With not one but TWO snow events wreaking havoc on our routine this week, I have seen the future of winter break and it is not pretty. Boo only has two days off from school and other regular activities the week after next (February 17th and 18th), but some of you are facing a whole week of unscheduled inside-ness (cue the scary music from the Psycho shower scene!). That got me thinking. Just because you don’t have anything on the schedule for that week, doesn’t mean you can’t make a schedule. So we’re giving you plenty of time to pull together a fun mix of activities for you and the little ones. So get out your calendars and start planning. It’s as easy as A-B-C!
A is for…Adventures in learning. We’ve been to a ton of wonderful museums. Some are great for hands-on discovery. Others offer plenty for little eyes to marvel at. Either way, you can spend a whole day exploring any of these fun destinations. If you have a current museum membership, don’t forget to check if you are eligible for free or discounted admission at other museums through the reciprocal program. Don’t have a museum membership? No problem! Many local libraries have museum passes that you can check out (all you need is a valid CT library card) granting you reduced, or even FREE admission to many of these and other destinations in and around our state.
- Children’s Museum of Southeastern Connecticut (Niantic, CT)
- Connecticut Historical Society (Hartford, CT)
- Connecticut Science Center (Hartford, CT)
- Dinosaur State Park Exhibit Center (Rocky Hill, CT)
- Imagine Nation Museum (Bristol, CT)
- Kidcity (Middletown, CT)
- KidsPlay (Torrington, CT)
- The Lutz Children’s Museum (Manchester, CT)
- New England Air Museum (Windsor Locks, CT)
- PEZ Visitors Center (Orange, CT)
- Stepping Stones Museum (Norwalk, CT)
- Yale Peabody Museum (New Haven, CT)
If you are really feeling adventurous, maybe you even want to make a day trip out of it and head across the border to a museum in a neighboring state. We’ve scoped out some good ones for you:
- Boston Children’s Museum (Boston, MA)
- Brooklyn Children’s Museum (New York, NY)
- Providence Children’s Museum (Providence, RI)
- Springfield Science Museum (Springfield, MA)
- Holyoke Children’s Museum (Holyoke, MA)
B is for…Bounce and play. When the playground is not an option, we are lucky to have so many fun places to let the little ones loose to burn off some steam. Whether you choose a big open bounce arena where they can jump and run, or a taste of the outdoors with an indoor playscape, you can be sure that your kiddos will be entertained (and later, exhausted; bonus!). Here are the ones that we’ve scouted so far:
- Bounce Town (South Windsor, CT)
- Bounce U (Rocky Hill, CT)
- The Bright Spot Children’s Playplace (Vernon, CT)
- Chuck E. Cheese’s (Manchester, CT)
- Flight Trampoline Park’s Kid Flight Program (New Britain, CT)
- Jump-n-Jammin (Bristol, CT)
- Jumpin Jonnies (Vernon, CT)
- Jump Zone (Canton, CT)
- Launch Trampoline Park (Hartford, CT)
- McDonald’s Indoor Play Area (Glastonbury, CT)
- McDonald’s Indoor Play Area (West Hartford, CT)
- Monkey Joe’s (Hamden, CT)
- Stay and Play (Old Saybrook, CT)
- TimberGyms (Newington, CT)
C is for…Chill out and check out. These days the local library has become more than just a place to pick up books. You can check out movies, games, puppets and many more things to keep your kids entertained over winter break. But what you’ll really want to check out when you’ve got time to spare, is the wonderful children’s play areas along with the special classes and programs for them as well. Best of all, it’s totally FREE. So hang out, play a little, read some books, make a new friend, and then bring home an armload of items to keep you busy the next day too 🙂 Some of our favorite libraries include:
- Avon Free Public Library (Avon, CT)
- Bishops Corner Library (West Hartford, CT)
- Farmington Main Library (Farmington, CT)
- Faxon Branch Library (West Hartford, CT)
- Noah Webster Library (West Hartford, CT)
- Rocky Hill Library (Rocky Hill, CT)
- Simsbury Library (Simsbury, CT)
- Welles Turner Memorial Library (Glastonbury, CT)
- Wethersfield Library (Wethersfield, CT)
With so many options to consider, now I bet you’re thinking, we only have a week?! So take advantage of the extra time with your little ones and enjoy some winter break adventures!
Got a winning combination of winter break activities? We’d love to hear how you’re planning to spend the week! Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Meet Our Sponsors!
- 4D Vision Gym – A vision training center located in Cromwell, CT where Dr. Juanita Collier, MS, OD and her staff show members how to utilize Vision Therapy to correct visual issues and make learning and playing easier and more fun.
- The Annie Fisher Montessori Magnet School – Offers children ages three to twelve years old a free, public Montessori education implemented to the highest standards set by Association Montessori Internationale.
- Bright Horizons at Village Place – Located in Glastonbury, CT, this school is committed to giving children the skills they need to be successful and offers Kindergarten Prep and Preschool programs.
- The Independent Day School – Located on a rural campus in Middlefield, CT this private pre-school, elementary and middle school, serves families from over 20 communities.
- Kathryn Deane Photography – A natural light photographer located in West Hartford, CT and specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family, and senior portrait photography.
- Montessori Magnet School – A NEW tuition-free magnet school located in Hartford, CT that follows Association Montessori Internationale guidelines.
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