Having Fun in the Middle of Winter

A Guide to Cool Local Activities for Kids of all Ages

By Susan Varghese

As the temperature drops, winter blues usually drive people into a rut, looking for something fun to do while staying warm. We won’t be going to the beach anytime soon, however, local arcades and museums make it possible to keep busy, engaged and entertained.

There are also a few outdoor options for when the season’s first snow hits, like skiing and sledding in a few neighboring parks. If you don’t want to wait for snow, the rink at Grant Park offers ice-skating for novices and experts.

To hone your creative abilities, try Breezy’s in Cedarhurst for cooking and baking classes, or Owl 57 to learn the art of painting and sculpting. Whatever your preference is, there’s no end of things to do to keep both kids and adults entertained.

Fun Station USA

With everything from laser tag, bumper cars, video games to a restaurant, it’s a full family entertainment center. Kids and adults alike will have something to do, which makes this the perfect winter activity, without weathering the cold.

From Monday to Friday, unlimited ride bracelets are $11.95 to $14.95, Saturday and Sunday; unlimited ride bracelets are $13.95 to $16.95. They have a Friday night special, which is $20 per child from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and includes unlimited rides, $10 game card, and a food choice of a slice of pizza or hot dog, small fries and a drink.

Fun Station USA is located at 40 Rocklyn Avenue in Lynbrook. (516) 599-7757. Funstationusa.com

Ski and Sled at Valley Stream State Park

Long trips to the Catskills or Adirondacks to hit the slopes are a thing of the past.  Once snow hits, Valley Stream State Park offers cross-country ski trails.  There’s a vehicle entry fee into the park of $8, but for $65, you can buy an Empire Passport, which is an annual pass providing unlimited use to New York State parks.

At Grant Park in Hewlett and in North Woodmere Park, sledding is also permitted dependant on the weather.

Valley Stream State Park is located on Valley Stream State Park Road in Valley Stream. For more information about Valley Stream Park, call (516) 825-4128.North Woodmere Park is located on Branch Boulevard in Woodmere. For more information about North Woodmere Park, call (516) 571-7801. Grant Park is located on Sheridan Avenue off Broadway in Hewlett. For more information about Grant Park, call (516) 571-7821.

Winter Golfing

Get your stroke play ready because weather permitting, North Woodmere Park offers golfing in the winter. 

North Woodmere Park offers a 9-hole, par-31 golf course. It’s $9 for residents with the Leisure Pass on the weekdays and $24 for non-Leisure Pass holders and non-residents. On weekends, it’s $10 for residents with the Leisure Pass and $26 for non-Leisure Pass holders and nonresidents.

North Woodmere Park is located on Branch Boulevard in Woodmere. For more information about North Woodmere Park, call (516) 571-7801.

Ice Skate at Grant Park 

Test out your best jumps and spins on the ice at Grant Park.  With options to skate freely or take lessons with an instructor, it’s fit for beginners and experienced skaters.

Grant Park skate rink has two two-hour sessions on Wednesday and Thursday at 10:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., two on Friday at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., four on Saturday at 10:30 a.m., 1:15 p.m., 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and three on Sunday at 10:30 a.m., 1:15 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday.  Skating costs $7 for adults with a Leisure Pass and $20 without, $5 for a child with a Leisure Pass and $14 without.  Skate rentals are available for $5.  Grant Park is located on Sheridan Avenue off Broadway in Hewlett. For more information, call them at (516) 571-7821.

Bake at Breezy’s

Breezy hosting a cooking class

Learn the art of creating perfect frosting and piping, and new ways to use fondant and patterns in a cupcake class. Or, through a chocolate class, you’ll learn the best way to fill molds, cover fruits, or temper chocolate. Sugar cookie decorating can teach you to make a cookie stand out with special icing, decorations and roll-out fondant. Breezy’s is a bakeware, gift and houseware store that offers fun baking classes in a lively pink room with all supplies and ingredients included. 

Classes and availability vary. Breezy’s is located at 572 Central Avenue in Cedarhurst. (516) 374-1544. Breezysny.com.

Nassau Indoor Tennis Club

Nestled in Inwood, the Nassau Indoor Tennis Club offers women’s and men’s leagues in all levels, a world-class junior league tennis program and Har Tru tennis courts. They also offer professional instructors.

Nassau Indoor Tennis Club is located at 73 DeSibio Place in Inwood. (516) 239-8303. Nassauindoortennis.com

Art Classes

A student at the Art Studio of The Five Towns Photo courtesy of Brocha Teichman

The Owl Art Center has instructional art programs for kids from the ages of five until 13.  The center has a drawing and painting program, which is fifteen weeks long and a clay and ceramics program for children over the age of eight.  For teenagers and adults, Owl Art offers an individualized program for each person’s experience and needs in small groups.

Brocha Teichman, a local artist, teaches painting and drawing for children in the Art Studio of the Five Towns in Lawrence.

Iris Gorenberg, another local artist, teaches a painting and sculpture class in her Hewlett studio. Her classes are small with usually a dozen students.

Owl 57 Galleries is located at 591-593 Willow Avenue in the Maple Plaza Mall in Cedarhurst.  (516) 374-5707. The Art Studio of The Five Towns is located at 48 Frost Lane in Lawrence. (516) 374-1904. Iris Gorenberg’s class meets Tuesdays from 1:00 p.m.-3: 30 p.m., Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Fridays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It’s $100 for a series of six classes. Iris Gorenberg can be contacted at (516) 374-2789.

Long Island Gymnastics Academy in Cedarhurst

Learn to tumble or balance the high bar at the Long Island Gymnastics Academy. They offer mommy/daddy and me programs for children from six months to three years old. They also offer prenastics, transition classes, and competitive teams.

The Academy is located 565 Willow Avenue in Cedarhurst. (516) 569-5115. Ligymnastic.com

The Long Island Children’s Museum

The Long Island Children's Museum

Kids can have fun while learning interactively at the Long Island Children’s Museum in Garden City. The museum has 14 hands-on exhibit galleries, theater, and three studios.

They currently have a traveling exhibit called Dragons and Fairies that share Vietnamese history, while kids can taste treats, make lion masks and lanterns for a festival parade and view a play titled, “Dragons & Fairies,” by Vietnamese playwright Nguyen Thi Minh Ngoc.

General admission is $11. LICM is located at 11 Davis Avenue in Garden City. (516)