Kid-centric St. Agnes Library Reopening Celebration

A new generation of readers can now check out the historic St. Agnes Library branch on the Upper West Side and its brand new children's center. The building reopened earlier this month after a 2 year renovation project, and a day of community and children's activities is being held this Thursday, February 11, 2010 to celebrate.

12 Great Hot Chocolate Spots in Brooklyn

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which means six more weeks of winter. Luckly, we've lined up 13 of the best places to grab hot chocolate in Brooklyn, just in time for the cold, dark February weather. And if Phil is to be believed, you'll be enjoying a hot cup well into March.

See our posts on where to get a great cup of hot cocoa in Manhattan and Queens also.
 

Baby Carrier Cover-Ups: What to Get and Where to Buy Winter Babywearing Solutions

[UPDATED: December 1, 2012]

Not too long ago we covered How to Choose and Use a Baby Carrier in New York City in our Baby Guide, but now that it’s cold outside, with more frosty weather to come, you'll want to learn how to keep warm and toasty while wearing a baby carrier (since that old maternity coat isn’t going to stretch around a sling for too much longer!).

Imaginasium: Drop-In Indoor Playground for Kids in Greenwich Village

This venue is now closed.

We've been updating our Indoor Activity Guide and parrticularly our list of drop-in indoor play spaces so NYC families can find lots of fun things to do during this cold weather.

With cabin fever setting in over these winter weeks, I've been bundling up my 13-month-old and taking field trips to a few indoor spaces with open play times. With drop-in play areas, it's great to be able to hang out for a few bucks admission without having to commit to expensive memberships or classes. My son loves exploring the new toys, and I love not having to clean up the mess.

Check out one of my new favorite drop-in indoor playgrounds.

NJ Weekend Feb. 6-7: A Frenzy of Winter Events--Indoors, Outdoors and many FREE!

SIX? MORE? WEEKS OF WINTER????  If you’re like most moms, you’re feeling a little stir crazy by now. Maybe even planning groundhog stew. Hey, even the best of ‘em can only stomach so many tissue roll projects and Disney videos.  Thankfully, a big batch of family fun gets you and the kids out of the house and into a whirlwind of activity this weekend.  The folks in Hoboken are betting on cabin fever to turn out big crowds to their festival on Saturday. In Sparta, they’re counting on snow for sledding contests and snowshoe races at their big Winter Carnival.  For those who want to get out, but stay in, children’s shows abound.  And for the quieter types, there’s maple tree tapping or a fashion-focused tea party. C’mon...ditch the DVD player and the craft glue, load the kids in the car, and kick up your heels!

NutureShock and the Myth of The Gifted Child

I recently mentioned how much I love the new parenting book NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman. NutureShock challenges many of our pre-conceived notions of parenting and looks at recent science to show what's really going on with our kids. It covers topics like talking about race, lying, praise and one of the chapters talks focuses on gifted and talented testing for kindergarteners, questioning the our ability to measure true giftedness at that age.

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