Westchester Family - February 2020

February 2020

westchesterfamily.com

Happy Valentine’s Day! Think chocolate and fun activities

Hacks & Shortcuts

Inspired tips for easy parenting

107 Fabulous February events

YOUR KIDS’ TEETH: What You Need To Know

SUMMER FUN FOR KIDS

WHAT

An energetic and exciting well balanced summer activities program of sports, recreation, and education designed to meet Challengers from Ages 3-14.

WHERE

THORNTON-DONOVAN SCHOOL •www.td.edu 100 Overlook Circle • New Rochelle, NY 10804 • (914) 632-8836

WHEN

• Summer 2020 • Ages: 3-14

WHO

A staff of certified teachers and experienced counselors under the direction of Annemarie Licini-Paris, Administrative Assistant, Thornton-Donovan School.

RATES

NO. OF WEEKS

REGULAR RATES

($700 Per Week)

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

RSUMMER EMMUS 2CHALLENGE 5 EGNELLAH52 C

Weeks Weeks Weeks Weeks Weeks Weeks Weeks

LTHORNTON-DONOVAN OOHCS NAVONOD-NOTSCHOOL NROHT ,e100 lcriC koolrevO 001 Overlook Circle, 4New 0801 Rochelle, YN ,ellehcNY oR 10804 weN 6Phone: 388-236(914) )419(632-8836 :enohP 6Fax 397-(914) 675 )4576-7936 19( xaF uwww.td.edu de.dt.www

WP-GCI0342617-01

• 7 weeks • July 6th - August 21st • 8:45am - 3:45pm • Co-ed

$4,900 $4,200 $3,500 $2,800 $2,100 $1,400 $700

SUMMER

*EARLY *EARLY BIRD CHALLENGE 52 BIRD BIRD RATE! SUPER SAVER THORNTON-DONOVAN SCHOOL st (Paid in full by May 1 ) (Paid in full by April 1st) 100 Overlook Circle, $4,165 $3,675 MAXIMUM SAVINGS New Rochelle, NY 10804 $3,780 $3,570 Phone: (914) 632-8836 $3,255 Fax (914) 576-7936$3,080 $2,660 $2,520 www.td.edu $2,037 $1,974 $1,386 $1,372 No Discount No Discount

OPEN HOUSES:

Sunday, March 15, 2020 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Sunday, April 19, 2020 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

**EARLY, EARLY BIRD SUPER SAVER must be paid in full by Wednesday, April 1st. *EARLY BIRD SUPER SAVER must be paid in full by Friday, May 1st.

:SESOPEN U100 OH N EPO Circle, New Rochelle, NY • 914.632.8836 • www.td.edu HOUSES: Overlook

0202Sunday, ,51 hcraM ,yadn15, uS2020 March mp 02:00 0:4 - pm mp -04:00 0:2 pm 0202Sunday, ,91 lirpAApril ,yadn uS2020 19, mp 02:00 0:4 - pm mp -04:00 0:2 pm

February 2020 | Westchester Family

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contents

February 2020 volume thirty | number two

departments 6 Editor’s Note 7 Events & Offers 8 Bits & Pieces 10 Spotlight

Love Changes Everything

24 Children’s dental

health

Teething Timeline

26 LET’S GO

We Love Chocolate!

38 Last word

When Mommy or Daddy are Sad

calendar

Family Activities for February 2020

27

features 12

30 Editor’s Pick: Destination Discovery

Bisa Butler: Portraits This accomplished artist has her first solo exhibition at the Katonah Museum of Art next month. See what Butler has to say about her art, her working process, and what inspires her. Then, be sure to see the exhibition.

20 22

Family Favorites It’s with great pleasure that we announce the Westchester Family Family Favorites 2020 nominees. Is your favorite listed? Be sure to vote!

Hap�y Valen�ine’s Day! Think chocolate and fun activities

32 Editor’s Pick: Family Wheel Night 34 February Mini Camps 35 #ValentineFun 36 Maple Sugaring 37 City Picks

advertising

15 Education Listings 24 Dental Listings

Brilliant Mom Hacks & Shortcuts Being a parent is one of the world’s toughest jobs, but there is an array of genius hacks out there that will make your life way easier (and make you wonder why you didn’t think of them before.) We asked local moms to tell us their favorites.

FEBRUARY 2020

WESTCHESTERFAMILY.COM

Top Pick: Lunar New Year Festival

on the cover 26

Happy Valentines Day!

22

Hacks & Shortcuts

27

February Activities

24

Your Kids’ Teeth

HACKS & SHORTCUTS

Coming Next Month Our Party Issue! Whether it’s a birthday, graduation, bar/bat mitzvah or other special event, parents’ just love to celebrate their children’s achievements.

Get some great tips on how to prepare for and produce the best party ever.

Let’s Go to the Sloomoo Institute!

Read our parent review of this interactive playground for slime experiences in New York City.

Plus … Westchester Family’s awardwinning searchable calendar for families and much more!

Inspired tips for easy parenting

107 Fabul�us FEBRUARY EVENTS

Cover Photo: Getty Images

YOUR KIDS’ TEETH: What You Need To Know

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WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

Look for it starting February 27!

Does your child enjoy learning?

Rippowam Cisqua School provides students with a challenging academic program based on creativity, innovation, and play.

• Small interactive classes • Competitive athletics, arts, public speaking, and wellness • Educational programs before and after school from 7:45 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

• PreK program starting at $12,500 • )LQDQFLDO DLG DQG ȴUVW UHVSRQGHU JUDQWV • Busing available

Join us for a Parent Pop-In Tour!

RSVP at www.rcsny.org/pop-in or call (914) 244-1205

Each day, we inspire PreK through Grade 9 students to imagine, create, and innovate.

February 2020 | Westchester Family

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Editor’s Note

President Victoria Schneps-Yunis CEO Joshua Schneps Group Publisher Clifford Luster cluster@schnepsmedia.com

Westchester Family WestchesterFamily.com Publisher Hester Aba hester@newyorkfamily.com co-Publisher/Editor Jean Sheff edit@westchesterfamily.com

Love Is in the Air It’s February and that means our attention naturally turns to love. There are so many ways to celebrate love and in this issue we’ve set out to explore at least more than a few with you.

For the classic approach bring on the chocolate! Read Andrea Worthington’s take on two delicious Westchester shops that offer full-on chocolate experiences.

Don’t you love when another parent shares a tip that saves you time and energy? This month Janine Clements rounds up some very bright local moms who gave away their best parenting hacks — just because they love you and they want to make this parenting thing easier for everyone. You’ve got to love that.

How about relationships? We’ve got that covered too. Read “Love Changes Everything” to get a grasp on how one local couple manage parenting while juggling Broadway careers.

Talking about careers — check out the article on Bisa Butler, the amazing artist who has her first solo museum exhibition at the Katonah Museum of Art next month. If you don’t see love when you look at her stunning artwork, then you better look closer.

Our Last Word column celebrates a new picture book, Together Things, which celebrates the love between parent and child in the wake of mental illness. The compelling story and wondrous illustrations helps children understand their feelings in

an age appropriate way and offers problemsolving ideas to keep loving bonds alive while facing challenges like mental illness.

Now we want to know a little bit about what you love. This month we share the nominations for the Westchester Family Family Favorites 2020 Awards. Take a look and see if the shop, class, park, or restaurant that you love has been nominated. If so, great, but you have to go online and vote for them in order for them to win. And if your favorite is not listed they can still win — but they need your write-in vote. So show some love to our local merchants, teachers and venues and let everyone know they are the best!

We love being here for you each an every month. Let us help you in this parenting adventure. We offer tips, engaging articles and how-to strategies in our print issue, digital issue, website, and a weekly newsletter that’s filled with awesome thing to do each weekend. Believe it or not — it’s all for free!

Sign up to have the digital issue and newsletter delivered right to your inbox at westchesterfamily. com — we know you’ll love it!

Happy Valentine’s Day, Jean Sheff Co-Publisher, Editor

Calendar Editor Marissa Rodriguez calendar@westchesterfamily.com ADVERTISING SALES Account Managers LynnMarie Hanley lynnmarie.hanley@westchesterfamily.com Nina Spiegelman nina.spiegelman@westchesterfamily.com PRODUctION Art Director Leah Mitch production@schnepsmedia.com Production Staff Arthur Arutyunov Connie Sulsenti DISTRIBUTION & CIRCULATION Roberto Palacios 718-260-4531

Please recycle this magazine.

Westchester Family (ISSN 1043-6774) is published monthly by Queens Family Media LLC. Please note that the advertisements in this magazine are paid for by the advertisers, which allows this magazine to be free to the consumer. Limit of one free copy per reader. Unless specifically noted, no advertisers, products or services are endorsed by the Publisher. All real estate advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.

We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertising are available on an equal opportunity basis. Editorial submissions are welcome.

Westchester Family 1 Metrotech Center Brooklyn NY 11201

Feedback 6

© 2020 Queens Family Media LLC All rights reserved.

Share your feedback and ideas! Email us at edit@WestchesterFamily.com.

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

events & offers

Family Favorites

Spring Camp Fair!

It’s not too late to sign-up for camp If you still don’t know what your children’s summer plans are there is hope. It’s actually not too late to sign up for camp. But where should you send them? It can be overwhelming.

To help make the process easier and more efficient we would like to personally invite you to attend the free Westchester Family Spring 2020 Camp Fair.

Here’s your chance to meet the directors and representatives for some of the best day, sleepaway, and

specialty camps all under one roof.

There will be plenty of time for you to ask questions and get a real feel for each individual camp. Sending your child to camp is an important step, so let us help you make an informed decision.

Children are welcome to attend!

2020 Westchester Family Spring Camp Fair Saturday, March 7, from noon to 3 p.m. at YWCA of White Plains and Central Westchester, 515 North St., White Plains.

REGISTER TODAY AT: WestchesterFamily.com/CampFair

It’s quick, it’s easy — it’s Westchester Family’s 2020 Family Favorite Awards!

This month 2020 we reveal the nominations for the 2020 Family Favorite Awards. Take a look at the nominations on page 20 and then make sure you vote!

Remember, write-in’s are always an option so if your favorite hasn’t been nominated they can still win — but they need your vote! We will publish the results in our June 2020 issue. This is the time to give a shout out to your favorite family-friendly places to thank them for their excellence and to let others know just how good they are.

DON’T WAIT — VOTE NOW! WestchesterFamily.com/FamilyFavorites

Affordable Dental Care.

Now That’s Something to Smile About.

SAVE 20-50% on dental care for your whole family!

If finances are holding you back from the dental care you and your family need, we can help. Touro Dental Health offers a full range of oral health services for all ages, from routine care to advanced treatment including orthodontics, dental implants, oral surgery and more— all at a significant savings of 20-50%. Experience quality, low-cost care in a brand new, modern setting unlike any other in the region, with specialists in every area of dental medicine.

Touro Dental Health, the educational training facility of the Touro College of Dental Medicine at New York Medical College, is dedicated to conducting important educational and clinical research, while providing excellent dental health services to the public.

914.594.2700 | dentalhealth.touro.edu | 19 Skyline Drive, Hawthorne, NY February 2020 | Westchester Family

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Bits & Pieces

Center for Healthy Living Northern Westchester Hospital as opened its Center for Healthy Living (CHL) next to Whole Foods Market at 480 Bedford Road in Chappaqua at the Chappaqua Crossing property.

The new community resource for health and wellness offers a wide variety of community health education programs including: screenings (free blood pressure, vascular, cholesterol and osteoporosis screenings); lectures and events; nutritional counseling, weight management, and a teaching kitchen; integrative medicine; health and wellness consultations; and support groups; mother-baby programs include breastfeeding classes and support groups; classes for new moms; and pre-/post-natal yoga.

A lab draw station is also onsite (prescription required).

This month CHL will observe Heart Month with Valentine’s Day cooking demos, a seminar on Inflammation and Your Heart, and a panel Getting to the Root of Heart Disease. Other upcoming programs include Mindful Eating; a sheet-pan dinner cooking demo; How to Feed Your Baby; Nutrition for Brain Health; the ABCs of Food Allergies; youth vaping cessation and a mental health lecture series.

For more information, contact 914-666-1955. To sign up for any of the upcoming programs, visit NWHCenterforHealthyLiving.

Eventbrite.com

courtesy photo

The Center for Healthy Living’s registered dietitian Amy Rosenfeld, certified health coach Mary Beth Gierlinger, and health care navigator Lauren Selsky at the produce department of Whole Foods.

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WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

5 Things Parents Need to Know About Assessment Testing 1. Tests don’t measure what we think they do. We expect tests to tell us how much students have learned.

However, significant evidence shows tests aren’t great at figuring out what you know or what your potential is. For example, scoring well on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) has almost no correlation with success in college.

2. Tests are designed to be efficient and compare groups. Group comparisons are valuable because they give us data about curriculum efficacy and how to allocate funding however these tests won’t cover every topic students learned and need to be easy to give and grade. That means test authors have to use questions like multiple choice and leave out questions that might get at more important skills like critical thinking or creativity resulting in rewarding passive and superficial learning like memorizing facts or formulas.

3. Test prep is often antithetical to learning. Students score a little better on the state exam in states where there is more accountability of teachers for test scores. However research shows that states that focus on accountability perform much worse on nationwide and international tests

than states that place less emphasis on accountability. It turns out the time your teacher spent prepping for test taking would have been better spent teaching more academic content.

4. Different tests tell us about individual learning. We need to make sure we’re doing different kinds of testing so we get good group AND individual data, that best measures individual growth and are integrated into learning.

Assessment is authentic when it asks students to apply their knowledge to real-world, meaningful problems.

5. How can I make sure my child is doing well? Be involved. Districts are great at letting parents know when and how students will participate in standardized tests, but the only way to know about what’s happening in the classroom is to talk with your child’s teacher. Don’t be afraid to talk to your child’s teacher about how your child will be graded on what they learn, what success looks like, or how much time will be spent preparing for standardized tests.

Hilary Scharton loves education and has worked in it for her entire career. She currently serves as VP of K-12 Strategy, Canvas, the open online learning management system (LMS).

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Belle School of Music

“Where Learning is Fun!”

SPECIALIZING IN PIANO, KEYBOARDS KEYBOARDS AND ANDVOICE VOICE Ages 2-4 with parent participation.

Plant the seed of music in your child!

MUSIC LAND Ages 4-5 with parent participation.

A delightful experience for Mozarts of the future MUSIC FOR LITTLE PEOPLE Ages 5-7 with parent participation.

Unique Russian-Japanese method. Experience the Magic of Music.

ADVENTURES IN KEYBOARD Ages 8-12. Tradition on a new note. Piano instruction for the child of the new millennium.

Bring out the musical talent in your child!

• Comprehensive care from birth to age 21 • State of the art pediatric office • Convenient on-site parking

• Spacious child-friendly waiting area • Extended evening & weekend office hours • Most insurances accepted

family favorites TO P 5 2019

TOP 5 2018

Susan Meisler, M.D. • Hilary Smith, M.D. Lisa Mandelker, D.O. • Debra Etelson, M.D.

TOP 5 2017

145 Huguenot Street, Suite 200 • New Rochelle, NY www.pasw4kids.com • 914.235.1400

TOP 5 2016

Scarsdale: 1088 Central Park Ave White Plains: 283 Tarrytown Rd Yonkers: 1537 Central Park Ave

WINNER 2015

914-961-5511

www.belleschool.com

Crestwood Music Education Center Dr. Ginès-Didier Cano, Director

Crestwood Music Education Center 453 White Plains Road Eastchester, NY (914) 961-3497 | ginescanomusic.com

Founded in 1987, the Crestwood Music Education Center (CMEC) has established itself as one of the most reputable and premier Music Schools in Westchester County.

CMEC has more than eight hundred students of all ages and levels, beginner through professional. Director and owner of the Center, Dr. Ginès-Didier Cano, says, “Our philosophy is to create a very positive, stimulating environment, which gives each student the chance for creative self-expression.” They are committed to providing the highest quality and most meaningful education and are invested in developing each student’s imagination, creativity, intellect, and humanity through this most wonderful art, music. Dr. Cano believes in the importance of having a world-class faculty with extensive education as well as teaching and performing experiences that are only found in America’s finest music schools. More important though, is the commitment the teachers make to share their love of music in the lesson studio, inspiring and guiding each student every step along the way. In assisting prospective students in making an educated decision on starting private lessons, CMEC offers a complementary introductory meeting with the teacher to help answer any questions and to direct students to the most fitting program.

CMEC offers private lessons, one-on-one, in piano, voice, guitar, drums as well as strings, woodwinds and brass and percussion instruments. They also offer special courses such as a Suzuki program for piano and strings, a jazz program, an adult program and many others, which provide their students with the most progressive exposure to musical education. Dr. Cano has served on the faculty of many renowned colleges and music conservatory schools. He received his doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music, a Masters from both The Julliard School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music, and a Premier Prix from the “Conservatoire de Musique du Québec.”

He has performed as a soloist and a principal bassoonist with many professional orchestras and symphonies and is known as a recording artist. He has been heard on various New York and national radio stations: WQXR, WNCN, and CBC Radio Canada. Dr. Cano has resided in the New York metropolitan area for thirty years.

February 2020 | Westchester Family

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spotlight: Broadway

Love Changes Everything Playing on Broadway — Parenting in Westchester

By Jean Sheff

H

ow did a budding rock star and an aspiring concert pianist wind up meeting, marrying, working on Broadway, and living in Westchester with their two children?

Meet Charles and Annbritt duChateau, two amazing artists who have carved out a life that while enviable to many others, according to them seems to have just fallen into place. When asked if she grew up dreaming of being on Broadway Annbritt laughs. “Absolutely not,” she trills. Charles concures, “We’ve been lucky.” Perhaps, but we know that’s not the whole story. There was a lot of hard work behind the opportunities that they have embraced.

Charles is a composer, arranger, cellist, pianist, and conductor who has worked on Broadway with shows such as The Color Purple, South Pacific, Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark, Oklahoma! and Fiddler on the Roof.

This seasoned Broadway musician is also now the orchestra strings teacher for the middle-high school in the Tuckahoe School District, and the founder of the Catalyst Youth Orchestra.

Annbritt is currently the associate music

Annbritt duChateau

Charles duChateau

director and supervisor of Frozen worldwide as well as the associate music director of Aladdin worldwide. And did we mention she sometimes conducts and plays keyboards for Frozen on Broadway? She points out that she wasn’t always a Disney gal. She’s worked on many other Broadway shows including The Threepenny Opera, Pal Joey, and Billy Elliot: The Musical. She’s also worked on the California production of Into the Woods and worked with the New York Philharmonic in their Company gala concert.

Kid musicians Charles and Annbritt took up music at an early age. Charles defines himself as a “rock star that hasn’t given up the dream.” It was a bit of a surprise to this Colorado-raised guy that he put down his guitar and, influenced by his high school orchestra teacher, picked up the cello. More surprises, he ultimately received a full scholarship for cello to the University of Northern Colorado.

In Chicago Annbritt grew up playing the piano and in fifth grade also took up the French horn. She studied both instruments at Chicago’s DePaul University. She earned her undergraduate degree, her Masters and was well on her way to completing her PhD.

Kids’ Night on Broadway® 2020 Kids and Teens See Broadway Shows for Free!

This month expose your children to the wonder of live theater. The Broadway League invites young people ages 18 and under to attend a participating Broadway show for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult. The 24th annual Kids’ Night on Broadway takes place on one night only, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020.

A Kids’ Night on Broadway ticket also includes restaurant discounts, parking discounts, and more.

Select shows will offer in-theater activities for kids including talkbacks,

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Kids’ Night on Broadway activity books, and other events. Check KidsNightonBroadway.com for specific dates and locations and for more information.

Kids’ Night on Broadway, a program of The Broadway League, is generously presented by The New York Times with additional support from Westchester Family.

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

Going national This is where fate turns for them. Charles found work as a musician with the national tour of Les Misérables, a stint he loved and enjoyed for 10 years.

Annbritt was asked to play in an Andrew Lloyd Webber show Aspects of Love, famous for the song, “Love Changes Everything.” When a conductor left the national tour she was tagged and went on the road — and loved it!

Their paths crossed when, as Charles says, “She was my boss.” Annbritt explains that she was serving as musical director on a “dream tour” of Miss Saigon - the show stayed in each city for an extended time so she could take along her car and cats. When a Miss Saigon job opportunity came up some friends

Fabien, Annbritt, Charles and Julien duChateau at a recent family wedding at the Stanley Hotel in Colorado. who were working on Les Misérables told her Charles would be perfect for her. “They meant he would be perfect for the show,” she says. He wound up being perfect for her too.

City or country The couple married in 2001 and eventually found their way to New York City and the Broadway musical scene. A chance sublet took them into Westchester County. Charles says he “was never a Manhattan guy.” He prefers the quieter, cooler air in Westchester. Although he loves to go into the city he says he breathes easier in Westchester. Annbritt agrees. She says she appreciates the great school systems in Westchester, how easy it is to get into the city, and how much the arts are embraced here.

Parenting It was here that they decided to raise their sons, Julien and Fabien, now age 17 and 14 respectively. When the kids were younger Charles says they enjoyed all the familyfriendly Hudson Valley activities like The Blaze.

Charles loves to cook. “I’ll never brag about my musicianship, but I will brag about my cooking,” he jests. His flexible work schedule allows him to do things other dads with traditional work hours might not be able to do. At his sons urging Charles volunteered to teach an after-school cooking class. Word got out that he was teaching and before he knew it the school system had tagged him. As an example of just how cool the guy is - his

son is his student and it’s fine! He credits the school system for being supportive of his at times double life.

“We’ve had the good luck that when one person started a new show the other’s show closed,” explains Charles. When the boys were in preschool and first grade Annbritt was asked to conduct the national tour of Mary Poppins. She thought they couldn’t possibly make it work, but with Charles encouragement they did. Annbritt says parenthood is all about partnership and juggling. “My husband isn’t normal.” she jokes. “He whips up a gourmet meal and is a neat freak. He’s so beloved and adored it’s almost irritating.”

That doesn’t mean they don’t need the help of others to pull off this parenting gig.

Annbritt was in California with Into the Woods starring Vanessa Williams when she found out she was pregnant with their first child. She was going to be there for three months and had no doctors, no experience, and no musician coworkers with experience in such things either. “Charles said you have to talk to Vanessa Williams — she’s a mother. And I’m thinking what? I can’t just go talk to Vanessa Williams!” But she did.

“She is the nicest person in the world, she’s a great mom and is so grounded. She hooked me up with her doctors — she saved me,” says Annbritt.

As the boys grew up there were other helpers. “We’ve had wonderful, devoted people help us with childcare,” says Charles.

He recalls the boys when they were little standing with their caregiver shouting, “Go Daddy, go” as he ran for the Metro-North train.” When the boys were older Annbritt says Matt, a nephew of one of their friends, was fantastic with the boys.

Of course working at night and travelling means as parents they miss some things.

“Weekends when you have to miss the soccer game can be tough,” says Charles. “We have to consciously make time for family, and we do.” says Annbritt, who also credits her kids’ ability to go with the flow as paramount.

“When the boys were younger, people would ask me if I miss putting the boys to bed — no! And it’s perfectly fine to say that. We spend plenty of time together and that’s what is important.” The hands on a clock don’t decide what love looks or feels like. What’s very clear is the joy they both find in their children, in their careers, and in their life.

Jean Sheff is co-publisher, editor of Westchester Family and a former thespian.

February 2020 | Westchester Family

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Bisa Butler:

Portraits An artist’s first solo museum exhibition at the Katonah Museum of Art

By Jean Sheff

B

isa Butler refers to herself as “simply an artist.” For those that have seen her works of art “simply” would be an understatement. Her art has been described as “stunning works that transform family memories and cultural practices into works of social statement.”

Fortunately, Westchester families can see Butler’s first solo exhibition “Bisa Butler: Portraits” when it opens at the Katonah Museum of Art on March 15, 2020.

The West Orange, New Jersey-based artist is often referred to as a fiber artist.

Butler says, “I use fiber as a medium and quilt techniques, but I have been known to paint and draw as well.” It has taken years for Butler to complete the approximately 25 vivid and larger than life quilts in this exhibit.

“Most of my pieces take 300 to 400 hours to complete so there are many, many long hours of work that went into this exhibition,” says Butler, who will also have a solo exhibition at the Claire Oliver Gallery in Harlem in March.

We recently spoke with Butler about her artwork and her upcoming exhibition at the Katonah Museum of Art.

See the Exhibition Katonah Museum of Art 134 Jay St., Katonah, NY 10536 914-232-9555 katonahmuseum.org Exhibition Dates: March 15 through June 14, 2020 Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; closed Mondays.

Admission: $10 adults, $5 seniors and students. Children ages 12 and under enter for free. The #ThirdThursdays program offers free admission for all on the third Thursday of every month.

Parking: Free on-site parking available.

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The Learning Center: Families can enhance their experience at the Museum’s Learning Center. Drop-in to explore, play, create, and discover with free art materials during Museum hours. Projects in the Learning Center complement the exhibitions on view.

Nearby: The nearby town of Katonah offers several family-friendly restaurants. There’s also Little Joe’s, a kidfriendly bookstore serving coffee and snacks, quaint shops, and the Katonah Village Library with a Children’s Room. Cap off the day with a visit to Muscoot Farm, an early-1900’s interpretive farm, which is free and open daily to visitors.

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

Q: How would you summarize this project in your own words?

This project is a quilted fabric album of everyday people of African descent inspired by vintage photographs. My goal is to not only provide a simple snapshot of a person but also to communicate an entire story in one piece of artwork. I create portraits of people that include many clues of their inner thoughts, their heritage, their actual emotions, and even their future.

Q: Where did the idea to create a series like this originate?

I started creating this series in 2017 after I left my full-time teaching position to pursue art full time. I didn’t necessarily set out to only create images of African Americans, but I started out making portraits of the people who were in my life; my friends and family. I wanted to create images of the people in my life to honor them and show them how much I admired and loved them. All of my figures have dignity, pride, and beauty because that is the way I see them.

Q: It appears that these portraits are representations of black people from the early-mid 20th century. You’ve chosen to present them as opulent and quite regal during a historical period where society treated them as anything but. Could you shed more light on your choice in color schemes and patterns for these portraits?

I represent all of my figures with dignity, and regal opulence because that is my actual perspective of humanity. It is true that African Americans were not treated equally

Four Little Girls, September 15, 1963, 2018. Cotton, silk and lace 61 x 78 in. (154.9 x 198.1 cm) Courtesy of Michelle and Pete Scantland.

See Bisa Butler’s stunning artwork in her first solo exhibition at the Katonah Museum of Art that opens on March 15, 2020. or even as full human beings in the past but I am showing my perspective in my artwork it’s hard for me to imagine that anyone could meet a person and not see them the way I do.

I see African Americans as the standard, not a marginalized subgroup. I actually didn’t consciously set out to portray people so regally, but others pointed out that was what I was doing.

I choose bright Technicolor cloth to represent our skin because these colors are how African Americans refer to our complexions. We may be brown, but we use terms like blue black to refer to someone who has very, very dark skin, or high yellow if the person is very fair, and red bone if the person is fair and blushes easily. I also use color to communicate a mood. If a figure is shades of cool blue, I am trying to communicate that this person has a laid back, even temperament. If a subject is bright crimson and deep burgundy, I am communicating that this person is passionate and can be fiery.

I use West African wax prints, Kente cloth, and Dutch wax prints to communicate that all of my figures are of African descent and have a long and rich history behind them. When the first Africans were forced into slavery, they were not allowed to speak their native languages, call themselves by their birth names, or keep any part of their past identity. Slavers justified their inhumane treatment of Africans by pretending that they had no past at all. I want all of my figures to have their heritage back because at the time these photos were taken many of the subjects would not have ever even referred to themselves as Africans.

Q: How would you say your own identity as an African American woman of Ghanaian heritage is represented by the patterns, colors, and materials used?

I grew up seeing my grandmother, mother, and aunties wear brightly printed African cloth. My father is from Ghana and

my mother, while being African American, was raised in Morocco. My mother’s Moroccan djebellas and caftans were brightly colored silks woven with sparkly embroidery and were an ordinary mode of dress in our home. There was never a time when I did not see wax prints being worn and used as decoration at home.

Kente cloth was woven in Ghana for the wealthy dignitaries, and special occasions. I was raised to recognize the different colors and weaving patterns and meanings. Similar to Scottish plaids, certain Kente patterns and colors signify different tribes and regions.

A bright orange red and yellow cotton silk blended Kente is from a southern Ghanaian tribe. Northern tribes wear thick cottons in bold black, white, and navy stripes.

Q: How did you become interested in working with quilting and fiber art? Why are these your chosen materials?

I became interested in working with February 2020 | Westchester Family

13

quilting in fiber art during graduate school.

I have a BFA degree in painting but I didn’t feel inspired after I finished school.

I became pregnant my senior year in school and the smell of oil paint and transporting heavy canvases became overwhelming for me. I stopped painting for a few years and when I was in graduate school for an art education degree I made a small quilt, the size of an oven mitt, with a landscape design. I realized at that moment that I could use all fiber as a medium. My grandmother and mother sewed every day making clothing and home decor and they taught me the power of being able to make something for yourself. I have always loved fashion and with sewing I could design any outfit I wanted.

Fiber and fabric appealed to me because I could manipulate them and work while sitting next to my small children. I could explore the intense colors of my background and create something new.

Q: Could you briefly explain the technique used to create the portraits?

I use the techniques taught to me while at Howard University; I start with a subject or inspiration and make a line sketch. My drawings are highly detailed because this will become my pattern. I put down layers of cloth the way a painter puts down layers of glazes. Carefully cutting each piece to match my sketch.

After about 200 hours of laying down progressively smaller and smaller pieces I stitch everything together on a long arm quilting machine. My machine is on a 12-foot-long frame and allows me to effectively draw with the threads. I use stitches to show texture like the kinks and curls of African American hair.

Q: Is there anything you consider to be important that you feel we might have missed?

I feel like I am carrying on the tradition of African American quilting into a new form of expression. It is important to learn our traditions, or they will be lost to history.

African Americans originally quilted out of the necessity to stay warm in places unlike their homelands and we had very little resources. Our quilts were made of patches because those small rags were all we had to spare in a time when we wore our clothes until they literally fell apart.

My quilts are reminders of those times but they are artwork, not quilts to be used.

The fabrics I use are new and very expensive,

14

Anaya with Oranges, 2017. Cotton, organza, chiffon, lace and netting 36 x 20 in. (91.4 x 50.8 cm) Courtesy of the Dimmitt Davies Collection

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 2019. Cotton, wool and chiffon, quilted and appliqued 50 x 129 in. (127 x 327.6 cm) Private collection, promised gift on long-term loan to the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

To make a quilt Butler makes a very detailed line sketch that will become her pattern. She then puts down layers of cloth the way a painter puts down layers of glazes. but the tradition is still carried on because mixed in my new fabrics are pieces of cloth given to me by my mother and grandmother.

I am making something with my own two

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

hands just like my forbearers.

Jean Sheff is co-publisher and editor of Westchester Family.

2020

Education Guide Special Advertising Supplement

Ann & Andy’s 2170 Saw Mill River Road, Elmsford 914-592-3027 annandandychildcare.com Each child is considered first, as an individual, and then as a member of the group. Regularly planned group activities meet the natural, physical, emotional and cognitive needs of children at play. The staff is carefully trained to promote a positive environment and to keep a balanced routine that does not stress or over stimulate children.

Ardsley Community Nursery 21 American Legion Dr., Ardsley 914-693-4932 acns.us The Ardsley Community Nursery School is proud of its caring staff and dynamic enrichment program serving ages 2 through 5. Creative and developmentally appropriate pre-academic activities are based on weekly themes and geared toward making friends and recognizing the talents of each child. A lovely playground and local field trips

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Hudson Country Montessori School 340 Quaker Ridge Road, New Rochelle 914-636-6202 hudsoncountry.org Inspiring and promoting innate curiosity and a love of learning through progressive Montessori pedagogy. Striving to help children grow into respectful, socially adept and compassionate leaders. The curriculum is designed to empower students to become independent, creative thinkers and confident achievers. Private coeducational school, toddlers (18 months) through 8th grade. Schedule a private tour today!

Iona Preparatory Lower School 173 Stratton Road, New Rochelle 914-633-7744, ext. 418 IonaPrep.org dmone@ionaprep.org

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2170 Saw Mill River Rd, Elmsford, NY February 2020 | Westchester Family

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education Directory | Special Advertising Supplement

Welcome Class of 2024!

Get an Early Start on Excellence! The best way to “Discover the Iona Prep Difference” at thier Lower School is to experience it for yourself at one of two Info Sessions on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Learn about the school from the teachers, parents, and students who call Iona Prep home each day. Come see how their 100-year tradition of excellence, small class sizes and an all-boys environment will actively engage your son’s learning. From their quiet and safe 11-acre campus, to a campus ministry program promoting caring and concern, to a skills-based athletics program focusing on strength and character, your son can begin his college-preparatory journey as early as prekindergarten!

Kumon Math and Reading Program 1.800.ABC.MATH kumon.com Every kid is smart. They just just make them smarter.

Kumon is an after-school math and reading enrichment program that unlocks the potential of children, so they can achieve more on their own. As a comprehensive program, Kumon serves children in preschool through high school. The learning method uses an individualized approach that helps children develop a solid command of math and reading skills.Join Kumon’s parent community at facebook.com/kumon for helpful tips. To learn more, attend a free orientation at a Kumon Math & Reading Center near you.

SCHOLARSHIP: Maria Regina High School is a Catholic college preparatory high school that is committed to a holistic approach in the education of young women offering a wide range of Advanced Placement and Honors Courses.

SERVICE: MRHS provides service opportunities to all students challenging them to respond to the crucial needs of today's society.

SPIRIT: With over 25 student clubs and organizations as well as varsity/JV athletic teams, there is something for every student.

Maria Regina High School 500 West Hartsdale Ave., Hartsdale 914-761-3300 mariaregina.org Maria Regina High School is a Catholic, college preparatory high school for girls founded by the Sisters of the Resurrection. Located in Hartsdale, Maria Regina offers more than 12 Advanced Placement courses, numerous college credited courses, and honors and college prep courses. Celebrating more than 60 years of excellence, Maria Regina is committed to the values of Scholarship, Service and Spirit. MRHS challenges young women to develop their intellectual potential and talents through individualized academic programs, strong athletic, extracurricular activities and service opportunities all in a strong spiritual atmosphere. By embracing the diverse personal, cultural and intellectual backgrounds of it students, MRHS develops and guides young women ready and willing to contribute positively in their own unique roles to society.

Milestone School 70 W. Broad St., Fleetwood 914-667-3478 themilestoneschool.com Founded more than 40 years ago on the premise that “good beginnings never end,” Milestone offers its students from preschool through 4th grade a strong academic foundation while leaving room for the child to explore many other disciplines from yoga to its highly acclaimed Shakespeare program. Small classroom sizes foster confidence, independence, and a desire to learn.

The Montessori School in Pelham 500 West Hartsdale Avenue | Hartsdale, NY 10530 (914) 761-3300 | www.mariaregina.org

16

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

1415 Pelhamdale Ave., Pelham Manor 914-738-1127 montessorischoolpelhamny.com Upholding a “tradition of excellence” for more than 35

18 MONTHS - 8TH GRADE

Saint Barnabas High School is an all-girls college preparatory school offering: • AP Classes, College Credits & Academics for All Learners • Internships in Education and Medicine/Health • An array of sports including Track & Field and MAKE YOUR SUMMER COUNT! Cross Country plus clubs like Robotics and NYPD SUMMER ENRICHMENT ACADEMY Explorers Program June 30 – July 17 Calling all 6th, 7th & 8th Grade Girls Preparing for High School • Enhanced STEM through Amazon Future Get ready for your next level of learning this summer.

Engineer Program & PepsiCo Million Women’s Morning sessions include: Mentoring Program Reading, Math, English & TACHS Preparation Afternoon sessions have fun activities: Art, Athletics and Robotics Coming soon ~ State-of-the-Art STREAM Lab

ENROLL NOW Book your Shadow Day

Contact Gina Nieves - 718-325-8800 x20 gnieves@stbarnabashigh.com

Contact Anissa Osorio for more information at Aosorio@stbarnabashigh.com 718-325-8800 x20

______________________________________________________________ Saint Barnabas High School ~ 425 East 240th Street – Bronx, NY 10470 www.stbarnabashigh.com / Reach us by car, bus, train or Metro North February 2020 | Westchester Family

17

education Directory | Special Advertising Supplement

years, this school firmly and consistently holds to the principles of child development devised by Dr. Maria Montessori. Children ages 3 to 5 work with apparatus in a prepared environment progressing at their own rate, developing the confidence and love of learning that is the hallmark of Montessori. Small class size means individual attention making it easy for their teachers to find out how to best cater to your child’s unique learning needs. The Montessori School in Pelham Manor gives your child a well-rounded education through a learningfocused environment where they learn geography, math, art, and music.

Rippowam Cisqua School 439 Cantitoe St., Bedford 914-244-1205 rcsny.org/TourRCS Families choose Rippowam Cisqua School because of its unique ability to stretch, challenge and lift young minds. Strong student/teacher relationships are supported by small interactive classes, flexible learning spaces, and an immersive curriculum that integrates academics, arts, athletics, and innovation. By cultivating their imagination through play, exploration, and discovery, students engage in joyful learning experiences that spark their intellectual curiosity and personal growth. Graduates emerge as independent thinkers, confident communicators, and engaged leaders. Visit rcsny.org/TourRCS.

Saint Barnabas High School

Your online resource for all things parenting WestchesterFamily.com provides a rich array of local resources, useful content, directories and interactive tools to help families meet and celebrate the challenges of parenting.

Visit us online today!

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WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

E. 240th St., Bronx 718-325-0364 stbarnabashigh.com SBHS is an independent, all-girls college preparatory school, serving a diverse group of young women, located in the northeast Bronx. They offer AP classes, college credits and challenging academics for all learners. Saint Barnabas fosters a respectful, inclusive environment that challenges their students to think critically and encourages academic excellence. Beyond the classroom, they provide an array of enriching opportunities, including internships, mentoring programs, extracurricular activities and community service. Through this affordable, values-oriented educational experience, Saint Barnabas High School prepares young women for successful futures.

Thornton-Donovan School 100 Overlook Circle, New Rochelle 914-632-8836 td.edu Thornton-Donovan, Westchester’s little red schoolhouse, began its Israeli celebration on Thursday, September 12th. More than 20 courses, all with Sacred Geography, are being taught for the entire school year.

In April 2020 over 50 T-D students will visit the Holy Land in Israel and the Vatican in Rome. T-D is co-ed in all K-12 grades. T-D is individually focused and globally engaged. Seven world languages are taught. More than 40 sister schools worldwide are available for exchange.

Ardsley Community Nursery School & Summer Day Camp 21 American Legion DS t Ardsley

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• AM and PM classes for children 2-5 • Enrichment programs in dance, music, art, science, nature and yoga • Weekly and hourly rates • Diaper friendly • Beautiful outdoor play area • Local ďŹ eld trips

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19

Family Favorites Nominees 2020 2020

Academic Enrichment Program Achievement Learning Center Eye Level Learning Hudson Learning Lab KUMON Mathnasium Sylvan Learning

Amusement Center Boundless Adventures Dave & Busters FunFuzion Grand Prix New York LEGOLAND Discovery Center New Roc City Playland Sky Zone Spins Hudson Sportime USA The Play Place The Rock Club

Apple Picking Orchard Barton Orchards Fishkill Farms Harvest Moon Farm & Orchards Hurds Family Farm Jones Family Farm Outhouse Orchards Silverman’s Farm Stuart’s Farm Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm Wilklow Orchards

Art Studio for Kids A Maze in Pottery Art Academy of Westchester Clay Art Center Fun Craft of Scarsdale Katonah Art Center MADE: My Art + Design Experience One River School Larchmont Pelham Art Center Plaster Palace Pottery Rye Arts Center Scribble Art Workshop The Pottery Factory Time to Kiln

20

It’s with great pleasure that we announce the Westchester Family 2020 Family Favorites nominees.

Readers are invited to go online to WestchesterFamily.com/FamilyFavorites to votes. The five nominees in each of the 30 categories with the most votes will earn a Top 5 designation. The Top 5 nominee with the most votes in each category receives the Winner status.

Take a look, is your favorite class,

Westchester Putnam Pottery Yonkers Pottery Young At Art

Birthday Cake for Kids (Local) ABC Cakes Baked by Susan Beascakes Bakery & Breads By the Way Bakery Cupcake Cutie Boutique Flour & Sun Bakery Harrison Bake Shop Homestyle Bakery Lulu Cake Boutique Martine’s Fine Bake Shoppe Milk N Cookies Neri Bakery Pelham Bakery Riviera Bakehouse The Snackery Bakeshop

Birthday Party Place A Maze in Pottery Bounce U Breaking Ground Dance Center Dave & Busters Fun Craft of Scarsdale FunFuzion Grand Prix New York Grandmaster B.M. Kim Tae Kwon Do Great Play of Scarsdale Greenburgh Nature Center Groove Gymboree Play & Music GymCats Gymnastics Hommocks Ice Rink House of Sports Jodi’s Gym Kids U, Pleasantville LEGOLAND Discovery Center Longford’s Own-Made Ice Cream, Larchmont MADE: MY Arts & Design Experience New Roc City Penny Lick Ice Cream Company ProSwing of Mount Kisco Rockin’ Jump Spins Hudson

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

store or playground listed? Then go online and vote for them today. Your favorites aren’t listed? There’s a write-in box for each category so anyone can win.

Contest ends April 15, 2020. The winners will be announced in the June 2020 issue.

Tell us what you think. Your vote counts. Go online now to WestchesterFamily.com/FamilyFavorites

Sportime USA Stepping Stones Museum for Children Studio B Dance Center The Digital Arts Experience The Play Place The Rock Club at Pine Brook Fitness The Rye Arts Center Warrior Baseball NY Westchester Children’s Museum World Cup Gymnastics Yonkers Tennis

Bookstores for Families Anderson’s Larchmont Arcade Books Booksy Galore Bronx River Books Little Joe’s Books Scattered Books The Village Bookstore Womrath Book Shop

Clothing Store for Kids (New and Local) All About the Dress All Together Now Denny’s Epstein’s, Tuckahoe hip-kid Lester’s Clothing Little Rags & Riches Neil’s Corner Spot Squires Family Clothing Stephanie’s Kloset

Consignment Store for Families Affordables Baby Chic Cosign It on Main Encore Designer Consignment Golden Shoestring Maizie Consignment Apparel Once Upon a Child, Baldwin Place Once Upon a Child, Scarsdale Penny Pincher Boutique Preppy Turtle The Sharing Shelf

Trilogy Consignment

Dance Class Academy of Dance Arts Addie-tude Performing Arts Center Artistry Dance Project Breaking Ground Dance Center Broadway Training Center Central Park Dance Dance Cavise Studios Dance for Joy East Pointe French American Ballet Theatre JCC of Mid-Westchester Logrea Dance Academy Magical Movements Penny Lane Dance Scarsdale Ballet Studio Steffi Nossen School of Dance Studio B Dance Center

Dining with Children AJ’s Burgers Al Dente Pizzeria, Rye Augies Italian Auray Gourmet Bareburger Blue Moon Brother Jimmy’s BBQ California Pizza Kitchen Cheesecake Factory City Limits Exit 4 Food Hall Fantasy Cuisine Fountain Diner Fuji Mountain Lefteris Gyro Little Sorrento’s Mt. Kisco Diner Nautilus Diner Rockwells Sherwood’s Restaurant Smashburger Westchester Burger Company

Gymnastic Class American Gymnastics Great Play of Scarsdale GymCats Gymnastics

Gymnastics City ISG Gymnastics JCC Mid-Westchester Jodi’s Gym Little Gym of Scarsdale Spotlight Gymnastics Westchester Gymnastics World Cup Gymnastics YWCA Gymnastics, White Plains

Horseback Riding Stable Boulder Brook Equestrian Center Bronx Equestrian Center Fox Hill Farm Kentucky Riding Stables Rocking Horse Ranch Summit Farm Twin Lakes Farm Westchester Trail Rides Zepher Farm

Ice Cream & Yogurt (Local) Blue Pig Braazar, Irvington Cold Stone Creamery Double Rainbow Frannie’s Goody Shop King Kone Longford’s Own-Made Ice Cream Main Street Sweets Mikey Dubb’s Frozen Custard Murray’s Ice Cream Penny Lick Ice Cream Company Red Mango Seven Scoops Stew Leonard’s SwirlNJoy The Hudson Creamery Village Creamery & Sweetshop

Indoor Playspace Bounce! Trampoline Sports BounceU FunFuzion Grand Prix New York Great Play of Scarsdale Gymboree Play & Music Jodi’s Gym Kids U Pleasantville Kidville, Mt. Kisco LEGOLAND Discovery Center Life the Place to Be My Gym, Larchmont My Gym, Yorktown Rockin’ Jump Sky Zone The Digital Arts Experience The Play Place Tig & Peach

Indoor Rock Climbing High Exposure Rock Climbing Life the Place to Be Rock Club Fairfield SportimeUSA The Cliffs at Valhalla The Rock Club at Pine Brook Fitness

Museum for Families Bruce Museum Hudson River Museum Hudson Valley Center of Contemporary Art Katonah Museum of Art Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum Neuberger Museum of Art Stepping Stones Museum for Children Storm King Westchester Children’s Museum

Music Lessons Amadeus Conservatory of Music Bach to Rock Belle School of Music Choice Music Studio Concordia Conservatory Crestwood Music Education Center Eastchester Music Center Harrison School of Music Hoff-Barthelson Music School Larchmont Music Academy Mike Risko Music Music Conservatory of Westchester Pelham Music Arts Center School of Rock The Rye Arts Center

Music Programs (Parent & Child) Groove Gymboree Play & Music, Scarsdale JCC of Mid-Westchester Musical Munchkins Mustard Seed Music School Rye YMCA Starlight Starbright Music

Nature Center Audubon Greenwich Croton Point Nature Center Edith Read Wildlife Sanctuary, Rye Greenburgh Nature Center Muscoot Farm New York Botanical Garden Rye Nature Center Sheldrake Environmental Center Stamford Nature Center Teatown Lake Reservation Weinberg Nature Center Westmoreland Sanctuary

Performing Arts Class/ Acting ARC Stages Artistree Performing Arts Broadway Training Center Class Act Studios Clocktower Players Croton Academy of Arts Lighthouse Youth Theater Lunchbox Theater at Sarah Lawrence College

Mike Risko Music New York Performing Arts Center Play Group Theater Random Farms Kids Theatre Sandbox Theatre Star Kidz The Rye Arts Center Theater O Westchester Sandbox Theatre Yorktown Stage Young at Arts

Pet Groomers Bark Bathe & Beyond Clip ‘n Cuddle Muddy Buddies Punk Puppy Salon Shampooch Dog Salon Village Dog Grooming

Photographer (Family or Child) Anika Fatouros Photography Donna Mueller Photography Elena Wolfe Portraits Jamie Kilgore Photography Jane Goodrich Photography Kristen Larsen Photography Leila Sutton Photography Michael Kormos Photography Suzanne Claire Photography Venture Photography

Playground Crawford Park Croton Point Park Gedney Park Greenburgh Nature Center’s Discovery Playground Harbor Island Playground Jack’s Friendship Garden/ Huguenot Park Kingsland Point Park Reis Park Sagamore Playground Saxon Woods Park Turtle Park, Larchmont

Resort for Families Camelback Mountain Resort Frost Valley YMCA Great Wolf Lodge Hersheypark Kalahari Resorts Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark Mohonk Mountain House Rocking Horse Ranch Smugglers’ Notch The Inn at East Hill Farm Woodloch Pines

Special Needs Recreational Program Angelfish Therapy Aqua Tots Backyard Sports Challenger Little League Children’s Rehabilitation Center

Greenburgh Special Education HERO, Inc. JCC of Mid-Westchester North East Westchester Special Recreation, Inc. The Miracle League of Westchester Yogashine

STEM Programs (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Bricks 4 Kids Curious on Hudson Destination Science Engineering for Kids Westchester Macinspires, Larchmont Mad Science Mathnasium RoboThink Westchester STEM Alliance of Larchmont Sylvan Learning The Digital Arts Experience The Rye Arts Center

Theater for Families (Local & Live) Broadway Training Center Clocktower Players Curtain Call Emelin Theatre Harrison Players Palace Theatre, Stamford Play Group Theatre Ridgefield Playhouse Tarrytown Music Hall The Performing Arts Center, Purchase Theatre O Westchester Broadway Theatre White Plains Performing Arts Center Yorktown Stage

Tennis Program for Kids Armonk Tennis Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning Greenburg Tennis New Rochelle Racquet Club at Pine Brook Fitness Pleasantville Tennis Club Rye Racquet Club SPORTIME Harbor Island SPORTIME Lake Isle The Play Place Westchester Turf & Tennis Yonkers Tennis Center

Toy Stores A Nu Toy Store Briarcliff Toy Shop Learning Express - Rye Brook Learning Express - Scarsdale Lil Beans Miller’s Toys Penny & Ting Toy Box TP Toys and Accessories

February 2020 | Westchester Family

21

Brilliant Mom

Hacks and Shortcuts

By Janine Clements

More Amazing Hacks

B

eing a parent is one of the world’s toughest jobs, but there is an array of genius hacks out there that will make your life way easier (and make you wonder why you didn’t think of them before.) We asked local moms to tell us their favorites.

• Mornings can be chaotic with kids, but they don’t need to be. Download a free weekly schedule template online, fill it out and stick it on the wall. This way each child knows to do before they leave the house. Have a check off column for what they need to take with them, ie: their backpack, lunch, afterschool activity items.

• Are you tired of hunting for your kids’ hats, gloves, and scarves? Find everything you need in an instant by filling the pockets of an over-thedoor shoe organizer with all their winter accessories.

• For a super easy way to get your

Valentine’s activity “For a fun activity with a personal touch, get your kids to make their own Valentine’s cards for their class. Michaels sells a box of 50 blank, colored cards with envelopes for under $10.”

— Lynda Allison “Instead of having to cajole your kid into writing their name 20 times on every card, which could likely turn into a battle, get a cute name stamp for them to use and they’ll be done faster than you can say, ‘I love you!’”

— Christie Luciano Out and about “When traveling, pack heavy duty black garbage bags and packing tape for instant window blackouts, for no-fuss nap times and bedtimes.”

— Emily Rotter “For little emergencies on-the-go, fill a gallon-size reuseable bag with napkins, travel wet wipes, and a change of clothes and put it in the glove box. It will come in handy for anything from car sickness to wet clothes to trash.”

— Tanya Bieniek Messina “Keep a small ‘going out to dinner’ bag with coloring books, pencils, small games, and playing cards in the car. This way, when you go to a restaurant with your tribe, you’ll have a great boredom buster to hand.”

— Pam Pierce Around the house “If you want your kids to do something, but they just won’t listen, use the words ‘Simon

22

Says.’ It works every time.”

— Maureen McKeown Tsuchida “To avoid last minute panic-buying for the endless stream of kids’ birthday parties, bulk buy gifts in the sales, then wrap and stash, so you can grab one from the pile and go.”

— Cathy DuRei “Keep nightmares away by spraying Monster Repellent Spray (use linen spray) under the bed at bedtime, so your wee ones can have a restful sleep every night.”

— Lilliana Diaz Pedrosa “Fed up of finding cups lying all over the house? Give each kid their own cup, attach a magnet and stick them on the fridge.”

— Chantel Waterbury “Keep a lint roller in your arts and crafts box.

Next time your kids spill glitter (because you know they’re going to), you can clear it up in no time.”

— Mara LoConte

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

kid to put their coat on, put it on the floor with the hood at their feet.

They simply slide their arms into the armholes and flip it over their head.

Bingo!

• Next time your little one has a booboo, use a pack of frozen marshmallows as a soft, squishy, and not too cold ice pack.

• Keep those darn bees away from glasses of juice when your kids are playing outside, stick a straw through an upside-down cupcake liner and pop it over the top.

• If your child is bored or irritable, stick them in a warm bubble bath with some toys. Splashing around in those bubbles will get them smiling in no time.

Mealtime magic “Keep hunger at bay before dinnertime by making healthy snack bowls filled with fruit, veggies, cheese, and popcorn for your kids to munch on.”

— Robin Levine Shainberg “If your child takes cover at the sight of vegetables, puree or grate them and hide them in the meals you make. They’ll never even notice. Yummy combinations include zucchini or carrots with pasta sauces and cauliflower with mashed potatoes.”

— Rachelle Rayner “If you’re too busy to cook every day — and let’s face it most of us are — batch cooking is a game changer. Prepare large quantities of what dish you’re making and freeze in smaller portions, so you can whip one out of the freezer for a speedy, home-cooked meal.”

— Anike Wariebi Janine Clements is a Westchester-based freelance writer who is joyfully hacking her way through parenthood.

February 2020 | Westchester Family

23

children’s dental health

Teething Timeline!

milestone that many parents love Shedding UpperBaby’s Teeth first tooth! It’s aEruption when it happens and share immediately with all. According 6-7 years 8-12ofmonths CentraltoIncisor the American Academy Pediatrics, a child’s first tooth usually appears between 6 and 12 months. You can

years Lateralalso Incisor 9-13tomonths expect the first tooth be at the front lower7-8 level.

As for all the other glorious teeth, we have a fun timeline

10-12toyears Caninethat (Cuspid) months will help you with 16-22 what teeth to expect and when expect them.

First Molar

13-19 months

9-12 years

Second Molar

25-33 months

10-12 years

Shedding Baby Teeth

Eruption 8-12 months

6-7 years

CI Lower TUpper eeth Teeth Eruption Eruption Shedding Shedding LI 7-8 years 9-13 months Central Incisor 8–12 months 6–7 years C SecondLateral Molar 23-31 months 10-12 years months 10-12 years 7–8 years 16-22 monthsIncisor 9–13 FM Canine (Cuspid) 16-22 months 10-12 years 14-18 months 9-11 years First Molar 9-12 years 13-19 months SM First Molar 13-19 months 9-12 years 17-23 months 9-12 years Canine (Cuspid) Second Molar 25-33 months 10-12 years 10-12 years 25-33 months Upper Teeth 10-16 months 7-8 years Lateral Incisor Lower Teeth Eruption Shedding EruptionIncisor Shedding Teethyears SM Lower 6-7 6-1010-12 months Central Second Molar 23-31 months years

23-31 months 10-12 years First Molar 14-18 months 9-11 years 14-18 months 9-11months years 9-12 years Canine (Cuspid) 17-23 Lateral Incisor 10-16 17-23 months 9-12months years 7-8 years Central Incisor 6-10 10-16 months 7-8months years 6-7 years 6-10 months 6-7 years

Adult Teeth

FM C

LI

CI

First Molar

13-19 months

Second Molar

25-33 months

Lower Teeth Second Molar First Molar Canine (Cuspid) Lateral Incisor Central Incisor

Eruption 23-31 months 14-18 months 17-23 months 10-16 months 6-10 months

Adult Teeth Upper Teeth CI

Central Incisor Upper Teeth Eruption LI

AdultEruption Teeth

Central Incisor 7-8 years C Lateral Incisor Lateral 8-9 yearsIncisor Canine (Cuspid) FM11-12 years (Cuspid) First Premolar Canine 10-11 years (Bicuspid) SM First Second Premolar 10-12Molar years (Bicuspid) Upper Teeth Second First Molar 6-7 yearsMolar Second Molar 12-13 years Lyears ower Teeth Third Molar SM 17-21 (Wisdom Teeth)Lower Teeth

FM Second Molar

Lower Teeth Eruption

C Third Molar 17-21Molar years First (Wisdom Teeth) LI CI Second Molar Canine 12-13 years (Cuspid) First Molar 6-7 years Lateral Incisor Second Premolar 10-12 years (Bicuspid) Central Incisor First Premolar 10-11 years (Bicuspid) Canine (Cuspid) 11-12 years Lateral Incisor 8-9 years Central IncisorEruption 6-7 years

Baby Teeth

8-12 months CI

9-13 LI months C

FP 16-22 months SP 13-19 months

FM

Upper25-33 Teeth months

SM

Eruption TM 23-31 months 14-18 monthsTM 17-23 monthsSM Lower10-16 Teeth months FM 6-10 months SP FP C

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8-9 years Premolar LateralAve.,Briarcliff Incisor 325 S. Highland Manor Second (Bicuspid) LI SP 914-762-4151 C Canine (Cuspid) 11-12 years FM briarcliffpediatricdentistry.com First 6-7 years MainMolar Street Pediatric Dentistry Touro Dental Health Upper Teeth FM FP info@bpdstaff.com First Premolar (Bicuspid) 10-11 115years Main St., Suite 302, Tuckahoe 19 SkylineUpper Dr.,Hawthorne Teeth Second Molar 12-13 years Renuka Rao Bijor, DDS, MPH, MDS, SM SP 914-633-4440 914-594-2700 Second Premolar (Bicuspid) years SM FDSRC and her staff are helping children 10-12 mainstreetpediatricdentistry.com dentalhealth@touro.edu 17-21 years Third Molar (Wisdom Teeth) smile life by creating positive FM through tourodental.com TM First Molar 6-7Penny years Resnick-Graulich, DMD, Fran-

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TM As the teaching facility of Touro College of Dental Medicine, Touro Dental Health is a new option for advanced and affordable dental care in the Hudson Valley. They offer a full range of oral health careTM services for both children and adults. From routine cleanings to advanced treatment SM including orthodontics and oral surgery, all treatment is offered at a savings of 20 to 50%. Experience the convenience FMof comprehensive dental care for your entire family in a modern setting unlike any SP other in the region.

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Celebrating Children’s Dental Health Month!!

TEN YEARS OF LASER DENTISTRY Avoid shots • Avoid drilling • Less time in chair • Ideal for cavities and frenectomies

325 South Highland Ave, Suite 102 • Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510 (914) 762-4151 • info@bpdstaff.com • briarcliffpediatricdentistry.com O.R. Dentistry at Phelps Memorial HospitalInterceptive Orthodontics

Serving Children with Special Needs

• Child-friendly environment and caring staff • Special needs welcomed • State-of-the-art technology and sterilization techniques • Game Rooms, Theater with large-screen TV • Serving the community for over 25 years

Voted one of Westchester’s Top Pediatric Dentists

WINNER 2017

Penny Resnick Graulich, DMD Fatina Shtivelman DDS Dayna Mermelstein DMD Emelie Preis, DDS 115 Main Street, Suite 302, Tuckahoe, NY 10707 (914) 633-4440 MainStreetPediatricDentistry.com February 2020 | Westchester Family

25

let’s GO

for up to two hours of chocolate-y fun.

The shop has been a town staple since 2011, but in 2019 was taken over by Scarsdale resident Winnie Cheng, who has revitalized the business by improving the selection of candy and gifts and creating personalized parties so little chocolate lovers can have their theme and eat it too.

We Love Chocolate!

New ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Westchester

By Andrea Worthington

F

ebruary is ubiquitous with chocolate.

Between the cold and Cupid, it’s the perfect time to indulge in confections that reward us for making it through the long, bitter, self-depriving month that is January.

But why settle for Hershey’s? This Valentine’s Day, skip the drugstore candy aisle and head straight to the source: Westchester chocolate outposts where the sweet stuff is made or molded before your eyes. These two chocolate shops will indulge your inner Willy Wonka and make your child as happy as … well … a kid in a candy shop.

Mast Chocolate This organic bean-to-bar company is all about ethical sourcing and eco-friendly packaging. Founded in Brooklyn in 2007, the Mast Brothers have tested their empire in London and Los Angeles before opening a café-factory in Mount Kisco. This ode-tominimalism space features bars in flavors like lavender and olive oil in addition to classic milk and dark chocolate.

What to expect Kids love the cozy toy area and the windows that overlook the factory machines that mix their small batches of chocolate. Adults love the coffee and tea selection and the sophisticated bakery items for sale at the counter. We visited on a brisk winter day

26

and found a bakery stocked with cookies, brownies, scones, toffee, and bread. Seating included a farmhouse table that can fit the whole family, and there were board games strewn across it too! There are also traditional tables and a comfy couch to laze on. The basket of toys ensures kids are entertained while parents enjoy their caffeine fix.

For sale are chocolate bars in about a dozen unique flavors such as oat milk, coffee, almond butter, mint, raspberry, and more.

The chocolate comes wrapped in artisanstyle watercolor paper, and packs of four are wrapped in twine for a rustic feel. You can also pick up Mast gear such as shirts, tote bags, and a cookbook.

Our verdict We can’t wait to come back when tours of the factory begin. Mast will begin allowing visitors inside the machine rooms in early 2020. They also plan to host birthday parties in the coming months, but for now this shop serves as a great family pit stop to unwind and recharge with sweets and warm brews.

Chocolate Works This Scarsdale sweet shop is like a mini chocolate sculpture gallery. It’s the perfect place to get personalized edible gifts in many shapes and sizes. But Chocolate Works is more than just a store. Host your child’s birthday party here and let them and their friends be chocolatiers for a day. Enter the private party room

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

What to expect The hands-on activities let creativity soar with plenty of fun projects from molding and decorating a chocolate video game controller to creating a “choco-fied” pizza. Junior confectioners watch their creations roll by on the 20-foot conveyor belt and use sprinkles and colored chocolate to create a finished edible masterpiece. They also get to make a chocolate covered marshmallow, pretzel, or Oreo. For a more customized experience, there are several party add-ons such as sundae making or a chocolate fountain.

You don’t need a birthday to book an experience. Chocolate Works also hosts workshops for small groups and play dates.

You can book an edible experience for any reason: celebrate a holiday such as Valentine’s Day, or just play MasterChef Junior (or more like Nailed It!).

Our verdict This shop is a great way for kids to think beyond the bar, learn a bit about where their food comes from, and create fun yummy edible art. Parents will love browsing the store for delicious treats, teacher presents, and other special occasion gifts.

When you go …

Mast Chocolate 92 South Moger Ave., Mount Kisco 914-244-8628 mastchocolate.com Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Coffee, chocolate and snacks available for purchase inside the café. Parties and factory tours coming soon; see website for more information.

Chocolate Works 450 Central Park Ave., Scarsdale 914-713-8879 chocolateworks.com/scarsdale Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Chocolate and candy available for purchase. Book parties and workshops in advance on their website.

Andrea Worthington owns BabyGotChat.com, a website for Westchester parents featuring resources, advice, and events for young children.

calendar February

By Marissa Rodriguez

Celebrate the Year of the Rat at The Hudson River Museum on Feb. 9.

Lunar New Year Festival

calendar What’s Inside

Rejoice in Asian arts, crafts, demonstrations, and food. Begin the afternoon with a Lion Dance performance, followed by workshops and presentations on zodiac animals, calligraphy, t’ai chi and origami. Enjoy fresh cooked Korean cuisine while listening to a Chinese dulcimer concert and participate in a Chinese Folk Dance. Noon-5pm. Feb. 9. For all ages. $8 adults, $4 children.

Reservations not required.

Editor’s Pick: Destination Discovery ����������� 27

The Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave. Yonkers. 914-963-4550. hrm.org.

City Picks ����������������������������������������������������������� 37

Editor’S Pick: Family Wheel Night ���������������30 February Mini Camps ��������������������������������������� 32 #ValentineFun ��������������������������������������������������� 35 Maple Sugaring �������������������������������������������������36

February 2020 | Westchester Family

27

calendar

february

1 Saturday

✪ Art and Storytime.

Listen to an exciting story about a famous artist and then explore their art in an interactive handson art activity. 10-11:30am.

For all ages. Reservations not required. Yonkers Public Library - Riverfront Branch, 1 Larkin Ctr. Yonkers. 914-375-7965. ypl.org/ riverfront. ✪ Garry Krinsky: Toying with Science. A fast-paced and dynamic program that combines circus skills, daring feats of balance, mime, original music, and audience involvement.

Garry brings his science toys to life with motion, music, humor and insight. He turns audience members into stars as he playfully shares the stage, juggling and balancing. 11am & 1:30pm. For all ages. $15$20. Reservations required.

Emelin Theatre, 153 Library Ln. Mamaroneck. 914-698-0098. emelin.org. ● ● ● ✪ Historic House Tour for Families. What was life like 200 years ago? Visit John Jay Homestead and compare your everyday life with the way the Jay family lived in the early 1800s. 11:30-noon. Today & Feb 8, 15, 22 & 29. Ages 10 and under. Free with admission, $10 adults, children under 12 free. Reservations not required.

John Jay Homestead, 400 Jay St. Katonah. 914-666-7004. johnjayhomestead.org.

Wolf Conservation Center

Learn about wolves behavior during the winter months at The Wolf Conservation Center on Feb. 23.

● ● Home Depot Kids Workshop. A hands-on workshop where children get to keep their craft, receive a free certificate of achievement, a workshop apron, and a commemorative pin while supplies last. 9am-noon. For all ages. Reservations not required.

Home Depot, 3101 E. Main St. Mohegan Lake. 914-528-1539. homedepot.com.

✪ Lunar New Year Celebration. Celebrate the Lunar New Year with performances, hands-on activities and an afternoon of art, dance and music. 1-4 pm.

For all ages. Reservations not required. Chappaqua Performing Arts Center, 480 Bedford Rd. Chappaqua. 914-458-5143. chappaquapac.org. ● Valentine’s Day Pop-Up

Look for our complete calendar of events and activities online at WestchesterFamily.com.

Calendar Submissions & Approvals: For Print: • Send to calendar@westchesterfamily.com.

Include: Dates, times, location, address, event description, ages, cost, phone, website.

• Information to be considered for the March 2020 calendar must reach us by February 29, 2020.

For Online Calendar: • Visit WestchesterFamily.com. Click the “Post Your Own Event” link beneath the calendar image on our home page and submit your event. Online postings appear approximately 48 hours after approval.

Please call ahead to confirm dates, times and locations of all events.

28

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

Cards. See #ValentineFun page 35.

✪ Pinocchio. Puppet maker, Geppetto, builds a marionette that comes to mischievous life and learns how to be a real boy.

Pinocchio is the musical story of the familiar wooden puppet that wants to become a real boy.

Designed specifically for theatres to perform for young audiences and their families, this telling of

Key to suggested ages

● baby & me ● toddler ● preschool ● elementary

school

● older kids ✪ families ✖ adults

February 2020 | Westchester Family

29

calendar

february

Editor’ s Pick

the classic story delights young and old alike. 2 pm. For all ages. $12-$18. Reservations required.

Yorktown Stage, 1974 Commerce St. Yorktown Heights. 914-9520606. yorktownstage.org.

● ● Storytime with a Twist. This group combines movement, music and mostly just fun. Parents and children are welcome to stay and play afterwards during open studio time until 10am. 9-9:45am.

Today & Feb. 13, 20 & 27. Ages 1.5-4. Reservations not required.

Seven Star School of Performing Arts, 509 NY-312, Brewster. 845278-0728. sevenstarschool.com.

✪ Show Up, Kids! See City Picks page 37.

2 Sunday

✪ Bear Mountain Ice Rink.

Skate outside with a beautiful view. Lockers and refreshments are available for an additional cost. Rink is outdoors and uncovered; dress appropriately.

Refer to website for unscheduled closure due to inclement weather or mechanical maintenance.

10-11:30am Mondays, Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays; noon1:30pm Mondays, Tuesdays, Saturday and Sundays; 8pm Fridays; 2-3:30pm, 4-5:30pm, 6-7:30pm Saturday and Sundays; 8-9:30pm Saturdays. $5 admission, $2 non-skaters, $5 skate rental, free for children under 4; $10 parking. For all ages. Reservations not required. Bear Mountain Ice Rink. 3006 Seven Lakes Dr., Bear Mountain. 845-786-2701 x 266. bearmountainicerink.com. ● ● ● Valentine’s Heart Sculpture. See #ValentineFun page 35.

3 Monday

● ● ● Discovery Play.

Have fun playing with your child while building early literacy skills. 10-11am. Today & Feb. 10 & 24. Ages 5 and under.

Reservations not required.

Harrison Public Library, 2 Bruce Ave. Harrison. 914-835-0324. harrisonpl.org.

● ✖ New Parents & Infants Support Group.

Companionship, community, advice, and support for new parents and pregnant women.

Join when you can and leave when you need to. Dads and siblings welcome. 11am-1pm.

30

7 Friday

● ● ● Night at the Museum.

Veleska Martin

Friends have fun playing musical instruments at Gigi’s Playhouse Westchester.

Destination Discovery ● ● ● ● ● The mission of Gigi’s Playhouse is to change the way the world views Down syndrome and to send a global message of acceptance for all. This program supports the development of motor skills, social skills and language through purposeful play and peer-to-peer interaction in a casual and fun setting. It also brings families together to share experiences and build relationships. 10-11:15am. Feb. 8. For all ages. Reservations required.Gigi’s Playhouse, 720 Saw Mill River Rd, Ardsely. 914-479-5566. gigisplayhouse.org/westchester.

For all ages. Reservations not required. Ossining Public Library, 53 Croton Ave. Ossining. 914-9412416. ossininglibrary.org.

4 Tuesday

✪ Bear Mountain Ice Rink.

See Feb 2. ● ● Rock out with Spencer. An interactive musical performance that teaches melody, tempo, physical awareness and counting. 10am.

Today & Feb. 11, 18 & 25. Ages 1-5. Reservations not required.

Harrison Public Library, 2 Bruce Ave. Harrison. 914-835-0324. harrisonpl.org.

5 Wednesday

● Everyday is a Holiday.

Celebrate National Spaghetti Day, National Drinking

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

Straw Day and more. Do an activity based on an unusual holiday4:15-5pm. Today & Feb 12, 19 & 26. Ages 5-11.

Reservations not required.

Ossining Public Library, 53 Croton Ave. Ossining. 914-9412416. ossininglibrary.org.

● ● ✪ Love Your Heart: Valentine’s Family Cooking Demo. See #Valentine’s page 35.

6 Thursday

● Caregiver and Me Book and Cook Pop-Ins. Bring your toddler to listen to a story and help farmer Brandy cook in the kitchen. 10am. Today & Feb. 13 & 27. Ages 5 and under. $5. Reservations not required. Muscoot Farm, 51 Rte. 100, Katonah. 914-864-7286. muscootfarm.org.

An evening at the Bruce Museum filled with fun for the entire family. Kids dress in their pajamas for a scavenger hunt in the galleries, crafts, live performances, pizza, and dessert. Grown-ups enjoy the Museum after-hours with drinks, light bites, and raffle prizes. 5-7:30 pm. For all ages. $100 adults, $40 children, under 3 free. Reservations required.

Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Dr. Greenwich, Conn., 203-869-0376. brusemuseum.org.

● Teen Tastic. The mission of Gigi’s Playhouse is to change the way the world views Down syndrome and to send a global message of acceptance for all. This group promotes friendships, social interaction, and communication through a variety of social activities, outings, and games for teens.

5:30-7:30 pm. Feb. 7. Ages 13-17. Reservations required.

Gigi’s Playhouse Westchester, 720 Saw Mill River Rd, Ardsely.

914-479-5566. gigisplayhouse.org/ westchester.

8 Saturday

● ● ● ● ● ✪ Destination Discovery. See Editor’s Pick page 30.

✪ Indoor Nature Games. Move in from the cold to play some nature games and sip on hot chocolate. 1-2pm.

For all ages. Reservations not required. Cranberry Lake

Preserve, 1609 Old Orchard St. North White Plains. 914-4281005. parks.westchestergov.com/ cranberry-lake.

✪ Lunar New Year Celebration. Celebrate the Year of the Rat with Zoo friends and special stories, crafts, a children’s parade, and many more fun activities. Snow date is February 15. Noon-3 pm. $16 adult, $13 children 11 and under.

Reservations not required.

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, 1875 Noble Ave. Bridgeport, Conn.

203-394-6565. beardsleyzoo.org.

cuisine presentations and food sampling provided by local Asian restaurants. In addition, to an art gallery showcasing artworks, there are calligraphy, Chinese paintings and handcraft demonstrations. 2-6 pm. For all ages. $15-$20. Reservations required. The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Rd. Purchase. 914251-6200. artscenter.org.

9 Sunday

✪ A Valentine’s Day Party with Wolves. See #Valentine’s page 35.

● ● ✪ Maple Sugaring at Sugar Shed. See Maple Sugaring page 36.

✪ Teatown Hudson River EagleFest. The bald eagle’s return to the Hudson Valley after being on the brink of extinction is one of the great conservation success stories of our time. Visit Croton Point Park as the region’s bald eagles descend upon the Hudson River as part of their winter migration. Celebrate the return of this magnificent bird with live bird-of-prey shows, educators with viewing scopes observing wild eagles and children’s activities. 9am-4pm. For all ages. $25 adults (ages 12 and up), $15 children (ages 6-11).

Reservations not required.

Croton Point Park, 1A Croton Point Ave. Croton-On-Hudson.

914-762-2912. teatown.org.

✪ Winter Wildlife Survival. Do you ever wonder how animals can survive in the harsh cold of winter months?

Learn all of the ways our local animals have learned to adapt and survive. 1-2 pm. For all ages. Reservations not required.

Trailside Nature Museum at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Rte. 35 and Rte. 121, Cross River. 914864-7322. friendsoftrailside.org.

✪ Flip Flop Circus. Comedy merges with imagination in this innovative new show. Bringing slapstick, physical comedy, stunning visuals, wild costumes, original puppets, and comic antics all together. This show also plays beautifully to special needs audiences. 3 pm. For all ages. $12.50. Reservations required. The Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St. Stamford, Conn. 203325-4466. palacestamford.org.

MUMMENSCHANZ you & me Sunday, February 23, 3pm

World-renowned Swiss mask theatre troupe inspires with their wordless, surreal, and enchanting stories. Ages 3+

Air Play Friday, February 28, 7pm Circus and science collide in a gorgeous homage to the power of air. It will make you gasp in wonder and laugh until it hurts.

Ages 6+

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia The Very Hungry Caterpillar Sunday, March 1, 3pm Three beloved stories by Eric Carle come to life through the magic of black light and fanciful puppets. Ages 2+

Treehouse Shakers The Boy Who Grew Flowers Sunday, March 22, 3pm Dance-theatre adaptation of the popular children’s book uses shadow puppetry, music, and movement to touch on themes of diversity, empathy, and celebrating individualism. Ages 4+

A Simple Space: Gravity and Other Myths Saturday, May 2, 7pm Seven acrobats push their physical limits in this performance that is simultaneously raw, frantic,and delicate. Get up close to the action with on-stage seating! Ages 6+

Kids’ tickets are always 50% off the regular price!

914-251-6200

www.artscenter.org

✪ Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown. See City Picks page 37. ✪ Lunar New Year Festival.

See page 27.

✪ Owl Prowl. Each Owl Prowl begins with an appearance of an owl ambassador, so you can see an owl up close and discover their fascinating adaptations.

Learn which species of owls may be found in the area before setting out on a guided afterdark walk, during which an educator uses a calling device to try and coax owls into the area for you to hear. 7-9 pm. For all ages. $15. Reservations required.

Hudson Highlands Nature Museum Wildlife Education Center, 25 Boulevard, Cornwall.

845-534-5506. hhnm.org.

✪ 2020 Westchester Chinese New Year Festival. This celebration features Chinese

Experience Something Real For Kids of All Ages

✪ Young Artists 2020. Visit

“

INGENIOUS BUBBLE WIZARDRY.” -THE NEW YORKER

Telecharge.com or 212.239.6200

For groups or birthdays call 866.642.9849

New World Stages 340 W. 50th St.

GazillionBubbleShow.com G ill llii B bbl Sh

KAM to see artwork from nearly February 2020 | Westchester Family

31

calendar

february

Editor’ s Pick

400 students from 40 schools in Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, and Fairfield counties. Noon-5 pm. For all ages. Pay what you wish. Reservations not required.

Katonah Museum of Art, 134 Jay St. Katonah. 914-232-9555. katonahmuseum.org.

Skating Center offers the largest weekly public skating schedule in the area. Most weekend sessions feature current popular music provided by a DJ. Top quality skate rentals and food service are available. Tuesdays-Fridays, 9:30am; Saturdays, 11am; Sundays, noon. For all ages. $11 admission; $4 skate rental.

Reservations not required.

Edward J Murray Memorial Skating Center, 348 Tuckahoe Rd. Yonkers, 914-377-6469. yonkersny. gov.

10 Monday

● Sportswriters Bootcamp.

Learn how to find the story behind the score with sportswriter, Richard Finn.

4:30pm. Today & Feb. 24. Ages 9-14. Reservations required.

Katonah Village Library, 26 Bedford Rd. Katonah. 914-2323508. katonahlibrary.org.

● ● Storytime with a Twist.

See Feb. 6.

Chris Setter

● ● Storytime With Mr. Ben. Weekly storytime featuring songs and crafts.

Reading together strengthens the parent-child bond and promotes early literacy, leading to success in school and in life. 4pm. For all ages. Reservations not required.

Barnes and Noble, 3089 E Main St., Mohegan Lake. 914-528-6275. barnesandnoble.com.

11 Tuesday

✪ ✖ Adoption:

Everything You Need to Know. Learn about the domestic adoption process.

This event is open to anyone interested in or involved with the adoption process, including professionals, community members, expectant parents, adoptive or prospective adoptive parents and adoptees. 6-7:30pm.

For all ages. Reservations not required. Port Chester-Rye Brook Public Library, 1 Haseco Ave., Port Chester. 914-939-1180. foreverfamiliesthroughadoption. org.

● Caregiver and Me PopIns. Bring your toddler for this fun farm story/craft/walk that features a new story each week.

10am. Today and Feb. 25. Ages 5 and under. Reservations not required. Muscoot Farm, 51 Rte. 100, Katonah. 914-864-7286.

32

Create your own clay masterpiece by using a potter’s wheel at Clay Art Center on Feb 23.

Family Wheel Night ✪ Adult and kids get messy, play with clay and learn how to use the potter’s wheel. Choose your favorite glaze colors and return in two to three weeks to pick up your masterpiece.

6-8pm. Feb. 23. For all ages. $45. Reservations required.

Clay Art Center, 40 Beech St. Port Chester. 914-937-2047. clayartcenter.org.

muscootfarm.org.

● ● ● Gymboree Stay & Play. This monthly program sponsored by PJ Library (programming for families raising Jewish children), includes, free and structured play, snack time, coloring time, PJ Library Storytime, Gymboree bubbles and songs! 9:45-11am.

Ages 5 and under. Reservations required at marissapjlibrary. com. Gymboree Play & Music, 36361 Hill Blvd. Jefferson Valley.

12 Wednesday

● ● ● ● Everything About Squirrels. Squirrels teach us how to gather and conserve resources, outsmart predators, and get along with other animals. Learn their systems of communications and ways they adapt across the four

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

seasons. Weinberg’s Wildlife Rehabilitator shows you what a rehabber does to care for an orphaned/injured squirrels and who to contact if you see an injured animal. 3:45-4:30pm.

Today & Feb. 26. For all ages. $13. Reservations Required.

Weinburg Nature Center, 455 Mamaroneck Rd. Scarsdale. 914722-1289. weinburgnaturecenter. org.

14 Friday

● ✖ Breastfeeding Support Group. An open clinic on breastfeeding concerns and questions big and small. Latch assessments, pre-and-post feed weights and questions answered with evidence-based research.

1:30pm. Today & Feb. 21 & 28.

For all ages. $30. Reservations not required. Nurspace, 596 Warburton Ave. Hastings-onHudson. nurspace.com.

✪ Cuentos y Canciones.

Stories and songs in English and Spanish, for families of all ages.

Cuentos y canciones en inglés y español, para familias de todas las edades. 10:30am. Feb. 14, 21 & 28, For all ages. Reservations not required. Warner Library, 121 N. Broadway, Tarrytown.

914-631-7734. warnerlibrary.org.

15 Saturday

✪ Royal Hanneford Circus. ● ● ● Storytime.

Celebrate the work of author and artist Faith Ringgold and create a mosaic story quilt to take home. 11:30am. Today & Feb. 26.

Ages 5 and under. Reservations not required. The Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave. Yonkers. 914-963-4550. hrm.org.

13 Thursday

✪ Public Ice Skating. Murray’s

The Royal Hanneford is a traditional 3-ring Circus compete with exotic animals, high flyers, dare devils, comedy and all the excitement that comes from the intense pace of international circus stars.

Today 2pm & 6pm; Feb.16, 10am, 2pm & 6pm; Feb. 17, 10am & 2pm. For all ages. $27-$35. Reservations required.

Westchester County Center, 198 Central Ave. White Plains. 914-

995-4050. countycenter.biz.

● ● ✪ ✖ Seal-Spotting & Birding Cruises. Journey out onto Long Island Sound in hopes of seeing some of the seals and waterfowl that spend the winter just off the shores. These invigorating 2.5-hour cruises seek out some of the harbor seals and gray seals that come into the Sound each winter. Maritime Aquarium educators point out these federally protected marine mammals and talk about their natural histories.

Also, look for winter waterfowl as buffleheads, mergansers and long-tailed ducks. Binoculars are provided. 9:30am, today; 10:30am Feb. 16; and 8am Feb. 29. Passengers must be at least 42 inches tall. Guests under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. $31.50.

Reservations required. The Maritime Aquarium, 10 N. Water St. Norwalk, Conn. 203-8520700. maritimeaquarium.org.

adults, $8 children, under 4 free.

Reservations not required. Storm King Art Center, 1 Museum Rd. Mountainville. 845-534-3115. stormking.org.

17 Monday

✪ ACCESS-ability. Stepping Stones modifies their learning environment through light and sound adjustments and limit visitation to create a supportive, sensory-friendly experience for individuals with sensory processing differences and other special needs. Regular programs and workshops feature community professionals and/or partner organizations that share their knowledge and expertise.

2-5pm. For all ages. Free with admission price, $15 adults and children. Reservations not required. Stepping Stones Museum for Children, 303 West Ave. Norwalk, Conn. 203-8990606. steppingstonesmuseum.org.

W O R L D

C L A S S .

R I G H T

H E R E !

GARRY KRINSKY: TOYING WITH SCIENCE SAT, FEB 1 @ 11AM & 1:30PM

Explores basic scientific principles through circus skills, daring feats of balance, mime, and music. Ages 6-12

1 2 3 ANDRES

SAT, MAR 14 @ 11AM & 1:30PM Come sing and dance your way through the Americas and learn some Spanish along the way.

All ages.

THE PEKING ACROBATS® SUN, MAR 29 @ 1:30PM & 4PM

World renowned acrobatic troupe of stage, television and film.

All Ages Peckham Industries, Inc.

FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFO

EMELIN.ORG | 914.698.0098

● Acting Camp. See February

✪ Zoo Mornings. In this family program, explore specialized feet and feathers for water birds and meet an animal visitor up close inside their cozy classroom. Plus, get an exclusive early morning visit to the aquatic birdhouse where you learn about the diversity of aquatic birds and how they care for them from expert zookeepers. 9-10:30am.

For all ages. $15. Reservations not required. The Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Blvd., between East 182nd Street, Bronx. 718367-1010. bronxzoo.com.

16 Sunday

✪ Backyard Sugaring Workshop: Making Maple Syrup. See Maple Sugaring page 36. ✪ Maple Tree Tapping. See Maple Sugaring page 36. ✪ Winter Weekend. Experience Storm King in the brilliant winter landscape. 11am-4pm.

Today & Feb.17. For all ages. $18

Mini Camps page 34.

● ● February Break Class: Ceramics Week. See February Mini Camps page 34. ● ● ● February Break Arts & Crafts. See February Mini Camps page 34.

✪ Maple Sugar at Home. See Maple Sugaring page 36.

● ● School’s Out Camp. See February Mini Camps page 34. ● ● ✪ Shrek. The first film in the beloved franchise is fun for the whole family. This fairytale mash-up always has kids and adults alike chuckling at clever jokes that bring a breath of fresh air to the classic fantasy.

Noon. For all ages. $15 adults, $8 children 13 and under.

Reservations required. Jacob Burns Film Center, 364 Manville Rd. Pleasantville. 914-747-5555. burnsfilmcenter.org.

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✪ Tales and Tails. Hear some of February 2020 | Westchester Family

33

february

favorite children’s books brought to life by meeting animals from their pages. Then delve into science books and perform experiments.11am-3pm. For all ages. Free with admission, $12 adults, $6 children 4-7, free for 3 and under. Reservations not required. Stamford Museum and Nature Center, 39 Scofieldtown Rd. Stamford, Conn. 203-3221646. stamfordmuseum.org.

18 Tuesday

● Acting Camp. See February Mini Camp page 34.

● ● February Break Class: Ceramics Week. See February Mini Camp page 34.

● Jr. Keepers-Reptiles. Is there a young future zookeeper in your life? Partake in an amazing experience during this program focusing on reptiles.

Afterwards, visit the World of Reptiles exhibit and meet a real zookeeper. 9am-noon. Ages 8-12. $55. Reservations not required.

The Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Blvd., between East 182nd Street, Bronx. 718-367-1010. bronxzoo. com

February Mini Camps

calendar

● Acting Camp. See February Mini Camp page 34.

● ● February Break Class: Ceramics Week. See February Mini Camp page 34.

Teens are invited to hang out with their friends and play board games and video games on a giant screen or laptops. Snacks

34

● ● Artful After School. Fun projects and activities inspired by the exhibition “Sparkling Amazons”. Children are able to make an artistic mess, experiment with new materials and practice unusual art making techniques.

3pm. Feb. 21. For all ages. $10 adults, children 12 and under free. Reservations not required.

Katonah Museum of Art, 134 Jay St. Katonah. 914-232-9555. katonahmuseum.org.

Margaret Fox

Sign up for some fun with art at Katonah Art Museum on Feb 21.

● ● February Break Class: Ceramics Week. In this specialized week-long workshop, students learn to work with clay through hand building and pottery wheel techniques while focusing on independent projects. Students work at their own pace, creating pieces that

20 Thursday

● Teen Game Night.

through different classes each day, based around the theme of Wicked. Classes include acting improv, dance, singing, and more. Rehearsals during the week culminate in a mini-musical performance for family and friends on their professional stage.

9:30am-3pm. Feb. 17-21. Ages 10-14. $475. Reservations required.

Emelin Theatre, 153 Library Ln. Mamaroneck. 914-698-0098. emelin.org.

● ● ● February Break Arts & Crafts. Spend February break creating masterpieces. Fairy/Elf/Gnome houses, free paint, portrait collage, Star Wars puppets and ships, winter scene paper collage and slime. 10am-noon for ages 3.5-5 years; 1-3pm for ages 6-10. Feb. 17-21, $50. Reservations required.

Young at Art, 1088 Central Park Ave., Room 216, Scarsdale. 914-723-9229. youngatartworkshop.com.

19 Wednesday

✪ Stay-cation Beach Party. Vacation at home and stop by the library for winter break food and fun. 5-7pm. For all ages. Reservations required.

Chappaqua Library, 195 S. Greeley Ave. Chappaqua. 914238-4779. chappaqualibrary.org.

● Acting Camp. Students cycle

and drinks included. 7pm.

For all ages. Reservations no.

WarnerLibrary, 121 N. Broadway, Tarrytown. 914-631-7734. warnerlibrary.org.

21 Friday

● ● Artful After School. See

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

interest them, while receiving individual attention in a small class environment.

10am-noon. Feb. 17-21. Ages 8-12. $245.

Reservations required.The Rye Arts Center, 51 Milton Rd. Rye. 914-967-0700. ryeartscenter.org.

● ● School’s Out Camp. School is out so enjoy a full day of activities that includes basketball, kickball, pillow hockey, soccer and swimming. Take a packed lunch or purchase from the café.

Early drop-off and late pick-up available from 8am-6:30pm for $10 per day.

9:30am-3:30pm. Feb. 17 & 18. Ages 5 and up. $90. Reservations required.Club Fit, 600 Bank Rd., Jefferson Valley. 914-2454040. clubfit.com/jefferson-valley/class/ schools-out-camp.

February Mini Camps page 34.

● Teen Studio. Paint a cityscape inspired by the works in “Self in the City: Highlights from the Collections of the Hudson River Museum” and “Art Bridges”. Enjoy this stepby-step workshop lead by artist

Madge Scott. 4 pm. Ages 12 and up. Free with admission, $8. Ages 3-18. Reservations required. Hudson River Museum, 511 Warburton Ave. Yonkers. 914963-4550. hrm.org.

✪ Winter Astronomy Nights.

Observe the winter skies from

February the Farmhouse. Using portable telescopes, astronomers share the best happenings in the sky with visitors. Rain cancels program.

7-8:30pm. For all ages. $5 adults, $3 children. Reservations not required. Stamford Museum and Nature Center, 39 Scofieldtown Rd. Stamford, Conn. 203-3221646. stamfordmuseum.org.

the grounds $10 adults, $4 children ages 6-18, under 6 free. Admission to grounds free before noon. Reservations not required. Wave Hill, W. 249th St. and Independence Ave. Bronx.

718-549-3200. wavehill.org.

23 Sunday

22 Saturday ● ● ✖ Drop In Clay.

✪ Hop into Art Family Workshop. A family art workshops related to the artwork on display in the main gallery.

This workshop program gives families immediate access to high quality art, offering deeper insights into the exhibitions and local history presented at the Edward Hopper House.

1-3pm. Today & Feb. 23 & 29. For all ages. Free with museum admission, $7 adult, free for children 16 and under.

Reservations not required.

Edward Hopper House Art Center, 82 North Broadway, Nyack. 845358-0774. edwardhopperhouse. org.

Courtesy photo

Share your heart on Valentine’s Day by making cards for those that can use some extra love.

#ValentineFun

Explore your inner artist in this introductory class lead by professional ceramic artists that guide themed handbuilding projects. No experience necessary. 1-3pm & 3:305:30pm. Ages 5 and up. $30 adult, $20 children under 12.

Reservations required. Clay Art Center, 40 Beech St. Port Chester.

914-937-2047. clayartcenter.org.

● ● ✪ Love Your Heart: Valentine’s Family Cooking Demo. Learn how to make sweet, surprisingly healthy goodies the whole family loves. Chef Suzy Scherr demonstrates how to prepare whole grain double-chocolate muffins with fresh berries, all-natural strawberry milk, and raspberry heart-shaped crispy treats. After the cooking demonstration, create Valentine’s Day cards for Westchester Hospital patients. 4-5 pm. Feb. 5. For all ages. $15 adult, $5 children.

Reservations required. Center for Healthy Living, 480 Bedford Rd. Chappaqua. 914-666-1955.

✪ Valentine’s Day Party with Wolves. Learn about mythology surrounding wolves, the important role of wolves in the natural world, and discover why this season is such a magical time for packs in North America, while also assembling wolfy valentines for the Ambassador Wolves. Enjoy hot beverages in their woodstove-heated classroom.

2pm. Feb. 9. For all ages. $15 adult, $12 children under 12. Reservations required. Wolf Conservation Center, South Salem. 914-753-2373. nywolf.org.

● Valentine’s Day Pop Up Cards. Bring a

✪ Swamp Spectacles and Marsh Marvels. Make a statement about the importance of protecting our wetlands.

Create spectacle-art of the plants and animals that make up these rich, biodiverse ecosystems by crafting large-scale puppets and float-like structures. End the day by being a part of a video public service announcement (PSA) to educate others on the importance of loving our wetlands. 10am-1pm. For all ages. Free with admission to

calendar

picture of a special person or animal you love.

All the materials you need to make three special Valentine’s cards are provided. 10am- noon. Feb. 1. Ages 8-12. $25. Reservations required. The Rye Arts Center, 51 Milton Rd. Rye. 914-967-0700. ryeartscenter.org.

● ● ● Valentine’s Heart Sculpture. Bring the family and make a sculpture of hearts, one for each member of your family. Dress for a mess. 3-4pm. Feb. 2. Ages 2-8. $25.

Reservations required. Young at Art, 1088 Central Park Ave., Room 216, Scarsdale. 914-723-9229. youngatartworkshop.com.

✪ Animal Track Make ‘n’ Take. Make and take home animal track prints. Take an exploration to find the prints afterwards. 2-3:30pm. For all ages. Reservations not required.

Marshlands Conservancy, Rte. 1, Rye. 914-835-4466. parks. westchestergov.com/marshlandsconservancy.

● ● ● Crafts Sunday.

Stop by Anderson’s to make Winter Crafts. Snowmen, penguins and polar bears to name a few. Crafts available while they last. 1-3pm. Ages 4 and up. Reservations not required. Anderson’s Larchmont, 96 Chatsworth Ave. Larchmont.

914-834-6900. andersonsbooksny. com.

✪ Family Wheel Night. See Editor’s Pick page 32. ✪ Winter Wolves. Winter offers families a unique opportunity to visit the wolves during their favorite time of year. Learn about the mythology, biology and ecology of wolf families and discover why this season is such a magical time for packs in North America. Whether the wolves are living on the Arctic tundra or the woodlands of the southwest, wolf families are out searching for prey as their maturing pups experience their first winter season. 2pm. For all ages. $15 adults, $12 children under 12. Reservations required.

Wolf Conservation Center, South Salem. 914-753-2373. nywolf.org.

24 Monday

● ● Mommy & Me. Stop by this fun-filled hour with your little one and make crafts,

February 2020 | Westchester Family

35

february

meet animals, and learn about the natural world on a short hike. 9:45am. Ages 1.5-4 years. $15/family. Reservations not required. Rye Nature Center, 873 Boston Post Rd. Rye. 914-9675150. ryenaturecenter.org.

● ● ● Story Time with Miss Jenny. Listen to an exciting children’s book read by Jenny. 10-11am. Ages 1.5 and up. Reservations not required. Anderson’s Larchmont, 96 Chatsworth Ave. Larchmont.

914-834-6900. andersonsbooksny. com.

25 Tuesday

✪ Kid’s Night on Broadway®.

See City Picks page 37.

Maple Sugaring

calendar

Greenburgh Nature Center

Assist naturalists at the Greenburgh Nature Center in the production of maple sugaring with techniques Native Americans used to make maple syrup.

● ● Rock out with Spencer.

See Feb. 4.

26 Wednesday

✪ Backyard Sugaring WorkshopMaking Maple Syrup. Learn how to make your own pure, delicious maple syrup, whether you have one tree or hundreds. Visit a traditional sugarhouse and learn the techniques to make your own high-quality syrup with a focus on the history of maple syrup production, tree identification, tapping, collecting, boiling, filtering, and packing. 9amnoon. Feb. 16 & 23. For all ages. $50.

Reservations required.Sugarhouse at White Oak Farm, 680 Croton Lake Rd. Yorktown Heights. 914-245-7535. whiteoakfarm1.com.

● ● ● ● Everything About Squirrels. See Feb. 12. ● ● Young Discoverers.

Stimulate curious minds at this weekly science-based drop-in program. Simple experiments and craft projects add to the excitement of learning something new. 11-11:30 am.

Ages 2-5. Free with $7.50 admission. Children under 1 free. Reservations not required.

Westchester Children’s Museum, 100 Playland Pkwy. Rye. 914-4215050. discoverwcm.org.

✪ Maple Sugar at Home. Travel back in time to discover the history of maple sugaring with several stops along the way. Learn how easy sugaring is to do in your own kitchen. 1-2 pm. Feb. 17. For all ages. $8. Reservations not required.Greenburgh Nature Center, 99 Dromore Rd. Scarsdale. 914-723-3470. greenburghnaturecenter.org.

27 Thursday

● Caregiver and Me Book and Cook Pop-Ins. See Feb. 6. ● ● Storytime with a Twist.

See Feb. 6.

28 Friday

✪ A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This romantic comedy

by William Shakespeare shares a story about young lovers falling comically in and out of love and misadventures under the spell

36

● ● ✪ Maple Sugaring at Sugar of mischievous fairies in a forest over the course of a magical night. Check website for times.

Today & Feb. 29. Ages 13 and up. $40. Reservations required.

Lyndhurst, 635 S. Broadway,

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

Shed. Tap a tree the old-fashioned way.

Learn how maple trees produce sap and get a peek at the sugaring process in the Rye Nature Center’s sugar shed. 1pm.

Feb. 8 & 29. Ages 5 and up. $15/family.

Reservations required.Rye Nature Center, 873 Boston Post Rd. Rye. 914-967-5150. ryenaturecenter.org.

✪ Maple Tree Tapping. Educators prepare for the season with this special program, which culminates with you tapping your very own maple tree.

Participants learn the origins and natural history of maple syrup, followed by a guided walk through the sugar bush to pick out and tap a tree using a spile. Next hang a bucket on the end of the tube to catch sap, which later be collected and boiled down to its sugary essence for public programs. Includes a pint of local maple syrup to take home. 10am-noon.

Feb. 16. For all ages. $20 adults, $15 children. Reservations required.Hudson Highlands Nature Museum Wildlife Education Center, 25 Boulevard, Cornwall.

845-534-5506. hhnm.org.

Tarrytown. 914-631-4481. lyndhurst.org.

● Fish Tales. Each storytime features books, songs and games that encourage children’s

emerging language skills, followed by playtime. 10:15am.

Feb. 28. Ages 5 and under. $26.95 adults, $19.95 children, under 3 free. Reservations not required. The Maritime

Aquarium, 10 N. Water St. Norwalk, Conn. 203-852-0700. maritimeaquarium.org.

● ✖ Breastfeeding Support Group. See Feb. 14.

29 Saturday

✪ Feeding Fun. It’s mealtime for the animals. Naturalists lead a hands-on program where you have the opportunity to learn about the care that goes into feeding their animals. 1-2 pm.

For all ages. $8. Reservations not required. Greenburgh Nature Center, 99 Dromore Rd. Scarsdale. 914-723-3470. greenburghnaturecenter.org.

calendar

City Picks

February

✪ Pete the Cat. When Pete the Cat gets caught rocking out after bedtime, the cat-catcher sends him to live with the Biddle family to learn his manners. But for the groovy blue cat, life is an adventure no matter where you wind up, so the minute Pete walks in the door, he gets the whole family rocking. 11am. For all ages. $15/$20. Reservations required. Emelin Theatre, 153 Library Ln. Mamaroneck. 914698-0098. emelin.org.

✪ The Spinning Tales of Peter Pan and Cinderella on Ice. Sit on the edge of your seat as professional champion ice skaters, Broadway level singers, and cirque performers captivate you. The story spins through the world famous tales of Peter Pan and Cinderella. 3pm & 7pm. For all ages. $25-$45. Reservations required. The Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St. Stamford, Conn. 203325-4466. palacestamford.org. ● ✖ Wild Tea Party. Taste wild teas brewed from wild plants such as yarrow, sassafras, pine, goldenrod and mullein. 1-2:30pm. Ages 12 and up. $12. Reservations required. Edith Read Wildlife Sanctuary, Playland Park, 100 Playland Pkwy. Rye. friendsofreadwildlifesanctuary. org.

New York Historical Society

All aboard Busytown to see an interactive world of classic toys and trains.

✪ Holiday Express: All Aboard to Richard Scarry’s Busytown. A holiday favorite returns this season showcasing artwork and graphics of Scarry’s characters like Huckle Cat and Lowly Worm from publisher Random House Children’s Books alongside more than 300 objects from the Jerni Collection’s antique toy trains, stations, and accessories. An assortment of kid-friendly activities, storytimes, and crafts accompany the exhibition throughout its run. TuesdaysSaturdays,10am-6pm; Fridays,10am8pm; Sundays,10am-5 pm. For all ages. $22 adults, $6 children 5-13, under 4 free. Reservations not required.New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West at Richard Gilder Way (77th St.) New York. 212-873-3400. nyhistory.org/visit. ✪ Kid’s Night on Broadway®. On Kids’ Night on Broadway®, young people age 18 and under can see a participating Broadway show for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult.

A Kids’ Night on Broadway ticket also includes restaurant discounts, parking discounts, and more. Select shows offer in-theatre activities for kids including talkbacks and activity books. Feb 25.

Check individual theaters for times. Ages 18 and under. A free ticket for a child with the purchase of a full price adult

ticket. Reservations required.Broadway, New York. kidsnightonbroadway.com.

✪ Show Up, Kids! This entirely unique, semi-improvised, family show puts a comedic twist on the traditional kids’ show. What could possibly go wrong?

11:30am-12:30pm. Feb. 1, 2, 8 & 9. Ages 3-10. $15. Reservations required.The Kraine Theater, 85 E 4th St. New York.

212-777-6088. frigid.nyc. ✪ Volcanoes: The Fires of Creation.

Following the story of volcanoes from the Earth’s beginnings to the present day. Through never-before-seen footage, visitors learn how volcanoes create nutrient-rich soils and diverse ecosystems on land and under the sea. Viewers encounter sites affected by volcanic eruptions, including newly formed geographical landscapes. Shown at the Museum’s Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Theater, in 2D, daily, 11:30am and 4:30pm, and in 3D daily, at 10:30am,12:30, 1:30, 2:30, & 3:30 pm. Times are subject to change. Through February 29. For all ages.

Free with museum admission, $28-$33 adults, $16.50-$20 children 2-12. Under 2 free. Reservations not required.American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at West 79th St. New York. 212-7695200. amnh.org.

February 2020 | Westchester Family

37

last word

courtesy image

The compelling story and beautiful illustrations help teach empathy, compassion and patience.

When Mommy or Daddy Is Sad A loving way to teach kids about depression

By Jean Sheff

O

ne in five adults experience depression in their lifetime, but young children are often left in the dark when their mother or father suddenly can’t play with them like they used to.

The new picture book, Together Things: When her father feels sad, a little girl finds ways to keep the bonds of love alive (EK Books, February 2020, $18.99) is an age-appropriate introduction to the importance of understanding mental health and illness.

For a young child who is living with a parent who is experiencing mental illness this book can help them understand, in an age appropriate and sensitive way, that’s it’s fine for them to have their own feelings

38

about their parents illness. It’s OK if they feel sad or mad.

The book gently helps them see, that although their parent may not be able to do all the things with them that they did before

WestchesterFamily.com | February 2020

they were feeling ill, they can still enjoy each other in different ways.

The compelling story and beautiful illustrations help teach empathy, compassion and patience.

For children who are not living with a parent with mental illness this book can open the door to important discussions on what mental health is and how we can be supportive of people or friends that are experiencing this challenge. Reading and discussing this book with your child can help break the stigma that is attached to mental illness.

Written by Michelle Vasiliu, an award-winning author and teacher who specializes in exploring parents’ mental health with children, this book celebrates the love between a parent and child and offers concrete problem-solving ideas that can help them feel connected to each other.

The book is available at fine books shops and online at Amazon.com.

Jean Sheff is co-publisher and editor of Westchester Family.

WESTCHESTER FAMILY NEW YORK FAMILY

YOU’RE INVITED Meet the directors and representatives of some of the best day camps and sleep away camps all under one roof.

Sending your child to camp is a big decision — make sure you select the right camp!

Children are welcome to attend.

MARCH 7, 2020

YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester 515 North Street, White Plains From Noon to 3 p.m.

To register and see which camps are attending visit: WestchesterFamily.com/CampFair

Every kid is smart.

We just make them smarter.

The Kumon Math and Reading Program Kumon helps your kids develop skills for lifelong success.

AGES 3+ To learn more, schedule a free orientation at your local Kumon Math & Reading Center today.

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