Posts filed under ‘Activities with baby’
Cultural playdates at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston!
It turns out the MFA has monthly playdates (last Friday of every month except February) for kids under 4! A pretty incredible thing, given that most institutions of its caliber typically feature events for older kids, leaving parents of toddlers wondering how they can possibly see any art while their littler walker/runner tears around, coming dangerously close to priceless statues, etc. There’s a read-aloud story time, followed by a short tour and activities.
Info about the next MFA Playdate
Theme: Latin-themed stories and activities as a part of the MFA Fiesta celebration.
Time: Friday, March 25 · 10:30am – 11:30am
Location: MFA Boston – Meet at the Sharf Visitor Center.
Admission: Free with Admission – No Ticket Required.
Additional Info: This program is for accompanied children 4 and younger. No registration required.
The most up-to-date info is on the Museum’s Facebook page.
Hope to see some of you there!
Moomah: a creative haven/cafe for families in Tribeca
You won’t often hear me say that a weekend trip downtown with a toddler in the subway is worth it. But this one was – and we now have a brightly-colored canvas made by our 1.5 year old son to prove it.
I’ll be honest: the website left me confused about the unique Moomah concept. But here’s how I’d describe it, in a nutshell. You show up whenever it’s open, sit down for some really nice, casual food and drink with your kid(s), then watch as the kids escape to explore either the many art project options on display or the “Funky Forest” – a dark room with interactive animations projected on the wall that’s extremely minimalist yet bizarrely appealing to little people of all ages. When you’re ready, you pick an art project (we did the $25 canvas painting), and an ultra-friendly staff member will get you set up with smock, paint, brushes, and whatever other gear you need or fancy.
Then there are loads of workshops and other scheduled activities you can do, but I think the beauty of it is that you can just pop in whenever you have a spare couple hours, and be sure that even your tiny, curious toddler won’t get in trouble as he bobs around while you at least half-relax to enjoy your almost-grown-up cafe experience.
Rumor has it Leonardo DiCaprio was there the week before us. So, add celebrity sightings to the list of happy Moomah experiences.
Swimming Lessons for Baby
Sad NYC Discovery: Anything baby-related costs a flippin’ fortune. I won’t even go into child care. $25K per year. Double that and you’ve got an Ivy League education! Insane. Baby classes aren’t much better. The Little Gym. Gymboree. Music Together. All good (I went to trial classes and loved the Little Gym of Harlem) – but oh, our grad-student-budget isn’t sure it can handle it. One thing I am willing to pay for, though: swimming lessons. Because I’ve been imagining my baby’s first swim since long before I had a baby. I’ve done a bit of research and this is what I’ve discovered near our Morninside Heights ‘hood.
SwimJim: They just opened a new location at my favorite within-walking-distance block: Columbus Square at West 100th and Columbus (site of TJ Maxx, Whole Foods, and Michael’s). The pool is in the new apartment building and, according to SwimJim, will be kept well-heated since they can control the temp themselves. Registration for January has begun, and we’re signing up. Looks like it’s under $30 per class. NOTE: As of Jan. 11, 2010, the classes are on hold because of a ceiling leak. We may opt for Teacher’s College instead (see next listing).
Teacher’s College: Their 130 year old pool is the oldest in the city. The pool itself is quite pretty, once you get in there after taking a stroll through the school’s slightly less than charming basement. But a friend says that 1) some teachers are good, some are not, and 2) sometimes that old pool just doesn’t get heated. $25 per class.
Barnard: The water is apparently cold and that doesn’t sound like fun for anyone.
Big World, Little People 