• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SI Parent

Solutions For Parenting In Staten Island

Get Weekly Activities
Emailed To You
Subscribe
  • Connect With SI Parent:
  • Things To Do
  • Directories
    • After School
    • Birthday Parties
    • Summer Camps
    • Pre-School & Daycare
    • Health and Wellness
    • Special Needs
    • Home Improvement
  • Articles
    • Featured Articles
    • Positive Parenting
    • Stuff To Do
    • Coronavirus
    • Babies and Pregnancy
    • Special Needs Articles
    • Recipes and Food
    • Health and Safety
    • School, Camp and Education
    • Richmond University Medical Center
  • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Birthday Club
  • Advertise With Us
  • SI Parent Guides
Archives for 2020

Archives for 2020

Should Kids Be Playing Outside?

April 1, 2020 By Michelle Yannaco

With the COVID-19 quarantine keeping folks homebound while springtime weather beckons outdoors, we’re wondering how parents are coping with keeping kids inside all day. Everyone needs a little fresh air, especially children! So we asked our friends on Facebook if they are letting their kids play outside regularly. It seems the majority of parents are still allowing for outdoor play, but with tight restrictions. Here are some of the responses from fellow Staten Islanders:

“We go for walks and ride bikes. Problem is when neighborhood kids see us, they right away come to play. I don’t want to seem rude so I tell kids it’s time to go up. I feel for these kids. I allow them to ride bikes together but once they want to sit and chat, I say no.” —Christine L.

“We’ve been hanging with a neighbor for occasional b-ball and walks. My teen is allowed to go out for walks with a few friends and no more than 3-4 in the basement after proper protocol. Hand sanitizer when entering, straight to bathroom to hand wash (as long as no one is coughing, etc.) then after they are gone I go down and spray Lysol on everything.” — Christine C.

“They ride bikes in front of house with me there. We schedule it from 5-6 daily. We wave to people and smile but don’t talk. But we do yell conversations across the street to our neighbor.” —Christine H.

“We go outside but no parks. We went for a walk in our neighborhood yesterday. It felt great. Fresh air.” –Heidy S.

“We play in the backyard and take neighbor walks, adding in some learning activities with chalk, bubbles, water play, nature, etc!” —Nicole A.

“Only in our yard or for walks with the dog. No parks. No getting together with friends, etc. Staying cautious.” —Annemarie R.

“Out in the backyard. Little guy loves walking on the beach – which is great – but parks are nearby, which he’d want to go to. He has autism, and telling him NO is a huge trigger.” –Dawn V.

“No. My kid is staying inside, except for a short walk around the block. And no, FaceTime is enough for know. We need this to be over sooner than later.” –Nilda N.

“Just either in our yard or right in front of the house. I have 4 kids so they keep each other company. No play dates with other kids.” —Christina S.

“This is when having close age siblings came handy. They play basketball outside, or there’s no rain we may go biking (but not at business hours, as I am hooked with work), or backyard dryland practice.” –Elena P.

“We have a big backyard. So my kids are playing outside. But it’s just them and me.” –Cathy A.

“I let them play outside in front of the house but maybe for 30 minutes. They can’t stay cooped up in the house forever.” —Michelle S.

“No playgrounds. Only in our yard, across the street from our house is a big open field- sports/exercise. Not around any people. Riding bikes around the house, again where there aren’t any people….hiking in the woods- away from all people.” –Sheena M.

“Walk by beach– not a problem since people seem to be staying away from others ( social distancing) or backyard. If noone in basketball courts at beach we ll play. But if more people come we leave.” –Stacey E.

“I let him ride his bike with neighbor. Kids can’t be cooped up inside all day.” –Dana A.

“We go for walks every day & on trampoline in yard!”–Ginger S.

“We are going to the boardwalk and beach twice a day & keeping distance from people.” –Oksana S.

Be sure to visit our Facebook page daily to comment on hot topics, advice, funnies, inspiration and more!

Filed Under: Featured Articles, Coronavirus

100 Craft Projects

March 30, 2020 By Michelle Yannaco

With so many people across the country stuck inside due to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, parents are in need of easy and fun things to do with their kids now more than ever before.

Michaels to the rescue! The popular arts and crafts retailer just released an incredible list of 100 different projects that can be made using the same 10 items. Yes, you read that right – if you have these ten items on hand you can keep your kids crafting for days on end!

You can find the 10 items – which includes standard supplies like yarn, wiggle eyes, craft sticks, pipe cleaners and paint – and the various projects they make online HERE.

You can view the extensive list of craft projects HERE.

All of these can be purchased online at Michaels.com for delivery or the craft retailer’s newly launched curbside pickup. To use the new curbside pickup, simply order online with Buy Online Pick Up in Store and Michaels will email you when the order is ready. Then, when you arrive at your local Michaels, just give the store a call and a team member will bring your items right to your trunk.


Wanna read more stuff like this? Get our newsletters packed with ideas, events, and information for parents in Staten Island.

Filed Under: Featured Articles, Coronavirus, Family Fun

Now’s the Time to Teach At-Home Nutrition

March 25, 2020 By Michelle Yannaco

With a lot of parents facing the challenge of keeping housebound kids happy and healthy, this is the perfect time to teach kids the basics of nutrition and eating right.

Consider these simple suggestions from Melanie Marcus, MA, RD, health and nutrition communications manager for Dole Food Company.

  • Healthy Snack Time Taste Tests – Sometimes it feels like kids can snack all day long on easy-to-grab crackers, chips or cookies. Next time they reach into the snack pantry, try incorporating a taste test or food critic activity to encourage something different and more nutritious.
  • Purposeful Playtime – Many households have a play kitchen or some kind of play food. Use this as an opportunity to act out how to create a healthy kitchen with activities like making salad, setting the table, peeling bananas and washing dishes. This can help young children become more independent, learn what to expect and grow into little helpers at family mealtime.
  • Sensory Activity – One idea that can work for school and at home is making a sensory box. Simply place a fruit or two inside a tissue box and have children put their hands inside then try to guess which fruit it is by feeling it.
  • Recipes for Fun – If you’re preparing a meal, it could be a good time to teach children of reading age how to review a recipe. Evaluating ingredients to learn how food transforms from raw to cooked or how a dish is created can help kids learn kitchen skills. For example, try this fun, fruity recipe for Kids with Almond Toast.
  • Food Groups Focus – Get kids involved in making dinner by setting a rule that each food group must be represented. Give them a warmup activity by asking which food groups are found in family favorites like chicken soup, lasagna or meatloaf. Asking kids to guess which ingredients are used in these dishes and identifying which food group each ingredient belongs to can help them understand dietary balance. Find more at-home tips in the free, downloadable Healthy Eating Toolkit from the nonprofit organization Action for Healthy Kids.
  • Reading Time – From food labels to children’s books to cookbooks, there are plenty of reading materials to choose from that reinforce healthy eating habits. Exposing children to fruits and vegetables outside the kitchen is a subtle way to show that nutritious ingredients are part of everyday life.
  • Explain the Bathroom Routine – Make sure to wash hands and explain that this is a way of washing away germs to stay healthy. Also explain why brushing teeth is important by reminding children that food can get stuck in teeth and cause cavities.

Find more kid-friendly recipe ideas at dole.com

“Kids” with Almond Toast

Total time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

  • 4          slices whole-grain bread
  • 6          tablespoons unsalted almond butter
  • 2          teaspoons honey (optional)
  • 1          DOLE®  Banana, peeled
  • 2          Dole Strawberries, trimmed and halved
  • 4          chunks (1 1/2 inches) fresh Dole Tropical Gold Pineapple
  • 2          Dole Blackberries
  • 2          teaspoons toasted flaxseed (optional)
  1. Toast bread slices. Spread with almond butter and drizzle with honey, if desired.
  2. To make “kids”: Cut eight slices and 32 matchsticks from banana. Arrange one strawberry half and one pineapple chunk on two slices toast; arrange remaining strawberry halves and blackberries on  remaining slices. Place one banana slice “head” at top of each piece of fruit and arrange four banana matchsticks around each “kid” for arms and legs. Sprinkle flaxseed along bottom edges of toast under kids’ feet, if desired.

SOURCE:
Dole via Family Features

after school dance class
Read Next | Find Great After School Programs in Staten Island

What’s Happening in Staten Island

[add_eventon ft_event_priority=’yes’ event_count=’4′ eventtop_style=’2′]

Filed Under: Recipes and Food, Coronavirus, Featured Articles

Rainbows Over Staten Island

March 25, 2020 By Michelle Yannaco

They say there’s a rainbow after every storm and although the COVID-19 storm has yet to pass, thousands of rainbows are shining brightly over Staten Island this week.

After local mom Jeannette Catherine was left feeling overwhelmed with thoughts of protecting her loved ones, she was struck by a wonderful idea that would turn the negative thoughts into positive ones. Inspired by messages of hope overseas, she took to Facebook to ask friends to hang rainbows in their windows to “prove that positivity and hope are just as contagious as this virus.”

Her rapidly growing Facebook group “Rainbows Over Staten Island and Beyond” displays the following message:

“A Mommy had a meltdown last Friday night, that mommy was me. The thought of this virus, protecting my daughters, my loved ones on the front line. I was paralyzed with fear. Not going to lie, it wasn’t my best moment. I had read about these magical rainbows being hung in Spain and Italy, and thought, maybe we should try that here at home. Now, 3 days later and OVER 8,000 members. I have NEVER EVER EVER been prouder of my hometown. I know it began with helping the children deal with our social distancing, however, so many have commented on how it is helping them deal with their current situation as well. Groups have been formed across the country, all from our little group. Be proud Staten Island on how you are single handly lifting the spirits of others. This just proves how contagious hope and positivity are.”

Head over to Facebook to join the group and post pictures of your own colorful contributions to the project. And don’t forget to count the rainbows you see in the windows of your neighborhood when you head outdoors for a fresh air walk. Its all part of the fun!

Filed Under: Featured Articles, Coronavirus

7 Lists You Need to Get through Quarantine

March 23, 2020 By Michelle Yannaco

It’s a listicle of listicles! We’ve rounded up some super helpful list-style articles to see you through the the inconvenience of the COVID-19 quarantine. Some ideas are practical and some are merely entertaining. Anything to make this crazy time just a little easier on us all!

Top 100 Kids & Family Movies
Rotten Tomatoes offers up a mega-list of family-friendly flicks with scores above 80%. Start from yje bottom and work your way up.

30 Best Board Games of All Time
Game night is the ultimate time-passer for staying in. Since you’ll be in for a lot of nights in the near future, try a different game every night.

The 20 Most Popular Video Games of All Time
This can be handy for gamers or simply nostalgic for anyone. You know you’re curious how many you’ve played!

22 Background Noise Shows to Stream While You’re Social Distancing
Sometimes, when you’re quarantined in your house during a global pandemic, you just wanna feel less alone while you go about your day. There’s a list for that.

16 Food Storage Hacks For Stretching Your Groceries As Long As Possible
The supermarket lines are getting scarier by the day. Here’s how to need fewer trips.

33 Easy Spring Cleaning Tips for a Sparkling Home
Stuck at home? You have literally NO REASON not to make it shine. Unless you’re more of a couch potato, in which case refer to the first list again.

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They’re 12
Pick a book and designate a family reading hour each night. It’s an amazing bonding experience– and there is no better time to start it.

after school dance class
Read Next | Find Great After School Programs in Staten Island

Filed Under: Featured Articles, Coronavirus

Easy, Springy Crafts for Kids

March 23, 2020 By Michelle Yannaco

With a wintry chill in the air (and government-mandated orders to stay home)  it’s easy to gloss over the fact that spring has officially sprung. Remind your little homeschoolers that the new season is here with these adorable, springy crafts.

Paper Bag Bug Butterfly
“Do-A-Dot markers makes this craft extra fun for little ones since they can easily personalize their butterfly with whatever colors they choose.” ~ I Heart Crafty Things

 

Rainbow Flowers

“We made a beautiful rainbow flower garden out of one of my favorite craft materials, cupcake liners.” ~ I Heart Crafty Things

 

Egg Carton Flowers

“I had a few egg cartons left over from all of our egg dyeing festivities from Easter, so we decided to make some fun Spring themed crafts with them.” ~ I Heart Arts n Crafts

 

Q-Tip Daisies

“These Q-tip daisies are an adorable craft and are great for fine motor skills.” ~ The Pinterested Parent

 

Paper Plate String Sun

“We used a plastic yarn needle to make this because it’s a great way for kids to get used to holding a needle for beginning sewing crafts.” ~ I Heart Crafty Things

Paper Plate Snail Craft 

“These Paper Plate Snails are simply adorable and super easy to make. What a great rainy day craft, or one as you gear up for a season change.” ~ This ‘N That With Olivia

DIY Calla Lily


“I have always loved calla lilies. I remember wanting to use them exclusively in my wedding bouquet until we started talking price and how much it would cost to do what I was envisioning. Fortunately, the cost for my envisioned calla lily flower craft was much for affordable.” ~Resourceful Mama

Paper Plate Love Birds

“They are so easy to make and kids can get really creative with their designs; adding colour and patterns to make their love birds stand out from the flock.” ~Arty Crafty Kids

Filed Under: Spring, Coronavirus, Featured Articles

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 25
  • Go to page 26
  • Go to page 27
  • Go to page 28
  • Go to page 29
  • Go to page 30
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

View Local Activities for Kids
  • Talking To Your Kids About September 11
  • Governor Cuomo Says Day Camps Can Open for Summer 2020
  • Here’s Where Kids Can Take Cooking Classes on Staten Island
  • Titanic: The Exhibition Will Open in NYC This Fall
  • Holiday Events in Staten Island for Kids with Special Needs

Staten Island Parent

Staten Island Parent helps parents make better decisions. We have the latest activities and local events that matter to you. Plus many informative articles and important directories including schools, afterschool programs, camps, special needs, birthday parties, health and wellness. Our contests and clubs are fun for the whole family!

    • Browse Past Issues
    • Get Activities & School Info

Footer

si parent logo
Staten Island Parent
One MetroTech Center 3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(646) 559–9100

Important Links

  • Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Browse Past Issues
  • Where to Find The Magazine
  • Write For Staten Island Parent
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap

Get Weekly Activities Emailed To You

Subscribe

Copyright © 1989-2025 Staten Island Parent Magazine, All Rights Reserved