No time to be bored

Public
and private schools in Rochester will close twice this winter, as they do every
year, for the last week in December and the third week in February. The kids
will be home, with you, for some fun, meaningful family time. Don’t panic.
There are plenty of things to do.

Outdoor
activities

For
no-fuss, nearby activities in the snow, look to the parks.

            The Monroe County Parks Department
recently chose six hills in the greater Rochester area to name as sledding hills. The designated hills
are free of trees and offer long runs. Find them at: Northampton Park, Black
Creek Park, Powder Mills Park, Mendon Ponds Park (2), and Webster Park. The
hills are marked.

            The beginners’ downhill ski lessons at Powder Mills Park have
been offered for at least 30 years, says Jack Jesmer, supervisor of Bristol
Mountain’s Parks Department. “All of Rochester probably learned to ski at
Powder Mills,” he says. Now there are also classes at Northampton Park and all
lessons are taught by staff from Bristol Mountain. Although Northampton is
farther from the city, it probably has the better and less crowded hill, says
Jesmer. The program offers lessons throughout the winter as well as three-day
skiing camps during the winter and February breaks. Rentals, snowmaking, and
hill grooming are provided at both parks. For more information, call 374-6000
or visit www.bristolmountain.com.

            Nature lovers can hand-feed
chickadees at Mendon Ponds park by bringing handfuls of black sunflower
seeds and walking along the nature trail that begins at the Mendon Ponds Park
Nature Center. Interactive outdoor displays guide and educate visitors as they
walk, but a main attraction is the chickadees, which are not shy about taking
food from people. “They will just follow you around,” says Eric Johnson of the
Monroe County Parks Department, “it’s amazing.”

Around
town

It
doesn’t take a lot of time to acquaint the kids with some of the small wonders
within city limits. These quick, mini-excursions will make your child think you
have lots of tricks up your sleeve.

            The Secret Room in the Bausch &
Lomb Public Library Building on South Avenue may not be so secret to you, but
children still love to discover it. One of the bookcases in the library’s
Children’s Section swings open to reveal a room filled with dolls from around
the world.

            If you are driving down East Avenue,
pull into the Rochester Museum and Science Center parking lot and check out the
big, red, parabolic whisper dishes behind the museum. People standing at either dish are yards apart, but the arch
carries the quietest whisper in perfectly audible tones. The dishes do what the
tin-can phone is supposed to do.

            The Edgerton Recreation Center at 41
Backus Street is home to the Model Train Exhibit, which has four working model
trains and a small museum of model railroading. The exhibit is open limited
hours. Call 428-6769.

Community
offerings

Do
you have a basketball court or a swimming pool in your living room? For long
afternoons during the school breaks, don’t forget the City Recreation Centers.
They are all over the city, and they offer the types of sports and activities
that usually aren’t possible at home. Many centers will offer extended hours
and special programming during winter recesses, in addition to the usually
available activities. Check with your local center or call Rochester’s Parks
& Recreation Administration Offices at 428-6755.

Day
trips

Not
only does the Corning Museum of Glass have the Hot Glass Show, a live glass-blowing demonstration, it also has a
walk-in workshop where visitors can make
an object, like a sandblasted drinking glass, to take home. Some activities
have age requirements, but there is something for all ages. Same-day
reservations are required for the walk-in workshop. Call (800) 732-6845 or
visit www.cmog.org/ for more information.

            If you have seen the local museums,
you can try Explore & More, a children’s
museum in East Aurora. The museum is dedicated to exhibits where kids can
learn and explore through play. Call (716)
655-5131 or visit www.exploreandmore.org/.

            Or, take a trip to the Buffalo Zoo. It has 23 acres and nearly
1,000 animals. You can even adopt an animal and see your name on a plaque by
the animal’s cage. Adopt anything from a red-eyed tree frog to a bear. Call
(716) 837-3900 or visit www.buffalozoo.org/.

            For a nature walk worth a drive, visit the Beaver Meadow Audubon Center
in North Java near Buffalo. The 324-acre sanctuary has eight trails, and on the
Beaver Pond Trail visitors can walk right up to the dam and lodge built by
beavers. The nocturnal beavers probably won’t be seen, but their handiwork is
always on display. For more information, call 716-457-3228.

Fun
museums

The
Strong Museum already has exciting children’s exhibits and special holiday
events, and now it is also the new home of the National Toy Hall of Fame. There are 26 Hall of Famers now on
display at Strong, including classics like Slinky and Lincoln Logs. Adults and
kids will have fun recognizing and playing with their favorite toys.

            At the Rochester Museum and Science
Center’s Holiday Science and Technology
Week, December 27 through 30, interactive displays from local science
groups will be added to the regular exhibits. Kids will be able to form
plastic, make concrete and learn about the common backyard compost heap. A
favorite exhibitor each year is the Rochester Amateur Radio Association. “Kids
can just sit down and call up someone in Romania,” says Calvin Uzelmeier,
Ph.D., who organizes the Science and Technology Week at the RMSC. Call 271-4552
or visit www.rmsc.org.

            The Victorian Doll Museum in Chili houses over 3,000 antique dolls,
some of which date back to the mid 1800’s. The Doll Museum is next door to the Chili Doll Hospital, where antique
dolls are re-sewn, restored, and given new parts. While visitors can’t go
inside the doll hospital, displays show what doll hair, teeth, and limbs look
like. Call 247-0130 for hours.

Camps

The
Rochester Jewish Community Center is offering a “through the decades” camp during the winter break. Kids will make
crafts and learn songs and dances appropriate to decades beginning with the
1950s. In February is the JCC’s annual hobby
camp, where different sports and crafts are offered each day. With both
camps, children can sign up for a day or the entire week. Call 461-2000 or
visit www.jccrochester.org/.

            During the February break, the
Rochester Museum and Science Center will host a science camp. Children ages six to eight can spend the week
investigating history and children ages nine to 11 can participate in Construct-it Camp. Call 271-4552 or
visit www.rmsc.org/.

            The Memorial Art Gallery’s creative
workshop will offer a Winter Break Art
Week for the first time this February. Children ages eight to 10 can learn
to create 2D and 3D art, using frequent trips to the Gallery for inspiration
and instruction from professional artists. “This is definitely for kids who
like art,” says Larry Merrill, director of the MAG’s creative workshop. Call
473-7720 x3056 for a registration packet.

Activity
is a business

Some
businesses that cater to children year-round will offer classes or activities
during school breaks. Two places to try: Jo-Ann
Fabrics and Crafts stores typically host holiday workshops or one-day
classes for specific projects during February break and RockVentures climbing gym not only offers classes and activities
for kids year-round but is also a licensed childcare facility. Check with your
favorite store or center for other options.

This article appears in Nov 20-26, 2002.