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Mad Mike’s “Meteorite or Meteor-Wrong”
3-2-1 Blast off into space! Family fun activities, demonstrations and more when you visit the Roger Williams Museum of Natural History & Planetarium during April school vacation. Each day during the afternoon, bring your kids for some hands-on adventure at “Mad Mike’s.” Kids can hold a space rock in their hands, learn all about meteorites, and compare the characteristics of space rocks and Earth rocks. Admission: Free with museum admission ($2). From April 17 through April 21; 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. everyday.
Family Movie Night: The Wizard of Oz
Follow the yellow brick road to the Children’s Library at the Providence Anthenaeum, and take your family on an adventure with Dorothy, Toto, and the rest of the gang in this technicolor classic! Enjoy pizza, juice boxes, and an ice cream treat! $5 snack fee (adults are free). Film rating [G], running time 102 min. Ages 5+ with parent or caregiver. Registration is required. Contact Lindsay at 401-421-6970 or by email, lshaw@provath.org.
Get messy in the museum
The John Brown House Museum is offering a free “Family Fun Morning” once a month on Saturdays, May-August, from 9 to 10am. Perfect for your younger kids (ages 5-10), the kid-friendly program encourages kids to use their “green thumb” to cultivate “live results”. The program includes a story time and seed-planting activities, and kids can even take home the plantings to watch them grow! In addition, children will also be exposed to history, learning about 18-century families (like the Browns) and what they might have planted in their kitchen garden 200 years ago. Let your kids guess if you have the same plants in your home! Admission: Free with registration.
Spend the day at the farms!
Re-discover the joy of Rhode Island farmer’s markets and get ready to look forward to a summer chock-full of them! Nestled in Sounderstown, R.I., Casey Farm is a picturesque spot and local farmers are ready to banish our winter blues with their delightful goods and wares. Items for sale include Vermont maple syrup, coffee, and fresh baked goods. Also, for serious gardeners and hobbyists alike (and kids!), start your culinary garden this spring with Rhode Island Certified Organic vegetable, fruit, and herb seedlings at Casey Farm’s Spring Seedling Sale, happening at the same time. While there, tour the historic farmhouse and grounds and bring the kids for special children’s activities. Admission: Free! Rain or shine. (Watson Farm is just 8 minutes away, and they are hosting a sheep sheering event and you can also visit their baby lambs!)
Plant sale at Green Animals Topiary Garden
This annual plant sale is the perfect place to see a garden explode with color and the imaginative gardeners of Green Animals Topiary at work crafting huge creatures from trees! Admission to the garden will be free on the day of the plant sale and there’s no better place to get flowers and vegetables for your home garden (or a Mother’s Day seedling bouquet!)
Kids Reading Across RI
Books are the passport to the world and on Mother’s Day weekend, check out the annual Kids Reading Across RI event taking place inside the RI Statehouse, featuring activities, readings, story time, and more for children in 4th-6th grades. Each year, a summer reading theme is chosen to inspire kids to explore the world through books. This year’s theme, Build a Better World, kicks off with the book Save Me a Seat, written by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan. Each family will receive their own free copy of the book. In addition to activities and readings, kids will receive a “passport” upon entry and can get it stamped by visiting different booths and activities. Visit Facebook for more event details (and feel free to share!)
Location: Rhode Island State House, Providence. Admission: Free!
At the event, you’ll find booths and tables hosted by Audubon Society of RI, East Providence Public Library, Kidoinfo, India Association of RI, Providence Children’s Film Festival, RI Children’s Book Award, RI Festival of Children’s Books & Authors, RI Middle School Book Award, Washington County Coalition for Children, Warwick Public Library, Woonsocket Harris Public Library, and more!
Kingston Village Fair Day
In celebration of the annual Kingston Village Fair Day, the South County History Center will be opening the first of three exhibits featuring images from the Allen Collection of glass plate negatives. Enjoy looking at old photographs that aren’t on a screen and explore the center and the grounds. Admission: Free, with tours each half hour.
Go fly a kite!
Bring a kite to Watson Farm and enjoy a day of family fun. Watch a professional kite flyer fly three kites simultaneously. Hike out to scenic fields where you can launch your own kite or just watch others enjoy this old-fashioned pastime. Follow a self-guided tour of the farm trails down to Narragansett Bay and back, and learn more about local history and agriculture. Grab a kite, bring a picnic lunch if you wish, and come enjoy the breathtaking views of Narragansett Bay’s West Passage. Free. Registration is not required. Please call 401-423-0005 ext. 3 for more information.
Get messy in the museum
The John Brown House Museum is offering a free “Family Fun Morning” once a month on Saturdays, May-August, from 9 to 10am. Perfect for your younger kids (ages 5-10), the kid-friendly program encourages kids to use their “green thumb” to cultivate “live results”. The program includes a story time and seed-planting activities, and kids can even take home the plantings to watch them grow! In addition, children will also be exposed to history, learning about 18-century families (like the Browns) and what they might have planted in their kitchen garden 200 years ago. Let your kids guess if you have the same plants in your home! Admission: Free with registration.
Scavenger hunt & crafts!
For this month’s “Morning at the Museum,” The John Brown House will be highlighting the unique architecture of the museum, considered the first mansion in Providence, and providing a host of children’s activities. Kids will start with a guided architectural scavenger hunt around the building, and then have the opportunity to use their hands to craft their own historic mansion. Enjoy what John Quincy Adams called “most magnificent and elegant private mansion” that he’s “ever seen on this continent” with your family during this special free program. Recommended for families with children ages 5-12. For questions, please contact Jen Davis at jdavis@rihs.org or call 401-331-8575 x362.