Kids Need to Unwind After School – Here are 3 Ideas

Fall is here, and school is back in session. The anxiety, the chaos, the energy is a natural part of the back to school process. So how do you help ease kids into the routine? Are there things to do with the kids after-school that are fun and relaxing? Luckily, the answer is “yes.”

Fresh Air and Apples

Fresh air and kids go together like peanut butter and jelly. They were made for each other. Kids love to get outside and play, especially after being in a classroom all day. Burrell’s Navarino Orchard is located at 3655 Cherry Valley Turnpike (Route 20) just 15 minutes from Syracuse or Auburn. This working farm starts welcoming visitors in June with strawberry picking and rows of raspberries. Certainly, those two fruits are summer fun but in the fall the stars of the show are apples and pumpkins.

Reach Up and Pick

Kids love to pick apples. As a matter of fact, it may be one of the all-time memory-making adventures of our youth. There is something about wandering the rows and rows of trees bursting with apples searching for just the right ones. Everyone loves twisting that ripe, delicious fruit off the branch and taking a bite right there. It is an experience you never get tired of.

What makes Navarino Orchard particularly kid-friendly is the dwarf apple trees. They are kid-sized. There are over 20 varieties throughout the fall season and most grow on trees kids can reach. In addition, just getting out to the apple orchard is fun. You can walk right from the parking area or take a tractor pulled wagon. Fill your basket and wander back to the Country Store.

Fresh Baked Pies

The aroma inside the Country Store is worth just standing there to enjoy. Of course, kids don’t stay still long so follow the scent trail inside. There you will discover homemade, fresh-baked fruit pies that will have the kid’s mouths watering. But don’t miss the locally made honey, maple syrup, chocolate, cheese, cinnamon and sugar donuts, caramel apples and jams. It is all delicious and fresh. For more, visit their website, www.navarinoorchard.com.

Kids Love Chocolate

Say chocolate to a kid and visions of Willie Wonka spring to mind. Tell them they can visit a store filled with chocolate and watch their eyes light up. But say they might actually see chocolate treats being made and they jump in the car. Chocolate Pizza Company is a kid-friendly home-run when it comes to things to do with the kids after school. Explore their website, www.chocolatepizza.com.

It’s Run By a “Kid”

Chocolate Pizza Company owner, Ryan Novak, is just 29 years-old which is a “kid” in business. He did start as a dishwasher when he was 15 years-old. He owned the company at 21 and has turned a small-town chocolate shop into a chocolate factory. Chocolate Pizza Company is located at 3774 Lee Mulroy Road (Route 175) in Marcellus. It is easy to find and just 15 minutes from Syracuse or Auburn.

“Pizza & Wings” for Kids

Talk about kid-friendly stops, this store is loaded with deliciousness starting with Chocolate Pizza. What is Chocolate Pizza? Ryan takes the highest quality Swiss-style chocolate and blends it with homemade English toffee. He then pours it into pizza pans and tops it with candies or nuts. Served in a custom pizza box this confection is dessert for the whole family. Likewise, the Peanut Butter Wings are your new favorite treat. Crisp, rippled potato chips are covered in creamy peanut butter and drenched in chocolate. It’s culinary madness that works magic.

“You Can Get Something Small”

Whenever your mom said that you knew you had to downscale your choices. This store is not just kid-friendly, it’s mom-friendly too. There are delicious, eye-catching bite-sized treats on nearly every table or shelf. Ryan and his chocolatiers make chocolate covered cookies, chocolate dipped pretzels or graham crackers. There are smore treats, chocolate covered rice crispy squares, mini Chocolate Pizzas and much more.

A Walk in the Woods

Take a kid hiking and they uncover a world of interactive fun. Baltimore Woods Nature Center is 182 acres of land dedicated to connecting people and nature. Its trails wind up and down tree covered hills, past creeks and rock formations. Wildlife includes deer, squirrels, woodchucks, turkeys, song birds, insects and more. Flowers and fauna stretch in all directions. It is nature’s playroom for kids.

Little Trails for Little Legs

A series of 9 trails are open dawn to dusk daily and wind through the beautiful nature preserve. Surprisingly, they cover a wide variety of landscapes and terrain. Equally important as the variety of trails is the fact that they are easy for kids to hike. While the longest trail is 1.4 miles, most trails are under a half-mile long. This makes them doable for even little legs.

John A. Weeks Interpretive Center

Located near the Baltimore Woods parking are is the Interpretive Center. Open 9-4 M-F and 10-4 on Saturday, this building houses a Discovery Library, exhibits and information. There is a restroom, water fountain and a deck for relaxing as well. Baltimore Woods operates many popular nature programs throughout the year. You can learn more about these at the Center or on their website, www.baltimorewoods.org.

There are wonderful things to do with the kids after school, but you have to explore. Not surprisingly, the discovery factor in finding new after school activities is part of the fun. Hop in the car and go. Stop at one or more of these 3 destinations or uncover your own after-school gems. The key is to get out there and let the kids unwind. School is stressful and young people need to vent that energy.

But there is another reason to plan some after-school trips besides letting your kids unwind. These outings are memories. This is strengthening family bonds. Not every outing will be a home-run but every moment together will be well spent. Kids are funny. They may not always seem thrilled with your newfound sense of adventure. They might even roll their eyes or whine. But don’t be fooled. They appreciate your time, your attention, and your caring.

The apples and chocolate and hikes are ideas that share a common theme. Kids grow up fast so making time to do the little things with them now add up to big things later.