How To Throw a Spring Color Party

How To Throw a Spring Color Party

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Color parties are trending hot for spring and summer birthdays and events. In fact, posts labeled #colorparty have garnered over 48 million views on TikTok. If you’ve never been to one but are looking for a unique theme for your child’s birthday, continue reading for ideas and inspiration.

Why a Color Party?

There’s nothing more refreshing than the assembly of colors after a long winter! Color parties have roots in Holi, the Hindu festival celebrating the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. The main rituals involve flinging colored water and powders onto friends, family, and festivalgoers as a reenactment of a game Hindu god Lord Krishna played with his consort, goddess Radha. Borrowing a similar spirit, Color Run 5Ks are celebrated around the world, including New York’s Citi Field.

Psychologically, colors can symbolize many different ideas emotions — red for love, orange for sociability, yellow for happiness, green for money, blue for tranquility, or purple for opulence. Taken as a whole, the rainbow is the sum of its parts —a celebration of diversity, inclusivity, hope, and friendship. In some circles, rainbow colors represent God’s covenant with Noah after the Great Flood destroyed much of the world — and in others, a rainbow signifies LGBTQ+ identity and pride.

Studies show children are naturally drawn to bright, saturated colors — and that these colors can affect their moods. So for your next event, consider the crowd-pleasing color party to create memories for years to come.

How To Prepare for a Color Party

  • Buy the supplies. One of the easiest ways to set up your color party is to buy packets of loose, dry powder and put them into Dixie cups. Skip squeeze bottles or squirt guns, which tend to jam up. Another fun option is to use color powder cannons, which use compressed air to blast partygoers up to 20 feet away.
  • Put safety first. The powder itself is non-toxic, typically made of food dye and cornstarch, but it’s best if you don’t directly inhale it or get it in your eyes. So, no matter which option you choose, we recommend passing out colored bandanas and sunglasses to serve as protective gear and keep everybody safe.
  • Secure the venue. The ideal location for a color party is in your own backyard or on private country land with the expressed permission of the property owner. Color parties might not be welcome in public spaces due to cleanup considerations.
  • Have cleanup supplies on hand. If you’re doing the cleanup, you’ll want brooms and dustpans or leaf blowers to move dry powder from your sidewalk or driveway. A sprinkler, hose, or pressure washer will clean up the grass if necessary. A soapy water bucket and sponge can clean your tables and chairs. A vacuum cleaner will pick up any stray colors tracked into the house.
  • Send the invitations. There are several approaches to a color party. Some events have each person pick one color — and they dress from head to toe in that color and bring a matching dish to share. For the main color-tossing event, we recommend handing out white t-shirts as practical party favor keepsakes. Even though the color powders typically wash out of clothing, it’s best to forewarn guests on the invitation that the party could get messy.
  • Decorate. To add vibrancy, you can hang rainbow garlands in trees, hang colorful leis on each chair, tie up helium-filled balloons, set out colorful plastic tablecloths, add LED lights to mason jars as centerpieces, freeze water balloons and place them into a cooler with bottled water.

All that’s left now? Have fun!

Color Party Games and Activities

For the main event, divide your group into two teams (each with their own color), put on the high-energy tunes, and let them run wild with the goal of coating the opposing team while evading their retaliation. If you prefer, each person can have a different color and the game can be played warrior-style.

While the color war is the main event, there are many other activities:

  • Art: Art naturally lends itself to a rainbow of colors, so you might consider setting up a painting station or place colored confetti, construction paper, and glue on the table to see what the kids come up with — or even just simple sidewalk chalk can add to the party décor.
  • Color Powder Alternatives: Instead of “war,” you might set up obstacle courses the kids have to run through while others try to hit them with powder. Or you might divide into two teams, fill black balloons with two different colored powders, and play a roulette-style game where you pop a balloon over a player’s head. If it’s their team’s color, the team gets a point. If it’s the other team’s color, the team loses a point. If it’s the magic gold powder, they earn their team five points.
  • Wet and Wild: Bust out the sprinklers and slip-and-slides to make those colors even more saturated! And remember those frozen water balloons? Once they’ve thawed out in the hot sun and all the water’s been consumed, they’re fair game for another fun round of friendly competition. Or perhaps you organize a calmer tossing event for the chance to win a colorful prize.
  • Hula Hoop Contest: Hula hoops come in bright colors, so they make the perfect contest.
  • Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of colorful items hidden around the yard kids need to find to win a prize.
  • Dessert Station: A vanilla cupcake decoration station with colored sprinkles is always a hit.

Plan Your Next Event

Want help orchestrating your next party in New York City, the Hamptons, or the tristate area? Shine educators travel to your location of choice, bring themed supplies, set up decorations, entertain the kids with guided activities, and cleanup when the event’s done. No fuss, no muss — only fun! We also offer creative programming that includes summer camps, classes, field trips, and more. Contact us for details.

When dodgeball had run its course, we handed out cheap goggles to act as protective eye gear and got the color fight under way.

Women’s History Month: 3 Changemakers, Crafts, & Cookies

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Every March, we take a moment to celebrate the diverse contributions women have made to American history, society, and culture. From books and videos to family discussions and museum trips, there are countless ways to reflect upon women’s accomplishments, but hands-on crafts are a particularly memorable bonding experience that also builds fine motor skills.

Here are 3 Women’s History Month crafts to get you started:

Microphone Craft To Celebrate Female Singers

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Lady Gaga, Madonna, Adele, Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Dolly Parton — take your pick! There are so many gifted and talented female voices out there to thank our lucky stars for, so crank up the tunes while you assemble this easy craft using the following:

  • A large paper towel roll, cut to size with scissors
  • A Styrofoam ball, wrapped in tinfoil and hot-glued to the end of the paper towel roll
  • Gray cardstock glued over the paper towel roll for a polished look
  • Black marker to draw the on/off buttons

Add to your upcycled ensemble with coffee can drums or a rubber-band-wrapped Kleenex box guitar. Once you’re done rocking out and role playing, older kids might appreciate this complementary video of the “Top 20 Influential Women in Music of All Time” to reinforce the learning.

Space Helmet to Celebrate Woman Astronauts

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In June 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman to travel into space. In 1992, Mae Jemison was the first African American woman in space. And in 1995, Eileen Collins was the first female to pilot a shuttle.

For this craft, you’ll need:

  • A newspaper, torn into strips
  • 3-4 cups of papier-mâché glue
  • A balloon, inflated to the approximate size of your child’s head
  • 1 bottle white paint
  • 1 printed NASA decal (or learn to draw it!)
  • Scissors

To make this craft, you’ll apply a thin layer of glue onto the balloon and add the newspaper strips. Continue this process until you reach a sturdy thickness. Let the helmet dry in the sun for a day. Once it has completely dried out, you can use scissors to cut the neck hole and face window to proper proportions. You may want to then add another layer of papier-mâché coating around the cut edges (so they’re not sharp) before painting and adding your logo to the side. 

Learn about trailblazing female astronauts here and then, watch the first all-female spacewalk completed by Jessica Meir and Christina Koch in 2019.

Floral Headdress to Celebrate Female Artists

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Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is famous for her self-portraits, always adorned in a stunning floral headdress. For this craft you’ll need:

  • A variety of brightly colored, soft, pliable felt pieces
  • Scissors
  • Paper to make templates
  • Elmer’s glue
  • A hot glue gun
  • A satin-covered black headband

The Art Bar Blog goes into detail on how to create each type of flower. For younger kids, you’ll need to do some pre-cutting prep work, but using your pre-made templates, kids can cut their own leaves or additional flowers. By 9 or so, kids can generally make the flowers themselves with instruction and oversight. You’ll need to apply the hot glue that keeps it all together, of course.

If this art-inspired craft is more involved than you’d like, consider a floral collage made of tissue paper to celebrate Georgia O’Keefe or a color field painting based on the work of Alma Thomas.

Bonus: Cookie Recipe

Crafting sure works up an appetite, doesn’t it? Be sure to end your session by making a batch of chocolate chip cookies — accidentally invented in 1930 by Ruth Wakefield, co-owner of the Toll House Inn tourist lodge in Whitman Massachusetts. Upon finding she was out of baker’s chocolate, she experimented with semi-sweet, thinking the chocolate would dissolve.

Finding the texture surprisingly delightful, she called them “chocolate crunch cookies” and shared her recipe with a local newspaper. The sale of Nestle chocolate bars quickly grew — and, with Ruth’s permission, they printed the recipe on their wrapper and began selling the “morsels” we all know in love in their own bags in 1939.  Get Ruth’s original recipe here.

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If you’re in the mood to craft, we’re always welcoming new faces at The Shine Studio on Long Island’s East End.

Black History Month: 3 Inventors and Crafts

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Crafting is a creative way to get the gears turning in young minds. As children use their hands and put forth a deal of time and effort into making these projects, they can reflect upon some of the incredible inventions Blacks have introduced to the world.

Benjamin Banneker’s Clock

Benjamin Banneker grew up on a 100-acre farm outside Baltimore, where he studied the skies and borrowed textbooks about advanced mathematics. In 1752, he built the first clock in America entirely out of wood, which kept precise time for decades. His ability to forecast solar eclipse and other celestial events impressed Thomas Jefferson and helped dispel racial prejudices. Watch this video to learn more.

To create this craft, you’ll need:

  • White, brown, black construction paper or cardstock
  • Liquid glue or a glue stick
  • Number stickers
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Clock template
  • Optional: googly eye and black marker
  • Optional: brass paper fastener

After you download, print, and cut out the clock template, trace the template onto brown construction paper and cut. Trace a circle onto the white paper using an appropriately-sized bowl. (Have your kids find it—they love this part!) Cut out the circle and glue it onto the brown paper, adding the number stickers and two different size strips of black paper for the hands of the clock. Here you have two options: you can either glue the hands of the clock in a fixed position, coloring a googly eye with a black marker, or you can poke a brass paper fastener through the middle, so the hands can rotate.

Kate Speck and George Crum’s Potato Chips

What party would be complete without potato chips? In 1853, Kate Speck accidentally dropped a sliver of potato into the fryer while working at a resort in the Adirondacks that catered to wealthy elites like the Vanderbilts. Her brother, George Crum, fished out the chip, let it cool, and tasted it, remarking that it was in fact fantastic. Originally pitched as “fried potato shavings” and later known as “Saratoga chips,” word traveled fast and patrons came from as far as Boston and New York City for a taste. When Crum opened a restaurant, every table received a basket of chips. Herman Lay brought the chips down south to introduce them to a wider audience—and, as they say, the rest is history. Watch the video to learn more.

To create this craft, you’ll need:

  • A paper bag
  • Light blue tempra paint
  • Yellow, red, and cream construction paper
  • Paint brush
  • Scissors
  • A black marker

First, paint the front of your bag blue. As it dries, cut out 15 imperfect oval “chips.” Fold each oval back and forth like an accordion. Cut out a large yellow construction paper circle and an irregularly-shaped red rectangle. Glue your potato chip logo to the blue painted bag, write “potato chips” on the red paper, and add your chips. Kids ages 3-8 can pretend to enjoy them like George Crum’s customers and play math counting games.

Philip Downing’s Mailbox

In 1891, anyone interested in mailing a letter would have to make a long trek down to the post office—often on foot. Philip B. Downing of Rhode Island filed five patents on his iconic design of a four-legged metal box with an easy-loading front hinge that protected paper envelopes from rain or snow. This is the same type of letter box you see outside of businesses and on residential sidewalks today. Downing didn’t stop there. He also patented an electrical railroad switch, which later inspired innovators to implement similar switches in the home. Watch this video to learn more.

For this craft, you’ll need:

  • A cardboard Box
  • Exacto knife / boxcutter
  • Hot glue gun
  • 1” wooden blocks
  • Paintbrush
  • Dark blue tempra paint
  • USPS logo
  • Printer
  • Gluestick

First, draw a semi-circle on the two opposite top flaps of the box, making it as wide as the flap (to form the curved top of the mailbox). Next, use the exacto blade to cut along the semi-circular lines and hot glue the cut pieces inside to reinforce the semi-circle flaps and keep them standing straight up. Choose a front for your mailbox, draw a rectangle and cut along three sides (leaving one tall side uncut) to create your door, bending it slightly to open. Find or cut a flat piece of cardboard that is equal in width to the distance between your two semi-circle flaps to form the top of the mailbox. Using a ruler and exacto, lightly cut parallel lines into the back side of the cardboard spaced 1” apart and fold it into a curve. Cut the scored rectangle to length, then measure and cut a slot for the mail to go into in the middle of your topper. Finally, use hot glue to attach. Add four 1” wooden blocks to the corners as feet, attaching with hot glue. Once the glue dries, you’ll need two or three coats of mailbox blue paint. You can print out the logos and glue them on with the gluestick. In less than two hours, you’ll have taught your kids about a Black inventor and given them something fun to play with for under $5.

For more about Black inventors, check out “Gary and the Great Inventors” by Akura Marshall.

As always, keep shining!

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Happy Lunar New Year!

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Xīnnián hǎo! From China and Korea to Vietnam and Malaysia, East Asian cultures are celebrating the most significant holiday of the year as they usher in the 2023 Lunar New Year from January 22nd through February 1st. Goodbye, action-oriented Year of the Tiger! Hello Year of the Rabbit’s quiet contemplation and confidence! As a water year, it’s also time to go with the flow. Whether you’re Asian-American or you’d like to raise a child with cultural awareness and appreciation, Lunar New Year is a great opportunity to educate and partake in rich traditions.

What To Do for Lunar New Year

  • Decorate! Red is considered a lucky color to ward off evil spirits and bring positive energy into your life at the start of the New Year. Deck out your front door with red lanterns, couplets, and calligraphy.
  • Eat! Like any festival, Lunar New Year has its all-star lineup of signature dishes, including fish (to symbolize abundance), dumplings shaped like silver ingots (to symbolize family prosperity), glutinous rice cakes (to symbolize career advancement), sweet rice balls (to symbolize family togetherness), good fortune fruit (to symbolize fullness), spring rolls (to symbolize wealth), and longevity noodles (to symbolize happiness into old age). For tasty, easy dishes you can make at home, check out our top 5 kid-friendly Asian recipes.
  • Gift! Red envelopes containing money are often gifted to children and retired seniors to wish them a safe and fortunate year. According to legend, there was a demon named Sui who came out New Year’s Eve to terrorize children at night, so parents would light candles and keep the children up all night. One boy’s parents decided to wrap and re-wrap eight coins to entertain him. After the boy fell asleep, his parents placed the coins under his pillow. When Sui came near, a magical light frightened him away, as the eight coins were actually eight fairies. Parents have been gifting red envelopes of money ever since. Other popular gifts include tea, fruits, and candies.

Slightly older kids can see real-life celebrations in this Scholastic video. You may also consider reading one of these popular Lunar New Year books. We Teach NYC put together this comprehensive guide of activities and resources for teaching elementary-aged children about Asian culture and Lunar New Year traditions. Similarly, the Panda Express Club offers 8 free interactive lessons that explore Lunar New Year traditions through trivia, language instruction, and more. Or you can take a virtual trip to the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art to learn meditation, painting, mask crafting, and art interpretation. 

  • Celebrate! Firecrackers are a popular and customary way to drive away darkness and welcome light into your life. It’s not too late to order sparklers online for the kids. Festivities may also include a nighttime lantern parade and dragon dance through the streets.

Lunar New Year 2023 Events in the East End of Long Island

While NYC’s Chinatown comes to life with dragon parades and lantern festivals, Lunar New Year celebrations can be difficult to find in these parts. But you are always welcome to bring the kids to the Shine Studio, where we combine art, storytelling, song, culinary, dance, and education in fun, engaging, age-appropriate ways. Contact us for details.

Structured vs. Unstructured Play: Which Is Better?

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Every child is born into a very important job—and that job is play. Through play, children observe, explore, experiment, and learn about the world around them. They interact with other children, pick up social cues, and work through their emotions. Play involves visual, motor, and higher-level thinking skills, while promoting creativity, imagination, and problem-solving abilities. Play is a critical part of early childhood development, but there are different types of play to be aware of—most notably structured (guided) and unstructured (free) play.

What is Unstructured Play?

Unstructured play involves open-ended activities where no instruction or rules are given. During unstructured play, the child may be playing alone, alongside others, or with others. “Let kids be kids” is often the mantra for parents and educators who feel this type of play is best. The emphasis of unstructured play is on discovery, improvisation, and self-learning. With unstructured play, there is less pressure about “getting it wrong.” While enjoying freedom, children develop self-control and learn to self-regulate.

Examples of unstructured play include:

  • Infant “tummy time,” where babies are placed on their bellies with toys nearby
  • Free play activities like block tower building, dress up, or playing with figurines
  • Art activities like coloring, painting, or drawing
  • Playing at the playground or running around in the yard
  • Storytelling and looking at books of interest

Among the many benefits of unstructured play:

  • There are no limits. Children can be as imaginative as they wish as they explore.
  • The open-ended nature allows kids to discover their own interests and learning style.
  • Children are more apt to develop independence, confidence, and resilience.
  • It gives kids a break from an otherwise highly structured life—and from devices.
  • Free play often includes physical activity, motor skills, and coordination.
  • Children practice decision-making, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution.

What is Structured Play?

With structured play, a caregiver, parent, or teacher is present to guide the activities. The level of adult participation varies from interaction to instruction. The emphasis is on directing kids to achieve next-level performance and skills, impart wisdom, share knowledge, or attain a goal. The best structured play is tailored to the child’s interests, abilities, and strengths to build confidence, skill, and competency.

For example:

  • Sports programs like swimming, soccer, dance, gymnastics, baseball, tennis, etc.
  • Guided art classes like crafting, pottery, or learn-to-paint
  • Building a LEGO set by following directions or assembling a jigsaw puzzle
  • Following rules to playing board games or outdoor games like “Simon Says”
  • Learning to cook, speak a foreign language, act, or play a musical instrument

Among the many benefits of structured play:

  • Children discover interests, processes, and learnings they may not find on their own.
  • Structured activities teach emotional regulation, turn taking, sharing, and social cues.
  • Kids learn new tasks and how to follow instructions step-by-step to problem-solve.
  • It’s a chance to practice active listening, verbal communication, and people-reading.
  • These activities reinforce bonds with caregivers and peers, and introduce new mentors.
  • Children often experience increased self-esteem and develop a sense of achievement.

Which is Better—Structured or Unstructured Play?

Not surprisingly, the answer is that kids need both types of play to thrive. According to the authors of Becoming Brilliant, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, both types of play reinforce foundational skills young children need: communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and confidence.

Reserve some time every day for your child to enjoy unstructured play time. If your child doesn’t seem interested, consider rotating new toy figurines, puzzles, blocks, dress up outfits, puppets, or sports equipment into the house—or take your child to a play center that has all these toys so you can see what he or she might be interested in. Encourage your child to play outdoors every day, regardless of the weather. Reach out to other parents for play dates at playgrounds.

As parents, we know how difficult it can be to strike a balance, yet how essential it is to our wellbeing. Sign your child up for a day or two of activities during the week to keep life interesting, but not overwhelming. Involve your children in choosing the type of activity they would like to pursue, and encourage them to “stick with it” for the duration of the session, while allowing them to say, “This isn’t for me” at the end if that’s the case. Your role is to encourage your children to explore the world—and themselves—and to use play as a release from stress and a tool to becoming a well-rounded person.

Looking for more structured play opportunities?

Join Shine this winter for structured play. “Little Luminaries” combines music, movement, art, and storytelling around themes geared toward 2-year-olds. Ages 4-7 are welcome to register for our “Creative Movement” Tuesdays. Contact us for details.

The East End’s Best Places To Light a Menorah

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This year, Hanukkah begins Sunday, December 18th and lasts through Monday, December 26th.

While menorah lighting is a Jewish winter tradition, it’s perfectly okay for all to celebrate. As Rabbi David Zaslow put it:

“Hanukkah is less of a religious holiday and more of a celebration of religious liberty. It celebrates the defeat of an empire to squelch the religious freedom of a minority group, but the people of Judea banded together, whether they were religious or not, and defeated the Syrio-Greeks. So, yes, it’s totally wonderful that a non-Jewish person might want to celebrate the lighting of the menorah and placing it in their window… as a sign of the solidarity with the Jewish people.”

Why We Light the Menorah

The first mention of a menorah can be found in the biblical book of Exodus (25:31-40). According to the text, God revealed the lamp’s design to Moses on Mount Sinai: a candlestick forged out of a single piece of gold, with three branches on each side representing “the tree of life,” and a central shaft cup somewhat elevated to signify the Sabbath. Forged by craftsman Bezalel and placed in the Tabernacle, the first menorah became a symbol of God’s seven days of creation as well as the seven branches of human knowledge.

To understand the modern-day tradition, you have to dig back some 2,100 years ago when the Land of Israel was under repressive rule by Syrian-Greek emperor Antiochus who defiled the Holy Temple of Jerusalem with Greek idols and decreed that the Jewish people must worship Hellenistic gods. Studying the Torah and observing its commands was strictly forbidden.

Though vastly outnumbered, the Maccabees—a small band of Jewish warriors—drove the mighty Greek armies out of the land. When they reclaimed the Holy Temple, they wished to light the candelabrum (menorah) only to find the Greeks had contaminated the oil, save for one cruse—enough to last one night.

Miraculously, that one-day supply of oil lasted eight days and nights, and the holiday of Hanukkah was established to commemorate. On each of the eight nights, a new candle or oil cup is lit.

Where To Partake in Menorah Lighting in NY’s East End

The Grand Menorah Lighting – Long Beach

What: Celebrate with the Beaches Jewish Community and the City of Long Beach in Kennedy Plaza. In addition to the Menorah lighting, there will be hot potato latkes, jelly donuts, coffee, and the Great Chocolate Gelt Drop.

When: Sunday, December 18th (5:00 pm) 

Monday, December 19th (6:00 pm)

Tuesday, December 20th (6:00 pm)

Wednesday, December 21st (6:00 pm)

Thursday, December 22nd (6:00 pm)

Friday, December 23rd (3:30 pm)

Saturday, December 24th (6:00 pm)

Sunday, December 25th (5:00 pm)

The Annual Milleridge Menorah Lighting – Jericho

What: Rabbi Krivisky hosts in the Milleridge Inn at 585 North Broadway in Jericho. Jelly donuts and driedels will be served. Entertainment includes fire eaters and ice sculptures.

When: Sunday, December 18th (5:00 pm)

Manhassat Chanukah Festival – North Hempstead

What: Mary Jane Davies Green hosts across from Town Hall in Manhassat (220 Plandome Road).  The event will feature face painting, live music, a gelt drop, a magician, and live menorah ice sculpting.

When: Sunday, December 18th (3:00-5:00 pm)

Grand Menorah Lighting – Huntington Village

What: Chabad of Huntington Village is hosting a menorah lighting in the Huntington Village Winter Wonderland at Main Street and Wall Street. Bring the kids for live music, chocolate gelt, and a juggling / fire-breathing show.

When: Monday, December 19th (5:00 pm)

How To Light the Menorah at Home

If you’d like to partake in the tradition at home, you can read about how to light a menorah in-depth here or follow these guidelines:

  • Place your menorah in a window or on a table outside your door—somewhere it can spread light to others.
  • First light the shamash—the raised candle in the center of the menorah.
  • Once the shamash is lit, recite the Hanukkah blessing.
  • Then light one new candle each night—starting at the far right, moving left. On the eighth night, you’ll light all the candles, starting from the far left.
  • You’ll light one new candle of the menorah just after dark each night of Hanukkah, except for Friday when the menorah is lit before dark to avoid lighting on Shabbat.

Come celebrate the holiday season at the Shine Studio. We welcome people of all faiths, cultures, and traditions. From culinary and music, to art and theatre—together, we let our beautiful light shine. 

Ways To Keep Kids Jolly Over the Holiday Break

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For several weeks, the house is a flurry of delicious smells, wrapping paper, twinkling lights, and company. It’s easy to get caught up in preparations and adult-level planning. While your child may seem to be coasting along with the holly, jolly mood of the household, big feelings they’re unprepared to handle may be bubbling below the surface, about to come to a head at the least opportune moments. 

No one wants a meltdown ever, let alone during these days where we’re all a bit stressed, cooped up, and often in the judgmental eye of well-meaning loved ones. Here’s your quick guide to setting your kid up for success as best you can and navigating through some of the common situations encountered at some point over the winter break.

The Situation: They’re anxious.

The Fix: If your child seems anxious, ask about it—and listen. Let them know it’s okay to feel overstretched from time to time. Offer comfort—like a nice warm lap cuddle—and distraction, whether it’s reading a book or getting outside to run around in the snow.  

How to Head it off: Your anxiety can be contagious. Start preparations early and set a few goals to tackle each day off work—when you have more time to devote. When traveling somewhere, try to give yourself double the travel time so you’re not always rushing around. Every day, take care to share something positive about your day and avoid sharing the stressful details with your child—who may internalize your stress without the ability to handle it. 

The Situation: They’re overtired.

The Fix: Know how much sleep your child needs based on age. Children will often drop from two naps to one between 2 and 3, and stop napping between 3 and 4 years of age. If you’ve gotten off your routine, try scaling back 30 minutes at a time until you’re back on track. If your child refuses to sleep, an hour of quiet time with books and a few toys up in their room can be just as helpful. 

How to Head it off: Routines are important. Keep in mind that your child’s day is regulated down to the minute at daycare and school. Though you may be busy and overbooked, try to maintain some constants in your schedule. Try to eat meals and snacks at a consistent time. Allow an hour for bath, books, and screen-free down time at the end of the day. Set aside small chunks of the day for play, so your child feels attended to, even if you are tempted to say you’re “too busy.” 

The Situation: They’re greedy.

The Fix: Once the screaming, crying, and grabbing starts, it’s time for the toy in question to go up on the mantle—or somewhere the kids with the gimme-gimmes can see it but not touch it. Instead of putting your child in time-out, put “the toy in time-out.” It can be surprising how fast that de-escalates. Kids often forget what they were fighting about and stop power-struggling over the toy and move onto other matters. Consequences must be given when kids act inappropriately. If your child is prone to greedy outbursts, explain the rules of gift getting—that there is to be no tantrums or the toy goes away.

How to Head it off: As adults, we understand the best gifts are the ones we give—especially intangible gifts like our time. It’s the family traditions the kids will remember when they’re older—the sledding, the movie nights, the cookie baking, the fun and games with cousins. Gifts can be overwhelming—though it’s hard to prevent spoiling young children especially when grandparents, aunts, and uncles are involved. 

The best you can do is request “experience” gifts rather than stuff. Ask your child to pick 10 toys they’re willing to donate “to make room for more.” Have children help you thoughtfully pick out and wrap gifts for others. Older children can help you with a donation project to give to the needy. Be sure to intentionally plan a few activities together during the week off, whether it’s skating, a movie, or a museum day. 

The Situation: They won’t eat anything.

The Fix: Choose your battles wisely and assess what’s truly important. It’s not that your child is trying to defy you by balking at the food served. More likely, your child is not used to the holiday menu and all the surrounding chaos has them feeling already out of their comfort zone. 

Rather than demanding that your child finish everything on the plate or raising your voice and power-struggling in front of the family, aim for wonderful memories of time spent with loved ones. A few extra cookies from grandma won’t hurt once a year. Instead, encourage your child to try a bite or two before deciding what and how much to eat. This teaches valuable self-regulation skills. Later, if your child is hungry, offer a healthy snack like an apple or a cheese stick. 

How to Head it off: If you know you’ve got a picky eater on your hands, ask your child to help pick a few items to serve or pack on the way to the party. Better yet, have your child help prepare something with you. Consistently reinforce certain ground rules (like no dessert unless the dinner is eaten or no in-between meal snacking) all year round—not just during the holidays.

The Situation: They’re cranky.

The Fix: Even without a global pandemic, the holidays can crank up the stress for children. Relatives they don’t see often may focus a lot of uncomfortable attention on them with comments on how they’ve grown or changed, hugs and kisses without asking, or a barrage of questions. 

Combine the crowd of new people with the pressure to dress up in fancy (not to mention uncomfortable) clothes, take perfect family photos, and act pleasantly at all times despite how they may be feeling inside. It’s a lot. Changes in activity levels and managing multiple conversations can be stressful for adults too, so imagine how the kids must feel!

You can help your child through the day by setting clear expectations and sharing your plans with them. When your child acts up, breathe and respond calmly, resisting the urge to mirror their anger level. You’re the adult and impressionable children are looking at you as an example of how to act. 

Your words matter. Try to use humor to deflect an awkward situation into something positive. Set the right tone by telling children how you expect them to act—such as instructing them to “Please chew with your mouth closed,” rather than “stop chewing with your mouth open.”

How to Head it off: A child’s life can feel out of control. They’re continuously told what to do and forced to go along with their parents’ plans. Transitions can be a prime time for tantrums. While a meltdown because it’s time to use the potty or time to leave grandma’s house may seem trivial, it can mean the world to an overstimulated child. Being compassionate and sensitive to this, try to prep your child for the day’s agenda. Set times, offer gentle reminders of what’s to come, and be mindful that your child may “need to do” a few more tasks before they’re ready to move onto the next activity. 

The Situation: They’re sad. 

The Fix: The blues are possible, especially after the excitement of Christmas has passed. Somehow, in a household full of toys and stimulation, a child can feel suddenly lost, lonely, and bored. Perhaps a toy broke or they tried something new that didn’t work. Maybe they’re feeling down because it’s the first holiday without a pet or a grandparent. They may need you to step in and help them spin their situation into something positive or manage a sudden tidal wave of sadness. They may just need a hug and an attentive ear. “Time-ins” with mommy or daddy can work wonders. Some children may thrive on physical activities like a nature walk or sledding, depending on where you live. 

How to Head it off: While you don’t want to overschedule the whole vacation from school, planning at least one post-Christmas activity can give your child something nice to look forward to before going back to school. A play date with a friend to try out all those new toys might fit the bill. 

Make feelings a regular topic of discussion in your home, especially pointing out how feelings are transient, coming and going from one moment to the next. A good book for younger children that highlights this is On Monday When It Rained by Cheryl Kachenmeister. Asking your child what they’re thinking about or feeling each day can keep the channels of communication open.

The Situation: They’re reclusive.

The Fix: While some kids thrive on your lap and in your personal space bubble at all times, others naturally seek solitude in their rooms. Researchers believe wanting and needing alone time can be healthy. Developmentally, learning to be along is a skill that can be refreshing and restorative once mastered. 

If your child craves a little alone time, that’s okay—just let them know you love them and are available when they need you. Consider proposing a low-key activity to bring them closer later—like watching a movie with popcorn and cocoa—or snuggling up to a favorite holiday story.

How to Head it off: Encourage your child to engage in acceptable “check-out” behavior when life gets stressful or when it seems there’s nothing to do. Let your child know it’s good to have healthy outlets like reading, drawing, writing in a journal, or playing a quiet game and that their bedroom is a safe space for calming down, creative expression, and spiritual renewal. 

If you’re worried your child is isolating and isn’t opening up enough, consider discussing while playing a sport or taking a walk around the block. You may also consider talking to your pediatrician to get a referral to a mental health counselor to ensure your child has someone to confide in during late adolescence when talking to mom and dad may seem “uncool.” 

Holidays Can Be Challenging, But Present an Opportunity for Renewal

No one’s perfect—neither you, nor your child. We’re all doing the best we can with the best we’ve got on any given day. As parents, our reserves are easily depleted as we try to be everything to everyone. At the same time, our children’s developing minds and bodies are not yet fully equipped for homeostasis. Take a deep breath (of the candy cane kissed air), hold your child tightly, tell them you love them and you’re there for the good days and the bad, and practice self-care to get through these days. Our children are only little—and need us this much—for so long. A little understanding and perspective can go a long way.  

Live in the East End and need to blow off some steam? You’re always welcome at The Shine Studio. Drop in for a class, sign up for winter break activities, or ask about our party entertainment and craft bags. It takes a village…

8 Thanksgiving Crafts for a Memorable Holiday

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There are so many blessings to celebrate at Thanksgiving time. With vibrant autumn colors just starting to fade, plucky turkeys waddling through farms and fields, and guests arriving at the house armed with pumpkin pies and side dish stuffing, what better time to celebrate your child’s creativity with a themed craft? Here are five of our favorite ideas to get you started.

Thanksgiving Table Turkeys – KiwiCo

If you’re expecting company, treat your guests to a special party favor: an adorable hand-sculpted turkey place setting. The body’s made of clay, with a pom-pom head, sticker beak, googly eyes, and felt toothpick feathers. Have your child write down the honored guests’ names or a special message of gratitude onto each placard.

Fall Colors Foam Weaving Placemat – Oriental Trading

Weaving is a timeless activity that’s easy enough for preschool children to learn. Simply guide the colorful foam pieces over-and-under through the pre-cut slits to create a beautiful and practical place setting for your holiday table. 

Beaded Pipe Cleaner Corn – One Little Project

All you need are a few pipe cleaners and pony beads from the Dollar Store to keep little hands busy, building manual dexterity and customizing their own corncob of color. It doesn’t get much easier than this! A four-year-old can easily spend 20 minutes just picking out colors, buying you time to get your turkey in the oven.  

Turkey Suncatcher Kits – Etsy

A tissue paper suncatcher always looks dazzling in the window when those first morning rays peak into the home. Your child will feel pride and joy upon gazing at the color combination he or she put together. This kit comes with sturdy black turkey cutouts, so your kids need only cut and add tissue paper with a glue stick. Help your child trim the edges for a polished finish. 

Thankful Pie – Country Living

Cut a red construction paper circle as the foundation of your pie, using the inside of a paper plate as your guide. Cut half-inch tan pieces of construction paper to glue into a lattice pattern that looks like the top of the pie. Cut out a slice and have each child at the party write down someone or something they are thankful for this year. Along the top of a paper plate, write “I’m thankful for…” and secure the pie with a brass fastener, so the empty slice can rotate to reveal different messages. 

Mason Jar Luminary – Create Craft Love

This craft requires a trip to the craft store for a mason jar, acrylic paint, twine, a votive candle, and a small piece of vinyl. First you’ll cut a leaf shape out of the vinyl—either by using a Cricut Explore or by tracing around an outdoor leaf—then you’ll stick it to the side of the mason jar. Paint over top of it in a festive color (like persimmon, for instance!) and wait for the acrylic to dry. Once it’s settled, peel off your vinyl leaf to leave an imprint behind. Add dried corn kernels to the bottom of the jar, wrap twine around the top, and enjoy the flickering light show. 

Creatology 3D Thanksgiving Truck – Michaels

This craft kit comes with 37 wood shapes, 56 felt stickers, 52 glitter foam stickers, 16 printed felt stickers, acetate sheets, craft blue, printed paper card shapes, bamboo sticks, shredded tissue paper, adhesive gems, a brush, and double-sided tape. What more could you want? The end result is a cute centerpiece that children have as much fun playing with as they do building it.

Personalized Craft Bags – Shine

Looking for something that can keep the kids busy at your Thanksgiving party, with minimal supervision required? Shine’s customized craft bags can holiday-themed or suited to your child’s unique preferences. We’ve gotten fantastic feedback on these fabulous little bags. Check out our highlight reel here and contact us to learn more about our all-in-one fun party boxes.

Food-Free Halloween Treats the Classroom Will Love To Death

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When we were children, our parents sent us to school with bags of Reese’s Cups, Skittles, and M&Ms. But now that more and more teal pumpkins are cropping up and 1 in 13 children has a food allergy, many schools are kindly asking that parents send in food-free holiday treats.

Move beyond party favor knick-knacks destined for the trash with these food-free Halloween treats your child’s class will find frightfully delightful:

  • Mini Flashlights – a useful gift that’ll come in handy trick or treating and telling spooky stories around the campfire. These even come with lanyards and batteries.
20 for under $30 here

  • Halloween Stationary Set: Each child receives a treat bag containing a pencil, eraser, stamp, ruler bookmark, and sticker.
24 pack for $16.99 here

  • Halloween Sensory Squishies: Filled with non-toxic water beads, these characters are more cute than scary, but squeezing them is strangely relaxing.
20 for $40 here

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  • Halloweek Rubber Duckies: All dressed up for the holidays, the class will love this twist on the classic bath and pool toy.
24 for $21 here

  • 24-Piece Halloween Jigsaw Puzzles: Encourage patience and focus with 12 different styles of Halloween puzzle. It’s affordable enough you can throw it into a goodie bag with other treats if you please.
Get 20 for $20 here

  • Halloween Wreath Craft Kits: It’s always nice when your child has fun creating, then that fun adorns the house for a month, and goes away until next year!
Get 24 for $38 here

  • Halloween Monster Mini Plush: There’s nothing more endearing than a child toting around a beloved character. For a 10-year window of time, the house can never have too many plushies.
Get 15 for $25 here

  • Glowing LED Ghosts: Glowing ghosts are not only fun toys to play with, but they make cute table or window decorations once the children have outgrown them.
Get 24 for $30 here

  • Super Hero Cape Costumes: Dress up is highly popular for the under 10 crowd. Role playing is good for language development, emotional regulation, and self-esteem.
Get 24 for under $50 here

If you’re a teacher looking for a unique in-class activity, ask us about our custom craft bags.

Bonus Read:

Parents, be sure to check out our Guide to a Perfectly Haunting Halloween Day from Dawn ‘til Dusk for games, snacks, movies, and activities to make this holiday extra-special for your children.

How To Help Your Child Focus at School

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By the second month of the new school year, your child’s teacher may have reached out to you about your child’s attentiveness in the classroom. “Off task,” “not following directions,” “talking during quiet time,” and “not participating” are all feedback that can indicate difficulty with focus and attention.

As a parent, it can be frustrating to be unable to help directly. You’re not there to prompt your child, and you’re not a fly on the wall to see what’s actually going on. Yet, your child’s teacher needs your help addressing any factors outside the class that may be influencing this behavior.

Where to start?

The Basics: Sleep and Nutrition

If possible, look for patterns in your child’s misbehavior. When problems turn up within the first few hours of school, lack of sleep and proper nutrition could be significant factors.

Sleep is an important regulator of connectivity in the front brain, or prefrontal cortex, where learning, memory, emotional regulation, attention, and focus are primarily centered. Elementary school age children between 6-12 years of age need 9-12 hours of sleep per day. If your child took long naps as a baby — or still day naps from time to time — they’re likely on the longer end of the spectrum.

Sugary breakfasts like Pop Tarts, muffins, and frozen waffles may not be doing your child any favors. Research in rats has found eating a high sugar diet can alter the brain’s inhibitory neurons, making them less able to delay gratification, control their behavior, and make smart decisions. When planning breakfast, always include a protein with a carbohydrate (like peanut butter toast, milk and cereal, or yogurt and granola) so the nutritional impact lasts longer.

Physical Play and Activity

There’s much truth to the old, “Send the children outside to play” advice. Not only does physical fitness increase the volume of prefrontal gray matter in the brain, but the rough-housing and physical play activates the motor cortex — also found in the front brain — which, in turn, strengthens neural connections associated with organization, planning, and socializing. Researchers have found that just a half hour of play is enough to impact one-third of the 1,200 genes across the neocortex.

Some of the best activities include: visits to the playground, where your child can interact with peers; a nature walk that includes observations and attentiveness; tossing a baseball or football, which involves planning and coordination; obstacle courses; and learning to juggle. Truly, any sport your child finds engaging — whether it be soccer, tennis, t-ball, martial arts, dance, bike riding, or basketball — is a gift that can potentially last a lifetime.

Fun and Games

Here’s the bad news: some types of games — particularly violent video games — have been linked to diminished frontal lobe development. On the other hand, there are a number of fun, interactive apps and programs designed specifically for brain training and suited for children diagnosed with ADHD. 

Certain types of games can work as brain training exercises — for instance: Memory card games; jigsaw puzzles; word games (like that classic “I’m going on a picnic…”), Scrabble, or Boggle; “I Spy” and “Spot the Difference” puzzles; Crosswords and Sudoku; Tangram shape puzzles; classic “Red Light, Green Light” or “Simon Says” activities that encourage willpower; and card games like “Crazy Eights,” “Old Maid,” or “Solitaire.” You might consider making Board Game Nights part of your weekly, or even nightly, routine. The quality time spent with your children can also be a method for decreasing behavioral issues at school.

Here’s the good news: early learning activities shape the developing mind, and any efforts made toward helping your child strengthen self-regulation abilities now can greatly improve resiliency and mental functioning later on.

Looking for a fun place that promotes whole brain development? Stop in to see us at the Shine Studio in the East End. We have one-of-a-kind classes, workshops, field trips, camps, and pop-up parties geared toward ages 0-12. From theatre, music, meditation, and sports, to cooking, culture, crafting, and construction, we have something for everyone.

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