The best places to sled in Brooklyn and NYC
by Karen on 1/21/12 | 6 Comment(s)
Snow! The forecast from weather.com is: “Through 3pm: Intermittent snow, sleet and/or freezing rain will change to a few snow showers around noon. About one inch of additional snow through 2:30pm.” All to say, that means we may have great snow for sledding! Our sleds are perched at our front door, snowpants washed and laid [...]
Martin Luther King Day Events in NYC on MLK Day
by Karen on 1/12/12 | 0 Comment(s)
Though there are events all weekend to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy, (check our weekend events here), there are some special ones on the actual day it’s celebrated- Monday, January 16th. MLK Day is also about giving service to others and we have our list of where to volunteer as a family here. You [...]
Weekend Events: Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa and Everything Else!
by Karen on 12/22/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanzaa, we have pulled together some fun events for you to do this weekend. For additional events, please see our post on Hanukkah Events, and on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Family Services. Kwanzaa starts on Monday, December 26th. The Brooklyn Children’s Museum has a great week of programmed [...]
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Family Services
by Karen on 12/22/11 | 1 Comment(s)
It’s painful getting your kids to stay up for that late night Christmas Eve service- and even more tortuous to have sleepy, cranky kids on Christmas morning. A lot of churches have accommodated families by creating earlier Christmas Eve Family Services or special Christmas Day services. I emailed quite a few churches to ask about [...]
Happy Hanukkah! Fun Events for Your Family in NYC
by Karen on 12/21/11 | 1 Comment(s)
Um..so I’m a day late and about 10 posts behind (including this Hanukkah post). I left for vacation on Sunday and am feeling very happy to have a break from the blog, facebook, twitter and well- everything. I have found time to eat a bag of pretzels, drink a pot of tea and rip through [...]
Looking to volunteer as a family for the holidays?
by Karen on 12/21/11 | 2 Comment(s)
“Small hands can bring big changes.” It’s the perfect time of year for your kids to see how true that statement is. From making cards to holding someone’s hand, there is great potential to make a difference. We found some wonderful opportunities for your family to help out this holiday season. Stockings with Care Stockings [...]
Some of the Best Holiday Books for Kids: 2011
by Karen on 12/16/11 | 2 Comment(s)
When I was a full-time employee at Barnes and Noble (for far too long at the age of 21 and 22 years), I invested my paycheck in books. I didn’t just buy art books or fiction books, but childrens’ books. I have a grand collection of childrens’ books from that time. After all, I did [...]
Send Your Child A Personal Video From Santa
by Karen on 12/13/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Santa Claus is now online, and available to send a personalized video message to your kids. This is one of my kids favorite “Santa sightings. The customized videos feel magical: how did Santa know who they were, what they wanted and get that photo from Halloween?! And the magic for you? You don’t have to [...]
Your One-Stop Gingerbread House Guide
by Stacie on 12/06/11 | 2 Comment(s)
Gingerbread is a term used for a spiced molasses confection that ranges from a soft cake to a crisp, flat cookie. Sometimes it’s light, sometimes dark. Sometimes it’s sweet, sometimes spicy. It’s always delicious and is most fun when made into gingerbread men or their candy-covered, usually Victorian-inspired homes. Making gingerbread men is pretty straight [...]
Found: a Christmas wonderland in the city
by Paula on 12/06/11 | 2 Comment(s)
While I can’t deny that the Christmas trees that grace the pages of home design magazines are gorgeous with their artfully arranged ornaments, coordinating ribbons,and garlands, they aren’t for me. I vowed that when I became a parent I would never have such a perfect looking tree. A Martha Stewart approved Christmas tree would just [...]
Where to see Christmas Lights in Brooklyn- Dyker Heights and beyond
by Karen on 12/06/11 | 10 Comment(s)
If you hear the words “Brooklyn” and “Christmas lights’ in the same sentence, chances are the person is talking about the Dyker Heights holiday lights. The famous holiday tradition has been on national news, TLC and featured in a dedicated PBS documentary. While this is the “grand slam” of holiday lights in Brooklyn, there are [...]
Weekend Events: Holiday Fun and Lots More!
by Alicia on 12/02/11 | 4 Comment(s)
Happy December everyone! As you’re gearing up to rock around the Christmas tree or Menorah, we’ve got tons of events to have you ho, ho, ho-ing all around town. The Galli Children’s Theater Company is coming to Brooklyn on Sunday with an interactive, fun, and free performance of “The Frog Prince.” Santa Claus is coming to [...]
Family Hannukah Celebrations in New York City
by Holly on 12/01/11 | 1 Comment(s)
New York City is buzzing during the holiday time, and the celebration of Hannukah is no exception. Whether it be a massive candle lighting with hundreds of other New Yorkers or Family Day at the Jewish Museum with art and music, you and your children will have many opportunities to celebrate and learn and celebrate [...]
Shop Local: Craft Fairs and Holiday Markets in Brooklyn
by Serena on 11/29/11 | 0 Comment(s)
With all of the craziness that comes with Black Friday, Cyber Monday and deals flooding our inboxs, we are so happy that Brooklyn offers a bit of calm from the sea of commercialism. Thanks to local holiday fairs and markets, you can buy handmade gifts like pottery, jewelry, clothing and toys without the hassle and [...]
Dan Zanes and Friends Special Christmas NYC Show
by Holly on 11/27/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Brooklyn parents have an affinity for Dan Zanes- we have seen him up close at benefits, house parties and Halloween parades and also as just one of many fans at major concert houses. He’s celebrating the release of his new holiday EP, ‘Christmas in Concord’ (available 11/29 on itunes) at City Winery in NYC on December [...]
Tree Lighting Ceremonies in NYC
by Serena on 11/27/11 | 3 Comment(s)
There is something magical about a Christmas tree. The sparkle, the lights and the beautiful tree topper make this a fantastic symbol to admire as we kick-off the holiday season. In addition to dressing your own tree you can also enjoy numerous tree lighting ceremonies throughout the city. The most renowned is the Rockefeller Center [...]
Holiday Shows and Theater Performances for Kids
by Serena on 11/23/11 | 1 Comment(s)
It is truly magical to see a show in NYC, especially a holiday show, but it also a limited-time opportunity. We have put together an extensive list of holiday theatre including the classics like the beloved Radio City Christmas Spectacular and various productions of the Nutcracker. This year, there are also some new productions of [...]
Holiday Train Shows in NYC are Back
by Serena on 11/21/11 | 3 Comment(s)
Chances are if you have a kid, you will be interested in heading to a train show this holiday. This year, there has been no word about Grand Central Terminal doing their train show- but if you know anything, please email us. No matter! Our favorite train show at the NY Botanical Gardens is back [...]
Where to Volunteer For Thanksgiving and The Holidays
by Karen on 11/21/11 | 1 Comment(s)
Here is a startling statistic from USA Today: The number of Americans attending food pantries and soup kitchens has increased by 46% over the last five years. Thanksgiving is one the occasions when those soup kitchens and food pantries get inundated with large numbers of people wanting a special meal. If you want to volunteer [...]
Where to See Santa in NYC
by Serena on 11/21/11 | 5 Comment(s)
Can you believe the holiday season is upon us? We can’t either but the decor has been popping up in store windows and the appearances of Santa Claus are starting in a few days. We updated our annual classic list of spots like ABC Carpet & Home and Macy’s but added some new spots like [...]
Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and Balloon inflation for families
by Karen on 11/21/11 | 0 Comment(s)
The holiday excitement is beginning and it always seems like Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Balloon Inflation kick it off. So, how do you manage this with a family? Is it doable? Yes! The parade: The parade is in its 85th year and Macy’s is celebrating this year with some new floats. The parade route [...]
Friendly Turkey Trot Run For Thanksgiving
by Karen on 11/16/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Enjoying Thanksgiving does not mean you have to gain weight- just get out for a trot! Prospect Park Track Club does a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot every year. It’s a friendly run on Thanksgiving morning, November 24th at 9 a.m- and that means you can get out of doing some kitchen prep! The trot is just [...]
Veterans Day Observance in Carroll Park
by Karen on 11/08/11 | 0 Comment(s)
Friends of Carroll Park seem to always come up with some of the more interesting and meaningful events for the community and I was glad to hear that they, along with Court Street Merchants Association, is facilitating a Veterans Day Observance. Join them for brief comments and the laying of a wreath at the base [...]
A Family Weekend in Mystic, Connecticut
by Holly on 11/03/11 | 5 Comment(s)
A weekend in Mystic can be quite satisfying for every member of your family…from history to boats to pizza to whales to local artisans. During the summer, you can visits its beaches; in the fall, you have fall foliage. It just might be time to start planning a trip to Mystic. Just a 2-1/2 to [...]
Updated: 2011 Halloween Events: Your Complete Halloween Activity Guide
by Serena on 10/28/11 | 9 Comment(s)
This year is PACKED with activities for kids of all ages, some of our favorites include the Park Slope Halloween Parade, Boo at the Zoo at the Bronx Zoo and Ghouls and Gourds at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. There are tons of local celebrations like the 12th Annual Halloween Festival in Fort Greene Park and [...]
