# Christmas break with kids in Hartford and New Haven, 2026

> What to do with kids in Hartford and New Haven over Christmas break, from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day. We read the holiday hours posted by four museums, zoos and play places: four say they’re open on Christmas Day and four on New Year’s Day. Plus one dated outing on Christmas Eve and the days in between.

- Last checked: 2026-10-29
- 4 places’ holiday hours; 7 dated outings
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/christmas-break/
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/hartford-new-haven/llms.txt

## Open or closed: Dec 24, Dec 25 and Jan 1

- **Connecticut Science Center**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day Dec 24 and Dec 25: closed; New Year’s Day Open 10am–4pm (open daily Dec 26–Jan 3). Their page says: “Closed Thanksgiving Eve and Day and Christmas Eve and Day. Open daily 10am–4pm for winter vacation, Dec 26, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027” Source: https://www.ctsciencecenter.org/hours-pricing (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Yale Peabody Museum**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day Dec 24 and Dec 25: closed; New Year’s Day Closed. Their page says: “Tuesday–Friday 10am–5pm, weekends noon–5pm, closed Mondays. Closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Free, no ticket needed” Source: https://peabody.yale.edu/visit (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day Dec 24: closes at noon; Dec 25: closed; New Year’s Day Closed (closes at noon on Dec 31). Their page says: “Open daily 9am–4pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, and closes at noon the day before each” Source: https://beardsleyzoo.org/plan-your-visit/full-zoo-hours/ (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day Not listed; New Year’s Day Not listed. Their page says: “Wednesday–Friday 11am–5pm, weekends 10am–5pm. Free for kids under 12 and Hartford residents, and free for everyone on the second Saturday of each month. Holiday hours haven’t been posted” Source: https://www.thewadsworth.org/visit/hours-admission/ (checked 2026-10-29)

## Between Christmas and New Year’s (Dec 26–30)

- **Magic of Lights East Hartford** at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, 615 Silver Lane, East Hartford, CT 06118. When: Nov 27, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027. Time: 5–9 p.m. (Fri–Sat to 10 p.m. from Dec 18). Price: Per car; November-only tickets $18.99 online. Drive-through LED scenes, with a reindeer rest stop. Official page: https://magicoflights.com/locations/easthartford/ (checked 2026-10-29)

## New Year’s Eve and Day

- **First Night Hartford** at Bushnell Park and downtown Hartford, Bushnell Park, Hartford, CT. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 2pm–midnight. Price: Not listed. Hartford’s New Year’s Eve celebration with art, music, food and fireworks in Bushnell Park. The 2026 program hasn’t been posted yet. Official page: https://www.firstnighthartford.org/ (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Noon Year’s Eve Celebration at Newington Library** at Lucy Robbins Welles Library (Newington), Newington. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 11:15am–noon. Price: Free. For ages 3–6 with a caregiver: crafts, games and stories, plus a surprise at noon to welcome 2027. Official page: https://newingtonlibrary.libcal.com/event/17764544 (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Noon Year’s Eve Party at Derby Library** at Derby Public Library, Derby. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 11:30am–12:30pm. Price: Free. Crafts and activities for families, then a countdown and dance party. Official page: https://derbylibrary.libcal.com/event/17082698 (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Kid Noon Year's Eve Party at East Granby Public Library** at East Granby Public Library, Linda Veirs Large Conference Room, East Granby. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 11:30am–noon. Price: Free; registration required. Stories, crafts and a countdown for ages 2 to 10 with a caregiver. Official page: https://egpl.libcal.com/event/17435459 (checked 2026-10-30)
- **"Noon" Year's Eve at Derby Public Library** at Derby Public Library, Multi-Purpose Room, Derby. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 11am–12:15pm. Price: Free; registration required. New Year's crafts, a dance party, snacks and apple juice for kids up to 12. Register each child separately, because there are only 32 spots. Official page: https://derbypubliclibrary.libcal.com/event/16141580 (checked 2026-10-30)
- **Magic of Lights East Hartford** at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, 615 Silver Lane, East Hartford, CT 06118. When: Nov 27, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027. Time: 5–9 p.m. (Fri–Sat to 10 p.m. from Dec 18). Price: Per car; November-only tickets $18.99 online. Drive-through LED scenes, with a reindeer rest stop. Official page: https://magicoflights.com/locations/easthartford/ (checked 2026-10-29)

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### What’s open on Christmas Day in Hartford and New Haven with kids?
Connecticut Science Center (Dec 24 and Dec 25: closed), Yale Peabody Museum (Dec 24 and Dec 25: closed), Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo (Dec 24: closes at noon; Dec 25: closed), Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art (Not listed) post that they’re open on Christmas Day.

### What’s open on New Year’s Day in Hartford and New Haven?
Connecticut Science Center (Open 10am–4pm (open daily Dec 26–Jan 3)), Yale Peabody Museum (Closed), Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo (Closed (closes at noon on Dec 31)), Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art (Not listed).

### What can we do with kids on New Year’s Day in Hartford and New Haven?
On the calendar for Jan 1: Magic of Lights East Hartford. Check each one’s own page before you go, since holiday hours can change.

### What is there to do with kids between Christmas and New Year’s in Hartford and New Haven?
Magic of Lights East Hartford. Check each one’s calendar for the exact nights; some close on certain days.

### How do you check these holiday hours?
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 29, 2026, and we recheck them in early December and again the week before Christmas. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).