Mark your calendar for an exciting afternoon of family fun, coming this weekend! All Nations Community School invites you to the Festival of All Nations, a family-friendly international festival that's free and open to the public. Your family will take a trip around the world, right here in The Woodlands area. Event includes International food samples, bouncy house, cultural demos, performances, vendors, raffle, silent auction, and more. Admission is free. Adults and kids of all ages welcome! 

2022 Festival of All Nations
Sat. April 23, 2:00-6:00 pm
All Nations Community School
27420 Robinson Rd. Oak Ridge North 77384

Proceeds benefit All Nations Community School, a 501(c3) non-profit organization. If you would like to know more about our Christ-centered, globally minded school (PK-10th), please visit allnationscs.org.

The popular free concert series Creekside Park® Unplugged hosted by The Howard Hughes Corporation®  returns this spring on Wednesday nights on May 4, May 11, and May 18 from 6 to 8 pm at Creekside Park Village Green in The Woodlands.  

The family-friendly concert series will feature:

April is Autism Acceptance and Awareness Month, the ideal time to raise awareness of all aspects of the condition, including how to support siblings of a child who has autism. 

"When a child has autism, it may require a great deal of a parent's energy, time, and focus. As a result, siblings may feel as though they are overlooked and develop other negative feelings. If these feelings are not addressed, they have the potential to fester and create significant problems for the entire family," said Sharyn Kerr, Ph.D., and Chief Clinical & Administrative Officer at BlueSprig Pediatrics, a leading provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy with locations across the Greater Houston area. 

Kerr says it's not uncommon for brothers and sisters of children who have autism to feel guilty because their sibling has it and they don’t. Or they may feel bad because simple tasks and concepts come much easier to them than to their siblings. In addition, if a sibling is older, they may worry about who will take care of their brother or sister with autism if something happens to their parents. If they are younger, they may be confused as to why a sibling with autism may not want to play with them or acts differently than they do. 

"All of these feelings are natural. Having a child with autism affects everyone in the family, and it's important to express those feelings in healthy ways," said Kerr.

To help siblings of a child with autism, BlueSprig provides the following tips and suggestions: 

• It's vital to acknowledge your child's thoughts and feelings without placing judgment. Listen to what they have to say and allow them to be honest in expressing their emotions.
• Carve out time to spend with your children who do not have autism. Quality, one-on-one with every member of your family is essential. Lean on trusted friends or family members to help watch your child with autism or other respite options offered in your community. Another prime opportunity is to take the sibling on a special outing while your child is receiving their treatment.
• Find a local support group so that siblings can meet and interact with other kids going through similar experiences. 
• Ask other parents or members of your support group about books or other resources that may help your children understand autism and how it may affect a sibling.

When siblings of a child with autism are supported, research has shown that those individuals grow up to become more tolerant of people different from them and become more loyal friends. They also are often more mature and have developed skills to help them navigate challenging situations. BlueSprig’s goal is to support the entire family throughout their journey.

For more resources and ways to help siblings of children with autism, visit www.bluesprigautism.com. 

Vacationing in Florida this season? If you're looking for a colorful, kid-friendly adventure, consider leaving room in the suitcase for some muddy puddle rainboots at a theme park ideal for little ones of all abilities.

Featuring six rides, six themed playscapes, a colorful splash pad, and plenty of interactive experiences, the Peppa Pig Theme Park in Winter Haven, Florida, offers exciting adventures for guests. The park is a Certified Autism Center, and a comprehensive sensory guide is available to help make families aware of the services and accessibility options available.

The park’s marquee water play attraction, Muddy Puddles Splash Pad, allows little ones to splish-splash around spouting fountains, slides and other watery surprises, including special water play elements guests of all abilities can enjoy.

Designed for families to ride together, six unique rides offer plenty of options for fun, including:

• Daddy Pig’s Roller Coaster: Take a ride with Daddy Pig on an unforgettable adventure in his famous red car. It’s the perfect first roller coaster for brave “little piggies.”

• Grampy Rabbit’s Dinosaur Adventure: Discover prehistoric surprises aboard a friendly dinosaur that takes you whizzing past smoking volcanoes and through prehistoric mountains.

• Peppa Pig’s Balloon Ride: Soar in a hot air balloon while you enjoy views of the theme park from above on this family-friendly aerial carousel.

The fun keeps coming with other attractions and playscapes including multiple playgrounds, play structures and adventures such as:

• George’s Fort: Explore the maze in Granny Pig’s Garden while trying to discover what is making that unusual noise.

• Grandpa Pig’s Greenhouse: Climb, crawl and slide through this interactive outdoor playground.

• Madame Gazelle’s Nature Trail: Work as a family to find clues and try to discover who left the tiny footprints.

Families can play free games at Fun Fair and even join Peppa and her family at Mr. Potato’s Showtime Arena for live entertainment. Take a break from the outdoor fun at the cinema and enjoy some favorite episodes featuring kids’ favorite characters.

Peppa Pig Theme Park is just 45 minutes from the Orlando theme parks or downtown Tampa.

Plan your visit at peppapigthemepark.com/florida.

Lunch in a treehouse? Sign me up!

Actually, when I first noticed Treehouse Café on FM 1488 in Magnolia, I was passing by quickly and saw the treehouse and the sign, and I assumed that the treehouse I was seeing from the road was the very one people were eating lunch in. I couldn’t wait for a chance to give it a try. Months later, when I finally stopped to eat at the restaurant, I learned that the treehouse visible from the road is an old, small-scale treehouse, virtually impossible of housing an entire restaurant, even if someone WAS brave enough to climb up into it! (I wouldn't be!) LOL, it was a laugh that my husband and I shared as we walked pass the small treehouse and down the forested path to the true restaurant.