find joy in family adventures
We've curated 10 ideas that the kids in your life will love. Think beyond giving "more stuff" this holiday season, and give tickets that will unlock the opportunity to make lifelong memories in Central Massachusetts.
#1: A Day at the EcoTarium
Pair the entry tickets (or a membership!) with Planetarium passes and make a full day out of your visit. Encourage a love for STEM exploration with this gift, and get ready to be hands-on with their winter-themed science discovery programming. The Wild About Winter Vacation Week Program runs from December 23, 2024 – January 5, 2025, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, and tickets start at $19 for adults and $14 for kids 2 and up.
#2: Immerse Yourselves in Art
You won't want to miss this limited-time art exhibition in downtown Worcester, featuring a 360-degree multi-sensorial experience. Tickets range from $17.90 (ages 4-12) to $25 (age 13+), and children under 4 are free - and note, prices vary on weekdays vs. weekends. Visitor Tip: Extend your fun downtown by ice skating on the Worcester Common Oval before or after visiting Van Gogh!
#3: Extend the Holiday Joy
Christmas by Candlelight is at Old Sturbridge Village through December 30th, so you can keep relishing in holiday traditions a little longer. There's music, tasty treats, and holiday magic all around. Online ticket prices for kids and adults range from $14 to $36 dollars, and children under 3 are free. If you already know your family loves this destination, consider a family membership as the holiday gift that will give adventure throughout 2025! A Family Membership is $120, and includes 2 adult members and their children or grandchildren under age 18.
#4: Build up Their Imagination
Any young (and old) LEGO fan will have a blast at this event, where they'll see life-size models, get to engage with hands-on attractions, and participate in building a Guinness World Record setting mosaic! Pair these tickets with a new lego set that you may have already wrapped, and get ready for the excited hugs that are coming your way. Tickets range from $19.99 to $39.99 and children 2 and under are free.
#5: Head to the Rink
Your budding sports fan will love the action-packed Railers games at the DCU Center during their Home For the Holidays game nights December 28th and 29th. Or check out their full calendar to see special themed games that might especially interest them, like the Star Wars Night on January 18th!
#6: Amaze with Insects and Acrobatics
Cirque du Soleil comes to Worcester's DCU Center January 9th through 12th for 6 memorable performances. OVO (Portuguese for "egg") contemplates insects in all their beauty, action and curiosity. During one of the company's largest flying acts, 10 scarab beetles on three platforms toss a single beetle back and forth. A colorfully costumed dragonfly flits about, red ants juggle chunks of kiwi and corncobs with their feet, and butterflies cling gracefully to one another as they float through the air. Ages 2+ need a ticket, and prices vary based on where you sit.
#7: Big Trucks, Big Energy
Your truck-loving tots and big kids who love big action will all be impressed at this monster truck show. Amazing stunts, talented drivers and action-packed entertainment returns to Worcester for an adrenaline-charged weekend at DCU Center on Friday, February 14 – Sunday, February 16th. Prices vary.
#8: Edge of Your Seat Action
This action-packed sport may be best for the older kids! The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour will bring all the high-energy sound, lighting, special effects and edge of your seat action that fans have come to expect from the World leader in the sport of bull riding. These professional bull riders are only coming to Massachusetts Sat. Feb. 22 & Sun. Feb. 23, 2025 to the DCU Center, so catch them while they're here!
#9: Nostagia for You, Magic for Them
Written and directed by John Tartaglia (Avenue Q, Shrek the Musical, Stephen Schwartz’s The Secret Silk) the first-ever live show will include fantastic in-theater immersive special effects, audience interactivity, magical heartwarming moments, hilarious and endearing new characters and much more to make this unforgettable theater experience perfect for families with young first-time theater goers, and for Fraggle Rock fans who remain young at heart. See it at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts on April 9th. Tickets are $25, $35 and $45 depending on seat location with limited VIP post performance meet and greet packages for $75.
#10: Everyone Loves Elmo
While this show is a ways away after the holidays, every young kid would LOVE to see Elmo and his friends live, so pair these tickets with a 2025 Elmo-themed calendar so you can count down the days until the show on June 27th at the Hanover Theatre. Tickets are $25, $35, $45 and $75 depending on seat location.
