Celebrate Archives - Page 12 of 13

President’s Day Activities

February 13, 2014/in Celebrate, Make, Read/by Shine

There are many holidays and celebrations that are more complicated to explain to children than others. How do we find meaningful and age appropriate ways to explain holidays like Memorial Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day and the upcoming President’s Day to children under 5? We at Shine believe it can be done in thoughtful and innovative ways using books, music, art, cooking and dramatic play. In this week’s post we take take the daunting task of turning President’s Day into a creative and historical exploration by making powdered wigs, a coin rubbing collage and of course, eating ice cream (thanks George Washington)!

Shine offers workshops for all major holidays and celebrations and will even custom create a workshop based on your child’s interests (dinosaurs, space, bugs, weather, etc.). Please contact us for more information or to set one up for your child and some of his/her friends.

However you chose to celebrate this holiday or any, we hope it is done together as a family utilizing the tools children innately posses… imagination and creativity.

Continue to shine your light –
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

We all know that we celebrate Presidents’ Day on the third Monday of February, but what else do we know about Presidents’ Day / George Washington’s Birthday? Did you know:

The observance of Washington’s Birthday was made official in 1885 when President Chester Alan Arthur (our 21st president) signed a bill establishing it as a federal holiday.
In 1968 the Uniform Holidays Bill moved the observance of three federal holidays, including Washington’s Birthday, from fixed calendar dates to designated Mondays.
From 1971 onward, Washington’s Birthday was relocated to the third Monday in February – which actually guaranteed that it would never be celebrated on his actual birthday since the third Monday in February cannot fall any later than February 21.
The Uniform Holidays Bill proposed renaming the holiday “Presidents’ Day” but this version of the bill was never passed.
This means that the holiday is technically not Presidents’ Day – the official government holiday is George Washington’s Birthday. (Arbelbide 2004)

So with another day off from school, what are some activities that can help teach kids about the importance of Presidents’ Day and our first president? Let’s start with a story, create powdered wigs and coin collages, and finish by eating ice cream! Read more

DIY Valentines

February 6, 2014/in Celebrate, Make/by Shine

As Valentine’s Day is one of those unavoidable consumer holidays, in our classes we use the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day to talk about love and what it means to us. It is fascinating to listen to children discuss who they love, why they love them, and what they can do to express their love. We talk about all the people in our lives that love us and that we love in return: mothers, fathers, teachers, nannies, siblings, grandparents, cousins, friends, even pets. We then set off on a week or two of making homemade cards for all of them. We use Valentine’s Day to actualize the lyrics of one of our favorite songs, “Love is Something if You Give it Away.” We like to have children take time out to make or bake something special for the people they love and give it or mail it to them.

Here, we welcome art teacher and blogger Christina Soriano to the Shine family. She shares a couple of quick, fun, and surprisingly beautiful art ideas for homemade valentines. And remember, a great way to give back around Valentine’s Day is to make cards for your local senior center. Many seniors don’t have a valentine and to receive a handmade card from a child means more than chocolates or flowers ever could. What better way to illuminate the true spirt of of a holiday that could leave so many feeling lonely.

Continue to shine your light and open your heart –
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

Make someone’s heart shine this Valentine’s Day and send them a handmade card! This is by far one of my favorite times of year to create cards and other handmade presents. It is a great way to keep kids creative and engaged on a cold winter’s afternoon. I spent this weekend making some with my four-year-old nephew, Simon. The best part of the activity is that it promotes kindness and gratitude. Start off by asking children to make a list of all the people they care about. The fun part happens when ideas come to life when the glue, scissors, and materials take over! Here are some ideas you can try at home:

Torn Paper Heart Collage Valentine

Supplies needed:

Construction paper
Glue
Blank stationery

Directions:

Start by lightly drawing a heart on your stationery with pencil.
Tear colored paper into small pieces
Glue and overlap the small pieces within the shape until it is filled in!

Valentine’s Day Heart Cookies

February 5, 2014/in Celebrate, Taste/by Shine

February has arrived and with it the sent of roses, little candy hearts, and the strange feeling that you are being watched by a diaper-clad flying bald man with arrows. Valentine’s Day often gets a bad rap, having the connotation of being a purely romantic holiday. Lovers forcibly exchanging chocolates and pink teddy bears come to mind. This year, reinvent the February 14th cliché and celebrate the love you have with your family by doing something fun together. Try out my recipe for V-Day heart cookies with your kids, and if you’re in an especially loving mood, give some away with the valentines you send to friends!

Ingredients:
(makes 48 cookies)

1 cup unsalted butter
½ cup maple syrup
2 cups All-Purpose flour
¼ tsp Kosher salt
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Sprinkles in various colors (optional)

Shine’s Chinese New Year Lanterns

January 22, 2014/in Celebrate, Make/by Shine

One of the best things about living In New York City is the opportunity to experience diverse celebrations from around the world. It seems almost every culture is represented here and has a parade, party, festival, street fair, or other opportunity for New Yorkers to not just witness but join in. Chinese New Year is one of my favorite cultural celebrations to introduce to young students. From exploration of the food, the colors, the lions and dragons, there is so much appeal for children of all backgrounds.

This week I’m sharing one of my favorite Chinese New Year projects. It’s super simple and can be done with children as young as two years old yet always produces such a beautiful result. Whether it’s a craft or a reading a book, introduce your children to the holiday at home. I then encourage you to take them out to witness the celebration firsthand. Go to the parade in Chinatown or at least out for a walk, to eat some dumplings, and a stroll around Pearl River Mart. Allow them to enjoy the rich culture of the Chinese… it’s unavoidable here in NYC and provides a perfect opportunity for a lesson in cultural diversity.

Gung hay fat choy!

Continue to shine your light –
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

Materials Needed:

Red construction paper
toothbrushes for painting
black paint
black and/or gold glitter
black yarn
Chinese tassels
Masking tape
Hole puncher

Finding a Solution for a Healthy Resolution

January 6, 2014/in Celebrate, Guide, Taste/by Shine

Happy New Year! We all want to start the year off on the right foot and many of us do so by changing some of our holiday eating habits. But what about children? How do we tackle the not-so-easy job of getting our children to eat healthier? Here Katie Letts, chef and shine nutrition specialist, provides some tips to 5 major issues parents face. May 2014 be happy, healthy and delicious for your whole family.

Continue to shine your light –
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

The holiday goodies have been consumed, the champagne has been toasted, and the start of a new year means one thing above all else: New Year’s resolutions! Making it a priority to improve the eating habits and overall health of your little one is an honorable goal, albeit a challenging one. Let’s face it; most small mouths come with an assortment of not-so-small obstacles. Every-day issues, from picky eaters to the lack of time to cook can make preparing nutritious family meals and snacks a battle!

Recently, I asked several moms and dads to share the greatest challenges they’ve faced with providing a well-balanced diet for their children. Some of them provided me with their solutions for said challenges, as well. Not so surprisingly, many of the food issues were quite common among most of the families! The parents who generously contributed their thoughts range from professional chefs to folks who would much rather “take-out” than tournée… After all, children will eat like children (even if their parent heads a TV network kitchen). If you would like to resolve to keep your family happy and healthy, feel free to use these tips, as needed… Let’s put the solution back into “resolution!” Read more

Peppermint Bark Recipe

December 18, 2013/in Celebrate, Taste/by Shine

I love the holidays. Aside from the parties, the baked goods, and all the sparkle, they also provide plenty of opportunities for togetherness. And even though Thanksgiving was late and Hanukkah early, I’m still in the midst of decorating, wrapping, baking, ornamenting, lighting, singing, and taking in the infectious holiday buzz here in NYC. One of my favorite ways to bond with students, friends and family during the season is to bake and cook together. Here, Chef and Shine Nutrition Specialist Katie Letts, shares her very easy (and very delicious) recipe for peppermint bark. Whatever you bake or do for the holidays, make sure to do it with some people you love. The memories will last a lot longer than the treats! Have a sparkling holiday and New Year!

May your holidays shine bright –
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

Deck the halls with sweets and candy! Christmas cookies are often considered the norm to make during the holiday season, especially with your little ones. This peppermint bark recipe, however, is a simple alternative to the typical cookie tradition. Make sure to leave some for Santa on Christmas Eve, too!

Ingredients:

24 oz white chocolate chips
1 tsp peppermint extract
2 cups crushed candy canes

Shine’s Holiday Book Picks

December 9, 2013/in Celebrate, Learn, Read/by Shine

At Shine, we think the best gifts are always books. As you’re doing last minute holiday shopping, consider some of these picks from our friends in early childhood publishing. Happy Holidays!

May your holidays shine bright –
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

Francesco Sedita
President & Publisher at Penguin Young Readers Group

The Scrawny Little Tree by Ed Mehler, illustrated by Susie Pollard

This is the sweetest story, originally written and published in 1973 and re-released in 2011. It’s Charlie Brown meets The Giving Tree and it’s just beautiful and precious.

Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney

The Lllama books are all wonderful and here our pal Llama has a very special Christmas, even if he is quite impatient.

Anything Jan Brett

To me, Jan Brett is Christmas in a book. She just evokes such a wonderful, magical environment with her words and illustrations. I would really recommend “The Night Before Christmas” edition with a DVD in the back, read by Jim Dale, and with a musical score from the Boston Pops – so special. Read more

Simple Tips for Getting Out of a Holidaze

December 2, 2013/in Celebrate, Guide, Make/by Shine

The holidays can be overwhelming for children and their parents. Between all of the sugary treats, abundance of presents, and focus on the commercial aspect, the true meaning of the season can be lost. At Shine, we make sure to remind our students and their families that a little effort and some simple crafts can go a long way. Here are some of our favorite holiday crafts and tips. They are all sure to emphasize important skills and lessons as well as provide some good old-fashioned family bonding while serving as a reminder about the importance of doing for others.

A homemade card means a lot to the recipient. Paper supply stores sell plain white cardstock cards and envelopes. Have children decorate them with holiday stickers, ink stamps, a paint handprint or any other creative idea you can come up with. Tape them to presents or have children help to address or stamp the envelope and bring them to the post office together.
Old art work makes fabulous one-of-a-kind wrapping paper. Not every piece of art your child brings home can be archived and saved forever so use some of them as wrapping paper for gifts. If you don’t want to part with any of your child’s masterpieces, then have them decorate a large piece of easel paper with crayons, markers, stamps and stickers. Read more

Fresh Cinnamon Cranberry Applesauce

November 27, 2013/in Celebrate, Taste/by Shine

Thanksgiving just might be my favorite holiday of the year. I think it’s the combination of food and togetherness that I love so much. What better way to mix the two than cooking with your kids. Here, Katie Letts, chef and Shine nutrition specialist, shares her original recipe for Fresh Cinnamon and Cranberry Applesauce. It’s simple to make, delicious to eat and will give your son or daughter a feeling of pride when they see it on the Thanksgiving table. Whatever you cook, make sure to do part of it together. Everything tastes better when it’s made with love.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Shine!
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

Fresh Cinnamon Cranberry Applesauce Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and although many folks consider a turkey the holiday’s piece de resistance, I adore the variety of side dishes that truly make the meal. It can be hard to prepare Thanksgiving sides that appeal to children as well as adults, but my cinnamon cranberry applesauce is sure to please even the pickiest of young pallets at your family gathering!

Ingredients:
(Makes 8 servings)

12 medium apples, peeled, cored and quartered (I prefer Macintosh!)
1 ½ cups water
¼ – ½ cup fresh cranberries
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp grade A maple syrup

Eight Fun Chanukah Activities for Kids – One For Each Night!

November 27, 2013/in Celebrate, Make/by Shine

Now that Chanukah is upon us, families might be struggling to come up with some fresh ideas to keep each night exciting. Here, Laura Puzio, an early childhood Jewish educator, gives us some activities for each night! Be sure to check out our Vitamin J class beginning this Fall taught by Laura. For more information contact info@shinenyc.net.

May your Chanukah candles shine bright!
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

Chanukah is such a special time of year for families to come together and celebrate! It is not just about celebrating the miracle of the oil lasting for eight nights, but also about a great victory of the Jewish people, persevering and surviving against all odds. We light the Chanukiah, or Menorah (8 branched candelabra), each night of Chanukah to help us remember the incredible faith and strength of the Jewish people. There are so many fun things to do during Chanukah in New York and many learning opportunities for your children as well!

Go to a Judaica store and explore all different types of “Chanukiot”, or Menorahs. The “Shamash”, or helper candle, is sometimes in the middle, and sometimes on the end of the Menorah. See how many different types you can count with your child! (In Manhattan: West Side Judaica, 2412 Broadway, or J. Levine Co., 5 W30th St, In Brooklyn: Eichlers, 1401 Coney Island Ave- N.B. These stores are closed on Saturdays).
Learn all about oil! The miracle of Chanukah was that the oil in the holy temple lasted for eight nights; Explore oil with your child! Do a “Science Experiment”: mix oil with water (put a little food coloring into the water to see it better), and ask your child what happens. Let them play with, touch, smell, and even taste olive oil! Read more