Four Seasons Flea Market Photo

Family Fun this week! May 12-19th

Wednesday, May 12th:

Baby Brilliant: Bonding With Babies and Books - For babies 6-23 months. Join us for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays, and other activities that will help your child become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Poland Library, 10 a.m
Baby Brilliant: Tales and Talk for 2s and 3s – Join us for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child (ages 2-3) become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Austintown Library, 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Boardman Library, 10 a.m.

Thursday, May 13th:
Baby Brilliant: Tales and Talk for 2s and 3s – Join us for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child (ages 2-3) become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Poland Library, 10:30 a.m.
Baby Brilliant: Bonding With Babies and Books - For babies 6-23 months. Join us for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays, and other activities that will help your child become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Austintown Library, 10 a.m.
Fun Time for 4s and 5s – Join us for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child (age 4-5) become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Youngstown Main Library, 10 a.m., Thursday, May 13 (Program: “Let’s Count.”Explore books, print, numbers and make a craft.)
Poland Library, 1 p.m
Gotta Move Storytime - An active story time for the young and restless. For ages. 2-5. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Austintown Library, 11 a.m.

The Covelli Centre: Women's Heart Day 6:30AM - 2PM Free, but registration is required!

Woman's Heart Day is FREE and a great place to get the motivation and information you need to improve your own heart health.

HEALTH SCREENINGS
Blood Pressure
Body Fat & Bone Density*
Cardiac Risk Assessments
Diabetes Risk/Metabolic Syndrome
Glucose/ Lipid Panel*
Peripheral Arterial Disease
Stroke Risk
Vision Screenings
_{* availability is limited}

FOR FUN
Fitness Demos
Wellness Lectures
Cooking Demos
Salon Services
Massages
Refreshments
Giveaways

Registration is required. Call or go on-line line. 1-877-700-HMHP (4647) or online at http://www.HMpartners.org

American Cancer Society Pink Ribbon Social: Stambaugh Auditorium. Grand Ballroom 1000 Fifth Ave. for tickets and information please call La Dawn at 1-888-227-6446 ext 2204 or you can email at ladawn.whitman@cancer.org 6pm $30 at the door $25 in advance.

Friday, May 14th:
Reuben’s Readers – Join this group of readers who love discussing books they have read or are currently reading. The group meets in the Rosetta Stone Chapters Café in the Poland Library. Poland Library, 10 a.m., Fri., May 14
Plant Sale: Fellows Riverside Garden: the sale is held through May 15th. Native plants for the garden will be highlighted. May 14th and 15th is open to the public.
3rd Annual Woman's Leadership Conference: Mahoning County Country Club. 710 East Library St. Girard. 8:30am-1:30pm Keynote speaker Julie Graber "Women in Politics". $30, student $10.
Ward Beecher Planetarium: Black Holes. The Other Side of Infinity. the program is held May 15th, 21st, 22nd, and 28th at 8pm call 330-941-1370 for more information.
Monthly: Storytime for Adults and Children with Special Needs: Barns and Noble, Boardman. Join the group the second Friday for a low key, easily accessible storytime for adults and children with special needs, 11am.
Kids Ident-kits Available: Window World, Boardman; For more info call David Redig at 330-782-1144, ext. 289 or visit WKBN.com and click on kids Ident-kit. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.. Free.

Saturday, May 15th:
Baby Brilliant: Bonding With Babies and Books - For babies 6-23 months. Join us for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays, and other activities that will help your child become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Poland Library, 10 a.m.
Plant Sale: Fellows Riverside Garden: the sale is held through May 15th. Native plants for the garden will be highlighted. May 14th and 15th is open to the public.
Ward Beecher Planetarium: Black Holes. The Other Side of Infinity. the program is held May 15th, 21st, 22nd, and 28th at 8pm call 330-941-1370 for more information.
Ward Beecher Planitarium: Little Star That Could: 330-941-1370 for more information this show will be held again on May 29th 2:30pm
Garden Forum Spring Flower Show: Fellows Riverside Garden: the two day show will feature flowers presented by Garden Forum of Greater Youngstown Noon-5pm.

Sunday, May 16th:
Three Bags Full: MetroParks Farms, Canfield: 330-533-7572. Learn about the process of making wool into yarn. Wagon tours will also be given every half hour. 1-4pm.

Monday, May 17th:
Tales to Tails - Sign up to read to a registered therapy dog, which helps develop reading skills, promotes confidence and encourages a love of reading. Readers of all levels and abilities in grades K-6 are welcome! Bring a book of your choice. Dogs are provided by K9s for Compassion, registered Delta Society therapy dogs. Sign up is required for the Canfield program; call 330-533-5631. For school-age children.
Canfield Library, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 18th:
Baby Brilliant: Tales and Talk for 2s and 3s – Join us for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child (ages 2-3) become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Canfield Library, 10 a.m.
Newport Library, 10:30 a.m.
Fun Time for 4s and 5s – Join us for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child (age 4-5) become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Austintown Library, 10 a.m
Boardman Library, 10 a.m.
Canfield Library, 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 19th:
Baby Brilliant: Bonding With Babies and Books - For babies 6-23 months. Join us for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays, and other activities that will help your child become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Poland Library, 10 a.m.
Baby Brilliant: Tales and Talk for 2s and 3s – Join us for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child (ages 2-3) become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Austintown Library, 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Boardman Library, 10 a.m. (Program: "Come Crawl through the Story Time Maze!")

Margaret Wise Brown: Youngstown Main Library

"Family Story Time: Bunnies, Barns, and Goodnight Moon - Join the Youngstown Main Public Library for a tribute to Margaret Wise Brown on her 100th birthday. We'll bring back your favorite stories as we learn about the famous author, make a craft, and cuddle up with the movie Goodnight Moon. Children under age 7 must be accompanied by an adult. For children of all ages. Main, 6:30 p.m., Tues., May 11"


Margaret Wise Brown was a brilliant author in the field of children's literature. Having authored hundreds of books during her lifetime, Margaret was also a pioneer in her field. She held the strong belief that children's books should be written the way that children would want to hear them. Her stories have a very rhythmical tone and are uniquely illustrated. Margaret believed that books should be illustrated in the way that a child would see things. For this reason it is said that she often would bring her illustrators to draw in front of Kindergartner's classrooms in order to get their valuable input.

Ready Readers

Something that is very close to my heart is early literacy. This is not to say that a child should necessarily be reading at an early age but rather that a good foundation should be laid. I've had some good success with early reading skills for my girls and I just thought I would share some of the best techniques and tricks that have worked for us.

It's never too early to start building literacy skills. Just tailor the technique to the age and level of development.

INFANT:

• CLASSICAL MUSIC: Instead of buying classical music CD's and trying to keep a CD player close at hand, I would just play Classical music from the radio. For me WYSU 88.5 plays classical music from 9-2 every weekday. I would turn this on the radio from a central location in the house all day. That way I knew the girls were hearing it and it was one less thing to think about.
• RHYTHM: At the infant stage I don't even think that tactile books really make that much of a difference. I say this because in early infancy the child is most aware of the close care giver, and not so much interaction with the outside world. As with classical music, this is a stage of building rhythms and connections in the brain. Because of this, when the girls were really little, 0-3 months, I wouldn't read children's books at all. I would read things that were very rhythmical. For example, I would read books of poetry, or my personal favorite, Jane Austin. Believe it or not, although her books are not poetry they do have a very rhythmical and soothing tone.
• TACTILE BOOKS: Once the girls were a little older (sitting up and becoming more aware of their surrounding) I would put Jane Austin down and go for the books that they could experience. These are the books that they can touch, feel make sounds with, etc. This brings the books to life, just like everything else in the child's life. Their world is becoming interactive.
  
• FOAM LETTERS: From the time the girls were out of the baby tub and in need of bath toys, those inexpensive foam letters were their constant companion. I just thought that bath-time was a great time for letting them play with the letters and for myself to play with them and make sounds and games out of the letters. Then when they would get older we would make hide and seek games with the letters, "can you find the B", etc. A fun song to sing here is: "The B say b, the B says b, every leter makes a sound, the B says____". At this last part pause and see if they are able to say the sound. They may surprise you :)

TODDLER:

• TV IS NOT THE ENEMY: I have never been one to boycott the TV. Let's face it, sometimes we just have to get things done and nothing can make a child slow down and sit like Elmo. I am selective though. In this world of DVR and every channel under the sun, I have never found it very hard to find something developmentally appropriate and in some way educational. I use the library greatly for resources. Books on video/DVD are great: Dr. Seuss, Chicka Chicka Boom boom, etc. FAVORITE video: Leapfrog, "Letter Factory" and then "Word Factory". I get these from our local library all the time.
• STARFALL: www.starfall.com. This is a GREAT website for pre-readers, and readers. It is FREE. My kids love it and it is easy to navigate. Maria at 3 1/2 was able to navigate it herself!
• READ and then LET READ: I have a box of books that stays close to us always! I may rotate the books one a month or every few weeks. These are solid good books that I am my girls love. For my two year old they are the tactile, very simple books. Colors, shapes, numbers, letters and my favorite Dr. Seuss' I read these books often and then keep them close by, like in the car, on the porch if were playing, in the family room. I try to make a big show when I read these book to her too. This way when she is looking at them she will remember the things I have read and the funny way that I read them. I often catch her look at and pretending to read ( even if upside down). Many times I will read some of the books, and then immediately give them to her to look at herself. This was great for crib time too!

Here are some of our favorite books:

Dr. Seuss: ABC's, Hop on Pop, In a people house, Go Dog Go, Hand Hand Fingers Thumb

YOUNGSTOWN's Resources:

Newport Library: Located on the corner of Midlothian Blvd. and Market St. This library has one of the BEST toddler rooms I have ever seen. It is completely enclosed, everything is toddler sized, and there are so many activity centers specially designed to develop the toddlers pre-reading skills. East Branch Library also has a smaller version of this same room.

• http://shoutyoungstown.blogspot.com/2009_02_01_archive.html

Mahoning County Library System: If you are willing to drive a little you can usually find a story hour for your child's age that is convenient to you. There are 16 locations to choose from:

• http://www.libraryvisit.org/library.aspx?id=106

Fellows Riverside Gardens: FRG's has a really nice little library inside the main building. It is not a lending library, but it is a great place even for kids.

• http://www.millcreekmetroparks.com/ParksFacilities/nbspnbspnbspnbspDavisVisitorCenter/AntonucciLibrary/tabid/1448/Default.aspx

Children's Museum of the Valley: It is not open now but will reopen in the fall better than ever. I'll post more details as they become available.

Hope this is helpful! If anyone reading this has tips of their own, please comment. My girls are still little and I'm always looking for good ideas.

Family Fun this week! May 5-12th

Wednesday, May 5th:

1. The Covelli Centre: Walking with Dinosaurs 3:30 pm and 7:30pm
2. Tween Scene: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo: Main Library 305 Wick Ave. Explore the Mexican Holiday through crafts. For kids in grade 4-6 @4pm.
3. Music at Noon, Butler Institute of American Art, Music at Noon, Butler Institute of American Art, 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown; 330-743-1107 or for more information call the Dana School of Music at 330-941-3636. 12:15 p.m. Brass Chamber Music
4. Youth Golf Lessons, YMCA, Central Branch, 17 N. Champion St., Downtown Youngstown. Classes are first come first serve and are for ages 6-13. Classes are held each Wednesday through May 5. Meet in the Community Gym on the second floor and bring a #5 iron to the first class. 6:15-7:15 p.m.
5. *** Parents, want a datenight??? On the Terrace at 5: Fellows Riverside Garden, 123 McKinley Ave View the surroundings and enjoy music by FireSign, 5-7 pm $15 food and drink.

Thursday, May 6th:

1. Baby Brilliant: Tales and Talks for 2's and 3's. Main Library 305 Wick. Developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays an more. for ages 2 and 3. 10am
2. Garden Forum Garden Mart: Fellows Riverside Gardens featuring an assortment of hanging baskets and bedding plants. The sale is held through May 8th 10am to 5pm all three days.
3. Mothers Day Bouquet: Fellows Riverside Garden. Pre-schoolers ages 3-5 will personalize a vase and fill it with a bouquet of carnations. A snack and story will also be featured. The program is held again May 7th and 8th. Call to register 11am -noon. 330-740-7116

Friday, May 7th:

1. Two Small Pieces of Glass: Ward Beecher Planitarium: learn ow the telescope has helped us understand our place in the world. 330-941-1370 This program is held again May 8th. 8pm. YSU Campus, One Unversity Plaze.

Saturday, May 8th:

1. Moms the Word: Public Library Newport Branch. Bring Mom and the whole family for games stories and crafts for Mothers Day. 2pm

Sunday, May 9th: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

1. The Youngstown Club: Mothers Day Buffet: 1pm-6pm for reservations call 330-744-2177
2. The Lemon Grove Cafe: Sunday Family Game Day
3. Mothers Day with Doris Day: Stambaugh Auditorium. 1000 Fifth Ave 330-747-5175 Featuring a brunch buffet and the program "Que Sera- Sera: The Life and Music of Doris Day" presented by Damaris Peters Pike. 11:30am brunch 12:30pm program. $30, $10 children under 12yrs.

Monday, May 10th:

1. Open Forum on Naighborhood Reporting: Please join us for an Open Forum on neighborhood reporting with New York Times reporter David Gonzalez and local journalists. Bring your questions and ideas about how the media can cover what’s really happening in our community and your neighborhood. 7 p.m. Kilcawley Center, The Ohio Room Questions: Contact Alyssa Lenhoff at ajlenhoff@ysu.edu or call 330-402-1016 Sponsored by The YSU Center for Working-Class Studies, The Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative, The New York Times, The Raymond John Wean Foundation and YSU’s journalism program.

Tuesday, May 11th:

1. Opera: The Cheese Stand Alone and Goldilocks anf the Three Bears. Ford Family Recital Hall. 260 West Federal for tickets call 330-941-2787 Presented by Students Motivated by the Arts (SMARTS) 6pm $1.

Wednesday, May 12th:

1. Music at Noon, Butler Institute of American Art, 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown; 330-743-1107 or for more information call the Dana School of Music at 330-941-3636. 12:15 p.m.

Spotlight: Four Seasons Flea Market

Want to save money and don't have time to clip coupons? Want fresh flowers in your house but don't think you can afford it? Like to read magazines, but hate to pay $5 at the checkout? Want to serve more fresh fruits and vegetables but hate the high cost and small quantities??? My answer is YES to all of the above! But thankfully I have a way around this....

1/2 cost products...
Fresh cut Roses, $0.25 each...
About any magazine you can think of, $1.00 each
Vendor after vendor of produce, CHEAP!!!

I sound like a salesman I know, and believe me, I don't work for them but I am a FAITHFUL Four Seasons flea-marketer! Anyone who knows me knows this is true :).

Four Seasons Flea Market is located on route 422 next to the Lincoln Knolls Plaza area. For all my friends from Victory Christian Center, it is just down the road! I have been going here faithfully just about as long as I can remember. I am there almost every time they are open, on Sunday and Wednesdays. Vendors begin setting up in the early morning and usually begin closing down by 3.It has changed alot over the years and all for the better. A few years ago the main building of the flea market was completely destroyed in a fire. They have since rebuilt and are now better than ever!

The inside portion is great! With a brand new building to boast, they easily house many new vendors. Those magazines and flowers I mentioned above, are straight ahead of you as soon as you walk in the doors. There is a cafe in the back left corner of the building and for the moms who think like me... there are NICE bathrooms right behind the flowers. I know what you were thinking, flea market= porta potties. NOT HERE :) Diaper changes would be pretty difficult otherwise.

The outside is wonderful as well! When they really get going in the summertime and the local produce comes in, there are 4 outdoor pavilions FULL of fresh local produce. Even now, though, there is plenty of produce to choose from.

I know most are familiar with Rogers Flea Market, and it too is nice, but soooooo far away. At least for me. So if your looking for the things I had mentioned above and don't want to go to far, try Four Seasons and let me know what you find. I seem to find the most unique things there!

I am going tomorrow, and I will try to take and post some pictures of some of my favorite things and vendors.

The Strategy

I've been asked quite a bit lately, how I find so much fun things to do here in Youngstown with my kids... So recently I wrote an email to a friend who asked me this question and laid it all out. I thought that this would be a good place to start in this new adventure of mine. I'm giving the strategy first, and then in the weeks to come I will spotlight some of our favorite things to do in the city. This really is a great city to find fun family things to do (against popular belief :) So here it is, my strategy. I hope this helps anyone out there looking for a fun, family, summer in the city!

1. Email Lindsey Hughes (she is the Youngstown City Event Planner) and just say that you would like to receive her weekly email Youngstown newsletter/calender. Then every Wednesday, she lays out everything that is going on during the week.

Lyndsey Hughes [lhughes@cityofyoungstownoh.com]

2. I really take advantage of the Mahoning County library system. There are so many that I can usually work a stop in to one wherever I am going. And you can drop your books off at anyone of them. It doesn't have to be the same one that you got the books from. Whenever I'm there I pick up a copy of the Parent Magazine, Metro Monthly Magazine, and a schedule of the library's events and keep them in the diaper bag for quick reference.

3. I use Facebook to keep updated on whats going on by joining groups like MillCreek Metroparks, the Planetarium, Butler Art Institute, etc... Then you will get updates on any special events that may be happening.

4. I belong to the Children's Museum downtown. It was really great! They are closed now but I would definitely go when they reopen. Fall of 2010. They are moving a few blocks and upgrading, so it should be nice when they reopen. It was 50.00 a year for 2 parents/2 kids and a few free guest passes.

5. I try to work a stop in to Fellows Riverside Gardens whenever it is close by (usually once or twice a week). It is just a beautiful place to let your kids run around and explore nature! Make Maria Montessori proud... And free! Going there more frequently is a great way to teach young children stages of growth. Almost every time we go there new flowers have bloomed. And then whenever I'm there I just pick up every brochure they have of events and keep it on hand.

6. This may sound crazy and like I have alot of time on my hands, but this really helps... Whenever I get these event brochures for the month, I try to skim through and whatever jumps out at me that sounds like something I might want to do, I put it on the calender with contact information, or details. That way I am less likely to forget and if there seems to be just a day that we don't have anything to do, I usually don't have to search very hard because there is probably something on the calender. These are not things that I PLAN to do, they are just, like, I might do them if we need something to do.

7. The Butler Art Inst. is really nice, free, and they have a great kids art room if you take the stairs to the right as soon as you go in.

8. Basically, anywhere I am I am looking for free brochures and information of events :)

In the weeks to come I will be spotlighting things like:

Butler Art Institute
Mahoning County Library System
Fellows Riverside Gardens
Mill Creek Metro Parks and Farms
Children's Museum of the Valley
Four Seasons Flea Market
and much more.....

If there is anything else that someone want's spotlighted just let me know... The girls and I are very adventurous and we plan on exploring ALOT this summer!

Hope this helps!