SEPTEMBER 2014

The Science Factory Children’s Museum & Exploration Dome will showcase its Summer of Small exhibit through Sept. 15. At this exhibit, kids will be able to explore the world at the nanoscale. How small is the nanoscale? Well, a sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick, so a nanoscale is really, really small! To see museum hours and admission prices, visit The Science Factory.

 

The Arc Families Connected will host an Out & About at Bounce Gymnastics for children with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their siblings every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The group of volunteers will not be there to help. Parents must remain on site while their children play. The cost is $3 per child. For more information, call 541-343-5256.

 

The Eugene Public Library hosts Sensory Story Time every Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the downtown branch, located at 100 W. 10th Ave. This is a special story time for kids of all ages with sensory integration issues or other special needs and their caregivers.

 

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural and Cultural History offer free admission on Fri., Sept. 5 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Both museums are located on the University of Oregon campus. Visit the museum’s websites for information on current exhibits and museum locations.

 

The Oregon Family Support Network (OFSN) hosts a monthly Respite Night for parents and caregivers of children and youth with emotional, behavioral, mental and/or physical challenges and special needs. This month’s Respite Night will take place on Fri., Sept. 5 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Children have access to movies, Wii, crafts, coloring, free play and games while the adults get a much needed rest. Children are supervised and interact with trained youth activity leaders and OFSN staff. Dinner and a snack are provided. This is a popular event and fills up fast! Preregistration is required. To RSVP, call 541-342-2876.

 

The City of Eugene will host a Family Fun Night on Fri., Sept. 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Petersen Barn Community Center, located at 870 Berntzen Rd. Dinner will be served until 6:30 p.m. There will also be games, crafts and live entertainment. This is a free, drop-in program; no registration is required.

 

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural and Cultural History offer free admission during University of Oregon Ducks home game weekends throughout the 2014 football season. Visit the museums from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7. Both museums are located on the University of Oregon campus. Visit the museum’s websites for information on current exhibits and museum locations.

 

The City of Eugene Recreation Services will host a free First Saturday Park Walk for all ages on Sat., Sept. 6 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Meadowlark Prairie in the West Eugene Wetlands (take W. 11th west, turn right on Greenhill Rd., turn right into Meadowlark Prairie parking lot). Naturalists from the Outdoor Program will lead this interpretive walks. Drop-in; no registration required. For questions, call 541-682-5329.

 

The Home Depot hosts free monthly Kids Workshops the first Saturday of each month. This month’s workshop will take place on Sat., Sept. 6 from 9 a.m. to noon. Kids will build a Wizard of Oz™ birdhouse. Kids workshop activities are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn more and to register for the workshop, visit The Home Depot Kids Workshops.

 

The Arc Lane County will offer its Take a Break Respite Program on Sat., Sept. 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 4181 E St., Springfield. This is a low- cost program The Arc Lane County provides to families the first Saturday of each month. The cost is $10 per day per child with disability and $5 per day for siblings. Families must email Becca Hope or call 541-654-7649 as soon as possible to confirm space availability and reserve a spot for their child.

 

The Eugene Public Library will host Family Music Time on Sat., Sept. 6 from 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the downtown branch, located at 100 W. 10th Ave. Samuel Becerra will entertain with the high-energy music of Mexico and South America. Admission is free.

 

Kids and families are invited to the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts (MECCA) every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to make a creative reuse project. From magnetic puzzles to robot rockets to sock creatures, there’s always a fun, all-ages craft project for kids and families each Saturday. There is no need to preregister, and all materials are included for each workshop. A $3 to $5 sliding scale donation is requested per child. Children under 10 should be accompanied by an adult. MECCA is located at 449 Willamette St. in Eugene.

 

The Eugene Public Library will host Cuentos y Canciones (Stories & Songs) on Sat., Sept. 6 from 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the Bethel branch, located at 1990 Echo Hollow Rd. Cuentos y Canciones is a weekly story time in Spanish for children and families. Admission is free.

 

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural and Cultural History offer free admission during University of Oregon Ducks home game weekends throughout the 2014 football season. Visit the museums from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7. Both museums are located on the University of Oregon campus. Visit the museum’s websites for information on current exhibits and museum locations.

 

The Arc Families Connected will host an Out & About at Bounce Gymnastics for children with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their siblings every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The group of volunteers will not be there to help. Parents must remain on site while their children play. The cost is $3 per child. For more information, call 541-343-5256.

 

The Eugene Public Library hosts Sensory Story Time every Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the downtown branch, located at 100 W. 10th Ave. This is a special story time for kids of all ages with sensory integration issues or other special needs and their caregivers.

 

Valley River Center will host a Kids Club on Thurs., Sept. 11 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at 293 Valley River Center in Eugene. There will be a pet parade at this month’s meeting. Kids Club is free and is geared for children ages 4 to 10 years.

 

Parents and preschool-age children are invited to the Museum of Natural and Cultural History (MNCH) at the University of Oregon on Fri., Sept. 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for stories and hands-on fun, including crafts, songs, games and museum exploration. The theme of this month’s Little Wonders is “Terrific Teeth,” with a reading of What if You Had Animal Teeth? by Sandra Markle, plus a variety of fun activities. Admission for a family of four is $5 and is free for museum members. Little Wonders is hosted the second Friday of every month at MNCH, located at 1680 East 15th Ave. in Eugene.

 

The Oregon Family Support Network (OFSN) will host a Family Fun Night on Fri., Sept. 12 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Cottage Grove Community Center, located at 700 Gibbs. This event is for families with children who experience mental, emotional and/or behavioral health challenges. Parents and kids can enjoy an evening doing crafts or playing games. Craft materials and games will be provided. Families are invited to bring a favorite game or craft to make as well. A light snack will be provided for parents and children. For more information or to RSVP, call 541-342-2876.

 

Come and celebrate at the free 5th Annual Harvest Festival on Sat., Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Territorial and West Broadway (25035 W. Broadway) in Veneta. Browse vendors, let children play at the Kids Zone, enjoy live music, a chili cook-off, pancake breakfast and more!

 

The Eugene Public Library will host Family Music Time on Sat., Sept. 13 from 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the downtown branch, located at 100 W. 10th Ave. Singer/songwriter Rob Tobias will entertain families with classics, originals and tunes made up on the spot. Admission is free.

 

Kids and families are invited to the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts (MECCA) every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to make a creative reuse project. From magnetic puzzles to robot rockets to sock creatures, there’s always a fun, all-ages craft project for kids and families each Saturday. There is no need to preregister, and all materials are included for each workshop. A $3 to $5 sliding scale donation is requested per child. Children under 10 should be accompanied by an adult. MECCA is located at 449 Willamette St. in Eugene.

 

The Eugene Public Library will host Cuentos y Canciones (Stories & Songs) on Sat., Sept. 13 from 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the Bethel branch, located at 1990 Echo Hollow Rd. Cuentos y Canciones is a weekly story time in Spanish for children and families. Admission is free.

 

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural and Cultural History offer free admission during University of Oregon Ducks home game weekends throughout the 2014 football season. Visit the museums from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 13 and Sept. 14. Both museums are located on the University of Oregon campus. Visit the museum’s websites for information on current exhibits and museum locations.

 

E.T. the Extraterrestrial (Rated PG) will be the featured movie at Miller Park in Florence on Sat., Sept. 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. This is a benefit for the Boys and Girls Club of Western Lane County. Admission is by donation. The gates to the park will open at 4:30 p.m. Miller Park is located at 18th St. and Oak St. in Florence.

 

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural and Cultural History offer free admission during University of Oregon Ducks home game weekends throughout the 2014 football season. Visit the museums from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 13 and Sept. 14. Both museums are located on the University of Oregon campus. Visit the museum’s websites for information on current exhibits and museum locations.

 

Tugman Park will be the site for the Southeast Neighbors Picnic & Neighborhood Festival on Sun., Sept. 14 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There will be live music from neighborhood bands, a circus arts group teaching juggling and hula hoop, face-painting, free ice cream, an urban garden sharing table, introductory yoga classes, a nature scavenger hunt and a kickball tournament.

 

The Arc Families Connected will host an Out & About at Bounce Gymnastics for children with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their siblings every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The group of volunteers will not be there to help. Parents must remain on site while their children play. The cost is $3 per child. For more information, call 541-343-5256.

 

The Eugene Public Library hosts Sensory Story Time every Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the downtown branch, located at 100 W. 10th Ave. This is a special story time for kids of all ages with sensory integration issues or other special needs and their caregivers.

 

Celebrate Cottage Grove’s historic covered bridges with good old fashioned family fun at the Covered Bridge Festival Sept. 19 and Sept. 20 at Bohemia Park, located at 10th and Main St. in Cottage Grove. Bridge tours will be offered, along with wine tasting, a cycling event, art, music and kid’s activities. To learn more about this free event, visit Oregon’s Covered Bridge Festival.

 

The Oregon Family Support Network (OFSN) hosts a monthly Family Support Meeting the third Friday of every month for families of children and youth who experience mental, emotional, behavioral and/or physical special needs. The Family Support Meeting will take place on Fri., Sept. 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Emerald Park Pool, located at 1400 Lake Dr. in Eugene. Kids can swim for free and a light snack will be provided. Preregistration is required. To RSVP, call 541-342-2876.

 

Enjoy a Family Movie Night at the Amazon Community Center on Fri., Sept. 19 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Over the Hedge (Rated PG) will be the featured movie. The room will open at 6 p.m. and the movie will start at 6:30 p.m. Popcorn will be provided. The Amazon Community Center is located at 2700 Hilyard St. The cost is $1 per person.

 

Grab the family and enjoy some recreation time together in the gym, pool and playground at Family Fit Friday on Fri., Sept. 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Sheldon Community Center, located at 2445 Willakenzie Rd. There will be different planned activities, movies, games and special parties to attend. Call to register ahead or visit the website for more details. Swimming will be available for a fee. For questions, call 541-682-5312.

 

Celebrate Cottage Grove’s historic covered bridges with good old fashioned family fun at the Covered Bridge Festival Sept. 19 and Sept. 20 at Bohemia Park, located at 10th and Main St. in Cottage Grove. Bridge tours will be offered, along with wine tasting, a cycling event, art, music and kid’s activities. To learn more about this free event, visit Oregon’s Covered Bridge Festival.

 

The Eugene Public Library will host Family Music Time on Sat., Sept. 20 from 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the downtown branch, located at 100 W. 10th Ave. Join Pia and Jason Robbins of Little Timbre Studio for creative and engaging activities to support development of the whole child. Admission is free.

 

Kids and families are invited to the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts (MECCA) every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to make a creative reuse project. From magnetic puzzles to robot rockets to sock creatures, there’s always a fun, all-ages craft project for kids and families each Saturday. There is no need to preregister, and all materials are included for each workshop. A $3 to $5 sliding scale donation is requested per child. Children under 10 should be accompanied by an adult. MECCA is located at 449 Willamette St. in Eugene.

 

The Eugene Public Library will host Cuentos y Canciones (Stories & Songs) on Sat., Sept. 20 from 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the Bethel branch, located at 1990 Echo Hollow Rd. Cuentos y Canciones is a weekly story time in Spanish for children and families. Admission is free.

 

Walk, bike and roll on two miles of car-free streets on Sun., Sept. 21. from noon to 4 p.m. in the Harlow Neighborhood. Visit Eugene Sunday Streets to learn more.

 

The Arc Families Connected will host an Out & About at Bounce Gymnastics for children with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their siblings every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The group of volunteers will not be there to help. Parents must remain on site while their children play. The cost is $3 per child. For more information, call 541-343-5256.

 

The Eugene Public Library hosts Sensory Story Time every Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the downtown branch, located at 100 W. 10th Ave. This is a special story time for kids of all ages with sensory integration issues or other special needs and their caregivers.

 

All parents are invited and encouraged to attend the State Interagency Coordinating Council’s (SICC) annual retreat on Fri., Sept. 26 from 8:45 a.m. until 3 p.m. in conference room CD at the Center for Health and Learning, located at St. Charles Medical Center, 2500 NE Neff Rd. in Bend, OR. The SICC was established to ensure coordination of the Local Interagency Coordinating Councils (LICC) and to support the ongoing development of quality statewide services for young children and their families. The SICCs/LICCs advise, advocate and collaborate on state, local and individual levels to maximize each child’s unique potential and ability to participate in society. The theme for this year’s retreat is “On Beyond Zebra A Jungle Hub Story.” A stipend may be available to help parents with travel costs. If you are a parent and are interested in attending this retreat, please contact Early Childhood CARES Co-Director Judy Newman.

 

Bring the kids to the pool on their day off! The City of Eugene Aquatics program holds recreation swims on school holidays. Both the Echo Hollow and Sheldon pools will be open on Fri., Sept. 26 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $3.25 for kids (ages 3-17), $3.75 adults (ages 18 and older) or $7.50 for families of five or fewer. The Echo Hollow pool is located at 1655 Echo Hollow Rd., and the Sheldon pool is located at 2445 Willakenzie Rd. See page 28 of the Fall Recreation Guide for a complete listing of no school swim days at both Echo Hollow and Sheldon Pools.

 

The Oregon Family Support Network (OFSN) hosts a monthly Family Fun Night the fourth Friday of every month for families with children who experience mental, emotional, behavioral and/or physical special needs. Family Fun Night will be held on Fri., Sept. 26 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Skate World, located at 3188 Gateway Lp. in Springfield. Children must be supervised by their parent or caregiver. The cost is $1 for roller skates or $4 for inline skates.

 

PetFest will be held on Sat., Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lively Park, located at 6100 Thurston Rd. in Springfield. PetFest will feature demonstrations by working dogs, vendor booths, educational sessions by pet specialists, dog training and agility demonstrations, playtime in the dog park, prize drawings and more. Admission is free.

 

The Eugene Public Library will host Family Music Time on Sat., Sept. 27 from 10:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the downtown branch, located at 100 W. 10th Ave. This week, elementary school teacher Bryan Reed will make learning rock! Admission is free.

 

Kids and families are invited to the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts (MECCA) every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to make a creative reuse project. From magnetic puzzles to robot rockets to sock creatures, there’s always a fun, all-ages craft project for kids and families each Saturday. There is no need to preregister, and all materials are included for each workshop. A $3 to $5 sliding scale donation is requested per child. Children under 10 should be accompanied by an adult. MECCA is located at 449 Willamette St. in Eugene.

 

The Eugene Public Library will host Cuentos y Canciones (Stories & Songs) on Sat., Sept. 20 from 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the Bethel branch, located at 1990 Echo Hollow Rd. Cuentos y Canciones is a weekly story time in Spanish for children and families. Admission is free.

 

The Museum of Natural and Cultural History (MNCH) will host a Fall Festival on Sun., Sept. 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1680 E. 15th Ave. in Eugene. Come enjoy music, crafts, trivia and treats and help create a collaborative mural using recycled materials! The Fall Festival is $8 per family (up to four children) and free for MNCH members. To learn more, see Fall Festival at MNCH.

 

Early Childhood CARES will host its Fall Behavior Management Parent Group starting Mon., Sept. 29 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in room 145 of the Clinical Services Building located on the University of Oregon campus at 901 E. 18th Ave. This is an eight-week training designed to help parents learn effective behavior support strategies to use with preschool-age children with challenging behaviors. Subsequent classes will be held Oct. 6, Oct. 13, Oct. 20, Oct. 27, Nov. 3, Nov. 10 and Nov. 17. Free childcare will be provided to qualified Early Childhood CARES children and their siblings. Please call 541-346-2578 or email Carla to register for the training and arrange your childcare needs. Remember, parents must register for this training even if they do not need childcare.

 

The Arc Families Connected will host an Out & About at Bounce Gymnastics for children with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their siblings every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The group of volunteers will not be there to help. Parents must remain on site while their children play. The cost is $3 per child. For more information, call 541-343-5256.

 

Early Childhood CARES is excited to welcome children back to school this month! Below is a list of the different programs and their start dates:

• Community Preschools – Starting week of Sept. 11
• Eugene Hearing & Speech Center – Starting week of Sept. 11
• Head Start Full Day Programs – Starting week of Sept. 11
• Relief Nursery – Starting week of Sept. 15
• Early Education Program (EEP) – Starting week of Sept. 15
• Head Start Part-Day Programs – Starting week of Sept. 15
• Early Childhood CARES Oakridge, Delight Valley – Starting week of Sept. 15
• Early Childhood CARES Florence – Starting week of Sept. 15
• Communication Classes – Starting week of Sept. 15
• Explorers Eugene and Springfield – Starting week of Sept. 15
• Circle of Friends – Starting week of Sept. 15
• A Child’s Garden – To be announced
• Willamalane Inclusion Classrooms (Jumping Jays, Cherry Chickadees and Pleasant Hill) – Starting week of Sept. 15
• Parent Toddler Groups and Toddler Plus – Starting week of Sept. 22

There are a few important things to note. First, The Head Start Part-Day Programs will have a staggered start on Sept. 11 and Sept. 12. No district transportation will be provided on these dates.

Second, the Circle of Friends morning class will run from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday through Thursday. The afternoon class will run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Third, the Eugene Communication Class has moved from Monday to Wednesday.

Head Start will be adding a site at Clear Lake Elementary School in Bethel, as well as a site in Junction City.

The site for the Junction City EEP will be 530 W. 7th Ave. The Buena Vista EEP will move back to Buena Vista for fall.

Lastly, the Thurston CDC moved to Thurston High School rooms 164 and 165.

Please be aware, the dates listed above are all projected start dates and may be subject to change.

To see the full school year calendar, visit Early Childhood CARES 2014-2015 Service Calendar.