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

Getting Close to Local Animals

March 24, 2009

 Just because Spring hasn't made an appearance out there doesn't mean we need to hibernate.  We still have a ways to go before we can throw on our suits and hit the local watering holes, but until then, we can find ways to enjoy the fresh air.  A fun way to get outside is to visit the animals living nearby.  Didn't know Ma. (and NH!) was chock full of them?  Here are a few to hit before the season really gets underway:

1. Drumlin Farm. Our family was at this Lincoln farm several weeks ago for their annual maple syrup breakfast. While we were there, we took a walk around the pretty grounds and saw a bunch of animal up close. Woolly sheep, spunky goats, chickens, pigs, cows, mules, and a pony greet you in their rustic animal barns, where the livestock operation takes place. Their farmers do chores in the late afternoon and are happy to answer questions for visitors. They also offer hayrides every 15 minutes. For more info, visit Drumlin Farm, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln.

2. Capron Park Zoo. If you've seen enough of our city's zoos, about 30 miles from Boston is Capron Zoo. A smaller zoo, there's still plenty for young kids to enjoy - African lions, llamas, goats, sloth bears, snow leopards, binturang, snakes, fox, birds, kangaroos, emu and countless other animals make for hours of fun. Check out their new Lemur Island set to open this Spring! 201 County Street, Attleboro.

3. Boston Hill Farm. Who doesn't love taking a drive out to North Andover, home to the famous Philips Academy and the cutest little town North of Boston. Well now you have one more reason to head out there, the animals at Boston Hill Farm! Goats, bunny rabbits, sheep, chickens, and roosters will greet every child, and delicious goodies will entice their parents. Rte 114, North Andover.

4. Charmingfare Farm. Just a hop, skip, and, well, a car-ride from home is this NH farm. With so many activities going on here year-round, if you haven't been, now is the perfect time. Home to many of the traditional agricultural animals you would expect to see on a farm, Charmingfare boasts a large hands-on petting area. Open weekends through April, then daily. 774 High Street, Candia, NH.

5. Wilson Farms. For 125 years, Wilson Farms has been a staple in the community, including the huge timber barn amongst their 33 acres of growing fields, along with the 37,000 square foot greenhouse. In addition, Wilson's animal barn houses Belle the Llama, Patches and Pogo, the La Mancha Goats, Wilbur the Pig, and a whole gaggle of hens, and even a rooster or two. 10 Pleasant Street, Lexington.

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.

NYC, what is it about you?

by Jill Notkin

October 29, 2008

I would be seriously remiss to keep this information to myself. If your preschooler is as CRAZY about Thomas as mine, then you'll want to know that Thomas and Friends are going to be live at the Beacon Hill Theatre on April 17 - 19, 2009! Ok, so this theatre isn't actually in Boston per se, but every child should be exposed to New York City before the age of 6, don'cha think? This is a trip  Read more...

Wild Weekends

by Jill Notkin

September 12, 2008

Aaaah. Can you smell fall in the air? I can, and I must say, I love it. The crisp weather, the slight reddening of the bushes, the fun traditional autumn activities. The season lends itself to hundreds of great outings, and here are a few ideas for this weekend: Curious George Day . The Boston Public Library in Copley Square hosts Curious George on Saturday, September 13 th ! A  Read more...

Wild Weekends

by Jill Notkin

September 04, 2008

This was a big week for many of us. Back-to-school was a major theme, and now we all need to blow off some steam and have some fun. Fall is the perfect time to hit the town for events and activities, preferably of the outdoor variety. Here's what's up for this weekend: Head North for Peabody's 16 th annual Kid's Day , taking place at Leather City Common. The day promises activities  Read more...

Top 5 Kid-Friendly Dining Spots

by Jill Notkin

July 22, 2008

We love to eat out.   Before kids, we were regulars on the restaurant scene and are still self-proclaimed foodies.   All this means is that when kids entered the picture, we had to find kid- AND foodie-friendly restaurants because this mama doesn't do Chuck-E-Cheese.     Here's what we found: Legal Seafood .   What could be more, well, Bostonian than Legal?   This is a great  Read more...

Oh, Those Summer Nights.

by Jill Notkin

July 16, 2008

Summer Nights at the Museum. Have you been waiting for the perfect time to visit the Harvard Museum of Natural History? Well, skip the bedtime routine because on Thursdays, July 17 and 31st, the museum will open its doors with half- price admission for a summer night of after-hours gallery exploration, along with a special nature documentary screening and discussion with a  Read more...

A Family Vacation Guide to Boston: Day 2

by Jill Notkin

July 09, 2008

Now that you've gotten a feel for what Boston has to offer, on to Day two of your trip. By now you know that this city is bursting with energy, not to mention great things to do. On day two, I urge you to visit Cambridge , and its famed Harvard Square . Just a hop, skip and a jump over the Charles River (take public transportation known as the T an adventure unto itself!),  Read more...

Weekend Fun -- June 14th & 15th

by Jill Notkin

June 12, 2008

If you're like me, you like to start planning for the weekend early. Here are some activities happening in the area for this Saturday and Sunday: 29 th Annual Cambridge River Festival . Having checked out this event last summer, I can tell you firsthand this is a FUN outing! Set-up along the banks of the Charles River , the free celebration features all kinds of musical,  Read more...

Lions, tigers and bears, oh my! Discovering the wilderness of the urban jungle.

by Jill Notkin

May 20, 2008

It's a pretty summer day and you have made no plans for your family's day. What to do? The beaches are crowded, shopping is a bore for the young ones, and you hit the park yesterday. Today is the perfect day to visit the animals! 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  Read more...

5 best day trips within an hour of Boston

by Jill Notkin

May 14, 2008

While there's PUH-LENTY to do within the city of Boston and its suburbs, there are a bunch of fun possibilities just a little ways away as well! Get ready to add these destinations to your list of places to go. Old Sturbridge Village Take a step into the past at the largest history museum in the northeast. Journey back in time in rural New England and learn about the  Read more...