4 Ways To Savor The End of Summer in NYC

4 Ways To Savor The End of Summer in NYC

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Months of summer sunshine, pleasant weather, socializing at picnics and barbecues, traveling, and indulging in family fun are a breath of fresh air to a year of work and school responsibilities. By mid-to-late August, our shopping carts are filled with notebooks and folders instead of sunscreen and sand pails. We’re thinking ahead to carpool arrangements and sports practices. Where did the summer go?

 

At this point, it’s common to experience the “End of Summer” blues. If only we could slow down and hang onto summer a little bit longer! We’re all looking to pack a few more family memories in our suitcase before fragmenting into our own separate lives when school starts again. Here are four memorable finales for the summer that will leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

 

1. Get your thrills at one of the pop-up summer playgrounds made for adults and kids.

Playgrounds have come a long way from the metal slides, swing sets, and harrowing teeter-totters of our youth.

  • The Bronx Zoo’s new adventure zone with zip-lines over the Bronx River, kid-friendly Nature Trek, and free public pools is worth checking out if you haven’t already.
  • The Terrace at Brookfield Place offers a rooftop Coloring Bar on Monday evenings, free movies and music on Wednesdays, and shuffleboard on Fridays, in addition to French fare, best enjoyed in their shaded picnic grove.
  • Rockaway Water Park features floating trampolines, rope swings, water slides, a Tarzan Boat, jet skis, and canoes in Jamaica Bay.
  • Adventures at Governors Island is a new play area boasting a 24-foot climbing wall, themed mini golf, the city’s longest slide, and double zip-lines overlooking the Statue of Liberty.

2. Find something for everyone with an end-of-summer festival.

  • Catch one of PuppetMobile’s Cinderella Samba free performances around the city.
  • This year’s super popular FringeJR festivities, geared toward the 5-12 crowd, will include: an exploration of Amelia Earhart’s legacy through circus acts and puppetry; a Fairy Tale Villain musical; pirate comedy; kings, queens, and dragons; as well as a fort filled with crafts and cool character meet-and-greets.
  • In September, the 31st Annual Queens County Fair offers a traditional celebration of pie-eating, pig racing, carnival rides, midway games, and blue ribbon livestock competitions.

3. Cram in one last getaway.

  • Schedule at least one more day at the beach and your soul will thank you! Some of the best spots for families to swim, tube, water ski, boat, and play in the sand include: Brooklyn’s Coney Island, Jacob Riis Beach or Rockaway Beach in Queens, and Long Beach on Long Island.
  • Camping is another scrapbook-worthy, end-of-summer event for the whole family. Take nature hikes, play a few board games at the picnic table, tell spooky ghost stories, and roast s’mores over the campfire. A few family favorites within a few hours of the City include: Hither Hills State Park in Montauk, Watch Hill Fire Island National Seashore, Floyd Bennett Field, Malouf’s Mountain Sunset Campgrounds, and Clarence Fahnestock State Park.
  • NYC is blessed with a number of ideal road trip destinations for day or weekend trips on a budget. Try Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA for the littles, Hershey Park for the amusement park lovers in your family, and Mystic, CT or Cape Cod to find timeless fun for all ages.
  • Staycationers can find plenty of family togetherness at home. The first rule is UNPLUG – pack those electronic devices away! Replace “the usual” with fun scavenger hunts, board games, crafting, swimming, dining out, outdoor movies, and backyard camping.

4. Volunteer with your kids to end summer with a humbling sense of purpose.

Worried your child will feel too self-indulgent or spoiled after all that summer fun? Ground them with a volunteer service project to wrap up the season with pay-it-forward kindness and generosity.

If you’re stumped for ways to transform a regular day into a memorable experience, we’re always happy to help with our wide range of pop-up classes, workshops, parties, and our Lighthouse Project. Contact us to add more fun, creativity, exploration, and fun to your summer. It’s never too late to slow down the pace, bask in the moment, and be a kid again!

 

Additional Resources:

 

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.

How To Get NYC Kids Excited for the Great American Eclipse of 2017

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What are you doing August 21st? Space lovers will be offered a unique opportunity to revel in one of nature’s mysteries where the moon positions itself between the Earth and the sun for two-and-a-half minutes. During that time, viewers will notice the 10-15 degree temperature drop, the sun disappear, planets and stars shine like never before, and the thrill of anticipation as time seems to stand still. No other event comes close to capturing the awesome power of the universe and the fragility of man.

According to Joe Rao, an educator at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, the Great American Solar Eclipse of 2017 will be “one of the events of the century.” In fact, some people have been waiting for an eclipse to pass from coast to coast since 1932. Here are some ways to experience the event with your budding astronauts.

1. Get your solar viewing glasses and hit the road!

“Perhaps a hundred million people will see it,” estimates Hayden Planetarium Director Neil deGrasse Tyson. “In a day where everyone can travel, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t have every single American in the path of totality,” he adds. For New Yorkers, the closest spot within the path of eclipse totality would be Columbia, South Carolina – 11 hours away. Lodging is still available at Hilton Columbia Center, Aloft Columbia Downtown, Hyatt Place Columbia Downtown, and the Holiday Inn and Suites. While you’re in town, visit the South Carolina State Museum’s antique telescope and state-of-the-art planetarium. The Soda City Eclipse Viewing Festival at the Historic Speedway festival grounds will feature food trucks, live music, and a viewing party.

Another option 11 hours from home is the viewing at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Clingman’s Dome is closed for exclusive media viewings, but the trail leading up to it should offer similarly expansive views over the pine forest canopy. Park staff will also be available at Cades Cove and Oconaluftee to serve as your informal guides to the big solar event. Nearby Bryson City, NC will be a flurry of activity all week long, with Farmers Markets, live music at Riverfront Park, petting zoos, bounce houses, bonfires, rafting, and many more activities.

2. Attend a local viewing party to feed off the excitement of a crowd.

Don’t despair if you aren’t in the market for a spontaneous getaway. New York City will still experience a 70 percent blockage of the sun around 2:44 pm. Even though it’s not as dramatic, our eclipse will still be something to see, and there are plenty of places to do so.

The Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, of course, will be thee place to be for the big viewing in NYC. They’ll be entertaining guests from noon to 4 pm with a NASA livestream broadcast, information on eclipses in the Cullman Hall of The Universe, pop-up talks by astrophysicist Brian Levine, and outdoor viewings at the Rose Center for Earth Space and the Arthur Ross Terrace.

Other eclipse viewing parties will be held at:

For a more intimate experience with your family at a less-crowded, scenic spot, try:

Experts say our eclipse won’t be dark enough to see stars, but (with the right equipment) you’ll spot the partial eclipse, as well as Venus — in the western sky below and to the right of the sun. In addition to the outdoor viewing, you can watch the official NASA livestream to see what other people are experiencing across the country.

Sunglasses are not strong enough for direct solar viewing. However, with advance planning and a couple dollars, you can protect your family’s eyes from permanent damage. NASA lists just four companies whose glasses meet international safety standards for the event: American Paper Optics, Rainbow Symphony, Thousand Oaks Optical and TSE 17. Glasses will have a globe logo with the letters “ISO” and the letters “CE” that certify the filters have been adequately tested for safe, direct viewing of the sun. Local libraries will be handing these out. Photographers will need “solar neutral density filters” to protect their camera lenses, too.

3. Have your own solar eclipse viewing party at home.

Here are some “mind-illuminating” activities for your little partygoers:

  • Learn about the eclipse with a free booklet from Bill Nye and the National Parks Service, geared toward kids ages 5-12.
  • Watch an animation of what the August 21st eclipse will look like from your zip code or precise street address at https://eclipsemega.movie/simulator.
  • Once you get your official glasses, you can have the kids decorate them in their own unique ways and share their creations on social media sites using the NASA-recommended hashtag #MyEclipseGlasses.
  • Make “Solar Eclipse Sundaes” by stacking a scoop of lemon sherbert, a scoop of chocolate ice cream, and a scoop of homemade Blue Moon ice cream in a clear glass.
  • Take the temperature every few hours to see how it fluctuates throughout a typical day. Compare these readings to the day of the eclipse. Plot the numbers on a graph.
  • Chart the family pet’s behaviors for a few days before the event, and watch what happens during the eclipse.
  • Talk to your older children about civics, business, and hospitality. Hopkinsville, Kentucky is destined to be the point of greatest eclipse. The town has a population less than 33,000, but they are expecting 50,000 people for the big day. How will they feed everyone? Where will people stay? How will the residents get to school or work with all the extra traffic? Have your child write a story about it, or design a tourism brochure explaining why people should come from out-of-town to celebrate in your
  • Encourage junior history buffs to read more about historic eclipses – such as the first discovery of eclipses by the Chaldeans in the 700s BC or how a total solar eclipse in 585 BC ended a war between the Medes and the Lydians. Mark Twain’s novel “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” features a time traveler who avoids being burned at the stake with his cunning knowledge of solar eclipses.
  • Create your own zany stories about “strange events that took place during the eclipse.”
  • After the viewing, ask the kids to describe what the eclipse meant to them in just six words. If you wish, you can send your entries into NASA to be included in their time capsule to be opened at the next total eclipse in 2024.

If you don’t see the August 21st Eclipse, you’ll have to wait until 2045 to watch the next coast-to-coast solar eclipse – possibly with your grandkids! The next total solar eclipse won’t occur in New York until 2079, but you can travel as close as Upstate New York to see a total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Until then, shine on, you crazy diamonds!

Additional Resources:

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.

8 Ways Kids Can Entertain Themselves at Your Fourth of July Party

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The best Fourth-of-July parties are entertaining for kids and adults. Here are some of our favorite open-ended party activities that will entertain and engage kids, while grown-ups enjoy cocktails and conversation.

Top 8 July 4th Activities

 

1.      July 4th Firework Crafts

Firework crafts are easy enough for older kids to do without supervision or for a teenager to oversee the littler ones. Simply cut the end of paper towel rolls into strips for a great firework template that can be dipped into glitter paint. The bounce and twist motion it takes to create “fireworks” encourages hand-eye coordination and fine motor development, while kids use their imagination and combine colors. Another variation of this craft uses shaving cream, liquid water colors, and toothpicks. You can also use forks to make a circular pattern or dab a dish brush onto the paper for a similar effect.

2.      Independence Day Scavenger Hunt

Plan to pair younger kids with older kids, and make a patriotic-themed Scavenger Hunt around the yard or house before guests arrive. There are countless variations, but the basic idea is to write out a riddle leading kids to the next clue. An example might be: “An old fable says that George Washington chopped one of these down” – which, of course, will lead the sleuths to a cherry tree on the property. You could hide the American flags to be collected as part of a patriotic theme, or make printouts of famous patriots, places, and symbols from American history. To add a layer of intrigue, you could attach an activity to each discovered clue, such as “Do five pushups” or “Sing the Star-Spangled Banner.” An easier version can be made for younger kids by simply providing a list of hidden items to find. They can be very specific patriotic items / printouts, or broader items like “something fuzzy” and “something pretty.”

3.      Red, White and Blue Water Balloons

Water balloons are always a hit at any outdoor summer picnic. Of course, there is some liability that adult guests may get a little wet, too. Encourage structured games, rather than all-out warfare. The basic Water Balloon Toss involves two lines of people standing across from one another, tossing and catching small water balloons. Partners who drop and break the balloon are out. If the partners successfully complete the toss without the balloon breaking, they take one step back. Another fun game is Water Ballon Dodgeball where two teams are divided up and take turns hurling water balloons back and forth until one team is left standing. Buy red, white, and blue balloons to make it festive. When the sun goes down, you can bust out these glow-in-the-dark balloons recommended by a camp counselor.

4.      4th of July Bicycle Parade

The Fourth of July naturally lends itself to pageantry. Set up an Americana themed costume box with props and outfits like the Statue of Liberty, Paul Revere, George and Martha Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Colonial soldiers. Or you can ask young guests to come dressed as their favorite patriotic attire to compete for the “best costume” prize. Kids can bring their bikes to decorate for a “parade” around the block (or the driveway). Have streamers, flags, stickers, construction paper, markers, and spoke beads on hand for decorating.

5.      Independent Jewelry Making Station

Older kids can enjoy hours of making red, white, and blue bracelets and necklaces. Supply them with red, white, and blue beads, as well as beads shaped like stars or letter beads that allow them to write messages. Oriental Trading is a cheap place to find patriotic charms and supplies, or you could try Etsy.

6.      Capture the (American) Flag

Divide the team into the red team vs. the blue team, using bandanas to signify who is on which team. For team flags, you could use the American and “Don’t Tread on Me” flags. The object of this classic game is to capture the other team’s flag and bring it back to their territory. If you’re tagged by an opposing team member, you have to go to the designated “jail.” You can only get out of jail if your team member tags you. Each team typically divvies themselves up into “Guards” who try to tag opponents sneaking into their territory, “Attackers” who are on a mission to find the other team’s hidden flag, and “Scouts” who rescue team members from jail and support the other roles.

7.      July 4th on TV!

Electronic media is never our first pick, but what if it’s raining? What if the kids have been running around for hours and crave that little bit of “down time” to recharge their batteries? Our best educational TV pick for the Fourth of July is Liberty’s Kids, an entertaining-yet-educational series about the American Revolution. Other picks may include movies like: “Johnny Tremain,” “This is America, Charlie Brown,” “All Aboard America,” or “Ben and Me.”

8.       Stand up and Sing, Patriots!

What better time to brush up on everybody’s favorite patriotic songs that embody the very spirit of our independence? For a comprehensive list of all the most classic patriot tunes and lyrics, check out https://www.scoutsongs.com/categories/patriotic-songs.html. Or curate your own list of modern pop hits that celebrate what it means to “R.O.C.K. in the USA”, be an “American Girl”, or remind your favorite kid what a “Firework” he is. Or if you have a Broadway baby, why not host a Hamilton sing along!

Additional Resources: https://www.icanteachmychild.com/shaving-cream-fireworks/

Holidays are an exciting time for the kids, so be sure to put their boundless energy to good use. Have them work on easy table decorations, or inspire their inner “chef” by having them assemble these simple 4th of July snacks. While you are celebrating America’s independence, your little ones will be celebrating their growing sense of independence, too.

Have a sensational party!

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.

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

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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.

 

  1. 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 14th. Meet zoo animal moms and babies, enjoy tasty treats, make Mom a special gift, and go on a scavenger hunt.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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 36th 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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

Spreading the Love of Music

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 “Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand. With an equal opportunity, for all to sing, dance, and clap their hands…”

– Stevie Wonder, Sir Duke

 

These lyrics are all encompassing when it comes to understanding children, their love for music, and why it is so important in their lives.

IMG_2853 (1)Children are inherently musical beings. They love to sing, dance, shake, rattle, and roll! Adults who provide developmentally appropriate learning environments for children incorporate music as a major component of a healthy and natural daily experience. Teachers, caregivers, and parents must do so by offering playful and creative music experiences in both structured and unstructured settings. Healthy and natural encouragement in engaging children in musical play is essential to their musical development. Listening and observing a child’s spontaneous musical play, such as invented song, helps adults around them (parents, teachers, caregivers, etc.) better understand their methods of learning, communicating, and awareness of their place in society. More importantly, it gives children a fun outlet to express their feelings, wants, and needs!

Parents and caregivers:

By playing music in your home during homework time, dinnertime or while getting ready in the morning, you can naturally expose your children to different genres of music. Music also affects mood so starting your day off right with an upbeat tune will positively affect the chemical make-up of your child. Turning on some smooth jazz during homework time or before bedtime is proven to naturally help concentration and winding down.

Classroom teachers:

IMG_2853 (2)Turn on some background music during the school day. This might fit into free art time, reading, reflection, and/or journaling. This would, of course, be an addition to your regularly scheduled music class 😉

One of my most important and sacred ideals is making children feel comfortable in a given learning environment. Although music is the universal language of the world, it is not understood and received the same way by all. Thus, customized programming is essential in the musical development of children, beginning from birth through the adolescent years. My mission is to provide my students with the capacity to go out into the world feeling special, loved, and confident shining their inner light.

Spread the love of music!

By Taylor Feygin, MA, Music Education & Shine Music Specialist

Top 10 Indoor Activities

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Whether it’s inclement weather or someone is home with the sniffles, filling an day inside with fun, enriched activities that DON’T involve putting in a DVD can be a challenge. Here is our list of stay-at-home activities that prove to be a good time for both child and adult.

Indoor Activities1. Make play dough.

2 cups of flour, 2 cups of water, 4 tsp. cream of tartar (found in spice area of any supermarket), 2 Tbs. oil, 1 cup of salt, food coloring (mix into the water before adding to saucepan). Place all the ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously. The mixture will be watery at first, then lumpy. Keep stirring until the mixture is one big lump, about 5 minutes. Take out of the pan and knead until smooth. Make sure not to overcook. The dough will be softer and last longer if it is taken off the heat sooner and kneaded longer. Let cool and store in an airtight container. For an added treat, add some glitter while kneading!

2. Use shaving cream in the bathtub or shower.

Children love the feeling of thick, smooth shaving cream and spreading it all over the tub walls and themselves. Grown-ups love the easy clean-up; just rinse and it’s done.

3. Read a book. Or three.

Nothing is as important as reading to and with your child. Use the stories as a jumping off point for discussion and conversation. Books inspire language. Read more

Top 10 Playdates

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Playdates are crucial to a child’s social development. For young children, play is the most important aspect of a get-together. Just hanging out, sharing toys, and using language is beneficial. But as children get older, playdates can be more than just toy time. Here are some of our favorite playdates to stimulate creativity, social growth, and keep both children and adults engaged.

Playdates1. Go on a scavenger hunt.
Whether indoors or out, it’s fun to put a written or picture list together and have children collect the items on it. Our favorite is a nature scavenger hunt in the park.

2. Hit a museum.
Choose one that is child-friendly or take on a smaller part of a bigger museum. We love to bring a sketch pad and some materials for children to create their own masterpiece based on a work they like.

3. Have a picnic.
Children love to cook, set up, and serve. Make a simple meal with them and then head to the park (or the playroom) for a picnic with all the fixings: blankets, baskets, and bounty. Read more

Little Scientists

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Scientists may use complex lab techniques to make discoveries, but their first observations are much the same as a child’s.  The questions children ask naturally are based on the observations they have of the world around them.  Allowing them to flesh out their curiosity with hands-on explorations and experiments will provide a fabulous foundation for learning and a love of the different sciences.

Little ScientistsGathering and organizing information are core science skills, and information-hungry kids practice them naturally and enthusiastically.  With a little organization from you, you could turn a child’s question into an afternoon of fun learning using the very grown up scientific method.

  • Look and ask: Pick up on an observation your child makes that inspires a question.
  • Guess: Ask your child to guess why it’s so.
  • Test:  Create an experiment to put that guess to a test.
  • Find Out:  Can your child make a conclusion based on the test?
  • Look and ask again:  Finding answers leads to more questions and by generating new questions and tests, the whole process can start again.

Read more

Playground Rules

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Indoor playgrounds are just as important to kids as they are to their parents.  Whether it be for inclement weather, lazy afternoons, or a just a fun, familiar place to meet friends, they are provided for the enjoyment of the entire family.  That is why we are so concerned with safety and appropriate playground etiquette.

HE SAID:
Shine Playground RulesAaron Goldschmidt, founder & director, Shine

Here are 5 golden rules to keep in mind when at an indoor playground with mixed-aged children:

  1. Keep older children out of areas designated specifically for younger children.
  2. Avoid bringing your own toys as they often create conflict.
  3. Remove jewelry, glasses, and extra pieces of clothing.
  4. Do not allow physical or verbal bullying, “clubs” or exclusive play, violent play like war, or pretend shooting.
  5. Stay alert!  The playground is not an opportunity to take a break from adult supervision.

If there is a problem, discipline quietly or accompany the child from the playground until he\she is under control.  Abusive language is unacceptable by adults and children.  A brief “time out” in a quiet area usually works as an appropriate consequence.

SHE SAID:
Erika Thormahlen, teacher

Rules keep children happy and safe, but they don’t have to take the “play” out of playground: Read more

Tips for Choosing a Summer Day Camp

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I have always loved summer camp. From my days at large outdoor day camps in the rolling hills of Western New York to my summers at overnight camp in the Finger Lakes, my childhood was filled with memories of boondoggle, popsicle stick boats, field days, color wars, and hours of outdoor exploration. I believe camp should be an experience available to all children and with so many options choosing the right one for your family can be daunting.

Here are Shine’s top tips for choosing a summer day camp:

Summer Camp1. Target practice.
There is a big difference between a summer camp with a general, “classic experience” with lots of activities and one with a particular focus. Older children can target in on their interests easier than younger ones. Try to find out what he/she really loves and really wants to be doing over the summer and then look for a camp that specializes in that. Just because your sporty girl is on the field all year doesn’t mean she wants to go to sports camp. Ask. And for younger campers, look for camps that offer the classic, wide range of activities including arts and crafts, music, outdoor nature and science, and sports. Exposing younger campers to a variety of activities will keep them interested and engaged and help you and them figure out what it is they love most about summer camp.

2. Location, location, location.
If you have a younger child going to day camp, you may not be ready to put them on a bus. That means someone has to drop-off and pick-up. But since summer is already about juggling schedules, you may want to chose a camp that’s close to home or work to make it all a little easier. And having a friend or two with whom to carpool makes it even more so. Read more

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