Things to Do with Kids

In honor of the nation's 250th anniversary, join Old Sturbridge Village this spring for a civics-focused program meant for homeschoolers ages 10 and up. Through primary sources, hands-on activities, and spirited discussion, students will come away with an understanding of the important social issues of the early 1800s and how that relates to their lives today.

Theme: Abolition and Social Change in 19th-Century New England

Through primary sources and interactive experiences throughout the Village, students will learn about the ways in which the Northern states participated in the institution of slavery in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, as well as the ways that some people fought against this system. Focusing on the 19th-century abolitionist movement, participants in this program will piece together a larger picture of the impact of slavery in a town like Sturbridge in the 1830s.

Students will begin with an educator-led lesson that explores Northern attitudes and complicity in the institution of slavery. In small groups, they will then visit specific sites in the Museum to look at primary sources. They will think deeply about the factors that influence their everyday choices and how they can use their own voices to create radical change. The program concludes with a guided discussion.

$18/student, register here!

Can't make it? There are two more civics programs offered, on March 6 and April 2, 2026.

1 Old Sturbridge Village Road

Sturbridge, MA 01566

Meets at the Museum Education Building. Please park in the Museum Education parking lot.

For details, download this map.

Kick off Valentine's weekend and swing by Sugar Plum Parties for their Daddy/Daughter Dance!

Enjoy pizza, stuffed animals, and dress-up hairstyles for the young ladies. There will be a main dance party with prizes, and a take home 4X6 photo to commemorate the evening. 💘

Cost is $60 per daddy & daughter (for families with 2 daughters, it will be $30 extra. If that is the case, please call 781-438-8488 or text 781-879-4291).

Register here!

Sugar Plum Parties

306 Boston Rd., Unit K (next to Belly Buster Diner)

Billerica, MA 01862

February vacation week brings a whole line-up of winter fun to the mountain. Visits from Princess Elsa, winter crafts, themed spirit days, and more!

Wachusett Mountain Ski Area

499 Mountain Rd

Princeton MA 01541

Connect with amazing wildlife and spend a memorable school vacay week with family and friends exploring all the Zoo has to offer. And don’t miss Orchid Adventure, featuring an exquisite display of tropical blooms in the balmy Tropical Forest pavilion!

Schedule of Events 🌸

All activities take place in the Tropical Forest near the sloth habitat

Saturday, February 14 – Valentine’s Day at the Zoo! 💕
Show some love to your favorite Tropical Forest animals! Create or bring a Valentine for animals like the gorilla, lemur, clouded leopard, pygmy hippo, anteater, Baird’s tapir, crocodile and sloth! Then drop your card into their animal Valentine boxes.

Sunday, February 15
In honor of World Hippo Day, they’re hosting a full day of hippo fun for fans of all ages!

Monday, February 16
Celebrate the 33rd birthday of Little Joe, western lowland gorilla, with a day full of discovery, hands-on crafts, snacks, storytime, educator chats, and more!

Tuesday, February 17

• 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Face painting and orchid-inspired crafts

Wednesday, February 18

• Storytime: 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. & 12:00 - 12:30 p.m.
• Orchid Crafts: 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. & 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, February 19

• 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.: Orchid crafts and lemur education station
• 11:00 a.m: Lemur enrichment (lemur habitat)

Friday, February 20

• 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.: Face painting and orchid-inspired crafts

Saturday, February 21

• 11:00 a.m.: Horticulture-led orchid tour through the Tropical Forest
• 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.: Orchid Mounting Workshop (pre-registration and additional fee required)

Sunday, February 22‍

Orchid Adventure Scavenger Hunt

Get tickets here!

1 Franklin Park Rd.

Boston, MA 02121

‍Get Directions

Looking for fun winter activities during February school vacation? Have a wild winter adventure at Stone Zoo!

Stone Zoo’s education team offers daily programming and keeper chats featuring animals from across the globe. Visit the flamingos in the Caribbean Coast aviary, discover how the arctic fox blends into snowy habitats, and learn how reindeer are adapted for cold-weather living. Ask questions, connect with Zoo staff, and learn how you can help protect wildlife.

Catch these keeper chats during the week!

• 10:00 a.m.: Red Panda
• 11:00 a.m.: Sloth
• 1:30 p.m.: Reindeer Chat
• 2:30 p.m.: Cougar

Get tickets here!

149 Pond Street

Stoneham, MA 02180

‍Get Directions

Scrambling for childcare during President's Day week? The Bay Area Discovery Museum has got camps that fit your needs, whether you need coverage for just Presidents’ Day or the entire Mid-Winter Break! Pick Monday only or the full week to keep kids happily busy (and learning!) while you keep life moving.

Presidents' Day Camp (February 16)

• ‍Ages: 4 – 6 year-olds‍
• Price: $135‍
• Aftercare: $30‍

A frosty wonder-lab of crafts, games, and discovery. Kids build pretend snowmen, design icy art, test materials to keep ice from melting the longest, and create a jar-sized blizzard to see how liquids layer and swirl. Perfect for the kid who loves animals of every kind. Register here!

Full Week Camps (February 16 – 20)

All Aboard Adventures

• Ages: 4 Year-Olds‍
• Price: $675‍
• Aftercare: $150

Curious minds go from here to there as they explore how the Bay Area moves, including trains, ferries and other methods of transportation. Kids design custom Clipper cards and map a BART adventure, then engineer a float-ready ferry to test what sinks and what floats. Perfect for the child who asks how things get from here to there. Register here!

Artful Scientist

• Ages: 5-6 Year-Olds‍
• Price: $675‍
• Aftercare: $150

Color, light, and curiosity take center stage as campers test ideas and create. They make leaf-powered paintings and sun prints from found objects, learning how energy and nature team up to make color happen. Perfect for the child who asks a million questions and loves the good kind of mess. Register here!

557 McReynolds Rd

Sausalito, CA 94965

Discovery Adventures are immersive day programs that give kids a chance to step back in time and experience life in the 1830s at Old Sturbridge Village!

Every session offers kids the opportunity to explore an aspect of 19th-century history and daily life. All programs include an afternoon snack, hands-on crafts, and the chance to learn something new while making lasting friends and memories.

For FAQs and further details, see their informational packet.

Slots fill up quickly, so pre-registration is highly recommended and must be done at least 2 weeks prior! Begin registration here and complete this form, also. Cost is $205/3 days.

Old Sturbridge Village

1 Old Sturbridge Village Road

Sturbridge, MA 01566

Join all or one of these homeschool series sessions at the park!

Star Stories (10 - 11 am)

Learn about constellations, listen to the stories told about them from around the world and see the night sky during the day in the StarLab! Ages 5+. Cost is $6, register here!

Welcome to the Solar System (12:30 - 2 pm)

Explore the astronomical “neighborhood” that is the solar system. Learn how the planets move around the sun, visit the planets and discover other celestial objects we can see in our skies. Ages 8+. Cost is $6, register here!

A Calendar in the Stars – Seasonal Constellations (2:30 - 4 pm)

Throughout the seasons, the stars we see in the sky change. Learn why this is, hear constellation stories from around the world and see the night sky during the day in the StarLab. Ages 10+. Cost is $6, register here!

Mississippi Gateway Regional Park

Brooklyn Park, MN