Are the leaves arranged opposite one another on the stem? It could be a shrub honeysuckle - non native plants that are invasive in the NY area. Look up Lonicera maackii.

Yes, I think that is exactly what it is. Thank you for your help. It is EVERYWHERE here...still doing some research to see if the berries are harmful to humans.

Would like to see the pics.

I was out on a wildflower safari today, cycling around looking for flowers to shoot, and found a plant with berries of that description. The berries look tasty but they aren't, yuck. I had my camera handy so maybe this is the plant in question -

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Invasive bush honeysuckle, lonicera maackii in the photo above.

Here is a link that might be useful: L. maackii

Welcome to the East coast! Don't know anything about these berries, but that's good you told your little ones not to eat them.

New York state has a few other native shrubs and plants, etc. with poisonous parts. When I was a kid, we were warned about nightshade berries, eating any mushrooms found growing outside anywhere (just to be safe), and of course were taught not to touch poison ivy, poison sumac, and stinging nettles.

There are also a lot of garden plants and shrubs people grow on the East coast that could cause various medical problems if ingested, and/or are poisonous or have poisonous parts, such as foxgloves, delphiniums/larkspur, Lily of the Valley, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, azaleas, wisterias, mountain laurels, holly, boxwoods, various junipers, daffodils, hyacinths, clematis, vinca/periwinkle, privet shrubs, yew, and many others.

I would just tell your kids not to eat anything growing outdoors in general for now, and teach them what poison ivy, poison sumac, and stinging nettles look like if you haven't already. Then if you want to help them learn about their new environment, you can see if your local library has any nature programs they may offer for kids or families. Sometimes there are nature organizations that hold nature walks for kids (and grownups). The Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts is always good for learning about native plants too.

You are seeing bush honeysuckle, which is mildly poisonous to humans. It reportedly causes stomach and intestinal distress. Birds do eat the berries, but the bush's growth form allows predators to get to the nests (as compared to native shrubs). It also produces toxins in the roots that cause trees in the forest to stop growing, which is very bad over the long term. As the mature trees age, they are not being replaced. So this is a bush that could hurt people, stunts forests, and kills baby birds.

People wonder why I prefer native plants...

These berries aren't considered edible, but a couple of berries aren't going to kill the kids either. I would definintely tell the kids not to eat the berries, but don't worry too much about these plants as a real threat to anybody. They are a threat to native plants and ecosystems and I'd get rid of them for that reason, but I don't want you to worry needlessly about the kids. Maybe the kids are old enough for a first hatchet, and they can play George Washington with all of those invasive 'cherry trees.'

I believe that's what this is, too (Lonicera maackii)?