Hilltown Families 
Weekly Suggested Events for December 26, 2020 – January 1, 2021
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Are you looking for things to do in western Massachusetts?
Seeking curriculum ideas for remote learning or homeschooling? Are you a self-directed or life-long learner? Are you curious or wanting to support the interests of your family. Our weekly Suggested Events list includes suggested learning ideas, resources, and events for all ages, each week!
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: DEC 26, 2020 – JAN 1, 2021
LEARNING RESOURCES
LANGUAGE ARTS. Literary Guides
NATURE-BASED LEARNING. Nature Tables
INTERGENERATIONAL. Board Games
MINDFULNESS. Mindfulness Through the Seasons
CREATIVE-FREE PLAY. Play Ideas for Family & Community
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES. Sledding Hills in Western MA
STEM. The Science of Snow and Frost
ART STUDIES. Smith College Museum of Art from Home
ART STUDIES. Hirshhorn Kids at Home
ART STUDIES. National Museum of African Art
Featured Events, Resources, & Opportunities
Featured Montessori School
Families are invited to discover the warm, welcoming community at Amherst Montessori School, with dedicated teachers, administrators, and fellow parents who strive to create a sense of belonging for each child and family. Attend their virtual Open House on January 16 at 10am, or set-up a virtual tour to explore the hands-on, child-centered Montessori curriculum and learn about the engaging community of Amherst Montessori School. Applications for the 2021-22 school year are now being accepted. Schedule options from a partial day to a full day with extended hours. More information at amherstmontessori.org
Built in 1832 as a hotel, Deer Hill House is the perfect place to stay overnight while visiting family and friends in western Massachusetts! Deer Hill House is now four separate apartments under one roof, located on a quiet country road along the Westfield River, with Deer Hill behind the house, and a large open yard. Private, sunlit, one-bedroom apartments on the first and second floor, complete with full kitchens, and baths, are ideal for a writing retreat or a comfortable home base for your adventures. Located in Cummington, MA, Deer Hill House is less than 10 minutes from Notchview, and 30 minutes from Northampton, Pittsfield, and MassMoCa. Check out the first-floor apartment or search Deer Hill House on Airbnb.
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Class Directory
Discover virtual & adapted programming in our 2020/2021 Class Directory for Western MA.
Preschool Directory
Find what you’re looking for in our 2020/2021 Preschool & Daycare Directory for Western MA
List of Weekly Suggested Events
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2021
KWANZAA. Celebrate Kwanzaa with the National Museum of African American History.
ART STUDIES. 10am-5pm. The Clark Art Institute
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 11am. 12:30pm. 2pm. Self-guided tour of the Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum.
ART STUDIES. 12pm. Art Tour: Van Gogh Museum
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4-9pm. Holiday Lights Display at Look Park (Northampton, MA)
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4:45-8:45pm. Bright Nights at Forest Park (Springfield, MA)
PLACEMAKING/HOLIDAYS. 5pm. NightWood, A Sound & Light Experience at The Mount
TRANSPORTATION HISTORY. 5-9pm. Winterfest & the Tunnel of Lights
LIVING HISTORY. 7pm. Emma, A Virtual Costumed Reading
LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION. A Christmas Carol
Self-Directed Learning:
PHYSICS OF SLEDDING
Recommendations for
sledding hills
across the region from our readers
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2020
ART STUDIES. 10am-5pm. The Clark Art Institute
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 11am. 12:30pm. 2pm. Self-guided tour of the Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum.
LIVING HISTORY. 3-8pm. Christmas by Candlelight
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4-9pm. Holiday Lights Display at Look Park (Northampton, MA)
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4:45-8:45pm. Bright Nights at Forest Park (Springfield, MA)
PLACEMAKING/HOLIDAYS. 5pm. NightWood, A Sound & Light Experience at The Mount
TRANSPORTATION HISTORY. 5-9pm. Winterfest & the Tunnel of Lights
LIVING HISTORY. 7pm. Emma, A Virtual Costumed Reading
LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION. A Christmas Carol
Self-Directed Learning:
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
This is an irruptive year for northern seed-eating songbirds. Be on the lookout for flocks of Pine Siskin, Purple Finch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pine and Evening Grosbeak, White-winged and Red Crossbill, and Common Redpoll.
Self-Directed Learning:
MUSEUM ADVENTURES
Night at the Museum? How about Day at the Historical Society? What do the peg dolls do when there are no visitors in the museum for them to play with? Explore the Historic Northampton collections in this animated video.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2020
ART STUDIES. 10am-5pm. The Clark Art Institute
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 11am. 12:30pm. 2pm. Self-guided tour of the Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum.
FIBER ART/KNITTING. 12:30pm. Knitting with Northampton Wools (Facebook Live)
PreK/ART. 1pm. Art Museum Playdate
LIVING HISTORY. 3-8pm. Christmas by Candlelight
STEM. 3:30-5pm. 3D Printing & 3D Modeling Workshop
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4-9pm. Holiday Lights Display at Look Park (Northampton, MA)
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4:45-8:45pm. Bright Nights at Forest Park (Springfield, MA)
TRANSPORTATION HISTORY. 5-9pm. Winterfest & the Tunnel of Lights
SIGN LANGUAGE. 6:30pm. Virtual ASL Basics Course
LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION. A Christmas Carol
Self-Directed Learning:
MINDFULNESS
“Awareness of impermanence and appreciation of our human potential will give us a sense of urgency that we must use every precious moment.” – Dalai Lama
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020
PUPPETS. 8am. Pumpernickel Puppets Virtual Show: Sir George and the Dragon
ART STUDIES. 10am-5pm. The Clark Art Institute
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 11am. 12:30pm. 2pm. Self-guided tour of the Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum.
PreK/ART. 1pm. Art Museum Playdate
LIVING HISTORY. 3-8pm. Christmas by Candlelight
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4-9pm. Holiday Lights Display at Look Park (Northampton, MA)
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4:45-8:45pm. Bright Nights at Forest Park (Springfield, MA)
TRANSPORTATION HISTORY. 5-9pm. Winterfest & the Tunnel of Lights
GEOGRAPHY. 7pm. Virtual Tour of the Canadian Rockies
LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION. A Christmas Carol
Self-Directed Learning:
ZOOLOGY
Learn more about animal behavior with Montessori from the Heart’s printout,
Animals in Winter (pdf).
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2020
ART STUDIES. 10am-5pm. The Clark Art Institute
YOGA. 10:30am. Family Yoga
PreK/ART. 1pm. Art Museum Playdate
LIVING HISTORY. 3-8pm. Christmas by Candlelight
LITERACY. 4pm. Cushman Library Story Hour
LITERACY. 4pm. N is for Night Story Hour
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4-9pm. Holiday Lights Display at Look Park (Northampton, MA)
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4:45-8:45pm. Bright Nights at Forest Park (Springfield, MA)
MUSIC STUDIES. 6-7:30pm. Songwriting Workshop
GEOGRAPHY. 7pm. A Virtual Tour of Paris, France Live
LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION. A Christmas Carol
Self-Directed Learning:
PHYSICS
“Time and space are modes by which we think and not conditions in which we live.“
– Albert Einstein
Self-Directed Learning:
GEOGRAPHY
EUROPE
Wed., Dec. 30, 7pm
A Virtual Tour of Paris, France Live
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020
ART STUDIES. 10am-5pm. The Clark Art Institute
PERFORMANCE. 9:30am. Music with Mr. Liam
NEW YEAR’S EVE. 12noon-12midnight. First Night Northampton 2021
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4-9pm. Holiday Lights Display at Look Park (Northampton, MA)
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4:45-8:45pm. Bright Nights at Forest Park (Springfield, MA)
PLACEMAKING/HOLIDAYS. 5pm. NightWood, A Sound & Light Experience at The Mount
LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION. A Christmas Carol
Self-Directed Learning:
NUTRITIONAL ANTHROPOLOGY
International Foods with Guest, DJ, Ann Torralba. Join Little Miss Ann as she explores all things International Foods, or in other words, foods from around the world.
Self-Directed Learning:
FOOD SCIENCE
Planning and preparing meals with your family can support an interest in culinary and pastry arts while exposing kids to a wide variety of embedded learning opportunities. Read more.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 20221
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4-9pm. Holiday Lights Display at Look Park (Northampton, MA)
HOLIDAY LIGHTS. 4:45-8:45pm. Bright Nights at Forest Park (Springfield, MA)
PLACEMAKING/HOLIDAYS. 5pm. NightWood, A Sound & Light Experience at The Mount
Self-Directed Learning:
SNOW SCIENCE
With a layer of snow, we have the perfect opportunity for science studies. Read more in our post, The Science of Snow and Frost.
Self-Directed Learning:
CITIZEN SCIENCE
Snowtweets is a citizen science project that offers experiential learning opportunities for all ages to gather climate change data.
Online and in-person events and resources shared above are done so as a courtesy and not as an endorsement. While we do our best to share accurate and up-to-date information, please take the time to confirm information, age appropriateness, registration requirements, safety protocols, and associated costs.
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Hilltown Families’ list of Suggested Events is supported in part by grants from the Amherst, Bernardston, Buckland, Chester, Gill, Goshen, Hadley, Heath, Hinsdale-Peru, Holyoke, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, New Salem, Northern Berkshire, Pelham, Plainfield, Rowe, Shelburne, Shutesbury, South Hadley, Springfield, Washington, Westhampton, and Windsor Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
