Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in portland, OR

Which Websites Work Best For Preschoolers?

by Oona Baker

July 27, 2009

My daughter has been using a computer since she was very young, we are big technology freaks in our house. She's learned to be quite self sufficient with a mouse and navigates her way around the desktop with ease. Children feel empowered when they can print out a picture they drew, interact with familiar media characters or select an audio book to listen to--all on their own! Finding quality websites that aren't chock full of advertising or questionable content can be a chore. Here are three websites that are sure to delight any preschooler!

1) Up to Ten This website scores high points for having a massive amount of content for ages 0-6. With over 1341 games, stories, crafts and activities, Up to Ten can be a welcome diversion for young children. The site is easily personalized and friendly animated hosts Boowa and Kwala recognize your child and even respond to emails. Up to Ten has games, short animated films, printable crafts, coloring pages and stories. Each activity on the page has an educational element, whether your child is learning about symmetry or learning fine motor skills as they cut out a paper craft. Website is free, but membership can be purchased that eliminates sidebar of advertising (which is very low-key) Games and activities update weekly and children can save their work or bookmark favorite games online.

2) Starfall Preschoolers love to interact with the ABCs and cheerful interactive graphics on this site, and parents are impressed with the skill building. Pre-readers begin with letter recognition and move on to sight reading simple three letter words. There is also a component that teaches sign language and simple songs reinforce literacy concepts. Children can work their way up to sounding our short books, or enjoy classical pieces, tongue twisters and poetry. Seasoned readers will be enthralled by the selection of Greek myths, folktales or Chinese fables. Best of all, parents can print out worksheets for added fun and the website is free!

3) Space Station 42 is an amazing clearinghouse of printable paper crafts, models and projects. Great for a rainy day when you're stuck indoors with a bored kiddo, this website has links to just about anything you would ever want to make out of paper. Make paper mice complete with high fashion outfits, historical paper dolls, or a cardstock steamroller. These crafts promote creativity and keep a sick preschooler comfortable when they're stuck on the couch. Once you get started with paper models, you'll be hooked!

Parents should always use caution and supervise their child when they're navigating websites with external links. Have regular dialogues regarding what web content is ok in your family: Do you do Disney or would you rather get ideas from homeschooling sites?  Read more...

What's happening in PDX 7/25-7/26

by Oona Baker

July 24, 2009

Another weekend, another chance to get out and enjoy the city with your family and friends. Catch a parade, learn all about constructing chicken coops, and craft up some fun with recycled materials!

Saturday, July 25

The Division-Clinton neighborhood Street Fair is from 10am-5pm--come out and support the local vendors in your community. Parade is from 10:45am-noon (from 50th & Division to 20th & Clinton) Free eco shuttle will be running all day long. Pizza eating contest, snow cones, Joe Mishkin's Balloon Art, Ice Cream Social, and Lego Exhibit.
On Division from 11th to 50th and on Clinton from 14th - 28th.  See website for details. www.divisionclinton.com

Tour De Coops 11:00am-3:00pm
Head out on a self guided tour of up to 25 backyard coops and meet the chickens who live there!
Price: $10/booklet. Booklets include addresses & descriptions of each coop and maps with suggested Tour routes, including safe bike routes! Purchase raffle tickets to win a chance to own specially designed coops of your own!
Pre-sale tickets available at these locations:

Urban Farm Store: 1925 SE Morrison St.
People's Coop: 3029 SE 21st Ave. (near Powell Blvd.)
Garden Fever!: 3433 NE 24th Ave. (at Fremont St.)
Livingscape Nursery: 3926 N. Vancouver Ave. (b/w Shaver St. & Fremont St.) 
Pistils Nursery:  3811 N. Mississippi Ave. (at Failing St.)

Later that night, continue the chicken theme and catch Mad City Chickens--"a serious yet whimsical look at the people who keep chickens in their backyards. From experts and authors to a rescued landfill hen and an inexperienced family that decides to take the poultry plunge, it's a whirlwind trip through the world of backyard chickendom."
Vendetta 4306 N. Williams 8pm.

SCRAP Art 11:00am-1:00pm
Work with an artist from SCRAP to create a unique piece of art from reused and reclaimed materials. Presenter is bilingual, Spanish/ English presentation. Limited seating.
North Portland Library, 512 N. Killingsworth St. Portland

Steve's Creature Feature 11:00am-noon
Explore the amazing world of reptiles with Steve! Hosted across the street from the library, at Dewitt Park.
Hillsdale Library, 1525 S.W. Sunset Blvd. Portland

Family Habitat Hike 9:30am-11:30am
Join a naturalist from the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District on a guided hike through one of the many different habitats of Cooper Mountain. Strollers discouraged. All ages welcome; children must be accompanied by an adult. $8 per person. Up to two children (ages 10 and younger) may accompany each registered adult for free. Advance registration required; call 503-629-6350.

In July, visitors of all ages can learn about Indian art in the Brantley Gallery, including the statue of Ganesha, a Hindu god with the head of an elephant.

Family Tours: 12:30 p.m.
Outdoor Art Making: 1 - 3 p.m.
Story Time: 2:30 - 3 p.m.

Free for children age 17 and under. Free for Museum Members and with Museum admission.

Portland Art Museum 1219 SW Park Avenue, Portland

Neighborhood Night Life!

by Oona Baker

July 13, 2009

In Portland, the summer is a beautiful yet fleeting time. All too often, the brilliant sunny days turn to drizzle and gloom. Oregonians like to take advantage of every walking hour of sun and during the longest days of summer, we all are usually found outside up until 9:45 or 10pm. Our neighborhood is full of children (nine on our block alone!) , most are outside playing until the sun goes down and we're always looking for new ways to keep them busy when they get tired of digging with sticks, chasing flying beetles, or drawing with chalk. Here are some creative ways for children and their families to play after dark!

Glow for it!  Outfit kids with glow in the dark rubber bracelets to play tag or loop bracelets together to create silly creatures. Find a glow in the dark frisbee or ball for even more outdoor excitement! Oriental Trading has an immense selection of glow in the dark necklaces, bracelets, and glow sticks. You could even use glow in the dark paint and stickers to create one of a kind costumes and have a parade at dusk!


Light it up with lamps!  Older children may have a good time creating luminarias (paper bags with designs cut out, illuminated by candle but for use with kids, use flame-less tea lights, LED battery operated torch). Use paper punches with fun designs or print out photos of children on paper so they can each have a turn "in lights"!

Play around with puppets!  Borrow an idea from Balinese shadow puppetry (called Wayang) and everyone in the family can take part in putting on a show (invite the neighbors over!) Hang up a white sheet against the house, and make some simple puppets with paper and brads (or just use your hands). You could even make up some songs to go along with the scenes!

Try a tent! Eat your dinner outdoors, then after a run through sprinklers instead of bathtime, set up a tent and sleep under the stars! Bring out battery powered lanterns and read stories while you snuggle up! Smaller children may not want to spend the entire night outside so be prepared to transition back to regular beds depending on their comfort level. (Or, if you don't want to brave the crows that seem to wake up at 4:00 and want to let everyone know, you can sneak everyone back in the house after they fall asleep.)


Kids may also enjoy a good old-fashioned sing along, or a free for all rock and roll jam session (depends on what instruments you have at your disposal)! Gaze at some constellations and make up stories about the stars, have an impromptu bike/trike parade or fashion show! What about a water balloon toss or make small, edible decorations to hang in the trees for birds/other small creatures?

Whatever you do, remember that children playing near the street at dusk/dark can't always be easily seen by cars and you should play safe at all times!
 Read more...

What's Happening in PDX 7/11-7/12

by Oona Baker

July 09, 2009

The sun might actually make a return this weekend, so celebrate the end of grey skies! See how long you can stay outside and enjoy the sights and sounds of the city this weekend! Go by bike, foot, scooter, or public transportation to cut down on cars on the road and really enjoy your surroundings. Smell that? It's summer in the Northwest!



Saturday, July 11th


Ladybug Nature Walk   10am
Toddlers will love this nature discovery walk! They get to borrow special plush ladybug packs full of all sorts of nature detective gear. Walk host engages child and parent on a fact-filled morning out. This week's walk meets at Mt. Tabor park (not stroller friendly)
$3/per child
Portland Parks & Recreation    503-823-3601


Pirate Maps  11:00am-1:00pm
Yaaaaarrrrrrrr! Artist Sarah Ferguson shows you how to create a pirate map.
North Portland library     512 N. Killingsworth St.  503-988-5394

Can't Sit Still Storytime 2:00-2:30pm
"Is your child always on the go? The pitter-patter of little feet just won't stop? Quiet listening not an option? Some children just can't stop moving and making noise. Our noisy and interactive program is designed just for them. For children ages 3 years and older with adult."
Central Library  801 SW 10th Ave   503-988-5123


Mississippi Street Fair  10:00am-9:00pm
Bring your tall bike, your dogs, and kids down for the Mississippi Street Fair! Arts & crafts, food, drink, people watching!

From the Street Fair website:

Fun Activities for all, all day:

10-7pm Local Market - featuring interesting arts & crafts vendors plus community service displays & food vendors
Tupello Alley Reusable Art Fair & Water Features
Kids Area - Boise Eliot Eliot Elementary features bouncy castles and kids games for all sizes at Beech
Bingo - lots of prizes
Sustainability Fair at the Mississippi Avenue Lofts (4138 N. Miss Ave)
Salted Ice Cream outside at The Meadow (3731 N. Mississippi Ave)
Rose wine tasting inside at The Meadow

12:00 Children's Parade - starts at Beech

Four stages - featuring a multi-cultural roster of entertainment

10am-9pm MAIN STAGE at Shaver (middle)
1pm Norman Sylvester
2pm Freak Mountain Ramblers
3pm The Dimes
4pm Linda Hornbuckle band
5pm
6pm The SEI Sounds of Soul Gospel Ensemble
6:40 Matt Sheehy Band
7:30 pm Weinland

11am-10pm SIDE LOT STAGE (Mississippi Station)
1pm Nathaniel Talbot
2pm Sneakin Out
3pm James Low
4pm
5pm Bridgetown Saints
6pm Swing Papillon

11am-7pm DANCE STAGE at Fremont (south end)
Celilo
Tezeta Band
Samba Sol
Taylor Newville
Sudden Anthem
The Beauty
Funk Plastic
Cloaked Characters and Mosely Wotta

11am-7pm ACOUSTIC STAGE at Skidmore (north end)

Businesses and eateries along Mississippi will be open on the street for patio dining & summertime refreshments:

Por Que No? Floating Margarita Garden
Mississippi Pizza & Pub Beer Tent
Amnesia Brewing Patio
Lorenzo's Patio
Mississippi Station Patio
Crow Bar Bar
Casa Naranja Patio
Pastaworks Wine Tasting Patio

11am–9pm CRAFT BEER TASTING - Local Organic Beer Tasting at Shaver (by the Main Stage)

Featuring:
Roots OG Brewing
Hopworks Urban Brewery
Lucky Labrador Brewing Company
Deschutes Brewery
McMenamins Breweries

All activities take place on Mississippi Avenue (between N Fremont and N Skidmore) 


Family Habitat Hikes   9:30-11:30am
"Join a naturalist from the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District on a guided hike through one of the many different habitats of Cooper Mountain. Strollers discouraged. All ages welcome; children must be accompanied by an adult. $8 per person. Up to two children (ages 10 and younger) may accompany each registered adult for free. Advance registration required; call 503-629-6350."
Cooper Mountain Nature Park  18892 SW Kemmer Road, Beaverton

Bastille Day Celebration  noon-8:00pm
Kids will want to spend all day in Le Jardin Des Enfants with crafts, the tombola, face painting, hacky sack, horse shoes.  Ballet dancers, cooking demos, live music, and roaming mimes!
Jamison Square Park  NW Johnson St & NW 10th Ave



Sunday, July 12th
11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd
Portland

Sunday for Families  12:30pm-3:00pm
In July, visitors of all ages can learn about Indian art in the Brantley Gallery, including the statue of Ganesha, a Hindu god with the head of an elephant.

Family Tours: 12:30 p.m.
Outdoor Art Making: 1 - 3 p.m.
Story Time: 2:30 - 3 p.m.

Free for children age 17 and under. Free for Museum Members and with Museum admission.

Portland Art Museum 1219 SW Park Avenue  503-226-2811

Tryon Creek Junior Ranger Program 1:00-2:00pm

Fun for ages 6-12! Join a park ranger and learn how you can help protect our natural resources, plants and animals. Participating in nature games, nature crafts and park explorations will help junior rangers earn their badge.This week's topic is "Tracking"

Parents must sign a permission slip before children participate. We strongly encourage parent participation with children.Free, no registration needed.

Konichiwa Japan!

by Oona Baker

June 29, 2009

Having just survived a nine day trip with my daughter, all the travel I'm down for in the next few weeks involves our imagination and the internet! Just a two hour time difference continues to wreck havoc in our household even four days after our return, as my daughter continues to spring awake before six am and I'm still battling the piles of dirty laundry from our suitcases.

 My daughter shares my passion for collecting all things Hello Kitty and lately, we've been talking about making our dream of traveling to Japan come true. I've told my daughter we'll make there before she graduates high school; she's convinced she'll be packing her bags by the end of the month with all the nickels she's saved up (!) I've been planning a virtual trip, want to come along with us?

 --Check out the Little Travelers Japan DVD from your local library. This sweet movie follows the journey of two home-schooled children and their mother as they travel to various countries and immerse themselves in culture and joys of life. Join Chantel and Nakia as they explore daily life, cherry blossoms, and new foods in Japan! My daughter loves this series of films and is anxiously awaiting a new chapter of their travels. Very simple and captivating vignettes will keep even very young children interested.

 --Dream big, plan your trip and destinations online! Print out maps, chart your course, and let your children imagine all the places they will go. Send away for maps or scour thrift stores for old copies of National Geographic to find maps to pin up on the wall and use some yarn to detail your "journey". What animals live where you are going? What do people eat there? Make clothing or instruments that reflect the culture of the country you are investigating.

--Art can help take you there! We are going to make paper cranes, paint cherry blossoms, and create Hello Kitty themed paper dolls. My daughter and I are obsessed with pop culture and have fun collecting miniature sushi and other teeny tiny foods from Re-ment. Your investigations can be as simple as checking out a cd of traditional music from the library and dancing around the livingroom or as complex as recreating Roman architecture out of Model Magic! Have fun with it!

 --Sample foods you and your child may have never tried before. For Japan, we are making a trip to FuBonn for a sampler of Pocky, biscuits, noodles, and mochi. (You can also sneak in some interesting and unusual fruits and vegetables too!)

 --Learn to count to ten, or twenty in a foreign language! Check out  “Count Your Way Through Japan” or “I Live in Tokyo” for inspiration.

--Research the currency of the country you have chosen.
 Read more...

It's a box, it's a plane, it's........recycled fun!

by Oona Baker

May 26, 2009

We've been talking a lot in our house about repurposing items. My daughter's school is in the process of getting "green certified" and they have enacted a very progressive recycling program. They have cut their dumpster usage in half, and compost lunch waste, as well as wash melamine trays. This heightened awareness at school is translating to many discussions at home about buying less, and using what we have in creative and frugal ways. Instead of just recycling items around the house, we have been thinking of ways to take simple objects and create new, useful things. Take a cardboard box (cereal box, soap box, vitamin box, shoe box, pasta box) and make these cool things:

1) If you have a large enough box (cereal box works best, or sturdy box from Horizon individual milks or wine) you can make your own recycled magazine holders/chapter book organizers. We also use these boxes to hold magazine subscriptions (save all those Ranger Ricks to refer to or use for collaging !) Measure a line across (four inches from the bottom of the box) and then draw a diagonal line from the mark to the upper opposite corner of the box. Repeat on other side and cut out with an exacto blade. Your child can cut out pictures and decoupage the box (go with a theme that reflects the contents or go wild with a variety of your child's favorite things!) They can also freehand decorate the box, or you can use patterned contact paper to jazz up your organizers

2) One of my daughter's favorite things to do when she's cooped up on a rainy day, is make a diorama or her very own television set out of a cardboard box. She gets to control her very own little world and Mama gets a little time to read the paper. Your child can decide if they want to make a mini replica of something from their own life, or something from out of this world! Use other recycled goodies to fashion knobs, knights, or kitties in capes!

3) Make a doll house, dog house, or firehouse from a cardboard box. Use fabric scraps to make carpets (you can often get wallpaper books, carpet scraps from flooring stores or check with SCRAP for awesome supplies on the cheap) watercolor the walls, and fashion vehicles out of smaller boxes (you could even make a car wash!) Use shoe boxes to make an entire apartment building or go bigger and make an whole city!

4) Create some kid-friendly "electronics"! Why not make a cardboard camera from a small box and toilet paper roll, a faux iPod, or a rubber band guitar (you can make the accompanying maracas from recycled materials too)

5) If you visit Trader Joe's, you may be able to get your hands on a cardboard box with dividers which would be perfect for an emerging collection (think shells/stones picked up on vacation, bottle caps, marbles, or corks. Your child can decorate the box and keep their special found objects organized (instead of taking over the coffee table like my daughter's "important collections" are prone to do)





 Read more...

Think Parks & Rec for the summer ahead

by Oona Baker

May 12, 2009

 In Portland, there are a huge variety of reasonably priced classes for children through Portland Parks. Every summer, I look forward to the schedule of classes coming out and the activities for June/July/August do not disappoint! Portland Parks' programs meet the needs of the community and keep  children happy and busy! For the younger preschool set, classes are usually Mommy & Me type classes, and as your child grows, there are even more options (parent remains in the building, but is free to read or surf the 'net!). Here are few classes that stand out for the upcoming Summer session (descriptions from PP catalogs):

What's Happening in PDX 4/25-4/26

by Oona Baker

April 23, 2009

Saturday, April 25th

How about a nature walk at Tryon Creek ? This week's themed walk is "Springing Plants." Join a park ranger for a guided nature hike to explore the forest and stream ecosystems and natural history at Tryon Creek State Natural Area.  Parents must accompany kids on all hikes. 10:00-11:30am. Free, all ages. 11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd  503.636.4398 


The Central Library hosts "Looking for Papito"-- Family stories from Latin America. "Join award-winning solo performer, storyteller and author Antonio Sacre for a special family performance. Sacre’s repertoire, tailored to his audience, includes his own stories of growing up biculturally in a Cuban and Irish-American household. He inspires all ages to read, gather their own family stories, and become storytellers themselves." The program will be presented in both English and Spanish. Space at library programs is limited. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.  11:00-11:45 a.m. 801 S.W. 10th Ave. 503.988.5123

SCRAP is offering a Handmade Dolls workshop from 1:00-4:00 p.m. Use recycled materials to craft your own special doll! Ages: 5+, $18 fee.  Instructor: Christa Margo. Please pre-register for workshops by calling 503-294-0769.  2915 NE MLK Jr. Blvd.

Check out the Oregon Potters Association 2009 Ceramic Showcase at the Oregon Convention Center. Children’s clay play area will have lots of exploratory fun. All ages. 10 am to 5 pm April 26. (10 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday) Free. 777 NE MLK. 503.222.0533.

PARTY FOR THE PLANET! at the Oregon Zoo . Celebrate with your favorite party animals! Games, crafts, and fun for all! Free with gym admission. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.  On Sunday, the Zoo is also hosting the Run for the Cheetah, a fundraising event with a kid's walk/run, a 5k/8k walk/run, and food, fun, and festivities! (See website for registration fees/details) 4001 SW Canyon Road. $2 parking/vehicle. Ride Max and get $1 off admission. 503.226.1561

Baby Loves Disco returns to Portland at the Bossanova Ballroom! It's an Earth Day celebration, so celebrate and dance your heart out with your little ones. Noon-3pm. $12 per walking human, in advance (tickets online), $15 at the door, on the day of event. 722 East Burnside.

Top 5 Things to Do in Portland on a Rainy Day (AKA Please Lord, not the trek to OMSI again)

by Oona Baker

April 17, 2009

Six years of living in Portland with a child has taught me that when it rains, the usual child-friendly haunts fill to ear-shattering capacity and I have grown to avoid them. My daughter came down with walking pneumonia the past two years in a row, and after her pediatrician suggested we avoid the usual suspects, we’ve managed to escape most of the winter gunk going around. Here are five places to try that I can promise won’t be flooded with hordes of contagious kiddos:

SCRAP-2915 NE MLK Blvd. (MLK & Stanton) (Note new location) Closed Mondays/Tuesdays. (503) 294-0769  
Scrap is an amazing clearing-house of supplies for crafting and art projects. Broken down bits of machinery make great “robot brains” as my daughter calls them, or you may want to construct something out of yarn, mat board, or wood scraps. The SCRAP website features a handy inventory of the latest donated items.

Ed’s House of Gems 7712 N.E. Sandy Blvd (503)284-8990  Going to Ed’s House of Gems is a special treat for my daughter. Your little scientist can pick out small shells, rocks, and minerals to embark upon a collection.  It’s possible to get a beginning collector set up for just a few dollars.

Head to Beaverton and spend an afternoon browsing the aisles of Uwajimaya 10500 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale HWY. This Asian market has a huge assortment of fruits and vegetables, (buy some ingredients you may not have tried before to make a soup that you and your child invent) and a big section of origami and paper crafts.

If you’re looking for a sweet or savory treat, throw a coat on over your pajamas and hit the Waffle Window on Hawthorne Ave. (SE 36th Ave and Hawthorne Blvd, around the corner from Break & Ink Café) (503) 239-4756  Get a Three B’s or a Huckleberry Dream waffle and sit in your car and munch while the rains pours down around you!

Why not bundle up in boots and raingear and do some geocaching? You can be fancy and use a GPS, but a plain old compass and city map will help with the outdoor treasure hunt.  Geocaching involves finding hidden spots all over the city (in many neighborhoods across the city, and locating logbooks (many have stamps to collect). You can research everything at www.Oregongeocaching.org .  Read more...

Alice in Wonderland: The one thing for preschooler parents not to miss this weekend

by Sarah Gilbert

January 23, 2009

'Alice in Wonderland' is one of my all-time favorite children's books; it never fails to delight and amuse. It's slapstick before slapstick became about destruction and was still just about silly . Tonight, as part of the Fertile Ground festival (a 10-day city-wide festival of original theatrical presentations), a "new jazz musical adaptation" of Alice in Wonderland opens at the Northwest  Read more...

Budding Art Critic: A guide to not getting booted from the Portland Art Museum

by Sarah Gilbert

November 06, 2008

Yes: I write this post from the shame that only the mother of an extremely willful child can know. Here are some tips on how to enjoy the Portland Art Museum with your young children (and not get asked to leave): If your child is small enough to wear, wear him . The Ergo or a similar carrier is a great way to let your little one interact with the art without, you know, interacting with it. And  Read more...