Being Savvy: Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers and kids in Portland, OR

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What's Happening in PDX 6/20-6/21

June 18, 2009

Summer is upon us! If you're not too busy picking strawberries or lazing about in your backyard enjoying the break from school, Portland is packed full of fun family activities this weekend. The Sunday Parkways event returns and looks to be an amazing community building celebration. Look for two subsequent Sunday Parkways events in Northeast/Southeast Portland later this summer!

 

 

 

Saturday, June 20th

 

Mad Science: Spin, Pop, Boom!  2-3 p.m.
"How do you know that a chemical reaction has occurred? Start with a change of color in our chemically challenging “magic” trick. Move on to an assortment of experiments featuring both chemical and physical changes. Watch in awe as the Mad Scientist creates numerous versions of erupting science! Everything is guaranteed to be amazing!" Free tickets for seating will be available 30 minutes prior to the program.
Gregory Heights Library   7921 N.E. Sandy Blvd. Portland     503-988-5386

Felty Finger Puppets     3-5 p.m.
Use felt, fabric, wool yarn, buttons and other embellishments to create your own charming finger puppets. Artist Shanon Scholian will show you how in this two hour workshop.
Belmont Library   1038 S.E. 39th Ave. Portland       503-988-5382

Balloon Fairy Workshop     3-4 p.m.
Construct your own fabulous balloon hat creation!
Rockwood Library 17917 S.E. Stark St. Portland  503-988-5396

Family Nature Walk-Sauvie Island 9:00am-1:00pm
This is an easy 2.9 mile loop with little or no elevation gain. This peaceful hike runs through white oak woodlands, grassy meadows and the shores of Sturgeon Lake. Blue herons and other abundant bird life will be seen along the peninsula. This is a good hike to bring your binoculars. Approximate walking time 1-1.5 hours. There are no bathrooms at this trailhead. This outing is open to the public.

Contact leader for announcement of location and directions.

For more information, contact Jean Rystrom at (503) 282-2905 or rydick@toast.net.

 

Berry Jam-11:00am-4:00pm

Head to Kruger's this Father's Day weekend to celebrate Papa and Oregon Strawberries! There will be hayrides, music from Trashcan Joe and New Iberians, Jam-making Demonstrations, Farm Animals, and fun. Face Painting, U-Pick berries, Strawberry Shortcake, Food (Fresh Roasted Corn!) & Drink available for fee. 

Kruger's 17100 NW Sauvie Island Road, Portland 503-621-3489

 


Meet Biscuit the Dog! 11:00am

Bring your camera and tell all your friends! Come meet a familiar pooch from some of your child's favorite stories.  We'll also read Biscuit stories and have fun with Biscuit activities, too. Join us!

Barnes & Noble-Clackamas Center 12000 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland 503-786-3464

 

Ladybug Nature Walk 10:00am

Bring a snack and enjoy a guided hike! Learn about our local parks and the wild critters that live there!

Walks take place regardless of rain/shine. $3/child, adults free.

Laurelhurst Park- SE 39th Ave & Stark


Day Out With Thomas  (Trains run every hour from 9:00am-6pm)
Peep peep! You too can go for a ride on Thomas the Tank, meet Sir Topham Hatt, and participate in a plethora of train themed activities in Hood River on the Mt. Hood Railroad. Advanced tickets recommended, check website for details and pricing.
Mt. Hood Railroad 110 Railroad Ave., Hood River, OR 800-872-4661


 

Sunday, June 21st

 

Sunday Parkways  9:00am-4:00pm

A 2-way route of city streets open to walk, bike, roll, run, jump & skip - without having to watch out for cars! The 7.5-mile North Portland Sunday Parkways route will have two loops.  A 3.2-mile loop through Kenton and Arbor Lodge neighborhoods. And a 4.5-mile loop connecting Arbor Lodge and Piedmont neighborhoods via the Bryant Pedestrian Bridge and North Ainsworth.  The scenic Willamette Bluff will once again be enjoyed. Featured parks/activity areas: Arbor Lodge, Kenton, and Peninsula Parks.

 

Peninsula Park

 

Activity Vendors/Sponsors

On Point Community Credit Union
FootTraffic
Hoopshine hula hooping
Clif Bar
Prananda yoga
Alberta Coop Grocery
Teatro Graxa Stilt Walkers
Pedal Bike Tours
Metropolis Cycles
North Portland Connections
Port of Portland N. Runway Extension Project
ZipCar
Sixth Street Gallery/Mosaic Arts Alliance
Portland Parks

Parks City Nature
REI/ Parks
Free Ready Rider Workshop from BTA/Bridge Pedal/Safer Routes to Schools
The Portland Pounders Wheelchair Rugby Team
Suzanne Lady DC
Piedmont Neighborhood Association

 

Food Vendors

The Limp Noodle
Urban Opportunities Voodoo Donuts
Headwaters Café
NW Hot Dogs
Village Crepery
Zuppa
Al Forno Ferruzza
Fuego


Entertainment

Shannon Tower Band
Stumptown Jug Thumpers
The Sprockettes
Portland Recorder Orchestra

 

Arbor Lodge Park

 

Activity Vendors/Sponsors

Circus Cascadia
Serious Juggling
Clif Bar
Clif Kids
Milagros Boutique
Kaiser Permanente
North Portland Connections
The Jumping Jackie O's
METRO & Trimet
Bike Farm
Portland Bike Tours
Daybreak Cohousing
Senior bike Program
Stay Pet Hotel
Lions Club
Rose City Roamers
Portland Parks
Pesticide Free Parks
Luna Yoga
No Po Mobile Shop
Ride Connection
Bike Empowered

 

Food Vendors

Super Dog
Katmandu Café
Beaterville Café
Family Tree Nut Company
Spunky Monkey Coffee
Sipping Dreams
Dixon's Rib Pit


Entertainment

Carroll Raaum Swing Orchestra
The Atonements
Carolina Pump Station
Vintage Fashion Show presented by AlexSandra's Vintage Emporium
Nuborn Tribe

 

Kenton Park

 

Activity Vendors/Sponsors

N. Portland Tool Library
Port of Portland
Kenton Family Wellness Center
PUMP/Gateway Green
Yakima Products Inc.
Columbia River Crossing
Community Cycling Center
Your Sustainable City
Ma-Josh-O the Magician & Brian Proctor Magic
Willamette Pedestrain Coalition
ReDirect Sustainable Business Guide
Portland Parks
U Car Share
Portland Wheelman
Portland Village School
North Portland Connections
LIFE Fellowship Church w/ Koldkist water
Kenton Neighborhood Association

 

Food Vendors

Café de la Soul
Northstar Coffee House
Soup Cycle
Project Hope
Village Crepery
Elephants Delicatessen
Fuego
Dovetail Bakery

 

Entertainment
Providence Hospital Orchestra
Tater & Craig
Donna & the Side Effects
The Michael Pan Band

 

 

Berry Jam-11:00am-4:00pm

Head to Kruger's this Father's Day weekend to celebrate Papa and Oregon Strawberries! There will be hayrides, music from Trashcan Joe and New Iberians, Jam-making Demonstrations, Farm Animals, and fun. Face Painting, U-Pick berries, Strawberry Shortcake, Food (Fresh Roasted Corn!) & Drink available for fee.
17100 NW Sauvie Island Road, Portland 503-621-3489

Day Out With Thomas  (Trains run every hour from 9:00am-6pm)
Peep peep! You too can go for a ride on Thomas the Tank, meet Sir Topham Hatt, and participate in a plethora of train themed activities in Hood River on the Mt. Hood Railroad. Advanced tickets recommended, check website for details and pricing.
110 Railroad Ave., Hood River, OR 800-872-4661

Celebrate Father's Day at the Children's Museum  9:00am-5:00pm

Spend the day with us celebrating the father figures in your life.

Nature hikes at 11am & 1pm, Create tree wood cookies 10-12, $1, Wood works from Noon-2pm. Under age 1, free. Ages 1-54 are $8
Children's Museum   4015 SW Canyon Rd. Portland 503-223-6500

 

Oregon Historical Society: Family Day Celebrating - The Amazing World of Claymation. noon-5:00pm

Meet award winning film maker, Will Vinton and learn more about Claymation at 1pm.  Family activities, include the opportunity to help make a pixelation, or better known as a stop-motion film and creating clay figures offered from, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Free admission for all. 

Oregon Historical Society 1200 SW Park Avenue, Portland 503-238-7433

 Read more...

The Wheels on the Car Go Round and Round

June 15, 2009



Summer means sleeping in, staying up late, and running through sprinklers. It is also the time for ROAD TRIPS! Living in Portland means that we are close enough to head North to Seattle and Canada, or travel south to California. We have road tripped since my daughter was just a baby and after six years of practice, we've developed a system and a plan of attack. (Although sometimes, it's fun to just pack up and take a spur of the moment trip and just get in the car and drive, like on those amazingly hot Willamette Valley days where the whole Metro area decides to escape to the foggy coast.)

Here are some ways to make your car trip easy to manage and full of fun:

1) Lists, lists, lists! It is helpful to have a list of what you've packed so that everything returns home with you. (Especially when you have several children and all their clothes, toys, and ephemera) I usually make a list of exactly what items my daughter packs in her backpack so when we're gathering up our belongings from Grandpa's house, we don't leave anything special behind. (Trust me, I've had to get off the freeway and go back for beloved stuffed animals before.) If your child can read/write, they can be in charge of their own packing/list. 

2) Pack a small cooler to keep on the back seat. Kids can self-serve sandwiches yogurts, and drinks, this can cut down on the requests for restaurant stops. Bring your child to the grocery store and have them pick out special snacks for travel day. Squeezable apple sauce, cut up fruits and veggies, and muffins are staples for our travels. Hang a trash/recycling bag from the back of the driver/passenger seat for easy clean-up. Pack wet wipes to clean those messy hands!

3) Hit the library a few days before you live. You can find books on tape with follow along books, Preschool Book in a Bag (themed books and games), movies (for portable DVD players), and audiobooks (to load as mp3s or play in-dash) A compelling audiobook can soothe cranky kids who persist in asking "When are we going to get there?" 

4) Leave before sunrise. My godfather had a tradition with his kids when they were small that I always admired. He would load the sleeping kids into the car in their pajamas and hit the road around three am. The kids would snooze for a good four hours, oblivious, and the parents would have some quiet travel time. This is especially helpful when you are traveling in a hot climate. Pack changes of clothes for daytime. (It's a good idea to have always have something in the way of extra clothes in case juice spills or anyone gets carsick.)

5) Travel treats! We have a sweet tradition in our family. The night before we leave for a trip, I sneak several special things in my daughter's backpack. I have done this since she was quite small. For younger children, you could include playdough, sticker books, finger puppets , or animal crackers . Older children may appreciate Mad Libs , a packet of activity sheets you've compiled and printed out from the internet, or magnetic paper dolls.

6) Embrace the portable game system (we used Leapster when my daughter was four, now she has graduated to a Nintendo DS) or the iPod. Really. Your child isn't going to rot their brain during the timespan of a road trip. If you've sang "I've been working on the railroad" until you think your eyeballs are going to explode and you have wriggling preschoolers in the back seat, an episode of a PBS Kids show is a total lifesaver!

With small kids, it's hard not to pack along your whole house, but it is possible to come up with a sort of "Entertainment Emergency Kit" that doesn't take up too much room. I save these last-resort items in a bag in the trunk for meltdowns. Sometimes I whip out an enormous lollipop (it can bring about an amazing amount of silence!) small paper lunch bags for making puppets, or small stuffed animal to cuddle. Where ever your family is headed this summer, pack wisely and have a great time!

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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...

More of Our Favorite Activities and Things to Do in portland

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Creatures & Critters:
Our Urban Jungle

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Do, Re, Mi! Places to Hear, Sing & Play a Tune

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Artistic Endeavors:
Our Favorite Art Venues

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Room to Run:
Run, Jump & Wiggle Outdoors

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Rainy & Quiet Days:
Cozy & Crazy Indoor Fun

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A Sense of History:
Our City's Stories

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Tot's Science Fair:
Science & Nature Sites

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Splash, Spray, Play! Local Spots to Get Wet

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The Most Fun in Life Is Free!

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The Best of... Our Top Can't-Live-Without Spots

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Oona Baker, Sarah Gilbert

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