Good morning, Asheville. Over the weekend, while looking for fun activities to do with my kid, I discovered there’s more to March than just National Celery and Women’s History months. Did you know March is also National Nutrition Month? It’s also Youth Art Month and Music in Our Schools Month. These are great opportunities to not only educate your kid, but broaden their spongey little minds and make some fun memories to boot.

🖼️ Youth Art Month

Started in 1961 through The Art & Creative Materials Institute, this program encourages support for quality arts programs in schools, which is really rad because participation and exposure to art helps boost students’ performance + learning, regardless of their area of focus.

A fun way to celebrate this? I’ll be taking my daughter to check out UNC Asheville’s Celebrating Middle School Success art exhibit, which features 78 works of art by students from middle schools across Buncombe County. The exhibit runs through Mar. 31, and features mediums like paintings, sculptures, chalk drawings + more.

🥬 National Nutrition Month

The annual campaign of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — the world's largest organization of food + nutrition professionals — started out as National Nutrition Week in 1973. Designed to improve the nation's health and highlight the significance of informed food choices, it became a month-long event in 1980.

What more fun way to teach your kids about nutrition than hitting up a local market? See our guide here. Shop for your regular fruits + veggies, and add in a new item or two that you’ve never tried. Sample them fresh at home, or prepare a meal with them. Explain to your kids what the different vitamins and minerals do for their body, and how it can benefit them. Protip: This is extra useful when you can relate it to something your kid loves. My daughter, for instance, loves broccoli, but dislikes zucchini. When I explained to her that zucchini was high in vitamin K and magnesium and that that could strengthen her bones and help her run faster (one of her current goals), then she started eating it without (much) fuss — and anytime we can get our kids to eat more fresh produce is a good thing. #ParentingWin

🎵 Music In Our Schools Month

The National Association for Music Education raises awareness of the importance of music in our schools with Music In Our Schools Month, which started in 1973. To incorporate this awareness outside of school, you can play different genres of music at home. If your family is musically inclined, you could even play music together as a family band, a la Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Asheville Music School’s Sound Effects Concert is one of my favorite events in town, and the school also offers music lessons + even a really cool summer camp for kids — and registration is already open, so get to it, my fellow parents.

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