Fun and Free Things to Do in Boston with Kids: Winter Trails, Magic Shows, Music Fest and More, 1/12-1/13

1/10/13 - By Audrey Trieschman

The outlook for this weekend is mild and dry - perfect for outdoor fun. Families can check out Winter Trails Day, visit the Stone Zoo, or explore a winter farmers market as starters. Indoor options include a puppet show with Galapagos Puppets, performances by Troy Wunderle, Bob the Magic Guy, and Big Joe the Storyteller. Read on for our top picks.

Plus, take a look at Tara's roundup of current STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) opportunities for Boston kids - new and upcoming places, spaces, events and programs that will get your kids excited about STEM. And, most of them are free!

Hard as it may be to believe, the camp fair season has begun in earnest, starting this weekend with the Camp and Summer Expo at Dexter Southfield School. We’re also working on listings of favorite camps in the area. If you have a great camp to recommend, we’d love to include it - please email us with your suggestions.

As always, there are more activities listed on our daily events calendar. Whatever you choose to do this weekend, enjoy!

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

A Night at the Museum - Larz Anderson Auto Museum, Brookline
Fri 1/11
FREE

Admission to the Larz Anderson Auto Museum is free this evening. Families can enjoy arts and crafts and warm up with some yummy hot chocolate! Please bring canned goods as donation for the Brookline Food Pantry.


Annie - R.J.Grey Jr. High, Acton
Opens Fri 1/11
Tickets $12        

Open Door Theater presents the classic story of a spunky Depression-era orphan determined to find her parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan.

One performance features a live ASL interpretation (1/13 2pm), and one performance is an Autism-friendly show for adults and children with autism spectrum disorders and their families or caregivers (1/19 12n).


Trolls in the Kitchen - Arlington Center for the Arts, Arlington
Sat 1/12
Tickets $6        

Join Margaret Moody of Galapagos Puppets for this gentle Swedish tale told with original hand puppets. Families can stay for coffee and puppet-play after the show. Tickets available at the door or reserve via email.


Troy Wunderle - Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline
Sat 1/12
Tickets Adults $10; Children $8        

Featuring the rich and time-treasured delights of expert juggling, astounding ladder balancing, sensational plate spinning, teetering rola bolas, daring unicycle antics, mesmerizing bubble routines, magnificent magic and hysterical comic buffoonery.


Wish Smoky and Bubba Happy Birthday! - Stone Zoo, Stoneham
Sat 1/12
Included with Zoo admission

Visitors celebrate the 7th birthday of black bears Smoky and Bubba! Watch them tear into their birthday-themed enrichment made especially for them in a festively decorated exhibit. Zookeeper encounters at 10:45am and 1:15pm are great opportunities to ask questions and learn more about the bears. Sign a giant birthday card for Smoky and Bubba at the Animal Discovery Center between 11am & 3pm.


Big Joe's Big Snow Show - Barefoot Books, Concord
Sat 1/12
$8 per person ($20 family max.)        

Big Joe the (ever-fun) storyteller features winter tales from around the world that will give you lots of laughs and warm your heart on a cold day. There will be puppets, props, and plenty of surprises to go along with the stories that will delight, amaze and thrill. Pre-register.

Winter Trails Day - Weston Ski Track, Weston
Sat 1/12
Free snowshoeing; see website for additional options        

Winter Trails Day is a national event each January to introduce people to the fun of getting outside on cross-country skis or snowshoes.

  • Snowshoeing: Snowshoe events are free and do not require pre-registration. There are free snowshoe demos and free guided tours. A limited number of demo snowshoes are available; those who want to use snowshoes for more than 15-20 minutes can rent them at the regular rate.
  • XC Skiing: Free ski lessons are available with pre-registration and the purchase of a trail pass (and rental if needed). To register or view a class schedule, visit the website.

BCMFest - Boston's Celtic Music Fest - Club Passim, Cambridge
Sat 1/12
Tickets $15        

As part of the two-day music fest, BCMFest's "Dayfest" features songs, storytelling, and other children's and family entertainment in the morning, plus four stages of performances, dance, and sessions throughout the day. The Bell Family shares the tunes, songs, dances and stories of Ireland and Scotland, and family entertainment continues with fiddle playing, a performance by Matt Heaton, known as a brilliant guitar, bouzouki and bodhran player.

Animal Farm Band - Amazing Things Arts Center, Framingham
Sat 1/12
Tickets $8-$10        

Animal Farm's show blends original music, storytelling, hilarious antics and games. The Boston-based trio of musicians and educators explores themes of friendship, community and self-expression through the eyes of furry, feathered, scaly and shell-dwelling friends. A pig gets greedy, a two-headed tortoise tries to get along with itself, and a baby bat struggles with his fear of the dark.


Bob the Magic Guy - Regent Theatre, Arlington
Sat 1/12
Tickets Adults $10; Children $8        

Magic month continues! Bob the Magic Guy has an easy manner, clever dialogue, and a hat and handful of tricks, weaving stories and slapstick humor around clever magic tricks.


Ben Rudnick in Concert + Open House - Fayerweather St. School, Cambridge
Sat 1/12
FREE

Ben Rudnick & Friends' adventurous acoustic music and lyrically humorous style have won them fans of all ages. The school also hosts an open house for children entering pre-K and K.


2013 Camp and Summer Expo - Dexter Southfield School, Brookline
Sat 1/12
FREE

Families can meet with staff from more than 75 day and overnight camp and summer programs. The fair also features games, a live touch tank, prizes and giveaways, plus live performances by some of the area’s top family entertainers.