Best Boston Kids Activities
Find family fun and great activities for kids in Boston
Looking for some terrific activities for kids in Boston?
Here's where you'll find the top Boston children activities for family fun.
Our list includes a great mix of the best Boston outdoors activities for kids, plus enjoyable indoor destinations and a few seasonal treats.
Your whole family will gain a great perspective of the city while enjoying these favorite Boston kids activities. Best of all, you'll experience some of the city's best attractions.
Best of all, you'll enjoy them too.
Best Outdoor Activities for Kids in Boston
Everyone, young and old, will enjoy these super Boston outdoor activities.
Tour the city Start off your visit to Boston by going on a guided tour of the city. Boston Duck Tours offer huge quantities of family fun as you ride past many top historic sites in a World-War II-style amphibious vehicle. The "ConDUCKtor" entertains you while telling you about Boston's history, encourages you to "quack" at pedestrians (who may surprise you by quacking back) . . . and then you plunge into the Charles River and the real fun begins.
Watch a game Cheer for the Red Sox at Fenway Park, or for the Boston Celtics or Bruins at TD Banknorth Garden. Can't get tickets? Boston has lots of great sports bars where you can see the games on the big screen. Although not all of them are appropriate for children, some such as Boston Beer Works and Bleacher Bar are family-friendly. Check out Boston bars near Fenway and Boston bars near the Garden. If in doubt, call to confirm before you bring your kids.
Tour Fenway Park A Fenway Park tour is a fabulous way to see the ball park close up and explore areas that you can't access during games - plus the tours are a lot more affordable than Red Sox tickets! This is your chance to walk across the playing field, go inside the Green Monster, and visit the dugout. Kids love this tour, and for a lot of people, it's the highpoint of their Boston visit.
Gaze at the stars On Friday nights between 8:30pm and 10pm, head up to the roof of the parking garage at Boston's Museum of Science, where you'll find the Gilliland Observatory and other star-struck gazers. Knowledgeable museum personnel will help you use the computer-controlled, Celestron CGE 1100 Schmidt Cassegrain telescope during this free event. Nearest T station: Green Line/Lechmere.
Go on a picnic Stop by one of Boston's specialty food markets (DeLuca's on Newbury Street in Back Bay and Charles Street in Beacon Hill, Foodie's Urban Market or other gourmet markets in the South End, any small grocery or bakery in the North End, the Food Hall in Quincy Market) and scoop up some goodies. Head to one of Boston's many parks and green spaces - Boston Common, the Esplanade, the Rose Kennedy Greenway, Christopher Columbus Park - and enjoy an impromptu picnic.
Explore historic sites along the Freedom Trail
Visit Faneuil Hall Blend together history and shopping by visiting popular Faneuil Hall Marketplace on Boston's historic Freedom Trail. Kids love the statue of Revolutionary War Patriot Samuel Adams, parents may long for a nice cold Sam Adams - and everyone loves exploring the shops. Don't forget to stop by the Food Hall in Quincy Market for lunch - or try one of the many other excellent restaurants in the area.
Reflect on freedom and loss The 6 glass towers of the Boston Holocaust Memorial, very close to Faneuil Hall, are dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives in the Nazi concentration camps. Kids about 10 years old and up will find walking along the black granite path connecting the towers and reading the memorial plaques to be a moving and educational experience.
Enjoy an outdoor concert
Visit the Boston Harbor Islands
Watch free movies at the Hatch Shell in July and August
Enjoy Shakespeare on the Common
In 16 free performances given between July 31 and August 16, 2009, the non-profit Commonwealth
Shakespeare Company brings the Bard to Boston in The Comedy of Errors.
Bring a blanket and watch this family favorite unfold on Boston Common's Parkman Bandstand under the summer stars.  Visit the ducklings in Public Garden One of everybody's favorite Boston kids activities is visiting the Ducklings sculpture in the Public Garden inspired by Robert McCloskey's classic book, Make Way for Ducklings.
The child-size bronze statues by sculptor Nancy Schön feature Mrs. Mallard and her 8 offspring: Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack. Then stroll down to the nearby Lagoon where you may see some real ducklings.
Take a ride on the Swan Boats
Play on the beach at Castle Island and eat at Sully's
Watch the Boston Marathon
Take sailing classes
Ice skate on Frog Pond
Splash in Frog Pond
Go on a "Famous Boston Statue" tour
Explore the Greenway
Embark on a Boston Harbor whale watch
Wander through the DeCordova Sculpture Garden
Visit Universities and Colleges in Boston
Talk to the animals Boston's Franklin Park Zoo is one of the favorite Boston kids activities, especially with the younger set. You can explore tropical rainforests, the Australian outback, and the African savannah and see tigers, giraffes, lions, kangaroos, and many other animals, birds, and insects in recreations of their natural habitats. Check Zoo NewEngland for details.
Play frisbee on the Common Frisbees are small and light to pack . . . so slip one into your suitcase. Tossing a frisbee on Boston Common is one of the best Boston kids activities - and adults can have fun and get some exercise too.
Romp in Christopher Columbus Park Located just north of the Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel, this small jewel-like park connects the North End with the Quincy Marketplace area, especially now that the Rose Kennedy Greenway is open. Children love the playground area, and the open green spaces are another super frisbee location.
Hang out in Harvard Square
Top Indoor Boston Kids Activities
Don't let cold or rainy weather put a damper on your plans for family fun. Check out these fun inside activities for kids in Boston, including some of the city's top museums.
Share a few laughs Several Boston comedy clubs offer family-friendly shows. Improv Boston (actually located near Central Square in Cambridge) features many shows for all ages. Improv Asylum in Boston's North End offers some shows for ages 17 and up.
Enjoy an evening at the theater For Boston theater family fun, check out Blue Man Group, 3 bald blue-painted performers who perform a series of skits and funny pieces enjoyed by all ages. Teens and adults love Shear Madness, where the audience gets to help solve a pun-filled mystery set in a hair salon. Both shows are long-running favorites at the Charles Playhouse in Boston's Theatre District.
Pay tribute to your favorite athletes The New England Sports Museum, located on 2 floors in TD Banknorth Garden, features knockout exhibits dedicated to the Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins, Revolution, and Celtics.
Check out the dinosaur bones Harvard's Natural History Museum, located in Cambridge, will thrill your budding scientists as they explore the exhibits on animals, plants, and minerals. This is one of the most popular Boston museums for kids.
Play in the Boston Children's Museum
History Museums
Visit a bakery
Go to the movies
Museum
Concert
Earn a few college credits
Aquarium
Omni Theater
USS Constitution
Kings Bowling Alley
Examine some mummies One of the most popular Boston kids activities is visiting the Egyptian rooms in Boston's Museum of Fine Arts where their world-class collection of mummies are on display. You'll also see lots of other terrific exhibits - but what the kids always remember are the mummies.
Indulge yourselves at Langhams Chocolate Bar
Kennedy Museum/Archives
Seasonal Events for Family Fun
Watch robots perform Catch Boston's largest robot competition at the free annual Boston FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Regional Robotics Competition at Boston University's Agganis Arena. Usually held on the first Friday and Saturday in March, the competition features exciting games and competitions between robots built by teams of mostly Massachusetts middle school and high school students, plus a very funny appearance between the Blue Man Group. Best for kids about 8 and older.. Details
Mother's Day Duckling parade
Indulge yourselves at Scooper Bowl Kids and grown-ups alike love Scooper Bowl, a 3-day all-you-can-eat ice cream and cancer fundraising event in June. Proceeds are donated to Boston's Jimmy Fund to support cancer research and treatments at world-renowned Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Celebrate Independence Day where American Liberty Began Boston's free July 4th celebration on the Esplanade along the Charles River actually begins with a Boston Pops concert at the Hatch Shell on July 3, plus another concert and a spectacular display of fireworks over the river on July 4. Because of the very large crowds and (usually) heat, this event may be best for older kids. More details about the July 4 Concert and Fireworks
Watch the Head of the Charles Regatta
Enjoy a Halloween Parade
Attend classes at MIT Every fall, Boston's famed Massachusetts Institute of Technology hosts Splash, normally held during the weekend before Thanksgiving in November. MIT students and faculty offer classes from 1 to several hours in length on topics of their choice ranging from the chemistry of making chocolate truffles to topics in advanced math - and everything in between. For a modest fee of about $30, middle school and high school students can sign up for as few or as many courses as they can cram into 2 days. For more information, google "MIT Splash."
Join the annual Boston Common Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony In early December, Boston's Mayor turns on the lights on the city's official Christmas Tree, given to the city by Nova Scotia in commemoration of the special bond between Boston and Nova Scotia that goes back to 1917, when a munitions ship exploded in Halifax Harbor and Boston helped with relief efforts. Performances by Canadian and Bostonian singers add to the festivities. The annual holiday display features over 80 illuminated trees in Boston Common and the Public Garden.
Celebrate First Night Count down the minutes until the New Year at First Night Boston, a day-long event starting at 1pm on December 31st and continuing until the New Year is ushered in at midnight. Boston's art and community groups stage this alcohol-free celebration at 40+ indoor and outdoor venues featuring entertainers, ice sculptures, dancers, parades, puppet shows, and much, much more. Although this ranks a one of the top Boston kids activities, crowds of more than a million and sometimes-frigid temperatures mean that it may be best for somewhat older children and teens. More information
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Visit the ducklings in Public Garden 
