What do you do on days when the weather is fickle and outdoor play is not an option? Here are some ideas for indoor fun on Cape Cod for kids.
Indoor Play for Younger Kids
Cape Cod Toy Library
I’ve written before about my love of libraries on the Cape. Did you know that the Cape also has a Toy Library?
Cape Cod Toy Library is located in West Barnstable and is open on Saturdays from 10:00-1:00. It has toys for infants to age 8, with 1,500 toys available! It also has a resource library of 350 books for caregivers. There is a small fee to borrow from the toy library, but they offer financial assistance if needed.
Visitors can come explore and play free of charge. The Playroom features a puppet theater, dress-up wardrobe, dollhouse, rocket and car garage, building construction toys, puzzles and games, and children’s picture books to enjoy during your visit.
On “Family Play Days,” the Library provides expanded space for family engagement play and learning experiences. They set up the 1,300 square-foot Fellowship Hall in the First Lutheran Church where the Toy Library is located with additional play materials as well as creative arts in the Annex classroom. Watch the Cape Cod Toy Library events page for scheduling.
Cape Cod Children’s Museum
Looking for a fun indoor play space? Visit the Cape Cod Children’s Museum in Mashpee.
Exhibits include a large pirate ship that has two levels, camping tents, Cape Cod oceans with a fishing area and bait shop, a castle on a wall, a submarine, a music section, a train, a pet hospital, a play restaurant, a tree house with building materials, and an epic green screen. The last time I visited with my 5-year-old daughter, we spent three hours there. In my opinion, the Cape Cod Children’s Museum is best for toddlers to age 6, but they offer both infant only and over 6 play areas as well.
Indoor Play for Older Kids
Whydah Pirate Museum
You can easily spend an hour plus in the Whydah Pirate Museum in West Yarmouth. There are free scavenger hunt pages at the front desk to help keep kids engaged.
The visit starts with a five-minute video about the Whydah ship, with the bell recovered from the ship on display. Then there’s an exhibit explaining the ship’s history with the slave trade. Next, you learn about the pirate legacy of the ship as you walk through a replica ship. At the end are treasures discovered from the Whydah wreck, which is located off the coast of Wellfleet. The Whydah Pirate Museum has the the largest collection of pirate artifacts ever recovered from a single shipwreck, and they are on display throughout the Museum.
Sandwich Glass Museum
The Sandwich Glass Museum gives you a good feel of what it’s like to be a glassblower, with a demonstration every hour. There are science lessons in glassblowing that can be good for kids to learn about.
The glass works on permanent display at the museum are beautiful. They are made up of both vintage and modern-blown glass. There’s a rotating special exhibit that is usually well worth visiting. Kids will enjoy learning the history of glassblowing on the Cape and admiring the beautiful art on display. The Museum has winter hours and summer hours and is closed for the month of January. You can check their website for details.
These are my favorite indoor places to visit on the Cape. What are yours? Leave a comment with your suggestions and perhaps you’ll see them featured in a future post.
