Higgins Armory Museum

If you’re not convinced Higgins is worth the trip I found this great video on YouTube.  It’s really a great place to captivate the imagination.

More Summer Camps

Beside the Y, there are some other wonderful week long experiences out there.  Here’s more to check out.

Norman Bird Sanctuary: Just got voted as one of the top places to visit in New England in the Boston Globe.  Think nature and beach.

Lloyd Center for the Environment: Another nature program but they also have week long specialty programs for kids.

Soule Homestead:  Farm animals, crafts, gardens.

Summer plans and area camps

I’ve been looking into things to do this Summer and have found a variety of camps and organizations.  If your independently wealthy and have all the time in the world than you will probably have no problem filling your children’s Summer with educational activities.  For the rest of us who are living on a shoe string, we have to delve a little further.

The most inexpensive camping experience is probably offered by your town.  I live in Somerset, MA and the area rec department offers a day camp for a nominal fee.  If you have multiple children, you may be able to negotiate for a further discount.  The camp is mainly run by teens so there is no formal programming.  The day consists of games and going to the playground. 

Next up is the Y.  Fall River is the closest but doesn’t offer the best facilities.  There is a bus that picks up your camper and brings them there.  They list the schedule on-line.  For Somerset/Swansea residents that makes Dartmouth the preferable choice.  Traditional camp is about $185 per week so more expensive but may be worth for a week long change of pace.  I’ve been hounding them for a while to get them to give a multiple child discount — no luck so far.

Some other ideas include the Environmental Ed Center in Bristol, RI.  It may be a bit of a drive but we did the Family Camp week and had a great time (I think I was having as much fun or maybe more than the kids).  Again a bit pricey. 

Teamworks in Somerset, MA offers sports programs for children of mutiple levels.  They even have a “try-out-different” stuff for the little ones. 

to be continued….

Providence Performing Arts Center

I just received my Providence Performing Arts calendar for next years subscription.  Last year we signed up for the Contemporary Classic Series.  We paid $250 for three shows, five seats.  They were way up in the balcony but that theatre is small enough we still had a great view.  Besides are little boy has a hard time sitting so being the back gave him plenty of wiggle room.

Jamestown, RI

Down to Jamestown, RI this past weekend.  We were out hiking at the state parks and doing some geo-caches.  If you haven’t heard about geo-caching it’s basically hiking with a GPS (global positioning system) and using the coordinates to find designated spots.  They can just be a certain place and often they have a hidden container where you can sign your name and take a small prize.  You need to replace the prize with something too.

Anyway we found four geocaches in Jamestown, one at the Beavertail lighthouse.  It’s been a great incentive to get the kids outside hiking.  Plus we’ve found some really beautiful remote spots that we would have never known about.  Check out the official geocaching website if you’re interested.

Jacob and Abby at Soule Homestead

Jacob and Abby at Soule Homestead

Originally uploaded by clmmatos

Here’s the kids at the Soule Homestead Sheep Shearing Festival.

Soule Homestead

Did you know about this working farm in Middleborough, MA?  The kids are off to the annual sheep shearing/earth day festival today so I’ll be sending a report on their review.  I just checked out their website and they have craft workshops for a nominal fee.  I love that kind of one day event where I can do something creative but not be committed to a lot of time.

If you’re really cheap like we are, Home Depot has their family craft workshop every first Saturday.  They do a wood working craft for free.

What’s up for Mother’s Day?  We’re off to Jamestown.  I’ll keep you posted.