Keeping Up with the Kids

From youth achievements to family fun, September is full of opportunities for kids and caregivers to learn, imagine, and explore together. Sixteen-year-old Maddie Canty sets the tone with her Girl Scout Gold Award project, which is changing lives for kittens and the community alike. Families can look forward to toddler playtimes, story hours, hands-on STEM programs, and even outdoor adventures with new interactive apps. Whether it’s building forts, reading with therapy dogs, celebrating grandparents, or taking flight with books and airplanes, there’s something for every age this month.

Sixteen-year-old Maddie Canty has earned the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award for her project, “A Hope for Kittens”, aimed at reducing kitten euthanasia in Sarasota County. Over 16 months, Maddie dedicated more than 200 leadership hours to fostering and socializing kittens, organizing educational programs, creating adoption starter kits, and advocating for spay/neuter awareness. Her efforts mobilized more than 300 volunteers, secured a city proclamation, and partnered with local rescue groups to provide free spay/neuter services. As one of fewer than 6% of Girl Scouts nationwide to earn this honor, Maddie’s project leaves a lasting impact on both animals and the community. 

Toddler Time
Bring your toddlers on Wednesdays from 10am to noon to play, socialize, and learn! This is a drop-in program located at Ann & Chuck Dever Regional Park Recreation Center, 6961 San Casa Drive. There is a $2 fee per visit. For more information, go to CharlotteCountyFL.gov or call 941•681•3760.

Rootin’ Tootin’ Toddlers
Giddy up and join the fun! Rootin’ Tootin’ Toddlers invites little cowboys and cowgirls to gallop, tumble, and play in a lively and safe environment every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10am to noon at Tringali Park Recreation Center, 3460 North Access Road. From hobby horses and mats to blocks and more, this $2-per-child program helps toddlers develop social and motor skills while making new friends. For more information, call 941•681•3742 or visit CharlotteCountyFL.gov.

Let’s Pretend Day
Children ages 2 to 8 and their caregivers are invited to “Let’s Pretend Day” at Elsie Quirk Library, 100 W. Dearborn Street. Drop in for free-play time with toys and props designed to spark young imaginations on Wednesday, September 3 and Wednesday, September 10 from 10:30 to 11:30am in the Program Room. No registration needed. For more information, visit scgovlibrary.librarymarket.com or call 941•861•1200.

Midday Hangout for Homeschool Students Returns to North Port
North Port Parks & Recreation invites homeschool students in kindergarten through eighth grade to join Midday Hangout, a fun and engaging program held monthly at the George Mullen Activity Center, 1602 Kramer Way. Each session runs from 12:30 to 2:30pm and features rotating activities like archery, creative arts, and friendly competitions designed to keep kids active and social. Upcoming dates include Wednesdays, September 3 (Archery), October 1 (Fish Frenzy), November 5 (Build & Battle), and December 3 (Coloring Hoops). Admission is $5 for North Port residents and $6 for non-residents. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Drop-ins welcome. For details, visit NorthPortFL.gov/General-Interest or call 941•429•7275.

Engineer Lab
Young engineers are invited to Engineer Lab on Wednesday, September 3 from 3:45 to 5:15pm at Elsie Quirk Library, 100 W. Dearborn Street. Using a safe cutting tool called a Chompsaw, kids ages 5–9 will design and build cardboard skyscrapers, then bring their creations to life by programming and racing Ozobot robots through their custom-made city streets. Children sensitive to sound are encouraged to bring headphones. Registration is required at scgovlibrary.librarymarket.com or call 941•861•1110.

Little Adventures Story Time
Toddlers and preschoolers ages 2 to 5 are invited to Little Adventures Story Time on Thursdays, September 4 & 11 from 10:30 to 11:30am in the Program Room at Elsie Quirk Library, 200 West Dearborn Street. This lively program blends early literacy fun with music, stories, movement, crafts, and activities that help prepare little ones for school. No registration required. For more information, visit scgovlibrary.librarymarket or call 941•861•1110.

Family Story Time
On Thursdays, September 4 & 11, 11am, families with children ages 0 to 5 are invited to drop in to the Englewood Charlotte Library, 3450 North Access Road, for storytime. This weekly program incorporates musical play to encourage early learning and develop group participation skills. Little ones will explore stories, songs, and movement that support both gross and fine motor development, with plenty of clapping, stomping, and joyful wiggling! To learn more, call 941•681•3736 or visit charlottecountyfl.libcal.com.

Jet-Set and Read!
Take off into reading at the Jet-Set and Read! kickoff event for the Earn Your Wings Challenge on Thursday, September 4, from 4:30 to 5:30pm at the Englewood Charlotte Library, 3450 North Access Road. Families can enjoy free fun exploring the wonders of flight, meeting real-life pilots, and starting their book review worksheets to earn free tickets to the Florida International Air Show on November 1 and 2. All ages are welcome, no registration required. For details call 941•681•3736 or visit charlottecountyfl.libcal.com.

Thursday Night Magic: Library Edition
Calling all “Magic: The Gathering” fans! On Thursdays, September 4 & 11 join fellow players for Thursday Night Magic: Library Edition, a casual weekly meet-up held every Thursday from 5 to 7pm at the Englewood Charlotte Library, 3450 North Access Road. Whether you’re a seasoned planeswalker or brand new to the game, all skill levels are welcome. Bring your own deck or borrow one from the library to dive into epic battles, trade strategy tips, and meet fellow adventurers in a laid-back, supportive environment. Open to teens and adults. For details, call 941•681•3736 or visit charlottecountyfl.libcal.com.

Grandparents Day Ice Cream Social
Celebrate the special bond between generations at the Grandparents Day Ice Cream Social on Friday, September 5 from 6 to 8pm at the Morgan Family Community Center, 6207 W. Price Boulevard, North Port. This western-themed celebration is specially crafted for grandparents and their young wranglers, ages 4 and up, featuring old-fashioned ice cream, hands-on fun at the Craft Corral, western-themed games, and a photo booth. Guests are encouraged to show off their best Western wear in a fun costume contest. Cost is $6 per person. Please register in advance at northportfl.gov or call 941•429•7275. 

Forty Carrots: Partners in Play®
Enjoy special uninterrupted play time with your child in the drop-in FREE Partners In Play® (PIP) parenting education group. This fun and educational experience is held Mondays, September 8 & 15 from 10:15 to 11:15 am, with a second session from noon to 1pm, at the Elsie Quirk Library, 100 W. Dearborn Street. Meet the friendly parenting educators and discover how Forty Carrots can help you enhance your parenting skills even more with hands-on developmental age-appropriate activities, circle time fun, valuable parenting information and the opportunity to make new friends. The program is for babies to five years old. Offered by Forty Carrots Family Center. Class is limited to 12 families. Come to the youth services desk to sign up the day of the session. For questions, call 941•861•1225.

Read with the Dogs
Children are invited to Read with the Dogs on Monday, September 8 from 3:30 to 4:30pm at Elsie Quirk Library, 100 W. Dearborn Street. This special storytime program gives preschoolers, children, and tweens the chance to read aloud with certified pet therapy dogs, encouraging conversation and helping to build reading and communication skills. The kids enjoy the fun interactions while the dogs love the attention. No registration is required. For more information visit scgovlibrary.librarymarket.com or call 941•861•1110.

Attack on the Fort!
Kids can unleash their creativity and learn a little engineering at Attack on the Fort! on Tuesday, September 9 from 4:30 to 5:30pm at the Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda Library, 4143 Woodmere Park Boulevard, Venice. This fun STEAM program invites children ages 5 to 12 to build a pompom-shooting catapult, construct a fort out of popsicle sticks, paper, and tape, and then test their defenses in a friendly battle of flying pompoms. Perfect for curious kids who love hands-on projects, this program blends learning and play in an engaging way. No registration is required. For more details, visit scgovlibrary.librarymarket.com or call 941•861•1110.

Family Fest: Alice in Wonderland
Step into a world of imagination at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall’s very first “Family Fest: Alice in Wonderland” on Saturday, September 27, from 10am to 2pm at 777 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. Inspired by the hall’s popular Friday Fests, this free, family-friendly event will feature two sensory-friendly performances of Alice in Wonderland by Asolo Rep on Tour at 10am and 1pm, along with an interactive mindfulness and literacy activity led by dynamic teaching artist Mr. Stevey. In addition to the performances, guests can enjoy themed activities with local community organizations, browse the Children’s Entrepreneur Market showcasing kid-made products, and sample fun treats from on-site food trucks. For more information, call 941•263•6799 or visit VanWezel.org.

Agents of Discovery’ Outdoor Exploration App
Turn screen time into green time with “Agents of Discovery”, a new interactive app now available at select Sarasota County parks. Developed in partnership with Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources and the UF/IFAS Extension and Sustainability office, this free mobile app invites families to complete nature-based missions that uncover local history, wildlife, and conservation stories. Explore site-specific challenges with Field Agent Forest Parker and earn digital badges along the way. Designed for kids ages 6 to 12, the app turns parks into engaging outdoor classrooms. Three Sarasota County Parks have adventures available now: Venice Area Audubon Rookery, 4006 S. Tamiami Trail Venice; Pinecraft Park, 1420 Gilbert Avenue, Sarasota; and Red Bug Slough Preserve, 5200 Beneva Road, Sarasota. Registration is required at bit.ly/SRQAgents. Download the app at linktr.ee/DownloadAgentsofDiscovery. Please check park hours before visiting. Note that pets are not permitted at some locations. For more details, visit SarasotaCountyParks.com/AOD or call Sarasota County Parks and Rec at 941•861•9930.

Congressional App Challenge
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives host district-wide Congressional App Challenges for middle school and high school students, encouraging them to learn to code and inspiring them to pursue careers in computer science. Each challenge is district-specific. Each winning app may be put on display in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year. The competition deadline is October 30 at noon. Students can register and learn more at https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/students/student-registration/.

Note: Event listings are published as accurately as possible. We recommend contacting the numbers provided to confirm details or request further information. To submit an event for consideration in “Keeping Up with the Kids,” please send details and/or a photo to The Englewood REVIEW, 370 W Dearborn St, Suite B, Englewood, FL 34223, or email us at info@englewoodreview.com.