Boston Outings with toddlers
The never-ending question of how to entertain and educate young minds is one that all parents and nannies understand well.
Here are some of the best places to take young children in the Greater Boston area, as curated by one of our best loved nannies, SaraBeth Haskell.
Louisa May Alcott Orchard House
399 Lexington Road, Concord Massachusetts 01742
Price
Adult- 15.00, Senior- 12.00, College Student- 12.00, Youth- 8.00, Children Under 6- FREE
Parking
There is a limited amount of parking directly in front of the Orchard House including one handicapped spot. Additional parking is located in a larger lot across the street.
Hours
April through October, Monday through Saturday- 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sunday- 11:00 am to 5:00pm; November through March, Weekdays- 11:00 am to 3:30 pm, Saturdays 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sundays 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
To Know: The Louisa May Alcott Orchard House holds abundant history that extends beyond its notable setting for the book, Little Women. The Alcott family made societal and intellectual contributions to transcendental philosophy, education, women’s rights, literature, and social justice. It is a wonderful place to bring small children who enjoy being in nature and learning about American history. Taking a tour of the home requires watching a documentary to begin with. Developmentally, young children are still building their attention spans, so staying with the group throughout that beginning portion can present as a challenge. With my five-year-old and three-year-old nanny children, I chose to skip the tour for that reason. We loved exploring the grounds, using our imaginations in the gardens and surrounding forests, and picking out children’s books in the gift shop.
Adult Support: With my two nanny kids I felt confident as the only adult.
Accessibility for Neurodiverse and Differently Abled Children: The Orchard House is low sensory stimulation and the first floor is accessible by wheelchair. The second floor is not accessible by wheelchair. Due to the small size of the rooms, strollers must be left outside.
Museum of Science
1 Science Park Boston, MA
Price: $31-Adults, $26-children aged 3 to 11, $27-seniors, children under 3 years old are free. These are non-membership prices. Membership starts at $100.
Parking: There is garage parking on site and with a discounted rate for members. Parking is accessible to differently abled visitors. It also has electric vehicle charging stations. The garage is open 5:00 am to midnight.
Hours: Open daily 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
To know: The Museum of Science works to foster a love of science learning in people across all ages, with a focus on the role of science in the global good. Visiting the museum is engaging for children and their caregivers, making it a great family or group outing. It is one of the largest science centers in the world.
Adult Support: I took just one of my nanny children on my own and felt fairly confident but erred on vigilant. The museum is in the heart of the city, making traffic something to keep in mind while entering and exiting. The museum is also quite vast and often crowded with many
people who are excited to be there. If I had brought my other nanny child with us, I still would have felt confident, but having a second adult would be ideal.
Accessibility for Neurodiverse and Differently Abled Children: As well as being an AIRA access site, the museum has an assistive listening system. There are multiple adult and child sized wheelchairs that can be signed out for free. Light, noise, and crowds can be unpredictable throughout the building but, there are “quieter times to visit” for children with sensory sensitivities. More information can be found through the accessibility coordinator at 617-723-2500 or accessibility@mos.org.
Wright Locke Farm
82 Ridge Street Winchester, MA
Price: The farm and its walking trails are open to the public, as well as leashed dogs. There are curated events available at tiered pricing and a farm store with goods available to purchase. Parking: There is a parking lot in front of the all seasons barn and a few additional parking spaces by the drop off loop.
Hours: Dawn to dusk.
To Know: Wright Locke Farm is a wonderful outing for young children. We always look forward to visiting with the chickens and the goats, tossing pebbles into the pond, and following along with the story walk trail. Our most standout experiences at the farm have been attending the goat walks and celebrating Indigenous People’s Day.
Adult Support: I feel completely confident as the only adult with multiple children. Do be aware there is a small pond without fencing around it.
Accessibility for Nuerodiverse and Differently Abled Children: Wright Locke Farm is quiet, serene, and predictable, making it a great place for children with ASD. The terrain is inconsistent and there are many hills which could pose a challenge for children with different physical abilities.
Harvard Museum of Natural History
26 Oxford Street Cambridge, MA
Price: Adults-$15.00, Seniors-$13.00, Harvard ID Holders- Free +1 guest, Non-Harvard Students- $10.00, Children under 3- Free, Children 3-18—$10.00. The museum is free to Massachusetts teachers (K-12) as well as to Massachusetts residents on Sundays from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and Wednesdays from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. General admission allows you access to all exhibits and the Peabody Museum, which is connected to the Natural History Museum. Parking: The museum is only a short walk from the Harvard Square MBTA station. Parking is limited to metered spots on the street. We have had a challenging time parking each of the three times we have visited, but the exhibits have made that worth it. My nanny kids describe it as the best outing we’ve ever been on.
Hours: Open daily 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
To Know: The Harvard Museum of Natural History enhances our connections to the natural world with exhibits in zoology, herbology, and geology. There is so much to marvel at for kids who are interested in animals, dinosaurs, and unique rocks. Our favorite parts were the
triceratops skeleton, the “whale room”, and the displays of various extinct animals. I had trouble pulling my nanny children away for our picnic lunch in the museum’s grasses out front!
Adult Support: Navigating the museum as the only adult with my two nanny children was completely doable.
Accessibility for Nuerodiverse and Differently Abled Children: There is an accessible entrance to the museum, that leads to elevators, on the left side of the building. There are accessible parking spaces in the Oxford Street Garage, for which permits can be purchased online. There are free wheelchairs for use from the front desk. All video recorded lectures have closed captions. For more information or to set up an accommodation in advance, you can contact Harvard University Disability Resources.
Learning Express
168 Great Road Bedford, MA 01730
Price: An entry pass is $15.00 and that includes one adult. Every additional adult is $5.00. Parking: There is ample parking allotted for Learning Express, as well as accessible spots. Hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Sundays
To Know: Learning Express Play is attached to the Learning Express Toy Store. They value hands-on play, social, and imaginative play, which is evident through their replica downtown with a mini general store, veterinarian office, bookstore, diner, and more. They also have a gross- motor room with a rock wall and climbing structures. For us, it was the perfect rainy day activity! Our favorite part was the slide.
Adult Support: Learning Express Play place can get quite crowded and has multiple small enclosures. I took one child and felt completely confident, with more than one child a second adult would be ideal but not necessary.
Accessibility for Nuerodiverse and Differently Abled Children: Though there are no electronic noises or bold colors, the volume and the excited kids can make Learning Express a high-stimuli environment. My nanny child and I arrived very early when they first opened and had a very enjoyable experience before the sensory stimulation became too intense.
Chatham Railroad Museum
153 Depot Road Chatham, Massachusetts 02633
Price: FREE or cash donation
Parking: There is parking directly in front of the museum as well as street parking across the street.
Hours: June 11- August 31 Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
September 7 - October 13 Saturdays 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Sundays 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
To Know: The Chatham Railroad Museum is a highly anticipated stop for us every summer. Run by dedicated volunteers inside a restored nineteenth century railroad depot, the museum’s exhibits are interactive and authentic. Kids can ring an old train whistle, get up close to model locomotives, use vintage telephones and morse code devices, and even climb aboard an original wooden caboose! What motivates us to return again and again though, is the warm welcome from the joyful volunteers who keep the museum running so smoothly. Each one of the them
always has an answer for the numerous questions the children have and recognize the children by name each time we return. They mimic selling paper train tickets to the children at the ticket booth and truly take their time to make sure each child has a complete experience.
Adult Support: With my two nanny children I am completely confident being the sole adult accompanying them on this outing.
Accessibility for differently abled children: This museum is low stimuli and rarely crowded. It has a ramp located in the back of the building for entry to the museum. Unfortunately, there is no ramp to enter to caboose. For an ASD child with a special interest in trains it is a haven. For those with sensory sensitives to noise, it does have a loud train whistle that may be rung by anyone without warning.
About the author
SaraBeth is a professional nanny in the Greater Boston area. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Early Childhood Education with a focus in Special Education from Wheelock College and a Masters Degree in Curriculum Development and Early Childhood Education from Fitchburg State University.
She works to support the development of the whole child through play-based learning. Her favorite activities with her nanny children involve exploring in nature or fostering emergent reading skills! SaraBeth currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts.
Welcome to Sommet Nannies, a nanny agency with presence in Boston, Chicago, Washington DC, New York, and nationwide. We help busy families find dedicated and caring college-educated nannies.
● If you enjoyed this article, you might also like ‘Indoor Activities Washington DC: 7 Unmissable Family-Friendly Spots’.
● If you’re a family interested in learning more about our nanny services, head over here.
● If you’re a nanny looking for a new family to work with, you can apply to become a Sommet Nanny.
