Things to Do with Your Children in Boston This Summer that Are Free

There are many things to do with your kids during the summer in Boston. What is even better is that there are many things you can do with your kids during the summer in Boston that are absolutely free. Most of these things are education and all of them are fun.

Visit the USS Constitution and the USS Constitution Museum

The USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship in the United States. Its home is at the Charlestown Navy Yard. Free guided tours of this great ship occur ever thirty minutes from 10:00 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. April 1 to October 31. Tours are thirty minutes long.

The USS Constitution Museum is open from April 1 to October 31 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. This two-story museum gives kids the history of the USS Constitution in an interactive way. Kids can touch materials that were used to build the ship. They can even pretend to join the crew of the USS Constitution upstairs (little interview tables and cards are provided). They can play with some ship rigging and lay around on hammocks upstairs as well.

*Note: There are gift shops in the USS Constitution building and the USS Constitution Museum. Goods offered in these shops are not free. Only admission and tours are free.

Open Night at the Coit Observatory

The Coit Observatory is located at Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue. Every Wednesday night, weather permitting, the University opens up their observatory to amateur stargazers. Visitors can watch the stars while they learn a little bit about them. Open Night begins at 8:30 p.m. and runs until about 9:30 p.m. The observatory is upstairs from the Astronomy Department.

Check Out the City's Museums

Some of Boston's museums have free admission or they offer specific hours when the admission is free. Here are a few that your kids will enjoy.

The Commonwealth Museum-The Museum of Massachusetts History is located at 220 Morrissey Blvd. in Boston. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays.

The Harvard Museum of Natural History is located at 26 Oxford St. in Cambridge, just past Harvard Yard. Admission is free on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Watch a Family Movie at the Hatch Shell

The Hatch Shell is a historical stage on the Charles River Esplanade. It is home to the world-famous Boston Pops. Every Friday night from mid-June until the end of August, a family movie plays at the Hatch Shell. All you have to do is bring a blanket and sit on the grass. The movies start at sunset.

Remember that Boston is a city best walked. If you drive, you will pay to park, unless you know something the rest of us don't. If you take public transportation, it isn't going to be free. None of the above activities offer free food, so be sure to either bring some along with you or plan to pay for your refreshments.