Storytelling Activities for World Storytelling Day

March 16, 2020/in Celebrate, Guide, Learn, Read/by Shine

World Storytelling Day is celebrated on the spring equinox and during the following week. This year’s festivities kick off Friday, March 20^th and the 2020 theme is “Voyages.”

Storytelling has played an integral role in passing on cultural knowledge, beliefs, and traditions from one generation to the next. Without cave paintings, Bard stories, or recorded myths, so much human history would be lost forever.

Consider the many ways storytelling enriched the lives of people around the world:

Thanks to early storytellers like Aesop and Homer, the ancient Greeks were familiar with stories dating back to 12th century BCE.
Ancient Egyptians told detailed narratives about life, death, and their belief in an afterlife in picture form, as preserved hieroglyphics show.
In medieval Europe, troubadours relayed histories and information about neighboring communities, as well as presenting topics for political debate.
The Norse Viking sagas were the culmination of nearly 300 years of oral storytelling tradition by the time they were finally published and shared with the world.
Storytelling saved the life of Scheherazade, the heroine of 1,001 Arabian Nights.
In West African regions, griot storytellers served as historians and politicians – a tradition still thriving in Mali, Senegal, and Gambia.
In Australia, Aboriginal storytellers were performance artists who entertained during the long, dark winter months.
The Native Americans used stories as a way of imparting values, character traits, and tribal identity upon their young.

What started as Sweden’s “Alla Berättares Dag” (All Narrators Day) in 1991 has now spread around the globe from South Africa and Singapore, to Canada and Croatia. As Indian storyteller Vyasa said in the poem Mahabharata: “If you listen [to a story] carefully, at the end, you’ll be someone else.”

If you’re looking for a way to celebrate World Storytelling Day in 2020, consider one of these activities…

1. Learn the art of storytelling.

The Art of Storytelling by Pixar was produced with Khan Academy to take students on a full curriculum of using human interest and emotion to tell a story. Filmmakers from Pixar share insights into how to develop storytelling skills that can be particularly useful in the elementary school years. The videos are just three or four minutes long per section and are followed by writing prompts and activities that facilitate learning. The idea that “we are all storytellers” is a meaningful point to share with our children.

2. Play a game.

The award-winning “Tall Tales” game inspires your family’s storytelling by providing thought-provoking settings and characters. The rest is left to your imagination! Younger children will immediately launch into free play, while older kids might find inspiration in the five rule variations. Small figurines come with the game, so it is recommended for children past the age of putting random objects into their mouths.

3. Write your own creative “voyage” story as a group.

Folding stories were classic 80s sleepover games. The story begins with a title or opening line prompt. Each person writes two lines of text. Ideally, the last sentence will end abruptly to leave a thought-provoking start for the next player. The paper is folded so each of the players can only see what the person immediately before them has written. Once the paper gets around the group a few times, the first writer will read the whole story from start to finish.

Here are 15 story prompt ideas to get you started…

I don’t know how I am going to get home. Worse yet, I am alone and have to…
The water is always calm when I go out at 4 a.m…
Many things get the hair on the back of my neck up, but nothing more so than…
From behind a lacy curtain she watched as four riders galloped toward the house…
There are a few rules to live by if you want to survive an overseas voyage on this ship…
When I opened my eyes, I found myself sitting…
The rain fell hard, for the third week in a row…
The moment I stepped out of the plane, I knew I had come to the wrong place…
I don’t know the first thing about flying a hot air balloon, and yet, here I am…
My hair blew back in exhilarating fashion with each beat of the Pegasus’ wings…
The only thing that could get me back to that island is gold… well, and love for adventure…
The entire city was in ruins…
“Pssst, wake up,” someone said into my ear in the dead of night. “I have a mission for you…”
There’s an island where all lost items turn up. I woke up, cold and wet, on the beach…
Humans return from Mars for the first time. But something is not quite right about them…

4. Read with your children.

There are countless literary “voyages” you can take with your children. Perhaps you have favorite stories you read in your childhood you’d like to share with your children. The New York Public Library’s list of most-checked-out books of all time is likely to remind you of a few! Otherwise, try these:

Usbourne’s Illustrated Stories from Around the World

Why: Dive into 10 classic folk tales from India, China, Japan, the US, England, Scandinavia, Russia, Greece, the Middle East, and South Africa, which feature interesting characters like a talking tree, an ill-tempered genie, and a greedy witch. Kids will love the bold, colorful illustrations that accompany each story.

Ideal Ages: 3-8

Geronimo Stilton’s The Amazing Voyage (Kingdom of Fantasy #3)

Why: Geronimo Stilton is the publisher of The Rodent’s Gazette newspaper. In this colorful, 320-page adventure, he returns to the Kingdom of Fantasy to find the land plagued by endless winter. He travels by magical talking ship, hoping to restore peace and springtime to the land by contending with a threatening volcano and rescuing the Queen of the Fairies.

Ideal Ages: 5-8

Miroslav Sasek’s children’s classics: This Is Ireland, This Is Munich, This Is Israel, This Is NY, etc…

Why: These picture books combine charming illustrations with simple explanations of the sights, character, and traditions of each region covered.

Ideal Ages: 5-8

Hugh Lofting’s The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

Why: In this chapter book, the voyage of Doctor Dolittle is told by 9-year-old Tommy Stubbins, a crewman and naturalist accompanying the animal healer to Spidermonkey Island. After surviving a perilous shipwreck, Doctor Dolittle, Polynesia the parrot, and Chee-Chee the monkey meet a wondrous sea snail who holds the key to a great mystery. Parents and children alike will enjoy this adventure from start to finish. Afterward, you can watch the movie!

Ideal Ages: 8-12

Choose Your Own Adventure books OR Oregon Trail “choose your own adventures.”

Why: The reader is not just a passive entity in these unique books. The reader acts as decision maker and storyteller as well, choosing which actions the characters should take to determine the end of the story. With the original R.A. Montgomery series, you and your child can journey through the jungle, Mayan ruins, under the sea, the highest mountain peaks, and even out of this world, into space. With the Oregon Trail books, you can voyage across America in a covered wagon circa 1850, while trying to avoid perilous conditions from wild animals and natural disasters, to strangers, and sicknesses – with 22 different endings to choose from.

Ideal Ages: 8-12

Angela McAllister’s A Year Full of Stories: 52 Classic Stories From All Around the World

Why: This treasury combines myths, fairy tales, and legends from around the globe with a story for every week of the year. The 12 chapters correspond with the 12 months of the year and match stories to important holidays, festivals, events, and seasonal themes.

Ideal Ages: 8-12

5. Speak with an elder.

If your child has grandparents living, plan a day to visit and hear stories from the older person’s life.

You can use these prompts to get grandma or grandpa recalling childhood memories:

What’s your earliest childhood memory?
Who was your best friend? What did you do together?
What places do you remember fondly?
Describe your mother’s kitchen. What were family dinners like?
Describe the most unusual place you have lived or visited.
Were you ever injured or ill during your childhood? What was that experience like?
Do you have any quirky relatives in your family tree? Tell us about them.
What values did your parents try to instill in you as a child?
What sayings or expressions did you hear often while growing up?
Describe your most memorable family vacation.
Describe your favorite holiday traditions.
What was your most beloved toy like?
How are you and your parents alike or different?
What personal achievements made you proud?
What was one lesson you learned the hard way?

All and all, World Storytelling Day is the ideal opportunity to focus on reading, writing, and recollecting. You can find many, many more ideas at StoryArts.org that are ideal for the classroom or at home. If you’d like to carry on the tradition, consider joining one of Shine’s workshops or year-round classes, where we combine storytelling, music, art, cooking, and play from cultures around the world.

How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus

March 16, 2020/in Guide, Learn/by Shine

The global pandemic is all over the news, social media, and the tips of the tongue these days. It’s impossible to escape. For young children, the idea of a virus sweeping the world can be an overwhelming, anxiety-provoking topic. They may worry about catching it themselves and dying, or about its impact on friends and family. They might feel sad or confused about school closing.

As a parent, it’s natural to want to shelter our children from the unpleasantries of life. We don’t want them to panic or take on adult concerns as their own. However, protecting kids from the news headlines doesn’t do them any favors.

As Mister Rogers once said, “Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary.” By that token, we’re not only helping our children cope with changes in their world, but we’re helping ourselves too.

We’ve compiled the best expert tips for how to talk to your kids about coronavirus…

1. Find out what they know and what concerns they have.

Chances are, your kids have already heard the term “coronavirus” thrown around at school. They might have played a game of tag where they “catch the virus,” rather than tagging “it.” Or the teacher might be a little extra fanatical about handwashing and sanitizing. Some schools may be handing out gloves and masks or showing videos about how viruses spread. Older children may have witnessed xenophobic bullying.

Though they may not fully understand it or know how seriously to take the threat, they are undoubtedly beginning to notice how it affects their daily lives, as schools close and events cancel. Their imaginations may begin to run wild with possibilities.

You might ask an open-ended question such as, “What have you heard about coronavirus?” or “Do you have any questions about coronavirus?” If they’ve brought it up, you might say, “It sounds like you’re worried. Can you tell me what you’re worried about?” Take this opportunity to clear up any misconceptions they have and address anxieties.

2. Stick to the honest facts and then reassure them.

If your kids have no idea what coronavirus is or what its spread through communities means, start with a few simple facts. You might explain, “Virus germs cause different illnesses that spread from person to person. You know, like a cold or the flu or a throwing up sickness? It’s like that, but a little more serious.”

“Coronavirus is a new one that has started to affect people, mainly in other countries, but a few people here. Because we are still working on the medicines to cure it, people are concerned about limiting the spread in our communities. So we’re taking extra steps to stay safe.”

To date, no children under age 10 have died from coronavirus. For ages 10 to 39, the risk of fatal complications is just 0.2 percent. Let your child know, “For most people, the new coronavirus results in only mild or moderate symptoms like a fever and a cough. Most people get better after a few weeks. Older people and people with existing health problems might become sicker with pneumonia.”

Some kids may worry about grandma and grandpa or even mom and dad. To that end, you can simply say, “We are taking good care of ourselves and plan to live a very long time.” Younger kids, in particular, do not need to know all the latest information, as much as they need to be reassured that they are safe and life will continue as normally as possible. If your child has questions about why people are wearing masks, you can explain that government health officials from the CDC say “masks are not necessary for most people,” but these individuals are “choosing to be extra-cautious.”

It’s okay to let kids know you’re worried. You don’t want to brush off their feelings either. “It’s okay to feel a little scared. When I first heard about it, I was scared too.” Put the fear into context by saying, “But it isn’t much scarier than the things we deal with every day” or “But we’re doing what we can to stay healthy.” Let them know how you’re coping and how they can alleviate some of their stress. “Going outside and playing with the dog helped me feel better,” you might say.

Sometimes it’s easiest to explain with the use of age-appropriate visual aids as a guide. NPR has an awesome comic that explains the basics of coronavirus. BrainPOPhas educational games, activities, and a cartoon illustrating how viruses spread, so kids can understand what’s going on without excessive alarm.

Beware of information overload, but you can keep a pulse on the latest COVID-19 developments with Accuweather’s Daily Briefings, the NY Times website, or the World Health Organization updates.

3. Emphasize healthy hygiene habits and how to stay safe.

“It’s important for kids to understand that they have a role to play in this,” explains Christina Chang, CEO of global health organization Vital Strategies. Kids feel empowered when they have steps they can take to stay safe and prevent germ spread. Chang adds, “This is big and has a lot of unknowns, but there is some element of control. The things that keep you safe and healthy every day are the same habits that are going to keep you healthy through this outbreak.”

Emphasize handwashing hygiene, using soap for at least 20 seconds (during which time they can sing a brief song of their choice), getting in between fingers and under nails, and drying hands thoroughly after rinsing. Hands should be washed upon entering the house, before meals, after a cough or sneeze, after using the bathroom, and after taking public transportation or shopping.

Remind your kids to keep hands out of their eyes, noses, and mouths. Teach them that the skin is a barrier to germs, but these other body parts can act as “doors” or “windows” for germs to get inside, so it’s important that they tell their hands “no” to picking noses, biting nails, and rubbing eyes. Give them alternatives like tissues, chewing necklaces, and eye drops.

Teach proper sneezing technique. Some day cares tell kids to “sneeze into your chicken wing,” which is a funny way of describing the inner bend of the elbow. They laugh and remember it more easily.

The Public Broadcasting Station offers video clips, songs, games, and apps from Daniel Tiger, Sesame Street, Curious George, and Super WHY! that emphasize how to wash hands, sneeze into an elbow, and fight germs through healthy hygiene habits.

4. Take care of your minds and bodies.

Limits placed on social activities can be stressful for small children and yourself.

Take care to get outside every day, even if it’s just for a brief bundled-up, umbrella-carrying, 10-minute walk. The sunshine and fresh air can boost your mental health.

Indoor activities like Go Noodle exercises and Skyping or Facetiming friends can take the edge off the sense of confinement.

Try to make your weekends more fun with family board games, movie nights, or craft projects. Check out Ways To Keep The Kids From Going Stir-Crazy Over Winter Break for ideas.

Spring small group enrichment classes are currently still in session with Shine, so contact us for details.

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.

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.

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

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.

How Gardening Grows Your Child’s Mind, Body, and Soul

May 21, 2019/in Guide, Learn/by Shine

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
– Cicero, Roman statesman

“Why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden?”
– Robert Brault, American author

“Let them once get in touch with nature, and a habit is formed, which will be a source of delight through life.”
– Charlotte Mason, English educator

A garden is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child. Your time is another. This summer, dig down into the dirt with your children to find countless benefits for the mind, body, and soul. Whether you have a backyard filled with raised beds, a sunny patch out front, a few patio containers, or a community garden, the advantages are all the same.

How Gardening Benefits the BRAIN

Garden food ensures your kids get brain-boosting vitamins and minerals. According to Harvard researchers, the best foods for the brain include easy-to-grow leafy greens (kale, spinach, collards, broccoli), as well as berries (strawberries and blueberries).
Being out in the sunshine boosts the body’s vitamin D. One study found 67% of children had insufficient levels of Vitamin D. Deficiency in this area has been linked with mood disorders, behavioral problems, and psychological difficulties that persist into adulthood. Just 10-30 minutes of sunlight a day is all your kids need!
Soil mycobacterium reduces depression. Multiple studies found that harmless mycobacterium found in soil can double as an antidepressant by triggering the body’s natural release of serotonin. Beyond that, the feeling of self-satisfaction and accomplishment that follows harvest time is priceless for a little one’s emotional health.
The act of gardening reduces stress. Kids stress about changing schedules, inability to complete tasks independently, limitations to their freedom, demands placed on them by school, fitting in with social peers, parental fighting, and a glut of other issues. Dutch researchers found that just 30 minutes of digging reduces the level of the body’s notorious stress hormone, cortisol. They compared the results of the gardening group to a group of readers and found that “positive mood was fully restored after gardening” — but not with reading.
Gardening is science in action. There’s so much science happening before our eyes in the garden. Ask your kids questions like, “What three things do plants need to grow? How does the plant drink water? Why are worms good for the plants? Do you know what photosynthesis is?” Examine the parts of plants with a microscope or magnifying glass, and talk about identifying which plants are beneficial, and which can be dangerous to people.
Math and gardening go hand-in-hand. Incorporate math concepts by measuring depth, distance between plants, and how much they’re growing each week. Add in art by taking pictures of the plants from week to week and turning it into a “plant journal” or garden scrapbook. Supplement your experience with trips to the botanical gardens. Shapes, symmetry, problem-solving – these are all concepts to be explored in your garden.

How Gardening Benefits the BODY

Kids who garden snack healthier. One study found young gardeners exhibited a preference for choosing fruits and vegetables at snack time.
Gardeners eat healthier as adults. Another study found that households participating in gardening ate 40 percent more fresh produce per day, and were 3.5 times more likely to achieve the recommended five servings.
The garden builds immunity. Professor, Author, and Germ Expert Jack Gilbert says the exposure to garden microbes stimulates and strengthens young immune systems. In his 2016 study, he found Amish children who grew up on farms had asthma at half the rate of the national average.
Gardening improves physical activity levels, as well as nutrition. After the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service added an after-school gardening program for grades K-8, they found the percentage of kids who ate fruit and vegetables every day increased from 21 to 56%, and the number of kids who were physically active every day increased from 51 to 79%. Gardening is one way to curb childhood obesity, as kids can burn over 300 calories an hour stooping, standing, kneeling, watering, and weeding.
Heavy work improves motor skills. Lifting heavy watering cans or digging with a shovel gives kids the chance to demonstrate their strength, while pushing a child-sized wheelbarrow or crouching down low to plant improves balance. These activities that use the big muscles of the arms, legs, and torso hone gross motor skills –which, in turn, improves posture, strength, endurance, and coordination. Grasping a trowel or rake, as well as pinching seeds or weeds, improves fine motor skills used in writing and cutting with scissors.

How Gardening Benefits the SOUL

Gardening breeds empathy and improves relationships. A 2017 research paper suggests that being close to nature evokes positive emotions. Outdoor activities like hiking, bird-watching, and gardening act as a tangible catalyst to happiness. Attachment to plants and animals in early childhood stimulates feelings of empathy, compassion, and connection with others. Kids (and adults) who are physically connected to their natural landscape have an increased sense of belonging, the authors indicate. Gardening as a household is a “relationship connector,” says Bonnie Lehman of Michigan State University. You’re solidifying relationships among family members with time spent together and creating loving, fond, stress-free memories.
Planting improves self-esteem. “Gardening helps make children feel more capable,” according to Dr. Wendy Matthews, a Mindprint Learning consultant. “It is wonderful for building a child’s sense of competence, as they engage in a real life activity that they might have previously seen as only for adults.” In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is spending a quarter of a million dollars to improve the self-esteem and environmental stewardship of teenagers by teaching them sustainable gardening.
Gardening is a mindfulness activity. Our children are not immune to the anxieties and stresses of life – a life that has become more digitized than ever before. Unplugging and focusing on the gentle tasks of gardening is a wonderful exercise in mindfulness. “When you are planting, watering, weeding and harvesting your senses are fully engaged in the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and tactile sensations of your garden,” explains psychic medium James Van Praagh, adding: “Gardening gives us time to connect with something tangible and real.”
Planting is cathartic, especially for kids with disabilities or health issues. “For patients who find themselves restricted by a disability, even the simplest gardening experience – such as growing a potted plant from a cutting – gives them a feeling of control,” Horticultural Therapist Teresia Hazen explains. She adds: “Gardening, more than most rehab activities, has the ability to be very distracting. Simply by taking people’s minds off their problems can alleviate pain and depression.”
Teach patience, sharing, responsibility, and communication. The family time spent together in the garden gives us the ideal time to teach the crucial life lessons that make our children better people. They need to be patient to wait for their seeds to go. They need to be responsible to water and weed their plants every day. They need to share garden tools with siblings, share the workload with others in the family, and put in their own effort for the benefit of the greater good. They learn to express their frustrations, their hopes, and their feelings in the moment. When it’s all said and done, they can literally taste the fruits of their persistence and hard work.

Ready, Set, Grow!

If you’re just getting started, try these easy plants that are suitable for the most impatient toddlers or try one of our Garden Project classes that combine art, science, and nature in compelling ways. If you’ve been a green thumb for years, you may find the following research added comfort that you’re digging down the right path.