RAK magazine June 2020

JUNE 2020

Raisingyour ARIZONA Kids partner on the parenting path PANDEMIC PARENTING Keeping kids active and calming their fears

SUMMER CAMPS UPDATE VIRTUAL AND ON-SITE PROGRAMS

LOCAL FINDS FOR A SAFE & FUN SUMMER

Things to do on

FATHER’S DAY John Parker and Melody (5) of Buckeye.

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CONTENTS

June 2020 FEATURES

16

PANDEMIC PARENTING

32

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF ARIZONA’S 18 UNDER 18

• Helping kids (and adults) through the havoc of COVID-19 • Raising Outdoor Kids: Staying active during lockdown (and post-quarantine) • Is summer travel safe?

• Camps do the “pandemic pivot” for summer 2020 • 2020 Summer Camps • 10 at-home learning resources for summer • Pandemic hits households with kids hardest • COVID-19 may cause Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in kids • Protecting Arizona families from coronavirus • Sari on Science: How to make a science-based hand sanitizer

20

Here’s some good news: Junior Achievement recognized 18 young people for making a difference in our community. Here’s what they accomplished.

DEPARTMENTS

2

DIALOGUE

4

AZ GROWN

A spring and summer like no other

• Arizona schools set to reopen on time • Maricopa County summer reading program starts now!

• Summer to-do list: Get your kids vaccinated • Kids are the most undercounted demographic in the U.S. Census • Take the Camp O’Connor civics challenge • Using Common Sense: Resources to stop the summer slide in learning • Local finds for a safe and fun summer

10

AGES & STAGES: EARLY CHILDHOOD

38

FAMILY TIME!

44

7 COVER PHOTO SHOOT John and Brittany Parker of Buckeye with their children Melody (5), Aria (3), Andrea (20 months). John and Melody appear on the cover.

• Hearing loss can go undetected • What does a quality early education program look like?

• Top April events • Around Arizona • Drive-in movie theaters • Father’s Day things to do (and give!)

PHOTOS BY JUBILANT PHOTOGRAPHY

FIRST PERSON

COMING NEXT MONTH:

When a son becomes a father

How can schools reopen safely?

RaisingARIZONAKids.com June 2020

1

dialogue

June 2020 | Vol 31 | No 2 PUBLISHER Karen Davis Barr

An Easter card Sofie made and mailed to Art Director, Michelle-Renee.

A summer like no other IT’S IMPOSSIBLE to overstate how the world has changed since mid-March. We were minutes from sending the April issue of Raising Arizona Kids magazine to the printer when the world shut down. Family venues where we distribute our parenting magazine were closing, and the events touted in those unprinted April pages were quickly being canceled.

Since then, we’ve scrambled — like so many local businesses — to innovate. We worked to become an online newsroom, helping families understand the latest about how the COVID-19 pandemic was playing out locally. We’ve felt the stresses so many households are dealing with — from health fears and financial concerns to the struggle of juggling video conference calls with home school.

My almost 8-year-old daughter Sofie and I have never done so many art projects together or worked on so many spelling words as we have in the past two months, and in hindsight, I am grateful for that gift of time. I hope someday she remembers the games we played nightly in the backyard, more than the looming fears of quarantine. Like so many parents, I felt renewed awe and respect for our teachers — their skills and patience — as well as gratitude for all the essential workers, medical personnel and others who have shown up every day for all of us.

It would be nice to say this is all over, and that life is back to a pre-COVID-19 normal. But because we’re still parenting in a pandemic, we tried with this digital-only issue to answer questions we all have about this unprecedented time. How do we help kids struggling with fears about this scary virus that kept them from hugging grandma? How can we keep our kids active post-quarantine? Will it ever be safe to take a family vacation? Will summer feel canceled, too?

2 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

As we were finishing up these pages, Gov. Doug Ducey announced Arizona schools would restart this fall, though details were forthcoming about how we’ll protect children who struggle with the concept of social distancing. Restaurants and family venues are reopening with new safety protocols, and many summer camps are planning a combination of virtual and in-person programming (find out the latest at raisingarizonakids.com/summer-camps).

For example, The Phoenix Theatre canceled its in-person June musical theater camps, but is planning to host them in July.

Meanwhile, Phoenix Theatre Camp Director Hanna Spence-Schehr and her teachers rolled out Next Stages, a program of virtual performing arts classes for ages 4-17.

“Working on getting this program up and running has been a huge help in fighting off the ‘quarantine funk’,” Spence-Schehr shared.

She admits it’s not all been easy. “Overall, I’m nervous. I’m nervous for the performance and entertainment industry. I’m nervous for the future of theater in the Valley. But I find comfort in the love and persistence of the artists in our city, and I am so thankful to have a way to get arts education to kids, even if it’s through a computer screen.”

We’re thankful that technology allows us to get this issue to you without risk of contamination from the many hands involved in mailing and distributing a print magazine.

Please take care and be safe!

Kara G. Morrison, Editor kara@RAKmagazine.com

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Lisa Morrell EDITOR Kara G. Morrison PROJECTS EDITOR Lisa Sorg-Friedman CALENDAR EDITOR Carrie Wheeler COPY EDITOR Debra Citron CONTRIBUTORS Sari Custer, Adrienne Dunn, Sophie Strosberg, Camille Lachar-Lofaro, Lisa Van Loo, Ilana Lowery ART DIRECTOR Michèlle-Renée Adams COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Jubilant Photography OPERATIONS MANAGER Tina Gerami-Bynum MARKETING CONSULTANTS Shannon Cornall, Kate Reed, Mary Vandenberg R aising A rizona K ids magazine (ISSN 1051-4295) was created to connect Valley families to local resources and share real-life stories about the challenges and joys of raising children. Copy­r ight © 2020 by R aising A rizona K ids, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Subscription price is $20 for one year or $35 for two years. Back issues are $6 per copy. Make address changes on our website or mail changes to our office. Content guide­lines are avail­able at raisingarizonakids.com.

@RAKmagazine on Twitter; RAKmagazine on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest.

CONTACT US: editorial@RAKmagazine.com familytime@RAKmagazine.com advertising@RAKmagazine.com subscriptions@RAKmagazine.com 10645 N. Tatum Blvd. #200-314 Phoenix, AZ 85028 P: 480–991–KIDS (5437) | F: 480–991–5460 raisingarizonakids.com IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

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az grown good to know

SCHOOLS SET TO REOPEN for the 2020-21 school year

GOV. DOUG DUCEY announced in late May that Arizona schools will resume at the start of the school year. State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Hoffman is announcing school-reopening guidelines created in collaboration with school leaders, teachers, parents and public health experts at the Arizona Department of Health Safety. AZDHS Director Dr. Cara Christ urged parents to expect a “new normal” that will include continued virtual learning for at-risk children, enhanced disinfecting and other safety protocols, increased hand washing and use of hand sanitizers, and physical distancing practices including no mixing of classes at lunch and no big assemblies. assemblies.

For real-time updates on the mandatory guidelines, and how schools plan to implement them, subscribe to R aising A rizona K ids magazine’s free eNewsletter at raisingarizonakids.com/newsletter

KIDS: Read

THE MARICOPA COUNTY Summer Reading Program kicks off June 1, encouraging all ages to dive into summer reading, participate in challenges and earn prizes — all from the comfort of home. This year’s theme, “Imagine Your Story,” encourages reading or listening to audio books for at least 20 minutes a day.

Participants earn points by reading, attending virtual programs and completing online challenges. Prizes include food and drinks from local restaurants, a free book, an Arizona State Parks pass and more. read20az.com or leepor20az.com (in Spanish)

4 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

MARICOPA COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT

daily this summer, win prizes!

Summer to-do list:

Get your kids vaccinated

demographic in the U.S. Census

CHILDREN AGES 5 AND YOUNGER are among the most undercounted demographic in the U.S. Census, according to Leila Gamiz, census coordinator for the City of Phoenix. And that translates to millions in lost dollars for important programs. In Phoenix, 48 percent of children ages 5 and younger live in an undercounted census tract.

The U.S. Census takes place every 10 years; it is a count of every person living in the United States and its territories to determine how much public funding each area needs for resources including schools, emergency services, healthcare programs, roads and more. Households are encouraged to selfrespond to the 2020 Census by July 31. Starting in August, the Census Bureau will begin in-person contacts with households that haven’t responded. All responses must be received online, by phone or by mail no later than Oct. 31. Learn more at icount2020.info

PU B LIC D

OM AI

N

ON THING THE COVID-19 pandemic has made clear is how scary a disease can be when there is no effective treatment or vaccine to keep people safe. Yet, even now, national data show immunization rates for all ages dipping to dangerously low levels.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is urging parents to call their pediatricians and schedule check-ups and vaccines for children of all ages.

“As states begin to open up and families move about in their community, we are afraid that we could see outbreaks of measles, whooping cough and other diseases that can spread very rapidly and be deadly for children,” said AAP President Sally Goza, MD, FAAP. “It’s important that parents work with their pediatrician now to get all children caught up on their vaccines. We want to reassure parents that pediatricians have taken every step to make these visits safe.”

Learn more about vaccines and immunizations at healthychildren.org

KIDS are the MOST UNDERCOUNTED

Take the Camp O’Connor

CIVICS CHALLENGE RETIRED U.S. SUPREME COURT Justice Sandra Day O’Connor founded the nonprofit Sandra Day O’Connor Institute to highlight the importance of civic engagement, civics education and civil discourse. The Camp O’Connor summer civics program for middle school students has been postponed until summer 2021. But the institute has put its educational programs online, and is challenging sixth- through ninth-grade students to produce their own civics videos.

For this annual, national competition, students must produce a creative three-minute video. Through the challenge, students will learn about civics topics that cover all branches of the government and their responsibilities as citizens. Civics Challenge video entries may be submitted between July 1 and July 30, 2020. Winners will be awarded Apple products. Students are encouraged to join the interest list at oconnorinstitute.org, so they are notified when the Civics Challenge topics are announced in June.

RaisingARIZONAKids.com June 2020

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az grown cool products

Local finds for a safe and fun summer 1. Masks as a fashion statement. Don’t settle for boring non-medical face coverings. Bunky Boutique in Phoenix sells handmade face masks in fun fabrics ($13-$16 at bunkyboutique. com ), and The Bungalow in Phoenix’s Heritage Square sells handmade masks with designs ranging from camo to cute animals ($12 at shop.heritagesquarephx.org).

Find more options or customize a mask — made from anti-microbial polyester — at Tempe’s screenprintaz.com, where prices start at $22 for a three-pack. Or, show your Sun Devils pride with a Sparky smile ($19.99 at thecraftycreative.com). You can even find face masks honoring major league sports teams ($25 for three at foco.com).

2. Face masks for kids. Wearing a sterile face mask could seem a little scary to a kid. But while there’s still no manufactured vaccine or cure for coronavirus, wearing face coverings around others makes sense. Plus, dare we say, masks are getting … cute?

• Disney stores are selling silly masks for ages 4 and up featuring the faces and patterns of favorite Disney characters ($20 for four at shopdisney.com; a portion of the proceeds support MedShare.org).

• Old Navy is having trouble keeping its affordable face masks in stock ($12.50 five-packs of adult- or child-sized masks at oldnavy.com), but promises to keep making them using their clothing scrap materials. Its sister store Athleta also offers kids’ masks (five for $30 at athleta.gap.com).

• Frances Boutique in Phoenix offers denim and floral masks for kids ($13 at shopfrancesboutique.com).

6 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

3. Boutique sanitizer. Rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer are still absent from most store shelves, so several local distilleries and businesses have been whipping up their own. San Tan Brewing Co. sells its SANTANitizer at its Phoenix and Chandler locations ($5 for 4 ounces with a $10.50 purchase, santanbrewing.com). Adventurous Stills in Tempe also sells hand sanitizer ($8 for 12 ounces or $35 per gallon, adventstills.com). And PurMD in Scottsdale sells large quantities with some proceeds going to local schools and charities ($48 per gallon at purmd.com).

4. Book care packages. It’s a great time to read a book while supporting a local institution. Changing Hands offers book care packages for all ages ($25-$45 at changinghands.com). Kids packages come with a paperback or hardcover book and lots of extras, such as stickers and cool pens, for a care package that’s both thoughtful and fun to receive.

5. Pottery painting at home. Not yet ready to wade into the crowded, un-quarantined world? As You Wish Pottery Painting Place offers paint-at-home projects — some with online video instruction — to pick up curbside and complete at your own pace. Or choose shippable craft kits that arrive in seven days. ($20 and up at asyouwishpottery.com).

6. Crayola craft kits. Crayola Experience in Chandler is offering curbside pickup for its crafting kits, which include finger paints for little artists and projects for older kids like crayon melting and Model Magic clay ($30-$50 at crayolaexperience.com).

7. Animal Ed-Ventures At Home. The Arizona Humane Society canceled its in-person summer camps, but is offering an at-home “surprise box” for ages 8-12 to explore the world of animals through hands-on crafts, activities, online videos and animal meet-and-greets.

Pick them up at the AHS Campus for Compassion, 1521 W. Dobbins Road in Phoenix, or have them shipped for $15 ($25 per week at azhumane.org).

8. Water fun. KidsStop toy store in Scottsdale will keep kids busy at home in the yard with water toys like the Rainbow Sprinkler — big enough to run through and cute enough for an Instagram backdrop ($49.99 at kidstoptoys.com).

RaisingARIZONAKids.com June 2020

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az grown education

Using Common Sense

RESOURCES TO STOP THE “SUMMER SLIDE” IN LEARNING

By Ilana Lowery

T

HIS ACADEMIC YEAR has been unlike any other, and we may not know exactly what’s in store for fall until well into the summer. So it will be important to keep kids engaged in learning activities — especially those disguised as summer fun.

If you’re extremely concerned about the “summer slide” in learning, keep this in mind: As they do every year, teachers will meet their students where they are, regardless of how the school year, or your homeschooling, turned out.

8 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

If you’ve already subscribed to myriad podcasts, signed up for educational webinars and pinned dozens of articles on how to make sure your kids don’t fall behind this summer, great! But according to Peter Gray, author of “Free to Learn,” for school children, summer is a time for immersion in real life. “School, at best, prepares children for more school.

Real life prepares children for real life,” Gray explains.

With that philosophy in mind, think about how you can prevent learning loss —

especially in subjects like reading and math — while having fun and teaching kids real life skills. And remember: children still need a break. After all, it’s summer, and the past few months have been a real challenge for both you and your kids. The good news is that as families quarantined, parents already were picking up on some of the most educational ways to keep their kiddos occupied.

Here are six ways to help prevent the dreaded summer slide:

LIGHTFIELDSTUDIOS

KEEP KIDS READING. Seek out the fun stuff like graphic novels, mysteries or fan fiction.

Anything that captures a child’s interest is beneficial. Kids who read a lot over the summer not only maintain reading skills, they go back to school better prepared for all subjects.

Kids become lifelong readers for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes there’s one key book that captures a child’s imagination and opens up the exciting world of fiction. Other times, a teacher assigns great books in class, sparking a hunger for big ideas and fine writing. In some cases, parents influence a child’s appreciation of books by sharing their own love of literature and modeling reader behavior — always having a book to read, reading before bedtime, making regular trips to the library and bookstore, etc.

So make reading a family value. Read aloud, pick genres your children are passionate about, get them hooked on series books, count on the classics, find books about things that spark their interest. Funny is fine, and yes, comics are OK. Graphic novels are among the hottest trends in children’s publishing, and they can get kids hooked on reading.

Participate in summer reading challenges, including “Imagine Your Story,” by maricopacountyreads.org and promoted by local libraries. Common Sense Media also has a Summer Reading Challenge and summer reading lists.

DOCUMENT MEMORIES: Your kids may not have a more memorable summer than this one.

Encourage them to make videos, take photos and write stories about their summer. Use digital tools to collect videos, photos, stories and more in electronic journals. This keeps their minds active and engaged.

WATCH THE GOOD STUFF: Most of you are experiencing this, but another way to keep kids engaged is by watching movies together.

Students can benefit from experiences that expand their knowledge — not just of math or science but of the world around them.

Common Sense has created a list of the top summer movies that broaden kids’ perspectives, such as “Remember the Titans,” “Bend it Like Beckham,” “The Arrival,” “Coco,” and “The Iron Giant.”

Summer also can mean lots of TV. But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Here’s an

idea: Combine their favorite shows with cool activities to get them moving and thinking.

For example, “Wallykazam,” recommended for ages 4 and up, is about a young troll named Wally who has a magic stick that creates objects out of words — which means great adventures for him and his friends. If your kids are just learning reading basics, walk around the house or a park together and come up with words that

rhyme with what you see — for example, “cat” and “hat” and “tree” and “bee.”

Just remember to continue monitoring what they’re watching and how much they are watching. “There’s the good stuff and there’s the dark and yucky,” says Lisa Damour, a New York Times columnist and author of “Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood.” Damour participated recently in a Common Sense webinar called “Making Room for Uncomfortable Emotions.” She says it’s important to contain what kids are doing on screens and not to let screen time disrupt normal, everyday activities. Maintain the rules you set up before the pandemic, she says, and if you don’t have screen time rules, now is a good time to put them in place.

HAVE FUN IN THE KITCHEN: Summer is the perfect time to whip out the chef’s hat, apron and all those measuring cups! Cooking is an excellent learning activity, because it builds up so many different learning skills. You read the recipe, measure out the ingredients, and pick up techniques all based on science (e.g., why would dropping an egg from the fridge straight

into boiling water make it crack open?).

ENJOY CLASSIC GAMES: Board games like Scrabble and Monopoly can build up your kids’ math and problem-solving skills. Have your child be the banker, and be patient as they figure out how much cash to collect from players, how much change to give back, etc.

Get kids to read outloud the instructions on the Chance and Community Chest cards, and the rules of what to do if someone lands on your property. Scrabble incentivizes them to learn new words and improve their spelling, sharpening cognitive skills as they string words together with a limited set of letters.

EXPLORE ONLINE RESOURCES: As a result of COVID-19, Common Sense launched a free education portal called Wide Open School (wideopenschool.org) to provide online resources including virtual field trips,hands-on activities, movement sessions and live events for kids. The curated content comes from top education, media and tech partners.

Apps, games, and websites offer lots of unique learning opportunities for kids — from DIY building projects to learning a new language. Computer programming apps and sites can teach kids everything from problemsolving to thinking and logic. They also encourage kids to become creators and not simply consumers of tech. Teaching everything from simple commands to complex programs, coding apps and websites come in a range of formats designed for different ages and abilities.

Remember, it’s OK — in fact, it’s beneficial — for kids to get bored, too. Downtime encourages kids to use their imagination and creativity and develop their inner selves — essential skills they can use all their lives.

Parents and educators can find additional distance-learning resources at commonsense. org, or by contacting Arizona Regional Manager Victoria Saylor at vsaylor@commonsense.org or on twitter @VictoriaKSaylor.

Ilana Lowery is the Arizona director for Common Sense Media. She can be reached at ilowery@commonsense.org.

RaisingARIZONAKids.com June 2020

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ages & stages early childhood

Despite mandatory screening in infants,

hearing loss can go undetected

By Adrienne Dunn

Two or three of every 1,000 babies born in Arizona will experience some degree of hearing loss. And while our state has ample resources to address the needs of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, experts say the most important factor for their success is educated and empowered parents.

Arizona is one of many states that requires newborn hearing screenings and 99 percent of babies are screened for hearing loss before their first month of age. While early diagnosis rates have improved, an increasing number of children who develop later hearing loss go undetected, according to Michele Michaels, hearing healthcare program manager at the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

“There is a gap there,” she says. “Other states are seeing it as well.” She advises parents to have children’s hearing tested throughout childhood to avoid a missed diagnosis. In Arizona, all public, private and charter schools are mandated by law to make systematic

10 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

“What works for your child is what makes the choice right.”

-AzH&V

hearing screenings available to students.

One reason for late hearing loss identification could be a lack of training by hospital staff who downplay the urgency for further evaluation when hearing test results are borderline. A report from the Arizona Early Hearing Detection and Intervention program indicates staff sometimes blame poor testing results on equipment, or fluid in the child’s ears, and tell parents not to worry.

Permanent hearing loss caused by noise exposure also is becoming more frequent,

says Lylis Olsen, audiologist and program manager of HEAR for Kids at The EAR Foundation of Arizona.

Carla Zimmerman, a speech and language pathologist at the Zimmerman Speech and Hearing Center, says it’s important for parents to notice signs of potential hearing loss, including speech and language delays, in children of all ages, because it can develop at any point in time.

“We have to be proactive,” she says.

Parents have various avenues of care to

PEAK STOCK

consider when providing for a child who has diagnosed hearing loss. Every child and diagnosis is different, but hearing loss should not be a limiting factor for children.

“Kids that are deaf and hard of hearing should have every opportunity to meet their potential,” Olsen says. “And their potential is every bit as great as their hearing peers.”

The Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (acdhh.org) serves as an information hub for parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Its online resources include information about newborn screening and early hearing loss detection, assistive technologies, family support, finding appropriate primary school settings, transitioning teens into adulthood and more.

In 1999, the EAR Foundation of Arizona started the HEAR for Kids program (earfoundationaz.com). Every year, this resource loans more than 200 hearing aids to infants and children with identified hearing loss. The average loan period is about six months, but can vary by child, as the program typically covers earmolds (the parts of a hearing aid that fit inside the ear) until families have found other resources.

Families who are in financial need and do not have adequate insurance coverage also are eligible for permanent aids for their children.

Hands and Voices is a nationwide nonprofit that provides support to families and children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The organization is collaborative, parent-driven and unbiased toward communication methods. The Arizona chapter of Hands and Voices (azhv.org) has become one of the prime in-state resources for families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

AzH&V’s no-cost program, Guide By Your Side, provides emotional support and unbiased information for families from other trained parent guides. The guides are trained to know the specific resources in the state in order to best serve families.

“Parents tell us that the number one thing they want … is to talk to another parent who has already been on this journey,” Olsen says. “I really think that the best thing (parents) can do is talk to trained parents.”

When parents are educated and empowered and environments are accessible, children are able to reach their full potential. There isn’t one ideal solution for all families with children who are hard of hearing or deaf, but as Hands and Voices says, “What works for your child is what makes the choice right.”

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480-848-1462 | kate@jubilantphotography.com RaisingARIZONAKids.com June 2020

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ages & stages early childhood

What does a

quality

early education program look like?

By Camille Lachar-Lofaro

As a teacher of early childhood education students at the college level, one of the first questions I always ask my students is this: “Why do you want to work with young children?” Then I say: “And don’t say it’s because you love kids!”

Love helps, but it takes more than just love. Years of research and theory form the rules, regulations and best practices needed to ensure high quality early care and learning experiences for young children and their families, reflecting on and respecting their diverse needs.

Let’s explore what quality early education looks like.

12 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

Protecting our youngest students in

the Covid-19 era As we enter our country’s fourth month of worry about exposure to the novel coronavirus, here are some of the measures you might see quality early childhood education centers taking to protect, comfort and reassure their young students and families: • Expect sign in and drop off to be at the door, or a general entrance

Babies: Are we teaching them or simply caring for them?

Before the latest discoveries in brain science, caring for infants from birth to 12 months of age was pretty much providing custodial care. You would have never heard words and phrases such as tummy time, self-talk, parallel-talk, self-feeding and respect. Magda Gerber, an early childhood educator and researcher who dedicated her work to infants and toddlers, coined the phrase “educarers,” because teachers of infants do both.

In a quality program for infants, you’ll find babies playing on the floor, and not restrained in swings or bouncy seats. Knowledgeable teachers and staff understand that spending too much time in “containers” can delay both gross and fine motor development. You’ll never see more than eight infants with two staff members, and they would always maintain that 1:4 ratio. The lower the group size and ratio, the higher the quality of interactions and attention.

You’ll see teachers writing anecdotal notes, gathering data (yes, data!) to ensure a reliable assessment of each child’s development. A highquality infant classroom is a very busy place with toys and materials for infants to manipulate, displays that depict the cultures of the classroom, areas for quiet and active play as well as areas designated for caregiving routines. You’ll find qualified early childhood professionals who have studied infant development and care.

ISTOCK

Toddlers/Twos: Everything is mine, all of the time This is the most misunderstood age group of all young children.

Can you imagine hearing people say you surely must be going through your “terrible” twos? How would you feel? You will hear the words, “No, mine, no, mine,” in a toddler classroom. Knowledgeable teachers will not hear these words as acts of defiance but as teachable moments.

They are aware that toddlers are egocentric human beings who are self-absorbed and are not able to differentiate what is theirs and what is not.

In a quality program for toddlers/twos, you will see teachers encouraging and modeling taking

to the center/school. If parents are allowed past the entrance, that is a sign that CDC guidelines are not being followed.

• Temperature checks before entry. Greater than 100.4 F will not be admitted per CDC guidelines.

• Temperature checks for teachers and staff on arrival should be in place, too.

• Hand sanitizer will likely be used right at the entry. When the child arrives in the classroom, he/she will need to wash hands.

Handwashing will take place multiple times during the school day.

• Teachers will likely be waiting for children in the classroom, not at the front door. Talk with your child in advance about how your goodbyes will be different.

• Class sizes may be smaller and available slots for students may be limited. Some centers/schools may simply not have the space to open new classrooms to accommodate the guidelines.

• Teacher contact: The opportunity for face-to-face check ins will not be a part of the morning and that may make transitions tough.

Again, try to prepare in advance. Connections with teachers may be limited to emails or texts.

• Be patient. Teachers, directors and staff are learning, too.

• Review CDC guidelines. Early learning centers should be taking your child’s health seriously. And remember that children do not social distance, and we can’t really social distance from them.

The younger they are, the more help and contact they will need with feeding, diaper changes — and, course, hugs.

Source: Linda Pauley, Director of NAEYCaccredited Risen Savior Preschool in Chandler

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ages & stages early childhood turns — because learning to take turns is the first step in learning to share.

You will never hear teachers demand that a toddler share, because they know the child developmentally is not ready. You will see an environment packed with multiples of many of the play materials in the classroom. When there is one red truck, everyone wants it. Seasoned staff keep four red trucks to help toddlers deal with their immediate needs and reduce challenging behaviors that might otherwise arise.

You should not see toddlers/twos climbing on chairs or shelves, because the teacher has intentionally placed safe and appropriate climbing equipment in the classroom to meet the toddlers’ need for mastering the art of climbing.

Big body play in a toddler room is the norm, because the toddler teacher who plans intentionally knows that development occurs from the inside out. You should also see a language-rich environment where children learn how to identify colors, shapes, body parts and familiar objects, and build vocabulary to approximately 300 words.

Preschoolers: Teaching self-regulation and boosting confidence Educators who work with this age group are preparing preschoolers with skills they need for kindergarten while also laying a foundation for skills they will need throughout life. Research from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University notes that the focus during these years is all about selfregulation and executive function — the air traffic control system of the brain.

Preschool teachers will intentionally plan activities that foster this skill.

They also understand the value and importance of a trusting relationship and the role such relationships play in the development of executive functioning skills. In a quality program for preschoolers, you’ll see teachers asking children to show working memory, mental flexibility and self control. You may see a 4-year-old being asked to assist a friend with a puzzle, or to help teach them to tie their shoe.

You’ll hear teachers ask young students open-ended questions with no right or wrong answers to encourage creativity. Children have more confidence in themselves and are willing to become risk-takers when they can use mental flexibility not only to verbalize their ideas, but to actually test them out.

You should see confidence. Children will realize their own ability to have an idea, make a prediction, test it out and share their findings. You may also see children who are beginning to read, even if it’s just their own name. They may show an understanding of numbers, even if it is simply counting the six plates they need to set the table for lunch. They will be able to manage throughout the day, because they know caring and supportive adults are listening to them, responding to them, and spending time with them.

Parents are their child’s first teachers, and that will always be true! When you look for the other people who will share time with your infant, toddler or preschooler, look for programs with teachers who have the knowledge to put child development based on brain science into practice, and who are eager to offer the loving and caring environment all young children deserve.

Camille Lachar-Lofaro is a faculty member of the Early Childhood Education Department at Central Arizona College and at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Professional Studies, Early Childhood Division. She is president of the Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children (AzAEYC), a state affiliate of NAEYC.

14 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

The Early Childhood Conference:

Empowering the 21st Century Child This free online event — on Saturday, June 20 — offers professional development information for early childhood professionals across Arizona. Early childhood educators, caregivers, home visitors, family support professionals, behavioral health providers, homeschool providers and others working with, or on behalf of, young children birth to age 5 are invited to attend.

Parents and other non-professionals also are welcome.

The virtual keynote address will be by Dr. Rebecca Isbell, author of Nurturing Creativity: An Essential Mindset for Young Children’s Learning.

Workshop topics include: Language and Literacy Development, Transition to Kindergarten, STEM Learning in Early Childhood, Social and Emotional Development, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Trauma-informed Care, and Childhood Resilience. Attendees will be able to engage in real time or at one’s own pace using online content.

Early childhood professionals should register through Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry: https://www.azregistry.org/ index.cfm?module=login Parents and other interested non-professionals should register on Event Brite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-earlychildhood-conference-empowering-the-21st-century-childtickets-93766695711 For more information, contact Dora Jaquez at 928-524-7336 or dora.jaquez@npc.edu.

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from the very start.

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RaisingARIZONAKids.com

June 2020

15

Pandemic Parenting Enforced “together time.” Scrapped (or significantly

changed) celebrations. Working from home, or with fear of contagion within essential services and professions.

Masks, shortages, home schooling, creative solutions — never have today’s parents been challenged to adapt so quickly to a changing world. And it’s not over.

16 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

Photos (left to right): Homeschooling at the Wheeler family home in Phoenix, dividing up industrial-sized toilet paper rolls at the Ferguson home in Scottsdale, the Trahin family of Phoenix makes a masked trip for ice cream, Chrysanthe Cupone and 3-year-old Lilyana preparing for a non-tradition Easter.

RaisingARIZONAKids.com June 2020

17

Pandemic Parenting

Helping kids (and adults) through the

FALLOUT of COVID-19

EVGENY ATAMANENKO

EVGENYATAMANENKO

POPPY, AGE 3, SPINS ON THE FLOOR. I ask her — again — if she wants to walk around the block with her dad and me.

“No, I don’t want to,” she replies.

She needs a walk. We’re going to end up with a butt-shaped hole in our concrete floor. I ask her why.

“Because I don’t wanna catch the bad cold that’s going around.”

By Sophie Strosberg

18 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

THE CONSEQUENCES of DISRUPTION and LOSS Poppy isn’t the only child in Arizona getting a little freaked out by the big virus. While not every kid shows pandemic-related stress in the same way — or even at all — it’s certainly affecting a significant portion of kids.

After five weeks of being isolated at home, Angie Kolaghsi of Tucson took her daughter to Target to pick out a toy. “The toy aisle was eerily quiet. There were no children, and my daughter noticed, stating it was from the coronavirus,” Kolaghsi says. When they walked down the Barbie aisle, her daughter was “afraid to touch the toys, because she didn’t want to ‘catch coronavirus.’”

Scout Calvert worries her 7-year-old daughter’s mental health has been impacted by the pandemic. “When schools closed, it didn’t take very long for her to put two and two together and realize she was not going to have a class birthday party. I think she feels really isolated,” Calvert explains. “We had to put ‘get dressed’ on her daily schedule, because she otherwise wouldn’t bother,” says the Cottonwood mom.

Courtney Novak of Tucson says her 5-year-old son has been upset that he couldn’t “go to all the places he wants to go. He likes to collect trash, and he’s annoyed he can’t do that anymore.”

And Sara Haddock of Vail talked about her 3-year-old daughter’s hopes for an eventual end to the pandemic: “She has asked me a couple of times if people are feeling better yet, because she wants to go do things or see certain friends.”

These disruptions and losses children face carry consequences. Quebec Logan, a Phoenix-based clinical psychologist who specializes in children and teens, says kids are definitely feeling the stress of COVID-19. “I’ve noticed a marked increase in fear and anxiety since the start of the pandemic — for kids and for adults, for that matter,” Logan says. “In extreme cases, this can manifest as significant psychological disorders, like agoraphobia” — a fear of public places or leaving home.

He notes that additional factors — trauma and neurodiversity — can worsen the impact. “For children with autism and those who really

rely on those daily routines, this is an extremely big deal,” Logan says.

Teens experience the uncertainty more holistically. Chrysta Faye’s 17-year-old daughter Maya is struggling with the disruption of her plans for her future. Maya’s boyfriend has been sick — likely with COVID-19.

Faye, who lives in Tucson, said her daughter is coping with the pandemic and separation from her boyfriend by “shutting down her heart and longterm expectations of ‘leaving the nest.’”

“The older you get, the more you understand about what’s going on, the more you can make those connections to other parts of your life, and the more you can project into the future,” Logan says. “Teenagers begin to extrapolate, ‘What does this mean for me and my future?’”

Maya Faye insists she’s OK. “I think I’m doing pretty well, considering,” she says. “I don’t know if I’m properly coping, I’m just doing what I do to get through. I like to get out and go in nature, [which] really resets everything.” She called this one of the benefits of living in Arizona during the pandemic.

PREDICTABLE ROUTINES and ACTIVITIES CAN HELP So, how much can parents and caretakers do to help resolve — or even prevent — pandemic-related worries in young people?

The first thing, Logan says, is try to stay cool ourselves. “Children look to adults, particularly their parents, to process fear, anxiety, and a host of other emotions,” he says.

Think about what happens when children bump their heads. “They won’t cry right away; the first thing they’ll do is look to the adult for their response,” Logan explains. “If the adult freaks out, you’ve got the kid freaking out.”

Many parents are careful to protect young children from the gritty details of the virus. “My partner and I are privately worried a little [about getting sick], but we keep that to ourselves,” Calvert says.

But modeling serenity has its limits. Playgrounds are closed, children can’t touch anything they find on the ground, and they’re likely home way more than usual. They already understand something major is afoot. “The masks are a constant reminder of what they should fear,” says Kolaghsi.

Luckily, you don’t have to limit your response to keeping a calm demeanor. There’s a lot you can do to help kids feel safe and secure.

Logan suggests keeping kids physically and mentally active, away from pandemic-related news, and connecting with others.

Offering a predictable routine may be the most important thing we can do for kids. Logan says routines can give young kids a sense of security and offer older children and teens a sense of purpose. Routine might help fight what Calvert called the “whiplash” of a rapidly fluctuating landscape of rules and safety guidelines.

Claudia Meza, a Tucson-based behavioral analyst, says to help children work through more extreme anxiety, we can break bigger goals into smaller steps. For instance, if the goal is a trip to the park, you can start a child venturing into the back yard and then around the block, gradually expanding their radius of travel.

Meza also says we can turn to children themselves for suggestions.

Her 8-year-old son told her he had come up with a way to find more comfort in handwashing. “He thinks of handwashing water as holy water that’s protective.”

It can be empowering for kids when they get the chance to participate in responding to this kind of challenge, Meza says. She had her son customize his own “pandemic kit” — a suitcase containing hand sanitizer, a mask, and anything else that feels important in this time.

Meanwhile, Calvert says her daughter “has been making masks with my partner, so our response has been very action-oriented.”

RESOURCES “Georgie and the Giant Germ” is a guidebook for parents who are still struggling to find the right words to comfort children as we all navigate the next stage of the coronavirus pandemic.

The free, downloadable coloring book represents a collaboration among experts in the fields of social work and child psychology, including Arizona State University’s Paige Safyer, PhD, LLMSW. It’s available in English, Spanish, Italian, German, Hebrew and Arabic.

“First Aid for Feelings: A Workbook to Help Kids Cope During the Coronavirus Pandemic,” by broadcast journalist and parenting and child development expert Denise Daniels, offers ways for kids to explore their emotions, plan their day and look forward to life post-pandemic. It’s available as a free digital download in English, Spanish and French.

Link for download: http://teacher.scholastic.com/education/ coronavirusworkbook/index.html

And sometimes, a game is just what kids need. “I’ve turned counting masks — specific colors, for instance — into a game,” Kolaghsi says. Activities like this allow kids to “feel in control, even if they are scared,” Meza adds.

THE POWER of LISTENING This week, as I was walking around the block with Poppy in the stroller, we saw a construction worker in a mask. “He has the bad cold that’s going around,” she kid-whispered. It was loud.

I told her he probably didn’t have it, that he was likely wearing the mask just in case. But I decided to debrief her a little more. I asked what she thought would happen if we caught it.

“I’m worried that we won’t be able to see Grandma and Grandpa anymore.”

Her statement wasn’t what I expected. While I’m worried about typical grown-up themes — our family’s health, our financial future, our nation’s future — Poppy was worried about the major theme in her life: Would we miss out on seeing Grandma and Grandpa for the long duration of a really “bad,” and only vaguely explained, cold?

Once I understood that Poppy wasn’t afraid of death or hospitalization, I knew how to respond without bringing my own fears to the table. I could continue to give her relevant information about what impact COVID-19 might have on our family and reassure her as much as possible. In this uncertain new world, one thing is known: parents and their children have to get through this together.

“I think it’s difficult for parents to address the pandemic, because there’s not a for-sure light at the end of the tunnel,” says Maya Faye.

“It’s nice to have each other.”

Sophie Strosberg is a Tucson-area freelance writer and mom. Her interests include science, society and discovering the perfect taco.

RaisingARIZONAKids.com June 2020

19

Pandemic Parenting

RAISING OUTDOOR KIDS

STAYING ACTIVE DURING LOCKDOWN (and post-quarantine) W Story by Lisa Van Loo | Photos by Ron Abelar

e first sensed something strange was happening while looking for bottled water during a quick trip to Los Angeles in early March. We visited the beach, the Griffith Observatory, Hollywood and the Santa Monica Pier during spring break. Water was impossible to find.

We rolled our eyes a few times during that trip, only to learn that it would soon be impossible to find water — or anything, it seemed — at home either. Knowing now how life changed, as quickly as it did, we’ve never been more grateful for a quick weekend away than we were for that one. It somehow feels as if it were three years ago rather than a few months back.

I keep thinking we’ve been living in 60 days of Sundays, except now we’re past that 60-day part. Some days have been so long, and then somehow some weeks go by too quickly. How is it that we’ve already picked up school yearbooks, which this year won’t be signed by friends and teachers?

Quarantine has been so many things.

Isolating and disappointing, yes. But also creative, patient and eye-opening. And it changed dramatically over time. We started in sweatpants. Now we are pushed indoors by 11 a.m. by the scorching sun.

Online instruction was easy for the kids, except when the problem or question was hard. The “connecting” part was simple, and they largely managed it themselves, attending violin via webcam and logging in to participate in PE from the family room. And yes, in case you’re wondering, it is possible to injure yourself in an online gym class.

We still hike (during cooler times of the day), but we stay local and create space

between us and other hikers on the trail. We still go to the lake to cool off, but we have to get creative with parking, because we aren’t the only ones with that big idea. The kids still play with the neighbors. Even as “stay at home” orders relax, we won’t likely change our habits much — at least for a while longer.

As the weather warmed, Kick the Can and Capture the Flag games moved from afternoon play to right before dinner. Dog walking became something to do before lunch instead of after, and same for the long bike rides to a nearby park — an excursion the kids just began doing on their own during lockdown. It was a pretty big moment.

We sent them on a science field trip early on, giving them money to ride bikes to the local nursery and find vegetables for our microfarm that would be hearty enough to handle the heat. It was a big assignment, but they brought back melons and peppers, which are thriving even during the onslaught of 100-degree-plus days. We harvested dozens of carrots, prepared an unknown number of salads from our microfarm for bike delivery to neighbors, and nurtured watermelon radishes from seed to harvest, which takes about 60 days.

It’s strange to consider that the maturity of a root vegetable could measure the passage of time, because we’re usually horrible at remembering when we planted something.

We always say we’ll be better. But with the radishes, we knew we were in sweatpants when we dropped them in the ground. And we know, because the seed package reminds us, that they need 60 days. It didn’t say 60 days of Sundays, but they thrived all the same.

We’ve celebrated a birthday in

Clockwise: • Josie Nicita (13) reels in a catch at the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert.

• Riley Abelar (11) and Nolan Abelar (7) deliver bags of salad to neighbors during the lockdown. The salad mix was created from the family garden.

• Dominic Nicita (11) and Josie Nicita (13) learn a new move during lockdown.

• Lulu Nicita (10) inspects a flower found in the Superstition Wilderness.

• The whole crew at at Griffith Observatory the weekend before everything changed.

quarantine, we’re preparing for another, and we’ve missed what would have been a firstever concert for the only kid left who hasn’t experienced live music. We escaped to a Flagstaff cabin for a weekend, where we saw snow fall for the first time. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that the campsites we woke up early to reserve will allow us in later this summer as we planned.

We’re reading, playing cards, reconnecting with Legos, riding bikes, running, and learning sweet moves on the trampoline. We’re dreaming of getaways, and prepping new kayaks for maiden voyages.

We’re hoping it doesn’t take another harvest of radishes before we can do that.

Lisa Van Loo is a Gilbert freelance journalist. Ron Abelar is an avid outdoorsman and photographer. Together, they are parenting five children.

Follow them on Instagram @ RaisingOutdoorKids

RaisingARIZONAKids.com June 2020

21

Pandemic Parenting

Is summer travel safe?

Families are staying closer to home — for now

By Kara G. Morrison

STARTING JUNE 1, everyone who enters Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport — including the terminals, the Rental Car Center, the PHX Sky Train and airport buses — is required to WEAR A FACE COVERING over their nose and mouth. The new requirement mirrors regulations by major airlines, the Transportation Security Administration, airports (including Seattle, Denver, LAX, New York’s JFK, Boston Logan, Miami) and travel-support companies including Uber. Travelers, employees, and those visiting the airport should bring their own masks to wear throughout the airport.

If you forget yours, airport stores are selling them. See details at skyharbor.com

22 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

V

ENETIA HOUSER, AN AVONDALE MOM of two, missed two vacations due to COVID-19 closures, including her sister’s postponed Cacun wedding and a spring trip to Disneyland. So when a friend asked whether she’d like to bring her family to a Las Vegas time-share for a week in midJune, she was thrilled.

“You’ve got to get away at least once,” says Houser, who balanced work with homeschooling her 8-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter after schools shut down this spring. “I feel like there are still things you can do safely. We’ve barely left the house in months. ... I need a little fun time with my family.”

Shana O’Mara, owner and founder of Tempe-based The Pixie Planner — which

specializes in Disney vacations, cruises and more — has spent two months rescheduling clients’ spring and early summer travel plans.

She says her clients want to travel again — eventually. For now, O’Mara recommends families stick closer to home — road trips to places like Sedona, or San Diego, for example — and save more remote travel destinations for later this summer, when additional services are back in operation.

“Most destinations are closed through at least June right now,” O’Mara says. “We’re just kind of in a holding pattern.”

And while most hotels and airlines are offering flexibility by eliminating change fees, O’Mara points out rescheduling travel arrangements is not always quick or easy.

August — longer if the border closures are extended again. And he predicts travel to Europe and overseas won’t be back to normal until spring 2021.

“I had a family that was supposed to be going to Ireland in June, but they’re looking to reschedule for next spring,” he says.

Hotels are doing their best to ease guests’ fears with rigorous cleaning regimens and things like automated, no-contact check-in. Airports and major airlines are requiring face coverings.

But like everything with the coronavirus pandemic, it will likely take time for people to feel comfortable and safe while there’s still no cure or vaccine for COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Houser says she’s been cautious and careful through the pandemic, but she’s eager to resume some normalcy.

“I don’t go on vacation to panic and stress out,” she says, adding her family will likely

cook some meals at the time-share, order out and even venture into a restaurant. “It’s not that I’m not scared, but I’ve been cooped up in my house for months!”

Kara G. Morrison is the editor of Raising Arizona Kids and the mother of Sofia, 7.

MONKEYBUSINESSIMAGES

She has spent hours on the phone helping families navigate those changes. Travel experts also may be more knowledgeable about details like where shelter-in-place or quarantine orders are in effect. For example, she says, plane tickets to Hawaii are cheap right now, but travelers must self-quarantine in a hotel room or rented lodging for 14 days until they can go anywhere.

Many of The Pixie Planner’s clients with spring and early summer travel plans have rescheduled their vacations for September, October or later.

“We’re being cautiously optimistic, but we also want to set realistic expectations for people,” O’Mara says, noting Disneyland and other theme parks may look a little different when they do reopen. They may offer virtual line queues, require face coverings, limit attendance and mandate social distancing.

Will there be character dining with princesses wearing masks? Maybe not.

Wally Jones, a travel adviser at Travel Leaders in Phoenix, says border closures — which have been extended until June 22 — are affecting summer travel to Mexico and Canada. Jones thinks traveling to those destinations will be on hold until July or

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RaisingARIZONAKids.com June 2020

23

Pandemic Parenting

CAMPS DO THE

“PANDEMIC PIVOT” for Summer 2020

Virtual options abound, and camps that do plan to offer on-site programs have made some big changes in how they will operate. Here is an update on camps we listed in our March issue, before Arizona — and most of the U.S. — went into lockdown

TOWARD THE END OF APRIL, Raising Arizona Kids conducted a poll asking parents how they felt about sending kids to camp. Only a third of 300 respondents at that time felt fully confident that they would.

It was, in reality, a hypothetical question.

No one knew, back then, if camps would even be allowed to open. Camp directors we spoke with at that time were scurrying to come up with alternate plans, just in case. Some, forced to make early staffing and facility-rental decisions, made difficult decisions not to open this summer. Some forged ahead to create online camp experiences, figuring an “abundance of caution” approach was prudent. Many said they would not commit to 2020 summer programming until they received a clear greenlight from the state to resume.

Then, on May 28, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey gave that greenlight, announcing that summer camps, youth activities and sports leagues will be allowed to operate this summer. But the responsibility to create and provide specific safety measures still falls largely on individual camps.

So now the question is, what will camp

24 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

look like this summer?

First priority, of course, is preventing the spread of the coronavirus among active groups of children. The American Camp Association and YMCA worked with Environmental Health and Engineering and a panel of experts in science, health, hygiene and safety to publish a field guide to help camps make and implement changes that should be considered before reopening. The field guide is available online (https://www.acacamps.org/ resource-library/coronavirus/camp-business/ camp-operations-guide-summer-2020), and its recommendations apply to both overnight and day camps.

For the staff at Raising Arizona Kids, all these rapidly changing plans required a big pivot on our part, too. The work we’d done to curate a summer camps listing for our March issue had to be redone to reflect changed programming, changed dates and changed formats.

We’re adding to and amending these online directories every day. And in completing the updates, we’re seeing themes emerge in the new precautions on-site camps will be taking with the children in their care.

Look for enhanced cleaning and sanitation measures and extra hand-washing and handsanitizer stations. Expect smaller group sizes and less mingling among groups of children.

Seating will take physical distancing into account. Campers may (and staff probably will) be required to wear masks. Temperatures may be checked at the door. Screening questions may be asked.

Some overnight camps are quarantining staff in the weeks leading up to camp, and prohibiting them from leaving campgrounds during the time they have children in their care. More meals will be held outdoors. Fewer children will sleep in each cabin.

We’ve been impressed with the creativity, care and quickness that characterize every tough decision these camps — nearly all of which are small businesses and nonprofits — have had to tussle with in the last many weeks. Camps won’t be the same this year.

Some new approaches won’t be perfect. But all offer opportunities for children to learn, grow, try new skills, test their limits and safely spend time (even if just online) with friends.

And isn’t that what camp is all about?

— Karen Barr, Publisher

2020 SUMMER CAMPS ACADEMICS

ANIMALS

ART

LEADERSHIP

MIXED ACTIVITIES

MUSIC

OVERNIGHT

PERFORMING ARTS

SPECIAL NEEDS

SPORTS

STEM/STEAM

THEME

THEME

VIRTUAL

Click anywhere on this page to view camp listings!

Pandemic Parenting

10

at-home learning resources for summer

1. Play ball? Adults aren’t the only ones missing baseball. The Arizona Diamondbacks — with their mascot Baxter — rolled out an at-home kids activities page with printable puzzles, coloring pages, art projects, Mad Libs and even videos about the geometry of baseball. mlb.com/dbacks/fans/ activities?affiliateId=ari-activities-mediawall-040620 2. Tackle fun projects with the Children’s Museum of Phoenix. Follow the Children’s Museum on Facebook and Instagram for daily projects to keep young kids active, engaged and learning, such as writing letters, cooking (making unicorn dip!), a simple “I Spy” game and more. facebook.com/pg/ childrensmuseumofphoenix/videos/?ref=page_internal 3. Learn about design and architecture. The “Frank Lloyd Wright Virtual Classroom” is a free online learning tool for kids in grades K-12. It was developed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation’s education department, in collaboration with the Paradise Valley Unified School District, whose students “test piloted” much of the curriculum. franklloydwright.org/VirtualClassroom/ 4. Study for 15 minutes a day, earn a half-price toy. Buy a teacherrecommended Summer Bridge Activities book for $15 at Kidstop in Scottsdale,

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Sponsored Content and when kids complete their book cover-to-cover, they can pick out a toy for 50 percent off in the store or 25 percent off at kidstoptoys.com. Kids have until Aug. 31 to redeem their discount. kidstoptoys.com/summer-bridge-books.html 5. Tackle STEM projects with Girls Who Code. Arizona State University’s Girls Who Code club for girls in grades 3-5 is part of a national effort to increase the number of women working in computer science. The program has been taken online as ASU continues to monitor COVID-19, and Girls Who Code also offers free, at-home activities. girlswhocode.com/code-at-home 6. Gaze at the stars. Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff has put together a virtual astronomy program that features coffee chats and interviews with experts, special coverage of celestial events and educational activities for kids. Find it on Lowell Observatory’s YouTube channel. youtube.com/channel/ UC4zmFY211sXfEamwmsJcrYA/videos 7. Read “The Ickabog.” Harry Potter’s creator has stepped in with a free children’s book to help kids get through this pandemic.

J.K. Rowling is posting chapters each week of “The Ickabog” because the lockdown has “been very hard on children, in particular,” she says. Rowling cautions this is very different from her Harry Potter books. She is hosting a children’s art/illustration contest; winners’ Ickabog-themed artwork could be printed when the book is published in November. theickabog.com 8. See Dav Pilkey paint, draw and talk about growing up.

Author and illustrator Dav Pilkey tells the Library of Congress he had a rough time as a kid, because attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia made it difficult for him to sit still in school.

A sense of humor obviously helped the author of “Dog Man” and “Captain Underpants,” who is sharing his art techniques in free videos on the Library of Congress website. blogs.loc.gov/ loc/2020/05/new-dav-pilkey/ 9. Visit the world’s greatest museums from your couch.

Google Arts & Culture offers virtual tours of some of the world’s greatest museums and heritage sites, including the British Museum in London, Guggenheim in New York and Uffizi Gallery in Florence. The website Family Days Tried And Tested offers even more museums and galleries, plus ideas for simple crafts to do at home. artsandculture.google.com/ 10. Create something new with the Smithsonian’s archived images. For the first time in its 174-year history, the Smithsonian has released 2.8 million high-resolution two- and three-dimensional images onto an open access online platform for anyone to download free of charge. The images — including data and material from all 19 Smithsonian museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives and the National Zoo — are available not just for viewing, but to reuse and transform. si.edu/openaccess

For more at-home learning resources, visit raisingarizonakids.com/coronavirus/at-homelearning-resources/ RaisingARIZONAKids.com June 2020

Preschool & K-6

SUMMER CAMPS

at Self Development Academy and Preschool IN AN ORDINARY YEAR, summer camps give parents assurance that children will start the fall semester exactly where they were in the spring — if not somewhat ahead.

This is not an ordinary year.

Coronavirus almost cancelled summer camps. Some that open this summer will require a parent to supervise an onlineonly format (defeating one of the crucial purposes of summer camp). On-site programs must adapt programming to meet state and national guidelines to protect children and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Self Development Academy and Preschool quickly rose to the challenge by developing advanced, enriched, research-based social distancing activities to keep children captivated while they are safely socializing.

Summer camp at Self Development Academy in Mesa will deliver STEM+Arts education to students from preschool through sixth grade — without skipping a beat.

“Because so many of our staff are parents we were in a unique place to truly understand the catch-22 position parents have been in the past two months,” said Sami Majeed, Chief of Schools of Self Development Academy.

The “impossible” challenge of educating and engaging children while keeping them safely protected from the coronavirus “took some logistical planning, but we discovered a solution using STEM-based thinking, if you can believe it,” said “Mr. Sami,” as students call him.

This summer, students will write, direct, and create backdrops and sets for their very own plays. They will learn percussion and modern dance. United States history and geography lessons will be fully immersive experiences. Students and parents will perform science experiments and participate in other STEM activities, learning coding, geo-thermodynamics, engineering, and food science.

Literature and visual arts projects will add to a robust list of engaging, “full brain learning” activities.

The accelerated nature of summer camp activities appeals to parents. Shelley Ranney, a Self Development Preschool parent, says, “My girls love the summer program at Self Development. Each day of the summer program is a unique, fun, and creative experience that engages the kids’ minds.”

The enriched, accelerated STEM+Arts summer program at Self Development Academy and Preschool usually fills quickly. Demand is high this year as parents look for options following a prolonged lockdown at the end of the school year.

Self Development Academy and Preschool students look forward to the summer camp each year. Incredibly, one preschool student told his grandmother, “I don’t want to go on vacation. I want to go to summer camp.”

The teachers and staff are just happy to provide fun, safe, “full brain learning” activities for children of parents who have the same concerns they do.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TUITION OR HOW TO ENROLL: Self Development Preschool Vernetta Madsen | (480) 396 3522 vernettam@selfdevelopmentacademy.com Self Development Academy Sami Majeed | (480) 641 2640 sami@selfdevelopmentacademy.com

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Pandemic Parenting

COVID-19 may cause Multisystem

Inflammatory Syndrome in Children ADULTS MAKE UP most of the known cases of COVID-19 to date, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, there is a new concern for children who contract coronavirus called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children or MIS-C. This is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. MIS-C can be serious — even deadly. But most children diagnosed with this condition have gotten better with medical care.

Contact your child’s doctor, nurse, or clinic right away if your child is showing symptoms of MIS-C, which include: fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, a rash, bloodshot eyes or feeling extra tired. Seek emergency care right away if your child is showing any of these emergency warning signs of MIS-C or other concerning signs: trouble breathing, pain or pressure in the chest that does not go away, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, bluish lips or face or severe abdominal pain.

Learn more about MIS-C and how COVID-19 can affect kids at Harvard Medical School’s Coronavirus Resource Center: health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/ coronavirus-outbreak-and-kids

Pandemic hits households with kids hardest WHILE THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC is causing concern for all, households with children have been especially hard hit, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. A survey released in late May showed 55 percent of households with a child under age 18 had at least one adult lose employment income since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is higher than the rate for all households.

Adults in households with children who were not working the previous week — and reported a reason — were also more likely to attribute it to permanent loss of employment since March 13, such as layoffs or business closures. In contrast, adults not living with children were more likely to indicate their not working was temporary, such as a furlough. Adults living with children were also more likely to report not having enough to eat and concern about their ability to pay their rent or mortgage.

Learn more at census.gov

28 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

Coronavirus creates a “PERFECT STORM” for drowning risk MAINTAINING MULTIPLE laters of protection to keep children and teens safe around water is especially important as we continue to spend more time at home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

“We know that this is a ‘perfect storm’ — with many parents working from home and distracted,” says Melissa Sutton, board president for the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona.

Children who already have spent the end of the school year sheltered at home may also be spending more time at home than usual this summer. Even though camps and sports programs have been given an “all clear” to operate, many parents may opt for another few weeks of caution.

If you suddenly become aware that a child is missing, Sutton says, “always check the closest body of water first.”

The Coalition promotes three core principles of drowning prevention, called the ABC’s of Water Safety: • A is for ADULT. A sober adult must always be with children around water. The adult must watch swimmers with their eyes and not be doing anything else. They shouldn’t be reading, talking on the phone, or doing chores like yard work or washing the car.

• B is for barrier — something that keeps you away from danger. A few examples of barriers around water are a fence around a pool with a self-closing self-latching gate or a closed lid on a toilet or a closed door leading to the bathroom. A pool fence with a broken gate is not a barrier. An open bathroom door is not a barrier because a small child could get into the full bathtub.

• C is for Classes. Everyone should take swimming lessons to learn how to swim. Older kids and adults should take CPR classes so they know what to do in case of an emergency.

C is also for Coast Guard-approved lifejacket.

Anyone who does not know how to swim must wear one when in or on the water. Floaties are toys and do not count as life vests.

The Coalition also is using its Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/preventdrownings. org) to educate families about water safety messages, along with providing helpful tools and resources to keep kids busy. Find more informatio at preventdrownings.org

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Learn more at the CDC website (cdc. gov/covid19), the Arizona Department of Health Services (azdhs.gov) and the Johns Hopkins University & Medicine’s Coronavirus Resource Center (coronavirus. jhu.edu).

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RaisingARIZONAKids.com June 2020

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Pandemic Parenting

SARI ON SCIENCE

HERE’S HOW TO MAKE AN EASY,

SCIENCE -BASED DIY HAND SANITIZER

By Sari Custer

30 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

WITH INTERNATIONAL NEWS about the rapid spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), many stores (both online and in greater Phoenix) are having trouble keeping hand sanitizer in stock.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk for most people in the U.S. for exposure to COVID-19 is still thought to be low.

However, whether you’re concerned about COVID-19, influenza, salmonella, E. coli, the common cold or any other germs that can make us sick, keeping your hands clean is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs.

The absolute best way to keep your hands clean is to wash them, front and back, with soap and clean, running water for 20 seconds — that’s the equivalent of singing two rounds of the “Happy Birthday” song, one run-through of your “ABCs” or, in my house, humming all the good parts of “The Imperial March” from Star Wars.

When you’re out and about, sometimes soap and clean water aren’t available. Using a hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol can help you avoid getting sick and spreading germs. Here is a simple science-based recipe to make your own hand sanitizer.

Supplies: • ¼ cup pure aloe vera gel (find this in stores near the sunscreen) • ¾ cup 91% isopropyl alcohol (lower concentrations of alcohol are not sufficient) • 2-3 small flip-top bottles or spritz bottles (find them near the travel-size products) • Whisk or fork • Bowl • Measuring cups • Funnel • Permanent marker • Essential oils (optional) Directions: 1. Make sure your bowl, whisk and funnel are very clean. Uncap your flip-top bottles and add a little isopropyl alcohol to the inside. Put the cap on and shake really well to coat all sides; then uncap and set aside to let them air dry.

2. Add ¾ cup (91%) isopropyl alcohol and ¼ cup aloe vera gel to the bowl and whisk until fully combined.

3. Add a few drops of essential oils (this is optional) to reach your desired scent, and mix

well. (Note: other fragrances and dyes are not recommended, as they can irritate skin.

Even some essential oils can cause allergic reactions, so use with care.)

4. Using the funnel, pour your mixture into the prepped flip-top bottles and screw the caps on. This hand sanitizer has a thinner, more liquid consistency than commercial versions.

5. Use the marker to label the bottle “Hand Sanitizer,” and include the date you made it. As with any chemicals, hand sanitizer should be used with adult supervision.

What’s happening?

According to the CDC, sanitizers with an alcohol concentration between 60 and 95% are more effective at killing germs than those with a lower alcohol concentration or non-alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Hand sanitizers without 60-95% alcohol may not work equally well for many types of germs or may merely reduce the growth of germs rather than killing them outright.

In this recipe, we’re using 91% alcohol in 75% of the mixture, so the resulting alcohol concentration is about 68% (.91 x .75 = .6825 or 68.25%). If we used 70% isopropyl alcohol, the resulting concentration would only be about 52% alcohol — not high enough to meet the CDC recommendation.

It’s also important to use hand sanitizer correctly. Make sure both of your hands are covered with the gel — and don’t forget to get it between your fingers and under your nails. Then rub your hands together until they are dry. Also, if your hands are visibly dirty or greasy, hand sanitizer may not be effective, because germs can get trapped under this material and remain on your hands.

This recipe includes an emollient (aloe) to help protect your hands from getting too dried out from the alcohol. Dry, cracked and irritated hands can make you more susceptible to illness.

Just remember, properly washing your hands for 20 seconds with soap and clean running water is still the best way to prevent the spread of disease — hands down.

Sari Custer, Chief Science and Curiosity Officer at Arizona Science Center, is mom to daughter Carson (5). Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @ SariOnScience.

ARE YOU RAISING ARIZONA KIDS?

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32 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

“POSITIVE IMPATIENCE” Junior Achievement of ARIZONA’S

18 18

UNDER

W

hen Junior Achievement of Arizona set out to identify some of our state’s

extraordinary young people, the goal was to celebrate future leaders, change makers and innovators. People who will change the world.

In the hindsight of this year’s extraordinary challenges, recounting the achievements of these “18 Under 18” is a welcome dose of reassurance. These dozen and a half young people represent only a small fraction of those who have what JA describes as “positive impatience” to make a difference.

They aren’t willing to wait until adulthood.

“We wanted to help people see how amazing these students are and be inspired by the collective hope our youth bring to this state,” said Anne Landers, marketing and development senior director for JA Arizona, in describing the three-yearold awards project. “This cohort is a representation of the many, many thousands of great students we have [in Arizona], and what they’re doing already. They are going to change the future for us, make our future better.”

The 2020 awards winners — who were selected for entrepreneurial spirit, community service, leadership and extraordinary skill sets — were celebrated via web conference last month. Their energy, determination, ingenuity, creativity and resilience is just what our society needs as we all navigate the challenges ahead.

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34 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

1 ELAINA ASHTON A recent graduate of Arizona College Prep - Erie Campus in Chandler, Elaina channeled her passion for coding, mathematics and robotics toward co-founding Education Empowers, a nonprofit organization operating in partnership with Girls Scouts of Arizona to provide STEM curriculum to underserved communities at 45 locations.

2 KAYLI BATTEL A recent graduate of Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Kayli enjoyed and excelled at science and math. She partnered with like-minded teens to create Sisters in STEM: Girls Inspiring Girls, which recruits girls ages 4-15 to the world of science, technology, engineering and math. “To see that we can impact those kids through robotics gave me a lot of confidence,” she says.

3 ALEXANDER BURT A BASIS Scottsdale recent graduate, Alexander took on a challenge to help others live with serious and socially aggravating food allergies. He’s working on an app, to be released by the end of the year, that helps consumers with food sensitivities or preferences find restaurants with safe menu options.

“One of the most meaningful things I’ve learned is the impact something you’re interested in can have on other people,” he says.

4 VIVEKA CHINNASAMY She just finished her junior year at Hamilton High School in Chandler, but Vicki has already formed a nonprofit organization to support medical treatment and care for the underprivileged. Medical Hope, inspired by her experience in a school club for students interested in healthcare-related careers, has fundraised to support Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House Charities and other local organizations.

5 JORDAN DAVIS-WILEY Jordan’s inspiration came from a love of books and a song lyric that just popped into her head. “Dreamcatcher” the song led to “Dreamcatcher” the self-published book. Before she knew it, this Phoenix North High School student had her own publishing house, Nickelberry, and her work was being sold in airport bookstores across the country. She hopes to encourage other young, aspiring writers to find an audience. And she has two more years left in high school!

6 CAMERON DEAL A recent graduate of Sunrise Mountain High School in Peoria, Cameron is a classical music fan who wanted to make sure all children have opportunities to try different musical instruments. Through his organization, Music Makers, he recruits local musicians to visit Boys & Girls Clubs to perform and allow the children to interact with the instruments -- “kind of like a musical petting zoo,” he says.

7 LAURA DUNHAM A recent graduate from Willcox High School in Willcox, Laura was inspired by a teacher’s encouragement to try her hand at robotics competitions.

She was hooked. Working with AmeriCorps, she started a program to bring robotics and coding opportunities to elementary and middle schoolers in the Willcox area. She plans to study computer science at the University of Arizona.

8 HEATHER JENSEN This creative writer and recent graduate of Red Mountain High School in Mesa started Creative Youth of Arizona — the only youth-operated arts organization in Arizona — to bring together young artists of all media to connect, compete and share ideas. The organization’s signature project, the Phoenix Youth Poet Laureate program, is sending its first poet laureate out on a nationwide tour.

9 LEILA KHAN A recent Scottsdale Preparatory graduate, Leila founded Bridge the Gap to help refugee students get the tutoring support they need. Inspired to organize summer tutoring workshops after befriending a 16-year-old refugee student struggling with freshman-year studies, she has now helped 89 other students and has expanded into online tutoring. “Though I’m quite young, anyone who has a passion can make a difference,” she says.

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36 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

q DOMINIQUE LUNA

y SURAJ PUVVADI

At Sandra Day O’Connor High School in Glendale, where Dominique recently finished her sophomore year, she made it a mission to get recycling bins on campus. After numerous unsuccessful attempts, and not taking “no” for an answer, there is now recycling on campus. Her success has been infectious and she is collaborating with other high school students to work toward positive change.

While a junior at BASIS Scottsdale, Suraj worked on the development and implementation of a variety of apps and skills for virtual assistants. His “Promise” app lets parents set expectations and helps children understand rewards and consequences. His EpiFinder voice assistant helps patients and doctors communicate. QRBooks, developed with friends, is a QR code that can be installed inside textbooks to guide readers to additional links, descriptions and updates.

w JONATHAN MARTINEZ As a sophomore at Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, Jonathan was also an accomplished nationally ranked chess player who thought others would enjoy this sixth-century game of skill and strategy. Through the Pawn Initiative, he teaches chess to members of the Boys & Girls Clubs, refugees, and seniors at St. Luke’s Home. “The seniors I’m teaching right now are getting more focused and their minds are a lot sharper,” he says.

u ETHAN SCHER

e HANNAH MASON (photo page 30)

i GRACE SCHLENKER

As a senior at Westwood High School in Mesa, Hannah volunteered for Interact, the youth division of Rotary Club. She raised $26,000 for mobility devices and was one of six students chosen to travel to Africa to distribute the walkers, wheelchairs, braces, crutches, and other devices. “I was quite literally a life changing experience,” she says. “It made me realize I had a passion for service.”

A recent graduate of Arcadia High School, Grace started Arcadia’s Dream, a local extension of the nonprofit DreamCatchers organization, a network of high school and college clubs dedicated to fulfilling end-of-life dreams for people in hospice care. She and her classmates have arranged for and funded fulfilling experiences including a trip to Disneyland and a threegeneration fishing trip.

r ARJUN MOORTHY

o RYAN VAKIL

During a medical mission trip to Costa Rica with his mother, Arjun realized he didn’t need to wait for medical school to help people. The BASIS Scottsdale student, who just completed his junior year, developed healthcare-related apps for identifying melanoma and guiding decisions about skin cancer prevention. And through his organization Screening on Wheels, more than 200 people have received cancer screenings and referrals to local healthcare providers.

During a family trip to visit relatives in Iran, Ryan was shocked to see children in a poor neighborhood working in the streets without shoes.

When he returned to his junior year at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, he created Hearts to Soles, a nonprofit organization that helps refugees and children around the world by providing new or gently used pairs of shoes he distributes through the International Rescue Committee and locally through the Welcome to America Project.

t CHANDLER PLANTE As a freshman at Camp Verde High School, Chander already had a reputation as a visionary and change maker. He attended Camp Verde City Council meetings and set up personal meetings with the mayor and town manager to push for an three all-abilities swingsets for his community, and raised $5,200 to make it happen. He’s organized numerous food, clothing and bicycle drives. “When I start something, I can’t stop halfway,” he says.

Ethan, who just finished his junior year at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, was looking for a way to fund his own obsession with high-end sneakers. He and his brother built software to make it easier and faster to acquire new-release sneakers — and then sell them at markup. Now his home-based business has clients from Los Angeles to New York.

LEARN MORE ABOUT “18 UNDER 18” Read more detailed descriptions of this year’s winners at 18under18.org, where you also can sign up for email notifications about the 2021 program.

Nominations will open in November. For more information about Junior Achievement of Arizona, visit jaaz.org

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family time!

Blippi the Musical (June 24) at Arizona Federal Theatre.

JUNE TOP EVENTS

By Carrie Wheeler

It’s an Arizona summer unlike any we’ve ever experienced. With the lifting of shelter-in-place orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and businesses and family venues reopening, there are finally more family events around the Valley. June brings several options from the comfort of your car — drive-in movies, concerts and theater performances and even drive-through zoo experiences. If you’re not quite ready to come out of quarantine, virtual events still abound.

Here’s what’s on our radar for June.

NOTE: Because last-minute changes can occur, please confirm dates and times with event venues and visit raisingarizonakids.com/calendar for the latest additions. Want to know more about what has reopened?

Visit RaisingArizonaKids.com for an up-to-date list. raisingarizonakids. com/whats-open-family-entertainment-venues-in-greater-phoenix/

38 June 2020 RaisingARIZONAKids.com

JUNE 1: Imagine Your Story. The Maricopa County summer reading program kicks off June 1, encouraging all ages to dive into summer reading, participate in challenges and earn prizes — all from the comfort of home. This year’s theme, “Imagine Your Story,” encourages reading (or listening to audio books) for at least 20 minutes a day. Participants earn points by reading, attending virtual programs and completing online challenges. Prizes include food and drinks from local restaurants, a free book, an Arizona State Parks pass and more. read20az.com or leepor20az.com (in Spanish) Puppetry classes at Phoenix Theater. Join Michelle Chin of Phoenix Theatre in a variety of Zoom classes for kids ages 4-12 showing how to tell stories with puppets, turn stuffed animals into puppets and work hands for successful puppeteering. Times vary, and classes are available all month. $15 per class. phoenixtheatre.com

JUNE 2: The Hall of Flame Museum reopens its 70,000 square feet of historic exhibits to the public. A large fire safety exhibit includes a two-room safety house, a mini-theater and hands-on exhibits for kids. Explore vintage firefighting vehicles, artwork, uniforms and equipment and a National Firefighting Hall of Heroes. $10; $8 for ages 6-17 (and seniors ages 62 and older), $4 for ages 3-5, free to ages 2 and younger. 6101 E. Van Buren St., Phoenix. 602-275-3473 or hallofflame.org

JUNE 5: Wear Orange Day. Join gun violence prevention groups nationwide and wear orange in honor of National Gun Violence Awareness Day. sandyhookpromise.org

JUNE 2-30:

Free SAT Skills Class. Every Tuesday and Thursday in June, students in grades 7-11 are eligible for a free 40-minute online SAT skills course through College X-ing. The classes will review verbal and reading skills and math. Use Zoom code 936-268-4717. 11 a.m. Free. collegexing.com

JUNE 4: North Wind. As part of Chandler Center for the Arts “CCA Anywhere Series” of virtual performances you can watch anywhere, North Wind has recorded a performance using futuristic technology to create cinematic musical experiences with light and graphics. Using an instrument of his creation, North Wind manipulates sound — ranging from acoustic to electronic — in thin air using motions and gestures. Dynamic visual elements highlight every articulation, creating a multi-sensory experience. 7 p.m. Free Facebook event. chandlercenter.org

Virtual Mommy & Me Cooking Class. Learn how to make a dairy-and-egg-free Chocolate Crazy Cake in the comfort of your own kitchen with the help of Zuccherino Cooking School. 3-4:30 p.m. $10. To reserve a spot, send payment via PayPal to chefsarasinger@gmail.com. facebook.com/zuccherino.cooking.school Thumbelina — a Zoomsical Production. Thumbelina is the story of a tiny girl lost in a big world who embarks on a peril-filled adventure to search for people like her.

Throughout her journey, she confronts and overcomes her fears until she eventually finds her people. This story is told through beautiful music, heartfelt lyrics, touches of humor and spectacular imagery. $20 gives your household access to the 11 a.m. or 6 p.m. livestream. musicaltheatreofanthem.org

Dear Class of 2020 YouTube event (June 6) on Youtube.

JUNE 4-6: Broadway Drive-in Theatre. See a live theater production from the safety of your vehicle at Fountain Hills Theater’s Broadway Drive-in event. Theater performers will belt out Broadway favorites and pop hits, which will be broadcast through FM closed-circuit radio signals. 8 p.m. $30. Fountain Hills Theater parking lot stage, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. Fhtaz.org

PUBLIC DOMAIN

FACEBOOK.COM/BLIPPITHEMUSICAL

Drive-thru Out of Africa. Visit the zoo safari-style and see hyenas, zebras, tigers and more from your vehicle every Tuesday and Wednesday in June. 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. $20; $10 for ages 3-12. Out of Africa Wildlife Park, 3505 W. State Route 260, Camp Verde. 928-567-2840 or outofafricapark.com

Virtual First Friday. Phoenix Art Museum presents a virtual throwback First Friday experience. Audiences can relive favorite former First-Friday performances at Phoenix Art Museum with a YouTube playlist featuring sound art by Kristen Miologos, a set with DJentrification, a dance performance by Nicole Olson, Mark Hughes and Francisco Flores and more. The playlist will be featured on the museum’s YouTube channel starting at 6 p.m. phxart.org

JUNE 4-8:

JUNE 5, 12, 19, 26:

Cruise the Zoo. Enjoy the Phoenix Zoo at a socially safe distance as you drive your vehicle through the grounds to see flamingos, giraffes, elephants and more while listening to audio to accompany the tour. Only 450 vehicles will be allowed a day from 7 a.m. to noon. $50 per vehicle. Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Pkwy., Phoenix. phoenixzoo.com

Virtual Storytime with Ballet Arizona. Tune in to Ballet Arizona’s Facebook page every Friday to listen to professional dancers read dance-inspired children’s books and learn all about how fun dance can be! 11 a.m. balletaz.org

JUNE 4, 11, 18, 25: Mindfulness Thursdays. Hospice of the Valley and Phoenix Art Museum present a 30-minute at-home Zoom session to promote mindfulness. Scientific studies show the art of mindfulness can relieve anxiety, depression, pain and stress and actually change the way we feel, think, work and play by opening new pathways in the brain. Noon. Join Zoom meeting at https://hov.zoom. us/j/705719545 (ID: 705 719 545).

JUNE 6: “No Small Matter.” This the first feature film to explore the most overlooked, underestimated, and powerful force for good in America today: early childhood education.

Watch a segment from the film online, then participate in a panel discussion on what supports are needed to elevate the early childhood workforce. 9 a.m. Free. nosmallmatter.com Dear Class of 2020 YouTube event. A graduation celebration for all graduates affected by social distancing featuring commencement speeches and performances by Barack and Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, BTS and more. 12 p.m. youtube.com

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family time! around arizona

SWG MEDIA

White Mountains Balloon Festival (June 26-28) in Pinetop-Lakeside.

Because things are rapidly changing in light of the COVID19 pandemic, please check with venues to confirm events before making a long road trip!

FLAGSTAFF Bird Walks (June 6, 20). Join the Audubon Society to see some of the more than 130 species of birds found at the gardens. All participants will need to wear a mask, and advance registration is required. $10; $5 for ages 4-17; $7 for seniors/military. 9:30 a.m. The Arboretum at Flagstaff, 4001 S. Woody Mountain Road, Flagstaff. thearb.org Kids Squared (Wednesdays in June). From 10-11 a.m. every Wednesday, Heritage Square Trust is hosting kids activities for kids of all ages. Heritage Square, 22 E. Aspen Ave., Flagstaff. downtownflagstaff.org Flagstaff Urban Flea Market (June 13). On second Saturdays, local artisans sell their wares — handmade wood and leatherwork, ceramics, soaps, vintage clothing, used tools, comics, toys, household goods, jewelry, upcycled goods, flowers and flea-market-type treasures. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free. City Hall parking lot, 211 W. Aspen Ave., Flagstaff. flagstaffmarket.com Wildflower Walks (June 20, 27).

Join the knowledgeable Arboretum staff

on a morning walk through the gardens and explore the colorful varieties of native Northern Arizona wildflowers.

Bring water, a camera and comfortable walking shoes. All participants will need to wear a mask, and advance registration is required. $10; $5 for ages 4-17; $7 for seniors/military. 9:30 a.m. The Arboretum at Flagstaff, 4001 S. Woody Mountain Road, Flagstaff.

928-774-1442 or thearb.org

PAYSON Summer Concert Series (June 6, 13, 20, 27). Bring the family and a picnic (or buy food from local vendors) and enjoy live music under the stars.

Dogs must be on leash at all times. No smoking or alcohol. 7 p.m. Saturdays through July. Free. Green Valley Park, 1000 W. Country Club Drive, Payson. paysonrimcountry.com Kids Monster Mudda (June 20).

Kids ages 6 to 11 can participate in the Kidz Monster Mudda ­— a kid-friendly course at the Arizona Mountain High Games annual Mogollon Monster Mudda 5K Mud Run. The course includes 20 natural and man-made obstacles on mountain trails. Kids

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can climb walls, run through mud pits, slither through mud slides, cross monkey bars and more. Race times are staggered by age and begin at noon. $20. Payson Event Center, 1400 S. Beeline Highway, Payson. paysonrimcountry.com

about — something you may not see during a day visit. Docents will be available to help locate animals and answer questions. Bring a flashlight!

8-9:30 p.m. $10. 1403 Heritage Park Road, Prescott. 928-778-4242 or heritageparkzoo.org

Feast Fur All Food Truck Festival (June 20). Enjoy beer, music and loads of food trucks at this fun family festival benefitting The Shadows Foundation, which offers services and financial assistance to people and families affected by a life threatening illness. 2-8 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Fort Tuthill County Fair Grounds, 2446 Fort Tuthill Loop, Flagstaff. shadowsfoundation.org

Shakespeare in the Pines (June 19, 20, 26-27). Laark Productions brings Shakespeare’s classic to the old West in “The Merry Wives of Winslow” where Winslow wives juggle jealous husbands, willful children and the unwanted attentions of Sir John Falstaff. Tickets include appetizers, beverages, dessert and theater admission. 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. show. $70. laarkproductions.com

PINETOP/LAKESIDE White Mountains Balloon Festival (June 26-28). This colorful festival features a hot-air balloon glow, “tethered” hot-air balloon rides, pancake breakfasts, music, retail vendors and food trucks. 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 6-9 a.m.

Sunday. Mountain Meadow Recreation Complex, 1101 N. Woodland Road, Pinetop-Lakeside. 928-368-8696 or wmbfaz.com

PRESCOTT Zoo by Moonlight (June 5). Visit the Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary every full moon for the opportunity to see nocturnal residents out and

World’s Oldest Rodeo (June 29-July 5). Prescott Frontier Days presents the 133rd annual World’s Oldest Rodeo.

Watch judged events (bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding) and timed events (steer wrestling, tie-down, team roping, barrel racing). Plus, the Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo Parade, the Kiwanis Kiddie Parade, an arts and crafts show and a rodeo dance.

7:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

Sunday. $12-$27. Please note the new clear-bag policy. Rodeo Grounds, 840 Rodeo Drive, Prescott. 928-445-3103 or worldsoldestrodeo.com

JUNE TOP EVENTS family time!

JUNE 7: Grease Sing-a-long on CBS. Sing and dance along with Sandy, Danny and the rest of the Rydell High crew in this classic high school musical. 8:30 p.m. on CBS. viacomcbspressexpress.com

JUNE 7, 14, 21, 28: Sunday Night Drive-in Concerts. Enjoy a concert from the comfort of your car! On Sunday nights in June, there will be two stages of live music plus contactless food truck delivery. You may not be able to high-five strangers during your favorite set, but you can boogie with your quarantine posse from the safety of your car cabin and 6-12 feet of reserved space to ensure you have plenty of room to stretch your legs. Performances will be shown on two huge digital screens, and sound will stream directly to your car stereo.

7:30 p.m. $60 per car includes $20 of food-truck credit. Digital Drive-In AZ, 1901 N. Alma School Road, Mesa. digitaldriveinaz.com

JUNE 9: Great Wolf Lodge reopens. The Scottsdale hotel/waterpark will welcome guests back to the resort and introduce its new Paw Pledge program — a companywide initiative focused on keeping families healthy and safe while they play together at the indoor waterpark resort.

Great Wolf Lodge, 7333 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale. greatwolf.com The Heard Museum reopens to the general public. Attendance will be limited to 100 per hour, with a maximum capacity of 240 visitors.

Face coverings and social distancing are required for staff and visitors for all indoor spaces. Disposable masks and gloves will be available upon request and free of charge. $22; $9 ages 6-17; free for ages 5 and younger. heard.org

DRIVE-IN MOVIES

Drive-in movies are a great way to get out of the house with the family while still observing distancing. And like a blast from the past, they are popping up all over town: GLENDALE

SCOTTSDALE

Moonlight Movie Night (ThursdaySunday) offers drive-in style movies and window food service from Westgate Entertainment District restaurants. azpopupmovies.com/westgate

Moonlight Movie Night (ThursdaySunday) will offer drive-in style movies and window food service from Sonora Village restaurants. azpopupmovies.com/sonora-villagescottsdale/

West Wind All Digital Drive-in (nightly) offers family-favorite movies from the comfort and safety of your vehicle. westwinddi.com/locations/ glendale

LAKE PLEASANT AND MESA Digital Drive-in (Friday-Saturday) is a pop-up drive-in movie theater offering fun flicks for your quarantine crew. digitaldriveinaz.com/

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (nightly) has turned into a drive-in movie location. Popcorn and beverages are available. rec.ticketforce.com/ eventperformances.asp?evt=21

QUEEN CREEK The Drive-In at Schnepf Farms (MondaySunday) shows a variety of family, classic and date-night films. schnepffarms.com/ the-drive-in-at-schnepf-farms

JUNE 10: QVLN performance. Singer, violinist and composer QVLN (Q-Violin) is showcasing his musical innovation with a virtual Facebook performance featuring North, Central and South American rhythms. He navigates all forms of musical expression with an electric violin as his centerpiece. 6-7 p.m. Free. asugammage.com

JUNE 11:

MICHAEL BURRELL

JUNE 24: Remix it: Teen Workshop. Ages 13-18 can put their own spin on an existing work of art, combining old and new influences to create mixed media artwork during this series of interrelated workshops.

Each session will explore a different approach to the creative process. All skill levels welcome. Preregistration required. 2 p.m. phxart.org

Arroz con Mango. Part of Chandler Center for the Arts virtual “CCA Anywhere Series,” Arroz con Mango performs music with Cuban flavors that will make you want to dance. 7 p.m. Facebook event.

Free. chandlercenter.org

Blippi the Musical. This musical brings the energetic and lovable character Blippi to the stage with audience engagement and amazing music. Children ages 2-7 love Blippi’s charismatic personality and innovative teaching lessons. In this live show, they will continue to learn about the world around them while singing and dancing along. 6 p.m. Arizona Federal Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. arizonafederaltheatre.com

JUNE 15:

Calendar Editor Carrie Wheeler is the mother of Wilson (8). Send calendar info to Carrie@RAKmagazine.com.

Phoenix Zoo reopens. The Zoo will be reopening for 2,500 guests each day in order to allow for recommended social distancing. Spots must be reserved ahead of time. 7 a.m. to noon. $16.95-$24.95. phoenixzoo.org

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family time! Fathers’s Day celebrations

Pick out some

COOL-DAD GIFTS from local shops:

Indulge in deli meats and beer at Miracle Mile.

On Sunday, June 21, we celebrate dads and all they do. Here are a few ways to be festive with food, fun and more on his special day.

Start his day with classic or crazy donuts.

Alien Donuts in Scottsdale offers a crazy selection from Lucky Charms donuts to classic glazed for delivery or pick-up. $10-$26. aliendonuts.com Rent a boat at Tempe Town Lake. Rent paddle boats, kayaks and bikes Monday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tempe Town Lake, 72 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe. boats4rent.com Get him free food. On June 21, dads can get one free menu item all day at the 12 Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers restaurants in greater Phoenix. coldbeers.com Take him to smack some golf balls. Top Golf’s Scottsdale location is now open for business.

Dads can hit for two hours weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon for $15. topgolf.com/us/riverwalk Play mini golf. Castles-n-Coasters in north Phoenix has opened miniature golf from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Sunday. castlesncoasters.com Take him bowling. Let it Roll Bowl in Phoenix is observing social distancing by keeping every other lane empty. Sunday lane rentals are $23.02 + tax for an hour of unlimited bowling for up to 5 people. letitrollbowl.com Play games at a bar/restaurant. FatCats in Gilbert and Mesa (fatcatsfun.com), Main Event (mainevent.com) and Dave & Buster’s in Glendale, Tempe and North Phoenix (daveandbusters.com) are open with added safety measures.

Indulge in deli meats and beer. Miracle Mile Deli is charging $80 for a $100 Miracle Mile Deli gift card through June 21. Pair it with beer by the gallon for $35. Or get one of their Father’s Day Special Meal Deals, including Breakfast In Bed ($55), Lunch At Home ($45) or Dinner For the Fam ($55-$95). miraclemiledeli.com Reserve a distillery tour. San Tan Brewery is offering distillery and brewery tours hourly between noon and 7 p.m. on Father’s Day, with tour groups limited to 10 attendees at the Chandler facility. santantours.com Race him on the go-kart track. Octane Raceway in Scottsdale has reopened with go-karts cleaned with disinfectant and sanitizing fog after every race. octaneraceway.com Load up the SUV for a drive-in movie! Drive-in movies — a great way to get out the house while observing social distancing — are popping up all over town. raisingarizonakids.com/weekendevents-phoenix-kids Hear the mighty Wurlitzer. Organ Stop Pizza, home of the world’s largest Wurlitzer pipe organ, has reopened in Mesa and has lots of social distancing procedures in effect. Maybe they’ll play “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” to help Dad remember attending professional sporting events. organstoppizza.com Make something from the heart. Check out some Father’s Day craft kits Dad might like from Pinspiration in north Phoenix. https://squareup. com/store/pinspiration

1. Father of the Goddamn Year Mug, $18 at Frances Boutique. shopfrancesboutique.com

2. Wren House Oatmeal Stout Crowler, $10 at www.wrenhousebrewing.com

3. Ateleia Brass Pen, $75 at ateleia.com 4. Cascade V2 Fellman Watch, $125 at fellmanwatchco.com

5. Key Chain, $22 at bunkyboutique.com 6. Phoenix Tee, $30 at Frances Boutique 7. Phoenix Skyline wallet, $110 at badcraftstudio.com

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first person

WHEN A SON

BECOMES A FATHER

By Karen Davis Barr

FEWER DISTRACTIONS are more welcome these days than a text message that reads, “You guys home?”

The messages come every few days from our son, who lives in California. We know what they mean: “How about a visit with your granddaughter?”

Whatever else is happening, I always reply “yes!” — usually with several exclamation points. Then I race down the hall, phone in hand, to find my husband before the FaceTime image leaps onto my screen.

For the next few minutes (the baby, of course, determines the length of our “play dates”), Dan and I grin like a couple of fools as we singsong our greetings to this precious little girl who was born during a pandemic and remains frustratingly out of reach.

She is healthy, safe and thriving; that is all that matters. And her sleep-deprived parents are coping beautifully, despite the fact that they have been truly on their own since she was born in mid-March.

Because of the coronavirus, we couldn’t travel to support them with the mundane but helpful tasks grandparents happily take on when a baby is born — laundry, cooking, shopping, or simply providing an extra set of arms so weary parents can nap.

We are missing a lot — but not everything.

Thanks to thoughtful, frequent communications from our son and his wife, we’ve enjoyed pictures, videos and especially these live “chats” with their little girl, whose every sound or movement fills our hearts with love and joy.

Along the way, we’ve borne witness to another transformation. Our strong, athletic son — who played football throughout high school and college, who launched a successful business in a highly competitive field, who courageously pulls no punches when tough decisions must be made — has become a tender, devoted, and highly engaged father.

He read pregnancy and birth books when his wife was pregnant, and he hasn’t stopped reading. He can tell you exactly which developmental stages his daughter has passed, and which are on the horizon. (A big one is coming up — at 12 pounds, it is hoped, she may sleep through the night!)

As I was writing, I got a new message. This time, Daddy and Baby were home on their own while Mom was out running some errands. For a full 20 minutes, my son patiently sat as I told his daughter how much fun we will have some day reading books together, blowing bubbles, making art projects. Despite his packed schedule as an entrepreneur and manager, my son knew that this particularly quiet moment in his daughter’s life would be one I would cherish.

He was right. And I haven’t stopped smiling.

Our son’s first Father’s Day will truly be one to celebrate and remember. It will be almost as precious to me as the day he was born.

Karen Davis Barr is the founder and publisher of Raising Arizona Kids, which she started when her sons were 2 and 4.

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