Things To Do in Harvard Square with Kids

1. Spend an afternoon at the Harvard Art Museums.

2. Catch a ballet with Jose Mateo Dance company.

3. Attend an activity or pick out a book at the children's room at The Harvard Coop. Make sure the kids use their bathroom while there before heading back out!

4. Catch one of the kid-friendly films, or even film festivals, at the Brattle Theatre.

5. Keep an eye on the calendar for family-friendly festivals, like Harvard ArtsFirst.

6. See all of the historical sites (and even the haunted ones!) with a tour of Harvard square.

 
Harvard's museums offer some of the coolest things to do and see in Harvard Square. Harvard Museum of Science and Culture photo by Michael Del Llano for Mommy Poppins

7. Plan a full day visiting all the museums at the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture.

Free Things To Do in Harvard Square

8. Visit the Longfellow House and grounds for a free tour inside and look around the gorgeous garden. A great place for photos!

9. No matter what else you do, make sure to leave time to play at the fantastic Alexander Kemp Playground on Cambridge Common!

10. Find the gate into Harvard that reads "Enter to Grow in Wisdom." See if it makes the kids feel smarter to pass through that particular gate into Harvard Yard!

11. Help the kids find William Dawes' golden horseshoes and the cannons at the Dawes' Island Memorial on Massachusetts Avenue.

12. Bring roller skates and try them out on Memorial Drive in summer, when it's closed to vehicle traffic.

13. Take a break on the benches beside the fountain at the Radcliffe Sunken Garden.

14. Bring a soccer ball or Frisbee along to play on the Cambridge Common park.

Harvard Square Restaurants

15. In cold weather, drop by L.A. Burdick for a hot chocolate. In fact, stop by regardless of the weather!

16. Grab a slice of Sicilian-style pizza from Pinocchio's.

17. The Cambridge Common restaurant on Mass. Ave. has some of the best outdoor dining in Boston.

18. Grab a burger at Shake Shack, Tasty Burger, or my family's favorite, Mr. Bartley's Gourmet Burgers.

19. Have an ice cream, frozen yogurt, or some other treat at J.P. Licks.

20. Indulge your sweet tooth and grab a yummy cookie at Insomnia Cookies.

Harvard Square Hotels

21. The Harvard Square Hotel has a fabulous central location and bright, spacious rooms.

22. The Charles Hotel is a great option for foodie families, with multiple on-site restautrants.

23. The DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Boston-Cambridge is just across the river in Boston. Some rooms have balconies overlooking Boston and Cambridge.

Visitng Colleges around Harvard Square with High Schoolers

24. Take the whole family on a Hahvahd Tour for a behind-the-scenes look at Ivy League life.

25. Campus tours of M.I.T are just a short ride (or a couple T stops) away!