The Benefits of Pretend Play & Holiday Gifts That Inspire

The Benefits of Pretend Play & Holiday Gifts That Inspire

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“Play is the work of the child,” once said Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori. If you’ve ever tried to pull a toddler away from a pile of toys, you know what serious business play truly is! Pretend play, in particular, is an integral part of childhood involved in the development of higher cognitive functions – creativity, empathy, abstraction.

The foundation for creative play begins to blossom around 18 months of age with objection substitution, such as pretending a banana is a telephone. The timespan between 3 and 5 is known as “the high season of imaginative play,” where children develop the capacity to interact with imaginary environments. They begin to understand the difference between dress-up and role-playing activities, and replica play using small-scale models. To some degree, pretending continues throughout childhood and even into adulthood – with great benefit.

This holiday season, consider gifts that promote learning through fantasy, role-playing, and pretending.

The Benefits of Pretend Play, According To Science

  • Animal studies have shown that play grows the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for sensory processing, language development, memory formation, and reasoning.
  • Animal studies have also indicated increases in Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor during periods of play and exploration. BDNF is essential for the creation, survival, and maintenance of neurons. With high levels, it is easier for the brain to acquire and retain new knowledge, and feel happier.
  • Neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp of Washington State University found that one-third of the 1,200 neocortical genes show significant changes in activity – effectively making rats in the experiment more “social” in nature — after 30 minutes of play.
  • A growing body of research shows play improves a child’s emotional self-regulation, impulse control, and use of language. Children who excel at pretending also display delayed gratification, reduced aggression, civility, and empathy.
  • Social scientists note a direct correlation between pretending and Theory of Mind development, which enables children to understand the variation of perspectives within themselves and the awareness that others may think differently.
  • When dramatic play was introduced to literacy training, children showed better language diversity, as well as increased interest in reading and writing.

 

Top Pretend Play Gifts

The possibilities are endless, but you can take inspiration from some of the top-selling pretend play gifts:

  • Occupational Costumes – Pretend play is about more than princesses and super heroes. Melissa and Doug offer a wide range of occupational outfits, from firefighters, police officers, and construction workers, to chefs, doctors, and airline pilots.
  • Science Sets – Doctor tools never seem to lose their appeal. For less than $20, your aspiring physician could have a blood pressure monitor, thermometers, stethoscope, otoscope, bandages, glasses, a shot, cell phone, and several other items. Outdoorsy types will love camping all winter long with this tree house tent, camping gear set, and picnic basket. Labcoats, scales, rulers, goggles, clipboards, tweezers, beakers, timers, and magnifying glasses are fun pretend play toys for little scientists.
  • Play Kitchens – Boys and girls alike can perfect their practical culinary skills in the comfort of their own pint-sized station by Step2. Most units come with a sink, stovetop, oven, refrigerator, microwave, and pantry, but some high-end models add in a supermarket, grilling station, pizza oven, and coffee maker. The kitchens typically come with an assortment of cheap plastic foods, but don’t expect much quality there. Melissa and Doug offer a great variety of themed food sets our kids love — like salad, sushi, pasta, pizza, and pancakes. Learning Resources sells worthwhile breakfast, lunch, and dinner themed baskets, too. Along the same line, you’ll find diner sets, food trucks, and farmer’s markets.
  • Playsets & Figurines – There are many ways to immerse your child into a miniaturized world filled with communication, problem-solving, and empathy. Playmobil is a tested, tried, and true brand for preschoolers, with sets ranging from zoos, pirates and castles, to farms, dinosaurs, and fairy forests. Their advent calendars are an ideal way to dive right in! Calico Critters is a whimsical brand of animals with their own homes, schools, supermarkets, restaurants, salons, playgrounds, and shops. For the littlest tikes, Fisher Price Little People sets come with bigger, non-choking-hazard pieces. Older kids can combine the love of creation with pretend play using LEGO sets.
  • Housekeeping – Is it ever too early to warm the kids up to the idea of doing a few chores around the house? Choose from themed sets for laundry, indoor scrubbing, vacuuming, or gardening. Baby dolls and accessories let children explore the idea of being mommies and daddies themselves one day to give back all they love they’ve received from you.
  • Vehicle Play – Children love movement, so vehicles are a natural draw. The youngest children will enjoy cruising around the house in a classic foot-to-floor Little Tikes Car, while toddlers will become enthralled by Tonka trucks and train tables, and older kids collect Hot Wheels or ride

 

How To Encourage Pretend Play

Some children are naturals, while others may need a little more coaching to spark the imagination. Reading is a helpful companion to play, as it gives children fantastical fodder to work with in their pretend realms. You might find it helpful to use stuffed animals, figurines, or puppets to explore real-world challenges you’re trying to assist your child with – be it sharing, dealing with transitions, or eating vegetables. Keep an eye on your child’s natural inclinations and foster whatever weird whims he or she may have – be it an obsession with astronauts or a love of lemonade stands. Be patient and kind to yourself: it may take you a while to get in touch with your inner child and remember how to genuinely enjoy playing.

Whether you’re celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Las Posadas, Shine wishes you and your family a wonderful holiday season. If you’re looking to enrich your child’s life with meaningful experiences that combine education and fun in the New Year, we’d love to help. Contact us to learn more about our classes, workshops, City Adventures, and parties.

Kid-Friendly Activities For Thanksgiving Weekend in NYC

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There’s more to Thanksgiving time in New York City than the Macy’s Parade. For many East End parents with young children, the whole parade experience with its 3.5 million spectators can be somewhat overwhelming. It’s a bustling time of year with the official holiday shopping season kicking off, Christmas tree lightings, and Santas just around every corner. Here are a few of the most heart-warming events for the whole family to enjoy without having to venture too far west.

Disney On Ice – Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale – November 23, 24, or 25

This year’s theme is “Mickey’s Search Party,” inviting children in the audience to help Mickey Mouse find Tinker Bell, with the help of Miguel, Moana, Belle, and Elsa. According to executive VP and producer Nicole Feld, you can expect captivating performances and a lot of audience interaction. “With this production of Disney on Ice… we have pushed the action past the ice, expanding the stage beyond our traditional surface. The excitement will not only happen in front of fans, but all around them with characters emerging from the stands in unexpected places for one-on-one delightful moments.” Get tickets.

Magic of Lights – Jones Beach State Park – November 22-25

A drive-through lightshow is something you have to experience with your family at least once. Pile into your car for a leisurely two-mile drive through a holiday light show, set to seasonal music. The Holiday Village returns for the second year in a row, with hot cocoa, fireside smores, holiday movies, a hay maze, and pictures with jolly old Saint Nick. Buy your tickets online.

Festival of Trees – The Cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City – November 23-25

What better way to welcome the winter season than with free indoor ice skating? The event promises a remarkable assortment of designer-decorated Christmas trees, along with a gingerbread village – all for sale. Vendors will be on-site offering the perfect toys and holiday gifts, including Department 56 villages. Watch dance and musical performances, decorate a cookie, or track down Santa for a photo opp. All proceeds benefit the Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County and the Cradle of Aviation Museum. Get more information.

Polar Express Trolley – Riverhead, Southampton – November 24-25

Though the Polar Express Trolley has been rolling along for five years now, the sixth year promises new spectacular surprises. “We used to pick up the people and take them to the North Pole to see Santa,” says North Fork Trolley General Manager Jay Mooney. “This year, it’s a whole production. They will be immersed in the Polar Express from the time they get there.” Performances throughout the ride, as well as singing and dancing shows at the North Pole have been added to the 90-minute trolley adventure. The event is recommended for ages 2+, and will include hot cocoa and cookies. Feel free to wear your pajamas while awaiting pickup at The All Star Bowling Alley. They’re expecting to sell 10,000 tickets this year at $55 a piece, available by calling 631-369-3031.

Connetquot River Boat Parade and Fireworks – Oakdale, November 24th

Who says fireworks are just for the 4th? With the earlier sunset time, you can expect a sparkling display by Grucci at about 7 pm. Prior to that, yacht owners deck out their boats for a unique holiday-themed water parade departing View Restaurant at 5:30, heading to the Snapper Inn and back. Other ideal vantage points include: Great River Town Ramp, Nicoll’s Point Marina, Oakdale Yacht, Timber Point Marina, and Vanderbilt’s Wharf. While the parade itself is free, venues may charge for parking and you’ll probably want to grab something to eat at one of these joints, too! If it rains, the event will take place on the 25th.

Christmas Celebration — Montauk Point Lighthouse, Montauk – November 25th

It costs $50,000 to light up the historic Montauk Point Lighthouse for the holiday season. Hopefully generous benefactors will step forward to ensure this tradition continues. Bring the family to see it for yourself. Festivities are tentatively scheduled to begin at 11 am, with the light switch flipped around 4 pm. You can expect speeches, raised glasses, a singing of the National Anthem, and a grand salute. Festivities include caroling, pony rides, cider, snacks, and the opportunity to meet Santa. The rain date is slated for Sunday, December 3rd. Updated details are available at the Montauk Chamber of Commerce website.

Contact Shine to make the most of your Thanksgiving holidays. We can provide fun, educational entertainment for children at your party. Or ask about our many enrichment workshops, classes, and field trips.

New York City’s Best Neighborhoods for Trick-or-Treating

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Wondering where to trick-or-treat in NYC? On October 31st, it’s a vast wonderland of spooky displays, generous treats, and good old-fashioned gangs of costumed kids. Fortunately, you don’t have to live in a particular neighborhood to take advantage of its Halloween bounty. Neighborhood-hopping is commonplace and, in some jurisdictions, encouraged. So here is your guide to our favorite places to celebrate.

Halloween fun is subject to change, of course, but historically, these have been some of the best places for trick-or-treating and festivities in the East End, Brooklyn, and Manhattan:

Elm Street from Hampton to Pelletreau Street (Southampton Village) 

Since 2009, the mayor has ordered the closing of high-traffic Elm Street to traffic from 3 to 6 pm. Last year, Edible Long Island called Elm Street “the best Halloween block party out East.” The pet parade and shop trick-or-treating down on Main Street in Southampton is another big draw.

Huntington (Suffolk) 

Newsday called Huntington one of the most “stroller-friendly towns” on the Island, so it’s a great spot for taking little ones out. Family-friendly festivities kick-off with the 4 p.m. costume parade at the Huntington Post Office on Gerard Street, followed by trick-or-treating at participating shops and beautifully decorated homes.

Older kids (recommended for 13+) won’t want to miss Huntington’s Restless Souls Haunted House Complex at Huntington Station, which features “Phantom Plaza” Midway games, an outdoor attraction, “Klownkatraz,” and an “Alien Autopsy” escape room. (The proceeds from this Haunted House go to the LGBT-friendly West Hills United Methodist Church.)

Floral Park and Garden City (Nassau)

With over a third of the residents under 18, you can be rest assured there will be loads of little ones filling their sacks with candy in Floral Park, so if you like people-watching, this small village bordering Queens is a must. Homeowners deck out their lawns with spooky displays and put orange lights in the windows of their historic gems.

Garden City is another ideal Nassau neighborhood for trick-or-treating, with majestic homes, towering trees, and wide streets with low car traffic volume. Residents are generous with their candy-giving, and you can hit up the merchants along Seventh Street, too.

Upper West Side (Manhattan)

The huge party takes place on West 69th Street between Broadway and Central Park West, with candy, inflatables, entertainment, closed-off streets, and police patrols for safety. Locals love the traditional door-to-door candy collecting from the historic Brownstones down leaf-covered streets the best. Decked-out prewar buildings on 78th and 79th streets between Columbus and Amsterdam attract crowds. For equally good décor and fewer crowds, you can try 87th or 90th between Columbus and Amsterdam.

Upper East Side (Manhattan)

Historically, the go-to block has been 78th Street between Park and Lexington avenues. Other popular spots include Carnegie Hill’s 92nd Street between Park and Madison avenues, which is closed for live music, art projects, candy, and costume / decorating contests from 5 to 6:30. Up North, there are ample goodies in the Brownstone mansions along 94th and 95th streets, between Park and Lexington.

Garden Place (Brooklyn Heights)

Residents are serious about their Halloween displays in Garden Place and Grace Court Alley, with fog machines, life-sized mummies, coffins, and jack o’lanterns aplenty. For a quieter residential experience, head to nearby Remsen and Joralemon streets. Parades and parties take place at Pierrepont Playground at 10 am the Saturday before Halloween.

What Time Is Trick-or-Treating In NYC?

For most residential neighborhoods, trick-or-treating can begin as early as 5:30 and generally wraps up around 8:30. The commercial stretches are different. Little ghosts and goblins arrive as early as 9:30 am to trick-or-treat on Lexington, Third, and Madison. One candy store shopkeeper had refilled her candy bucket four times by 2:30 in the afternoon! Elm Street trick-or-treating goes from 3-6 pm. Upper West Side businesses stop handing out treats at 7 pm due to the rising popularity in recent years.

Looking for More Halloween Fun?

Shine brings structured activities to your Halloween party fun. Whether your kids are six months or 12 years, we’ve got games, ghost stories, crafts, songs, and cooking that will entertain, instruct, and inspire.  Contact us for details on how we can help you plan the ultimate holiday party. For ideas you can do yourself at home, be sure to check out our Celebrate Halloween Pinterest board.

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

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

Color Factory

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

The Color Factory
251 Spring Street
Manhattan, NY 10013

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

Pier 2 Pop Up Pool

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

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

Candytopia

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

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

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

2018 Riverhead Railroad Festival

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

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

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

Harbes Family Farm Watermelon Festival

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

Harbes Farm & Vineyard
715 Sound Avenue
Mattituck NY 11952

 

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

10 Amazing U.S. Family Vacations To Take Before Your Kids Turn 13

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Material gifts are fun, but their impact is fleeting. Instead, save your pennies for family travel, say child development researchers. The Journal of Commercial Research found that visiting a new place offers mental stimulation and crucial bonding time with family members. “Younger travelers had better grades in school, a better understanding of finances, a deeper sense of identity, and broader perspectives of the world,” reports WKBW Buffalo.

People will say to you travel is wasted on the young – that they won’t remember any of it. But travel is about more than taking photos to look back upon later. Like a good-night story or a trip to the playground, travel encourages children to use their imaginations, stimulates open-mindedness, teaches them to adapt to new situations, and helps bridge the gap across developmental milestones.

So, plan your trips guilt-free. Orchestrating a family vacation requires a bit of work and a lot of patience, but you’ll all be better off for it. If you’re keeping a bucket list, add these 10.

1. Lake Champlain, VT

Ideal For: Babies & Toddlers

Best Time To Visit: The resort is open late May through mid-September, with special rates available in May, June, and September.

Why Go: The Tyler Place Family Resort is a huge draw, offering unique programming for newborns up to 30 months, a kids camp for toddlers, and Parents’ Night Out babysitting whenever you wish. Parents enjoy cocktails by candlelight, while knowing their kids are well attended with one stand-in caregiver for every two children. When you wish to spend time together, you can take advantage of bikes with baby seats, craft activities, water sport outings, and parents’ helpers to come along on your excursions. With a playhouse playground, fishing, water play areas, theme parties, campfires, storytelling, teepees, tree houses, and all-inclusive pricing, what’s not to love?

More To Do: You may never want to leave the resort, but there is plenty to do in the surrounding area if you’d like to taste a little of Vermont. Forty-five minutes from the resort in South Hero, Allenholm Farm is a fun place to cycle, pick apples, visit friendly farm animals, and grab a farm-to-table bite to eat. On a rainy day, the ECHO Science Museum offers hands-on exhibits encouraging play and learning for the 0-6 crowd. Other fun places for little tikes include: Lake Champlain Chocolates, The Shelburne County Store, the Shelburne Museum, and The Vermont Teddy Bear Company. Be sure to visit Ben and Jerry’s! The Jay Peak Resort offers a climbing gym, movie theater, indoor ice arena, and indoor waterpark for older kids, ideal for a rainy day.

2. Disney World – Orlando, FL

Ideal For: Any age, though kids under 5 will have ride height and stamina limitations. Kids under 3 are free! Four-to-eight tend to be the sweet spot. Once your kids hit 44” in height, the World is their oyster.

Best Time To Visit: March to May offers pleasant weather (50s-80s) and the most agreeable prices, especially if you avoid holiday weekends or standard school recesses. September to mid-November is another excellent time to find reasonable rates and comfortable temperatures, although it falls in the June-November hurricane season. The worst times to book are during the November to February rush or the summer humidity.

Why Go: Walt Disney World in Orlando is ranked by Trip Advisor as “the #1 Best Family Vacation in the USA” – and for good reason. There’s no other place in America that celebrates childhood and tugs at the heart strands more than Disney World. Designed to be “the happiest place on Earth,” a Disney vacation is designed to be as stress-free as possible with effortless travel between parks, all-inclusive wristbands, attractions for all ages, and over-the-top friendly staff. The rides are epic journeys through entire films and the realms Disney has created; even the queues are attractions in and of themselves! On top of that, you’ll be treated to character meet-and-greets, parades, firework displays, princess makeovers, and world-class performances. The Disney World park system includes kid-favorite Magic Kingdom, parent-favorite Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and two water parks – Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. You could feasibly see a different park every day during your trip, though Park Hopper passes let pros navigate between the parks within the same day.

More To Do: In addition to Disney World itself, Orlando offers the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, SeaWorld Orlando, the Kennedy Space Station, the Orlando Science Center, Legoland, Gatorland, a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not museum, and the Crayola Experience.

3. San Diego, CA

Ideal For: Ages 3-13

Best Time To Visit: September through November is always a terrific time to visit, but particularly October – which offers free child tickets along with the purchase of an adult ticket for most major attractions. You can also find decent rates and low traffic in March and April. May and June tend to have the most overcast days, while the winter months see the most rainfall – so you’ll want to avoid those times if that sort of weather matters to you.

Why Go: San Diego boasts warm weather year-round and loads of family-friendly attractions. The San Diego Zoo is one of the nation’s treasures and one of the places to see giant pandas, Australian koalas, Sumatran tigers, naked mole rats, California condors, and polar bears. Over 4,000 animals from 800+ species are assembled in this one magical place, including many rare and endangered.

More To Do: In addition to the San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park is a great place to kick off your trip among beautiful gardens and museums. Kids love The NAT’s animatronic dinosaurs, the kids’ aviation hangar at the San Diego Air & Space Museum, hiking among towering palm trees at the Palm Canyon Trail, hands-on science displays at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, the New Children’s Museum, SeaWorld San Diego, the antique carousels at Seaport Village, the “Coney Island” type experience at Belmont Park, and the Cabrillo National Monument’s tide pools. With 70 miles of coastline, you’ll find plenty of sand for a carefree holiday. Seashell-packed Silver Strand, surfer hangout Oceanside, swimming and picnicking at Mission Beach, La Jolla’s sea lion watching, and the quaint Coronado are a few area favorites.

4. Massachusetts

Ideal For: Toddlers & Early Elementary School Age

Best Time To Visit: The weather is warm from late March through October. Tourist traffic tends to be heaviest in the summer months once school lets out. The autumn months represent a particularly scenic (and affordable) time to visit New England in all its splendor.

Why Go: Cape Cod gets all the publicity for being a family-friendly vacation destination, but there’s much to do elsewhere in Massachusetts. Plan your trip around the Iconic Illustrators’ Trail for starters, which includes stops at The Springfield Museum (home of the new Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum), the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, and the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. Then make your way to Edaville, an amusement park featuring vintage carousels and Ferris Wheels, in addition to a Thomas the Train land and outdoor Dino Land trail with life-sized dino statues. Themed weekends include Superhero & Princess weekend, Curious George Weekend, and seasonal events like the “Not So Spooky Halloween” in October, and our Christmas Festival of Lights.

More To Do: Older kids might enjoy an additional beeline to historic Plymouth Rock, which will supplement what they’ve learned in school. It’s not just about “the rock,” though! Don swashbuckler hats and face-painted mustaches for a Pirate Cruise off 9 Town Wharf. Experience life in olden times at the Plimoth Plantation living museum. Climb aboard the Mayflower II, a life-size replica of the original pilgrim vessel. Listen to paranormal tales on a Dead of Night Ghost Tour. Hike, canoe, and fish at Myles Standish State Forest. See cranberry bogs at Flax Pond Farms. One hour away, you’ll find the New England Aquarium – so famous, a replica of it is featured in the Disney movie “Finding Dory.” More than 1.3 million visitors come each year to see the cylindrical 200,000 gallon tank simulating Caribbean coral reefs that houses sharks, turtles, stingrays, moray eels, barracuda, and colorful reef fish. The massive penguin exhibit is another big draw. See rare sea dragons, piranhas, cuttlefish, horseshoe crabs, and jellyfish. Kids love the exhilarating manta ray touch tank and visiting the Northern fur seals and California sea lions.

5. Gatlinburg, TN

Ideal For: Elementary age children

Best Time To Visit: Summers bring swarms of travelers to the sleepy town of Gatlinburg. September and October are the best off-peak months to visit. Weekends in October tend to remain busy, as the fall foliage crowd arrives. March to May is another low-season time to discover deals – and fields of wildflowers.

Why Go: Trip Advisor ranks Gatlinburg the fourth most-affordable destination in the USA. Great Smoky Mountains National Park in downtown Gatlinburg attracts more than 40,000 visitors a year with miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, camping, historical exhibits, and wildlife viewing areas in Cataloochee and Cades Cove for black bear, elk, white-tailed deer, raccoons, coyotes, box turtles, and turkeys. During the snowy months, you’ll be treated to Winterfest, Winter Magic Tunes & Tales, Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade, Trolley Holiday Lights tours through town, and a New Year’s Eve Ball Drop.

More To Do: Get a bird’s eye view of the park from the Gatlinburg Space Needle or the Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway. Watch a late 19th century vaudeville performance at Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre. Walk through an underwater tunnel and touch a ray at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. (There’s also a massive Ripley’s Odditorium to get lost in!) See local craftsmen create everything from pottery and jewelry to brooms and hand-blown glass at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. If you visit during the winter, Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort is a bustling place with skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, ice skating, mountain coasters, a kiddie park, and a small zoo. For a great selection of toys, peruse The Lollipop Guild.

6. Sanibel Island – Fort Meyers, FL

Ideal For: Toddlers & Preschoolers

Best Time To Visit: The best deals for this year-round vacation destination are in the summer, but that’s also a gamble with hurricane season. As with any snow bird destination, the winter holidays are the busiest time of year. December to April represents peak travel season. Late fall is a good time to secure a room deal if you don’t mind chillier waters. May or early June are decent low-traffic times.

Why Go: Ranked among Trip Advisor’s top 10 “Best Florida Beaches,” “Best Winter Family Vacations,” and “Best Family Beach Vacations in the USA,” Sanibel Island offers the relaxing beach atmosphere you need to decompress, with plenty of exploration opportunities for the kids. The Gulf Coast barrier islands are famous for their abundance of seashells and for wildlife. You can spot dolphins off-shore, scout for ghost crabs digging tunnels on the beach, or visit alligators, river otters, roseatte spoonbills, and manatees at the J.N. Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Periwinkle Way is Sanibel Island’s main thoroughfare, packed with restaurants, shops, and choice hotels. Captiva’s South Seas Island Resort offers a quiet, laidback vibe with beach villas steps from the shore, on-site restaurants, shops, a water park pool, a Turtle Tots craft center, and large sea mammals hanging out by the docks. Get waist-deep into the water at Bowman’s Beach to dig up some of the more unique shells.

More To Do: While Sanibel Island is known for its shells and art galleries, Captiva Island offers more eclectic dining options and quieter beaches. The gentle waves are perfect for tots who like to swim. Older kids can fish aboard a 25-foot boat sailing out of Tween Waters Marina, where they can catch redfish, tarpon, snook, and snapper, while looking for sharks and dolphins. Sea kayaking through Buck Grove Island offers the opportunity to see manatee and otters up close.

7. The French Quarter – New Orleans, LA

Ideal For: Preschoolers & Early Grade School

Best Time To Visit: February through March offers comfortable temperatures and a celebratory mood when Mardi Gras is in full swing. December and January are quieter months when it’s easier to find accommodations.

Why Go:  New Orleans isn’t just for Mardi Gras party animals. There’s a surprising glut of family-friendly festivities in the city all year round. In Jackson Square, jugglers, mimes, and jazz bands play in the streets. Watch the performers from an outdoor table at Café du Monde, where you’ll taste warm French beignet doughnuts covered in powdered sugar. Walk along the Mississippi River to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium. The quaint St. Charles streetcar can get you to the Audubon Zoo in the Garden District. The Louisiana Children’s Museum presents more than 30,000 square feet of hands-on, interactive exhibits, such as a Little Port of New Orleans, the opportunity to step inside giant eyeballs to see how other animals view their surroundings, a play café, and an enclosed playspace for babies to safely crawl and climb.

More To Do: Outside NOLA, you can experience the authentic Cajun countryside at Bayou Pierre Alligator Park in Natchitoches. Gators & Friends in Greenwood has a fully stocked petting zoo with lemurs, capybaras, kangaroos, deer, and coatimundi, in addition to the big reptiles. The Baton Rouge Zoo is a popular attraction housing endangered animals like the Black Rhino, Guam Rail bird, Arabian Oryx, and Golden Lion Tamarin, and featuring prominent areas for otters, tigers, and flamingos. Along America’s Wetland Birding Trail, which cuts through 22 Louisiana parishes, there are over 115 bird watching sites with Prothonotary Warblers and Blue Herons at Lake Fausee Pointe State Park, to Great Egrets and Roseate Spoonbills at Cypress Island Preserve. You can fish, camp, and collect shells along the sugar sand beaches of the Cajun Riviera. (Find the best treasures at Mae’s Beach and the Creole Nature Trail!) Travel back to the Victorian Era with older kids at the Spring Street Historical Museum on the Shreveport-Bossier side of the state.

8. Yellowstone National Park – WY, MN, ID

Ideal For: Gradeschoolers

Best Time To Visit: April to May and September to November bring mild weather and fewer crowds. July and August are the most popular months to visit when the kids are off school and the weather is warmest, though temperatures have been known to drop as low as 30 — even in the summer!

Why Go: Trip Advisor ranks Yellowstone #1 in “Best Family Vacations.” America’s first national park has the highest concentrations of geysers in the world – most famously, Old Faithful, which shoots to the sky every 90 minutes. Away from the geyser, you’ll find enough untouched territory to explore that you forget 4 million visitors flock here each year. Multi-colored thermal pools, stinky mud pots, mountains, canyons, lakes, and waterfalls make up the scenery of the 3,472-square-mile park. Notable places to visit include: Yellowstone Lake, Mammoth Hot Springs, Hayden Valley, Lamar Valley, West Thumb Geyser Basin, Lewis River Channel, and Dogshead Loop. Wildlife like bison, elk, grizzly bears, wolves, and bighorn sheep are part of the allure, too.

More To Do: In Wyoming, take a wildlife expedition out of the Teton Science School in Jackson Hole. Grand Teton National Park offers ample wildlife and scenic peaks nearby. Dig for bones at the Wyoming Dinosaur Museum in Thermopolis. See a rodeo in Cody. In Montana, hunt for sapphires at Gem Mountain in Philipsburg. Tour Virginia City by stagecoach. Enjoy a family-friendly show at the Playmill Theatre in West Yellowstone. Stop for a family photo opp at the Roosevelt Arch in Gardiner.

9.  The Grand Canyon – AZ

Ideal For: Tweens

Best Time To Visit: The Grand Canyon can get very busy, with six million visitors a year. Memorial Day to Labor Day represents the high season – especially once school lets out in summer. For lower traffic volume and cooler daytime temperatures, try March through May or September through November.

Why Go: CNN Travel called the Grand Canyon one of the “Places That Can Change Your Child’s Life,” adding that it’s a “thrilling glimpse into the inside of the Earth.” Trip Advisor ranks the Grand Canyon as the #1 “Cheap Summer Vacation.” While colonial civilizations in America are relatively young, the rock formations are not! Some of the Grand Canyon rocks are millions of years old. The 277-mile-long, 6,000-foot-deep gorge is one of nature’s most magnificent spectacles, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ranger-led tours will help you make the most of your trip. If you want to explore by mule, you’ll need to book at least a year in advance. You can also take a sunset horse-drawn wagon ride out of Grand Canyon Apache Stables that culminates in a campfire. Test your nerves on the glass-bottom Skywalk observation deck on the West Rim. Grand Canyon Village and the Bright Angel Trail along the South rim are the most popular spots for sightseers and hikers, so it naturally has the most amenities for families. Rent a bike from the Visitor Center to take along the paved five-mile Rim Trail to South Kaibab. The North Rim is more remote for the hardcore hikers.

More To Do: Flagstaff, Arizona is the nearest city to the Grand Canyon area, about 90 minutes south. It’s worth spending a day surrounded by the majestic scenery of Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. See the darkest night sky from the Lowell Observatory. See Native American arts and crafts and dinosaur bones at the Museum of Northern Arizona. Explore an ancient pueblo town at the Wupatki National Monument. Float on a whitewater raft down the Colorado River if you have older thrill-seekers in tow. Play cowboys and cowgirls on a trek through Coconino National Forest with Hitchin’ Post Stables. In Williams, get an up-close view of bears at Bearizona Wildlife Park or hop aboard the Grand Canyon Railway.

10.   An Alaskan Cruise

Ideal For: Gradeschoolers and Tweens

Best Time To Visit: To get the best prices, sail early in the season in May or late in September, though it could be a gamble. Go too early and it could be chilly. Go too late and it could be dreary with rain. June, July, and August are the peak travel months, when prices are highest. It’s best to book your travel in October or November before the season starts to get the room of your choice at a decent rate.

Why Go: Princess Cruises takes you through the orca playgrounds, glacier pathways, iceberg parks, and frozen landscapes of Alaska with naturalists and park rangers on board offering educational programming. Kids love Movies Under The Stars, swimming pools, and the tween clubs. There are family-oriented shows, carnivals, dance parties, and fitness activities on board. All the dining is top-caliber. On port days, you can visit Gold Rush towns, take a dogsled tour, or go on a guided excursion through Denali National Park.

More To Do: See dinosaur tracks and wildlife in Denali National Park. Raft Alaskan waters like the Chena River with kids 6 and up. See puffins, octopus, and sea lions at the Alaska Sealife Center. Ride the train through the El Dorado Gold Mine and pan for your own treasure. See the ice fields at Kenai Fjords National Park. View Amur tigers, yaks, polar bears, fox, caribou, wolves, and elephants at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage. Take a narrated journey from the interior to the Kenai Peninsula on the Alaska Railroad.

Full List of Resources:

https://academic.oup.com/jcr/article-abstract/43/6/913/2632328?redirectedFrom=fulltext

https://www.wkbw.com/news/studies-show-traveling-is-crucial-when-it-comes-to-kids-emotional-growth

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/7-reasons-why-travel-is-never-wasted-on-young-kids_us_5871fec7e4b08052400ee36f

https://www.familyvacationcritic.com/lake-champlain-vermont-family-vacation/dat/

https://www.vermont.org/blog/8-family-friendly-things-to-do-on-a-rainy-day-on-lake-champlain/

https://www.today.com/parents/40-must-see-places-take-your-kids-they-re-grown-t74481

https://travel.usnews.com/rankings/best-family-vacations-in-the-usa/

https://www.budgettravel.com/article/15-places-your-kids-should-see-before-15_7072

https://www.parents.com/fun/vacation/10-best-cities-for-families-to-visit/

https://www.parents.com/fun/vacation/ideas/san-diego/

https://www.carlemuseum.org/content/iconic-illustrators-trail-release

https://www.familytravelmagazine.com/edaville-thomas-land/

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

https://www.parents.com/fun/vacation/10-best-cities-for-families-to-visit/

https://www.today.com/parents/16-best-places-go-vacation-baby-or-toddler-t73466

https://suburbanturmoil.com/30-things-to-do-with-your-family-in-gatlinburg-this-winter/2015/12/03/

https://blog.trekaroo.com/top-10-things-for-families-to-do-in-louisiana/

https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/eco-tourism/stories/10-must-see-treasures-outside-yellowstone

https://www.flagstaff.com/family-friendly-things-to-do

http://www.post-gazette.com/life/travel/2012/11/04/Alaska-Timing-is-the-gamble-when-planning-a-cruise-to-this-state/stories/201211040171

Top 5 Recipes For Fil-American Friendship Day

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International Kid-Friendly Food:

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

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

Oxtail Stew in Peanut Sauce (Kare Kare)

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

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

Get the recipe.

Chicken Adobo

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

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

Get the recipe.

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

Filipino Egg Rolls (Lumpia)

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

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

Get the recipe.

Pancit Canton (Filipino-Style Lo Mein)

From Frances Tariga, Chef at MEGU at Dream Downtown

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

Get the recipe.

Mango Royale

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

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

Get the recipe.

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

 

Resources:

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

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

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

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

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

 

Benefits of Early Childhood Chess

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This year, the country of Armenia made chess compulsory in schools for all children over six years of age. American educators may not be as gung-ho about early childhood chess – but they should be. In an era where we’re all reasonably concerned about “screen time,” introducing chess to a young child is a gift beyond measure and a classic bonding activity to share with parents, siblings, and grandparents.

What Are The Benefits of Chess For Kids?

A growing body of research shows that learning chess:

  • Correlates with higher scores on mathematical and critical reasoning tests.
  • Improves reading test scores and proficiency among elementary school-aged children.
  • Increases brain activity in areas associated with calculation, concentration, and recognition.
  • Boosts IQ scores, overall intelligence, patience, perseverance, intuition, and creative thinking.
  • Teaches restraint, taking responsibility for one’s actions, and winning or losing graciously.

When To Start Chess For Kids

It’s understandable that any chess-loving parent would want to share their love of the game with a child as soon as possible, but push too hard too soon and you could spoil it. Surprisingly, educators say babies can begin learning the fundamentals of chess in diapers — as young as two – if taught the right way. Instruction should be fun and casual, with focus on identifying the different pieces and talking about how they move or capture. By age five, simply moving the pieces correctly would be a reasonable goal. By seven or eight, your child could be out-maneuvering you on the chess board!

Chess Sets For Beginners

While you can find Mario World and Star Wars themed chess sets, it’s best to start with a more basic looking set to teach the pieces and the moves without so much distraction. There are countless chess sets aimed at beginners, but we like this one from the MoMA. You may also choose a set like No Stress Chess, which includes activity cards to help young kids learn the game. The Chess Teacher is another large set that is easy for smaller hands to maneuver. For the next level, the Kids’ Book of Chess and Chess Set is geared toward ages 8 and up with colorful fantasy illustrations of beginning, middle, and end game offensive and defensive strategies.

Get Started: Chess Camps in NYC (Ages 3-12)

We’re pleased to announce Chess At 3 will be making regular appearances at Shine camps this summer. Their emphasis on teaching through storytelling helps kids win and lose graciously, and weaves history, math, and physical activity into every brain-building session. They’ve been equipping NYC kids as young as three with life skills and learning tools since 2006, so we’re excited to partner up with them to offer your child even more value. Contact us for details.

Why Tennis Lessons Are Great For Kids Under 10 — And How To Get Them Started

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Tennis is the perfect sport for young kids to learn. It’s safer than contact sports, and you can pick up all your supplies for under $10. You can play on a free public court, and you don’t need to assemble a team. Tennis is one of the few multigenerational sports that connects family members of all ages together. Youngsters begin with “Mommy and Me” classes, stay connected with parents through the teenage years, and play with their grandparents. That’s why tennis is “the sport for a lifetime.”

What Are The Benefits of Tennis For Kids?

Compared to other sports, tennis:

  • Improves grades, concentration, focus, independence, and ability to handle stress.
  • Boosts tactical thinking that generates nerve connections to promote lifelong brain development.
  • Develops hand-eye coordination, speed, balance, strength, fine motor control, and flexibility.
  • Burns more calories than aerobics, rollerblading, or cycling to foster healthy weight management.
  • Promotes “A” grades in school among 48% of players (compared to 25% of non-athletes.)
  • Provides a fun, social activity that people tend to stick with throughout the years.
  • Helps kids learn to win or lose gracefully, manage mistakes, develop perseverance, and recover from stress.
  • Yields higher scores in vigor, optimism, and self-esteem than other sports (according to SCSU research.)

Over the long-term, renowned epidemiologist Ralph Paffenbarger found that people who played singles tennis at moderate intensity for just two to three hours per week, cut the risk of death from any cause in half. Who wouldn’t want to give their children the gift of longevity if they could?

When To Start Tennis Lessons For Kids

Most experts agree that four is the earliest age you’d want to begin introducing tennis. The key to getting young kids interested in tennis is to keep it playful and fun, rather than competitive. Specialization can take as long as a decade to achieve, so there is much merit in getting kids onto the court with continuous movement and instruction to learn as they go through gameplay, rather than standing in line and doing drills. “You work on coordination games, movement games, and teaching them building blocks of playing the sport,” explains George Garland, director of Go! Tennis in Queens. For kids ages 4-7, 30 minutes of tennis instruction is plenty. Kids ages 8-12 may increase to 45 minutes.

Tennis Equipment For Beginners

The size tennis racquet you need depends upon the age of your child:

  • Ages 4-5: 21 inches
  • Ages 6-7: 23 inches
  • Ages 8-10: 25 inches

Look for red felt or foam balls, which weigh less and have a slower bounce than official regulation tennis balls. These balls may not last as long for the money, but they give children plenty of reaction time and are softer for safety sake.

Get Started: Arts & Tennis Afternoon Camp (Ages 4-12)

Join us at Hampton Racquet this summer on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from July 2nd – August 30th from 3:45 – 6 p.m. The brand-new “Creative Arts & Tennis Afternoon Camp” introduces children ages 4-12 to the love of learning tennis. We provide masterful instruction from John Graham, racquets, age-appropriate groups, healthy snacks, drinks, and art materials with guided instruction. Inspired by the East End, children are exposed to a variety of creative themes, from local flora and fauna, to architecture and history, explored through a variety of mediums. This unique opportunity engages children in sports, constructive arts, science, nature exploration, games, and books for $99/day, with discounts available for 10+ classes. For more information or to register, email rebecca@shinenyc.net.

Easy Spring Plants To Get Young Children Interested in Gardening

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A garden is one of the most beautiful gifts you can give your child. It’s a place of escape, where you can gaze upon the wonders of nature, and a method for demonstrating the positive benefits of hard work, patience, and tender loving care.

“Usually children spend more time in the garden than anybody else,” says Carol Williams in her book, Bringing a Garden to Life. “It is where they learn about the world, because they can be in it unsupervised, yet protected. Some gardeners will remember from their own earliest recollections that no one sees the garden as vividly, or cares about it as passionately, as the child who grows up in it.”

It’s never too early to expose your little ones to the joy of gardening, although there are certain obvious limitations. Prior to kindergarten, the wait can seem agonizing. The littlest ones are often appeased with rudimentary tools and the opportunity to get their hands dirty. Keep a watering, weeding, fertilizing, and projected growth date calendar for three and four-year-olds to maintain your child’s interest throughout the season.

Try the following plants to inspire your little “green thumb”:

Beans and Peas

Peas and beans sprout from seed within a week, making them the best beginner plants. Beans are so easy to grow, you can grab a few dried pinto, black, or kidney beans right from your cupboard, place them on a wet paper towel inside a plastic bag on a sunny windowsill, and watch them start to sprout before your very eyes. If you’d rather get your hands dirty outside, a bush bean variety like the “Purple Queen” is easy for kids to spot and pick. We also love this whimsical Bean and Morning Glory Teepee, which provides a fun outdoor playhouse for your child all summer long.

Plant: 1 inch deep, 3-4 inches apart

Sun: Full (about 8 hours/day)

Water: 1 inch per week

Herbs

Herbs like Mint or Basil are particularly hardy. They grow fast and furious in as little as four days, and can withstand a bit of stomping. Some toddlers will even pick and eat the fresh leaves. Chives and Cilantro take about 10 days to get going, but cilantro will require more careful care, as it has a tendency to bolt if it’s not cut back in time. Dill, Oregano, and Thyme can take two weeks to grow. Sage and Parsley are considerably slower with four weeks before germination. You can grow herbs in a pot, a windowsill box, or the ground.

Plant: Six to 10 inches down, 10-12 inches apart

Sun: Part Sun (about 4 hours/day)

Water: As needed – when soil feels dry to the touch

Sunflowers

Any kid who has ever read “Jack and the Beanstalk” will be astounded by a sunflower’s impressive growth. Dwarf varieties grow two or three feet tall, but Mammoth Russians, American Giants, and Giganteus sunflowers can reach 12 to 15 feet. The seeds begin to sprout in just seven to 10 days, with big bright flowers appearing in two months, and the first seeds developing three to four months later. To enjoy continuous blooms all the way until the first frost, sow a new row of seeds every two to three weeks.

Plant: Two feet down, two to three feet apart

Sun: Full (about 8 hours/day)

Water: Several gallons, once a week

Radishes

Radishes may not be your child’s favorite vegetable to eat, but they sure grow swiftly. The “Easter Egg” variety produces mature red, purple, and white vegetables in one month. The French enjoy radishes with butter and salt, the Koreans pickle them, Mexicans throw them into tacos, and the British put them on tea sandwiches. Here in America, we tend to chop them up into picnic salads with eggs and mayonnaise.

Plant: ½ inch deep, 12 inches apart

Sun: Full (at least 6 hours)

Water: 2-3 hours once the soil is dry four inches down

Cherry Tomatoes

Tiny tomatoes are the perfect fresh-off-the-vine food to snack on. Little hands can harvest ripened tomatoes planted from seedling in less than two months. Look for varieties like the Super Sweet 100, Sun Sugar, Black Cherry, and Husky Cherry Red for extra sweet flavor. If your child isn’t crazy about eating a raw tomato, you can turn them into tomato salsa, pasta sauce, soup, or bruschetta topping.

Plant: ¼ inch deep, 24 inches apart

Sun: Full (8 or more hours/day)

Water: 1.5 inches per week

Why Not Take A Class?

Shine’s “Garden Project” class, geared toward ages 3-5 or 5-7, is another ideal way to spark your child’s interest in gardening. Our projects combine art, science, and nature in highly engaging ways to foster lifelong learning, creativity, and Earth stewardship. Contact us for more details.

References:

http://www.gardendigest.com/family.htm

https://www.parenting.com/article/gardening-kids

https://garden.org/learn/articles/view/4056/

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/tall-can-sunflower-grow-year-70410.html

https://www.almanac.com/plant/sunflowers

https://www.epicurious.com/archive/blogs/editor/2014/04/the-tk-best-ways-to-eat-radishes.html

https://www.sciencekiddo.com/bean-seed-in-a-bag/

https://bonnieplants.com/library/the-basics-of-tomato-flavor/

Creative Twists on the Traditional Easter Egg Hunt

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

For Indoors: Balloon Egg Hunt

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

For A Brain Boost: Puzzle Pieces Egg Hunt

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

For the Active: Obstacle Course Egg Hunt

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

For the Problem Solver: Scavenger Hunt

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

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

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

One Final Word

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

Additional Easter Egg Hunt Resources:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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