Official Kids Mag

Still time for summer fun, but back to school looms I remember being a kid with those all-too common back to school blues. Even during summer break, all the kids in my neighborhood could think about was the end of summer and a return to the classroom. No more riding our bikes on trails through the woods. No more lazy mornings watching television and afternoons skipping rocks at the creek. The surprising thing I remembered when I was talking to some kids about going back to school, is how much fun it was to see my friends, hit the playground at recess and, yes, even play a game of Freeze Tag. As you will learn in this issue… some games transcend generations. In this issue of Official Kids Mag you will meet a couple of twins who have mixed emotions about going back to school. You will find an Official Kids Mag back to school fashion shoot complete with this year's hot looks for stylish kids. Official Kids Mag heads out in the Ozarks to explore a few Kids Picks including Turpentine Creek, the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, Branson's Promised Land Zoo and Titanic Museum Attraction. We'll meet three talented kids who are growing up performing on stage with their families in Branson. August is known as the dog days of summer, and Official Kids Mag couldn't let that opportunity pass us by. Check out a local family who believes in rescuing dogs from shelters and giving them a good home. We'll talk with a local veterinarian who gives us some tips on pet health and safety, and we'll spend some time with the director of the Animal League of Northwest Arkansas. All of that plus… some easy back to school snack recipes, Kids in the Lab make some SLIME, and we meet some kids who attended an interfaith summer camp and learned about each other's religious traditions. It's a jam-packed Back to School issue of Official Kids Mag with 16 pages of puzzles, activity and coloring pages. Sit back, make a snack and dive in. Dave Woods, age 5 Magazine Coordinator & Lead Writer Official Kids Mag Official Kids Mag Staff Brent A. Powers, Director of Advertising & Marketing Sandy Robinson, Advertising Operations Manager Brian Huntley, Creative Services Manager/ Contributing Writer Dave Woods, Sponsored Content and Advertorial/ Features Manager Layout/Design Terri Frye Brian Huntley Photography Sarah Hammons Brian Huntley Rachel Lipe Dave Woods Creative Team Debra Ballard Rhonda Campbell Jennifer Doyle Terri Frye Rachel Lipe Ariana Mason Jemel Parker Catherine Ross Contests & Promotions Sarah Hammons Sales Assistants Haley Adkisson Michelle Knight Lisa Leamons Alex Martin Sales Team Ariana Cisneros Casey Cotton Gail Curlett Amber Dicken Lane Graves Jennifer Gregory Shannon Hocker Bob Howard Beth Johnson Don Jones Tom Layton Julie Rose Chris Rowe Tammy Rusher Randy Saunders Doug Wallace Brad Wimer Kelley Young To Advertise: Contact Sandy Robinson srobinson@officialkidsmag.com 479-571-6482 ON THE COVER Official Kids Mag is a publication of Northwest Arkansas Newspapers, LLC. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be produced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising content. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited materials. OfficialKidsMag.com On the cover: The Hesselgren sisters of Fayetteville talk about heading back to the classroom. Page 6 Sign up today at OfficialKidsMag.com to receive our email newsletter! Off icialKidsMag.com • AUG & SEPT 2018 • 5

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