5 things to do with the kids over February break in Boston

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For parents of schoolchildren, this Saturday doesn’t just mark the start of a long weekend. It’s February break in Massachusetts — a week off from school, and a week when kids may need to be kept busy.

If there isn’t a ski or beach getaway on your calendar, a whole week cooped up inside may seem less than ideal. Thankfully, there is plenty of family-friendly fun worth leaving the house for happening this week in Greater Boston. From drop-in art-making to STEM-inspired activities, here are five February break events for you to check out.

Bugs Bunny Film Festival at the Brattle Theatre (Feb. 15-23)
40 Brattle St., Cambridge

Trade the couch for a movie theater seat at the Brattle’s annual Bugs Bunny Film Festival! The historic theater has hosted this curated screening of Looney Tunes shorts for more than 25 years. Choose a showtime on the Brattle’s website, and once you’re in, Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes crew will keep your family laughing for 80 minutes.

February Vacation Week at the MIT Museum (Feb. 17-23)
314 Main St., Cambridge

Do you have a burgeoning science or tech whiz at home? Bring them to the MIT Museum for a week of interactive robotics, physics and microscopy activities. happening from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Parents can also register older kids (ages 11 and up) for one of the museum’s hands-on workshops. The “Social Robots and AI” family workshop on Tuesday, Feb. 18 invites participants to build and code a social robot, while the “Brain Matters” workshop on Thursday, Feb. 20 offers a look at how doctors study the brain.

Boston Lyric Opera presents “Hansel and Gretel” at the BPL (Feb. 18-22)
Multiple locations

Music and storytelling collide in this free production of the classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel from the Boston Lyric Opera. There are seven showings — each at a different branch of the Boston Public Library — and admission is completely free. The BLO touts these shows as a fun introduction to opera for children ages 5-12.

Children’s Winter Festival on Boston Common (Feb. 19)
Boston Common (at the corner of Beacon and Charles streets)

The City of Boston’s annual Children’s Winter Festival returns to the Boston Common Parade Ground on Feb. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be music, dancing, food and drink and inflatable installations to jump on!

Boston’s Parks and Recreation Department will also be hosting a few other special events this week. Click here to find out how you can meet a patrol horse up close or take a snowshoeing tour of Franklin Park.

Make your own art at the Museum of Fine Arts (Feb. 19-22)
465 Huntington Ave., Boston

Visit the MFA from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and get your craft on! The museum will be hosting four days of drop-in art-making workshops, with activities like soak-stain painting, memento box decorating and and Lego printmaking.

P.S. — Looking for more to do this February in Boston? WBUR’s Candice Springer joined The Common last week with some more fun recommendations, including a free Boston-themed film festival at the Wang Theatre and events on the slate at CitySpace.