Check Out These Top Children’s Books for Library Lover’s Month

February 10, 2020/in Guide, Learn, Read/by Shine

Last month, the New York Public Library released their list of the “most checked-out books of all time.” While you might expect classic school reads like 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and To Kill A Mockingbird, it may surprise you to find so many children’s books dominating the top 10.

“This list tells us something about New Yorkers over the last 125 years — what moves them, what excites them, what stands the test of time,” said NYPL President Anthony W. Marx. He adds, “The books on this list have transcended generations and, much like the Library itself, are as relevant today as they were when they first arrived.”

NYPL’s ‘Most Checked-Out’ Children’s Book

The most-wanted book of all-time was, in fact, a children’s book:

#1 – The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Readers checked out the Caldecott Medal award winner a total of 485,583 times since it was published in 1962. At face value, The Snowy Day is about the delight of simple childhood pleasures – narrating the experience of a young boy playing in the first snowfall of the season – bundling up in his red snowsuit, knocking white powder off the trees, making snow angels, watching his footprints follow, building a snowman, and keeping a trusty snowball in his pocket.

This relatability combined with the beautiful illustrations makes it a favorite. Keats cut pieces of paper from America, Japan, Italy, and Sweden, gluing the collage together to make images that could withstand the test of time: gum eraser snowflakes, spattered India ink backgrounds, watercolor bubbles, and checkered oilcloth dresses.

At the time it was published, “Peter” was one of the first non-caricatured African-Americans featured in a children’s book. Keats wasn’t on a crusade: he simply wanted to make that point that a good frolic in the snow transcends all race, color, creed, or division. One Florida teacher wrote to Keats to say, “The kids in my class, for the first time, are using brown crayons to draw themselves. These are African-American children. Before this, they drew themselves with pink crayons. But now, they can see themselves.”

Other NYPL Top Ten Children’s Books

Also among the Top 10 most-borrowed books of all-time:

#2 – The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss (469,650 check-outs)

#4 – Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (436,016 check-outs)

#6 – Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (337948 check-outs)

#9 – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (231,022 check-outs)

#10 – The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (189,550 check-outs)

List-makers gave Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon an honorable mention. Influential Librarian Anne Carroll Moorewas said to have disliked the book so much, she refused to carry it from 1947 to 1972. A fan of “more sophisticated” Beatrix Potter stories, the librarian dismissed the story as “an unbearably sentimental piece of work.” Despite her disdain and a 25-year absence from the shelves, the book has been checked out more than 100,000 times.

Where To Check Out Children’s Books in NYC

The American Library Association has designated February as “National Library Lover’s Month,” so what better time to curl up with your child, a blanket, a cup of cocoa, and a great book? We are blessed with many idyllic libraries, complete with inspiring architecture, a wide selection of children’s literature, and innovative free programming.

Consider some of the best NYC libraries for kids:

Children’s Center at 42nd Street, The New York Public Library (Midtown East)
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, The New York Public Library (Midtown West)
Middle County Public Library (Centereach)
Children’s Library Discovery Center (Queens)
Hunter’s Point Library (Long Island City)

Be sure to check out NYPL’s regularly updated calendar of events. Whether your child is less than 18 months or a teen, you’re bound to find something fun happening today at one of the area libraries. If you have a little aspiring reader or writer you’d like to encourage, consider one of our classes or workshops for fun, educational programming that takes your child to new heights.

How To Cultivate Good Sportsmanship

January 23, 2020/in Guide/by Shine

It can be difficult to witness a sore loser in full throttle. The strange sounds coming out of your child and flailing appendages instinctively makes you want to wrap protective arms around the little body gone haywire, with a kiss on the head and a promise that everything will be alright. Despite your outward projection of confidence, inwardly you know your child couldn’t be feeling further from “alright.” Soon you hear your child rattling off disturbing performance assessments like “I can’t do anything right” or “I’m stupid” or “I never win!”

It’s only natural to wonder: is your child destined to a lifetime of focusing on unattainable goals and emotional burnout? Or is there something you can do to calm the storm and help your child develop better sportsmanship?

The Consequences of Raising a Sore Loser Can Be Traumatizing

It may be tempting to let your child win all the time or quit a sport in response to the histrionics. However, it’s worth tackling head-on, given the lasting repercussions. For instance, Canadian researchers found that sore losers tend to be perfectionists who put incredible levels of unhealthy pressure on themselves and see no other options but to win.

Flying off the handle once or twice isn’t likely to cause long-term harm, but a continual pattern of hysterics can result in depression, cardiovascular disease, and (perhaps worst of all) social ostracization.

When it comes to sore losers, “Pardon one offense, and you encourage the commission of many.” Do not turn a blind eye. Consider this your child’s cry for help in dealing with big emotions. It will happen – not overnight, but certainly with your care and compassion.

What Happens in the Brain When a Child Loses

Neuroscientist Maarten van Boksem assessed brain activity using MRI and EEG while subjects played games. He found that losing a game triggered the same brain activity as banging one’s head against a door at full speed. The anterior cingulate cortex lit up in response to the stress; this is the same part of the brain involved in reward anticipation, identifying errors — and, consequently, decision-making. So it’s perfectly understandable your child may not make the best behavioral decisions fresh off a loss. As babies, we understand that we fall and pick ourselves back up again as part of the learning process. As adults, we figure out how to make better decisions to avoid defeats.

Many factors influence how your child will respond to a loss:

Genetics – To some extent, your response to a loss is hardwired into your character depending on how sensitive you are and how well you can control your emotions.
Status – Primate research shows us that the strongest alpha male and members at the very bottom of the hierarchy display the lowest stress response to defeat. In other words, they are assured of their social position. The animals in the middle – who had the most to win or lose – tended to see much higher cortisol spikes.
Maturity – Children who are just a year old understand something isn’t right when a handful of sweets are divided unequally among two dolls. By age five, a child is much better able to independently dial down on the biological fight-or-flight response. Maturity is largely a social process. Through gentle correction, you can influence this factor.

What You Can Do As A Parent To Cultivate Good Sportsmanship and Graceful Losing

Express empathy and empower. Emotions are not “good” or “bad”; they are comfortable and uncomfortable. You might say, “It can be really uncomfortable to lose. You’re really disappointed now, aren’t you? We can’t help that feeling. It’s natural. But we can choose what we do next.” Your child might start by taking a deep, centering breath.
Choose the right words. You want to avoid praising your child’s intelligence or good looks; instead, focus on innate qualities your child can control. Praise effort, patience, resilience. If your child complains, “I always lose” – you can say, “You haven’t won today — YET.” If your child says, “I suck at this game” – you can rephrase, “You just haven’t mastered the skills YET.” Consider some of the growth mindset books out there to help reinforce the concept that we are always in a state of becoming.
Find the silver lining and praise that. “I really liked how you anticipated that guy’s move and blocked him. It shows you’re thinking ahead,” you might say. If your child tries a new sport and immediately wants to quit, you might say, “You didn’t care for baseball, that’s too bad. It was good that you tried something new. Life is all about trying new things to see what we like.”
Pick a favorite quote or mantra and repeat ad nauseum. Repeating a mantra can eventually sink in – like “Some days it’s our turn to win, and some days it’s our turn to lose. That’s just how life is.” Or, on a more positive note, you might say, “As long as you have fun, you always win.” Gently remind your child (and some days yourself): “We can only do our best! As long as you do your best, you are always a winner.” It may seem futile at first, but eventually you will catch your child repeating your same old sayings.
Allow natural consequences. If your child throws an epic fit after a loss, calmly say, “That’s not how we act. We’ll put the pieces back in the box and try again another day.” The next time your child asks to play, you might say, “I can’t play with you if you’re going to scream and yell if you don’t win the game. Do you promise me you’ll take a deep breath instead?”
Play cooperative games. Some small fries are not mature or ready enough to play competitive games. Try cooperativ e games like “Outfoxed,” “Forbidden Island,” “Hoot Owl Hoot,” “Search and Rescue,” or “Shadows in the Forest” in the meantime. There are no winners and losers in dance parties, swimming, horseback riding, canoeing, or yoga.
Remind that life is about the journey, not the end. Instead of asking about your children’s grades or whether they won or lost a sporting event, ask whether they had fun, what they learned, or whether they did their best. Remind your child of the skills you’re acquiring in the process or provide positive feedback about a particular good decision your child made. “You’re starting to think ahead,” you might say during chess; or “your footwork is really coming along,” you might say after a soccer game.
Soften the blow. As you are playing a game with your child, remark about how fun certain aspects of the game are. You might mention, “Oh no, you nearly had me there!” or “Thanks for making this game so challenging for me!” Emphasize effort over result by saying, “You really put a lot of effort into that.”
Take the pain out of losing. This works particularly well when you’re playing with multiple children. You can make a rule where the winner cleans up the game, so the losers don’t feel so bad. Or the loser can choose the next game.
Model good sportsmanship yourself. Avoid blaming, shouting, or trash talking. Do not allow winners to gloat or poor sports to bend the rules. After a game, whether you win or lose, shake your child’s hand and say, “Good game.” While watching professional sports on television, wait it out until the very end and point out to your child how the basketball, hockey, baseball, soccer, or football players always line up to express positive wishes to their opponents. You can say something like, “I’m sad our team lost today. But it’s okay to feel disappointed. I know I will feel better soon and we can always try again.”
Or model poor sportsmanship. We’re not recommending that you launch a temper tantrum after picking the candy hearts at the end of Candyland. However, you could say something like “I feel so bad about losing! I’m so frustrated! I’m really angry! What can I do to feel better?” This sort of discussion can spark empathy in your child and you may be surprised with the thoughtful ideas they have.
Focus on anger management. Developing anger management skills can be a lifelong process, but it’s best to nip aggressive reactions in the bud while your child is young. What can be expected for a three-year-old is simply intolerable for a 12-year-old. Understanding choices to cope with big emotions is imperative and there are many books to help guide you. Emphasize labeling the feeling and then determine a strategy to deal with it. Many children find it helpful to take deep breaths or take a short walk away from the table.
Reward the hard choice. Some children respond really well to therapist-recommended positive reinforcement systems. Let your child know that losing can be hard, but every time your child loses gracefully with a “good game,” rather than a tantrum, a point will be earned. At 10 points, a desirable reward can be selected from a jar of options – a dinner out, a movie, playing catch with dad, an ice cream cone, an afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese, or a sleepover with friends.

At Shine, every child is a winner. Our educators teach compassion through fun, engaging classes based on science, art, imagination, music, and culture. In addition to enrichment activities, we also offer family coaching. Contact us for details.

5 Games That Make Decluttering and Cleaning Fun For Kids

January 23, 2020/in Guide, Learn/by Shine

Household messes are taking a huge toll on American families – and there’s research to prove it. According to a survey conducted by Closet Maid, 92 percent of parents describe their kids as “messy.” Astoundingly, parents pick up their kids’ toys an average of 1,456 times per year. (Oh, if we could only have all that time back!) Eighty percent of parents give their kids chores, but half of them admit to doing the chores themselves to “make sure it’s done properly.” Two out of three parents say their children’s messiness leaves them in a bad mood.

January is a time of renewal, where many of us feel hopeful about achieving cleaner, more harmonious homes. There are ample reasons why picking up with your kids is good for their development as well. Find a way to make it fun and interactive, so you can exhale clutter and breathe-in sanity.

Benefits of Encouraging Kids to Declutter and Clean

There are many reasons why you should make family decluttering and cleaning a priority:

You show your children they are part of something greater than themselves. The most important message cleaning together sends to the kids is that they are part of the family, too. They are expected to contribute to the household, just as mommy and daddy contribute time, money, and care. They eat the food, wear the clothes, play with the toys, and dirty the dishes, so they should also be part of the cleanup effort. Starting in toddlerhood, kids have the intrinsic desire to be with others; if they see you or an older sibling cleaning, they will naturally want to join in and be a part of the group. This is important for their happiness and emotional development.

You are the first teacher. On a practical level, training how to diligently wipe a counter top or fold clothing provides real-world skills that will become useful later in life.

Kids can experience the joy of accomplishment. It can be rewarding to see a trashed space become more habitable. It’s easier for your child to appreciate a space’s transformation when they are part of the process.

Cleaning encourages thoughtfulness and situational awareness. Regular enforcement of chores breeds responsibility and teaches children the value of work. In time, your child will begin to think twice before walking across the floor in muddy boots or leaving a dish on the table – knowing that this small carelessness will create more work for someone else in the household. In Mexico, they have a term for volunteerism within families: acomedido. It’s not just doing what you’re told or helping out; it’s knowing the kind of help that is appropriate because you’re paying attention and situationally aware.

Kids are more creative in clean work spaces. Not surprisingly, research confirms that children work better and feel less stressed in spaces that are clean and free from clutter.

The time is now to create healthy lifelong habits. Brown University found that routines and habits in children – including household chores and responsibilities – are unlikely to vary after the age of nine, all the way through high school.

5 Games That Make Decluttering and Cleaning Fun for Kids

1. Guess the “secret” item: This game works great for a room full of toy clutter. If you have more than one child, give each one a bin to fill. Write down the names of two or three “secret items.” Whoever collects these items gets to choose a prize. You could fill a small treasure chest with Dollar Store items, pass out a treat, or use reward stickers if your kids are into that. If you have only one child, have them pick up a bin and then play a guessing game with clues where they get a prize for a correct answer. Remember, it’s best if you collect a bin to show you’re “all in it together,” rather than bossing from the sidelines.

2. Learning scavenger hunt: Little ones who are learning to count love the challenge of finding certain items. You can use scavenger hunts to reinforce learning. “Can you find eight dinosaurs and put them in this bin?” you might ask. “Can you put four round plates into the sink?” you might add. If you’re creative and your kids are in kindergarten or beyond, you can draw up a visual scavenger hunt chart to see if they’re up to the task. If your child is learning about colors, you can say, “I spy with my little eye something that is… blue!” and have your child find all the blue items until you’re ready to move onto another color toy.

3. Pretend play time: Cleaning doesn’t have to be a dull exercise in drudgery. It can be the time of day where we can all be our best selves – whether that’s a super hero parent or a dinosaur child. Need to make beds? You can pretend you’re a bunch of buccaneers hoisting the sails. Need to pick up toys? You can put on techno music and walk around the house like a fleet of cleanup robots, bending stiffly at the waist and speaking in robotic voices. Need to clean counters? Have an older child wield the squirt bottle like it’s a firefighter’s hose. Need to do the dishes? Pretend you are Snow White and the dwarves whistling while you work. There are countless scenarios.

4. The toy gobbler monster: Nothing motivates kids more than the threat of the “Toy Gobbler Monster” (a.k.a. your vacuum cleaner) hungrily sucking up all their toys. This only works for a certain type of child who is more physically active than sensitive. Keep it in good-hearted fun by announcing with mock-worry, “Oh no, I think the Toy Gobbler is waking up in his lair… you’d better get these toys put into their beds before the greedy Toy Gobbler gets here!” Meander ever so slowly with the vacuum until the toys get put away, pointing out priority items for your child to collect so they feel particularly accomplished.

5. Smile, you’re on camera: Kids are natural hams and love to be in front of the camera. Tell them you’re going to film “commercials” of them doing whatever chore needs to be done – whether it’s mopping the floor, doing the dishes, or sorting laundry. Or you could tell them you’re filming a documentary about “kids who help their families around the house,” and ask them to narrate what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. These videos will be yours to cherish for years to come.

Want the fun party without all the mess? Leave setup and cleanup to Shine!Contact us to learn more.

Cultural Kid-Friendly Food: Top 5 Jewish Recipes for Hanukkah

December 7, 2019/in Celebrate, Guide, Taste/by Shine

For many Jewish families, Hanukkah is synonymous with home-cooking. It’s a time where our mothers toil in the kitchen to embrace their love of feeding us, and our fathers pause from work for a moment to enjoy connection with the family around the table. Food is a language of love, so it makes perfect sense to share your love of culture, cooking, and family with your children. What follows are some of our favorite recipes for a Hanukkah feast that are easy enough for kids to share in the making and tasty enough for the plates to hit the sink empty.

1. Latkes

(Recipe From Chef Eli Sussman of Mile End, Courtesy of AM New York)

Potato pancakes known as latkes are the most well-known Hanukkah food – and a symbolic one at that. The oil these crispy flats are fried in reminds us of the rededication of the Holy Temple, where one day’s worth of oil miraculously lasted for eight days. If you’re not planning on visiting one of New York City’s best latke hotspots this month, try this recipe (from Chef Eli Sussman of the famous Mile End restaurant) with your kids at home. For a basic latke, you’ll need Idaho potatoes, white onions, eggs, Matzo Meal, vegetable oil, and a slotted fish spatula for flipping. Fancier recipes may throw in scallions, butter, and baking powder or corn starch. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here, but the Chicago Tribune has an interesting take – with eight latke recipes for the eight days of Hanukkah. Different toppings include sour cream, applesauce, or smoked salmon. Freeze leftovers and reheat for 2-3 minutes at 350 in the oven.

Get a traditional NYC latke recipe.

2. Matzo Ball Soup

(Recipe From Joan Nathan, courtesy of NY Times Cooking)

Soup is something most kids look forward to as much as a warm scarf and hot cocoa in the winter. This recipe comes from “the Queen of American Jewish Cooking” Joan Nathan, a James Beard Foundation award-winning cookbook author and NYC culinary class instructor. You get the basic idea of eggs, schmaltz, Matzo Meal, ginger, and nutmeg, but you can exercise creativity in choosing chicken or vegetable stock, and either dill, cilantro, or parsley as a garnish. If you’re not serving the soup immediately, you can freeze the Matzo balls on a baking sheet, transfer to a freezer bag, and thaw a few hours before heating in broth to serve.

Get a soul-warming Matzo Ball soup recipe.

3. Challah

(Recipe From Upper East Side Pastry Chef Adam Levin, courtesy of Haaretz)

Challah is a staple of the holiday table, whether it’s braided for Shabbat, served round for Jewish New Year, or however you prefer it for Hanukkah. This braided egg-washed bread is supple like brioche and full of flavor. You can eat it as a side with chopped liver pate or bake it into French Toast come morning. Check out the many variations here. We like this recipe because it gets into the nitty-gritty of technique and answers crucial questions that arise while baking – like: What kind of yeast should I use? What if I don’t have a standing mixer? Is the dough too wet? Should I add more flour? How long should the braid be? And how much honey should I add to the wash? Recipe author Adam Levin found his love of baking with his grandmother whose recipe he’s immortalized here — with a few helpful tweaks he picked up before graduating from the Culinary Institute of America at the top of his class.

Get a detailed recipe that shares the secrets of great Challah.

4. Herb-and-Lemon Roasted Chicken

(Recipe From NYC based food writer Gail Simmons, Courtesy of Food & Wine Magazine)

Brisket is the most popular meat main course, as it’s a hearty, welcoming winter dish capable of feeding a crowd. However, many families enjoy roasted, spiced chicken as an alternate choice. This foolproof roasted chicken recipe uses a whole chicken seasoned with garlic, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest, but you can also opt to roast chicken pieces if you prefer. More than 2,500 five-star reviewers can’t be wrong, can they? A few tricks you may find helpful: brown the chicken in a skillet for a crispy golden crust, and roast the thighs and breasts in separate dishes, so each cooks to perfect readiness. Serve the chicken over top roasted potatoes, fennel, carrots, or another root vegetable of your choice.

Get a versatile roasted chicken recipe beloved by all.

5. Sufganiyot

(Recipe From Breads Bakery’s Uri Scheft, courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine)

Uri Scheft of Breads Bakery in Chelsea knows a thing or two about sufganiyot (pronounced soof-gone-YOT). In just one day of Hanukkah, they sell three months’ worth of the warm, ball-sized, golden, jam-filled, sugar-dusted donuts. You can use any kind of neutral oil, be it vegetable or safflower, but don’t skimp on the whole milk. You can whisk chunky jam in a food processor for pro piping. If you don’t have a piping bag, a toothpick and plastic bag with a hole cut in it will suffice. Adding orange zest and juice will ensure your recipe is bursting with fresh fruit flavor. The options for sufganiyot preserves, pastry creams, and sugar coatings are endless once you’ve gotten the basics down. Chocolate cream and cinnamon sugar is a recommended variation.

Get your sweet, kid-favorite sufganiyot dessert recipe.

About Shine
Founded by Aaron Goldschmidt in 2004, Shine is a creative, modern child enrichment program that accepts children of all faiths and cultures. If your child loves helping in the kitchen, you’ll find more Jewish recipes for the New Year here, or you can try one of Shine’s cooking classes. We also offer “Vitamin J,” a Jewish art and culture classes geared toward ages 5-10. We hope to see you in 2020!

How Different Cultures Celebrate December Holidays

December 7, 2019/in Celebrate, Guide, Learn, Party/by Shine

When the ground freezes and the earth is covered in a blanket of snow, we tend to think of hibernation, rest, and quietude. Busy cultural calendars around the world stand in juxtaposition, as the colder months prove a time of feast and festivity. Learning about other traditions around the world is an interesting lesson in history, religion, and culture, but also an important opportunity to promote greater tolerance, acceptance, and celebration of diversity. Here are 10 different December holidays you may introduce to your child to provoke discussion and reflection of the winter season.

St. Nicholas Day (December 6, 2019)

St. Nicholas Day is celebrated in Eastern Christian religions — particularly in Russia and Greece, where Saint Nicholas is the patron saint. The Roman Empire bishop is known for generosity, kindness toward children, calming the seas, and performing miracles. The feast day is celebrated with children’s masses, special hymns, and prayer. In Western and Central European countries like Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, and the Netherlands — where children put out a boot for St. Nicholas on December 5^th in hopes of receiving small coins, candy, oranges, toys, or glass ornaments in the morning. Historical recordings dating back to medieval times allege that nuns used the night of December 6^th to distribute anonymous baskets of food and clothing at the doorsteps of the needy.

St. Lucia Day (December 13, 2019)

St. Lucia’s Day is celebrated in Sweden, Norway, and Swedish-speaking parts of Finland to honor the third-century virgin martyr. She is recognized as a symbol of light and purity, so the eldest daughter of the family dresses up in a long white gown with a red sash and wreath of burning candles on her head. She awakens the family by singing songs and bringing them coffee and twisted saffron buns called lussekatter (Lucia cats). Finland celebrates the day with a torchbearer parade of light. Norwegians hold processions through schools, hospitals, nursing homes, daycares, and senior centers to warm the heart and celebrate emergence out of the darkest winter nights.

Winter Solstice (December 21, 2019)

Winter Solstice has been celebrated for thousands of years by cultures all around the world. The shortest day of the year may have been observed as early as the Neolithic Period (the end of the Stone Age) in 10,200 BC. Archaeologists theorize monuments like Newgrange in Ireland, Maeshowe in Scotland, and Stonehenge in England were a place of December ritual. Today, there are large gatherings at these sites. Ancient Romans celebrated Saturnalia, a weeklong holiday of feasting and drinking in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture. The Norsemen of Scandinavia celebrated Yule from the winter solstice through January, where they would feast until a large Yule log burned out. Zuni and Hopi Native American tribes commemorate the beginning of the new year with ceremonial mask dances, fires, and gift-giving. From hot yuzu fruit baths in Japan, to the “Burning of Clocks” in Brighton, England, Winter Solstice is celebrated in different ways around the world.

Hanukkah (December 22-30, 2019)

Jewish people around the world celebrate Hanukkah, a religious holiday honoring the Maccabee’s victory over King Antiochus, who forbade Jews from practicing their religion. During the re-dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the menorah’s candles were said to have miraculously burned for eight nights, even though there was only enough oil for a single day. Today, nine menorah candles are lit in the home for eight nights. During Hanukkah, blessings are said, special foods like potato pancakes (latkes) and jam-filled donuts (sufganiyot) are eaten, songs are sung, and children spin tops called dreidels to win nuts, raisins, and chocolate coins. Holidays like Passover and Rosh Hashanah are much more significant to the religion, but Hanukkah is special to many families as a cherished winter tradition nonetheless.

Christmas (December 25, 2019)

Christmas originated as a religious holiday celebrated by Christians around the world to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God. Religious celebrations involve candle-lit wreaths to represent the four weeks of Advent, songs like “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” readings of Christmas stories in the Bible, the display of Nativity Scenes, and December 24^th Midnight mass in darkness to celebrate the birth of light. Over the years, Christmas has been adopted by non-Christian peoples as a secular holiday of gift-giving, decorating, caroling, storytelling, and feasting. Traditions vary around the world. Evergreen trees decorated with ornaments and lights date back to 16^thCentury Germany. In Australia, where Christmas falls during summer, people head out to the beach and decorate a Christmas Bush. Depictions of Father Christmas or Santa Claus, based loosely on Saint Nicholas, go back at least as far as the reign of Henry VIII, where he appeared in plays wearing fur-lined green or red robes to deliver peace, joy, food, wine, and good cheer. Some say Santa arrives on Christmas Eve in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer to deliver gifts to good girls and boys, but he arrives by boat in Hawaii and on water skis in Australia. Instead of leaving milk and cookies out for Santa Claus, children in England leave mince pies and brandy for Father Christmas. Iceland has thirteen Santas known as Yule Lads who leave small gifts for good children in shoes left on the window sill, and potatoes in the shoes of naughty children. From lantern festivals in the Philippines and Kentucky Fried Chicken dinners in Japan, to 42-foot-tall straw yule goats in Sweden and late night fireworks in Brazil, there is no shortage of ways to observe Christmas around the world.

Kwanzaa (December 26, 2019 – January 1, 2020)

Kwanzaa is a relatively young holiday created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 following the Watts riots in Los Angeles. He wanted to reconnect African Americans to African culture roots, borrowing traditions from Swahili “first fruit” harvest celebrations. Celebrations include song, dance, drumming, storytelling, poetry reading, and feasts. On each of the seven nights, a child lights a candle on the Kinara to represent the seven principle values of African culture: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith. Though it is celebrated mostly in America, more than 20 million people now celebrate the holiday from Jamaica, London, and South Africa, to Ghana, Toronto, and Paris — as seen in the documentary “The Black Candle.”

Boxing Day (December 26, 2019)

The observation of Boxing Day originated in the United Kingdom during the Middle Ages as a day where the church collection boxes for the poor were distributed to communities. Servants were given the day off to celebrate Christmas with their families. Boxing Day is now a public holiday in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, where mail carriers and trade professionals enjoy a day of rest. For retail workers, Boxing Day is the busiest shopping day of the year, due to post-Christmas sales. In Ireland, they celebrate St. Stephen’s Day. In the Bahamas, the Junkanoo street parade and festival is held on Boxing Day. Not only is it a popular day of continued celebration and shopping, but also sport – with horse races, soccer matches, and ice hockey contests in European nations.

Ōmisoka (December 31, 2019)

Japan’s New Year’s Eve called Ōmisoka is considered one of the most important days of the year. Families visit shrines or temples at midnight for joya-no-kane, the striking of large cast bells for each of the 108 earthly desires that cause human suffering. Families gather to enjoy a feast of soba or udon noodles for one last time in the old year. Homes are cleaned and de-cluttered from top to bottom in osoji (the big cleaning). Many people also look forward to the national broadcast of the Red vs. White Singing Competition, which is akin to our “American Idol” competition.

Hogmanay (December 31, 2019)

During the Protestant Reformation, Christmas was banned in Scotland for some 400 years, so prior to 1958, the biggest winter holiday was Hogmanay, which started on December 31^stand spilled over into the New Year. Families gathered for bonfires, large feasts, and the cleaning out of the fireplace. Many people still recognize the ancient tradition of “first-footing,” where it is believed the household is presented with good fortune when the first person to cross the threshold is a dark-haired male. (In those days, a red or blonde-haired stranger was probably an invading Norseman!) Different parts of Scotland have their own quaint Hogmanay traditions as well. For instance, Edinburgh is home to a huge street party and torchlight processions; balls of fire swing through the fishing village of Stonehaven; and fancy-dressed partiers swim in the icy waters of Firth of Forth at South Queensferry in what is called “the Loony Dook.”

New Year’s Eve (December 31, 2019)

“Out with the old and in with the new” is the idea behind the celebration of New Year’s Eve. Since New Year’s Day is a public holiday, the night before is spent feasting, partying, and ringing in the New Year at midnight. Most countries celebrate New Year’s Eve with fireworks – with the largest displays in New York’s Times Square; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Sydney, Australia; London, England; Edinburgh, Scotland; and Dubai, UAE. In Spain, 12 grapes are eaten at midnight to represent each month of the New Year. In Denmark, old plates and glasses are broken against the doors of friends and family to banish bad spirits. In Columbia, three “fortune-telling” potatoes are placed under the bed and pulled out at midnight – one peeled (financial problems), one unpeeled (abundance), and one half-peeled (something in between). In Ecuador, families symbolically burn a straw man at midnight in hopes that their faults with disappear with him. In Canada, New Year’s Eve is a popular ice-fishing day.

No matter what you’re celebrating this holiday season, you can find a place at Shine. We foster natural curiosity about cultures from around the world through crafts, storytelling, music, and culinary delights. Contact us to learn more about our wide range of inclusive workshops, classes, parties, and enrichment activities.

6 Best Fall Foliage Hikes for East End Families

October 15, 2019/in Celebrate, Fun, Guide, Learn/by Shine

“Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn,” said Garden Designer and Writer Elizabeth Lawrence. We agree that autumn is a blissful time, where trees burst with dying beauty and blaze like torches, lighting the way to winter – but we disagree that you have to “sit still” to partake in all the glory of the year’s grand finale.

Philosopher Henry David Thoreau tells us, “An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” Gathering our families up for a fall foliage hike is a treasured tradition for us here in the East End. Create warm family memories, enjoying an active, bright, clear weekend at one of these East End New York City hidden gems.

Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge

(2595 Noyack Road, Sag Harbor)

This wildlife haven sits on a 187-acre peninsula overlooking Noyack and Little Peconic bays. Birdwatchers delight in autumnal migrations of double-crested cormorants, horned grebes, beach sanderlings, common loons, Forster’s and arctic terns, and turkeys. Cold-stunned loggerhead and Kemp’s ridley turtles wash ashore to warm up on their way south for the winter. The endangered osprey boasts a commanding presence at Morton, with at least two nesting pairs active in the area for three decades. Sharp-eyed tots may even spot resident eastern chipmunks, eastern cottontail rabbits, gray squirrels, red fox, or white-tailed deer.

Laurel Lake Park and Preserve

(5501 NY-25, Laurel)

The preservation of Laurel Lake is part of the Peconic Land Trust, dedicated to maintaining the natural beauty of 480 acres of land, including 14 miles of well-groomed trails clearly marked for your family to follow. A winding two-mile loop trail will take you up and down changing topography through towering cedars, oaks, dogwood, and laurels around the lake. Don’t forget to pack a picnic to enjoy at the scenic lakeside picnic tables. A playground adds to the fun for your youngsters.

Mashomack Preserve

(79 S Ferry Rd, Shelter Island)

Choose from five flat trails amid over 2,000 acres of mature oak woodlands, freshwater marshes, floral fields, and tidal creeks. The accessible trails range from one or 1.5 miles to three, six, and 12 mile loops. The trails and visitor’s center are open every day (except Tuesdays) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but we especially recommend “Souper Sunday,” which feature a guided six-mile green trail hike to Bass Creek Cottage for homemade soup, or “Nature’s Halloween Trail,” which offers friendly costumed characters and light refreshments.

Ogdens Brook Trail

(50 South Fairview Avenue, Montauk)

Ogdens Brook Trail is a section of the 125-mile long Pamanok Path inside Montauk Point State Park that follows Montauk’s famous Oyster Pond. This easy 1.5 miles of unpaved road conveniently starts at the parking area, continuing over a stream footbridge, through the wetlands, and into a maritime forest of undisturbed beech, black tupelo, red maple, and shadbush. Cool sights along the way include a lighthouse and abandoned military bunkers. Later in the season, harbor seals can be seen on the coastal rocks down the yellow-marked “seal haul-out” trail.

Quogue Wildlife Refuge

(3 Old Country Road, Quogue)

The 300-acre Quogue Wildlife Refuge is a favorite for kids, as the Outdoor Wildlife Complex houses injured bald eagles, owls, falcons, red fox, chinchillas, bearded dragon lizards, tortoises, and other New York native species. The Charles Banks Belt Nature Center offers additional wildlife exhibits, a nature library, touch table, children’s room, gift shop, and the best views of Old Ice Pond. Seven miles of walking trails take you through diverse habitats – bogs, fields, Pine Barrens, tidal estuaries, and wetlands. The main trail is not only scenic, but stroller-friendly, too. For $10, you can make a reservation for their annual “Enchanted Forest Trail” walk, taking place at noon on October 26^th or 27th, featuring games, activities, and costumed characters.

Sears Bellows County Park

(63 Bellows Pond Road, Hampton Bays)

Sears Bellows takes you through clearly marked trails of 979-acre parkland, suitable for beginners. The easiest trail is the one-mile, stroller-friendly jaunt around Bellows Pond, but there are paths to continue on along Sears Pond. A fun playground overlooking the water is a great place to park for an extended lunch break. Older kids may enjoy fishing for bass, bluegill, pickerel, or perch.

Pro Tip: We keep an eye on the I Love NY Fall Foliage Report to determine the best timing. (As of early October, we’re at about 15% color change, with an explosion of color expected in the coming weeks.)

Love the fall season? So do we! Join our team of educators in one of our fall classes for seasonal crafting, cooking, traveling, and learning opportunities aplenty. We have something for everyone ages six months to 10 years!

Mind/Body Wellness Activities For Kids 4-10

September 30, 2019/in Guide, Learn/by Shine

Parents share many of the same concerns and goals for their children. We all worry about the effect of screen time and the pressures of school. We all hope to encourage adequate nutrition and exercise. We hope that our children will grow to become kind, happy, strong, healthy, and self-assured. Mind/body wellness is a growing area of child research that seeks to improve physical health through the reduction of mental stress. By the same token, taking care of the body can have a tremendous impact on mood and overall happiness. If you’re wondering where to get started on developing your child’s mind/body wellness connection, try one of the following activities.

Self-Defense Training

Interest in martial arts is at an all-time high. Youth programs start as young as three or four. Parents see it as the ideal supplemental education for their kids, as it combines traditional fitness movements with situational awareness and role playing. Students aren’t learning “how to fight” so much as they’re learning how to sense danger, use their own strength, make coordinated movements, and build up discipline. As Jiu-Jitsu Grand Master Rorion Gracie put it: “Self-defense is not just a set of techniques; it’s a state of mind and it begins with the belief that you are worth defending.”

Juggling

A study published in the journal Nature found that just three months of learning to juggle increased the volume and density of gray matter in the brain’s mid-temporal area and the posterior intraparietal sulcus. Individuals must keep practicing to keep the increased muscle mass, but changes in this area can produce improvements in memory, the use of language, and sensorimotor function. Juggler Chet Pope explained, “It has totally changed my life. It has helped me to be mindful in the things that I do, and no matter how many times that I fail at something, I can always pick myself up, or the ball, and try again.”

Yoga

Yoga is the perfect place to start for children ages 4-10. A growing body of research suggests yoga can decrease anxiety, curb impulsive behavior, boost attentiveness, and improve executive functioning associated with decision making. For the younger kids, the emphasis is on feeling the body move, reaching the arms and legs, balancing on one foot, and participating in fun energy flow games. Songs, mantras, and chants help reinforce the learning. As the kids get older, attention shifts to improving the quality of movement, maintaining good posture, and using visualization to create a calm, relaxed state.

Meditation

Mindful meditation teaches kids to connect to themselves, which is critical for connecting with others and their communities at large. The research on meditation benefits for elementary school age children is robust. One study found that kids who learned mindful awareness practices had better executive function after just eight weeks. Another study found that mindful yoga meditations helped kids self-regulate their emotions over the course of a year. Children with ADHD who participated in meditation twice a week with their parents had better concentration at school. A similar study focusing on ADHD boys found that eight weeks of mindfulness training significantly reduced hyperactive behaviors. Mindfulness helps kids reduce anxiety and boost memory function during high stakes testing. A school in California found that adding a half hour of meditation into the day improved attendance and grades, reduced suspensions, and led to a happier student body. Green Child Magazineoffers a number of delightful meditation scripts you can try with your kids at home.

Social-Emotional Learning Activities

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) recommends focusing on five core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills. There are countless ways to build up these areas, from reading books and reflective writing assignments to class service projects and games like musical chairs. Social-Emotional Learning is part of every NYC school curriculum, but it is important to promote these core competencies in extracurricular activities and home life outside school to reinforce them.

Foster Your Child’s Total Mind-Body Wellness With Enrichment Classes

If you live in the New York City area, contact Shine to enroll your four to 10-year-old in our new “I, Shine” program. This signature class combines yoga, self-defense training, and social-emotional learning activities geared toward total mind/body wellness. Our classes are not based around any particular spiritual philosophy; we welcome children from all religious denominations. Children will learn helpful self-regulation techniques, improve their social skills, develop their independence, and gain self-confidence. These classes are taught by certified special education teacher Elizabeth Chavez.

7 Hidden Gems in the Hamptons

September 12, 2019/in Fun, Guide, Learn, Party, Play/by Shine

Whether you live in the East End or you’re looking to get out of Manhattan for a day, the Hamptons provide a wealth of environmental treasures for families. These destinations evoke a sense of wonder, awe, and imagination in young and old alike. Shine play groups meet at some of these locations on a weekly basis, while others we visit for special events, parties, and workshops. With the Indian summers we’ve been having, autumn is the perfect season to get out and explore some of these hidden gems at a time when the crowds are thin.

LongHouse Reserve

Stroll this 16-acre sculpture garden to find a giant chess board designed by Yoko Ono, a beautiful pond with lotus plants and frogs on lily pads, and Buckminster Fuller’s iconic “Fly’s Eye Dome,” designed with water collection systems and solar panels as a “self-sufficient home of the future.” Kids delight in the maze-like layout, while embarking upon a scavenger hunt for the unique and captivating. All ages are welcome, but the ideal age is six and up, as they are less likely to climb on the sculptures, shout at the top of their lungs, or be tempted to play hide-and-seek.

Visit: 133 Hands Creek Road, East Hampton, 613-604-5330, www.longhouse.org

Bridge Gardens

Part of the Peconic Land Trust, designed to preserve Long Island’s working farms and natural lands, the five acres of Bridge Gardens offer the perfect respite from City life for birdwatching, painting, photography, and nature study in the heart of Bridgehampton. The land boasts a collection of perennial and annual beds, as well as hedgerows and herb gardens. The garden hosts many educational and family-friendly events in partnership with Shine and the local children’s museum.

Visit: 36 Mitchell Lane, Bridgehampton, 631-537-7440, www.peconiclandtrust.org

Children’s Museum of the East End

Parents and children alike will enjoy the magic of this interactive play center geared toward ages 2-7. The town-like setting takes families through a farmers’ market, a windmill, a potato chip factory, a 1950s diner, a library, a fire station, a construction site, a pirate shipwreck, and a musical forest. Active children will delight in the wooden climbing structures, soft foam areas, and slides. Keep an eye out for classes, workshops, and special performances throughout the year.

Visit: 376 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton, 631-537-8250, www.cmee.org

Amber Waves Farm

Amber Waves was founded in 2009 to produce healthy, organic food for the local community such as wheat, popcorn, and over 300 varieties of fruits, vegetables, and cutting flowers. You’ll also see dozens of chickens running about. Guided tours, pizza-making workshops, story hours, toddler play groups, and a hands-on Farm Club program are all part of the family-oriented experience.

Visit: 367 Main Street, Amagansett, 631-267-5664, www.amberwavefarms.org

Madoo Conservancy

Madoo is an enchanting oasis – from the pruned boxwood and grove of ginkgos of the central walkway and the Chinese bridge overlooking a pond, to the blue wrought-iron gated gardens and the fairytale cottages with yellow doors. With free admission, there’s really no excuse to miss out on this local landmark and tribute to artist/gardener Robert Dash. Children’s programming includes storytelling in the gardens from 10-11 am on Monday mornings through October 7^th. During the summer months, they offer an art program based on East End painters for kids ages 5-8.

Visit: 618 Sagg Main Street, Sagaponack, 631-537-8200, www.madoo.org

Nova’s Ark

Artist Nova Mihai Popa hoped the enormous sculptures set on the 95 acres of Nova’s Ark would “reflect the spirit and knowledge all around us.” One can’t help but be impressed by the bronze-colored structures reaching over five stories high. While you’re there, stop by to see the resident grazing sheep and the majestic horses boarded at Big Sky Ranch. The Ark serves as a great introduction to unique architectural styles, with the Elliptical House (designed to have a small ecological footprint), the Castle Barn celebration center (renovated from an old dairy barn), and the Cities of the Future (cosmic brick homes that can be easily replicated in factories).

Visit: 60 Millstone Road, Water Mill, 631-537-0061, www.thearkproject.com

Wölffer Estate Winery

This vineyard is assuredly kid-friendly. Co-owner Joey Wölffer explains, “There is nothing better than having my daughters at the Wine Stand with me on Friday and Saturday nights. Kids love to run around and play together, and it’s a great place to bring the family.” Across the road from the main vineyard, music starts at 5:00 pm and runs through the end of September. Bring blankets and chairs to enjoy a sunset picnics with wines by the bottle and glass, cheese and charcuterie platters, as well as beverages and snack boxes with raisins, string cheese, and Goldfish crackers available for the kids. During the summer months, Wölffer runs a pony camp for kids. (Nearby Channing Daughters winery is another one of our kid-friendly favorites.)

Visit: 3312 Montauk Highway, Sagaponack, 631-537-5106, www.wolffer.com

International Kid-Friendly Food: Top 5 Jamaican Recipes for Marcus Garvey Day

August 15, 2019/in Celebrate, Guide, Taste/by Shine

Six years ago, the Government of Jamaica declared August 17^th “Marcus Garvey Day” in honor of the nation’s first National Hero. Marcus Garvey (1887-1940), a Jamaican-born nationalist, civil rights activist, and Pan-Africanism movement leader, sought to unify and connect people of African descent worldwide.

“Garvey has influenced the world through so many different people, I don’t think the world and even some Jamaicans recognize the worth and impact of his influence – and, just through his sayings, how many freedom fighters and world leaders have brought their messages of confidence to masses of people,” said Jamaica’s Minister of Youth and Culture, Hon. Lisa Hanna.

His vision was one of prosperity for African people at home and abroad, and his legacy has caused others to view Jamaicans as equals “in every sphere of life… on the great human stage of activity,” she explained, adding: “As Jamaicans, we ought to be proud of our ancestry; we ought to be proud of our heroes…He was clearly ahead of his time.”

Close to 600 Jamaicans live here — in New York City neighborhoods like Queens Village, Jamaica, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Wakefield, and Tremont. Perhaps that is why we have a Marcus Garvey Park (which is hosting Black Woodstock on Marcus Garvey Day this year).

What a great opportunity we have, now, to teach our children about Jamaica’s contributions on the world stage, including their many culinary delights. We love cooking with our children as a way of teaching life skills, while sharing valuable time and bonding closely with our kin. Here are five Jamaican recipes in honor of Marcus Garvey Day you’ll love making together.

Jamaican Rice & Peas

Recipe by Schnelle “Nellie” Acevedo, a.k.a. “Brooklyn Active Mama”

Nellie quit her cushy job in the high tech financial industry to bring this recipe to you. “My cousins and I (all 5,200 of us) got together and realized that we will NEED to continue this amazing authentic Jamaican cooking for our own children, or the culture will die with us,” she said in her blog. Flavored with creamy coconut milk, thyme, all-spice, and scotch bonnet pepper, this side tastes distinctively Caribbean. If you need help finding the pepper, try Trade Fair on Ditmars Blvd in Astoria, or Stop & Shop in Queens. In a pinch, you could substitute with a habanero, but you might want to portion out the kids’ servings before adding that spice!

Get the recipe here.

Miss Lily’s Jerk Chicken

Recipe by Chef Adam Schop (NYC) and Chef Andre Fowles (Jamaica) of Miss Lily’s in SoHo

According to Sam Slaughter, writer for The Manual, this is “the best Jerk Chicken recipe you’ll ever try.” It requires its fair share of work – brining, marinating, and grilling. Yet, the end result has just the right amount of spice and sweet. You’ll need to locate a few exotic ingredients – whole allspice berries, scotch bonnet chilies, tamarind puree, and liquid smoke – but most kids enjoy a trip to the food bazaar supermarket. If you’re more into the idea of tasting than cooking, you can always head to the cozy retro diner, Miss Lily’s at 132 Houston Street (at Thompson).

Get the recipe here.

Jamaican Beef Patty

Recipe by Imma at Immaculate Bites

The Jamaican Beef Patty has made its way out of family kitchens and into retail establishments like Walmart and Costco, as well as the New York City school system (which serves over three million a year!) With its flaky, delicate, golden crust and beef seasoned with Scotch bonnet, onion, garlic, and black pepper, the Jamaican Beef Patty is on its way to achieving a fanbase the way pizza and tacos have – at least in New York City. While NY Times offers a similar recipe, people who have made Imma’s particular recipe have been called “goddesses” at the school bake sale, were so excited they wanted to buy the author’s cookbook if she had one, and said they’ll never make another recipe again.

Get the recipe here.

Vegan Jerk Tacos

Recipe by Chef Troy

Chef Troy grew up in the countryside of Glengoffe St. Catherine, Jamaica before serving as chef at BB King’s in Times Square and the Highline Ballroom in Chelsea. You’ll need some of Chef Troy’s special jerk seasoning wet rub for these kid-friendly tacos, but you can make a similar concoction from scratch if you prefer. The vegan protein is portabello mushroom, with tomatoes and peppers helping to fill out your tortilla. The magic is in the combination of flavorful sauces!

Get the recipe here.

Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding

Recipe Courtesy of The Food Network

Sweet potato pudding used to be a real labor of love with all that hand-grating, but thanks to food processors, it’s easy enough for a child to do. Filled with raisins, coconut, and vanilla milk, it’s a sweet the kids are sure to love for a Sunday treat or a holiday staple.

Get the recipe here.

Enjoy this little taste of international culture and cooking? Try one of Shine’s classes for more! Contact us to inquire about our cultural classes, monthly workshops (which may include cooking), and about our partnerships with local youth culinary schools.

Fun Summer Science Experiments For Ages 4-10

July 29, 2019/in Fun, Guide, Learn, Play/by Jason Manuel

Now that summer is in full swing, we don’t have to tell you twice: this season is a hot mess! From water puddles out of the pool and dripping Popsicles, to digging in the garden and gooey marshmallows around the campfire, there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy life to its filthy fullest. The kids are home from school and the days are longer, so it’s the perfect time to get outside with science projects that are both educational and fun.

Learn About Chemical Reactions with…

Ice Volcanoes

What You’ll Need: Baking soda, water, vinegar, food coloring, small bowls, golf balls, and plastic wrap.

Step by Step:

Place a golf ball into the bottom of a small bowl.
Place plastic wrap over the top of the ball and over the edge of the bowl.
Fill the bowls with a third baking soda, two thirds water, covering the ball completely.
Add food coloring.
Place in the freezer to solidify.
Once they’re frozen, thaw them until you can pull the plastic wrap off and pry out the golf ball with a butter knife.
Add a squirt of vinegar, with a medicine dropper if you have one, to watch them explode.

Why: The volcano is a classic science experiment, but with this version, kids not only love watching the eruption, but also playing with the melting creation. It’s as fun for a 4-year-old as it is for a 10-year old.

Tips: Use skin-safe bath bomb soap dye to avoid staining little hands. You can do this activity along with reading the National Geographic book on volcanoes to make it more educational for older kids.

Learn About Super Saturation with…

DIY Rock Candy

What You’ll Need: A wood skewer, glass jar, large saucepan, clothespins, 3 cups of sugar, 1 cup of water, food coloring, and candy flavoring. (To scale up and make a variety of colors, you can use 30 cups of sugar and 10 cups of water, keeping a 3:1 ratio per jar.)

Step by Step:

Combine equal parts sugar and water into a saucepan over low, heating until all sugar dissolves.
Slowly add more sugar, stirring until the water looks cloudy and no more sugar will dissolve.
Add candy flavoring if desired, heating to a low simmer.
Remove the sugar-water from the heat and cool completely.
Dip skewers into water and roll them in sugar. You may need to cut long skewers to fit the jar.
Pour the cooled sugar-water into the jars, using one jar for each color of rock candy.
Place a dried stick into each jar, using a horizontal clothespin to hold the stick in the middle.
You should note growth after one day. Wait about a week for a sizable candy worthy of eating.
Let the candies dry on a clean, cool surface before devouring.

Why: We’d be lying if we didn’t confess the best part of this experiment is eating the candy! Edible science is pretty exciting for empowered kids big and small. In this case, you’ll see how an overabundance of solute (a.k.a. the sugar) is unable to dissolve into liquid. Over time, the liquid water evaporates, leaving behind a super-saturated solution, with seed crystals forming and molecules expanding. A finished piece of rock candy has about a quadrillion molecules in it, which is pretty mind-boggling!

Tips: It is imperative that the sugar skewers have completely dried in order for the crystals to grow off it and not dissolve in the water. It is also important to make sure the sticks do not touch the bottom or sides of the jar, hence the clothespin. You can grow your rock candy longer than a week if desired.

Learn About Density and Polarity with…

A Homemade Lava Lamp

What You’ll Need: A bottle, vegetable oil, water, food coloring, and Alka-Seltzer.

Step by Step:

Fill three-quarters of the bottle with vegetable oil.
Fill the rest with water, which will sink to the bottom.
Add a few drops of food coloring, which will also sink to the bottom.
Break an Alka-seltzer tablet into a few small pieces and add them to the bottle one at a time.
As the reaction slows, add more Alka-seltzer.

Why: Kids love the mesmerizing activity of lava lamps, and it’s even cooler to make one. The lava lamp works using two scientific principles – density and polarity. Density, the measure of mass over volume, is evident once you add the tightly-packed water molecules to the mix. Polarity prevents the oil and water from mixing together. two hydrogen atoms side of a water molecule is positively charged, while the oxygen end is negatively charged. Like a magnet, the positive end of a water molecule will connect with the negative end of other molecules – except that oil molecules are non-polar, lacking a positive OR negative charge. For this reason, oil and water do not mix.

Tips: If you don’t have Alka-seltzer, you can also try filling a jar with water and adding 1/3 cup vegetable oil, food coloring, and kosher salt.

If you want your children to develop a healthy interest in science early-on, but don’t necessarily want the mess at your house, you can sign up for one of Shine’s classes, workshops, summer camps, or parties. We incorporate science, art, education, and fun into an unforgettable, interactive experience your kids won’t soon forget. Contact us for details on programs we’re running in NYC and the Hamptons.