The best winter things to do in Boston with kids are mostly indoors: the Boston Children's Museum on Fort Point Channel, the Museum of Science's lightning show, the penguins and Giant Ocean Tank at the New England Aquarium, and the heated Tropical Forest at Franklin Park Zoo. For outdoor fun, the Frog Pond on Boston Common is an ice rink from about November to March, and the Common's slopes fill with sleds after a snowfall.
Plan for real cold. Average highs at Logan Airport are 42°F in December, 37°F in January and 39°F in February, and most winter nights drop below freezing, so build each day around one indoor anchor and keep outdoor time short.
Winter with kids in Boston at a glance
| Place | Best for | Winter notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Children's Museum | Toddlers to about 10 | Wednesday to Monday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Tuesdays |
| Museum of Science | Ages 5 and up | Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Christmas Day |
| New England Aquarium | All ages | Timed tickets; weekends and holidays sell out |
| Franklin Park Zoo | All ages | Open year-round, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Nov. 9 to March 31 |
| Frog Pond, Boston Common | Skaters of all levels | Skating about November to March; fee and rentals |
| Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum | Ages 6 and up | Hour-long guided tours; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas |
Indoor museums kids love
Boston Children's Museum. Its hands-on exhibits fill a building at 308 Congress Street on Fort Point Channel, a short, flat walk from South Station on the Red Line and Silver Line. It is open Wednesday to Monday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (10 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month) and closed on Tuesdays. Admission is $24 for adults and for children aged 1 to 15, and free for babies under 12 months; the museum recommends buying tickets online in advance.
Museum of Science. The 20-minute Lightning! show in the Theater of Electricity, built around the world's largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator, is included with Exhibit Halls admission, and the Planetarium and the domed Mugar Omni Theater can be added. Science Park station on the Green Line is across O'Brien Highway. The museum closes early on Christmas Eve and is closed on Christmas Day.
New England Aquarium. The four-story Giant Ocean Tank, a colony of about 50 penguins and the shark and ray touch tank keep children busy for hours, and the free harbor seal exhibit on the front plaza is a good preview. Entry is by timed ticket, and school vacation weeks fill up, so book ahead. Aquarium station on the Blue Line is about 100 yards away.
Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. Older children get to throw tea over the side on a guided, one-hour tour led by costumed hosts. It is a better fit for school-age kids than toddlers.
Franklin Park Zoo in winter
Franklin Park Zoo, at 1 Franklin Park Road inside Franklin Park, stays open all year, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. between November 9 and March 31. Some animals, such as the giraffes, stay in heated barns on cold days, but the Tropical Forest is kept at 72°F, with free-flying birds and more than 50 species, which makes it the place to warm up. Tickets are rain or shine.
Skating and sledding outdoors
The Frog Pond on Boston Common becomes an outdoor ice rink from about November to March, run by the Skating Club of Boston, with a fee for skating and for rentals. The season's opening date is announced each fall, usually in the second half of November. Park Street station (Red and Green lines) is on the Common.
After a snowfall, families take sleds to the slopes of the Common around Flagstaff Hill, the rise topped by the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Across Charles Street in the Public Garden, the Make Way for Ducklings statue at the corner of Beacon and Charles streets is free to visit year-round and makes a good snow-day photo.
When is Duckling Day?
Duckling Day is a spring event, not a winter one. The Friends of the Public Garden hold it every year on Mother's Day in May: children in duckling costumes gather for activities, games and music at the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common, then parade at noon, retracing Mrs. Mallard's route from the book to the statue in the Public Garden. The next one is on Sunday, May 9, 2027. If your trip is in winter, bring a copy of Make Way for Ducklings and visit the statue instead.
Holiday-season extras
From late November, the Snowport winter market in the Seaport adds an outdoor rink and food stalls, and Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker runs at the Citizens Opera House through December 31, 2026, with a sensory-friendly performance on December 4. For month-by-month ideas, see things to do in Boston in December, things to do in Boston in January and our year-round guide to Boston with kids.