Have Some Safe Halloween Fun at Chuck E. Cheese

Halloween 2020 is looking like it is going to be a little bit different than Halloweens of the past. But if you are anything like me, you are doing everything you can to make the 2020 holiday seem as normal as you can. While many events have been canceled and trick or treating is up in the air, there is one event that has saved Halloween for my family – the Chuck E. Cheese Halloween Boo-Tacular.

I am happy to tell Halloween-loving families that you can safely celebrate all things spooky and fun at Chuck E. Cheese this year! They have made it possible for families to dress up in costume, play, dance, trick or treat, and eat without being afraid. The scariest thing about it is that the fun ends after October.

Read on to see why this is a must-do for families this October!

All the Chuck E. Cheese Fun You Love, Plus Spooky Entertainment

The reason Chuck E. Cheese is still just as popular as when you were a kid is because it is still just as fun! Chuck E. Cheese has everything kids love – arcade games, pizza, characters, and music. And, they have amped up the fun for Halloween! For example, there is un-spooky Halloween décor, photo spots, and free treat bags filled with candy, stickers, and other fun surprises for every kid in a costume.

My family had a blast! I already know it will be the most memorable thing we do this Halloween and an event we will never forget. Here’s why.

At the Boo-Tacular, all of your kid’s favorite characters join in a new show: Mr. Munch's Monster Mash-Up featuring Chuck E.'s Boo-tastic Dance. In addition to being Halloween-themed, they have also included special social distancing content for this year. Your kids will be able to safely dance along while spaced six feet apart (or more).

The fun doesn’t stop there! For Boo-Tacular, evening weekend guests get to enjoy DJ Munch’s Glow Party. Starting at 6 PM on Fridays and Saturdays in October, the lights are dimmed, and the glow party begins! The $14.99 entrance fee includes special glow gear in their treat bag – glow bracelets and glow tattoos. Guests attending the Glow Party also get to visit three touchless trick or treat stations.

Pumpkin Pizzas and More on a Special Halloween Menu

Kids love pizza, but you know what they love even more? Pumpkin-shaped pepperoni pizza with a Jack-O-Lantern smile! While we thought the pumpkin pizza was super fun, my family really loved the Halloween-themed desserts on the menu, like the Dippin' Dots® Eye Scream, Boo-tacular Oreo® Brownie, and the candy corn cotton candy. The special menu made it feel like a festive party.

Chuck E. Cheese Halloween Boo-Tacular: Safe Not Scary

2020 has been scary, but I am happy to say the Chuck E. Cheese Halloween Boo-Tacular is safe and not at all scary. During our visit, I was so impressed with how they are managing the safety of their guests. We really felt they went above and beyond. Here is a list of the ways they are keeping guests safe during this strange time:

• Temperature checks taken upon entrance

• All guests asked to wear their masks

• Hand sanitizing stations throughout

• All games are spaced out

• Team members sanitize all play and dining areas as well as restrooms continuously

• In-store contactless payments

Plus, Chuck E. Cheese has also installed upgraded hospital-grade air-filters at each of their open locations and is limiting capacity.

Safety is a top priority when it comes to deciding which Halloween events my family will attend, and Chuck E. Cheese did a fantastic job of making this mom feel safe and worry less.

Staying In? Party at Home with Chuck E. Cheese and KIDZ BOP

We had so much fun that my girls are already asking to go back. I think it is time to let some other families enjoy the in-store fun, but I have big plans to get a Boo-tacular Family Party Package to celebrate all over again at home. The package includes:

• Two large one-topping pizzas, a Boo-tacular Oreo® Brownie, two treat bags each including $5 in games to use on your next visit, as well as a free KIDZ BOP® Halloween activity sheet and glow in the dark temporary tattoos to enjoy at home for just $39.99.

Chuck E. Cheese is going out of their way to make sure families can enjoy the same level of fun while at home, even offering interactive activities, videos, crafts, and more through their website. Plus, they are pairing up with another favorite for my kids – KIDZ BOP! With this combo, you get all the pizza party fun + Halloween + KIDZ BOP entertainment.

Like I said, Chuck E. Cheese saved Halloween!

End Video Game Battles with Your Kids Once and For All

Ask a parent what one of the biggest battles they have with their kids is about and I can guarantee video games will be a frequent answer. Kids are drawn to video games (mobile apps, computer apps, all of the above) like moths to a flame. And many of them have a really hard time stopping once they start playing.

According to the Center on Media and Child Health:

• 66% of tweens aged 8 to 12 play video games for an average of 2 hours per day.

• 56% of teens ages 13 to 17 play video games for an average of 2.5 hours per day.

• Over 80% of both tweens and teens have a gaming console.

If you are tired of video game battles with your kids, use these 8 tips to change your kid’s video game habit.

1. Make Clear Rules

Start by making clear rules about when and where your child is allowed to play video games. For example, no video games until all homework and chores are done for the day. You should also establish rules about where video games are allowed. Some families don’t allow kids to have video games in their bedrooms and others don’t like their kids bring their handheld devices to the dinner table.

2. Set App Limits

Most devices, such as iPads and Kindles, allow you to set limits for app usage. With the Kindle Fire, parents can set specific times when apps may be used, as well as time limits for apps.  

3. Enable Parental Controls

Likewise, parents should enable parental controls across all the devices their child uses. This means establishing what games your child is allowed to access and play based on ratings, blocking chat features, and setting time limits. Fortunately, there are ways to enable parental controls on the major game consoles. Check out PC Mag’s How to Enable Parental Controls on Every Video Game Platform for instructions.

4. Enforce Time Limits

Your kids need to limit their video game usage, and the best way to do so is to enforce time limits. According to the Child Mind Institute, “The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests time allotted should be under 30 to 60 minutes per day on school days and 2 hours or less on non- school days. The group recommends even lower limits of under 1 hour of total screentime per day for children under 6 years old […].

5. Do Your Research

Sadly, there are a lot of video games and game-style apps that aren’t safe or appropriate for kids. That’s why parents need to do their research. I recommend looking up video games on Common Sense Media to get descriptions, ratings, age ranges, and reviews from fellow parents.

6. Ask to See What They are Playing

Have an “open doors” policy with video games – as in, you can ask to see what they are playing at any time. Since so many of today’s video games include chat options, this is one way to make sure your kids are staying safe online.

7. Give Clear Consequences

Talk to your kids about your family’s video game rules and the possible consequences. If kids know the possible consequences ahead of time, they will be less likely to break the rules or fight you when they have earned a consequence.

8. Encourage Balance

It is also important to encourage your kid to find a healthy balance between playing video games and playing in the real world. Encourage social activities and extracurriculars. Invest in other toys and games.

Back to School Mom Worries

After six months, my girls are heading back to school half day. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling worried about it. In addition to the normal back to school jitters, moms have so much more to feel anxious about this school year. No matter what you have chosen, virtual, hybrid, homeschool, five-days-a-week, I know it was not an easy decision. I know you struggled with the decision and lost sleep over it. I know because I did too.

Even after making that decision, I am still not 100% at peace about it. So, I’ve been doing what I can do. Research and read what those smarter than me suggest for this year’s back to school mom worries.

Validate Your Feelings

First things first, validate your feelings. Here’s a start – if you are feeling anxious and unsure about what to expect this school year, this is totally valid. If there was ever a year to feel worried, it is 2020. Your feelings are valid. Plus, you are not the only mom feeling this way. Moms all over the world are feeling worried for many of the same reasons.

Recognize Your Stress

Next, recognize your stress. It is completely understandable to be stressed about the normal back to school gauntlet, but this year’s new normal can elevate your stress levels. If you find yourself acting unlike yourself, try to decipher if your actions are stress related. By recognizing when your stress level has entered unhealthy territory, you can start to ask for help.

Control the Things You Can

Listen, we’ve learned that quite a bit is out of our control this year. And that can exacerbate our mom fears. That’s why it is so important to control the things you can. For example, you may not be able to control what your kid does in the classroom, but you can control what happens in your home. You may not be able to control how often your kid washes her hands when she is at school, but you can make sure she washes her hands when she is with you.

With that being said, if you start to try to control things to an unhealthy degree, get help.

Consider the Worst

This may not work for every mom, but some moms find it actually calms them down to consider the worst things that could happen. By thinking through worst-case scenarios, you can prepare. For instance, what if there is an outbreak that forces the school to go virtual this year? By mentally preparing for the possibility, you can alleviate some stress.

Practice Self-Care

When you start to feel frazzled, take a few minutes to be still, and breathe. Sometimes that is all it takes to calm yourself down. Additionally, it is so important for moms to take time to practice self-care. This will look different for every mom, so you do whatever you need to do to make yourself feel at peace.

Celebrate Small Victories

Lastly, celebrate small victories. This school year will be challenging, but we can do it. For every accomplishment, give yourself a pat on the back. When the kids make it through a week, celebrate by doing something fun When you survive at-home teaching without losing your patience, reward yourself with a treat.  

How to Prepare Kids for New School Rules

In less than two weeks, my girls will be back to school following a hybrid model. It’s nerve-wracking, to say the least. I realized that if I am feeling this anxiety about what this new school year will look like, then I am sure my girls are also worried. Especially when you consider all the new school rules. Here is what I am doing to ease their fears and prepare my kids for new school rules due to COVID.

Wear Masks Now

I wrote a blog recently about how to prepare your kids for wearing masks to school. My main tip was to start wearing masks now. I cannot emphasize this enough. Don’t leave mask enforcement up to the teachers. See my blog Preparing Your Child to Wear a Mask at School for tips.

Demonstrate Social Distancing

Let’s be honest. Social distancing is hard – even for adults. When kids get to see their friends in the classroom after being apart since March, it is going to be extremely hard to practice social distancing. Take time to demonstrate what social distancing with friends looks like, such as not hugging, sharing, or whispering. (it’s pretty sad to actually write those examples though.)

Teach Healthy Habits

Talk to your kids about the importance of healthy habits, like washing their hands and sneezing or coughing into their arms. Go ahead and purchase mini hand sanitizers they can keep in their bookbags and cubbies. We’ve also started having our girls sanitize their hands every time they enter a vehicle after being in a public space and plan to stress this rule when it comes to school.

Talk to Them About What to Expect

You absolutely must talk to your kids about what to expect. If they show up to the school to see plexiglass dividers around desks and no toys lying around, they will be heartbroken. Instead, spend time talking about the differences they should expect and do so in a positive way. A psychologist from Boston Children’s Hospital suggests talking about things like: “What will the classroom look like? What will lunch and recess be like? What extracurricular activities or clubs will your child have or not have? How will they access extra supports, like tutoring or counseling? Walking through the specifics can give your kids something concrete to hold onto.”

Start Screening for Symptoms

Most schools are implementing some sort of screening for students. Whether you will be responsible for taking temperatures or your child’s school, it is a good idea to start screening for symptoms now. If kids are used to doing it at home, then they will be more prepared and unafraid at school.

Explain the Risks

It’s also important to explain the risks of COVID-19 to kids in a language they can understand. They need to know why these new school rules are in place so they will be more inclined to follow them.

Keep Your Opinions to Yourself

Lastly, keep your opinions to yourself. It’s not going to be perfect. And there will be plenty of times when things do not go according to plan. But, keep your frustrations and opinions to yourself and avoiding spewing your feelings to your child. This will only make kids feel more anxious about school.

What other tips do you have for the upcoming school year? Let me know in the comments!

Moms, Stop Carrying the Weight of the World on Your Shoulders

If 2020 has left you feeling even more overwhelmed as a mom than usual, you are not alone. Our new normal has been incredibly difficult for women – especially moms. Moms are being asked to be moms, employees, and teachers all at the same time.

According to CNBC, “In fact, 74% of U.S. mothers say they feel mentally worse since the pandemic began. […] The report, which gathered responses from more than 3,000 millennial moms between March 9 and April 23, found that 97% of moms between the ages of 24 and 39 say they feel burned out at least some of the time, with the pandemic only making things worse.”

Moms were already used to doing more than their fair share, but the pandemic has exacerbated it to an unhealthy degree. We cannot keep carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders. We have to find ways to release our grip and ask for help.

The Mom Mental Load

Even if you don’t know what the mom mental load is, you’ve likely been carrying around your own. Slate explains, “Sometimes called the ‘third shift’—following your first shift at work and the dinner-and-homework shift once you get home—it is the planning, scheduling, negotiating and problem-solving work that goes into running the business of your family. The mental load is the behind-the-scenes work that makes anyone in your family showing up to anything (dentist appointments, volunteer shifts, play dates, child’s birthday party) on time, properly dressed and if necessary, with gift in hand, possible.”

As natural caregivers, moms tend to be the ones that do most of the caring – meaning we are the ones who care about the way the house looks, how our kids are dressed, if they are healthy and happy, who gets which present, and so on. We fill out the school forms, talk to teachers, and arrange carpools. We schedule well visits and dental cleanings. We go Christmas shopping and birthday shopping.

It. Is. Exhausting.

And that was BEFORE the pandemic.

How to Stop Being the Family Micromanager

If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that we are resilient. We do not need to micromanage everything in our homes or have jam-packed family schedules. Here are some things you can do to decrease the weight of your mom mental load.

• Share the load. It’s time to ask for help. You do not have to carry the entire load yourself. If you are married, ask your partner to help you. Point out some of the things that take up brain space and ask him to take over, such as scheduling doctor’s appointments.

• Let go of perfect. If you don’t get the dishes done, your family will survive. Let go of having a perfectly cleaned home. Your mental health is a bigger priority than dusting the blinds.

• Stop comparing. There will always be another mom who seems like she can do more than you or is more capable than you. So what? Stop comparing yourself to other moms and focus on making your home a place your kids want to be (and all that requires is your love and attention).

• Release some control. Sometimes, moms are responsible for the weight on their shoulders because they can’t release control. For example, maybe you fold the laundry because your spouse doesn’t fold the way you like. Does that really matter in the long run?

• Know your limits. Learn to recognize your limitations. If you are verging into unhealthy territory (such as not sleeping), it’s time to assess and see what part of the load you need to drop.

Preparing Your Child to Wear a Mask at School

For many moms, our kids have been at home with us throughout the spring and summer, which means they haven’t had to wear a face mask for an extended period of time. But this will all change once school starts back up since many schools are requiring masks. This is just one of many changes we can anticipate for the upcoming school year. Fortunately, pediatricians, counselors, and teachers have all come up with great tips to make it easier for kids to wear masks at school.

Talk About Why Masks are Important

First, you need to explain why they have to wear a mask. Kids know this is different from the past, so you need to explain why this new rule is in effect in an age-appropriate way. For example, explain that wearing a mask is something we are doing for safety like how we wear seat belts in the car.

Childrens.com explains, “COVID-19 spreads mainly from person-to-person through respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing or talking. A cloth face covering acts as a barrier to help prevent the spread of those respiratory droplets […] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 2 years and older wear a cloth face covering, with the exception of anyone who has trouble breathing or is unable to remove their mask without assistance.”

Practice Wearing One Starting Now

Don’t wait until the first day of school to start having your kid wear a mask for a long period of time. Start practicing wearing a mask for long periods of time now. A good trick – have your child wear a mask anytime she uses a screen. Trust me, their love for screen time will quickly trump their hate of wearing a mask.

Play Pretend

Another way to encourage your kids to wear a mask at school is to let them play pretend. Allow your kids to put masks on their stuffed animals and dolls. Pretend to go to school and act out wearing a mask in class. This is also a good opportunity to demonstrate how to put on and take off masks. Your child may also like explaining to her toys why wearing a mask is important.

Have Family Members Model Mask Wearing

The best way to teach your child how to wear a mask is to wear one yourself. Kids will notice if you fail to wear a mask in public and will be ready to question why they have to wear one to school and you don’t. In addition to modeling it yourself, ask some of your other adult family members to model their masks for your kids. For instance, ask grandparents, aunts, and uncles to send photos or videos of them wearing their masks.

Allow Your Child to Choose the Mask

At this point, there are tons of masks options available. Let your kid pick out a mask pattern that she likes, and she will be more likely to wear it. Who knows? Mask fashion may be a real thing for students in schools and kids may want to have a “cool” mask like they want a “cool” backpack.

Get the Right Size and Fit

Last but not least, make sure you get a mask that is the right size and fit. If the mask doesn’t fit, your child will be uncomfortable, and it will make wearing it for long periods even worse. You may want to invest in some mask toggles that allow you to adjust the masks behind kid’s ears to fit them comfortably.

What tips do you suggest?

The COVID-19 School Supply List You Really Need

At this point, we all know the 2020-2021 school year will be different. If you have decided to send your school to kids this year, your school supply list is probably a bit longer. This is because classrooms are no longer allowed to have communal supplies, so your kids will need their own pencils, crayons, markers, etc. But, in addition to the basic supplies they need for learning, there are 10 additional supplies every parent should consider purchasing for this COVID-19 school year.

1. Masks

Many schools are required students to wear masks, if not for the full day then at least during class transitions. Now is the time to stock up on kid’s face masks. Even if you have reusable face masks that can be washed, it is wise to have several. We know our kids are going to lose them or mess them up, so you might as well always have an extra mask on hand. Target and Old Navy are selling cheap face masks for kids. Crayola is also selling packs of masks for each day of the school week.

2. Mask Accessories

It is also a good idea to some mask accessories to make mask wearing easier for little ones. For example, many people like mask extenders because it allows them to wear a mask without it resting behind their ear too long. Additionally, you can purchase mask toggles that allow you to shorten the length of the mask cord to fit small faces. Finally, it is wise to purchase some lanyards for kids to wear that they can clip their masks on, so they don’t get lost or dirty at school.

3. Hand Sanitizer

Keep hand sanitizer on hand – in your vehicle, your purse, and your house. And get kid-friendly hand sanitizer holders that they can attach to their book bags. Bath and Body Works has cute ones for kids.

4. Pencil Box

Since kids are not allowed to share school supplies, get them a cool pencil box just for their personal supplies.

5. Household Cleaning Products

Stock up on disinfectant wipes and Lysol spray. You are going to use it more this year than ever before. Don’t forget – when the coronavirus first made it to the U.S., these products sold out. Get them while they are readily available.

6. Reusable Water Bottle

Kids should not be sharing drinks and drinking from the school water fountain isn’t a good idea either. Instead, invest in a quality reusable water bottle with a design your kid loves. It is probably better to get more than one - because kids.

7. Forehead Thermometer

Many schools are requiring parents to take their kids' temperatures each morning before school. This is where a forehead thermometer will come in handy. Keep it by wherever you keep your car keys.

8. Device Sterilizer

Remember when your kid was a baby and you had a fancy sterilizer for bottles? Well, you need a new one. There are several different device sanitizers available for sanitizing cell phones, keys, and other things your kid may bring home from school.

9. A Computer

Yes, you signed up for your kid to go to school. But for many parents, this also includes some virtual school days. Even those planning to go to school five days a week will face the possibility of returning to virtual learning if there are COVID-19 cases in their school. That’s why this is the year to go ahead and invest in a computer.

10. Noise-Canceling Headphones

Along those same lines, get some good headphones for your kid to do their virtual schooling without distractions in the home. While you’re at it, pick yourself up a pair, too. Every mom who survived quarantine deserves a nice pair of noise-canceling headphones.

Are Your Kids Bored Yet? How to Stop Their Complaints.

School hasn’t even been out that long, and the kids are already started to whine and complain of boredom. I know they are spending more time than usual at home, but enough is enough. My job is not to be their full-time entertaining cruise director, but if I allow them to think I am the one responsible for preventing boredom, then they will think it is my job! No more.

Plus, experts even suggest boredom is good for our kids. Dr. Dibya Choudhuri, a professor with the counseling program at Eastern Michigan University explains, “It is a normal human emotion. To try to prevent children from ever experiencing it is probably unhealthy.”

So, from now on, I’m letting my kids be bored. All I am doing is offering the following five suggestions when kids complain of boredom.

Send Them Outside

I’ve found the best cure for boredom is to send my kids outside. We’ve got a swing set and a yard where they are free to run around and free. Whether they are pretending to be princesses or pirates, or they spend time searching for bugs, they are keeping their minds occupied and getting a healthy dose of Vitamin D. This summer, we also invested in an inflatable water slide that keeps them happy and entertained for hours.

Encourage Them to Use Their Imaginations

While my role is not to entertain my kids, I do think I have a responsibility to provide them with objects that encourage their imagination. That’s why we keep musical instruments, craft supplies, costumes, and coloring stuff in our house. When the kids say they are bored, I encourage them to find something to do that requires their imagination. They put on plays, draw beautiful pictures, and build amazing Play-Doh structures.

Have Them Help Around the House

Let’s not forget about the classic – If you’re bored, you can help out around the house! When my girls are whining about how bored they are, I like to remind me that they still haven’t completed their daily chores and that now is a good time to get started. While they don’t always rush to start their chores, they do stop complaining about boredom.

Suggest They Work on Something for School

Now, I know the idea of suggesting your kids work on something for school sounds like a joke but hear me out. They have been out of school forever because of the coronavirus! You might be surprised that they don’t mind doing a little ABC Mouse or completing something in a workbook. If that fails, there is always summer reading!

Remind Me to Think of Others

Lastly, if your kids are bored, it is the perfect opportunity to encourage them to do something nice for someone else. When my girls are bored, I often suggest they do something nice for a specific person (like Dad or the neighbor). They’ve drawn homemade cards, picked flowers, and done someone else’s chore.

5 Ways for Kids to Stay Connected with Their Social-Distance Friends

In a summer following the longest and weirdest school year ever, there are no traditional summer camps or extracurricular activities for our kids. According to The Conversation, “Over the last 30 years, children’s friendships have been largely forged in the classroom and during extracurricular activities. That’s because, on average, children spend 6.5 hours a day in school, and 57% of children spend every day or most days involved in extracurricular activities.”

It's not surprising that our kids are lonely and suffering. COVID-19 essentially took away their main access to their friends. Since friendship is important for our kids' social-emotional development and their mental health, it is our job to do what we can to help them stay connected with their friends while social distancing. Here are five things we’ve been doing with our girls.

1. Virtual Playdates

Technology has truly been a lifesaver throughout this pandemic. We have encouraged our girls to have virtual playdates (or meetups for older kids). Essentially, this has meant relaxing some of our screen rules, such as time limits or chatting with friends, but we’ve still maintained safeguards (such as only chatting online with people we know in real life). Give your kids time on your phone, computer, or device to video chat with their friends through Skype, Facebook Messenger, or Zoom. Simply seeing their friends through the screen will make their day! For example, my youngest daughter had an absolute blast having an online dance party with her elementary classmates.

2. Online Gaming

Personally, I don’t get the whole online gaming thing, but my girls love playing online games like Minecraft and Roblox. But what they love even more is when they get to play with friends. Fortunately, most online games provide ways for you to play and chat with friends. Additionally, there are online game sites, like Pogo, that make it easy to play board games like Monopoly with socially-distanced friends.

3. Netflix Party

Are you tired of watching your kid’s favorite shows? Let them watch their favorite shows or movies with their friends online using the Netflix Party tool. Our Children explains, “Anyone with a monthly Netflix subscription can add this free Google Chrome extension. You can synchronize video playback with your child’s friends and add group chat so kids can ‘talk’ during the movie. Anyone in the group can pause, play, fast forward and rewind the movie so everyone is in the same spot.”

4. Write Old Fashioned Letters

Have your kids ever written a letter to a friend? I’m not talking about a thank you note after a birthday party. I’m talking about an old-fashioned pen pal letter. I’m betting the answer is never. Now is the perfect time to introduce your kids to the joy of getting a letter from a friend in the mail. Get them some cute stationery, stamps, and their friend’s addresses and watch them connect the old-fashioned way.

5. Physically Distanced Neighbors

This last one is going to vary depending on your family’s unique situation. If you feel comfortable allowing your kids to have an outdoor playdate with your neighbors, then just remember to enforce physical distancing. While playdates are still frowned upon, outdoor playdates are deemed more acceptable. Harvard Medical School suggests, “Something like going for a bike ride, or a hike, allows you to be together while sharing fewer germs (bringing and using hand sanitizer is still a good idea). You need to have ground rules, though, about distance and touching, and if you don't think it's realistic that your children will follow those rules, then don't do the playdate even if it is outdoors.”

7 Fun and Safe Social Distancing Outdoor Activities for NYC Families

Things may not be quite back to normal, but there are still plenty of ways to have some summer fun with your family! This summer may be a bit more laid back in terms of big adventures, but there are plenty of little adventures around NYC that are perfect for families. Check out this list of 7 fun and safe social distancing outdoor activities for families.

Bike with the Fam

My girls love their bikes! Like most things, I have a feeling this is going to be something they eventually outgrow. So, we’re being intentional about going on bike rides as a family. Whether we bike around our neighborhood or hit up one of the off the road bike trails around NYC, it is a great way to get some exercise, enjoy the outdoors, and spend time together.

Go to a Drive-In Movie

We sure are missing going to the movie theatre as a family, but COVID-19 has brought back the thrill of going to a drive-in movie! Drive-ins are excellent for social distancing. You stay in your own vehicle, control the volume, and enjoy new releases on the big screen. Check out Skyline Drive-In NYC to see what is playing.

Hunt for the Best Ice Cream

Eating in restaurants is still a little challenging, but finding ice cream is not. Spend the summer visiting different ice cream shops around NYC to hunt for the best one. Many of these ice cream shops offer outdoor or patio seating.

Pick Fruit

According to Mommy Poppins, “Juicy blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are usually in season from July through the end of August near NYC, and some farms even have a second crop of raspberries that ripen later in the summer.” And there are plenty of places to do some social-distance fruit picking near NYC.

Glamp Under the Stars

If your family is feeling bummed that you had to cancel your summer vacation, surprise them by taking them Glamping on Governors Island. Glamping is camping elevated for those families who like the finer things in life (like air conditioning). Even though Governor’s Island is still closed to the public, guests take a complimentary private water taxi to the campsite on the island. You’ll experience the city in a brand-new way while maintaining social distance.

Visit State Parks

If you are staying in the city throughout the summer, try to visit some of the nearby state parks. In addition to exploring a new park, many of the parks offer great activities for families, such as hiking and kayaking. Use TimeOut’s guide to the best hiking trails for NYC families to explore to help get you started on your outdoor adventures.

Drive Through a Zoo

We sure have missed seeing our favorite zoo animals, so I was thrilled to hear Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey has opened its wild safari to the public. Your family can see over 1200 wild animals from your car window!

Plus, many of the public pools in NYC will start reopening this month. Thankfully, there is no evidence that shows COVID-19 can spread through pools. Just be sure to practice social distancing around the pool areas!