Category: Activities for Kids

Activities for children in Newton, Massachusetts.

Fun Stuff To Do For Kids in Newton This Summer

Stuff to Do With Kids in Newton and Boston

Need ideas for Camp Mom or for a fun weekend Staycation? Try these fun summer activities! Can you suggest more fun things to do around Newton?

1. Explore the Charles River by canoe, kayak or paddle board. Charles River Canoe and Kayak can outfit you in a jiffy. My kids loved seeing baby cygnets, goslings and duckings via canoe. Explore another world just minutes away! You can fish in a rowboat too!

2. Sail the Charles River. The best deal in Boston, hands down, is the Community Boating in Boston. If you don’t know how to sail, sign up for a class.

3. Scull the Charles River. Crew is so East Coast! You must try it! Community Rowing in Watertown: Rowing for All!

4. Walk History. Boston Common is the start of the 2.5-mile Freedom Trail, a brick-lined route that passes 16 historic sites. Take visitors on this tour or just do it yourself with kids. Bonus stop in the North End for gelato, iced drinks at cafes, or pastries.

5. Visit Fenway Park. Are Fenway Franks really as good as they sound? You decide. The nation’s oldest ballpark has tours Ballpark Tour or catch a game live.

6. The Cape. Cape Cod and the islands—windswept beaches, the best of fresh New England seafood. It’s a 90-minute ferry from Boston to Provincetown or a 15-minute flight to Nantucket from Logan. Or rent a car for the quick drive, with a stop along the way at Plimouth Plantation.

7. Beach. Yes, we have our own at Crystal Lake! Bring toddlers to the shallow beach, get swimming lessons or just cool down.

8. Shady Hike With Dogs. Weston Reservoir off Ash Street is a great place to let your dog run off leash with a 1.6 mile loop is mostly flat and very shady. My kids like to play with the sticks, throw stones into the reservoir, built stone walls, and unclog the streams.

9. Fish Are Biting. In Norumbega. This is the inside scoop: “Charles at the duck pond at the end of Norumbega Road in Weston. This is on the border with Newton and Waltham, across from the Charles River boat house by the Newton Marriot. Many smaller bass 2lbs or less, bigger carp and heard reports of american eel from other anglers.”

10. What is your favorite thing to do?

July 12, 2012
Boston Celebrity Chef Cooking Class for Kids with Charlene Smith

Kids & Parents Cook with Celebrity Chef & Sweet Genuis Charlene Smith

at the Boston Center for Adult Education with Popular Kids Program “Bean City Kids”

WHAT:             The Boston Center for Adult Education’s (BCAE) Bean City Kids program is continuing the popular monthly series of interactive kids’ celebrity chef classes! On Monday, July 23rd, 2012 from 3:30PM to 4:30PM, kids will have the opportunity to tap into their creative side, working spoon to spoon with celebrity chef Charlene Smith of Sorellina restaurant, most recently seen winning The FoodNetwork’s “Sweet Genius.”

The interactive cooking classes are hands-on, allowing kids to explore a whole new world of food appreciation while learning the tricks of the trade. They will take part in the cooking process from start to finish, building confidence and pride in the dishes they’ve created. At the end of the session the group will sit down with Chef Smith and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Conveniently scheduled after school, the classes are perfect for children six to nine years of age! The themes & items prepared vary from month tomonth. All classes are nut-free. There MUST be a parent/caregiver present during class who is responsible for each child (no more than 3 kids per adult). Child’s registration fee coverscaregiver.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to sift and mix with Chef Charlene Smith!

WHEN:             Monday, July 23rd, 2012; 3:30PM-4:30PM; 1 session

COST:              $45 Members/Non-Members, $15 Materials

WHERE:           Boston Center for Adult Education 122 Arlington Street Boston, MA 02116.

RSVP:              Registration is necessary. Please visit www.bcae.org or call the Boston Center for Adult Education at 617-267-4430 to sign up. There must be a parent/ caregiver present during class time. No more than 3 students per adult.

ADDITIONAL:  Suitable for children 6-9 years of age

                        Completely nut-free

Children must be supervised by a parent or a caregiver.

July 10, 2012
Great Newton Sports Camps With Space Available Next Week
Be Ahead of the Game still has space in our soccer & swim camp, tennis camp, and flag football camp, in Newton or Weston. My son did the tennis camp with Coach Mike last summer and LOVED it!

Garden City Soccer Camp 2012 at Newton North High School
- Youth soccer camp, now in its 13th year, to be held at the fields at Newton North High School
- Camp runs from 9 am to 4 pm during the week of July 2nd-6th (no camp on Wednesday, July 4th) and 9 am to 3 pm during the week of July 9th-13th
- 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
- 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 $275
For more information, contact Brian Rooney at brian_rooney@newton.k12.ma.us. There is still room for next week. Contact Brian Rooney to find out more.

My daughter is doing Garden City and she raves about it. She especially likes swimming in the afternoon to cool down after soccer. Brian Rooney was her coach for Newton Girls Travel Soccer last year and he’s wonderful! Parents praise him for being calm at all times, making all players better, giving positive instructions, and emphasizing having fun.
July 7, 2012
NewTV features Local Artists – The Small Stage: Still Life, Part II

Who even knew that NewTV had a art gallery? I certainly didn’t. But they do – just outside the offices -and showcase many talented local artists (previously featured artists include Marian Dioguardi and Coleman Rogers) and save the date for the Gallery Reception of The Small Stage: Still Life, Part II on July 18th, 7-9 pm.

Featuring Local Artists – Sharon Schindler, Emily Sper, Jeffrey Hayes, Amy Kaufman, Jeanne Gugino, Jessamyn Martin, Douglas Weisman, and Myra Abelson.

This is a great way to see these artists in a casual setting. You can also see Sharon Schindler’s work in the lobby of the Newton North High School (there is a beautiful photo of the old Newton North printed on birch wood just outside the main office) and some gorgeous photos of Israel at Temple Reyim on Washington Street, Newton.

Save the Date!

Please join us for a wine and cheese reception at NewTV as we celebrate our newest exhibit, The Small Stage: Still Life, Part II. Presented by Newton Open Studios, and curated by Ellen Fisher. Eight artists from Newton Open Studios explore the still life format, presenting a varied and delightful sampling that challenges preconceived notions of the genre. These still lifes often peer into unusual places, occasionally verge on abstraction, and tackle both conventional and unexpected subjects. Exhibit runs through August 20.

From the website:

At the NewTV Art Gallery, we offer a moment to reflect upon a photo, painting, collage, or any frameable medium. We encourage local, emerging and established artists to submit work for one of our quarterly group or solo exhibits, art openings, and on-line exposure. Work is for sale, with pricing established by the individual artists. Please support our state of the Arts!

NewTV | 23 Needham St | Newton Highlands MA 02461

Telephone: 617.965.7200

Fax: 617.965.5677

Email: newtv@newtv.org

As I explored the website I learned of the many class offerings – what a tremendous resource. Classes include Animation Workshops, Studio, Field and Post Production classes and even a Screenwriting class. and Any Newton resident, non-profit organization or business can join NewTV for a small, annual membership fee. Once you’ve signed up, you are eligible to take any classes or workshops offered by NewTV, use any of NewTV’s equipment and book the Conference Room or Studio, all free of charge with your membership.

NewTV is also running a NewTVSummer Raffle

EXCLUSIVE TO NEWTV MEMBERS!

Spread the word about NewTV’s fantastic membership opportunities to your friends and you can enter our Summer Raffle. It’s easy! All you have to do is refer a friend for a NewTV membership. Once they sign up, you are automatically entered in the raffle, with the opportunity to win one of three great prizes!

Grand Prize is a brand new iPad 2

Second prize is a 32 GB iPod Touch

Third prize is a $100 iTunes gift card

An individual membership referral will give you 1 raffle ticket, a family membership referral will give you 5 and a non-profit will give you 10.

Please email Member Services Coordinator Michael Crossen-Sills at michaelcs@newtv.org with your referrals so we can enter you into the drawing.

Deadline is August 31, 2012

July 6, 2012
FREE and Fun for Kids: The Commonwealth Museum

The Commonwealth Museum is most appreciated by students who are studying (or who have already studied) early Massachusetts history or government. However, a visit to the museum can be an ideal introduction for children who are going to study the history. School groups visit us during the school year (we are booked almost every day,) primarily they are third through eighth graders. When the school groups come in they use grade level educational packets that are aligned to the state frameworks.

Our museum focuses on life in Massachusetts from the colonial period, through the revolutionary, federal and industrial reform periods. In the Colonial gallery, there is a large touch table where students can study and learn about documents from the colonial period. In the Revolutionary gallery, students are invited to make rubbings from of one of Paul Revere’s engravings. Other interactive exhibits include:

Salem Witch Trial Game – students question one another to see if they might have been accused of being a witch in the 1600’s.

Know Your Rights Interactive Video– individual rights are brought to life and made relevant by students telling their stories, visitors decide whether the individual’s rights were violated and why.

Travel Game – students compare different methods of travel from 200 years ago.

Spindle Game – students power and operate a simulated factory machine from a textile mill, which brings to life the hardships put on mill workers which fueled the need for workers’ rights and education reform.

Children are always interested in our treasures gallery where they have the opportunity to see the copper plate engraved by Paul Revere and our state’s founding documents up close and personal. They love to speculate what might have caused the stain in the upper right hand corner of the 1691 Charter of the Province of Massachusetts and to see John Hancock’s larger than life signature on the Declaration of Independence.

A visit to the museum is concluded with an uplifting 10 minute movie in our state of the art surround sound theater that ties up the themes of democracy and individual rights.

We are always free to the public . Our hours are Monday- Friday from 9-5, excluding major holidays.

The Commonwealth Museum is located in the State Archives Building next to the JFK Library
220 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125

By Car (free parking)
From the north: Rte 3/I-93S to exit 15 (Morrissey Blvd/JFK Library). Follow signs for UMass and JFK Library.
From the west: Rte I-90/Mass Pike to I-93 South. Follow signs for UMass and JFK Library.
From the south: Rte 3/I-93N to exit 14 (Morrissey Blvd/JFK Library). Follow signs for UMass and JFK Library.

By MBTA
Take the MBTA Red Line to JFK/UMass station. Free shuttle Bus #2 stops at the Archives Building and the JFK Library. The bus runs every 20 minutes from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the hour and 20 minutes after and before the hour.

July 6, 2012
Top 10: Reasons to Start Playing Volleyball Especially for Kids
Volleyball for Kids

by Caroline Beck

1. You don’t have to be really young to start. You can start as late as freshman year in high school and still become a great volleyball player with a little persistence and hard work.

2. It’s a growing sport in New England. Although we aren’t as strong as the west coast in volleyball quite yet, New England clubs are starting to compete in and win tournaments across the United States proving that volleyball is on its way up on the east coast.

3. It can be played all year round. It’s never too hot or too cold for and indoor sport. It’s always volleyball time!

4. You don’t have to be 6 feet tall to play. Despite what most people think, not all positions in volleyball require height. One of the best players on my team is less than 5 feet tall! There are plenty of postitons for people who aren’t super tall.

5. It requires a lot of teamwork. Volleyball teaches a lot of communication, teamwork, and trust skills. All 6 people on the court need to work together and trust each other in order to be a successful team.

6. There are so many great clubs to try out for. Besides playing for high school, club volleyball is a great way to gain skills. Here are some of the main clubs in Massachusetts:
- S.M.A.S.H.
- Beantown
- Pumas
- MetroWest
- CMass
- Mass Patriots
7. Volleyball appeals to all kinds of athletes. Whether you’re a fierce competitor or more of a social butterfly, volleyball is a great sport to play. It has intense the competition and activity but also has the all the fun of being a team sport and spending time with kids your age that share the love for the game.

8. It is a great way to stay active. Some people feel that volleyball isn’t a true sport because there isn’t full out sprinting involved. However, volleyball has many active parts to it. You must stay low for long periods of time, move quickly and fluently side to side, chase after balls, and even dive. Plus, volleyball tournaments often last up to 8 hours! Trust me, you’ll be thoroughly exercised by the end.

9. There are so many opportunities to play over the summer. Volleyball camps, clinics, and leagues take place all summer long for kids of all levels to play. Here are just a few:
- Beantown Camps
- S.M.A.S.H Camps
- Boston College Volleyball Camp
- Nike Camp at Curry College
- Bay State Games
i. Tryout required
- MGA Sports Inc.
i. Tournaments, clinics, lessons, and open gym time

10. It’s fun of course! Volleyball is a blast to play. It’s exciting, intense, and fast paced and always keeps you on your toes. So get out there and play!

Caroline Beck is an uprising sophomore at Medfield High School who plays volleyball at SMASH Volleyball Club in Newton. She also enjoys singing, playing guitar and piano, playing tennis, and of course writing!
July 5, 2012
Newton South Student Wins Operation Sail 2012 Essay Contest

15-year-old Joshua Sander, a junior at Newton South High School, is the winner of Boston’s Operation Sail essay competition and will ride on the U.S. Coast Guard tall ship, Eagle, at the start of OpSail Boston on June 30. – Photo – Tamir Kalifa for The Boston Globe

As part of Operation Sail 2012, high school essay contests were held in all the participating cities. This is the winning essay from Boston, written by Newton South High School junior Josh Sander. It was chosen by the chief judge of the OpSail Essay contest, William H. White, author, historian, and board member of both the USS Constitution Museum and Operation Sail, Inc.

The story of the Revenue Cutter Service

By Josh Sander

During the Revolutionary War, many captains smuggled their goods past the British to avoid paying taxes on it, and many saw no reason to stop at the end of the war. As a federal debt crisis loomed, the Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton saw an opportunity to seize revenue and submitted a proposal for the creation of a “Revenue Cutter Service” to “seize vessels and goods in the cases in which they are liable to seizure for breaches of the Revenue laws.” In 1790, the Revenue Cutter Service was created. Later, its mission was expanded to include enforcing the unpopular embargoes passed by Congress to protest European violation of American neutrality.

Despite the unpopular laws, the RCS earned respect for their quality, responsibility, and fairness in administering them. The Revenue Cutters were also responsible for rescuing distressed sailors, bringing supplies to lighthouses, carrying messages, and charting the coast. To do this, the RCS was equipped with ten fast and agile shallow-draft cutters, each based at a major trading port. The cutters could be equipped with ten carronades (though the ships rarely carried a full complement of guns), and a crew of fifteen to thirty men. The RCS, most notably the USRC Pickering, first fired in anger during the “Quasi War” with France, which took place almost entirely at sea. By the time the War of 1812 had begun, the Service had expanded to fourteen ships.

This is an excerpt…click here to read the rest of this essay on Boston.com – The story of the Revenue Cutter Service.

June 30, 2012
Ways to Help Kids Retain Knowledge Over the Summer

Math and Summer Learning for Kids

More than 100 years of research show that kids do more poorly on standardized tests given in the fall than on those same tests before summer vacation, and on average, kids lose two months of math skills over the summer. Prevent summer slide by doing some of these ideas both offline and online.

Are math workbooks your style? I have a list of best math workbooks for summer supplementation. Maybe math apps work better for your kids? Here are popular ones. More ideas to keep your kids learning this summer include …

Tech Tools

1.       KlabLab – On KlabLab’s website, kids can listen to songs and watch music videos that cover topics like cellular structure and the order of operations. This isn’t cheesy educational music—it’s stuff you would hear the radio. Kids also download free templates to create and upload their own educational songs.

2.       Starfall – Starfall takes a systematic phonics approach and uses games and interactive multimedia to teach kids to read.

3.       Ten Marks and IXL – From counting to algebra, IXL makes math practice fun with interactive games and practice questions.

4.       Scratch – Scratch is a programming language created by the MIT Media Lab that makes it easy for kids to create interactive stories, animations, games, music and art, and share Fun, educational animated videos on Brain Pop’s website take kids through subjects

Unplugged Learning

1.       Library summer reading programs – Stop by Newton Free Library to ask about summer reading programs, which reward kids for reading throughout the summer. Barnes & Noble and Half-Price Books also run summer reading programs.

2.       Free museum days – Museums across the country have days when kids and families can visit for free. You can find a list of free days in and around Boston here.

3.       Card or board games – Use a deck of cards to play “War” but with 2 cards instead of 1 that you add, subtract or multiply, learn Chess with an online tool like ChessKids Academy to stretch logic skills, or play Scrabble to practice spelling and vocabulary.

4.       Summer journal – Encourage kids to write throughout the summer by keeping a journal. Don’t forget to illustrate it with drawings and photos of fun summer activities.

June 28, 2012
Music with Philip: Free Concerts and Classes for Kids
When my kids were smaller, we used to drive to Brookline to take parent/child music classes with Philip who is like the Pied Piper. My kids adored his music classes and it was completely worth the drive! He also has some free events coming up on the North Shore. I know … very far away, but just check out the dates in case you are headed there for other reasons like the beach or to meet a friend.

Free Concert at Swampscott Library Tomorrow …
Concert by the Sea! This Tuesday!
FREE!Bring your family to sing and dance barefoot on the green! Weather permitting, the concert will be on the beautiful lawn outside the library and the Town Hall, just across from the end of King’s Beach.

I am very excited to perform with my family band! My wife Joanna and daughter Sophia will add their exquisite harmonies, backed up by the talented Michael McClung on bass and Whisky Wolinski on drums. Bring a picnic supper to enjoy. Treadwell’s Ice Cream will be selling sundaes as a fundraiser for the Friends of the Swampscott Public Library. Enjoy face painting and temporary tattoos for the kids.

Concert will be inside if weather gets yucky. Everybody yell: “NO RAIN!” Swampscott Public Library website

More Upcoming Shows
All kinds of fantastic events are happening in Marblehead for the Festival of the Arts weekend! Live music, arts, crafts, food and more. The Children’s Festival is Sunday from noon to 3pm is on the lawn of Abbot Hall, so head on over at 1pm for a family band concert sure to get you and your kids singing, dancing, laughing and grooving together!

www.marbleheadfestival.org/
Come to the beautiful Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy, MA for a lively Sing-and-Dance-Along Show! We will explore the “Dream Big” theme with songs and stories both original and from around the world. I will be joined by the very talented Ranko Stevanovic on accordion. Weather permitting, the show will be outdoors.

His upcoming classes in Brookline:

Sing, Play, Grow with Philip Alexander

Weekly Parent/Child Music Classes

Mondays in Brookline

Summer Registration Now Open! Classes Start July 9th.

CLICK HERE for complete schedule and registration information, or to set up a free sample class.

You may also call (617) 818-0346 or email to songphil@gmail.com

“Philip is an excellent teacher and quite kind and enthusiastic. We love him!” – Beth K, Brookline

“Philip is very excited and enthusiastic! He makes it fun to come to class and easy to engage and be active.” – Kristen M, Brookline
June 25, 2012
Garden City Soccer Camp at NNHS Still Has Spots
Garden City Soccer Camp 2012:
- Youth soccer camp, now in its 13th year, to be held at the fields at Newton North High School
- Camp runs from 9 am to 4 pm during the week of July 2nd-6th (no camp on Wednesday, July 4th) and 9 am to 3 pm during the week of July 9th-13th
- 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
- 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 $275
For more information, contact Brian Rooney at brian_rooney@newton.k12.ma.us.

To register on-line, go to the Garden City Sports Camp website.

My daughter, PickyKidPix, did this camp last summer for the first time and loved it. The swimming was a nice break and she made some nice friends from her two weeks at camp. This year she asked to be signed up for every session. I also thought that the Newton High School soccer players did a nice job and were very engaged with the kids. And, of course, they are great role models! At $275, this soccer camp is also well priced!
June 23, 2012