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DISCOVER IT'S FREE! OUTDOOR FUN! Uncategorized

Park & Play: Providing Free Summertime Fun!

Looking for free children’s activities to kick those the summertime blues?

The Park & Play program provides free activities, sports, crafts and bounce houses guaranteed to deliver a positive and enjoyable experience for your kids.

The Park & Play crew brings a mobile recreation vehicle and leads children in fun, engaging outdoor activities aimed to increase activity, creativity, and build social skills.

The daily schedule consists of a game, sport or contest, a creative art project and time in the bounce house. The bounce house is monitored closely by staff and administers a time limit to guarantee that everyone gets a chance to bounce safely.

 

Park & Play visits eight Medford parks Monday through Thursday, stopping at two parks each day for two hours; 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.

The schedule allows Park & Play to visit a park in each Medford once a week to assure that all residents have access to the program. Park & Play runs for eight weeks beginning in June.

Movie Night at Lewis Park

 

 

 

 The program is also available at the Rogue Credit Union Movies in the Park series providing free pre-show movie themed activities Saturday evenings from June through August at several city parks.

Go to playmedford.com or call 541-774-2400 for more information.

 

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COMMUNITY DISCOVER PARENTING SUPPORT Uncategorized

Matching Grandmas2Go-Family Coaches with Struggling Families

We all know that babies don’t come with an “instruction manual!” What’s a mom or dad to do when they need help? The answer: … call Grandmas2Go-Family Coaches and be matched with a “trained and trusted” community volunteer Grandma!
The idea for this program came from Linda Otto, when she realized through her work as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), a Baby Cuddler at Asante Special Care Nursery, and a trained Postpartum Doula and Infant Massage Instructor, that parents today are stressed out, overwhelmed and need help. So, she decided to fill that need by starting a non-profit called Grandmas2Go-Family Coaches.
The mission of Grandmas2Go is to mentor, nurture and support parents, infants and toddlers during the critical years of childhood brain growth – from pregnancy to preschool. This multi-generational program is changing lives …not only for struggling families, but also for the senior volunteers who are staying active, engaged, and finding a new life-purpose!
In 2017, Grandmas2Go entered the national Generation to Generation Encore Prize Competition and was named one of the top five new, innovative, inter-generational programs in the country! Grandmas2Go has been featured in major local and national media including Forbes, MarketWatch, and Wall Street Journal. PBS’ online newsletter, Next Avenue, recently published an article: “Grandmas2Go Arrive with Love”. 
Volunteer Grandmas are ‘women of wisdom and experience.” We partner with local agencies to help all our children to thrive!  With families today facing a multitude of challenges, no wonder a father of twins stated, “I don’t know how we would have survived without Grandmas2Go!” A single mom wrote “My Grandma2Go helped me get through that dark period …. we love our Grandma2Go!” And from a mother of two, who was helped by her grandma-mentor to get her US Citizenship: “Thank you for helping me make my dream come true!”
Grandmas2Go is growing, replicating and scaling to serve communities throughout Oregon and across America! And we’re promoting this growth through our “Help Us Grow -“HUG” Campaign. Help us reach more families! Send your name and email address to [email protected] and receive an invitation to Help Us Grow!
We need community support to continue our compelling work. We invite you to join us … as a volunteer Grandma, a donor, or in helping spread the word by hosting a presentation in your neighborhood, church, or social club. 
As Linda, Founder & CEO, says, “We know that one caring adult can change the life of a child. Just imagine what a team of Grandmas can do!”
www.Grandmas2Go.org
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DISCOVER LET'S EAT! OUTDOOR FUN! Uncategorized

U-Pick Strawberry Picking at The Oregon Bee Store

The Oregon Bee Store in Eagle Point has the cutest little store with the cutest stuff inside and pure local honey. But the main reason we stopped was for the U Pick strawberries!

 

My 3 1/2 year old daughter had a blast picking her own strawberries . It is a great way to get outside and teach children where strawberries come from,  how they are grown, when they are just right  and taste a freshly picked one.

The Oregon Bee Store offer buckets to pick the strawberries but don’t forget to bring something to take them home in.

They are on Facebook and update it there with all the info for the U pick.                                                          https://www.facebook.com/OregonBeeStore/
The Oregon Bee Store is located at 14356 Highway 62 in Eagle Point, Oregon. You  can give them a call at (541) 826-7621 or stop in to visit the shop and pick some fresh strawberries.
By Caiti
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FEATURED GOING PLACES IT'S FREE! OUTDOOR FUN! Uncategorized WINTER ACTIVITIES

RANGER -LED SNOWSHOE WALKS AT CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK

In an average winter, Crater Lake National Park receives 43 feet of snow! Ranger-led snowshoe hikes are a fun way to explore this winter wonderland while learning how plants, animals, and people survive the harsh conditions.

Every Saturday and Sunday (and some holidays) Crater Lake National Park offers free guided snowshoe walks. Ranger-led snowshoe walks are a fun way to explore this winter wonderland and learn how plants and animals survive the snowy months. Walks are offered to visitors ages 8+ on weekends  December through April, with additional weekday hikes in late December and early January.

The two-hour walks start at 1:00 p.m. and cover one mile of moderately strenuous terrain. Walks are off-trail explorations through the forests and meadows at the rim of Crater Lake. No previous snowshoeing experience is necessary. Snowshoes are provided free of charge, but advance registration is required. Space is limited on walks. For more information and to sign up, call the park’s visitor center at 541-594-3100 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participants should be at least 8 years old and come prepared with warm clothing and water-resistant footwear.

The weather that gives us spectacular winter recreation also presents people with challenging road conditions. Throughout the fall, winter, and spring, visitors should come prepared for snowy, icy roads, and limited visibility. Before you leave home, ensure that your vehicle is equipped for winter conditions and that you are comfortable driving on snowy roads. Visitors must have traction tires on their vehicles or carry chains, and know how to use them. Drive for the conditions; the posted speed limit is not always a safe speed. Visitors may encounter heavy snow removal equipment on park roads. Please drive slowly and give plows and other heavy equipment plenty of space.

Crater Lake National Park is open 365 days a year. The Steel Visitor Center is open every day except December 25, and food and gifts are available in the Rim Café and Gift Shop year-round except on Thanksgiving Day and December 25. For independent explorations, snowshoes are available for rent at the Rim Café and Gift Shop. Lodging and gasoline are not available in the park from mid-October to late-May.
For more information on winter conditions, services, and programs in Crater Lake National Park, visit our website at www.nps.gov/crla.

 

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Rogue Valley Bird Day at North Mountain Park

Saturday, May 11th, 2019

Bring the whole family to enjoy Rogue Valley Bird Day, our own local celebration of World Migratory Bird Day. This year’s theme is, “Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution.” This annual event is a great opportunity to learn about local birds and share the joy of welcoming our own local migrants home for the summer.

Explore the birds of North Mountain Park with bird walks, games, bird-calling contests, and a live bird exhibit hosted by Wildlife Images.

This free event takes place on Saturday, May 11, 8 a.m. to noon. Bird walks begin at 8:15 a.m. and leave regularly from the pavilion. Bird-calling contests begin at 11 a.m.

This outdoor event is admission-free, for all ages and takes place at North Mountain Park, 620 North Mountain Avenue in Ashland.

For more information on this exciting and family-friendly event, please visit RogueValleyBirdDay.net or call the North Mountain Park Nature Center at 541.488.6606.

North Mountain Nature Park is located at 620 North Mountain Avenue in Ashland, Oregon. 

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Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life at ScienceWorks

BRAND NEW WILD MUSIC EXHIBIT PROVIDES A MUST-SEE, MUST-DO,
MUST-HEAR EXPERIENCE
Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life opens February at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum
  1. Whales compose, bullfrogs chorus, songbirds greet the dawn, and people everywhere sing and dance. What do we all have in common? Visitors of all ages will find out in February, when Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life, a brand new, hands-on exhibit that explores sound and music in nature and in life, makes its debut at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum located at 1500 E Main St. in Ashland, Oregon.
Wild Music invites visitors of all ages to expand their understanding of what makes music. Through whimsical, hands-on activities, they’ll not only hear the music that surrounds them every day, but they’ll see and even feel it too. They’ll discover that nature is filled with “musicians” that create distinct musical masterpieces to communicate with and relate to one another. And they’ll explore how human music is inspired by the music of other living creatures – from tiny insects to giant whales.
Highlights of Wild Music include:
  • Three different “soundscapes” that invite visitors to explore sound and music that comes from the ocean, the forest, and the city. Visitors will learn to interpret spectrograms, or “pictures,” of bird songs, learn what whale cries tell us about the animal’s life cycle, see samples of instruments from around the world, experiment with how sound travels underwater, explore how music influences memory, and more.
  • The Jamming Room, a soundproof practice studio where visitors can use pre-recorded audio soundscapes, animal voices, percussion instruments, and live vocals to compose their own songs.
  • The Bioacoustic Lab, where visitors can experiment with how the human voice works and how it compares to that of other animals, specifically birds. Here, visitors can explore a model of the human larynx and the bird syrinx, use an electrolarynx to “speak” without using their voices, and use a set of vibrating metal reeds to “feel” sound.
  • The Power of Sound and Music Theater, where visitors can sit back, relax, and experience sounds from around the world. The seven-minute, sound-driven video demonstrates – both visually and audibly – how animals use sound to identify themselves, communicate, and form and nurture social groups.
ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum is proud to be partnering with Rogue World Music and local organizations around the Rogue Valley to provide unique programming at the Museum for the exhibit’s duration (Saturday, February 2 – Monday, September 2). This exhibit is made possible by Richard and Elizabeth LeVitt, a Community Grant of the Oregon Community Foundation, Lithia 4 Kids, the Olsrud Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation, the Jackson County Cultural Coalition and Anonymous donors.
For more information please call 541-482-6767 or visit scienceworksmuseum.org.
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Giveaway Uncategorized

GiveAways

We love partnering with local businesses to have fun GiveAways!

Be sure to follow us and check back often for chances to win

on Instagram:

http://instagram.com/SouthernOregonFamily

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http://facebook.com/SouthernOregonFamily

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4th of July Run in Ashland, Oregon

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Thank you for your patience while we worked through technical difficulties. Register early to save $$$!
This annual run is steeped in tradition dating back to 1976! Two runs are offered: a 2-mile fun run and a 10K that attracts local competitors as well as running talent from other regions in the U.S. The routes are scenic and on closed roadways
To register: https://register.chronotrack.com/r/38457
See more here:
http://www.ashland.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=16622

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Pterosaurs Exhibit opens at ScienceWorks Museum in Ashland

Pterosaurs explores what a pterosaur is (and is not), when and where they lived, how they moved and ate, and how diverse the Pterosauria order is.

 

The exhibit is geared towards a 6th-grade reading level, but families with both younger and older children will find things to do. Compare yourselves against the scale model of the Quetzalcoatlus, the largest pterosaur known at 18 feet tall and with wingspan of 31 feet.

Examine the fossils of the more-commonly known Pteronodon and Pterodacytl species to see the variety of sizes and shapes that a pterosaur had.
For those looking for an interactive, virtual-reality environment, two stations are set up so that you can pretend to be a pterosaur, flying through the sky to catch your dinner of bugs, or to avoid being eaten for dinner yourself!

 

 
Release your artistic side with a third VR station that allows you to investigate the colors, feathers, skin, blades, bills and wings that pterosaurs had, and design your own! As the summer progresses, additional stations and options will be added to the exhibit, so be sure to visit more than once to see how the exhibit changes and grows.

 

Entry to the exhibit is included with the price of admission to the museum, and the exhibit will be open to the public from April 28th through December 31st. Starting in May, the museum’s days and hours will change to Tuesday-Sunday, 10AM – 5PM for both the academic year and summer months.
For more information 541-482-6767 or visit scienceworksmuseum.org

 

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SOUTHERN OREGON SUMMER CAMP GUIDE

Our Southern Oregon Summer Camp Guide advertisers are here to answer your questions  when you are looking for the right camp for your kids .

                         Make it a Summer to Remember! 

   

A week at a youth or family camp at Big Lake provides campers with the environment and the opportunity to gain better self-awareness, set and achieve goals, and have a blast. We offer friendship, encouragement, adventure, and enough fun to make memories for a lifetime.  biglake.org

Body Basics and Beyond. Classes, Workshops and retreats located in Ashland, Oregon. bodybasicsandbeyond.com

 

 

Rogue Valley Tutoring Center offers numerous Academic Camps for ages 3-13 to keep your child learning and growing all summer long! Math, Science, Reading, Nature, Crafts & more! Fight “Summer Brain Drain” and enroll today.  www.roguevalleytutoringcenter.com/camps Call or Text 541.779.2010.

 

Ashland Children’s Theatre offers a variety of theatrical experiences for children and teens starting in July in Ashland, Oregon.  ashlandchildrenstheatre.com/summer-camps/

 

ScienceWorks Museum offers Summer Day Camps for ages K- 12th.  1025 E. Main St. in Ashland, Oregon. scienceworksmuseum.org

 

Have fun and get creative at Art4Joy Summer Camps. Located on Biddle Rd in Medford, Oregon.  art4joyllc.com

 

Le Cirque Centre offers week long Summer Day Camps from June through August in Ashland, Oregon. 9am  -2pm for ages 51/2 -11 years. Tumbling, trampoline, silks, trapeze, Hoop, ball walking and more in Ashland, Oregon. socircus.org/camps

Friendship Mountain Day Camp at Ashland Zen Center for Ages 7-11 from June 17 through 21  from 9am-3pm.  Make new friends, have fun, learn meditation and mindfulness. Camp activities include tinkering, origami, Lego play, water play, baking, building, gardening, respect and kindness.  for children from any background located in Ashland, Oregon. ashlandzencenter.org/friendship-mountain/

Adventure on Friendship Mountain. Overnight camp for age 12-15, July 22- 26. Campers support each other in close knit peer groups, completely unplugged on a joyful adventure of self discovery. For children from any background located in Ashland, Oregon. ashlandzencenter.org/adventure-on-friendship-mountain/

HIGS GYM Summer Parkour Camps for ages 5-9 and ages 10-18 provide a fun, unique way for kids to gain confidence while working on their team work skills and overall strength, endurance, speed and performance. Both indoor and outdoor facilities are used along with water obstacles and the challenges grow and change yearly. Located in Central Point, Oregon.   www.higsgym.com/events

The Sharpening Stone Youth Wilderness Program is offering two weeks of primitive skills and wilderness survival summer camps in Williams. June 22nd-25th and July 1st-5th, for 7-17 year olds.   For more information and to register, visit www.thesharpeningstone.com 

Ashland Parks and Recreation offers many Summer programs in Ashland, Oregon.  ashland.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=16713

 

 

The Rrrink offers Summer Day camp with Ice skating, Hockey Broom Ball, Crafts, Field Trips and Physical Activity. 1349 Center Dr. Medford, Oregon.  therrrink.com

 

Oregon Conservatory of Performing Arts offering Summer Magic Onstage! Summer Day Camps for  Ages 7-12 from June 24th-July 13th for “We Has Jazz”, then July 22nd – August 10th for “Pirates 2:The Hidden Treasure”. Ages 13-17 from July 8th-August 3rd for “Yearbook Reflections Teen Musical”.  Located in Medford, Oregon. oregonconservatory.org

Rogue Gallery & Art Center offering  Youth Art Camps for ages 7-10 & 11-14. Teen Art Camps for ages 12-17. 40 S. Bartlett St. Medford, Oregon. RogueGallery.org.

Roots and Wings Community Preschool offer Summer Day programs for ages 3-5 years with an “I Can” approach. Weekly sessions begin June 11th- August 16th, Monday through Friday, 8:30am-11:30am. Cooking, arts, outdoor and water play. New topic is explored each week. Located in Medford, Oregon. rootsandwingspreschool.org

TGA stands for: Teach, Grow, Achieve – these concepts are the foundation of every program we offer. We invite you to give your child the advantage of learning and playing golf or tennis in an environment that will benefit them for a lifetime.  playtga.com/soregon/

 

Forest & Range Summer Day Camp for kids entering 4th-7th grade from July 24-28th. Learn about natural resources through hands on activities around the Rogue Valley. Explore rivers, forest & farms to see how people interact with their environment. $50 for 5 days of fun. jswcd.org

 

Grace Christian School offering Fun in the Sun  Summer Day Camp. Ages preschool to age 12 from June 10 through August 23. Full day or half day. Also offering Sports Camps in Medford, Oregon. Open to the public.    gracechristian.org/our-schools/summer-camps

 

Kid Time offer Summer Adventure Day Camps. Make it a Summer to remember at Kid Time Children’s Museum in Medford, Oregon. kid-time.org/classes-camps

 

Fusion Dance Academy offers Summer Dance Camps for ages 3 up. Camp dancers will get to experience different types of dance: Hip Hop, Ballet, Tap and Jazz, crafts, games, t-shirt, snacks, photos and performance in Medford, Oregon. fusiondanceoregon.com

 

Rogue Valley YMCA offering Summer Day Camps and Overnight Camps. Choose your Summer Adventure with Y-Camp. Located in Medford, Oregon. rvymca.org/programs/day-camp-summer-camp/

 

 

Rogue Rock Gym offering Summer Day Climbing Camps for ages 7-14 years old from 9am- noon, June This camp is structured for new, intermediate and advanced climbers alike! We will teach or review belaying skills and basic to intermediate climbing technique, while helping all experience levels push their limits in route difficulty. Focusing on safety and fun, this camp is a great fit for climbers of all ages!  Located in Medford, Oregon. roguerockgym.com/summer-camps

 

Medford Parks and Recreation offer a variety of Summer Day Camps. Arts & Crafts, cooking, Lego engineering, traditional day camps in Medford, Oregon. playmedford.com 

 


The mission of OFA I to develop our youth into skillful, intelligent, creative, self-confident and high performing soccer players who can participate and compete at the high level possible. http://oregonfutbolacademy.com

 

Wildlife Images offering Camp EEK! Summer Day Camps for ages 7-12 years from  June  through August , 9am-3pm, extended care available. . Go wild every week, campers get to hang out with Animal Ambassadors, play games, make crafts & explore the outdoors. Every day is different in Grants Pass, Oregon .  wildlifeimages.org/camp-eek-2019

 

 

One Eleven Theatre Company offers a Two week Summer Theatre Camp for kids “Disney’s Frozen” held at Grants Pass Performing Arts Center  from August 6th –    18th from 9am-3pm. OneElevenTheatreCompany.com 

Barnstormers Theatre offering  Summer Theatre Camp. “Make ‘Em Laugh” classic comedy scripts, slap stick, clowning and more while learning about character, costume, props, lights and sound design. Ages 8-12 from June 24th- 28th, Ages 13-18 from July 8th-12th.  9am-3pm. Barnstormers in Grants Pass, Oregon. Please call 541-4793557. barnstormersgp.com

Kid Zone offer Summer Adventure Day Camps Monday though Friday 9am-4pm, extended care available June – August. Kids have fun doing outside games, gymnastics, swimming, racquetball, dance tennis, martial arts. 2160 NW Vine St. Grants Pass, Oregon.  clubnw.com/kidzone.php#programs

 

 Camp Gomphidius is using the site at Willow Witt Ranch to take you on a journey looking at those ecosystems and the fungi that live there. We are using a combination of exploration, art, scientific skills and storytelling to introduce students to those important relationships. By spending the week at Willow Witt Ranch your child will develop a deep connection with these ecosystems mentally and spiritually making this camp a beyond memorable experience.  Some of our lessons include nature journaling, mushroom identification, biology and art, forest ecology & exploration, and wetland ecosystems, Contact Bashira at [email protected]    zoomoutmycology.com/

 

 

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