Plan Now for Kids' Break From School

Spring vacation starts Friday and many parents will be wondering what they will do next week with the kids home.

Huntington Patch found some activities for your children; some require registration.

Town of Huntingon 5th annual Family Earth Day Expo, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Check out the  in the rear parking lot at Town Hall, rain or shine.

The 2011 celebration will include everything from the chance for kids to touch garbage trucks and ambulances to being able to recycle old computer monitors and electronics, get rid of boat shrink-wrap sheets, and learn about solar energy and composting.

Y Healthy Kids Day

Location: Huntington YMCA, 60 Main St., Huntington

Date: Saturday, 1-4 p.m.

There will be an afternoon of fun and creative activities for children and families that promote year-long wellness and healthy living.

Sports activites include games, rock wall climbing, an inflatable slide, an obstacle course, family zumba, arts and crafts, a petting zoo, and a summer camp open house.

Phone: (631)421-4242

Location: 246 Old Walt Whitman Rd, Huntington Station

Phone: 631-427-5240, ext. 113.

April 16 1 p.m.

Cost: $9.75 per child/chaperones free.

Children ages 8 and up may celebrate Poetry Month at the Walt Whitman Birthplace by making a craft displaying the front door of the Whitman Birthplace with a lilac bush next to it.

The craft is inspired by Walt Whitman’s poem, "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d." Children ages 8 and up will be guided by Anne Kingsbury, published poet and art instructor.

 A complimentary guided tour of the Walt Whitman Birthplace is available after the workshop.

For further information, contact Carolyn at  Email educator@waltwhitman.org .

Reservations are required.

Gateway Gardens Spring Planting and Cleanup

Location: New York Avenue and Lowndes When & Where:  Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 1 pm.

Phone:  631-423-4508

Located at:  209 Main Street, Huntington
Phone:   631-427-7045   

April 18:     Tour the Old Burying Ground - 1:00 - 2:00 pm
Cost:  $10 per child (9 years old and above) and $5 per adult. (Rain date April 20th.) 
Details:  Participants will meet at the . Reservations are required.
Join in a stroll through Huntington’s Old Burying Ground where you will also learn a bit of history and folk art and hear some intriguing stories connected with this wonderful historic site. 

April 19:   The School for Spies – 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Cost:  Children 6 – 12 years old $15 and Adults $5.
Details:  Refreshments will be served. The program will be held in the Conklin Barn, corner of High Street and New York Avenue. Reservations are required. Attendance is limited. You are invited to join Robert Townsend, Gen. Washington’s chief spy for the Culper Spy Ring in Raynham Hall, Oyster Bay to help save the Colonies from British rule. You will be trained in skills requiring spying, observation, secret codes, discipline, manners and the planning that a spy needs to not get caught.

Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum, Ocean Explorers Camp Tuesday April 19 – Friday April 22, Ages 4-6 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Ages 6-9, 2:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Located at:  279 Main Street, Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor
Details:  Whales! Sharks! Penguins!  Join our fun camp for hands-on ocean games, experiments, tag, and arts & crafts. Different theme every day. Snacks served.
Cost:  Members $22 day, $80 for 4 days; Others $27 day, $95 for 4 days. 15% sibling discount.
Phone:  631-367-3418 – Reservations ext. 16

Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium is Open Every Day during Spring Break
Located at:  180 Little Neck Road, Centerport 
When school’s out for the April 18-25 spring break, there’s a lot for kids to do at the Suffolk County . The planetarium has an updated schedule of shows. Plus, there are the Vanderbilt delights of visiting shrunken heads, large insects and undersea creatures, and meeting an Egyptian mummy or a 32-foot whale shark.
Phone:   631-854-5539  Registration is required for all workshops.

Spring Recess Workshops – Pre-K and Kindergarten
Pre K & Kindergarten Workshops, Children ages 3 through 5 with one adult.
Butterfly Windsock:  Tuesday, April 19, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Birdhouse:  Thursday, April 21, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Cost:  $20 per child, per workshop. Members receive a discount.
Details:  Explore the museum’s collections with an educator and create something special to celebrate spring.  

Spring Recess Workshops – Elementary School
Butterfly Kachina, Grades 1 through 5, Monday, April 18, 10 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Sundial, Grades 3 through 5, Wednesday, April 20, 10 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Madeira Mosaic, Grades 1 through 5, Friday, April 22, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Cost: Bring a bag lunch, $35 per workshop, Members receive a discount.
Details:  Workshops include tours of related collections and a creative project.

Hillary's Harbor Flowers
Located at: 123 Main St, Cold Spring Harbor
Date: April 19, 2011, Time: 7:30pm–9:00pm
Details:  Make an amazing Easter Basket for your family, and have a hopping good time doing it.  They supply the basket, filler and wrappings, and tips for making it awesome!  You supply your own goodies.  Class size is limited. Class will be taught by an experienced teacher and former comedian. Features: Families, Kids, Open to All, Seniors and Teens.  
Phone: 631-659-3933
Email: hhhflowers@aol.com
Cost: $20.00

Holiday Camp, April 18 – 22,
Located at:  60 Main Street, Huntington
Children K-6th Grade, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Early am and extended pm available.  Preschool Vacation Care available for 3 and 4 year olds currently enrolled in their Preschool.
Cost:  $70 per day for 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. $15 per day extended 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. or extended p.m. $20 per day, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Details:  Activities include crafts, cooking, swimming, games, physical fitness, indoor play, outdoor play and  movies.
Phone:  631-421-4242 ext. 146

Town of Huntington Eggstravaganza: The town of Huntington will sponsor a free egg hunt  in Heckscher Park for children up to age 8, its Spring Eggstravaganza, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20.

Treat-filled eggs for three different age groups: kids ages 1-3, ages 4-6 and ages 7-8. The hunt will take place in 20-minute sessions.  There will also be face painting and craft tables.

Advance registration is required. Please visit www.tohparks.com and click on "Special Events" to register. 

Adventure Land
Located at:  2245 Route 110, Farmingdale
Details: The park is filled with rides for all ages, shops and restaurants, opened last weekend for the season.  An Easter egg hunt is scheduled for April 23.  P.O.P. bracelets are also available for a day of fun.
Phone: 516-694-6868