SW FL Parent & Child Staff
Photo by Tim Aten/Naples Daily News
Eagle Lakes family, kiddie pools will be colder until heaters are repaired
The Eagle Lakes Community Park Aquatic Facility Family and Kiddie pools will be colder than usual. Pool heaters are currently being repaired. The county anticipates that heaters will be operational by Saturday, February 15. Read more
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Bill would force schools to take day off after Halloween
Florida's state Sen. Annette Taddeo filed a bill that, if it becomes law as is, would require district school boards to designate the day after Halloween as a school holiday. Read more
Natalie Ramos: Where is she now?
The first child to model for the cover of SW FL Parent & Child magazine, Natalie Ramos is the daughter of the magazine’s founder, Connie Ramos-Williams. Natalie was 8 years old, attending second grade at Saint Andrew Catholic School in Cape ... Read more
Courtesy of The Immokalee Foundation
The Immokalee Foundation seeks mentors
January is National Mentoring Month and The Immokalee Foundation is looking for adults who would like to provide guidance and support to Immokalee students while developing mutually rewarding relationships. Read more
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Healthy Start launches diaper drive
The Healthy Start Coalition of Southwest Florida is requesting the community’s help this holiday season. For the second year, the nonprofit is holding a diaper drive to benefit families currently enrolled in Healthy Start services. Read more
Special to SW FL Parent & Child
Bell Tower Halloween Spooktacular
Hundreds of costumed trick-or-treaters and their parents went to Bell Tower's Halloween Spooktacular on October 26. The kids went door-to-door for candy and snacks. Plus in the Center Court, there were pony rides and a dance party. Read more
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Get cash for kids’ Halloween candy
On Halloween night, kids all over Southwest Florida hit the streets in costume to collect as much candy as they can carry. To save their pearly whites, dentists and orthodontists in the area often offer to buy back kids' candy. Read more
Amanda Inscore
Global Big Latch On events in SWFL promote breastfeeding
This weekend, the Global Big Latch On celebrates 10 years of bringing moms together to breastfeed all at once around the world. Lee Health is hosting two events, one in Cape Coral, another in Estero. Read more
Kinfay Moroti/The News-Press
Back-to-school sales tax holiday starts Friday, Aug. 2
In Florida, all families can buy back-to-school clothes, shoes and supplies — including computers — and pay no sales tax August 2-6. Read more
Everything you need to know about going back to school in SW FL
We rounded up the big back-to-school questions and posed them to the appropriate experts in the community to get you answers. Read more
Special to SW FL Parent & Child
United Way seeks ReadingPals volunteers
United Way of Lee, Hendry, Glades and Okeechobee is recruiting volunteers for the United Way ReadingPals program to read to 4- and 5-year-olds at 19 school sites in Lee and Hendry counties. Read more
Courtesy of Lipman Family Farms
School supply drives and giveaways
Several organizations in Southwest Florida are collecting school supplies for teachers and for students in need. Plus, several events are planned to distribute free supplies to families. Read more
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New drivers can win dream trip in Lee County Tax Collector contest
The Lee County Tax Collector launched an Instagram contest for new drivers Tuesday called #LCTCRockTheRoad. Read more
Special to SW FL Parent & Child
PAW Patrol returns to Mann Hall on July 30, 31
PAW Patrol Live! is coming back to Southwest Florida this summer and tickets are now on sale. In “Race to the Rescue,” the heroic pups from the PAW Patrol series take the stage with Bunraku puppetry at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall. Read more
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11+ ways to celebrate Apollo 11 moon mission's 50th anniversary
You’re likely to hear a lot about space this summer. There’s a big 50th anniversary coming up: the first time humans set foot on the moon. Here are numerous ways to celebrate, both locally and at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Read more
5 Things: Out of this world
Encourage young imaginations to take off and explore the mysteries of space with these great finds in honor of the moon mission’s 50th anniversary. Read more
#momtruths: Cat & Nat are coming to Southwest Florida
Being a mom gets messy, though, and Cat and Nat — Catherine Belknap and Natalie Telfer — tackle it head on. Read more
The Summer of Free Stuff
This year must be the Summer of Free Stuff. We’re getting notifications about all sorts of freebies for kids and families. Read more
Jack Hardman/The News-Press file photo
Where to celebrate Fourth of July
We created a special event search just for Fourth of July and fireworks events coming up in Southwest Florida, in Collier and Lee counties. Read more
Special to SW FL Parent & Child
Sarah Georgiana of 'Dance Moms' coming to Southwest Florida
Dance got her to potty train. Now she's one of the stars of "Dance Moms" Season 8 on the Lifetime Network. This weekend, Sarah Georgiana is coming to meet and dance with Southwest Florida kids. Read more