Stay Warm and Occupied During the Winter in Flint, Michigan

When you think of winter activities in Michigan, visions of rosy-cheeked people skiing, sledding, ice skating and snowmobiling probably come to mind. Sometimes, the weather does not cooperate and there is no snow and sometimes the wind-chill is too cold to enjoy much time outdoors. Thankfully, Flint, and the surrounding area, offers many indoor options to keep you occupied during the winter months.

Flint, Michigan is lucky to have many cultural experiences to choose from, and The Whiting Auditorium offers many of them. The Moscow Festival Ballet: Cinderella the Ballet will be in town January 12. Seussical will be showing onFebruary 2, and

Hairspray will be showing February 9 -11. Check the website or call the box office at (810) 237-7333 for times and ticket information. The Whiting is located at 1241 East Kearsley Street in Flint.

If you have little ones and you don't think they can sit through a ballet or musical, try some hands on fun at the Flint Children's Museum. You can stop by anytime for some creative play and learning, but the Museum also offers some upcoming winter-themed workshops. On Saturday, January 13 from10:00am to 5:00pm "Making Snow" will feature experiments with snow and making snow cones. "Cabin Fever Saturday" will take place on January 20. The fun will include building snowmen and playing boardgames. Hot chocolate will be on hand, and visitors are welcome to bring their own games. "Polar Bears or Penguins" takes place on January 27 and children will be introduced to the differences between the North Pole and South Pole. You can call (810) 715-2353 for more information.

Children of all ages will enjoy a Flint "Winter Tradition", The Flint Shrine Circus will be at the Perani Arena from January 11^th through January 15^th. Perani Arena is located at 3501 Lapeer Rd in Flint. Call the box office at 810-742-9422 for times and ticket information. After the show, head to Chuck-E-Cheese or Huckleberry Junction for pizza, games, and more fun.

Adults that want to learn something during the winter months can take part in a continuing education class at Mott Community College. Classes range from subjects such as drawing, origami, silk screening and more. Call the Community Education at (810) 762-0390 for more information. Crafters can take part in a variety of classes at Joann's SuperCenter, located at 3603-G Miller Road in Flint. You can choose from classes on scrapbooking, knitting, sewing, cake decorating, jewelry making and more. You can call (810) 732-3977 for more information.

The "America At Work: Labor Scenes from the Collections of the Flint Institute of Arts" exhibit will continue to be on display through the end of January. The Flint Institute of Arts will also be continuing their film series. Call (810) 234.1695 for times and a film schedule. The Flint Public Library will continue the "Armchair Traveler" video series every Tuesday at 12:15pm; coffee will be provided and guests can feel free to bring a lunch. Every other Thursday at 10am will be the "Thursday Morning Movies" series and teen movies will be shown on Wednesdays from 3pm - 5pm.

Of course, you can always choose to spend your day shopping at The Genesee Valley Center or Courtland Center; taking in a movie at one of the Showcase Cinemas and enjoying dinner out on the town. And if the winter weather that Michigan is known for arrives, just thrown on an extra layer of clothes and stay warm!