Passover and Easter Fun in New York

Passover and Easter Fun in New York

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This year, Passover and Easter festivities overlap with most of the fun taking place April 16th and 17th. New York State is a great place to play, whether you’re sticking close to home on the East End or taking a regional road trip for break week. If you haven’t planned anything yet, it’s not to late to hit the road for a quick family getaway.

Thousand Islands: Easter Brunch

Estimated Travel Time from the East End: 7 hours

Snag a reservation for Easter Brunch at Bonnie Castle Resort and Marina (10 am to 3 pm) or Riveredge Resort (9 am to 2 pm). Both resorts have indoor pools overlooking Alexandria Bay. Nearby Boldt Castle is not only one of New York’s most beautiful residences, but there’s also a children’s playhouse and bowling alley. Mini golf, go-karts, zoos, farms, aquariums, and drive-in theatres are among the family-friendly area attractions.

Adirondacks: Easter Weekend Retreat

Estimated Travel Time from the East End: 6 hours

Treat yourself to a relaxing holiday stay at The Sagamore Resort where you’ll be welcomed with an Easter egg hunt overlooking Lake George, a guest appearance from the Easter Bunny, a build-a-bear activity, movie nights with popcorn, and bonfires with s’mores. The onsite Rec Center will amaze the kids with everything from ping pong, indoor wiffle ball, and rock climbing, to basketball, tennis, and video games. Did we mention there’s an indoor pool? The brunch at their signature Italian restaurant, La Bella Vita, is a culinary experience the adults won’t forget.

Capital Region: Liberty Ridge Farm Easter Egg Hunt

Estimated Travel Time from the East End: 5 hours

Liberty Ridge Farm is hosting their 10th Annual Easter Eggs-perience on Saturday, April 16 from 8:30 am to 3 pm. Equidistant between Albany and Saratoga Springs, the farm offers sweeping country hillside views that make the perfect backdrop to a visit from the Easter Bunny. Kids will love the baby farm animals and pop-up play zone, while parents can shop the Market Barn & Bakery for goodies.

The Catskills: Easter Bunny Express

Estimated Travel Time from the East End: 4 hours

Tickets are still available for Adirondack Railroad’s Easter Bunny Express, which takes a 90-minute climate-controlled chug from the base of the mountains to the historic Remsen Depot for an Easter egg hunt, goodie bag, and photo shoot with the bunny of honor. Stay at the new, all-inclusive Melour Resort in the village of Tannersville near Hunter Mountain for Kosher dining and family-friendly activities.

New York City: Easter Parade

Estimated Travel Time from the East End: 2 hours

Or if you prefer to stay closer to home, there’s always the annual Easter Parade & Bonnet Festival in New York City—a tradition dating back until the 1870s. The route moves from St. Patrick’s Cathedral at 10 am on Easter Sunday, continuing down Fifth Avenue from 49th to 57th Street until 4 pm.

If you’re staying in the East End, stop by our new Shine Studio for springtime fun! We offer a variety of classes, workshops, and activities for ages 0-12.

5 Perfect Breakfasts for Your Little Valentines

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Anyone who’s cooked a meal for the family knows it’s a labor of love. From cutting the crust off the bread of a finnicky toddler, to arranging the chocolate chips in the pancake into a smiley face, we are more than accommodating. 

Sometimes the joy is in sharing our grandmother’s special recipe, introducing the kids to an exotic flavor for the first time, or simply taking pleasure in filling their bellies with healthy foods and watching them gain sustenance and take form before our eyes. 

Children may seem like little butterflies, flitting from one amusement to the next all day long, but they’re soaking it all up – the aromas emanating from the kitchen, the heat from the bustling stove, the sound of you singing as you’re making, the funny ideas their imaginations concoct as they gaze upon their plates. 

Planning a few meaningful moments with food can have sticking power. Your kids may forget much of their childhood, but they’ll remember that you took the time to care; and when they find themselves suddenly whipping up heart-shaped eggs for their own children come Valentine’s Day, they’ll smile and think of you. If you’re still looking for that special Valentine’s Day breakfast idea, we hope you find inspiration here. 

Heart-Shaped Donuts (Sally’s Baking Addiction)

There’s much to love about this donut recipe. You’ll need buttermilk, heavy whipping cream, nutmeg, food coloring, and sprinkles – a few items you might not always have on hand – and, ideally, a heart-shaped donut pan. The dough is cakey and the frosting thick. Be sure to read the comments section for extra tips to prevent sticking and get that perfect color/ consistency.  

Sunny Side Up Egg-Heart Toasts (Chef De Home)

Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to create a nest for the egg within the toast. You can use white or sourdough and strawberry jam or Nutella, depending on your kids’ preferences. Hershey Kisses make a nice plate garnish! If your kid only eats a scramble, consider topping with a heart-shaped tomato. These heart-shaped omelet muffins are quick and easy to make-ahead as well. 

Red Velvet Pancakes (Something Swanky)

It’s hard choosing a favorite pancake. Ultimately, red velvet cake mix and cream cheese wins, adding an unexpected twist to a traditional pancake breakfast equally suited for kids and parents alike – no artificial dye necessary! Garnish with strawberries and sprinkles. We also loved these caterpillar pancakes for tiny tots and the Emoji pancakes for slightly older kids. 

Conversation Heart Toasts (Hungry Happenings)

All you need is bread, jam, milk, food coloring, and food-safe paintbrushes to create a slice of fun. Toast the bread to perfection in a toaster, oven, or toaster oven and serve with real candy hearts for a whimsical twist. You can use a stamper if your freehand paint-writing isn’t the hottest.

Valentine Charcuterie (A Momina Moment)

If you want an over-the-top spread, consider putting together a trendy charcuterie board. (The heart-shaped waffle maker is clutch, but you can also cut your waffles into shapes using a pair of kitchen shears.) Follow this easy recipe for chocolate-dipped strawberries. Swap the sugar cookies out for heart-shaped bacon if you need a little more savory to offset the sweet.  

Hungry for More?

Does your child take an interest in cooking? Come and explore with Shine’s “Cooking Stars” class (ages 3-5, 6-7, 8-10). We combine food art, science, literature, and hands-on culinary experiences to enrich your child’s life.

How Dance is Good for Children

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The New York City Ballet’s Nutcracker is a winter tradition for many local children. It’s a marvelous spectacle with 125 children, 90 ballet dancers, 62 musicians, and a 41-foot Christmas tree. But for kids, dance is more than dazzling. As soon as babies can stand, they’re wiggling and wobbling and dancing in their own unique ways. Dance is a natural part of physical development, but it’s also one worth cultivating formally, as there are numerous mental and physical benefits of dance for children (and adults, too, if you want to join the fun!). Continue reading to learn about some of the fascinating studies pertaining to studying dance in childhood.

Engagement and Joy

Babies find rhythm, tempo, music, and dance more engaging and enjoyable than plain speech. University of York researchers also found “the better the children are able to synchronize their movements with music, the more they smile. What better way to share joy with your child than a daddy or mommy and me class?

Lower Stress

Can dance wire the brain to cope with hardship and open up paths to learning? The short answer is: yes! Intensive arts programs in music, dance, and visual arts can lower the cortisol levels in chronically stressed, economically disadvantaged preschoolers, according to a 2016 study published in the journal Child Development. The dance classes not only developed children’s artistic abilities, but also promoted learning in math and literacy.

Better Academic Performance

Researchers are always looking for affordable interventions to help impoverished youth rise up and achieve better outcomes in school. It turns out, enrolling in dance and music study improves a child’s grades all the way through eighth grade, no matter the socioeconomic status, according to George Mason University Arts Research Center.

Brain Neuroplasticity

Dancing engages multiple brain functions at once to increase neural connectivity and flexibility. Dancing strengthens connectivity between the central and cerebral hemispheres, modifies white and grey matter in various brain regions, and integrates different brain areas to improve neuroplasticity, according to a January 2019 study published in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioural Reviews. This neuroplasticity is what allows the brain to strengthen connections, rewire, and relearn as necessary – all fundamental components to developing a growth mindset.

Balance and Fine Motor Control

We all want our kids to move well and with great coordination. Not surprisingly, dance programs “significantly improve” a child’s balance, fine motor skills, and the neurological processes that support movement, according to researchers in Brazil who studied 85 children in 1st to 5th grades. What surprised researchers was that the benefits of dance persist — to some degree — for months, even after a formal dance program ends.

Weight Management

Diabetic children between the ages of 8-16 were able to improve cholesterol and reduce BMI by 1.7 units with two hours of playing “Dance Dance Revolution” per week with their families. By comparison, the control group increased BMI by 1.6 units and gained an average of 17 pounds over the same time period. Yale researchers found dance more effective at reducing weight, body fat, and insulin sensitivity than traditional clinic-based weight counseling.

Physical Activity

As kids get older, it can be more and more difficult to engage them in regular physical activity, especially with the ubiquity of video games. However, video games can also be part of the solution, say researchers. The Universite de Montreal reported that games like Dance Dance Revolution and Wii Sports actually increased teen activity levels from less than 60 minutes per week to more than 100. “As less than 15% of children and adolescents currently participate regularly in physical activity, we are pleased to report that exergaming can add to regular physical activity to attain physical activity guidelines,” concluded researchers.

Join Our East End Dance Party!

If you’re interested in dance lessons, there is no better place than the brand-new Shine Studio. In studio 3, we’re pleased to feature artists-in-residence Our Fabulous Variety Show. Their classes include tap, ballet, jazz, musical theatre, acting, and improv – with a mission to help kids learn, express themselves, hone their creativity, and grow. Contact us for details.

Q&A with Shine Founder Aaron Goldschmidt: All You Need To Know About the New Creative Arts Space for Children in The Hamptons

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Shine has been the Tri-State’s leading provider of workshops, camps, pop-up classes, and events since 2004. Programming involves a unique blend of visual arts, science and nature, cooking, cultural immersion, music, and movement, geared toward ages 6 months to 12 years.

Over the years, meetings have taken place at some of the East End’s most iconic locations, like the LongHouse Reserve, Bridge Gardens, or CMEE, but Shine never really had a place to call “home base” – that is, until now!

The Shine Studio debuted to the public earlier this month. Inside, you’ll find three large studios and a café. Outside, you’ll find another café, garden space, an outdoor classroom, a stage, and direct access to the Long Pond Greenbelt trails. It’s an exciting space, designed to inspire creativity and learning.

East End parents are always looking for fun places to go. Whether you’ve experienced our programming before or this is all new to you, company founder Aaron Goldschmidt answers all your questions in this exclusive Q&A about the brand-new Shine Studio, located at 977 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton, NY 11932.

Q: How did you arrive at the decision to create a physical space for Shine?

Aaron Goldschmidt, Shine Founder & Director: Shine has always been a mobile, pop-up business. That was the original idea, it has served us very well, and we will continue to offer those services.  But with our popular summer camp and growing business on the East End of Long Island, it felt like the right move at the right time. Also, I am a firm believer that things happen when they are supposed to — and I found the most amazing space that just felt like home the minute I walked in. I had to take this place, even without a plan.

Q: What seasonal events are you planning for The Shine Studio that you hope people will want to come back to, year after year?

A: We are hoping to have at least one seasonal or holiday-specific event per month. We’ve only had a small Halloween party this year and are gearing up for a Family Holiday Party on Saturday, December 18th from 1-4pm. The excitement is in creating and developing events this first year that will hopefully become tradition as we continue to grow and expand!

Q: Is anything exciting coming up over winter break?

A: We will be offering Winter Break Camp at The Shine Studio from Monday, December 20th through Friday, December 31st for kids 2-11 years old.  We want families to enjoy all the innovative and creative activities they love from our popular summer camp. Activities may include: music and movement, signature Shine craft projects, visits from performing and visual artists, outdoor play, and more! Families can choose from a full day session, or morning or afternoon sessions with the option to stay for lunch. And our Grand Opening Events will be mid-January.

Q: What paint palette, materials, and design aesthetic did you choose, and why?

A: I wanted to go with a clean, beach vibe.  Most of our materials are wood, glass, and natural elements with a slight nod to ‘old-school meets modern.’ We also took a lot of inspiration from our new website, as you can see on our graffiti wall. The Shine Studio offers outdoor and indoor spaces for a wide range of our signature activities. The space was renovated by a team of craftsmen from Benenaula Construction, a local Hamptons construction company, who worked with us on every detail to make our space inviting, functional, beautiful, and modern. We wanted the space to act as a canvas for all the art and energy we are going to create here. It is truly a dream come true.

Q: Which is your personal favorite part of the space and why?

A: That is a hard question! It’s all so new, and I’m discovering things I love each day! The outdoor stage/classroom and The Shine Studio graffiti street art behind it are really special to me. But I also love the Craft Studio. I could spend all day in there.

Q: Give us a virtual tour: Tell us how the different rooms function at the studio.

A: Currently, Studio 1 is our multi-use room: perfect for classes, parties, and a variety of our programming. Studio 2 is our Arts & Crafts Studio that has been custom-designed for the sole purpose of making art!  Studio 3 is currently being used by Our Fabulous Variety Show, the first artists-in-residence as a part of our @Shine program. Their state-of-the-art dance studio will provide a permanent space for classes, rehearsals, and boundless creativity. We are excited to partner with them on joint programming and help to foster their mission of bringing accessible and inclusive arts programming to the East End.

Q: Tell us how you started working with Our Fabulous Variety Show and why we should sign up for a class.

A: I met Anita Boyer, co-founder of OFVS, a little over a year ago when I hired her to teach some dance classes for Shine. I knew immediately if I were able to open a space out here, I wanted her to be involved. Our missions really go hand-in-hand. Kids should sign up for her classes because there is no better program for kids’ dance and theater around! She has an infectious energy and undeniable talent.

Q: Can parents rent out the space for private events? What can you offer hosts and their guests?

A: Absolutely.  The Studio lends itself to being a fabulous event space for gatherings of all ages. With our outdoor space, multiple indoor venues, 1.5 kitchens, lovely bathrooms, the possibilities are really endless. While we could organize an adult craft night, we encourage grown-ups to rent the space and bring in any kind of entertainment or food they desire.

Q: Are all classes, camps, and workshops being held exclusively at the studio now, or will you continue area partnerships with places like the LongHouse Reserve?

A: That’s a very good question.  The short answer is ‘no’. Part of what we do so well is show up in the most unlikely places and run our programming.  We’re hoping that by having a permanent space we can actually attract more local artists, artisans, and specialists to come and run exciting programming year-round! In terms of summer camp, we would never give up a day at LongHouse, so we are planning on offering MWF here at The Studio, Tuesdays at LongHouse, and Thursdays as our pop-up field trip day!

Q: Do you have any drop-in times or classes available for people who have no experience with Shine to check out the space?

A: As an introductory offer, we are allowing one-offs and small class packs that can be used to try a variety of our current programs running. Anyone interested should contact krissy@shinenyc.net to inquire.

Q: How does the new studio better help Shine deliver on its mission?

A: Our mission has always been to help all children shine the light they have inside.  We have been fortunate enough not to need a permanent space for that – and, in many ways, being mobile has afforded us the opportunity to inspire even more children. But setting down roots on the East End and having a space to create, collaborate, and congregate helps to solidify us as a brand and a part of the community. We can now be a destination for anyone who wants to shine their light!

Q: What’s next?

A: If only I knew. If you would have told me, four months ago, I would be sitting in my own process and creative arts studio in the Hamptons, I never would have believed you. I love the adventure that life provides if you follow your passion, work hard, and trust your instincts. We are hoping to begin filming more videos out of The Studio, so kids all over the country can have access to our content. We are also interested in showing local artists in our gallery space, developing branded curricula for a variety of programs, and throwing some pretty awesome parties!

Well, there you have it! All are welcome to check out our new space, we’ve got a few exciting events coming up, and everything you loved about Shine is still available. Contact us at info@shinenyc.net or 212.414.5427 to plan your next visit. 

10 Ways for Families to Practice Gratitude

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Thanksgiving comes but once a year, reminding families that it’s healthy, practical, and helpful to take a moment to be thankful for all the blessings in life. As parents, it’s easy to get lost in dirty diapers, toddler meltdowns, pre-teen attitudes, and the stress of juggling work/home life, but gratitude gives us the ability to slow down, absorb some good from each day, and invite more positivity our way.

Best-selling author Melody Beattie explains, “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates vision for tomorrow.” This mental organization is not only helpful for us, but vital to growing young minds, too. Finding fun ways to incorporate gratitude into every day – not just once a year – can help create resilience, positivity, humility, and kindness in our children, which are all powerful forces for inner growth and adaptability.

The Appreciation Chair

Designate a chair at the dinner table as “the appreciation chair” and take turns sitting in it. Go around the table and have everyone say something they admire or appreciate about that person. Share praise and encouragement to lift that person up.

Nature Walks

Make a morning, after-school, or evening walk around the block or local park part of your daily ritual. Kids love scavenger hunts! Before departing, explain that you want everyone to find something they are thankful for on the walk.

Thankful Rocks

You can choose to paint your own rocks or buy polished special rocks. Children can carry these special tokens with them in a pocket for a visual reminder to be thankful that someone loves them. Younger children can read “Being Thankful” by Mercer Mayer, where Little Critter is perpetually unhappy until he spends a day on his grandparents’ farm and receives his own gratitude rock.

Bedtime Rituals

Whether you are religious or not, it’s easy to reflect on the day at bed time and think about the silver linings. Kids often find it challenging to come up with ideas, so you might prompt your child: “Name someone who helped you today.” “Who taught you something today?” “Who supported you today?” “Who challenged you today?” “Who showed they cared about you today?” “Who cheered for you today?”    

Alphabet Memory Game

Like the “I’m Going on a Picnic” game, try going around the table and taking turns listing something you can be grateful for that starts with every letter of the alphabet. Maybe you are grateful for Apple pie, Bedtime stories, and Cozy sweaters, for example!

Send a Card

Instead of connecting with family and friends by sending out hundreds of Christmas cards all at once, choose someone from your list each week to mail a random “thank you” card to. Have everyone share their thoughts on why they’re grateful to know this person. Kids can add drawings that will be forever cherished or you might add your favorite photo memory of the year.

Workbooks

Doing one page from a workbook can be a fun activity to do with a child (ages 8-12), either daily or on the weekends when there’s no homework. The Growth Mindset Workbook for Kids contains inspirational stories, writing prompts, exercises, and activities that not only help with gratitude, but with creative problem-solving and developing a positive attitude, too. You can also try the simple Three Minute Gratitude Journal for Kids, which reminds kids to focus on the good they experience each day.

Paper Chain Craft

Perhaps you remember making paper chains in school as a child. Every day someone in the family can write down a daily blessing on a piece of paper that looped and glued to the next one into an interlocking chain. This home decoration then serves as a visual reminder of all we have to be thankful for.

Service Projects

Subscribe to Doing Good Together, a fantastic resource to help you find family-friendly volunteer service projects in the NYC area. From fighting racism and poverty, to saving the Earth and providing comfort, choosing one or two projects to focus on each month can strengthen your family’s bond, remind the kids that not everyone has such abundance, and provide a way to share good fortune with others. 

Going Without

Lastly, this isn’t exactly “fun,” but it can be useful: try choosing something each month that your family goes without. Maybe it’s foregoing weekly pizza night or desserts, opting for board games instead of tablets, or walking places that are less than two miles away instead of driving. We live in a culture of plenty and it can be easy to take the things we have for granted. Going without reminds us of all that we have.

Apple Recipes To Make the Most of Your Fall Harvest

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Apple picking is an autumn rite-of-passage for many families in the East End. New York State is blessed with more than 55,000 apple orchards to choose from, including our top four East End apple farms for families.

If you’re looking for a fantastic apple this year, you’re in luck! While the growing season started cold and dry, the recent heat built up the sugar content of the apples, while the rainfall increased sizing and the cool nights enhanced the ruby red coloration.

The harvest is abundant, no matter what type of apple you prefer, with 29 to 30 million bushels available in total, on par with the five-year average. Popular Gala and Mcintosh are already available, with Honeycrisp and Fuji starting to appear. Champlain and Hudson Valley exclusives like SnapDragon and RubyFrost may not debut until mid-October.

Once you and the kids have enjoyed a day at the apple farm, you’ll have fresh-picked apples to enjoy for a good six to eight weeks if you store them in the refrigerator. If you have leftovers or like to get creative in the kitchen, we recommend the following apple-inspired recipes to whip up with your little chefs. After all, cooking together has been shown to increase math, science, and literacy skills, while fostering both independence and cooperation in children. 

Easy Apple Pie Bites

If you’re looking for a quick, easy after-school snack, look no further! Upgrade your apple slices by tucking them inside crescent rolls and topping with butter, cinnamon, and sugar. The job is easy enough for kid hands to pull off and cooled down, ready to eat, in less than 30 minutes – what more could you ask for? Get the recipe.

Apfelpfannkuchen

You may prefer calling this a “giant German apple pancake” or a “Dutch Baby,” which sounds just as cute as it is fulfilling. Some serve this as a weekend breakfast or you could prepare it on a Sunday for a quick Monday dinner paired with a hearty salad. You may consider doubling the apples, while cutting the butter and sugar rations in half, for a healthier alternative that still tastes great. Get the recipe.

Apple Crisp

You’ll need five cups of thin-sliced firm, crisp apples to make this delicious treat. The heavenly scent emanates from your oven for 50 minutes as it’s cooking is worth the effort alone! Kids will love shaking up all the ingredients in a plastic bag before dumping it into a pie pan. Don’t forget to buy French vanilla ice cream to dollop on top. Get the recipe.

Apple Bread

You may want to do the apple peeling and coring before you call the kids in to help mix the batter. The end result is a kid-pleaser that isn’t overly sweet, but makes a great breakfast — especially when warmed slightly in the microwave or toaster and spread with a thin layer of butter as you would garnish a banana bread. Get the recipe.

Apple Cheddar Tart

Midwesterners know a thing or two about gussying up their apples with complementary pairings. Few bites are more satisfying than the sticky sweetness of caramelized apple alongside salty, sharp cheddar. This recipe hails from French pastry chef Thomas Raquel who works at La Bernardin, an elite restaurant on West 51st Street, steps from MoMA. The steps are more complex than the previous recipes and involve a bit of dough rolling for an older chef’s apprentice, but we included it for the creativity and local flavor nevertheless. Get the recipe.

Hungry for More?

You can also try our Fresh Cinnamon Cranberry Apple Sauce, dice or grate apples to mix with cabbage coleslaw, grill on a skewer alongside pears and pineapples, or toss with crunchy granola, yogurt, and nuts for a quick apple parfait. If you love the idea of your child cooking, but want someone else to clean up the mess, consider adding one of Shine’s “Kitchen Stars” signature cooking classes to the mix.

Calm and Connect: Strategies for Successful Weeknights

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School has been back in session for a few weeks, with many kids returning to “in-person” education for the first time in over a year. Some children will take to the resumption of routine like a fish in water, while others may struggle. For a number of reasons, evenings may seem derailed. Whether your evenings are fraught with a zombie-like zone-out or with hysterical meltdowns over seemingly nothing at all, it can help to have a strategy in place to calm down and connect. 

Why do after-school meltdowns occur?

It can be difficult to untangle the rationale for a change in attitude and behavior. Your child’s teacher may have glowing reviews that bear little resemblance to the monstrous performance before you after 4 pm. Remember, home is a “safe place” for most kids — an environment where they can dump all their emotions without fear of rejection. The primary caregiver tends to bear the brunt of behavioral outbursts. Psychotherapist Andrea Nair calls this phenomenon the “after-school restraint collapse.” Even if the emotions of the day were largely positive, they’ve still built up over the course of the day and require release.  

Are you covering the basics?

Before you overanalyze, run through this checklist of general needs to determine if something has gotten overlooked recently (It’s all too easy!):

  • Sleep: School-age children need 10-11 hours of sleep per night to promote optimal health. If bed time has gotten pushed back, begin by adjusting 30 minutes earlier at a time until you’re back on track.
  • Food: Children eat 4-5 times a day. Inquire as to how well your child is eating at school. As soon as your child gets in the door, greet him or her with a drink and a healthy snack that combines protein and carbohydrates. Examples might be peanut butter and crackers or low-fat cheese and fruit.  
  • Schedule: While we like our children to participate in after-school activities, it can be too much for some — particularly if you’re rushing around on weekdays. Consider scaling back to one or two activities that can be done on the weekends instead.

Ready for a new Calm-and-Connect routine?

If you are pretty confident in how the household is run, but yearn for calm and connectedness, try this strategy:

  • Say hello, with a smile and a hug. Resist the urge to talk too much or ask too much.
  • Present a small snack and water.
  • Encourage quiet playtime to decompress. This can vary from child to child, but may include: coloring, a puzzle, fidget toys, reading, or TV/tablet time.
  • Either before or after dinner, work in a light fitness activity. Take a walk; have a dance party; or play a sport like basketball, tennis, or soccer.
  • Use dinner time as a moment where everyone can share something about the day.You might ask: “What was the best/worst part of your day? What’s something that made you laugh? What’s something new you learned today? Which friends did you play with today? What are you thankful for?” Some kids (especially as they get older) find it easier to open up and talk working alongside you, rather than when directly confronted, so you may alternately consider discussions while washing dishes, raking leaves, folding laundry, or playing sports together.
  • Transition comfortably through the evening activities by using a timer and gently reminding your child how much time there is before the next step.
  • Bath and a book can be a very calming evening routine for your child to let cares melt away. If you are religious, this is a great time to pray as well. If your kids need extra snuggle time, get them into the bath 15 minutes earlier and remind them that it’s for the greater good of spending more quality time together!

Calming & Connecting After-School Activities  

  • Physical Activity: Kick a soccer ball. Throw a football or baseball. Shoot a basketball. Hit a tennis ball. Do Cosmic Kids yoga. Take a walk. Visit a playground. Ride a bike. Have a tickle fight or wrestling match. Play “Red Light, Green Light,” tag, or “Mister Fox.” 
  • Craft Activity: Put together a puzzle. Construct a block tower. Sculpt with Play Doh. Dig in the sandbox. Draw, color, or paint a picture together.
  • Open-Ended Play: Organize toys into sets, stored in plastic bins. Rotate sets from the cupboard to a play table. A surprise of fresh toys can be a welcome sight for kids after a long day of highly-structured routine.

Weekend Game Plan

You may feel like two ships passing in the night during most weekdays, but all is not lost. Try to reserve a portion of the weekend for family bonding time. Aim for a balance of unstructured free play time for the kids while you catch up on household chores, plus one special activity you’ve planned. Have a Friday family movie night with popcorn. Take a cool nature hike, visit an amusement park or museum, go apple picking, attend a fall festival, visit a farm or playground, see a creative arts performance, visit with relatives, and find other ways to enjoy a few hours together.

If you’re busy, but looking for immersive, enriching activities for your children, consider signing them up for one of Shine’s classes, workshops, or camps this year. We take the stress out of planning crafts, field trips, and educational opportunities, so you and your child just experience the fun.

Tips For Your Family’s First Drive-In Movie Experience

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If there’s one silver lining of the COVID-19 Pandemic restrictions, it’s perhaps the surging popularity of drive-in movies. What once may have been viewed as antiquity is now a practical way to social distance and enjoy a film or two.

A Brief History of the Drive-In

Informal drive-ins date back to 1910, but the first patented experience is said to be the Park-In Theaters in Camden, NJ, circa 1933. Back then, a movie cost a quarter per car and a quarter per person, but never more than $1. The first showing was a not-so-family-friendly feature called “Wives Beware” about a man who faked amnesia to pursue multiple women, but it was a wild success, attracting patrons from 43 states.

Where To See a Drive-In Movie in NYC and the East End

Today, the drive-in is a fun and unique experience, with ample opportunities for NYC families to partake. Upcoming area attractions include: 

  • Wall-E (8/28), Superman (8/31)

Skyline Drive-In (1 Oak St, Brooklyn, NY 11222)

Cost: $55 per car or $19.49 per outdoor seat

  • Willy Wonka (8/27), Wizard of Oz (8/28)

Camp Pouch Drive-In Movie Series (1465 Manor Road, Staten Island)

Cost: $40/car, $10/lawn

  • Spiderman Homecoming (8/28)

Brookhaven Town Hall Parking Lot (1 Independence Hill, Farmingville, Long Island)

Cost: $20 to benefit Boy Scout Troop 454

  • Raya and the Last Dragon (9/24)

Callahan’s Beach (Route 25A, Fort Salonga, NY 11768)

Cost: $10/car

Also, check out the NYC Parks Department website for more pop-up “Movies Under the Stars.”

Follow these tips to hit up the local drive-ins like a seasoned pro:

Make your vehicle more comfortable.

Dress the kids in their pajamas. Bring pillows and blankets to make the car comfortable. If you have a truck, van, or hatchback, you may consider parking backward and throwing an air mattress in the back of your vehicle for supreme comfort. Just be sure to bring Bungee cords, in case the venue requires you to keep your hatch secured below roof-level so as not to obstruct others’ views. Be sure you know where all the light switches are, in case you want to leave a door or hatch open during the show. A small trash can will keep all your popcorn bags, empty juice boxes, and candy wrappers under control. Plates, napkins, cups, and baby wipes are always good to have on hand. If you like the idea of movies under the stars, you might also set up picnic blankets, camp chairs, or inflatable air loungers outside of your vehicle to enjoy the show.   

Plan how you’ll listen to the audio.

There are three options for hearing the film through its designated radio frequency. Either you leave your vehicle running the entire time, creating exhaust and draining your vehicle’s battery; OR you turn your car off and turn it on every 30 minutes or so to recharge the battery; OR you bring a portable FM radio with extra batteries. A solar-powered radio saves you the hassle of batteries altogether.  

Network with friends.

It can be fun to head out to the event with family or friends. Kids especially love the social aspect of going to a drive-in film with cousins and their pals. You can communicate by smartphone or two-way radios if you’re not parked alongside one another.

Arrive early.

Events are often crowded, so you’ll want to arrive 30 to 60 minutes before showtime to get a good parking spot with prime viewing and easy access to the exit. If you’re in a truck or SUV, you may not be allowed to park front and center. Bring board games, books, art supplies, frisbees, soccer balls, a deck of cards, a glow-in-the-dark football, or tablets to occupy your children in the meantime.

Be ready for bathroom breaks.

A flashlight will come in handy if you have kids who will need a restroom during the show. Make sure YOU are in control of the light, so your child does not disturb others. Bug spray is a wise item to pack, as we are into late summer now. Hand sanitizer is another good bet, just in case the restrooms are less-than-accommodating.

Bring food if you can.

Many concession stands are closed now, due to COVID, but some establishments have rules about bringing in outside treats. Read up on the drive-in you’ll be attending beforehand and plan accordingly. You may be able to arrive early and set up a grill or bring takeout pizza. Consider bringing the essentials: popcorn, candy, homemade chocolate chip cookies, soft pretzels with cheese dip, and a cooler with cans of soda. Adults may want to bring a Thermos of coffee to plan for a late night.

Does your child love The Arts? Check out Shine’s Stage Lights class for ages 3-5, 6-7, or 8-10. This performance-based class brings familiar stories to life using music, movement, games, puppets, and more.

Experience East End Gardens and Farms

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Shine’s “Pop-up Field Trip Thursdays” invite you and your child to take a trip to the best gardens and farms the East End has to offer to enjoy our local bounty. This has been one of our favorite pastimes for years now, as we cultivate deeper community relationships with the good people who produce our food. We believe gardening and farming experiences enrich the mind, body, and soul of children and adults alike. There are still spaces available if you’d like to join us.   

Gardening and Farming are Ideal Summer Activities for Children

Young children can practice a number of developing skills – from locomotion and muscle management as they ambulate around the dirt rows, to fine motor control as they grasp trowels and pick up seeds.

Research tells us children are more likely to eat healthy when they see how food is grown and prepared. Kids are also less likely to suffer from asthma and more likely to have healthy immune systems when they interact with farm microbiota.

The fresh air, moderate-to-high exercise, and sensory stimulation intrigue both mind and body. Learning the different names of foods and animals on the farm helps develop burgeoning literacy skills. For kids with attention deficits or hyperactivity disorders, regular green time has been shown to reduce adverse symptoms.

Kids love making mud pies, building stick forts, and having outdoor adventures, but all too often they’re glued to a screen. Engaging in nature play improves fitness, learning capacity, and social-emotional development. Free playing at a farm or garden setting promotes imagination, cooperation, and resilience.

New York’s East End is Blessed with Beautiful Gardens and Farms

A few of our favorite Thursday field trips include:

Amber Waves Farm

Kids enjoy participating in farm chores, walking through the chicken barn, taking a foraging hike, picnicking, story time, and puppet theater shows. They learn about composting, seed planting, natural crafting, and cooking. The farm itself grows over 350 vegetables, herbs, cut flowers, and grains.

Bridge Gardens

The Peconic Land Trust runs a great farm-to-table program at Bridge Gardens in the summer that teaches children about the plant life cycle and sustainable gardening through song, story, and fun take-home projects. This five-acre gem offers beautiful landscapes to walk through, complete with community gardens and art sculptures as well.

Madoo Conservancy

Madoo is about discovery and adventure. Children enjoy painting, crafting, storytelling, art exhibitions, music lessons, and picnicking in the gardens. The atmosphere is far from stuffy. Children are encouraged to run around until their hearts’ content. 

Longhouse Reserve

The Longhouse Reserve specializes in art and music programs for children. From the Yoko Ono chess board and the red garden, to dry woodlands and playful second lawn — the whimsical sculptures and well-cultivated spaces spark the imagination.

Ready To Get Out Into Nature?

Gather with like-minded friends for a Shine field trip. We work closely with each venue to create fun, age-appropriate activities that leave a lasting impact. Our enriching combination of art, culture, music, culinary, and fitness activities are beloved by families across the East End. Contact us for details on our next Thursday adventure.

Happy Summersgiving!

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Thanksgiving conjures up warm, cozy memories of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie, family, friends, and gratefulness. But who says this day has to come just once a year in chilly November? After all, many families now regularly celebrate “Christmas in July.”

Attorney Robert Solomon of Norwood, New Jersey came up with the idea of “Summersgiving” in 2009 to share his favorite holiday traditions with friends on the first Saturday after the summer solstice. “This is a celebration without obligation,” he told a local news outlet. “There’s no need to get anybody presents. There’s no obligation to attend. And you’re not obligated to have your uncle. This is about celebrating with your best friends, and eating your favorite food.”

The first Summersgiving included 15 guests. Word spread like wildfire and Solomon expects upwards of 75 guests these days. Summersgiving is now listed on the National Day Calendar website and has received mentions from at least 200 families on social media. People love summer weather, pools, and backyard parties — and they love the Thanksgiving feast. Lydia Korff of Miami, mother of a teenage son, explained, “For kids today, where there’s so much chaos going on in the world, it’s good to get together with family and friends and trach them the meaning of gratitude.”

It’s not too late to call a few friends for a potluck. Kick off your inaugural Summersgiving with these ideas…

What To Serve

Unlike Thanksgiving, there are no hard-and-fast rules for Summersgiving. The idea is – you’re not shackled to traditions, but feel free to incorporate what you love most. Many hosts opt to make the event a potluck, where everyone brings a dish, to reduce stress. Robert Solomon came from a family of chefs, so he was excited to introduce guests to culinary wonders such as: sweet potato mousse with marshmallow, Broccoli Supreme casserole, cornbread stuffing with Andouille sausage, and turkey roasted over charcoal on a rotisserie spit.

Turkey: What would Thanksgiving be without the turkey? You may opt to “give your turkey a tan” by grilling, deep-frying, or roasting it under a brand new galvanized garbage can. (Truly! Trash can turkey yields a smoky, moist, melt-in-your mouth bird in just two hours!)

Veggies: Roasted Brussels Sprouts are easy to throw on the grill with minimal effort. Adding blue cheese and bacon gives them a heavenly flavor. Corn on the cob is another easy option the kids will surely enjoy. Add cilantro, lime, and paprika if you want to jazz it up. For a healthy appetizer, give the kids avocado toasts with roasted red peppers on top. Here is the official recipe for Robert’s famous Broccoli Supreme.

Carbs: Cornbread stuffing offers a slightly different version for your summer feast. Potatoes are a very “Thanksgiving” side. Try grilled potato skewers that can be mashed plate-side or a sweet potato salad. Biscuits and gravy are a no-fuss accompaniment.

Desserts: Try pumpkin pie with a tropical twist and apple pie for tradition lovers. Luscious lemon bars are a light-tasting dessert catering to adult palates. Kids will enjoy grab-and-go chocolate chip cookie sticks and strawberry shortcakes. Grilled peaches with vanilla ice cream are another option if you’re barbecuing anyway.

Beverages: A few bottles of white wine like chardonnay or sauvignon blanc will pair nicely with turkey. Adults may also enjoy a festive, refreshing cranberry cocktail, while kids can enjoy their own alcohol-free cranberry spritzer.  Bring in summer vibes with pineapple punch. Be sure to have plenty of bottled water on hand.

How To Decorate

There’s no shortage of decorations available at Party City and Oriental Trading Post, but you don’t have to go crazy to make your yard look festive. Often, a party tent with a few fairy lights and paper lanterns changes the entire vibe and creates a definitive sense of “place.” You can’t go wrong with elegant white table covers and beautiful fresh-cut flowers centerpieces, creatively displayed in watering cans or hollowed-out pineapples.

Why do it all yourself? Spend a day preparing with the kids, while teaching them how to plan a special party. Here are some traditional Thanksgiving place-setting crafts for the kids to make – or you may want to try one of these summery crafts that double as party favors.

If you like dressing festive, you can order a Summersgiving shirt for next year or make your own design.

What To Do

Now that your family is no longer confined indoors, there’s a wealth of possibility for backyard fun:

  • Setup a game of cornhole, horseshoes, croquet, or carnival games for the kids.
  • Turn on the sprinkler, fill water balloons, or hop in the pool to get wet and wild.
  • Kids love messy and outdoors is the perfect place for Play Doh, paint, tie-dye, bubbles, and sand art.
  • Set up a summer scavenger hunt or a treasure hunt with a chest of Dollar Store toys at the end.
  • Build an obstacle course with cones, hula hoops, stepping stones, and balls.
  • Hang a pinata filled with goodies to hit blindfolded with a bat.
  • Have the kids put together this easy palm tree craft, adding note of gratitude for each leaf.

If you live in the East End of NYC, contact Shine to bring the fun. We’ll entertain all the little ones at your backyard party with a full, engaging program of music, art, sports, culinary, crafting, nature exploration, and more. We bring all the supplies and clean up afterward. Contact us for pricing and scheduling details.  

How To Remember It

As the saying goes, “The days drag, but the years fly by!” Don’t forget to capture the memories.

  • Take lots of pictures! Create a Google Photos Album for Summersgiving to share and look back on.
  • Get at least one big group photo of all your guests assembled together.
  • If you can, take a few short videos to record the sights and sounds. Interview people about their day.
  • Jot down your most precious memories in a Summersgiving journal.

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