Preschoolers

Wanda contacted me via twitter looking for recommendations of where to eat before going to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular with her family. Since I've been meaning to write about family friendly restaurants in Midtown for ages I figured I'd just answer her here.

For over a decade I worked right across the street from Rockefeller Center and, like anyone who works near there knows, the food choices can be down-right depressing. (Oh, wait, maybe that was just my job.) But there are some good choices if you know where to look for them, from special occasion restaurants to quick and inexpensive eats.

Here are my top picks for kid-friendly places to eat near Rockefeller Center:

Every once in a while I find something that I think is the absolute perfect holiday gift and want to give it to everyone on my list. This year my singular obsession is the new DVD created in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street.

The Nutcracker ballet, as beautiful as it is, can be a bit much for little kids to take in. To get them to experience the magic and wonder of this timeless classic, or for a different twist for the kid who's seen the Nutcracker a bunch of times, opt to attend a less traditional version of the show—there’s a whole bunch happening in the city. They are usually shorter, less expensive and more fun, but still have that Nutcracker charm that will keep adults wide-eyed, too.
 

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the time is right to get kids thinking about how thankful they are for what they have... and teaching them to give back to the community.  The younger the kids, the harder it seems to find meaningful, hands-on volunteer opportunities.  Here are some ideas to put a little more meaning (and some fun!) into your kids’ volunteering....

If you haven't noticed, Sesame Street has been celebrating its 40th Birthday. And it's been quite a celebration. They've gotten a street named after them and Google has been doing cute Sesame Street artwork on their homepage. But I think the coolest thing is happening at the Brooklyn Public Library where they are having some special events and kids can get a very special library card.

Earlier this week we wrote about a website that helps you choose appropriate movies for your kids. Another way to find great movies for kids is to check out one of the local film series where aficionados have selected for you movies that are outstanding.

And this week there's a new option because the people who bring you the Tribeca Film Festival are turning their filmy goodness to movies for kids with the brand new Tribeca Cinemas Kids Club. Read on for the scoop on this new film series where you can catch cool flicks for kids every other Saturday starting this weekend, plus three other cool film series you won't want to miss.

Let me put it out there that I'm not a big fan of war, but I am intrigued by the arrival of the brand new, not yet commissioned, USS New York in our harbor. This is not something that happens every day and, I have to say, reading about this ship, it's pretty interesting.

New York City is filled with incredible artists and, as parents, we are lucky that many of them make their talents and their services available to families: the concert pianist who teaches children, the painters and photographers who do portraits, artist who create wonderful and imaginative murals, and lots and lots of craftspeople of every stripe. We have created a new page to help these artists connect with the families that can use their services.

By now you probably have all your Halloween events and activities down. Trick or treating, maybe a Halloween costume parade, maybe even a haunted house, if you dare.

How about mixing something a little multicultural into your celebrations? El Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, is the Mexican version of Halloween, and a time to celebrate the lives of friends and family members who have passed away with festivities, food and fun.

A couple of great deals to snap up if they fit your bill. Find out how to get your environmentally friendly, toxin free diapers for almost half off from Amazon.com and scoop up a last minute Halloween Costume from Ricky's also half off. Check these deals out fast.