Category: Family Fun

Family fun for whenever

Storytime at the museum

Local author Marti Fuerst is scheduled to visit the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org) on Saturday, Jan. 13, to read her book That’s Not a Hat!at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. for visitors in the museum’s morning play session, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon. There will also be a hat craft to take home, according to a press release. Admission costs $12.50, $10.50 for seniors, and is free for kids under 1 year of age, according to the website, where you can purchase advance admissions.

Also at the museum, every Thursday in January will feature cultural crafts related to the Chinese New Year, with crafts at 10:30 a.m. (for the morning play session, 9 a.m. to noon) and 2:30 p.m. for the afternoon play session (1 to 4 p.m.), the release said.

Learning the classics

The Rock and Roll Playhouse will present Music of Tom Petty For Kids on Sunday, Jan. 14, at noon at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $18.75. Find videos of The Rock and Roll Playhouse on their social media via therockandrollplayhouse.com, where the shows are described as giving the core audience of families, particularly those with kids ages 1 to 7, “games, movement, stories and most importantly an opportunity to rock out.”

Family fun for whenever

STEM fun

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) will hold a “First Friday Play Late” on Friday, Jan. 5, from 4 to 7 p.m. Admission is the usual price — $12.50 for everybody over 12 months old, $10.50 for 65+ — and go online to reserve the spot. The Friday evening play period will run first Fridays through May 2024, the website said. The STEAM activities of Science Friday also continue into the new year, with scheduled activities at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., during the morning (9 a.m. to noon) and afternoon (1 to 4 p.m.) play sessions.

• The SEE Science Center’s (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; 669-0400, see-sciencecenter.org) Free Storytime Science programming has moved to the Manchester City Library (405 Pine St. in Manchester; manchester.lib.nh.us). Kids ages 2 to 6 can join librarian Ms. Yvonne and the Center’s Ms. Becky for a storytime with STEM/STEAM themes and hands-on activities, according to the Center’s website. The next theme is Owl Moon on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 10 a.m. Register with the library.

Storytime

• Looking for an excuse to visit the bookstore with your kids? Barnes & Noble Manchester (1741 S. Willow St. in Manchester; 668-5557) holds its weekly storytimes Saturdays (including Saturday, Jan. 6) at 11 a.m. led by Ms. Elizabeth in the children’s department.

Nature

• Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road in Hollis; beaverbrook.org) has nature programs starting this week. “Natural Wonders Friday,” which will feature six classes 10 to 11 a.m. on Fridays, Jan. 5 through Feb. 9, is geared toward kids ages 1½ to 5 years old and their adults. The cost is $72 for a kid-adult pair (additional kids can be registered for 25 percent discount). Classes for homeschoolers will also start later in the month: A class for 1st through 6th graders will run for seven sessions Tuesdays, Jan. 23 through March 12, from 9 a.m. to noon, and a class for 7th through 9th graders will run for seven sessions Wednesdays, Jan. 24 through March 13, from 9 a.m. to noon. The classes cost $210 for the series.

Family fun for whenever

Everybody entertainment

• Catch the family-friendly magician Ben Pratt, whose show is described as “high energy and super fun,” at Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Pelham (150 Bridge St.; chunkys.com) on Thursday, Dec. 28, at 6:15 p.m.; at Chunky’s in Nashua (151 Coliseum Ave; chunkys.com) on Friday, Dec. 29, at 6:15 p.m. and at Chunky’s in Manchester (707 Huse Road; chunkys.com) on Saturday, Dec. 30, at 6:15 p.m. Admission costs $15.

• The Harlem Globetrotters 2024 will come to the SNHU Arena (555 Elm St., Manchester, 644-5000, snhuarena.com) with shows Thursday, Dec. 28, at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets cost $44 through $134, with pre-game VIP options.

• The Swiftie Party at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Nashua; palacetheatre.org) is billed as an all-ages dance party event with space still available for the party at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30. Admission costs $25 for adults and $20 for 12 and under.

More museums

Here are some museums with special offerings and hours through the holiday week.

• At the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; nhahs.org, 669-4820) see the exhibit “Flying Home for the Holidays,” on display through Jan. 14. The museum is open daily through Saturday, Dec. 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as well as Sunday, Dec. 31, from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission costs $10 for ages 13 and above, $5 for 65+, veterans/military and kids ages 6 to 12, and is free for ages 5 and under.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) has play sessions from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. daily through Saturday, Dec. 30. On Sunday, Dec. 31, a Family New Year’s Eve celebration takes place at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and will feature a “countdown to midnight” along with other activities. Buy admissions for a time slot online in advance; admission costs $12.50 for adults and children over 12 months, $10.50 for 65+.

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) will have December Days Thursday, Dec. 28, through Saturday, Dec. 30, with a lineup of family-friendly activities daily including a magic show on Friday, Dec. 29, at 2 p.m. (tickets cost $10 to $30, depending on age, and are available online); the museum will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (and until 8 p.m. on Dec. 28) during those days. The museum will also be open Sunday, Dec. 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission costs $20 for adults, $15 for ages 65+, $15 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17 (children under 13 get in for free).

Family fun for whenever

Visit the museum

Entertain restless kids and visiting relatives at area museums.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; nhahs.org, 669-4820) is currently featuring the exhibit “Flying Home for the Holidays,” which will be on display through Jan. 14. The museum’s is open Friday, Dec. 22, and Saturday, Dec. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will be closed Sunday, Dec. 24, but open Wednesday, Dec. 27, through Saturday, Dec. 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as well as Sunday, Dec. 31, from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission costs $10 for ages 13 and above, $5 for 65+, veterans/military and kids ages 6 to 12, and is free for ages 5 and under.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) has play sessions from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, through Saturday, Dec. 23, and then, after Christmas, Tuesday, Dec. 26, through Saturday, Dec. 30. On Sunday, Dec. 31, a Family New Year’s Eve celebration takes place at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and will feature a “countdown to midnight” along with other activities. Buy admissions for a time slot online in advance; admission costs $12.50 for adults and children over 12 months, $10.50 for 65+.

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) will be open Thursday, Dec. 21, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with Art After Work (featuring free admission and live music from Green Heron) from 5 to 8 p.m. The museum will also be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22, and Saturday, Dec. 23, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 24. From Thursday, Dec. 28, through Saturday, Dec. 30, the museum will feature a schedule of family-friendly activities as part of December Days, including a magic show on Friday, Dec. 29, at 2 p.m. (tickets cost $10 to $30, depending on age, and are available online); the museum will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (and until 8 p.m. on Dec. 28) during those days. The museum will also be open Sunday, Dec. 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission costs $20 for adults, $15 for ages 65+, $15 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17 (children under 13 get in for free).

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Dr. in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, through Saturday, Dec. 23, and then closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The museum will be open daily from Tuesday, Dec. 26, through Sunday, Dec. 31, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $12 for adults, $9 for ages 3 to 12, $11 for 65+ and free for ages 2 and under, with planetarium shows an additional $6 per person ages 3 and up.

• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Sunday, Dec. 24). Tickets cost $12 for ages 3 and up.

Family fun for whenever

It’s a party!

• Catch Mr. Aaron Holiday Party on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 11 a.m. at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $13.75. Mr. Aaron (mraaronmusic.com) is described as “a multi-instrumentalist performer and composer making music and videos for kids and their grownups,” according to the venue’s website.

• The cast of the Palace Theatre’s A Christmas Carol will attend the storytime at Bookery Manchester (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com) from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Go online to reserve a spot for this free event.

• Enjoy a Grinch-centric storytime at Balin Books (375 Amherst St. in Nashua; balinbooks.com) on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 3 p.m. Both the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the new sequel How the Grinch Lost Christmas will be read and the event will feature hot cocoa, cookie decorating and crafts, according to the website.

Still a lot of Nutcracker

• Ballet Misha presents The Nutcrackeron Saturday, Dec. 16, at 1 and 6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester). Tickets cost $35 for adults and $30 for children under 18. Visit tickets.anselm.edu to purchase tickets online.

• Safe Haven Ballet performs The Nutcracker at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord) on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $45 for adults and $40 for students and seniors. Visit safehavenballet.org/events for more info.

• New England School of Dance presents The Nutcracker on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m. at the Stockbridge Theater at Pinkerton Academy (5 Pinkerton St., Derry). Tickets cost $32.50. Visit facebook.com/newenglandschoolofdance.

• The New Hampshire School of Ballet presents The Nutcracker on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (14 Canterbury Road, Concord). Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at the studio (183 Londonderry Turnpike). There will be an additional performance on Sunday, Dec. 27, at 6 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester). Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased at the box office or online at palacetheatre.org.

Holiday on screen

• Elf (PG, 2003) will screen on Friday, Dec. 15, at 6:30 p.m. at Flying Monkey in Plymouth (39 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551, flyingmonkeynh.com).

• The Polar Express (G, 2004) will screen Saturday, Dec. 16, at 10 a.m. at Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St., Concord, 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org)