Head to Jones Beach for the annual air show over Memorial Day weekend. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army Golden Knights/via Facebook
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A day at Sunken Meadow State Park can feature playground games, a walk on the beach, and more. Photo by Kimberly Chacon
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Go off-trail at one of Long Island’s many parks and preserves. Photo by Gina Massaro
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Get off Long Island and explore Governors Island.
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Enjoy a Mother's Day brunch buffet at Coral House in Baldwin.
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Plan on everything going swimmingly this Mother's Day with a visit to the aquarium. Photo courtesy of the Long Island Aquarium
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Cherry blossoms usher in the spring season at Old Westbury Gardens. Photo courtesy of the garden
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Close to 500,000 tulips and other spring bulbs will bloom at Waterdrinker Family Farm & Garden. Photo by @nics photography
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The thrilling Moon Chaser spins, twists, dips, and inverts riders at heights up to 45 feet in the air.
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Take to the skies on Legoland New York's new Minifigure Skyflyer. Rendering courtesy of the resort
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Speed down the slides at Planet Play.
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The Vanderbilt is a great place to explore on a rainy day. Photo by Kristen Markel
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Celebrate with a themed birthday at Sippy Cups. Photo by the author
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Kids can hop on tricycles and ride around the indoor track at L.I. Salty Kids Cove.
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Jones Beach Energy and Nature Center's interactive exhibits are free.
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Discover the trails at Quogue Wildlife Refuge for a day of free, outdoorsy fun. Photo by Jaime Sumersille
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The River Canyon Run at Great Wolf Lodge is a raft slide the whole family can enjoy!
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Scale some trees during the weekend-long Arbor Day Festival at Planting Fields Arboretum. Photo courtesy of Planting Fields
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Free meals for kids are available on Tuesdays at most Moe’s Southwest Grill locations on Long Island.
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Photo of Liddle Bites play space in Long Beach by Lisa Fogarty for Mommy Poppins
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Winding paths, ponds, and streams line the lush grounds of Clark Botanic Gardens.
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The beaches in Montauk are among the nation's best. Photo by Joe Shlabotnik via Flickr
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Encourage an introduction to STEM education at the Long Island Children's Museum.
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Learn to surf at Montauk's SurfLuca or another surf school. Photo courtesy of the school.
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Host an affordable birthday party at Whimsical Vine Party Hall. Photo by Chofit the Man to Call via Pexels
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Babies 2 and younger can pet the goats, alpacas, and ponies for free at Fink’s Country Farm.
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Find free fun for Long Island kids at the free play space at the Broadway Mall. Photo courtesy the mall
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Enjoy the engaging exhibits at the Long Island Children's Museum. Photo courtesy of LICM
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Keep the kids busy at Applebee's with games on a tableside tablet. Photo by Anne Caminiti - Momee Friends of Long Island www.momeefriendsli.com
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The Ausable Chasm has been described as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks and it's one of our top 100 things to do in New York State with kids. Photo by Anna Fader
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Photo by Dora Somosi via Instagram
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Activities To Get You Out of the House This Weekend on Long Island

Enjoy some hands-on, outdoor, springtime exploration at CSTL's family-friendly programming. Photo courtesy of CSTL
Enjoy some hands-on, outdoor, springtime exploration at CSTL's family-friendly programming. Photo courtesy of CSTL
4/21/21 - By Jaime Sumersille

Outdoor adventures are calling this week, and Long Island families have their choice of inventive springtime programs to enjoy. Wander the trails by lantern light at Heckscher State Park, explore in broad daylight with Ranger Eric at the Sands Point Preserve, or clean the seashore during National Junior Ranger Day at the Fire Island Lighthouse.

You'll find more seasonal happenings in our roundup of 25 fun things to do this spring, plus our Event Calendar and Spring Fun Guide get constant updates as we learn of new family-friendly happenings.

Of course, summer will be here before you know it, so don't forget to book those summer camps. Slots are going fast for the 2021 season! Learn more about local and virtual summer camps with our upcoming Online Camp Fair. Visit virtual booths and watch live camp demos.

Editor's note: While we are trying to promote safer activities that occur outdoors or with social distancing guidelines in place, please keep your family and others safe by always wearing a mask and maintaining appropriate social distancing. If you arrive at an event that appears too crowded, try using the “nearby” search feature on our Event Calendar to find something else to do.

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Stop and smell the springtime blooms and spot fluttering butterflies at the Butterflies in Babylon pop-up. Photo courtesy of Hitch
Stop and smell the springtime blooms and spot fluttering butterflies at the Butterflies in Babylon pop-up. Photo courtesy of Hitch

Best Things To Do on Long Island This Week With Kids

Spring Lantern Walk at Heckscher State Park

East Islip
Friday, April 23
Wander through Heckscher State Park by lantern light, stopping along the way to search for signs of spring. Families are invited to bring a favorite nature quote to share.  READ MORE

Outdoor Adventures With Ranger Eric at Sands Point Preserve

Sands Point
Saturday, April 24
Each month, biologist and ranger Eric Powers leads visitors of all ages on a unique monthly exploratory walk across the sprawling grounds of the Sands Point Preserve. READ MORE

Trash to Treasure Program on Fire Island

Fire Island–FREE
Saturday, April 24
Kids can celebrate National Junior Ranger Day by collecting microplastics on the ocean beach and creating a collage. The program teaches children about the dangers of ocean pollution.  READ MORE

Back in Bloom Walk at Caleb Smith

Smithtown
Saturday, April 24
Join a nature educator to explore the grounds of Caleb Smith State Park Preserve in search of early blooming wildflowers. See if you can identify these spring treasures with the help of a field guide.  READ MORE

Springtime Exploration at Center for Science Teaching and Learning

Rockville Centre
Saturday, April 24
This nature educator-led family hike leads visitors around the CSTL Preserve as they search for signs of spring and notice the environmental changes happening.  READ MORE

Drop-Off Program at Sweetbriar Nature Center

Smithtown
Saturday, April 24
Young nature lovers are invited to spend a day at the Sweetbriar Nature Center, enjoying up-close encounters with its residents and hands-on, educational experiences as they explore the theme of "What's in Charlotte's Web." READ MORE

Earth Day Celebration at the South Fork Natural History Museum

FREE—Bridgehampton
Saturday, April 24
Head to the South Fork Natural History Museum for this FREE Earth Day celebration and learn about our planet Earth, as well as what you can do to help your corner of the world. READ MORE

Adventure Pack Walk at Sunken Meadow Park

Kings Park
Sunday, April 25
Experience Sunken Meadow State Park with experiments in this fun program. Park Rangers prep backpacks filled with engaging experiments and interactive activities for you to complete during a walk through the park. READ MORE

Guided Birdwatching at Leeds Pond Preserve

Plandome
Sunday, April 25
The Science Museum of Long Island has joined forces with the North Shore Audubon Society to teach you everything you need to know to find backyard and migratory birds. READ MORE

Earth Day Art Kits at Heckscher Family Hour

Huntington–FREE
Saturday, April 24-Sunday, April 25
The Heckscher Museum of Art invites families to celebrate Earth Day with a FREE take-home art activity kit. Book your timed-entry tickets to the museum and collect your kit at check-in READ MORE

Vanderbilt Museum Golf Classic

Centerport
Through Sunday, April 25
The Vanderbilt Museum grounds come alive on select evenings throughout April. Grab your putter and step onto the dazzling, light-up, 18-hole mini-golf course on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Your time on the links also includes a light show! READ MORE

Baby Animal Weekends at Garden of Eve

Riverhead
Weekends through Sunday, April 25
Spend your weekend day at the farm, where you can meet—and pet—some of its newest additions. Expect to see farm animals like lambs, baby bunnies, and chicks.  READ MORE

Peppa Pig Pandemonium at Once Upon a Treetop

Plainview
Monday, April 26
This action-packed, pig-inspired party includes dancing, singing, nursery rhymes, and even jumping in muddy puddles. Your Peppa Pig fans are sure to go hog wild. READ MORE

Tulip Festival at Waterdrinker

Wading River
Through Saturday, May 4
Close to 500,000 tulips and other spring bulbs are in full bloom at Waterdrinker Family Farm & Garden. Celebrate the tulip at the farm's annual Tulip Festival, with photo-ops that pay homage to the flower's Dutch roots, including oversized wooden shoes, a windmill, and more. READ MORE

Butterflies in Babylon

Babylon
Through Sunday, May 9
Butterflies in Babylon takes over the shared patio space of a few local shops, showcasing these flying beauties for visitors. READ MORE
Milky Ways combines two childhood favorites: sugary cereal and soft-serve ice cream. Photo by Kristen Markel
Milky Ways combines two childhood favorites: sugary cereal and soft-serve ice cream. Photo by Kristen Markel

More Things To Do in Long Island This April

Milky Ways Ice Cream and Cereal Bar Serves Out of This World Treats at New LI Location

Breakfast meets dessert at this Long Island sweet shop. READ MORE

Find an Amazing Petting Zoo on Long Island Where Kids Can Meet the Animals

Take your animal-loving kids to these local petting zoos and farms. READ MORE

12 Things To Love About Garden of Eve Organic Farm & Market

This family-owned farm offers serious fun, delicious produce, and brilliant blooms. READ MORE

Best Playgrounds on Long Island for Kids

These are our picks for destination-worthy playgrounds across Long Island. READ MORE

18 Best Places to Go Camping on Long Island with Kids

From the beach to the woods, here are the best places to pitch your tent on LI. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Center For Science Teaching And Learning CSTL