NW Kids Magazine March 2013

liv e • play • do

magazine

Science & Technology camps | Special Needs camps Siblings and Camp | Spring Break Survival | Mad Science

nwkidsmagazine.com

Mar 2013

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NW Kids Magazine | 3

editors’

Corner

Get outside! March marks a time for tremendous learning about the earth and the life cycles of plants and other living things. Longer days and sun bring smiles in our neck of the woods and much needed time outdoors exploring the changing landscape as winter buds into spring.

We are always grateful to be able to shed some layers and get dirty.

This month at NW Kids we’ve compiled the first of our Summer Camp Resource Guides with a focus on Science and Technology and Special Needs camps. Don’t miss the feature on Mad Science of Portland and Vancouver. And if you’re sending siblings to camp this year, we have your back. Be sure to check out the piece on how to navigate camps for kids of differing ages and interests. Spring Break and St. Patrick’s Day are right around the corner. In this issue, we not only offer a few tips on Spring Break survival for those staying in town, we also list some outings to get out there and have a little fun in honor of all things shamrocks and leprechauns in our calendar of events. If you’re looking for something to do at a moment’s notice, don’t forget to check out our online calendar at nwkidsmagazine.com.

And if you’re seeking more information about camps in the Portland area don’t miss our 2nd Annual camp expo. This year the event will be held at OMSI on Saturday, April 6th.

With over 30 camps participating, you will have the opportunity to find the right fit for your kids. We’ll be there to meet and greet you, donning our NW Kids camp tees with hourly giveaways of all sorts and camp swag. Stop by and say hello. We look forward to seeing you.

Happy Spring, Kelley and Beth

online calendar

“ Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.”

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), author of Little Women 4 | NW Kids Magazine

Contents March 2013

8 Not Your Ordinary Science Camps: Mad Science 10 Should Siblings Attend the Same Summer Camp?

14 Resource Guide: Science & Technology and Special Needs Camps 16 Found Around Town: Science Fun 18 Spring Break Survival: Staying Close to Home

20 Awesome NW Kid: Aria Pearce 22 Calendar of Events

Cover and Contents Photography by Posy Quarterman Photography photoposy.com NW Kids Magazine | 5

Listings 11th Church of Christ.........................................30 Adventure WILD.................................................21 Amanda Arp.......................................................29 Aprende Con Amigos.........................................17 Barre3.................................................................28 Bella Stella.........................................................28 Bennett Suzuki Violin Studio.............................20 Camp Odakoda..................................................19 Catlin Gabel Summer Programs........................21 Child’s View Montessori.....................................21 Fine Art Starts!...................................................17 French American International School..............27 French American International School Camp...11 German American School..................................23 Hi 5 Dental.........................................................30 International Leadership Academy...................29 Justus Orthodontics...........................................29 Kids Community Summer Camp.......................13 KUIK....................................................................27 Larry Steele Basketball Camp............................19 Little Fruit Farm Montessori...............................30 Mad Science.......................................................17 Meadowood Springs.........................................15 MetroArts Kids Camp.........................................19 Mittleman Jewish Community Center & Portland Jewish Academy.............................13 My Masterpiece Art Studio................................13 Northwest Children’s Theater.............................21 Oregon Artist School..........................................21 Oregon Children’s Theatre....................................2 Oregon College of Art and Craft........................23 Oregon Episcopal School.....................................9 Oregon Gymnastics Academy...........................11 Oregon Zoo.........................................................12 Pass it On Sales..................................................12 Portland Children’s Museum.............................11 Portland Early Learning Project.........................21 Portland Kinderschule.......................................21 Portland Language Arts....................................25 Portland Spirit......................................................2 Portland Trampoline..........................................31 Reversed Lens......................................................3 River Ranch........................................................17 Royal Ridges Retreat..........................................25 Run Like a Mother................................................3 School of Rock....................................................23 Schoolita Alegria................................................19 Soccer Shots.......................................................32 Spanky’s Legendary Consignment....................30 Spielwerk...........................................................28 St. Andrew Learning Center...............................11 Superkids Resale................................................27 SW Community Center......................................23 Sweet PEAS Kidzone..........................................25 Tears of Joy Theatre............................................29 The Kids’ Backyard Store....................................31 Too Cute..............................................................29 Trackers Earth.......................................................9 Upward Bound...................................................15 WeVillage...........................................................25 World Forestry Center........................................27 World of Smiles..................................................29 Young Champions Track & Field........................23 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 / Client Ad Design Karel Chan karel@nwkidsmagazine.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com Design Robyn Barbon robyn@folkloremedia.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.

Printed locally; Please recycle.

Correction: Last month we listed Bodhi Tree Center’s specialty program incorrectly. At Bodhi Tree, children learn Chinese through singing, music, dancing, exercise, arts and crafts, mathematics, games. Older children learn through a combination of these and more “traditional” methods (book, chair, whiteboard).

We also listed Yu Miao Chinese Immersion preschool which should have been AHSC Yu Miao Chinese Immersion preschool. AHSC Yu Miao Chinese Immersion Preschool’s specialty program is one-of-a-kind (not replicated, or shared with any other); its description was misprinted on another school’s section in the February issue.

draft

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Photographs by MAD SCIENCE

Not your ordinary science camps:

Mad Science by jana wingate Before you know it, school will be out and the long lazy days of summer will be upon us. Or at least that is what our kids are dreaming of. But we know that those long days of summer equal loss of education and knowledge, with many studies pointing to an average of one month of grade-level equivalency lost over the summer.

With those statistics, I’ve got a wonderful solution, how about a fun and educational camp that will keep your child engaged, entertained and learning at the same time. I’m talking about the Mad Science of Portland and Vancouver summer camps.

in fun, hands on activities that show them how cool science is. And expose them to the kind of things scientists do, which are pretty cool.”

These are not your ordinary science camps, these are hands on classrooms for your child to explore their inner scientist. They will challenge your 5-7-year-old with rockets and the science of flight, or your 7-12-year-old can become a spy, and for the 13-year-old kid in your clan, Robotics 101, spending a week discovering the basics of robotics. With classes like these, I dare your child not to go back to school with more knowledge than when they left for the summer!

“Everything we do is hands on. There are science take homes for every child at every camp. We don’t want to spend just one to three hours with them, we want a science lesson to extend into the home and promote exploration after they’ve gone away from our camp,” states Theissen.

This is exactly the idea behind Mad Science and what local franchisee since 1996, Sue Theissen is all about. Sue is very aware of the loss of education that happens over the summer and she is trying to make a difference for our kids.

“Huge amounts of learning are lost over the summer; our hope is that we’re closing that gap of loss that happens, encouraging them to get really excited about science.” Theissen states “our philosophy is to get them engaged 8 | NW Kids Magazine

She loves what she does and it shows. When she took me on a tour of the small office and warehouse space, with its bright lime green walls, and bins piled to the sky filled with everything science related, her enthusiasm was infectious. I was excited, I wanted to be part of a camp right then and there, so just imagine how your child will feel walking into one of these camps for a week.

Each of the numerous Mad Science summer camps meet three hours, five days a week, with camps including a class room and a take-home science project. There are over 10 locations for the camps, and prices may vary from location to location. To find out more about these exciting summer camps for your budding scientist, please visit madscience.org.

Jana is the mother of 5-year-old Rowyn, and lives with her husband and daughter in North Portland. She graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a BA Degree in Journalism.

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Should Siblings Attend the Same Summer Camp? by Nicole Fravel Summer camp, whether a day camp or a sleepaway camp, is a magical rite of summer for children. Camp gives children the time and space to discover nature, deeply engage in their own interests, and meet a new community of fellow explorers. For parents with multiple children, particularly if those children vary greatly in age, finding summer camps that please everybody can be a challenge. Are siblings better off together or at separate camps?

Enrolling siblings in the same summer camp has obvious logistical advantages for parents.

There is reduced driving time and less potential for scheduling conflicts, particularly for working parents. Camp programs often offer sibling discounts, and many parents just feel more comfortable knowing their children are together.

Children themselves often feel comfort knowing that a family member is close by to support them, particularly if it is a first camp experience or a sleepaway camp. Jessica Bostick, certified teacher and director of day camps at Kruger’s Farm on Sauvie Island, says that siblings enrolled in the same camp “usually do one of two things, stick together and have a great time, or completely ignore one another. It is very rare for siblings to argue or not get along at camp.”

Enrolling children in the same summer camp works well if children

enjoy the same activities and are close in age.

Finding a camp for all children when their ages vary widely can be more challenging. The Oregon Zoo, Mittleman Jewish Community Center, and the Northwest Children’s Theater offer experiences for children from preschool through the teen years.

While enrolling siblings in the same summer camp may be more convenient for mom and dad, it is not the right choice for every family.

Children who are close in age and enjoy the same activities will fit easily into the same summer camp. However, if children have wildly varying interests, one into the arts and one more sporty, attending a summer camp just because a sibling is interested in the topic may lead to a miserable week. Bostick states that it is “sometimes a special treat to do something independently, especially for a younger sibling.

Parents need to be receptive and respectful of each individual child’s interests.”

Even when children share the same interests, summer camp together can be a bad idea if they are likely either to compete with or to cling to each other. Summer camp provides an opportunity to take risks, be a part of a new community, and foster independence. Competition with or overreliance on a sibling hinders the important processes of character development and of coping with temporary separation, which is sometimes a skill for parents to continued on p. 12

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practice as well as children. In these cases, it is best to sign children up for programs which match their interests and arrange carpools or baby-sitting swaps with other parents if chauffeuring children to many different camps proves difficult.

A good compromise, pleasing each child but not creating a logistical nightmare for parents, is to find one camp location that offers programs for a wide variety of ages in a wide variety of topics.

Each child can attend a separate camp, but be comforted knowing that big brother or sister is around if needed. This idea can be especially helpful at sleep-away camp where each child will have his or her own group, cabin, and friends but will see a sibling at meals and other whole camp events.

Nicole Fravel (nfravel@wildwoodnatureschool. com) is the director of Wildwood Nature School, offering preschool classes and summer camps in NW Portland.

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resource guide:

Camps

science and technology camps 4-H Wildlife Stewards 4hwildlifestewards.org Audubon Society of Portland audubonportland.org Camp Fire campfirecolumbia.org Camp Invention campinvention.org Catlin Gable School catlin.edu Cinema Arts cinemaartscamp.com Delphian School delphian.org Education Soaring educationsoaring.com Einstein Wise einsteinwise.com Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum evergreenmuseum.org Kid Institute kidinstitute.com Mad Science portland.madscience.org Mozek Games mozekgames.com 14 | NW Kids Magazine

Oregon Episcopal School oes.edu/summer/ OMSI omsi.edu Saturday Academy saturdayacademy.org Southwest Community Center portlandonline.com/parks Trackers Earth trackersearth.com Wildwood Nature School wildwoodnatureschool.com

special needs camps Camp Attitude Overnight camp for children with physical disabilities. campattitude.com Camp Easter Seals Day camp for ages 5-21 with developmental delay/special physical needs. or.easterseals.com Camp Riverdale Day camp for ages 6 and up with developmental delay and behavioral needs. thprd.org/facilities/jenkins/campriverdale.cfm Camp Taloaili Overnight camp serving deaf/hard of hearing children ages 9-16. taloali.org Camp Millennium Overnight camp for children ages 5-16 with cancer. campmillennium.org

Camp Quest Overnight camp for ages 10-15 with aspergers or high functioning autism. asdoregon.org

Meadowood Springs Overnight and day camp for speech/hearing serving ages 6-16. meadowwoodsprings.com

Camp Starlight Overnight camp for children ages 5-17 with HIV/AIDS. cascadeaidsproject.org

Mt Hood Kwanis Overnight camp for children 9 and up with autism/developmental delays. mhkc.org

Camp Tapawingo Overnight camp for children ages 6-15 with bleeding disorders. hfo.info

Northwest Christian Camp for the Deaf Overnight camp for children and families. gmdeaf.org/camp/nwccd.html

Camp Ukandu Overnight camp for ages 8-18 (plus one sibling) with cancer. campukandu.org Gales Creek Camp Overnight camp for children with diabetes in grades K-12. galescreekcamp.org Gately LD-ADD Day camp for children ages 9-12 with ADD/HD/LD. providence.org/gately IMAGINE POSSIBILITIES Day camp for ages 4-18 with developmental delay. imaginepossibilities.net/wordpress

Oral Hull Youth Camp Overnight family camp for the blind. oralhull.org Social Whiz Kids Camp Day camp for ages 7-12 with social skills delays & disabilities. socialwhizkids.com Upward Bound Recreational overnight camp for children ages 12 and up with developmental delay. upwardboundcamp.org Yoga Calm Day camp for students with ADD/ADHD, anxiety and behavioral needs. yogacalm.org

Kat-Fish Camp Overnight camp for kids & teens (plus families or caretaker) with arthritis. arthritis.org Kids N’ Cancer: Camp Agape Overnight camp for children and families. campagapeportland.org Kind Tree Autism Camp & Retreat Overnight camp and retreat for all ages. kindtree.org/retreat Muscular Dystrophy Association Overnight camp for ages 6-21. mda.org/clinics/camp/ NW Kids Magazine | 15

Big Bag of Science Alex Kid Concoction’s Bouncy Ball Blast

at Picolo Mondo Toys, $40

Junior Microscope Kit

at The Learning Palace, $30

at Coffee Kids, $10

Found around Town 32 piece Magnatile Set

M. Sasek’s This is the Way to the Moon

at Spielwerk Toys, $50

at Bella Stella, $17

Uncle Milton Ant Farm at Kids at Heart, $17

Build Your Own Kalidedscope

Bubble Gum Factory

at Black Wagon, $15

Schylling Toys Volcano Kit at Finnegan’s Toys, $18 16 | NW Kids Magazine

by Scientific Explorer at OMSI, $20

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Spring Break Survival: Staying Close to Home When I hear the words “spring break,” I envision my sister and I watching copious amounts of musical television and dancing on the coffee table, sustained exclusively by carbs and sugar. That’s not exactly every mother’s dream for her children, so I’m thinking ahead to spring break 2013. How do I keep my kids busy, my sanity intact, and my wallet from hemorrhaging, all without putting on a bikini? In this beautiful city, we don’t have to stray that far from our comfort zone, or our zip code, to find exciting things to do. Here are a few ideas: Article & photographs by laura jost

Parks: From little postage stamps in the

Take in a show: Check the internet or

Camps: Community centers offer spring

Practice makes perfect: Log time together on bikes, in the pool, etc. to build skills that you’d like your kids to be more proficient at during the summer.

middle of the city to giant expanses of open air, we all have our favorites. But, spring break is a great time to try out a new one. Pick one, be flexible (weather), and go!

break camps for pre-school and school-aged kids that range from activities like horseback riding to the circus arts!

Take a day-cation: From the mountains to the coast, you don’t have to put in much time in the car for a total change of scenery.

Become a member: Spring break is a great time to try out a new child-friendly facility in the area and maybe even start an annual membership. New baby elephant, anyone?

Buddy up: Setting up a drop-off play date exchange can give you and a friend both time to get a few things done while your kids get to spend time with their friends. Or, use the time to let the kids romp while you enjoy a coffee and play parent catch-up.

Nosh: Hit up a kid-friendly restaurant or food cart to enjoy some fare that you wouldn’t normally. Food cart areas are a great way to expose children to all kinds of choices.

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‘like’ your favorite restaurants and children’s entertainers on Facebook for information on daytime performances in your favorite places.

More Ideas

See a matinee, read, build a fort, visit the library, craft with dollar store/SCRAP goodies, volunteer in your community, work in the yard/plant something new, work together to make a favorite food, play board games/ puzzles, learn to knit, meet a special person for lunch, plane-watch, or explore a new neighborhood.

Spring Break tips

To make time off feel more like a vacation, limit regular chores/activities. Grocery shop in advance and resist the urge to schedule dentist appointments and the like. Also, don’t over-plan your day; activities are great, but kids (and you) can both use downtime. And, if all other plans fail, you might just consider dancing on the coffee table.

Laura Jost is a jack-of-all-trades, stay-at-home mom working hard to show her two kidlets that they can do anything if they would only stop arguing over who started “it.”

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Awesome NW K id Meet four-year-old awesome NW Kid Aria Jae Pearce.

Aria is on a mission to help save the endangered Asian elephant and has officially deemed herself the leader of the elephant savers. She has assembled a team of artists and supporters who have created some neat projects to benefit the elephants. Aria is holding a fundraising event this month at Art a la Carte where 50% of proceeds will go to Elephant Family, a UK based organization who works to protect the endangered animal and its habitat. Aria loves to paint, sing and hang out with her friends. She also loves dress up and takes her costuming very seriously, sometimes taking on the costumed persona for months. We had a chance to ask her a few questions about her favorite things and why she loves elephants so much. Here’s what she had to say.

What is your favorite color?

Pink and purple.

What is your favorite song?

“The Fairy Ship”.

What is your favorite book?

Elena’s Serenade [by Campbell Geeslin].

We hear you like to play dress up. What is your favorite costume and why?

Thunder. He’s a superhero, you know. He shoots lightning from his hands.

Why do you love elephants so much?

Because they’re my friends and I love them.

What do you like about being an “elephant saver”?

Well, actually, I’m not an elephant saver. I’m the leader of the elephant savers. It’s my job.

The Elephant Saver Fundraiser On March 16th Art a la Carte is hosting an art open house for Aria Jae’s Elephant Saver Fundraiser. It is just $9.00 per person (adult and child) and half of the proceeds go to the fundraiser. Aria from Art ala Carte is also going to be raffling off a full year family membership to Art ala Carte. For more information visit, elephantsaverfundraiser.blogspot.com

Do you know an Awesome NW Kid under the age of 13 who’s totally extraordinary and doing something cool in our community? We want to hear from you. Please email: awesomekid@ nwkidsmagazine.com 20 | NW Kids Magazine

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Monthly

Calendar

Performances Mar 2-3

Northwest Childrens Theater – Seussical

A musical adventure featuring favorite characters from Dr. Seuss. $18-$22, 12pm & 4pm. nwcts.org

Mar 29-30

Portland Taiko - Insatiable

A thrilling performance of Japanese folk dance that combines drums, dance, and voice. $16-30, Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm & 8pm. portlandtaiko.org

Events

Mar 2-3, 9-10, 16-17, 23-24

All Mar

The hilarious, satirical fairy tale book is brought to life on stage. For ages 4 and up. $18-30, Sat 2pm & 5pm, Sun 2pm. octc.org

Providing hands-on exhibits and activities for all ages in the theme of the popular show, debunking or confirming popular myths using science. $3-18, 9:30am-5:30pm. omsi.edu

Mar 8-9, 15-17

All Mar

Oregon Children’s Theatre – The Stinky Cheese Man

Journey Theater Arts Group Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Jr.

All of your favorite characters and songs from the Disney movie, and music from the Broadway show, too! $9-12, Fri 7pm, Mar 16 3pm, Mar 17 2pm. journeytheater.org

Mar 10

Portland Youth Philharmonic - Cushion Concert at the World Forestry Center

A kid-appropriate performance by the Young String Ensemble, with a 30-minute “instrument petting zoo” before the show, where kids can try the instruments. $3-7, 12:30pm & 2:30pm. portlandyouthphil.org

OMSI - Mythbusters: The Explosive Exhibition

Portland Children’s Museum - Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites

Storyland features your kiddos’ - and your - favorite storybooks in a different way.

Interactive exhibits promote literacy and bring you into the worlds of Peter Rabbit, Spot the Dog, and more. $8-9, 9am-5pm, closed Mondays. portlandcm.org

Tues in Mar

Treehouse Boutique - Little Lotus Yoga for Kids’ Family Yoga Practice poses, stretches, and breathing with your kiddos ages 2-6. $5, parents free, 9-10am. misstreehouse.com

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

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March 2013 Weds in Mar

Mississippi Pizza Mr. Hoo and Friends Perform

Mr. Hoo from the Alphabeticians brings other musician friends onstage to play great music for you and yours. Don’t forget the pizza! $5 suggested donation, 5pm. thealphabeticians.com

Sats in Mar

Unplugged Games Family Fun Day

Bring the family and choose from an extensive selection of board games, card games, classic and new games, you name it! Free, 12-5pm. unpluggedgamespdx.com

Mar 2 & 6

Soccer Shots - Free Demos

A chance for kids aged 3-5 to try out Soccer Shots’ clinics! Mar 2 Summerlake Park 10am, Mar 2 Shute Park 11:30am, Mar 6 Impact Athletics 9:30am. pdx.soccershots.org

Mar 3

OMSI - $2 Days

Experience the wonders of science for just $2! 9:30am-5:30pm. omsi.edu

Mar 4 & 18

Frog Pond Toys - Sing-a-Long

Join in for music, games, singing, and all around fun. Free, 10-11am. frogpondtoys.com

Mar 5

Nature Park Interpretive Center Creature Features: Just Ducky!

Learn about these adorable waterfowl and make a pair of duck feet to take home!

Parent participation required, ages 3-5. $8, 10-11am. thprd.org

Mar 8

Sellwood Community Center Messy March Madness

Crafts, games, overall messy fun! $3/person, $10/family, 6:30-8:30pm. portlandonline.com/parks

Mar 8-9

Ever After Resale

Consigned upscale, brand-name baby and kids’ clothing, maternity and nursing items, and even some furniture. Shop on Sat to save an additional 25% on many items. Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-1pm. everafterresale.com

Mar 9-10

Bricks Cascade 2013

A convention for Lego-lovers, with expertlybuilt models, vendors, activities, and more.

The first 500 kids, 12 and under, through the door get a free minifigure! $8-28, kids 0-3 free, Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 9am-3pm. brickscascade.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/calendar 24 | NW Kids Magazine

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Calendar cont’d Mar 10

Good Deeds Day

The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland is hosting a series of projects all throughout Portland to honor a day dedicated to doing good for positive change. jewishportland.org/gooddeedsday.aspx

MAR 10

Girl Power Day - Green Bean Books

Come celebrate some of the smartest, bravest, most creative and kindest girls in the storybook world. Great for ages 4-10. Boys welcome too!

Free, 1pm. greenbeanbookspdx.com

Mar 12

Oregon Zoo - Second Tuesday

Enjoy $4 admission to the zoo. 9am-4pm. oregonzoo.org

Mar 14-17

Pass It On Sales

Buy gently used baby and children’s clothing, accessories, toys, and more! Free admission and parking, Thurs-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm. passitonsales.com

Mar 16

Southwest Community Center Bunny Breakfast & Egg Hunt

Mar 17

All-Ireland Cultural Society 72nd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Celebrate with music, dance, and more! $5-21, kids 11 and under free, 12-8pm. oregonirishclub.org

Mar 19

Sunnyside Library Teddy Bear Sleepover

Kiddos wear pajamas and bring their stuffed cuddlies for crafts and storytime.

Then the stuffed friends stay overnight at the library, ready to come home the next day with pictures from their slumber party! Free, 6:30-7:30pm. clackamas.us/lib/

Mar 22, 25-29

Oaks Park - School Out Skate

What to do with the kids on spring break?

Take ‘em skating! Oaks Park offers discount skate times the week school’s out. Visit website for 2 skate for $9 coupon, Mar 22 1-5:30pm, Mar 25-29 12-5pm. oakspark.com

Mar 22-24

Portland’s Better Living Show

Sausage and pancakes and crafts and bunnies!

What else could you ask for? $15-19.50, 9am & 10:30am. southwestcommunitycenter. wordpress.com

Learn about the latest in green and eco-friendly home, garden, fashion, and more. $7-8 parking, free admission, Fri 12-8pm, Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 11am-5pm. betterlivingshow.org

Mar 16 & 23

Starts Mar 29

Spanky’s Legendary Consignment Little Chicks Art Play

Little Chicks Arts Play teaches kids how to use various art media for inspiration and creativity.

Free, 11am-3pm. Mar 16 Vancouver location, Mar 23 Beaverton location. shopspankys.com 26 | NW Kids Magazine

Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm 2013 Annual Tulip Fest

Rows and rows of beautiful, colorful tulips!

Great family photo op. Food, games, activities, and more. $10/car, 9am-6pm, woodenshoe.com/tulip-fest

Mar 30

Oregon Zoo - Rabbit Romp

A celebration of a season most welcome - spring! Candy egg hunts, petting zoo, crafts, and of course, animals! Free with $8.50-$11.50 zoo admission, 9am-4pm. oregonzoo.org

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