Provide
young children with the opportunities to play with tools
and materials for measuring, scooping, sifting, shoveling,
and pouring either with sand or water. Provide an area for
young children to play at home, in the yard or at the beach.
Fun
activities to do with children
Head
outdoors with some of the following items and have fun!
Things to Pour, shift,
and Scoop:
sand, water, birdseed,
dried beans, ice cubes, rice, and foam packing material.
Tools:
shovel, pail, spoons,
ladles, funnels, cups, small fish nets, measuring spoons,
small pots and pans.
Links
Visit the U.S.
Department of Environmental Protection to learn about
the water cycle, for games and online water activities,
and experiments!
Visit Connecticut
Dept. of Environmental Protection for a local tide chart.
Make
bath time more fun
REMEMBER
TO SUPERVISE YOUR CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES IN THE BATH.
Allow
your child a few toys to play with in the tub for example,
plastic cups, funnels, old pots, pans, spoons, and small
figures.
Let
your child wear goggles or a visor when washing hair.
Sing
silly songs.
Make
up stories.
Let
your child create bath art by drawing or painting on the
sides of
the tub or tiles with shaving cream, foam soap, or finger
paints.
Top
Water,
Dams and Reservoirs
Children love water.
Below are a few places to take your child to learn about
water and the water cycle and have fun at the same time.
New
Haven County:
Eli
Whitney Museum, 915 Whitney Ave., Hamden, (203) 777-1833
A Museum dedicated to building and inventions. The museum
has an outdoor Water Learning Lab. There are six tables
where children can learn how a canal works, make waves,
and more. Children can build a boat in the museum and experiment
at the water tables outside. Weekend workshops and an extensive
summer camp program.
Hours: Wednesday
– Friday 12:00p.m. to 5:00p.m., Saturday 10:00a.m.
to 3:00p.m., Sunday 12:00p.m. to 5:00p.m.
No Admission to museum but if you build a project the
fee is approximate $5.00-$7.00
Naugatuck
Railroad Company/Railroad Museum of New England, 242
East Main St., Thomaston (860) 283-RAIL Get a first hand
look at a dam on this 18 mile ride on a restored historic
railroad from mills through a state forest, along the Naugatuck
River and up to the face of a dam.
Visit their website for schedules of operation and fares.
May - October
Whitney
Water Center, located adjacent to the Eli Whitney Museum
at 915 Whitney Ave., Hamden, CT (203)777-1142 The Whitney
Water Center offers hands-on-water science programs to school
classes, scouts and other groups. Children can learn about
the water cycle, groundwater, water pollution, a trees job,
hands on experiments with water, and more.
Admission: Free to
the following towns:
Bethany, Branford,
Cheshire, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Milford,
New Haven North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Prospect,
Regional District #17, West Haven and Woodbridge.
Groups from other
communities will be accepted on a space-available call
for fee.
Fairfield
County:
Stepping
Stones Museum for Children, Mathews Park, 303 West Ave.,
Norwalk (203) 899-0606 An Interactive learning museum for
children age 10 & under. Visit the Waterscape room where
your child can play and experiment with the pools and cascades,
the streambed, a fog machine, a vortex and a huge umbrella
which protects them from the rainfall. The museum also offers
a great building exhibit where children can build a car
out of lego's and race it. Experiment with music, operate
a helicopter, submarine, train and provides a toddler terrain
for age 3 &under. There is a small dining area and vending
machine. Visit their website for Hours and Admission.
Get Into It -- Free!
Please join us for an evening of free admission and educational
fun on the last Thursday of every month from 5:00 to 8:00
pm.
New
London County:
Old
Lighthouse Museum,
7 Water St., Stonington, (860)535-1440 The first lighthouse
in Connecticut is perched on a rise above Stonington Point.
This small museum offers a look whaling and fishing gear,
a portraits of town’s founding fathers, and you can
climb up circular iron stairs to the top for a great view
of the ocean!
Hours: Open daily
11:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. closed Monday September to June.
Top
Beaches
and Parks that have a water area to visit
Edgewood
Park, Edgewood
Ave., New Haven, (203) 946-8028 In the summer there is a
sculpture fountain where children can run through in their
bathing suits.
Jacobs
Beach, Located at the end of Seaside Avenue, Guilford.
This is a fully staffed public swim area for salt water
recreation. Includes a beach area for swimming and sunning.
Rest rooms, changing booths and outdoor showers are available,
as well as a picnic shelter. Playground equipment for small
children and beach volleyball courts, grills, and ample
parking. Park opens April 1st and is staffed with Lifeguards
from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Beach passes
are required for admission or a parking fee will be charged.
Lake
Quonnipaug, Located
off of route 77 three miles north of Route 80, Guilford.
Quonnipaug offers a large fresh water swim area, bath house,
rest rooms, showers, picnic area, parking and more. The
south end grass area is designated for small craft launch,
such as, wind surfers, sunfish and small craft. Beach passes
are also required for this area. Officially opens Memorial
Day weekend for weekend ONLY. Fully staffed as of mid-June
with lifeguards and gateguards both weekdays/weekends. Beach
closes Labor Day. Beach passes required for all users. Entrance
fee required for anyone without a season pass.
Lighthouse
Point Park, 2 Lighthouse Point Rd., New Haven, (203)
946-8005
Mixville
Recreation Area,
Located on Notch Road near the Cheshire/Prospect town line.
This park houses a large picnic area, a beach with swimming
and fishing in Mixville Pond.
Ocean
Beach Park, 1225 Ocean Ave., New London (860) 447-3031.
This is not just a typical beach! There is of course the
beach, a 50 meter Olympic pool and bathhouse, Family Fun
Center Arcade, Carousel, Classic Kiddie Rides, 18 hole miniature
golf course, playground, picnic pavilion, and food concession
stands. Visit their website for hours and admission fees.
Savin
Rock Beach and Boardwalk, Captain Thomas Blvd.,
West Haven. The beach offers a boardwalk, piers out over
the water for fishing, a small playground, a shaded area
along the boardwalk with a few picnic tables, there is also
an open field which is a great place to fly a kite, and
restroom facilities. In the summer time you can watch a
bocce game on the boardwalk or enjoy dancing on the boardwalk
on some Friday or Saturday nights.
For a list of Connecticut
beaches log onto ctcool.
State
Parks
For a list of state
parks and more information you could visit state
parks.
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