2nd row, left to right: Acacia Mastropaolo, Kingston, Sara Freer, homeschooler, Olivia Epina, Rondout Middle School, Teague Stover, New Paltz High School, Ihor Shuhan, Rondout High School. There are two ensemble members missing from this picture: Matt Brady, Rondout High School, Jordi Espinasa, High Meadow School.
“In the spring I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of four and 20 hours.”
– Mark Twain
Spring break activities for kids
Spring has sprung, and that means spring break for area students! Here are some fantastic offerings to give kids a chance to do some hands-on activities with nature and the environment, history, tinkering, cooking and more!
Nature menu at Scenic Hudson’s River Center in Beacon
Scenic Hudson has events planned throughout the week for children and adults, such as Tuesday’s Meet the River program, which includes a presentation at 10 a.m., “Dinnertime on the Hudson: The Food Web,” and at 2 p.m., “Scats, Tracks and Other Animal Signs.” All of the programs are free, and it’s Open House-style: Reservations are not necessary. Check the website for a complete schedule.
Scenic Hudson’s River Center is located on Long Dock Road in Beacon, near the train station. For more information, call (845) 473-4440, extension 265, or visit www.scenichudson.org.
Servants and salamanders at the Great Estates
The Roosevelt and Vanderbilt Historic Sites have an entire week of activities planned, from a Salamander Investigation in FDR’s forest to roleplaying duties performed by servants 100 years ago at the Vanderbilt and Staatsburgh Historic Sites to discovering the joys of gardening at Eleanor Roosevelt’s cottage Val-Kill and more. All programs are free and take place from 2 to 4 p.m. – except the servants’ program, which begins at 10:30 a.m. and costs $2 per participant. Space is limited and preregistration is required for all programs.
The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt is located at 4097 Albany Post Road/Route 9 in Hyde Park. The Vanderbilt Mansion is located at 119 Vanderbilt Park Road in Hyde Park, two miles north of the FDR Home. The Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, Val-Kill, is located at 54 ValKill Park Road in Hyde Park, two miles east of the FDR Home. To register or for more information, call (845) 486-1966 or visit www.nps.gov/hofr. Staatsburgh State Historic Site and the Ogden Mills & Ruth Livingston Mills Memorial State Park are located on Old Post Road in Staatsburg, off Route 9 between Rhinebeck and Hyde Park. For more information, call (845) 889-8851 or visit www.nysparks.com/historic-sites/25/details.aspx and www.facebook.com/StaatsburghSHS.
Get spiritual, culinary or creative at Marbletown Multi-Arts
Marbletown Multi-Arts (MaMA) is a special space. It always has unique activities and classes going on, and it has some extra-interesting ones this week! MaMA is located at 3588 Main Street in Stone Ridge and online at www.cometomama.org
On Saturday, March 23 from 3 to 5 p.m., Shaktipat offers a unique daytime event for children and their families geared toward providing a “festive yet spiritual community experience through music, dance and song.” Activities include musical storytelling, drum circles, musical games, friendly kirtan, dancing and other group experiences around the themes of gratitude, listening and generosity. For more information about the show, call (845) 687-8707 or visit www.shaktipat.mfbiz.com.
On Monday, March 25 from 4 to 6 p.m., it’s “A Family Affair: Seasonal Soda and Snack Workshop.” This class is geared toward kids and teens, and after lots of experience with potions and recipes using seasonal ingredients to make specialties such as Roasted Parsnip with Maple & Rosemary Soda and Seasonal Butter Cookies, the session ends with a “Most Creative Soda” contest. The cost for the class is $25. To learn more about the family cooking class or to register, call (347) 422-0337 or visit https://culinaryherbcenter.ger-nis.com.
On Tuesday, March 26 from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., bring your young tinkerers to Maker Meet-Up’s Creation Stations. Kids ages 5 to 14 are invited to explore arts, crafts, science and technology booths for hands-on design, building and problem-solving. The suggested donation for Maker Meet-Up is $7 per participant. For more information or to RSVP (recommended), call (845) 399-9300, e-mail stephen@cce-kingston.org or join at the Burningtown Makerspace page at www.facebook.com.
Join the family! 
