Shining a Light

After a few particularly confrontational diaper changes when my daughter was very young, I realized I can't do things to her. I must do things with her. It has only become truer with time.
— Alex, Burlington, VT

Share your stories and musings with other parents. And, thank you for giving us a sense of fellowship in caring for young people!

Events

Thursday, October 1, 2026

Family Play at the Garden hosted by The Family Room
9:00 AM–12:00 PM @ Ethan Allen Homestead
0–5 years | Free, Outside, Drop In
Community building, fun learning activities for children aged 0–5, and social connections for caregivers. Through October at the Ethan Allen Homestead Community Gardens for outdoor activities, optional gardening, nature play and more!

Petra Cliffs Toddler Climb Time
9:30 AM–10:30 AM @ Petra Cliffs
1–4 years | Paid, Inside, Register
A toddler take-over at the rock climbing gym. Registration

Storytime
10:30 AM–11:00 AM @ Winooski Memorial Library
0–5+ years | Free, Inside, Drop In
Join the Winooski Memorial Library every Thursday for storytime! We'll be reading our favorite books, singing songs, doing a little dancing, and sharing in the fun!

GROW Preschool Yoga
11:00 AM–11:30 AM @ Fletcher Free Library
2–5 years | Free, Inside, Drop In
Join Colleen from Grow Prenatal and Family Yoga for songs, movement, and other fun yoga activities. Recommended for children ages 2-5 and their caregivers.

Petra Cliffs Homeschool Drop-In Hours
11:00 AM–1:00 PM @ Petra Cliffs
2–5+ years | Paid, Inside, Drop In
Homeschool Drop-In Hours is unstructured climbing time, with families receiving an orientation & basic safety instruction. This is a great opportunity to connect with other homeschool families!

Friday, October 2, 2026

Sing-Along with Linda Bassick
9:00 AM–9:30 AM @ Pingala Cafe NNE
0–5+ years | Free, Inside, Drop In
Friday morning sing along!

Saturday, October 3, 2026

South Burlington Block Party
8:30 AM–11:30 AM @ Burlington International Airport
0–5+ years | Free, Outside, Drop In
Join us for a SB Block Party at the Burlington International Airport space (1223 Airport Drive), featuring a live DJ, food vendors, inflatables, mascots, mini golf, face painting, arts & crafts, and more. Come celebrate the end of summer with fun for all ages!

Burlington Farmer's Market
9:00 AM–2:00 PM @ 345 Pine Street
0–5+ years | Free, Outside, Drop In
Every Saturday more than 70 vendors gather at 345 Pine Street - just a short walk from downtown.

Shelburne Farmer's Market
9:00 AM–1:00 PM @ Shelburne Parade Grounds
0–5+ years | Free, Outside, Drop In
The market is where local farms and makers welcome their neighbors and visitors to the best of Shelburne.

Creative Play Saturday
10:00 AM–11:30 AM @ The Makery
18 months–5 years | Paid, Inside, Register
Caregivers join their child at many different crafting stations where kids can explore with all their senses and develop their fine motor skills. We'll set up an assortment of ever changing craft opportunities so kids can explore colors, shapes, textures, and so much more at their own pace. Previous crafts have included: Collage, stamps, painting, coloring, beading, play-doh, slime, and more!

Construction Fest
10:00 AM–12:00 PM @ Church Street Marketplace
0–5+ years | Free, Outside, Drop In
Step into a world of construction for a morning of discovery and fun. Families can watch imaginations soar as kids discover new ways to play, create, and celebrate the people and machines that shape our city. Construction Fest is a free event offering a variety of hands-on activities for kids of all ages. Visit the FFL tent for crafts, a story time, and a singalong with Linda Bassick. Find us at the intersection of Main & Church St

Café de Rentrée en famille / Back-to-School Family Kickoff hosted by Vermont French Learning Hub
10:30 AM–12:30 PM @ Alliance Française
0–5+ years | Free, Inside, Drop In
Kick off the fall with coffee, pastries, and conversation en français! Join us for a relaxed morning to reconnect with old friends, welcome new faces, and hear what's ahead for 2026/2027 with the Vermont French Learning Hub.

Sensing the Season at Rock Point
10:30 AM–12:00 PM @ Rock Point Center
3–5+ years | Free, Outside, Register
Come to Rock Point Center for a guided activity about engaging with growth and change in our natural environment throughout the season. This includes a brief introduction into phenology (the study of seasonal environmental and biological changes) and the opportunity to explore spots along the trail with prompts and a scavenger hunt to aid your observations.

Live in the Orchard Concert Series: Will Behm and Eliza Goodell
12:00 PM–2:00 PM @ Shelburne Orchards
0–5+ years | Free, Outside, Drop In
Will Behm is a bluegrass and old time guitarist and singer who grew up in the far southwestern corner of Pennsylvania. Eliza Goodell hails from Newbury, Vermont and grew up learning French Canadian, Scottish, and Cape Breton styles of music before branching into the New England contra dance and old time scenes. Together, they have teamed up to do justice to the tried and true pairing of old time fiddle and guitar, with sweet harmonies and rippin' fiddle tunes.

Sunday, October 4, 2026

Breakfast w/ Bluey hosted by Dad Guild
9:00 AM–10:30 AM @ Vermont Comedy Club
18 months–5+ years | Free, Inside, Drop In
Breakfast with Bluey returns to the VT Comedy Club, its original location. There'll be free pancakes and Bluey on the projector screen for 60 minutes, then we'll quickly transform into the hottest dance club open at 10am in Vermont, glow sticks and all.

Winooski Farmer's Market
10:00 AM–2:00 PM @ Winooski Farmer's Market
0–5+ years | Free, Outside, Drop In
The Winooski Farmers Market is a sweet little market bringing food and fun to the Onion City. We’re proud to present Vermont-made farm-fresh products, prepared foods, crafts, live music, community guests, and activities!

Children's Storytime
10:30 AM–11:00 AM @ Wild Meadows Books and Cafe
0–5+ years | Free, Inside, Drop In
Join Christine, our Children's Programming Manager and a former early childhood educator, in our Children's section for storytime!

Tiny Tumblers Drop In Session
11:00 AM–12:15 PM @ Green Mountain Training Center
1–5 years | Paid, Inside, Drop In
Open gym time at the gymnastics studio, with plenty of space and equipment to hop, skip, run, and tumble.

Live in the Orchard Concert Series: The Spring Chickens
12:00 PM–2:00 PM @ Shelburne Orchards
0–5+ years | Free, Outside, Drop In
The Spring Chickens are a volcanic old time stringband based in Montpelier. They play hard-driving traditional Appalachian tunes and songs that’ll make you want to hop up and dance!

Monday, October 5, 2026

Crawlers, Waddlers and Toddlers
10:00 AM–12:00 PM @ The Family Room
0–3 years | Free, Inside, Drop In
A playgroup for caregivers and their babies, one & two years old. We provide a space for children and caregivers to connect, play, and eat.

Stories & Crafts: Animal Antics!
11:00 AM–11:45 AM @ Fletcher Free Library
2–5+ years | Free, Inside, Drop In
Weekly animal-themed stories and art activities for kids and caregivers! Each week will star a special mystery animal to be featured in the books we read and the crafts we create.

Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Playgroup
10:30 AM–11:30 AM @ Winooski Memorial Library
0–5 years | Free, Inside, Drop In
Meet at the library for a playtime with a variety of educational toys. Adults will have the chance to talk about child development or just chat.

Sing-Along with Linda Bassick
11:00 AM–11:30 AM @ Fletcher Free Library
0–5+ years | Free, Inside, Drop In
Dance, wiggle, and sing with local musician/early educator, Linda Bassick.

Baby Playgroup
1:00 PM–2:00 PM @ GROW
0–18 months | Free, Inside, Register
Join us for some adult hangout time with babies and kiddos in tow! Our playgroup is a chance for parents of little ones to meet, connect, chat, make friends and ask questions about all things baby and parenthood.

Old North End (ONE) Farmer's Market
3:00 PM–6:30 PM @ Dewey Park
0–5+ years | Free, Outside, Drop In
Working with local farmers, we help increase food access in a growing & diverse Burlington neighborhood.

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Tiny Tumblers Drop In Session
9:00 AM–10:15 AM @ Green Mountain Training Center
1–5 years | Paid, Inside, Drop In
Open gym time at the gymnastics studio, with plenty of space and equipment to hop, skip, run, and tumble.

Babytime
10:30 AM–11:00 AM @ South Burlington Public Library
0–6 months | Free, Inside, Drop In
A gentle, slow storytime that features songs, rhymes and lap play for our youngest patrons. Grown-ups caregivers are welcome to socialize after storytime.

Children's Storytime
10:30 AM–11:00 AM @ Wild Meadows Books and Cafe
0–5+ years | Free, Inside, Drop In
Join Christine, our Children's Programming Manager and a former early childhood educator, in our Children's section for storytime!

Early Months (Baby Massage)
10:30 AM–12:00 PM @ The Family Room
0–6 months | Free, Inside, Drop In
A soothing environment to learn and practice massage techniques. Best for babies 6 weeks until they are old enough to crawl away. Caregivers will have time to connect and share with others.

Stories & Songs for Library Littles
11:00 AM–11:30 AM @ Fletcher Free Library
1–3 years | Free, Inside, Drop In
Storytime, songs, and open play for babies, toddlers, and their caregivers!

Live in the Orchard Concert Series: Meatpackers
12:30 PM–1:30 PM @ Shelburne Orchards
0–5+ years | Free, Outside, Drop In
Come on out to the back porch of the donut house to hear some lovely and raucous music on a Wednesday afternoon! The Meatpackers are basically local celebrities. They have been playing together for decades and honestly have so much fun doing so, it’s contagious. They like to call their music a mix of bluegrass, gospel and redneck, with vocal harmonies, guitar, mandolin, stand-up-base, lap steel and the occasional fiddle.

May we Suggest...

... An upcoming winter gear swap

The 32nd Annual South Burlington High School Ski & Board Sale
October 3, 2026 9:00 AM–3:00 PM
@ Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School

Get ready for winter with new and used alpine and cross-country skis, snowboards, boots, bindings, helmets, outerwear, gloves, and more for the whole family. Mark your calendars, support the SBHS Boosters, and get geared up for another Vermont winter!

Skirack Winter Swap
October 10–11, 2026
@ Skirack

Winter Swap is a community driven, consignment sale event. You'll find great deals of new and used cross-country skis, downhill skis, snowboards, boots, bindings, poles, snowshoes, roller skis and Nordic skates. Plus, outerwear.

• Intake: Oct 7–9 (10:00 AM–6:00 PM)
• Shop: Oct 10 (9:00 AM–6:00 PM) & Oct 11 (10:00 AM–5:00 PM)
• Unsold Gear Pickup: Oct 12 (10:00 AM–6:00 PM)