April Vacation Week Activities In & Around Central Mass

By
Mindy Schiedler
-
0

With April School Vacation right around the corner, the question on everyone’s mind is: how to make the most of it? Well, you’ve come to the right place!

Get ready to ditch the screens and embrace the (hopefully!) beautiful spring weather because Central Mass is blooming with awesome activities and events perfect for kids of all ages and the whole family. From outdoor explorations to creative indoor fun, we’ve rounded up some fantastic ways to make this break a memorable one right here in Central Mass.

Now let’s dive into these awesome April Vacation Week activities and adventures that await right here in our backyard:

All Week

  • April School Vacation Week at Broad Meadow Brook Worcester *registration required

  • April School Vacation Days at Wachusett Meadow Princeton *registration required

  • April Vacation Camp at USA Ninja Challenge in Marlborough. No school? Perfect. Your child will dash, climb, balance, and swing through coach-led obstacle courses, skill stations, and team games—built for fun and confidence. They group kids by age so everyone gets the right level of challenge and plenty of high-fives. 9:00 AM–Noon and 12:15 PM – 3:15 PM. Choose the Day(s) and Sessions(s) that work for you, or choose the whole week.
  • April Vacation Camp at Good Pickin Farm in Westford. Monday-Friday, 9am-3pm, choose all 5 days, or just the ones you want. Extended day options available until 5pm. Snuggle with animals, play in Pickin’s Playground, go for hikes, crafts & games and more!
  • Community Science Vacation Week at the Ecotarium Worcester *included in the price of admission

Saturday, April 18th

  • 10am-11:30am: Playdate 300 Main St Southbridge. Indoor sandbox, indoor mud kitchen and sensory tables. Reservations required $18/child.

  • 11am-12pm: Daffodil Days at the New England Botanical Garden Boylston. Ages 4-8 *registration required

Sunday, April 19th

  • 10:30am-12pm: Plant Bots at the New England Botanical Garden Boylston. Ages 7-10 *registration required

Monday, April 20th

Tuesday, April 21st

  • 9am-5pm: Free admission to Battleship Cove *registration required (from Highland Street Foundation)

  • 9am-4pm: Free admission to Children’s Museum Holyoke (from Highland Street Foundation)

  • 9:30am-10:30am: Earth Day Preschool Yoga + Play at Bear’s Playspace, 1 Gorham St Worcester. Join Bears Play Space for a time of guided kid’s yoga by 2 Mindful Girls. Open play + earth day craft included! Best for ages 2-5. $20 per child.

  • 10am: Color Explosion Day at Ohoodles of Doodles Art Studio in Sturbridge. Little artists will explore color through hands-on projects like bubble wrap painting, marble rolling art, puffy paint creations, and more. With plenty of experimenting and playful materials, kids will mix, splash, and create bright masterpieces while discovering the magic of color. Each session wraps up with a snack and story time. Best for ages 2–7ish (all ages welcome) $20 per child.

  • 10am-4pm: Free admission at Real Pirates Salem (from Highland Street Foundation)

  • 12pm-2pm: Wicked Good Henna at Dudley Library. Mandy from Wicked Good Henna will be offering henna designs for all ages! Please note: because this is a drop in program, there may be a wait time.

  • 12pm-4pm: Wicked Movie Marathon Sing-Along Northborough Library. Pack a lunch or some snacks and a blanket and come enjoy a movie marathon on the big screen! They will be showing “Wicked” & “Wicked, For Good” back-to-back. Dress up as your favorite character and come sing-along to all the songs!

Wednesday, April 22nd

  • 9am-4:30pm: Free admission at Discovery Museum (from Highland Street Foundation)

  • 9:30am-10:30am: Sensory Play at Bear’s Playspace, 1 Gorham St Worcester. Join Bear’s Playspace for a time of sensory play that is Earth Day themed! Ms. Melanie Salort, a pediatric occupational therapist, will be here for conversation and questions. Best for ages 0-5. $10 per child.

  • 10am: April Showers at Ohoodles of Doodles Art Studio in Sturbridge. In this seasonal class, artists will create rainy day and spring-inspired art, from colorful umbrellas to puddle splash painting and blooming flower creations. Using a variety of textures and creative materials, kids will explore the sights and colors of spring while crafting cheerful works of art. Each session wraps up with a snack and story time. Best for ages 2–7ish (all ages welcome). $20 per child.

  • 10am-11:30am: Playdate 300 Main St Southbridge. Indoor sandbox, indoor mud kitchen and sensory tables. Reservations required $18/child.

  • 10am-3pm: Boston Public Market Earth Day Festival. Free admission (from Highland Street Foundation)

  • 10am-2pm: EARTH Day Seed Starting at Klem’s in Spencer. The first 250 little ones will get a FREE mini terracotta pot with Coast of Maine® potting soil, plus a packet of flower or vegetable seeds!

  • 10:30am-11:30am: Earth Day Fingerprint Trees at Gladys E.Kelly Library in Webster. Celebrate Earth Day by creating your own colorful finger paint tree to bring home. Dress for a mess and get ready to create!

  • 12pm-2pm: Wicked Good Henna at Northborough Library. Drop into the kids’ room and get adorned with beautiful henna art! Spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and tickets will be distributed to participants to reserve a place in line.

  • 12pm-5pm: Free admission to Cape Cod Children’s Museum (from Highland Street Foundation)

  • 12:30pm-1:30pm: Marshmallow Peeps Nest STEAM Challenge at Shrewsbury Library. In this delicious STEAM challenge kids will use their creativity and problem-solving skills to build a cozy and safe nest for marshmallow Peeps! For grades 2-5, registration is required.

  • 1pm-3pm: Petting Zoo at Dudley Library. Bring the family to the library for the Records and Burpee petting zoo!

  • 2pm-3pm: Turtle Rescue League at Shrewsbury Library. Join the Turtle Rescue League for a  family friendly turtle presentation for kids K+

  • 3pm-4pm: Decorate a Dinosaur at Worcester Public Library. Let’s get creative and paint a clay dinosaur! Best for ages 5-12

Thursday, April 23rd

  • 9:30am-4:30pm: Free admission to Historic Deerfield (from Highland Street Foundation)

  • 9:30am-10:30am: Children’s Art Exploration Class at Bear’s Playspace, 1 Gorham St Worcester. Let your child explore colors, shapes, and textures through our art exploration program! Drop in for some fun together. Please note that your child will get messy during this class, so an extra pack of clothes is advisable or do not wear clothing that you do not want to get dirty. All paints are washable, $10 per child.

  • 10am: Imagination Builders at Ohoodles of Doodles Art Studio Sturbridge. In this hands-on class, kids will design and create their own interactive projects, like making a game from a pizza box and tackling other fun building challenges. Using a mix of everyday and recycled materials, little artists will turn simple supplies into imaginative masterpieces while exploring creativity, and problem-solving. Each session wraps up with a snack and story time. Best for ages 2–7ish (all ages welcome) $20 per child.

  • 10am-3pm: Free admission to The Zoo in Forest Park at Springfield *registration required (from Highland Street Foundation)

  • 10am-4pm: Free admission to Boston Common Frog Pond Carousel (from Highland Street Foundation)

  • 11am-11:30am: Wildlife on the Mountain at Wachusett Mountain State Reservation in Princeton. Discover the lives of the “locals” in this talk about wildlife habitats, competition, and survival on Wachusett Mountain. See and touch skins, skulls, and tracks of some of our native animals, including deer, bobcats, bears, and more. Great for ages 5+, all children must be accompanied by an adult.

  • 1pm-2pm & 2:30pm-3:30pm: Wicked Fun Games Escape Room Northborough Library . Join for an exciting in-library escape room adventure: Escape from the Wizard’s Tower! You’ve been trapped inside a mysterious tower—can you make it out in time? Follow journal clues, gather magical ingredients, and cast spells to unlock your escape. *registration required

  • 3:30pm-4:30pm: Animal Adventures at Shrewsbury Library. Animal Adventures is bringing some amazing animals to the library! Learn about the animals, hear their stories, and get an up-close view! Great for all ages. Registration required.

  • 6pm-7pm: Kids Spring Paint Night: Blossoming Hydrangeas at Sturbridge Library. Kids ages 7-12 are invited for a fun and seasonal paint night! We’ll use a variety of methods to create a portrait of blooming hydrangeas. Registration is required.

Friday, April 24th

Saturday, April 25th

  • 8am-2pm: Charlton Earth Day & Earth Fest at Charlton Town Hall. Join for the annual town roadside cleanup starting at 8am. Free supplies and t-shirts will be given out at the Town Common. Free trash disposal in back of the town hall. Earth Fest on the common will run from 11am- 2pm Come celebrate the Earth with music, food and community spirit!
  • 11am-11:45am: Beginning Birding with Hands on Nature at Sturbridge Library. Learn which birds are common in Massachusetts, easy ways to get started in the world of birding, and how to start identifying some common birds and their songs. We’ll also create two simple feeders to bring home and attract local birds. Program best for ages 4-12 and registration is required.

Maybe you aren’t a fan of the crowds during vacation weeks? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with a bucket list of things to do during the week at or around your house with your kids! Click the image below to download a FREE April Vacation Week Bucket List!

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