go outside and get your hands dirty the issue
Kylie Battle shovels dirt at Olivia Park Elementary School’s garden
“Magical”
Seattle’sChild
April 2017 // Issue 452
“Seattle is my town. I know this city inside and out… or so I thought until I had kids.”
Seattle’s Child is your guide to getting to know your city all over again. Finding things to do, places to eat, and how to get around — it’s a whole new ballgame with kids in tow. We’re interested in how parents make homes in a space-challenged urban environment, how families create community, and what parents are talking about. Seattle’s Child reflects real Puget Sound families and their broad range of parenting experiences.
ANN BERGMAN Publisher, Founder abergman@seattleschild.com
BOO DAVIS Art Director bdavis@seattleschild.com
BECCA BERGMAN BULL Executive Editor bbull@seattleschild.com
NICOLE SANTORA Calendar Editor calendar@seattleschild.com
MIKE MAHONEY Copy Editor
JEFF LEE, MD, BECCA BERGMAN BULL Columnists
JO EIKE, REBECCA MONGRAIN, ANDIE POWERS, NAOMI TOMKY Contributing Editors
ERIKA LEE BIGELOW, JIAYING GRYGIEL, KATHERINE HEDLAND HANSEN, SYDNEY PARKER, NIKI READING Contributing Writers
AMY CADWELL Publisher’s Assistant ADVERTISING
KIM LOVE Ad Production Manager klove@seattleschild.com
WENDY CLARK Marketing & Sales Coordinator wclark@seattleschild.com 425-361-9303
KRIS ROSS Sales Account Manager kross@seattleschild.com 206-687-9282
MELIA WILKINSON Sales Account Manager mwilkinson@seattleschild.com 774-253-2219
GET OUT! Find April outings for your family with our complete online calendar of events. It’s mobile-friendly, constantly updated, and searchable by location, age, cost and more » seattleschild.com
q BY KATHERINE HEDLAND HANSEN
»What Parents Are Talking About
Sensitive radars
HOW DO WE KEEP OUR KIDS FROM GETTING ANXIOUS ABOUT POLITICAL ISSUES THAT STRESS US OUT?
My 10-year-old son asked me recently if any of his friends — among them Vietnamese, Mexican and Muslim kids — would have to leave the country because of President Trump’s executive orders. I wanted to ease his mind, but I knew
I couldn’t answer with certainty what the future holds for all his classmates. I know I’m not the only parent fielding tough questions these days given the acrimonious public discourse. No matter where we fall on the issues,
our kids are bound to pick up on our agitation. How can we alleviate their fears while still being truthful? And just how upfront should we be?
Local experts offer some guidelines for parents to help our children understand the world and offer some reassurance.
Don’t brush them off
Experts agree that parents should focus less on providing the right answer and more on helping children think through the issues, and how they feel about them.
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Jana Mohr Lone, author of The Philosophical Child, urges dialogue between kids and parents.
What Parents Are Talking About
< Sensitive radars CONTINUED
“I think they often feel pretty isolated, because adults assume they are not capable of understanding big questions about life, or we’re not comfortable talking about them, so we brush them aside,” says Jana Mohr Lone, director of the University of Washington Center for Philosophy for Children and author of The Philosophical Child.
She has worked with thousands of students and parents over the years, and urges dialogue. Say a child has heard that the President is a racist, or a liar. Talk about
what those words mean.
“Does that mean that everyone who voted for him is a racist and a liar?” you can ask.
Or “Is it ever OK to tell a lie? What problems can lying create?”
Pay attention to their emotions — and yours
Therapist Matthew Boynton, who works in private practice in Renton, says parents should help kids identify what they’re feeling, whether it’s fear, anxiety or sadness.
“I would create opportunities for them
to talk about the emotions that lie beneath their questions,” says Boynton. “There is a lot of fear. There is a lot of uncertainty. Kids need to hear that their feelings are important, and that it’s normal to be afraid.”
Boynton says parents must also be conscious of how they deal with their own stress — whether it’s about politics or other pressures — to make sure they don’t pass it on to their kids.
“Kids’ radars are very sensitive,” he says. “They may not be able to completely identify what’s going on, but their ears pick up on the emotional tone that underlies it.”
Answer their direct questions — in an age-appropriate way
There is no prescribed age for discussing certain topics, but there are even-handed ways to answer kids of all ages.
For instance, if the subject is the ban on immigrants from certain countries, preschoolers can’t handle a complex conversation, Lone says. But they can understand that the President is the leader of our country, and he has a really hard job and not everyone agrees with him.
drama school
Upper-elementary kids can go deeper. They can comprehend that some people think the ban is a way to protect the country and others think it’s against what America stands for. Ask them what they think. Who should be allowed to come to America?
Parents should rely on their own intuition in terms of how much their kids are ready to hear. Still, Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, a pediatrician at Seattle Children’s Hospital, encourages parents to “have a minute of courage when things come up to be as honest as you can be.”
“Acknowledge that this is a different time,” Swanson says. “It is a little more antagonistic and divided.”
Swanson, who blogs as Seattle Mama Doc, says it can be a marvelous time to parent, as kids learn what matters to them. And above all, “Children want to know they have you as a truthful, trustworthy, steadfast partner,” Swanson says.
Also, it’s healthy for kids to hear different points of view. Lone recalls a recent classroom conversation in which most of the kids were complaining about the outcome of the election. One boy said he supported Trump.
“Isn’t part of living in this country that you get to vote for who you think is best?” the boy asked. This opened up the discussion, reinforcing the idea that it’s possible to disagree and still be friends.
Older children might want answers you can’t give, or they may have a desire to take action. Researching a topic together or finding ways to get involved can be beneficial.
I went back to my son. We talked about respecting people’s differences, their privacy and their cultures, and ways he can make others feel welcome and equal, regardless of where they come from.
We both felt better when our talk ended. But I know the conversation isn’t over.
DadNextDoor
by Jeff Lee, MD
A little encouragement from across the fence
Worlds apart
I first met Bobby when he was 9 years old. He used to come in with his mom for her prenatal visits. I remember him as a goofy, funny, slightly hyperactive kid who talked nonstop — usually about basketball. But as soon as I got the Doppler out to listen to his baby sister’s heartbeat, he would drag a chair over to the exam table so he could get closer. He’d lay his head on his mom’s belly with this huge, toothy grin, and for a few seconds he’d actually stop talking.
Bobby is 19 now. He’s enrolled at the local community college, which he pays for by living at home and flipping burgers at the local Burger King. He still loves basketball, but he’s much more focused on getting his business degree.
Last month, he got home from work and found the fridge empty, so he headed for Taco Bell. He was on his way home when he drove by a liquor store that’s a notorious gang hangout. Unfortunately, some rival gang members were driving by at the same time. Bobby got caught in the crossfire, and took a bullet to the head. He had just enough presence of mind to call his girlfriend before he passed out. She heard him stop talking while gunshots rang out over the phone.
He was rushed to Harborview Medical Center, where he hovered on the brink of death for days. Respiratory failure, liver failure, meningitis — he battled through one complication after another. Miraculously, he survived. After 29 days, the hospital discharged him, and a couple of days later his family brought him to me.
He was wearing a helmet to shield the spot where a saucer-sized piece of skull had been removed to accommodate
his swollen brain. He walked with an odd, shambling gait, like a zombie in a horror movie. His speech was slow and halting, and his facial expression was completely flat. I couldn’t tell if that was the brain injury or just his state of mind, but it was hard to look at him either way.
My first reaction was that this was a horrible, random accident that could have happened to anyone. But the more I thought about it , the more I realized that a confluence of circumstances had put Bobby in a time and place where my own 19-year-old daughter, for example, would never have been.
Bad luck put a bullet in Bobby’s head, but the basic circumstances of his life are what put him in harm’s way. If you read about his shooting in the newspaper over your morning espresso, you might never know that. That’s the thing about privilege — it’s invisible to the people who have it.
My daughter isn’t living at home and attending the local community college. She’s in a dorm in a four-year liberal arts school in a little college town. She doesn’t have to stave off hunger with dollar meals at Taco Bell. She has a meal plan, and an all-you-
Since time immemorial, color has influenced humans historically, socially and artistically.
In this interactive exhibit visitors will; experience how color impacts our daily lives, view colorful object displays and learn about the significance and usage of color by our contemporary artists.
DadNextDoor
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
can-eat salad bar. She doesn’t drive home every day past a liquor store where gang members hang out with semi-automatic weapons under their coats. She walks home across a pretty, wooded campus on well-lit, winding paths.
Bad luck put a bullet in Bobby’s head, but the basic circumstances of his life are what put him in harm’s way. If you read about his shooting in the newspaper over your morning espresso, you might never know that. That’s the thing about privilege — it’s invisible to the people who have it.
„
There’s one good thing that Bobby does have, though, and that’s health insurance. Because of the Affordable Care Act (also known, sometimes derisively, as “Obamacare”) he is fully covered, not only for his multiple surgeries and long hospital stay, but for the years of physical therapy, speech therapy and rehabilitation that are now his foreseeable future.
The point of all this is not to lay a guilt trip at your feet. It’s simply to remind us, and mostly myself, that while the abstract debates in Washington, D.C., may feel like political theater, they are about real problems with very real consequences. In the coming months, those debates are going to escalate into pitched battles — not just over health care, but over Social Security, tuition relief, the minimum wage, and a whole host of programs that currently constitute our tenuous safety net. As you turn your attention to those issues (and they’re far too important for any of us to ignore), don’t just come to them as a citizen or a taxpayer. Come to them as a parent.
Maybe Bobby isn’t your kid, but that isn’t the point. The question is whether or not Bobby is our kid, and if or how we will decide to take care of him. Our answer will determine what kind of country we become, and what kind of world our children will live in.
Jeff Lee lives, works and writes in Seattle’s South End.
Read all of Jeff Lee’s columns on seattleschild.com
Right under your nose!
THE PEOPLE’S POOL
Last year, Tacoma opened an indoor public pool that seriously ups the standard for where to get wet in the Northwest. Unlike at most indoor pools, big windows let natural light flow over the L-shaped water. There’s a splash pad especially for toddlers; a current channel and vortex (like a mini lazy river); floating pads that let kids pretend to walk on water; and poolside basketball hoops. There’s even a shallow area with a submerged bench for the aqua-nervous. Adults/$4, ages 5-17/$3 and ages 4 and under are free 3 metroparkstacoma.org/peoples-pool
»Romp
Uncover Pike Place’s secrets
Chances are if you’ve brought the kids to Pike Place Market, you’ve snapped a photo with Rachel the Pig and said “Ew!” to the gum wall. Jenise Silva recommends plunging further into its labyrinthine depths. For more than a decade, Silva has explored the Market from toddler height as a
volunteer with the Pike Market Child Care and Preschool. She also authored the 2016 edition of The Hunt Seattle, a guide to the city’s gems. “The Market in general just explodes kids’ heads,” she says, as they’re handed apples, candy and other samples. But her first piece CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >
5 COOL PARKS NEAR LIGHT RAIL STATIONS
1
Angle Lake Park: Water, water, everywhere! In SeaTac, a 10-minute walk from the Angle Lake Station, find a small lake, 10 acres of open space and a play structure. In summer, there’s swimming and a spray park.
2
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park
Education with your recreation
Wide-open, terraced grass stretches out over this hillside park a halfmile from the Mount Baker Station. In its center is the black granite “mountain” sculpture honoring MLK’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech.
3
Beacon Hill Playground: Sports courts and jungle gyms
Tennis and basketball courts, soccer and baseball fields, as well as wide swaths of grass, make up this hilltop park a half-mile from the Beacon Hill Station. The northern edge offers a colorful play structure, merry-goround, and wading pool.
4
Donnie Chin International Children’s Park: Culture and creativity
This small but unique park, a five-minute walk southeast of the ID/Chinatown Station, features a bronze dragon to play on, colorful drums, a play structure, sculptures by local artists and a pergola.
5
Cal Anderson Park: Capitol Hill’s playground
In summer, it can feel like half the neighborhood is here, one block from the Capitol Hill Station. The grassy area is large and the play structure offers a climbing wall, slides and soft turf. There’s also the fountain and texture pool.
>> Romp > Chomp > Shop
q BY NAOMI TOMKY
Kids are beguiled by the old-timey feel and strange sites of the Giant Shoe Museum.
Romp
of advice is as much for the adults as the kids: find the rooftop garden. Even when the main arcades are jampacked, the garden, which opened in 2013, remains remarkably peaceful and families can rest on the benches, draw on a chalk wall and take in spectacular views. “Nobody seems to know it’s there,” she marvels. To find it, squeeze past the crowd watching the fish sellers, follow a hallway between Don & Joe’s butcher counter and MarketSpice, pass under the neon Maximilien sign and then take a left down another hallway (there should be an Urban Garden sign).
Next, find the Giant Shoe Museum: “It’s beautiful and kind of magical,” she says of the old-timey, peepshow-style storefront, which is located on the Down Under level, below the Market entrance sign. Pop in a quarter and peer at a variety of —
you guessed it — bizarrely oversized footwear. Then head to Rummage Around, which contains, as Silva puts it, “a big mess in the best kind of way.” Inside, you may find books, games and puppets or, for a quarter, let kids dig around in the big containers in the hallways for their own personal treasure. She also recommends Bella Umbrella for big, bright umbrellas, and Metsker Maps, because it’s not fussy and kids can touch the globes and maps. There isn’t a toy store in the Market these days, but Silva points
out that Oriental Mart has toy-like trinkets, Lion Heart has a good selection of kids’ books, and Golden Age Collectables has a giant inflatable Superman hanging from the ceiling. “Most of the visual stuff isn’t for sale,” she says of the comic-bookthemed shop, “So it’s OK for kids to go in and look.”
And because no trip to the Market is complete without food, she recommends the giant meatball sandwich at LoPriore Bros., followed by the new retro-cool soda fountain and ice cream parlor, Shug’s.
The Breadfarm’s pastries are a must on your visit.
Escape from Seattle!
TULIP DETOUR: THE EATS OF EDISON
Spring is tulip time in Skagit County: If you’re braving the crowds (and traffic), you’ll want a game plan for finding sustenance. The small town of Edison offers notably good eats, and as it’s situated 15 minutes north of the tulip epicenter of Mount Vernon, won’t be mobbed with people. Start at the Breadfarm with housemade pastries — and grab their famous graham crackers to-go for later. Duck into Mariposa for freshsqueezed pineapple juice and tacos at lunch, and don’t miss their churros. Dinner is a slower time, and you’ll probably be heading home, so stop into Slough Food to procure local goodies for a car snack or dinner picnic.
The alleyway covered in used chewing gum is irresistible to Maggie, 3, and Molly, 5.
WHINE-FREE COUNTRY
Located 30 minutes northeast of Seattle, Woodinville is a pictureperfect town full of wineries, breweries and restaurants. With a little planning, parents can squeeze in some wine tasting and quality bites with the kids in tow.
The Hollywood Tavern is a historic staple that Josh Henderson of Skillet fame revamped in 2013. Their specialty is the Hollywood Burger, made with grass-fed beef and housemade American cheese, or there’s comfort foods (Beecher’s mac and cheese), salads, plus a solid kids’ menu. During warm weather, enjoy a spacious outside area and fire pit. 14508 WoodinvilleRedmond Rd. NE
3 thehollywoodtavern.com
Located in Woodinville’s Warehouse District, Des Voigne Cellars and Brewing offers stellar wines and delicious craft brews. In the spacious tasting room, kids can decorate the floor with chalk or huddle around a board game while enjoying root beer on tap and free pretzels. 14125 NE 189th St., Suite B 3 dvcellars.com
Isenhower Cellars is a family-owned winery that turns out spectacular Rhone-style varietals and blends. If the Isenhowers are in town from Walla Walla, you’re likely to see their three young daughters helping out in the tasting room. This welcoming space offers games and activities for kids, and well-behaved pups are allowed. 15007 WoodinvilleRedmond Rd. NE 3 isenhowercellars.com
BALLARD’S BUTTERY BISCUIT DRIVE-THROUGH
Seattle has no shortage of exceptional baked goods, but biscuit aficionados should look no further than Morsel, which has churned out fluffy pillows of perfection since 2013. Choose from one of their signature biscuits with a choice of 10 toppings, from housemade jams
EATING WITH KIDS
(sweet and savory) to compound butters. For larger appetites, try one of the stellar sandwiches, such as the Spanish Fly, with prosciutto, egg, Manchego cheese, greens and housemade aioli. Bonus for parents with napping children: the Ballard location has a drive-through window. 4754 University Way NE & 5905 15th Ave. NW, Seattle 3 morselseattle.com
»Chomp
Laid-back neighborhood spot
Late last year, local resident and James Beard Award–winning chef Maria Hines delighted Seattle parents by opening her most family-friendly restaurant yet in the heart of Ballard. Young American Ale House is Hines’ foray into the popular world of gastropubs, offering her own elevated spins on classic pub fare.
As with all Hines restaurants (Tilth, Agrodolce),
ingredients are organic, and the menu is seasonally and locally driven. The bright, welcoming space is rustic and charming, decked out in reclaimed wood. The back of the restaurant houses a large wood-fired oven that casts a cozy glow over the open kitchen, where kids can watch the chefs at work. Hines says she wanted to create a laid-back neighborhood space,
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> Romp >> Chomp > Shop
q BY JO EIKE
High-profile chef Maria Hines recently opened a warm, familyfriendly restaurant in Ballard.
“where parents can bring the kids, but also get a really amazing and delicious cocktail.”
The menu is full of classic comfort foods, including many of Hines’ childhood favorites. The chicken pot pie, with its luscious, creamy sauce and buttery crust, is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, as is the deeply decadent poutine, available either as a vegetarian version or with beef-fat French fries.
The popular burgers, full or kid-sized, are made from Skagit Valley grass-fed beef. Seafood options include a tasty Taylor Shellfish chowder made with Rainier beer, and a panko-crusted wild cod sandwich topped with a zingy giardiniera that perfectly cuts through the richness of the rémoulade. The small plates and sides also hold their own, particularly the refreshing kale
salad topped with Beecher’s cheese curds, which is also offered during the daily happy hour, 4 to 6 pm. Young American has recently added a weekend brunch, where kids can munch on cinnamon-dusted French toast bites as parents enjoy seasonal vegetable
omelets, housemade biscuits and gravy, $12 mimosa carafes and more. If you’re looking to make a day of it, Ballard’s historic Majestic Bay Theater is just down the street, so you can follow brunch with a matinee.
q 1744 NW Market St., mariahinesrestaurants.com
TAKE A BIG OL’ BITE OUT OF THIS FESTIVAL
If your family is looking for a weekend getaway this spring, Wenatchee is hosting its annual Apple Blossom Festival April 27 to May 7. Kids can enjoy thrilling rides at the Funtastic Carnival, watch parades and participate in Youth Day (April 30), which offers free face-painting, games and activities. When hunger strikes, head to Memorial Park, which hosts more than 20 food trucks and booths. Adjacent to the food fair is the main stage with free music and entertainment: dinner and a show in a beautiful setting. Memorial Park, Chelan Avenue & Orondo Avenue, Wenatchee 3 appleblossom.org
SENSORY DOUGH IN CALMING SCENTS
Like the idea of pretty play-dough that won’t make you cringe if it ends up in your toddler’s mouth? A Seattle preschool teacher crafts Essential Dough Co.’s product using food-grade ingredients, including coconut oil, which moisturizes hands while fighting bacteria. The dough is scented with lavender, vanilla or bergamot, and the colors are customizable. $10 and up 3 etsy.com/shop/EssentialDoughCo
»Shop
IMPECCABLE GRAPHICS FOR MODERN KIDS
Kinderfolk hits it out of the park with minimalist and cute apparel for contemporary kids. Designed in Seattle and made in the USA, Kinderfolk features onesies, shirts and leggings as well as décor (blankets, pillows) and accessories (bibs, totes, burp cloths).
BROUGHT TO LIFE
Written and drawn by Tacoma’s Chandler O’Leary and Jessica Spring, Dead Feminists: Historic Heroines in Living Color depicts feminist history via letterpress-style illustrations and vintage photos. Featuring the likes of Eleanor Roosevelt and Rachel Carson, the book isn’t explicitly for kids, but its lively visuals bring history to life.
$24.95 3 deadfeminists.com
Magical shop atop a hill
Like something from a fairy tale, perched high atop Queen Anne Hill in a restored Victorian house is Once Upon a Time. This fantastically cute store is also a community hot spot packed full of top-quality toys, clothing and shoes, along with baby signlanguage classes and yoga for all ages.
Liz McQuiston bought the store from its previous owners in December of 2015 after moving back to Queen Anne, where she grew up. She wanted to create a great place to shop as well as a space for families to gather, take part in activities or just interact with neighbors.
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> Romp > Chomp >> Shop
q BY REBECCA MONGRAIN
LIVELY AND LOCALLY MADE
Liz McQuiston, with daughter Willa, took over Once Upon a Time in 2015.
The store started by offering birthday party space, then quickly added other activities. It also hosts drop-in play on days without formal class offerings. “It’s been really nice to bring life other than retail to the store,” says McQuiston.
Once Upon a Time’s selection is focused on “products with purpose,” she says. This includes local items along with ones that have a positive social impact.
“We care so much about the community,” McQuiston continues. “We want to empower our neighbors and make them feel this is a living and growing store.”
q 1622 Queen Anne Ave. N, onceuponatimeseattle.com
Want a novel family outing but don’t want to spend the time clicking through endless online listings and blog posts for ideas? Seattlebased writer and editor Kate Calamusa has done the legwork for you — and compiled it all in her comprehensive new book Seattle Family Adventures, due out in April (Sasquatch, $19.95). Intended as a guide for both local families and visitors, the book offers suggestions for an array of ages, from babies to young teens. Chapters include Out & About (including step-bystep themed itineraries), Neighborhood Guides (“from Ballard to Bellevue”) and Best Eats, Sweets & Sips. The Day Trips and Weekend Getaways sections feature lots of destinations less than two hours away, aka the maximum amount of time most kids can handle being in the car. Handy icons alongside each activity indicate the price range as well as whether it’s, say, strollerfriendly, good for birthday parties or near a playground. The book also includes a section of annual events sorted by month, so you won’t have to yet again learn about a fun festival or
parade only after it’s happened. Suggestions range from exploring the world’s largest collection of giant shoes at Pike Place Market to taking a scenic hike in West Seattle to feeding kangaroos, going ziplining and learning the fine art of trapeze. Calamusa purposefully omits chains in favor of local businesses and restaurants, and skips activities that require registration in advance. Insider tips, such as which movie theaters have “cry rooms” and baby-friendly showings, are sprinkled throughout. Keep a copy in your diaper bag, glove box or bike panniers, and reach for it the next time a few free hours open up. Planning a trip to Portland? A similar guide, Portland Family Adventures, is also being published. — Rebecca Mongrain
Though it might look like the stuff of urban fantasy, the verdant hideaway depicted in The Children’s Garden: Growing Food in the City, out May 2 (Little Bigfoot, $16.99) actually exists in the heart of Seattle.
Author Carole Lexa Schaefer discovered the Children’s Garden at the Good Shepherd Center years ago while walking down Sunnyside Avenue in Wallingford. Seattle Tilth, the local organization that since 1978 has taught people of all ages how to grow their food, created
it 20 years ago in an abandoned swimming pool.
In the book and in real life, the Children’s Garden is a place where kids learn how food is grown and what kind of care various plants need to survive. As the book points out, gardens can also teach children about themselves.
Bainbridge Island artist Pierr Morgan, a former artistin-residence at the Seattle Children’s Museum, depicts the diverse pack of kids enjoying the summer’s bounty in colorful paintings using a gouache-andink-resist technique. She and Schaefer, an award-winning author of more than 20 children’s books who lives on Camano Island, have collaborated on several books, including The Squiggle and ABCers.
Though kids all over the country will undoubtedly enjoy the book, only the lucky ones who live in Seattle can go dig in the dirt that inspired it (see page 21 for details on planning a visit).
— Rebecca Mongrain
„ We’re looking for local books, products and shops with serious kid appeal. Know of any? Send us an email: shop@seattleschild.com
bloom where you’re planted
As our soggy city finally bursts into spring, we’re encouraging your family to get outside and embrace the dirt. It might be helping a toddler plant nasturtiums, seeing bees at work in West Seattle or transforming your yard into an eco-friendly rain garden (for free!). The only question is, how does your garden grow?
‘It’s all connected’
Farmer Frog links kids to the earth and their communities
By Katherine Hedland Hansen
Zsofia Pasztor has been interested in plants since she was a girl growing up in Hungary.
She’s since made it her life’s work to spread the gospel of environmental sustainability to children and families.
In addition to her landscape business (see page 20), she runs the nonprofit Farmer Frog, which aims to curb child hunger by
turning underutilized sites at local schools and in the community into environmentally sound, foodproducing farms and gardens.
Farmer Frog was born when Pasztor and her husband, Zsolt, also a horticulturist, worked with Olivia Park Elementary School in Everett, where their two children were then enrolled, to start a garden following the 2008 economic crash, which left many of the school’s families struggling to meet their food needs. The response was overwhelming, and today there are edible gardens at
camps for students interested in sustainable food production.
13 schools and five community locations throughout the Puget Sound region, including an educational garden at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound in Redmond and a therapeutic garden for veterans and their families at Horses Healing Heroes in Monroe.
During the school year, Farmer Frog works with teachers, parents and students to establish and maintain the gardens, and to integrate the subject into the classroom curriculum. In the summer months, the organization offers externships for teachers and
Farmer Frog doesn’t charge schools for its services, depending on volunteers, donations, sponsorships and revenue from its commercial and residential landscaping projects to make the projects happen.
Pasztor is driven by her need to feel like she’s making a difference and to educate people, especially with cuts to environmental protections and increasing pollution.
“I know that I’m doing everything I can,” she says. “Society, food, health, education, health care: it’s all connected.”
q Learn more at farmerfrog.org
A plant for every age
finding the right task for the right age
cultivates green thumbs
By Amy Pennington
I grew up on the eastern stretches of Long Island on a small family homestead. We raised animals and kept a huge vegetable garden in the backyard, and even as children we were expected to pitch in, working off of a list of daily chores. For the garden, that meant weeding. I remember sitting on a small bench in the soil, sun beating down on me, and ripping out weeds. I intentionally left some roots behind, and felt both guilty and utterly empowered. I smugly passed over small pieces of dandelion root, knowing they would come back again to taunt us. Above all other chores, I hated working in the garden.
I do keenly remember loving what the garden produced. Come spring I would sneak snap peas off the vine, thinking I’d get in trouble if I got caught eating one. I taught myself to squeeze the pod between my fingers and decide which would offer the sweetest peas. Too big and they lost their flavor; too small and I felt cheated.
Involving kids in the garden is thought to inspire an interest in food, but the real trick is finding the right task for the right kid. I’ve seen plenty of children grow weary of weeding or hauling around wheelbarrows of mulch. That sort of work is okay for teenagers, but for younger kids, the tedium quickly produces boredom.
If you want your kids to love gardening, here are some ideas regarding both what to grow and which jobs to assign, at three different ages. Younger kids get short tasks that, let’s face it, you could do faster yourself, but will inspire their interest. Older children are assigned plants that need long-term care: allowing them to nurture plants along a life cycle not only cultivates green thumbs, it can also help foster feelings of self-worth and achievement. Not a terrible way to spend a summer!
q Amy Pennington is a cookbook author and urban farmer based in Seattle. Learn more about what she’s cooking and growing (along with instructions for trellis building) at amy-pennington.com
Age 3
With a short attention span and growing motor skills, toddlers do best with short tasks and fast, fun results.
Arugula
This cool-weathertolerant plant goes in as soon as garden space clears up in late winter. Arugula has no specific planting requirements — kids can sprinkle a handful of seeds on the ground, poke a rake around and call it done. (Adults would call this erratic flinging of seeds onto topsoil “broadcast sowing.”) Arugula produces fast results, maturing in about 45 days. Toddlers may not love the “spicy” flavor, but having grown it themselves, they just might.
Nasturtiums
These vining flowers are vigorous, prolific growers, producing lily-pad-like leaves and bright flowers, both of which are edible. The seeds are large and easy to handle. They do well in most any soil — poor, rich, containers — and need only a regular spritz of water. Plant anytime in spring or early summer, as nasturtiums have a nice long window of opportunity (a perk for busy parents). These plants also make great seed savers: Allow flowers to die back and hard, large seeds will form that are easy for even toddlers to harvest, store and keep for next year.
Age 6
As new readers, elementary-school-aged children can pick and choose their own seeds, reading growing requirements off the label. This allows them the independence they crave, and parents need only be on hand for questions.
Peas
One of the first seeds to be planted in spring, peas are quick-growing plants that produce both edible vines and pods. Choose from shelling peas, snap peas (eat the whole pod), or snow peas. Pea seeds are large enough to handle with ease, and a small handful is all any family of four will need to plant. After plants are 6 inches tall, children will need some assistance trellising up the vines, but it’s simple work that can be completed in an hour, and children can practice tying knots using twine.
Zinnias
Zinnias are a summer crop, allowing kids to actively monitor their progress. With a strong stem that won’t break easily and petalcolor options that span the rainbow, these flowers are captivating and joyful. Small children can easily cut and make bouquets on their own — a fun addition to the annual lemonade stand. Owing to the flower’s fat head and large seeds, young children can easily collect the seeds. As an extra project to keep them busy, young ones can make and decorate their own seed packets after harvest.
Age 9
Older kids have defined palates and preferences, and are also capable of more demanding tasks. With more patience as well, older children can choose from long-season crops that take months to mature and need a bit of attention along the way.
Carrots
Carrots need concerted attention during growing and harvest. Rows must be thinned about three weeks into maturation in order to make room for the root to develop. (Some strategy is required: thin too many and you won’t have many carrots to harvest; don’t thin enough, and they’ll compete for space, producing small, unsatisfying carrots.) It’s not always clear when carrots are ready to harvest, but older kids are capable of both making the assessment and learning from it. As a rule of thumb, when the tops start to push out from the soil and you can clearly see some carrot crowning, they are ready.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers take some time to grow, but their height and grandeur is worth it. Some require early staking, and many will require netting or some sort of bird diversion tactic. An excellent excuse to haul a ladder into the garden, harvesting sunflowers is a real joy. Be sure to steer children into choosing varieties that produce seeds (some are strictly ornamental) if sunflower seed snacks is what they are after.
Founder Zsofia Pasztor created Farmer Frog in response to the food shortages she observed in her community caused by the Great Recession.
Soak up joy in a rain garden
Transform your yard while helping the planet
By Katherine Hedland Hansen
When Matt and Phaleen Hanson decided to fix the waterlogged front yard and damp basement at their Broadview home, their research led them to horticulturist Zsofia Pasztor.
Pasztor helped them create a rain garden — a slightly depressed area that absorbs rainwater from the roof, gutters and other hard surfaces, reducing stormwater runoff that contributes to pollution, erosion and flooding. Rain gardens require little maintenance after the first couple of seasons and look like typical gardens to passersby.
With Pasztor’s assistance, the Hansons, who have two sons, Simon and Max, chose deep-rooted native plants and edible fruit, and the family did much of the work themselves. Now they enjoy not only a dry house, but also a beautiful yard filled with birds, where they can go check the rain gauge and pick strawberries and blueberries.
Their success story is just one included in the new book Rain Gardens for the Pacific Northwest (Mountaineers Books, $24.95), co-written by Pasztor with landscape designer Keri DeTore, which teaches homeowners how to build and maintain their own rain gardens, taking into account the area’s topography, climate and plant life.
Indeed, in the often-soggy Pacific Northwest, rainwater brings pollution from downspouts, chemically treated lawns and oily streets, running into public storm drains. Then, “if our facilities can’t handle it, all that filthy water gets flushed into Puget Sound or Lake Washington, or whatever waterway they are connected to,” DeTore says.
As recently as February, a King County wastewater treatment plant failed as the result of catastrophic flooding, sending hundreds of millions of gallons of untreated wastewater and raw sewage into Puget Sound, and 11 South Park homes were swamped with sewage when an overflow pipe malfunctioned.
Rain gardens are one solution to such problems. In fact, they are so effective that
through their RainWise program, the city of Seattle and King County will connect households in certain areas with a landscaper and then issue a rebate, averaging $4,000, to cover the cost of installing a rain garden. (To see if you are eligible or to find out more about the program, call the Garden Hotline at 206-633-0224; email rainwise@seattle.gov; or visit 700milliongallons.org/rainwise).
Pasztor is one of the city’s rain-garden–certified landscapers and has installed more than she can count. In addition to writing, teaching workshops and landscape designing, she also runs her own nonprofit, Farmer Frog (see page 16). In writing the book, Pasztor wanted to pass her experience on to those who wish to tackle the project themselves. That said, installing a rain garden is not a simple project and can take months to complete.
“It’s complex stuff, but we have worked really hard to break it down into manageable chunks,” DeTore says.
Pasztor encourages letting children take part in construction. The Hansons’ boys were 4 and 6 during installation, and enjoyed digging in the dirt and moving wheelbarrows. “You get to cover science of all kinds, math, gravity and physics, and teach them about their responsibility for the environment,” she says.
Even the soil testing becomes a family experiment. Kids can help dig samples, put the dirt in a Mason jar with dish soap, and then watch to see how it separates to determine what type of soil is on their property.
They will also learn about plant care and food production. And rain gardens are free of pesticides and fertilizers.
“It’s a very cost-effective way to handle runoff,” Pasztor says. “It’s not going to solve everything, but it’s one of the easiest ways people can contribute.”
HOW RAIN GARDENS WORK
A Walk in the Parks
By Niki Reading
Our green-minded city has no shortage of public gardens.
Indeed, there’s one to suit nearly every interest, whether learning about urban farming, petting sheep, peering at beehives or meditating amid moss. Here’s a handful to visit this spring and summer.
FOR KIDS OF ALL ABILITIES
Seattle Children’s PlayGarden
What: This 1-acre gem at the old Colman Playfield allows kids with special needs and disabilities (along with their typically developing siblings) to both safely and adventurously engage with nature.
There’s an edible sensory garden, water features, a tree fort, an interactive music installation and a menagerie that includes resident geese and chickens.
How: The PlayGarden is open to the public sunup to sundown, except when summer camps are in session.
Look online for those hours and for info about its preschool program, art classes and more.
q 1745 24th Ave. S, childrensplaygarden.org
TO GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY
Children’s Garden at the Good Shepherd Center
What: Built in an abandoned pool, Seattle Tilth’s original children’s garden in Wallingford hosts hands-on educational tours and summer camps for kids that focus on growing food. The site also features a Community Learning Garden with solar greenhouses, a rain garden, fruit trees, berries and a pollinator border.
How: The garden is open to visitors anytime, but Tilth recommends attending a tour, camp or class to get the most out of the experience.
q 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N, seattletilth.org/about/tilth-alliancegardens/childrensgardengsc
FOR A DOSE OF CULTURE
Seattle
Japanese Garden
What: This 3½-acre formal garden located inside the Washington Park Arboretum was the earliest postwar Japanese-style public garden on the
West Coast. It has trails for peaceful strolling, and kids love crossing the small footbridges and spotting koi in the pond. On May 7, families are invited to celebrate Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day), a free event that includes traditional dance performances, games, martial arts demonstrations and food.
How: Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for older children and free for kids 5 and under. Hours vary by season.
q 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E, seattlejapanesegarden.org
FOR BUSY BEES
West Seattle Bee Garden
What: Within the P-Patch in the northwest corner of High Point Commons Park, you’ll find a pollination garden and dozens of beehives within a 8-foottall, open-roofed Plexiglas enclosure. For children (and adults) afraid of bees, a few minutes spent watching these fascinating insects do their work and reading the educational signage should help.
How: Anyone can visit the Bee Garden at any time. It also offers donationbased “field trips,” which entail up-close looks at honeycombs, pollen and more. On May 20, it will host the annual West Seattle Bee Festival (10 am to 3 pm), which includes food, music, activities and a sustainability-focused street fair. q 31st Ave. SW and SW Graham St., westseattlebeegarden.com
FOR A DAY TRIP
Bloedel Reserve
What: This tranquil 150-acre site on the north end of Bainbridge Island includes 12 distinct environments, from forested woodland to a bird marsh to a fairylandlike moss garden. Groomed trails snaking through the property encourage spontaneous meandering. Bloedel is considered a “living museum” and as such, eating food, picking flowers and wheels of any kind aren’t allowed; the experience is more zen than zoo.
How: Bloedel is open year-round Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is $15 for adults, $8 for older students, $5 for children 5-12 and free for children 4 and under.
q 7571 NE Dolphin Dr., Bainbridge Island, bloedelreserve.org
FOR A TASTE OF FARM LIFE
Kelsey Creek Farm
What: Tucked away a few minutes from downtown Bellevue, this picturesque farm features ponies, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs and more.
How: Maintained by Bellevue’s Parks and Community Services Department, Kelsey Creek is free and open to the public every day. From 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, watch the animals graze in the pasture, and enjoy a picnic area and playground from dawn ’til dusk.
q 410 130th Pl. SE, Bellevue,
Max and Simon Hanson helped transform the front yard of their Broadview home into a rain garden.
A rain garden features native shrubs, perennials and flowers planted in a small depression, which is generally formed on a natural slope.
Prime Poultry
Each June, the club hosts a poultry show where members show their chickens, then get a chance to use their knowledge to evaluate birds in a judging contest.
By Niki Reading
When you think of activities for kids in Seattle, “livestock club” probably doesn’t make the list. But a long-running Wallingford 4-H club teaches kids how to raise chickens, garden, sew and do woodworking. For the chicken-averse, there’s the option of raising and showing cats.
The Cooped Up In Seattle 4-H club started in 2010. About 20 members, ranging from ages 5 to 19, meet every month to learn about caring for poultry, practice showmanship skills and participate in community service. Projects range from planting trees to this year’s focus on raising money for 4-H Sister Schools in the African country of Burundi.
4-H started in Ohio in 1902 as a tiny crop-growing club for kids. It now includes about 6.5 million members across the country who work with cooperative extension offices at more than 100 public universities. The co-ed groups teach children everything from how to raise livestock to computer programming and photography. Built into every club is a focus on public speaking, recordkeeping and civic responsibility. 4-H clubs are popular in rural areas, but Seattle is home to several, including ones focused on sewing, dogs and bunnies.
q Membership is open to anyone — visit Cooped Up In Seattle’s Facebook page to learn more. Or check out this year’s poultry show, June 10 in Wallingford. For more information on 4-H clubs in Seattle and King County, visit 4-H.org/find.
Erika's picks for April
April 8
Pippi Day
Dress as your favorite character from the Pippi Longstocking series and celebrate the spunky redhead at the Nordic Heritage Museum with Swedish pancakes, dancing and crafts, followed by a showing of Pippi in the South Seas.
April 9
Baby Boeing’s 50th Birthday Party
Half a century already?
Head to the Museum of Flight to hear from the Boeing 737’s first pilot and engineers, then enjoy birthday cake while gawking at the original 737 prototype, known as Baby Boeing.
April 22
Earth Day Work Party
Dress for dirt and bring your own gloves to help restore forest habitat and pull weeds at Pathfinder School on West Seattle’s Pigeon Point, all set to a backdrop of live music.
April 28-April 30 World Rhythm Festival
This event at the Seattle Center will get toes of all ages tapping, with more than 80 world-music performances plus drum and dance workshops. Browse a unique marketplace for a playable souvenir.
April 29 Sheep Shearing
She sure shears sheep sheer at the Spring Sheep Shearing… Kelsey Creek Farm’s free, fun annual event includes tractor and pony rides, wool-spinning demos and, of course, sheep shearing.
»Calendar
04/17
Saturday, April 1
SEATTLE AREA
Whirligig! Annual event features inflatable rides, face painting, balloon artists and live entertainment. Special toddlers-only inflatables. Ages 12 and younger. 11 am to 6 pm daily through April 16. $, FREE on Thursdays (but crowded!). Seattle Center Armory (Lower Queen Anne). www.seattlecenter.com/whirligig Moisture Festival. Showcase of comedy/varietè artists including acrobats, dancers, musicians, clowns, aerialists, comedians, magicians, jugglers and more. Most shows all-ages (especially 3 pm shows), see website for schedule. 7:30 pm Wednesdays through Sundays, 3 pm weekends, through April 9. $$ to $$$. Hale’s Palladium, Seattle (Fremont). www.moisturefestival.org
Annual Free Children’s Concert. Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus present their annual concert for families. Costumes, familiar songs and audience participation make it fun for all. 2 pm. FREE; reserve tickets online. McCaw Hall, Seattle (Seattle Center). www.seattlechoruses.org
Pratt Spring Open House. Watch artists demonstrate
jewelry-making, glassblowing, blacksmithing, wood turning, printmaking and more, plus enjoy music, food trucks and art projects for kids. 6 to 9 pm. FREE. Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle (Central District). www.pratt.org
Vegfest. Everything vegetarian, including samples, cooking demonstrations, information, kids’ area with entertainment and more. 10 am to 6 pm through Sun. $ (cash or check), free ages 12 and younger. Seattle Center Exhibition Hall (Lower Queen Anne). www.vegofwa.org
Seedfolks. Based on the book by Paul Fleischman, this stage production is about a 9-year-old who plants lima-bean seeds and grows social reform. Recommended for ages 8 and older. 2 and 5:30 pm today; various times through April 16. $$$. Seattle Children’s Theatre, Seattle
Spring Fair in Puyallup
Birthday Parties
Center (Lower Queen Anne). www.sct.org
EASTSIDE
Leap for Green Fair. Celebrate nature and living a more eco-conscious lifestyle with demonstrations and information, plus food, entertainment and hands-on activities. 10 am to 2 pm. FREE. Mercer Island Community & Event Center. www.miparks.net
Scenic Train Ride. The Northwest Railway Museum offers scenic rides to the top of Snoqualmie Falls and back (approximately 2 hours round trip) with a stop at the trainshed exhibit building. See schedule online. 11 am to 4:25 pm weekends through Oct. $$ to $$$. Northwest Railway Museum, Snoqualmie. www.trainmuseum.org
A Year with Frog and Toad. Charming musical about friendship and fun, based on the books by Arnold Lobel. 1 and 3 pm today and weekends through April 15. $ to $$. SecondStory Repertory, Redmond. www.secondstoryrep.org
Cirque du Soleil: Luzia. See feats of strength, balance, acrobatics and more, in a theme described as “a waking dream of Mexico.” Tonight at 8 pm and various times through May 21. $$$. Marymoor Park, Redmond. www.cirquedusoleil.com
NORTH SOUND
Killer Whale Tales. Learn about the San Juan killer whale population in this presentation featuring unique footage by biologist, photographer and actor Jeff Hogan. Doors open at noon; enjoy exhibits and trails before the show. 1 pm. $. Pre-register by calling 425316-8592. Northwest Stream Center, Everett. www.streamkeeper.org
Edible Book Festival. This edible art exhibition will feature “books” made of food, inspired by a book or pun on a book title, that are exhibited and documented, then consumed. 10:45 am check-in to enter a “book.” Judging and viewing begins at noon. FREE. Third Place Commons, Lake Forest Park. www.shorelinearts.net
SOUTH SOUND
Wild Week of Play at Kids’ Trek. In celebration of spring break, let the kids run free outside in this nature-inspired playground complete with log cabins and a replica beaver lodge. Each visit includes a narrated tour through the 435-acre free-roaming area. Participants can also see foxes, owls and river otters along self-guided walking tours. Today, 9:30 am to 5 pm; various times through April 9. $ to $$$, free ages 2 and younger. Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Eatonville. www.nwtrek.org
Alice in Wonderland. An original adaptation of the enduring children’s classic, full to the brim with whimsical charm and unsurpassed silliness. Today and tomorrow at 2 pm. $$. Olympia Family Theater, Olympia. www.olyft.org
Squatch! The Musical. Sasquatch sightings are stirring up a small town, and a group of friends are determined to find the elusive creature. Ideal for ages 8 and older. Today at 2 and 7 pm; various times through April 9. Centerstage Theatre, Federal Way. www.centerstagetheatre.com
Sunday, April 2
SEATTLE AREA
Autism Awareness and Sensory Day. Families affected by autism and other sensory disorders can come experience a quieter, less-crowded museum, plus special activities and museum store discount. 8 to 10 am. FREE. Museum of Flight, Seattle (Boeing Field). www.museumofflight.org
Monday, April 3
SEATTLE AREA
Rockets & Robots Art Workshop. Kids (ages 5 to 11) will learn to design their own robot or rocket using recycled items. 6:30 pm. FREE. Pre-register. White Center Library. www.kcls.org
SOUTH SOUND
Spring Break Superstars. Enjoy handson activities and watch animals enjoy special enrichment treats. Each day features a different highlighted species. 10 am to 4 pm through Fri. $ to $$. Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma. www.pdza.org
Wednesday, April 5
SEATTLE AREA
John Laing Concert and Musical History. Enjoy a family-friendly concert by musician and vocalist John Laing, including a musical history lesson highlighting popular tunes from the 1940s to the 1990s. 2:15 pm. FREE. Concordia Lutheran School, Seattle (Ravenna). www.concordiaseattle.com
Thursday, April 6
SEATTLE AREA
NASA Climate Night. Activities and presentations about climate change, and what we can all do about it. 5 to 9 pm. FREE. Museum of Flight, Seattle (Boeing Field). www.museumofflight.org
Peppa Pig’s Big Splash. Live musical show based on the Nick Jr. TV series for kids. Join Peppa, George, Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig and more in an all-singing, all-dancing adventure full of songs, games and muddy puddles. Tonight at 6 pm. $$ to $$$. The Paramount Theatre, Downtown Seattle. www.stgpresents.org
Friday, April 7
SEATTLE AREA
SASS: SANCA’s Annual Spring Showcase. Annual showcase featuring four unique circus performances from the School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts (SANCA). Tonight at 7 pm; various times through Sun. $$ to $$$. Broadway Performance Hall, Seattle (Capitol Hill). www.sancaseattle.org
Marine Mammal Mania. Learn about marine mammals at the Seattle Aquarium through hands-on kids’ activities, talks and demonstrations. Weekends through April 16. Included with admission. $$ to $$$, free ages 3 and younger. Pier 59, Downtown Seattle. www.seattleaquarium.org
Shen Yun Performing Arts. Singers, dancers, drummers and acrobats highlight 5,000 years of Chinese culture. Ages 5 and older. 7:30 pm tonight; various times through Sun. $$$. McCaw Hall, Seattle (Lower Queen Anne). www.shenyun.com
EASTSIDE
Pysanky Workshop. Learn how to make a beautifully decorated egg using the Ukrainian folk art known as pysanky. Ages 7 and older, drop-off optional. 5:30 to 7:30 pm. $$$. Pre-register. KidsQuest Children’s Museum, Bellevue. www.kidsquestmuseum.org
Saturday, April 8
SEATTLE AREA
Pippi Day. Dress as your favorite character from the Pippi Longstocking book series and enjoy a Swedish pancake breakfast with dancing and crafts (10 to 11:30 am, $). Then at noon, watch Pippi in the South Seas ($). Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle (Ballard). www.nordicmuseum.org
• Fantastic Field Trips
• Day Camp
• Small Group Activities
• Experienced Sta
• Enrichment Classes
Open enrollment ages 5-15
Spring Safari: African Wildlife Conservation Day. Keeper talks and special enrichment highlights African animals and what we can do to help save them. 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. Included with admission. $ to $$. Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle (Phinney Ridge). www.zoo.org
meridianschool.edu/ explore/summer-quest Mon, June 26Fri, Aug. 25
Registration begins March 1
4649 Sunnyside Ave. N, #242 • 206-632-7154
CAMP D’ÉTÉ - SUMMER CAMP
JUNE 26 – JULY 14
Camp: 9am – 4pm
Extended Care: 8am – 6pm
We welcome children with NO previous French language experience from ages 3-10.
Katie Gagnon, Summer Program Director (206) 275-3533 ext 275 katieg@fasps.org
A Little Mermaid. In this StoryBook version of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic, the audience decides whether Sirena should keep her legs or hightail it back to sea. Ages 3 and older. $$. 11 am today; various times through May 20. Today at Rainier Arts Center (Columbia City) and various locations throughout the Puget Sound. www.storybooktheater.org
Family Fun Workshop at SAM: A Family Journey. Hands-on art workshop for kids ages 9 to 12. With the guidance of a teaching artist and plentiful art supplies, students will gain inspiration from the current Jacob Lawrence exhibit. 10 am to noon. $$ for two kids and one adult, $ for each additional person. Pre-register. Seattle Art Museum, Downtown Seattle. www.seattleartmuseum.org
Second Saturday Spectacular: Kibibi Monie. A storytelling adventure for all ages. 3 pm. FREE; donations welcomed. University Heights Center, Seattle (U District).
Bunny Party. Fundraiser for the bunnies at Seattle Animal Shelter and Special Bunny Rescue features coloring activities, egg hunt, prizes, bunny visits and more. 11 am to 6 pm. $, free ages 2 and younger. Pre-register. Ugly Baby and La Ru, Downtown Seattle. www.uglybabyandlaru.com
The Sylvan Series: Vernal. Enjoy a magical evening inside the conservatory with a musical light show. Smell the aromas of flowers that only bloom in the evening. 7 to 10 pm. $$, free ages 12 and younger. Volunteer Park Conservatory, Seattle (Capitol Hill). www.volunteerparkconservatory.org
EASTSIDE
Beat the Bunny 5K and Scrambled Egg Dash. See if you can beat the costumed bunny on this 5K course. Scrambled Egg Dash for ages 12 and younger lets kids run to select an egg, which may contain a prize. 9:30 am kids dash, 10 am 5K. $$ to $$$. Pre-register by April 4. Redmond Central Connector Park. www.runsignup.com
NORTH SOUND
Skagit Valley Tulip Run. Be a part of Skagit Valley Tulip Festival’s premier running event. This scenic 2- or 5-mile course is flat and fast on gravel-packed trails. It’s an experience the whole family will enjoy. $$$, free ages 10 and younger and 70 and older. Skagit Regional Airport, Burlington. www.tuliprun.com
SOUTH SOUND
Daffodil Parade. Two-hour parade features more than 180 entries, including floats decorated with thousands of fresh daffodils, marching bands and more. The parade travels through Tacoma (S. Ninth Street and Pacific Avenue, 10:15 am), Puyallup (Seventh Avenue SW and Fifth Street SW, 12:45 pm), Sumner (Kincaid Avenue and Main Street, 2:30 pm) and Orting (Bridge Street S. and Washington Avenue E., 5 pm). FREE. www.thedaffodilfestival.org
FARTHER AFIELD
Concert for Kids. Bach concerto performed by the Vashon-Maury Chamber Orchestra. Graduating high school seniors will be highlighted at the concert. 11 am. $. Vashon Center for the Arts, Vashon Island. www.vashoncenterforthearts.org
Sunday, April 9
SEATTLE AREA
Baby Boeing’s 50th Birthday Party. Celebrate the 50th birthday of the Boeing
737’s first flight. Events include panel discussion (noon) with the engineers and original pilot, viewing of the aircraft and possible flight demonstration (1:15 pm) followed by a reception with birthday cake (2 to 4 pm). $$ to $$, free ages 4 and younger. Museum of Flight, Seattle (Boeing Field). www.museumofflight.org
Seahawks Run at The Landing. Run around The Landing and part of the Seahawks training facility. 12K run, 5K run/ walk and kids’ run for ages 10 and younger; 12th Man costumes encouraged. 6:30 to 8:45 am registration, 9 am 12K start, 9:20 am 5K start, 10:45 am kids run. $$ to $$$. The Landing, Renton. www.seahawks12krun.com
Monday, April 10
SOUTH SOUND
Peter Rabbit. This 30-minute adaptation is perfect for tiny attention spans. Recommended for toddlers and preschoolers. Today and Thu. through Sat. 10:30 am. $. Olympia Family Theater. www.olyft.org
Tuesday, April 11
SEATTLE AREA
Marimekko Kids’ Craft. Kids can create their own felt poppies in the style of Marimekko’s classic Unikko design. 10 to 11:30 am. Included with admission. $, free ages 4 and younger. Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle (Ballard). www.nordicmuseum.org
Makey Makey Electronic Music. Kids ages (5 to 12) learn to design, create and play unique electronic instruments with the Makey Makey computer program. 4 pm. FREE. Preregister. White Center Library. www.kcls.org
Thursday, April 13
SEATTLE AREA
Fire Station 7. A musical comedy about a cat that works hard to be a fire cat, a job traditionally given to a dog. Recommended for ages 4 and older. Tonight at 7 pm; various times through May 21. $$$. Seattle Children’s Theatre, (Lower Queen Anne). www.sct.org
Friday, April 14
SEATTLE AREA
The Secret Garden. The story of great love and loss is brought to life in this colorful mu sical about an orphaned girl. Recommended for ages 7 and older. Tonight at 8 pm; various times through May 6. $$$. 5th Avenue Theatre (Downtown Seattle). www.5thavenue.org
Saturday, April 15
SEATTLE AREA
International Children’s Friendship Festival. Dances, songs, musical per formances, children’s forum, arts and crafts and more, run by children’s groups representing dozens of countries. 11 am to 5 pm through Sun. FREE. Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center (Lower Queen Anne). childrensfest. tacawa.org
Bunny Bounce & Easter Baskets for the Animals. Egg hunts for ages 1 through 8 (first come, first served), plus crafts, bunny encounters and other springtime fun. Watch as selected animals receive special Easter baskets containing their favorite treats. am to 3 pm. Included with admission. $ to $$, free ages 2 and younger. Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle (Phinney Ridge). www.zoo.org
Spring Egg Hunts. Kids hunt for plastic eggs throughout Seattle Children’s Museum. Special golden egg hunts for ages 8 and older. 8:30 to 10 am through Sunday. $$$, free younger than 12 months. Pre-register, space limited. The Children’s Museum, Seattle Center (Lower Queen Anne). www.thechildrensmuseum.org
CAMPS & CLASSES
Summer Dance Camp!
Camps in Renton & Bellevue! evergreencityballet.org Ages 3 - 10
EASTSIDE
Spring Eggstravaganza. Kids can enjoy Easter activities including a petting zoo, face painting, a bouncy house and a scavenger hunt. Noon to 4 pm. Most activities free. Redmond Town Center, Redmond. www. experienceredmond.com/redmond-events/ spring-eggstravaganza
Spring Social. Enjoy spring festivities at Carnation Farms. Events include an egg scavenger hunt, farm crafts and a farm-tofork brunch. 11 am to 1 pm. $ to $$$. Carnation Farms, Carnation. www.carnationfarms.org
NORTH SOUND
Easter Parade and Bonnet Contest. Watch a parade, followed by an Easter bonnet contest. 11 am. FREE. First Street, between Cedar Avenue and Avenue D, Snohomish. www.cityofsnohomish.com
SOUTH SOUND
Haulin’ Eggs Fun Run. Collect an egg at every kilometer of this hilly 5K course. Carry them all to the end for goodies and a prize. Family egg hunt at the end. 8 am registration, 9:15 am start, 11 am egg hunt. $$$. Pre-register. Allan Yorke Park, Bonney Lake. www.active.com
Easter Train. Take a leisurely train ride, which features an egg hunt for ages 12 and younger at the end. 11 am, 12:30, 2 and 3:30 pm. $$, free ages 3 and younger with adult. Purchase tickets online. Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & Museum, Chehalis. www.steamtrainride.com
(425) 844-8896 • www.hvc-wa.com hiddenvalleycamp@earthlink.net MORNING & AFTERNOON SESSIONS INDOOR CAMPS Monday-Friday, 9:30-12:30 and 1-4
DAY OUTDOOR CLIMBING CAMPS 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. HALF-DAY $225 • ALL DAY $425 1900 132nd AVE NE • Bellevue 425 746 7547 www.minimountain.com
Spring Noisemakers. Kids ages 3 to 9 and their families are invited to learn to make egg shakers and other noisemakers. 1 to 4 pm. FREE, donations accepted. Job Carr Cabin Museum, Tacoma. www.jobcarrmuseum.org
Aha Mele Hawaiian Festival. Enjoy live Hawaiian music, dance, craft vendors and food. 11 am to 9 pm. $, free ages 5 and younger. Cash only. Chief Leschi School, Puyallup. mawhcc@comcast.net
FARTHER AFIELD
Megga Hunt. Live entertainment, crafts, games, balloon clowns, face painting and of course, egg hunts! 9 am to noon. FREE. Battle Point Park, Bainbridge Island. www.biparks.org
Sunday, April 16
SEATTLE AREA
Easter SeaBunny Lunch Cruise. Enjoy lunch and a narrated cruise of Lake Washington and Lake Union. Kids will enjoy a visit from the SeaBunny and other kid-friendly activities. Noon to 2 pm. $$$. Waterways Cruises Homeport, Seattle (Lake Union). www.waterwayscruises.com
Thursday, April 20
SOUTH SOUND
Spring Fair in Puyallup. Animals, rides, food, arts and crafts, monster truck show, demolition derby, kids’ activities and more. Some events and activities have an additional cost. See online for schedule. 2 to 10 pm today with free kids’ admission (bring canned food donation), 10 am to 10 pm Fri. and Sat., 10 am to 8 pm Sun. $ to $$, free ages 5 and younger. Puyallup Fair & Events Center. www.thefair.com
Friday, April 21
SEATTLE AREA
Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Festival. Experience Japanese culture through Taiko drumming performances, artisan demonstrations, hands-on activities and games, food, a marketplace and more. Time TBD. Today through Sun. FREE. Seattle Center Armory and Fisher Pavilion (Lower Queen Anne). www.cherryblossomfest.org
NORTH SOUND
Science Sleuths: See It to Believe It. Learn the science behind optical illusions. Kids (ages 6 to 12) will explore, investigate and discover in this hands-on science and math class. 2:30 to 4:30 pm. $$. Pre-register. Imagine Children’s Museum, Everett. www.imaginecm.org
SOUTH SOUND
James and the Giant Peach, Jr.
Performed by students of the AveKids Theater Camp, this is an all-ages show about James’ classic adventure. 7 pm tonight; various times through Sun. $. Auburn Avenue Theater. www.auburnwa.gov
Saturday, April 22
SEATTLE AREA
Sensory Friendly Concert:
The Old Magician. Kids affected by autism are invited to a fun, interactive musical storytime with board-certified music therapist Michael Thomas and Seattle Symphony musicians. 10 am and noon through Sun. $$$, ticket covers up to four people. Soundbridge at Benaroya Hall, Downtown Seattle. www.seattlesymphony.org
Earth Day Work Party. Help restore forest habitat and pull weeds as you enjoy live music. 10 am to 2 pm. FREE. Pigeon Point at Pathfinder School, West Seattle. www.naturec.org
Earth Day Run. Magnuson Series fun runs including 5K, 10K, half-marathon and Kids Dash. 9:45 am Kids Dash, 10 am all other events. $ to $$$. Magnuson Park, Seattle (Sand Point). www.magnusonseries.org
Girlvolution. Annual social justice conference, with workshops, art and performances by youth under age 21. 10 am to 4 pm. FREE; donations welcomed. Pre-register. South Seattle Community College, Georgetown Campus. www.brownpapertickets.com
EASTSIDE
Mercer Island Preschool Association Circus. Annual fundraiser for ages 2 to 8 features entertainment, food, carnival games, inflatables, pony rides and more. 10 am to 2 pm. $$ to $$$. Mercer Island High School. www.mipreschoolassociation.org
Earth Day Spring Clean-Up. Help pick up litter, sweep or plant flowers as part of “Keep Issaquah Beautiful Day” and enjoy a pizza lunch for your hard work. Jobs for all ages and abilities. 9 am. FREE. Shell Station on Front Street, Issaquah. www.downtownissaquah.com
SOUTH SOUND
Junior Daffodil Parade. The Daffodil Festival’s Junior Parade features costumes, pets, music and non-motorized floats. 10 am. FREE. North End Proctor District, Tacoma. www.jrdaffodil.com
Fancy Nancy: The Musical. Musical based on the popular books by Jane O’Connor follows Nancy and her friends as they prepare for a school recital. Today at 11 am and 2 pm. Various times through April 30. $$. Tacoma Musical Playhouse. www.tmp.org
FARTHER AFIELD
Yakima Kids’ Fish-In. Kids ages 5 to 14 go fishing in the pond, and volunteers clean and bag the clean their catches. 8 am to 3:45 pm. $$. Pre-register. Sarg Hubbard Park, Yakima. www.yakimagreenway.org
Sunday, April 23
SOUTH SOUND
Daffodil Marine Parade. See Daffodil royalty and dozens of daffodil-decorated boats sail by. Parade starts at Tacoma Yacht
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Calendar
Club and continues along the waterfront to the Thea Foss Waterway in downtown Tacoma. 11:30 am. FREE. www.tacomayachtclub.org
Friday, April 28
SEATTLE AREA
World Rhythm Festival. More than 80 world music performances, drum and dance workshops, marketplace and a drum circle. Family Day is noon to 5 pm today. Noon to 10 pm today, 10 am to 10 pm Sat., 10 am to 7 pm Sun. FREE. Seattle Center Armory and Fisher Pavilion (Lower Queen Anne). www.swps.org
SOUTH SOUND
Pinocchio The Ballet. Tacoma City Ballet presents an hour-long, family-friendly version of the classic tale of the puppet that wanted to be a real boy. 7 pm tonight, various dates and times through May 7. $$. Tacoma City Ballet, Tacoma. www.tacomacityballet.com
The Jungle Book Kids. DownStage presents an hour-long theatrical version of the Disney classic about a boy raised by wolves. 7 pm tonight; various times through May 7. $$. Renton Civic Theatre. www.hi-liners.org
Saturday, April 29
SEATTLE AREA
Gustafer Yellowgold’s Show. Back by popular demand, this multi-media show features live music and illustrations by artist Morgan Taylor. The show will feature songs from the Grammy-nominated album Gustafer Yellowgold’s Dark Pie Concerns and other hits. 11 am. $ to $$. Northwest Film Forum. Seattle (Capitol Hill). www.nwfilmforum.org
Conservatory Story Time. Kids ages 4 to 7 can enjoy story time by engaging storytellers inside the enchanting conservatory. 10:30 to 11:30 am. Included with admission. $, free ages 12 and younger. Volunteer Park Conservatory, Seattle (Capitol Hill). www.volunteerparkconservatory.org
EASTSIDE
The Great South Bellevue Community
Center Challenge. Teams compete in a series of fun challenges which require athleticism for physical feats, smarts for mental tasks, and artistic abilities for creative endeavors. 10 am to 1 pm. $$. Pre-register by April 19. South Bellevue Community Center. www.bellevuewa.gov
Sheep Shearing. See the sheep lose their winter coats and watch wool-spinning demonstrations. Kids will also enjoy tractor rides, pony rides and food trucks. 11 am to 4 pm. FREE, small fee for food/activities. Bring cash. Kelsey Creek Farm, Bellevue. www.bellevuewa.gov
NORTH SOUND
Can Do 5K. 5K run/walk, 1-mile walk, and kids’ dash (ages 3 to 12) to raise awareness and funds for families with special-needs children. 8:30 am. $$$, free kids’ dash. Seattle Times Bothell Campus. www.cando5k.org
Spring Carnival and Auction. Fundraiser for Shorenorth Cooperative Preschool features games with prizes, food, silent auction and more. Ideal for kids ages 2 to 8 and their families. 10 am to 2 pm. FREE, small fee for food/activities. Shoreline Community College PUB Building. www.shorenorth.com
Kids’ Bird Festival. Celebrate our feathered friends with games and art activities. Learn to identify common birds and make a bird feeder. 10 am to 4 pm. Included with admission. $$. Imagine Children’s Museum, Everett. www.imaginecm.org
Sunday, April 30
SEATTLE AREA
Alki Street Scramble. Race on foot to see how many checkpoints you can find on the map within 90 minutes or 3 hours. 8:30 am registration, 9:30 am maps distributed, 10 am start. $ to $$$. Pre-register. Alki Beach Bathhouse, West Seattle. www.streetscramble.com
EASTSIDE
Growing Musicians. Stroll the gardens and hear music from students with the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra at stations throughout the grounds. 2:30 to 4 pm. FREE; donations welcomed. Bellevue Botanical Garden. www.byso.org
Wild Week of Play at Kids’ Trek
NewMomDispatch
by Becca Bergman Bull
Learning the parenthood ropes one month at a time
Face time
The other day, my mom laughed when I confessed to having let 19-month-old Fiona watch Sesame Street. When I was little, she said, parents didn’t think twice about letting kids watch a little TV while they made dinner. It’s just how you got things done. It’s still how you get things done. But now, that productivity often comes with a tug of guilt.
Thanks to today’s digital glut, parents are justifiably worried about the effect of so many screens on developing brains and bodies. As a result, in my mind even the unimpeachable Sesame Street gets swept into an all-encompassing area of concern.
It’s not that I’m worried about the show itself — on the contrary, I love revisiting it and I’m thrilled that something will captivate Fiona for 10 precious minutes. And we’ve been saved dozens of times by the Peekaboo Barn app and YouTube videos of old Raffi concerts while sitting in traffic. As any parent knows, screens can make life a lot easier. And in moderation, they just don’t seem harmful.
But I still feel conflicted. Why? For one, the long-term effects of this new screen ubiquity aren’t known. Secondly, our own screen addictions can feel so out of control. Who doesn’t resent that twitchy feeling of always needing to check their phone; of the way these devices have chipped away at our attention spans, conversations and sleep. If phones could remold our adult brains and the way we experience the world in just a decade, what will the impact be on my daughter, who for now is mesmerized by bird feeders and new crocuses? I got such pleasure from reading as a kid, and wonder if she’ll be able to also amid so many distractions. So there’s this hand-wringing and then there’s real life. I know a high-energy 2-year-old who will only eat a meal if he’s half-distracted by Daniel Tiger. Do his parents feel torn about this? Of course. Do they want him to eat? Of course. I know another mom who’s frustrated by the fact that her 6-year-old won’t sit through a whole show or movie and blames herself for never having let her daughter watch TV as a toddler.
Up until now, I only knew of a vague rule that said no screens before age 2 — and barely anyone who adheres to this. But it turns out that experts are evolving with the times.
Last October, the American Academy of Pediatrics, “recognizing the ubiquitous role of media in children’s lives,” released new recommendations and resources to help families maintain a healthy “media diet.” As with any successful diet, the guidelines are more about moderation and quality ingredients (in this case, content) than one-size-fits-all rules. For example, for babies under 18 months, video-chatting with relatives is OK. For kids Fiona’s age, the AAP states that “Some media can have educational value for children starting at around 18 months of age, but it’s critically important that this be high-quality programming, such as the content offered by Sesame Workshop and PBS.”
Regarding the 2-and-under set, Common Sense Media says: “Some parents worry that exposing their kids to any TV or screen time could be damaging. Take it from us: A little bit of media isn’t gonna hurt. It’s heavy exposure to screen media — for example, constant background TV, devices in the bedroom, and using media as a babysitter that can have a negative impact on babies’ and toddlers’ cognitive, physical, and emotional development.” What a relief.
Another part of the new AAP guidelines is the Family Media Use Plan tool on HealthyChildren.org, an interactive feature that lets families create screen-time plans to print out and stick on the fridge, heading off daily skirmishes over the topic. We’re not there yet, but I can see the appeal.
In this brave new world, who knows? A recent New York Times article outlined a new scientific theory that all the social media usage among teenagers may be what’s cutting down on that generation’s drug and alcohol usage. Snapchat over shots? I’ll take it.
Born and raised in Seattle, Becca Bergman Bull is a writer, editor and new mom in Brooklyn.
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