Welcome to The Mint Chip Mama blog! A fun, lighthearted parenting, lifestyle and travel blog for families on Long Island & the Tri-State area. Fun things we do at home, local hikes, new products, art projects, & giveaways.
I’m so excited to host another GUEST BLOGGER on The Mint Chip Mama! Please welcome:Christina Duron!
Finding ways to entertain your kids is tough. They need a lot of stimulation as they develop, and they quickly find themselves bored. If this sounds like your family, now is the perfect time to help your kiddos find a hobby. Getting started early will help them identify their interests and give them plenty of time to dive in deep as they get older. Check out these fun hobbies to introduce to your children.
Writing
Children have wild imaginations and are always coming up with pretend scenarios. Give them something to channel that energy into by encouraging them to write. Writing stories is an excellent way for your kids to learn how to express themselves while also teaching them valuable skills they can use later in life. Whether they’re crafting elaborate fantasy worlds or journaling their thoughts and feelings, writing is a fun hobby to introduce to your children.
Performing
Does your child love being in the spotlight? If so, performing might be the perfect hobby for them. There are many performance outlets for them to explore, like acting in a community production or playing an instrument in a recital. You could even get the entire household involved and put on a one-family show! Performing helps kids get out of their shells and teaches them to stand tall in front of a crowd.
Gardening
Tending to a garden isn’t only an activity for adults. It takes patience to grow a successful garden, a trait that all kids can benefit from learning. Gardening also teaches children responsibility by giving them something to take care of. This is an easy activity to get your kids involved in because you only need a backyard and some seeds to begin!
Collecting
If your child has a particular interest, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce them to the world of collecting. You can start a collection from many things, like coins, stickers, or baseball cards. If your kids love comic books, help them start an action figure collection with their favorite characters. This collection will grow as they get older and become even more valuable over time.
Encouraging your children to participate in a hobby teaches them to be independent, among many other valuable life skills. Help them make precious childhood memories by introducing them to an activity they can enjoy for a lifetime.
Stacey Gish Wallenstein created The Mint Chip Mama blog in 2013 to share her love and passion for giving children meaningful life experiences and helping moms like her navigate the challenges and benefits of raising children in the New York metropolitan area.
Before becoming a full-time mom in 2010, Stacey spent the better part of the preceding decade as a high-end customer relationship management (CRM) professional for some of the most well-known brands in the hotel, luxury, fashion, and beauty industries, such as Harrah’s Entertainment, Chanel and Christian Dior, Inc. She managed customer loyalty programs for thousands of clients around the country and created social media strategies for a span of industries including healthcare services, restaurants, consumer packaged goods, specialty foods, local attractions and retail locations.
After 13 wonderful years in Manhattan (the last three of which spent as a city mom), Stacey and her husband moved to Long Island in 2014, where they now reside with their three children (13, 9, and 6). There, she is a founding member of her local Parenting Center, which provides classes and coordinates events designed to educate and inform parents while fostering an environment of support and friendship within the community. Stacey is also an active PTA member ((including a former & current PTA president) as well as a Girl Scout troop leader. Her musings on motherhood, Manhattan, the suburbs, and more can be found here and on Facebook at The Mint Chip Mama.
A graduate of the University of Michigan, Stacey has been active in the New York area alumni organization for nearly twenty years, serving as a board member on the school’s University of Michigan Alumni Club of New York City. She also holds a Masters in Psychology from The New School in New York City.
Please check out The Mint Chip Mama in the Press: The New York Post, Psychology Today, NY Metro Parents, New York Family, Parents Magazine, Newsday, News 12, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt: Kids, NerdWallet, Big Apple Kids Guide, and more! The Mint Chip Mama was also nominated as "The Best Blog On Long Island" for 2022 & 2023, one of the Top 20 New York Mom Blogs & Websites, and one of the Top 100 Mom Lifestyle Blogs on the web!
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