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FREE OCTOBER 2026

Fall Activity Guide Pages 6-12 Cover Sponsor, See Page 9 Cover Sponsor Pg.20

Fall Festival: Movie Night Edition - Oct. 24 at COMU

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AVOID After-School

PARENTING TIPS3

MELTDOWNS By Linda Ligon, Family & Kids

t is the afternoon and your child is home from school. He has a long list of assignments due at the end of the week along with sports practice. You try to keep him on track so that homework, practice and chores are completed before his lightsout time in the evening. However, the after-school hours still feel like a daily battle of wills. Here are a few tips on how to reduce defiance and meltdowns in the hours between the end of the school day and bedtime.

Facilitate a smooth transition from school to home • Meet your child’s basic needs first when he returns home from school. Provide a hug, a snack and hydration, and hold off on questions about his homework or his school day. Even though it seems to make sense to gather information about how much time he will need to spend on homework that evening or why he seems upset, he will not feel like cooperating if he is hungry. • During the school day, your child had his time structured for him. He has been in ‘learning mode,’ paying attention to instructions and doing classwork. Scheduling a tutoring session or other structured activity immediately after school without a chance to ‘decompress’ can lead to meltdowns. If your child transitions directly from school to a structured activity daily, consider adjusting his schedule. • Even just a 30-minute break for a screen-free time to transition from ‘school mode’ to ‘home mode’ can be helpful. For some kids, a physical, free-play activity, such as riding a bike, helps them burn off pent-up energy and decompress from school, while others may find that a quiet time activity, such as LEGOs or Play-Doh, helps them relieve stress and decompress.

Create an after-school routine but let him have some control • Meet with your child on a weekend and create a daily schedule of ‘decompressing’ after school, attending activities, finishing homework and chores, free time, dinner and getting ready for bed. With his input, set a time for important transition times, such as the transition from ‘decompression time’ to homework and the transition from ‘free time’ to bedtime. • Each day at the start of homework time, ask your child to prioritize his homework. If he is resisting homework because he knows he has a difficult task to finish, ask him to at least get started on an easier assignment of his choosing. Once he is in ‘homework mode’ and checks the easy assignment off his list, getting started on the more challenging assignment may not be as difficult. • Help your child transition into a more difficult task by breaking it into steps and then asking him to just focus on the first step for now. If he has several days to complete a project, ask him to plan what he will accomplish each day. Even if it is due the next day, breaking the task into steps, with short breaks to take care of short, easy assignments in between, can help avoid meltdowns. If your child becomes defiant and refuses to follow the agreed-upon routine, remind him that it is one that he helped to create, and ask what revisions he is proposing and why. Avoid attempting to take control by nagging him or telling him, ‘No, you cannot go outside and play.’ Instead, refer to the agreed upon schedule and say, ‘It looks like you can play after you clean up your lunchbox.’ Your child knows that he helped set this limit in the checklist and he is less likely to feel like he is relinquishing control if you refer to it.

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Where to Find us? Check your local kid-friendly doctors, dentists, attractions, retail shops & restaurants; or see our interactive distro map at: familyandkidsga.com/get-a-copy

TO SUBMIT AD OR EVENT: Tammy Usie, Publisher tammy@familyandkidsga.com 253-212-7270 FamilyAndKidsGA

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PRES ENTS 25 TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

FRAGGLE ROCK

Oct. 25, 2026 // 4:00pm

Reserve your seats today through the RiverCenter Box Ofﬁce (706) 256-3612 or online RiverCenter.org

SCAN ME

our PICKS

Fall Fun October in

Fall brings a calendar full of variety of family activities to the Chattahoochee Valley By Linda Ligon, Family & Kids

Columbus Museum

Enjoy an evening of costumes, fall family fun and the movie National Treasure at the Columbus Museum's Fall Festival on Saturday, October 24 from 4pm – 9pm. Come dressed as someone from American history and participate in the Parade of Costumes. The festivities will last from 4pm to 7pm. Bring a chair or blanket to watch the movie outside at 7pm. Visit comuga.org for more.

Cascade Hills Church

is hosting a Trunk or Treat for Special Needs Families on October 26 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Park at Cascade Hills, 727 54th Street, Columbus.

Columbus Botanical Garden

See the Columbus Botanical Website to purchase tickets for the events below at columbusbotanicalgarden.org • La Catrina Enjoy the rich history and iconography of La Catrina through colorful and joyful, large-scale skeleton sculptures on display until November 9. • Little Garden of Horrors October 24, 6pm – 9pm. This event is for ages 13 and up. This event includes a lawn screening of the Little Shop of Horrors, a Garden Fun House Birds of Prey show, carnival games and other activities. • Not So Scary Halloween October 25, 1pm – 6pm. Visit the Columbus Botanical Garden for a family-friendly fall event full of fun, hands-on activities. Costumes are encouraged.

Historic Westville

Take a trip back into time at this open-air living history museum located in Columbus, GA. This museum features historic structures originally built between 1840 and 1870, including homes, churches, a blacksmith shop and a general store. There are several family-friendly fall events scheduled. Check the organization’s’ website at westville.org for more information. • Gothic Masterpieces with Historic Westville Village (for Teens) at North Columbus Public Library (5689 Armour Rd, Columbus). Thursday, October 1, 6pm – 7pm. Paint your own Halloween masterpiece while learning about Victorian legends and local spooky lore. Westville artists will lead this guided painting experience and will teach the basics of painting. (Free) • History Craft Hour – ‘Saving Georgiana,’ Columbus Public Library (3000 Macon Rd, Columbus). Wednesday, October 7, 4pm – 5pm. Join Historic Westville Village to create your own papercraft village and learn about the founder of Westville, John Word West. (Free)

Lane Southern Orchards

is hosting their annual pumpkin patch and corn maze, this year celebrating America's 250th! There will also be hayrides and rubber duck races. They are open Wednesday – Sunday from noon to 6pm. Their fall festival will be October 17 from 11am – 5pm, featuring their regular attractions above, plus food vendors, arts and crafts, kids play area, bouncy house and more.

Oakhurst Farm is hosting their annual pumpkin patch and corn maze every Saturday and Sunday from October 1 – 31. Attractions also include duck races and a small animal petting zoo. Visit oakhurstfarms.com for more details.

Uptown Columbus is hosting a variety of family friendly fall events. See alwaysuptown.com for event details. • Enjoy the Scarecrow Trail from October 1 – 31.

• Boo Bash – October 24 from 4pm – 7pm. Kids can enjoy trick or treating. This will be followed by Scream on the Green at 7pm on the TSYS Green Space, where a kid-friendly outdoor movie will be shown. • November 20 – Kick off the holiday season with a Tree Lighting, 6pm – 8pm.

Fall Fun Activities Guide www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

2026 HALLOWEEN EVENTS

SUNDAY OCTOBER 25TH

Not-so-scary Halloween Not-so-scary Halloween

1 - 6 PM

SUNDAY FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! TH

OCTOBER 25

1 - 6 PM

$5 FOR CBG MEMBERS MEMBER KIDS FREE!

Birds of Prey Show Plant and Owl Pellet Dissection CANDYSensory Zone BIRDS OF PREY Little Explorers OWL PELLET DISSECTION MAGIC SHOW Carnival Games INFLATABLES CARNIVOROUS PLANTS InflatablesL I T T L E E X P L O R E R S CARNIVAL GAMES SENSORY ZONE CANDY! Learn more and purchase tickets here

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SATURDAY OCTOBER 24 TH 6 - 9 PM

SCAN FOR MORE INFO! FOR AGES 13+

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS SCREENING CARNIVOROUS OR VISIT PLANT DISSECTION OWL PELLET DISSECTION columbusbotanicalgarden.org BIRDS OF PREY SHOW CARNIVAL GAMES FUN HOUSE

Fall Fun Activities Guide www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com EDUCATION/CARE GUIDE

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Fall Fun Activities Guide www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

11 11

Fall Fun Activities Guide www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

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P R E S E NTS 25 ANNIVERSARY SEASON TH

CURIOUS GEORGE

Nov. 4, 2026 // 10:30am Reserve your seats today through the RiverCenter Box Ofﬁce (706) 256-3612 or online RiverCenter.org RC26_FamilyKids_CuriousGeorge.indd 1

be helpful

SCAN ME

8/19/26 11:20 AM

Teaching

FIRE SAFETY T

By Linda Ligon, Family & Kids

his month, as we prepare for the transition from fall to the Keep the conversation on emergency plans age-appropriate, focusing winter months, is a good time to review what to do in case more on what to do than on the details of dangers they could encounter. of an emergency with your child. Some parents may avoid talking with their kids about emergency planning out of concern that Let your child hear what the smoke alarm sounds like when you discussing the topic will cause anxiety. However, here are some reasons test it, so that she knows what it means if she hears the sound why discussing emergency preparedness with your child is important. during the night. Even young kids hear news about scary events from siblings and at school. When kids know what to do in an emergency, it helps them feel confident and can reduce anxiety. Providing kids with a step-by-step plan means they are less likely to freeze up when an emergency occurs. They understand not to be frightened and hide from firefighters who are trying to help. Teaching kids about being careful with fire helps establish house rules. For young kids, the conversation can be simplified down to easy-to-follow rules, such as ‘Matches are for adult use only, tell an adult right away if you see one.’ The focus is on the rules themselves, rather than all the frightening scenarios that can occur when rules are broken.

Provide simple to understand instructions on what to do in an emergency. Teach ‘get low and go’ when explaining how to crawl and exit the house during a fire emergency. Use ‘get out and stay out’ to teach your kids to escape quickly from a fire and stay outside. Turn practicing your family’s fire escape plan and ‘Stop Drop and Roll’ into a fun game. Engage in fun role play to practice your family’s emergency plan. Tell your kids they are training to be ‘emergency superheroes.’ For example, help them practice dialing 911 on a play phone. Pretend to be the dispatcher and ask them to tell you their name and address.

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Wearing a

02:00

107 bpm 30275 107 bpm 7.25 km

507 kcal

be Healthy

HEALTH TRACKER By Linda Ligon , Family & Kids

earables such as smart watches and rings have made it easy to track different types of health data. Here is what to consider when you are deciding if tracking health data with a wearable is right for you.

statistics. However, unlike medical devices used in clinical sleep studies, wearables do not track brain waves. Thus, wearables may not realize when you wake up during the night if you lie still when you are trying to go back to sleep.

While wearables can track statistics such as respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, heart rate and sleep quality, they are not medical monitoring devices and not as accurate as medical devices.

Before becoming immersed in health data from your wearable, determine how to best use the data to reach your health and fitness goals.

Y The EKG on your smartwatch can help track episodes of an irregular

Y When training for an event or a specific fitness goal, only focus on

heartbeat, which can alert you to follow up with your doctor. However, wearables may not detect some episodes or give false alarms. Your wearable does not nearly have the fidelity of the 12-lead EKG available at your doctor’s office and cannot detect events such as a heart attack.

Y While the data is not meant to be used to make a medical diagnosis, it

tracking the data essential to reach your goal. Do not collect extra data. Tracking unnecessary data can lead to anxiety.

Y Do not compare your data with other people’s data. Your data is unique

to you.

can be used to look for trends, such as consistent episodes of low oxygen saturation during sleep or to provide estimates of VO2 max when training for an event.

Y Listen to your body when using the data to help you train. Complex data

Y Sensors in wearables that track sleep may be able to determine when

a newborn, that makes keeping a consistent workout and sleep schedule challenging.

you fall asleep based on how much time you spend lying still and other

points, such as recovery, may be less accurate.

Y Collecting data can cause stress if you are in a season, such as parenting

October Ev

Help the Hooch Tri-Community Clean-up. 9-11:30am. Multiple Locations, RSVP; keepcolumbusbeautifulga.org or 706-225-4008 Pine Needle Basketry Workshop. 10:30am12:00pm. $75. RSVP. Historic Westville Village; 706221-9330 or info@westville.org Watershed Festival. 11am-2pm. Synovus Park; keepcolumbusbeautifulga.org Midland Mix Market. 11am-3pm. Midland Commons; facebook.com Market Days on Broadway. 9am-Noon. Uptown Columbus; 706-322-0522 Artful Babies. 10:30am. Ages 6-24mo. Columbus Museum; 706-748-2562 Mini Makers. 1:30pm. Ages 2-4y. Columbus Museum; 706-748-2562 CSO Open Rehearsal. 12:30-3pm. RiverCenter; 706-323-5059 or 706-256-3612

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3 Chattahoochee Bears Basketball game. TBA. D.A. Turner YMCA; chattahoocheebears.club 3 CSO presents Colleagues & Rivals: Boccherini &

Mozarts. 7:30pm. RiverCenter; 706-323-5059 or 706-256-3612 CCSSC Astronomy Night. 7-10pm. Providence Canyon State Park; 706-649-1477 5 Family Fun Night: Bingo. 4pm. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 Little Sprouts. 10am & 2:30pm. $5-7. Ages 3-5. Columbus Botanical Garden; 706-327-8400 Artful Babies. 10:30am. Ages 6-24mo. Columbus Museum; 706-748-2562 Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon. 10:30am1pm. Tickets required. Columbus Convention & Trade Ctr; 706-660-6115 Simple Steps Storytime: Meet the Mascots – Fuzzy, Columbus Clingstones. 11am. North Columbus Library; 706-748-2855 Mini Makers. 1:30pm. Ages 2-4y. Columbus Museum; 706-748-2562 Reptiles on the Road with Oxbow Meadows. 3pm. South Columbus Library; 706-683-8805 Pony Bead Party. Ages 5-12. 4pm. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 Simple Steps Storytime: Fire Prevention Week. 11am. Mildred L. Terry Library; 706-243-2782 History Craft Hour: "Saving Georgiana." 4pm5pm. Columbus Library. 706-221-9330 or info@ westville.org.

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7 American Girl Book Club. Ages 5-12. 4pm. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 8 Breath of Fresh Air: Badminton. 4pm. South Columbus Library; 706-683-8805 8 Anime & Manga Club. Teen. 6pm. North Columbus Library; 706-748-2855 9 MercyMe Live Tour. 8-10:30pm. Columbus Civic Center; ticketmaster.com 9 Kids’Art Lab. 3pm. North Columbus Library; 706748-2855 10 Household Hazardous Waste Recycle Event for

Columbus residents. 8am-Noon. ID required. Recycling Center, 8001 Pine Grove Way; 706-225-4008 Columbus Walk to End Alzheimer's. 9am. 1000 Broadway; 478-746-7473 Wa-Ha Music & Food Truck Festival 2026. 10am-6pm. Waverly Hall; 404-360-4861

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16-18

Fort Benning MWR Oktoberfest. All Day. Uchee Creek Campground & Marina; benning. armymwr.com Amazing Marriage Chase. 8am-Noon. $40. RSVP. Riverwalk Amphitheatre, Uptown Columbus; rightfromthestart.com Mercer Teddy Bear Clinic. 10:30am. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 Look, Listen & Make Workshop. 10-11:30am. $40-$50. Ages 4-6. RSVP. Columbus Museum; 706748-2562 Fall Farm Festival. 11am-5pm. Lane Southern Orchard, Fort Valley; 800-277-3224 Hummingbird Festival. 10am-5pm. Hogansville; hummingbirdfestival.com Spooktacular. 4-6pm. Lakebottom Park; 706225-4658 Stories in the Garden. 2-4pm. Hills & Dales Estate, LaGrange; 706-882-3242 Creative Kids’ Theatre. 4pm. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 Teen Takeover: Movie Mondays. 4pm. South Columbus Library; 706-683-8805 Budding Naturalist. 10-11am. $7. Columbus Botanical Garden, 706-327-8400 Pony Bead Party. Ages 5-12. 4pm. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 Crafty Kids: Paint A Birdhouse with Columbus Museum. Ages 6-11. 3pm. South Columbus Library; 706-683-8805 The Music Man. 7:30pm. $62-$104. RiverCenter; 706-256-3612 3 Collards Cook-Off. 4-7pm. $5 donation. MercyMed Farm; mercymedcolumbus.com 3 The United States Marine Band. 7:30pm. FREE ticketed event. RiverCenter; 706-256-3612 3 Paint the Town Pink 5K. 6:30pm. $30-$40. Woodruff Park; runsignup.com Fall Festival. 10am-4pm. Northside Christian Church, Fortson; facebook.com Mercer Teddy Bear Clinic. 10:30am. South Columbus Library; 706-683-8805 Uno, Dos, Tres, Crafts! Ages 4-8. 3pm. Mildred L. Terry Library; 706-243-2782 Fall Festival: Movie Night Edition. 4-9pm. Columbus Museum; 706-748-2562 Chattahoochee Bears Basketball game. TBA. D.A. Turner YMCA; chattahoocheebears.club

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10 Second Saturday Tours. 11am. Thornton Visitor Center, Historic Westville; westville.org 10-11 Harvest Hoedown Festival. 10am-5pm. Historic Warm Springs; 706-655-3322 12 Teen Movie Mondays. 4:30pm. Columbus Library; 706-243-2811 12 Pumpkins at Callaway. 5-9pm. Robin Lake Beach; 800-CALLAWAY 13 After School Art Break. 2:30-4:30pm. Columbus Museum; 706-748-2562 13 Kid’s Art Studio. Ages 5-12. 4pm. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 13 Return of the Robot(ics) Team. Teen. 6pm. Mil- 22 dred L. Terry Library; 706-243-2782 14 MomCo. 5:45-7:15pm. First Baptist Church of 2 Columbus; 706-322-4468 15 Edible Engineering: Catapulting Candy Corn. 2 Ages 6-12. 3:30pm. North Columbus Library; 706748-2855 15 The Linwood Ramble. 4-9pm. Linwood Ceme- 2 tery; linwoodcemetery.org 15 Kids Night with Historic Westville. 5-6pm. Gold- 24 en Donuts, Wynnton Rd; visitcolumbusga.com 15 Movie Night in the Park: Hocus Pocus. 6-9pm. 24 Highside Market; facebook.com 15 Carinas After Dark. 6:30-9pm. $8-$12, Colum- 24 bus Botanical Garden; 706-412-5313 16 Homeschool Discovery Day. 10am-Noon. $5. 24 Columbus Botanical Garden; 706-327-8400 16 Crafty Chaos Club. 4pm. Columbus Library; 706- 24 243-2813

vents

24 Little Garden of Horrors. 6-9pm.

Ages 13+. $15-$25. Columbus Garden; 706327-8400 Silent Film with the WAVE: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. 7:30pm. RiverCenter; 706-256-3612 5 Hero for a Day. 9am-Noon. Columbus Convention & Trade Ctr; eventbright.com 5 BOOtanical not-so-scary Halloween. 1-6pm. $5-$12. Columbus Botanical Garden; 706-327-8400 5 Columbus Witches Ride. 3:30-5pm. columbuswitchesride.com 5 Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Live!. 4pm. $39$72. RiverCenter; 706-256-3612 Crochet Club. 4pm. Columbus Library; 706243-2813 Fountain City Mystic's Full Moon Market. 6-9pm. Bo Bartlett Center; visitcolumbusga.com Kids’ Art Studio. Ages 5-12. 4pm. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 Fall Festival and Children's Carnival. 5:30-8pm. Opelika Sports Plex Soccer Fields; 334-745-5715 Seedling Storytime. 10-11am. $7. Columbus Botanical Garden, 706-327-8400 MomCo. 5:45-7:15pm. First Baptist Church of Columbus; 706-322-4468 3 When the Scarecrow Caws: A Goosebumps Trick-or-Treat. 4-5:30pm. Columbus Library; 706243-2813 3 Big Dog Howl 5K. 8:30am. $30-$40. Big Dog Fleet Feet, 1100 block of Broadway; runsignup.com or 706-322-2786 3 Trick-or-Treating at the Library. 10am-6pm. North Columbus Library; 706-748-2855 3 Syrup Sopping Day. 8am-4pm. Pioneer Park, Loachapoka, AL; leecountyhistoricalsociety.org 3 Treats at the Museum. 4-6pm. National Civil War Naval Museum; portcolumbus.org 3 Chattahoochee Bears Basketball game. TBA. D.A. Turner YMCA; chattahoocheebears.club

24 2 2 2 2 26 26 27 27 28 28 0 1 1 1 1 1

Weekly MONDAY

Simple Steps Storytime: Babies & Toddlers. Ages 0-36mo. 10am. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813

TUESDAY

Simple Steps Storytime. Babies & Toddlers. Ages 0-24 mo. 10am; Preschoolers. Ages 3-5. 11am. North Columbus Library; 706-748-2855

WEDNESDAY

Simple Steps Storytime. Ages 0-5. 11am. Mildred L. Terry Library; 706-243-2782 Storytime with Grammy Trish. 11am. Columbus Bound Bookshop; info@columbusbound.com Discovery Hub. Ages 3-5. 11am. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 Corn Maze Days. Noon-5:30pm. Lane Southern Orchard, Fort Valley; 800-277-3224

THURSDAY

Simple Steps Storytime: Families. Ages 0-5. 10am. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 Simple Steps Storytime: Families. Ages 0-5. 10am. South Columbus Library; 706-683-8805 Corn Maze Days. Noon-5:30pm. Lane Southern Orchard, Fort Valley; 800-277-3224 Sight Word Support. K-3. 3-5pm. Mildred L. Terry Library; 706-243-2782 LEGOS® in the Library. Families. 4pm. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 Pumpkins at Callaway. 5-9pm. $25. Robin Lake Beach; 800-CALLAWAY

FRIDAY

Simple Steps Storytime: Rhythm & Rhyme. Ages 0-5. 10am. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 Corn Maze Days. Noon-5:30pm. Lane Southern Orchard, Fort Valley; 800-277-3224 Fun Fridays. Ages 5-12. 2pm. North Columbus Library; 706-748-2855 Pumpkins at Callaway. 5-10pm. $25. Robin Lake Beach; 800-CALLAWAY Uptown’s Friday Night Concert Series. 7-10pm. Free. Uptown Columbus; 706-596-0111 (Not 10/30)

SATURDAY

Simple Steps: Play. Ages 0-5. 10am. Columbus Library; 706-243-2813 Corn Maze Days. 10am-5:30pm. Lane Southern Orchard, Fort Valley; 800-277-3224 The Pumpkin Patch Festival. 9am-6pm CST. $8$12.50. The Farm at Rocky Top, Salem; 334-5595567 or thefarmatrockytop.com Pumpkins at Callaway. 5-10pm. $25. Robin Lake Beach; 800-CALLAWAY

SUNDAY

The Pumpkin Patch Festival. 9am-6pm CST. $8$12.50. The Farm at Rocky Top, Salem; 334-5595567 or thefarmatrockytop.com Corn Maze Days. 10am-5:30pm. Lane Southern Orchard, Fort Valley; 800-277-3224 Pumpkins at Callaway. 5-9pm. $25. Robin Lake Beach; 800-CALLAWAY Please call ahead to confirm event dates, times and age appropriateness, in case changes were made after the info was obtained.

www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com GUIDE EDUCATION/CARE

To feature your school option, call Tammy 253-212-7270 or email tammy@ familyandkidsga.com.

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Extra-Curricular Activity Guide www.FamilyAndKidsGA.com

Season 19

now open Classes are designed for ages 2-18 years old. Visit our website to learn more!

Enroll Now for a season of fun & dance! prodigydancecentrega.com

706.221.5566 info@prodigydancecentrega.com

PARENTING Tips

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too many

TOYS? By Linda Ligon, Family & Kids

t is your toddler’s birthday, and you are helping him open what seems to be an endless flood of toys from friends and family members. Your child’s play area is overflowing with the new additions to his toy collection. While it may seem that your young child’s large collection of toys provides him with a large variety of different learning experiences, an overabundance of toys may lead to a negative environment for your child’s development. According to researchers, when kids are overwhelmed by too many toys, they ‘skim’ over the toys and are unable to focus long enough on each toy to benefit from it. Here are some tips on managing your child’s toy collection and creating a fruitful learning environment for your child.

open-ended toys, identify toys that are worn, of less quality or no longer match your child’s development stage and interests and remove them from your child’s collection. Closed-ended toys such as puzzles and games help your child learn to follow instructions, problem-solve and feel a sense of accomplishment when he masters the challenge and reaches the goal. Inventory your child’s collection of close-ended toys and remove the ones from his collection that he has mastered and outgrown or are less likely to be engaging.

Select the toys to keep in your child’s play area

Evaluate the toys in your child’s collection and sort them by type

Now that you have sorted the toys and reduced the clutter in your child’s play area, create a strategy for encouraging quality play.

An open-ended toy is one that your child can interact with in multiple ways and does not have just one end result, as a close-ended toy does. Your child can benefit from a healthy selection of both open-ended and close-ended toys, as they serve different purposes.

• Rotate toys in and out of your child’s toy selection in his play area. For example, replace the active toys with ones you had stored away once every couple of weeks.

Open-ended toys allow your child to engage in creative free play and helps him build communication skills and confidence. For example, he may pretend he is running a restaurant out of his play kitchen and practice taking orders from his siblings. Sensory open-ended toys such as modeling clay help your child build his gross and fine motor skills. Take inventory of the different types of open-ended toys to see where your child’s collection may have gaps or have an excess. Some types of open-ended toys include: • Art supplies • Dress up • Role playing (play kitchens, tool sets, doctor kits) • Building sets (blocks, LEGOs, duplos, magnetic tiles) • Doll houses Open-ended toys can grow with your child, as he finds new imaginative purposes for them. If your child has an overabundance of

• Aim for a good variety and balance of open-ended and close-ended toys in his play area, with a majority of the toys requiring action from your child versus a passive toy that just lights up. • Keep the selection of toys small, about 8 – 12 toys for toddlers and 12 – 15 toys for preschoolers. Watch your child for signs he is overwhelmed by the number of toys available in his play area and reduce it if he seems distracted and unable to focus.

Update family on gift-giving strategies

Ask grandparents to focus on gifting experiences, such as a visit to the zoo, instead of toys on birthdays and holidays. This can help control the inflow of new toys. You will read with her. Your child feels some ownership over the process when she is allowed to make choices and is more likely to cooperate. However, if she does become agitated and refuses to comply, give her some time to calm down before talking to her again.

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Dining Deals

for Kids

With deals this good, save the mess and dine out! MONDAY

Thursday

Sapo’s

Tuesday's Street Tacos & Burritos

5pm until close: free kid's meal with adult entrée, dine in only

tuesday Denny’s 4-10pm: Up to two free kids entrées with adult entrée for kids 10 and under

Mellow Mushroom Dine in for two free kids meals (ages 10 and under) per adult purchase of $15

The Food Mill Buy a family meal, get 2 kids meals for free!

Ruby Tuesday 5-10pm: Kids 12 and under eat free with adult entrée

wednesday Your Pie Kid's meals half off with adult entrée

Crumbl Free mini cookie with purchase of regular cookie

Does your restaurant have a special offer for kids?! Let us know and we can promote it here for FREE to 20K parents! Email it to us at: Tammy@familyandkidsga.com

Free kids meal with adult purchase; dine-in only

friday Denny’s

4-10pm: Up to two free kids entrées with adult entrée for kids 10 and under

Ruby Tuesday 5-10pm: Kids 12 and under eat free with adult entrée

SUNDAY Vallarta Mexican Restaurant Free kids' meal with the purchase of adult entrée

everyday Bruster’s Ice Cream Kids under 40” get free baby cone

McAlister’s Kid’s meals are $2.79 with dine-in order

Moe’s Free kid’s meals with adult entrée through app (once per week)

All locations are Columbus, GA unless noted. Specials are subject to change without notice, so please verify them directly before dining. Send kids deals to Tammy@FamilyAndKidsGA.com.

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VR SIMULATORS AT THE NIM SCAN TO LEARN MORE!

STEP INTO THE FIGHT AT THE NATIONAL INFANTRY MUSEUM

WWW.NATIONALINFANTRYMUSEUM.ORG/VRCENTER RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 8 AND OLDER

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Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy (AFLP) is a rare but serious pregnancy complication that occurs when fat builds up in the mother’s liver and prevents it from working properly. AFLP usually occurs late in the third trimester. Complications from AFLP can be deadly for both the mother and the unborn baby. These include liver failure, kidney failure, lung failure, infection and hemorrhage. AFLP is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment. The symptoms of AFLP include nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain (especially in the upper right quadrant), fatigue, excessive thirst, and jaundice. AFLP may cause the patient to feel confused and have a general feeling of being unwell. Researchers are not sure exactly what causes AFLP but have found a link between the condition and a rare genetic disorder called LCHAD (Long-chain-3-hydroxyacylCoA dehydrogenase) deficiency. LCHAD deficiency is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, which means that to develop LCHAD deficiency, a child must inherit the faulty gene from both parents. An unborn baby with LCHAD deficiency has a mutation in the gene that contains the instructions for producing an enzyme that breaks down long-chain fatty acids. Without By Linda Ligon, Family & Kids

WhAFaLPt is: this enzyme, the baby cannot metabolize long-chain fatty acids and turn them into energy. The fatty acids then pass through the placenta into the mother’s bloodstream and can rapidly build up in the mother’s liver. This can lead to AFLP along with other dangerous complications such as HELLP syndrome (a severe type of preeclampsia). In some cases, a mother with the LCHAD gene can experience AFLP even if the fetus is genetically normal. In other cases, AFLP occurs without the presence of a maternal or fetal LCAD gene or other genetic mutation that affects the breakdown of fatty acids. Other risk factors for AFLP include obesity, carrying twins, a first pregnancy, diabetes, carrying a male baby and preeclampsia. AFLP is diagnosed using a combination of imaging and lab tests and the only treatment is immediate delivery of the unborn baby. After the baby is delivered, the mother’s liver can then begin to heal. If the newborn is diagnosed with LCHAD deficiency via newborn screening tests, treatment will immediately begin. RESOURCE: https://bit.ly/45WvgaG

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StoryTime

let’s learn

The First Step to Reading Success By Henry McCoy, Programming & Media Content Coordinator, Chattahoochee Valley Libraries

ne of the best ways to help your child get ready for school is also one of the simplest: read and share stories together from the moment they are born. Yes, that early! At Chattahoochee Valley Libraries, we’re here to help with two free programs designed to give your child a strong start: Simple Steps Story Times and 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. Before children learn to read on their own, they’re building the skills that make reading possible—learning new words, connecting words with familiar objects, recognizing rhymes, clapping out syllables, and discovering that those squiggly marks on a page actually mean something. These early literacy skills build the foundation for success in school and beyond. That’s where Simple Steps Story Times come in. Based on the simple, proven formula Talk • Sing • Read • Write • Play, our story times turn early literacy into something children love—and give parents and caregivers easy ideas they can use at home.

And you don’t need hours to make a difference. Just 15 minutes of reading together each day can add up in a big way. Our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program makes that daily habit fun. One book a night adds up to 365 books a year—and 1,095 books in just three years! Track your progress with our easy-to-use Beanstack app and watch your little reader reach that big goal one story at a time. This fall, join us - the Storytime Experts - at Chattahoochee Valley Libraries! With more than 150 free Simple Steps Story Time sessions happening across our branches, there are plenty of opportunities to find one that works for your family. No reservations needed—just come join the fun. Whether your child is a baby, toddler, or getting ready for kindergarten, it’s never too early—or too late—to start. Every story you share builds language, sparks imagination, strengthens early literacy skills, and helps your child discover something that can last a lifetime: the joy of reading. Learn more at cvlga.org.

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You Show Up for Everyone Else. This October, Show Up for You. At the St. Francis Center for Breast Health, our fellowship-trained radiologists and advanced imaging, including 3D mammography, ultrasound, and MRI, are here to catch cancer early, when it’s most treatable, and to walk beside you with compassion every step of the way. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, give yourself and the ones who love you the gift of early detection. Schedule your mammogram today.

St. Francis Center For Breast Health 2300 Manchester Expy, Suite A001 Columbus, GA 31904

John Cutrone, MD Breast Imaging Radiologist

706.257.7700 MyStFrancis.com/Breast