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20 Recommendations for Staying Entertained Inside on a Snow Day!

Category: Questions and Answers Tags: Family Activities, Indoor Activities, winter activities

Sledding in Western Massachusetts

Category: Hilltown Families, Outdoor Activities Tags: Berkshires, Hilltowns, Pioneer Valley, sledding, Sledding Hills, Sledding Hills in Western Massachusetts, western massachusetts, winter activities

Annual Winter Celebrations in Western MA: Your Cure to Cabin Fever!

Come the middle of winter, cabin fever can be killer. But never fear! Winter festival season is here! Throughout February, towns across western Massachusetts come alive with community celebrations that combine the best of winter with the best of each community. Families can engage in community-based learning, winter sports and adventures, and lots of other exiting activities that spotlight local culture in Western MA!

Category: Berkshire County, Franklin County, Hampshire County, Hilltown Families, Suggested Activity Tags: cabin fever, Community Celebrations, winter activities, Winter Festival

Birding in Winter Offers Great Reward

During the winter, young wildlife enthusiasts can focus their attention on feathered friends, one of the few creatures who are still very visible throughout the coldest months of the year. Whether your family are avid birders or simply enjoy watching feeder visitors, there are lots of ways to learn about the local environment and to participate in citizen science by watching birds this winter! From owls to chickadees, there are many ways to engage with the local landscape and to help contribute information to important studies.

Category: Hilltown Families, Nature Based Education Tags: Birding, Citizen Science, Mass Audubon, Ornithology, winter activities

Western Mass Winter Brings Tracking Opportunities

Learning how to tracking wildlife in the winter supports nature-based interests, cultivates awareness, and builds naturalist skills.

Category: Learning Lens, Learning Lens Nature, Suggested Activity Tags: Nature, Ornithology, outdoors, tracking, winter activities

20 Recommendations for Keeping the Family Entertained in Subzero Weather

QUESTION AND ANSWERS How does your family stay entertained when you’re snowed in (and the temps dip below 0°)? Amy Meltzer writes: “Blokus, Backgammon, Spot It, Clue, puzzles…baking cookies…and what my girls call “book conferences” when we all get in bed and read together.” Andrew Woodland writes: “Play banjo!” Gillian Kyle Budine writes: “Cozy up and read!” Aviva Lester Sieber writes: “We do arts and crafts, and read.” Robin Shtulman writes: “Board… Read More

Category: Question and Answer, Questions and Answers Tags: Children, Family Activities, Indoor Activities, Parenting, winter activities

5 Winter Carnivals & Festivals in Western MA

Five Winter Carnivals & Festivals Happening in the Four Counties of Western MA Winter Carnival in Holyoke, MA January 29th-February 4th, 2012 ♦ A weeklong winter celebration happens with the Holyoke Winter Carnival! Between January 29th and February 4th, there will be over 25 different events taking place all over the city. This year is the first year that Holyoke has hosted a winter carnival- the idea behind the event (besides fun!)… Read More

Category: Berkshire County, Franklin County, Hampden County, Hampshire County, Suggested Activity Tags: western massachusetts, winter activities, Winter Carnival, Winter Festival

Suggested Events 03/12/11-03/18/11

Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a family friendly event or educational program happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, post your event on our “Suggest An Event” page. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening,… Read More

Suggested Events 03/05/11-03/11/11

Suggested Events 02/26/11-03/04/11

Suggested Events 02/19/11-02/25/11

Beat Cabin Fever at the Old Creamery!

Cure the Winter Doldrums at the Old Creamery Did you know the Old Creamery in Cummington, MA offers a diverse array of fun free events for everyone? We encourage you to check out our Community Calendar for all scheduled events from now through June. The first Friday of every month is Games Night in the cafe. Bring your family, your friends and your favorite games to share or use games provided by… Read More

Category: Cherylann Richards, Cummington, Hilltown Families, Old Creamery, Suggested Activity Tags: Berkshires, Cummington, Hilltowns, Old Creamery, western massachusetts, winter activities

Suggested Events 02/12/11-02/18/11

Suggested Events 02/05/11-02/11/11

Suggested Events 01/29/11-02/04/11

Suggested Events 01/22/11-01/28/11

Suggested Events 01/15/11-01/21/11

Saturday Snowshoe Treks in Western Massachusetts

The Trustees of Reservation writes: Join a Trustees guide in exploring our special places across central and western Massachusetts. Each Saturday we will host a snowshoe hike at a different sites from 10am-12noon. Lack of snow or bad conditions may cancel a trek. Please call 413-532-1631 x13 the day before to confirm December 18th, 2010 – Bartholomew’s Cobble in Sheffield, MA (Easy/Moderate) January 8th, 2011 – Notchview in Windsor, MA (Part of… Read More