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Saturday, February 12, 2011
Kimmy Schwimmy show at the JCC!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Kid Kazoom Open Gym Schedule for this weekend....
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| OPEN GYM SCHEDULE Brrrrrrrrrrrrr. It's cold outside. No worries, come to Open Gym. OPEN GYM SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEKEND February 12th and 13th: SATURDAY 10:00 am til 4:00 pm SUNDAY 10:00 am til 4:00 pm WEEKDAY OPEN GYM SCHEDULE IS ALWAYS: MON - FRI 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Are the kids getting restless again. Why not bring them by for an hour or so. We guarantee they will sleep better after you go home. Open Gym is $10 per hour for each child over 4 mo. old and adults are FREE! Click Here to Forward this email to a friend (DO NOT FORWARD IN YOUR EMAIL CLIENT) and if they follow the directions below they will receive 1 FREE OPEN GYM. Forward as many as you want. IF THIS EMAIL WAS FORWARDED TO YOU BY A FRIEND YOU NEED TO CLICK THIS LINK http://eepurl.com/hlW2 or cut and paste the link into your browser's address and press enter. FILL OUT THE FORM THEN SCROLL DOWN AND CLICK ON "SUBSCRIBE." You will then receive a confirmation email. Click on the link or cut and paste into your web browser address box and you will ultimately get another email with your Free $10 Voucher. Print the voucher and bring it in. Katie & Josh Goodman Please remember: Everyone entering the facility must remove their shoes. Adults must wear athletic socks or equivalent. Socks are available for purchase if you forget to bring them. Children may go barefoot or wear non-slip socks. Be considerate of others. If your child is in the process of potty training and there is even a slight chance that they may have an accident please place a pull-up diaper on them. Please bring a complete change of clothes for your child as we know accidents happen but to minimize accidents please encourage your child to use the bathroom as often as you can. Glitter on hair, body, clothing or accessories is not permitted. Child strollers may be parked in our waiting area but may not be brought into the gym or gym hallway. Child seat may be removed from stroller and brought into gym. No food or beverages allowed. We provide water to drink in case you get thirsty. THE FINE PRINT: One free open gym offer per family, not email address. Your family may use more than one email address and may receive more than one email from us. You can use only one no matter how many are received or how many times you come in. Please use facility at your own risk. Kidz-Kazoom 49 East Midland Ave Paramus, NJ 07652 201-225-1212 We are at the intersection of Midland Ave and From Road We are in the same tan colored building as Gold's Gym and Remax and our front doors have lots of smiley faces on them and are facing the large parking lot. The building is "L" shaped and has 6 sides. If you don't see our doors just keep making right turns around the building til you see the smiley faces on the two glass doors. |
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Laserific Laser Light Show
Sunday, 4-5 pm
JCC of Rockland County~ 450 W Nyack Rd in Nyack, NY~ Their site is: jccrockland.org
Presented by Wondergy Music, lasers, sparks and fog will surely capture your child's imagination with a professionally animated laser light show! This wonderfully creative performance uses lasers, animated cartoons and music to create a one-of-a-kind interactive entertainment experience that will appeal to kids and parents alike! Tickets: In Advance: Members $8/Public $12 At the Door: Members $10/Public $15.
Dinner with the Spouse while Kids Join the CIRCUS!!!!
Events: all
CircusCARES for Your Kids
Saturday, Feb. 12, 6:00pm-9:30pm
Enjoy an intimate dinner at a local Nyack restaurant while AGC takes care of your kids at the circus! You dine in peace knowing your kids are juggling, tumbling, walking on the tightwire and generally having a great time only two blocks away. No need to worry... they are in good hands with circus professionals.
$35 per child; $25 for each sibling. Ages 4 - 14. Reservations necessary. Call 845-348-8740 or email carlo@amazinggracecircus.org. Discount coupons to local restaurants when you register. Our 3rd successful year!
Got a Sitter This Weekend?
Valentines Weekend at Antoine Mcguires
February 11, 2011 —February 14, 2011Bring your Valentine to one of Rockland's Coziest Restaurants for an Evening that's sure to Heat Up! Prefixe Menu, $99 Per Couple, $140 with wine pairings plus tax & tip.
Located at 19 Main Street, Haverstraw, NY. For Reservations call (845) 429 - 4121.
Valentine's Weekend Events!
Hilton Garden Inn - 270 West Route 59, Nanuet, NY is offering exciting Valentine's Weekend Events! Ticket packages are on sale now!
Sweetheart stay package is valid Feb. 10-Feb.14. This package includes overnight accomodations for 2 in a king room or whirlpool suite, complimentary bottle of champagne or sparkling cider, gourmet chocolate truffles.
Prices: King Room $119.00 per night - Whirlpool Suite $179.00 per night.
A sweetheart dinner dance will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn, Saturday, February 12 at 7pm. There will be a four course gourmet plated dinner, unlimited soft drinks, coffee and tea,and a full cash bar available. Dance the night away until 11pm!
Tickets are $99.00 per couple
Sunday, February 13th from 11am-2pm Hilton garden Inn will host a traditional buffet style brunch for only 23.95 per person . Featuring breakfast favorites: omelet station, classic main entrees, array of chilled salads, indulgent desserts, coffee and tea.
Book all three events, Sweetheart dinner dance for two, sweetheart stay package, and sweetheart sunday brunch for only $229.00 for the KING ROOM OR $289.00 for the WHIRLPOOL SUITE! Rates are per room, per night, plus tax reservations and advance ticket sales required.
Valentine's Weekend Events!
 | Robert Wuhl’s “Assume the Position” at the Bergen PAC $59, $49, $39, $29, $29 Funnyman Robert Wuhl (star of Arli$$ and co-star of hit films including Batman, Bull Durham, Cobb, and Good Morning Vietnam) is coming to bergenPAC with his Emmy®-winning HBO comedy event, Assume the Position. Assume the Position examines the stories that made up America and the stories that America made up. During the show, New Jersey native and history buff Wuhl takes his audience on a lighthearted journey to show how legends are created, exploring familiar chapters in America’s past that owe more to popular culture than fact. In the process Wuhl might just be the funniest social studies teacher you’ll ever meet. Assume the Position first debuted as a television special on HBO in 2006 and was such a huge hit they ordered another special film in early 2007. Wuhl is also an award winning writer with credits including Police Squad, Comic Relief and the Academy Awards hosted by Billy Crystal. |
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with The Temptations & The Four Tops at the Bergen PAC
Sunday, Feb 13 at 7PM
$99, $76, $59, $39, $29 The two biggest groups of an era on one stage for Valentine’s Day Weekend. Featuring The Temptations with “Get Ready,” “My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” “Just My Imagination,” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” as well as the Four Tops with their hits “Can’t Help Myself,” “Reach Out/I’ll Be There,” “Ain’t No Woman Like the One I Got,” “Same Old Song,” and “Baby I Need Your Lovin’.”
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with The Temptations & The Four Tops at the Bergen PAC
Sunday, Feb 13 at 7PM$99, $76, $59, $39, $29
The two biggest groups of an era on one stage for Valentine’s Day Weekend. Featuring The Temptations with “Get Ready,” “My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” “Just My Imagination,” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” as well as the Four Tops with their hits “Can’t Help Myself,” “Reach Out/I’ll Be There,” “Ain’t No Woman Like the One I Got,” “Same Old Song,” and “Baby I Need Your Lovin’.”
Amy Speace at Acoustic Cafe
Amy Speace
With Arlon Bennett
Folk, PopAmy Speace describes her music as folk/pop "for city girls with mud on their boots.'"www.amyspeace.com/Price: $18
• Sun 2/13 at 7:30pm at Acoustic Cafe in Our Lady of Mercy Church- 25 Fremont Ave Park Ridge, NJ- http://www.cafeacoustic.org/
With Arlon Bennett
Folk, PopAmy Speace describes her music as folk/pop "for city girls with mud on their boots.'"www.amyspeace.com/Price: $18• Sun 2/13 at 7:30pm at Acoustic Cafe in Our Lady of Mercy Church- 25 Fremont Ave Park Ridge, NJ- http://www.cafeacoustic.org/
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Liberty Science Center IMAX
Liberty Science Center
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Upcoming Events
| IMAX and Theater Shows NatureTravel to fascinating lands, through amazing ecosystems, into space and even back in time with eye-popping films shown on the nation's largest IMAX Dome screen. With images completely filling your field of vision, you'll feel a part of the action! Purchase advance tickets by calling 201.253.1310 or e-mail sales@lsc.org for more information. • Kid Friendlywww.naturefind.com Ages: All ages Price: Included in admission • Fri 2/11 at 9am • Sat 2/12 at 9am • Sun 2/13 at 9am • Mon 2/14 at 9am • Tue 2/15 at 9am • Thu 2/17 at 9am • Fri 2/18 at 9am • Sat 2/19 at 9am • Sun 2/20 at 9am • Mon 2/21 at 9am • Tue 2/22 at 9am • Thu 2/24 at 9am • Fri 2/25 at 9am • Sat 2/26 at 9am • Sun 2/27 at 9am • Mon 2/28 at 9am • Tue 3/1 at 9am • Thu 3/3 at 9am • Fri 3/4 at 9am • Sat 3/5 at 9am • Sun 3/6 at 9am • Mon 3/7 at 9am • Tue 3/8 at 9am • Thu 3/10 at 9am • Fri 3/11 at 9am • Sat 3/12 at 9am • Sun 3/13 at 9am • Mon 3/14 at 9am • Tue 3/15 at 9am • Thu 3/17 at 9am • Fri 3/18 at 9am • Sat 3/19 at 9am • Sun 3/20 at 9am • Mon 3/21 at 9am • Tue 3/22 at 9am • Thu 3/24 at 9am • Fri 3/25 at 9am • Sat 3/26 at 9am • Sun 3/27 at 9am • Mon 3/28 at 9am • Tue 3/29 at 9am • Thu 3/31 at 9am |
Raising Excellent Kids in an Insane World: Part 1 Self-Esteem
"Healthy self-esteem is a child's armor against the challenges of the world."
"Not enough self-regard can lead people to become depressed, to fall short of their potential, or to tolerate abusive situations and relationships."
"Self-esteem is the experience of being competent to cope with the basic challenges of life and of being worthy of happiness."
So go the self-esteem mongers, who for the past 50 years have managed to sell an idea to us that may not carry the weight they gave it. The way we seem to have translated this idea is that: a) we have to constantly praise our children; b) happiness is the most important thing in our lives; and c) as Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman put it, "... one of the self-esteem movement's key tenets: that praise, self-esteem, and performance rise and fall together."
When my daughter was younger - about 16 months - I had praised her for an activity she had accomplished. At that time, I started to think about how we use praise and what some of its purposes might be. Remember, we're told by experts to use praise as a way of encouraging our children's interest and/or as a device to build self esteem.
Between 1970 and 2000, apparently, more then 15,000 scholarly pieces were written regarding the connection of self-esteem to just about all things in our lives. Then, the Association for Psychological Science had Dr. Roy Baumeister (a leading champion of the idea of self-esteem) do a serious review of all these self-esteem writings.
Well, what the heck did Dr. Baumeister find? It seems it came down to only 200 studies that actually used scientifically-sound measurements. After a review of those, he came to the conclusion that having high self-esteem won't enhance grades, help you do better in your career, or lower violence. Believe it or not, it seems that very hostile, aggressive people have a high sense of themselves! So much for the notion of, "they're compensating for low self-esteem." Using praise incorrectly and at inappropriate times can actually be unproductive.
Dr. Baumeister now seems to think that the continued attractiveness of self-esteem is connected to parents' feelings about their children's accomplishments: "when they praise their kids, it's not that far from praising themselves." Also, from my point of view, it's easy. Easy to throw out "positive" words and not worry about doing the actual work of helping "produce" an excellent child.
What I have observed (and what researchers have found) is that not all praise is equal - and it should be targeted in use. For a nice overview on this topic, read Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman's NurtureShock (the chapter called "The Inverse Power of Praise").
So, what is praise? How might we use it more effectively?
Check back in two weeks for a continuation on this topic.
Let me know your thoughts on this topic by leaving a comment here.
A Montclair resident, Frank Diaz can be reached at raisingexcellentkids@gmail.com.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
THINKSTOCK
"Self-esteem is the experience of being competent to cope with the basic challenges of life and of being worthy of happiness."
So go the self-esteem mongers, who for the past 50 years have managed to sell an idea to us that may not carry the weight they gave it. The way we seem to have translated this idea is that: a) we have to constantly praise our children; b) happiness is the most important thing in our lives; and c) as Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman put it, "... one of the self-esteem movement's key tenets: that praise, self-esteem, and performance rise and fall together."
When my daughter was younger - about 16 months - I had praised her for an activity she had accomplished. At that time, I started to think about how we use praise and what some of its purposes might be. Remember, we're told by experts to use praise as a way of encouraging our children's interest and/or as a device to build self esteem.
Between 1970 and 2000, apparently, more then 15,000 scholarly pieces were written regarding the connection of self-esteem to just about all things in our lives. Then, the Association for Psychological Science had Dr. Roy Baumeister (a leading champion of the idea of self-esteem) do a serious review of all these self-esteem writings.
Well, what the heck did Dr. Baumeister find? It seems it came down to only 200 studies that actually used scientifically-sound measurements. After a review of those, he came to the conclusion that having high self-esteem won't enhance grades, help you do better in your career, or lower violence. Believe it or not, it seems that very hostile, aggressive people have a high sense of themselves! So much for the notion of, "they're compensating for low self-esteem." Using praise incorrectly and at inappropriate times can actually be unproductive.
Dr. Baumeister now seems to think that the continued attractiveness of self-esteem is connected to parents' feelings about their children's accomplishments: "when they praise their kids, it's not that far from praising themselves." Also, from my point of view, it's easy. Easy to throw out "positive" words and not worry about doing the actual work of helping "produce" an excellent child.
What I have observed (and what researchers have found) is that not all praise is equal - and it should be targeted in use. For a nice overview on this topic, read Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman's NurtureShock (the chapter called "The Inverse Power of Praise").
So, what is praise? How might we use it more effectively?
Check back in two weeks for a continuation on this topic.
Let me know your thoughts on this topic by leaving a comment here.
A Montclair resident, Frank Diaz can be reached at raisingexcellentkids@gmail.com.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011By FRANK DIAZ
COLUMNIST
COLUMNIST
North Jersey News Reports: Fun Indoors!!!!
Indoor amusement centers offer escapes in all weather
THE RECORD
STAFF WRITER
Xanadu, the world’s first indoor amusement complex, was built by Kublai Khan more than 800 years ago.
This famed pleasure dome has proved an inspiration to today’s indoor amusement centers.
True, Xanadu had no indoor go-karts, boardwalk rides or miniature golf courses — to name some of the summery activities that, thanks to human ingenuity, North Jerseyans are now enjoying even in this most ghastly of winters.
But there were “sinuous rills,” the poet tells us. Also “a mighty fountain.” The BogotaGolf Center has both.
A great fountain, splashing over an outcrop of artificial rocks, bubbles through a vast indoor landscape of hills, dales, ravines and inclines. Here, miniature golfers can putt their bright red, blue and green balls to their hearts’ content, under the protection of a sheltering roof.
“No, no, no, no, no, no, no!” says Matthew Albert, 11, ofTeaneck, whose little blue ball has missed the first hole by several inches.
“This is just practice, this one,” he says.
Outside, the ground is snow-covered, the temperatures arctic. But indoors, you might be forgiven for thinking it’s April. Temperatures are moderate, the 18 holes are inviting, bits of live greenery dot the artificial landscape.
“Weekends are very big here,” says Bogota Golf Center manager Nancy Park, whose 10-year-old facility also offers indoor driving ranges, basketball games and batting cages. “People can’t play outside because of the snow.”
Ever since the first cloudburst spoiled the first picnic, amusement entrepreneurs have been looking for ways to maximize cash flow by making their concessions weatherproof. Steeplechase, the most famous amusement park of Coney Island’s golden age (it closed in 1964), was mostly indoors. So was Asbury Park’s late, lamented Palace Amusements, immortalized by Bruce Springsteen.
“They’re perfect for bad weather conditions,” says Colleen Mangone, spokeswoman for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, based in Alexandria, Va. “If it’s a rainy or snowy afternoon, they provide a great venue for moms and dads to spend time with their kids.”
Ray Winslow would agree. To entertain his grandson, Orin, 9, they head to In the Swing, an indoor entertainment center in Winslow’s town ofWaldwick, where there are batting cages, indoor playgrounds (for kids ranging from toddler to age 7) and arcade games such as Dance Dance Revolution and Hoop It Up Basketball.
“If kids can’t go out and play, I’d rather have them in here playing games than home watching television,” Winslow says.
Here and there, traditional boardwalk amusements can also be found indoors. At Funtime Junction in Fairfield, kids can take a flight on a helicopter ride that stays well below the ceiling. At the Palisades Center in West Nyack, N.Y., kids can ride a three-story Ferris wheel or a double-decker carousel, all in the comfort of a climate-controlled shopping mall.
“They would go to the beach in the summer,” says Fernando Mora of Yonkers, N.Y., who was taking his kids Santiago, 5, and Sofia, 3, for a spin on the Palisades carousel. “This is as close as they get in the winter.”
In fact, almost anything can be put under a roof, if the roof is big enough. Even a whole racetrack, in the case of Velocity 17 in Maywood — where speed demons can get their Dale Earnhardt on as they zoom along a 2,000-foot track at the breathtaking speed of 35 mph.
It actually does feel breathtaking in the imported Bowman go-karts, says Velocity 17 President Jerry Joseph. “You’re 1 inch off the ground, so you feel like you’re going 75 mph,” Joseph says. “The kart handles like a Formula One car.”
The need for speed is enough to lure Maureen Piccione and her husband, John, all the way from Brooklyn almost every weekend. But they visit Velocity 17 (it also boasts an indoor playground, pedal cars and other attractions) most often in the winter, Maureen says.
After all, what else is there to do?
“We can do this even when it’s snowing,” she says.
E-mail: beckerman@northjersey.com
TARIQ ZEHAWI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Buy this photoLiam Kong, 6, and Noah Lebowitz, 5, both of Hoboken, at the Bogota Golf Center.
True, Xanadu had no indoor go-karts, boardwalk rides or miniature golf courses — to name some of the summery activities that, thanks to human ingenuity, North Jerseyans are now enjoying even in this most ghastly of winters.
But there were “sinuous rills,” the poet tells us. Also “a mighty fountain.” The BogotaGolf Center has both.
A great fountain, splashing over an outcrop of artificial rocks, bubbles through a vast indoor landscape of hills, dales, ravines and inclines. Here, miniature golfers can putt their bright red, blue and green balls to their hearts’ content, under the protection of a sheltering roof.
DON SMITH/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mathew Szawaluk, 14, of Glen Rock takes a turn in a batting cage at In the Swing in Waldwick.
“This is just practice, this one,” he says.
Outside, the ground is snow-covered, the temperatures arctic. But indoors, you might be forgiven for thinking it’s April. Temperatures are moderate, the 18 holes are inviting, bits of live greenery dot the artificial landscape.
“Weekends are very big here,” says Bogota Golf Center manager Nancy Park, whose 10-year-old facility also offers indoor driving ranges, basketball games and batting cages. “People can’t play outside because of the snow.”
For indoor fun
Here's a sampling of indoor amusement attractions in the area.
* Bogota Golf Center: 30 Cross St., Bogota. 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. Free admission; pay-as-you-go attractions. 201-489-2400 or bogotagolfcenter.com.
* City Sports on 4: 62 Route 4 east, Englewood. Noon to 10 p.m. weekdays and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Sports center with indoor turf. Free admission, pay-as-you-go attractions. 201-567-1111 or citysportson4.com.
* Funtime Junction: 400 Fairfield Road, Fairfield. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and Monday. $9.75 for children; free for adults. 973-882-9777 or funtimejunction.com.
* In the Swing: 145 Hopper Ave., Waldwick. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. ($5 for upstairs "playland.") 201-444-3556 or intheswing.biz.
* Monster Mini Golf: 49 E. Midland Ave., Paramus. 2 to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 2 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Closed Mondays except holidays. $7.50 adults, $6.50 children. 201-261-0032 or monsterminigolf.com.
* Palisades Center: 1000 Palisades Center Drive, West Nyack, N.Y. 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Indoor carousel and Ferris wheel. 845-348-1000 or palisadescenter.com.
* Paramus Park: 700 Paramus Park, off Route 17, Paramus. 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday. Indoor carousel. 201-261-6108 or paramuspark.com.
* Velocity 17: 87 Route 17 north, Maywood. 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Free admission; pay-as-you-go attractions. 201-994-1200 or v-17.com.
* Westfield Garden State Plaza: 1 Garden State Plaza, Paramus. 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday. Indoor carousel. 201-843-2121 or westfield.com/gardenstateplaza.
— Jim Beckerman
* Bogota Golf Center: 30 Cross St., Bogota. 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. Free admission; pay-as-you-go attractions. 201-489-2400 or bogotagolfcenter.com.
* City Sports on 4: 62 Route 4 east, Englewood. Noon to 10 p.m. weekdays and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Sports center with indoor turf. Free admission, pay-as-you-go attractions. 201-567-1111 or citysportson4.com.
* Funtime Junction: 400 Fairfield Road, Fairfield. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and Monday. $9.75 for children; free for adults. 973-882-9777 or funtimejunction.com.
* In the Swing: 145 Hopper Ave., Waldwick. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. ($5 for upstairs "playland.") 201-444-3556 or intheswing.biz.
* Monster Mini Golf: 49 E. Midland Ave., Paramus. 2 to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 2 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Closed Mondays except holidays. $7.50 adults, $6.50 children. 201-261-0032 or monsterminigolf.com.
* Palisades Center: 1000 Palisades Center Drive, West Nyack, N.Y. 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Indoor carousel and Ferris wheel. 845-348-1000 or palisadescenter.com.
* Paramus Park: 700 Paramus Park, off Route 17, Paramus. 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday. Indoor carousel. 201-261-6108 or paramuspark.com.
* Velocity 17: 87 Route 17 north, Maywood. 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Free admission; pay-as-you-go attractions. 201-994-1200 or v-17.com.
* Westfield Garden State Plaza: 1 Garden State Plaza, Paramus. 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday. Indoor carousel. 201-843-2121 or westfield.com/gardenstateplaza.
— Jim Beckerman
“They’re perfect for bad weather conditions,” says Colleen Mangone, spokeswoman for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, based in Alexandria, Va. “If it’s a rainy or snowy afternoon, they provide a great venue for moms and dads to spend time with their kids.”
Ray Winslow would agree. To entertain his grandson, Orin, 9, they head to In the Swing, an indoor entertainment center in Winslow’s town ofWaldwick, where there are batting cages, indoor playgrounds (for kids ranging from toddler to age 7) and arcade games such as Dance Dance Revolution and Hoop It Up Basketball.
“If kids can’t go out and play, I’d rather have them in here playing games than home watching television,” Winslow says.
Here and there, traditional boardwalk amusements can also be found indoors. At Funtime Junction in Fairfield, kids can take a flight on a helicopter ride that stays well below the ceiling. At the Palisades Center in West Nyack, N.Y., kids can ride a three-story Ferris wheel or a double-decker carousel, all in the comfort of a climate-controlled shopping mall.
“They would go to the beach in the summer,” says Fernando Mora of Yonkers, N.Y., who was taking his kids Santiago, 5, and Sofia, 3, for a spin on the Palisades carousel. “This is as close as they get in the winter.”
In fact, almost anything can be put under a roof, if the roof is big enough. Even a whole racetrack, in the case of Velocity 17 in Maywood — where speed demons can get their Dale Earnhardt on as they zoom along a 2,000-foot track at the breathtaking speed of 35 mph.
It actually does feel breathtaking in the imported Bowman go-karts, says Velocity 17 President Jerry Joseph. “You’re 1 inch off the ground, so you feel like you’re going 75 mph,” Joseph says. “The kart handles like a Formula One car.”
The need for speed is enough to lure Maureen Piccione and her husband, John, all the way from Brooklyn almost every weekend. But they visit Velocity 17 (it also boasts an indoor playground, pedal cars and other attractions) most often in the winter, Maureen says.
After all, what else is there to do?
“We can do this even when it’s snowing,” she says.
E-mail: beckerman@northjersey.com
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