Spring has sprung, and so have the opportunities for young people to get involved with art, science, and tech in Greater Boston. We've rounded up 13 more kid-friendly activities and events around the city: Make friends with a robot, hold a human brain, design your own treehouse, and more!
SET in the City
The Boston Area Girls STEM Collaborative is committed to increasing young women’s participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) by creating programs that spark their interest and expand their knowledge of the multifaceted careers in these disciplines. During SET in the City, young women in high school learn about cutting-edge research and careers first-hand from women in science and engineering at multiple venues in the Boston area.
Ages: Women-identifying students grades 9-12
When: April 6, 9:00 AM — 5:00 PM
Where: Boston University Photonics Center, 8 St. Mary's Street, Boston, MA 02215
Cost: $30 (registration required)
Learn more here
NanoDays with a Quantum Leap
Ever wondered about the weird world of quantum mechanics? Spooky action at a distance? Superposition? Quantum computing? Well, dive right in at the Museum’s 2019 NanoDays with a Quantum Leap celebration! Come explore worlds too small to see: nano science plus quantum science and their latest applications. Cheer on your favorite quantum idols at the 2019 National Quantum Matters™Science Communication Competition Finals. Look inside a near life-size replica of an IBM Q System One, the world’s first fully-integrated universal quantum computer!
Ages: Grades K-12
When: April 6, 11:00 AM — 4:30 PM
Where: Museum of Science Boston, 1 Science Park, Boston, MA 02114
Cost: $20-$25
Learn more here
Chemists Celebrate Earth Week Activity Day
This year's theme is "Take Note: The Chemistry of Paper." Is money made of paper? Can bugs be used as dye? Join guest educators from local high schools, colleges, and universities to explore these questions and more as they facilitate hands-on activities that investigate the chemistry of paper and the environment.
Ages: Grades 2-12
When: April 13, 11:00 AM — 3:00 PM
Where: Museum of Science Boston, 1 Science Park, Boston, MA 02114
Cost: $20-$25
Learn more here
Science Carnival & Robot Zoo
Launch rockets, operate a robot, make liquid nitrogen ice cream, hold a human brain and much, much more! The Science Carnival and Robot Zoo is an annual celebration with over 100 groups offering cool, hands-on activities.
Ages: All ages
When: April 13, 12:00 PM — 4:00 PM
Where: Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138
Cost: FREE
Learn more here
Northeastern Fun Labs
Calling all kids – Northeastern’s Fun Labs needs your help! Play-test 32 physically interactive, electronic games designed, built, and programmed by Northeastern University engineering students. This year’s themes are Paleontology, Time Travel, Superheroes, and Mystery Animal Rescue. Play the games and share your feedback.
Ages: All ages
When: April 13, 12:30 PM — 2:30 PM
Where: Boston Children's Museum, 308 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
Cost: $0-$17
Learn more here
Idea Hub
Explore topics in design and engineering with artistic circuits, 3D printing, chain reactions, and a variety of other hands-on making and tinkering topics. Drop in each week and try out one of our many activities.
Ages: 12+
When: April 13-14, 20-21, 27-28, 12:00 PM — 4:00 PM
Where: MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Avenue, Building N51, Cambridge, MA 0213
Cost: FREE
Learn more here
Dennis Nance: Character Study
Dressing up isn’t just for halloween! Explore artist Dennis Nance’s costumes inspired by everyday objects, and see why he’s been called a “wizard of word, wardrobe, and wonder.” Develop and draw your own creative characters, then make miniature costume elements with fabric that go with your character.
Ages: All ages
When: April 13, 14, 20, 21, 28, 12:00 PM — 4:00 PM
Where: ICA Boston, 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston, MA 02210
Cost: FREE with museum admission (Museum admission is always free for visitors 17 and under)
Learn more here
Artisan’s Asylum STEAM Playground for the 2019 Cambridge Science Festival
Artisan’s Asylum will be providing kids with interactive STEAM activities that include circuit hacking, playing with dancing robots, and making “markerbots” just to name a few!
Ages: 7+
When: April 17, 3:00 PM — 6:00 PM
Where: Artisan's Asylum, 10 Tyler Street, Somerville, MA 02143
Cost: FREE
Learn more here
Meet a Scientist at the Harvard Museum of Natural History
Come see the world through the eyes of a scientist and explore what research reveals about life and our planet. Graduate students from the departments of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology, Human Evolutionary Biology, Molecular & Cellular Biology, and Earth & Planetary Sciences at Harvard University will share their research with hands-on activities in the galleries of the HMNH. All activities will be designed to actively engage families in learning more about science and exciting new discoveries about the natural world we live in.
Ages: All ages
When: April 18, 10:00 AM — 12:00 PM
Where: Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Cost: FREE with museum admission
Learn more here
Earth Day Garden Seed Pod Kid's Workshop with Green City Growers
Join us on The Green at The Street Chestnut Hill to celebrate Earth Day with Green City Growers. Help pollinators by making your very own mini pollinator garden. Participants will make seed balls with terra cotta clay, potting soil, and a mixture of native wildflower seed loved by bees. These pods can be thrown into any place with soil and sunlight and start to grow.
Ages: 10+
When: April 23, 2:00 PM — 4:00 PM
Where: The Street Chestnut Hill, 33 Boylston Street, Newton, MA 02467
Cost: FREE
Learn more here
Kids in The KITCHEN
Join us in The KITCHEN for a series of cooking classes for kids ages 6-12 to learn about local food and the journey it makes from the farm to the table. In these hands-on classes, kids explore and taste the seasonal bounty of the region through the local vendors of the Boston Public Market. These classes are held in collaboration with vendors in the Boston Public Market and are taught by market vendor cooks or farmers who tell first-hand stories about where the ingredients are sourced and how they are grown/made.
Ages: 6-12
When: April 27, May 18, May 25, June 15, June 22, 10:00 AM — 11:00 AM
Where: Boston Public Market, 100 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02108
Cost: $9-$15
Learn more here
Play Date: Boston Youth Dance Showcase
See art, try gallery games and family pop-up talks, make and frame a sketch of Boston Harbor, and be dazzled by performances by Boston-area kids.
Ages: All ages
When: April 27, 10:00 AM — 4:00 PM
Where: ICA Boston, 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston, MA 02210
Cost: FREE
Learn more here
Family Design Day: Treehouses
Did you know that a well-designed treehouse can help trees grow stronger and live longer? Learn how architects strive to design buildings that give more to the earth than they take. First create your own tree from cardboard and wood, then design and build a treehouse that treads gently on its branches.
Ages: 5-13
When: May 18, 10:30 AM — 12:30 PM
Where: BSA Space, 290 Congress Street, Boston, MA
Cost: $2-$10
Learn more here
