Feb 24, 2012

Dr. Seuss Story Time @ Target

Target

 
Check out Dr. Seuss Storytime - Reading of the Lorax tomorrow (Saturday, February 25th) at all Target stores between 09:00 am and 11:00 am.

The celebration also includes free goodie bags and fun activities!

Feb 22, 2012

Babies R Us Expo

BRU Expo


Check out the BRU expo on Saturday, March 10th, 2012, between 12 and 3 pm.


You will find:
- Product demos
- Games & Prizes
- Special Offers
- Giveaways

Feb 21, 2012

Circus Time


Enjoy the all–new Big Apple Circus, where the World’s Greatest Circus artists are presented under an intimate Big Top.

Big Apple Circus is performing at Bridgewater, NJ between March 3rd and 18th. You can buy the tickets online! Children under 3 are free when they sit on (paid ticket) parents lap.

They will also be performing in Boston, MA @ March - May, 2012, and Queens, NY @ May - June 2012.

---

Watch the greatest circus show on earth by Ringling Bros. and Barnum Baileys at the Izod Center (East Rutherfod, NJ) and Prudential Center (Newark, NJ) in the Month of March 2012. 

Tickets can be purchased online.

They will also be performing in Trenton, NJ @ May 2012.

Feb 14, 2012

DIY Glass Art Studios

GLASSWORKS

Glassworks Studio

Glassworks Studio in Morristown, NJ is a “make your own” DIY glass art studio specializing in unique fused glass creation. Appropriate for kids age 4 +, your child can explore their creative side while making wind chimes, mirrors, plates & bowls, sun catcher, trivets, and many more such things. 

Glassworks also hosts birthday parties, and out of studio events - where Glassworks comes to you!

You can also follow them on Facebook.

------

HOT SAND


Hot Sand Glassblowing

The Hot Sand Studio, is dedicated to promoting art glass through education, demonstration, and fun activities for everybody ages 9 and up.  Located in Asbury Park, NJ, at Hot Sand Glass Studio you can use various techniques like glass blowing, molding, slumping and layering to create seasonal ornaments and artifacts, household items (bowls, paper weight, plates, vase etc).

Hot Sand also rents out its studio to experienced glass artists.

You can also follow them on Facebook.

Feb 5, 2012

Little Ustaads Music Class - Guest Blog


This post is authored by Kavita Bafana, Co-Founder and Director at Little Ustaads.  Little Ustaads offers play-based musical education classes for children ages 0-5 in the New York, New Jersey & Pennsylvania area, & in Mumbai, India.  The curriculum is designed to encourage children and parents to discover and appreciate the world of Indian classical music through rhythmic tunes, rich vocals, mini instruments and vibrant visuals.

Little Ustaads




Why is Indian classical music important for Indian children growing up in the West?

Surrounded by Western influences, we face a difficult task of raising children that will accept, appreciate and embrace our Indian culture.  As determined parents, we may try many things like consistently speaking a native language, dancing to Bollywood tunes or serving children traditional foods.  These and other activities are beneficial, but we still lack the ability to speak to them at their level and to make them feel that they are part of a larger community – that all the things they are doing at home are not just unique to them, but rather are followed by many other children like themselves.  Indian classical music can be an amazing medium to captivate and connect our children to each other and their rich background right from birth.

I was fortunate to have parents that introduced me to the wonders of Indian classical music through Kathak, a North Indian classical dance.  I learned language, culture and values that are core to our rich Indian traditions.  Growing up in New York, the opportunity to excel in Indian classical dance allowed me to connect to my Indian community and be unique among my Western classmates.  This hobby has shaped me into who I am today and I am excited to pass it along to my children.

After having twins, I wanted them to have the same upbringing I was lucky to have, but I found my options limited.  With the prevalence of Western children’s music and Indian classical training beginning at age 6, I wanted to immerse them in sound patterns and melodies that children do not experience at school or at home –  such as the sitar or raag bilawal – as early as possible.  Fortunately, I was able to work with a friend on this need and we created a curriculum for children designed to teach Indian classical music through play and dance.  I saw my twins build their Hindi vocabulary, develop familiarity with unique Indian instruments and train their ears to actively listen.   

As they have grown up, I can see the benefits:  this early and sustained exposure has piqued their interest in pursuing different aspects of this art—primarily playing tabla and singing and dancing.

Another benefit of pursuing Indian classical music for children is to train ourselves as parents.  For those of us that have not been exposed to Indian classical music, we have the opportunity to learn what is a raag, what is a sargam and how to count teen taal.  For those of us that have been immersed in the art, it provides a time to focus on transferring that experience to our children.  In our busy schedule as parents or grandparents, we need organized time where we are completely there with our children, and Indian classical music can be a medium to provide that focused time to bond, learn and communicate.

For me, it is not a question of whether Indian classical music is better than Western classical music.  It is about speaking to children in a language they understand—music— while reaping the multiple other benefits to immerse them in their rich heritage.

For more information on the Little Ustaads, visit us on our website - here.  You can also watch the Little Ustaads in action on Youtube.

To contact Kavita Bafana about the Little Ustaads classes, email her at newyork@littleustaads.com or call at 773-744-1662.

---

Please note that this is not a paid advertisement, and BZ Mom is not responsible for your experience with Little Ustaads.  Please contact Little Ustaads directly for more information.

Feb 2, 2012

Lakeshore Learning Materials

Lakeshore


With a mission to support teachers and parents in their efforts to provide a high-quality education for every child, Lakeshore Learning Materials offers safe and innovative educational materials for kids from the stage of infancy to 6th grade.  While sparking a sense of imaginations, and instilling a sense of wonder, Lakeshore believes in fostering a lifelong love for learning. Lakshore is a family owned company which has been in existence for the past 58 years and has over 50 stores nationwide.

Lakshore offers free crafts for kids every Saturday between 11 am and 3 pm through out the country.

You can also follow Lakeshore on Facebook for their latest offers and event listings.