Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in boston, MA

99 Things you must do with your child before they grow up.

February 24, 2009

1. Boston Children's Museum.  There is nothing like the look on your child's face when they enter that bubble room.  What kid isn't turned on by the site of enormous bubbles? 
2. Frog Pond and Tadpole Playground.  Located in the Boston Common, the Frog Pond is an institution for kids in Boston.  Take a dip in it on a hot summer day or skate on it in the winter.  A few steps away is the playground which features a play structure, a water spray fountain and bronze frog statues.
3. New England Aquarium.  I'll never forget the first time my toddler visited this aquarium.  She stood for long minutes at a time on the decks located all around the Great Ocean Tank.  Watch your child take it all in as the jellyfish, sharks, barracudas, sea turtles and others swim by.
4. Fenway Park Tour.  Baseball is synonymous with Boston and even the youngest children know this.  No child will ever forget his/her first tour of the Green Monster.  Tours leave hourly from the souvenir store.
5. Walden Pond.  A small 102-foot deep pond perfect for wading and swimming, the area also has hiking trails with pond-side nooks for private family picnicking and swimming. 
6. Artesani Playground and Pool.  This watering hole features a number of zero depth fountains from the ground as well as a wading pool with all kinds of waterfall like things.
7. Crystal Lake.  Hidden away in Newton Center, the 33 acre natural lake is the absolute perfect place to pass a hot afternoon.  Parents can chat with friends (everyone is a familiar face here) or relax on the cramped, but cute beach.
8. Good Harbor Beach.  Arguably the most beautiful on the North Shore, the place is crawling with kids.
9. Water Country. New England's largest water park is definitely the spot to hit this summer.  
10. The Butterfly Garden at the Museum of Science. Nestled in a warmed conservatory (wear a t-shirt!), visitors are invited to walk among the winged creatures for a close-up look into their habitat. 
11. Imax Theatre at Jordan's.  Forget about buying furniture, head to Jordan's for an awesome experience in IMAX. 
12. Visit the Totplex.  Located in Canton, this new indoor playspace looks perfect for active kids!
13. Stargazing at the Gilliland Observatory.  If your kids are starry-eyed, take them to the rooftop observatory at the Museum of Science on Friday nights, where they will learn about whatever objects can be observed in the current night sky.  
14. Harvard Museum of Natural History.  The museum features exhibits on all kinds of life - plants, animals, and humankind.
15. The Curious George Goes to Wordsworth.  What kid doesn't love an entire book store named after their favorite monkey?
16. The Franklin Park Zoo.  The 72-acre site located in Boston's Franklin Park is home to hundreds of exotic animal species from around the world.
17. Southwick's Wild Animal Zoo.  This zoo features the largest collection of endangered species like the white rhino and African elephants.
18. Lookout Farm's Petting Zoo.  There are many different things to do at this farm depending on the season, but from April through October, you can count on the petting zoo as a main attraction.
19. Old Sturbridge Village.  Take a step into the past at the largest history museum in the northeast.
20. Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden.  Turns out Dr. Seuss was born in Springfield, Ma. and the town celebrated this by erecting five bronze sculptures of the man surrounded by his most beloved characters.  
21. Davis' Farmland & Water Spray Park.  Known primarily for its animals, kids can pet, cuddle and feed at what is known as North America's largest sanctuary of endangered farm animals.  Also featuring the Imagine-Acres playground and the Adventure Play & Spray, New England's largest, zero-depth water spray ground.   
22. The Discovery Museums.  Comprised of The Children's Discovery Museum and the Science Discovery Museum, this is the perfect destination for kids.  Everywhere you look, there's an invitation to touch, see, feel, and engage with your child in new ways.     
23. King Richard's Faire.  An annual event each fall, the Faire is a recreation of a 16^th century English marketplace where performers entertain, vendors hawk their unique hand-made wares and the Royal Chefs prepare and sell foods authentic to Renaissance times.  Exotic animals and costumed characters complete the experience.
24. First Sunday at The Danforth Museum.  On the first Sunday of each month, families are invited to visit the museum then create art together in the Museum School.  Perfect for kids 5 - 10.
25. Nature Storytime at the Harvard Museum of Natural History.  Enjoy stories and poems designed to engage the next generation of explorers with themes related to the museum's galleries. For children 6 and under.
26. Salem during October.  No place is spookier than Halloween in Salem.  Definitely a must-see!
27.  Apple Picking at the Belkin Family Farm.  Absolutely one of our favorite annual events.
28.  Enjoy a Fenway Frank at the famous park.  Sure, you can do this later in life, but nothing compares to the look on a child's face during his/her first trip to Fenway.
29. Boston Duck Tours.  Board a "duck" and take a great tour through Boston and its history.
30. Visit the Hood Milk Bottle.  Situated just at the entrance to the museum just across the Fort Point Channel, the wooden structure is 78 years old and was built by Hood Dairy.  Today, the bottle is home to an ice cream stand and snack bar.
31. Make Way for Ducklings Statue.  A result of the acclaimed Boston-based children's book by Robert McCloskey in 1941, the bronze statue in the Boston common is a terrific attraction for all children. 
32. The Harvard Book Store.  Visit the Coop on Tuesdays at 11am for story time and Saturdays at 11am for story and craft hour.
33. The USS Constitution Museum.  The mmuseum houses the largest collection of USS Constitution-related objects assembled in one location and so much more.
34. Macy's Annual Christmas Tree Lighting.  This is definitely one annual event that could easily become a tradition
35. Skiing at one of New England's Family Friendly Ski Resorts.
36. The New England Pirate Museum.  Take a tour and board a full-length pirate ship and explore an 80 foot cave, see artifacts from sunken ships and pirate's treasures.
37. The Salem Pirate Faire.  A fall tradition for thousands of would-be pirates in New England.
38. A trip to Newbury Street's Sugar Heaven - YUMMY!
39. Salem Willow's Carousel.  This famous Flying-horse Carousel offers a thrilling ride to visitors of Salem Willows Park.  For free!
40. The spray park at the Soule Recreation Center in Brookline. 
41. Boston by Little Feet, a walking tour of Boston's historic Freedom Trail designed for children 6 -12.
42. A trip to Quincy Market in Summer.  On any given day (especially weekends) there are a barrage of acts, from music to comedy and juggling, to magic and balloon twisting. 
43. A meal at Legal Sea Food.  The delicious kid-friendly menu and coloring book with crayons is a stress-free and yummy venture.
44. Regal Cinema's annual summertime Free Family Film Festival. 
45. A trip to New York City.  Visit the Central Park Zoo, the Children's Museum, the huge Toys R Us, or just roam the streets.
46. The Liberty Fleet.  Take a step back in history and board this 125 schooner, modeled after the wind-driven sailboats of the mid-1800s. 
47. Ride on ride the Salem Ferry.  A high-speed catamaran, the ride is 45-minutes and offers guests a beautiful view of the New England coastline.  Disembark in Salem and spend a great day.
48. Visit the Stoneman Playground on the Esplanade for Sundays in the Park each week from early September through early October.  Kids can participate in the Kids Fishing Club, model sailboat racing, pony rides, animal adventures, music and magic.
49. Lunch (or dinner) at the Rainforest Café in the Burlington Mall.  Almost as good as the real thing, your kids will LOVE the realistic looking and moving animals.  The décor will impress you, too.
50. The splash fountain outside the Christian Science Center is always full of kids looking to splash around on a hot day.

Easy Homemade Last-Minute Costumes

by Jill Notkin

October 31, 2008

Ok, so you've been inundated with all kinds of things and never made it to the store to buy your child a Halloween costume. Since today's the big day, chances are the good ones are sold-out and the ones that are left will break the bank. Not to fear - the good people at Craft Magazine have come up with ways to make fun and funky costumes for your kids, from items found in your recycling bin,  Read more...

Trick or Treat!

by Jill Notkin

October 31, 2008

Don't feel like traipsing along from house to house to trick or treat with your kids? Despite the fact that no activity is more fun, there are alternatives to the typical Halloween tradition. Below are spots to hit with your kids which are fun and have the spirit of the holiday. Halloween in the Highlands : Bring your children to Newton Highlands on Friday from 4 to 5:30pm for  Read more...

Wild Weekends

by Jill Notkin

October 24, 2008

It's the final weekend before Halloween and haunted happenings are in full swing. Head over to Harvard's Coop for a Halloween Carnival ! Play games, read stories, and join a costume contest! Kids can decorate a pumpkin and get their faces painted. October 25 th , 1 - 4pm. 18 Palmer Street, Cambridge. Trick or treat for charity at the Prudential Center's 14 th annual  Read more...

Haunted Happenings

by Jill Notkin

October 21, 2008

Since Massachusetts is home to the Halloween capitol of the world, it has a lot to live up to! That said, there is no shortage of related activities, parties and events happening in Boston and beyond, between now and October 31 st . Here's a list of the spookiest, creepiest outings, Halloween-style. Head over to Harvard's Coop for a Halloween Carnival ! Play games, read stories, and  Read more...

Wild Weekends

by Jill Notkin

October 16, 2008

Yup - you guessed it! It's that time again. Time to make plans, schedules, agendas for the upcoming weekend. It's high leaf-peeping season, but if that's not enough enticement, here are a few ideas for the upcoming weekend: Head to City Hall Plaza in Boston for the 6 th annual Camp Sunshine Pumpkin Festival . In 2006, Bostonians carved enough pumpkins to break the Guinness World  Read more...

History of Halloween - Salem Style

by Jill Notkin

October 13, 2008

Every October, our family ventures to Salem, Ma., site of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, to get in the spirit of Halloween. I mean, this place embodies 'spook' so it stands to reason that it would be the perfect place to teach, and show, the history of age old tradition. Though Halloween has its true origins in the Celtic festival which celebrates the end of the harvest season and involves  Read more...

Gonna Dress Me Up For Halloween

by Jill Notkin

October 07, 2008

Halloween is absolutely, unequivocally, 100% my favorite unofficial holiday. As a child, I enjoyed planning out my costume, and deciding on my Trick or Treat route. Invariably, my candy would disappear too quickly (nothing at all to do with an older brother and sister!) as would the evening. As a teenager, I still loved planning the costume (albeit maybe a touch less innocent than those of  Read more...

Rainy Weekend Fun

by Jill Notkin

September 29, 2008

Somehow, it never fails that our best family time happens when we have nothing planned. I dont know about you, but it's tough to plan when the weather promises nothing but rain. However, despite the rain, or rather in spite of the rain, we managed to have a great time this weekend, doing nothing special but having special times. Here's what we did: After a bit of a sleep-in on  Read more...