5 things to do this week & next!

This will be my last "5 Things to do this Week" (and day late - darn!) until the week of March 17, so I'm going to extend it to cover next week as well.    We're leaving for California on Friday and crossing fingers for some springlike weather when we return.  I'll be doing a Groupon roundup tomorrow and that's it for the next few weeks!  However, I will still be posting on my Facebook page if I see anything cool going on, so follow me there if you don't already!

Anyway, here are 5 things to do this week and next week!

1.  Maple Days at Old Sturbridge Village.  Learn about how maple sugaring was done in 19th century New England!  Maple Days are March 1, 2, 8, 9, 15,  and 16.  Kids are FREE all of those weekends!!!  There's also a Groupon running right now.  Bundle up and have fun.

2.  Visit the Butterfly Place in Westford.  They just opened for the season a few weeks ago.

3.  See Ben Rudnick and Friends at Tico in Back Bay on March 8.  The show is free, coffee/tea/juice is free, and there's brunch ($).  Plus, benefits proceed Birthday Wishes.

4.  Check out one of the Kids' Shows at the Coolidge Corner Theater.

5.  Grab a Groupon for the Body Worlds Vital Exhibit in Fanuiel Hall.

ETA bonus stuff:

6.  Stacey Peasley is doing a singalong at Colores Kids in Natick on 2/28 @ 10am!  FREE!

5 Fun Things to do this Week!

image from mycutegraphics.com

I hear it's going to be a snowy/icy/slushy/yucky week - but wasn't the weekend such a treat?

I'm going to start post weekly ideas of free or inexpensive things to do.  It's a toughie in the winter sometime and some of these indoor activities are a little costly.  (The Armory indoor playspace in Somerville is $15 - what?!)  Here are some reasonably priced ideas.

1.  Go to the Watertown Library on Monday afternoon for Kindergarten Yoga!  Kids aged 4-6 can enjoy a brief introduction to yoga.  Free.

2.  Head over to Henry Bear's Park in Brookline on Friday afternoon for a musical show with children's performer Marcie Joy!  This also includes stories, crafts, and a coupon for Clover Food Lab.  Event starts at 5 PM.  Free.

3.  Go ice skating!  The Charles Hotel in Harvard Square offers ice skating with inexpensive rates and of course there's the Frog Pond.  Get in the spirit of the Winter Olympics!

4.  Check out open gym on Tuesday or Thursday at Exxcel Gymnastics in Newton.  For $8, you child can enjoy trampolines, balance beams, and more.

5.  Pottery Barn Kids has some activities going on this week.  Aside from their weekly Tuesday morning storytime, they also have a Valentine station this week and cookie decorating on Saturday!  Free.

Box Office Babies in Brookline

Sometimes with a baby, especially with a newborn, getting out of the house is the key to sanity. There are only so many times you can run errands or take a walk around the block, but luckily the Coolidge Corner Theatre offers something called Box Office Babies.

Box Office Babies offers a baby-friendly atmosphere for parents and caregivers to catch a current movie, baby in tow. They leave some extra lighting on during the movie and they lower the volume just a little bit. If your baby cries, you won't get the evil eye, and you can feel completely comfortable nursing your baby whenever he or she gets hungry during the movie.

The Coolidge Corner Theatre has a huge lobby where you can park your stroller and changing tables in the bathroom. The movies are held twice a month, on alternate Fridays. Sign up for their newsletter to get information on which movies are being shown.

This is probably best suited for very young babies (under 3 or 4 months), as once they get a little more alert and active it can be difficult to get them to sit still for the duration of a full-length movie. The movies shown are not necessarily kid-friendly movies (some recent ones included Vincere and The Last Station) so if you have older children, this probably isn't the best outing.

The Capitol Theater in Arlington offers something similar on Monday afternoons.

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This originally appeared on Boston Baby Activities - Examiner.com on June 14, 2010.