Diana Kim

Latest posts by Diana Kim

Toddler Thanksgiving Craft Workshops Around NYC

Submitted by Diana Kim on Fri, 11/13/2015 - 10:30am

Hand-print turkeys, corn husk dolls, leaf collages and Thanksgiving Day parade floats—now is the time of year when kids begin making those adorable seasonal and decorative crafts.

Most young kids love making crafts, and it’s a great way to engage their imaginations, enhance their motor skills and get into the holiday spirit.

While you can make crafts at home and older children often create them at school, it’s fun to take your toddler or preschooler somewhere new for crafting projects. We’ve rounded up several craft destinations where toddlers can make Thanksgiving-related decorations. Read on for our favorites, and make sure to find lots of room in your home to showcase your tot’s handiwork.

Statue of Liberty Tour: Visiting Lady Liberty and Ellis Island with Kids

Submitted by Diana Kim on Thu, 11/12/2015 - 4:30pm

The Statue of Liberty, despite its world-renowned status, is one of those iconic local landmarks that few NYC families may think to visit. After all, you have to take a ferry to it and order tickets in advance—not exactly the makings of a spontaneous weekend outing with the kids.

But a tour of Lady Liberty, including a hike to the crown and a ferry stop at Ellis Island for a bit of history, actually has plenty to offer families, whether local or visiting from elsewhere, especially for those with kids ages 5 and up.

Eager to see this monument up close and cross it off our family’s NYC bucket list, I recently made my way to the Statue of Liberty with four kids, ages 5 to 7, in tow and just one other adult. Read on for the scoop on how to score tickets, as well as must-know tips for families like kid height requirements for tours of the crown.

The Peanuts Movie: Parent Review of Charlie Brown's First Feature Film

Submitted by Diana Kim on Tue, 11/10/2015 - 7:00am

The charm and appeal of the new Peanuts movie spans generations, from the moms and dads who grew up reading the comics to the youngest who've only seen the TV specials. Sweet and entertaining, The Peanuts Movie (G) can be a great film for the whole family to see together—but does it retain the nostalgic glow of Snoopy and Woodstock without resorting to Lucy's jarring, outdated cries of, "Charlie Brown, you stupid idiot"? And is it worth seeing in 3D, or will the old 2D work just as well?

Meet Snoopy and Celebrate the Peanuts Movie All Over NYC

Submitted by Diana Kim on Fri, 10/23/2015 - 12:00pm

Good grief! The Peanuts Movie, the first-ever 3D feature film based on Charles M. Schulz's beloved cartoon characters, hits theaters next month and to celebrate, the studio is sponsoring Snoopy-themed kid activities throughout NYC starting this Saturday, October 24. Whether your children are already fans from watching those classic holiday TV specials like It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Christmas or are just now learning how awesome Charlie, Linus, Lucy and the rest of the gang are, they're sure to have a blast at these FREE Snoopy sightings, cartooning lessons and other Peanuts-centric events in Manhattan and the outer boroughs.

Fishkill Farms: Eco-Friendly Apple Picking in Lower Hudson Valley

Submitted by Diana Kim on Fri, 10/16/2015 - 5:00pm

Apple picking season is still in full swing and though there are plenty of orchards that offer the chance to pick your own apples and pumpkins in upstate New York and New Jersey, it was really important for my family to choose an organic orchard. Turns out, truly organic farms are harder to come by than I thought.

I did a little digging and found Fishkill Farms a few years back and since then, my family has made the annual apple-picking pilgrimage to this lovely farm that practices ecologically-sustainable farming and offers low-spray apple varieties in addition to a growing number of organic ones. An hour and half from Midtown Manhattan and an hour from central Westchester, Fishkill Farms makes for a great day trip.

Hop to This Heartwarming 'Velveteen Rabbit' Musical

Submitted by Diana Kim on Thu, 10/15/2015 - 12:00pm

Almost a century after it was first published, Margery Williams' 1922 picture book, The Velveteen Rabbit, continues to endure as a classic that's beloved by kids and adults alike. While the story about a toy rabbit who longs to be real has been adapted as a stage play numerous times, Atlantic for Kids opted to turn it into a world premiere musical. Going in I feared it might be cheesy, that singing and dancing would ruin this delicate tale. But as my 7-year-old daughter observed at the end, "It was simple but so good."

The Cat's Meow: Brooklyn's First Cat Cafe Pops Up in Fort Greene

Submitted by Diana Kim on Mon, 09/28/2015 - 10:00am

Attention feline lovers, Brooklyn now has its very own pop-up cat cafe. Earlier this year we told you all about Meow Parlour, NYC's first cat cafe. Now, Brooklynites can head to The Cat's Meow in Fort Greene to meet, play with—and possibly adopt—some very adorable cats and kittens. Naturally, a cat cafe is a huge hit for kids and families, so we decided to check it out. Read on to find out what to expect, when to visit and other useful tips.

UPDATE: This cat cafe moved into permanent digs in spring 2016 at 149 Atlantic Avenue (between Clinton and Henry Streets). It's now known as Brooklyn Cat Cafe.

Get Hands-On with Nature and Science at Brooklyn Environmental Center

Submitted by Diana Kim on Wed, 09/16/2015 - 1:30pm

Ever wonder what type of fish swim in the East River, or which species of trees dot the perimeter of the adjacent Brooklyn Bridge Park? The recently opened Environmental Education Center, which sits under the Manhattan Bridge along the Dumbo waterfront, will answer these questions and more for NYC kids and adults who can explore hands-on exhibits during FREE drop-in hours or sign up for a paid STEM-inspired class to learn all about the ecology and history of the surrounding waterfront habitat. And yep, this family spot is hosting both weekend and weekday drop-in hours!