Parent Bug - Resources for Parents, Kids & Families in Eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island

Eastern Connecticut Calendar of Events

April 2012 | May 2012

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April, 2012

First Thurs of Every Month – 7-8pm - Groton - Adoption: How to get Started! Sponsored by Connecticut Adoption and Family Services. Free informational sessions for people interested in finding out more about adoption. Connecticut Adoption and Family Services worker will explain different types of adoption and offer a step-by-step outline to adopting a child. Adoption of infants from within the United States, as well as the adoption of children from countries through which Connecticut Adoption & Family Services facilitates adoptions from, will be discussed. Adopting a child from Connecticut state foster care through Project Connecticut’s Child, a grant funded low cost adoption program will also be covered. Pre-register (REQUIRED) by calling 860-444-0553 or emailing administrator@CTadoptions.org. Groton Public Library, 52 Newtown Rd. www.ctadoptions.org

Fridays – 4/20- 5/25 - 9:30am – Niantic - Museum Babies (ongoing series): Designed for very young children and their caregivers. Museum Babies focuses on simple toys, play, and new friends. Activities appropriate for children who are having their first group experience and are mobile — either walking or crawling. Best for ages 12-18 months. 6-week series of 45-minute classes. Fee: $54 member, $90 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

Tuesdays – 4/17 - 5/ 22 - 10am – Niantic – Toddler Playgroup (ongoing series) - First Friends: For toddlers attending without caregivers. Best for toddlers 24-36 months old. Toddler playgroups are informal opportunities for toddlers to be part of a group. Emphasis is on process and exposure to new and different materials, plus stories and a craft. 6-week series of 45-minute classes. Fee: $54 member, $90 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

Wednesdays – 4/18 – 5/23 - 9:30am or 10:45am – Niantic – Toddler Playgroup (ongoing series) -First Friends: For toddlers attending without caregivers. Best for toddlers 24-36 months old. Toddler playgroups are informal opportunities for toddlers to be part of a group. Emphasis is on process and exposure to new and different materials, plus stories and a craft. 6-week series of 45-minute classes. Fee: $54 member, $90 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

Thursdays – 4/19 – 5/24 - 9:30am – Niantic – Toddler Playgroup (ongoing series) -Together Time: For toddlers attending with caregivers. Best for toddlers 18-24 months old. Toddler playgroups are informal opportunities for toddlers to be part of a group. Emphasis is on process and exposure to new and different materials, plus stories and a craft. 6-week series of 45-minute classes. Fee: $54 member, $90 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

Thursdays – 4/19 – 5/24 - 10:45am – Niantic – Toddler Playgroup (ongoing series) - Together Time: For toddlers attending with caregivers. Best for toddlers 24-36 months old. Toddler playgroups are informal opportunities for toddlers to be part of a group. Emphasis is on process and exposure to new and different materials, plus stories and a craft. 6-week series of 45-minute classes. Fee: $54 member, $90 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

Saturdays – 4/21 – 5/26 - 9am – Niantic – Toddler Playgroup (ongoing series) - Together Time: For toddlers attending with caregivers. Best for toddlers 18-36 months old. Toddler playgroups are informal opportunities for toddlers to be part of a group. Emphasis is on process and exposure to new and different materials, plus stories and a craft. 6-week series of 45-minute classes. Fee: $54 member, $90 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

4/6 - 5–8pm – Niantic - First-Friday-Free Family Night: Join us the first Friday night of each month for free, sponsored by Electric Boat Employees Community Services Association; and Families and More: Stories Galore, a bi-lingual program of stories and projects, sponsored by Target Corporation. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

4/6 - 10am-12pm or 1:30-3:30pm – Niantic -Draw On! : Join us throughout the day as the Children’s Museum participates in this statewide event inspired by the Aldrich Museum. Check with the Front Desk for a list of special activities planned that day. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

4/7 - 2pm – Brooklyn - Easter Egg Hunt and Wagon Rides - Take a wagon ride to see the bison, then join us at the gazebo for an Easter Egg Hunt - with a prize in every egg. Games! The Easter Egg Hunt and games are for children, 12 years and younger. $10 per person. Creamery Brook Bison, 19 Purvis Rd (860) 779-0837 www.creamerybrookbison.net

4/7 - 6-8pm – Niantic - Members Only Friday Night: Museum members join us the fourth Friday each month from 6-8 pm for special hours and an activity. Not a member, yet? You can buy your membership and enjoy the Museum this evening, too! Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

4/9-4/13 - 2-3pm – Niantic -Spring Break Week Drop-In Activities: Join us each afternoon of spring break week for something exciting in the classroom. All hands-on, all fun. Free with admission. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

4/10 – 10am-4pm - Mystic - Pirate Days - Ahoy, matey! It's pirate fun for the whole family during school vacation week! Join us for a pirate treasure hunt, discover how pirates navigated the high seas in a special Planetarium program and create your own special Pirate Days souvenir.Members: $7 per person or $25 per family. Non-members: $10 per person or $30 per family (in addition to regular museum admission). Mystic Seaport, 75 Greenmanville Ave, (888) 973-2767 www.mysticseaport.org

4/14 - 2-3pm – Niantic - Happy Earth Day! : 2nd Annual Museum-sponsored Toy Swap. Gather up gently used and somehow forgotten toys and join in our toy swap. What better way to celebrate Earth Day? Free to participate, regular admission rates apply if you stay to play. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

4/18 - 1:30pm – Niantic - Out of This World: Outer space is a great place to explore, especially from the comfort of our classroom. No rocket required. Microscopes to binoculars, critters to rocks, launching rockets to volcanoes. Children are exposed to many facets of the scientific world. 60-minute single sessions are best for ages 4-6. Fee: $9 member, $15 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

4/20 - 10:30am – Niantic - No Candy, Please: Trying to forget about all of your holiday treats? We’ll help you with that, as we talk about healthy snacks, healthy teeth, and a healthy you. The best books, the best activities and the best times! Single session, 60-minute programs are for 3-5 year olds who are ready to attend alone. $9 member, $15 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

4/25 - 1:30pm –Niantic - Sensory Overload – Niantic - What are the five senses? : Today, we’ discuss and test them all. Check at the Front Desk for a list of what we’ll be tasting, in case of allergies. Microscopes to binoculars, critters to rocks, launching rockets to volcanoes. Children are exposed to many facets of the scientific world. 60-minute single sessions are best for ages 4-6. Fee: $9 member, $15 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

4/27 - 10:30am – Niantic - A Peaceful Day: Everyone deserves a peaceful day. Today, we make a peaceful pinwheel to take home, do some yoga, and work together on some window art to make our classroom more peaceful. The best books, the best activities and the best times! Single session, 60-minute programs are for 3-5 year olds who are ready to attend alone. $9 member, $15 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

May, 2012

5/2 - 1:30pm – Niantic -I Want to Learn About … Onions and Potatoes! : Did you know that onions and potatoes are the “Veggies of the Month” for May? That’s not all we’ll learn about them today. Microscopes to binoculars, critters to rocks, launching rockets to volcanoes. Children are exposed to many facets of the scientific world. 60-minute single sessions are best for ages 4-6. Fee: $9 member, $15 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

5/4 - 10:30am – Niantic - Classroom Safari: We’ll take a tour around the world, without ever leaving our classroom. Bring your imaginations as we search the world for some interesting animals. The best books, the best activities and the best times! Single session, 60-minute programs are for 3-5 year olds who are ready to attend alone. $9 member, $15 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Call to register, Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

5/4 - 5–8pm – Niantic - First-Friday-Free Family Night: Join us the first Friday night of each month for free, sponsored by Electric Boat Employees Community Services Association; and Families and More: Stories Galore, a bi-lingual program of stories and projects, sponsored by Target Corporation. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

5/5 - 1pm – Brooklyn - Wagon Rides at Creamery Brook Bison - Join us at the gazebo for bison tacos. There will be games and a pinata for the 12 and younger crowd. Following the festivities, we will all take a wagon ride to see the bison in their fields. $10 per person. Creamery Brook Bison, 19 Purvis Rd (860) 779-0837 www.creamerybrookbison.net

5/9 - 1:30pm – Niantic - The Incredible Egg: Not just for scrambling anymore, we’ll spend our afternoon doing scientific “egg-speriments” using different kinds of eggs. Microscopes to binoculars, critters to rocks, launching rockets to volcanoes. Children are exposed to many facets of the scientific world. 60-minute single sessions are best for ages 4-6. Fee: $9 member, $15 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

5/11 - 10:30am – Niantic - Mountains are Magnificent: How do mountains get made? Are they all the same? Do you have a favorite mountain? You will by the end of this class! The best books, the best activities and the best times! Single session, 60-minute programs are for 3-5 year olds who are ready to attend alone. $9 member, $15 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

5/13 - 2pm – Coventry - Mother's Day Tea - Calling all mothers, daughters, grandmothers and others. Join us for a special afternoon tea as we celebrate Mother's Day. Meet the ladies of the Hale family, learn about the "language of the fan" and make a fan of your own. Experience a lesson in 18th-century tea etiquette and enjoy tea along with delicious colonial desserts. Dress for tea. Call for reservations. $10 members; $12 members-to-be. Nathan Hale Homestead, 2299 South St (860) 742-6919 www.ctlandmarks.org

5/16 - 1:30pm – Niantic - Vinegar Experiments for Little Scientists: What can we blow up, clean up, spruce up? Vinegar can help us do lots of things — find out just what when you join this class. Microscopes to binoculars, critters to rocks, launching rockets to volcanoes. Children are exposed to many facets of the scientific world. 60-minute single sessions are best for ages 4-6. Fee: $9 member, $15 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

5/18 - 10:30am – Niantic -Painting with Shaving Cream: We’ve gathered some goopy, goppy, sudsy, lathery recipes for today’s painting class. Smocks are definitely not optional! The best books, the best activities and the best times! Single session, 60-minute programs are for 3-5 year olds who are ready to attend alone. $9 member, $15 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

5/20 - 1-3pm - Canterbury - Annual Spring Tea - Join friends - or make new friends - at the Museum's Annual Spring Tea. Refreshments will include an assortment of tea sandwiches, homemade scones, sweets, and a variety of teas. Tickets are $17. per person, and pre-registration is required. Ticket also includes admission to the museum and the opportunity to see the new exhibit, "Friends and Neighbors: Canterbury's 18th and 19th Century African-American Residents." Prudence Crandall Museum, 1 South Canterbury Rd 860-546-7800 www.cultureandtourism.org

5/23 - 1:30pm – Niantic - Let’s Take a Picture: Bring your camera, if you’ve got one, (if not, we’ll have some to share) and we’ll have fun while learning the science of cameras and pictures. Microscopes to binoculars, critters to rocks, launching rockets to volcanoes. Children are exposed to many facets of the scientific world. 60-minute single sessions are best for ages 4-6. Fee: $9 member, $15 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

5/25 - 10:30am – Niantic - Opening a Can O’ Worms: Wiggle on in and spend the morning with some special and important visitors — the worms! Red wigglers to be exact. The best books, the best activities and the best times! Single session, 60-minute programs are for 3-5 year olds who are ready to attend alone. $9 member, $15 nonmember, includes museum admission for child. Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

5/25 - 6-8pm – Niantic - Members-Only Friday Night: Museum members join us for special hours and an activity. Not a member, yet? You can buy your membership and enjoy the Museum this evening, too! Call to register. Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut, 409 Main St (860) 691-1111 www.childrensmuseumsect.org

The Community Calendar is a guide to family-oriented events in your area and is provided as a community service. As events may change, we suggest you call ahead to verify events in order to avoid disappointment or inconvenience. Submit your events via email to events@parentbug.com .