July Community Activities

There is a lot going on in July!  I hope you can find something great for your family to enjoy!

North Salt Lake:
July 3 - Food, music, entertainment and games at the golf course beginning at 5:00 pm with fireworks at approximately 10:00 pm.

Woods Cross:
July 10 - Movie in the Park - Moana.  Starts at dusk.

West Bountiful:
July 3 - Celebration at City Park.  Food trucks will be available.
              6:00 pm - Safety Fair
              7:00 pm - Concert
              10:00 pm - Fireworks

July 4 - Independence Day Parade beginning at 10:30 am.  The parade goes from the corner of 800 West and 400 North, north to Pages Lane and east to 600 West then north to City Park.  Following the parade there will be park events for the kids to enjoy.  Food trucks will be available.

Bountiful:
July 21 - Parade on Main Street from 1500 South to 400 North then west to 100 West beginning at 6:00 pm.
               Noon to 9:30 pm - Food, rides and games in Bountiful City Park.
               10:00 pm - Fireworks at Mueller Park Junior High.

July 22 - Rides, games and entertainment at Bountiful City Park from 8:45 am to 5:00 pm.

Centerville:
July 3 - Founders Park Outdoor Festival from 5:00 pm to dusk.  Food, booths and games.
             6:40 pm - Children's Parade - line up in the church parking lot at 160 South 200 East
             9:45 pm - Fireworks at Founders Park.

July 4 - Centerville Parade at 9:00 am.  From Pages Lane and Main Street north to 1400 North.
             9:00 am to 2:00 pm - Outdoor Festival with games and activities at Founder's Park.

Farmington:
July 5 - Kids' Bike Parade at 7:30 pm at Forbush Park.
             Dusk - Movie Night at Forbush Park - "Fly Me To The Moon".
  
July 8 - Farmington Festival Days Parade at 10:00 am.  From 500 north Main to 200 South 200 West.
             11:00 am to 10:00 pm - Festival Booths and Entertainment at Forbush Park.
             6:00 pm - Free ice cream in the park.
             10:00 pm - Fireworks at Forbush Park.

Kaysville:
July 4 - Kaysville Parade begins at 11:00 am.  Regular parade is followed by the water parade.
             5:00 pm - Family Festival in the DATC Basin.
             10:00 pm Fireworks Spectacular at DATC.

Layton:
July 4 - Liberty Days Activities.
             10:15 am - Kids Bike Parade at Layton Commons Park.
             10:30 am - Parade begins at Layton Commons Park.
             12:30 pm to 10:00 pm - Children's Carnival at Layton Commons Park.

Syracuse:
July 1 - Parade begins at 9:00 am.
             All Day - Carnival at Founder's Park.
             Dusk - Fireworks at Founder's Park.

Clearfield:
July 4 - Parade on Clearfield's State Street begins at 9:30 am.
             5:00 pm - Festival at Fisher Park.
             10:00 pm - Fireworks.

Clinton:
July 12 - July 15 - Clinton Heritage Days

July 15 - Parade begins at 9:00 am followed by the Fire Department's Spray and Play on the Tennis Courts at Civic Center Park.
               10:00 pm - Fireworks at Civic Center Park.

Sunset:
July 28 - July 29 - Sunset Fun Days Activities

July 29 - Fun Days Parade begins at 10:00 am.

South Weber:
July 29 - August 4 - Country Fair Days Activities.


         

The Value of Make-Believe

This is an excerpt from Toddler 411 by Denise Fields and Ari Brown, M.D.

Do you remember playing dress up or cops and robbers as a little kid?  Of course, you do.  Kids love to pretend, if given the opportunity.  Why the heck do kids do this?  And why is it important that we give them the opportunity?

Kids like to pretend because it gives them the chance to work out situations they experience in real life.  This is part of normal development.  And it's a red flag if a child doesn't pretend, imitate, or have "symbolic" play.

Psychologists think pretend play helps kids develop critical thinking skills and something called "self-regulation."  A self-regulated child controls his behavior and emotion.  Self-regulated kids not only do better in school, with lower dropout rates, but they succeed on all levels of development.

Some researches feel that the changes in the way children have played over the past 60 years has taken its toll on children's emotional and intellectual development.  As kids play more with structured toys and less with just their imaginations, self-regulation has declined.  Translation: lots of expensive "developmental" toys aren't necessarily a good thing.

When kids play independently and pretend, they make up their own rules and follow them.  They talk to themselves about what they are doing.  That inner voice equates to self-regulation.  As a child gets older, he has more elaborate pretend play with other kids.  He has to act out his role, remember what the other actors are doing, and improvise on the plot twists.  That requires self-control.

As one developmental researcher, Dr. Adele Diamond, points out, we might have fewer kids diagnosed with ADHD if more kids learned self-regulation as toddlers and preschoolers.

The message: just let your kid keep on pretending. . . and give him the free time to do it.

June Community Activities

School is out!  Finally, we have outside weather!  Here are some activities to enjoy in your community this month.

West Bountiful - Free day at the Rec Center on June 17th beginning at 8:00 am for residents of West Bountiful.  The day ends with a free movie night on the outdoor pool deck.  Family activities begin at 8:30 pm with the movie starting around 9:00 (The Jungle Book).  Proof of address is required.

Bountiful - Coats for Kids Car Show on June 16th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm and June 17th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Syracuse - Heritage Days are June 24th through July 1st.

Remember the Library Story Times and Movies in the Park.