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!

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

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

The Cornucopia Institute - Supporting Local, Organic & Authentic Food!

The Cornucopia Institute is an organization seeking economic justice for the family-scale farming communities. Through research, advocacy, and economic development, the institute empower farmers and consumers in supporting ecologically produced local, organic and authentic food.

The Cornucopia Institute

Not all natural and organic brands are created equally, and if you are researching brands to choose from at your local grocery store, check out their score cards (link at the top of their home page) for egg, dairy, soy, and cereal.  Several reports about baby formula, nuts, beef, soy meat alternatives, Walmart-organic can also be found here.

If you wish to support, The Cornucopia Institute accepts tax-deductible donations,  recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public interest group. 

You can also find them on Facebook. 

Growing Up Green - Fun for Kids!

Did you want to make your own backyard more inviting for beautiful birds and insects?

NJ Flower & Garden Show

Expect rivers of color and fragrance in beautiful display gardens at the New Jersey Flower & Garden Show, from February 16th through 19th @ the New Jersey Convention & Exposition Center (Edison, NJ)! 

Besides the fabulous display gardens, the garden marketplace, plant sale, and top quality seminars, the Flower and Garden show also hosts the Fun for Kids - Growing Up Green program on February 19th between 11 am and 3 pm. 

The program teaches young kids how to make their own backyard more inviting for beautiful birds and insects, by creating a mini habitat.  Kids will get to take their gardening projects home, and enjoy a wildflower bloom in their backyard this spring!


Tickets: Free for kids under 11 years of age; $6 for children 12 to 17; and $15 for adults ($7.50, if you buy online).

You can also visit the same show at Richmond, VA between February 9th and 12th.

Go Beyond Coloring Books - Kelly Kits

Explore endless creative ideas at Kelly Kits!

Kelly Kits

Kelly Kits are self-contained art lessons in a box for kids of age 18 months to 10 years! Each kit contains 10 project, which include painting, sculpting, drawing, printmaking, and collage activities (enough for one child to do twice, or two children to do simultaneously).

 

 

Kelly Kits also sells birthday party kits. The Birthday Party Packs are sold in sets for 8 guests for $49.95, with additional add on options!

 

 

You can also follow Kelly Kits on Facebook.

Oasis Day Camp

Oasis Day Camp

Oasis Day Camp is accredited by the American Camp Association and is catered towards kids aged 4 to 11 years.  Your child will get to experience everything you would want in a summer experience- sprawling ball fields, tennis courts, indoor swimming pool, an arboretum complete with nature trails and ponds, performing arts and dance classes, and outdoor adventure classes!  Camp durations vary from 2 weeks to 8 weeks.

You can register your child at one of the several Oasis Day Camp locations, which include New York City, New Jersey and Massachusetts!

You can also find them on Facebook. 

NJ Summer Camp Expo - Jan 28th

What will your kids be doing this summer?

Camps Expo

Festive season has gone by and its still winter.  However, spring/summer is not too far away.  Check out Central Jersey's 14 Annual Camp Expo at Princeton, NJ on Saturday, January 28th between 10:00 am and 03:30 pm.

Explore day camps & sleep-aways, along with loads of other children’s vendors, fun entertainment, door prizes, giveaways and interactive sports activities for kids of all ages.  Mom and dad meet face to face with camp owners and directors who will provide information about activities, camp themes, transportation and more.

Admission to the expo is free, but registration is required.

iPlay America

Cold weather will never spoil the fun you can have at iPlay America, NJ's premier indoor amusement park! 

Located at Freehold, NJ, at iPlay America you can play, eat and party at the same time.  You will also find a variety of rides for all ages and a boardwalk arcade with 200 modern and nostalgic arcade games!  You can also explore attractions like laser tag or mini-bowling, bumper-cars or a 4d theatre. 

IPlay America also hosts birthday parties and other special events (click here for more information).

Follow iPlay America on Facebook to obtain exclusive offers, discounts and event information. 

Cooking with Kids at Wegmans & Whole Foods!

Would you like to cook up crave-able and delicious root veggies, or encourage your kids to eat a rainbow of colors, or cook up the worlds greatest meatballs?

Wegmans

Check out Kids in the Kitchen events at Wegmans Cooking School.  Wegmans grocery store can be found in MA, MD, NJ, NY, PA and VA.

Classes are conducted on weekends and are $5 per child (including parent; appropriate for ages 4+) for Wegmans shopper club card members (non-members $10)

 

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Increase your culinary know-how at the state-of-the-art Whole Foods Culinary Centers. Located in over 30 stores nationwide, Whole Foods offer affordable, recreational culinary education for all ages (starting at 2 yrs of age).  Check out the Whole Foods Culinary Centers information page to find the closest location to you.

The Preschool Enrichment Fair (Jan 12 & 17)

Looking for preschools?

The Preschool & Enrichment Fair

The Preschool & Enrichment Fair  will feature representatives from preschools and enrichment programs who will answer your questions and provide you the information you will need to choose the best program for your child.

The event is scheduled to be held on Jan 12th at Mountainside, NJ and Jan 17th at Livingston, NJ, Over 40 schools and enrichment programs will be present at the event.  Admission to the program is free, but registration is required.

For more details, contact:

Kate & Christina
NJ Moms Guide
info@njmomsguide.com.

The Funplex

Getting bored this winter?  The Funplex is a spectacular family entertainment & amusement park, located in Mt. Laurel, NJ. From bowling to bumper cars... motion simulators to go-karting... mostly for kids 4 and up, the Funplex is South Jersey's most unique amusement center.

The Funplex

The Funplex also offers a water park, mini golf, and several other activities for the spring/summer season!You can also organize your next group event or birthday party at Funplex (click here).

You can also like them on Facebook.