Our world has changed a lot in recent years. Things parents only dreamed about having delivered to their doorstep just a few years ago are now a reality. Likewise Seattle families can now rent all kinds of stuff that makes life easier and a little less expensive. It kind of makes you wonder, why buy big ticket items if you’re only going to use them once in a while? Whether you’re looking for a private swimming pool to help you stay cool on Seattle’s hottest days, unicorns for parties, free museum passes or adorable sleepover supplies, our list of unique things to rent is here to help.

A Truly Unique Ride

It might seem like a dream, but unicorns are real. Sort of. Whether you are looking for a guest star at your kid's next birthday party or are looking for a perfect model for a special photo portrait, there's a pony for you. Dreamland Ponies has a whole fleet of unicorns to choose from including solid white, rainbow, mini, pony, full-size and everything in between. They are available for hand-led pony rides at their home in Maple Valley or your home. They can bring the ponies to just about anywhere from a private residence to a local park. They will dress up the pony to fit your party theme from Pegasus to a western cowboy theme. And yes, they do offer "grown up" parties as well, but your kids will never forgive you (although, they don't have to know, right?)

According to Dreamland, all of their ponies are "super sweet, gentle, safe, sparkling clean and healthy." You may book up to a dozen different ponies at a time! The service providers also donate a portion of all pony party proceeds towards rescuing horses and ponies in need and other therapy services for children and seniors with chronic and terminal illnesses.

Online: dreamlandponies.com

Related: Let's Party! Backyard Birthday Rentals for Every Kind of Kid

A Swimmingly Great Spot

Swimply.com

While it would be nice to own your own swimming pool, the investment might not be worth the actual splash time your family would use it. That's where swimply.com comes in. Their business model is similar to AirBnb but for pool owners and the people who would like to rent them. The website features hundreds of private pools available to rent right now, including a large handful in the Seattle area, like this one which charges a weekday rental fee of $63 an hour for up to 10 guests. Just like the homes and owners that offer them, each pool and setting is uniquely different. Some come with all of the bells and whistles (think: large patio with picnic tables, barbecues, playgrounds, pool toys, private bathrooms). Rentals range from $49-$149 per hour, and a few even allow up to as many as 40 guests during the rental. Sounds like a birthday party in the making. 

Good to Know: You will need to reserve your spot ahead of time, but often arrangements can be made for the same day. Some pools will require you to rent it for more than one hour. 

Online: swimply.com

Related: Stay Cool at Seattle's Top Splash Spots

Every LEGO Set Ever

NetBricks was launched in 2015 with the goal of providing an exceptional LEGO-building experience to kids (or their parents, or both) who might not be able to afford every set they want. They are LEGO fanatics themselves, so they understand what LEGO-maniacs want. They have hundreds of LEGO sets of which to rent from on a subscription basis. Pick the set and they'll send them out to your family one set at a time. Start with one, build it, send it back and they'll send another one to your residence, just like the old Netflix movie rental model! ("It's a constant flow of fun" they say.) Or, go for the Pro Membership Experience where NetBricks will send multiple sets at one time and get another new batch 30 days later. And so on, and so on...

NetBricks offer sets that are new, hard to find or retired and range from "Junior" to "Master Builder Academy." Sets offered include the "The Simpson's" House (2523 pieces), "Star Wars" Death Star (3803 pieces), the famous Tower Bridge of London, England (4287 pieces) and many others. 

Good to Know: NetBricks plans start at $24 a month (plus shipping) to $65 a month (including shipping). 

Online: netbricks.biz

 

A Picture-Perfect Sleepover

Daydream Teepee

Hosting that sleepover party at your place just got a whole lot easier because Daydream Teepee delivers everything you need to make it a smashing success. The centerpiece of this delivery service is the individual A-frame tents where kids will slumber (if you’re lucky). Each party package comes with expertly-styled set-up that includes airbeds, sheets (and liners), fairy lights, trays and all the color-coordinated banners and cushions needed to make the sleepover space Pinterest worthy. There are seven kids themes to choose from, each one as detailed as the next. And when it’s all over, the team comes back to whisk everything away, fairy-godmother style. It’s the dreamy rental you need for your next bash.

Online: daydreamteepee.com

Related: 9 Unusual Sleepover Spots for Families (& Groups)

Passes to Seattle's Best Museums, Zoos & More

Kids at the butterfly garden at Woodland Park Zoo over Memorial Day weekend when it reopns
Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/WPZ

You know about Free First Thursdays and Free Last Fridays, but sometimes you want to check out your favorite Seattle museums on your terms. Make it happen through the Seattle Public Library, where you can reserve free passes to the Seattle Children’s Museum, The Museum of Flight, MOHAI, even the Woodland Park Zoo (and more!) with just a few clicks. Passes can be reserved up to 30 days in advance of your visit (passes go quickly so reserve them as early as possible), and each pass includes at least two admissions but many include up to four.

If you’re a King County Library cardholder, you can reserve passes through their system. This is a great spot to snag free passes to BAM, KidsQuest and the Seattle Aquarium, to name a few. Families can reserve up to two museum passes per month (with the exception of KidsQuest and BAM that only allow one every 90 days) and can sort by museum or date to make their plans.

SPL passes online: spl.org

KCLS passes online: kcls.org

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Seattle's Free & Cheap Museum Days

Powerhouse Pollinators

Steve Utaski

We’re buzzing with excitement over this Seattle rental service—mason bees. When it comes to pollinating flowers and crops, they get the job done (at a rate 100 times that of honeybees), and you can help them do it by renting a mason bee kit to host in your yard. It’s as easy as hanging up your mason bee block, letting the bees do their pollinating thing and waiting for them to lay eggs in the block, that you then mail back. Those eggs are shipped to farmers around the country where they’re used to pollinate some of your favorite foods like blueberries, cherries and almonds.

The coolest part of this rental kit is the experience you give your kids. Mason bees are docile and non-aggressive, so stinging isn’t something you have to worry about. That means your kids can watch the bees work and lay their eggs, packing them with mud, mason-style. It’s a fascinating interactive experience that directly connects kids with the foods they eat and the eco-system around them. Just think how different those cherries, pears and blueberries will taste to them this summer!

Good to Know: Although Rent Mason Bees 2022 season is over, you can keep the 2023 season in mind. Pick up takes place in March and the kits get returned in June.

Online: rentmasonbees.com

Everything You Need to Camp

camping gear families can rent is spread out on the ground including sleeping bags and backpacks
Back 40 Outfitters

If you're itching to take the kids for a night in the great outdoors, but don’t know where to start when it comes to gear—no problem. Get everything you need for the perfect car camping or backpacking experience from Back 40 Outfitters. Simply choose your camping adventure and they’ll pack a kit that has the equipment you need to make it successful. Car camping kits ($270-$440) include your tent, sleeping bags, air mattresses, a kitchen kit, cooler and more. All you need to do is reserve the perfect campsite. Plus, with pick up/drop off locations in Kent and South Seattle, you can easily grab your stuff on the way out of town. Yep, it’s that easy.

Good to Know: You can add on extras like sunshades and pillows to make it that much easier. Just bring your crew and your sense of adventure.

Insider Tip: If you're planning to camp in one of Washington's amazing state parks, you can rent gear and have it delivered to your door or straight to your campsite. Another super easy option.

Online: back40outfitters.co

Your Very Own Garden

vegetables and flowers grow in a Seattle P-Patch garden, one of the weird things to rent in the city
Allison Sutcliffe

Maybe you don’t get quite the right sun. Or your postage-stamp city yard won’t support the garden of your dreams. Whatever the reason, you crave fertile space where you and the kids can grow veggies, herbs and flowers. So why not rent some through the city’s P-Patch garden program? With 90 gardens throughout the city and over 3,000 plots, totaling 15-acres of grow-able land, you’re sure to find a garden spot that’s right for you. Can you dig it?

Good to Know: These plots are in high demand, so get your name on the interest list sooner rather than later.

Online: seattle.gov

Tools You Need to Complete "That" Project

iStock

If you’re used to checking out books from your local library, get ready for something different. Seattle is home to five tool lending libraries that (you guessed it) lend tools to members for free or next to nothing. Like a library, tool libraries require a membership. Once you’ve joined, members have access to the library inventory where (between the five) you’ll find every tool you’ve ever needed and them some, including typical household tools, garden and automotive tools, even odds and ends like juicers and sewing machines. Memberships are free, but most suggest a donation between $20-$60 with flexibility, as each library is committed to making tools are accessible to all community members. Additionally, each library has different rental limits, but a week is pretty standard.

Good to Know: The West Seattle, Southeast Seattle and Capitol Hill tool libraries have workshop space members can use too. And many of these tool libraries host fix-it workshops where people can bring broken appliances, toys and clothes in need of mending in an effort the keep them out of the landfill and practice sustainability.

Northeast Seattle Tool Library
10228 Fischer Pl. N.E.
Seattle
Online: neseattletoollibrary.org

Southeast Seattle Tool Library
4425 MLK Jr. Way S.
Seattle
Online: setools.org

Capitol Hill Tool Library
1552 Crawford Pl.
Seattle
Online: sustainablecapitolhill.org

West Seattle Tool Library
4408 Delridge Way S.W.
Seattle
Online: wstools.org

Ballard Tool Library
7459B 15th Ave. N.W.
Seattle
Online: ballardtoollibrary.org

PNA Tool Lending Library
6615 Dayton Ave. N.
Seattle
Online: phinneycenter.org

—Jeffrey Totey &  Allison Sutcliffe

While the pandemic is slowly starting to wane, everyone is still recovering from two years worth of quite the emotional toll. Luckily, access to mental health services has become much more available, and Justin Bieber wants to help.

The pop star has just announced he is partnering with BetterHelp, an online therapy site seeking to provide accessible therapy services to everyone. Bieber, who is starting the first wave of his Justice tour for his sixth album, realizes the impact the pandemic has made on everyone, especially the touring industry. The partnership started out as a way to offer his 250+ person crew access to mental health services, but it didn’t stop there.

Now, Bieber is giving access to his fans to the same services, for up to one month. He tells Billboard, “The one thing I’ve learned over the years is that we all go through our ups and downs, and we all need help sometimes. Being able to offer access to free therapy to my fans and tour family is a real blessing, and I’m humbled to be able to do it.”

The services from BetterHelp can be used for Bieber’s fans or they can share with friends or family. To cover the initiative, the counseling website has committed $3M for services.

Collaborating with the online therapy site was an easy decision for Bieber, who is open about his own mental health as he navigates being in the spotlight since he was a child. In an interview with Billboard from 2021 he remembers some of the difficult times and shares, “I also have done the work to know why I was making those decisions. I know where that pain was coming from, that caused me to act the way I was acting.”

To access the free month, head to betterhelp.com/justinbieber and click the “get started” button. The offer is only good for fans who’ve never used BetterHelp before, and you will be prompted to enter your credit card info to “prevent misuse.” The site also notes it may take up to a week to be matched with a therapist.

 

RELATED STORIES

New TikTalk App Puts Speech Therapy At Your Fingertips

Here’s Why Jessica Alba & Her Daughter Went to Therapy

New Study Shows How Therapy Dogs Impact Kids’ Social Skills

Photo: Shutterstock

We’ve had a year of shifting academics and social interaction to a virtual platform due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Gardening is an easy, screen-free activity that can provide your child with numerous benefits.  

Designing and digging a garden can be the perfect outdoor parent-child bonding activity. Not only is it fun and rewarding for kids, but studies have shown interacting with plants has benefits ranging from reducing stress to promoting healthy eating habits.  Another reason to grab your garden gloves? Working with your child to plan, organize, and plant can help develop their executive functioning skills. And that could improve your child’s ability to complete academic and daily life tasks. How exactly can you boost your child’s developmental skills through gardening? Let’s dig in!

Step 1: Plan the Plot 
Start by letting your child choose what plants to grow. A few ideas: 

  • Pizza Garden. Include veggies you can use to top your family’s next homemade pizza, like mushrooms, spinach, and broccoli. 
  • Salsa Garden. Are chips & salsa a favorite snack in your household? Cilantro, tomatoes, and onions it is! 
  • Rainbow Garden. Think cucumbers, bell peppers, strawberries, and other colorful fruits and veggies. 
  • Salad Garden. Plant lettuce and any favorites to make the perfect side salad at your next dinner! 

Browse through a gardening magazine or website to order the seeds. Ask open-ended questions about what plants your child thinks you should choose and why. That can help develop cognitive skills like organization and reasoning. 

Do some research with your child on the items you plan to include in your garden. Challenge your child to put their planning skills to work by gathering information on the stages of growth they can expect to see from their plants and what tools or materials they’ll need.

Step 2: Map It Out
Now it’s time for you and your gardening buddy to map out the location of the plants in your garden!  Help your child draw a picture of where each plant should go or use an online tool like this one

Asking cause and effect questions can help your child use critical thinking skills. Do certain plants need to get more or less sun? Will some veggies need more room to grow than others? How will that affect where you choose to plant your seeds? Help your child see the different options available when thinking about how to plan their garden. As they start to see that they can go about completing a task in multiple different ways, their cognitive flexibility skills can strengthen. That can help them tackle all kinds of to-dos in their daily life. 

Step 3: Dig In!
Time to let your green thumb shine and plant the seeds. This part helps your child develop their ability to execute a plan. Before you get started, talk about what steps you’ll need to follow: weed, dig, plant, add soil, water. Through this, their sequencing skills can soar! Focusing on following each step can develop your child’s inhibitory control. They’ll need to control their behavior, attention, and thoughts to each task at hand in order to get their garden growing. And even more good news! Outdoor activities like gardening have been proven by the American Journal of Public Health to improve children’s attention skills. 

Step 4: Let Your Garden Grow
Your child can’t bite into a juicy watermelon from their garden just yet! Give them some responsibilities for caring for their garden, like these:

  • Watering
  • Weeding
  • Watching for the plants to reach each stage of growth

Maintaining the garden through these tasks can help work your child’s memory skills each day. Getting up and working on the garden can also encourage their ability to initiate tasks. Finally, let your child enjoy the fruits (and veggies) of their labor. Watching their plants grow, picking, and eating from their garden can boost self-confidence and provide positive reinforcement for all of that hard work. 

If you have concerns about your child’s ability to complete aspects of tasks such as organization, maintaining attention, planning, or reasoning, consider consulting an expert. TherapyWorks is a company that provides speech therapy services with licensed professionals that can evaluate your child and, if needed, provide ongoing therapy services.

I'm a mom entrepreneur and Co-Founder of TherapyWorks, a pediatric therapy company that provides services via telehealth. I recognized the need to make high-quality pediatric therapy more convenient after one of my own children needed therapy and launched TherapyWorks with my Co-Founder, an experienced speech language-pathologist, with that in mind. 

I was scrolling through Facebook the other day and saw a post that took me back a little. It laid out the year 2021 in words like this: Twenty Twenty One. Say that to out loud yourself……get it? Hear it? I guess many people would feel as though it is true, that 2020 was the year that defeated us, the year that WON.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve felt like giving up many times this past year. Life with special needs kids has always been hard but this year just seemed like the icing on the cake. There was that week back in March where we were told that this “quarantine” thing would only last a week or so. Then a week turned in weeks, a month into months, and so it continued.

Every little detail, every ounce of hard work that I put into getting my children the services they needed was stripped away from them within a week. As time went on, we started to get some services back gradually as fall neared. Things seemed to get back to some sort of “normal” although not really sure if that is the right word to use or if there is such a thing as “normal” anymore.

As we came around the corner to the end of the year, my girls took their turns in the hospital with relapses of seizures. I was once again reminded of how strong they truly are. I could go on and on about the many struggles of 2020, the year of defeat, but I’m done. Instead, I’m going to re-focus on some positives of 2020 and rename it the year of “OVERCOMING.” 

We found a new house that met all our family’s needs in the right timing and location. Belle learned how to walk independently. Bryleigh learned how to write her letters and her name. Bryleigh learned how to start reading short sentences with sight words. Bryleigh and Belle started receiving additional therapy services and made big gains. And I found a tribe of women who truly understand this journey and feel supported.

So here’s to 2021, what I’m calling the year of “REDEMPTION.” Here’s to claiming happiness, health, and hope!

My name is Mandi. My husband Lucas and I have 3 beautiful daughters. They are Bryleigh (6), Belle (3), and Briella (2). Bryleigh and Belle have a rare genetic syndrome called Pitt Hopkins Like 1 Syndrome. Characteristics include epilepsy, developmental delays, low muscle tone, Autism, etc.  

Sensory play is often either literally or figuratively what the doctor ordered, and we’re fortunate to live in a city and state that offers resources and support for kids who need help with developmental delays, be they physical, cognitive or linguistic. Not to brag, but NYC is home to many top-notch facilities in the five boroughs and beyond, ’cause that’s just how we roll. Here’s our roundup of sensory gyms where your child and family will find the expertise, equipment — and fun — to be thrilled and thrive.  (P.S. Many of these gym play spaces host birthday parties, too.)

Sensory Gym Basics
If you feel your child is not reaching expected milestones or think he or she shows delayed development, the first thing you should do is talk to your pediatrician about your concerns. Your doctor may refer you to supportive programs such as the Early Intervention Program (EIP). EIP services for children under three years of age are generally free and available to those who are suspected of having a variety of developmental delays. Therapy services for children in need of assistance can be held at a sensory gym, at home, or both.

Sensory gyms center around specialized play equipment such as suspended swings, rolling scooters, rock climbing walls, hiding places and trampolines, that serve a wide variety of treatment activities. Trained and licensed pediatric therapists work with your child at the sensory gym — either individually or in a group, depending on your child’s needs — through play. In therapy gyms, the gym equipment is used to improve and enhance a child’s fundamental skills. (With a little bit of creativity, therapists can use the same interactive activity to address many other skill areas.)

 photo: courtesy Jumping Jax

Jumping Jax
Jumping Jax is an Upper West Side multidisciplinary sensory-based gym that provides speech, physical, and occupational therapy. Therapy is provided on a one-to-one basis with an emphasis on supporting the family as well as the child through the therapy process. The Jumping Jax sensory gym provides vestibular, proprioceptive, and tactile experiences utilizing swings and obstacle courses as a way to address developmental needs in a challenging yet fun environment. The duration of each treatment session is determined by your child’s individual needs; sessions can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Your child may attend therapy more than once a week, again, depending on his or her specific needs. Additionally, Jumping Jax also has a Westchester facility and many therapists work at both locations.

Good to know: They list helpful, sensory toys for kids of all ages on their site, and one of the many programs they offer include The Listening Program; a non-invasive, music-based auditory stimulation program that helps develop the auditory skills necessary to improve listening, learning and communication.

Jumping Jax
174 W. 76th Street, Suite 1H
Upper West Side
212-877-0667
Online: jumpingjaxnyc.com

photo: courtesy Small Steps Big Leaps

Small Steps Big Leaps
This South Park Slope-based gym recently added Social Skills Groups and Individual sessions to their offerings, which are led by SidekicksNYC. Each therapist has specialized certifications/training within their field and seeks to give each child the ‘just right challenge’ in a caring, creative, engaging, and professional manner. The facility never has more than 3 sessions going on at one time in their approximately 1,000 square feet. “Our mission, when designing this space, and opening our doors in September 2011, was to create a calm and joyful space where each therapist will have plenty of room to think, create, and engage with their student, with minimal distractions; and families noticed this right away,” says co-founder Rosanna Lee, PT, C/NDT, who started the facility with Marta Canaan, MS, OTR/L. “Many families come in and comment on how calm our space is. They have described it as being clean, warm, welcoming, well-equipped.” Plus, the therapists work within a multi-disciplinary team, “so that we can consult with each other on clients that we share, so that we can provide a holistic approach to our treatment sessions,” adds Lee. Occupational, Physical Therapy and Speech-Language Therapy evaluations and treatment for infants through school-aged kids are offered and available at Small Steps Big Leaps.

Good to know: Co-founder Rosanna Lee is one of only a handful of NDT certified PT’s in Brooklyn; she completed the 8-week certification program in the Neuro-developmental Treatment (NDT) Approach for Children, which focuses on the assessment of children’s posture and movement patterns and facilitation of more efficient and fluid movement patterns.

Small Steps Big Leaps
159 20th St. Suite 3A
South Slope
Online: ssblnyc.com

photo: Chris_Parfitt via Flickr

Watch Me Grow
A pediatric therapy center based on the Upper West Side and in the East Village, Watch Me Grow‘s owner and director Shirael Pollack explains that Watch Me Grow is designed to be an extension of your family’s home. “Helping children grow in a fun, energetic and caring environment is at the core of all our offerings,” she says. At Watch Me Grow, children receive individualized attention from the center’s physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists. Care plans are created in partnership with parents following comprehensive evaluations to help identify a child’s unique needs. Services are provided through Early Intervention (EI), The New York City Department of Education including Preschool (CPSE) and School Age (CSE), and offered privately and through some insurance companies.

Good to know: Watch Me Grow offers center-based, school-based and in-home therapy as well as group programs including social groups and camps. Social Groups are held throughout the year in both city locations, and are designed to support children’s individual differences while encouraging building relationships with their peers.

Watch Me Grow
162 West 72nd St.
525 East 12th Street CF
Upper West Side/Lower East Side
212-721-0208 (UWS location)
212-721-5220 (LES location)
Online: watchmegrownyc.com

photo: R. Sokol/courtesy PlayWorks

PlayWorks
PlayWorks NYC, located in Rego Park, Queens, offers a safe space for children with special needs to build confidence, learn new skills and grow. The gym is set up to be an inviting space for children to explore and try new activities. The equipment and space provide movement opportunities and sensory experiences that are individualized and tailored for each child to meet—and address—their needs and goals. “I think what sets us apart is the personal level of care that our therapists take as they support each child to reach his or her goals,” says Marie Fulgham, OTR/L, who co-founded the facility with Angel Chin, MSPT. “We’re a growing company and have been able to maintain a level of personal connection throughout our growth. We appreciate that our parents and families have chosen to trust us with their children and  want them to feel welcome into the space.” Adds Fulgham: “Our versatile space constantly shifts and changes throughout each session based on each child’s individual needs. We have personally built-out the space with this concept, so children can constantly evolve and grow.”

Good to know: Specialized treatments available include yoga, Sensory Integration therapy, TheraTogs, Brain Gym and more.

PlayWorks NYC
65-10 99th St.
Rego Park, Queens
718-606-1818
Online: playworksnyc.com

photo: Theraplay

Theraplay
Newly renovated, Theraplay is the only multidisciplinary sensory gym on the Upper East Side. The facility offers pediatric therapy services including Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Language Pathology, Children’s Play Therapy and more. Therapists at the two-floored facility work closely with parents to ensure that the benefits of therapy continue outside of the gym. One of the many helpful classes offered includes Social Skills — led by a licensed Clinical Social Worker—in which kids can learn and practice play skills, such as positive ways to interact with peers while decreasing behaviors that interfere with appropriate social skills. Handwriting classes led by an occupational therapist that utilize the award-winning, fun, multi-sensory, Handwriting Without Tears program, are also offered to youngsters.

Good to know: Another option for families at Theraplay is a nutritionist; aside from addressing sensory issues, adults and their children can also work with a registered dietician, who can devise an individualized plan that addresses and explores a family’s past experiences with food as well as current habits and difficulties.

Theraplay
251 East 77th St.
Upper East Side
212-288-1450
Online: theraplaynyc.com

photo: SPOTS

SPOTS
SPOTS (Special Programs in Occupational Therapy Services) has three locations: downtown Manhattan, Brooklyn Heights and Nyack, New York. One of the first sensory gyms in Manhattan, SPOTS specializes in helping families understand how sensory processing challenges affect a child’s emotions, behaviors and ability to adapt to the demands of childhood. By tapping into a child’s natural affinity for imaginative play, SPOTS therapists help keep kids engaged and focused on therapy. “For instance, an obstacle course with ‘monsters under the bridge’ can facilitate controlled crawling along a swing,” explains SPOTS co-founder/partner Prudence Heisler, OTR/R. “Or, spontaneous storytelling can help inspire a child to practice otherwise arduous handwriting skills.” According to Heisler, unique to SPOTS is “our therapists’ use of social interactions and carefully orchestrated group play to provide expert therapy and form successful bonds between children.” Each therapist holds a Master’s Degree or higher in their field, and makes it their mission, explains Heisler, to continually advance their knowledge beyond their professional degree requirements.

Good to know: In addition to occupational therapy services, SPOTS also provides physical therapy services, consults at many schools throughout New York City, coordinates services with community hospitals and pediatric practices and even helps to strengthen programs in other parts of the world such as the Dominican Republic and India.

SPOTS
611 Broadway; Suite 908
26 Court St.; Suite 513
Greenwich Village/Brooklyn Heights
212-473-0009
Online: spotsot.com

photo: Arpan K. via Yelp 

The Ability Center
The Ability Center is a sensory gym located in the Marine Park section of south Brooklyn that provides occupational, physical and speech therapy services. The owners—a husband and wife physical and occupational therapist team—wanted to establish a state-of-the-art, kid-friendly, spotless facility where individual attention is provided to families. The sensory space includes tunnels, swings, ball pits, ziplines and more. Last year the Center moved to a larger facility across the street from the previous location, which is better tailored in size and layout to meet clients’ needs. “In addition to providing therapy services, The Ability Center was able to open, right next door, a sensory play gym that is open to the public. It is bright and spacious, full of swings, a glider, rock climbing and monkey bars, as well as a jump deck leading to a ball pit,”says co-owner Isaac Jacobowitz.  The move was inspired by therapy-seeking families asking where they could take their children for additional practice and sensory opportunities. The play gym is best suited to the under-seven set, and provides both children and their parents access to real therapy equipment in the context of social engagement and play. Throughout the week the space also hosts adult-led social groups, such as Mommy and Me classes.

Good to know: The Ability Center hosts birthday parties, too.

The Ability Center
3514 Avenue S
Marine Park, Brooklyn
718-336-3832
Online: theabilitycenter.com

photo: Smile Center

SMILE Center
Founded by two professional occupational therapists, the 9,000-square-foot midtown east  SMILE Center employs a strong, bottom-up treatment model based on three treatment approaches: Sensory Integration (SI), Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT), and Relationship-based work that collectively address all aspects of a child’s development. Co-founder Markus Jarrow explains that therapists focus on addressing a child’s root issues, not just top-down skill teaching. SMILE Center is home to an Early Intervention program and therapists with extensive infant/baby treatment experience.

Good to know: The facility houses multiple large gyms, smaller gyms, and individual speech treatment spaces. Rooms are never overcrowded, and there’s very little employee turnover.

SMILE Center
171 Madison Ave.
Midtown East
212-400-0383
Online: smileny.com

Have you had a great experience at an NYC-area sensory gym? Share it in the comments below!

— Rachel Sokol

If your kid lets out a, “pleeeeease,” every time you pass by an adorable puppy on the way to the playground, and you think it’s time to add a furry member to the family. Start by perusing the pups (and cats) at one of the city’s shelters, rescue organizations. With so many sweet little animals in the city without a place to call home, you’ll feel awesome knowing that you’ve done your share in helping one. There are even some that have volunteer opportunities for your little animal lovers to help prepare them for such a great responsibility. We’ve listed our favorite organizations in the city for you to check out, but once you see these dogs and cats, be prepared — you probably won’t leave empty-handed!

 photo: Hilary Benas

Help Save a Southern Furball

While the name may not sound kid-friendly, this is one awesome organization! Badass all began when the founder and president decided to foster a dog to save him from a kill shelter, only to find how much work it was to find a home for him, and how rewarding that work was. She realized that she had the power to save other sweet dogs on death row, and dozens of volunteers now spend countless hours working hard to do just that. This non-profit organization saves all breeds of adorable and loving dogs from high kill shelters in the South, and they have rescued and found homes for over 1,300 since 2011, many with families that have kids. Badass makes sure all of their rescues are properly cared for, spayed/neutered, given the correct medications, and are rested enough to make a stress-free trip to NYC before finding the perfect homes and loving families for them to live. They are very thorough when looking for the right match, so be prepared to provide three recommendations, a vet reference and a home visit.

Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue
Williambsurg, Brooklyn
Online: www.badassbk.com

Photo: Kendra H. via Yelp

Where Kids Can Learn to Care for Animals Too

Since 1967, Animal Haven has been finding the perfect homes for dogs and cats throughout the Tri-State Area. With countless success stories to prove it, they have a reputation for placing these adorable animals with the right families. To help the chance of adoptions, this nonprofit also offers behavior intervention for the little ones who need a little more love before going to their new homes. If you want to make sure your own little pet owner is prepared for the responsibility, Animal Haven offers a program called Caring Kids: Animal Ambassadors for 5-8 year olds. This educational-based program meets for 3 sessions and includes plenty of hands-on projects to help these future pet lovers feel comfortable with their new furry friends. Make sure to register in advance as these amazing programs tend to fill up!

Animal Haven
251 Centre St.
Nolita
212-274-8511
Adoption Hours: Monday-Friday, 12 p.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. (make sure to arrive an hour before closing for adoption)
Online: www.animalhavenshelter.org

The City’s Cat Specialists

Kitty Kind, the organization that works with the Lower East Side’s purr-fect Meow Parlour, makes it their goal to reduce the number of kitties without a home to call their own in NYC. The non-profit organization takes in abused and discarded cats, along with ones who might be put on a kill-list at other shelters. Over 600 cats are rescued by KittyKind each year, and they work tirelessly to provide shelter, medical attention and love to each little kitty before finding the perfect homes and families for them. Most of the cats live with volunteers and rescuers to help get to know their personalities, which makes it easier to create the perfect match. Because they are a no-kill organization, they even make a life-time home for the cuddly creatures who don’t end up being adopted so they will always feel loved and secure.

Kitty Kind
860 Broadway
PETCO, Union Square
Adoption Hours: Mon.-Fri., 6 p.m. – 9 p.m., Sat. & Sun., 1 p.m.-7 p.m.
212-726-2652
Online: kittykind.org

Where They’ll Help Make Sure it’s a Perfect Match

Meaning “stay awhile” in Scottish, Bidawee prides themselves on their matchmaking skills, ensuring that you and your new furry friend will be happy together for a long time. This organization opened in 1903 and has been working for over 100 years cultivating relationships between pets and their new families, so you can rest assured that they have plenty of experience. The Matchmakers take the time to get to know the personalities of every new puppy and kitty who come to them, and will do the same for you and your little ones to make sure that you end up with the perfect fit. Along with pet adoption facilities, they also offer animal hospitals, pet therapy services, and pet memorial parks, really making it a perfect place to start and end your journey down the road with your new adorable family member.

bidawee
410 E. 38th St.
Midtown East
Click here for hours
866-262-8133
Online: www.bidawee.org

 photo: bidawee

Where to Find Dogs and Cats, or Something More Exotic

Thinking you’d rather adopt a fish, hamster or iguana? This is the place to go. Unlike many other adoption centers in NYC, Sean Casey Animal Rescue has many more options than just dogs and cats. Since 1998, this organization has rescued more than 8,000 various types of neglected, ill or otherwise unwanted animals they’ve even helped a pot-bellied pig and a donkey. This no-kill rescue organization not only focuses on rehabilitating and placing these animals in great homes, but also they provide education for pet owners and lovers on how to properly care for these animals and are always available to answer medical or training-related questions regarding your furry, feathered, or scaled friend. There are also volunteer opportunities for children to learn how to be awesome owners to a pet by feeding, grooming, and handling some of the ones in their shelter.

Sean Casey Animal Rescue
2 locations in Brooklyn open 7 days a week, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
153 E. 3rd St.
Windsor Terrace
718-436-5163
551 39th St.
Sunset Park
347-599-1500
Online: nyanimalrescue.org

Have you adopted a furry family member? Tell us where in the comments.

–Katie Johnson