Staycation Ideas for Winter Break

So maybe the excessive number of snow days has made this winter vacation from school a little less appealing. But once you peruse this lengthy list of things to do with your kids next week, perhaps you'll be in a better frame of mind to embrace another seven days off with your children in tow.

For some activities, signups are needed now to ensure they take place, for others space is limited.

1. Drawing experiments with teaching artists: Every day next week, the Katonah Museum of Art offers a different project. Kids 7 and up can be dropped off, age six and under must be with a grown-up. But the projects will inspire. .
2. Tigers, Elephants and Acrobats, Oh My: The Royal Hanneford Circus is coming to the Westchester County Center in White Plains.
3. Babysitter's Training: For parents of idle teens who are looking for babysitting creds, the American Red Cross offers a four-day course beginning Fe. 21. They'll learn infant and child CPR, among other things. Also for teens: The Lewisboro Library has planned a workshop ono teens, .
4. Mini-camps for artists: The Katonah Art Center offers an array of sessions from clay to drawing to computer art and crafts. Sign-up
5. Winter fun Tuesday/Thursday: Bedford Recreation and Parks offers two sessions at which you can drop off your kids (K - 5) for crafts, games and hanging out with their peers. It's at the Bedford Hills Community House, for how to sign up.
6. Bowling at Cortlandt Lanes: Kids can knock out their energy by knocking down the pins during this excursion, sponsored by Bedford Recreation. Grades K - 5 can
7. Fun with science: Many local libraries are sponsoring activities during the winter break. The Lewisboro Library has and Bedford Rec has and
8. Puppet Show: The Little Red Hen will be performed by the Lionheart Puppet Co. at the Mt. Kisco Public Library next week, on Wednesday at 2 p.m. for more information.
9. Carnival: Bouncy castles, games with prizes, arts and crafts—need we say more? The Harvey School hosts this "carnival for charity."
10. Nature camp at Teatown: Bundle the kids up and send them over to Teatown Nature Center for this week-long mini camp for ages 6 -12. for more.
11. Chidren's Discovery Center at the New York Botanical Garden:  Why stop at 10? This place is absolutely on my favorite places to take the kids—the Children's Discovery Center always has something going on. Next week, "It's All About Chocolate." The exhibits are always hands-on, and the kids inevitable go home with a taste of what they learned about and a souvenir to boot. This exhibit is up through March 4, by the way.