Summer is a great time for heading to the pool, exploring outdoors, and hanging out with friends. Summer is also a great time to encourage a love of reading! Additionally, research studies show that access to books can help prevent a decrease in reading skills over the summer (Journal of Education...

Happy birthday, America! On July 4, we recognize America’s Independence Day. Here are a few fun facts to help you and your family celebrate. The Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence on July 2nd, 1776 – not July...

Fair season is upon us! For 4-H families, this is an important (and sometimes stressful) time. Exhibiting livestock or other projects is an opportunity for young people to showcase...

It’s summertime! The weather is warm, kids are out of school, and - for many families - that means it’s time to head out on vacation. This year, why not consider camping? Even if you aren’t planning to travel, backyard campouts are a fun way to shake things up and step out of your normal routine a...

June is Great Outdoors Month! And there are so, so many things that are great about the great outdoors. While I am truly grateful for the time you’re taking to read...

The pace of life at this point in the year can be extremely busy and it can seem like the end of the school is the finish line you just need to cross (and then collapse). However, for your children, it is the completion of a year of learning, growing and often a lot of hard work. It is important to...

Take a deep breath… Now take one more… How do you feel? Do you notice any difference in your mind or body? Maybe you feel just a little bit more relaxed. Or grounded. Or ready to continue on with the task at hand. Deep breathing can have positive effects on our mental wellbeing by triggering a...

Teaching kids about serving others often looks like donations to a food bank or collecting items to be shared with other children during the holiday season. While there is nothing wrong with those types of community service, it often leaves the young people removed from seeing the benefit of their...

May can be a crazy month for families. End-of-year exams, concerts, projects, planting, parties, recitals, graduations, summer planning, spring cleaning, UGH! – I get exhausted just thinking about it! This spring, as you’re trying to take care of all of your family obligations, be sure to take care...

As my children get older, one of the things I enjoy most is hearing stories from their day- their adventures, funny stories, and even the things they found challenging. I also enjoy asking them questions each year on their birthday trying to capture their thoughts and feelings at that moment in...

Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner on May 5. This holiday is a great time to learn about and celebrate Mexican-American culture with your friends and family. But as you do, it’s important to be mindful that some common elements of Cinco de Mayo celebrations (or really any holidays centered...

Last month we shared some great outdoor activities you can do on sunny weather days. But what about those rainy days, which we seem to have had a lot of lately! Here are some...

I had to work last Saturday. As a 4-H staff person, it’s not unusual to have to work on weekends, and I generally don’t mind. However, when I got up on Saturday, I admit that I wasn’t looking forward to it. I was scheduled to meet youth and volunteers from our...

Even though it doesn’t quite feel like spring yet, the faintest hint of warm weather makes me anxious to open my windows and doors to let the fresh air in. It also makes me itch to start going through closets, cleaning out the garage and sprucing up the outdoors! But with so many tasks and often...

Spring has sprung! March 20 marked the vernal eqinox, the first day of spring – and I am SO excited! Every year I hold high hopes for this season, and (though the signs sometime arrive later than I hoped) spring never disappoints. The grass greens and flower buds poke their heads into the sunshine...

One of my favorite gardening memories from my childhood is the small square patch of the garden that my grandma let me plant with marigolds in whatever design I wanted. While the rest of the garden had evenly spaced rows of beans, tomatoes, lettuce and more, my little flower garden was a...

Here in the United States, St. Patrick’s Day – March 17 – has become a fun way to celebrate Irish-American culture. You and your family can join in the excitement with these engaging and educational activities! Catch a Leprechaun You’re probably already familiar with Rube Goldberg machines. You...

The day after Russia attacked Ukraine, when I picked my 10-year-old daughter up from school, she asked, “Is it over?” I wasn’t sure what she was talking about, so I asked her what she meant. She said, “the war with Russia and Ukraine-is it over yet?” Knowing that we hadn’t talked about it at home...

I am done with winter. DONE! I’ve spent nearly a decade living in the Midwest – but having grown up in Florida, I still struggle with the idea (and actuality) of being cold for four months of the year. By the end of February, I’m at my wit’s end, too. However, when the overcast skies, chilly...

We talk a lot about relationships in February. Romance is front and center around Valentine’s Day, with hearts and flowers everywhere you look. Friendship, however, doesn’t get nearly the same recognition. And yet, few things have a greater impact on our mental and physical health than our friends...