New Hampshire offers stunning outdoor scenery throughout the year, allowing children the opportunity to gain an appreciation for nature. Visit museums and science centers, attend art showings and theater performances, and let your children take classes, join clubs and statewide educational organizations. You will find numerous attractions to stimulate your child's curiosity and innate desire to experience new things.
Educational Enrichment
New Hampshire is home to a variety of museums, science and educational centers. You can take your kids to the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, the premier air and space science center in New England. They will experience interactive exhibits, hands-on demonstrations and have the opportunity to visit the planetarium. The Kaleidoscope Children's Museum caters to children, toddlers to age 8, and offers creative, indoor play. Children can learn about the indigenous people of New Hampshire. The Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum, Educational and Cultural Center, in Warner, pays tribute to 20,000 years of Native American history.
Arts and Culture
Enrich your children's lives by exposing them to the arts at a young age. The Middle New Hampshire Arts and Entertainment Center, in Franklin, offers artistic and cultural events for the entire community. The Leddy Center for the Performing Arts provides year-round musical theater performances as well as classes for children. Head to the parks in Manchester to see a performance by the Thalian Players, a group dedicated to providing high-quality, family-oriented programs. Treat your children to a night on the town and attend a performance by the Granite State Orchestra.
Environmental Awareness
New Hampshire prides itself on its numerous organic farms. Visit High Hopes Farm in July or August to pick raspberries and blueberries. Stop by Peaked Hill Farm, a certified organic farm, or Brookdale Fruit Farm, Inc. and have a pick-your-own organic fruit adventure with your kids. The Tin Mountain Conservation Center is located on 138 acres of green space and offers hiking trails, a beaver pond and a solar-powered nature center. It also hosts public nature programs and annual summer camp sessions. Older children living or visiting the state may enjoy a trip to the Amoskeag Fishways Learning and Visitors Center. The center focuses on environmental awareness and promotes the ecological issues that relate to the Merrimack River and watershed with year-round programs and exhibits.
Community Involvement
New Hampshire children have many opportunities for community involvement. Numerous organizations offer volunteer positions for children of all ages. The Blue Ocean Society gives children the chance to help save whales by helping to clean beaches. The Center for Wildlife and the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge are two of the organizations that need youth volunteers to serve as wildlife care assistants. The United Way of the Greater Seacoast is another organization that offers hundreds of volunteer opportunities. Many of these programs require children to be age 12 and up and also accompanied by an adult to participate in a project.
Sports and Recreation
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, in New Hampton, is a favorite for families in New Hampshire. Bring your children to spend an afternoon alongside the Pemigewasset River. They can participate in supervised activities, play in the water park or playground, and even go camping. Outdoor Escapes, in Conway, provides custom guided adventures for families. Plan to go hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking or skiing in the great outdoors. The American Defenders of New Hampshire is a baseball organization that supports youth programs and community associations.
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