Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in fort worth, TX

Be Prepared - Hurricane Season is Here!

by Christine Hines

September 28, 2009

Today, Lauren Kashtan has graciously provided some great tips for being prepared this hurricane season. Unfortunately, we are far too close to danger areas to ignore any of this. So, read on and help protect your family this season.  Ms. Kashtan works on behalf of The Clorox Company – together with the American Red Cross they have some great tips for families about preparing for and recovering from a disaster.  September marks National Preparedness Month making this an ideal time to post information on this very important subject.  Thanks to Ms. Kashta, the Clorox Company, and the American Red Cross! Now that hurricane season has officially begun, making sure your family is prepared in case of a natural disaster is more timely and crucial than ever.  I thought you would be interested in some helpful tips and easy steps you and your readers can take to get prepared. Key preparation steps:

• Get a kit - Have an emergency preparedness kit for your household. Include basic supplies:

1. Water - 1 gallon per person, per day for drinking and washing (min. 3-day supply)
2. Non-perishable food (min. 3-day supply)
3. Flashlight
4. Multi-purpose tool
5. Radio
6. First aid kit
7. Important medications and copies of personal documents
8. Disinfecting bleach for cleaning, disinfecting and emergency water sanitation

• Make a plan - Meet with your family or household members. Plan what to do in case you are separated during an emergency. Be sure to practice and review the plan twice a year.
• Be informed - Get to know the types of disasters and other emergencies that may occur where you live, learn, work and play and how to respond as safely as possible.  Find out how local officials will contact you during a disaster and how you will get important information.

Ways to prevent illness and clean up after a disaster:

• Evaluate home safety. Report downed power lines and gas leaks, inspect foundations and roofs, keep electricity off and have a professional inspector clear the home before entering.
• Clean and disinfect the home and dry any excess moisture. Excess moisture left behind will fuel the growth of mold, which can be a health risk for you and your family. It’s important to get non-porous surfaces dried and disinfected quickly.
• Remembering these simple health and safety tips to help prevent illness in the aftermath of a natural disaster:

1. Keep your hands clean, either by washing your hands or using a hand sanitizer
2. If you feel feverish, see a doctor immediately
3. Eat healthy foods and drinks lots of clean water
4. If water supplies are compromised and you are unable to boil water for one minute (three minutes at high elevation), you can create potable water by using un-scented disinfecting bleach such as Clorox. You can also use bleach to clean non-porous surfaces in your home. For specific details visit: www.clorox.com/redcross to download the preparedness guide.

So Many Great Activities, So Little Time!

by Christine Hines

September 24, 2009

With the weather cooling off, everything's getting ready to blossom...that is, in terms of events! There are so many this weekend, I'm about to run out of room. So, bear with me, read until the end, and have a good time trying to fit all these great activities in your short 48-hour weekend!

For a good drive and lots of fun, check out the Mansfield Pecan Festival! Not only can you find any pecan you can imagine, but you can see various entertainment, a dunking booth, bake-off (yum!), a car show, and, of course, the inevitable children's area with bounce houses, petting zoo, rides and more!  Check it out here.  And, yes, it's FREE!

Another drive that's worth it is to McKinney to see beautiful butterflies. Check out the Heard Natural Science Museum through the end of September and be immersed among native Texas fluttering butterflies in their butterfly house. You'll experience Monarchs, Julia Longwings, and questions marks (huh?). More information on this is available here.

An ongoing fun Friday morning idea is the Preschool Discovery Club at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. Friday, 9/25, from 10:30-11:30, you can check out amphibians with your 3 to 5 year olds. This is a way to get up close and personal with some fun water life! Check out the Nature Center here. 

Casa Manana does it again with a wonderful musical based on The Jungle Book. The show starts Friday, 9/25, and goes through 10/11. Tickets are cheap and the shows are always great. Get your tickets for The Jungle Book (and see the whole season's line-up) right here.

And, guess what starts this weekend??? The State Fair! That's right - it's time for anything-you-want-on-a-stick, along with animals, carnival rides, entertainment, and crazy activities! The fair starts Friday, 9/25, and lasts through 10/18.  Don't miss out on the fun! See all the great details here.

Come join the biggest and best celebration of the Old West this side of the Tarrant county line! Take the short drive up to Keller to Bear Creek Park for plenty of entertainment for all ages including, a children's stick horse rodeo, arts and crafts, children's games and activities, entertainment, and the so-Old West tractor pull! The fun is on Saturday, 9/26, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Admission is FREE, so jump on your stick horse and join the fun! More information is available at http://www.thekellerpointe.com.

Celebrate Fort Worth's "Day in the District" at the Log Cabin Village. Enjoy a full day of music, crafts, living history and activities for the whole family. My tips: get there early as there is very little parking and bring your mosquito repellant! It's a great place for the little ones to run, touch, and experience a little bit of the frontier life. Check it out at www.logcabinvillage.com.

Well, if this doesn't fill up your dance card, send me a message and I'll send you some more ideas!! Have a great weekend!

Next week, I'll be providing some very important tips from the American Red Cross on preparing for hurricane season...stay tuned!