ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN
1.Boston Duck Tours
Prudential Center and Museum of Science • 617 267 3825 • Open mid-Mar–Nov: 9am–dusk daily • Adm • www.bostonducktours.com 
Board a refurbished, World War II-era amphibious vehicle that plies the Charles River as smoothly as it navigates Back Bay streets. This historic tour encompasses all the peninsula and is conducted by informative, entertaining guides who are great at keeping kids engaged.
Boston Duck Tours vehicle
2.Children’s Museum
300 Congress St • 617 426 6500 • Open 10am–5pm daily, to 9pm Fri • Adm • www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org This venerable funhouse pioneered the interactive-exhibit concept now found in museums worldwide. It includes a climbing wall, a Big Dig-style construction zone, and a science playground where tracks, balls, and bubbles encourage kids to investigate, and make learning fun.
Children’s Museum
3.Swan Boats
Public Garden • 617 522 1966 • Open mid-Apr–mid-Sep: usually 10am–5pm daily • Adm If Boston were to have a mascot, it would likely sport white feathers and a graceful, arching neck. The swan boats have been a Public Garden fixture since the first fleet glided onto the pond here in 1877.
4.Museum of Science
Hands-on learning exhibits, such as assembling animal skeletons or building a computer model, teach children the thrill of discovery. The Omni Theater delights with its fast-paced IMAX projections, while the planetarium places the cosmos within reach. There are also 4-D film presentations and a butterfly garden (for further details see Museum of Science).
5.New England Aquarium
The aquarium goes to great lengths to keep kids entertained through a variety of interactive displays. Nothing illustrates this better than the Edge of the Sea exhibit, where children can touch some of the region’s typical tidepool dwellers (for further details see New England Aquarium).
Loggerhead sea turtle at the New England Aquarium
6.Fenway Park
4 Yawkey Way • 617 267 1700 • Check www.redsox.com for schedule For children with even the slightest interest in sports, a Red Sox game at legendary Fenway Park is pure magic. Fans always feel part of the action at the country’s most intimate professional baseball park.
7.Prudential Skywalk
800 Boylston St • 617 859 0648 • Open Mar–Oct: 10am–10pm daily; Nov–Feb: 10am–8pm daily • Adm Located on the 50th floor of the Prudential Tower (for further details see Prudential Center), this observatory provides a rewarding Boston geography lesson. Should the jaw-dropping, 360-degree views not keep the youngsters enthralled, the audio–video tours of Boston’s neighborhoods will. The swift, ear-popping elevator ride to the top is also a thrill.
8.Greenway Carousel
Rose Kennedy Greenway • www.rosekennedygreenway.org Set inside the Rose Kennedy Greenway, the linear green parkland in the heart of Boston, this charming carousel features traditionally hand-carved figures of local animals such as a squirrel, turtle, cod, lobster, whale, butterfly, and more. It is also accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Frog statue beside Frog Pond
9.Frog Pond
Boston Common As soon as temperatures dip below freezing, kids flock to quaint Frog Pond for ice skating and hot chocolate at the adjacent hut. Boston’s oft-oppressive summer days lure them back for splashing and fun beneath the central fountain (for further details see Frog Pond).
10.Franklin Park Zoo
1 Franklin Park Rd, Dorchester • 617 541 5466 • Open 10am–5pm Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm Sat–Sun (Oct–Mar: 10am–4pm daily) • Adm • www.zoonewengland.com Boston’s urban zoo, dating back to 1913, houses over 200 species of animals. Its Tropical Forest section houses gorillas, leopards, and other exotic creatures. Bird’s World showcases and provides a safe environment for dozens of species. The petting zoo allows kids to get close to animals of the decidedly huggable kind.
