Classes

Naira recently moved to Queens with her new baby and the challenges of being a first time mother plus not knowing anybody are proving to be more daunting than she anticipated. She emailed looking for help figuring out how to meet other new mothers in her area of Queens.

Looking for cool and unique after-school activities for your child? If you're getting tired of the same 'ol gym classes, sport programs, or and music groups, you're not alone. Lucky for you, we've spent some time, checking out two of the latest children's classes to hit the afterschool scene: cooking classes and theater programs for kid. So, if you have  budding chef, or a future performer, or if you're just looking to add some diversity to your child's routine, check out our list of the top programs for cooking and theater for kids on Long Island: 

Chess is becoming a more and more popular program for children both in school and out of school as parents and educators see how learning chess can help children develop critical thinking skills and other positive academic and non-academic abilities. I recently sat down with Fred Wilson, who has been teaching chess to kids in Manhattan for 18 years and runs the chess programs at NYC private schools such as Grace Church, Little Red School House, City and Country School, and the Village Community School (no wonder he's a legend in the Viilage), to pick his brain on all that he knows about learning to play chess for kids in NYC.

Find out how to know if chess is right for your child, ane asy way to know if they are ready to play chess, why kids should play in tournaments and how to find a good chess program for your child:

As the weather turns cold and the playground is no longer an option, classes seem like a great way to schedule some fun time indoors. You can check out our Classes Guide here for lots of ideas, but in the meantime you may want to try and sample some classes and see what you like. We've rounded up trial and demo classes from lots of programs all over the city. Plus, remember that many places will let you try any class for free once. Just call and ask.

In “Tangled Up In Blue”, Bob Dylan sings of Montague St. that “There was music in the cafes at night and revolution in the air”. I’m not sure any of that is true of Brooklyn Heights in 2010 but there are certainly a lot of children’s music classes in the neighborhood and the surrounding neighborhoods of DUMBO, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and Red Hook. Maybe they can help your child turn into the next Bob Dylan . . . or maybe just bring some music to Montague St in 2035.

Yesterday we went to see the show Groovaloo, a hip hop dance performance at the Union Square Theater through January 3rd. The show was filled with amazingly acrobatic dance moves and my 6 year old loved it. The theater was actually filled with kids who were mesmerized throughout the performance.

Hip Hop dancing can be a great physical outlet for kids who might not otherwise be into sports and it is growing in popularity with children of all ages. If your child might be interested in trying out a Hip Hop dance class, here are some of the Hip Hop dance classes for kids around NYC.

Family holiday traditions often seem to revolve around food: cooking special meals, baking holiday cookies and creating gingerbread houses. These family moments create those warm memories that children will look back on with nostalgia. But if your inner Martha is on vacation, consider taking your kids to a holiday cooking class instead.

Several kids' cooking clubs are offering holiday-themed classes in November and December, teaching staples like fresh cranberry sauce and gingerbread house construction. Classes for toddlers through tweens could whet your child's appetite for culinary greatness—or just a really good sugar cookie. Instruction doesn't come cheap: the classes range from $40 to $95 per child. Then again, every holiday host knows eager kitchen help is priceless.

As I stood in front of the stage at Crash Mansion on Bowery, I never imagined that it would be to see my daughter play the drums in her rock ‘n’ roll band. At the ripe old age of 6, Max looked up at me with her big blue eyes and said “Mommy, I would like to play the drums!” and so began my search for a music school.&nbspIf you have a budding little rockstar who is looking to get up on stage and perform, NYC is the place where kids can be rockers too. There are a few options where your children can explore the world or popular music. Here is the skinny:

[UPDATED 9/09] We've added some new classes to this post about free after-school programs and wanted to share it again. There are some great, high quality after school programs that are absolutely free. Here's a round-up of the best of the free after-school programs for kids and teenagers.

So many families move to Long Island for the amenities the Island has to offer: parks, great schools, a backyard! It shouldn't be a surprise that there is a growing crop of terrific resources for our kids sprouting up either.  Rare outside of large cultural meccas like NYC, there are several ballet studios on Long Island and many of the schools have been founded or are being run by professional dancers who too retreated from New York City to Long Island with their own families, and their programs and studios reflect their love of the profession and the student. Here are a few of the most notable: