Thursday, January 28, 2010

Happy Weekend

Fri 29 Jan 2010 $15 Lift Tickets: Ski Plattekill

Friday night: Moonlight Snow tubing and Cross-country Skiing Glimmerglass State Park, Cooperstown, 6-9pm

Little Delaware Youth Ensemble winter concert at 46 Church St, Delhi Sun Jan 31, 3pm

Get warm! Go to the Butterfly Conservatory on Route 7! You will be amazed.

Looking ahead:

"Give Kids a smile day": Fri Feb 5th, 9am-3pm at Northern Catskill Dental, Cooperstown, for children 2-12 years old without dental insurance or Medicaid, call 607547-2313 for appointment.

Do not miss Hanford Mill's annual ice harvest Sat Feb 6th! Help cut the ice, ride in a horse-drawn sleigh, then enjoy soup from Alex & Ika, the Italian Kitchen and the Undercover Eggplant.

Sun Feb 6th is UCCCA's 6th annual Chili Bowl

Storytime at your local library is a great way to meet like-minded parents and beat the winter blues. Huntington Memorial Library, area library events are here.

Do check out Oneonta Today for a new twist on local info.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Education inadequate without playtime

Here's the most compelling argument I've yet heard in favor of more hands on play. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has found (according to a book titled Play) that hiring top graduates from premier schools is no longer enough. Recent graduates often lack problem solving skills. They now ask potential employees about how they played as children and the hands on projects they did.

Linda Naiman, who blogged about Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown and Christopher Vaughan, additionally makes a strong case for adults to find hobbies and make recreation a part of every day life, to play! According to Linda:

"...I use the arts in my work with organizations is because the collective voice of the inner critic quiets down, imagination comes to the fore, and feelings of well-being replace anxiety. Art in this context is a form of play which produces flow states in groups as well as individuals."

I write this as I prepare to head out the door for work.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Weekend events

Winter Festival at Walton Fairground Sat Jan 23 9am-5pm, snow sculpture contest, ice carving competition and snowmobile drag races.

Also Sat, the Oneonta Farmer's Market will be in the Main Street Walkway, 9am.

On Sunday, check out the Little Delaware Youth Ensemble's Winter Concert, 3pm at the Anderson Theater, Hartwick College, Oneonta.

Sunday is also teacher appreciation night at The Green Toad Bookstore, downtown Oneonta.

Check out the WSKG Arts Calendar for upcoming concerts including The Atkinson Family, Horseshoe Lounge Playboys, and Bristol Mountain Bluegrass.

Local ice rinks are opening up: the schedule for Badger Park in Cooperstown in listed on the Cooperstown chamber calendar. You'll also find information about moonlight tubing at Glimmerglass Sate Park.

Looking ahead:

Register now: children's maritial arts classes in downtown Oneonta.

Mark your calendars for Sat Feb 6th: it's Hanford Mill's annual Ice Harvet! Help cut the ice, ride in a horse-drawn sleigh, then enjoy soup from Alex & Ika, the Italian Kitchen and the Undercover Eggplant.

You can also see the Little Delaware Youth Ensemble in Delhi Sun Jan 31, 3pm

The Norwich YMCA is sponsoring a ski trip to Belleayre Jan 29.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Setting up at Southside Mall now!

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Friday, January 15, 2010

The weekend

Join us Saturday, January 16th as OWL and WSKG celebrate 40 years of sunny days at the Southside Mall in Oneonta, NY, from 11am - 2pm. Bring your camera and meet Elmo! There will be hands on play activities for children as well. OneontaWorldofLearning.org

Award-winning folk duo Magpie performs with the Daniel A. Payne Gospel Choir 16 Jan in honor of Martin Luther King, 7pm at the Anderson Center for the Arts Theater, Hartwick College Campus. Free and open to the public.

Samadhi Band will be performing Saturday Jan 16 1-4 at the Green Earth on 4 Market Street. Free Concert! Family Friendly - kids join in dance & sing & play bells. Acoustic music. Folk/Rock, Country; original lyrics. Come dance and share the joy.

Also on the 16th: Winter Fun - Tubing at Glimmerglass State Park (Cooperstown) call 607 547-8662 or visit http://www.nysparks.com

The Farmer's Market in Oneonta will also be open on the 16th, at 9am in the Main Street Walkway.

Looking ahead:

Register now for children's maritial arts classes, downtown Oneonta http://bit.ly/82kdu9.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Tip #30

I'm back to reading Raising Confident Boys again. I especially like Tip #30, 'Respect his play.'

"...through safely managed independent play, boys gradually realize that they can handle life on their own."

The author sites play as being essential for "the development of self esteem and confidence," not just because boys practice social and problem-solving skills, but because, through play, children learn about themselves and establish their own identity.

Looking back at my childhood, I find myself agreeing with the author on this one. At school, church and at home, I always tried to be the person I thought I was supposed to be, someone very like my parents or especially my big sister. Coming from 'a good family,' this was by no means a bad thing. But when I was playing, I could step outside of their boundaries, try new things, and sometimes find that I was good at them.

The book is Raising Confident Boys: 100 Tips for Parents and Teachers by Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer (and yes, there is a 'girls' version).

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Celebrate Saturday with Elmo


Join Oneonta World of Learning (OWL) this Saturday, January 16th as we celebrate 40 years of sunny days with WSKG at the Southside Mall in Oneonta, NY, from 11am - 2pm. There will be fun children's activities. Bring your camera and meet Elmo!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Children's classes

Oneonta Taekwon-Do is now offering children's martial arts classes. Enrollment starts immediately, and your kids will enjoy it.

Friday, January 8, 2010

The weekend

The Susquehanna String Band tonight (Friday Jan 8th, 2009) at the Bainbridge Town Hall Theater. The WSKG arts calendar has details and ticket prices: http://wskg.org/community-connections.aspx

Believe it or not, the Oneonta Farmer's Market will be open Saturday, at 9am, in the Main Street Walkway.

Also Saturday, The Green Earth is hosting Holiday Detox with Swami 10am-5pm. Reserve a spot 432-6600.

Amahl and the Night Visitors is being performed at the Foothills, Sat 7pm and Sunday 4pm, details at www.foothillspac.org

Then Sunday there will be a Bridal Expo at the Foothools.

Looking ahead:

So not a whole lot going on, I admit, but next weekend, please join us when we celebrate Sesame Street's 40th anniversary with WSKG and OWL, Sat Jan 16th at Southside mall (11am - 2pm???). Meet Elmo, make an Elmo puppet and play. Details will shortly be posted on OneontaWorldOfLearning.org.

Tubing at Glimmerglass Jan 16th, call 607 547-8662.