Durham Parks and Recreation: Play More!

By: Shannon Mallery, Program Assistant Sr. - Mature Adults This week finishes the Play With Me ages six to nine book review series. In it we will review books that you can read to or along with the special children in your life over your device. We have chosen books that are fun to read and explore the magic of childhood, friendship and family. Each week's "review" will be of two books suitable for children six to nine years of age. Children 6 and 7 years old will enjoy you reading to them and children 8 and 9 years old will enjoy discussing the books that you both read independently. Tips: When reading to your child make sure you are in a well lit area and that your child can hear you clearly. All of the books are chapter books and will not have a lot, if any pictures so it will help when reading them aloud to remind your child who each character is. Read sections of the book out loud to yourself before reading it to your child so that you can practice adding emphasis as...

By: Shannon Mallery, Program Assistant Sr. - Mature Adults This week continues the Play With Me ages six to nine book review series. In it we will review books that you can read to or along with the special children in your life over your device. We have chosen books that are fun to read and explore the magic of childhood, friendship and family. Each week's "review" will be of two books suitable for children six to nine years of age. Children 6 and 7 years old will enjoyed you reading to them and children 8 and 9 years old will enjoy discussing the books that you both read independently. Tips: When reading to your child make sure you are in a well lit area and that your child can hear you clearly. All of the books are chapter books and will not have a lot, if any pictures so it will help when reading them aloud to remind your child who each character is. Read sections of the book out loud to yourself before reading it to your child so that you can practice adding emphasis...

Did you know today is National Ugly Sweater Day!? That's right, every third Friday in December folks around the Nation are invited to come together to celebrate wearing their ugliest, most colorful, super festive sweaters! Whether you have a store bought sweater that was gifted to you last Christmas or you have constructed your own ugly sweater out of craft supplies found around the house, today is the day to show off that masterpiece!  We have two ways that Durham Parks and Recreation invites you to participate in the day... Wear your Sweater to your nearby Durham park and snap a selfie! Don't forget to tag us on social media using our handle @dprplaymore!  Print and decorate Parkson Rex's ugly sweater on this downloadable coloring sheet ! Help Parkson get ready for his Squirrelmas Christmas Party by decorating his Ugly Sweater. Go Crazy! Use crayons, markers, sequins, acorns...you name it! And share your creation with Parkson by posting it on social media and tagging @d...

By: Shannon Mallery, Program Assistant Sr. - Mature Adults This week we will start the Play With Me ages six to nine book review series. In it we will review books that you can read to or along with the special children in your life over your device. We have chosen books that are fun to read and explore the magic of childhood, friendship and family. Each week's "review" will be of two books suitable for children six to nine years of age. Children 6 and 7 years old will enjoyed you reading to them and children 8 and 9 years old will enjoy discussing the books that you both read independently. Tips: Some of the books are not currently in print but can be found on used booksellers' websites. When reading to your child make sure you are in a well lit area and that your child can hear you clearly. All of the books are chapter books and will not have a lot, if any pictures so it will help when reading them aloud to remind your child who each character is. Read sections of t...

By: Cassandra Bennett and Caitlin Avinger This has been a year, hasn’t it? COVID-19 has changed how we are doing everything, it seems. That is the case for West Point on the Eno’s longest running event, the Holiday Open House. Back in 1979, the Friends of West Point organized the first Holiday Open House, then named “Old Fashion Christmas.” That December, the park was only two and a half years old but staff didn’t hold back in planning an exciting and festive event. Various community groups, musicians, artists, demonstrators, and members of the City Council were all invited to help kickoff the first annual Old Fashion Christmas. Through the years, the event grew and changed, but some things remained constant: mulled cider (see below for recipe), cookies, crafts, milling demonstrations, and at some point, we started frying Hazel’s Hush Puppies (see below for recipe). With all of this festive fun, one thing was still lacking from the Old Fashion Christmas…attractive, old timey decoration...

By: Shannon Mallery, Program Assistant Sr. - Mature Adults This week of Play With Me: Ages 6-9 finishes the Family series. The Play With Me: Family activities will help you and your child get to know each other and your family better. Play With Me is a series of interactive and meaningful activities that you can do over technology with the children in your life. Before getting started, adult assistance will be needed to help collect and setup supplies for the children. Consider sending the supply list ahead of time so the adult can prepare in advance. Activity: Who makes music in my family? Supplies/Setup Printout of Musical Family Tree Scissors Glue Wax paper Sprinkles or dried beans Cardboard paper tube Cardboard fruit container Popsicle stick or piece of stiff cardboard Rubber bands Tape Q tip Foam bead or eraser to support Q tip Markers or Crayons In this activity you and your little one will be learning about the music makers in your family. Talk together about all of the people i...

By: Shannon Mallery, Program Assistant Sr. - Mature Adults This week of Play With Me: Ages 6-9 continues the Family series. The Play With Me: Family activities will help you and your child get to know each other and your family better. Play With Me is a series of interactive and meaningful activities that you can do over technology with the children in your life. Before getting started, adult assistance will be needed to help collect and setup supplies for the children. Consider sending the supply list ahead of time so the adult can prepare in advance. Activity: Where did I grow up? In this activity you and your child will both create maps with the important things in your life like your house, school and work. You can also include whatever else is important to you. Use the printout sheets as a starting point for your maps. Draw in as much detail as you like; you can also cut pictures from magazines etc. if you feel for instance you cannot draw your beloved pet that you had growing...

Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR) recently collaborated with a licensed wildlife rehabilitator to provide a safe home for orphaned opossums. Wildlife Welfare Inc., is a nonprofit 501C organization that trains, mentors, and helps with supplies for dozens of rehabbers throughout the area with the desire to 'give wildlife a second chance'. Two baby opossums, Thomas and Valerie, were released on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, into one of Durham's parks. Volunteers from Wildlife Welfare Inc. assisted the opossums in the transition. Upon their release, the opossums seemed very relaxed, curious, and comfortable in their new home at the park. Opossums are a natural part of the urban landscape, and are common throughout the state, including in North Carolina’s biggest cities. In general, wildlife should not be captured and released away from where they were found unless done so by a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. The catch and release of wildlife can be harmful to the animals, spread ...