Photos: Artcie Studio, Danvers Indoor Sports & Appleton Farms

February school vacation week is right around the corner. This list is full of entertaining, local ideas for kids of all ages.

25 Fun February Vacation Activities (2024)

Camps/Drop-Off Programs

1. DIScover Vacation Camp – This camp at Danvers Indoor Sports features a variety of sport specific games, different variations of tag, dodge ball, board games and more. Ages 3.5-5 can sign up for the Mini Clinic, from 9am-12pm; Ages 5-12 can sign up for the half (9am-12pm) or full day (9am-3pm) camps. Cost is Mini Clinic/Half Day $40/Day; Full Day $65/Day Members, $75/Day Non-Members. 2/19-2/23.
2. Painting & Sculpture Workshops – Kids will love these workshops at Artcie in Hamilton. Happening from 9am-12pm from Mon. 2/19 through Fri. 2/23. Ages vary by day and there is also an Open Studio session for ages 4+ on Wed. 2/21 from 1-4pm. Workshops are $45 per session and advanced registration is required.
3. February Vacation at Appleton Farms – There is no better place to spend winter farm days than in exploring in the snow and learning to love the outdoors in all seasons! This is a drop-off program is for kids who are looking to make friends, explore the forests and fields of the farm, and learn about life in New England in winter, including learning about a type of winter farming – maple sugaring! Every day will include an outdoor adventure of hiking, snowshoeing, or other farm explorations. Mon. 2/19 – Fri. 2/23, 9am-3pm, $460/wk for Member Children and $560/week for Non-Members.
4. February Vacation Fun at Maritime Gloucester – Join Maritime Gloucester’s educators for fun hands-on activities exploring different marine life found in Gloucester while discussing the importance of the ocean! This is a drop-off program for 2 hours, with a group for ages 5-7 in the morning from 10am-12pm and then a second group for ages 8-10 from 1-3pm. Themes will include Plankton, Giants of the Sea, Mysteries of the Sea and Skip the Straw Day. $10/day for Members and $15 for Non-Members. Held Mon. 2/19-Fri. 2/23.
5. February Adventure Days – Enroll your kids in a week-long adventure at Ipswich River Sanctuary in Topsfield. Sign up for hands-on, awesome, age-appropriate activities and games to explore the natural world in winter. Throughout the week they’ll discover how to distinguish a sugar maple from all the other trees in the forest and tap one to collect the sap, learn about winter animal home and hibernation, they’ll also search for local owls and learn what they eat and the sounds they make. Tues. 2/20 – Fri. 2/23, 8:30am-3pm. This is a drop-off program with sessions for ages 5-6, 7-8, and 9-11. There is also a session for ages 3-6, but that meets from 8:30am-12pm. $315/week for Members, $385 for Non-Members.
6. Fun Art Workshops – Art’s Cool in Middleton, is hosting daily workshops from Mon. 2/19 – Fri. 2/23, from 10:30am-12pm and 1-3pm. Choose from Penguins/Owls, Disney’s Wish Party, Macrame Tote and more! Workshops are best for ages 5-12, except where noted. $35-40/workshop.
7. Messy Makers STEAM Days – Kids will enjoy being dropped off at this new creative studio in Danvers, for a morning of hands on project-based discovery and unstructured creative time! Tues. 2/20 or Thurs. 2/22, from 10am-1pm, $40 pp. Advanced registration required.

Other Activities

1. CraneExplorers: Family Snowy Owl Prowl – Take a family hike through the dunes at Crane Beach in search of snow owls. As a family hike, this hike will be shorter and slower than the standard Snowy Owl Prowl, focusing on engaging children in the natural world. Available daily from Sat. 2/17-Sat. 2/24, 10am-12pm, $36 for Trustee Member Families and $45 for Non-Member Families.
2. LEGO Train at the Wenham Museum! Visit the LEGO Train with museum admission on Sat. 2/17, from 10am-4pm, and Sun. 2/18, from 12-4pm. Come see a rainbow colored, L-gauge model train speeding along a brick track as it races by soaring skyscrapers, country cottages, mountainside ski slopes and much more. The LEGO Train is designed by the New England LEGO Users Group (NELUG). Advanced Tickets ($10 for kids, $12 for adults, free for Members) are REQUIRED due to the popularity of this event.
3. February Break at NSCM – Visit the North Shore Children’s Museum during school vacation week (open daily except Monday, 2/19). In addition to the themed playrooms there will be a special activity happening (free with admission) most days. Choose from Hip Hop Dance on Tues. 2/20, Wellness With Whit Kids Cooking & Nutrition Class on Wed. 2/21, Kids Yoga with Miss Shelly on Thurs. 2/22, and Danvers Indoor Sports on Fri. 2/23. Advanced ticket purchase required, $12.
4. February School Vacation Week: Caring for Creatures & Climate – Head to the Peabody Essex Museum to meet live animals, learn about the ecosystems in your backyard and explore practical ways to tackle climate change. Explore pop-up installations, drop-in art making and exhibitions that deepen your understanding of the vital roles we play in preserving Earth’s biodiversity. Mon. 2/19, Thurs. 2/22 &  Fri. 2/23 from 10am-5pm. Free for kids 16 and under, $20 for adults.
5. Barn Babies, The World of Owls and the Whalemobile – The Wenham Museum will be hosting these fun events for animal lovers on Tues. 2/20, Thurs. 2/22  and Fri. 2/23 (times vary by day). Curious Creatures will also appear at the Museum on Wed. 2/21, but tickets are already sold out. Cost: $10-$14 Members, $14+ Nonmembers (Museum admission included). Advanced ticket purchase encouraged.
6. Barnyard Story Hour at Appleton Farms – The program begins at 10:30am with coloring and a story or two. You will then head to the barn to interact with the animals. This event is appropriate for infants to children age 6. Tues. 2/20, 10:30-11:30am, $5 for Member Adults/Kids, $10 for Non-Members. Advanced registration encouraged.
7. Chocolate Olympics! – The Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library will host games like Oreo stacking, M&M-themed relay races, Hershey’s Kiss unwrapping — with oven mitts and more!  Tues. 2/20, 4-5:30pm. No registration required, free.
8. Open Paint & Craft Kit Event – Open Paint at Hammer & Stain North Shore, in Beverly, is a great time to pick up a craft kit (projects starting at $10) and make it on the spot! On Wed. 2/21 & Fri. 2/23, you can choose from fun winter projects or popular every day ones. You can also select your kit and have it packaged to complete at home. This year Hammer & Stain is also offering permanent jewelry and custom engraving of Stanley tumblers during Open Paint. Kids and adult projects available, good for ages 4+.
9. Elemental Movie for Kids – Join this fun showing of Disney & Pixar’s Elemental on Wed. 2/21, from 1-3pm, at the Ipswich Public Library. Rated PG, recommended for ages 6 and up but all ages welcome. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult caregiver. Popcorn and bottles water will be provided. Free.
10. One World: Story, Song, Hands, & a Musical Instrument Experience – The Hamilton-Wenham Library will host acclaimed storyteller & musician, John Porcino, for a mix of stories and songs from around the world that come to life with warmth, humor, and audience participation. Includes a 40-instrument “Musical Instrument Petting Zoo” that will enthrall and entertain! Wed. 2/21, 3-4pm, free.
11. Pajama Storytime with Jackson the Reading Dog – Ages 5 and older, head to the T.O.H.P, Burnham Library in Essex, dressed in your PJs and meet Jackson the Reading Dog—he might be wearing PJs TOO! Enjoy stories and a craft. Wed. 2/21, 6-7pm. Free, limited spots, registration required.
12. Magic Show for Kids – The Boxford Town Library will host magician Robert Clarke for this special school vacation week performance. Robert’s show provides a blend of interactive magic, juggling, and comedy that is fun for the whole family, featuring big laughs and high energy! Recommended for ages 6 and up. Space may be limited; advanced registration encouraged. Thurs. 2/22, 3-3:45pm.
13. 1-Minute to Win It Challenge – Do you have what it takes? Head to the Hamilton-Wenham Library on Thurs. 2/22, for a variety of 1-minute S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) challenges and compete for prizes! Designed for children ages 5 and up. 11am-12pm, free.
14. Teen Super Smash/Mario Kart Tournament – Head to the Ipswich Public Library for this tournament on Thurs. 2/22, from 1-2:30pm. Play many copies of Super Smash Brothers and Mario Kart at once (some on the Switch, some on the N64s provided), each player getting their name on a raffle ticket for every five minute round they win (SSB) or every 50cc course they win (MK). One prize for the most effectively lethal player (to be determined by Teen Librarian Katy’s judgement of skill, enthusiasm, and growth) and one prize for the winner of the raffle. Walk-in event, registration not required, for teens in 6th-12th grade only.
15. Disney Dance Party – Don’t miss this fun, free, dance party at the Flint Public Library, in Middleton, on Fri. 2/23, from 11am-1pm. Miss Jackie and DJ Hermanium will be hosting a rockin’ time with a Disney-themed playlist, DIY bookmarks, coloring sheets, and more! Character costumes are encouraged but not required.
16. Glow Mini Golf – Too cold for mini golf? Not at Aloha Mini Glow Golf. This course is located inside the Northshore Mall (lower level near Nordstrom) and open daily, M-Th. 11am-8pm, Fri. & Sat. 10am-9pm and Sun. 12-6pm.
17. Cowabunga’s –  This huge, indoor, inflatable playground in North Reading, encourages families to climb, jump, slide and play together. Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10am-8pm and 10am-6pm on Sundays.
18. Hit the Arcade or Ropes Course at In the Game in Peabody. Hours vary by day. Laser tag, the Ropes Course and Rock Wall start at $12, and Arcade Play Cards start at $25.