Kids VT, Winter 2022-23
7 Seasonal Events for the Whole Family; Children’s Book Buyers Recommend Winter Reads; Parent-preneurs Share Their Stories; Good Citizens Gather at the Capitol
In Vermont, Fifth Graders Ski and Snowboard for Free
Snow sports make winters in the Green Mountain State so much more enjoyable, but they’re not cheap. For example, a one-day, regular season lift ticket for a 6- to 18-year-old at Smugglers’ Notch Resort in Jeffersonville runs $65. And that doesn’t include equipment rentals or lessons. To make wintry fun a little more accessible, Ski…
Ski Cubs Teaches Cross-Country Skiing
Skiing isn’t always about hurtling down a hill. Nordic or cross-country skiing across flat or rolling terrain is a great workout and a fun way to spend a few hours outdoors. Each winter, the Catamount Trail Association offers a six-week learn-to-ski program called Ski Cubs for youth in the greater Burlington area. Ski Cubs provides…
Pop-Up Toy Store Coming to Burlington’s Church Street in December
Over the summer, Maura Donnelly was hanging out in downtown Burlington with her 11-year-old son when she noticed that something was missing: a toy store. Donnelly owns Simon Says, a general store for kids and families in Bristol that carries all kinds of essentials, from toys and taggy blankets to jigsaw puzzles and unicorn beauty…
Editor’s Note: Going for It
In August, our 14-year-old daughter, Ivy, told my wife, Ann-Elise, and I that in summer 2023, she wants to spend six weeks at Camp Hochelaga. We’re on board with that plan — we’ve been sending her for four weeks at a time the past few summers — but told her that if she wanted to…
Local Children’s Book Buyers Offer Reading Recommendations
If you’re searching for birthday or holiday gifts for the kids in your life, consider picking out an engaging book or two. Students’ reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress dropped nationwide from 2019 to 2022, including here in Vermont. Giving kids something fun to read this winter could help turn that around.…
In Search of Autonomy and a Flexible Schedule, Some Vermont Parents Are Leaving the Workforce and Striking Out on Their Own
A little over a year ago, I decided to start my own business. After my second child was born and I was confronted with the reality of putting two children through childcare, I realized I wanted a career that allowed me to be home more and that would lessen the rising costs of raising a family.…
Save the Dates: Fun Stuff for Families This Winter
Do You Believe in Magic? November 25 Families flock to be shocked and astounded by award-winning magician Jason Bishop. Together with his baton-twirling assistant, Kim Hess, Bishop knocks audiences’ socks off with unbelievable feats of illusion and sleight of hand, from levitation to card tricks to disappearing dogs and beyond. Friday, November 25, 3 &…
Mom Maria Munroe Shares Her Digital Thrifting Strategies and Where to Buy Books for a Quarter
Looking at your shopping list and wondering how you’re going to pay for it all? Secondhand Style columnist Maria Munroe has some money-saving tips that might help. A seasoned local thrifter with an eye for great deals, Munroe is also a mom of two daughters: Malia is 2; Tiana, 3 months. Munroe was too consumed…
Vermont Visionaries: BJ Robertson, Blueprint Basketball
In an effort to give kids a chance to play basketball during their schools’ off-season, BJ Robertson created a multifaceted program that includes camps, clinics, personalized training and 36 Amateur Athletic Union teams. Blueprint Basketball began in 2019 and serves up to 300 kids a year. Players in kindergarten through 12th grade come to Chittenden County…
Raya Bronz, 11, Has Raised $10,000 to Fight Hunger and Homelessness
According to the Dalai Lama, “Our prime purpose in life is to help others.” It’s a sentiment that Winooski fifth grader Raya Bronz, 11, takes seriously. Since 2019, Bronz has been making colorful bookmarks adorned with that inspirational message and others, including a quote from Anne Frank: “No one has ever become poor from giving.”…
New Outerwear Company Hootie Hoo Beckons Kids Outside
When Xiaonan “Claire” Zhu started her own children’s outerwear company last year — dubbed Hootie Hoo — she set out to create clothing that was highly waterproof and breathable. And then she applied parental wisdom. In addition to adding the standard hand and ski-lift-pass pockets to the jackets, she put a pocket on each of…
These Good Citizens Spent the Summer Learning About Their Communities and Giving Back
If you’re feeling nervous about the state of our democracy, here’s something to cheer you up: some of the submissions we received for this summer’s Good Citizen Challenge! From mid-May to Labor Day, young Vermonters all across the state took part in the Challenge, completing civics-related activities on a bingo-like scorecard. This summer’s Challenge was…
The Difference Between Trains and Rivers
This article was originally published in Seven Days’ monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT.
New Essex Boutique Addie & Grace Offers Clothes for Adults and Kids With a Personalized Touch
Addie & Grace, the chic new women and children’s clothing boutique at the Essex Experience, began the way so many ventures do — with an entrepreneur’s conviction that there’s got to be a better way. Owner Jennifer Graham was disturbed by the dyes and chemical smells coming from her children’s clothing, even after several washes.…
Carrot-Parsnip Soup: An Irish Dish to Keep Out the Cold
In April, my kids and I went on an amazing trip to Ireland with my mother. We packed a lot into our 10-day visit, including historical sites, natural beauty and lovely culture. At nearly every place we ate, my 16-year-old son joyfully ordered the soup of the day. Every soup he ordered was accompanied by…
