Mommybites New York - Support, Resources, Education and Connection for Moms
The weather is finally getting warmer and there are tons of things to do outside to celebrate spring! We recommend that parents encourage new vocabulary and language when outside.
Feel free to talk about the beautiful spring colors you are seeing and amazing flowers you are smelling. Take the time to just stop and look! Allow your children to ask questions (e.g., “What is that called?”).
Wherever you decide to go, make sure to take pictures so that your child can work on recalling what happened in the past. Spring in the city is absolutely beautiful so we hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Cherry Blossoms
Since the weather is so nice, walk over the 103rd Street Bridge onto Randall’s Island for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday May 2, 2015 from 11-3 PM! There are tons of activities to get your kids talking – face painting, dance, music, kite making, kite flying, crafst, games, and more! What a beautiful way to spend the weekend!
Waterfront Walks
Don’t miss the very informative weekend waterfront walks at Brooklyn Bridge Park! They talk about the history of the area, the park’s sustainable life, and how it was designed. It is a great forum to ask questions, practice listening, and just enjoy being out in nature. Check out their events calendar regularly to see what is going on. You can always get your eat on at the amazing Smorgasburg while there too!
Bird Watching
The birds are back and tweeting away at Central Park! Borrow a free Conservancy Discovery Kit at Belvedere Castle. It comes with binoculars, guidebook, maps, and sketching materials. This will allow your child to explore, comment, and learn more about the world around them.
New York Botanical Garden
If you really want to get the feel of spring don’t forget to visit the New York Botanical Garden! Its lush landscapes, nature walks, gardens, and various collections is the ultimate way to learn about flowers and greenery.
High Line
One of our favorite areas in the city is the High Line for its mix of urbanism and nature. Most people are unaware that it offers plenty of activities for children! On May 2, 2015 the Whitney Museum is having a block party for its grand opening and there will be tons of events to take part in on Gansevoort Street such as art, performance, and hands-on activities. Admission to the museum is free too. In the summer weekly events such as story time and art are also offered!
Nature Exploration
Before it gets too hot outside, have your children join the Prospect Park Audubon Society in Prospect Park to explore nature. We especially love the Boathouse area! They have recently expanded their program and began the Pop-Up Audubon, which involves an Adventure Hike (finding the park’s hidden trails), Nature on the Go! (using binoculars to identify songbirds), Nature’s Helpers (teaching how to protect tree roots and spend time spreading wood chips around trees), and Family Bird Watching!
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Debbie Shiwbalak, M.A., CCC-SLP, has a Baccalaureate of Arts in Speech Pathology and is a graduate of Long Island University-CW Post Campus, where she received a Master of Arts in Speech Pathology in 2001. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed by the state of New York to practice speech-language pathology. Debbie has 13 years experience as a speech pathologist in the New York City area. She co-authored a chapter of “Cutting Edge Therapies for Autism” and presents at parent and professional workshops all over New York City.
Alpin Rezvani, M.A., CCC-SLP, graduated from New York University with a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (ASHA) and has New York licensure in Speech-Language Pathology. She has 7 years of experience as a speech pathologist in the New York City area and was an adjunct instructor at New York University. She co-authored three chapters of “Cutting Edge Therapies for Autism” and presents at parent and professional workshops all over New York City.
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.