On Center Street
04/04/13Tulsa Parks Summer CampsTulsa Parks Department is prepping for Summer Day Camps with a “Travel Through Time” theme. Registration begins April 6. Each week campers, ages 6-12, explore various time periods through games, crafts, special guests and field trips. Summer Day Camps start June 3 and run through August 14. Prices start at $35 per week. Tulsa Parks Department offers a great summer experience for kids ages 6 and above. Camps make trips to Big Splash, skating, bowling and other places of FUN! The Recreation Staff has a safe, fun summer planned for all kids. Summer Camps are accredited through the American Camping Association. Day Camp activities are from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Drop-off begins at 7:30 a.m. and pick-up ends at 5:30 p.m. at no additional... |
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04/04/13Boys and Girls ClubFor one reason, then another, then another, we just haven't gotten around to enrolling any of our kids in extracurricular activities or sports this school year. As Spring Break has come and gone along with many of the registration deadlines for Spring sports, I've found myself at a loss trying to track down fun and affordable activities for four children. Enter those signs posted outside my kids' school that advertise T-Ball and Flag Football. As of today they are still up so I thought I'd give them a call and see what it's all about. Those signs were placed by Salvation Army's Boys and Girls Club. We live in South Broken Arrow, and though I've passed the location several times, I had no idea what an incredible resource they were. It turns out they... |
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04/02/13Freezer Meals That Don't Taste FrozenI bet I have 10 cookbooks devoted to “once a month cooking.” You know what that is, right? It’s where you spend a day chopping, baking, deglazing and packing up food to fill your freezer for a month. I love the idea, which explains the 10 cookbooks, but I can’t get myself past the conceptual stage. I’ve dog-eared the cookbooks, made grocery lists, plotted with my sister and marked dates on the calendar for our day of cooking. But, something always comes up. I end up with a few hours of free time instead of a whole day, and then I throw in the towel – and the freezer bag. I’m no busier than a lot of these wondrous people who dedicate a day to taco soup, chicken and rice and ham and potato casseroles. I’ve stood in the small... |
04/02/13Hip Mom: The Hip Mom Runs AwayOh my dear mommies, I have a crazy wonderful discovery to share with you: Did you know that outside of your four walls, outside of your family room and its littered Legos and continuous looping of Dora, there is a whole wide world, that has nothing to do with your children, nothing to do with snot, poopy diapers, homework, or “Mama can I have a DRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIINK?” I know, I know, this revelation shook my mom jeans right off too. But it’s true. There is this glorious place called Earth Outside of Your Home, and I am telling you to get out there and visit it. How, you ask? Well, yes, that’s tricky! My husband has a little flexibility at work, and I have in-laws in town who are able to pitch in – so even with six kids, I am able to... |
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04/02/13Protect Your Children's Free TimeResearch by the Population Association of America reports that children’s free time has decreased by 12 hours per week, and time spent doing unstructured outdoor activities decreased by 50 percent over the past three decades. Conversely, the amount of time children spent on homework increased by 50 percent, and time spent in structured sports activities doubled. These statistics suggest children’s and adolescents’ lives are more structured and increasingly performance-focused. Of course most parents do not maliciously enroll their children in piano lessons or sports, or press for “doing your best” in the classroom. However, an unanticipated consequence of a performance-focused and highly scheduled daily life is that time spent talking with family, time... |
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04/02/13Get Your Kid Ready For KindergartenWalking away from your child on the first day of full-day kindergarten is tough. Even if children have been in preschool or mother’s day out, most of us consider kindergarten the beginning of “real school.” Are they ready to be away from you for the day? How will they behave? Will they sit still, play with other children and listen to the teacher? And this is the time of year that many parents and preschool teachers are deciding whether or not a child is ready for kindergarden. For children to have success in kindergarten, they should exhibit certain social, academic and fine motor skills. From following directions to counting to cutting with scissors, children will be expected to participate in daily classroom activities. And teachers know that children will... |
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04/02/1321st Century Chore ChartLike all responsible parents, I’ve waited until my kids are taller than me and driving themselves to school before giving them chores. The other day I told my newly teened boy to take out the trash. He asked me how much. I thought about it and told him I’d give him five bucks to take out the trash and the mountain of spent Diet Coke cartons in his mom’s office. He texted friends and outsourced it for $2.75. The problem was clear: my childhood chores (retread the tractor, build a three acre windbreak, terraform . . .) were too Mark Twain for today’s teenage technophiles. They needed an upgrade. So I gave my kids 21st century busy work. I present: Chores 2.0. Prune the DVR. I can’t go five minutes into a T.V. show without the... |
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04/02/13YWCA Tulsa’s Race Against Racism Brings People TogetherThe 2013 Race Against Racism takes off on Saturday, April 27 at ONEOK Field with a 1-mile Justice Walk beginning at 9 a.m. and a chip-timed 5K starting at 9:30 a.m. Sponsored by the YWCA for the third year, the Race Against Racism is not a typical run. According to Melissa Baker, race director, the goal for the race is to spread YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. “The Race Against Racism is different from other runs in Tulsa,” Baker said, “because it focuses on bringing the community together to stand up for equality and diversity. Along the route, which begins at John Hope Franklin Park and goes through Brady Heights and the Brady Arts District, participants will see signs... |
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04/02/13Storytimes Go Global at Martin Regional LibraryHello! ¡Hola! Privet! These are just a few words of several languages you will hear every day at the Martin Regional Library. Residing in the most multicultural area of Tulsa, the library serves more than 1,000 people a day from many nationalities. And now storytimes at the library have gone global too! In January, Saturday morning Russian and Spanish bilingual storytimes were added to the program lineup. With stories, songs, activities and crafts, storytimes are perfect opportunities for children and parents to practice pre-reading skills in a fun, relaxed environment. Every storytime incorporates talking, singing, reading, writing and playing. These five practices help children learn pre-reading skills such as language sounds, letter knowledge and vocabulary.... |
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03/29/13Congrats to Betty!Lastnight, the 2013 Newsie Awards were held at the the Campbell Hotel. The Newsies is an awards event honoring Tulsa’s best in local print, radio, TV, and web media. Tulsa Press Club members nominate their favorites and then the public is invited to vote on the finalists. TulsaKids Editor Betty Casey was nominated for favorite print columnist and won! Because she can be a little humble, I wanted to be sure and let you all know. They haven't posted all of the winners yet, but you can find the full list of nominees. I know firsthand how much Betty cares about the Tulsa community and how hard she works to get important information out to families. This award was well-deserved and we are very proud of her (and quite jealous of her new newsie hat). Congrats,... |
