Tag: family

Order Your ~Build a Bat House- Stem Kit~ from BugsRUs

Fall is here and that means OCTOBER and that means HALLOWEEN and that means BATS!


Bats are victims of BAD public relations, specifically because of that FICTIONAL guy, DRACULA!

Bats have been on Earth for more than 50 million years. With over 1,400 species, they are the second largest order of mammals, and those species cover six continents. Globally, bats provide vital ecosystem services in the form of eating insect pests, plant pollination, and seed dispersal, making them essential to the health of our planet.


Making a bat-friendly place in your backyard supports the essential role bats have in the environment. All 15 different species of bats in Oregon eat insects…..mosquitoes, gnats, night flying beetles and moths.


Here’s a few BAT facts:
1.  One Little Brown Bat can eat over 1000 bugs PER HOUR!
2.  The world’s smallest bat is the Bumblebee Bat measuring 1.5 –3 inches in length and weighing  2 grams as a full-grown adult.
3.  The world’s largest bat is the Giant Golden-crowned Flying Fox with a wingspan up to 6 feet!
4.  The oldest known bat was a male Brant’s myotis who lived 41 years.
5.  Of the 1,400+ species of bats in the world, only three are vampire bats that drink blood. They ONLY live in Central America NOT TRANSYLVANIA!

It’s time to help our BUG EATING friends….THE BATS!


Here’s your chance – Build your OWN BAT-HOUSE – STEM kit.
You get it ALL…..pre-cut ALL weather re-purposed plywood, screws and nails along with FULL detailed instructions to build your own BAT-HOUSE. Measures 16 in. tall, 8 in. wide and 2 ½ in. deep when finished. All you need is a hammer and screwdriver.
Features galvanized mesh for inside the house…..gives ‘em traction to climb up inside. Will hold about 35-50 little brown bats. They will use it as a roost as well as a NURSERY!
This package also includes a BAT coloring page and detailed 3 page educational fact sheet about all 15 Oregon bats and why bats are SO important.

If you are interested, please send an email to [email protected] with quantity and your address.
This is a PERFECT activity for scouts, homeschoolers or ANYONE who wants to invite these AMAZING mammals to your property.

htttp://www.bugsrus.org

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Tips for Helping Kids Through The Covid Crisis

The Coronavirus has become a pandemic crisis impacting every aspect of our lives.  Parents are being forced into the role of educator as our children are pushed into a home-schooling situation.  To add to that stress, many of us do not know how long we will have a paycheck or a job as so many industries are having to reduce operations or shut down completely.  We are being asked to limit contact with others.  All of this is causing anxieties to rise in both adults and children. 
Be mindful that your children are looking to you to see if they should be scared. Do not completely ignore what is happening.  Answer your child’s questions in an age appropriate way.  Develop a new routine so that your child can feel safe.  Talk to them about taking the recommended precautions to stay healthy. 
Additionally, do a daily “worry” check in.  With my child it goes something like this, “Let’s check in.  Tell me something you are worried about today?”  or “Are you concerned about anything today?”  It is enlightening what you may find out.  Many days those concerns have nothing to do with what is currently happening and many times it is something that a parent can address easily.  The later is great.  It gives you a boost in your confidence level as a parent and your child is reassured that things are okay.  Soon, you may find that your child is initiating the daily check in.  “Hey Mom!  Tell me how your day went?  What made you happy today?”  At my house, we change the questions up.  Sometimes worried focused questions, sometimes feelings focused questions and sometimes activity focused questions.
Here are some ideas for activities that you can do to keep your child engaged and to help with your own self-care during this unsettling time:
  • Read a book aloud. My child’s class has read aloud time during the school day and it is something he enjoys.  Pick a series and read together for thirty minutes a day.
  • Do an art project together. Draw, make slime, finger paint, color—build with legos.
  • Write a “book” together. Develop a story line, take turns writing paragraphs, create illustrations.  It can be a true or fantasy.
  • Take a hike. Go someplace and enjoy nature together.
  • Watch a movie or find a series on Netflix or Amazon Prime that is family friendly. Gilligan’s
  • Bake or cook with your child. This helps to develop math, reading and survival skills.
  • Teach your child to clean and disinfect.
  • Play outside…basketball, catch, blow bubbles, hide and seek, take a walk.
  • Play tic tac toe, board games, card games, or make up your own game.

Structure can help get you through this crisis and as a bonus the “together time activities” will help to strengthen family bonds.
By Tammi Pitzen
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The Nutcracker Ballet presented by Stillpoint Dance Studio

A Magical performance of Stillpoint’s presentation of The Nutcracker in Grants Pass at Grants Pass Performing Arts Center.

A Holiday Tradition every December not to be missed.

Tickets on sale now.

http://www.gpnutcracker.org/

 

 

 

 

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Fall Festivals, Pumpkin Patches & More!

Southern Oregon is ready to celebrate with some Autumn Adventures.         

Find family favorite Harvest Festivals and Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes, Haunts and more. Bring the family and join in for all the fun Fall Festivities.

 Harvest Festivals and Pumpkin Patches

Pheasant Fields Farm Harvest Festival.   Pumpkin Patch, Hay ride, Corn Maze, Music, Local artisans and more! Located at 1865 Camp Baker Rd in Medford, Oregon.  facebook.com/pheasantfieldsfarmoregon 
Flashlight Nights at Pheasant Fields Farm Corn  Maze.  facebook.com/pheasantfieldsfarmoregon 
Fort Vannoy Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze. Open Daily in October from 11am-6pm. Farm stand, pumpkin patch, kid’s activities. Weekends : Hay rides, zip lines, pumpkin chunker, cow train, monster truck rides, camel rides, petting zoo, bounce house, food vendors.  Located at 5791 Lower River Rd. in Grants Pass Oregon.   www.fortvannoyfarms.com 
Haunted Maze at Fort Vannoy Farms.  Located at 5791 Lower River Rd in Grants Pass, Oregon. www.fortvannoyfarms.com
Scarecrow Festival.  In the centuries-old tradition farmers used to save their crops, you can make your own scarecrow. When you’ve completed your scarecrow you can enter it in the Scarecrow Contest and compete for a People’s Choice Award, OR take your scarecrow home with. Everything you need to make a scarecrow is available in a kit available for purchase. While you’re at the farm plan to take a hay ride, paint a pumpkin or bob for an apple, browse the Hanley Mercantile, enjoy lunch prepared by the Jackson County Master Food Preservers, or tour the Hanley House . Don’t miss your chance to be part of the Scarecrow Festival Weekend!  1053 Hanley Road, Central Point. http://www.sohs.org/node/185002
Grants Pass Shopping Center Halloween Festival.  Trick or Treat at participating store, BugsRUs, Bounce Houses, face painting, kid’s costume contest, balloon animals. 959 NE D St, Grants Pass.

The Wood House Festival. Halloween Open House. Located in Eagle Point, Oregon. https://southernoregonfamily.com/wood-house/

 

Kruse Farms Pumpkin Patch. Weekends in October from 10am-4pm. Pumpkin Patch, Hayrides, Corn Maze, Hay Maze, food and more. Located at 532 Melrose Rd. Roseburg, Oregon. http://www.krusefarms.com/
Young's Fall Festival Youngs Fall Festival.  Open Fridays & Saturdays in October. Located in Roseburg, Oregon. http://www.youngs-garden.com/event/
Mahaffy Ranch Pumpkin Patch.  Pumpkin Patch, Hay Maze, Corn Maze and more. Located in Coos Bay, Oregon. http://mahaffyranch.com/
Klamath Basin Potato Festival.  Parade, food, vendors, Spud Run, music, exhibits and more. Located in Merrill, Oregon.  http://www.klamathbasinpotatofestival.com/home

 

 

>>>>>>>>>Find Halloween Haunts Here

 

    For more Family Friendly Events and Kids Activities download the current issue at:                                                                       southernoregonfamily.com

October 2019 Cover Southern Oregon Family Magazine

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Kayaking at Spring Creek

Ever since seeing pictures of the clear blue water of Spring Creek, I was dying to go!  In August, we had the chance to go and didn’t hesitate.

We put in at Spring Creek Recreation Site and kayaked upstream to the headwaters. The current is so gentle that, whether you’re going down stream or up, it’s pretty easy to paddle. This easy paddling allows you to take in the beautiful scenery – especially the crystal clear, turquoise water! I didn’t get sick of staring at it the entire trip. When looking at the other kayakers moving across the water, it looks as if they are gliding on ice … and if you feel the water you’ll find it’s just about as cold as ice. I could only handle having a hand or foot in for a few seconds before quickly pulling out in pain.

Once you reach the headwaters, you can see where the spring originates from bubbling up out of the ground. Some people call the little hurricanes of sand “dancing sand.” My son jumped out and stepped in one and was surprised to find that his foot sank in quite a bit!

We picnicked in our kayaks before heading back downstream.

Another favorite part of the trip was seeing the Mare’s Eggs- a rare freshwater algae that only grow in a few places around the world. It grows in colonies that cover the bottom of the creek in certain areas. I could go on and on about how gorgeous this area is, but all you have to do is take one look at a picture and you’ll be dying to see it for yourself!

Some families bring their own kayaks or you can rent from

Lakes Wilderness Adventures. 112 W Chocktoot St, Chiloquin, OR 97624 (541) 591-0949

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spring-Creek-Recreation-Site/150598304952078

By Brennan
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U Pick Peaches at Sugar Plumb Acres

I recently found Sugar Plumb Acres on Facebook and was super excited to go out and check out the farm located at 1850 Pioneer Rd. in Talent, Oregon.

We have a family recipe for a peach cake that my children love so it was easy to talk them into coming. When we pulled up to the farm the first thing that caught my eye was all the beautiful flowers!

They have a u-pick area that you can find reasonable priced flowers to make your own bouquet. Our next trip out we will be taking advantage of this for sure. We were directed to area to pick the peaches, you need to bring your own containers to transport them, we brought reusable fruit bags.

There are plenty of low hanging fruit so that even your toddlers are able to participate. Once you’ve gathered all your peaches you just have to pull up to the exit and you’re able to weight and pay right there, the farm does only take cash or checks.

For more information visit http://www.sugarplumacres.info

Photos by: rhardestyphotography.com
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When your summer fun involves swimming, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Consider these safety tips:

Never swim alone. Always have a buddy—or, ideally,   a lifeguard at a designated swim area—and maintain constant supervision of a swimmer. Follow rules of swimming areas.

• Never leave a child unattended near water.

• Make sure everyone in your family learns to swim well. Swim lessons. Wearing a US Coast Guard-approved life jacket can help young or inexperienced swimmers, but do not rely on jackets alone. Always maintain a watch on a swimmer.

• If you have a pool, secure it with appropriate barriers. Many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time.

• If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
Whether in a backyard swimming, in a community pool or in the ocean, always watch your
child closely in and around water.

 

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The Family Connection

Great parenting doesn’t happen in isolation.
The Family Connection provides a regional parenting hub where parents can come together, learn effective parenting skills from certified parenting educators, be introduced to community resources and find support from other parents. Parenting is hard work!

As Southern Oregon’s Parenting Hub, The Family Connection and The Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative (OPEC) were founded to help.
Please take advantage of our FREE parenting classes, workshops, and events!

 

Remember, great parenting doesn’t happen in isolation… Let’s get connected! We also provide organizations and agencies the ability to contract an evidence based parenting series or workshop for their clients.
Head to our online Parenting Education Community Calendar to sign-up for FREE parenting classes, workshops, and family friendly events in Jackson and Josephine counties.    https://thefamilyconnect.org/events-calendar/  

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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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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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