Tag: February Vacation

Your Kids’ Vacation Isn’t Over Yet!

Circus Oz

February Vacation is almost over but that doesn’t mean that you’re off the hook just yet. In fact, if your kids have been cooped up inside all week because snow, rain, sleet, and pretty much everything else that could possibly fall from the sky has been messing up your plans, you may be desperately looking for a way to salvage the end of their mid-winter break. Fortunately, there are a lot of places that schedule extra activities this week to draw in kids and their families while they don’t have school, and these events will continue until this weekend. As a result, if you’re looking for something to do with your kids before their vacation is over, there are a couple of places that you should definitely check out.

First, if your kids have been demanding some face time with the lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!), this may be a great time to give them what they want. This is because this weekend is the last weekend of Franklin Park Zoo’s Tropical Adventure program. This program will allow you and your kids to listen to stories about tropical animals, learn special facts about the animals that live in tropical climates, and, of course, see all of the tropical animals that the zoo has to offer. Best of all, this program is included in the zoo’s normal admission price, so you won’t have to surrender all of your hard-earned cash (as long as your kids don’t buy everything in the gift shop.) For more information on Franklin Park Zoo’s Tropical Adventure Program and other events at the zoo, please visit the Franklin Park Zoo’s event page.

Secondly, if your kids aren’t really into animals, but they love death-defying feats when other people are performing them, you may want to check out Circus Oz. Circus Oz is a troop of Australian acrobats known for their comedic antics, music, and most of all, their daredevil feats. These performers, which are actually recognized as the National Circus of Australia, don’t use live animals because they don’t need them. In fact, they are some of the most skilled (and silliest) acrobats you will ever see. For more information on Circus Oz, which will be performing at the Citi Shubert Theatre until this Sunday, please visit the Celebrity Series of Boston’s website.

Photo credit: BotheredByBees / Foter / CC BY

Friday Fun: Things to Do During February Vacation

This weekend marks the end of February Vacation for students throughout most of the Northeastern United States and a number of other areas as well. As a result, there’s only a couple days left for all the parents out there to find something to do with their kids, and many parents have already begun their desperate search for an activity that will keep their children entertained this weekend. Unfortunately, trying to locate an activity that your kids will find entertaining is often as easy as trying to get your children to pick up their toys, and you may be having trouble coming up with an idea that your kids will truly enjoy. However, if you’re looking for something to keep your kids entertained for a few more days or you’re just trying to make up for the fact that you had to work all week, you may want to consider taking your kids ice skating.

Ice skating can be a fun and a relatively inexpensive way for you to spend a day, and you will be able to find at least one ice skating rink in most areas. In fact, if you live in the northern section of the United States or anywhere that typically experiences colder weather during the winter, you may be able to find an outdoor rink that offers free skating and/or low-priced skate rentals. In most cases, the best way to find an outdoor rink is to check out the website for the closest major city.

For example, if you live in the Boston area, you may be able to skate on the Boston Common Frog Pond by calling the Boston Centers for Youth and Families at 617-635-2120. Skating on the Frog Pond is typically free for skaters younger than 14 and $5.00 for skaters age 14 or older. Skaters below the age of 14 can also rent skates for a fee of $5.00, and skaters age 14 or older can rent skates for a fee of $9.00. If you can’t find an outdoor rink or you’d rather find an indoor one, you may be able to find an ice skating rink by using Map Muse’s Ice Rink Locator.

If, on the other hand, you or your kids are about as coordinated as I am (or, in other words, you put on skates, walk two inches, and then end up face first against the ice), you may want to check out the websites for some of your local art, science, or children’s museums. A lot of museums, especially museums that are more geared towards children than adults, have a number of special events to keep kids and their families entertained during each school break.