Oh the weather outside is frightful! ☃️❄️ Why not warm up with some homemade hot cocoa and marshmallows? Sure, you could buy some from the store. But making your own fluffy, puffy, chewy morsels is more fun — and surprisingly simple. (Just make sure an adult can help with hot and sticky ingredients.)
Whip them up for yourself or as appreciation gifts for teachers, coaches and friends. ☕🍫😋
🥣: Recipe by Samin Nosrat
📸: Photographs by Paola & Murray
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WHAT YOU’LL NEED
For the marshmallows:
☁️ ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water, divided
☁️ 1 package powdered unflavored gelatin (1 tablespoon)
☁️ ½ cup sugar
☁️ ⅓ cup light corn syrup
☁️ Pinch of salt
☁️ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
☁️ Butter or oil for greasing pan
☁️ 2 cups powdered sugar
For the hot cocoa:
🍫 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
🍫 2 tablespoons sugar
🍫 Pinch of salt
🍫 4 cups whole milk, divided
🍫 4 to 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (the more you use, the richer your hot chocolate will be!)
Let’s be honest: Gifts from the store are nice. 🎁 But you know what’s even better? Something handmade! This holiday, grab some beads and wire, and craft up some charms. Put them on a necklace, a bracelet or a key chain. Once you nail the technique, you can invent your own patterns.
What you’ll need:
- Glass seed beads (we used 2.8 mm-3 mm sizes)
- 28-gauge wire
- Small wire cutters or scissors
- Jump rings or lanyard hooks to hang charms
✂️: Project by @supermakeit
📸: Photos by Chelsea Kyle
🎨: Illustration by Kyle Hilton
The Holiday season has begun! 🎄🎁 And one of the busiest jobs of the season is… being a Rockette. 💃 In 2023, we caught up with Sydney Mesher, a dancer in the Christmas Spectacular. Read her story below. ⬇️
‘’I grew up in Portland, Ore. During family dinners when I was little, I’d eat my food quickly, change into a tutu, choose a CD and run back to the kitchen before my parents and sister finished. Then I’d lip-sync to Britney Spears or Pink and spin, kick and shake my shoulders. My love of dance began with putting on those shows.
I was born without a left hand, and at school, I was bullied. Some kids called me ‘‘Sydney No-Hands.’’ But the dance community treated me beautifully. Soon, I was spending about 25 hours a week in classes — ballet, hip-hop, tap and jazz.
When I was 10, I won a scholarship to a dance convention in New York City, where members of the Rockettes taught a workshop. I thought that was so cool, because I had always watched the Rockettes on TV at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I knew that I wanted to be a dancer, so when it was time, I moved to New York City for college and studied dance.
I had former Rockettes as teachers, and when a couple of my friends joined the cast, I went to see them perform. Radio City Music Hall was breathtaking, and the costumes were beautiful. Trying out for the Rockettes seemed like a no-brainer. On my fourth audition, I got the job, making me the first Rockette with a visible disability.
Every year, we plan to entertain more than one million people at our Christmas Spectacular. Rehearsals start six weeks in advance, and I perform in two to four shows every day. We do our own hair and makeup. Then we put on the first of the nine costumes. Throughout the show, we’re dressed as soldiers, reindeer and fairies.
We’re famous for our high kicks, where our toes nearly line up with our foreheads. Some of us perform up to 650 kicks in a day! When a show ends, people wait at the stage door and treat us like celebrities. They want to give us hugs and take pictures with us, because we’re such a part of their holiday traditions.’’
✏️: Reporting by Jenna Marotta
🎨: Portrait by Simon Bailly
Ahhh Thanksgiving! It’s all about the turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, right? 🦃🥧 Not exactly. Holiday traditions don’t have to be stuffy — or *stuffing*. They can be anything that means something to you and your people. Last year, we spoke to kids to learn about their Thanksgiving food traditions. 🍽️ Check them out, then tell us your favorite Thanksgiving dish in the comments! ⬇️
✏️: Reporting by Katherine Cusumano
🎨: Illustration by Yeye Weller
When a mortifying mishap… becomes even more embarrassing. 😳👖This is Stevie C.’s most embarrassing moment (from our November 2024 issue).
🎨: Illustration by Greg Clarke
Happy Election Day! 🇺🇸🗳️
Kids can't vote — but that doesn't prevent them from having big opinions about democracy. Swipe to see some of our favorites from throughout the years.
Then let us know in the comments: Do you think the voting age should be lowered?
Last week, the trailblazing ballerina Misty Copeland retired from her role as principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. When she took on the job 10 years ago, she was the first ever Black woman to reach that milestone — and in doing so, inspired millions of young dancers around the world. 🩰
In our very first issue, in May 2017, we interviewed Copeland about how she got started in dance, what inspires her, and what she wishes other aspiring dancers knew. Read her story below!
📝: Reporting by Elise Craig
🎨: Illustration by QuickHoney
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Growing up, I was constantly moving with my family. We were always struggling financially, and there wasn’t a lot of stability. I was very shy and introverted. I was the shortest, and really skinny and scrawny. But music was always playing around my house, and I felt an internal response that I needed to dance.
I auditioned at 13 for my middle-school drill team, and the coach suggested I take a ballet class. It was terrifying at first. But the teacher, the artistic director of the local ballet company, said she had never seen a talent like mine and invited me into her school on a full scholarship.
I knew immediately that dance gave me power and confidence and a voice. I didn’t have to speak, and I was so comfortable with that. I trained for four years before I joined the American Ballet Theater’s Studio Company at 17.
I moved to New York on my own right after I graduated from high school. It was scary. But being onstage, being in the studio and being able to move up the ranks of the A.B.T. gave me stability. I was the only black woman for a decade. There had never been a black woman who was a principal dancer at the A.B.T. But I was promoted at 32, which is very late in a ballerina’s professional life.
I’m still a little bit surprised, even though it was always my path. It’s one thing to dream, and another for it to happen. But I’m proof that you shouldn’t limit yourself.
Here’s a spooky story for you: There are only a few days left til Halloween. Expectations are sky high. But the costume store? A barren wasteland. The dress-up bin? Dusty! You break into a cold sweat. Is this the year your family finally resorts to being bedsheet ghosts? 👻😱
Put. The Scissors. Down. ✂️ We’ve got some better ideas.
“You can do a lot just by going to a dollar store and adding accessories to an outfit,” says NYT Kids crafting expert Jodi Levine. Like gluing a bunch of fake mice to a shirt. Or making a cascade of flying butterflies with some glue, a headband, fake bugs and wire.
Swipe through to see some of our favorite costumes that you can make in a day or two. Then get crafting — using our instructions or by coming up with your own! Happy Haunting! 🎃
🎭: Costumes by @supermakeit .
📸: Photographs by @jodyrogac .
✨: Styling by @dennislanni , @devrakinery , @marcus.cuffie and @randibrookmanharris
Halloween is just around the corner! 👻🎃 Do you have your tricks and treats ready? 🍭😈
If not, we’ve got some ideas for you: Swipe through for a spine-chilling collection of cool costumes and freaky foods you can make yourself! We’ll be posting ideas and tips throughout the month.
And let us know below: What are you planning to be this year?
🎃: Projects and costumes by @supermakeit
💀: Skull makeup by Kate Werner
📸: Photographs by Keirnan Monaghan and Theo Vamvounakis (eyeballs croquembouche, head on a platter costume, and finger cake); Bobby Doherty (mold Cookies, fly and maggot costumes, hypno-cookies); Samantha Jane Beatty (skull makeup); Hannah Whitaker (shadow costumes, hidden eyeball cake)
Looking around for some Halloween inspiration? 👁 Have no fear: We'll be bringing you creepy crafts and costumes all month long. 👻🎃
Follow along, and in the meantime, let us know: What's your family being for Halloween this year?
🎨: Illustration by @travislouie
What’s worse than getting a scam call? Answering it… on speaker… in front of your whole class. 😬📱This is 13-year-old Valeria H.’s most embarrassing moment.
🎨: Illustration by Drew Panckeri
