Kids VT, June 2020
Rolling Into Summer: Homemade Popsicles; Family-Style Picnics; Hammock Reads; Slowing the Summer Slide
Summer Civics Activities For Vermont Families — June 2020
Feeling disappointed about the things you can’t do this summer? Here are a few ways you can turn that frown upside down — and learn about your community, your state and your country in the process. For the last two years, Kids VT has been helping Vermont youth learn about civics and news literacy through…
What Should Parents Know About COVID-19-Related Anxiety in Kids?
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the lives of everyone, including children. Vermont’s mental health professionals have seen higher-than-normal numbers of kids experiencing anxiety brought on by the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, school closures, canceled extracurricular activities, and curtailed visits with family and friends. Thankfully, parents can play an active role in reducing their kids’…
Hammock Reads for All Ages
Whether you sprawl out on a sandy beach or your back porch, summer is the season to sink into a good book. Sandy Scott, co-owner of Hardwick’s Galaxy Bookshop, shared a few suggestions. Christine McDonnell’s newest picture book, When the Babies Came to Stay, illustrated by Jeanette Bradley, tells the story of four orphaned babies…
King Street “Superhero 6” Poetry Group Connects Virtually
Last summer, poet and educator JC Wayne began working with a small group of elementary school kids at King Street Center in Burlington. Wayne, the creator of the Poartry Project, and the group of students went for nature walks along Lake Champlain — with journals and art supplies in tow — engaging their observational and…
Make Your Own Family-Style Picnic
Summer is right around the corner. What better way to celebrate than with a healthy dose of vitamin D and a family-style picnic? Fill a picnic basket with a variety of food to satisfy diverse palates, and encourage your kids to help out. Registered South Burlington dietitian Hope Seggelink notes that “kids are much more…
Investigating Streams and Ponds with Kids
After a long, cold spring of staying home, the sun’s warmth feels glorious these days. I’ve been wondering if the trails are going to feel especially crowded this summer. I am thinking that getting out on — or in — the water might be the way to go. I met, virtually, with Saint Michael’s College…
An Education Professor Rethinks the ‘Summer Slide’
Parents and educators are familiar with dire warnings about the “summer slide” — the idea that much of the learning obtained in the school year is lost during the long seasonal break. Now that the “summer learning loss” could be compounded by the “COVID-19 learning loss,” it’s time to consider whether we should be worried…
Make These Eco-Friendly Household Supplies at Home
The things we do to live in a more Earth-friendly way can be both big and small. Buying energy-efficient light bulbs, doing a home energy audit, and driving a hybrid or electric car are out of reach for kids. But even small changes give young people the opportunity to learn that leading a greener lifestyle…
Students Respond to Coronavirus with Art
Despite school buildings being closed, young people all over the state have continued to express themselves creatively. This month, local educators shared some of their students’ impressive work. Winooski Middle School art teacher Emily Jacobs used the online platform Exhibbit to create a virtual exhibition featuring more than 120 works of student art. Exhibbit is…
Mealtime: Mango Kulfi Popsicles
I have often said that being a Vermonter has made me appreciate the seasons more. Months of cold and snow, followed by mud season, make the lilac blooms of late spring and the glory of summer all the sweeter. So why not celebrate the beautiful weather with some delicious frozen treats? Sure, we have maple…
Working from Home Provides a Window into Stay-at-Home Parenting
After 11 weeks, the isolation and social distancing of COVID-19 still do not feel normal, but our family has gotten used to it. We have created our own weekly routine, involving trips to the woods and Zoom classes. As before the pandemic, I work every morning at home while my husband spends time with our…
A Father Reflects on the Reopening of Childcare Centers
Two and a half months into the COVID-19 pandemic, my family of four has adapted fairly well to living, working and playing pretty much exclusively at home. My nearly 4-year-old daughter, Coraline, has become quite the Zoom aficionado. My 19-month-old daughter, Penelope, is consistently one step ahead of the rest of us, handing out water…
A High School Senior Reflects on Graduating During a Pandemic
In mid-April, my friend and I left the parking lot of Montpelier’s Main Street Middle School in our separate cars with a plan. We had signs and music to surprise our friends — twin sisters — on their 18th birthday. We drove onto their street and rolled down our windows, blasting music and letting the…
Yoga Pose of the Month: Frog Pose
Benefits: Increases flexibility in the ankles and hips Strengthens the legs and feet Cultivates focus and feelings of being grounded Feels great! Steps: Bring your feet hip-distance apart in mountain pose. Bend your knees deeply and lower your hips toward the Earth in a squatting position. Bring your hands down in front of you. Try…
A Different Kind of Summer
As parents, we want to protect our children. It’s not just our job; it’s our instinct. When they are babies, protecting them is not always easy, but it is straightforward. We feed them when they are hungry. We change their diapers when they are wet. We run to them in the night when they cry…
Local Donut Delivers Small-Batch Treats
Two years ago, Nate Doyon began baking donuts for weekend customers at Northfield’s Carrier Roasting, where he is the lead barista. When the pandemic temporarily closed the coffee shop, Doyon — like many Vermonters — was laid off. A trickle of emails began to flow in, asking whether Doyon would deliver his coveted donuts. In…
