Articles

A healthy tray every day: Local chefs help improve school lunches

Chef Charleen Badman, who dazzles grownups at her Scottsdale restaurant, last year expanded her wizardry to include younger, more pedestrian diners. The five-time James...

Colten Cowell Foundation brings “Batcave” magic to kids in need of compassion

What kid wouldn’t want to feel like a superhero? Thanks to a couple of dedicated people at the Colten Cowell Foundation in Phoenix, lots...

What to do when reading is a chore

My 7-year-old son hates to read, but he loves books. He’ll sit in his room for hours, paging through volumes. Most car rides start with...

Childsplay brings “Charlotte’s Web” to Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix

Wilbur, the lovable piglet with the unlikely but wise and winsome spider friend named Charlotte, is back on stage this season in downtown Phoenix. Childsplay presents...

Inclusive preschool benefits typically developing kids and those with autism

About 130 children attend inclusive preschool programs at Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center Community Schools in Phoenix and Tempe, where typically developing children...

6 tips for better communication with your child’s teacher

It’s the only first month of school, but already you have one of those phone messages or emails you dread: Your child’s teacher is...

How to identify giftedness and map out a game plan for success

When children start school, it’s often parents who get the vocabulary lesson. “Has your child taken the CogAt yet?” a fellow parent might ask....

Vaping: The new specter in the classroom

Teachers used to worry about finding kids smoking in the bathroom. Now, it’s not just the bathrooms, but the hallways and even classrooms where...

Retiree starts free Golf Program in Schools

What could be better than free and fun? How about free and fun with a future that could involve scholarship money? That was the theme...

New Way Academy celebrates 50 years of helping kids with learning differences to thrive

Jennifer and Eddie Kesner struggled to find the perfect learning environment for their daughters --- especially for their oldest, Lily. It took three separate recommendations...

March for Our Lives: Five questions with student organizer Jordan Harb

Jordan Harb is a busy kid. Following the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the 17-year-old Mesa...

Back-to-school physicals: What parents need to know

With a new academic year starting, parents likely have their kids' school physicals at the top of to-do lists. What do you need to...

Red for Ed: Was Arizona teachers’ strike a moment or a movement?

When a whopping 800,000 students missed school during the teacher walkout in late April and early May, community “armies” of parents, volunteers, businesses, churches,...

Don’t forget to vote: Arizona’s primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 28

Democracy is for those who show up --- and vote. U.S. Citizens who want to vote in Arizona’s Aug. 28 primary election must have been...

8 tips for staying cool during a summer pregnancy

It's tough enough to make it through a long, hot summer in the Valley. But if you're pregnant, it can be downright miserable. Summer heat...

4 ways to celebrate Harry Potter — 20 years after the series launched in the U.S.

July 31 is always a big day for Harry Potter fans. The character and his creator, British author J.K. Rowling, share a July 31...

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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