Monday, March 11, 2013

We've Moved!!!

Thank you for visiting Mid-Valley Kid Calendar!
Get the latest information on what's happening in the Willamette Valley at

http://mid-valleykidcalendar.blogspot.com/

See you out and about!!

Monday, March 4, 2013


We all know the importance of exercise for children, and, well, for all of us.  The health benefits, the self-esteem, the brain building.  But in my family, the focus has always been on what we call "getting the ya-ya's out."  A couch-potato child is a naughty-pants, poorly sleeping, handful of a child (at least in my house).  So for me, getting my delightful 3 year old out for a good, sweaty run each day is not just conscientious parenting, but sanity-saving as well.  And in March, when we've emptied every mud puddle, it can be nice to find a warm, dry place to play.

This week, the Salem area offers several exciting indoor activities to get your kids' ya-ya's out.  Monday morning is Motion Monday at the Stayton Public Library.  So come out and dance, laugh, and shake a tail feather at the library!  Tuesday evening, everyone 8 years and older, don't miss the Set & Ceili Irish Social Dancing class put on by Ceili of the Valley at the Salem VFW.  Friday, NW Kids Club is having a special open house for those interested in enrolling in their exciting pre-school program.  Admission to the club is free for the Open House and your kids can try out all the fun equipment and play space.

Don't miss this week's Kid Pick For Fun: Super Bounce!  With giant slides, an obstacle course, and a ton of bouncing fun, your children will come home tired and happy.  Then it's dinner, bath, bed and parents pat on the back for getting those ya-ya's out today.

I hope you have fun out there this week.  Send me pictures and spread the word about Mid-Valley Kid Calendar.  If you have any events you'd like listed, just email me here.

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2013
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TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013
ALL DAY

MORNING
AFTERNOON
  • 1:30 Salem Library, Brainy Babies - Bebes Super-Inteligentes bilingual storytime, infants and toddlers
EVENING
  • 6:30 Salem Library, Cuentos en Espanol (Spanish Family Storytime), All Ages
THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013
ALL DAY

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Friday, March 1, 2013


It's Read Across America Day!  In that spirit, Mid-Valley Kids Calendar encourages you to snuggle up with your little readers and a fantastic book!  But before you heat up the cocoa, make sure to get out into your Mid-Willamette Valley community and join other kids and parents in the pursuit of a great story!

This morning, don't miss Salem Riverfront Carousel's Dr. Seuss' Reading Across America Story Hour Free Event.  A visit from the Cat in the Hat, along with free carousel rides and great stories await your children.  What a great activity to start the weekend with your family!

When you've finished at the Carousel, head over to the Salem YMCA for their yearly Used Book Sale.  This 3-day event is the perfect opportunity to replenish your family's bookshelves without breaking the bank.  What a fun treat for your children (Moms and Dads, too!) to get to pick out literary treasures and head home in great anticipation of reading them!

And, if you're looking for a more hands-on activity to get your kids' creative juices flowing, check out Discovery Saturday at Gilbert Discovery Village.  This week's cool discovery:  The Egg Drop!  Build a contraption to keep your egg safe.  Drop tests will be every half-hour off the walking bridge behind the museum.

So, happy reading and have a wonderful adventure this weekend in and around Salem.  Send me pics of your activities!  And if you have an event you would like included in the Calendar, just send me an email here.

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013
Read Across America Day
ALL DAY
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SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013
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SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2013
ALL DAY

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AFTERNOON
  • Used Book Sale, Salem YMCA, All Ages
  • 1:00-4:00 Clay Sunday - Tiny Bird House Chimes, Willamette Art Center, All Ages, $10 per family up to 4/$3 each additional kid.
EVENING

Monday, February 25, 2013

Spring is in the air.  As the crocuses push their little green heads up out of the mud, Oregonian kids start dreaming of summer.  This week shake off that long, wet winter with some warm-weather and summer-inspired activities, perfect for active families.

This week I added a new section to Mid-Valley Kids Calendar: Farmers Markets and CSA's.  Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a model of farming wherein members ("community") purchase shares in the year's harvest and then receive a basket of produce weekly throughout the growing season.  This model benefits small farms by providing resources for planting and by establishing a consistent customer set.  And here's the really exciting part:  CSA's benefit the members by supplying fresh (possibly harvested within hours of delivery), local, often organic produce that is at the very height of its season and its nutritious deliciousness.  Your family receives a (usually overflowing) basket of an interestingly delicious variety of fruits and vegetables.  And my favorite part is that every box contains produce I would normally buy, and then some I have never tried, along with recipes for the week.  What a wonderful project for your children, learning about foods that come straight from our Oregonian soil.  In the spirit of summer dreaming, I encourage you to explore the CSA's listed here and consider signing up.  Most CSA's are now establishing their memberships and some are filling up quickly.  I signed my family up this week.  One more reason I can't wait for summer.

With the weather warming up, grab your raincoat and boots and check out this week's Kid Pick For Fun:  The Willamette Wanderers Walking Club.  Check out their website and find a great stroll in Salem and around Marion and Polk counties.  You can walk with just your kids, grab a friend for a walking date, or contact the Willamette Wanderers for a walking companion.

On the calendar this week, don't miss No Music Hour at Salem's Riverfront Carousel, an opportunity for those with sensory differences to experience the Carousel in a calmer environment.  Also, the libraries around the Mid-Willamette Valley are offering storytime and programs throughout the week for kids and families.


So get your family out there and breathe some fresh air this week.  Send me some pictures of your activities, and if you have an event you'd like included in the Calendar, just email me here.  Happy spring, everyone!




MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013
ALL DAY

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013
ALL DAY
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AFTERNOON
  • 4:00-5:00 Speak Up! Teen Book Club - Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, Salem Library, Ages 12-18
  • 4:00 Winter Fun Club - "Me" for President!, Independence Library, All Ages, Free
EVENING
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2013
ALL DAY

MORNING
  • 10:15 and 11:00 Salem Library, Lapsit Storytime, infants and toddlers
AFTERNOON
  • 1:30 Salem Library, Brainy Babies - Bebes Super-Inteligentes bilingual storytime, infants and toddlers
EVENING
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013
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    Friday, February 22, 2013

    Gear up for a wonderful weekend with your children!  This weekend in the Mid-Willamette Valley, the calendar offers lots of adventure and exciting activities for your family.




    Portland Comic Con 2013 is happening all weekend, and although Portland is out of my normal scope, here at Mid-Valley Kids Calendar, I couldn't help get excited about this major event, just an hour away!  So pack up your little Spider Men and Wonder Women, or your Harrys and Bellas, and embark on an epic journey to the Northland (a.k.a. the Oregon Convention Center).



    If the winter blahs are upon you, the Corvallis Winter Farmers Market at the Benton County Fairgrounds will get you in the spirit of spring. You can be a locavore year round and your family enjoy the delicious bounty of Oregon!

    For an activity a little closer to home this weekend, check out Family Clay Sunday at Willamette Art Center.  This Sunday create Leprechauns and Pots of Gold with your kids.   Come back next week to glaze and fire your creations, just in time for St. Patrick's Day!

    I wish your family loads of fun and activity out-and-about in Salem.  Don't forget to look to your right to find lots and lots more ideas and resources.  Let me know what adventure your kids got into this weekend.  And if you have an activity or business you would like added to the calendar, just email me!  Enjoy!


    FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013
    ALL DAY
    • 3:00-8:00 Portland Comic Con 2013, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, All Ages, $30 advance/10 years and under free 
    MORNING
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    SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2013
    ALL DAY
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    SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2013
    ALL DAY
    • 10:00-5:00 Portland Comic Con 2013, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, All Ages, $35 advance/10 years and under free
    MORNING

    AFTERNOON
    • 1:00-4:00 Family Clay Sunday - Pot of Gold and Leprechans, Willamette Art Center, All Ages, $10 per family up to 4/$3 each additional kid.
    EVENING


    Monday, February 18, 2013

    Happy Presidents' Day!

    Children and families have some great activities lined up this week in the Salem area!  Weekdays are a great time to explore the Mid-Willamette Valley's every-day offerings of fun for kids.  Look to your right to find a fantastic list of ideas to get your family out and about.  Kid Pick for Fun this week is N.W. Kids Club, where children 6 months to 7 years can socialize, develop their creativity, and exercise in a fabulous indoor playground, complete with large play equipment, a bounce house, theme rooms, and lots of room to run.  N.W. Kids Club is open Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00 and costs $5 per visit (punchcard purchase required).  On our last visit my toddler loved the giant slide and the dress-up room where she met a friend and played Princess and Railroad Conductor!

    Be sure not to miss the excitement at Gilbert's Discovery Village this week.  Every day, the Village has an opportunity for kids to explore and learn.  Parents will like the free admission to the museum for several of these special events.  Don't miss the Mini-Maker Faire all day today where children can learn about technology and engineering and see amazing demonstrations of heritage skills like blacksmithing.

    Hope you have a wonderful week!  Let us know what exciting adventures your family got into around Marion, Polk, Yamhill, and Linn counties.  I'd love to hear your stories about the activities you read about here at Mid-Valley Kids Calendar.  And if you have an event you'd like listed on the calendar, just shoot me an email.  Have fun out there!


    MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2013
    Presidents' Day
    ALL DAY
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    TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2013
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    WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013
    ALL DAY
    MORNING
    AFTERNOON
    • 1:30 Salem Library, Brainy Babies - Bebes Super-Inteligentes bilingual storytime, infants and toddlers
    • 4:00 Sizzlin' Science Activity, Gilbert Discovery Village, free with regular admission
    EVENING
    THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013
    ALL DAY

    MORNING
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    EVENING

    Friday, February 15, 2013

    Now that we're up and running, (Still so excited! squeeeeee!) let's head into the weekend!  Mid-February, when we're all getting a little antsy for spring, provides lots of exciting opportunities for family fun around the Willamette Valley.  So shake off your winter blues and take your children out for some foot-stomping, summer-dreaming, good-time activities!   

    Kids and parents alike will enjoy the festivities at Mt. Angel Wurstfest.  Friday, Saturday, and Sunday your children will delight in the exotic costumes and fascinating wares.  Enjoy scrumptious German food and then spin your darlings into a frenzy to the music of Oregon Polka Beats. 

    My favorite offering this weekend:  Old Time Fiddlers Valentine Themed Party at the Rickreall Grange!  Bring your little Valentine and shake a tailfeather to some lively bluegrass.  What I love about this activity is that your children will have a great time and wipe themselves out, perhaps offering Mom and Dad an opportunity for a little Valentine's romance this evening.

    Sunday afternoon head down to Salem's Riverfront Carousel's Winterfest.  Kids will delight in unlimited carousel rides, crafts, face painting and games.  What a wonderful way for your family to wrap up a winter weekend in Salem!  

    Shake off that winter and get your kids out!  I'd love to hear about your family's experiences.  And if you you have any events you'd like included on the calendar, email me here.  Have a wonderful weekend!  


    FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013
    ALL DAY
    • 11:00-9:00 Mt. Angel Wurstfest, All Ages (under-21 accompanied by adult), Kids Free/Adults $5
    MORNING
    AFTERNOON
    EVENING
    SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2013
    ALL DAY
    MORNING
    AFTERNOON
    EVENING
    • 7:00 Salem Library, Family festival of the Arts - Nyewusi Askari aka Askari Da Storytella, All Ages
    SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013
    ALL DAY

    MORNING

    AFTERNOON
    • 1:00-4:00 Family Clay Sunday - Rainbow Coil Pots, Willamette Art Center, All Ages, $10 per family up to 4/$3 each additional kid.
    • 3:00 Gift of Music Family Concert - Dance!, Salem Chamber Orchestra at North Salem High School, All Ages, Free
    EVENING