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!
With frosty nights becoming the norm here in New England, it may seem like an odd time for us to be writing about the Mass Audubon, a group which manages 47 wildlife sanctuaries across the state of Massachusetts. A recent trip to the Broad Meadow Brook Conservation Center and Wildlife Sanctuary reminded us of the beauty of the Fall season and the great work Mass Audubon does maintaining these sanctuaries.
The Mass Audubon sanctuaries take many different forms, from beaches and salt marshes on Cape Cod to woodlands and mountains in the Berkshires. Mass Audubon’s land protection efforts protect more than 34,000 acres of ecologically significant land in Massachusetts.
Through November 30, 2009 the Mass Audubon is running a Fall special on family memberships for $29.00, which normally costs $58.00. In addition to being tax deductible, membership gives your free access to all wildlife sanctuaries in the state and discounts on educational programs. Entry to the sanctuaries varies, but at $29.00 for the year, you only have to make a couple of trips to make this one pay for itself.
You can check out a list of the sanctuaries in your area using the Mass Audubon website.
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/
We found ourselves near Hartford, CT, this weekend and decided to stop by Lyman Orchards to check out their Sunflower Maze. We’ve been to corn mazes before, but had never seen the sunflower variety. This place is a bit of a drive, but we think it was worth it as the sunflower maze was great and the rest of the facility made for a great afternoon. Read on for more information…
Owned and operated by the Lyman Family since 1741, Lyman Orchards has something for everyone including the Apple Barrel market, pick-your-own fruit, a corn maze, a sunflower maze, Frisbee golf, and even a 36-hole championship golf course. We arrived around lunch so parked and headed directly for the Apple Barrel market to find some nourishment.
Eating at Lyman Orchard
There were a few options to choose from: an outdoor fast food-style vendor (hot dogs, hamburgers, fried dough, etc.), a full-service deli, and wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. The deli is inside the market, so you can check out the produce and homemade pies at the same time. The deli offers fresh made sandwiches, homemade soups, salads, and a hot entree.
There are plenty of seating options available around the market. The outdoor deck has numerous picnic tables, or you can do a real picnic on any of the grassy areas throughout the area. We sat under a tree near the pond next to the market and were entertained (our son more than us) by the geese and birds begging for food.
Pick up a map at the information desk in the market to get the lay of the land. The activities are a bit spread out so make a game plan before visiting by checking out the map. You can visit the Apple Barrel market and do the corn maze with one car stop, but you have to drive to the rest of the areas. The sunflower maze isn’t on the map yet as it’s new, but is in the general vicinity of the pick-your-own area.
The Mazes
Admission to each maze is $9.00 for adults and $5.00 for kids ages 4 to 12. A combo pass for both mazes is available for $12.50 for adults and $8.00 for kids. Before entering the maze you can pick up a map and a set of trivia questions. You must choose from various categories such as American History, sports, politics, and tots and tikes. Each sheet has ten questions that will help you navigate through the maze. Each question is multiple-choice and the answer corresponds to either left or right—the direction you should take at that numbered pole in the maze. Get the question correct and you will head in the right direction. This is a great opportunity to work with your kids on some problem solving by helping them eliminate certain multiple choice answers and even letting them get a few wrong (if you know the answer).
We took a few different categories of questions and found that some, like American History, were more difficult than others, such as tots and tikes. Ask the attendant for the category that is most appropriate for your kid’s age group. This year’s corn maze theme was George Washington and Barack Obama. The aerial view of the maze is quite impressive as it does resemble the two presidents. In addition to the trivia the corn maze had additional presidential factoids throughout the maze, so if you kid is into history they’ll enjoy stopping to read up along the route.
Pick Your Own
Lyman offers one of the most diverse and largest pick your own orchard that we have been to with the following available throughout the year: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, jostaberries, peaches, pears, Asian pears, apples, and pumpkins.
You can use their containers or bring your own and get to picking. They provide nice stations to work from and store your picked fruit as well as recipes to help you come up with ideas for the fresh produce. The staff was very knowledgeable and extremely helpful during our visit. We would recommend calling before heading to Lyman to see what is ripe for picking and check out the current prices. The number is 860-349-6015.
Dad Says: The price of the maze seemed a bit high, but was worth it. Next time, I think we’d stick with the sunflower maze only. The food was great and this place is worth a visit if you are in the area.
Mom Says: Between the picnic and the sunflower maze, this was one of the most romantic family events we’ve ever done. It was so beautiful walking around the sunflowers we didn’t even care if we got lost! Note: you are in a field, so it is a bit warmer than the actual temperature.
We didn’t have room last week to talk about West End Creamery, so we are featuring it this week. We happened upon it when leaving Purgatory Chasm and were delighted with the great find! It’s right down the street from the chasm, which we reviewed last week, and is worth including in a trip to the chasm or to visit by itself. West End is open until 10:00 pm to it’s easy to include in any trip.
West End Creamery is a family run business that offers more than just a cold, tasty treat. It includes an 18-hole miniature golf course, a farmland petting area, and large fields to create your own activities such as Frisbee, running around, or rolling down the hills (which we saw many kids doing).
We’ll start with the important part, the ice cream! While they do not make it on site, it is local to Massachusetts. West End offers close to 50 flavors of hard ice cream along with frozen yogurt, sherbet, and several low/no fat options. Standard vanilla, chocolate, and swirl soft serve is available as well as frappes, iced coffee, fountain drinks, Rickies, and Del’s lemonade. They have a small ice cream on the menu for children 3 and under, and it’s priced right at 95 cents. You can bring your dog, too – “Puppy Licks” is a feature for your canine child.
A large outdoor deck overlooks the West End Creamery property and provides ample outdoor seating to enjoy your ice cream. Go inside for additional seating and a view of the model train that snakes its way around the inside perimeter of the building. Our kid tried his hardest to follow the train all the way around, but we had to stop him from entering the ice cream work area!
Any time we encounter those 18 plots of artificial turf it’s hard to resist, and the West End Creamery mini golf course is fantastic. The course is superbly decorated with traditional farm equipment, gardens, 7 different ponds, 2 waterfalls, and a working 6 foot gristmill. Great, but how does it play? This one is tough with the hills, but doesn’t have too many crazy obstacles, so if you can play the hills right you should do well. Golf costs $7.50 for adults, $6.00 for kids 4-12 and is free for those 3 and under.
A new attraction to the West End Creamery is the Farmyard, which is setup in the barn down the hill from the golf course (following the paw prints on the ground to get there). This barn provides viewing and petting of some small farm animals. This isn’t a full-fledge zoo of course, but kids always love to see animals and it’s a nice add-on when visiting West End.
If the outdoor deck is packed or you just want to get away from the crowd, take a walk down the hill (or roll like the kids do) where there are a few picnic tables and a path to walk along Swans Pond.
Mom Says: Waffle cones are made right in front of you so you know they are fresh. For an extra treat, ask for a warm one; otherwise they are served cooled off to avoid melting the ice cream.
Dad Says: I rarely pass up an opportunity to get ice cream and play mini golf, so I loved this place. The ice cream was great and the service was solid from the local employees.
Two-for-one in our blog this week: our 4th of July Planning Guide and “Day Out With Thomas” preview!
Edaville Railroad kicked off its 2009 season last weekend featuring “Day Out With Thomas” in addition to the usual attractions. Thomas will offer up train rides on three more weekends this summer and is a must-visit for fans of the show, books, and movies.
Our sister website in Chicago reviewed this event last year and said “If your kid wants to be a useful engine, Day Out with Thomas is a quick burst of excitement” and “It was really exciting for him to see the engine in person.”
Tickets for Thomas are $18.00 for anyone two and older. This price includes admission to Edaville and all rides and attractions, as well as the 25-minute ride on Thomas the Tank Engine, meeting Sir Topham Hatt, and other entertainment involving Thomas. Thomas will be at Edaville June 26-June 29, August 29-30, and September 4-7.
We’ll be heading to Edaville later this summer, so look for our complete review of that and Thomas then.
Your Massachusetts 4th of July Planning Guide
With all of this rain, it’s hard to believe that the 4th of July is quickly approaching next weekend! We want you to be prepared and have a great time wherever you may be, so we have compiled this guide with all the various events happening around Massachusetts. In alphabetical order…
City/Town: Acton Date & Time: Saturday, July 4, at 6 p.m. (rain date: July 5) Fireworks Time: around 10 p.m. Details: Enjoy live music, face painting, and food vendors at NARA Park, located off Route 27. Shuttle buses will run from Nagog Park starting at 6 p.m. Website
City/Town: Amherst Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 at 5 p.m. (rain date: July 5) Fireworks Time: 9:30 p.m. Details: The UMASS fields behind Alumni Football Stadium set the scene for the celebration. Activities include live music, a children’s carnival, a juggler, a clown, face painting, field races… the list goes on and on. Website
City/Town: Assonet Date & Time: Friday, July 3 from 6-10 p.m.; parade on July 4 Fireworks Time: not mentioned Details: Hathaway Park is the host of games, booths, and concessions, ending with the fireworks display over the Assonet River.
City/Town: Ayer Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 Fireworks Time: dusk Details: Stop by Pirone Park for a parade, food concessions, crafts, and children’s activities, followed by fireworks.
City/Town: Boston Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 from 8:30 pm until 11:00 pm Fireworks Time:10:30 pm Details: This may be better to Tivo for the kids to watch the next day, but if you kids are a little older and you are willing to brave the 500,000 other Bostonians, check out the web site for parking and other FAQs. The TV broadcast starts at 8:00 pm on WBZ-TV, so check that out if you didn’t make it to any other shows. Website
City/Town: Bourne Date & Time: Sunday, July 5 Fireworks Time: Dusk Details: On Main Street, Buzzards Bay
City/Town: Bridgewater Date & Time: Thursday, June 25 & Friday, June 26 from 6-10 p.m.; Saturday, June 27 from 12-6 p.m. Details: Three Day Carnival at Bridgewater Middle School, 166 Mt. Prospect St.
City/Town: Chicopee Date & Time: Thursday, July 2 through Saturday July 4 Fireworks Time: Saturday, July 4 at 9:30 pm (rain date: Sunday, July 5) Details: Szot Park (700 Front Street, Chicopee, MA) has tons of activities spread across three days this year. Starting on Thursday there will be softball games and several inflatable activities and train rides. On Friday there is a kids 3-on-3 soccer tournament, a Junior Karakoe Idol contest, and astronomy sessions. Saturday is the big event with fireworks at 9:30. Website
City/Town: Clinton Date & Time: Saturday, June 27 (rain date: June 28) Details: Fireworks at Clinton Middle and High School, located on Route 110. Sponsored by the Clinton firefighters. Website
City/Town: Dracut Date & Time: Friday, July 3 at 7 p.m. Fireworks Time: not mentioned Details: Concert and fireworks at Dracut Junior High School
City/Town: Edgartown Date & Time: Saturday, July 4, at 5 p.m. (rain date: July 5) Fireworks Time: 9 p.m. Details: The 4th of July parade starts and ends at Edgartown School, then go to Memorial Wharf for the fireworks. Website
City/Town: Fitchburg Date & Time: Friday, July 3 from 5-11 p.m. Fireworks Time: dusk Details: Downtown Fitchburg is the scene for the Civic Days 2009. The fun starts this weekend with a multitude of events; check out the Doll Carriage and Bicycle Parade at the Riverfront Park on Boulder Drive on Sunday at 11 a.m. The Block Party is on Friday on Main Street, including live entertainment, classic cars, food, and other vendors. Look for more events on July 4. Website
City/Town: Gloucester Date & Time: Friday, July 3 at 6 p.m. Fireworks Time: 9 p.m. Details: Gloucester Horribles Parade starts at 6 p.m. featuring bands, floats, and costume competitions, followed by fireworks over the harbor. Look at the website for more events on July 4. Website
City/Town: Hampton Beach Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 Fireworks Time: 9:30 p.m. Details: Hampton Beach hosts fireworks 15 times throughout the summer, though usually on Wednesdays. Website
City/Town: Harvard Date & Time: Friday, July 3 starting at 11:00 am (rain date: Sunday, July 5) Fireworks Time: Dusk Details: At Fruitlands Museum this start up at 11:00 am where you can tour the galleries, check out the art, listen to music or enjoy food and drink in the restaurant tent. Get a seat on the lawn for the fireworks at dusk. Website
City/Town: Hingham Date & Time: Fireworks are on Friday, July 3 and Parade is on Saturday, July 4 at 10:00 am. A road race and breakfast are before the parade. Fireworks Time: 9:00 pm Website
City/Town: Hyannis Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 at 4 p.m. Fireworks Time: 8 p.m. Details: Check out Aselton Park for a parade followed by a concert, then fireworks at Lewis Bay. Website
City/Town: Marblehead Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 at 8:45 p.m. Fireworks Time: 9 p.m. Details: The Harbor Illumination begins at 8:45 p.m., followed by the fireworks. Email your pictures of the event to them and they will be posted on the website. Website
City/Town: Milford Date & Time: Friday, July 3 (rain date: July 5) Fireworks Time: not mentioned Details: The Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra is unable to perform at this year’s festivities, but the fireworks will go on as planned at Plains Park, Route 85, Cedar St.
City/Town: Natick Date & Time: Wednesday, July 1 from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm Fireworks Time: No fireworks this year due to construction on the Natick Mall Details: Featuring a kids parade at 6:00 pm and other family fun Natick Friends of the Fourth of July host this event. Website
City/Town: Orleans Date & Time: Friday, July 3 (rain date: July 5) Fireworks Time: Dusk Details: Rock Harbor
City/Town: Pepperell Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 at 7:30 p.m. Fireworks Time: Dusk Details: Music, games, concessions, and fun start at 6:00pm. Fireworks start at dark. Website
City/Town: Salem Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 at 4 p.m. Fireworks Time: around 9:15 p.m. Details: Festivities begin with Kids’ Space, which has a DJ entertaining the young ones with dancing, contests, and prizes. The fun continues all afternoon for the kids with face painting, games, and crafts. At 7:15 p.m. is the opening ceremonies, which includes an Air Force flyover, a Hillyer Festival Orchestra concert, and a performance of Footloose by the Salem State College Summer Theatre cast, concluding with the fireworks set off from Derby Wharf. Website
City/Town: Salisbury Beach Date & Time: Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5 Fireworks Time: Saturday, July 4 at 10 p.m. Details: Family events run all weekend! Sand Sculpting from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, including tips and tricks on sand castle building at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The Bruce Marshall Group performs a concert starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday and is followed by the fireworks over the beach, which are set off from a barge in the ocean. Website
City/Town: Sharon Date & Time: July 4 at 4 p.m. Fireworks Time: 9:15 p.m. Details: Check out Memorial Park Beach for classic field games, such as tug-o-war and potato sack races. Beech Tree Park is the start of the Bicycle & Doll Carriage Parade and travels to the bandstand, where you’ll find music for your enjoyment. The concert starts at 6:30 and runs until the fireworks over Lak Massapoag.
City/Town: Springfield Date & Time: Saturday, July 4 at 7:30 p.m. Fireworks Time: not mentioned Details: Mix 93.1 will provide the musical entertainment while the fireworks are going off from the Memorial Bridge. Live entertainment and food as well. Website
City/Town: Upton Date & Time: Saturday, June 27 (rain date: Sunday, June 28) Fireworks Time: 9:45 pm Details: Tons of different events throughout the day including an auto show, skateboard expo, motorcycle show, tractor race, dance show, a magic show, kiddie train, rock climbing wall, and various food vendors on hand. This one looks great! It’s at the Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical (BVT) High School located at 65 Pleasant St. Upton, MA Website
City/Town: Westfield Date & Time: Friday, July 3 at 5:30 p.m. (rain date: July 5) Fireworks Time: 9:15 p.m. Details: Concerts begin at 5:30 at Stanley Park, including the Young Singers of Westfield, The Soul Sensations, and Brass Attack, concluding with the fireworks. Don’t forget to look for the strawberry shortcake. Website
City/Town: Worcester Date & Time: Thursday, July 2 – concert starts at 8 p.m. (rain date: July 3) Fireworks Time: 8:30 p.m. Details: Join the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra for a concert at Cristoforo Columbo Park (East Park) on Shrewsbury Street. Concessions and 4th of July toys and gadgets are for sale. Website
Think it’s too late to start a garden? That your kids don’t want be involved? Think again. We all know how much kids love to be outside at this time of year, so it’s a perfect opportunity to show them the rewards of planting and nurturing a garden. Your first stop should be at the Green Thumb in Westborough, where you can pick out your plants while your kids play.
The Green Thumb just opened their new complex this spring. The old building and greenhouses were knocked down and they moved everything into their upper greenhouses and built a huge new main facility that resembles a barn. The aisles of flowers seem never-ending, so it can be fun for the little ones to look around at the possibilities of plants and pick out their choices. If that doesn’t sound like your kid, mom can browse aisle after aisle in the greenhouses while dad keeps the kids happy and busy… or maybe it’s the other way around. Either way, there’s something to do for the whole family.
When you first pull into the parking lot you notice a huge swing set and grassy area. It advertises for the company that builds them, so you would think that you can’t play on it, but that is what it is meant for! Parents can sit and relax and watch their little ones burn off some steam. Be careful as you walk from here to the barn – the first thing the kids will notice is the windows for ice cream. You can order it at the window and sit outside or you can go inside, where they also have candy and popcorn. The seating area inside has a train that goes around the ceiling of the first floor and lots of flower gifts that you can buy, so it has a nice ambiance. The registers are also located here, so you can check out what other people are buying as they walk by. In the barn is a loft on the second floor, which provides for more exploring by the kids. Finish the afternoon in the petting zoo with the goats. Hand sanitizer is provided.
Now you may be thinking, what kind of plants do I buy? It depends on what kind of garden you want to make. When working with kids, try to keep it simple; you can always make the garden bigger next year, and the year after that, and the year after that… oh, wait a minute, that’s my yard! If you don’t have a yard you can still plant in pots on any balcony or deck you may have. First, choose the type of garden you want, vegetable or flower. Throughout the day watch the area where you plan on planting the garden and write down the hours of sunlight it gets. You’ll need this information when buying your plants or seeds. If you still aren’t sure when you get to the nursery/store, someone is sure to help you.
If you plan on buying seeds and have a young child that is helping you, you may want to buy a plant that has bigger seeds; they’ll be easier to manage with their little hands. Let your child help choose the plants that are going into the garden. If they choose something that won’t fit in well (for example, a plant that needs more sun than it would get in that spot), take a moment to explain why it won’t work, then remind them of the types of plants you are looking for. You may even want to indulge them and buy something that wasn’t in your master plan. Keep reminding yourself to be a little lenient – your idea of a garden may not be the same as theirs, but they will be more involved in the process if you let them have a little artistic license.
Some ideas for vegetable gardens: sunflowers, tomatoes, peppers, beans, and pumpkins. Easy to manage flower ideas: sunflowers, impatiens, petunias, morning glories, zinnias, and geraniums.
A few safety measures to keep in mind:
Use tools that are the right size for children; it’ll be easier for them to hold a tool that fits in their hand, not yours
Leave the pesticides and chemicals in the shed/garage and out of your child’s reach
Watch out for poisonous or toxic plants. You may already have some in your yard! One great resource I found is linked here
Test the soil for lead, especially if your house was built before the 1970s
Check for ticks
Gardening teaches many great virtues, the first and foremost being patience. It takes time to plant everything, water it, weed it, and feed it. It can be frustrating at times, but imagine the look of joy on your child’s face when he/she picks their first flower or vegetable that they grew. The best part about gardening: no batteries required! This is a great time to get outdoors and work together as a family, so leave the iPods on their docking stations. Mom Says: If the garden doesn’t quite hold their attention, try incorporating some bird feeders into your yard and buy a bird book for your child to identify the birds they found. This may help pass the time as you are waiting for those seeds to sprout…
Green Thumb
185 Turnpike Rd. (Route 9)
Westborough, MA 01581
Phone: 508-366-7478
With baseball season in full swing and the weather being so nice here in New England, we recently decided to check out the Fenway Park Tour to get a behind-the-scenes look at a Boston landmark. The tour costs $12 for adults, $11 for seniors and $10 for children 4-15. It leaves every hour from 9 AM until 4 PM (or three hours before game time, whichever is earlier), so there are plenty of times to check this one out during a visit to the city.
The tour starts in the souvenir shop on Yawkey Way, and after a quick security screening, you walk in a large group throughout the park, learning about its history and many interesting facts about the team. Our tour guide was energetic and knowledgeable about Fenway and the history of the Red Sox. She even antagonized the one Yankees fan in our group of 100 with Yankees commentary throughout the entire tour, which added some comic relief.
Our tour had four main stops, each of which gave you the opportunity to sit down or stand and listen to the various facts and stories the tour guide offered up through a megaphone. Before the first stop, you get your photo taken by the Fenway Fan Photo team, and it is conveniently available to you at the end of your tour for purchase. Our picture didn’t come out that great so we ended up having fellow tour-goers take a few snapshots of us with our own camera.
The first stop was the upper deck of right field, which offers great views of the entire park. After 10 minutes or so of Fenway stories and some Q&A, we then headed over the Pavilion Club area in upper left field, where our entire group took seats and listened in to more Fenway facts. We learned about the history of the Green Monster and the red chair, amongst other cool stories. Since it was game day, we even got to see some batting practice. From this area, we headed over to the Green Monster seats, which are the most coveted in the park. Everyone got a chance to sit and enjoy the sights from this vantage point. Our last stop was the left-field grandstands, which are the smallest seats in the park and not very comfortable.
Overall, this was a great experience for us and our son. There was plenty of time allowed to take pictures and check out some of the nooks and crannies of America’s most beloved ball park. We recommend calling the tour phone number (617-226-6666) before planning your trip to see if there are any changes to the schedule. They are now offering batting practice tours as well, but no information is available on the details of this yet.
When our son gets older, we’ll plan a Fenway day where we do both a tour and game in the same day. Dad Says: Seeing Fenway with very few people walking around was great fun, and the history and facts were very interesting to hear. I really would have liked to see the clubhouse or the press box. Hopefully they will continue to expand this tour in the future.
Mom Says: The tour was about an hour and it flew by. Don’t worry about rushing to be the front people in the group as you won’t hear or see anything any better than the last people. Trust me – we were the last people!
Recently we received a very special plate from our son that his grandparents helped him paint by hand, literally–the white plate is covered in blue hand prints of our son. With the weather still a little chilly to plan outdoor activities, we thought we’d visit Claytime in Shrewsbury and make some gifts for the grandparents. Claytime is a paint-your-own-pottery and creative studio offering tons of craft projects you can work on with your kids.
On the weekends they advise you to make a reservation; we didn’t have one, but they didn’t care. We were greeted by an enthusiastic and very helpful staff member when we entered the studio and she explained how the entire process worked. You choose from a wide array of pottery (clay plates, bowls, cups, mugs, picture frames and many more) and then find a table to start working. Our helper showed us the various color options and explained some of the different techniques. The color options are displayed on large clay platters so you can see what they will look like when finished, and each has a number to help in retrieving the right bottle from the paint rack. In less than 10 minutes we were painting our plates.
The price of each piece of pottery is written on the bottom, so it’s easy to shop around the shelves for something your kid likes and within your budget. The total cost is the price of the item plus ½ of that price for the studio fee. Our small, oval plates were $12 + $6 for a total of $18 each. Size and complexity of the piece seemed to determine the price. The studio fee covers using the facility, the paint, glazing, kiln drying, and very helpful staff members to assist you.
Our biggest impression of Claytime was how helpful the staff was in getting our project to come out looking halfway decent (we are not the best artists). While we kept our plates pretty simple, the displayed artwork throughout the entire studio provides inspiration for many different projects. The staff at Claytime checked in on us quite often to see if we needed anything or had any questions.
Claytime offers many other craft activities such as beading, glass fusing, mosaics, and stuffed critters. You can rent one of their private rooms for a party with a group of 10 or more; there were two birthday parties for children going on while we were there. Claytime also allows adults to bring their own ‘adult’ beverages during the evening hours, and on Wacky Wednesdays adults get 50% off the studio fee.
Mom Says: I can’t say enough about the staff. They could see that we had our hands full with our son and were ready to help out at a moment’s notice. As soon as we had the paint ready to go they came by and worked with us to get the hand and foot prints just right. They even cleaned up for us in the end. We have to wait 12 days to pick up our plates and I’m already counting down…
Dad Says: I was a little apprehensive about pottery at first, but it brought me right back to high school art class and I hit my stride pretty quickly. This place is well run and offers a wide variety of craft activiites for the kids.
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: Waffle cones are made right in front of you so you know they are fresh. For an extra treat, ask for a warm one; otherwise they are served cooled off to avoid melting the ice cream.
Dad Says: I rarely pass up an opportunity to get ice cream and play mini golf, so I loved this place. The ice cream was great and the service was solid from the local employees.
On the weekends they advise you to make a reservation; we didn’t have one, but they didn’t care. We were greeted by an enthusiastic and very helpful staff member when we entered the studio and she explained how the entire process worked. You choose from a wide array of pottery (clay plates, bowls, cups, mugs, picture frames and many more) and then find a table to start working. Our helper showed us the various color options and explained some of the different techniques. The color options are displayed on large clay platters so you can see what they will look like when finished, and each has a number to help in retrieving the right bottle from the paint rack. In less than 10 minutes we were painting our plates.
