Admission is free to the Peoria Zoo from January 2- February 10. Heve fun visiting the animals with the family!

Peoria Zoo
2218 N. Prospect Rd. (in Glen Oak Park)
Peoria, IL 61603
309-686-3365
www.peoriazoo.org

Project S.C.R.E.E.N. (Screening Children and Responding to Early Educational Needs) is a service provided by Peoria Public Schools to detect preschool children between the ages of three and five who are at risk for learning problems. Early identification of developmental lags can help you plan for your child's success upon entering school.

The Peoria Public Schools' staff and trained volunteers will evaluate preschoolers in five developmental areas:
1. Personal-Social
2. Adaptive
3. Fine and Gross Motor
4. Communication
5. Cognitive

Children experiencing difficulty will be referred for further evaluation or be provided with materials to develop problem areas.

Parades Galore The Peoria Santa Parade, the East Peoria Festival of Lights Parade, the Peoria Heights Annual Christmas Walk & Caroling, and the Pekin's Winter Wonderland Parade take place Thanksgiving weekend. Check out the calendar for more info.

FOLEPI Festival of Lights-East Peoria, Illinois
(FOLEPI) events officially start December 5. Kids will especially enjoy Folepi’s Village and the Winter Wonderland. It’s guaranteed!!!

Critter Christmas Have fun and support the Zoo at Critter Christmas on Dec 5! All kids, small and big, enjoy the zoo. Santa will be there!

Museum and Zoo memberships Experiences are more memorable than things. Give or ask for family memberships to local attractions. A Wildlife Prairie State Park membership costs $40. A family membership to the zoo is $50. A Lakeview Museum family membership costs $65. For a family of five, a membership to one of these attractions is a bargain for a gift.

The Greater Peoria Family YMCA emphasizes healthy family homes across the Peoria area. Our programs and special events encourage children about the importance of healthy food choices, regular physical activity and strong family relationships. Our programs emphasize the importance of being healthy at home with healthy meals, physical activity and family time.

Congrats to Barack Obama. We should all stand behind him as the president of the United States, even if he wasn’t your candidate. As parents, we should be more involved in the political process and demonstrate this to our children. Voting is a good start, but to let our voices be heard further, we should communicate with our elected officials.

All parents should be aware of the safety resources available to them, so we’re spotlighting the PeoriaParent.com Safety Directory. It lists essential info for parents all in one place. Parents can find info on abuse prevention, including OffenderWatch (a sex offender registry).

Vote early to avoid the election day lines or for your convenience. Early voting takes place until October 30, including weekends. Set an example for your kids, and show them the importance of the ballot booth. Make your vote count!

Autumn Leaves
Walk or take a car ride with the family on Grandview Drive this time of year. The leaves of gold, red, brown and orange against the river view is breathtaking. It’s no wonder Teddy Roosevelt called it one of the world’s most beautiful drives.

Storytime events are available at several libraries and businesses. Storytimes encourage positive attitudes about books and reading. It’s a great time to share with your kids, and build their enthusiasm. Besides reading books, some storyhours include a craft or playtime afterward. Below is info on various storytimes:

Peoria Public Library offers several storytimes at their six branches. Peoria Public Library storytimes are posted on our calendar, or visit the library’s site.