School break is always a trying time for parents.
Figuring out what to do with the little ones all afternoon can be a challenge.
Luckily, organizations in Schenectady County have been working to make the time off a little more exciting.
If you are into the outdoors in the wintertime, skiing, sledding and skating are only minutes away.
The Schenectady County Recreational Facility near the Schenectady County Airport off Route 50 has open skating every day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Skating costs $1 for children under 5, $3 to skate, and $2 for people 50 and older. Skate rentals cost $3. The facility held two additional open skate sessions because of the school vacation, one on Monday, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and one on Friday, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Jerry Ernst brought her two children Jacob, 8, and Sarah, 5, to the skating rink on Tuesday. It was their first time skating, and she said the kids enjoyed themselves.
They’ll be tired for the rest of the day, she said. `I’m sure they’ll sleep all the way home.`
Sledding in Central Park is also a popular activity during winter break. Kids of all ages threw on ski pants and snow boots and flew down the park’s many hills.
Patrick Dougan, 11, from Rotterdam and his two stepsisters Katelyn and Kristen Singleman were busy playing in the snow Tuesday, Feb. 20. They said their only agenda during winter break was to play.
`All I know is play,` said 5-year-old Katelyn.
Employees at Maple Ski Ridge on Mariaville Road have been planning for Winter Break since the start of the season. The Ridge is open for extended hours this week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Saturday.
Lorraine Moyer, director of group sales and marketing, said specific activities were planned for each day of the week.
Moyer said there was a food drive, a pet food drive, the sheriff’s department came and fingerprinted and took pictures of children for Operation Safe Child, and Friday there will be health day, where different agencies will talk about preventative health.
Maple Ski Ridge is also hosting Schenectady County’s Winter Carnival this Saturday, Feb. 24, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Moyer said planned activities include a barbecue, and a winter gear sale and winter camping demo by Eastern Mountain Sports. Goldstocks will hold a snowshoe demo and race, and Glen Sander’s Mansion will provide a huge block of ice for sculpting all day. The band Aged in the Hills is scheduled for two performances.
Moyer said it’s no charge to come for the activities, and regular skiing and snowboarding will be going on all day as well.
For those who would rather stay out of the cold, the Schenectady County Historical Society is offering historical craft-making every day from 1-4 p.m.
Museum curator Kathryn Weller said each day they will make something different. On Tuesday children were making crafts from the Colonial period.
Weller said Thursday, Feb. 22, will be Victorian crafts and Friday, Feb. 23, will be crafts from the 1940s during General Electric’s golden age.
Kim Monaco took advantage of the activities at the museum on Tuesday with her two children, Jack Szemansco, 5 and Ethan Szemansco, 8.
Weller said the activities are designed for grade-school children, but anyone is welcome to attend.
The Schenectady Museum and Suits-Bueche Planetarium also has an extended planetarium schedule this week, as well as activities for children each day from 1 to 4 p.m.
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