Things to Do in Coventry

Devised in 2001 by a Brown University medical student in order to support Hasbro Children's Hospital's Asthma Camp, the annual Breeze Against Wheeze 5K run and 3K walk raises a quarter of the funds the camp needs each year to educate youngsters about managing a disease that stands as the leading cause of child hospitalization nationwide. At the start of the race, athletes trek across the Brown University campus and down Blackstone Boulevard, speeding past other runners or strolling at a heart-healthy pace to show their anti-asthma verve. The top competitor in each age bracket, plus the three fastest men and women overall, win a bounty of gift certificates and sports gear to help fuel their future challenges, while postrace raffles lend the chance for any participant to be crowned a winner. Before the adult events, kids can race for free, testing their endurance and agility without crawling through the TV screen into their favorite video game.

The Rush Hour series serves those who are curious about symphonic music but have never had adequate time to attend a show. Conducted by Music Director Larry Rachleff, these short, informal concerts will swiftly capture the ear’s attention by breezing through two or three classical pieces and providing educational information about their historical context and whether or not they've been sampled in a Will Smith song. Choose the concert on October 15 to hear Beethoven’s pastoral Symphony no. 6 and his expressive Symphony no. 7, or relax on November 19 to twentieth-century selections by Samuel Barber and Maurice Ravel. Brahms’ Piano Concerto no. 2 headlines the February 25 show, along with Richard Strauss’ epic _ Also Sprach Zarathustra_. Finally, orchestra buffs can immerse themselves in concertos by Lutosławski and Tchaikovsky on April 15 to celebrate Tax Day.

Since 1989, the Biomes Marine Biology Center has immersed visitors of all ages in the lives of sea creatures through a range of hands-on programs. Though it recently moved to a new location, it has kept aquatic habitats focused on the denizens of Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Amid tanks of native and tropical species such as octopuses, horseshoe crabs, lionfish, tortoises, and sharks, the staff treats visitors to a range of events—including public feedings, educational demonstrations, and hermit-crab-socialization seminars.

In a separate area for kids aged 3–6 , staff members lead animal-themed story times, and walk children through corresponding craft projects afterward. They also organize birthday parties, during which kids can pet tide-pool animals such as eels, horseshoe crabs, and small sharks.

European friends Pernilla Frazier and Line Daems founded Kreatelier in 2007. Since then, solid local press has helped bring crafters from around the area into the shop. Its quaint quarters feature a diverse collection of product designs including bags, quilts, reusable gift wraps, and various accessories, all enhanced by crafty workshops that educate interested art architects. Rampant pencil collections can be put to rest with large cotton pencil cases ($18), which are washable, rollable, and feature 11 pockets, while manicure and pedicure cases ($15) help keep tools and other grooming paraphernalia from escaping. Keep rebellious flocks of hair at bay with a brightly colored headband ($8), elegantly wrap bottles of precious fermented fruits inside wine bags ($10), or organize a messy back seat with the car-seat organizer ($40), which withstands abuse and the effects of time travel.

BoldrDash adds variety to the traditional 5K run, peppering their courses with more than two-dozen obstacles. But they don't want participants running between a few sparse obstacles, they want them climbing, swinging, sliding, and swimming all the way to the finish line. They even offer boot-camp training classes to prepare runners for the event. More important than providing a solid workout, Bold r Dash's events donate proceeds to local charities, schools, and community organizations.

Housing 4,500 square feet of play structures and interactive activities, Kidz Kastle incites imaginative play in youngsters as old as 10. The center showcases its dedication to child safety by cleaning toys multiple times throughout the day with a chemical-free sanitizing system and provides parents with a WiFi-equipped viewing area so they can maintain vigilant watch over their chubby-cheeked cherubs or fantasy foosball team. Kids romp through an indoor playground, complete with custom-designed playhouses, a costume corner, karaoke and performing arts stage, fantasy teacup ride, and foosball and air-hockey tables. Through interactive revelry and activities, kids are provided with a means to develop creativity and social skills, as well as a welcome diversion from normal routines spent trying to grow goatees.