Beat the Heat!
By Kelly Woodsum, Newburyport Mother’s Club
“Whiny Wednesdays” is a recurring series that focuses on giving caregivers fun ideas to do locally. The result being that Whiny Days are no more! We are always looking for guest posters for this series, please email us if you’re interested. talk@newburyport-today.com
Newburyport Mother’s Club, a local all-volunteer social club that boasts over 700 area families as members, is excited to contribute to “Whiny Wednesdays”! We will be providing information about community events and things to do, as well as our exclusive events for NMC members. To find out more about joining Newburyport Mothers Club, visit us ONLINE HERE
Come January, we’ll all be wishing for this hot, humid weather but I don’t know about you, right now, I’m starting to go nuts. A few days of hot weather is okay but dealing with the heat with little ones for more than 10 days…we need some new ideas to beat the heat.
We all know that the beach is wonderful in the Newburyport area. Plum Island, Crane’s, Sandy Pointe, Salisbury Reservation are some of the best beaches around. But alas, sometimes even the beach is too hot. Lake Gardner in Amesbury is great for the little ones. It’s a nice sandy beach with calm, clean and warm water.
Pools are always a big hit. The new Black Swan Country Club (formerly the Georgetown Club) has opened their pool again this summer. There is a membership fee but stop by to check it out. Word is they will be offering week-long passes very soon. Cederdale in Haverhill still has openings at their outdoor facilities also. With a huge pool, along with a toddler pool, a mid-size kids pool, a splash pad and tennis courts, it’s a fun filled day. Some cheaper pools that don’t require memberships can be found just over the state line in Exeter and Portsmouth. The Town of Exeter pool is only $4.50 for adults and $2.50 for kids per day. (http://town.exeter.nh.us/rec/Pool/poolcfm.cfm). The Pierce Island Pool in Portsmouth is also a great deal at only $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for kids. (http://www.cityofportsmouth.com/recreation/outdoor.htm)
There are a few splash pads around our area that aren’t too long of a drive. Splashpads are the perfect place to cool off during the summer. The parks generally includes various sprinkler, splashing, and dumping apparatus. Shedd Park in Lowell. (www.lowellma.gov/depts/parks-recreation/SplashPad), Don Ball Park in Derry, NH (http://www.derry.nh.us/Pages/DerryNH_Recreation/parks/splashpad) and Davis Farmland in Sterling, Mass. (www.davisfarmland.com) all offer splashpads.
So what if you just can’t take the outside heat anymore and you want to retreat inside? Don’t forget about the things you enjoy in the winter weather of the opposite extreme. There is always something new to see and do at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye. Whether you choose to explore on your own or participate in a visitor or group program, there is lots to do like the touch tank, aquariums and cool exhibits. All of the Center’s exhibits and programs are developed to appeal to a wide range of ages, backgrounds and learning styles. (www.seacoastsciencecenter.org)
Or think about going back to basics…
- ice skating at Graf Rink (www.grafrink.com)
- bowling at Leo’s Superbowl (www.leossuperbowl.com)
- make your way through the maze at aMAZEment Center at Cederland (www.cedarland.net)
- go to the movies at Chunky’s in Haverhill (www.chunkys.com) or Stage Two in Amesbury (www.cinemapub.com).
Stay cool and don’t forget to pick up at copy the Newburyport Mother’s Club’s 2010 Activity Guide for more than 100 pages of local activities from beaches to parks to gymnastics to art classes. You name it, we’ve got it! Purchase your copy at a NMC event or online at www.newburyportmothers.com. Newburyport Mothers Club is a local all-volunteer social club that boasts over 700 area families as members. To find out more about joining Newburyport Mothers Club, visit us online.
