Hello there,
I have many things to share with you this month, but it’s been…busy. And I’m very tired. ;) So I’m giving myself some grace and will be releasing some more updates and reflections when time allows. Thanks for understanding!
For now, I’m excited to announce our June collaborations with Playful Acorns and two new guides for families with kiddos ages 0-5 AND for adults. :) Because kids can't have all the fun. Besides, we can get in a better headspace to parent when we carve out time just for ourselves.
Summer Activity Guide for Families, plus Spring & Summer 2025 Events for Adults
Here’s a glance at our June events with Playful Acorns! Hope to see you there!
June 1: Nature Everywhere Day
I’m looking forward to partnering with Storytelling Naturalist Coral Conant Gilles, Ellen Sims with Healing Roots Collaborative, Christie Moser with Naturing in Madison, and Elizabeth Seeliger with Pufferfish Publications from 12-3 p.m. Sunday, June 1st at Hoyt Park! Bring a lunch, listen to stories, go on a plant walk, play, and create! Here’s a glimpse of other FREE events happening that day, too!
June 6: National Trails Day Play Cafe
Our friends at the Lussier Family Heritage Center in Madison are co-hosting the Lil’ Explorers Pop-Up Play Cafe event, and drop-ins are welcome if you haven’t registered in advance ($10/child ages 6 months-5 years). We are looking forward to welcoming you between 9-11 a.m. Friday, June 6th for the National Trails Day-themed program with coffee and snacks. Here’s a video of what Lil’ Explorers like Z have been enjoying during the adventure class series (you can sign up for summer sessions on Saturdays or Tuesdays here). Dress for the weather and know that there’s plenty of fun to be had inside the nature center, too!
Rain or shine, you'll have a great time at the Lussier Family Heritage Center like these Lil' Explorers!
June 9: Kindermusik Musical Playdate
My dear friends Angie Richter with The Wonder Studio and Amanda Marek with Active Youth Wisconsin (formerly Tri 4 Schools) are planning a fun, musical “Go Go Go” themed morning inside and outside of Seven Acre Dairy in Paoli. Register to join us from 9-10:30 a.m. Monday, June 9th ($23/family) for a morning of singing, movement, playing, and socializing. Dress for the weather when we head outside on the trails for some fun games after music, stories, and playtime!
Indoor and outdoor music and movement at Seven Acre Dairy in Paoli!
Looking for more events? Try these resources:
And stay tuned for more email and social media updates soon!
Here’s the origin story of this monthly In A Nutshell e-leaflet, which highlights local events for families with young kids in the Madison, WI area, plus other community resources and my own musings as a toddler mom. Recently, I’ve added a second newsletter a month called On The Bookshelf, which is all about my children’s picture book journey and recommendations. Soon, I’ll be adding a third newsletter Through the Viewfinder (though probably not monthly) that will feature my digital nature photos, some of which will be turned into greeting cards available for purchase with a portion of proceeds donated to local environmental nonprofits. So, if you support nature, books, kids, and community, this Under the Drumlin Sun publication is probably the place for you! Thanks for stopping by!
As always, thank you for being part of a community who shares this common thread:
At Playful Acorns, we value the following be(leafs):
- Nature benefits from diversity, and so does humanity.
- Children learn best through play.
- Everyone deserves to have fun and be respected.
- Life is a journey, and we are always growing.
- The world is a better place with you in it.
In gratitude,
- Sam
Are you new to Playful Acorns? Welcome! You can read our story here and most recent posts here.
