A guide to virtual Long Island activities for kids: concerts, crafts and more
Harper Liao, 4, Brooklyn,works with artist Julie Peppito as she leads a workshop in transforming trash into treasure at the Long Island Children's Museum on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020 in Garden City. Credit: Howard Schnapp
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On a typical Wednesday, Lauren Richardson, 36, of Coram, would bring her toddler Ryan, 21 months, to a mommy and me music class led by family musician Darlene Graham of West Babylon.
Since that's not a current option for Richardson and Graham’s other families, the artist is embracing the old saying: “If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain.”
Graham started leading classes and giving concerts online “to just have some happiness and joy,” she says. Her regular clients can “attend” her class virtually, and anyone can attend her weekly concerts for free.
“They were so excited,” Richardson says of her daughters. “They sat and watched and danced for the entire time she did the show.”
Graham is not the only one trying to offer children activities online. Here’s her schedule, as well as information on other options for Long Island families:
PERFORMANCES Catch a concert online
PERFORMANCES Catch a concert online
Darlene Graham
Free weekly 40- to 60-minute concerts at 10 a.m. Thursdays. Attend at Facebook.com/DarleneGrahamBand. Classes throughout the week are still being offered at rockintotsdarlene.com; sign up for $13 per virtual class.
Sisters Ava, 5, and Ryan Richardson, 21 months, of Coram, watch Darlene Graham's online concerts and classes. Credit: Lauren Richardson
Brady Rymer
Grammy-nominated children’s musician Brady Rymer, who lives in Southold, will be offering a “Light It Up Blue” concert for Autism Awareness Day on April 2. “We encourage you to log on and comment and request songs,” Rymer says. Attend at Facebook.com/BradyRymer.
Sound Beach Music
Sound Beach Music (soundbeachmusic.com) is offering online music lessons for any band or orchestra instrument, drum set, guitar, voice and piano. “We want to make sure people are able to maintain part of their daily lives going forward,” says Dan Wood, the teacher. Lessons are $30 per half-hour and can be done on platforms including FaceTime, Skype and Zoom. To arrange lessons, call 631-476-3850.
CRAFTY CLASSES Pick up a new skill
CRAFTY CLASSES Pick up a new skill
Online Children's Book Writing Class
Author Meagan J. Meehan is hosting a virtual children's book class that will grant participants the opportunity to write, illustrate and publish their own book (and receive a free copy as well). The eight-week class will be held by way of Wet Ink (wet.ink) with a start date of April 3, but people can still join up to April 12. Cost is $125, but payment plans are available for roughly $15.60 a week. Participants can view classes at any time; email Meagan at artsycr8tiveint@gmail.com to sign up or for more information.
Gallery North
Gallery North, a nonprofit art gallery and studio in East Setauket, is sharing weekday lessons to its Facebook page called "Artventures at Home." A 15- to 20-minute video is posted daily featuring Larissa Grass, the education director, demonstrating how to build a sketchbook using materials you may have at home, like cardboard, tape, paper and shoelaces. The classes are for artists of all ages and levels of ability.
Key to My Art
Key to My Art in Amityville Village is offering live art classes and drawing events. Something will be offered most days except Fridays. Most classes are $10. Register at keytomyart.com. For more information, call 631-608-9048.
Chocolate Duck
Christina Bisbee, co-owner of The Chocolate Duck in Farmingdale, is posting Facebook Live how-to videos for chocolate molds other spring treats. Watch the videos at facebook.com/Chocolate-Duck.
Farmingdale Library
The Farmingdale Library is offering some of its children's programming on YouTube. The videos are free to watch and feature librarians leading various craft classes, including how to make your own lip gloss, build a jigsaw puzzle and more. Videos can be viewed at YouTube.com; search for Farmingdale Library.
Bay Street Theater, Sag Harbor
The nonprofit theater is hosting free “Bay Street To-Go” live online classes via Zoom for kids ages 7-13. Running through May 1, viewers will get an hour of theater camp including warm-ups, theater games and training. Register in advance at baystreet.org.
FITNESS SESSIONS Learn to dance or zen out
FITNESS SESSIONS Learn to dance or zen out
Variations Dance Studio
The Huntington-based studio is offering its scheduled ballet, jazz, hip-hop and other classes online. To see the schedule, visit variationsdancestudio.com. Cost is $20 a class. To register, call 631-425-9220 or email dance@variationsdancestudio.com.
MC Dance & Fitness, Manhasset
Livestream fitness and dance classes plus on-demand videos can be found at mcdancefitness.com. Classes are $5, while on-demand videos are rentable for $3.99. Check facebook.com/mcdanceandfitness for occasional free live classes.
Fuel the Soul, Merrick
Full, semiprivate and one-on-one yoga classes are being made available with adults in mind, but teens and younger children are welcome to try from home. Head to fuelthesoul.com or mindbody.io to register for $15 drop-in sessions (10-pack of classes available for $130). Those who register will receive a link to join classes through Zoom.
Positions Dance Studio
The Babylon-based studio held its first free virtual yoga class for kids via Facebook Live Thursday. The second is scheduled for March 20 at 3 p.m. Check Facebook for schedule and to see past streams: facebook.com/positionsdancestudio/.
Steppin-N-Style Dance Studio, Levittown
A number of instructional videos (covering hip-hop, jazz, ballet plus a warm-up) are available on the studio’s YouTube channel: Steppin-N-Style Dance Studio.
Breathe N Flow Yoga
The studio with locations in Freeport and Oceanside is hosting free online yoga classes for the whole family on its Facebook page. Sessions are about 40 minutes long and can be viewed at any time. View at facebook.com/BNFYoga/.
The Nesting Place
The Nesting Place, located in West Islip at Aloha Yoga and Wellness, is streaming virtual classes on Facebook. Toddler and me yoga and other sessions can be viewed at facebook.com/thenestingplaceli/. Select virtual classes — such as potty training workshops being offered through Zoom video — are $35 per person.
Emerge Yoga, Massapequa
Classes will be held via Zoom; book in advance at mindbody.io. Session are $25, kids classes held online are free; call 516-781-1078 with questions or visit facebook.com/emergeyogawellness.
Always-At-Aum Yoga School
In conjunction with Just Breathe Yoga in Sayville, classes (mostly an hour in length) are being offered daily at various times; attend via zoom.us (Meeting ID: 631 235 5307, password: Aummies). Look to Facebook and Instagram pages of both Just Breathe and Always-At-Aum for schedule updates.
Om Tara Massapequa
Free online yoga classes are being offered most days by way of Zoom. Find scheduling and meeting ID numbers at facebook.com/Om-Tara-Yoga-Studio-160729509254.
STORY TIMES Read a classic, or a new favorite
STORY TIMES Read a classic, or a new favorite
Storytime with Mrs. J
Roslyne D. Johnson, normally a social worker at Oceanside High School, launched a free “Storytime with Mrs. J.” each weekday from 7 to 7:30 p.m. She’ll read two books each night to children. “These moms need a break,” she says, and this will give them a chance to sit down after dinner with a cup of tea. “I asked parents to send me names of their children so I can use their names while I’m reading,” Johnson says. Attend at Facebook.com/Roslynedjohnson.
Royal Princess Prep
Royal Princess Prep is having a princess read a story to children each weekday morning at 11:30 a.m. The princess will also sing, do shout-outs to the kids and answer questions, says owner Kelsey Edquist. So far, Beauty, Rapunzel and an ice princess have made appearances. Superheros and storybook characters may be reading as well, she says. “My daughter is completely obsessed with it,” says Sandra Cimino of Oceanside, of Alessandra, 4. To sign up for the free readings, visit Facebook and search for "Royal Princess Prep — VIP" group and ask to join.
MUSEUMS Explore at home
MUSEUMS Explore at home
Long Island Explorium
The Long Island Explorium in Port Jefferson is offering live STEM workshops online on weekdays. “We’ve been working feverishly on it,” says Lisa Collet Rodriguez, digital media and marketing manager at the Explorium. Workshops run for 45 minutes, beginning at 10 a.m. for grades K to 2 and 11:15 a.m. for grades 3 to 5. Projects use materials likely to be easily available at home. One workshop, for instance, involved building a bridge that could support matchbox cars. “We capped it at 20 kids to have it a manageable way to interact with them online,” Rodriguez says. Sign up at longislandexplorium.org/events/stem-online-workshops/.
Long Island Children’s Museum
The Long Island Children’s Museum shared a 30-minute, free activity roundup at 3 p.m. March 28 on its Facebook page. The museum broadcasted five different activities, including movement, a science experiment, an art project, a sock puppet lesson and brain teasers.
Children’s Museum of the East End, Bridgehampton
Live art classes, book readings and other videos are being shared on the museum's Facebook and Instagram.
Southampton History Museum
Free-to-watch lectures conducted by the museum’s staff about area history will broadcast at 11 a.m. Thursdays throughout April. The discussions will be presented live via Zoom; RSVP in advance at southamptonhistory.org.
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.
