Boston's Best Outdoor Winter Outings For The Family

As a Boston lifer, I learned early on that the best way to survive winter is to embrace winter. If it's truly too frigid for outdoor adventures, check out these fun indoor winter outings with kids. Otherwise, bundle up, pack a thermos of hot cocoa, and head out to enjoy these fun outdoor winter outings with kids.

Celebrate in the community

One great thing about Boston is that outdoor festivals continue on through the winter. The city of Lowell has made an annual tradition of Lowell Winterfest, and in the past, smaller winter festivals and carnivals have been held in the towns of Dunstable, Groveland, and Lincoln, and at Stony Brook Reservation. Franklin Park also typically hosts a winter volunteer clean up day if you want to teach your kids about community service while enjoying some fresh air.

Hit the ice

Ice skating in Boston isn't just limited to indoor rinks. Perfect your triple axel outdoors at Frog Pond, Kendall Square, and the Rink at the Charles Hotel.

Be with the trees

One fun late winter activity to enjoy with kids is maple sugaring; it's a great way to show kids that syrup comes from somewhere other than a grocery store aisle. Keep an eye out for events hosted by the Somerville Maple Syrup Project and South Shore Natural Science Center, as well as at the Massachusetts Audubon's Blue Hills, Drumlin Farm, and Ipswich River Sanctuary.

Take a hike

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation typically offers great winter programming. Among other events, keep an eye out for their First Day Hikes (they've also hosted First Day Skates), through which they encourage starting the New Year on a fit foot.

Don't forget about your neighborhood

And don't forget about fun right in your own neighborhood. Go sledding with your kids, build a snow fort or fleet of snow people, or even make shoveling a fun project with kid-sized shovels (my daughter loves hers!).

Christine Koh is a music and brain scientist turned freelance writer, editor, and designer. She is the founder and editor of Boston Mamas, the designer behind Posh Peacock, writes a personal blog at Pop Discourse, and pens the column Minimalist Mama. She resides in the Boston area with her husband and 6-year-old daughter and is expecting her second child in March 2011. She tweets about it all at @bostonmamas.