Schenley Park Skating Rink Open for Summer

The Schenley Park Skating Rink is now open four days a week through the end of August for the city’s roller-skating community.

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The park, which first opened 50 years ago, opened for the summer in late May. Roller-skating sessions this summer will include:

• Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

• Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon

• Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

• Select Sundays (July 1, 8, and 15 and August 3, 24, and 31) from 10 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The park closes on August 31.

“The organizers of PGH SK8 started hosting roller skate events at the rink and have worked to help us reimagine how we can utilize this facility to offer Pittsburghers an additional fun summer recreational activity in Schenley Park,” said Kathryn Vargas, CitiParks’ director.

Three Rivers Festival to Host Musical Performances, Activities, and Artist Market

The Three Rivers Arts Festival will bring four days of free art and music to Pittsburgh’s cultural district in early June.

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The festival, which runs from Thursday, June 5 to Sunday, June 8, will offer a variety of events and activities, musical performances, artists, and vendors. 

For visual arts, there will be an artist market, exhibitions, and films, while performances will include everything from popular music artists to dance.

The artist market runs from noon to 8 p.m. every day of the festival. It will feature hundreds of independent artists from around the nation selling handmade fine arts and crafts that vary from jewelry and paintings to woodworking and photography. 

Some of the musical performance highlights include:

• Ras Prophet (Thursday, June 5 at 3 p.m.)

• Megan Paullet and the HR Department (Thursday, June 5 at 6 p.m.)

• The Shiners (Friday, June 6 at noon)

• Tiera Kennedy (Friday, June 6 at 6 p.m.)

• Souls of Mischief (Saturday, June 7 at 4 p.m.)

• Rell Z the Genius (Saturday, June 7 at 5 p.m.)

• Cautious Clay (Saturday, June 7 at 7:30 p.m.)

• Lisa Loeb (Sunday, June 8 at 6 p.m.)

• Suzanne Vega (Sunday, June 8 at 7:30 p.m.)

Dance performances include ballet, garba, and a dance battle featuring cash prizes and trophies.

For children, the festival will feature a creativity zone and the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh’s Magical Community Garden in the Strip District, both of which are open in the Strip District every day from noon to 6 p.m. The Pittsburgh Glass Center will offer mini-mosaic craft activities, while the Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media will hold a clay workshop.

For more events and information, visit the festival’s website.

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Announces Trust Family Series of Performances

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust will host its Trust Family Series of seven performances that will run from September through April.

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The series of performances is intended for all ages and aims to instill imagination and curiosity in both children and adults.

The lineup includes:

• Dog Man: The Musical (Saturday, Sept. 27 at noon and 4 p.m.)

• The 4th Witch (Saturday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m.)

• Omnium Circus: I’m Possible (Saturday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m.)

• Dinosaur World Live (Saturday, Jan. 17 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.)

• The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac (Saturday, March 14 at 2 p.m.)

• Robot Song (Saturday, March 21 at 2 p.m.)

• Hare & Tortoise (Sunday, April 19 at 2 p.m.)

Tickets are on sale now. Those who purchase three or more shows can save up to 15 percent on their order.

For more information on the series or to buy tickets, visit the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s website.

Resources for June Observances

Various organizations, states, and nations recognize a number of observances each month. Resources help parents, caregivers, and child care professionals acknowledge and navigate them.

Here is a list of resources for June observances:

Month-Long Observances

June is Caribbean American Heritage Month

• Caribbean American Heritage Month, National Archives

• Caribbean American History and Culture, U.S. Department of the Interior

• Global Diasporas: Contemporary African and Caribbean Migration - Organizations &

• Resources in Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Library System

• On the Town: Celebrating Caribbean American Heritage, PBS

• Caribbean American Heritage Month, Pittsburgh Technical College

• 19 Books to Celebrate Caribbean American Heritage, Scholastic

• Anti-Racism Tools, Trying Together

• Inclusive Language Guidelines, American Psychological Association (APA)

June is Pride Month

• Pride Month, Library of Congress

• Pittsburgh Pride 2025, Pittsburgh Pride Revolution

• 6 Things LGBTQ Youth Want Allies to Do This Pride, Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLESEN)

• LGBTQ Activism and Contributions, Library of Congress

• The LGBTQ+ Experience, PBS

• Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series: Gender, Gender Identity, and LGBTQ+ Inclusion, Trying Together

• LGBTQ Resources, Allegheny County Department of Human Services

• LGBTQ Resource List, GLAAD

• Being an LGBTQ+ Ally, Human Rights Campaign

• Research: How to Be a Better Ally to the LGBTQ+ Community, Harvard Business Review

• Pronoun Guide, Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLESEN)

• LGBTQ Glossary, Johns Hopkins University: Diversity and Inclusion Resources

Days of Recognition

June 5 is World Environment Day

• World Environment Day, United Nations

• Sustainable YOUniverse, Pittsburgh Earth Day

June 16 is Father’s Day

• 61 Best Father’s Day Activities That’ll Be Fun for the Whole Family, Good Housekeeping

• The 8 Best Things Dads Can Do for Themselves in Honor of Father’s Day, Everyday Health

• Developmentally Appropriate Parenting Series: Caring for the Caregiver, Trying Together

• When is Father’s Day 2025 - and Why Do We Celebrate It?, Reader’s Digest

June 19 is Juneteenth

• The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth, National Museum of African American History & Culture

• Juneteenth: The History of a Holiday, The New York Times

• Western Pennsylvania Juneteenth Celebration, Facebook page

• 5 Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth with Your Family, PBS Kids for Parents

• 20 Educational Resources and Activities for Teaching Juneteenth, Teaching Expertise

• NMAAHC Kids: Understanding & Celebrating Juneteenth, National Museum of African American History and Culture

• Children’s Books to Honor Juneteenth and Black History, HarperCollins Publishers

• Top 10 Children’s Books on Freedom, Bookroo

• The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth, The Smithsonian Institution 

• How Do You Explain Slavery to Kids?, National Geographic 

• Talking to Your Kids About Racism and Violence, The Child Mind Institute

• Anti-Racism Resources for Families, Trying Together

Daniel Tiger Teams Up with YWCA for Pool Season Safety Tips

The YWCA and the producers of the animated series “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” have provided safety tips in a new episode for parents and caregivers to keep preschoolers safe as pool season begins.

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A new episode of “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” was released this week that shows Daniel and his friend Juan Carlos having fun at a pool and pretending to be whales. 

Caregivers and children can watch the pool-themed episode and listen to a Daniel Tiger song about staying safe near water to start a conversation about pool safety.

Safety Tips

Lindsay Mondick, director of strategy and quality practices of aquatics at the YMCA of the USA, said the following safety tips should always be considered when young children are at the pool:

• Always Ask Permission: Parents must instill this simple rule during a day at the pool, beach, or lake. Children must always ask for permission before entering the water.

• Find a Water Watcher: Whenever children are in or around water, make sure an adult is identified as the “water watcher.” They are tasked with keeping an active eye on and supervising everyone without distractions - in other words, no phones, books, or conversations.

• Use the Buddy System: Never let children swim alone, regardless of how strong a swimmer they are. Before leaving for the pool or beach, designate swimming buddies for everyone in the group.

• Suit Up Accordingly: Swimsuits and sunscreen - but also Coast Guard-approved life jackets when necessary - should be worn by children at the pool. Do not rely on water toys, such as inflatable floats or pool noodles, as safety equipment.

• Ban Breath-Holding Contests: Although a common pool game, breath-holding contests under water can be dangerous and lead to complications or a possible emergency.

Be sure to watch the Daniel Tiger episode, follow the YWCA’s safety rules around water, and have a great pool season.

Community Playthings: Dramatic Play Aids Children’s Social and Emotional Development

Using the imagination and pretending to be others - whether fantastical characters from movies or more practical societal roles - is a rite of passage in childhood. 

A recent article by Community Playthings notes that this type of activity - known as dramatic play - is important for children’s social and emotional development.

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Dramatic play is when children engage in pretend scenarios in which they take on different roles and often use props or objects to represent others. This type of play helps children with social and emotional development, language and literacy skills, cognitive and fine motor skills, and empathy.

Dramatic play can involve anything from acting out scenes from a favorite book or pretending to work in a hospital or restaurant. 

As Community Playthings notes, “Dramatic play is a powerful tool children use to make sense of events in their lives, to better understand themselves, and to explore the emotions and perspectives of others.”

Along with the benefits involving social and emotional well-being and various types of development, the article notes that dramatic play is fun. 

It also offers children a safe and creative space to process, understand, express complex emotions, and adjust to change. In the process, it benefits their mental health, fosters the development of executive function skills, encourages mental flexibility, and often helps to develop empathy when presenting varied viewpoints.

To learn how to support dramatic play, read Community Playthings’ article, “The Importance of Dramatic Play for Young Children.”