Are you enjoying your summer? When asked this question, most people these days respond with, “We’re getting by.” It’s an unfortunate reality during COVID-19. There is so much weighing on each and every one of us – but through it all, we need to try and find some rays of light.

I suggest you pull up Princeton Perspective’s June issue: Get Outdoors – Experiencing and Appreciating Princeton’s Natural Wonders for some ideas of how to keep busy outside and read on in this issue for more suggestions and new experiences. In between your outings, you’ll have to figure out what to do this fall.

You’ve likely seen the articles and memes about making the “right” decision for the start of school. The expert this week contradicts the expert from last week and you simply don’t know what “right” really is anymore.

In the past, if we made a “wrong” decision it meant we got lost on the way to dinner or our child didn’t get to attend a party. Don’t we all wish we could go back to the days where those were our worst problems? Now, the right decision holds much greater significance.

In this month’s issue Summer to Fall in a COVID Crisis: Weighing School Decisions While Making the Most of it All the goal is to provide you with insight to help make the impossible decisions, mentally and emotionally endure the decision-making process, and guide you to enjoy what remains of Summer 2020.

Schools in our area are doing their best to create safe school learning environments. Will the plans put out today be the plans they follow through with in September? Time will tell. As COVID-19 case rates fluctuate, it is possible so will the plans. Science and medical opinions, which have evolved over the past five months, can help us to determine what path is best for our child and our family. We’ve long been told to weigh the options, so today we’re helping you to do so. In Professional Perspectives: The Pros and Cons of Schooling During COVID we share the perspectives of local pediatricians, a psychologist, and an educator – breaking down remote schooling vs. in-school education, mask wearing, socialization and more. Before you fill in your school survey, read here for some local expert guidance.

Once do you make a decision, do you stand firm it is the right one? Or do you continue to worry whether you are putting your child in harm’s way – emotionally by keeping them home or physically by sending them to school? At some point, you need to learn how to live with your decision and help your child feel confident it is the right one, too. Clinical Social Worker Elizabeth W. Semrod helps children and adolescents in her local practice cope with anxiety and depressive disorders. She shares tools on how to get you and your children past your worries in Getting our Children Back to School (Safe and Worry-free).

For you, perhaps the plan for your local school district or private school isn’t feeling right. You may opt to send your child to a different school, or if having more control feels like a better option, perhaps you are considering homeschooling? Children aged 6-16 in New Jersey must receive some form of daily educational instruction. Homeschooling in NJ 101 details the basics of how it all works. You may find that creating your own educational plan is today’s right plan.

When you need a break from all of the decisions, before fall hits and life starts to get a little busier, get away! Whether it’s for one day, an overnight or longer, it can be hard to wade through the options of where you can safely travel, and what to do that you haven’t already done. We’ve got you covered with Last Hurrahs of Summer – Fun Things to Do You Haven’t Thought of Yet! Just pick a date to go and use our guidance to get you there!

It may all feel a bit overwhelming, but we will get through! We hope this month’s issue helps you and encourages you to take that needed break. In September, Princeton Perspectives will take a look at the current workforce around Princeton. Whether you own a struggling business, have a thriving one, are unemployed, or are trying to adapt to today’s needs – the working world has changed for many. We’ll bring you all of the perspectives. Sign up here to make sure you get the latest issue!

As always, stay safe and healthy!

Lisa Jacknow

Lisa Jacknow spent years working in national and local news in and around New York City before moving to Princeton. Working as both a TV producer and news reporter, Lisa came to this area to focus on the local news of Mercer County at WZBN-TV. In recent years, she got immersed in the Princeton community by serving leadership roles at local schools in addition to volunteering for other local non-profits. In her free time, Lisa loves to spend time with her family, play tennis, sing and play the piano. A graduate of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, Lisa was raised just north of Boston, Massachusetts but has lived in the tri-state area since college. She is excited to be Editor and head writer for Princeton Perspectives!

This fall it’s certainly not back-to-school as usual. Instead of simply deciding what notebooks and new clothes to buy, families are tasked with choosing how their children will be educated. And the answers aren’t cut and dry, there are nuances, family needs and health risks to consider. While encouraging in-school learning, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has required that all students (without a health concern) must wear masks in school. Yet the NJ Teachers Union and the NJ Principals and Supervisors Association are still urging the year begin remote-only. To date, every school district and private school in our area has created its own pandemic plan for learning. They include varying forms of hybrid (combining remote and in-school), some are all-remote, and others have full in-school education planned.

The difficulty for parents is these plans leave us with a complicated choice – to go ahead and follow your school’s model, choose the all-remote option many are offering or opt for another school choice. None of the decisions are easy, and none of us know what may happen between now and the first day to alter them.

We’ve long been taught to make a pro/con list, weigh them, then decide. To help formulate your list, Princeton Perspectives sought advice from experts on the front lines of this issue – pediatricians, a psychologist and an educator that have all worked locally and raised or are currently raising children here. All information contained in this article is current as of publication (August 13th) and has the possibility of changing due to local health factors.

Meet our professionals:

Dr. Shilpa Pai is Co-Director of NJ Pediatric Residency Advocacy Collaborative and Director of Resident Education in Advocacy & Community Health as well as Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She has 2 children and lives with her family in Princeton.

Dr. Lisa Kestler is a clinical psychologist in Princeton, NJ, where she works with children, teens, adults and families. She offers therapy and clinical assessment services through her private practice and psychoeducational evaluations at The Dyslexia Center of Princeton. She and her husband have two children and live in Lawrenceville.

Bonnie Walker has over 25 years of teaching in elementary public schools in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Connecticut, and New Jersey – most recently in Princeton where she retired in June 2019. She raised her children in Princeton schools.

Dr. Julie Halvorsen DO, FAAP, is a pediatrician at Delaware Valley Pediatric Associates in Lawrenceville, and is on staff at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center and Capital Health Medical Center-Hopewell. She lives in Princeton with her husband and two daughters.

“Everyone is rightfully focused on the risks of each and every possibility proposed for school in the fall. Focusing only on the risks can drive us parents crazy,” says Dr. Lisa Kestler. “It may be to everyone’s advantage to try to find the positives – for our kids to feel secure that they will have a good school year, and for us parents and teachers to have the confidence to make it a good school year, despite the hand we’ve been dealt.”

So, let’s start by focusing on those positives. Remote schooling requires access to a computer and the internet. Most local private schools are already set up with a 1:1 ratio of students vs. computers, and this fall, Princeton Public Schools is providing each student their own device and ensuring internet access. Here are our panel’s perspectives on the benefits of remote schooling:

KESTLER Behavioral change is effortful and it takes time to create new habits. Remote learning means that they will not have to add a slew of new rules to their daily routine around wearing masks, washing hands, interacting with classmates, and moving through the building. With remote learning we can create a sense of safety, allow students and educators to focus on learning and to engage more fully. There can be a greater sense of predictability, consistency and control.

HALVORSEN The idea of having kids in school full time does not seem realistic at this stage of the pandemic. The ability to open schools will depend on the level of community transmission.

WALKER The most important positive reason for remote learning would be for the health and safety of the students, their families, and the teaching and administrative staff.

The Wilberforce School plans to resume on-campus instruction, citing it is the “preferred mode of instruction and our best results come from interactive, face-to-face learning.” The school will be offering live streaming from classes for those that can’t be on campus. Despite the best efforts of many local schools that have purchased better cameras, focused on stronger lesson plans and prepared for live instruction, there are still concerns about remote learning, as our experts explain:

HALVORSEN There is already evidence of negative impacts on children because of school closures in the spring, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. But beyond academics, children learn social and emotional skills, get meals and the opportunity to exercise and receive mental health support as well as other services that cannot be easily replicated online.

WALKER I believe it will be more difficult to identify the children who need support when you do not have real-time, in-person interactions with them, and only see them on a screen. In teaching young students, not only do teachers instruct the children in the curriculum, but they also help them develop the social skills needed to interact with their peers. This is done when students work on group projects. In addition, many parents are still working remotely, and it could be a challenge for them to help their children while trying to conduct their own business. Furthermore, there will be parents who have to work outside of the home. These students may have no one at home to help them.

KESTLER There is a loss of human connection when it is through a digital device. If they have not met their teachers or other classmates prior to the start of school, it is even harder to make that initial connection. Not only is it important for learning, there is a basic human need for physical contact and non-verbal communication. If they don’t have strong social connections outside of school – either online or IRL – they can begin to feel lonely, helpless, or withdrawn. Online learning also requires strong executive functioning skills, such as planning, organization, regulating attention, emotional control, and transitioning between activities. Poorly developed executive functioning skills can be a major stumbling block to successful online learning, leading students to fall behind academically and chipping away at their self-confidence and self-esteem. Part of a remote learning plan should be to quickly identify and intervene with kids who aren’t adjusting well.

PAI Beyond supporting the educational development of children and adolescents, schools play a critical role in addressing racial and social inequity. I am particularly concerned about our most vulnerable children in Princeton – and I fear that their needs will not be met if we have all-remote instruction.

With small class sizes and space to spread everyone out, Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart is planning to open 5-days a week for in-school education this fall. Families can choose this model, go completely remote or coordinate a hybrid option. Balancing the needs of our children, we asked our experts their perspectives on the benefits of in-classroom schooling:

WALKER I know how important it is for teachers to make a connection with each student in his/her class. When you greet the students in the morning, you can assess their moods, how they are beginning their day. Having the students in school would allow them to have direct contact with their teachers and would allow them to work cooperatively with their peers.

PAI Not only do schools provide our children with academic instruction, but also by having in school learning, children are provided with the social and emotional skills, safety, reliable nutrition, physical/speech and mental health therapy, and opportunities for physical activity.

KESTLER Going to school involves so many little things that we didn’t even have to think about before. Like waking up and having to be somewhere at a certain time, dressing and taking care of hygiene…driving to school, adjusting to the cacophony of hallways, voices, squeals, and reverberations off the cafeteria walls, talking to friends, and getting to class on time. All before the first bell. While kids may say they’d prefer to wake up 5 minutes before class and sit in their pajamas all day, they are healthier, both physically and mentally, just by having that basic morning routine.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, Princeton Public Schools is looking towards a hybrid model and is planning daily to check temperatures and have parents report updates on the health status of their child/family. Yet, there are still concerns associated with in-school learning for this fall. Our experts weigh in:

KESTLER Health risks to student, teachers, staff, and their families.

HALVORSEN While there is community transmission occurring, mitigation measures have to be in place such as smaller cohorts, physical distancing and consistent mask wearing for teachers and students alike.

WALKER We have very limited experience to predict what is going to happen with Covid-19 this year, or in the future. Plus, we do not know the long-term effects on children or adults. I believe we should all wear masks, wash our hands, and maintain a social distance – which would be very difficult to do in a school environment. At home, and in my car, I am able to sanitize my hands and wipe down surfaces frequently. I do not know how that will be done in classrooms that are used by multiple grades.

The Hun School of Princeton is planning an every-other-day hybrid model, to allow for social distancing while providing as much in-school instruction as possible. As several schools to date have formulated a hybrid plan, we asked our professionals what the in-school plans should include to mitigate contraction of COVID-19:

HALVORSEN We know that masks are very effective and physical distancing works as well. So, for school to safely be able to re-open this fall, these measures will need to be in place to mitigate risk. Keeping the kids in smaller cohorts will also limit exposures and make contact tracing less difficult.  I think the A/B method will make it easier for schools to be able to safely provide some in-person education.

KESTLER More students, more time together = greater health risk to student, teachers, staff, and their families. Fewer students, less time = lower risk.

PAI Outdoor classrooms when possible, maintaining physical distancing with set up for desks, classwork, etc. and make sure there is adequate PPE for teachers, students and staff. The main way COVID-19 is spread is from person to person, via respiratory droplets. Therefore, infection prevention should focus on this form of spread – which means physical distancing, face coverings, and hand hygiene. However, because the virus may survive in certain surfaces for some time, it is possible to get infected after touching a virus contaminated surface and then touching the mouth, eyes, or nose. So, frequent handwashing is important.

From Dr. Fauci to Mayor Lempert, leaders are urging us all to wear masks. They are mandated by the NJ Governor for public schools and private schools in our area are following guidelines as well. Princeton Day School is requiring all to wear a face covering when on campus but will allow short breaks from them while eating and social distancing outside. We asked our panel the pros and cons of wearing masks in schools:

PAI Universal face coverings have been shown to slow the spread of COVID. Masks will protect others if the wearer is infected with COVID-19 and is not aware that they are infected. Cloth masks may offer some level of protection for the wearer. Universal face coverings are not always possible in the school setting for many reasons – for example, a child who has a developmental condition.

KESTLER Mask wearing is a must, but it is not realistic to wear one in school all day. Even if we could, if COVID is aerosolized, mask wearing inside with bad ventilation may be magical thinking.

WALKER The pro would certainly be that medical professionals have recommended masks as an effective way of slowing the spread of the virus.  The cons could be that children would remove their masks, play with them, misplace them, share them. There would have to be a supply of PPE that would be made available to the students.

One of the arguments for returning to a classroom setting is for kids to regain some normalcy and socialization. At most in-school programs, like Chapin School, students will have a cohort they stay with, there will be no field trips, they will be seated at least six feet apart facing one-way and will no longer eat together in a lunchroom. What are the pros and cons of the pandemic environment with regard to normalcy and socialization?  Our experts share their perspectives:

HALVORSEN I don’t think kids should expect that their “in school” days will look or feel anything like the last school year. Although the kids won’t be getting to hang out at lunch or recess, I do think they will appreciate being able to socialize with their peers and teachers during class time. I know my kids are looking forward to catching up with friends they haven’t seen in months, no matter how limited the interaction.

WALKER I don’t know how my former classroom would look now, during the time of Covid-19.  My classroom had four tables at which the students sat – there were usually 5-6 children per table. That would not be social distancing. I don’t know how the resources are going to be spent to re-outfit the classroom. In terms of recess, structured games being played outside could provide socialization, but again, social distancing would have to be implemented.

KESTLER There is an opportunity for a paradigm shift in how we do education; and holding onto “normal” doesn’t fit right now. We may have to put school on hold for a year and go back to “normal” next year. With each passing day, it seems less and less likely that there will be in-class school.

It’s important to help our children emotionally through this time. Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart plans to be on campus and continue its morning runs to get kids moving outside. In addition, it hopes to leverage regular yoga and meditation to create some balance and calm, though it will all have to be reimagined with social distancing in mind. Our professionals share their thoughts on the emotional impacts of schooling during this pandemic environment:

KESTLER In the long term I think the kids are going to be alright. There are lessons to be learned from how past generations have dealt with pandemics and war. This is a profound change to our society, in so many ways, and there were many societal ills before this that could use some change.

WALKER I realize that it is important that educators and parents present a positive role model for the children. Every student should have at least one supportive, caring adult who will listen to them, someone who will help them. My hope is that this could occur whether the education takes place in a classroom setting or remotely.

HALVORSEN I definitely saw an increase in mental health visits during April and May when most of the kids and families were isolating and quarantining at home.  The teenagers in particular were struggling with symptoms of depression and anxiety.  For my patients, some of these symptoms improved once families started to expand their “pods” or “quaran-teams” to involve another family or neighbor, etc. Therefore, whatever the school year ahead may look like, I think for the kids’ mental well-being, they will need to have some social interactions. Thankfully with masks, distancing and including outdoor spaces, this can be done in a safer manner.

And our experts’ final thoughts to help guide you:

PAI Each parent needs to make a choice for their child – weighing the risks and benefits of in-person vs remote learning, while simultaneously taking into consideration the emotional, mental and physical health needs of their child. I think it is important that we make these decisions using scientific-based evidence and not with our own personal emotions.

KESTLER My wish-list would be an equitable way to provide small group in-person instruction, outdoors or in open-air as much as possible. Create a volunteer corps of young adults, teachers, retirees, or people looking for work, volunteer or paid, who can assist families with online learning needs and keeping kids on track with the daily school routine.

WALKER I realize that eventually our lives must get back to some sense of normalcy. In my opinion, the School District should follow the guidelines established by the CDC for the re-opening of schools.

HALVORSEN If the community is truly invested in the education of our children, we ALL have to follow COVID safety recommendations. Social distancing and consistent, correct wearing of masks by old and young alike is the only way I foresee the possibility of in-person education this fall.

Drs. Pai, Halvorsen, Kestler and Mrs. Walker’s perspectives are culled from years of experience, but they haven’t met you or your child. As Dr. Pai said, each decision needs to be made with your child in mind. We hope the thoughts from our experts helps you make them and feel more comfortable in doing so.

Lisa Jacknow

Lisa Jacknow spent years working in national and local news in and around New York City before moving to Princeton. Working as both a TV producer and news reporter, Lisa came to this area to focus on the local news of Mercer County at WZBN-TV. In recent years, she got immersed in the Princeton community by serving leadership roles at local schools in addition to volunteering for other local non-profits. In her free time, Lisa loves to spend time with her family, play tennis, sing and play the piano. A graduate of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, Lisa was raised just north of Boston, Massachusetts but has lived in the tri-state area since college. She is excited to be Editor and head writer for Princeton Perspectives!

Now is the time for your last hurrah of summer! With Labor Day falling one week into September, most schools in the area are starting September 8^th or later. Public schools in Princeton are planning to start even later than that, on September 14^th. That leaves plenty of time to get out and explore!

While there are many great things to do in the Princeton area, after five months of the pandemic you may be grasping for new ideas. And it can be fun and rejuvenating to have a change of scenery. If your summer vacation plans were sidelined and you’d love an opportunity to feel like you got away – even if it’s a stay-cation – we have ideas for you! From day trips to short get-aways, even a trip to help you through remote schooling…all suggested with the safety of COVID-19 in mind. We’ve kept our suggestions local and within New York and Pennsylvania, currently safe options for travel. If you prefer to stay home and entertain with some friends in your yard, we’ve got safe ideas for that, too!

Day Trips

It is always nice to wake up with something to look forward to.  If you have little ones, there is a great animal farm to explore just a one-hour drive from Princeton. Brookhollow’s Barnyard in Boonton, NJ has figured out how to attract visitors that want to ensure their children can enjoy the animals in complete safety.  How do they do that? With a drive-thru car tour experience!

“What an incredible, super safe and fun experience for Leo!” says Daryl Rothman, whose son just turned one. “I cannot speak more highly of this wonderful and safe experience for kids! They allow you to bring your own carrots so you can throw them to the animals from the window, and they mandate that nobody can get out of their car! Leo had so much fun waving to the animals and saying “hi” to them from our window!“

Drive-thru tickets are available for Sundays only, with one low cost per car for a one-hour experience. You can drive through as many times as possible during that hour. If you are comfortable walking around, Brookhollow’s Barnyard also offers individual walk-thru tickets for each person over age 2, Tuesday-Saturday. Each time slot is limited to 45 people and face masks are not required if you safely social distance. Tickets are released at 10am each day, for the following day.

For children of all ages, another great outing located one-hour away is in Bucks County, PA.  Bring your own hammer and head to Ringing Rocks Park located in Upper Black Eddy. This 128-acre park has a giant boulder field and the rocks resonate when struck with a hammer.  Sue Evans recently made the drive from Princeton with her husband and tween daughter.

“When we were there, we saw all ages, toddlers and there were a lot of teens. The field is huge and the more adventurous climbed all the way across, hitting rocks all the way,” she shared.

Evans notes that hammers really work best. They tried a wrench, and it didn’t create much sound. Interestingly, only about 1/3 of the rocks are audible to the human ear, but those that are, make great music! Ringing Rocks Park is also home to Bucks County’s largest waterfall.

If you’re willing to make a 2-hour day trip, there are a few great options crossing north into New York state. For an outdoor experience with birds and marine life, drive up to Rye, NY for a day at the Edith G. Read Natural Park and Wildlife Sanctuary located on the shore of the Long Island Sound. The grounds are open from dawn til dusk though the nature building is currently closed due to COVID. Recognized as an “Important Bird Area” by the National Audubon Society, the 179-acre sanctuary has three miles of walking trails and ¼ mile of shoreline along the sound. The publicly accessible shore has an intertidal habitat home to an array of plants and animals. Near the water, you can spot Osprey nesting on the platform. This is a great outing to take now, but also one to keep it in mind if you want to get away when the weather turns. In winter months, the lake becomes home to 5,000 ducks and you can spot owls, blue herons, loons and more.

If you’ve already taken in the outdoor art experience at nearby Grounds for Sculpture, which has recently reopened, there is another grand outdoor art option in the Hudson Valley, New York. There you can immerse yourself in art and environment at Storm King Art Center, a 500-acre open air modern sculpture park located about 2 hours from Princeton.

“Every visit to Storm King is different, changing seasons, weather conditions, and even the time of day offer new ways to experience art in nature,” states John P. Stern, Storm King Art Center President. “The Art Center’s dramatic landscape has been designed, preserved, and maintained to accommodate and enhance the collection, frame vistas, and encourage movement through the site. In collaboration with artists, we thoughtfully place artwork that is bold, ambitious, and often site-specific.”

There are two new exhibitions this year from artists Kiki Smith (Kiki Smith River Light includes two large-scale flag installations–Hudson River (2020) and River Light (2019)) and Martha Tuttle (Outlooks: Martha Tuttle presents carefully sited stone stackings, or cairns, which the artist made from more than eighty hand-molded glass and marble stones placed atop larger boulders selected from Storm King’s grounds).

The center just reopened in July and plans to remain open for the 2020 season until early December. Storm King is currently an outdoor-only experience with social distancing due to COVID, and no tours are operating. But you can use their audio guide by texting STORM to 56512. (No download required but message and data rates may apply). If you’d like to eat on the property, you can order 24-hours in advance and pick up food from their outdoor café.

Timed-entry ticket are available in advance, based on the number of people in your car. You must arrive on-site during the hour printed on the ticket. Currently, the website is offering spots through August 31^st. The next block of tickets will be available starting at noon on Wednesday, August 19 for visits through September 14.

Pollepel (Bannerman) Island is a great day outing also about a two-hour drive from Princeton to the lower part of Dutchess County, NY. Bannerman Castle, the main attraction, is an historic military warehouse. Designed as a simulation of a Scottish castle with construction beginning in 1901, the father of the army navy store used it to house tons of surplus military supplies he acquired. The arsenal caught fire in 1969, leaving ruins of the castle and his former residence open and partially standing. You have the option of taking a 20-minute boat ride from Beacon, NY along the Hudson River to the 13.4-acre island. Alternatively, you can kayak, canoe or take your own small boat to the island and enjoy the castle and beautiful gardens.

“There’s a ruin of an incredible castle there…you don’t have that very often in America,” explains Neil Caplan, Executive Director and Founder of The Bannerman Castle Trust. “All the buildings were pretty much ruined. The residence, now a Visitor’s Center, had no roof, floors, nothing – just poison ivy and trees. Now it’s got roofs and floors. We normally have people coming from all over the world to see it.”

The facility has adapted with many new safety regulations for the pandemic. The boat, which normally takes 45 people at a time, is only taking 20 (with masks required). Everything is sprayed down and cleaned regularly. And the residence, allowing only 10 people in at a time, has been altered so there is nothing inside to touch (the gift shop has been moved outside). Once you arrive on the island, you’ll hear a 25-minute informative talk and then have 1.5 hours to enjoy the property (masks can be removed when properly socially distant).

The season runs until October 31^st and you should book a week in advance, if possible. You can also get tickets to attend two special events – a Chef’s Consortium Farm Fresh Dinner on September 5^th which will be served like a dinner picnic box with musicians playing, an art sale and raffle. Tickets for a concert with world-renowned classical rock violinist, Daisy Joplin, are also on sale for September 30, 31, October 1, 2, and 3. Only 40 people are allowed at each performance, which will be accompanied by a light show on the castle.

Overnight Get-Aways – for now and yearlong!

If you’d like to go away for a night or more, there is a lot to consider during the pandemic. There are currently 35 states on New Jersey’s travel restriction list. That means if you travel to one, you must quarantine for 14 days upon returning – even if that time overlaps with the beginning of school. Our two suggested travel sites alleviate some concerns by offering outdoorsy vacations without requiring a quarantine.

The first is across the border in New York state. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation has options for both the novice and experienced camper, offering lean-to and tent options for sleeping. Both have limited availability right now due to social distancing protocols. Located 2-hours away in Westchester County, the reservation sits on 4,315 acres of land.

Ward Pound Ridge is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife including wood turtles, raccoons, great-horned owls, cliff swallows and woodpeckers. On the grounds you can hike amongst the 41 miles of trails or go horseback riding, for an additional fee. Fly fishing is available in the park in Cross River and there is also fishing allowed in two streams that run through the park, home to 13 species of native and stocked fish. A NY State fishing license may be required.

If you prefer the outdoor experience with more organized activities and a building with beds (bunk beds!), you can travel to northern New Jersey, just below the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and spend time at Fairview Lake YMCA. Their Family Camp is offered with weekly cabin rentals Sunday-Friday until Labor Day then Monday-Friday or weekends only through Thanksgiving. Protocols, such as family-assigned dining tables, water coolers and life vests, as well as extreme sanitization measures have been put in place to protect from the novel coronavirus.

“Family camping has become a wildly popular option for lots of families,” shares Fairview Lake YMCA Executive Director Marc Koch. “They come here, get their own cabin, and with such a great big outdoor setting, they feel comfortable with social distancing. It’s the only time families have the opportunity to do something like this, at least in our 106-year history.”

Each cabin is equipped with bunk beds, flush toilets and showers. In the warm months, there is an exchange unit that circulates the cool lake air and heat is included in the colder months. The Family Camp fee includes the cabin rental (for up to a family of 4, plus cost for each additional person), breakfast and dinner daily and all activities except horseback riding. The 110-acre lake and 660-acres of camp offers paddle boarding and other lake activities, archery, ax throwing, hikes, court games, an animal farm and more.

If you can’t get away before school begins, Fairview Lake YMCA is extending its day camp into the entire school year – an interesting option if your child is schooling remotely or your school is offering an A/B weekly hybrid model. For an added fee, you can rent a cabin but also have your child take part in the day camp while you work off the camp’s Wifi (available in and outside of the dining hall and main lodge). Located at the other end of the mile-long lake, the day camp will offer activities 2 or 3 days per week, and also includes help from their online learning support staff to tackle your child’s remote learning assignments before day’s end.

Entertaining at Home

If you are not able or do not want to travel elsewhere, you can create a fun experience with friends or family at home. It can feel awkward to remind guests to stay socially distant, so we suggest you set up the environment to naturally do so.

Barbara Majeski, a television contributor who brings audiences the best in lifestyle and entertainment as a featured regular on Today, Good Day NY and Fox & Friends, says it’s easy to maintain social distancing if you mark it out.

“Stars (or any shape) in your backyard are a great way to physically show your guests where they should sit to keep everyone 6 feet apart! Using spray chalk and a stencil, make stars in your backyard, driveway or open lot that are all spaced 6 feet apart,” details Majeski.

Supplies needed:

• Cardboard
• Marker
• Scissors
• Spray chalk
• Tape Measure

How To: 1. Take your large piece of cardboard and draw a large star on it. 2. Cut out your star and use it as a stencil. 3. Use your tape measure to space the stars 6 feet apart. 4. Lay down the stencil, grab your spray chalk and create the perfect star on your grass!

To help keep everyone spaced apart, Majeski also recommends creating individual meal baskets.

“Buffets are not en vogue this year but enjoying a meal with friends while adhering to social distance protocols is in style. Each small, dollar store basket includes individually wrapped sandwiches. I suggest going to Olives, Hoagie Haven or Princeton Soup & Sandwich, then you include individual condiments, a bag of chips, and individual salads in a cup!”

If you prefer your company wear masks when not eating, you should make that clear on the invitation. To be safe, you could buy some to have on hand. Majeski suggests local manufacturer Locked Down Designs , which has over 150 fabrics in stock and ready to ship, sized for both children and adults. You could also pick up your masks right here in Pennington.

The most important factor to consider, whether you are staying close to home, taking a day trip or getting away for a night or more is to be safe. Remember the COVID-19 protocols. Once you’ve got those in order, take the time to escape and create a moment, day or week to remember!

Lisa Jacknow

Lisa Jacknow spent years working in national and local news in and around New York City before moving to Princeton. Working as both a TV producer and news reporter, Lisa came to this area to focus on the local news of Mercer County at WZBN-TV. In recent years, she got immersed in the Princeton community by serving leadership roles at local schools in addition to volunteering for other local non-profits. In her free time, Lisa loves to spend time with her family, play tennis, sing and play the piano. A graduate of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, Lisa was raised just north of Boston, Massachusetts but has lived in the tri-state area since college. She is excited to be Editor and head writer for Princeton Perspectives!