Things to Do in Boston with Kids - Japan Festival, EarthFest and More 5/18-5/19
There’s plenty of fun and free things to do in and around Boston this weekend. From EarthFest at the Hatch Shell, the Franklin Park Kite Festival, and the Hot Dog Safari on Saturday to the Japan Festival Boston and the Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle on Sunday, the weekend is filled with festivals and celebrations. Read on for more of our weekend picks, and be sure to check our Events Calendar for more ideas.
Looking for more things to do? Rachel, our newest contributor, recently took her two year old to the Arnold Arboretum and has five simple ways to occupy a toddler (or two) and connect with nature in one of the city’s most beautiful and peaceful green spaces. Kristin describes her “love affair” with Baby Wiggle Little Groove - great classes, fun birthday parties and more. Plus, the Highland Street Foundation's Free Fridays schedule is out - Tara has chosen five to highlight, taking into consideration whether other significant discounts (such as library museum passes) are available at another time, how much money is saved, proximity to Boston, and whether the place is good for young children.
Finally, a big thank you to all the families, volunteers, sponsors and supporters who helped make last week’s One Family Music Festival such a success - thanks to everyone’s generosity, we were able to raise over $23,000 for the One Fund Boston. We also brought the families of Boston together to sing, dance, create art, and celebrate the strength and beauty of our great city. It was a day that allowed many families to begin healing from the pain caused by the tragic events surrounding this year’s Boston Marathon, and to reclaim the city for our children.
Enjoy the weekend!
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Wampanoag Dance, Song, and Stories - Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge
Sat 5/18
Free with admission
Annawon Weeden, a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe (Massachusetts), brings traditional dance, song, and storytelling to the Museum. Join in Eastern social dance songs from the New England area celebrating Eastern Woodland culture. Plus, kids can make corn husk “action figures.“
EarthFest 2013 - Hatch Shell, Boston
Sat 5/18
FREE
The free festival is a family-friendly celebration for the Earth, showcasing national and local music acts, environmentally-friendly products and local non-profit environmental organizations produced in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.
National Astronomy Day - Clay Center, Brookline
Sat 5/18
FREE
The family-friendly event includes activities for all ages, including:
- Demonstrations, planetarium shows, Laser Light shows, rocketry, stunt kites, hands-on educational activities for all ages.
- Galileo returns - Meet a famous robot from the movies, have your picture taken with it
- Door Prizes for children - register for a chance to win telescopes and more.
- Indoor kite flying, 7pm-9pm
Rosalita's Puppets: Aesop's Fables - Boston Common Frog Pond, Boston
Sat 5/18
FREE
Enjoy short marionette tales, ideal for the very little ones (pre- k and younger). Presented in two parts over one hour. During intermissions, children can take a spin on the carousel. Puppet show is free, carousel rides are $3.
Family Tour of Gore Place Farm: What’s Fresh at the Farm? - Gore Place, Waltham
Sat 5/18
$5/group
Families can enjoy a self-guided tour of the farm at Gore Place and explore areas not usually open to the public. Visit the raised beds, row crops, composting area, and backfields in different stages of cultivation and see the goats, sheep, chickens, and llama. Scavenger hunt included. Winners take home a tomato plant from the Plant Sale. All proceeds go to the farm.
Family Hour in the Open - Maudslay State Park, Newburyport
Sat 5/18
FREE
Bring the kids, the dog and a picnic blanket for a morning of storytelling, song, dance, theater, and other special activities.
Hot Dog Safari - Lansdowne Street, Boston
Sat 5/18
$15-$20; Children 10 & under free
The Phantom Gourmet Hot Dog Safari takes place along Lansdowne Street and features special parties inside the restaurants and food samplings along the street. Hot dogs, sausages, snacks and sides. Look for special kids activities like bounce houses, arcade games and more.
Proceeds to benefit Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Joey Fund.
Franklin Park Kite & Bike Festival - Franklin Park - Shattuck Picnic Grove, Boston
Sat 5/18
FREE
Come fly a kite for this longstanding Franklin Park tradition and celebrate the arrival of spring. Bring your kite or you can buy one in the park. Tour the park with free bike “rentals” or bring your own. Food trucks for picnics.
Japan Festival Boston - City Hall Plaza, Boston
Sun 5/19
FREE
The festival was created to commemorate the Centennial of the original gift of cherry trees from Japan to Washington, DC in 1912. The Haru Matsuri will present a unique opportunity for Boston families and visitors to enjoy Japanese food and entertainment and to learn about Japanese culture in an entertaining environment.
Featuring 80 booths offering delicious foods and goods, games and activities typical to traditional Japanese festivals, as well as music and performances by local artists, the Haru Matsuri is expected to be a day full of fun and festivity for participants of all ages.
Mystic River Herring Run and Paddle - DCR Blessing of the Bay Boathouse, Somerville
Sun 5/19
FREE to watch
Join the Mystic River Watershed Association for a fun day along the Mystic River. The day's events include a 5K run/walk race, three paddling races (3, 9, and 12 miles), a bicycle tour, educational booths, and children's activities.
