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Whether you’re looking to create memories or just keep the little ones entertained, these tips will help you plan affordable fun close to home.
For Little Ones
1. Plan a winter scavenger hunt in a local park, such as Rockefeller State Park Preserve, with seasonal items on the list, like pinecones, animal tracks, or specific types of trees.
2. Many museums, including those geared to children, are open during the holiday break (call ahead for holiday hours and special events). The Westchester Children’s Museum in Rye has interactive play and hands-on exhibits and activities for kids under 12 (open every day but Christmas); Katonah Museum of Art frequently hosts family-friendly workshops and events, especially during the holiday season; and Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk is a short drive away.
3. Check out local craft stores or art studios offering crafts workshops, where kids can make holiday-themed ornaments or gifts.
4. Look for local libraries or community centers hosting special story time events—some feature visits from Santa—where kids can listen to holiday tales and share their wish lists.
5. At nighttime, take a drive with the kids around your neighborhood to see holiday light displays, stroll through Harvest Moon’s Lumina Magical Lights (500,000 LEDs) in North Salem, or cruise through the dazzling extravaganza at Kensico Dam’s Winter Wonderland.
For Tweens and Teens
6. For indoor boredom-busting, start a family book club, or set up a picnic on a blanket by the fireplace; queue up a Harry Potter marathon or binge on holiday-themed movies.
7. Sharpen their kitchen skills with cooking classes at ZWILLING Cooking Studio in Pleasantville, Sur La Table at The Westchester in White Plains, and Stew Leonard’s in Yonkers.
8. To enjoy fresh air, beautiful scenery, and wildlife, visit nature centers in Rye, Greenburgh, and Scarsdale (Weinberg), Teatown Lake Reservation, and Croton Point Park; or take in picturesque views of the Hudson along the RiverWalk in Tarrytown’s Pierson Park. Bring binoculars for eagle-watching, as the raptors feed along the Hudson River waterfront, from Verplanck to Peekskill, in the early morning or late afternoon.
9. There are a host of places to participate in paint-your-own pottery sessions (to keep or gift), including MADE: My Art + Design Experiment in Mamaroneck, The Pottery Factory in Mount Kisco, and Westchester Putnam Pottery in Jefferson Valley.
10. Fun for animal lovers starts at the beach at Playland in Rye, which turns into a dog park in the off-season; the 31-acre Greenburgh Nature Center has a small animal farm that’s open every day except Christmas, and there are farm animals and a museum at Muscoot Farm in Katonah.
For All Ages
11. When office work beckons, sign your kids up for a winter break camp. Nature centers, museums, Jewish community centers, and YMCAs around the county offer camps by the week or day that feature a mix of activities, such as sports, arts, and enrichment programs. (Check websites for fees, dates, and availability.)
12. Let the kids burn off energy at indoor parks such as Sky Zone trampoline park in New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, and Mount Kisco. Try ice-skating rinks, from Ebersole Ice Rink in White Plains and Playland Ice Casino in Rye to Brewster Ice Arena; bring your own skates for outdoor gliding (weather permitting) at Wampus Pond Park in Armonk, Tibbets Park in Yonkers, and Mountain Lakes in North Salem. Or drive across the Hudson to try indoor skiing at American Dream’s Big Snow in New Jersey.
