Kid-Friendly Fun: Adventure Packs And River's Edge

Although the Museum of Work and Culture, where visitors have the opportunity to experience what school, work and home life would have been like for a child during the 19th century, is extremely kid-friendly with exciting, interactive hands on exhibits, young visitors will likely agree that the true excitement is not necessarily what happens within the museum's walls, but what can happen outside the confines of those walls.

One of the Museum's best kept secrets is the opportunity to leave with an exciting adventure in hand. A Blackstone Valley Adventure Pack is a fun-filled backpack that can be rented from the museum for 5 days for a $10 fee.

The Blackstone Valley Museum of Work and Culture Adventure Pack is filled with activities, outdoor adventure tools and ideas for children and their families to try. The highlight of the pack is a Woonsocket scavenger hunt which guides you on a walk around the city where children and adults alike can explore monuments, mills, a working dam, grist mill stones that have been pulled from the river and other interesting sites in the city of Woonsocket. The scavenger hunt includes a short version with a variety of interesting places to explore as well as an extended version that explores sites a bit further from the museum.

While you are on Main Street, stop by the which you will pass during your hunt and pick up a youth designed walking map of Woonsocket and the Blackstone River for $3. This map includes a teen's eye view of the river and little known great places listed on it. In addition to learning about "bicycle graveyards" in the river, kids will also see several places that only other kids would know about. You will be pleasantly surprised by art work all around you too. The pack also contains a giveaway bag full of activities and supporting materials that children are able to keep.  

‘Make it take it’ activities such as a spool knitter zipper pull can be found inside the bag. This can be a wonderful activity to engage in while eating a picnic lunch at , one of the many stops on the walking scavenger hunt.  This activity, as well as the other included activities, comes with a complete visual instruction guide as well supporting materials. Some of the other items included in the 'make it take it' are a weave your own pot holder activity, make your own flipper, send a postcard and make your own book.

An added personal touch to each pack is the traveling journal. The journal travels everywhere the pack goes and serves as a place for children and their families to share their adventure highlights. Who knows, maybe one day your children will even take their own children on this same adventure and possibly even share the same journal.

As you can see, when it comes to undistracted quality family time, and making memories to last a lifetime, the Museum of Work and Culture and their Blackstone Valley Adventure Pack have just what you're looking for.

Our next pick for kid-friendly fun in the city is the located on Davison Avenue. This hometown gem provides visitors and city residents of all ages access to the Blackstone River Bikeway. This bikeway, now connected to the East Bay Bike Path, makes it possible for visitors to make the 33.5 mile trek from the city of Woonsocket all the way to Bristol without ever leaving a bike trail. According to Robert Billington, executive director of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, the route is well marked and safe for families. Street signs guide cyclists through city streets and "sharrows" (bicycles painted on the street) warn motorists to share the road.

If the little ones aren't quite ready to strap on their helmets and head out to explore the Blackstone Valley just yet, there's no need to take River's Edge off your list of kid-friendly things to do in Woonsocket. River's Edge is also a popular recreation facility fully equipped with plenty of outdoor activities suitable for toddlers to teens and beyond. River's Edge has soccer fields, bocce, quoits, a great playground. The complex even has a pitch and putt golf course on grounds. As an added bonus, the facility is equipped with a snack bar, restrooms, picnic tables and a water bubbler for those steamy summer days.  If you're feeling really adventurous you can launch your canoe/kayak right at the complex from it's easily accessible launch pad. Kayaks and canoes can be rented at Blackstone Valley Outfitters.

So whether it's adventure, or birdwatching and turtle seeking that your kids crave, River's Edge Recreational Complex offers a unique, enjoyable Woonsocket experience that any child can appreciate.  So grab the binoculars, their favorite mode of transport; be it a bike, kayak or their favorite pair of kicks, and pack a picnic lunch because the beauty of the Blackstone is out there just waiting for you, and it all begins at the River's Edge!