Where to Take Your High-Energy Kid This Winter
We've got 90 days between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Save this post to save your sanity.
This post is part of our “Ask An Expert” series, which features locals with a niche expertise. What’s your niche expertise? Email me at kaylakaplowitz@substack.com with your idea!
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Well, we’ve just celebrated the winter solstice and are all about to enter the dark days of winter. If playing outside in 2° weather with your kids isn’t your thing, then try out one of these parent-approved indoor venues.
And for all you adventurous parents out there, I've also included a few kid-friendly ideas for cold-weather outings.
Xtreme Play Adventure Park (Danbury)
“It’s like a kid’s dream in there,” says Ridgefield mom Caylie Marchi. “My 7yo loves the laser tag, arcade games, and the ropes course. (I get super into laser tag with him.) Plus, there’s a great Chinese restaurant down the road to grab dinner. We love going here on freezing cold days when he’s bouncing off the walls.”
The Town of Lewisboro does an all-day trip there every winter break for grades K-5 and I can see why. »
Round1 Bowling & Arcade (Danbury)
We took the kids here on a random weekday and while on the surface it looks like a soul-crushing neon-light corporate dystopia, we had a really great time. I’m from Central PA, so bowling to me means ash trays and pitchers of Miller Lite. This is not that kind of bowling alley; this place was pristine.
The kids loved playing with the dinosaur bowling ramp and running on the blue carpet flanked by a bajillion arcade games and claw machines. Plus, it’s at the Danbury Mall, so you can grab Shake Shack for dinner — or, if you’re feeling fancy, you can take ‘em to The Cheesecake Factory. (I would not eat at the bowling alley. But that’s just me.) »
The Play Place (Wilton)
“We love this indoor gym/sports place,” says Marchi. “It’s very clean. I took my 7yo son there there for a kid’s birthday party, and we went back because we loved it so much. You can just drop in and play. Highly recommend.” »
Grace Farms (New Canaan)
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a huge fan of this strange, magical place. (I take all my first mom-dates there). It’s the perfect spot to get to know someone as you watch your kids run around like feral animals.
It’s completely free, and there is so much to do. We always start off in the café, which has surprisingly inexpensive farm-to-table lunch options. (My go-to is the chicken salad. My kids love the mac and cheese.) The big carafe of free “fancy fruit water” is always a hit.
Then we’ll usually walk down to the gym to build castles with the big blue blocks (the “Imagination Playground”). If it’s not too cold or wet, we’ll take a nature walk and let the kids zoom around the soccer field. 10/10. »
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