A Few Fun Things To Do In NYC and The East End Before Summer Is Over

A Few Fun Things To Do In NYC and The East End Before Summer Is Over

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“Summer will end soon enough, and childhood as well,” once said Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin. The thought of these warm, sunny afternoons coming to an end is enough to put a brief chill in your bones. Thankfully, New York City and Long Island’s East End offer a plethora of last-minute events, giving us that one last taste of summer. Here are a few activities we recommend…

Color Factory

The Color Factory pop-up exhibit started in San Francisco and makes its Soho debut on August 20th in a 20,000 square-foot commercial space located at 251 Spring Street near Avenue of the Americas. It’s hard to imagine what your Instagram might be missing, but how about wading in a bright yellow sea of 207,000 balls? Or perhaps you’d like a photo of your little ones on rainbow-colored stairs that seem to go on for miles? Kids and grownups alike will love grooving on the luminous dance floor, designing their own custom color ice cream scoop, walking along a giant infographic to reveal their “secret color,” and gazing upon floating balloons with wishes for the world written by students at 826NYC. The collection of 16 unique exhibits inspires wonder and fosters art appreciation. Before you leave, be sure to grab a “Local Color” neighborhood map that directs you to 20 unique color experiences hidden in downtown Manhattan to discover.

The Color Factory
251 Spring Street
Manhattan, NY 10013

Get your tickets here. (Kids 2 and under are free!)

Pier 2 Pop Up Pool

While McCarren Park’s new pool soaks up the spotlight, you and your family can slink off to Brooklyn Park’s coolest “hidden gem.” The Pop-Up Pool is a small, kid-friendly 3.5-foot-deep pool that allows just 60 people in at a time between 10 am and 5 pm. Arrive at least 30 minutes prior to get free, “first come first served” wristbands for your 45-minute session. You’ll also find a nice sandy beach area with umbrellas, prime for relaxing; a concession stand serving burgers, dogs, and ice cream; plus you have all the beauty of Brooklyn Bridge Park at your disposal, with its playgrounds, picnic tables, rolling greens, volleyball courts, soccer fields, and public art displays. Try to go on a weekday when it’s less crowded if possible. Otherwise, keep the sprinkler park on Pier 6 or a stop at Ample Hills Creamery on Pier 5 in mind as your back-up option to avoid disappointment.

Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 2
150 Furman St.
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Candytopia

The Candytopia interactive art installation is recommended for anyone who has ever dreamed of eating their way through the Candyland board game or taking a tour of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. You’ll be treated to candy portraits inspired by Andy Warhol, Van Gogh, and Leonardo daVinci. You’ll see flying unicorn pigs, a candied sphinx, and a pit of marshmallows. There’s no shortage of photo opps throughout the sugary spectacle. Gummy candies, chocolates, nostalgic favorites, and other sweets will be provided throughout your tour to satisfy your sweet tooth. This whimsical wonderland is only open August 15th through November 15th, so get in while you can!

Penn Plaza
145 W 32nd Street
New York, NY 10001

Get your tickets here! (Children 3 & under are free.)

2018 Riverhead Railroad Festival

Train-obsessed kids can get a close-up look at some of Long Island’s historic railcars August 25th-26th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Take the 10:15 AM Greenport Scoot to visit the Greenport Museum, with a ride back to Riverhead at 12:50 PM. Ride on a restored 1964-1965 LIRR World’s Fair park train. Visit a historic Lionel layout. Race miniature locomotives. Purchase your own train set. See G, O, HO, N and Z scale layouts. See historic blacksmithing demos. Enjoy refreshments and live music.

Railroad Museum of Long Island
416 Griffing Avenue, Riverhead
Fourth Street, Greenport

Get tickets at the box office for just $10. (5 and Under free!)

Harbes Family Farm Watermelon Festival

Calling all watermelon lovers August 25th-26th from 10 am to 7 pm! Harbes Family Farm welcomes you to a day full of contests from watermelon rolling to seed spitting. Kids will love the Barnyard Aventure – a singing hayride that tours the 100-acre farm, complete with pig racing and other friendly farm animals. Other highlights include: giant bouncing pillows; a goat bridge and mountain slide; a Sports Zone with baseball, football, and basketball toss games; and a hands-on preschooler playland. Adults will be treated to the relaxing sound of live rock, pop, and blues in the courtyard from 1-5 pm. Don’t forget to pick your own perfect watermelon and grab a bottle of their award-winning wine to take home.

Harbes Farm & Vineyard
715 Sound Avenue
Mattituck NY 11952

 

Contact Shine to find out many more ways to make the end of summer meaningful.

Top 5 Recipes For Fil-American Friendship Day

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International Kid-Friendly Food:

The Philippine Islands were originally a U.S. territory from 1898-1935 and a U.S. commonwealth from 1935-1941. The Japanese occupied the islands during the second World War, but General Douglas MacArthur took the land back in 1945. On year later, the Philippines were granted independence on July 4th. The holiday was first celebrated as “Republic Day,” but later celebrated the friendship between two peoples as “Philippine-American Friendship Day.”

As of 2014, the New York City / New Jersey / Long Island statistical area was home to 262,375 Filipino Americans. Woodside, Queens is known as one of America’s most prominent “Little Manilas,” but you don’t have to visit Papa’s Kitchen, Ihawan, Tito Rad’s Grill, or Maharlika to get a taste of authentic foods like chicken adobo, kare kare, or lechon. You can introduce your children to these traditional favorites right in your own kitchen.

Oxtail Stew in Peanut Sauce (Kare Kare)

From the “I Am A Filipino Cookbook” by Maharlika Owners Nicole Ponseca & Miguel Trinidad, Courtesy of NYT Cooking

This is a great dish to work on with older children who express an avid interest in cooking, as there is a lot of vegetable chopping and stock making. If your kids love vegetables and nutty sweetness, they will love this dish. Honestly, there are a few tricky ingredients in this recipe, but you can pick up oxtail from Esposito Meat Market or the International Meat Market in Astoria, and Whole Foods will have the achiote paste. Johnny Air Mart in the East Village will have a fish paste condiment called bagoong, “the secret stinky weapon of Philippine cuisine,” which adds depth to the flavor if you’re adventurous.

Get the recipe.

Chicken Adobo

From Amy Beso and Romy Dorotan, owners of The Purple Yam in Brooklyn, courtesy of NYT Cooking

We’d be remiss if our Fil-American recipe list didn’t include some form of chicken adobo! This version comes os part of what made The Purple Yam in Brooklyn so famous. The thick coconut milk tames the pepper’s spice and the tangy vinegar down a notch. With just eight ingredients, you’ll find a considerable depth of flavor here, though it’s oh-so-easy to make. Add fragrant jasmine rice for the perfect complement to the golden sauce.

Get the recipe.

Note: Every part of the Philippines has their own version. In the northern part of the Philippines, they omit the coconut milk and chilies in favor of ginger root, whole pepper corns, garlic, and bay. Get the recipe for that version done up in slow-cooker here.

Filipino Egg Rolls (Lumpia)

From Tomas & Yvonne De Los Reyes, owners of Jeepney in Brooklyn

Lumpia is a traditional “comfort food” appetizer served at house parties. Kids will enjoy wrapping up ground beef or pork, onion, carrots, sprouts, and green beans into an egg roll wrapper. Fry for five minutes into a crispy roll and serve with a vinegar dipping sauce. Joey Fatone, former singer with N’Sync, danced when he tasted this recipe and called it “a party in his mouth.”

Get the recipe.

Pancit Canton (Filipino-Style Lo Mein)

From Frances Tariga, Chef at MEGU at Dream Downtown

According to Pint-Size Gourmets, Pancit Canton is one of the 10 most kid-friendly Filipino dishes. Served at family gatherings as a symbol of health and longevity, this savory and satisfying dish wins for diversity of color and presentation, though it’s not exactly “health food.” Filipino Lo Mein noodles make the perfect quick dinner, says Chef Frances Tariga. “They’re simple, easy, and everyone will like them,” she explains. This recipe uses chicken marinated in corn starch, egg whites, and soybean oil, pan-fried with garlic and scallions, served over al-dente lo mein noodles with soy sauce and topped with bok choy, carrots, cabbage, green beans, lime, and fresh cilantro (if you please).

Get the recipe.

Mango Royale

From Los Angeles Chef Isa Fabro, Adapted by Ligaya Mishan for NYT Cooking

What could be easier to whip up with the little ones than a no-bake dessert? The deep honey flavor of mangoes naturally goes over well with the kids, as does the creamy texture. Add graham crackers, butter, and cream, and you’ve got one sweet summer treat. If you can’t get ahold of Manila mangoes, you’ll need to remove the excess fiber and add lime to Kent or Haden mangoes, but either way, your dessert will turn out delectable. Opt for over-ripe mangoes if you can find them. If not, try ripening the mangoes overnight in a brown paper bag, or you can even use defrosted frozen mango in a pinch.

Get the recipe.

Cooking is an ideal way to bond and share culture with your children. For other experiences: take a visit to the roving Filipino-American Museum (currently on display in Midtown’s Ace Hotel); check out the Fil-American Day Parade in Jersey City the last weekend of June; keep an eye on the Filipinos of NY events calendar; take a day trip to Seacaucus, NJ for the annual Fiesta in America in August, featuring Filipino dance, food, storytelling, and crafts; or contact Shine to learn about our multicultural programming and kids’ cooking classes.

 

Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipinos_in_the_New_York_metropolitan_area

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_Day_(Philippines)

https://www.yelp.com/search?find_loc=Queens,+NY&start=0&sortby=review_count&cflt=filipino

http://www.foodrepublic.com/2015/06/18/get-familiar-with-bagoong-the-stinky-secret-weapon-of-philippine-cuisine/

https://www.pintsizegourmets.com/10-kid-friendly-filipino-foods/

 

Ways to Have a Meaningful Mother’s Day at Home

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Mother’s Day spending is expected to reach $23.1 Billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation. The average person will be spending an average of $180 to lavish mom with attention with everything from flowers, jewelry, and brunch, to electronics, spa services, and day trips.

Yet, most moms admit what they really want on Mother’s Day are the simple things – a morning in bed, a cup of tea, family snuggles, a roast cooked for them, homemade cards, and a nature walk. Mothers of young children, in particular, long for a little peace and quiet – or just a calm day with no meltdowns.

NYC is a flurry of Mother’s Day events, but if the simple pleasures are more your speed, try one of these meaningful Mother’s Day activities at home.

Brunch outside

After a miserable April, forecasters are calling for temperatures up in the 70s. It may be cloudy and slightly damp from Saturday rain, but still a decent day for dining al fresco.

  • Outdoor brunch – Make fresh-squeezed juices, quiche, and fruit salad to enjoy lunch outside on the patio.
  • Picnic – It’s not too early for sandwiches, watermelons, chips, pasta salad, and lemonade in a wicker basket.
  • BBQ – Dads aren’t the only ones who like cheeseburgers, hot dogs, barbecue drumsticks, and corn on the cob.
  • Tea Party – Make the afternoon special with homemade scones, tea, a mini honey pot, and fancy finger food.

If the weather doesn’t cooperate, there’s always the classic option of breakfast in bed. Older kids may enjoy whipping up an omelet with dad, while younger ones are perfectly capable of stirring up waffles with a side of strawberries. Don’t forget the coffee in mom’s favorite mug!

Get crafty

Crafts are a calming way of spending quality time together, whether the kids are big or small. You don’t need to have any particular craft in mind. Freeform is sometimes the most fun way to go, with the right supplies on hand. Consider:

  • Rock salts, glue, and watercolor paints
  • Clay flower pots, craft paint, rubber stamps, rhinestones, and mini fairy or gnome figurines
  • Pom-poms, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, glue, magnetic tape
  • Felt, buttons, scissors, glue, ribbon, glitter
  • Paint-by-Number kits
  • Perler Beads or Aquabeads kits

On a nice day, get outside with sidewalk chalk. Keep the kids occupied drawing a pretend town or other fantastical setting. Draw classic Hopscotch, bulls-eye beanbag toss, Tic-Tac-Toe, or obstacle courses for hours of fun.

Take a trip down Memory Lane

What better opportunity to reflect upon the sweet morsels of motherhood past and present than Mother’s Day?

  • Break out the oldies. Kids love looking through albums of old photographs and watching home movies.
  • Create a comic strip. Older kids can illustrate an event, celebration, or humorous incident from the year.
  • Preserve history. To honor a deceased mother, order signature jewelry or handwritten recipe pottery.
  • Check out Ancestry.com. Older children may enjoy looking at the family tree, historic documents, and photos.
  • Sit down for family scrapbook making. Begin a tradition of creating a beautiful annual keepsake, chronicling the past year. Print out your photos using a service like Snapfish or Shutterfly. Stop by the craft store to get scrapbook paper, stickers, hole punchers, and stamps for adorning. To make your scrapbook even more meaningful for next year, keep a running list of funny quotes from the kids to add.

Garden together

If you’re not one to “relax,” special day or not, visit the local nursery to pick out new flowers or vegetables for the garden a few days in advance. Then spend Mother’s Day weeding, planting, and sharing stories with those you love.

  • Make it more fun for the wee ones. Kids love having their own watering cans and pint-sized tools.
  • Adorn it. Paint and decorate rocks to add to your garden.
  • Choose long-lasting cut flower varieties. Shop for daisies, dahlias, mini sunflowers, asters, scabiosa, coneflowers, or larkspur to make beautiful arrangements all summer long.

Snuggle up to a Mother’s Day movie

Kids are only so little for so long. When the sun goes down, pop the popcorn, line the couch with blankets, and enjoy one of these movies suitable for Mother’s Day:

  • Dumbo – A circus elephant with big ears finds himself on his own once his mother is locked away for sticking up for him. In the end, Dumbo realizes the source of his ridicule is actually his strength and reunites with his mom.
  • The Boss Baby – New moms will empathize with the hilarious take on bringing a new baby into the house. If you haven’t seen it yet, this Pixar film uses a mix of beautiful animation styles, while inserting a few much-appreciated adult jokes and “30 Rock” style humor. Yet, it’s also captivating enough for a 2-year-old.
  • Brave – It can be difficult for adolescents to reconcile their mothers’ dreams for them with the aspirations they have for themselves. Princess Meridia lands her mother and herself into trouble with a witch in this Disney flick.
  • The Incredibles – Elastigirl is not just the wife of Mr. Incredible. She’s a fantastic superhero mom, too!
  • Freaky Friday – Tess Coleman and her daughter Anna wake up in each other’s bodies for a day, which helps them learn to get along better.

Top 5 Recipes For Cinco de Mayo

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International Kid-Friendly Food

Contrary to popular belief, May 5th is not Mexico’s Independence Day. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican Army’s underhanded victory over the occupying French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 – 41 years after Mexico became a sovereign nation. During the Battle of Puebla, 4,000 Mexican troops defeated twice as many heavily-armed French soldiers, revealing the strength of the Mexican people to the rest of the world. In Mexico, the holiday is lauded as an important symbol of patriotism, commemorated with military reenactments and parades. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has become a widespread celebration of Mexican-American culture – and a great excuse to explore the joys of muy delicioso Mexican cuisine with your children!

Huevos Rancheros

Here is a popular dish celebrated on “Day of the Child” that would double as a great Cinco de Mayo brunch for the whole family. Charbel Barker cooks this family-passed recipe with her two little boys. “This is a great recipe to teach your kids because there are very few steps,” Barker explains. Made with thick-cut ham, eggs, potatoes, tortillas, cheese, and refried beans – you’ll want for nothing! You can top with store-bought salsa or make your own from this fun four-step NY Post recipe.

Get the recipe.

Guacamole

From Josefina Howard, chef at Rosa Mexicana in Manhattan, courtesy of NY Times Cooking

Avocados are a great plant-based source of protein for kids. The creamy texture is an easy sell to the youngest solid-food-eaters. This recipe calls for ½ teaspoon of Serrano chili, which you’ll want to omit when mixing it up for the kids. If you have a lava stone mortar, all the better! Kids really enjoy the mashing aspect of guacamole making. Some recipes call for garlic, citrus fruit, cheese, cumin, or jalapeño. By comparison, this recipe uses just six simple ingredients and is best served with crunchy tortilla chips.

Get the recipe.

Pasilla-Tamarind Paste

From Aarón Sánchez, Award-Winning Food Network Chef & Former Co-Owner of NYC’s Centrico, courtesy of NBC

“I want my kids to know their culture as they grow up seeing dad cook and speak Spanish at home,” explains Chef Sanchez. He makes simple dishes at home – with a new ingredient thrown in as a twist. “Introducing new and different flavors to them is important,” he adds. “They don’t have to love it, but I want to expose them to it.” In his more recent cookbooks, he strays from the typical format of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Instead, he offers sauces with versatile flavors that can give a Mexican twist to any menu. This paste delights kids with its tart and sweet dichotomy. The pasilla chili is mild and rich, balanced by the flavors of the wonderfully tangy tamarind fruit. Use as a marinade or rub with your red meat of choice. The sauce will stay fresh in a tight-sealed container for up to a week or can be easily frozen for later.

Get the recipe.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

From NY Times Food Writer Amanda Hesser

Made from 10 ingredients, this saucy, kid-friendly casserole combines shredded chicken, corn tortillas, cilantro, and queso añejo, a crumbled sharp white cheese. The tomatillo sauce is mild enough for your little ones, and you can choose to omit the jalapeños if necessary. If you prefer a vegetarian version, you can substitute quinoa and red beans for the chicken. Serve it with a traditional medley of steamed beets, cauliflowers, and carrots or a simple green salad would do just fine. Some people save this recipe’s enchilada sauce for eggs, tortilla chips, rice topping, or sprucing up meats.

Get the recipe.

Creamy Lime Pie

From Chef Enrique Olvera at Cosme in the Flat Iron District, Courtesy of The Latin Kitchen

Chef Enrique Olvera is not only a world-renowned chef. The NY Times has suggested he could be “the king of NY” with authentic Mexican cuisine that extends beyond the stereotypes. Pujol, his Mexico City based restaurant, uses native ingredients like heirloom varieties of corn, wild greens, obscure chilies, even insects. Most of his recipes are highly complex with tricky-to-track-down ingredients, but this dessert is sinfully simple. All you need is condensed milk, fresh lime, cream cheese, frozen yogurt, and a pack of vanilla wafers.

Get the recipe.

Cooking is one of the many ways you can celebrate Mexican-American culture with your children. New York City residents can also visit the Brooklyn Children’s Museum for Spanish lessons, Talavera tile making, and Papel Picado crafting. The fifth of May is also opening day for the new hand-carved, disability-accessible carousel in the Greenbelt’s Willowbrook Park. Contact Shine to learn about the cooking classes and unique cultural experiences we offer area children.

 

 

Passover Activities For Kids

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Passover Activities For Kids

Passover is one of the most beloved religious holidays, celebrated by more than 70% of Jewish Americans. The story of Moses provides rich lessons about “standing up for equality, pursuing justice, and standing up for the rights of the marginalized… core Jewish commitments,” as Rabbi Rick Jacobs put it. Children are central to the Passover proceedings as a symbol of the continuity of the Jewish people, but the significance is likely to pass them by if we don’t go out of our way to include them in the family rituals. Incorporate some of these Passover activities to engage the youngest members of the faith.

Passover Pretend Play

  • The Big Clean – In preparation for Passover, families keeping Kosher kitchens remove all Chametz. Involve kids in the search party with a scavenger hunt to find hidden cookies under the bed, in pockets, closets, drawers, school bags, and toy chests.

 

  • Plagues – Scatter squishy green frogs or plastic locusts across the table to represent the plagues. Rite Lite Judaica sells Plague Masks that represent terrors like darkness, boils, wild animals, frogs, and cattle plague – or you could just as easily make your own out of construction paper.

 

  • Seder Set – Particularly from ages 3-5, children become fascinated with “playing adult.” KidKraft sells toy versions of the Seder plate, wine goblet, bottle of wine, matzo, afikomen and matzo covers, and a prayer book.

Passover Crafts

  • A Cup For Elijah – Families put out a cup of wine for the prophet Elijah at the Passover Seder. Toward the end of the dinner, they open the door to symbolically “let Elijah in.” For this craft, take a plastic Dollar Store wine goblet, paint a liberal strip of white craft glue around the top, and wrap a colorful piece of wool or jute string around the cup. Alternate with more glue and different colored strings for a rainbow look. Add sequins or gems.

 

  • Red Sea Diorama – The parting of the Red Sea makes for a great mini scene. Upcycle cardboard by cutting it into at least six curvy wave shapes in a variety of sizes, covering them in blue tissue paper. Affix the waves into slits cut into a cardboard base, using glue to secure them. Don’t forget to leave a path down the middle. You can make little people out of corks, dressing them in felt clothes, bottle cap hats, and yarn hair, and drawing faces with black marker.

 

  • Matzo Cover – Use a plain white handkerchief or cut a square out of a choice piece of fancy fabric. Just be sure it’s bigger than a piece of matzo. Decorate the cloth with oversized gems, embroidered grapes or spring flowers, and puffy paint border embellishments. Paint the Hebrew word for Passover to make it extra relevant.

Passover Cooking

  • Shine’s Favorite Jewish Recipes – We’ve rounded up five delicious, easy Jewish recipes to make with kids, including Potato kugel, Soup Dumplings with Minced Brisket, Kookoo-e Sabzi, Braised Short Ribs with Squash Puree and Roasted Corn Salad, Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate and Pistachio.

 

  • Passover Pizzas – What kid doesn’t love pizza? Pre-heat a baking stone at 500 degrees for a half hour. Mix 2 ¼ cups of all-purpose white wheat flour, ½ tsp. sea salt, and 1/3 cup olive oil in a food processor. Add ½ cup of water. Form into 12 dough balls and roll on a floured surface until cracker-thin. Prick holes with a fork to prevent bubbling. Cook for one minute per side. Reduce heat to 250 degrees. Top with pizza sauce, mozzarella, and your favorite toppings or seasonings, cooking for 15 minutes more.

 

  • Macaroons – Widely considered thee flourless dessert of Passover, macaroons come in many designs from almond to raspberry, but we like this basic chocolate-dipped coconut recipe. Whisk together 1 large egg white, 2 TBSP honey, ¼ tsp pure vanilla, the grated zest of one lemon, and 1/8 tsp of coarse salt. Stir in 1.5 cups of fine-shredded unsweetened coconut. Make 15 balls with a 1.5” ice cream scoop and bake them on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 12 minutes at 375 degrees, rotating halfway through. Before serving, drizzle with 2 ounces of melted dark chocolate and refrigerate 15 minutes to set.

If you’re looking for more ways to incorporate Jewish culture into the lives of your children, ask us about our Vitamin J Jewish art and cultural class for kids of all ages. We explore basic Judaica in a variety of fun, creative ways.

Additional Children’s Passover Resources:

USA Today – Passover Holiday Explained, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/04/22/passover-jewish-holiday-explained/83387514/

Amazon – KidKraft Passover Set, http://amzn.to/2HBNsce

Tori Avey – Elijah’s Cup Craft, https://toriavey.com/home-garden/family-fun-elijahs-cup-passover-craft

Creative Jewish Mom – Splitting of the Red Sea Diorama, http://www.creativejewishmom.com/2010/03/kids-crafts-for-pesach-krias-yam-suf-the-splitting-of-the-red-sea-diorama.html

Cooking with my Kid – Mighty No-Sew Matzah Cover, http://cookingwithmykid.com/2011/04/12/mighty-matzah-cover

Martha Stewart – Coconut Chocolate Macaroons, https://www.marthastewart.com/1098219/coconut-chocolate-macaroons

Disgustingly Good – Matzo Pizza, http://disgustinglygood.com/2012/03/31/matzo-pizza/

 

Creative Twists on the Traditional Easter Egg Hunt

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The traditional egg hunt game may use dyed hardboiled eggs, plastic eggs filled with coins or candy, or foil-wrapped egg-shaped chocolates hidden around the yard for kids to find. The game may also be played indoors, with or without additional prizes awarded for finding the most eggs, the largest egg, eggs of specific colors, or the prize egg. The treasures are placed at varying levels with different degrees of concealment to accommodate kids of all ages. As parents and educators, we’re always striving to present new twists on tired old themes to spark the thrill of discovery. Try these Easter Egg Hunt ideas to spark young imaginations.

For Indoors: Balloon Egg Hunt

Floating obstacles make everything more fun! Hide all the Easter eggs in a small room of the house, filling it with colorful balloons for an exciting challenge. Clever variations for toddlers include putting balloons in a tent outside or tying balloons to each egg to make them easier to discover. Playing in the “balloon ball pit” is half the entertainment.

For A Brain Boost: Puzzle Pieces Egg Hunt

Hide a puzzle piece in each egg. The 36-piece Beatrix Potter jigsaw puzzles work nicely for an Easter theme or you could customize a blank puzzle with a special message. Once everyone assembles the puzzle together, kids can dip into their Easter baskets for a reward. If you have more than one older child with stamina, you can do multiple puzzles, separating the puzzles into different colored eggs to keep them straight. Another variation involves writing letters on the eggs so they spell out the alphabet (for younger children) or an Easter-related word (for older children) when they’re all assembled together.

For the Active: Obstacle Course Egg Hunt

Kindergartners with limitless energy will love overcoming physical feats to find their eggs. One tricky mom hid plastic eggs and balls inside a lady bug tunnel, tied balloons to hula hoops with eggs hidden beneath, and eggs obscured by Easter grass in a baby pool. Additional obstacles include sawhorses to climb under, construction cones to weave through, two shoeboxes to step into and shuffle along, a wood plank balance beam to walk across, slides, tumbling mats, wooden stumps or pails to step across, chairs to crawl under, and ladders to climb.

For the Problem Solver: Scavenger Hunt

As your kids get older, you’ll notice what used to take them a good half hour is now over in all of five minutes. A scavenger hunt is a great way to get growing minds engaged and to make the hunt seem less “babyish.” Start by handing each child an egg with a written clue as to the hiding spot of the next egg. The final clue should lead to the Easter basket or some other big prize like a book or chocolate bunny. Darling Doodles has a great set of clues or blank stationery you can use. Another twist on the Scavenger Hunt idea is to make it pirate-themed as a Treasure Hunt of sorts. If you’re stumped for clues and hiding spots, The Spruce has a good run-down. A Mom’s Take created a simple printable checklist of hidden items to find – different colored eggs, bunny tracks, flowers to smell, critters, and baskets. These activities encourage kids to slow down and enjoy the search.

For the Novelty: Glow-in-the-Dark Egg Hunt

Who says Easter Egg Hunts have to be in the morning? Place a glow bracelet and your favorite filler inside a plastic egg and tape it shut. The eggs are easy to find, but many little ones delight in carrying flashlights. Put your kids in reflective clothing or a glow necklace to keep track of them easily, and be sure to scout the area for potential hazards while it’s still light out. For older kids, hide the eggs under rocks and leaves, inside flower pots, and in other places where they’re slightly hidden from plain view.

One Final Word

Remember, your eggs don’t have to be packed full of candy. Some people use Monopoly Money that can be “cashed-in” for a special prize like a coloring book, stuffed animal, or gardening tool kit. You can put Legos, Mr. Potato Head pieces, miniature cars, coins, dollar bills, stickers, tattoos, Barbie accessories, or Safari Ltd animals. Gift young kids magnetic easels and hide the magnetic numbers and letters inside the eggs. Have the kids hunt for pieces of their lunch like sandwiches, goldfish crackers and grapes hidden in eggs. Some parents write up “Privilege Eggs,” where children receive handwritten tickets they can redeem for special allowances like an extra cookie, fifteen more minutes of play time before bed, or a special outing with mom and dad. For more ideas on creating an unforgettable Easter morning, contact the educators at Shine.

Additional Easter Egg Hunt Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_hunt

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/easter-ideas/g4151/easter-egg-hunt-ideas/

https://www.thedailymeal.com/holidays/10-best-easter-egg-hunts-all-ages

http://mommyuniversitynj.com/2015/03/23/10-brain-boosting-easter-egg-hunt-ideas-without-the-candy/

http://makethebestofeverything.com/2013/02/puzzle-easter-egg-hunt.html

https://surnamejames.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/easter-scavenger-hunt/

https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/backyard-fun-games/make-backyard-obstacle-course-kids1.htm

Top 5 Irish Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day

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International Kid-Friendly Food:

Top 5 Irish Recipes For St. Patrick’s Day

The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held, not in Ireland, but here in New York City in 1762. Corned beef and cabbage is a culinary tradition started by Irish-American immigrants who were able to purchase expensive kosher meats from their Jewish neighbors. They threw the flavorful salted meat into a pot with beloved potatoes and affordable cabbage – and the rest is history. Contemporary St. Patrick’s Day menus in the homeland include dishes like fried lamb belly fingers, slow-poached organic chicken with tarragon, colcannon (mashed potatoes with kale), roasted carrots, and herbed Irish cheddar croquette.

Whether you’re in New York or Ireland, cooking a meal together as a family is a beautiful tradition. Your menu doesn’t have to be fancy. We’ve dug up five good old-fashioned Irish recipes to enjoy cooking and eating with your children this St. Paddy’s Day. Before you get started in the kitchen, take the kids down to The Butcher Block in Sunnyside, Queens for authentic Irish provisions, including back bacon, rashers, black pudding, Irish teas, Kerrygold cheese, sweets, sauces, spreads, and breads.

Irish Soda Bread

From Chef Darina Allen, courtesy of National Geographic

Homemade soda bread is a staple in any Irish pantry. White soda bread is made with white flour, while brown soda bread is made with buttermilk and whole-wheat flour. It’s traditionally fashioned into a round loaf with a cross etched in the middle – to keep out the fairies, naturally! Allen’s basic recipe takes just two minutes to put together and 40 minutes to bake. “Your soda bread is not a soda bread we would recognize,” she explains. Americans “gussy up” their soda breads with raisins and caraway seeds – which appeals to our youngsters, no doubt — but over in Ireland, they call that type of bread a “spotted dog.”

Get Chef Allen’s recipe or, if you prefer adding goodies, try this third-generation recipe from NYC Chef John Mooney.

The Full Irish Breakfast

From Chef Joe Mallol from the Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog in Manhattan

Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog won countless awards for their cocktails and was ranked “The World’s Best Bar” in 2016. Drinks aside, the restaurant’s weekend brunch became so popular, they offer it all week long to keep up with demand. The Irish Breakfast is designed to be comforting and filling. Chef Mallol’s take on the classic formula involves a few extra herbs and spices, but remains pretty true to what you would find in Ireland. Even the pickiest of eaters will find something to devour on this plate of eggs, Irish sausages (Bangers), back bacon (Rashers), blood and oatmeal sausages (Black and White Pudding), toast, sautéed mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, and baked beans. Adults can pair this meal equally well with Guinness or Irish coffee, while kids can enjoy a craft apple juice blended with strawberry, raspberry, or black currant.

Get the recipe.

A Proper Stew for St. Patrick’s Day

By David Tanis, NY food writer, former Chez Panisse chef, current chef at the Monkey Bar in Midtown

Rich, hearty Irish stew contains a handful of ingredients like mutton or young lamb, onions, and potatoes. The further south you go, the more vegetables you’ll see – like carrots or even turnips. Irish stews can be a broth served in a bowl or thickened with flour and served over mashed potatoes. Adorned with just a sprig of thyme, the natural food flavors take center stage in this recipe that is simple enough to cook with kids.

Get the recipe.

Smoky Cheese & Potato Soup with Pesto Shamrock Toast

From Better Homes and Gardens

You’ll need a shamrock-shaped cookie cutter for this fun-looking dish that combines the smokiness of gouda cheese and paprika with the creaminess of mashed potatoes and carrots. It’s an easy 25-minute dish that warms the heart in less than 400 calories. We’ve seen similar recipes with the addition of four ounces of finely chopped ham for added protein. The floating green pesto-topped shamrock toast will be the showstopper for the kids who may get a little messy figuring out how to best eat it. You can try Orwasher’s Bakery or Amy’s Bread for a great artisanal Irish sourdough worthy of your soup.

Get the recipe.

Irish Apple Cake with Custard Sauce

From Irish American Mom, Adapted by Kailey at The Kitchen McCabe

Finding an Irish dessert that doesn’t use Guinness, Bailey’s, or Irish whiskey can be a challenge, but the crunchy sugary crust and Grandma’s creamy custard sauce provide plenty of sweetness to this apple cake recipe — without the booze. You’ll need a round 8″ or 9″ pan, ideally a springform. You can use Golden Delicious apples if you find Granny Smiths too tart. While most cakes are spiced with cinnamon, this version borrows cloves and nutmeg for a European twist.

Get the recipe.

Additional Irish Recipe Resources:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-st-patricks-day-parade

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/is-corned-beef-really-irish-2839144/

http://www.thebutchersblock.com/

http://dish.allrecipes.com/irish-recipes-for-st-patricks-day/

https://www.deadrabbitnyc.com/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-06/the-dead-rabbit-grocery-grog-is-named-the-world-s-best-bar

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/ireland-food-and-drink/

http://www.grubstreet.com/2018/02/david-tanis-new-monkey-bar-chef.html

https://www.orwashers.com/

http://www.amysbread.com

 

New Crafting Ideas For Kids This Valentine’s Day

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While you may have a sitter booked for a romantic dinner date with your significant other, you can include your little ones in the celebration of love with a fun afternoon of crafting. The benefits of parent/child craft time are vast. Research shows crafting encourages visual-spatial information processing beneficial to math and reading, coordination of fine motor skills used sports, and improved executive functioning necessary to pay attention, focus, and remember. Of course, the benefits you both reap from the quality bonding time are immeasurable.

Need inspiration? Here are a few favorites.

Personalized Prints

Little hands and tiny feet capture the heart with fleeting adorability. Art using hand, finger, or footprints makes a wonderful keepsake to look back upon as your child grows, year after year. Capture the uniqueness of your child with these Fingerprint Heart Ornaments made from soda clay or homemade salt dough. You’ll just need to pick up heart-shaped cookie cutters, decorative ribbon, and an ink pad, then bake the craft in the oven for an hour. If you like salt dough, you can also try making a handprint picture frame using the same method.

 

Heart-Shaped Animals

Every kid remembers making heart-shaped animals in school to take home to doting parents. Older kids can practice wielding scissors themselves, while youngsters will enjoy watching how various shapes come together to form charming animal friends. We’ve seen every kind of animal imaginable, from heart lions and zebras, to heart bumblebees and snails. Perhaps our favorite is this Heart Jellyfish with the whimsical googly eyes.

 

Light-Catching Window Clings

By this time in winter, we could all use some extra color and sunshine. This Simple Heart Window Display is made using water-colored coffee filters cut into hearts and affixed to the window with washable glue stick, and outlined with Tempera paint. A similar craft can be made using construction paper cut into a heart with shapes cut out of the interior and filled in with tissue paper. Another easy variation is to make Tissue Paper Stained Glass using contact paper.

 

Framed Button Heart

There are many different looks for a Framed Button Heart, depending on your curation of buttons. Little ones love strategically placing the buttons inside the heart template, which makes for tasteful seasonal décor. Glue, buttons, cardstock – it doesn’t get much simpler than that. (Well, okay, you can use the template if you’re a perfectionist.)

 

Frozen Hearts

We always like art that seems part science. Why not give the right and the left brain a workout if we can? The look of awe on a child’s face is reward enough for your diligence in selecting just the right craft. Sadly, this art won’t last forever, but it’s worth making an Icy Heart Painting at least once, so the kids can see how salt burrows tunnels into a block of ice to create dazzling paint caves.

If you prefer, you can create a Valentine Craft Station for older kids to enjoy less structured crafting by filling a table with Valentine’s color construction paper, markers, glitter, crayons, felt, ribbon, wrapping paper, Bingo dabbers, heart stickers, and googly eyes. Or you can make a fun, simple Valentine’s Day sensory tub for toddlers using pom-poms, pipe cleaners, felt hearts, and other textured Dollar Store items that will keep the kids busy for hours. For more ideas, contact Shine NYC to see what we can bring to a fun Valentine’s themed Crafternoon.

Resources:

https://www.personalcreations.com/blog/valentines-day-crafts-for-kids

http://www.parenting.com/gallery/valentines-crafts-kids

https://teaching2and3yearolds.com/toddler-valentine-crafts/

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/27/easy-valentines-day-crafts-for-kids_n_6518196.html

https://happyhooligans.ca/5-easy-valentine-crafts-for-toddlers/

https://www.redtedart.com/valentine-crafts-for-preschoolers/

https://www.popsugar.com/moms/Valentine-Day-Crafts-Toddlers-21553278?stream_view=1#photo-33536790

https://www.craftymorning.com/list-of-diy-valentines-day-crafts-for-kids/

https://lollyjane.com/valentines-day-crafts-for-kids/

https://www.craftymorning.com/valentines-day-heart-shaped-animal/

International Kid-Friendly Food: Top 5 Recipes For Chinese New Year

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With traditional lion dancers, festive floats, firecrackers, shopping discounts, arts and craft vendors, and Chinese folk music symphonies, New York City is a great place to be for Chinese New Year. Chinatown is a bustle of activity for the Lunar New Year. Behind all the pomp and circumstance, local Chinese families celebrate privately with their relatives, sharing the most important meal of the year. Whether near or far, reunions are a symbolic gesture to be thankful for the past year and hopeful in the new.

New Year’s Eve dinners vary by region, but typically include chicken, fish, or pork in the south of China and homemade dumplings in the north. Every Chinese New Year dish signifies something, whether it’s to wish for a year of completeness with a whole chicken, abundance with two whole fish, happiness and longevity with noodles, family togetherness with sweet rice balls, or wealth with dumplings.

Steamed Fish

A family recipe from Long Island Food Blogger Jessica Lee Binder, courtesy of NY Daily News

Fish represents an increase in prosperity and good luck. This recipe uses white fish like striped bass, which has a lighter flavor likely to appease kids. The sauce – made from seasoned soy sauce, thin-sliced fresh ginger, scallions, vegetable oil, and a pinch of sugar (the only other ingredients you’ll need) – is savory enough to make kids forget they’re eating from the sea. The food is ready in just 15 minutes, and goes great with sticky rice. You can get additional tips for steaming a whole fish from The Woks of Life if you’ve never done it before.

Get the recipe.

Rice Chicken Casserole

From Kei Lum Chan, co-author of China: The Cookbook, courtesy of MyDomaine.com

We can all appreciate the simplicity of a one-pot main course. Chicken is the heart of this dish, which signifies prosperity. Until recent times, the Chinese people only served chicken on festival days or birthdays. Chicken thighs – considered the best part of the bird – were reserved for the elders. This quick recipe requires 20 minutes of marinating and 20 minutes of cooking in a dutch oven. Chinese sausage is the one tricky ingredient that may require a separate trip to a Chinatown butcher shop. Trust us, it’s worth it! Lap Cheong is made from pork or liver, marinated, and smoked for a smoky, sweet, salty taste as sumptuous as candied bacon. Like many Asian dishes, additional flavors in this dish come from ginger, soy, garlic, and scallions.

Get the recipe.

Fast Pot Stickers

From Mark Bittman, NY Times Food Columnist

Pot stickers are sometimes called “Little Purses.” Fittingly, they symbolize prosperity and riches in the year to come. You can do them with homemade dough, but it can be tedious even with a food processor, as you’re kneading and rolling out dozens of two-inch circles before filling and cooking. One easy alternative is to use pre-made wrappers widely available in any supermarket. Folding is intuitive and sealing requires a little beaten egg. The dumplings are browned in oil, simmered in water, and browned again. You can fill the dumplings with whatever you prefer – ground pork, beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, shrimp, even shiitake mushrooms and tofu for a vegetarian twist. You can also freeze uncooked dumplings on a baking sheet, seal in a plastic bag, and keep them for up to two weeks to save time.

Get the recipe.

Niángāo

From Chef Mireille, Courtesy of The Schizo Chef

Niángāo is a steamed rice cake with a history dating back at least 1,000 years ago to the Liao Dynasty. The word loosely translates to “year rise,” symbolizing increased prosperity and higher status for adults, physical growth and better academic success for children. The round shape symbolizes family togetherness and completeness. If you love someone, you give them niángāo to wish them the best. This popular New Year dessert is popular at NYC bakeries like Wok Wok, Lung Moon Bakery, Shanghai Café, Tygershark, and Fay Da Bakery – but why not make it yourself in just 10 minutes? Traditionally, the cake — made of rice flour, brown sugar, coconut milk, almond extract and chopped nuts — is steamed in banana leaves, and then later cut up, coated in raw egg, and fried. This simplified recipe comes from Chef Florence Lin, the author of five Chinese cookbooks who is in her nineties, but still spry and cooking with her niece.

Get the recipe.

We hope you enjoy cooking with your children to celebrate Chinese New Year in 2018. Other fun activities include: making DIY Chinese drums, giving red envelopes containing money, creating DIY paper lanterns, and crafting soda bottle cherry blossoms to symbolize the beginning of spring. Be sure to check out the big parade and other local festivities. Also, don’t forget Shine offers additional party entertainment, workshops, classes, and cultural experiences to inspire young minds. Contact us to learn more!

Additional Reading:

By Jenn Fusion for Shine

Jenn Fusion is a Buffalo, NY based wordsmith with more than a decade of experience researching, writing, and editing informative and insightful articles for business clients. Her work has been featured online and in print editions of USA Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Houston Chronicle, as well as niche publications for vice presidents, celebrities, music, and beer. You may have seen on Huffington Post Live TV or heard her on Minnesota Public Radio. Best of all, she’s the mother of busybody toddlers Josephine and Henri.

Fantastically Fun Indoor Activities for NYC Kids When It’s Cold Outside

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Baby, it’s cold outside! Probably by now the kids are bouncing off the walls. Let the idle house sit clean for a day while you’re out making family memories. Here are some indoor escapes that will make you forget about sleet and snow, while encouraging the best in your little ones.

The New York Botanical Gardens 

The balmy temperature and fresh air of the New York Botanical Gardens is the perfect antidote to the blustery cold winter months. Not only will you enjoy festive seasonal decorations, but they also host a Holiday Train Show from November 22nd – January 15th. Model G-scale trains zip down half a mile of track, past 150 local landmarks from the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty to the Chrysler Building and the Rockefeller Center. This winter, kids can participate in a sing-a-long performance with Thomas the Train, ride on the Evergreen Express, craft a puppet or evergreen door swag, watch holiday films like “Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas” and “Shrek the Halls,” and tour the outdoor winter wonderland trees.

 

National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey

This new, immersive experience in Times Square features 60,000 square feet of groundbreaking advances in lighting, audio, and visual animation effects that make your family feel as though you’re exploring an undersea world. Sea turtles, dolphins, and fish swim above, below, and past you in the first exhibit, which shows you a coral reef during the day. Next, you’ll plunge into the coral reef at night to see bioluminescent sponges, coral, and eels, set to a symphony of sound. See Humboldt squids battle, move through a dreamlike kelp forest maze, and play “copycat” with adorable sea lions that look amazingly real, but respond to your every move. Older children will love the 3-D dome with sharks, stingrays, and humpback whales swimming by. More photo opps and learning experiences await in the National Geographic Exploration Hall. This amazing exhibit will enthrall kids and adults of all ages, but as an added bonus, the little ones under two are free!

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan

Kids ages 6 and under will find something to love about the five-story, 40,000 square-foot institution of learning and culture. From immersive dance studios and a crawl-through version of the digestive system, to Dora the Explorer play areas and collaborative workshops with local artists, there is much to do and see here. Kids are encouraged to consider cultures and traditions from around the world. S.T.E.A.M. learning activities take place daily. This time of year, “Hip-Hop Holidays” performances, Christmas Tree ornament making, and “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel” are popular events.

The Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater

If you haven’t seen it yet, the long-running production of “The Three Bears Holiday Bash” is on from November through December 30th in Central Park. Children ages 3-8 will revel in 45 minutes of comedy, song, dance, and puppetry that includes sing-a-longs for “I Have A Little Dreidel” and “Feliz Navidad.” Director Bruce Cannon pulls from the traditions of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and “The Night Before Christmas” to include everyone in the festivities. Critics called the songs “catchy,” the marionette bears “adorable,” and delighted in the surprise appearance from marionette Santa. Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis, so be sure to get there early to get your little ones a spot in the front row. Shows generally take place at 10:30 and 11:30 am Monday through Friday, or 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. After being closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, performances are will briefly resume from December 26th-30th at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. before wrapping up. That’s not all the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater is up to this holiday season. They’re also hosting craft activities on December 11th (decorating dreidels); 15th (making elf stick puppets); and 29th (making kwanzaa stick puppets).

If you’re still at a loss for how to spend winter break in Manhattan with your children, contact us at Shine. We offer pop-up classes, workshops, city adventures, parties and events, and classes to keep kids (and sometimes parents!) wildly entertained. If you have an undefined yearning for substantial ways to enrich your children’s lives, we have the answer you’re seeking.

By Jenn Fusion for Shine

Jenn Fusion is a Buffalo, NY based wordsmith with more than a decade of experience researching, writing, and editing informative and insightful articles for business clients. Her work has been featured online and in print editions of USA Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Houston Chronicle, as well as niche publications for vice presidents, celebrities, music, and beer. You may have seen on Huffington Post Live TV or heard her on Minnesota Public Radio. Best of all, she’s the mother of busybody toddlers Josephine and Henri.

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