Tristin + Tyler’s August Boredom Busters

By Tiffany Casanova

You’ve done this, seen that, traveled here, rode a bike there so at this point, you’ve probably exhausted your go-to list of local summer activities right? Wrong! Don’t let these last few weeks of summer go by without some local fun. Here are Trisitin + Tyler’s top 5 Boredom Buster Activities for August for you and your kiddos to enjoy.

Brooklyn Boulders – The Only Dedicated and Largest Indoor Rock: If your kiddo is literally bouncing off the apartment walls, take them to this Brooklyn spot where bouncing off the walls is…well…mandatory! This rock climbing facility boasts 22,000-square-ft of climbing surface! It’s a really fun way to get kids active, but the real bonus for us was that BB is a big confidence builder. When Tristin + Tyler first started climbing, they could barely come back down they were so frightened. After thirty minutes, they climbed up the walls and bounced back down like they’ve been doing it for years! brooklynboulders.com

Kids Design the World: We live in Riverdale, but we are definitely spending a ton of time in Brooklyn these days and one of our new favorite places to play is Kids Design the World. Not only does KDW offer kids classes in architecture and graphic design and allow toddlers to let their fingers do the walking in intro finger painting classes, their facility has a backyard play space families can enjoy for free, yes, I said free. kidsdesigntheworld.com

Ridemakerz: If you’ve got little speed demons in your life like I do, get your little guy or gal revved up with some serious motor skills (pun intended) at Ride Makerz. This shop located inside FAO Schwartz is the go to place for completely customizing your own model car. Making your own ride is especially cool because the team there helps “customizers” create their cars while focusing on some great core values: creativity, collaboration, confidence, choice and community. Great skills the kids can use for the new school year, and beyond! ridemakerz.com

Socrates Sculpture Park: If you can’t play outdoors on a rainy day, traveling to Long Island City’s Socrates Sculpture park is the way to go. Kids ages 5-13 can participate in free, creative workshops like making totes out of recycled plastic bags (yay! we love eco-friendly activities!), stamping patterns on fabric with fresh produce, yoga and more! There is also a free shuttle bus to take you from the park to other local attractions like the Noguchi Museum and the Sculpture Center. socratessculpturepark.org

museumcitynyFLIPBOOK — Museum of the City of New York

Museum of the City of New York: Even if you’re a born and bred New Yorker like me, there is always something new to learn about this big, busy city of ours. The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) has great free workshops for kids and expansive exhibits for us parents. Our favorite workshops have been related to MCNY’s City as Canvas exhibit, which features 150 pieces of graffiti and street art. This past weekend Tristin + Tyler learned to make graffiti flip books from scratch! Coming up, kids can decorate their own school supplies or design the MCNY sidewalk with chalk — and here’s a bonus: they offer kids a snack at each workshop! mcny.org

Tiffany Casanova is a native New Yorker, mom, lawyer, wife, and producer of two web series featuring her] twin sons, Tristin and Tyler. Visit tristinandtyler.com for more info!

New York Society of Play Summer Camp and Classes

Summer Game Camp There are many who do not feel safe sending their children back out into the world with summer camp, this year. To serve those parents and keep the children connected and stimulated during this challenging time, we are offering NYSP Digital Summer Camp. The name of the game with NYSP Summer Camp is community. We have made a large effort to make our camp feel like a living space, with features including &ndash; - Role-Playing games familiar and new, led by our master storytellers! - Enriching electives such as Chess, World Building, Character Acting, Crafts, Drawing, and more! - Discussion and media screening rooms during lunch! - A digital campus! - Moderated chat hours! &nbsp; Join us for a summer of games, friends, and more! Mon - Fri 10am - 2:30pm &nbsp; Roleplay Expeditions: Dungeons &amp; Dragons No experience is required to join one of our Dungeons &amp; Dragons games. Our game masters have pre-made character sheets, so you'll be able to start playing the game right away! We adapt the rules of traditional Dungeons &amp; Dragons to make them more approachable to children of various ages. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons &amp; Dragons workshop!&nbsp; &nbsp; Public games meet once per week, with different groups every time. Private games meet 1 to 2 times per week with the same group of kids. Since the players and the storyteller in the group are consistent, this enables us to tell epic tales of adventure together! &nbsp; Dungeons &amp; Dragons Junior No experience is required to join one of our drop-in Dungeons &amp; Dragons games. Our Dungeons &amp; Dragons Jr. game provides a D&amp;D storytelling experience without character sheets. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons &amp; Dragons workshop! A great way to introduce young children to D&amp;D so they can eventually move onto the main game.

The Wild Center

The Wild Center, nestled within the breathtaking landscape of New York's Adirondack Park, offers an unforgettable journey into the heart of nature. As visitors approach the Center, they are greeted by the Adirondack Mountains towering in the distance, setting the stage for an immersive adventure. Upon entering the 34,000-square-foot exhibit hall, guests are enveloped in a world of wonder and discovery. Interactive exhibits like Planet Adirondack and Climate Solutions invite exploration, allowing visitors to delve into the rich biodiversity of the Adirondack region. The indoor experience also includes an opportunity to soar on Birdly--a one-of-a-kind VR experience. Also, get up close with an animal ambassador during one of many live animal encounters throughout the day. In addition to its indoor exhibits and programs, the Wild Center also boasts 115-acres of extensive outdoor amenities. One of the highlights in the award-winning Wild Walk. Visitors walk up a trail of bridges to the treetops of the Adirondack forest, 40 feet off the ground. Along the way, interactive exhibits provide insights into the flora and fauna that call the Adirondacks home, from songbirds to black bears. The rest of the campus features more ways to explore. Check out Patrick Dougherty&rsquo;s Stickwork sculpture, an all natural installation of woven sticks that will spark your imagination and nostalgia. Immerse yourself in Forest Music, take a naturalist-lead canoe trip, or get your roll on with Raquette River Roll, a brand-new, oversized, all-natural ball run experience opening in June 2024.