Connecticut

Weekend Fun For CT Kids: St. Patrick's Day Parades, Easter Express, and a Maple Syrup Festival

Submitted by Donald Eng on Wed, 03/21/2018 - 5:43pm

Spring is here! Warm weather! Balmy breezes! Baseball and backyard cookouts! All right, you were probably too busy digging out from Connecticut's fourth nor'easter in two weeks, but spring arrived this week. Spring weather, not so much, but it's coming soon. Please, let it be coming soon.

Connecticut STEM Camps Keep Science and Math Fun All Summer

Submitted by Julia Tolstrup on Sun, 03/18/2018 - 10:00am

Got a kiddo who loves all things science and tech? If so, a STEM summer camp could be a great way to broaden those interests and start your little scientist on a path of lifelong learning. STEM-based camps motivate young people to learn about and protect the natural world, while helping them understand the progression of technology and how they can contribute to its progress—which is now probably more important than ever. At these enriching, hands-on summer programs, kids will have a chance to learn about everything from building a model coral reef, to designing and printing 3-D objects, to powering a circuit using solar energy.

Can You Visit Legoland on a Disney World Orlando Vacation?

Submitted by Mandy Carter on Sat, 03/17/2018 - 6:24pm

Planning a theme park vacation in Orlando, Florida? Disney World and Universal are the common highlights of an Orlando trip, but there are several other tempting theme parks in the area. If your family has Lego lovers—especially if they're between the ages of 2 and 12—Legoland Florida is a great add-on to an Orlando vacation. But with only so much time and a limited budget, the big question is, "Is it possible to go to Legoland and Disney World on one trip to Orlando?"

25 Things We Can't WAIT to do This Spring

Submitted by Julia Tolstrup on Fri, 03/16/2018 - 2:41pm

Hey. Sooo...how are you holding up? Over here things have been...y'know...kinda snowy. I don't know about your house but in mine, there were four snow days and a weekend in the space of seven days. Do the math. I'll wait. By the end, I was scraping the bottom of the barrel for something, anything to keep my kids from climbing the walls. But there's good news. The first day of spring is in view. Like, if we were on a road trip and spring was the destination, we'd be passing highway signs saying we had entered the Greater Metro Spring Area. Deep breath. We're almost there. And you know what, even though it might snow again, there's a little quote I like to remember that goes "no winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn." The naturalist Hal Borland said that. And he lived right here in Connecticut so he knew what he was talking about. So with spring upon us, I thought it would be a good time to start getting excited about all the fun stuff we are gonna do when the snow melts and the jackets come off!

Lake Compounce Amusement and Water Park in Bristol, CT

Submitted by Mary Beth Lawlor on Fri, 03/16/2018 - 9:03am

Last week I took the kids on a day trip to Lake Compounce in Bristol CT. It's the oldest, continuously-operating amusement park in North America as well as Connecticut’s largest water park. It was our first visit. I must admit, I am not an amusement park enthusiast. I don't like long lines, sticky and dirty parks, wading through throngs of people and being forced to eat food that has been processed so many times that you aren't sure of its origin. That being said, we had a blast and even I can't wait to go back again. Read on to hear about our experience and check out our Mommy Poppins Theme and Water Park Guide for even more park fun.

Teaching through Touch: The Connecticut Children's Museum

Submitted by Makayla O'Keefe on Thu, 03/15/2018 - 7:10pm

Imagine walking inside the great, green room in the beloved children's book "Goodnight Moon" where there is a telephone, a red balloon and a picture of the cow jumping over the moon. A room complete with the famous "comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush," allowing you play by the fireplace, lie down in the bed or open a cabinet filled with clocks and wind them all up. Well, at the Connecticut Children's Museum in New Haven, you can.

Top New Amusement Parks and Rides Opening This Summer

Submitted by Jody Mercier on Thu, 03/15/2018 - 2:24pm

The summer family vacation season is right around the corner, so it's never too early to start dreaming of your escape. Amusement parks, of course, are always top of mind for the kids come summer, so we've trekked up and down the eastern seaboard (virtually, anyway) to find the coolest new theme park attractions set to open this spring and summer.

There's a brand-new thrill ride at Six Flags New England, a pint-sized coaster at Sesame Place, a whole new Toy Story Land in Orlando, and Thomas Town opens near Pittsburgh with plenty of locomotive fun. Read on for more than a dozen new top attractions we're looking forward to checking out at amusement parks spanning from Massachusetts to Florida this summer.

St. Patrick's Day Weekend Fun: Parades, Parties, and Painting

Submitted by Jacqueline Miller on Wed, 03/14/2018 - 9:39pm

Okay, my friends, it's go time: the last weekend of winter is here, and we're ready (after this week's nor'easter, more than ready!) to say farewell to the snow and the cold. Celebrate the sweetest part of winter with a little maple sugaring in Redding, Hebron, or Sharon or stay indoors to see a fun family show such as Goldilocks at the Downtown Cabaret Theatre in Bridgeport or Erth's Dinosaur Zoo Live at either the Shubert in New Haven on Saturday or the Jorgensen Center in Storrs on Sunday.

Fairfield County Drive Thru's That Can Change Your Life

Submitted by Ally Noel on Sun, 03/11/2018 - 11:38am

Before children, I would mock those parents who sat in their car waiting in the drive-through line at Starbucks. While I had the luxury of walking right up to the counter and ordering my foamed caffeinated beverage, they would sit in their cars and wait. On the way out, I would walk by and smugly think “beat ya”, to myself while they still waited in their cars.

My, how times have changed. Nowadays, if there is a drive-thru within a ten mile radius I will drive to it. When the nurse asked me which pharmacy I use, I automatically chimed “CVS, the one on Willard. You know, the one with the drive-thru”. Drive-thru dry cleaning? Sign me up! Stuck in the car during nap time? Curbside delivery it is! Thankfully, Fairfield County has its fair share of drive-thru, drive-in, and delivery establishments that go beyond Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds.

Easter Egg Hunts and Events in Connecticut

Submitted by Makayla O'Keefe on Fri, 03/09/2018 - 1:52pm

Hippity Hoppity Easter's on its way! That's right folks, the Easter Bunny is coming to town. And, if you're like us and you can't wait any longer for Springtime, Cadbury Eggs and Easter bonnets, we've got you covered. With glow-in-the-dark egg hunts, train rides and bunny breakfasts and brunch, we have rounded up a seriously comprehensive list of bunny sightings and egg-stravaganzas across the state. Hint: March 24th seems to be a very popular date for Easter Egg hunting. Most of these events are geared towards preschoolers and younger elementary age children, so keep that in mind if you have older children. Also note that some events require pre-registration and/or prepayment. Have a hopping good time!