Looking for "experience" ideas instead of buying another toy

[apirateslifeforme]

We're in north central CT, and our son is almost 4.5. We seem to spend a LOT of time at the Trolley Museum in East Windsor (and in April, they'll probably be doing something for Easter). He also likes the CT Science Center, the New England Air Museum at the airport (especially if you can hit it on an open cockpit day), the Lutz Children's Museum in Manchester, Sonny's Place in Somers, Kidzone bouncy place in Vernon. I'm with you on Monster Jam; the only thing is that when I tried to get tickets to the one in Stafford, they wanted a $10 "fee" on top of the $20 ticket. Our son also went to his first Paw Patrol Live back in November, at the Oakdale in Wallingford, and he LOVED it (I did, too - nice small theatre)!

We also go up to MA quite a bit; DH is from Ludlow. We've enjoyed the Lupa Zoo (and there's also the Zoo at Forest Park in Springfield, and maybe the Southwick Zoo?). The Children's Museum in Holyoke. Look Park. The Springfield Museums - the kids seem to love the Dr. Seuss Museum especially! The Eastfield Mall has a little indoor bounce house place that's only $10 per kid per day. Chuck E. Cheese.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

Subscription for Disney+

 

[hellow]

Many local museum memberships also have reciprocal agreements with other local places so that one membership can equal a year of different activities. For instance, the Gilbert House Museum (where we live) not only offers a year at their museum they also offer admission to more than 360 Association of Science Technology Centers (ASTC) worldwide. My grandkids have had many experiences all from one membership.

 

[SaintsManiac]

At 5 years old my daughter loved the aquarium the most.

 

[Hikergirl]

Are you willing to travel for the day
Day Out With Thomas in Essex

 

[bushdianee]

How about lessons of some sort. Skating, martial arts, music, etc. I gave 2 of my nieces a 6 week learn to skate session for Christmas 5 years ago. They were 9 and almost 5. The younger one who is now almost 10 is now in competitive figure skating and is on her club’s regional team. The now 14 year old just returned to taking lessons after taking a year break. She skates for fun not competition.

 

[Colleen27]

At that age, my mom took my kids to Disney on Ice, Sesame Street Live and Legoland, and took my girls to see semi-professional theatre productions of Peter Pan, the Nutcracker, etc. She's also built herself a niche as the one who takes them to "kid" movies, not just Disney but Dreamworks and all the other animated features as well as things like Jumangi, mostly because I have no interest and she likes them enough to go even without the kids. So that has become "Grandma's thing", complete with favorite restaurants for after the show. And the kids never would have seen the inside of a Chuck E Cheese if it was up to me, but they used to love going with her.

 

[WorldWacky]

My grandson's 5th birthday is in April. His parents are split, so with both sides of the family, the "step" sides of the family and friends, he wants for nothing toy or clothes wise. With his birthday coming up, we'd rather bring him somewhere as a special treat instead of buying more toys. I just have no idea where though. Any suggestions?

If your grandson is into dinosaurs, the Jurassic World Live Tour is going around this year. I don’t know if it’s too far for you, but it’ll be in Boston March 27th-April 5th. It will be in CT a few times too. Bridgeport and Hartford at different times this year as well as Providence, RI. You can find a list of the cities and dates on their website.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

It didn't take much to please my 5 year-old, back in the day, especially if we were really enthusiastic about an activity or event being "special". Heck, some of his best memories are of camp-outs in the living room and getting to stay up late watching movies or even having birthday cake for breakfast. Why don't you try the less-is-more approach? With so many people in his life vying to "provide" things for him, just be the grandparents who are always there, always loving and always make mundane things seem fun.

Totally this! We were really into the less-can-be-so-much-more approach, especially with our materially inundated nieces/nephews/friends' kids/etc. What they all (boys and girls) loved at that age was something that involved one on one attention, that didn't involve screen time or batteries. One of the best birthdays for our nephew (Birthday #6) was a whole day of one on one silly fun: pizza for breakfast, afternoon in the park (whiffle ball and bat -- poor kid had never had anyone actually teach him how to hit and catch a ball!), snack at Starbucks (you get to order something fun! And, yes, you can have whipped cream!), and breakfast for dinner (Auntie will let you help make pancakes!). Cake and ice cream, of course. Best. Day. Ever. Cried when we had to take him home. And many years later, he still remembers. I think it can be so easy to forget how hungry kids that age can be for focused, patient attention. And how much it can mean to them!

 

[pxidst119]

Check out The Children’s Museum in West Hartford and Kid City in Middletown. Both are great for a 5 year old. Also check out the reciprocal museum memberships if you go. You can use them to get in to many museums around the country. You could use it for for a later day trip to the Boston Children’s Museum etc.

 

[ctinct]

Was also going to suggest Kid city. My grands enjoy it. Also, much smaller, but still fun, is Kids Play in Torrington.. check your local library to see if they have discount passes.

The bushnell will be announcing the next season on March 30, I believe. There might be a suitable show in the line up. Personally, I have my fingers crossed for Frozen. Sometimes there are community theater kids shows in our area, too.

Depending on how far of a drive it is, you could even do season passes for compounce. They have bring a friend days, the dates-of which vary with type of pass. Oh, wait! He’d qualify for the free pre school pass if he’s only turning five, so you’d just have to buy your pass. You have to register for the preschool pass by March 31.

I check out the Mommy Poppins site and Out and About mom for ideas. Out and about doesn’t post as much as she used to, but she’s closer to your area I think, and has a lot of suggestions more in the north of Hartford area, it seems. You can browse the archives for ideas.

Or, if you really want to go all out, you can make a coupon book for monthly outings. Doesn’t even have to cost much. Berry picking, hikes, nature centers, maple sugaring in the winter, a beach or pond in the summer, playground, etc. You would be the cool grandma for sure with this one! (Can you tell I love to take my grands on outings?)

 

[Kitty 34]

Have him bake and decorate his cake. I've done this with various nieces and nephews before when they were that age. Great bonding time.

My 2 and a half year old grandson just celebrated my birthday this weekend with helping to make the cake and then frosting and decorating it with grandma. He absolutely loved doing it and it made for some great video.

 

[holden]

Do you have an IFly near you? Kids love that experience.

 

[CarolAnn856]

Tons of great ideas already posted! I’d add that a magazine subscription can be a great gift for a kid. They love getting mail, and there are some great publications for kids.

Zoobooks and Ranger Rick are two that my kids enjoyed when they were younger.

 

[meajuly5]

Science museum In hartford followed by a merry go round ride across the street at bushnell park

 

[NYCgrrl]

- The Dinosaur Place in Oakdale, CT
- Submarine base/museum in Groton
- Mystic Seaport/Aquarium
- Lake Compounce
- Peabody Museum of Natural History in New Haven (on Yale campus)
- UConn hockey or basketball game

You reminded me that there is a park in CT called Dinosaur State Park. Great guided tours (free) as well as signage to go yourself. We went in the early summer but pretty sure it's open year round:

https://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325194&deepNav_GID=1650
Mystic Seaport and the nearby Aquarium have joint tickets that allows you to go two days in a row for the price of one day. Might have a special price for CT residents.

Never made it to Compounce but did Quassy Amusement Park; I'm sure both are equally fun.

I think Groton is great for a child a bit older but do check on the recommended ages.

Peabody was loved by all the kids I took there and they've a great exhibit on the birds of CT and gift shop.

OP, you live in a great state as far as children's activities are concerned. Here's a link to the CT tourism board that I've found of great use:

https://www.ctvisit.com/
Enjoy them.

 

[firefly_ris]

It didn't take much to please my 5 year-old, back in the day, especially if we were really enthusiastic about an activity or event being "special". Heck, some of his best memories are of camp-outs in the living room and getting to stay up late watching movies or even having birthday cake for breakfast. Why don't you try the less-is-more approach? With so many people in his life vying to "provide" things for him, just be the grandparents who are always there, always loving and always make mundane things seem fun.

I second this. None of my grandparents were super well off, they had well kept, small/modest sized homes closer to the city, they couldn't buy me expensive tickets to all sorts of places. BUT, my most vivid memories of my childhood are TIME SPENT with my grandparents. My dad would drop his mom and myself off at the mall, I'd tag along while she shopped then we would get some lunch and then walk the 2 miles back to their house. At their house I'd help my grandfather water his tomato plants, tinker with his junk in the shed, sit on the porch swing and eat watermelon, go for walks, watch fireworks on the 4th of July, stay up late and watch Golden Girls. My mom's mom didn't drive so every single Sunday I went over there with her to take her shopping, grocery shop, out to lunch, then back to her house for coffee and dessert, she'd teach me how to play cards, cook, talk about the old days. In the summer when school was out, my mom worked 3 days a week so I spent those days at my grandmom's house too where I'd help her with her gardening, ride with her and my great-aunt in her station wagon to the grocery store, learn how to make italian cookies, etc. She could not have afforded tickets to the aquarium (nor could she have gotten me there on her own) but I remember more about spending time with all of them than practically anything else I did with my own parents. They are all gone and they are my most important memories. I also learned how to simply absorb and appreciate every day life and its tasks.

Outside of that:
- Special one-on-one picnics
- Special lunch out or ice cream out
- Aquarium
- Zoo
- Local high school plays/musicals
- Local farm-type places that have activities (not sure how to describe that) like a cider mill, pumpkin farm, etc.
- For weekend trips, an indoor water park
- Date at the movie theater
- Special theater events in town
- Science Center


Both my parents and my in-laws have a great deal more discretionary income than my grandparents so my kids get treated to some bigger ticketed things, like today they are going to Disney on Ice, but again it seems like their favorite memories to discuss are our camping trips that my in laws do with us or my dad teaching my son how to build a bird house, etc.