NYSCI: Futuristic Labs for Mini Scientists

Now that it seems safe to venture outdoors... Now that the weather is all good in New York... Now that everything seems so cool, we get another issue to bug our minds... Where do we take the kids to? Where can we go that is fun for the whole family, entertaining and educational, a combination of outdoors and indoors? Wheeeere?

New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) is a place that you definitely must add to your list of favorites and please, underline it with red marker, so you don't forget about it. We were recently invited to a NYC Bloggers' Open House and spent a wonderful family day there... Really, this place is nothing, but great. There was plenty of entertainment for everyone, hands-on science experiments appropriate for all ages and outdoor areas that make you feel like you bought a ticket for a ride on "Back to the Future" ....Awesome!!Walk around two big floors filled with over 450 exhibits and get not only your kids', but also your inner Einstein awakened... Microbes, atoms, molecules, live dissections, magical rooms, tricky mirrors, so much science around inviting everyone to experiment, to touch... Isn't that great? Yeeess!! NYSCI, a place where touching is allowed and experimenting is all right... Almost paradise!!

Talking about experimenting, NYSCI took all of its "hands-on" concept outdoors and as a result, you end up exploring a very original place. The "Science Playground" has the perfect chemistry, an equal mix of fabulous design and fun learning... Science meets modern art and all of a sudden, you find yourself pushing your child on a swing that is also a wind mill, while admiring the surrounding sun catchers and kinetic sculptures... Are we on Earth?

After refreshing my almost vanished knowledge of solar energy, motion, simple machines and taking a zillion pictures at the Science Playground, my girls were ready to take a golf lesson... We walked through hallways filled with science teachers pulling experiments on the spot, until we reached the Rocket Park Mini Golf... or should I call it the Lunar Rocket Parking Lot??...One or the other, kids had a ball learning to play golf surrounded by real NASA rockets and spaceships, they could actually ride on...

Woow! Done already with the secrets of spaceflight and golf, it was time to meet Sid the Science Kid from the popular PBS Kids Show... Who else could be hanging out at NYSCI, but Sid the Science Kid?
Making plans already for the weekend or looking for a venue to celebrate your child's birthday party? Think of NYSCI. They also offer different packages and themes for parties including crafts or science activities, use of the different areas of the museum and a party room... It just became my kids' new favorite place... and I loved it too!!

Cool Events:

Math Midway :: Now - April 18th

The Great Cat Trap! Puppet Show :: Now - April 18th

Geometry Necklace, Art Project :: Now - April 18th

Super Cyberchase Day :: Saturday, May 1

Albarcas & Gladiators: OMG!! The cutest sandals for little toes!!

Wiggly toes, little kids' chubby feet... Hmmm!! I must confess, they are my weakness. I can drool profusely contemplating them... Definitely, I prefer bare feet and nobody can convince me that there is anything cuter that mini bare feet... Do I sound a little extremist? I can be reasonable too and settle for shoes, but give me something cute, something that really, really matches the beauty of itty-bitty toes.

Sandals are a good starting point... Have you shopped for kids' sandals yet? Well, if you haven't, let me tell you that shoemakers are getting artistic this season. Some of them have teamed up with well-known plastic artists to bring their graphic inspiration on either leather or canvas.

I'm really in love with the Spanish "Menorquinas". These colorful "albarcas" or traditional beach sandals from Menorca, in the Balearic Islands, have been made by Riudavets for over 50 years. They have mastered the style and even, made them eco-friendly by using recycled tires to produce the sandal soles. Spanish illustrator Antonio Fernandez-Coca came to the picture recently when, inspired by the living creatures of the Mediterranean Sea, he started to fill up sheets of leather with playful starfish and octopus.

The result is "Menorquinas", these gorgeous sandals that will allow your little "fashionista" to keep her title as "the undisputed trend-setter".... Do you like them as much as I do?? Well, here is a link so you can get them from the manufacturer in Europe or if you are in the States, Zassie in New York City, carries them and delivers inside the USA. From the beach to a dressier style, and if you thought that gladiator sandals were just for you or maybe, Cleopatra... no, no, noooo!! ...Take a look at Steve Madden's "Sweeties" ...aren't they fantastic? Easy on, easy off, just a zipper in the back and a lot of beads in a tasteful combination... Perfect for the little girl that is not so little anymore, great to dress her up or down.
I'm fascinated with silver sandals this Spring. They match beautifully with Easter dresses, wedding outfits and even jeans. For toddlers and little girls, this gladiator style "Deena" seems to be the right one. Comfy, double velcro hook-and-loop straps and friendly price.... wooohoo!!

Taking a Toddler to the Museum! ...Can We All Have Fun?

In my imaginary album of favorite scenes, I always find myself like in a movie, taking my little ones to the museum and having that sublime time, in which everything is perfect... We walk through galleries and galleries admiring dinosaurs and Homo Sapiens. My girls delicately, whisper smart comments about those creatures and I smile graciously.
Reality hits me in the head and I come back from my utopic land... What was I thinking?? Yeees, only in the movies people go to a museum with kids that never get tired of looking at things they don't understand or kids that never need to run desperately to a toilet.
In true life, things are not so whimsical. However, you can prepare ahead of a potentially disastrous time and actually, have a great day. Recently, I took my three-and-a-half year old Zoe to the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the experience was pretty close to the ones in my dreams.
The first decision I made was to not to make it a family trip. I have had plenty of frustrating occasions with two kids pulling me in opposite directions and even my husband acting up. So this time, it was Zoe and me alone. Second, I reminded myself that those days, when I was single and could walk the museum from opening till closing, were over. Now, on a less ambitious adventure, I navigated the Museum's website before the trip, picked a couple of exhibits, chose a children's program and found a fantastic place I had never seen before, the Discovery Room, a corner of the museum especially designed for kids and even, for those adults with a curious inner child. That was it! A "planned" visit to the museum really made a big, big, difference.
Once at the Museum, before we got into any exhibitions, we took care of the basics, the restroom, the snack and any possible request "her majesty" could have... We strolled the "Fossil Halls", the "Hall of Human Origins" and just when Zoe seemed to have had enough of those "monkeys with boobies" as she called our "ancestors", it was time for "Wild, Wild World" , a one-hour program that gave us the perfect break to rest our feet and learn with fun.
The Museum of National History, keeps a calendar with many activities for children, but when it comes to the littlest ones, the options become narrow. This monthly program offers a unique learning experience by bringing live animals to the theater and showing them "up-close and personal" to the kids. The February show presented "Awake at Night" with Rob Mies, a really entertaining talk about some "party animals" who refuse to sleep at night and hunt for food after dark.
Next "Wild, Wild World" on Saturday, March 27th will present "Predators".

Happy still, we walked a little and stumbled upon "The Discovery Room", an awesome classroom-lab of the 21st century loaded with hands-on artifacts, puzzles and specimens for children to explore. The design of this place is fantastic!! It is interesting enough to keep your eyes occupied, while your little one searches for petrified insects in a gigantic replica of an African baobah tree or assembles a life-size cast skeleton of Prestosuchus, another replica of some prehistoric reptile. Free passes for 40-minute timed sessions are offered at the entrance of this room.

So, in answer to my original question ...Can we all have fun when taking a toddler to a museum? Definitely, yes!! As a final tip, keep moving constantly while at the museum, rather than parking yourself and looking at a specific thing for too long. Most toddlers are not reading yet and forcing them to observe the same object for a while can just blow their fuse.

Are you feeling adventurous?...Planning a visit to the Museum of American History this weekend? ... How about a dose of Lizards & Snakes: Alive!!. Exhibit opens on Saturday, March 6th... Good luck and have a great time there!!

Fall in New York: Apples, Pumpkins & Fun Colors

The beginning of Fall always brings a sad feeling to me. The long sunny days are gone, sooner than later it gets cold and then the sweater, the jacket and all of that paraphernalia on my shoulders... Just "not" a happy thing!!
However, I have to admit, this Fall has been one of the prettiest ever... The colors around are breathtaking. Yellow, orange, red and brown have taken over the Hudson Valley and I cannot get enough of so much beauty...

Last weekend, the temperature was still comfortable enough to venture out and go apple picking... Camera in one hand and my two girls on the other, we took a trip to Lawrence Farms Orchards in Newburgh. Just an hour away from New York City, this place is awesome, so much fun for kids and grown-ups too. It feels like the biggest celebration of Fall is going on there.

From the moment you get out of the car, that repressed country ego inside, seems to possess you and you just want to get muddy, dirty, "hands-on" and pick some apples, pumpkins or whatever vegetable your mind can think of.Armed with a wooden wagon, the little ones loved the ride along rows of apple trees and pumpkin patches, as they stuffed themselves with a zillion grapes of all kind and colors. Once the "farming fever" wore off, my girls discovered Lawrence Farms Little Village, a super cute little town, reminiscent of an old-fashioned New England Farm Town. A fantastic playground, perfect for children to let their imagination fly. Nothing is misssing there, the church, the firehouse, the post office, the jail... So much pretend play around, you could make a movie right there!!

A horse-drawn carriage ride and a visit to the farm's Country Store made a good ending to this adventure. I definitely, had fun picking fruits and vegetables, but "no way" I will get into making jellies and preserves. No worries though, that store is packed with all kind of homemade "yummy" goodies, cooking books and crafts.

Lawrence Farms Orchards is having apple picking until November 8th. Later on, they switch to their Christmas schedule, which sounds fun too... Really, when your nerves are fed up with the city and your whole self is about to explode, take a ride North... It's amazing how the world changes, only 50 miles away.

Quick and Easy!! A Halloween Treat for Little Pumpkins

A few days ago, I had to come up with some treat for my daughter's birthday party at school. Something easy to carry, not messy and as she requested "something different, not a typical goody bag".
The "party" stores were out of the scope then, so I decided to land at Michael's, where I usually get so inspired, I could buy the whole store. As usual, my imagination flew away and before I reached the register, everything went back to the shelves. In reality, the projects that my mind creates are totally different from the ones my hands can make... Let's make it clear... I'm not that crafty, I'm not an artist and I don't have time to try.
So, once more Michael's made my imagination work. This time on something that I was able to put together and finish.... Yaaay!! M&M's tin boxes filled with colorful crinkle paper, a wind up Halloween monster, a mini chocolate bar and of course, lots of M&M's.
Kids were overjoyed with their treat and even the teachers complimented my colorful idea. In a minute, I set up a table with twenty of these tin boxes and added cupcakes topped with frosting in M&M's colors. Instead of the big "m", my cupcakes had a big "n" as for Naomi, my daughter's name... The table looked "great".

With Halloween around the corner and so many activities to prepare, I just thought this idea could be a good one to share, especially for the littlest ones. It is easier and safer to hand them a tin with everything inside, rather than having them pick from a bowl. And... you know what was great also? The price, each tin box was a dollar, each toy was a dollar too. Add a bag of mini chocolate bars, a bag of M&M's and "listo"... Ready to have fun!!

Enter to win a $50 Gift Certificate from Chittypulga!!

School is approaching fast and moms are going crazy trying to grab some cool, cute outfits for their little ones... Going back to the classroom "in style", becomes an obsession and let's face it, in this economy, even a headache... The shoes, the matching clothes, the backpack, the lunchbox, so many things to buy and there you are, venturing around with your squeezed wallet.
Well, this is the perfect time to head over SuperMom Central and put your good luck and best wishes to work. Our friend and Super Mom Lauren Horsley has teamed up with some awesome stores, including Chittypulga, and is hosting a "Stylin' for School" week until August 16Th.
Hurry up, click on the button below and follow the instructions to participate and win a $50 Gift Certificate from Chittypulga, outfits, school supplies and many other goodies.
Hey, don't forget!! Before you head over to SuperMom Central, walk around Chittypulga and select your favorite items. Let us know in your comments what you would get with a $50 Gift Certificate from our boutique.... Want some inspiration? How about some trendy Toddler Backpacks from Four Peas at 50% OFF or Eeboo Color Pencil Boxes and Sketchbooks at 30% OFF? Need more? Well, don't miss our End-of-Summer Super Sale. Visit our "Dress them Up" department and have fun choosing among so many gorgeous outfits from Tea Collection, Zutano, Jaffa, LunaLuna, shoes from Pazitos and more at 30 to 50% OFF.... Best of luck you all!!

RedFish Kids: Asian Touch for Little Girls Dresses

Summer is in full force and there is nothing cuter than looking at little girls around, showing off the season's fashion with their swing dresses, twirly skirts, big hair bows and trendy sandals...
Oooh!! ...Light fabrics with colorful prints and comfy lines? They just make us wish the same styles were also made in moms' sizes.
Add an Asian touch to those dresses and now you can picture yourself strolling the streets of Tokyo or Shanghai with your little princess... Luckily, you don't have to travel that far to get such creative designs... The fortune cookie says: You can get it all with RedFish Kids Clothing!! Little girls' dresses with a modern Asian influence...
Meticulous attention to details, RedFish Kids dresses are not only beautiful, but also versatile and designed to last long. They are made of pre-washed and pre-shrunk, 100% cotton. Best of all, these dresses adapt to any season and your child will never outgrow them... How is that? Well, take a dress like the one in the picture, the Mandarin Swing Dress in New World, and have your girl wear it by itself during spring and summer. Fall-winter come around, add a long sleeve tee with a pair of leggings underneath and the result is awesome...

Talking about never outgrowing these dresses, designer Lorraine Kitsos, the brain behind RedFish Kids and also a mother of two, decided to create clothes knowing firsthand, what moms need from their children clothing. So, she made it easy and came up with outfits like the Swing Dress in Asian Dolls print, a dress that turns into a smock when it gets too short. Match it with a pair of jeans or trousers and it will still look great.. never small. ...One of our favorite dresses from RedFish Kids, the Mandarin Swing Dress in Old World. A great outfit with vibrant colors, perfect for a birthday celebration during the summer and a very appropriate design for the holidays, matched with long sleeves and leggings underneath .. Just gorgeous!!

Are you loving RedFish Kids as much as we do?? Take advantage then... Chittypulga, is offering a 10% OFF on any RedFish Kids item until July 31st. Enter code CHITTY10 at the top of your shopping basket and also get Free Ground Shipping on any order over $100.