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2019 / Archives for October 2019

Archives for October 2019

75 Day Trip Ideas Near Staten Island

October 28, 2019 By Jeannine Cintron

Need some inspiration for a quick family getaway? Here’s a mega roundup of day trip ideas that are a two-and-a-half hour drive (or less) from Staten Island. Return to your family’s favorite day trip and road trip destinations or try out some new ones! Be sure to contact each venue to learn about Covid restrictions and availability.

  • Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment
  • Zoos, Aquariums, Whale Watching, Petting Zoos & Animal Fun
  • Amusement Parks & Waterparks
  • Theme Parks for Families with Preschoolers
  • Family Resorts, Waterpark Resorts & Ranches
  • Museums
  • Beach & Park Destinations
  • Fruit Picking

Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

Wild Wild West City

Stanhope, NJ • 973-347-2355
wildwestcity.com/
Western heritage theme park recreating 1880’s life in Dodge City, Kansas, featuring
live-action shows, stagecoach, train and pony rides, and museum-quality exhibits.

Field Station Dinosaur

Leonia, NJ • 855-999-9010
fieldstationdinosaurs.com
Walk the trail and see 32 life-sized, realistic dinosaurs come to life.

RPM Raceway

Jersey City, NJ • 201-333-7223
rpmraceway.com/race
Features go-kart racing for drivers 4′ tall and up, plus arcade and billiards.

Diggerland

West Berlin, NJ • 856-768-1110
diggerlandusa.com
The only construction themed adventure park in North America where children and families can drive, ride and operate actual machinery.

TopGolf

Edison, NJ • 732-374-4097
topgolf.com
Giant golf facility with over 100+ climate-controlled hitting bays, Full-service restaurants, over 200 HDTV’s and more.

Crayola Factory

Easton, PA • 610-515-8000
crayolaexperience.com/
Explore and learn all about crayons and coloring, plus do art projects and see live demonstrations.

Legoland New York

Goshen, NY
legolandland.com
This brand-new Lego-themed indoor family entertainment center and vacation resort features rides, Lego build-and-play zones, a 4D cinema ninja training camp, robot play center and more.

GlowGolf

Garden City, NY • 516-747-3682
opryglowgolf.com
A glow-in-the-dark miniature golf and laser maze center located in Roosevelt Field Mall.

Palisades Center Mall

West Nyack, NY • 845-348-1000
palisadescenter.com
A four-level shopping center offering over 200 stores, 15 sit-down restaurants, a bowling alley, ice rink, the world’s tallest indoor ropes course, and more.

The Adventure Park at Long Island

Wheatley Heights, NY • 631-983-3844
longislandadventurepark.org
The largest forest climbing park in New York with 10 Trails, 15 zip lines, 5 difficulty levels, and over 140 challenge bridges.

Howe Caverns

Cobleskill, NY • 518-296-8900
howecaverns.com
Journey more than 150 feet below the Earth’s surface, where you’ll take a tour of an underground cavern six million years in the making. You’ll see stalactites and stalagmites, limestone formations, and the underground Lake of Venus.

Read Next | The Best Amusement Parks Near Staten Island

Zoos, Aquariums, Whale Watching, Petting Zoos & Animal Fun

Turtle Back Zoo

West Orange, NJ • 973-731-5800
turtlebackzoo.com
Featuring a multitude of animals, aviary, butterfly tent, shark and sting ray touch tank, endangered species carousel, treetop adventure course, mini golf and more.

Insectropolis

Toms River, NJ • 732-349-7090
insectropolis.com/
View and touch beautiful and bizarre exotic insects from all over the world.

Bronx Zoo

Bronx, NY • 718-220-5100
bronxzoo.com
The largest metropolitan zoo in the United States and one of the largest in the world, at 265 acres of park lands and natural habitats.

New York Aquarium

Brooklyn, NY • 718-220-5100
nyaquarium.com
Large aquarium featuring an aquatheater, sea cliffs, a new shark exhibit with over 115 marine species and more.

American Princess Cruise Whale Watching

Queens, NY • 718-474-0555
americanprincesscruises.comSpot whales and dolphins in the waters of Rockaway, Queens, New York. Kids can help crew members with official whale and dolphin count.

White Post Farms

Melville, NY • 631-351-9373
whitepostfarms.com
A petting zoo and animal farm, with exotic birds and aviary, inflatable water slides, pony rides, and a giraffe station.

Seaquest

Woodbridge Township, NJ • 732-283-2945
Trumbull, CT 203-502-8337
visitseaquest.com
Offers a unique petting zoo aquarium experience, and the chance to interact with various species.

Read Next | 15 Staten Island Museums That Are Great for Families

Amusement Parks & Waterparks

Crystal Springs Family Aquatic Center

East Brunswick, NJ • 732-390-6981
eastbrunswick.org/crystalsprings
Featuring splash pools for small children, two large pools for swimming, water slides and a lazy river.

The Funplex

Mt. Laurel, NJ • 856-273-9061
thefunplex.com
An indoor amusement park and outdoor water park with rides, arcade games, live entertainment and laser tag.

iPlay America

Freehold, NJ • 732-577-8200
iplayamerica.com
Featuring indoor rides, attractions, boardwalk games and one of NJ’s largest arcades.

Related | Aquariums Near Staten Island

Keansburg Amusement Park & Runaway Rapids

Keansburg, NJ • 732-495-1400
keansburgamusementpark.com
Beach-adjacent amusement park with rides, games, food, arcades, go-karts, plus a waterpark with 18 slides and a lazy river.

Jenkinson’s Boardwalk

Point Pleasant Beach, NJ • 732-892-0600
jenkinsons.com
Amusement park rides along the boardwalk plus aquarium, beach-adjacent, fireworks shows, games, mini golf, ropes course and more.

Six Flags Great Adventure & Safari

Jackson, NJ • 732-928-2000
sixflags.com/greatadventure
Featuring rides for kids of all ages and adults, shows, characters, a safari and animal attractions, and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor waterpark (which added its biggest expansion ever for the 2019 season).

Playland Park

Rye, NY • 914-813-7010
playlandpark.org
A historic amusement park, often referred to as Rye Playland, featuring rides for young kids and adults.

Luna Park

Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY • 718-373-5862
lunaparknyc.com
World-famous amusement park located on the boardwalk at Coney Island, featuring roller coasters, kiddie rides and more.

Read Next | 2021 Summer Family Fun Guide

Splish Splash

Calverton, NY • 631-727-3600
splishsplash.com
96-acre Long Island water park featuring 20 water slides, rides, and attractions, including two wave pools, a large Kiddie Area, a lazy river, and a tropical bird show.

Splashdown Beach

Fishkill, NY • 845-897-9600
splashdownbeach.com
Self-proclaimed “America’s biggest little water park” featuring waterpark with slides, rides, a wave pool & play areas.

Related | Top Water Parks For Families Near Staten Island

Hershey Park

Hershey, PA • 718-534-3900
hersheypark.com
Chocolate themed amusement park with rides for kids of all ages, plus a waterpark, games, a zoo, and chocolate factory tours.

Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom

Allentown, PA • 610-395-3724
dorneypark.com
A waterpark and amusement rides for little kids up to adults.

Whitewater Challengers

Lehigh River, Poconos, PA • 800-443-8554
Hudson River, Adirondacks, NY • 800-443-8554
whitewaterchallengers.com
White water rafting for families! Hudson River location has zip lining and paintball, plus white watrer afting for kids ages 7+. Lehigh Valley location offers family style rafting with kids ages 5+, plus camping, biking and more.

American Dream

East Rutherford, NJ
americandream.com
Join your favorite television characters at Nickelodeon Universe, the rink, and DreamWorks Waterpark.


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Theme Parks for Families with Preschoolers

Land of Make Believe

Hope, NJ • 908-459-9000
lomb.com
Waterpark and rides and attractions for children of all ages, even kids under 36″.

Storybook Land

Egg Harbor Township, NJ • 609-641-7847
storybookland.com
A nursery rhyme themed amusement park primarily for families with young children.

Dutch Wonderland

Lancaster, PA • 866-386-2839
dutchwonderland.com
“Kingdom for Kids” themed park with over 30 rides for kids of all ages plus water play area and live shows.

Sesame Place

Langhorne, PA • 215-702-3566
sesameplace.com/philadelphia/
Sesame Street theme park with rides for kids of all ages, as well as a water park, live shows, games, and characters.

Read Next | 7 Free Public Pools on Staten Island Your Family Will Enjoy

Family Resorts, Waterpark Resorts & Ranches

Mountain Creek

Vernon Township, NJ • 973-827-2000
mountaincreek.com
Waterpark and resort featuring 22 rides and world’s tallest double looping slide, as well as mountain biking and an aerial adventure park and ropes course.

Coco Key

Mount Laurel, NJ • 877-494-2626
mtlaurelcocokey.com
Indoor waterpark and resort for all ages plus an arcade.

Sahara Sa​m’s Oasis

West Berlin, NJ • 856-767-7580
saharasams.com
Indoor & outdoor waterpark and resort with rides and attractions for all ages, plus an arcade.

Great Wolf Lodge

Scotrun, PA • 800-768-9653
greatwolf.com
Indoor waterpark and resort for all ages plus characters and activities for kids.

Camelback Mountain

Tannersville, PA • 570-629-1662
skicamelback.com
Featuring Camelbeach outdoor waterpark, Aquatopia Indoor Water park, plus ziplining and other adventure rides.

Kalahari Indoor Water Park

Pocono Manor, PA • 877-525-2427
kalahariresorts.com
America’s largest indoor waterpark at 220,000 square feet, featuring water slides, spa, wave pool, lazy river, and toddler play area.

Split Rock Resort

Lake Harmony, PA • 800-255-7625
splitrockresort.com
Indoor waterpark perfect for the 12 and under crowd, featuring slides and a wave pool, plus resort activities like a movie theatre, bowling, arcade, mini-golf, sports, beach and lake activities and more.

Splash Lagoon

Erie, PA • 66- 3-SPLASH
splashlagoon.com
Waterpark resort featuring nine water slides, ropes course, lazy river, the largest wave pool in the Eastern United States, plus arcade, lazer tag and more.

Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark

Monticello, NY • 845-397-2500
thekartrite.com
Brand new resort set in the Catskill Mountains featuring the biggest waterpark in New York, covered entirely by the world’s largest texlon transparent roof.

Pine Ridge Dude Ranch

Kerhonkson, NY • 845-626-7345
pineridgeduderanch.com
All-inclusive resort located 90 miles from NYC featuring horseback riding, petting zoo, paddle boating, archery, fishing, sports and more.

Rocking Horse Ranch

Highland, NY • 800-647-2624
rockinghorseranch.com
Resort featuring indoor waterpark, horseback riding, mountain tubing, exotic wildlife exhibit, organized family activities and more.

The Country Place Resort

East Durham, NY • 518-239-4559
thecountryplace.com
Set in the Northern Catskills Mountain, the resort is home to the Zoom Flume Waterpark. Features activities for the whole family.

Villa Roma

Callicoon, NY • 800-627-8455
villaroma.com
All-inclusive resort offering year-round activities for families, including skiing, snow boarding, ziplining, pools, horseback riding, spas, shopping, nightlife, archery and more.

Museums

Liberty Science Center

Jersey City, NJ • 201-200-1000
lsc.org
An interactive science museum and learning center featuring multiple exhibits and the largest IMAX Dome theater in the United States

Newark Museum

Newark, NJ • 973-596-6550
newarkmuseum.org
Museum featuring planetarium, creative play, interactive galleries, science exhibits, fire museum, art collections and more.

Aviation Hall of Fame & Museum of New Jersey

Teterboro, NJ • 201-288-6344
njahof.org
View historic aircraft, air and space artifacts, photographs, fine art and an extensive model collection.

New York Transit Museum

Brooklyn, NY • 718-694-1600
nytransitmuseum.org
See a collection of vintage subway cars and retired buses, as well as other bridge, tunnel, and railway artifacts and memorabilia.

New York City Fire Museum

New York, NY • 212-691-1303
nycfiremuseum.org
Observe the history and cultural heritage of the fire service of New York and learn about fire prevention and safety.

Dimenna Children’s Museum

New York, NY • 212-873-3400
nyhistory.org/childrens-museum
The children’s wing of the New York Historical Society is targeted toward children ages 8–13 and uses interactive exhibits to make history fun.

Related | These NY Museums Will Offer Free Admission On Smithsonian Magazine’s Annual Museum Day

Intrepid Air, Sea & Space Museum

New York, NY • 212-245-0072
intrepidmuseum.org
Climb aboard the legendary aircraft carrier Intrepid, see the space shuttle Enterprise and the world’s fastest jets and a guided missile submarine.

New York Hall of Science

Queens, NY • 718-699-0005
nysci.org
Featuring over 450 interactive displays that explain science, technology, engineering, and math, plus a 60,000 square foot outdoor Science Playground and Rocket Park.

American Museum of Natural History

New York, NY • 212-769-5100
amnh.org
One of the largest museums in the world, featuring 45 exhibition halls, planetarium, and library, and a collection of over 33 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, human remains, and human cultural artifacts.

Madame Toussauds

New York, NY • 212-512-9600
madametussauds.com
Times Sqaure wax museum featuring life-like wax sculptures of the world’s most iconic musicians, A-list stars, sports legends, world leaders and more.

Books of Wonder

18th Street, New York, NY • 212-989-3270
84th Street, New York, NY 212-989-1804
booksofwonder.com
New York City’s largest and oldest children’s bookstore and the city’s leading specialist in children’s literature, featuring old, rare, and collectible children’s books and original children’s book art, as well as new titles for purchase.

National Museum of Mathematics

New York, NY • 212-542-0566
momath.org
Features exciting, interactive displays and exhibits that provide a place for children and adults of all ages to experience the excitement of math, with a special emphasis on activities for 4th through 8th graders.

Please Touch Museum

Philadelphia, PA • 215-581-3181
pleasetouchmuseum.org
Featuring highly interactive exhibits for purposeful play, with a collection of over 25,000 toys as well as toddler zones, a carousel, and imagination playground.

Baseball Hall of Fame

Cooperstown, NY • 888-425-5633
baseballhall.org
Relive the history of Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and women in baseball, and take in the new display of historic baseball cards. Kids can visit the Sandlot Kids’ Clubhouse, an interactive educational area devoted to Little Leaguers who want to learn about the big league.

Read Next | 16 Broadway Shows for Kids That are Reopening Soon

Sloomoo Institute Children’s Museum

New York, NY
sloomooinstitute.com
A celebration of slime, featuring interactive classes helping children to make and customize their own slime and shops to purchase.

The Slime Factory

Edison, NJ • 848 247 7769
theslimefactory.com
Children become scientists as they can experiment and customize their own slimes in the slime lab.

Beaches & Park Destinations

Point Pleasant

Point Pleasant Beach, NJ • 732-892-0600
pointpleasantbeach.com
Featuring arcades and games, beach, restaurants, Jenkinson’s amusement park rides & aquarium, live entertainment, and fireworks shows.

7 Presidents Oceanfront Park

Long Branch, NJ • 732-229-7025
Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park on the Monmouth County Park System website
38 acres including an activity center, a boating launch, fishing, a playground, swimming, sand volleyball, pavilion with snack bar, and restrooms.

Seaside Heights

Seaside Heights, NJ • 732-793-6488
Beach and boardwalk featuring Casino Pier amusement rides, Breakwater Beach waterpark, plus go-karts, mini golf, arcades, games and food.

Ocean City

Ocean City, NJ • 609-399-7082
Two and half miles of boardwalk containing family amusements like OC Waterpark and Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, plus the beach and free entertainment.

Sandy Hook

Sandy Hook, NJ • 732-872-5970
One of New Jersey’s most beautiful beaches, visitors can go fishing, birding, camping, boating, canoeing, have a picnics, take sightseeing tours and eat at local seafood restaurants.

Read Next |Family Road Trips From Staten Island

Wildwood

Wildwood, NJ • 800-992-9732
Featuring over 100 rides and attractions including Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Waterparks, Ocean Oasis Waterpark & Beach Club, Splash Zone Water Park, games, arcades, food, and restaurants.

Read Next | Six Flags Fright Fest Will Return to Six Flags Great Adventure This Year

Central Park

New York, NY • 212-310-6600
centralparknyc.org
So much more than just a park, there’s a zoo, live free shows, a carousel, kiddie rides (in the summer time only at the Wollman rink), playgrounds and more.

Coney Island

Brooklyn, NY • 718-373-5862
coneyisland.com
Amusement park rides for kids of all ages, games, food, fireworks shows, beach, live entertainment, New York Aquarium, ferris wheel, carousel and more.

Nautical Mile

Freeport, Long Island • 516-377-2200
longisland.com/freeport-nautical-mile
A lively, seaside destination featuring great restaurants, shopping, fishing boats, mini-golf and ice cream shops.

Bushkill Falls

Bushkill, PA • 888-287-4545
visitbushkillfalls.com
Known as “The Niagara of Pennsylvania,” Bushkill Falls is comprised of eight waterfalls within the Pocono Mountains accessible through scenic hiking trails and bridges.

Fruit Picking

Pick Your Own Fruit Farms Find farms near Staten Island and in New Jersey where you can spend a beautiful day picking fresh fruits, berries and veggies with your family.

Pick Your Own Peaches Check out the top five places to take your family peach picking this summer.


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summer camp kids
Read Next | This Is Everything You Need to Find an Amazing Summer Camp Program in Staten Island

Filed Under: Stuff To Do, Featured Articles, Family Fun Tagged With: day trips

Readiness for Kindergarten: A Parent’s Guide to Basic Skills

October 28, 2019 By Michelle Yannaco

In today’s more academic environment, much of the creative play and art activity that was once part of the kindergarten curriculum has moved down to pre-school classrooms or daycares, and children are expected to dive into reading and writing in Kindergarten from day one.
Parents may feel the pressure of greater responsibility to introduce learning in the home. In our fast-paced culture with both parents working, there may not seem to be enough hours in the day. The result? Parents feel stressed over the possibility their child isn’t ready for the rigors of classroom learning.

An Overview of Readiness Skills
Readiness for learning is more than just what a child can do with a pencil and paper. There are four basic readiness areas and corresponding entry-level expectations to help you assess if your child is well-prepared or if he or she can benefit from some extra support at home before entering Kindergarten. Young children are very adaptable and can learn new skills quickly when they’re introduced in a positive manner. Even a few weeks of practice on a certain skill will produce good results.

Social Readiness: Does your child…
• Have basic health and hygiene skills in place? (using the bathroom, washing hands, using a tissue, covering a sneeze or cough, etc.)
• Play well with other children, take turns, care about the feelings of others, share, cooperate, say please and thank you?
• Follow two or three step directions?
• Express feelings in a safe way?
• Clean up toys or work areas when it is time?
• Complete projects?
• Know his or her own full name, address, phone number?
• Know names of body parts?
• Know his or her own age and birthday?

Building emotional skills takes time and practice. Give your child simple chores to build responsibility. Give simple directions and support your child in completing the task. Talk about ways to get along with others and give reminders when necessary. Provide proper instruction for hygiene skills.

Reading/Writing Readiness: Does your child…
• Name and describe familiar objects in the environment?
• Speak clearly in complete sentences?
• Express thoughts or needs using words?
• Know children’s rhymes or songs?
• Recognize words that begin with the same sound?
• Recognize and name most of the letters and identify their sounds?
• Know the parts of a book—cover, title, pages, words, pictures?
• Enjoy listening to stories?
• Write his or her own name?
• Say the alphabet?
• “Write” a story using pictures or some letters?
• Hear parts of words (syllables) such as birth day?

Reading and writing skills are extremely important to learning. Your child should hear stories read aloud every day and take part in the process at an ever-increasing rate. Ask questions as you read. Have your child make predictions and see if they were right. Point out simple words and talk about unique words in the text. Allow a child to retell a story in his or her own words.

Provide lots of writing supplies. Pictures will evolve into approximated letter shapes. Standard writing will soon follow.

Physical Readiness: Does your child…
• Cut well with scissors?
• Hold and use a pencil?
• Tie his or her own shoes?
• Draw and trace basic shapes?
• Bounce a ball and catch a ball?
• Ride a tricycle or bicycle
• Enjoy running, jumping and climbing?
• Hop, jump, skip?
• Sit still and focus on a story or other group activity?

Materials to help grow physical skills related to learning include crayons, markers, pencils, glue, scissors, paper and paints, puzzles, building toys such as Legos and blocks.
Encourage your child to run and play out of doors. Playing ball, using playground equipment and other outdoor physical activities will build skills.

Math Readiness: Does your child…
• Count to ten or twenty?
• Count objects accurately?
• Identify the numbers 1-10?
• Identify common shapes?
• Match simple shapes?
• Use words to describe objects by size, shape, color or other traits?
• Understand the ordinal numbers: first, second, third?
• Understand that problems may be solved in more than one way?

Math skills can be done orally. Count the animals you see while riding in the car. Count how many blueberries there are in the bowl. Simple games such as matching and sorting games build math concepts. Supplies such as magnetic numbers, objects such as small plastic toys for counting—all contribute to building math skills.

Jan Pierce, M.Ed., is a retired teacher and reading specialist. She is the author of Homegrown Readers and Homegrown Family Fun. •  www.janpierce.net.

Filed Under: School, Camp and Education

This Is How Teens Socialize the Age of Social Media

October 28, 2019 By Christine Albano

Teens and pre-teens on Staten Island are socializing with their friends in a variety of ways – actively through traditional sports, afterschool clubs, and social excursions, and virtually by using communications apps designed to simulate a get-together even when they are miles apart.

Technology has provided no shortage of options when it comes to teenagers spending time with their friends — hence the popular social media explosion that has taken today’s generation of teens by storm.

A recent survey of American teenagers ages 13 to 17 found that teens have shifted their favored social media platforms and are now most likely to use Instagram and Snapchat to socialize and communicate. A total of 76% of the teens use Instagram, and 75% use Snapchat, according to the April 2017 study by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Donna Harkins of Westerleigh said Snapchat is her 17-year-old son Thomas’ most popular means of social networking, and socializing with friends, followed by Instagram.

“With a cellphone, he very rarely uses his computer for social media,” she said. “It seems that his phone is constantly dinging from one friend to another, all the time. Constant group chats, either via text messages or Snapchat.”

While statistics on social media usage are high, Staten Island teens aren’t glued to their computer, tablet, or mobile cell phone screens 24/7 – though it sometimes may seem that way, according to some Staten Island parents. Some of them vlogged daily, but that didn’t seem to take a large chunk of time from their daily schedules. Even semi-professional YouTubers who boost their social media following by getting youtube subscribers from a good company, still find time to do their chores and run errands according to data available.

Denise DeMorato of Tottenville said her three kids all use social media to socialize — but balance that with different physical activities and hobbies that run the gamut depending on their age range.

Her 12-year-old daughter, Marissa, hangs out with friends at a nearby deli for a short time after school two to three times a week, while on weekends she goes to the mall or movies, roller skates, plays basketball, or has sleepovers where they watch TV or listen to music on the music app Spotify.

Using Instagram and Snapchat on their phones is the most common and frequent way her kids socialize with their friends.

Her 16-year-old son, Matthew, uses social media the least, but works a lot and hangs out with his girlfriend, plays handball or football with his friends, and uses his bike or scooter occasionally for transportation purposes rather than socializing. Andrew, 19, puts on wireless gaming headsets and plays games with friends on Xbox “until crazy hours” of the night, or goes to restaurants and diners in large groups of friends, according to Mrs. DeMorato.

“I think the biggest difference is that with the technology and use of social media, everyone knows where everyone is, with who, and what they are doing,” Mrs. DeMorato said.

Texting and using the Facetime app are daily socializing rituals for Christine McAlpin’s sons, who range in age from 12 to 20.

But, they also use the social media platforms in addition to being active on sports teams at school, hanging out at fast-food restaurants, or friends’ houses to socialize.

Matthew, 12, rides his bike a few times a week in his Richmondtown neighborhood and hangs out at his friends’ houses on the weekends. Timothy, 17, gets together at friends’ houses only a few times a month, while Donald, 20, visits friends’ houses when he’s home from college, she said.

Meanwhile, technology leads other Staten Island teens to socialize on video gaming systems – which have options to communicate while wearing a headset, and play games live against friends and other gamers while online.

For some, including Ms. Harkins’ son, this is a hardcore means of socializing.

“It seems like it’s all the time that he is on his headset with his Xbox,” she said. “On a weekend when the weather is bad, he comes out of his room to eat and go to the bathroom.”
Besides socializing through gaming systems, he also socializes in school, at the gym, on his cell phone using apps, like Facetime, or meeting friends at the mall or movies.

“He’s a gym rat now, so he and ‘the guys’ go almost every day after school,” she said.
At the same time, he is also a newly-licensed driver who is “constantly going out to grab something to eat,” his mom said.

During football season, her son meets at friends’ houses to watch their favorite team on TV – or play Xbox – depending on schoolwork.

Virginia Bilotto said socializing through video games is the way her three sons interact with friends, and how many of their plans to get together are made.

“They will be on the game and decide to go to someone’s house or to a movie,” said the Castleton Corners resident and mom to sons Michael, 20; Daniel, 16; and Matthew, 14.
While her children, who also include daughter Jacqueline, 22, communicate and post on social media, they don’t use it often to actually socialize.

“They do seem to use Snapchat a lot,” she said. “They may use other social media in an attempt to contact someone or see what friends are up to,” she added. They are more likely to text friends individually or in group texts, she said.

“My children socialize mostly by going to someone’s house,” she added, where they play sports, watch a movie, play video games, or go swimming – mostly during summer vacation. They also participate in school clubs and organizations, such as sports and extra-curricular activities, like drama or Boy Scouts, or a pastime like bowling.

While Staten Island teens are socializing through a balance of traditional activities and technological advancements, parents agree there should be a wider range and more affordable options here for teenagers so they can rely less on social media to supplement their free time and learn how to communicate and socialize face to face — the old-fashioned way.

Read Next | How to Talk to a Depressed Teen

Parents like Ms. Harkins, recalled their childhoods filled with many old-fashioned, creative, or simple, cost-free activities that built social skills, friendships, and memories.

Ms. Harkins remembers when she “jumped on a bike, rode to a friend’s house, rang a doorbell to see if they could come out,” she said. “If not, you went on to the next house and so on. If you were lucky and you were able to get everyone out, it was a game of manhunt, kick the can, stickball, and street hockey.”

Others said there could be more options to entice teens off of their devices to become more active and engaged in traditional socializing methods.

“There are not enough places for them to socialize without it costing money or looking like they are a gang of kids causing trouble,” McAlpin said. “When I was a teen, we walked far distances around the neighborhood and sat in front of each others’ houses,” she said. “Today my kids think it is crazy to walk far distances or hang out outside.”

Ms. Bilotto agreed that socializing has taken on a whole new meaning thanks to social media and technology. “Some children are so connected to devices from such an early age, that they don’t even know how to have a conversation with someone,” Ms. Bilotto said. She grew up in Richmondtown where spending the afternoon running through the woods, or skating on ponds in the winter rivaled no other way of socializing.

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“No one really wanted to be inside,” she said. “There wasn’t a lot to do. If you were inside, you were listening to music, playing a game, or reading a book.”

“I think part of the problem today is that so many parents have to work and they don’t want their kids outside when they are not home,” Ms. Bilotto explained. “It’s just not as safe anymore. Our parents weren’t afraid to let us out — they wanted us out. We met up at the schoolyard; you knew when to be home,” she added.

A typical Friday and Saturday night for Ms. Harkins and her friends would include rollerskating in the street with a radio until the lights came on.

“Unfortunately, most kids these days will never experience staying out until your name is called from the front steps of your house, where it echoed through the neighborhood,” Ms. Harkins said.

By Staten Island-based writer Christine Albano, who is a mother of three teenagers who all socialize via Snapchat, and enjoy spending days at the beach in the summer. Her sons, 19 and 15, use Xbox, and PlayStation, and enjoy playing and watching sports; while her 13-year-old daughter enjoys hip-hop and lyrical dance, ice skating, and hanging out at the mall.

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Filed Under: Family Fun

Grilling Great Veggies

October 28, 2019 By Michelle Yannaco

One of the highlights of the summer season is the incredible bounty of fresh produce. Grilling vegetables gives them a smoky, delicious dimension. Here are some expert tips for for flavor perfection:

• When preparing vegetables, slice them to expose as much of the vegetable to the grill surface as you can.
• Coat vegetables with olive oil before placing them on the grill. This will help prevent them from sticking to the grill.
• Use the right tool for the job. Accessories like grill toppers and skewers are perfect for keeping smaller foods like cherry tomatoes and onions from rolling around or falling through the grate.
• Don’t leave vegetables unattended. Vegetables are delicate and can easily overcook if not monitored.
• Grill extras. Leftover grilled vegetables are great in soups, salads, sandwiches and on pizzas and pasta.

Grilled Zucchini Rolls
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3 medium zucchinis, sliced 1/4-inch thick, lengthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces soft goat cheese or cream cheese at room temperature
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, oil-packed and minced
1 teaspoon oil from the sun-dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1. Preheat the grill on medium. Brush both sides of sliced zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on the grill and cook for 4 minutes per side. When cooked, set on a wire rack to cool.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cheese, salt, pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, oil and thyme.
3. Using a small spatula, spread the cheese mixture thinly over one side of the zucchini. Lightly roll the zucchini, and place seam side down on a small, parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place baking sheet on top rack of the grill for 15 minutes. Remove to a platter and serve.

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Balsamic Vegetable Skewers
20140601-294502-balsamic-vegetable-skewers-thumb-625xauto-404138

For the Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh juice from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic (about 2 medium cloves)
2 teaspoons DIjon mustard
2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Skewers:
1 large zucchini, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cut into 3/4-inch slices
1 large yellow squash, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cut into 3/4-inch slices
1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch cubes and separated into 3-layer segments
2 medium red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch squares
1 pint grape tomatoes

1. For the Vinaigrette: Whisk together balsamic vinegar, oil, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, and thyme in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Place all vegetables in a large bowl, add vinaigrette, and toss to coat.
2. For the Skewers: Skewer vegetables, alternating between zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Reserve any remaining vinaigrette in bowl.
3. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over entire surface of coal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Grill skewers, turning, until vegetables are browned around the edges and beginning to soften, 5-8 minutes total. Transfer skewers to platter and spoon on reserved vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
~From seriouseats.com

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Filed Under: Recipes and Food

3 Tips to Stop Mosquitoes from Ruining Summer Fun

October 28, 2019 By Michelle Yannaco

No one makes it through summer in Staten Island without at least a few mosquito bites. Not only can mosquitoes be a biting nuisance, but they can also cause allergic reactions in some people and pets. Certain species can spread dangerous illnesses such as dengue fever, West Nile virus and Zika virus.

Minimizing mosquito threats in your yard is of primary importance during summer months, but your outdoor decor and landscaping actually may be attracting mosquitoes. Dr. Mark Beavers, Orkin entomologist, recommends these tips for keeping mosquitoes at bay this summer.

Minimize Standing Water

Mosquitoes only need a thimble-sized amount of stagnant water to reproduce. To reduce mosquito breeding areas, Beavers recommends checking backyards for stagnant water in bird baths, under potted plants and even in your pet’s water bowls. By refreshing water often or eliminating standing water sources, you can reduce the number of places mosquitoes can reproduce, according to Beavers. If a backyard pond is part of your decor, make sure the water is circulating properly.

Plant Smart

Backyards are often filled with places a mosquito can hide, reproduce or feed. Planting smart and keeping vegetation growth in check can cut down on the number of mosquitoes in your yard. Be sure to trim, prune, weed and mow often to keep vegetation under control because mosquitoes love to hide in damp, dark places.

Think carefully about where you place flowers and plants in your backyard so they don’t attract mosquitoes to the places you sit or entertain. Flowering plants can offer a delicious meal for female mosquitoes that need to feed on flower nectar between blood meals. Plants like Bromeliads that trap water in their leaves can also be a prime place for mosquitoes to breed.

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Turn on the Fans

According to Beavers, another trick is to use mosquitoes’ weaknesses against them. Most mosquitoes are poor flyers, so a simple deterrent is to make it difficult for them to fly. Consider installing a fan on your deck or patio, or even bring a portable fan outdoors.

Also remember your backyard basics: clothing and repellents. Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors, so keep your summer wardrobe light and breezy. Loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants are typically your best bet. Mosquitoes can bite through tight-fitting clothes made of materials like spandex. Keep your scented body sprays and perfumes to a minimum, as mosquitoes can be attracted to strong smells. When you’re heading outdoors, don’t forget to apply a topical repellent spray approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

By taking these simple steps this summer, you can minimize mosquito populations in your backyard and stop mosquitoes from meddling in your summer fun. Visit Orkin.com for more pest prevention tips or to bring in a professional to assess your pest protection needs.

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Filed Under: Family Fun, Summer

Is It Tattling or Telling?

October 28, 2019 By Michelle Yannaco

Screen Shot 2017-08-23 at 2.46.25 PM

“John just took my train! I had it first.”

How many times do our children run up to us to share a grievance toward another child? Generally these complaints involve rules that have been broken. We spend a lot of time teaching our kids “the rules” — use your inside voice, share your toys with your friends, keep your hands to yourself, etc. The list goes on. It’s natural for a child (and even us adults) to want to call attention to perceived rule breaking, but “Do not tattle” can also become a new rule for your child to follow.

Why rules work
Rules are important because kids tend to be egocentric, focused on their own experiences and perspectives. It can be difficult for a young child to put himself in another child’s shoes and think about the way his actions affect that child.

For this reason, it’s much more effective to tell your young son that he needs to let his friend have a turn using his toy rather than explaining to him that his friend is feeling disappointed because he’d like a turn. Even though your child may see that John is upset that he hasn’t had a chance to play with the toy, he will more easily understand that John should get a turn because sharing is the rule.

So, until your child begins to develop empathy skills, guidance and rules are the most effective methods of keeping order. Tattling can become one of those rules, even if it’s a tricky one to master.

Why kids tattle
Rules work well with young children because their cognitive and moral development allows for mastering a set of simple instructions, and they are motivated to receive praise from adults for following them. For these reasons, kids usually believe it’s the right thing to do to tattle on kids who break the rules. Kids may even think that they are being helpful when they tattle, and might expect praise for it. Tattling is a natural response to learning about rules, but your child can learn that it is not necessary in every rule-breaking situation.

Keep in mind too that sometimes children tattle for other reasons beyond rule breaking, such as getting attention from grownups or because they want a peer to get in trouble. This leads to a complicated situation: Children need an explicit rule not to tattle on other children … and an understanding that we do want them to report some rule violations to adults. We should always keep in mind how illogical this may seem to young children when we start thinking a child should intuitively know when to tell and when not to tattle.

When is it tattling?
A child who has been drilled to follow rules takes them very seriously, leading them to tattling on friends and siblings no matter how minor the misbehavior. However, there are some simple ways to help your child understand the difference between tattling and alerting a grownup when an important rule is being broken.

1. Understand the difference
Tattling is reporting a peer’s wrongdoing, when the situation is safe and the child can handle it herself.
Telling is alerting adults that the situation is not safe and/or your child needs help managing the situation.

Tattling to get a peer in trouble can be mean-spirited.
Telling to protect a peer from harm is civic-minded or showing concern for others.

2. Give children tools and words
Children may be able to solve a minor problem themselves if they can identify the problem and use their words effectively to express their frustrations. As situations arise, help him or her figure out ways to approach a similar situation in the future. For example, if your child is being rushed at the water fountain, he can say, “It’s my turn” to the child who is being impatient. If someone calls his friend an unkind name, he can say, “That’s my friend. Don’t talk to him like that!” But if it keeps happening, or the bully is a bigger kid or is being scary, then it’s time to tell the teacher.

3. Give concrete examples
Tattling: “He touched my lunchbox!”
Telling: “She took my lunch!”

Tattling: “She took one of the blocks I wanted to use!”
Telling: “He pushed the block tower on top of me!”

In the tattling examples, neither scenario caused an unsafe situation and might have been solved if children used their words to talk through the problem. However, in both of the telling examples, there is potential for a harmful situation that would best be resolved by an adult – making sure each child was able to eat lunch and making sure no one was hurt from a falling block tower.

4. Give reminders
The first few times a child tattles, grownups should gently remind children of the difference between tattling and telling: tattling is not necessary, but telling is. “If someone is about to be hurt, tell me. If no one is being hurt, try to work it out among yourselves.”

When children are young, tattling behavior can be effectively shaped by adults’ responses to the tattling. A child who tattles can be reminded that the perceived rule breaking harmed no one and to return to play, whereas a child who tells can be rewarded for looking out for his peers. As children get older and continue developing social skills, they’ll begin to use these social and problem-solving skills to avoid tattling, but also understand that being a good friend means involving adults when more help is needed.

By Jamie M. Howard, PhD, a clinical psychologist in the Anxiety and Mood Disorders Center and the director of the Trauma and Resilience Service at the Child Mind Institute.

Filed Under: Family Fun

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