Camp Babka, Part I
If you were in ShopRite last week, you might have witnessed what happens when you are with a very adorable 4-year-old and that 4-year-old discovers that ShopRite does not sell kosher lollipops. Screaming happens. And a very frazzled Babka tries to calmly explain the laws of kashrut to a very unhappy child.
Through the tears and sniffles, 4-year-old starts asking about the religious affiliation of everyone in the supermarket. This was my response: “Jewish people eat kosher, and not Jewish people eat kosher. Some Jewish people don’t eat kosher and some not Jewish people don’t eat kosher.” That seemed to answer several questions that were flying around in her very precious brain.
As to why ShopRite does not carry kosher lollipops, the answer to that question is that it very much does, but Babka had lollipops at home, and she wasn’t buying any more. Bad Babka. Fortunately, that was the only low point of Camp Babka session one. And that is including when the air conditioning stopped working when it was over 100 degrees outside. God Bless Mayer Ferting.
I would now like to sing the praises of the Playskool Experience in Garden State Plaza. I give it almost five stars, and it is totally worth the price. They have play dough to play with. (you get two “free” small jars of it with the price of admission, but even picking out the colors and watching it come out of the machine is an activity). There is a lovely area set up to play with said play dough, with all sorts of accouterments to entertain your child.
There is a whole tinkertoy section — big Tinkertoys, little Tinkertoys, a race track for the Tinkertoy vehicles you create. It was awesome. There is a giant Lite Brite situation — those of you who grew up in the ’70s know what a Lite Brite is. There is a climbing section, there is a coloring section, there are a variety of games that Strudel and I couldn’t figure out how to play, but perhaps you could.
It was a lovely activity. Park by Neiman Marcus, and it is good for ages 3 and up. You are welcome.
At the recommendation of a friend, we also experienced Catch Air for the first time. That place is located underneath ShopRite in Paramus. It has a whole section for children 4 and under, and it is perfect for any toddler who has a fear of the “big slides.” And I got to be the cranky old woman who asked a very wild kid how old she was, and when she responded, “I am 8 years old,” I got to tell her that she had to leave. My dad was beaming down at me. And Strudel breathed a sigh of relief because the kid was freaking her out.
And then there was the question-and-answer session of Camp Babka. “If baby Matzo Ball has an itch, how does he scratch it?” Wow, I never thought of that. How do babies scratch an itch? DIL #3 and I both thought they just cry, and eventually it stops itching.
Another query — What do people wear when they are in “shamayim with HaShem?” I just answered, “The color white.”
If you have a better answer, please let me know.
All in all, I hope Camp Babka session 1 was a success. I would like to thank all of my friends who helped entertain Strudel. Charlotte’s mommy, Bjorn’s mommy, Bamba’s mommy, Arthur’s grandparents — it really does take a village.
God willing, Camp Babka international starts in three weeks. The activities will be totally different — sheital weaving, gemarah binding, walking up hills in 110 degree heat — I am just kidding. Well, not about the heat. I will just be grateful to be with Danish and her family.
As for what I will be doing before I head out to the Middle East, I will be cleaning up Strudel’s adventures in my house. Did you know you could use kid’s scissors to cut a pompom into 30 some odd teeny tiny pieces?
You do now.
Hope you are all having a healthy and beautiful summer.
Banji Ganchrow of Teaneck is in Strudel withdrawal, and she is proud and thankful to admit it.
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