The 20-plus best things to do with kids in Boston

Imagine having a family-friendly, fun day in Boston and the Boston Common Frog Pond likely comes to mind. Each season sees something new to do with kids at this attraction in the middle of America’s oldest public park. The iconic ice rink hosts a steady, multigenerational throng of skaters through winter, while those who prefer to stay on non-slippery ground can snuggle up beside the snack bar with a hot chocolate and free Wi-Fi. In the summer, the Frog Pond becomes a splash fountain—the easiest way for city families to cool off without leaving town. There’s also a carousel. Half-price college nights lure in students, and littles can learn from Bobby the Skating Seal, a rentable rink prop. Kids of all ages can sign up for skating lessons with the Skating Club of Boston. Just remember to dress for the weather: Crowds and waiting are inevitable.

Speaking from experience, kids will always remember the spectacular centerpiece of this excellent aquarium: The colossal, 200,000-gallon salt-water replica of a Caribbean coral reef. Three stories tall, the tank is alive with moray eels, stingrays, gigantic sea turtles and sharks to watch swim around all day. On a smaller scale, a touch tank exhibit lets children dip their hands into the cold water of a tidal basin and get up close and personal with starfish, sea urchins and hermit crabs. The huge indoor penguin exhibit is one of the city’s most enduring nature attractions, and the playful inhabitants of the outdoor seal enclosure are visible to anybody walking by, whether they hold tickets or not. Additionally, the New England Aquarium boasts an IMAX theater showing state-of-the-art 3D films that put viewers in the middle of the action.

It’s fast, it’s exciting and it’s rewarding—even if you don’t spot one of these gigantic, aquatic mammals (though you probably will). The New England Aquarium's whale watch program takes passengers to the federally protected Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, home not only to a plethora of whale species—humpbacks, finbacks, minkes, pilots and even the endangered right whale—but also dolphins, seabirds and otters. Naturalists on board offer detailed knowledge about each animal and patiently answer all questions from even the youngest passengers. Unlike other slow-moving whale watch boats, the aquarium’s customized (and eco-friendly) catamaran whisks you to the sanctuary at 35 miles per hour, which means more time for whale-tail gazing.

One of the most influential children’s museums in the world and a Fort Point Channel landmark, the Boston Children’s Museum was founded in 1913 and remains a beloved local institution among generations of area youngsters. (The Fort Point Channel landmark has seen the surrounding neighborhood explode in recent years; in 2019, Martin’s Park debuted just across the street, which is a free-to-visit, inclusive, outdoor play space from the City of Boston in memory of Martin Richard.) Inside the interactive gem of a museum, kids find themselves immersed in various open areas, exploring things like science activities, puzzles to solve and kid-powered playscapes. The centerpiece of the museum is a twisty, turning three-story climbing structure made of serpentine wires and curved plywood sails.

With a recent overhaul, Boston’s LEGO Discovery Center has reached new levels of fun. At Somerville’s Assembly Row shopping center, look for the giant LEGO giraffe to guide you to the bastion of building blocks, where you and your kids can freestyle your own creations and activities. Launch race cars off ramps, experience action-packed adventures in the 4D film theater, meet master builders and more. Check out Miniland to see little replicas of famous Boston landmarks made from more than 1.5 million LEGOs. Visiting with a really rambunctious youngster? Show them the play zones for jungle gym and climbing wall activities. Some attractions require reservations, with tickets ranging from $22-$45. Kids under 2 are free.

For some good old-fashioned fun, take the kids for a spin in a swan boat. A part of Boston tourist history, these odd watercrafts were created by designer Robert Paget in 1877. Nearly 140 years later, the experience has barely changed in the most delightful ways. For less than $5 per person, you’ll spend 15 minutes cruising around a small lagoon in Boston Public Garden. Amid the ducks and willows in the heart of the nation’s oldest botanical garden, kids may do their best imitations of swashbuckling pirates or quietly observe nature, while older family members reminisce about their own early visits to the city.

Kids won’t even realize they’re engaging with educational activities while having fun classifying rocks, minerals, leaves and shells in the Natural Mysteries exhibit, or getting an up-close view of a 65-million-year-old fossil. Other highlights of this extremely child-friendly museum include live animal presentations and a butterfly room, the multimedia Charles Hayden Planetarium, and IMAX movies showing in the domed Mugar Omni Theater. And what kid doesn’t enjoy clomping up the Soundstairs?! They light up in colors and sound like a piano. The Museum of Science also boasts an enormous gift shop, a café and a spectacular view of the Charles River from the vast windows in the back of the building. Tickets range from $24-$29 with kids under 3 entering for free.

While the 15-year Big Dig was no picnic for the city, the spoils of that construction battle have increased the quality of life in downtown Boston tenfold, especially for families. Now there's a 1.5-mile linear park where the elevated highway once ran, connecting from Chinatown and to the North End. You can stroll its length over a lazy afternoon, stopping by kid-friendly attractions along the way, such as play structures, interactive art installations and splash fountains. The pièce de résistance is the Greenway Carousel, which boasts 36 seats depicting native Massachusetts animals. When your littles need to cool down, there are plenty of water features along the Greenway to splash, wade and cool off. 

As fascinating as lions and tigers are on the TV screen, they’re far more impressive in the flesh. The Franklin Park Zoo has them all—in addition to zebras, gorillas, giraffes and a whole host of other exotic animals that wouldn’t normally be seen in the wilds of New England, let alone the heart of Boston. Tucked along the Emerald Necklace of greenspace in Roxbury, the zoo’s mission is to inspire people to protect and sustain endangered species. Little visitors are well-served at the children's zoo, which features everything from a prairie dog neighborhood to a grass maze. Speaking of little ones, Franklin Park Zoo recently welcomed a baby Hartmann’s mountain zebra, the first of this zebra species to be born at Franklin Park Zoo; as well as a new yellow-billed stork chick and a wattled crane chick.

Seeing a game at Fenway Park has always been a quasi-religious experience for younger fans—and the legendary ballpark has only gotten more family-friendly in recent years. The Kids’ Concourse includes a high-speed pitching booth and MonsterVue, a 360-degree home run simulator; plus plenty of photo opps. Inside the concourse, Wally’s Clubhouse is open from the third to the seventh inning, where kids can play in virtual reality booths and take photos with a life-size LEGO replica of David Ortiz. Parents, don’t panic: There’s also beer.

One or two lamps hung in the steeple of the Old North Church famously told patriots like Paul Revere how British troops were invading—but they’d have trouble calling this city tour, which goes by land and by sea. Anyway, your kids will love learning about Boston aboard amphibious vehicles. Relics of World War II, this convoy today carries mainly tourists through the streets of Boston and the Charles River. Hop aboard vessels with names like Dorchester Dottie and discover sites in different neighborhoods, as your conDUCKtor weaves comically-tinged histories of the city of firsts. Boston Duck Tours are ticketed and leave from the Prudential Center, Museum of Science and the New England Aquarium. Tickets range from $11 per little kid to $53 for adults.

Free and open to the public, this beautiful, 265-acre living museum administered by Harvard University provides the opportunity to see more than 7,000 types of trees and plants from around the world. But don’t bother telling that to the kids. They’ll be too busy riding their bikes and scooters up and down the well-paved paths. In May (usually around Mother’s Day), Lilac Sunday is a must-do outdoor activity for families to celebrate the fragrant, flowering shrub. (It’s also the only day of the year that visitors can picnic on the grounds.) No matter the time of year, there are other ways to have family fun at the Arboretum, from pop-up StoryWalks to downloading a Wildlife Bingo card and staying on the lookout for critters.

If your kid is at least 7 years old and great at problem-solving, there’s a quest for them at Boda Borg (although based on their age, they might still need your help). America’s only location of the Swedish-founded “quest” room experience—think: the real-life version of a page-turner, video game or action flick—Boda Borg is full of rooms with names like Platoon, Constellation and Spook House. Armed with nothing more than general instructions, small groups of 3-5 solve challenges ranging from obstacle courses to brains-over-brawn conundrums. Choose your level of physicality, from brainpower and dexterity only to crawling through a tunnel and even more challenging obstacles. The amount of quests you can attempt is unlimited, as entry is paid in two-hour increments of $28. Boda Borg USA is located in Malden Center, about 10 minutes outside of Boston and on the Orange Line.

The Mapparium—the world’s largest walk-in globe—is among the city’s quirkiest landmarks and catnip to any budding junior historian or geologist. Kids visit for free and it’s $6 for folks 17 and up. Housed in the Mary Eddy Baker Library on the Christian Science Plaza, it’s a three-story model of the planet built to scale, running 30 feet in diameter and traversed by way of a glass bridge bisecting its interior. Kids love the weird acoustics and outdated borders of the globe: Instead of depicting the world’s current geography, the 608 stained-glass panels recreate the planet as it was in the mid-1930s, when the project was completed. The Mapparium is not all about the past, however. The new (and free) interactive exhibit across the hall from the globe, entitled “How Do You See the World?,” offers stories and experiences exploring progress and possibilities.

When endless rain or cold, dreary temps have depleted your energy but not the kids’, why not turn in those waterproof boots for bowling shoes? Kings combines neon lanes with retro arcade games, corn hole, Giant Jenga, air hockey, billiards to entertain all ages, plus high-def screens for sports-viewing. With two locations in Boston proper plus more locations in the suburbs, it’s a fun pick for birthday parties—though note that after 9pm on weekends, Kings becomes 21-plus. The local chain is also known for shareable fare at each location, like chicken tenders, specialty pizzas and burgers. Desserts are fun—and so are cocktails, for the caretakers.

The MFA’s globe-spanning collection of art encompasses more than 500,000 objects. That’s a lot to ask to interest a kid—but there are many ways to break it down. Of particular note to children are the big baby heads outside, musical instruments and the Egyptian collection, much of which was acquired through excavations done in conjunction with Harvard University in the first half of the 20th century. Check out the museum’s art connection cards to plan a self-guided search for birds, chocolate, dogs and more throughout the galleries. An impressive number of kids-oriented events include storytimes for toddlers, scavenger hunts and walk-in art classes. Tickets costs can add up, so consider discounts like library passes. On holidays including Juneteenth and Memorial Day, admission is free but lines are long.

Contemporary art engages the senses in non-traditional ways, and the ICA offers unique art forms in spades. Plus, admission is always free for visitors 18 and under at this waterfront museum. There are a few resources especially for children: Pick up a gallery game card to explore the museum as a “thinker, maker, explorer or performer,” or follow the “slow art day” itinerary to take a closer look at different works. The last Saturday of each month is for Play Dates!, a day of free activities such as performances, hands-on art-making, films and more. When the Art Lab is open, museum visitors of all ages are invited to get creative.  

The BPL can keep kids of all ages busy (and indoors) for hours. The historic original structure, completed in 1895, now serves as the research library, which might appeal to sophisticated tots who appreciate a good Sargent painting. But it’s the modern wing of the library—which underwent a multi-year, multi-million-dollar renovation about a decade ago—that’s the main event to future literati. The Children’s Library is twice as large as its predecessor was, brightly decorated and packed to the gills not only with books, but also with computers, early literacy stations, reading list suggestions and comfy seating. Come summer, the central branch of the BPL offers all sorts of special children’s programming, both within and beyond its walls.

Just a few minutes outside of the city is a 7,000-acre reservation with 125 miles of resplendent hiking trails, many of which are appropriate for younger climbers. The trails that earn unmatched views of the Boston skyline are more challenging than “signature” hikes, which are recommended for families. But, these shorter routes impress in different ways as kids scramble over rocks and walk across narrow bridges. Want to make a weekend of it? Check out the campsites at Ponkapoag Pond. In the winter, a portion of the reservation transforms into a modest ski resort, with lesson options for children and even some nighttime skiing available. 

South Boston lays claim to one of the city’s most appealing shoreline parks: Castle Island, where children can run through grassy knolls, hit the playground for a bit, then dig holes on the beach before demanding hot dogs and ice cream at Sullivan’s, the onsite snack shack. In other words, this 22-acre green space is a one-stop spot for a sunny afternoon. It’s also among the oldest fortified military sites in North America. Fort Independence, a pentagonal granite structure that was finished in the 1850s, can be toured for free every Saturday and Sunday between noon-3:30pm. 

What it lacks in size, this century-old zoo makes up for in personality. Suburban sibling to the Franklin Park Zoo, the Stone Zoo is set on 26 acres in Stoneham. This spot lets visitors stroll the tree-lined paths to view animals from A(rctic fox) to Z(ebu). Favorites to watch are the Mexican gray wolf roaming around the outdoor habitat, and small things that slither inside the Animal Discovery Center. Be sure to check out the pretty-in-pink flamingo cove.

When a museum begs you to interact with its art, that is the place to take the kids. An unparalleled immersive art and technology experience voted one of the best 10 immersive experiences in the U.S by Time Out, WNDR recently opened a location in Downtown Crossing. The brand invites visitors to fully engage with artworks and multi-sensory installations, completely redefining the traditional museum experience of just looking at exhibits. Across 17,000 square feet of space, more than 20 works by cutting-edge artists, collectives and technologists encourage dancing while light and images interact with your every move. General admission tickets are $32 with discounts for kids 3-12 and military personnel.

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