Mother's Day and beyond: Creative ways to spend time with mom

Why limit the celebration of mom to just one day in May? Honor mothers the entire month with these opportunities for family fun. Take her to China by way of a mobile museum; treat her to a performance by an animatronic chicken; get her a seat to see daredevil school bus driver race.

Here are 10 fun family-oriented ways to spend time with mom this month:

Explore China

“Let’s Go to China” is a free event at 2 p.m. May 7 at Westbury Arts. The family-oriented mobile museum is hands-on and participatory. It features Chinese Ribbon Dance, music and instruments, clothing and more. Performing will be musical entertainer Patricia Shih and dancer Wendy Wang, who owns a dance school in China. Though the event is free, the venue is requesting people reserve tickets in advance due to space limitations at Facebook.com/westburyarts. 255 Schenck Ave., 516-400-2787.

Paint Together

Mother’s Day weekend includes mommy-and-me painting themes at Painting With a Twist in Selden and Baldwin. In Selden, from noon to 2 p.m. May 7, paint a mother mermaid and her daughter, at $40 per painter. In Baldwin, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 7, paint a baby giraffe touching her head to her mother for between $32 and $37 per painter depending on the size of the canvas chosen. Selden also offers the giraffe painting, but from 1:30 to 3 p.m. May 8 for $35 per painter. Parent and child could also separate the two mermaids, with the parent painting the mother mermaid and the child painting the daughter on two separate canvasses that can then hang side-by-side, says Selden owner Bertha Portalatin. In Baldwin, from 7 to 9 p.m. May 8, paint a mother and daughter from behind, making a heart with their hands between them. The Selden location is at 331 Middle Country Rd. (631-846-8660); Baldwin is at 855 Merrick Rd. (516-401-8846). Register in advance; paintingwithatwist.com..

Wing It

“My Butterfly” is an original, interactive musical playing live on stage at the Long Island Children’s Museum in Garden City throughout May. The story and music, written by Lena Pennino-Smith of Greenlawn, tell the tale of an elf who, while sprucing up a butterfly garden, upsets an egg and takes on the responsibility of guiding it from a Caterpillar to a monarch butterfly. Songs cover migration and the importance of planting milkweed. Giant popcorns are tossed to the audience, and each child gets a paper butterfly so they can flap its wings during the show. “It gets kids really engaged,” Pennino-Smith says. May weekend shows are at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. May 7, 14, 15, and 21, and at 11:30 a.m. only on May 22. There are also weekday shows during May, and more weekend performances in June. Tickets are $9 with museum admission, $12 theater only. 11 Davis Ave., 516-224-5800, licm.org. 

Take Her out to the Ball Game

Before the Long Island Ducks home game on May 8, take mom to an all-she-can-eat buffet brunch at 12:05 p.m. at the Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip. Brunch will be held in the picnic area on the leftfield line and costs $45 per adult or $40 for children ages 4 to 9. Brunch price includes game ticket; children ages 3 and younger sitting on an adult’s lap during the game are free. The game itself starts at 1:35 p.m. as the Ducks take on the Lancaster Barnstormers. It’s also a Family Fun Day, so included with any game ticket is the opportunity to play catch with mom on the field before the game (bring your own gloves and ball) and run the bases with the whole family after the game. The Family Fun Day before-and-after the game activities are also available at home games May 15 and 29, says Michael Polak, vice president of communications. Quacker Jack will be around to greet mom at every game. Mother’s Day Brunch packages must be purchased in advance. 3 Court House Dr., 631-940-3825, liducks.com. 

Play in a Garden

Instead of buying Mom flowers this month, take her to a garden and get her a flower crown. Growing Love Community Garden Family Festival from 2 to 4 p.m. May 14 in Port Washington will feature live family music, face painting, art activities by local businesses and more. An artist will be making flower crowns and a poet will be writing “on demand” personalized poetry (some activities involve a fee). Artisan vendors will sell jewelry, soap, sun catchers and more. Food trucks will be on site. The community garden has more than 40 plots in which members grow their own produce and flowers. Manorhaven Preserve, with free parking at Manorhaven Beach Park and Pool on Manorhaven Blvd., no phone number, growinglovepw.com.

Toot mom’s horn

Beep Beep! Toot mom’s horn — and the horn of a truck — at the Touch-a-Truck event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 14 at the Middle Country Public Library in Centereach. This event, which is free, typically features vehicles from the fire department, law enforcement, the U.S. Postal Service, construction companies and more. Kids can sit in the driver’s seats, honk horns and pose for photos. 101 Eastwood Blvd., 631-585-9393, mcplibrary.org.

Go Down on the Farm

The Mother’s Day Festival kicks off the season at Harbes Family Farm in Mattituck from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 7 and 8. Moms get free Barnyard Adventure admission all weekend, which includes a musical hayride tour of the 100-acre farm, pig races, a show featuring animatronic chickens and more. Kids can enjoy an obstacle course, sports zone and playground. Everyone but mom pays $23.95 per person (2 and younger is free). The free courtyard/picnic area will feature live music from 1 to 5 p.m. both days. Roasted sweet corn, tomato/mozzarella panini, lemonade and apple cider doughnuts will be for sale. 715 Sound Ave., 631-482-7641, harbesfamilyfarm.com.

Head to Sesame Street

"Sesame Street Live! Let's Party!" comes to Belmont Park's UBS Arena May 14 and 15, featuring Abby Cadabby, Elmo, Big Bird and more. The audience will sing along to "I Love Trash" and "C is for Cookie" and have a Spanish lesson with Rosita. Shows are at 10:30 a.m. and 2 and 5:30 p.m. on the 14th and 10:30 a.m. on the 15th. 2150 Hempstead Tpke. Tickets start at $25; sesamestreetlive.com.

See A Play

Tweens and teens may want to take mom to see the upbeat musical “Mamma Mia!” featuring ABBA songs such as “Dancing Queen” and “Take a Chance on Me” at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson, with shows beginning on May 21. Tickets are $35 per adult, $20 children ages 5 to 12, $28 for seniors and students, and $20 for a Wednesday matinee. Children younger than 5 are not permitted at the show. Younger kids may accompany mom to “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” at Theatre Three, with its opening performance at 11 a.m. May 28. This isn’t the Disney version of the fairy tale — it’s Theatre Three’s own comedic take featuring the princess and her seven kooky dwarf friends. The musical score has a jazz feel, says Jeffrey Sanzel, executive artistic director. Tickets are $10 per person. Can’t make it that Saturday? The show repeats June 4, 11 and 18, and June 12 is a free sensory-friendly performance. “Mamma Mia!” continues into June. 412 Main St., 631-928-9100, theatrethree.com.

Watch School Buses Race

See 10 to 12 yellow or decorated school buses race across an X-shaped track during the Figure 8 School Bus Race at the Riverhead Raceway at 5:30 p.m. May 8. You don't want these drivers transporting your kids to school. “They’re daredevils. They’re like stuntmen putting on a big show,” says Peter Milano, video producer for the racetrack. The event also includes five to seven other car races. The track is open throughout May, though alas, the school buses only race on the 28th. Tickets are $30 per adult and $10 per child ages 6 to 12. Children 5 and younger are free. 1797 Old Country Rd., 631-842-7223, riverheadraceway.com.

By Beth Whitehouse

Special to NewsdayBethWhitehouse1

Beth Whitehouse writes about families, parenting and great things to do with the kids on Long Island. She’s been a Newsday editor and shared a 1997 Newsday staff Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the crash of TWA Flight 800.