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wfmwichita family

magazine

CONSIGNMENT SALE MAKES BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPING EASY

HANDS-ON LEARNING AT THE MUSEUM

BALANCE PACKED LUNCHES, SNACKS

august 2014

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wfmwichita family

magazineNews and Information from our partners at Wichita Public Schools

Must-have products for going back to school

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Allow your children to explore their musical talents

Wichita Art Museum provides families with fun, educational opportunities

august 2014

Inside:

Photo by Kate Hagans

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Call for a free consultation about your child’s development.Sedgwick County: 316.945.7117 • Butler County: 316.320.1342

Early Intervention Services

Success begins at an early age

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magazine

Copyright 2014 by Lucky 7 Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Wichita Family Magazine is not responsible for errors, omissions or contest fulfillment from third parties. Reproduction in part or in whole without written permission is strictly prohibited. Wichita Family is distributed free of charge. The magazine’s advertisers make this possible, so support them! We reserve the right to edit submitted material. All submissions will be considered for publication, but we reserve the right to refuse material. Materials will not be returned. Any editorial content or advertising published

is the property of Lucky 7 Publishing LLC.

published by Lucky 7 Publishing LLC

316.295.8465

Publisher Todd Vogts

Advertising inquiries contact:

Publisher Todd Vogts publisher@wichitafamily.com

Wichita Family Magazine is published 12 times a year by Lucky 7 Publishing LLC. Wichita Family Magazine is available free, at schools, stores, restaurants, libraries, retailers and local attractions, as well as other places families frequent. For a complete list of where to find Wichita Family, or for subscription rates, email us at publisher@wichitafamily.com or visit our website at www.wichitafamily.com.

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Message from the PublisherThere have been a lot of changes here at Wichita

Family Magazine over the past few months. The magazine is now under new ownership.

My name is Todd Vogts, and I am the new owner and publisher of Wichita Family Magazine.

I am proud graduate of Wichita State University’s Elliott School of Commu-nication. My time at the Elliott school showed me how much I loved com-munity journalism, and Wichita Family Magazine is exactly that.

This publication pro-vides a vital role within

the Wichita community, and when the opportunity arose for me to take on this magazine, I jumped at the opportunity. From observing the course of the publication, I knew how great of a magazine it was, and I am honored to be leading it now.

Family is something that is very important to me, and I hope that shows in the editorial content of this magazine.

I don’t plan on making any drastic changes over the coming months. If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. Right?

My goal is simply to grow the publication. I want to build off the great work my predecessor did and continue the Wichita Family tradition of excellence.

If you are a monthly reader, I thank you for your continued patronage, and if you are a first-

time reader, I hope you enjoy what you see and will continue to pick up the magazine in the months to come.

As I said, I just want to grow Wichita Family and reach new heights with it. I want this publication to continue to serve as your go-to place for features and information about families.

Please feel free to contact me with story ideas or any comments you wish to share. My email address is publisher@wichitafamily.com.

Also, if you are on social media, you can follow Wichita Family on twitter (@WichitaFamily), “Like” the Facebook page, and follow the Pinterest boards. I want to connect with you!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy Wichita Family Magazine!

Photo by Kate Hagans

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It’s that time of year again. Time for pencil boxes, three-ring binders, books, pens and pencils, notebooks, and a new wardrobe. That’s right, it’s back-to-school time.

Getting ready to send your children back from summer break for another year of education doesn’t have to break the bank, though.

Especially if you shop Rhea Lana’s consignment sale.

Amanda Birdsong, of Rhea Lana’s of Greater Wichita, said the first consignment event was held in August 2009 and expanded into west Wichita in the fall of 2013.

“Rhea Lana’s is Wichita’s larg-est, semi-annual consignment sale event, holding one event in the spring and one in the fall on each side of Wichita,” she said.

The Back-To-School event will be located at the Wholesale Fireworks Building, 1611 Led-gerwood Drive in Andover. West Wichita’s fall event will be held in September.

Birdsong said the consignment event is a great option for families looking to get good buys on their back-to-school clothes and sup-plies.

“We sell high quality children’s

clothes, shoes, toys, books, DVDs, baby equipment, and much more,” she said. “Not only are the items are priced at 25-30 percent of retail prices, but they can find everything they need under one roof!”

Shopping at the consignment sale isn’t the only way to help the budget. Birdsong said people can also sell gently used items by be-coming a consignor, among other ways of taking part.

“You can get involved as a consignor, volunteer or shopper simply by visiting our website,” she said. “Consignors claim this is the best way to clear the clutter. My consignor check will help me cover back to school clothes, en-rollment fees and back to school supplies for my daughter. Our vol-

unteers loved being rewarded with a pass to shop first. Volunteers, consignors, military families and moms-to-be are invited to shop our private pre-sale on July 31 be-fore we open to the public.  More information can be found on our website at www.wichita.rhealana.com.”

Taking part in the consign-ment event can truly help Wichita families.

“Our consignment event offers a variety of benefits to families in the community,” she said. “Moms can consign their gently used children’s items using our user friendly tagging system and earn 70-80 percent of their sales, which is much more than you can make at a garage sale and easier and safer than meeting strangers off of the virtual garage sale sites. Our consignors get to shop our private pre-sale, watch their sales live online and their check is ready on pick-up day.  Our average consignor earned $330.00 at our spring event.”

Birdsong said this year’s event is going to be a big one.  

“We are expecting 40,000-plus items at our upcoming event, and shoppers can expect to find high quality gently used items priced

Back-to-school shopping made easy with Rhea Lana’s consignment sale

Scan this QR code to check out the Rhea Lana website!

http://wichita.rhealana.com

By Todd Vogts

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Your Child’s Musical JourneyDid you know that all children

are naturally musical? Just as children are born with the abil-

ity to learn and understand language, they also have the ability from birth to learn music. Many parents now understand the value of music for the development of young children. It is not only fun for their kids to listen, sing and dance along to, but it also helps children develop a host of important skills, such as language, concentration, social skills, confidence, and self-esteem.

Unfortunately, however, many adults feel inadequate as music-makers them-selves and, as a result, fail to make mu-sic with their children in everyday life. Parents and caregivers can contribute enormously to the enrichment of their child’s music development regardless of parents’ own music abilities. It is not important that you sing or move well. It is important that you model singing and moving for your child.

Here are some tips from the pioneer-ing early childhood music and move-ment program, Music Together, to help you begin your child’s musical journey:

1. Simply sing and dance with your child! The best thing you can do to help set your child on the road to a lifelong love of music is to participate enthusiastically in music activities yourself. Have you ever noticed how in-stinctively children try to imitate older siblings and grown-ups? Imitation is an important part of how they learn. Chil-dren learn to talk this way, as well as to

walk. If you read books, they’ll want to read. If you sing and dance, they will, too. And don’t just put on a CD. Sing, bang a drum, get up and dance. Your notes do not have to be perfect, and you may miss some words or some steps. It is about showing your child that you enjoy the music you are making.

2. Sing a lullaby to your child before bed. Young children love to hear their grown-ups sing to them. The sound of your voice, even if it is not pitch-perfect, is precious to your child. A lullaby provides a time to be close to your child physically, emotionally, and musically. The lullaby can trans-form the bedtime hour into an oasis of loving calm. For babies and toddlers, it provides a comforting bedtime ritual. For older children, who are increasingly verbal, it is often the time they sponta-neously confide their hopes and fears.

3. Take cues from your child and respond musically. If your baby or tod-dler “coos” on a pitch, return the sound. If your child sings in the car or when you are out walking, sing with her. If your child brings an instrument to you, try to stop what you are doing and play along.

4. Make it a family affair. Make music as a family. Have a dance party or a sing-along. Get out pots and pans and form a band. Gather around the piano. Imagine sitting around as a family and singing instead of watching TV or play-ing computer games. As technology increases, the importance of non-tech-

nical group interaction also increases, especially at home. Family music-mak-ing can be a wonderful activity shared by siblings, parents, grandparents, and other members of the extended family, including nannies and baby-sitters.

5. Bring your child to an early childhood music program. Young children learn best in a non-formal environment free from performance pressure and undue interference with their natural sense of fun. A good class provides children with all the ingredi-ents for music learning. It offers them a rich musical repertoire to actively explore, along with the pleasure and support of being with loved ones in a music-making community. A music class is a fun activity that the whole family can participate in. And, attend-ing class might just bring out your inner musician as well as your child’s.

So, whether crooning together in the car, marching to the door and up the stairs, dancing together to a favorite song or singing lullabies at bedtime, the parent is being an adult musical role model and providing the musical en-vironment that is essential for a child’s musical growth. It is never about skill. It is about the pleasure of music making together.

Riverside Music Together offers family music and movement classes in Wichita. Come Jam in your Jammies at our Pajama Jam Saturday, August 9th at 1103 Jefferson, First Church of the Brethren. Experience the joy of family

music through participating in one of our free demonstration classes at 9:30 or 10:45 a.m. And, join us at Pump It Up for a free demo class Thursday, August 14th or Wednesday, August 20th from 9:30-10:15 a.m. at 6803 W. Taft St., #400. The classes are geared toward children ages birth to five, but all are welcome! Please RSVP to Erin at 316-461-1385 or www.riversidemusictogether.com. We hope to see you there!

FREE Riverside Music Together Demo

Classes in August!

~Pajama Jam, Aug. 9, 9:30 or 10:45 a.m.

~Pump It Up, Aug. 14

& 20, 9:30 a.m.

316-461-1385

www.r ivers idemus ic together .com

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News and Information from our partners at Wichita Public Schools

Students create special circuits to attach joysticks to a computer to play video games during the STEM and Art Summer Academy at Mueller.

Students from Bucker, L’Ouverture, Mueller, Spaght, Brooks, Gordon Parks and Truesdell had fun during the summer at STEM and Arts Summer Academy. The 8-week program offered elementary lessons at Mueller and middle school lessons at Truesdell. The students spent half of the day working on lessons in reading, math and science. The afternoons were spent with more hands-on lessons in science, but also participate in fine arts activities like drama, dance and art. All activities are centered around STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) themes.

“They were learning to be scientists,” said Terrell Davis, principal at Truesdell, who oversaw both grade level programs. “They designed a project and test it. If it didn’t work, they modified it and tested it again to see if they made any improvements.”

“Plus they really had fun,” he added.Four of the schools involved in the summer program

will begin their new STEM magnet themes in the fall after receiving a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Many teachers from those schools are teaching at the summer academy and are using the time together to create lesson plans for the upcoming school year that tie in STEM themes.

Students spend their

summer learning STEM

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Ortiz students receive bikes from Wesley employees

Students had an opportunity to do hands-on projects with science, math and art in the SCOPE summer program. Students had many different classes to choose from, including making and launching rockets, speaking French, creating Oobleck, learning digital photography and photoshop, cooking meals and treats, and designing

computer animation. SCOPE, which stands

for Summer Curriculum Opportunities for Personal Expression, is a summer program designed to provide fun and exciting educational opportunities for identified gifted students from the Wichita Public Schools and outlying districts.

Students in SCOPE program explore arts and sciences

Thirty-five Ortiz Elementary students in the YMCA’s YSOAR summer program received new bikes and helmets from employee volunteers at Wesley Medical Center. Wesley partnered with the YMCA and Wish For Wheels, a non-profit group that provides new bikes to low-income students.

More than 100 Wesley employees put together the bikes as a team-building exercise

and delivered them to the students. The students will use the bikes throughout the YSOAR program and keep a log of how long they ride each day. At the end of the summer, the students will to take the bikes home to keep.

“I like my bike,” said student Ivan Garcia. “I ride it fast.”

Ortiz Elementary student Ivan Garcia gives a thumbs-up for his new bike that he received from Wesley Medical Center employees and Wish For Wheels.

Students in the SCOPE program celebrate their container successfully protecting an egg from a 12-foot drop.

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Chic Buds Clutchette PowerThis fashion clutch has a built-in phone

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always dying and I never have my charger with me! Now, you never have to worry

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phone on the go and store everything you need. It features an ultrathin battery,

built-in USB cords and room to carry your keys, lip gloss and other essentials!

Stylish enough to be carried alone and small enough to throw into a bigger purse or bag, it’s the perfect companion for any

fashionable super girl- from the jet-setting professional to the ever-active tween!

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yoMOTOToddlers have so much energy to burn, and the yoMOTO is the perfect ride-on toy for little bodies. The four large button wheels offer easy maneuverability and maximum stability for little people to control. The narrow, lightweight, and pedal-free sleek body design makes it easy for new walkers to experience mobility without fear of toppling over. Also has simple assembly for anxious beginnings-- just snap in the handles then go! Available in red or blue.

$80 @ www.princelionheart.com

SuperME BackpackPerfect for the superhero on the go! From the outside, it is a sleek and stylish backpack. But just as quick as a superhero can transform identities, the backpack converts into a superhero cape by simply pulling the hidden cape out of a pocket at the top of the backpack. Eye mask included to complete the transformation. The backpack can be personalized with a variety of shield-shaped SuperME patches. Starter patch included. Available for boys and girls. $39.90 @ www.supermehero.com

Back-To-School Must-Haves!

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(Family Features) When you supply your kids with nutritious and sensible choices, you're ensuring a productive day in the classroom and beyond. It's simple to make lunch and snack time fun by tossing in some new, wholesome options that add variety and appeal for your little learner.

Add new foods to the mixThe most important nutrients parents seek when

selecting the foods they feed their kids are protein, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin D and iron.While stocking up on foods rich in these nourishing ele-ments is certainly helpful, there's no way to ensure your child will eat them. But recent studies have found that kids are actually more likely than their parents to be the first of their friends to try new food or nutrition products.

Take the opportunity to start nutritious eating habits at a young age with flavorful food combina-tions that create balance at snack and meal time.

For example, pair a kid- and parent-pleasing choice, such as Mini Babybel (r) cheese, a 100 percent natural cheese with a rich and creamy taste, with their favorite fruit or vegetable.

In fact, a recent study shows that replacing non-nutrient rich snack foods like chips with a com-

bination of cheese and vegetables can help reduce calories by 72 percent and keep kids feeling fuller longer.

Easy ways to packTo help parents make better choices while

grocery shopping, Catherine McCord, author of Weelicious Lunches and Weelicious.com, and Mini Babybel Brand Advocate, offers these tasty ideas to make lunches and snacks more wholesome for the whole family:

* Protein Picks: To keep them feeling satisfied and fuller longer, include a few protein-packed choices in their lunch bag. Some options include roasted chicken, steamed edamame, hard boiled eggs, nuts or a Mini Babybel cheese.

* Sweet Additions: Make their midday meal and snack time more complete with the addition of one or two servings of fruit.

* Fresh Finds: Many vegetables offer fiber and other nutrients not found in other snacks.

With a balanced approach to eating, you'll be able to send the whole family off to school or work prepared for whatever their busy day brings. You may also introduce them to some new favorite foods.

Add balance to packed lunches, snacks

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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Soon days of sleeping and relaxing in will be replaced with hurried breakfasts and scrambling to meet the bus. School is starting up again, and with the start

of the new school year comes the inherent activities and obligations of the end of the summer break.

This doesn’t mean families won’t be able to spend quality time together, though. Instead of spending the days together, parents just need to be creative with how the weekends are planned.

Luckily, the Wichita Art Museum, which focuses on American art, offers a lot to families, and what’s best is much of it is low-cost for families on a budget.

Teresa Veazey, public relations manager at WAM, said there is no admission fee on Saturdays and all the galleries are still open.

“It’s a nice introduction to the art experience,” she said. “With free admission on Saturdays, we’ve removed a financial barrier, which I know affects a lot of families.”

With The Muse Cafe having a children’s menu touting favorites such as grilled cheese, hamburgers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and milk and cookies all for low prices, the museum is an ideal spot for a fun family outing that is still educational.

“You can certainly make a day of coming to the museum,” Veazey said. “They cater to the right crowd.”

Part of the goal of getting children interested in art is the interactive space called The Living Room. It contains

HANDS-ON LEARNINGWichita Art Museum provides families with fun, educational opportunities

By Todd Vogts

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puppets, crayons, colored pencils, and work sheets for children to take a crack at creating their own art. The Living Room even has a textured table for the youth to do rubbings and books they can read.

“It’s a nice, relaxing space,” Veazey said. “It’s comfortable for families. They can create art of their own to take home. When kids come to the museum, they want to touch. After looking around at the art, they are inspired to create their own.”

WAM does this, Veazey said, because it is important to expose children to art.

“Art is what makes us human,” she said. “The experiences are transformative. It can really make us see the world through different eyes.”

Parents may not be knowledgeable about art, but Veazey said that’s OK.

“Parents don’t have to be trained in art theory to talk about art,” she said. “Adults can come in with kids and look at the art and ask questions. They can explore and learn together.”

The key, Veazey said, is to simply ask questions. Simple conversations about art are important.

“I don’t want adults to feel intimidated to come to the museum,” she said. “Kids enjoy being asked questions. It seems like a natural desire to come to a museum and see what adults like.”

On Saturdays, the museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., so after spending time looking at the art in the galleries, making art in The Living Room, and having a snack at The Muse Cafe, families can then venture outside to look at the outdoor sculptures. Unlike the art in

the galleries, children can touch the sculptures as long as they don’t climb or scratch them.

“Saturdays are one of our highest visitation days,” Veazey said. “It’s the start of the weekend, so families are looking for something to do.”

The fourth Saturday of each month offers even more, and admission is still free.

Veazey said these days are Family Art-ventures. They are themed and titled, and they are a little more noteworthy in they are tied to a specific exhibition families might not otherwise see.

“It helps introduce families to something we have on view,” she said. “It’s something special.”

Of course, Saturdays aren’t the only days families can attend the museum.

It is only closed on major holidays and Mondays. Tuesday through Saturday the museum is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and on Sundays it’s open from noon until 5 p.m.

Children under the age of 5 are always free, and students age 5 and up are only $3. Adult admission costs $7, and seniors get in for only $5.

A family can also purchase a household membership for $65, which gives them year-long access.

“That’s a great deal for families,” Veazey said.

It’s an even sweeter deal when you factor in a membership gives you a 10 percent discount in the museum store and at The Muse Cafe.

Because WAM is such an educational facility, it is also a popular spot for field trips, and the museum

offers 100 percent bus reimbursement, Veazey said, which means they pay for the bus to get the students to the museum, and there is no admission charge for student tours.

“It makes it a pretty compelling reason to visit the art museum,” she said.

Veazey said new exhibitions come in almost every month and say for three to four months, which brings the world to your doorstep.

“You won’t see the same art every time,” she said. “As you visit the museum, we hope you see exhibitions you didn’t see the last time.”

Soon there will be some changes happening at WAM. The current

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sculptures are going to be changing as the grounds are redesigned, re-configured, and re-imagined, Veazey said.

“Our outdoor spaces are adequate, but we want them to be outstanding,” she said. “It’ll make the grounds more interesting and friendly for families with benches and picnic spaces.

Located at 1400 West Museum Boulevard in Wichita, WAM will be celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2015.

“Our focus has always been to get new people into the museum,” Veazey said. “If someone comes and visits the museum once, I’m pretty sure they’ll want to come back because we have great things here. They’ll want to see more and experience more.”

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at 25-30 percent of retail prices,” she said. “Because each and every item that is consigned goes through and inspection process by our staff, shoppers can rest assured they will be shopping quality items.”

Other than clothes, Birdsong said shoppers can find great bargains on shoes, accessories, backpacks, sporting equipment, and educational books and games.

You can even find school appropriate shorts and uniforms, in addition to fall and winter clothing and shoes. There is even a large selection of Hallow-een costumes and holiday attire.

“It the spring, you can find spring and summer clothing, swim gear, life jackets, and more outdoor and water toys,” she said.

Clothing sizes range from infants-junior, and the sale also carries maternity clothes, furniture, and anything else you could want or need for the children in your life.

Be sure to check out the Back-To-School Con-signment Event running Aug. 1-5.

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