California Kids - March 2016

March 2016

� CALIFORNIA KIDS! Family Fun Guide • FEBRUARY 2016

Table of ContentsMake it yourself...............................page.4

Travel: Family Winter Getawayby.Carmel.L..Mooney..........................page.6

The Book Report: Nicola Daviesby Connie Goldsmith.......................page.8

Who Wrote That? Picture Book Potpourriby Patricia Newman ................... page.11

Calendar of Events....................... page.12

Parties! Parties!............................. page.14

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• Celebrate the world around us

• Meet Zookeepers & Animal Ambassadors

• Learn about conservation through crafts, games & activities

• Enjoy cultural music & dance performances

• Score bargains at the RECYCLE RUMMAGE SALE

• And more!

Plan your visit:

�FEBRUARY 2016 • CALIFORNIA KIDS! Family Fun Guide

Thursdays and Fridays, March 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 & 18: 9:30 to 11:20 am Little PeepsThe Little Peeps classes are 2-hours long and designed for 3 to 5 year-olds with a caregiver. Each class will focus on a different theme and will include a mini-lesson, fun craft and other activities such as stories and songs to expand the learning. Little Peeps will also enjoy a special visit with one of our animal ambas-sadors. You may register for each class individually, or all 6 classes for a 10% discount.

March 15: 9 am Member Only Summer Camp Registration March 29: 9 am General Summer Camp RegistrationAre you a Zoo Member with little ones? Give them the chance to explore the Zoo like never before. They will enjoy learning about the animals at the Zoo and around the world by seeing, hearing, smell-ing and even touching and feed-ing some of them. Dive into the world of animals and education through songs, games, crafts and other fun activities. General camp registration begins March 29th. Registration is limited and fills quickly.

Saturday, March 26: 10 am to 2 pm Nature ExplorersGet wild about nature at the Sacra-mento Zoo! Thanks to a grant from the Association of Zoos and Aquari-ums, the Zoo is excited to offer a new way for young nature explorers and their grownups to investigate the wilderness in their own backyard. Join the Zoo and the Sacramento Library the last Saturday of every month anytime between 10am to 2pm as we read stories, play and explore the wonders of the natural world with a new topic each month. Activities are free with paid admission to the Zoo.

Saturday, April 2: 9am to 4pm Earth Fest & Recycle Rummage SaleIt’s a party for the planet! Learn how to protect and preserve the earth with en-vironmental, wildlife and conservation organizations. During the day, visit Ed-ZOOcation Stations to explore animal bio-artifacts, come face-to-face with the outreach animals, or watch a variety of cultural performances throughout the day. Also, stop by the Sacramento Zoo’s last annual Recycle Rummage Sale and see what treasures are available! Why throw it in the landfill, when someone else can use it? Proceeds from the Re-cycle Rummage Sale benefit the Sac-ramento Zoo’s conservation programs

- locally and around the world! This year will be the last Recycle Rummage Sale at the Zoo.

S u n d a y , A p r i l 1 7 : F i r s t R a c e S t a r t s a t 8 a m 3 6 t h A n n u a l Z o o Z o o m Walk.Run.Fun. Join the pride as thousands of runners raise funds to benefit the Sacramento Zoo. Are you as fast as a hare or as slow as a tortoise? Find out on Sun-day, April 17th at the 36th annual ZooZoom from 8 am to noon at the Sacramento Zoo! The course winds through scenic William Land Park along flat, tree-lined streets. This 5K, 10K and children’s fun run is a fund-raiser for the Sacramento Zoological Society. Don’t forget to participate in the second annual animal themed run-ner costume contest. Race fees include admission to the Zoo. For race fees and information, please contact Fleet Feet Sports at 916.441.1751 or visit sacramentozoozoom.com.

Saturday, April 30: 9 am to 4 pm Star Wars Day: May the Forest Be With YouMeet your favorite Star Wars charac-ters without making a trip to a galaxy far, far away. Visitors are encouraged to bring their cameras and pose for

free photos with the costumed char-acters from noon to 2 pm. Visitors will learn how animal adaptations and behaviors in our galaxy relate to the creatures from the Star Wars universe through stage shows, crafts and other activities. The animals will join in on the fun as they enjoy special Star Wars themed enrichment items throughout the day.

Costumed characters are members of the 501st Legion, Central Califor-nia Garrison, a group of Star Wars fans who contribute to the local com-munity through costumed charity and volunteer work.

Saturday, April 30: 10 am to 2 pm Nature Explorers Get wild about nature at the Sacra-mento Zoo! Thanks to a grant from the Association of Zoos and Aquari-ums, the Zoo is excited to offer a new way for young nature explorers and their grownups to investigate the wilderness in their own backyard. Join the Zoo and the Sacramento Library the last Saturday of every month anytime between 10 am to 2 pm as we read stories, play and explore the wonders of the natural world with a new topic each month. April’s topic is weather. Activities are free with paid admission to the Zoo.

Sacramento Zoo Events for MARCH and APRIL

4 CALIFORNIA KIDS! Family Fun Guide • FEBRUARY 2016

Happy Holidays!

Crafts courtesy of: www.Activity Village.co.uk - Keeping Kids Busy

Cup & Ball BunnyYou will need:Polystyrene ball, Paper cup, White paint, White and pink craft foam, Pink pompom, Wiggle eyes, Glue, Pink heart or circle sticker, Pink pen, Double sided tape

instructions:Paint the ball and the cup white and

leave to dry. Glue the ball to the bot-tom of the cup.

Cut two white ears from craft foam. Fold over a small piece at the end of each ear and attach the ears to the ball with double sided tape.

From pink foam cut two inner ears and glue these to the centre of the ears.

From white foam cut two paws and glue these to the front of the cup.

Glue a pink pompom to the back of the cup as the tail.Stick the pink sticker on to the ball for a nose and stick on the

two wiggle eyes.Finish off by drawing on some whiskers with pink pen.

Leprechaun HatKids can make this cute leprechaun hat for St

Patrick’s Day - it’s a fun craft which they will enjoy wearing, too! Team it with our leprechaun

beard if you like...

You will need:Large sheet of green card (A1 size ideal), Orange

paper, Gold card, Sticky tape, Glueinstructions:

Fold the green card in half lengthwise and cut along the fold.

Ask someone to bend the end of the pieces of card around your head and tape to secure.

Place your cylinder of card on the other piece and draw around the circular end (it won’t be a neat circle but don’t worry, it doesn’t matter). Draw another circle around the outside of the fi rst. Cut out the larger circle and then cut snips from the outside to the inside circle to make tabs. Fold in these tabs.

Carefully push the circle of card inside your cylinder so the tabs sit inside. Tape the tabs down. You now have a top to your hat.

To make the brim, again draw around the end of the cylinder on the remaining green card. Draw another circle around the outside (about 10cm larger). Cut out the larger circle. Draw a small circle in the centre and carefully cut this out. Cut snips from the centre to the pencil line to make tabs. Fold these upwards.

Turn your hat upside down and balance the brim on the open end so the tabs sit inside the hat. Tape the tabs down.

Cut a band of orange paper and glue around the hat.

Make it yourself!


Bringing Home BabyTips for helping your newborn get a healthy start

A MESSAGE BROuGhT TO YOu BY FiRST 5 SACRAMENTO

Whether you’re a first time par-ent or adding to your fam-ily, your world transforms

forever when you have a child and embark on a journey full of new joys and responsibilities.

For families embarking on the adventure of parenthood this year, First 5 Sacramento offers the follow-ing tips to help prepare parents for the many changes surrounding their baby’s arrival.

Before Baby’s Birth

Ease the transition into parenthood by taking a few steps to prepare for welcoming your newborn. • Pack a suitcase in advance to take

with you when you go to the hos-pital. You’ll want to bring any-thing you think you might need to be comfortable there, including clothes, toiletries or something to read.

• Get a crib that meets the latest safety standards. Newborns spend up to 20 hours a day sleeping – so you will want to make sure your baby rests comfortably and safely. It is critical to follow the ABCs of safe sleeping: Alone, Back, Crib. You can check product recalls and safety information at www.cpsc.gov or by calling the Consumer Product Safety Commission at (800) 638-2772.

• Stock up on diapers. Newborns can use up to 90 diapers a week. You’ll want to have plenty on hand to avoid having to make frequent trips to the store once your baby comes home.

• Have a “baby talk:” If you have another child, talk to him or her about the new baby and encour-age questions. Make sure he or she understands how special it is to be older and help with the baby.

Bringing Home Baby

Before leaving the hospital, you’ll need to take care of a few items to help ensure a healthy start for your baby.• Choose a health care provider and

schedule well baby visits. New-borns should see the doctor regu-larly to help ensure their healthy growth and development. Looking

for pediatrician call Sacramento Covered at (916) 414-8333 or on-line at www.sacramentocovered.org

• Breast is Best. Breast milk provides ideal nutrition for your baby and can strengthen his or her immune system. Breastfeeding helps a mother’s body recover from preg-nancy and is also a great bonding time for mother and child.

• For breastfeed support and educa-tion, nutrition and health educa-tion and food vouchers for quali-fied parents and children contact the WIC (Women, Infant, and Children) Program at (916) 876-5000.

• Install an infant car seat. Califor-nia law requires parents to have an installed baby seat in their cars be-fore they are able to take their new-borns home. For more information about safely installing your child’s car seat call Safe Kids California at 916-244-1964 or online at www.safekidscalifornia.org

• Include your baby’s sibling to pre-vent him or her from feeling left out. Spend some time with your older child before introducing him or her to the new baby. Ask friends and family to greet your older child before rushing over to see the newborn.

Baby’s First WeekYour baby is not only new to the

world, he or she is new to you as well. Remember the following tips as you and your baby get to know each other.• Bathe your baby once or twice a

week. Bathing is another good bonding experience, but babies

have delicate skin and bathing more frequently can cause irrita-tion or dryness. You’ll want to give your baby sponge baths until the umbilical cord has healed.

• Be attentive. Never turn your back or leave your baby alone, even for a few seconds. Changing surfaces and even small amounts of water can be dangerous for babies.

• Always respond to your baby’s cry-ing. During this early time in your baby’s life, you cannot spoil him or her. Crying is a newborn’s natu-ral way of communicating. With time, you’ll learn your baby’s dif-ferent cries and how best to react to them.

• Build family bonds by encouraging your baby’s sibling to get to know the baby too. Encourage your oth-er child to interact with the baby by playing with the baby’s feet and hands. Your older child can also help you pick out the baby’s clothes or change diapers.

Resources for ParentsFREE Parent Kit – Call today!

The “Kit for New & Expectant Par-ents” is available FREE to all parents and caregivers of children through age 5. The Kit includes a DVD packed full of valuable information, a board book for baby, an ages and stages reference booklet, daddy tips and much, much more. To receive yours today or for additional parenting advice and information on available local resources, order online at www.first5sacramento.net

Learn more about Safe Sleep Work-shops, free cribs, and car seat safety. Call

(916) 244-1900 or visit the Child Abuse Prevention Center website at www.thecapcenter.org. Online information at www.SacHealthyBaby.com including tips on healthy pregnancy and births, and finding services in your neighborhood.

Get fun ideas on the First 5 Sacramen-to Pinterest site with over 27 boards of parenting tips—www.pinterest.com and search First 5 Sacramento.

Need parenting advice? Call the 24 hour confidential Parent

Support Line at 1-888-281-3000. These trained specialists can talk you through your parenting questions from picky eaters, tantrums, to de-stress tips.

Looking for parent/community re-sources in Sacramento County?

Call 2-1-1. With more than 3,000 referral resources, the 2-1-1 specialists can help you locate the services you need for your family.

About First 5 Sacramento Research shows that a child’s brain develops most dramatically in the first five years and what parents and caregivers do during these years to support their child’s growth will have a meaningful impact throughout life. Based on this research, California voters passed Proposition 10 in 1998, a tobacco tax, to support programs for expect-ant parents and children ages 0-5. In the last year, First 5 Sacramento distributed approximately $14 million a year in Prop 10 revenues to programs and services that meet local needs in Sacramento County. All 58 counties have a First 5 Children and Families Commission providing unique local services for that county. More information available at www.first5sacra-mento.net, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.


BY CARMEL L. MOONEY

Less than a couple of hours from Austin, San Antonio, Corpus

Christi or Houston lies the peaceful little city of Cuero, Texas, making it the per-fect day-cation, weekend getaway, or excursion, next time your family visits one of its major neighboring cities. There’s so much to see and explore and so many kind and gracious people to meet, that Cuero is worthy of an extended three day weekend visit. But even if you can only enjoy a full day there, it’s well worth the effort.

The Wildflower Capital of Texas, Cuero is an outdoor-loving family’s paradise. The Guadalupe River meanders around Cuero and offers rafting, kayaking, paddling, fishing, and picnicking op-portunities.

We were so fortunate to stay just 1.5 miles from the river at Los Robles Ranch House, the perfect, peaceful,

private hub from which to enjoy our Cuero adventures. One of the most immaculate yet homey and comfortable vacation rentals we had ever experienced, we were in heaven with a peaceful, country porch from which to enjoy the local birds and critters. The spacious back yard and safely fenced grounds had a lovely picnic and barbecue area. We were thoroughly outfitted with a wonderful selection of wholesome family-friendly books and movies. The bed-ding was luxurious and nur-turing in spacious, separate bedrooms. It was decorated with adorable wall hangings and decorations to make us feel totally at home in our little abode. And our gracious hosts left yum-my home baked treats and snacks along with a complete breakfast in the kitchen. We could not have felt more welcome and pampered.

The history is so fascinat-ing in Cuero, that kids won’t

even realize they’re learn-ing. Highlights for us were the Pharmacy and Medical Museum of Texas and the Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum. The Pharmacy Museum was spectacular and is being beautifully restored. Depicting the early life of

Texas through generations of soda machines, antique postage machines, veterinary medications of the 1800’s, musical instruments and phonographs, historical novelties, and a whimsi-cal collection of Chopper Hopper’s on loan from the

town historian Wayne Ad-dicks, these are only a few of the things that will captivate and amuse visitors of all ages at this remarkable museum.

The Chisholm Trail Heri-tage Museum is another

Travel:

Cuero, TexasA Family Getaway Rich in History and Hospitality

See Travel, page 7

Photo courtesy Carmel L. Mooney


town gem where visitors can nearly experience the thousand mile jour-ney of men, horses, and Longhorn steer while gaining an appreciation for ranching heritage, Mexican Va-queros, South American Gauchos, and American Cowboys. There’s the perfect place to enjoy a picnic in adjacent George Bishop Park, after a few hours in this spectacular museum which rivals the Oklahoma City Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum with its spectacular, qual-ity exhibits.

You will want to take a driving tour of the magificent, historic Ed-wardian, Victorian, Mediterranean, and Craftsman homes peppering the town of Cuero, all richly steeped in historical significance. Spectacular historic churches with outstand-

ing craftsmanship and heritage are found throughout the town and surrounding areas. Nearby Myers-ville, Gonzales, and Goliad are just a few neighboring areas that are worthy of a visit. Over 50 histori-cal structures are on the National Registry of Historic Structures in the Cuero area.

Much of Cuero’s unique and fascinating history stems from the Turkey Trot of yesteryear and you’ll want to spend some time at the at the Cuero Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau to gain a deeper appreciation for why locals are so profoundly proud of their seasoned heritage. 2167 Ream-ers from around the world are on display, from countless countries, as a result of historian Wayne Ad-dicks’ generosity and mind-bog-gling knowledge and appreciation for local and world history. A local heritage museum, and other revolv-

ing collections and exhibits depend-ing on the time of year, are also at the Chamber and Visitor Center, along with the friendliest and most helpful staff who will help you plan your Cuero visit right down to every detail. The town even boasts an impressive Performing Arts Center that is currently under construction.

Shopping, golfing, birding, fish-ing, and dining are just a few other family-friendly pastimes to enjoy in Cuero.

Eagle Ford restaurant was our fa-vorite meal in Cuero but lots of local family-friendly eateries are available to try as well as authentic Mexican food. For delectable and healthy snacks you’ll not want to miss Cuero Pecan House for the highest quality pecan delights.

For shopping, Cuero is packed with antiques and boutiques. Stop in and browse at the Emporium and

at Wagner’s Hardware but don’t miss the other adorable boutiques, wine, furniture, antique shops and kitchen stores.

Christmas is a magical time of year to visit Cuero. With Main Street’s extended hours and Christ-mas in Downtown, a faux ice rink, an unforgettable, top-notch lighted driving display, Christmas in the Park, and an exciting photo oppor-tunity to sit atop Santa’s Longhorn, there’s plenty to make your holiday happy and bright.

October is the Turkeyfest Cel-ebration and of course April is the Wildflower Month Celebration.

No matter when you choose to visit, Cuero is a an absolutely fantastic family destination that will leave you with wonderful travel memories, another favorite place to revisit, and new friends to cherish.www.cuero.org

Travel:Continued from page 6


M iddle grade novels are aimed at the voracious preteen

readers from age eight to twelve. Some of today’s best writing is found in these books. Check out the titles below to find one that will appeal to your child. If your young reader isn’t quite up to the task, the stories are ideal for family read-aloud time.

“Playing Juliet,” by JoAnne Stewart Wetzel. (Sky Pony Press; ages 8-12). “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” Beth knows some-thing bad is coming when she can’ t s top thinking about these witchly words. Even so, Beth is devastated to learn the new owner of the Oakfie ld Children’s Theater plans to close it so she can open an adult the-ater. But Beth’s only twelve, so what can she do? BFFs Zandy and Beth have plans to save the theater. Maybe if they can find the owner’s lost diamond bracelet, she’ll change her mind. Beth gets into trouble and loses her chance to audition for Ro-meo and Juliet—the last play before the theater closes. The stars align, Beth gets to play Juliet on opening night, and the mystery of the bracelet is solved. The author, with extensive the-ater experience, has written a lovely story, funny, and real. When you do the right thing, dreams can come true! ** Reviewer’s pick of the month**

“Manatee Rescue,” by Nico-la Davis. (Candlewick; ages 7-10). Manuela and her father live in a poor village along the Amazon River in South America . The people fish for a living and occasionally kill one of the remaining river manatees for food. Manuela thinks it would be fun, like catching a really big fish. But she

learns killing a manatee is a horrible experience, espe-cially when it leaves a baby behind. Manuela and cous-in Libia vow to save the baby, raise it, and release it back into the Amazon. Eventually, the two change the thinking of their entire community and manatee hunting ceases. Based on a true story, this charming book shows how even the youngest children can help change the world.

“My Life in Pictures. Bea G a r c i a , ” b y D e b o r a h Zemke. (Dial; ages 6-8). Squiggly pictures fill the pages of this engaging story because Bea chronicles her everyday l ife in a note-book. She draws and writes about her favorite things (dancing elephants, stars, flowers, and dog Sophie) and her not-favorite things (monsters, getting up for school, and her pesky little brother). Bea has lots to say—and draw—when best friend Yvonne moves to Australia and monster kid Bert moves in next door. When Bea draws mon-ster Bert instead of paying attention to geography, the teacher confiscates her notebook. In a truly sur-prising and satisfying end-ing, Bert makes new friends and Bea’s teacher declares her an “Amazing Artist.” Humor and f r i endsh ip make for a perfect duo in this first book of a series.

“ A f t e r t h e A s h e s , ” b y Sara K. Joiner. (Holiday House; ages 9-12). This gut-wrenching historical novel is set in 1883 on Java, then part of the Dutch East Indies, where one of the world’s most devastating disasters occurred—the eruption of the volcano Krakatau. This adventure mixed with a coming-of-age story will capture the attention and imagination of more mature readers in-terested in science, history, and adventure. Thirteen-

year-old Katrien refuses to become a ‘normal’ young lady and befriend the per-fect Brigitta as her aunt wishes. Instead she crawls through the muddy jungle collecting bugs with a Ja-vanese boy. The wor ld turns upside down when Krakatau erupts. The erup-tion itself, days of falling ash, and resulting tsunamis devastated the island and its people. Katrien and Brigit-ta are among the few sur-vivors, and must conquer their differences to survive. Themes of love and loss, family, and friends old and new, are expertly explored in a unique setting unfamil-iar to most readers.

“Kelsey the Spy: The Curious Cat Spy Club #3,” by Lin-da Joy Singleton. (Albert Whitman; ages 9-12.) Meet the members of the Curious Cat Spy Club: Kelsey—spy specialist; Becca—animal expert; and Leo—covert

technology strategist. When these three gather to solve a mystery, adventure and fun are sure to follow in book three of this popular new series. The mysteries begin with a broken grandfather clock in the Skunk Shack (CCSC clubhouse) and an old photo of a little boy r iding a giant tortoise. The next mystery is to dis-cover who stole Kelsey’s notebook filled with other people’s secrets. A missing friend. A brother who dis-appears on secret errands of his own. Pets, mysteries, and a secret club – a perfect

combinat ion for young readers.

Connie Goldsmith (www.con-niegoldsmith.com) lives in Car-michael, CA where she writes for adults and older children. Her newest nonfiction juvenile books, The Ebola Epidemic: The Fight. The Future, and Di-etary Supplements: Harmless, Helpful, or Hurtful? are now available. Other recent books include: Bombs over Bikini and Traumatic Brain Injury: From Concussion to Coma.” Her books can be found in school and public libraries, and at online booksellers.

THE BOOK REPORT

Middle Grade Novels

Connie Goldsmith (www.conniegoldsmith.com) lives in Carmi-chael, CA where she writes for adults and older children. Her newest nonfiction juvenile book, Dietary Supplements: Harmless, Helpful, or Hurtful? is now available. Other recent books include: Bombs over Bikini; Traumatic Brain Injury: From Concussion to Coma; Battling Malaria: on the Front Lines Against a Global Killer,” and many others. Her books can be found in school and public libraries, and at online booksellers.

BY CONNiE GOLDSMiTh


Copy the drawing and have fun Coloring!


have fun Coloring!

11FEBRUARY 2016 • CALIFORNIA KIDS! Family Fun Guide

LEARN MORE ABOUT NAOMI KINSMANVisit:...http://naomikinsman.com/....

SELECTIONS FROM NAOMI KINSMAN’S LIBRARY

Glimmer Girls series (collaborating with Natalie Grant) London Art Chase, Zonderkidz,.2016. A Dolphin Wish, Zonderkidz,.2016.

From Sadie’s Sketchbook series Shades of Truth, Zonderkidz,.2011. Flickering Hope, Zonderkidz,.2011. Waves of Light, Zonderkidz,.2012. Brilliant Hues, Zonderkidz,.2012. Spilled Ink (a young writer’s activity guide), Society.of.Young.Inklings,.2008.

For Teachers Writerly Play: Transform Your Teaching with Game-Based Strategies and Tools, 2015.

UPCOMINGGlimmer Girls series #3 (collaborating with Natalie Grant): Miracle in Music City, Zonderkidz,.August.2016.

Na o m i K i n s m a n w e a v e s h e r l i f e around the creative

process. Not only plumbing the depths of creativity for her middle-grade novels, but in teaching children and adults to find their passion for their stories. She started the Society of Young Inklings about eight years ago—named for C.S. Lewis’ and J. R. R. Tolk-ien’s Inklings group—to help children find their voices as writers. Naomi and I are represented by the same literary agency, and our paths frequently cross in the writing world. Her devotion to her craft is both inspirational and instruc-tive. I spoke to Naomi by telephone to find out more about her creative process.Patricia: Is there a childhood

memory that sticks out in your mind?

Naomi: I was a very, very shy child. When I was in second grade, my mom took me to see a production of Annie, and I saw this little girl up on stage and she was exu-berant and boisterous and I wanted that opportunity to try on a different per-sonality. Around the same time our school was doing a musical called “Totally Buggy.” There was this character, a ladybug, who had this beautiful jazzy solo. I had my heart set on being the ladybug, but I couldn’t bring myself to audition. I admitted to my friend that I wanted the part. She got me to sing while we were alone on the swings. “The wind will be so loud I won’t be able to hear you,” she said. We did that day after day, and we got louder and louder. One day in class the girl who was the ladybug was sick, and the teacher asked for volunteers. Somehow I raised my hand. Every-one looked at me. No one thought I would do it, but I sang. I remember hear-ing my own voice in my ears, having my class look at me, and saying to my-self you can do the impos-sible thing.

P: Do those same hopes and dreams from childhood ap-pear in your stories today?

N: One theme I see running through everything that I write is how creativity helps us see the world at a deeper level. In the fi rst Sa-die book [Shades of Truth], Sadie learns to draw and to really see the world around her, and through that she asks questions about right and wrong and what she believes. Doing something so joyful—singing, act-ing, writing, drawing—is an expression of how we see the world, putting our thoughts and opinions out there. When you’re able to express your feelings and put them into a shape and form that someone can see, you have the poten-tial to help change them or change a problem in your community. There are all sorts of possibilities!

P: Do you have a source of inspiration?

N: I think my biggest source of inspiration is other me-dia. This week even though my next book’s deadline was looming, I took this mixed media art class where we did a project us-ing different tools to build up the paint layer by layer by layer. It was so sooth-ing to me because I was in the middle of this process feeling like my book hadn’t fully come into its own yet and I was a week away from my deadline. The process of layering [the paint] helped me see that art happens in

layers. It’s okay if you can’t see it, or if it hasn’t quite gotten there yet because it needs a couple more layers. Many things like that come to me because I go off and play the guitar or work on a show or sing—I do some-thing different which helps me return to my writing with fresh eyes.

P: How have ideas led to complete books?

N: For me it’s a little like a stewpot fi lled with ingredi-ents that simmer together before I have a book. I often start with too few ideas, so I have to throw more in. For the fi rst Sadie book I had the idea of a girl drawing to explore her world, and her dad would be involved in some sort of mediation in the commu-nity involving wild bears that she would watch him handle. The book, set out-side of Yellowstone Na-tional Park, wasn’t fully gelling for me. At this time my husband and I spent a long weekend with a black bear researcher studying bear behavior in the forest. The researcher told stories about bears and his own community, and I was able to layer in that last piece of the story which grew out of the emotional reality of the researcher’s world. For me, I probably start a book before I have all of what I need, but I let what’s going on in my life inform it until I get to the point where it feels rich enough to be a book.

P: How does the Society of Young Inklings relate to

Naomi Kinsman

who wrote that?KIDLIT CREATORS WHO MAKE KIDS WANT TO READFeaturing Naomi Kinsman By Patricia Newman

your bigger picture as an author?

N: As I watched the busi-ness grow and evolve and become its own organiza-tion, I realized that my personal mission is about helping everyone be cre-ative. I felt myself grow-ing as a writer. In par-ticular right now I’m very interested in how learning how to write and tell sto-ries helps change how we see our own stories. For instance, if I can write a story with a character who makes choices and those choices affect the outcome of the story, then I start to realize how much power

there is in those daily de-cisions as a writer. And I start to see it in my own life, too. I’ve seen it hap-pen with children and other adults. I see a lot of power for transformation.

Patricia Newman visits schools! Her newest book, Ebola: Fears and Facts, is on Booklist’s Edi-tors’ Choice List and is a Cali-fornia Reading Association Eureka! Silver Honor book for excellence in nonfiction. Ad-ditional books include Plastic, Ahoy! Investigating the Great Pacifi c Garbage Patch winner of the Green Earth Book Award. Visit her at patriciamnewman.com for more information.

1� CALIFORNIA KIDS! Family Fun Guide • FEBRUARY 2016

Copyright © www.ActivityVillage.co.uk - Keeping Kids Busy

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St Patrick’s DayWord Search

California Avenue and Tarshes Drive, Carmichael, CA 916-489-4918 - www.sacnaturecenter.net

March 2016Bird and Breakfast Weekend! Traditional Event Saturday, March 19th and Family-Friendly Event Sunday, March 20th

Nature of Things Speaker Series:Beginning Birding with Rich Howard, Spring Edition:

Lecture- 3/21. 3/28, 4/4, 4/11. Field Study- 4/2, 4/16. Pricing $50-$80. See SacNatureCenter.net for details.

under the Oaks Day Camps during Spring Break – Sign up early for delightful outdoor programs for kids aged 5 – 11, March 21 – 24. Different camps each day of the week! In-formation and registration at www.SacNatureCenter.net

FREE WEEKEND ACTIVITIESDonations gratefully accepted. There is a $5 per car entrance fee into Ancil Hoffman County Park (Free to members)

Saturday the 5th at 10:30 AM – Flutter by Butterfly: Explore the lifecycle of the butterfly and discover their world as we hike through the preserve. Keep your eye out for one of our common butterflies, the beautiful Pipevine Swallowtail.

Sunday the 6th at 1:30 PM – Leapin’ Lizards! Do lizards re-ally leap? What do they eat? Join us as we explore the world of these scaly creatures!

Saturday the 12th at 10:30 AM – Hop, Leap, Jump: Hop on over for a hare raising good time. Join a Naturalist for a hike and discover where a rabbit would make a nest, hide from danger or find a tasty plant to eat.

Sunday the 13th at 1:30 PM – Seeing Green! The rain has come and the preserve is green! Hit the trails in this lush landscape in search of all things loving green.

Saturday the 19th at 10:30 PM- B&B NO PROGRAM

Sunday the 20st at 1:30 PM – Creature Feature: Meet some of the animal residents at the Nature Center up close. Learn about each of their unique journeys and how they became an educational ambassador for the Nature Center.

Effie Yeaw Nature Center

1�FEBRUARY 2016 • CALIFORNIA KIDS! Family Fun Guide

Plus… Many Other Costume Characters!

Kiki Wong Yee of Car-michael is now part of the 2016 Disney Parks

Moms Panel. Kiki has been selected from thousands of applicants to join the pres-tigious 2016 Disney Parks Moms Panel as a Disneyland Resort specialist.

Originally from Sacramen-to, the mother of two and pediatric nurse is one of ten new members added to this year’s Moms Panel, where she will be responsible for assisting prospective Disney guests as they plan a memo-rable Disney vacation.

About the Disney Parks Moms Panel

The Disney Parks Moms Panel is an online forum where guests can get tips and insights for a Disney vaca-tion from real moms, dads and grandparents who have mastered the art of planning Disney vacations. Guests can pose questions to the panelists in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese, as well as gain access to other vacation-planning tools for booking a Disney vacation. Featuring just 12 members during its inaugural year in 2008, the panel now boasts 40 park-savvy panelists as a result of the popularity of the site and an ever-growing number of questions submitted by curious parents. For more information and to meet the panelists, visit www.disneyp-arksmomspanel.com.

Disney Parks officially an-nounced the ten newest mem-bers to its 2016 Disney Parks Moms Panel, plus a newly designed website that prom-ises to lend fresh insights and improved accessibility for future guests.

Ushering in a new era for the celebrated online forum, this year’s newcomers are as diverse as Disney Parks’ own culturally rich visitors with bilingual parents, single moms, dads, grandparents, and those with special needs children – all eager to share their trip planning expertise and passion for Disney with like-minded families.

Now in its ninth year, the Disney Parks Moms Panel is an online resource to help guests with their Disney vacation planning using the personal opinions, expertise

and relatable experiences of everyday parents and grand-parents. With just the click of a mouse or touch screen device, travelers have access to a wide-array of enthusias-tic panelists who can share advice on how to maximize their future stay and create lifelong family memories. The multilingual resource, offered in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, can accommodate every Dis-ney trip-planning inquiry imaginable – from the best fireworks viewing spots, tips for traveling with large families and ideal booking windows for popular res-taurants, to special dietary dining options, cruise ship itineraries and on-property hotel offerings.

In addition to being well-versed in so many Disney Dest inat ions ’ amenit ies available, all of the panel-ists are genuine, friendly and excited to share their expertise with others, put-ting fellow parents at ease during the often stressful and overwhelming process of planning a vacat ion. Originally created with a specific focus on the Walt Disney World Resort, the Disney Parks Moms Panel has since grown to include members with extensive knowledge of every other unique Disney property and offering, which also includes Disneyland Resort, Disney Vacation Club, Ad-ventures by Disney, Disney

Cruise Line, runDisney and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Among the most eagerly awaited aspects of the 2016 Disney Parks Moms Panel is the arrival of a refreshed consumer website, slated to launch later this winter. Featuring a sleek new de-sign layout and improved functionality for better user navigation, the mobile-de-vice optimized site will make it easier for guests to plan an unforgettable Disney vaca-tion at home or on-the-go.

Specific updates to the web-site includes a new topic search structure that will pro-vide guests with easy access to more than 150,000 questions asked by previous visitors and answered by the knowledge-able panelists. With the new feature, guests can quickly sort and filter through tagged topics and find relevant con-tent; and as always, visitors can get their own questions answered using the “Ask a Question” feature. In true Disney style, the website will reflect a sense of community by showcasing trending top-ics and most popular topics, allowing families to learn from each other’s past experi-ences and inspire the creation of new memories.

“2016 is poised to be an exciting and transformative year for the Disney Parks Moms Panel,” said Leanne O’Regan, director of public relations for Disney Parks. “Not only are we welcoming

ten motivated and diverse professionals to our esteemed forum, but we are also pre-paring to debut a new web-site experience in the coming months, streamlining the trip planning process and paving the way for what should be the most magical time of our guests’ lives.”

In September 2015, thou-sands of hopeful parents worldwide vied for a spot on the coveted Panel, mak-ing it the second largest pool of submissions since the program’s inception nearly a decade ago. Following three rounds of interviews, essays and video submissions, a strong group of ten passion-ate parents and grandparents

– including university profes-sors, a physician and nurse, event planner, and an Infor-mation Technician specialist – were selected to join the respected forum. Since 2008, more than 130 experienced parents have served on the Disney Parks Moms Panel helping in the planning pro-cess for tens of thousands of Disney vacation guests.

To learn more about the Disney Parks Moms Panel and meet the newest panelists, please visit http://disneyparksmomspanel.disney.go.com/. For those in-terested in joining next year’s panel, application details will be posted on the website in the summer of 2016.

Carmichael Mom named to 2016 Disney Parks Moms Panel


Parties! Parties! Parties! Parties! Parties! Parties! Parties! Parties! Parties!

Penguin Party Ideas

Chill out with these fun Penguin themed birth-day ideas and games. A

penguin themed party is perfect for kids of all ages and can be held at any time of the year.

Penguin invitation ideasMake snowfl akes by cutting

blue or white paper into snow-fl ake shapes and then write information on the back.

Black and white tuxedo cards.

Print out party information on a small card and attach to

black bow ties. Ask party guests to wear the Penguin ties to the party.

Penguin Decoration ideasYou can decorate a Penguin

birthday party several different ways. Use black and white for everything, decorate in whites and blues to look like snow or combine the two. Make the front yard look like an iceberg by spray painting large cardboard boxes or hay bales white and stacking them around the front of the party

venue. Make penguin foot prints from orange or black paper and tape then to the path leading to the party venue ... or simply draw them on the sidewalk with sidewalk chalk. Snowfl akes can be bought or made and hung from the trees and taped to windows and the doors of the party entrance. Place cotton batting around the Penguin party area to look like snow drifts.

The party table can be made to look like it’s covered in snow by using a white table-cloth and cotton batting for snow drifts. Or decorate in white and black to match the penguin colors.

Place small silver dishes fi lled with sugar cubes (ice cubes!) and have the birthday guests place them in their Kool-Aid (serve non sweet-ened Kool-Aid).

Penguin Party GamesPenguin Relay

Kids race to see who’s team can complete a course while walking / running with a balloon between their knees.

Divide guests into two teams and have them line up at the starting point. On the other side of the game area set up orange cones or chairs to mark where they need to run to (and around) before they run back to their team.

They then hand the balloon off to the next person on their team and so on until everyone has had a turn. First team with all of their “penguins” across the fi nish line wins. If they drop the balloon they must return to the starting line and begin again. Tip: Blow up several balloons for each team in case they pop.

Penguin island hopKids have to hop from one

end of the room to the other and back using only pieces of a rozen island. You will need shapes cut from blue poster board that are large and look like islands. You will need one more per team then the number of kids on that team. Line the kids up in their teams and give them their island pieces. They have to lay the pieces on the

fl oor (the ocean) in a straight line towards the other end of the room and they each have to hop onto an island piece. The leader will put down an island piece, hop on it, then put down another piece in front of them, hop onto it and so on while their team is hopping onto the pieces behind them as they move up the line. When they are standing on their last piece they take the piece from the back of the line and hand it down the line to the front. The leader puts down the piece in front of them and they all hop up one space. Then they continue moving a piece from the back to the front until they have completed the relay. First team across the fi nish line wins!

Penguin Party Food BrowniesBlack and white cookiesOreosMarshmallow sprinkle

skewers - Skewer a large marshmallow on the end of a wooden skewer and dip one of the ends of the marshmal-low in water. Shake off the excess water and then roll the marshmallow in a dish of sprinkles. So cute!!

Penguin Party FavorsBlack and white nail polishHershey’s striped chocolate kissesPenguin necklacesPenguin bracelets or ear-ringsPopcorn ballsPenguin Goody / Loot Bag IdeasLarge black and white mugsBlack and white patterned fab-ric or black and white penguin printed bandanas ... wrap up party favors in a square of ma-terial and tie the ends together. Then tie black and white curl-ing ribbon or raffi a in a bow at the tied ends.

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1�FEBRUARY 2016 • CALIFORNIA KIDS! Family Fun Guide

Parties! Parties! Parties! Parties! Parties!

Fun ideas that will bring the garden to life for your party guests.

Garden themed games and activities along with decora-tions, favors, invitations and more.

Garden theme birthday party ideas for kids. Garden birthday party ideas for kids

Garden Party invitation ideas

Attach a small card or post-card with the birthday infor-mation on it to an artificial flower with a pretty ribbon.

Print party information on large labels and stick onto the back of seed packets. Ask guests to bring the seeds with them and set up a seed plant-ing station with small terra cotta pots and soil where they can plant their seeds and take them home as a favor.

Garden Party DecorationsDecorate the party table in

bright colors such as yellow, pink, orange, blue and green. Buy large yellow plates and set them out on the party table at everyone’s place. Underneath the plate place a colorful doily that is larger then the plate to look like petals of a flower.

Line the walkway with lots of flowers and greenery. Or make a balloon garden by twisting colorful balloons into flowers and using a green balloon to twist into the stem and leaves. Tie them to stakes and place them along the path to the party.

Decorate the party table with flowers in different col-orful pots. Utensils and snack foods can be set out in new terra cotta pots with a bright ribbon tied around them. Small wheelbarrows and buckets can be used also.

Garden Party Activity ideasGarden Scavenger hunt

A Garden Scavenger Hunt is fun for all ages! Give the party guests a list of items to find, a plastic baggie and a spoon and send them off to explore the garden. For

Garden Party Ideascomplete directions see our Nature Scavenger Hunt - also includes a free sample item list.

Make it a Tea PartySet out a lovely Tea Party

in the midst of your Garden party with these fun Tea Party Ideas from our website.

Make your Garden party picture perfect with this craft. Buy wooden photo frames at the craft store and set them out for the kids to paint. Set out paint brushes and bright colored paints.

Decorate clay potsLet your guests start their

own garden with this clay pot craft. Buy small terra cotta pots at the craft or discount store. Set out paints and paintbrushes along with the pots at the party and have the kids paint their terra cotta pot. When they are done and the paint is dry fill the pot with soil and add let them add a few flower seeds.

Garden Party GamesBug and Flower hunt

A fun treasure hunt that kids of all ages like to do at par-ties. Buy lots of small plastic flowers or bugs and hide them around the party area or back-yard before the party starts.

Give each guest a butterfly net (or a paper sack will work) to collect as many flowers and bugs as they can find. If they want to play again (and they will!) divide the kids into two groups. One group will hide the items first and the other group will find them and then they will reverse so everyone gets to hide the items and find them again.

Garden Party Food ideasGarden Cupcakes

Cute Garden cupcakes idea found at http://www.woman-sday.com/Recipes/Garden Garden party cupcake ideas

Tear Drop Cookie Cutters can be used to cut out a vari-ety of food and when the tear drops are placed in a circle they look like flower petals. Cut out a variety of foods and arrange plates to look like a food flower garden. These foods all work great and will give the party a splash of color - slices of or-anges, apples (toss with a little pineapple juice first to prevent them from turning brown), kiwi (makes great leaves), sugar cookies, brownies, etc. You can also cut whole sandwiches with the cookie cutters. sugar cookies, brownies, etc. You can also cut whole sandwiches with the cookie cutters. sugar cookies, brownies, etc. You can also cut whole sandwiches with the cookie cutters.

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California Kids - March 2016