Robert’s American Gourmet has been alerted to a recent outbreak of salmonella in 17 states and the potential contamination of Veggie Booty. Due to the serious nature of the health risk, they will temporarily stop the manufacture and sale of Veggie Booty ONLY until test results can positively identify the source.

How to get a Refund for your Veggie Booty?
Robert’s American Gourmet says consumers who purchased Veggie Booty and still have the product in their homes should discard the contents and contact the company at 1-800-626-7557 for reimbursement. More information is also available at the company website.

Renamed in 1970 for Captain Roger W. Wheeler (1907-1969), who developed the Rhode Island State Life-Saving System, this beach has it all - from a beautiful sandy beach with lifeguards to a playground, snack bar, showers and storytimes. All these amenities can be great or not depending on the kids, the parents or the mood of the moment.

When my kids were toddlers and never sat still, I loved the diversion of the playground and kids crafts. The showers made cleanup easy before you get back in the car. Now that my kids are older and into building sandcastles and playing in the waves, I subscribe to the less is more beach. Remember to bring a bag - you have to take all your trash with you.

amenities
Lifeguard on duty (weather permitting): 9 am - 6 pm | Restrooms | Restrooms for the Disabled | Phone | Parking | Beach | Pavilion with Coin-Operated Hot Showers | Playground | Picnic Tables | Concession | Swimming

location
100 Sand Hill Cove Road, Narragansett, R.I.
directions from Providence Interstate Rte. 95 South, to Rte. 4 South, to Rte.1 South, to Rte. 108 South. Follow signs to Roger W. Wheeler State Beach.
seasonal phone (401) 789-3563

hours
May 1 through Memorial Day - open weekends only
Memorial Day through Labor Day - open 7 days (weather permitting): 9 am - 6 pm

daily parking fee (May 1 - September 30)
• Monday through Friday
Residents $6.00 per car (seniors - $3.00 per car)
Non-Residents $12.00 per car (seniors - $6.00 per car)
• Weekends and Holidays
Residents $7.00 per car (seniors - $3.50 per car)
Non-Residents $14.00 per car (seniors - $7.00 per car)

Find more info at the RI Parks website.

Submit your favorite beach and we may post it as the Beach of the Week.

by Michelle Riggen-Ransom

A fun way to get your toddler or preschooler involved with the great outdoors is to play a game. This past weekend’s on-again off-again weather was perfect for a game of Backyard Bingo. In the morning, when showers threatened, my three-year-old and I broke out some cardstock and stapled together a little book. We then brainstormed for things we might find in our backyard and made an alphabetical checklist (acorn for a, bee for b, chickadee for c, etc.) I added pictures, which he colored. Later, after rest time, the sky cleared and we headed out to find our quarry.

The great thing about this game is that it can be easily modified to suit your situation or your kids’ ages. You could do a game on the fly at the beach (no written list, collect the entries in pails), or create a big list as a family while driving to a camping trip, then let the kids explore the campsite to find things they might not ordinarily see at home. Budding photogs can use a digital camera to record their findings instead of drawing pictures. Bonus points for those who come up with items for “x” and “z”!

The object is to help kids notice the diversity of things around them and to encourage their natural sense of exploration. That and, of course, to have fun! Isn’t that what summer is all about?

Related reads:
Zoopa: An Animal Alphabet by Gianna Marino (preschooler-2nd grade)
Plant and Animal Alphabet Coloring Book by Leslie Tillet (ages 4-8)
The Complete Backyard Nature Activity Book by Robin Michal Koontz (preschooler-big kid)

Nature/Nurture, written by Michelle Riggen-Ransom, is a twice-monthly column with ideas and information to help kids and their families engage with the natural world in fun, interesting ways. Share your thoughts and explorations by adding your comment below, or contact us with your story ideas.

This great new column at Kidoinfo is full of ideas and information to help kids and their families engage with the natural world in fun, interesting ways. I welcome Michelle Riggen-Ransom as a new contributor, she shares her love for exploration and the outdoors, her experience as a mom with two children under the age of four and her communications expertise from working in the online world with our Kidoinfo readers.

Have ideas you want to share? Contact kidoinfo with your thoughts and suggestions.

What I remember of making jam with my mom as a kid is more of the experience than the actual details. Caught up in this season of U-pick strawberries, I wanted to recreate this fond memory with my kids and maybe get them to try the actual fruit since they eat plenty of store-bought jam.

After picking a bounty of fresh strawberries at Four Town Farm in Seekonk, MA, I was ready to start this tradition with my children. As the parent now, I quickly realized that the details involved in making jam are pretty important. Having made the jam (see recipe below), there are a few things I wish I’d had that would have made the project a little easier.

• I wish I had worn an apron and covered the table first. The strawberry stains came off my shirt with spot remover; my kitchen table is another story.
• I wish I’d had a strawberry huller. Although one of my sons eagerly pulled off the strawberry stems, the patience of my five-year-old did not match the time required to hull the whole pile of berries.
• I wish I’d had a potato masher. I think it would have been easier to use in crushing the berries than the spoon, whisk and colander I used.
• I wish I’d had a canning holder. Instead I used tongs and potholders to sterilize the canning jars in the boiling water. I did not impress my kids or my husband with this dangerous makeshift option - too easy to get burned.

In the end, the jam turned out quite yummy, and my husband and one of my sons loved it. My other son, a bit stubborn about trying new things, says he will only eat Polaner’s.

Strawberry Jam:
recipe adapted from the Ball Fruit Jell package
(Other tips available at the home-canning website.)

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If you have a baby six to twelve months of age, check into having a free eye exam at a local optometrist or if you know someone who has an infant, please email this information to them.

The American Optometric Association encourages parents to include a trip to the optometrist in the list of well-baby check-ups. Assessments at six to twelve months of age can determine healthy development of vision. Early detection of eye conditions is the best way to ensure your child has healthy vision for successful development—now and in the future.

InfantSEE, developed by the American Optometric Association and The Vision Care Institute of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc., is a public health program (started in 2005) designed to ensure that eye and vision care becomes an integral part of infant wellness care to improve a child’s quality of life.

Locate a participating eye doctor near you.

When my husband and I got married, one of our guests said it was like being at the United Nations. We merged our varied backgrounds - Russian, Swedish, Jewish, Arabic, Irish, and Scottish. Guests were from India, Africa, and China. Although it can get confusing around the holidays, I think my boys are lucky to live in a family rich with such diversity. I love to find things for them that celebrate our individual diversity.

I recently discovered Il Cocco di Mamma, an online boutique that sells products that promote the world’s languages, cultures, and peoples. Donna M. Bottari, who grew up bilingual, founded the company in 2006 when her nephew was born. She has designed a beautiful line of organic cotton T-shirts with sayings such as bella (Italian for beautiful) or il cocco di mamma (Italian for “the apple of your eye” or “pride and joy”).

She also carries popular children’s books translated into many languages. Read The Cat in the Hat in Spanish or Elmer’s Colors in English and Arabic. Her wooden alphabet blocks (my favorite) are available in French, Italian, Greek, Spanish, Russian, and Hebrew.

Locally you can find Il Cocco di Mamma signature tees at BAMBINI, 251 South Main Street in Providence.

When my kids were little, I memorized Brown Bear Brown Bear and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Eric Carle’s picture books made learning fun for my kids as they learned about food, colors, animals, and more. He has filled our world with colorful collaged imagery that invites kids to touch and play with his books. His award-winning books are original pieces of art and reading them is a stimulating and lasting experience.

Eric Carle has been drawing, scribbling, and making art since he was a young kid. He has created over seventy picture books for kids - many celebrating his love for nature. In 2002 Eric Carle opened The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art to celebrate, inspire, and introduce picture books to kids of all ages. In honor of the museum’s turning 5 this year, they have planned a number of special events.

Fun facts about Eric Carle
• His favorite artists are Paul Klee and Pieter Brueghel
• His favorite book is Do You Want to Be My Friend?
• See a complete list of his books.

Watch the artist at work and see how creates his art
• How he paint with tissue papers. See video.
• How he creates his pictures. See video.
• How he created collage illustrations for his book Mister Seahorse. See video.
• How he created a large scale mural. See video.

Shop for fun Eric Carle things
• Brown Bear Touch ‘N Read Block
With a gentle push on the image, children will be delighted to hear the animal name, animal sound, and charming text read from the book. $24.95
• Very Hungry Caterpillar Magnetic Play Tin
Includes four colorful magnetic play scenes and two sheets of magnetic play pieces. $10.95
• Up, Up I Go Growth Chart
Complete with Eric Carle’s distinctive animal illustrations. Measuring over 6 feet and including stickers for marking memorable milestones, this chart serves as a lovely keepsake of your child’s early development. $12.95
• You Can Make a Collage: A Very Simple How-To Book
by Eric Carle. This fabulous project book was first published by Klutz but is no longer in print. Find it on eBay or various online bookstores.

by Katy Killilea

This Thursday I happened upon the new farmer’s market in Warren. It takes place beside the wonderful little market at Cutler Mills on Child Street on Thursdays from 4:00-8:00 pm.

There was an array of organic and conventional local produce (including absolutely gorgeous organic lettuce for $3 a head!), pastries from Pastiche, handmade herbal soaps and ointments, intricately painted pottery, and chunky silver jewelry. This is a low-key alternative to the buzzing markets in Providence–not that those aren’t wonderful in their own ways! And perhaps best of all, you can combine shopping with sitting on the market’s patio (which has comfortable chairs and tables and room for strollers and bags), sipping a cold drink and eavesdropping on people with crazy-painted bikes discuss where to get the best dreadlocks.

Grocery News is occasional posts about food items. Sharing great discoveries, tips and ideas helps make parenting a little easier. Share your food thoughts with us by clicking comments below or contact us with your story ideas.

This game is a favorite in our family. (Even though no one in our family can sing in key, it’s still fun.) We have modified the rules from the original show, Name that Tune so we can play almost anywhere with two or more people. We play early in the morning, before dinner, in the car, walking down the street or whenever we have a few extra minutes.

One person goes first and hums a few notes. Whoever can guess the name of the song says, “I know!” and has the chance to guess. If he guesses correctly, it is his turn to hum a few notes of a new song and so on, until everyone gets a turn.

If it’s hard to guess, then you can give clues (e.g. If the answer is the theme to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a clue may be “It’s about a car”). A recent game included: “If I Were a Rich Man” (Fiddler on the Roof), “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, and “A Hard Days Night” (The Beatles).

It can be a little tricky when the sky’s the limit! Once we were all completely stumped. After giving up and asking for the answer, we found out that one of our creative kids had made up a new song and hummed it, thinking that somehow we would be able to guess his brand new song. Kids have a way of making up their own rules as they go. Happy humming!

more
There are tons of musicals and show history at Wikipedia. When you need to know the name of a song, visit the Name My Tune website.