RNYM’s Picks – Page 5 – Rockland NY Mom

8 Great Local Scout Badge Activities

Posted on October 1, 2017 by Sofija Duic Posted in Day Trips, Health and Wellness, Out and about..., RNYM's Picks, Things to Do!, Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are our own.

By: Sofija Duic

As a mom of 2 Girl Scouts growing with the program and now becoming teenagers, it is a constant struggle to keep the girls active and excited as a scout. Through the years we have come across many great adventures and activities where the girls can earn badges – thinking outside the box. Thought we should share to help out other leaders in the area :o). Most if not all of these can also translate for the Boy Scouts among us.

Here are some of our picks:

Cooking Badge

Young Chef Academy in New City – http://newcityny.youngchefsacademy.com/
Young Chef Academy focuses on specific teachable moments in relation to the recipes chosen. They have a list of amazing things for the girls to make – pizza, raviolis, fruit skewers, strawberry dreams, lunchtime wraps.
The minimum to book the event is 10 scouts, max is 20.
$20 per child/person.
845-638-0601

Swimming Badge

Swim Like a Fish (Life Plex Health Club) – http://www.likeafishswim.com/
Swim Like a Fish will test the girls water skills and teach them about water safety and first aid. Afterwards the kids play games. A great way to spend some fun in the water during the winter season. There is no minimum number of scouts, but a max of 20.
$5 per child.
Stephanie Kunow – swimlikeafishny@gmail.com or 845-570-1289

Health & Fitness Badge

Vision Sports – visionsportsclub.com
This is a one hour program and the fitness instructor will curtail the session to your badge needs. Example of the badges that can be earned are B.F.I.T Badge and Passport to Health & Fitness Badge. There is a minimum of 10 scouts.
$12 per child or $15 including a shake at the end.
Mary – 845-517-1415

Dance Badge

Surge Studio’s: http://www.surgestudioarts.com/
Surge Studio can host an hour long dance jam session with a disco ball and lights, where the girls will do a warm up, play a few games such as “Freeze Dance”, “Coke & Pepsi”, “Dance Simon Says”, followed by learning a dance routine the teachers will choreograph. It can be a Hip-Hop class or an Acro (Acrobatics) class where the girls will learn simple moves like cartwheels, rolls, perhaps walkovers. maximum of 10 girls per class (for safety reasons)
$15 a girl (for the hour long session)
Carly Harper – 845-598-0990 or info@surgestudioarts.com or http://www.surgestudioarts.com/private-instruction.html

Surge Studio is a true dance home for students of all ages and levels. Experience the Surge vibe, Surge love, and dance technique as you flourish in knowledge, confidence, and life skills that go beyond the dance floor.

Various Outdoor Activities/Badges

Day Camp in the Park – http://daycampinthepark.com/
Day Camp in the Park has everything! Pool Swimming, Lake swimming, kayaks, canoes, rowboats, bicycle boats, archery, a climbing wall, martial arts, theater/drama, fishing, frog & turtle catching, hiking, camp fire building and lots more!
Costs vary depending on the activity, all group sizes welcome!
dcitp1979@gmail.com or 845-638-2515

CPR/First Aid Badges

Life Save – http://lifesavellc.com
Each girl will learn CPR awareness, how/when to call 911, and basic first aid skills. The lesson is about an hour and a half and the girls will receive a participation certificate. ( they will not be certified )
All group sizes are welcome – they do ask for a head count a few days before.
There is no minimum age however, Life Save starts awareness training at the age of 12yrs and up for leaders.
$25 per child
info@lifesavellc.com.

Arts & Crafts

Jills Ceramics – http://www.jillsceramics.com/
A great afternoon learning all about ceramics. Jill works with the kids and shows them how to pour a mold (which they get to pick from 3 pieces), how to fire the ceramic, and then how to paint the ceramic (a full start to finish of making a ceramic piece). Once they paint it, they learn about the second firing (to seal the paint) and if they want to add any special touches (glitter/no glitter). After your ceramic party, everyone has a ceramic piece to take home and enjoy. The troop leader can bring a snack in for the girls to enjoy as well.
Minimum group of 8 preferred.
$10 per child. (no badge is provided).
Jill – 845-623-4975 to book

Drama & Theater

Spotlight Production Children’s Theater – http://www.spotlightpct.com/scout-programs.html
Spotlight Production has some amazing programs for all the Girls Scouts. Each level has a special program created just for them! Each program runs for 2 hours.
Daisy: A role Playing Workshop for Grades K-1 – Courageous & Strong Badge
Brownie: Move to the Beat – A Dance workshop for Grades 2-3 – Dancer Badge
Junior: A Theater Workshop for Grades 4-5 – Playing the Past Bridge Badge
Cadette: A Theater Workshop for Grades 6-8 – Public Speaking Badge
Prices vary per session.
845-548-1857 or shellysplayhouseinc@gmail.com

Hello Fitness 450

Posted on September 27, 2017 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Classes, Events, Health and Wellness, Reviews, RNYM's Picks, Services, Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own.

I had the great pleasure of checking out the FREE Fitness 450 Debut Workout at JCC Rockland on September 10, 2017. I generally take the weekends off of my workout routine, so it was very nice to jump on in and workout. I shy away from a lot of programs due to my extensive knee issues. SO I was a little nervous attending.

Well, that was laid to rest within 5 minutes of listening to trainers Josh and Carolyn speak. It was IMMEDIATELY clear that I was not just another body to them (and there were 100 in the room) I was an individual, the whole time. We warmed up (dynamically) and then participated in circuit training.

For those who don’t know what that is, its a series of stations and at each station you complete a different activity. The stations are timed and you rotate through each during the workout. Josh and Carolyn took the time to explain and demonstrate each of the 10 stations, including the available adaptations for those who may have difficulty with the motions. We did each station for 1 minute, and I was SWEATING!!! In fact, I work out, and pretty hard 5 days a week, some of the exercises really had me burning. That’s actually the point. Keeping your heart rate up throughout the workout, and burning, helps you to not only burn fat and calories during the workout, but continually for 3 days afterwards!!!!

During the workout Josh and Carolyn circulated through the crowd stopping to help everyone, and cheer us on as we tried. At the end of the workout Josh cooled us down, and helped us to better understand how to know when we have recovered.

We were then invited in for breakfast and a tour of the new home of Fitness 450. Despite it being located at JCC Rockland, you don’t have to be a member to join and attend classes (although the membership is awesome and has so many perks). Similarly the studio is located kind of outside in the back of the facility. When you walk into the stairwell you know immediately you are venturing into a separate facility.

The studio is BEAUTIFUL state of the art. I loved how clean and uncramped it was. Its not huge either, so the groups/sessions have to be kept small, which I love. Lots of individual attention, here you are NOT just another number. I was super excited to see that they had a filtered water fountain in the studio, to encourage people to bring reusable bottles, and not disposable <3

Of particular interest to me was also the treadmill. Again, I’ve had 3 knee surgeries, and am awaiting two replacements at a later date, I have to be SO careful how I work out. I had to ask about it. Let me tell you, this self-propelled curved machine did NOT hurt me. It encourages you to run more naturally, on the balls of your foot, not slamming on your heels. I was amazed…. It felt good, it was encouraging.

I had an amazing chat with Carolyn and Josh afterwards about further plans for the facility including opening up training to other age groups that are all in the works (can’t wait to tell you about it).

Classes begin in November and from what I saw (over 100 people at the two sessions on 9/10) and what I’ve heard (soooo many people loved it) its booking up fast. We did get a ridiculous deal for our readers to get started 8 sessions for the price of 4 for the first month. Just make sure you mention you heard about it here to cash in. Ashley and I just MIGHT see you there…

You can also check out their website http://fitness-450.com/ to learn more about this high energy, high intensity and fun workout.

Ninjago Days at Legoland

Posted on September 20, 2017 by Ashley Carmichael Posted in Contests, Day Trips, Main Page, Out and about..., RNYM's Picks, Things to Do!, Uncategorized .

Last night we had an amazing time at the LEGO Ninjago Movie Days Preview Party at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester! Our lips are sealed on any details about the new movie, but W and S gave it 2 THUMBS UP!

I surprised the boys as they got off the bus yesterday, told them I had an adventure planned and to jump in the car! They were SO excited when we pulled into Ridge Hill Plaza and they realized we were headed to LEGOLAND.

When we arrived we were escorted into the event room with fun Ninjago themed activities. The kids picked out ninja headbands to match their favorite ninja – GREEN of course. Each child was given a chance to build on a color coded Lego tile to be added to the Ninjago mosaic to be completed by visitors over the upcoming Ninjago days. The back of each tile had a number and fit strategically on the mosaic board. We are anxious to see the final outcome!

We finished up in the event room and headed out to the play area, and we bumped into the
RED NINJA!

The play area has been completely transformed into Ninjago City Adventure! Modeled after the Temple of Airjitzu, it includes more than 20 ninja inspired obstacles. A great spot to work out some energy and perfect your ninja skills.

There was also Sensei Wu’s Dojo. S had a blast in here playing the ninja skills games. He had to touch the green shapes as they lit up, working on his ninja reflexes and coordination.

After about an hour of playing we headed up to the third floor of Ridge Hill Plaza to Showcase Cinema de Lux Ridge Hill for an advanced showing of the brand new LEGO Ninjago Movie. As I mentioned before, we can’t share details of the movie but W and S loved it! W said it was “really neat!” ( Watch the trailer here!)

LEGO® NINJAGO® Days will be happening the next 2 weekends, hurry and get your tickets now!
9/22-9/24
9/30-10/1

There will be giveaways, mini scavenger hunts, character meets,
building tables set up and so much more!

We are currently running a giveaway of 4 tickets on our Facebook page.
Head on over to enter!

Back to School Checklist 2017

Posted on September 1, 2017 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Photo Obsessed, RNYM's Picks, Specialty Items .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are our own.

Back to school is NUTS!!! There are nerves, lists and so much more going on. Here are some easy and cute ideas for making it easier and more enjoyable on you.

Clothing- Some of our Favorite stores are having HUGE sales.

One is Janie and Jack- They are PERFECT for special occasion clothing (like first day or fall/holiday photos) They are having a special sale through 9/4 CLICK HERE

Gymboree- up to 80% off and free shipping until 9/5 CLICK HERE

www.kennedygreydesigns.com Use code RockMom15 to save!

Haircuts and Makeup (teens, tweens, and grown-ups) BY APPOINTMENT

Sparkle Up – New City- 845-634-0140

Boys or girls it doesn’t matter. Call Deborah to make an appointment to freshen up your look for back to school. Kids and grown-ups alike can get a great haircut for that first day. Make it an outing, boys get a cut and can add color (and/or sparkle) and a tattoo. Girls get a cut, color/sparkle and a tattoo or nails painted.

Have a teen or tween at home who is new to the world of makeup? You can schedule a make-up lesson where Deborah will teach the art of applying and achieving that natural look you are going for. She can even give some lessons on how to do your hair before school (for yourself, or for that special child in your life).

Photo Ops

Yeah Pinterest is full of “Back to school” photo ideas, here is what we did last year for props: http://rocklandnymom.com/2015/08/22/back-to-school-photos-craft/. These are the t-shirts we update and take a photo in yearly as well: http://rocklandnymom.com/2015/09/17/first-day-t-shirt-craft/. We HIGHLY recommend Hudson Adrift if you need a t-shirt.

Also, Target usually has awesome banners that look like school supplies that you can use if you aren’t super crafty. The most I have seen them for is like $3 so its an easy and cheap photo prop for the kids to use (PS they have them for most holidays too, I am ALWAYS buying them). Amazon has some too like this Pencil Banner (click affiliate link).

Lunch Box Surprise

Sweet Spot Studio Cakes –

I really don’t remember where I saw this idea, but I always try to add a little note in their lunches the first day of school, but a little good luck treat made by Sweet Spot Studio Cakes would really make the grade.

Teacher Gifts

Totally not NECESSARY but always appreciated since teachers have jitters too… A little personalized gift, or even a first day cookie to match your kiddo’s. We highly recommend the craftiness of Hudson Adrift.

Enrichment Classes

Looking for some extra-curricular activities for your kiddos? Need to burn a little energy? Check out our Classes Directory- we have dance, to swim, music, art, cooking, martial arts, theater and so much more to suit your needs. http://rocklandnymom.com/directories/classes-for-kids/

Tutoring

Sometimes we need a little help along the way. Curriculum change so quickly and the last thing you want to do is drill your kids on schoolwork when you are so busy with everything else and may just want to be “parent” and not “teacher”. Plus lets face it, they listen a bit better to others than us sometimes. In this case you can reach out to a tutors who are teachers and specialize in whatever your child(ren) are struggling with. Check out the links below or see our Services Directory for details: http://rocklandnymom.com/directories/services-directory/

Teachers to the Rescue

Shining Star Tutoring

Night off of Cooking

First Day of School is hectic. Take the night off of cooking so you have time to hear all about the first day. Luigi O’Grady’s has a great family dinner that feeds our family of 5 easily and we still always have leftovers. There are great choices that appeal to both adults and kids – plus have healthy stuff like their awesome grilled veggies and salad.

A book for the night before :o)

Lots of nerves for kids, parents and teachers. Start a great new tradition of reading a nice back to school story to ease the jitters. Here are some great suggestions (click the book to go right to the Amazon link).

HAVE AN AMAZING YEAR EVERYONE!!! FROM ASHLEY, SOFIJA AND MJ!!

Passion for Percussion

Posted on August 30, 2017 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Classes, Reviews, RNYM Savings!, RNYM's Picks .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own.

We are a music family. I have said it before and I will say it again. We love music. We listen to it during dinner, we jump at opportunities to experience it live. Heck RNYD and I were even in a classic rock band together when we were younger. The kids love music too, but just now little (A) is really starting to appreciate it. He’s asking RNYD to teach him how to play songs on his bass and he really has a knack for rhythm (not shocking since dad is a bass player).

(A) watches the show “School of Rock” and has expressed interest in seeing the show on Broadway. He has even said that he wants to start a band. This paired with his great sense of rhythm got us thinking, would he enjoy drum lessons? We thought we should give it a try, and knew just where to go- New City School of Music. It’s right down the street from us and we have been there before. We scheduled a lesson with Andrew, and this is how it went.

Andrew came out to meet us in the lobby and you could tell immediately how personable he is. He introduced himself and brought us back to the lesson room. He asked a few questions to see how much (A) knew about drums and music theory. (A) has some basic knowledge thanks to a great music teacher at his elementary school, and some quality time with RNYD.

Andrew first went to his drum book to try some rhythms with (A), who was having some trouble following. This didn’t phase Andrew at all, he pulled out a sheet that he created himself and broke it down to (A)’s level. This worked MUCH better. Andrew explained that sometimes the book is difficult to follow because there is a lot going on on each page, so he developed a sheet to make it easier for his students. He said that one of his favorite parts of working with New City School of Music is the freedom that he and his colleagues have to choose the curriculum that best suits their individual students. They aren’t forced to use a cookie cutter program for EVERY student who walks in the door no matter their level or style. This is good teaching, and as an educator it made me super glad to hear.

Several times during the lesson Andres had to switch things up for (A). He had some difficulty with remembering the 1 and 3 vs 2 and 4, so Andrew helped him to remember and get it (I can’t explain how cause its his method). He also went to the white board to show (A) some of what he was talking about and to touch on the “REAL” music theory parts of rhythm.

As Andrew broke things down for (A) he explained that he has a “growth” mindset, be believes in setting attainable goals for his students who all learn at their own rate. He believes that positive reinforcement and fun are the key to helping his students develop a passion for playing, and that over time it is that passion that drives them to practice and progress. He mentioned that he has had students as young as 4, and students who are developmentally delayed, and they have all made strides. Andrew accepts and loves the challenges that come with each one of his unique students.

Andrew teaches theory and technique throughout the lesson, but he doesn’t force it. When we spoke after class he addressed it by saying, “at this age, its important, but it can be worked on as they grow. I am more interested in fostering creativity, a passion for playing.” He explained that it was most important that they love it because then they will practice it. Kids who enjoy what they are doing, want to do it more often. I am super pleased to say that he did in fact foster this passion during our lesson. (A) has been to many lessons, this is the first time that he seriously inquired about returning. RNYD and I are trying to work out the details, but are excited for (A) to continue to foster his love for music.

New City School of Music even has a Special offer for RNYM readers:

Register for back to school music lessons at the New City School of Music before September 30th, 2017 and get a FREE $55 registration fee! Just mention this article!

How to find them….

14 N Main Street
New City, NY 10956
office@newcitymusicschool.com
Phone: 845-709-8383

www.NewCityMusicSchool.com

Have you seen Basic Invite??

Posted on August 10, 2017 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Party, Photo Obsessed, Reviews, RNYM's Picks, Services, Uncategorized, We're Having a Party .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are our own.

I am such a control freak when it comes to my parties, and quite a snob when it comes to stationery. I know this is my own problem. But everyone who knows me expects it, they have even mentioned getting excited when they receive mail from me, as they never know what to expect when it arrives. As of late, I have given up on pre-made cards and was creating my own, from scratch. I will admit that it is fun, to a point. It all started when (E) was born and I needed to choose a birth announcement. It had to be just perfect, and I didn’t see anything I liked, either the shape was off or the color, even just the color of one flower was making me crazy. So I made my own. I have been making my own since, and she just turned 4.

I just made it through both birthday parties and the amount of work that went into designing, printing, cutting and sending invitations really makes my head spin. I was thinking “there has to be a better way!” Well it turns out we just learned of a great website (similar to some of the popular ones we see out there) called www.basicinvite.com. Contrary to its name, its actually so much more than basic. It covers your “basic” stationery needs, but in a very detailed and precise way.

I decided to take a look- right where my problem started Birth Announcements. Basic invite makes it possible for you to choose a basic design (there are quite a few), and then add all your own personal touches. Design options include:

modern birth announcements

baby boy birth announcements

baby girl birth announcements

traditional birth announcements

You can add photos, change wording, shape and the fonts just like I have seen before. But then, something I hadn’t seen… I could change the colors of the invite, I could change the colors of the INDIVIDUAL flowers on the announcement I had chosen. This is the new level of personalization that I have been looking for. I chose an announcement with a floral ring around the photo. Not only was it able to make all of these great changes, I could see and play with the combinations right on the site, and easily. It’s easy to use for ANYONE.

So many great choices

My choice (I wanted to see how much I could change)

The original colors- click on each element and choose your own colors.

My new color choices (I went crazy to make a point)

My new and improved Birth Announcement.

You can then go on to customize not only the front, but the back, the envelope and the envelope liner. Once you have had your fun there it gets down to the nitty gritty. Will your foil be flat or raised? What type of paper do you want? Yeah this may be one of the happiest parts for me. I like stationery to be on nice thick paper and I am intrigued Luxe Velvet.

Unsure if it’s actually going to meet expectations? They allow you to order a sample. Now, the sample does cost some money, but with this company when you order a sample its NOT just a sample of the invite they had left over. Its YOUR actual sample. You can get one to make sure you LOVE IT. If you aren’t pleased, send it back for a refund or they will fix it for free. This sample route doesn’t work great if you are a last minute type of family, but for planners like myself, its AMAZING. If you are in need of ideas you can also check out their Pinterest page for some goodies.

You have the ability to save and come back to your design, so that you can work on it another day or order more if necessary (I always end up having to order more Christmas Cards). Oh yeah AND free address collection. You simply share a link with friends and family, collect the addresses and basic invite has free envelope printing!!! That will save HOURS every time you have a party, send holiday cards, etc.

Basic Invite doesn’t end with birth announcements, they cover all your stationery needs, even providing 2 pages of FREE PRINTABLES (click here) for people to check out and use. I am slightly obsessed with the ugly sweater gift tags for Christmas gifts.

If you are looking for more information you can find Basic invite on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as well.

Meet Daisy Dreams Party

Posted on July 31, 2017 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Events, Food, Party, Reviews, RNYM Events, RNYM's Picks, Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are our own.

We first met Daisy Dreams Party when we threw our Breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus last year. They were the SUPER talented ladies who made our centerpieces and other beautiful decor.

The thing is, not that many people know about it, which is a shame so here’s your introduction. Daisy Dreams Party is located in the Indian Rock Shopping center in Suffern.

Its hard to categorize them into one area, they do party decor (and so so well- did you see the giant Basket they made for our Bunny Brunch?), will travel to you to do parties, but also they are a party LOCATION- Ice Cream Shop. and store for unique party supplies. There’s pretty much nothing they don’t do.

On this occasion we invited our readers to visit their location for a Pirate and Princess Party!!! The party was capped at 25 and was booked fully in less than 24 hours (you gotta watch our Facebook page for pop up events they go fast :o).

Those who were lucky enough to secure a space were welcomed at check in and given little bracelets to wear. Then they were invited in to create a special craft which was a wooden chest that could be decorated for either princesses or pirates.

Once complete the attendees were brought out into the ice cream shop where they could choose their own flavor ice cream, and make a sundae.

At the end of the event all attendees were given a balloon, and a cute goody bag.

The kids all had a blast, as did the parents. Some ordered themselves milkshakes while they were there, while others browsed the party supplies, leaving with some goodies for upcoming events. Almost everyone who attended mentioned that they had never heard of Daisy Dreams Party and said they would be back.

Its the perfect place for a party, or to spend some time on a super HOT or RAINY day with the kids.

Daisy Dreams – Balloons and Party Goods Store – 18 Indian Rock Route – Suffern, NY 10901 – (845) 504 5445

facebook.com/daisydreamsparty

007th Birthday Fun!!

Posted on July 28, 2017 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Birthdays, RNYM Events, RNYM's Picks, We're Having a Party .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post that includes affiliate links to the products that I used for the Party.

This is the first year that (A) decided to have his birthday party somewhere other than at home. At first, this was devastating for me as I love to create and make his parties special. But, then I decided to find ways to make it personal and still add little touches. This was especially difficult as the venue wouldn’t let me in any more than 15 minutes before the start of the party itself.

Decor/Favors

The venue provided the table cloths, and plates which was nice. That was one thing that we didn’t need to stress about. We brought our own napkins and folded them to make them look like bow ties. We also bought special forks to make them look “rich and fancy”. For drinks we did martini glasses and added a sign that said “Shaken not Stirred”, as well as a large 7 that I added James Bond and the logo to. A little crepe paper, caution tape, and enlarged copies of the invitation rounded things out.

I don’t love sending the kids home with tons of candy, so we only had rock candy and candy coins to send home. They doubled as decor during the party.

“Go Bags”

These are the packs that spies keep locked up in their homes in case they need to disappear at a moments notice. To make them I stamped some manila envelopes, then stuffed. We displayed them in an old briefcase that my aunt had at home :o)

Aviator glasses

Passports

ID Holders

Pencils and Notebooks

Money

Water Gun

Since not all the kids every show up at once we had a few quick introduction activities planned.

Make a Bureau ID

First the kids took their bureau photos to use for their ID’s. I used an Instax camera to take a photo that prints right there, and the setup was simply the wall, a chair, a pair of glasses and removable footprints on the wall. I purchased the ID Holders in advance and created a template for them to fill in. They also had to put a thumb print on the front to make it official. I used a washable ink pad for this.

Decode the Message

Prior to the kids arriving we set up the “birthday banner” on the wall with spaces missing. We numbered the spaces for the remaining letters. The missing letters were placed in numbered folders. Corresponding folders were placed inside of BLACK balloons and blown up to make them look like “bombs”. The party-goers needed to detonate a bomb, to find their number then place it on the wall to decode the message.

Balloons

Cake

Vanessa Stahl of Sweet Spot Studio Cakes makes all of our cakes. She is unbelievable. I’ve been using her for years, and known her even longer. She never ceases to amaze me. Not only are the cakes stunning to look at they are also so yummy. We prefer butter cream, so you might be interested to know that the base of our cakes are not fondant- just the embellishments.

https://www.facebook.com/SweetSpotStudioCakes/

Invitation

RNYM can personalize your invite and send them to you for printing for a small fee. All you need is a color printer, white and manila cardstock, paper clips, a confidential stamp, and 5×7 envelopes to complete the set.

If you don’t have a printer, Staples will print them for you.

To order, just send us an email at RockandNYMom@yahoo.com with the subject Invitation. We work with you to personalize and then send you a PDF to use.

Love our party ideas but this isn’t quite the right theme for you? Check out our past parties HERE!

Need ideas for Entertainment (click here) or Venues, Vendors and the like (Click Here)? We’ve got all of that!!!

Kids vs. Grown-Ups Imagination Build-Off Challenge: GIVEAWAY!

Posted on July 17, 2017 by Ashley Carmichael Posted in Contests, Day Trips, Main Page, Out and about..., RNYM's Picks, Things to Do! .

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester Hosts the Ultimate Imagination Build-Off Challenge from July 17-28

Kids go head-to-head against grown-ups in a test of creativity

Beat the summer heat while igniting your creativity at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester with the Kids vs. Grown-Ups Imagination Build-Off Challenge. LEGOLAND® Discovery Centers across the globe are inviting kids and adults to go head-to-head in the ultimate test of creativity. LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester’s Model Builders will judge the build-off competitions every weekday from Monday, July 17 through Friday, July 28.

Who will reign supreme when it comes to creative creation: kids or grown-ups?

The Kids vs. Grown-Ups Imagination Build-Off Challenge will be held twice daily, at 3:30pm and 5:30pm, and consist of a five-minute challenge where kids and adults build a creation straight from their imagination – no limits, no boundaries, no rules – just pure creativity. Challenges will be officiated and judged by Model Builders including LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester’s Master Model Builder, Anthony Maddaloni.

All participants will be entered into a final Imagination Build-Off contest with the chance to win a one-hour private build session with Maddaloni and a Summer Pass ($35 value). The Summer Pass, good through Labor Day, allows the pass holder to build memories all summer long with unlimited visits and additional discounts in the café, LEGO® Store and on birthday parties.

“LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester is designed to provide LEGO play experiences that power creativity and learning through shared LEGO fun for adults and children,” said Master Model Builder Anthony Maddaloni. “We are really excited to see the energy and imagination that comes from kids and adults alike.”

A number of studies suggest that creativity tends to take a sharp decline at around six years old. Although children are still using about 80 percent of their creative potential at age five, research reveals that creative output drops to a shocking two percent by the time they are twelve.

“Especially for adults, the stress of everyday life can impact our creativity levels,” said Maddaloni. “With an overall lack of time in the day, our imaginations are not being exercised – and, as a result, kids might just have the upper hand when it comes to creativity, but I guess we’ll find out for sure during the upcoming build challenges! Whatever your age, our goal here at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester is to reignite your imagination and love of play.”

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester is located at 39 Fitzgerald Street in Yonkers, NY.
They can be reached at 866-243-0770 or by visiting www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/westchester.
For the latest news and updates, follow @LDCWestchester on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

GIVEAWAY!

You know the drill: Head to our Facebook page!
React, Share and Comment with who would win in your family – Kids or Gown ups?
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We know you’ll like it here!- Annie-WBT Review

Posted on July 12, 2017 by RocklandNYMom Posted in Day Trips, Day Trips, Events, Food, Out and about..., Reviews, RNYM Savings!, RNYM's Picks, Things to Do!, Uncategorized .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as we were invited to see Annie. All opinions expressed are my own.

WHY ISN’T DINNER THEATER MORE OF A THING?! That’s all I have been asking myself since we attended Annie at Westchester Broadway Theater last Thursday night. Our family of four is OBSESSED! So much so that RNYD has already picked out our second show that he wants to attend this August, and I had to take a picture of the upcoming shows because I can’t wait to go see more!!!

We took little (E) for her 4th Birthday last week, and “oh my goodness!” As a family we adore theater, we love Broadway, but sometimes with the expense of it, with young kids is such a gamble that we avoid it. When we do go its includes dinner the whole shebang. Will the kids sit through it, especially after the car/train ride? Will we find decent parking? Where can we eat that everyone will be happy? Will there be a crazy wait at the restaurant?

Westchester Broadway Theater handles ALL of that! For a reasonably priced ticket you get, a short drive, close parking, a delicious meal (including desert and salad), AND a spectacular performance. I feel like I could go on FOREVER, but I know you want me to get down to the nitty gritty- here goes…

Ten Reasons Dinner Theater Rocked and needs to be a thing:

Short easy drive from Rockland, Westchester, Northern Jersey
It literally took us 20 minutes to get there, no crazy traffic, just a straight shot to Elmsford.
Free parking right there.
Yep, a nice large parking lot where you walk straight into the theater.
Pretzel Encrusted Chicken

Seriously, the menu was awesome, but this sounded so neat I had to try it, so glad I did!! (A) had the Broiled Filet of Sole, and (E) had the chicken fingers)
CLEAN bathrooms
Important for me, but so much more for my 4 year old daughter, we must have gone 5 times, so this was a breath of fresh air.
Small personal theater

Cool for adults, and so much more for kids. No distractions, an intimate performance where you can see it all.
Comfortable seating

RNYD has had 5 back surgeries, this is important, as is leg space. Unlike many Broadway theaters WBT has comfy chairs, and room to breathe. Little (E) could even stand without bothering other theatergoers.
The talent on stage

You don’t even know you aren’t ON Broadway. The bios of the actors speaks for itself, but even without reading, you know from the first number, these guys are fabulous.
People still dress
I don’t know about you, but it irritates me that people wear denim to Broadway. When I first started going people wore their Christmas and Easter outfits. At WBT people were dressed for the occasion, it adds to the element.
Affordable for a family
Dinner and entertainment for a family of four (never mind the kind of caliber food and entertainment) is EXPENSIVE. WBT has made it possible to give your family the experience in an affordable way (especially if you mention RocklandNYMom.com for your discount).
The staff

My little princess wore her birthday tiara, EVERY staff member we encountered commented on its loveliness and then treated her like a queen when they learned why she was wearing it.

All in all it was really, truly the most fantastic birthday experience for (E) and for the whole family. (A) asked if we could go back for his birthday next year, and RNYD has picked out a concert event on 8/12 that he wants to attend. I have already spied a few upcoming shows I will be purchasing gift (and personal) tickets for. This is an experience not to miss. A great intro to the stage for kids, and a memorable experience for the whole family.

Recommendations:

Time: (A) is 7 and (E) is 4. We went to an evening show- both made it through because the show was AWESOME, they couldn’t keep their eyes off of the stage, the is ABSOLUTELY suitable for younger kids as some of the Hollywood scare is not in the play, but I recommend the daytime showings for most children. We didn’t get home until 11:30 and knew we had nothing planned for the following day.
Money: Who doesn’t love saving? Mention RocklandNYMom.com to receive a discount!!!
Dining: They don’t have cups with lids- if you have a kiddo you are worried may spill, bring your own to fill.

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