Free Fridays

The Highland Street Foundation provides these activities during summer months. 

Click below for 2016 summer activities and sights:


Free Fridays

Chikki Plaza

Chikki Plaza is an English-Spanish bilingual playspace located in Cummings Park in Woburn (behind BankAmerica). Each weekday they run an activity for children in Spanish.  The clean playspace is for children from 1-5 with a separate snack/birthday party area upstairs.  The space is ideal for more low-key, indoor play.  It's on the smaller side, so high energy play could be tricky.  The play equipment appears to be new and is organized.  They provide coffee for parents and little complimentary snacks for children. 

Chikki Plaza link

Hours

Monday - Friday	9:30 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday, & Sunday	9:30 am - 12:00 pm

Admission

Child less than 1 year	Free with paid child admission
Child 1 year and up	$11
Extra child 1 and up in the same household	$7
Adults	1 adult Free with a child admission. (additional adults $2)

Free and Reduced Museum Times

I put this together for students whom I teach, but it's a quick guide for some local museums:

                                  Exploring Museums

Boston Children’s Museum

http://www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org/ 

Fridays, 5pm – 9pm   $1 admission

308 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210
617.426.6500

From Downtown Crossing: The MBTA #7 bus stops in the Downtown Crossing area at Summer and Otis Streets and at South Station (See walking directions from South Station to the Museum). The bus will indicate that the destination is City Point.

Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum

http://www.gardnermuseum.org/home 

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
25 Evans Way (not gps address)
Boston, MA 02115

18 and under – Free

Take the Green Line E train to the Museum of Fine Arts stop, or the Orange Line train to the Ruggles stop

Harvard Art Museum(s)

http://www.harvardartmuseums.org/ 

32 Quincy St, Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 495-9400

Saturdays 10- 12pm- Free (under 18 always free)

5 minute walk from Harvard stop red line

Museum of Fine Art

http://www.mfa.org/ 

465 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115
(617) 267-9300

Wednesdays 4 pm- 9:45 pm pay what you wish

Take the Green Line E train to the Museum of Fine Arts stop, or the Orange Line train to the Ruggles stop

 MIT Museum

http://web.mit.edu/museum/ 

465 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115
(617) 267-9300

Last Saturday of every month- Free (except July and August) The MIT Museum is a 7-minute walk from the Central Square stop on the Red Line.
The # 1 bus stops on Massachusetts Avenue a few blocks from the MIT Museum.

deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum

http://www.decordova.org/
First Wednesday of each month is free

51 Sandy Pond Road
Lincoln, MA 01773

781.259.8355

Imagine Indoor Playspace & Art Center

A two floor indoor playground opened in Cambridge, just outside the Fresh Pond rotary, last fall.  The space is large and aesthetically pleasing with artistic touches throughout.  There are paintings by various artists hang in on the walls and a little library area for kids to relax and have some down time.

The play area is divided into a library, snack area, sensory table, small climbing structure and ball pit, and a small bouncy house.  There are various toys throughout, Magna tiles, blocks, push and ride on toys, kitchen areas, etc.  Downstairs at this point is a more open space for running.

The space is also creating clubs for children and running some classes, such as CPR.  They are open for open play from 9-6 every day.

Upstairs at Imagine.

Ball pit and climbing structure.

It is $7 per child, with discounted passes and sibling rates.  Great space and art center!

Link to Imagine

Stone Zoo

In Stoneham, just off of 93N, there is a small zoo, the perfect size for young children.  The newest attraction is the addition of a few alligators.  The zoo is a good size for a few hours and is open from 10:00- 5:00pm on weekdays, April 1- September 30 and on weekends from 10:00 - 6:00 pm, and the winter hours which run from October 1- March 31, are 10:00 am- 4:00 pm.
Rates are available at the link below.  Stone Zoo Link

The zoo runs daily Birds of Prey shows, has a small gift shop, a food vendor during summer hours, restrooms and a few rides for children.   

Concord Museum Christmas Trees

Each year the Concord Museum, in Concord, Mass, puts up themed Christmas trees.  The trees are based on children's literature and copies of the books are displayed next to each tree.  The thirty plus trees are located throughout the museum and range in all shapes and sizes.  The trees and stories change each year.  Admission this year ran at $15 per adult, $6/child,  and children 3 under being free.  Parking is street parking along Lexington St and is also free.  (Be careful crossing the street, cars drive very quickly on Lexington St).  The museum opens the exhibit just after Thanksgiving and it stays open through January 1.  Throughout the duration of the exhibit, various authors of the books will visit, sometimes characters from the books, and other events take place.  Checking the website will give you the annual calendar.

Concord center, just down the street is also a quaint, lovely little town center which is great for Christmas shopping or wandering around.  Metered street parking is available there.

Museum Address: 200 Lexington Rd, Concord, MA 01742

Phone:(978) 369-9763

Hours:  April- Dec. Mon- Sat: 9- 5:00 Sunday 12- 5:00
Jan- March: Mon- Sat 11:00- 4:00, Sun 1:00- 4:00

Click here for Concord Museum Link

Pumpkin Patch

For a little pumpkin patch option, the Second Congregational Church in Winchester runs an annual fall pumpkin patch.  It begins at the end of September and runs through until Halloween.   Located on Washington Street the patch is outside the stone church, with street parking on Washington Street and Kenwin Road.
A few baked goods are available and wagons to pick the pumpkins, which are priced from $1.00 on.  It is run by church members volunteering and most of the proceeds to go charity, specifically the Navajo Nation, the Winchester Middle School after school programs, and a local food pantry.

This year hours are:
Mon:  Fri 2- 7pm
Sat: 10 -5 pm
Sun: 12- 5 pm
and Columbus Day from 10-5
They also run special fair days, that include kiddie activities.

Raspberry Picking at Wright-Locke Farm

Raspberry picking is available at Wright-Locke Farm in Winchester through the first frost.  Located on Ridge Street in Winchester, the raspberry bushes are organic and is the perfect size for an outing with toddlers and preschoolers.  Entrance is free and you pay per pound for the raspberries.  It's a fun, local and fast picking alternative to apple orchards.  There are a few animals to see and chickens to feed the underripe raspberries to.

Wright-Locke Farm site

Beaver Brook Reservation and Spray Park

Belmont and Waltham are home to Beaver Brook Reservation, a conservation land of 59 acres.  The reservation includes hiking trails, bike paths, picnic areas, and a playground and spray park.  The trails are open year round, as is the playground, while the spray park is open in the summer from 9:30 am - 7:30 pm.  There are picnic tables at various points on the reservation and a covered pavilion at the park site, along with bathrooms, trash cans, and benches.

It is accessible by public transportation and also has parking lots and street parking, depending on which part of the park you are going to.


Click here for link to Beaver Brook Reservation and Spray Park

Arlington Spray Park

The spray park next to Thompson Elementary School in Arlington is a good cool down spot for the summer.  Other than the sprinklers, they also offer a playground with an area appropriate for both toddlers and older children.  There are a set of picnic benches also and shady spots for relaxing under the trees.  The spray park is open when school lets out in the early summer until the close of summer.

The easiest way to find the park is to locate Dunkin Donuts on Broadway in Arlington and it is a few blocks behind it.  Set in a residential neighborhood, there is street parking and parking at the elementary school.

Click here for link to park

deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park

A great place to go with kids to expose them to art from an early age.  The sculpture park is perfect for your active little ones who want to run and discover and enjoy the outdoors.  The sculpture park encompasses about 35 acres of land and is surrounded by trees.  Some sculptures are interactive and some integrate into the natural surroundings.  The deCordova also can be accessed with a Minuteman Library pass so that admission is free.  Additionally, in the summer they host yoga sessions for both adults and children on the weekends, as well as artist talks, and sculpture garden tours.  The museum also has workshops and is home to a nursery school.  The interior of the museum is host to changing contemporary art exhibitions.
The grounds are perfect for picnicking and enjoying a full day of exploring.
One last family-friendly point is that the restrooms all have changing tables!

deCordova Link

Watertown Indoor Playground

For an indoor play space with lots of room to run, Watertown Indoor Playground has a good amount of space and equipment.  It is geared to children from age 0-5 (2-5 being on the more appropriate end of the scale).  There is one large, open room with another room for quieter, less movement oriented play.
The equipment includes two bouncy houses, ride on toys, climbing areas, a kitchen set, ball pit, and exercise area.  There is much more beyond the options mentioned above.  Kids are required to take off shoes and socks and it is fairly clean (a little weird to visit the bathroom shoeless, but I guess everyone does it).  Upon entering, there is a seating area to have and buy snacks, but you can bring in your own food.  Earlier in the day, it is fairly empty, and can be quiet.
Hours are less restrictive than other indoor playgrounds that we have visited and are less booked for events and birthday parties.

Monday to Saturday 9- 8pm
Sunday 10- 8pm

Pricing differs slightly, the winter being a couple of dollars more, but kids are generally $10 for the first child and $8 for each additional child, and the first adult is free.  There are rocking chairs and Wifi for adults.  The parking is around the back of the facility, as is the door to enter.  Further information and birthday party info is at the link below.

Worth a trip for those cold days of cabin fever!

 Watertown Indoor Playground

Choosing Schools

With all the great public and private schools in the Greater Boston area, choosing a preschool or school can be a difficult choice.  One resource we found for looking at schools was attending open houses.  This is a good basis for determining what you want and what is out there.  Fall is a Open House "season" for private schools, with the application process beginning not long after.
The Independent Schools in New England website is one resource for tracking dates and locations:

Open House Link, Fall 2012

Some schools require advance registration for Open Houses, and if you miss the date, they will fulfill requests for scheduling (usually group) tours at later dates.

Cape Cod Children's Museum

This children's museum is located in Mashpee, Cape Cod, near Falmouth.  It is housed in what seems to be a warehouse type space.  The museum is open for summer hours starting at 10 am.  It is host to exhibits that cater to the toddler set through mid elementary school, with areas like an interactive post office, kitchen/restaurant space, a submarine to explore, and a pirate ship to climb.  The museum is affordable at $7.00 per person (they start charging at 1 year old), but a visit probably won't last longer than a few hours.  The summer can get crowded, particularly on rainy days, when Cape visitors don't have a lot of other indoor choices for kids.  However, during the school year and winter months, Cape residents and visitors will find an open, fairly quiet facility.   Another drawback is the lack of an outdoor area, including not having a sitting area for outdoor snacks.  The museum staff are friendly and helpful and the exhibits range enough to provide experiences for varying ages.  They also host field trips and birthday parties.

Cape Cod Children's Museum

Drumlin Farm

Drumlin Farm is a local working farm, that is a great way to introduce little ones to animals and farms, in a low key environment.  The farm offers a short tractor pulled hay ride that loops the farms, and is home to sheep, birds, pigs, horses, and cows, among other animals.
They are run by the Mass Audubon Society, which means that with a membership ($65 a year for a family), you can go an unlimited amount of times, and also gain entrance to other Audubon wildlife sanctuaries, while supporting local wildlife.
The farm also offers picnic spots, public restrooms, educational lectures and events, and some seasonal produce for sale.  Drumlin Farm hosts field trips and a summer camp.
Drumlin Farm is located in Lincoln, Mass, just at the end of Route 2.



Drumlin Farm

North Point Park

A beautiful spot for a family outing, picnic, or just relaxing, North Point Park in East Cambridge is a hidden spot.  The location offers views of the Charles River, Museum of Science, and Zakim Bridge.  It is tucked back from the river, but trails and walks take the pedestrian or cyclist along the river in either direction.  There are a number of benches and some picnic tables in the playground area.  The Duckboats enter and exit the water just next to the park, which offers additional entertainment for the little ones, as well as friendly exchange if you're in the mood for quacking or interacting with tourists.  The playground area offers structures that are age appropriate for toddlers through younger elementary school age children, as well as a little spray park area.  Landscaping around the park is lush and well maintained, in addition to the views in most directions, makes for a very pleasant spot.  The only drawback to this area is that 93 runs directly to one side of you, which can be noisy and detracts from the rest of the environment. However, if your little ones enjoy the sight of trucks and cars, and the sound of sirens, it can add to the experience.  The park is typically quiet earlier in the morning and has parking available.  The pictures below don't really do it justice.

Museum of Science

One of Boston's best resources and venues is the Museum of Science in Cambridge.  The museum offers a wealth of information and exhibits, most of which are interactive.  It provides information and entertainment for primarily school age children through teenagers and adults, but also has a small area for the younger preschool/toddler age kids.  There are presentations that run everyday that are free after the admission fee is paid, as well as an Omni Show, which is an additional cost.  The presentations vary from animals to weather and the ever popular electricity show, but are all engaging and given by knowledgeable presenters.  Much of the museum staff are volunteers, many of whom have been there for years and know the museum inside and out.
Exhibits cover topics from optics, to health, force and motion, rocks and minerals, to local issues like the Big Dig.  There is a Butterfly Garden and Planetarium in addition to the other exhibits.  The museum has a cafeteria and a gift shop.  During the school year the museum is often overrun with field trips, so moving through it with younger kids can be tricky.  The is enough space and if it you time it correctly you can work around the large groups.

The museum is also located on the Charles River and is convenient by public transportation or the highway.  It can be rented out as a venue for private events also, and if you are an educator, offers a discount and has an educator's library. 

Museum of Science

Cloth Diapering

When our son was about 3 months old, we decided we were ready to integrate cloth diapers into our lives.  I grew up with cloth diapers (though they were very different then!) and thought environmentally it was a choice we wanted to make.  We didn't completely switch, but decided to do it about 75-80% of the time.  For nighttime and longer naps, we used disposable, since we never found a cloth that stayed dry enough at night.

We were very fortunate to have a great resource a few miles from our house.  I refer people here all the time.  The Diaper Lab has a plethora of cloth diapers and they help you customize your purchase.  Although initially it is a big investment, it works out that money is saved on diapers over time, as disposables are bought so frequently, especially in the early months.
The ladies at Diaper Lab talk you through exactly what you are looking for, your lifestyle, the size and age of your baby (if the baby has been born), and help you select some diapers.  There is a two week trial period, which we really needed, since we had only purchased G-diapers at our local Whole Foods and then found they leaked on our son.  We tried six different diapers before settling on two different kinds, and ended up purchasing about 4 of one kind and 12 of another.  All of our diapers could be used until our son was about 30 lbs, as they were adjustable.

The Diaper Lab holds cloth diapering classes, has an online site, and now has expanded to host baby food making classes as well as baby wearing classes (offering a variety of slings and carriers).

In the early, sleep deprived days, they were supportive and helpful, and practical in the matters of applying this change to our lifestyle.

They are now located in Davis Square in North Cambridge, at 200 Elm Street, as well as having a number of online resources.

The Diaper Lab

                                                           The diapers in action.