New York Family’s May 2013 Issue

VID_3998 — Melissa Joan Hart; cover photo by Lindsay May for Classic Kids Photography

Features

A Total Sweet Hart
Everyone’s favorite teenage witch, Melissa Joan Hart is now a mom of three—and still a TV star with singular charm

Moms We Love
This year’s group of local mom heroes reminds us of the many ways to contribute to family life in the city

Hot Summer Programs For Cool City Kids
A preview of great children’s programs for summer fun and learning

When Day Is The Way
Many day camps now attract older campers who appreciate their mix of programs and attractions

Terrific Twosomes
Discover some of the city’s best mommy & me classes

Registry Rescue
Ten tips for taking the stress out of the baby checklist

Family Fun Guide

Ten Great Events For May
NYC wildflower week, all about frogs, block building galore, and more

Home & Away

Quality Time
Three whimsical springtime recipes for kids: Petite Watermelons, Rainbow Cookes, and Sweetie Pie Pie Pops

Travel
Where the wild trips are: America’s most underrated national parks

Columns

Editor’s Note
Big hug

Contests & Special Events
The New York Baby Show, Blackboard Awards, Ultimate Nursery Giveaway, and New York Family on Pinterest

It’s My Party
Birthday celebrations at FAO Schwarz, The Gaga Center, and All Souls

Kid Report
Two weeks at St. Jude Children’s Hospital turned an NYC Teenager into a dedicated advocate for its mission

Scoop
NYC’s newest kids’ gym, African-inspired fashion, delicious cupcake crawl, and more

LYSST
Pass these fabulyss Mother’s Day gift ideas to your partner—or just treat yourself!

Activity Of The Month
A writer reflects on some important life lessons that horseback riding taught her

A Special Place
With the addition of specialized programming for 3- to 5-year-olds, Gymboree is more popular than ever with city families

Growing Up
A prominent author finds the secrets of successful families in some unlikely places

The Last Word
Hoping mightily for a natural childbirth, a local mom labored through 20 hours of contractions before wrestling with a different choice

The Ailey School – First Steps and Bounding Boys

<blockquote style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; background-color: #ffffff;"> <div dir="ltr"> <div class="m_-3740164643787738207m_4977048992707393770WordSection1"> At The Ailey School, FIRST STEPS offers a structured creative movement curriculum that allows girls (ages 3-6) and boys (age 3), to develop body awareness and control and learn the basics of dance technique. BOUNDING BOYS (ages 4-6) provides a more athletic experience, and an energetic approach to teaching dance skills. </div> </div> </blockquote>

Adventuring Portal

<a name="m_-1473885667065203258__Hlk72147528"></a>Adventuring Portal runs Dungeons and Dragons (D&amp;D) games for kids.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We have created a safe online space for tweens and teens to learn and play D&amp;D. Our D&amp;D Summer Camp session are a one-week experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;Monday &ndash; Friday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Each day will be 3 hours of gaming (with 2 breaks build in).&nbsp;&nbsp;15 total gaming hours for $180.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you have played with us before, you are entitled to 10% off.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Need your kids, nieces or nephews, grand kids or neighbor&rsquo;s kids to be occupied for a bit so you can get work done &amp; take care of your to-do list? Maybe your tween or teen is still a bit isolated and craves connection with their peers? Whether your teen/tween has played D&amp;D before or is brand-new to the experience, this safe space brings players together to have fun and solve problems as a team in ways few other online opportunities do. All our games focus on experiential learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our players leave knowing all the basic game play as well as experiencing: teamwork, bravery, compassion, generosity, negotiation, improvisation, gamer etiquette, strategy, critical thinking, problem solving, cartography and probability - all through online D&amp;D adventuring! We are an inclusive organization and welcome gamers who are LGBTQIA+ and those on any spectrum.&nbsp; All girls&rsquo; groups available.&nbsp; I am a parent, a certified elementary school and middle school math teacher and last summer in the midst of the mess started&nbsp;Adventuring Portal, an&nbsp;online Dungeons &amp; Dragons&nbsp;business&nbsp;for kids. There are so many benefits to playing D&amp;D and I hope you will consider us as a great way for your child to safely socialize, grow as people and have a great time.

Basketball City

Beginning June 2024, Basketball City will be running a full weekly schedule of Summer Basketball Camps. We will have our professional staff of coaches teaching your kids weekly. Our camps are designed to teach kids the skills they need to become a better basketball player by using specific drills and fitness work that focus on the fundamentals of the game in a fun, safe and inclusive environment. &nbsp;The camps run weekly varying in time and the number of days for ages 6-17. We have 3-, 4- &amp; 5-day options with times ranging from 9-4pm or 9-3pm. Every camper will receive a jersey once they are registered and arrive. We are limiting the number of camp participants each week to ensure a safe and healthy environment for your children. The limited number of campers will also ensure that your child receives individual attention needed to improve their basketball skills. Our camps in the past typically include current and past NBA players and a collaboration with the Jr. Knicks, the National Basketball Players Association, as well as 5 Star Basketball, and our ever-popular Basketball City FUNdamentals Camp along with our Jr. NBA/NBA Cares NBA Draft/Skills Challenge Camp with future NBA talent.