Best of the Nest Ballot 2026
Every spring, we gear up for our annual Best of the Nest ballot issue, and this year, we can’t wait for the tally! Here’s where you voiceyour opinion s for all your faves across Central Oregon. Who’s your favorite pediatrician? Kids’ clothing store? Best summer camp? We love hearing from you, and we also love…
Together we are Sunshine
Haala and Sanaa and Munira are sisters. They are three different ages—so can they work together as a team? Explore the sun and skip through the grass. Listen to the wind’s music. Dance, tiptoe to the lily pond and climb the tree. This is an adventurous and heartwarming story about nature, playing outside and the…
A Different Type of Travel
Here, in Central Oregon, local volunteer opportunities are plentiful, both for children and adults, and range in variety from animal welfare to community events to farming tasks and more. Participating in any of these activities has countless benefits for the whole family. Not only do we help others and make a meaningful impact in our…
Bend Nest Spring Calendar 2026
Mondays Homeschool Jump – Midday Fun for HomeschoolersACTIVITY – Mountain Air Bend welcomes homeschoolers to a special session which provides a fun, active and social environment where kids can jump, climb and play with friends. Perfect for homeschool groups or individual students, this event encourages physical activity, teamwork and imaginative play, while parents can relax knowing their kids are safe and engaged.Mountain Air…
Once Upon a Time…
Celebrating its 20th season this year, BEAT Children’s Theatre is excited to present “Shrek, The Musical, JR,” by David Lindsay-Abaire, with music by Jeanine Tesori. This February 20 – 22, BEAT actors will take the stage with this hilarious, touching and joyful story of Shrek and his fairy tale friends on a journey to find love,…
Self-Expression with a Touch of Caution
Most parents remember that iconic moment in middle school or beyond when they were first allowed to wear make-up and finally dip their toes into the world of beauty products. Kids today have a wide range of options when it comes to choosing their look, including vibrant hair color, extensive skin cleansing products and bold…
More Than a Game
With the popular TV show “The Queen’s Gambit,” many families are newly interested in the ancient game of chess. Recently, I brought my own chess set to a local party where it was a smash hit with the half dozen children in attendance, who were all clamoring for a turn at the board. Parents watched…
Labyrinths & Bats
Beneath our feet, Oregon is riddled with a labyrinth of natural tunnels, lava tubes and underground chambers, all shaped by fire and time and home to several species of bats. Central Oregon’s dramatic landscape was sculpted by ancient lava flows and millennia of geologic upheaval. Situated on the eastern edge of the Cascade Volcanic Arc,…
Editor’s Note, Spring 2026
There comes a moment in every parenting journey when we pause and realize the end of a very important chapter is in sight. Graduation looms, and then comes college, a gap year or a child living on their own for the first time. For me, I remember it well as a humbling, bittersweet time.In this…
Expert Q&A with Dr. Jocelyn Cooper
Q: My eight-year-old seems to be sick all the time. She’s had several ear infections and colds this school year. How can we help her stay healthy? A: Frequent childhood illnesses are actually the immune system’s “workout”—it is the normal process of building long-term immunity. However, constant cycles of illness are exhausting for both the…
Central Library on Target to Open This May
Located at the junction of 27th Street and Wilderness Way in east Bend, the new central library is in its final phase of construction and scheduled to open this May. To prepare for the move, the downtown branch will close in April and remain closed for one year while renovations are completed. Featuring three floors,…
Search for the Future
Spring break is an ideal time to experience college life in action, allowing your child to get a sense of how each college operates on a daily basis. Signing up for the official tour is the obvious first step, but what else can parents and students do to prepare for and make the most of…
Handwriting in a Digital World
As parents, many of us fondly remember learning cursive handwriting in school as children–the curly letters that looked like calligraphy, the quick dash of a pen across the page, the excitement of handwriting letters to pen pals and family. Learning cursive was both practical and enjoyable for many of us. Linking letters together and keeping…
Simple Blackberry Bread Pudding
Growing up, I was enchanted by the stories and illustrations in Beatrix Potter’s classic children’s books, like “The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck,” “The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin” and, of course, “The Tale of Peter Rabbit.” The stories are sweet and funny, with cheeky characters usually learning a life lesson after a mishap. The illustrations are…
How To Draw a Tree
Are you ready to draw a tree? Explore the outside and pick one or two. What is the bark like? What color are the leaves? Smell it. Touch it. “Examine a leaf, front and back.” Will you dance around the tree? This is a beautiful book about exploring and truly noticing all aspects of different…
