The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
10 ideas for kids during winter
From home to outdoors, there’s a wide range of activities.
Keep kids entertained and interested in educational matters or indulge in good old fashioned family fun during metro Atlanta public school winter breaks. To get started, we’ve rounded up a slew of exciting activities ranging from museum visits to ooey gooey slime sessions and great outdoor family trips to checking out zoo animals at night. There’s an assortment of at-home activities, perfect for days in or ensuring kids have a quiet activity when parents are on a work call. The following 10 activities and events primarily focus on things to engage children, but many of these recommendations can serve as a must-needed respite for parents as well.
Sunday funday
Head to Pullman Yards for a special kids package that includes ice skating; an ice cream sundae bar for kids to order their favorite flavor and toppings; marshmallow roasting with a chocolate and vanilla cream stuffed marshmallow and roasting stick; a D J spinning kid-appropriate boppy tunes; food specials; and more. This kids package is available every Sunday, but the ice skating rink will be open until today and later replaced by roller skating. The funday package is $20 for ages 16 and younger; adults are free. Food and beverages for adults are a la carte. 225 Rogers St. NE, Atlanta. pullmanyards.com.
Get slimed
Children will appreciate all day sensory play at Sloomoo Institute, a recently opened interactive space for kids that features colorful, deliciously-scented tactile compounds, or simply, slime. Kids can touch, pull and tag slime; rock, roll and bounce around in cushiony areas; and make slime shots (think slingshots with slime). Admission includes an 8-ounce custom slime created by each guest from the DIY slime bar. For an enhanced experience, opt for the admission with protective ponchos to have slime “rain” down on you and your kiddos. Admission is timed, so guests can select a slot that works best for their schedule. Prices vary. 3637 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta. 770-370-8875, sloomooinstitute.com.
Loaner laptops
Cobb County Public Library and Dekalb County Public Library have laptops that can be borrowed for up to three weeks at a time for free so kids can keep up with homework or enriching activities during their break. The laptops are Chromebooks, and come equipped with Google’s Gsuite, Microsoft 365 and internet software that can be used when connected to the internet at the library, home or wherever Wi-fi is available. On-site only computers are also available throughout the Fulton County Library System and Gwinnett County Public Library. Cobb County Public Library, cobbcounty.org/library; Dekalb Public Library, dekalblibrary.org; Fulton County Library System, fulcolibrary. org; Gwinnett Public Library, gwinnettpl.org.