Well, it is almost June and it is HOT. Some of us (especially those of us who are, ahem, 32 weeks pregnant) might even be waxing a bit nostalgic about those chilly days in April we complained about so much. But before we plunge into summer (and various bodies of cool, refreshing water), let’s take a moment to look back at how we spent the first real month of spring.
This month we showed you where to…
…get adventurous
Mandy took her crew to Gillette Castle State Park on one of the first beautiful weekends of the season. With stately stone structures to explore, beautiful views to take in (and capture on camera), and plenty of perfect picnic spots–not to mention a ferry ride on the way there!–this destination proved to be a fun adventure for the whole family.
…get active
With the weather warming up, I couldn’t resist a return trip to Wickham Park to explore some of the sites we had missed on our first visit. Between hiking the fitness trail, a stroll through the Sensory Garden (stopping to peek at the model railroad, of course) and playtime at the two additional playground/picnic areas, we found lots to keep us busy.
…get exploring
Mandy completed her mission to visit every children’s museum in the state with a visit to the Children’s Museum of Southeastern Connecticut. With a colorful Seaside Village, a Discovery Room filled with activities for crawlers and toddlers alike, an outdoor playscape and more, this museum is a great place for little ones to play, explore, and expand their imaginations.
…get out and play
You might have done a double take this month when both Mandy and I posted on playgrounds named “Buckingham.” (Sorry! We didn’t plan it that way 🙂 ) First, I told you about the reader-recommended Buckingham Park, a toddler-friendly hideaway in Glastonbury with the pint-sized playscape and plenty of shade.
Then, Mandy wrote about the Boundless Playground in Avon called Buckingham Road Playground. This lovely spot has tons of activities for kids of different ages, including a separate toddler-sized playscape, a gigantic big kids’ playscape (with five slides!), a sandbox, swings, picnic areas and more. Oh, and did I mention that it’s completely fenced-in? Score!
…get cooking
Mandy and I were fortunate to be able to try out the BRAND NEW toddler cooking class at Stew Leonard’s in Newington. The kiddos got a real taste of the culinary arts when they got to shape, scoop, squish, and spear (as in pieces of uncooked spaghetti into hot dogs) their way through three unique, tasty, totally toddler-friendly recipes. This hands-on class is a hit! Make sure to get yourself signed up for the email list to find out about upcoming classes before they fill up.
…get your kicks
Lastly, Mandy found a super indoor sports facility offering soccer classes for kids as young as 18 months: Valley Sports Center’s Lil’ Kickers Soccer Program. With fun games to teach fundamental skills, special inflatable “bumpers” around the courts (to keep balls and kids from going too far), and plenty of activities to keep the wee ones engaged, this program is perfect for your pint-sized player.
And now that you’ve got this great list of places to try next month…get going!
As always, if you have an outing that you think we need to scout, let us know by commenting below or sending us an email at outandaboutmom@gmail.com.
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- Bright Horizons Early Education and Preschool – Visit their newly renovated center in Glastonbury. Now enrolling infants, toddlers, preschoolers and pre-k children for their fall programs.
- Kathryn Deane Photography – Kathryn is a natural light photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family, and senior portrait photography.
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