Today's Dear Boston Mamas query comes from Sarah via the Boston Mamas Facebook page (congrats on your impending arrival Sarah!). Boston Mamas contributing writer Jennifer (a North Shore mom of twins) kindly is fielding Sarah's question:

Hi Boston Mamas. We live north of Boston, but I was wondering if you have any resources on finding twin classes, of any kind, and/or cloth diaper information/classes. We have a 21-month-old now and twins on the way in April. Thanks in advance!

Continue reading "Dear Boston Mamas: North Shore Resources" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 4 Dec 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Diapers & Potty; Local; Pre & Postnatal Services; Retail

I know that many parents book camps well in advance (as in, not long after the New Year), but this year I decided to take a different approach to summer because: 1) We had some summer vacation plans percolating that took a while to finalize; 2) I wanted to wait to get a sense of where Laurel was at and what she wanted to do as the school year came to a close; and 3) Related to #2, in the past when I have been super organized and tried to sign her up for programs well in advance and based exclusively on my time agenda, it has completely backfired (like, really, really badly backfired).

Continue reading "Boston Area Summer Camps" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 24 May 2012 | Permalink | Comments (6) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Local

Well, it's definitely not feeling summery today (though I'm very happy that the plants are getting a good soak), but the school year is, in fact, winding down. I truly cannot believe June is next week! Anyway, I have a couple of fantastic posts to be published soon about summer activities at home and simplifying summer, and I also want to share a post on favorite summer programs/camps. I have already collected some leads and would love to hear about programs your kids have adored -- please share by dropping me an e-mail with "summer camp" in the subject. Thanks!

Continue reading "Summer Camp Query" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 22 May 2012 | Permalink | Comments (8) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Local

Today, Lindsey (also of A Design So Vast) recommends an upcoming yoga camp for kids:

Last summer my 8-year-old daughter Grace attended Tara Rachel Jones's week-long yoga camp at the Arlington Center and absolutely loved it. She was, and continues to be, at an age where doing a camp or activity without a friend takes some cajoling. After the first day of yoga camp, though, she bounced home happily and eagerly back every other day. She absolutely loved yoga camp with Tara.

Continue reading "Yoga Camp for Kids" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 12 May 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Beauty, Fitness & Wellness; Childcare & Education; Local

Today's Dear Boston Mamas question comes from Melinda via e-mail:

Hi Boston Mamas! I'm thinking ahead for my boy/girl twins' birthday party in May. They'll be 3, and I'd love to take them and friends to a farm. I've been looking on the internet, and I'm having trouble sorting through the good, bad, and ugly. Drumlin Farms comes up, but it doesn't look like they do much. The place that looks terrific is Lil'Folk Farm in Holliston, but I've never heard of it before (I swear, this is not a plug). Have you heard of it? Do you have suggestions? I'd love a place that will allow the kids to actively engage with animals, better yet if they have someone on hand to do a little teaching/coordination.

Continue reading "Dear Boston Mamas: Animal Education Birthday Parties" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 12 Dec 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Fun Indoors; Kid's Parties; Local

As Laurel has come out of her shell in the past year, she has started to express an interest in theatre (recently going so far as to state that she's going to be an actress when she grows up). Subsequently, I've been interested in checking out Kidstock in Winchester. From what I have heard from various sources over the years, Kidstock's summer theatre camps are pretty fantastic. A couple of weeks ago, we had a chance to visit Kidstock for the birthday party of one of Laurel's friends, and I must say, I was impressed.

Continue reading "Creativity at Kidstock" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 9 Dec 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Kid's Parties; Local

Today, Heather recommends a fantastic ocean adventure for the whole family:

No visit to Cape Cod would be complete without some type of water excursion. And OceanQuest -- a non-profit marine education program out of Woods Hole -- was one of the highlights of our vacation. The 90-minute cruise is a hands-on, marine educational experience for kids and parents of all ages and truly has something for everyone. Passengers are introduced to the major disciplines within oceanography and are actively involved in manipulating equipment, collecting data, and discovering the wonder of ocean sciences.

Continue reading "OceanQuest" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 21 Aug 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Fun Outdoors; Local

Today, Jennifer recommends summer school for grownups:

School may be out for summer for your kids, but there's no reason we moms can't have our own fun! In the whirlwind of momhood, "fun" often includes everything from play dates to work to endless domestic duties...it's hard to remember that at some point in our lives, it was perhaps easier to explore our more creative side. Which is exactly why it's so important to take some time during the summer to unplug, recharge, and try something new -- and maybe something even a little scary (not in the sky diving kind of way, but in a singing lessons kind of way).

Continue reading "Summer School" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 27 Jun 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Fun Indoors; Local

Today's Dear Boston Mamas question comes from Valerie via Twitter:

Dear Christine, do you have any summer camp recommendations for a day long camp with an educational component (reading + math) for a 6-year-old? I am right in the city. Thank you!

Continue reading "Dear Boston Mamas: Summer Camps" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 26 May 2010 | Permalink | Comments (6) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Development & Behavior; Local

There are two things any mom undoubtedly could use and enjoy: spa treatment + babysitting help. So I'm thrilled that in honor of Mother's Day, and as part of my Giveaway Goodness series, three of you fabulous readers will receive a $100 gift certificate to kick back and relax at Bella Santé day spa (good at the Boston, Lexington, or Wellesley locations) + a yearlong premium membership to Care.com so you can find some child care (or tutoring, special needs, senior care, pet care, or housekeeping) help. Woo hoo! Simply leave a comment below about this giveaway by midnight, May 9, 2010 to enter to win.

Continue reading "Giveaway Goodness: Bella Santé & Care.com" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 4 May 2010 | Permalink | Comments (102) | Filed in Beauty, Fitness & Wellness; Childcare; Childcare & Education; Local

It's a spring full of science in Boston. And as a former scientist, I applaud these efforts to make science fun for kids, particularly programming designed to encourage girls to thrive in science alongside boys (I was one of few women in my lab during my postdoctoral fellowship...it made the need to pump in my shared-with-dudes office, well, awkward). Here are three great opportunities to get your kid's science mojo running this and next month:

Continue reading "Spring Full of Science" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 10 Apr 2010 | Permalink | Comments (3) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Fun Indoors; Local; Tweens & Teens

Are you looking for a compact, portable reference to help navigate the kid-friendly ins and outs of our fair city? Today I share my thoughts on Kim Foley MacKinnon's new book, Boston Baby: A Field Guide for Urban Parents. Read on for my review, as well as to learn about an opportunity to meet Kim and eat well tomorrow at Aura Restaurant, and be one of three winners to receive a copy of Boston Baby:

Continue reading "Boston Baby" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 4 Mar 2010 | Permalink | Comments (5) | Filed in Books & Entertainment; Childcare & Education; Food & Drink; For Grownups; Fun Indoors; Fun Outdoors; Local; Pre & Postnatal Services; Retail

It’s been over a decade since I visited Houston and I’m thrilled to return to this city next month for the Mom 2.0 Summit. Last year I heard incredible things about this conference, which serves as a meeting grounds for moms and marketers and this year explores professional, product, and personal paths. My attendance, however, would not be possible were it not for the kind and generous sponsorship of Care.com.

Continue reading "Mom 2.0 Bound" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 22 Jan 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Childcare; Childcare & Education; Local; Web (Admin)

Back in high school, audition jitters aside, I adored being on the competitive orchestra circuit. The long rehearsals led to beautiful music and amazing friendships. And if you want to learn about a local arts group that creates music, friendships, and unity across cultural and social gaps, check out the Boston Children’s Chorus tomorrow, November 5 (6-7pm), at the Boston Public Library. The BCC -- which uses music to unify Boston’s diverse communities, inspire social change, and provide kids with music education and performance opportunities -- will preview a documentary about its recent tour to Jordan and celebrate the release of their This is the Sound of Harmony CD.

Posted by Christine Koh on 4 Nov 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Fun Indoors; Local

My tenure as a girl scout only lasted one year but as one of the few organized activities of my youth, I have a place in my heart for the adventure seeking, camaraderie building, cookie bearing troops. This Saturday, September 12, is Girl Scout Day in Eastern Massachusetts and to commemorate the day, the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts will host a series of registration and celebration events at eight area Simon Malls from noon – 3pm (see roster below). And in this era of pricey kids extracurricular fees, it's a pretty sweet deal that the membership fee for Girl Scouts is only $12 per year. Not to mention direct access to all of those awesome cookies.

Continue reading "Gear Up With the Girl Scouts" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 10 Sep 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Local

Weather being what it has been, I definitely find myself thinking about the weekend, well, not too long after the week starts. And this Sunday (May 17) our friends at Hill House will host their 3rd annual Backyard Dash at Fiedler Field on the Esplanade. The day will include races for grown-ups and kiddos (registration required), and a community picnic and kids festival. Also cool: on Monday the 18th, participating Charles Street businesses will offer special Day After the Dash deals and discounts for those wearing a Backyard Dash bracelet or medal.

Continue reading "Hill House Backyard Dash" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 13 May 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Fun Outdoors; Local

I’m an avid supporter of the public schools, and subsequently was interested to hear via Universal Hub about a rally for Boston public schools today. Boston Public School Parents will convene at the State House between 11:30am – 2pm to lobby for funding and legislation. Click here for information on how to support the effort.

Continue reading "Rally for Boston Public Schools" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 26 Mar 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Local; Outreach

For parents in the Greater Lowell area looking to sort out summer plans, tomorrow the Chelmsford Mothers’ Club is hosting a free Summer Activities Fair. From 7-9pm, reps from local schools, day camps, and community recreation programs will provide families with summer programming information geared towards kids 6 and under. Some information for older kids will also be available, as will refreshments and giveaways.

At the All Saints Episcopal Church, 10 Billerica Road (Rt. 129), Chelmsford

Posted by Christine Koh on 15 Apr 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Local

As joyful as it is to parent children as they become increasingly communicative and independent, those developments also can, at times, test even the most patient parents. For those who feel as if they’re running on fumes, head to Lynn Lyons and Christine Cook’s Refueling Your Parenting Tank workshop on March 9 at the JCC in Newton. Parents will learn how to work through button-pushing moments and difficult transitions with kids, and the buzz on this workshop – geared towards parents of 3-10 year olds – is that Lyons and Cook are talented educators who provide parents with the ideas and communicative tools needed to refuel and hit the ground running.

Want to win two registrations to this workshop (bring a partner or friend!)? Simply email contests@bostonmamas.com by Feb. 22 (with ‘Refuel’ in the subject).

Posted by Christine Koh on 15 Feb 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Development & Behavior; Family Issues; Local

Few things stress parents like having family, friends, or professionals raise their eyebrows when they hear that your babe hasn’t done X, Y, or Z by a specific age. I’ve already made clear my thoughts on statistical variability and individual differences (see Redshirting), and today we’re grateful to Kate for sharing her story and lead regarding Early Intervention:

Continue reading "Early Intervention" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 20 Jun 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Local

A local reader wrote in with a tip about Chatterboxes, a group of pediatric speech pathologists in Boston. She writes: “We had trouble with the hospitals as their waiting lists were long and our son couldn't be seen for 7 months. Chatterboxes is the only pediatric SLP private practice in Greater Boston…we were excited to find them. Chatterboxes came through and helped our son tremendously.”

Chatterboxes doesn’t yet have a live website; contact them at 617-723-TALK.

UPDATE (8/3/07): The reader who submitted this tip wrote in with a link to the Chatterboxes website. Much appreciated!

Posted by Christine Koh on 18 Jun 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Local

It’s never too late to go to Harvard.

For parents interested in learning more about how babies and kids perceive musical features and other auditory materials, contact the Auditory Cognition and Development Lab at Harvard (director Erin Hannon is a new mama herself and a colleague from my days in the field). This lab conducts short studies for infants, toddlers, and elementary school aged children to learn about how the perception of melody, rhythm and other auditory stimuli develops over time. Parents will receive information about the goals of the study their child is participating in, as well as follow-up newsletters outlining the results. Parents also can request a DVD of their child participating in the study.

UPDATE 8/7/07: Erin Hannon has moved to the University of Nevada.

UPDATE 11/20/07: Rebecca from Medford wrote in regarding Harvard’s Laboratory for Developmental Studies (the arm in which the Hannon lab used to reside). She writes, “My older daughter participated in a couple of studies when she was a baby. They were simple activities where she was held on her dad's lap and shown pictures of adults with different emotional facial expressions. I think it is interesting work and I like being able to help with the research…My new baby is going to help by participating in a study next week. They are looking for infants that are 3-4 months old and they are having trouble finding enough young babies.”

To learn more about participating (infants, toddlers, and kids welcome), click here.

Posted by Christine Koh on 15 Mar 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Childcare & Education; Local

It doesn’t take much to push a parent’s worry button, and the source often is another parent, either in an attempt to make conversation, or enlist you as an accomplice in their web of worry.

The other day during day care drop off another parent commented on Laurel’s maturity (a relative term, of course), looked at the birthday board, and said gravely, “Oh, you’re going to have the same problem as us.” The problem being that both of our kids were born in early September; we thus would just miss the typical cutoff date for kindergarten (August 31 or September 1 in many Mass. towns) and be relegated to an extra year in pre-school.

Continue reading "Web of Worry" »

Posted by Christine Koh on 14 Nov 2006 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Childcare; Childcare & Education; Development & Behavior; Local

Day cares – especially those that take infants – are tough to find, but Bright Horizons offers plenty of places to look. I’ve heard nothing but great things about Bright Horizons from several mama pals. Bright Horizons is massive; they operate more than 600 child-care centers and schools across the U.S., Canada and Europe. In Massachusetts, locations that are open to the community for application include Allston, Andover, Bedford, Beverly, Boston, Boxborough, Braintree, Cambridge, Charlestown, Foxboro, Framingham, Franklin, Hingham, Lexington, Marlborough, Milton, Natick, Needham, Newburyport, North Reading, Norwell, Pembroke, Pittsfield, Quincy, Randolph, Sudbury, Wakefield, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, and Wellesley. Click here to narrow your search by distance from your home; check specific locations for age limits.

Posted by Christine Koh on 24 Jul 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1) | Filed in Childcare; Childcare & Education; Local

A mama from Medford passed along recommendations for two local family day cares. Carol Ricker (5 Bussell Rd., Medford, 781-395-4212) takes babes from 3 months to 3 years old and comes highly recommended for infant care. Donna Swales (61 Paris Street, Medford, 781-395-5612) takes babes from 3 months to 5 years, and comes highly recommended for toddler/pre-schoolers (2.5 – 5 years).

Thanks Mama N. from Medford!

Posted by Christine Koh on 18 Jul 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1) | Filed in Childcare; Childcare & Education; Local