Noisemakers and party hats make the evening feel festive from the start! Photo by Ivan Samkov via Pexels
How to Celebrate New Year’s Eve With Kids at Home: 22 Parent-Tested Ideas
23 Family-Friendly New Year’s Traditions from around the World
How about a birthday celebration at a local park for free! Photo by Antonius Ferret vis Pexels
GUIDE
Free Activities, Events, Classes, and Camps for Kids
How many of these trivia questions can your little brainiac answer? Photo by J. Fanchin, courtesy of Canva
100 Trivia Questions for Kids - With Answers!
Learn some random fun facts that will leave your kids laughing. Photo by Sara Marentette
125 Fun Facts For Kids That Will Blow Their Minds
Snuggle up with one of these beloved bedtime stories for kids. Photo courtesy of Bigstock
41 Best Bedtime Stories for Kids, Including Free Bedtime Stories Online
Starbucks birthday freebies can include cake pops, drinks, or other treats! Photo by Heather Cox Rosenberg
62 Birthday Freebies for Kids: Where Kids Get Free Food, Gifts, and Fun
Test your family's knowledge with this fun list of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader questions.
100 Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader Questions
little girl coloring in a coloring book by Aflo Images via Canva
GUIDE
1000 Coloring Pages and Printable Activity Sheets for Kids
Would you rather drink hot chocolate or chocolate milk? Photo by the author
100 Best 'Would You Rather' Questions for Clever Kids
A perfectly packed lunchbox helps kick the school blues. Photo courtesy of www.YumboxLunch.com
100 School Lunch Ideas for Kids: Back-to-School Lunches Kids Will Actually Eat
Printable word search puzzles are a great way to keep little brains engaged.
Printable Word Puzzles for Kids: Great Sites for Word Searches, Crosswords, & Word Scrambles
It's easier than you'd think to turn a simple paper lunch bag into a festive piñata!
How To Make a Piñata at Home: Easy Paper Bag Piñatas
Cheap All-Inclusive Resorts with Packages for Families
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program mails one free, high-quality book per month to children ages 0-5! Photo courtesy of the Dollywood Foundation
Free Stuff For Kids in the Mail: Free Books, Toys, Magazines & More
GUIDE
What Should I Do Today?
Camp Lindenmere is a jam-packed Pennsylvania summer camp offering sports, circus arts, creative activities, and more. Photo courtesy of the camp
GUIDE
National Summer Camp Guide
Make memories to last a lifetime at the all-inclusive Beaches Turks and Caicos.
42 Warm and Sunny Family Winter Vacation Ideas in the US and Abroad
Have sweet dreams of all the free baby stuff you'll get. Photo by Garrett Jackson courtesy of Unsplash
How to Get Free Baby Stuff: Diapers, Formula, Baby Gear, and More
These boredom-busting activities turn a stuck-at-home day into a lasting memory.
75 Indoor Activities for Kids on a Rainy Day
Mommy Poppins Family Travel Guide
Get a sunscreen they won't mind slathering on! Babyganics Mineral Sunscreen Lotion image courtesy of the company
Reef-Safe Sunscreen for Kids: Protecting Their Skin and the Planet
When kids are bored, bored, bored, it's handy to have a whole list of fun things to do. Photo by Mommy Poppins
"I’m Bored, What Should I Do?" 100 Things To Do When Kids Are Bored

Top Free Things To Do with Kids in CT in January 2026, According to Mommy Poppins Editors

Kick off 2026 with fun and free things to do in Connecticut this January! Family Day event photo courtesy of the Yale University Art Galleries.
Kick off 2026 with fun and free things to do in Connecticut this January! Family Day event photo courtesy of the Yale University Art Galleries.
12/28/25 - By Jennifer Coe

It may be cold in Connecticut, but January 2026 activities are just beginning to warm up! Looking for FREE things to do? Enjoy Winterfest at Bushnell Park in Hartford to start the month. Get out and about for Adventures in Nature: The Frozen World at Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center in Mystic. And spend a day at the museum thanks to the annual Family Art Day at Yale Art Museum, 

These are just a few of our favorite things to do in Connecticut this January—we're adding more events to the Connecticut Events Calendar every day.

More Things To Do in Connecticut This Week with Kids:

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Winterfest in Bushnell Park brings free fun to Connecticut this January 2026. Photo by Andy Hart, courtesy of Winterfest in Hartford.
Winterfest in Bushnell Park brings free fun to Connecticut this January 2026. Photo by Andy Hart, courtesy of Winterfest in Hartford.

Fun Free Activities in Connecticut January 2026

First Day Hike at Dino State Park

Rocky Hill - FREE
Thursday, January 1, 2026
On Thursday, January 1st, the Dino State Park will have their annual “First Day Hike” event! From 10:00am to 1:00pm, there will be Interpretive Naturalists leading guided nature walks along the Red Trail at Dinosaur State Park. READ MORE

New Year's Day Hike in Broad Brook

Broad Brook - FREE
Thursday, January 1, 2026
2.5 mile hike kicks off at 1:00 pm. Food donations will be collected for our local Five Corner Cupboard (human and pet foods). READ MORE

Winterfest at Bushnell Park in Hartford

Hartford - FREE
January 2-4, 2026
Free skating 7-days a week at Winterfest on the east side of Bushnell Park over by the Pump House. Don’t have your own skates? Winterfest has free skate rentals too. READ MORE

La Befana An Epiphany Tale in New Haven

New Haven - FREE
Saturday, January 3, 2026
Enjoy a free play from the Italian American Historical Society of CT. Plus, celebrate 3 Kings' Day with activities, refreshments, & more! READ MORE

Who’s Been Here?: Animal Signs & Tracking at Denison Pequotsepsos

Mystic - FREE
Sunday, January 4, 2026
Spend the afternoon learning how to read the clues animals leave behind. From footprints to scat, uncover which creatures are active at the Nature Center and what their signs tell us. READ MORE

Los Tres Reyes Magos Celebration at Danbury Library

Danbury - FREE
Monday, January 5, 2026
Join DPL as they get ready for the upcoming Los Tres Reyes Magos celebration! Families will enjoy a bilingual reading of The Three Wise Men / Los Tres Reyes Magos and make a fun construction paper craft featuring the Three Kings. READ MORE

Adventures in Nature: The Frozen World at Denison Pequotsepsos Nature Center

Mystic - FREE
January 10, 2026
This month, explore the frozen side of nature as we dive into the science of ice. Through hands-on activities, learn how ice shapes the water cycle and affects the world around us. See how animals survive freezing temperatures (some even become “living icicles!”) and meet a few of our cold-hardy animal residents. READ MORE

Woodbury Fire Dept. Tree Burn

Woodbury - FREE
January 17, 2026
Say Goodbye to the Holidays with a Annual Tradition! The Woodbury Volunteer Fire Department invites you to the Annual Christmas Tree Burn. Event Highlights: Watch a demo of a single tree ignited to show how fast a dry tree burns and why we say, Water, Water, Water those trees! Then, watch as firefighters light the entire pile and watch the Christmas trees burn to mark the season’s end. READ MORE

Storytime at the Palace Theater

Waterbury
January 24, 2026
As part of the CommUNITY Spotlight series, bring your little ones to the Theater, meet authors and hear them read their works and then do a craft. READ MORE

Family Day at Yale Art Gallery

New Haven - FREE
January 25, 2026
On their annual Family Day, Yale invite families to explore our collections and buildings with storytelling and art-making activities for all ages. Enjoy learning more about the art right in New Haven.   READ MORE

Bald Eagle Viewing at Shepaug Dam

Southbury - FREE
Throughout January 2026
The Shepaug Eagle view site will be opening for it's 39th season December 21st, 2024 through March 9th, 2025. View these birds of prey in all their beauty. READ MORE

A.C. Gilbert's American Flyer Train Show

Hamden - FREE
Through January 25, 2026
​The Eli Whitney Museum delves into New Haven's past to bring back a special tradition dating back more than 60 years: The AC Gilbert American Flyer Train collection.  READ MORE
Photo courtesy of Mohawk Mountain
Photo courtesy of Mohawk Mountain

More Fun Things To Do in Connecticut this Winter

Best Snow Tubing near Connecticut for Families in 2026

Winter fun awaits with snow tubing in and around Connecticut! READ MORE

The Best Igloo Dining in Connecticut

Try outdoor dining in the winter with igloo dining in Connecticut! READ MORE

Best Indoor Water Parks in New England for Easy Family Getaways

In any kind of weather, New England indoor water parks mean family fun! READ MORE

10 New England Ski Resorts That Cater to Families

With lessons starting at age 2.5 and plenty of kid-friendly amenities, these New England ski resorts are perfect for family ski trips. READ MORE

CT Winter Vacation Guide: Best Getaways and Activities for Families

Find the best things to do with kids in Connecticut this winter! READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

About the Author

Jenny Coe
Jenny Coe is a longtime Mommy Poppins writer and contributor and full-time mom to three boys. Jenny has also been a contributor at Patch and The Reminder (Hartford Courant). Here at Mommy Poppins, Jenny writes about great things for kids to do in Connecticut and New England, affordable fun, and nature experiences (her favorite!).
Recent Articles By Jenny Coe:
Read more articles by Jennifer Coe.