Tag: Things to do with kids in Southern Oregon

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CRAFTS FEATURED Uncategorized

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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FEATURED HARVEST FESTIVALS, PUMPKIN PATCHES & MORE!

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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GOING PLACES OUTDOOR FUN!

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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COMMUNITY PARENTING

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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FEATURED FESTIVALS OUTDOOR FUN! STORYTIMES

Storytelling Guild’s Children’s Festival in Jacksonville

The Storytelling Guild presents Annual Children’s Festival every July  at the beautiful Britt Gardens in Jacksonville, Oregon. For many years, the festival has provided fun-filled summer days of affordable entertainment for the entire family!

The first Children’s Festival was in 1967 and began as a small storytelling program, billed as: “A Child’s Fun ‘N Fantasy Afternoon” and was held under the trees at Britt Gardens in Jacksonville. The turnout for this one-day event was so tremendous, 200 children, that it was repeated the next day for another 300 children!

It was apparent that this was an important program and plans were readied for a true Festival in 1968. The Storytelling Guild and the Jackson County Library began planning by recruiting volunteers from the mothers who attended the first Festival. Sixteen volunteers and the local chapter of the American Association of University Women planned for that second year.

The second festival drew 2,000 children. The third, 4000 and by 1981, the Children’s Festival was attracting 15,000 visitors!

At the festival, children and adults will enjoy a variety of booths with hands-on arts, crafts,  science projects and feeding of the litter eating dragons. All activities are included with the price of admission! Older children will enjoy activities such as: candle making, pottery and wood working, while younger children will have a chance to make their own puppet, sand and easel art, and have their faces painted. In addition to fun hands-on projects, you can sit back and enjoy storytelling, child focused entertainment and stage performances.

Admission is $3 per person per day (adults and children). Food is available for purchase inside the festival at the yummy Dragon Deli. The goal has always been to offer an amazing day of entertainment and education for a reasonable cost.

 

The mission of The Story Telling Guild and Children’s Festival is to expose children of all ages to the magic of imagination and to instill a love of books and the joy of reading.

 

For more information visit:

 www.storytellingguild.org/childrens-festival.html

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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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COMMUNITY FEATURED OUTDOOR FUN!

THE KIDS DASH

The 8th annual Kids Dash is June 8th, 2019 at the Grants Pass High School track. Gate opens st 8AM. Entry fee is $10/child.

The Kids Dash was founded by Dr. Nate Tanner. It has been a KidZone Community Foundation event since 2014.

The Kids Dash includes runs for children ages two through middle school as well as relay races for the whole family, a 1600 meter run for middle school and advanced runners, a foam dart javelin throw, standing long jump, a giant slingshot game and the Hue-man race, our version of events like The Color Run(TM).

 

The Kids Dash will also have a full carnival which is free to all  and is sponsored by Asante Physician Partners.

 

New this year will be an opportunity to participate in games with student-athletes from the University of Oregon presented by the Oregon Athlete Foundation.

The event also feature a Wellness Midway with presentations by many local fitness and health-related organizations.

Please visit www.kidzonefoundation.org/kids-dash/ for more information.

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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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DISCOVER

DESTINATION IMAGINATION:  for creative, innovative K-12 students

In the Destination Imagination (DI) Challenge program, two to seven-member teams focus on finding solutions to two separate types of Challenges: Team Challenges and Instant Challenges. Then they present their solutions to Appraisers in Tournament-style settings. By working together to develop solutions, participants push the limits of their imaginations to better themselves and best their competition. DI is an international program with teams across the US, Canada and 30 countries, all solving the same Challenges.

We offer six standards-based Challenges in Science, Technology, Engineering, Fine Arts, Improv, Service Learning for grades 3-12, and an Early Learning challenge for K-2 students. Each open-ended Challenge enables students to learn and experience the creative process. For 2018-19, teams will:
  • Design/build aircraft that takes off, flies, and lands and delivers a team-built payload.
  • Tell a story about a medical mystery that affects a human character from two different points of view.
  • Create a game gizmo that causes an action/event to occur and design/create a container that goes through a transformation
  • Changing between comedy and tragedy, present an improvisational skit in two styles, changing from verbal to nonverbal.
  • Create/present a story in which the sudden appearance of a monster, enhanced by a team-created special effect, has surprising results.
At tournaments teams have the opportunity to present their solutions in the form of an 8 minute skit to trained appraisers. Students have fun and gain confidence in their ability to solve any challenge. In working to solve our Challenges, teams learn 21st century skills (creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, citizenship and courage), step outside their comfort zones to pursue ideas and make presentations that build on their unique strengths.

Each team requires an adult Team Manager. Oregon DI supports volunteers who manage teams with training, lesson plans and mentors. Teams spend a couple of hours weekly for about 16 weeks working toward a spring tournament.

 

Since 1981, Oregon Destination Imagination has provided students with an educational experience: to learn through clarifying questions, resource awareness, rapid thinking and implementation, learner ownership, and authentic self-expression. Our goal is to create a different type of learner. A learner who asks questions. A learner who is in control of their learning. A lifelong learner.
Start a team in your community.
Oregon Website:  www.oregondi.org
National Website: www.destinationimagination.org
Questions?  [email protected]
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DISCOVER LET'S EAT! OUTDOOR FUN!

U Pick Organic Cherry-picking Days at Valley View Orchard

June is cherry-picking month in Southern Oregon!  If you don’t have your own cherry trees to pick from, consider heading over to Valley View Orchard at exit 19 in Ashland next season.

 

This organic Farm also offers U-pick peaches, apricots, grapes and more when in season, so mark your calendars and follow them on Facebook for their Picking Times.

 Taking children on an outing to the farm teaches them where their food comes from and gives them a sense of accomplishment as they “hunt” for the best produce to choose.  But make sure it is an organic farm or orchard to insure the safest, pesticide-free foraging for the little ones.

Dress comfortably in loose-fitting close to accommodate lots of reaching, stretching and walking.  Tennis shoes (no open-toes) are a must, and wearing a hat naturally protects little faces from sun and the heat of summer.  Buckets are provided by the farm, but keep in mind that the trek back to the farmhouse to pay can be a long one with a full bucket of cherries.  We always ask for two buckets each and fill them only half full or less to make the return trip and checking out a breeze.

Be prepared to hear, “This was my most favoritist thing to do ever!” , as you drive away from the farm, with little  lips smeared in cherry juice and smiles that reach from ear to ear.

Karen Daggett Austin
Owner, True Juice organic Café’ and Nana to five kiddos who LOVE to garden and pick fruits and veggies

 

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