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

5 Ways to Keep Cool During a Heatwave in Portland

by Oona Baker

July 28, 2009

Too hot, this town is too hot!
                        --The Specials

With the temperature hitting 105 and beyond the past few days, Portlanders are sweaty, tired and looking for the best ways to stay cool. Those of us lucky enough to have air conditioning are listening to it struggle to keep up with the oven-like conditions outside. The rest of us are seeking out shady/cool spots to take escape the sun. Here are five places to check out (if you haven't already packed up the car and escaped to the beach!)

1) IKEA  Head out to Cascade Station and spend a good portion of the day in air conditioned retail bliss. Start out your morning with a cheap but yummy breakfast. Watch planes come in for a landing while you munch on eggs and potatoes. Pick up a catalog and let your children plan a pretend shopping trip! Afterwards, drop the kids off for playtime while you browse independently. When the kids are down, pick up a roll of paper and some paints and go home to paint a picture of cooler climes!

2) Avalon/Wunderland Keep cool while you challenge your kids to skeeball or Dance Dance Revolution. Your kids will feel like high-rollers when you give them each a bag of nickels and allow them to pick out which classic games they'd like to try. If there's a kid-friendly movie showing, you can see a matinee and buy snacks for under $10. Enjoy lunch afterwards at Laughing Planet or a sweet treat at Saint Cupcake.

3) Regal Cinemas Free Family Film Festival  Each Tuesday and Wednesday, you and your children can catch a family movie for absolutely free at Regal Cinemas. (G/PG titles) Movies start at 10:00am and are first come, first served until theater reaches capacity. Bring the stroller along for some window shopping afterwards or head down to the bottom floor and watch the ice skaters--think cool thoughts!

Lloyd Mall 8
2320 Lloyd Center Mall
Portland, OR 97232
503-335-3760

7-28 and 7-29 Everyone's Hero (G)
                      Surf's Up (PG)
8-4 and 8-5     Igor (PG)
                      Journey to the Center of the Earth (PG)




4) Multnomah County Libraries The neighborhood library is a perfect place to duck in out of the afternoon sun. Kids can enjoy educational games on computers in the children's area or they can redeem summer reading cards for prizes (free ice cream cones at Ben & Jerrys anyone?) Check out some books, audio books or movies on a theme you can take home and expand upon. (A Charlie Brown Christmas in July always helps our family cool down!)

5) Portland Parks & Recreation  Check out all the pools, water parks, and splash pads all within a few minutes drive in the Portland Metro area. Columbia Park has spray features to cool down kiddos and Blue Lake Regional Park (Metro) is a great family destination with picnicking facilities, lake swimming, and cold concessions for sale. Wading pools in Portland will be operating extended hours during the heat wave!

Remember, stay hydrated and stay in the shade! This too, will hopefully pass, soon.










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Wishing Upon a Star in Portland

by Oona Baker

July 20, 2009

Visit your local library or bookstore to find these books that deal with stars, planets, and beyond!

 

Once Upon a Starry Night: A Book of Constellations by Jacqueline Mitton--Beautiful illustrations introduce the constellations and tales of the Gods/Goddesses associated with each. Inlaid maps of North/South skies will intrigue your curious reader. 

Zoo in the Sky: A Book of Animal Constellations by Jacqueline Mitton--An engaging book about all those "beasts" in the night high above us, elaborate text and illustrations bring the basics of astronomy to children.

 

Find the Constellations by H.A. Rey (yes, the author of Curious George!)--Very basic text explains the nitty gritty of the night sky and everything that goes along with it! A true classic for both children and adults!

 

 

 Also, check out OMSI's Planetarium for an indoor viewing party of the constellations and an introduction to astronomy! 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy so there's sure to be tons of exciting and educational activities in store at OMSI.(An upcoming feature on August 8th with focus on Comets & Meteor Showers.)

OMSI's Kendall Planetarium is a unique environment that blends art, science, fantasy and fun. The largest and most technologically advanced planetarium in the Pacific Northwest, Kendall Planetarium features educational and entertaining multimedia presentations on astronomy and space science.

Daily: 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m.

Climb aboard a magical cardboard rocket with two young adventurers and get a breathtaking, up-close look at each of our solar system's planets.

 

Starry Night Live

 

Stars

Daily: 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.

Every star has a story. Some are as old as time, faint and almost forgotten. Others burn bright and end their lives in powerful explosions. New stars are created every day, born of vast clouds of gas and dust. Through every phase of their existence, stars release the energy that powers the Universe. Journey to the furthest reaches of our galaxy and experience both the awesome beauty and destructive power of Stars.

 

Two Pieces of Glass: The Amazing Telescope

Daily: 1:00 p.m.

Two Small Pieces of Glass: The Amazing Telescope traces the history of the telescope from Galileo's modifications to a child's spyglass-using two small pieces of glass-to the launch of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the future of astronomy. It explores the wonder and discovery made by astronomers throughout the last 400 years.

 

 

 

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Fun Facts about the Multnomah County Library

by Oona Baker

July 07, 2009

Every year, my daughter Ramona looks forward to the start of the Summer Reading program through Multnomah County library! She enjoys earning prizes (books, trinkets, or coupons towards swimming/ice cream/play tickets) and the piece de resistance--the Summer Reading shirt! Our city's summer reading program is super impressive--from the library's website "Nearly 58,000 babies, children and teens registered for the Summer Reading program in 2008, making it one of the largest in the nation." The reading program runs until August 31st.

• Did you know the Multnomah County library has a place for your children to submit poems they've written or book reviews? These are creative ways to get your children more involved with the Reading Program and encourage developing literacy over the summer break from preschool/grade school.

• Use the Event Finder to find family events in your neighborhood. During the Summer Reading program, each branch generally has special programs for young children (Mad Science, Captain Bogg + Salty, puppet shows, etc) and on Wednesday, July 15th, from 11am-noon, and again from 1-2pm at the Gresham Library, Courtney Campbell (from the now defunct Mustard Pancakes show) will perform There's a Dinosaur in the Backyard!

• The library has two used bookstores: 

        Tidal Wave bookstore (216 N.E. Knott), open Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m) you will find books, records, DVDs, videos, magazines, a huge selection of children's books and cookbooks. Sale of withdrawn items benefits library.


        Friends' bookstore (Multnomah County Central Library, 801 SW 10th Avenue, Portland) Here, you will find high quality used books, Portland-related ephemera, (it's where we found our beloved Ramona Quimby shirt) Inside main branch to your left when entering.

• The library also houses (online and physical) extensive book lists such Creative Activities for Young Children, Books for the Youngest Book Lovers, Classics, Adventure stories,Caldecott and Newbery winners, and books recommended for each age group. 

• One of my daughter's favorite features of the library website is the page that lists websites devoted to authors and illustrators. This is a great jumping off place to write to Jan Brett after reading "The Mitten" or for exploring Dr. Suess' world.

• The "Around Portland" feature lists where to see animals in the Portland Metro area and beyond, with info about local parks, museums, day trips, or places to see sporting events.

• The library website also lists a clearinghouse of entertaining websites (We especially love the sounds in different countries website when my girl was smaller--how do people make a rat-like sound like in japan?).

At this point, you may want to go ahead and change your homepage to the public library, like we have! It offers such a wealth of information, for every member of our house. Now if I just could move in, (slumber parties at the library!), life would be perfect.  Read more...

Illustrator: Three books by Pamela Paparone

by Oona Baker

June 23, 2009

Children's books, and especially their illustrators, have special place in my heart. Back as far as five years old, I wanted to be a children's librarian so that I could surround myself with words, pictures, and crinkly plastic covers. The librarian dream hasn't become a reality as of yet, but I make a point to keep up with current children's releases (thank youMultnomah County library and Powell's) and I also have a wicked vintage book collection.

One of the most beloved illustrators in my collection is Pamela Paparone. I discovered her sweet, retro work by chance in the library and my daughter and I constantly bring her books out to pour over the cheerful artwork. (We even incorporated kitties from "I Like Cats" as part of the decorations for my daughter's sixth birthday party.) Here are several books featuring her artwork that your child is sure to adore too:

Raindrop, Plop!--I wish I could jump inside this book and splash around with the main character! I loved to read this book on a rainy day with my daughter (now she reads it to me) and then make cocoa together. This book uses rhyme and counting to tell the story of a little girl who is wishing for the sun to return and her many animal companions. If you can find the book/tape set used, it would be a cozy activity for a rainy day in the Northwest.

The Little School Bus--If I come across this book while cleaning in my daughter's room, I always have to stop and sit down to read it. The pictures are so silly and cheerful. It's one of those books that I truly enjoy reading (much like the Skippy Jon Jones series of picture books). The words have a rolling rhythm that lend themselves to repeated reading, and each scene has lots of hidden details. Look for all the working animals and their everyday lives! "A quick, quick chick, a fox with socks...." The colors in this book make me think of cupcakes, and old Fisher-Price Little People toys. It's a true delight for parent and preschooler!


How a Baby Grows--I used to read this board book to my daughter every night (nestled in the rocking chair) as part of our night time routine from the time she was just a month or two old. She was captivated by the simple, calming pictures, and the repetitive words. It's short and has simple illustrations of every day objects that your baby can recognize. A perfect book for snuggly time with a parent or caregiver after a bath!

 

 

Who are some of your favorite illustrators? 

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Free Summer Fun!

by Oona Baker

June 01, 2009

There are seven days of kindergarten left and counting for my daughter! She's already staying up later (it's hard to fall asleep until the sun goes down and the house cools off) and I'm already wondering exactly how I am going to fill our summer days with the delicate formula of fun activities and lounging around. I am dreading hearing the cry of "I am so bored, there's nothing to do.........." so I am arming myself with a binder of free or cheap Portland summer activities to keep us just busy enough, but still allow for the flexibility of doing...nothing (hunting for flying beetles or sending dolls on extremely exotic vacations to the wading pool in the backyard sound good to me). Our family has down-sized to one car and we're going to be striving for a lot of activities close to home or that are Tri-Met accessible. In Portland, that is easy to do.

Here are five activities to keep your kiddos occupied during the next three months--have fun!

1) Free bowling! Did you know that your children can bowl two free games every day this summer? Two local bowling alleys are offering an amazing program to keep kids cool and active:AMF 20th Century Lanes on SE 92nd Ave (3550 SE 92nd Ave), and AMF Pro 300 Lanes, also in Southeast (3031 SE Powell Blvd) Head to Kids Bowl Free and sign the kids in your life up for a special pass that is good for two free games daily all summer long (excludes shoe rental). Parents/relatives can also purchase a special pass for $23.95, which is good for up to four adults to enjoy bowling all summer as well. (two games daily). I am looking forward to having a cool place to hang out and hide from the sun. (an quick picnic or popsicle break afterward at Powell Park might be nice)

2) The Summer Reading Program through Multnomah County Library is a great way to keep your children interested in books and helps them build/maintain their literacy skills. Beginning June 12, kids and teens can visit anyMultnomah County library to sign up for the Summer Reading game. Participation is free! The program runs June 12, 2009 through August 31, 2009 and your child can earn fun prizes (ice cream, swim passes, books, the prizes change throughout the summer). There is even a reading program for adults! Collect stamps as you read and enter to win a family trip to Disneyland!!

3) For older siblings, Barnes and Noble also offers a similar reading program for children in first grade and up. Read any eight books and choose a free book (from list of specified titles). Combine a trip to redeem your Summer Reading Journal with one of B & N's entertaining in-store events and make an afternoon of it! Check out a list of upcoming events here!

4) Portland Parks offers a huge variety of free activities for youth during the summertime. Wading pools and fountains open, many locations offer free arts/crafts as well as a free lunch, and there will be free movies/concerts in many local parks. Visit their website for details regarding swim lessons, classes, and camps at very affordable prices. We are so lucky to have these resources in our neighborhoods for safe and free/low-cost fun!

5) Free gardening classes are available for children (ages six through twelve) through Portland Parks this summer.

Woodlawn Community Garden

7200 NE 11, next to Woodlawn School

 

June 17-August 29
Tuesdays, 9:00-10:30 AM, ages 6-9
Thursdays, 10:00 AM-12 noon, ages 9-12
Fridays, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM, ages 6-12

 

For more info, call 503-823-1617 or email childgard@ci.portland.or.us

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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)





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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...

Family Friendly Things To Do in Portland: weekend of 4/18-19

by Oona Baker

April 16, 2009

 

The sun will be shining this weekend, so it's time to throw off all your layers and get your family outside to soak up the spring loveliness!

Saturday, April 18th
Head to the Oregon zoo for ELEPHANTASTIC 2009! Packy is turning 47 and you can help him celebrate! Event from 10am-4pm, cake for everyone at noon (Packy's cake at 2 p.m.) Elephant themed games and learning opportunities abound! Free with zoo admission ( $9.75 adults, $6.75 ages 3 to 11, free 2 and under). $2 to park.

How about a Nature Walk at Tryon Creek? This week's themed walk is "Coaling Tryon Creek." 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.

If you can't bring yourself to venture outside and are looking for some indoor fun, check out the 5th annual Roots & Wings event! This is a free community-building event that celebrates family. Activities for children and information for parents and caregivers. 10am-2pm, inside Lloyd Center Mall (between NE Halsey & NE Multnomah and NE 9th & NE 16th). Event organized by Multnomah County Commission on Children, Families and Community.

While you are at the Lloyd Center Mall, wander over to the Barnes & Noble to meet up with Curious George! He will be making an appearance in the Children's Area at 1:00 p.m. See what sort of trouble this mischievous character gets into! In Lloyd Center Mall on the corner of NE 12th Avenue and Halsey.

Sunday, April 19th

The Portland Art Museum offers free activities for families every Sunday in April. Family tour at 12:30 p.m., interact with the APEX: Chris Jordan exhibit from 1-3 p.m., and listen to stories from 2:30-3:00 p.m. $10 for adults, children 17 and under are free.

 

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Marking a historical day with collage

by Sarah Gilbert

January 20, 2009

My six-year-old comes running to me nearly every day with a newspaper or magazine in hand, shaking it excitedly. "Mama, can you cut this out for me?" he asks, jumping up and down with glee. It's a photograph of Barack Obama, (unless it's of Michael Phelps, his other hero) and now history has clicked over one more time and these photographs will be precious memories one day.
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Last-minute gifts: Planning for the unplanned

by Sarah Gilbert

December 16, 2008

The weather outside has been frightful here in Portland, and it's time to start panicking about our Christmas gifts. I helped the boys write their letters to Santa Claus this week and was suddenly struck tonight, as we sent them off toward the North Pole, that I had to make good on at least some of their wishes. For my three-year-old, Thomas trains (the only thing he wants) are on order. My  Read more...

Looking for gifts? Five this mama would be happy to receive

by Sarah Gilbert

December 02, 2008

I wish I could visit me five years ago, when I was just starting out as the mama of one toddler, and give her a list of toys that were, and were not, acceptable. On my no-no-never-seriously! never! list: anything that requires batteries. There will be a day that noise makes you want to jump out the playroom window. But I can spread my hard-fought lessons and give you (and your child's  Read more...

Top Five Things to Do on a Rainy Day

by Sarah Gilbert

October 31, 2008

The rain in Portland falls ... mainly. And what a time to launch this blog, as we squelch firmly into the rainy season (it ends in June. Usually). When it rains, we tend to spend a lot of our time inside; but this is Portland and we can't spend all the time inside. Instead, we do this:
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When memory games are a part of the structure of play

by Sarah Gilbert

January 12, 2008

Today, Being Savvy is chatting about our favorite memory games (my favorite: Memory. I'm old school like that). We don't have any memory games in my household, but I still find my three-year-old and 18-month-old have plenty of opportunities to develop their sense of object permanence, their pattern memory, and their ability to match sorts of things. It's all about the bins. A year ago,  Read more...