Siouxland Families

I'm so excited to announce my first ever children's book: S is for Sioux City ! I've been working on it for literally years, and it's finally done and ready for the kids of Siouxland and beyond to enjoy! Here's a peek at the cover: Inside S is for Sioux City S is for Sioux City is a full-color, 32-page picture book that features local fun for every letter of the alphabet, from the Sioux City Art Center to the Ziplines at Miracle Field. The book is 8.5" square with a glossy cover, and I chose the most premium paper option they had available in hope the colors will look nice! Each letter page features a simple concept like "L is for Loess" which is great when you or your kids want a quick read. Each letter page also has a full paragraph of fun facts for kids who want more info on these cool local attractions! I tried to make it a book my preschooler would sit through the entire thing for, but also that my 9-year-old would enjoy pouring over for a long t...

Who doesn't love finding a little basket or bag of treats left by a friend or loved one on their doorstep? And what kid doesn't love the thrill of the ding-dong-ditch?? On May 1st, families across Siouxland and the Midwest get to enjoy both those scenarios as part of one special little holiday. I love May Day and have been participating since I was a kid, and it might be even more fun as a mom who gets to be the getaway driver! Based on historical research and my many years of receiving and delivering May baskets including here in Sioux City, here's my full guide to what parents should know about celebrating May Day with their kids: What is May Day? May Day is a celebration of spring on May 1st. The holiday has roots in several different ancient celebrations; most historians specifically cite the Roman and Celtic spring celebrations around the same time as the most directly related. From these ancient spring celebrations through medieval Europe to the modern Midwest, early ...

Every month I bring you the best things to do in Sioux City and Siouxland, from storytimes and crafts to live music and sports, and holidays from silly to serious. This April, you might also be interested in the list of Easter egg hunts and events in Sioux City and Siouxland  and my guide to city parks in Sioux City . Want to plan further ahead? Check out my list of Siouxland events happening in May . I hope this event list inspires you to go make some happy memories with your family this month! *2026 update currently in progress* Recommended Reads for April: Whose Feather is That? by Stan Tekelia (kids nonfiction), full review coming soon! Barnaby the Runaway Sheep: A Parable of the Lost Sheep by Maria Antonia and illustrated by Sayani Mukherjeeg (picture book.) Read my review of Barnaby the Runaway Sheep for more information On Common Ground: Learning and Living in the Loess Hills anth...

I have a new policy on sharing AI-generated content that has been created by others! I will be implementing this policy across all my social media platforms and channels this April. I rarely share flyers on the blog anyway, so it won't affect much here, but I wanted to let you all know because I know many of you who read SiouxlandFamilies.com also follow me on one or more social media platforms as well (which I really appreciate!)  Basically, while I've already been firm in NOT using AI to generate any of my own content , I have been sharing AI-created imagery when that is what is provided by local organizations as the means of sharing about their events. But beginning April 2026, I will not be sharing any AI-generated images. I will still share the events, but if the only images offered by the events hosts are AI-generated, I will share something else instead. I may try a variety of options including: create a text-only post create a new graphic using human-generated clip art...

If you love sharing with your kids about Lakota culture or have wanted to do so but weren't sure how to start, you're going to be so excited about The Animals Speak: The Lakota Way . It's so kid-friendly with colorful illustrations and I'm happy to share about it. Thank you to Abrams Books for sending me a press copy of  The Animals Speak: The Lakota Way to read and review. Who wrote and illustrated  The Animals Speak: The Lakota Way? The Animals Speak: The Lakota Way was written and illustrated by S.D. Nelson. He is renowned artist with his original works displayed everywhere from the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian to the South Dakota State Historical Society. He is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and currently lives in Arizona.  You can learn more about Nelson and his work on his official author website . The Animals Speak: The Lakota Way is published by Abrams Books . Inside  The Animals Speak: The Lakota W...

Easter is just around the corner! Easter 2026 will be on Sunday, April 5th, 2026 and Palm Sunday will be on Sunday, March 29th, 2026. Consider this your headquarters for Siouxland Easter fun for kids. If you know of an egg hunt or other Eastery things to do this Lenten and Easter season in or around Sioux City, please   send me an e-mail   so I can get them added to the list! **Now updated for Easter 2026!!** Easter Egg Hunts in Sioux City and other Siouxland Communities in 2026 Saturday, March 21st 10am:  Egg Hunt @Wayne Public Library in Wayne, NE Wednesday, March 25th 6-8pm: Egg-Stravaganza inclusive egg hunt event at Camp High Hopes for individuals with special needs Saturday, March 28th  10am: KG95 Egg Hunt at Grandview Park in Sioux City with more than 15,000 eggs. This is a HUGE hunt and it goes super fast, so get there early! 10am:  Easter Egg Hunt   at Lundberg Field, hosted by the Dakota City Community Foundation 10am:  Geo-Egg Hunt ...