The Art of Distraction

 When you're too frazzle that you give your kid a cup of dirt so you can drive in peace. 

Its the art of distraction or not!

Why teach our children how to bake?

Why try to teach our children how to bake? Baking is a creative process. You do something and you get something out of it. Either the baked food or the satisfaction of doing something good and yummy. It can  boost their self confidence that they can finish something worthwhile. 

Rewards and Bribes

 Is it okay to reward or bribe our kids?

I guess it depends, after my daughter helped shoveling the snow, a necessary but back breaking chore that even I don't particularly like, we allow her to play in the snow.

 

Start them Young

In most household, children are encourage to do some chores like to clean up after themselves, take of themselves like folding their own laundry, cleaning up their room, etc. How early can you start these kind of activities? I guess the earlier the better. 

Here's my daughter trying to clean up but seems to be getting so distracted.

 

Here's my nephew cleaning up and my sister encouraging him by giving him the dust pan. 

My sister is a tougher taskmaster than me. Wiping the floor does not seem enough, my cute nephew has to wipe the sofa too. 

When do we realize that its too early though? I guess when it doesn't work like when my nephew is trying to help tidy up by putting things in the closet but when he tried to close the closet and he can't, he took out some things only to remember I guess that he wanted to put stuff in the closet in the first place. 

Let our children help even if they are not yet that helpful or it's quicker to just do things ourselves. Think of the long term benefit of spending the time to help them learn how to help out around the house.

Bonding with my daughter through Art

Mothers and daughters need to just spend enjoyable moments together to bond. This provides us with precious memories and make us grow closer together that will help us in tough times ahead.Sometimes my daughter and I paint together at home or sometimes outside our home. The pictures and video below are taken in Mud Genius.

           

My daughter enjoys painting that she fills up our walls with her art works. 

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Visiting Jewish Children's Museum

We visited the Jewish Children's Museum at 792 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213 on the last day of Hanukkah January 1, 2017.

There are six exhibits on the third floor Exploring Jewish Life namely: 6 Days of Creation, Shabbat, Jewish Holidays, Kosher Supermarket, Kosher Kitchen and World of Good. On the fourth floor there are nine themes namely: Patriarch and Matriarch, Sojourn in Egypt, Early Years as a Nation, Land of Israel, Sages through the Ages, Alley of Courage, Jewish World Today, The Era of Messiah, and Noah's Ark Toddler Area. There are also Miniature Golf, Gallery of Games, and Rock Climbing Wall in the fifth floor. We made our own doughnut in the Family Eating Area in the second floor. My daughter even painted  Hanukkah in a canvas in the Lower Lever of the museum.

Visiting Hershey's Chocolate World

Visiting Hershey's Chocolate World at 101 Chocolate World Way, Hershey Pennsylvania 17033 is fun. There is a free ride during Hershey's Chocolate Tour. You can also do the Create Your Own Candy Bar experience and of course shop for your favorite chocolates.

Checking Out New York Renaissance Faire

We checked out New York Renaissance Faire in 600 NY-17A, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987 last Sunday, October 2, 2016 and it was entertaining. Lots of families came with their costumes.

Checking Out The Story Garden

We checked out the The Story Garden in 60 Morgan Road, Binghampton, NY 13903  on our way home from Niagara Falls. We were supposed to go to the Discovery Center of the Southern Tier  but it was closed because it was Memorial Day so we contented ourselves with the outside Exhibit of the Discovery Center of the Southern Tier.

Visiting Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is really amazing. Being in the  Maid of the Mist boat tour is so awesome. The long line  and long wait for the misty Cave of the Winds tour is really worth it.

Visiting the Sciencenter

We visited the Sciencenter at 601 1st St, Ithaca, NY 14850 on our way to see Niagara Falls during the Memorial Day weekend.

We Explore the Mars and Stars exhibits, looked at replicas of the human body at Health and Wellness exhibit. We browsed through the Saltonstall Animal Room. My daughter as fascinated with the musical stairs. We also checked out the Science playground outdoor.

Visiting Children's Museum of the East End

We usually go out on special occasions or holidays so on May 8, 2016, it's Mother's Day, we went to Children's Museum of the East End at 376 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton, NY 11932

Visiting Staten Island Children's Museum

We visited Staten Island Children's Museum at 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301

Visiting Bronx Zoo

We visited the Bronx Zoo at 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronz New York 10460 frequently since we are members. We usually go around Halloween time for Boo at the Zoo. We also visits during the summer because my daughter likes the camel ride and the shows.

Visiting Bushkill Falls

We  have been to Bushkill Falls twice already and it really lovely. There are several activities for the whole family, from hiking, paddle boating, mining gems for little ones, etc.

Visiting Legoland Discovery Center Weschester

We went to Legoland Discovery Center Weschester last year because of a discounted tickets shared by a long time friend we met through Queens Library program when my daughter was still two years old.

Apple Picking at Hanks Pumpkintown

Hanks Pumpkintown in 240 Montauk Highway, Watermill, NY 11976 was a good place to pick apples.

Visiting Children's Museum in Connecticut

We went to Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk, Connecticut on Mother's Day 2015.

The Holiday Train Show

I learned about the Holiday Train Show in The New York Botanical Garden from one of my Facebook friend's post and we thought of checking it out. We went on the last day on January 19, 2015 and it was so awesome! The artist Paul Busse and his team really did an amazing job of recreating New York City's landmarks out of bark and other parts of plants. I didn't reserve a time beforehand so we have to wait a bit before we can go in the Haupt Conservatory to see the Holiday Train Show.

 

We use the time to visit the Mertz Library which we learned is one of the and the largest, botanical libraries in the world, and to take the tram tour  My husband and I had to tell my daughter to imagine the flowers since the tour audio describe blooming flowers and flowering trees and yet all we can see are trees with no leaves, grass and rocks, typical of a winter landscape.

Last year, my daughter had a field trip in the  Everett Children's Adventure Garden so she gave her Daddy a tour of the Garden, sprinkle water on some plants inside the mini green house found in the garden, entertain us with her impromptu puppet show and play in the toy train found in the garden.

Visiting the Cradle of Aviation Museum

I can't believe we didn't know about Cradle of Aviation Museum in Charles Lindbergh Blvd.
Garden City, NY earlier. It's in the museum row in Garden, City, NY just a few building away from Long Island Children's Museum which we visited a number of times.

Watching Sea Monters in the Dome Theater is awesome! In some scenes we experienced the same feeling that we had during Soarin, a flight stimulator in Epcot. We went to the museum early so we had the Dome Theater to ourselves. We felt special, it's like chartering a whole theater for a great watching experience!

The Deep Sea: The Ride in the X-Ride Theater is not so bad either! The screen is not as big as the Dome Theater, but the motion of our ride compensate for it.

There are different models of planes and even a flight stimulator. My daughter crash the plane without even taking off the first time but the second time she tried it, she was able to do it. My husband kind of help with the pedal though since she too short to reach them with her feet.

The Junior Jet Club, an interactive play area for children up to six years of age is my daughter's favorite spot in the whole museum though. She built rockets using soft blocks, pretend to pilot a space shuttle cockpit, climb into space stations among other things. We will definitely come back again to this museum.