Didn’t the kids just have holiday break? Don’t want them to drive you to distraction inside the house? Well, the Island has come to the rescue with lots of options of what to do with the kids over the February vacation from Monday, Feb. 25, through Friday, March 1.
Tire them out at Felix Neck on Tuesday, Feb. 26, through Friday, March 1, from 9 am to 3 pm for children in kindergarten through grade five. Come one or all the days, searching for tracks and signs of Vineyard creatures, and learn how different animals survive the season.
Tuesday, Feb. 26: Bird Bonanza
Wednesday, Feb. 27: Water Worlds
Thursday, Feb. 28: Track-tastic
Friday, March 1: Mammal-rama
Members $65 a day; nonmembers $75 a day. Registration required.
Ann Quigley, education, membership, and outreach coordinator at Polly Hill Arboretum, suggests a visit to the arboretum during the week off: “We don’t have scheduled activities, but we encourage families to come take a walk at the arboretum and see what’s in bloom in February. A variety of beautiful witch hazels are in bloom, and at this time of year, many plants are displaying unique foliage color, textures, structure, cones, and berries. Lots of family photo op possibilities.”
Our Island libraries come to the rescue and are teeming with options.
The West Tisbury library offers food and fun with its free activities. They are open to all, but children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by a mature caregiver.
The fun begins before the school break on Saturday, Feb. 23, with Little Bird’s Laura Jordan leading a music class for kids using seasonal songs and movement from 10:30 to 11 am. Then, from 2:30 to 4:30 pm, stop by for the monthly Lego Club, where all ages are welcome.
During the week, from Monday, Feb. 25, through Friday, March 1, drop by the children’s room or the young adult room from 10:30 am to 4 pm, where there will be different crafts to make each day. From 11:45 am to 12:45 pm, the library offers free soup and bread for lunch; all ages are welcome to come for lunch. Monday’s lunch will be provided by Island Grown Initiative. As if that weren’t enough, there will be family-friendly films screened in the community room and in the young adult room every day from 1 to 3 pm. Hugh Phear visits the library on Saturday, March 2, from 11 am to 1 pm with his Chain Reaction Build Session. Kids will try their hand at building an inspired device that performs a simple task in a creative and convoluted way with limited time, materials, and space. For more information, call 508-693-3366 or email olarsen@clamsnet.org.
You can find something different every day at the Edgartown library as well. The library offers drop-in crafts to make every day between 11 am and 3 pm; children under 9 must be accompanied by an adult. The library hosts Community Pizza Night on Tuesday, Feb. 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Bring your own toppings, and the library will supply the dough. All ages are welcome, but children under 9 need to be accompanied by an adult. On Wednesday, Feb. 27, and Friday, March 1, from 11:45 am to 12:45 pm, the library offers Free Community Lunch served by IGI; everyone is welcome. There’s a Mario Kart Tournament on Thursday, Feb. 28, beginning at 1 pm, for ages 7 and up; those under 9 must be accompanied by an adult. Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday on Saturday, March 2, from 11 am to 1 pm with snacks, party games, and activities.
The Vineyard Haven library hosts Movies and Crafts at 3 pm each day during winter break. Monday, Feb. 25: When a street urchin vies for the love of a beautiful princess, he uses a genie’s magic power to disguise himself as a prince in order to marry her.
Tuesday, Feb. 26: In ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by the demigod Maui reaches this girl’s island, she answers the ocean’s call to seek out the demigod to set things right.
Wednesday, Feb. 27 (Interactive Movie): When the newly crowned Queen Elsa accidentally uses her power to turn things into ice to curse her home in infinite winter, her sister Anna teams up with a mountain man, his playful reindeer, and a snowman to change the weather condition.
Thursday, Feb. 28: The magically long-haired Rapunzel has spent her entire life in a tower, but now that a runaway thief has stumbled upon her, she is about to discover the world for the first time, and who she really is.
Friday, March 1: Ralph and Vanellope, now friends, discover a Wi-Fi router in their arcade, leading them into a new adventure.
And there will be an Island Grown Community Lunch on Feb. 26, from 11:45 am to 12:45 pm in the program room at the Vineyard Haven library.
Call the library for specific movie titles, 508-696-4211.
The Chilmark library offers an array of options as well. At Maker Tuesday on Feb. 26 at 2 pm, you can check out the new Maker Space and make something fun. On Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 2 pm there is Wii-U Gaming. Come play Mario Kart, Smash Bros, and other Wii-U games. Lego Free Build takes place on Thursday, Feb. 28, at 2 pm where you can build something amazing using a giant bin of Legos. Finally, the library offers a movie matinee on Saturday, March 2, at 2 pm with a family-friendly movie and popcorn provided.
The Oak Bluffs library children’s and young adult activities will include Bilingual Storytime (ages 0-8) at 11 am on Tuesday, Feb. 26, as well as Game On, a gaming afternoon with Wii-U, Switch, and Virtual Reality from 2 to 4 pm. From 3:30 to 4:30 pm there is Lego Challenge. On Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 1 pm you can try your hand at Drop-In Crafts. There is a delicious IGI free community soup and bread lunch on Thursday, Feb. 28, from 11:45 am to 12:45 pm, followed by a family movie at 1 pm. Drop-In Crafts is offered again on Friday, March 1, beginning at 1 pm. Rounding out the week on Saturday, March 2, from 2 to 3:30 pm, there is the Lego Club, where you can snap plastic bricks together to your heart’s delight.
The Aquinnah library offers a Movie and Pizza Night for children on Thursday, Feb. 28, from 5 to 6:30 pm.
Enjoy the holiday with the kids; whether inside or outdoors, there’s something for everyone.
This article by Abby Remer originally appeared on mvtimes.com.
