36 FEBRUARY 2020 Parents can create a low-to-the-ground zipline or take a Full Moon Hike at Usery Mountain Park (below). By Nola Enge Okay, parents: it’s time to start planning for spring break. You can make this year’s vacation fun and entertaining for your kids while still keeping it local and cost-effective. Here are some ideas to get you started. FOR THE LITTLES Photo scavenger hunts. Make it all about them. If they just learned the color red, walk the block and take pictures of all things red. Appeal to their senses and find things that are fuzzy, smooth or smell good. Older preschoolers can take photos themselves. A zoo scavenger hunt might be 10 pictures of silly snouts, tails or antlers. A farmers market scavenger hunt may encourage them to try new foods. Print the pictures for a homemade book and send it to preschool for show and tell. FOR BIGGER KIDS Kids love spaces they create, like forts, tree houses and tents. These special spaces can house books, slime, oobleck, art materials, dogs and special treasures. Where you can, add a homemade balance beam, ropes for climbing and pails and pullies to develop the crucial skill of discerning good risks from bad. Ambitious types can create a low-to- the-ground zipline. FOR TWEENS AND TEENS Organize a movie night, game night, or pizza night. Start a project, the kind that lets you model good humor, imagination and responsibility that will make them forget that they have phones. How about building a Little Free Library? You can repurpose something or find fun plans at littlefreelibrary.org/build. FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY At City of Phoenix libraries, families can check out Culture Passes that are good for 17 arts and cultural events in the city, or “check out” seeds to plant a spring garden. The Full Moon Hike at Usery Mountain Park happens to fall during spring break on March 8. It is a two-mile, ranger-led walk where you can experience the desert at night, illuminated by the full moon. Families can also take advantage of free museum days during spring break: • Phoenix Art Museum, March 8. They also have Pay-What-You-Wish Wednesdays. • Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, March 12 and 14. • The Desert Botanical Garden, March 10. Whatever you choose, enjoy each other. — Nola Enge, PhD, is director at The Hills School at Shepherd of the Hills. For more: thehillsschool.org or call 602-952-2616. Keeping spring break local SURPRISINGLY AFFORDABLE ARE YOU READY FOR THE R-22 CHANGE? Home Owners: R-22 refrigerant is being phased out January 1, 2020. If you have an older unit, call us to get your refrigerant charge checked out! Heating & Cooling Service Since 1947 Arcadia Office: 4713 N. 44th St, Phoenix AZ 85018 Main Office: 1121 N Sickles Dr ,Tempe AZ 85281 MAINTAIN YOUR SYSTEM Scottsdale Air Family Executive Maintenance Plan Professionally Maintained by Scottsdale Air Heating & Cooling
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