Gore Place Sheepshearing Festival during April school vacation week
Gore Place Sheepshearing Festival (photo courtesy Eric Workman | TMP Images)

April school vacation week is just around the corner! If you’re planning a staycation and are looking for fun things to do with your kids during April break, check out these Boston-area events and happenings!


Family Concert: Music, Magic and More :: Boston

April 15

Bring the whole family to Symphony Hall to see the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra perform in this fun and engaging concert series designed to encourage an appreciation for live performance and orchestral music.

Bark at the Park :: Boston

April 15

Bring your dog to enjoy a day at the park for one of Harvard baseball and softball’s furriest events! All attending pets receive a free custom Harvard giveaway that is sure to make them bark with excitement! On top of a baseball doubleheader and softball game, there are several Harvard Athletics contests taking place during Bark at the Park! All events are free unless noted. 

Opening Day for Swan Boats :: Boston

April 15

Kick off April vacation with a ride on one of Boston’s famous Swan Boats! The boats will take sail for the first time this season at 10 a.m.!

Quincy SpringFest :: Quincy

April 15

The City of Quincy will host this family-friendly variety of dance performances, arts and crafts demonstrations, music, and games on the Hancock Adams Common. All events are free and open to the public!

Wind Powered Fun at the USS Constitution Museum :: Charlestown

April 15-23

Come visit the USS Constitution Museum during April vacation week to explore the power of the wind and its importance in powering a ship like USS Constitution. The museum will be hosting family-friendly activities and crafts all week long to encourage the exploration of the power of wind — culminating with a public Kite Festival on Friday, April 21.

Dudley Street Farm Day :: Boston

April 15

Head to the Shirley-Eustis House lawn between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for a celebration of Roxbury’s farming history. Activities will include a farm animal petting zoo, butter churning, seed packet giveaways, handmade crafts, fresh popcorn, resources from DSNI, planting tips from master gardener Mary Lou O’Connor, and more!

Patriot’s Day in Lexington :: Lexington

April 15-17

Each year in mid-April, thousands of people flock to historic Lexington and Concord and Minute Man National Historical Park to celebrate Patriot’s Day. Patriot’s Day is a special Massachusetts State holiday commemorating the opening battle of the American Revolutionary War, April 19, 1775. The entire weekend is celebrated with parades, reenactments, and commemorative ceremonies.

Tinytropolis :: Acton

April 16-21

Come visit the mini city with a big future! Join the Discovery Museum to design, build, and explore a mini city constructed completely out of cardboard and creativity. This changing and evolving temporary space will be put together by staff and visitors over the course of six days.

Johnny Peers & the Muttville Comix :: Arlington

April 16 

Comedy! Dogs! Slapstick! What more could you ask for? Come experience slapstick comedy like no other, as Ringling Clown College graduate Johnny Peers and the Personality-Plus Dogs take the stage, and hilarious hijinx ensue.  

Boston Marathon 2023 :: Hopkinton to Boston

April 17 

Catch a glimpse of Boston Moms’ own Kristen as she runs in support of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute! When it comes to things to do with kids in Boston, the marathon is a classic choice!

Dana-Farber runners set the pace in the fight against cancer by raising funds to support groundbreaking research and extraordinary patient care. Thanks to your support, Dana-Farber continues to make strides towards the ultimate finish line: a world without cancer. Every dollar raised supports innovative cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. These funds are fueling some of today’s most promising basic cancer research.

To donate to Kristen’s fundraising goal, please click here.

Spring Vacation Kids Pasta Class :: Boston

April 17

Join Seven Hills Pasta Co. for a great day of pasta making with your little ones! Children will learn how to make dough from scratch, craft different shapes of pasta, master the use of pasta machines, and, finally, taste the pasta they make!

Fencing Camp for Kids :: Cambridge

April 17-21

Are you interested in trying out a different sport? Give fencing a try! This camp is designed for children ages 7-14, with little or no fencing experience. 

Kiddos in the Kitchen :: Dover

April 17-18

Spend school vacation week in the Powisset Kitchen, and cook up a storm! Each day, for three hours, children will learn kitchen basics and enjoy hands-on cooking with Powisset Cooks! instructors.

Free Tours at the Broad Discovery Center :: Cambridge 

April 18-21

The Broad Discovery Center is an active, public educational space that showcases how researchers in Kendall Square and around the world are seeking to understand and treat human disease. Visitors will learn how researchers at Broad and our partner institutions are teaming up with collaborators across the globe to chase down the basis of psychiatric conditions, cancer, infectious diseases, and more; develop new strategies for treatment; and build datasets and technologies to share with scientists everywhere.

Mini Makers :: Brockton

April 18

This activity at the Fuller Craft Museum is for the kids who love math and numbers! Bring the whole family to make data sculptures from utensils, food charms, and more. Numbers aren’t your thing? Decorate a placemat instead! Free tours of the museum will be offered all week long!

Fairy House Building at Franklin Park :: Boston

April 20

Natural materials will be provided during this free family event, but everyone is welcome to explore their surroundings to find natural elements, including sticks, stones, and leaves to adorn their fairy houses.

Shifting the Climate Culture at Peabody Essex Museum :: Salem

April 20 – 22

Are you looking for an event that will help you and your children learn to be more sustainable, but is also fun for the whole family? This event will feature Rare’s interactive behavior exhibit, which helps spread awareness about simple changes individuals can make to help mitigate the effects of climate change, as well as a special vegan menu at the Peabody Essex Museum’s in-house café, Gourmet.  

Kids STEM Workshop :: Boston

April 21

Join Mbadika and Mobile Makers Boston to explore the M°Lab Field Kit, a STEM education DIY kit that demystifies the science of fashion, in collaboration with Ministry of Supply. The workshop will be held in the Nook at the Boston Public Market for FREE.

The Spongebob Musical :: Norwell

April 21-30 

An unexpected hero takes center stage just as Bikini Bottom is facing total annihilation! Join SpongeBob and Friends as this delightful Broadway musical shines with the power of optimism.

Party for the Planet at Franklin Park Zoo :: Boston

April 22

Head to Franklin Park Zoo to enjoy a fun Earth Day celebration to raise awareness for the planet and all it has to offer, and learn how you can help make a difference! While you connect with nature, learn about important conservation work underway locally and globally with many fun family activities!

Wicked Comic Con :: Boston

April 22-23 

Come meet comic creators from around the world, several cosplayers of popular esteem, and the very best local vendors and artists at this family-friendly event!

Sheepshearing Festival :: Waltham

April 22 

This unique event takes place on one of the last farms in Greater Boston, just nine miles west of the city! Enjoy live music, handmade goods by local crafters and fiber artists, demonstrations of traditional shearing, herding dogs, and historic re-enactors on the beautiful grounds of the historic 50-acre Gore Place estate.

Play Testing with MIT’s Toy Product Design Students :: Acton

April 23 

Who doesn’t love toys?! Come talk to MIT students who want your feedback on their ideas for new toys! Students from MIT’s toy product design class will have test versions of toys that were developed based on feedback they received from visitors in an earlier program. Play with the prototyped toys and let the student toy designers know if you think they should develop these toys!

Looking for even more ideas for things to do with kids in Boston this spring? Check out our monthly calendar, with event listings submitted by tons of local organizations!

Deanna is a mom of five (yes, five) children, who lives in Brockton with her small circus of kids, her husband, their dog Penny, and a few cats. Her life is loud, energetic, mostly fun, often gross (did she mention four of those kids are boys?), and she wouldn't have it any other way. In between carting kids to school, baseball, gymnastics, guitar, dance, track and field and every other kid activity known to mankind, she works as a school bus driver for the city of Brockton, and is the Director of Religious Education at the Unity Church of North Easton, a Unitarian Universalist congregation. Deanna also holds degrees in Elementary Physical Education and Dance Education, which she plans to put back into use one day. At parties, Deanna can often be found hanging out with family pets. She follows her children around with a camera like the paparazzi, is pretty sure that 97% of her blood stream is made of coffee, and her laundry is never done. You can also find her blogging at https://eighteenmoreyearsofburpsandfarts.wordpress.com