Things to Do in Shelton

Lifelong paintballers Glen Kapostas and Eric Schreiber founded Yankee Paintball with the aim of introducing new people to their favorite sport on a safe and fair playing field. Their 50 acres of paint-strewn battlegrounds include five different fields, each with a distinct layout and environment. Inflatable obstacles are scattered throughout the Airball Field, the layout of which changes every few weeks to enhance replay value. The 10-acre Castle Field—the largest of the bunch—spans the length of a small hill. Its battlegrounds light up with multi-colored crossfire during team games in which players crouch in bunkers, take shelter behind trees, and hide in the crowded nests of woodland critters.

In their dedication to educating the pilots of tomorrow, Image Aviation Services only employs flight instructors who have graduated from top-level aviation institutions. Those instructors pass on their winged wisdom on in numerous training packages, including certification programs for aspiring sport and private pilots. Meanwhile, each of the aircraft in Image Aviation's fleet features the industry's latest avionics. The company ensures the utmost safety in its planes, too—they hire only certified mechanics for maintenance and require leashes on all pet rocks making the flight.

Sprawled throughout 8,000 square feet, Fun Factor of Middlebury's indoor inflatable playground, free WiFi, and fleet of arcade games regale children and adults alike. As youngsters bounce atop the facility's soft recreational equipment, grownups can supervise, join in the merrymaking, or talk reason to the screens of arcade games in an attempt to score their kin prizes. A cache of preschool-appropriate toys keeps littler ones entertained, and staff members can shepherd toddlers into a special play area suited to their size.

Fun Factor of Middlebury also bolsters rambunctious revelry with classes and day camps and frequently hosts staffed birthday parties, local fundraisers, and regional Duck, Duck, Goose championships in two party rooms. Though the facility welcomes guests of all ages, most activities are geared to children aged 1–12 years old.

The experienced bead herders and metal wranglers who oversee the family-owned A Bead of Roses studio perpetuate the art of handmade, artisan jewelry. No prior experience is necessary to drop in on classes such as Beading 101 or Introduction to Precious Metal Clay Workshop, where the studio’s staff teaches students to shape and fire pendants from malleable gold and silver particle clay. In metalsmithing classes, students learn to wield a torch or a sneezy dragon’s snout to forcefully solder elegant necklaces. Classes take walk-in students or can be arranged for group events. A wide-ranging inventory of high-quality items—from feather hair extensions to hemp cord—keeps rivers of creativity from ever being dammed.

The din of go-kart buzzing floats through the air throughout Stratford Speedway, calling drivers to their destinies: some as race-day participants, and others as champs. Drivers taller than 54 inches take the helm of low-sitting crafts adorned with real corporate brands to mimic true racecars. As drivers zoom around the wide, road-size track, tires line each edge, helping to prevent detours and wrong turns. Races tend to last five minutes each, and cars speed around the grand prix-style track for 20–25 laps. The speedway also serves as a welcoming oasis for birthday parties and events, with the track available for private rental by the half-hour and hour.

Utah-certified instructor Michael J. Capozziello teaches the Utah Basic Pistol Shooting Course to familiarize clients with basics of handling, firing, and owning a pistol. In addition to demonstrating and supervising skills, he educates students about gun laws at both the state and national level.