Things to Do in West Islip

Always-At-Aum Yoga School helps both aspiring instructors and recreational sun saluters hone their mind-body practice, offering 200-hour certification programs and a robust schedule of drop-in classes. Owner and yogi educator Robin Appel utilizes certifications in Pilates, restorative yoga, youth fitness, and reiki as she and her experienced staff promote healthy living with a diverse collection of class styles, including kids yoga, hot Vinyasa, and yoga for athletes. For more personalized attention, students can arrange for an in-class private session, during which a second instructor provides hands-on guidance as the rest of the class follows the regular regimen. Teachers-in-training can pursue their own certifications with in-depth instruction, delving into such topics as injury management, human anatomy, and using one’s third eye to watch for falling pianos.

In 1976, Joan Barnes—a Californian mom frustrated with the lack of spaces where she could take her kids for safe and age-appropriate play time—took matters into her own hands and founded Gymboree Play & Music. In the decades since Gymboree’s founding, Joan’s vision of a safe place where youngsters could build confidence and creativity has come to fruition and spread to 30 countries around the globe. Staffed by attentive and expertly trained instructors, each Gymboree outpost adheres to a curriculum of activities designed by experts to foster the development of children’s cognitive, physical, and social skills through structured play and close readings of Goodnight Moon. The staffers also conduct entertaining classes that cover subjects ranging from music to sports, imparting valuable lessons of imagination and physical activity to developing minds. To further set apart her business, Barnes employed nationally renowned playground designer Jay Beckwith to design the proprietary play equipment at her centers.

Adopting the mantra "from Mommy & Me to the SAT," the yearly All Kids Fair intends to enrich the lives and the potential of young people through high-school age with a day's worth of educational exhibits and family-oriented diversions. Youths enjoy entertainment that includes balloon-twisting clowns, kid yoga classes, and special appearances by engaging guests. Meanwhile, parents and guardians collect valuable strategies for parent-child success from informational booths and expert presenters on such topics as financial planning for children, navigating socialization and therapeutic services, and paying for college. Each year attendees leave with new developmental wisdom and tips on staying healthy via the fair's array of screenings for common youth conditions, such as scoliosis, ADD, and text-message cooties.

Muses flit among Riebe's Artist Materials Inc's bouquets of brushes and kaleidoscopic sprays of pastels, whispering lore accumulated during the shop's 89 years in business. Managers Bob Riebe and Bryan Di Bartolomeo pilot artists of all levels through a sprawling prairie littered with gear including drawing tables, easels, and brushes. After spotting acrylic paints from brands such as Golden Artist Colors, Inc. and Liquitex, rainbows rush off to change outfits, stomping past an armory of clay-modeling tools and drafting templates.

Katrina Wells was frustrated. The new mother loved spending time with her child but still longed for a place to relax and sip coffee. Family-friendly play centers had been widespread when she lived in South Florida, but they seemed entirely absent from her new home in Long Island. Undeterred, Wells took initiative and designed a business that would cater to children and their parents.

Across Le Play Cafe Indoor Play Area & Coffee Lounge's 2,000 square feet, imaginations spring to life at performance stages, dress-up areas, and pretend kitchens. A climbable play structure helps little ones to develop gross motor skills, and age-appropriate toys delight toddlers. On the other side of the play center, scents of fresh roasted coffee fill the café as parents relax, socialize, and share photos of their baby dolls. In addition to cheering children and adults, Wells' brainchild also puts a smile on Mother Nature's vine-covered face. Her eco-friendly facility boasts LED lighting and oversize windows that help to reduce energy costs.