Tara D

Tara constantly seeks out opportunities for enrichment and exploration with her kids. When she started writing about it as the Boston Community Ambassador for Ziptivity.com, she discovered a passion for sharing her unique finds with parents, helping to make their lives a little easier and a lot more fun. Her work, which has been highlighted by Huffington Post, can be seen nationally across the Mommy Poppins sites and on Appalachian Mountain Club's Kids Outdoors blog.

Latest posts by Tara

Maple Sugaring with Boston Kids: Maple Syrup Festivals, Sugar House Tours in Massachusetts

Submitted by Tara D on Fri, 02/19/2021 - 1:00pm

One of the sweetest things about living in Massachusetts is being able to experience maple sugaring firsthand. Bostonians don’t have to go very far to enjoy maple sugar festivals, learn to tap maple trees at farms, or watch sap being boiled down in sugar houses. Of course, the best part is tasting the final product!

Read on for the maple sugaring activities and sugar house tours available to families during this year's syrup season, starting in late February and lasting through March. Make the most of the next couple months by checking out our favorite snowshoeing spots and snow tubing areas in our Boston winter fun guide.

30 Winter Activities near Boston with Kids

Submitted by Tara D on Sun, 12/27/2020 - 3:05pm

Winters in New England can sometimes feel dark and dreary, but the silver lining of all the frosty weather is snowy outdoor adventures and cozy traditions. Here’s a list of winter activities in and around Boston to do with kids in 2020 and 2021, from snow tubing and fire pit picnics to safe indoor entertainment.

If winter doldrums still persist, peruse our Boston Winter Fun Guide for more ideas for keeping kids busy when the weather is frightful. Keep warm—and have fun!

Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks Near Boston Open in 2020-2021

Submitted by Tara D on Mon, 11/30/2020 - 8:51pm

Whether your kids are skating first-timers or hockey players, gliding on one of the outdoor ice skating rinks around Boston can be a fun, affordable way for families to get fresh air and exercise in the wintertime. Read on for some of our favorite rinks in the Boston area—several are closed in 2020, including the beloved Boston Common Frog Pond, but some are opening, with capacity restrictions in place to promote healthy outdoor activity for area families.

And while these fresh-air rinks have a special charm, many of these free indoor skating facilities around Boston are open this winter for public skating and lessons, too. If your kids enjoy a slope as much or more than a rink, check out these Northeast ski mountains opening in 2020.

Holiday Volunteering With Kids Near Boston in 2020

Submitted by Tara D on Thu, 11/12/2020 - 8:45pm

We all have our hands full with family and work obligations, and the holidays certainly don't lighten the load. And yet, it's a time of year when we're extra-inspired to count our blessings—and teach our children to do the same. Volunteering with kids helps them learn to give back to their schools, churches, and communities. These charitable organizations invite families to help individuals in need over the holiday season while keeping social distance, from collecting warm clothing to packaging up wholesome meals to creating stockings for veterans.

Around turkey day, kids can crafty with these Fun Projects That Help Kids Give Thanks, too. And as we head deeper into winter, consider these 20 ways kids and teens can help others during coronavirus. Never has there been a better time to teach our youth the importance of spreading love and hope, near and far.

Boston's Best Holiday Drive-thru and Christmas Light Displays

Submitted by Tara D on Fri, 11/06/2020 - 8:30pm

Every family favors different holiday traditions, but we don't know anyone—young or old—who isn't delighted by the twinkly glow of a holiday or Christmas light display. In 2020, the annual tradition of taking in holiday lights will be more meaningful than ever for Boston parents and kids: As these spectacular displays are mainly outdoors, it gives us all a chance to feel a little seasonal magic in a safe, socially distanced way. This year, there are even drive-thru events such as the Magic of Lights show at Gillette Stadium, the Greater Boston Celebration of Lights event in Waltham, and the Marshfield Holiday Light Show, in addition to sparklier-than-ever walk-through events like ZooLights and La Salette Shrine.

Whether you venture out to a dazzling show at one of these area attractions or just drive around to these spectacularly decorated local homes, set aside an evening, bring a thermos of cocoa, and experience some magic as a family. Make sure you bookmark our Boston Holiday Fun Guide for more ideas for family outings in November and December.

Haunted Houses, Trails, and Rides Near Boston for 2020 Halloween Thrills

Submitted by Tara D on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 12:00pm

Do you have a big kid (or one at heart) who lives for the thrills and chills of Halloween time? While some area haunted houses remain shuttered until 2021, there are several haunted attractions and even some new spooky experiences (including nighttime "swamp" ride) that are open for scary business in Massachusetts or just over the New Hampshire or Rhode Island borders—all with safety policies in place to allow for social distancing. Best for older children, these Boston-area haunted attractions feature ghoulish scenery, jump scares, and even some wickedly good storylines to put everyone in the spooky spirit.

Too scary? No worries: Our Halloween Guide is packed with seasonal parades, crafts, and other activities that are just plain fun.

Corn Mazes near Boston with Fun Activities for Kids

Submitted by Tara D on Fri, 09/11/2020 - 3:00pm

Larger-than-life corn mazes offer families the challenge of working through a tricky puzzle together, all while enjoying New England's crisp fall weather. Add exciting play areas, hayrides, pumpkin patches, and quirky country games (like apple and pumpkin blasters), and a corn maze outing becomes one of our favorite fall activities. Here are some of the Boston area's best corn mazes for an outdoor autumn adventure.

14 Outdoor Water Parks in New England

Submitted by Tara D on Tue, 07/28/2020 - 3:05pm

In just a few hours time, families in Massachusetts and Connecticut can drive to some exciting outdoor water parks for a wet and wild adventure with kids. Although there's no shortage of big slides at these water parks, you don't have to be a daredevil (or of a certain height) to enjoy yourself. There are wave pools, family raft rides, lazy rivers, and mini slides for little ones. Some of our favorite water parks are small, family-run parks with just a few slides, and others are part of a larger theme park, but they all offer plenty of chances to get completely soaked.

Read on to see what outdoor water parks are open in the summer of 2020. To cool off closer to home, Massachusetts and Connecticut families can day trip it to these Boston-area spraygrounds and splash pads, Hartford-area spraygrounds and splash-pads, or New Haven and Fairfield-area spraygrounds and splash pads.

Tara D

Tara D

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