Where the Fun Never Stops: Playtown Express, Hopkinton, MA

There's a little something for everyone at Playtown. Note here that Sydney lured Liji both onto the slide and into the moon bounce.

Playtown Express
25 South Street
Hopkinton, MA

Ok, so I admit that I am that dad. The one that wants to jump in the pool with the kids the minute the swim suits are on. So, it was with buddha-like patience that I had to stand and watch Sydney fly down the awesome, inflated slide (see above). Given the lines, Sydney had to have a little patience of his own. At least I could use Liji's age as a reason to sit in the bounce house with him, but hands-off, I most certainly am not.

This place is so popular, we couldn't even get Sydney a birthday party reservation two months in advance!, (I mean besides Super Bowl Sunday, but come on dads!) Where we all needed a little more patience in this pleasure dome was for the other tots. I had hoped they too would have read How do Dinosaurs Play with Thier Friends by Jane Yolen. The two staff on hand looked like they were playing D on a fast break of Jordan and Magic. So come prepared with your game face on for fun, just make sure you take a few mother's little helpers ahead of time.

Modern Art with Kids? Why not: The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

Sydney and "Pingu" are buffedled, but amused by this crazy instillation of "broken chairs." He is even fascinated enough to talk to his kid bro about it, creating another artist in the making.


The Museum of Fine Arts
465 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA

Mom and I have a history of hitting the MFA for her birthdays, so when I proposed bringing the boys, like many folks she questioned, "art with the kids?" Which is exactly what was asked by my father about the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC last weekend. They had a blast. My advice to you weekend warrior dads is, "just do it!"

We warmed up their inner-artist with a reading of When Pigasso Met Mootise. Then, we had to promise them mummies, which under the new construction we never really found. But, man, were they impressed with the recent instillation in which 20-odd tv screens are singing heads of Madonna favorites. Sydney has now been to at least five of the major art museums in the states and he always finds something to rave about. So, when it hits ten degrees next weekend and you just can't stand in line at the Children's museum one more time this winter, take a gamble and head over to the MFA.

Hands-on Jersey!: The Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ

Hands-on Jersey!: The Liberty Science Center
222 Jersey City Boulevard
Jersey City, New Jersey

reasons to venture:

• Make your own volcanoes? Add sulpher and gas to watch your explosion on tv.
• As hard as it may be to believe that anything lives in that river, Our Hudson Home has some really cool fish tanks.
• Great views of Manhattan and how often do you get the Jersey tri-fecta? Jersey City Blvd in Jersey City, Jersey...

Your reasons to cross the Hudson?