South Shore
Things to do with kids on the South Shore
The South Shore is a sweet spot for families: rocky coastline and harbor towns, big state parks for biking and hiking, and a steady calendar of library programs, farm days and community festivals. We gather it all in one place, from Quincy down to Plymouth.
Upcoming local events
Peek-a-Boo! Halloween Art & Music — Norwell
Sat, Oct 24 · 9:00 AM · Norwell · Arts & Crafts
Enjoy a little Halloween music and mess-making at Over the Moon in Norwell. Children can move to music, try art and sensory activities, listen to a…
Saturday Storytime with Bernadine Coyne at Book Love
Sat, Oct 24 · 10:00 AM · Plymouth · Stories & Songs
Join Book Love for a 30-minute Saturday storytime geared to ages 3–6 with Bernadine Coyne. Admission price is not listed.
Spooky Walk, Pumpkin Bowling & Fall Photo Spots at Kennedy’s
Sat, Oct 24 · Scituate · Special Event
Enjoy a smaller fall outing at Kennedy’s Country Gardens on October 24. The organizer confirms that its spooky walk, photo spots and pumpkin bowling…
Sing and Dance with Miss Rebecca
Sat, Oct 24 · 10:00 AM · Scituate · Stories & Songs
Come sing and dance at the Library with Ms. Rebecca! Bring your moves, your groove, and your friends for a morning session of fun, music, and…
Boo in the Barnyard at Weir River Farm
Sat, Oct 24 · Hingham · Special Event
Wear a costume and celebrate Halloween with Petunia the pig, Betty the sheep, Pepper the goat, and the farm’s other barnyard friends. Families can…
Halloween on the Common
Sat, Oct 24 · 1:00 PM · Norwell · Special Event
Bring the kids in costume for a Halloween afternoon on Norwell Town Common. The Norwell Women’s Club lists carnival games, music, trick-or-treating…
Braintree Trunk or Treat at Town Hall
Sat, Oct 24 · 3:00 PM · Braintree · Special Event
Bring the kids in costume for an afternoon of trunk-or-treating at Braintree Town Hall. The Recreation Department also advertises music and a prize…
Pumpkin Carving at Dandelion Park
Sat, Oct 24 · 12:00 PM · Marshfield · Arts & Crafts
Make a pumpkin masterpiece together at Dandelion Park in downtown Marshfield. The Molly Fund provides pumpkins and refreshments, so families can come…
St. John's Not-So-Spooky Haunted House
Sat, Oct 24 · 4:30 PM · Hingham · Special Event
Meet Freddy the Friendly Ghost on a walk through St. John's playful haunted house, where the church basement becomes a Halloween harbor with friendly…
St. John's Not-So-Spooky Haunted House — Special Needs Advanced Access
Sat, Oct 24 · 4:00 PM · Hingham · Special Event
Meet Freddy the Friendly Ghost on a walk through St. John's playful haunted house, where the church basement becomes a Halloween harbor with friendly…
Learn to Skate Class
Sat, Oct 24 · 9:00 AM · Whitman · Active Play
Help your child find their balance on wheels or build on skills they already have. Five Star Skating Academy offers basic, intermediate and advanced…
Public Skating at Connell Ice Rink
Sat, Oct 24 · 2:50 PM · Weymouth · Active Play
Enjoy some family time on the ice at Weymouth’s Connell Ice Rink. This is a public skating session, not hockey time: sticks and pucks are not…
Places to play
Altitude Trampoline Park
Avon · Indoor Playspace
Wall to wall trampoline fun with dodgeball, battle beams, basketball, and a toddler area so everyone can bounce safely.
Bare Cove Park
Hingham · Playgrounds & Parks
Former military base turned 487-acre park with paved paths, playgrounds, and waterfront views. Perfect for biking families with easy trails and…
Barnes & Noble (Derby Street Shops)
Hingham · Books & Hidden Nooks
The Derby Street Shops bookstore hosts a free children's story time every Friday morning, with a big kids' section and plenty of room for browsing…
Billy Beez
Kingston · Indoor Playspace
A massive indoor play park with tunnels, slides, ball blasters, and sports courts for nonstop climbing and racing.
Blue Hills Reservation
Milton · Playgrounds & Parks
Just outside Boston: large natural area with hiking trails, skyline views, and a small ski area. A nature break where families can explore forests…
Bossy Beans
Plymouth · Toys & Shops
A fun baby and kids clothing shop with clothes and accessories including playdough packs, stuffies, dolls, heritage mouse and bunny dolls, books, and…
Brook and Main
Cohasset · Toys & Shops
A curated collection for modern families in Cohasset village — beautiful baby and kids' clothing, accessories, and gifts, all hand-picked with a…
Buttonwood Books and Toys
Cohasset · Books & Hidden Nooks
A South Shore favorite combining a full bookstore with a great toy selection, plus storytimes with songs and author events for little ones. One stop…
Children's World Indoor Playground
Canton · Indoor Playspace
An indoor playground with bounce houses, ride on toys, and toddler zones, great for little ones with big energy.
Christine Devine Memorial Rainbow StoryWalk
Duxbury · Museums & History
A magical outdoor reading adventure for tiny voyagers! Follow the trail behind Alden School and discover pages of a picture book posted along the…
Create a Splash
Kingston · Arts & Crafts
Get messy in a black-light, neon paint-splash studio where families can fling non-toxic, washable paint onto canvases, each other, and splatter-proof…
Dalby Farm
Scituate · Farm Fun
A picturesque working farm in Scituate offering seasonal activities, farm animals, and fresh produce. A wonderful spot for families to experience…
Derby Street Shops
Hingham · Toys & Shops
A family-favorite outdoor shopping destination with a mix of boutiques, toy stores, and kid-friendly dining. Catch storytime pop-ups at Barnes &…
Dig 'N' Play Zone
Canton · Indoor Playspace
The largest indoor sandbox play space in Greater Boston! Little builders can dig, build, and explore in 40+ tons of silica-free, non-toxic sand…
Duxbury Beach
Duxbury · Sandy Spots
A stunning 6-mile barrier beach perfect for family adventures! Tiny voyagers can splash in calm waters, build sandcastles, and keep their eyes peeled…
Fort Revere Park
Hull · Playgrounds & Parks
Six-acre historic park with star-shaped earthwork fort and panoramic ocean views. Easy walking paths perfect for strollers and young explorers. Free…
Happy Hearts Playspace
Norwell · Indoor Playspace
Open play sessions run for 120 minutes, with sign-ups available every 30 minutes from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM. $23 per session ($13 sibling rate)…
Hidden Gem Homestead
Plymouth · Farm Fun
Spend a relaxed farm visit meeting the goats and other barnyard animals at Hidden Gem Homestead in Plymouth. The current Open Barnyard schedule is…
Hingham Community Playground
Hingham · Playgrounds & Parks
A brand new playground and wonderful addition to the South Shore. With a poured rubber surface and a fence, it is welcoming to a range of ages and…
Hornstra Farm
Norwell · Farm Fun
A working dairy farm in Norwell offering fresh milk, ice cream, and seasonal farm experiences. Visit the cows, enjoy farm-fresh treats, and learn…
Hull Lifesaving Museum
Hull · Museums & History
Interactive maritime museum where kids learn about heroic sea rescues. Climb to the lookout tower with binoculars and hear stories of brave…
Imagination Station Playground
Randolph · Playgrounds & Parks
A massive community-built playground featuring an adjacent, multi-jet summer splash pad.
Jack Phillips Park Playground
Hull · Playgrounds & Parks
A fenced-in playground with a play structure, swings, and picnic tables located within the Nantasket Beach Reservation next to the Mary Therese…
Jam Time
Hanover · Indoor Playspace
Soft play structures, slides, ride ons, and pretend play for littles, plus sensory friendly sessions for a gentler experience. Birthday parties…
Kid-friendly places to eat
Anejo Mexican Bistro (Plymouth)
Plymouth · Mexican
Spacious two-story Mexican restaurant with a fun atmosphere, kids' menu, and lively downtown location.
B Homemade Ice Cream - Kingston
Kingston · Ice Cream
The Kingston outpost of B Homemade churns its ice cream on location every day — creative flavors like lavender honey alongside the kid classics, plus…
B Homemade Ice Cream - Marshfield
Marshfield · Ice Cream
Small-batch ice cream made on site daily, with 15–20 rotating flavors, plenty of toppings, and indoor seating for melty-cone emergencies. Open…
B Homemade Ice Cream - Plymouth
Plymouth · Ice Cream
B Homemade's Plymouth waterfront shop scoops daily-made ice cream steps from the harbor — perfect cone-in-hand strolling after seeing the Mayflower…
bartaco
Hingham · Mexican
Bartaco brings beachy, upscale street-food vibes to Derby Street Shops with tacos, rice bowls, and fresh guac. Very accommodating for young families…
Ben & Jerry's - Derby Street
Hingham · Ice Cream
Ben & Jerry's at Derby Street Shops — the classic post-playground, post-errand scoop in Hingham, with all the flavor names kids recite by heart.
Ben & Jerry's - South Shore Plaza
Braintree · Ice Cream
Ben & Jerry's inside South Shore Plaza — the mall-day motivator that gets little shoppers through one more errand. All the classic chunk-and-swirl…
Blakeman's Restaurant at Duxbury Beach Park
Duxbury · Seafood
A casual "upscale clam shack" right on Duxbury Beach — kids can step out onto the sand while the grown-ups dig into lobster rolls, chowder, and…
Bramhall's Country Store
Plymouth · Seafood & Ice Cream
A seasonal, family-run country store dating to 1828 in historic Chiltonville, just down the road from Plimoth Patuxet. Order a lobster roll, local…
Burton's Grill & Bar - Hingham
Hingham · American | Gluten-Free Friendly
Right at Derby Street Shops, Burton's Hingham makes GF family dinners easy — a full dedicated gluten-free menu handled with real cross-contamination…
Dairy Twist
Pembroke · Ice Cream
A classic Route 53 roadside stand in Pembroke — soft serve twists, hard ice cream, sundaes, and window service that feels like summer vacation. An…
Doctor's Island Brewing Company
Hull · Brewery
A welcoming Hull brewery with harbor views, a side-porch atmosphere, live music, and casual snacks including soft pretzels, hummus, sliders, and…
Family-friendly places to stay
Hotel 1620 Plymouth Harbor
Plymouth · Hotel
A family-friendly waterfront hotel with an indoor pool and the Mayflower Landing Splash Pad that little ones love. Walking distance to Plymouth Rock…
Myles Standish State Forest Campground
Carver · Campsite
Pine-scented camping between Plymouth and the Cape, with warm ponds for swimming and flat, kid-friendly bike trails winding through the trees…
Pinewood Lodge Campground
Plymouth · Campsite
A family campground on a 50-acre freshwater lake with several cabin and tiny-house rentals. Options range from two-room log cabins to lake-view…
Red Lion Inn
Cohasset · Bed & Breakfast
This charming 1704 historic inn offers fifteen cozy suites with fireplaces, a seasonal outdoor pool, and an award-winning tavern serving New England…
Wompatuck State Park Campground
Hingham · Campsite
South Shore families barely have to leave home for this one — it's about 25 miles from Boston, with hundreds of shady sites under tall hardwoods…