Articles

Arizona Parents Know Water Safety. So Why Are Kids Still Drowning?

This article has been sitting in my head for a while. Every summer, I see the headlines. Every summer, I think about writing something. And...

Win a Family 4-Pack to an Advance Screening of Minions & Monsters!

The Minions are back—and this time they've unleashed monsters! Raising Arizona Kids is giving away a family 4 pack to an exclusive advance screening of...

Arizona Fireworks Safety: Protecting Families This Celebration Season

Fireworks are a tradition for many Arizona families, lighting up celebrations from Independence Day to neighborhood gatherings throughout the summer. But what starts as...

The Ultimate Summer Survival Guide for Arizona Families

#top Jump to a Section: Low-Key Summer Bucket List Libraries Libraries, Bookstores & Summer Reading Adventures Free & Cheap Summer Fun Kids Eat Free (or...

Virtual Camp Fair Guide

  Summer Camp Season is Here: Where Do You Start? Summer often arrives unexpectedly, shifting the focus from school routines to the overwhelming task of choosing...

When Summer Camp Isn’t in the Budget (and How to Still Have a Great Summer)

For many families, summer camp feels like a rite of passage. The friendships, the adventures, the crafts, the swimming—it’s easy to picture camp as...

Quiet Kids at Camp: Will My Child Struggle or Thrive?

If your child is naturally quiet, reserved or slow to warm up in social settings, the idea of summer camp can raise an important...

Sending Kids to Camp Without the Worry: Safety Questions Every Parent Should Ask

For many families, summer camp is one of childhood’s most memorable traditions. It’s a place where kids build independence, try new activities and form...

The Lost Art of Boredom: Why Summer Camp Is One of the Last Screen-Free Places for Kids

Kids wandered outside without much of a plan, built forts out of sticks, rode bikes until dinner and made up games as they went...

How We’re Preparing for Kindergarten the Third Time Around

Kindergarten looks different when you’ve already done it a couple of times. With our oldest boys, I thought I knew what to expect. I assumed...

Preparing Neurodivergent Children for Kindergarten

The transition into preschool or kindergarten is a major milestone for any child, and for families of neurodivergent children, it can come with additional...

Skills Kindergarten Teachers are Really Looking for When Kids Start School

When parents think about kindergarten readiness, academics often take center stage. But according to Rebecca Sanders, an 11-year kindergarten teacher in the Queen Creek...

35+ Kid-Friendly Hikes in Arizona’s Coolest Mountain Towns

When Arizona summer temperatures climb into the triple digits, many families start looking for cooler places to explore. Fortunately, you don't have to leave...

Low-Key Summer Bucket List

As a mom of five, I’m always looking for ways to make summer feel full without completely draining our budget (or my sanity). Kids...

Kids Bowl Free!

There’s nothing like an air-conditioned bowling alley to keep everyone cool and entertained during the hot Arizona summer! Even better? Kids can bowl FREE all...

602 Day in Phoenix: The Best Local Deals for Families

There’s something about summer in Phoenix that makes parents instantly go into survival mode. School is out. The kids are already saying “I’m bored.”...

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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