Camps

The theater offers mainstage productions, youth year-round theater, musical theater and dance classes after school and during the summer, as well as audition-only productions, cast with youth performers. The Un-Common Theatre Company performs here.

The Orpheum Theatre hosts the Summer Theatre Academy for children ages five to 18. The program is taught by highly skilled theater professionals. For 2006: The three-week academy runs Mon-Fri from 9am-3pm, July 31-August 18. Tuition is $700 for the session. Registration and additional information is available online.

The winner of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the best museum in Boston, the Harvard Museum of Natural History has a stunning assortment of meteorites discovered around the globe. Kids can watch Impact!, a dynamic video presentation that explores meteorite origins and the factors that bring these extra-terrestrial bodies in contact with Earth. Where do meteorites come from? How often do they strike? What do they reveal about the origins of our solar system?

The best section for kids is the zoological galleries, where they'll find an 8-foot turtle and a 42-foot Kronosaurus (a marine reptile). Even the ancient stuffed birds and animals (apes, polar bears, a giraffe, and a Bengal tiger) are fun to look at, giving the feel of an indoor zoo.

During the summer, kids ages four through grade 5 can have fun with summer science programs. Designed and taught by museum science educators, each Science Week morning program blends hands-on, activity-based learning with a healthy dose of fun to help kids develop a deeper understanding of nature. Check the website for dates and themes. Contact reservations@oeb.harvard.edu or call 617.495.2341 for more information.

Kids can also celebrate a birthday at the museum.
Parties include free admission for the birthday group to all galleries, a decorated birthday room for 1 1/2 hours, a natural history game or program, a take-home craft, goodie bag, birthday button, and gift shop discount token. Parties, for up to 20 guests, are $250 for non-members on Saturday and Sunday afternoons only. Availability is limited, so plan in advance!

Admission: Adults $9, Seniors/Students $7, Children (3-18) $6. Admission is free on Sundays from 9am to 12n (year-round, MA residents only) and on Wednesdays from 3pm to 5pm (Sep-May, MA residents only).

They say it's a jungle out there, and, at the Franklin Park Zoo, it really is. What it lacks in size (72 acres in Boston's historic Franklin Park), it makes up for in kid and parent friendliness.

The little ones will love Franklin Farm, which features a "contact corral" (translation - petting zoo). Kids can pet cows, goats, and horses, and Zoo staff are on hand for questions. Other crowd pleasers at the Farm are a silo slide and a tractor the kids can "ride".

The Australian Outback gives everyone a chance
to get up close and personal with tree kangaroos and emus. Don't expect lots of action here, though; the "aussies" hang in the brush most of the time.

The Giraffe Savannah and Kalahari Kingdom
feature three Masai giraffes (one baby!) and a lion. The kids will get a kick out of the jeep that's "driven" into the lion's den. Brave adventurers can drive the jeep while viewing the lions from behind the safety of lots of plexiglass. The Serengeti Crossing is an outdoor "plain" that features zebras, ostrich, and ibex sheep.

Not to be missed is the Butterfly Landing. You'll enter an outdoor enclosure that houses 1,000 butterflies from all over North America. Watch your children's faces brighten when they notice a butterfly sitting on their shoulder. There are also several butterfly hatcheries, where kids get to see real butterflies emerging from their cocoons.

The Tiger Tales exhibit, opened in 2006, tigers Anala and Luther, and aims to educate guests about the problems that arise when exotic animals fall into the wrong hands as well as the misinformation surrounding white tigers (Luther is white).

The recently renovated (2007) Gorilla Exhibit offers increased viewing opportunities for visitors, who are now able to literally stand face-to-face with these magnificent animals. For the gorillas, the new design provides more vertical space in which to climb and play.

When you're ready for a break, take the kids to the play area located in the middle of the zoo. Here you'll find lots of wooden trains where kids can climb and pretend. There is one climbing structure with a slide; no swings. In the summer it gets pretty hot because there's no shade here. Bring hats and sunblock for everyone.

If you'll be at the Zoo during lunch or snack time, you can bring a picnic lunch or purchase Panini sandwiches, wraps, salads, and traditional concession fare on site.

Membership benefits are worth the $60 price tag. You and your family can receive free admission to the Franklin Park and Stone Zoos, as well as a 10% discount in all Zoo New England gift shops and food concessions, a free subscription to Wild Words newsletter, discounts on "Wild Adventures" education programs, and exhibit previews.

Zoo New England and Camp Fire USA have offered a day camp at the Franklin Park Zoo for 15 years. Participants experience a unique environmental education camp that allows them to explore the natural world of animals and their habitats. ZooCamp is an educational and fun-filled journey that includes arts and crafts, nature games and activities, and the study of Zoo animals - including "behind the scenes" tours with zookeepers! Registration is limited to one session per summer and all campers must be Zoo members.

Established in 1990, The Green Planet sells natural and environmentally friendly products, with a focus on natural, wooden, and cloth toys and games. The products are educational and encourage creative, open-ended play, including science kits, doll houses, puzzles, classic children's books, cooperative games, books about social issues, cotton stuffed animals, infant toys, puppets, arts and crafts kits, and music CDs and cassettes.

While you're there, check out the environmentally friendly household products (non-toxic pest control, for example), organic cotton clothing for babies, recycled stationery, yoga videos and supplies, and eco-friendly gifts.

For fun birthday parties, you can choose either yoga or "creative space" (art, music). Parties begin at $15 per child.

Yoga classes are available for the whole family, from pre-natal through adult. You'll find classes for children, toddlers, mommy and me, pre-teen, teen, and adult. Classes range from $12-$15/class.

There are also creative space classes for children in art, music, creative movement, and chess. Both yoga and creative class sessions range from 6 to 15 weeks, and cost from $12-$15 per class. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

They say it's a jungle out there, and, at the Franklin Park Zoo, it really is. What it lacks in size (72 acres in Boston's historic Franklin Park), it makes up for in kid and parent friendliness.

The little ones will love Franklin Farm, which features a "contact corral" (translation - petting zoo). Kids can pet cows, goats, and horses, and Zoo staff are on hand for questions. Other crowd pleasers at the Farm are a silo slide and a tractor the kids can "ride".

The Australian Outback gives everyone a chance
to get up close and personal with tree kangaroos and emus. Don't expect lots of action here, though; the "aussies" hang in the brush most of the time.

The Giraffe Savannah and Kalahari Kingdom
feature three Masai giraffes (one baby!) and a lion. The kids will get a kick out of the jeep that's "driven" into the lion's den. Brave adventurers can drive the jeep while viewing the lions from behind the safety of lots of plexiglass. The Serengeti Crossing is an outdoor "plain" that features zebras, ostrich, and ibex sheep.

Not to be missed is the Butterfly Landing. You'll enter an outdoor enclosure that houses 1,000 butterflies from all over North America. Watch your children's faces brighten when they notice a butterfly sitting on their shoulder. There are also several butterfly hatcheries, where kids get to see real butterflies emerging from their cocoons.

The Tiger Tales exhibit, opened in 2006, tigers Anala and Luther, and aims to educate guests about the problems that arise when exotic animals fall into the wrong hands as well as the misinformation surrounding white tigers (Luther is white).

The recently renovated (2007) Gorilla Exhibit offers increased viewing opportunities for visitors, who are now able to literally stand face-to-face with these magnificent animals. For the gorillas, the new design provides more vertical space in which to climb and play.

When you're ready for a break, take the kids to the play area located in the middle of the zoo. Here you'll find lots of wooden trains where kids can climb and pretend. There is one climbing structure with a slide; no swings. In the summer it gets pretty hot because there's no shade here. Bring hats and sunblock for everyone.

If you'll be at the Zoo during lunch or snack time, you can bring a picnic lunch or purchase Panini sandwiches, wraps, salads, and traditional concession fare on site.

Membership benefits are worth the $60 price tag. You and your family can receive free admission to the Franklin Park and Stone Zoos, as well as a 10% discount in all Zoo New England gift shops and food concessions, a free subscription to Wild Words newsletter, discounts on "Wild Adventures" education programs, and exhibit previews.

Zoo New England and Camp Fire USA have offered a day camp at the Franklin Park Zoo for 15 years. Participants experience a unique environmental education camp that allows them to explore the natural world of animals and their habitats. ZooCamp is an educational and fun-filled journey that includes arts and crafts, nature games and activities, and the study of Zoo animals - including "behind the scenes" tours with zookeepers! Registration is limited to one session per summer and all campers must be Zoo members.

Celebrating 58 years of "live theatre for children by children," Boston Children's Theatre (BCT) lets kids take center stage. Kids at BCT participate in all phases of production, and perform in shows that reach 30,000 people yearly. Performances are staged at various locations around town, and are listed in our calendar as well as on the BCT web site. Mainstage productions are at the Grand Lodge of Masons.

BCT offers fall, winter, and spring sessions of theater classes for children kindergarten through high school, and holds open auditions for each of its mainstage productions. All roles in BCT productions are played exclusively by young people in grades 4-12.

In the summer, BCT offers creative arts programs for students in grades two to seven, and the Teen Stagemobile Tour Company, which brings live theater performances to neighborhood parks, camps, and nearby communities throughout Greater Boston.

In addition to mainstage productions, BCT also creates other events throughout the year; check our calendar for details.

MassCamps.com offers a comprehensive listing of camps in Massachusetts and New England. Links are available to the camps that have paid for a link. Notices regarding upcoming camp fairs and other camp-related items of interest are listed on the site's monthly calendar. The site also offers on-line registration for summer camps jobs in New England.

CampJob.com is also accessible via this site. It lists camp employment opportunities for kids in high school and older.

Whether you're on the lookout for a day camp or something in a sleep-away, the ACA is a great place to check out.

The ACA New England serves camps in the six-state New England region, where there are more than 350 ACA-accredited day and overnight camps. It provides free camp search guidance and resources for families. The annual guide to camps is available in print and can be downloaded from their website. And camp professionals benefit from educational programs, workshops, and resources throughout the year, including the largest professional conference in the region devoted exclusively to all things camp.

Camp offices are at 80 Westview Street, Lexington. ACA New England can also be reached at 866.534.2267.