Articles

Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament opening this summer in Scottsdale

You’re not hallucinating if you see a castle taking shape adjacent to Salt River Fields on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community near Scottsdale....

Big-picture parenting: The new year is a great time to consider long-term goals

As parents, we can quickly get stuck in the daily minutiae of child rearing and forget to look ahead. A new year is a...

Family venues offer federal workers free entry during government shutdown

Local family venues are trying to ease some of the pain for federal workers who remain unpaid during the partial federal government shutdown that's become...

Mud maniacs: Obstacle course races offer family fitness and fun

On a normal day, kids are asked dozens of times to act and look a certain way: Tuck in their shirts, fix their hair,...

Fewer worries in 2019: One mom’s New Year’s wish

You know those job interviews where they ask about your worst quality? I know. Everyone hates that question. But it’s not a tough one...

Q&A with Arizona’s 2019 Teacher of the Year Kareem Neal

Kareem Neal was a chemical engineering major until late into his junior year at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. Then he attended a...

Detour Company Theatre stages “Shrek,” “Legally Blonde”

The 46 actors have 16 weeks to get ready for their January performances of the Broadway musicals “Shrek” and “Legally Blonde.” In the piano...

Teens: Phoenix Sister Cities applications due Jan. 11

Phoenix high school sophomores and juniors can apply to serve as Youth Ambassadors and travel to one of Phoenix’s 10 sister cities. Youth Ambassadors...

New Year resolutions for kids include practicing kindness

The ancient Babylonians may have been the first to come up with a set of New Year resolutions, hoping to find favor with the...

Six neighboring families, six different approaches to school choice

We are mothers, neighbors and friends. Each of us values faith, family and education. Yet each of us made different school choices for our...

4 tips for raising boys in the #MeToo era

Child therapist Natasha Daniels has been providing child counseling services since 2005 and is a specialist in anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder in children. She’s...

Cotter family grieves the loss of Ryan, inspiration behind Ryan House of Phoenix

Ryan Cotter, the inspiration and namesake behind Ryan House of Phoenix, died Dec. 7 of unexpected complications from spinal muscular atrophy, his family announced...

Raising Outdoor Kids: The lasting gift of experiences

We could see from across the family room that a layer of dust had settled on top of the Legos. We had picked up...

Childsplay brings “Ella Enchanted: The Musical” to Herberger Theater Center

When is a gift more of a curse? When it’s the “gift” of obedience that Ella’s misguided fairy godmother bestows upon her at birth. Childsplay...

Noisy toys to avoid this holiday season

With the holidays in full swing, parents are combing the aisles to find the perfect toys for their kids. It’s always important to look...

Teaching in Arizona: A don’t-miss documentary follows three Tucson educators

I always thought of myself as someone who supports and values teachers. I sent my sons to a cooperative preschool requiring classroom volunteer time....

PARTY ARTICLES

Money Lessons from Birthday Parties

Teaching Kids the Value of Gifts & Gratitude Between the cake, balloons, and wrapping paper tornado, birthday parties are often all about fun, but they also provide the perfect opportunity to teach kids early lessons...

Time to Paw-ty

Celebrating your favorite furry friend Call me crazy, but when my husband and I adopted our first dog together, we threw her a birthday party complete with cake, streamers, guests, appetizers, games, and more. Was...

Unique Ways to Host a Joint Birthday Party

My brother and I have birthdays that are just one day apart—his on March 3rd, mine on March 4th, and our oldest brother just a few weeks later on March 21st. Fast forward 31 years...

Out-of-the-box Birthday Party Ideas in Phoenix & Tucson

Wanting to do something a little extra special for your child’s next birthday party? Maybe it’s a milestone birthday—like turning double digits or entering the teen years. Or perhaps your child has requested to...

Birthday Traditions & Clever Theme Ideas

Childhood birthdays are unlike any others. I have fond memories of waking up on my birthday morning anticipating all the fun that was in store. With three kids who had birthdays all in the same...

Out-of-the Box Birthday Party Ideas

Wanting to do something a little extra special for your child’s next birthday party? Maybe it’s a milestone birthday—like turning double digits or entering the teen years. Or perhaps your child has requested to...

Party Etiquette

Whether you’re hosting a party or attending one, you may be wondering—do people really RSVP anymore? What about goodie bags, are those still a thing? Do I need to stay with my child at...

How to Throw a Birthday Party that Won’t Break the Bank

I remember the days when birthday parties consisted of colorful balloons, streamers, a simple cake, and the classics like musical chairs and tag with a few friends. Times have changed and suddenly it feels necessary...

How to do a drive-by birthday party

As we get deeper into quarantine, people have gotten creative with birthday celebrations. One result: the drive-by birthday party.

Home pool party? Hire a lifeguard!

Drowning happens silently and quickly. That’s why children are at risk even when — and sometimes especially when — adults are nearby. Even a "designated pool watcher" can avert his or her eyes for a...

Hiking birthday party

For a child who loves adventure and outdoors, turn a hike into a birthday party.
Tour de Liam, Biking birthday party theme, bike race, outdoor activites, arizona parties

Bike race birthday party

When there are lots of neighborhood friends who love to ride their bikes together, host a birthday party that feels like an official bike race.

Island birthday party

Pool parties are popular in Arizona. Make a stylish upgrade at your next birthday party by incorporating décor and details that will transport guests from the desert to a tropical island paradise.

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