Submitted by Shari Simpson on
Is your family the adventurous type? Like to live on the edge (literally)? Love the outdoors from approximately 1000 feet above sea level and at a speed of upwards of 40mph? Then maybe ziplining is for you. My husband and I recently experienced the exhilarating rush of ziplining at Zoom Ziplines in Mountain Creek, NJ; read on for all the details of this very extreme sport in our fair state!
Submitted by Jeff on
Mergers and acquisitions, ever-expanding corporations and new ventures. Sound like Wall Street? Nope. That's just what's going on in NYC kids' culture scene. We've got news about a big bowling chain merger, a book-making spot that closed, and two new NY Kids Club locations opening in Williamsburg and Long Island City next year. Plus, how to score two-for-one Broadway ticket deals and free admission to the New York Hall of Science, and the long-awaited post-Sandy reopening of an attraction-filled Rockaway, Queens park.
Submitted by Martha Hall on
You answer the door, pay the guy, slide the box across the table, and presto! Dinner is served. You know what I'm talking about: Pizza, that glorious complete meal in a slice. Whether eaten at home or at your favorite pizzeria, pizza offers a satisfying, stress-free dinner-in-a-pinch option we all need from time to time. And just try throwing a birthday party without ordering a few! So the next time you have no dinner menu planned (and, heck, even if you do) go ahead, give yourself a break and grab a pizza - but make it a good one. Here's our list of favorites on the Westside.
Submitted by Brandee Gilmore on
My oldest starts Kindergarten in a week, and I'm still researching lunch boxes. Sooooo wrapping my head around what to whip up for AFTER school snacks positively hurts my been-out-of-school-for-more-than-a-decade brain. But being at the back of the class on this one isn't an option, unless we want grumpy/whiny/nasty children ransacking the lazy susan while we're trying to make dinner. Here are some healthy snacks your scholar can scarf down ... and the businesses across Fairfield County that can help you cut a corner or two in creating them.
Submitted by Katie McKnight on
I am a terrible, terrible shopper. By which I mean I can’t pass a mall without breaking into a cold sweat. Department stores give me the shakes (do they REALLY have to be that big?), and malls at Christmastime? My worst nightmare.
But sadly, after trying to squeeze my 8 year old into 5T jeans (for the 3rd year in a row), I realize that I can no longer avoid back to school shopping this year. Nope…it’s got to be done, and as right now is tax-free week, it has to be done now. Right now. I can do this!!!! (This is me giving myself a pep talk).
As a horrible shopper, I can’t be unleashed without both a very specific list of items and stores. And as a horrible spender, I also like to have a list of current sales. Here’s my list for local back to school shopping in Fairfield County:
Submitted by Nataki Hewling on
As a Staten Island mom with an 18-month-old and a nine-year-old, I spend a lot of time in NYC's numerous parks and playgrounds. More than 170 of them are right here on Staten Island—that's 12,300 acres of protected parkland! No wonder we're known as the greenest borough.
My boys and I have been to quite a few of Staten Island's beautiful green spaces, including the multiple parks that make up the massive Greenbelt, which we've covered in-depth before. While every one has its merits, if you're looking to narrow down your green tour of the borough (12,300 acres is a lot to cover), here are five must-see parks and playgrounds on Staten Island.
Submitted by Tracy on
When my family first heard I planned on homeschooling my two children they were baffled; why would I want to take on such a task, when I could “get rid” of them for six hours a day. Luckily my “crazy plan” isn't sounding too crazy, as more and more parents are ditching the school system and teaching their kids at home. New Jersey is an amazing state to homeschool in – no regulations, dozens of homeschool co-ops and groups and plenty to do. During the hours of 9-3 September through June my kids participate in nature studies, sports classes, and learning opportunities designed for homeschoolers that are either free, or extremely affordable. It's been such an amazing journey for us, and I'm excited to share some of my favorite homeschoolin' haunts.
Submitted by Tara D on
It has been a while since our most recent post in the Poppins Parents series, but when we heard about musician Alastair Moock's latest project, we were inspired to share his family's extraordinary story.
Last summer, one of Alastair's twin daughters, Clio, was diagnosed with leukemia. While summoning the strength to get through their own daily battles with cancer, Alastair and his family found a way to help other families who are facing similar challenges. He and his daughter Clio wrote a collection of songs that became the album Singing Our Way Through: Songs for the World’s Bravest Kids, which they have shared with hundreds of other patient families.
Read our interview with Alastair Moock to find out more about his project and how it started, along with what's at the top of his and his daughters’ lists of things to do in Boston. Then head to Medford on Tuesday for a free Alastair Moock Family Band Show, where Alastair will lead kids in a sing-and-move-along. Even if you can’t make the show, be sure to check out the album, Singing Our Way Through. It's a delightful collection of songs that kids with and without cancer will connect with – songs that have the power to help us all through the difficult times in our lives.
