Guide Archives - Page 19 of 22

Natural Tick Prevention

June 8, 2017/in Guide/by Shine

We’re not panicking alarmists, but we are pragmatists, so we’ve been researching natural tick protection for our kids. Reported Lyme Disease cases have tripled over the past few decades. About 300,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme Disease each year. “Cases of vector-borne disease have more than tripled in the United States since 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported, with mosquitoes and ticks bearing most of the blame,” says Joyce Sakamoto and Shelley Whitehead from the Washington Post.

What is Lyme Disease?

We tend to worry about ticks and Lyme Disease while packing for camping trips, but ticks are just as likely to strike in a backyard or urban park setting. Ticks can be as small as a poppyseed, so they’re easy to miss. Not everyone gets the telltale “bulls-eye” rash. Sometimes it’s just red and expanding. The flu-like symptoms of early stage Lyme Disease can be easy to miss, too. Complications of untreated disease may include facial palsy, neuropathy, cognitive impairments, heart arrhythmias, and joint inflammation.

This sounds pretty awful, but keep in mind:

Not all ticks carry Lyme Disease.
It takes about 24-36 hours for infected ticks to transmit the pathogen.
Early one-day treatment with doxycycline is enough to prevent harmful effects.

How can you prevent Lyme Disease?

As they say, “prevention is the best cure!” Unfortunately, the Lyme vaccine by French biotech company Valneva is still in early human trials and at least six years away from release, so there is no way to completely keep ticks away.

Common prophylactic measures include chemical applications of DEET (sold in products like OFF!) and Picaridin (sold in products like Skin So Soft). While deemed “safe,” these ingredients have been found to cause acute skin, eye, and lung irritations. Furthermore, animal studies conducted by a Duke University researcher linked long-term exposure with impaired muscle control, strength, coordination, memory, and learning abilities.

Are there natural products to repel ticks?

Fortunately, if you’re not too keen on the idea of dousing your children in chemicals every time you want to go for a hike, there are a few natural alternatives.

The CDC recommends essential oil blends of garlic oil, rosemary, cedar, peppermint, thyme, lemongrass, and geraniol. Common Sense Home offers this homemade tick repellent recipe: 20 drops of Rose Geranium Essential Oil, 10 drops of Sweetgrass Essential Oil, 5 drops of Lavender Essential Oil, 5 drops of Citronella or Lemon Essential Oil, 4 oz. of Rubbing Alcohol, Witch Hazel, Apple Cider Vinegar, or Distilled Water. The downside of natural oils is that they aren’t effective for more than 30 minutes, so you have to keep a spray bottle handy for constant re-applying.

The Environmental Working Group recommends parents choose tick repellents for kids with less than 30% DEET, 20% Picaridin, and 30-40% Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (if your child is over 3 years old). Based on these principles, Cool Mom Picks recommends tick repellents by: Sawyer Fisherman, Repel, Nantucket, and Ben’s. Simply apply by spraying it onto your hands and rubbing it on exposed areas like the neck, legs, and arms, taking care to avoid the eyes, ears, and mouth.

According to Consumer Reports testing, the most effective NATURAL tick repellents were made by brands like: All-Terrain, Babyganics, Burt’s Bees, California Baby, and Cutter – which contained ingredients like citronella, geraniol, lemongrass, and rosemary oil. These products kept ticks away for at least six hours.

You can also buy clothing sprays or treated clothing containing Permethrin, which kills insects carrying Zika, Malaria, West Nile, and Lyme Disease.

Have a great summer!

With natural tick repellent stowed in your bag, you’ll have the peace of mind to confidently enjoy the great outdoors all summer long. If you’re looking for unique outdoor adventures and new ways to explore The City, contact us to learn more about Shine NYC workshops, camps, and parties.

Additional Tick Repellent Resources:

org, Did You Get Bit by a Lyme-Infested Tick?, http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/03/06/518065660/if-you-get-bit-by-a-lyme-infested-tick-here-are-5-tips
gov, Natural Tick Repellents and Pesticides, https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/natural-repellents.html
EWG, EWG’s Guide to Bug Repellents in the Age of ZIKA: Kids, http://www.ewg.org/research/ewgs-guide-bug-repellents/kids#block2

By Jenn Fusion for Shine

Jenn Fusion is a Buffalo, NY based wordsmith with more than a decade of experience researching, writing, and editing informative and insightful articles for business clients. Her work has been featured online and in print editions of USA Today, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Houston Chronicle, as well as niche publications for vice presidents, celebrities, music, and beer. You may have seen on Huffington Post Live TV or heard her on Minnesota Public Radio. Best of all, she’s the mother of busybody toddlers Josephine and Henri.

5 Fantastic Ways To Spend Father’s Day in NYC

June 7, 2017/in Celebrate, Fun, Guide/by Shine

New York City is a vast playground for engaged dads to explore with their children, whether they’re babies and toddlers or full-grown with children of their own. Some fathers enjoy sports and the great outdoors, while others may be artistically inclined and connoisseurs of fine food. Some dads thrive in big crowds, while others prefer something more intimate. There are parks and events that cater to all types in this big, bold city that we love. Here are a few options if you’re still undecided on where you’ll end up on Father’s Day.

Cruise with brews. Hornblower Cruises offers a unique view of the New York skyline and landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge — from aboard an intimate luxury yacht. The two hour Father’s Day cruise serves up a delicious brunch buffet featuring omelets, eggs benedict, vegetable frittata, French toast, waffles, bacon, sausage, potatoes, salads, bagels, meat carving stations, and pastries. Live jazz music sets the atmosphere, while dad enjoys free-flowing beer in his official Hornblower mug. The cruise sets sail Sunday, June 18^th at noon from Pier 40. After your cruise, you can take a free self-guided tour of Greenwich Village, check out the trapeze school, or explore all that Hudson River Park has to offer, from kayaking to mini golf. Young kids will enjoy the splash-park and carousel.
Enjoy the finer foods in life. Foodies have many ways to celebrate this Father’s Day. The Museum at Eldridge Street in the Lower East Side is holding an Egg Rolls, Egg Creams & Empanadas Festival to celebrate the area’s cultural diversity. Watch Peking Opera performers dazzle the crowd; listen to klezmer bands; learn how to make empanadas; take free language lessons; or play a round of mahjongg. The block party is free, but there will be plenty of Jewish, Chinese, and Puerto Rican food for sale. Or you can head on over to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park for Smorgasburg, which the NY Times has called “the Woodstock of food” with over 100 food and super flea market vendors. Treat your tastebuds to everything from crispy pork belly on a stick and French steak tartare, to Nutella-dipped churros and spaghetti donuts.
Explore Van Cortlandt Park with the little ones. Sometimes when you have young children in tow, you need a Father’s Day plan that doesn’t involve too much hassle. Van Cortlandt Park in the northwest Bronx is the perfect place to pack a picnic and stay the day. The Forever Wild Preserves offers nature trails ideal for easy hiking, biking, or horseback riding. In fact, kids ages 4-10 will enjoy free pony rides at Riverdale Stables from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday! There are four playgrounds, an Urban Park Rangers’ Nature Center, a historic museum, a golf course, two free outdoor pools, a toddler wading area, barbecue grills, fishing, and sports fields. It’s impossible to cover it all in one day, but the main attractions are conveniently located near transit hubs or parking lots.
Promote family fitness with a father-and-tot Fun Run. Think N’ Fun is holding a special Father’s Day race for the whole family. Each father and child receive a commemorative medal for their participation. Age categories include Tadpoles (early walkers), Goldfish (2), Guppies (3-4), Starfish (5), and Young Runners (6+). Recovery snacks will be served after the race, while families check out the photo opp station and “make-n-take” craft station. Dads looking to really break a sweat can opt to take the optional adults race through Riverside Park after taking their jog with the kids.
Give dad’s bucket list dreams wings. Get a bird’s eye view of NY, while experiencing the thrill of piloting a light aircraft designed for flight training. Experienced FAA Certified Flight Instructor Patrick O’Toole will give dad a one-hour flying lesson departing from Republic Airport in Farmingdale. When he lands, you can visit the American Airpower Museum, ride old-fashioned amusement park rides at Adventureland, hike the Adventure Park at Long Island, or grab a drink at the Barrage Brewing Company.

Father’s Day with young children may not be filled with “R&R,” but it can be the perfect excuse to skip the honey-do list for the weekend and spend it cooking up new memories, at play with his #1 fans.

By Jenn Fusion for Shine

10 Fun Things to do on Mother’s Day 2017 with the Kids in NYC

May 8, 2017/in Celebrate, Fun, Guide, Learn, Play/by Shine

Moms deserve to be celebrated every day, but if there’s one day that demands it- it’s Mother’s Day. With the big day fast approaching, the pressure is on to make the perfect plan. New York City is a vast playground, so we’ve narrowed down a few of the best options that go beyond the standard brunch.

Go where the wild things are. The Central Park Zoo is hosting a family-friendly party for mothers and children ages 2-10 on May 14^th.Meet zoo animal moms and babies, enjoy tasty treats, make Mom a special gift, and go on a scavenger hunt.

Set sail. Sail out of Port 40 on a relaxing two-hour Hudson River cruise that includes a brunch buffet and dessert station, coffee, tea, “free-flowing” Mimosas and Sangria, and a live jazz band. Along the way, you’ll enjoy views of Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Governors Island, and the Manhattan skyline.

Explore the city on a scavenger hunt. If “relax” isn’t really in your family’s vocabulary, you may love a Mother’s Day Scavenger Hunt. This three-hour event starts at Slattery’s Midtown Pub (8 East 36^th Street) and leads you around the city with the ScanQuest app. It’s a fun, interactive journey that will challenge your party mentally and physically. Winners receive a NYC gift package.

Create a work of art. Mother’s Day is the perfect excuse to visit the Children’s Museum of the Arts in SoHo. Moms enjoy free admission to watch their young artists create upcycled picture frames, painted portraits, spiky sculptures, tie-dye tissue paper composites, clay farm animals, dot marker cards, and more.

Get your fill of thrills at Coney Island. Though the beach is closed, everything else is open – the restored B&B carousel and rides at Luna Park, Deno’s Wonder Wheel, the New York Aquarium, and the Coney Island Circus Sideshow (which offers kid-friendly attractions during the day). Grab a hotdogs at Nathan’s and ice cream at Coney’s Cones to enjoy the simple pleasures in life with the ones you love most.

Have a picnic in Central Park. Picnics can be easy with pre-made picnic boxes by Perfect Picnic NYC, Picnic in the Park, or Chelsea Market. Park your clan anywhere in Sheep Meadow, Strawberry Fields, or the Pond and enjoy one of Manhattan’s most iconic landmarks.

Enjoy nature at Wave Hill. The brunch always sells out quickly, but you can always bring a picnic lunch or reserve a basket from The Café. Wave Hill offers bird watching, open-air yoga classes, crafts at the Family Art Project, jewelry shopping, and a Family Nature Walk.

Stop and smell the lilacs. This year, the New York Botanical Garden’s Mother’s Day Garden Party will show off the newly reopened Lilac Collection. You can watch dancers perform on the Daffodil Hill stage, play a game of Giant Chess, putt a few rounds of croquet on the green, take a guided walking tour, get professional photographs taken, and take the kids to the craft room to make homemade watercolor cards. Picnic brunch is also available by reservation.

Roadtrip! Less than two hours from NYC is kid-favorite, Rocking Horse Ranch, an all-inclusive Hudson Valley resort that offers an indoor waterpark and an abundance of organized family activities. Other activities include horseback riding, miniature golf, bowling, ping-pong, archery, rock climbing, and more! Ask about their Mother’s Day weekend promotion where kids are 50% off.

Spice things up with a private cooking class. Freshmade NYC teaches knife skills, kitchen safety, and how to prepare delicious, easy recipes. Book a private one-on-one cooking session with a chef or create your own cooking class if you have at least four children in your group. Recipes cover a wide range of different flavors, with items like: sweet and savory crepes, mini sweet potato and kale lasagnas, BBQ chicken-apple pizzas, wild salmon burgers, and baked falafel, to name a few. Family cooking classes are suitable for kids ages 2 to teen.

By Jenn Fusion for Shine

Making 2017 The Thank You Year

December 23, 2016/in Fun, Guide, Read/by Shine

As I reflect on 2016 — its crazy turns, speed bumps that turned out to be potholes and the unexpected dead ends — I am truly thankful. I’m thankful for my love, my home, my job, and for quiet Sunday afternoons when I get to write about my childhood, new and old picture books, and admire the creativity in kids. I am thankful for this open, magical and welcoming space right here. And I plan on taking these feelings of gratitude with me as I start my journey into 2017.

I can’t think of a better way to say goodbye to 2016 than by saying a proper farewell to some chums, Gerald and Piggie. I know. Say it ain’t so?! It’s sad but true. The 25th and final book in Mo Willems’ “Elephant & Piggie” series came to an end this year with “The Thank You Book.”

For one last time, the comedy team of Gerald the Elephant and Piggie’s spirited banter is in full bloom as Piggie thinks, “I am one lucky pig.” And decides to “get thanking.” This peaks Gerald interest as he glumly tells her he’s sure she’ll forget someone. But Piggie won’t have it. She grits her teeth and replies, “I. Will. Thank. EVERYONE. It will be a THANK-O-RAMA!”

In true Willems fashion, the parade starts as he brings back every character who has ever made an appearance in an Elephant & Piggie book.

Piggie thanks the Squirrels for their great ideas, Snake for playing ball, and the Pigeon “for never giving up,” while adding “sorry you do not get to be in our books.” Of course fans know the mischievous bird photo bombs the endpapers of all the Elephant & Piggie books. So he slyly replies, “That is what you think.”

Piggie thanks, thanks, thanks! She is a “thanking machine!” She continues to thank the Whale, the Ice Cream Penguin, Doctor Cat, and Brian Bat. But Gerald continues to interject that she’ll forget “someone VERY important.” It’s only when Piggie finally runs out of thanks that she gets it, and Gerald is straight up mad. “I goofed,” Piggie concedes before thanking Gerald.

But unfortunately it’s not Gerald whom Piggie forgot to thank! He reveals the “someone important” is…“Our reader.”
This is a fun and heartwarming, a family-reunion that perfectly brings an end to a beloved series. I don’t know about you, but I think Piggies is on to something! I’m going to start this New Year with a THANK-O-RAMA! I hope you do too.

By Claudia Chung for Shine

Giving Thanks & Saving Room for Dessert

November 13, 2016/in Celebrate, Guide, Taste/by Shine

November may not be the warmest of months, but the sensation that fills us is incandescent. The foliage is radiant in reds, glowing in oranges and electric in yellows. The sky is saturated in rich blues and soft clouds. Without even thinking of the times we are about to share with our family, November fills our hearts with its striking beauty.

Well, now it’s about to fill our belly. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we all know what that means: trying every dish that was brought to the table so your quirky aunt doesn’t get mad and listing to your loud uncles argue about who’s better, the Jets or the Giants. Since this day is known for overindulgence, have a plan before you start. Hamptons Wellness on Wheels is here to give you tips on how to make your day healthier and your appreciation stronger.

Happy November and happy Thanksgiving!

giving-thanks

By Sara Colletti, Hamptons Wellness on Wheels

Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet, Give Me Something Good to Read!

October 25, 2016/in Celebrate, Guide, Read/by Shine

Shine’s Picture Book Picks for a Fun and Spooky Halloween

Ever since I learned that one day each year, I can knock on a stranger’s door, yell “Trick or Treat!” and get a candy bar, I’ve been all about Halloween. My costumes varied over the years, but throughout grade school, they all had one thing in common: they all featured the dead! A dead prom queen, the corpse of 50s girl, and a bride that never made it to her wedding because, well… she was dead.

I just didn’t understand the pretty fairies, princesses, or kitty cats that weren’t dead. I mean, after all, it was Halloween. Weren’t we all supposed to be spooky? I have a vague recollection of going to my best friend Grace’s house to go trick or treating together. When she came to the front door, I was stumped by her costume. Grace was dressed as a doctor. And not the psycho kind that used a butcher’s knife instead of a scalpel, but the kind you go see when you have a tummy ache. Me? I was dressed as a dead Checker Girl.

While she had on a pristine white coat, I was dressed like a checker-pattern wearing hobo. Grace had a stethoscope around her neck. I had fake blood down the sides of my mouth. She was wearing pretty make-up that accentuated her delicate features. I painted my entire face with black and white checkers that smeared with my fake blood. But that’s the beauty of Halloween—everyone interprets it differently. No matter what you chose to be, it’s a holiday that can be full of magic!

Here are Shine’s Picture Book Picks for a Fun and Spooky Halloween:

Creepy Carrots By Aaron Reynolds, illus. by Peter Brown

This Caldecott award winning book does it all. A spot-on-parody of 50s classic horror films, Jasper Rabbit suspects mean and spooky carrots are following him. He hears the “Soft… sinister… tunktunktunk of carrots creeping.” This Hithchcock-esque story for the 4-to-8 set is a good read all year round. You may even want to add the Twilight Zone theme music to your readings to take it to the next level.

Miss Nelson Is Missing! By Harry Allard, illus. by James Marshall

My childhood favorite, this was my first mystery book. The kids in Room 207 were the worst behaved class in the whole school. They were rude and nasty and they didn’t pay any attention to their sweet-natured teacher Miss Nelson. Then one day, Miss Nelson does not come to school! In her place is the nasty, mean, foul-tempered witch Miss Viola Swamp. Uh-oh…

It was only after reading this charming book over and over and over again that I realized how the story unraveled. It was thrilling to be in on the secret.

The Dark By Lemony Snicket, illus. by Jon Klassen

A match made in heaven. Snicket and Klassen hit all the right notes on—what else?—the universal kids’ fear of the dark. Laszlo lives in a house with “a creaky roof, smooth, cold windows, and several sets of stairs.” There is darkness everywhere! With an uncharacteristic end, this is a good introduction to suspense storytelling and what it means to confront your worst fears.

How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? By Margaret McNamara, illus. by G. Brian Karas

If your families are not that keen on mysteries, thrillers or suspense, have no fear! How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin will do the trick. The smallest boy in the class, Charlie, has a teacher who presents the students with three pumpkins: small, medium and large. They predict how many seeds are in each one. Then the class does the messy but fun work of removing the seeds and counting the contents.

A sweet lesson intertwined with some good old fashion math, this pumpkin tale can easily come to life with real pumpkins and a little elbow grease.

The Monster At The End Of This Book by Jon Stone, illus. by Mike Smollin

I love Sesame Street in all kinds of ways. But I am afraid I am one of those teachers who steers clear from the overly saturated commercial characters—with the exception of one. The one and only truly successful Sesame Street book to touch the young hearts and minds of readers everywhere, Monster is a perfect Halloween book for fans of the Pigeon books by Mo Willems and for the younger set, 3 and up. It’s interactive, engaging and fun!

By Claudia Chung for Shine

Falling Into Healthy Habits

October 19, 2016/in Guide, Taste/by Shine

Autumn is a time of change and as the leaves begin to fall we start to change our palates from summer time barbeque and sweet to more savory and hearty. Besides our changing tastes we also change our behaviors. The summer brings spontaneity and passion while the fall keeps us grounded as we search for new concepts and paths. Grounded: being fully present and aware of the now while staying balanced, centered, and aligned.

When it comes to lifestyle patterns in the summer, often we tend to lose sight of what is important. With the excitement of sunshine and warmth we start to forget about what our bodies need and we focus on what our minds want. The fall gives us the chance to find or reinvent ourselves and maintain a grounded inner peace. When choosing our nourishment we need to reach for those grounding foods. A delicious and nutritious vegetable is the beloved pumpkin. This seasonal symbol gives us to many options: carving, painting, toasting seeds, making soup, and so much more – all creating moments that are fulfilling to the soul while benefiting from incredible nutrients. Loaded with vitamins, minerals and proteins, let’s welcome this grounding vegetable back into our lives and kitchens.

By Sara Colletti, Hamptons Wellness on Wheels

Summer Lovin’ Fun: Shine’s Top 10 Cool Things to Do in the Summer with Your Kids

May 31, 2016/in Fun, Guide/by Shine

When the weather outside reached ninety-eight degrees or higher, my daily summer routine as a seven year old was wake up, eat and go outside in just my underpants. It never occurred to me to dig out my swimsuit and actually wear it. After I went outside, I turned on the sprinklers and waited for my slip-n-slide to get wet. Once the plastic yellow strip glistened and sparkled from the sunshine, I knew it was time to run, flop on my belly and glide. I did this for hours. Run. Flop. Glide.

The only time I took a break from slipping and sliding was to eat lunch or when my dog Oreo jumped into our hot tub to cool off. Of course I had to jump right in after him! Swimming with Oreo in our own private miniature pool is one of the most vivid and sweetest memories I have as a child. When I close my eyes, I can still picture our deck, smell the air filled with wet dog, feel the texture of my pruney fingers and the sun slightly burning my skin. It was magic.

That’s the beauty of kids. It doesn’t take much for them to have fun. Their intuitive creativity will always kick in and they will make it fun. One way or another, fun always wins.

Shine’s Summer Fun Top Ten List:

Outdoors

1. Make a giant slip-n-slide with a painter’s tarp and shaving cream. Of course there is the option of purchasing one.

2. Make hard-to-pop bubbles with 1 cup of distilled water, 2 tablespoons of dish soap and 1 tablespoon of glycerin.

3. Let kids paint each other with washable tempera paint, then wash it off in the sprinklers or hose them off!

4. Make a sidewalk, driveway or patio chalk mural.

5. Set up a tent in the backyard to use as a summer playhouse.

Indoors

6. Practice your origami skills and make objects to hang from the ceiling.

7. Make paper flowers using different tissue paper. Here is how to do it.

8. Set up a tent in the living room and camp out… or in!

9. Make an indoor rock garden using colored rice: mix 4 cups of rice with 3 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol and a few drops of food coloring and let dry overnight. Place colored rice sand and arrange rocks in wooden box or glass bowl.

10. Forget cooking! Set up an ice cream sundae buffet for dinner – pizza pie optional.

By Claudia Chung, Assistant Teacher

Create a Sustainable Arts Lab at Home!

April 20, 2016/in Guide, Learn, Make/by Shine

As a part of our continued effort to stay green and reduce, reuse, and recycle, we love using household items to create art and as loose parts in our play. While not everyone has the space for an art studio, we suggest creating a mini Sustainable Arts Lab of any size in your home!

In addition to some basic art supplies (paper, glue, scissors, paint, etc.) the following items help to inspire imagination and play, but most of all turn waste into something that can really shine!

Berry Baskets
Biscuit/Cookie Cutters
Bottle Tops
Brownie/Baking/Muffin Pans
Bubble pack
Buttons
Cardboard
Caps of old markers
Clothespins
Coffee Cans
Coffee Filters
Dish Tubs
Egg Cartons
Funnels
Grocery Bags
Ice cube Trays
Large Piece Styrofoam
Marbles
Measuring Cups/Spoons
Meat/Produce Trays
Old Crayons
Paper Boxes
Paper Towel/Toilet Paper Rolls
Paper Plates
Pie Pans
Pitchers
Plastic Milk Bottles
Plastic Tubs (butter, yogurt, etc.)
Popsicle Molds
Ribbon
Rubber Bands
Scoops
Shoe Boxes
Sponges (unused)
Spools
Squeeze Bottles
String/Twine/Yarn
Styrofoam popcorn
Textured/Wall/Wrapping Paper
Tiles/Gems/Stones/Shells
Unbreakable Shaker Bottles
Wide Jar Lids
Wood Bits

Shine’s Spring Gardening: Let’s Get Dirty!

April 4, 2016/in Fun, Guide, Learn, Make/by Shine

To most people, spring is when the birds starts to chirp, flower buds manifest, and the sun rays dial up to warm. But for me, from the time I can remember, spring was when I got dirty!

From spring to the end of summer, I was always dirty. My shirt was stained from the constant popsicles dripping from my mouth. My knees were scabby or bloody from rolling down the hill in our backyard. And my face was permanently smeared with dirt from trying to grab the pesky gopher that lived in our vegetable patch (I turned him into my pet and named him Bucky). After a while, my parents just gave up and never dressed me in nice clothes unless it was for a special occasion – preferably one that would keep me indoors, or when it was time to go to school. You could say that for a few months a year, I was the girl version of Pigpen, but loved a stuffed monkey instead of a blanket.

Growing up as a California girl, I thought backyards with mini-fields of happy white daisies were the norm. Fresh strawberries, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers that I’d pick and eat off the vines were just part of my day. For some reason, once my mother cooked them, they lost their appeal. But if they were warm from the sunshine and covered in dirt, they were delicious! To this day, I prefer almost green, under-ripe peaches and nectarines, as I was never patient enough to wait for them to mature on Pinksy, our nectarine tree.

One of my fondest memories involves my whole family planting in the spring and harvesting their goodness throughout the summer. Those thoughts are vivid and clear, recalling each year I got to play with dirt, watch our plants grow, and taste the fruits of our labor.

So by all means, if you have a yard, plant something! But for all the city parents and kids, you can experience a similar pleasure by making a little window garden of your own. No grass needed. All you need is a little moxie and creativity.

Here is Shine’s guide to creating the simplest windowsill herb gardens with your kids!

What you’ll need:

Young starter herbs: Available at garden centers and some supermarkets, herbs such as oregano and basil for spaghetti or pizza sauce, cilantro to add to tacos and salsa, and lavender for the pretty flowers to make into potpourri.

Containers with Drainage Holes: They can be planters from garden center or you can make them from colanders or coffee cans! Just avoid plastic that might break or melt in the sun, and anything that might contain lead paint. Make sure the containers have enough room for the plants to grow. Once the containers are bought or found, punch or drill holes in the bottom for drainage and you’re set. (Make sure you put a plate under the pot to catch the excess water!) Then kids can paint and decorate the containers before they start planting. Let paint dry before handling soil.

Potting Mix and Plant Food: Available at garden centers and some supermarkets.

Sunny Spot: Most herbs need about six or more hours of sunlight a day to thrive.

With your kids, add potting mix to container and plant your starter herbs, leaving plenty of space between each plant to grow. Also be sure to check the information that comes with the plant for spacing requirements. Then mix plant food and water and place in a sunny spot.

Continue to water according to the instructions that come with each plant. Kids can harvest the herbs continually through the summer once the plant has enough foliage to sustain growth. Then get cookin’!

By Claudia Chung, Assistant Teacher