Register to win a FREE pair of tickets to King Richard’s Faire in Carver, MA.
In order to be eligible you must Like Crazy Kids Boston on Facebook. While you’re there, you need to comment on Crazy Kid’s wall posting about the ticket giveaway. A simple “sign me up” or “hazah” will do. Good Luck… The winner will be picked randomly on Thurday, September 29th. You need to still like Crazy Kids and have your comment posted at the time of the drawing. Tickets have no cash value and are not exchangeable.
Good Luck!
King Richard’s Faire, which is entering its 30th anniversary season, transports chainmail-clad time-travelers back to ye good olde days in an 80-acre realm with Renaissance-themed food, crafts, and live performances. Acrobats, jugglers, dancers, and fire-eaters fill eight stages of entertainment while traveling troubadours and wayfaring bards roam the festival grounds to delight guests with songs and stories. Venture over to the Royal Zoo to see strange and wondrous creatures such as lions, tigers, and jaguars, or marvel at the wide world of medieval sports at the Tourney field as knights joust, compete in games, and arm-wrestle grendels.
Guests can prove their might and skill in a plethora of games and rides (additional fees may apply), including axe throwing, king of the log, and Old English Scrabble. Guests can sample epicurean delights throughout the fairgrounds, such as shepherd’s pie, turkey legs, and kettle corn. In addition to the aforementioned merriment, a variety of talented artisans will be on hand to display their handcrafted wares, such as blown glass, hand-spun pottery, and Fabergé dragon eggs.
Last Year was my son’s first time to the fair. It was mine as well. I will definitely be returning. Kids love the storyline of the faire. The rides are perfect for the 2-12 year old range. The cast of knights and serfs are always in character. There’s axe throwing, pony rides, a human powered ferris wheel, tigers, comedy shows, jousting, sword fighting, jewelry, clothing, and more….
They have several food courts that cover a variety of tastes. Beer and wine is also plentiful.
The faire can be as much a day out for mom and dad as it is for the kids. Make sure to check their website for specific specials and events, as they vary greatly. Check out our video from last years faire…
Like us, you’ve probably seen the ads on television and wondered about Honey Pot Hill Orchards. Since it’s prime apple-picking, pumpkin-picture-taking, cider-drinking season, we thought we would scope it out for you.
Honey Pot Hill is a large farm, so there are three parking lots. When we went it seemed that the traffic was being routed into two specific lots, and there were staff members directing the cars. It felt pretty similar to going to a large amusement park on one of the busiest days of the year, so we were a bit worried. Our first move was to purchase our apple-picking bag. You can also purchase tickets for the hayride at $1 per person, but we opted to walk instead. There were two sizes of bags to purchase, a medium for $15 and a large for $22 (note: cash only!). We purchased the large bag, which is estimated to be half of a bushel, about 20 pounds (at least that’s what the bag says!). From our cashier we decided to walk to the store area. This is the same path the hayride takes, so we were happy that we decided to walk. Plus, you can pick apples, and eat them, along the way. That’s right: no one here will yell at you for eating an apple while filling up your bag! That was a nice treat since none of us could wait.
The store area was a bit crazy since we were there on a busy day, but we never had to wait long for anything. There is an animal area with sheep, goats, and 3 Little Pigs. Be sure to note that the pig houses are made to follow the book – a very cute touch. Here is where you can purchase pumpkins. They have them all lined up, so be sure to bring your camera as you can get some cute photos. The farm store carries cider and apples, but the bakery is the big draw here. People were lined up for cider donuts, caramel apples, and pies. This area smells delicious, so you’d better come hungry! A big attraction for kids (and adults wanting to be kids) are the mazes. For $3 per person you have access to the Hedge Maze and the Tunnel Maze, though the latter is for kids only. We only did the hedge maze and it was a huge hit with our son.
All that we had left to do was pick apples, so off we went to navigate the orchards. There are several areas of apple trees and even one area of pears (which we did not visit, but we heard you can buy a separate bag there for picking). Some parts of the apple orchards are roped off if they are not ripe; the rest are marked with signs at the end of the row to identify the type of apple those trees carry. We found a few staff members around to help answer questions for those that were wandering mindlessly like we were. They were very helpful in identifying apples and telling you which way to walk to find the signs. One of the most fun things about Honey Pot Hill is that they leave ladders around so you can climb to the top of the trees for the best selection. This is another great photo opportunity, of course! After filling our bag we scooted out.
Honey Pot Hill is a very large orchard, and since they advertise on television they attract a huge crowd. This was evident in the parking lot, the line for the hayride, and the store area, but we never felt crowded throughout the orchards and never had a long wait for anything.
A few tips:
We arrived shortly after they opened and as implied, it was pretty crazy. We stayed for 3 hours, which was longer than we thought we would, though you could stay much longer than that. On our way out we noted that the parking lot was a little more than half empty, so going in the early afternoon seemed like it would be a better option.
Pack a picnic. They have two areas with picnic tables – one by the two main lots and another by the animals.
Bring the wagon. A good option for carrying the child and the apples!
This is it – the social event of the year for toddler boys! Many girls love it, too, but we all know Thomas holds a special place in the heart of boys. We took our son in June and it was an unforgettable day for all. Day Out with Thomas is held at Edaville USA in Carver, MA. It isn’t a short car trip, but it’s worth it if your kid loves trains. Don’t worry – there’s something to do for kids of every age, so you can bring the older siblings, too.
Edaville USA is a Massachusetts landmark that has been around for decades, though they are under new ownership since 2003. Your ticket into the park covers everything except for food, souvenirs, and photos. This was a surprise to us as we kept expecting additional fees for everything we wanted to do. The park is surrounded by a huge train track, and the entry is right over part of the tracks. If you wait around long enough you can see the train go by on one of its many journeys throughout the day. The train station to embark/disembark is on the opposite side of the park, so plan your train ride to allow enough time to get there. On the way you will encounter several other rides, such as a plane ride, ferris wheel, and antique carousel. Some of the lines seemed a little long, but they appeared to move rather quickly.
You can purchase your train ticket two different ways – via the internet or when you arrive. We went on a Friday, so we bought our tickets when we arrived as we figured there wouldn’t be much of a crowd. Our train ride was about an hour later, though we could have chosen a different time. Since you can see the train approaching the station, people were lining up without being called. There really weren’t any good or bad seats on the train, though you may want to think about pictures. While the train is unloading and loading, there is a separate line with a photographer taking pictures of families with Thomas. If you pick a seat that is easy to get on and off the train, you can get off the train quickly and get your picture with Thomas. The train runs every 40 minutes, so you have plenty of opportunities throughout the day to get this done. Also look out for photo opportunities with Sir Topham Hatt. Pictures by the photographer are for purchase, of course, but you can also use your own camera on both occasions.
If it is a hot day you will want a break from the outdoor attractions as there is not a lot of shade. In the main building you will find the Edaville souvenir shop as well as a Thomas souvenir area. In the Thomas area there were several train tables set up for the kids to play with and benches for the parents to sit at, which was a great reprieve for everyone. The restrooms are nearby as well as a private nursing area.
Upstairs was an additional activity area, but we were too hot to even venture up there to see it. There were two large tents set up in the park – one near the entrance and the other near the train station. The one near the entrance was HUGE and full of picnic tables, allowing you to bring your own food and sit here and eat in the shade. Here you can watch the train go by and there is a lot of grassy area for the kids to run around. The tent by the train station also had many picnic tables, but you wouldn’t be able to bring a cooler that far into the park, so the guests here were eating food that was purchased. This tent also had temporary Thomas tattoos and entertainment throughout the day. When we were there a man was reading a Thomas story, and there were instruments for the kids to play with, which we thought was a cute idea.
Although this day was a dream-come-true for our toddler, the fact that the park could benefit from some TLC did not go unnoticed to us. The ride on Thomas is the highlight of the day, though there isn’t much to see as the train goes through pine groves and cranberry bogs. These and other things were bothersome to me, but I know that my son had the time of his life, and that’s what makes it worthwhile.
Tickets to Day Out with Thomas are $18 per person, children under 2 are free. Group sales of 20 or more tickets are $14 per person. If you purchase your tickets via the web there is an extra charge, whereas that is avoided at the park entrance. Thomas will be at Edaville August 28-29, and September 3-6, 2010. Edaville has many other events, so be sure to check out their website.
Elmo and the gang visited Boston again this year for yet another spectacular show, “When Elmo Grows Up.” The best part is that the music is geared toward adults just as much as the kids, using familiar songs such as “Down on the Corner” and “Give a Little Love” alongside “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” Before you know it your smile will be as big as your child’s.
The plot of the show… spoiler alert – skip this paragraph if you don’t want to know about it! Big Bird starts the show by asking the kids in the audience what they want to be when they grow up. He joins the other muppets on Sesame Street in preparing for a big pageant where each one performs a number based on what he/she wants to be. Big Bird doesn’t know what he wants to be, so he ends up helping everyone practice their part of the show. Elmo doesn’t know what he wants to be either, so he joins Big Bird and watches everyone rehearse, only to wind up changing his mind with every performance. Different career choices include a forest ranger, firefighter, train conductor, and police officer, amongst others. The moral of the story: Big Bird learns that he does not need to know right now what he wants to be when he grows up and he can even change his mind several times if he wants to, because that is a part of being a kid.
The show is absolutely adorable and a great lesson for kids of all ages. Plus, if one career isn’t interesting as a storyline to your child, it will change in a few minutes and their attention is grasped again. As usual, Sesame Street keeps the action rolling. They include discussions about letters and numbers and the ever-popular “Elmo’s World” is featured in the second act.
The show started about 15 minutes late (we’re assuming this is to help those parents arriving late, like us!), and ran about an hour and a half. It’s broken up into two acts with a 15 minute intermission. Watch out for the $10 Elmo balloons, which are sold during intermission. Be prepared to tie them to something and keep them low; Big Bird asks that you not block the view of your neighbor. We also saw the rest of the balloons being sold on our way out of the show, though we’re not sure if that happens on a regular basis.
One last piece of advice: if your kid is antsy and you don’t anticipate them sitting through the performance, consider upgrading to floor seats. The children can move about freely and even dance in front of the stage. During several parts of the show some of the monsters actually come down to the floor to dance and visit with the children. The screams of joy are priceless!
This review is from our Chicago editors when George visited their city.
Whether your family reads the books or watches the cartoons, this show excels at bringing the characters to life. Curious George LIVE! is a new musical that is packed from start to finish with songs that tell the tale of George’s adventure from New York City to the streets of Rome. In this original story, George sets out to prove to the world that his friend, Chef Pisghetti, makes the best meatballs in the world. Performances of the show run between Thursday, January 28 – Sunday, January 31, 2010 at the Sears Center Arena in Hoffman Estates. Tickets are priced from $15-$38.
The production successfully creates a believable translation of the characters to the stage. The Man with the Yellow Hat, Professor Wiseman, Chef Pisghetti, and the Doorman are protrayed by actors who do spot-on impersonations of the characters voices and mannerisms. Their larger-then-life costumes translate perfectly. George’s animal friends Hundley and Gnocchi are cleverly depicted through simple puppetry. Of course George is the most difficult to portray. They did a great job with the costume, and tried their best to match his frenetic movement with some pretty cool tumbling. My 5 year-old was a little disappointed though. He wanted to see more climbing and “monkey stuff,” and I would agree. Overall they did an exceptionally believable job bringing these beloved characters to life.
Our favorite musical numbers were the opening productions of the first and second acts. “Special Delivery” followed by “Big Brown Box” makes for a bustling street scene. Both song are very catchy – they were what the kids were singing during intermission. The second act opens with a super fun song, “Straighten Up and Fly Right.” There is a cute gimmick with flashlights that makes for a cool visual effect. This song revolves around George stowing away on an airplane to Italy. It started the second half of the show off on a great note.
The low point for me is the pacing of the show. Pretty much the entire story is told through song. At times this is very successful, but at other times I would have preferred some of the story to have been told through dialog to move the production along. There was a great deal of antsy-ness going around around me near the end of the first act. The show is 1 hour 40 minutes long including a 15 minute intermission. For this age group I think a far shorter running time is more successful. The 5 year-olds I was with were able to sit through the entire show, but at times they were bored.
Even with some faults this is a fun show. From the festive lobby displays, to the intermission’s strolling vendors, to the great characterizations, this is a cute show for the pre-school aged Curious George fans in your life.
Director Jerry Zaks has taken Dodie Smith’s classic tale to the stage. The 101 Dalmatians Musical is the top family musical to see in Boston this Holiday season. This musical presents the topsy-turvy, inside out world of the Dalmatians from the dogs’ point of view. Dalmatian characters are portrayed by adult actors while pups are portrayed by child actors. Humans are “differentiated” with exaggerated clothing and mini stilts that make them “larger than life.”
The tale follows the lives of Dalmatians Pongo and Missis Pongo who fall in love and are married. After a brief honeymoon “in the bushes” the Pongo’s are faced with the reality of impending parenthood. It is very well played. Their first musical number together “A Perfect Family” questions how hard parenthood could be. They’re both certain that their kids will be angels. There is humor at many levels. No family member will feel left out.
Rachel York made me think Cruella De Vil had stepped out of the Disney movie and onto the stage. She was wonderful and masterful. She brought forth an incredible lust for puppy fur. Cruella kidnaps the puppies and takes them to Castleville where they will soon become wardrobe. Pongo and Missis Pongo realize that their human “pets” will not be able to get their pups in time and realize it’s up to them to find the pups and bring them home. They send out the K-9 version of the Amber Alert and are soon on their journey.
I don’t want to spoil the adventure. My family enjoyed an exciting night of twists and turns. Something was there for everyone. Leaving the theatre I heard many people singing the catchy tune “Be a little bit braver”. It’s still in my head at this point.
And let’s not forget the Dalmatians. The dogs were adorable. Making it more memorable is that many of them were rescued.
Probably best for children 4 and up (or a mature 3). Though I did see several toddlers be-bopping to the music. It’s only here until the 27th. Tickets can be purchased directly through the Wang Theatre Box Office and range from $28-$75.
Created in 1958, and enjoyed by many in Boston throughout the 60’s and 70’s at Jordan Marsh, The Enchanted Village is back in action at Jordan’s Furniture in Avon, MA. With 28 holiday scenes and hundreds of animated figures, this one is worth checking out if you are in the area.
The village is free to the public and is open 10:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday through Saturday, and 11:00 am to 6:00 pm on Sundays. You will have to walk through most of the furniture after seeing the village, so remember that when you visit. Santa Claus visits the village each day and is available for Christmas requests and photos, usually from 11:00 am until 8:00 pm. Check the website for updated information.
The exhibit itself is set up in one large room with a wavy path and metal railings. With a wide variety of holiday scenes and snow every few minutes, this is a great treat for the younger kids in your family. Older kids might get a little bored with this one, but would surely be willing to walk through if they knew you were going to visit some of the other attractions Jordan’s has to offer.
Jordan’s has packaged the Enchanted Village along with a 4-D Motion Odyssey Movie Ride (MOM) and a Laser Light show into what they are calling ‘The Holiday Experience.’ The Village is the only free exhibit; the LITE show costs $3.00 per person and the MOM Polar Express ride costs $6.00.
LITE, which stands for Laser Imagination Theater Experience, is brand new and was created just for Jordan’s Furniture. Featuring high-powered, solid-state lasers in a dark room filled with cranked up music, LITE is 15 minutes of pure excitement for all age groups. Set to a holiday theme, this laser show was well worth the $3.00 entry fee and short wait. Check out the line and show times before you jump in to avoid waiting too long. The show runs every 15 or so minutes.
We did not have the chance to take the 4-D Polar Express ride, but have been on MOM rides before and would have done this if there were earlier tickets available. We heard that people show up right at opening to buy tickets for later in the day, so you have to be crafty to get on this ride at a time you want. Plan accordingly.
Dad Says: At first I was a little put off that we have to walk through the entire store to get out of this ‘Free’ exhibit, but quickly realized it’s a very nice store with no pushy sales people. Our son loved seeing the animated people and scenes and it’s great that Jordan’s has resurrected a Boston classic.
Mom Says: I wasn’t really interested in seeing the Laser Light show, but went along with the group. I’m not sure who liked it more, me or my son! It was nice to hear some familiar holiday tunes to put me in the spirit, and they did some really cool things with the lasers. It may be cold outside, but it’s also cold in this room!
The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular returns to Roger Williams Park Zoo this year after a four year hiatus and spectacular is a perfect word to describe this special event. The night-time walk is open nightly from 6:00pm to 11:00pm, with the last entry at 10:00pm, and runs through November 1. Adults cost $12.00 and kids 3-12 cost $9.00.
When to go
We recommend going on a weeknight as far away from Halloween as you can. The weekends and week before Halloween are very busy, which means long lines. Wait times to get into the trail can be up to 2 hours on a busy night, which should be motivation enough to get there on a weeknight. We visited on the Monday before Halloween and found the wait to be 45 minutes. Dress appropriately for standing around in the cold and brings some activities to keep the kids entertained while you wait. On many nights there are some entertainers along the trail while you wait, which is great to help pass the time.
What to Expect
Picture yourself walking along a wooded trail in the dark, but instead of darkness on both sides, you see specially lit Jack-O-Lanterns with varied musical accompaniment. Over 5,000 pumpkins are on display to create this spectacle, making it an incredibly impressive sight. Since the Spectacular lasts for one month, the pumpkins need to be replaced, thus another 5,000 pumpkins are used.
The theme of this year’s presentation is “Fables of the Great Writers,” and included depictions of Alice in Wonderland, Sleepy Hollow, classic tales of the Brothers Grimm, Moby Dick, and many more famous stories. Many of the pumpkins are carved with standard faces while a small percentage of the 5,000 have special designs. This may not sound like much, but you will want to stop at each one to admire the beauty and work of the artists that created them, and at some point they seem endless.
One of the biggest highlights for us was about 10 minutes into the trail where you encounter a vast display of carved pumpkins. Several were so big that they were carved out and filled with other pumpkins! The weights of a few larger ones were displayed, with some topping the scales at 1100-1300 pounds. Smoke was added to the display, as well as loud music, and pumpkins were even strung up the trees like Christmas lights. As you can imagine, this area gets pretty crowded.
It had been at least 20 years since we had been to ‘The Greatest Show on Earth,’ so we were excited to take in the circus at the DCU Center in Worcester last week. The show is currently performing in Boston at the TD Bank Garden through Sunday. Tickets in Boston range from $15.00 up to $130.00 (for Circus Celebrity tickets), so there are plenty of options to fit your budget.
‘Over the Top’ starts off with Chuck Wagner, the ring master, welcoming us to the circus and proclaiming that it is his show because he wears the hat. Head clown, Tom Dougherty, has other things in mind as he repeatedly steals the ring master’s hat, giving him and his clown troupe control of the happenings. This theme worked well throughout the performance as it made for clean segues between the clown acts and the main attractions.
Ringling Bros. has moved away from the three-ring format and replaced it with half a ring and a wide-open floor plan. While some of the clown interludes were a bit long-winded for us, most of the show was fast-paced and kept kids, young and old, on the edge of their seat throughout. You will see classic circus acts, including the Globe of Steel and the Bengal tiger demonstration. Ringling Bros. spices it up with some new acts this year, like the Henan Troupe Swinging Poles. It was interesting to see that the contortionists and two balancing acts came out at the same time – it was a lot going on at the same time.
Intermission was even interesting as they set up for the tiger demonstration. In addition to the circus acts, Ringling Bros. has several large production numbers where the arena fills with the performers and animals, and everyone is singing, dancing, or executing a stunt. Your jaw will drop when you see how many things are going on at the same time! Circus Celebrity ticket-holders become part of the show during one of the group numbers. Performers drive into the arena in a tram-like vehicle, and the Circus Celebrities climb on. After a lap or two around the arena, the song continues until the floor is covered with entertainers, and the “celebrities” have an unbelievable view of the whole thing!
Animal Open House
We missed this in Worcester, but look for this open house 90 minutes before the show where you will get a behind-the-scenes look at all the circus animals. This is free for all ticket holders and lets your kids take pictures of the animals and ask any questions of the animal-care staff.
All Access Pre-Show
If you arrive early you can make your way to the arena floor for the All Access Pre-Show, where your kids can mingle with the clowns and even try on some of their outfits. Watch as an elephant performs by painting a masterpiece, which you can enter to win, or join the Bombastic Bouncers for some jump-roping lessons. This pre-show is a great way to get a close-up view of the circus for your kids.
Mom Says: Just like any other large event, there are plenty of toys and food items for sale. Watch out as some of the food items are paired with a souvenir, so the price skyrockets. I LOVED the show and cannot recommend it enough!!!
Dad Says: The big stunts were amazing from the motorcycle globe to the elephant parade. I could have done with a few less clown acts, but I know they needed time to setup and the kids enjoy that stuff.
As we welcome the foliage to New England, we quickly realize the warm days of summer have past and it’s time to get ready for Halloween and Thanksgiving. We all (well, most of us) love this season as we get to dress up in costumes with our kids, teach them how to roll around in piles of leaves, and take hayrides through pumpkin patches with hopes of a warm cup of apple cider at the end.
We are ready for Fall here at Crazy Kids Boston and we hope you are too!
We’ve put together a couple of guides to help you make the most out of October. First up is an interactive map of 86 Pick-Your-Own Pumpkin Farms throughout Massachusetts. Use this to find a farm near you to visit for pumpkins, veggies, and many have rides for the little ones. After that is a listing of selected Haunted Houses that we think you might be interested in. Let us know your favorites by dropping us a note. click here for a full version of this map
Nightmare New England & SpookyWorld!, Litchfield, MA
With seven different attractions this is one of the largest scream parks in New England. http://spookyworld.com
Factory of Terror, Fall River, MA
With 30 rooms of terror, this factory building has supposedly been haunted for 100 years. http://www.factoryofterror.com
Braintree Haunted House, Braintree, MA
In its 29th year, this is a South Shore fav! Only running for 3 nights, this year features a ‘Not So Scary’ night, designed for younger children on Thursday, Octoboer, 22 from 6-8 p.m. The regular haunted house is Friday and Saturday, October 23-24 from 6-9:30 p.m.
Haunted Ship – USS Salem, Quincy MA
Located aboard a 716 foot long US Navy Heavy Cruiser Gunship, no other haunted attraction matches the scale and visual impact of the Haunted Ship. Take a 20 minute tour of the haunted ship. http://www.hauntedship.com/
Barrett’s Haunted Mansion, Abington MA
This mansion changes each year and this year has a new ‘Buried Alive’ experience, where you will hear, feel, and smell what it would be like to be alone and trapped in your final resting place. http://www.bhmansion.com
Nightmare on Brookwood Road, Hanover MA
This isn’t a haunted house, but is a group of folks dedicated to giving visitors a scare. This free yard haunt with pre-6pm ‘non-scary’ hours is worth checking out if you are in the area. http://www.thehauntedgrounds.com
REGION 335, West Bridgewater MA
Our 23rd year. The compound, now an military research facility, that has been taken over by the walking dead! All money goes to the Berwick Boys Foundation, a non-profit with year-round program for teenage boys. http://www.Region335.com
The Haunted Mansion, Douglas, MA
When hinges creek in doorless chambers, that is the time when you should be nervous. When your friends don’t make it back, that is the time to be terrified! The best part of this haunted mansion is that admission is one can of non-perishable food, which is donated to a local food panty. http://www.thehauntedmansiondouglas.com
Village Mire, South Yarmouth Massachusetts
This is a free haunted yard attraction which is not for the faint of heart (according to their site). If you are on the Cape, check this one out. http://villagemire.blogspot.com/
What will I do with my Kids today is on the lips of every parent, every day. Once you get past breakfast, the grueling decisions start. Crazy Kids is the cure.
In order to be eligible you must Like Crazy Kids Boston on Facebook. While you’re there, you need to comment on Crazy Kid’s wall posting about the ticket giveaway. A simple “sign me up” or “hazah” will do. Good Luck… The winner will be picked randomly on Thurday, September 29th. You need to still like Crazy Kids and have your comment posted at the time of the drawing. Tickets have no cash value and are not exchangeable.
Mom Says: Just like any other large event, there are plenty of toys and food items for sale. Watch out as some of the food items are paired with a souvenir, so the price skyrockets. I LOVED the show and cannot recommend it enough!!!
Dad Says: The big stunts were amazing from the motorcycle globe to the elephant parade. I could have done with a few less clown acts, but I know they needed time to setup and the kids enjoy that stuff.