Carolina Parent April 2018

April 2018 • Free

Plan the Perfect Picnic

Mighty Microgreens Boost your family’s nutrition

Feel-Good Fashion Wearable mom trends for spring and summer

EXCEPTIONAL CHILD SPECIAL SECTION

6 Vacation Destinations for Special Needs Families

NC Education Savings Accounts Help Special Needs Families carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018 1

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CONTENT › A P R I L

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Plan the Perfect Spring Family Picnic Recipes, locations and products to simplify your al fresco meal

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Mighty Microgreens How to blend them into your family's menu

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New Ways to Get Fit Together Family fitness moves into new territory

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Feel-Good Fashion Wearable mom trends for spring and summer

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EXCEPTIONAL CHILD SPECIAL SECTION

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6 Vacation Destinations for Special Needs Families

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NC Education Savings Accounts Assist Students With Special Needs

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IN EVERY ISSUE 5 April Online 6 Editor's Note FYI 8 Community 10 Education 12 Health CO LU M N S 36 Growing Up 39 Tech Talk 40 Understanding Kids 43 Father Figuring 44 College Transitions 46 Excursion 56 Faces and Places CALENDAR 47 Our Picks 48 Festivals 50 Performances 52 Daily

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APRIL 2018 | carolinaparent.com

WHAT’S NEW AT …

carolinaparent.com

Go Out and Play Explore 10 playgrounds worth a drive.

Search “10 playgrounds”

FAMILY FITNESS Win Prizes Take the 100-Mile Challenge

Run a 5K

Get Fit for Less

From toys to books to

Consider running in a local 5K or

Browse our list of free or cheap

Take North Carolina State Parks’

to win great prizes.

fun run this month.

ways to get fit.

Search “5K” at carolinaparent.com/cp/ calendar

carolinaparent.com/cp/ free-and-inexpensiveways-to-exercise

performances, enter

carolinaparent.com/

challenge to hike, bike or paddle your way to good health.

Search “100-Mile Challenge”

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Al Fresco Food and Fun

B

efore cookouts became popular, families enjoyed picnics. Dining al fresco has been popular for centuries — from medieval times, when hunting became a favored pursuit of the leisure class; to the Victorian era, when servants of wealthier families set out tables, linens, crystal and chairs, in addition to gourmet fare, of course.

Hosting a family picnic these days can be as simple as spreading out a blanket in your backyard and enjoying a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken, or setting a table at a nearby park covered with everyone’s favorite sandwiches and side dishes. “Plan the Perfect Family Picnic” on page 14 suggests recipes, products and locations you can consider while planning your next family picnic in the Triangle.

Looking for a new way to introduce healthy foods into your child’s diet? Check out “Mighty Microgreens” on page 16, which describes what these tiny sprouts are, how you can incorporate them into your family’s diet and even how you can grow your own.

Complement your family's healthy diet with a group fitness plan. In “New Ways to Get Fit Together” on page 18, discover where and how you can train like a Division 1 athlete, fight like a ninja warrior, master a Parkour course and more.

Spring is the perfect time to breathe new life into your wardrobe. Our “Feel-Good Fashion” review of spring and summer trends for moms on page 20 will inspire you to purchase a sheer pastel dress, add a colorful bag to your ensemble or slip on a new pair of clog sandals for those warm days ahead.

Our April issue also includes an Exceptional Child section beginning on page 24.

Discover “6 Vacation Destinations for Special Needs Families” on page 29 and learn about a state-sponsored program that can help families pay for education-related expenses — from tuition to technology — in “NC Education Savings Accounts Assist Students With Special Needs” on page 33.

Read new Tech Talk columnist Laura Tierney’s debut column on page 39 to find out how to do a little social media spring cleaning. Other April columns cover gratifying kids’ wishes on page 40, taking a humorous approach to family fitness on page 43, using net price calculators for determining college tuition affordability on page 44, and exploring Grayson Highlands, a Virginia state park just north of the Virginia-North Carolina border, on page 46.

Our calendar section starts on page 47 and highlights festivals, performances and other outdoor activities your family can enjoy in the Triangle this month. Be sure to send us pictures of your kids at some of these events for our Faces and Places page. Go to carolinaparent.com and search “faces and places" to find out how you can submit photos.

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Katie Reeves · katie.reeves@morris.com

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Beth Shugg · bshugg@carolinaparent.com

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Melissa Stutts · melissa.stutts@morris.com

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Myra Wright · mwright@carolinaparent.com

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CONTACT US

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Phone: 919-956-2430 · Fax: 919-956-2427 5716 Fayetteville Rd., Suite 201, Durham, NC 27713 advertising@carolinaparent.com · editorial@carolinaparent.com Circulation 35,000. Distribution of this magazine does not constitute an endorsement of information, products or services.

Carolina Parent reserves the right to reject any advertisement or listing that is not in keeping with the publication’s standards.

Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

A Publication of the Visitor Publications Division of Morris Communications Company, L.L.C. 725 Broad St., Augusta, GA 30901 Chairman William S. Morris III

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Beth Shugg, Editor

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APRIL 2018 | carolinaparent.com

President & CEO William S. Morris IV

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What did your child do in Preschool today?

Our students had fun connecting with friends at IPR Beijing.

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EDUCATION RESOURCES? carolinaparent.com/educationresources

Open daily including weekends and holidays.

Serving you in 3 locations: Chapel Hill: 205 Sage Road., Suite 100 Durham: 249 East NC Hwy 54, Suite 230 Hillsborough: 1000 Corporate Drive, Suite 401

www.chapelhillpeds.com carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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NCSSM students won the Blue Heron Bowl Feb. 16.

Photo courtesy of Deirdre Scanlon, UNCW Youth Programs

› FYI

|

community

BY JANICE LEWINE

Durham School's Students Win Blue Heron Bowl for Second Consecutive Year The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham won the Blue Heron Bowl, a regional ocean science academic competition, for the second year in a row Feb. 17 at UNC-Wilmington. Part of the National Ocean Science Bowl, the Blue Heron Bowl tests

Chef Dean Thompson won the Cooking for a Classic competition. Photo courtesy of the Lucy Daniels Center

Chefs Competition Nets $70,000 for the Lucy Daniels Center Chef Dean Thompson of 41Hundred Lounge at the Raleigh Renaissance Hotel won the Second Annual Cooking for a Classic chefs competition on Feb. 7 in Raleigh. This annual event raised $70,000 for the Lucy Daniels Center, a nonprofit in Cary that helps children live emotionally healthy lives. Thompson won a restored 1949 GMC 5-Window classic pickup truck in the tournament-style competition that featured eight local chefs preparing an appetizer, entrée and dessert with at least one secret ingredient in each dish.

Thompson’s menu of parsnip ravioli, southern fried flounder and parsnip Snickers torte with ice cream secured the championship in the final round against culinary rival Matt Hannon of Ironwood Café in Southern Pines. Learn more at lucydanielscenter.org/special-events/cooking-for-a-classic.

students' knowledge of ocean science disciplines through buzzer-style, multiple-choice questions and open-ended team challenge questions.

Students on the championship team include Shiv Patel, Vittal Bhat, Michael Zhang, Vincent Xia and Kelly Wang. The school will join winners from 22 other regional bowls for the 21st Annual NOSB Finals April 19-22 at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Learn more at nosb.org.

Powerade State Games Return to the Triad More than 13,000 youth athletes will have a chance to “go for the gold” when the Powerade State Games, North Carolina’s largest multisport, amateur athletic sporting event, return to the Piedmont Triad June 2-30. The Powerade State Games of North Carolina brings 24 different sports competitions to several venues in Burlington, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point.

Visit poweradestategames.org to register for events in archery, basketball, BMX, fencing, figure skating, gymnastics, lacrosse, rugby, swimming, track and field, beach volleyball, wrestling and more.

STATS

U.S. Home Gardening Statistics

1 IN 3

$3.5 BILLION

Households grow food

Amount spent by households on food gardening in 2013

63%

Increase in millennial participation in food gardening since 2008

Source: National Gardening Association (garden.org), based on its 2014 report: “Garden to Table: A 5-Year Look at Food Gardening in America.”

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APRIL 2018 | carolinaparent.com

Memories, Unfading.

Besides retro motels and charming cottages, an oceanfront playground, and a family-friendly aquarium, you can still experience the kind of beach vacation you had as a kid at Kure Beach.

KureBeachVacations.com | 888-587-3224

carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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FYI

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education

BY KAREN SHORE

Raleigh Oak Charter School recently joined the A+ Schools of North Carolina Network.

Photo courtesy of Raleigh Oak Charter School

7 Schools Added to A+ Schools of North Carolina Network A+ Schools of North Carolina recently announced that it has accepted seven new schools to the A+ Schools Network. A+ Schools of North Carolina is one of the longest-running and most successful arts-based school reform models in the country.

Schools that joined the network last summer include Audrey W. Garrett Elementary (Mebane), The Capitol Encore Academy (Fayetteville), China Grove Elementary (China Grove), Greenway Park Elementary (Charlotte), Long Creek Elementary (Huntersville), Raleigh Oak Charter School (Raleigh) and Royal Oaks Elementary (Kannapolis).

Currently, there are 56 A+ schools across the state that are part of a network of schools that teach the state's curriculum standards through a multidisciplined, collaborative approach, with the arts continuously woven into the learning experience. Research shows that students’ proficiency and overall school performance increases following implementation of A+ practice and philosophy. A+ schools also report improved attendance, fewer disciplinary problems, stronger teacher satisfaction, and higher levels of community and parental involvement. Learn more at aplus-schools.ncdcr.gov.

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APRIL 2018 | carolinaparent.com

An educator at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores talks about American alligators with a young visitor.

Photo courtesy of North Carolina Aquariums

Title I Schools Receive $69,000 in Grants for Aquarium Scholars The door to new adventures recently opened for students across the state. Field trips, programming and outreach opportunities became easier for teachers in North Carolina’s Title I schools, thanks to the Aquarium Scholars Partnership grant program.

More than $69,000 was distributed to teachers across the state, allowing schools with higher proportions of students from low-income households to experience aquatic animals, learn about important conservation topics and get involved in other educational opportunities. A total of 79 teachers from 35 counties received grants ranging from $150 to $1,000.

“We believe all North Carolina students should have an opportunity to experience the amazing educational resources at our state aquariums,” says Susi H. Hamilton, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “Thanks to our outstanding partners, the Aquarium Scholars Program provides a path to make those resources accessible to more students than ever before.”

For more information and to fill out an application, visit ncaquariums.com/aquarium-scholars.

View Durham Public School Student Art at the NCCU Art Museum The North Carolina Central University Art Museum recently presented “Durham’s Finest,” an exhibition of outstanding student artwork from Durham Public Schools. In this select show, four 4-D pieces of art, as well as 3-D pieces of art, represented each school. This was DPS’ only districtwide art exhibit, revealing the progression and artistic development of students from kindergarten through high school.

The exhibit displayed art by 200 students from 35 public schools in Durham. Pieces were chosen by NCCU art museum staff. The middle school-winning piece was “Black Sun” by Jordan Fullgraf-Hartman of Durham School of the Arts. The high school-winning piece was “Still Life in Charcoal” by Daniel Mills of Jordan High School.

The opening reception honored student artists and their families, and included art teachers, school officials and board members from both DPS and NCCU. String quartets from Riverside High School and Lucas Middle School performed during the reception and entertained the crowd.

APRIL

Helping you keep your child cavity free for a lifetime

Martha Ann Keels, DDS PhD Dylan S. Hamilton, DMD MS

WIN GOT TO BE NC FESTIVAL TICKETS Take your family to the Got to Be NC Festival at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds May 18-20 for three days of North Carolina food and fun. Gate admission and parking are free, but we’re giving away four sets of four tickets to the festival’s rides; food, beer and wine event; and Saturday barbecue competition.

Enter to win by going to carolinaparent.com/cp/contests and clicking on the “Got to Be NC” post. Type this code in the online form you’ll be required to fill out: CPGot2BeFest. We’ll announce four winners April 26, 2018. Good luck!

We Welcome New Patients!!

2711 North Duke Street Durham, NC 27704

919-220-1416

www.dukestreetsmiles.com carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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FYI

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health

BY KATHERINE KOPP

Eat Your Greens Jennifer Di Noia, Ph.D., a researcher who specializes in public health at William Paterson University in New Jersey, ranked a long list of fruits and vegetables based on their nutrient density to see which ones might be classified as “powerhouse foods” — those most strongly associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease. She generated scores using 17 nutrients that are key to good health: potassium, fiber, protein, calcium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc and vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E and K. Her top 10 foods are:

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

• Watercress

• Chicory

• Chinese cabbage

• Leaf lettuce

• Chard

• Parsley

• Beet greens

• Romaine lettuce

• Spinach

• Collards

For the full study results, go to cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/13_0390.htm.

Study on Fat May Have Implications for Diabetes, Obesity Treatment Researchers from UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University and Columbia University Medical Center have developed a medicated skin patch that can turn energy-storing white fat into energyburning brown fat, while raising the body’s overall metabolism. The patch, so far tested only in mice, could be used to burn off pockets of unwanted fat and treat metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity, say the researchers.

Humans have two types of fat: White fat, which stores energy in large triglyceride droplets; and brown fat, which has smaller droplets and a high number of mitochondria that burn fat to produce heat.

Newborns have a large amount of brown fat, but by adulthood, most of that is replaced by white fat.

Scientists have been searching for ways to convert white fat into brown fat as a potential treatment for obesity and diabetes, so the results are encouraging. The patch is not yet ready for clinical trials in humans. Learn more at pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.7b04348.

97%

The percentage of North Carolina’s non-low-income children who are considered to be healthy. This compares with 81.5 percent of low-income children in North Carolina who are healthy.

Source: ncchild.org/highlights-2018-nc-child-health-report-card

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APRIL 2018 | carolinaparent.com

Moderate Alcohol and Coffee Consumption Linked to Longevity Results of a “90+ Study” of more than 1,600 adults over the age of 90 that was recently released by the University of California Irvine suggest that both moderate alcohol consumption and moderate coffee consumption are linked to longevity. In regards to alcohol consumption, Dr. Claudia Kawas, M.D., and her team found that consuming about two glasses of beer or wine daily was associated with an 18 percent reduced risk of premature death.

The researchers also observed that regular exercise, social and cognitive engagement and carrying a few extra pounds are associated with longevity.

Specifically, they found that people who were overweight in their 70s lived longer than did people who were underweight or of a normal weight. Learn more at mind.uci.edu/researchstudies/90plus-study.

Katherine Kopp is a freelance writer in Chapel Hill.

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Plan the Perfect Spring Family Picnic

BY LAUREN RAMIREZ

J

ewel tones and heavy layers make way for pastels, open-toe shoes and fragrant, longer days during spring. The grass needs cutting, gorgeous bushes bloom and allergies to nature’s own brand of confetti — in the form of pollen — kick into overdrive. Yes, spring in North Carolina is magical — so much so that it can inspire some extra-special adventures with your family in the great outdoors.

Nothing says “spring” or “quality time” quite as well as a meal shared in the form of a neatly packed picnic. Or, it could be a disheveled one. The point is to spend this time in nature with loved ones.

TOP PICNIC SPOTS 14

The Triangle offers perfectly picturesque picnic locations come spring — whether you’re looking for a piece of outdoor sanctuary at William B. Umstead State Park in Raleigh, Sarah P.

APRIL 2018 | carolinaparent.com

Duke Gardens in Durham or the historic University of North Carolina campus in Chapel Hill.

Other notable mentions for Raleigh include Pullen Park, JC Raulston Arboretum,

the WRAL Azalea Garden and the Raleigh Rose Garden.

In Durham, check out the American Tobacco Campus lawn and West Point on the Eno park along the Eno River.

Picnic-Perfect Recipes

Yvonne Madden of Charlotte is stepmom to Ivy, an aspiring young chef. Madden and her stepdaughter use any opportunity they can to spend time together in the kitchen. Madden’s Vietnamese heritage drives her love of delicious, fresh foods, so her suggestions for picnic goodies do not disappoint.

If you’re picnicking in an area where a grill is available, Madden suggests considering burgers for your main course.

“Ivy loves making patties with me.

You can have most school-age kiddos mix the ground beef and form them into patties," she says. "In fact, any ground meat or meat substitute works wonderfully for this. You can also buy premade patties from any of our fresh, local grocers.”

Madden also raves about the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables in the Queen City and Triangle region.

“We’re really lucky to live in a climate where we can access most anything any time of the year,” she says.

A true hallmark of North Carolina is that fresh produce is often locally sourced, making it more economical.

“Pre-slice everything and toss them into some Ziploc baggies for easy snacking,” Madden advises. “Bonus: Kids can help bag up the veggies and fruits.”

Though some fan-favorite recipes call for it, mayonnaise is not the most picnic-friendly of foods since it can spoil if not refrigerated. Madden’s suggestion: Replace it with pesto in salads. One of her favorite recipes involves slicing up a handful of cherry tomatoes and adding in some mozzarella pearls, fresh basil,

pesto, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

Madden says this dish offers the perfect accompaniment to crusty bread, can be eaten alone or be made into a sandwich.

Another tasty traveling recipe is bowtie pesto pasta salad. Just toss boiled bowties with pesto, then add some salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.

For a sweet but healthy treat, scoop out the centers of large strawberries and fill them with melted chocolate chips using a small spoon or piping bag, then store them in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or so until the chocolate hardens. Use an egg carton to prevent the strawberries from tipping over.

Prepackaged Goodies

If you’d rather spend less time preparing for and more time enjoying your spring family picnic, consider purchasing seasonal, prepackaged foods.

“Not only do you get to enjoy the fruits (and veggies) of someone else’s labor, but you’re actually able to be present in the moment with your kiddos, saving time and potential frustration when things don’t go according to the plan,” says Durham-based nanny Krysta S. Suggestions include nongreasy chips that don’t leave a residue, and prepackaged salads, fruits and veggies.

Add some precooked grilled chicken strips and you’ve got this picnic “in the bag.”

Lauren Ramirez of Lexington is a new mom, former teacher and higher education professional.

EXTRA TIP: If you’re planning to be out for a while before eating, partially freeze water bottles to surround your food in the cooler. Not only do frozen water bottles do a fantastic job of keeping your goodies cold, they also come in handy once the ice melts. Use your own reusable water bottles to score extra eco-friendly points.

HASSLE-FREE ACCESSORIES Pack the right accessories to achieve picnic perfection. Here are a few good ideas to consider.

CAMCO’S HANDY MAT WITH STRAP This mat folds out to 60-inches by 78-inches and into 10.5-inches by 15-inches for storage.

(A 72-inch by 108-inch mat is also available).

Built-in handles assist with easy transport, and the mat also features convenient pockets and mildew-resistant material that can be cleaned with soap and water. camco.net and amazon.com, $7.64-$19.43.

REI’S SEA TO SUMMIT ALPHA UTENSIL SET This fork-spoon-knife combination is made from aircraft-grade aluminum alloy for increased durability and weighs only 1.33 ounces. The product includes a small accessory carabiner so you can clip all three utensils together. rei.com, $19.95.

SCUDDLES COOLER PICNIC BASKET This modern take on the nostalgic wicker basket features strong leather straps and keeps food hot or cold for 12 hours. The cooler includes a set of four stainless steel spoons, forks and knives; four plastic wine glasses; four washable napkins; salt-and-pepper shakers and a bottle opener. scuddlesusa.com, $35.99. (Scuddles also offers a picnic backback for $49.99.) carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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S

ICROGR M Y T EE H N IG M

How to grow — and get your kids to eat — these nutrient-packed foods

BY LAYLA KHOURY-HANOLD

Want to get your kids to eat their veggies?

Grow microgreens.

Not to be confused with sprouts, microgreens are the first true leaves of a vegetable or an herb — and just about any vegetable or herb can be grown as a microgreen.

Microgreens have long been prized by chefs for their aesthetic and concentrated flavor profiles, like nutty-sweet sunflower shoots or earthy beet greens. But there’s more to microgreens than looking and tasting good. These tiny but mighty greens are destined for superfood status, and they’re easier to grow at home than you may think.

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What Makes Microgreens So Mighty?

A study conducted by the University of Maryland’s Department of Nutrition and Food Science, and published in the July 18, 2012 edition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, concluded that microgreens pack 4 to 40 times more nutrients than their fullygrown counterparts. These nutrients for growing children include building blocks like protein, which promotes muscle growth and development; essential vitamins C, E and K; and beta-carotene and lutein, which are vital for eye health.

Of the 25 microgreens studied by the University of Maryland’s Department

of Nutrition and Food Science, red cabbage, daikon radish, cilantro and red garnet amaranth contain the highest concentrations of four different vitamins and carotenoids.

You don’t have to be a chef to incorporate microgreens into your family’s diet, since they can easily be added to smoothies, sandwiches and salads. You also don’t have to eat large quantities of microgreens, since so much nutrition is packed into a small serving size. And while your kids may not dive in right away, microgreens’ tiny size and cuteness factor make them less intimidating for kids to try than broccoli or kale, for example.

Brendan Davison, founder of Good Water Farms and author of “The Microgreens Cookbook: A Good Water Farms Odyssey,” can vouch for this firsthand with his 13-year-old daughter, Naya. “I’ll have them on the counter and my daughter just walks by grazing on them, picking and eating them one at a time, without me saying anything like ‘eat your vegetables.’ In that 30-second stop, she's getting all the daily vitamins she needs,” he says.

Grow Your Own Davison believes access and exposure are often the biggest obstacles to getting kids to try anything new, so he recommends growing your own microgreens as a fun family project. Monica Irwin, creator of Veggie Buds Club, a blog and monthly vegetable-themed box subscription service at veggiebudsclub.com, agrees that getting your kids involved in the growing process is essential, especially since growing microgreens is so rewarding.

“We do a new veggie every month and some of the growing projects take a long time, so it’s nice to see something go from seed to table in a week or two,” Irwin explains.

The project is simple, can be set up anywhere and requires very little special equipment. Irwin’s family successfully grew micro basil — the featured project in Veggie Buds Club’s December 2017 box — in just 14 days during the middle of a Minnesota winter. (See the sidebar for instructions on how to grow micro basil.)

Irwin’s 2-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter are proof that kids will at least try a vegetable if they’ve had a hand in growing

or preparing it. Irwin says her daughter loved being part of the project, checking the microgreens’ daily growth; smelling and running her hands over the lush, fragrant leaves; and snipping some along the way.

Her kids devoured micro basil-topped English muffin pizzas and tried it as a garnish on vegetable soup and pasta.

Can’t Wait — Must Buy Purchase microgreens from gourmet grocers like Whole Foods; local farmers markets; Sweet Peas Urban Gardens in Raleigh (sweetpeasurbangardens.com/farm); Copeland Springs Farm in Pittsboro, which also sells microgreens at farmers markets in Apex and Cary (copelandspringsfarm.com); and Open Door Farm, which also sells microgreens at farmers markets in Carrboro and Chapel Hill (opendoorfarmnc.com).

Don’t be Afraid to Experiment Davison and his daughter discovered that red shiso’s cinnamon notes made a welcome addition to a peanut butter and banana sandwich; and finely shredded Thai basil — with its salty, licorice flavor — took movie night popcorn to the next level.

Davison’s daughter also developed her own signature dish — an eponymous açaí breakfast bowl that incorporates sunflower, kale, broccoli and red shiso microgreens. The recipe is featured in Davison’s cookbook.

Layla Khoury-Hanold is a freelance writer whose work has appeared on Food Network, Saveur and Refinery29; and in Raleigh Magazine, The News & Observer and INDY Week. Learn more about her at glassofrose.blogspot.com, @theglassofrose on Instagram and @glassofrose on Twitter.

DECEPTIVE ROOTS Microgreens have a unique root structure. They may show microscopic roots starting a couple of days after they germinate. These are called root hairs and they are most visible just before watering — when the plants are at their driest. These root hairs look like mold to some people, but they are not. When you water your crop, the root hairs collapse back against the taproot.

Source: veggiebudsblog.com

Photos courtesy of iStock

HOW TO GROW MICRO BASIL MATERIALS NEEDED: • 1 teaspoon of basil seeds for sprouting.

• Plastic grow tray (a clear, to-go food container with a locking lid works great).

• A growing medium such as Baby Blanket Growing Medium, coconut coir or soil.

• A spray bottle for watering.

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. With a sharp knife, poke holes on the lid of the grow container to create airflow.

2. Place the grow pad, coconut coir or a thin layer of soil on the bottom of the grow tray.

3. Evenly sprinkle the basil seeds on the growing medium in a single layer.

4. Water the basil seeds using a spray bottle so the seeds are not disturbed.

5. Close the lid and place the tray in a warm, sunny spot. Keep the grow tray closed except when watering it.

6. Water the seeds every one to three days after they have germinated so they remain moist but are not drowning in water*.

7. Your micro basil should be ready to eat in 10-14 days. When the shoots are about 2 inches tall, snip them with scissors at the base of their stems to harvest the basil. Store the plants in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

NOTE: This growing project was included in the December 2017 Veggie Buds Club box. Participants received seeds and a pad from SproutPeople, a U.S.-based, genetically modified, organism-free organic seed company. *Find more in-depth information about growing micro basil from SproutPeople at sproutpeople.org. carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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Photo courtesy of iStock

New Ways to Get Fit Together Family fitness moves into new territory

BY MICHELE JONCZAK

T

aking a family approach to exercise is more fun than ever these days, thanks to new fitness opportunities popping up across the Triangle. Train like a NCAA Division 1 athlete, take the ninja warrior challenge or fly high in the sky to work muscles you didn’t know you had. It’s time to move out of your comfort zone and into one these uniquely fun activities.

TRAIN LIKE A D1 ATHLETE Walk into the D1 Raleigh sports training facility on an average day and you’ll see people of all ages running, lifting weights, flipping tires and waving ropes.

It’s all part of the diverse athletic training options provided for ages 7 and older.

“It’s an ideal setting for mom, dad and kids to receive hands-on guidance for their fitness and/or athletic training goals,” says Kennie Apilli, owner and operator of the D1 Raleigh sports training facility.

Through various programs,

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Apilli says D1 workouts train the entire body in perfect balance, since participants focus on specific workouts — upper body, lower body, anaerobic cardio, aerobic cardio and recovery — on different days. D1 Raleigh’s offerings include: • Rookie class: For ages 7-11; designed to create a foundation in coordination, athleticism, body-weight exercises and proper running techniques.

• Developmental classes: For ages 12-14; focuses on speed mechanics, weight lifting and spotting.

APRIL 2018 | carolinaparent.com

• Prep classes: For ages 15-18; focuses on developing strength, power, speed and agility.

• Adult programs: Boot camp, strength programs, personal trainers and more.

D1 Raleigh offers 20-workout packs for $360 that cover rookie, developmental, prep or adult sessions.

The facility is located at 6330 Mt Herman Rd., Raleigh.

Visit d1sportstraining.com/raleigh to learn about monthly membership options.

TAKE FITNESS TO NEW HEIGHTS There’s nothing quite like catching air while you get fit.

Aerial classes at bodygo are designed for all ages and focus on technique, form, safety, artistry and expression. If that isn’t your thing, sweat out some stress and calories in BUTI yoga, or find your inner warrior by taking a self-defense class. bodygo’s offerings include: • Aerial classes: Participants use devices ranging from a trapeze to an aerial hoop to gain strength, flexibility and balance.

• Fitness classes • Self-defense classes • Yoga classes • Birthday parties • Special events Prices range $15-$120 for fitness classes and $25-$200 for aerial classes. An all-inclusive

monthly membership option is $180. bodygo is located at 2945 S. Miami Blvd., #130-131, Durham. Learn more at bodygo.fitness.

PURSUE TRANQUILITY Step into Little Guru Kids and you will sense the peaceful atmosphere that co-owners Jen Bluestone and Jen Davis have created. Little Guru Kids offers a variety of classes for babies, kids, teens and families, and Bluestone says they focus on more than just yoga.

Trainers teach classes in a circle to facilitate a peaceful environment and create connections. They include affirmations to build self-esteem and self-confidence.

“It’s a great way for parents to continue to have a bond with their children,” Bluestone says.

Each session lasts six weeks.

Little Guru Kids’ course offerings include: • Parent and baby class: For ages 6 weeks to crawling with a parent.

• Parent and toddler: For walkers to age 3 with a parent.

• Preschool: For ages 3-5.

• Kids yoga: Categorized by kindergarten through second grade, and third through fifth grade options.

• Tween and teen yoga.

• Family yoga: For ages 3-10 and parents.

• Special sessions: Offered throughout the year.

• Summer camps.

• Birthday parties: Options include yoga, art, or a yogaand-art combination.

• Kids teacher training: A program that trains adults to become yoga instructors for kids.

Pricing is $16 per drop-in class, $75 for a six-week yoga series, $90 for a six-week art series and $90 for a six-week class pass. Little Guru Kids is located at 215 Glenwood Ave., Ste. A, Raleigh. Learn more at littlegurukidsyoga.com.

TAKE THE NINJA WARRIOR CHALLENGE It’s hard not to have fun at Warrior Tech OCR in Morrisville, where you will find families pretending to be ninjas and experiencing a sense of pride as they complete obstacles.

A variety of classes for all ages are offered at the same time, so kids can participate in a Ninjafit class while parents join in a full-body adult fitness class.

For safety reasons, kids must be at least 5 years old to participate.

Offerings include: • Ninjafit classes for kids: Participants focus on completing obstacles.

• Adult fitness classes: Involves full-body exercises for increasing agility, strength and endurance.

• Open Rig: Families have access to facility’s rigs and obstacles and can test their skills at their own pace.

• Camps: Offered year-round, including summer sessions.

• Birthday parties: For ages 5 and older.

A punch pass costs $20 for one visit, $175 for 10 visits and $300 for 20 visits. Punch passes don’t expire and can be shared.

Memberships cost $99/month for unlimited classes. Additional family members are $69/month.

A play membership costs $65/ month and offers unlimited access to all scheduled open

rig times but can’t be used for classes. Warrior Tech OCR is located at 220 Dominion Dr., Ste. G, Morrisville. Learn more at warriortechocr.com.

MAKE NEW MOVES, WORK NEW MUSCLES You can also conquer obstacles at Enso Movement in Raleigh and Durham, a parkour fitness facility where customers of all ages can enjoy activities involving swinging, climbing, jumping and more.

During Enso Movement’s classes, coaches focus on new skills, strength, conditioning and flexibility. Participants learn skills and improve their strength, conditioning and flexibility.

Students jump over obstacles and balance on their hands.

All of these different movements work a variety of muscles. Students must be at least 6 years old to participate.

Offerings include:

Warrior Tech OCR offers a variety of obstacle course challenges.

Photo courtesy of Jack Morton Photography

• Parkour classes: Obstacle course training.

• Tricking classes: Combines martial arts, flips and twists.

• Handbalancing classes: Involves handstands and balancing.

• Open gym: Offered at various times to allow families to explore the gym on their own.

• Track-out camps: Kids conquer physical obstacles, play confidence-building games and enjoy open practice sessions. Full-week and halfweek camps are also offered.

An open session costs $10 and memberships start at $75/month. Enso Movement is located at 3200-115 Wellington Ct., Raleigh and 1408 Christian Ave., Ste. C, Durham. Learn more at ensomovement.com.

Michele Jonczak, a freelance writer from Raleigh, is a mother of two boys and a girl.

carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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The Christy Dawn Lottie Dress Photo courtesy of Christy Dawn

FEELGOOD

Fashion Wearable mom trends for spring and summer

BY HELEN BANZET WALLACE

A

s new life emerges with delicate buds and colorful blooms this month, spring and summer call for easy, unfussy styles. After all, three months of layering beneath heavy knits, wool coats and hats have taken their toll.

It can be tricky reporting trends, as many carry over from previous seasons. It can even be argued that the importance of trends is far less relevant than previous decades.

Women are making their own rules and embracing diversity through fashion and individual style — and that includes the modern mom.

Nonetheless, industry trends will come and go. Some of the biggest and brightest for spring/summer 2018 consist of throw-on-and-go jumpsuits, dare-to-bare sheer dresses, large-print ’60s-inspired florals, sparkly summer sequins, pastels, head-to-toe brights, oversized earrings, and fanny packs or “belt bags.” Strapping on multiple bags is both stylish and utilitarian in purpose.

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Denim continues to rule and a trench coat is an investment piece that will tie your wardrobe together.

Where can you look for inspiration? Style can often be found in the most unassuming and unexpected of places.

Always keep your eyes open. The tiniest detail can spark a unique idea for what to wear. Social media and, particularly, the community of designers on Instagram bring the world of fashion to anyone with a smartphone 24/7.

What does “mom” style mean anyway? Answers will range from one mother to another, but for a large majority comfort, ease and practicality reign.

Advice to moms looking to update their wardrobe: Buy pieces that double for day and night. Vintage is always a good idea and most moms can get behind responsible fashion. Los Angeles designer Christy Dawn, for example, produces dresses using deadstock fabric from larger fashion houses, significantly minimizing the items’ environmental footprint. Feel great buying and wearing designs that help protect Mother Earth.

Below is a roundup of suggestions for the mom who manages to do it all. For those of you minding a budget, lower-priced alternatives are listed below each product.

The Christy Dawn Phoebe Jumper Photo courtesy of Christy Dawn

Current/Elliott High Waist Kick Jean in Harvey Destroy Photo courtesy of Current/Elliott Creatures of Comfort Small Bucket Bag Photo courtesy of Creatures of Comfort

The Christy Dawn Lottie Dress is all about that full skirt and features kimono sleeves, a fitted waist and a beautiful floral print in rayon crepe. christydawn.com, $212.

Price-conscious alternative: H&M Dark Blue Floral Dress. hm.com, $69.99.

The Christy Dawn Phoebe Jumper features a vintage flair, ’50s-style sleeves and a button-up front in rescued deadstock linen fabric. christydawn.com, $212.

Price-conscious alternative: Tobi Taylor-Olive Jumpsuit. tobi.com, $49.

Creatures of Comfort’s Small Bucket Bag comes in eight colors and is made of smooth Italian calf leather with a gray cotton twill-lined body, brushed gold hardware and an adjustable strap. creaturesofcomfort.com, $525.

Price-conscious alternative: H&M Faux Leather Powder Pink Handbag. hm.com, $34.99.

Current/Elliott’s High Waist Kick Jean in Harvey Destroy is subtly flared and captures the best “found at a flea market” details, but also offers a flattering modern fit. currentelliott.com, $238.

Price-conscious alternative: Madewell 9-Inch High-Rise Skinny Jeans in Allegra Wash Rip and Repair Edition. madewell.com, $135.

carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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Diane von Furstenberg Linen Wide Leg Pants Photo courtesy of Diane von Furstenberg

New York, and can be dressed up or down. scosha.com, $1,350.

Price-conscious alternative: Sorrelli Mixed Media Large Hoop Earrings. nordstrom.com, $55.

Kate Young for Tura Cecelia Sunglasses come in a modern cat-eye style in bone acetate with gold metal detailing. vertandvogue.com, $350.

Price-conscious alternative: Topshop Handmade Premium Acetate Cat Eye Sunglasses. us.topshop.com, $100.

FRAME’s Le Denim Trench takes a casual approach to the dramatic trench coat and is crafted from light wash cotton denim. frame-store.com, $425.

Price-conscious alternative: Miss Selfridge Longerline Trench Coat. us.asos.com, $94.

Diane von Furstenberg’s Short-Sleeve Linen T-shirt is a poncho-style, cropped shirt cut in a comfortable and lightweight woven linen gauze.

Wear it poolside and beyond. shopbop.com, $168.

Price-conscious alternative: H&M Studio Collection Knit Cotton Sweater. hm.com, $129.

Diane von Furstenberg’s Linen Wide Leg Pants come in a bright, multistripe, sheer linen that is easy to pack and even easier to wear. shopbop.com, $228.

Price-conscious alternative: Urban Outfitters Tie-Belt Striped Culotte Pant. urbanoutfitters.com, $59.

ASHISH’s Sequin Grocery Bag adds bold style to your shopping experience. This

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slouchy tote features a lined, 1-pocket interior and double handles. shopbop.com, $640.

Price-conscious alternative: BAGGU Duck Canvas Bag. urbanoutfitters.com, $30.

Raquel Allegra’s Poppy Bloom Silk Georgette Dress drapes you in hand tie-dyed silk marvel. vermillionstyle.com, $755.

Price-conscious alternative: ASOS Sequin Mix Ditsy Raw Edge Print Midi Tea Dress. us.asos.com, $103.

SCOSHA’s Chain Drop Hoops in Gold feature a droplet motif with a pearcut tourmaline and sapphire on the front, and a bezel-set diamond hanging from a delicate chain. These hoops are handmade in Brooklyn,

APRIL 2018 | carolinaparent.com

Clockwise: SCOSHA Chain Drop Hoops, FRAME Le Denim Trench and ASHISH Sequin Grocery Bag. Photos courtesy of SCOSHA, FRAME and ASHISH

No.6’s Coco Cross Front Sandal features a two-cross, front-heel clog in violet leather with an adjustable ankle strap, natural wood base and rubber sole. Wear these with dresses, skirts, shorts or jeans. vertandvogue.com, $290.

Price-conscious alternative: Topshop Valerie Platform Sandal. nordstrom.com, $80.

NOTE: Prices listed were accurate at press time, but may have changed since then.

Check the products' websites for the most recent prices.

Helen Banzet Wallace is a freelance writer, fashion blogger and mom. Her work has appeared in local and regional publications.

Third vertical [1/3V]

Sixth horizontal [1/6H] Ages 6 weeks to 12 years Infant, Toddler and Preschool Program 5 STAR Program with a pleasant, safe and loving environment

Summer Programs now available for preschool up to 12 years of age

7420 McCrimmon Pkwy, Cary, NC 27519 Childrenslighthouse.com/WestCary · 919-388-0470

PLANNING A

FAMILY GETAWAY? Browse our Day Trips + Family Travel Directory for kid-friendly destinations.

CarolinaParent.com/daytrips

Sixth horizontal [1/6H]

carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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EXCEPTIONAL child SPECIAL SECTION

Carolina Parent created this section for a special group of families in the Triangle: Those who have children with special needs.

The features that follow focus on vacation destinations that cater to special needs families and North Carolina education savings accounts offered to special needs children.

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APRIL 2018 | carolinaparent.com

Visit carolinaparent.com for more special needs resources, such as information about sensory-friendly events, re-education schools in the Triangle, understanding sensory sensitivities, advocating for your special needs child, therapy options, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism and more.

You'll also discover our comprehensive

directory of special needs resources located throughout the Triangle.

Whether your family faces physical, mental or emotional disabilities; developmental delays; or chronic illnesses, Carolina Parent connects you to the resources you and your child need to face each day with hope and support.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Curriculum: Students in grades two through twelve are offered half day (3 subjects), full day (6 subjects), and online courses. Reading incorporates Orton-Gillingham and the Wilson Reading System; Math uses Saxon Math; and Writing includes composition, grammar and spelling.

Content courses parallel North Carolina requirements.

Trilogy is accredited by AdvancEd. Administration: Faculty are trained in content areas or special education and understand student needs. The directors have a combined 90 years of experience in education and psychology.

The Trilogy Advantage: “Trilogy has been an amazing place for our daughter to grow academically. She has enhanced her self-confidence and leadership capabilities. She enjoys reading on her own and finally feels ‘smart’! With your leadership, she is proud of who she has become. Trilogy has prepared her to move on to public school. We will never be able to repay Trilogy for her successful outcome.”

- Parents of an 8th grader

The Trilogy School and Triangle Learning Consultants Where Every Child Can Learn

The Trilogy School History and Mission: The Trilogy School, established in 1999 by Dr. Laura Wyatt and Judy Williams, educates students with learning differences. Trilogy’s believes every student can learn in the appropriate environment and provides small group instruction and individualization in all academic areas. Students gain independence through a structured, but flexible, environment.

Trilogy School Summer Programs: • Summer school and content courses for middle and high school.

• Credit Recovery Courses are also offered for students needing to make up coursework.

Triangle Learning Consultants Established in 1989, Triangle Learning Consultants provides positive academic support for students enrolled in schools in the area. TLC gives students independent study skills, test-taking strategies, organizational techniques and confidence so they can achieve academic success.

• Individual Tutoring Program for all subjects K-12.

• Reading tutoring in the Orton-Gillingham and Wilson Reading System, as well as SAT and ACT preparation, are offered.

The Trilogy School and Triangle Learning Consultants

3810 Merton Dr., Raleigh 27609 919-781-7804 • trilogyschool.com • trianglelearningconsultants.com

carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Tucked into small storefronts in Cary and Chapel Hill are centers that are making big changes in the lives of children and their families. The centers are Brain Balance and their mission is to help children who struggle with attention, behavior, social or academic challenges. Dr. Rebecca Jackson explains why they see such positive and consistent change. “The drug-free, non-medical program combines sensory-motor training and specific cognitive

activities with nutritional support to achieve optimum brain and body function. It is this combination that provides a broader depth to change we see. For example, a child that is struggling with attention and academics will leave the program more successful in these areas, as well as demonstrating improvement in athleticism and an increase in social maturity and self-regulation.

Nothing in the brain happens in isolation, so the child that struggles with focus will also have negative impact in many other areas of development.”

Many families travel great distances to do Brain Balance. “We had no idea how far our reach would be when we first opened but began to realize the lengths families would go to in order to help their child. Families have come to do Brain Balance from all over the world, this speaks to the power of the program and its outcomes.”

Children who benefit from the program exhibit characteristics of ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other learning, processing and developmental disorders. At the core of these disorders is the brain, which is lacking proper connections and communication between different areas. This faulty communication impacts other functional systems in the body: motor, sensory, immune, visual-spatial, and cognitive.

By promoting the development of new pathways and stronger connections in the weaker regions of the brain, processing speeds increase and the communication between the two hemispheres is restored. This results in academic, behavioral and social improvements, which stick with the child.

If your child is not reaching their full potential from an academic, behavioral or social perspective you can visit www.BrainBalanceCenters.com, or better yet you can give them a call at 800-877-5500.

Fortunately, local families Brain Balance is just down the road!

Brain Balance Achievement Center of Cary

Brain Balance Achievement Center of Chapel Hill

Brain Balance

Achievement Centers of Cary and Chapel Hill

8204 Tryon Woods Dr., Ste. 114, Cary, NC 27518 1728 Fordham Blvd., Ste. 161, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 800-877-5500 • brainbalancecenters.com

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Fletcher Academy A School of Achievement

The Fletcher Academy is North Carolina’s oldest school for students with learning differences. Fletcher uses an individualized curriculum, consistent structure, exceptionally small class sizes, and whole school approach to bring out the best in students.

Unique Learners: Specifically, TFA serves students with cognitive abilities in the average to above average range who have been diagnosed with a specific learning disability or ADHD. Unique learners at Fletcher work within a nurturing environment where individualized instructional methods and leadership opportunities promote the development of academic, artistic, athletic, social and technical skills for life.

Exceptional Teachers: Our faculty contains some of the most highly trained and experienced teachers in the field. Over 65% of TFA’s teachers hold graduate degrees, and over 75% possess certification in the field of special education. Our educators possess skills well beyond the academic realm; they demonstrate deep respect for each student and strive to integrate social emotional learning opportunities within a dynamic and individualized curriculum.

Individualized Approach: A strong academic curriculum engages students along with multi-sensory teaching methods delivered within small class settings. We offer an outstanding 5:1 average student to teacher ratio. Our students learn to develop responsible behaviors, which is reinforced by daily teacher communications to parents.

As an additional support, students finish each day in Homework Hall where they receive teacher-directed guidance and help with homework assignments.

Inclusive Environment: Fletcher students have access to a variety of activities where social interaction occurs within a safe, nurturing, and joyful community. TFA’s wide variety of inclusive clubs, events, athletics, fine arts and leadership endeavors provide a rich milieu for intrapersonal and interpersonal development.

Nurturing Success: No matter the goal, from the time a student first walks through our doors to the time they depart, nurturing individual success remains our school’s foremost priority. We invite you to learn more about TFA by visiting our website at www.tfaraleigh.org. Please direct inquiries and tour requests to Tiffany Gregory, Dean of Admissions, at 919-782-5082.

The Fletcher Academy

400 Cedarview Ct., Raleigh 27609 919-782-5082 • tfaraleigh.org

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

families of children with special needs find valuable connections and support networks with people who understand their daily lives. Friendships are established, attitudes are changed and inner champions are revealed every single day.

This life-changing programming is provided free of charge to all registered Special Olympics athletes.

For 50 years, Special Olympics has been invested in the health and wellbeing of children with intellectual disabilities. Well-trained volunteers and coaches are rooting for your child, not just in sports, but in life.

Thanks to Special Olympics, children with intellectual disabilities are getting the chance to excel in leadership and sports, gaining more attention in health care and attending schools that are more intentional about inclusion.

Special Olympics North Carolina provides children ages 8 and older with the opportunity to train and compete in 19 different sports year-round: everything from Alpine skiing to swimming. Children ages 2 to 7 can participate in Young Athletes™, which focuses on inclusive sports preparation activities, such as kicking and throwing a ball.

Special Olympics North Carolina Since 1968, Special Olympics has used the transformative power of sports training and competition to improve the lives of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics athletes have more self-confidence, thanks to finding an accepting and inclusive place where they can shine. Through sports,

Special Olympics’ high-quality sports training and competition can help your child develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with family, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Visit sonc.net to learn how to get your child involved in the Special Olympics movement in your community.

Special Olympics North Carolina

2200 Gateway Centre Blvd. Suite 201, Morrisville, NC 27560 919-719-7662 • sonc.net

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APRIL 2018 | carolinaparent.com

6 Vacation Destinations for Special Needs Families

Photos courtesy of Adrian H. Wood

BY ADRIAN H. WOOD

Wondering where to vacation if you have a child with special needs? Here are some tried-andtrue fun spots for families who are not only juggling kids with special needs, but also typically developing siblings. Choose whether to travel near or far.

Atlantic Beach, North Carolina Not quite three hours from the Triangle, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, is known for its old-school family friendliness and low-key fun. It also offers several attractions for special needs families.

In February, the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores hosted its first Autism Friendly Day. The activities, which were also open to other family members, included nature walks, live animal programs, a sensory exploration room, a quiet dive program, calm spaces for families and more.

The aquarium is located at 1 Roosevelt Blvd., Pine Knoll Shores, and open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, including most holidays. Learn more at ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores.

Across the Morehead City Bridge is the

renowned Shevans Park. Nestled a couple of blocks away from the waterfront, this park features a castle-like playground known as the “Sea of Dreams,” created and built by local families. Children adore the labyrinth of wooden passages connecting slides, swings, rope obstacles and hideouts. Parents can join in or observe from nearby shady seating areas. Tennis courts are well-kept and within earshot of the covered picnic area beside the playground. Shevans Park is located at 1501 Evans St., Morehead City. Learn more at morehead.com/shevans-park.html.

Fort Macon State Park is hidden away at the eastern tip of Bogue Banks and surrounded by the sea. The restored Civil War-era fort, designed by Robert E. Lee when he was a young army engineer, contains 26

EXCEPTIONAL CHILD SPECIAL SECTION Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, offers an aquarium, park and more.

vaulted rooms enclosed by 4.5-feet thick walls, making these living quarters for Civil War soldiers a cool respite from the summer heat.

The Coastal Education Center showcases numerous exhibits about the history and ecology of the park, as well as Civil War remnants. Prepare special needs children who don’t like loud noises for the cannon and musket demonstrations.

Walk across the dune to explore tidal pools and an unspoiled shoreline that accommodates fishing, swimming and shelling. For those who have physical limitations, there are two handicappedaccessible beachside areas.

Fort Macon State Park is located at 2303 E, Fort Macon Rd., Atlantic Beach. Learn more at ncparks.gov/fort-macon-state-park.

Great Wolf Lodge Great Wolf Lodge, an indoor waterpark with locations throughout the country — and nearby locations in Concord, North Carolina, and Williamsburg, Virginia — features a selfcontained lodge for families who have children with special needs. Water slides vary in length to accommodate all ages and skill levels. There is also a standard pool for swimming, several splash pads and a few hot tubs.

Relax in rustic hotel rooms and suites that feature kids’ sleeping areas designed with a tent or cabin theme. The buffet-style restaurant ensures no waiting for meals.

When your child tires of swimming, he or she can join in scavenger hunts or MagiQuest, during which participants purchase a special wand, infuse it with magical powers and set off carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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EXCEPTIONAL CHILD SPECIAL SECTION

Disney Cruise Line partners with Autism on the Seas.

Photo courtesy of Disney Cruise Line on an interactive quest throughout the lodge.

There are also bedtime stories and an arcade.

Special needs children may enjoy visiting Great Wolf Lodge during the week , when there is typically a smaller crowd, as opposed to the weekend. If your child has a sensory issue and prefers not to wear a wristband, let the check-in staff know. They will work with you to make your child comfortable.

Great Wolf Lodge offers two locations within a few hours' drive of the Triangle: 10175 Weddington Rd., Concord, North Carolina; and 549 E. Rochambeau Dr., Williamsburg, Virginia. Learn more at greatwolf.com.

Disney Cruise Line Disney Cruise Line’s partnership with Autism on the Seas, a national organization, facilitates family-friendly cruise options for adults and children who have special needs such as autism, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy. Disney Cruise Line also provides sensory-related toys, autism-friendly movies and modified programs for children with special needs.

Crew members are certified and trained in autism awareness, and some have also been trained to offer additional assistance for guests with special needs. Children who are not potty trained are welcome to join in the kids’ clubs, too. Caretakers provide respite and fun for a few hours each day for all kids — whether they have special needs or not — so parents can have some downtime at no extra cost. Nightly shows offer reserved seating so families don’t have to arrive early.

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Learn more at disneycruise.disney.go.com and autismontheseas.com, and by contacting specialservices@disneycruise.com.

Beaches Resorts Beaches all-inclusive resorts, located in the Turks and Caicos Islands and Jamaica, has partnered with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards to provide autism-friendly kids’ camps that are Certified Autism Centers.

The child care staff has been trained in the following areas: sensory awareness, motor skills, autism overview, program development, social skills, communication, environment, emotional awareness and bullying. Resort restaurants cater to special dietary needs by offering custom dining options.

Sesame Street’s “Julia,” a puppet who has autism, is the inspiration for Beaches Resorts’ children’s art program. One-on-one caretakers and inclusive programming serve children with and without special needs. Learn more at beaches.com/autism-friendly-resorts.

LEGOLAND Florida Resort LEGOLAND Florida Resort, located about 40 minutes south of Walt Disney World, has partnered with Autism Speaks to become a model, autism-friendly resort. Handson and sensory-stimulating activities are scattered around the park, and families have access to complimentary resources such as headphones, weighted blankets, squishy toys and LEGO building tables. Families can also access “quiet rooms” for a much-needed break

from the noise and fun, and there is a similar space available within the guest services area at the adjoining LEGOLAND Florida Water Park.

Staff members are trained in autism awareness and sensitivity, and a free “Blue Hero Pass” is available at guest services for those on the autism spectrum. This allows special needs families to bypass the standby line at popular attractions and rides.

Guest services also offers visitors the chance to review “social stories” — illustrated, step-by-step walk-throughs of every ride and show — so special needs guests won’t be startled by loud noises, bright lights, darkness or other overwhelming elements.

LEGOLAND Florida Resort is located at 1 Legoland Way, Winter Haven, Florida. Learn more at legoland.com/florida.

Smugglers’ Notch Resort Smugglers’ Notch is a four-season resort in Vermont offering skiing and snowboarding in the winter, and mountain adventures in the summer. Shawna Fatigate, manager of the resort’s Smugglers’ Notch Adaptive Program (SNAP) for children with special needs, says the staff and facility “can accommodate anything and everything — even severe medical needs.”

SNAP offers numerous adaptive activities for children with special needs and is guided by an inclusive philosophy that integrates them into group activities. A daily children’s program is scheduled and, depending on a child’s individual needs, he or she may be assigned a one-on-one camp counselor within the group program for activities such as swimming, hiking, horseback riding, rock wall climbing, and participating in arts and crafts.

Smugglers’ Notch Resort is located at 1 Morse Dr., Jeffersonville, Vermont. Learn more at smuggs.com/pages/summer/kids/adaptive_ programs.php and smuggs.com/pages/winter/ kids/adaptive-programs.php.

Adrian H. Wood, Ph.D., lives in Edenton with her husband and four children, the youngest of whom has extra-special needs. Read more of her writing at talesofaneducateddebutante.com.

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EXCEPTIONAL CHILD SPECIAL SECTION

NC Education Savings Accounts Assist Students With Special Needs

BY ELIZABETH BRIGNAC

P

arents of children with special needs should be aware of a state-sponsored program that can help them pay for nonpublic school education (private schools or home schools) and for other education-related expenses for their children. carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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EXCEPTIONAL CHILD SPECIAL SECTION In 2017, the North Carolina General Assembly budgeted $3 million to fund an Education Savings Account program for the families of children with special needs.

An ESA is like a school voucher because it offers eligible families state-funded access to private school tuition, but unlike a school voucher, the ESA deposits money into an account that families can use for other expenses besides school tuition — for transportation or education-related technology, for example.

Each participating student is eligible for up to $9,000 in assistance. The state administers the program through the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority, to which participating families submit expense reports documenting how they have used the money to support their students’ educations. The family accesses the funds through a debit card.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE? Eligible students must be North Carolina residents with Individualized Education Plans. “Sometimes we get families who think that their child might need an IEP, but if they don’t have one [when they apply] this program isn’t going to work,” cautions Kathryn Marker, director of grants, training and outreach for the NCSEAA. A family with a child who does not have an IEP but who might qualify for one should contact their local public school system about setting the IEP process in motion as soon as possible, since it takes time for the public school system to determine each student’s eligibility.

In addition to having IEPs, eligible students must be at least 5 years old and not yet have graduated from high school.

Until recently, the ESA program required students to be either rising kindergarteners or first-graders, or to have been enrolled in a North Carolina public school during the school year prior to the one in which they planned to utilize the ESA. The North Carolina State Legislature, however, recently expanded the ESA program to include students

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who spent the year prior to enrollment attending private school or being homeschooled.

For the 2018-19 school year, about 300 North Carolina families will receive ESAs. Eligible families will be put into a lottery system that determines which students will receive funding. After the 2018-19 school year, eligible students who want to renew their ESAs will be prioritized for funding.

A recent program change also prioritizes students with particular diagnoses (including autism, developmental and intellectual disabilities, serious orthopedic impairments, and vision or hearing loss) for funding over students with other kinds of disabilities.

WHAT EXPENSES ARE COVERED? The ESA covers tuition to private schools. Families can also use it to cover expenses related to tutoring, educational and occupational therapies, educational technology, transportation, testing fees and textbooks.

A family who wants to use the money for tuition to a private school must make sure that the school is registered with the NCSEAA as a participating school in the ESA program.

You can find a list of participating schools on the NCSEAA’s website, ncseaa.edu. Because the ESA is new, some schools have not yet registered to participate in the program.

“Talk to the school officials,” Marker says.

“Have the school officials contact us. And that way the school can be put on the list.”

Families who wish to home-school students with special needs may apply for ESAs as well, to help pay for education-related supplies and curricula.

These families should register as home schools with the Division of

Non-Public Education and then apply directly to the NCSEAA for an ESA.

DUE DILIGENCE Marker cautions families who choose to send their children with special needs to private schools to make sure they communicate with the schools about their special education needs. Public schools must adhere to government special education requirements and must communicate in specific ways with the families of children with special needs.

Private schools are not required to meet these conditions. Parents, therefore, must ensure for themselves that each school will provide their children with necessary special education accommodations and communicate with them about how their children are progressing.

HOW TO APPLY It is important that you use a computer instead of a smartphone to apply for this program. Go to ncseaa.edu. Click on the “K-12 Grants” tab and go to the “Education Savings Account” link. The application for the 2018-19 school year became available in February. The system prioritizes families who applied before March 1. Within a week of filling out the application, families will receive further instructions from the NCSEAA. Elizabeth Brignac is a freelance writer and mother of two boys.

She lives in Cary.

EXCEPTIONAL CHILD SPECIAL SECTION

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GROWINGUP UP › GROWING Make outdoor play a shared adventure.

Draw up a nature scavenger hunt for kids to complete with friends, take part in the rockpainting craze and allow kids to paint, hide and search for rocks with pals, or simply set up a sprinkler on a hot day. Consider investing in large-scale play equipment like a climbing gym, treehouse or trampoline to attract kids and their friends to the backyard for active play. Of course, kids need time to unwind on their own, too.

Create a quiet space with a hammock or a shaded area under a canopy to encourage kids to spend time in nature reading, reflecting and relaxing.

Teen Years

Green Sprouts Raising kids who love the outdoors

BY MALIA JACOBSON

V

olumes of research assert that kids have less unstructured playtime than their parents did and spend less of that playtime outdoors. In a study published in the journal Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, more than 70 percent of mothers report that they played outdoors every day as a child, but just 30 percent say their children do the same. Researchers believe this shortage of outdoor play is hurting kids because children who spend more time outside in nature reap academic, social, emotional and physical gains.

Ready to begin encouraging an enduring love of nature? Here’s how to get your child off the couch and into the great outdoors, from toddlerhood into the teen years.

Early Years

Explore Outdoors Activities like squishing mud through their fingers, watching bugs march across a sidewalk and splashing in puddles deliver hands-on learning that ignites the five senses. Create an outdoor space that encourages creative, brain-building play for toddlers using basic, inexpensive materials, says Mary Kingsley, director and lead teacher at The Kinder Garden Preschool in Raleigh, a nature-based school where most of kids’ time is spent outside.

“Children are natural scientists. Placing stumps and logs in the area and allowing them to naturally decompose can offer excellent learning opportunities about nature,” Kingsley says. “Kids can watch for

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the bugs that help the process, like bess beetles, worms, ants and termites.”

Turn an old sandbox into a site for sensory play by swapping out the contents.

Use rice, dried beans, birdseed or dried corn along with funnels and measuring cups to let kids explore a variety of textures. Provide a bin of water and a few cups, spoons and pans for a “mud kitchen,” and kids can spend hours in happy, messy outdoor play.

Green Goals Teens need outdoor time as much as their younger counterparts, says Julie Kandall, educational director of the Columbus Pre-School in New York City.

“For older tweens and teens, finding time to unplug from their smartphones, iPads, computers and other forms of technology and spend time outdoors is essential for the development of brain pathways, as well as developing all the senses,” Kandall says.

As teens seek to define their identity, volunteer work and entrepreneurship offer opportunities to build outdoor time into a busy schedule while earning cash and rounding out college applications. Teen volunteers can help maintain hiking trails, hand out water at a marathon aid station, pull weeds at a community garden or work with young kids as a camp counselor. Those with an entrepreneurial streak can bolster their bank accounts as a dog walker, house painter, powerwasher or lawn-mower. Earning certifications that translate into outdoor work — such as lifeguarding or refereeing — allows teens to develop their budding sense of self, provides opportunities to earn money and fosters a love of the outdoor world.

Elementary Years

Backyard Buddies Getting kids at this age to leave the online world takes effort. School-age children are drawn to environments that are more social, Kingsley says.

Malia Jacobson is a nationally published journalist. Her latest book is “Sleep Tight, Every Night: Helping Toddlers and Preschoolers Sleep Well Without Tears, Tricks, or Tirades.”

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TECH TALK

1. Evaluate last year’s content. There’s probably no need for your child to delete every post, like Sandgren did. But it’s a good idea for your child to look back on what he or she liked, favorited, shared, followed and conversed about using social media. Anything that doesn’t reflect your child’s core values, goals and interests should be edited or deleted. Of course, screenshots of the original post(s) may still be out there, but at least your child will have set the record straight wherever possible.

2. Review phone and app settings. Devices and apps are regularly updated. Does your child know what settings have changed or new ways to protect himself or herself? How about how to use a device or apps in good, purposeful ways?

Spring Cleaning in the Age of Social Media

BY LAURA TIERNEY

I

f you don’t think what you share and like on social media — or whom you follow — reflects your character, think again. Tennys Sandgren, the first American to reach the

quarterfinals in the Australian Open since 2010, learned this lesson the hard way a few weeks ago — in the spotlight of the American press.

After being accused of homophobia, racism and supporting controversial ideas on Twitter, Sandgren deleted every tweet he had posted and started fresh. In an ESPN interview he said, “It’s not something I’m really necessarily embarrassed about or anything like that. It just seemed like creating a version of a cleaner start is not a bad call.”

Our social media accounts absolutely reflect who we are, what we value and how we think. During a press conference, Sandgren tried to explain that it was ludicrous to judge him based on articles he had shared, views he had tweeted and even accounts he had followed. But, of course, we judge, and our judgment isn’t limited to pro athletes.

Teens’ accounts, too, should reflect the person they would want to be during an interview at a national press conference. It could mean the difference between getting, keeping or losing an internship, college acceptance or spot on the football team. Tennys Sandgren made history at the Australian Open, but he’ll be remembered for his tweets.

Encourage your child to “create a version of a cleaner start” by doing a little online spring cleaning. Use it as an opportunity to talk about his or her goals and values, how those values appear to others on social media, and how posts and other online statements can help him or her accomplish what’s most important.

Here are four steps to spring cleaning in this age of social media.

3. Clean out the contact list. Many apps pull information from a device’s contact list, so encourage your child to merge duplicates and delete contacts he or she no longer needs.

Apps like Smart Merge and Cleaner Pro turn what would be a long, arduous and terribly boring experience into a 5-minute job.

4. Be choosy about follows. Have your child review the people he or she follows on favorite apps, and encourage the unfollowing of those who do not support his or her goals and values. Ask your child to be picky. Really, really picky.

The average adult in 2017 spent 5 hours and 50 minutes consuming digital and social media each day, according to digital marketing company eMarketer. In 2015 Common Sense Media reported that teens spend 9 hours each day on social media alone.

The good news? To a large extent, your child can control what he or she sees and hears on social media, and use it to become the best version of himself or herself possible.

Laura Tierney is founder and president of The Social Institute, which offers students positive ways to handle one of the biggest drivers of their social development: social media. She also recently became a mom. Learn more at thesocialinstitute.com. carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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UNDERSTANDING KIDS Photo courtesy of iStock

Gratifying Kids' Wishes: When Enough is Not Enough

BY LUCY DANIELS CENTER STAFF

S

ome parents find themselves faced with the dilemma of how much they should gratify their child’s wishes and where they should draw the line. Their child may create long wish lists and their parents, in an effort to avoid disappointing their child, may shower him or her with an abundance of gifts, only to find that these efforts simply weren’t enough to quell their child’s wishes for more.

Understanding Behavior Seeking — or not seeking — external gratification is a behavior. The key to understanding why a child behaves or acts a certain way is to think of his behavior as a response to, or expression of, an emotional state. Behaviors are external clues about a child’s internal state of mind.

A child who is generally content and settled emotionally (i.e., not overly anxious, distressed or depressed) will likely also be content and satisfied with external elements of her world (comfortably entertains herself, feels flexible enough to go with the flow, accepts what is served at mealtimes, or feels OK about receiving some, but not all, of the items she wished for).

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As with all behaviors, parents should first distinguish whether a particular behavior is unusual or ongoing. Seeking external gratification comes in many forms: needing more attention, resisting being alone, resisting family routines or activities, being “picky” about food or not feeling satisfied with possessions. A child who seeks external gratification may be reacting to a significant change, such as the arrival of a new sibling or start of a new school year.

Discovering Their Inner World Seeking external gratification or remedies may be indicative of an uncomfortable feeling a child is experiencing and trying to get rid of or distract himself from. If this behavior is common, parents may be able

to pinpoint the trigger and gently bring this behavior to their child’s attention.

For example, a parent could say, “Nothing seems to feel right or good enough lately. Things have been feeling a little different since [the change]. I’ll keep this in mind and give you some extra help.”

When the trigger is unknown, a parent can say, “You’ve been needing more [such and such] lately and I’m not sure why that is. I can get this for you, and it may help for a little while, but it won’t fix the problem on the inside.” Comments like these can open doors to further communication and lead to discussions that help a child recognize that he is using external gratification to alleviate internal discomfort.

Outside Vs. Inside Fixes An “outside fix” is an attempt to alleviate discomfort with something external (such as a reward or toy). An “inside fix” addresses the problem internally and brings a child’s attention to her inner world, helping her recognize how her state of mind drives her needs and wishes. Ideally, a healthy blend of both outside and inside fixes can help by providing additional nurturing and support while exploring the reasons why such help is needed.

Signs That a Child Needs Help Some children persistently seek external gratification in various forms. If this behavior is persistent (not triggered by some stressor or event in an apparent way) and seems to consistently interfere with their ability to comfortably move through a typical day, consider seeking more specialized help and support in exploring and working through these internal difficulties. Find more information about how and when to seek help at lucydanielscenter.org.

The Lucy Daniels Center is a nonprofit agency in Cary that promotes the emotional health and well-being of children and families. Visit lucydanielscenter.org to learn more.

Camp Section

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Camp Section

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›

FATHER FIGURING Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

The Fit Family

BY BRUCE HAM

W

hen I was a kid, my mom put us in the yard at 8 a.m. in the summer, and we didn’t return until dinnertime.

During the school year, it was 3-6 p.m. If it was cold, there were coats. If it was hot, shirts were optional.

We ran around the cul-de-sac at the end of Birkshire Road in Fayetteville for hours on end. We’d play tag, hide-and-seek or a game my brother made up called Boy-Land. That was when the boys chased the girls. Tracy McDonnell insisted on equal billing so we sometimes acquiesced and played Girl-Land, which was just as fun. It was one of the few times in my life that a female actually showed interest in catching me.

Sometimes we would just stand in the front yard and spin around in circles.

Our lives were centered around physicality.

We’d come home sweaty and tired — likely burning more calories than my mom could shove into us, and she shoved a lot!

That is not the case today. My three daughters would rather watch Netflix than breathe. A nine-season show is nothing to conquer over a five-day school break. That’s like 90 hours of TV! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not the most athletic person in the world. I don’t know the difference between a football and a hockey stick, and I have the coordination of David Hasselhoff (“Dancing with the Stars” season 11). But I exercise four or five times a week. I like to move.

I try to encourage activity with my girls.

I promote the possibility of good weather: “It’s going to be 75 tomorrow. Nice day to spend outside!” Typically, I get no takers.

Internet reception is spotty beyond the walls of our house, and jogging with a laptop can be cumbersome.

I try to beat them at their own game by finding activities they can do while watching a screen: “I found a great exercise video

online. It’s Zumba! I think you’d enjoy it.”

They disagree. Unless Phoebe from “Friends” is the instructor, they have no interest.

The only way I have found slight success in getting my teenagers to sweat is to hit the gym as a family. They seem to revel in watching me plunder through a group fitness class.

Once we landed in a sports conditioning class. I thought it would be a good fit for a rhythmless 50-year-old. I was wrong. Apparently part of conditioning for sports includes straddling a “stair” and crossing it in sync with the music.

Who walks upstairs to a beat? It is not a practical exercise.

Another time my youngest daughter and I took Pilates. As the class began, the teacher announced that participants generally remove their shoes. I thought it was nice that she was informing the masses. As I untied my New Balance sneakers, I realized I was the only one without bare feet. Why didn’t she just come and tell me?

We all took yoga. I believe the

woman on the mat in front of me could have stuck her head through her legs and licked her own back. I, on the other hand, can’t touch my feet, unless I’m sitting with my legs crossed.

At the gym we jog together, ride bikes together and work out our abs. I’ve even taken my teens through my rigorous weightlifting routine (well, it’s rigorous for me). But they always keep it real.

“Dad, these are big weights. You’re pretty strong. Why do you look so scrawny?”

They seem to delight in my misery. And I find joy that they’re doing something besides watching inappropriate clips from “Saturday Night Live.”

At my house, exercising together brings happiness to all!

Bruce Ham, who lives in Raleigh, started writing after losing his wife eight years ago and raising his three daughters on his own.

He has written a book, “Laughter, Tears and Braids,” about their journey, and writes a blog about his family's experience at therealfullhouse.wordpress.com. carolinaparent.com | APRIL 2018

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›

COLLEGE TRANSITIONS

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

How do I find a school’s net price calculator?

Just Google the name of the school with “net price calculator.” The U.S. Department of Education also offers a convenient website where you can quickly search for the net price calculator of any institution: collegecost.ed.gov/netpricecenter.aspx.

Estimating College Costs The power of a net price calculator

BY DAVE BERGMAN, ED.D.

I

n 1959, America would have been unrecognizable to a time traveler from 1886 — city skylines illuminating the night sky, cars zipping along highways, jumbo jets roaring above at 30,000 feet — just about every aspect of daily life had radically changed. Yet, amazingly, one thing would have been startlingly familiar, as it remained constant during that 73-year span: The 5-cent bottle of Coca-Cola.

If only the world of college tuition prices had a fraction of that steady predictability. Even fully accounting for inflation, college costs have tripled since 1979, doubled since the late ’80s, and price increases continue to outpace inflation every year. For all of the exorbitant costs, one would hope that colleges and universities were at least transparent and straightforward with their pricing. Unfortunately, tuition pricing has more in common with your perpetually rising cable bill or the mysterious fees that suddenly surface when you buy a car.

Estimating college costs merely by comparing sticker prices is not often a fruitful endeavor, and without a “good faith estimate” of the impact of a family’s financial standing and merit aid on the final bill, many applicants remain completely in the dark. To address the problem of tuition obfuscation, the U.S. Congress passed a bill in 2011 that requires colleges to post a “net price calculator” on their websites.

What does a net price calculator do?

Just like the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or College Scholarship Service profile, an institution’s net price calculator can use your previous year’s tax returns, as well as information

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about your assets, to give you an estimated cost of attendance. While there is nothing official about this estimate, it can be a very helpful tool for applicants early in the process to get a ballpark figure of what a given school will cost.

How long does it take?

The quality of a net price calculator can, in part, be measured by how long it takes you to complete it. The rule of thumb for the time it should take to plug in your data is 15-20 minutes. Have documents related to family income, assets and investments by your side. If a net price calculator is going to tell you anything accurate, all of this information will be required.

Can a net price calculator reliably help you select schools you can afford?

If there is no conceivable way you or your family will be able to pay for a particular college based on your net price calculation, consider scrapping that application entirely. There is no reason to waste money and precious time completing an application for a school that, even in the best-case merit aid scenario, is well beyond your financial reach. The worst strategy you can employ is to base your entire set of applications on pure financial guesswork. Netting a handful of acceptance letters from schools you can’t afford to attend without taking out massive student loans is not an enviable position to find yourself in. Make sure you pick at least one financial safety school that a quality net price calculator can help you select with confidence.

Dave Bergman, Ed.D., is a co-founder of College Transitions, a team of college planning experts committed to guiding families through the college admissions process. He is also a co-author of “The Enlightened College Applicant: A New Approach to the Search and Admissions Process.” Learn more at collegetransitions.com.

PLANNING A FAMILY GETAWAY? Browse our Day Trips + Family Travel Directory for kid-friendly destinations that are just a short drive away.

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EXCURSION › EXCURSION

Grayson Highlands Find kid-friendly adventure with wild ponies and family hikes

BY MYRA WRIGHT

I

f you’re looking for a unique weekend camping spot, consider Grayson Highlands State Park, just north of the Virginia-North Carolina border in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. Known for its scenic mountain peaks, kid-friendly trails and wild ponies, this 4,822-acre park is near Mount Rogers — Virginia’s highest peak — and offers a variety of outdoor activities for all ages, making it a must-visit destination for families.

Wild Ponies No trip to Grayson Highlands is complete without seeing its wild ponies. The U.S. Forest Service released the herd, which numbers about 150, into the area in 1975 to control brush growth in the area’s balds, a once heavily forested region that was cleared with extensive logging during the late 19th century.

To see the ponies, start at Massie Gap and hike the Rhododendron Trail, which connects to a portion of the Appalachian Trail. The moderately challenging trail crosses Wilburn Ridge to Rhododendron Gap, one of the best spots in the park to see the ponies.

The ponies are usually gentle and accustomed to visitors, but park officials warn hikers not to approach, feed or pet them. If startled, the ponies might bite or kick.

There are plenty of opportunities for great photos with scenic mountain peaks as the perfect backdrop. The trail is rocky, so be sure to wear comfortable hiking shoes.

Trekking poles or hiking sticks are helpful, especially for young hikers.

Hiking Trails Grayson Highlands State Park offers 13 trails that vary in length and intensity. On your quest to see the wild ponies, you can

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Approximately 150 wild ponies roam throughout Grayson Highlands State Park.

Photo courtesy of Myra Wright continue on the Appalachian Trail that leads to the summit of Mount Rogers at 5,729 feet for sweeping and spectacular views.

Be sure to download a trail guide from the park website to help you navigate and find kid-friendly easy hikes, such as the Haws Flat Trail short 0.7-mile trek. The Rock House Ridge Trail is a moderate 1.25-mile loop near a picnic area and rebuilt homestead site with a cane mill, two log cabins and a springhouse. A more difficult, but favorite additional trail, is the Wilson Creek Trail, a 1.8-mile hike that passes several waterfalls.

Camping Campgrounds are open the first Friday in May through the first Monday in November and include tent and standard sites with electricity and water. If you have horses, the Chestnut Hollow Horse Campground offers primitive camping during March, April and November in addition to regular-season camping that includes electric and water hookups, stables and parking for trailers.

Camping costs range from $24-$79.

Fishing and Boating Take a canoe down the New River through pristine scenery. Guided canoe trips for

6-14 people are offered Memorial Day through Labor Day. The 6-mile trip takes about six hours. Pack a lunch, water and closed-toe shoes.

The park is also known for its wild trout streams. Anglers can enjoy catching brook and wild rainbow trout while surrounded by the scenic views of Grayson Highlands. Don’t forget to check the park website for fishing permit and license information.

Visitor Center Find educational exhibits on native plants and animals in the area, as well as early pioneer life at the park’s visitor center. The gift shop at the visitor’s center features handmade crafts from local artisans. The center is open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day. During the off-season, it’s open Thursday through Sunday. Park admission ranges from $5-$7. Learn more at dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/ grayson-highlands.

Myra Wright is the digital editor of Carolina Parent and Charlotte Parent. She frequently explores state parks with her husband and three kids.

April

OUR PICKS

BY JANICE LEWINE

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Teen Days of Service April 20-22

Prepare for a month of science fun in the Triangle. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina Science Festival

North Carolina Science Festival | April 1-30 Don’t miss your chance to experience the fascinating world of science at the eighth annual North Carolina Science Festival. Showcasing hundreds of community-

Calling all teens! Join Activate Good to volunteer with a variety of nonprofits across the Triangle during Teen Days of Service 2018. Visit activategood.org/teendays2018 to register for community cleanup events in downtown Raleigh, Garner and Falls Lake; enhance urban agriculture in Raleigh to fight food insecurity; prepare the Walnut Hill Preserve with Triangle Land Conservancy; and other activities.

View the individual events online for age and supervision requirements.

based, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities, the festival engages a wide range of audiences while inspiring future generations. Visit ncsciencefestival.org to search for events in your area, including the UNC Science Expo on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill April 14; the Family Rube Goldberg Festival in Cary April 15; Piedmont Wildlife Center’s Mini Bioblitz in Durham April 26; and others across the state. Some events require fees and/or registration.

Piedmont Earthskills Gathering | April 4-8 Recreate a village experience that brings back to life ancient sounds, stories and skills during the Piedmont Earthskills Gathering in Pittsboro. Learn the arts of matchless fire making, edible and medicinal plant identification, hide tanning, stone tool creation and use, ancient weaponry, basket making and more, then take home projects you have made with your own hands and abilities. Gather around campfires in the evenings for storytelling, dancing and traditional music. Visit piedmontearthskillsgathering.com for fees and to register.

Learn about ancient arts, and listen to traditional music and stories at the Piedmont Earthskills Gathering April 4-8.

Photo courtesy of Piedmont Earthskills Gathering

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BrickUniverse LEGO Fan Expo returns to Raleigh April 14-15.

Photo courtesy of BrickUniverse LEGO Fan Expo

FESTIVALS DURHAM EASTER April 1 – Durham Central Park, 510 Foster St., Durham. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. FREE. Celebrate Easter with bounce houses, face painting, live entertainment, food trucks, four egg hunts for ages 2-12 and a scavenger hunt for teens. Register online. durhameaster.com.

FARM SPRING FEST WITH GOATS AT SPRING HAVEN FARM April 1 – Spring Haven Farm, 5306 Homer Ruffin Rd., Chapel Hill. 1-5 p.m. $12.50/person. Free for ages 3 and younger. Usher in the spring season

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with goats, baby pigs, horses and other farm animals. Dye Easter eggs and enjoy an egg hunt, face painting and rides on the Tractor Train Express.

Purchase tickets online. eventbrite. com/e/farm-spring-fest-with-goatstickets-43579749203.

exhibits and performances, the festival engages a wide range of audiences while inspiring future generations. ncsciencefestival.org.

NORTH CAROLINA SCIENCE FESTIVAL

April 7 – North Carolina Botanical Garden, 100 Old Mason Farm Rd., Chapel Hill. 1-4 p.m. $5/person. Free for ages 2 and younger. Enjoy handson activities, nature play, bird games, flower art, gnome homebuilding, a scavenger hunt and more. Register online. ncbg.unc.edu/youth-family.

April 1-30 – Various locations across the Triangle and North Carolina. Discover the educational, cultural and financial impact of science in North Carolina.

Through hands-on activities, science talks, lab tours, nature experiences,

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DISCOVERING MAGIC IN THE GARDEN: SPRING FAMILY FESTIVAL

FROG FEST April 7 – Crowder District Park, 4709 Ten-Ten Rd., Apex. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

FREE. Learn about frogs and the clean water that all living things need. Frog Fest features crafts, games, live music, food trucks, and a meet and greet with live frogs and reptiles. Parking is available at Middle Creek High School with a free shuttle to the park. All ages. wakegov.com/parks/crowder/ pages/frogfest.aspx.

PARKWOOD SPRING FEST April 7 – Emerald Pond, 1603 Clermont Rd., Durham. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. FREE. Take

the family for an egg hunt, vendors, free food, games, a puppet show, storytime and more. Parking is available at the 4D Church lot on Clermont Road. parkwoodnc.org.

RAULSTON BLOOMS! April 7 – JC Raulston Arboretum, 4415 Beryl Rd., Raleigh. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $5/ nonmember, $10/family. Free for members. This annual garden festival showcases hands-on learning activities, educational demonstrations, artisans, food trucks and entries in the 18th Annual Birdhouse Competition. jcra.ncsu.edu.

WAKE FOREST DIRT DAY April 7 – Downtown Wake Forest. FREE. Shake off the winter blues and enjoy beekeeping demonstrations, vendors, kids’ activities and more. wakeforestnc. gov/dirt-day.aspx.

CARRBORO OPEN STREETS April 8 – Downtown Carrboro. Noon-4 p.m. FREE. Bike, dance, climb a rock wall, enjoy yoga and more. All ages. www.ci.carrboro.nc.us/745/carrboroopen-streets (“www” is required in the URL).

NEAR & FAR CELEBRATION April 8 – 140 W. Franklin Plaza, downtown Chapel Hill. 2-5 p.m. FREE. Chapel Hill honors its diversity in a street party showcasing traditional music and dance performances, authentic cuisine, crafts and more. All ages. plaza140westfranklin. squarespace.com/festivals.

SOUTHERN WOMEN’S SHOW April 13-15 – North Carolina State Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh. See the website for hours and to purchase tickets. Fashion shows, top chefs and celebrity guests highlight this event that also offers hundreds of

boutiques filled with trendy fashions, beauty products and gourmet treats. southernshows.com/wra.

PINTS FOR PAWS April 14 – Northgate Plaza, 1058 W. Club Blvd., Durham. Noon-4 p.m.

Purchase tickets online, $10-$35. Free for ages 10 and younger. This familyand dog-friendly festival features food trucks, live music, doggie wading pools, adoptable dogs and more. Proceeds benefit Animal Protection Society of Durham. eventbrite.com.

BRICKUNIVERSE LEGO FAN EXPO April 14-15 – Raleigh Convention Center, 500 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh.

Purchase tickets online for either the 9 a.m.-1 p.m. or 1-5 p.m. session on April 14 or 15. $15/person. Enjoy all things LEGO at this festival that offers huge LEGO displays, building zones, guest speakers, vendors and more. brickuniverse.org/raleigh.

FAMILY RUBE GOLDBERG FESTIVAL April 15 – The Forge Initiative, 3300 Green Level Rd. W., Cary. 1:30-4:30 p.m. $20/family. Learn about chain reaction materials, mechanisms and movement by exploring Rube Goldberg contraptions. This event is part of the North Carolina Science Festival. theforgeinitiative.org/workshops/ ccrfamilyfestival-04152018.

PINWHEELS FAMILY FUN DAY April 15 – Wheels Fun Park, 715 N. Hoover Rd., Durham. Noon-6 p.m. $15/ person. Take the family for batting cage rounds, mini golf, skating, go-karts and more in support of the Exchange Family Center’s efforts to prevent child abuse. exchangefamilycenter.org/events/ pinwheels.

TOUCH A TRUCK April 15 – The Friday Center, 100 Friday Center Dr., Chapel Hill. Noon-4 p.m. $6/person, $25/family. Free for ages 1 and younger. Explore dozens of vehicles in a safe, supervised environment with local food trucks, kids’ activities and face painting. Proceeds raised from the event benefit UNC Children’s Hospital and Boy Scout Troop 39. touchatruckchapelhill.com.

WAKE FOREST ARBOR DAY April 21 – E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Rd., Wake Forest. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. FREE. Receive a free tree seedling and enjoy organizations that offer special activities, treats and gardening information. Children can build a birdhouse and take part in other activities. wakeforestnc.gov/arbor-day.aspx.

CHILDREN’S DAY FESTIVAL OF CARY April 21 – Sertoma Amphitheatre, Bond Park, 801 High House Rd., Cary.

11 a.m.-5 p.m. FREE. Enjoy music, crafts and international cuisine in an event that celebrates the Triangle’s children and their rich, diverse cultures. kids.ata-nc.org.

DURHAM EARTH DAY FESTIVAL April 22 – Durham Central Park, 501 Foster St., Durham. Noon-5 p.m.

FREE. Honor Mother Earth with music, food, educational activities and more. durhamnc.gov/1003/earth-day-festival.

GIRLS WORLD EXPO RALEIGH April 22 – Embassy Suites, 201 Harrison Oaks Blvd., Cary. Noon- 4 p.m. FREE. Teen girls become empowered through demonstrations, science exhibits, guest speakers and more. Register online. girlsworldexpo.com/expos/raleigh.

GOODGUYS 4TH NORTH CAROLINA NATIONALS April 27-29 – North Carolina State Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh. See the website for fees and hours. Enjoy a demolition derby, dragster exhibition, vendors and kids’ activities. View more than 1,500 vehicles through 1972 on display. good-guys.com/ncn-2018.

MEBANE DOGWOOD FESTIVAL April 27-28 – Downtown Mebane.

6-10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Saturday. The spring season comes alive in Mebane with live entertainment, vendors, a car show, kids’ activities and more. The rain date is April 29. mbamebane.com/dogwood-festival.

GARNER STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL April 28 – Technology Dr., off Hwy. 42 W., Garner. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. FREE. Strawberries take center stage in a festival that also offers inflatables, food trucks, craft vendors, kiddie rides and a classic car show. greaterclevelandchamber.com/ strawberry-festival1.html.

SONGBIRD CELEBRATION April 28 – Blue Jay Point County Park, 3200 Pleasant Union Church Rd., Raleigh. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. FREE. Enjoy game booths, activities, crafts and more. wakegov.com/parks/bluejay.

SPRING DAZE ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL AND EARTH DAY CELEBRATION April 28 – Bond Park, 801 High House Rd., Cary. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. FREE. Spring Daze features 180-plus North Carolina artists, entertainment, food and an Earth Day Celebration. The Children’s Village at the Lazy Daze Playground offers interactive exhibits and hands-on crafts for kids. townofcary.org.

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See Catboy, Owlette and Gekko as they try to save the day from villains in “PJ Masks LIVE: Time to Be a Hero” April 18 at the Durham Performing Arts Center.

Photo courtesy of DPAC

PERFORMANCES NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY PRESENTS “THE FIREBIRD”

“ADVENTURE ROAD: A STORY OF HUCK AND TOM”

April 6-7 – Meymandi Concert Hall, 2 E. South St., Raleigh. 7 p.m. April 6; 1 and 4 p.m. April 7. $28. Enchantment Theatre weaves together theater, masks, puppetry, shadow play and magic with Stravinsky’s well-known score. Enjoy family-friendly activities before the show.

Purchase tickets online. ticketmaster.com.

April 13-29 – Kennedy Theatre, 2 E. South St., Raleigh. See the website for show times and to purchase tickets. $10-$15.

Huckleberry Finn and his friend Tom Sawyer find themselves knee-deep in adventure, shenanigans and Mississippi mud. Purchase tickets online. theatreraleigh.com.

“DISNEY JUNIOR DANCE PARTY ON TOUR”

“PJ MASKS LIVE: TIME TO BE A HERO”

April 11 – Durham Performing Arts Center, 123 Vivian St., Durham. 6 p.m. $27.50. Sing and dance to Disney Junior’s greatest hits with Mickey Mouse, Roadster Racers, Sofia The First, Puppy Dog Pals, Elena of Avalor, Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, The Lion Guard and others.

Purchase tickets online. ticketmaster.com.

April 18 – Durham Performing Arts Center, 123 Vivian St., Durham. 6 p.m. $35. See Catboy, Owlette and Gekko as they try to save the day from villains Romeo, Night Ninja and Luna Girl in a live performance. Purchase tickets online. ticketmaster.com.

“ALICE @ WONDERLAND”

April 19-21 – Green Hope High School, 2500 Carpenter Upchurch Rd., Cary.

See the website for show times and to purchase tickets. $8-$12. Green Hope Fine Arts Boosters performs its version of the Broadway musical about Daisy and Violet Hilton, a pair of Siamese conjoined twins and famous stage performers, as they journey to find social tolerance and love. greenhopefinearts.org.

April 13-22 – Raleigh Little Theater, 301 Pogue St., Raleigh. See the website for show times and to purchase tickets. $18/adult, $12 ages 12 and younger. Alice is a texting, tweeting and Googling girl of the digital era, but she finds herself in the Wonderland of old. A sensory-friendly performance takes place April 28 at 1 p.m. raleighlittletheatre. org/shows/alice-wonderland.

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“SIDE SHOW”

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“THE SOUND OF MUSIC”

TRIANGLE YOUTH STRING ORCHESTRA’S SPRING CONCERT

April 20-22 – Durham Performing Arts Center, 123 Vivian St., Durham. See the website for show times and to purchase tickets. $40 and up. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved musical about the von Trapp family comes alive on stage in Durham. Purchase tickets online. ticketmaster.com.

April 21 – Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave., Cary. 4 p.m. $5/adult, $2/kids. Hear string music played by the Triangle Youth Strings Orchestra and The Triangle Youth String Sinfonia. townofcary.org.

ATLANTIC COAST THEATRE PRESENTS “ROCKIN’ RED RIDING HOOD”

April 22 – Downtown Chapel Hill. Noon4 p.m. FREE. Enjoy food trucks, games, a DJ and a miniature golf course. downtownchapelhill. com/calendar/2018/4/22/rodeo-on-rosemary.

April 21 – Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave., Cary. 10 a.m. $8/person. Rock along with Little Red, Grandma, Jack Lumber and B.B. Wolf as the classic story of “Little Red Riding Hood” gets an update in this rock musical. Purchase tickets online. etix.com.

CAROLINA YOUTH BALLET PRESENTS “A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM” April 21 – Fletcher Theater, 2 E. South St., Raleigh. 2 p.m. $12-$27. Carolina Youth Ballet performs Shakespeare’s classic tale with guest artists from Carolina Ballet. All ages. Purchase tickets online. carolinayouthballet.tix.com.

RODEO ON ROSEMARY

NORTH CAROLINA SYMPHONY PRESENTS “ROMEO & JULIET” April 27 – Meymandi Concert Hall, 2 E. South St., Raleigh. 8 p.m. $18 and up.

The North Carolina Symphony is joined by actors from the UNC School of the Arts for a semi-staged production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet.” Purchase tickets online. ticketmaster.com.

FAMILY FUN SUNDAY: DURHAM BALLET THEATRE April 29 – Century Center, 100 N. Green St., Carrboro. 2:30-3:30 p.m. $3/person.

Durham Ballet Theatre presents a dance performance for all ages. carrbororec.org.

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1 SUNDAY Discovery Table: Nature’s April Fools.

Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

FREE. Explore the ways that nature can be tricky and learn how wildlife have evolved to increase their chances of survival and success. All ages. FREE. Registration not required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Mill Heritage and Local History Tour.

Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 2-3 p.m. $5/adult, $3 ages 7-16. Free for ages 6 and younger.

Watch a brief slideshow and explore the inner workings of the mill to witness the power of water as it turns the milling machinery. Registration encouraged. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

2 MONDAY Nature Fun-Days: Turtles and Snakes.

Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 10 a.m.noon. $9/resident, $12/nonresident.

Kids hike, make projects and engage in nature activities. Ages 5-8. Register online. classweb.townofcary.org.

3 TUESDAY Nature Fun-Days: Gardening for Kids.

See April 2.

4 WEDNESDAY Fairies and Trolls. Wilkerson Nature Preserve, 5229 Awls Haven Dr., Raleigh. 12:45-2:15 pm. $6/child. Preschoolers make a tiny house in the woods for a mouse, bug or woodland creature. Wear fairy wings and walk the trails. Ages 3-5 with adult. Register online. Choose course code #215517. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

Field School: A-Maize-ing Grains.

Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 10-11 a.m. $4/child.

Investigate the grains found in favorite foods. Try shelling corn and make a living necklace. Ages 7–14. $4/child. Registration required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

History Detective Mill Tour. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 11 a.m.-noon. $5/adult, $3/ages 7-16. Free for ages 6 and younger. Solve puzzles and investigate the mystery of milling. All ages. Registration required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

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Storytime for Tots: “Who Is in the Garden?” Lake Crabtree County Park, 1400 Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville. 1-2 p.m.

FREE. Enjoy the story by Vera Rosenberry, followed by outdoor, hands-on nature exploration. Ages 2-6 with parent. Register online. wakegov.com/parks/lakecrabtree.

Welcome, Hummingbirds. Wilkerson Nature Preserve, 5229 Awls Haven Dr., Raleigh. 12:45-2:15 p.m. $3/child.

Preschoolers learn about hummingbirds migrating back to Raleigh from their winter homes. Play hummingbird games and help install nectar feeders. Ages 3-5 with adult. Register online. Choose course code #215517. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

5 THURSDAY Eco-Express: Discovering Fossils. Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 10 a.m.-noon. $9/resident, $12/nonresident. Take the fast track to nature in a hands-on study of ecology. Ages 8-12.

Register online. classweb.townofcary.org.

6 FRIDAY Angling Time. Harris Lake County Park, 2112 County Park Dr., New Hill. 4:30-6 p.m. $1/ person. Discover fish species in the lake.

Equipment and instruction provided.

Advanced registration required online for either the 4:30-6 p.m. or 6-7:30 p.m. session.

All ages with adult. Ages 16 and older must have a state fishing license. Meet at the fishing pier. wakegov.com/parks/harrislake.

Nature Fun-Days: Things With Wings.

Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 10 a.m.-noon. $9/ resident, $12/nonresident. Kids hike, make projects and enjoy nature activities. Ages 5-8.

Register online. classweb.townofcary.org.

Nature Play Day. Wilkerson Nature Preserve, 5229 Awls Haven Dr., Raleigh. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. FREE. Enjoy imaginative play in a natural setting. Dig for gemstones, make a fort out of natural materials, fly a kite and more. Materials provided. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Drop-in program. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

7 SATURDAY Color in Motion 5K. WakeMed Soccer Park, 201 Soccer Park Dr., Cary. 9 a.m.-noon. $29.99 and up. Wear white clothing and be color-blasted at various stations on a 5K

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run. All ages and abilities welcome. Register online. colorinmotion5k.com/raleigh.

Family Programs: Springtime Nature Stroll at Bond Park. Bond Park, 801 High House Rd., Cary. 2-3:30 pm. $12/ resident, $16/nonresident. Join staff for a guided nature walk. All ages with adult.

Advance registration required online. classweb.townofcary.org.

Family Swamp Romp: Turtles. Walnut Creek Wetland Park, 950 Peterson St., Raleigh. 11 a.m.-noon. $2/person. Ages 3-8 and caregiver enjoy stories, games, crafts and guided walks. Registration required online. Choose course #213448. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

Geocaching 101 on the American Tobacco Trail. The American Tobacco Trail, 1309 New Hill Olive Chapel Rd., Apex.

9:30-11 a.m. $1/person. Learn about geocaching and search for a geocache in the park. Take your own unit or smartphone with a geocache app or borrow one from the park. Ages 6 and older. Advance registration required online. Meet at the New Hill Parking Area at the upper picnic table. wakegov.com/parks/att.

Saturdays at the Old Mill Tours. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 1-3 p.m. $5/adult, $3 ages 7-16. Free for ages 6 and younger.

Half-hour tours take place from 1-3 p.m.

View the main power drive and milling machinery while exploring the mill’s history and preservation. All ages. Registration encouraged. Tickets are available inside the visitor center. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Spring Big Sweep. Lake Crabtree County Park, 1400 Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville. 9 a.m.noon. FREE. Clean up Lake Crabtree’s shoreline and other park areas. Ages 5 and older with adult. Registration required online. wakegov.com/parks/lakecrabtree.

Spring for Support 5K and Family Fun Day. Duke University’s East Campus, 1304 Campus Dr., Durham. 9 a.m. $35. Help raise funds to provide support services for Duke cancer patients and their families.

Take part in a 5K, games, crafts and an obstacle course. Registration required online. dukehealth.org/cancersupport. springforsupport5k.org.

Welcome, Hummingbirds. See April 4.

10:30 a.m.-noon. Choose course code #215522. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

WiiFM-What’s in it For Me. W. D. Hill Recreation Center, 1308 Fayetteville St., Durham. 1-5 p.m. FREE. Spend the afternoon with Take Back Durham, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing awareness, prevention and education to the Durham community through music and thoughtful conversations. facebook.com/groups/1748764015340135.

8 SUNDAY Camp Open House. Chestnut Ridge Camp and Retreat Center, 4300 Camp Chestnut Ridge Rd., Efland. 1-5 p.m. FREE. Enjoy canoeing, pony rides, a zip line, campfire and s’mores. Zip line participants must be ages 7 or older and wear closed-toe shoes. campchestnutridge. org/#!open-house/kuce2.

Hunting for Herps. Lake Crabtree County Park, 1400 Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville. 1-3 p.m. FREE. Learn about of amphibians and how they differ from reptiles. Meet the park’s adopted Eastern Box Turtle, Shel Silverstein, and join staff in search of wild turtles and other reptiles in their natural habitat. Advance registration required online. wakegov.com/parks/lakecrabtree.

Mill Heritage and Local History Tour.

See April 1.

9 MONDAY Recreational Adventures: Mill Stories in Motion. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh.

11 a.m.-noon. $1/person. Explore transportation throughout history. All ages with adult. Register online. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Tiny Tots: Colors in Nature. Crowder County Park, 4709 Ten-Ten Rd., Apex. 10:30-11 a.m. $2/child. Ages 18 months-3 years with adult learn about colors in nature by sorting natural objects found in the park. Hunt plants and animals of different colors. Meet at the Upper Pavilion. Registration required online. wakegov.com/parks/crowder.

10 TUESDAY Nature Families: Three Cheers for Trees.

Crowder County Park, 4709 Ten-Ten Rd., Apex. 11 a.m.-noon. $1/person. Learn about trees through games and activities.

Make paper and discover the many goods made from wood. All ages. Meet at the Upper Pavilion. Registration required online. wakegov.com/parks/crowder.

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11 WEDNESDAY Lil Cooks in the Kitchen: “Horton Hatches the Egg”. Herbert C. Young Community Center, 101 Wilkinson Ave., Cary.

4-5:30 pm. $23/resident, $30/nonresident.

Read the story by Dr. Seuss and make eggshaped sugar cookies. Register online. Choose course #109603. classweb.townofcary.org.

Nature Watchers: To Be a Tree.

Crowder County Park, 4709 Ten-Ten Rd., Apex. 11 a.m.-noon. $4/child. Explore the parts of a tree. Read a story and make a tree costume. Ages 3-5 with adult. Meet at the Upper Pavilion. Registration required online. wakegov.com/parks/crowder.

12 THURSDAY Bilingual Storytime. Nasher Museum of Art, 2001 Campus Dr., Durham. 11 a.m. FREE. Join museum staff and friends from Durham County Library for a bilingual storytime in Spanish. Take part in a discussion about art and enjoy art-making opportunities.

Ages 1-5 with caregiver. nasher.duke.edu/ calendar/?type=bilingual-storytime.

13 FRIDAY Nature Nuts: Opossums. Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 10-11 a.m. $10/resident, $13/ nonresident. Go nutty for nature as children satisfy some of their curiosity about the world around them and parents share in the joy of discovery. Ages 3-5 with parent.

Register online. classweb.townofcary.org Night Out in Nature. Stevens Nature Center/ Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Raleigh. 6-9 p.m. $15/resident, $19/ nonresident. Kids spend a night out in nature making memories and new friends in an old-fashioned, camp-style program.

Ages 8-12. Registration required. classweb. townofcary.org.

Park Tales: Otters Love to Play. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 11 a.m.-noon. FREE. Read the story by Jonathan London, learn facts about river otters and make an otter puppet to take home. All ages with adult. Registration encouraged. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Specialized Recreation: Rock the Red Carpet. Cary Senior Center, 120 Maury O’Dell Place, Cary. 7-9:30 p.m. $20/person.

Ages 11 and older with special needs enjoy a night of dancing, food, a photographer

and more. Participants must provide their own assistant. Choose course #111596.

Register online. classweb.townofcary.org.

14 SATURDAY Art Adventures. Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia St., Chapel Hill. 10:30 a.m.-noon. $5/nonmember. Free for members. Ages 6-9 enjoy a guided view of art in the galleries and create aluminum foil figures. Choose either the 10:30 a.m.-noon or 1-2:30 p.m. session. Register online. ackland.org.

Big Sweep. Walnut Creek Wetland Park, 950 Peterson St., Raleigh. 9 a.m.-noon. FREE. Take part in the biannual cleanup of the wetland. Ages 5 and older with adult.

Register online. Choose course #214618. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

Discover the Park: Walk in the Woods.

Crowder County Park, 4709 Ten-Ten Rd., Apex. 11 a.m.-noon. FREE. Take a walk in the woods to discover the animals and plants that call the park home. Help collect data for the Natural Resource Inventory Database and other citizen science projects.

Ages 14 and older. Meet at the Park Office. wakegov.com/parks/crowder.

Discovery Table: Light Pollution. Crowder County Park, 4709 Ten-Ten Rd., Apex. 1-3 p.m. FREE. Celebrate International Dark Sky Week April 15-21 by learning about light pollution on the display table located at the Upper Playground. Drop-in program. wakegov.com/parks/crowder.

Dogs With Dad. Bond Park Boathouse, 801 High House Rd., Cary. 5:30-7 p.m. $29/dad and child pair, $12 additional child. Enjoy a hot dog dinner at the boathouse, followed by a pedal boat or canoe ride on the lake.

Register online. Choose course #110938. classweb.townofcary.org.

Drawing for Tweens. Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia St., Chapel Hill. 10:30 a.m.noon. $5/nonmember. Free for members.

Look at selected works in the galleries and identify techniques to create your own works of art. Ages 10-13. Register online. ackland.org/events-programs/childrensprograms/drawing-for-tweens.

Nature Nuts: Opossums. See April 13.

Tip Top to Bottom: A Mill Technology Tour. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 10 a.m.-noon. $10/adult, $6/ages 10-16. Free for ages 10 and younger. Learn about the history of

milling in North Carolina, test your mill trivia and discover what machinery is preserved throughout the mill. Registration required online. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Water, Water, Everywhere!. Lake Crabtree County Park, 1400 Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville. 10 a.m.-noon. FREE. Discover how much water on Earth is usable for humans and examine the water cycle. Ages 5 and older. Advance registration required online. wakegov.com/parks/lakecrabtree.

Wildflower Hike. Wilkerson Nature Preserve, 5229 Awls Haven Dr., Raleigh. 10:30-11:30 a.m. $2/person. Enjoy a leisurely hike to see spring wildflowers. Ages 5 and older with adult. Register online. Course code #215420. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

15 SUNDAY Eco-Explorers: Reptiles. Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 2-4 p.m. $8/resident, $10/ nonresident. Children make treasured memories while increasing their knowledge of plants and animals. Ages 7-10. Register online. classweb.townofcary.org.

Family Feature: Let’s Talk Turtles.

Crowder County Park, 4709 Ten-Ten Rd., Apex. 2-3 p.m. $1/person. See turtles that live at the park and learn about their survival adaptations. Play turtle bingo. All ages with adult. Meet at the Upper Pavilion. Registration required online. wakegov.com/parks/crowder.

Natural Explorations: Sweet April Showers Do Spring May Flowers.

Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 3:30-4:30 p.m. FREE. Discover the meaning and 16th-century origins of this saying and explore how water travels through different environments.

Take a walk to view how the park grounds were designed to protect the pond’s water quality. All ages with adult. Registration required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Playing Out with Elements: Who Has Seen the Wind? Walnut Creek Wetland Park, 950 Peterson St., Raleigh.

2-3:30 p.m. $3/child. Ages 8-12 learn about wind. Register online. Choose course #214575. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

Who Eats Who? Harris Lake County Park, 2112 County Park Dr., New Hill.

1-2 p.m. $1/person. Explore the food chain, the roles of different animals, and the skulls of local mammals to determine predator

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and prey. All ages. Advance registration required online. Meet at the Cypress Shelter. wakegov.com/parks/harrislake.

16 MONDAY Kids Discover Nature: What Do Seeds Do? Harris Lake County Park, 2112 County Park Dr., New Hill. 11 a.m.-noon. $4/child. Ages 1-8 learn about the importance of seeds. Meet at the Cypress Shelter. Advance registration required online. wakegov.com/parks/harrislake.

17 TUESDAY A Side of History: High Flying Kites.

Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 10:30 a.m.-noon. $2/person. Learn about how kites fly and listen to the story of Benjamin Franklin and his kite. Make your own kite to try out in the park’s open field. Ages 5 and older with adult. $2/person. Registration required online. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

18 WEDNESDAY Preschool Swamp Romp: Seeds. Walnut Creek Wetland Park, 950 Peterson St., Raleigh. 11 a.m.-noon. $2/child. Budding naturalists enjoy a craft, story, engaging activity and guided walk. Ages 2-6 with adult. Register online. Choose course #213434. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

Specialized Recreation: Family Time at the Challenge Course. Bond Park Ropes Course Shelter, 801 High House Rd., Cary. 4:30-6 p.m. $9/resident, $12/ nonresident. Ages 11 and older with special needs and their families enjoy teambuilding activities on the ropes course.

Register online. Choose course #111182. classweb.townofcary.org.

Wee Walkers: Wonderful Colorful.

Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 10-11 a.m. $8/ resident, $10/nonresident. Children discover nature's shapes, colors and textures. Ages 1 and older with parent. Registration required. classweb.townofcary.org.

19 THURSDAY Wee Walkers: Nutty Buddies. Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 10-11 a.m. $8/resident, $10/ nonresident. Children delight in discoveries of shapes, colors and textures in nature.

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Ages 1 and older with parent. Registration required. classweb.townofcary.org.

Wee Wetland Walkers. Walnut Creek Wetland Center, 950 Peterson St., Raleigh.

11 a.m.-noon. FREE. Enjoy an easy, strollerfriendly walk along the greenway. Ages infant-3 years; older siblings welcome.

Registration encouraged. Choose course #214473. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

20 FRIDAY Discovery Table: Going Green. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. FREE. Celebrate Earth Day by learning fun facts about Earth and how to reduce your ecological footprint.

Make a bracelet and hike around the millpond to search for gold coins that contain earthfriendly hints. All ages. FREE. Registration not required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Star Party at Bond Park. Bond Park Boathouse, 801 High House Rd., Cary. 7:309 p.m. FREE. Spend the evening stargazing and enjoying family-friendly activities. This event is part of the North Carolina Science Festival. ncsciencefestival.org.

Star Party on the American Tobacco Trail: “Anyone Out There?” American Tobacco Trail, 1305 White Oak Church Rd., Apex. 6:30-10:30 p.m. FREE. Enjoy activities early in the evening. At sundown, observe the night sky through telescopes and binoculars. This event is part of the North Carolina Science Festival. Registration not required. wakegov.com/parks/att.

Statewide Star Party. Wilkerson Nature Preserve, 5229 Awls Haven Dr., Raleigh.

8-11 p.m. FREE. Join members of the Raleigh Astronomy Club and Wilkerson Nature Preserve for a stargazing event. All ages with adult. Register online. Choose course #205417. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

21 SATURDAY Connect & Create: Batik Kite Fish.

Artspace, 201 E. Davie St, Raleigh. 10 a.m.noon. $10/member, $15/nonmember.

Join artist Emily Howard to make Japanese koinobori (kites that resemble fish) using batik to dye and create patterns on fabric.

All ages and skill levels welcome. Materials provided. Register online. artspacenc.org.

Corn Grinding Demonstrations and Costumed Tours. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh.

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Half-hour tours take place from 10 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. $5/adult, $3/ages 7-16. Free for ages 6 and younger. Registration encouraged online. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Historic Trades: Millers and Millwrights.

Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 1-4 p.m. FREE. Learn about milling and millwrighting. Design your own machine. All ages. Registration not required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Junior Naturalist: Finding Frogs and Turtles. Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 1-2 p.m. $8/resident, $10/nonresident. Develop naturalist skills and an understanding of local nature. Ages 5-8 with parent. Registration required. classweb.townofcary.org.

Recreational Adventures: Country Dancing in the Mill Yard. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 4-4:45 p.m. FREE. Join costumed interpreters Jon and Karena Potter to learn 19th-century dances. Drop-in program. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

STEM Saturdays: Earth Day Special.

SMILE Camp, 6301 Hillsborough St., Raleigh.

See the website for ages and hours. $55/ child. Enjoy hands-on science experiments, which include chemistry, physics, materials and an engineering experiment. Register online. smilecamp.org/programs/academic.

22 SUNDAY Right in the Middle: Mother-Daughter Conference. Capitol Club Building, Cannon Room, 16 W. Martin St., Raleigh.

1-4 p.m. $80. Girls in rising fifth and sixth grades and their mothers learn to navigate the middle school years together. Register online. events.r20.constantcontact.com/ register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eef7rb3d20e090e9&oseq=&c=&ch=.

Seasons on the Farm: Planting by the Signs. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 1-5 p.m. FREE. Enjoy a display about the 19th-century tradition of planting crops according to the moon’s phases and other astrological signs.

Make your own phases-of-the-moon flip book to take home. All ages. Registration not required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

23 MONDAY Kids Get Crafty: Eco-Crafts. Crowder County Park, 4709 Ten-Ten Rd., Apex. 11 a.m.-noon.

APRIL 2018 | carolinaparent.com

FREE. Celebrate Earth Day by creating craft projects from everyday objects. Materials provided. All ages with adult. Meet at the Cardinal Shelter. wakegov.com/parks/crowder.

24 TUESDAY Specialized Recreation: Swift Creek Survey. Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary. 4-6 p.m. $2/resident, $3/nonresident. Ages 11 and older with special needs explore Swift Creek to discover fish, salamanders and more.

Dress to get wet. Register online. Choose course #111342. classweb.townofcary.org.

25 WEDNESDAY “Mazes and Brain Games”. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 W. Jones St., Raleigh. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $5/nonmember.

Free for members. Solve 3-D puzzles, explore mind-bending illusions and see a rat try to conquer a maze at 1 p.m. Purchase tickets online. naturalsciences.org/exhibits/ featured-exhibitions/mazes-brain-games.

“North Carolina and World War I”. North Carolina Museum of History, 5 E. Edenton St., Raleigh. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. FREE. View artifacts, photography, historical film footage, a trench diorama, educational components and video re-enactments that feature North Carolina soldiers and citizens. ncmuseumofhistory. org/exhibits/nc-world-war-one.

26 THURSDAY Piedmont Wildlife Center’s Mini Bioblitz 2018: Birds & Mammals. Piedmont Wildlife Center, 364 Leigh Farm Rd., Durham.

6-9 p.m. FREE. Go on an owl prowl and survey local nocturnal raptors with naturalists.

This event is part of North Carolina Science Festival. piedmontwildlifecenter.org/events/ bioblitz2018.

Social Gathering: Karaoke. Cary Senior Center, 120 Maury O’Dell Place, Cary. 6:308:30 p.m. $2/resident, $3/nonresident.

Ages 11 and older with special needs enjoy karaoke singing. Register online. Choose course #111613. classweb.townofcary.org.

27 FRIDAY Crowder By Night: Nighttime Explorers.

Crowder County Park, 4709 Ten-Ten Rd., Apex.

7:30-8:30 p.m. $1/person. Stroll around the pond to search for nighttime critters. Play games and catch nocturnal bugs. Take a

flashlight. All ages with adult. Meet at the Heron Shelter. Registration required online. wakegov.com/parks/crowder.

Nature Nerds. Lake Crabtree County Park, 1400 Aviation Pkwy., Morrisville. Noon-1 p.m.

FREE. Learn about amphibians, birds, insects, spiders and more. Help collect data for the Natural Resource Inventory Database while increasing your own identification skills. Ages 12 and older. Registration required online. wakegov.com/parks/lakecrabtree.

Nature Nuts: Nests. See April 13.

28 SATURDAY Art in the Park: Welcoming Weather.

Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

FREE. Celebrate spring by making weather crafts, including rainbow wind catchers, paper plate suns and raindrop suncatchers.

All ages with adult. Registration not required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

Family Gardening Series: Soil Safari.

North Carolina Botanical Garden, 100 Old Mason Farm Rd., Chapel Hill. 1-2:15 p.m. $9/member, $10/nonmember. Learn what ingredients are needed to make growing soil, why plants need soil and how to make black gold. See worms and other dirt-loving critters up close. Ages 5 and older with adult.

Register online. ncbg.unc.edu/youth-family.

Girls on the Run of the Triangle Spring 5K. American Tobacco Campus, downtown Durham. 9-10:30 a.m. $30-$35. Run, skip or walk with Girls on the Run participants, their coaches and families as they cross the finish line to celebrate the end of their athletic season. Register online. gotrtriangle.org/5k.

Kids Cooking: French Breakfast. Midway Community Kitchen, 505 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill. 9:30-11:30 a.m. $22/child. Learn to make a special French-style breakfast for Mother’s Day. Purchase tickets online. carolinafamilynutrition.com/classes/kidscooking-french-breakfast.

Nature Nuts: Nests. See April 13.

Recreational Adventures: Paddle the Pond. Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd., Raleigh. 3-4 p.m. $10/boat.

Learn to canoe and explore the pond. Ages 5 and older with adult. Registration required. wakegov.com/parks/yatesmill.

STEM Saturdays. SMILE Camp, 6301 Hillsborough St., Raleigh. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $55/child. Take part in hands-on science

› experiments. See the website for ages and times. Register online. smilecamp.org/programs/academic.

Super Saturday. Powell Elementary School, 1130 Marlborough Rd., Raleigh. 10 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. $20-$30/person. PAGE of Wake County hosts a variety of two-hour workshops for gifted students and their parents in grades K-8. Advance registration required online. wakepage.org/super-saturday.html.

Twilight Walk. Wilkerson Nature Preserve, 5229 Awls Haven Dr., Raleigh. 7:30-9 p.m. $3/child. Explore the woods and fields at twilight. Look for deer, coyotes and owls. All ages. Register online. Choose course #215416. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

YMCA Families On! Challenge. Vollmer Farm, 677 NC Hwy. 98 East, Bunn. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $21-$33. Join in a race designed for all ages and athletic abilities. Throw paint on walls, take part in a food fight, jump over a 20-foot sofa and more. Register online. ymcatriangle.org/campaign/families-challenge.

Young Ecologists: Springtime Amphibians and Reptiles. Stevens Nature Center/Hemlock Bluffs, 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd., Raleigh. 1-3 p.m. $12/resident, $16/ nonresident. Search for salamanders, frogs, snakes, turtles and more with preserve staff. Ages 10-13. Register online. classweb.townofcary.org.

29 SUNDAY Art in the Park: Welcoming Weather. See April 28.

Intro to Birdwatching for Families. Walnut Creek Wetland Park, 950 Peterson St., Raleigh. 3-5 p.m. $3/person. Learn about birds, and take part in games and activities to learn how to use binoculars. Ages 5 and older with adult. Register online. Choose course #221070. reclink.raleighnc.gov.

JUST TRYAN IT Kids Triathlon. Chapel Hill Country Club, 103 Lancaster Dr., Chapel Hill. 8:30-11 a.m. $50. Swim, bike and run to benefit families fighting childhood cancer at Duke Children’s and UNC Children’s Hospitals. Ages 6-14. All abilities welcome.

Register online. justtryanit.com/our-races/chapel-hill-nc.

Triangle Autism Speaks Walk. Duke University, East Campus, Durham. Noon. FREE. Take part in a walk to improve the lives of people with autism. Sponsored by Autism Speaks. Register online. tinyurl.com/triangleautismspeaks18.

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Learn to Play Learn to Sing

Degreed performer of Voice and Piano shares 26 years experience

919-830-6075 susan@riggsmusic.com

Locations in Raleigh & Wake Forest

Buy 4 lessons in first month and get 5th lesson FREE!

30 MONDAY Art in the Park: Welcoming Weather. See April 28.

Specialized Recreation: Picnic Sandwiches. Middle Creek Community Center, 123 Middle Creek Ave., Apex. 3:30-5:15 p.m. $26/resident, $34/nonresident. Ages 11 and older with special needs learn to make picnic sandwiches. Register online. Choose course #110184. classweb.townofcary.org.

CALENDAR POLICY The Carolina Parent calendar lists local and regional activities for children and families. Visit carolinaparent.com/calendar to submit an event for consideration by the 6th of the month for the next month's issue. Please call ahead to confirm dates and times. This calendar may include some events not intended for young children. Find more events at carolinaparent.com/calendar.

Birthday Party Magic DANTHEANIMALMAN@GMAIL.COM

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› FACES & PLACES

Jacob (5) and Aubrey (3) of Durham enjoy a beautiful day playing in front of the Cary Community Library.

Submit high-resolution photos of your kids having fun in the Triangle at carolinaparent.com/facesandplaces.

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APRIL 2018 | carolinaparent.com

Wake Radiology understands the importance of your annual mammogram.

That’s why our breast imaging specialists are advocates for 3D mammography.

We see the difference and so will you.

Screening mammograms do not require a physician’s order, so call 919-232-4700 to schedule this important annual exam.

Convenient early morning, evening and Saturday appointments available at locations throughout the Triangle.

Learn more about the 3D difference at WakeRad.com/Mammogram

FAMILY FUN FOR EVERYONE

Enjoy thrills for all ages and make memories at Busch Gardens & Water Country USA. Celebrate a ďŹ rst roller coaster ride and laugh as dad gets drenched on a water slide. With two fun-ďŹ lled parks, there are endless opportunities to bring your family closer together.

BUSCHGARDENS.COM/VA 2018 SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.