Why beat around the bush, let’s just start with the big stuff. Sports Center is basically kid nirvana. This place has it all: ice skating, lazer tag, mini golf, bowling, paintball, batting cages, driving ranges, an arcade where the machines spew out tickets redeemable for prizes, there’s even a paint studio for your little Picasso. You can’t beat Sports Center when it comes to variety or sheer wow factor.

Maybe the flash and dazzle of a place like Sports Center just aren't your speed. If you’ve got a hankering for the great outdoors, Shelton has you covered. Indian Well State Park offers hiking on the Paugussett Trail, fishing, picnicking, and swimming. Webb Mountain, though technically in Monroe, sits on the border of Shelton. It is a great place for a family hike, and from Memorial Day through November 1 there are camp sites available. Webb Mountain Discovery Zone offers camps and classes for kids of all ages to get them away from their devices and out into nature. Nicholdale Farm is just one small part of the Shelton Land Trust. The 65-acre parcel boasts beautiful walking trails and fields of flowers. The entire land trust system encompasses miles of hiking trails across over 365 acres of preserved land. Along the way, you may encounter Eklund Native Species Garden tucked alongside Oak Valley Road. This native plants garden draws a wide variety of butterfly species.

If your littles have a case of the wiggles and need to blow off some steam, I suggest some quality playground time at one of Shelton’s many parks. Riverview Park is set alongside the banks of the Housatonic River, and offers baseball fields and a basketball court, as well as a playground. Keep an eye toward the river below and you might spot the Yale crew team practicing or if you’re lucky maybe you’ll find yourself there on Regatta day. The Nike Site on Mohegan Road is home to Shelton Little League and houses a tot playground. It also holds Cold War history beneath its mulch and pavement. East Village Park serves up the standards, tennis courts, a handball court, baseball and soccer fields, and a playground.

If all that running around makes you and your kiddos hungry, why not indulge in some frozen goodness? Shelton has a few notable hot spots for cool treats. In the town center, there’s Sassafras, a quaint little mom and pop diner with one heck of an ice cream freezer. On the other side of town is Wells Hollow Creamery. More than just an ice cream shop, Wells Hollow is also a farm with goats, cows, and bunnies. They offer birthday parties, and during the fall there is a corn maze. Downtown you’ll find The Ice Cream Shoppe where they’ve been scooping up homemade ice cream for over 40 years.

Shelton is farmland from way back, and in keeping with this tradition, the town boasts several notable pick-your-own farms. Jones Family Farms has just about everything you could possibly want from a PYO. Berries, pumpkins, Christmas trees, there is something for every season at Jones Farms. Beardsley Cider Mill is not to be overlooked. Situated atop a hillside on Leavenworth Road (just steps away from Nicholdale Farm), Beardsley offers a variety of PYO fruit and a farm store with quite possibly the best cider donuts in the universe. My kids and I wait all year for donut season at Beardsley. Fairview Tree Farm is highly seasonal, but from October through the holidays it is a hive of activity. They scare up fun for Halloween with their notorious Legends of Fear events. These are pretty scary, so they're best left to older kids. When it’s time to choose the Christmas tree, Fairview has pre-cut and cut your own. On the weekends the man himself, Santa takes up residence and families can join him on a hay-ride.

The Shelton Historical Society, situated at the corner of Cloverdale and Ripton Road, displays the history of the town in its three main buildings, the Brownson House, Wilson Barn, and the Trap Falls Schoolhouse. Take your kids on a trip back in time to see how kids lived, worked, and went to school. Bring the Hoopla is a hula hoop studio offering classes and camps. The Giggling Pig is an art and party studio featuring a variety of classes for budding artists. At the corner of Hull and Riverdale, across from Veteran’s Memorial Park, there is a skatepark situated beneath a large overpass which is suited to older kids or teens. Last but certainly not least, the Shelton Farmers Market brims with local produce from May to September, serves up delicious food, and sometimes features musical guests.

Shelton may seem like an unassuming little town at first glance, but once you scratch the surface it is clear that there’s a lot going on here if you just know where to look.

Photos courtesy of author.