For more than 20 years, family lifestyle expert Donna Erickson has been helping parents and educators connect with kids through her fun, creative activities and recipes designed to develop lasting memories and make the time spent with kids count.

Erickson is a King Features Syndicated columnist, a contributing editor for Parents magazine, the voice of Captain Wentworth on the PBS children’s series Jay Jay the Jetplane, and executive producer, creator and host of Donna’s Day. Her awards include a Gold Parents’ Choice Award for her books and a Gold Parents’ Choice Award for her TV series. The Associated Press also named Donna’s Day as one of the “Top Ten Television Shows” in the United States for 1999.

Erickson holds a B.A. from North Park University in Chicago, where she received a Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2002. She also attained a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota. She has taught at the elementary, secondary and college levels in the United States, Sweden, Republic of Congo and Zambia. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband, a secondary school principal, and their three children.

• Donna's Day Starring Donna Erickson