The Public Garden in Boston, MA

Price of Admission: Garden is FREE, Swan Boats are Adults $2.75 Children $1.50 (age 2 to 15 years)
Seniors $2.00

Best for Ages: ALL

To Do: We love love love The Public Garden! I have had the opportunity to go there almost daily while teaching in the city. Now I have been able to take my daughter there to enjoy the surroundings and play. The garden itself is just breathtaking. There are flowers and plants for all seasons. Spring is the best! I haven't taken Amelia on a Swan boat ride since she was at school in Boston however we are planning a trip soon.
http://www.swanboats.com/schedule-fares
The ticket price is inexpensive and the ride is very relaxing on a warm day. Bring sunscreen though! If you are lucky you may even see some of the turtles that hang out on the small island inside the pond. The Swans and ducks are awesome. Because the garden has such foot traffic on a regular basis ducks and squirrels are not afraid to get close to people, especially while you are eating. We enjoy going to the Make Way For Ducklings statue, running in the grass, feeding the ducks, hiding under the canopy trees, and having a Frosty. It really is a beautiful spot.

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Belkin Family Lookout Farm in South Natick Mass

Price of Admission: $8.00 during the week and $14.00 Sat and Sun, children under two are FREE

Best for Ages: 4 and up for the play area/ all ages for the orchard

To Do: We went on a day in October when there were no more apples to pick. During picking season all fruit is $1.69 per pound. Although we weren't picking fruit, we did stay to play. They have these great wooden trains that take you on a bumpy ride into the orchard and over to the play area. The trains have been around forever and I swear I remember them from my childhood. Amelia was squealing and waving the whole ride. We got there very early and it seemed that the staff wasn't there and that there were a lot more things to do that just weren't open, like a small food stand. It was fairly quiet. I'm sure during picking season, it is very busy. We went to visit all the animals which included little piggies, lambs, cows, and an ostrich. I was disappointed that you couldn't pet any of them. But there were no staff members around to tell us if it was safe or not to touch them through the fence. Amelia's favorite part was the GIANT hay structure. They pile the hay on so tall and kids can climb all over it. It was really great. They also have a moon bounce, climbing and sliding structures, and live entertainment. One of the slides goes right down the side of a tree with a little house on top, really cute. When we were leaving we grabbed a couple of apples from the small store and put a blanket on the grass. I don't think I have EVER seen my kid eat an apple like that. It was delicious. Oh and if you are into photography at all,this place has incredible backdrops for photos. We will go again next year during a busier time

















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The EcoTarium in Worcester, MA

Price of Admission: Adults $12, Children 2-18 $8, Under 2 FREE

Best for Ages: More for Children 4 and up with some limited activities for Toddlers

To Do: I decided to take Amelia to The EcoTarium when I found out that they have a story time on Wednesday mornings. Because she is under 2 the $12.00 was reasonable. Libraries often have passes, I just didn't check before I left. The story time was around 10 so it was a perfect time for us to play and then get home for lunch. Along with a story the museum provides a snack and craft activity. I was a bit disappointed in the formality of the story time. There were a lot of chairs everywhere and I felt pressure to sit on them when I really prefer to sit on the floor. My daughter was also not quite ready to sit and pay attention to the story. She just wanted to play. I had heard that they sometimes make the story interactive with actual live animals. I wish we had seen that or even a puppet or two. It would have kept her attention. The craft was a simple crayon and paper activity that they provide but parents help with. The coffee and snacks were nice. After that I took her exploring around the museum. They had a life size air blown whale that you could walk into. We waited our turn to go in which we never got. A mom later told me that kids were being changed and nursed inside the whale so I guess I'm glad we didn't have a turn! Amelia loved some of the cause and effect displays and the area with fish, turtles, and opposum. The animals outside were difficult to see. Because it was winter time we didn't get a chance to check out the train or playground. I've heard other parents say that the playground is very nice. We will visit again in warmer weather.

 

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Dean Park in Shrewsbury, MA

Price of Admission: FREE

Best for Ages: ALL

To Do: This is the park that is closest to us and we visit most frequently. My husband is related to the Dean family so going there feels like family tradition. The grounds themselves are huge with walking trails, tennis courts, basket ball, baseball, a pond with ducks, and a fenced in playground. I would have to say that my only complaint about the park is that it is very shady in the playground area which means on some days it's just too cold. There are so many options for play inside the playground. There are plenty of swings, two sandboxes, a seesaw, climbing structures for toddlers and big kids, and a little play house. It is just perfect on a warm day. We have had picnics there, taken walks, and even caught some ball games.

   

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Elm Park in Worcester, MA

Price of Admission: FREE

Best for Ages: ALL

To Do: This park is still full of the beauty it had when I was a kid and it happens to be the United States very first park. I always loved going there with my parents to feed the ducks. Unfortunately there are more geese than ducks which causes a huge amount of droppings but it's tolerable. The bridges and rocks around the water could use a facelift. I don't think you can walk on all the rocks like I once could. I didn't realize how steep one of those bridges is until Amelia wanted to walk up. Parents need to supervise closely with little ones. I like the options for the playground area. There is a small climbing structure for toddlers and a really big one for older kids. There are plenty of swings and benches all around for a snack break. Worcester is losing some of it's charm but Elm Park continues to be a favorite spot for me. And after we play I like to take her to The Bean Counter or The Bagel Inn for a treat.

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The Discovery Museums in Acton, Mass

Price of Admission: $10.50 and only children under 1 are free which can make for a pricey adventure. If you love it, they do sell memberships which can be used at a bunch of other museums.

Best for Ages: There are two museums at the location: The Children's Museum which is different from the Science Museum is perfect for infants, toddlers, and older toddlers.

To Do: This old Victorian House has been converted into a great play space for young children. In every room there is a new theme and it is all very kid friendly. The toys are intriguing, everything is on their level, and it has been put together thoughtfully. I would have liked to see more staff walking around and there is only one bathroom which can be trouble with a museum full of toddlers in diapers. They also provide plastic bags for dirty diapers but people get confused and they put the dirty diapers in the bag container. Yuck. Amelia loved the train table, the water table, the light up bridge, the jungle room, and the attic which has been converted into a giant ship. It's really cool. I loved the wooden steps that light up when you walk on them. They also have a kid's kitchen with small booth seating attached (super cute)! After we played we went to a nice little restaurant across the street for lunch. we will go again however I will check my library to see if they have passes or consider the membership due to the expense.











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