NW Kids Magazine April 2014

L I V E • PLAY • DO

magazine

EQUESTRIAN & NATURE CAMPS HOW TO BECOME A NEIGHBORHOOD DETECTIVE PORTLAND FAMILIES EAT: POA CAFÉ EASTER EGG HUNTS nwkidsmagazine.com

Apr 2014

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EDITORS’

Corner

Spring has sprung! We are so excited to open our doors, jump on our bikes and head outside. This time of year is so magical with the return of the chorus of birds at dawn and dusk, and trees and flowers in bloom.

Spring offers great opportunities for exploration and discovery. There is nothing quite like watching children delight in turning over a rock or log to find roly poly bugs hiding beneath it, or seeing them climb trees and dig in the dirt. Our kids always seem to benefit from spending time outside, and so do we.

In this issue, we focus on getting kids out into the natural world and how best to encourage them to develop a love for the great outdoors. We feature a great piece on how to become a nature detective in your own neighborhood on p. 16 with an addition on how your kids can organize their own nature journal. And don’t miss our feature on nature camps. Maybe your kiddos have a love of horses and are interested in heading to an equestrian camp this summer. There are so many benefits to spending time with these majestic animals. You can read up about them on p. 14. And be sure to check out our picks for getting out around town including a round up of the Easter Egg Hunts happening this month.

If you’re like us, you’ve just squared away spring break and now, it’s time to turn to summer and summer camps. With all of the amazing camps in the Portland area, it can be a little overwhelming. If you have questions or would like to speak with a camp directly you’ll have the opportunity to do so at our 3rd Annual Summer Camp Expo on Saturday, April 5th at OMSI. With over 30 camps participating, you’ll have a chance to check off those questions on your check-list plus, we’re going to be giving away free weeks to camp! Say what?! Here’s to the best smore-roasting, campfire singing, horse riding, stilt walking, guitar playing, sleepingunder-the-stars, friendship making, summer ever!

Kelley & Beth

Cover Photography courtesy of BEN MCLEOD flickr.com/photos/benmcleod/

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Contents APRIL 2014

8 Portland Families Eat: POA CafĂŠ 10 Horsing Around: Equestrian Camps 16 Make the Most of Spring!

Becoming a Nature Detective in Your Own Neighborhood 18 Organizing Your Nature Journal 20 Found Around Town: Goods for the Young Naturalist

22 Best of Portland and Beyond: Our Top Picks for Getting Out This Month 26 Easter Egg Hunts 28 Road Trip Book Reviews 32 Exploring the Wild: Nature Camps 38 Resource Guide: More Equestrian and Nature Camps

Contents Photography courtesy of LAURA JOST

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Listings Aadland Dental...........................................................27 All Star Dance Academy.............................................37 Autism Service Dogs of America................................35 Barre3..........................................................................29 Beanstalk.....................................................................23 Bella Stella..................................................................21 Bennett Suzuki Violin Studio......................................41 Bodyvox......................................................................41 Camp WILD.................................................................42 Catlin Gabel School.....................................................35 Chinook Book..............................................................14 Clean Energy Works....................................................27 Club Sport...................................................................11 Coffee Kids..................................................................21 Cornerstone Montessori..............................................25 Delphian School..........................................................15 Do Jump......................................................................13 Eco Maids....................................................................23 French American International School.......................42 Glendoveer Tennis.......................................................35 GoodTime Chinese School..........................................34 Green City Living.........................................................25 Hidden Valley Camp....................................................11 ID Tech.........................................................................13 Just Between Friends..................................................23 KUIK.............................................................................27 Laurelwood Brewpub.................................................23 Legacy Health...............................................................3 Little Fruit Farm...........................................................27 Meadowood Springs..................................................42 Metro Arts Camps.......................................................36 My MasterPiece Art Studio.........................................34 North Portland Orthodontics......................................27 NW Children’s Theater.................................................15 Omega Gymnastics.....................................................36 OMSI............................................................................31 Oregon Artist School...................................................41 Oregon Children’s Theater...........................................14 Oregon College of Art and Craft.................................37 Oregon Gymnastics Academy....................................40 Oregon Hope Chinese School.....................................41 Oregon Zoo..................................................................34 Poa Cafe.......................................................................30 Portland Aquarium.....................................................29 Portland Early Learning Project..................................37 Portland Jewish Academy..........................................40 Portland Language Arts.............................................30 Portland Park & Rec....................................................34 Portland Rock Gym.....................................................40 Portland Spirit...............................................................7 Portland Trampoline.....................................................2 Precision Elite Gymnastics..........................................42 Randy Emberlin..........................................................31 Rising Star Chinese School.........................................25 Royal Ridges................................................................11 School of Autism.........................................................14 School of Rock.............................................................42 Schoolita Alegria.........................................................13 Spielwerk Toys.............................................................21 Sunriver Resort...........................................................39 SW Community Center...............................................36 Tears of Joy Theatre.....................................................36 The Circuit Bouldering Gym........................................35 The German American School..............................21, 40 The International School.............................................37 The Kids’ Backyard Store...............................................2 The Reading Toolkit.....................................................27 The Vintage Pearl........................................................30 Trackers Earth..............................................................44 Trillium Preschool.......................................................27 Washington County Museum.....................................11 Westside Montessori International............................31 Whole Foods Market.....................................................9 Willowbrook Arts Camp.............................................15 World Forestry Center...................................................7 World of Smiles...........................................................30 Young People’s Theater Project...................................11 6 | NW Kids Magazine

magazine Publisher / Advertising Director Michelle Snell michelle@nwkidsmagazine.com Editorial Beth Friesenhahn beth@nwkidsmagazine.com Kelley Schaefer-Levi kelley@nwkidsmagazine.com Account Manager Laurel Ackerman laurel@nwkidsmagazine.com Client Services Coordinator Brenna Burke brenna@nwkidsmagazine.com Design Robyn Barbon robyn@folkloremedia.com Client Ad Design Karel Chan karel@nwkidsmagazine.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com Accounting & Business Services Heather Rex heather@nwkidsmagazine.com Connect With Us: • Phone: 503.282.2711 • email: contact@nwkidsmagazine.com • Facebook: facebook.com/nwkids • Twitter: @nwkids • Pinterest: pinterest.com/nwkids NW Kids is published monthly by Miche Media, LLC. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy; sometimes we make errors. Please let us know when we do and accept our apologies.

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WHAT WE’RE READING

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Portland Families Eat

POA Café

by LAURA LOCKER

There is a difference between kid-tolerant restaurants, and restaurants actually designed with the needs of small children in mind.

Crayons and plastic plates are merely palliative; can a restaurant be designed intelligently enough to truly prevent that meltdown in the first place? And can the food truly please a Portlander’s educated palate?

If your young one has kept you from joining in the fun of the dozen-plus exciting new restaurants that now line North Williams, then the arrival of POA Café, a busy café perfectly designed for the under-five set of diners, is the blessing you’ve been waiting for. The multi-station play area (which takes up almost a third of the roomy café) has a dazzling array of toys and distractions for a large number of children. The food on the uncomplicated menu is well-made, flavorful, and healthy, with nice details like a delicious hint of strong, grassy olive oil instead of margarine on a ciabatta, prosciutto, egg, and cheddar breakfast sandwich ($7). There are also many attempts to provide for the comfort of parents with free Wi-Fi, USB chargers, cocktails, and beer. Perhaps most calming of all though, is that there seems to be no lack of understanding looks from other diners when your kid has a blow-

out at the table. The supportive dynamic of the room might be unique in the city.

Most of the cooking happens in a compact electric kitchen, but the menu, designed around these limitations, is surprisingly extensive. Offerings for children center around $8, three-item “little bites” boards, where one of six mains (beans and brown rice with a wheat tortilla, grilled cheese, pizza, veggies and brown rice or yakisoba noodles, oatmeal, or a smoothie) star alongside healthy sides (most come with mixed fruit and a choice of either greek yogurt or apple sauce). The meals are served cleverly in a mise-en-place style that kids fall for every time, with each item separated out in pretty bowls on a special tray.

There are three adult entrees on the lunch and dinner menu. Two are bowls — healthful steamed vegetables and tofu over brown rice ($9.50), and a sweet potato curry, also served over brown rice ($10.50)— and one is a serviceable whole-wheat pizza ($8.50). The sweet potato gave the curry a light creamy texture, and although the zucchini seemed added more for feel-good health than coherence, it was roundly-flavored and satisfying. Breakfast dishes feel very “California” with their hearthealthy use of avocados, granola, and side salads instead of fried potatoes and bacon, and we all left feeling pleased with the food and the experience. No small feat, given the median age of our companions.

Laura Locker is a native Portlander who has lived and eaten around the world. She has two restaurant-loving children, aged 5 and 9.

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Horsing Around : EQUESTRIAN CAMPS Article and Photography by LAURA JOST

Whether or not you have a love of horses is generally very clear; you can probably recall the moment you determined on which side of that fence you would reside.

When I was a little girl, not more than three or four-years old, I remember walking with my mother on a path surrounded by tall grasses with a carrot or two in our pockets.

There was a horse that lived not far from us that we would visit on sunny days. I was taught how to approach a horse without spooking it, to properly extend the carrot in my hand so that my fingers wouldn’t be accidentally bitten, and to never stand directly in front of a horse as they can’t see too well with those big eyes on the sides of their heads. I remember how much my mother loved those visits, having had horses of her own in her girlhood, so I loved them, too.

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We always lived in small towns so horses were around to admire and to put a sparkle in my mother’s eye. But, when I was ten, we moved to a new house with property and it didn’t take long for her to acquire her own.

The next seven years of my life, I was privileged enough to love and ride horses in addition to learning a great deal from living with them.

The experience is like that of any child taking care of a pet in many ways, but it is also quite unique. You can’t simply force a horse to do what you want it to do; you must forge a relationship based on trust and built from simple things like brushing and tacking to prep for a ride to the mutual exhilaration of the wind in your hair as you run free. There is a friendship and a partnership present that I have yet to experience with another animal. I won’t lie to you; there were hard lessons too, but every single one of them was worth the cost. continued on p. 12

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friends; they are elated by healthy snacks; and they will never whine at you to play apps on your phone.

If you aren’t ready for the commitment of a camp, an internet search for “trail rides” will reveal a number of options in the Pacific Northwest. Supply lists and attire requirements for camps and trail rides will vary, but generally include items you already have (hat, water bottle, sunscreen, etc), a pair of long pants that you won’t mind getting “horsey,” and boots. If a helmet is required, they are likely provided.

FOR A LIST OF EQUESTRIAN CAMPS SEE THE RESOURCE GUIDE ON PAGE 38.

And now I’m the one who stares longingly out car windows at horse pastures and can’t resist snapping pictures and tousling the hair of the old spotless paint that has lived every day of his life at my parents’.

If you know a child who clearly has a love for horses that you’d like to indulge without buying a place out in the country or boarding a horse of your own, a multi-day camp gets them concentrated time with equine friends and other kids who love horses. These camps teach everything from horse-care to riding and are available in our area for even the most inexperienced horsepersons. Horseback riding can have tremendous benefits (and these are just those that I can personally attest to).

Riding strengthens core muscles; improves balance, coordination, and reflexes; stimulates sensory integration; gives young kids a sense of responsibility and confidence; stretches problem-solving skills and empathy; reduces stress; and opens up a whole new group of people in which to find camaraderie. And horses are great examples to our kids: what a horse values in a friendship are the true and real qualities that we hope our children will seek in their 12 | NW Kids Magazine

Laura Jost would often “run away” with her sister and neighbors on horseback, taking American cheese slices and crackers to survive. Her horse, Sheena, would often puff up her chest so Laura in the saddle would slide ever-so-slightly to the side.

And, just like Laura, Sheena hated to break a sweat unless it was on her terms. It was an unforgettable friendship.

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MAKE THE MOST OF SPRING! Becoming a Nature Detective in Your Own Neighborhood p, and “We're going to draw, ma record the changes we see. It's a mission of discovery !”

h L. Li

-Ellie, narrator of Ellie's Log by Judit

Spring has finally sprung in Portland. The sun warms our skin, flowers bloom in sidewalk planters, and birds busily make nests. Our curiosity and creativity is coming alive again after a cold, wet winter. Learning the practice of keeping a nature journal can be the perfect way to both make the most of spring and document the curiosities of where we live. Nature journals can be a place to collect questions, observations, drawings, stories, and mysteries waiting to be solved.

Below, I present a series of tips for creating a nature journal that you can use to explore your neighborhood. But just like a home diary, a nature journal is a personal space to document what is meaningful to you. Maybe you and your family are more comfortable making lists. Maybe you like to draw. Maybe you like to collect artifacts. It’s OK if everyone likes to do things a little bit differently. A nature journal is the perfect place for messy artwork and messy questions, a place for us all to connect to the places where we live and claim them as ours. See if you can collect all the secrets of your neighborhood that no one else notices!

PREPARING TO GO OUT Everyone’s nature journal looks a bit different. Maybe you collect loose leaf paper in a 3-ring binder, use a simple spiral-bound notebook, or buy a notebook with “Rite-in-the16 | NW Kids Magazine

Article and Photographs by KATIE BOEHNLEIN

Rain” paper so you can write in any weather.

After you have your journal, it is important to review a few simple guidelines before you head out: üü S tay on trails and sidewalks to avoid stepping on fragile plants and creatures. üü Y our most important senses when outside are sight, hearing, and smell. Let living plants grow and animals go about their way. üü I f you take home specimens, make sure they are not alive. Cones, feathers, rocks, snail shells, and insect exoskeletons are perfect for continuing your learning after your excursion.

WHAT SHOULD I TAKE WITH ME? You’re ready and eager to head outside to explore! What do you bring with you? Here are some ideas: üü üü üü üü üü

Nature journal Pencils (graphite and colored) Pencil sharpener Magnifying glass Bug box to collect insects for brief investigations üü Plastic bag to collect other specimens üü Camera for what you can’t draw...or want to draw better later! üü Weather-appropriate clothing

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR? Keeping a nature journal can help us craft many important skills like scientific observation, creative writing, questioning, and reflection in quiet places. The sky’s the limit with how you use your journal, but here are some ideas of things to notice that may get your scientific and creative imaginations going: üü T rees: Trees are everpresent, even in the winter. Find out what your favorite trees are named and what their leaves look like.

Feel their bark and look closely at the moss growing there. üü P ollinators: Who likes the flowers of your neighborhood? Pollinators like honeybees, bumblebees, beetles, and flies keep our flowers blooming so they deserve our attention, too! üü Birds: In Portland, we have many birds that live with us year round. What do they sound like? What kinds of nests do they make? How do they act in the rain?

Where do they fly?

noticing things around them. What changes as you sit there? Can you draw what’s around you? Use your secret spot to document what happens there at different times of day or different times of year.

BRINGING YOUR JOURNAL BACK HOME It can be consuming to record everything you see on your walks in nature. You can never get it all! However, you can use time at home to make your records more complete. Maybe you take some quiet time to paste in nonliving samples such as feathers or pressed flowers.

Maybe you will bring home an insect in your bug box to study (remember to return it back to its home afterwards!) Maybe you finish coloring drawings or maybe you answer your questions with field guides you keep at home.

These questions can even help guide next week’s excursion with your journal!

üü W orms: Maybe you decide to investigate the little ecosystem of your garden. How many worms can you find there? Are there other insects and creepy crawlies that live in the soil? üü S igns left behind: Have you ever noticed a squirrel eating seeds from inside a Douglas Fir cone? What about footprints left in the mud or leading from a puddle on your sidewalk? See if you can solve the mysteries of your neighborhood just based on clues left behind.

FIND YOUR SPOT When you’ve gotten the hang of nature journaling, you might try finding a place that you can call your own. It could be in a tree in your backyard, along a path in your garden, on your porch, or in a local park. Naturalists sometimes call these places “sit spots” and they use them as places to be calm and quiet,

Katie Boehnlein is a teacher and writer living in Portland, OR where you can find her exploring the beautiful natural areas of the Rose City by foot and by bike. She grew up exploring the parks and staircases of Southwest Portland, which fueled her passion for ecology and urban exploration.

You can follow Katie’s nature musings on her blog “In the Midst,” which can be found at kboehnlein.wordpress.com.

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Organizing Your Journal Everyone organizes their journal differently...that’s what makes each unique and interesting! But here are some ideas to get you started on your own style:

Ellie's Log Published by Oregon State University Press. Book by Judith L. Li, Illustrations by M.L. Herring.

üü S tart with one entry per week. This is a doable place to get into the habit but not so often that it seems impossible. üü B egin every entry with the date, time, weather, temperature, location, and habitat information. What is it like in the here and now? üü In the back of your journal, keep lists of the living things that you see. üü R ecord maps. These could be your dog walking route, cracks in the concrete, conversations of people who pass by your sit spot, sound maps (see side bar), location of certain trees, etc.

X o guide t s ie it iv ct a r fo g in k Loo ion or your natureresxitplorspoatts? Here time at youe you can try: are a coupl CREATE A SOUND MAP

by Joseph Cornell To start, draw an “X” in the middle of your page. This is you. Finding a comfortable place where you can sit for many minutes, notice what’s around you, honing in on sounds in particular. As you hear a sound, write it down on your page, using your location to orient the sound. How do these sounds change over time? Do you notice different things each time you do this activity? Could you do this activity with smells instead of sounds?

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START A COLLECTION (or many!)

by Keri Smith Starting collections can be a way to both document your experiences and inspire you to get back out there! Here are some ideas of things you can collect: 1. Things found on the sidewalk 2. Things that are green 3. Things with similar shapes: flat things, round things, really tiny things...

4. Parts of trees 5. Things that (could) have magic powers 6. Things that fly 7. Things that smell good 8. Sticky things 9. Things that are bumpy 10.

Leaves, feathers, sticks, moss, lichen, shells, seeds...

Excursions Outside Your Neighborhood The Portland Metro area is overflowing with natural wonders just waiting to be explored!

Every neighborhood has a park to explore and some, like Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, Mt. Tabor Park, and Forest Park, are truly wilderness areas teeming with living wonders.

If you are looking for excursions outside of your neighborhood, here are my suggestions:

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge: This park,

running alongside the Springwater Corridor and Willamette River, was Portland’s first urban wildlife refuge. It is home to salamanders and frogs hiding under rocks, beavers and geese swimming in the seasonal wetlands, and deer grazing in drier areas.

Sauvie Island: Just north of the city is this gem of agriculture and wilderness.

Migrating birds prefer this island more than any other area in the city and it is fun to visit year round. Howell Territorial Park has a wonderful wetland you can visit!

Camassia Natural Area:

This park, located in the West Linn area, is a special place to visit if you are looking for unusual wildflowers to study. Actually, the park itself is named after the beautiful camas flower that blooms in abundance here, used for food by the Native Americans. It is rare to find this flower still blooming in the Portland area.

Forest Park: Portland’s 5,000-acre wilderness Oregon Coast: For the more far-flung is a no-brainer for endless wildlife explorations.

In the spring, it is especially wonderful to notice our native Trillium, a beautiful wildflower, popping up by the dozens under Douglas Fir trees.

adventures, the Oregon coast is a wonderful place to explore in the spring. You can spot migrating shorebirds and whales as well as baby seals just learning the ways of world!

Resources Does the idea of nature journaling excite you?

Check out these books for more in-depth ideas, exercises, and resource material: Ellie’s Log by Judith L. Li How to Be and Explorer of the World by Keri Smith The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families, and Classrooms by Clare Walker Leslie Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You by Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E. Roth My Nature Journal: A Personal Nature Guide for Young People by Adrienne Olmstead The Backyard Birdsong Book: A Guide to Listening (Western North America Edition) by Donald Kroodsma Macs Field Guides by Craig MacGowan or Pocket Naturalist Guides by Waterford Press (i.e. Oregon Trees & Wildflowers or Portland Birds)

This is a Picture of a Douglas Fir cone eaten by squirrels.

Squirrels like to eat the seeds lodged deep in Douglas Fir cones. They end up stripping the cone of its “petals,” leaving them at the base of trees. See if you can find these piles, or “middens” in your backyard or neighborhood parks.

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Plan Toys Leaf Magnifier at Powell’s, $8, powells.com

Stick-lets at Spielwerk Toys, $17-$50, spielwerktoys.com

Carson Adventure Pack at REI, $30, rei.com

FOUND Field Notes Three-Pack at Animal Traffic, $10, animaltrafficpdx.com

around Town

Butterfly Net by Toysmith at The Learning Palace, $7, learningpalace.com

Nature House at Spielwerk Toys, $14-$20, spielwerktoys.com

Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies Take-Along Guide at The Audubon Society of Portland Nature Store, $8, audubonportland.com 20 | NW Kids Magazine

Whale Rain Coat by Hatley at Black Wagon, $48, blackwagon.com

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Best of Portland and beyond OUR TOP PICKS FOR GETTING OUT THIS MONTH

April

1 Photograph courtesy of MARIE PHAM PHOTOGRAPHY

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Celebrate Pioneer Courthouse Square’s 30th Birthday with 1,984 free cupcakes and a community sing-a-long led by Portland’s own, Thomas Lauderdale of Pink Martini! Sunday, April 6th from 3-5pm. thesquarepdx.org

Nothing quite says spring like a field full of brightly colored tulips. Now through May 4th, enjoy the perfect backdrop for your spring photos, ride the cow train, hop on a pony (weekends only) and load up on spring flowers and bulbs at the annual Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn. Don’t forget your raingear and be sure to check the website for admission prices and festival hours. woodenshoe.com/tulip-fest/

3 Tears of Joy Theatre presents, “Raven Stories,” a brand new production based on Native American Folklore with handmade puppets and original music. Written by Ed Edmo, a Shoshone-Bannock poet and storyteller, “Raven Stories” will run from April 4-13 at Imago Theatre in SE Portland.

Enjoy free preshow puppet crafts starting one hour before all Saturday and Sunday performances. tojt.org

Please confirm calendar events and performances as scheduling changes may occur.

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The World Forestry Center in Washington Park provides a unique way to enjoy the great outdoors, without having to go to the great outdoors, especially on those rainy spring mornings. Bring the little ones now through April for Mommy and Me Mondays, creating adventure with songs, crafts and story time. Or check out their newest exhibit, Peanuts…

Naturally, now through May 4th.

You’ll explore the natural world through the view of the Peanuts comic strips with interactive stations and videos. To find out more about these great indoor activities, see worldforestry.org.

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Celebrate the arrival of spring with a scenic 35-mile drive or train ride through white and pink blossoms.

From April 12-27, Hood River County will be hosting the annual Hood River Blossom Festival with a series of family friendly events; food, wine, beer, arts and crafts shows, pancake breakfasts, baked goods, preserves, yarn, shopping—and all of the blossoms you can shake a stick at. hoodriver.org

Located in outer SE Portland, Leach Botanical Garden is home to a beautiful collection of NW Native Plants, not to mention a magical stone cabin and blue dinosaur that will intrigue the youngest of visitors. Children ages 2-5 accompanied by an adult can experience a guided Honey Bee Hike every Wednesday now through mid-December for $3 per child, non-walkers and adults are free; 10-11am. leachgarden.org/event/honeybee-hikes

Remember to check the NW Kids online calendar for dozens more outings and activities each day.

Share with friends, subscribe to the RSS, add directly to your calendar, and more features. There’s something going on you don’t want to miss!! nwkidsmagazine.com/events/month 24 | NW Kids Magazine

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Pinkies up; Join Queen Melissa and her Maybeland Fairies on an enchanting Tea Cruise aboard the Portland Spirit. Indulge in a delightful afternoon adventure complete with high tea, face painting, story time, games and a treasure hunt. The fancier the better; don’t hold back on the frills or sparkles. Saturdays in April and May; tickets $22-30. portlandspirit.com/queenmelissa.php

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Binoculars? check. Warm hoodie? check. On Saturday, April 19, join OMSI, Rose City Astronomers, and Vancouver Sidewalk Astronomers at both Rooster Rock State Park and L.L. “Stub” Stewart State Park starting at 8:00 pm for a special Planet Parade. From beginners to experts of all ages, here’s your opportunity to view the stars and other celestial objects up close and personal through telescopes. Viewing highlights includes Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn! Star Parties begin at sunset and are free with $5 parking.

Don’t forget to check the OMSI hotline for more details or cancellations. omsi.edu/starparties

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Easter Egg Hunts ST. JOHNS COMMUNITY CENTER – EGG-STRAVAGANZA Grab your flashlights and headlamps for a different kind of egg hunt – in the dark!

Baskets provided, food, crafts, and prizes for ages 8 and under. Friday, April 11th from 6-7:30pm, $3. portlandonline.com/parks CAMP NAMANU – SPRING FLING! EGG HUNT AND OPEN HOUSE Spend a fun-filled afternoon at Camp Namau!

It’s a win-win for prospective campers and families. The 3rd annual Egg Hunt starts at 12:30pm followed by camp tours complete with campfire, treats, songs, arts and crafts, and more. Saturday, April 12th from 12:303pm; free. campfirecolumbia.org ALPENROSE DAIRY – THE HUNT IS ON! The 50th Annual Alpenrose Dairy Easter Egg Hunt is a Portland area tradition filled with tons of prizes for egg hunters age 3-8. Don’t miss the chance to win one of seven giant 6-foot bunnies! Alpenrose will host 2 sessions on Saturday, April 19th: ages 3-5 at 10:30am and ages 6-8 at 12:30pm; free. alpenrose.com KUIK’S GREAT WESTSIDE FAMILY EASTER EVENT This event has it all; pony rides, bouncy castles, petting zoo, candy hunt, police cars, fire trucks and more. Plus, you can even get your picture taken with the Easter Bunny!

Saturday, April 19th from 9am-3pm at the Washington County Fair Complex in Hillsboro; free. kuik.com MT. SCOTT COMMUNITY CENTER – THE EGGSTRAORDINARY EGG HUNT Mt. Scott’s 2nd annual egg hunt is on!

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On Saturday, April 19th you can enjoy 3 egg hunts for different age groups and a continental breakfast of fruit and pastries. $3 for the hunt and $3 for the breakfast or buy both for $5; 9-11am. portlandonline.com/parks RABBIT ROMP AT THE OREGON ZOO The Zoo is stepping up their game this year and offering fully compostable eco eggs, not to mention organic and palm-oil free candy.

Yum! Every 10-15 minutes starting at 9am kiddos ages 3-10 will have a chance to collect candy and win prizes. Toddlers 2 and under can participate in a candy hunt just for them and a special “family hunt” area is available for kiddos with special needs. Saturday, April 19th from 9am-3pm; free with zoo admission. oregonzoo.org/events/rabbit-romp GREEN BEAN EASTER EGG HUNT On Sunday, April 20th Green Bean Books is teaming up with Candy Babel to provide another delicious year of Easter egg fun.

Green Bean will be hosting two sessions: 0-5 year olds at 11am and 6-10 year olds at 12pm.

Plus, a special story time, craft and real live bunny. Registration is required! Call 503-9542354 to register. greenbeanbookspdx.com PIX PATISSERIE EASTER EGG HUNT Chocolate thrill seekers rejoice: When the doors open at Pix Patisserie on Easter Morning (2225 E Burnside), 50 hidden eggs, each filled with a Pix Golden Ticket worth up to $50 in Pix delights, will be yours for the finding. All ages welcome, limit one egg.

Doors open at 2pm on April 20th. Make a day of it and stay for Easter Tea; reservations required. pixpatisserie.com

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Road Trip Book Reviews

BY CAT WIESE OF GREEN BEAN BOOKS

ALONG A LONG ROAD

by Frank Viva (Hardcover $16.99) Are you ready for a thrilling bike ride? Strap on a helmet, and let’s hit the road! Along a Long Road takes you and your bike speeding past the countryside, dipping in and out of tunnels, and zooming over high bridges. But look out for the bumps. Author and illustrator Frank Viva stylishly depicts with only five simple colors the raptures of cycling trips and satisfaction of the road. So grab your two-speed and start pedalin’, because this is a bike adventure you won’t want to miss!

OUR 50 STATES

by Lynne Cheney (Hardcover $18.99) Map? Check.

Keys? Check.

Toothbrush? Check.

Underwear? . . . Check.

Now that we have everything, pile on in the car – America beckons. We’re about to travel these United States and experience the vast and varying terrain, our beautifully diverse culture, and some amazing history.

With playful drawings and fun facts (New Mexico’s state cookie is the bizcochito), this book will have you falling in love with this great country all over again.

100 THINGS FOR LITTLE CHILDREN TO DO ON A TRIP (Deck of cards $9.99) Road trips are great and all, but what about when boredom sets in? What are we kids supposed to do with our valuable time spent in a cramped car? This is where activity cards come in handy! Navigating a garden maze, spotting the differences, figuring out what a cat thinks, and drawing magical creatures on toadstools are just a few things a kid could do to pass the time. Where will your imagination take you?

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS ULTIMATE U.S. ROAD TRIP ATLAS

by Crispin Boyer (Paperback $5.99) You’ll never have a dull road trip with this atlas! With simple and easy to read maps of each state, fun and silly facts about the states (it’s against the law to trip a horse in Oklahoma), and tons of cool things to do wherever you go, kids and parents alike will enjoy the car ride. Need a game idea? No problem, you can find some in this atlas. Now why would you plan a road trip without it?

1600 NE Alberta Street 503-954-2354 greenbeanbookspdx.com 28 | NW Kids Magazine

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Photo by Andrea Constance

Photo by Audobon Society of Portland

Photo by Amy Cave

EXPLORING THE WILD: NATURE CAMPS by KELLEY SCHAEFER-LEVI

Are your kids into learning new outdoor skills, looking for treasures or building fairy houses? Fortunately, living in the Pacific Northwest, there is no shortage of opportunities for spending time outside, getting dirty, exploring and making the most of the lush land we live on, but if your kids are looking for a more hands-on experience in a camp setting, the Portland area has an extensive list of nature programs where kids can develop a love for their natural environment. From farming to animals, tracking or identifying wild plants, there is something for every level of interest.

At nature-focused camps, campers not only experience the benefits of being outside, but also learn life skills that they can apply beyond camp. For example, kids who attend a Trackers camp are encouraged to follow a camp code of sorts that requires them to pay attention, learn about opportunities found in nature and to be truly helpful. Trackers camp founder, Tony Dies explains, “Under controlled and thoughtful circumstances, we teach kids how to temper themselves and to look at things from the trail for answers.” These answers are at the core of what Trackers hopes kids will take away from their nature camp programs.

There are several options for kids to get outside and start discovering the wonders of nature. Each camp outlined below has several programs to accommodate different interests, 32 | NW Kids Magazine

skills and grade levels. Here is just a sampling of how your kids can experience the wild this summer.

ADVENTURE WILD, a benefit camp for Portland’s Outdoor School, offers campers ages 4-11 the opportunity to observe a diverse range of habitats and ecosystems, while developing a love and appreciation for the natural areas around Portland. Each week, camps are held at partner sites, which create unique opportunities to engage with nature and develop skills; from outdoor cooking with freshly picked vegetables, to rock climbing, science experiments, and art installations. Kids love learning through discovery and investigation and relish in understanding how things work in nature. adventurewild.org For young bird enthusiasts, the AUDUBON SOCIETY OF PORTLAND offers weeklong excursions that inspire campers to develop a love for nature and preservation. Through a number of thoughtfully curated camps, kids can learn about the seasons, botany, birds and more through craft projects, games and outdoor exploration. Camps are open to kids in 1st grade-12th. To find out more, please visit audubonportland.org Founded in 1962, BIG LAKE YOUTH CAMP has made it their job to offer kids summer camps filled with excitement, challenge

and building relationships. Through traditional camping programs, Kids ages 10-17 choose skill-building activities daily. Campers inevitably spend time in nature at this overnight camp but can also focus on activities like music, photography, mountain biking, art, canoeing and more. biglake.org

Photo by Camp Fire Columbia’s Camp Namanu

In its 90th year CAMP NAMANU is a camp experience families (and over 100,000 campers) have looked forward to each year.

Campers from Grades 1- 12 can head to one of their city camps in and around Portland or head to Sandy for weeklong sessions where they will spend time outside on trails, sleep in rustic wooden cabins and sing the same songs around the campfire that have been handed down through the years at Namanu.

Campers can experience special camps such as Ranch or camp offerings for the whole family. campfirecolumbia.org/campnamanu If your kiddo loves animals, sending them to camp at the OREGON ZOO is a great way to explore nature and learn about how the animals live from day to day at the zoo, and how they adapt to their environment.

Children ages 4 and up experience hands on learning through investigation by examining fur, feathers, skin and scales from around the globe. Each weeklong camp includes a lot of learning and fun, with crafts, songs, stories, snacks, animal visitors and in-depth tours of the zoo. For more camp specific information, head to oregonzoo.org/events/summerday-camps

PORTLAND PARKS & RECREATION NATURE DAY CAMP Campers aged 4-14 explore the wild spaces of Portland as they discover the natural world under the guidance of experienced staff. Themes drive the focus of the camps but are only the start to what kids can learn. Camp guides have an affinity to both ecology and play, and summer staff members are trained in the traditional crafts and games of Nature Day Camp. Campers learn No Trace principles, nature crafts, ethnobotany, Portland Parks & Natural Areas stewardship, First Aid, and CPR. These camps connect children to nature through hands-on experiences, to model curiosity and wonder and to be a collection of positive influences toward children of all ages.

Find out more, portlandoregon.gov/parks/ TRACKERS PDX, one of the most popular outdoor camps in the area, started in 1992 with the mission of creating happy people through the celebration of hearth, family, respect for the land and a timeless human history. Campers create a village and experience what it would feel like to play an important role in their community through four guilds including Rangers, Wilders, Mariners and Artisans. Through daily activities attendees learn skills associated with each guild. For example, Rangers are the hunters and scouts for the village. They learn the art of wilderness survival, tracking and awareness or Wilders focus on learning how to listen to the land. They learn skills related to animals plants and how the life cycle evolves in nature. To learn more visit, trackerspdx.com FOR MORE NATURE CAMPS SEE THE RESOURCE GUIDE ON P. 38.

Photo by Trackers PDX

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RESOURCE GUIDE:

Camps

EQUESTRIAN CAMPS CAMP FIRE COLUMBIA Sandy 4-5 Day Namanu Ranch Camps (grades 6-12) June through August campfirecolumbia.org EKONE RANCH Goldendale, WA 7-Day Camps (ages 8-18) Spring break and summer June through August ekone.org NADEAU EQUESTRIAN CENTER Newberg 4-Day Camps (ages 7+) June through August nadeauequestrian.org RIVER RANCH Aurora 4-5 Day Camps (ages 5-16) June through August riverranchhorses.com ROYAL RIDGES Battleground/Yacolt, WA 5-Day Camps (ages 8-14) June through August royalridges.org SKYLINE EQUESTRIAN North Plains 3-4 Day Camps (ages 6-14) June through August skylineeq.com

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NATURE CAMPS FRIENDS OF TRYON CREEK Portland 5-Day Camps (ages 4-5th grade) June through August tryonfriends.org HOYT ARBORETUM (PP & R) Portland 5-Day Camps (ages 3-14) June through August hoytarboretum.org OES Portland 5-Day Camps (grades PK-3) June through August oes.edu/summer/ OMSI Portland and Around Oregon 5-Day Camps (ages 4-18) May through September omsi.edu SUNRIVER Sunriver outside of Bend 5-Day half day camps (ages 4-10) June through August sunriver-resort.com ZENGER FARM Portland 5-Day Camps (grades 1-9) June through August zengerfarm.org WILDWOOD NATURE SCHOOL Portland 5-Day Camps (ages 3-5) June through August wildwoodnatureschool.com

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Inside & Outside FIVE DAY

Rock Climbing Summer Camps!

Ages 5-9 and 10-16 9AM-3PM

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Saturday, April 5th 10am - 5pm

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A “one-stop shop” opportunity to find the perfect summer camps for your kids. Meet and talk with over 30 camp directors from local summer camp programs. You’ll find all the information you need to make a memorable summer for your kids!

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