LuCk on the Run {Spring Break Edition}

I get a two-week Spring Break each March. Connecticut is rich in so many things - great parks and beaches, fantastic museums, great restaurants, and a rich history.   Today, I am sharing a sampling of the things that Chuck and I did over our Spring Break.  Everything listed is free or inexpensive to enjoy with your whole family! 

Pump It Up

I am fortunate to live down the street from a Pump It Up! The first time I took Chuck, she was absolutely in awe of the giant inflatable slides, castles, and bounce houses. I always thought that Pump It Up was just for birthday parties, I was very pleased to learn that they have several Open Jump times a day.  If you have a toddler, I highly recommend taking them during the day (aka "when the big kids are in school")  Chuck can hold her own with the big kids jumping, but I just feel safer having her bounce with kids her own size.  Pump It Up features weekly Glow Bounces, Craft Projects, Family Jumps, and Sensory Bounces.  To get more information, check out their schedule here

New York Botanical Garden Orchid Show

I've been taking Chuck to the Orchid show for three years; it has become a bit of a tradition for us. The first year, I walked through the conservatory with Chuck snuggled up in her baby carrier (they don't allow strollers in the greenhouse).  The second year, I chased my new walker through exhibit as she tortured the flowers.  This year, Chuck walked through the Orchid Show at a reasonable pace, while admiring the "beautiful flowers" from a safe distance.  

Earthplace, The Nature Discovery Center

Earthplace is located in Westport, Conn.  The trails, grounds, and outdoor animal exhibits are open to the public; there is a small fee to enter the facility.  I would say that if the weather is nice, there is enough to keep your child busy outside.  Since it was raining the day we went, I decided to pay the fee and head inside for the Story and Animal Program.  

Earthplace has large indoor room called Natureplace that is filled with all sorts of hands-on activities for the kids.  It also has all kinds of spaces for the kids to run around and climb and explore the different ecosystems in Connecticut.  This is where we gathered to listen to the story.  The educators at Earthplace are always very engaging.  Chuck loved meeting a lovely guinea pig.  

Kidville

We got a Groupon to Kidville to try out a bunch of their classes.  Chuck definitely got her fill during our staycation.  We took a trip on the Rock n Roll Railroad and enjoyed climbing around their playspace.  But, perhaps my most favorite class was Toddlers and Tutus.  I'm not what you'd call a "girly girl".  In fact, the only reason my daughter has a tutu is because she was given one as a Valentines Day gift. However; I absolutely loved taking her to her first ballet class.  I loved watching her learn to walk on a balance beam, make her feet into sleepy bunnies (flex), and prance around on her tippy toes (releve).  The class ended with an adorable tea party of apple juice and goldfish.  Although her pinky wasn't up, I was just proud that she didn't spill the juice all over the dance floor. 

The Granola Bar

After our ballet class, I decided to have lunch with my girl, so we headed to The Granola Bar in Westport.  We've stopped by this spot to pick up some bars on the run, but this was our first time sitting down and eating.  It was actually my first time taking Charley out to a "step above a diner" restaurant on my own.  I mean, we were living dangerously - there were real napkins and plates.  This could have been a disaster. The Granola Bar does have a children's menu, so I ordered Chuck a Nutbutter and Jelly, and myself a Granola Tasting.  When our meal arrived, Chuck's sandwich was huge!  Like bigger than her head huge.  She happily munched on her sandwich, ate her small bowl of fruit, crunched on her sweet potato chips, and managed not to break anything.  We even had a little chair dance party to "Dancing on the Ceiling".  

Best Time Ever

The Best Time Ever is an arts and crafts studio located in Stamford, Conn.  Unless otherwise noted, you can always pop in for "open studio" during the week.  Each Tuesday, they have a Toddler Time class where  you can "Make new friends, explore different art materials, and take home a new craft each week!". Since its Spring, this week's theme was wind. We made an adorable little pinwheel and decorated a real kite. The class was absolutely perfect for toddlers. Although Chuck was the youngest one there, every kid had a blast decorating their pinwheels and kites. After the class, we took our kite straight to the park to see if it would fly. Sadly, there was no wind, but Chuck enjoyed running around the park trying to get some air.

Other Adventures

Two weeks is a long time . . . . 

Peabody Museum

The Peabody is a Connecticut Institution.  Check out our adventures here.  Make sure to check your local library to pick up free passes! 

Aldrich Museum

We kicked off our break with a little paper making at the Aldrich.  You can check out our Alrdich Adventures here.  There is no cost of admission for teachers. 

Stepping Stones

We are members of Stepping Stones, but this year we decided to check out the Pajama Storytime with Olivia.  Chuck was absolutely in love!  It was a great evening for the whole family!

Bayley Beach, Compo Beach, Calf Pasture: The great thing about Connecticut Beaches off season (other than the fact that they are empty) is that they are filled with shells and shells, more shells and rocks.  Take a bucket, and get ready to explore! 

Shake Shack

We LOVE Shake Shack! It's the perfect mix of really good food, and completely kid friendly.  I try to get there on the early side to avoid the long lines. 

Story Time @ The Library

Connecticut has GREAT public libraries, make sure to check out the calendar of events!  We've done everything from yoga to scrapbooking. The Norwalk Public Library has a fun play kitchen and dress up clothes for kids to enjoy. They also offer a special family program every Friday morning. The Westport Public Library has a fantastic "toy library" of toys that can be checked out.  When you have a two week vacation, this can be a real life saver! 

LuCk on the Run {Yale Peabody Museum}

Chuck and mom have been on Spring Break these last couple of weeks, so we've been knocking stuff off of our "Kids in Connecticut" bucket list. I've lived in the Nutmeg State for about twelve years, but I haven't been to the Yale Peabody Museum. Chuck has a good 30 minute car ride in her, so I knew the 45 minutes it was going to take to get to New Haven was pushing it. But, hey, it's Spring Break!  Although it no longer means trips to the Bahamas with friends, I figure we could push the toddler envelope a little, see what happens, and go on a pint-sized adventure.

The Peabody is on all kinds of "things to do in Connecticut" lists. So, why did it take me twelve years to get here? Honestly, no one has ever really had anything fantastic to say about it. In fact, most people refer to it as "dated", "boring", and/or "a dead zoo" (OK, that last one may be what I call the New York Museum of Natural History, but it pretty much sums up museums of natural history, right?).

This is when that whole "through the magic of a child's eyes" thing is helpful. In her two years of life, Chuck has been to three museums: 1) The Aldrich, 2) The Maritime Aquarium 3) Stepping Stones. She has never been to a Museum of Natural History. When we walked into the Great Hall with the giant dinosaur skeletons, Chuck was in awe. So much so that she looked up and said "wow, that's humongous". She didn't know where to look. There were giant dinosaurs in the center of the hall, there were smaller animal skeletons all around, there was petrified wood, and the skeleton of an archelon (an ancient turtle). Chuck's vocabulary amazed me; she was pulling words out that I didn't even know she knew (humongous for example). Yes, the hall was dated, but to Chuck it was amazing.

The museum currently has a special exhibit called Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies. It didn't look like much when we walked in, but soon Chuck discovered some hands on displays. She sat down, grabbed a brush, and started brushing away clay and dirt to reveal dinosaur egg nests. Then, I did that typical mom thing; I gazed around the room wondering what else would be of interest to her. After she had brushed her fair share of eggs, I determined there was nothing else to be seen here.

That's when Chuck ran a little ahead of me, around a corner, and discovered baby emus! Real. Live. Baby. Emus. As part of this exhibit, the museum has an incubator with a bunch of emu eggs, and several baby emus! It's hard to say a baby emu is adorable, but they certainly make up for it in personality. They playfully followed Chuck back and forth behind the glass. When her little fingers poked the glass, they pecked back with curiosity. She was absolutely in love.

I should note that the museum also has a small, but lovely Discovery Room with a whole bunch of stuff for Chuck to get her hands on. They have pull out drawers filled with all sorts of specimens of fossils, insects, shells, etc. Chuck got up close and personal with a Madagascar hissing cockroach. The ferociousness with which she explores these things amazes me. While I tried my best to hide my bias, she dove right into the insect drawer. She even found a magnifying glass and knew exactly what to do with it.

On our way out, we stopped by the gift shop. They have a great collection of books, and other educational toys. I was most thankful that they divided the shop, very clearly, into kid friendly/adult friendly areas.

It probably took us about an hour or so to explore the museum. An hour gave us just enough time to explore all the galleries, and spend some time bonding with the emus. We've even been keeping tabs on our emus virtually through the museum's live stream of the nest!

LuCk on the Run {Westport Winter Farmer's Market}

This winter, Chuck and I have been frequenting the Westport Winter Farmer's Market at Gilberties Herb Garden in Westport; it is part of our Saturday morning ritual. This market has been my (not-so) secret getaway this Winter.  It is housed in Gilberties spacious greenhouse where it is always a comfortable 75º. It has been an oasis for Chuck and I, where the samples flow freely. Depending on my mood, I can either get a green juice from The Stand or a Cold Roman espresso drink from RAUS Coffee Company.

The great thing about the Market being in a greenhouse, is Chuck really can't stray that far from me.  The bad thing is, sometimes I let my guard down and Chuck treats herself to cookies and apples (oops!).  Sadly, toddler smiles aren't worth their weight in gold.

Each week, I give Chuck her own market tote and let her wander around. Yes, I partially do it because it is 100% adorable to watch her toddle around the greenhouse, going from vendor to vendor.  I also do it because she loves picking out her own apples from the Woodland Farm stand.  Her sample apple is always handed to her with a smile.  Chuck has tried so many new foods at the market (and so has mom!) Corn chips and bread are still her favorite, but she has tried many different kinds of cheese, fruits, and veggies. I learned that she is a fan of hard cheeses, not so much soft ones.  She likes empanadas, and quinoa salad, not so much ravioli (seriously, what kind of kid doesn't like ravioli?)

Although the idea of eating seasonally has always appealed to me, I've always found winter to be a bit of a challenge in Connecticut. (Hey, Chuck loves blueberries after her dinner.  Who am I to deny her indulging in this super food?)  The Winter Farmer's Market offers a nice assortment of seasonal fruits and veggies.  Chuck picked out her own sweet potato this week, which we roasted along with a chicken for Sunday supper.   Last week we made beef stew with carrots and potatoes that we picked out at the market.

Because it is winter, the market carries a ton of other options other than fruits and veggies.  They have a great selection of meats, fresh pastas, canned goods, bread and fish.  Oh, and, baked goods.  So. Many. Baked. Goods. Chuck and mom may have developed a slight monkey bread addiction this winter (it's locally sourced and organic, that's basically like health food, right?)

We have loved our Saturday's at the Westport Winter Farmer's Market!   It has literally been a breath of fresh air this winter!  The Market is as kid friendly as you can get, plus the snack food is abundant.  They even have farm stickers for the kids!  What more can you ask for? 

The market runs Saturdays November 16-March 15th at Gilbertie's, 7 Sylvan Lane, Westport. 

LuCk on the Run {Maple Sugar Festival}

Last weekend,  Chuck took mom and dad to the Maple Sugar Festival at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center.  After many (many) weekends cooped up inside, we cracked out our mud boots, and took this show on the road.  We welcomed the balmy 35º weather, and a chance to enjoy a little fresh air! 

When you go to a Maple Sugar Festival, you expect to indulge in a little bit of the sweet stuff, so we kicked off our adventure with a pancake brunch.  Chuck loves pancakes, so this was a perfect way to start off our day! Chuck loved dipping her short stack in her own little pot of syrup.  

The Museum had a variety of activities scheduled for the day.  We have been to several festivals here before, so we kind of knew the lay of the land.  For those of you who are not familiar with the Stamford Museum and Nature Center, most of their festivals are set up with several activity stations around Hecksher Farm.  

After brunch, we walked over to the Maple Sugar House for a demo.They had a little scavenger hunt set up for the kids to learn about maple sugaring.  Chuck saw how they tapped the trees.  Mom & Dad learned that there are actually three different methods of turning sap into syrup (in case it ever comes up in trivia: The Native American Method, The Colonial Method, and the Modern Method.) We all had fun collecting stamps on our worksheet.  At the Sugar House, we picked Chuck up a maple sugar lollipop that kept her happy for the rest of our adventure. This kid is crazy for lollipops.
  

In addition to learning about maple sugar, Chuck enjoyed squishing in the mud, petting a bunny, bopping around to Music with Ray & Jay (we're big fans), and doing a little craft project.   This was honestly the most fun Chuck has had at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center.  This was the kind of family activity where everyone was happy; it was a fun day out for the whole family.  I think the only "let-down" was that they were out of syrup to purchase.  But, all and all, it was a pretty sweet way to spend our weekend.