Saturday, May 3, 2014

What toys do 8 year olds play with?




J Clark


firetrucks
lgo
atcion figures
cards video games
Do they like hot wheels
science kist



Answer
Besides all kind of toys you have mentioned, I recommend you to give some exciting science tools for young curious minds. It could be a telescope with guide book to explore the night sky. Another choice is to give kids microscope to explore the microscopic world. Another option is an infrared stealth binoculars for night vision.

Just my 2 cents. Hope this helps.

What's a kids life like in NYC?




CLAIRE


I have to write this report about the daily life of kids in NYC. Can anybody tell me what a kid's life (especially home life) is like in new york? I have to write about what their homes look like, what they do in the day, etc etc. THANKS SO MUCH!
okay yo dude like totally take a chill pill i'm american too dude I just need to do this totally uncool report man, and I need some info about your life yo, instead of eating cheerios and playing wii cuz everybody does that dude.
lol XD



Answer
Okay, I'm the mom of two kids - ages 13 and 8.

I don't know exactly what you are looking for, you're question was a bit vague. And, also, some of the things about a kid's life here are the same as anywhere else. As another poster said, school, homework, etc.

Here are some differences:

Most children here live in apartments, sometimes very, very small apartments. That means that they might share a room and have very little storage space for their toys and clothes. They might have to do homework in the living room. Many homes do not have eat in kitchens or dining rooms. Our home has a dining room, but we only have a "galley kitchen (a thin kitchen with cabinets on either side with little space in between.) My older daughter always tells me that this is a "one person kitchen" and that I have to stay out when she is cooking in it - she loves to cook!

Also, most people do NOT have backyards. We do, but it's so small, you'd probably laugh if you saw it. Just room for a table and a few chairs, a big planter and a lounge chair, and a free standing grill. That's all. Postage stamp size!

School - elementary school is pretty much like everywhere else, except that most kids can walk to school, and of those that can't, most take the City buses and get a "bus pass" to permit them to ride the bus for free or half price. My younger daughter walks to school - it's only a couple of blocks away.

Middle school and high school are different. For middle school in most parts of the City you have to apply to get into the middle school you wish to attend that is in the district you are zoned for. For high school you have to apply to get into the school you most want to attend anywhere in the City. The list for middle school is shorter, as it's only in a certain area. But for high school, you could go anywhere (theoretically. I've told my daugher that she can't go anywhere that is more than an hour and 10 minutes by subway.) Also, for high school there are: specialized schools, selective schools, arts schools, small schools, comprehensive schools....tons of different types of schools. For some you must take this big test called the SHSAT (Specialized High Schools Acheivement Test). It's a big deal because doing well on that is your ticket to some of the most competative schools in the City, like Stuyvesant High School. Getting into Stuy is like getting into Harvard! It's that competative! Other schools might require an interview or an audition.

While high school admissions is particularly rough (and the kids applying are only 13 after all) there is competition for a LOT of things here! For one thing, many middle schools also require an interview or audition (and this is for 10 year olds!) And there is LOTS of competition for kids entering certain private pre-schools - particulary if they come from families who want their kids to eventually attend certain private elementary schools! (We didn't do any of that - we went public school all the way. Most New Yorkers do, no matter what you hear!)

But it's hard to get your kids into popular summer programs, swim classes, art classes! Everything is about knowing when and how to apply!

Okay, enough of this stuff. There's fun too. There are playgrounds everywhere. There are wonderful children's museums and hands on science museums. There are great ice cream places and chocolate shops! When kids go to school, they often meet kids from many different cultures who speak a variety of languages. Just walking around NYC is a learning experience for children.

And there are activities. My older daughter takes horseback riding lessons in Prospect Park and art classes in Dumbo. My younger daughter takes tennis in Prospect Park and piano at the Brooklyn Conservatory of music. Many kids take instruments or paricipate in organized sports (we have friends with children playing peewee football and little league baseball is big around this part of Brooklyn.)

I guess that's enough - probably more than you wanted to hear. Mostly, though, it's school and homework and chores. Just like everywhere else.




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