Bend Family Loop: Week of Mar. 9-12

Hi there,

How gorgeous was this weekend?! It was so easy to get out and enjoy the day… right up until Daylight Saving Time said "hold my juice box" and my kids decided that schedules were merely a suggestion. I don't know how they knew. I don't know who told them. But here we are. Anyone else?! ☕

In this weekend’s Loop:

Let’s jump right in!

–Megan

Here are some upcoming dates to stick onto your calendar!

Summer camp registration opens this week for the following camps:

⛺️ UPDATED! I just rebuilt the Summer Day Camp Guide & Directory so it’s easily filterable by age, theme, and dates. There are over 90 camps listed so that you can find the perfect fit for your kid!

📚 The Downtown Bend Library will close the children’s section beginning 3/9 in advance of the library remodel. Children’s programming like storytime will continue throughout the community–we’ll keep you updated on the time & locations in the Activities & Events section. More info can be found on the library website.

🤳 WellWired is encouraging parents who are concerned about the use of iPads in public schools to attend the 3/10 BLP School Board meeting and sign up for public comments. The meeting starts at 5:30pm and public comment is in the first 20-30 minutes–no need to stay for the whole thing! 📍Tuesday, March 10 • 5:30pm • District Offices, 520 NW Wall St., Bend • More info

Here’s what’s happening this week!

🤸 Toddlers & Tots Play
9-11am • Ages 1-5 • More info
📍Cascade Indoor Sports (20775 High Desert Ln.)

Enjoy climbing and sliding in the Bigger Play Thing without the “big kid” energy during this toddler-friendly open play time. There will also be Strider bikes, balloons, soccer balls, and more available for play.

🫟 Toddler Time: Messy Monday!
9am–12pm • Ages 5 & under • More info
📍Mountain Air (20495 Murray Rd. #150)

A perfect combo of big movement and hands-on fun, with open jump time at the trampoline park followed by sensory play in the activity room.

🎒 Backpack Explorers: Magnificent Moths
10am-11am • Ages 3-5 • Register
📍High Desert Museum (High Desert Museum, 59800 US-97, Bend, OR 97702)

Explore the fascinating world of moths through art, stories, creating moth-inspired crafts, and discovering what makes these creatures so unique."

🧘 Kids Yoga
4pm-5:15pm • Ages 4+ • More info
📍Namaspa Yoga Community (1135 NW Galveston Ave.)

This interactive kids yoga class helps kids connect to their body and mind, and runs at the same time as the adult’s Vin/Yin class, so you can get some time on the mat, too.

🎨 Sensory Art Play
9:15am-10:15am • Ages 9 months-2 years • Register
📍Two Suns Art Studio (70 SW Century Dr)

Taste-safe, sensory-rich art play for babies, supporting fine motor skills, sensory processing, and early language development. This class is wonderfully messy—pack a change of clothes!

⛸️ Parent-Tot Open Skate
10am-11:15am • Ages 0-5
📍The Pavilion (1001 Southwest Bradbury Way)

Parents and little ones hit the ice together in this supported open skate session, with instructors available for guidance and questions.

🧘 Baby + Me Yoga
10:30am-11:30am • Ages 6 weeks-crawling • Register
📍Juniper Swim & Fitness (800 NE 6th St.)

Bring your baby along for this gentle postpartum class, where core connection, alignment, stretching, and breathwork help you rebuild strength with your little one right there with you.

🧚 Samara Winged Dragonfly or Fairy Mobile
5:45pm-7:15pm • Ages 7-15 • Register
📍Samara Learning Center (Samara Learning Center, 230 NE 9th St, Bend, OR 97701)

A parent-child craft class using maple seeds as wings to create your own dragonflies or fairies, then assemble them into a magical mobile to take home. All materials provided!

🎒 Incoming 6th Grader Family Night
6pm-8pm • Family friendly • Free
📍Bend-La Pine Schools

Welcome event for incoming 6th grade families to tour campus, visit classrooms, meet teachers and staff, get questions answered, and start imagining the year ahead.

💃 Family Zumba in Spanish
6:45pm-7:45pm • Ages 5+
📍Larkspur Community Center (1600 SE Reed Market Rd)

Bring the whole family to this fun Spanish-instruction Zumba class, welcoming dancers and non-dancers, Spanish and non-Spanish speakers alike, with music that makes it easy to jump right in.

🎶 Music & Making Toddler Time
9am–12pm • Ages 5 & under • More info
📍Mountain Air (20495 Murray Rd #150)

Ms. Melinda of OTB Arts leads an hour of songs, creative movement, and music during toddler jump, free with regular entry.

🏃🏼‍♀️ Slow Season Run Club
9:30am-10:15am • Family friendly • Free • Register
📍The Commons (875 NW Brooks St)

Bring the stroller and join this Wednesday morning run group, following a beginner-friendly 5k training program with walking and running intervals. The Happy Girls 5k is the goal, but no pressure to race!

📚 Hello! Storytime
10:30am-11am • Ages 0-5 • Free
📍Roundabout Books & Cafe (Roundabout Books & Cafe, 900 NW Mt. Washington Dr. Suite #110, Bend OR 97703)

Little ones are invited to join Ms. Kathy for a half hour of storytime and songs. This week's theme is rabbits!

☘️ Art with a Splash of Science: Leprechaun Traps
1pm-4pm • Ages 5-10 • Register
📍Lets Paint (Tower Theater Encore Room)

Learn engineering and design skills as you build and test a leprechaun trap!

🎨 Family Art Play
4pm-5pm • Ages 0-6 • Register
📍Two Suns Art Studio (70 SW Century Dr)

Families with kids ages 9 months to 6 years are invited to explore open-ended paint and sensory stations together in this special family edition of Art Play.

🤠 Kids Line Dance Lessons
5pm-6pm • Family friendly • Free
📍The Coyote & Mindful Motion (910 NW Harriman St)

Kids learn the basics of line dancing in this fun, free lesson, with easy-to-follow moves and upbeat music that gets everyone on their feet!

🪚 Kids Cutting Board Workshop
5pm-8pm • Ages 11-17 • Register
📍DIY Cave (444 SE 9th St.)

Make a custom cutting board while learning basic woodworking skills! This shop class is lead by experienced instructors and will safely walk your tween through the process of designing & shaping, sanding & finishing their own unique board. No experience is needed, and all materials & tools are included.

🤸 Toddler Open Play w/ Bubble Party
9am–12pm • Ages 10mo–5 years • More info
📍Free Spirit Yoga Ninja Play (320 SW Powerhouse Dr. Ste 150)

Climb, jump, and slide during this open play time with obstacle courses, climbing walls, and chasing bubbles!

🌊 Oceans Sensory Bins
10am-11am • Ages 1-10 • Register
📍Play Theory Cafe (2221 NE 3rd St)

Kids dive into ocean-themed sensory bins, exploring different textures while learning about sea animals and conservation in this hands-on play session.

🎨 Storytime Art
1pm-2:30pm • Ages 3-6 • Register
📍Two Suns Art Studio (70 SW Century Dr)

Learn about different artists and artistic styles in this play-based art class. Using stories and a little bit of teacher guidance, kids will create both individual and communal creative projects as well as have time to engage in open-ended exploration stations.

🪡 Needle Felt Fungus
3:30pm-5:30pm • Ages 13-18 • Free • Register
📍Sunriver Library (56855 Venture Ln, Sunriver)

Teens learn the basics of needle felting in this hands-on workshop, creating their own three-dimensional mushroom to take home as an ornament, mini habitat display, or decoration. No experience needed!

📝 BPRD Registration Info Night
5pm-7pm • Family friendly • Free • Register
📍Larkspur Community Center (1600 SE Reed Market Rd.)

Summer registration is next week! Come learn about summer camps & programs, how to navigate the registration system, and get all of your questions answered. There will be a kid’s craft and activity table, snacks, and participants will receive a voucher for a drop-in fitness, swim or skate activity.

🍄 Mushroom Garlands Workshop
6pm-7:15pm • Ages 5-11 • Free • Register
📍Two Suns Art Studio (70 SW Century Dr)

Turn recycled materials into a whimsical mushroom garland in this fun workshop at Two Suns Art Studio, learning to transform landfill-bound items into a playful piece of décor!

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