Survive & Thrive On Jan. 26 @ Institute for American Indian Studies

We often don’t think about the resources we use.  We are displaced from them through processing, manufacturing and shipping.  For Native people living in the Northeast, using resources and preparing for winter was vital to survival.  So how do you find shelter, make food, and stay warm when the weather is cold and your resources are diminished? On Sunday, January 26 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. the public is invited to join the Institute for American Indian Studies educator, Griffin Kalin for a fun and informative program on how to survive in the Eastern Woodlands without twenty-first-century technology.

Participants will learn how to start a fire in the snow, how to find food in the forest, and how to make a shelter from the natural environment.  Visitors will even see examples of how Native Peoples of the Eastern Woodlands lived by visiting the replicated Algonkian village on the grounds of the Institute that is composed of wigwams and longhouses and the remnants of the three sisters garden. 

It is exciting as well as an engaging experience that is suitable for all ages.  The experience will make you feel as though you have stepped back in time as you explore the forest and learn the ways of the Eastern Woodland Indians.

To participate in this event be sure to dress warm and wear appropriate footwear because some of this program will be outside. This program is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children; members of the museum are free.  In addition to this program, entrance to the museum with its fascinating exhibits and wonderful gift shop featuring locally made handcrafted Native American art, crafts, and jewelry among other items is also included.

About the Institute for American Indian Studies

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS has an outdoor Three Sisters and Healing Plants Gardens as well as a replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village.  Inside the museum, authentic artifacts are displayed in permanent, semi-permanent and temporary exhibits from prehistory to the present that allows visitors a walk through time. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut and can be reached online or by calling 860-868-0518.  New @ the Institute is an Escape Room- Wigwam Escape 1518.

Flanders Holding Martin Luther King Day Fun Day For Kids

On Monday, January 21  while off from school for the Martin Luther King Day holiday, kids in grades kindergarten through 5th are invited to come to Flanders Nature Center in Woodbury, CT  to experience  “A Flanders Animal Adventure” where they will spend the day learning about the animals that live at Flanders and in the wild and then taking a hike to find tracks to see who is active in the snow. This will be a fun filled day packed with exploring the great outdoors, and age appropriate stories, games and crafts. Preregistration is required.

Flanders is offering three different sessions for this special adventure.  Choose the morning session from 9AM to 1PM, the afternoon session from 1-5PM or a full day session which goes from 9AM -5PM.

Parents are asked to have their children dress for the weather and to bring a bag lunch or snack.  Pre-registration is required. The cost per child for either the morning or afternoon session is $30 members and $40 for nonmembers. Full day cost is $60 for members and $80 for nonmembers. Early care is available from 7-9AM at $8 per hour.

To register, call Flanders at (203) 263-3711, extension 10. For a full listing of all the programs for kids and adults coming up at Flanders visit www.flandersnaturecenter.org

SLEEP WITH THE FISHES On Jan. 18

Wear your jammies among the jellies and sleep with the fishes on Fri., Jan. 18 during a fun “Family Sleepover” at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

This night of special access is open to children age 5 & older with an accompanying parent or caregiver over age 18.

“The ‘Family Sleepovers’ are a memorable experience for parents to share with their children, especially children who have expressed a deeper interest in The Maritime Aquarium and our animals,” said Aquarium spokesman Dave Sigworth. “This upcoming sleepover will be a fun way to kick off the three-day holiday weekend.”

After check-in at 6 p.m. and a tasty dinner, Aquarium educators will fill the evening with a fun- and fact-filled behind-the-scenes tour, games, crafts, snacks and more.

“Lights out” is at 10:30 p.m. Participants sleep in sleeping bags (BYOSB) throughout the Aquarium galleries. Air mattresses are allowed for adults.

Breakfast the next morning will be at 7:30 a.m., followed by a private seal-training demonstration at 8:30 a.m. and screening of the award-winning IMAX movie “Backyard Wilderness” at 9 a.m. Everyone will be on their way home by 9:45 a.m.

Advance registration is required. Space is limited and expected to fill up fast. Tickets are $85 for adults and $80 for children 5-12 ($75 and $70 for Aquarium members).