The Children's Museum in West Hartford: New Home, New Focus

The Children's Museum in West Hartford has a new home for interactive and educational exhibits that are sure to delight Connecticut kids. Photo courtesy of the author.

Is the Children's Museum in West Hartford worth a visit? Yes! Imagine a museum where you and your toddler or preschooler could spend the morning exploring chemistry, geology, entomology, and more. Where all the displays are immersive, interactive, and STEAM-based. Best of all, the exhibits at the Children's Museum are hands-on.

What's Open on Christmas Day in CT: A List of Awesome Things To Do

Lace up your skates on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day for family fun in Connecticut! Photo by Ally Noel for Mommy Poppins.

If you are wondering what's open on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve in Connecticut, there are light shows and fun things to do and see. When the "most wonderful" time of year is here, and decorations are up, menus are planned, and most gifts are wrapped, you may be thinking about some activities that will help you cherish family time. This list of 17 events happening on and around Christmas Day in Connecticut is sure to have something for everyone, from Christmas Eve skating and a reindeer festival to a much-loved free light show.

With media issues fixed and "It's a Wonderful Life" cued up, I'm ready for Christmas! No matter what you celebrate, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or a combination, have a wonderful holiday season and enjoy as much as you can with our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for Connecticut Families.

Restaurants Open on Christmas Day in Connecticut

Dine among a beautiful display of holiday lights on Christmas in Southington, one of the restaurants open on Christmas in Connecticut! Photo courtesy of Cava Restaurant

It's great to know there are restaurants open on Christmas in Connecticut to serve customers a delicious holiday meal. These restaurants are really pulling out the stops in 2023 with menus that will make your tastebuds happy. Choose from many different picks from the sea, delicious entrees, sides, drinks and of course...desserts, the best part. Happily, many have kids menus, too.

If you'd rather eat in the comfort of your own home, there's several wonderful locations preparing Christmas takeout, too. Many of them will deliver holiday meals to your door. You never know, ordering Christmas dinner in might become one of your family's newest memory-making traditions!

And with all that spare time not preparing Christmas dinner, you can try some of these 101 Christmas Activities for Kids. If you're looking for fun seasonal experiences, explore the Must do Holiday Events in Connecticut This Season.

Best Neighborhood Christmas Light Displays and Holiday Lights in Connecticut

The best neighborhood Christmas light displays in Christmas are ready to shine for the holidays in 2023! Photo courtesy of Amarante's Winter Wonderland

The best neighborhood Christmas lights in Connecticut feature thousands of lights, stars, Christmas trees, cartoon characters and more. Connecticut neighborhoods go all out to create a flashy, bright and cheerful holiday light show, sometimes complete with music. This truly is some of the most wholesome (and yes, FREE) entertainment for the 2023 holiday season. Besides that, many of them are collecting cash and non-perishable food items for local charities. Special note: check social media pages prior to traveling to check their schedule, and find out the radio station you can tune to for accompanying music.

Planning your holiday get together with the family? Check  out these 20 Fun Christmas Games for the Whole Family.  And make sure to to check out our Connecticut Holiday Fun Guide.

Best Museums for Kids in Connecticut: Children’s Museums and Family-Friendly Museums

By land, by sea,  by river—however!— families are coming to the best Museums in Connecticut! Connecticut River Museum photo by Ally Noel for Mommy Poppins

Local families love the best museums for kids in Connecticut; children's museums that are interesting, fun, and always hands-on! Connecticut offers all sorts of special places to take your kids. There is STEM-related fun in Hartford, historical exploration in Mystic, and CT children's museum excitement in Niantic, Norwalk, and beyond. So whatever your child is interested in, you can find interactive fun to fill up an entire day. Many of the museums offer regular classes and meet-ups that will become a part of your week. Some turn down the lights and music and offer sensory-friendly hours. 

Be sure to look through our list of Free Museums in Connecticut to Visit with Kids for bargain-priced museum fun. And be surte to explore our Connecticut Museums Guide and Indoor Fun Guide for family activities in any kind of weather!

Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving in Connecticut

Connecticut restaurants will fill your plate this Thanksgiving! Photo courtesy of Artisan in Southport

Has your family decided to go easy this year and find a restaurant open on Thanksgiving 2023? This tasty food-centric holiday will bring families together again as everyone is looking forward to relaxing with some good food and stimulating conversation. We don't blame you if you aren't looking forward to actually cooking that meal so there are many restaurants open on Thanksgiving in Connecticut serving up delicious and creative, inspired holiday meals. Many of these restaurants are open on Thanksgiving and offer special pricing for kids.

Mommy Poppins recommends making reservations ASAP, as seating can fill up very quickly. And if you're looking for a few extra laughs over the long Thanksgiving weekend, check out 25 Thanksgiving Jokes for Kids They'll Gobble Up.  And have fun throughout the season with 50 Thanksgiving Crafts, Games, and Activities for Kids and Families.

Polar Express Train Rides and Christmas Trains in New England 2023

Polar Express trains are coming to towns all over New England for Christmas 2023! Photo courtesy of the Cape Cod Central Railroad

The Polar Express is coming, so all aboard for classic Christmas trains in New England! Seasonal trains are boarding and heading off on the track where kids drink hot chocolate (and eat cookies), sing songs, and see Mr. and Mrs. Santa. Holiday trains in Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut are already selling tickets (and selling out!) for special seasonal rides. These Christmas trains are a great way to kick-off your holiday season. 

Bookmark our our events calendars in Boston and Connecticut to stay updated on family holiday events during the 2023 holiday season and keeping check our Holiday and Christmas Activities Guide to make the most of your holiday calendar.   

Pages