Kiddie Pool 23/02/09

Family fun for the weekend

Kids in history

• The Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; manchesterhistoric.org, 622-7531) will present “Help Wanted: Children of the Mills,” a program geared toward school-age kids according to the website, on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tickets cost $12 and children must be accompanied by ticketed adults, the website said. The event looks at the mill jobs for kids as young as 9 in the Amoskeag Manufacturing Co. mills during the second half of the 19th century, what jobs they did and what it was like for them, the website said. The event will include a pail lunch and hands-on activities, the website said.

Kids in the show

• The performers of West Running Brook Middle School in Derry will present Moana Jr.on Friday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 11, at 4 p.m. at Stockbridge Theatre (Pinkerton Academy, 5 Pinkerton St. in Derry; pinkertonacademy.org/stockbridge-theatre). Tickets cost $10 each.

• For teen audiences who want to see teen performers: The Palace Teen Company will present Cabaret, featuring student actors ages 12 through 18, at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for ages 6 to 12, $15 for adults.

• And save the date for the High Mowing School middle schoolers (Pine Hill Campus, 77 Pine Hill Drive in Wilton; highmowing.org/hilltop, 654-6003) who will show off their circus skills with their show Circus with a Chance of Meatballs on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 4 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 17, at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m. Admission is a suggested donation of $10 for adults, $5 for children; bring a donation for the Wilton’s Open Cupboard Food pantry for free popcorn, according to a press release.

Hearts & dinosaurs

• Bookery (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com) will feature the book How to Catch a Loveosaurus during the storytime on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 11:30 a.m. After the story, kids will make a tissue paper heart collage craft, according to the website, where you can reserve a spot for this free event.

• As of the morning of Feb. 7, spots are still available at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; 742-2002, childrens-museum.org) for the Dinosaur Valentine’s Day Party on Sunday, Feb. 12, from 1 to 3 p.m. Make dinosaur- and Valentine’s-themed crafts, hear dinosaur stories, meet a costumed dinosaur and take home a treat, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets for $16 per person (kids under the age of 1 get in free).

Give a toothy grin

• All February long, the Children’s Museum is celebrating Dental Health Month. The museum will have tooth-brushing and dental health-related activities and free toothbrushes from Northeast Delta Dental (while supplies last), according to the website. On Wednesdays, Feb 15 and Feb. 22, and Thursday, Feb. 23, the Tooth Fairy and Holly the comfort dog from Haas Dental Associates (in Dover and Derry) will be at the museum to meet guests from 10 to 11:30 a.m., the website said. Reserve a spot to attend the museum in advance via the website. Tickets cost $12.50 for everyone over 12 months old; $10.50 for ages 65+ (children under 12 months get in free), the website said. The museum is open Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to noon; Wednesdays through Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon.

Treasure Hunt 23/02/02

Good morning, Donna! My name is Katie. I live in Hooksett and I have always enjoyed your segment in the Hippo each week. I wanted to see if you could give me any insight on my Levi’s belt buckle.

Sincerely, Katie.

Dear Katie,

I did lots of research for you and never came up with your belt buckle.

I did come up with a couple reasons why I think you might have a knockoff (reproduction). First, the design in the leather doesn’t match any of the cowboy themes all others have. Second, the marking on the edge, “Levi,” was always followed by “Strauss.” If it’s not a reproduction it is an extremely rare piece. In your letter you stated you sent information to the company and never heard back. That makes me more confident in my findings.

No matter what, Katie, it’s a sweet buckle. Thanks for reading the Hippo and my column.

Kiddie Pool 23/02/02

Family fun for the weekend

Library excitement

• Ever wanted to be in an episode of Stranger Things? The Manchester City Library (405Pine St.) is offering something like that at its teen escape room on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 3 p.m. Teens in grades 6 to 12 are invited to hang out during the Teen Thursday, where the escape room will be happening in addition to usual activities including snacks and gaming sessions on the library’s Nintendo Switch. For more information, visit manchester.lib.nh.us.

• Join the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St.) for a special event called take your child to the library day, sponsored by children’s musician Steve Blunt and author and illustrator Marty Kelley on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Blunt and Kelley will perform a show with music, books and laughter all about going to the library. This event is free to attend. Visit nashualibrary.org.

Soccer star

Kim Chafee, a children’s author, is slated to attend the storytime and crafts event at Bookery (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com) on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 11:30 a.m. She will read her new book Courage in Her Cleats: The Story of Soccer Star Abby Wambach and the event will include soccer-themed activities, according to the website. The event is free; register online.

Beary fun

• A special Girl Scouts build-a-bear workshop is opening at the New Hampshire Girl Scouts council office (1 Commerce Drive in Bedford) on Saturday, Feb. 4, with a special gala taking place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The location will have Girl Scouts branded merchandise for troop members to choose from. The gala will have raffles and giveaways while customers get the chance to explore the new location. For more information about this event, visit girlscoutsgwm.org.

Outdoor adventures

• The New Hampshire Audubon Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; nhaudubon.org, 668-2045) is hosting a cold creatures and hot cocoa event on Saturday, Feb. 4, from noon to 1 p.m. Families can learn all about cold-blooded creatures like snakes, turtles, frogs, lizards and more, as well as meet some of them in person, all while sipping on delicious hot beverages. The Massabesic Center recommends this program for kids ages 5 to 13. It costs from $15 per family and registration can be completed at nhaudubon.org.

• The NHScots second annual great kilt skate will be on Sunday, Feb. 5, from 2 to 4 p.m. at White Park (1 White St. in Concord). The organization will have Scottish tunes, hot chocolate, coffee and a few other wintery surprises. The group invites everyone to don a kilt, but dress warmly, and take to the ice with them in the free event. There is a warming house available for anyone who gets too cold. Visit nhscot.org for more information.

• Dreamer’s Ranch (125 N. Lowell Road, Windham) is hosting a Fire and Ice Winter Festival on Saturday, Feb. 4, from 4 to 8 p.m. Take a wagon ride from the ranch’s parking lot to the festival grounds, where there will be sledding, skating and other winter activities. Live music will be provided by local bands, and the ranch will have bonfires to help visitors keep warm. There will also be hot dogs and hamburgers from the grill. Tickets for the event cost $15 and can be purchased in advance at youthstorm.org/dreamersranch.

Treasure Hunt 23/01/26

Dear Donna,

Picked this up a few months ago. I thought it was interesting. It looks all handmade and has weight to it. It’s 4 inches by 6 inches. I think it could be an old chalkboard eraser. The bottom has about 1/4 inch of felt. Interesting, as I said. What do you think?

Luke in Berlin, N.H.

Dear Luke,

You got my interest!

First, you are right, it appears to be handmade. It looks old, but it’s tough to be exact with the age of handmade items.

My question would be why would it need to be heavy if it’s an eraser. My thought is that it’s more of a commemorative to a dog. Possibly a paperweight? You could be right, or maybe it’s even for something we won’t ever know.

To give it a value: It’s a homemade piece with good detail, construction and subject. I would say your little treasure is in the $40 range!

Thanks for sharing, Luke.

Donna

Kiddie Pool 23/01/26

Family fun for the weekend

Museum fun

• On Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) will be hosting Lighter Than Air, an educational program and lecture about the people who pioneered flight through hot air balloons. The event will have photographs of the early pioneers of air travel, many of whom were in the Manchester region. Tickets to the event cost $10 for nonmembers and are free to members. Visit nhahs.org for more information.

• Join the Children’s Museum (6 Washington St., Dover) for a Robotics Petting Zoo presented by Sages Entertainment on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 11 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. Kids will learn about what makes robots special, how people use them in everyday life, and the code that brings robots to life. There will also be a robot scavenger hunt and robot-themed craft in the Muse Art Studio at the museum. Join the event by purchasing morning or afternoon play tickets at childrens-museum.org. Tickets cost $12.50 for children and adults, $10.50 for seniors older than 65. Children younger than 1 year old are free.

• Build a plane with the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) at their student and family plane-build open house on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. The open house is to promote a program with the Manchester School of Technology, where students will work with volunteers to build a plane from scratch during the school year. The program is free for students who meet the age requirement, and students from other schools or districts or who are homeschooled are able to participate as well. To learn more about the program, visit nhahs.org.

Showtime

• All three Chunky’s (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham) will have a little lunch date showing the movie Shrek (PG, 2001) on Friday, Jan. 27, at 3:45 p.m. The family-friendly showing will have dimmed lights. Admission is free, but reserve a seat with a $5 food voucher at chunkys.com.

• Get your claws and whiskers ready for a family-friendly production of Cats: the Young Actors Versionby the Majestic Academy of Dramatic Arts at the Derry Opera House (29 West Broadway). Opening night is Friday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m. and following shows are on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 2 and 7 p.m. and on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $13 for seniors ages 65 and older, $10 for youth 17 and younger. Purchase tickets at majestictheatre.net.

• Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St., Concord) is screening Frozen (PG, 2013) on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 10 a.m. as part of the Concord Winter Festival. Tickets cost $10 per person; visit redrivertheatre.com to purchase tickets.

Save the date

• Get prehistoric with the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover) with a dinosaur-themed Valentine’s Day party on Sunday, Feb. 12, from 1 to 3 p.m. The party will have a dinosaur-themed craft, stories, and a meet and greet with a friendly dinosaur. This event is a special ticketed event. Tickets cost $10 for members, $16 for nonmembers, free for children under a year. Ticket sales start on Wednesday, Jan. 25, for members and open to the public on Monday, Jan. 30. To purchase tickets, visit childrens-museum.org.

• Winter vacation is just around the corner, and Park Arts (19 Main St., Jaffrey) is holding a winter vacation camp for all the little performers starting on Monday, Feb. 27. The camp will run the whole week and include a performance on March 4. The play for elementary students will be The Elves and the Shoemaker and the play for middle school students is Mystery Anyone? Each camp costs $90 for admission, with an optional $12 for a commemorative T-shirt. Registration is open and can be done at theparktheatre.org.

Treasure Hunt 23/01/19

Dear Donna,

Every year I put out my small old 4”x4” Christmas box. This year I’m wondering if this is priceless just to me. Let me know!

Thank you, Donna.

Tanya

Dear Tanya,

I enjoy that your old Christmas candle box is priceless to you.

I’m going to say it’s collectible to others as well, for Christmas collectors and I believe just for its being an old box. It appears to be in good condition and that’s a plus.

Antique, old boxes can be very valuable. Depending on the age, designs, item, advertising, etc., some collectible items are worth so much more in the original boxes.

Your candle box looks like it’s from the early 1900s to 1940s. I would say the value would be in the $20 range. If the candles were still in it, even higher.

Putting it out every year for the holidays is priceless, you are right!

Kiddie Pool 23/01/19

Family fun for the weekend

Stories plus…

Bookery Manchester (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com) will hold a storytime and craft on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 11:30 a.m. centered around the book Kunoichi Bunny, by author Sara Cassidy and illustrator Brayden Sato. Described as a “wordless picture book in graphic novel format,” the book tells the story of a girl and her stuffed bunny and their adventures throughout the day, according to the website. After the story, kids will do a handprint bunny craft, the website said. Admission is free; reserve a spot online.

• Get some science with your story at Storytime Science at the SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. The storytimes are geared to kids ages 2 to 6 and include a story and a STEM activity, according to the website. The series is slated to run through March and is included in the price of admission ($12 for ages 3 and up). Register for the storytime in advance via the website.

Live performances

• The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra will host a chamber music concert designed for the whole family on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 3 p.m. at St. John’s Epsicopal Church (101 Chapel St. in Portsmouth). There is a suggested at the door donation of $15 per family, the release said. See portsmouthsymphony.org.

• See Dragons and Mythical Beasts come alive on stage at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Sunday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25 to $55 plus fees. The trailer for the show on the Cap Center’s website shows a production full of elaborate puppet creatures, some worked by more than one person. The doors open at 1 p.m.

• Palace Youth Theatre will present Disney’s Newsies Jr.featuring student actors in grades 2 through 12 on Tuesday, Jan. 24, and Wednesday, Jan. 25, as well as Tuesday, Jan. 31, and Wednesday, Feb. 1, all at 7 p.m. Tickets to the Palace Theatre show (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) start at $12.

• See Llama Llama Liveon Tuesday, Jan. 24, with performances at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. at the Music Hall Historic Theatre (28 Chestnut St. in Portsmouth; themusichall.org). The show is geared toward ages 3 to 6 and is about an hour long. Call 436-2400 for tickets.

Basketball!

• Catch some Saint Anselm Hawks basketball action this Saturday, Jan. 21, when the women’s team plays Southern Connecticut State University at 1:30 p.m. The men’s team will play Southern Connecticut on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Tickets to a game cost $10 per person and are available for purchase (credit cards only) at the ticket booth at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium (73 College Road in Manchester), where the games take place. See saintanselmhawks.com.

• Catch some Southern New Hampshire University Penmen basketball at home next week. The women play Southern Connecticut State University on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 5:30 p.m. The men play Southern Connecticut State at 7:30 p.m. Both games take place at Stan Spirou Field House at the SNHU campus, 2500 N. River Road in Manchester. Admission is free. See snhupenmen.com.

Kiddie Pool 23/01/12

Family fun for the weekend

WinterFest fun

LaBelle Winery (14 Route 111 in Derry) will celebrate WinterFest on Saturday, Jan. 14, and Sunday, Jan. 15, featuring tastings and other events. Especially for the kids: on Sunday, LaBelle will hold a WinterFest Family Bash from 3 to 5:30 p.m. The celebration will feature children’s musician Steve Blunt, winter animal activities with the Audubon Society, and hands-on crafts and story time with the Derry Public Library. Admission to the Family Bash costs $10 for ages 4 and up (kids 3 and under get in for free). Admission to LaBelle Lights, the walking tour through a light display, costs $16 for ages 13 to 64; $10 for 65+; $8 for ages 4 to 12 and is free for ages 3 and under. LaBelle Lights runs daily, Wednesday through Sunday, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. and has been extended through Saturday, Jan. 21. Purchase tickets for LaBelle events at labellewinery.com.

Learning artsy things

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org) has a full slate of winter classes for kids, both in person and online. In-person classes include “Pen, Pencil and Marker!” a four week drawing class running Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. (starting Jan. 25) and “Draw, Paint, Print!” a four week class on Saturdays at 12:15 p.m. (starting Jan. 28). On Tuesday, Jan. 17, a five-week “Comics for Kids” class begins running from 4:30 to 6 p.m. via Zoom. All three classes are for students in third through fifth grade. The Currier also has four-week in-person classes for kindergarten through second grade: “Art Explorers” on Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. (starting Jan. 26) and “Strawberries, Ice Cream and Candy” on Saturdays at 10:15 (starting Jan. 28). For grades 6 through 9, a four-week in-person “Expressive Landscapes” class runs Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. (starting Jan. 25). For teens, a five-week online class “Character Design for Storytelling” runs Saturdays (starting Jan. 21) from 1 to 3 p.m. and a four-week in-person class “Patterns, Paints and Printmaking for Teens” (14+) is on Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. (starting Jan. 26). Go online to register.

• Kids who are curious about learning music can take a free trial class at the Nashua Community Music School (2 Lock St.) on Thursday, Jan. 12, at 6:30 p.m. Students ages 8 to 11 can meet one of the teachers, Miss Holly, and test out two of the classes: Master Musicians and Intro to Singing. While the trial is free, the school does request reserving a spot in advance. Visit nashuacms.org for more information. Library activities

• Kids in grades 4 through 6 can join the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St.) for a hot chocolate bar and book swap on Thursday, Jan. 12, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The library recommends bringing a couple of books to swap over a steaming cup of hot cocoa topped off with goodies from the library’s topping bar. Registration is recommended and can be done at nashualibrary.org.

• The Heights Branch Library (14 Canterbury Road, Concord) is hosting storytime stations on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 9:30 a.m. There will be stories, crafts, activities, felt boards and more. Kids and their caregivers can take their time at each of the stations without feeling rushed through the activities during the two-hour story time. For more information about this event, visit concordnh.gov.

• The Manchester City Library (405 Pine St.) is hosting a train party on Tuesday Jan. 17, at 10 a.m. There will be train games and a simple craft, a sing-and-dance-along featuring songs like “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” and a special train-themed story time. This program is designed for kids ages of 2 through 5. Registration is recommended and can be done by calling 624-6550, ext. 7628. Visit manchester.lib.nh.us for more information.

Showtime!

• Come to the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) to see Frozen Jr. on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. The show follows the plot of Disney favorite Frozen (PG, 2019) and is cast with teens in the Palace Theatre’s youth theater program. Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased at palacetheatre.org.

Save the date

Look forward to Dragons and Mythical Beasts at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord) on Sunday, Jan. 22. The show brings audience members face to face with fantastical creatures like the Stone Troll, the Indrik and Japanese Baku, the Tooth Fairy, a unicorn and a majestic griffin through the puppet mastery of Nicoll Entertainment. Ticket prices start at $25. The show starts at 2 p.m., doors open at 1 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit ccanh.com.

Treasure Hunt 23/01/12

Dear Donna,

We recently moved into a new old home. The previous owners left this stove and we have no need for it. They told us it was functional, but we’re not sure of that for ourselves. So we’re looking for an estimate of value to sell it. Thought you might be able to help, possibly pointing us in the right direction.

Thank you for your time.

Renee

Dear Renee,

I did some research for you on values, even though antique stoves are not something I deal with often. Too heavy!

Your antique enamel wood cooking and heating stove looks to be in good condition for being from the late 1800’s to early 1900’s. You want to market it “as is,” though, not knowing if it’s functional.

If it’s in working condition it warms the home, cooks and has warming ovens on top as well. Just imagine using it every day!

The values, Renee, are all over the place from $500 to $2,000 and up. But finding the higher-end value could be so much tougher than finding a good home. So I think if it were me I would start in the under $1,000 range.

I hope this gave you a starting place and you find it a new home. When working they create so much warmth! Like a good hug!

Treasure Hunt 23/01/05

Hello Donna,

Came across this 3” x 2½” trinket. Looks like it could have been used for a clock. There are no company names on it so it’s hard to tell. Any thoughts?

Pat

Bedford

Dear Pat,

You are right! It was a clock case at one time. Now, with the clock mechanism missing, knowing the value is tough!

It’s got to either go to a clock person to find a new timepiece, or be used for another decorative purpose.

If the metal had any value it would have been marked sterling and with a maker. So that’s not the case here. As it stands the value would be in the $15 range.

Pat, it would be much more fun to do something creative with it. Thanks for sharing and if you’re looking for a couple of decorative ideas send me another note.

Donna

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