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What’s on Our Bookshelf this October

By
Lori Orlinsky
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Halloween fun doesn’t have to wait until October 31. These five picture books bring witches, ghosts and a little magical mischief to storytime, giving families plenty to read while counting down to trick-or-treating.

An Untold Story of the Halloween Fairy

By Diane Alber
You know the Tooth Fairy, but have you met the Halloween Fairy? This fairy isn’t a fan of spooky things, and she has a plan for all that trick-or-treat candy: trade it for magical dreams. The story offers families a playful way to introduce a candy-swapping tradition, with instructions for creating an invitation for the fairy. Ages 4-7.

When the Witch Wrote Back

By Nathan Christopher
When his new neighbor arrives with a cauldron, broomstick and black cat, Jake thinks he’s found the answer to his Halloween party preparations. Why clean and decorate when a witch could do it with a spell? His letters asking for help set up a rhyming story about taking responsibility – and discovering that even a little magic can’t replace trying. Ages 4-8.

Here a Creek, There a Shriek

By Kelly Conroy
“Old MacDonald” gets a Halloween makeover as readers explore a haunted farm filled with howling creatures, cackling witches and floating ghosts. The familiar rhythm invites kids to join in with spooky sounds as they travel through a corn maze and haunted woods toward a barn dance. There’s also a poster tucked inside the book jacket. Ages 3-7.

The Ghost Who Saved Halloween

By Jen Anyong
Ghost has had enough of candy getting all the attention on Halloween. Determined to put haunting back in the spotlight, he sets out to learn a new trick. With rhymes inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” this picture book gives a classic spooky poem a playful twist for young readers. Ages 4-8.

The Witch’s Cat and the Cooking Catastrophe

By Kirstie Watson
Surprising the witch with lunch seems like a thoughtful idea—until her cat mistakes a spellbook for a cookbook. His kitchen adventure quickly turns into a series of magical mishaps. A curious cat with good intentions makes this story an appealing pick for children who enjoy animals, magic and a little mealtime mayhem. Ages 4-8.

This collection of books was curated by freelance writer Lori Orlinsky, an award-winning, bestselling children’s book author and industry expert who lives and breathes children’s books. 

Special Grounds Coffee Co. Creates an Inclusive Environment

By
Ava Thoman
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Special Grounds Coffee Co. hires students from New Horizons Academy.

Not only does the coffee from Special Grounds Coffee Co. get great reviews, but the coffee shop is also here for a good cause.

Special Grounds Coffee Co., which is run by Sara’s Garden, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides innovative educational interventions for the special needs community, including setting up the New Horizons Academy, employs students from the school who have special learning needs.

Located at 854 S. Shoop Ave., Wauseon, the shop is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Outside of their physical location, they also have a food truck that travels throughout the community.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, New Horizons Academy would take students to local businesses for a work-study program. Once COVID-19 hit and businesses were closed, students lost the opportunity to go out and work. So Matt Rychener, the CEO and executive director of Sara’s Garden, got to work on creating a place for the students to work.

RELATED: I Am Boundless: Supporting Families, Building Community

“June of 2020 is when we started the idea. By March of 2021, we were roasting our own coffee and selling that coffee online… By September 2021, Special Grounds officially opened,” Rychener said.

The food truck for Special Grounds Coffee Co.

Within the coffee shop, the junior high and high school students can have various jobs based on their skill sets.

“We have some kids who can work in the kitchen… We have other kids who might be involved in roasting and flavoring coffee and bagging coffee,” Rychener said. “Some kids can work in the back of house, stickering the cups, writing thank you notes on the bags and the coffee sleeves, notes of encouragement, pictures, stuff like that. There are just so many things they can do, no matter what their skill set is.”

With seasonal and common in-house roasted coffee, lemonades, teas, sandwiches, salads and pastries, Rychener said there is something for everyone. Even if you can’t make the drive to Wauseon, you can get your treats delivered to Toledo, although Rychener said they’re “worth the drive out from Toledo.”

Special Grounds Coffee Co. creates opportunities within the community for students with special learning needs.

“If somebody orders coffee online and they live in Toledo and want to pick it up, it can be picked up at our Toledo location [at 6201 Trust Dr., Holland], so they don’t have to drive to Wauseon just to pick up their coffee,” Rychener said.

While Special Grounds only has enough job openings for New Horizon students, they work with other schools and organizations in hosting fundraisers.

“Most people are tired of buying candies and stuff like that, so we do coffee fundraisers with schools where their kids will sell bags of coffee. They get a sheet, just like you would if you were doing one of those fundraiser programs, with all the different coffees that are available. Kids go out in the community with their families and sell coffee, and then the schools place a large order where they get a big discount, and then that’s a way for them to do fundraisers,” Rychener said.

During the week, Rychener said around 30 to 40 students are given the opportunity to work at Special Grounds. Rychener thinks it’s important to give these students an opportunity to work, because they are “capable of so much more than a lot of people give them credit for.”

“They are amazing hard workers. They have just the best attitudes. They’re thrilled to be there, and they can do so much more than what a lot of people give them credit for just by looking at them walking down the street,” Rychener said.

For more information on Special Grounds, go to specialgrounds.org.

Stork & Sun Baby Wipes Giveaway

By
Toledo Parent Staff
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Stork & Sun, a baby wipes company started by Sylvania parents Chase and Stefanie Linton, is giving away a full year of wipes (nine 16 Packs, 8,640 wipes, a $764.91 retail value) to one family. Stork & Sun makes one wipe for skin and surfaces (bottoms, faces, hands, high chairs, car seats) with seven ingredients printed right on the pack.
Entry is free and takes one email at storkandsun.com/pages/giveaway; no purchase necessary. Every friend an entrant refers is worth three extra entries, and the entrant who refers the most friends by November 30 also wins a 16 Pack. Entries close November 30, 2026, and the winner is drawn December 1.

Top Kids Shows for Child Development

By
Toledo Parent Staff
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The recommended amount of screen time varies by age group, as does the type of media kids consume. While many TV shows are fast paced, it is recommended for toddlers to watch low-stimulating media during their limited hours of screen time.
Jen Wirt, CEO/Founder of Coral Care, shares her top recommendations for the best kids shows for child development.

Bluey

Rating: 5 stars

“It’s the rare show that models play instead of just performing it, so kids walk away with games they can actually run themselves. The parents make mistakes and repair them out loud, which is a genuinely hard thing to teach and almost never shown on kids’ TV. Seven-minute episodes and a calm visual pace keep the cognitive load low while the dialogue stays rich enough to build real language. It’s also beautiful to watch as a parent, with scenes that model parenting techniques and even make you tear up.”

Daniel Tiger

Rating: 5 stars

“Daniel Tiger is built directly on Mr. Rogers’ curriculum, and the little strategy songs are the reason it works: kids sing “when you feel so mad that you want to roar” in the actual moment they need it. The slow pace, direct address, and predictable structure make it unusually accessible for children with attention or sensory differences. It also handles hard subjects, new siblings, doctor visits, a pet dying, with more care than almost anything else on air. Parents can use these songs in key moments outside of TV time. I used the Potty Song while potty training my own kids.”

Puffin Rock

Rating: 5 stars

“This is the most underrated show on this list. The narration is descriptive and unhurried, which builds vocabulary without a single flashy transition. There’s a sibling relationship at the center of it that models patience and care rather than conflict. For a child who gets dysregulated by screens, this is the one I’d reach for, especially near bedtime or if there’s only a short time to watch a show.”

Sesame Street

Rating: 5 stars

“This is still the most rigorously researched children’s program ever made, and the deepest bench on inclusion, with Julia, an autistic Muppet. There are even storylines on food insecurity and a parent’s addiction. We’re so happy to see that this was picked back up by Netflix.”

Doc McStuffins

Rating: 5 stars

“This show is on par with Daniel Tiger. It teaches empathy through the actual mechanics of caretaking: notice something is wrong, ask what hurts, listen, help. It also does something no other show on this list does, which is take the fear out of a doctor’s visit by letting the child be the one holding the stethoscope, and that carries over into real appointments. Doc herself is a Black girl who is unambiguously the expert in every room, and a generation of kids grew up with that as the default.”

Ms. Rachel

Rating: 4 stars

“The techniques are legitimately sound: direct address, exaggerated mouth movements, repetition, and pauses that leave room for a child to respond, which is close to how speech-language pathologists model language in a session. It’s narrow by design, though, heavy on adult-led instruction and light on story or peer modeling, so kids outgrow it faster than they outgrow Daniel Tiger or Bluey. Some parents rely on Ms. Rachel to teach language. It’s worth calling out that while there are pauses for response time, that does not replace a child’s need for real-interactive conversation and no show substitutes for an evaluation if a child isn’t hitting milestones.”

Kindergarten the Musical

Rating: 4 stars

“This show expertly handles the challenging school transition, and the number of kids who are anxious about starting school makes that genuinely useful. The songs are a good delivery system for social scripts, because a child will hum a lyric about sharing or waiting in line long after they’ve forgotten a lesson. This is best suited to the four-to-six range rather than toddlers.”

Alice’s Wonderland Bakery

Rating: 4 stars

“Following a recipe is a sequencing skill, and this makes it playful. There are also early math skills taught through baking together.”

Eureka!

Rating: 4 stars

“This show features a girl inventor in the Stone Age, so the engineering is visible and physical. We love this show for the kid who wants to know how things work. My younger daughter is a tinkerer, and was always inspired watching this show.”

Firebuds Rescue

Rating: 4 stars

“This is a great show to recommend to a family of PAW Patrol-loving kids. It has the same theme of vehicles and rescue, but with actual emotional problem solving instead of problem-solving through tools and gadgets.”

More than 20 Story Book Trails to Check Out in Toledo

By
Andrew Kersten
-

Families can enjoy nature while reading a story with Storybook Trails, a recent phenomenon spread across the Toledo area’s public parks and libraries. Children can navigate through the trail with their parents while learning about different aspects of nature from various authors.

“Visiting a Storybook Trail is a great opportunity for families to enjoy learning in the outdoors together,” says Mary Mertz, Director, Ohio Department of Natural Resources. “Kids of all ages will find fun and interactive ways to engage with these stories all while discovering more about conservation and the natural world.”

The program debuted in 2019 as The Ohio Department of Natural Resources placed an emphasis on the importance of literacy, health and the benefits of connecting with nature. Since then, it has expanded to Metroparks and libraries that guide participants along half-mile trails while following a favorite story. While trekking, children can follow along with the story using the wooden signs. There are 20 trails in our area with different stories at each location. There is no cost to walk the trails. Check out the locations below to start planning your adventure!

Fun Fall Activities To Connect To Nature

By
Sandi Schwartz
-

Depending on where you live, you may already feel the air getting cooler and crisper. With school back in session and all the talk about Halloween, we know that fall is in full swing. While we are busy with school and extracurricular activities, this is also a lovely time to take a relaxing break and connect to nature as a family. Here are some fun fall activities to help you and your kids connect to nature. 

U-pick Farm 

One of my most favorite memories of autumn is going apple picking with my family. I was so enthralled by all the hidden treasures hanging in the orchard. I loved tasting the different varieties of apples and deciding which was my favorite. My family and I actually just went apple and raspberry picking, so I was able to pass along my cherished childhood memories to them! 

This time of year is the perfect opportunity to head to a local farm to pick your own produce of the season, whether it be apples, pears, raspberries, squash, or others available where you live. It is a wonderful chance for the entire family to enjoy a few hours strolling around an orchard or farm taking in the sights, fragrances, and miracles of nature. By taking your children on a u-pick adventure, they will learn a tremendous amount about healthy food and the environment, and you will support your local community. Plus, locally grown food tastes better, is more nutritious, and stays fresh longer. 

RELATED: 5 Reasons To Take Your Children To A U-Pick Farm This Fall

The best part is that you can go home from the farm and spend quality time together in the kitchen creating tasty meals from the food you hand-picked yourselves. There are so many healthy, kid-friendly recipes to discover, from smoothies and side dishes to snacks. When your children play this much of a role in gathering and preparing their food, it will have a huge impact on them and influence the food decisions they make in the future.

Pumpkin Patch 

Nothing feels more like fall time than pumpkin patches, hay rides, and corn mazes! Your kids will love running around outside in a corn maze and searching for the biggest, brightest pumpkin to take home with them. No matter where you live, you should be able to find a place in your area that offers these fun autumn seasonal treats for your family to enjoy. 

And, of course, your children will have a blast carving the pumpkins and displaying their works of art for neighbors to see. We always love toasting the pumpkin seeds and enjoying them as a healthy snack afterwards.

Fall Foliage 

One of the most incredible aspects of nature is all the colors we can find. During autumn, colors are on full display as the leaves begin to change. When we experience the vivid natural colors during this season, we are filled with awe. This special emotion helps us feel happier and calmer, and is worth seeking out. One way to fill your kids with some awe this time of year is to go for a hike or family road trip to observe the gorgeous hues of changing leaves. 

The fall foliage can be so soothing as well as inspiring. Bring along a camera and be sure to snap lots of photos of the gorgeous leaves, and when you return home encourage your kids to draw or paint pictures based on what they saw. You can also organize an online slideshow of your photos or print them to create collages. Another fun idea is to collect some of the fallen leaves and bring them home for art projects. 

Volunteering 

This is also a great time of year to get outdoors and give back to others. When we spread kindness throughout our community, we actually experience a physiological change called a helper’s high. These positive feelings are heightened even more if we are volunteering outside and connecting with nature. 

There are numerous ways to volunteer outside in your community. Contact a local farm and see if they need help with activities like weeding, planting seeds, sifting compost, digging, or watering. You can also ask about or organize your own gleaning project, which involves picking leftover crops from a farmer’s field after they have been commercially harvested and donating the produce locally. 

You could go to a u-pick farm and then donate what you gather to a local food bank or put together gift baskets for people in the hospital. Look for beach, river, or park clean ups near you to register for as a family. Another idea is to offer to rake a sick or elderly neighbor’s leaves. This is a great way to get your kids involved in community service and to see the results right away. 

I hope you will take advantage of this special season to enjoy some fun fall activities as a family. You will be sure to build family memories that will last a lifetime!

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