSDAYS, 10:45 A.M. AND FRIDAYS, NOON-1 P.M., THROUGH DEC. 18, $17; $120-140 for a 10-class pass. Info, 899-0339.

EVOLUTION PRENATAL YOGA: Mothers-to-be build strength, stamina and a stronger connection to their baby. Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, Burlington, SATURDAYS, 11:30 A.M., SUNDAYS, 10-11:30 A.M., MONDAYS, 5:45 P.M., TUESDAYS, 4:15 P.M., WEDNESDAYS, 5:45 P.M., THURSDAYS, 12:30 P.M. AND FRIDAYS, 8:15 A.M., THROUGH DEC. 18 $17 per class; $120-140 for 10-class pass. Info, 899-0339.

EVOLUTION PRENATAL YOGA ESSEX: Mothers-to-be build strength, stamina and a stronger connection to their baby. Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga, Essex Junction, SATURDAYS, 8:15 A.M., SUNDAYS, 5:30 P.M., MONDAYS, 10:30 A.M., TUESDAYS, 6:15 P.M., WEDNESDAYS, 12:30 P.M. AND THURSDAYS, 4:15 P.M., THROUGH DEC. 18, $17 per class; $120-140 for 10-class pass. Info, 899-0339.

MOM AND BABY YOGA: Brand-new mamas and their littles relax, stretch and bond. Followed by a free mothers’ gathering at 11:30 a.m. Embodied, Montpelier, TUESDAYS, 10:30-11:30 A.M., THROUGH DEC. 18, $11. Info, 223-5302.

PRENATAL YOGA: Moms-to-be stretch and bend. Embodied, Montpelier, TUESDAYS, 6-7:15 P.M., THROUGH DEC. 18 $16 per drop-in class. Info, 778 -0300.

BURLINGTON EARLY MONTHS INFANT MASSAGE: This mother-infant group includes baby massage and postpartum new mama support. The Janet S. Munt Family Room, Burlington, WEDNESDAYS, 11 A.M.-NOON, THROUGH DEC. 19. Info, 862-2121. FREE

ESSEX LA LECHE LEAGUE: Moms bring their bitty ones to a discussion of parenting and breastfeeding. Siblings welcome. Essex Free Library, Essex Junction, FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 6:30-8 P.M. Info, 899-5490. FREE

HYDE PARK BABY CHAT: Parents with babies mingle, learn more about developmental needs and expectations, and have the opportunity to ask questions of a maternal health specialist. Lanpher Memorial Library, Hyde Park, FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10-11:30 A.M. Info, 888-5229.

MORRISVILLE BABY CHAT: Parents with babies socialize, learn more about developmental needs and expectations, and have the opportunity to ask questions of a maternal health specialist. Lamoille Family Center, Morrisville, SECOND SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10-11:30 A.M. Info, 888-5229.

BURLINGTON LA LECHE LEAGUE: New moms bring their babies and questions to a breastfeeding support group. Older children welcome. Lending library available. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10:15 A.M. Info, 985-8228.

FREE

LA LECHE LEAGUE OF THE NORTHEAST

KINGDOM: Expectant, novice and experienced moms join nursing experts for advice and support. Enter through the children’s section of the library. Siblings welcome. St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10:30 A.M. Info, 720-272-8841. FREE

FRANKLIN

Adoption Support Group: Families facing adoption issues and challenges join forces in a respectful setting. All welcome. Franklin County Seniors Center, St. Albans, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Info, 524-1700. FREE

RUTLAND

Art Club: Petite Picassos dig into the library’s materials in this 5-week program. Sherburne Memorial Library, Killington, 3:15-4:15 p.m. Info, 422-9765. FREE

WASHINGTON

Cartooning Club: Comic lovers get a kick out of drawing challenges, collaboration and munchies. Ages 8-12. Jaquith Public Library, Marshfield, 3-4 p.m. Info, 426-3581. FREE

BABYWEARERS OF CENTRAL VERMONT: Brand-new mamas and papas check out infant carriers, get advice and spend some socializing time with other new parents. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, SECOND THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 9:30-11:30 A.M. AND FOURTH MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 5:45-7:45 P.M. Info, 595-7953. FREE

BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUP: Nursing mamas (and soon-to-be mothers!) make the most of La Leche League support while socializing with other moms and wee ones. Norman Williams Public Library, Woodstock, SECOND FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10:30 A.M.-NOON, THROUGH DEC. 14. Info, 281-731-7313. FREE

WINDSOR

Norwich Lego Tuesdays: Imaginative architects bust out blocks and get busy. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Norwich Public Library, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Info, 649-1184. FREE

Toddler Time: Little ones immerse in art projects and free play activities, stimulating socialization and motor, language, and cognitive development. ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 9-11 a.m., $5; $20 for a 5-visit punchcard. Info, 457-3500.

ELIMINATION COMMUNICATION: Novice parents pursue advice about this practice where a caregiver uses timing, signals, cues and intuition to address a baby’s need to eliminate waste without using a diaper. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, THIRD THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 1-2 P.M. Info, 595-7953. FREE

LA LECHE LEAGUE OF CENTRAL VERMONT: Breastfeeding mamas swap stories and support each other, with a professional available for consultation. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, THIRD THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 9:30-11:30 A.M. Info, 595-7953. FREE

NURSING BEYOND A YEAR: In a supportive setting, mothers discuss the joys and challenges of breastfeeding children approaching one year old and beyond. Good Beginnings, Montpelier, THIRD FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 9:30-11:30 A.M. Info, 595-7953. FREE

BOSOM BUDDIES: New and expectant mothers, babies and supportive grandmas rally in a relaxed evening, when peers and professionals answer mothering and breastfeeding questions. Central Vermont Medical Center, Berlin, FIRST MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 5:30-7 P.M. Info, 371-4415. FREE

MAMA’S CIRCLE BARRE: This supportive gathering brings moms of new babies and toddlers together to foster friendship through unique-but-shared experiences. Imagine Yoga, Barre, SECOND FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 9:30-11:30 A.M. Info, 595-7953. FREE

BREASTFEEDING CAFÉ: Mamas nurse their babies, chat and ask for answers from a certified lactation consultant. Pregnant women, supportive dads and older siblings welcome. Ilsley Public Library, Middlebury, THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 11 A.M.-1 P.M. Info, 236-4136. FREE

BREASTFEEDING FAMILIES GROUP: Nursing moms (and supportive dads, too!) gather for snacks and advice. Church of the Nazarene, Johnson, THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 11 A.M.-1 P.M. Info, 888-5229. FREE

HOW TO BREASTFEED PRENATAL CLASS: Expectant mamas and their partners learn the basics of breastfeeding, how to get off to the best start with their baby and where to find assistance when needed. Central Vermont Medical Center, Berlin, FOURTH TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 4:30-6 P.M. preregister. Info, 371-4415. FREE

JOHNSON BABY CHAT: Parents with babies mingle, learn more about developmental needs and expectations, and have the opportunity to ask questions of a maternal health specialist. Church of the Nazarene, Johnson, FOURTH TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10-11:30 A.M. Info, 888-5229. FREE

MOMMY GROUP: Breastfeeding peer counselor Angela Scavo hosts mamas and answers questions in a relaxed setting. Junebug Mother and Child, Middlebury, FOURTH WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 9:30-10:30 A.M. Info, 349-9084. FREE

DEC. 5 WEDNESDAY, P.39

Seasonal Events

MENORAH LIGHTING: Families and friends celebrate Chanukah with illumination. Taylor Park, St. Albans, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 5, 5 P.M. Info, 735-6246. FREE

HOLIDAY ARTISANS MARKET: Local artisans and speciality food producers offer a fine array of handcrafted gifts, including pottery, silk scarves, stained glass, maple syrup, chocolates and much more. Chandler Music Hall, Randolph, SATURDAYS, 9 A.M.-6 P.M., SUNDAYS, 11 A.M.-5 P.M., AND THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS, NOON-6 P.M., THROUGH DEC. 21. Info, 728-6464. FREE

MIDD NIGHT STROLL: Holiday shoppers saunter through the downtown streets and take pleasure in pop-ups, tastings and twinkling lights. Downtown Middlebury, THURSDAY, DEC. 6, 5-8 P.M. AND THURSDAY, DEC. 13, 5-8 P.M.; food and drink available for purchase. Info, 377-3557.

PUBLIC MENORAH LIGHTING: The community relishes this holiday aglow. Jericho Center Green, THURSDAY, DEC. 6, 5 P.M. Info, 735-6246. FREE

CANDY-CANE-MAKING DEMO: Families make holiday memories as they watch confectioners in action, or they can get in on the fun and design twisted treats of their own. Preregistration recommended to participate or watch; space is limited.

Laughing Moon Chocolates, Stowe, FRIDAYS AND SUNDAYS, 11 A.M., AND SATURDAYS, 11 A.M. & 2 P.M., THROUGH DEC. 22 free to watch; $6 per person to shape your own candy cane. Info, 253-9591.

CHANUKAH FESTIVITIES: Holiday revelers make merry with music and games. Menorah lighting at 4 p.m. Church Street Marketplace, Burlington, FRIDAY, DEC. 7, NOON. Info, 735-6246. FREE

ESSEX VILLAGE TREE LIGHTING & TRAIN HOP: The village lights up for a jolly evening with model train displays all over town and a free trolley shuttle to Maple Street Park for merriment and music. Essex Junction (Downtown), FRIDAY, DEC. 7, 5:30-8 P.M. Info, 878-1375. FREE

MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS IN ESSEX: Santa and Mrs. Claus touch down at the Essex Ferry dock on Saturday, travel by firetruck to the fire station for a free pancake breakfast, followed by children’s activities including a Reindeer Fun Run at noon. See christmasinessex.com for full weekend details. Various locations, Essex, FRIDAY, DEC. 7 TO SUNDAY, DEC. 9.; small fee for some activities; food available for sale.

WASSAIL WEEKEND: Woodstock welcomes the winter season with a weekend including live music, the Woodstock History Center’s open house, events at the Billings Farm & Museum, house tours, an equestrian parade on the Village Green and more. Woodstock Village Green, FRIDAY, DEC. 7 TO SUNDAY, DEC. 9; fees vary. Info, 457-3555.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA: Festive families fill their bellies with breakfast, chat with Santa and Mrs. Claus, sing carols, decorate cookies, and craft ornaments. Ages 1-10. Gardener’s Supply, Williston, SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 9-10 A.M. AND 10:30-11:30 A.M., $15, preregister; space is limited. Info, 658-2433.

DECEMBER FAMILY DAY: HOLIDAY

FESTIVITIES: Seasonal art activities for all ages — including gingerbread house constructing with New England Culinary Institute students — make for a crafty drop-in afternoon for families in conjunction with the Festival of Trees and Light exhibit. Helen Day Art Center, Stowe, SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 1-4 P.M. Info, 253-8358. FREE

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: The Capital City cheers the season with wagon rides, cookie decorating and a special visit from the jolly elf. Downtown Montpelier, SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 10 A.M.-2 P.M. Info, 223-9604. FREE

HOMEMADE HOLIDAY CARDS: Artist Jenni Bee helps little ones make marvelous cards with multiple materials. Ages 2-7. Grange Hall Cultural Center, Waterbury Center, SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 10-11:30 A.M., $10 per one adult and child, $5 each additional child, preregister. Info, 244-1468.

MILTON HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING: Hot cocoa, caroling and Santa Claus make for a magical evening around the community conifer. Bring an ornament that will withstand weather. Hannaford Plaza Milton, SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 7 P.M. Info, 893-4922. FREE

VICTORIAN HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE: Carolers bring a bright and merry tone to an afternoon of crafts, festive treats and free planetarium shows that track Santa’s path in the sky. Eye on the Sky meteorologist Mark Breen’s famous baritone lifts in song. Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, St. Johnsbury, SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 1:30-4 P.M. Info, 748-2372. FREE

WONDERARTS HOLIDAY MARKET: More than 35 vendors peddle handmade crafts with festivities including live music and lunch fare. Craftsbury Academy, Craftsbury Common, SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 9 A.M.-3 P.M. Info, 533-9370.

CHANUKAH WONDERLAND: Holiday revelers make merry with music, games and a menorah lighting at 4 p.m. with donuts and latkes. University Mall, South Burlington, SUNDAY, DEC. 9, NOON. Info, 735-6246. FREE

EPIC HANUKKAH PARTY IN STOWE: The community celebrates the Festival of Lights through games, song, candle-making and more. Jewish Community of Greater Stowe, SUNDAY, DEC. 9, 3-6 P.M. Info, 505-3657. FREE

‘HOME ALONE’: Santa starts off the revels with cookies at 2 p.m., followed by the classic family flick starring Macaulay Culkin, the boy who protects his home from Christmas burglars. Ages 8 and up. Woodstock Town Hall Theater, SUNDAY, DEC. 9, 3-4:45 P.M., $5. Info, 457-3981.

ARTIST MARKET: In conjunction with Burlington City Arts, local fine artisans display diverse offerings of ceramics, jewelry, games, clothing and more for holiday-minded shoppers. Contois Auditorium, Burlington, FRIDAY, DEC. 14, 4-8 P.M. AND SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 10 A.M.-5 P.M. Info, 865-7166.

DINNER WITH SANTA: On their way to the North Pole, the man in red and his jolly elves swing by Colchester for a dinner of pancakes, eggs and sausage with wide-eyed little ones. Wear PJs for a nighttime holiday story, and bring a flashlight for the candy cane hunt. Colchester Middle School, FRIDAY, DEC. 14, 6:15-7:15 P.M., $5-10, free for children under 3, preregister. Info, 264-5640.

CHRISTMAS AT THE FARM: Fête the season the old-fashioned way, with 19th-century crafts, tours of the 1890 farmhouse and historic ornament making. Horse-drawn sleigh or wagon rides from December 26-January 1, weather permitting. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, 10 A.M.-4 P.M., MONDAY, DEC. 24, 10 A.M.-4 P.M. AND WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26 THROUGH TUESDAY, JAN. 1, 2019, 10 A.M.-4 P.M., regular museum admission, $4-16; free for children under 3. Info, 457-2355.

HOLIDAY CONFECTIONS CLASS: Junior chefs bake sweet treats and bring a tray of delights home. All ages. Barlow Street Community Center, St. Albans, SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 9:30-11 & 11:30 A.M.-1 P.M., $15, preregister. Info, 524-1500.

HOLIDAY WITH THE ANIMALS: Santa and Mrs. Claus host a shindig with sweets, crafts and plenty of shelter pals to pet. Central Vermont Humane Society, East Montpelier, SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 10 A.M.-2 P.M., donations accepted for shelter needs. Info, 476-3811.

‘THE POLAR EXPRESS’ AT THE GRANGE: An audience of all ages is awed by the magical film of a young boy who travels by train to the North Pole in search of Santa Claus and the mystery of Christmas. The Grange Theatre, South Pomfret, SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 1 & 4 P.M., $5. Info, 457-3500.

SKATE WITH SANTA: A cheerful elf dons skates to circle the rink with young gliders as holiday music plays — plus free hot chocolate, candy canes and photo-ops. Stowe Arena, SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 3:30-5 P.M. AND SATURDAY, DEC. 22, 3:30-5 P.M., $5; additional fee for skate and helmet rental. Info, 253-6138.

TOUCH OF VERMONT HOLIDAY

GIFT MARKET: Over 45 local vendors peddle their pottery, photography and other handmade items, with artisan foodstuffs and sweets. Montpelier City Hall, SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 9 A.M.-4 P.M. Info, 310-1725.

WALDEN HOLIDAY CRAFT

FAIR: Seasonal shoppers peruse handcrafted gifts — from knitted hats to framed prints — check out a silent auction and purchase lunch fare. Walden School, West Danville, SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 9 A.M.-2 P.M. Info, 533-2213. FREE

DROP-IN HEALTHY HOLIDAY SNACKS: Families with kids of all ages swing by the store’s community room for a snack or stay for a demo of delicious treat-making. Coffee and music add to the merriment. City Market, Onion River Co-op (Burlington South End), MONDAY, DEC. 17, 10 A.M.-2 P.M. Info, 861-9753. FREE

‘WHITE CHRISTMAS’: Holiday-loving families cheer for this Irving Berlin classic flick on the big screen — the story of saving a failing Vermont inn. Ages 8 and up. Woodstock Town Hall Theater, THURSDAY, DEC. 20, 7:30-9:50 P.M., $5. Info, 457-3981.

CHRISTMAS DAY BOWLING: Finished with unwrapping presents, families have fun with entertainment including the game zone and laser tag. Spare Time Entertainment, Colchester, TUESDAY, DEC. 25, 4-11 P.M. $5.49 per game; additional fees apply. Info, 655-2720.

HIGHLIGHT: Signal Kitchen and Burlington City Arts team up to host a citywide New Year’s Eve shindig, with family-friendly events including a 1-5 p.m. Kids Stay & Play at the YMCA, the Mr. Chris and Friends Band at the Flynn Space at 2 p.m., a Church Street Marketplace parade at 5:30 p.m. with children’s lanterns, a Girls Rock VT variety show at the ECHO Museum at 6 p.m. — and much more, including fireworks at the Waterfront. See highlight.community/ events/ for details. Various locations (Burlington), MONDAY, DEC. 31., $5-10 for admission to all Highlight events; free for children under 3.

NEW YEAR’S EVE FIREWORKS: Boom! Fireworks explode over the mountain. See jaypeakresort.com for various party options. Jay Peak Resort, MONDAY, DEC. 31, 9 P.M. Info, 988-2611. FREE

Fairbanks Museum Holiday Open House

5 Wednesday

CHITTENDEN

Chess Club: Strategy lovers of all abilities face o against opponents. Ages 6 and up. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 6-7 p.m. Info, 865-7216. FREE

Game Gathering for Developmentally

Delayed Young Adults: Teens and young adults enjoy simple, noncompetitive board and card games and socializing. Ages 14-25, with a support person, if needed. Milton Public Library, 4-5 p.m. Info, 893-4644. FREE

Read With Daisy the Therapy Dog: Book bu s of all ages bring a selection from home or borrow from the library to amuse an attentive canine. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:15-4:15 p.m., preregister. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Renaissance School Open House: Prospective families with children ages 4-11 tour this independent school campus, take in a class and meet the director. Renaissance School, Shelburne, 9-10 a.m. Info, 951-1831.

FREE

Yoga for Kids: Young yogis engage their energy and explore breathing exercises and relaxation poses with professional instructor Melissa from Evolution Yoga. Ages 2-5. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Info, 865-7216. FREE

FRANKLIN

Crafternoon: Book Fashion: Inventive kiddos create an imaginative outfit using upcycled books. Ages 6 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m., preregister. Info, 849-2420. FREE

Fit Moms: Expectant mamas work out together, preparing for labor with cardio, strength, stretching and breathing.

Northwestern Medical Center, St. Albans, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Info, 288-1141. FREE

RUTLAND

Lego Club: Budding builders bust out amazing architecture with blocks. Sherburne Memorial Library, Killington, 3-4 p.m. Info, 422-9765. FREE

6 Thursday

CALEDONIA

Caledonia Winter Farmers Market: Freshly baked goods, veggies, handmade crafts, meat and maple syrup figure prominently in displays of Vermont wares. St. Johnsbury Welcome Center, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

CHITTENDEN

Babytime: Infants through pre-walkers have a ball with books, rhymes, songs and socializing. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:15 a.m. Info, 865-7216. FREE

Colchester Lego Club: Mini makers participate in surprise challenges with interlocking toys. Ages 6-10. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 4 p.m. Info, 264-5660. FREE

Food for Thought Teen Library Volunteers: Young adults polish o pizza as they ponder library projects. Grades 7-12. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 4-5 p.m. Info, 878-4918. FREE

Gingerbread Houses: Little ones fashion gumdrop trees and frosted rooftops. Grades K-5. Kids under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3-3:30 & 3:30-4 p.m., preregister. Info, 878-4918. FREE

See Dr. First videos “First With Kids” at uvmhealth.org.

Itty Bitty Public Skating: Tiny feet learn the art of sliding on ice through jolly games. Ages 2-5 with caregiver. Leddy Park, Burlington, 10-11:30 a.m., $8 per family; $1 skate rentals. Info, 865-7558.

Knitting Club: Yarn lovers of all skill levels get busy with needles. Ages 7 and up.

Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Info, 878-6955. FREE

Monthly Home School Program: Home learners soak up nature-related studies in an outdoor classroom. Parent participation optional. Ages 6-8. Audubon Vermont, Huntington, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., $20-25, preregister. Info, 434-3068.

Preschool Yoga: Children’s Yoga Teacher

Melissa Nutting charms wee ones and caregivers with a half-hour of singing, relaxing, reading and stretching. Ages 3-6. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 11:30 a.m. Info, 264-5660. FREE

Ukulele Kids: Musical ones join Joe to sing and play. All ages. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Info, 865-7216.

FREE

Williston Preschool Music: Lively tunes with local musicians strike the right note among the wee crowd. Ages 5 and under with a caregiver. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m., limited to one session per week per family. Info, 878-4918.

FRANKLIN

Franklin Lego Thursdays: Kiddie constructionists combine their imagination with the library’s supplies. Haston Library, Franklin, 2-5 p.m. Info, 285-6505.

Gingerbread House Making: For once, youngsters get permission to play with their food. Graham crackers and other supplies provided. Ages 5 and up. St. Albans Free Library, 6 p.m., preregistration required. Info, 524-1507. FREE

PJ Story Time: Children chill in their jammies while crafting and listening to stories. Ages 6 and under. Fairfax Community Library, 6-7 p.m. Info, 849-2420. FREE

LAMOILLE

Pre-K Art Play: Toddlers drop in and create personal projects with diverse art supplies. Ages 1-4; caregiver required. Helen Day Art Center, Stowe, 10-11 a.m., $5. Info, 253-8358.

WINDSOR

Toddler Time: See December 4.

7 Friday

CHITTENDEN

Family Gym: Indoor playground equipment provides tiny tumblers a chance to run free. Ages 7 and under with caregivers. Greater Burlington YMCA, 10:15-11:45 a.m., $5-8 per family, free for members, preregister. Info, 862-9622.

DEC. 7 FRIDAY, P.40

DECEMBER CALENDAR

7 Friday (cont.)

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: Toe-tapping tunes captivate kiddies. Radio Bean, Burlington, 11 a.m. Info, 660-9346. Preschool Yoga with Danielle: Small ones stretch and relax. Ages 2-5. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 10-10:30 a.m. Info, 878-6956.

FREE

STEAM Fridays: Eager youngsters engage with inventive science, technology, engineering, art and math projects. Check online for specific program details. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

FRANKLIN

Yoga Story Time Yoga with Ms. Liza: Small ones soak up a storytime with stories, songs, stretches and bubbles. Swanton Public Library, 10 a.m. Info, 868-7656. FREE

LAMOILLE

Kids’ Night Out: While their parents appreciate time off, youngsters enjoy dinner, a movie and themed activities. Grades K-5. David Gale Recreation Center, Stowe, 6-10 p.m., $15-20 per child; drop-ins welcome. Info, 253-6138.

Science & Nature

SCIENCE & STORIES AT ECHO: Preschoolers rally ’round for nature-inspired tales and activities. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, TUESDAYS, 10:30 A.M., regular museum admission, $11.50-14.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

WINTER BIRD MONITORING WALK: Avian aficionados find out who’s sticking around for winter and see how these winged beauties are getting along. Audubon Vermont, Huntington, THURSDAY, DEC. 6, 8-10 A.M. AND SATURDAY, JAN. 19, 8-10 A.M. donations appreciated. Info, 434-3068.

LEAVE, SLEEP, OR BUNDLE UP? WHAT DO ANIMALS DO IN WINTER?: Brrr! Bundled-up preschoolers use fur, feathers and more for hands-on learning about how animals stay warm in winter. Ages 3-6. The Nature Museum at Grafton, FRIDAY, DEC. 7, 10-11:30 A.M., $5-8 per child; no charge for caregivers. Info, 843-2111.

MONTSHIRE MAKERS AT THE HOP: In this special museum program, junior inventors create a 3D sculpture with wire, then soak up an 8 p.m. show featuring the antics and acrobatics of a mechanically-minded circus troupe. Grades 6-9. Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hanover, FRIDAY, DEC. 7, 6:15-7:45 P.M., $15-18; includes performance ticket; preregister. Info, 649-2200.

MONTHLY WILDLIFE WALK: Otter Creek Audubon Society and the Middlebury Area Land Trust invite community members to survey birds and other wildlife. Birders of all ages and abilities welcome. Meet at the Otter View Park parking area. Otter View Park, Middlebury, SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 8 A.M. Info, 388-1007. FREE

PRIDE HIKE: Audubon Vermont, Pride Center of Vermont and Outright Vermont team up to host an easy-to-moderate hike. All ages; youth under age 18 should be accompanied by an adult. Check vt.audubon. org for location. Audubon Vermont, Huntington, SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 9:30 A.M.-1:30 P.M. AND SATURDAY, JAN. 12, 9:30 A.M.-1:30 P.M. Info, 434-3068. FREE

BOOKS & BEYOND: SCIENCE FOR PRESCHOOLERS: Children’s literature and hands-on activities combine for fun science learning and exploration. Ages 3-5 with a parent or caregiver. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, MONDAY, DEC. 10, 10:15 & 11:30 A.M. AND FIRST MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10:15 & 11:30 A.M., THROUGH MAY 6, regular museum admission, $13-16; free for children under 2. Info, 649-2200.

EYEING THE STARS: Astronomers of all ages immerse themselves in the night sky in VINS’s new StarLab, then grab a cup of cocoa and journey outside to view the Geminid meteor shower. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, THURSDAY, DEC. 13, 7-8:30 P.M., $5-8, preregister. Info, 359-5000, ext. 245.

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT: Avian enthusiasts leave no chickadee uncounted as they attempt to census every feathered flyer in the greater Montpelier area, concluding with a potluck dinner. Preregister for details. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 7 A.M.-7 P.M. Info, 229-6206. FREE

HORSE-DRAWN SLEIGH RIDES: Revelers experience the real meaning of “horse power” on a sightseeing journey. If weather does not permit sleighs, wagons will be used. Hard’ack Recreation Area, St. Albans, SUNDAY, DEC. 16, 10 A.M.-2 P.M., $5-8, preregister. Info, 524-1500.

SOLSTICE CELEBRATION: Through story and wreath-making, naturalists of all ages explore how wild creatures survive in Vermont’s dark winter. Audubon Vermont, Huntington, FRIDAY, DEC. 21, 4-6 P.M. $5, free for members. Info, 434-3068.

HORSE-DRAWN RIDES: Giddy-up! Families have open-air fun sailing over farm fields. First-come, first-served; rides leave every half hour. Shelburne Farms, SATURDAY, DEC. 22 TO MONDAY, DEC. 24, 11 A.M.-2 P.M. AND WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26 TO TUESDAY, JAN. 1, 11 A.M.-2 P.M. $8-10, free for children under 3. Info, 985-8442.

CHAIN REACTIONS: Families have fun fashioning oversized machines with the museum’s materials and tools. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26, NOON-4 P.M. AND THURSDAY, DEC. 27, NOON-4 P.M., regular museum admission, $13-16; free for children under 2. Info, 649-2200.

ORLEANS

Craftsbury Lego Club: Petite ones build with plastic blocks and chat companionably. Ages 4-12. Craftsbury Public Library, Craftsbury Common, 3-4:30 p.m. Info, 586-9683.

8 Saturday

ADDISON

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: Locally produced crafts, cheeses, breads, veggies and more vie for spots in shoppers’ totes, with free coffee and tea and children’s books to read at the market. Middlebury VFW, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

BIRD-MONITORING WALK: Eagle-eyed participants bring binoculars to search the museum’s property for fluttering feathers, followed by coffee. Best for adults and older children. Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington, LAST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 8-9 A.M. THROUGH DEC. 29, donations welcome, preregistration encouraged. Info, 434-2167.

REINDEER LIVE! AT ECHO: Animal lovers step close to these graceful creatures from the Vermont Reindeer Farm, and learn how these antlered animals survive in the snow. ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, SATURDAY, DEC. 29, 11 A.M.-2:30

P.M., regular museum admission, $11.5014.50; free for children under 3. Info, 864-1848.

WINTER ANIMALS AND TRACKING: Bundled-up preschoolers investigate animal pelts, paws, wings and feathers to get a closer look at how animals adapt in the snowy season. Ages 3-6. The Nature Museum at Grafton, FRIDAY, JAN. 4, 10-11:30 A.M., $5-8 per child; no charge for caregivers. Info, 843-2111.

JANUARY WEEKEND: Farm-loving families meet the Jersey cows, pigs, hens and sheep — sheltered in the barn for the winter — and tour the restored and furnished 1890 farmhouse and educational exhibits. Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, 10 A.M.-4 P.M. AND MONDAY, JAN. 21, 10 A.M.-4 P.M., THROUGH JAN. 27, regular museum admission, $4-16; free for children under 3. Info, 457-2355.

PLAYDATE! WINTER ON THE FARM: Little ones drop in and have a hoot with indoor educational activities and a visit from a live owl. Ages 2-5, accompanied by an adult. Shelburne Farms, SATURDAY, JAN. 5, 9:30 A.M.-1:30 P.M., $5-7 per child, free for adults, preregister. Info, 985-8686.

WEEKEND HORSE-DRAWN WAGON RIDES: Jingling horses trot visitors through rolling acres. Rides leave on the half hour; seats are first-come, first-served, with ticket sales beginning at 10 a.m. Shelburne Farms, SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, 11 A.M.-2 P.M., THROUGH FEB. 24, $8-10, free for children under 3. Info, 985-8442.

WINTER NATURALIST SNOWSHOE: Audubon Vermont and the Winooski Valley Park District host a snowy trek, touching on tracking basics, identifying birds and trees, and checking out what’s happening in the wintertime woods. All ages. Ethan Allen Homestead, Burlington, SUNDAY, JAN. 6, 9-11 A.M., $5, free for Audubon members; snowshoes available for use. Info, 434-3068.

BENNINGTON

Story Time with Anastasia Higginbotham: Little listeners soak up this author’s new release, Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness, starring a white child who sees a TV news report of a white police officer shooting a black man. Ages 5-12. Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, 10 a.m.-noon. Info, 362-2200. FREE

MONTSHIRE MAKERS: Middle school inventors use their imagination and the museum’s materials to create cool projects, with different monthly themes. Grades 6-9. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, FRIDAY, JAN. 11, 6:30-8 P.M., $8-15, preregistration encouraged. Info, 649-2200.

MONTSHIRE UNLEASHED: AN EVENING FOR ADULTS: The museum opens its doors after hours so grown-ups can let their inner curiosity run wild. Beer, wine and food available for purchase. Ages 21 and up. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, FRIDAY, JAN. 18, 6:30-9 P.M., $7-10, free for museum members. Info, 649-2200.

WINTER WILDLIFE CELEBRATION: Animal enthusiasts explore exhibits and wintery trails with interactive guided tours and talks in the morning, followed by afternoon indoor and outdoor games, crafts, and a campfire with treats. Vermont Institute of Natural Science, Quechee, SATURDAY, JAN. 19, 10 A.M.-4 P.M., regular museum admission, $13.50-15.50; free for children under 4. Info, 359-5000.

WINTER WILDLIFE DETECTIVES: Young naturalists learn about animals who are active in the colder months, then search for tracks, scat and pellets around the farm. Ages 5 and up with adult caregiver. Shelburne Farms, SATURDAY, JAN. 19, 10 A.M.-NOON, $3-7, preregister. Info, 985-8686.

STOWE WINTER CARNIVAL: A Vermont ski town gets its party on with cold-weather fun for all ages, from snow-volleyball tournaments to ice-carving competitions to a youth ice fishing derby. Various locations, Stowe, FRIDAY, JAN. 25 TO SUNDAY, JAN. 27, various prices; see stowewintercarnival. com for details and schedule. Info, 253-7321.

ASTRONOMY DAY: What’s up in the night sky? A full day of celestial activities covers topics from stars to planets, comets to meteorites, for all starry-eyed ages. Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, SATURDAY, JAN. 26, 10:30 A.M.-4:30 P.M. regular museum admission, $13-16; free for children under 2. Info, 649-2200.

FREE ICE FISHING FESTIVAL: Aspiring anglers of all ages learn the basics of this winter sport with expert volunteers. Free fish fry, hot cocoa and a warming hut keep the day toasty. Dress for the weather. Knight Point State Park, North Hero, SATURDAY, JAN. 26, 11 A.M.-3 P.M., preregistration available. Info, 828-1000. FREE

CHITTENDEN

Burlington Winter Farmers Market: Local farmers, artisans and producers o er fresh and prepared foods, crafts, and more in a bustling indoor marketplace made merry with live music. UVM Davis Student Center, Burlington, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Info, 656-4636.

Spanish Musical Playgroup: Rhymes, books and songs en español entertain niños. Ages 5 and under. Non-Spanish speakers welcome. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m. Info, 878-4918. FREE

Webby’s Art Studio: Wacky Wreaths: Intrepid artists dig through the museum’s supply bins and design a unique door decoration. Shelburne Museum, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., winter museum admission, $5-10; free for members and children under 5. Info, 985-3346.

FRANKLIN

Baby Storytime: New babies are welcomed to the library with nursery rhymes, songs and simple stories. Ages 2 and under with caregivers. St. Albans Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 524-1507. FREE

Masterpieces: Young Art Program: Petite Picassos dig deep into messy creativity. Ages 4-14. Barlow Street Community Center, St. Albans, 9:30-10:30 & 10:45-11:45 a.m., $10-18; preregister. Info, 524-1500.

Wreath Making: Kids and adults fashion a basic ring of greenery in this family-friendly workshop. Fairfax Community Library, 9:30 a.m.-noon, $10-20, preregister. Info, 849-2420.

RUTLAND

Meet Curious George: Admirers of all ages of this inquisitive brown monkey enjoy a storytime and activities. Sherburne Memorial Library, Killington, 10 a.m. Info, 422-9765. FREE

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: More than 50 vendors peddle produce, fresh salad greens, apples and cider, artisan cheeses, homemade breads, and other local products. Vermont Farmers Food Center, Rutland, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Info, 342-4727.

WASHINGTON

Capital City Winter Farmers Market: Root veggies, honey, maple syrup and crafts change hands at an indoor o -season celebration of locavorism. Montpelier City Center, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Info, 793-8347.

Kids Trade & Play: Families exchange clean and gently used clothing and toys, size newborn to 12. Capital City Grange, Berlin, 9:30-11 a.m., $3 per family. Info, 831-337-8632.

WINDSOR

Norwich Winter Farmers Market: Local growers present produce, meats and maple syrup, complementing baked goods and crafts from area artists. Tracy Hall, Norwich, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Info, 384-7447.

9 Sunday

CHITTENDEN

Essex Open Gym: Energy-filled kids flip, jump and tumble in a state-of-the-art facility. Ages 6 and under, 1 p.m.; ages 7-12, 2:30 p.m.; ages 13 and up, 4 p.m. Regal Gymnastics Academy, Essex, 1-5:30 p.m., $10 per child. Info, 655-3300.

Family Gym: See December 7.

See Dr. First videos “First With Kids” at uvmhealth.org.

Winter Gifts and Craftmaking: Using recycled and natural materials as inspiration, fans of handmade crafts make beautiful “green” gifts. Ages 5 and up with adult. Shelburne Farms, 9:30-11:30 a.m. & 12:302:30 p.m., $20-23 per parent-child pair, $15-17 per each additional child, preregister. Info, 985-8686.

10 Monday

CHITTENDEN

Colchester Preschool Music: Bitty ones dance and sing to a brisk beat. Ages 3-5. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 11:30 a.m. Info, 264-5660. FREE

Holiday Storytime: Traditional and new tales, tunes and treats delight youngsters. All ages. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 10:30 a.m. Info, 264-5660. FREE

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See December 6. Stories with Megan: Little listeners learn and laugh. Ages 2-5. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11-11:30 a.m. Info, 865-7216.

FREE

Teen Space: Adolescents enjoy games, music, snacks and special events. Milton Public Library, 3-5 p.m. Info, 893-4644. FREE Williston Preschool Music: See December 6, 11 a.m.

RUTLAND

Babies & Toddlers Rock: Mini musicians ages 2 and under sing songs and engage in early literacy activities. Rutland Free Library, 10-10:30 a.m. Info, 773-1860. FREE

WINDSOR

Felted Holiday Ornaments: Eager artisans wrap their fingers in wool and fabricate homemade holiday gifts. Ages 9-14.

ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $25, preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Seasonal Wall Hangings: Little crafters create holiday decorations using felt, ribbon, jingle bells, sequins, yarn and more. Ages 5-8. ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $25, preregister. Info, 457-3500.

11 Tuesday

CALEDONIA

Hardwick Lego Club: See December 4.

CHITTENDEN

After-School Snacks on Tuesdays: See December 4.

Creative Tuesdays: See December 4.

Library Elementary Event Planners: Junior helpers prepare snacks and plan projects for younger students. Grades 6-8. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

DEC. 11 TUESDAY, P.44

Classes

List your class or camp here for only $20 per month! Submit the listing by January 15 at kidsvt.com or to classes@kidsvt.com.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The future of our nation lies in the courage, confidence and determination of its people. Our Kids BJJ Program promotes self-esteem, self-confidence, character development and a physical outlet with discipline, cooperation with other children, respect for peers and adults, perseverance and a healthy lifestyle. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will help your kids to learn realistic bully-proofing and self-defense skills that they can use for the rest of their lives! Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu builds endurance, patience and self-respect. Give your kids the ability to get stronger, gain confidence and build resilience! Our sole purpose is to help empower people by giving them practices they can carry with them throughout life. Remember you are raising children, not flowers. First class is free! Please stop by our school at 55 Leroy Road, Williston; call 598-2839; visit vermontbjj.com or email julio@bjjusa.com to register your son or daughter!

Highlight: Burlington’s New Year’s Eve Celebration: Highlight is Burlington’s new citywide New Year’s Eve celebration, presented by Burlington Telecom and Lake Champlain Transportation Company. Mark the beginning of your year with a series of community-made experiences: a larger than life parade, fireworks, a giant bonfire (fire dancers included!), hands-on creative activities, diverse cultural events, modern art installations, music from across the world, storytelling sessions and more. Highlight brings Vermont’s creative thinkers, doers, makers and friends together to create fun and purposeful happenings across the city. Dec. 31, 2018. $10/adults, $5/kids age 3-12. Highlight is produced by Burlington City Arts and Signal Kitchen. Visit highlightbtv.org for the full schedule and to purchase your tickets.

Highlight New Year’s Eve Parade: Join us on Church Street for the annual New Year’s Eve parade sponsored by Social Sentinel. Sambatucada and area marching bands will provide the beats we can groove to as we enjoy a special exhibition of art from the youth of our community. And the handmade, student-powered dragons will return! Plus, a very special performance and workshop with Burlington’s own Burlington Taiko Drummers. All are welcome to join the parade — Highlight ticket not required. Dec. 31. Parade at 5:30 p.m. on Church Street Marketplace. Info at highlightbtv. org. Highlight is presented by Burlington Telecom and Lake Champlain Transportation Company. Highlight is Burlington’s new citywide New Year’s Eve celebration, coproduced by Burlington City Arts and Signal Kitchen.

Highlight Kids Lantern Art Activity: We’ve partnered with Social Sentinel and the #asafervt campaign to make creative kits that offer students 2nd grade and older the opportunity to create lanterns for the Highlight Parade! Join the BCA Education team as they lead this make-and-take art party. Decorate your lantern with the ideas of community and acceptance, then head up to the top block of Church St at 5:30 pm to march in the parade! Come join us at the BCA to make art for the parade! The lantern activity is free.

Dec. 31, 2-5 p.m. BCA Center, 135 Church St. highlightbtv.org. Highlight is presented by Burlington Telecom and Lake Champlain Transportation Company. Highlight is Burlington’s new citywide New Year’s Eve celebration, coproduced by Burlington City Arts and Signal Kitchen.

Highlight Presents: Fireworks! Bonfire! Cirque de Fuego!: What’s better than fireworks at Waterfront Park? Fireworks and a giant bonfire! What’s even better than that? Fireworks, a giant bonfire, and the amazing Vermont fire performance troupe Cirque de Fuego who will heat your seats with two sets of fire-dancing magic! Join us after the parade and then head over to ECHO or Main Street Landing for late evening events! The bonfire, Cirque de Fuego and fireworks do not require a Highlight ticket. Dec. 31, 6-9 p.m. Waterfront Park, 20 Lake St., Burlington. highlightbtv. org. Highlight is presented by Burlington Telecom and Lake Champlain Transportation Company. Highlight is Burlington’s new citywide New Year’s Eve celebration, coproduced by Burlington City Arts and Signal Kitchen.

SoundCheck: Join Slam Poet and Artistic Director Rajnii Eddins with Young Writers Project for a Writing Workshop and Open Mic at Burlington City Arts. It’s free! Open to all! Dec. 13, 2018 and Jan. 17, 2019. Writing Workshop: 6 p.m.; Open Mic: 7 p.m. 135 Church St., Burlington, burlingtoncityarts. org To find out more about SoundCheck and other events at Young Writers Project, contact rajnii@youngwritersproject.org.

Family Art Saturday: Get creative and make art together! Families are invited to drop in to the BCA Center every third Saturday of the month to create their own artworks inspired by our current exhibitions. Each Family Art Saturday offers a different art-making project that will ignite the imaginations of your family members! Third Saturday of the month, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. BCA Center, 135 Church St., Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.org.

Friday Family Clay: Spend a Friday night with your family at the BCA Clay Studio. A ticket provides a wheel demonstration at the beginning of class, wheel access (for ages 6+), hand building for any age, unlimited clay, and time to create. Youth must be accompanied by an adult. Adults may assist their child(ren) free of charge. Additional tickets are required for adults who’d like to join the fun and either hand build or use a wheel of their own. If you’d like your work to be fired and glazed by the studio, there is a $5 fee per piece. Finished pottery will be available for pick-up three weeks after visit. Ticket purchases for this class are nonrefundable. Fridays, Feb. 1-May 3, 5-7 p.m. $10/participant; $9/BCA members. BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.org.

Sunday Family Paint: Spend a morning with teaching artist Kate McKernan in BCA’s painting and drawing studio.  Using our paints, brushes, easels and more, your family will create beautiful works of art.  All supplies are provided, no experience needed. Youth must be accompanied by an adult.  Adults may assist their child(ren) free of charge. Additional tickets are required for adults who’d like to join the fun and paint on their own. Sunday, Jan. 27, 10 a.m.-noon. $10/participant; $9/ BCA members. BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.org.

Sunday Family Jewelry: Spend a morning with teaching artist Kate McKernan in BCA’s jewelry studio. Using our studio equipment, fine metals and beads, your family will create beautiful and wearable works of art. All supplies are provided, no experience needed. Youth must be accompanied by an adult. Adults may assist their child(ren) free of charge. Additional tickets are required for adults who’d like to join the fun and create on their own. Ages 6 and up. Sunday, Feb. 10, 10 a.m.-noon. $10/participant; $9/BCA members. BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.org.

Sunday Family Printmaking: Spend a morning with teaching artist Kate McKernan in BCA’s print studio. Using our printing plates, inks and press, your family will create beautiful works of art. All supplies are provided, no experience needed. Youth must be accompanied by an adult. Adults may assist their child(ren) free of charge. Additional tickets are required for adults who’d like to join the fun and print on their own. Ages 6 and up. Sunday, Mar. 3, 10 a.m.-noon. $10/participant; $9/BCA members. BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.org.

High School Photography: Tell your story with photographs in this eight-week session for high school students! Students will explore their individual ideas, go on group photo shoots, process and print digital photos and zines in our digital lab, experiment with film photography in our darkroom, and participate in supportive discussions and critiques. All supplies and cameras provided. Scholarships available. Ages 14-18. Fridays, Feb. 1-Mar. 29, 5-7:30 p.m. (no class Mar. 1). $240/person; $216/BCA Members. No experience required. BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.org.

School Break Workshops: Choose from 1 to 5 days of art workshops for your child during Winter School Break. All basic supplies are included. Students must bring their bag lunch, and snacks will be provided. BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.org.

Pottery Wheel: This day is all about learning the basics of the ever-popular pottery wheel. Students will have all day to get their hands into clay, spinning it into small bowls or cups to be fired and glazed by the studio. All items will be dishwasher safe and lead-free. Ages 6-11. Monday, Feb. 25, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. $70/ person; $63/BCA members. BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.org.

Drawing & Painting: This workshop is designed for the young artist who loves to draw and paint. Join us at BCA’s painting studio to experiment with different mediums and techniques while learning how to make your drawings and paintings even better. Ages 6-11. Tuesday, Feb. 26, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. $70/ person; $63/BCA members. BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.org.

Screen Print: Working in BCA’s professional print studio, students will learn the basics of screen printing to print images onto paper and fabric. Ages 6-11. Wednesday, Feb. 27, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. $70/person; $63/BCA members. BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.org.

Mini Worlds: Shrink down with us and create small beautiful worlds. Campers will be encouraged to explore a variety of craft media to develop tiny, intricate terrariums, doll houses or fairy worlds. Ages 6-11. Thursday, Feb. 28, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. $70/person; $63/BCA members. BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.org.

Pottery Wheel: This day is all about learning the basics of the ever-popular pottery wheel. Students will have all day to get their hands into clay, spinning it into small bowls or cups to be fired and glazed by the studio. All items will be dishwasher safe and lead-free. Ages 6-11. Fri., Mar. 1, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. $70/person; $63/BCA members. BCA Studios, 405 Pine St., Burlington. burlingtoncityarts.org.

EvoKids and EvoBabies Yoga Classes: Join us for winter classes in Burlington and Essex Junction! Weekday and weekend classes available in both locations for all ages, new babies up to teenagers. Evolution Family Yoga Center, 20 Kilburn St., Burlington and 37 Lincoln Street, Essex Junction. Info: evolutionprenatalandfamily.com.

Youth Dances: Hip-hop, jazz, lyrical, for grades 4-8. Thursdays, Mar. 28-May 9 (no class Apr. 25), 4:30-5:30 p.m. $75/6-wks.

Instructor: Rose Bedard. Register at flynncenter.org

SUBMIT YOUR FEBRUARY EVENTS FOR PRINT BY JANUARY

Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga and Strength Training Classes at Evolution Prenatal Yoga Center: Now with two locations, Burlington and Essex Junction! Have a more comfortable pregnancy and prepare for birth with stretching, strengthening and relaxation — and then bring body back to balance and strength in our postnatal classes. Join our community at any point in your pregnancy, and 6 weeks or later in your postpartum time (until baby is crawling). No yoga experience necessary.  $17/class; $140/10 class pass ($20 off if purchased on your first class), or $90/monthly unlimited. Location: Evolution Prenatal Yoga Center, 20 Kilburn Street, Burlington and 37 Lincoln Street, Essex Junction. Info:  evolutionprenatalandfamily.com.

Flynn Youth Theater: Placement session for new students is scheduled for Jan. 9 from 5-6 p.m. All-Stars: grades 5-8, Tuesdays, Jan. 15-Apr. 30 (no class Feb. 26 & Apr. 23), 3:30-5:15 p.m. Juniors: grades 2-6, Thursdays, Jan. 17-May 2 (no class Feb. 28 & Apr. 25),  3:45-5:15 p.m.

Sprouts: Age 4-grade 2, Wednesdays, Jan. 16-May 1 (no class Feb. 27 & Apr. 24), 3:45-5 p.m. Instructor: Mark Stein. Register at flynncenter.org.

Magic Treehouse Adventures February

Vacation Camp: Ages 6-8. Feb. 25-Mar. 1, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. $350. Instructor: Mark Stein. Register at flynncenter.org.

Musical Theater Adventure February

Vacation Camp: Ages 9-14, Feb. 25-Mar. 1, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. $350. Instructor: Owen Leavey. Register at flynncenter.org.

Silent Filmmaking February Vacation

Camp: Copresented with Regional Education Television Network (RETN).

Grades 6-8. Feb. 25-Mar. 1, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

$350. Instructor: Elisa Van Duyne & Ross Ransom. Register at flynncenter.org.

KIDS Wood Shop: Make a Chair or stool: Build your own chair...Then, sit down and relax! Create your own step stool or chair for your bedroom or a space needing a seat!  Students will get the chance to use a table saw, jigsaw, router, and orbital sander to build their hardwood creation.  Students will design their own seat and leave with the amazing piece of work! Mondays, Mar. 18-Apr. 8, 3:30-5:30 p.m. $175. Location: LLab & Laser. Info: 540-0761, generator. com, generatorvt.com/classes.

KIDS Metal Shop: WOW! You made that? All experience levels welcome. Wow! is exactly what friends and family will say when you show them what you made in our metals studio. From jewelry to small sculpture this class is all about fun and mastering the skills you need to make projects of your own design. Mondays, Jan. 28-Feb. 18 or May 6-Jun. 3 (no class May 28), 3:30-5:30 p.m. $175. Location: Generator, 40 Sears Ln., Burlington. Info: 540-0761, generator.com, generatorvt.com/ classes.

KIDS: Game Board and Pieces: One of the things we love about tabletop games is the look and feel of an awesome game. Now you can make your own game and pieces that are beautiful to look at and use. This is a project-based class that relies primarily on the laser machine and the 3D printer. Students will learn safety and basic operations, machine components, materials to use, and how to use the programs and create the pieces.  Students will then design and construct a tabletop game using the laser machine and compatible materials such as plywood, cardboard or acrylic and the 3D printer. Alternately, several game ideas are available, or you could adapt a game of your choice! Thursdays, May

16-Jun. 6, 3:30-5:30 p.m. $175. Location: LLab & Laser & 3D printer, Generator, 40 Sears Ln., Burlington. Info: 540-0761, generator.com, generatorvt.com/classes.

KIDS: Treasure Box: In this class, you will be using the laser cutter and the 3D printer to create containers that house personal treasures. You will learn to design the shape and operation of boxes in different ways, including laser engraving to decorate your box. You will also learn how to make locks, hinges, and decorations using the laser and the 3D printer.

Thursdays, Jan. 31-Feb.

21, 3:30-5:30 p.m. $175. Location: LLab & Laser & 3D printer, Generator, 40 Sears Ln., Burlington. Info: 540-0761, generator.com, generatorvt.com/classes.

KIDS: Make your own Stickers & Shirt!: Learn how go from doodle to design using Adobe Illustrator and a vinyl cutter! This hands-on workshop will teach kids how to make multicolor prints using a registration plate and vinyl application techniques. Starting with a fun workshop with sharpies and sticker paper, kids will learn all the tools necessary to turn their drawings into reproducible digital designs. This class covers Adobe Illustrator basics, design thinking, as well as an introduction to Generator’s Roland GX-24 vinyl cutter.

Thursdays, Apr. 11-May 9 (no class Apr. 25), 3:30-5:30 p.m. $175. Generator, 40 Sears Ln., Burlington. Info: 540-0761, generator. com, generatorvt.com/classes.

KIDS: Electrify Your Wardrobe with Wearable Electronics:  Light Up Fashion You Sew Yourself: E-textiles, also known as wearable electronics, combine sewing with circuitry.  By pairing conductive thread with LEDs and a small battery, you can add bling to your favorite fashion accessory. Imagine a hat that twinkles whenever you tilt your head, or a backpack that blinks when it’s dark outside. Participants will sew a light-up cuff with a magnetic switch, create their own battery holders and switches using conductive materials, and learn how to integrate a pre-programmed microcontroller into their own designs. (If time permits, students may also learn how to personalize the code on their microcontrollers.) Thursdays, Mar. 7-Mar. 28, 3:30-5:30 p.m. $175. Generator, 40 Sears Ln., Burlington. Info: 540-0761, generator. com, generatorvt.com/classes.

DECEMBER CALENDAR

11 Tuesday (cont.)

Tinker Tuesdays: See December 4.

RUTLAND

Art Club: See December 4.

WINDSOR

Crafty Ornaments: Holiday lovers have fun painting wooden ornaments, fabricating glitter balls and embellishing artistic garlands. Ages 5-8. ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $20, preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Decorative Homemade Soap Gifts: Crafters create scented gifts. Ages 9-14. ArtisTree/ Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $25, preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Live Performances

ROALD DAHL’S ‘MATILDA THE MUSICAL’: This award-winning musical mesmerizes the audience with the magical story of a young girl who struggles to make a better life. Ages 5 and up. Northern Stage, White River Junction, SATURDAYS, 2 & 7:30 P.M., SUNDAYS, 2 P.M., WEDNESDAYS, 11 A.M. & 7:30 P.M., THURSDAYS, 2 & 7:30 P.M., FRIDAYS, 7:30 P.M.; WEDNESDAY, DEC. 19, 7:30 P.M., MONDAY, DEC. 24, 2 P.M., WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26, 2 & 7:30 P.M. AND TUESDAY, JAN. 1, 2 P.M., $19-59. Info, 296-7000.

‘CHRISTMAS IN NOISY VILLAGE’: Local young thespians enchant the audience with a performance of Astrid Lindgren’s Swedish story about close-knit children on adjoining farms who create a homespun holiday. Plainfield Town Hall Opera House, FRIDAY, DEC. 7, 7:30 P.M. AND SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 2 & 7:30 P.M., $15. Info, 454-1286.

KRAMPUSNACHT — STORIES OF LIGHT AND DARK FOR THE WINTER SOLSTICE: Krampus — the dark companion of St. Nicholas who punishes naughty children in European folklore — spellbinds the audience with original and around-the-world tales of this season’s dual nature. Ages 8 and up. Spice Studio, Rochester, FRIDAY, DEC. 7, 7:30-8:30 P.M., $10. Info, 767-4800.

‘THE NUTCRACKER’: This beloved ballet, featuring Clara and her magical and mysterious holiday gift, is brought to the stage by Ballet Wolcott’s Youth Company. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, FRIDAY, DEC. 7, 7-9 P.M. AND SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 2-4 P.M., $15-30. Info, 533-9075.

COMMUNITY MESSIAH SING: This annual conclusion to Wassail Weekend features a world-class ensemble and four soloists performing portions of Handel’s famous composition with audience participation in the choruses. Ages 10 and up. Our Lady of the Snows Church, Woodstock, SUNDAY, DEC. 9, 4-6 P.M., suggested donation $10. Info, 457-3981.

GREEN MOUNTAIN YOUTH SYMPHONY FALL CONCERT: The young musicians of the Repertory, Concert and Senior Orchestras mesmerize the audience with a wide variety of music and feature the Elgar Cello Concerto played by Senior Soloist Maxwell Hughes of Montpelier. Barre Opera House, SUNDAY, DEC. 9, 2-5 P.M., $5-15, free for children under 5. Info, 888-4470.

HOLIDAY CONCERT & SING-ALONG: Friends and neighbors raise their voices in merry melodies with the Milton Community Band. Milton High School, SUNDAY, DEC. 9, 2-4 P.M. Info, 893-1398. FREE

THE CHRISTMAS REVELS: A VENETIAN CELEBRATION OF THE WINTER SOLSTICE: Revels North celebrates the season with festive music and dance, in this tale of a troupe of comedians who try to raise a Renaissance city administrator’s spirits with holiday cheer. Spaulding Auditorium, Hanover, THURSDAY, DEC. 13, 6 P.M., FRIDAY, DEC. 14, 7 P.M., SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 1 & 5 P.M. AND SUNDAY, DEC. 16, 1 & 5 P.M., $7.50-48, preregister. Info, 603-646-2422.

BIG TINY LOVE ALBUM RELEASE: Families celebrate the release of this musical collaboration with a live performance featuring Mister Chris and Friends and other participating musicians. The Skinny Pancake Burlington, FRIDAY, DEC. 14, 4-6 P.M., all proceeds from Big Tiny Love benefit the NICU at UVM Children’s Hospital. Info, 540-0131. FREE

Norwich Lego Tuesdays: See December 4.

Toddler Time: See December 4.

12 Wednesday

CHITTENDEN

Chess Club: See December 5.

Dorothy’s List Group for Homeschooled Students: Books nominated for this esteemed award generate group discussion. Grades 4-8. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9-10 a.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Green Mountain Book Award Book

Discussion for Homeschooled Students: High-school homeschoolers spark lively conversation around award-winning books. Grades 9-12. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9-10 a.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

VERMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HOLIDAY

POPS IN BARRE: José Daniel FloresCaraballo leads the orchestra and chorus in a festive program which pays tribute to the late Robert De Cormier, presents the Vermont premiere of a ballad by Steve Murray and asks the audience to officially ring in the season with “Sleigh Ride.” Barre Opera House, FRIDAY, DEC. 14, 7:30 P.M. $9-30. Info, 476-8188.

‘THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER’: This community production of youngsters gets the audience laughing with the story of the mischief-making terrors who take over the town’s annual Christmas pageant. Highland Center for the Arts, Greensboro, SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 7 P.M. AND SUNDAY, DEC. 16, 2 P.M., $8-10. Info, 533-9075.

‘THE GIFT’: Graceful gliders from the local figure skating club and participants from Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront programs sail across the ice, performing holiday-themed acts during this seasonal revue. Leddy Park Arena, Burlington, SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 2-4 P.M., admission by donation; proceeds benefit the Ronald McDonald House. Info, 865-7558.

VERMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HOLIDAY

POPS: José Daniel Flores-Caraballo leads the orchestra and chorus in a festive program which pays tribute to the late Robert De Cormier, presents the Vermont premiere of a ballad by Steve Murray and asks the audience to officially ring in the season with “Sleigh Ride.” Flynn MainStage, Burlington, SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 7:30 P.M., $10-55. Info, 863-5966.

THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS: Ms. Frizzle blasts the magic bus into outer space to explore the solar system — and the audience comes, too. Flynn MainStage, Burlington, THURSDAY, JAN. 10, 6 P.M., $15-25. Info, 863-5966.

‘I REMEMBER MAMA’: Fred H. Tuttle Middle School Drama presents this heartwarming story of a Norwegian family in the early 1900s, reminding the audience of the importance of family loyalty. All ages. South Burlington High School, FRIDAY, JAN. 11, 7-9 P.M. AND SATURDAY, JAN. 12, 7-9 P.M. $6-10. Info, 652-7170.

VERMONT YOUTH ORCHESTRA RUG CONCERT: Wee classical music fans meet musicians and orchestral instruments in an interactive and child-friendly setting. Ages 5 and under. Elley-Long Music Center, Colchester, SATURDAY, JAN. 12, 11 A.M., $5-10, preregister; tickets are limited. Info, 655-5030. FREE

PBS KIDS LIVE! REALLY BIG TINY ADVENTURE: This live theatrical and educational event starts in the lobby when kids shake hands with Arthur, Nature Cat, Princess Presto and more characters, then enchants the audience onstage when the group shrinks to the size of grasshoppers and gets a great big challenge. Flynn MainStage, Burlington, TUESDAY, JAN. 15, 6 P.M., $36-46.50, preregister. Info, 863-5966.

KIDS VT SPECTACULAR SPECTACULAR:

Vermont’s rising stars ages 5-13 wow the crowd with two-minute acts showcasing their talents. Doors open at noon. Higher Ground, South Burlington, SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 12:30 P.M., $7-10, free for children under 7. Info, 985-5482.

VERMONT FIDDLE ORCHESTRA WINTER

CONCERT: David Kaynor directs a lively evening of traditional and contemporary fiddle tunes with guest soloists Sarah Hotchkiss and John Mowad. Unitarian Church of Montpelier, SATURDAY, DEC. 8, 7 P.M., by donation. Info, 229-4191.

‘NEWSIES, THE BROADWAY MUSICAL’: The Rutland Youth Theatre engages the audience with this family-friendly production, based on the historic 1899 strike when New York City newspaper boys fought against unfair working conditions. Paramount Theater, Rutland, FRIDAY, DEC. 14, 7 P.M. AND SATURDAY, DEC. 15, 2 & 7 P.M. $10-12. Info, 558-4177.

ORCHESTRAPALOOZA: The Vermont Youth Orchestra wows the audience in this annual showcase of regional talent. The youngest string orchestra to the most advanced ensemble perform masterpieces spanning classical to contemporary, with a finale of all participants. Ages 6 and up. Flynn MainStage, Burlington, SUNDAY, DEC. 16, 4 P.M., $7-12. Info, 655-5030.

‘THE GREEN MOUNTAIN NUTCRACKER’: Central Vermont’s Moving Light dance company performs this beloved holiday story of a little girl and her nighttime adventures. Barre Opera House, SATURDAY, DEC. 22, 7 P.M. AND SUNDAY, DEC. 23, 2 P.M., $15-28. Info, 476-8188.

‘THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH’: Young theater-goers are enraptured by this beloved tale of Milo, who drives his toy car into the Kingdom of Wisdom. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, TUESDAY, JAN. 8, 10-11 A.M., $8.50, preregister. Info, 652-4548, ext. 1.

DEPICTIONS OF A DREAM: The Vermont Youth Orchestra teams up with the Vermont Humanities Council to launch the 2019 Vermont Reads selection, March: Book One, by John Lewis, to the literary-minded public. Senior soloist Sebastiaan West and Counterpoint Vocal Ensemble perform in this musical tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., too. Ages 6 and up. Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, Burlington, SUNDAY, JAN. 20, 3-5 P.M., $12-17. Info, 655-5030.

‘SWAN LAKE’: The National Ballet Theatre of Odessa charms the audience with this full-scale production of the beloved Russian folktale, where a heroic young prince works to free a beautiful swan maiden from an evil spell. Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Stowe, SATURDAY, JAN. 26, 7 P.M., $25-75. Info, 760-4634.

Holiday Crafting: Creative folks have fun fashioning winter greens arrangements and seasonal crafts. All ages. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 6 p.m. Info, 878-4918. FREE

Live-Action Role Play: LARPers create characters and plots in an amazing and imaginary adventure. For middle and high school students. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-5 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE Read With Daisy the Therapy Dog: See December 5.

Red Clover Group for Homeschooled

Students: Budding book lovers bury themselves in bibliophile activities. Grades K-4. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9-10 a.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Renaissance School Open House: See December 5.

Yoga for Kids: See December 5.

FRANKLIN

Fit Moms: See December 5.

Homeschool Program: Breakout Some

Language: Homeschoolers check out the library’s educational kits to create an interactive game using a story, time limit and puzzle activities. Ages 5 and up. St. Albans Free Library, 10:30 a.m., preregister. Info, 524-1507. FREE

Lego Club: Budding builders construct creatively with colorful blocks. Ages 6 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m., preregister. Info, 849-2420. FREE

Nerf Games: Active youngsters build team skills and develop strategic thinking, respect and honesty, while having fun. Grades 2-8. Bring a nerf blaster and protective goggles, if possible. Barlow Street Community Center, St. Albans, 5:30-6:30 p.m., $10-15, preregister. Info, 524-1500.

RUTLAND

Lego Club: See December 5.

WINDSOR

Felted Soaps: Small hands shape oldfashioned homemade sweet-smelling gifts. Ages 5-8. ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $25, preregister. Info, 457-3500.

13 Thursday

CHITTENDEN

Babytime: See December 6.

Colchester Lego Club: See December 6.

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See December 6. Knitting Club: See December 6.

Monthly Home School Program: Home learners soak up nature-related studies in an outdoor classroom. Parent participation optional. Ages 9-12. Audubon Vermont, Huntington, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., $20-25 per child, preregister. Info, 434-3068.

Music with Mr. Chris: This local singersongwriter serenades with sweet songs, dance and activities. Ages 5 and under, but all welcome. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 4-5 p.m. Info, 482-2878. FREE

PJ Storytime: Little ones snuggle up in their sleepy clothes for bedtime yarns. Ages 2-7. Milton Public Library, 6:30 p.m. Info, 893-4644. FREE

Preschool Yoga: See December 6.

Ukulele Kids: See December 6.

See Dr. First videos “First With Kids” at uvmhealth.org.

Williston Preschool Music: See December 6.

FRANKLIN

Family STEAM Night: Moms, dads and kids team up for activities around science, technology, engineering, art and/or math, with a theme of Wind Power and special guest Mr. K from Exordium. Fairfax Community Library, 6:30-7:30 p.m., preregister. Info, 849-2420. FREE

Franklin Lego Thursdays: See December 6. Holiday Open House: Sleigh rides, songs, snacks and visits with Santa until 6:30 p.m. enliven the library. St. Albans Free Library, 5:30-7 p.m. Info, 524-1507. FREE

WASHINGTON

AB2: Books Come to Life: This Active Body-Active Brain class, led by literacy professional Rachel O’Donald, combines reading, music and movement. Babies through preschoolers. Waterbury Public Library, 10:15 a.m. Info, 244-7036.

WINDSOR

Felted Holiday Ornaments: Wee crafters wrap their fingers in wool and fabricate homemade holiday gifts. Ages 5-9.

ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $25, preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Glass-Fused Snowflakes: Students design and safely create sparkly ornaments of colored glass. Ages 10-14. ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $25, preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Toddler Time: See December 4.

14 Friday

CHITTENDEN

Dungeons & Dragons: Players embark on invented adventures, equipped with their problem-solving skills. Grades 6 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Family Gym: See December 7.

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See December 7. Music with Raph: Melody lovers of all ages play and sing. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9:30-10:15 a.m. Info, 878-6956.

FREE

STEAM Fridays: See December 7.

ORLEANS

Craftsbury Lego Club: See December 7.

WINDSOR

Spa in a Jar: Small ones make bath bombs, sugar scrubs and eye pillows for sweet-smelling holiday gifts, packaged in personalized mason jars. Ages 5-12.

ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $25, preregister. Info, 457-3500.

15 Saturday

ADDISON

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

CALEDONIA

Caledonia Winter Farmers Market: See December 6, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

CHITTENDEN

Burlington Winter Farmers Market: See December 8, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Children’s Human Rights Workshop: In recognition of Human Rights Day, Marguerite Adelman, from the Burlington Branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, leads a children’s workshop with a book reading, a discussion and a quilt-making project. Ages 7-13. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10 a.m.-noon. Info, 863-2345. FREE

Playgroups

Family Art Saturday: Families drop in and ignite their imaginations with a current exhibit, then get hands-on with an artistic endeavor. Burlington City Arts, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Info, 865-7166. FREE

Family Book Club: Children and their grown-ups chat about Naomi Shihab Nye’s The Turtle of Oman. Grades 3-6 with adult. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Info, 865-7216. FREE

Family Gingerbread House Program: Candy! Frosting! Imagination! Families fashion sweet abodes. Carpenter-Carse Library, Hinesburg, 12:30-1:30 p.m., preregister. Info, 482-2878. FREE

Read to Cleo The Therapy Dog: Canine and reading enthusiasts visit with a personable pooch. Ages 2-12. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m., preregister. Info, 893-4644. FREE

Webby’s Art Studio: Falling Snow: Small crafters cut paper snowflakes and string these beauties into a winter garland. Shelburne Museum, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., winter museum admission, $5-10; free for members and children under 5. Info, 985-3346.

FRANKLIN

Masterpieces: Young Art Program: See December 8.

RUTLAND

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

WASHINGTON

Capital City Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

WINDSOR

Norwich Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

18 Tuesday

CALEDONIA

Hardwick Lego Club: See December 4.

CHITTENDEN

After-School Snacks on Tuesdays: See December 4.

Create A Cookie: Kids of all ages decorate and devour a dessert. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2:30-4 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Creative Tuesdays: See December 4.

Harry Potter’s Terrific Tuesday: Fans of this famous wizard bust out a bash with read-aloud activities and a snack. Grade 3 and up. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3-4 p.m. Info, 878-4918. FREE

Tinker Tuesdays: See December 4.

RUTLAND

Art Club: See December 4.

Kids enjoy fun and games during these informal get-togethers, and caregivers connect with other local parents and peers. The groups are usually free and often include snacks, arts and crafts, or music. Most playgroups follow the school calendar. Contact the organizer for site-specific details.

MONDAY AUDUBON NATURE

PLAYGROUP: Audubon Vermont, 9:30-11 a.m. Info, 434-3068.

BURLINGTON CRAWLERS, WADDLERS AND TODDLERS: Janet S. Munt Parent-Child Center, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Info, 862-2121.

CHARLOTTE PLAYGROUP: Charlotte Central School, 9:30-11 a.m. Info, 425-2771.

JERICHO PLAYGROUP: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 10-11:30 a.m. Info, 899-3932.

OPEN GYM: Central VT Gymnastics Academy, 10 a.m.-noon, $10. Info, 882-8324.

TWINFIELD PLAYGROUP: Twinfield Union School, 8:15-9:45 a.m. Info, 262-3292.

TUESDAY

BRADFORD PLAYGROUP: Grace United Methodist Church, 9-11 a.m. Info, 685-2264, ext. 24.

BROOKFIELD PLAYGROUP: First Congregational Church of Brookfield, 9:3011:30 a.m. Info, 685-2264.

BURLINGTON FATHERS AND CHILDREN TOGETHER: Janet S. Munt Parent-Child Center, 4-7 p.m. Info, 862-2121.

EVOLUTION NEW FAMILY PLAYGROUP BURLINGTON: Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga Center, 11:15 a.m. Info, 899-0339.

WATERBURY PLAYGROUP: Thatcher Brook Primary School, 10-11:30 a.m. Info, 244-5605.

WINOOSKI PLAYTIME: O’Brien Community Center, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Info, 655-1422.

WEDNESDAY

BARRE PLAYGROUP: Aldrich Public Library, 9:30-11 a.m. Info, 262-3292, ext. 115.

MAMA’S CIRCLE: Good Beginnings, 10 a.m.-noon. Info, 595-7953.

NORTHFIELD PLAYGROUP: United Church of Northfield, 9:30-11 a.m. Info, 262-3292, ext. 115.

PURPLE CRAYON PLAY GROUP: ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, 9:30-11:30 a.m., donations accepted. Info, 457-3500.

RICHMOND PLAYGROUP: Richmond Free Library, 10 a.m.-noon. Info, 434-3036.

SOUTH ROYALTON PLAYGROUP: United Church on the Green, 9:30-11 a.m. Info, 685-2264.

ST. JOHNSBURY TODDLER

TIME: St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:30 a.m. Info, 748-1391.

THURSDAY

DADS AND KIDS PLAYGROUP: Family Center of Washington County, 5:30-7 p.m. Info, 262-3292.

MONTPELIER PLAYGROUP: St. Augustine Church, 9:30-11 a.m. Info, 262-3292.

OHAVI ZEDEK SYNAGOGUE

PLAYGROUP: Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Info, 864-0218.

RANDOLPH PLAYGROUP: St. John’s Church, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Info, 685-2264.

UNDERHILL PLAYGROUP: Underhill Central School, 9:30-11 a.m. Info, 899-4676.

WAITSFIELD PLAYGROUP: Big Picture Theater, 10-11:30 a.m. Info, 262-3292, ext. 115.

WILLISTON PLAYTIME: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 11 a.m.-noon. Info, 878-4918.

WINOOSKI PLAYTIME: See Tuesday.

FRIDAY

ALBURGH PLAYGROUP: Alburgh Public Library, 9:30 a.m. Info, 582-9942.

EVOLUTION NEW FAMILY PLAYGROUP ESSEX: Evolution Prenatal & Family Yoga, 11 a.m. Info, 899-0339.

OPEN GYM: See Monday.

RUTLAND PLAYGROUP: Rutland Free Library, 9:30-11 a.m. Info, 773-1860.

SATURDAY

MONTPELIER SATURDAY

PLAYGROUP: Family Center of Washington County, 9:30-11 a.m. Info, 262-3292, ext. 190.

16 Sunday

ADDISON

Middlebury Mother Up! Monthly Meet-Up: Families discuss the realities of climate change, what that means on a local level, and how to transition to a safer and healthier world. Vegetarian meal and childcare for ages 8 and under provided. Middlebury Recreation Center, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Info, 382-0829. FREE

CHITTENDEN

Essex Open Gym: See December 9.

Family Gym: See December 7.

17 Monday

CHITTENDEN

Colchester Preschool Music: See December 10.

Crafts for Kids: Clever kiddos pursue artsy projects. Ages 5-10. Burnham Memorial Library, Colchester, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Info, 264-5660. FREE

Gamers Group: Youngsters pursue pastimes including Dungeons & Dragons and board games. Grades 5-8. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 3:30-5 p.m. Info, 878-4918. FREE

Holiday Storytime: See December 10.

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See December 6.

Lego Fun: Budding builders bring out the blocks. Children under age 8 must be accompanied by a responsible caregiver. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Stories with Megan: See December 10.

Teen Space: See December 10.

Williston Preschool Music: See December 6, 11 a.m.

RUTLAND

Babies & Toddlers Rock: See December 10.

WINDSOR

Sugar-Cookie Decorating: Chefs-in-themaking embellish a batch of sweet treats. Ages 9-14. ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $25, preregister. Info, 457-3500.

WINDSOR

Holiday Pop-Up Cards: Clever kiddos transform paper and decorative materials into fancy greetings. Ages 9-12. ArtisTree/Purple

Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $25, preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Norwich Lego Tuesdays: See December 4.

Sugar-Cookie Decorating: Chefs-in-themaking embellish a batch of sweet treats. Ages 5-8. ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $25; preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Toddler Time: See December 4.

19 Wednesday

CHITTENDEN

Chess Club: See December 5.

Read With Daisy the Therapy Dog: See December 5.

Renaissance School Open House: See December 5.

Zine Club: Imaginative youngsters experiment with different writing styles and art techniques to create personal publications. Grade 6 and up. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

FRANKLIN

Fit Moms: See December 5.

STEM Club: Under the lead of local inventor Ralph Lemnah, sciencey types challenge their imaginations with themed activities. Ages 6 and up. Fairfax Community Library, 3-4 p.m., preregister. Info, 849-2420. FREE

RUTLAND

Lego Club: See December 5.

WINDSOR

Holiday Pop-Up Cards: Clever kiddos transform paper and decorative materials into fancy greetings. Ages 5-8. ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $25, preregister. Info, 457-3500.

20 Thursday

CHITTENDEN

Babytime: See December 6.

SUBMIT YOUR FEBRUARY EVENTS FOR PRINT BY JANUARY 15 AT KIDSVT.COM OR CALENDAR@KIDSVT.COM

Burlington Mother Up! Monthly Meet-Up: Families discuss the realities of climate change, what that means on a local level, and how to transition to a safer and healthier world. Vegetarian meal and childcare for ages 3 and under provided. Unitarian Universalist Society, Burlington, 6-7:30 p.m., RSVP requested. Info, 862-5630. FREE

Colchester Lego Club: See December 6.

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See December 6.

Knitting Club: See December 6.

Preschool Yoga: See December 6.

Ukulele Kids: See December 6.

FRANKLIN

Franklin Lego Thursdays: See December 6.

WINDSOR

Gingerbread Creations: Mini makers design and decorate sweet edible men, dwellings and more. Ages 5-8. ArtisTree/Purple Crayon, South Pomfret, 3:30-5:30 p.m., $20, preregister. Info, 457-3500.

Toddler Time: See December 4.

21 Friday

CHITTENDEN

Baby Time: Families with wee ones socialize, read board books, learn some sign language and play. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 9:30-10 a.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Family Gym: See December 7.

Family Movie: Viewers enjoy a familyfriendly flick while feasting on free popcorn. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’

Bassick: See December 7.

STEAM Fridays: See December 7.

FRANKLIN

Yoga Story Time Yoga with Ms. Liza: See December 7.

ORLEANS

Craftsbury Lego Club: See December 7.

WASHINGTON

Montpelier Mother Up! Monthly Meet-Up: Families discuss the realities of climate change, what that means on a local, state and national level, and how to create a more just and nature-friendly world. Dinner and nature-themed kids’ programming included. North Branch Nature Center, Montpelier, 5:30-7:30 p.m., RSVP requested. Info, 229-0041. FREE

22 Saturday

ADDISON

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

FRANKLIN

Masterpieces: Young Art Program: See December 8.

RUTLAND

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

23 Sunday

CHITTENDEN

Essex Open Gym: See December 9. Family Gym: See December 7.

24 Monday Christmas Eve

25 Tuesday Merry Christmas!

26 Wednesday

CHITTENDEN

Chess Club: See December 5.

Live-Action Role Play: See December 12.

Webby’s Art Studio: During the holiday break, the museum’s temporary and permanent exhibits inspire specialized, winter-themed art activities for all ages. Shelburne Museum, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., winter museum admission, $5-10; free for members and children under 5. Info, 985-3346.

LAMOILLE

Stowe Open Gym: Community members of all ages play pick-up sports. Equipment provided. Stowe Elementary School, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., $2 per participant. Info, 253-6138.

27 Thursday

CHITTENDEN

Babytime: See December 6.

Colchester Lego Club: See December 6. Ukulele Kids: See December 6.

Webby’s Art Studio: See December 26.

Williston Preschool Music: See December 6.

Winter Stories: Storyteller Linda Costello shares snowy-themed folk tales. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

FRANKLIN

Franklin Lego Thursdays: See December 6. Stay and Play: Little ones rally for romping in the youth room. St. Albans Free Library, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Info, 524-1507. FREE

LAMOILLE

Stowe Open Gym: See December 26.

DECEMBER/JANUARY CALENDAR

27 Thursday (cont.)

WASHINGTON

Family Keva Planks Free Build: Families stop in and spark their imagination with an abundance of wooden blocks. Ages 5 and up; children under age 8 must have adult supervision. Waterbury Public Library, 2-4 p.m. Info, 244-7036. FREE

28 Friday

CHITTENDEN

Collage Art: Creative kiddos cut out magazine photos and make a masterpiece. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 3-4:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Dungeons & Dragons: See December 14.

Family Gym: See December 7.

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See December 7.

Magic School Bus Live: In advance of the Flynn Center’s January 10 performance, the Magic School Bus swings by the library and enchants youngsters. Ages 3-6. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11 a.m.-noon. Info, 865-7216. FREE

Music with Raph: See December 14.

JERICHO STORY HOUR: Jericho Town Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Info, 899-4686.

LYNDONVILLE STORY TIME: See Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.

MARSHFIELD STORY TIME & PLAYGROUP: Jaquith Public Library, 10-11:30 a.m. Info, 426-3581.

MILTON TODDLER RHYTHM & MOVEMENT STORY TIME: Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Info, 893-4644.

COLCHESTER BABY STORY

TIME: Burnham Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 264-5660.

CRAFTSBURY STORY TIME: See Tuesday.

ENOSBURG MOMMY & ME

STORY HOUR: Enosburgh Public Library, 9-10 a.m. Info, 933-2328.

ESSEX MUSICAL STORY TIME: Essex Free Library, 10:3011:30 a.m. Info, 879-0313.

EAST BARRE STORY TIME: East Barre Branch Library, 10 a.m. Info, 476-5118.

ESSEX JUNCTION PRESCHOOL

STORY TIME: Brownell Library, 10-10:45 a.m. Info, 878-6956.

ESSEX JUNCTION TODDLER

STORY TIME: Brownell Library, 9:10-9:30 a.m. Info, 878-6956.

FAIRFAX PRESCHOOL STORY

TIME: Fairfax Community Library, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Info, 849-2420.

HINESBURG YOUNGSTERS

STORY TIME: Carpenter-Carse Library, 9:30-10 a.m. Info, 482-2878.

LYNDONVILLE STORY TIME: Cobleigh Public Library, 10 a.m. Info, 626-5475.

NORWICH WORD PLAY STORY

TIME: Norwich Public Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Info, 649-1184.

QUECHEE STORY TIME: Quechee Public Library, 10 a.m. Info, 295-1232.

RANDOLPH PRESCHOOL STORY

TIME: Kimball Public Library, 11 a.m. Info, 728-5073.

RICHMOND MOVERS AND SHAKERS STORYTIME: Richmond Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 434-3036.

SWANTON STORYTIME: Swanton Public Library, 10 a.m. Info, 868-2493.

WARREN PRESCHOOL

STORYTIME: Warren Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 496-3913.

GEORGIA PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Georgia Public Library, 10 a.m. Info, 524-4643.

KILLINGTON STORYTIME: Sherburne Memorial Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Info, 422-9765.

LINCOLN STORY TIME: Lincoln Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 453-2665.

MILTON PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Info, 893-4644.

MONTPELIER STORY TIME: See Tuesday.

RANDOLPH TODDLER STORY TIME: Kimball Public Library, 10:30-11 a.m. Info, 728-5073.

STORY HOUR: St. Albans Free Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 524-1507.

STOWE STORY TIMES FOR 2-3-YEAR-OLDS: Stowe Free Library, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Info, 253-6145.

WATERBURY BABY & TODDLER

STORY TIME: Waterbury Public Library, 10:15 a.m. Info, 244-7036.

WOODSTOCK BABY STORY TIME: Norman Williams Public Library, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Info, 457-2295.

TUESDAY

ALBURGH STORY HOUR: Alburgh Public Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 582-9942.

COLCHESTER TODDLER STORY

TIME: Burnham Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 264-5660.

CRAFTSBURY STORY TIME: Craftsbury Public Library, 10 a.m. Info, 586-9683.

MILTON INFANT STORY TIME: Milton Public Library, 9:30 a.m. Info, 893-4644.

MONTPELIER STORY TIME: Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 223-3338.

MORRISVILLE PRESCHOOL

STORY TIME: Morristown Centennial Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 888-3853.

SHELDON STORY TIME: Sheldon Public Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Info, 933-2524.

WILLISTON STORY TIME: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 878-4918.

WOODSTOCK PRESCHOOL

STORY TIME: Norman Williams Public Library, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Info, 457-2295.

WEDNESDAY BARNES & NOBLE STORYTIIME: Barnes & Noble, 11 a.m. Info, 864-8001.

ESSEX JUNCTION PRESCHOOL

STORY TIME: See Tuesday.

HYDE PARK STORY TIME: See Monday, 10 a.m.

THURSDAY BRISTOL STORY TIME: Lawrence Memorial Library, 10:30 a.m. Info, 453-2366.

HINESBURG YOUNGSTERS

STORY TIME: See Tuesday.

NORTHFIELD CHILDREN’S STORY TIME: See Monday.

RUTLAND STORY TIME: Rutland Free Library, 10-10:45 a.m. Info, 773-1860.

ST. ALBANS MOVEMENT & MUSIC STORY HOUR: See Monday.

VERGENNES STORY TIME: Bixby Memorial Library, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Info, 877-2211.

WESTFORD STORY TIME: Westford Public Library, 11 a.m. Info, 878-5639.

FRIDAY BRANDON STORY TIME: Brandon Free Public Library, 3 p.m. Info, 247-8230.

ST. JOHNSBURY ACORN CLUB STORY TIME: St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, 10:30 a.m. Info, 748-8291.

STOWE BABY & TODDLER

STORY TIME: Stowe Free Library, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Info, 253-6145.

SATURDAY COLCHESTER SATURDAY DROP-IN STORY TIME: Burnham Memorial Library, 10 a.m. Info, 264-5660.

ENOSBURG STORY HOUR: Enosburgh Public Library, 10-11 a.m. Info, 933-2328.

ESSEX WEEKEND STORYTIME: Essex Free Library, 10:3011:30 a.m. Info, 879-0313.

MILTON DROP-IN SATURDAY

STORYTIME: Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Info, 893-4644.

NEXT CHAPTER BOOKSTORE

STORY TIME: Next Chapter Bookstore, 10:30 a.m. Info, 476-3114.

Traveling Storyteller Puppet Show: Youngsters delight in a live and literacy-centered performance. Milton Public Library, 10 a.m. Info, 893-4644. FREE

Webby’s Art Studio: See December 26.

FRANKLIN

Stuffed-Animal Sleepover: Small ones drop o furry friends Friday, hear a story and say goodnight. Saturday morning, kiddies savor a pancake breakfast and see a slideshow of their stu es’ adventures. Fairfax Community Library, 4-5:30 p.m. Info, 849-2420. FREE

LAMOILLE

Stowe Open Gym: See December 26.

ORLEANS

Craftsbury Lego Club: See December 7.

WASHINGTON

Create-A-Craft: Kids on school break drop in and create with foamy characters. All ages; children under age 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Waterbury Public Library, 10 a.m.-noon. Info, 244-7036. FREE

29 Saturday

ADDISON

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

CHITTENDEN

Movie at the Library: The big screen shows a family-friendly feature. Milton Public Library, 1 p.m. Info, 893-4644. FREE

Webby’s Art Studio: See December 26.

FRANKLIN

Stuffed-Animal Sleepover: See December 28, 9:30-10:30 a.m.

RUTLAND

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

WASHINGTON

Vacation Movie: Students on school break snuggle in for a family-friendly flick and snacks. Children under age 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Waterbury Public Library, noon-1:45 p.m. Info, 244-7036. FREE

30 Sunday

CHITTENDEN

Essex Open Gym: See December 9. Family Gym: See December 7. Webby’s Art Studio: See December 26.

31 Monday

CHITTENDEN

Colchester Preschool Music: See December 10.

Happy Noon Day Party: Mini merrymakers and their parents ring in 2019 with games, crafts, snacks and a special countdown at noon. Ages 3-8. Milton Public Library, 10:30 a.m., preregister. Info, 893-4644. FREE

See Dr. First videos “First With Kids” at uvmhealth.org.

Highlight at the Fletcher Free Library: The library welcomes in 2019 with special stories and snacks at 11:30 a.m., Lego creations from 1-3 p.m., and Young Traditions VT music, an instrument petting zoo and drum circle from 1-5 p.m. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Info, 865-7216. FREE

Resolution Run & Walk: Out with the old, and in with the new. The FirstRun

5K morphs into a 5K and 1 miler on New Year’s Eve. Registration opens at 1:30 p.m. Champlain Valley Expo, Essex Junction, 3:30 p.m., $17-35, free for children under 15. Info, 863-8412.

Teen Space: See December 10.

Vacation Movie: Kids relaxing on school break enjoy a PG-rated flick while feasting on popcorn. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-3:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Williston Preschool Music: See December

6, 11 a.m.

1 Tuesday Happy New Year!

2 Wednesday

CHITTENDEN

Game Gathering for Developmentally Delayed Young Adults: See December 5.

Yoga for Kids: See December 5.

FRANKLIN

Fit Moms: See December 5.

RUTLAND

Lego Club: See December 5.

WASHINGTON

Maker Program: Crafty kiddos dig into di erent projects using the library’s materials and mentoring. Ages 8-11. Waterbury Public Library, 3-4 p.m., preregister. Info, 244-7036. FREE

3 Thursday

CALEDONIA

Caledonia Winter Farmers Market: See December 6.

CHITTENDEN

Food for Thought Teen Library Volunteers: See December 6.

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See December 6.

Monthly Home School Program: See December 6.

Ukulele Kids: See December 6.

Williston Preschool Music: See December 6.

Dad’s Derby Day: Kids and their pops create cardboard race tracks for toy cars to careen down. Ages 3 and up. Milton Public Library, 10:30 a.m., preregister. Info, 893-4644. FREE Play, Laugh, Learn: Little ones explore the library in engaging and interactive activities with Early Learning Specialist Tina Boljevac from Allow Play and Yoga. Ages 5 and under. Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Info, 865-7216. FREE

Vermont Fancy Felines Cat Show: Animal enthusiasts applaud furry friends as they compete for ribbons in di erent categories, with a selection of cat products and a presentation of breeds, too. Doubletree Hotel & Conference Center, Burlington, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., $5-7, free for children under 6. Info, 978-531-2158.

Webby’s Art Studio: Build a Boat: Inspired by the Museum’s artwork, kids construct a small sailboat. Shelburne Museum, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., winter museum admission, $5-10; free for members and children under 5. Info, 985-3346.

LAMOILLE

Kids Carnival Chaos: Families beat the winter blues with carnival games with prizes, costumed characters, a bounce house, music and more. Stowe Parks & Recreation Center, 1-3 p.m., small ticket fee for games and concessions. Info, 253-6138.

RUTLAND

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

WASHINGTON

Kids Trade & Play: See December 8.

WINDSOR

Norwich Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

13 Sunday

CHITTENDEN

Essex Open Gym: See December 9. Family Gym: See December 7.

Vermont Fancy Felines Cat Show: See January 12.

14 Monday

CHITTENDEN

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See December 6. Stories with Megan: See December 10.

Teen Space: See December 10.

Williston Preschool Music: See December 6, 11 a.m.

RUTLAND

Babies & Toddlers Rock: See December 10.

15 Tuesday

CALEDONIA

Hardwick Lego Club: See December 4.

CHITTENDEN

After-School Snacks on Tuesdays: See December 4.

Tinker Tuesdays: See December 4.

RUTLAND

Art Club: See December 4.

16 Wednesday

CHITTENDEN

Read With Daisy the Therapy Dog: See December 5.

Renaissance School Open House: See December 5.

Yoga for Kids: See December 5.

Zine Club: See December 19.

FRANKLIN

Fit Moms: See December 5.

RUTLAND

Lego Club: See December 5.

WASHINGTON

Maker Program: See January 2.

17 Thursday

CHITTENDEN

Burlington Mother Up! Monthly Meet-Up: See December 20.

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See December 6.

Lego Fun: See December 17.

Ukulele Kids: See December 6.

Williston Preschool Music: See December 6.

FRANKLIN

Franklin Lego Thursdays: See December 6.

WASHINGTON

AB2: Books Come to Life: See December 13.

18 Friday

CHITTENDEN

Baby Time: See December 21.

Family Gym: See December 7.

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See December 7.

Preschool Yoga with Danielle: Simple movement, stories and songs satisfy children ages 5 and under and their caregivers. Dorothy Alling Memorial Library, Williston, 10:30 a.m. Info, 878-4918. FREE

STEAM Fridays: See December 7.

FRANKLIN

Yoga Story Time Yoga with Ms. Liza: See December 7.

LAMOILLE

Kids’ Night Out: See December 7.

ORLEANS

Craftsbury Lego Club: See December 7.

WASHINGTON

Montpelier Mother Up! Monthly Meet-Up: See December 21.

19 Saturday

ADDISON

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

CALEDONIA

Caledonia Winter Farmers Market: See December 6, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

CHITTENDEN

Play, Laugh, Learn: See January 12.

Read to Cleo The Therapy Dog: See December 15.

Webby’s Art Studio: Hills and Valleys: Inspired by the Museum’s temporary exhibit, “Mapping an Uneven Country: Bird’s Eye Views of Vermont,” amateur artists use printing, collage and paint to create their own country landscapes. Shelburne Museum, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., winter museum admission, $5-10; free for members and children under 5. Info, 985-3346.

RUTLAND

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

WASHINGTON

Capital City Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

20 Sunday

ADDISON

Middlebury Mother Up! Monthly Meet-Up: See December 16.

CHITTENDEN

Essex Open Gym: See December 9.

Family Gym: See December 7.

21 Monday

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

CHITTENDEN

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See December 6.

Teen Space: See December 10.

22 Tuesday

CALEDONIA

Hardwick Lego Club: See December 4.

CHITTENDEN

After-School Snacks on Tuesdays: See December 4.

Build a Poster: Energetic artists color knights and dragons to arrange on the library wall. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-3:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956. FREE

Tinker Tuesdays: See December 4.

WINDSOR

Toddler Time: See December 4.

23 Wednesday

CHITTENDEN

Live-Action Role Play: See December 12.

Read With Daisy the Therapy Dog: See December 5.

Renaissance School Open House: See December 5.

Yoga for Kids: See December 5.

FRANKLIN

Fit Moms: See December 5.

Nerf Games: See December 12.

RUTLAND

Lego Club: See December 5.

WASHINGTON

Maker Program: See January 2.

24 Thursday

CHITTENDEN

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See December 6.

Ukulele Kids: See December 6.

Williston Preschool Music: See December 6.

See Dr. First videos “First With Kids” at uvmhealth.org.

FRANKLIN

Franklin Lego Thursdays: See December 6.

WINDSOR

Toddler Time: See December 4.

25 Friday

CHITTENDEN

Dungeons & Dragons: See December 14.

Family Gym: See December 7.

Kids Music With Linda ‘Tickle Belly’ Bassick: See December 7.

Music with Raph: See December 14.

STEAM Fridays: See December 7.

ORLEANS

Craftsbury Lego Club: See December 7.

26 Saturday

ADDISON

Middlebury Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

CHITTENDEN

Bake & Shake: Bread & Butter Making: Dairy devotees make their own bread and butter to eat, then explore other fun things to make with flour. Ages 4 and up. Shelburne Farms, 10 a.m.-noon, $3/4-6/7 per adultchild pair, preregister. Info, 985-8686.

Burlington Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

Movie at the Library: See December 29.

Play, Laugh, Learn: See January 12.

Webby’s Art Studio: Pop Arts Portraits: Curious crafters experiment with an origami twist on portraiture. Shelburne Museum, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., winter museum admission, $5-10; free for members and children under 5. Info, 985-3346.

RUTLAND

Rutland Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

WASHINGTON

National Life Read-a-Thon: Literature lovers of all ages embark on a challenge to see how many children’s books they can power through. Live music, milk and cookies, and a free book for each participant add to the festivities. National Life Group, Montpelier, 1-3:30 p.m. Info, 229-2665. FREE

SUBMIT YOUR FEBRUARY EVENTS FOR PRINT BY JANUARY 15 AT KIDSVT.COM OR CALENDAR@KIDSVT.COM

WINDSOR

Norwich Winter Farmers Market: See December 8.

27 Sunday

CHITTENDEN

Essex Open Gym: See December 9. Family Gym: See December 7.

28 Monday

CHITTENDEN

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See December 6. Stories with Megan: See December 10. Teen Space: See December 10.

Williston Preschool Music: See December 6, 11 a.m.

RUTLAND

Babies & Toddlers Rock: See December 10.

29 Tuesday

CALEDONIA

Hardwick Lego Club: See December 4.

CHITTENDEN

After-School Snacks on Tuesdays: See December 4.

Burlington Circle of Parents for Adoptive & Guardianship Families: Moms and dads come together to socialize about their parenting experiences and strengthen skills. Childcare and dinner included without fee. Howard Center, Burlington, 5-6:30 p.m., preregister. Info, 864-7467. FREE

Tinker Tuesdays: See December 4.

Tuesday Movie: Viewers relax with a familyfriendly flick. Popcorn and drinks provided. Brownell Library, Essex Junction, 2-3:30 p.m. Info, 878-6956.

WINDSOR

Toddler Time: See December 4.

30 Wednesday

CHITTENDEN

Read With Daisy the Therapy Dog: See December 5.

Renaissance School Open House: See December 5.

Yoga for Kids: See December 5.

FRANKLIN

Fit Moms: See December 5.

RUTLAND

Lego Club: See December 5.

WASHINGTON

Maker Program: See January 2.

31 Thursday

CHITTENDEN

Itty Bitty Public Skating: See December 6.

Ukulele Kids: See December 6.

Williston Preschool Music: See December 6.

FRANKLIN

Franklin Lego Thursdays: See December 6.

WINDSOR

Toddler Time: See December 4. K

Ongoing Exhibits

ECHO LEAHY CENTER FOR LAKE CHAMPLAIN, BURLINGTON Info, 864-1848

INNOVATION PLAYGROUND V2.0 EXHIBIT: In a celebration of lifelong play, visitors of all ages unleash their imaginations building life-sized worlds with giant blue blocks, swimming and soaring beside virtual wildlife, and inventing contraptions in the museum’s maker space. Regular museum admission, $11.50-14.50; free for children under 3. Through January 6.

AGE OF DINOSAURS: Families journey back in time to the Mesozoic era, visit these giant creatures in their habitat, and get hands-on with interactive stations including a fossil dig pit, fossil rubbing and remote-control dinosaurs. Regular museum admission, $11.50-14.50; free for children under 3. Through May 12.

MAIN STREET LANDING, BURLINGTON Info, 864-7999

AUDUBON PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

EXHIBIT: Prize photographs capture birds in their worlds, and educate the public about local avian wildlife and Audubon’s work. Through January 29. FREE

MONTSHIRE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, NORWICH Info, 649-2200

MAKING MUSIC Families explore the inner workings of all things musical — from cellos to electronic synthesizers — play and make instruments, and engage with multimedia exhibits which share stories of musicians, scientists and craftspeople, highlighting traditional and new practices, techniques and materials. Regular museum admission, $13-16; free for children under 2. Through May 15.

SHELBURNE MUSEUM, SHELBURNE Info, 985-3346, ext. 3395

: More than three dozen drawn, painted and printed views of the Green Mountain State — from Bennington and Burlington to Vergennes and Waterbury — investigate through illustration the popular phenomenon of ‘perspective’ or ‘bird’s eye’ views of Vermont’s growing towns in the second half of the 19th century. Through March 3.

VERMONT FOLKLIFE CENTER, MIDDLEBURY Info, 388-4964

GINGERBREAD HOUSE COMPETITION: Visitors feast their eyes on sweetly constructed small abodes, assembled around the theme of “Down on the Farm.” Donations accepted. Through December 21. Closed Sundays.

“Making Music” at Montshire Museum

Winter, My Cold Friend

A Finnish mom and her Vermont baby embrace the season

The winter lingered too long in Vermont last year. When I saw the snow slowly falling in April, I wasn’t nearly as elated as I was earlier in the season. And I was tired of pushing my 10-month-old daughter through banks of snow in her stroller. I also knew that my daughter would soon outgrow her snowsuit. Winter had turned into a big, cold friend who had overstayed its welcome.

In the playgroups we frequented, I heard fellow parents say multiple times, “I wish this winter would be over so I could get out with my baby.” When the weather finally took a turn toward spring, a family friend of ours commented, “You must be so relieved to be able to finally get outside with her.” At first, I didn’t understand what she was talking about. None of our family had been sick recently. Then I realized: She, too, was referring to the end of winter. While my winter was the clingy but endearing friend we kept meeting outside, hers was something that babies needed to avoid.

Winters in Vermont and southern Finland, where I’m from, are not that di erent. In both places, the season starts around November or December and ends by April. The average January temperature in Helsinki is 26 degrees Fahrenheit, just a little higher than Burlington’s average of 20 degrees. However, only in Finland is it common to spot a baby napping outside in freezing temperatures.

It’s an accepted Finnish belief that babies sleep best outside in the winter. Neither I nor my Finnish family or friends know where this belief comes from. Like any common cultural custom, you learn it by seeing it done around you.

When a baby is born, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland provides each family with a “maternity package.” The package — basically an American baby shower in one big cardboard box — contains not only pants, rompers and a book, but a snowsuit, insulated mittens and booties, a balaclava hood and a sleeping bag.

As an expatriate Finn,

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I didn’t receive the box. But I did have the awareness of its contents, and a Finnish family who could send me the things I was missing in Vermont, like the simple sleeping bag for the stroller.

This cold-weather gear combination became our ticket to the outside. However, we were often there alone. No other strollers passed us on our snowy walks. Once a passerby yelled at us, “You are brave!” Another time, I had to explain to a worried stranger that my daughter was warm in her stroller. At the end of playgroups, other babies often disappeared under their car seat covers, carried straight to their cars.

I don’t blame anyone for staying indoors altogether. When the temperature dropped last year, taking my daughter out for the first time in the cold felt a bit scary. Overcoming this initial worry took both the gear and the cultural knowledge. It helped that my parents happened to visit and showed us how to cocoon the sleeping bag around our daughter. I learned that the best way to make sure that she was not too hot or cold was to touch her neck and feel that it was neither sweaty nor cold. I also found that the common Finnish belief proved to be true: My daughter’s naps were longer when she slept outside. When the temperature dipped below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, however, even we preferred to stay home.

At the end of April, when the snow finally melted away, I was left wondering about these two di erent responses to winter: one of welcoming and the other of avoidance. If the winter climate in these two places — Vermont and Finland — is so similar, how had the two cultures evolved to treat it so di erently?

CALENDAR

PUZZLE PAGE ANSWERS

SEE “JUST FOR KIDS” SECTION FOR PUZZLES

ANSWER:

SEASONINGS’ GREETINGS

RIDDLE SEARCH ANSWER: Needle point.

RIDDLE ANSWER: When she played fetch with the new puppy, they — HAD A BALL

HAT. LAWN. BACK. LAND.

JUMBLES

No other strollers passed us on our snowy walks. Once a passerby yelled at us, “You are brave!”