When you are a parent to a young child one of the worst things you can hear is nothing at all. Silence means they're getting into something they're not supposed to. The key is to keep them busy and you don't want to be miserable either. There are several places in Dutchess County that are awesome for kids.

Kids can be a handful. It took me a while to understand it but my kid just turned 15 months old the other day and having a toddler around is really a full time job. It's a difficult job too but there are places out there that can help make it a little easier.

My wife and I have total opposite work schedules. She works nights and with no immediate family around I have learned to get creative with how I keep her distracted. Of course she likes screens just like every kid out there. She can be distracted by Disney shows like Bluey but I don't like to depend on the television to be her babysitter so I try to limit her screen time. My neighborhood has a small playground but she's too little to really enjoy 90% of the equipment. She can only swing and go down the same small slide so many times until she becomes bored.

If you live in or near Dutchess County then here are 5 places that will keep them occupied and can be fun for the parents as well. I'm not reinventing the wheel here and some of these places may be obvious to you. They may be a complete surprise to other parents. If you know of anymore to add to the list you can email me: Nick@TownsquareMedia.com.

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