Get Your Maple Sugar Fix
The Trailside Nature Museum at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Cross River
Maple sugaring is one of the oldest industries in America, and beginning in mid-February, opportunities abound at the Trailside Nature Museum. Families can register to tap their own trees at the beginning of the sugaring season or drop in for the inside scoop on maple sugaring (aka the Sugar House Chat), offered on select Saturdays in February and March. And don’t miss the Sugaring-Off Party on Saturday, March 12, where kids tap the trees, learn to sugar, and celebrate with pancakes and homemade maple syrup.
914.864.7322; www.friendsoftrailside.org
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Drop-in Art Classes
Katonah Art Center, Katonah
If you’ve got a budding artist on your hands, nurture their creative genius with drop-in art classes this winter (and all year long) at the Katonah Art Center. The classes run daily for kids ages 6-11. Come prepared to get your creativity flowing, have fun and get messy!
914.232.4843; www.katonahartcenter.com
Take Cover From the Cold: Museum Tour
It’s the age-old wintertime dilemma: It’s bitter cold outside, but the kids have a bad case of cabin fever. The solution: Take them out, but take cover at any one of these Westchester-based museums.
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Westchester Children’s Museum
Rye
With 4,000 sq ft of interactive, hands-on exhibits, museum educators are always on hand to lead your kids through science, art, and cultural programs. It’s entertaining enrichment at its best.
914.421.5050; www.discoverwcm.org
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Hudson River Museum & Planetarium
Yonkers
Get out of the cold and into this museum, which includes Glenview Mansion (a historic 1870s structure overlooking the Hudson River), multiple art galleries, and the planetarium, which offers star shows on Saturdays and Sundays.
914.963.4550; www.hrm.org
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Katonah Museum of Art
Katonah
This local gem is perfectly sized for kids, with only two galleries of selections, so kids can take in some art without getting overwhelmed. In addition, KMA’s Learning Center is an interactive art space, where kids are invited daily to explore and create art.
914.232.9555; www.katonahmuseum.org
Neuberger Museum of Art
Purchase
Housed on the campus of SUNY Purchase College, Neuberger boasts more than 7,000 works of contemporary, modern, Latin American, and African art, plus plenty of hands-on activities for kids to explore.
914.251.6100; www.neuberger.org
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Bring on the Snow
With so many ways to revel in snow-day fun, Westchester’s kids don’t fear the white stuff — they embrace it! Here are some top snowy activities:
Cross-Country Ski & Snowshoe Trails
Teatown Lake Reservation, Ossining
Grab your skis or snowshoes and explore the nearly 15 miles of Teatown’s trails, which cover fields, mixed hardwood forests, laurel groves, and farmlands.
914.762.2912; www.teatown.org
Sled Down Dead Man’s Hill
Lake Isle Golf Course, Eastchester
The name says it all. Located on the 17th fairway, Dead Man’s Hill’s adrenaline-inducing slope has become a local favorite.
914.961.3453; www.lakeislecountryclub.com
Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding
Thunder Ridge Ski Area, Patterson
Don’t have time to make it to Vermont? Don’t worry, this convenient ski area has 22 trails, three chairlifts, and four magic carpets and it’s right in our own backyard. Hills are great for novices or experienced skiers and snowboarders looking for a quick excursion.
845.878.4100; www.thunderridgeski.com
Outdoor Ice Skating
Bundle up and spend a day practicing your figure eights at any one of the Westchester County public ice skating rinks, lakes and ponds. Visit parks.westchestergov.com for more information.
Blue Mountain Reservation, Peekskill
Mountain Lakes Park, North Salem
Tibbetts Brook Park, Yonkers
Ebersole Ice Rink, White Plains
Wampus Pond, Armonk
Wilson’s Woods, Mount Vernon
