My mother lives in Wellesley and we (me, husband, 6 year old) are coming to visit over Memorial Day weekend. It%26#39;s fun to take my son into Boston once or twice and he loves riding the T. But what to do once we%26#39;re there. He%26#39;s been to: the Public Gardens for the swan boats, the Aquarium, the Science Museum and the Children%26#39;s Museum and we don%26#39;t want to repeat any of those. He has absolutely no interest in history so Freedom Trail type places won%26#39;t interest him. Already potentially on the list for this or other trips are a Duck Tour and a visit to the Mapparium (which he%26#39;ll think is cool but will last 10 minutes, maybe 30 if we%26#39;re really lucky). Any other thoughts for fun things to do with a 6 year old boy who loves science and maps and general running around, but has absolutely no interest in history or sports?
Boston w/Child - Not the Usual Stuff
Hi,
I recently posted the same thing for another family looking for similar things to do this Memorial Day weekend with their young ones. So I%26#39;ll post it for you and you can decide if it%26#39;s something you might want to check out.
On Saturday the 24th. there is the WBOS Earthfest on the Esplanade along the Charles River. There will be adult musical artists/groups [some national headliners too] on the main stage as well as a separate Kids Stage with young performers/groups. There will be tons of Earth awareness type exhibits set up, magicians, face painting, food vendors, etc. It%26#39;s an all day event starting at 10am and it%26#39;s FREE.
Also on Memorial Day weekend at Fanueil Hall/Quincy Market will be the annual street performers fest. It%26#39;s an all weekend type event with performers from all over. This is also free.
Boston w/Child - Not the Usual Stuff
Hi,
The Street Performers festival is a great idea if the weather is nice; he should enjoy that.
Although you said no Science Museum, they have changing exhibits all the time, and certainly the Omnimax theater will have a movie that you haven%26#39;t all seen yet.
Have you been to the Harvard Museum of Natural History? If not, definitely take him there. It%26#39;s a great place, with dinosaurs and gorillas and lots of interesting exhibits. It%26#39;s a well-kept secret.
Although we had a long, drawn-out thread recently about the Franklin Park Zoo, in this case I%26#39;m assuming you have a car, that you are somewhat familiar with Boston, and your son would really enjoy a trip to the zoo, so I%26#39;d recommend it. Not that it even holds a candle to the Bronx Zoo, but they have a great Gorilla family living there, and it will definitely be good for a couple of hours.
Maybe he doesn%26#39;t like history so much, but what about the USS Constitution. He might like climbing around on the ship, perhaps? Or, a trip to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument, if for no other reason than the view from the top.
Speaking of views, how about the Prudential Center observation deck?
I don%26#39;t know if he might like this, but there is a great puppet theater in Brookline called the Puppet Showcase Theater. It%26#39;s recommended for ages 5 and up, so it might be a fun activity for him. They have some shows scheduled for Memorial Day weekend, according to their schedule on the website:
http://www.puppetshowplace.org/index.html
Hope that helps.
How about going to eat in Chinatown and exploring those locals-only markets with whole ducks, frogs, etc. on display hanging in the windows? There%26#39;s a bakery/bubble tea shop called Bao Bao that has an exquisite array of VERY GOOD pastries, all reasonably priced, and the Chinese bubble tea... the pastries are very good... did I say they were very good? Oink. Very good! :-) Chinatown is also fun for kids because there are those little stores with trinkets and also occasionally street vendors...
Have you taken him to the MIT museum? Or the Natural Science museum at Harvard? Harvard Square has great shops and getting there is a ride on the Red Line across the Longfellow bridge, which is nice. Harvard Square also has the street performers (juggling axes and flaming torches, that sort of thing) plus musicians and is nice into the evening...
How about an old fort? You can take a boat from Long Wharf out to Georges Island in Boston Harbor and have a picnic out there. What could be more fun for a 6-year-old than clambering around up, down, and all over this huge stone fortification? The island is scenic, has picnic tables and a food concession. Not to mention the thrill of a ferry ride!
Another idea--there%26#39;s an old car museum in Larz Anderson Park in Brookline, which is near Jamaica Pond. Museum of...? Anybody know? Seems like fun for a young one. You%26#39;d want to drive there, however, so no ride on the T.
Oh! George%26#39;s Island!! That%26#39;s a GREAT one! Love it! Bring a ball and picnic lunch too.
Larz Anderson is another great one if he likes cars.
Even if he doesn%26#39;t like history, he might get a kick out of the USS Constitution ... it%26#39;s not every day you get to go on board and antique battle ship.
Also, if you do George%26#39;s Island, then I recommend the free shuttle boat from George%26#39;s Island to Lovell%26#39;s Island. Lovell%26#39;s is also an old fort, but at one time it was a rabbit farm and there%26#39;s lots of rabbits there that are fun to see and there%26#39;s also a rocky swimming beach there. bbMem Day may be early for swimmng, but you can wade ...
The childrens Discovery Museum in Acton is a very good, hands on science museum.
http://www.discoverymuseums.org/
Lots of things that a 6 year old budding scientist would like to do there.
http://www.discoverymuseums.org/science.html
Consider the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. They have a fantastic origami exhibit with a hands on origami area for children which will still be there at the time of your visit. My kids didn%26#39;t want to leave.
The aforementioned Harvard museum is a good choice as well. Does he like rocks? They have a great rock collection!
You could take him for a ride in a canoe on the Charles River in Newton. They have other locations, too, including one in Allston.
http://www.paddleboston.com/rentals/july4.php
In Easton, there%26#39;s a small children%26#39;s museum that my kids loved. Your guy is just the right age for it:
www.childrensmuseumineaston.org/home.asp
Enjoy your trip!
A Duck tour will be a lot of fun. Your son might be able to drive when the Duck Boat hits the Charles River. Just reserve early as tickets tend to sell out.
The Boston Children%26#39;s Museum has been renovated recently so you might not want to rule out the Children%26#39;s Museum. There is a wonderful walk from the Children%26#39;s Museum to the Institute of Contemporary Arts, walking pass Fan pier to Rowe%26#39;s Wharf to the Aquarium, you can just take a look at the seals outside, then walk over to the North End.
The North End has fun dessert place for kids called
';Trani'; They inject ice cream into cupcakes and other pastries.
http://www.tranibrand.com/
Another option would be outside the city in Lincoln
The Decodova and Sculpture Museum
decordova.org/decordova/…sculp_park.html
Here is link of many other ideas to do with kids in Boston and the Boston area
http://bostoncentral.com/
I was walking from the Aquarium to Fan Pier on Saturday. I like to walk the Haborwalk, the one I recommended, but on Saturday there was a detour(due to construction) between India Wharf and Rowes Wharf. You need to go from Inda Wharf to the front of the Boston Harbor Hotel then cut thru the Rotunda to get back to Rowe%26#39;s wharf.
Does anyone from the forum know when the construction will be finished?
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