It's a continuous battle to keep your kids occupied on the weekends. Fortunately, Boston has a plethora of G-rated delights. Boston offers an excellent metropolitan environment upon which to let the young ones free, thanks to its intellectual, architectural, and cultural heritage. The city abounds with excellent, kid-friendly options that appeal to both parents and children, from the finest Boston museums and parks to the greatest attractions and best family experiences in Boston.
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1. Swan Boats
What kid wouldn't want to sit in a swan? These unusual watercrafts were designed by designer Robert Paget in 1877 and are now a part of Boston tourist history. You'll spend 15 minutes sailing about the tiny lagoon, surrounded by ducks and willows, while groups of children imitate swashbuckling pirates or peaceful nature watchers.
2. Boston Children's Museum
The Children's Museum, which opened in 1913, has been a cherished local institution for generations of children. The surrounding neighbourhood of this Fort Point Channel icon has exploded in recent years, yet once inside, youngsters will find themselves immersed in a succession of vast open spaces. The New Balance Foundation Climb, a three-story climbing tower constructed of serpentine wires and curved plywood sails, is the museum's focal point.
3. Aquarium of New England
The enormous 200,000-gallon salt-water model of a Caribbean coral reef is the aquarium's stunning showpiece. Moray eels, stingrays, massive sea turtles, and frightening sharks dwell in the circular tank, which is 40 feet in diameter and three storeys tall. A touch tank exhibit, on a smaller scale, allows youngsters to dip their hands into the chilly water of a tidal basin and get up up and personal with starfish, sea urchins, and hermit crabs.
One of the city's most popular natural attractions is the massive indoor penguin display. If the queues are too lengthy, have a look at the playful seals in the outdoor cage. The IMAX cinema has cutting-edge 3D glasses that immerse spectators in the action.
4. Science and technology museums in the West End
This well-known and kid-friendly museum is dedicated to offering an interactive and educational experience, bringing science to life via a variety of hands-on activities and fascinating displays. The Mugar Omni Theater, which shows IMAX films, and the multimedia Charles Hayden Planetarium are two of the attractions. There's no better respite for parents of children under the age of eight than the Discovery Center, which allows children to participate in hands-on learning activities while their adult counterparts relax. There's also a large gift store, a café, and a magnificent view of the river from the museum's large windows at the rear.
5. Art and design museums
More than 500,000 artefacts from all around the world are housed in the MFA's collection. The Egyptian collection, most of which was obtained via excavations in collaboration with Harvard University in the early half of the twentieth century, is of special interest to youngsters. Storytimes for toddlers, treasure hunts, and drop-in painting workshops are among the many children's activities available.
6. The Arnold Arboretum
This free living museum is managed by Harvard University and is located in a magnificent 265-acre park setting. It is open to the public and has almost 7,000 species of trees and plants from across the world—but don't tell the kids that since they'll be too busy riding their bikes and scooters up and down the well-paved pathways. Lilac Sunday, a day-long celebration of the fragrant, blooming plant that typically coincides with Mother's Day in May, is one of the must-dos for families.
7. Fort Independence and Castle Island Park
South Boston is home to one of the city's most appealing shoreline parks, the 22-acre Castle Island, where kids can run through a grassy knoll, play on the playground for a while, then dig holes on the beach for a while before heading to Sullivan's, the on-site food shack, for hot dogs and ice cream. In other words, it's a one-stop shop for a pleasant summer day. It's also one of North America's oldest fortified military locations, including Fort Independence, a pentagonal granite building completed in the 1850s that may be visited for a small charge.
8. The LEGOLAND Discovery Center
The giant bricks and racing vehicles at Legoland, as well as the 4D theatre and rides on the Kingdom Quest Laser Rider, appeal to children of all ages. Miniland, which portrays Boston landmarks in Lego form, is the most popular attraction for both young and old; if you're trying to tyre out a rowdy kid, send them to one of two play zones with jungle gyms and climbing walls.
9. Franklin Park Zoo
On TV, lions and tigers are intriguing, but in person, they are much more stunning. The Franklin Park Zoo, whose goal is to encourage people to preserve and maintain endangered species, has them all, as well as zebras, gorillas, giraffes, and a slew of other exotic creatures not found in New England's wilds. The children's zoo, which has everything from a prairie dog village to a grass labyrinth, caters nicely to little visitors.
10. The Mapparium
The Mapparium, the world's biggest walk-in globe, is one of the city's quirkier attractions and ideal for any aspiring junior historian or geologist. It's a three-story replica of the globe constructed to size that runs 30 feet in diameter and is crossed by a glass bridge that bisects its interior. It's housed in the Mary Eddy Baker Library. Instead of portraying the world's current geography, the 608 stained-glass panels recreate the globe as it was in the mid-1930s, when the project was finished, which children adore.
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