Fairfield Families

Fun February Activities to Get the Kids Out and About

The shortest month of the year very often feels like the LONGEST, especially with that week-long winter break when the kids are home from school.  Below are some fun ideas to enjoy the time with your family during those cold, dreary winter days…

Fairfield YMCA
The Aidan Lambo Memorial Snow Flake Relay
Sunday, February 26th at 3:00 pm

Everyone swims, everyone wins!

No membership required. Everyone is welcomed, from Pikes to Sharks,(ages 3-15.)  If necessary, flotation devices and assistance will be provided by swim instructors.

Enter the make your own snow flake competition! No two snow flakes are alike!  The snowflake making room opens at 2:00 pm on February 26th. $1.00 entry fee.  Flakes may be dropped off at the YMCA starting February 10 until competition begins.

Register at the Fairfield Y Welcome Center Desk!
Entry Fee: $10.00
Everyone receives a Snowflake Relay T-Shirt and Medal.

For More Information: Call Aquatic Director, Maureen Scinto at (203)255 2834 ext.2318.  Fairfield YMCA, 841 Old Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06825, www.cccymca.org

Fairfield Public Library Children’s Programs

Ongoing, Winter & Spring 2012

Our library system in Fairfield is a true treasure.  With more programs for children and parents than we can possibly list here, many of which are free, and several of which you can simply drop-in, their Calendar of Events page should be bookmarked on all Fairfield parents’ computers.   Programs are held in both the Main Branch downtown and the Fairfield Woods Branch on Fairfield Woods Rd.  Seriously not to be missed!

For More Information:  http://fairfieldpubliclibrary.org; Main Branch: 203.256.3120; Fairfield Woods Branch: 203.255.7308

Pequot Library Children’s Programs

Ongoing, Winter & Spring 2012

As if having one stellar library system isn’t enough, we must not forget that the Pequot Library in Southport has their own full schedule of enriching kids’ offerings.  Again, with a bookmark-worthy calendar, and several free and drop-in programs, there’s almost always a rewarding experience to be had at our towns’ libraries.

For More Information: http://www.pequotlibrary.org; 720 Pequot Avenue  Southport, CT 06890-1496; 203.259.0346

“FINtastic RefurbFISHment”    at The Maritime Aquarium!

Debuting Sat., Feb. 18

On Sat., Feb. 18, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk will unveil its “FINtastic RefurbFISHment,” a $4 million makeover with 21 dynamic new exhibits – including 27 new species of animals – and an improved visitor experience.

“There will be new exhibits to explore, new animals to meet, a new way to flow through the Aquarium and beautiful new presentations of the exhibits that you already know and love,” said Jennifer Herring, president of The Maritime Aquarium.

The changes will be noticeable immediately, with the Aquarium’s large main hall re-envisioned with an interactive introduction to Long Island Sound and an orientation to exploring the Aquarium. This space, renamed Newman’s Own Hall, still features the harbor seals (in a “refurbFISHed” exhibit) but also now a 36-by12-foot map of Long Island Sound – an image about the size of a school bus – with interactive quizzes about the Sound’s marine animals and habitats.  Videos will showcase the Sound’s history and the seals that visit the Sound each winter. The central staircase is gone, replaced by an elevator.  Creation of Newman’s Own Hall was made possible by a $1.25 million gift from Newman’s Own Foundation, a longtime supporter. There exciting changes extend up into the Aquarium’s galleries, now called the Hokin Family Sound Voyage, in honor of a $1.15 million gift from Richard Hokin of Darien, a longtime member of the Aquarium’s Board of Trustees. Favorites – like the sand tiger sharks, otters, sea turtles, jellyfish and Touch Tank – have been enhanced with interactive graphics and dramatic lighting. Among the animals new to the Aquarium are American eels, fiddler crabs, skeleton shrimp, cornetfish, Sargassum fish, tubeworms and nudibranchs, plus a snapping turtle and snakes in the Watershed gallery. The Salt Marsh gallery has been opened up to Newman’s Own Hall below through a new balcony.  Also part of the work is a new outdoor courtyard with a children’s playground and upgrades to such amenities as restrooms, carpeting and lighting.

The ongoing “FINtastic RefurbFISHment” is the largest transformation to the Aquarium since the March 2001 opening of the William Ziegler III Education Center, which established a new main entrance, larger gift shop and cafeteria, group lunch room and marine-biology classrooms.  Besides the Newman’s Own Foundation and Hokin gifts, other sources of funding for the project include CulinArt Inc., the Aquarium’s onsite food-service company; the late William Ziegler III, another longtime Aquarium trustee; and other members of The Maritime Aquarium board.  The new Maritime Aquarium exhibits were designed by Cambridge Seven Associates, Inc. of Cambridge, Mass.  Consulting engineers are Altieri/Sebor/Wieber, LLC, of Norwalk.

For More Information: THE MARITIME AQUARIUM AT NORWALK, 10 N. Water Street, Norwalk, CT; (203) 852-0700, www.MaritimeAquarium.org.  Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Meerkat Exhibit at The Maritime Aquarium

Special Exhibit Opened Daily Through Labor Day 2012

Meerkats are members of the mongoose family that live in social “mobs” or “gangs” of up to 30 members in burrows in the Kalahari Desert, in the southern African nations of Botswana and South Africa. No mere cats, meerkats (Suricata suricatta) are fascinating for living in structured but cooperative societies, including a foraging strategy where adults take turns standing guard upright on their hind feet, watching for predators, while the others eat. The exhibit will feature six sibling meerkats – three males, three females – born in the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, Utah. Their Maritime Aquarium habitat will offer windows into their underground burrows, so all meerkat activity will be within view. And there will be a viewing bubble, so visitors can stand up right among the meerkats. Maritime Aquarium general admission is $11.75 adults, $10.75 for seniors 65+, and $9.75 for children 2-12. 

For More Information: THE MARITIME AQUARIUM AT NORWALK, 10 N. Water Street, Norwalk, CT; (203) 852-0700, www.MaritimeAquarium.org.  Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

“Africa: From the Desert to the Sea” at The Maritime Aquarium 

Special Exhibit Opened Daily Through Labor Day 2012

“Africa: From the Desert to the Sea” Special exhibit open daily through February 2012. Explore the aquatic wonders of Africa and discover how the continent’s fish – though much different from those in Long Island Sound – face similar environmental challenges. See amazing fish from the Nile River, the lakes of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, the Red Sea and Africa’s shorelines, including the remarkable ecosystem of Madagascar. Species highlighted include exotic air-breathing lungfish that can survive for a year if their waterhole goes dry, and electric catfish that use bioelectric radar to sense surroundings and zap their food in a dark and murky habitat. Other exotics include knifefish, bichirs and – appropriately for Africa – elephant-nose fish. Colorful cichlids and coral reef species shine in shimmering rainbows. Interspersed throughout are important messages about animal adaptations, the importance of habitat preservation and conservation, and stories that show how fish from the other side of the world face challenges similar to those in Long Island Sound. Sponsored by Bank of America and included with Aquarium admission.

For More Information: THE MARITIME AQUARIUM AT NORWALK, 10 N. Water Street, Norwalk, CT; (203) 852-0700, www.MaritimeAquarium.org.  Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

In The IMAX Movie Theater at The Martime Aquarium

Connecticut’s largest IMAX theater, with a screen that’s six stories high and eight stories wide.  For the latest movie schedule, call, go online or text “TMA” to 71297. (Regular texting charges apply.)

“The Wizard of Oz” Special Presentation

Sun., March 4 at 2 p.m.

Experience the tornado, the Munchkins, the yellow-brick road, the horse of a different color and of course Dorothy and her three defenders like you’ve never seen them before, as The Maritime Aquarium presents “The Wizard of Oz” in the IMAX Theater on Sun., March 4.  The 1939 classic will play one-time only, at 2 p.m., on the six-story screen. It’s 101 minutes long.  Tickets are $11.50 for adults, $10.50 for seniors and $9.50 for children 2-12.  The American Film Institute ranks “The Wizard of Oz” as the 10th Greatest Movie of All Time, and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as No. 1 of the 100 Greatest Songs in American Film.   Reserve your “Wizard of Oz” tickets online at www.maritimeaquarium.org or by calling (203) 852-0700, ext. 2206.

Daily Jan. 13 – April 19:

“Sea Rex: Journey to a Prehistoric World”  Through the power of IMAX, experience a wondrous adventure from the dinosaur age. Join an imaginative young woman named Julie on a unique voyage through time and space. Explore an amazing underwater universe inhabited by such creatures as Liopleurodon and long-necked Elasmosaurus – enormous animals that were ruling the seas before dinosaurs conquered the earth. See science come alive in an entertaining manner and get ready for a face-to-face encounter with a gigantic Shonisaurus, the T-Rex of the seas!

“Search for the Great Sharks”  Join shark experts Dr. Eugenie Clark and Rodney Fox on a round-the-globe expedition for close encounters with some of the world’s largest sharks, including whale sharks and great whites. Swim with a whale shark, witness the birth of a baby shark and see if Fox survives when dropped into great white-infested waters while inside a clear diving tube.

 “Born to Be Wild”  This inspiring film follows orphaned baby orangutans and elephants, and the extraordinary people who rescue and raise them.  This heartwarming adventure transports audiences into the lush rain forests of Borneo with world-renowned primatologist Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas, and across the rugged Kenyan savannah with celebrated elephant authority Dame Daphne Sheldrick, as they and their teams rescue, rehabilitate and return these incredible animals back to the wild.  It’s narrated by Academy-Award® winner Morgan Freeman.

Call, text or go online for times for all IMAX presentations.

For More Information: THE MARITIME AQUARIUM AT NORWALK, 10 N. Water Street, Norwalk, CT; (203) 852-0700, www.MaritimeAquarium.org.  Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Winter Creature Cruises The Maritime Aquarium

Saturday, 2/18, at 1:00 PM; Most weekends through April 2012. Dates and departure times vary by low tide.

Journey out onto Long Island Sound in hopes of seeing some of the seals that spend the winter just off our shores during The Maritime Aquarium’s new season of Winter Creature Cruises.  These invigorating cruises seek out the harbor seals, gray seals and even harp seals that have been coming down into the Sound in growing numbers each winter.  Educators on board the research vessel Oceanic will point out these federally protected marine mammals and talk about their natural histories.  They’ll also help identify such winter waterfowl as buffleheads, mergansers and Old Squaws.Winter Creature Cruises will occur on many weekends from December 2011 through early April 2012.  Dates and departure times will vary by the tide schedule.  The sole February date is: Sat., Feb. 18 at 1 p.m.   See the full season schedule at www.maritimeaquarium.org/cruises_winter.html.  Tickets for a Winter Creature Cruise are $20.50, or $18.50 for Aquarium members.  Maritime Aquarium Study Cruises are good for ages 8 and older.  We recommend that you bring binoculars and plenty of warm clothes!  Space on the research vessel Oceanic is limited so advance reservations are strongly recommended.  Walk-up tickets will be sold, space permitting. The cruises depart from the dock outside the Aquarium’s IMAX movie theater.  For reservations or more details, call (203) 852-0700, ext. 2206.

For More Information: THE MARITIME AQUARIUM AT NORWALK, 10 N. Water Street, Norwalk, CT; (203) 852-0700, www.MaritimeAquarium.org.  Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

2011/2012 Bridgeport Sound Tigers’ Season

Oct 8th – Apr 15^th

The 2011/2012 Sound Tiger’s season runs Oct 8th, through mid-April, 2012, bringing hockey and family entertainment to Bridgeport. You’ll enjoy the many upcoming features multiplying the fun at the Sound Tiger’s games: season tickets, group outings, special family events, birthday parties and more!

For More Information: Bridgeport Sound Tigers; 600 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT; info@soundtigers.com; 203.334.GOAL; http://www.soundtigers.com

Feeding Frenzy at The Connecticut Audubon Society

Friday, February 3rd

 4:00-4:30

The CT Audubon Society will hold a “Feeding Frenzy: Mammals and Reptiles”.  Attendees will have an opportunity to watch the the facility’s naturalist feed some of its resident animals, discover fun facts, and get an up-close view of the critters.  All ages are welcome; children must be accompanied by an adult.  Admission is by donation to support its animal care program.  Donations of laundry soap and dishwashing soap will be accepted.

For More Information: Connecticut Audubon Society; 2325 Burr Street, Fairfield; 203.259.6305; www.ctaudubon.org

Teddy Bear Tea Party at The Stamford Museum & Nature Center

Saturday, February 11^th

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Dress up your Teddy Bears in their party best and bring them to a special tea for Valentine’s Day! Enjoy a variety of tea time treats and sweets, delight in an enchanting tale from Acting Out with Ms. Karen, and bring home your own teddy bear surprise. Space is limited, so book your spot early.

To register, call 203.977.6521.

Members: $25/person/Non-Members: $35/person.

For More Information:  Stamford Museum; 39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford, CT; 203-322-1646 http://www.stamfordmuseum.org

 

Storytime: Puppet Shows! at The Fairfield Museum and History Center

Wednesday, February 15, 2012    

11:00 am -12:00 pm

Admission: $5.00

Come to the Fairfield Museum and History Center and hear engaging stories, followed by a fun craft. $5 per child, recommended for ages 4 – 6 accompanied by an adult. Hear stories about puppets, followed by a fun puppet-making craft.

This event is accessible to people with disabilities.

For More Information: Fairfield Museum and History Center; 370 Beach Road, Fairfield CT, 06824; 203-259-1598 http://www.fairfieldhistory.org

 

Sketching Theatre at The Fairfield Museum and History Center

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

With artist and illustrator Deborah Bassino Workshop for ages 8 – 13 $25; Members, $20 Learn sketching techniques inspired by the rich and glorious costumes and set designs in the theatre exhibition.

Please register with the contact person for this event. Visitor Service: 203-259-1598

This event is accessible to people with disabilities.

For More Information: Fairfield Museum and History Center; 370 Beach Road, Fairfield CT, 06824; 203-259-1598 http://www.fairfieldhistory.org 

 

Mad Masks at The Fairfield Museum and History Center

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Workshop for ages 6 – 10

Admission: $15; $10 Members

Create a mixed media mask inspired by the costumes and creatures in the Bravo! theatre exhibition, like Egyptian gods, feathered headdresses, donkeys and lions! A staff-supervised lunch time and break is available for participants who sign up for both Wednesday workshops. Please bring a peanut-free lunch. Please call to learn more about this offer.

Please register with the contact person for this event. Visitor Service: 203-259-1598

This event is accessible to people with disabilities.

For More Information: Fairfield Museum and History Center; 370 Beach Road, Fairfield CT, 06824; 203-259-1598 http://www.fairfieldhistory.org 

Theatre Explorers at The Fairfield Museum and History Center

Wednesday, February 22, 2012        

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Workshop for ages 6 – 10

Admission: $15; $10 Members

Dive in to our costume trunk and explore fun theatre games, playwriting, improv and more in the Bravo! theatre exhibition. A staff-supervised lunch time and break is available for participants who sign up for both Wednesday workshops. Please bring a peanut-free lunch. Please call to learn more about this offer.

Please register with the contact person for this event. Visitor Service: 203-259-1598

This event is accessible to people with disabilities.

For More Information: Fairfield Museum and History Center; 370 Beach Road, Fairfield CT, 06824; 203-259-1598 http://www.fairfieldhistory.org  

Danny Magic Presented by Fairfield Parks and Recreation

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Start: 12:30

Free Admission

Be amazed by Danny Magic on Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 12:30 pm in the gymnasium of Roger Ludlowe Middle School!  This is a must-see Magic Show and Slapstick Comedy that is amazing and amusing for all ages!  Doors open 20 minute prior to show time. Thursday, 2/23

For More Information: Fairfield Parks & Recreation Department ; 75 Mill Plain Road, Fairfield, CT 06824; (203) 256-3191; http://cal.fairfieldct.org/; recsupport@town.fairfield.ct.us

 

American Girl Afternoon  at The Fairfield Museum and History Center

Thursday, February 23, 2012

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Workshop for ages 8 – 12

Materials Fee: $30; $25 Members

Pre-registration suggested.

Explore the history and adventures of the historical American Girl dolls, including the new pair from New Orleans, Marie-Grace Gardner and Cécile Rey, who lived in 1853. Learn about the fascinating culture of New Orleans and the French traditions that were adapted in America. We’ll make Mardi Gras masks, inspired by a fancy masquerade ball in the storybooks. Find out about the delicious foods popular in New Orleans and create a delicious snack!

Please register with the contact person for this event. Visitor Service: 203-259-1598

This event is accessible to people with disabilities.

For More Information:  Fairfield Museum and History Center; 370 Beach Road, Fairfield CT, 06824; 203-259-1598 http://www.fairfieldhistory.org  

Winter Back in Time  at The Fairfield Museum and History Center

Friday, February 24, 2012

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Grades 3-6

Materials Fee: $30; $25 Members  

Registration strongly suggested.

Discover how boys and girls spent the dark days of winter in the colonial days. Participants will get the chance to try on period costume and write their own stories with a quill and ink. We will also prepare a recipe inspired from time past.

Please register with the contact person for this event. Visitor Service: 203-259-1598

This event is accessible to people with disabilities.

For More Information:  Fairfield Museum and History Center; 370 Beach Road, Fairfield CT, 06824; 203-259-1598 http://www.fairfieldhistory.org  

 

Rapunzel at The Fairfield Museum and History Center

Friday, February 24, 2012

2:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Presented by Purple Rock Productions

$7 adults, $5 children. Free for children 3 and under.

In this wild and wacky adaptation of the classic tale, an old washerwoman tells the story of Rapunzel, who is very clever in this version. She has learned a few tricks from the witch, especially how to “sing” things to grow. She is able to “sing” a boat into existence in order that she and the Prince can get away on the ocean. The washer woman tells the story using a variety of household objects, as well as puppets. The audience is encouraged to participate in creating the story.

Please register with the contact person for this event. Visitor Service: 203-259-1598

This event is accessible to people with disabilities.

For More Information:  Fairfield Museum and History Center; 370 Beach Road, Fairfield CT, 06824; 203-259-1598 http://www.fairfieldhistory.org  

Winter Wonderland Children’s Ball at Stepping Stones Museum

Saturday, Feb 25^th

6:00 pm-8:30 pm

Admission: $12, $10 members

Calling all little princes and princesses! Dress up in your finest, make a crown, learn ballroom moves from the experts and pose for the paparazzi on this magical evening for the whole family.

Register online or call 203 899 0606, ext. 264.

For More Information: Stepping Stones; 303 West Avenue, Norwalk, CT; 203-899-0606 X2 alesia@steppingstonesmuseum.org; http://www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/

Dinosaur Days: Our Annual Celebration of Paleontology!
Yale Peabody Museum

February 20-24, 2012
10:00 AM-3:30 PM 

Enjoy Dinosaur crafts and activities.  Meet paleontologists. Dig for fossils.  Puppet show daily at 1:00 PM.

For More Information:  www.peabody.yale.edu; 170 Whitney Ave.,  New Haven, CT

January 26, 2012 at 9:26 pm jarina11 Leave a comment