BrooklynParent SEPTEMBER 2016
NYMETROPARENTS.COM
Calm the Cafeteria Chaos
Kids can eat healthy and socialize, too. PLUS: Your Back-to-School Resource Guide
All About Gap Years
Why many grads are waiting before starting college
Should Kids Play Contact Sports? Weighing the risk of concussions
WHERE TO PICK APPLES
•
MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOR SICK KIDS?
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NYMetroParents Helping Parents Make Better Decisions
Contents
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September 2016 ›› Features 16 Cute Kids Meet the winner of our cover contest, and the rest of the finalists 18 Filling the Gap Taking a year off between high school and college can set teens up for a lifetime of success 20 Calming the Chaos of the Cafeteria How to get kids to eat a healthy lunch while chatting with friends 24 Should Your Kid Play Contact Sports? New policies are being put into place to reduce the risk of concussions in children
20
52 Healing Powers What it’s like to provide your child with medical marijuana in New York
44
18
Connections 6 Editor’s Note 8 New Places, New Programs 10 Quotables 14 Voices: Learning to let go 15 NYMP Q&A: Walker Lamond shares ‘pearls of wisdom’ for fatherhood
Fun & Activities 12 Media Matters: Screen-Time Recommendations 12 DIY Corner: Sail boat for imaginary play 28 Outing: New York City Fire Museum 31 Family Activities Calendar 44 Where-To Guide: Pick Your Own Apples
Family Activities CALENDAR ››
Directories
31
46 51 56 57 58
Back-to-School Resources Private Schools Meet the Health Care Professional Open Houses Advertisers’ Index
Original photo by PhotoOp NYC (photoopnyc.com) Clothing provided by Appaman (appaman.com)
››
ON THE COVER ›› 18 All About Gap Years 20 Calm the Cafeteria Chaos 24 Should Kids Play Contact Sports facebook.com/nymetroparents
@NYMetroParents
44 Where to Pick Apples
52 Medical Marijuana for Sick Kids?
Visit NYMETROPARENTS.COM for family activities updated daily and more than 2,000 parenting articles!
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SEPTEMBER 2016 • Vol.13 • No.2
NYMetroParents Publications EDITORIAL
EDITOR’S NOTE
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Michael Kress
New Beginnings, Emotional Transitions
L
ike many parents, I feel unprepared for a new school year to begin, and less than eager to restart the cycle of lunch prep and hustling out the door every morning. Really, though, this feeling is less about the hassle and more about being forced to confront the very clear fact that my babies are no longer babies. Our youngest, not yet out of diapers and still sleeping in a crib, begins nursery school this month, while my middle daughter will be in kindergarten, starting the transition away from play-based learning to more traditional schooling. And my oldest, still so young in my mind, starts fourth grade, when, I am told, the work gets more intense and the pace quicker. Sunrise, sunset, indeed; those years certainly do swiftly fly. And so I look to parents who have older kids with a mix of awe and curiosity. How do we encourage our not-so-little ones to grow into independent people and not inadvertently stand in their way? Dana Greenberg offers her own perspective on letting go of her middle-school-age daughter and teaching her to navigate NYC streets by herself (p. 14). Meanwhile, any of you whose kids are entering their senior year of high school are contemplating a whole new level of letting go. Decisions about next year will likely consume much of your attention the next few months. But even as today’s seniors apply to and choose their colleges, many will be opting to delay actually starting that school for one year. Find out why so many grads are taking a so-called gap year, what they’re doing during that time—and why many experts are encouraging it (p. 18). Meanwhile, my family—and many of yours, I am sure—will be focused on more mundane matters, such as the aforementioned lunch prep. Despite the care I give to my kids’ meals, I’ve found pieces of my daughters’ lunches coming home uneaten, not because they weren’t hungry, but because they didn’t have time to finish. Besides eating, lunch provides valuable, much-needed social time for our kids, and we’ve got tips on how to ensure your kids can eat and gab during their fleeting cafeteria moments (p. 20). Lastly, we tackle a difficult, potentially controversial topic. Here in New York, medicinal cannabis—marijuana—has been legal since the start of 2016, and among the patients to whom it’s been prescribed are some children who suffer from debilitating illnesses. We speak with one mom whose daughter’s quality of life has vastly improved because of the availability of medicinal marijuana. And we explain the debate among experts about whether it’s a good idea to treat ill kids with it (p. 52). May none of us need such remedies, and may everyone have a happy and smooth start to the 2016-2017 school year!
DEPUTY EDITOR: Bethany Braun-Silva MANAGING EDITOR: Katelin Walling ASSISTANT EDITOR: Samantha Neudorf REGIONAL EDITORS: Karen Demeter (Fairfield, Suffolk); Rosalind Muggeridge (Brooklyn); Jamie McGillian (Westchester); Samantha Beranbom (Rockland); Dorette Saunders (Nassau); Emma Steven (Manhattan); Gail Warren (Queens) DIRECTORIES EDITOR: Alice Van Dyke EDITORIAL INTERNS: Megan Bailey, Lauren Diaz, Melissa Wickes
ADVERTISING SALES Big Apple Parent 212-315-0800; Fax: 212-271-2239 Jeunesse Jackson, Linda Pierce Queens Parent 718-878-4860 Annene Guertin, Ellen Klein Westchester Parent 914-397-0200 Nini DeLuca, Manager Randi Shulman, Merrill Sugarman, Mary Wender Brooklyn Parent 718-878-4860 Phyllis Crupi, Ellen Klein, Selene Rodriguez Rockland Parent 845-848-8021 Cara Roteman, Jim Russo Fairfield Parent 914-397-0200 Judy Samuels, Randi Shulman Long Island Parent, Nassau 516-883-4543 Joan Bergman, Manager, Dani Pollack Long Island Parent, Suffolk 631-472-5437 Lisa Herlihy, Karen Shapiro To Advertise: nympads@davlermedia.com DIR. OF OPERATIONS -- EVENTS: Rebecca Stolcz DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS: Ray Winn OPERATIONS COORDINATORS: Ray C. Guédez, Leonard Porter DIRECTOR OF TRAFFIC: Heather Gambaro TRAFFIC MANAGER: Alexis Brower
PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Anthony Diaz CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Jiyon Son DIGITAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Robert Reynolds GRAPHIC ARTIST: Oscar Osario
ACCOUNTING
CONTROLLER: David Friedman
Michael Kress Editorial Director
MARKETING
HEAD OF MARKETING: Jacqueline Lachman
ADMINISTRATION
CREDIT MANAGER: Elizabeth Teagarden CREDIT ASSISTANTS: Rosa Meinhofer, Diedra Smith EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT: Barbara Byrd
Davler Media Group CEO: David L. Miller
A NYMetroParents Event
Join Us for a Day of Fun! You are invinted to a day of kid-focused fun, during which parents can accomplish all their planning for the year ahead. LI FamFest will be held Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10am-3pm at Long Island University’s Pratt Recreational Center, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville, Long Island. While parents explore more than 50 exhibitors and meet experts, their kids will be able to participate in activities such as a live reptile and wildlife show, face painting and balloon making, hip-hop dance movement, a rope obstacle course, candy making, and much more. Visit lifamfest.com for more information and to register! 6
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
General Manager: Thomas K. Hanlon 498 Seventh Ave., 10th Floor, New York, NY 10018 Phone: 212-315-0800; Fax: 212-271-2239 nymetroparents.com fairfieldparent.com davlermedia.com nybarbatmitzvah.com
BIG APPLE PARENT, QUEENS PARENT, WESTCHESTER PARENT BROOKLYN PARENT, ROCKLAND PARENT, BERGEN PARENT, FAIRFIELD PARENT and LONG ISLAND PARENT are published monthly by Davler Media Group, LLC Copyright © 2015, Davler Media Group, LLC No part of contents may be reproduced without prior permission from the publisher. Subscription rates per year, per publication: $39
When your little angel thinks he’s a daredevil...
Better have a good pediatrician. Make sure your kids are covered.
Contact Affinity Health Plan at 866.247.5678 to obtain more information about Child Health Plus, a free or low-cost health insurance program sponsored by New York State for kids under the age of 19. To learn more about applying for health insurance, including Child Health Plus and Medicaid through NY State of Health, The Official Health Plan Marketplace, visit nystateofhealth.ny.gov or call 855.355.5777.
AffinityPlan.org/CHP
BrooklynParent
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NEW PLACES, NEW PROGRAMS
nymetroparents.com/np-bp
Who: The New York Kids Club What’s New: A location in DUMBO, set to open this fall, and a location in Cobble Hill, scheduled to open in January 2017. The New York Kids Club offers children ages 6 months to 12 years the opportunity to build body awareness and confidence through physically challenging activities including baby and toddler tumbling classes, gymnastics, martial arts, and sports. Children explore and express their individuality and tap into their creativity in artistically enriching programs, including music, art, and dance classes. Want More Info: 135 Plymouth St., DUMBO; 299 Court St., Cobble Hill, 917-261-3814; nykidsclub.com
Courtesy The New York Kids Club
New York Kids Club to Open DUMBO and Cobble Hill Locations
A child enjoys class at The New York Kids Club.
Who: The Nurtured Child What’s New: A permanent location in DUMBO/ Vinegar Hill, in which classes for new and expecting families will be taught. “There will be doula services, child birth education, infant feeding support, and a lot of different workshops and classes,” says Anna Ruth Myers, founder of the facility. Resources for Infant Educarers or RIE classes are also offered and Myers hopes that the studio “can really be a relaxing place where parents can come in, sit down, relax, and enjoy their baby.” Want More Info: 18 Bridge St., Suite 3H; 917-340-0776; thenurturedchild.com
Courtesy The Nurtured Child
Pregnancy, Birth, and Early Childhood Support Center Opens in DUMBO
Babies explore the studio at The Nurtured Child.
Who: Juguemos a Cantar What’s New: A preschool, which is slated to open in January 2017 in Park Slope. The preschool, a total Spanish immersion program for children ages 2-5, is offering tours starting in September. The school will offer morning and afternoon programs, as well as full-day programs and extended hours. In addition to the new preschool, Juguemos a Cantar offers afterschool programs, summer camp, tot classes, PlaySpace, and various activities and courses. Want More Info: 511 5th Ave., Park Slope, 917-453-1187; juguemos.org
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
Courtesy Juguemos a Cantar
Spanish Immersion Center to Open New Preschool
Children practice their Spanish skills at Juguemos a Cantar.
Serving 3 months - 6 years of age ALL MEALS INCLUDED
www.preschoolofamerica.us
A Year-Round Program Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm
Special Programs
Piano class • Art class • Dance class • Karate class Yoga class • Soccer class • Foreign language class
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Battery Park / FiDi 2 South End Ave - New York, NY
Brooklyn Schools
212-786-1688
Mandarin Immersion
382 Baltic Street/ Cobble Hill (718) 855-2889 859 60th Street/ Bay Ridge (718) 686-8335 BrooklynParent
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UOTABLES The days are hot, hot, hot; and the house is stale and messy. I am often reminded in its state something my neighbor said to me one afternoon, after I apologized for our home’s condition: ‘You are living. That’s what this is.’ —NYC mom Latonya Yvetter in a post entitled “Motherhood Right Now” on her blog blog.latonyayvette.com
in an instagram He couldn’t wait to get on and he claimed the frog right away. His eyes were big and he kept throwing his head back and looking up at the lights, bopping his head to the carrousel music. Then as soon as he got off he asked if there was a roller coaster in the park he could ride next. #boys (Posted by Manhattan mom @lilliesandleon, aka Nicole Gonzalez, who blogs at lilliesandleon.com)
PARENTING AFRICAN-AMERICAN BOYS “I see my fellow black moms hurting. I’m hurting. I see my non-black friends hurting. And I see those who are keeping silent.”
in an instagram Hidden gem in Long Island—Hempstead State Park for a lazy Sunday fishing adventure #blogger #photography
—Long Island mom Kimberly Thomas, who runs the blog valleystreammom.com in an essay on entitled “At What Age Will My Son Become a Threat?” Read it all at nymetroparents. com/kimberly-thomas
(Posted by @thatsbetsyv, a NYC mom who blogs at betsy-v.com)
“It’s okay to be scared. If we aren’t terrified about some of the things we need to do as we learn how to be a parent, we aren’t parenting well enough.” —Manhattan dad Pete Cataldo, who runs the website daddymindtricks.com, in a Huffington Post article entitled “5 Thoughts On The First Year Of Fatherhood”
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MORE NYMetroParents.com HIGHLIGHTS: FREE FUN: Visit museums and zoos without paying (nymetroparents.com/free) FAIRS & FESTIVALS: Where to go in the late summer and fall (nymetroparents.com/fairs) BEAM THEM UP: All about the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum’s interactive Star Trek exhibit (nymetroparents.com/star-trek) FALL GUIDE: How to make the most of autumn (nymetroparents.com/fall-guide)
Experience BounceU, where you get to bounce, play, and party. BounceU is where birthdays come to life!
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NOW OFFERING Day Off Day Camp Summer Camp
Call to reserve your today! BounceU of Brooklyn • 347-450-5867 • Bounceu.com/Brooklyn-NY 6722 Ft. Hamilton Pkwy. 2nd Floor • Brooklyn, NY 11219 BrooklynParent 11
Media Matters: TV
Sesame Studios (YouTube)
Recommended Age: 3+ H H H H
These delightful YouTube shorts have quality content for tots.
Screen-Time Recommendations
Elena of Avalor (Disney Junior)
Recommended Age: 5+ H H H H
The spunky Latina-inspired princess is an excellent role model.
The Loud House (Nickelodeon)
Recommended Age: 6+ H H H H
This funny commentary on big-family dynamics has kind messages.
The Deep (Netflix)
Recommended Age: 7+ H H H H
This fantastic family-focused adventure explores the vast ocean.
In Theaters Sept. 23: Storks
Our Partner: Common Sense Media An independent nonprof it that helps families make smart media choices. Check out thousands of ratings and reviews at commonsensemedia.org
Parents need to know that Storks takes a common explanation for where babies come from and expands it into a feature-length animated film. But in this universe, storks are getting out of the baby-delivery business and moving into package delivery for a large internet retailer. Junior (voiced by Andy Samberg) is all set to receive a huge promotion from the CEO of Stork Mountain (Kelsey Grammar), when he accidentally turns on the Baby Making Machine to produce a single baby girl. With the help of his human friend, Tulip (Katie Crown), Junior must get rid of baby—maybe by delivering her to the boy who wrote to him about wanting a new brother or sister?—before his job ends up in jeopardy. Given the subject matter, expect some innuendo that could go over younger kids’ heads.
See more at NYMetroParents.com/media
DIY CORNER IMAGINARY PLAY
Hello, Sailor!
After a fresh batch of laundry is fluffed and folded, take your basket to the high seas. What you’ll need: • 1 40-inch stick or dowel • 1 18-inch stick or dowel • Thin cotton rope • 1 24-by-18-inch piece of fabric or bed sheet • Scissors • Hot-glue gun (optional) • Fabric scraps • 1 laundry basket 1. To make the mast and the boom, cross the short stick perpendicularly over the long stick approximately 24 inches down from one end and wrap the joint, making figure eights back and forth around the sticks, with approximately 2 feet of cotton rope. 2. To make the sail, cut your piece of fabric in half diagonally. Place the right corner of the sail where the mast and the boom meet. For a quick assembly, have an adult hot-glue the fabric edges to the mast and the boom, or tie your sail on: Use your scissors to poke holes every 3 inches along the two perpendicular edges of the fabric, approximately 1 inch in from the edge. Cut 4-inch 12
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
pieces of rope and thread them through the holes and around the sticks. 3. Cut an 80-inch piece of rope and the tie strips of fabric scraps you might have every 3-5 inches along the rope. Tie the rope to the top of the mast, and let it hang down. 4. Use rope to tie the mast to the side of the basket, securing it through the holes in at least two places. Excerpted from Project Kid: Crafts That Go! by Amanda Kingloff (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2016. Photographs by Alexandra Grablewski and Amanda Kingloff
“GOING TO SCHOOL HAS NEVER
BEEN THIS MUCH
FUN!
”
DAILY NEWS
MUSIC BY ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER SchoolOfRockTheMusical.com | WINTER GARDEN THEATRE | 50TH & BROADWAY ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING AVAILABLE ON WARNER BROS. RECORDS PHOTOS BY MARK SELIGER © 2015 RUG LTD
BrooklynParent 13
VOICES
Out on Her Own ›› How I learned to let go of my middle schooler, a little bit at a time By Dana Greenberg
I
cannot believe that my little girl is starting eighth grade, her final year of middle school. Where has the time gone? The days when I would tag along on the walk to school in the mornings are just about over. I may have squeezed my last “I’ll take you and your friends for pizza” out of her. I can only hope I have done my job and prepared her well for the road on which we are now embarking. When my daughter was going into sixth grade, just starting middle school, parents of older children in New York City told me that many kids start traveling alone, without an adult, sometime during the middle school years. The thought of this absolutely terrified me: the strangers, the cars, the bikers. I knew I had to start preparing her to navigate the streets without me by her side. In the beginning of sixth grade I made a very conscious effort to start making her aware of everything I could think of on the route to school—and even scare her a little bit. We discussed which streets had turning signals, what side of the street the liquor store is on, how to wait until the bikers stop before crossing the street, and so much more. I did this over and over and over again for months, just like a broken record. Finally it was time to let her guide the way. “Tell me what to do, when to cross, where to stand,” I told her. By the end of the sixth grade, she was walking home from school without an adult. As we moved to seventh grade, I suspected she would have even more of a zest for independence. To that point, she’d only gone to and from school by herself. Now she wanted to go to friends’ apartments, the movies, the frozen yogurt shop. How was I going to deal with this? I really needed to think about the next steps. Since she was not necessarily going to be staying in our neighborhood, we talked about the choices of transportation in the city—buses, subways, Ubers. There are so many options, but we needed to figure out what would make us both feel safe and comfortable. I got her the Uber app for her phone, and I make
sure she always has a MetroCard with funds on it. We both agreed that walking should be her first choice if the distance is not too far. We talked about safe places she could duck into if she ever felt it was necessary for any reason at all, such as Starbucks, Duane Reade, or CVS, places with which she is familiar and are very easy to find. She assured me, “Mom, I can do this. I’ll be fine.” I must admit, her confidence was somewhat reassuring; however, deep down, I was dying just a little bit. She was still my little girl, and I would worry no matter what. We did tons of talking and prepping. Then one day, it was time for her to go use all of her newfound knowledge and be a big kid with her friends. Even today, I still remind her before she leaves the house to make sure her phone is fully charged and that her tracker app is on. “No texting while walking, don’t stand too close to the curb, and be careful of those bikers,” I remind her as I watch her walk down the hall to the elevator. I typically get a cute smirk in return. As time goes on, I admit, it does get a little easier—but just a little easier—to watch her walk out the door. As hard as it is to watch this independence sprouting right in front of my eyes, I have found an upside to all of this. I no longer have to take her everywhere. I don’t have to drag her brother out in the rain to pick her up from a friend’s apartment. I can even send her down to the supermarket to pick up a few things for me. This independence thing might not be so bad after all! As my city kid now starts her last year of middle school, I feel almost as confident as she does when she is out and about on her own or with her friends. I must remind myself that I have done my job and taught her to make smart choices. I can’t be with her every second, so I must trust that she has listened and paid attention along the way. She has come a long way since starting middle school. I will continue to let go, even while still trying to hold on to her, a little bit at a time.
Dana Greenberg is a mom of twins living in Manhattan. Dana’s site theautismclub.com was created as a way to connect moms who have kids with special needs, like her son Jack—who has autism—and offer them a space to tell their stories.
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NYMP Q&A
Pediatric Immediate Care, PLLC Pediatric Urgent Care
Rules to Live By ››
Where Kids Come First ® www.pediatricimmediatecare.com
By Bethany Braun
Walker Lamond’s first book, Rules for My Unborn Son was based on his blog of a similar name. He recently released a follow-up, Rules for My Newborn Daughter, in which he shares hilarious “pearls of wisdom” such as, “Don’t pawn your grandmother’s jewelry” and “Practice safe selfies.” Do you have a favorite rule or piece of parenting advice? For you? Your kids? I think I come from the paint-inside-the-lines school of parenting. I tell my kids that if you’re the kind of person that respects dress codes and knows what the little fork is for, you’ll be given more liberty to be the life of the party. As a parent I just have to remind myself every day to be patient, kind, and silly. And not throw shoes. Do your kids follow these rules? I’m lucky if they leave the house with shoes. Have you experienced a difference in parenting boys vs. girls? Universally? No, I don’t think so. Kids learn from your example. Which is why I probably use these books more as manuals for being a better dad than I do as rulebooks for raising better kids. That being said, my son is way more susceptible to bribes. Do you think parents should collect their own sets of rules for their kids? Absolutely! These books were imagined as conversations with my own kids and are specific to my own experiences growing up. There’s plenty in there that some parents will disagree with, and I love it when readers give the rules their own spin or take to Twitter to tell me how wrong I am. I think writing down your own rules for your kids is a great way not just to keep your little angels in line, but also to pass down your own experiences and institutional knowledge about how to live a fun, fulfilling life. How was writing the book for your daughter different than writing it for your son? When I started Rules for My Newborn Daughter, I did have a nagging concern that it may not be appropriate for a man to be doling out advice to a young woman. I mean if I wanted my daughter to grow into a strong, independent woman unafraid to challenge traditional power structures and gender stereotypes, handing her a book full of rules written by a man didn’t seem like the best way to start her journey. But I think a dad has a right and a duty to tell his daughter what he expects of her. To share with her what he knows about life and how to make the best of it. And while I might not know even a fraction of what it takes to become an independent, intelligent, courteous, courageous, honest, adventurous, self-reliant, well-read, well-dressed, well-mannered young woman, I do know someone who does. Thankfully, I married her.
• CERTIFIED URGENT CARE CENTER by Urgent Care Association of America
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ST. BERNADETTE CATHOLIC ACADEMY 1313 – 83rd Street, Brooklyn, New York 11228 Pre-K 3 year through Grade 8 Moms and Tots (2 year old) Tel. 718-236-1560 Fax 718-236-3364 Email: stbernadette83@yahoo.com Facebook: St. Bernadette School, Brooklyn, NY
NCLB NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE • Strong Catholic Identity • Common Core Standards • State of the Art Science Lab and STEM Curriculum • NYS Testing Program Grades 4, 6, & 8 • Before & After School Programs • Active Student Council • After School Clubs & Activities • Fundraisers • Chromebooks • Smartboards • Wireless Access • Automated Library • School Alert System • And much more……
“Welcome Wednesdays” 9:15 – 11:15 a.m. (All Wednesdays that school is in session)
Guided Tours available by appointment
St. Bernadette Catholic Academy–The BEST Investment in Your Child’s Future!!
Over $350,000 awarded in scholarships to the Class of 2016!! BrooklynParent 15
Cute Kids!
››
Meet the winner of our 2016 cover contest, and take a look at all eight finalists.
F
rom April to June the staff here at NYMetroParents had the hard job of picking eight finalists from hundreds of adorable entries. Once we were able to narrow it down, the finalists traveled from all across the New York metro area to meet for a photo shoot at PhotoOp NYC. The finalists wore their best smiles and some seriously stylish clothes and had a blast shooting with the studio’s awesome photographers. The kids did a great job posing for the camera, but at the end of the day it was 3-year-old Carter from Suffolk County who was selected as the Grand Prize Winner. Carter and his family will enjoy a weekend trip to Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate his big win! Each finalist received a $25 gift card from Appaman, who also provided most of the clothes for the shoot, and a New York CityPASS ticket book. Plus, our fan favorite, Konstancja from Brooklyn, received a family fourpack of tickets to Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA. You’ll get to see more of these smiling cuties in the coming months. Thank you to everyone who helped make this contest a success, especially our sponsor, Barbizon.
Carter
Age: 3 Hometown: Suffolk County
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Genesis
Age: 8 Hometown: Fairfield County, CT
Ryan
Angelina
Age: 13 Hometown: Nassau County
Age: 6 Hometown: Manhattan
Lucas
Age: 5 Hometown: Queens
Emma
Age: 10 Hometown: Rockland County
Angelina C.
Age: 4 Hometown: Westchester County
Konstancja
Age: 7 Hometown: Brooklyn
FAN FAVORITE
Courtesy David Hamburger
Filling the Gap
››
Many high school graduates are opting to take a year “off” before starting college. But far from doing nothing, they are participating in programs and gaining experiences that set them up for success in college and provide a lifetime of benefits. By Lauren Diaz New York City native and Columbia University graduate David Hamburger (left) volunteered for a nonprofit called Pencils of Promise during his gap year. He traveled on behalf of the organization to visit rural schools in northern Laos.
W
hen Malia Obama announced her decision to defer her acceptance to Harvard University for a year, she became the poster child for a growing trend. The Associated Press reports that Malia is one of an estimated 30,000-40,000 students each year who choose to take an academic break before attending college—a number that is steadily rising, according to the American Gap Association, which tracks this data. After spending 13 years in the educational system, many students are now electing to take a year off from school to do a variety of activities and programs—known as a gap year—and are coming back to start college with a new perspective and maturity. There are many options for those looking for a rewarding, meaningful gap year, including travel or study abroad and volunteering or working here in the United States in virtually any setting imaginable. When many of us imagine gap years, we tend to think of expensive programs abroad or at sea, but many teens opt for volunteering or working instead. Students can either invest money in a program or spend the time gaining work experience and saving money for tuition. When it comes to managing college applications, they can either apply to college and defer matriculating for a year, or wait to apply during their gap year after mulling it over. There is something formative out there for every student. David Hamburger, a New York City native and Dalton School alumnus, deferred his 2011 admission to The University of Chicago in order to devote himself to a year of service work for 18
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
multiple organizations. Hamburger volunteered at Habitat for Humanity during the fall while also working for an educational development nonprofit called Pencils of Promise. As a volunteer at the relatively new organization, Hamburger was given a great amount of responsibility, which led to an internship with its International Programs team in the spring of his gap year. At 18, Hamburger was responsible for spearheading an overhaul of Pencils of Promise’s data storage, supervising four junior interns, and training new hires. After applying to Columbia University during the fall of his gap year, Hamburger was admitted for the fall semester of 2012. By 19, he entered Columbia with a level of real-world work experience practically unheard of for his age.
The Benefits of Taking a Gap Year
While gap years may be relatively new in the broader culture, they have long been a staple of Jewish education, with schools encouraging students to study in Israel for a year before heading to college. Dorothy Denburg, director of college counseling at Heschel High School, a Jewish day school in Manhattan, reports that approximately a third of her students chose to defer college last year. “There are so many options for different structured programs for them,” she says, adding that when she previously worked for a college, 90 percent of the students she saw taking a gap year were Jewish, and most of them had spent their year on a wide variety of programs based in Israel. The motivation, Denburg says, is to “spend a year in Israel but not necessarily in study”
and to “go to college with a year of maturity under your belt,” a sentiment that is quickly gaining ground among students and educators far beyond the Jewish community. A huge benefit of taking a gap year is the life or work experience that comes with it. Contrary to some people’s misperceptions, “it is very often our strongest students who will choose to take a gap year”—not to improve anything specific academically but to foster their own “intellectual and personal growth,” notes Jessica Landis, a guidance counselor at King School, an independent school in Stamford, CT. That includes self-discovery, which can be achieved richly and deeply from gap-year experiences. “It’s so much better if you take time to get to know yourself in a different situation outside of the academic world,” since you “learn so much more about yourself when you’re actually participating as opposed to just sitting in a classroom learning,” says Susan Avery, a guidance counselor at Harvest Collegiate High School, a Manhattan public school. Another, often vital reason to take a gap year is to take a breather. Thinking back to her time working at private schools, Avery says the “level of stress seen on children was astounding.” A gap year is “the single best thing a kid can do for themselves after spending 13 years in school.” Hamburger agrees, adding that it is especially important for students dealing with a physical or mental illness. “One thing I observed at college is how difficult it can be for people that aren’t 100-percent [well] to make it through a semester,” he says, adding that “it paid dividends” for his peers who took time off as a “chance to recharge.”
Debunking the Case Against Gap Years
The low number of students taking gap years in years past can in some ways be attributed to societal pressures and common misconceptions. For many high school students, immediate college enrollment seems like the necessary next step in a strict path. There has been an ingrained fear of facing social ridicule and alienation, falling behind, and ultimately failing professionally as a result of taking a year off. Landis says she recognizes many students fear condemnation from their peers but countered that “once those students talk about what their plans are, what they’ll be doing with that time, I think a lot of students actually look back and say ‘Wow. I wish I had considered doing that a little bit more.’” Students tend to fear being left behind, since most of their former classmates will be sophomores while they are in their first years, but “that’s ok,” Landis says. “You have done something equally valuable that will also have a really positive
impact on your future.” Avery agrees, saying “there’s no such thing as graduating on time. People just want to know that you went to college.” A huge misconception plaguing high school seniors is the notion that gap years are only for the affluent. “So is money a problem?” Avery says, “Well, no, because you’re not spending. You’re not paying college tuition when you’re on a gap year.” There are certainly students who spend the year in programs for which they need to pay, Avery says, recalling a student who did a semester at sea. But money is not a prerequisite, and there are many tuitionfree ways to spend a productive gap year. For “kids who need to just stop the carousel of academics and jump off and go do something different,” Avery says, “there are always options.” Hamburger personally found no disadvantages in his gap year, saying it was a “tremendous year of growth” that set him up for the “next four years and beyond.” “Legitimately, every activity I engaged in during my gap year continued at Columbia,” he says. From his gap year Hamburger attained lifelong friends, a great mentor, the initiative to participate in a future study abroad program, and an established interest in international education. He also considers his work at Pencils of Promise to be “among the most substantial and important work I’ve ever done in my professional life” and believes the experience ultimately led him to attaining his current postgraduate Fulbright-Nehru fellowship.
Formula for a Successful Gap Year
Hamburger argues that in order to have a successful gap year, a teenager must “be devoting him or herself to something he or she is interested in or cares about.” Keep yourself busy, and maintain good communication with your parents, he advises. While he thinks almost everyone would benefit from a gap year, he also believes those students who are able to take initiative, are struggling with an illness, have a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” or are lacking in maturity would glean the most from taking a year off, while those hoping to just take an unstructured vacation would not do as well. Taking a gap year is a highly personal and complicated decision that can only be made by the student. The role of a parent is similar to that of the guidance counselor: listen, guide, and support. Avery points out that we do not even know what Malia Obama is doing with her gap year yet, but “the fact that the Obamas are 100-percent behind their daughter taking an academic breather just truly makes my heart joyful because it sends such an important message that everybody needs to slow the heck down.”
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FOOD & NUTRITION
Calming the Chaos of the Cafeteria ›› Some children forgo eating at lunchtime to be social. Here’s how to get your kids to eat a healthy lunch while chatting with their friends. By Nimali Fernando, M.D., MPH, and Melanie Potock, M.A., CCC-SLP
C
hances are it’s been a while since you’ve ordered “hot lunch” in the school cafeteria. Whether you send a homepacked lunch with your child or they order lunch, eating in the cafeteria can be overwhelming at first. Coach Mel [Melanie Potock, M.A., CCC-SLP ] had a client who called it the “caféFEAR-ia” because the whole experience was a bit scary for him. Imagine being a brand-new kindergartner, toting your sparkly new Disney princess lunch box down the school hallway, when you turn and enter utter chaos. Older kids tower over you as you cross the sea of tables and try to find where you are supposed to sit for the next 20 minutes. Irritating fluorescent lights flicker while children chatter, teachers clap loudly to insist on silence, and rebellious kids ignore the adult plea and pop potato chip bags open with a bang! Metal lunch boxes clang as hungry tykes unpack a multitude of tins, cartons, juice boxes, and squeezable thingamajigs. The display on the tables is like a giant fire sale. Now picture the typical metal cafeteria table with benches made to fit the average fifth-grader. Your kindergartner’s feet are
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dangling and there’s no backrest. She has to balance while her elbows hunch up practically to shoulder level in order to stabilize herself on the table edge, her little eyes barely able to see past the barrage of sandwich bags and containers spread before her. In an effort to ensure that their kids eat anything at all, well-meaning parents pack lunch boxes filled to the brim, typically with seven to eight different options. She sits and tries to ignore the boy next to her who keeps elbowing her in the ribs as he turns to talk to his friend on the other side of her—and turns back to eat—and then turns back to his friend. By the time she gets out all the containers you’ve packed, plus the juice box straw finally unwrapped and poked hard enough that juice squirts her in the face, five minutes have gone by. She’s holding up her other hand to signal the teacher, “Can you please open this lid?” but there are three other kids who need help first. Meanwhile, that nice girl who played with her at the craft table this morning wants to chat—and she just wants to make friends. Maybe she’ll get a few containers open and swig down that juice, but now her mind is on recess. Here’s the biggest dilemma:
For most kids, their priority during that very quick lunch is to visit with their friends and get a few bites of food in in the process. However, teachers and the parents have a different priority for lunchtime: They want kids to have a nutritious meal so they are well fueled and ready to learn in the afternoon.
Solutions to the Chaos
If your school cafeteria resembles the picture we’ve painted above, and you want to rest assured that your child gets a healthy lunch in her belly, here are six solutions to finding some calm in the chaos: Send one easy-open container plus a drink. Bento boxes are all the rage nowadays. For many families, there is just enough time to get lunches packed and to grab them on the way out the door in the morning. The solution is a one-piece bento with an easyopen lid. Bentos are not as overwhelming as a lunch box filled to the brim with individual plastic bags, containers, and drippy fruit cups with tricky foil lids. Our favorites are EasyLunchboxes (the best-selling lunch-box system on Amazon) and the Yumbox (yumboxlunch.com). Both offer easy-open lids and compartments that are just the right size for kids. The Yumbox can be ordered with different trays that fit inside the box itself. Our favorite tray has five compartments each marked with a food group: Protein, Vegetables, Fruit, Dairy, and Grains to ensure a balanced lunch every time you pack. Pack “grab and gab” food. Cut fresh fruit, veggies, sandwiches, cheese, etc., small enough so that kids can grab a piece without having to look down, and continue to gab with their friends across
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the table. Using a cookie cutter to create food in a fun shape like a dinosaur keeps the eating on track for some kids. But for kids who tend to eat a sandwich and skip the other items, try cutting the sandwich into small pieces so the child alternates grabbing a variety of foods, much like a mini-smorgasbord. Remember, you don’t need to send a whole sandwich when sending half leaves room in little bellies for other key food groups. Include a power-packed smoothie that you made the night before. Freeze it directly in a cup or Mason jar with a lid and be sure to include a wide straw. Wrap some rubber bands around the continued on next page ››
COACH MEL’S TIP: WHAT’S THE STAR OF YOUR CHILD’S LUNCH? As a speech-language pathologist, I teach the parents engaged in lunch-box dinners with their child to practice this little script: “I’ve got ____ in my lunch!” In all my years of sitting in school cafeterias and listening to young kids, it’s always the first thing they say to each other. It’s their traditional conversation starter, usually accompanied by them proudly holding up the celebrity food—the star of the lunch box. I can attest that I hear just as many kids enthusiastically say, “I have fruit today!” as “I have chips today!” Try for the veggies. It’s really OK—it’s just as cool to have vegetables cut up into stars or other fun shapes so they can announce, “I have CUCUMBER STARS today!” Better yet, get the kids involved packing the lunches and creating fun shapes so they can exclaim, “I made carrot triangles for lunch!”
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jar for added grip and to keep little hands from getting too chilly. By the time your child opens her lunch, the smoothie will be the perfect consistency, plus it helps to keep the lunch cold. Pack last night’s dinner for lunch. If your child has a favorite healthy dinner, find ways to pack it in his lunch the next day. Use insulated containers to keep soups, stews, or pasta warm for lunchtime. Using leftovers can save time packing lunch in the morning, too. Pack a waste-free lunch. A lunch-box system means that you won’t be throwing away plastic bags every day. Use brightly colored cloth napkins and stainless steel water bottles to make lunch even more fun. Use lunch packing as a chance to show kids that they help to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Start weekly lunch-box dinners at home. For kids transitioning to school lunch, introduce once-a-week lunch-box dinners where the entire family pretends to eat in the school cafeteria. At the entrance to the kitchen or dining area, one parent stashes a large bin, just like the kids will find at school. Each member of the family has their own distinct lunch box thrown into the bin, along with a few “old” random empty lunch boxes, so kids can practice digging down to the bottom to find their own. Once everyone is seated at the table, the child can practice the fine motor skills of unzipping zippers, unfastening Velcro flaps, and opening up containers. Choose a lunch box that is easy to open and pack it with “grab and gab” food, just like you would in the cafeteria. Once the meal is over, everyone latches their lunch box and puts it back in the bin, just like at school.
Phasing in New Foods
When packing lunch, parents pray that their child will “just eat something!” But at the end of the day, especially if the child is a picky eater, parents sigh as they open the lunch-box latch and see that lunch has barely been touched. What can a parent do at home to encourage kids to eat lunch, even when they eat only five to 15 different foods and are hesitant to try anything new? Here are some tips to encourage young eaters to explore beyond their preferred foods: Begin with exposure. Kids may need to see a new food multiple times before they may even consider trying it. That means they need to see it at school, too. If you’re thinking, “But he won’t eat it, so why pack it?” remember that the first step is helping your hesitant eater get used to the presence of that food in his lunch box again and again. Food doesn’t have to be eaten to serve a purpose in food education, and it doesn’t have to be a large quantity of food when first introduced. Give kids ownership in the lunch-packing process. All kids like predictability and being a part of the process. Ask them to help with choosing, preparing, and packing lunch items. They are more likely to enjoy food when they are involved. Include a favorite, but just enough. Most of us eat our favorite foods first, so be sure to include your child’s preferred food, but not too much. Provide just enough so that you won’t be worried that they are starving, but not so much that the other lesspreferred choices don’t stand a chance.
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No comments, please! When the lunch box comes home, resist the urge to unpack it immediately. Give everyone a chance to breathe, especially those kids with sensory challenges who have difficulty with transitions from one environment to another. When you eventually open it, don’t comment about the contents. Say nothing, positive or negative. For many kids, it creates too much focus on whether they ate or not. For now, just wash it out and set it on the counter for your child to pack again later that evening. If your child mentions the food or requests it again, that’s the time to respond with a positive comment. Be careful not to say things like, “See, I knew you would like it!” You may mean well, but a child will typically interpret that as “See, I was right and you weren’t.” Try stating something positive, such as, “Pomegranates are one of my favorites—I like how they crunch and squirt at the same time in my mouth!” Make a lunch-packing roadmap. Skip the filler foods such as pretzels and chips and pack a balanced lunch by including items from all five food groups: proteins, grains, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. Use the chart below to keep you on track and have plenty of options that are frozen or shelf-stable in case you run out of fresh. A handful of frozen edamame or dried fruit can be a great stand-in for fresh vegetables or fruit in a pinch. Whether you have a selective eater or a “foodie” with a palate that rivals a Top Chef, have all the kids in your family create a packing map and be responsible for their own lunch packing. Kids can choose foods from each group while the parent provides the healthy food options and keeps the kitchen stocked! Remember, it starts with exposure and builds from there.
Fruit
Grain
Mixed dried fruit Raisins Grapes Berries Apple slices Melon balls Fruit and yogurt blend All-fruit leather
Whole grain bread Pasta Soba noodles Quinoa Pita bread Tortillas Brown rice Granola
Vegetable
Protein
Carrot sticks Celery sticks Edamame Sugar snap peas Sliced sweet peppers Cherry tomatoes Kale chips Broccoli Vegetable soup
Yogurt Lean meats Hummus Nut butters Sunflower butter Beans, bean salads Meatballs Cheese Eggs
Excerpt from Raising a Healthy, Happy Eater: A Stage-by-Stage Guide to Setting Your Child on the Path to Adventurous Eating, copyright © Nimali Fernando and Melanie Potock 2015. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com.
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Should Your Kid Play Contact Sports? ››
As our understanding of concussions grows, policies are being put in place to keep young athletes safe. But some still wonder whether certain sports can ever be considered safe for kids. By Melissa Kagan
I
t’s a question more and more parents are asking these days: “Should I let my kid play football?” Or maybe it’s soccer, lacrosse, ice hockey, or some other contact sport. Their concern with these activities can be summed up in one word: concussions. For most kids, playing sports is fun, social, and challenging. Sports are also an excellent way to teach teamwork, competitiveness, and responsibility, while helping kids grow stronger and stay fit. But at the same time, a growing body of research has focused on the dangers of concussions and head injuries in youth sports, and the conversation has escalated over the past few years. Lawsuits by former pro-football players with lingering health problems and Will Smith’s 2015 movie Concussion have brought the topic of sportsrelated head injuries into the spotlight. In some ways, this extra attention is great for young athletes. And yet, in other ways it’s holding them back, as some parents wonder whether contact sports are safe in any capacity.
When Can Kids Start Playing Again?
Discussion about the risk of sports-related brain injury leads to heightened awareness. Many families and coaches now better understand the signs and symptoms of concussions. They’re seeking care when necessary, taking precautions, and following the proper re24
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turn-to-play guidelines (a set of criteria detailing when someone can return to the field after a concussion)—all positive developments. Concerns over athletes returning to play too quickly have led legislators in almost all states to pass laws stating that no player may return to play the same day of getting a concussion and that the athlete must be cleared by an appropriate health care professional before she is allowed to return to play in games or practices. The laws typically also mandate that players, parents, and coaches receive education on the dangers of concussions and recognizing their signs and symptoms. The return-to-play protocol is significant for athletes of all ages and competitive levels because the long-term effects of concussions in children can be considerable. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a six-step program, allowing approximately 24 hours for each step. If any symptoms return during this process, it’s a sign of incomplete recovery and the young athlete should wait an additional 24 hours before attempting that step again. Generally speaking, symptoms should improve within a week to 10 days, but a doctor should re-evaluate athletes with persistent symptoms. “There’s a rare condition called ‘second’ impact in which a second concussion occurs before a first concussion has properly
healed,” according to Jay Selman, M.D., chief of neurosurgery and consultant to the Traumatic Bain Injury Unit at Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla. “This causes rapid and severe brain swelling and a vast majority of these cases end in death.” The first step in the AAP’s protocol is for the child to rest—physically, as well as cognitively. “Relative cognitive rest involves minimizing potential cognitive stressors, such as schoolwork, but this also includes video games,” Dr. Selman says. “Modified school assignments shouldn’t result in your child playing Xbox all afternoon.” After that, the steps call for the child to slowly and methodically return to activities.
New Policies
Another result of the public discussion about concussions is that Pop Warner, the country’s largest youth football organization, announced in May that it will ban kickoffs in games starting this fall, the latest attempt to reduce the risk of head blows that can lead to concussions. The elimination of kickoffs will apply to the three youngest Pop Warner divisions, which include players ages 5-10. It will possibly expand to older kids in the near future, once the results of the change have been reviewed. Instead of kickoffs, the ball will be placed at the 35-yard-line at the beginning of each half and after each score. Pop Warner will also reduce the amount of contact time in practice in all age groups, to 25 percent from 33 percent. Because the number of children who sustain concussions is on the rise, youth recreation programs and many school districts are responding with stricter policies to ensure safer play. For example last winter, the Westchester County Concussion Task Force unveiled a list of best practices for concussion management
for high school and youth sports. The 10-point plan focuses on improving collaboration between school officials when treating head injuries. It also stresses the importance of parent education about concussions and how to identify symptoms. The task force’s goal is to get schools caught up on the latest, rapidly evolving science of head injury protocol and concussion treatment. Many advocacy groups encourage parents to have their children evaluated before the playing season begins to establish a baseline measure of brain function. One such test, called the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT), evaluates memory, motor speed, and reaction time. Athletes take the test at the start of the season and periodically thereafter, and again if they’re injured. continued on next page ››
RETURN-TO-PLAY STEPS This is an example of a what a typical return-to-play plan looks like: 1. T he athlete must observe complete physical and cognitive rest while symptoms are present. 2. O nce the athlete has stopped showing any symptoms, he or she can progress to light aerobic activity. 3. P rovided symptoms don’t return, activity may increase to sportspecific exercises without head impact. 4. The athlete may advance to more complex, non-contact drills. 5. The athlete may advance to full-contact practice. 6. The athlete may advance to normal game play.
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‹‹ continued from previous page
Paralyzed by Fear
The recent attention to the dangers of concussions has led some parents to say they are now paralyzed with fear and are choosing to keep their kids out of sports entirely. Lisa, a mother of two in Scarsdale, is relieved that neither of her boys has asked to play football. “I would be fine with flag football but I would be entirely opposed to tackle football,” she says. “Although, my 13-yearold son, who, like many boys his age, has suffered from one concussion already from soccer. So now I’m rethinking soccer as well. I’m starting to question the safety of any sport at this point.” There is a middle ground that some experts are advocating. Instead of kids avoiding sports entirely, these advocates believe in setting a minimum age for when kids should be allowed to start playing contact sports. Bennet Omalu, M.D., a forensic pathologist and leading expert in the growing field of concussion research, wrote an op-ed piece last year for The New York Times saying that children should be prevented from playing football and other high-impact contact sports before the age of 18. “Our children are minors who have not reached the age of consent,” Dr. Omalu wrote. “It is our moral duty as a society to protect the most vulnerable of us. The human brain becomes fully developed at about 18 to 25 years old. We should at least wait for our children to grow up, be provided with the information and education on the risk of play, and let them make their own decisions. No adult, not a parent or a coach, should be allowed to make this potentially life-altering decision for a child.” Other experts in the field propose that tackle football, heading in soccer, and full-body checking in ice hockey not start until kids
are 14, largely because their brains and bodies are still developing and are therefore more vulnerable to serious injury. “Nothing magic happens when an athlete turns 14,” Dr. Selman says. “There are big 14-year-olds who develop earlier and then there are 14-year-olds who look like they are 10. But by the time teens are juniors or seniors in high school, the difference in size between the athletes isn’t quite as dramatic.”
When to Quit
There is no set number of concussions that determine when a young person should give up playing contact sports. The circumstances that surround each individual injury, such as how the injury occurred and the duration of symptoms, are very important and must be factored in when assessing an athlete’s risk for—and potential long-term consequences from—experiencing additional and potentially more serious concussions. The decision to quit certain sports is a decision best reached after a complete evaluation by your child’s primary care provider and consultation with a physician or neuropsychologist who specializes in treating sports concussions. It’s not an easy decision to make. Ultimately, it is up to parents to make informed choices based on their individual circumstances about whether to let children play contact sports. And above all, it is critical for parents and coaches to arm themselves with proper concussion knowledge, the right equipment, good training, an understanding of the symptoms of a concussion, and a healthy attitude about sports should they let their kids participate. Melissa Kagan is the former editor-in-chief of the now-defunct lifetimemoms.com. She is currently a freelance writer whose work has been featured in Mommy Poppins, Westchester Magazine and Westchester Family. She lives in Pelham with her husband and two children.
13 r Yeaersary v i n An
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
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OUTINGS: New York City Fire Museum
nymetroparents.com/outings
New York’s Bravest 1
2
4
Courtesy New York City Fire Museum
Housed in a 1904 firehouse, this must-see museum tells the history of the FDNY. ›› By Melissa Wickes 3
5
1 This 1912 American LaFrance Tractor-Steamer, a coal-fired steam engine drawn by a gasoline powered front-drive tractor, was dubbed “Old 93” upon its retirement in 1933 when it was then used as a parade vehicle. 2 The New York City Fire Museum is housed in the former quarters of Engine Company No. 30, a 1904 Beaux-Arts firehouse. 3 The Brooklyn Company Engine No. 8 is a steam engine pumper made by American LaFrance in 1901 and was drawn by three horses. 4 Framed documents and works of art illustrate firefighting in the volunteer period in the Romance of Firefighting exhibit. 5 This permanent memorial to the 343 firefighters lost on 9/11 was designed by Jude Amsel and is made of tiles with the names and images of each firefighter.
The New York City Fire Museum is the official museum of the Fire Department of the City of New York. Housed in the former quarters of Engine Company No. 30, the museum is a tribute to firefighting and takes visitors through the history of techniques, equipment, and more. Upon entering, guests are greeted by a fire truck—fun for kids to climb on and perfect for a photo op.
Permanent Exhibits
Firefighting on Parade displays beautifully crafted machines and artifacts used by volunteer firefighters who marched in the firefighter parades. Paintings and illustrations depicting volunteer firefighters at work are shown in Romance of Firefighting, which honors the venerable New Yorkers who risk their lives to keep the city safe. Check out the evolution of the fire engine from the steam engine to the motorized machine in Fire Apparatus. A crowd favorite is Tools and Uniforms, 28
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
which shows how significantly firefighting gear has changed throughout the last 30 years, from breathing masks to protective garments to tools. The 9/11 Memorial Room is the first permanent memorial recognizing the 343 members of the FDNY who sacrificed their lives on Sept. 11. The exhibit includes a black marble and tile memorial showing pictures of the firefighters who lost their lives, cases displaying tools used and items recovered, and a computer station at which visitors can browse profiles of the fallen.
Fire Safety Education Program
In collaboration with the FDNY, the museum operates a fire safety program, which teaches participants about fire prevention in homes and how to escape a fire. After classroom training, students go through a simulated fire in a mock home environment. The simulation consists of a tour through four rooms and common fire
hazards are explained. A bedroom is then filled with theatrical smoke and a firefighter teaches the children how to escape.
Remembering 9/11
The NYC Fire Museum will hold a 9/11 Memorial Ceremony on Sept. 11, at 1pm, which will be led by the FDNY commissioner, with songs and a speech made by the museum director.
Details
Address: 278 Spring St., Manhattan Directions: Approximately a 40-minute subway ride from Park Slope; take the F to Broadway-Lafayette St. Hours: Daily, 10am-5pm Admission: $8; $5 students, seniors, and children ages 2-12; free with ID: FDNY, NYPD, DSNY, PANYNJ, Active U.S. Military, and Merchant Marine For more information: 212-352-3117 or nycfiremuseum.org
DGK
Dimitrios & Georgia Kaloidis
Parochial School Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church
"Continuing a Tradition of Excellence in Education"
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS H.S. Entrance Exam Test Prep for SHSAT TACHS and ISEE ELA & MATH State Exam Test Prep
Kindergarten - 8th Grade Featuring small class sizes, low student/teacher ratio, and certified faculty making academic excellence and achievable priority. Nursery School 3 Year Old Program
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Play Learn Grow! Extra Curricular Activities, Early Arrival and Extended Day Available Currently Accepting Applications | All Grades | 2016-2017 School Year
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The Preparatory Center for the Performing Arts 234 Roosevelt Hall, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11210
Over 35 years of music, theater, and dance instruction for children and adults
2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR
• THEATER - Theater & Musical Theater: beginner to advanced
• DANCE - Ballet-Tap- Hip Hop-Combo ballet, jazz, tap
Registration is now open. Classes begin September 17th. WEEKEND AND WEEKDAY CLASSES Please call 718-951-4111 for a registration consultation or visit our website at www.bcprepcenter.org for complete course listings.
• MUSIC
- Beginner to advanced instrument and voice lessons - Group classes: piano, guitar,voice, drums - Suzuki programs: violin, cello, flute
BrooklynParent 29
Music & Movement Classes for Infants, Toddlers, Preschoolers and the Grownups Who Love Them! Bay Ridge/ Bensonhurst / Sheepshead Bay Flatbush / Mill Basin / Marine Park musictogetherBR.com • 718-499-2866 Brooklyn Heights / Boerum Hill musictogetheratkiddiekorner.com • 718-855-0908 Park Slope (2 Locations) nikoskids.com • 718-369-3099 South Slope at Hootenanny / Kensington Ditmas Park southslopemusictogether.com • 718-369-0528 Fort Greene/Clinton Hill/Bed Stuy www.musictogetherfortgreene.com • 212-604-4307 Offering Morning, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekend Classes. Now Enrolling for Fall Session! Call for a Free Demonstration Class!
Mitzvah Market magazine Your Source for Ideas & Inspiration Get Your FREE Copy New Issue in 2016 Your single source for: g Entertainers g Caterers g Favors g Photographers g Invitations and more... I want a free copy of the 2016 Mitzvah Market magazine Name Address City
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
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Turn the page for details on Kite Festival (No. 4 on our list).
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SEPTEMBER CALENDAR
32 Editor’s Hot Tickets
34 We Can’t Believe It’s FREE!, Show Time!
39 Dance Party
35 9/11 Tributes WANT US TO INCLUDE YOUR EVENT?
nymetroparents.com/submitevent UPDATED DAILY AT nymetroparents.com/calendar EDITOR: ROSALIND MUGGERIDGE bkcal@davlermedia.com
The Great Outdoors
40 Smarty Pants, Kindness Crusaders
36 On Screen, Once Upon a Time
41 Special Needs, Holiday Fun
37 Mini Musicians
43 Crafty Kids, Browse & Buy
38 Movers & Shakers,
42 Fun Fairs & Festivals
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EDITOR’S HOT TICKETS
Our calendar is full of great ideas. First, here are the 10 events we consider can’t-miss—the ones we’re taking our own kids to. Consider it your cheat sheet to the best of what’s great this month!
1
NYC Unicycle Festival FREE
WHEN: Sept. 1-4, Thursday-Sunday, 12-5pm WHERE: Governors Island, ferries depart from Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6, Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: This annual festival includes races, competitions, exhibitions, and a variety of unicycle sports including basketball, hockey, and sumo wrestling. There are also unicycle rides from Battery Park to Central Park, and from Brooklyn Bridge to Coney Island. WHY WE LOVE IT: World-famous riders display their skills, and members of the public have the opportunity to try one-wheel riding. WANT TO GO? 212-938-0836. nycunifest.com.
Richmond County Fair
2
WHEN: Sept. 3-5, Saturday-Monday, 11am-6pm WHERE: Historic Richmond Town, 441 Clarke Ave., Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Find everything you would expect to at a county fair, including amusement rides, contests, pig races, classic cars, entertainment, pony rides, farm animals, and more. WHY WE LOVE IT: Here’s your chance to experience a county fair without having to leave the city! WANT TO GO? $15; $10 seniors; free for children shorter than 30 inches. 718-351-1611. historicrichmondtown.org.
3
West Indian American Day Parade and Carnival FREE
WHEN: Monday, Sept. 5, 11am-6pm WHERE: Eastern Parkway, between Schenectady Avenue and Grand Army Plaza, Crown Heights/Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: Tons of food vendors, parade floats, calypso and soca rhythms, steel drums and stepping, plus some crazy costumes, make the West 32
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
Indian American Day Carnival a vibrant celebration. WHY WE LOVE IT: Drawing close to 2 million spectators annually, this parade and festival is a not-to-be-missed Labor Day tradition. WANT TO GO? 718-467-1797. wiadca.com.
4
Kite Festival FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 10, 11am-3pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1, 2 Old Fulton St., DUMBO/Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: Expect to see an amazing sight of kites as they fly against the Manhattan skyline. Kite-lovers of all ages are welcome and are encouraged to bring their cameras—it’s a great day for pictures! WHY WE LOVE IT: Here’s the perfect opportunity to fly a kite—you can bring your own or buy one at the park. WANT TO GO? 718-802-0603. brooklynbridgepark.org.
Cirque du Soleil presents ‘Toruk’
WHEN: Sept. 7-11, Wednesday-Sunday, see website for times WHERE: Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Prospect Heights AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Inspired by James Cameron’s Avatar, Cirque du Soleil transports you to the world of Pandora in a visually stunning live setting. WHY WE LOVE IT: The special effects in this show are designed to astound with amazing sound effects and lighting, as well as gorgeous projected scenery. WANT TO GO? $42 and up. 212-359-6387. barclayscenter.com.
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Brooklyn Book Festival Children’s Day FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 17, 10am-4pm WHERE: MetroTech Commons, MetroTech Walk and Lawrence Street, Downtown Brooklyn
AGES: All WHAT: This day of the festival dedicated to kids will feature children’s authors, theatrical performances, a dueling draw-off, workshops, picture book and young readers stages, and a Literary Marketplace as part of the celebration of childhood reading. WHY WE LOVE IT: At the Young Reader’s Stage, children will hear authors read and discuss their books, as well as topics such as the inspiration behind writing fantasy, friendship, and adventure stories, and how they became writers. WANT TO GO? 718-802-3830. brooklynbookfestival.org.
1776 Peace Conference Celebration
Tap • Ballet • Jazz • Pointe • Gymnastics Majorette • Karate • Praise Dancing African • Caribbean • Private Lessons Hip-Hop • Competition Classes • Lyrical
7
CALL FOR REGISTRATION AT OUR 3 GREAT LOCATIONS!
9409 Ave L.
Roald Dahl 100: A Celebration for Kids and Families FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 1:30-4pm WHERE: Brooklyn Central Library, Dweck Center, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: It’s Wondercrump Weekend, an international celebration of Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday! Join an afternoon of everything Roald Dahl, including readings by Michelle Schusterman, Tim Miller, Cassie Beasley, and Adam Gidwitz. WHY WE LOVE IT: Enjoy a Roald Dahl trivia contest, a screening of Matilda, games and crafts, and treats by Baked Ideas and Four & Twenty Blackbirds. WANT TO GO? 718-230-2100. bklynlibrary.org.
9
9411 Ave L.
(bet. E94th & E95th St.) (bet. E94th & E95th St.)
718-272-1813
Celebrating Red Hook FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 17, 12-9pm WHERE: Ikea Waterfront, Erie Basin Park, 1 Beard St., Red Hook AGES: All WHAT: Erie Basin Park will be transformed into a vendors market showing off the talents of local craftspeople, with items for sampling and for sale. Plus, a full day of music and dance. WHY WE LOVE IT: This event showcases more than 60 Red Hook artisans, local bands, and dance performances. WANT TO GO? star-revue.com.
10
April’s Dance-N-Feet Classes for Ages 2 – Adult / Boys Classes Available!
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 17, 11am-4pm WHERE: Conference House Park, Hylan Boulevard and Satterlee Street, Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Conference House Park will combine 18thcentury life with 21st-century entertainment as it hosts this re-enactment of the Sept. 11, 1776, conference (attended by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Edward Rutledge, and British Adm. Richard Howe), which was an attempt to end the Revolutionary War. WHY WE LOVE IT: Re-enactments from the 18th century will be featured including spinning and weaving demonstrations courtesy of the Staten Island Hand Spinners and Weavers. WANT TO GO? $5; $3 for children 12 and younger. 718-869-6327. conferencehouse.org.
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Celebrating 23 Years!
718-272-1813
4626 Flatlands Ave. (bet. Schenectady & E46th St.)
718-692-4809
** Sibling Discounts And Multiple Class Discounts **
Take 2 Classes Get 3rd Half Price!
At Brooklyn Friends School, we have all the makings of an outstanding education.
35th Annual Great Irish Fair of New York
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 10am-8pm WHERE: MCU Park, 1904 Surf Ave., Coney Island AGES: All WHAT: Enjoy live music and entertainment, tons of rides for the kids, dancing, a 5K run/walk, and a true celebration of Irish culture and heritage. Local musicians will be playing both traditional and contemporary Irish music both days, while vendors and neighborhood pubs will recreate their venues for two days on the fairgrounds to offer tasty food and drink. WHY WE LOVE IT: A separate area at the fairgrounds will be set up with children’s rides and attractions. WANT TO GO? See website for prices. gifnyc.com. ››
Preschool through Grade 12 Quaker independent school inspiring minds and hearts since 1867 375 Pearl Street • Brooklyn NY 11201 718-852-1029 brooklynfriends.org BrooklynParent 33
SHOW TIME! Stay in School Youth Fest and College Fair FREE
WE CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S FREE
Think a freebie has to be ho-hum? Don’t let the price tag (or lack of one) fool you. Here are the five no-cost events we’re excited about now. You’re welcome. Changing of the Guard FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 17, 12-3pm WHERE: Mott Hall Bridges Academy, 210 Chester St., Brownsville AGES: 13-17 WHAT: HYCIDE x BKLYN COMBINE partner with Mott Hall Bridges Academy’s iMatter program to introduce workshop participants to the generals of the community. Together, they will discuss the younger generation’s importance within the changing landscape of Brooklyn and the sociopolitical climate of their neighborhoods. WANT TO GO? 718-230-0492. mocada.org.
Shorefront Y Open House FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 2pm WHERE: Shorefront Y, 3300 Coney Island Ave., Coney Island AGES: All WHAT: Join a fun afternoon experiencing everything the Shorefront Y has to offer including activities from the after-school, early childhood, enrichment, special needs, adult literacy, and social service programs. WANT TO GO? 718-646-1444. shorefronty.org.
Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day Live: Manhattan FREE WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, see museum websites for dates and times WHERE: Various museums citywide, see website AGES: All WHAT: For one day only, participating museums across the country open their doors to anyone presenting a Museum Day Live! ticket. One ticket permits two people to enter the museum for free. WANT TO GO? smithsonianmag.com/museumday.
Rolex Central Park Horse Show: Family Day FREE
WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 27, 12-3pm WHERE: Wollman Rink, 830 Fifth Ave., Central Park, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Free family activities including pony rides, equestrian demonstrations, an Arabian presentation, and face painting as part of the Central Park Horse Show. WANT TO GO? 212-938-0001. centralparkhorseshow.com.
Nantucket Lightship Public Tours FREE
WHEN: Through Oct. 30: Sundays, 1:30-5:30pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6, 334 Furman St., Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: Step aboard the historic Nantucket Lightship, a floating lighthouse docked at Pier 6, for free public tours. Known as the “Guardian Angel of the North Atlantic”, the Nantucket Lightship was the last lightship in service to the United States Coast Guard and was decommissioned in 1985. WANT TO GO? 718-624-4719. brooklynbridgepark.org. 34
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 2, 10am-2pm WHERE: Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: This talent showcase highlights leaders of tomorrow as they perform hip-hop, dance, steel-pan, karate, fashion, spoken word, and more. The ultimate goal of this event is to encourage young people to pursue education and develop their talents. WANT TO GO? 718-467-1797. wiadca.com.
Presto Pete and Incredulous Chris Show
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 3, 2pm and 4pm WHERE: Fantasy Shore Amusement Park, Buel Avenue, Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Presto Pete and Incredulous Chris of Pete and Chris Amusements are New England’s only two-man kids magic show. They give an ultra, high-energy performance that captures kids’ attentions. WANT TO GO? Free admission to show, some ticketed activities at park. 718-788-2676. nycgovparks.org.
‘Peace on Your Wings’
WHEN: Sept. 9-10, Friday, 7:30pm; Saturday, 2pm and 7:30pm WHERE: John Jay College Gerald W. Lynch Theatre, 524 W. 59th St., Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: 5 and older WHAT: An uplifting, inspiring new musical with an all youth cast, based on the true story of Sadako Sasak; a 12-year-old girl who died from leukemia resulting from radiation caused by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. WANT TO GO? $35; $15 students with ID. 818-905-5511. ohanaarts.ticketleap.com.
LC Kids Presents ‘Meet Me at the Fountain’
WHEN: Sept. 17-18, Saturday-Sunday, 10-11:30am and 2-3:30pm WHERE: Clark Studio Theater, Samuel B. and David Rose Building, 165 W. 65th St., 7th Floor, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: 5 and older WHAT: The interactive theater adventure is back for another show. Set across the sprawling Lincoln Center campus, audiences young and old help a secret crime-fighting team to stop a diabolical plot to sabotage an opera diva on her big night. WANT TO GO? See website. 212-546-2656. kids.lincolncenter.org.
‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’
WHEN: Sept. 30–Oct. 10, see website for show times WHERE: New Victory Theatre, 229 W. 42nd St., Theater District, Manhattan AGES: 9 and older WHAT: The New Victory Theater opens its new season with a production of the Jules Verne science fiction tale, bringing together multimedia, projections, and technology to make the audience feel like they are under the sea, too. WANT TO GO? $16-$38. 646-223-3010. newvictory.org.
Magic at Coney
WHEN: Sept. 4–Oct. 31, Sundays, 12pm WHERE: Coney Island Museum, 1208 Surf Ave., Coney Island AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Check out this magical variety show highlighting a vast array of magicians and featuring illusionists, escape artists, mentalists, and close-up magicians from around the world. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 for children 12 and younger. 516-721-8641. coneyisland.com.
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Free Full Day U.P.K. Program for All Call for Information!
9/11 TRIBUTES 15th Anniversary of September 11 FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 11, see website for times WHERE: National September 11 Memorial & Museum, 180 Greenwich St., Financial District, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: As part of the commemoration the memorial plaza will again open to the general public so visitors may view the Tribute in Light and pay their respects. WANT TO GO? 212-266-5211. 911memorial.org.
Tribute In Light FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 11, dusk WHERE: National September 11 Memorial & Museum, 180 Greenwich St., Financial District, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Visible within a 60-mile radius on a clear night, Tribute In Light has become a world-renowned icon of remembrance, honoring those who were lost, as well as those who worked so hard to get our city through that terrible trial. WANT TO GO? mas.org/programs/tributeinlight.
9/11 Table of Silence FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 11, 8:15am WHERE: Lincoln Center, Columbus Avenue and West 64th Street, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Choreographer Jacqulyn Buglisi returns to the Lincoln Center for the sixth year with her transcendent 9/11 work, Table of Silence. WANT TO GO? 212-719-3301. buglisidance.org. ››
BrooklynParent 35
AGES: All WHAT: Join the third annual Batman Day celebrating the Dark Knight’s endearing legacy. The event will include activities, trivia, coloring, and more. WANT TO GO? 718-832-9066. bn.com.
Brooklyn Book Festival FREE
ON SCREEN Movie Night: ‘Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein’ FREE
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 9, 7:45pm WHERE: Narrows Botanical Garden, Shore Road between Bay Ridge Avenue and 72nd Street, Bay Ridge AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Two hapless freight handlers find themselves encountering Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, and the Wolf Man. WANT TO GO? narrowsbg.org.
Movie Night
WHEN: Through Oct. 30: Sundays, 8pm WHERE: Habana Outpost, 757 Fulton St., Fort Greene AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Habana Outpost restaurant presents Movies Under the Stars series. See website for schedule. WANT TO GO? Free with food and drink order. 718-858-9500. habanaoutpost.com.
‘Wonders of the Arctic’
WHEN: Sept. 2–March 2, 2017, daily, 10:30am-4:30pm WHERE: American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th Street, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Set in the frozen wilderness at the top of the world, Wonders of the Arctic tells the story of survival in one of the most unforgiving environments on earth dominated by a single element: ice. WANT TO GO? $27; $22 students and seniors; $16 children. 212769-5100. amnh.org.
ONCE UPON A TIME Governors Island Storytelling Festival FREE
WHEN: Through Sept. 3: Sundays, 1-3pm WHERE: Governors Island, Nolan Park, Building 10, ferries depart from Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6, Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: This festival features award-winning stories, music, puppets, and marionette shows. WANT TO GO? 347-425-7770. brooklynartery.com.
Batman Day FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 17, 2pm WHERE: Barnes & Noble, 267 7th Ave., Park Slope 36
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 10am-6pm WHERE: Borough Hall and Plaza, 209 Joralemon St., Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: The Brooklyn Book Festival is New York City’s largest free literary festival, attracting tens of thousands from around the world to experience spirited discussions between emerging and iconic writers, and a lively Literary Marketplace. On festival day, 300 writers of beloved works of fiction and nonfiction, poetry, and graphic novels will participate in panels, readings, and other creative performances of their works. WANT TO GO? 718-802-3830. brooklynbookfestival.org.
Storytelling Festival
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 25, 1-4pm WHERE: Lefferts Historic House, 452 Flatbush Ave., Prospect Lefferts Gardens AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Come celebrate resident storyteller Tammy Hall’s 20th anniversary of telling tall tales at Lefferts Historic House. WANT TO GO? $3 suggested donation. 718-965-8954. prospectpark.org.
Tales of the Sea FREE
WHEN: Monday, Sept. 26, Sundays, 6pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6, 334 Furman St., Brooklyn Heights AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Guest speakers tell harrowing stories of bravery and self sacrifice aboard the Nantucket Lightship, a historic floating lighthouse docked at Pier 6. WANT TO GO? 718-624-4719. brooklynbridgepark.org.
Greenlight Young Readers Book Group FREE
WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 27, 5:30pm WHERE: Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton St., Fort Greene AGES: 9-12 WHAT: Led by Greenlight bookseller Grace, this book group is geared toward kids and reads great contemporary and classic chapter books. For September, the group discusses Boy by Roald Dahl. WANT TO GO? 718-246-0200. greenlightbookstore.com.
Stories for Chocolate
WHEN: Through Sept. 30: Saturdays, 10am WHERE: Mast Brothers Chocolate, 111 N. 3rd St., Williamsburg AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Stories for Chocolate is a 1-hour storytelling and sing-along session at the Mast Chocolate Factory and Shop in Brooklyn. Come ready to sing, dance, and enjoy chocolate with your little ones. WANT TO GO? 718-388-2625. mastbrothers.com.
Drop-in Art-Making and Storytelling
WHEN: Through Dec. 20: Tuesdays, 11am-12pm WHERE: Stories Bookshop + Storytelling Lab, 458 Bergen St., Park Slope AGES: 3-5 WHAT: Join this drop-in for art-making and storytelling activities. WANT TO GO? $10 materials fee. 718-369-1167. storiesbk.com.
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MINI
MUSICIANS Fort Greene Park Jazz Festival FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 10, 3-5pm WHERE: Fort Greene Park, Myrtle Avenue and Washington Park, Fort Greene AGES: All WHAT: This festival was an idea developed by Eric Frazier from a longstanding dream to have a jazz festival in his own neighborhood park. The event began in July 2010 and has provided live jazz entertainment for families, neighborhoods, communities, and New Yorkers at large. WANT TO GO? 347-559-5142. fortgreeneparkjazzfestival.com.
AN INDEPENDENT PROGRESSIVE LOWER AND MIDDLE SCHOOL IN FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN Information about curriculum, admissions and sliding scale tuition are available on our website
Neighborhood Family Concerts FREE
WHEN: Through Sept. 24: Saturdays, 4pm WHERE: Bargemusic, 334 Furman St., Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: Bargemusic presents Admission Free Neighborhood Family Concerts. Walk across the gangplank of a renovated coffee barge for a 1-hour, family-friendly performance, including a Q-and-A session with the musicians. WANT TO GO? 718-624-4924. bargemusic.org.
www.greenehillschool.org 39 Adelphi Street, Brooklyn, NY 11205 718.230.3608 admissions@greenehillschool.org
Brooklyn Americana Music Festival FREE
WHEN: Sept. 24-25, Saturday-Sunday, 2-8pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 6, 334 Furman St., Brooklyn Heights AGES: 5 and older WHAT: This music festival presents original and traditional country, folk, roots, blues, old time, and bluegrass artists. WANT TO GO? 718-624-4719. nycgovparks.org.
your kids an eve n Give
C H S O O R E L YEAR T R A ! SM
Live at the Archway Series FREE
WHEN: Through Sept. 29: Thursdays, 6pm WHERE: Archway under the Manhattan Bridge, Pearl and Water streets, DUMBO AGES: All WHAT: This 18-week, free, family-friendly performance series encompasses a broad range of musical genres including salsa, R&B, jazz, and classic rock, together with some of today’s emerging indie bands, performances by modern dance companies, and five evenings of social dance. WANT TO GO? dumbo.is. ››
Enroll tod a 30 Amazo y and get a n.com Gift Card! *
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Kumon is the smartest extracurricular activity you can give your kids. Call us today to schedule a Free Parent Orientation to learn more:
800.ABC.MATH • www.kumon.com ©2016 Kumon North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved. *Offer valid at participating Kumon Centers only when you enroll between 9/1/16 – 9/30/16. Most Kumon Centers are independently owned and operated. Additional fees may apply. Amazon.com is a registered trademark of Amazon.com, Inc. Used with permission. Please look for the “Welcome to Kumon e-mail” for the gift card redemption details within 4 – 8 weeks after enrollment. *Amazon.com is not a sponsor of this promotion. Except as required by law, Amazon.com Gift Cards (“GCs”) cannot be transferred for value or redeemed for cash. GCs may be used only for purchases of eligible goods at Amazon.com or certain of its affiliated websites. For complete terms and conditions, see www.amazon.com/gc-legal. GCs are issued by ACI Gift Cards, Inc., a Washington corporation. All Amazon ®, ™ & © are IP of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. No expiration date or service fees.
BrooklynParent 37
Race Around the Farm Yard
WHEN: Sept. 12-13, Monday-Tuesday, 2-4pm WHERE: Lefferts Historic House, 452 Flatbush Ave., Prospect Lefferts Gardens AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Join the Prospect Park Alliance to get moving. The whole family can participate in potato sack races, spoon races, and other old-fashioned games. WANT TO GO? $3 suggested donation. 718-965-8954. prospectpark.org.
Summer Sports Experience FREE
MOVERS & SHAKERS Pop-Up Pool FREE
WHEN: Through Sept. 5: daily, 10am-6pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, 334 Furman St., Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: Beat the summer heat with 45-minute sessions at the PopUp Pool. The pool is 30 by 50 feet in size, and maxes out at an easy 3½ feet deep-making it just right for families with smaller kids and swimmers of all ages and levels. WANT TO GO? 718-222-9939. brooklynbridgepark.org.
Kayaking FREE
Water Play FREE
Roller Skating
WHEN: Through Sept. 5: Monday-Saturday, 10am-7pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm WHERE: Lakeside, Parkside/Ocean Avenues entrance, Prospect Park AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: One of Brooklyn’s coolest summer spots, the Splash Pad, provides state-of-the-art water play and admission is free to the public. WANT TO GO? 718-462-0010. lakesidebrooklyn.com.
Brooklyn Bike Jumble FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 10, 10am-4pm WHERE: The Old Stone House, 336 3rd St., Park Slope AGES: All WHAT: Fulfill all of your cycling needs for the summer when the New York Bike Jumble returns for the sixth year in a row. Get yourself a new or used bike, new and used accessories, clothing, collectibles, artwork, overstocks, and bargains galore. WANT TO GO? 718-768-3195. theoldstonehouse.org.
Vintage Baseball FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 10, 12-4pm WHERE: Governors Island, ferries leave from Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6, Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: Play base ball as it was once played, with three hands, no gloves, and a time when gambling on professional sports was common. The Gotham Base Ball Club—established in 1852 and became the NY Giants in 1883—will display a double header on the Parade Grounds next to Fort Jay. WANT TO GO? 212-440-2200. govisland.com.
Riverside Park Skate Jam FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 11, 12-5pm WHERE: Riverside Park Skate Park, West 108th Street and Riverside Drive, Upper West Side, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: There will be skating competitions, open skate, a raffle, food vendors, and all day fun. Bring your board and full gear to join in, or check your board at the gate and hang out. WANT TO GO? nycgovparks.org.
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WHEN: Through Sept. 17: Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm WHERE: Sunset Park Playground, 44th Street and 5th Avenue, Sunset Park AGES: All WHAT: The Summer Sports Experience provides a small, friendly, group introduction to various sports on a drop-in basis. WANT TO GO? 718-972-2135. nycgovparks.org.
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
WHEN: Through Sept. 24: Saturdays, 10am-3pm; Thursdays, 5:30-6:45pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 2 Dock, Furman and Clark streets, Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: Glide along the water while kayaking with an accompanying adult. All levels are welcome and no experience is necessary. WANT TO GO? 718-802-0603. brooklynbridgepark.org. WHEN: Through Oct. 1: Wednesday-Thursday, 12-6pm; FridaySaturday, 12-7pm; Sunday, 12-6pm WHERE: LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park, Parkside and Ocean avenues entrance, Brooklyn AGES: All WHAT: The LeFrak Center offers public roller skating at the covered rink overlooking Prospect Park Lake with ample open spaces for those not quite ready to lace up their skates. WANT TO GO? See website for ticket and rental fees. 718-462-0010. lakesidebrooklyn.com.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS Seaside Wildlife Exploration FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 3, 1pm WHERE: Canarsie Park, East 88th Street and Seaview Avenue, Canarsie AGES: All WHAT: New York City is home to an abundance of wildlife. Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots for seaside creatures. WANT TO GO? 718-421-2021. nycgovparks.org.
Gerritsen Grist Mill and Farmhouse FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 4, 1-2:30pm WHERE: Salt Marsh Nature Center at Marine Park, East 33rd Street and Avenue U, Marine Park AGES: All WHAT: Wood pilings remain more than 360 years after the original foundation of the mill was first laid down. Explore the area surrounding one of the first water-powered mills in North America and discover its value both past and present. WANT TO GO? 718-421-2021. nycgovparks.org.
Bat Bonanza Night Hike FREE WHEN: Friday, Sept. 9, 7-8pm
WHERE: Willowbrook Park, Eaton Place and Victory Boulevard, Staten Island AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Join this end-of-summer stroll around Willowbrook Park in search of flying nocturnal mosquito-eating bats. WANT TO GO? cityparksfoundation.org.
Discovery Day FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 11am-4pm WHERE: Freshkills Park, 1 Bay St., Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Experience Freshkills Park’s unique landscape and spectacular views at the last Discovery Day of the year. During this free event, 700 acres and 8 miles of trails in the normally closed site will be open, with opportunities to explore and learn about the landfill-to-park project. WANT TO GO? freshkillspark.org.
Summer Space FREE
WHEN: Sept. 17-19, Saturday and Monday, 12-5pm WHERE: Montague Street, between Court and Columbia streets, Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: Each year, the New York City Department of Transportation partners with community groups to present Weekend Walks, when commercial street temporarily close to host multi-block neighborhood events. WANT TO GO? nyc.gov.
Get Hooked FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 11am-2pm WHERE: Randall’s Island Park, Southern Waterfront, base of the 103rd Street Footbridge, Randall’s Island AGES: 5 and older WHAT: An annual event celebrating the wildlife around Randall’s Island and all things fishing. Enjoy catch and release fishing, games, arts and crafts, refreshments, and other family fun. WANT TO GO? 212-830-7722. randallsisland.org.
Family Ecology Sail
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 25, 12-3pm WHERE: South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton St., Lower Manhattan AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Board the historic 1885 schooner and set sail past Governors Island for the fishing grounds of Bay Ridge. Bring up a variety of creatures from blue crabs to flounder, and help raise the sails while learning about the marine ecosystem. WANT TO GO? $45; $40 for children ages 12 and younger. 212-7488753. southstreetseaportmuseum.org.
Pop-Up Audubon I: Radical Raptors FREE
WHEN: Sept. 3-25, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-3pm WHERE: Zucker Natural Exploration Area, 31 East Drive, Prospect Park AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Join the Prospect Park Alliance to learn what makes birds of prey so radical and about the different species of raptors that migrate through Prospect Park. WANT TO GO? 718-965-8954. prospectpark.org.
Fall Foraging FREE
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 28, 6:30-7:30pm
WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1, Old Fulton and Furman streets, DUMBO AGES: All WHAT: Join author and forager Marie Viljoen on a botanical stroll to discover the indigenous edible plants of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Learn how to spot them in the growing year, how to use them in the kitchen, and where to plant them in your own gardens. WANT TO GO? 718-802-0603. brooklynbridgepark.org.
Green Machines
WHEN: Through Dec. 28: Wednesdays, 2pm WHERE: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave., Crown Heights AGES: All WHAT: Get down in the dirt and explore the layers of composting in BCM’s garden and how you can get started with your own compost at home. WANT TO GO? $9; free for children younger than 1. 718-224-5863. brooklynkids.org.
DANCE PARTY All Day Beach Party FREE
WHEN: Monday, Sept. 5, 12-6pm WHERE: South Beach, Father Capodanno Boulevard and Sand Lane, Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: Give summer a proper send-off at this day-long beach party. WANT TO GO? 718-816-6804. statenislandeachfest.com.
Omar’s Summer Send-Off
WHEN: Monday, Sept. 5, 2-6pm WHERE: Fantasy Shore Amusement Park, Buel Avenue, Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: End your summer right with a party hosted by Omar Olusion. Come celebrate the holiday weekend with live DJ music, dance contests, fun games, and magic shows. WANT TO GO? Free admission to show, some ticketed activities at park. 718-788-2676. nycgovparks.org.
Back to School Bash FREE
WHEN: Monday, Sept. 5, 11am-2pm WHERE: Habana Outpost, 757 Fulton St., Fort Greene AGES: All WHAT: This annual event is a celebration kickoff to the school year hosted by the nonprofit Habana Works, in the courtyard of Habana Outpost. Each year, they give away free school supplies to children, along with hosting lots of fun activities and events. WANT TO GO? 718-858-9500. habanaoutpost.com.
DUMBO Dance Festival FREE
WHEN: Sept. 29–Oct. 2, Thursday-Sunday, see website for times WHERE: Gelsey Kirkland Arts Center, 29 Jay St., DUMBO AGES: All WHAT: For four nights and three days, dance lovers will experience a veritable cornucopia of the best of contemporary dance. WANT TO GO? whitewavedance.com.
Fall For Dance Festival
WHEN: Sept. 26–Oct. 8, daily, see website for show times WHERE: New York City Center, West 55th Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues, Midtown, Manhattan AGES: 9 and older WHAT: New York City Center’s Fall for Dance Festival has received international acclaim for its quality, innovation, and success in introducing new and younger audiences to the world of dance. WANT TO GO? $15. 212-581-1212. nycitycenter.org. ›› BrooklynParent 39
AGES: All WHAT: Find out if you’ve got what it takes to be the next James T. Kirk or Spock at this brand new immersive exhibition. Experience life as a Starfleet Academy cadet with interactive activities and many props and costumes from the TV show. WANT TO GO? $25; $23 seniors; $18 children; free for children 4 and younger. 212-245-0072. intrepidmuseum.org.
Library Lab FREE
SMARTY PANTS Kids to the Rescue
WHEN: Through Sept. 1: Monday-Thursday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, 10am-5:30pm WHERE: Jewish Children’s Museum, 792 Eastern Parkway, Crown Heights AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Climb aboard life-size emergency vehicles for imaginative play, drive to the emergency scene, put out “fires” with a giant wind hose, learn to recognize the uses for medical equipment, and more. WANT TO GO? $13. 718-907-8833. jcm.museum.
Vikings: The Exhibition
WHEN: Through Sept. 5: Sunday-Tuesday, 10am-7pm; Wednesday-Thursday, 10am-8pm; Friday-Saturday, 10am-9pm WHERE: Discovery Times Square, 226 W. 44th St., Midtown, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: This exhibit features the largest collection of Viking artifacts ever on display in North America. Experience full-scale model Viking ships, weapons, daily life, jewelry, and clothing. WANT TO GO? $29.50; $24 seniors; $20 children ages 4-12. 866987-9692. discoverytsx.com.
Hudson River Park Trust and the New York Hall of Science: Submerge FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 11am-4pm WHERE: Hudson River Park, Pier 25, North Moore Street, Tribeca, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: A science festival celebrating NYC’s coastal waters. Enjoy hands-on marine science activities, live music, presentations by noted scientists, citizen science, kayaking, fishing, and more. WANT TO GO? 212-627-2020. hudsonriverpark.org.
Wednesday Night Tours
WHEN: Sept. 7-28, Wednesdays, 6:30pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1 Entrance, 334 Furman St., DUMBO AGES: 9 and older WHAT: Learn about the extraordinary history, ecology, and design of Brooklyn Bridge Park with New York’s finest scholars during these weekly walking tours. WANT TO GO? $10; $5 members. 347-683-7028. brooklynbridgepark.org.
Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience
WHEN: Through Oct. 31: Sunday-Thursday, 10am-8pm; Friday-Saturday, 10am-9pm WHERE: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86, 46th Street and Twelfth Avenue, New York Harbor, Manhattan 40
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
WHEN: Sept. 1–Oct. 31, see website for schedule WHERE: Brooklyn Public Library, 10 Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Heights AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Explore science, technology, engineering, and math concepts with fun, free activities that spark curiosity through hands-on experimentation. WANT TO GO? 718-230-2100. bklynlibrary.org.
Totally Tots Studio Program: Meet the Artist
WHEN: Through Dec. 28: Wednesdays, 10am-1pm WHERE: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave., Crown Heights AGES: 3-8 WHAT: Each week, children are introduced to an artist and an activity inspired by their techniques, materials, and ideas. Activities invite young artists to build and refine fine motor skills; engage in sensory exploration; and learn how to share with others. WANT TO GO? $9; free for children younger than 1. 718-224-5863. brooklynkids.org.
Charlotte Brontë: An Independent Will
WHEN: Sept. 9–Jan. 2, 2017, Tuesday-Thursday, 10:30am-5pm; Friday, 10:30am-9pm; Saturday, 10am-6pm; Sunday, 11am-6pm WHERE: The Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Ave., Murray Hill, Manhattan AGES: 9 and older WHAT: A new exhibition all about the English novelist, on the 200th anniversary of her birth, will appeal to Jane Eyre fans. It traces her creative path from reluctant governess to published poet to commanding novelist, including actual manuscripts from Jane Eyre. WANT TO GO? $20; $13 seniors and students; free for children younger than 12. 212-685-0008. themorgan.org.
KINDNESS CRUSADERS Race for the Kids
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 17, 8:45am WHERE: Prospect Park, The Nethermead, 16th Street and Prospect Park South West, Windsor Terrace AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Join in this 5K family-friendly run/walk and picnic for a funfilled day that celebrates the power of mentoring and emphasizes the importance of health and exercise and benefits Big Brothers and Big Sisters of New York City. WANT TO GO? $20 registration. 718-965-8960. raceforthekids.org.
Coastal Clean Up FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 17, 3-5pm WHERE: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1, Fulton Ferry Landing, DUMBO AGES: 5 and older WHAT: Team up with thousands of volunteers worldwide to combat pollution in our waterways and along our coastlines. WANT TO GO? 212-348-1400. brooklynbridgepark.org.
SPECIAL NEEDS
PERFORMING ARTS CLASSES
TDF Autism Theatre Initiative: ‘The Lion King’
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 25, see website for times WHERE: Minskoff Theatre, 200 W. 45th St., Midtown, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: The hugely popular Autism Theatre Initiative’s season begins with the The Lion King. Its mission is to make theater accessible to children and adults on the autism spectrum, and their families. WANT TO GO? See website for prices. 212-912-9770. tdf.org.
HOLIDAY FUN West Indian American Day Junior Carnival Parade FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 3, 9am WHERE: Brooklyn Museum, St. John’s Place and Kingston Avenue, Prospect Heights AGES: All WHAT: The Junior Carnival is a mini version of the five-day West Indian American Day festival. The event features young bandleaders who work with their group to choose a theme and design costumes, select music, and create a loose choreography. WANT TO GO? 718-467-1797. wiadca.com.
Labor Day in Prospect Park FREE
WHEN: Monday, Sept. 5, 12-5pm WHERE: Prospect Park, Brooklyn AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Join the Prospect Park Alliance this Labor Day for family-friendly activities at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, Lefferts Historic House, and the 1912 Carousel. WANT TO GO? 718-965-8954. prospectpark.org.
Developing potential through Dance, Drama and Singing A creative, fun and safe environment. All abilities welcome
WEEKENDS AND AFTER SCHOOL For more info, Visit us: thestageschoolbrooklyn.com Call us: 718-928-3779
2016 NYC Labor Day Parade FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 10, 10am WHERE: Fifth Avenue, between 44th and 64th streets, Midtown to Upper East Side, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Celebrate the working men and women who help keep NYC up and running at the 2016 NYC Labor Day Parade. WANT TO GO? nycclc.org.
Pumpkin Day 2016
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 12-3pm WHERE: McCarren Park, 900 Lorimer St., Williamsburg AGES: All WHAT: Each year, hundreds of kids and parents come to enjoy this popular event featuring a pick-your-pumpkin patch, arts and crafts, face painting, concessions, activities presented by local businesses and organizations, and live music and dance performances. WANT TO GO? $10. 347-987-2765. townsquareinc.com. ››
Lois A. Jackson, D.D.S., P.C. and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry 505 LaGuardia Place, New York • 212.995.8888 16 Court Street, Suite 2211, Brooklyn • 718.855.8833 BrooklynParent 41
transformed into a medieval village that will delight and entertain your kids. See maidens in armor and knights in distress, jugglers, jesters, magicians, musicians, storytellers, dragons, acrobats, and puppeteers. WANT TO GO? 212-795-1600. whidc.org.
5th Annual Breukelen Country Fair FREE
FUN FAIRS & FESTIVALS Southwest Brooklyn Fall Festival FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 10, 12-5pm WHERE: Columbia Waterfront District, Columbia and Union streets, Carroll Gardens AGES: All WHAT: Stop by this popular annual street fair to enjoy local food, retail vendors, children’s rides and activities, and live music throughout the day. WANT TO GO? 718-243-9301. carrollgardensassociation.com.
Mid-Autumn Moon Family Festival
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 17, see website for times WHERE: The Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Centre St., Little Italy, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Explore the customs and traditions behind this harvest festival with a mooncake tasting, moon-themed arts and crafts, a photo corner that will send you to the moon and back, and more. WANT TO GO? $10; free for children younger than 2. 212-619-4785. mocanyc.org.
Autumn Moon Festival and Parade FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 12-5pm WHERE: Leif Ericsson Park, 8th Avenue between 65th and 67th streets, Sunset Park AGES: All WHAT: This festival features cultural performances, arts and crafts, and food vendors, with a Lantern Parade from 1-3pm. WANT TO GO? betterchinatown.com.
Harvest Festival
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 2-4pm WHERE: Lefferts Historic House, 452 Flatbush Ave., Prospect Lefferts Gardens AGES: 3-12 WHAT: Join the Prospect Park Alliance to harvest, cook, and eat potatoes that were planted in the garden back in May. Then, challenge friends and family to potato sack races. WANT TO GO? $3 suggested donation. 718-965-8954. prospectpark.org.
Medieval Festival FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 11:30am-6pm WHERE: Fort Tryon Park, 741 Fort Washington Ave., Fort Washington, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: The area around the Cloisters Museum in Fort Tryon Park is 42
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 1-5pm WHERE: Wyckoff House Museum, 5816 Clarendon Road, Canarsie AGES: All WHAT: Bring the whole family for a day-long extravaganza of local growing, hands-on homesteading, and an array of games, crafts, local food, music, demonstrations, and family-friendly workshops led by Brooklyn-based partners. WANT TO GO? 718-629-5400. wyckoffmuseum.org.
Little Red Lighthouse Festival FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 12-4pm WHERE: Fort Washington Park, West 181 Street and Plaza Lafayette, Fort Washington, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: Celebrate Manhattan’s only remaining lighthouse with Urban Park Ranger-led tours, readings of the eponymous children’s book, fishing clinics, live music, food vendors, and activities for the whole family. WANT TO GO? riversideparknyc.org.
The 42nd Annual Atlantic Antic Street Festival FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 25, 12-6pm WHERE: Atlantic Avenue, from 4th Avenue to Hicks Street, Downtown Brooklyn AGES: All WHAT: Spanning 10 blocks through four neighborhoods on Atlantic Avenue in the heart of downtown Brooklyn, this 42-year-old street festival is the largest and most celebrated street festival in New York City. WANT TO GO? 718-875-8993. atlanticave.org.
Flatbush Frolic FREE
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 25, 11am-6pm WHERE: Cortelyou Road, between Ocean and Coney Island avenues, Flatbush AGES: All WHAT: This popular annual street fair will be filled with live music, international food, children’s rides and activities, merchandise, and arts and crafts vendors. WANT TO GO? 718-859-3800. fdconline.org.
Festa D’Italia
WHEN: Sept. 24-25, Saturday, 11am-7pm; Sunday, 11am-6pm WHERE: Casa Belvedere, 79 Howard Ave., Staten Island AGES: All WHAT: This Italian car show and festival will be showcased on Casa Belvedere’s 2-acre grounds, highlighting both classic and modern Italian motor vehicles of all kinds. In addition to the exhibition, there will be fine food, a café, entertainment, crafts and games for children, and more. WANT TO GO? $10; free for children younger than 12. 718-273-7660. casa-belvedere.org.
Feast of San Gennaro FREE
WHEN: Sept. 15-25, Sunday-Thursday, 11:30am-11:30pm; FridaySaturday, 11:30-12am WHERE: Mulberry Street, Little Italy, Manhattan AGES: All WHAT: An 11-day festival on the streets of historic Little Italy, the lower Manhattan neighborhood which served as the first home in America for hundreds of thousands of Italian immigrants who came here seeking to improve their lives beginning in the early part of the 20th century. WANT TO GO? 212-768-9320. sangennaro.org.
CRAFTY KIDS Little Makers: Magnets in Motion+
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 11, 10:30am WHERE: New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Corona, Queens AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Investigate the powerful science of magnets by tinkering with everyday objects and exploring their magnetic fields. Use magnets in fun ways from painting to racing cars. Registration required. WANT TO GO? $8 with museum admission: $15; $12 children ages 2-17. 718-699-0005. nysci.org.
New York City Atlases
WHEN: Sept. 10-11, Saturday-Sunday, 1:30pm WHERE: New York Transit Museum, Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, Downtown Brooklyn AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Collections of maps, called atlases, can tell a story just like any drawing or photograph. After looking at atlases and different kinds of maps, kids will try their hand at cartography and bind their own personal maps of New York. WANT TO GO? $7; $5 children ages 2-17. 718-694-1792. nytransitmuseum.org.
Little Makers: Super Hero Gadgets
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 18, 10:30am WHERE: New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Corona, Queens AGES: Newborn to 5 WHAT: Discover the science behind superhero powers. Kids will design, make, and build their own super gadget to ward off villains and help save the day. Registration required. WANT TO GO? $8 with museum admission: $15; $12 children ages 2-17. 718-699-0005. nysci.org.
Author Meet-and-Greet: Amanda Kingloff FREE
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 10am-1pm WHERE: Court 16, 526 Baltic St., Boerum Hill AGES: 4 and older WHAT: Enjoy some snacks while crafting your very own toy car with Amanda Kingloff from her new book PROJECT KID: Crafts that Go! Signed books available for purchase from Stories Bookshop. WANT TO GO? court16.com.
Inside Outside Books
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24, 1:30pm WHERE: New York Transit Museum, Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, Downtown Brooklyn AGES: 5-12 WHAT: Design a unique picture book that shows the interior of subway cars and the view from the windows when travelling through the city. WANT TO GO? $7; $5 children ages 2-17. 718-694-1600. nytransitmuseum.org.
CMA’s Art Island Outpost FREE
WHEN: Through Sept. 27: Saturday-Sunday, 11am-3pm WHERE: Governors Island, Nolan Park Building 14, Ferries leave from Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6, Brooklyn Heights AGES: All WHAT: Spend the summer getting creative with free hands-on art making workshops on Governors Island. WANT TO GO? 212-274-0986. cmany.org.
BROWSE & BUY BK Block Parties FREE
WHEN: Through Sept. 10: Saturdays, 10am WHERE: Albee Square, Fulton Mall, Fulton and Bond streets, Downtown Brooklyn AGES: All WHAT: Kick off the day with a family-friendly concert the second Saturday of the month, plus activities for the kids. Then get some shopping done at the Albee Square Outdoor Market. WANT TO GO? 212-889-0808. downtownbrooklyn.com.
Community Farmers’ Market FREE
WHEN: Through Nov. 19: Saturdays, 9am-3pm WHERE: Hattie Carthan Community Garden, 700 Marcy Ave., Bedford-Stuyvesant AGES: All WHAT: This Community Farmers’ Market is open for its eighth season of healthy food, activities, education, and food justice programming. WANT TO GO? nyc.govparks.org.
Hattie Carthan Herban Farm and Apothecary Market FREE WHEN: Through Nov. 27: Sundays, 1-6pm WHERE: Hattie Carthan Herban Farm, 49 Van Buren St., Bedford-Stuyvesant AGES: All WHAT: Come see medicinal herbs growing in their habitat, sacred groves, a pyramid garden, a labyrinth garden, and exciting urban agriculture technologies. WANT TO GO? nyc.govparks.org.
Coming up next month: OCT. 1: Chile Pepper Festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden OCT. 22: Greenpoint Children’s Halloween Parade OCT. 29: Halloween Haunted Walk and Carnival in Prospect Park BrooklynParent 43
WHERE-TO GUIDE
nymetroparents.com/where-to
Pick Your Own Apples ››
Research by Megan Bailey, Lauren Diaz, and Melissa Wickes
Bite into crunchy, juicy, just-picked apples this month! A day trip to a local orchard yields fresh fruit to take home by the bucket, sweet pastries and baked goods (apple cider doughnuts, please!), and lots of kid-friendly perks, from hayrides to petting zoos. Grown-ups: Some farms even serve up hard cider and homemade wines! Note that dates are projected and availability is subject to change. We recommend calling ahead before visiting these locations. Seven Ponds Orchard 65 Seven Ponds Road, Water Mill 631-726-8015 Apple, pumpkin, winter squash, and raspberry picking 9am-6pm daily through Thanksgiving. Hayrides, 5-acre corn maze, wooden toys, and picnic area. Farmers market with pre-picked fruits and vegetables, roasted corn, homemade pies, jams, and snacks. Call for availability. Wickham’s Fruit Farms 28700 Route 25, Cutchogue 631-734-6441; wickhamsfruitfarm.com Apple picking through September into mid-October, Monday-Saturday, 9am-4pm. Closed Sunday. Also offers U-pick blackberries and pumpkins (call for availability). Hayrides 9am-4pm on Saturdays and Columbus Day in October. Westchester County
Suffolk County, Long Island
Davis Peach Farm 561 Hulse Landing Road (near Wildwood State Park), Wading River 631-929-1115; davispeachfarm.com Pick-your-own nectarines through late September, peaches through mid-October, and apples through late October. Call for availability. Open 9am-5pm daily. Hank’s Pumpkin Farm 240 Montauk Highway, Water Mill Farm stand: 324 County Road 39, Southampton 631-726-4667 hankspumpkintown.com Apple and pumpkin picking early September through late October, 9:30am-6pm daily. Corn maze, wagon rides, face painting, farm stand, and roasted corn shack with sweet corn, pies, doughnuts, candy apples, apple 44
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
cider, and kettle corn. Farm stand open through mid-September. Lewin Farms 812 Sound Ave., Wading River Second location: Fresh Pond Avenue, Baiting Hollow 631-929-4327 lewinfarm.com Apple picking late August through early October, weekends, 9am-4:30pm. Pumpkin picking late September through October. Corn maze and roasted corn on weekends, 11am-4:30pm. Milk Pail Farm & Orchard 1346 Montauk Highway, Water Mill 631-537-2565; milk-pail.com Apple and pumpkin picking from Labor Day through early November, FridaySunday and holidays, 10am-5:30pm. The Country Store offers cider, doughnuts, muffins, pies, cookies, and more.
Harvest Moon Farm and Orchards 130 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem 914-485-1210 harvestmoonfarmandorchard.com Apple picking begins in early September after Labor Day (call for availability). Fresh pies, doughnuts, produce, local honey, local dairy products, and maple syrup for sale, as well as New York state wines and spirits and the farm’s own hard cider. Open 8am-6pm daily. Outhouse Orchards 139 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem 914-277-3188; outhouseorchardsny.com Apple picking begins the weekend after Labor Day, 9am-5pm daily while supplies last. Fresh cider for sale, hayrides, and corn maze on-site, and a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm 1335 White Hill Road, Yorktown Heights 914-245-5111; wilkensfarm.com Apple picking through mid-October,
10am-4:30pm daily. Farm market with apple cider, baked goods, pre-picked produce, and gifts.
Connecticut Fairfield County
Beardsley’s Cider Mill & Orchard, LLC 278 Leavenworth Road (Route 110), Shelton 203-926-1098 beardsleyscidermill.com Farm opens in September; check the website for exact opening date. Apple picking: 10am-5pm weekends. Cash or check only. Dwarf apple trees for easy picking. Cider press on location. Farm store with apple cider and doughnuts, maple syrup, local honey, pumpkin cheesecake, fruit butter, jams, and jellies.
through October, 9:30am4pm. Store open daily with farm-raised beef products and eggs available for sale. Call for updates on hours. Rogers Orchards 336 Long Bottom Road, Southington 2876 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike, Southington 860-229-4240 rogersorchards.com Apple picking Labor Day
weekend through October, Friday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. Apple cider doughnuts, pies, and local products available at on-site farm store; open daily, August through midMay. Litchfield County
Averill Farm 250 Calhoun St., Washington Depot
860-868-2777 averillfarm.com Pick-your-own apples midAugust to Thanksgiving on a scenic family farm; pickyour-own pears through early October. Open 9:30am5:30pm daily. Pre-picked fruit, apple cider, hard cider, doughnuts, jams, jellies, honey, and flowers available on the farm through November.
Find the full guide at ›› nymetroparents.com/apples
TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA Kidoons/WYRD Productions in association with The 20K Collective
Sept 30 – Oct 10 Silverman’s Farm 451 Sport Hill Road, Easton 203-261-3306 silvermansfarm.com Apple picking through midOctober, 9:30am-4:30pm daily. Pumpkins available midSeptember to October. Animal petting park, farm market, greenhouse, and tractor rides through October.
FOR EVERYONE AGES 8+
Hartford County
Easy Pickin’s Orchard 46 Bailey Road, Enfield 860-763-3276 (FARM) easypickinsorchard.com Pick-your-own apples, pears, and raspberries, MondayThursday, 9am-12pm (closed Tuesdays); Friday-Sunday, 9am-5pm. Vegetable and flower gardens available for picking and cutting. Cash or check only.
MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS BASED ON THE BOOK BY RICHARD AND FLORENCE ATWATER Kenny Wax Family Entertainment & TC Beech
Oct 14 – 30 BEST FOR AGES 4–7
Karabin Farms 894 Andrews St., Southington 860-620-0194 karabinfarms.com Apple and pumpkin picking on weekends (Friday-Monday)
NewVictory.org ®
A NEW 42ND STREET ® PROJECT
646.223.3010
PHOTOS: CRAIG FRANCIS, HELEN MURRAY
209 W 42ND STREET just west of Broadway
BrooklynParent 45
Back-to-School A+ Academy
6802 8th Ave. 718-748-6802 aplusnewyork.com A+ Academy is a neighborhood supplemental education provider and test prep center. We provide enrichment classes for all grades in math, ELA, and creative writing. In addition, we offer extensive summer and fall SHSAT prep courses and SAT/ ACT prep courses for rising eighth and 11th graders as they prepare for high school and college admissions. Our classes run Monday–Friday during the summer, and on Saturdays or Sundays during the school year. New courses are offered every year, so please stop by any of our three Brooklyn locations to inquire if interested.
ABC Child Center
109 Nassau Ave., Greenpoint 718-389-9004 abcchildcenter.com info@abcchildcenter.com ABC is open year-round, Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm with rolling admission. Providing child care since 1993. ABC’s goal is to provide safe, age-appropriate, and stimulating programs for children from ages 3 months to 5 years, while fulfilling their need to laugh, learn, play, make new friends, and discover new things. Utilizing age-appropriate curriculum, along with the support of its families and devoted staff, ABC will ensure that every child achieves success and will set them on a path of lifelong learning. For more information or to schedule a tour, email info@abcchildcenter.com.
April’s Dance-N-Feet
4626 Flatlands Ave. 718-692-4809 9409 and 9411 Avenue L 718-272-1813 aprilsdancingfeet.com Our classes are for ages 2 through adult. We teach ballet, tap, hip-hop, jazz, pointe, gymnastics, majorette, Carib-
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bean, African, boys’ classes, adult classes, lyrical, praise dance, karate, private lessons, and competition classes. Call or stop into one of our three convenient Brooklyn locations for more information. We also offer a free trial class!
BounceU
6722 Fort Hamilton Parkway (entrance on 67th Street and 9th Avenue), Dyker Heights 347-450-5867 bounceu.com/brooklyn At BounceU, we understand how hard it is to get the kids to exercise. At BounceU, they will get the benefits of exercising and having fun without realizing it’s good for them. At BounceU, our expert “Bouceologists,” graduated with a BA (Bounceology of Arts) Degree. They concluded that bouncing (the uncontrollable urge to bounce up and down until your cheeks turn red and you are totally exhausted) is one of the many ways to achieve this. New: BounceU Day Camp offered during holidays, spring break, and school closings.
Brienza’s Academic Advantage
8696 18th Ave. 1902 Avenue T 259 Rose Ave., Staten Island 718-232-0114 brienzas.com Brienza’s Academic Advantage offers a wide variety of academic programs for students attending kindergarten through 12th grade. We specialize in reading and math tutoring along with TACHS, SHSAT, Regents, SAT, and ACT preparation. Our programs provide students with the opportunity to increase their skills and knowledge, enabling them to reach their full potential. Programs offered: tutoring in all subjects, test preparation courses, and SETSS (P-4) services. Call our office to speak to our educational specialists who can help you choose the best option for your child.
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
The annual guide to schools, resources, programs, & activities for kids!
Brooklyn College Preparatory Center for the Performing Arts
234 Roosevelt Hall 2900 Bedford Ave. 718-951-4111 bcprepcenter.org For more than 35 years, The Preparatory Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College has offered music (including Suzuki violin, cello, and flute for very young children), theater and dance classes, and private lessons for children of all ages and levels. We also welcome adult students for private instruction and group classes. Our experienced professional teachers, many of whom have extensive performance experience and advanced conservatory degrees, encourage students’ growth at all levels. For further lesson and class information for the 2016-2017 school year and to schedule an individual consultation, call 718-951-4111.
Cookie’s Kids The Kids’ Department Store
265 Livingston St. 718-797-3300 510 Fulton St. 718-797-3300 982 Flatbush Ave. 718-287-2300 cookieskids.com marvin@cookieskids.com With back-to-school approaching, parents are learning that Cookie’s Kids, the Kids’ Department Store, is New York City’s premier school uniform supplier. They carry the largest selection of uniforms, from toddler to adult sizes, stocking quality brands such as French Toast, Nautica, and U.S. Polo Assn. Its knowledgeable staff can answer any questions about your child’s uniform needs, and provide information on custom embroidery and screen-printing options. Cookie’s also carries lots of school uniform approved footwear from brands such as French Toast, Skechers, Nautica, Nine West, Sperry, Hush Puppies, and Stride Rite.
The Dimitrios and Georgia Kaloidis Parochial School (DGK)
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church, 8502 Ridge Blvd. 718-836-8096 dgkschool.com principal@dgkschool.org The Dimitrios and Georgia Kaloidis Greek American Parochial School is committed to providing students from nursery, pre-K, and kindergarten through eighth grade, with a quality education that emphasizes academic achievement and social, emotional, and spiritual development, while preparing them for 21st-century college and career readiness.
FasTracKids
Bay Ridge/Dyker Heights, Park Slope, Sheepshead Bay, Williamsburg 347-983-2229 ftkny.com FasTracKids offers supplemental programs and classes for children ages 2-14. We offer a suite of world-class educational enrichment programs, which are designed to help children accelerate their education, utilizing the latest in research driven, brain-based learning. Our centers offer a variety of programs ranging from preschool, to gifted and talented test prep and programs, to math and English tutoring and enrichment including NYS test prep, to science, as well as STEAM enrichment classes. FasTracKids is an international organization with locations in more than 52 countries worldwide. Visit us at ftkny.com.
Fig Tree Jewish Education Program
Five Locations: Brooklyn Heights, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene, Park Slope, and Williamsburg figtreeprogram.com info@figtreeprogram.com Fig Tree is an independent, Jewish education program for children ages 3–11. We offer small, engaging weekly classes
MIND POWER
Special Program for 2 & 3 year olds!
Register Now for Fall 2016! throughout Brooklyn for families seeking a Hebrew School alternative. In a fun and inclusive environment, kids learn about Jewish holidays, rituals, culture, and text experientially through art, crafting, drama, filmmaking, cooking, and gardening. We teach Hebrew, too!
Greene Hill School
Diana Schlesinger, director 39 Adelphi St. 718-230-3608 greenehillschool.org Greene Hill School is an independent progressive lower and middle school with a sliding scale in Fort Greene. At Greene Hill School, children are actively engaged in their world through critical thinking and open-ended investigations; teachers provide expertise and consistent, thoughtful guidance; parents are important contributors to the school environment; and the local community is a natural extension of the GHS classroom. Tours start on Sept. 27 and applications are available on Sept. 1 at greenehillschool.org.
Juguemos a Cantar
511 5th Ave. 917-453-1187 juguemos.org info@juguemos.org Juguemos a Cantar is a Spanish immersion preschool based in Park Slope serving the community with programs and classes designed to provide an environment in which children learn Spanish through play, music, socialization, and academics. In January we will be opening our new location at 511 5th Ave. for children ages 2-5 to start their bilingual journey at their most brilliant stage of development with the help of our qualified bilingual teachers. Contact us for information on the different programs available to start your child’s bilingual journey!
KindStart Early Childhood Center 7702 New Utrecht Ave.
718-621-5382 kindstartpreschool.org KindStart has been a serving the Bensonhurst community with early childhood education excellence since 1999. Our program is highly rated by both the DOHMH and the department of education. Serving children ages 2-5. We have been providing excellence in early childhood education, at all levels. Our program develops the child’s academic skills to their full potential. Our nursery, toddler, and pre-k programs have our children school-ready, thriving, and motivated for kindergarten! Please call 718-621-5382 for information about our nursery and toddler program, pre-K program, after-school program, and summer enrichment program.
Kumon Math & Reading Centers of Brooklyn
S tory B ook L and 8638 20th Ave • 718-996-8714
Open House Sept 6th & 7th 9am - 12pm
Advanced Pre-K Program Available Call for Information!
Beginning Reading & Math Programs... Extend your child’s current knowledge. Remember, a Child’s basic development takes place before Age 5!
after SChool ProgramS available for Kindergarten StudentS
Start Common Core Young!
PrePare for firSt grade! $50 Off Registration Fee Call for Information Register Now! We accept ACD Vouchers
“Join us for a free session”
You’ll be glad you did!
Keep Your Child’s Skills Sharp. Tutoring For K-8 Call For Info.
CARING FOR CHILDREN FOR OVER 40 YEARS!
21 W. 38th St., 5th Floor, Manhattan 1-800-ABC-MATH (222-6284) kumon.com manhattan@kumon.com Kumon is a structured, proven self-learning program that gives your child the critical thinking skills and mindset to learn new materials independently. The key to Kumon programs is the individualized instruction, carefully planned by each instructor. Regardless of their academic level, your child will progress through the individualized instruction at his or her own pace, advancing step by logical step. Kumon’s disciplined, worksheet approach to learning advances your child’s abilities in the classroom and throughout life.
Leif Ericson Day School
1037 72nd St. 718-748-9023 Christine Hauge, principal ledsny.org More than 40 years as a Christian day school for nursery through eighth grade. Small continued on next page ››
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class sizes, state-approved curriculum, with in-depth courses in music, computer technology, physical, and environmental education. Counseling and tutoring available, as well as door-to-door bus service, extended hours morning and night, extracurricular activities, and financial aid.
LiceXchange The No-Lip-Service Lice Service
Debra L. Rosen, owner and operator 917-657-0249 licexchange.com debrarosen@licexchange.com LiceXchange treats head lice exclusively in the privacy of your home as inexpensively as possible. Experienced, conscientious, and kind staff will put your children at ease applying all the tools of the trade-without the use of pesticides! We stand by all of our work, as long as “active” cases with lice follow our protocol. Founder Debra L. Rosen, has been successfully caring for schools and camps throughout the tristate region for more than 15 years, stressing “prevention” over treatment. LiceXchange, “Where an age-old problem gets the Royal Treatment.”
Little Hands & Feet
1270 Bay Ridge Parkway 718-680-KIDS (5437) littlehandsandfeetdaycare.com Little Hands & Feet was founded by Aneshah, who has been certified in child care for 20 years. Our goal is to provide a healthy, safe, and nurturing environment while focusing on educational and social development. We believe each child is special and unique. Our staff is dedicated, qualified, and trained in CPR. At Little Hands & Feet, be assured it is a home away from home and your child will have the best care available. Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 6:30am-6:30pm. Free full day UPK program for all! Call for information.
Little Scholars Learning Center 52 Quentin Road 718-373-7046 448 Neptune Ave. 718-743-9009 104 W. End Ave. The Wave
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347-913-5437 4123 Avenue U 718-210-3233 littlescholarsnyc.com littlescholarsnyc@gmail.com At Little Scholars Childcare Center, we provide a carefully crafted curriculum to fit various learning styles. Children are provided opportunities to explore with hands-on learning activities to enrich and inspire creativity and learning. Our philosophy centers on the idea that children should be taught how to think and not what to think. Therefore, our teaching methods are designed to create a learning environment in which children have a voice and teachers provide a safe place for children to express their thoughts and develop innovative ideas.
Music Together
Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Flatbush, Marine Park, Mill Basin, Sheepshead Bay 718-499-2866 musictogetherbr.com Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights 718-855-8908 musictogetheratkiddiecorner.com ParkSlope (two locations) nikoskids.com 718-369-3099 Ditmis Park, Kennsington, South Slope at Hootenanny 718-369-0528 southslopemusictogether.com Bed-Stuy, Clinton Hill, Fort Greene 212-604-4307 musictogetherfortgreene.com Music Together is an international educational program founded on the belief that all children are musical, and that music is a perfect way for children to learn and grow. We sing, dance, and play instruments in a fun, informal, supportive atmosphere. Limited to 12 children with parent or caregiver. Classes meet once a week for 45 minutes. Morning, afternoon, evening, or weekend class times available. Newborn to age 5. Free demonstration classes offered. Sessions start in September, January, April, and July.
New York City Tae Kwon Do 7909 3rd Ave. 526 Court St. 718-625-5425
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
nyctaekwondo.com nyctkd@aol.com Every child needs a sense of achievement. There is no greater reward than seeing yourself do what you set your mind to. Our program helps give children the foundation for commitment, dedication, and greatness in athletic ability. It provides children with the necessary basic skills to do well in all sports. It helps develop their balance, coordination, patience, good listening skills, respect, courtesy, and self-confidence. It provides children with the necessary body control and endurance that are the cornerstones of success. After-school program includes pick-up at school, help with homework, and taekwondo classes.
Park Slope North / Helen Owen Carey
71 Lincoln Place 718-638-4100 universitysettlement.org/us/ programs/early_childhood/ park_slope_north/ psnhoc@universitysettlement.org The center provides a full-year, full-day program (8am-6pm) for children ages 2-5. We rely on a play-based curriculum to support children’s development and learning. Children explore science, math, literacy, cooperation, and collaboration through carefully planned, interactive activities. This bright and cheery facility has a rooftop playground, library, and a large children’s garden. Supporting a diverse community, this center has spots for families of all economic backgrounds, including those that use ACS or HRA vouchers to assist with child care payments, as well as those who qualify for universal pre-kindergarten and private tuition.
Pediatric Immediate Care
698 Manhattan Ave. 718-389-PEDS (7337) 150 E. Sunrise Highway, Suite 105, North Lindenhurst 631-956-PEDS (7337) 1077 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown 631-864-PEDS (7337) pediatricimmediatecare.com Pediatric Immediate Care is a
team of hearts where kids come first. State-of-the-art medical office equipment allows us to deliver your test results during your visit. Kid-friendly, walk-ins welcome, most insurance plans accepted. Complete pediatric and adolescent care, and babies, school, and sports physicals. Certified urgent care recommended by Urgent Care Association of America. Thirty years of dedication to our patients. The offices are open seven days a week, including holidays, 8am-11pm.
Preschool of America
382 Baltic St., Cobble Hill 718-855-2889 859 60th St., Bay Ridge 718-686-8335 Preschool of America provides an exciting and safe learning environment for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children. We value the multicultural and diverse neighborhoods we serve. With hands-on experiences and manipulatives, our students are learning social skills as they interact, and cognitive skills as they problem solve. Our playgrounds and gyms allow an abundance of gross motor opportunities. Nutritious meals are provided daily for the growth of the body and mind. We are learning every day and having fun every minute.
Redeemer St. John’s Nursery School
939 83rd St. 718-833-7700 Redeemer St. John’s Nursery School has served the community for more than 40 years and is licensed by the New York City Department of Health. Our goal is to foster a child’s positive self-image, encourage curiosity, and promote cooperation by providing rich experiences and opportunities for problem solving, self-expression, and logical thinking. Our thematic curriculum focuses on fun, age-appropriate activities integrated into all subject areas. In addition to offering a two-day toddler program, we offer a three-day (full- or half-day) nursery program and a free UPK program for children born in 2012.
Saint Saviour Catholic Academy
Julian Parham Santana, admissions and marketing coordinator 701 8th Ave., Park Slope 718-768-8000 x4 saintsaviourcatholicacademy.org jparhamsantana@sscaparkslope.org Saint Saviour Catholic Academy prepares students from nursery to eighth grade for higher education. We welcome and support diversity of ethnicity and race, religion, socioeconomic background, and learning style. Our academy offers a balanced curriculum of rigorous academics, designed to meet the common core standards, and a vibrant arts program paired with the spiritual teachings of Catholicism. We welcome you to visit our academy! Schedule a visit with our director of admissions, Julian Parham Santana, see contact information above.
Smart Start Early Learning Center
8411 Fort Hamilton Parkway 718-921-1868 smartstart@verizon.net While providing a safe, warm, and nurturing environment, our staff addresses the social, emotional, and physical needs of children. Through thematic units, arts and crafts, and dramatic play, the “whole” child will flourish. Full- and part-time classes for ages 2-3, and free universal pre-K for age 4, with extended-day option. Open year-round; summer program available.
St. Bernadette Catholic Academy
1313 83rd St. 718-236-1560 stbernadetteschool.org St. Bernadette Catholic Academy provides an atmosphere that fosters religious beliefs, moral values, and a well-balanced academic education resulting from our dedicated faculty and administration. Technology, art, music, Italian, and physical education also add an essential dimension to student life. In addition to academics, students are offered the opportunity to join student council along with a variety of extra-curricular activities. It is always our goal to support the
needs of every student to not only prepare for high school, but to prepare for life!
The Stage Theater School
718-928-3779 thestageschoolbrooklyn.com thestagetheaterschool@gmail.com Offering a professional level of training for children ages 4-16 in dance, drama, and singing. The Stage has a reputation for stretching children’s imagination and building their confidence through the performing arts in a fun, safe, and creative environment. Advanced classes and audition technique also offered for high school age students. All teachers are professional performers with Broadway experience. Weekend and after-school classes available. Performances every term. Please call Beth at 718-9283779 or visit our website to see schedule and locations.
Storybook Land
8638 20th Ave. 718-996-8714 We offer a powerful first grade prep, for kindergarten students only! You can give your child a head start with our after-school tutoring program focusing on common core standards. Tutoring is also available for homework help and test prep for kindergarten through eighth grades. Call for information! 718-996-8714.
Treasure Island
347 74th St. (corner of 4th Avenue and 74th Street) 718-238-7676 silbekidz@aol.com Our programs are for children ages 2 through pre-K. Monday-Friday, 7:15am6pm. Part-time schedules are available. We offer handson learning in a loving, nurturing environment. Social, emotional, and cognitive development is our primary focus. Motivating and fun experiences. Enrichment through the arts program. All meals included. Maria Nogueira, director. Free fullday UPK program for children born in 2012. continued on next page ››
Back to School Special! 4 weeks for $99 and Free Uniform!
526 Court Street • Brooklyn, NY
(718) 625-5425
7909 3rd Avenue • Brooklyn, NY
(718) 492-5425
After School Program Available!
Bay Ridge only
Call for details
www.gonyctaekwondo.com
SMART START Early Childhood Center, Inc.
8411 Fort Hamilton Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11209 Phone 718-921-1868 Fax 718-921-6713
REGISTER FOR FALL 2016!
Full /School Day Sessions Available
FREE Full Day D.O.E. Pre-K For All! Our curriculum helps children understand and develop skills which will enable them to succeed and make sense of the world through:
Dramatic Play, Free Play, Outdoor Play, Arts, Crafts, Music, and Movement while incorporating: Literacy, Math, Science, and Social Studies Child Centered, Certified Teachers, Extended Hours, Year Round Care
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Connect to Wildlife! The Wildlife Conservation Society is offering new and engaging programs all year round for youth, families, adults and school groups! Find an experience that’s right for you!
Adult Programs
Scout Programs
Birthday Parties
Summer Camp
Family Programs
Youth + Teen Experiences
Overnight Adventures
Zoo Play: Caregiver +
School Break Camps
Child Series
For more information visit us at www.wcs.org/educators or call 800.499.4341
The Tutoring Club of Bay Ridge
Queens Zoo: 53-51 111th St., Queens wcs.org Looking for something fun for your child to do on school holidays? Encourage them to learn about animals and science at one of New York City’s zoos or aquarium on their days off! The Wildlife Conservation Society is excited to offer school break camps at the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and New York Aquarium! Topics and dates vary across the facilities, so please call 800-433-4149 or visit wcs.org/educators for more information!
7811 3rd Ave., Bay Ridge 718-748-8867 bayridgeny@tutoringclub.com The Tutoring Club is dedicated to helping students increase their subject skills and selfesteem. We utilize the most advanced curriculum in tutoring, maintain low studentto-tutor ratios, pinpoint and correct problems, motivate our students, and provide qualified instructors certified in the use of the programs and committed to ensuring each child’s success. Our Core Programs are Math, ELA, and Writing Skills. We have high school math and sciences tutors available. Test prep programs for NYS Grade Level, Gifted and Talented, SSHSAT, TACHS, ISEE, GED, and SAT tests. Homework Help sessions are available.
The Williamsburg Neighborhood Nursery School
Wetherby–Pembridge School
wetherby-pembridge.org enquiries@alphaplusgroup.com Wetherby–Pembridge School opens in New York, September 2017, on the Upper East Side, next to Central Park on East 96th Street. It will bring to New York the rich traditions and academic excellence at the heart of its thriving UK schools. Wetherby-Pembridge School will offer a bespoke curriculum model combining the rigorous British National Curriculum with New York’s progressive student-centered teaching approach. Our vision is to awaken curiosity, cultivate high standards, celebrate successes, and encourage children to continually question and create in the world around them.
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Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Zoos and Aquarium
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
LOOKING Call our education “oneFOR stop” shopping number for all parks: 1-800-433-4149 Prospect Park Zoo: 450 Flatbush Ave. New York Aquarium: 602 Surf Ave. The Bronx Zoo: 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx Central Park Zoo: 830 Fifth Ave., Manhattan
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54 S. Second St. 718-782-4181 wnns.org info@wnns.org At the Williamsburg Neighborhood Nursery School our curriculum is play-based, child-centered, and focused on social-emotional growth. on Saving money Here at WNNS, we combine aand New York the safety comfort of City home with the social and intellectual family day is easy! stimulation of school. We have limited slots available in our 2s program for the 20162017 school year. This full-day program for 2-year-olds meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,Cityguideny.com from 9am-4pm.has
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299 N.restaurants, 7th St. stores and more. 718-599-9600 Great New York deals, willnorth.org savings, special offers and info@willnorth.org deep discounts—for Williamsburg Northside isyou a and your family—are progressive school thatyours has with servedjust Brooklyn 1999. a click ofsince the mouse. Our community of 350 students is supported by three age-appropriate campuses, an outstanding faculty,on and Saving money a programs driven by student New York City family day is easy! inquiry and a wide range of enrichments. Our Lower School moved into a new facility in 2014 and we continue to grow. We are located near the L and G train stops in Williamsburg Cityguideny.com has coupons and and plan to offer busing for discounts for NYC sightseeing attractions, September 2017. Attend restaurants, stores and more. an open house by visiting Great New York deals, savings, special offers and deep discounts—for you and your family—are yours with just a click of the mouse.
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Young Dancers in Repertory
Center for Dance Studies 5602 5th Ave., 2nd floor 347-702-7155 youngdancersinrep.org ydr@youngdancersinrep.org At Young Dancers in Repertory’s Center for Dance Studies, young students ages 2-6 learn appropriate dance skills in a creative and playful
environment that promotes physical, cognitive, and social development. Students age 7 and older can study ballet, modern dance, tap, and other dance forms with professional dance artists. Ensemble students learn and perform multicultural dances by various guest artists. YDR’s Center for Dance Studies is at 5602 5th Ave. Call 347-702-7155 for registration information.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS The Dimitrios and Georgia Kaloidis Parochial School (DGK)
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church, 8502 Ridge Blvd. 718-836-8096 dgkschool.com principal@dgkschool.org The Dimitrios and Georgia Kaloidis Greek American Parochial School is committed to providing students from nursery, pre-K, and kindergarten through eighth grade, with a quality education that emphasizes academic achievement, social, emotional, and spiritual development, while preparing them for 21st-century college and career readiness.
Tutoring Club of Bay Ridge 7811 3rd Ave. Ground Fl. Brooklyn, NY 11209
Featuring Tutoring for: • Math
- NY State Math Tests (All grades)
• Algebra
- NY State ELA Tests (All grades)
• Geometry
- Regents Exams (All Tests)
• Trigonometry
- SHSAT, TACHS, HSPT, & ISEE Tests
• Beginning Reading • Reading
- SAT Tests
• Writing • Chemistry
- K, 1st, and 5th Grade Gifted and Talented Tests
• Biology
- GED
• Earth Science
- Nursing and EMT Test Prep
• Homework Help
- Armed Forces Test Prep
Packages of Classes Available in either single subject or multi-subject groups Contact John or Bruni McCauley - See contact list below
Phone: (718) 748-8867
Fax: (718)748-8868
Email: BayRidgeNY@TutoringClub.com
Leif Ericson Day School
1037 72nd St. 718-748-9023 Christine Hauge, principal ledsny.org Leif Ericson Day School, celebrating more than 50 years of quality Christian education for children in nursery-eighth grade, offers an outstanding Early Childhood Education program. Small class sizes promote personalized attention. Focus is on full development of the child to foster innate love of learning in a caring, safe environment. LEDS offers developmentally appropriate lessons in music, math, science, social studies, computers, and reading readiness. Rest time promotes alertness, memory, and performance. Playtime fosters imagination and creativity while promoting socialization, problem-solving, and language skills. Call for a personal tour!
Joyful Jewish education program for kids ages 3 – 11 After-school and weekend classes throughout Brooklyn!
www.figtreeprogram.com Hebrew School. Reimagined. BrooklynParent 51
Courtesy Melissa Hilt
Healing Powers
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What it’s like to provide your child with medical marijuana in New York. By Madeleine Burry
T
wice a day—once with breakfast, and once again at dinner— Melissa Hilt administers medicine to her 9-year-old daughter, Haley. Hilt uses a syringe to measure out a precise dosage, and gives it to Haley mixed in her food. It’s a normal, everyday scene for a child who needs medication, with one big difference: The medicine Haley is ingesting is a coconut oil compound that contains extract from the marijuana plant. A resident of East Schodack in Rensselaer County, Haley is among the first New York residents to take advantage of the state’s recent legalization of medical marijuana. Haley has severe intractable epilepsy. She can’t walk or talk, and is incontinent. Her first seizure was at 4 weeks old; since then, she seized at least once daily. But in the months since Haley’s prescription for medical marijuana was filled, she’s improved tremendously. “Within 24 hours of her first dose,” Hilt says, Haley “was more alert, bright in the best way.” She has just two or three seizures each week, compared to the seven to 10 she experienced prior to the drug. Before she began taking medical marijuana, “we were never really sure what Haley knew, and what she didn’t.” Now, she’s able to communicate using an eye gaze computer. Hilt describes Haley as making “huge, huge gains” due to the medication. Haley can now stand on her feet and even ride a tricycle at school. In fact, “she loves to stand with support and dance,” her mom says. With the help of a walker-like device, Haley can walk down the hallways at school. Haley is able to legally take medical marijuana thanks to New York’s legalized medical cannabis program, which took effect at the beginning of this year. New York joins the District of Columbia and 24 other states—including Connecticut and New Jersey— which have passed laws allowing use of marijuana in some form for medical purposes. The new laws, in addition to those in a handful of states that have legalized or reduced punishment for recreational marijuana use, come as public opinion has shifted dramatically. A 2015 survey from the Pew Research Center found that 53 percent of people believe marijuana should be legalized. That may seem like a slim majority—and it is—but just a decade ago, in 2006, a similar survey from Pew found that only 32 percent believed marijuana should be legalized.
Risks, Side Effects—And Benefits
Still, if you came of age in the unequivocal “Say no to drugs” era, when marijuana was labeled a gateway drug, the idea of children being prescribed medical marijuana may cause trepidation. Hilt, however, has no regrets or reservations about the treatment method for Haley. Side effects are familiar to Haley: Steroid injections caused a heart murmur; a special high-fat diet aimed at reducing seizures caused Haley to go into liver failure; benzodiazepine, a tranquilizer used to reduce seizures, “zombified” Haley. Once, a medication caused her to sleep for 72 hours straight. In contrast, the coconut oil compound that’s used as a delivery agent for the cannabis treatment 52
September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
Haley Hilt, a 9-year-old whose quality of life has improved dramatically since she started taking medical marijuana after it was legalized in New York
can sometimes cause Haley to get constipated. “When you’re looking at the side effects of the other medications that are out there, it’s nothing in comparison. Honestly, part of me wishes I could have tried it before we put her little body through all of these horrible things, to see if it would have worked then,” Hilt says. The American Academy of Pediatrics sounds a more cautionary note. In a policy statement issued in March 2015, the AAP points out that there is ample documentation on “the adverse effects of marijuana” on adolescents as well as a lack of “published studies on the use of medicinal marijuana or pharmaceutical cannabinoids in pediatric populations.” As well as all the well-known side effects— including reduced attention span, short term memory, coordination, and judgment—the AAP also points out that “new research has also demonstrated that the adolescent brain, particularly the prefrontal cortex areas controlling judgment and decision-making, is not fully developed until the mid-20s, raising questions about how any substance use may affect the developing brain.” Still, while opposing medical marijuana outside of the oversight and regulation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “the AAP recognizes that marijuana may currently be an option for cannabinoid administration for children with life-limiting or severely debilitating conditions and for whom current therapies are inadequate.” Against this backdrop of increased accessibility of medical marijuana, at least in some states, the federal government continues to classify marijuana as a Schedule I drug, alongside LSD, heroin, and ecstasy. The Drug Enforcement Agency defines these drugs as having “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” These Schedule I drugs are considered “the most dangerous.” It’s an undeniably complex landscape, and this, perhaps, is why New York’s medical marijuana program has been implemented with tight regulations. Stephen Dahmer, M.D., the Chief Medical Officer at Vireo
Health of NY, one of five organizations approved to dispense medical marijuana in the state, agrees that there are undeniable risks involved with medical marijuana. “Any physician that reads the literature about children or anyone under 21 and THC [a part of the marijuana plant] knows that caution has just been amplified a thousandfold,” he says. But for children such as Haley—people with intractable disease and extreme pain and discomfort—these risks may be worth it. “When these children arrive at our dispensary, this is one of their last hopes,” Dr. Dahmer says.
New York’s Cautious, Medical-Led Program
How do children—or any patients—get to Vireo or the other dispensaries in New York? The journey isn’t easy. The first New York dispensaries opened in January 2016. You may be imagining storefronts festooned with decorative marijuana leaves, Mason jars stuffed full of pot, boxes of pre-rolled joints, or plastic-wrapped cannabis-laced cookies, brownies, and other edibles. Erase that image: New York’s implementation of legalized medical cannabis differs sharply from states with more lenient, and lower regulated, programs (ahem, California). In New York state, no wink-wink, nudge-nudge diagnosis will get you access to medical marijuana. The program is tightly regulated and cautious. Dr. Dahmer describes New York’s program hewing “very closely to a medical model.” Vireo’s work with doctors, and the state’s program, mimics the general practices that govern doctors’ habits and style, Dr. Dahmer says. “Anything we do—in our practice, and oftentimes in our lives—is done with a lot of caution. We want to always take the safest route…and make sure that our patients are protected and that some unforeseen circumstance doesn’t catch us by surprise.”
KindStart Early Childhood Center
Excellence in early childhood education since 1999
Now registering for all programs for September 2016
Our nursery, toddler and pre-k programs have our students school ready, thriving and motivated for kindergarten ages 2-4
Healthy breakfast program Exciting new 2 and 3 year old program, “hats of learning” Enriching afterschool program for ages 5-6
FREE PRE-K FOR ALL!
Please call 718-621-5382 for info about our nursery/ toddler program, pre-k program, afterschool program and summer enrichment program.
7702 New Utrecht Avenue • Kindstartpreschool.org Find us on Facebook
YOUNG DANCERS IN REPERTORY, INC. CENTER FOR DANCE STUDIES Sharing, Educating, Impacting…Since 1985 Classes are held at 5602 5th Avenue, 2nd Floor Entrance on 56th Street, Brooklyn www.youngdancersinrep.org
Haley’s Path to Medical Marijuana
In her two daily doses, Haley takes what is known as a “high CBD, low THC” strain of marijuana. CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is non-psychoactive, and cultivated for its pain-relieving, antiinflammatory qualities, while THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the mind-altering part of the marijuana plant. Put another way, THC is the part of the marijuana plant that makes you feel stoned while CBD is the medicinal part of the plant. Several years ago, Hilt became interested in the possibility of medical marijuana as a treatment option for Haley: Her family doctor had watched a special about Colorado’s Stanley brothers, famous for creating a high CBD, low THC strain called Charlotte’s Web, that reduced its namesake’s seizures. This prompted Hilt to begin researching how high CBD strains could help people with epilepsy. A registered nurse, Hilt read the research carefully, and then began lobbying at the capital. For more than six months, “we were lobbying and trying to get senators to listen to us and support our cause,” Hilt remembers. Hilt and her daughter were there the day the program passed, and when the program went live on a Friday, Haley was certified the following Wednesday. Because Haley was on a form of benzodiazepine that’s affected by CBD, Haley had to decrease her dosage of benzodiazepine before she could begin taking medical marijuana. She began taking the high CBD, low THC strain in February. The transformation has been huge: “She is soaring,” says Hilt. “Haley is doing phenomenally.”
What’s Next?
Medical cannabis remains—even after legalization in many states— in a complicated position. Laws differ from state to state, even in continued on next page ››
email: ydr@youngdancersinrep.org
347-702-7155
REGISTER NOW! OPEN HOUSE SEPT. 10th -10am to 3:30 CLASSES BEGIN SEPT. 19th Ballet, Creative Movement, Modern Dance, Tap, Theater Dance and Jazz/Hip-Hop Founding Directors: Carol Mezzacappa and Craig Gabrian
Marble Polishing Granite, Concrete & Terrazzo SINCE 1998 BrooklynParent 53
‹‹ continued from previous page Courtesy Melissa Hilt
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Melissa Hilt holds Haley in the New York State Senate chambers on the day that legislators voted to legalize medical cannabis.
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ones that have legalized the plant. Federally, it remains illegal, even if the government’s guidance is essentially to prosecute major offenses (drugged driving or possession on federal property, for instance) and to allow states to enforce their own regulation. That makes for an uneasy balancing act, with results that can be frustrating. For one, medical marijuana, still illegal federally, is not covered by insurance. Hilt pays for Haley’s prescription—which costs nearly $400 a month—with the help of fundraising done by her church and community. Beyond the expense, Hilt chafes at the federal government’s slow move to reclassification, which would allow drug trials, and feels frustrated that truly sick people cannot get access to a potentially helpful drug. “It’s almost like we’re being held hostage to the pharmaceutical companies when there’s this plant out there that can really and truly help so many people.” And while the AAP opposes legalization, concerned that it will increase children and teen’s access to the drug, the organization also advocates for studying the impact of new laws, and calls for marijuana to be reclassified as a Schedule II drug (a classification that includes Adderall, OxyContin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, among others). This classification would allow “research and development of pharmaceutical cannabinoids and supports a review of policies promoting research on the medical use of these compounds.” Dr. Dahmer says he is also “interested in helping to support or promote research,” especially given the tremendous impact he sees daily on children and their families. For parents whose children face one of the 10 eligible conditions, Hilt’s advice is twofold. First, educate yourself. “That’s the number one recommendation I have for other parents,” Hilt says. Dig into the slim research currently available, review anecdotal evidence, and reach out to dispensaries for their
insights. And then, “Fight for your kid.” Medical marijuana is “not something our government should say we can or can’t have. This is something our physicians should determine, not the government. Call your legislators, call your senator, and tell them, I want this available for myself, for my children, for whomever.”
Open year-round, Rolling admission Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
A SNAPSHOT OF NEW YORK’S MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW ABC Infant & Toddler Center ABC’s goal is to provide safe, age-appropriate and stimulating programs for children up to five years old, while fulfilling their need to laugh, learn, play, make new friends and discover new things. Providing quality child care since 1993. Child Care for Infants & Toddlers, ages 3 - 24 months
ABC Child Center
Child Care and Preschool for children ages 2 - 5 years
Full Day, Half Day Programs & Drop-off Care Available 109 Nassau Avenue, Greenpoint - Brooklyn, NY (718) 389-9004 • www.abcchildcenter.com For more information or to schedule a tour email us at info@abcchildcenter.com
Only some conditions are eligible for a prescription: Only 10 conditions (as well as several associated conditions) make patients eligible for a medical marijuana prescription. They are: • Cancer • HIV infection or AIDS • Multiple sclerosis • Spinal cord injury with spasticity • Epilepsy • Inflammatory bowel disease • Neuropathy • Huntington’s disease • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) • Parkinson’s disease A stringent registration process: Even patients who suffer from those conditions do not have an easy path to a prescription. Only registered doctors—who meet certain set criteria, and have taken a four-hour class—can register with New York’s Medical Marijuana Program and prescribe marijuana. Fewer than 600 doctors had done so by mid-July, according to the state. Patients have to either find one of these doctors (there is a registry, but doctors are not required to add their names to it and some prefer to keep their participation quiet) or ask their doctor to join the program. Only then can patients get a prescription. Currently, there are more than 5,000 patients certified. Licensed pharmacists: Only licensed pharmacists can fill prescriptions; currently, there are five medical marijuana dispensaries in the state, each with four or five locations. Extract only: New York limits the forms medical cannabis can take. There is no form of regulated, medical marijuana available for sale in the state that can be smoked or eaten (no medical cannabis brownies). Instead, it is sold in forms such as pills, vaporizers ingested via inhaler, and oils.
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1270-Bayridge Pkway BIG BEAUTIFUL BRIGHT STIMULATING WELCOMING & NURTURING ENVIRONMENT
Professional Dedicated Experienced Staff who will care for your children! Infant/Toddler/PreK Program
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“We believe every child is special”
Hours of operation is Mon-Fri 6:30am to 6:30pm
718-680-KIDS
www.littlehandsandfeetdaycare.com All Teachers Certified and Licensed by Dept of Ed & CPR trained
Madeleine Burry is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer and editor, covering everything from parenting to open data to workplace productivity. She’s held staff positions at Parents.com, Scholastic, and About.com. You can follow her on Twitter @lovelanewest.
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To be in this section, call 212-315-0800 or email nympads@davlermedia.com
Lois Jackson, D.D.S., P.C. and Associates 16 Court St., Suite 2211 718-855-8833 505 LaGuardia Place, Suite L4, Greenwich Village near Washington Square Park 212-995-8888; lajacksondds@aol.com
Dr. Lois Jackson is very experienced in pediatric dental care for children, adolescents, and patients with special needs. She is the president of the New York State Association of Pediatric Dentists. To give back to the community, Dr. Jackson volunteers and supports numerous civic and cultural organizations. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Camp Brooklyn (sending children to camp), Flatbush Development Corporation, East Midwood Jewish Center, and Fisk Terrace Neighborhood Association. Dr. Jackson was a Nickelodeon Parents’ Pick for Best Dentist for two years running!
Pediatric Immediate Care 698 Manhattan Ave. 718-389-PEDS (7337) 150 E. Sunrise Highway, Suite 105, North Lindenhurst 631-956-PEDS (7337) 1077 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown 631-864-PEDS (7337) pediatricimmediatecare.com
Pediatric Immediate Care is a team of hearts where kids come first. State-of-the-art medical office equipment allows us to deliver your test results during your visit. Kidfriendly; walk-ins welcome; most insurance plans accepted. Complete pediatric and adolescent care, as well as baby, camp, school, and sports physicals. Certified urgent care recommended by Urgent Care Association of America. Thirty years of dedication to our patients. The offices are open seven days a week including holidays, 8am-11pm.
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Park Slope Kids Dental Care 150 4th Ave. 718-488-0200 parkslopekidsdental.com
At Park Slope Kids Dental Care, children who are first seen for a friendly examination and cleaning are able to enjoy the dental experience and build a bond of trust with us. A customized dental plan that includes prevention, growth development, and possible treatment is created to fit your child’s specific dental needs. We are committed to giving children the best possible experiences at our office to help set them up for a lifetime of good oral health.
Dr. Cascya Charlot - Allergy and Asthma Care of Brooklyn 10 Plaza St. E., Suite #1E 347-564-3211 311 Saint Nicholas Ave., Ridgewood 347-564-3211; brooklynallergydr.com
Dr. Cascya Charlot is an award-winning, Harvard Medical School-trained physician who is boardcertified in pediatric and adult allergy and immunology. She is the chief of pediatric allergy at Methodist Hospital in Park Slope, and medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of Brooklyn, in Park Slope and Williamsburg. She evaluates patients for a wide variety of allergic conditions including asthma, eczema, food allergies, sinusitis, and environmental allergies. Throughout her career, she has received numerous accolades including the prestigious Patients’ Choice “Most Compassionate Doctor” award in 2012 and 2013.
OPEN HOUSES 2016 Storybook Land
8638 20th Ave. 718-996-8714 Join us for an open house on Sept. 6 and 7, from 9am-12pm.
Windmill Montessori School
1317 Avenue T 718-375-7973 windmillmontessorischool.org Join us for an open house: Tuesday, Sept. 13; Wednesday, Sept. 21; Thursday, Oct. 6; Wednesday, Oct. 19; Thursday, Nov. 3; Wednesday, Nov. 16; Thursday, Dec. 1; Wednesday, Dec. 14; or Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017.
Young Dancers in Repertory
Center for Dance Studies 5602 5th Ave., 2nd floor 347-702-7155 youngdancersinrep.org ydr@youngdancersinrep.org Please join us for an open house on Sept. 10, from 10am-3pm.
Redeemer- St. John’s Nursery School
Toddler - 2 Half Days Nursery - 3 Full Days PRE-K - 5 Full Days
Early Childhood School for 2, 3 & 4 Year Olds Fully Accredited
A CREATIVE CURRICULUM FOR ALL ASPECTS OF GROWTH INCLUDING READING READINESS AND MATH SKILLS Call for Information about Our Free Full Day U.P.K. Class for Children born in 2012
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Quality Education In A Nurturing Environment
HELP WANTED! NYMetroParents is looking for experienced temporary help in our midtown Manhattan office.
Play-based. Progressive. Serving families and children since 1999.
There are still slots in our full-day 2s program! Ages 2–4
Tours are available for applying families! Applications for the 2016-2017 school year are available on our website.
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The Williamsburg Neighborhood Nursery School 54 South Second Street, Brooklyn, NY 11249 • wnns.org (718) 782-4181 • info@wnns.org
• Customer Service • Operations/Ad Hoc Projects • Magazine/Flyer Distribution
Flexible Schedules & Earn Extra Income! Please email resume or work history to:
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We treat:
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10 Plaza Street East Suite 1E Brooklyn, NY 11238 & 311 Saint Nicholas Ave., Ridgewood, NY 11385
(347) 564-3211 www.brooklynallergyDR.com BrooklynParent 57
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ACROBATICS / GYMNASTICS
DANCE
FITNESS
April’s Dance - N - Feet................................................. 33
April’s Dance - N - Feet................................................. 33
April’s Dance - N - Feet................................................. 33
Young Dancers in Repertory......................................... 53
NYC Tae Kwon Do......................................................... 49
Bounce U....................................................................... 11
DEVELOPMENTAL
HEALTH
Kids N Action................................................................. 51
Preschool of America....................................................... 9
Affinity Health Plan.......................................................... 7
Wetherby-Pembridge School......................................... 23
Allergy & Asthma Care of Brooklyn......................... 56, 57
BIRTHDAY / PARTY SERVICES
CAMPS
Fidelis Care New York................................................... 23
Leif Ericson Day School................................................ 27
EDUCATION
LiceXchange.................................................................. 47
Jackson, Lois Dr...................................................... 41, 56
A+ Academy.................................................................. 60
LiceXchange.................................................................. 47
ABC Child Center.......................................................... 55
Park Slope Kids Dental Care................................... 27, 56
Brienza’s Academic Advantage..................................... 21
Pediatric Immediate Care........................................ 15, 56
Brooklyn Friends School................................................ 33
HOME SERVICES
DKG Parochial School of Holy Cross............................ 29
LiceXchange.................................................................. 47
FasTracKids Brooklyn / Staten Island........................... 26
Stone Guard.................................................................. 53
Rab’s Country Lanes....................................................... 5 Smart Start.................................................................... 49 Storybook Land............................................................. 47 Treasure Island.............................................................. 35 Wildlife Conservation Society........................................ 50 CHILD CARE / DAY CARE ABC Child Center.......................................................... 55 KindStart Preschool / Nursery ...................................... 53 Little Hands and Feet.................................................... 55 Little Scholars................................................................ 25 Preschool of America....................................................... 9 Smart Start.................................................................... 49
Fig Tree......................................................................... 51 Green HIll Middle School............................................... 37 Juguemos a Cantar......................................................... 2
MUSIC Brooklyn College Prep Center....................................... 29 Juguemos a Cantar......................................................... 2
KindStart Preschool / Nursery ...................................... 53
Llingsworth Music.......................................................... 57
Kumon North America................................................... 37
Music Together of Bay Ridge......................................... 30
Leif Ericson Day School................................................ 27
PERFORMING ARTS / ACTING
Storybook Land............................................................. 47
Little Hands and Feet.................................................... 55
Treasure Island.............................................................. 35
Little Scholars................................................................ 25
Williamsburg Neighborhood School.............................. 57
Music Together of Bay Ridge......................................... 30
School of Rock ............................................................. 13
Williamsburg Northside Schools.................................... 55
NYC Tae Kwon Do......................................................... 49
Stage Theater School.................................................... 41
CLASSES A+ Academy.................................................................. 60 Brienza’s Academic Advantage..................................... 21
Park Slope North / Helen Owen Carey.......................... 19 Preschool of America....................................................... 9 Redeemer St. John Nursery School.............................. 57
Brooklyn College Prep Center....................................... 29 New 42nd Street............................................................ 45
PLAY SPACES BounceU........................................................................ 11 Kids N Action................................................................. 51
Brooklyn College Prep Center....................................... 29
St. Bernadette School.................................................... 15
Brooklyn Friends School................................................ 33
St. Saviours Catholic Academy..................................... 35
DKG Parochial School of Holy Cross............................ 29
Storybook Land............................................................. 47
FasTracKids Brooklyn / Staten Island........................... 26
Fig Tree......................................................................... 51
Treasure Island.............................................................. 35
Fig Tree......................................................................... 51
Leif Ericson Day School................................................ 27
Tutoring Club of Bayridge.............................................. 51
Juguemos a Cantar......................................................... 2
Redeemer St. John Nursery School.............................. 57
Wetherby-Pembridge School......................................... 23
KindStart Preschool / Nursery ...................................... 53
St. Bernadette School.................................................... 15
Williamsburg Neighborhood School.............................. 57
St. Saviours Catholic Academy..................................... 35
Williamsburg Northside Schools.................................... 55
RETAIL
Young Dancers in Repertory......................................... 53
Cookies Department Stores............................................ 3
Rab’s Country Lanes....................................................... 5
FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT /
SPORTS
Redeemer St. John Nursery School.............................. 57
EVENTS / OUTINGS
NYC Tae Kwon Do......................................................... 49
Smart Start.................................................................... 49
BounceU........................................................................ 11
St. Bernadette School.................................................... 15
Kids N Action................................................................. 51
Stage Theater School.................................................... 41
Llingsworth Music.......................................................... 57
Tutoring Club of Bayridge.............................................. 51
Rab’s Country Lanes....................................................... 5
FasTracKids Brooklyn / Staten Island........................... 26
Wildlife Conservation Society........................................ 50
School of Rock ............................................................. 13
Kumon North America................................................... 37
Young Dancers in Repertory......................................... 53
Wildlife Conservation Society........................................ 50
Tutoring Club of Bayridge.............................................. 51
Little Hands and Feet.................................................... 55 Music Together of Bay Ridge......................................... 30 New 42nd Street............................................................ 45
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September 2016 | nymetroparents.com
RELIGIOUS DKG Parochial School of Holy Cross............................ 29
TUTORS A+ Academy.................................................................. 60 Brienza’s Academic Advantage..................................... 21
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