Guilderland Public Library (or any public library!)
http://www.guilderlandpublic.info/
Has story times throughout the week, to include an evening story
time, usually Mon at 6:30pm. Free movies on some weekends. Book clubs
etc. They have a good Parent-teacher section, lots of homeschooling
books.
Guilderland YMCA - this can get expensive, as I talked about
yesterday, for us, it's worth the cost as there are anywhere between
2-6 children in my house at any time. Full membership entitles full
use of the facility, to include a good share of yoga/aerobics/water
fitness classes, childcare for 1.5 hours per day per child, pool,
indoor walking track. Swim lessons are extra. Program membership is
$ /year and entitles the family to pay for programs within the Y at a
little higher price.
Voorheesville School District - has swimming lessons fall and spring.
$90/ 10 weeks, if I remember correctly.
The Spinning Room - has knitting classes. Will also give private
lessons. I love to knit, and tried to teach my oldest, but a teacher
of the yarn arts I am not, so we're thinking of going this route.
They have a great selection of yarns - I can't go in often because
I'll spend $$.
Michael's Crafts & Jo-Ann Fabrics - both have craft classes at a
pretty reasonable price. Sewing classes as well.
Children's Museums of Science and Technology (CMOST) - we love this
place. Only complaint is that some exhibits haven't changed. My
oldest is just starting to feel too old for this place and she is 8.
All kids love the animals!
NY State Museum - it sounded like everyone was familiar with this
great resource!
Albany Symphony Orchestra - concerts thru the year. I think that they
do a young people's concert.
Empire State Youth Orchestra - again, concerts thru the year,
inexpensive and it might be inspiring for younger children to see
children who are only a few years older be great musicians. Also a
great goal for a musically inclined child to audition. I was in ESYO
from 1992-1996 and traveled to Spain, played at Carnegie Hall and
Tanglewood. It was such a great time and a priceless opportunity to
meet people from all around the Capital District.
Albany Museum of History and Art - my kids had an all right time here
(it was just that they were on the young side). I loved it. Figure if
I take them enough, they will start to appreciate it. Great resource
if one wants to teach history - last time I went there was a great
exhibit of antiques from the colonial period, dress up in period
clothing. A trip here would certainly meet that NY History
requirement!
Tiny Tots Tea Room http://www.tinytotstearoom.com/home.html
- indoor play area in Clifton Park. $6/per child for two hours, nice
area to eat, coffee/espresso for mom, a good assortment of healthy
lunches and snacks for the kids. Great time for the under 5. Fair
amount of yoga/movement classes for the little ones. Yes, it's a bit
of a drive.
Guilderland Parks and Recreation/GRAB- indoor rock climbing barn $5
to use, ages 6 and up. During the summer, there are a TON of week
long programs that are reasonably priced. Don't know if there is a
residency requirement. The playground here is pretty good, although
there is ALOT of sand. Sledding hill in the winter, there are
walking/hiking trails as well.
Albany Pinebush Education Center
http://www.albanypinebush.org/discovery_center/discovery_center_backgr
ound.htm - haven't been here yet, but on the list of things to do.
Looks like fun. We "hike" in the pinebush a bit.
Six Mile Waterworks - off Fuller Rd. in Albany.
(http://www.albanypinebush.org/discovery_center/field_station_renssela
er_lake.htm)
Nice playground - small enough for the little ones to use, but the
big kids can play too. Compact so that if you have multiple children,
you can keep an eye on everyone. I feel very safe here. There is a
pond, nice to walk around, good place to teach bike riding, as there
is a paved trail around the pond. Nice place to canoe/kayak/catch and
release fish. Picnic tables etc.
Voorheesville Elem School - has a great playground, part of
our "Spencer family playground tour". Obviously, we can't use it when
school is in session, but it's nice time for the weekend. Open field,
good for kite flying.
John Boyd Thatcher Park. (http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?
parkID=125)
The escarpment trail is great. Lots of lookouts, a waterfall that you
can go behind. The trail is closed in the winter for safety reasons.
There is a nature center, but haven't been yet.
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
http://www.picturebookart.org/visit/hoursadmission.asp
This is about 2 hrs away, but was a great time. Jacqueline was really
into Eric Carle's book when she was in K and we went here right after
school was out. If I were to do it again, I would partner it up with
some other sights and things to do, it doesn't take long to get thru
the museum.
2) Peebles Island State Park
(3) Shake Shake Mamas
(4) farmers' markets
(5) Moxie's (ice cream and nice play areas) in Wynantskill
(6) The Snowman, for ice cream, in Lansingburgh
(7) Hoffman's Playland in Latham
(8) Tiny Tots Tea Room in Clifton Park
(9) any park or green space, be it in Troy, Menands, Colonie (The Crossings)
(10) McDonald's in Watervliet (not necessarily for the food) had slides my kids liked, but the restaurant is now being rebuilt so I'm not sure about a future playground inside
(11) The library!
(12) Market Block Books (everyone knows us there, and there's a little corner window good for sitting and reading books)
Albany Art Room $5/hr per kid
Tar Box Farms up Rt 7, animals and plants
Washington Park - Albany
Fall Festivals - Goulds Farms
Rock Museum - downtown Troy from Spillin' the Beans
Science Museum @ 250 Jordan Rd, Troy NY
State Museum and Plaza
