The first day of school is just around the corner! I think almost everyone has experienced back to school jitters at one point or another. Which helps us relate and empathize as parents, when our kids become nervous about going…
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Education for kids in Des Moines, IA
Central Iowa School Starting Dates & Calendars for the 2021-22 School Year
Central Iowa is home to many, many school districts. And the nature of being a Des Moineser means you have at least one friend or family member who lives in a different district than you. It’s always handy to have…
Read More5 Ways To Keep Kids Learning This Summer
As we head into May, we all start to anticipate the end of the school year. Kids and parents alike are ready to kick back and take a break. The temptations are great to let your kids spend hours watching…
Read MoreYou’re Invited to Attend the First dsm Lifting The Veil Event of 2021 – Moms on the Edge!
Through six events dsm’s “Lifting The Veil” will be exploring how the lives and mental health of Iowa families have been indelibly changed by the pandemic. This year’s series will focus on parents, children and families, and also shine a…
Read More#StopAsianHate: Resources to Talk to Your Kids About Xenophobia and Learn More About Asian Culture in Des Moines
Due to the recent shootings in Atlanta and the surge of racism and violence heightened by the pandemic, we have been looking for ways to help educate Des Moines kids about Asian and Pacific Islander (APPI) related discrimination. It’s important…
Read MoreNationally Recognized Authors + Event Workshops Return in 2021 for Hybrid DSM Book Festival
This post is sponsored by the DSM Book Festival. Returning for four Saturdays in March and April, the 2021 DSM Book Festival will welcome authors previously set to attend the event in 2020, as well as hold a variety of…
Read MoreHow to Support Our Kids During Virtual Learning
By Natalie Maughan Hasn’t 2020 been fun?? I say that with a dollop of sarcasm when I consider how different my life is now to what I would normally be doing had the pandemic never happened. Right now, all six…
Read MoreElection 2020: YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE! Do you have a voting plan?
Did you know that there is an election taking place this November?!? If you haven’t heard, let me know what deserted island you’ve been hanging out on!!! All kidding aside, this year’s elections feel like the most crucial of our…
Read MoreLooking for a reading resource for your child?
By Joan Hentschel Aardvark to Zucchini Alphabet Book rocks! To homeschool or not to homeschool? This question is on the minds of many parents due to COVID-19. This fall, whether you choose to homeschool, join a neighborhood learning pod, keep…
Read More5 EASY Ideas to Create a More Bird Friendly Backyard
Attracting birds is a great way to bring nature up close and into your backyard for your kids. According to the Iowa DNR, more than 200 bird species call Iowa home and more than 420 species spend at least part…
Read MoreMonarch Butterfly Tagging: What is it?
By Natalie Maughan Do you remember last fall watching all the monarch butterflies migrate south through the Des Moines area? Just about any time you looked outside or spent time in the yard you could catch one of these majestic…
Read MoreHere Are 10 Tips to Make Online Schooling Work
I think we can all agree that distance learning last spring was a challenge – the plane was being built as it was flying, so to speak. With Central Iowa schools offering varied Return to Learn Plans for this fall,…
Read MoreBack To School Tips for the 2020-21 School Year
Going back to school can be tough, even in ordinary circumstances – but this has not been an ordinary year! No one could have prepared for the turn of events that closed out the 2019-20 school year. On-line learning from…
Read MoreCentral Iowa School Starting Dates & Plans for the 2020-21 School Year
Find 2021-22 school start dates here. This time of year, we traditionally start to think about and look forward to the kids going back to school. As we are in the middle of a pandemic, this year has been a…
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