Kid-Friendly and Family Activities For Winter

Wondering about what do with your kids now that winter weather has finally arrived?  Here are a few suggestions of local activities to help!

1.   Parent Talk membership perks --  Don't forget your free or discounted access to numerous fun activities and events.  Along with PT's upcoming February free family swim at Goldfish Swim School, you can take advantage of discounts to fun places like Jump 'N Slide and free museum passes to Boston Children's Museum, New England Aquarium, Museum of Science, Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo.

Improv Boston's Face Off.  Photo credit: Ryan Kelly Coil.

 2. Boston Nature Center  -- Stories, crafts, and indoor nature activities are offered for several Tuesdays in January and February for kids aged 3 though 6.   Outdoor exploration is offered for kids aged 5 through 9 during school vacation.  Other area wildlife sanctuaries in the area to visit include Stonybrook Wildlife Reservation, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, Boston Nature Center & Wildlife Sanctuary, and Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary.

3.  Children's Museum in Easton --  Face painting and arts and crafts, along with pretend play with an archaeological dig, spaceship, train, fire truck and farmer's market are all located on three levels of a converted old fire station in a North Easton neighborhood.  Outside, there is a children's garden for milder temperatures.

4.  Ice skating at Frog Pond -- No list of winter activities could be complete without a mention of this Boston tradition!

"Frog Pond at Boston Commons" by Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

5.  Skiing/snowboarding/snowtubing -- Blue Hills, Nashoba Valley, Wachusett are a few local places to hit the slopes.

6.   Snowshoeing -- This can be a great, simple activity to do with the littlest ones.  The skill set needed is less complicated than other winter sports, as it basically involves walking in big shoes!

7.  Sledding -- Opportunities for finding a nice, gentle slope abound in the Metrowest.  Check out Boston.com's 40 great places to sled around Boston.

8.  Build a snowman and/or make a snow angel.

Snowman inspired by "A Stranger in the Woods" by Jim Sorbie

9.   Vacation programs/camps -- Exxcel Camps offer gymnastics, climbing, bungee, zip line, arts and crafts, games and circus art.  Hale Reservation offers both outdoor and indoor activities.  LINX offers a variety of activities over the February school vacation as well. 

10.   Snow painting -- Fill a squirt bottle with water and a few drops of food coloring, head outdoors, then squirt as you please in the snow to create some unique art.

11.  Indoor hide and seek  -- When temperatures are too cold to be out, playing hide-and-seek in the house with my three year old is sure to bring out peals of laughter, especially because we convert it into a game of tag once he finds me.

12.  Prepare a meal together followed by a movie  -- Everyone can get involved in dinner preparation before a family movie night.  Personal pizzas and build-your-own tacos can be fun and easy to prepare with individual tastes.  Salads are also quick, easy, and preparation is kid-friendly with washing, drying, and assembling various components.  End dinner with a bake-in-microwave mug cake for dessert while you sit back to enjoy a movie together.

"Parent-child cooking" by Alan Wat

13.  Family game night -- Tumbling tower games come in various sizes and types and can be fun for all ages.

14.  Staycation  --  Book a couple of days at local hotel and take a break from cooking, cleaning, and reminders of the long list of household tasks that await at home.  Meanwhile, you get room service, housekeeping, a heated pool, spa, massage and local touring in a new environment.  Getting out of the house, even locally, can give you a break from the daily grind.  My family has enjoyed staying at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, which I view as having five-star service and amenities in a low-key, non-fussy, relaxing environment.  We even brought our dog, under a pet-friendly policy.

15.  Improv Boston's Family Show -- This show is recommended for families with children aged 4 through 12.  Each Saturday, improv comedians create a fun show based on audience suggestions.

For more ideas, check out 11 Cold Weather Activities for Children that are Practically Free and
Keeping Kids Entertained in Cold Weather.  Enjoy the season!

About the Author
Darlene W. Cancell is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom and most recently, blog coordinator for Parent Talk.

Think of Summer and Mark Your Calendar for the 2nd Annual Summer Camp Fair

It might not feel like it yet, but summer is just around the corner. Here in Needham and surrounding towns, we have many options for summer activities for our kids, but sometimes there are too many options to choose from. Is a half-day program right for your kids? Do you need extended days? Are you looking for sports? Gymnastics? An overnight camp? Is swimming a must-have for summertime? Or, are you leaning more toward the artsy side of things? Where do you start?!? Fortunately, Parent Talk has taken some of the guesswork out of planning your family's summer.

On Wednesday, January 22 (snow date: Thursday, February 6), from 7-9pm, Parent Talk will host its Second Annual Summer Camp Information Fair. Summer camps will gather together in the Newman Elementary School cafeteria to meet with local parents and discuss summer options. Each camp will be assigned a booth where their representatives will distribute literature and answer your questions about their camp programs. Meeting face to face with the camp staff really makes a difference when choosing a program for your child, and the process is so much easier when they are all in one room! Best of all, everyone who attends the Camp Fair will walk away with an informational booklet packed with information about each attending camp.

Last year was the first time Parent Talk hosted this event, and it was even more successful than anticipated. Last year's fair hosted 28 camps and almost 200 parents, and this year is going to be even bigger with almost 40 camps attending! This year, the Camp Fair is also introducing more overnight camps into the mix, along with favorites from last year, of course. Best of all, this event is FREE, and there is no pre-registration required, so tell your friends, and come to the Camp Fair on Wednesday, January 22 from 7-9pm in the Newman Elementary School cafeteria (1155 Central Avenue in Needham).  See you there!

Questions? email ptcampfair@gmail.com

Image One photo credit: demandaj via photopin cc

In Need of a Date Night?

One of our sponsors, UrbanSitter.com, is co-hosting an awesome night out sweepstakes. Who couldn't use a night out on the town? This is your chance to win everything you need for a kid-free night out!

• $100 Gift card to Tea Collection for PJ's for the kids
• $100 Gift card to UrbanSitter.com
• Round trip transportation from Uber ($100 credit)
• Dinner for Two at Cinquecento
• One night stay at XV Beacon (up to a $500 value!!)

In order to enter, head over to Tea Collection to get in the running. There will also be some great runner-up prizes too. The contest ends Sunday November 10th. Winner will be notified via email.

We would love to see a Parent Talk member win this awesome prize. Good luck!

Simplicity Parenting Lecture Nov 6th

With so many choices for activities, events, and devices for children, we parents can be faced with a lot of pressure to do or buy more, more, more.  Not unsurprisingly, our kids may also feel the effects of this pressure and of being bombarded with so much activity and distraction.  We all have times when we yearn for a quieter approach to living, so we can avoid the stress of a hyper-speed schedule and the conflicts that we have with our over-stimulated kids.

 

Join us on Wednesday, November 6^th at the Newman Elementary School Auditorium to listen to Kim John Payne talk about how we can simplify our homes and our kids’ schedules, introduce more predictable rhythms to their lives and filter out stuff they might not be able to cope with. The results are calmer and happier kids who do better socially and emotionally, are more focused at school, find it easier to comply with family rules – and even become less picky eaters!  To register, please go here: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/7826239493/.

Purely Pears Homemade Baby Food Delivered Right to Your Door

Purely Pears is a new delivery service offering homemade baby food using local and fresh ingredients whenever possible. Want to give your baby the freshest food, but don't have the extra time to make it yourself? Parent Talk member and volunteer, Cathy Memory, got the opportunity to test out the service and shares her review below.

We kicked off the experiment with Petit Peas (just peas) thinking that a green vegetable would be the toughest to impress, ie. it would HAVE to be good for my lil 9 month old to like it. AND she did. She definitely liked it more than my own homemade pureed peas - possibly because of the uniformly smoother texture? I use a Cuisinart, but it's still not as smooth as theirs or the jarred variety. The bright green color was much more appealing than the jarred, store-bought organic option.

My daughter loved Carrot and Apple, Squash and Carrot, and ALL the fruit and vegetable blends. Peas with Cinnamon is an interesting/different combo. When I make babyfood I never think to add a spice, although I know some of the Earth's Best offerings do.

I tasted the Squash and Carrot myself and thought it tasted very fresh and very good. I also tasted the Purely Pears myself (just pureed pears) and it was DELICIOUS - like a pear dessert. Tasting and serving the food for several days made me wonder how the heck they could make it so much better tasting than my homemade - smoother texture aside - considering our ingredients would be the same.

My 3 day supply cost $32 for 9 large jars. You are paying a little more for superior quality, freshness, and convenience than say buying the organic off the shelf baby food.

I thought the hotel package offered on the Website was a great idea. I might take advantage of it if I was traveling to Boston from somewhere else. {Get a package of baby food delivered right to your hotel, including bib, spoon and bowls! Great tip to share with friends who might be visiting Boston.}

The delivery service was friendly and on time - even kept me updated on anticipated arrival time due to traffic.

To learn more about Purely Pears and their homemade baby food delivery service, head over to their website and take a look at their seasonal menu. Cathy was lucky enough to test out the baby food and all opinions expressed here are her own. 

Get Ready for Beach Season! Here Are Some Local Beaches to Visit

With the temperature finally rising, it’s time to start thinking about the beach! Here are some ideas for family friendly beaches in the Boston area:

Castle Island in Boston is a great shoreline beach spot with views of planes landing at Logan, beaches, walkways, and Fort Independence.

Crane's Beach is located in Ipswich and boasts four miles of white sand and gentle surf. Bath houses, lifeguards and a concession stand are onsite making it convenient for families but parking is expensive ($25 on the weekends) Spots are available if you arrive early enough and since beach stretches for miles it’s not hard to find a spot even on the most crowded beach days!

Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the Sea is a beautiful sandy beach with restrooms and a nice concession stand. The rocky cliff makes the beach feel like it’s part of the Maine coastline. Parking can be an issue but you can find limited metered spots in the nearby downtown area if you beat the crowds. Also, the commuter rail is just a short walk away, originating from North Station.

Duxbury Beach in Duxbury offers two beaches in one as the beach is a thin peninsula with a parking lot in the middle. Outer Beach offers a great spot for sun-bathing, walking and swimming. Inner Beach has protected clam beds, kayaking, a boat launch and some ideal bird-watching opportunities.

It’s also the perfect time to make sure you have all the gear you need for long days in the sun. Whether you’re poolside or spending the day at a local beach, being organized and prepared is the best way to ensure a happy day for all ages. Summer essentials include waterproof sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses. Fruit, granola bars, and individual packs of crackers are easy, portable snacks, and of course, you’ll want to bring plenty of water. Don’t forget to tuck in a magazine or book, and keep your cell phone accessible but out of direct sunlight. With a little bit of planning, you’ll have everything you need to stay safe and have fun this summer.

To see the Summer 2013 line of stylish, versatile SCOUT beach bags, totes, and coolers, check out Jennifer's Scout shopping website, or e-mail Jennifer Mingolelli at jenniepstyle@gmail.com. Readers who enter summer at checkout will receive a 10% discount and 5% of sales will be donated to the Parent Talk organization.

Boston's Best Baby Expo Highlights

Written by Emily Roach

This past week Magic Beans hosted the annual Drool Baby Expo in Boston at the Westin Waterfront Hotel. It's a night where you can touch, feel and play with all the latest baby gear on the market. Ever wonder how easy it is to fold up a certain stroller or travel crib? This was the chance to see what's new, trending and also visit with a number of local organizations like Tiny Signs, MyGym and Purely Pears.

image source: pnmag.com

I really liked the Magnificent Baby clothing line. The prints are cute and modern and the magnetic closure are so easy for middle of the night baby changes.

Click here to read more highlights of the Drool Baby Expo...

Thank you to Magic Beans for offering Parent Talk members a discount this year to the Expo!

Drool Baby Expo this Tuesday in Boston! Parent Talk discount too!

Here’s what you (and your friends) can look forward to next Tuesday night at the Drool Baby Expo:
· Meeting all of the biggest and best names in the baby industry
· Seeing the hottest baby products up close
· Taking advantage of many ONE NIGHT ONLY exclusive discounts and promotions
· Participating in a raffle with over $12,000 in prizes
· Noshing on yummy treats & mocktails provided by Magic Beans

Drool Baby Expo is being held on May 21 at the Westin Waterfront Hotel in Boston. Drool is an exclusive expo that lets you connect with all of the top baby brands and stock up on all of your baby needs in one place, with great deals and awesome freebies! At the event, you'll also get access to yummy refreshments, complimentary spa services and free entries to win over $10,000 in raffle prizes!

For any Parent Talk members who are interested in coming, you get $5 off of each ticket, by entering the promotional code ParentTalk5. More information, to purchase tickets, visit droolbabyexpo.com.

Here's a highlight of the 2012 Drool Baby Expo to give you and idea of what you will find at the event.

Finding Strength Together

For us, Patriots Day started out as it did for most families around Boston - excitement about the marathon and full of plans to take the kids out to cheer on the runners.  We couldn’t have imagined that the same day would end with phone calls, emails and Facebook status updates to confirm family, friends, friends-of-friends and neighbors were safe. As the sun set last night, we found ourselves saying a prayer for the families of those who didn’t arrive home safe after their marathon adventures.

As parents we are struggling with how to make sense – both for ourselves and our children- of such a senseless act. Especially one that happened so close to home, in our town, our backyard, our Boston.   No matter how we appear, we have all been affected, and our sense of security shaken. We must work to rebuild it and to reassure our children. If like us, you are not sure what to say or how to comfort the little ones in your life, we found this advice incredibly helpful. 

Today, our hearts and thoughts are with all the runners and families affected by yesterday's tragedy. Our community and our city is strong and we will get through this together. We want everyone in the Parent Talk community to know that our love and support is yours.

Mary & Kate

photo credit: Werner Kunz via photopin cc

Gluten-Free Dining In the MetroWest

Written by Katie Alwart

In June 2011, following the birth of my second child, I was diagnosed with celiac disease.  This falls into that rather long list of "things they didn't mention could happen to you following childbirth."  In short, celiac is an autoimmune disorder caused by an allergic reaction to gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye and oats.   The only effective treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet. 

Fast forward two years and I'm now surprised how easy it was to go gluten-free.  While many people are diagnosed with the allergy, many others have a gluten intolerance or have chosen to give up gluten as a lifestyle choice; which I think accounts for the blossoming market for gluten-free products.  Despite the occasional mad craving for a perfect grilled cheese sandwich, my total avoidance of gluten has been able to become a part of our life in a pretty straightforward way. 

Below are some recommendations on local restaurants and grocery stores with gluten-free options.  I hope that it is helpful if any of you are considering going gluten-free or have family visiting who can't eat wheat.  This is definitely an incomplete list and is based only on my own experience - so please let me know (katie.alwart@gmail.com) other great places that I've missed - especially those that can serve me that elusive grilled cheese sandwich.

Twist Bakery Cupcake

*  I'll start with my all-time favorite - Twist Bakery & Café.  Yes, yes, it is true they are in Millis, but if you are gluten-free it is well worth the drive.  Very cute little restaurant and 100% gluten free.

*  New Leaf in Needham Center (http://www.anewleafvitamins.com) has a ton of gluten-free options, including a lot of sweets.  I remember feeling really frustrated about the cookie/cake issue (meaning not having them!) and they have ones that are delicious.

*  Locally, Blue on Highland, Not Your Average Joes, PF Chang's, Stone Hearth Pizza (side note - they have gluten-free pasta, but for some reason it takes forever to make, so order it early upon arrival), Rice Barn, The Cottage, Met Bar and Bertucci's all have GF menus.  With the mainstream awareness of how many people are currently off gluten (estimates have it at 1% of the population with celiac and up to 30% of people trying to avoid it), most places are very familiar with how to handle gluten-free orders.  A friend who has a daughter who is GF has had good success asking restaurants to bring something for her daughter when they bring out bread (or to not bring bread out at all), which helps mitigate the fact that everyone else is eating something you can't.

*  In addition to many reasons why you might want to avoid McDonald's, they are pretty bad with gluten-free options.  There is nothing (except for a salad with no meat) that doesn't have wheat.  French fries - which are often a safe bet if fried with no other breaded products - are so often comingled with wheat products that they are also a no-go.

*  If you are looking for a fast(er) food option, Chipotle is pretty impressive in their ability to handle gluten allergies.  Every single one that I have been to has taken the allergy seriously, changed gloves and stopped and wiped down the production line without making it seem like a pain for them to do it.  Another family restaurant option is Pizzeria Uno - they have GF pizza that is pretty good (ask for them to make it well done - weird, I know, but tastes much better).  Other fast food options I would recommend are Five Guys Burgers and Fries and Boloco.

*  Trader Joe's not only has a list of gluten-free products they carry, but also have a special symbol on their packaging to make it easy to identify.  Star Market (particularly the one on Route 9, less so the one in Dedham) has a good selection, as does Whole Foods.  The only place that I've found has fresh, unfrozen bread all the time is Trader Joe's and Volante Farms.

*   Treat (http://www.treatcupcakebar.com/) is great - they typically have many options for gluten-free cupcakes. 

*  Abbott's in Needham Center (http://www.abbottscustard.com) is willing to work with GF customers on cakes and pies.  They made a friend a GF pumpkin custard pie for Thanksgiving. 

*  Wicked (http://www.wickedrestaurant.com/) is a great option in Dedham.  Most places only offer gluten-free options on their cheese and pepperoni pizza - you can get any pizza at Wicked gluten-free.

*  Lastly, I've had good experiences at pretty much all restaurants we have gone to in Boston, including recent trips to Bondir, Toro, Hungry Mother, No 9 Park, 5 Napkin Burger, Legal Seafoods.  I just did afternoon tea at the Boston Harbor Hotel and they replicated all of their sweet and savory treats gluten-free for me. 

Happy (wheat-free) eating!

Katie Alwart grew up in California and moved to Needham with her husband in 2009. She serves as Parent Talk's fundraising co-chair and happily houses the POD for PT's Used Clothing, Toy & Equipment Sale. She works in the fundraising department at MIT as the director of the MIT Charter Society.  If she had her way, her kitchen would be the least used room of the house.

Needham Ice Skating Options

Written by Lollie Weeks

Thermometers are being tested this week, “How low can you go?” and most pantries are stocked with cocoa and marshmallows -- ice skating season is in full swing.

A backyard ice rink is the ultimate in skating convenience – lace up and walk out your back door – but for many families the lack of a flat yard space makes that dream impossible.

Heck, even if you have a rink in your backyard, wintery cabin fever sometimes necessitates a field trip; a change of scenery is always nice.

Right here in Needham we have several outdoor skating options –

• §  Horsford Pond – Central Avenue, across from RTS, at entrance to Town Forest.
• §  Farley Pond -- South Street, 3/10 mile from Chestnut Street intersection, on right.
• §  Reservoir -- off Dedham Avenue, behind the Department of Public Works.
• §  Walker-Gordon Pond -- Charles River Street, 2/10 mile from Central Avenue, on right.
• §  Rosemary Lake -- Rosemary Street
• §  Sportsmen’s Pond -- Great Plain Avenue, between Central Avenue and Marked Tree Road, behind the brick building.

Horsford & Reservoir also offer lighting Friday thru Sunday and holiday evenings.

Before you head out, be sure to check the Town’s Skating& Sledding page for current ice depths, skating conditions & safety tips. When available, new information is updated after 3 p.m. The town also offers a recorded information line -- (781) 444-7212, press 6.

If you’re looking to get out of town, but not too far a drive --

Boston Common Frog Pond – “at the heart of Boston Common, one of America’s oldest and most treasured public parks”, offers public skating hours daily and skate rentals.

Jim Kirrane Ice Skating Rink – located at the top of the hill in Larz Anderson Park in Brookline, offers public skating sessions Thursdays thru Sunday and skate rentals.

When the mercury dips too low and wind chills make it feel downright arctic, there are plenty of nearby indoor skating options as well –

Babson Skate Center – on Great Plain Avenue in Wellesley offers public skating sessions Tuesday & Thursday mornings and Sunday afternoons, and skate rentals are available.

Jim Roche Community Ice Arena – on VFW Parkway in West Roxbury offers public skating sessions daily and skate rentals.

For a list of other rinks around the state, click here.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your hat & mittens and lace up those skates for a fun & affordable family afternoon on the ice.

Do you have a family favorite skating rink or pond that isn’t listed here? Please do share it in a comment below!

Lollie Weeks blogs about life in suburbia, her culinary adventures, Pinterest obsession, doughnut addiction and being a parent with ADD at The FortuitousHousewife. Her company, Weeks Web Marketing, helps small businesses navigate the ever-changing landscape of social media & internet-based marketing. She lives in Needham with her husband, two boys and a not-so-bright, but oh-so-sweet Border Collie.

photo credit: Thomas Hawk via photopin cc

YO GABBA GABBA! LIVE! GET THE SILLIES OUT! Tour in Boston for 2 Performances

Yo Gabba Gabba is coming to Boston! Catch the show this Saturday for some fun and laughs. The performance is at the Orpheum theater which isn't as overwhelming as some of the other shows in town. Enjoy!

The sillies are crazy little creatures that live inside of us and need to be shaken out! DJ Lance Rock and everyone’s favorite cast of colorful characters are calling all fans in Cincinnati to get ready to jump, shake and shimmy them out at the new live tour Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out!. Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get The Sillies Out! tour will visit more than 50 cities across the U.S. in 2013.  Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! is touring in support of their first national beverage launch, a new line of toys, a new line of kids sportswear and a DVD/ CD collectors' edition.

 

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! will have two performances at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston on Saturday, Jan. 26th (2pm and 5pm). CLICK HERE for ticket information for the shows. Tickets start at $23.50. VIP Party packages are available as well which include a ticket in the first 15 Rows, a pass to "Get the Sillies Out" in the private VIP room featuring a super fun party with the Gabba Gang (costumed characters) and more. Children under 1 year old do not require a paid ticket to sit on a parent's lap.

 

For a complete list of tour dates, cities and show times, and a preview of the show, visit www.yogabbagabbalive.com 

 

Yo Gabba Gabba! is an award-winning, live-action television series and live stage show whose unconventional formula has created a triple stacked fan base, making it one of the most popular entertainment properties among preschoolers, parents and indie music lovers alike. The television show, now in its fourth season, airs several times a day on Nick Jr.

 

Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: Get the Sillies Out! marks the third tour for the successful Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!concert series. The first tour, Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: There’s a Party in My City!, launched with a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and a performance at the White House in 2010.  Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE! 2010 tour played to sold out venues in 60 cities. Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!: It’s Time to Dance! enjoyed repeat success in 2011, energizing audiences across North America at over 120 shows.