The Dad Issue 2015
Summer Day-Cations; Homemade Pizza Recipe; Bike Safety Tips; Fathers in Focus
Bristol Green Playground
Unveiled in the fall of 2014, this play area in the center of Bristol gives young kids lots of options. The eye-pleasing natural wood structure boasts a wheelchair-accessible ramp leading up to a slide and a large wooden platform covered by a roof. AstroTurf blankets the ground. There’s a circular set of monkey bars and…
Dear Dads
In May, we asked our Kids VT Facebook followers to send us photos of the dads and kids in their families. We were so bowled over by the cute, silly and touching shots we received — and their backstories — that we decided to print some of them in this issue (“Fathers in Focus,” page…
Fathers in Focus: Kids VT readers share the stories behind their sweet snapshots
A picture may be worth 1,000 words, but sometimes images alone can’t tell the whole story. When we asked our Facebook friends to send us photos of the dads in their lives for our Father’s Day-inspired issue, we were overwhelmed by the response. We received dozens of heartwarming snapshots of men sharing tender and silly…
Vermont Day-cations: Cabot Creamery Visitors Center & Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum
School’s almost out, and “Day-cations” are in. Every summer, Kids VT seeks out family-friendly destinations where you and your kids can experience the natural beauty and unique culture of the region. They’re all places you can visit with your kids in a day. Each of our three summer issues features two recommended trips, complete with…
Road Biking Workshops for Kids with Burlington-based Local Motion
Want to hit the road with your family — on two wheels instead of four? Local Motion, a Burlington-based bike-advocacy nonprofit, can help. The group hosts cycling workshops that teach kids and adults to ride with confidence. Jason Van Dreische, Local Motion’s director of advocacy and education, advises caution when it comes to riding with…
Backyard Teepee
Parents: Silvio Mazzarese, Teresa Bobel Kids: Liliana, 11, Valentina, 8 If you plan on spending time inside the Mazzarese sisters’ backyard teepee, you’d better be less than five feet tall. There’s just enough room inside for “three tiny kids or two middle-size kids,” says 8-year-old Valentina. She and her 11-year old sister, Liliana, got the…
Chris Dorman Releases His Debut CD, Always There
This year for Father’s Day, musician Chris Dorman is getting a special gift — his debut CD. The Shelburne dad of two, better known in kids music circles as Mister Chris, releases Always There on June 21. He first shared his vision with the album’s producer, Jared Slomoff, more than two years ago. Then last…
One to Watch: Ben Sprenger
Age: 13 Town: Essex Seventh grader Ben Sprenger knows how to mix it up. Over the last couple of years, Ben has been performing as DJ Necutron, a made-up name that references his favorite movie, Tron. He’s spun tunes at a skateboarding competition at Talent Skatepark and at dances and lunch periods at Essex Middle…
Getting Kids to Summer Camp Just Got Easier…and Cheaper
Shuttling kids from one summer camp or activity to the next can be a logistical nightmare. The youth Summer fun pass aims to make it a little easier. The program, a joint effort by the Chittenden County Transportation Authority and the Green Mountain Transit Agency, gives children ages 7 to 17 unlimited reduced-price access to…
Safe-Dock Shopping Carts Make Shopping with Infants Safer
Vermont Hannaford stores recently became a little safer for their youngest customers. Last summer, the retailer rolled out several new shopping carts at each of its Vermont locations outfitted with a Safe-Dock system for infants. The specially designed carts allow parents to snap infant car seats into a plastic dock and secure them with a…
Dad’s Homemade Pizza
My husband, Sam, is a terrific dad, a talented photographer and a dedicated Little League coach. He’s also an accomplished baker. Before we were married, Sam co-owned a pizza shop in Shelburne. For two years, he made about 50 pounds of pizza dough from scratch every day, and he got pretty good at it. One…
What Does it Mean When Kids Refuse to Play Ball?
My twin 4-year-old daughters were super-excited about their first real soccer match. At least, they said they were. They’d given my wife and me no reason to doubt them. Their practices had been a blast. A couple of their teammates were pals from school. One of their favorite preschool teachers was a coach. Every kid…
What Should Parents Know About Their Child’s Body Mass Index?
Elevated BMI tends to increase a child’s risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes as they get older. Parents often see their children in the best possible light. A recent study of more than 3,000 overweight or obese children found that nearly 95 percent of their parents describe their kids’ weight as “just right.” While…
Behind the Books with Local Authors and Illustrators
For this month’s issue, Kids VT interviewed local children’s book authors and illustrators about their recent and upcoming projects. Tanya Lee Stone is the author of almost 100 books for kids and young adults, including nonfiction works — one about Barbie dolls, another about the first black paratroopers in World War II — and picture…
Cartooning
Ava Kathleen Albrecht is just 8 years old, but she’s already juggling multiple publishing projects. More specifically, three original comics: The Samurai’s Plans, The Lady and the Magic Creatures and Minecraft Magic. Ava was one of 12 kids drawing furiously on a Saturday morning in May at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River…
