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Party Hearty!Host an Awesome Birthday Bash

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Bountiful FunOur Fall-tastic Family Calendar

MetroParent

Tumbling through the Portland-Vancouver area • September 2012

Back-to-School Resources

See pages 17-25

2 September 2012 metro-parent.com

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Contents

FeaturesFun for All......................................................................................................... 10 Local Recreation Programs Where Inclusion is Key

Aiming Higher for Our Kids .............................................................……….16 New Diploma and Transition Options for Students with Disabilities

Party Hearty! .................................................................................................. 26 Tips & Tricks for an Awesome Birthday Bash

Oh, the Places We’ll Go! .............................................................................. 32 The Winners of Our 2012 Readers’ ‘Family Favorites’ Survey

DepartmentsParent Postings ............................................................................................... 6 Announcements, community events, fundraisers and other useful information

Family Fare ..................................................................................................... 36 Jam on Hawthorne

Angels Among Us ........................................................................................ 38 Self Enhancement, Inc.

Advertising SectionsBack-to-School .......................................................................................... 17 – 25

Birthday Parties .......................................................................................... 27 - 31

Exclusively on Metro-Parent.com:• We’re giving away SEVEN fabulous birthday party packages in

conjunction with our special Birthday Party Section in this issue. See the ad on page 30 for details and then click on the contest tab on our home page and enter to win!

• Our Parent 2 Parent Blog: Fresh content every Monday, Wednesday and Friday!

• Family Fun Reviews: Reviews of great family outings twice each month

Stay informed and connected all month long!

• Sign up for our e-newsletter

• Follow “Metro_Parent” on TWITTER

• Become a fan of “Metro Parent (Portland, OR)” on FACEBOOK.

September Family CalendarFamily Calendar ...............................39

In the Spotlight .................................39

Family Favorite .................................39

Knitting for newbornsThe second annual “Click

for Babies” knitting campaign is underway to help prevent shaken baby syndrome and raise aware-ness of the normal period in an infant’s development when they cry more than any other time – sometimes inconsolably – which some medical professionals call “the period of purple crying.” Last year, Oregon’s Click for Babies campaign — sponsored by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome — collected over 5,000 purple caps and distributed them to newborn babies at 30 family birth centers and public health offices across the state.

You can help by knitting or crocheting purple baby caps through October and sending them to a designated collection point. The caps will be distributed to newborn babies in November. For more information, including collection point locations, visit clickforbabies.org (select “Get Started”).

Talk about swollen ankles!

Have you ever seen a pregnant elephant? Now’s your chance! The Oregon Zoo’s Asian elephant Rose-Tu is nearing the end of her preg-nancy, which began in Feb. 2011. The 17-year-old pachyderm, who gave birth to Samudra in 2008, is expected to deliver between late October and the end of the year. (The gestation period for Asian el-ephants is about 20 to 22 months.) Learn more at oregonzoo.org.

Big savings at Just Between Friends

Bargain-hunting parents are gearing up for the annual Just Between Friends sale, with over 100,000 gently used items – including clothes, toys, books, furniture, DVDs, bikes, accessories and more – on sale at huge sav-

ings. Volunteers, first-time parents, foster and adoptive parents and teachers can register online to shop early. See website for details. Get $1 at the register with the cou-pon on page 43. Public shopping hours: noon-7 pm Sept. 14, 9 am- 4 pm Sept. 15, 9 am-2 pm Sept. 16. Portland Expo Center, 2060 N Ma-rine Dr. 503-944-9837. portland.jbfsale.com.

More savings with Museum Day Live! Sept. 29

Smithsonian Magazine will host the eighth annual Museum Day Live! on Sept. 29, with over 1,400 museums and cultural institutions across the country offering free admission with a special Museum Day Live! ticket. In the Portland area, participating museums include the World Forestry Center, the Portland Art Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Craft, Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals, the Oregon His-tory Museum, the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center and others.

To participate, you must download and present a ticket, which is good for free admission for two people per household. Learn more and download your ticket at smithsonianmag.com/museumday.

Thinking globally, playing music locally

Local musician Aaron Nigel Smith – whose goal is to build a global village through song – recently released Welcome to the Village, a music CD for kids featuring the voices of children in Lake Oswego (where Smith lives), Los Angeles, New York and Kenya. You can catch Smith, best known for his work on the PBS TV show Between the Lions and his own award-winning music for children, at one of two free mini concerts and autograph sessions: Sept. 22 at 3 pm at Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside St., and Sept. 29 at 1 pm at A Children’s Place Bookstore, 4807 NE Fremont St.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Smith’s CD will help build a music program at the Cura Rotary Home, an orphanage and school in Kenya. Check out the music and learn more at aaronnigelsmith.com.

Get the 411 on volunteering Sept. 6

Representatives from a diverse range of community-based organi-zations will be on hand to show-case their volunteer and advocacy opportunities at The Standard’s 2012 Volunteer Expo, Sept. 6 from 11 am to 2 pm in Pioneer Court-house Square (701 SW Sixth Ave.)

The event is free and all ages are welcome. Call 503-552-5003 for more information.

Fun film premiere benefits CCA

Backspace, a family-friendly animated short about a Giraffstro-naut (think “space ostrich”) and a bottle full of time travel, premieres in Portland next month with all proceeds from ticket sales benefit-ing the Children’s Cancer Associa-tion (CCA).

Described as “SpongeBob meets Star Trek,” the film, which was written, produced and directed by Portland film makers Brian and Jillian Starr, blends science, technology, engineering and math with a healthy dose of kid-friendly comedy. Oct. 6, 7:30 pm. $7. Hol-lywood Theater, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd. Learn more about Backspace at giraffstronaut.com. Learn more about CCA at joyrx.org.

Preschoolers say the darnedest things!

Portland preschool teacher Leslie McCollom has been docu- menting the quotable tidbits her students come up with on Twitter (@PreschoolGems) since 2010, building a fan base of over 160,000 followers. Riding the tide

Parent Postings


Parent Postings continues on page 8

Don’t Miss It! Metro Parent’s FREE Education & Enrichment Fair

Takes Place Nov. 10Are you looking for preschools? Do you think your kinder-

gartener might be ready for music lessons? Would you like to know more about language immersion or Montessori schools? Are you curious about tutoring opportunities?

Then you won’t want to miss Metro Parent’s Education & Enrichment Fair on Saturday, Nov. 10. You’ll find schools and businesses offering all of these – and much more. The fair takes place from 10 am to 3 pm in the auditorium at OMSI (1945 SE Water St.) – and Fair admission is FREE. Attendees will learn about dozens of education and enrichment opportunities for their kids in one spot on one day.

Save the date! Visit metro-parent.com/education-and-enrichment-fair or call 503-460-2774 for more information.


Parent PostingsServing the Families of the Portland Metropolitan Area

Metro Parent P.O. Box 13660 Portland, OR 97213-0660 Phone: 503-460-2774; Fax: 503-331-3445

Publisher Keith Goben, 503-460-2774 [email protected]

Editor Marie Sherlock, 503-287-9371 [email protected]

Managing Editor Emily Puro [email protected]

Calendar Editor Teresa Carson [email protected]

Contributing Writers Teresa Carson, Sara Gelser, Emily Puro, Julia Silverman

Advertising Account Executives

Westside/National/Outside Metro Area Debbie Dille, 503-997-4044 fax: 503-352-4373 [email protected]

Eastside/Vancouver/Washington Ali King, 503-331-8184; 360-695-0455 fax: 503-331-3445 [email protected]

Design & Production Susan Bard

For distribution issues, e-mail us at [email protected]

For calendar submissions, e-mail us at [email protected]

Metro Parent is published monthly by Metro Parent Publishing, Inc. and is copy-right 2012 Metro Parent Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Metro Parent is distributed free of charge throughout the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area.

Metro Parent reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. Distribution of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised herein.

Metro Parent does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex or sexual orientation.

Although every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy of published material, Metro Parent Publishing Inc. and its agents and employees cannot be held responsible for the use or misuse of any information contained herein. The contents of Metro Parent and its Web site are for informa-tional purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional advice or treatment.

Metro Parent

of her online success, McCollom recently published Preschool Gems: Love, Death, Magic, and Other Surpris-ing Treasures from the Mouths of Babes (Perigee; 2012), a collection of the most bizarre and amusing things she’s overheard at school. Learn more at preschoolgems.com.

Artichoke Music launches kids’ music classes

Artichoke Music – a retail store, nonprofit music school and perfor-mance space on Hawthorne Blvd. in southeast Portland – is launching a new series of classes for kids this month, include Mommy, Me & Music (ages 2 and under), Little Artichokians (ages 3-4), percussion for kids (ages 5-7), ukulele for kids (ages 5-7) and kids’ guitar (ages 8-12). Learn more at artichokemusic.org, 503-232-8845.

Serious fun at TaborFestCelebrate and support this com-

munity coffee house and meeting space with kids’ activities, work-

shops for all ages, yoga, live music, BBQ, square dancing and more. Sept. 22, 10 am-7 pm. FREE, BBQ by donation. TaborSpace, SE 55th and Belmont. taborspace.org.

Parent EducationBeaverton Library presents two

FREE workshops for new parents this month:

• Babies Need Literacy, Too! Learn how to support early literacy skills in this fun workshop for babies under 1 and their caregivers. Sept. 27, 6:30-7:15 pm, or Sept. 28, 11-11:45 am.

• Libraryland for New Parents. Enjoy stories, snacks and playtime while you learn about the library. Best for infants under 1, with care-giver. Sept. 25, 12:30-1:30 pm.

Beaverton City Library 12375 SW Fifth St., Beaverton. 503-350-3600. beavertonlibrary.org/kids.

More parent education and parent sup-port group information can be found at metro-parent.com.

Oh Baby! BabyFest Comes to the Expo Center

Pint-sized Productions – the folks who bring us KidFest! – are hosting a new extravaganza this year, this one designed especially for new and expectant parents. Check out all the latest gear and services for your growing family,

attend educational workshops on a variety of topics, and party at “the Northwest’s Biggest Baby Shower,” complete with games, prizes and a Maternity & Baby Fashion Show. A special VIP experience invites expect-ant parents to host their own baby shower for up to 10 guests at the show, including gift registry with show vendors, a VIP table, pamper-ing and more. Bring donations of diapers & baby wipes for Northwest Children’s Outreach and you’ll be entered to win a Mommy Must-have Giveaway package.

Admission is $15 per person, $20 per couple; $2 off with ad on page 7. (Children 12 and under are free.) VIP Baby Shower package is $100 (packages are limited; online registration required). Sept 22-23, 10 am-5 pm. (Baby Shower & Fashion Show 11:30 am and 3 pm each day.) Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Blvd. 503-310-5677; 360-514-0767. babyfestnw.com.


ix weeks after the birth of her daughter, Adara, Ridgefield, Wash., mom Abby Braithwaite still felt like she was living in an endless and un-settled dream. Though Braithwaite and her husband, David Morgan, had no advance knowledge of their baby’s condition, Adara had been born with Down syndrome and the life they’d always envisioned seemed to be slipping away.

Braithwaite called the Northwest Down SyndromeAssociation (NDSA) hoping for some guidance. What she got was an invita-tion for tea and conversation where she met other children with Down syndrome – “impish, troublemaking little kids with spark and life,” she re-calls – and a welcoming community involved in numerous recreational and social activities designed for families raising children with special needs.

It was then that Braithwaite realized she wasn’t alone, and that the full and active life she’d envisioned for her family was still within their grasp.

Active adventures“Most kids just want to have fun,” says Kevin Mattias, who coordinates

the Adaptive & Inclusive Recreation program for Portland Parks & Recre-ation (PP&R). “We need to make sure they have that experience, so that they’re playing basketball, running around with other kids, and picking up appropriate behaviors. Plus, their peers are saying, ‘Hey, there’s Joe. He’s there playing basketball with us,’ so hope-fully it’s a two-way street.”

PP&R, like many parks and recreation departments, offers two levels of program-ming for children with special needs. For young children, Mattias notes, parents can enroll their kids in any PP&R program offered for their age group – from tai kwon do to messy art to cooking and beyond – then contact the depart-

ment to discuss appropriate accommodations such as sign language interpretation for kids who are deaf or hard of hearing or lowering noise levels

for children with sensory disorders.For kids in middle school and older, PP&R hosts outings – attending

a basketball game, participating in a scavenger hunt or gathering for a barbecue in the park, for example – especially for youth with special needs. Older kids often appreciate the chance to be around others who are also liv-ing with similar challenges, Mattias says, to compare notes and make new friends.

Public programs aren’t the only recreation op-portunities for kids with special needs. The Tigard-based Mobility Impaired Golf Association offers year-round golf clinics and lessons to children and teens with physical and/or mental disabilities, while Oregon Disability Sports gives youth and young adults with physi-cal and visual challenges a chance to play and compete in sports such as wheelchair basketball, rugby and tennis; hand cycling and more.

“Most kids just want to have fun. We need to make sure they have that experience.” Kevin Mattias, Portland Parks & Recreation, Adaptive & Inclusive Recreation

Nick Sullivan, a 12-year-old with autism, has benefited greatly from practicing yoga with Jennie Ehleringer of

Yoga for All.

Youth with physical and visual disabilities get a chance to play and compete in a variety of sports – including wheelchair basketball –

through Oregon Disability Sports.

Local Recreation Programs Where Inclusion is Key

Fun forAll !

Fun for All! continues on page 12

After their daughter, Adara (far left), was born, Vancouver, Wash., parents David Morgan and Abby Braithwaite (holding Adara’s brother, Corwin) were happy to find a vibrant, active and welcoming community through the Northwest Down Syndrome Association.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MORGAN-BRAITHWAITE FAMILY

lBy Julia Silverman

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Parents of children with cognitive and sensory processing disor-ders heap praise on yoga classes for their kids, not just for the physical strengthening and balance it provides but also for the way yoga teaches kids (and grown-ups!) how to calm a busy mind.

Kari Sullivan, a Vancouver, Wash., mom whose 12-year-old son Nick has been diagnosed with autism, says she’s seen the benefits of yoga time and again for her son who has taken private lessons from Jennie Ehlering-er, a former special education teacher and owner of Yoga for All.

Nick’s core strength has improved, Sullivan says, along with his ability to follow instructions. At school, she adds, if Nick is having trouble com-municating and gets frustrated, his teachers know to ask him to take a “yoga breath,” a simple act that helps him calm his body and his mind.

“A lot of kids with disabilities struggle to connect with what their body is doing, feeling and needs,” Ehleringer says. “Yoga is grounded in the philosophy of being mindful, compassionate and practicing accep-tance with yourself, and learning that we are all perfect just the way we are.”

Making new friendsBeyond physical recreation, there are plenty of opportunities for kids

with special needs and their families to socialize with one another. There are support networks for children with specific physical and cognitive disabilities, including the Autism Society of Oregon, which sponsors regu-lar parenting workshops and numerous special events, and the Portland Aspergers Network, which offers a Girl Scout troop, monthly game nights and more.

For children with cerebral palsy and their families, United Cerebral Palsy of Oregon and Southwest Washington holds regular events like summer picnics, roller skating parties, swimming outings and parenting workshops. The Northwest Down Syndrome Association (NDSA) hosts playgroups in Portland and Vancouver, and its members lean on each other for all kinds of information, including how to be the best advocates for their children within the public school system.

Thanks to the NDSA, Braithwaite says, she felt well prepared when it came time for Adara to start kindergarten. “Just by watching other families going through it, I knew a lot about the schools, the special education sys-tem and how to be a good advocate,” she says. “I wasn’t at all blindsided.”

Getting out and about When it’s time for a fun family outing, the Portland metro area is rich

with programs and places that welcome children with special needs and their families.

Some movie theaters – including venues in Scappoose, Canby, Hood River and Van-couver, Wash. – offer special “sensory show-ings” in which sound effects are turned down for sensitive ears. The Multnomah County Library’s Gresham and Woodstock branches host sensory story times with a slower, quiet-er pace and visual cues – so kids know when a song is coming, for example – followed by a story and craft project. Beaverton Library also hosts a “special needs story time” the first Friday of every month.

Some of the city’s most popular playtime destinations also offer sessions specifically designed for families of children with special needs. Pump it Up, a bouncy castle paradise in Beaverton, hosts “Sensory Nights” on the third Wednes-day of each month, open only to little jumpers with special needs and their families. Also in Beaverton, the Oregon Gymnastics Academy (OGA) hosts “Sensory Sundays,” a weekly open gym session for kids with sensory processing disorders. (OGA also provides inclusion assistance in their ongo-ing programs as well as small group and private classes for kids with special needs.)

For a quieter, more calming experience, the music therapists at the West Hills Music Therapy Studios in Multnomah Village offer a free group

Fun for All! continued from page 10

Fun for All! continues on page 14

“I have a 5-year-old who loves music and reading and playing with her brother, and she also happens to have Down syndrome. She isn’t a defined label.” Abby Braithwaite, Vancouver, Wash.

Portland Parks & Recreation’s Adaptive & Inclusive Recreation program provides accommodations whenever possible to include young children in all their classes and activities

Oregon Disability Sports hosts adaptive bike clinics every summer for youth with physical disabilities.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PORTLAND PARKS & RECREATION, PORTLAND, OR PHOTO COURTESY OF OREGON DISABILITY SPORTS

Selected Resources Get in touch with the organizations below for more information, to find support and to learn about upcoming and ongoing activities:

Autism Society of Oregon: A wealth of information and support for families with children on the autism spectrum. Check their online calendar for events including Fly Day, sensory-friendly movie screenings, story times, open gym sessions and more. 888-288-4761 (888-AUTISM-1). autismoregon.com.

Families and Community Together (FACT): leadership organization working with families experiencing disabilities to facilitate positive change in policies, systems and attitudes through support, advocacy and partnerships. 888-988-3228. factoregon.org.

Northwest Down Syndrome Association: Support and events for those with Down syndrome and their caregivers. 503-238-0522. nwdsa.org.

Portland Asperger’s Network: Resources, social clubs and more for indi-viduals with Aspergers syndrome and their families. aspergersnet.org.

United Cerebral Palsy of Oregon & SW Washington: A support network for individuals with cerebral palsy and their caregivers. 305 NE 102nd Ave. 503-777-4166. ucpaorwa.org.

Recreation ProgramsHere’s just a sample of the numerous local programs offering recreation opportunities for children with special needs:

Mobility Impaired Golf Association: Golf clinics for individuals with disabilities. 15685 SW 116th Ave, Tigard. 971-404-4800. migolf.org.

Music Therapy Services of Portland: Hosts free music therapy sessions once a month for kids with autism and their families. 4825 SW Caldew St. 971-221-7144. musicthera-pyportland.com.

Oregon Disability Sports: Opportunities for youth and young adults with physical and visual disabilities to engage in sports, including competitive play. 2125 N Flint Ave. 503-241-0850. oregondisabilitysports.net.

Oregon Gymnastics Academy: Adaptive and inclusive classes plus weekly “Sensory Sundays” open gym time. Contact Program Manager Katie Candeaux for details. 16305 NW Bethany Ct., #109, Beaverton. 503-531-3409. ogagym.org.

Public Parks & Recreation Programs: Local parks and recreation departments offer many options. For example, Portland Parks & Rec offers multiple programs at various locations. 503-823-7529. portlandonline.com/parks/ (search “Adaptive & Inclusive”).

Pump it Up: “Sensory Night” the third Wednesday of every month from 6 to 8 pm. $7 per child; parents are free. 9665 SW Allen Blvd., #110, Beaverton. 503-644-6488. pumpitupparty.com (locate the Beaverton site, then choose “Event Calendar”).

Yoga For All: Yoga classes for children with special needs, including private and group sessions. Multiple locations. 503-998-6494. yogaforallpdx.com.

Sensory-friendly Movies: Canby (canbycinema8.com); Scappoose (scappoosecin-ema7.com); Hood River (hoodrivercinemas.com, click on “News”); and Vancouver, Wash. (facebook.com/VancouverMyWayMatinee; email vancouvermywaymatinee @gmail.com to receive notifications).

Story Times for Kids with Special Needs: Multnomah County Library hosts sensory story times for preschoolers with sensory integration issues at the Gresham and Woodstock branches; events.multcolib.org.


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The Oregon Gymnastics Academy’s weekly “Sensory Sundays” open gym sessions are designed especially for kids with sensory processing disorders.

session once a month for children with autism and their families.

Getting out and about – whether being physical, con-necting with other families or just having fun – is crucial not only for Adara, says Braithwaite, but for their whole family. It also gives their daughter a sense of the world beyond her home and helps her find her place in it.

“I have a 5-year-old who loves music and reading and playing with her brother, and she also happens to have Down syndrome,” Braithwaite says. “She isn’t a defined label.”

Sullivan concurs. Her son Nick looks forward to events like sensory movie night and “Fly Day,” a day-long outing in Salem where kids with spe-cial needs get to go up in personal planes with local pilots, sometimes even getting a chance to try the controls.

“It definitely gets him out of his comfort zone,” Sullivan says, “and we know people will understand and have better expectations and be surprised at all he can do. This sort of thing has definitely been helpful for him to get used to be-ing out there in the world.”

Julia Silverman is a Portland freelance writer and mom.

Fun for All! continued from page 12

Learn – and Play – More!

“Yoga is grounded in the philosophy of being mindful, com-passionate and practicing acceptance with yourself, and learning that we are all perfect just the way we are.” Jennie Ehleringer, Yoga for All


ViewpointBy Oregon State Rep. Sara Gelser

Aiming Higher for Our Kids

New Diploma and Transition Options for Students

with Disabilities

as parents, we all go to bat for our kids and do our best to provide them with the opportunities they need and deserve. Of course, this is no different for parents of kids

who experience disability. If you’re raising a teen with a disability or

care about a teen with a disability, you should know about Oregon’s diploma options and the services that 18 to 21 year old students with disabilities should expect from their schools. Oregon is on the cutting

edge in these areas and the more families that understand what’s available, the faster we will drive improvements in educational outcomes for all special education students.

Beginning in 2007, Oregon became the first state in the nation to offer statewide standards for Modi- fied and Extended Diplomas. These options are available to students with a clearly defined learning barrier that would make it impos- sible to meet the Oregon Standard Diploma requirements in four years. The Oregon Legislature created these diplomas to ensure every Oregon student has a rigorous and relevant diploma they can strive to achieve – and to ensure all students, regardless of disability, have access to core academic classes.

Every high school in Ore- gon is required to offer access to

the courses and supports students need to pursue these diplomas. No student can be denied the opportunity to pursue any diploma on the basis of a disability or the school they attend. These diplomas reaffirm the importance of access to the general curriculum

for students in special education. In fact, the Extended Diploma requires that at least six courses be taken outside a self-contained classroom.

Because these diplomas include requirements in math, literature, social studies and science, every student has the right to enroll in regular classes at their high school in these areas. These diplomas raise the bar of expecta-tions for every student and extend a new promise that no student will be pushed into recreational or vocational classes instead of academics.

Unfortunately, only 29 percent of special education students in Portland Public Schools (PPS) will earn a standard high school diploma after four years. As a result, the vast majority of PPS special education students will be eligible for transition services. (For the record, PPS’ special ed four year graduation rate is well below the state average of 42 percent and the Clark County, Wash. rate of 63.6 percent.)

Transition services are available to students ages 18 to 21 who have not yet earned a Stan-dard Diploma. Students earning a Modified or Extended Diploma maintain their eligibility for transition services. (Note: Federal law defines high school transition services as a “coordinated set of activities designed within a results-oriented process, focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child’s movement from school to post-school activities…”)

In recent years, many school districts, including PPS, began signifi-cantly reducing their transition service offerings. As a result, the Oregon Legislature passed HB 2283 in 2011. This bill requires districts to provide every eligible student with access to full-time transition services, which means that the student attending the transition program must have access to instructional and transitional hours equal to at least the total provided students attending public high school.

PPS reports that less than 20 percent of its transition students currently receive full-time services. This points to the need to better inform families about students’ rights to access full-time services. The legislative intent was clear: Full-time transition services should be the rule in Oregon, not the exception.

Oregon is on the cutting edge in these areas and the more families that understand what’s available, the faster we will drive improvements in educational outcomes for all special education students.

New Diploma and Transitions Options continues on page 18


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back-to-school

Transition services are critical to the long-term success of individuals with disabilities. Some students spend their transition years working on academics with the goal of earning a regular high school diploma before the age of 21 or improving their literacy and math skills to im-prove their employment options. Other students use the time to develop job skills and gain job experience. Still others learn independent living and public transportation skills. Many stu-dents participate in a combination of these activities to ensure they’re prepared to enter adulthood ready for work and independent living.

Because Oregon’s transition law is so new, it can be helpful for parents and students to document their requests in writing. For example, when planning for the transition Individualized Education Pro-gram (IEPs are mandated by federal law for students with disabilities), parents should submit their request for a full-time transi-tion program and academics in writing. If either or both of those requests are denied, parents should provide a written objection to the district’s unilateral reduction of transition program hours.

The Legislature created the Modified and Extended Diplomas and made a clear policy statement about transition service hours in order to provide every student the opportunity to pursue rigorous learning and take advantage of learning experiences that prepare them to live inde-pendently and seek gainful employment as adults. Parents and students should not feel guilty for vigorously pursuing these opportunities. These are services that have the potential to change the trajectory of a young person’s life.

For more information about the diploma options, feel free to contact my office at [email protected]. Learn more at factoregon.org (select “Family Advocacy” then “Education”).

State Representative Sara Gelser has served in the Oregon Legis-lature since 2005, representing Philomath and Corvallis. In 2010, she was appointed to the National Council on Disability by Pres. Obama. Rep. Gelser lives in Corvallis with her husband and four children, including a teenage son who experiences an intellectual disability.

Parents and students should not feel guilty for vigorously pursuing these opportunities. These are services that have the potential to change the trajectory of a young person’s life.

New Diploma and Transitions Options continued from page 16

back-to-school


Lucky little Charlie Pratt had his fourth birthday party among the fire engines that thrill him at the Historic Belmont Firehouse in southeast Portland. His cake featured a tiny fire truck and fire fighters putting out a house fire. Guests went home with fire hats and flashlights.

“I want the kids to have a really magical experience,” says Stephanie Pratt, mom to Charlie, now 6, and Katie, 3.

Welcome to the wonderful world of children’s birthday parties, where you’ll find as many party planning styles as there are parenting styles. Some parents plan, create and fabricate for months before the big day. Others make a few phone calls and let the kids play in the backyard before scarfing down some cake and opening gifts.

Whatever style fits your family, the advice that follows can help you make the most of your child’s special day.

Tying it all togetherChoosing a theme can be half the fun, especially with

younger children, and once kids are old enough to express an interest they can get involved in developing their own party themes.

Lisa Scholin, a southwest Portland mom of two, says her 9-year-old daughter, Rye, loves planning parties so much she began planning her tenth birthday party, which isn’t until October, in July. Rye also helps plan parties for her 5-year-old brother, Sev. The budding party planner is “great at making signs and coming up with games,” Scholin adds.

The internet is a big boon for birthday party planners, with countless sites sharing ideas for themes, games, cakes decorations, invitations and more.

“I use Pinterest,” Pratt says of the hugely popular online bulletin board. “I love it. They have lots of great ideas.”

Who’s on the guest list?The ideal number of guests will vary depending on your

child’s age, your party venue and a number of other factors. “I don’t necessarily follow the age plus one child rule,”

says Pratt, referring to a com-mon adage that the number of children you should invite is equal to your child’s age plus one, “but if the party gets too big, then it gets chaotic and nobody has fun.” Fifteen boys running around your snug little condo in December might be overwhelming, but they’d easily be accommodated at a spacious party venue.

Every parent’s threshold is different. For Scholin, “Having about five guests … starts to feel like a party. More than 10 is hard to control.”

Some parents invite the birthday child’s entire class, knowing that most often less than half will actually attend. Others invite only a few classmates, but remember, if you’re passing out invitations at school, do it discreetly so no one’s feelings are hurt.

What’s on the schedule?It can be helpful to plan an activity that’s easy for kids to

join as they arrive. “When my son turned 7 and we had a basketball theme,

the kids decorated water bottles with stickers and puffy paints as they arrived,” says Jodi Monroy, a Beaverton-area mom with four kids between 2 and 8 years old.

“I like to have several activities kids can do at their leisure,” agrees Pratt. Think a bowl of fruity cereal circles to string on a necklace or other crafts kids can do at their own pace.

“I use Pinterest. I

love it. They have

lots of great ideas.” Stephanie Pratt, northeast Portland

L Party Hearty!

Tips & Tricks for an Awesome Birthday Bash!

“We put in a lot of

elbow grease and

try not to spend a

whole lot of money.

… We look around

and see what we

have in our house

already and try

to use everyday

supplies.” Lisa Scholin, southwest Portland

By Teresa Carson

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Barnyard cake toppers and “cow hide” bal-loons tied everything together at the farm party Portland mom Lisa Scholin hosted for her daughter’s third birthday at Fir Point Farms in Canby.

“The gym ran the party,” says Oregon City mom Shannon Brogden of the birthday

celebration she hosted for her 2-year-old son, Everett, at the Little Gym of Lake Oswego.

parties

Some parents tout a strict schedule while others advise maximum flex-ibility, but most seasoned party planners suggest preparing more games and activities than you think you’ll need. Erin Stephensen, a southeast Portland mom with a 10-year-old and a 4-year-old, says she usually uses only half the games she prepares, recommending back-ups in case something fizzles or little revelers speed through an activity faster than expected.

Here or there? Whether to celebrate at home or take the party on the road is a crucial

decision. Hosting your fete at a party venue typically is more expensive, but it can save time and effort because you’ll do less planning, set up and clean up. Some party spots even send out invitations for you.

Oregon City mom Shannon Brogden hosted her 2-year-old’s first birthday party at the Play Boutique in Lake Oswego. “The kids run around and play and there’s a baby area,” she says. “Everyone had fun.”

The next year she took the party to the Little Gym in Lake Oswego. “The gym ran the party,” says Brodgen. “Everyone participated. They had a para-chute. The staff was really organized.”

Party Hearty continues on page 28

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BROGDEN FAMILY


Although Brogden hosted both parties outside her home, she brought all the food, goody bags and decorations. “I went all out,” she admits, recalling the fun she had creating a “candy station” the first year with frog-themed candies to fit a frog motif.

Public parks can be wonderful venues for parties held in warmer months. “You can just let the kids play,” Pratt says. “Parents can sit and visit and it doesn’t have to be so organized.”

Just make sure you understand park rules. Portland Parks & Recreation won’t allow any-thing tied to trees or stakes pounded into the ground, for example. And if the park you’re using requires reservations, you may be asked to vacate a picnic table if someone has reserved that area in advance.

“I like to have parties at home,” says Monroy, “It seems less consumerist.” She also likes to include her extended family and the guests’ families. “It encourages community and you get to know the families of your kids’ friends,” she says.

Trimming costs

Keeping costs down while maximizing the fun factor might be the most important aspect of successful party planning. “We put in a lot of elbow grease and try not to spend a whole lot of money,” Scholin says.

Monroy makes all the food, including the cake, and creates simple deco-rations to keep costs down. “We look around and see what we have in our house already and try to use everyday supplies,” adds Scholin.

Stephensen agrees. When her 10-year-old daughter, Aradia, wanted a party based on the popular doll series Monster High, they used Halloween decorations they already owned. She also likes to modify traditional birth-day games to fit the current theme, in this case, Pin the Bow on the Skull.

In recent years, many parents have tried to call a truce in the goody bag arms race. “I try to keep (goody bags) inexpensive,” says Pratt, “but not buy junk that people just throw away.” Brogden agrees. “Less is more with goody bags,” she says. “I’d rather put in a few nice things.”

“I don’t do birthdays at my house. I would have to clean before and after, and then I’m tired and I don’t get to enjoy my child’s parties.” Melinda Hicks, Boring

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Party Hearty continued from page 27

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Instead of the standard goody bags, northeast Portland mom Stephanie Pratt sent kids home from her son’s

pirate-themed party with blow-up swords and homemade pirate hats.


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Some parents have moved away from goody bags to a single take-home item. “I keep my eye out for months sometimes,” Pratt says. “We got these great blow-up swords on Amazon for a pirate party and I made pirate hats out of felt.”

Sometimes the take-home swag is a craft the kids make, such as Monroy’s basketball water bottles or a jewelry box kids decorate themselves.

In praise of simple pleasuresSome moms, like Melinda Hicks of Boring, believe

in focusing on the basics. “I’m all for keeping it simple,” says Hicks, who’s

raising four kids from 9 to 15 years old. For winter birthdays, she usually reserves a free party room at a pizza joint with an arcade, giving each child a couple of dollars in quarters for the games. For summer birthdays, she opts for a public park and a

barbecue. The guest lists always include family and friends. “I don’t do birthdays at my house,” she says. “I would have to clean before

and after, and then I’m tired and I don’t get to enjoy my children’s parties.” And while she used to plan party games, with teens and ‘tweens in the

house, “you get the eye roll if you suggest a game,” she chuckles. “If other moms want to put on these elaborate parties and they enjoy that, then that’s just great,” Hicks says, “but I want to enjoy the party with my kids. I don’t want to focus on things the kids won’t remember.”

Whether your style is wonderfully over-the-top or no-fuss fun, marking your child’s annual milestones should be a pleasure for everyone.

“Ultimately I try to make it a fun experience,” says Scholin, “but I want to do that without a whole lot of hassle.”

Teresa Carson is a Portland freelance writer, a mom and Metro Parent’s calendar editor.

More Tips and Tricks

Celebrate the GiverWhen the gifts are being opened, Beaverton mom Jodi Monroy sets up a chair for the birthday child and a chair for the gift giver while the rest of the kids sit on the floor. It’s a nice way to acknowledge each gift and make the gift giver feel special.

Number PleaseSouthwest Portland mom Lisa Scholin keeps a sign-in sheet so parents can write down their contact information when they drop off their kids. Then, if there’s ever a problem, she can reach the parents immediately .

Take & TossNortheast Portland mom Stephanie Pratt uses Take & Toss disposable cups with straws to prevent a mess. After the party, kids can take them home as a party favor or the host can reuse them.

Warm Welcome! Scholin likes to set the festive tone with a grand entrance. She drew tur-tle footprints in chalk on the walkway for a turtle party, rented stanchions with velvet rope like a movie theater for an Aristocats party, and had castle-like banners on each side of the front door for a princess party.

Toodle-ooSoutheast Portland mom Erin Stephensen reminds party planners to include an end time on the invitation!

Party Hearty continues on page 30

“I like to have parties at home. It seems less consumerist.” Jodi Monroy, Beaverton


Selected Birthday Party Resources

Addresses are in Portland unless indicated otherwise:

Academy Theater, 7818 SE Stark St.; 503-252-0500; AcademyTheaterPdx.com

Birthday Parties Unlimited; 360-600-3047; BirthdayPartiesUnlimited.com

Chocolate Craft Studio, 3936 N Williams Ave.; 503-505-0481; ChocolateCraftStudio.com

The Circuit Bouldering Gym, 6050 SW Macadam Ave.; 503-246-5111; TheCircuitGym.com

David Hall; 503-309-7438; DavidHallsMusic.com

Dragon Theater Puppets & Princesses; 503-312-5979; DragonTheater.com

Kids Central Kitchen, 7327 SW Barnes Rd., #501; 971-344-0475; KidsCentralKitchen.com

The Merry Kitchen, 5202 NE 72nd Ave; 503-946-8357; TheMerryKitchen.com

North Clackamas Aquatic Park, 7300 SE Harmony Rd., Milwaukie; 503-557-SURF; PdxSurf.com

Oaks Amusement Park and Roller Skating Rink, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way; 503-233-5777; OaksPark.com

Once Upon A Horse, P.O. Box 482, Lake Oswego; 503-502-1719; OnceUponAHorse.com

Out of this World Pizza & Play, 6255 NW Century Blvd., Hillsboro; 503-629-8700; OutOfThisWorld.net

Penny’s Puppet Productions; 503-282-9207; PennyPuppets.com

The Planning Wizard, Inc. (Free internet resource for party planning, etc.); ThePlanningWizard.com

Portland Rock Gym, 21 NE 12th Ave.; 503-232-8310; PortlandRockGym.com

Urban Roots Hair Design, 1722 NW Raleigh St., Suite 114; 503-277-8416; UrbanRootsNW.com

Wilsonville Family Fun Center & Bullwinkle’s Restaurant, 29111 SW Town Center Loop W., Wilsonville; 503-685-5000; Fun-Center.com

Party Hearty continued from page 29

Fire truck enthusiast Charlie Pratt celebrated his fourth birthday at the Historic Belmont Firehouse.

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Enter to Win a Free Birthday Party!

David Hall (children’s musician); 503-309-7438; DavidHallsMusic.com

Dragon Theater Puppets & Princesses; 503-312-5979; dragontheater.com

North Clackamas Aquatic Park, 7300 SE Harmony Rd., Milwaukie; 503-557-SURF; Pdxsurf.com

Once Upon A Horse, P.O. Box 482, Lake Oswego; 503-502-1719; onceuponahorse.com

Out of this World Pizza & Play, 6255 NW Century Blvd., Hillsboro; 503-629-8700; outofthisworld.net

Portland Rock Gym, 21 NE 12th Ave.; 503-232-8310; portlandrockgym.com

Wilsonville Family Fun Center & Bullwinkle’s Restaurant, 29111 SW Town Center Loop W., Wilsonville;

503-685-5000; fun-center.com

How to Enter:Go to Metro-Parent.com/contest and submit your name, address,

phone number and email address. One entry per family. Contest ends Sept. 30.

See additional conditions online at metro-parent.com/contest.

The following businesses have donated birthday parties for this FREE giveaway (addresses in Portland unless indicated otherwise):

parties


parties


Coffee Shop » If anyone is entitled to a good cup of joe, it’s you, Mom (or Dad!) – clutching a baby, a toddler hanging on your leg and four hours of sleep under your belt. While Starbucks works in a pinch, there are, thank-fully, many other locally owned options – and many of them qualify as family friendly.

It’s a threepeat for Munchkin Playland (18335 NW West Union Rd.; munchkinplayland.com), taking top honors in this category for three years running. Their prescription for success is simple – it’s a coffee shop de-signed for kids, as this testimonial confirms: “The only place where you can actually enjoy your coffee while your kids exhaust themselves with the fun and safe toys. … Bliss for everyone.”

Café Sip-n-Play (3000 SE 164th Ave., Vancouver; cafesipnplay.com) came in second with similar praises: “Big toy area to keep kids entertained while parents chat.”

Pizza Parlor » Pizzicato (multiple locations; pizzica-topizza.com) made its first competitive showing this year – and claimed first place. “Great pizza and salads!” effused one parent. Others raved about their “Dough for Dollars” program for local schools.

Hillsboro’s Out of This World Pizza (6225 NW Century Blvd., Hillsboro; 503-629-8700; outofthisworld.net) came in second, proving that this family favorite is worth the drive for its combination of pizza plus excel-lent play areas.

Ice Cream (Yogurt/Gelato) Parlor » Once again, no ice cream parlors made the cut in the “best ice cream parlor” category. A Luckily, yogurt and gelato shops qualify for this award, too.

This year Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt (multiple loca-tions; menchies.com) won top billing. This comment was typical: “Plenty of flavors and children can help themselves to tasters before they decide.”

Staccato Gelato (232 NE 28 and 1540 SE Bybee; stac-catogelato.com) was a solid second, praised for its great gelato and play area.

Toy Store » Let’s see – so far we’ve deduced that parents in the Portland area are into comfort food, beer and coffee. Let’s add another thing we love: toys. This category received the most nominations of any.

Local educational toy shop icon Learning Palace (multiple locations; learningpalace.com) celebrated its 30th year in business this year. Perhaps that’s why our readers gave it the recognition it deserves as this year’s top-ranking toy store. One parent explains why: “The kids can play with the toys on display while I shop. Everything is educational, and I love knowing that my money is going to a local business! The staff is so friendly, too.”

Thinker Toys (7784 SW Capitol Hwy; thinkertoysore-gon.com), another much-loved local treasure, came in second with readers citing their quality selection and

old spaghetti Factory restau-rants are decorated with kids in

mind, including colorful plush chairs, old-time trolleys and

other playful accessories.

By Metro Parent Staff

Our 2012 ‘Family Favorites’ Reader Survey Awards

Dear Readers: You are amazing! Every year we ask you to tell us about your favorite places to go with kids in tow – and every year you dazzle us with hundreds of ideas and comments about all that the Portland metro-politan region has to offer families.

And it offers SO VERY MUCH! While Metro Parent’s staff members have lived in many parts of the country, we’ve all raised our kids in the Pacific Northwest – and we all agree that it is an awe-some place to parent. Your “Family Favorite” nomina-tions each year always solidly confirm that sentiment for us. We hear about dozens of “tried and true” destinations but we also inevitably learn about many more that we simply weren’t aware of. It seems like Portland – without any real conscious plan to do so – just keeps collectively nurturing, supporting and entertaining its families and children.

Our hats are off to you and to this incredible place we all call home! Without further ado, here are this year’s winners in our “Family Favorites” readers’ survey:

Family Favorite Restaurant (Our ‘Happy Highchair’ Award)

Is comfort food making a come-back? That’s the conclusion we’re drawing from the results of the “Happy Highchair” competition with The Old Spaghetti Factory (multiple locations; osf.com) claiming first place. Parents praised the kid-pleasing menu and family-friendly prices with comments like this one: “From crayons and write-on menus to kid-friendly food, tables in the ‘train car’ and staff that cater to little people, this restaurant is a fun place to take the kids.”

Hopworks Urban Brewery (2944 SE Powell Blvd. and 3947 N Williams; hopworksbeer.com) was a close runner-up (we DO love our beer here!). Parents mentioned the great food, service, beer (of course) and that they “love their play areas.” Our third place res-taurant Laughing Planet (multiple locations; laughingplanetcafe.com) received kudos for somehow managing to have uber-healthy selections – that are kid-friendly. With dinosaurs to boot!

the PlacesOh, We’ll Go!

osf.com) claiming first place. Parents praised

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helpful staff. One summary: “The BEST and friendliest store in all of Port-land...hands down!”

Tied for third place this year were Piccolo Mondo (4768 SW Bethany Blvd.; 12345 NW Horizon Blvd., Beaverton; piccolomondotoys.com) and Child’s Play (2305 NW Kearney St.; childsplayportland.com). This comment about Child’s Play was a common refrain for both of these emporiums: “Super store with wonderful toys and top notch help!”

Children’s Book Shop » It isn’t a tourist destination in its own right for nuthin’! With over one million books on the shelves (!), Powell’s (City of Books, 1005 W Burnside and other locations; powells.com), is truly in a cat-egory of its own. As one parent commented, “They’ve got EVERYTHING.” Powell’s doesn’t overlook its tiniest customers, catering to them with com-fortable chairs and tables, an endless selection of books – and more. “The option to buy new or used at Powell’s really helps save a bit of cash with multiple children,” commented one enthusiastic reader.

Annie Bloom’s (7834 SW Capitol Hwy; annieblooms.com) earned praise for its knowledgeable staff, quality book selection and kid-friendly ambience. There were more than a few votes for our readers’ local libraries. After all, they’re free, they’re fun – and they’re everywhere!Kids’ Clothing/Shoe Store » Perennial favorite Clogs-n-More (multiple locations; Clogs-n-More Kids, 3435 SE Hawthorne Blvd.; clogsnmore.com) garnered top honors in this category, with kudos for their “great colors, great sales, great service.”

Oh, the Places We’ll Go! continues on page 34


Gymboree (multiple locations; gymboree.com) earned the silver. “Nobody’s got cuter stuff and coordinating accessories!” Third place winner Haggis McBaggis (6802 SE Milwaukie Ave.; haggismcbaggis.com) confirms that shoes MAKE the outfit A. “Cutest shoes and super nice people make this our FAVORITE place to frequent.”

Movie Theater » Once again, the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark; academytheaterpdx.com) was named as the top spot to see a movie by area parents. Could it be the on-site child care? The beer? The Flying Pie Pizza? All of these amenities were mentioned. And, once again, McMenamin’s Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd; mcmenamins.com) came in a close second. Kennedy School was lauded for its Mommy Matinees – and those comfy couches. (One reader suggests that parents follow up the matinee with a dip in the soaking pool – ah bliss!)

Bowling Alley » Our only new category this year was claimed hands-down by Big Al’s (16615 SE 18 St., Vancouver; 14950 SW Barrows Rd., Beaverton; ilovebigals.com), with readers praising the food, service and family fun factor. Rounding out the top three places to bowl with the fam were Sunset Lanes (12770 SW Walker Rd., Beaverton; sunsetlanes.com) and Hollywood Bowl (4030 NE Halsey St.; hollywoodbowlpdx.com).

Bike Shop » Clever Cycles (903 SE Hawthorne Blvd.; clevercycles.com) earned top honors in this category with comments like this one: “There is a nice cozy quiet spot for kids to play while mom and dad shop.”

The Bike Gallery (multiple locations; bikegallery.com) came in a close second, praised for their great selection and knowledgeable staff.

Birthday Party Place » The folks at The Little Gym (17890 SW McEwan Rd., Lake Oswego; tlglakeoswegoor.com) know how to throw a party, winning top honors again in this category. Typical comments: “Fantastic, fun-filled and stress free place to enjoy a child’s birthday!” and “I would recommend it to anyone!”

Runner-up Club Sport (18120 SW Lower Boones Ferry Rd., Tigard; clubsports.com) earned similar praise: “Happy workers there ensure that the kiddies have a great time!”

Third and fourth place nominees, JJ Jump (9057 SE Jannsen Rd., Clackamas and 7500 NE 16th Ave., Vancouver; jjjump.com), and Pump It Up (9665 SW Allen and 16205 SW Bethany Ct., Beaverton; pumpitupparty.com) were both lauded for fun, well-executed celebrations.

Children’s Gym » The Little Gym (17890 SW McEwan Rd., Lake Oswego; tlglakeoswegoor.com) basically took home all three medals in this category.

Oh, the Places We’ll Go! continued from page 33

Its great selection of quality, educational toys was a big reason why our readers chose the Learning Palace as the top children’s toy shop this year.

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Over and over parents praised this gym not only for athletic gains their children achieved – but also for its not-so-obvious attributes. Here’s what parents said: “Awesome place for kids to mature in skills and socialization.” “Great, friendly staff to help my children with creativity, athletic, socializing and cognitive skills.”

Fitness Center » We had a dual repeat in this category with Club Sport (18120 SW Lower Boones Ferry Rd., Tigard; clubsports.com) again claiming the top spot – “WOW! Family friendly beyond words! The most amazing childcare and lots of opportunities for tweens and teens” – and 24 Hour Fitness (multiple locations; 24hourfitness.com) coming in second – “Cheerful childcare, super clean!!!”

Place to Swim » The area’s fantastic parks and recreation departments were the hands-down favorites in this category.

North Clackamas Aquatic Park (7300 SE Harmony Rd., Milwaukie; ncprd.com/aquatic-park) was the individual pool named most often, with men-tions of the multiple pool options, family dressing rooms and rock climbing. But Portland Parks & Rec (multiple locations; portlandparks.org) pools collectively garnered the most votes, with East Portland Community, Mt. Scott and Wilson Pool, in particular, receiving numerous mentions.

Wings & Waves Waterpark (460 NE Captain Michael King Smith Way, McMinnville; evergreenmuseum.org/waterpark) was the winner in the unof-ficial non-parks & rec category. Parents appreciated the H2O museum that is part of the experience, making a day there both educational and fun.

Indoor (Rainy Day) Destination » It doesn’t need to be raining to opt for OMSI (1945 SE Water Ave.; 503-797-4000; omsi.edu) our readers’ first choice (overwhelmingly) in this category. One comment sums it up: “There’s always something to do there. Kids and parents love the changing exhibits, puzzles, computer and science labs. Hours of fun!”

Playdate PDX (1434 NW 17th Ave.; playdatepdx.com) was the runner up, lauded with testimonials like this one: “A great place to get some energy out. From toddlers to older children, there is something for every one.” And Munchkin Playland (18335 NW West Union Rd.; munchkinplayland.com) – our top coffee shop winner – came in third as a rainy day destination: “perfect indoor playland for infant to toddler stage.”

Outdoor Destination » Once again, the Oregon Zoo (4001 SW Can-yon Rd.; 503-226-1561; oregonzoo.org), was the runaway winner in this category. Typical comments: “Kids never get tired of visiting the zoo. So glad we have a membership” and “Who can resist baby animals?”

Our amazing public parks collectively came in second, with many read-ers just saying “park” or “any public park” – others named their favorites from Esther Short and Forest to Peninsula Park and Washington. Like our local libraries (see “Children’s Book Shop” entry), they’re fun, they’re free – and they’re everywhere!

Family Vacation Destination » The area’s proximity to myriad natural wonders makes the choice of a favorite family vacation destination a difficult one. But Oregon’s phenomenal coastline trumps all of those other miracles of nature. While most parents voted simply for “the Oregon Coast,” many specifically named Cannon Beach, Seaside, Newport and Lincoln City.

Central Oregon’s Sunriver (area: sunriverchamber.com; resort: sunriver-resort.com) was also hailed as a nearly ideal family vacation spot, with readers mentioning the endless outdoor activities, the miles of paved bike trails and the reliably perfect weather.


since Jam on Hawthorne busted out of the confines of its tiny corner space in July 2011, it’s become more popular than ever with families from the surrounding Hawthorne neighborhood and beyond. What started out as a cozy corner café serving breakfast and lunch has expanded to become a spacious restaurant with dinner service, happy hour, weekly live music and an inviting play space for kids.

According to owner Laura Lewis, future plans include expanding the restaurant’s hours (no longer will they close for siesta from 3 to 4 pm) and updating the kids’ dinner menu. (Plans were in development at press time. Check the restaurant’s website for updates.)

What’s Cooking: On the restaurant’s website, Lewis spells out her com-mitment to using “the best ingredients,” including “eggs from happy chickens, milk with no hormones, and local meats, produce and bread whenever possible.” Nearly everything is made from scratch, she adds, including the jam!

After a meal at Jam on Hawthorne, you’ll know it’s true. The food showcases fresh, seasonal ingredients in dishes that go the extra mile – with delicious house-made sauces; plenty of options for vegans, vegetar-ians and carnivores; and a generous selection of “substitutions” to please every palate.

Breakfast choices include a wide array of scrambles (sub tofu to make them vegan), egg dishes, hashes, pancakes, waffles, French toast, oatmeal, house-made granola and more. Lunch features wraps, sandwiches, burg-ers, and house-made corned beef. Dinner selections include a variety of tempting appetizers (nachos, hummus, poutine – real or vegan “cheese” curds topped with vegan gravy – to name a few) as well as salads and hearty sandwiches.

For breakfast and lunch, the kids’ menu includes eggs, oatmeal, pan-cakes, grilled cheese and peanut and butter sandwiches, or let your little ones order off the extensive “sides” menu to build their own meal. For dinner, kids’ choices expand beyond the sandwiches to include burgers and nachos, although as we mentioned above, plans were underway at press time to expand the children’s dinner menu even further.

Liquid Refreshment: The full bar creates a wide array of tempt-ing cocktails, includ-ing their “famous” Bloody Marys – and a whole lot more. You’ll also find coffee and espresso drinks, locally produced DragonFly Chai and Stash Tea, juice, soda and milk (dairy, rice or soy).

What’s Cool for Kids: There’s a cute and relatively spacious play area on an elevated stage in the large dining room, complete with a play kitchen, an easel with chalkboard, and other toys perfect for pretend play.

Ringing It Up: Breakfast, lunch and dinner entrees typically fall under $10, surprisingly affordable given the quality and quantity of the food. Kids’ meals ring in at $3 or $4.

Keep In Mind: The restaurant – like many popular breakfast spots around the area – is packed with diners on the weekends, so you might want to check them out for dinner or a weekday breakfast or lunch. It’s a great spot to meet up with friends who have little ones for a casual play date while the big kids are in school.

Happy hour features food and drink specials from 4 to 7 pm daily. Hot Club of Hawthorne performs live jazz on the first and third Thursdays of every month from 5 to 7 pm.

Where and When: Open every day. At press time, breakfast was served from 7:30 am to 3 pm, lunch from 11 am to 3 pm, and dinner from 4 pm to 9 pm. Check the website for updated hours, which will be 7:30 am to 9 pm (rather than closing from 3 to 4 pm). 2339 SE Hawthorne Blvd. 503-234-4790. jamonhawthorne.com.

Emily Puro is Metro Parent’s managing editor.

Family FareFamily FareBy Emily Puro

A Neighborhood Joint with Space to Play A Neighborhood Joint with Space to Play jam on Hawthorne

Since Jam on Hawthorne expanded in 2011, there’s plenty of room for families

to enjoy the great food, creative libations and inviting kids’ play area.


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Angels Among Us

Not long ago, a confident 19-year-old, unable to provide for himself and lacking any plans or goals for the future, suddenly found he was a new dad. Without adequate support or resources, he and his family became involved in the child welfare system and the legal system. He was subse-quently court ordered to attend parenting classes, which brought him to Self Enhancement Inc. (SEI).

The young man arrived at his first parenting class quiet and discon-nected, but MaryEtta Callier-Wells – an SEI Parent Educator who has been helping youth and families realize their full potential for over two decades and facilitating SEI’s parenting class for almost 15 years – was up to the challenge.

SEI’s 20-week parenting class, which provides a family-style dinner and onsite child care, is designed to help parents struggling to break out of the cycles of poverty and abuse to provide a better future for their children. Through the class, parents reflect on old behaviors, learn new skills, build self esteem and develop a lasting community support network. For many, this class – along with other SEI programs – provides the opportunity their families need to change the trajectory of their lives forever, allowing them to keep their children in their homes or have their children returned home from foster care.

After attending 15 parent classes in 15 weeks, the young man reported that the class helped him understand he has to be a father first while trying to figure out what steps he needs to take next. He has learned he doesn’t just need to be there to make sure his child is fed, clean and clothed, but that there’s also a social responsibility to fatherhood.

He also credits Wells with helping him prioritize his responsibilities and the actions he needed to take immediately. He’s working on his GED, com-pleting community service hours and looking toward his and his family’s future. What’s more, he now regularly spends time with his child.

This is just part of what SEI does everyday. A nationally recognized multi-service organization serving 7,500 chil-

dren, families and adults each year through a wide array of education and human services programs, SEI specializes in delivering culturally specific ser-vices to the African American community and culturally responsive services to the diverse cross section of Multnomah County residents who utilize its programs.

SEI’s youth programs include a charter middle school, afterschool and summer programs, post high school support and more. A coordinator is available to each student enrolled in SEI programs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The results? In addition to 100 percent graduation rates, more than 85 percent of SEI graduates pursue higher education or occupational training, many being the first in their families to do so.

Because at-risk youth often come from at-risk households, SEI also provides resources to support families, including the following:

Housing Programs help families in Multnomah County who are home-less, or at risk of becoming homeless, secure and maintain safe, stable and affordable housing.

An Energy Assistance Program helps families acquire and maintain afford-able energy and utility services through partnerships with Pacific Power & Light, Portland General Electric, NW Natural Gas and the City of Portland Water Authority.

The CommunityWorks Project provides skills development, job leads and other resources to empower job seekers on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to find employment and support their families.

To help stabilize families in crisis and keep children out of foster care whenever possible, SEI’s In-home Safety and Reunification Services work with families to ensure child safety; stabilize and improve parental protec-tion of children; and help families access formal and informal community resources and other supports to prevent future abuse or the child’s re-entry into the child welfare system.

A Domestic Violence Program adheres to culturally specific and culturally responsive best practices principles to provide safety planning, crisis-orient-ed services, ongoing support to individuals and families, individual counsel-ing and a 16-week Seeking Safety class.

The Healthy Homes Program is a three-year HUD-funded effort to address environmental hazards in the homes of low income families with children experiencing health issues related to living in substandard housing condi-tions.

Parent-child Development Services promote positive parenting, healthy child development and school readiness for children from birth to age 5 and their families.

A weekly process-oriented, participant-led Parent Support Group is de-signed to reduce instances of child maltreatment by providing parents with a safe environment to talk about stresses and effective parenting styles.

For more information about SEI programs and how you can support their work, visit selfenhancement.org or call 503-249-1721 (main office) or 503-285-0493 (SEI Community and Family Programs).

Self Enhancement Inc.Helping Youth and Families Reach Their Full Potential

SEI Parent Educator MaryEtta Callier-Wells

has been helping youth and families realize their

full potential for over two decades, including almost

15 years facilitating SEI’s parenting class.

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Saturday, Sept. 1Creature Cabins/Browsing for Beavers. 11 am: Learn about critter homes. 3 pm: All about beavers. FREE. Tillamook For-est Center, 45500 Wilson River Hwy. 866-930-4646. tillamookforestcenter.org.

Oregon State Fair. All the usual fair fun! 10 am-11 pm Sept. 1. 10 am-9 pm Sept. 2, 3. $11 adults, $6 ages 6-12, free ages 0-5, plus surcharge. Rides, some concerts, activities, extra charge. 2330 17th St. NE, Salem. 800-833-0011. oregonstatefair.org.

Portland Pirate Festival. Avast! Pirate music, shows, inflatables, reenactments, games, more. 10 am-midnight Sept. 1. 10 am-11 pm Sept. 2. $12 adults, $6 ages 3-12, free under 2. Waterfront, St. Helens. 503-292-3418. portlandpiratefestival.com.

Vulture Day. Meet Ruby the vulture, mask craft, more. 11 am-3 pm. FREE. Audubon Society, 5151 NW Cornell Rd. 503-292-6855. audubonportland.org.

Art in the Pearl. Art from 100+ artists displayed, music, theater, hands-on art making. 10 am-6 pm Sept. 1, 2. 10 am- 5 pm Sept 3. FREE. Park Blocks between W Burnside and NW Glisan. 503-722-9017. artinthepearl.com.

Champoeg Farmstead Day. Thresh and winnow wheat, churn butter, experience other farm skills, more. 1-4 pm. FREE. $5 to park. Champoeg State Heritage Area, 8239 Champoeg Rd. NE, St. Paul. 503-678-1251. champoeg.org.

OMSI Reptile Show. Nearly 100 exotic creatures on display. 9:30 am-7 pm Sept. 1, 2, 3. $3, excludes admission: $12 adults, $9 ages 3 to 13. Parking $3. 1945 SE Water Ave. 503-797-4000. omsi.edu.

Guided Nature Hike. Explore Tryon Creek Park, different topic weekly. All ages, grown-up must be w/kids. 10- 11:30 am Sept. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29. FREE. 11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd. 503-636-9886 xt 225. tryonfriends.org.

Water Wonders at Blue Lake. H2O 411, craft, more. Kids w/grown-up. 1-5 pm Sept. 1, 2. FREE, $5 to park. Blue Lake Regional Park, 20500 NE Marine Dr, Fair-view. 503-234-3000. oregonmetro.gov.

Kids Dig. Mock archaeological dig. Ages 8-12. 11 am-noon. Free w/admission: $5 family, $3 adults, free ages 0-14. Fort Vancouver, 1001 E 5th St., Vancouver. 360-816-6230. nps.gov/fova.

Sunday, Sept. 2Back to School Fun Run. 5K run/walk, kids’ fun run, music, crafts, more. Provides

back packs for at-risk kids. 8 am. $25-$35, kids’ run $5-$10. Willamette Park, SW Macadam/SW Nebraska. 360-977-9358. globalbackpackproject.org.

Open Jam. Music at the Tillamook Forest Center. 1 pm. FREE. 45500 Wilson River Hwy. 866-930-4646. tillamookforestcenter.org.

OMSI $2 Day. Explore OMSI for $2 every first Sun. 9:30 am-5:30 pm. Parking $3. 1945 SE Water Ave. 503-797-4000. omsi.edu.

Portland Festival Symphony. Classical music outdoors. FREE. 5 pm. Foothills Park, 199 Foothills Dr, Lake Oswego. 503-245-7878. portlandfestivalsymphony.org.

Portland Art Museum Family Tour. Docent-led tour. All ages. 10 am Sept. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30. $5 members, $12 non-mem-bers. 1219 SW Park Ave. 503-226-2811. pam.org.

Western Train Robbery. Staged train robbery, music, entertainment. Ages 7+. 10 am-2:45 pm Sept. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30. $20-60. Mt. Hood Railroad, 110 Railroad Ave, Hood River. 541-386-3556. mthoodrr.com.

Game On! Play games of the 1800’s. 3-4 pm. Free w/admission: $5 family, $3 adults, free ages 0-14. Fort Vancouver, 1001 E 5th St., Vancouver. 360-816-6230. nps.gov/fova.

Oregon State Fair. See Sept. 1.

Portland Pirate Festival. See Sept. 1.

Art in the Pearl. See Sept. 1.

Water Wonders at Blue Lake. See Sept. 1.

OMSI Reptile Show. See Sept. 1.

Monday, Sept. 3Overlook Story Hour. Songs, stories, games. Ages 1-12 w/grown-up. 3:30- 4:30 pm Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24. FREE. Overlook House Community Center, 3839 N Melrose Dr. 503-285-0555. historicoverlookhouse.org.

Reading Ranger. Northwest stories. Best ages 3-7. 3-3:30 pm. Free w/admission: $5 family, $3 adults, free ages 0-14. Fort Vancouver, 1001 E 5th St., Vancouver. 360-816-6230. nps.gov/fova.

Oregon State Fair. See Sept. 1.

Art in the Pearl. See Sept. 1.

OMSI Reptile Show. See Sept. 1.

Tuesday, Sept. 4Chipper’s Preschool Rides. Kiddie rides, storytime cookies and milk. Ages 0-6.

September Family CalendarMetro Parent believes all calen-dar information to be correct as of the date of publication; however, you may want to call to confirm events as scheduling and other changes may occur.

Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. Animals (lots of llamas, sheep, goats, alpacas and more!), music, demos, hands-on activities and crafts, dozens of workshops on fiber arts and more. 9 am-5 pm Sept. 22, 9 am- 4 pm Sept. 23. FREE. Clackamas County Fairgrounds, 694 NE 4th Ave. Canby. 503-628-1205. flockandfiberfestival.com.

In the Spotlight

Livestock shows – think llama, sheep, goats and alpaca – are just the tip of the kid-friendly entertainment planned for this year’s Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival, taking place Sept. 22 and 23. Admission is free!

Swift Watch. Watch thousands of Vaux’s swifts swirl into the chimney at Chap-man School. Audubon Society has info table most nights. Be courteous guests! 6-8 pm Sept. 1-30. 1445 NW 26th Ave. audubonportland.org/local-birding/swiftwatch.

If it’s September, it means that the Vaux Swifts – as many as 35,000 of them! – have returned to Chapman Elementary School’s chimney.

Family Favorite

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLOCK & FIBER FESTIVAL


9:30-11:30 am Tues, Wed. $6.50 per child. Oaks Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way. 503-233-5777. oakspark.com.

Portland Children’s Museum. Don’t forget PCM is closed today through Sept. 10 for a good cleaning! 503-223-6500. portlandcm.org.

Wednesday, Sept. 5Wondrous Wednesday. $3 admission to the World Forestry Center Museum. 10 am-5 pm. $4 parking. 4033 SW Canyon Road. 503-228-1367. worldforestry.org.

Honeybee Hike. Garden walk, craft/story. Ages 2-6 w/grown-up. 10-11 am Wed. $2 per walking child. Leach Botani-cal Garden, 6704 SE 122d Ave. 503-823-1671. leachgarden.org.

Vaux’s Swifts: The Inside Story. Learn about these cool birds. Ages 5+. 7-8 pm. FREE. Leach Botanical Garden, 6704 SE 122d Ave. 503-823-1671. leachgarden.org.

Chipper’s Preschool Rides. See Sept. 4.

Thursday, Sept. 6Try Music Together. Demo class, songs, chants, movement. Ages 0-5 w/grown-up. Sept. 6 morning SE, Sept 12 morning SW, Sept. 12 evening SE, Sept. 13 morn-ing NW. FREE. Call for reservations, time, locations. 503-236-4304. musictogether-pdx.com.

Amazing Whales. OMSI brings info and a life-sized inflatable whale. Grades K-5. 3-4 pm, 4-5 pm, 5-6 pm. FREE, reserva-tions required. Beaverton Library, 12375 SW 5th St. 503-350-3600. beavertonlibrary.org.

Explore Earthquakes. Curator of Rice Museum gives quake 411. Grades 1-5. 3:30-4:30 pm. FREE, reservations re-quired. Hillsboro Library, 2850 Brook-wood Pkwy. 503-615-6500. wccls.org.

Friday, Sept. 7 Ladybug Nature Walks. Naturalist-led stroll. Ages 2-5 w/grown-up. 10-11 am. Sept. 7: Marshall Park (not stroller acces-sible). Sept. 14: Woodstock Park. Sept. 21:

Columbia Children’s Arboretum. Sept. 28: Smith and Bybee Wetlands. $3 per child. 503-823-3601. oregonmetro.gov.

Story and Stroll. Naturalist-led story and walk. Best ages 2-6. 1-2:15 pm Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28. 10:30-11:45 Sept. 9, 16, 23, 30. FREE, reservations required. Tryon Creek State Park, 11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd. 503-636-9886 xt 225. tryonfriends.org.

Saturday, Sept. 8Junior Gardener Club. Topic this month: Using your senses in the garden. Ages 5-10 w/adult. 10 am. Admission + $5 per child. Oregon Garden, 879 W Main St., Silverton. 503-874-8100. oregongarden.org.

Belmont Firehouse Safety Saturday. Tour historic firehouse, safety tips. 10 am -3 pm. FREE. 900 SE 35th Ave. 503-823-3615. jeffmorrisfoundation.org.

Peace and Justice Fair. Music, poetry, exhibits, kids’ activities. 9 am-5 pm. FREE. Esther Short Park, 8th/Columbia St., Vancouver. 360-696-4840. vancouver-peaceandjusticefair.org.

Walk, Roll n Run. 5K, 8K run, 2.5 mile walk/roll. 8 am-1 pm. $25 adults, $15 ages 13-17, free ages 0-12, benefits United Cerebral Palsy of OR/SW WA. River East

September Family Calendar

Enjoy the Tirolean Dancers gliding around the May Pole, chicken dance contest and much more at Oaks Park Oktoberfest. See Sept. 21.

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Center, 1515 Water Ave. 503-777-4166. walkrollnrun.org.

Belmont Street Fair. Art, entertainment, vendors, more. Special kids’ area. Noon- 7 pm. FREE, vendors charge. 33rd to 37th on Belmont. belmontdistrict.org.

Second Saturday. Bird craft as part of Columbia Flyway Wildlife Show. Ages 3-12 w/grown-up. 1-3 pm. FREE. Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way. 360-487-7111. cityofvancouver.us.

Batunia the Bat. Penny’s Puppets perform. FREE. 10-10:45 am, 11:15-noon Sept. 8: Sellwood-Moreland Library (tkts 30 min prior), 7860 SE 13th Ave. 503-988-5398. 3-3:45 pm Sept 22: Kenton Library, 8226 N Denver Ave. 503-988-5370. multcolib.org.

Family Nature Hike. Bug walk. All ages, grown-up required. 9:30-11:30 am. $10 ages 11-adult, reservations required. Cooper Mountain Nature Park, 18892 SW Kemmer Rd, Beaverton. 503-629-6350. thprd.org.

Playdate in the Park. Scavenger hunt, nature activities, more. 10 am-2 pm. FREE. Spring Garden Park, 3332 SW Spring Garden St. 503-823-7529. portlandparks.org.

Guided Nature Hike. See Sept. 1.

Sunday, Sept. 9 Bike Beaverton. Bike rodeo 1 pm. Family-friendly ride 2 pm, followed by ice cream social. FREE. Beaverton City Park, SW 5th St/Hall Blvd. 503-562-2222. beavertonoregon.gov.

Lumberjack Breakfast. Pancake breakfast, entertainment, museum entry.

9 am-noon. $12 adults, $5 ages 0-12, res-ervations recommended. World Forestry Center, 4033 SW Canyon Rd. 503-228-1367. worldforestry.org.

Little Gym Open House. Try out some gym fun. 4:30-6:30 pm. FREE. 17890 SW McEwan Rd., Lake Oswego. 503-595-9702. tlglakeoswegoor.com.

Bite Size Kids Cook. Drop-in seasonal cooking activity. Best ages 7+. 10 am-2 pm Sept. 9: King Farmer’s Market. 3-7 pm Sept. 27: Buckman Farmers Market. FREE. 503-241-0032. portlandfarmersmar-ket.org.

Western Train Robbery. See Sept. 2.

PAM Family Tour. See Sept. 2.

Story and Stroll. See Sept. 7.

Monday, Sept. 10Overlook Story Hour. See Sept. 3.

Tuesday, Sept. 11Hopworks Tot Tuesday Storytime and Crafts. Arts activity, storytime and light snacks. Ages 1-8. 11 am. FREE. Hopworks, 2944 SE Powell Blvd. 503-232-4677. hopworksbeer.com.

$4 Zoo Tuesday. See the Oregon Zoo for $4 per person. 9 am-4 pm. 4001 SW Canyon Road. 503-226-1561. oregonzoo.org.

Stretch! Dance! Play! Creative move-ment. Age 2-5. 10:30 am. FREE. Ledding Library, 10660 SE 21st Ave., Milwaukie. 503-786-7580. milwaukie.lib.or.us.


Chagall for Children, opening Sept. 23 at Portland Children’s Museum, offers interactive features spotlighting Marc Chagall’s famous paintings.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KOHL CHILDREN’S MUSEUM


Wednesday, Sept 12Ladybug Theater. Baby Bear and the Three Pigs. Ages 2 1/2+. 10:30 am Sept. 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27. $4, babes in arms free, reservations. Smile Station, 8210 SE 13th St. 503-232-2346. ladybugtheater.org.


Honeybee Hike. See Sept. 5.

Thursday, Sept. 13Tot Thursday. Crafts and storytime. Ages 1-6. 11 am. FREE. Hopworks BikeBar, 3947 N Williams Ave. 503-232-4677. hopworksbeer.com.

Barnum Bash. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus wows. See website for times/costs. rosequarter.com.

Mt. Angel Oktober-fest. Music on 4 stages, kindergarten with petting farm (noon-5 pm Sept. 15, 16), shows, wiener dog races. Fest 11 am-midnight Sept. 13, 14, 15. 11 am-9 pm Sept. 16. Most events FREE. Downtown Mt. Angel, off Hwy 214. 855-899-6338. oktoberfest.org.

Ladybug Theater. See Sept. 12.

Friday, Sept. 14Just Between Friends Sale. Children’s and maternity consignment sale. Noon-7 pm Sept. 14, 9 am-4 pm Sept. 15, 9 am-2 pm Sept. 16. FREE admission (with ad in this issue). Portland Expo Center, 2060 N Marine Dr. 503-944-9837. jbfsale.com.

Monkeys, Apes and Me. Primate fun. Animal tour, story, craft, snack. Ages 3-4 w/grown-up. 10 am-noon. $29 adult/child pair, $13 additional person, registra-tion required. Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Can-yon Road. 503-220-2781. oregonzoo.org.

Mt. Angel Oktoberfest. See Sept. 13.

Ladybug Nature Walks. See Sept. 7.

Barnum Bash. See Sept. 13.


Saturday, Sept. 15Evergreen Star Party-Outer Planets. Celestial activities, movie, star gazing. Presentation: 7 pm. FREE except movie ($8); free for members, reservations

required. Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, 500 NE Cpt. Michael King Smith Way, McMinnville. 503-434-4185. evergreenmuseum.org.

Sturgeon Festival. Celebrate these ancient fish. 9 am-1 pm. FREE. Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way. 360-487-7111. cityofvan-couver.us/watercenter.

Parents’ Survival Night. Gym fitness fun, crafts, music and snack for kids, while parents get some alone time. Ages 3-12. 6-9:30 pm. Call for pricing, directions. The Little Gym, Lake Oswego. 503-595-9702. tlglakeoswegoor.com.

Kohl’s Car Seat Safety Event. 10 am- 1 pm. Hillsboro Kohl’s. See ad on page 13 for details.

Aquifer Adventure. Games, music, canoe treasure hunt, more. Wear your pirate togs! Noon- 4 pm. FREE. Portland Water Bureau canoe launch, 16650 NE Airport Way. 503-281-1132. columbi-aslough.org.

Mini Maker Faire. Showcase of this do-it-yourself movement of arts, craft, science, engineering. 10 am-6 pm. $12 adults, $8 ages 3-13. Faire admission gets you 1/2 price off OMSI admission. North parking lot, 1945 SE Water Ave. 503-797-4000. omsi.edu.

Scappoose Sauerkraut Festival. Music, crafts, cabbage bowling, more. 10 am- 6 pm. Free admission, charge for some activities. Heritage Park, First/Olive St. 503-543-2010. scappoosecommunity.org.

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration. Music, face painting, pinata, more. Noon-3 pm. FREE. Tualatin Library, 18878 SW Martinazzi Ave, Tualatin. 503-691-3074. tualatinoregon.gov.

Sidewalk Chalk/Corn Roast. Create a chalk masterpiece or watch, entertain-


Begin your journey of the Grossology exhibit at OMSI (opening Sept. 29) by stepping inside the Tour de Nose to learn about air filtering and heating, olfaction and mucus production. (Gross!)

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ment. 8 am-4 pm. $12 to chalk, FREE to gawk. Main St., Forest Grove. 503-357-0311. 1-5 pm corn roast/BBQ, kids’ events, entertainment. FREE, charge for food. Pacific University Campus, 2043 College Way. 503-357-3006. forestgrove-or.gov.

El Grito/Fiestas Patrias. Celebrate Central American and Mexican Independence with music, dance, more. 11 am-11 pm. FREE. Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th Ave. 503-223-1613. thesquarepdx.org.

Chayag Andean Music. Concert for all ages. 2:30-3:30 pm. FREE. Hillsboro Library, 2850 Brookwood Pkwy. 503-615-6500. wccls.org.

Mt. Angel Oktoberfest. See Sept. 13.


Just Between Friends Sale. See Sept. 14.


Sunday, Sept. 16Mt. Angel Oktoberfest. See Sept. 13.


Just Between Friends Sale. See Sept. 14.


Mini Maker Faire. See Sept. 15.



Monday, Sept. 17Truck Day. Big trucks up close. 10:30-11:30 am. FREE. Beaverton Library, 12375 SW 5th St. 503-350-3600. beavertonlibrary.org.

How to Identify Animal Tracks. Learn tracking, make plaster cast. Grades 1-3. 3:30-4:30 pm. FREE, reservations required. Hillsboro Library, 2850 Brookwood Pkwy. 503-615-6500. wccls.org.

Overlook Story Hour. See Sept. 3.

Tuesday, Sept. 18Chipper’s Preschool Rides. See Sept. 4.

Wednesday, Sept. 19Evergreen Home School Day. Learn how stuff works! 8:30 am-2 pm. $12 youth, $8 adult, reservations required. Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, 500 NE Cpt. Michael King Smith Way, McMinnville. 503-434-4185. evergreenmuseum.org.




Thursday, Sept. 20Little Shop of Horrors. Doo-wop sci-fi spoof about a monster in a flower shop from Broadway Rose Theatre Co. Ages 10+ (0-6 not admitted). 7:30 pm Sept. 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29. 2 pm Sept. 23, 29, 30. $20-$35, plus surcharge. New Stage, 12850 SW Grant Ave., Tigard. 503-620-5262. broadwayrose.org.

Industry&Art. 33 artists exhibit, plus music, tours, board a tug. Noon-6 pm Sept. 20, 21, 22, 23. FREE. Vigor Industrial Shipyard, 5555 N Channel Ave. (Swan Island). industryandart.com.

Incredible Insects. Buggy crafts, games, exploration. Ages 7-10. 3:30-5:30 pm. $13, reservations required. Cooper Mountain Nature Park, 18892 SW Kem-


All ages will enjoy a con-cert of Andean music by Chayag on Sept. 15 at the Hillsboro Library.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HILLSBORO LIBRARY


mer Rd, Beaverton. 503-629-6350. thprd.org.


Friday, Sept. 21Oaks Park Oktoberfest. Oompah music, dancing, Kinderplatz (noon-5:30 pm Sat/Sun), pretzel toss, contests, wiener dog races, more. 3 pm-midnight Sept. 21, 11 am-midnight Sept. 22, 11 am-7 pm Sept. 23. $5 ages 16+, $2 ages 0-15, plus rides. 7805 SE Oaks Park Wy. 503-233-5777. oakspark.com.

Oktoberfest at der Rheinlander. Music and more in festive tent. 5-10 pm ages 21 and over, Sept. 21 and 22 (Family Day: Sept. 22). Cover $5. Der Rheinlander Restaurant, 5035 NE Sandy Blvd. 503-288-5503. gustavs.net.


Little Shop of Horrors. See Sept. 20.

Industry&Art. See Sept. 20.


Saturday, Sept. 22Oktoberfest Family Day at der Rhe-inlander. Music, arts & crafts, balloon artist, face painting and more in festive tent. Noon-5 pm (5-10 pm ages 21 and over). Cover: $5 ages 13+, $2 ages 4-12, free ages 0-3, part of proceeds benefit Northwest Down Syndrome Assoc. Der Rheinlander Restaurant, 5035 NE Sandy Blvd. 503-288-5503. gustavs.net.

BabyFest. The Northwest’s biggest baby shower features workshops, fashion shows, entertainment, diaper derby and baby info. Informative fun for new and expecting parents. Shower and fashion show 11:30 am, 3 pm. 10 am-5 pm

Sept. 22, 23. $15 person, $20 couple, free ages 0-12. Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE MLK Blvd. 360-514-0767. babyfestnw.com.

TaborFest Open House. Yoga, wellness activities, old-time jam, square dance, kids’ activities, more. 10 am-7 pm. FREE, food by donation. TaborSpace, 5441 SE Belmont St. 503-238-3904. taborspace.org.

Polish Festival. Music, dance, polka contest. 11 am-6 pm Sept. 22, 23. FREE, goodies to buy. St. Stanislaus, 3900 N Interstate Ave. 503-287-4077. portland-polonia.org.

Portland VegFest. Yummy samples, workshops, kids’ activities. 10 am-6 pm Sept. 22, 23. $6, free ages 0-10. Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE MLK Blvd. 503-746-8344. nwveg.org.

Legally Blonde the Musical Opens. Based on the movie starring Reese Witherspoon, this Broadway musical was nominated for seven Tony Awards. Ages 13+ (parental guidance suggested). See website for dates/times/prices. PCPA, Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway. 503-946-7272. pixiedustshows.com.

Mahrajan. Celebrate Arab culture, en-tertainment, kids’ activities, souq (bazaar) more. 11 am-7 pm. $5 donation. Sylvania Campus, PCC, 12000 SW 49th Ave. araboregon.org.

Aaron Nigel Smith Mini-Concert. FREE. 3 pm Sept. 22 at Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside St. 1 pm Sept. 29 at A Chil-

You’ll find MANY, MANY more events in our online calendar

at Metro-Parent.com.


dren’s Place Bookstore, 4807 NE Fremont St. aaronnigelsmith.com.

CureSearch Walk. Fundraising walk for children’s cancer. 9 am register, 10 am walk. $10 registration age 15+, plus pledges. Sellwood Riverfront Park, SE 7th Ave/SE Sellwood Blvd. 626-241-1560. curesearchwalk.org.

Harvest Fun. Scarecrow making, face painting, pie eating, music, more. 10 am -3 pm. FREE. Clark County Historical Mu-seum, at the 78th Street Heritage Farm, 1919 NE 78th St., Vancouver. 360-993-5679. cchmuseum.org.

Kellogs’ Tour of Gymnastics Cham-pions. 7 pm. $25-$150, plus surcharge. Rose Garden, One Center Court. 503-235-8771. rosequarter.com.

Oaks Park Oktoberfest. See Sept. 21.


Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. See In the Spotlight on p. 39.


Batunia the Bat. See Sept. 8.


Sunday, Sept. 23Chagall for Children Opens. Portland Children’s Museum exhibits Chagall reproductions paired with interactive ac-tivities. 9 am-5 pm Tues-Sun, Thurs until 8 pm. Free w/admission: $9. 4015 SW Canyon Road. 503-223-6500. portlandcm.org.

Polish Festival. See Sept. 22.

Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. See In the Spotlight on p. 39.

Portland VegFest. See Sept. 22.

Oaks Park Oktoberfest. See Sept. 21.



BabyFest. See Sept. 22.




Monday, Sept. 24Family Act: Musical Mondays. Discover dynamics, tempo and singing in this family class. Ages 2 1/2 + w/adult. 10:15-11:15 am Mondays. $10 per family drop in; $72 for 8 class punch card. Oregon

Children’s Theatre, 1939 NE Sandy Blvd. 503-228-9571. octc.org.

Overlook Story Hour. See Sept. 3.

Tuesday, Sept. 25Libraryland for New Parents! Stories, playtime and library 411. Ages 0-1 w/grown-up. 12:30-1:30 pm. FREE. Beaver-ton Library, 12375 SW 5th St. 503-350-3600. beavertonlibrary.org.


Wednesday, Sept. 26Family Act: Imagination In Motion. Use movement, music, voice and imagination to explore the stage with your little one. Ages 2 1/2 + w/adult. 10:15-11:15 am Wednesdays. $10 per family drop in; $72 for 8 class punch card. Oregon Children’s Theatre, 1939 NE Sandy Blvd. 503-228-9571. octc.org.



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A portion of the proceeds from Lake Oswego musician Aaron Nigel Smith’s new CD will help create a music program at an orphanage in Kenya. See Sept. 22 and 29 for event info and page 6 for more details.




Thursday, Sept. 27South of Tacoma Block Party. Face painting, games, food, entertainment. Ages 0-12. 5:30-8 pm. FREE. Art ala Carte/Camp Hollyhock, 8235 SE 13th Ave. 503-750-0522. artalacartepdx.com.



Bite Size Kids Cook. See Sept. 9.

Friday, Sept. 28Free Fourth Friday Night. Portland Art Museum FREE 5-8 pm. 1219 SW Park Ave. 503-226-2811. pam.org.

American Indian Day Celebration. Drum groups, grand entry 3:30 pm, info booths, more. Noon-7 pm. FREE. Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th Ave. 503-223-1613. thesquarepdx.org.

Kids’ Nature Night Out. Kids eat pizza, explore park, learn animal tracking. Ages 6-12. 6-9 pm. $25, reservations required. Cooper Mountain Nature Park, 18892 SW Kemmer Rd, Beaverton. 503-629-6350. thprd.org.

Howl at the Moon. Music, corn maze, hay rides, more. 5-11 pm. $10 per car, benefits Audubon Society. Kruger’s Farm, 17100 NW Sauvie Island Rd. 503-292-6855. audubonportland.org.




Saturday, Sept. 29 French Prairie Gardens Harvest Fest. Pumpkin patch, mazes, obstacle course, more. Plus weekend pig races, train rides, more. 9 am-6 pm Tues-Sat, 10 am-5 pm Sun, through Oct. 31. See website for prices. French Prairie Gardens, 17673 French Prairie Rd, St. Paul. 503-633-8445. fpgardens.com.

Smithsonian FREE Museum Day. Download a pass to get into participating museums FREE: smithsonianmag.com/museumday.

The BFG. Northwest Children’s Theatre presents this play based on The Big Friendly Giant by Roald Dahl. Ages 6+. Noon, 4 pm, Sept. 29, 30 Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27 28. $18-$22, plus surcharge. 1819 NW Everett St. 503-222-2190. nwcts.org.

Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body Opens. What’s more fun for kids than the science of farts, boogers and burps? Interactive exhibits include Gas Attack pinball, a stroll through a giant nose, more. Free with OMSI admission: $12 adults, $9 ages 3 to 13. Parking $3. 1945 SE Water Ave. 503-797-4000. omsi.edu.

Bread and Butter Day. Churn butter, make bread. 1-4 pm. FREE, donations welcomed. Cedar Creek Grist Mill, 43907 NE Grist Mill Rd, Woodland. 360-247-7413. cedarcreekgristmill.com.


Aaron Nigel Smith Mini-Concert. See Sept. 22.


Sunday, Sept. 30Fight For Your Life. 5K run 9 am, kids’ dash 10 am ages 5-10. Benefits women’s rare cancers. See website for cost (in-cludes admission to Harvest Fest). French Prairie Gardens, 17673 French Prairie Rd, St. Paul. 503-633-8445. FightForYour-Life5K.com

Sunday Parkways. 7 miles of streets closed in East Portland for biking, walk-ing, fun. Entertainment along route. 11 am-4 pm. FREE. SE Bush, SE 128th, Springwater Corridor Trail. 503-823-5185. portlandsundayparkways.org.

Harvest Century Family Ride. 3 mile course for bikes, trikes, wheelchairs and all. 1-2 pm check in, 2:30 ride, 12:30- 5:30 pm music, celebration. FREE, pledges encourage; pre-register. Hillsboro Civic Center, 150 E Main St, Hillsboro. 503-292-4964 xt 170. harvest-century.org.

Generations Nia. Movement, music, storytelling. Ages 3-5 w/grown-up. 11:30 am-12:15 pm. $12 pair. Kenton Family Wellness Center, 8315 N Denver Ave. 503-274-7855. awaketotheheart.com.

French Prairie Gardens Harvest Fest. See Sept. 29.


The BFG. See Sept. 29.




Academy Theater ........ 29Acurian Clinical Trials .. 13Art ala Carte PDX ........ 34Ascension ECE Center.................. 23Baby Fest / Kid’s Fest .... 7BabyLink ...................... 35Birthday Parties Unlimited ..................... 29Bob’s Red Mill.............. 33Bodhi Tree Language Center.......................... 25Boys & Girls Aid .......... 37Catherine Whelan/SuzukiPortland ............. 34Child’s View Montessori................... 22Childbloom® Guitar Program of Portland .... 45Children of the Sea ..... 24Chocolate Craft Studio .......................... 27Circuit Bouldering Gym ............................. 31CLASS Academy ......... 17Clogs -N- More Kids ... 34

Creative Children’s Center.......................... 21D’Onofrio & Associates.................... 15David Halls Music ........ 27Dentistry for Kids ........... 3Der Rheinlander/ Gustav’s ....................... 44Dragon Theater Puppets ....................... 28EcoMaids ..................... 23Estacada Charters ....... 21Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum............ 43Fight for Your Life ........ 46Franciscan Montessori Earth School ................ 24French American InternationalSchool ..... 24Gardner School, The ... 18German American School.......................... 25Gresham Pediatric Dentistry ...................... 15Harmony Road/Westside Music ........................... 35

HELP ............................ 18Hollywood Children’s Dentistry ...................... 13Hopworks .................... 37Hotel Transylvania (Sony Pictures) ............... 2The International School.......................... 23Just Between Friends .. 43Kaiser Permanente ...... 48Kids Central Kitchen .... 30Lakewood Center ........ 25Laughing Planet .......... 33Learning Palace ........... 23Legacy Health-Randall Children’s Hospital ........ 9Lim’s Taekwondo Academy ..................... 23Little Garden Preschool ..................... 24Little Gym, The .............. 2Little Smiles ................. 37Maria’s Place ................ 24Merry Kitchen, The ...... 28Micha-el School ........... 20

Mt. Hood Adventure Park ................................ 2Multisensory Learning Academy ..................... 20Music Together............ 15Musikgarten................... 8North Clackamas Aquatic Park .............................. 31Northwest Academy ... 20Northwest Primary Care ............................. 11Northwest Surrogacy Center............................ 8Oaks Park ..............27, 43Odyssey School ........... 22OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital ........ 4Once upon A Horse .... 31Oregon Children’s Theater ........................ 41Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife ........................ 42Oregon Episcopal School.......................... 25Oregon Gymnastics Academy ..................... 11

Oregon Music Teacher’s Association .................. 22Oregon Symphony ...... 44Oregon Virtual Academy K12 .............. 19Oregon Zoo................. 45OSHU-Kohl’s Car Seat Community Outreach.. 13Out of this World Pizza ............................. 28Pediatric Associates .... 15Pediatric Dental Group . 8Penny’s Puppets .......... 29Pixie Dust Productions 40Planning Wizard, The .. 29Portland Christian Schools ........................ 21Portland Rock Gym ..... 27Portland Symphonic Girlchoir ....................... 22Portland Youth Ballet... 24Power Brain Training Center.......................... 25Providence Wee Care . 11Rasmussen Farms ........ 42Reading ToolKit .......... 22

Scuola Italiana ............. 25South West Music School.......................... 22Sturgeon Festival......... 40SuperKids Resale......... 24Swallowtail School ....... 20Sylvan Learning Center 21TaborSpace ................. 47Thorsen’s Surrogate Agency ........................ 13Tidee Didee ................ 37Tillamook Forest Center.......................... 42Tucker Maxon .............. 20Urban Roots Hair Design.................. 28Valley Christian Preschool ..................... 22Vancouver Clinic .......... 35Vibe of Portland .......... 23Village Free School ..... 22West Hills Montessori.. 21Wilsonville Family Fun Center .................. 31World of Smiles ........... 34

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Fun for All

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