Free Summer Fun - Activities for Kids

With the warmer weather months in New England, I am always looking for activities to do with the kids that get them out of the house.  My friend Jill pointed out a program put together by Highland St Organization called Free Fun Fridays.  Free Fun Fridays started June 24th and runs until August 26th featuring 10 summer Fridays with 8 different venues per Friday that are open to the public for FREE!  That's 80 exhibits across Massachusetts that have free admission this summer, providing your family with the opportunity to explore a variety of cultural venues.

GOMO (Going Out More Often) in Summer

I've gone through Free Fun Fridays list and found those exhibits closest to me that the kids and I would enjoy the most.

CHILDREN'S MUSEUM - NORTH EASTON - JULY 8TH

This museum in southeastern Massachusetts is a great spot to take the kids.  The first floor contains a rocket ship, performing stage, and fire pole providing plenty of open space for the kids to explore and play.  Downstairs has science & math activities and the second floor contains pretend play spaces and an area for drawing & coloring.  There's also an outside exhibit called the Wild Space that we didn't get a chance to see, but has a butterfly garden, fossil pit, and tree house.  We first went there for a birthday party, which the museum will host on the weekends from 10AM - 12PM before it opens.  I really like this spot and aim to take my kiddos there tomorrow since July 8th is its free admission day.

LARZ ANDERSON AUTO MUSEUM - BROOKLINE - JULY 15TH

Larz Anderson Auto Museum hosts the oldest car collection in the U.S.  In addition to the car collection, the museum rotates in new exhibits, which currently includes Porsche cars, BMW, and Yamaha motorcyles.  During the summer on Sundays, they host a lawn event with a themed genre of cars that are showcased outside of the carriage house.  While I'm not a huge auto enthusiast, my husband loves cars and motorcycles and it will be something different for the kids to do.

PILGRIM HALL MUSEUM - PLYMOUTH - JULY 22ND

Plymouth, one of the largest towns in the South Shore, hosts a wide variety of historical spots.  Besides Plymouth Rock and Plimoth Plantation, you can head over to Pilgrim Hall Museum, which is the oldest operating museum in the U.S. and showcases tons of Pilgrim artifacts.  While this exhibit may be a bit too old for my kiddos, it would be a good spot to check out and see what it has to offer.  Plus, I love Plymouth.  It's right on the water, hosts a cute town center with boutique shops and restaurants and we can finish off the day at Nelson Memorial Park.  The park has a large playground and newly built splash pad, which is always a hit with my kids.

THE GREENWAY CAROUSEL - BOSTON - AUGUST 5TH

This carousel is in the heart of the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a mile and a half of parks that stretch throughout Boston.  I am partial to the greenway area near the North End, which has a long pergola, benches, and canal fountains for the kids to run through.  The carousel features animals that are native to Massachusetts and located near the wharf.  This could be a challenging trip with the kids, but I think I'd brave Boston taking our local commuter rail and packing the kids into our double stroller with plenty of snacks and sunscreen.

INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART - BOSTON - AUGUST 19TH

How gorgeous is the art gallery on the water?  I've always wanted to go to the ICA and experience First Friday.  The ICA opens its door on the first Friday of each month and allow you to explore the exhibits with adult cocktails and hor d'oeuvres.  On August 19th, they're providing free admission, performances, and art-making for the whole family.

FRANKLIN PARK ZOO - BOSTON - AUGUST 26TH

I think the last time I went to this zoo I was in grade school.  Zoos are always a hit with the kiddos and it would be fun to go back and it experience it with Faith and Dean.  The zoo is organized by different climate & landscape regions, including the outback, savannah, and rain forest.  They offer train and carousel rides and have a really large playground.  Going to the Franklin Park Zoo will be a great way to round off the summer before heading into Labor Day weekend.

GOMO PLANNING

If you are still trying to plan your summer out and need to figure out what you can do in your area, use Eventbrite to find and track events for you and the family.  In addition, Eventbrite has an event planning page that allows you to create your own social occasion.  Don't experience FOMO (fear of missing out) by doing the opposite and go out more often - GOMO.

What are your plans for the summer?  Do you have fun family events or trips planned?  Summer is my ABSOLUTE favorite season in New England and I'm so excited to be enjoying the warm weather with some free family fun.  I hope you GOMO this summer and if you're a New Englander, hopefully my list will help.

Below is the full set of Free Fun Fridays

Download your own at Highland St Org

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