Archive for the 'Keep Your Kids Busy' Category
How Talking Sidewalks Can Teach You the History of Ridgefield, CT
December 1st, 2009 categories: Cultural Resources, Eat, Drink and Be Amused, Keep Your Kids Busy, Local Events
Imagine strolling down Main Street and learning all the local history along the way. With Ridgefield’s Museum in the Streets, it’s as if the sidewalks are telling you the storied past of each historical building, landmark and monument in town. As part of Ridgefield’s 300th Anniversary celebration, the Museum in the Streets program has been installed all along the downtown sidewalks for all to enjoy.
Residents, visitors, day-trippers and school kids have been enjoying the displays that arrived last month. Numbering over 30 in all, these markers offer a glimpse into Ridgefield’s first 300 years. They are full of old pictures, stories and facts that have led to the present-day New England town as we know it.
You’ll find “Museum Markers” at Ballard Park, Town Hall, The Library and more that provide pedestrians with colorful descriptions of “what happened here”. It’s also a great way to spend time together with your kids.
Walk through town and look for the markers. Take a little extra time to enjoy Ridgefield’s Museum in the Streets.
The Museum in the Streets heritage discovery trails can also be found in these US and French towns.
Related Posts on Real Estate Chocolate:
- Where To Go For Arts & Culture Around Ridgefield, Wilton & Redding CT
- Ridgefield Connecticut Quiz Bowl – 20th Century History Test
| Discussion: 4 Comments »
The 5 Best Ways to Chill Indoors in Ridgefield This Summer
July 30th, 2008 categories: Cultural Resources, Eat, Drink and Be Amused, Keep Your Kids Busy, Recreation & Sports, Ridgefield
The sun doesn’t always shine around here. And sometimes it shines too bright so you need a respite from the heat and humidity. Here’s 5 great ways to beat the heat and entertain yourself and your family indoors this summer.
Enjoy the Great INDOORS in Ridgefield, CT
- WEIR FARM -Weir farm has served as home and inspiration to 3 generations of artists. The art center sustains the legacy of American Artist J. Alden Weir. This National Historic Site (operated by the National Park Service) offers guided tours, art history programs and an art gallery throughout the summer. NOTE: Indoor gallery is not air conditioned.
- DANBURY DUCK PIN LANES – Small pins big fun! Never been? You gotta try duck pin bowling. These are small pins and small bowling balls and it great family fun. Great for kids birthaday parties too. Learn more: Small Pins Offer Bowlers a Big Challenge – New York Times
- SUGARBEADS – This beading studio in Copps Hill Common provides the best selection of the finest beads found today. Everyone, novice to professional will be comfortable stringing this extraordinary collection beads (over 5000 types).
- THE RIDGEFIELD LIBRARY – The Ridgefield Ferguson Library is more than just books! The library folks provide programs and activities all summer long. Reading programs for kids and adults, a movie series and more. Check it all out at their website.
- THE RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE – The Ridgefield Playhouse sure doesn’t take the summer off. World class Live music, comedy and first-run movies right right here in town! Don’t miss The Second City Comedy Troop, Bruce Hornsby, Kenny Rankin or the new Kitt Kittredge movie.
- THE RIDGEFIELD RECREATION CENTER – Enjoy the pool, gym and workout facilities all summer long. The Ridgefield Rec Center offers organized activites including basketball, yoga, dog obedience, ballroom dance, swimming lessons and more.
Related Posts:
- The 5 Best Ways to Chill in Ridgefield This Summer
- How Talking Sidewalks Can Teach You the History of Ridgefield, CT
- Now You Can Have Local Organic Food and Live Healthier in Ridgefield
- Where To Go For Arts & Culture Around Ridgefield, Wilton & Redding CT
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Daycares and Preschools: Find Some of the Best in Ridgefield, CT
April 19th, 2008 categories: Keep Your Kids Busy, Ridgefield, Schools
“It takes a village to raise a child”… well, maybe not a whole village but every parent does need some help. Ridgefield’s parents rely on a network of reliable providers for preschool education and daycare assistance.
As a Ridgefield realtor, home buyers often ask about our preschool and daycare options. Parents need to trust their daycare to provide educational and social opportunities for their youngsters. Knowing you have “the right” early education situation for your child will keep your mind at ease. Your kids will benefit as well by making friends and participating in learning and physical activities that enhance early childhood development.
Preschools and Daycare Facilities in Ridgefield:
Almost Home
Ridgefield Community Kindergarten
St. Mary’s Early Education Center
Ridgefield Montessori School
St Stephen’s Nursery School
Creative Children’s Korner
Growing Tree
Methodist Nursery School
The Children’s Corner
All For Kids
Kaleidoscope Kids
My Nursery School
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
11 Ways Young Athletes Win in Ridgefield
February 27th, 2008 categories: Keep Your Kids Busy, Recreation & Sports, Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate
Ridgefield, CT is serious about youth sports. Organized youth sports is key to keeping your children on the path to success. Development of our kids’ teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership skills brings benefits across many aspects of a young person’s life.
Additionally, fresh air and athletic activity are proven ingredients to children’s long term health and happiness. As a town, Ridgefield recognizes these needs and provides an abundance of opportunities for young boys and girls to participate. Our excellent playing fields, gyms and other sports facilities are in constant use.
The Ridgefield Press plays an integral role in youth sports. Not only does The Press provide a vehicle for sign-up and registrations, but each week they publish articles, stats and results for all of the youth leagues. Every Thursday, the kids can read about their teams and how they’ve done. More importantly, they learn to read the local paper and become more aware of current events and the town and world around them.
Organized Youth Sports in Ridgefield, CT
Check out these websites for registration, schedules and general information:
Soccer Club of Ridgefield
Ridgefield Little League
Ridgefield Babe Ruth Baseball
Ridgefield Girls Softball
Ridgefield Basketball Association
Ridgefield Lacrosse
Ridgefield Youth Football
Ridgefield Youth Hockey
Ridgefield Youth Wrestling
Ridgefield Youth Cheerleading
Laurel Ridge Skating Club
We’re all thankful to the army of volunteers that make all this possible. These folks (not all are parents) dedicate untold hours to scheduling, coaching, fund raising and more to keep these organizations going.
Please contact us with any specific questions or leave a comment.
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5 Ways to Enjoy the New England Winter in Ridgefield, Connecticut
January 30th, 2008 categories: Keep Your Kids Busy, Lake Living, Ridgefield
Get outside! Ridgefielders have so much fun in the winter. With all of our lakes and trails, streams and hills there’s so much to enjoy. Nothing like a traditional New England winter: frozen lakes, snow on the ground, neighborhood gatherings on the ice, …
Here’s a list of how to enjoy these luscious winter afternoons:
Ice Skating on Fox Hill Lake, Rainbow Lake, Mamanasco Lake, Lake Windwing and Pierrepont Lake
Ridgefield has several lake communities that take on a whole different flavor when the lake freezes over. Your neighbors come out to skate, the kids (and some dads) play hockey, it’s great to see neighbors and friends during the winter. It’s just good wholesome New England fun. I took these pictures in my neighborhood on this gorgeous January weekend. I was out on Fox Hill Lake.
Ice Fishing (also on Fox Hill, Rainbow, Mamanasco and Pierrepont)
The ice fishers have been out in force this winter. Drilling holes through the ice, dropping their lines and setting their tip-ups to signal a catch.
Snowshoeing
Ridgefield has 1000’s of acres of open space. Town-owned land, state-owned land, Nature Conservancy and more. There’s a great variety of terrain as the trails run along streams and rivers, around lakes, over mountains and through forests, fields and meadows. And when there’s snow on the ground, all of these trails are prime for snowshoeing. If you don’t have snowshoes, just pick up a pair at EMS in Danbury and enjoy hours of winter exercise in the peace and quiet of the winter woods. Personally, this is one of my favorite things about winter in Ridgefield. I grab my dog and go right out my back door and into Pierrepont State Park.
Winter Hiking
When winter deals us little or no snow, there’s nothing quite like a hike on a crisp sunny afternoon. Brad and I were out at Bennetts Pond this past weekend and saw several groups of hikers soaking up winter’s serenity. We even ran into a few intrepid mountain bikers making their way through the icy woods. Enjoy Ridgefield’s miles and miles of hiking trails in every season.
Ridgefield Lakes:
Fox Hill Lake
Rainbow Lake
Lake Mamanasco
Pierrepont Lake
Lake Windwing
Ridgefield Snowshoe/Hiking Trails:
Pierrepont State Park
Bennetts Pond
| Discussion: 3 Comments »
Where to Find The Best “Ridgefield Pizza”
January 19th, 2008 categories: Eat, Drink and Be Amused, Keep Your Kids Busy, Ridgefield
Ridgefield might not have the most famous pizza in Connecticut (remember Julia Roberts’ breakout performance in Mystic Pizza) but we certainly have some of the best! There’s an abundance of Ridgefield restaurants offering pizza “in” or pizza “to go” and for many of us, pizza is the mainstay of family life.
The kids love pizza (the moms and dads too!) , it’s easy, it’s wholesome and when you bring a salad home with it, a pizza dinner is relatively nutritious too. Ther’s a pizza place on the way to almost anywhere in town, offering a convenient dinner on those craziest of carpool nights.
So here’s what we’ve got for pizza restaurants and it’s a darn good selection:
Piccolo – This intimate Ridgefield restaurant is famous for pizza AND jazz music. It’s “always-friendly” wait staff and exciting menu make this a local favorite. Friday nights, they keep baking pies so you can just stop in and there’s always one ready to go. Piccolo offers delivery and take out.
Village Pizza – This NY style pizza place has great. NY style Pizza by the pie or slice, salads, pasta and other Italian favorites. Village is another favorite in my family. They offer take out and delivery. BONUS: Carvel is right next door!
Planet Pizza – this local chain (6 restaurants in Fairfield County) offers terrific pizza as well as a complete menu of salads and Italian food. It’s convenient (located on Main Street) but offers little in eat-in ambiance (but perfect for kids of all ages). They offer on-line ordering for pick up or delivery. I recommend pizza and salad for take out.
Genoa - Genoa Italian Deli offers take out Pizza, pasta and more. They have a few tables but it’s not a restaurant by any means. Their huge calzones can feed 2 or 3 for dinner (no kidding!) Conveniently located near the Super Stop N Shop.
Venice Restaurant – Venice is a complete “sit down” Italian restaurant that has one of the most active pizza take-outs in town. Great pizza but I can’t say much about the restaurant… we only get take out from here. And one more thing, if you call in your order, don’t forget your number. They don’t do names.
Wooster Hollow – Located on Route 7 but haven’t had their pizza in years. No comment.
Pizza Hut – it’s America’s standard bearer of pizza. Impersonal, greasy but extremely dependable. If you like Pizza hut, you’ll certainly like ours. And here’s a bonus, check their website and enter 06877 for a load of coupons.
Now, which is the BEST… hmmmmm… that’s hard to say. Enter a comment telling us your favorite “Ridgefield Pizza”.
| Discussion: 2 Comments »
Tips for Sanity when Traveling With Your Children
January 8th, 2008 categories: Keep Your Kids Busy
Whether you are traveling to your new home in Ridgefield, or just taking a family vacation, keeping your kids happy and busy is the key to keeping yourselves happy and sane in the car, bus or plane with them. Use these tips to keep from short circuiting throughout the trip:
The Goody Bag
Buy some inexpensive toys before your trip. (No lead please) Introduce them at key moments of boredom (use your instincts) to your children as surprises as the trip unfolds . A new plaything adds fun and excitement to a tedious journey. Duct tape is cheaper, but you’ll find this method much safer, and your kids will enjoy it more.
The Travel Documentary
Provide your children with disposable cameras and have them make a record of the trip. If they are up for it, have them keep a travel journal record of all the interesting places you visit and adventures they have.
Allow them to save one or two mementos, a ticket stub or coaster to put in a scrapbook when you return home.
The Staples: Old Faithful Travel Items
Many of the most popular board games have travel versions. Get a few different games for the trip. Simple is good, but try to get some that are somewhat intricate to learn. This will take time in addition to playing.
If you do not have a travel DVD player, get one for the trip. They are not very expensive these days and will provide hours of entertainment for the kids. Hand-held video games do the trick as well, but make sure they turn the sound down so you don’t go crazy!
Since they can’t move around a lot, let them exercise their minds with activity books filled with puzzles, crosswords, and word games. Trivia cards can also be hours of fun and not too noisy.
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What You Need to Know About Ridgefield’s 300th Birthday Celebration
January 6th, 2008 categories: Cultural Resources, Eat, Drink and Be Amused, Keep Your Kids Busy, Ridgefield, Talking Real Estate
Join in the fun as we celebrate Ridgefield’s 300th Birthday! Our very own Tercentennial party just started and the celebration will last the throughout 2008. Settled by a small group of settlers in 1708, our 35 square-mile section of the world offers a rich history of war, agriculture, architecture, art and business. And for the next 12 months. well be reliving it!
Ridgefield’s 300th Anniversay Celebration
There’s an entire website devoted to the celebration, Ridgefield’s 300th Anniversary. The 300th Anniversary Committee has produced an unbelievable calendar of eventsfrom January through December with more than 5 dozen events, performances and exhibitions to commemorate this great birthday. Giftware and souvenirs will be available to accompany the fun. A Ridgefield Tercentennial Letterboxing Adventure has even been created. Letterboxing workshops will start in March and this adventure will provide fun and joy throughout the spring.
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