Maple Sugaring Season

We love maple syrup!  And March is maple sugaring season in New England.  There are lots of sugarhouses in Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire.

Maple Weekend in New Hampshire and Massachusetts is March 22 and 23, with lots of sugarhouses having open houses so you can see what goes on behind the scenes.

Many of the Mass Audubon locations have maple sugaring events, too!  Note that advance registration is required for most of these events.  The following locations offer maple sugaring events:  Ipswich River, Blue Hills, Drumlin Farm, and Moose Hill.

But, my family's favorite place to go is Parker's Maple Barn in Mason, NH, just over an hour from Boston. The wait can be long on the weekends, but you can get tours of where they make the syrup, drink coffee and eat maple donuts, and browse their gift shop.  (The maple donut stand is only open on weekends, so that's my favorite time to go!)  The restaurant is cozy and the food is tasty.  I love their stuffed french toast, which varies depending on when you go.  The pistachio is the best!

Visiting Parker's Maple Barn has been a family tradition for us since before we had Isaac.  It's even more fun now that we bring him there!

Isaac learning about the maple syrup-making process.

Groupon and LivingSocial Roundup!

Together in Motion is a fun for babies and toddlers. 

Good afternoon, everyone!  For future "Groupon Roundup" posts, I will also be including my favorite LivingSocial deals!  This will help me find my readers the best, most awesome deals on the internet.   Here's what deals are going on this week.  Enjoy!

• Four hour introductory sewing class at Newton Sewing Studio.  Learn to "sew like a pro" and create a patchwork pillow and stuffed animal, hand puppet, or pencil case!
  
• Boomer's Playland and Laser Tag down in Carver.  Kids can enjoy mats, slides, tubes, a ball fountain, and more - a great idea for these never-ending polar vortexes...
  
• Truck on down to Providence for the New England Family Fun Festival in April!  This event includes dancing, music performances, magicians, storytellers, clowns, contests and games, Lego building, Zumba, and lots more!
  
• Together in Motion's drop-in play in Arlington.  The Groupon says for ages 0-6, but I think it's better for the younger set, like newly mobile babies and toddlers who need a safe, soft place to run and climb.  It doesn't expire until August, so it's great for really cold days, April showers, and heat waves!
  
• Sandwich Works in Newton Centre is super yummy!  This friendly deli has really good sandwiches and breakfast.
  
• 16 Handles - froyo in Coolidge Corner!  Mmmm, cider doughnut yogurt!
  
• Newburyport Whale Watch.  Available May through October, enjoy New England whale watching!  Kids under 3 are free on weekdays.
  
• Do the tourist thing and check out Cambridge Historical Tours and a Freedom Trail Tour.  Play tourist with your family or buy these for when you have out-of-towners visiting for a fun way to enjoy historical New England together!

• Body Worlds Vital -Faneuil Hall.  The Body Worlds exhibit has 200 authentic human specimens, including individual organs, transparent slices, and whole bodies.  I hear it's really fascinating.
  
• Kids Fun Stop in West Roxbury.  Visit this indoor playground (perfect for ages 6 and under) for half price.  Since this winter seems never-ending, you may as well buy some more indoor play passes...
  
• Drumming lessons in Arlington.  Half price drum lessons for kids aged 5-12.
  
• Monster Mini Golf in Norwood.  Monster Mini Golf is an indoor, black-lit mini golf course with music and of course, MONSTERS!  There's also a Groupon for its Danvers location.  If you miss the fun of playing mini golf in the summer, this is a great option.
  
• Kidsports in Stoughton.  This Groupon is for indoor play passes, with the option to add bowling and plaster painting.  Fun idea if you're down near Stoughton!
  
• Animal Adventures in Bolton.  It's a bit of a drive, but totally worth it if you have a kid who is really into animals.  We've gone twice because my son liked it so much the first time. You get up close and personal with all sorts of animals.
  
• Jump Around in Framingham.  I bought one of these already and might buy another.  I'm kind of burnt out on these jumping places, personally, but these jumping passes have been a great thing during the miserable weather.  Anything that gets us out of the house and gets my son some exercise!  

5 things to do this week & next!

This will be my last "5 Things to do this Week" (and day late - darn!) until the week of March 17, so I'm going to extend it to cover next week as well.    We're leaving for California on Friday and crossing fingers for some springlike weather when we return.  I'll be doing a Groupon roundup tomorrow and that's it for the next few weeks!  However, I will still be posting on my Facebook page if I see anything cool going on, so follow me there if you don't already!

Anyway, here are 5 things to do this week and next week!

1.  Maple Days at Old Sturbridge Village.  Learn about how maple sugaring was done in 19th century New England!  Maple Days are March 1, 2, 8, 9, 15,  and 16.  Kids are FREE all of those weekends!!!  There's also a Groupon running right now.  Bundle up and have fun.

2.  Visit the Butterfly Place in Westford.  They just opened for the season a few weeks ago.

3.  See Ben Rudnick and Friends at Tico in Back Bay on March 8.  The show is free, coffee/tea/juice is free, and there's brunch ($).  Plus, benefits proceed Birthday Wishes.

4.  Check out one of the Kids' Shows at the Coolidge Corner Theater.

5.  Grab a Groupon for the Body Worlds Vital Exhibit in Fanuiel Hall.

ETA bonus stuff:

6.  Stacey Peasley is doing a singalong at Colores Kids in Natick on 2/28 @ 10am!  FREE!

Boston Families on a Budget: Tourism Edition

Boston Common's Frog Pond is awesome!

I'm blogging a lot about weekly activities and deals, but I thought I'd come up with some fun ideas for out-of-town families visiting Boston.  There are tons of fun things to explore in Boston without breaking the bank.

If you stumbled upon this post because you're a planning a visit to Boston, hello!   You will love Boston!

Lodging

I find that it usually makes more economical sense to rent a vacation condo instead of staying at a hotel.  When you break it down, it's usually cheaper per night, and you're not forced to dine out for every single meal.  I find that looking for restaurants 3 times a day can be sort of a headache, especially when traveling with children.

I have used HomeAway.com and had good experiences.  AirBnB.com is another popular site.

Some centrally-located neighborhoods are Back Bay, Copley Square, and the South End.  These areas are great for exploring Boston by foot and by T (our subway) but if you have a car, it might be a little bit of a pain to find parking there.  You can also stay further from Boston and take the T or commuter rail in when you're exploring Boston.  There are lots of cute coastal towns (Rockport, Newburyport) with commuter rail access.

Dining

There are lots of inexpensive and tasty eateries around Boston.  Lots of seafood places especially along the waterfront, great pizza and Italian in the North End, dim sum in Chinatown - you name it!  If you visit Boston's famous Regina Pizzeria, head over to the Allston location on a Tuesday night.  It has a full menu, kids eat free on Tuesdays, and they have someone making balloon animals for the kids.

Museums

Boston has some awesome museums, and even better: many of them offer free and discounted museum days.   Be sure to take advantage!  On top of that, if you visit in the summer, Highland Street offers free museum days all over the area, including some of the local zoos.

Free Stuff to do in Boston

There are lots of free things to do in Boston city limits.    From free North End Festivals to Castle Island, there are so many fun (and historical!) family events and destinations throughout the city that you can enjoy.

Boston Common

 You can't beat Boston Common in the summer - wade in the Frog Pond, spend only a few bucks to get your entire family on a famous Swan Boat Ride, enjoy the carousel, and have a picnic!

Day Trips

Got a car?  Head over to Mystic, CT, Western Mass, Cape Cod, or Maine for a fun day trip within 2 hours of Boston.

Groupons

Last, but not least, be sure to check out my latest Groupon roundups.  I go through Groupons almost every week and find my favorite deals.  Grab a few Groupons before your trip and enjoy using them once you're here!

5 Things to do on February Vacation Week

Snowshoeing at Gore Place was a blast!

Woohoo!  February Vacation Week!  Here are 5 ideas of fun, discounted/cheap/free things to do this week.  ENJOY!

1. Go bowling!  Boston Bowl has a vacation week deal:  Two games, shoe rentals with socks, and 10 game room tokens on the tenpin side from 9am-2pm. It's only $10 per person!  Nice!  Westgate Lanes in Brockton has a Groupon deal right now. There's also Saco's Bowl Haven in Somerville or Needham Bowlaway for some old school candlepin.
2. Go snowshoeing at Gore Place.  We finally did this last week and I loved it!  Can't wait to try it again.
3. Attend the ParkSCIENCE Children's Festival on Thursday.   This free event at Franklin Park will feature the New England Aquarium Tidal Pool, the Plantmobile horticultural lab table, Rosalita’s Puppets, facepainting, LL Bean's Snowshoeing Discovery Course, and tons more!
4. Attend a free performance of Cantata Singers' dress rehearsal of Mendelssohn's Elijah! "With a sold-out concert, our dress rehearsal on Friday, February 21, 1:30pm is free and open to the public. A perfect event to introduce your children to the gift of music! Families also welcome to leave at any time during the dress rehearsal."  For more information about the event, and to reserve tickets, visit their website at: www.cantatasingers.org.
5. Head over to a Boston Public Library branch.   They're closed on Monday, but there's otherwise a lot going on this week.  There's stuff going on for Black History Month in addition to crafts, chess, storytime, Wii Olympics, and lots more!  

This Week's Groupon Roundup

Good morning!  Hope everyone is doing well on this slushy, messy Valentine's Day morning.  Every week, I try to gather my favorite family-friendly Groupons.  Here are this week's picks:

Get up close & personal with reptiles and more at Animal Adventures!

• $15 for $30 at Oakleaf Cakes in Boston.  YUM.  Enjoy cupcakes, cookies, homemade Pop Tarts, and more.
• Circus Oz at the Citi Performing Arts Center.  This animal-free circus includes tumblers, tightrope-walkers, foot-jugglers, magicians, and acrobats.
• Body Worlds Vital -Faneuil Hall.  The Body Worlds exhibit has 200 authentic human specimens, including individual organs, transparent slices, and whole bodies.
• Colonial Lantern Tours.  Save this creepy ghost tour for the older kids!  I did it pre-kid and had a great time.  And then I went to Caffe Vittoria.  ;-)
• Kids Fun Stop in West Roxbury.  Visit this indoor playground (perfect for ages 6 and under) for half price.  Great deal for the wintertime!  This deal is going away soon, so grab it before it's too late.
• Drumming lessons in Arlington.  Half price drum lessons for kids aged 5-12.
• Monster Mini Golf in Norwood.  Monster Mini Golf is an indoor, black-lit mini golf course with music and of course, MONSTERS!  There's also a Groupon for its Danvers location.  Fun thing to do while this lousy weather continues.
• Kidsports in Stoughton.  This Groupon is for indoor play passes, with the option to add bowling and plaster painting.  Sounds super fun!
• Together in Motion in Arlington.  This is ideal for little tots and mobile babies.  Let them get their energy out at this indoor playspace.  We did this a few times when Isaac was crawling and he loved it.
• Animal Adventures in Bolton.  It's a bit of a long drive, but worth it if you have a kid who is really into animals.  We've gone twice because my son liked it so much the first time. You can pet all sorts of interesting animals, from wallabies to alligators.

Tuesday Nights at Regina Pizzeria in Allston

Regina Pizzeria's Kids Eat Free is on Tuesdays!

Last night we went to Regina Pizzeria in Allston for their "Kids Eat Free" night.  We really like their pizza and I'm also a fan of their baked cheese ravioli.  Yum!

To our (pleasant!) surprise, they also had someone making balloon animals there.   She said that they have balloon twisters there every Tuesday night.

It was a fun way to end a frigid Tuesday in February - with warm, yummy Italian food, kids eat free, and fun balloons for Isaac!  (And the kids' meals come with a push pop for dessert!)

Five Things to do this Week!

Happy Monday, everybody!  Here are 5 ideas of free and/or inexpensive things to do this week:

1.  Go snowshoeing at Gore Place!   Enjoy the scenery of Gore Place, rent some snowshoes, and have a good time.  It's also accessible via the 70/70a bus coming from Central Square, so if you're a car-free urban-dweller, this is a great place to enjoy a bit of New England nature in the winter.

2.  Play indoor mini-golf!  Right now there are Groupons for Monster Mini Golf in Norwood and Danvers.  If monsters aren't your thing, head over to Marlborough for indoor mini golf and homemade ice cream at Trombetta's Farm.

3.  Visit Jam Time in Maynard or Natick on Monday (today!) afternoon.  On Mondays from 3-close, admission is only $5 per kid.  What a steal!

4.  Take your child to make a Valentine for another parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle at Plaster Fun Time. This much less expensive alternative to pottery painting is a blast!  There are 9 locations throughout Greater Boston and your child's work of art is ready to bring home that day!

5.  Go sledding!  Here's a list of some favorite Boston-area sledding spots.

Today's Groupon Roundup

Cape Ann Whale Watch is fun for the whole family!

This is another thing I'm going to try to do weekly.  I'm going to scour Groupon for my favorite family-friendly deals!  And if you don't follow Boston Families on a Budget on Facebook, please do!  Sometimes I'll quickly post something there that doesn't always make it to this blog.

• Kids Fun Stop in West Roxbury.  Visit this indoor playground (perfect for ages 6 and under) for half price.  Great deal for the wintertime!
• Drumming lessons in Arlington.  Half price drum lessons for kids aged 5-12.
• Cape Ann Whale Watch.  I did this pre-kid and LOVED it.  The Groupon is only good for adult tickets, so you can buy your kids' tickets separately.  During certain times, kids under 3 are free.  Check the Groupon and read the fine print.
• Monster Mini Golf in Norwood.  Monster Mini Golf is an indoor, black-lit mini golf course with music and of course, MONSTERS!  There's also a Groupon for its Danvers location.
• Mini golf at Golf Country.  Locations in Saugus, Middleton, and Easton.
• Kidsports in Stoughton.  This Groupon is for indoor play passes, with the option to add bowling and plaster painting.
• Together in Motion in Arlington.  Best for tots and mobile babies.  Let them get their energy out at this indoor playspace.
• Animal Adventures in Bolton.  It's a little bit of a hike, but worth it if you have a kid who is really into animals.  We've gone twice because my son liked it so much the first time. You can pet all sorts of interesting animals, from wallabies to alligators.
• Membership to the One World Children's Global Discovery Museum in Cohasset.   This museum is best for kids 1-6.
• Jump Around in Framingham.  I bought one of these already and might buy another.  These jumping passes have been a savior during those "polar vortex" days.
• Dante's Frozen Yogurt.  Enjoy discounted froyo in Allston.
• swissbakers in Allston or Reading.  Enjoy authentic Swiss baked goods.  Hurry up with this one - the Groupon ends at the end of the day!

5 Fun Things to do this Week!

image from mycutegraphics.com

I hear it's going to be a snowy/icy/slushy/yucky week - but wasn't the weekend such a treat?

I'm going to start post weekly ideas of free or inexpensive things to do.  It's a toughie in the winter sometime and some of these indoor activities are a little costly.  (The Armory indoor playspace in Somerville is $15 - what?!)  Here are some reasonably priced ideas.

1.  Go to the Watertown Library on Monday afternoon for Kindergarten Yoga!  Kids aged 4-6 can enjoy a brief introduction to yoga.  Free.

2.  Head over to Henry Bear's Park in Brookline on Friday afternoon for a musical show with children's performer Marcie Joy!  This also includes stories, crafts, and a coupon for Clover Food Lab.  Event starts at 5 PM.  Free.

3.  Go ice skating!  The Charles Hotel in Harvard Square offers ice skating with inexpensive rates and of course there's the Frog Pond.  Get in the spirit of the Winter Olympics!

4.  Check out open gym on Tuesday or Thursday at Exxcel Gymnastics in Newton.  For $8, you child can enjoy trampolines, balance beams, and more.

5.  Pottery Barn Kids has some activities going on this week.  Aside from their weekly Tuesday morning storytime, they also have a Valentine station this week and cookie decorating on Saturday!  Free.