NW Kids Magazine July 2016

L I V E • PLAY • DO

magazine

The Baby Issue Baby bonding out & about Know your options: prenatal care and birth education Convertible spaces & gear

nwkidsmagazine.com

JULY 2016

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Editor’s Note Summer in Portland with a baby, what could be better? As a local baby care educator and postpartum doula, I love the opportunity to be the guest editor at NW Kids for this wellloved baby issue, where we are serving up some creative ideas and resources to help you enjoy your new baby while making the most of this beautiful season.

As doulas, we love to educate new parents about all the great features of our city that can be accessed with a baby in tow. It can be intimidating leaving the house knowing that they might cry or fuss, but there are so many options that are welcoming to families with newborns. See some parent picks for ways to bond with baby outside of your home on page 16, and some special tips for dads with their littles on page 18.

We know the real estate market has been booming in Portland lately, and it has caused many to reconsider not “going bigger” when welcoming a new baby. Our feature on Making Room for Baby (p. 8) can give you some ideas for saving money by staying put while expanding the interior with some creative designing.

We have come a long way from the Lamaze classes of your parents’ generation, and now have multiple local options for families that favor everything from yoga to hypnosis, so if you are hoping someone can shorten the learning curve on this big new world of pregnancy and parenting, head over to page 23-25.

You wisely chose the NW as the place to raise your family, so get out there and explore!

Kimberly

Cover and contents photography by JENNIFER HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY jenniferharrisphoto.com 4 | NW Kids Magazine

Contents JULY 2016

8 Making Room for Baby 12 One Size Fits All: Gear that grows with the littles 16 Bonding with Baby Outside the Home 20 Home Birth? Midwife? Hospital?

A side-by-side comparison of care 23 Learning to Birth: Choosing the right class for you 25 Birthing Class Resource Guide 28 Get Out and Play!

This month’s local adventures

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magazine Publisher Michelle Snell michelle@nwkidsmagazine.com Connect With Us: • Phone: 503.282.2711 • email: contact@nwkidsmagazine.com • Facebook: facebook.com/nwkids • Instagram : @nwkidsmagazine • 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.

Printed locally; Please recycle.

Editor / Client Services Karel Chan karel@nwkidsmagazine.com Guest Baby Issue Editor Kimberly Bepler kimberly@abcdoula.com Advertising Director Laurel Carrasco laurel@nwkidsmagazine.com Graphic Designer Robyn Barbon robyn@folkloremedia.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com Accounting & Business Services Heather Rex heather@nwkidsmagazine.com Editorial Interns Bryan Holt Ruth Plourde

Listings ABC Doula......................................................24 All Families Surrogacy...................................15 Art of STEM....................................................26 Austell Columbia Gorge Equities, LLC............32 Baby Boot Camp............................................11 Barre3.............................................................14 Beanstalk .......................................................11 Beaumont Business Association....................15 Bella Stella.....................................................11 Bennett Suzuki...............................................22 Black Wagon..................................................19 Bridgetown Baby...........................................14 ChildRoots........................................................ 3 City of Hillsboro..............................................31 Creative Minds Learning Center.....................26 DolFUN Swim Academy.................................. 7 6 | NW Kids Magazine

Dynasty Ford / Surro Connections.................22 Evergreen Aviation........................................... 2 Farber Swim School.......................................22 Glendoveer Tennis..........................................26 Global Friends Language School...................14 Goodtime Chinese School.............................27 Just Between Friends.....................................19 Little Fruit Farm..............................................26 Montessori School of Beaverton...................27 Nelson Pediatric Dentistry............................... 2 Northwest Mother’s Milk Bank......................11 NW Surrogacy Center....................................11 Placenta Power..............................................19 Portland Early Learning Project.....................11 Portland Trampoline......................................30 Saturday Academy.........................................26

Seahorses.......................................................19 Serpa Audiology............................................15 Spanky’s Legendary Consignment................22 Spielwerk Toys................................................19 Sunshine Montessori.....................................27 Surro Connections..........................................31 The Bull and the Bee........................................ 7 The Kids’ Backyard Store................................30 Tri-County Farms............................................15 Tumbleweed Infant House............................29 Westside Montessori.....................................27 Willow Tree Wellness.....................................14 World of Smiles..............................................29 Zenana Spa....................................................11

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m a k i n room g for Baby

Article and schematic by AMANDA ERICKSON

“We’re having a baby – do we need to buy a new home?!”

Amanda Erickson is the owner and chief spacemaker at PDX Additions, and she loves working with families who are expecting for the first time or trying to “grow up” their home along with their kids. Here are some common questions that she has gotten from new parents…

We are welcoming a first baby next spring and we want to convert the home office into a nursery, but won’t have space left for our office and we need it! What other options work for a house that has run out of rooms?

To start with, consider sharing the space.

It’s quite a while before babies are mobile and they do not need as much space as you might think. By sharing the space, you buy yourself an additional 2-3 years 8 | NW Kids Magazine

with the home as-is. You have to think more purposefully about the space and embrace compactness and flexibility, but it can be done.

Another option is to look for spaces in your home that can be converted to office use, such as a closet. There are a lot of great examples out there of compact office closets. A corner of the living room or your bedroom also might work. Use the

Then we went radical and converted the master bedroom into a nursery and the living room into the master. That way, the common area could still be utilized while babies were sleeping or mama was nursing.

To make the living room a functional master took a lot of thinking and some furniture purchases, but this was all much cheaper than a new home. As you consider your direction, know that your friends and family are very understanding of your slightly wacky living environment when you have twin babies. You can buy yourself any number of years by really challenging the notions of how your home can support you.

We have looked everywhere for furniture to fit our space and are so frustrated by the options! Can you help with furniture purchasing and placement? (And do you do marital counseling afterward?)

walls and go vertical! Check out the ELFA system for endless options.

IKEA, as always, is king here.

We are seriously considering buying a bigger home now that we are expecting twins, but the rise in housing prices has us unsure. How can we gain more space for our babies that will grow with us in case we need to stay here several more years?

Multiple kids is tricky. But the great thing about kids is that things go in stages. You need to anticipate where they are at and how you can maximize that time. I worked with a couple who were expecting twins and had an 800 square-foot 1-bedroom house! Luckily, they also had a detached converted garage/ office space that was a pretty good size. First, we consolidated and downsized the office area and made room for an alternate sleeping space.

Oh boy. This one is really tough. It is really hard to find compact furniture in the U.S. that looks good and feels durable. Look a little deeper at the IKEA catalog for ideas, then check out the huge DIY community of IKEA “hackers.” It can be really inspirational. You’ll be amazed how smartly you can customize IKEA stuff. Even simply taking the time to paint a piece of plain furniture can make it feel more cohesive.

You shouldn’t put any piece of furniture in your home that won’t grow with you. Skip the changing table (even if your friends offer it to you for free) in favor of a dresser that is at the right height and can be used for kiddo’s clothes down the road.

If you know you need to change your home but aren’t sure exactly where to start or what is the best course of action, Amanda Erickson and PDX Additions can help. From improving the efficiency and flow of your home to assessing the potential for an addition or renovation, PDX Additions can fit their design services to your needs and connect you to the right professional to get bigger jobs done.

Visit them at PDXAdditions.com.

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One Size Fits All

Gear that grows with the littles by ANGELA DAVIS

If you’re looking to stretch your budget (or get more traction out of your baby registry), consider purchasing gear that will grow with not only your baby, but your family as well.

Car Seats Your child will be riding in a car seat for a looooong time, and you can save a bunch of money by being strategic about which seat you select. Once your child is in a forward facing car seat, spring for a nice convertible car seat that moves from a 5-point harness to a booster (and everything in between). The Britax Frontier has excellent safety ratings and is one of the most comfortable options for kids.

You can also skip the portable infant car seat and get the Graco 4Ever All-in-One Convertible Car Seat. It has a rear facing position as well as all three forward facing options, which means you only need one car seat. Period.

Photographs – Left: Mountain Buggy Juno carrier, $180, seahorsespdx.com; top right: Uncle Goose Classic ABC Blocks with Wagon, $62, blackwagon.com; bottom right: Aden + Anai Silky Soft Swaddles in “Indigo” print, $45, bellastellababy.com 12 | NW Kids Magazine

Baby Carriers Hands-down, the favorite baby carrier in Portland is the original Ergobaby Carrier.

Not only is it incredibly comfortable for Mom or Dad, but baby can ride on the front all snuggled in, or on your back so they can see the action. Your giant 3-year-old can even ride on your back with the Ergo while you make dinner or walk through a crowded farmer’s market.

Ergo now has the 4 Position 360 Baby Carrier, and the new Adapt which is a multi-age carrier that doesn’t require an additional insert. Both allow you to carry an infant as small as 7 lbs.

Another convertible option is Mountain Buggy’s Juno. This multifunctional baby carrier transitions seamlessly from newborn to toddler and features ergonomic design and four comfortable carry modes.

Find it locally: Seahorses - seahorsespdx.com Bella Stella - bellastellababy.com the Bull and the Bee - bullandbeebaby.com

Swaddle Blankets The Aden + Anai lightweight muslin or bamboo Swaddling Blankets are perfect for swaddling an infant, even in the hot summer months, and are also large enough to drape over an infant car seat or stroller while your toddler is sleeping, or even just to spread out on the ground so you have a place to sit at the park.

Find it locally: Bella Stella - bellastellababy.com Beanstalk - beanstalkpdx.com the Bull and the Bee - bullandbeebaby.com Black Wagon - blackwagon.com

Thermometer You’re going to take your child’s temperature until they move out of the house, so it makes sense to invest in a high-quality, accurate thermometer that takes a quick reading now. While a traditional thermometer takes a more

accurate reading (and is needed for a baby under 6 months old) an ear thermometer is a lifesaver when taking a squirmy, grumpy baby’s temperature.

A solid option is the Braun Ear Thermometer.

Baby Monitor Even if you have a small home and can hear your baby crying from any room in the house, get a good baby monitor.

They can be used during nap time while you’re out in the yard, camping or in the adjoining room in a hotel.

Older kids also have a blast playing with them as one-way walkie-talkies!

Find it locally: Seahorses - seahorsespdx.com

High Powered Blender A Vitamix or Blendtec blender will definitely put a dent in your wallet, but they are worth every penny, especially if you put them to work making homemade baby food, smoothies packed with fruits and veggies for snacks and soups and other dishes for dinner. These models last far longer than the traditional blender you can pick up at your big box store.

(Lower cost/longevity but a decent portable option is a NutriBullet.)

Wooden Building Blocks How can we forget the toys? Wooden building blocks will be the staple of your child’s toy box for years and years. From a baby learning how to hit two blocks together to an eight year old building an elaborate castle, city or tower, blocks never go out of style.

Find it locally: Black Wagon - blackwagon.com SpielWerk Toys - spielwerktoys.com Angela Davis is a mom to five kids, a foster parent, and founder of FrugalLivingNW.com where she works to help women and families in the Pacific Northwest live well on a budget.

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Bonding

with Baby

Photograph by ALHY BERRY PHOTOGRAPHY alhyberryphotography.com

Outside the Home

After you welcome your baby home, there is nothing more valuable for your child’s life - or for your enjoyment of your baby - than bonding and interacting with them. Eye contact, skin to skin/kangaroo care, a relaxing bath, having “conversations,” making funny faces and carrying them in a carrier while teaching them all about the world are just a few of the many experiences that make parenting rich.

by KIMBERLY BEPLER, IBCLC, CPD

However, in the early days of parenting your newborn, life at home can be kind of … boring. Babies are awesome, but being at home all day when you are used to being at work or out and about can feel really isolating. Since babies don’t talk back to you (and tell you how awesome your ideas are) it can also feel kind of lonely. It’s scary to head out into the big world with your wee one, and getting all the gear together necessary can be daunting. If pacing the aisles of your nearby big box store is not tempting, here are some fun ways that local parents connect with their babies.

Take an infant massage class The ultimate connection between you and baby can come from offering them a massage - and parents benefit as much as their tiny recipients. Taking a class can 16 | NW Kids Magazine

teach you the art of infant massage while interacting with your (pre-mobile) baby.

Don’t be intimidated that your baby might be fussy or cry; instructors are used to baby noises and frazzled parents.

Join a parenting group This might seem like it’s just for the parents, but you’ll learn things like fun games to play with your baby, new ways of soothing and ideas for how to maintain family closeness. And every week it offers a place to go to spend purposeful time with baby and other parents who are adjusting to newborn life. Many area hospitals offer an in-person moms/parents groups. Or check out PEPS of Portland, Full House Moms and Dads (for multiples), and MOMS Clubs for other options.

Tummy Time class

Babies making music

So many babies seem to hate the experience of playing on their tummy, but your pediatrician (or chiropractor or a CST practitioner) will tell you about the many benefits to movement in this position to balance back-to-sleep. There are now TummyTime!™ classes in Portland that you and baby can attend to learn approaches to make tummy time a fun practice in your house. It’s also a sweet way to interact with your growing and moving baby.

Did you know you can take your baby to music class even as a tiny infant?

Gymboree, Music Together and Kindermusik have many locations where even very new babies gather with their parents to learn songs, use instruments and get exposed to many different types of music.

Take a Hike We know babies love to be carried and worn, and parents need to experience fresh air and exercise as well to be at their best. Hike it Baby combines the best of both worlds; parents gather in small groups to take short walks or longer hikes while wearing babies, pushing strollers or chasing toddlers.

Talking with their hands Teaching your baby a new language gives you lifelong benefits for communication, and starting as young as 4-6 months, your baby can learn sign language to help them converse with you long before phrases and sentences are within their reach. Tiny Talkers and Portland Early Learning are two local offerings to help you understand your tiny humans.

Babywearing conquered If you are struggling with finding the right carrier for you, or need expert help and wish there were a place you could try out a carrier before buying another one, look no further than Babywearing International. BWI has groups all over Portland where libraries of carriers can be loaned out, and trained volunteers can help you find just the right fit to bond with your baby on the go.

Fitness with baby Yes, you can get your pre-baby body back, and be strong enough to lift those car seats, heavy diaper bags and your giant jogging stroller into the car – and you don’t need to forgo any bonding time with your baby.

Share fitness with baby by attending an exercise class that involves babies such as Mamalates, Mom and Baby Yoga, and Stroller fitness (Baby Boot Camp and Fit4Mom are two popular options).

Photograph by DOLFUN SWIM ACADEMY

Swim class Babies as young as 6 weeks can take an infant swim class at DolFUN Academy or Swim Babies, and babies 4 months and up can attend classes with a parent at many local pools in Portland. You can also visit one of the soaking pools like McMenamin’s Kennedy School where the water temperature averages 90 degrees and tiny diapered babies enjoy a warm soak with their caregivers. continued on p. 18 NW Kids Magazine | 17

Passing on the love of books Did you know that almost every library has a story time specifically for infants? Children’s librarians read stories to little ones, and some bring out musical instruments and props.

Seek out your local library to see when they offer free baby storytime, teaching them how fun books can be!

Whatever you decide to do, remember that the activity is not as important as the

connection you have to your baby. Your responsiveness to them builds their brain more than any toy, activity or event they attend.

Kimberly Bepler lives to help parents bond and connect with their babies. As a lactation consultant and doula, she teaches newborn care and breastfeeding classes in Portland and trains doulas all over the US as well as running a team of postpartum doulas in the Portland metro area. Connect with her at abcdoula.com.

Bonding 101 by L. WALLS

for Dad

• Take charge of bath time. Bathing together can help calm both dad and baby, allowing them to enjoy the closeness of each other.

• Wear your baby. In the first few weeks after birth, skin-to-skin contact is important for your baby’s development and helping them feel safe with you, creating an early deep bond.

So, congratulations, they let you leave the hospital with a tiny human! It’s really a wonderful feeling, being a dad, but it can come with a lot of insecurities.

Let me stop you there and say that if you’re around, you’re doing it right. When your baby is tiny, it can feel like you aren’t crucial to parenting, but it is valuable to both of you to find ways to be engaged from the beginning.

Here are some ways we’ve found to connect in the early days:

• Massaging your baby can help you both sleep better! Additional benefits include better weight gain and relief of gas and colic. Kindredmothercare.com has information on local classes.

• Use diaper changes to entertain your little with a tickle or a song to keep their attention. Soon enough, that time will be full of fun and giggles as you watch them grow before your eyes!

• Read to your baby. It may not get much reaction yet, but babies begin to learn things like rhythm, tone and the inflections of your voice from early on. Research says that the more words your baby is exposed to, the more prepared they are to eventually begin reading alone!

L Walls is a work-from-home parent with 4 kids, living in Vancouver, WA. L is a graphic designer and filmmaker, though they currently spend most of their days on play dates, appointments, little league games and shuttling kids! L appreciates good music, design, a clean house and pretending to get work done.

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Home Birth?

Midwife?

Hospital?

by JENNIFER FISHER ICCE Photograph by JENNIFER HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHY jenniferharrisphoto.com

a side-by-side comparison of care It’s well-known by now that Portland is a great place to have a family! But deciding where exactly to start that family can be fraught with questions that are overwhelming for parents-to-be. When choosing between a home or hospital birth, here are a few factors to consider.

First, what is the mom’s comfort with birthing at home with a CPM (Certified Professional Midwife)? Does this mom feel able to relax, knowing that an epidural is not around the corner? It takes true grit to be a home birthing mom, and a willingness to let go of any preconceived notions of what birth looks like. Home birth can be very unpredictable as it unfolds. In choosing a home birth, families are committing to the responsibility for the safety of mom and baby on a much larger scale than in a hospital setting.

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A hospital birth may be ideal for a mom who does want more of a semblance of order.

She may be very comforted by the technical aspects that a hospital birth maintains.

Even within the care of a CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife), there will be hospital procedures and guidelines that must be maintained. In both of these scenarios, where a mom is attended by a midwife, her health history must be fairly straight forward, without major medical issues for her or the baby.

For a mom who does have medical issues that must be attended to by a physician/ medical doctor (MD), a hospital is her option for delivery location. Modern medicine has contributed to higher numbers of women being able to choose motherhood, and that privilege must be recognized, particularly for moms with higher risk pregnancies.

CPM - Certified Professional Midwife Longer appointments/ Home visits

CNM -

MD -

Certified Nurse Midwife

Medical Doctor

Longer appointments

Shorter appointments

Holistic view of mothers

Medical view of pregnancy

Mother involvement in care (i.e. urine sampling, selfreporting)

Birth in hospital (including induction when medically necessary)

Ultrasounds and typical screening

Option for screenings and ultrasounds

Typical screening and ultrasounds

Lower rate of interventions/ inductions

Waterbirth (according to certification)

Waterbirth optional

Transfer care to MD for cesarean if needed

Holistic view of mother

Transport to hospital if needed

Birth in hospital Higher rates for interventions Perform cesareans Care for high risk pregnancies, including multiples

Jennifer Fisher is a ICEA Childbirth Educator based in Vancouver, Washington who believes that women are perfectly designed to birth and feed their babies. She teaches for Legacy Health Systems and OHSU, volunteers at Birthright of Vancouver, NACEF and coaches track at her kids’ school. She has happily birthed 3 babies in hospitals and at home. When she’s not doing that she is running, gardening or drinking coffee with her family.

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Learning to Birth: Choosing the right class for you

by STACEY MARSHALL

Being pregnant and searching for classes to prepare for your upcoming birth can be an exciting and sometimes stressful time. Birth preferences, location, time and cost of the class might guide your decision on which is best for you.

Here are some options for educating yourselves before the big day:

Hospital-based Classes

Most hospitals offer a 4-week series or a one-day, lecture-style format, typically on a weekend day. Each class usually covers the basics in a very broadbrush-stroke manner: the physiology of giving birth, stages of labor, paincoping techniques (natural and with medication), cesarean birth and the first hour of life in the hospital.

Pros: Variety of locations, dates and times. Provides insight into your hospital’s labor and delivery policies.

Taught by nationally-certified instructors.

Some insurances will reimburse cost or partial cost.

Cons: Generalized “one size fits all” approach. May require you to take additional classes, such as newborn or breastfeeding. Family may be unfamiliar with instructors.

Community-based Classes

Faith-based or community-based classes are a great way to stay connected to your community while learning about the birth and postpartum experience. They are sensitive to the specific needs of that population.

Pro: Information is geared to meet cultural or religious beliefs around birth and baby-rearing. Instructors are culturally competent and may be someone the family knows.

Cons: May not prepare for hospital birth. Most instructors are not nationally-certified.

Centering™

Some midwifery practices provide Centering™ or group-based education for each office visit throughout your pregnancy.

Pro: Easy to schedule with office visits. Meet other moms due around the same time as you. Closed group gives opportunity to get individualized questions answered. Included in the cost of your care, depending on insurance and practice.

Con: Partners or other support people may not be available during group times.

Specialty Classes

These classes are designed to meet a specific demographic: natural/home birth, VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) moms, moms of multiples, yoga-based, using hypnosis for birth, waterbirth, etc. continued on p. 24 NW Kids Magazine | 23

Pros: Portland has many specialty-based class options. Focused on one specific style of giving birth.

Cons: May lack information on basics, primarily around delivery, pushing phase, etc.

Government/County-based Classes

These classes are designed for any families expecting in Multnomah County and cover many of the topics families want to know about: when labor starts, how to time contractions, when to go to the hospital, breastfeeding, newborn care, posptartum depression, etc.

Pros: Free and offered in English and Spanish, Afrocentric in structure Cons: Limited offerings, short time frame (2 hours) to cover topics

E-classes

Online classes are a good option for very busy families (aren’t we all?) and provide resources for what to expect in the comfort and convenience of your home.

Pros: Flexible scheduling for busy moms and no need to travel. Content and videos around the basics.

Cons: No point person to answer questions. Can be isolating due to not being around other families.

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Independent

There are many private (certified and non-certified) instructors that teach a variety of childbirth classes not in a hospital. Most cover the basics of giving birth and postpartum in an accelerated format to meet the individual needs of families in attendance.

Pros: A more intimate experience, usually in the privacy of someone’s home or community space. No “hidden agenda” and questions are usually addressed in an individual manner.

Cons: Pricey and sometimes if classes don’t fill, they get cancelled or rescheduled.

Stacey Marshall (ICEA, IBCLC, Doula) has been an educator for over a decade, teaching families up and down the West Coast. She is on staff at Legacy, OHSU, and Birthingway College of Midwifery.

Her passion in education is to help adult learners understand the birthing process, address some of the fears parents face and support families to make decisions that feel right for them. She has two sweet kiddos and lives in NE Portland.

Hospital-based Classes PROVIDENCE oregon.providence.org LEGACY legacyhealth.org TUALITY tuality.org OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCES UNIVERSITY (OHSU) ohsu.edu PEACEHEALTH (SW WASHINGTON) peacehealth.org

Community-based Classes INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR TRADITIONAL CHILDBEARING ictcmidwives.org

MOTHER AND CHILD EDUCATION CENTER momchildpdx.org BIRTHRIGHT OF VANCOUVER birthright.org

Centeringâ„¢

PROVIDENCE MATERNAL CARE CLINIC oregon.providence.org LEGACY MIDWIVES legacyhealth.org OHSU NURSE-MIDWIVES ohsu.edu

Specialty Classes

HYPNOBIRTHING hypnobirthingresources.com YOGA WAY TO BIRTH yogawaytobirth.com CREATING YOUR BIRTH SPACE OR BIRTHING FROM WITHIN portlanddoulalove.com

Birthing Class RESOURCE GUIDE

VBAC (VAGINAL BIRTH AFTER CESAREAN) icanofportland.com TWINS abddoula.com fullhousemoms.com legacyhealth.org oregon.providence.org portlanddoulalove.com BIRTHING NATURALLY almamidwifery.com waterbirth.net agentlebeginning.com

Government/ County-based Classes

HEALTHY BIRTH INITIATIVE, BLACK PARENTS INITIATIVE - FREE multco.us/services/childbirtheducation-classes multco.us/services/healthy-birthinitiative multco.us/services/pregnancyparenting-support

E-classes

BIRTHING BETTER birthingbetter.org LAMAZE FOR PARENTS lamaze.org

Independent

LOVELIGHT lovelightchildbirth.com MOTHER TREE BIRTH SERVICES mothertreebirth.com BIRTHINGSTONE DOULA birthingstone.com HEAD OVER HEELS portlanddoulas.com/childbirth-education NW Kids Magazine | 25

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WATERFRONT BLUES FEST

Get Out and Play!

This month’s local adventures

All July

July 6-27

Portland’s Summer Free For All series kicks off this month! The city of Portland hosts numerous free events across the city all throughout the summer, including Movies in the Park, Concerts in the Park, Summer Playgrounds and Lunch, and more. Schedules on website, portlandoregon.gov/parks/61921

Every Wednesday evening you can head to SW Main Street for free concerts hosted by Portland’5 and ArtBar & Bistro. Musical acts will span genres and world regions. Food and drink provided by ArtBar & Bistro.

Free, portland5.com

Summer Free For All

Music on Main

July 1-4

Waterfront Blues Fest

This iconic music festival brings together some of the best names in blues for a downright groovy July 4th weekend. Proceeds benefit Oregon Food Bank. $10 day pass, $35+ festival pass, waterfrontbluesfest.com

July 4

Fourth at the Fort

Celebrate Independence Day at the Fort Vancouver National Site. There will be games and activities, lush lawns for kicking back, and their best fireworks display yet! $5-7, kids 12 and under free. Prime Viewing tickets also available, 4th.fortvan.org

MUSIC ON MAIN

July 9

Kids Obstacle Challenge

Who’s afraid of a little mud and sweat?

Get those adventuresome kids out to run, jump and laugh their way through this 1-2 mile obstacle course.

Parents run free! Ages 5-16, $30-40, kidsobstaclechallenge.com

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

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July 8-10

Portland Vintage Racing Festival

Take your car lovers out to watch over 200 classic racecars tear it up on the Portland International Raceway, then get up close to the vintage beauties and meet the drivers! Kids 12 and under free, $10-45, svra.com

July 10

The Big Float

Show the Willamette River some love!

Grab your floaties, listen to some live music and float your way down to the after party. $5-10, thebigfloat.com

July 14-18

SeaDog Nights and Gypsy Festival

Yarr, so ye think yer a pirate, do ya?

Well, you’re not alone! Spend a weekend living the swashbuckling life at this family-friendly immersion festival. $5-35, kids 6 and under free, seadognights.com

KIDS OBSTACLE CHALLENGE

July 15-16

Sherwood Robin Hood Festival

Head over to beautiful Sherwood to hang out in the medieval times.

Watch the international archery competition, dance, revel and meet Maid Marian and Robin Hood. Free, robinhoodfestival.org

July 30

1st Annual Mermaid Parade

Dip your creative toes in the world of ocean mythology! Dress up as your favorite aquatic creature and parade along the Waterfront to Poet’s Beach for the after party and photoshoot. Free, portlandiamermaidparade.com 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/ kids-activities-and-things-to-do

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