When it comes to winter and how to make the most of it…ask the kids! Children will find more ways to enjoy the ice and snow of coldrush than any adult around. So, discover coldrush country with new ways to enliven this uniquely northern season in one of the best places in the U.S.A. for families. Child magazine named Rochester one of America’s “Top 10” best cities for families and Strong-National Museum of Play (formerly Strong Museum) one of the “Top 10” children’s museums in the country. Best of all, opportunities for family fun in the greater Rochester area are not only highly rated, they are refreshingly diverse as well.

At the recently expanded Strong-National Museum of Play, touch, explore and discover, in whimsical, interactive learning environments that encourage learning through play as it reflects American culture, and the home of the expanded National Toy Hall of Fame.

Explore the largest cultural attraction in Rochester, the largest regional year-round family attraction, the second largest “children’s” museum in the nation, and the only museum in the world devoted to the study of play. See new exhibits including: Reading Adventureland, Field of Play, and Dancing Wings—Upstate New York’s first and only year-round indoor butterfly garden.

The Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) is another great family destination filled with hands-on activities, historical and science-oriented exhibits including one that’s been 12,000 years in the making—Expedition Earth: Glaciers & Giants.

A visit to George Eastman House International Museum of Photography & Film’s Discovery Room is just for kids. It’s a place where kids are invited to touch antique cameras. Of course, cool kids will want to spend some time at the Seneca Park Zoo. Stop by and see the ZOT Zone inside the new Animal Health & Education Complex.

A Coldrush visit during March will amaze and delight the entire family with a day of maple sugaring fun from tapping trees to pouring fresh maple syrup on hot pancakes. Simply head to Genesee Country Village & Museum or the RMSC’s Cumming Nature Center.

What else can a family do around Rochester? Spend a day outdoors sledding, skiing, or ice-skating. Be sure to check www.goforthecold.com for a list of activities and special museum and hotel deals!

Cool Kids Activities

February School Break Events. February 17-23.

Genesee Country Village & Museum
www.gcv.org. 585-538-6822.

Winter Recess Frolick. www.gcv.org. Celebrate the winter break with snow games, crafts, walks and snacks at the nature center. Through walks and talks, learn how animals and plants survive the winter.

Seneca Park Zoo
www.senecaparkzoo.org. 585-336-7200.

Wild Colors. February 19. Explore the many ways animals use their coloring to help them survive. Get up close with some of the education collection animals, play games and make a craft.

Survival Skills. February 20. Animals have special adaptations to help them survive, explore these skills.

Behavioral Enrichment. February 21. Orange balls, big barrels, blankets and more are all used for behavioral enrichment at the Zoo. Make your own enrichment item to be used for a zoo animal.

Memorial Art Gallery
Mag.rochester.edu. 585-473-7720.

Winter Art Day School: Creativity camp. Kids ages 7-13 can spend February break cartooning, making puppets, creating from polymer clay and more. Each day is taught by a different teacher and explores a different medium.

Strong-National Museum of Play
www.museumofplay.org.
585-263-2700.

Secrets of Circles. Family crafts and activities in conjunction with this new exhibit, which celebrates the math, science, and beauty of such a simple shape.

Rochester Museum & Science Center
www.rmsc.org. 585-271-4552.

InnovaTOURS. www.rmsc.org. TOUR back in time with early Rochester innovators. Meet Frederick Douglass, George Eastman and others. See an early printing press in action, make a pinhole camera, and create your own invention.

Corning Museum of Glass
www.cmog.org. 800-732-6845.

Winter Break program. Hidden Treasures Tours introduce families to special objects in the glass collection. Children can submit drawings for “You Design It: We Make It” feature of the Hot Glass Show, and see if your design idea inspires the gaffers. See glass break, bend and stretch at a Magic Glass show. Get hands on with glass at special activity carts throughout the galleries.

ONGOING

Rochester Museum & Science Center
www.rmsc.org. 585-271-4552.

Creation Station Interactive. Exhibits invite you to investigate stress points, force, and structure. You’re the engineer! Play with the physics of rotation and structure. K’NEX Flex your engineering skills, build trucks, towers, turtles, anything you can imagine-with this colorful construction toy. Purchase your creations to take home, or take them apart to come back and play another day.

Expedition Earth RMSC’s natural science exhibition offers hands-on experiences exploring millions of years of breathtaking changes in our region’s environment. Enter a glacial ice cave, stand in awe of a lifelike, full-scale model mastodon, uncover replica mastodon bones and more.

How Things Work. Explore the science behind everyday devices in this hands-on, minds on exhibit. Through fun, first-hand investigation, find out how mechanisms such as light switches, thermostats, and traffic signals work.

AdventureZone Technology’s magic interprets the underwater world of Lake Ontario. These interactive exhibits let you decide whether you are a hands-on or minds-in explorer, or even just a spectator.

At the Western Door Step inside a log cabin to meet Samuel Parker, Eliza Parker and Asa Ground. Learn how they and other Seneca people created new lives for themselves in the 1830s. See extraordinary examples of the items crafted by Haudenosaunee people as they entered a market economy. Learn about clans and how they have been the “glue” that has held Haudenosaunee society together right up to the present.

Erie Canal Lock Interactive Model on Display. Modeled after Pittsford’s Lock 32, this exhibit is nearly 14 feet long and 6 feet wide with two fully functional locks. Visitors control all mechanisms, from the doors and valves to the boats themselves.

Frederick Douglass Exhibit. Rochester’s Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass spent 25 of his most active years in Rochester. Explore the life of this self-made leader from his humble birth as a chattel slave to his genius and celebrity as a powerful orator, courageous reformer, renowned author, newspaper editor and statesman. The exhibition presents compelling objects, documents and photographs as well as hands-on activities and recreated environments to allow visitors to “walk in Frederick Douglass’ shoes.”

Rochester’s 1873 Time Capsule. Visit this 127-year-old collection of materials once housed in a copper box in the cornerstone of Rochester’s Old City Hall. See the actual box and a video of its opening, and discover the rich Rochester history these artifacts tell.

Rochester Business Hall of Fame. A tribute to the exemplary achievements and spirit of local business people who have helped shape the course of Rochester’s history.

I See the Sky. For ages 3-5, a gentle introduction to the fun of sky watching. Strasenburgh Planetarium.

Strong-National Museum of Play
www.museumofplay.org.
585-263-2700.

One History Place. Amid original artifacts and reproductions, children explore mini-environments and get a taste of life as it was a century ago. Play dress-up in the attic, plink piano keys in the parlor, “pump” water in the kitchen, and pretend to travel across the country at the train station.

Can you tell me How to Get to Sesame Street? Step onto Sesame Street and go hands-on with activities that you could only watch on T.V. Dozens of interactive components invite children to explore concepts about letters, words, numbers, and issues of diversity. Experience the famous brownstone facade of 123 Sesame Street. Visit the Fix-It Shop, Mr. Hooper’s Store, Platinum Platters Music Shop and Gina’s Day Care Center. See yourself on TV with the Muppets, drive Elmo around Sesame Street in a big yellow taxicab, sell movie tickets at the Circle in the Square Cinema ticket booth, and more.

Kid to Kid. A 4,000 square-foot, multi-level exhibition where kids and parents can let their imaginations roam freely through the world of communication. Climb aboard a helicopter and pilot the controls; visit communications deck and send a message to your pal; prepare, stamp, weigh and sort mail in the “Kid to Kid” post office; step upon a stage and pretend to be anyone or anything you desire, board the whaling ship at “Lighthouse Island.” A parent’s resource center offers valuable information about talking with, listening to, and helping children develop communication skills.

Lady Liberty. See a likeness of Lady Liberty galore-more than 250 Statue of Liberty-related objects, including jigsaw puzzles, dolls, teddy bears, plates, lamps, rugs, wristwatches, radios and even statues that dance, glow or play music.

Making Radio Waves. You’re On the Air. Compare radio now and then as you create sound effects, conduct “on-air” interviews, and listen to famous moments in radio history. Produce a “Comedy Minute”; read excerpts from a variety of historic speeches including President Roosevelt’s Pearl Harbor speech, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and more.

National Toy Hall of Fame. Each year, the National Toy Hall of Fame at Strong Museum inducts toys that have achieved longevity and national significance in the world of play and imagination. Visit the 2006 inductees Lionel trains and the Easy Bake Oven.

Super Kids Market. Recently expanded to twice the size and twice the fun! This is the place where kids run the store. Cruise the aisles and fill your grocery cart with a selection of colorful produce that looks so real, you can almost taste it. Deli, Meat, Seafood and Bakery departments are filled with highly interactive stations for dramatic role-playing.

TimeLab. Travel through time as you explore changing American trends in foods, fashions, music and more. This futuristic learning laboratory is brimming with objects from America’s past and present. Enter TimeLab on the only operating time-travel machine in North America.

What’s Hot In History? It’s fun, cool and very “hands-on”—a futuristic, multimedia computer station designed primarily with teens and pre-teens in mind, yet featuring computer games that are challenging for all ages.

Reading Adventureland. 12,000 square feet of pure hands-on fun that inspires guests to laugh, play, learn and read. Feel as if you’ve stepped into a gigantic pop-up book and follow the Yellow Brick Road into five literary landscapes from children’s books.

Field of Play. Discover the power of play in human learning and development at a multimedia theater presentation. Then, unleash a playful side: walk through a giant kaleidoscope and create and view kaleidoscope patterns, use pulleys to power balls through a gigantic overhead ball machine and more!

Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden. Enjoy tropical weather year-round when you visit this glass-enclosed butterfly garden filled with live foliage, a cascading waterfall, and approximately 800 colorful, free-flying North American and tropical butterflies.

ACTIVITIES:

Book and Beast. Every Wednesday January 3-April 24. www.senecaparkzoo.org. Story-time every Wednesday. Read a book and meet an animal from the education collection. Seneca Park Zoo. 585-336-7200.

Snow Buddies. January 11, 18, 25. www.gcv.org. A special three-session nature class for children ages 4 & 5. Each class will introduce the children to the wonders of nature in winter through stories, crafts, nature walks and more. Genesee Country Nature Center at Genesee Country Village & Museum. 585-538-6822.

How Many Planets? January 13-February 10 www.rmsc.org. Has Pluto been kicked out of the solar system? Follow the history of humanity’s ideas of what makes a planet, how we might deal with future planetary discoveries in our solar system and beyond, and what might be next for Pluto. Length: 50 min. For ages 5 and up. Strasenburgh Planetarium. 585-271-1880.

Fairy Tale Ball. January 19-21. www.museumofplay.com. Come in costume (or try on a costume in the dress-up area when you arrive) and greet other ladies and gentlemen of the court. Meet Cinderella’s fairy godmother and enjoy dancing, music and family activities fit for a King and Queen. Strong-National Museum of Play. 585-263-2700.

Junior Naturalists. January 20. www.gcv.org. Through a guided hike, crafts and discussion, this special class introduces children ages 6-8 to the wonders of nature in winter. Snack provided. Genesee Country Nature Center at Genesee Country Village & Museum. 585-538-6822. Reservations required.

Family Fun Day: Turtles! January 21.www.gcv.org. The entire family will enjoy this program on discovering the secrets of our slow and quiet reptile friends. Genesee Country Nature Center at Genesee Country Village & Museum. 585-538-6822.

Families Explore: Africa. January 21. www.cmog.org. Learn about the many tribes of Africa as you play Mancala, create Zulu message beaded pins, see and hear African music and dance. Corning Museum of Glass. 800-732-6845.

Winter Birds. January 28. www.gcv.org. See a slide presentation and take a naturalist-led walk through the winter woods to search for local birds including chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers. Genesee Country Nature Center at Genesee Country Village & Museum. 585-538-6822.

Moneyville. February 2-May 6. www.rmsc.org. Where can you play the stock market, run your own lemonade stand, put your face on a million dollar bill, and see samples of currency from pounds to pesos? In Moneyville! Designed for visitors of all ages, this colorful, hands-on exhibit uses the fascinating subject of money to build math skills and economic literacy in a fun urban landscape. Rochester Museum & Science Center. 585-271-1880.

Musical Feast. February 3- www.hochstein.org. Hochstein’s annual mid-winter carnival features musical games, face painting, bake sales and the famous Instrument Petting Zoo! Hochstein Performance Hall. 585-454-4596.

OrKIDStra. February 4 www.rpo.org. Most Valuable Players. Performance Hall at Hochstein. 585-454-2100.

Family Fun Night. February 7. www.senecaparkzoo.org. Dinner, beverages, fun activities and cool animals make these programs an exciting educational experience. Animal Action theme: jump, swim and slither, explore the world of animal movements. Seneca Park Zoo. 585-336-7200.

Oliver. February 9-11; 17-18. www.naz.edu/artscenter. Waiflike orphan Oliver Twist and his confederate, the Artful Dodger, negotiate the challenges and trials of life in Victorian London. Nazareth College Arts Center. 585-389-2170.

Animal Art Expo. Traveling Display Preview February 10-16. Display on view February 19-23. Art Auction February 24. www.senecaparkzoo.org. Animals at Monroe County’s Seneca Park Zoo have been busy creating art to be sold at the Animal Art Expo, an event to benefit the zoo’s chapter of the American Association of Zookeepers (AAZK). Seneca Park Zoo. 585-336-7200.

Winter Day. February 11. www.gcv.org. Enjoy a day full of family fun in the country with a variety of outdoor and indoor activities sure to brighten a mid-winter Sunday. Genesee Country Nature Center at Genesee Country Village & Museum. 585-538-6822.

Valentine’s Day Party. February 14. www.museumofplay.org. Family crafts and activities to celebrate the holiday. Strong-National Museum of Play. 585-263-2700.

Night of the Eclipse. February 17-March 3. www.rmsc.org. This March, Rochester gets an unusual lunar eclipse: the moon will rise completely immersed in the shadow of the Earth. Find out why eclipses happen and what to look for. Strasenburgh Planetarium. 585-271-1880.

Wonders of Orion. February 17-March 31. www.rmsc.org. Betelguese, the Horsehead Nebula, the Crab Supernova, and the Seven Sisters light up the winter sky in the region of the ancient constellation Orion. See what the Hubble Space Telescope has found here, and take a tour of the current night sky. Strasenburgh Planetarium. 585-271-1880.

Families Explore: Space. February 18. www.cmog.org. Explore the solar system without leaving the ground! Make telescopes and try them out in the galleries. Corning Museum of Glass. 800-732-6845.

Sesame Street Live. February 23-25. www.rbtl.org. See Big Bird, Elmo and friends. Auditorium Theatre. 585-222-5000.

Stars on Ice. February 25. www.ticketmaster.com. Blue Cross Arena. 585-232-1900.

Family Fun Day: Tracks! February 25. www.gcv.org. Join special guest Ron Walker as he teaches us all about dinosaurs during this day of fun, crafts and activities. Genesee Country Nature Center at Genesee Country Village & Museum. 585-538-6822.

Read Across America. March 3-4. www.museumofplay.org. Reading activities with a nonsensical twist in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Strong-National Museum of Play. 585-263-2700.

And then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank. March 4-6. www.naz.edu/artcenter. Ed and Eva were Anne Frank’s friends, and they went into hiding at the same time as the Franks. But these two teenagers survived to recall a tale of hope and survival during terrible times. Nazareth College Arts Center. 585-389-2170.

Family Fun Night. March 7. www.senecaparkzoo.org. Dinner, beverages, fun activities and cool animals make these programs an exciting educational experience. Themed: Down Under Discovery-meet Aussie animals and discover how they make a living in a variety of habitats on this awesome island. Seneca Park Zoo. 585-336-7200.

Kids’ Night at the Museum. March 9. www.cmog.org. Enjoy live entertainment, refreshments, hands-on activities, live glassmaking and gallery exploration-all in a kid-friendly, after-hours setting. Corning Museum of Glass. 800-732-6845.

OrKIDStra. March 11 www.rpo.org. A Magical Musical History Tour. Performance Hall at Hochstein. 585-454-2100.

Annie. March 13-18.www.rbtl.org. The timeless tale of Little Orphan Annie is back, giving a whole new generation the chance to experience this classic musical about never giving up hope. Auditorium Theatre, Rochester Broadway Theatre League. 585-222-5000.

Critter Challenge. March 17. www.senecaparkzoo.org. Pretend you are a polar bear and find out how well-insulated polar bears are. Look at life like a bug or make a paper airplane that simulates how an owl flies and more. Seneca Park Zoo. 585-336-7200.

Sap, Syrup and Sugar. March 17-18 & 24-25. www.gcv.org. Celebrate a unique North American tradition with guided walks to the sugar bush, 19th century sugaring demos, modern syrup making and more. Genesee Country Village & Museum. 585-538-6822.

Families Explore: Persia. March 18. www.cmog.org. Explore Persian (also called Iranian) art and architecture by making relief carvings and mosaics. Join in a Draw & Discover session to learn beginning sketching techniques using Iranian objects. Corning Museum of Glass. 800-732-6845.

Treasure Island: An Original Musical. March 24, 25, 30, 31. www.naz.edu/artscenter Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of pirates, treasure maps, and mutiny comes to life. Join young Jim Hawkin as he saves the day. Nazareth College Arts Center. 585-389-2170.

Note: Dates subject to change. Please confirm all events. Some admission prices may apply.

For the most up-to-date information on things to do in the Rochester area, visit www.goforthecold.com or www.visitrochester.com or call 800-677-7282.