Where to play in the snow with kids around Boston
Boston gets a few big snowfalls every winter, and on a snowy weekend you don't need the mountains: the hill at Larz Anderson Park in Brookline is the area's most famous sledding slope, and the big grassy hill at Danehy Park in Cambridge is wide and gentle enough for small kids. Twenty minutes later you're home for hot chocolate.
On snowless winter weekends, head to the Frog Pond on Boston Common: an outdoor rink from November to March, free for kids under 58 inches (rentals extra), and a 2-year-old is perfectly happy at the rail, playing in the snow and looking at the tree. For kids 6 and up who want a thrill, drive 35 minutes to Nashoba Valley in Westford, ride the conveyor up and come down on a tube: two-hour sessions, no skiing required.
- 4 places
- 2 free
- 3 stroller-friendly
- closest is 10 min away
4 places
Drive times from Newton
Boston Common Frog Pond skating and Christmas tree
3.0Boston · 20 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Green/Red Line to Park St puts you right there; by car use the Boston Common underground garage
Larz Anderson Park
5.0Brookline · 10 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots inside the park (entrances on Newton St and Goddard Ave)
Danehy Park playground and spray area
5.0Cambridge · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lots at the Sherman St and New St entrances
Nashoba Valley snow tubing
1.0Westford · 35 min drive
2.5 h · carrier recommended · reservation needed
$$$ · Parking: Free ski area lot
💡 Good to know
- Bring a plastic saucer or foam sled, waterproof mittens and a change of clothes; the Larz Anderson hill is long and fast, so keep 2-year-olds on the little slope at the bottom.
- The Frog Pond gets crowded on weekends, so go at opening; skating aids are limited and first come, first served.
- Nashoba tubing requires a 42-inch height; book sessions online in advance. It's machine-made snow, so it runs whenever it's cold enough.