Mostly Free & Fun Things to Do this Weekend with Westchester Kids: Live Shows, Last-Chance Holiday Events, Kwanzaa and More, Dec. 25-28

Seasonal fun abounds all weekend long in Westchester and due the short holiday week, we've decided to run our weekend roundup a day early. You'll find lots of fun things to do with kids around town--we've even listed a few events happening on Christmas Day! For this coming weekend, we'll highlight the wrap-up of a few seasonal events in Westchester and the Hudson Valley. Additionally, in light of all the high expenses incurred around the holidays (not to mention the exhaustion!), we’ve selectively zeroed in on activities that are FREE, inexpensive and/or restful.

If you haven’t yet squeezed in enough holiday events, get your last licks with Frosty Fest, Holiday Spirit Festival, or Mr. Dickens Tells a Christmas Carol, all of which end this weekend. Continuing this weekend (as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) is It's a Wonderful Life.

If you’re looking for FREE, celebrate the start of Kwanzaa with The Black Candle or enjoy Family Holiday Program, Lionheart Puppet Company, Spring Valley Puppet Theater, The Polar Express or Alamo Kids Camp, to name a few.

For other forms of low-key, low-cost entertainment, your kids might enjoy a comical performance by The Paper Bag Players, cheering at the Slam Dunk Tournament or getting artsy at School’s Out/Art’s In.

Read on for our top weekend picks, and click through to the event listing to view full details. Looking for more options? You can count on our Event Calendar to keep you busy, and check out our roundup of holiday mini-camps. Sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter to get top picks delivered straight to your inbox. 

Weekend Fun for Boston Kids December 27-28: Sing-a-Long Sound of Music, Holiday Pops: Home Alone and More

This last weekend in December brings with it the chance to sit back and relax before the new year arrives. For some indoor fun, bring the whole family to the Sing-a-Long Sound of Music in Arlington or head over to Symphony Hall in Boston to watch the Holiday Pops: Home Alone movie with live orchestral accompaniment. The Museum of Fine Arts offers Vacation Week Activities all weekend, and the Family Trees exhibit is still going strong in Concord. For outdoor family time, check out holiday light displays in and around Boston.

If you haven't yet made it to one of the holiday performances in the area, it's the last chance to catch A Christmas Carol in Worcester, the Christmas Revels in Cambridge, and Boston Ballet's Nutcracker in Boston. To experience a unique take on a classic story, bring the kids along to The Light Princess in Cambridge, the Urban Nutcracker in Boston, or Mr. Punch's Christmas Carol in Brookline.

Also on Mommy Poppins this week:

If you're looking for something to do on Thursday when most places are closed, take a look at our 10 Christmas Day activity ideas for the whole family

Enjoy your weekend, and don't forget to check out the full events calendar for school vacation week fun!

Long Island Kids' Activities December 27-28: Frozen Fest, The Stacey Peasley Band, Live Theater & More

With nearly two weeks of holiday break to fill, we'd thought we'd help you out with some activity planning. From live shows and music to model trains and crafts and more, we've got you covered.

Don't see your event listed here? Add it to our events calendar. And if you don't receive this post in your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter. And for plenty of more seasonal activities, be sure to check out our Long Island Holiday Fun Guide.

Weekend Fun for Philly Kids December 27/28: All-Star Days, Dino Days and Winter Break Fun

Winter break is here. Kids are home from school, moms and dads have taken time off from work, and, finally, families have a chance to enjoy the fruits of their labor and savor the holiday.

However, if your vision of Christmas break has nothing to do with sugar plums and more to do with the anxiety of how to keep the kids entertained, fear not! The Mommy Poppins calendar has plenty to keep everyone happy.

Nestle down by the fire with a good book, add some last minute decorations to the tree or take a family day trip. Visit Dino Days at Wilmington's Delaware Natural History Museum or All-Star Days at Philadelphia's Academy of Natural Sciences. See The Media Theatre's Annie Jr. or Hedgerow Theatre's  A Christmas Carol as they both close this weekend. View the beautiful lights at Fonthill's Candlelight Castle Tour. Or perhaps you are ready to ring in 2015 and want to make New Year's Eve plans

No matter how you chose to spend the first weekend of winter break, Mommy Poppins wishes you a very Happy Holiday!

Don't see your event listed among our events? Please add it to our calendar. Thank you. 

Weekend Fun for NYC Kids: Ice Carving at the Bronx Zoo, Last-Chance Holiday Fun, Kwanzaa, Seal Watching December 27-28

Since this is a short holiday week, we decided to run our weekend picks post a few days early. That way you can plan out your family's Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the weekend beyond long before Santa hops on his sleigh.

Seasonal fun abounds this weekend. Enjoy frosty fun at the Bronx Zoo's Wildlife Ice Carving Week, try hands-on projects at the New York Hall of Science's ReMake the Holidays and celebrate Kwanzaa at the American Museum of Natural History's annual festival. It's also a great time to see all of NYC's iconic holiday sights before they're gone, like animatronic department store windows, over-the-top Christmas houses and massive decorated trees.

These are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Holiday Fun Guide, including a list of 35 things to do with kids over the school break. From all the moms at Mommy Poppins, we wish you and your family a fabulous holiday season, whatever you celebrate.

Restaurants Open on Christmas Day in Hartford County

On Christmas Day, as I wipe sweat from my brow while basting a turkey and multitasking pots of various accompaniments, I will exude holiday cheer. Inwardly, I will be silently envious of my friend’s family who, each year, relaxes at Great Taste restaurant, their Christmas mainstay, after getting the heavy lifting over with on Christmas Eve. For those of you who, after a full season of holiday festivities, choose to take it easy on Christmas Day, or who do not celebrate the holiday and are looking for a meal out, there are definitely some options in the greater Hartford area. If you like Asian fare, you can find several delicious choices at various price points. For more traditional holiday fare, you can find restaurants east and west of the river that offer a prix fixe menu. And if you care to travel, check out these restaurants that are open in Fairfield County. Happy holidays!

Indoor Miniature Golf in New Jersey

Have some spooky fun at Monster Mini Golf. Photo by Dore Duhaime

Is any summer vacation complete without a round of miniature golf? If that thought gets you revved up, how about getting started now? NJ has a few indoor mini-golf courses, ranging from quiet putting practice to standard windmills and waterfalls, to full-on glow-in-the-dark monsters and music, so brush up on your stroke and prepare yourself for the great outdoors!

And for more indoor fun, check out our Indoor Play Spaces, Sports Centers and Fun Zones Guide.

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