nooka

We've just moved to NYC and the kids have started school, but I am starting to get worried about what on earth we are going to do over the summer. We only have a nine week break here (only!) but it's still incredibly long - I'm used to six weeks, of which the children spend a few weeks with my parents (usually with me too for a bit), and have a week or two with their child minder, and then dh and I box and cox for the other week or two, and go up to town/stay at home and veg, maybe go to a day at the leisure centre/kids club.

Here we haven't got any childcare yet because I am waiting for my EAD and so am at home, can't send them to England (although that's what they would like most) as my parents are in Brazil, and although there are tons of camps advertised they are incredibly expensive ($800 per child for a fortnight seems standard, which compared to £20 a day per child in the UK is steep).

So what do people do? I'd like the children (and me) to have fun because they are missing home like anything, and we've yet to find anything to do here that they feel really they couldn't do in London. I really need them to make friends and feel positive about being here.

neil

Get yourself a subscription to Time Out NY - should be able to find plenty of things in there - if I recall correctly there's a section for stuff for kids and there's also a section on free stuff to do.

Hiro11

You're newly arrived in the second biggest city in the world and having trouble finding stuff to do?

tamms_1965

I would love to have 9 weeks in NYC with my kids.

JEM3110

I'm no where near you but here's a few suggestions. Try the YMCA they do day camps for kids, not cheap but a lot of fun. Check with your local Park District, there's bound to be stuff going on.... Churches often do Bible School my son is attending one and it's only costing $10 for the week! Museums usually have a lot of programs for kids over the summer - often at little or no cost. And then there's the local swimming pool, last summer we bought a pool pass for the season - dirt cheap and we spent many a day there. Good luck, at times like this the internet is your friend!

Ozzidoc

Bible camp?

bevinva

Lots of parents here do bible school, it's easy, they send buses around to pick kids up, no effort required. Must add that I'm speaking for my area and don't know how it works in others.

Ozzidoc

Summer school doing something that they may not have thought of doing? or American History? American Politics? Art? Language? Chess?

Mallory

Most kids love vacation bible school. They do crafts, games, sing and have snacks. (It's not studying the bible!). My kids went every year, always to our Catholic church, and sometimes to their friend's church. Most areas have a City Recreation Department that has loads of stuff going on for kids - gymnastics, swimming, tennis, baseball, horse riding, crafts, etc. Library has story telling for little kids. You can go to the beach.

scrubbedexpat097

How old are your kids?

naomi

Check out your local community centers, YMCA, schools--there are usally tons of summer activities going on for all age groups.
Naomi.

bevinva

Not up on the geography there, how close is the nearest beach to Queens?

hatfield1

hatfield1

get them a job?

nooka

Oops. Left that bit out. They are 7 and 9. It's not that there aren't places we can explore, museums etc, it's more that a) my son would prefer to spend the whole time doing nothing (Wii, TV, computer etc), b) you can't really spend nine weeks doing day trips and c) they are homesick, mostly for their friends. Oh, and I hear it will be very hot and we don't have a garden. I haven't found anything vaguely resembling a community centre here, and the only swimming pools locally are a country club (expensive and possibly exclusive) or the YMCA. I have picked up all the local papers but they only seem to be full of expensive camps. So I was thinking I must be missing something.

I'm also not used to this whole SAHM thing, and on the whole the opportunities for mother and children meet ups are for preschoolers.