Moms Can-Do’s: Lighthouses + More

Tuesday, October 01, 2013

Michelle Johnstone, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Lighthouses make for fun exploration trips for kids and grown-ups alike!

Happy October, moms of little ones! Looking for fun things to do during the week? Creative spots for last-minute outings? Fun events especially for toddlers to elementary schoolers? We'll bring you our 5 favorites in the region every Tuesday, and they're all within an hour's drive of home. Check out this week's fall fun!

Lighthouses!

Rhode Island is chock full of lighthouses to explore. Best of all, they are all super close and easy to get to! Perfect for kids of all ages, lighthouses are sure to be an exciting adventure on a cool fall day. Why not take an impromptu lighthouse tour and end it with a take along picnic? Take some pictures and put together a photo album of your excursion! Two great suggestions for lighthouses to check out: Block Island North Light in New Shoreham, complete with a maritime museum, and Beavertail Lighthouse in Jamestown, one of the oldest in the country. Block Island North Light: Sandy Point, Northern part of Block Island in New Shoreham; Beavertail Lighthouse: Beavertail State Park, Very end of Beavertail Road in Jamestown on Conanicut Island.

Animals!

Okay, so “animals” may be a little misleading, because they are plants too! At Green Animals Topiary Garden, the kids will have the chance to see bears, elephants, and all of their other favorite animals up close and personal—created from the bushes of a garden! The garden is both the oldest and northern-most topiary garden in the United States. This is the perfect way to soak up what’s left of New England’s greenery until it’s gone for the winter! 380 Corys Lane, Portsmouth, RI. (401) 683-1267. For more info, go here. Closes for the season October 14.

Play!

Ever have one of those days where the weather is just not cooperating enough to head to the playground but you AND the kids are itching to get out of the house? PlayTown Express in Southborough, MA has got you covered! This place is too cool—it’s got a mini “town,” complete with “shops” for kids to play pretend in, an obstacle course, mats for infants and babies to play on, and so much more! Their “Grandma’s House” program is pretty awesome too—it allows you to drop the little ones off for a few hours so you can do whatever it is you need to do—even if that’s just taking a breather! PlayTown Express, 150 Cordaville Road, Southborough, MA (508)480-0022.

Tell Time!

Is your son or daughter learning to tell time? As a treat, take them to Willard House and Clock Museum in North Grafton. The museum is a labyrinth of clocks; big an small, that is perfect for elementary school aged children. There are workshops held throughout the year that are educational and fun for kids. Beginning on October 6, there will also be an exhibit housing musical clocks! Check out their website for more details! Willard House and Clock Museum, 11 Willard Street, North Grafton, MA (508)839-3500.

Story Time!

Nothing resonates with childhood as much as getting read a great story. Instead of staying home and reading, why not head out for a story hour to be shared with other kids and moms? Books on the Square in Providence hosts story times 4 days a week, so it making it there will be no problem for even the most hectic of moms. There is a special Monday story time that is just for babies, while all other times are geared for children up to 6 years of age.Books on the Square, 471 Angell Street, Providence, RI. (401)331-9097.