Savvy Kids December 2012

Get Schooled

Our Education Issue Teaches You How to Help Your Kids Learn

Special Needs Holiday Happenings Little Bites

Holiday Lights and Events Guide to College Getting

ready for the next step

Holiday Gift Guide Find the perfect gift for everyone on your list

DECEMBER 2012 www.savvykidsofarkansas.com

DECember 2012 savvy kids

|1

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contents December 2012

14

Holiday Gift Guide

Find the perfect gift for everyone on your list!

From fun toys and games to clothing and accessories, good boys and girls will certainly smile when they open these gifts this holiday season!

37

Guide to College

Getting ready for the next step in your educational career窶認rom filling out the application to paying for it, this guide will take you step-bystep through the college prep process.

8 Savvy Family 10 Little Hero 12 Holiday Lights and Events 22 SelectingToys to Encourage LearningThis Holiday Season 24 Guide to Home Learning for all Families 28 Homework Help 30 Foreign Language Education 32 Guide to Schools 50 Identifying an early learning disability 52 Special Needs Calendar 54 Pennywise 56 PopTopics 60 Book of the Month App of the Month Arvest on Ice

61 Savvy Arts 62 Kids Eat Free 63 Savvy Recipe 64 Little Bites 4 | savvy kids December 2012

ON THE COVER: Claire Parsons Photographed by Ashley Murphy Images, 501-944-7572

your Holiday Headquarters

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Visit any of our locations: 1701 Main Street, Little Rock | 501.376.3475 7507 Cantrell Road, Little Rock | 501.614.3477 10320 Stagecoach Road, Little Rock | 501.455.3475 7525 Baseline Road, Little Rock | 501.562.6629 2203 N. Reynolds Road, Bryant | 501.847.9777DECember 2012 savvy kids | 5

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

I

can’t believe the holiday season is here already! In this issue you will find many holiday features including our gift guide, the trail of holiday lights, and holiday events. You will also find our education section filled with information for parents on ways to help your child succeed during all stages of their early academic career.

Starting on page 37 junior high and high school students can find all the information they need to prepare for college in our annual Guide to College. Be sure to check out our website (savvykidsofarkansas.com) for even more Guide to College features.

Photo by Lauren Harris

If you haven’t visited our website (savvykidsofarkansas.com) in a while, you should. We have worked really hard to make our website more interactive for our readers. Stay up-to-date on events, browse “Kids Eat Free” restaurants, enter contests and read some great articles on our blog. Be sure to leave us feedback so we can continue to improve our site for you!

While you’re on our site, be sure to submit your kids’ upcoming events. Whether there is a birthday party in the near future, a team gathering, or school fundraiser, we want to hear about it!

Fill out the event form on our site and your kids’ event could be featured in the next issue of Savvy Kids!

Happy Holidays!

Publisher hbaker@arktimes.com facebook.com/heatherharkinsbaker

Follow our Pins on Pinterest

Follow us on Twitter

Become A Facebook Fan

P.S., Are you a pinner? Follow our Pins on Pinterest, pinterest.com/savvykidsmag.

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We

inned It!

The perfect combination of sweet and savory come together with these “Cinnamon Almonds” from onecharmingparty.com.

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publisher Heather Baker, heatherbaker@arktimes.com editor Emily Griffin, emily@arktimes.com digital media editor Meredith Martin-Moats digital media producer Bryan Moats editorial art director Patrick Jones senior account executive Tamara Adkins tamara@arktimes.com account executives Catherine Slifka catherineslifka@arktimes.com Erin Holland erin@arktimes.com Michelle Miller michelle@arktimescom advertising sales assistant Kelly Lyles, kellylyles@arktimes.com production manager Weldon Wilson advertising coordinators Roland Gladden, roland@arktimes.com Kelly Schlachter Carr, kellys@arktimes.com Tracy Whitaker, tracy@arktimes.com graphic artists Kai Caddy, Rafael Mendez, Bryan Moats, Patrick Jones, Mike Spain, Sandy Sarlo photographers Brian Chilson, Patrick Jones, Nick Hillemann, Teresa Dollar, Rachael Kimble controller Weldon Wilson accounts payable Angie Fambrough it director Robert Curfman billing/collections Linda Phillips circulation director Anitra Hickman ALL MATERIALS ARE HANDLED WITH DUE CARE; HOWEVER, THE PUBLISHER ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARE AND SAFE RETURN OF UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. ALL LETTERS AND PICTURES SENT TO SAVVYKIDS™ WILL BE TREATED AS INTENDED FOR PUBLICATION AND ARE SUBJECT TO SAVVYKIDS'™ UNRESTRICTED RIGHT TO EDIT OR TO COMMENT EDITORIALLY. 201 E. MARKHAM ST. SUITE 200, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201 501-375-2985.

ALL CONTENTS ©2012 SAVVY KIDS™

Can’t get enough Savvy Kids? Check out our Pinterest page for fun ideas, exciting products and useful tips for every family! Here are a few of our favorite pins for Christmas. See these pins and more at www.pinterest.com/savvykidsmag.

“Milk’s Favorite Cookie” gets even better when transformed into “Peppermint Oreo Pops by luluthebaker.blogspot.com.

Your kiddos will love helping you make the simple Party mixes are always a hit. You can make your (and cute) “Snowman Cookies” from myprettyextra special by using this recipe for “Santa Hat purse.blogspot.com.

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SAVVY FAMILY

The Merrick Family

Current Projects: As parents of school age children, we stay very busy with school activities and the everyday hustle and bustle of life (especially right now during the holiday season). Jason and Kristi are both very involved in their local church. They helped start the Fellowship Bible Church venue in Cabot and lead worship there on Sundays.

Kristi helps to head up special events at the church, most recently Family Fest, the church’s largest community outreach event. She also serves in women’s ministry and works with kids in the area of drama and fine arts. Jason is co-founder and president of the board of the Lonoke County Christian Clinic. This is a nonprofit organization that provides free medical and dental care to residents of Lonoke County who have no insurance coverage. He volunteers his professional services on a regular basis at the clinic.

Parenting Style: It is impossible to influence your children from a distance. We love hanging out with our kids! We think parenting is best done by experiencing life together so spending time with our kids is a priority. Riding bikes around the block, playing video games together, taking in a movie (Jason’s personal favorite), catching up after school and at bedtime are all ways we stay plugged in as parents. In the end, it’s less about the activity itself and more about time spent together and consistency in our responses to each behavior and situation.

Life Lesson Learned from Parenthood: The Life lessons we’ve learned are as unique as each of our children. Our first child was born with a serious heart defect, so we learned very early that life does not 8 | savvy kids December 2012

always follow our script. We learned to value life itself and appreciate every day as the gift that God gives us. By the time our second child came along, we learned to not sweat the small stuff. Individuality is a good thing! And let’s just say with number three, we are learning to just hang on and enjoy the ride!

Keeping it organized: We try our best to keep a family calendar with appointments, rehearsals, lessons, school and church activities, but those who know us well would also tell you that we do know how to just “go with the flow”.

Advice for “Keeping it All Together”: There is no way to keep it ALL together! Keep a shared calendar and simplify as much as possible.

It is very difficult in our society to avoid overextending our families.

This is especially true with multiple children. We try to limit and prioritize extracurricular activities to preserve as much family time as possible. We are finally learning to say “no” even to “good” things that rob us of our most precious commodity – time together!

Favorites: Books: The Percy Jackson series, 39 Clues, The Bible Music: All of it! We listen to everything from contemporary Christian to classic rock as well as a lot of radio Disney Place to shop for you: Bimini Butterfly in Cabot, and McCain Mall Place to shop for kids: McCain Mall Family Activity: Allfam Bowling in Cabot, Movies, Putt Putt/Driving Range Restaurant: Morina’s Italian, Grandpa’s and Mean pig BBQ Guilty pleasure: Three Flamingos Frozen Yogurt or Tastee Freeze ice cream Place to go for date night: Dinner and movie Vacation destination: Any place with sun and sand!

Won’t leave home without: Sadly, our cell phones are always in hand!

Photos by Paige Mobbs

Dad: Jason Merrick, Family Practice Physician at Cabot Medical Care Mom: Kristi Merrick, Stay at Home Mom or as I like to call it, Manager of all things Merrick J Children: Hannah, 13; Harrison, 10; and Hudson, 4

Embark on an Exciting Adventure Upon The Polar Express!

a

www.jllr.org • (501) 375-5557

Meet Santa and get pictures made with him.

Enjoy yummy treats, hot chocolate and fun activities.

You don’t want to miss the ride of a lifetime!

Saturday, December 8 • 9 – 11 a.m.

Doors open at 8:30 a.m.

Junior League of Little Rock Building Tickets: $10

All proceeds from Holiday House fund the Junior League of Little Rock’s community projects.

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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HERO

little hero

Big Heart

The story of how one little boy is helping kids with cancer.

By Emily Griffin Bryce White is a seven-year-old who has it all figured out.

He recently celebrated his 7th birthday and when it came down to the presents, Bryce gave all that he received to an organization call B.I.G. Love because “that’s what God would do.”

B.I.G. Love is an organization providing personalized care to cancer kids and their families in Texas and Arkasnas. It is a non-profit, volunteer based organization established in memory of Brooke Alyson Phillips, daughter of founder Jessica Phillips, who battled acute myeloid leukemia.

Bryce learned about B.I.G. Love by watching a video at his church. Jay White, Bryce’s mom, said the family had been talking about doing something to help the community.

The video inspired Bryce. He saw that the organization gives toys to sick children to brighten their day. With his birthday coming up, Bryce told his mom all he really wanted was a pair of skates and that all of his other presents could be given to B.I.G. Love and his simple idea spiraled from there.

Photos by Jay White

He said he wanted to give his presents to the organization because, “they [the patients] are about my age. They are sick. I wanted to make them feel better.”

Bryce collected gifts from all over when the word of his heart-felt donation got out.

He even received a number of gifts via snail mail.

“Ms. Jessica came to my party and collected the presents,” Bryce recalled. He said it made him feel “great” and “loving” to donate his presents to the children, and he plans to do this again next year.

Bryce White’s birthday wish was to donate gifts to the organization B.I.G. Love to help brighten the day of sick

Bryce collected about 30 presents total and was pretty proud of that number.

children because, “that’s what God would do.”

B.I.G. Love maintains several toy chests at the cancer clinic weekly and operates a weekly grocery program at Arkansas and Texas Children’s Hospitals. The weekly grocery program provides all cancer kids and their families with an opportunity to request on a weekly basis special grocery or comfort items that they might desire. This enables families to obtain essential groceries, supplies and other itesm without having to leave their child or their hospital room. B.I.G. Love also provides individual and group grief support counseling sessions.

If you are inspired by Bryce’s story and would like to donate gifts or volunteer, visit their website at biglovecancercare.org to learn more.

10 | savvy kids December 2012

bryant DECember 2012 savvy kids

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Explore the Sights of the Season with the

A r k a n s a s

T r a i l

Holiday Lights

By Kat Robinson, Communications Manager,

Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

Want to find out where communities are celebrating the holidays in light and sound? You’ll find everything you need to know at your fingertips on our special Arkansas Trail of Holiday Lights page.

The new interactive page on the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism website promotes the annual statewide event that begins the week of Thanksgiving and runs through the first week of the New Year. Cities and towns across The Natural State offer lighting ceremonies, parades, festivals and outdoor activities to celebrate the Yuletide season.

The Trail of Holiday Lights page (http://www.arkansas.com/places-to-go/trailof-lights/) includes a comprehensive map of light displays around the state, with driving directions and a search feature that allow the user to build their own seasonal swing through participating communities.

The Holiday Lights page provides much more than just information. An e-card creator allows visitors to use photographs from around Arkansas or to include their own Facebook or Instagram photos in a holiday e-card. They can include special messages and share those creations with friends on Facebook or through email.

Another feature is an Instagram feed of user-submitted photography. Pictures taken in the popular photo-sharing app Instagram and given the hashtag #arklights will appear on the page. Take a picture of your favorite light display in Arkansas and share it with fellow light lovers!

Additionally, there’s a Facebook page where photographs from visitors and from Instagram will be displayed, along with the latest information about light displays and news concerning event changes.

Visit the Trail of Holiday Lights page (http://www.arkansas.com/places-to-go/ trail-of-lights/) and the Arkansas Trail of Lights Facebook page (https://www. facebook.com/arkansastrailofholidaylights) to learn more about this dazzling statewide event.

12 | savvy kids December 2012

Here are a few of the events happening around central Arkansas:

Garvan Woodland Gardens Holiday Lights 540 Arkridge Rd., Hot Springs Nov. 17-Dec. 31 Open nightly 5-9 p.m. More than 1.8 million brilliant bulbs transform approximately 15 acres into a memorable, animated holiday display.

New this year is a 50-ft. animated rose tree, the centerpiece of a musical animated display, complete with Santa, reindeer, elves, and additional Christmas trees surrounding it. Complimentary hot chocolate. Golf cart tours $10 per person. Special rates for group of 20 or more must be reserved two weeks in advance. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days. Purchase tickets online at garvangardens.org. Admission is $10 adults; $5 children 6-12; age 5 and under free. For more information visit www.garvangardens.org.

2012 Saline County Celebration of Lights Saline County Courthouse, 200 N. Main St., Benton Nov. 19-Jan. 1 Christmas parade on December 4 at 6 p.m. to officially light the courthouse; free pictures with Santa six nights during December plus cookies, cocoa and holiday entertainment including Christmas karaoke! Admission is free.

For more information contact Holly Beaver at 501-303-5640 or visit www. salinecounty.org.

Sherwood’s Enchanted Forest Trail of Holiday Lights Sherwood Forest, 1111 W. Maryland, Sherwood Nov. 26-Dec. 30 Sherwood’s Enchanted Forest Trail of Holiday Lights offers over 92 lighted displays. This drive-thru trail of lights is over a mile long. Admission is free. Donations are welcome. Everyone receives a candy cane. For more information contact Amy Jackson at 501-833-3790.

Home Town Holiday Lights in Burns Park Inside Burns Park, Lights start at Softball Fields, North Little Rock Nov. 26-Dec. 30 One-mile of Holiday Lights; classic lighting displays of the past along with new state-of-the-art LED Lights. Admission: $5 per Car, $10 per Van, $15 per Bus. For more information contact Travis Young at 501-753-7307 or visit www.nlrpr.org.

Historic District Christmas Lights 629 Central Ave., Hot Springs Dec. 1-Dec. 31 Historic Bathhouse Row and Downtown Hot Springs celebrate the holiday season with lights and decorations. Admission is free. For more information contact Jimmy Sample at 800-543-4320 or visit www.hotsprings.org.

The Big Jingle Jubilee Parade and 74th Annual State Capitol Lighting Ceremony Robinson Center Music Hall, 426 West Markham, Little Rock December 1 The Big Jingle Jubilee and Capitol Lighting are an Arkansas Tradition.

The parade features floats, marching bands, animals, and two very special grand marshals -- Mr. and Mrs. Claus. The parade comes west on Capitol Avenue, ending at the front of the State Capitol where Secretary of State Mark Martin will throw the switch to light up the building at sundown. Visit with Santa in the Rotunda and hear Arkansas performers singing Christmas songs. ARVEST Ice Skating Rink is open Nov. 17-Jan. 6 in the River Market District. For more information contact Angela Rogers, 501-835-3399 or visit holidaysinlittlerock.com.

The Promenade at Chenal Celebration Lights The Promenade at Chenal, 17711 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock Dec. 1-31 Join The Promenade at Chenal Saturday, December 1; noon-6 p.m. to kick-off the 5th Annual Celebration of Lights. This year features a 26-foot animated tree synced with music from the Trans Siberian Orchestra, Santa and Mrs. Claus, giveaways and more. The tree is lighted every night at 6 p.m. Admission is free. For more information contact Bethany Siems at 501-821-5552 or visit www. chenalshopping.com.

Other Holiday Events SANTA AT THE CENTER December 1: This holiday season, the Clinton Center will host FREE holiday activities including fun art projects and special holiday entertainment, with a guest appearance by Santa. Every child will receive a complimentary framed photo with Santa. Kids can decorate holiday cards, and enjoy tasty treats as we celebrate the season. Santa at the Clinton Center is FREE for all ages, but regular admission fees apply to tour the Presidential Library. Event time: 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. For more information visit www.clintonpresidentialcenter.org.

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE December 2: Admission is FREE at the Old State House Museum for this holiday delight.

Join us for carols, cookies, and family fun starting at 1 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. For more information call 501-324-9685 or visit www.oldstatehouse.com.

45TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS FROLIC AND OPEN HOUSE December 2: Come out to the Historic Arkansas Museum for hot cider, ginger cake, dancing in the Grog Shop, Blacksmithing demonstrations, living history performances, pioneer games, and more. There will be music by Arkansas Country Dance Band, Lark in the Morning, Roaming Fiddlers, Carolers, and more. Admission is FREE. Event time: 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. For more information call 501-324-9351 or visit www.historicarkansas.org.

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE AT MOSAIC TEMPLARS December 2: You’re invited to join us for a one-of-a-kind holiday celebration featuring music by local choirs, children’s activities, refreshments, and our first-ever Sweet Potato

Pie Contest. Bring the whole family for an afternoon of fun! Event time: 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.

Event location: Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (9th and Broadway, Little Rock). For more information call 501-683-3593 or visit www.mosaictemplarscenter.com.

CHRISTMAS LANE December 7 thru 9: Celebrate the holidays with FREE family fun at First Assembly of North Little Rock Church (4501 Burrow Drive)! Your family will enjoy train rides, carriage rides, carnival rides, hot chocolate and holiday treats, photos with Santa and more on Christmas Lane! Followed by The Christmas Bucket List, a hilarious, fun-filled, multi-media production for all ages. For times and more information call 501-758-8553 or visit www.firstnlr.com.

CHRISTMAS IN THE WILD December 8 and 15: Come meet Santa and enjoy cookies, hot cocoa, crispy treats, arts & crafts, and join Santa as he presents gifts to the animals. Event time: 9:30 a.m. Admission: $10 members and $15 non-members. Reservations are a must! Purchase tickets at the Zoo members’ entrance or by calling 501-661-7218.

MERRY CHRISTMAS CHARLIE BROWN December 14 thru 16: Come enjoy this musical theatre adaptation by Agape Church (701 Napa Valley Drive, Little Rock). Friday matinees for schools: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. must RSVP. Saturday and Sunday shows start at 6 p.m. Admission is FREE. Agape Church is collecting non-perishable food items for the community partners if you’d like to participate. For more information call 501-225-0612.

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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D I L A O Y H Kids

G IFT

GU ID E Is it a snake? Is it a pen? It’s both! Your child will love doing their homework with this snake pen, available at River Market Books and Gifts, 120 River Market Ave., Little Rock; 501-918-3093.

To some, this hand crafted wooden dinosaur may look like an item for use as decoration, but when your child turns on their imagination, the dinosaur comes to life and makes a great companion. Find this and more at Haus Werk, 2923 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock; 501-663-5251.

Finding the perfect ornament can be a difficult decision for a kid. At Box Turtle, 2616 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock; 501-661-1167, your youngsters will find a selection like no other! Their store is sure to house the perfect ornament for your child this year!

Make their first Christmas one to remember! From adorable holiday bibs to picture perfect outfits, your little one is sure to stand out in the cute line of clothing and accessories

by Mud Pie, available at Smith Caldwell, 414 N. Main St., Benton; 501-315-7700.

In the book, Ladder to the Moon, Little Suhaila wishes she could have known her grandma, who would wrap her arms around the whole world if she could, Mama says. And one night, Suhaila gets her wish when a golden ladder appears at her window, and Grandma Annie invites the girl to come along with her on a magical journey. In a rich and deeply personal narrative, Maya Soetoro-Ng draws inspiration from her mother’s love for family, her empathy for others, and her ethic of service to imagine this remarkable meeting. Find this title and more at Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, 501 W. 9th St., Little Rock; 501-683-3593.

For the ultimate super hero fans, the selection of comic books at River Market Books and Gifts, 120 River Market Ave., Little Rock; 501-918-3093, is delightful! From gently used new releases to collectable classics, you can find them all here!

Who says children can’t appreciate great art? At The Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, 401 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock; 501-320-5700, children can browse their galleries, as well as purchase some great items in the gift shop.

14 | savvy kids December 2012

Stir up six concoctions using the Secret Formula Lab. Brew up some alien blood. Watch technicolor foam erupt out of its tube. Create glowing slime, and much more! For your little scientists, you can find this gift item at the Museum of Discovery, 500 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock; 501-396-7050.

If your little one likes to perform, this finger puppet theater is a must-buy this year! Complete with a stage curtain and five characters to bring to life, there is no telling where your child’s imagination will go! Find this and more at Haus Werk, 2923 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock; 501-663-5251.

December 19, 2012 - 10:30 a.m.

Zoo membership is a gift that gives and gives.

When you give a membership to the Little Rock Zoo, you do two good deeds with one gift. You give family and friends hours and hours of fun. AND you help fund the Zoo’s crucial mission of wildlife conservation and education.

Give one gift that helps both humans and animals!

Get all the great details at www.littlerockzoo.com/membership or at Guest Services at the Zoo’s main entrance. Or call (501) 661-7218 with questions.

www.littlerockzoo.com #1 Zoo Drive | Little Rock, Arkansas | 501.666.2406 Like us on Facebook

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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D I L A O Y H teens

G IFT

GU ID E Keep her hands warm while she texts her friends! These knitted gloves come in a variety of colors and have special material on the pointer finger and thumb finger tips allowing you to text without having to take off your gloves.

Available at June’s Hallmark, 11525 Cantrell Rd., Little Rock; 501-907-8025.

Toms Shoes. Need we say more? At Box Turtle, 2616 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock; 501-661-1167, you will find a huge selection of Toms! The perfect gift for your teen this year!

Every girl knows accessories can make or break your outfit. This stylish clutch will add the perfect finishing touch this holiday season. Find it and many more accessories at Smith Caldwell, 414 N. Main St., Benton; 501-315-7700.

Do you have a new driver in the family?

These key chains decorated with Arkansas road maps will be the perfect gift this Christmas! Find these and many more great gift items at Haus Werk, 2923 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock; 501-663-5251.

These trendy totes will add a punch of style to any outfit. Available in a number of sizes and designs, find these and many more gift ideas at River Market Books and Gifts, 120 River Market Ave., Little Rock; 501-918-3093.

Their lockers will never be the same with these Farm Animal Butt Magnets by Kikkerland. Find these and many more great gift items at River Market Books and Gifts, 120 River Market Ave., Little Rock; 501-918-3093.

Your daughter will be the star of the party in this sequined tank available from Smith Caldwell, 414 N. Main St., Benton; 501-315-7700. You can find this and many other outfits perfect for the holidays at Smith Caldwell!

16 | savvy kids December 2012

SHOP PLATO’S CLOSET N. LITTLE ROCK! Need a new look? Plato’s Closet buys & sells gently used Teen & Twenty Something style clothes, shoes & accessories for Guys & Girls from all your favorite brands. And... we pay Ca$h for the items we can buy from you. So clean out your closet! You’ll look great & your wallet will feel even better.

CHECK US OUT! Plato’s Closet 2621 Lakewood Village Dr. North Little Rock, AR 72116 501.753.8560 PlatosClosetNorthLittle Rock.com

Your Store. Your Style. Your Plato’s Closet.

TM

Toys & GifTs for All The Kids on your lisT! now Carrying leGo ®

Located below Box Turtle 2616 Kavanaugh • Hillcrest (501) 661-1167

Traditional Smith Caldwell 414 N. Main St, Benton 501-315-7700 • smithcaldwell.com

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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D I L A O Y H Parents

G IFT

G U ID E Mug your message with the Banned Book mug, featuring classic challenged novel titles. The avid readers on your shopping list will love to sip coffee from this mug while reading the titles printed on it. Find this and many more gift items at River Market Books and Gifts, 120 River Market Ave., Little Rock; 501-918-3093.

Box Tutle, 2616 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock; 501-661-1167, is known for their stylish and contemporary selection of jewelry.

This multi-strand necklace and matching earrings are a popular item among “The Real Housewives of New York” and is sure to become a favorite for your loved one.

Entertaining has never looked so good! This stone drink dispenser will keep things neat. The matching bottle opener and whiskey stones make great accessories as well. Find these and more at Haus Werk, 2923 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock; 501-663-5251.

The Cross of Redemption is a revelation by an American literary master: a gathering of essays, articles, polemics, reviews, and interviews that have never before appeared in book form. In The Cross of Redemption we have Baldwin discoursing on, among other subjects, the possibility of an African-American president and what it might mean; the hypocrisy of American religious fundamentalism; the black church in America; the trials and tribulations of black nationalism; anti-Semitism; the blues and boxing; Russian literary masters; and the role of the writer in our society. Find this title and many more at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, 501 W. 9th St., Little Rock; 501-683-3593.

Show off your family with this stylishly designed family tree, available at June’s Hallmark, 11525 Cantrell Rd., Little Rock; 501-907-8025. The tree comes complete with mini frames to enclose the images of your loved ones.

4Square specializes in custom built gift baskets with endless variety of locally made products such as Jams, BBQ sauce, candles & souvenirs. 4Square also offers vegetarian cuisine and much more, it’s a fun-loving place in the heart of Little Rock River Market District, 405 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock; 501-244-2622.

Four paths to happiness with the original wear-it-and-be happy fragrance, Clinique Happy. The bright citrus-meetsfloral scent arrives here in Perfume Spray, Body Wash, Body Cream and a portable Perfume Rollerball for a price of $72.50 (valued at $112). Visit your local Clinique counter for your custom fit experience with your Clinique consultant.

Liven up your holiday party with this painted ceramic serving tray, available at Smith Caldwell, 414 N. Main St., Benton; 501-315-7700. Of course you can find many more holiday items in the store as well as clothing, accessories, and baby items.

18 | savvy kids December 2012

If you’re looking to take care of your skin, look no further than the products created by Daisy Blue. Made of 100% natural products which are gluten free and casein free, Daisy Blue offers a wide variety of products including soaps, scrubs, lotions, baby products and even cleaning solutions. To order, contact Reshonda James at reshonda.james@gmail.com or visit her website at www.5330.daisybluenatureals.com.

Celebrate the Holidays Moonlight Madness – Friday, November 30; 9pm – Midnight • Shop Special Moonlight Sales across the shopping center, sip hot cocoa and enter to WIN a $500 shopping spree!

Celebration of Lights – Saturday, December 1; Noon – 6pm • Santa & Mrs. Claus Parade • NEW Animated Tree with music from Trans Siberian Orchestra • Gift Card Grab Bag Giveaway, Prizes & More • Supporting Make-A-Wish Foundation Visit ChenalShopping.com for details.

Sponsored by:

Apple | DSW | J. Crew | Anthropologie | BRAVO! Cucina Italiana Ya Ya’s Euro Bistro | The Children’s Place | Nike | & More Chenal Parkway | Little Rock | ChenalShopping.com DECember 2012 savvy kids

| 19

D I L A O Y H G IFT

Stocking stuffers

GU ID E The shopaholic on your list will love a gift certificate to the Pleasant Ridge Town Center, 11525 Cantrell Rd., Little Rock; schickels.com.

From beauty treatments to skin products, give the gift of pampering this holiday season with a gift card to Renaissance Medical Spa, 140 John Harden Dr., Jacksonville; 501-982-3223.

Is there an outdoor sportsman on your list? He will love this travel mug available at June’s Hallmark, 11525 Cantrell Rd., Little Rock; 501-907-8025.

Is someone on your list looking to start a healthier lifestyle? Give them a gift card to The Diet Center, 5901 R. St., Little Rock; dietcenter.com, and help them on their way.

Relive each era of The King of Pop’s life! Six different dolls range from his childhood to his final press conference in 2009, with outfits for every major milestone in Michael’s career. Find this and more at Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, 501 W. 9th St., Little Rock; 501-683-3593.

Give the gift of quality family time with a membership to the Little Rock Zoo, 1 Jonesboro Dr., Little Rock; littlerockzoo.com. It is a gift to be enjoyed all year!

20 | savvy kids December 2012

This LED key-cap makes your lock easy to see in the dark! Plus, it’s in the shape of a cute owl—the perfect gift for new drivers.

Find this and more at River Market Books and Gifts, 120 River Market Ave., Little Rock; 501-918-3093.

Not sure what to buy for someone on your shopping list?

During the month of December, when you purchase a $25 or more gift card from the Promenade at Chenal, 17711 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock; chenalshopping.com, get a FREE movie pass!

Great stocking stuffers here!

give the gift of discovery this holiday season

Extended Holiday Hours: Open Dec. 10 & 17!

Open till 7 pm Dec. 17-23!

Museum Memberships for the whole family!

Regular Store Hours: Tues-Sat 9am-5pm Sun 1-5pm

Shopping at the Explore Store at the Museum of Discovery is an experience in itself. Here, you’ll find educational, fun, inventive, one-of-a-kind gifts.

Whether it’s an edible chemistry set or doodling robot, there are no limits to discovering new things. Get your hands on science this holiday season.

.

.

.

500 President Clinton Ave Little Rock, AR 72201 501.396.7050 www.museumofdiscovery.org

“Grossology” is back Dec. 15!!

FOR SCHEDULES, EVENTS AND INFORMATION VISIT HOLIDAYSINLITTLEROCK.COM OR CALL (501) 375-2552 DECember 2012 savvy kids

| 21

TEACHING TOYS Y Selecting Toys to Encourage Learning This Holiday Season Susan Southerland, Sylvan Learning of Little Rock During the holiday season, the stores are packed with a variety of toys and games, making it hard for parents to know which types are appropriate matches for their children. By selecting toys that offer a combination of fun and learning, parents can do more than just stimulate a child’s enjoyment – they can inspire and enhance his reading and math skills while nurturing problem solving and imagination.

Reading/Writing Books help children enhance their vocabulary and appreciate words and literature. See if there is a certain author whose books your child likes to read and be sure to bring home a couple of his favorite books. For guidance on age-specific books in your child’s favorite subject areas, check out www.

BookAdventure.com.

Choosing the right toy for your child will give him the opportunity to think, practice a particular skill or learn something new, as well as engage him in hours of play. To strike a balance between learning and fun, parents should look for toys that fit their child’s age, skills, abilities and interests, and give him the opportunity to learn and grow. Take the time to understand how the toy works and whether it’s suitable for your child. You’ll help your child learn and have fun at the same time!

Find a special diary or personalized writing tool for your child and she’ll have hours of fun writing journal entries every day. Before she realizes it, she’ll have set aside extra writing time that she’ll look forward to! Visit the “Parent Resources” area of www.SylvanLearning.com for online journals.

To help parents identify toys that nurture learning behaviors in key areas of development, the education experts at Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels, offer the tips below and the corresponding clip-out shopping guide to help parents find toys that making learning fun: Math Board games can show children how math is used beyond the classroom. Take turns playing banker in Monopoly® or play a game of Yahtzee® and calculate the odds of rolling specific number combinations.

Electronic counting games offer children number and counting challenges.

A toy cash register helps children understand math when making change with money.

Building blocks teach children about geometry and shapes.

Dominoes are a great game for children of all ages. Smaller children can use them to recognize similar quantities while older children can explore the concepts of probability.

22 | savvy kids December 2012

Subscribe to a magazine for your child (e.g., Ladybug, Ranger Rick, Spider, Your Big Backyard, Zoobooks, etc.) to learn about topics of interest to him. He will be excited about having his own reading materials that come in the mail addressed to him each month.

Imagination/Creativity Pretend play with dolls, stuffed animals and action figures can spark a child’s imagination. Dress-up costumes, dollhouses and other pretend props encourage children to tell stories and play make-believe.

Young children love to pretend with child-sized versions of everyday adult objects. Find activities and toys that are pretend versions of items you use on a regular basis. Children love to do what grownups do.

Toys like the Easy-Bake® Oven introduce children to basic food preparation skills, such as reading recipes and following cooking directions.

Art materials, such as paint sets or craft kits, foster creativity and help improve reading and writing skills.

Reasoning Skills For young children, toys like building blocks, LEGO’s®, and Tinkertoys®

actually help children acquire the reasoning necessary to learn math more quickly.

Look into games like Connect Four® or Yahtzee® to teach your child strategy and problem-solving skills; he’ll have fun learning and playing before he even knows it!

Science kits, chemistry sets and ant farms offer great insights into the world of science and help enhance reading comprehension and critical thinking.

They also encourage your child to follow the rules and strategy behind experiments.

Video games are often not thought of as educational toys, but they help build reasoning skills and logic as children navigate the different levels of each game.

Project-based toys such as model airplanes, cars, ships and rockets help children build motor skills, teach them how to follow directions, and encourage ideas about how things work.

Susan Southerland is the Director at the Little Rock Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels. With 30 years of experience and more than 900 centers located throughout North America, Sylvan’s proven process and personalized methods have inspired more than 2 million students to discover the joy of learning. Sylvan’s trained and Sylvan-certified personal instructors provide individual instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, study skills and test-prep for college entrance and state exams. Sylvan helps transform kids into inspired learners with the skills to do better in school and the confidence to do better in everything else. Visit www.DrRickBlog.com to share your personal academic experiences and comment on academic trends. For more information, call 1-800-31SUCCESS or visit www.MidSouthSylvan.com. For more educational resources for children in grades pre-K through 12, please visit www.SylvanLearning.com or call (501) 791-9200.

Clip-Out Shopping Guide

To help parents identify toys that nurture learning behaviors in key areas of development, Sylvan Learning offers this clip-out shopping guide for selecting toys that making learning fun.

Math Board games like Monopoly® and Yahtzee® Electronic counting games Toy cash register Building blocks Dominos

Reading/Writing Books Diary or personalized writing Magazine subscriptions

Imagination/ Creativity Pretend play objects such as dolls, stuffed animals and action figures Dress-up costumes, dollhouses

and other pretend props Child-sized versions of everyday adult objects, such as the EasyBake® Oven Art materials such as paint sets or craft kits

Reasoning Skills Building blocks, LEGO’s® and Tinkertoys® Games like Connect Four® or Yahtzee® Science kits, chemistry sets and ant farms Video and computer games Project-based toys such as model airplanes, cars, ships and rockets

FirstNLR.com

758-8553

DECember 2012 savvy kids

| 23

Guide to

Home Learning for all Families

By Lynley Baker Phillips I am a homeschooling mama of two. When people here this, I often get one of two responses. The first is “I could never do that.” The second is “I wish I could do that.”

Good news: You can.

Before the excuses start to flow of why one’s family has chosen to send their children to public school or pay for a private education, know that all families can create a rich environment for children to learn at home despite where and how they are schooled. One does not need to toss on a denim jumper and white canvas shoes and officially declare themselves as a homeschool mom in order to teach their children at home. (By the way, I have yet to meet a homeschool mom in a denim jumper appliquéd with the alphabet. Most lean towards expensive boots and fancy jeans.).

As parents, we are tempted to think that school is where a child learns and home is where a child plays. However one cannot expect a single school 24 | savvy kids December 2012

system to contribute fully to a child’s desire to learn. The school system has never claimed they can educate a child on their own. They want the parent to contribute and are happy when such contribution occurs. Raising children who love to learn does not happen by accident. No parent sent their child out into the world expecting the child to figure out how to walk or independently use the restroom. Rather parents used their collective resources at home and at secondary locations (i.e. preschool, Grandma’s house, church nursery) to teach and reinforce these skills in children. The same should be done with learning. Building a home environment where learning is valued is one of the best ways children can be equipped for the future, regardless of where they receive their education.

Simple Ways to Support Learning at Home 1. Read…then read some more.

The best thing a parent can do to support learning is by creating an atmosphere of literacy in the home. These days, technology rules our lives.

Continued on page 26

Parents, We Need You!

As a parent, you are the most important influence in your child’s success in school and life. When parents are involved, students achieve more, schools perform better, teacher morale improves and communities get stronger.

Every day is a fresh opportunity to be involved in your child’s education. Looking for help on how to get started? Visit the Parent Involvement Center at your child’s school or go to the Parent Involvement Department on www.lrsd.org.

Middle School Redefined.

New for the 2012-13 school year, LRSD middle schools now have eight-period days with exciting new electives designed to appeal to middle school students and to help get them ready for college and career.

Plus, all LRSD middle schools are being supplied with enough iPads to allow students direct hands-on access to iPad-based learning experiences.

Electives include: • Broadcast Communications • Dance and Creative Movement • Exploring Fantasy and Futuristic Fiction • Gifted and Talented Seminar • Imagination Zone • Orchestra • Techno-Creative Expressions

NEW! Homework Hotline

Coming soon! LRSD will be launching a new homework assistance program on LRSD-TV. Students will be able to get help with homework questions. The program will focus on Common Core math concepts with bonus literacy segments.

Little Rock School District

Creating Excellence for Tomorrow

PERFORMANCE WORKPLAN

ENCE FOR TO www.lrsd.org

CREATING EXCELL

MORROW

DECember 2012 savvy kids

| 25

Home Learning

Continued from page 24

Homes have multiple computers, tablets and smart phones. Books are ignored in favor of social media and reality television. It is time to unplug and pick up a book as a family.

Create a literacy-rich home by stocking rooms with books. Keep seasonal books in a basket in the family room for everyone to enjoy after dinner.

Read to kids at bedtime. Select a chapter book to work through together as a family. Post a reading log on the refrigerator to keep track of what everyone is reading. Plan weekly family outings to the local library (where books are free!)

Know that books are essential when it comes to the development of a child and make reading a priority in the home.

Where Faith and Learning Grow Pre-school through 8th Grade Before and After Care Academic excellence + Individual achievement + Christ’s love +

(501) 663-5212 315 S Hughes St • Little Rock clutheranschool.org

2. Know what is going on in the classroom and supplement.

All too often parents simply send children out into a learning environment with the assumption that everything that needs to be taught and absorbed will occur in a seven hour day. Teachers want parents to know the school day is merely a jumping off point when it comes to education. When parents take interest in what their child is studying in the classroom and then supplement this learning at home, genuine learning takes place for the child.

Call today to schedule a tour!

Supplementing classroom learning at home can be done in a variety of ways.

Perhaps children practice basic skills such as math and handwriting through workbooks at home. Family trips to local museums whose programs coincide with history or science lessons is another great way to supplement learning at home. Taking time each night to learn new pieces of geography with the family’s globe is an excellent way to reinforce a teacher’s lesson at home.

3. Create a (fun!) home learning center Children are visual and kinesthetic learners. They learn by being able to see, touch, and feel items. Creating a place in the home to house learning materials is another simple way to extend learning in the home. A home learning center does not have to look like a desk and chalkboard set-up in a dark corner.

Rather it can be a place in the home that holds educational board games and interactive toys. It may be stocked with a diverse music collection and fun instruments for the impromptu family band night. Art supplies are readily available in a home learning center for curious hands to paint and create (the perfect activity for kids while supper is being prepared).

The home learning center is a place where children know they can explore and create with mom and dad. It is also a place where projects can be displayed.

Setting aside a shelf where nature finds can be laid out and examined serves as an excellent enhancement for the home learning center. The home learning center may just be a basket stocked with all of these things. Often times, space in our home is valuable and attempting to carve out one more area seems impossible. Be creative with where learning materials are displayed in the home. Know that a home environment that is rich with educational materials provides an excellent way to create life-long learners in children.

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vanaug 2919 Ka

.5251

501.663

26 | savvy kids December 2012

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4. Set the example Children will come to understand that learning is not merely an 8am-3:30pm job for twelve years when they see parents still involved in the learning process themselves. Set the example for a love of learning by being a life-long learner. Parents who allow their children to see them learning, whether by reading or stepping out to appreciate the Arts, are setting the standard for learning. Learning does not merely occur between the months of August and May within the walls of a schoolhouse. Rather learning is a life-long pursuit.

The best way to instill the importance of learning into children is to be a lifelong learner oneself.

REGISTRATION

The future of learning is here with today’s Sylvan.

Today’s students live in a world surrounded by technology. It’s how they communicate, how they express themselves, how they play, and - yes - how they learn.

Sylvan understands that, which is why our new system blends personal teaching techniques with intuitive technology to give today’s students what they love along with what they need.

• SylvanSync™ combines the latest technology with personal instruction to engage and motivate your child.

• Sylvan Insight™ ensures a personal learning plan is created for your child’s exact needs.

• We motivate and encourage while we teach, capturing students’ attention.

• We guarantee one grade level improvement in 36 hours of instruction.* • We can help any child, regardless of age or skill level.

for the 2013-2014 school year begins Monday, January 28, 2013

Visit www.nlrsd.org...

Experience all of the excitement!

*One grade level equivalent demonstrated via the results of the pre and post Sylvan Skills Assessment®.

Guarantee applies to the Academic Reading and Math Essentials programs only. Results may vary. At participating locations. SylvanSync™ available for Reading and Math programs only. Some restrictions may apply. Call your local Sylvan for details.

HALF OFF ASSESSMENT Stop in today for 50% off a Sylvan Assessment.

Offer expires 01/15/2013. Valid at participating centers only. May not be combined with other offers or applied to previous transactions.

NLR FOREVER!

Sylvan Learning of Little Rock 11220 N. Rodney Parham, Ste 4 Little Rock, AR 72212

501-791-9200

www.MidSouthSylvan.com

READING, MATH, WRITING, STUDY SKILLS, TEST-TAKING, COLLEGE PREP AND MORE!

Arkansas Made

Handcrafted from quality Ozark woods, including walnut, ash and cherry, these wooden trucks and tractors are designed and constructed to last, and run on sheer kid power and imagination. Created by Dave Spencer of Eureka Springs.

A museum of the Department of Arkansas Heritage

200 E. Third Street Little Rock, AR 72201 www.HistoricArkansas.org

DECember 2012 savvy kids

| 27

Homework Help

By Heidi Smith Luedtke, Ph.D.

Homework strikes fear in the hearts of many parents. You may not remember facts you learned in school, like the significant battles of the civil war or the difference between a simile and a metaphor. Some things you learned are obsolete now (Pluto is no longer considered a planet. It was demoted in 2006.).

2.Do you understand what your teacher is asking you to do?

Here’s the good news: When it comes to homework help, asking the right questions is more important than knowing all the answers. Use these smart prompts to direct your child’s work and teach important learningmanagement skills.

3.What materials will you need?

1.Do you have a written (or online) assignment to follow?

Students may struggle with homework because they don’t recall what they were supposed to do. Make sure your child is using the guidance his teacher provided, so he completes all the objectives. Encourage him to track his progress by crossing off items as he finishes.

28 | savvy kids December 2012

Even a detailed assignment won’t help if your child doesn’t understand it.

Make sure your child grasps the particulars before she begins, so she doesn’t waste time doing the wrong things. Consult with the teacher if unclear expectations are a perennial problem.

Tracking down materials creates unnecessary distractions. Encourage kids to gather supplies before starting a project, so their work isn’t interrupted by a frantic search for the calculator, scissors or glue stick. Keep oft-needed items in a homework caddy for easy access.

4. Are there words or ideas you don’t know?

Your child may get stuck because he doesn’t understand one or more crucial concepts. Help him identify these obstacles and search for remedial information. Encourage kids to find answers in their textbooks or online,

rather than offering your interpretation. Students who can find information on their own become empowered learners.

5.Did you do similar problems in class?

Most homework assignments are opportunities to practice skills kids learned at school. Direct your child to class notes and worksheets for examples and review them together to refresh her memory. Kids should repeat the in-class procedures to solve homework problems. Shortcuts may lead to omissions or errors; teachers often require students to show work step-by-step.

Integrating Technology and Tradition

6.What is the timeline for completing this assignment? Are there milestones you’ll have to accomplish?

Kids may fail to finish big projects because they wait until the last minute to begin. “Older children with assignments that will take several days or weeks to complete will need help in learning to manage those assignments,” says Donna Elder, M.A., a senior literacy specialist with the National Center for Family Literacy. Clarify steps your child must accomplish and write due dates on the calendar. Kids should make their own deadlines for initial steps, like buying supplies or doing library research. Project planning reduces stress for everyone.

7.How can we break this assignment or project into smaller chunks?

Breaking assignments into segments can help kids maintain momentum.

Divide a long list of objectives into subsets and use a timer to stay on task.

It’s easier to read social studies for 15 minutes than to plod through an entire 35-page chapter. Short breaks between work periods let kids stretch and refresh.

8.Where can you find the answer to the question?

Textbook authors use section headings, bold words, text boxes, graphics and summaries to present material in an accessible way. Smart students use these tools to locate answers quickly and to organize information. Help your child use textbook cues to hone his search skills, take notes, and create his own study guides. Structured material is much easier to learn and remember than unrelated ideas.

9. How did you get your answer? Why did you answer this way?

Monitor the homework process by checking kids’ work. “If there are errors, help kids self-correct by asking them to explain their logic or to show you what source of information they used,” says educational psychologist Jennifer Little, Ph.D., creator of Parents Teach Kids (www. parentsteachkids.com), a collection of modules that show parents how to teach foundational learning skills at home. If your child insists his wrong answer is right, Little says, “Let it go.” Errors show the teacher what needs to be covered (again) in class.

10.Where can you go to get extra help?

Your child may be anxious that there isn’t an instructor standing by during homework. Let her know it is okay to reach out if she’s stuck. There’s no such thing as a stupid question.

Do your best to keep a positive attitude during study time. “Homework is not a punishment,” says Elder, “It takes practice to learn new skills. Reinforce that message by rewarding progress.” A warm hug or an encouraging word can make all the difference.

Heidi Smith Luedtke is a personality psychologist, former educator, and mom of two.

She shares psychology lessons for real life at HeidiLuedtke.com.

Being on the cutting edge of educational technology has become an Anthony School tradition.

The Anthony School provides technology and interactive media as tools in its Early Childhood Program, enhancing literacy, math, communication, motor skill development and critical thinking skills.

The learning possibilities are limitless for our students.

We invite you to call 225-6629 to set up a personal tour and see our amazing technology for yourself.

PREK3 Eighth Grade

STRONG

TRADITION.

ACCREDITED BY ANSAA AND ISACS

7700 Ohio St.•225-6629 AnthonySchool.org

DECember 2012 savvy kids

| 29

Foreign Wikang Bany Language Education

чение иностранных Ξενόγλωσσης Εκπαίδευσης Užsienio kalbos mokom

Teaching kids to speak different languages has a number of benefits.

By Erica Sweeney

Teaching kids to speak a foreign language promotes literacy, open-mindedness and a wealth of other lifelong benefits.

No one knows that better than 21-year-old Karissa Musser. As a child, she says she was surrounded by people from other cultures because her mother is an instructor in the International Studies program at Arkansas Tech University. In high school, Musser learned to speak Spanish.

In the spring, she will graduate from the University of Central Arkansas with a degree in Spanish Education and English as a Second Language (ESL) Certification. Musser also teaches Spanish to second- through fourth-graders through UCA’s Community Language School (CLS).

CLS began six years ago to provide foreign language education to adults and children, says director Patricia Carlin. Spanish classes for children are held once a week for 10 weeks after school at three locations in Conway: UCA, Woodrow Cummins Elementary and Julia Lee Moore Elementary. Currently, about 30 students are enrolled, and Carlin says she hopes to expand.

Carlin says few school districts in Arkansas offer foreign language classes below eighth grade. Gibbs Magnet School of International Studies and Foreign Languages in Little Rock is one elementary school that focuses on 30 | savvy kids December 2012

foreign language study. Starting in kindergarten, students there study French, German or Spanish in daily 30-minute classes. The goal is novice proficiency by fifth grade. Students also learn about other countries and cultures.

Benefits of Foreign Language Education

Children with foreign language education have better overall literacy, critical thinking and problem solving skills. They also have a better understanding of the English language, Carlin says.

“When we learn to read in a second language, we recognize the symbolic nature of language,” she says.

Students who learn foreign languages often score higher on standardized tests, says Dave McAlpine, professor of Spanish and Second Language Education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and 2012 American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) president.

He says the earlier children learn foreign languages, the more likely they will become fully proficient. He suggests starting as early as age 2 and ACTFL recommends elementary and middle school students study foreign languages for about 90 minutes a week.

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“When we learn to read in a second language, we recognize the symbolic nature of language,” Learning a foreign language at an early age also helps develop a positive attitude toward other cultures, says Carlin, explaining that by age 10, children start “picking up prejudices.”

Musser, who is writing her thesis on the importance of teaching foreign language to kids, says: “Kids exposed to language at an early age don’t fear it and they’re better able to accept new ideas. They’re able to soak it in so quickly. It’s fun to watch. And, it opens them up to a new way of thinking.”

foreign languages.

Carlin recommends interactive programs that incorporate reading and verbal communication. One example is Muzzy, a BBC foreign language course for kids that includes DVDs, CDs and a storybook.

McAlpine says while these programs may help children learn vocabulary, there must be a verbal exchange of ideas to fully learn a foreign language.

Anne Santifer, a native of Brazil, has been speaking to her daughter, Carly, in Portuguese ever since she was born. Carly, 4, understands Portuguese, but usually responds in English, Santifer says.

“They are better than nothing if there are no alternatives,” he says. The problem with some is that “you’re not actually communicating, but exposure can be beneficial.”

Santifer says it’s important to her that Carly learn to speak Portuguese so that she can communicate with relatives, and because it’s part of her heritage.

Carly has dual citizenship, and her mom says speaking the language “gives her an option and an extra opportunity” if she ever wants to move there.

Santifer says she and Carly read stories in Portuguese, and Carly also watches shows on YouTube that are dubbed in Portuguese, like “Dora the Explorer.”

Also, many Netflix films can be dubbed in various languages, she says.

Speaking Portuguese would also help Carly learn Spanish, because the languages are so similar, says Santifer, who moved from Brazil when she was 13 and spent half of her school days in ESL classes. She says her parents insisted she and her siblings speak English at home so they all learned together.

The most efficient models for teaching foreign languages to kids are dual or total immersion, McAlpine says. Dual immersion is where half of the school day is taught in a foreign language. There are no dual or total immersion programs at Arkansas schools, McAlpine says, explaining that the ideal schools for this are those with large Hispanic populations. He says in other states, like Delaware, these kinds of programs have helped failing schools and suggests Arkansas should follow suit.

Parents Can Help

Musser says it’s up to parents to expose kids to foreign languages since there are few programs in the state, and there are plenty of resources to help. She suggests finding online videos and talking to community members who speak

She says Carly is more interested in watching shows and movies in Portuguese if she’s already familiar with the English versions.

Carlin says she raised her daughter, Mimi, bilingually, by speaking and reading to her in Spanish. Mimi, now 19, is a student at Hendrix College pursing double major in Spanish and business economics, and is a Spanish tutor.

“I knew it was a gift I could give to her,” she says. And, Carlin says they often “converse in Spanish so people don’t know what we’re saying.”

Carlin says she hopes parents and school districts recognize the importance of foreign language education for elementary and middle-school age children.

“No one in our state is interested in language study, except those few of us who recognize its value,” she says.

McAlpine says nationally about 25% of schools have foreign language programs in elementary school, and in Arkansas, “you can count them on one hand.” He says “parents would have the biggest clout” with getting foreign language programs added to school curricula.

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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To

Helping your child find the “right” school, the one that will provide a successful educational experience, is not an easy task. There are many things to look at before making your decision. This section of Savvy Kids highlights some of central Arkansas’ best schools, both public and private. Read each school’s provided bio to gain a better understanding of the school’s philosophy to education. You will also find easy access to the school’s contact information. This will allow you to call and set up an appointment to learn more. Make the right decision and your child will be on the path toward lifelong learning.

e d i l o s o u h G Sc

Abundant Life School

Agape Academy

9200 JFK Hwy 107 Sherwood, AR 72120 (501) 835-3120 www.abundantlifeschool.org

701 Napa Valley Drive Little Rock, AR 72211 (501) 225-0068 www.agapeacademyonline.org

The Abundant Life mission is to assist parents in training their children to become godly young men and women by educating them spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially. At Abundant Life, you will find an education with a difference for students Pre-K through 12th grades.

Agape Academy is a dually accredited private Christian school receiving accreditation through International Christian Accrediting Association (ICAA) and AdvancEd. We are blessed to offer a preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle and after-school care program that endeavors to educate your child with the best possible structuring available. We are very fortunate to have a staff of qualified, dedicated teachers and the facilities to fulfill our goal of total care and education for our students.

32 | savvy kids December 2012

The Anthony School

7700 Ohio Street Little Rock, AR 72227 (501) 225-6629 www.AnthonySchool.org Accredited by ANSAA and ISACS The Anthony School is a private school for children age three through eighth grade. Its mission is to educate children in a challenging, loving environment which empowers them to become efficient, independent, excited learners. Anthony consistently produces students with a strong foundation of academic and social skills, high ethical standards, and a positive attitude toward school.

Christ Lutheran School 315 S Hughes Street Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 663-5212 www.clutheranschool.org

Christ Lutheran School is committed to sharing Christ’s love and promoting academic excellence through individual achievement. Our preschool through 8th grade program lays a solid foundation for your child’s future. Call for a personal tour to meet our family! Accredited by NLSA & ANSAA. Christ Lutheran School - Where Faith and Learning Grow!

Arkansas Baptist

Lower School 62 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock, AR 72212 (501) 227-7707 Upper School 8400 Ranch Boulevard, Little Rock, AR 72223 (501) 868-5121 www.arkansasbaptistschoolsystem.com Since 1981, Arkansas Baptist has focused on educating our students to be Godly leaders. It is our desire as we carry out the vision of AB to build a generation that knows, lives and speaks the truth. Our hope is that the Christian worldview, taught day in and day out in our classrooms, is the lens that students will use to make ethical, moral and responsible adult decisions as they lead their homes, communities and the world in which we live.

Episcopal Collegiate School

Jackson T. Stephens Campus 1701 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, AR 72201 501.372.1194 www.episcopalcollegiate.org Head of School: Steve Hickman Established: 1998 Current enrollment: 765 Episcopal Collegiate School is an independent college-preparatory school that provides its students a safe, nurturing environment as they build a foundation for life-long learning. A challenging standards-based curriculum emphasizes intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and effective communication while a talented faculty stresses academic achievement, spiritual reverence, community stewardship, and real-world experience.

Episcopal Collegiate School serves grades Pre-K3 through 12 and welcomes students of any race, color, religion and national origin.

To learn more about our pro grams and tour the campus, please contact Mrs. Mary Jane Briggs, the Lower School Director of Admission, or Mrs. Ashley Honeywell, the Middle and Upper School Director of Admission, at 501-3721194.

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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Little Rock Christian Academy

Little Rock School District (LRSD)

Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a high performing National Blue Ribbon School, Little Rock Christian Academy provides 3 year-old to 12th grade students an education that emphasizes academics, arts, and athletics from a Christ-centered worldview.

Student Registration Office 501 Sherman Street Little Rock, AR 72202 501-447-2950

19010 Cantrell Road Little Rock, AR 72223 (501) 868-9822 www.littlerockchristian.com

Administration 810 W. Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72201 501-247-1000

LRSD, the largest school district in the state, is comprised of 48 schools offering eight magnet programs. The new middle school initiative offers eight exciting electives. LRSD teachers are highly qualified— 53% have masters or doctoral degrees and 13% are national board certified.

North Little Rock School District 2700 Poplar Street North Little Rock, AR 72114 (501) 771-8000 www.nlrsd.org

On February 14, NLR voters passed a millage increase to fund a fourth of a $265.6 million dollar Capital Improvement Plan for the NLR School District.

Half of the money to fund the CIP will come from District savings and the other fourth will hopefully come from the State Facilities Fund.

34 | savvy kids December 2012

PULASKI COUNTY SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Contact info: 501.234.2000 pcssd.org facebook.com/pcssdschools twitter.com/pcssdschools

Across PCSSD, we are putting achievement in action. The district’s facility and technology initiatives are providing students with state-of-the-art learning environments. Unique course offerings, diverse vocational specialties and state-winning athletics set our schools - and their students - above the rest.

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Unleash Your Potential!

Jackson T. Stephens Campus 1701 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 501.372.1194 | Serving Grades PK3-12 Episcopal Collegiate School welcomes students of any race, color, religion and national or ethnic origin.

Explore the difference at episcopalcollegiate.org.

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Talented and Gifted schools like College Station Elementary provide unique language opportunities – including Chinese with Ms. Vhang. That’s just one way our schools prepare students to compete globally.

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501.234.2000

2012

Guide to College Savvy Kids

College Application How to stand out from the crowd

Footing the Bill

Maximize Financial Aid and Minimize Student Loan Debt

Advice from upperclassmen

College students share their most useful lessons

Preparing for College A Timeline

Find more Guide to College features on our website: savvykidsofarkansas.com DECember 2012 savvy kids

| 37

There’s never been a

better time

to go to college or an easier

way

to apply for financial aid

The Arkansas Department of Higher Education reviews and approves academic programs for the state’s 11 public universities and 22 public two-year colleges. In addition, the agency is responsible for distributing approximately $170 million annually from state revenues and lottery funds in the form of financial aid.

For complete information about our programs, visit www.adhe.edu to review program rules and regulations. The eligibility requirements and rules governing the programs administered

by ADHE are subject to legislative and regulatory amendments. Please e-mail the Financial Aid Division at finaid@adhe.edu for additional information.

• Application period is from January 1 to June 1 for upcoming academic year • Must complete FAFSA as well as YOUniversal scholarship application 38 | savvy kids December 2012

• Download free YOUniversal app for any smart phone

FOR

GO! MARCH th th 4 - 8 , 2013 Get to know Say Go College. Log on to SayGoCollege.com, for tips on preparing and paying for college.

This message is brought to you by the U.S. Department of Education and the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.

DECember 2012 savvy kids

| 39

Ready, Set...

A timeline for preparing for college

By Jennifer Barnett Reed

Seventh and Eighth grades • College may feel like it’s still a long way away, but now’s the time to start thinking about what classes to take in high school to prepare you for college. Always take the most difficult classes you can handle.

• Work on developing good study habits. Ask a parent or your school counselor to help, or look for tips online.

• Practice setting and achieving goals.

• Volunteer.

• Take interest and skills assessments. These will help you think about possible career options. Also talk to your parents about careers that interest you.

• Create a tentative plan for the classes you’ll take in high school.

• Enroll in a summer enrichment program.

Ninth and Tenth grades • Sharpen your organizational skills by creating a system to keep track of your assignments, tests, events, and other importation information. These skills are essential for succeeding in college.

• Talk with your high school counselor about possible career options and what educational preparation you’ll need for each of them.

• Volunteer with a community organization, and develop leadership skills by getting involved with clubs that interest you.

• Review your high school class plan, and continue taking the most difficult classes you can.

• Keep a list of all your awards, activities and accomplishments. You’ll want all that information in a single location when you begin filling out college applications.

• Start talking with your parents about how to pay for school. Start researching grants and scholarships you might be eligible for.

• In 10th grade, sign up for the PLAN, a pre-ACT test, which will help identify your strengths and weaknesses. This will help you focus your test preparation activities on improving in your weak areas.

In 11th Grade • Attend college fairs and financial aid events.

• Mentor others, and find a mentor for yourself — someone with a career track you hope to get on someday, or someone whose talents and skills you admire.

• In October, take the PSAT/NMSQT. It’s good practice and could lead to scholarships.

• Research and create a list of colleges and universities that interest you.

40 | savvy kids December 2012

• If possible, visit those schools in person.

• Participate in extracurricular activities.

• Request admissions and financial aid forms.

• Sign up for high school classes that will earn college credit during your senior year. These could be through Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and others.

• Find out which tests you need to take to apply to the universities you’re interested in.

• Spring semester, take the SAT and/or ACT test with writing component.

• Keeping looking for scholarships and grants.

• Make sure you’re meeting your high school graduation requirements.

• Enroll in a summer enrichment program if you can.

• Get a job and save money for college, or find an internship or apprenticeship that will give you a hands-on preview of the careers(s) you’re interested in.

In 12th Grade September through November: • Visit campuses that interest you.

• Take or retake the ACT and/or SAT in the fall.

• Meet with your high school counselor to review your high school class plan.

• Choose the colleges to which you want to apply, and make a list of deadlines for each school.

• Create a resume summarizing your academic, athletic and work activities and other achievements.

• Ask for recommendations from teachers, counselors, and others who can comment on your abilities and talents.

• Attend a financial aid event, and review a copy of Paying for College.

December – February: • Apply to at least four colleges that interest you, and make a list of deadlines. Then make copies of each application. Apply to your top choices early.

• Attend a financial aid event if you haven’t already.

• Apply for scholarships offered by the colleges to which you have applied.

• Apply for financial aid by completing.the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after Jan. 1. You and your parents will need the previous year’s income tax information to complete the application.

• Review your Student Aid Report (SAR) for accuracy.

March-May: • Have your final high school transcript sent to the colleges to which you’ve applied.

• Choose a college and notify • Choose a college and notify in writing those you don’t plan to attend.

• Send in any required forms or deposit

Summer: • Get a job to earn money for college.

• Review orientation materials from the college you selected.

• If you will be living on campus, check with the college for a list of what’s provided by the school and what the school expects the student to provide.

• Contact your roommate.

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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Time to

Make your college application stand out from the crowd

By Jennifer Barnett Reed

You only get one chance to make a first impression, as the saying goes, and when it comes to applying for college, that first impression — the application you submit — will have an enormous influence on your future. Do it right, and you could make up for a weakness that might otherwise keep you out of your first-choice school. Mess it up, and you could end up turning off even your safety school. No pressure.

It’s important to remember that your college application isn’t just a record of your high school career. It’s a chance for you to make the case that you belong at that college. The way you submit information about yourself, the care you take with your personal essay, even the date you submit your application can all serve as clues to admissions counselors about who you are and whether you have what it takes to succeed at their school. The following tips can help you craft a stellar application that makes the most of your accomplishments and showcases your personality in the best light.

Be neat.

Just because you don’t have a teacher grading your work doesn’t mean it’s OK to be messy.

“Neatness is a must,” said Glenn Dillard, assistant vice president for enrollment management at Harding University. “When it’s a challenge for an admissions office to even read the information provided on the application form itself, it doesn’t set the tone for student success.”

Answer questions thoroughly, Dillard said. When an admissions representative has to call the applicant for more information, it can slow down what’s usually a fast process. And submit all the required items as quickly as possible.

Most colleges won’t decide to accept or reject a student until all the information has been submitted.

Apply early.

Be yourself.

Forget about the deadline listed on the application, admissions officials say.

“Ideally, we like people to apply, send in transcripts and test scores, etc., EARLY,” said Jesyka Farley, associate director of admissions at John Brown University. “Decide early. And deposit early.”

Let your answers and your application essay reflect who you are, not who you think admissions representatives want you to be. Make your essay personal and use short stories or anecdotes that illustrate who you are and how you got that way.

Admissions staff read applications as soon as they arrive, so waiting until the last minute means your application will be thrown in with a giant pile of applications from others who waited as long as they could. Applying as early as you can helps ensure admissions staff give your application the attention it deserves, and it’s a signal that you are really interested in attending that school. It also lowers the chances that you’ll make sloppy mistakes or write a less-than-stellar essay because you were in a rush.

Conquer the standardized test.

Take and retake the ACT and/or SAT, Dillard said. “Most students who retake the test raise their score...not because they’ve studied harder, but because they are more comfortable with the testing process,” he said. “Feeling at ease and well-rested can result in a score increase.”

Continued on page 44 42 | savvy kids December 2012

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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Ask for the money Continued from page 42

Challenge yourself — but not too much A high grade point average means a lot in the world of college applications, and for high school students, that can mean choosing a less difficult class where you have a better chance of earning an A or B, or choosing a very challenging class but earning a lower grade. Colleges and universities like to see that prospective students can embrace a challenge, but perpetually overchallenging yourself — so that your transcript is filled with Cs or worse in Advanced Placement courses — can backfire.

Be involved With the emphasis college applications put on extracurricular activities and achievements, it can be tempting to join every club and play every sport available. But just joining isn’t good enough. Get involved at a meaningful level. If you have a job, include that information as well.

Make sure your story is told If you have to submit letters of recommendation as part of your college application portfolio, it’s important to choose the writers carefully. Look for someone who’s known you well and can write about more than just scores and grades.

As with the application itself, it’s crucial to apply for financial aid as early as possible, Dillard said. It’s best to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as you can after your parents file their income taxes.

“Most colleges need the information provided to not only award federal and state aid, but also may use the information to determine who receives aid funded by the university,” Dillard said. “And since some of these programs only have a limited amount of money available each year, students will need to submit the FAFSA no later than June 1.”

Handle your essay with care.

That begins with choosing a topic. Skip the usual topics — world peace, achieving a goal, etc. — and instead, write about something that comes naturally from you. Your passion and genuineness will show through.

Take time to write and revise your essay, and then show it to your parents, a teacher or a counselor to get their feedback. Proofread your essay and have others do the same. You may even want to show it to a counselor or teacher who doesn’t know you. And if you’re writing about what makes you different or interesting or special, ask a friend or relative who knows you well.

Also, don’t try to make one essay fit every application. Write the essay you need to in order to answer the question or prompt in each application.

Completing college applications may seem like an overwhelming task, especially if you’re applying to more than a few schools. But if you start early and take each application step by step, you’ll have a less stressful experience, and, quite possibly, better results.

Do you really need that?

Dorm life means downsizing to the basics

You’ll probably need…

Alarm clock First-aid kit with Band-Aids and over-the-counter medicines Small tool set — screwdrivers, hammer, etc.

Rechargeable batteries and battery charger Bedding Underbed storage boxes Desk lamp A few cooking/eating utensils (knife/fork/spoon, bottle/can opener) and dishes Laundry basket Desk supplies: tape, paper clips, scissors, stapler Umbrella Trash can Three-prong extension cord and power strip/surge protector Sewing kit (needles, thread, safety pins) Computer, printer, and accessories 44 | savvy kids December 2012

Ruler and/or tape measure Chip clips and reusable food containers Two weeks worth of underwear (because you won’t want to do laundry every Saturday — trust us) Flashlight Earplugs (foam work best)

Talk to your roommate before you bring...

Iron and ironing board Microwave Cleaning supplies Fridge TV/DVD Rug Curtains

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DECember 2012 savvy kids

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Footing the Bill Planning, discipline are keys to maximizing financial aid and minimizing student loan debt

By Jennifer Barnett Reed If you pay much attention to the news, you’ve probably read or heard stories about new college graduates who finished school with $50,000 or even $100,000 in debt. Or maybe you’ve gotten brochures from private colleges whose yearly tuition is more than your parents’ yearly income, and you can’t imagine how anyone could ever afford to go there.

There’s no getting around the fact that college is expensive. Even if you attend an in-state, public university, chances are you’re going to need some help to cover the costs of four or more years of tuition and living expenses.

But don’t panic just yet. There are many sources of money to pay for college other than loans — scholarships, grants, work/study programs, part-time jobs. So many, in fact, that it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the process of finding and applying for them.

That’s why it’s important to start early — particularly with the federal financial aid process, said Brett Powell, director of financial aid at Ouachita Baptist University.

“The applications are long, and there’s a lot of terminology that students and families don’t understand,” he said. “But there is a lot of help available to them. Our financial aid office is willing to help, and there are lots of online 46 | savvy kids December 2012

sources to help them understand how the whole process works.”

The federal financial aid process begins with filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. This application is used for all federal financial aid programs, and the state of Arkansas requires it for state scholarship applications as well. The form requires information from the previous year’s federal income tax returns, so it’s best to file taxes as early as possible, and then complete the FAFSA a couple of weeks later.

If you’re considering attending a school in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Department of Higher Education’s web page, www.adhe.edu. It has information and applications for all state-sponsored financial aid programs, including the lottery-funded Academic Challenge Scholarship. The application period for all state-sponsored scholarships begins Jan. 1 of each year and runs until June 1. But like with the FAFSA, it’s best to get your application in as early as you can.

Also, check the website of the college(s) you’re applying to. It will have answers to a lot of questions, as well as details on different scholarships the school itself offers, and possibly even links to other scholarship websites and Continued on page 48

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Little Rock Christian Academy is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, as a 2012 Blue Ribbon School. Out of 100,000 schools in America, 269 were given the Blue Ribbon distinction. Little Rock Christian was recognized as an exemplary high performing school in the elementary, middle, and high school divisions.

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DECember 2012 savvy kids

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Foot the Bill

Continued on page 48

search engines, such as www.fastweb.com and www.scholarships.com. These sites allow you to search thousands of scholarships for ones that match your circumstances, abilities, and financial need.

Jay Simpson, associate director of financial aid services at Harding University, advised students not to use services that charge a fee for scholarship information.

“A wealth of information is available free of charge online,” he said. Try doing a web search for scholarships using key words that relate to your interests, major and career plans, he said.

It also helps to make friends with your high school guidance counselor, Simpson said. They have access to information about local scholarships you won’t find anywhere else.

Cheryl Lyons, director of financial aid at the University of Central Arkansas, said students and parents should also think about the products they use every day.

“Most of the companies that produce household products and personal items, food, clothing, etc., provide scholarship opportunities for students,” she said. “Google those companies to see if they have a scholarship that is right for your student.”

Even if you’ve explored every possible option for scholarships and grants, you may not be able to avoid borrowing at least some of the money you need to attend college. But there are steps you can take to keep that amount as low as possible, Simpson said.

“Colleges will tend to award standard maximum loan amounts,” he said. “Do not accept a dollar more than you need. Loans can be reduced after charges are paid, so don’t take out any more loan money than is absolutely necessary.”

If you have to take out any unsubsidized loans, you’ll have the option of deferring interest payments until you’re out of school, and then adding the

accrued interest to the capital of your loan. Don’t do it, Simpson said — pay the interest as you go.

“The interest adds up faster than you think, and it’s much easier to pay it in small amounts now than let it capitalize upon graduation and end up paying interest on interest,” he said.

Use loan money only to pay for necessary living expenses like housing and basic food costs, Simpson said. Don’t use it for optional expenses like movies and eating out. And keep track of every loan you take out as you go through school. You can use an online repayment calculator to see what your monthly payment will be based on the total amount you’ve borrowed. Be realistic about whether you can afford that payment based on your likely salary after graduation and other living expenses.

For help making those judgments, you can complete a financial awareness counseling program through www.studentloans.gov, which includes information on managing student loans and planning for the future.

Of course, it’s also possible to pay at least some of your own way through college through savings from high school jobs or through working while you’re going to school. But you should be cautious about planning to working too many hours while you’re also trying to keep up with your studies.

“Whether to work or not really is a personal decision,” Powell said. “Some students can handle a college workload plus a job, but others can’t. It’s helpful to sit down with parents and advisers and make sure they understand what the work load is going to be before they commit themselves to much work time.”

Many colleges, including OBU, offer work-study jobs as part of their financial aid packages. Work-study jobs can be good opportunities for students because they don’t have to leave campus to work, and they may be able to work at a job related to their academic major that allows them to spend time and build relationships with faculty members. Supervisors at work-study jobs are also likely to be more understanding of students’ changing schedules and workloads, Powell said — and to allow students to do homework on the job if the workload is light on a given day.

Important websites: www.fafsa.ed.gov: Information about and online completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. www.adhe.edu: Information about all state-sponsored scholarships, grants and loan programs, including the Academic Challenge Scholarship. www.studentloans.gov: Information on how to manage student loans. www.fastweb.com, www.scholarships.com: Free scholarship search services 48 | savvy kids December 2012

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Better Beginnings is Arkansas’ quality rating system for child care, early education and school-age programs that have gone above and beyond the state licensing requirements.

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The Better Beginnings website makes it easy for parents to: • find Better Beginnings participating child care providers in their area • learn what to look for in a child care environment Get off to a good start by equipping yourself with the knowledge and information to choose a Better Beginning for your child!

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www.ARBetterBeginnings.com • 1-800-445-3316 Parenting 101: Preparing your child for school and life.

Have you ever considered that from the moment a child is born, he starts being prepared for school and life? Just when you think you have figured out what you are doing as a parent, your child reaches a new stage of development. Find out more about the stages of development and your critical role as your child’s first and most important teacher. Visit our website for insightful information on preparing for kindergarten from birth to age 5.

DECember 2012 savvy kids

| 49

SPECIAL NEEDS

Identifying an

early learning disability

By Learning RX While children and teens with learning disabilities are often “diagnosed” in middle school or high school, many disabilities can actually be PREVENTED by intervention at a much earlier age. Experts now know that there are things that parents can do at home to help even the youngest children.

called phonemes. Next, they usually require training in phonics -”mapping” phonemes to the printed words on a page. Once children have mastered these steps, they can then receive training to help them read fluently, and to comprehend what they read.

The root of learning

Identifying reading disabilities

“The root of learning – whether it be reading, math or even writing – is good cognitive skills,” explains Tanya Mitchell, Director of Training for LearningRx, a ‘brain training’ franchise. “Things like auditory and visual processing, memory, processing speed, comprehension, short- and long-term memory, logic and reasoning, and attention are the underlying tools that enable kids to successfully focus, think, prioritize, plan, understand, visualize, remember and create useful associations, and solve problems.”

While a trained cognitive specialist can help diagnose the specifics of learning and reading disabilities, parents may be the first to identify struggles. Parents may be able to determine learning problems, such as with auditory processing at home by asking the following. Does he/she: • appear to guess at words?

• ever add or omit sounds in words?

• have difficulty spelling new words, or spelling when writing?

• have difficulty recalling stories and jokes?

• take a long time to complete tasks?

• have difficulty doing two things at once?

• often ask to have things repeated?

• have difficulty organizing activities?

• easily distracted?

• use slow, deliberate speech?

According to Mitchell, any weak cognitive skill – or a combination of several – can lead to a learning disability. By identifying a weak cognitive skill early, parents can help prevent learning disabilities – even before a child attends kindergarten.

“There are very promising studies that show a 90 percent decrease in reading problems if children are first introduced to sound analysis activities,” she says.

“This might include things like rhyming or playing sound games when children learn how to add or omit sounds in a syllable.”

According to Dr. G. Reid Lyon, Chief of National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Child Development and Behavior Branch, NICHDfunded research has shown that such services should have a firm foundation in phonological awareness. Before most poor readers can learn to read successfully they need to learn that spoken words can be broken apart into smaller segments 50 | savvy kids December 2012

Recognizing risk factors at any age If your child is too young to discern if the above general symptoms apply, look for the following age-related risk factors:

Pre-K or Kindergarten: Difficulty recognizing rhymes, remembering names of friends, peers, etc.

Difficulty with normal language development, or recognizing some letter shapes.

End of 1st Grade: Difficulty learning the alphabet and corresponding letter sounds, applying “phonics” to reading and spelling, or spelling common sight words. Difficulty retelling stories in sequence and making predictions or reading aloud with some fluency and comprehension

End of 2nd Grade: Difficulty recalling facts and details, difficulty using phonics to sound out words including multi-syllable words, or correctly spelling previously studied and commonly seen words.

How to help at home

A place where children with learning differences and developmental disabilities can grow and develop in an environment tailored to meet their unique needs.

Parents don’t have to spend a lot of money to help improve children’s cognitive skills at home. In fact, many simple word- or sound-related games can even be played in the car while you’re driving. LearningRx shared a few ideas that its trainers recommend for helping younger children get on the right track early to become strong learners.

Auditory: Sound segmenting games: Say a two-sound word, like bee or tie, and have them tell you which sounds are in the word (“b” and “ee” for “bee” and “t” and “i” for “tie”). Then start to increase to three-sound words like cat, (“c” “a” and “t”) and tree (“t” “r” and “ee”). This builds auditory segmenting which is necessary for spelling when children get older.

Phonetics using building blocks: Help develop analysis skills by using blocks to make up nonsense words starting with two to three blocks. Create a nonsense word, then have the child remove one of the blocks and add a new one while verbally trying to figure out what the new nonsense word sounds like. (If they can’t read, just say the sounds for them, and ask them to try to figure out from hearing the sounds what the new word would sound like when they switch the blocks.)

Rhyming games: Say a word and then take turns with your child trying to come up with a new word that rhymes. This develops auditory analysis, which is important for reading and spelling as well as processing auditory instruction.

Visual: “The Make a Movie In Your Head Game”: Start with a subject like a puppy and then have your child help create what the puppy looks like; his size, if he is sitting or running around, his color, etc. Then have your child talk about where the puppy is; next to a doghouse, in the forest, etc. Gradually have your child add other subjects, the weather, what the dog is saying, etc.

By developing pictures with color, size, perception, sound, background, etc, kids learn how to develop a more complete picture, which will lead to better comprehension. If they have difficulty creating a new picture, parents can start by having the child describe what is in their room.

Memory: Ask your child to give directions to either your home, the post office, the grocery store or a friends’ house. Also, ask them to tell five things about their day, three being something new they learned. This helps build memory.

Parents can also teach mnemonics. Think of a fact – like remembering their phone number – and have your child create a funny story that they can use. For instance: 487-9376. “The number 4 ate(8) seven(7) fine(9) trees(3) and seven(7) sticks(6).” (This example uses rhyming and memory.)

If you’re concerned that your child has a learning disability, take a free, 20-question screening atwww.LearningRx.com. For a complete evaluation of cognitive learning abilities, contact the nearest cognitive skills training center.

A School & a Therapy Clinic

OUTPATIENT THERAPY SERVICES Occupational Physical Speech

If your child has been diagnosed with a development disorder: Autism, Asperger syndrome, PDD, Down syndrome, Apraxia or other language disorders, or sensory integration issues, contact us today for more information or to schedule an evaluation for your child.

(501) 663-6965 • 1600 Riverfront Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas We work with a variety of private insurance providers as well as ARKids 1st, Medicaid, TEFRA and TRICARE. DECember 2012 savvy kids

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SPECIAL NEEDS CALENDAR

SPECIAL NEEDS EVENTS

December

Surviving Santa, Snow and Sensory Overload December 1 Above All Else, 110 A South Broadview, Greenbrier The workshop is presented by Brandi Shinn and will take place from 9 a.m.noon. Registration: Individual Registration $10.00 Couple Registration $15.00 Fee includes donuts, juice and handout. Door prizes will be given and seating will be limited. Your payment is your registration. There WILL NOT be an Onsite Registration. Register now by calling 501-844-0227 or aboveallelseservices@yahoo.com Sensory Sensitive Cinema December 1 and January 5­­ Rave Motion Pictures, 18 Colonel Glenn Ct., Little Rock The Rave Motion Pictures in Little Rock is offering Sensory Sensitive movie times for children with autism or other disabilities. See a movie with no loud noises and higher house lights. For more information, contact Rave Cinemas at 501687-0687. Rise of the Guardians Saturday, December 1, 10am Monsters, Inc. Saturday, January 5, 10am I Can! Dance Recital December 1 Benton High School Auditorium First Lady Ginger Beebe will greet the audience at the second annual “I CAN Dance” recital at Benton High School Auditorium on Sat. Dec. 1 at 11:30 a.m.

The recital is free for all attendees.

A luncheon will take place in the school cafeteria after the recital. Turkey, roast pork, macaroni and cheese, green beans and rolls will be served by S.W. Chance. This organization uses adults with disabilities to prepare the food. Tickets for the meal are $10 for adults and $5 for kids. Tickets can be purchased at the door or from Julie Mayberry at icanarc@communityconnectionsar.org. A special guest star will also make an appearance at the event. You won’t want to miss it. He will be traveling from a very far-away place just to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Can you guess who it is?

Access Gardens and Plant Sale December 7 ACCESS Stella Boyle Smith Campus, 10618 Breckenridge Dr., Little Rock The ACCESS Holiday Sale starts at 7:30 a.m. and runs until we sell out! Set your alarm and rise early to get the best of ACCESS Ceramics. Platters, frames, ornaments, mugs, coasters, and more colorful pieces created by ACCESS students are available at this once-a-year sale. The following ceramic lines are available. Santa, Traditional Holiday (Holly and Berries), Snowman, Tribal and Owls. Also available are potted poinsettias, rosemary and ivy. Give your foyer, buffet or mantle a holiday boost with fresh greenery. Proceeds benefit ACCESS programs. If you’ve never attended this sale before, please trust us when we say get there on time. These cute pieces and pretty plants FLY off the tables.

For more information contact Becca Green at 501-217-8600 ext. 224.

Community Connections Presents Martial Arts December 8 Gran Master Hans, 1216 Harkrider, Conway The Martial Arts program is the newest addition to Community Connections.

This program will ensure all children, including kids with disabilities, will have the opportunity to learn Martial Arts. This program will meet December 8th and then continue in the spring. This class will be from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m, for ages 7 years old and up. All classes will be free but every child must wear a uniform. The uniforms can be purchased at Gran Master Hans. For more information, visit www.communityconnections.org.

Adopt A Dove Tree December 10-12 The holiday season will be here soon and Youth Home is already planning our Christmas for Kids campaign. We are looking for businesses, organizations, and families to help ensure the children at Youth Home have a wonderful 52 | savvy kids December 2012

Christmas. With your help and support, Youth Home’s Christmas for Kids campaign will be a success. With that in mind, we would love for you to sponsor a Youth Home Dove Tree. These small Christmas trees are decorated with special “wishes” in the form of 15 gift tag ornaments that list specific needs for the adolescents and teens at Youth Home. We ask that each business, organization, or family purchase the items on their Dove Tree. For more information contact Larry Betz at 501-821-5500 ext. 209 or via e-mail larry.betz@youthhome.org.

Breakfast with Santa & Mrs Claus December 15 Pathfinder Preschool, 2400 West Main St., Jacksonville Get your picture taken with Santa! Tickets are $7.00 for 1 adult, $15.00 for a family up to 4 people $25.00 for a family between 5-7 people! Tickets must be pre-purchased/p​re-paid by December 7th. Contact Terrie Whiteaker at 501982-0528 or terrie.whiteake​r@pathfinderinc​.org to purchase tickets and for more information. The event will take place between 8–11 a.m.

Recurring Events: First Baptist Church 105 South Spring Street, Searcy We have a special place for individuals with Developmental Disabilities. Every Sunday morning, we have a special Sunday School class devoted to those with “special needs.” They meet on the First Floor of the Howle Building from 9:30-10:30 a.m. For more information call 501-268-3561 or e-mail fbcsearcy@ sbcglobal.net.

Park Hill Baptist Church 201 E. C Ave., North Little Rock Manipulatives, sensory integration, motivators, visual supports and schedules, etc. Are these words foreign to you? Do you understand how they can make Sunday School more enjoyable and meaningful to a child with special needs?

We, at Park Hill, have been led to reach these children in ways beyond traditional teaching methods, and minister to families through meeting the needs of their children. Sunday School classes meet from 9:30-10:40 a.m. Extended care for parents during worship service is from 10:55 a.m.-noon. For more information call Susan Bumpas at 501-753-3414, or via e-mail at sbumpas@ parkhillbaptist.org.

The Pediatric Clinic, P.A. of North Little Rock Over 50 Years of

Caring for Children of Central Arkansas

Accepting New Patients Birth Through Adolescence Most Insurance Accepted

© amber walker photography

Lourie Battles, MD • Robert Choate, MD • Kim Clinton, MD Matthew Hadley, APN, PhD • Kim Hurlbut, MD • Stephen Fiedorek, MD Eric Fraser, MD • Gary Fowler, APN Bishawn Morris, MD JoAnne Wilson, APN • Tina Jones, MD • Nicole Turner, APN

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For more than 25 years, The BridgeWay has reconnected people with their families and communities by helping them overcome their emotional and addictive problems. In addition to being a leader in treating substance abuse, we also offer treatment for depression, anxiety and panic disorders, emotional difficulties, suicidal behavior and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Contact The BridgeWay today to learn how you can reclaim your life or help someone you love.

Children’s Learning Center • 1300 West 18th St. • North Little Rock (501) 907-5716 • www.aeddinc.org • Mon-Fri 6:30am-5:30pm

A Musical Theatre Adaptation by Agape Church December 14-16

Charlie Brown!

Show Times:

Fri. 14th Matinees for Schools: 10am and 1pm - Must RSVP Sat. 15th & Sun. 16th: 6pm • Free Admission* BEHAVIORAL 21 Bridgeway Road, North Little Rock • 501-771-1500 BEST HEALTH FACILITY 800-BRIDGEWAY • TheBridgeWay.com

No-cost assessments for adults, adolescents and children are available 24 hours a day.

No physician referral required; most insurance plans accepted.

Agape Church 701 Napa Valley Drive • Little Rock • agape-church.org • 501-225-0612 *We are collecting non-perishable food items for our community partners if you’d like to participate!

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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PENNYWISE When I think of Christmas it’s not typically the trees or lights that first come to mind, but rather the warm squishiness of a clump of cookie dough, or a dense buttery piecrust, in my flour-covered hands. I love the feel of the rolling pin moving across the bumpy textures and the yielding malleability of a simple sugar cookie awaiting shaping. Baking is such a tactile experience, the transformation of a weighty mass of disparate flavors into a light, doughy, chewy morsel of warm perfection.

Ultimately it’s the hint at alchemy that sustains my interest, the transformation of so many separates into such a satisfying whole.

Growing up with my maternal grandmother in a multi-generational home, and with the other grandparents less than five minutes away, kitchen alchemy was part of daily life. These were women who had cooked from scratch their entire lives; women who survived the Depression. They knew how to make delicacies like wild Muscadine jelly and how mix up a little flour, eggs, and water and create a feast. But during the holidays they, along with my mother, would go all out. Cookies and pies for days, y’all. And the best part was they always let me help.

I can clearly remember my maternal grandmother’s wonderful butter-stained recipe cards and her wrinkled hands in the dough, flour in the crevices of her silver wedding rings. Her kitchen was tiny and her movements precise. She’d give me eggs to whisk or flour to sift, and if I ever drove her crazy being so small and underfoot she never let me know about it. Providing me with an opportunity to fall in love with cooking was more important to her than a clean kitchen.

When I think of my mother baking, I recall her moving around her own small kitchen like a speed skater, the constant swish of the athletic pants she was so found of wearing in her last years, and surrounded by three different cookies in various stages of completion. She had this wonderful and weird quirk of baking at all nontraditional times of the day. Come Christmas time she was likely to be whipping up cookies into the wee morning hours, and more often than not, even as a young girl, I’d be up with her. It was way past my bedtime, of course. But she knew those magical moments of midnight alchemy were worth infinitely more than following bedtime rules for their sake alone.

When my sons were first learning to speak and their words were few and (adorably) far between, they called any muffin, cookie, or biscuit I made a “mama cracker.” I’ve always marveled at their creative and highly descriptive use of limited language, including their short stint referring to ice cubes as “water crackers.” But the phrase “Mama cracker” was especially touching. They’d watched me make these baked goods and therefore named them after me. Such a name wasn’t just creative use of limited language. It was an idea funneled through a sieve.

According to Miriam Webster, the word “alchemy” has a few definitions, including the more historic concept of medieval chemical science, which involved a “speculative philosophy aiming to achieve the transmutation of the base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life.” But it’s also a word meaning “a power or process of transforming something common into something special,” and/or “an inexplicable or mysterious transmuting.” What is baking if not the process of transforming of something common (flour, eggs, milk) into something special? And, beyond that, baking has become one of my many attempts to mysteriously (or blatently) transmute stories from one generation to the next.

My mother and both grandmothers are gone now, and the holidays are, at best, bittersweet days reminding me of this deep loss. They weren’t perfect people, but they were the women who taught me about being a woman, and I’ve learned that baking is one way I can channel the sadness of this loss into a more peaceful memory. I see my grandmother’s hands in my own, and I’ve clearly inherited my mother’s curse of kitchen multi-tasking and late night baking. Not nearly as patient as the women who came before me, I try to remember to shrug off the mess as my sons’ attempts at stirring sends a large cloud of flour into the air and onto the floor. When they break the egg with too much force, sending the shells into the mixing bowl, I get a fork and pick them out. After all, this is how they’ll learn to love the magic of baking, which is something I really want for them as men. And such pilfering through such childhood memories may be one of the ways they’ll one day search for me when I’m gone. I’d rather not be remembered as the woman who freaked out about broken eggs.

54 | savvy kids December 2012

Kitchen Alchemy

By Meredith Martin-Moats

Concerned About Your Child’s Development?

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grow, learn, develop & dream grow, learn, develop & dream

Friendship Community Care’s MiChild Enrichment Center in Bryant, Arkansas, serves children aged 6 weeks to kindergarten transition through Early Intervention Services, a CHMS program, a DDTCS program, and an ABC Program. We provide needed speech/language, occupational, physical, developmental, and behavioral therapies in a structured preschool setting as well as on an outpatient basis. Supplementary therapies for school-aged children are also available at our site. To discuss eligibility for any of our services, please contact us at 501-847-9711. 908 North Reynolds Road, Bryant, AR 72202 For information on other locations and services visit the Friendship Community Care website, www.friendshipcommunitycare.org facebook/fccare • twitter/fccare

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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POP TOPICS

Nobody told me this stuff:

Cars,Cornbread & Kindness

By Robert Bell Illustration by Bryan Moats This month, I don’t have any sort of overarching theme or anything, just a few observations as the leaves pile up in the yard, the air turns cooler and the year winds down.

Cars — they’re great, right? I love them, you love them, my little boy is now fully obsessed with them. And also cornbread. He ate a shocking amount of cornbread the other night.

But seriously, he’s just over-the-moon for four-wheeled vehicles. Probably nine mornings out of 10, the first word out of his mouth when I go to get him out of the crib is: “Car!” And then he points out the window, because hey, that’s where the cars are. They’re out there. Then we go back into mom and dad’s room and open the blinds and look at the cars outside.

We sit on the front porch swing a lot and watch the cars drive by. He dutifully points out each one. “Car,” he says, as the Camry or CRV or F-150 drives by.

I love watching his face as he watches the cars go by. He stares with uncorrupted and utter fascination. I can imagine the little gears turning in his head. “What is that thing? It’s going so fast, that is awesome! Car!” And in the morning, he’s so excited because he’s been thinking and dreaming about cars all night long.

His amazement is not limited to actual vehicles. He points out drawings and photos of cars with equal gusto. He has a picture book with a car on the front.

He pulls that book off the shelf and lays it on the floor and just hammers his forefinger onto the car, going “Car! Car! Car!” There’s a purity and a simplicity to his amazement that is beautiful to me. I often wish that I could be that enthralled with something. Then I

remember that I am, and that it’s him. And then I remember that it won’t always be like that. He’ll get older, and cars will likely become less captivating.

And while I’ll always love him, it’ll get more complicated. He’ll misbehave and test me. We’ll have arguments. I’ll have to ground him. He’ll be a teenager someday and he’ll tell me that I don’t understand, that I don’t know what it’s like. And he won’t be able to appreciate that I do understand and I do know what it’s like.

But all that’s quite a ways off yet. For the time being, we’ll sit on the porch and watch the cars go by.

Being a parent often leads you to say — or scream, as the case may be — combinations of words that would probably sound funny to an impartial observer, things like, “Where the @#$% is Mr. Bunny!?!” or “I need a clean nipple! Why are all these nipples dirty?”

The flipside of this is that once your young’uns start to talking, they’ll say all manner of crazy, mortifying things in front of strangers. I remember back in probably the spring of 1983, we’d taken a vacation down to San Antonio.

As we were filling up the car at a gas station and getting ready to head back home, my younger brother realized that we’d left his pillow, “Baby” was its name, back at the hotel. This naturally caused a Stage Five Meltdown, with my brother sobbing at top volume, “We left Baby at the hotel! We left Baby at the hotel! We have to go get him!” My poor parents had to explain to the wide-eyed couple at the next gas pump that “Baby” was actually the name of a pillow and that there would be no need to jot down our license plate number to turn into DHS. The other day, I had to run into Kroger for a few things. Those things were: diapers, toilet paper, beer and a frozen pizza. The lines were all long, even at the self-checkout. My wife and my boy were waiting out in the car. There was a guy in front of me, probably a couple years my senior, who had a full shopping cart. A spot had just opened up. He gave me a glance, saw what I had in my hand and said, “Hey man, go ahead.”

“Seriously?” I asked him.

“Yeah man,” he said. “I’ve been there.”

I said thanks and quickly paid for my stuff. It wasn’t a huge deal, just one of those small turns of kindness that can have a big effect on one’s opinion of the state of the world.

56 | savvy kids December 2012

e de 2012

Hometown Holiday Lights

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in Burns park

Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season from the office of

Dr. Steven Ray

Start a new family tradition by visiting the Hometown Holiday Lights in Burns Park.

Enjoy classic lighting displays of the past along with new, state of the art LED lights.

November 26th thru December 30th 6 pm till 10 pm

d

(Closed Christmas Day)

e

North Little R ock

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5 per Car $10 per Van $15 per Bus 501.753.7307 • www.nlrpr.org

$

All Aboard!!

All Abo All Aboard!!

Lionels at Laman at Lionels Lionels at Laman The BesT DenTisTry AT The MosT AfforDABle Price

1 3 13er emb DecDecDec emb ember 13-31 er 13-31

December 13-31

(501) 312-1127

11811 Hinson Road, Suite 200 • Little Rock

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DECember 2012 savvy kids

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June’s Hallmark 501.907.8025 • 11525 Cantrell Rd. • Little Rock • Find Us on Facebook LIFE IS GOOD® IS NOT AVAILABLE IN ALL LOCATIONS

AT & T • Bar Louie • Belk • Beyond Cotton • Bonefish Grill Chick-Fil-A • Chipotle • Cobblestone & Vine Coming Home Interiors • Cupcakes On The Ridge • The Dog Bowl Easy Runner • Embellish • Faux Paus • Forsythe’s • The Fresh Market Glo Limited • Hallmark • Huntington Learning Center Ideal Image •Istanbul Mediterranean Restaurant • Jeante Kristin Todd • Learning Express Toys • M2 Gallery • Match Point Merle Norman • Orange Leaf Yogurt • The Muse • Panera Bread Pigtails & Crewcuts • Pinky Punky • Planet Beach • Powder & Smoke Roberson’s Fine Jewelry • Rose Spa • Scarlet • Sky Modern Japanese Solemates • The Toggery • Tuck & Cover • Unique Threading • Vesta’s Vivid Designs • Warren’s • Broadway Performance • Carino’s Farmers Insurance • Far East • J.Duke • Oasis Tanning Salon Frisor Mina • Studio XS Salon • Schickel’s Cleaners The Ridge Wine & Spirits • Vanness • Santo Cayote

11525 Cantrell road • little roCk 501.225.7807 www.pleasantridgetowncenter.com

“Like” Us On Facebook www.facebook.com/pleasantridgetowncenter 58 | savvy kids December 2012

join us facebook.com/savvykids

ACTING • MODELING • DANCE • VOICE

We train

tomorrow’s stars

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Broadway Performance

CALL TODAY TO GET ONE FREE COMPLEMENTARY CLASS

501.804.3722

11610 Pleasant Ridge Road, Suite 101 • West Little Rock

Join us for our

Lower School Open House K3 - 6th Grade

Wednesday, January 16th 9:00 am Make your reservation online: www.ArkansasBaptistSchoolSystem.com or by calling 227-7070 ext. 355.

Reservations appreciated by January 11th.

To schedule an Upper School Shadow Day or Private Tour, call 868-5121 ext. 221 or email drogers@abhs.org.

Arkansas Baptist Trust Us With Their Minds. We’ll Give Them Our

Hearts.

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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BOOK OF THE MONTH The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree: An Appalachian Story Written by Gloria Houston, Illustrated by Barbara Cooney Acclaimed author Gloria Houston has written a tale that is as joyful and timeless as Christmas itself. Jewel-like paintings by two-time Caldecott Medal winner Barbara Cooney capture all of the season’s warmth and mountain flavor. “A heartwarming holiday story, simply told and graced with true sentiment rather than sentimentality.”--Kirkus Reviews.

Age Level: 5 and up

A Wish to Be A Christmas Tree Written by Colleen Monroe, Illustrated by Michael G. Monroe This charming tale of an overgrown pine that was always passed over for Christmas, and what his woodland friends do to help him, is sure to become a holiday classic for years to come. With delightful illustrations by wildlife artist Michael Glenn Monroe and enchanting text by Colleen Monroe.

Age Level: 4 and up

APP OF THE MONTH

Elly’s Christmas $.99

Description Elly the Reindeer is back in her 12th adventure in a seasonal special! It’s Christmas Eve and Elly is rushing about making preparations for the big day because she has invited all her friends round to spend Christmas with her. Wrapping presents, preparing food, decorating the tree, it’s all a bit of a rush and Elly goes to bed quite exhausted…but she awoken by a bump in the night – what or who could it be!!

This latest Elly adventure captures the childhood thrill of both Christmas Eve and the day itself! With light interactivity and optional narration your child will delight in meeting Elly and all her cute friends, and will want to read the simple, fun, easy-to-follow stories again and again.

All the Elly book apps have charted in top 100 iPad books around the world and had over 25,000 downloads as well as being translated into Japanese. Regularly featured by Apple around the globe, here’s what the critics have said about the Elly apps.

This app contains NO ads, in-app purchases, push notifications, tracking, or any data collection whatsoever. This app does contain a link to their Facebook page for more information and promotion details, and links to the iTunes app store in reference to other similar apps. These links are found only on screens at the end of the app and independent of the book page screens.

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 4.0 or later.

Arvest on Ice

‘Tis the season for some holiday fun and return to Little Rock’s downtown entertainment district to celebrate all the wonder and magic of the “ARVEST on Ice” outdoor ice-skating rink.

The ice rink will open to the public Saturday Nov. 17, 2012 and run through Sunday Jan. 6, 2013. Skating rink hours will be Monday through Friday from 4-9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday from noon-8 p.m. Entry fees will be $9 per person including tax and skate rental, with children ages four and under free with paid adult admission. The Arkansas Skatium and their personnel have been secured to facilitate daily operations of the rink.

Group discounts as well as musical and choral performance opportunities are currently available. For more information, please contact the River Market at (501) 375-2552. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact the DTLRP at (501) 375-0121.

For more information on the ARVEST on Ice winter celebration please visit www.HolidaysinLittleRock.com. This holiday website will be a “one-stop shop” as holiday plans and festivities through out the entire city firm up from now through New Year’s Eve. 60 | savvy kids December 2012

SAVVY ARTS

Young Artist Art Exhibit

By Emily Griffin

For those art lovers looking to find the next up and coming artists, look no further than the Young Artist Art Exhibit which will be held December 8, at 6 p.m. at the Canvas Community Art Gallery, 1111 West 7th Street in Little Rock.

Art teacher Jamie Freyaldenhoven will present the artwork of around 40 of her talented students. The artwork showcased was created during the spring, summer and fall sessions of the Young Artist classes.

“Each student will have 3-4 of their best pieces displayed,” Freyaldenhoven explained. Each piece is two dimensional and were created using various mediums.

Freyaldenhoven, a single mom who teaches art on the side, said she tries to allow the students to create art using acrylics, watercolor, pencil, “a little bit of everything.” She said she teaches the basics of art along with the fundamentals and adds a touch of art history every now and again. “I try to

teach each lesson with a famous piece of art or style,” Freyaldenhoven said.

“Students come away with fabulous art and a good art education,” she explained. “I believe art is something everyone can do and experience. It’s a place where we can all shine.”

Freyaldenhoven has a degree in art history and said her junior high and high school art teacher really inspired her to pursue this career. “She is a very good artist. She inspired me and has become a very good friend.”

“Pablo Picasso said ‘Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life…’ And I get to do this daily. What a lucky girl I am,” Freyaldenhoven said.

If you are interested in learning more about the upcoming Young Artist Art Exhibit, or art lessons, contact Jamie Freyaldenhoven at jfreyaldenhoven@ sterneagee.com.

Coming Up in the Arts:

Celtic Crossroads in“A Celtic Christmas”

Celtic Crossroads is an explosion of youthful energy and dazzling musicianship. Celtic Crossroads abounds with fusions of traditional Irish music, bluegrass, gypsy and jazz, pulsating with the rhythms of exciting Irish dance percussion. Spontaneous mid show ovations are the nor, and enraptured Celtic Crossroads audiences are always compelled to should and SHOUT for more. Their Christmas show brings a delightful blend of Celtic and traditional Christmas spirit to the stage.

The performance is presented by Conway Printing Company and will take place at the Reynolds Performance Hall, 201 Donaghey Ave., Conway, on Sunday, December 9 at 3 p.m. For more information, call 501-450-3682.

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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KIDS EAT FREE

Kids Eat FREE!

Below is a listing of locations and days in which kids, 12 and under, can eat free with a paid adult (unless otherwise noted).

EVERY DAY

TUESDAY

CICI’S PIZZA Ages 3 and under eat free at buffet.

• Conway: 1250 Old Morrilton Hwy, 764-0600 • Hot Springs: 3321 Central Avenue, 321-2400 • Jacksonville: 120 John Harden Dr, Jacksonville, 241-2224 • North Little Rock: 2815 Lakewood Village Dr, 753-1182

BEEF O BRADY’S 4 p.m.-close.

• Maumelle:115 Audubon Dr., 803-3500

JJ’s Grill Free kid’s meal with the purchase of adult meal for kids 12 and under (all day).

Conway: 1010 Main Street

THE BALL DENNY’SHOPE RESTAURANT

March 10: The10Hope Ball is an annual gala event hosted by 4-7 p.m.

Ages and under. the 20th Century to raise funding for the continued • Little Rock: 4300Club S University, 562-5651 operation of the 20th Century Club’s Lodge. The 2012 Ball, themed “Garden of Hope”, will be held in the GOLDEN CORRAL Ages 3 and under eat freeCenter, at buffet.

Discounted prices The Statehouse Convention Wally Allen Ballroom.

Tuesday. for kids on elegant evening will include both live and silent auctions, Little Rock:dinner, 5001 Warden a• North delicious seated cocktails,Road, and 771-4605 dancing until midnight. For more information call 501-907-1760 or visit LARRY’S PIZZA www.hopeawayfromhome.org.

Ages 4 and under.

• Bryant: 4500 Hwy. 5 North, 847-5003 • Conway: 1068 Markham, 329-3131

• Little Rock: 12th & Center St., 372-6004; 12911 Cantrell Rd., 224-8804 San Francisco Bread Co. One FREE Kid’s Meal with the purchase of Adult Meal, after 5 p.m.

• Hot Springs: 261 Cornerstone Blvd., 525-7322 ZAXBY’S 5 p.m.-close, dine-in only.

• Jacksonville: 209 Marshall Rd., 241-0546 • Maumelle: 104 Carnahan Dr., 851-9777 • Sherwood: 208 Brookswood Rd., 833-9777

MONDAY

American Pie Pizza Kids eat free after 4 p.m.

• Little Rock: 10912 Colonel Glenn Rd., 225-1900 • Maumelle: 9709 Maumelle Blvd., 758-8800 • North Little Rock: 4830 N. Hills Blvd., 753-0081 CHICK-FIL-A First and third Monday of each month.

• North Little Rock: 3929 McCain Blvd, 945-1818 NYPD Pizza Free Kids entree, for children ages 10 and under, with the purchase of adult entree. Dine-in only, 4-6 p.m.

• Little Rock: 6015 Chenonceau Blvd., 868-3911 SHORTY SMALL’S Up to two kids meals free per paying adult.

• Conway: 1475 Hogan Ln, 764-0604 • Little Rock: 1110 N. Rodney Parham, 224-3344 • North Little Rock: 4317 Warden Rd, 753-8111 TA MOLLY’S 5-9 p.m.

• Bryant: 206 W. Commerce St., 653-2600 62 | savvy kids December 2012

Arkansas Burger Company One free kid’s meal per adult meal.

Dine-in only, 5:30-9 p.m.

• Little Rock: 7410 Cantrell Road, 663-0600

MOOYAH BURGER One free kid's meal with the purchase of adult meal.

• Little Rock: 14810 Cantrell Rd., 868-1091 NYPD Pizza Free Kids entree, for children ages 10 and under, with the purchase of adult entree. Dine-in only, 4-6 p.m.

• Little Rock: 6015 Chenonceau Blvd., 868-3911 DENNY’S RESTAURANT 4-7 p.m. Ages 10 and under.

• Little Rock: 310 S. Shackleford Rd., 224-8264 JIM’S Razorback Pizza Kids 12 and under receive a FREE six inch pizza with the purchase of an adult entree (Dine-in only).

• Little Rock: 16101 Cantrell Rd. • Maumelle: 20608 Hwy 365 North • Hot Springs: 4330 Central Ave. LONESTAR STEAKHOUSE 4 p.m.-close.

• Little Rock:10901 Rodney Parham, 227-8898 PIZZA HUT 5-8 p.m.. Dine in only.

• Little Rock: 11410 W. Markham St., 228-7000 Stromboli’s One FREE Kid’s Meal (12 or under) per adult meal purchased at regular price. Kids may choose from the Kid’s Menu or Pizza By-the-Slice with up to two toppings.

Dine-in only. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

• Conway: 605 Salem Rd., 327-3700

WEDNESDAY

FAMOUS DAVE’S 4 p.m.-close.

• Little Rock: 225 North Shackleford Road, 221-3283 FIREHOUSE SUBS • Bryant: 3108 Horizon St., 653-3700 • Little Rock: 12312 Chenal Pkwy., 228-5553; 10300 Rodney Parham, 225-2001 • Maumelle: 11617 Maumelle Blvd., 753-9898 • North Little Rock: 2811 Lakewood Village Dr., 812-5002 LARRY’S PIZZA 4-8 p.m. With purchase of one adult meal, up to two kids get a small one topping pizza, drink, and $1 in tokens.

• Cabot: 2798 South Second Street, 843-7992

JIM’S Razorback Pizza Kids 12 and under receive a FREE six inch pizza with the purchase of an adult entree (Dine-in only).

• Little Rock: 16101 Cantrell Rd. • Maumelle: 20608 Hwy 365 North • Hot Springs: 4330 Central Ave. Western Sizzlin Up to 2 children eat Free with the purchase of an adult meal.

• Benton: 1916 Congo Rd., 778-9656

THURSDAY

CAPTAIN D’s • Benton: 1419 Military Rd, 778-7909 • Hot Springs: 1906 Central St., 321-4288 • Jacksonville: 1109 West Main St., 982-3330 • Little Rock: 6301 Colonel Glen Rd., 568-6244 • North Little Rock: 5320 JFK Blvd., 758-5144 Mexico Chiquito One FREE kid's meal per adult entree for kids 12 and under (Dine-in only).

• Conway: 1135 Skyline Dr., 205-1985 • Jacksonville: 1524 W. Main St., 982-0533 • Little Rock: 13924 Cantrell, 217-0700; 102 S. Rodney Parham, 224-8600; 4511 Camp Robinson, 771-1604; 11406 W. Markham, 217-0647 MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL 4 p.m.-close. One free kids meal with paid adult meal.

• Bryant: 7409 Alcoa Rd., 778-3111 • Conway: 625 Salem Rd., 336-6500 • Little Rock: 12312 Chenal Pkwy., 223-3378 • North Little Rock: 4834 North Hills Blvd., 812-5577

SATURDAY

BOSTON’S GOURMET PIZZA RESTAURANT • Little Rock: 3201 Bankhead Dr., 235-2000 LUBY’S CAFETERIA • Little Rock: 12501 West Markham, 219-1567

SUNDAY

BOSTON’S GOURMET PIZZA RESTAURANT • Little Rock: 3201 Bankhead Dr., 235-2000 DENNY’S RESTAURANT 4-7 p.m. Ages 10 and under.

• Little Rock: 310 S. Shackleford Rd., 224-8264 CORKY’S Kid's meals 1/2 off.

4 p.m.-close.

• Little Rock: 12005 Westhaven Dr., 954-7427

If you would like to add your Kids Eat Free information to this list, contact us at 501-375-2985.

SAVVY RECIPE

Rudolph Donuts

! e e r f t kids ea s y a d s r thu ions cat

At Dine-In Lo

By Emily Griffin

After you are woken up at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning to the sounds of little feet running down the hallway to see if Santa came, you aren’t going to want to cook a big breakfast. These simple Rudolph Donuts take a few minutes to create and are sure to sweeten the memories of your holiday.

Ingredients: Mini Chocolate Frosted Donuts Mini Pretzles Candy for embellishments (we used Sixlets and Tic Tac candies) Directions: Start by laying your donut flat on a plate and place a red colored Sixlets candy in the donut’s center. Then place two Tic Tac candies above the center to make the reindeer’s eyes. Finally, break your mini pretzels in two to make the antlers and stick one end into each side of the donut.

Best cheese Dip

Note: I’ve also seen these donuts decorated with M&M candies for the nose and piped frosting for the eyes.

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13924 Cantrell Rd.

2 cheese dip $

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Large or Extra Large

1524 W. Main St.

Little Rock • 501-217-0700

Jacksonville • 501-982-0533

Mex-To-Go • 501-217-0647

Conway • 501-205-1985

11406 W. Markham St.

4511 Camp Robinson Rd.

1135 Skyline Dr.

North Little Rock • 501-771-1604

mexicochiquito.net DECember 2012 savvy kids

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littlebites LITTLE BITES

NYPD Pizza

The dough is made in the store daily and baked fresh to order. This is why the restaurant always smells like fresh baked bread.”

NYPD offers a full New York Deli Menu in addition to their pizzas. Homemade Lasagna and Bolognese are popular pasta dishes as well as their organic baby green salads. Greek, Cobb, Chef, Blue Cheese with Candied Pecans and more. Calzones, freshly baked Stromboli’s, Sausage and Veggie Rolls are award winning and top sellers, too.

After dinner kids enjoy Zeppolies - fried dough coated in powdered sugar. Susan and Ron also own the Self Serve Frozen Yogurt shop “Loganberry” next door and offer those who have dined at NYPD a discount on yogurt. For a real treat also try one of their gourmet hot chocolates, made with fresh steamed milk and creams, shaved premium chocolates and home made whip cream.

A full menu can be found at www. nypdpizzeria.com or facebook/nypdpizzalittlerock.

Overlooking what is now a colorful and picturesque fall view of the lush Chenal Valley in West Little Rock, owner managed NYPD Pizza remains a warm and friendly neighborhood pizza bistro for the entire family. Active in the daily operation, owners Ron and Susan often welcome their guests by name.

Children are entertained by watching the chefs ‘throw’ pizza dough in the air. At the table they receive crayons, coloring sheets, and NYPD Pizza tattoo stickers. Unless the Razorbacks are on, at least one of the many big screens offer Nickelodeon or the family channel.

The pizza receives rave reviews from the entire family for its superior taste unlike the mass-market fast food pizzas. This is due to the freshness of the product and premium ingredients. Owner Susan explains, “we buy fresh produce for our pizza toppings and slice it all in house.

64 | savvy kids December 2012

So, what did we order?

The Whole Family

Yonkers sticks with marinara and ranch for an appetizer

oN the MeNU

Joshua and Sarah

½ Sausage Pizza “I love that it has so much sausage in big pieces! A lot of times we go to Loganberry afterward and I have expresso yogurt for dessert.” – Joshua Redmond “I like the sauce better than anywhere else.”

– Sarah Redmond

Specials include ‘Two for Tuesday”, one free 14” cheese pizza with purchase of any other pizza, as well as a children’s menu with $4.99 meal options. Slices are also offered for $.99 during lunch hours.

Fried ravioli Dawn Redmond

Pasta Aglio E Olia (Pasta with Olive Oil and Garlic) and Greek Salad “I always ask for extra garlic and the kitchen always accommodates. It’s my favorite dish! It’s really hard to find good Italian like mom’s.” – Dawn

Fresh Garlic Knots Pasta Marinara with Meatballs Meatlovers Pizza stroMboli Powdered suGar zePPoles

David Redmond

½ Sausage and Onion Side of Pizza “I love their food and the conversation. I spend a lot of time talking politics, business and running with Ron and John, our server.” – David

6015 Chenonceau Boulevard Little Rock (501) 868-3911

EAT All Aboard Restaurant and Grill is a FUN family restaurant that serves fresh food in a unique way – via the All Aboard train! Whether it is the veggie burger, home-cut fries or strawberry salad, each meal is made to order with the freshest ingredients. Where possible, we use locally and organically grown ingredients. Then we get your food to you fresh – whisked along a complex rail system right to your table. One Free Kids Meal with the purchase of an adult meal. Monday through Friday only. Must present this ad. Offer Expires 12/31/12. One coupon per customer/transaction.

HERE! Each month, Savvy Kids will feature some of central Arkansas’ tasty, family-friendly restaurants, including special offers for Savvy Kids readers. If your restaurant would like to be included, call us at 501-375-2985.

Cantrell Rd., Little Rock. 501-975-7401 www.all-aboardrestaurant.com

Colton’s Steak House & Grill is a fullservice restaurant with a fun, casual atmosphere where guests can snack on all the peanuts you can eat. We serve choice hand-cut steaks, ribs, chicken and seafood, as well as salads and burgers. Meals are served with hot homemade yeast rolls and lunch specials are available during the week. We offer a kids menu for children 12 and under. Entrées COLTON’S GIFT CARDS MAKE THE PERFECT GIFT! include a healthy choice of side, roll and a drink.

Free Kids Meal: Limit one child 12 or under per adult entrée purchased. Select kids entrées from the kids menu only. For a limited time at Cabot location only. Must present coupon to redeem offer. Expires December 31, 2012.

195 Northport Dr. Cabot. 501-843-1905 www.ColtonsSteakHouse.com

American Pie Pizza is a family owned operation. Our pizzas are thin crust, and considered by some as the best around. We only use the freshest ingredients on all of our items.

Our salads can be a meal and the sandwiches are sure to fill you up. Check out the menu for all the great choices. There is something for everyone. We hope you delight in our food and our staff and have an enjoyable visit as our guests at American Pie Pizza. Kids Eat Free Every Monday! See you at “The Pie”. www.americanpiepizza.net

Maumelle: 9709 Maumelle Blvd (501) 758-8800 North Little Rock: 4830 N Hills Blvd (501) 753-0081 Little Rock: 10912 Colonel Glenn Rd (501) 225-1900

Loganberry Frozen Yogurt Kids craving Ice Cream? Satisfy their desire with a healthy alternative at Loganberry Frozen Yogurt. Made fresh in Russellville, AR, in a boutique dairy farm, Loganberry Yogurt is cultured, probiotic yogurt with real fruit purees and natural ingredients. Fresh berries and fruit, nuts, and granola are some of the 50+ toppings at Loganberry Frozen Yogurt topping bar. 12 delicious, low fat, low sugar flavors range from Triple Dark Chocolate to Pink Lemonade sorbet. Treat your family to a healthy dessert they can have fun serving themselves.

Dempsey Bakery The holidays are upon us! Find all of your holiday goodies here. You’ll be glad you did! We offer a variety of 100% gluten, wheat, soy and nut-free foods, including pizzas, cakes, pies, cupcakes, cookies, and more—all made fresh daily! Plus, their entire staff is ready to answer your questions about their products or about the benefits of eating gluten-free. Stop in today! Dempsey Bakery has your Gluten-Free holidays covered!

US Pizza We pride ourselves in offering our guests the very best pizza, salads and sandwiches, and we value your patronage. Our oldfashioned stone hearth ovens are one of the reasons our pizzas are worth the wait. From our Salad Supreme to our spicy Trey’s Chloroplast Blast pizza, you won’t find our award winning original creations anywhere else.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s menu boasts bold, flavorful food and smoothies with a healthy appeal. Our food and smoothies are made to order with fresh ingredients. Our smoothies are made from superior simple ingredients including real fruit and natural sugar. Our toasted wraps, bistro sandwiches, grilled flatbreads, and gourmet salads are made fresh with high quality meats and cheeses; and topped with fresh produce and flavorful sauces. Combine that with a fun atmosphere and friendly hospitality and you see why people return again and again!

Sign up for Club Tropical absolutely free for special offers, freebies & more! Follow us on Twitter @tscarkansas for even more great rewards.

Order online at order.TropicalSmoothie.com

6015 Chenonceau Blvd., Little Rock. 501-868-8194 www.facebook.com/LoganberryFrozenYogurt

Little Rock: Heights, Hillcrest, Fair Park, Rodney Parham; North Little Rock: Pike, Fair Park, JFK Maumelle • Sherwood • Conway • Bryant • Fayetteville www.uspizzaco.net

323 Cross St., Little Rock. (501) 375-2257 dempseybakery.com Open Tuesday-Friday from 10am-6pm and 9am-3pm Saturday.

Little Rock • North Little Rock • Maumelle • Conway • Jacksonville

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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DECEMBER 2012 SAVVY CALENDAR

NOVEMBER 5TH ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF LIGHTS December 1: The Promenade at Chenal 5th Annual Celebration of Lights will start at noon and last until 6 p.m. There will be a Santa & Mrs. Claus Parade. There is a new animated tree with music from Trans Siberian Orchestra. There will be a Gift Card Grab Bag Giveaway, Prizes, and more. This event will be supporing Make-A-Wish Foundation.

TREE TRIMMING PARTY December 1: Children of all ages will enjoy making and decorating the tree in the Children’s Department. Event time: 2 p.m. Event location: William F. Laman Public Library. For more information call 501-758-1720 or visit www.lamanlibrary.org.

SANTA AT THE CENTER December 1: This holiday season, the Clinton Center will host FREE holiday activities including fun art projects and special holiday entertainment, with a guest appearance by Santa. Every child will receive a complimentary framed photo with Santa. Kids can decorate holiday cards, and enjoy tasty treats as we celebrate the season. Santa at the Clinton Center is FREE for all ages, but regular admission fees apply to tour the Presidential Library. Event time: 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. For more information visit www.clintonpresidentialcenter.org.

JACK & JILL BREAKFAST WITH SANTA December 1: Come have breakfast with Santa at Martin Luther King Elementary.

Event time: 9 a.m. For more information contact Nanci Armstrong at 501416-3001.

LR LACROSSE WINTER SESSION December 1: Little Rock Lacrosse is hosting a winter development session for boys and girls ages 7 thru 17. We have highly trained coaches who are eager to help expand the sport of Lacrosse in Central Arkansas. Event location: Fellowship Bible Church Fields. Event time: 8 a.m. For more information e-mail littlerocklacrosse@gmail.com.

TITANIC CHRISTMAS & WINTER CELEBRATION December 1 thru 24: Inside and out, Titanic is magical during the winter holidays. The sights, sounds, and joy of the season are sure to hail the arrival of Christmas 2012. Titanic will join the Branson community November 1 to 66 | savvy kids December 2012

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kick off the 23rd Ozark Mountain Christmas with the official lighting ceremonies. You’re invited to stop by November thru December for Titanic’s holiday spirit. The ship will be aglow. Come exchange greetings with the jolly Titanic crew or enjoy the glittering lights and the festive decorations. The Titanic Gift Shop will be open every day, including free public access to hundreds of unique Titanic Christmas gift ideas and collectibles for the 100th year of Titanic. At this special time of year, visitors in the tens of thousands make annual pilgrimages to this special community, earning Branson national recognition as one of the top 10 Christmas destination in America. Make it yours! For more information contact 800-381-7670.

MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY: DESIGN ZONE December 1 thru 29: Design Zone is presented at the Museum of Discovery through the Arkansas Discovery Network, a statewide museum consortium funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, and will be on exhibit through December 2, 2012. Design Zone is a highly interactive, hands-on exhibition where visitors can explore a variety of creative concepts to learn the processes and tools needed to create a successful design. It is organized into three thematic zones, all highlighting the importance of science and mathematical thinking in areas critical to building creativity and innovation art, music, and engineering. Hours: 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission: $10 adults, $8 ages 1-12, under 12 months get in FREE. For more information call 501-396-7050 or visit www.amod.org.

SHERWOOD’S ENCHANTED FOREST TRAIL OF HOLIDAY LIGHTS December 1 thru 30: Sherwood’s Enchanted Forest Trail of Holiday Lights offers over 92 lighted displays. This drivethru trail of lights is over a mile long. Donations are welcome. Everyone receives a candy cane. For more information call 501-833-3790.

38TH TOYS DESIGNED BY ARTISTS December 1 thru 31: The Toys Designed

by Artists exhibition engages museum visitors, delighting young and old alike.

In 1973, the Arkansas Arts Center initiated an exhibition of toys designed by artists. Inspired by Alexander Calder’s circus figures of the late 1920s and early 1930s, this exhibition was launched

to stimulate the imagination of both children and adults and to engage them with toys of whimsy, delight and good craftsmanship. The tradition continues this season with the 38th Toys Designed

by Artists. This international juried exhibition challenges artists to take the concept of “toy” and make a personal expression-a piece of art. The wildly inventive toys selected often hearken back to the days before plastic and mass production, when all toys were handmade and, whether simple or elaborate, engaged the imagination of both maker and users. Admission is FREE. For more information call 501-372-4000.

GARVAN WOODLAND GARDENS – LIGHTS ON THE LANDSCAPE December 1 thru 31: More than 1.8 million holiday lights will illuminate Garvan Woodland Gardens daily from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. each evening, transforming the woodland landscape into a winter wonderland of delight. The display is one of Arkansas’ most impressive holiday events.

Admission: $10 for adults, $5 for children 6 to 12 years old and children 5 and under get in FREE. Dogs are welcome with a $5 fee. Golf cart rides are available on a first come, first serve basis for a fee of $10 in addition to the holiday lights admission. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information call 501262-9300 or visit www.hotsprings.org.

RIVER MARKET ICE RINK December 1 thru January 6: The ice rink will be in the River Market Pavilions again this year. For dates of operation and times, visit www.holidaysinlittlerock.com.

Tickets $9 for ages 5 and up (which includes taxes) for 60 minutes and includes skates. Children (4) four and under are FREE. Ticket sales will cease one hour prior to the closing time. Group discount of $1 per ticket for groups of 15 or more.

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE December 2: Admission is FREE at the Old State House Museum for this holiday delight. Join us for carols, cookies, and family fun starting at 1 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. For more information call 501-3249685 or visit www.oldstatehouse.com.

CURBSIDE COUTURE FASHION SHOW December 2: Calling all Fashion Designers! Fashion designers and high school

students, ninth through twelfth grades, will have the opportunity to showcase and sell their own creations at “Curbside Couture”, a fashion show to be held at the Clinton Center. The three categories of designs include accessories; single ready-to-wear, which must be a garment that has been creatively redesigned or recycled; and total design, which is a complete outfit creatively redesigned or recycled. A noted fashion stylist will select the items included in the fashion show, but all participating students are invited to sell their designs during “Curbside Couture.” Teachers of art and other subjects are asked to initiate, invite, and work with their students who wish to participate in the event.

Students will also have the opportunity to work with fashion designers including Korto Momolu, a “Project Runway” first runner-up. Space is limited. Event time: 6:30 p.m. Event place: Great Hall in the Clinton Center. For more information call 501-374-4242 or visit www. clintonpresidentialcenter.org.

45TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS FROLIC AND OPEN HOUSE December 2: Come out to the Historic Arkansas Museum for hot cider, ginger cake, dancing in the Grog Shop, Blacksmithing demonstrations, living history performances, pioneer games, and more. There will be music by Arkansas Country Dance Band, Lark in the Morning, Roaming Fiddlers, Carolers, and more. Admission is FREE. Event time: 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. For more information call 501-324-9351 or visit www.historicarkansas.org.

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE AT MOSAIC TEMPLARS December 2: You’re invited to join us for a one-of-a-kind holiday celebration featuring music by local choirs, children’s activities, refreshments, and our first-ever Sweet Potato Pie Contest. Bring the whole family for an afternoon of fun!

Event time: 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. Event location: Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (9th and Broadway, Little Rock). For more information call 501-683-3593 or visit www.mosaictemplarscenter.com.

LITTLE ROCK WIND SYMPHONY PRESENTS “A CHRISTMAS CAROL” December 6: Join the Little Rock Wind Symphony for your favorite Christmas carols. Enjoy stunning soloists and the beautiful sounds of the LRWS brass choir.

And don’t miss your chance to sing along with the LRWS. Soloists include

CHRISTMAS LANE December 7 thru 9: Celebrate the holidays with FREE family fun at First Assembly of North Little Rock Church (4501 Burrow Drive)! Your family will enjoy train rides, carriage rides, carnival rides, hot chocolate and holiday treats, photos with Santa and more on Christmas Lane! Followed by The Christmas Bucket List, a hilarious, fun-filled, multimedia production for all ages. For times and more information call 501-758-8553 or visit www.firstnlr.com.

Suzanne Loerch, mezzo soprano, Don Roberts Elementary School Children’s Choir, Basso Voce, and Karen Fannin Conducts. Admission: $10 per person, $8 for seniors, and students get in FREE. Event time: 7:30 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Event location: Second Presbyterian Church (600 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock). For more information visit www. lrwindsymphony.org.

ACCESS GARDENS AND CERAMICS HOLIDAY SALE December 7: The ACCESS Holiday Sale starts at 7:30 a.m. and runs until we sell out! Set your alarm and rise early to get the best of ACCESS Ceramics. Platters, frames, ornaments, mugs, coasters, and more colorful pieces created by ACCESS students are available at this once-a-year sale. The following ceramic lines are available. Santa, Traditional Holiday (Holly and Berries), Snowman, Tribal and Owls.

Also available are potted poinsettias, rosemary and ivy. Give your foyer, buffet or mantle a holiday boost with fresh greenery. Proceeds benefit ACCESS programs. If you’ve never attended this sale before, please trust us when we say get there on time. These cute pieces and pretty plants FLY off the tables. Event location: ACCESS Stella Boyle Smith Campus (10618 Breckenridge Drive). For more information contact Becca Green at 501-217-8600 ext. 224.

YOUNG ARTIST ART EXHIBIT December 8: This event will show case around 40 talented student’s artworks.

All students have been a part of Jamie

Freyaidenhoven’s Young Artists Classes where they learn fundamentals of art in drawing, painting, color and design with a touch of Art History. Each child will exhibit up to 4 pieces of art. Doors open up at 6 p.m. For more information contact Canvas Community at 501-414-8177.

CELEBRATION OF LIVING GIFTS December 8: What do you buy the person who has everything? How about a goat, a llama or a water buffalo? At Heifer International’s Celebration of Living Gifts, learn how sponsoring animals like these can provide food and income for hungry families. You get a handsome card to give and a hungry family gets hope. Take pictures with the animals, take hay rides through the Global Village, make ornaments and purchase gifts from around the world in our fair-trade Shop@ Heifer. Enjoy hot cocoa and cider, roasted chestnuts, make gingerbread animal cookies and warm yourself by a bonfire.

Event time: 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Event location: Heifer International at Overlook Farm. Admission: Canned goods which will be donated to a local food bank. Call 501-886-2221 for more information.

CHRISTMAS IN THE WILD December 8 and 15: Come meet Santa and enjoy cookies, hot cocoa, crispy treats, arts & crafts, and join Santa as he presents gifts to the animals. Event time: 9:30 a.m. Admission: $10 members and $15 non-members. Reservations are a must! Purchase tickets at the Zoo members’ entrance or by calling 501-

661-7218.

A CELTIC CHRISTMAS December 9: Celtic Crossroads is an explosion of youthful energy and dazzling musicianship. Their Christmas show brings a delightful blend of Celtic and traditional Christmas spirit to the stage. Event time: 3 p.m. Event location: University of Central Arkansas. For more information call 501-450-3265 or visit www.uca.edu/reynolds.com.

ADOPT A DOVE TREE December 10 thru 12: The holiday season will be here soon and Youth Home is already planning our Christmas for Kids campaign. We are looking for businesses, organizations, and families to help ensure the children at Youth Home have a wonderful Christmas. With your help and support, Youth Home’s Christmas for Kids campaign will be a success. With that in mind, we would love for you to sponsor a Youth Home Dove Tree. These small Christmas trees are decorated with special “wishes” in the form of 15 gift tag ornaments that list specific needs for the adolescents and teens at Youth Home.

We ask that each business, organization, or family purchase the items on their Dove Tree. For more information contact Larry Betz at 501-821-5500 ext. 209 or via e-mail larry.betz@youthhome.org.

FAMILY NIGHT-A “PETE THE CAT” CHRISTMAS December 11: Families are invited to enjoy holiday themed stories, songs, and games. Event time: 6:45 p.m. until 7:45

SAVVY CALENDAR

p.m. Event location: William F. Laman Public Library. For more information call 501-758-1720 or visit www.lamanlibrary.org.

MERRY CHRISTMAS CHARLIE BROWN December 14 thru 16: Come enjoy this musical theatre adaptation by Agape Church (701 Napa Valley Drive, Little Rock). Friday matinees for schools: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. must RSVP. Saturday and Sunday shows start at 6 p.m.

Admission is FREE. Agape Church is collecting non-perishable food items for the community partners if you’d like to participate. For more information call 501-225-0612.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS December 14 thru 16: A tradition for families, and always sold out, enjoy traditional Christmas carols, Arkansas stars, and special surprises that are sure to entertain the whole family. Thanks to the Entergy Kids Ticket sponsorship, all children (K-12th grade) are permitted to attend any Symphony performance on Sundays for FREE with a paying adult.

And it won’t break the bank for the adult to attend, either. Individual tickets start at just $14 and a season ticket for new subscribers is less than $7 per performance. Event place: Robinson Center Music Hall. For more information call 501-666-1761 ext. 100 or visit www. arkansassymphony.org.

3RD ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT December 16: MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History is the location for this 3rd Annual Christmas Concert in honor of Veterans, sponsored by the General T.J. Churchill Chapter , UDC. Performances by the students of Margaret Wyatt Piano and Vocal Studios.

Event time: 2 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. Donations are tax deductible. For sponsorship information please contact Kay Tatum at 501-529-3802 or via e-mail at tat1000@ sbcglobal.net.

DECember 2012 savvy kids

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Thea Foundation hosts annual dance workshop featuring Bill Hastings

SAVVY EVENTS

Photos by PATRICK JONES

Arkansas dance students had the opportunity to spend the day with world-renowned dancer/choreographer Bill Hastings. The workshops took place in Little Rock and Fayetteville during October. The Thea Foundation, Arkansas Dance Network, and the Arkansas Arts Council partner each year to facilitate this insightful and energizing experience for the dance community of Arkansas. Other sponsors for this year’s Dance Workshops are Dance and More Store and the Walton Arts Center, both in Fayetteville, and UALR’s Dance Department in Little Rock. Bill Hastings has performed in over forty musicals and plays on Broadway and in national touring productions. Bill danced under the acclaimed Bob Fosse on Broadway for years and now teaches master classes in New York and around the world in such places as the Royal Copenhagen Ballet.

Storybook Walk Photos by Rachael Kimble

Storybooks came to life during the Roosevelt Thompson Library’s Storybook Walk in October. Guests were encouraged to dress as their favorite storybook character for the event. From Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella to farm animals, kids had a blast dressing up and showing off! There was also face painting, photos with characters, games and much more!

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Mikayla Reyes Maggie & Claire Durham Drew Helmick Emma Helmick Face painting Asha Carter & Julia Carlson with Cinderella and the Prince 7. MacKenzie & Maddison Morales 8. Storybook costume fun!

9. Grant Farris 10. Abigail & Hannah Stone

68 | savvy kids December 2012

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DECember 2012 savvy kids

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Gettin’ Down for Down Syndrome

SAVVY EVENTS

Photos by Jay White

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The 8th Annual Arkansas Down Syndrome Association dance, Gettin’ Down for Down Syndrome was held recently at Sherwood Forest. Guests enjoyed a day of music, dancing, activities and fun including delicious heart-health lunch, dancing with the DJ, “Rockin’ With Elvis”, a kids ID program, Mommy Magic Clown, plus tons of games and activities. The mission of the ADSA is to promote comprehensive community based health care services for individuals in the state of Arkansas who have Down Syndrome.

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Carly Luck Khloe Richter & Landon Harris Shawn Morehart & Angela Warner Mila Wilson Erin Mahoney & Katie Mayberry Noah Childers Gage & Jacob Johnston Chris Clanton & Blake Hart Kate Julian Adrian Clanton Isaac Kinnard

Cohen Noble turns four!

Photos by Rachael Kimble

Cohen Noble celebrated his 4th birthday with his friends during an Olympic style party at The Little Gym in Little Rock.

Cohen and his friends had a blast playing games organized by the staff at The Little Gym! Whether they were hanging upside down like monkeys, playing with the parachute or tumbling on the mats, everyone had a blast! Next, Cohen and his party guests enjoyed birthday cupcakes and pizza, and opened presents.

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Cohen Noble blowing out candles!

2. Savannah Nelson 3. Tyler Armstrong 4. Tyler Armstrong & Cooper Ashberry 5. Maddie Phillips 6. Cooper Ashberry 7. Ryan Williams 8. Playtime!

9. Storytime!

10. Anniston Johnson 11. Devon Carter, Ariel Carter, & Cohen Noble 12. Kameron Hicks 70 | savvy kids December 2012

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DECember 2012 savvy kids

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Cookies and Milk with Mrs. Claus during Holiday house

SAVVY EVENTS

Photos by Teresa Dollar

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Not only could families find great deals on tons of awesome holiday items during Junior League of Little Rock’s annual Holiday House event, but visitors also had fun sharing cookies and milk with Mrs. Claus. While the youngsters ate their cookies, Mrs. Claus read aloud some of her favorite holiday stories.

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Carter, Mrs. Claus, and Savvy Baker 2. Mr.s Claus reading 3. Addison Powell 4. Rylan Kelly 5. Olivia Harris, Zoe Pitts & Taylor Lisko 6. Arden Jones with Mrs. Claus 7. Jackson Redman 8. Lisa Clark 9. Tony DiCarlo with Mrs. Claus 10. CeCe & Jr. Bennett 11. Marissa & Landon Moore

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Hunter Baker turns 11!

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Photos by Rachael Kimble

Hunter Baker celebrated his 11th birthday with his friends at Playtime Pizza in Little Rock. Hunter and his friends had a blast playing in the two story arcade! They also had the opportunity to race go-karts, play laser tag, black light mini golf and more!

Hunter’s three tier superhero birthday cake was created by Knight’s Bakery in Cabot.

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Hunter Baker Hunter and Ben Mobbs Cake by Knight’s Bakery Opening gifts Playing arcade games Hunter Baker & party guests Hunter and Savvy Baker Hunter Baker & party guests

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Abundant Life School

This Christmas, Give The Gift Of Music

“Education with a Difference”

“Our girls have been at Abundant Life since K4 and we continue to be impressed with the exceptional quality of education they are provided. The value of having excellent teachers that truly care about our children’s spiritual development as well as their educational success is priceless.”

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“Education with a Difference”

“We love the convenience of having all 3 of our kids at the same school, under the care of teachers who love them and truly want them to succeed. At Abundant Life they are provided with a high quality, biblically based education.”

– Joe & Holly Dunn

info@littlerockjams.com www.littlerockjams.com 501-312-1800

We’ve Already Saved You A Spot!

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CALL for A Tour (501) 835-3120 9200 Hwy 107 • SHerwood www.abundantlifeschool.org

501-225-3600 • 4610 Sam Peck Rd • Little Rock • www.lrac.com DECember 2012 savvy kids

| 73

Tanner Lloyd turns seven!

SAVVY EVENTS

Photos by Patrick Jones

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Tanner Lloyd celebrated his 7th birthday with his friends at the Museum of Discovery. After everyone had arrived, the kids sat down for a “Mad Scientist” demonstration with Mr. Joel, one of the museum’s scientists. The kids watched with glee as he created bubbles, lit gasses on fire and even made their hair stand on end! After opening presents and eating cupcakes, Tanner invited his friends into the museum to explore.

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Cupcakes by Kroger Savannah Ellis & Lathan Zieman 3. Grant Allmendinger & Grayden Burns 4. Rodney & Madelyne Blocker 5. Make a wish!

6. Tanner Lloyd 7. Preston Thompson 8. McCade 9. Lexie & Savannah Ellis 10. Mad Scientist presentation 11. Cole Davis 12. Conner Horne

Mehikye Harris turns three!

Photos Rachael Kimble

Mehikye Harris celebrated his 3rd birthday with his friends during a “Monster Bash” in the Down Under Center at the Little Rock Athletic Club. The kids had a blast playing in the 7,000 square foot activity center that includes a gym, a large indoor playground filled with special “soft play” equipment highlighted by a twenty-seven foot spiral slide and interactive, electronic “toys” including Dance Dance Revolution, Wii, and Sportwall Training Stations. After working up a appetite, the kids gathered to eat birthday cake and open presents.

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Mehikye Harris Birthday Cake!

Aiden Bell, Isaiah Bell, & Maliyah Graydon 4. Danden 5. Javian Vaughn 6. Samiya Jones 7. Joshua Dorsey 8. Dwayne Craig 9. Presents!

10. Dallas Craig 74 | savvy kids December 2012

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DECember 2012 savvy kids

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3

SAVVY EVENTS

Photos by Rachael Kimble

Families gathered recently for the Asian Pacific Resource and Cultural Center’s Asian Festival held at the Mosaic Church in Little Rock. The festival was all sorts of fun! There was a children’s area with a Hula Hoop Contest and bounces houses, a silent auction and door prizes. Plus, guests were able to watch cultural performances by many local groups.

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Skate for the Cure Photos by rachel kimble

The Diamond Edge Figure Skating Club recently presented the 12th Skate for the Cure event at the Arkansas Skatium. The Diamond Edge Figure Skating Club exists to encourage ice skating as a sport whether recreational or competitive for all persons and to take necessary steps to promote such throughout Central Arkansas and the Mid-South Region. Guests enjoyed choreographed performances by the Diamond Edge figure skaters as well as a public skating session. The finale featured Nina Jiang from Dallas.

Proceeds from the event, sponsored

by Baptist Health, were donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

76 | savvy kids December 2012

Klari Farzley, Faith Roberts, Llindsay Dawson, Karsen Baer, Caitlyn Barthol, Haylee Johnson, Emma Allen, Jordan Phipps, Dornique Dainion, & Sara DuVall Asian Festival Hmong Dancers Art on display Hmong dancers Hmong Little Rock Dancers Alexis Kandlbinder & Allison Vang Yalaunda Sondidge, Skye Jones, Reahijca Norwood

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Purchase the 2013 Conservation License Plate at an Arkansas Revenue Office near you, or call 1-800-364-GAME to purchase a gift certificate.

Of your $35 purchase, $25 benefits the Conservation Scholarship Program and other educational efforts of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

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DECember 2012 savvy kids

| 77

SAVVY PROJECT

Glitter Ornaments

By Emily Griffin

Making ornaments, for some, is as much a Christmas tradition as baking cookies. With a few easy-to-find items and quick steps you can create a beautiful ornament that will be treasured for years to come.

What you will need: Glitter Clear Ornaments (glass or plastic) Pledge Floor Care Finish Directions: Start by carefully taking off the ornament’s metal top and place it to the side to put back on later. Pour some of the floor wax into the clear ornament, using a funnel if you have one. Swirl the cleaner around the inside of the ornament until all of the inside is coated. If you have excess wax, pour it back into the wax bottle. Next, pour the glitter inside your ornament. Swirl the ornament around until the inside is completely covered with glitter. (Add more glitter if you need to). Pour out the excess glitter and place the metal ornament top back on.

Once your ornament is done, gently wipe down the outside (to clean off any messy floor wax) and add embellishments. You could paint the year or your name on the outside, add sequins, or create a simple snowman face like we did. The possibilities are endless!

78 | savvy kids December 2012

Our New Location Is Open!

Come see our brand-new state-of-the-art facility at our

“Photos with Santa Open House” Saturday, December 8 9:00 a.m. – Noon 1900 Aldersgate Road

Big Things are Happening for Little Ones.

Join us for a morning of fun Christmas festivities! Have a FREE photo taken of your children with Santa in a Magical Candy Wonderland! You can tour our facility while snacking on holiday treats! Come browse the vendor booths of wonderful items for sale that would make great Christmas gifts for friends and family.

Serving Children.

Supporting Families. www.pediatricsplus.com Therapy Services | Developmental Preschool | Community Connections

Conway

Little Rock

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Russellville| 79 DECember 2012 savvy kids

Wishing you & yours a Happy Holiday...

Pinnacle Pointe Behavio ra HealthCa l re System BEST BEH AVIORAL HEALTH

School-Based & Outpatient Services Offered Statewide

FACILITY

Pinnacle Pointe helps families learn to live calmer, happier, and more productive lives by providing high quality behavioral health treatment programs in the following settings:

Acute Inpatient Residential Inpatient Outpatient • School-Based

The Pointe Outpatient Behavioral Health Services offer the same quality care for all ages. When your family needs help, please contact a facility near you.

Let good things happen for your family.

Contact us for a free and confidential assessment by calling 1-800-880-3322.

Pinnacle Pointe Behavioral HealthCare System

“TRICARE” is a registered trademark of the TRICARE Management Activity.

All rights reserved.

www.pinnaclepointehospital.com 1-800-880-3322 11501 Financial Centre Parkway Little Rock, AR 72211

2011 80Governor’s Quality Award | 2009 President’s Award for Outstanding Juvenile Programs | 2011 & 2008 ATRS Facility of the Year | 2007 APA Residential Facility of the Year for Outstanding Service savvy kids December 2012