Battling Winter Boredom : Things to Do & Places to Go

As winter descends upon us with colder temperatures, windy weather, and early darkness, we can't rely on a trip to the playground to break up a monotonous morning or wear the kids out at the end of the day. So here are a few indoor options to keep us all from going stir crazy this winter.

Upcoming ParentTalk Events, Classes & Playdates:

Playdates at the Playspace! 10:30-12:30 December 7, 16, 21, 30  January 4, 13, 18
Craft Decorating at Architrave 10-11am December 9
Gymboree Play & Music Playdate 4-5pm December 14
Kidville Free Trial 3:30-4:45pm January 12

Indoor Playspaces & Playgrounds:

Drop in:
ParentTalk Playspace - Dover (don't forget about this one! As a member of ParentTalk you have access to our playspace, and can even rent it out for birthday parties!)
Inside Playground - Watertown
Kids Fun Stop - Dedham (ParentTalk members get $2 off child's admission)
Children's World - Canton
Imagine Playspace - Cambridge
Jam Time - Natick
Mini Athletes open gym - Norwood (10% off session costs for ParentTalk members)
Classes:
Kidville - Wellesley (try a free class; check our retail discounts if you decide to sign up  - while you're there, bring junior to the Kidville Salon for $5 off a haircut)
Gymboree - Needham (try a free class; 10% discount for ParentTalk members)
My Gym - Newton (try a free class; $25 off lifetime membership or 5% off class tuition for ParentTalk members)
Charles River YMCA offers a wide variety if classes and camps - Needham (10% off membership dues for ParentTalk members)

Stores That Feature a Playspace:

Architrave - Needham (ParentTalk members get a 10% discount on toys)
Magic Beans - Wellesley (ParentTalk members get a 10% discount on full-priced toys)
Magic Beans - Brookline

Trampoline Parks & Inflatables

Jump N Slide - Newton - (right on the Needham/Newton line, ParentTalk members get 33% discount on walk-ins)
Jump On In - Brighton
Launch Trampoline Park - Norwood - this one has a separate area for toddlers
Launch Trampoline Park - Watertown - see their schedule for toddler jump hours

Indoor Rock Climbing

Rock Spot Climbing - Boston (ParentTalk members get 10% off any program or camp)
Rock On Adventure - Norwood
Brooklyn Boulders - Somerville
Dedham Health and Athletic - Dedham
MIT Climbing Wall (free) - Cambridge

Other Active Indoors Ideas:

Beanstalk Ropes Course at Jordan's Furniture - Reading
Enchanted Ice ($6 to ice skate indoors - includes skate rental) at Jordan's Furniture - Avon
Ninja Warrior/ Parkour Courses at Action Athletics - Wellesley

Get Creative:

Drop in for some arts and crafts activities at The Kids Place - Needham (15% discount for ParentTalk members)
Check out a free kid's workshop at the Home Depot
Register and take part in the Monthly Mini Model Build at the Lego Store - Natick

Take a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts - the museum often hosts family friendly events like the Hannukah Festival of Lights December 13

Museums:

Ecotarium Science and Nature Museum - Worcester
Sock Skating!! Boston Children's Museum - Boston

Boston Fire Museum - Boston (walking distance from the Children's Museum - make it a two-for)
Museum of Science - Boston

Harvard Museum of Natural History - Cambridge

More Indoors Fun:

Needham Public Library - check the events calendar for activities ranging from yoga to sing alongs to crafts
Check the Needham/Newton Chamber of Commerce community and member event pages for upcoming events of all kinds
Nature exploration classes at Puddle Stompers - Newton (10% discount for ParentTalk members)
Take a stroll through the Enchanted Village and visit with Santa at Jordan's Furniture - Avon
Come check out the Polar Express 4D Movie Experience at Jordan's Furniture - Avon
Check out a kid-friendly movie or entertainment at the Coolidge Corner Theatre - Brookline
Have the ultimate Lego Experience at Legoland Discovery Center - Boston
New England Aquarium is amazing any time of year
See a puppet show at Puppet Showplace Theatre - Brookline
For a fancy treat, attend a Teddy Bear Tea at the Taj or at the Four Seasons - Boston

Willing to brave the outdoors? Just a few suggestions ...

Zoo Lights - Stoneham Zoo
Free Ice Skating - this article is from last year, but probably still holds true, just call before you go
Tubing at New England Sports Park - Amesbury

Hope this list can save an afternoon or two! Stay tuned for more ParentTalk events posted on our website events calendar as well as on our Facebook page!

About the Author:Laura Perras is a mom and Realtor who grew up in Needham, where she now works as part of the Perras Group at the William Raveis Needham office. In addition to mom-ing and selling houses, Laura enjoys djing, yoga, and arts and crafts. She’s involved in Parent Talk as Board CoChair of Marketing and Communications, Blog Coordinator, and Sale Committee Member.  Please reach out if you would like to submit a post to the blog or have feedback or ideas regarding what you’d like to see here : Laura.Perras.Realtor@gmail.com

Kid-Friendly and Family Activities For Winter

Wondering about what do with your kids now that winter weather has finally arrived?  Here are a few suggestions of local activities to help!

1.   Parent Talk membership perks --  Don't forget your free or discounted access to numerous fun activities and events.  Along with PT's upcoming February free family swim at Goldfish Swim School, you can take advantage of discounts to fun places like Jump 'N Slide and free museum passes to Boston Children's Museum, New England Aquarium, Museum of Science, Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo.

Improv Boston's Face Off.  Photo credit: Ryan Kelly Coil.

 2. Boston Nature Center  -- Stories, crafts, and indoor nature activities are offered for several Tuesdays in January and February for kids aged 3 though 6.   Outdoor exploration is offered for kids aged 5 through 9 during school vacation.  Other area wildlife sanctuaries in the area to visit include Stonybrook Wildlife Reservation, Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, Boston Nature Center & Wildlife Sanctuary, and Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary.

3.  Children's Museum in Easton --  Face painting and arts and crafts, along with pretend play with an archaeological dig, spaceship, train, fire truck and farmer's market are all located on three levels of a converted old fire station in a North Easton neighborhood.  Outside, there is a children's garden for milder temperatures.

4.  Ice skating at Frog Pond -- No list of winter activities could be complete without a mention of this Boston tradition!

"Frog Pond at Boston Commons" by Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

5.  Skiing/snowboarding/snowtubing -- Blue Hills, Nashoba Valley, Wachusett are a few local places to hit the slopes.

6.   Snowshoeing -- This can be a great, simple activity to do with the littlest ones.  The skill set needed is less complicated than other winter sports, as it basically involves walking in big shoes!

7.  Sledding -- Opportunities for finding a nice, gentle slope abound in the Metrowest.  Check out Boston.com's 40 great places to sled around Boston.

8.  Build a snowman and/or make a snow angel.

Snowman inspired by "A Stranger in the Woods" by Jim Sorbie

9.   Vacation programs/camps -- Exxcel Camps offer gymnastics, climbing, bungee, zip line, arts and crafts, games and circus art.  Hale Reservation offers both outdoor and indoor activities.  LINX offers a variety of activities over the February school vacation as well. 

10.   Snow painting -- Fill a squirt bottle with water and a few drops of food coloring, head outdoors, then squirt as you please in the snow to create some unique art.

11.  Indoor hide and seek  -- When temperatures are too cold to be out, playing hide-and-seek in the house with my three year old is sure to bring out peals of laughter, especially because we convert it into a game of tag once he finds me.

12.  Prepare a meal together followed by a movie  -- Everyone can get involved in dinner preparation before a family movie night.  Personal pizzas and build-your-own tacos can be fun and easy to prepare with individual tastes.  Salads are also quick, easy, and preparation is kid-friendly with washing, drying, and assembling various components.  End dinner with a bake-in-microwave mug cake for dessert while you sit back to enjoy a movie together.

"Parent-child cooking" by Alan Wat

13.  Family game night -- Tumbling tower games come in various sizes and types and can be fun for all ages.

14.  Staycation  --  Book a couple of days at local hotel and take a break from cooking, cleaning, and reminders of the long list of household tasks that await at home.  Meanwhile, you get room service, housekeeping, a heated pool, spa, massage and local touring in a new environment.  Getting out of the house, even locally, can give you a break from the daily grind.  My family has enjoyed staying at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, which I view as having five-star service and amenities in a low-key, non-fussy, relaxing environment.  We even brought our dog, under a pet-friendly policy.

15.  Improv Boston's Family Show -- This show is recommended for families with children aged 4 through 12.  Each Saturday, improv comedians create a fun show based on audience suggestions.

For more ideas, check out 11 Cold Weather Activities for Children that are Practically Free and
Keeping Kids Entertained in Cold Weather.  Enjoy the season!

About the Author
Darlene W. Cancell is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom and most recently, blog coordinator for Parent Talk.

MLK Day and Nurturing Service in Your Kids

"Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve."
                                                  --Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King Day, with its powerful message of friendship and peace, makes this January an ideal time for your family to learn about serving others.  But putting principles into action and teaching kids to focus on others can be challenging!

"2011 MLK Day of Service in Hartford, CT" by Dannel Malloy

FIVE WAYS TO INTRODUCE SERVICE TO YOUR KIDS

1.  Explain that, after holiday presents have been played with and new clothes have been worn, we can remove the older things that are no longer exciting.  When donating the old, we make space for the new.  It's a great way to make a fresh start in our closets and playrooms!

2.   Discuss how cold it is and how some people don't have warm clothing or winter coats.  Tread lightly here.  Kids can become anxious after hearing stories about other kids who don't have basic necessities.  You might say, "The only clothes in their closet are from a few years ago, so let's give them new things to keep them cozy!"

3.  Show your kids the statistic that around 30% of all annual giving happens in December, at least for one online giving platform (so it might be true in other cases of giving, too).  In January, there is an enormous drop in those online donations.  Your family can help fill the need in any one of the less charitable months of the year.

4.  Come up with a few New Year's resolutions.  Explain that both positive changes in life and accomplishing personal goals can come about while helping others.

"Resolving to Write More - a Worthy Thought" by Carol VanHook

5.  Talk about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy of nonviolent action, generosity of spirit, and community service.  Ask your kids how Dr. King might have wanted his birthday celebrated.

FIVE WAYS TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY AS A FAMILY

1.  Volunteer at Cradles to Crayons.  We took our two older boys (ages 5 and 7) to help at its Giving Warehouse in Brighton.  We had a great time and my sons were determined to make sorting clothes into a competitive sport!  It was a gentle, hands-on way of introducing my kids to the concept that we, unlike others, have more that we need.

2.  Deliver meals to elderly residents.   By taking meals to homebound seniors and without having to leave the comfort of the family car, younger children can feel pride in knowing that they are doing something to serve their community.  Needham's Traveling Meals program is a good place to start.

3.   Visit a senior rehabilitation or long-term care facility.  My dad and I used to deliver mail to elderly residents at the Brookline Health Care Center, and I can still remember the expressions of delight (and candy snuck to me!) when I walked into a room.  Many centers welcome family participation, as the presence of kids can be uplifting.  Newton's Stone Rehabilitation and Senior Center is one place to call.

"Alameda County Community Food Bank" by Ecole Bilingue

4.  Collect food for a food pantry, or help at one.  Older kids might enjoy setting up or taking inventory of donations.  My high school students helped once a month at a church pantry.  It helped them to diminish the feeling of "otherness" of a food pantry shopper.  Younger kids can collect food from your pantry or the grocery store, or help bake a loaf of bread to donate.  Try exploring The Needham Community Council.

5.  Donate a used or newly bought item (maybe that gift you have no use for) to a local charity -- You can donate gently used stuffed animals at Savers in West Roxbury or collect toiletries or baby items to create packages for Circle of Hope.  Or throw a collection party at the next sleep-under/sleep-over, where every guest brings one or two items that your child can give to a charity of her choice.

Afghan children examine donated school supplies in "A bagful of goodies" by ResoluteSupportMedia (crediting U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nestor Cruz). 

FIVE RESOURCES TO KEEP THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE 

ALIVE AT HOME, ALL YEAR LONG

1.  A Dream of Freedom by Diane McWhorter (appropriate for ages 8 to 12 or to read with your kids) -- This is a wonderful book written by a close family friend.  McWhorter won the Pulitzer Prize for her epic book about the Civil Rights movement, Carry Me Home.  This children's book explores the various players of the movement in detail at an accessible level.

2.  Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport -- Younger kids will find this introduction to Dr. King's life both engaging and inspiring.

"Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King award winning book" by Deb Nystrom, depicting cover of Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport.

3.  A blank journal -- Start a gratitude journal with your kids in the form of a correspondence, writing down things that you are grateful for, and ask your kids to do the same.  You can offer simple prompts on index cards that your kids can pick out every so often.   "What clothes/food/family/
friends/activities are you thankful for today?"

4.  How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer -- My kids looove this book! The authors succeed at making a complicated concept -- brightening others' lives actually brightens your own! -- into a very literal, visual story.

5.  Kid President's The Story of Martin Luther King, Jr. video -- There's something powerful about a kid explaining history to other kids.


About the Author
Joanna Noon is a Brookline native who loves living in Needham with her husband and five children.  She worked in education before becoming a stay-at-home mom.  Joanna is a longtime member of Parent Talk and is excited to serve on the Parent Talk Board as Membership Co-Chair.

Making New Year's Resolutions for the Entire Family

Some people think that New Year's resolutions are doomed to failure.  But statistics show that making resolutions can be effective in moving you closer to your goals.  Why not make setting New Year's resolutions a time for reflection and a family tradition? 

"Resolving to Write More - a Worthy Thought" by Carol VanHook

Every family member can put forth a few ideas for both personal and family improvement.  To keep it positive, reflect on things achieved along with what needs improvement.  Keep resolutions few and simple for younger kids, and make sure resolutions are realistically achievable.   Anticipate hurdles and strategize in advance about how to deal with them.  Write out goals (for the littlest ones, use pictures) where the whole family can see them, and create a chart measuring progress toward practicing a new habit. 

There are unlimited resolutions that one can undertake, but below are five that families can do together, and the ways to go about them.

1.  GET FIT TOGETHER

Take a simple stroll to school or around the neighborhood together.  Incorporate a family stroll into your dog walking routine. Plan a family hike.

"Walking/Strolling in the Cold" by Jim Larrison

Look for opportunities to be active together.  Make a list of national parks to visit, or in Massachusetts, Trustees of the Reservation lands.  Don't forget that Parent Talk offers retail discounts to gyms, dance classes, and other activities.  The Charles River YMCA provides kids with a supervised space to tumble and play while parents use the gym equipment in a room viewable through a window.  And if you attended PT's Preschool and Kindergarten Fair, you might have picked up a coupon to Energy Fitness which lets parents have a cardio workout for free while they watch their child's gym class through a glass wall.

Other creative, fun ideas I have come across include: (a) joining in a family game of hop scotch; (b) family play at the playground (as long as it is safe, climb up that climbing structure and slide down that slide!); (c) ice skating; (d) family swims; and (e) going on a treasure (scavenger) hunt.

2.  SCHEDULE MORE FAMILY TIME

"Give Thanks to Family" by OakleyOriginals

Eat together.  Nowadays, it is not uncommon for family members to eat at separate times because everyone has an individual schedule.  However, research shows that children of families that regularly eat together are less likely to get involved in substance use and physical violence when they become teenagers.  Make a commitment to dine in (or out!) together one or more days a week.

Be entertained together.  Put on some music, bring out a few board games, and have a weekly/monthly family game night. Pop the popcorn, and cozy up on the couch for a regularly scheduled family movie night.  Take a field trip together to a museum, park, or historic site.  Start a family hobby that is suitable for all ages.

"Chicken Cobb Salad" by Nan Palermo

3. START HEALTHIER EATING HABITS

Cook together.  Little ones love to mix and measure ingredients.  With lower fat and sodium content than restaurant food, home cooked meals can be healthier.   If, like me, you have not been in the practice of cooking, do a search for quick, easy five-star recipes and try them out one or more times a week.  Your cooking will get more efficient over time and you will soon have a few quick go-to recipes to choose from!

Include a vegetable and/or fruit with every meal. Frozen and canned options that are low in fat and sodium can help create a balanced meal given a time crunch.

Prepare healthier snacks (like cut fruits and vegetables) in advance and keep the refrigerator stocked with them.

4.  BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR

Once a week, have your family select a person to give special attention.  Bake cookies, send a handwritten card, help with shoveling snow or other chore, and take some time to provide a listening ear.

"who stole the cookie. . ." by Kiran Foster

Volunteer together.  Visit a senior with a meal and bring some cheer to shut-ins.  The whole family can help at Spread the Bread or a homeless shelter or soup kitchen (but check for minimum age requirements).  If going onsite to the location is not an option, find a church or other community organization that sponsors such efforts to which you can contribute.  There may be a coat or clothing drive for the homeless at which your family can drop off donations.

Discuss with your kids the idea of donations, and find something to donate. It is not for everyone, but  kidscangivetoo.com is an interesting option that asks kids to have guests donate money instead of giving a traditional birthday gift.  The donations are then split between the birthday boy or birthday girl and the charity of his or her choice.

5.  UNPLUG

Have everyone take a break from screen time and cell phones a couple of hours a day or week, or one or more days a month (whichever you can handle!).  Reducing kids' screen time can help avoid associated risks of sleeplessness, problems of attention, anxiety and depression, and obesity.

I hope you counted many successes and celebrations in 2015.  Here's to finding many more of them (with a little resolve) in 2016!


About the Author
Darlene W. Cancell is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom, and most recently, blog coordinator for Parent Talk.





Sources

1. http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/News/NewsAndFeatures/Pages/Family-New-Years-resolutions-Top-five.aspx

2. http://www.parents.com/holiday/new-years/resolution/8-ways-to-help-kids-make-new-years-resolutions/

3. https://uk.style.yahoo.com/new-year-resolutions-for-the-family.html

Light Up the Holidays -- Make a Lantern for Needham Lights

Come join Parent Talk and friends this Sunday and create lanterns for Needham Lights!  A lantern-making workshop will be held in the Dover Caryl Community Center on November 15, 2015, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and again on Saturday, December 5, 2015, at one of Parent Talk's craft tables inside Needham Town Hall.  

Child at Parent Talk's craft table during last year's Needham Lights lantern-making event.

Light is something we cherish in the winter and something we use in our holiday celebrations, so it is only appropriate we come together in early December for the annual Needham Lights event.  Many of us are trying to create holiday traditions for our children -- not only to give them something to look forward to, but also to imbue the season with meaning.  

Needham Lights offers us an opportunity to provide our children with both a fun and entertaining activity and a symbolic one.  By coming together as a community, we are showing our children that they belong to something greater.  By taking part in the Luminary Stroll, they can see for themselves the beauty of many lights joined together in one effort.  This may seem abstract for little ones, but let's not forget how impressionable and perceptive they are!

Crowd gathers outside Needham Town Hall for 2014 Needham Lights.

We hope you will include Needham Lights in your holiday tradition this year.  The multi-faceted event takes place on Saturday, December 5, from noon through 8 p.m.  Parent Talk will have craft tables inside Needham Town Hall from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and there will be live entertainment and a fire show outside.  There will also be promotions at local shops around the town center, and finally, the chance to light up the town during the luminary stroll!  

About the Author
Liza D'Hemecourt is the Community Relations Chair for Parent Talk, following her previous role as Blog Coordinator.  She taught kindergarten and first grade before becoming a stay-at-home mom in Needham to her two children.  

What's on Your PT Sale Shopping List?

In the weeks leading up to the Parent Talk Used Clothing, Toy and Equipment Sale, my living room and dining room become staging areas.  Donations and consignments go out the door to Sale in order to make room for purchases coming in the door from the Sale.

Once the donations have been made and the consignments have been tagged, it's time to pull together my shopping list for the day of the Sale.  I make a mental list of what each child needs in several categories, including seasonal items, toys, equipment and my favorite -- what I call "back-up" items.  I also keep my eyes open for what I call "jack-pot" items.

Seasonal Items

 At the Fall Sale, my list always includes the following items: 

• Halloween Costumes --  Last year, I was able to buy three or four costumes for each for my twins.  Even though the twins did not end up wearing any of them for Halloween, they now have a very full dress-up closet with which they play all of the time.  This year, I am on the lookout for the makings of a pirate princess costume.

"Who dressed YOU?" by Juhan Sonin

• Winter Gear  -- I almost always end up picking up a few winter gear items, whether they be back-up items for daycare (more on that later) or "new" gear for the slopes.  I always look for tried and true name brands like L.L.Bean and Lands' End.  I know that items from these brands will stand up to being used by several kids, and the companies' return policies are extremely generous in case a zipper breaks or a seam pulls after years of use. This year, I am on the hunt for snow pants for my older son.

•  Holiday Outfits -- If you think about it, it never makes sense to buy holiday outfits new when you can buy them worn once or twice for a fraction of the cost!  This fall, I am looking for a dress for my daughter and coordinating sweaters for my boys.

"Had a little Christmas session." by Tanner Smith

Toys 

This year, my family has been really focused on getting the toys out of the house and reducing our clutter, so I don't need as many toys this year.  When my kids were younger, however, I got some amazing toys from the Sale, especially toys for the newborn through toddler age range.  These toys don't get quite as much wear and tear as toys for older children. I have picked up many nearly new items, including walkers, musical toys and Tonka trucks!  This year, my list is short, but it does include some key items:

• Board Games - My kids are starting to play games cooperatively, with little support from Mom and Dad.  At the Sale, I am hoping to pick up a few new games to add to the rotation.  The Sale is always well stocked with everyone's favorite games, so if you see Apples to Apples, save it for me!

• Coloring/Activity Books - My daughter is a coloring fiend right now. If she could, she would color for hours every day.  My boys love activity books with mazes and "spot the difference" pages. I am hoping to pick up a few of these to stash in our family car so that when we go out to eat, travel, or go on car trips there will always be something for me to grab that is new entertainment.

"coloring book" by Julie Rybarczyk

• Music - Similarly, I am planning to keep an eye out for a few CDs.  We mostly listen to streaming music at home, but we do have a CD player in the playroom and in our minivan.  I love to pull out something that  we have not listened to when we are into the fifth hour of a road trip to see the in-laws!

Back-Up Items

Okay, here's the deal.  This is where you can really make out at the Sale.  Even if you prefer to buy new for your kids, you can always use a back-up of something, right?  Whether it's an extra Pack 'n Play for your mom's house, a second jogging stroller for the beach or an extra set of winter gear for daycare, why pay full price?  Your kids will use these items only a fraction of the time, and with all the great brands and quality items at the Sale, you can't go wrong!  This year my list includes:

• Winter Gear --  My kids all go to daycare and instead of schlepping boots, hats, mittens, coats and snow pants back and forth each day, I just get them a second set of everything.  This year,   I am on the lookout for a second set of winter gear for my younger son. 

• Rain Gear -- How many times have you left for school when it has been sunny and then the day takes a turn for the worse?  Again, it's easier just to have back-up rain gear that you can leave at school for the season.  My daughter needs rain boots (size 11, if you see them)!

"running in wellies and raincoats" by Sarah Offley Photography Wirral

• Baby Gear -- Just kidding! Nothing is on my list for baby gear this year. I am purging baby gear these days, but in the past when I was expecting twins, I got great deals on strollers, a second swing, and a second high-chair.  Last year, I got a great deal on not one, but two Razor scooters.  Look for Pack 'n Plays, extra sheets, a second baby carrier (adjust one for mom and one for dad, and no need to readjust ever again) and second (or third) strollers.

• Jack-Pot Items --  Last but not least are what I call the jack-pot items. This is the brand new Mini Boden shirt in your son's size for $8, or the pink Pottery Barn kitchen for a fraction of the cost, new.  While I don't put anything specific from this category on my shopping list, there is always something that catches my eye at every Sale.  At this year's Spring Sale, I picked up several brand new crew-neck tee shirts for my daughter for under fifteen dollars.  Last fall, I got a nearly new pair of pink Kamik boots for her, which she wore nearly every day from January to May!   

What's on your shopping list?

About the Author
Wendy Todd lives in Needham with her husband, Aaron, and three kids aged eight, four and four. She started volunteering for the Parent Talk Sale in 2008 and has been on the Sale Committee for the last four Sales. She plans to stay on the Committee until her very last bargain is found! She previously served on the Board of Directors of Parent Talk as both Playspace Chair and President.

Editor's note:  One of the best ways to score an item on your PT Sale shopping list (especially those jack-pot items!) is to volunteer for the Sale. Volunteers can shop early, before the start of the Sale.  Help is especially needed on Sale Day, Saturday, October 17, 2015. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up at SignUpGenius.  

Local area skiing options for kids

Written by Sara Nechasek

Have you been thinking with all this snow lately that it might be fun to bring your kids skiing?   

We are fortunate to have a handful of ski hills close by in Massachusetts.  The local mountains are the perfect place to ski with younger children.  They offer lessons, rentals and easy access from Needham.  We also have a great cross country ski location just minutes away.  You and your family don’t have to trek to NH, ME or VT to have a fun ski day.

·       Blue Hills, Canton MA (about 15 minute drive from Needham) 
·       Bradford, Bradford MA
·       Nashoba, Westford MA
·       Wachusett, Princeton MA  The farthest drive away, Wachusett is also the largest ski area on this list.
·       Weston Ski Track (Cross Country), Weston, MA  Only minutes from Needham, the Weston Ski Track offers a great beginner cross country experience including lessons and rentals.   

This year we signed my four year old son up for weekly group lessons at Blue Hills, which I chose because it is so close to home.  Most places offer lessons to children age four and older (although Bradford starts at age three).  They offer one-time daily lessons or weekly lessons.  My son loves the lessons and I have found the instructors to be patient and upbeat.  Blue Hills, like the other downhill ski locations, rents skis, boot and helmets.  They offer rental and lesson packages too. Make sure you rent a helmet if you don’t own one.  New skiers fall down often plus the helmet helps keep your little one warm!  All you need to do is dress your child in warm clothes including snow pants, a snow jacket and water-proof mittens and you can rent the rest of the equipment.If you are more interested in cross country skiing, the Weston Ski Track is a few short minutes away from Needham and offers lessons and rentals too.  The Weston Ski Track also offers a child carrier to rent (much like a behind the bike carrier) where your child can sit while you pull them skiing.Skiing can be a fun outdoor activity for your kids during these long New England winters.  I love how tired and happy my son seems after a few hours of skiing!

I’d love to hear if there are other places you ski in MA.  Please tell me in the comments.

About the Author
Sara Nechasek lives in Needham with her husband and four year old son. She works part-time at a non-profit health care company and dreams of the day she can bring her son to ski big powder out west.

photo credit