Long Island Parent Talk
Get the inside scoop on all things kids and parenting on Long Island.
Jennifer Berger
Jennifer Berger runs the Kids section on exploreLI.com, covering all things kids and parenting on Long Island including news, trends, family-friendly events, product and book reviews, reader highlights and more. She lives in Oceanside with her husband, Jason, and their young daughter, Maggie.
5 family movie night tips
Photo credit: iStock
The average parent spends less than 40 minutes a week in meaningful conversation with their children, according to a survey by the A.C. Nielsen Co. Parents often find it difficult to walk away from work and household chores and concentrate instead on talking with their children. Unfortunately, as children get older, communication often grows more difficult.
So if you're looking for something...
Read more »YMCA's free 'Healthy Kids Day' this Saturday
Photo credit: Handout, 2011
Looking for something fun to do with the kids on Saturday? Four YMCA centers on Long Island will be hosting a Healthy Kids Day, offering free, fun-filled activities, classes and programs for the whole family (even to non-YMCA members) in Huntington, Bay Shore, Glen Cove and Patchogue.
Bethpage Federal Credit Union is sponsoring the event which features family-friendly activities such as sports,...
Read more »Weekend family fun on Long Island: Arbor Day, Ducks games, spring festivals and more
Photo credit: X-Team
Looking for things to do with the kids this weekend? From Ducks games to Arbor Day, "Martha Speaks," spring festivals and more, there's much to do on Long Island. Here are my top five picks for fun, family friendly activities this weekend:
1. Long Island Ducks vs. Sugar Land Skeeters at Bethpage Ballpark (3 Court House Dr., Central Islip). Cheer for the local team and enjoy a baseball...
Read more »Feeding the kids: Make-ahead breakfast casserole
Photo credit: Matt Armendariz
In my ongoing quest to find tasty, kid-friendly food appropriate for the whole family, this week I chose an make-ahead overnight breakfast casserole. I found the recipe in "The Recipe Girl Cookbook," by Lori Lange (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; $24.99).
Make-Ahead Overnight Breakfast Casserole (Makes 10 servings)
Ingredients - 8 cups day-old French bread or focaccia cubes (half...
Read more »'SNL' alum Molly Shannon talks motherhood and balancing it all
Photo credit: AP
It's been about 10 years since Molly Shannon left behind her beloved "Saturday Night Live" characters for the big screen. Best known for portraying Catholic schoolgirl Mary Katherine Gallagher and "licensed joyologist" Helen Madden, Shannon is currently starring in "Scary Movie 5" and is the Excedrin Extra Strength spokeswoman.
In 2004, the 48-year-old "Superstar"...
Read more »Study: Kids eat more fruit when sliced
Photo credit: iStock
It's the size of a snack that prompts kids to eat it, not necessarily because it's in fancy packaging, according to a new study.
Researchers from the Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab found kids eat more fruit, such as apples, when it's sliced or cut into bite-sized pieces.
While most parents know kids love to eat fruit that's easy to eat, in most school cafeterias, fruit is served...
Read more »Earth Day crafts for kids: Coffee ground fossils
Photo credit: Handout
With Earth Day approaching there's no better time than now to talk to your kids about reducing, reusing and recycling. If you're looking for something to do with your kids in honor of Earth Day, why not create your own fossils to display by using old coffee grounds? Try this fun Earth Day craft from Disney's Spoonful.com:
Coffee Ground Fossils
What you'll need - 1 cup of used coffee...
Read more »
