EAST BAY - Christmas will be history soon, and if you're a parent (or a grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc.), you know what that means: No school! And while of course it's sheer bliss to have your young monsters at home for the week, it can also make you head for the nearest nuthouse if you can't find something for them to do. So to help you hang on to your sanity during this seemingly long vacation week, here are a number of fun activities guaranteed to keep them from growing bored.

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ILLUSTRATION BY MAEVE DONOHUE

Ice skating

Winter arrived on this week and that means just one thing: It's time to ice skate! The following is a list of area ice skating rinks open to the public, some on a limited basis:

* In Barrington: The Legion Way outdoor rink is open, weather permitting. Located on Legion Way off Middle Highway.

* In Portsmouth: Portsmouth Abbey Ice Rink is open on Sundays from 2-4 p.m. No skate rentals available. Admission is $5 (call first, 683-0621).

* In Middletown: St. George's School ice rink is open for adult skate Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. and Friday 9:15-10:15 p.m. Skating for all ages is available on Friday from 7-9 p.m., Saturday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and Sunday from 4-6 p.m. Admission is $5, 847-7565.

* In Providence: The Fleet Skating Center is open to the public (depending on the weather) from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under and seniors 65 and over. Skate rentals are $5. There are group rates and a season pass for skating only. Helmets are mandatory for children under 12. College Skate Nights are Wednesdays from 6-10 p.m., with a $3 admission (with valid college ID) and $4 for skate rentals. Call 331-5544 or visit www.fleetskating.com.

* In Newport: The Born Family Skating Center on America's Cup Avenue, is open daily from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 3-6 p.m., and 6:30-9:30 p.m. On Friday and Saturdays from 9:30-11 p.m., there is an adults-only skate for those 18 and over. Admission is $4 for those 11 and under and $5 for those 12 and over. Skate rentals also are $4 for those 11 and under and $5 for those 12 and over. Call 846-1600, ext. 229.

* In Fall River: Kennedy Park offers an outdoor rink, weather permitting.

* In Fall River: The Driscoll Rink at 272 Elsbree St., is open for public skating from 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m. Monday to Thursday, from 1-2:50 p.m. Friday and 1:30-3:20 p.m. Sunday. Regular admission is $3. Skate rental is $4 on a first come, first served basis. Public hockey (for adults) is from noon-1 p.m. on weekdays for $5 per hour. Call 508/679-3274 or visit fmcarenas.com for more information.

* In Pawtucket: The Dennis Lynch Arena at 25 Beatty St., offers public skating from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday to Friday, from 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday and 2-3:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $3. Call 728-7420.

n In New Bedford: Stephen N. Hetland Memorial Skating Arena across from New Bedford High School at 310 Hathaway Blvd. is open 10 a.m.-noon Monday through Friday and 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $3 and $4 for skate rental. Call 508/999-9051 or visit www.fmcarenas.com.

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A hike and nature events at the Audubon

A hike in the crisp winter air and activities for children during school vacation week are planned at the Audubon Society's Environmental Education Center at 1401 Hope St. (Route 114) at the Bristol-Warren town line.

The center will close at 1 p.m. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve and be closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

General admission to the center is $5 for adults, $3 for children 4 to 12, and free for children under 4. For more information, call 245-7500 or visit www.asri.org.

* A "Post-Holiday Hike" is on Sunday, Dec. 26. Get some fresh air and exercise on a hike down to the bay. Hot cocoa will be served afterward.

* School Vacation Family Activities will take place from Monday to Friday, Dec. 27 to 31. Take a break from the holiday madness to discover nature as a family. The center is offering a variety of activities for children of all ages and their families during the holiday break.

Each day hosts a different theme with a story at 10 a.m., Nature Craft for Kids at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., and a Nature Lesson at 1 p.m. All programs are free with the price of admission, and no registration is needed.

* On Monday, Dec. 27, the theme is "All about Birds:"

10 a.m.: Nature story, "Wild Birds"

11:30 a.m.: Nature craft: Build Your Own Nest

1 p.m.: Nature lesson, "Our Feathered Friends"

2:30 p.m.: Nature craft: Build Your Own Nest

* On Tuesday, Dec. 28, the theme is "Hibernation:"

10 a.m.: Nature story, "Time to Sleep"

11:30 a.m.: Nature craft: Pop-up Woodchuck

1 p.m.: Nature lesson, "Hibernation"

2:30 p.m.: Nature craft: Pop-up Woodchuck

* On Wednesday, Dec. 29, the theme is "Winter Tracking:"

10 a.m.: Nature story, "In the Snow: Who's Been There"

11:30 a.m.: Nature craft: Track Bookmarks

1 p.m.: Nature lesson, "Tracking"

2:30 p.m.: Nature craft: Track Bookmarks

* On Thursday, Dec. 30, the theme is "Owls:"

10 a.m.: Nature story, "Owl Moon"

11:30 a.m.: Nature craft: Paint an Owl

1 p.m.: Nature lesson, "All about Owls"

2:30 p.m.: Nature craft: Paint an Owl

* On Friday, Dec. 31, the theme is "Winter Animals:"

10 a.m.: Nature story, "Stranger in the Woods"

11:30 a.m.: Nature craft: Build a Snowman

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Save The Bay launches seal watch cruise season

Save The Bay Rose Island seal watch cruises board M/V Alletta Morris for an up-close look at the winter seals of Narragansett Bay. Each cruise includes a lecture by a Save The Bay educator, with binoculars provided.

Get to know the furry visitors who make the rocks off Rose Island their winter playground. Cruises depart from Bowen's Wharf in Newport, with school vacation watches at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28; 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29; 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30; 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31; and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1.

The fee is $18 per person ($15 for Save The Bay and Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation members, seniors and children 5-12), and reservations are recommended. Call 324-6020 or e-mail sealtours@savebay.org. Tours will run weekends and school vacation days through April. The season schedule is available at www.savebay.org.

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BCC offering annual free planetarium show

Was the Star of Bethlehem a star, a planet or a UFO? Visit Bristol Community College's free planetarium show at the Fall River campus on Wednesday, Dec. 29, at 10 a.m. to learn the answer to this question.

Francine Jackson, curator of the Brown University planetarium, will host the show. She will discuss the Star of Bethlehem, which drew the attention of three wise men, and more.

The college's planetarium is located in Room E-108 in the science building. Visitors should park in Parking Lot 12 on the far side of the campus, which is on Elsbree Street.

The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

In the event of inclement weather on the day of the show, call BCC at 508/678-2811 to check the status of the event.

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Big Nazo Puppets on New Year's Eve

As part of Providence's New Year's Eve very kid-friendly "Bright Night" celebration, these fun "puppets" will be performing at the URI-Shephard Building on Westminster St. Shows are from 9 p.m. until midnight and admission is included in the cost of the Bright Night celebration — $10 for a wristband. This admission includes all of Bright Night's festivities and programs, including WaterFire. Call 621-6123 or visit Brightnight.org; arttixri.com

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'Boom!, a magic show is for all ages

All are invited to celebrate the holidays with chemistry demonstrations at "Boom! A Chemistry Magic Show" from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Dec. 26 and 27, at the UMass-Dartmouth main auditorium.

The show will be presented by Drs. William (Toby) Dills and James A. Golen with various elves and is sponsored by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry with funding from UMass-Dartmouth.

All ages are invited to the fun-filled two hours of science adventures. Anyone age 3 and up will enjoy the show, and the audience will be asked to participate in some of the demonstrations. No reservations are necessary.

The chemistry show illustrates many principles of science. See the classic clock reaction, learn about energy, see chemical luminescence and rainbows that appear and disappear, see your future in the crystal mirror, guess where the water went, and hear the "boom."

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Holiday Happenings at the Children's Museum

The Providence Children's Museum at 100 South Street in Providence, has a full schedule of events planned for school vacation week, between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1, from playful puppet shows to a kid-size celebration of New Year's Eve. Unless indicated, programs are free with museum admission of $5.50 per person (free for museum members). Regular museum hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, contact 273-KIDS or visit www.childrenmuseum.org.

n Sunday, Dec. 26, 1 to 5 p.m.: "ZOOMzone" is for kids, ages 5 to 11 who want to dig into mind-stretching experiments with cool science and math activities.

n Monday, Dec. 27, 1 to 3 p.m.: "Snow Creations." Children, ages 3 to 11, use packing peanuts to build snowy white structures of their own invention

n Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1 and 2 p.m.: "Jazz Kids." Jazzmaster Willie Myette introduces kids, ages to 11, to the smooth rhythms, improvisation and swinging sounds of jazz. Kids tickle the ivories themselves and collaborate on an original jazz composition. $2 per person in addition to Museum admission fee.

n Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1 and 2 p.m.: "Circus School." A 3-ring show by kids and for kids. Kids, ages 3 to 11, try out juggling and balancing with the help of young acrobats and clowns from Providence's Circus School. $2 per person in addition to Museum admission fee.

n Thursday, Dec. 30, 1 and 2 p.m.: "Sparky's Puppets." Winter pranks, snow fairies and an impish sense of humor light up the "Land of Enchantment," performed by the magical puppets of Sparky Davis. Ages 3 to 8. $2 per person in addition to Museum admission fee.

n Friday, Dec. 31, 3 to 6 p.m.: "Bright Night." Ring in the New Year! Join the arts-oriented celebration of Bright Night Providence with "Fiddling Gal" Mary King from 3:30 until 4:30 p.m. Kids of all ages are invited to accompany Mary's high energy fiddling on percussion instruments from around the world. From 5 to 6 p.m., "Mother Goose," Anne-Marie Forer, visits with her goose and guitar for songs, rhymes and stories. Free Museum admission for Bright Night ticket holders from 3 to 6 p.m.

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Holiday Festival of Lights at Edaville USA

Start a new family tradition, or continue an old one, by visiting Edaville USA, located on Route 58 in South Carver, Mass. This fantastic holiday light display is open daily through Jan. 2. During the festival, the park is open from 4-9 p.m. weekdays and 2-9 p.m. weekends and holidays. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for senior citizens 60 and older and children from 3 to 12. Children under 3 are admitted free. The all-inclusive price covers everything except food and beverages. For more information, call 877/EDAVILLE or visit www.edaville.org.

Visitors won't believe their eyes as they walk down the main concourse of Edaville USA, decorated with millions of twinkling lights. The family fun park takes on a magical feeling as the beautiful colors of the holidays reflect spectacularly off the frozen cranberry bogs and ponds.

This year, the train ride at Edaville includes a holiday story crafted especially for the Festival of Lights. Costumed characters will tell the progressive tale along the 5 1/2-mile trip on an authentic narrow-gauge railroad in heated passenger cars, past several million twinkling lights and through 1,300 acres of frozen cranberry bogs.

The Holiday Festival of Lights also features dozens of lit displays and other holiday activities for visitors and, of course, daily visits by Santa Claus through Christmas Eve.

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Disney on Ice — "Beauty and the Beast"

Always a favorite, this holiday's Disney on Ice is bringing audiences an enchanting live presentation of one of the most beautiful love stories ever told in "Beauty and the Beast." The much-loved show comes to the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence for nine performances beginning New Year's Day. Performances are as follows: 1 and 5 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday, Dec. 29 to Jan. 2 (on Friday, only shoe is at 1 p.m.). Tickets are $12 to $18 for regular admission and $30 to $50 for VIP seating. For more information and tickets, call: 331-2211 (for tickets) or visit www.disneyonice.com.

Set in a French village, the classic tale features the charming and intelligent Belle, an avid reader who longs for the adventure, romance and excitement found in the many books she reads. When Belle goes looking for her father who is lost in the forest, she finds herself prisoner in the majestic castle of a hideous beast, and is thrust into an adventure all her own.

Keeping Belle company in the castle is a group of Enchanted Objects who befriend her. Lumiere is a charming candelabra; Cogsworth is a mantel clock; Mrs. Potts and her son Chip are a teapot and teacup. Together with enchanted napkins, silverware and cuisine, the castle's inhabitants treat Belle to "Be Our Guest" — a high-energy, sing-along production featuring lavish costumes and props. The Enchanted Objects are all under the same spell that has turned the Prince of the castle into the Beast. To break the spell, the Beast must learn to love another and earn her love in return before the last petal of an enchanted rose falls to the ground. Belle may be the Beast's last hope to become human again.

By Amy E. Karlson

akarlson@eastbaynewspapers.com