Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre to Hold Audition for Community Youth Scholarship

The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will hold its annual Community Youth Scholarship Audition on Friday, May 2.

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Children, ages 7 to 9, are invited to audition for full scholarships for the 2025-26 school year. Students must be within that age range as of Sept. 1, 2025.

The audition process will be a fun, age-appropriate dance class. From the audition, 15 students will be selected by a panel of ballet educators to participate in a Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Summer Workshop from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on June 9 to 12.

The selected students must be available to attend the workshop. After the workshop, seven students will be selected to receive the Community Youth Scholarship for the 2025-26 school year.

For the audition, participants should wear fitted, athletic clothing, such as leotards or tights, or opaque leggings and a T-shirt. Socks or ballet shoes are recommended. No outside shoes or bare feet will be permitted. Hair should be secured away from the face. Further hair guidelines are available on the theater’s website.

Financial eligibility limits are based on the income levels for reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program, plus 35%. Income level eligibility for the scholarship is: 

• Household of 2: $52,822

• Household of 3: $66,559

• Household of 4: $80,292

• Household of 5: $94,031

• Household of 6: $107,767

• Household of 7: $121,504

• Household of 8: $135,240

Caregivers must provide proof of income eligibility. Acceptable documentation includes federal income tax return for 2024 showing the student as a dependent, or confirmation of eligibility for any of the following: Section 8 housing, WIC, SNAP, PA medical or cash assistance, LIHEAP 1 or 2 assistance, refugee/immigrant assistance, or free and reduced price meals at your child’s school.

The audition will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on May 2 at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Studios, located at 2900 Liberty Avenue. Registration is available on the theater’s website. The deadline to register is Wednesday, April 30.

More information can be found in this Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre flier.

RAD Staycation to Provide Free Trips to Popular Pittsburgh Attractions

RAD Summer Staycation will provide free admission to library-card holders at numerous popular attractions in Pittsburgh this summer.

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Last summer, the Regional Asset District (RAD) provided more than 53,000 free-of-charge visits to a variety of popular cultural institutions in Pittsburgh. Among those where free admission will be available in 2025 include:

• Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

• Carnegie Museum of Art

• Carnegie Museum of Natural History

• Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

• Carnegie Science Center

• National Aviary

• Heinz History Center

• Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

• The Frick Pittsburgh

• Mattress Factory

• Pittsburgh Botanic Garden

• Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum

• The Andy Warhol Museum

Free admission offers for library-card holders have begun to appear on the RAD Pass’ website. Others will begin to post their offers in May and June. RAD Pass users are encouraged to check back for new opportunities - especially on Mondays and Tuesdays.

RAD Summer Staycation reservation spots will be added regularly through August. Users are asked to read offers carefully as some attractions offer two- or four-packs for admission.

To book tickets, RAD Pass users should log in to RADPass.org with their Allegheny County library card number and PIN and browse for passes by date or name. They should reserve their pass and then print it or download it to their mobile device.

More information can be found on the RAD Pass website.

The Creativity Project to Host Summer Camp Workshop

The Creativity Project will hold a summer camp workshop in late April to allow educators, camp directors, and program leaders to examine their approach to summer camp.

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The workshop will emphasize nurturing curiosity, imagination, and child-led exploration, and participants will learn to redefine curiosity in their summer programs. This will involve shifting from structured crafts to more open-ended art and play experiences that engage children in deeper learning.

Participants will discover how to curate a selection of accessible, inexpensive materials that promote innovation, storytelling, and exploration. They will also learn strategies that foster creativity without over-directing, allowing children to develop confidence and problem-solving skills.

The workshop will explore how hands-on, sensory-rich activities support social-emotional learning, collaboration, and a sense of wonder. It will involve a discussion on how to adapt activities to different age groups and developmental levels, while fostering inclusive, engaging experiences.

Participants will leave with a variety of ready-to-use ideas, flexible structures, and prompts to transform their summer programs into a hub of creativity.

The workshop will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30.

The fee to attend the workshop is $25. Those interested in attending should enroll now.

Registration Open for Pittsburgh Youth Cricket Academy Tournaments

Registration is open for the Pittsburgh Youth Cricket Academy’s spring and summer tournaments.

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The academy will offer registration throughout April and tryouts will be held on May 11 and 18 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Practice sessions will run from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on May 20 and 27. Then, the spring tournament will take place in June, while the summer tournament will be held in August.

There is a $300 registration fee for participants. Those interested in participating should register now.

The complete schedules will be released in late April. For more information, call 412-345-1140.

Resources for April Observances

Various organizations, states, and nations recognize several observances each month. Resources help parents, caregivers, and childcare professionals acknowledge and navigate them.

Here is a list of resources for April observances:

Month-Long Observances

Month of the Young Child

• Month of the Young Child, Trying Together

• 2025 Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner, Trying Together

• April is the Month of the Young Child, Trying Together

Celebrate Diversity Month

• A Celebration of Diversity in Pittsburgh, Visit Pittsburgh

• Events and News, Pittsburgh Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Week-Long Observances

April 6-12 is the Week of the Young Child

• Week of the Young Child, National Association for the Education of Young Children

• Week of the Young Child Overview, National Association for the Education of Young Children

Day Observances

April 21 is National Kindergarten Day

• National Kindergarten Day, National Day Calendar

• Top 10 Kindergarten Readiness Skills, Hi5!

• Kindergarten Transition, Trying Together

• Kindergarten Registration Information Available on PA Promise for Children Site, Trying Together

April 22 is Earth Day

• Earth Day Events, Pittsburgh Earth Day

• Earth Month, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy

• History of Earth Day, National Geographic Kids

April 23 is World Book Day

• Book Request Form, Reading Ready Pittsburgh

• Buzzword Words & Activities, Buzzword

• World Book Day, Worldbookday.com

• World Book Day 2025, National Literacy Trust

• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Book Lists, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

IECMHC Cites Music and Movement as Important to Child Development

Although spring is just around the corner, winter weather can continue into March - and even April - so it is important for parents and guardians to find ways for children to remain active while indoors.

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The Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) program’s March newsletter focuses on music and movement in the classroom and includes several resources

The IECMHC cites several benefits of music and movement for children in the early childhood education classroom. Through music and movement, children can:

• Be creative by expressing themselves through dance, lyrics, and storytelling

• Undergo emotional development by learning to recognize and process emotions and developing empathy

• Enhance motor skills by improving coordination, balance, and strength through dancing, clapping, and jumping

• Enhance cognitive skills by developing memory, categorization, and problem-solving abilities

• Enhance social skills through the development of emotional intelligence, which is linked to success in many areas of life

The IECMHC also suggests trying to strike a healthy balance when it comes to screen time - or the use of smartphones, tables, computers, or other devices - for children. To foster well-rounded development, it suggests substituting the following for screen time: art, reading, interactive games, outdoor play, music and movement.

Further Resources

The IECMHC provides a wide variety of resources revolving around the importance of music and movement for children. 

These include an article on the importance of music and movement in early childhood education and how to use music, rhythm, and movement to enhance children’s self-regulation.

Among the IECMHC’s resources are information on music and movement relating to:

• Babies

• Toddlers

• Preschoolers

• K-6