Kids | A Child Grows

Ach! Growing Pains

by Karen on 2/02/12 | 8 Comment(s)

We thought we were golden with our 3.5 year old’s sleep pattern: um, yeah, right! We have had lots of middle-of-the-night wakeups from nightmares and now- growing pains. When our son wails from the pain, I get it. I had them too. But, what I don’t get is what they are and how to help [...]

Reminder: BAM Kids Film Festival Tickets This Weekend

by Karen on 2/02/12 | 1 Comment(s)

We alerted you when the BAMkids Film Festival tickets went on sale on January 3rd- and here we are a month later, and the film festival is upon us! I just checked and, amazingly, there are still tickets available to the BAMkids Film Festival ! Honestly, I’m surprised. Usually, the week before the festival, the [...]

Chalkboard Paint Just Grew Up!

by Karen on 1/31/12 | 0 Comment(s)

Chalkboard paint has gotten a color facelift! Though we love to draw on a chalkboard as much as anyone, having a wall of dark grey in a room can be a bit….drab. Hudson Paint, a small paint manufacturer in the Hudson River Valley, has become the Pantone deck of chalkboard paint. Now, any chalkboard can [...]

10 Most Common Car Seat Installation Mistakes

by Karen on 1/30/12 | 4 Comment(s)

I know I’ve made about 4 of these car seat installation mistakes and I’m pretty sure that I’m not alone. In fact, I know I’m not: studies show that 82 percent or 9 out of 10 car seats are not installed and used correctly. Even more upsetting? Crashes are the leading cause of death for [...]

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 [...]

Kids Can Try a New Language for Free

by Karen on 1/16/12 | 0 Comment(s)

If your child can say “nǐhǎo” and “gracias”, you might not worry so much about them saying “please” and “thank you” in English. This week and next, two language programs are offering the opportunity to give both Spanish and Mandarin a try with your tikes- for free! Lango Kids NYC Free Trial Mandarin Class It [...]

DOE Announces Kindergarten Application Deadlines (we have PreK too)

by Karen on 1/10/12 | 3 Comment(s)

Sharpen your pencils, get out your walking shoes and get ready for the kindergarten application season! It’s not fun, but by the end of it, hopefully you will be happy with where your child ends up. Here’s the scoop! The kindergarten application period is open from January 9, 2012 through March 2, 2012. Visit the [...]

Checkmate My Friend: Chess Clubs For Kids in Brooklyn

by Karen on 1/10/12 | 0 Comment(s)

When I looked up why chess is a good game to play (I know it’s supposed to be good for you, I just wanted to know why)- the reasons listed are numerous; it develops memory improves concentration develops logical thinking promotes imagination and creativity teaches independence and there are plenty more…but it made me think [...]

Carnegie Hall with Kids? Totally!

by Karen on 1/09/12 | 0 Comment(s)

Carnegie Hall loves its youngest audience members- it’s a rare opportunity for the Hall to let loose. Giggles, whispers, reading and talking to a performer are encouraged and embraced whenever a family concert gets underway. The concerts, recommended for children ages 5–10, are a wonderful way for parents to introduce their children to live performances [...]

Deconstruct, Construct and Invent at Inventgenuity Festival

by Karen on 1/09/12 | 1 Comment(s)

Have you got a deconstructivist, constructionist or inventorist sleeping in that twin bed down the hall? That inspired kid just might freak out over the Brooklyn Inventgenuity Festival coming up at the end of January. Your child can participate in “The Dis/Assembly Line,”: an evolving decomposition and aesthetic reprocessing of an entire room of everyday [...]

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 [...]

Build A Bath Bomb! Construct A Catapult! Winter Field Trips For Girls

by Karen on 12/14/11 | 0 Comment(s)

I’m pretty sure you aren’t thinking about summer camp yet, but Curious Jane , a popular summer program for girls, wants to help you with your winter camp plans! If you have a daughter that might be interested in making toys, trying a trapeze, building a catapult or making bath bombs, get your mouse ready! [...]

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 [...]

New Daycare With Art In Mind Holding Open House

by Karen on 12/09/11 | 0 Comment(s)

Over the last five years, I have visited loads of daycares and schools for the blog, so it’s exciting when I can suggest a daycare that I think is worth looking into for your child. Sitters Studio , a well respected sitting service, has decided to expand to a brick and mortar and open a [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 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 [...]

Inexpensive Family Theatre: including the Nutcracker

by Karen on 11/14/11 | 0 Comment(s)

If you are looking for reasonably-priced tickets to dance, theatre and music, some of the best deals around can be had at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College. Thanks to big corporation sponsorship (Target for the family series), seats are available for less than a movie ticket price. $7 for a Nutcracker [...]

50% Discount On My Fav Vitamins For My Fav Readers

by Karen on 11/09/11 | 0 Comment(s)

Last year I wrote about my triumph in finding the perfect multivitamin for my children. Yes, some go on a quest to find themselves, but my 3 year quest was to find the ideal kid’s vitamin! SmartyPants gummy is an all-in-one vitamin that has BOTH the Omega-3s and 100% of recommended daily vitamins. Forget that [...]

Got a Karate Kid in Brooklyn…or maybe it’s you?

by Jimmy on 11/09/11 | 5 Comment(s)

Remember the movie The Karate Kid? A boy moves from New Jersey to Los Angeles and gets bullied. His new neighborhood and the kids he has to go to school with actually make him miss New Jersey! This goes on until the gardener/handyman gives the boy some chores, which vaguely resemble karate moves. Thirty minutes [...]

Daylight savings sleep tips!

by Karen on 11/04/11 | 0 Comment(s)

Daylight savings is coming up this Sunday: this is when we move our clocks back one hour and “gain” an extra hour. Even just an hour change can be a disruption in your child’s (*and yours!) sleeping. Janeen Hayward, a parent consultant at Swell Being, was kind enough to share her daylight savings sleep tips [...]

Mathnasium: One Solution to “U.S. Teens Are Among Worst At Math”