Statue and Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown

Spend a day exploring Charlestown after a family visit to the USS Constitution Museum. | Photo by @travelikealocalma

From major attractions like the Franklin Park Zoo to movin’ and groovin’ at family dance parties, there’s something in Boston for children of all ages.

You’ll have no trouble entertaining the youngsters with this list of 27 kid-friendly activities around the city.

🗓️ For February vacation

Parks Department Activities, Locations vary
Browse the schedule of free family activities throughout school vacation week, from open gym access to baseball clinics. Plus, there’s a Children’s Winter Festival on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at the Boston Common.

LEGO Maritime Festival, USS Constitution Museum
Allow your kid’s imagination to set sail during the museum’s week-long LEGO ship-building program. The festival activities are included with the cost of admission ($5-$10 for children).

🦁 Animal encounters

Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Rd. | 🎟️ Memberships available
Take a journey through the tropical forest, tiger exhibit, and the giraffe savannah at the city zoo. Kids will remember playing in the Kids’ Corner.

New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf | 🎟️ Memberships available
Head to the Long Wharf area and spend a day seeing the largest shark and ray touch tank on the East Coast and the four-story Giant Ocean Tank. Kids will remember the colony of 60+ penguins.

Two giraffes looking into camera — See tigers and lions and giraffes (oh my).

🎳 Indoor adventures

Boston Children’s Museum, 308 Congress St. | 🎟️ Memberships available
The second oldest children’s museum in the US boasts a Polar Playground, STEAM and Art Labs, and a PlaySpace exhibit for youngsters. Kids will remember gliding on the indoor sock skating rink.

Boda Borg, 90 Pleasant St., Malden
This gaming center was founded in Sweden and offers 16 challenges (aka quests) that range from solving escape room puzzles to climbing a rock wall . Kids will remember the new Animal Kingdom quest.

Ready to keep the family fun going? Hit the link below for 21 more things to do.

MORE TO EXPLORE

POLL

Kid-friendly bars and breweries are:

A. A life-saver for me and my family
B. A fun place to gather with a group of friends
C. Places I actively avoid

LET US KNOW

EVENTS

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Thursday, Feb. 2

Meters 4 Liters: Notch Run Club | Thursday, Feb. 2 | 6-9 p.m. | The Charles River Speedway, 525 Western Ave., Brighton | Free | Join this weekly 5K running group and snack on free pretzels post-run.
Tight Five | Thursday, Feb. 2 | 10 p.m. | Improv Asylum, 216 Hanover St., Boston | $5 | Local comedians will come together to perform the best five-minute set they can muster.

Friday, Feb. 3

Love & Rhythm: Valentine’s R&B Concert | Friday, Feb. 3 | 7-10:30 p.m. | Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., Cambridge | $10 | Jam out with talented local R&B artists at this Valentine’s Day-themed event.

Saturday, Feb. 4

Upham’s Corner Heart Bombing | Saturday, Feb. 4 | 1-4 p.m. | Dorchester Brewing Company, 1250 Massachusetts Ave., Boston | Free | Join the Boston Preservation Alliance for a beer and valentine-crafting event, followed by brief walking tour of the Dorchester neighborhood.
Black History Month Celebration | Saturday, Feb. 4-Sunday, Feb. 5 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston | $25-$29 | The local museum kicks off its Black History Month celebrations with featured speakers, family activities + performance groups.
Winter Book Sale | Saturday, Feb. 4-Sunday, Feb. 5 | Times vary | Somerville Public Library, Central, 79 Highland Ave., Somerville | Free to attend | Stop by the two-day library book sale for a wide selection of $1 books.
Après Cambridge at CX | Saturday, Feb. 4 | 12-2 p.m. | The Picnic Grove at CX, 219 Jacobs St., Cambridge | Free | Reserve your spot for an afternoon of winter fun, including an ice sculpture demo, treats from Zinneken’s + an arts and crafts station.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

NEWS NOTES

Weather

39º | Mostly sunny | 0% chance of rain
Mayor Wu declared a cold emergency in the city from Friday, Feb. 3-Sunday, Feb. 5. Brush up on heating safety, emergency home repair resources, and other winter safety tips here.

Concert

Hold Up — Beyoncé announced the “Renaissance World Tour” yesterday, and she’s headed to Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, Aug. 1. Fans can register now through Thursday, Feb. 9 for ticket access on Live Nation + the Verified Fan sale will begin on Saturday, Feb. 18. 🎤

Announced

John Mulaney will film his new comedy special during three upcoming performances at Boston Symphony Hall. Tickets for the Saturday, Feb. 25-Sunday, Feb. 26 shows go on sale to the public tomorrow at 12 p.m. 🎟️

Watch

Frasier Crane is headed back to where everybody knows his name. The sequel to “Frasier” will be set in Boston + the first two episodes will be directed by James Burrows, the director and co-creator of “Cheers.” (Variety)

Sports

Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady announced that he is retiring from the NFL “for good.” The news comes roughly one year after Brady first announced his retirement. The Pats wished him well on social media. 🏈

Arts

Hank Willis Thomas, the artist behind Boston Common’s newest memorial, has created another buzzworthy art piece. A 10-ft-tall sculpture called “Opportunity (reflection)” will be displayed outside State Farm Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 12 for the Super Bowl game. (Boston Globe)

Drink

South Shore brewery Widowmaker Brewing is reportedly expanding to a new location in the city. The Braintree-based business is expected to share more information about the upcoming location later this month. 🍻 (Boston Restaurant Talk)

Civic

Tax season is upon us, and Boston residents who make less than $60,000 a year are eligible to receive free tax preparation services. The Boston Tax Help Coalition will provide tax services remotely and in-person at 30+ neighborhood sites — learn more.

Traffic

What we’re buying for our cars: Dash cams. The REDTIGER Dual Dash Camera captures both the front and rear of your car and can be a lifesaver when it comes to contesting traffic violations and recording evidence of collisions. Plus, it connects to your mobile device. 🚦*

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CAUSE

Walk to end homelessness 👟

Group of people walking with "Winter Walk" banner

This will be Winter Walk’s seventh annual event. | Photo by Stewart Ting Chong

Sunday, Feb. 12 is the annual Winter Walk Boston event — a two-mile walk through our city during the coldest month of the year. Why? To walk with Boston’s homeless population and fundraise to help end homelessness in our communities.

How to step up

Register in advance for the event — walkers are asked to pay a $100 registration fee up front or pledge to fundraise that amount. For youth + students, the fee is $50. All of the Winters Walk’s proceeds go toward its partner organizations.

There are also options to register in-person at 8:30 a.m. before the walk. Pro tip: You can bring your dog, and pups registered in advance will get a doggie gift bag.

The walk begins at 9 a.m. at Copley Plaza with housed and unhoused participants walking side by side, followed by a community meal where members of Boston’s homeless population will share their stories.

WINTER WALK BY THE NUMBERS

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Sara.

Editor’s pick: Like many of us, author Stephen King was a bit baffled by what “The Last of Us” creators think 10 miles west of Boston looks like.

The mountainous setting has resulted in a lot of hilarious Twitter discourse, including this much more accurate visual.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Imagine a “Brighter Boston” with Sam Adams.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Jessica Burton, Sara Frazier, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Peter Baldassare | Advertise with us.

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