Things to Do With Kids in Boston
Photo: Daderot (public domain)
Family shows, festivals, free ranger programs and holiday events around Boston, day by day, with the museums and cheap wins below. Every listing is checked with the organizer.
Highlights
SomerStreets Monster Mash
Somerville Avenue (Church St to Union Square) · Free
PruBoo 2026
Prudential Center · Free
Kids & Family Disney Worlds Collide Concert Tour
TD Garden
Nocturnal Animals at the Jamaica Pond Nature Center
Jamaica Pond Nature Center · Free
Fall-o-Ween Children’s Festival
Boston Common (Charles and Beacon Streets) · Free
Horse-of-Course: Meet the Park Ranger Horses
Arnold Arboretum, Hunnewell Visitor Center · Free
Boston Ballet: The Nutcracker
Citizens Opera House
Arts & Culture Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero
Agganis Arena
+18 more dates
Arts & Culture Nutcracker: Symphony of Lights
Emerson Colonial Theatre
Kids & Family Clifford the Big Red Dog
Emerson Colonial Theatre
+2 more datesHalloweentown Movie Night at Boston Landing
The TRACK at New Balance · Free · All ages
Every date
Tomorrow October 18
Wednesday October 21
Thursday October 22
Saturday October 24
Sunday October 25
Tuesday November 3
Friday November 27
Wednesday December 2
Saturday December 26
Sunday December 27
Monday December 28
Tuesday December 29
Wednesday December 30
Thursday December 31
Friday January 1
Saturday January 2
Sunday January 3
Saturday January 16
Sunday January 17
Times, prices and age rules are checked against each venue or organizer’s own page; the check date is on every listing. Plans change, so confirm with the venue before you go.
Museums kids love
- Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress Street. Open 9 AM to 4 PM, closed Tuesdays; $24 for adults and kids, and babies under 1 are free.
- New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf. Open 9 to 5 on weekdays and 9 to 6 on weekends; $30.95 for kids 3 to 11 and free for 2 and under. Weekends sell out, so book ahead.
- Museum of Science, at Science Park. The exhibit halls are open 9 AM to 5 PM every day.
- Hours and prices for all of them are in our museums guide.
Free for kids
- The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is always free for kids 17 and under, and the ICA for 18 and under.
- The Harvard Art Museums and the Boston Public Library are free for everyone. See free museum nights.
- Park Ranger programs, like the ranger horses at the Arnold Arboretum and the Jamaica Pond Nature Center, are free; they’re in the listings above.
This season
- PruBoo, Sunday, Oct. 25, 11 AM to 1 PM: free trick-or-treating inside the Prudential Center. More on our Halloween page.
- Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker runs November 27 to December 31, and the city’s tree lightings are free.
- Disney On Ice is at Agganis Arena over New Year’s week, and Clifford the Big Red Dog plays the Emerson Colonial in mid-January.
- Skating: Porrazzo Rink in East Boston has public sessions for $10, and the Frog Pond usually opens in November. See ice skating.
Older kids and teens: our under-21 guide lists all-ages and 16+ shows.
Frequently asked questions
What are free things to do with kids in Boston?
The Gardner is always free for kids 17 and under and the ICA for 18 and under, the Harvard Art Museums and the Boston Public Library are free for everyone, and Park Ranger programs are free.
How much is the Boston Children’s Museum?
Tickets are $24 for adults and kids alike, and babies under 1 are free. It’s open 9 AM to 4 PM and closed on Tuesdays.
Do kids need tickets for shows at the Emerson Colonial?
Yes. The Colonial requires a ticket for every audience member, whatever their age.
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