Yes, plenty is free with little kids in Boston this week: we found 17 free outings, including Baby Masquerade at the Central Library, Trick-or-Treat at the Adams Street Library and Halloween Story Time in Roslindale, plus six library programs. Nine free days and events are coming up, each with its date. And four places never charge admission, like Boston Public Library and Somerville Public Library.
This week
Every free outing on this week’s Boston list, rebuilt every Thursday. Library programs may need a quick sign-up.
Central Library in Copley Square · 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
A costume party for babies through 5-year-olds in the McKim Building’s Exhibition Hall. Registration is required.
Adams Street Branch · 690 Adams Street, Dorchester, MA 02122
Trick-or-treat around the Dorchester branch in costume. A second session runs Saturday afternoon.
Charlestown Branch · 179 Main St, Charlestown, MA 02129
A bilingual Spanish and English music class for little kids.
West Roxbury Branch · 1961 Centre St, West Roxbury, MA 02132
City Ballet of Boston dances the picture book Ben’s Trumpet at the West Roxbury branch.
South End Library Park · 685 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02118
A Halloween sing-and-dance concert in the South End Library Park.
Mattapan Branch · 1350 Blue Hill Ave, Mattapan, MA 02126
Stories and songs in Spanish and English.
South Boston Branch · 646 East Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127
Stories and songs for ages 0 to 5. No registration needed.
Adams Street Branch · 690 Adams Street, Dorchester, MA 02122
A music concert for young kids at the Adams Street branch.
Roslindale Branch · 4246 Washington St, Roslindale, MA 02131
Halloween stories picked for ages 0 to 5, with everyone welcome.
Central Library in Copley Square · 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
A half-hour of stories and songs for kids up to 7.
Connolly Branch · 433 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
Treats and crafts at the Connolly branch, then a costume parade down Centre Street to Mozart Park with the Hyde Square Task Force.
Central Library in Copley Square · 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
A story about Day of the Dead, then everyone makes papel picado. Aimed at ages 4 to 12.
Boston Public Market · 100 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02108
Free pumpkin painting and crafts at the market, then a walk along the Greenway looking for pumpkins. Kids in costume ride the Greenway Carousel free.
Somerville Public Library, Central · 79 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143
Kids meet in the auditorium and parade through the library in costume before trick-or-treating. No registration.
Mass Audubon Magazine Beach Park Nature Center · Magazine Beach Park, Cambridge, MA
Explore the park and look for its creepy crawly animals before trick-or-treating.
Titus Sparrow Park · 75 West Rutland Square, Boston, MA 02118
Pizza, music from Music at the Blissful, then a kids parade down a car-free West Rutland Square to start trick-or-treating.
Central Library in Copley Square · 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
An afternoon storytime for kids up to 7 and their grown-ups.
Nothing free on this day yet. Try an always-free place.
Mark the calendar
Museum and zoo free days, free festivals and other one-off free events, soonest first. Some free days are only for residents or cardholders, so each one says who gets in free.
Boston Public Market · Downtown
Titus Sparrow Park · South End
Magazine Beach Park Nature Center · Cambridge
Quincy Market · Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, MA
2–6pm; tree lit at 6. Santa helps light the marketplace tree at 6pm, after an afternoon of live performances.
Boston Common · 139 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116
6–8pm. The city lights the tree Nova Scotia sends each year. The Commonwealth Avenue Mall lights come on right after, around 8:15.
Copley Square, Boston Common and venues around downtown · Copley Square, Boston, MA
Fireworks over Boston Common at 7pm; harbor fireworks at midnight. The city’s New Year’s Eve celebration with performances, ice sculptures, a procession and family activities. The early fireworks over Boston Common follow the procession, which makes them the easier pick with kids. The 2027 performance schedule hasn’t been posted yet.
Discovery Museum · 177 Main St. (Route 27), Acton, MA 01720
10am–noon; ball drop at noon. Make party hats and noisemakers, come in pajamas, and count down to a noon ball drop. Bad weather can change or cancel the program.
Boston Public Library – South Boston · 646 East Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127
11:30am–12:15pm. For ages 3–7: make party hats and noisemakers, play balloon games and have a mini dance party for the countdown to noon.
Boston Public Library – Hyde Park · 35 Harvard Ave, Hyde Park, MA 02136
11:30am–12:30pm. Holiday stories and a festive craft, then ring in the new year at noon. Not meant for large groups.
Any day
Parks, gardens, nature centers and museums that don’t charge admission.
Every week
Free storytimes, baby programs and bilingual music.
Weekday and Saturday mornings at many branches
Free storytimes and family programs.
Most weeks at Central and the branches
Every weekly storytime by day and branch: library storytimes in Boston.
Keep planning
November: things to do in BostonEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in BostonEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Indoor play in BostonIndoor playgrounds, toddler times, museums and classes, with pricesLibrary storytimes in BostonBaby, toddler and preschool storytimes by day and branch
Ice skating in BostonHoliday and indoor rinks, skate aids and prices
Thanksgiving weekend in BostonParades, turkey trots and what’s open on Thursday
Noon Year’s Eve in BostonKid-friendly countdowns, home by nap
Christmas parades in BostonParades and tree lightings with dates and start times
Christmas trains in BostonPolar Express, Santa and lights trains with datesThe Nutcracker in BostonBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in BostonChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hours
Christmas break in BostonWhat’s open on Dec 24, Dec 25 and Jan 1This week in BostonDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every Thursday
Good questions
This week we found 17 free outings for ages 0–6, including Baby Masquerade at the Central Library, Trick-or-Treat at the Adams Street Library, Halloween Story Time in Roslindale and Cantitos & Little Tunes in Charlestown. See free this week; the list is rebuilt every Thursday.
Family Halloween Party and Pumpkin Stroll: Sat Oct 31. Halloween Party at Titus Sparrow Park: Sat Oct 31. Creepy Crawly Creations: Sat Oct 31. Dates come from each venue’s own page; see free days and free events.
Santa at the Faneuil Hall tree lighting, Boston Common Tree Lighting, First Night Boston, Bessie’s Rockin’ Noon Year’s Eve and Noon Year’s Eve Party at South Boston Library and 1 more are free this season. Dates and times are on each card under free days and free events.
Boston Public Library, Somerville Public Library, Boston Public Library storytimes and Somerville Public Library storytimes don’t charge admission. Some charge for parking or special exhibits; the cards say so where the place does.
Yes. Boston Public Library and Somerville Public Library run free storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Times change by branch, so check the calendar linked below.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 28, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday for dated events and once a month for free places. How we choose and check.
One short email every Thursday evening with the best things to do with little ones in Boston that weekend, free ones flagged.
