Save the Date
Mon, Aug 20: LUAU IN THE PARK - The City of South Jordan
Fri, Aug 24: Utah Renaissance Faire 2018 at Electric Park
Sat, Aug 25: Intermountain All-Women Hoop Dance Competition at This Is the Place Heritage Park
Mon, Aug 27: NHMU Museum FREE Day at Natural History Museum of Utah
Tue, Aug 28: Sensory Inclusive Afternoon at Discovery Gateway Children's Museum
Mon, Sep 3: LABOR DAY LUAU at Thanksgiving Point
*Some events may have additional dates. Click through to see more information.
Dear KidsOutAndAbout.com readers:
I deeply adore a man who is not my husband.
Now, before you go making assumptions: The man is educator Salman Khan, of Khan Academy, which is an online learning resource that can teach your kids just about anything—FOR FREE. In 2006, Sal started creating video tutorials in math and science to help one of his cousins, posting them to YouTube. That led to his founding Khan Academy, a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to educate people around the world, of all ages, in all kinds of subjects. Sal's vision is that information should be free, to everyone, world-wide; if you can get to YouTube, you can learn all kinds of important stuff, for school and for life, without paying a cent. He is a man after my own heart.
But... love? Really, Deb? Yes. You know how, when you encounter someone who profoundly improves your kids' lives, you want to fling your arms around the person who made it possible? It's that kind of love. This summer has been the Summer of Standardized Test Prep in the Ross house, and Khan Academy alone has made that bearable, both financially and psychologically.
As you can imagine, it's been stressful around here. Fortunately, Khan Academy's program analyzes exactly what students are getting wrong on the kinds of problems that stump them, and teaches what they're missing. You can even choose to let Khan Academy interface with your kids' online College Board record if they've already taken the SAT; it analyzes their previous tests to see where they especially need help, and shows improvement bit by bit. Khan Academy has even gamified the test prep process so it's a little less tedious: Those little energy points she gathers along the way have really helped my daughter stay positive. And did I mention it's FREE? Oh, yeah, right, I did. Here's the link to the Khan Academy SAT Test Prep section in case your kids need this too.
Of course, the best thing you can do when you encounter a wonderful online resource is to tell a friend. Well, I'm hereby telling 110,000 friends about Khan Academy. Thanks, Sal. Sending you much love from my little corner of the globe.
—Debra Ross, Publisher
P.S. Got a favorite online resource that deserves some love? ;-) Tell a friend!
Enjoy the classic story of Pinocchio like never before!
Enjoy the classic story of Pinocchio like never before as Hale Centre Theatre proudly presents Disney’s My Son Pinocchio: Geppetto’s Musical Tale playing July 7 – September 8. Told through Geppetto’s eyes, the musical follows the timeless tale and explores loving life lessons the father and son duo learn as Pinocchio grows up into a real boy. Hear familiar songs like I’ve Got No Strings, When You Wish Upon a Star and additional music from Wicked composer, Stephen Schwartz. This special engagement is open to ages 3 and up, a new play full of entertainment for the entire family! To order tickets, go to: www.hct.org/Online/default.asp
The 6th ANNUAL FAIRYTALE FESTIVAL - CENTERPOINT LEGACY THEATRE
Back by popular demand, CenterPoint Legacy Theatre is pleased to announce the 6th annual Fairytale Festival! Come meet your favorite fairytale characters from roguish pirates, to adventurous princesses! Enjoy Face Painting, Fairy House and wand making, among other fanciful fairytale crafts. Build-A-Castle, medieval carnival games, balloon animals, a story, a bouncy castle, and much, more will be provided to delight family members of all ages!
Popular events this year include “Into the Book” Storytelling Tent , puppet shows at the Puppet Palace, Pirate Minute-to-Win-it Games and most notably the Father Daughter Ever After Ball .You won’t want to miss “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Books” where children can trade used books and/or donate a book to children around the world and the RAPUNZEL hair station, where young and young-at-heart Rapunzels can donate their locks and/or have a princess make-over! Admittance to the festival is FREE as are many of the activities!
For more information, please visit us at: https://www.facebook.com/Fairytale-Festival-CenterPoint-Theatre-238527189681267/
We have a special time when we open the facility to little kids (under 46"). Little Air jumpers and their parents are the only ones allowed during this time. Parents cannot share a trampoline with a child, but can jump near them.
Click here for more information.
Movies in the Park & Food Truck Frenzy - Riverton City
Food, fun and a free movie the entire family will love! With a trio of events, Home, Hand & Harvest Market, Food Truck Frenzy and the movies will prove to be a spectacular evening. Bring your blankets and join us on the event lawn at the Riverton City Park beginning at 6 pm when a variety of food truck vendors and Market vendors will be on hand for a tasty meal and products to browse before the movie. Want to sit in a chair instead of on the ground? No problem. Please just sit toward the back so people sitting down on the lawn can view the screen.
Click here for more information.
Have you ever wondered about winged warblers? Have you been curious about carnivorous condors? Come explore at our Birdosity program. Discover the life of birds, brush up on your identification skills and learn about a variety of bird related topics. Whether you are an eggs-pert or have a new found love of birds, Birdosity is a program the whole family will enjoy.
Click here for more information.
The Pirates of Penzance - CenterPoint Legacy Theatre
The dynamic duo, Gilbert and Sullivan have managed to create a joyful masterpiece of hilarity, and fun in the charming Pirate opera, Pirates of Penzance. Frederic, the indentured pirate apprentice has finally turned 21, which means the end of his obligation and he prepares to enter his non-pirate life when he is smitten by the beauty of the Major-General Stanley’s daughter, Mabel. What happens next is a riotous and charming fable of the classical kind. Brimming with jubilant and animated music, you will not want to miss this operatic experience of epic proportions.
Click here for more information.
Back to School Sleep Schedule Tips
Have your kids been sleeping in during these lazy, hazy days of summer? Mine, too! But sleep is essential to growing bodies and learning minds, so now's the time to get your children back on a sleep schedule that will make you all feel better. We have tips for you in our article Catching Zzzzz’s to Get A’s: Getting Your Kids on a Regular Back-to-School Sleep Schedule. Your kids will be nodding off in no time.
Traditions Help Make Back to School Time Extra Special
Whether your kids are super-excited to break out the new school supplies or dragging their feet all the way to the bus stop, each new first day of school is an important rite of passage. So celebrate it with family traditions that will make the big day memorable for years to come. Our Phoenix editor and social media guru Meg Brunson shares 14 Super Fun Back to School Traditions.
Get Organized for Back to School
The new school year can be exhausting! Getting ready in the morning, completing all of that "grown-up homework" of paperwork and emergency cards, remembering the daily activities in school as well as after school. It can start to feel pretty overwhelming. How can you get organized and transition into a whole new year with as little stress as possible? Well, start with these organizing tips. With our help, you'll conquer the school year.
Read Back to School: Get Organized!
Back to School Means Packing Lunches
Packing lunches can feel like an awful chore as a parent, and finding ideas for balancing good nutrition and delicious tastiness can be a challenge. We're constantly looking for recipes and tools to make lunchtime easier. Here are some articles to give you some ideas
