Mommy Poppins NYC Back to School Guide
For me, back to school time is all about the promise and hope of fresh beginnings. Will this be the year I finally get the kids up early enough to eat a real breakfast before school? Can we make the piano lessons stick this time around? Most likely...no, but I still love the exercise of planning and dreaming about it all and know we make a little progress along the way.
This Back to School Guide is like a giant brain dump of every Fall fetish we've indulged. You'll find the results of rabid searches for cool back to school shopping, excellent afterschool programs and preschool classes, school resources, plus all the info we've gathered on making healthier snacks, lunches and dinners.
There are too many great programs to write about them all, so make sure to check out our sponsor ads and the listings at the bottom of the page for more terrific programs.
We can't make you more organized, but we hope our Back to School Guide will make your crazy life a little easier and a lot more fun.
Speaking of hope and promise; we're trying to help provide school supplies for the homeless children that live at Seneca Houses. It only takes 2 minutes and a couple of bucks to give the fresh start most of us take for granted. If you would like to buy some school supplies for these kids, just click here to start shopping from their Wish List or you can donate cash if you prefer.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EFFORT. WE RAISED OVER $1000 WORTH OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND THE FAMILIES WERE OVERJOYED! WE ARE NO LONGER COLLECTING DONATIONS.
Back to School Shopping
Back to School Fashion Finds for NYC Kids
We had the experts at some of our favorite New York clothing stores for kids, tell us what the hottest items are this Fall for NYC kids. Here's what they said:
Cool Messenger Bags for Boys and Girls
Get with the program, Oldie Square Pants, backpacks are for babies. Cool kids today carry messenger bags. We scoured the net for the coolest little messenger bags for our mini trendsetters and have gathered them here for you (after clearing them through our own pint-sized coolness testing dept., of course.)
Best Kids and Baby Clothes Shopping Sites
These sites will keep your kids looking cool and you don't even have to schlep to Williamsburg to buy anything.
Best Name Labels for Camp and School
Nothing's going to make this job fun, but we've rounded up the whole range of different ways you can label your kid's clothing from the beautiful embroidered labels to fun, colorful ones, to ones you can make at home.
Books to Help Get Ready for the First Day of School
These books can help ease the anxiety of your little pint-sized student before his first day of schol...and your anxiety too.
NYC Kids Classes and Activities
Exclusive Mommy Poppins Class Discounts
We reached out to some great NYC programs and asked them to give our readers a deal on Fall 2008 classes and they delivered. Keep reading to get special discount codes for tons of programs including: !Hola¡ Playgroup in Spanish, Elf Tennis, The Little Gym, Kids at Work, 92nd St Y, TADA! and more.
Free Demo Classes
Before you shell out the money for a weekly class, why not try it out? We have compiled a super long list of FREE demo classes, most of which are held in August and September, from pottery to gymnastics to music to miming. Plus, many have offered amazing discounts to Mommy Poppins readers if you do choose to sign up.
Foreign Language Playgroups
Whether you want to preserve your heritage, develop your child's brain, or prepare them for the eventual Chinese world dominance, there are many foreign language playgroups in New York City, ready to help you out.
Mommy and Me Swimming Classes
Mommy and Me Swim Classes (or Daddy and Me) are a wonderful way to spend time with your baby or toddler that's enjoyable for both of you. During the winter it's especially wonderful to take off your clothes and slip into the heated pool with your delicious little jelly bean.
More Cool Mommy and Me Classes
Even if you can't picture yourself singing nursery rhymes and skipping around at a typical Mommy and Me class, here are some of the best, cool and unique mommy (or daddy) and me classes that you might even enjoy just as much as your baby or toddler will.
Circus Arts Classes for Kids
Circus arts can help build kids' confidence and imaginations, plus it's physical, fun and quirky. Here are three contenders for cool-sounding circus programs for kids offering everything from acrobatics to clowning and stilt-walking. Like your life doesn't have enough chaos already.
Free Story Times Story times are a great free activity. Whether it's too hot, too cold or raining, a good story time is just enough to get you out of the house somewhere where you know your kids will be quietly entertained for just long enough for you to get your sanity back.
Free Afterschool Activities
After-school programs can be exorbitantly expensive. Luckily there are also lots of great, high-quality after school programs that are absolutely free.
Noteworthy Classes and Programs:
The Governor's Youth Ice Hockey Program at Riverbank State Park, at under $200 for the season, is the most affordable recreational ice hockey in New York City.
Elf Tennis Now tennis is even more accessible to it's littlest players thanks to Elf Tennis and it's creator Esther Forrester.
Baby Signs
Help your pre-verbal child communicate and get a jump start on verbal communication with baby sign language classes.
The Art Farm is one of the unique places for kids in New York City, an indoor farm with a wide variety of animals that children can touch, feed and hold, as well as participate in many other activities.
Art Classes at Abrons Arts Center offers affordable, superb programs for all ages and skill levels in dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts.
Music for Aardvarks My personal favorite for music classes. The quirky lyrics and song subjects really relate so well to our lives here as city kids and their grown-ups.
Little Maestros Each class is like a jam session. The kids love the live music, and the class is totally designed for their short attention spans.
For more great classes and programs see our listings below. Or attend one of New York Family's Classes and Activities Expo.
Back to School Organizing Tips
Part of my back to school routine every year is trying to get a fresh start on the whole meal thing, whether it's lunches, healthy snacks or easy dinners, I like to get organized and, at least, start the year off with lots of healthy meal ideas.
Snacks
Granola Bar Recipe
Many granola bars aren't much better than candy bars; loaded with sugar, fat, trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. Here's a super easy, recipe to make your own healthier version.
Sensory Savvy Snacks
What kids eat is very important and having the right snack can actually improve a child's ability to learn. Our school occupational therapy consultant, Casey Halper, put together a list of sensory smart snacks.
Snack Ideas from Our Readers
Sometimes it just seems too easy to give in to giving treats for after school snack; it's what your kids want and it's convenient. But we got many great suggestions from your comments that are sure inspire healthier and fun after school snacking.
Lunches and Lunch Boxes
Laptop Lunches
This great little lunch box system makes it easy to make better, healthier school lunches your kids will love.
Lunch Box Ideas
Resources, services, tips and ideas to help NYC parents make making lunches for school easier.
Dinners and Dinner Planning
101 Easy 10 Minute Recipes For Family Meals
Inspired by a great New York Times article, we put together our list of super easy meals that kids and adults will like. Check it out. Then add your own to our growing list.
Menu Planners
It may sound dorky, but menu planning services can take be a lifesaver and help you keep those take-out menus in the drawer.
How to Get Your Kids to Eat More Vegetables
These five handy food hacks will help you get more vegetable matter into those little mouths.
School Information
Useful Links for NYC School Admissions
Find out about public and private schools, what zone you live in and everything else with these helpful online resources.
Looking for preschools? Check out our Preschool Guide with preschool reviews, Savvy Source Listings and our overview of the Preschool Admissions Process.
Clara Hemphill on NYC Public Midldle Schools
I recently had the opportunity to talk to Clara Hemphill and ask her some questions. Read on to hear her tips for the one thing you should check out on a school tour, the most important way to be involved in your child's education, and some great schools that don't require top test scores to get in.
Middle School Muddle Blog
Education writer, Liz Willen, is tracking her own experience as she searches, tours and applies for middle school with her son.
Sponsored Listings
NYC Classes and Afterschool Listings
Gyms and Sports Classes
Art, Music and Movement Classes
Eastside Westside Music Together
Theater Classes
Cooking Classes
Science and Computers Classes
Language Classes
Academics, Enrichment and Tutors
Special Needs Classes
Connect the Dots Occupational Therapy, PLLC
Progressive Speech and Language, PC
Preschools and Preschool Alternatives
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