This is the time of year when the search for things to do with kids turns desperate, if it happens at all. With winter chill finally arriving after a mild start to the year, let’s be honest: Most of us are cozy at home in front of our screens, books and board games. The groundhog, laughing, has spread his paws skyward, with a proclamation of six more weeks of winter for the Northeast.
There’s no shame in avoiding windchill and/or inflation. But there’s still hope for the more adventurous families seeking an alternative to life in a customized bubble of digitally-delivered content. Here are five family-friendly events for your consideration:
Nature’s winter wonders. Minnewaska Park educator Nick Martin will host an all-ages, laid-back, one-mile walk on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail on Fri. Feb. 10, from 9-10:30am. Including a wander through Majestic Park, the walk will be slow-paced, with Martin available to lend his deep understanding of local flora and fauna.
Pop goes the palaeeudyptinae. Create pop-up page designs featuring ancient birds at Hurley Library this Sun. Feb. 12 at 1:30pm. Award-winning artist educator Jill Obrig will lead this 8-and-up craft workshop.
What child hasn’t dreamed of producing their own pop-up book, only to have their brain boggled by the artistic and engineering challenges? Obrig will introduce you to the ins and outs of the medium, and the thematic focus on ancient birds will provide another angle of engagement for dino-curious kids. There will also be follow-up sessions on Sun. Feb. 19 and Tue. Feb 21.
Positive numbers. Most kids aren’t allergic to math, despite popular sentiment. A 2018 survey revealed 68 percent of children would like math more if they “better understood how math applied to their future.”
Too often, math is associated with concepts abstracted from their real-world, hands-on applications. In school, math is associated with abstract concepts, testing and homework. There’s a different path. Solving puzzles, playing and programming games, and connecting math to art and creativity can inspire a longtime love for the language of numbers.
The Bard Math Circle seeks to shepherd middle school students and their families down a hands-on path of infinite mathematical merriment, and meets at Kingston Library this Sat. Feb. 11 at 2pm. No prior registration is needed.
Animal crossing. For over 25 years, tracker and survival expert Dan Yacobellis has worked with children, teens and adults to give practical insight into the great outdoors. At the Mountain Top Arboretum in Tannersville on Sun. Feb. 12 from 10am-12 noon, he will teach visitors how to recognize animal prints, determine what left them, and examine scat and other signs that creatures have recently been nearby. Dress warmly and wear proper footwear.
Imagination takes flight. The Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum in Poughkeepsie is always a solid go-to for a few hours of quality IRL edutainment. This week, they’re running a few special programs to hook aspiring explorers into the world of science.
On Wed. Feb. 8 at 4pm, the Young Scientists program welcomes children ages 5-7 for hands-on experiments. For kids ages 8-12, check out the Experimental Engineers program on Thu. Feb. 9 at 4pm. Attendees will utilize the engineering design process to solve real-world problems. Then on Sun., Feb. 12 at 10am, meet the ‘Drone Cadets’ team for an interactive workshop on operating these modern marvels of flight. Kids ages 7-12 will discover flying basics and learn to control a real drone. All programs require preregistration via the museum’s website at mhdm.org.
Finally don’t forget check out the Valentine’s Day cover story in this week’s Almanac for a handful of family-friendly celebrations of love. Have fun and stay warm!
Join the family! 
