Things to Do with Kids

Catch this FREE event focusing on fitness for mothers! Hosted by Blossom Birth and Family.

Schedule for the day includes:

• 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM: Welcome
• 10:15 AM - 10:25 AM: Strength Program
• 10:25 AM - 10:35 AM: Women on Weights Program
• 10:35 AM - 10:45 AM: Aquatics Program
• 10:45 AM to 11:30 AM: Q & A

Oshman Family JCC

3921 Fabian Way

Palo Alto, CA 94303

Jeff Center for Families/Room G-106

Join the Metrpolitan Waterworks Museum for their FREE second Saturday speaker series!

This month, Jeff Keller, organizer of local pub and chantey sings, and his friends are coming to the Museum to delight us with an afternoon of songs related to coal-mining, steamships, locomotives, and more! All second Saturday speaker events are upstairs in the Overlook Gallery from 1pm to 2pm. The presentations are free and open to everyone, including walk-in visitors, space permitting.

Help them monitor capacity by reserving your FREE tickets in advance.

Museum admission is always free.

2450 Beacon St

Boston, MA 02467

Haiti Cultural Exchange returns to Brooklyn Children’s Museum in 2026 for a new season of interactive youth and family programming!

In this session, Viv Liv Books’ Justine A. P. Louis will bring her amazing collection of Haitian and Caribbean youth books for a special afternoon of learning, making, and play. Learn more about all the traditional games played in Haiti and play them yourself!

BUY TICKETS HERE ($15)!

Can't make it this time? Ti Atis (Little Artists) takes place on the second Saturday of each month from November 2025 – May 2026. Each Saturday features a different instructor and art form from the community. First come, first served.

*Photo Credit: brooklynkids.org

Brooklyn Children’s Museum

145 Brooklyn Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11213

Join these FREE events at the Acton Discovery Museum's Especially for Me Nights!

Register Now (free with preregistration!)

Join this special free evening for visitors on the autism spectrum and their families or caregivers. Enjoy a fun, friendly experience in the accessible and universally designed Museum while exploring our interactive exhibits and participating in hands-on activities. Any person who can benefit from a limited capacity visit is welcome at this event; a medical diagnosis is not required.

The Museum will be closed to the general public during the event. Dinner, including a gluten-free option, will be provided.

Visit their Especially for Me page for resources to prepare for your visit and check out other dates/groups to see if you and your kids will be more comfortable on your trip during those times!

177 Main Street (Route 27)

Acton, Massachusetts 01720

Night in the Museum is an overnight experience at Old Sturbridge Village designed for scouts, schools and other youth groups.

With only a map and a tattered journal at their side, young historians will travel back in time and take part in a mysterious, candlelit adventure through the 1830s. The quest will exercise their detective skills as they hunt for clues, conduct experiments, and investigate the past. Back at the hands-on learning laboratory, they will experiment with historic crafts to learn more about 19th-century life.

While these programs fill up fast and are almost sold out through the rest of 2025, grab your spot now for January 2026 HERE!!!

1 Old Sturbridge Village Road

Sturbridge, MA 01566

Come join teen-led group NeuroSphere hosted by the Palo Alto Library!

NeuroSphere is a community for curious 3rd-8th graders about medicine! This session will dive into the basics of brain function, fun activities to test your brainpower, and an introduction to future career opportunities. There will be snacks, and as always, feel free to bring a friend!

NeuroSphere is a group of high school students driven by a passion for neuroscience and the wonders of the brain. Their mission is to inspire curiosity and spark a love for science in younger students by creating engaging, hands-on learning experiences. Through NeuroSphere, they hope to share their knowledge, connect with the community, and encourage the next generation of future scientists and innovators!

Questions? Email neurosphereyouth@gmail.com.

Can't make it this time? Catch the group the second Sunday of February or March, as well!

Mitchell Park Library

3700 Middlefield Rd

Palo Alto CA 94303

Find out why more students are taking a Gap Year between high school and college. Many teens want to increase college and workplace readiness by exploring interests, traveling, improving professional skills, and engaging in other experiences that increase confidence, independence, and maturity. Join Katherine Stievater, founder of Gap Year Solutions for a presentation and Q&A about why students choose to take a Gap Year, and how to plan transformational and purposeful Gap time on any budget.

This program is especially geared to high school juniors and seniors and their caregivers.

Please register here! It is an online event, a Zoom link will be sent to participants on January 13!

Virtual

Manure may seem like an automatic "no," but stick with us! This could be a great lesson in science for our homeschoolers!

Learn what is involved in maintaining a healthy environment for animals in the barn and healthy pastures. Discover the journey of spent bedding and manure from the barn to healthy soil.

Reservations required by one week prior! You will receive an email from the instructor with more details prior to the program. This program is a combination of indoor and outdoor activities. Please dress for the weather and to get dirty!

Cost is $21.25, register here!

Gale Woods Farm

7210 County Road 110 W

Minnetrista, MN 55364

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a designated National Day of Service, to encourage all Americans to volunteer within their communities and honor the life and legacy of the Civil Rights leader. Join the Acton Discovery Museum as they engage in small acts of service to benefit your neighbors.  

Make a Welcome Card and help collect “Welcome Basket” supplies to support the Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center, an organization dedicated to providing comprehensive services to refugees, asylees, and immigrants in Massachusetts. Welcome baskets provide families and individuals with essential goods necessary for day-to-day life. Most needed new and unopened items are:  

• Cleaning supplies such as dish soap, hand soap, all-purpose cleaner, sponges, laundry detergent
• Household supplies such as toilet paper, paper towels, Ziploc bags, trash bags, First Aid kits, laundry baskets, brooms & dustpans, can openers

All supply donations can be dropped off in the Museum lobby from January 13 – January 31, 2026.

177 Main Street (Route 27)

Acton, Massachusetts 01720

Join the California Academy of Sciences for an amazing opportunity in the new year!

At a Penguins + Pajamas Sleepover, the adventure begins well before bedtime—and continues the next day. Spark your young science-lover's imagination by exploring our exhibits after hours. Go stargazing at a private planetarium show. Snack on milk and cookies before going to sleep under the starfish (or the penguins, if you prefer). And be the first to greet Claude in the morning—after breakfast, of course.

Don't sleep on it—sleepovers fill up far in advance! Book early to avoid disappointment. Sleepovers start at 6 p.m. and continue until 8 a.m. the following morning.

• Saturday, January 17, 2026
• Saturday, January 31, 2026
• Saturday, February 21, 2026
• Saturday, March 14, 2026
• Saturday, March 28, 2026
• Friday, April 10, 2026
• Friday, April 17 2026 (Girl Scout Exclusive)
• Friday, May 1, 2026
• Friday, May 15, 2026
• Saturday, June 13 2026 (Girl Scout Exclusive)

Buy tickets here (starting around $136)!

Ages 4-17 welcome.

Golden Gate Park

55 Music Concourse Drive

San Francisco, CA 94118

Directions & Parking

The first long weekend after winter break arrives quickly. The Discovery Museum's 1 day MLK camp turns “uh-oh, no school” into “aha, great plan”. With your curious kids busy learning, you’ll enjoy a more manageable Monday.

Cosmic Campers (ages 4-5 years)

Planet by planet, kids explore vivid terrains, meet whimsical space creatures, and collect fun facts they cannot wait to share at dinner. Campers become universe-makers as they create a custom comet and build an asteroid belt masterpiece from rocks and paint.

• $135/day
• Extended care available for $30

Electric Explorers (ages 6-7 years)

From wire to wow, kids learn how electricity flows as they wire closed circuits, flip switches, and troubleshoot like pros. Projects include a DIY flashlight and a sculpted creature powered by a custom circuit (think: glowing nose or beeping tail).

• $145/day
• Extended care available for $30

Enroll for camp online here!

557 McReynolds Rd

Sausalito, CA 94965

Have you ever wondered what it takes to bring the past to life? This special program for older Girl Scouts goes beyond the visitor experience to reveal the inner workings of an 1830s living history museum (Old Sturbridge Village). Scouts will step behind the scenes to explore areas not usually open to the public and gain a deeper understanding of the skills, creativity, and dedication it takes to preserve and share history.

During this immersive program, Scouts will:

• Take Behind-the-Scenes Tours: Visit collection storage areas, workshops, and staff-only spaces where artifacts are preserved and prepared for exhibit.
• Meet Museum Professionals: Speak with staff who work in education, collections care, historical clothing, interpretation, maintenance and visitor engagement to hear about their day-to-day roles.
• Explore Career Pathways: Learn what kinds of education and skills are helpful for different museum jobs, and discover how interests in history, art, science, or teaching can all come together in the museum world.
• Participate in Hands-on Workshops: Try activities that are connected to museum careers, such as foodways, textiles, sewing, visitor experience and more. See workshops and sign up here.

This program is designed for older Girl Scouts (ages 12 and older) looking to broaden their horizons, connect their love of history to real-world opportunities, and see what lies beyond the gallery walls. It’s an experience that will inspire curiosity, leadership, and future career exploration.

*Preregistration is required!

Cost is $12 per Scout for full-day admission to Old Sturbridge Village (workshops included in cost). One adult per Scout ages 5 and above is admitted at the rate of $17. Additional adults pay the full price rate ($27).

Purchase standard daytime admission for the event here!

Old Sturbridge Village

1 Old Sturbridge Village Rd

Sturbridge, MA 01566