By Carly Loeper, Exhibit & Program Developer, Providence Children’s Museum
What makes a great plaything? At the Children’s Museum, this question is always on our minds as we select toys and materials for our programs, exhibits and Gift Shop. If, as Fred Rogers said, “Play is really [...]
Join Grammy winning artist Bill Harley along with special guests Keith Munslow and Sally Rogers at the Lincoln School Auditorium for a fun-filled afternoon of songs and stories, all to benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Currently, the Food Bank feeds more than 50,000 Rhode [...]
Kidoinfo is teaming up with Connect Providence, Leadership Rhode Island, Rhody Food Tours, and the West Broadway Neighborhood Association this season to have some family fun and spread some holiday cheer.
Bring the kids and join us as we joyfully carol through historic streets surrounded by beautiful [...]
Reviewed by Katy Killilea
Who doesn’t like their dinner hot, ready, and waiting? For this and many other reasons, slow cookers make people happy. The notion of slow cookers as frumpy pot roast factories is completely outdated, if Facebook is any kind of bellwether. There all the cool kids are swapping [...]
There are so many fabulous craft shows, studio sales and local places this time of year selling lovely things made by hand—whether it’s $2 or $200, there is something for every budget.
In Rhode Island:
Craftland Show
December 4-31, 7 days a week, 10:00 AM – [...]
This holiday season, many more people will feel the pinch from tough economic times. When giving time or money becomes more difficult, even a little bit can mean a lot to someone else. Although community giving can happen any time of year, the holidays provide an opportunity or a [...]
This list was so handy last year, I decided to re-use it. Here is a summary of articles from the Kidoinfo archives that may be helpful as readers plan their month. Find craft projects, local events, and books to read, along with tips and ideas to make your holidays a [...]
• Monday, December 7th at 6:00 pm at Central High School
• Wednesday, Dec. 2nd at 6:00 pm at SORICO, 646 Camp Ave., North Kingstown
This open invitation from Deborah Gist, education commissioner, invites parents to join the conversation about transforming education in Rhode Island at two upcoming Race to the [...]
Pleased to announce Families First Rhode Island, an amazing local grassroots organization, received a grant award of $40,000 from the Rhode Island Foundation. This grant allows Families First to expand its services now into Southern Rhode Island by providing in-home evaluations, treatment referrals, social support, [...]
I was put on bedrest after a routine visit to my midwife’s office thirty weeks into my pregnancy. Although bedrest is not uncommon when expecting twins, I still did not think it would happen to me. Pregnancy is already a busy and stressful time—you may be setting up the nursery [...]
Vegetables from A to Z
By Hannah Marcotti
I’m not going to write about iceberg (oddly enough), but rather making the smartest nutritional choices at each meal. Iceberg is fine and crispy and quite yummy on a taco. The variety of lettuces and dark greens that are available in [...]
Alizah Holstein is the owner and founder of Kowalli, a new company based in Providence that makes fleece baby-carrier covers. Kowalli Baby Carrier Covers keep parents and their babies close and warm when on the go and allow them to get out of the house quickly without worrying about [...]
Here’s my round-up of crafty projects to do with kids:
Full Circle
Leaf Garland
This one is my favorite. Have everyone write something they are thankful for on a leaf. Hang in a doorway, window or from a chandelier.
Cakies [...]
Reviewed by Katy Killilea
Look how cute! A seven-inch square book, filled with muffins donning patterned paper cases—there are a million variations on this theme, most often found waiting for a kindly shopper to rescue them from the clearance aisle of HomeGoods. There’s a muffin book glut. Why? [...]
By Kristen Kardos
DONA International explains a doula as follows;
The word “doula” comes from the ancient Greek meaning “a woman who serves” and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after [...]
By Janice O’Donnell,
Executive Director, Providence Children’s Museum
On a chilly, wet day, a woman opens the door to the Children’s Museum. She has a toddler on her hip, a preschooler by the hand and a large diaper bag over her shoulder. As they enter the lobby, [...]
Okay, hold on to your holiday hats! This is the ultimate RI Handmade Holiday Shopping Guide with gift ideas, online shopping, holiday show links, and more. This season, it’s easier than ever to buy handmade products from local artisans and crafters! Whether online or at an upcoming arts and crafts [...]
Letterboxing mixes treasure hunting, art, and navigation while exploring the great outdoors and out-of-the-way places.
Here’s the basic idea: Someone hides a waterproof box somewhere outside; it should contain at least a notebook and a carved rubber stamp (it may also include a pen, stamp pad or other [...]
By Elyse Major
I have always liked pine cones. To me, they are like wooden roses in constant bloom. Because my backyard abuts a wooded area, it often looks very much like an autumnal wonderland. One would never know that just days ago, my family and I spent the day collecting [...]
With your child: The six towers of this sculpture are taller than most grown-ups. They are made up of many identical open cubes stacked together. Sol LeWitt created works of art like this one by writing a set of rules or instructions that other people could follow. He said, “The [...]
By Jeanine Silversmith
No, I don’t have a DVD player in my car. Yes, there are times when I really wish I did. Like on my way to my parents’ house a few weeks ago. My husband was working, so just the kids and I made the two-hour trek, smack in [...]
Sesame Street first aired November 10, 1969 introducing us to a wonderful neighborhood—home to Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, Mr. Hooper, Maria and more. Sesame Street helped define children’s programing as a positive and creative place where kids can learn while tuning in, setting high standards for children’s [...]
By Roger Williams Park Zoo, Education Department
Winter is just around the corner and it’s time for the Pinnipeds! Pinniped is a word from the Latin language meaning fin-foot, Pinna means fin and ped means foot. Seals are a type of pinniped because their feet are in [...]
TV does not have to be a bad thing for children; it just depends on what they watch, how much, and what happens to them when they are done watching. Parents decide. I could always count on PBS for shows that engaged my children—but my boys are choosy and not [...]
Financing Your Child’s Education Workshop is Monday, November 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Gordon School in East Providence. This event is free and open to the public.
At this time of year, many parents start to think about school options for next year. With [...]
Looking for new music for your kids that you won’t mind playing while driving in the car? Or that you may have to listen to over and over once your children decide it is their new favorite CD?
You may want to check out Peter Himmelman, the Grammy [...]
Putumayo Kids is the children’s and educational division of Putumayo World Music, committed to introducing children to other cultures through music from around the world. Always on the lookout for new music to sample, here’s the latest from one of our favorite labels: Two new Playground [...]
Has anyone noticed there are more than a few kids home sick these days? Although some with suspected or confirmed cases of H1N1, many kids are sick from the usual ailments; common colds, strep, croup, flu, etc. As parents how do we cope? How do we keep our kids healthy [...]
via ProJo
Governor Carcieri and the Department of Health have teamed up with the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association for a four-hour effort to provide information about H1N1 and the vaccine against it.
1. From 4 to 7 p.m today, 20 knowledgeable people selected by the Health Department will answer phones at [...]
The Wonder’s of India: Celebrating for Freedom. A family celebration of Indian Culture on November 7, 2009 aims to help International Cause.
Where: Jewish Community Center, 500 Elmgrove Avenue (on the East Side), Providence, RI 02906
When: Saturday, November 7, 2009
Time: Noon to 8 p.m
Admission: $2 per person, children [...]
Check Your Smoke Alarms
November 1 marked the end of Daylight Savings Time. When you change your clocks back one hour, you should also change the batteries in all of your smoke alarms. So if you have not done so yet, make a plan to check today. Find [...]
Cirque Mechanics “Birdhouse Factory” performance illustrates how art and imagination can elevate us through hard times. FirstWorks believes in the transformative power of shared experiences in the arts – and with that offers our Kidoinfo readers a chance to win tickets to the show plus two special ticket offers in [...]
There is another great reason to head down to Warren these days as the Warren Art Spot is officially open. Right in the heart of downtown Warren, the Art Spot promises to be the place in Warren for kids to take art classes, participate in crafty [...]
Reviewed by Maura Keating
This review has been brought to you by the (divine?) intervention of the product that I am reviewing. Hallelujah! My hands are completely free!
Last year, I reviewed the Medela Freestyle Hands-Free Breast Pump and I loved it–I still love it. The pump is [...]
As we prepare our kiddos for a fun day or evening of trick-or-treating, let’s also help make it safe for them. The American Red Cross offers us some common sense safety tips worth repeating:
• Walk, slither, and sneak on sidewalks, not in the street.
• [...]
Reposted with permission from Providence City News.
Mayor David N. Cicilline today urged parents of Providence school children to take an important step towards protecting their children against H1N1: sign parental consent forms for the H1N1 vaccination immediately. The Rhode Island Health Department will begin [...]
By Hannah Marcotti
It starts in October and goes until we sit down to write our New Year’s Resolutions…the sugar binge. For some of us it’s the traditions and for others it’s the emotions that Holidays bring up that cause us to turn to the sweet stuff.
I’ve [...]
Reviewed by Katy Killilea
Gastrokid.com has been hoisting families out of chicken nugget ruts since 2006. On the site, two professional foodie dads offer recipes and meal ideas for family members of all ages to enjoy together. The Gastrokid ethos is that every person is born with [...]
By Megan Fischer,
Providence Children’s Museum
Not long ago, I heard a story on the radio about kids spending their time playing Wii soccer. And I thought, what about real soccer? Outdoors, with real balls? And real kids? And then I thought about kids playing Guitar Hero [...]
I love that Kidoinfo has earned the reputation as the place to find anything about families in Rhode Island and beyond. Thanks to everyone who makes this so. As more and more readers, businesses and services count on Kidoinfo as their local source of parenting [...]
By Erin Barrette Goodman
We’ve been talking about potential costumes for Halloween for several weeks around here.
Being the thrifty, creative mama that I like to think I am, I really love making homemade costumes. Or more accurately, I love coming up with ideas for homemade costumes and then sending the kids [...]
By Kristen Swanberg, Senior Director of Education
Illustrations by Mary Lamb Greene
Each fall a transformation takes place across our state in forests, in parks, and even in your own backyard. Trees turn from green to yellow, orange, red, and even purple – all in just a [...]
Kidoinfo Giveaway: Win two tickets to see Hayes Greenfield perform in concert at the Ocean State Montessori School in East Providence on November 7, 2009. See details below.
Kids are never too young to be introduced to music—of all kinds. Music has the power to transform us—both kids and adults—change our [...]
On Thursday, October 22, Traveling Theatre, the Providence-based arts education nonprofit, will join over 7,500 sites nationwide in hosting a Lights On Afterschool event.
Along with collaborating partners The Providence After School Alliance (PASA), the Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living, and Bridges 4 Learning: AmeriCorps, Traveling Theatre [...]
By Erin Barrette Goodman
All parents and caregivers know how valuable it is to have easy, fun, prop-free games in their repertoire for moments of transition or unexpected delays. “What time is it Mr. Fox?” is one of our family’s favorites. This game works best outdoors where you have plenty of [...]
Reviewed by Katy Killilea
The Book That Eats People is the book the guy who made an inappropriate toast at your wedding would give your child on her birthday (if he shopped at an independent book store.) The concept is either too terrifying or just terrifying enough: [...]
By Roger Williams Park Zoo’s Education Department
Nearly synonymous with Halloween, bats are seldom seen but often misunderstood. Test your bat IQ by guessing if the statements below are truth or myth. Then, use the hints and tips below to search for bats in your backyard – wild or at the [...]
Storytime has always been special in our house: Re-reading the same picture book a hundred times, finding every book written by a well-loved author or discovering a big book like The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick that when becomes our new nightly read, makes us long for pajama [...]
By Tracy Andryc
Executive Assistant,
Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island
Homework is an important part of your child’s school day and can count for a large percent of his/her grade. It’s a parent’s job to make homework a priority during the school year. Children need support from [...]
Call for Student Entries! Deadline is December 12, 2009.
The Rhode Island Center for the Book at Providence Public Library invites all Rhode Island students in grades 4 – 12 to enter the national Letters About Literature contest with a national prize of a $10,000 grant for [...]
Reviewed by Katy Killilea
Goodies for your neighborhood trick-or-treaters, your October playdates and school parties aren’t hard to come by. But if your homemade Halloween favorites feel a little played out (Kleenex covered lollipops?), Ghoulish Goodies is crammed with new material.
Rocky Road to Perdition Fudge, Monster Toes, and [...]
Take a moment to do something good in your community. Barack Obama has made 9/11 officially a National Day of Service and Remembrance. It is heartwarming to know out of sad times and hardship there is the possibility for healing, growth and new beginnings.
Seize this [...]
By Roger Williams Park Zoo’s Education Department
Fall is a fun time to observe back yard animals. When the days get shorter and the temperature cools, there is a lot of hustle and bustle as wildlife gets ready for the cold New England winter.
One of the most [...]
Today The Beatles: Rock Band game and fourteen Beatles’ albums digitally re-mastered on CD, went on sale this morning. Although we are not rushing out to buy the The Beatles: Rock Band game—I’ve never been a gamer —I’m tempted to try this one. However I [...]
By Mary Scott Hackman, Early Childhood Program Developer, Providence Children’s Museum
It’s a typical Friday morning at Providence Children’s Museum and Preschool Friday is underway. I gather the children to read “Mouse Paint” while their parents look on, and then welcome them all to the color laboratory. [...]
The Soft Landing has partnered with Cool Mom Picks to announce the Big Bottle Swap that allows consumers to send in their old SIGG bottles that are not BPA-free and receive a discount when they purchase clean, non-leaching stainless steel water bottles. The promotion runs through [...]
September has always been one of my favorite months for art festivals. While weather cools a bit, it is still nice enough to get out and enjoy great activities and art. So, don’t miss these opportunities to get out with the family!
The Providence Open Market
September 12, 19, [...]
By Kim Calcagno, Audubon Society of Rhode Island Naturalist.
Can owls bring good luck and prosperity, or do they represent signs of bad things to come? Throughout history, humans have had cultural and mythical connections to owls. It has colored attitudes and treatment of these animals, and [...]
My kids head back to school tomorrow. I know it’s cliché but I’m saying it anyways—summer flew by. I have taken a few days off cleaning up, sorting out, buying school supplies and enjoying the last days of my sons’ vacation with picnics, swimming, playing at [...]
Reviewed by Katy Killilea
Children really crank up the speed of the entropy machine, don’t they? In my former life, I could make things orderly and they would stay that way very satisfactorily for days on end. It wasn’t that hard to be neat. Because there were no: [...]
Don Cowart, Principal of Hope Highlands Elementary School shares helpful tips and reminders for parents, kids and school staff on how to help keep our schools germ-free. especially in response to the increase of reported H1N1 cases. Read more at principalcowart.blogspot.com.
The Center for Disease Control [...]
Home Work: Lessons from Work-at-Home Parents. This series of Kidoinfo interviews with parents look at how they manage to squeeze in work time at home (whether working for someone else or running their own business) along with juggling kids, home life, and childcare (or lack of it).
[...]
National data has recently shown that approximately 17,000 children are injured each year in school bus accidents. Nearly 1/4th of those injuries occurred when the child was boarding or leaving the bus, slip and falls, or being bumped around when the bus suddenly stops or [...]
In September 2008, a group of seven women came together at The Bureau of Jewish Education in Providence for a singular purpose: to participate in an eight-month educational course offering an introduction to Jewish practices and ethics intended specifically for non-Jewish women raising Jewish children. Mothers Circle [...]
Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island helps sponsor the Back to School Celebration on Saturday, August 22, 2009
Back to School of RI will kick off the new school year with celebrations from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 10 locations Saturday. The first 10,000 students [...]
It’s time for some of us to send the kids back to school. If you’re sending your first child off to kindergarten this can be a very emotional time and if you’re a seasoned school parent you already know the routine but may need some new ideas. For the parents [...]
Pregnancy can be a very romantic time. We pick out cute baby clothes; select fashionable baby gear and nursery furniture; and imagine the happy times ahead with our little one. But, for many of us, new motherhood is not what we expected it would be. New [...]
Does the August calendar page have you wondering “where did summer go?” Well, summer is still here and there is still time for carefree, memory-making fun. If a trip to Cape Cod isn’t in the schedule, consider Seekonk. Just over the Rhode Island border [...]
By Katy Killilea
Quick: what’s just like getting a surprise care package, but way more mundane? A rumbling truck pulls up to your house and a uniformed person approaches you, arms laden with goods. But it’s not new sheets from Garnet Hill, or books from Amazon, nor a [...]
As a parent I’m always looking for ways to spend smart and make my dollar stretch, and these days it’s become more of a necessity for more and more of us. When it comes to outfitting our kids, luckily there are many good options to avoid [...]
Kidoinfo is taking a vacation from blogging and posting articles this week (gasp!) while I spend some time offline with my family enjoying summer; at the beach, playing at the park, riding our bikes, eating grilled sea food and searching for the best ice cream!
So while [...]
By Roger Williams Park Zoo, Education Department
Summer is great time to go on a reptile watch. There are fun things to discover right in your own backyard! Throughout New England, you can find reptiles in almost any habitat – from ponds, to meadows, to forests. Types [...]
By Hannah Marcotti
I just learned that ginger is mentioned in the Karma Sutra and is known for having aphrodisiac properties. How could I not feature it in my G article even though it is a rhizome? Ginger is one of those [...]
By Jeanine Silversmith
The fear was overwhelming. Me. With both kids. All day, everyday. For pretty much the entire summer?! Add to it the many rainy days we’ve had and I was pretty sure I was going to lose my mind.
Like many others, I learned a few months [...]
By Linda Demers
As summer slowly winds down, August is typically quiet around town. Many families go away for vacation. If you’ve decided on a staycation this year and are looking for some local fun, then mark your calendars for these upcoming festivals:
Block Island Arts Festival, August 8 & 9
Held [...]
Children these days are scheduled with so many structured activities and often plugged into electronics daily—joined with a parent’s concern for their child’s safety—children seem to have very little free play time left outside (or in) to wander at their own pace and make discoveries without [...]
Editors Note: Maura has done a fabulous job test-driving and reviewing a number of double strollers recently, hopefully to help in your search to find the perfect one—or as close to perfect as possible. I never found “the perfect one” when my children were stroller-age because until just a few [...]
By Maura Keating
Isn’t it amazing when you feel like someone is listening? It’s nice to think that your kids are listening to what you’re saying, or your husband. At least your friends listen to you . . . don’t they? But companies? Not very often. And yet, [...]
By Maura Keating
The Valco Baby Tri-Mode Twin is a sporty stroller. The Tri-Mode Twin features rugged good looks, enhanced by durable fabric choices with polished piping. When you take the Twin for a ride, the fun really begins. The suspension sets the Tri-Mode Twin apart. As [...]
By Maura Keating
The Joovy Ergo is the perfect stroller for an outing with the kids. Zoo, amusement park, even the mall… this stroller makes every adventure a little better. You might not even mind the long lines at Disney if you had Joovy Ergo at your side.
The [...]
By Maura Keating
Last year, we wrote about the G-LITE, the best umbrella stroller around, so we were thrilled when we heard that UPPAbaby was making a RumbleSeat for their popular Vista stroller. UPPAbaby is a local company, based nearby in Massachusetts. We interviewed Lauren Monahan [...]
By Mary Scott Hackman
Early Childhood Program Developer, Providence Children’s Museum
It’s a tradition at Providence Children’s Museum to present live animal programs throughout the year. We welcome “Fleecy Friends” like llamas, goats and alpacas to greet visitors in our Children’s Garden. We offer a program called “Wingmasters,” [...]
This year’s AS220 Foo Fest reminds parents even though we may have children we can still take part in cool fun things happening in the city of Providence. AS220 Foo Fest 2009 is a summer celebration of Rhode Island’s vibrant arts community that will once again [...]
We eat a lot of cereal in our house; in fact, our shelf looks like it belongs in a Jerry Seinfeld episode with boxes of cereal all lined up for the morning mix. Although the empty boxes can be recycled, here are some [...]
By Katy Killilea
When Beau Obama humped the President’s leg, I knew we were ready for a pet. My six-year-old loves dogs so much, he practically is a dog—springy, gregarious, often rolling around on the ground, and not noticing when his long messy hair dips into the milky [...]
I am thrilled to be heading to Chicago today for this year’s BlogHer conference. This will be my first time at this sold-out annual event that brings together bloggers from every corner of the blogosphere for hands-on learning and lively discussions with plenty of networking opportunities [...]
Today local artist Beth Curtin shares a wonderful easy way to teach weaving to children using old styrofoam trays from the grocery store. Kids can learn about color, patterns and texture, using their creation as a mini wall hanging, a toy horse blanket or a rug for [...]
By Hannah Marcotti
I had that excited feeling you get when you can’t wait to share something really good. In this case it was a salad. Then I realized my salad wasn’t as unique as I thought. There are others out there equally creative as [...]
Take a hayride through a sea of sunflowers and bring some of the sun-shiny beauty home with you while supporting a wonderful cause, The Make-a-Wish Foundation of Connecticut, a non-profit organization devoted to making wishes possible for children with life-threatening medical conditions.
At Buttonwoods Farm, in [...]
By Mary Smith
Well-read, self-aware, and talented are three words that describe Alison Paul, author and illustrator of The Crow: A Not So Scary Story. Paul was inspired by the work of Edgar Allen Poe, relying specifically on Poe’s “The Raven” as a poetic muse as [...]
Do you embarrass your kids with your killer air guitar riffs? Channel your inner Janis Joplin in the shower? Sneak downstairs for one more round of Rock Band after the kids go to bed?
Well, this summer you have the chance to make all your Rock dreams come [...]
The first few months of a baby’s life can be quite overwhelming for new parents (and even experienced parents). When supportive friends and family members offer to help, say yes! If no one offers to help, make a point to ask for what you need. Not sure where to tell [...]
Reviewed by Katy Killilea
I love a cookbook that works as a springboard for improvisation. Whether I’m improvising because I’m creative (a rare event) or because my cupboard is bare (quite often), the cookbooks from Eating Well magazine are trusty resources. The newest book in this series, [...]
What do “circus kids” do while their parents rehearse for performances, manage ticket sales, or work to lift the “Big Top” into place?
This week at Ninigret Park in Charlestown, the last stop on the Big Apple Circus’ 11-month, eight-venue tour, they rode bikes, visited the horse stable, [...]
Staycations have become a fashionable necessity during these days of higher gas prices and reduced work weeks, unemployment, or the fear of losing a job. For many, the idea of a pricey vacation is simply out of the question.
Although I have never used the term, Kidoinfo [...]
After an extensive national search for a library director, Providence Community Library has hired Rhode Island native Ann A. Robinson to supervise its new nine-library system, formerly part of Providence Public Library.
Having most recently served as the Associate Head Librarian of the Worcester Public Library for [...]
By Cathy Saunders
Director of Education,
Providence Children’s Museum
“I’m Aunt Beckie. That’s my role,” says a friend of mine who welcomes the neighborhood children into her home. “I take the kids out to look at plants and critters. I sometimes use them as [...]
Anisa, LindaDemers, New Moms, jeanine, Katy
