In February and March of 2026 many religious and cultural celebrations follow the lunar calendar—Ramadan, Lunar New Year, Mardis Gras and Easter and Holi. Wishing you a season of renewal in contemplation of Earth’s beautiful satellite.
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Featured Activity Theme: the Moon
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Read: Moon’s Ramadan by Natasha Kazi, A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin or Papa Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle
Explore: Search for the moon in both the night and daytime sky; go further afield and visit the moon exploration exhibits at the Museum of Science & Industry or the Planetarium.
Create: Oreo cookies moon phases. Split sandwich cookies apart, and scrape or eat off cream to form different moon shapes, using this worksheet for reference. Take a photo, then gobble them up with a cold glass of milk!
Listen: Sing and dance along to this great playlist of “songs for the moon” including my favorite, Van Morrison’s Moondance.
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Cooking with Kids: Shortcut Mardis Gras King Cake
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Ingredients:
2 cans cinnamon rolls (pkg of 8) with Butter Cream Icing
Yellow, green and purple decorating sugar
Place cinnamon rolls sideways on a large cookie sheet that has been greased or lined with a silicone mat. Arrange cinnamon rolls in a circular pattern. Press down on cinnamon rolls with your hand to flatten them slightly. Bake at 375 for 13-17 minutes. Let cool. Hide plastic baby or button into a slit in cooled cake if desired. Frost with included buttercream, then sprinkle with yellow, green and purple sugar. Serve immediately or store covered for up to 24 hours at room temperature.
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Parenting Community Happenings
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| Stories in the Bookstore
Tuesdays, 11:00–11:45 a.m., Campus Bookstore (970 E. 58th Street, 2nd Floor). Stories for all ages near the couches on the 2nd floor. Books on a theme, along with songs and snacks, percussion instruments and fingerplays. If you have a stroller, you can access the 2nd floor via back door off the elevator.
“Crafternoons”
Fridays, 3:30–4:30 p.m., UChicagoGRAD HQ (970 E. 58th Street, 3rd Floor) Features a simple craft, along with a coloring corner, toys for pre-crafters, and coffee and snacks for all. No crafts or stories during Spring Break, March 16–20.
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Family Mixer
Saturday, February 28, 3:00–5:00 p.m., UChicagoGRAD Headquarters (970 E. 58th Street, 3rd Floor) Come and celebrate with fellow families at this free event featuring seasonal crafts, snacks and little prizes for kids. You can also sample the King Cake recipe above! RSVP is appreciated but not required to lmacgregor@uchicago.edu. While we are gathering in a UChicagoGRAD space, all families are invited—not just Grad students. Bring a friend!
Parent Write In
Saturday, March 7, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. UChicagoGRAD HQ and Grad Lounge. Student and Postdoc parents can utilize this twice-quarterly free service: we watch your children as you do academic work in an adjoining space. Drinks and snacks provided. Children must be at least 9 months old. Write-in registration.
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Ideas from Your Neighbors
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Shared by Hyde Parkers and UChicago families via various newsletters and community listservs.
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Lunar New Year Parade Sunday, March 1, 1:00–3:00 p.m. Chicago Chinatown Lunar Parade, celebrating the Year of the Horse, begins at 24th Street and Wentworth Avenue, moving north toward Cermak Road. It will feature traditional dragon/lion dances, floats, and marching bands.
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Logan Center Family Day Saturday, March 7, 2:00–4:00 p.m., Logan Center for the Arts (60th & Drexel.) Occurs the first Saturday of the month--March's theme is "Reading the Rainbow." Everyone welcome. $10/family donation is appreciated as you are able.
Smart Family Night Friday, March 13, 4:00–7:00 p.m. Smart Museum (56th & Greenwood Ave.) In celebration of the University of Chicago’s Year of Games, families are invited to come together and design their very own board game. Consider all of the creative decisions that go into designing a successful game, with guidance from designer Stefan Barkow– perfect for future family game nights. FREE. Registration encouraged; walk-ins welcome as space allows.
St. Patrick’s Day River Dyeing and Downtown Parade Saturday, March 14 , 10am-3pm, various locations in the Loop.
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Your newsletter input is always appreciated. Send ideas and contributions to lmacgregor@uchicago.edu
Laura MacGregor
UChicagoGRAD Parenting Community Coordinator
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