# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Boston: the parent guide

> Boston has real winters, so plan indoor stops from December through March.

- Last checked: 2026-10-28
- 7 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/boston/guide/
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/boston/index.md
- Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/boston/visiting/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/boston/llms.txt

## Kid-friendly restaurants

### Boston Public Market (Downtown, 100 Hanover Street)

- An indoor market of New England food vendors over the Haymarket T stop. Kids can graze.
- Price level: $$
- Hours: Sun–Tue 8am–6pm; Wed–Sat 8am–8pm
- Good for: A lunch where everyone picks something different.
- Skip if: you want table service.
- Website: https://bostonpublicmarket.org/visit/

## Indoor play and rainy days

### Boston Public Library (Citywide)

- Free storytimes, baby programs and bilingual music at the Central Library and branches in every neighborhood.
- Price level: Free
- Good for: A free morning anywhere in the city.
- Skip if: it’s a holiday.
- Website: https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/events

### Somerville Public Library (Somerville)

- Free storytimes and family programs at the Central library and branches.
- Price level: Free
- Good for: A free morning across the river.
- Skip if: it’s a holiday.
- Website: https://somervillepubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/

## Museums, zoos and big outings

### Boston Children’s Museum (Fort Point, 308 Congress St)

- Hands-on exhibits on Fort Point Channel, closed Tuesdays.
- Price level: $$
- Tickets: kids 1–15 $24; adults $24; under 12 months
- Hours: Wed–Mon 9am–4pm
- Good for: A rainy day with kids under 8.
- Skip if: it’s a Tuesday; it’s closed.
- Price source: https://bostonchildrensmuseum.org/visit/ (checked 2026-10-28)
- Website: https://bostonchildrensmuseum.org/visit/

### New England Aquarium (Waterfront, 1 Central Wharf)

- The giant ocean tank, penguins and the harbor seals out front.
- Price level: $$$
- Tickets: kids 3–11 $35.95; adults $44.95; 2 and under
- Hours: Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; Sat–Sun 9am–6pm
- Good for: Kids who love fish and penguins.
- Skip if: you want somewhere cheap; tickets add up for a family.
- Price source: https://www.neaq.org/visit/tickets/ (checked 2026-10-28)
- Website: https://www.neaq.org/visit/

### Museum of Science (Science Park, on the Charles River Dam)

- A big science museum with planetarium shows.
- Price level: $$$
- Good for: A long rainy morning.
- Skip if: it’s a school-vacation weekday; it gets crowded.
- Website: https://www.mos.org/visit

### Franklin Park Zoo (Franklin Park, One Franklin Park Road)

- Boston’s zoo, with a giraffe savannah, a children’s zoo and a farm area.
- Price level: $$
- Good for: A morning outside with animals.
- Skip if: you’re coming for Boston Lights expecting the animals; indoor habitats close for it.
- Website: https://zoonewengland.org/franklin-park-zoo/hours-info-faq/

## Free things to do

- Boston Public Library
- Somerville Public Library

## Best for under 3s

- **Boston Children’s Museum**: Free under 12 months.
- **New England Aquarium**: Free for 2 and under.

## Things to do with a baby or a 1-year-old

### Baby and lap-sit storytimes

- **Baby Story Time** (Boston Public Library): Tuesdays at 10:30am · Adams Street. Join Miss Sarah every Tuesday at 10:30 am for short stories, songs, and rhymes. https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6a8861f346e4c80031cbecdf
- **Baby Story Time** (Boston Public Library): Mondays at 11:15am · East Boston. Join us for bounces, rhymes, stories, songs, and activities. https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6ad0d2c9a76c9f3e2ae83d35
- **Baby Story Time** (Boston Public Library): Tuesdays at 10:30am · East Boston. Join us for bounces, rhymes, stories, songs, and activities. https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6ad0d3e5f4d1423e2ce34df8
- **Baby Story Time** (Boston Public Library): Tuesdays at 10:30am · Jamaica Plain. Every Tuesday come celebrate story time with Librarian Chris at 10:30 am! https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6957e846293fe254002b3cc8
- **Baby Story Time** (Boston Public Library): Mondays at 10:30am · North End. Join Librarian Ashley for stories, songs, rhymes, bonding, and fun during a Baby Lap-sit Story Time! https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6ad657f429c3d600333100a8

### Babies get in free

- **Boston Children’s Museum**: under 12 months. https://bostonchildrensmuseum.org/visit/
- **New England Aquarium**: 2 and under. https://www.neaq.org/visit/tickets/

## Library storytimes

- **Boston Public Library**: Weekday and Saturday mornings at many branches. Free storytimes, baby programs and bilingual music. https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/events
- **Somerville Public Library**: Most weeks at Central and the branches. Free storytimes and family programs. https://somervillepubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/


## Happening this week

- **Halloween Party and Parade in Jamaica Plain** (Sat 2–3:30pm) at Connolly Branch. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/boston/#e-halloween_party_and_parade_in_jamaica_pl
- **Family Halloween Party and Pumpkin Stroll** (Sat 10am–3pm) at Boston Public Market. Free; register on Eventbrite. https://littlesweekly.com/boston/#e-family_halloween_party_and_pumpkin_strol
- **Baby Masquerade at the Central Library** (Fri 10:30am–12:30pm) at Central Library in Copley Square. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/boston/#e-baby_masquerade_at_the_central_library
- **Pumpkin Patch of Play at Boston Children’s Museum** (9am–4pm) at Boston Children’s Museum. Included with admission ($24; under 12 months free). https://littlesweekly.com/boston/#e-pumpkin_patch_of_play_at_boston_children
- **Halloween Party at Titus Sparrow Park** (Sat 4–5pm; kids parade at 5) at Titus Sparrow Park. Free; RSVP on the event page. https://littlesweekly.com/boston/#e-halloween_party_at_titus_sparrow_park

Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/boston/index.md

## Holiday pages

- [Santa in Boston: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/boston/santa/index.md)
- [Christmas lights in Boston for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/boston/christmas-lights/index.md)

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### Is Boston good for toddlers?
Yes. The Children’s Museum and the Aquarium are close together on the waterfront, and the library runs storytimes in every neighborhood.

### What’s free for little kids in Boston?
Library storytimes and concerts, plus neighborhood park events.

### What can we do in Boston on a rainy or cold day with a toddler?
Go indoors: Boston Public Library and Somerville Public Library. They’re all under one roof, and most work for a short visit around nap time.

### What can we do with a baby, 1-year-old or 2-year-old in Boston?
Boston Children’s Museum: Free under 12 months. New England Aquarium: Free for 2 and under. See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/boston/guide/#under3).

### Where are the free storytimes in Boston?
Boston Public Library: Weekday and Saturday mornings at many branches. Somerville Public Library: Most weeks at Central and the branches. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See [library storytimes](https://littlesweekly.com/boston/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [Boston weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/boston/).

### How do you choose the places in the Boston guide?
Every one of the 7 places is somewhere we’d take a baby, toddler or preschooler, with a note on who it suits and when to skip it. Prices, hours and menus come from each place’s own site, and 2 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 28, 2026. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).

### How much is the Boston Children’s Museum for a toddler, and who gets in free?
Under 12 months; kids 1–15: $24; adults: $24. We checked this on [its official site](https://bostonchildrensmuseum.org/visit/) on Oct 28, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.