School Break Survival Guide {Stuff to Do to Save Your Sanity}

SCHOOLBREAK(1)No sooner than the wrapping paper is recycled do you hear those dreaded words..."I'M BORED". Get the scoop on some local kid friendly events here to put a stop to the boredom before it starts. Click through to see the full calendar. Have an event to submit? Email me at Jenny@Mamatoga.com!

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DEC 28

There is a Winter Wonderland Celebration at The Children's Museum at Saratoga, 69 Caroline St., Saratoga Springs from 10:30am to 12pm today. Cost is $2 per child, $1 for members. Celebrate the winter season and decorate cookies (1 per child), sip hot chocolate, make tie-died snowflakes, & enjoy other fun winter activities!


Make Sculpey Clay Animals today at Serendipity Arts Studio, 26 Congress St. Congress Plaza, Saratoga Springs from 10-11am. Cost is $15. Sculpey clay is a fun, easy to work with mold-able clay. Children get to make an animals figure that hardens when baked in the oven, so everyone will leave with their creations. This class is open to school age kids and younger children may attend with an adult as process can be tricky. Pre-Registration is highly recommended, click here to register and for more info.


December Camp Creativity is taking place this week at Saratoga Arts, 320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs. What better way to spend school break than by making new friends, making masterpieces, and having FUN? Camp Creativity is their full day camp for children ages 8-14 that is offered during December school break. A typical day for campers includes 4 art making sessions, a break for lunch, and two snack breaks. Camp Creativity campers focus on the basics, but are also introduced to advanced art concepts. Each camp ends with an exhibition of works highlighting lessons and projects - and friends and family of campers are invited to attend! Camp size is limited to 16 students. Children will need to bring a lunch, two snacks, and a water bottle. Click here for more info and to register.

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DEC 29

Hug a Tree and Survive is at Saratoga Spa State Park today at 3pm. The Hug a Tree and Survive program teaches children how to survive in the woods should they become lost. This program is appropriate for children ages 6 to 12, and lasts approximately 45 minutes. The program includes a video and demonstrations. Each child receives a survival pack with their own safety whistle. This program costs $5 per student. Please call (518) 584-2000 Ext. 116 to register. weds-1024x232

DEC 30

The Puppet People Present: A Christmas Carol at the Saratoga Springs Public Library today with three shows. A Charles Dickens holiday classic, this show features beautiful handcrafted marionettes, shadow puppets, gorgeous masks, lavish costumes, vivid sets, a professional soundtrack that includes many holiday favorites, and a giant 9-foot parade puppet. This program is for ages five and older. Pick up free tickets at the library. Shows at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.


Also on the 30th is Kids in the Kitchen: Food Science Adventures at Healthy Living Market and Cafe in Saratoga Springs from 11am to 12:30pm. In this extraordinarily fun, educational, and dairy-licious class, kids will perform a series of kitchen-science experiments while they create (and discover the how’s and why’s behind) homemade ricotta, butter, and whipped cream!  They’ll also sharpen their knife skills and learn some baking science as they prepare their very own chicken pot pies for lunch!  Keep your kids’ minds sharp over winter break with this class that promises to be one filling for both body and mind! This class is great for kids aged 6-12; all kids must be accompanied by an adult (adult admission free). $25/child. Register here or give them a call at (518)306-4900.

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DEC 31

Family Brunch with Creative Kidz Cafe is today at Healthy Living Market and Cafe in Saratoga Springs from 11am to 12pm. Creative Kidz Café and Learning Center Instructor Kiya have teamed up to bring you an exciting afternoon for the whole family!  Creative Kidz Café is a non-profit which brings creative classes to children on the autism spectrum as well as those with any special needs, and their families.  Family Brunch is a fun way to teach these special kids of ours how to create and cook meals!  They’ll begin with shopping for a few selected ingredients, then prepare the meals by mixing, chopping, rolling, stirring or whatever other interactive experience is required in each activity, and end by sharing a taste of their creation!  This class does require parent participation.  Please e-mail January at Creative Kidz Café if there are any special requirements or food allergies for your child, january@ckcafe.org. This class does require parent participation. Please register through the Creative Kidz Café website or e-mail January at Creative Kidz Café, january@ckcafe.org. This class is great for kids of all ages on the autism spectrum and their families; all kids must be accompanied by an adult (adult admission free). $15/child.


There's a New Year's Eve Dance Party for kids today at The Children's Museum at Saratoga, 69 Caroline St., Saratoga Springs from 1-3pm today. Stop into their community room anytime between 1 & 3 to dance around to some music and make some festive crafts to ring in the New Year! It's going to be a blast!


First Night Saratoga celebrates its 20th anniversary this year! As one of the oldest and largest First Night celebrations in the country it is the most affordable, accessible, family-friendly, safe and exciting way to spend New Year’s Eve in the region. On Thursday, December 31st join over 15,000 revelers as Saratoga Art’s hosts over seventy regional and touring performing groups in thirty venues throughout Historic Downtown Saratoga Springs. Starting with the 5k roadrace at Skidmore College at 5:30pm, culminating with the SPAC sponsored fireworks in Congress Park at midnight and packed full of live music, dance, comedy and magic in between, this event will be a highlight of your outgoing year.  Click here for more info.

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Kids and Teens Night Out is tonight at Serendipity Arts Studio, 26 Congress St. Congress Plaza, Saratoga Springs from 6-9pm. Cost is $30 per child. They'll have loaded mac and cheese and decadent brownies on the menu. The kids will make mac and cheese from scratch and then customize it with toppings of their choice! They will also make chocolate brownies to enjoy for dessert.  Participants will enjoy a creative culinary experience as well as learn about making good food choices! Each participant will assemble their own meals with ingredients to their liking.  This class is perfect for elementary and middle school aged kids. Pre-Registration is highly recommended, click here to register and for more info.


The Saratoga Springs Ice Rink is OPEN! Click here for the schedule, lots of family skates on the schedule and you can rent skates at the rink!

Need some fun ideas for staying in? Visit some of my School Break editions from years past: