5 Things to Do with the Kids During Vacation Week

The past few weeks have been filled with shopping, baking, and parties. Now you can sit back and relax, right? Not so fast! The kids are out of school for a week and there are places to go and things to do to keep the holiday spirit alive and to kick of the official start of winter.

1.  Enjoy the snow: Ski Ward is open and ready for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. Although Mother Nature has not been generous with the snow yet this season, it has been cold enough for Ski Ward to make their own snow. Snow tubing will be available soon too. If snow happens to cover Northborough over the vacation week, consider having a snowman building party, invite friends and neighbors over and have each of them bring one part of the snowman. Take your sled to Ellsworth-McAffee park on Route 135 to one of the back soccer fields where there is a nice slope. Don’t forget that many of the town’s hiking trails are perfect for snowshoeing too. One trail is Edmund Hill Trail 
2. Enjoy the ice: Ice skating is great exercise and fun for the entire family to learn. Several area rinks offer public ice skating times. Navin Arena in Marlborough is the closest and offers public skating Monday through Friday 12:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m., Saturday 3-5 p.m. and Sunday 2:40 pm until 4:40 p.m. Be sure to check the schedule for any changes. Cost is $5 for admission and a limited number of ice skates are available for rental for an additional $4. If you would rather watch others skate, the Worcester Sharks hockey team have two home games during vacation week on Dec. 28 and Dec. 30.
3. Happy New Year: Looking for ways to welcome 2012? Worcester First Night has a full schedule of family friendly activities and events. Buttons for kids 8 years old and over and adults are on sale for $12 each at a variety of retail outlets such as Northborough CVS, Price Chopper, and Worcester AAA. If you purchase them at the door on Dec. 31, ticket prices are $15. Magicians, storytellers, kite building, and an early bird fireworks display for young families at 6:30 p.m. are all part of the festivities and there’s so much more.
4. Concord Museum’s 16th annual Family Trees celebration runs through Jan. 1. This year the theme is children’s literature. Thirty-six trees are decorated with original ornaments inspired by children’s storybooks. Sturbridge Village also has a variety of activities planned for school vacation week.
5. Northborough Free Library always has fun programs for the kids, some requiring registration. On Dec 28 from 7-8 p.m. kids ages 8 and up can do some fun science experiments and on Dec. 29 from 3–4 p.m. they can make candy cupcakes. Also kids up to grade five can register for the Leap Year Reading Challenge which will run from Jan. 1 through leap day, Feb. 29. On line registration is available for this event. The

Whatever you choose to do this week, have fun with your family and friends. That is what makes the lasting holiday memories. And, if it snows, be sure to get out there to make some snow angels and drink plenty of hot chocolate.

What are you doing vacation week? Share your ideas with us in the comments section. And load your fun vacation pics.