Biosphere Pool

Sometimes planning a summer vacation can be very stressful–the kids want to spend all day running around but you just want to take a breather. Thankfully, you can have it all at the Crystal Springs Resort. Just one hour from NYC, this NJ retreat allows you to relax while providing tons of activities to keep your kids entertained.

The brand new Adventure Center offers a great outdoor experiences like horseback riding, kayaking, farm tours, and even skydiving. If you just can’t get enough of the excitement, Mountain Creek just spent more than $20 million on action-packed renovations like its popular Waterpark and Zoom Zip Line. When you’re ready to wind down, visit Elements Spa, ranked #1 in NJ, for instant calm.

Part of this 4,000-acre getaway includes seven award-winning golf courses. If you’re not a pro yet, you can also take lessons with the #1 golf instructors in the world at The David Leadbetter Golf Academy. Don’t forget to visit the Chef’s Garden for fine alfresco dining or the Biosphere Pool for an indoor tropical experience with the whole family.

Sound like a dream? Snag one of the summer specials and make it happen. Specials include:

• 30% discount for stays longer than five nights
• $175 midweek spa & stay package
• 50% discount on weekend escapes
• $119 36-hole golf and stay package
• four free tickets to Mountain Creek Waterpark on Wednesdays

Click here for great deals and savings and let the family fun begin!

The post Parter Post: Family Getaway Deals at the Crystal Springs Resort appeared first on New York Family Magazine.

Sesame Street is back to covering some tough topics in its latest “Little Children Big Challenges: Incarceration.” Alex talks to Sofia, Abby, and Rosita about his father being in prison. (Time)

Perhaps it’s no surprise, but it’s good to know: One key to brain development in infants is breast milk, a new study shows. (New York Times)

Sympathy pains, out. Pregnancy belts, in. A new ad featuring fathers-to-be experiencing the kicks of their unborn babies is getting lots of online buzz. (Today)

Young kids have adored LEGO figures since 1978, but new research has found that, since the ’90s, the figures’ faces have been getting angrier. What’s up with that? (The Washington Post)

“Fitting in” is a common worry amongst high school kids, but do 5-year-olds worry about it too? Here’s one dad’s reaction to his Spiderman-loving little girl asking for girlie pajamas. (Motherlode)

Have you tried “asked and answered”? It’s a “game” to help put a stop to your child’s incessant nagging! (Rookie Moms)

Should kids solve their own conflicts? This blogger says parents should “take a back seat and let them figure out how to do it.” (Babble)

Most school photographs are immediately hung up on the fridge. However, these parents were furious to see that their son, who is in a wheelchair, was placed off to the side in his school picture, ostracizing him from the group. (Yahoo)

The Kimye baby has officially arrived! Details are limited, but we know that it’s a girl and she was reportedly due in July. (People)

School’s out for the summer—and most kids couldn’t be happier. Parents, on the other hand, may not be so thrilled. In this clever poem, a less-than-eager dad expresses his feelings about the drastic transition from school year blues to inevitable summer boredom. (Babble)

Does your family have what it takes to go a week without any prepared food? One mom explains why she’s taken on this challenge to eat better as a family and make only home-cooked meals. (New York Times)

The post Our Favorite Parenting Stories Of The Week appeared first on New York Family Magazine.

The prize package includes:

1 night at the Hershey lodge for four guests
8 Hersheypark tickets
4 tickets to the new Chocolate World 4D show
4 tickets for Create Your Own Chocolate Bar at Hershey’s Chocolate World
1 chocolate welcome basket

To enter, click here.

The post Win A Family Trip To Hersheypark! (Worth $960.20) appeared first on New York Family Magazine.

So let’s fast forward right past the morning, to the early afternoon, when we drove out to Long Island to spend time with my ailing in-laws and take care of sundry errands, like camp shopping and grocery shopping. (A lot of mundane family maintenance had gone by the wayside in the run up to Elena’s bat mitzvah.) At the end of the day, my wife and I agreed that she would do grocery shopping herself, while I went to eat at a local Chinese restaurant with Elena and Adam, who are now 13 and 9. (This wasn’t merely a Father’s Day plum; my wife is a diligent shopper and she didn’t want hungry kids and an irritable spouse getting in the way for an hour and half while identifies the best fruit at the best deals.)

As it happens, the rest of us—Elena, Adam, and I—all had books on us that we were obsessively reading. Elena was reading John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars, which, I’m learning, may well be hottest book in the world right now among tween-age girls. Adam had a comprehensive guide to baseball’s best major and minor league ball parks. And I was reading one of those compulsive Jack Reacher novels. We read before we ordered, we read after we ordered. We did not read while we ate, but we picked up as soon as the meal was done, and continued on reading in the car as we waited to hear from my wife, with a call telling us she was ready to be picked up.

Since I spend so much of my life trying to put some distance between my kids and their electronics, I can’t tell you what bliss this family reading time was for me. My wife finally called, we agreed to come get her, and then we didn’t do it! Consciously or unconsciously, conspiratorially or not, we all kept on reading. As the adult in the car, I should have been more responsible, but I wasn’t. I was reading. She called about ten minutes later, and I let Adam discuss the situation with her. The phone was on loudspeaker and Elena and I could hear her disbelief—and she could hear our laughter. We couldn’t believe that in our haste to read more, we had stranded her. Adam started laughing too, mostly, I think, because it was infectious.

And, yes, then, we really did pick her up. On the way back to the city, Rebecca slept, I drove, and Adam and Elena read till they fell asleep too.

Eric Messinger is Editor of New York Family. He can be reached at emessinger@manhattanmedia.com

The post Time To Read appeared first on New York Family Magazine.

11 Top Water Parks Within Driving Distance

Local Fishing, Kayaking, And Sailing
Reel in some fish, take a paddle boat lesson, and learn to kayak for free on the Hudson and East Rivers.

Our Favorite Beaches Around NYC
Yes, sandy oases and fantastic boardwalks can be found right within the city limits. Here are the top five that we find ourselves returning to time and time again.

Editor’s Picks: Camping For Families
Veteran families know that great camping lies just outside the city. We’ve handpicked some of our favorite spots for getting back in touch with nature.

(Inter)Active Fun In Parks & Zoos
The best ways to get active in NYC’s great parks and zoos, from animal feedings to park sleepovers to biking trails.

Garden Oases, Animal Encounters, And Good Learnin’
Immerse yourself in garden greenery, get up close and personal with all sorts of creatures, and learn something while you’re at it.

The post NYC Summer Fun Guide: Water, Animals, Camping, Biking & More appeared first on New York Family Magazine.

The Grossology exhibit now at Liberty Science Center; photo by John Porcaro

Hope all the dads out there had a great Father’s Day! There are some fantastic fests, excellent exhibits, and dynamic daytime activities going on this week that are guaranteed to please all. Feast your eyes on these picks of the week:

Through Monday, September 2

Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body
Liberty Science Center
9 am-4 pm
Based on the book of the same name, the new Grossology exhibit at Liberty Science Center teaches kids about the cruder side of the human body. Visitors can walk through a giant schnoz while learning about mucus and the nose’s filtration system, play a pinball game called Gas Attack, scramble up a climbing wall that looks like human skin, and more. Free with Center admission.

Through Sunday, July 14

River To River Festival
Various locations
Various times
The River To River Festival is a 30-day celebration of art, music, and theater in Lower Manhattan. Family-friendly fest highlights this week include a performance by the Dana Leong Trio in Brookfield Place Plaza (Tuesday, June 18), Fluid: Construct, an art installation that explores water and its relationship to the city, and Mantra Percussion’s production of Cornelius Cardew’s The Great Learning (Friday, June 21). Next month (Saturday, July 13), hop on a ferry to Governors Island for Field Day and Family Day, co-sponsored by Come Out & Play. Visit River To River’s website for more information.

Friday, June 21

Make Music New York
Various locations
Various times
Now in its seventh year, Make Music New York is a one-day musical extravaganza with over a thousand free concerts occurring throughout the city. Amateur musicians are invited to perform in street concerts for instruments like, cello, guitar, harmonica, keyboard, accordion, gong, clarinet, french horn, harp, and much more. Also, pro-musicians and bands will give concerts in various locations around the city throughout the day and into the night. For more information, visit Make Music New York’s website.

Saturday, June 22

Adventures NYC
Central Park
11 am-4 pm
Calling all adrenaline sports enthusiasts! Bring along the family and check out the NYC Parks Departments’ and Backpackers Magazine’s Adventures NYC. This daylong, outdoor sporting event encourages all ages to stay active through extreme sports like climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and more. There will also be health and fitness clinics, outdoor gear exhibits, bike helmet giveaways, and live music. Adventures NYC is free and will be held rain or shine.

The post Picks of the Week: June 17-23 appeared first on New York Family Magazine.

Note To Readers: Our “Classes Of The Week” feature highlights classes we love, regardless of whether they have availability at the moment. Be sure to check with each venue for availability and certainly keep it on your radar for future enrollment.

Private Picassos

For a tailor-made summer camp experience, check out Private Picassos and their in-home programming. During the summer months, Private Picassos brings all the artful fun directly to the camper at home, a museum, or a local park, for children as young as 18 months. Built around the child’s age, interests, and schedule, this individualized camp offers families the convenience of 45-60 minutes of camp on their own schedule. privatepicassos.com

Corbin’s Crusaders

For active adventures including go-karts, ziplines, waterslides, rock climbing, ropes courses, and gaga, kids ages 4-14 can sign up for Corbin’s Crusaders. In addition to their unique offerings, the summer camp hosts more traditional sports like baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, lacrosse, golf, and swimming. Located on a ten-acre property in New City, New York—about 25 minutes from Manhattan—Corbin’s includes door-to-door counselor-monitored bus service and a mostly year-round staff of seasoned professionals. corbinscrusaders.com

SwimJim

A caregiver and child class, SwimBabies helps little ones learn socialization skills, water safety, gross motor skills, peer motivation, and self-esteem through happy songs and fun games. The babies also begin to explore breath control, balance, and buoyancy. This class is ideal for children 16 months to 3 years old. swimjim.com

The post Classes & Camps: Tailor-Made Art + Active New City Adventures + Baby Swimming appeared first on New York Family Magazine.

The JCC in Manhattan

Make it a slam dunk party! Sports parties with Coach Darren are the most popular celebrations at the JCC in Manhattan. For children ages 2-12, birthday bashes include learning the fundamentals of basketball—dribbling, passing, shooting, and defensive footwork—in the gym space. In the festively decorated party room, kids dive into birthday cake and goodie bags. jccmanhattan.org

Mystery & Mayhem

Mystery & Mayhem offers incredible improvisational and age-appropriate dress up mystery parties where guests ages 7-18 become suspects in a horrendous crime! “Like Clue, but better!” is the way one youngster described the event, with five mysterious, riveting, and hilarious dramas to choose from. Guests receive gifts of crystals or semi-precious stones in pouches. mysteryandmayhem.com

The post Birthdays: Slam Dunk Celebrations + Mystery Parties appeared first on New York Family Magazine.

To enter this great giveaway, click here. Deadline is 6/28.

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SwimJim

The summer is the perfect time for soaking up some sun and honing your outdoor sports skills while you’re at it. Swimming, golf, and tennis are all classic sports for the season, so we asked pro instructors and program directors around the city for their best tips for young beginners as well as older athletes. Here’s how to step it up in the pool, on the green, and on the courts.

SWIMMING

For younger beginners

“For young children, a game is a great way to work on swimming skills outside of lessons. Asking a child to retrieve a submerged toy from the bottom of the pool is not only fun, but it also allows the child to practice a surface dive and work on breath control and provides a great sense of accomplishment.” –Jennifer Lyons, associate aquatics director at Asphalt Green

“One of the best ways to help your child is to remove yourself from the pool area (or at least out of your child’s sight). This separation allows your child to relax and focus more on the lesson itself. Taking your child to the pool for play time and free swim will also help them become more comfortable in the pool and see how fun the water can be!” –Trevor Miele, director at NYU Swim Camp

“Educate your children to be safer around the water—a parent or other responsible adult should never be more than an arm’s reach from a child. Work with the beginners on breath control, blowing bubbles, reaching and grabbing, and gentle submersions. Introduce the back float with the child’s head on the parent’s shoulder, cheek to cheek. Finally, always seek a trusted swim school that focuses on fun and water safety.” –Jim Spiers, founder of SwimJim

“Children around the ages of 3 and 4 should swim with a focus on water exploration in order to build the basic skills and confidence to begin stroke development. The most important role for a parent at this stage would be to make your child feel at ease by demonstrating age-appropriate skills such as blowing bubbles, submersion, and gross motor movements (like kicking).” –Kevin Long, instructor at Physique Swimming

For older swimmers

“For parents with slightly older children, it’s still important to create a safe and comforting environment, but don’t be hesitant to encourage your child to swim independently. To capture a swimmer’s attention, I incorporate games into an instructional session to reinforce skill building.” –Kevin Long, instructor at Physique Swimming

“At the NYU Swim Camp, our campers have formal lessons, but there is also time reserved for free swim. This allows them to enjoy playtime in the pool and also gives them the opportunity to practice some of the skills learned during lessons. More time in the pool helps the swimmers become more confident and continue to develop their new sport.” –Trevor Miele, director at NYU Swim Camp

“Swimming lessons do not stop when the child exits the pool! They can practice blowing bubbles and singing songs underwater in the bathtub at home. Your child can work on their freestyle technique while watching TV. Every moment is an opportunity to learn. Remember: A child who blows bubbles today is the one swimming butterfly tomorrow!” –Lane Wineski, director of 92Y’s Aquatics Program

“It’s never too late to put your child in swimming lessons. Look for classes that are small and have passionate, fun instructors. Let your child know that they can learn how to swim no matter what. The two most important skills they must learn are how to float on their back and stomach before any stroke. The right company, instructors, and encouragement will make a world of difference for any swimmer, young or old.” –Agnes Davis, CEO and president of Swim Swim Swim I Say

GOLF

For younger beginners

Chelsea Piers; photo by Scott McDermott

“The best advice is to be focused on fun and not form. Keep activities safe, simple, and successful! Use colored balls and targets with the right mixture of modified equipment. Be sure to include lots of play and fantasy. If it’s princesses your little one is into, try ‘putting the jewels back into the jewelry box;’ if it’s transportation, try ‘putting the wheels back on to the monster truck.’” –Kate Tempesta, founder of Kate Tempesta’s Urban Golf Academy

“3- or 4-year-olds don’t always have the strength yet to make a full swing, so stick mainly to putting and chipping. It’s [also] helpful to start with plastic training clubs.” –Tim Townsend, senior teaching pro at Chelsea Piers Golf Club

“For pee wees learning to play golf, starting them on the putting green is a great way to get them engaged, from short putts that require precise alignment and center-ness of hits to longer putts that require control of the length of the stroke. There are always fun games to play on the putting green to help see the line of each putt.” –Mitchell Spearman, founder of Mitchell Spearman Junior Golf Academy

For older golfers

“The challenge of teaching juniors ages 5-9 is cultivating their skills while preserving the joy of the game. Keep instruction simple and fun and communicate on their level by kneeling down, not standing over them. Many children in their early years have active feet during the swing. Give them a set of ‘magic shoes’ to quiet their feet. Magic shoes which can be built by standing on two hardcover books, and one magic shoe can be built out of golf balls around their lead foot.” –Kate Tempesta, founder of Kate Tempesta’s Urban Golf Academy

“When they advance, make sure they use small, light clubs (US Kids brand is great). Keep the sessions brief so they don’t lose interest. Make it fun—let them steer the cart if you’re playing golf and let them hit old balls into the water. When they’re 5, take them to the course in the evening and let them play a few holes. Lastly, don’t badger the kids. Teach them a little at a time. If it’s not fun, they won’t play!” –Tim Townsend, senior teaching pro at Chelsea Piers Golf Club

“The first thing any young golfer needs to learn is the importance of finishing their swing in balance, which will aid them in hitting the ball further. This allows them to end the swing with their weight on the front foot, which promotes a good swing path and acceleration. To eliminate trying to lift the ball in the air, have your junior hold their finish for a count of three.” –Mitchell Spearman, founder of Mitchell Spearman Junior Golf Academy

TENNIS

For younger beginners

Future Stars Tennis

“As much as we love to hear that more and more young children are getting involved in our sport, I do feel obligated to warn parents not to put their child on the ball machine three hours a day to produce the next Roger Federer or Serena Williams. At an early age, the key is to make any activity fun. It’s far more important at this age to develop balance, agility, and coordination than the specific skills.” –Lawrence Kleger, director at John McEnroe Tennis Academy (Sportime NY)

“At this stage, the children should be developing hand-eye coordination and learning to move in different directions. Using the correct equipment for the children is helpful—small-size racquets, specially designed balls, balloons, lower nets, and other items that give the children an opportunity to succeed.” –Jordan Snider, director of Future Stars Summer Camps

“The best way to build basic hand-eye coordination is by tossing the ball underhand to your child and having them catch after one or two bounces. As the child progresses, the parent can begin tossing the ball away from the child to force the child to move their feet to catch the ball. Finally, progress to tossing and catching the ball in the air without letting it bounce.” –Gabriel Slotnick, tennis professional at Advantage Tennis Clubs

“Young children learning tennis for the first time must be introduced to the appropriate equipment. Nowadays, there are tennis rackets and tennis balls made specifically for children. A larger, decompressed ball is initially easier for the child to hit—generally, the younger the child, the bigger the ball. Finally, tennis nets and the tennis court playing area [also can be] shrunk and customized.” –Neil Friedman, founder of NFCH Sports

“For the 3- to 4-year-olds, it’s all about hand-eye coordination and simple muscle memory. A simple drill is to have them push the tennis ball with their racquet like a hockey puck. This will help them adapt their tracking skills.” –Reza Thompsett, director of tennis at Southampton Racquet Club & Camp

“Simple exercises on or off the court: 1) Bounce a ball to a child and have them try to catch it with one hand or both hands. 2) Have the child balance a ball on the racquet for as long as they can. 3) Have them walk while balancing the ball on the racquet from one point to another.” –Lisa M. Jones, head pro tennis director at East Hampton Indoor Tennis

For older tennis players

“For children ages 5 and older who have begun to play tennis, they can practice their forehand and backhand shots by having a rally with themselves. By standing in one spot and tapping the ball up with their racquet, alternating with their palm up and knuckles up, children will learn racquet and ball control and a sense of how the ball feels when it comes in contact with their racquet.” –Gabriel Slotnick, tennis professional at Advantage Tennis Clubs

“Kids should still be developing their basic athletic skills in a fun, challenging, and fulfilling atmosphere. As they get older and more accomplished in the specific athletic and technical skills needed for tennis, I would recommend parents find a junior academy or program that has a proven track record of producing high-level junior players. If an academy is churning out many top national juniors, chances are they know how to do it!” –Lawrence Kleger, director at John McEnroe Tennis Academy (Sportime NY)

“Once the child is introduced to his tennis racket, balls, net, and court space, children can be asked to do self-testing challenges that proceed in a logical progression. One of the first tasks we may ask young children to do is to hold the tennis racket with one hand so that the strings are facing upward and, with the other hand, hold the ball on the strings. Then, we ask that they balance the ball on the strings of the racket. Finally, they can try walking at the same time while balancing the ball on the strings of the racket.” –Neil Friedman, founder of NFCH Sports

“For the 5-year-olds, the biggest success is making contact on that first bounce. Start with dropping the ball by their side and swinging from low to high. As they get better, move to the other side of the net. The key is to keep it fun and entertaining so that juniors learn the game and play for life.” –Reza Thompsett, director of tennis at Southampton Racquet Club & Camp

“Technique becomes a greater factor, but it’s vital to remember that children at these ages cannot manipulate their bodies the way adults or older children can and therefore are not ready for technical analysis. These children are often still learning their left from their right. Activities that include throwing, catching, and running are all good building blocks for tennis.” –Jordan Snider, director of Future Stars Summer Camps

“Exercises for children with some experience: 1) While standing still, try to bounce the ball up and down with the racquet repeatedly. 2) When hitting the forehand or backhand, the most important thing is to turn to the side and get their racquet back. 3) For the follow through, finish the forehand or backhand stroke with the tennis racquet high and in front of them.” –Lisa M. Jones, head pro tennis director at East Hampton Indoor Tennis

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