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Have your photo taken with Elsa from ‘Frozen’ at this wintry celebration. Photo from The Whaling Museum

The Whaling Museum and Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor is bringing back its Narwhal Ball for a second year in a row on Sunday, February 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (10:30 a.m. for members). This popular winter celebration promises to excite guests with arctic tales and treasures including a very special guest from the north, the icy queen Elsa.

The museum will welcome visitors into a magical winter wonderland with snowflakes and glittering lights throughout the museum. To further immerse visitors in the icy feels of winter, the museum’s workshop will once again be fashioned into an old school ice cream parlor serving two flavors of delicious Original Recipe Ice Cream courtesy of Kilwin’s of Huntington. Every ticket includes a scoop to sit and enjoy.

Guests will learn all about arctic creatures through interactive presentations where polar animal tusks will be exhibited for exploring. The museum education team will share facts and engage kids in the wonderment of the world’s coldest regions. 

Throughout the museum, participants will find lots of frosty crafts to make and take and fun arctic learning activities. Crafts will include Painting with Ice, a beloved activity where kids can let their creativity shine like the Northern Lights! Guests will make a stop at the Wheel of Fortune: Arctic Edition activity table where they can challenge their knowledge of arctic creatures and win a prize. More crafts and activities await Narwhal Ball-goers at every turn including some new surprises for this year.

Guests will gather around as Elsa shares Nordic tales from her icy domain. When not sharing fascinating tales of encounters with polar creatures and brave adventurers, Elsa will be waiting to meet guests in front of a snow filled backdrop, a perfect photo opportunity.

“Narwhals have inspired story tellers for thousands of years with thoughts of unicorns and mystical creatures galore. This event is a celebration of awe-inspiring arctic animals, shimmering snow-covered lands and the adventurers that explored these icy places. We can’t wait to share it with you!” said Brenna McCormick-Thompson, Curator of Education at The Whaling Museum.

The Whaling Museum is selling limited timed tickets online until Friday, February 2 at noon at  $20  per child, $8 adults, $6 seniors;  $15 per child, $5 adults/seniors for museum members. Tickets at the door will be $25 per child, $8 adults, $6 seniors; $20 per child, $5 adults/senior for museum members. To order, visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org. For further information, call 631-367-3418.

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Photo from the Greenlawn Centerport Historical Association
Photo from the Greenlawn Centerport Historical Association
Photo from the Greenlawn Centerport Historical Association
Photo from the Greenlawn Centerport Historical Association
Photo from the Greenlawn Centerport Historical Association
Photo from the Greenlawn Centerport Historical Association
Photo from the Greenlawn Centerport Historical Association

On Tuesday, December 12, 2023, the Greenlawn Centerport Historical Association hosted the Harborfields High School Jazz Band for a focus session on local hero Samuel Ballton.

Born into slavery in Westmoreland, Virginia in 1838, Ballton found his way to freedom three times, finally escaping the South for good with his wife, Rebecca. Arriving in Greenlawn in 1873, Ballton found employment with Alexander Gardiner and was eventually dubbed Greenlawn’s “Pickle King” when he grew and processed more than 1.5 million pickles in a single season.

Harborfields High School Jazz Band Leader Dan Bilawsky, having developed an interest in Ballton’s life, commissioned an original jazz composition about his story and, to learn more about “The Pickle King,” attended a Walking Tour and Pub Crawl in June of 2023. Through discussions with Town of Huntington Historian Robert Hughes at that event came the idea of creating deeper community connections by bringing the jazz band to the GCHA to learn more about local history and, specifically, Ballton.

During the field trip, Hughes spoke to the band and the GCHA created a temporary exhibit complete with photos, memorabilia, and Samuel Ballton’s sword. This visit also served as a part of a larger project for the students—a documentary on “The Pickle King” to be co-produced by the high school’s media journalism students and the jazz band.

“Our plan is to premiere this musical selection at our December concert to tie into the sesquicentennial of Ballton’s arrival in Greenlawn, and then put together a short documentary about ‘The Pickle King’—man and music,” Dan Bilawsky shared.

Hughes and Executive Director Claudia Fortunato-Napolitano were interviewed by the students for this forthcoming production. “The students did a great job, and they were fascinated to hear about Samuel Ballton and his journey in life, from being born a slave to becoming a pioneering figure in Greenlawn,” remarked Fortunato-Napolitano. “At the conclusion of their visit, the band presented our organization with a copy of the score signed by the composer, Jeff Lederer, which is now in the GCHA archives. The jazz band also performed the piece, and it was wonderful!”

The Greenlawn Centerport Historical Association is a non-profit membership organization with a mission to research, collect, record, and preserve artifacts, photographs, fine arts, and ephemera of Greenlawn & Centerport. In addition, they promote the preservation of historic structures and maintain two historic homesteads to provide the public with an opportunity to learn about early life on Long Island.

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FEE FI FO FUM! Theatre Three presents 'Jack and the Beanstalk' from Jan. 20 to Feb. 3. Photo courtesy of Theatre Three
PROGRAMS

Slippery Seals

Sunken Meadow State Park, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park hosts a Tiny Tots program for ages 3 to 5 titled Slippery Seals on Jan. 4 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.  Enjoy short walks, story time, animal visitors, and crafts. $4 per child. To register, call 631-269-4333.

First Steps in Nature

Sweetbriar Nature Center, 62 Eckernkamp Drive, Smithtown will host a First Steps into Nature program titled Discover Your Senses on Jan. 5 at 9:30 a.m. Children ages 2 to 4 will learn about nature through hands on activities, music, crafts, stories and gain a greater appreciation of nature and wildlife while having fun. $20 per child. To register, visit www.sweetbriarnc.org. 631-979-6344

Nature Bingo

Join the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor for a Kid’s Nature Bingo event on Jan. 6 and 20 from 1 to 2 p.m. $15 per child includes 5 games and admission. Win prizes! Registration required by visiting www.cshfishhatchery.org. 516-692-6768

Take a Bird to Lunch

Sunken Meadow State Park, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park presents a family program, Take A Bird To Lunch, on Jan. 7 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Many birds are migrating south, or bulking up for the long winter ahead. Make a bird feeder with natural materials to give migrant birds, and year-long residents an extra boost! $4 per person. Reservations taken on eventbrite.com.

Trout Birthday Celebration

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor hosts a Trout Birthday Celebration on Jan. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Meet their baby trout and don’t forget to bring a birthday card for the fish! Admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors, $5 children ages 3 to 12. 516-692-6768

Story & Craft with Nana Carol

The Next Chapter bookstore, 204 New York Avenue Huntington hosts a Story and Craft event with Nana Carol on Jan. 8 at 10:30 a.m. No registration required. Appropriate for ages 0-4 (sometimes older siblings join as well). 631-482-5008

THEATER

‘Frosty’

Frosty returns to the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport on weekends from Nov. 25 to Jan. 7. Join Jenny and Frosty on their chilly adventures as they try to save the town of Chillsville from mean old Ebenezer Pierpot and his evil machine that will melt all the snow. Jenny calls on her Mom, the mayor, and all of you to help her save her home, get Frosty to the North Pole, and make this holiday season a Winter Wonderland for one and all. All seats are $20. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

‘Jack and the Beanstalk’

Children’s theater continues at Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson with Jack and the Beanstalk — or The Boy Who Cried “Giant!” from Jan. 20 to Feb. 3 with a sensory sensitive performance on Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. A handful of magic beans starts our hero and his best friend, Filpail the Cow, on one of the best-remembered adventures. Come explore the Castle in the Sky with Jack as he learns the importance of truth-telling in a hilarious original musical for the entire family. All tickets are $12. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

‘Frozen Jr.’

Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main Street, Smithtown presents Frozen Jr. from Dec. 2 to Jan. 21. The magical land of Arendelle comes to life onstage. When faced with danger, princesses Elsa and Anna discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood. With a cast of beloved characters and loaded with magic, adventure, and plenty of humor, Frozen Jr. is sure to thaw even the coldest heart! Tickets are $25 per person. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.

FILM

‘The Goonies’

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids! series with a screening of The Goonies on Jan. 7 at noon. Following a mysterious treasure map into a spectacular underground realm of twisting passages, outrageous booby traps and a long-lost pirate ship full of golden doubloons, a band of small heroes race to stay one step ahead of a family of bumbling bad guys. Rated PG. Tickets are $13 adults, $5 children 12 and under. www.cinemaartscentre.org.

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A WINTRY DELIGHT Follow the adventures of Frosty and Jenny at the Engeman Theater in Northport. The show runs through Jan. 7. Photo from The John W. Engeman Theater

PROGRAMS

WinterFest

Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket invites children up to 6th grade to a Winterfest on Dec. 27 from 10 a.m. to noon. Step into the SLED bus, which will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland for festive photo ops; visit a “Winter Wonderland Spa” in the Children’s Program Room with nail painting, “snow dough” (white play dough), and wintry face painting; visii the Cozy Craft Corner for construction paper crafts, a wintry necklace, and a “Let It Snow” sign from the library’s Cricut machine and much more! No registration required. Open to all. 631-941-4080

Candle Making Workshop

Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor for a drop-in Candle Making Workshop on Dec. 29 from 1 to 3 p.m. Ignite your creativity, roll up your sleeves, and create your own custom, hand-dipped candle with tinted waxes to take home with you. Design a colorful seashell candleholder for your candle to light up your home this winter! See whale blubber and oil from our collection, which were historically used for illumination. Admission fee plus  $10 per participant. No registration needed. ​ 631-367-3418

Slippery Seals

Sunken Meadow State Park, Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park hosts a Tiny Tots program for ages 3 to 5 titled Slippery Seals on Jan. 4 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.  Enjoy short walks, story time, animal visitors, and crafts. $4 per child. To register, call 631-269-4333.

THEATER

‘Frosty’

Frosty returns to the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport on weekends from Nov. 25 to Jan. 7. Join Jenny and Frosty on their chilly adventures as they try to save the town of Chillsville from mean old Ebenezer Pierpot and his evil machine that will melt all the snow. Jenny calls on her Mom, the mayor, and all of you to help her save her home, get Frosty to the North Pole, and make this holiday season a Winter Wonderland for one and all. All seats are $20. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com.

‘Barnaby Saves Christmas’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson kicks off the holiday season with Barnaby Saves Christmas from Nov. 18 to Dec. 30. As Barnaby the elf and his reindeer friend Franklynne set off on their journey to save Christmas, they meet some new friends along the way and learn the true meaning of Christmas, Hanukkah, and the holiday season. All tickets are $12. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

‘Frozen Jr.’

Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main Street, Smithtown presents Frozen Jr. from Dec. 2 to Jan. 21. The magical land of Arendelle comes to life onstage. When faced with danger, princesses Elsa and Anna discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood. With a cast of beloved characters and loaded with magic, adventure, and plenty of humor, Frozen Jr. is sure to thaw even the coldest heart! Tickets are $25 per person. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.

FILM

‘The Land Before Time’

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids! series with a screening of The Land Before Time on Dec. 31 at noon. The enchanting tale follows the exciting adventures of young dinosaurs as they live and play under the watchful eyes of their parents in the beautiful and peaceful Great Valley. Rated G. Tickets are $12 adults, $5 children 12 and under. www.cinemaartscentre.org.

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METRO photo

A family movie night makes for a great way for families to bond and enjoy some relaxing time together. Such nights are a tradition in households across the globe, and they can even become a fun way for extended families to celebrate the holiday days together. When hosting overnight guests this holiday season, hosts can plan a family movie night and line up any of these family-friendly holiday movies.

• “A Christmas Story” (1983): This beloved classic based on the writings of author Jean Shepherd focuses on young Ralphie Parker and his humorous family. That family includes his father, played to much laughs by legendary actor Darren McGavin. All Ralphie wants for Christmas is a coveted Red Ryder air rifle, and generations of fans have enjoyed watching this film to see if Ralphie’s dream comes true.

• “Home Alone” (1990): Not unlike “A Christmas Story,” this instant classic devotes much of its story to a young boy. Eight-year-old Kevin McAllister (Macaulay Culkin) awakens to an empty house after his parents forgetfully leave him behind as they depart on a holiday trip to Paris with their extended family. That proves to be bad news for bungling burglars Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), who are outwitted by Kevin at every turn.

• Elf (2003): Middle-aged Buddy (Will Ferrell) grew up in the North Pole believing he is an elf, despite being significantly larger than the kind-hearted elves who raised him. Upon learning he is not an actual elf, Buddy is determined to reunite with the father (James Caan) he’s never known. Hilarity ensues as the innocent Buddy ends up in the big city in search of his father.

• “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946): Among the most beloved holiday movies ever made, this classic stars Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, a devoted family man who set aside his own big-city dreams to save the family business and, ultimately, his small hometown of Bedford Falls. Lamenting some bad luck that leaves him on the cusp of financial ruin, George wishes he’d never been born, only to be shown by an especially kind and patient angel-in-training (Henry Travers) how much worse off Bedford Falls and its residents might have been had George Bailey never existed.

• “Jingle All the Way” (1996): Featuring a future Governor of California in the lead role, this hijinks-filled holiday classic follows the efforts of Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger) as he tries to secure the must-have gift of the season for his son, Jamie (Jake Lloyd). Howard soon finds himself competing against a father (Sinbad) who’s equally devoted to find the coveted Turbo-Man action figure. A holiday movie night makes for a fun, family-friendly evening when hosting overnight guests during this special time of year.

 

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Timothée Chalamet stars as chocolatier Willy Wonka. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

Among British author Roald Dahl’s best-known children’s novels are James and the Giant Peach, The Witches, Matilda, and Fantastic Mr. Fox. The hilarious but macabre tales garnered controversy for their darkness and violence, as well as racist and sexist bents. However, his work remains popular, with many stage and screen adaptations. Published in 1964, his ninth and most popular book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, followed a poor London boy, Charlie Bucket, and his venture in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. To date, over twenty million copies have been sold in fifty-five different languages. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory takes its place with classics such as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Wind in the Willows, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. 

While Dahl vocally disliked the 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, it remains a visually clever, entertaining, and original film. Gene Wilder’s enigmatic, eccentric, and underplayed Wonka contrasts smartly with Jack Albertson’s likably gruff Grandpa Joe and a group of excellent child actors supported by equally strong adults. The film does not ignore Dahl’s vision that children can be selfish and often reprehensible. Tim Burton’s divisive and polarizing 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory claimed to return to the Dahl’s original. But the unpleasant film was hampered by John August’s shrill script and Johnny Depp’s disturbing Michael Jackson-like Wonka.

Sam Mendes directed the stage musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in London’s West End, which ran for over three and a half years. However, the Broadway transfer barely eked out nine months. 

The prequel Wonka offers a technicolor glimpse into the early life of the inventor. Director Paul King (best known for the popular Paddington and Paddington 2 films) co-wrote the screenplay with Simon Farnaby. With a potential for a rich and exciting story, King and Farnaby deliver a pedestrian, often tedious, and surprisingly bland prequel.

Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka and Hugh Grant as Lofty the Oompa Loompa in a scene from ‘Wonka.’ Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Opening with the strains of Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley’s “Pure Imagination,” Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) boisterously arrives in an unnamed European city. The magician-inventor-chocolatier aims to open a candy shop at the Galeries Gourmet. Quickly, the city bilks the eager youth of his pocketful of sovereigns. Additionally, he comes up against the city’s Chocolate Cartel: Arthur Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), Gerald Prodnose (Matt Lucas), and Felix Ficklegruber (Mathew Baynton).

Broke, with no place to sleep, the brutish Bleacher (Tom Davis) guides Wonka to a boarding house run by the sly Mrs. Scrubitt (Olivia Coleman). Ignoring the fine print, Wonka signs a one-night contract that sentences the boy to work in Scrubitt’s prison-like laundry. There he meets other victims of the Scrubitt and Bleacher plot: orphan Noodle (Calah Lane), Abacus Crunch (Downton Abbey’s Jim Carter), plumber Piper Benz (Natasha Rothwell), switchboard operator Lottie Bell (Rakhee Thakrar), and failed standup comedian Larry Chucklesworth (Rich Fulcher). 

With Noodle’s support, Wonka hatches a scheme to sell illicit chocolate around the city, using the sewers as a means and mode. Eventually, the Cartel destroys Wonka’s legally established store on its opening day.

King and Farnaby have gathered the components of an entertaining, if by-the-numbers plot. However, rather than seeking novel inspirations, the story rehashes successful and more effective predecessors. Elements of Oliver!, Annie, Matilda, and Newsies are “borrowed.” Coleman wickedly chews the scenery, but the character is a clumsy hybrid of Miss Hannigan, Widow Corney, and even Les Misérables’ Madame Thenardier. Her cohort, Davis, is a Disney thug come to life. (Their relationship is not for the younger audience.) 

Wonka’s underground team means well but is given so little development the resolutions to their stories hardly register. The Cartel is an amusing trio, but their predictable bits wear thin. Keegan-Michael Key’s chocolate-addicted chief of police becomes a running fat joke, and Rowan Atkinson’s corrupt Father Julius is just another one of his clerical buffoons. (However, the singing monks make for a clever aside.) The CGI-ed Oompa-Loompa, Lofty, allows Hugh Grant to display his wonderfully wry style. Still, the Oompa-Loompa subplot barely registers and contradicts most of the known Dahl mythology of the diminutive tribe. 

And it is perhaps here where Wonka fails strongly: it lacks the flavor of Dahl’s brilliant, distinctly edgy, and wildly unpredictable world. Nothing separates the film from dozens of children’s movies that build to a caper ending (here, replete with a giraffe and flamingos). Neil Hannon’s original songs offer ersatz melodies and dull lyrics. (Clearly, King and Farnaby were not unaware of this: they use “Pure Imagination” as a finale and have even brought back the Oompa-Loompa song with new lyrics.) Even the visuals seem strangely muted.

As for Wonka’s center, Chalamet is not without charm, but his performance is nothing mercurial or unexpected. The spark that will catch fire to the later Wonka is absent. Whether he is miscast or it is a failure of the material itself (most likely a combination), Wonka must be more than just likable. He must be “more than.” And Chalamet, for all his warmth, is not Wonka.

The creators had an opportunity to give insight into one of the most intriguing icons of twentieth-century children’s literature and produce a bright, thrilling odyssey. While Wonka could have soared as Mary Poppins, it instead lands with the thud of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Rated PG, Wonka is now playing in local theaters.

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HOLIDAY MAGIC Help Barnaby save Christmas at Theatre Three! The show runs through Dec. 30. Photo courtesy of Theatre Three
PROGRAMS

Nature Bingo

Join the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery, 1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor for a Kid’s Nature Bingo event on Dec. 23, Jan. 6 and 20 from 1 to 2 p.m. $15 per child includes 5 games and admission. Win prizes! Registration required by visiting www.cshfishhatchery.org. 516-692-6768

Winter Solstice Workshop

Join the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport for a Winter Solstice Celebration! Children in grades K-3 can take part in a Bulb Botany & Winter Blooms workshop on Dec. 26 from 10 a.m. to noon while children in grades 3 to 5 can take part in a Sundial & Planetarium Show on Dec. 27 from 10 am. to noon. Fee is $20 per child,  $18 for members. To register, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Candle Making Workshop

Join the Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor for a drop-in Candle Making Workshop on Dec. 27 and 29 from 1 to 3 p.m. Ignite your creativity, roll up your sleeves, and create your own custom, hand-dipped candle with tinted waxes to take home with you. Design a colorful seashell candleholder for your candle to light up your home this winter! See whale blubber and oil from our collection, which were historically used for illumination. Admission fee plus  $10 per participant. No registration needed. ​ 631-367-3418

THEATER

‘Barnaby Saves Christmas’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson kicks off the holiday season with Barnaby Saves Christmas from Nov. 18 to Dec. 30. As Barnaby the elf and his reindeer friend Franklynne set off on their journey to save Christmas, they meet some new friends along the way and learn the true meaning of Christmas, Hanukkah, and the holiday season. All tickets are $12. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

‘Frosty’

Frosty returns to the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport on weekends from Nov. 25 to Jan. 7. Join Jenny and Frosty on their chilly adventures as they try to save the town of Chillsville from mean old Ebenezer Pierpot and his evil machine that will melt all the snow. Jenny calls on her Mom, the mayor, and all of you to help her save her home, get Frosty to the North Pole, and make this holiday season a Winter Wonderland for one and all. All seats are $20. To order, call 631-261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘Frozen Jr.’

Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main Street, Smithtown presents Frozen Jr. from Dec. 2 to Jan. 21. The magical land of Arendelle comes to life onstage. When faced with danger, princesses Elsa and Anna discover their hidden potential and the powerful bond of sisterhood. With a cast of beloved characters and loaded with magic, adventure, and plenty of humor, Frozen Jr. is sure to thaw even the coldest heart! Tickets are $25 per person. To order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.

FILM

‘The Polar Express’

Put on your PJ’s and join the Port Jefferson Station-Terryville Chamber of Commerce for a Polar Express Experience at the Chamber Train Car, corner of Route 112 and Nesconset Highway, Port Jefferson Station for the holidays. Screenings of The Polar Express will be held at 6 p.m. on Dec. 21 and 22; and at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Dec. 23. $20 per person includes a bag of popcorn, bottle of water, hot chocolate, cookie, bell, and a visit with Santa! To register, visit www.PJSTChamber.com.

‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’

Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington continues its Cinema for Kids! series with a screening of The Nightmare Before Christmas on Dec. 24 at noon. Follow the misadventures of Jack Skellington who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the “real world.” When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, he gets a new lease on life — he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. Rated PG. Tickets are $12 adults, $5 children 12 and under. www.cinemaartscentre.org.

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Polar Explorers edition. Photo from Whaling Museum
Polar Explorers edition. Photo from Whaling Museum
Polar Explorers edition. Photo from Whaling Museum
Polar Explorers edition. Photo from Whaling Museum

The Whaling Museum and Education Center, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor invites kids and families to experience the wonders of winter indoors with new Museum Adventure Activity: Polar Explorers edition. This program is a new interactive way to explore the museum and discover the Arctic as you follow in the footsteps of early polar explorers.

Polar Explorers program has participants traveling on an icy adventure through the museum using a compass to navigate their steps. Their goal is to stock up on supplies for a polar journey while learning facts about the artic regions including the amazing men and women who first stepped foot on these lands.

In this self-guided activity, available daily during museum open hours through March 2024, participants use QR codes to view museum created content that will direct you around the museum hunting for clues to solve the puzzle. Once the key word is uncovered, participants will use that code to unlock the museum’s exclusive supply chest with the designated craft activity inside. For Polar Explorers edition it’s a kit for making a fancy compass box to engrave and take home.

Kids and families working together will hear about polar explorers such as the Vikings and the Inuit and get to know which animals thrive in the polar regions. In addition to the museum created content, participants will find facts and tidbits to mount on their polar expertise in their personal booklets. These booklets can be taken home and kept as mementos of the journey.

Once the supply list is stocked, participants are directed back to the supply chest to retrieve their reward, a craft activity to create and engrave a fancy compass box. Participants can engrave designs such as a ship’s wheel or their initials. Examples are provided for inspiration.

“We are thrilled to offer this new Museum Adventure Activity inspired by the incredible journeys of bygone explorers who traveled to the literal ends of the Earth, navigating unknown and dangerous regions and encountering Arctic animals never seen before.  Our new Polar Explorers experience follows this past summer’s Museum Adventure Activity: Shark Invasion edition, which was a breakaway hit from the start.  We continuously strive to develop innovative and fun learning activities which encourage kids and families to discover something new every time they come visit.  Museum Adventure Activities allow us to expand beyond the museum walls through interactive videos that enable us to explore destinations far and wide.” said Brenna McCormick-Thompson, Curator of Education at the Whaling Museum.

 The museum offers different Museum Adventure Activities every season. This is the first season of Polar Explorers edition which will be available until March 31, 2024.  This program is best for kids ages 6 and up. The cost to participate is museum admission plus $10, members are just $5. There is no registration needed for this activity. It is available now through March 31, 2024 during museum open hours, Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 631-367-3418 or visit www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.

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Ward Melville’s varsity football team, along with coaches Chris Boltreck and John Sorbera, deliver coloring books and crayons to Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. Photo courtesy Sharon Philbrick

By Mallie Jane Kim

Patients at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital this holiday season can enjoy a football-themed activity book, thanks to Ward Melville High School’s rising varsity football team, which is training in the offseason for 2024.

The team worked together to wrap crayon sets to go along with the activity books, entitled “Ward Melville Football Coloring Book,” before delivering them to the hospital together on Sunday, Dec. 10.

“It’s always nice to see our players give back to their community, but it’s especially great to see them work together for a cause,” said head coach Chris Boltrek.

Ward Melville’s varsity football team, along with coaches Chris Boltreck and John Sorbera, deliver coloring books and crayons to Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. Photo courtesy Sharon Philbrick

He noted that most team members participate in community service through various clubs, but quarterback Hudson Philbrick, currently a ninth grader at Gelinas Junior High School, had the idea to serve together as a varsity team. The head coach said he and assistant coach John Sorbera were happy to help facilitate after Philbrick approached them.

Philbrick said he wanted to help hospitalized children because he knows firsthand how hard it can be to stay in a hospital — he had to spend part of summer vacation that way when he was 6, due to an allergic reaction.

“It was horrible,” he said, adding, “It is not very fun to be in the hospital for the holidays.”

Philbrick said he initially wanted to arrange a visit to hospitalized children, but when that wasn’t possible, he said, he thought of the activity book and called Stony Brook to see if the hospital would accept the donation. He said he used design software Canva to create the book, which includes coloring pages, as well as activities like a football-themed word search, a design-a-helmet activity and a maze guiding a player to score a touchdown. He then had 100 copies printed through a self-publishing website.

Joan Alpers, director of child life services at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, said in an email that the coloring books will “help hospitalized kids remain calm and relaxed during their hospitalization. Having quiet activities to do fills wait times and provides enjoyment to kids of all ages.”

She added that hospital staff is especially grateful to see young people help other young people through hard times.

For his part, Philbrick initially wasn’t sure if his teammates would buy in. “When they all showed up, it was amazing,” he said. “It was a lot of fun, and I’m pretty sure it makes everybody feel good about themselves knowing they get to help out some kids during the holidays.”

Philbrick said he added a section for children to write their goals at the back of the activity books. “Goals give you something to look forward to and work toward like, ‘Hey I’m going to do this someday.’ So it gives them hope.”

As for Philbrick, he said his personal goal is to grow his efforts to help children by making a bigger contribution to the community each year during the holiday season.

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Above, children listen to Nana Carol read a picture book during Story & Craft time at the Next Chapter in Huntington while parents and caregivers look on. Photo courtesy of The Next Chapter

By Tara Mae

“It is the perfect job, but it is not work.” 

This is how Carol Parker describes her free weekly children’s Story & Craft, which she hosts on Mondays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., at The Next Chapter bookstore in Huntington. 

Like any good grandmotherly figure, Nana Carol, as she is known, has a generosity and geniality to her that translates into her storytelling. Allaying any shyness and welcoming all who join her, Nana Carol strives to engage her temporary charges with warmth and wonder.  Yet, Parker’s effervescent engagement is not without an outline and structure. Each session follows a loose schedule: gentle movement, spellbinding stories, and creative crafts.

“We begin with our little stretch…I lead them with a little rhyme: tall as a tree, wide as a house, thin as a pin, quiet as a mouse,” Parker, who lives in Huntington, said. “It sets the tone and they have gotten so good at it. All the kids are quite happy to sit down when I ask. We start a book, but I do not just read it, we talk as I read. As the story progresses, the children start out on carpet, then creep closer and closer.”

The attentive tykes move from their spots on the bookstore’s alphabet rug, stealthily moving forward until they are gathered around Parker, at her knee. Enrapturing them with an eclectic assortment of character voices, Parker puts her own touch on modern classics and old favorites. 

Through these personifications, Parker shares stories that have a message. Her favorite books to read to the kids are from the Bad Seed series, written by John Jory and illustrated by Pete Oswald. They tell the story of a bad seed: ill-mannered and ill-tempered. Through the transformative power of will, acceptance, and personal growth, he is able to sprout a new attitude. 

“I love those books…I ask them questions after every page, so they have a memory that coincides with what we are reading. Kids get what is going on; they become so excited and interact,” she said. 

This aligns with Parker’s philosophy of providing the kids as well as their parents/caretakers with more than just story time: she encourages an interactive experience that ignites inceptive imaginations. Originally geared towards infants through four years old, Nana Carol wants to welcome kids of all ages to enjoy stories and a craft.

“Week to week is different since you never know the age of the kids in advance nor how long you can keep them interested,” Parker said. The average audience member’s attention span for active listening is about two books long, then it is craft time.  

Crafts are primarily paper-based to limit mess and mayhem: no glitter allowed. Parker precuts the pieces and individually packs each craft in separate bags for each child. Activities have holiday and seasonal themes. In the fall, the children constructed autumnal wreathes and scarecrows.   

Parker’s attention to detail extends to her craft supplies, which come from her personal collection. A couple of years ago, she found out that a nursery school was closing, and with the assistance of her daughter-in-law, rescued construction paper, markers, and other materials. 

Well-versed in applying ingenuity as inspiration, Parker always plans the crafts, but may not select what to read until she is perusing the shelves of The Next Chapter. 

An avid reader since her childhood in England — her favorite books were by English children’s writer Enid Blyton — as an adult, Parker’s tastes now gravitate towards the writings of Jodi Picoult, Kristin Hannah, and any works that cover World War II as a topic.  

Parker, who came to the United States as a senior in high school, does not have many memories of being read to as a child. But, she has consistently sought to share her reverence of the written word with her kids and grandkids.

In fact it was this passion, and her frequent trips to a former local bookstore, that led to her popular moniker.

“Nana Carol came from taking my grandkids to Book Revue in Huntington all the time; the staff heard me being called ‘nana’ and just applied it to my first name,” Parker said. 

Around 2018, when her grandchildren were a bit older, she volunteered her services for Book Revue’s story time. Nana Carol was an apparent natural with the bookstore’s youngest patrons, who quickly became enamored with her energy and emotional resonance. 

The pandemic halted this progress; the ability to enrapture very young minds was lost in translation on Zoom. In 2021, unable to afford its rent, Book Revue closed. 

What seemed like the end of a saga, was actually the start of a fresh narrative. Staff of Book Revue banded together to open The Next Chapter, and reached out to Parker, inviting her to join them in this new venture. She readily agreed, and together they have been building a literary legacy.  

“They took donations of tables and chairs, set up little areas where you can sit and read; it is very homey. Book Revue was wide, The Next Chapter is long. Its’ set up is lovely,” Parker said. “On Saturdays they have a flea market in the parking lot, with artisans displaying personal crafts, artists showing art, etc. [The staff] is really trying to establish a destination like Book Revue used to be. They are so very good to me.”  

And Parker is good their smallest clients. “I love kids and I love doing this…To make a child smile, make a child happy, that’s like a million dollar check to me,” she said. 

The Next Chapter Bookstore is located at 204 New York Avenue in Huntington. For more information about Story & Craft with Nana Carol, other programs, and the bookstore itself, please visit www.thenextchapterli.com.

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