Mommy Poppins - Things to Do with Kids - Westchester

Animals in the Sky at the Pound Ridge Library

Katherine Dhurandhar — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:31:11 +0000

Saturday, January 10, 2026 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

https://poundridge.librarycalendar.com/event/stamford-museum-nature-center-prese...

Cost:

Free

Discover the animals that are represented in constellations in the sky and the animals that have flown into space to help with research! Meet some of these animals up close and learn about the new Astronomy Center at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center.

Free, but registration is required.

Recommended Age:

12 and under

Age:

Pound Ridge Library

271 Westchester Avenue

10576 Pound Ridge , NY 41° 12' 39.7944" N, 73° 34' 23.484" W

New York

Ticketed:

Activity Category:

Free

Indoors

STEM

Admission Services

Wild Canines of New York - Hudson Highlands Nature Museum

Katherine Dhurandhar — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:22:31 +0000

Sunday, January 11, 2026 - 10:00am

https://hhnaturecenter.org/new-events/2024/3/10/wolves-to-workers

Cost:

$12-$16

New York State is home to a number of wild canines. Learn about the coyote, the red and silver foxes, their lifestyle, their behaviors, their roles in the ecosystem, their relationship with humans, as well as the disappearance ( and potential return) of the wolf.

Participants will be going on a guided hike, searching for evidence of canid activity, and maybe the canines themselves, followed by a fun themed craft.

Preregistration is required.

Recommended Age:

all ages

Age:

Hudson Highlands Nature Museum

on Muser Drive across from 174 Angola Road

12518 Cornwall , NY

Phone: 845-534-5506

41° 25' 28.3656" N, 74° 2' 38.94" W

New York

Ticketed:

Activity Category:

Outdoor & Nature

STEM

Admission Services

Secrets of Scat at Teatown Lake Reservation

Katherine Dhurandhar — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:14:59 +0000

Sunday, January 11, 2026 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

https://www.teatown.org/events/secrets-of-scat-2/

Cost:

Members: $10/family; Nonmembers: $15/family

What secrets does scat hold? Why should seeing it thrill us? Join Environmental Educator Elissa Schilmeister to find out at Teatown Lake Reservation Decipher the messages these traces can tell us. Participants will read a popular book about poop, do a scat-themed craft, and get outside to seek tracks and traces of winter wildlife.

This program also involves a short hike, so come to craft, but please dress for the weather.

Limited to six families

No more than five family members/family

Recommended Age:

all ages

Age:

Teatown Lake Reservation

1600 Spring Valley Road

10562 Ossining , NY

Phone: 914-762-2912

41° 12' 40.8348" N, 73° 49' 36.6528" W

New York

Ticketed:

Activity Category:

Outdoor & Nature

Admission Services

22 Free Things To Do Indoors in Westchester and the Hudson Valley: Free Places To Play Indoors on Cold and Rainy Days

Tom Stefanchik — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 12:59:59 +0000

These free indoor places to play in Westchester and the Hudson Valley are a salve for those bad weather days when you don't want to be stuck inside with the kids waiting to hear the dreaded (and inevitable), “I’m bored.” When you need somewhere warm, dry, and free that isn’t your living room, having a few reliable options in your back pocket makes all the difference.

From Scarsdale to Kingston, the region offers a wide variety of fun, free things to do at local museums, malls, marine sanctuaries, and more to keep kids and parents entertained and engaged. These are places I’ve personally tried with my own kids—spots that are not only budget-friendly, but genuinely fun and engaging, even on the longest rainy or freezing days.

Find more free fun in our Guide to Free, Fun Things To Do with Westchester and Hudson Valley Kids.

Static Electricity Day at Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum

Katherine Dhurandhar — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 12:56:20 +0000

Friday, January 9, 2026 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm

https://mhdm.org/event/static-electricity-day/

Cost:

Free with museum admission

Explore the “shockingly” fun world of electric charges for Static Electricity Day at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum. Explore static electricity and see how balloons and other everyday objects can make paper jump, water bend, and hair stand on end. Drop in and discover how everyday materials can do extraordinary things!

Included with museum admission.

No registration required.

Recommended Age:

8-12

Age:

Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum

75 North Water St

12601 Poughkeepsie , NY

Phone: 845-471-0589

41° 42' 31.7556" N, 73° 56' 21.0732" W

New York

Ticketed:

Activity Category:

Indoors

STEM

Admission Services

Fairy House Decorating at Cranberry Lake Preserve

Katherine Dhurandhar — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 03:16:25 +0000

Saturday, January 10, 2026 - 11:00am to 12:00pm

https://www.facebook.com/events/1875417673365353/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_hi...

Cost:

Free

Join the naturalists in the Cranberry Lake Preserve nature center to create miniature fairy houses using natural, foraged materials.

Free. Drop in, no registration required.

Recommended Age:

all ages

Age:

Cranberry Lake Preserve

1609 Old Orchard Street

10603 North White Plains , NY 41° 4' 41.754" N, 73° 45' 18.5076" W

New York

Ticketed:

Activity Category:

Arts

Food & Cooking

Outdoor & Nature

Admission Services

Buddy Break at Ridgeway Church

Ginajoykim_202408 — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 01:10:05 +0000

Friday, January 9, 2026 - 6:30pm to 9:00pm

http://RidgewayChurch.com

Cost:

Free

Buddy Break at Ridgeway Church is a FREE respite program for parents /caregivers of individuals with special needs (5-20 years old) held on every second Friday of the month at the Ridgeway Church gymnasium. Please join for crafts, activities, and fun!

Please register for the event by scanning the QR code or through www.Ridgewaychurch.com/resources/special-needs

Have Questions? Please contact BuddyBreak@Ridgewaychurch.com.

Recommended Age:

5-20

Age:

Ridgeway Church Gym

465 Ridgeway

10605 White Plains , NY

Phone: 9149493714

41° 0' 47.3004" N, 73° 44' 17.1564" W

New York

Ticketed:

Activity Category:

Free

Indoors

Special Needs

Admission Services

St. Lucia With Kids: Stay at Coconut Bay and Explore the Island’s Best Family Adventures

Meghan Rose — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 13:10:07 +0000

I live in LA, so for tropical vacations, we tend to head to nearby Hawaii. But we took the long flight to the Caribbean this fall, and I have to say, I’m sorry we waited so long. For a fantastic mix of awesome adventures, gorgeous beaches, relaxing cabanas, stunning nature, great food, loads of animals, and a plethora of activities for kids and the whole family, you can’t beat the island of St. Lucia. Yes, the island famous for honeymooners and romance is actually a wonderful family vacation.

We stayed at the all-inclusive Coconut Bay Beach Resort and had maybe the most perfectly balanced tropical family vacation I’ve ever experienced. Think chocolate tasting/making, drive-in volcano, snorkeling with endangered turtles, and the best Kids Club I’ve seen.

Below, I’m sharing the real insider stuff. Not just the list of top things to do, but the details: what you need to pack (and what to not pack!), which days you should plan on adventures and which you should lie by the pool, and even what to eat.

Check out our complete Guide to Caribbean Family Vacations. Now, here are my tips on making a trip to St. Lucia with kids a rousing success:

Best Indoor Water Parks near NYC for a Warm Weather Getaway

Stephanie Ogozalek — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 15:00:44 +0000

Indoor water parks offer summertime-style family thrills year-round, and many are just a car ride away from the New York City metro area. With winter's chill upon us, many families look for ways to escape the city for a warmer locale, but jet-setting to a tropical island might not always be a possibility. Instead, stay a little closer to home and visit one of these indoor water parks in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the Hudson Valley, which are sure to help beat the winter blues.

We've found 10 warm and wet indoor water parks nearby, perfect for kids and families, and all are less than 2½ hours from Midtown Manhattan. Most indoor water parks keep temperatures a hot and humid 85 degrees year-round, creating a perfect beach day in any season. So leave the sunscreen at home, dust off that bathing suit, and hit the water.

Check out our Guide to Day Trips and Weekend Getaways and Family Amusement Parks & Water Parks Guide for more destination inspiration.

New Year's Eve Weekend in Westchester and the Hudson Valley with Kids: Countdown to 2026

Katherine Dhurandhar — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 14:18:12 +0000

Looking for the best things to do in Westchester and the Hudson Valley this New Year's Eve weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list.

Families can have a bricktacular New Year's Eve at Legoland New York, featuring an early countdown and Lego ball drop, plus all the other festivities throughout the day. Or enjoy cupcake decorating, a DJ dance party, and a confetti-filled ball drop and countdown to 2026 at the New Year's Eve Kids' Countdown at the Westchester Children's Museum.

If you're not too tired after all the fun, explore the outdoors on a guided First-Day Hike through Rockwood Hall in Rockefeller State Park Preserve, or kick off maple sugaring season at Muscoot Farm's FREE Backyard Sugarin'.