Category: Activities for Kids

Activities for children in Newton, Massachusetts.

Bike Camp for Children with Disabilities in Concord

Bike Camp for Children with Disabilities Now Accepting Applications

Hosted by Emerson Hospital During April School Vacation

Emerson Hospital’s Center for Rehabilitative and Sports Therapies is hosting a bike camp for children and adults with disabilities during April school vacation week – April 20-24, 2015. Held in conjunction with Lawrence Academy, RJ Bradley Bike and Ski and Jamis Bikes, the camp is open to those who are at least eight years old, have a disability and are able to walk without an assistive device. Trained counselors and spotters will work individually with campers to teach them how to ride a conventional bike.

The camp is run by iCan Shine, a national non-profit organization that teaches individuals with disabilities to ride a conventional two-wheel bicycle through its iCan Bike program. Using adapted bicycle equipment, trained professionals, including pediatric physical therapists from Emerson, work closely with each camper to help them meet their goals of biking independently. With 75 minutes of daily instruction over five consecutive days, more than 80% of campers learn to ride independently by the end of camp, and nearly all campers make great progress towards biking on their own.

The iCan Bike camp will be held at the hockey rink at Lawrence Academy, 26 Powder House Road, Groton, Massachusetts. Participants must be able to attend the same 75 minute daily session during each of the five days of camp. Parents and/or caregivers are required to stay during their camper’s 75-minute session where they can observe from the sidelines. For more information and for campers and volunteers to register, please visit here or call 978-589-6774.

Emerson Hospital is a multi-site health system headquartered in Concord, Mass., with additional facilities in Sudbury, Groton and Westford. The 179-bed hospital provides advanced medical services to more than 300,000 individuals in 25 towns. To learn more, visit www.emersonhospital.org.

February 16, 2015
Arsenal Center for the Arts Feb Vacation

FEBRUARY VACATION FUN FOR KIDS!

Art, Theatre and Music Workshops for Children at the Arsenal Center

Watertown’s Arsenal Center for the Arts has February Vacation covered with Monster Mash from February 17 – 20: Art, Theatre and Music Workshops for children in grades K-5. Friday afternoon showcase concludes the program.

Visual Art workshops:

Morning or Afternoon: Ghosts, Goblins and Ghouls, mixed-media sculpture for Grades K-2 and Grades 3-5.

Morning or Afternoon: Monsters, Inc., crazy cartoons, drawing, painting and more for Grades K-2 and Grades 3-5.

Theatre and Music workshops:

9AM – 12PM: Cyclops Singing, Monster Songs & Sounds (Grades K-2)

Shapeshifting, Monster Acting Academy (Grades 3-5)

1 – 4PM:

Monster Mischief Acting Academy (Grades K-2)

Monsterhouse Sing & Scream  (Grades 3-5)

Supervised Lunch Available.

To register online, go here  or call 617-923–0100, ext. 8309.

Classes are held at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street in Watertown, with free parking and access to public transportation. Scholarships and Member discounts are available.

February 15, 2015
Short Film Challenge at NewTV for Students

NewTV is holding a one-week short film challenge. The top three films will be screened at a special NewTV event and during the Newton Festival of the Arts in May and the first place winners will receive a special prize.

Short Film Challenge at NewTV

During the week of February 15-22, 2015, NewTV will be hosting a short film challenge for Newton students. The program will begin with a kickoff event on February 15 at the NewTV studio where each team will blindly draw the genre of their film. They will also receive a required character, prop and line of dialogue that must be incorporated into their 4-7 minute movie.

Throughout the course of the week, the students will work within the given parameters to create the best possible final product.

The top three films will be featured during a special screening event at NewTV in the HD screening room and will also be shown during Newton’s Festival of the Arts in May. An additional prize will be awarded to the first place team.

Any aspiring director, actor, writer, or producer who wants a chance to see their story come to life on the big screen should take advantage of this opportunity. This event is open to students. Registration is open from January 14-February 14. For more information contact joeg@newtv.org.

February 14, 2015
My Son Loved iD Tech Camp and Discount
My 4th grade son has been to iD tech camp two years running now. He and his buddies have been taking the Minecraft camp where they learn how to build mods, but also how to:
- Work in teams
- Set goals for group project
- How to sell your ideas to the group
- How to decide who does what
- Problem solving
- Working independently within a group
It’s been a fantastic learning experience and he’s ready to move to the next level which is Minecraft and the programming language Java. (My son and his buddies have learned Scratch and some Java already through a high school tutor).

iD Tech camp now has half day options for younger kids! This is a great way to get boys and girls excited about technology!

It’s never too early to dream BIG! Kids ages 6-9 will have a blast at iD Tech Mini, where half day options and mini prices let aspiring innovators try multiple courses and discover a love for tech.

With an emphasis on creativity, exploration, and friendship, this brand new summer camp experience offers nurturing, personalized instruction and lots of project-based discovery.

Campers learn hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) skills, along with engineering principles, spatial reasoning, programming concepts, and problem-solving skills.

At the iD Tech Mini Maker Station, kids can explore hands-on toys and technologies that go beyond the core curriculum. Campers make new friends and gain experience with Minecraft, coding, Photoshop, robotics, and more. Courses include: Junior/Master Programmer, Junior/Master Robotics Engineer, Junior/Master Minecraft Game Designer, Junior/Master Adobe Photoshop Designer. Mini ages. Mini price. Mini commute. HUGE fun!

Locations include Lasell College, MIT and Bentley, as well as select campuses nationwide.

Save $15 with promo code NEWTONMINI2015 when you pay in full during registration by Feb 28th.

p.s. If your kids are into Minecraft, you might find this article interesting from The Atlantic: Teaching in the Age of Minecraft. It’s about how teachers are using Minecraft to teach Common Core.
February 10, 2015
Garden City Summer Soccer Camp for Kids 2015
Garden City Soccer Camp 2015:
- Youth soccer camp, now in its 16th year, to be held at the fields at Newton North High School
- Camp runs from 9 am to 3 pm during the weeks of July 6th–10th and July 13th-17th
- Extended day option available
- Designed for boys and girls ages 7-14
- Opportunity to learn from some of the top coaches in the city
- Directed by Brian Rooney – former Girls’ Varsity coach at Newton North and Boys’ Varsity coach at Newton North and Newton South; Assisted by Roy Dow – Head Boys’ Varsity Coach at Newton North
- Counseling staff includes current and former players from Newton North and Newton South boys’ and girls’ soccer programs
- Daily technical training (dribbling, passing, shooting, receiving, heading, etc.)
- Daily tactical training (1v1 offense and defense, 2v1 offense and defense, etc.)
- Individual and group skills competitions each day
- Competitive scrimmages or tournaments each day
- Prizes and awards given away daily
- Swimming at the Newton North Pool offered daily
- Cost per week is $280
For more information, contact Brian Rooney at brian_rooney@newton.k12.ma.us or 617-559-6238.

To register on-line, go to this website. Let me know if you have any difficulties with registering.
January 30, 2015
Stone Zoo Deal of the Week!

Stone Zoo is having ‘Deal of the Week’ through their website.

Each week, Stone Zoo will offer a ‘Deal of the Week’ discount of some sort through February 8!

Week of January 19th: Buy ONE get one FREE!

Coupon deal for Franklin Park Zoo for the month of January here.

January 20, 2015
Astroblast!: New Animated TV Show for Kids

Check out these out-of-this-world adventure this winter with 17 new episodes of Astroblast!, the hit CGI-animated series for preschoolers from Scholastic Media and Sprout!

Astroblast! Code Blue

Astro-Blast! Magazine

The fun blasts off beginning Monday, January 19, at 1pm on Sprout with the debut of two back-to-back, smoothie-powered stories – and kicks-off more than two weeks of brand-new Astroblast! escapades!

Astroblast! follows the zany adventures of Comet, Halley, Sputnik, Radar and Jet, a crew of animals who run the Astroblast Space Station, the coolest hangout in the galaxy, all under the watchful eye of Sal the Octopus. Along with a constantly changing cast of quirky visitors from other planets, the Astroblast Space Station gang cooks up the perfect recipe for promoting positive relationships, self-esteem, good nutrition and physical activity.

Astroblast! is inspired by the Scholastic books of the same name by award-winning author/illustrator Bob Kolar, and every episode offers fun stories with age-appropriate messages about friendship and self-awareness. Like many of Scholastic Media’s popular TV series, Astroblast! is also a perfect choice for kids and families to tune-in to together – and its humor will have viewers of all ages laughing along.

Here’s a sneak peak:

January 19, 2015
Just Think: Teens Making Smart Choices expo at NNHS
Want your teen to be a safer pedestrian, biker, and driver?

Looking for ways to encourage your teen’s positive self image?

Wondering what resources Newton offers for teens and families?

ALL parents/guardians and teens are invited to the

Just Think: Teens Making Smart Choices expo
Thursday, January 22
5:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Newton North High School
- Discover community resources promoting positive decision making for teens
- Enjoy refreshments and student performances as you browse the exhibits
- The first 50 teens who bring a parent will receive a treat bag
- Raffle grand prize: iPad mini
- “American Ninja Warrior” live demo!
This expo coincides with Junior Parent Night; parents/guardians of juniors are asked to come early to explore the expo.

Walnut and Lowell Street lots and Hull Street will be available for parking. Please observe neighborhood signs and restrictions.

To learn more go to www.NorthPTSO.org.Say you’re coming and invite friends at https://www.facebook.com/events/742044892543333/
January 18, 2015
Ivy and Bean: the Musical!

The JCC Magic Ark Performing Arts Series for Families presents

Ivy and Bean: the Musical!

Monday, January 19 – Special MLK Day Shows

11am and 1pm

Ivy and Bean: the Musical! will be performed at the Leventhal-Sidman JCC on Monday, January 19^th. Show times are11am and 1pm and tickets are $13 general admission. The Leventhal-Sidman JCC is located at 333 Nahanton Street in Newton. Tickets are available Bostonjcc.org/magicark or by calling 617-965-5226.

Win a pair of tickets for each show. Enter HERE!

Produced by Maximum Entertainment and the Tony Award-winning Atlantic Theatre Company, Ivy + Bean: The Musical is based on the New York Times best-selling children’s books series by author Annie Barrows and illustrator Sophie Blackhall. The popular series explores the unexpected friendship between two very different second graders—the wild and goofy Bean and the quiet, contemplative Ivy. The original book was named an ALA Notable Children’s Book; Editor’s Choice, Best Books by Booklist; and the Best Children’s Books/Best Early Chapter Books by Kirkus Reviews. The latest title in the series ranked #3 on Amazon’s Best Books of 2013 list for ages 6–8.

January 17, 2015
Free Family Fun at the Arsenal Center for the Arts

Free Family Fun at the Arsenal Center for the Arts

Free Family Fun continues on January 17, from 10AM – 12Noon. These drop-in art and theatre workshops offer the opportunity for families to experiment with paint, paper and collage to create works of art together – and to explore the creative world of theatre games led by the talented staff of Watertown Children’s Theatre. Different projects and games are offered each time.

Upcoming Dates (Saturdays from 10AM – 12Noon):

January 17
February 21
March 21

Free Family Fun days are sponsored by The Ramsey McCluskey Family Foundation and the Moses Kimball Fund.

For more information, visit HYPERLINK “http://www.arsenalarts.org” www.arsenalarts.org or call 617-923-0100, ext. 8309. HYPERLINK “http://www.medicinewheelproduction.org” The Arsenal Center for the Arts is located at 321 Arsenal St., Watertown, MA 02472.

January 16, 2015