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Me r r im ack Va l l e y M ay 2016
Pa rent
Freewww.merrimackvalleyparent.com
Summer Camps & Schools
HappyMother’s
Day!
Geocaching
How Well Do You Know Your Child’s Friends?
Protecting Your Family
from Mosquitoes
Page 2 Merrimack Valley Parent Merrimack Valley Parent Page 3
In this Issue
Features
4 Geocaching
6 Protecting Your Family From Mosquitoes
Columns & Departments 3 Navigating the Yogurt Aisle
7 Summer Camps and Schools
11 How Well Do You Know Your
Child’s Friends?
Also...13 May Calendar of Events
Me r r im ack Va l l e y
Pa rentwww.merrimackvalleyparent.com
11 82nd StreetNewburyport, MA 01950
(978) 427-3676
To Submit Calendar Events:[email protected]
To Advertise:[email protected]
PublisherJodi Vaccaro
General ManagerMike Nercessian
See the new Digital Edition ofMe r r im ack Va l l e y
Pa rent www.merrimackvalleyparent.com
Geocaching- Page 4 -
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We have all heard about the great benefits of yogurt. It has a good amount of calcium, protein, and those friendly-bacteria that are good for your gut. It’s quick, convenient, and makes a great snack. Unfortunately, there are things about yogurt that make it un-healthy as well and sometimes worse than ice cream. The main culprit: added sugar.
Regular yogurt is made from milk. If you have ever had a glass of regular milk, you probably noticed that it wasn’t sweet. Popular yogurts are sweet. So how are they made to be sweet if milk is not naturally sweet? Added sugars. And lots of them. Fla-vored yogurts can range from 9-30+ grams of added sugars per serving. That’s quite a bit of sugar for a little 5 oz. container of yogurt. It is like pouring 2-8 packets of sugar into your yogurt every morning. You might as well eat a candy bar for that amount of sugar.
Whole milk is also naturally high in sat-urated fat. Saturated fats are linked to chronic diseases like heart disease and should be limited in our diet. Therefore, yogurt should be reduced fat to cut back on those unhealthy saturated fats. Luckily, most of the yogurts you find in the grocery store will be either low-fat (1-2%) or fat-free. Make sure you check your label for fat content.
To find a healthy yogurt, you want to look for plain versions (not flavored),
high amounts of protein, calcium, and vitamin D, and reduced fat. Greek-style yogurts have more protein than regu-lar yogurt which makes them a better pick. Here are some of the best yogurts available:
• 0%fat,plain,Greekyogurts:o Dannon Oikoso Siggi’so Stonyfield Organico Chobanio Fageo Skyr
• Lowfat,plain,Greekyogurts:o Siggi’s 2% fat plaino Stonyfield Organic low fat plaino Chobani 2% fat plaino Wallaby Farms 2% fat plain
Note that all of these brands are the plain versions, not the sweetened and flavored types. Sweeten them up with some fresh or frozen fruit and/or a little bit of honey or maple syrup. Whenever you can, avoid the flavored brands. The amount of added sugars outweighs the benefits. Here are a few of the worse options out there:
• Yoplait Whips – 21 grams of sugar per container
• Dannon Fruit on the Bottom – 25 grams of sugar
• Activia Yogurt Parfait – 30 grams• YoCrunch, all varieties – avg. 25
grams
Start reading your labels, both the nutrition facts and the ingredients list. Check for any unknown substances in the ingredients. If there is something you are unfamiliar with, move on to the next yogurt. Read the nutrition label
and make sure saturated fat is low, sug-ars are low, and protein, calcium, and vitamin D are high. If it has all of the above, you found yourself a healthy yogurt.
By Samantha McCarthy, MS, RD of Cedardale Health and Fitness in Haverhill, MA
Navigating the Yogurt
Aisle
Page 4 Merrimack Valley Parent Merrimack Valley Parent Page 5
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Name a game that’s practically free of charge, can be played by anyone at any age, and has a worldwide following. Surprise, it’s not soccer but geocaching. This worldwide phenomenon is, at its very core, a large-scale, modern version of the
old-fashioned treasure hunt, or hide-and-seek.
This recreational activity is played us-ing a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, or a mobile device like a cell phone. Participants seek out water-
proof containers in which a logbook and pen or pencil are hidden inside. Once finding the container, known as the cache, by using the GPS or mobile device to locate the exact co-ordinates, participants will sign and date the logbook using their unique
codename and then must return it to the exact spot they found it. Moving it even a few feet will make its co-ordinates invalid and prevent other participants of locating the cache. Some caches are larger in size - like a small trash barrel or ammunition box
- and may contain trinkets or toys for participants to take with them and trade among other participants.
Geocaching is the ancestor of letterboxing, a game in which clues are embedded in stories and other printed materials. Participants of letterboxing find these clues and use them to seek out buried boxes which also contain logbooks to sign.
The game of geocaching was created after the removal of Selective Availability from GPS. Selective Availability was a deliberate mix up of coordi-nates, by even a few hundred yards, that prevented enemies from using civilian GPS devices from finding weapons caches. Once the Selective Availability was removed, civilians were able to employ exact coordi-nates through satellites to find specific locations.
So, when was the first geocache located created and then found? That would be May 3, 2000. Dave Ulmer of Beavercreek, OR, posted the coordi-nates 45°17.460’N 122°24.800’W on the Usenet newsgroup site. Three days later, on May 6, the cache had been found twice. A plaque com-memorating its significance in this worldwide game has been placed in that exact spot.
Another wrinkle of geocaching is a game within the game. Participants, also known as geocachers, leave “travel bugs” or “geocoins” in the con-tainer when they find it. Other geo-cachers are encouraged to take the travel bugs or coins and place them in other caches. Each time a travel bug is moved the history of where it has been is recorded and updated. It is not uncommon to find some travel bugs that have gone international.
Katt Fabrizio, an Atkinson, NH, resi-dent and teacher at Salem, NH, High School is well aware of geocaching and the benefits of the game.
“It can be a family-fun adventure in which older siblings not only partici-pate but also teach their younger sib-
lings the importance of teamwork,” she said. “It’s a great learning tool for problem solving and bringing people together. It’s fun, adventurous, gets you outdoors and away from video games and cell phones.”
In fact, some families will develop vacation plans around geocaching, using it as a way to explore an area without having to put together a de-tailed itinerary. According to Fabrizio, Cape Cod boasts one of the most unique and fun geocache experi-ences in the region.
There are millions of geocaches around the world, and the Merrimack Valley is no stranger to this game, with thousands of caches hidden within this area. To find these areas one needs only do a Google search for “geocaching Merrimack Valley”, or visit a number of websites, one of the biggest is Geocaching.com. For each different location you will not only receive the coordinates of where you will locate the cache, but you will also learn a bit about the area you’ll be visiting, what the cache container looks like and what contents may be
found inside, and other contents that have been in the container in the past.
For instance, at the old Methuen Ski Tow, there is a cache located on an overgrown ski trail in a heavily wood-
ed area. The search for the cache begins at N 42 44.240’ W 071 14.862’, from there geo-cachers follow the clues on the site to find an old ammunition can that has been painted due to rusting. Items inside the cache include a spoon, two sets of chopsticks, two monkey fists, six assorted coasters, a Pickney Island Trail Guide, a Rock 101.7 sticker, a letter opener, two golf balls and two bars of soap.
According to the website Geocaching.com on the Forest Lake page, the cache has been found 157 times, most recently on April 17.
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Geocaching
By Mike Sullivan
Page 6 Merrimack Valley Parent Merrimack Valley Parent Page 7
Celebrate Summer with Hunters Haven Farm
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Spring is in full swing and we find ourselves taking full advantage of the longer days and the temperature staying above 50 degrees long past 6 p.m.
Family supper is being held out on the deck and instead of sitting in front of the television after their meal the kids are running around the yard or playing on their swingset.
But with the warm weather the invaders will surely arrive. Buzzing in our ears, flying in our faces and pierc-
ing our skin leaving everyone itchy and miserable.
Unfortunately, in today’s world their bites can’t always be cured with a little calamine lotion and self-disci-pline from scratching.
We have to worry about the possibil-ity of getting West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and now, even though it’s extremely rare, expecting mothers could face the risk of the Zika virus which can cause serious birth defects.
So how do we protect ourselves and loved ones from these troublesome bugs and the diseases they could potentially carry?
The most effective way is to prevent mosquito bites before they happen. The best way to do this is to know how to protect yourself, your family and your home.
Make sure to use an insect repellent when you are outdoors. According to the CDC, repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and some oil
of lemon eucalyptus and para-men-thane-diol products provide longer-lasting protection. Repellents should be used according to the labeled instructions.
Never allow children to handle or spray any repellent. Apply it to your own hands first and then put it on your child. Avoid applying any to their hands because they frequently put their hands in their eyes and mouths.
I don’t know what it is about my daughter but mosquitoes seems to love her more than anyone else and she has a horrible reaction to their bites. She gets huge, red lumps and will scratch them raw if I don’t do something to stop her. Needless to say she sports a lot of band aides in the summer.
What seems to work for us is to spray the outside of her clothing with a re-pellent before she puts them on and then I cover any exposed skin with Avon Skin-So-Soft. I’m not exactly sure why mosquitoes hate it but they do and it’s completely safe for her sensitive skin.
When weather permits, wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors. This may seem impossible in hot weather but at dusk, when mosquitoes are at their worst, it’s better to protect your skin with light, breathable fabric covered in repel-lent rather than having the repellent directly on your skin. Make sure you do not spray any repellent on the skin under your clothing.
Do not use repellents over cuts, wounds or irritated skin. Do not
apply to eyes or mouth, and apply sparingly around ears. When using repellent sprays, do not spray directly on your face – spray on your hands first and then apply to your face.
Remember, when using repellents more doesn’t mean better. Use just enough repellent to cover exposed skin and/or clothing. Heavy appli-cation does not give you better or longer lasting protection.
After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water or bathe. This is particularly important when repellents are used repeatedly in a day or consecutive days.
If you or your child get a rash or other reaction from a repellent, stop using the product, wash it off with mild soap and water and call a local poison control center for further guidance. If you go to a doctor, it is helpful to take the product with you.
One of the most effective ways to stop mosquitoes from invading your yard is to stop the larvae from growing into adults. Mosquitoes lay their eggs on the surface of even the smallest amount of standing water.
Empty water from flower pots, gut-ters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires, birdbaths and other places water may collect on a regular basis.
Where possible, drain or fill non flow-ing ditches and soggy parts of the yard.
Mosquitoes tend to hide in dense vegetation such as trees and shrubs but also in weeds. Get rid of tall weeds and overgrowth to help stop them from hanging around your yard.
Spraying shrubs and other plants with an insecticide can also help, especially the underside of the leaves. Make sure to treat all shaded areas such as under decks and other structures.
Whenever we know we will be spending a good amount of time in the backyard, I always try and use a fogger to keep the mosquitoes at bay. While it doesn’t make them all magically disappear, it does cut down their numbers significantly.
Install or repair screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out-side, and use an air conditioner if you have one.
Turn off all unnecessary outside lights as mosquitoes are attracted to the light throughout the night. This can help minimize the number of mosquitoes that sneak inside when letting the family pet either inside or outside.
While it may seem a bit absurd, be sure to report dead birds to local authorities. Dead birds may be a sign that West Nile or EEE is circulating between birds and mosquitoes in the area. By reporting dead birds to state and local health departments, you can play an important role in moni-toring these diseases.
For more information on these mos-quito borne diseases, their symp-toms, and precautions your family can take, visit www.cdc.gov.
Protecting Your Family From
Mosquitoes
By Joni Lazisky
Page 8 Merrimack Valley Parent Merrimack Valley Parent Page 9
Summer Camps & Schools
Summer Camps & Schools
Jim Loscutoff’s
Our 47th Year Providing a WonderfulCamping Experience for Boys & Girls
in a Natural Forest Setting.
www.campevergreen.com166 Jenkins Road, Andover, MA
978-475-2502This camp complies with the regulations of the M.D.P.H. & is licensed by the Andover Board of Health
2 Pools • Softball • Tennis • Archery• Boating & More!!
Door to DoorTransportation
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Boys & Girls in a Natural Forest Setting2 Pools • Softball • Tennis • Archery • Boating • Horseback Riding • Drama • Arts and Crafts
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Summer Camps & Schools
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Applica ons Available Online
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Merrimack Valley Parent Page 11
Don’t miss our Summer Camps & Schools Section
Continuing in the June Issue
To Advertise [email protected]
978-427-3676
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If you don’t, you should. It is every par-ent’s responsibility to get to know their children’s friends, including the par-ents of those friends. This is especially important if you allow your children to go to their friends’ homes to play or hangout. Doing so provides clues as to how safe your child will be in their home and whether there will be positive or negative things that could influence your children while they’re in the care of these other adults.
One day, a father dropping off his daughter to play with ours, imme-diately began backing out of the driveway after his little girl got out of the car. I quickly approached the car to introduce myself and without saying a word, he rolled down the window and just stared at me. I was stunned when he responded in a manner that said, “So what.” He reluctantly said his name and quickly drove away. I could not believe that he was dropping his sweet little 9-year-old daughter off at a house he had never been inside of, nor met the adults who live there!
How could a parent be so trusting or not care enough to want to know what kinds of things or activities his daugh-ter might see or experience while at that home? Lucky for him, my wife and I are trusting, caring and responsible parents, but what if we weren’t? Why does it seem that so few parents take the time and effort to check out the adults who will be responsible for their child’s safety and care?
One day my 7-year-old son revealed that he was watching R-rated HBO movies on a large screen TV in the bedroom of one of his neighborhood playmates. I was shocked and told him that I would need to speak with his mother before he could go back over to that home to play with his friend.
A few days later, I saw that boy’s mom outside, working in the garden. I ap-proached her and revealed what I had learned. I shouldn’t have been sur-prised when she reacted in a way that told me she didn’t see a problem with it. She then uttered two very classic but annoying statements: “Boys will be boys,” and “They are going to see it all somewhere so why not let them see it in their own home.”
Today’s progressive entertainment industry has made it known that they are not responsible for what our children see and hear. They are in the business to make money and to sell what many adults want to buy. Many parents are in denial that they them-selves are responsible for managing what their children are exposed to. And if they aren’t in denial, then they just haven’t yet come to terms with this responsibility, a responsibility their parents didn’t have. These two factors alone have contributed to the inap-propriate accelerated maturity of our children.
Here are 8 suggestions when it comes to your child’s friends:
1. Get to know them. You can do this by allowing your child to invite their friends over to your home frequently and when you are home to supervise and monitor.
2. Create activities that allow you to supervise and interact with your children and the friends. This will give you firsthand experience with the other child.
3. Allow your child to invite friends along on trips or excursions. Even some vacations are great opportu-nities to allow friends to tag along and interact with the entire family.
4. Invite your child’s parents to your home to meet them, or arrange to meet at a cafe or restaurant. After all, you both have an expressed interest in your children. When
you do, take the liberty to share your beliefs on limitations and boundaries with the your children. Ask them about what boundaries they have in their home with their children.
5. Take charge by collecting or monitoring digital devices when friends arrive to play. After all, you are responsible for the safety and well being of all the children. It’s up to you to know who they are communicating with and what they see and hear on devices.
6. Change the password on your home wireless router to minimize children’s unsupervised access to the Internet.
7. Work with your child in establish-ing rules while the friend is visit-
ing. Allowing your child to provide input in this exercise empowers them to also manage and enforce the rules.
8. Check in on them often or pass thru the room where they are playing or hanging out. Be sure that doors are kept open and their privacy is minimized for safety.
Bill Corbett is a Massachusetts native with a degree in clinical psychology and is the author of the award-winning book, Love, Limits & Lessons: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Cooperative Kids. He is happily married with three grown children, four grandchildren, and three step children. You can visit his Web site BillCorbettsBooks.com for further infor-mation and parenting advice.
How Well Do You Know Your Child’s Friends?By Bill Corbett
Page 12 Merrimack Valley Parent
Don’t Miss Our
Summer Camps &
Schools Section Continuing in the
June Issue
To Advertise Contact:[email protected]
Merrimack Valley Parent Page 13
Merrimack Valley Calendar of Events
MaySunday, May 1
FRIENDS’ SPRING BOOK SALEThe Friends of MHL Spring Book Sale. All
proceeds benefit the Library.Date / Time:: Sunday May 1, 2016
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM Contact: Reference 978-623-8401 x31 [email protected]
Location: Memorial HallMemorial Hall Library, Andover
Monday, May 2DUNGEONS & DRAGONS FOR TEENS
Go on a magical journey of adventure with your Dungeon Master aka Teen Librarian
Anna! Level up, kill some baddies, and have a great time storytelling. Need with
help character creating or have questions? Email Anna at [email protected].
Open to teens in grades 6 - 12.Date / Time:: Monday May 2, 2016
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Contact:Anna or Rebecca 978-623-8401 x 56
[email protected] Hall Library, Andover
Tuesday, May 3YU GI OH
Come play Yu Gi Oh every Tuesday in the Teen Lounge. Please bring your own cards,
if you have them. For 7th-12th grade.This program is funded by the Friends of
the Amesbury Public Library.Date / Time:: Tuesday May 3, 2016
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Contact: Margie Walker 978-388-8148 [email protected]
Location: APL Teen LoungeAmesbury Public Library
Wednesday, May 4JIM KEENAN FROM LOCAL BOYS AND
GIRLS CLUB TO SPEAK LOCAL POVERTY MATTERS
Ever wonder how kids grow up to be productive members of society in today’s crazy world? Or what you can do to help?
Hear from Jim Keenan, Executive Direc-tor of the Boys and Girls Club of the
Lower Merrimack Valley, about how the club inspires and enables young people, especially those who most need support,
to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Bring your
questions to the Local Poverty Matters Discussion on Wednesday, May 4th, from 7-8 pm in the basement classroom of the First Religious Society, 26 Pleasant Street
Newburyport. Bring a friend who also cares about the kids growing up in our commu-nity. The Local Poverty Matters Discussion
Group is held on first Wednesday of the month from October through May. These
monthly sessions are sponsored by Pennies for Poverty and by the Social Action Com-mittee of the First Religious Society. They
are free and open to the public.
WHAT IS BOOK DESIGN, ANYWAY?Wednesday, May 4, 7:00 pmNewburyport Public Library
Want to find out all about book design? Are you perhaps thinking of designing
your own book? Come and learn what it’s all about and how you can do it on your own - with no design experience - from
book design expert and coauthor Glenna
Collett. Her new book, Book Design Made Simple, gives authors, small presses,
graphic designers - and YOU! - the power to design books using Adobe InDesign.
Learn whether DIY book design is right for you and, if so, how to get started. Book
Design Made Simple just won a gold med-al from the Independent Publisher Book Awards in April. Books will be available
for purchase for those interested. Glenna Collett has over 40 years of experience designing books for publishers big and small. She teaches self-publishing work-
shops in the Boston area and joined forces with coauthor Fiona Raven to write this
book, which has been called “the bible of book design.” All are welcome to this free
event!
MAKE A PRESENT FOR MOMChildren ages 3 and up are invited to make a present for Mother’s Day with the Junior Friends. Please register starting April 20th
at 9:00, space is limited.Date / Time:: Wednesday May 4, 2016
3:45 PM - 4:30 PM Location:Activity Room
Memorial Hall Library, Andover
GARAGEBAND ROCK SHOPUp your Garageband game! Learn from a
pro! In this 1.5 hour class, we’ll spend some time on basics, then record and mix your own tracks or podcasts and finally, we’ll all sync devices and start a jam session. Bring your Apple device - laptop, iPod
Touch, iPad or iPhone (we’ll have 4 iPads on
hand for those who need them - they’ll be available on a first come, first served basis, though), and get ready to learn something
new and awesome. Date / Time::Wednesday May 4, 2016 5:30 PM - 7:00
Contact: Rebecca or Anna 978.623.8401 x56 [email protected]
Location: Memorial HallMemorial Hall Library, Andover
Thursday, May 5EARLY RELEASE DAY MOVIE: “THE GOOD
DINOSAUR” (G)May 5 | 12:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Spend your half-day with us and get the movie theater experience as we show “The
Good Dinosaur” on our big screen. This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Newburyport Library.
MAKE ART FROM RECYCLED MAGAZINES FOR 7TH & 8TH GRADES
You can recycle magazines by cutting them up and making art. We will provide tem-
plates for you to create your art work.This program is funded by the Friends of
the Amesbury Public Library.Date / Time:: Thursday May 5, 2016
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Contact: Margie Walker 978-388-8148 [email protected]
Location: APL Loft
Saturday, May 7FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!
Stop by the Teen Room to pick up some FREE comics and do a comics craft!Date / Time:: Saturday May 7, 2016
So happy that it’s spring! Family Fun Fest
RIVERSIDE PEDIATRICS MAY 1, 3-5 PM !18 HIGHLAND AVE. NEWBURYPORT METZY’S FOOD TRUCK, teddy bear clinic, face painting, bouncy castle, car seat checks, AND MORE! Check facebook if raining!
!Come by with the
whole family for an afternoon of fun! Get a tour of our
newly redecorated office space!
Bring your stuffed animals for the teddy bear clinic!
METZY’S TACO TRUCK!
Page 14 Merrimack Valley Parent Merrimack Valley Parent Page 15
Our Assignment:
Capture and promote the spirit of raising a family in the Merrimack Valley
Me r r im ack Va l l e y
Pa rentM a g a z i n e
To Advertise:978-427-3676
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Contact:Anna or Rebecca 978-623-8401 x 56
[email protected]: Teen Room
Memorial Hall Library, Andover
LEGO FREE PLAY!All ages are welcome to come build with
Lego in the Library. We have bins to choose from and encourage adults and kids to
build! We also have Duplo for the littlest hands. We’ll put creations on display in the
Children’s Room. The first Saturday of the month! Just come on by anytime between
2:30pm - 4pm! Date / Time::Saturday May 7, 2016
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM Contact:Clare Dombrowski 978-388-8148 x4
[email protected]: APL Loft
Amesbury Public Library
TEEN BABYSITTING COURSEProvided by the experts at When Seconds
Count, The Babysitter’s Training is a full day course designed for teens interested in
becoming responsible babysitters. Open to youth in grades 6-9, aged 11-15. Program costs $90.00, payable before attendance. (You may pay in cash or checks made out to the Nevins Memorial Library.) Students
must attend the full session.Teens will get hands-on training with an
certified instructor and learn all about:· Characteristics of children
· Basic care such as feeding, changing and holding
· Supervising and playing with children· Accident prevention
· Proper emergency response· Basic first aid for common injuries and
illnessesStudents will receive certification in infant
and child CPR and Babysitter’s Course completion certificate.
Date / Time:: Saturday May 7, 2016 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM Contact: Amy 978-
686-4080 ex. 35 [email protected]: Garden Room
Nevins Memorial Library, Methuen
Sunday, May 8HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
MOTHER’S DAY AT THE BIRD BANDING STATION
Come for an exciting visit to the Joppa Flats Bird Banding Station on the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. See Mass Audu-bon scientists capture, measure, weigh,
examine, and release migrant songbirds. Learn about migration, habitat use, and
scientific research at a real field station. The station operates only during the height of migration in spring (April and May) and fall (September and October). Children must
be accompanied by an adult.Date: Sun, May 08, 2016 9:30 am - 11:30 am
Location: Meet at Joppa Flats Education Center, One Plum Island Turnpike,
Newburyport.Fee: adult $10, child $6. Preregistration required.
Tuesday, May 10INFANT FIRST AID INSTRUCTION
May 10 | 7:00 pm – 8:00 pmTwo Anna Jaques staff members will be on hand to teach basic infant CPR and relief of choking. This class is free,
open to the public, and perfect for new parents, grandparents, and any-
one who wants to learn lifesaving skills. No registration required.
This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Newburyport
Library.
Thursday, May 12LITTLE LISTENERS
Each week we will enjoy three to four picture books together. Group
activities such as songs, finger plays, and story related craft will comple-
ment the listening experience during this 30 minute program for children ages 3-5. No registration
required, but attendance is first come first serve. Pick up a token
early as space is limited to 30 adults and children. Date / Time::
Thursday May 12, 2016 11:00 AM - 11:30
Contact: Children’s Room 978-623-8401 x39 [email protected]
Location: Activity RoomMemorial Hall Library, Andover
Saturday, May 14THE 4TH ANNUAL SALISBURY ART STROLL
Saturday May 14th, 2016 10:00 am - 4:00 The 4th Annual Salisbury Art Stroll is on Saturday, May 14, 2016 from 10am-4pm.
The Art Stroll will take place outdoors (rain or shine) along the Old Eastern Marsh Rail Trail. This paved trail parallels Route 1 in Salisbury. There will be a dedication at
12:00 for the newly opened Stevens Nature Trail, located along the Marsh Rail Trail. We
will also be rewarding the first 100 kids to complete the Art Stroll Scavenger Hunt a free gift; details will be provided at the event. Artists and fine crafters will be set up along the trail, displaying and selling
their works. There will also be food trucks, live music, demonstrations, free kids art classes, free face painting, free shaped
balloons, and much more. There is ample parking and on-site porta-potties, as well
as access to the restrooms at Bridge Marina and Cove Marina, thanks to their generous owners for donating access. The Art Stroll is
also handicap accessible.
READ TO A DOGSign up to read to Scout, our visiting
listening dog! He will be coming by on the second Saturday of each month January-
May to listen to young readers.This program are for those independent readers ages 5-10 years old that need to work on their reading skills. They should be able to read somewhat on their own
already. Please sign up by calling or drop-ping by the Children’s Room. Time slots are
15 mintues long Date / Time::Saturday May 14, 2016
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Contact:Dorothy Purdy 978-388-8148 ext.4
[email protected] Public Library
Tuesday, May 17FAMILY STORYTIME (3 TO 8 YEARS OLD)
Come explore a new theme each time we meet by reading stories aloud, doing activi-
ties or games related to the theme and creating an art project.
Tonight’s Theme: Elephant and Piggie by Mo Willems
Date / Time:: Tuesday May 17, 2016 6:30 PM - 7:15 PM Contact: Children’s
Department 978-686-4080 ext. 2 Nevins Memorial Library, Methuen
Wednesday, May 18LECTURE: PLUM ISLAND TIDE POOLSJoppa Flats Education Center offers a
monthly lecture series on natural history topics that is free to Mass Audubon mem-bers. Children ages 8 and up are welcome.
Date: Wed, May 18, 2016; 7:30 pm - 8:30 pmLocation: Meet at Joppa Flats Education Center, One Plum Island Turnpike, New-
buryport. Fee: $4. No preregistration required.
BIRDHOUSE DECORATINGMay 18 | 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Join us and decorate a wooden birdhouse to make your neighborhood a better place
for the birds! This free program is spon-sored by the Friends of the Newburyport
Library.
Friday, May 20KIDS POETRY READING PARTY
Join us to hear the winners of our 14th
Annual Poetry Contest read their poems (K - 5th graders). Everyone is welcome to this
event! Date / Time:: Friday May 20, 2016 6:30 PM - 7:15 PM Contact:
Clare Dombrowski 978-388-8148 x4 [email protected] Public Library
Saturday, May 21LEGOMANIA
Legomania is a program for Lego fans ages 5 and up. We will share a story which will
introduce the themeof the day, then build freely for about 35 minutes. At the end each child will have
the opportunity to share information about their creation with the group, then put it on display in the Children’s Room.
Please register starting May 7th at9:00 a.m., space is limited.
Date / Time:: Saturday May 21, 2016 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Memorial Hall Library, Andover
DONUTS WITH DAD (3 TO 6 YEAR OLDS)Children ages 3-6 and their fathers, grand-fathers or uncles are invited to join us for a fun story and activity time with an added bonus of sweet, yummy donuts and juice!
Date / Time:: Saturday May 21, 2016 9:30 AM - 10:15 AM Contact:
Childrens Department 978-686-4080 Location: Garden Room
Nevins Memorial Library, Methuen
Tuesday, May 24LEGO OPEN PLAY
May 24 | 3:00 pm – 4:30 pmWe invite kids four and up to come build
anything their imaginations can show them. The library has lots of LEGOs; please leave items from your personal collection
at home! This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Newburyport Library.
Sunday, May 22FAMILY WILDLIFE WALKS:
HARDSHELL AND SOFTSHELL BIOLOGYDid you know that our seafood does not
begin its ife in the sea? Have you ever wondered what makes the round hole in
seashells on the beach? When was the last time you looked for horseshoe crabs? Now is your chance for your family to learn to-gether about the wonders of nature. Each
program will focus on conservation up-dates, animal and plant interrelationships, changing environmental conditions, and an appreciation for the beauty and diver-sity of our surroundings. Each experience
will leave you excited for the next one!Date: Sun, May 22, 2016 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Location: Meet at Joppa Flats Education Center, One Plum Island Turnpike, New-
buryport. Fee: adult, $11; child, $8. Preregistration required.
Thursday, May 26PAPER FORTUNE TELLERS
We’ll have pre-folded origami fortune tell-ers out in the Children’s Room all day long.
Stop by to fill in your own to take home! This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Newburyport Library.
Sunday, May 29BIO-BLITZ FREE-FOR-ALL!
Connecting with nature starts with devel-oping a good sense of place, and a great place to start is right here at Joppa Flats. This full-day family event will feature an exciting mixture of indoor and outdoor activities that encourage children and
adults to learn more about the biodiversity of all the animals, plants, and insects that
frequent our butterfly garden, salt marsh, and backyard! This program is open to all ages. Children must be accompanied by adults. This is a rain-or-shine event. There will be half-hour family presentations at
11:00 am and 1:00 pm.Date: Sun, May 29, 2016 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Fri, May 27, 2016 8:00 am - 11:00 amLocation: Meet at Joppa Flats Education
Center, One Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport.
Fee: FREE. No preregistration required.
Please send any events you would like considered for the Calendar of Events to
Greater Newburyport Mothers and Families Club
fun and friends for families in the greater Newburyport areaNot a member yet? Please explore our member benefits and use promotional code GNFC25 to purchase a gift certificate for 25% OFF a full-year membership at www.greaternewburyportfamilies.org/shop
If you have any questions, please contact Jamie Sullivan, GNFC President at [email protected] code valid through 6/30/2016
Carleen's Breakfast & Lunch
Thirty years serving
the Merrimack valley
*Great food & friendly staff
*Open 7 days a week Breakfast all day Lunch Monday thru Friday 978-682-3466. carleens.com.
209 South Broadway. Lawrence ,Massachusetts 01843
Revamped LA Day Camp
• More choices: Create your own experience based on your interests!
• New activities: Rock wall, archery, Red Cross swim lessons, and more.
• Expanded theater/drama and music/danceprograms, plus yoga and martial arts.
• Other programs include science, cooking,origami, jewelry making, photography, wood working, and more.
All-New Camps for 2016
• High Adventure, Water Adventure, and Nature Adventure join our popular Outdoor Adventure Trip Camps.
• Robotics 2.0 (Advanced Robotics)
• Fashion Design – Senior Level
• RAOKing (Community Service Camp)
Also, many of your favorite camps, such as sports camps, are still offered!
Lawrence Academy • 26 Powderhouse Road • Groton, MA 01450 • 978-448-1610 • [email protected]
Summer at LA
Experience the difference!
Check us out and sign up at www.lacademy.edu/summer.
