Parents & Kids

The Dinosaur Place, an Attraction for Dino-Loving Kids, Opens for the Season in Montville

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If your kids love dinosaurs and you’re looking for something different in a daytrip, a place with 50 life-sized models of dinosaurs and a variety of amusements at the eastern end of the state could be just what makes that day the best one of spring break. Nature’s Art Village, which includes The Dinosaur Place, its 60-acre “Outdoor Adventure Park,” is now open for the 2021 season. It takes a while to get there from here — an hour and 14 minutes along I-95, according to Google Maps, but your kids may be so tuckered out that they’ll be sleeping on the return trip. Here’s how the business describes The Dinosaur Place in its announcement about the season opening:
Home to over 50 life-sized dinosaurs on pristine nature trails, The Dinosaur Place is filled with fun adventures including a dinosaur-themed maze, two caves with animatronic dinosaurs, Monty’s Playground, featuring T-Rex Tower, and TWO brand-new exhibits which will be making their debut throughout the spring and summer in the newest section of the park, Lapilli Landing. These attractions include Peewee Putters, a 6-hole miniature golf experience for children of every age, and Pedal Pushers, an equestrian-themed pedal kart track for ages 6 and up weaving its way around the new addition.

Theater
Red Curtain

Tween and Teen ONLINE Theatre Workshop: The Wizard of Oz

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Aspiring actors and actresses will love this theatre workshop! In a playful environment, tweens and teens will create fantastic improvisations under the guidance of drama teacher Ingrid Schaeffer. Together, the theatre group will perform an inspired version of “The Wizard of Oz” after reading through the script. All you need to participate is an active imagination! This free workshop, meant for teens and tweens from ages 11 to 18, takes place from 1 to 2:15 p.m., Saturday, April 10.

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Learn How to Best Honor Your Loved One With A Great Obituary

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Learn the basics of how best to honor your loved one with an obituary in this hour-long class with Jamie Passaro, who runs dear person obits based in Eugene, Oregon. — an announcement from Darien Library

Writing an obituary is an important task. Obituaries are history, journalism, and poetry. They are often the last word. All participants will receive Jamie’s 25-page booklet “Writing an Obituary in Four Easy Steps.”

Darien Arts Center
Mother's Day sign 2021 Thank You for Bee-ing an Amazzzzing Mom

Get Mom a Personalized Lawn Sign from Darien Arts Center for Mother’s Day

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Personalized lawn signs for moms may be ordered through the Darien Arts Center website until April 25, and will be hand-delivered on Saturday, May 8 – just in time for Mother’s Day. — an announcement from Darien Arts Center

The Darien Arts Center is pleased to announce its spring fundraiser, “Sign of My Love,” which celebrates loved ones by gifting them with a customized lawn sign and message. The lawn signs (Delivery to Darien addresses only) are a perfect and unique way to show your love for Mother’s Day, or recognize a special person, while supporting the Darien Arts Center. Signs are $30 each and there are 3 designs from which to choose. Signs may also be picked up at the Darien Arts Center office (2 Renshaw Road, Darien) on Thursday, May 6th and Friday, May 7th, between 10AM-3PM.

Healthy Living
Sensory Friendly Evening Maritime Aquarium

Maritime Aquarium Offers a ‘Sensory-Friendly’ Night April 8 for Those Who Need It

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The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is planning a special evening on Thursday, April 8 to give guests with sensory-processing differences a fun, comfortable and accepting environment. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium

During this “Sensory-Friendly Evening,” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., lights in the Aquarium will be lower, and music and other sounds will be turned down or off. Plus, admission will be discounted, and the aquarium will show movies in the new 4D Theater without special effects. Tom Naiman, the aquarium’s director of education, said the Aquarium created “Sensory-Friendly” events in 2016 to be supportive of children and adults with special needs who may find a visit to the aquarium too stressful. “We have been offering occasional ‘Sensory-Friendly’ events in recognition that some elements of our exhibits can present a challenge because the spaces may be seen as too bright or loud or crowded for some people,” Naiman said.

Education
Greg Tang headshot

How to Make Math Make Sense — a Workshop for Parents on Wednesday, March 31

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Greg Tang will be presenting a virtual parenting workshop, “Mathematics Everywhere, for Everyone” on Wednesday, March 31, at 7 p.m. at the The Children’s School in Stamford. — an announcement from The Children’s School (with a note from Darienite.com in italics)

In his talk for The Children’s School, Greg will present an approach to math that makes working with numbers more intuitive and enjoyable, for children and parents alike. Many of the traditional problem-solving algorithms taught in school, Greg argues, are cumbersome and tedious to apply, and as a consequence many children begin to dread math. To get children off on the right foot with arithmetic, he teaches techniques — such as grouping numbers and using visualizations — that make problems easier and much more satisfying to solve. Children become more confident about their skills when they realize they can use reasoning, rather than blindly applying an algorithm, to find solutions.

Books & Authors
Carrie Seim

1st 25 Middle Schoolers Signed Up for Darien Author Carrie Seim’s Event Get Her Book, ‘Horse Girl’

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The Children’s Library is pleased to announce that Darien resident Carrie Seim will join Darien Library for a virtual event that can be enjoyed from the comfort of home on Tuesday, April 6 at 5:30 p.m.

— this announcement combines wording from the Darien Library website and a mailing from the Children’s Library. Horse Girl is a funny and heart-warming novel that will delight middle school readers from fans of Black Beauty to anyone who appreciates a story about finding yourself (and your true friends) along the way. Author Carrie Seim will read an excerpt of her brand-new novel at our virtual visit, followed by a Q&A session and a crafty opportunity for any equestrian enthusiasts in the virtual audience who would like to pick up the project materials in advance. We will be giving away free signed copies of Horse Girl to the first 25 attendees of the event. About Carrie Seim
Carrie is the author of the new acclaimed middle-grade novel HORSE GIRL (Penguin Random House) and the bestselling Audible adventure series THE FLYING FLAMINGO SISTERS (hailed by the New York Times as a Best Audiobook for Road Trips with Kids).

Community Fund of Darien 2021
Moira Rizzo

‘Pandemic Parenting’ — Register Now for April 8 Online Talk by Family Therapist

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Family therapist Moira Rizzo will lead an interactive discussion on Thursday, April 8 at 10 a.m. on “Pandemic Parenting: Strategies to Keep You and Your Kids Sane Through Challenging Times.”
Her presentation includes how to effectively talk with teens about:
—mental health
—social connectedness and
—substance use. The discussion is the fourth in a series of The Community Fund of Darien’s “Our Darien” events this year designed to educate parents about the dangers of substance use, youth mental health and how they can best support their teens. If You’re Attending … Registration for this Zoom webinar, sponsored by The Depot Youth Center and YWCA Parent Awareness, is free and required at www.communityfunddarien.org

Education
Greg Tang headshot

Parenting Workshop on How to Make Math Make Sense, March 31 at The Children’s School

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Greg Tang will be presenting a virtual parenting workshop, “Mathematics Everywhere, for Everyone” on Wednesday, March 31, at 7 p.m. at the The Children’s School in Stamford. — an announcement from The Children’s School (with a note from Darienite.com in italics)

In his talk for The Children’s School, Greg will present an approach to math that makes working with numbers more intuitive and enjoyable, for children and parents alike. Many of the traditional problem-solving algorithms taught in school, Greg argues, are cumbersome and tedious to apply, and as a consequence many children begin to dread math. To get children off on the right foot with arithmetic, he teaches techniques — such as grouping numbers and using visualizations — that make problems easier and much more satisfying to solve. Children become more confident about their skills when they realize they can use reasoning, rather than blindly applying an algorithm, to find solutions.

Education
Darien Summer School cooking class

You Can Now Register for Darien Summer School & Enrichment

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Registration for Darien Summer School and Enrichment’s 2021 season has begun, with most classes held in-person and a few with choices for learning in-person or on-line. — an announcement from Darien Summer School
Families can choose in-person or virtual learning, as indicated by the title of each class on the website. DSS, a program of Darien Public Schools, will continue to offer popular programs such as Musical Theater Workshop, football camps, Sports & Art Camp, and Summer PALS along with exciting new camps.  
The the program will run from June 28 to July 30, with Monday, July 5 off in observance of the Independence Day holiday. With over 200 options for participants ages 3 to 18, every kid can explore a new path with DSS this summer. Visit DarienSummerSchool.com for more information regarding classes and to register.

Community Organizations
Abilis Sibshops 2020

Abilis Launches ‘Sibshops’ for 10- to 14-Year-Old Siblings of Those with Disabilities

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Abilis is launching “Sibshops” for children ages 10-to-14 who are brothers and sisters of someone who has a disability. Sibshops are high-spirited and fun workshops and events that combine recreation, discussion and information for siblings who endure the good (and sometimes not-so good) parts of having a sibling with a disability. — an announcement from Abilis

Sibshops provide a safe space for siblings to share their thoughts and feelings while also meeting others in similar circumstances and provides a place to enjoy themselves through different recreation activities and through playing games while also learning about the services their brother(s) or sister(s) receive. Sibshops will hold monthly meetings or events, beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 30, and running through Dec.

Parents & Kids
Darien Scouting

Darien Scouting Open House Saturday Afternoon, Oct 3

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Families with boys and girls are invited to stop by the Scout Cabin at 140 West Ave. on Saturday Oct. 3 from 2 to 5 p.m. to see the scouts in action, participate in fun activities, and learn more about the Darien Scouting program. — an announcement from Darien Scouts

While many youth activities have gone virtual or been cancelled altogether due to the pandemic, Darien Scouting has continued to provide programs for local youth to enjoy fun outdoor activities, build leadership skills, make lifelong friends, and provide valuable community service, all while following COVID-19 safety procedures. Darien Scouting has programs for grades K-12 including Cub Scouts for boy and girl elementary students, separate boy and girl Scout BSA troops for middle and high school students, and the first-in-the-nation coed STEM Venture Crew for high schoolers interested in developing and teaching STEM-based curriculum.

AAA Northeast 2020
Child Safety Seat Car Seat AAA

AAA Says More Infant Car Seats in CT Face Rear, But More Would Be Better

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More parents and guardians are following Connecticut’s Child Passenger Safety (CPS) seat law for infants since the state strengthened the original mandate in 2017, says AAA Northeast. — an announcement from AAA Northeast

Currently, infants must ride rear facing until they turn 2 years old and weigh at least 30 pounds, an upgrade from the earlier requirement of 1 year and 20 pounds. To highlight National CPS Week (Sept. 20 – 26), AAA Northeast analyzed data from the UConn Crash Data Repository and found more children under age two have been riding rear facing in recent years. In fact, the percentage of children under 2 who are riding rear facing increased from 45% in 2015 — before the law was upgraded — to 61% last year.

NAMI Basics Course 2020

Free Online Course for Families, Caregivers of Children, Young People With Mental Health Conditions

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A free online educational course for parents and family caregivers of children and young adults aged 21 or younger will soon be offered by the Southwest Connecticut Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. — an announcement from NAMI Southwest CT

The six-session course starts Oct. 8 and is open to those helping care for children and adults, ages 21 or younger who are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition or who have already been diagnosed. The NAMI Basics course will be held on Thursday mornings, from 9 to 11:45 a.m., beginning Thursday Oct. 8, 2020.

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STAR new services for younger children

STAR Inc Expands Services for Younger Children With Developmental Delays

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STAR, Inc., Lighting the Way is launching an expanded, multi-lingual program for children experiencing, or at risk of, developmental delays. The enhanced program, generously supported in part by The Community Fund of Darien, New Canaan Community Foundation and other generous grants, expands services from birth through age 5, with additional service options for children up to age 8. — an announcement from Star, Inc., Lighting the Way

The goal of the program is to assist families throughout the preschool years and beyond by strengthening the continuity of therapy and teaching that will benefit families with basic short-term needs as well as those with greater challenges. Likewise, to be able to serve all income levels, STAR is an approved provider accepting Medicaid, most medical insurances and private pay. STAR offers developmental evaluations, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and special education.