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Check below for some fun ideas for the whole family this April vacation.
Boston
Boston by Little Feet – Tour for Children & Families
Travel through 300 years of history on this fun and interactive tour of Boston’s Freedom Trail. Designed for families with children 6-12 years old, this tour encourages discovery and exploration.
The tour also includes the site of the first public school in America and the oldest burying ground in Boston. The whole family will enjoy this hour-long tour in the heart of historic Boston!
Recurring
Boston By Foot, Inc.
April School Vacation Middle School Program
A two-hour program for individual participants to engage in a space mission simulation in the newly-renovated Challenger Learning Center! Surrounded by technology, each participant plays a unique role in the mission as the team completes assignments, manipulates hands-on labs, and copes with simulated emergencies. Teamwork is crucial! If one member fails to complete a job, the entire mission can be put at risk. Date: Tuesday,
April 16, 9 – 11:30 a.m.
Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State University
Sesame Street Live! Say Hello!
Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster, and their friends from Sesame Street are coming to your neighborhood to say hello! In Sesame Street Live! Say Hello, you can sing and dance with your favorite furry friends while enjoying fun surprises along the way. So put on your dancing shoes and make your way to where the air is sweet for this all-new celebration on Sesame Street!
April 19 – 20
Emerson Colonial Theatre
Cape Cod & the Islands
Spring Into Nature: April Vacation Program
A field trip a day! Your child can spend school vacation week exploring different island properties, learning about wildlife, growing food, making crafts, singing songs, listening to stories, and much more!
Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary
Guided Field Walks During April School Vacation
The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster presents Guided Family Field Walks during April School Vacation Monday, April 15 – Friday, April 19, 2024. * Join one of our naturalists and explore the world outside the Museum. Our naturalist will explain the various plants, animals, habitats, and other ecological features along the trails. These walks are approximately 90 minutes over somewhat challenging terrain.
April 15 – 19, 2024
Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
Switch Games
Switch games for kids! Ages 8+ can join us for Switch club Mondays from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Community Room. We have equipment or kids are welcome to bring their own switch. Gaming computers are also available.
April 15 at 3 – 5 p.m.
West Tisbury Public Library
April Vacation Art Session! (Ages 6-10)
Welcome to Spring! This four-day session over April Vacation will introduce your creative students to sculpture, and other forms of 3D art. Youth Art Instructor Jennifer Stratton will have students work with clay, paper mache, and other materials to create fun and engaging unique works of art.
See art up close! The Museum will be buzzing with inspiration for students who will tour the current exhibition Cape Cod Open Sculpture Invitational 2024 (CCOSI). This is the second joint Juried Sculpture Exhibition with the New England Sculptors Association (NESA).
April 16 – April 19
Cape Cod Museum of Art
Mixology: Chemistry For Kids
Join Colette LeGendre and get messy with science! Explosions of experiments, hands-on activities, and demonstrations that encourage kids to ask questions that pique their interest by investigating the mysteries of chemistry. Help answer the question: “What will happen when…?”
April 16 – 18, 2024
Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
Play and Learn
Join us for an indoor program at the Family Center on Tuesday afternoons and Friday mornings. We will also have one Wednesday morning on April 17. This program is for kids 0-8 years old. Drop-ins welcome.
April 17, 19 at 9:30 – 11 a.m.
Martha’s Vineyard Family Center
Central Massachusetts
Spring Discoveries: A Vacation Week Program Just For Kids!
Join New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill for a fun-filled week of exploration, investigation, and creation in nature this spring! Spring Discoveries is a full-day drop-off program just for kids ages 7-10 and is held mostly outdoors. Registration is priced per day. You may register for all 5 days or pick and choose what days work best with your schedule.
Aril 15 – 20, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill
North of Boston
Bookmobile Visit
Discover a new book that you can check out that day and even sign up for your own free library card!
April 16, 1 – 3 p.m., All Arts League Of Lowell
April 18, 12 – 1 p.m., Mill City Grows
April 18, 2 – 3 p.m., Lowell National Historical Park Boott Cotton Mills
April 19, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Boarding House Park
Weaving Workshop
Learn how cloth is designed, patterned, and made in this unique hands-on workshop. Weave your own piece of cloth using hand looms. Learn the difference between warp and weft, and have fun in the process! Two sessions.
April 16, 2 – 3 p.m. and 3 – 4 p.m.
Lowell National Historical Park Boott Cotton Mills
Figure Sketching/Drawing
With Donna Berger, students will learn approaches for making quick figure drawings. Grids will be provided to help with proportions and size. Students may be asked to act as models for short 10-minute poses. Ages 10 – 14.
April 17, 10 – 11 a.m.
Brush Art Gallery & Studios
Children’s Reenactment
Calling all aspiring young Patriots and Redcoats! Lexington Historical Society, in partnership with the Lexington Minute Men and His Majesty’s 10th Regiment of Foot, welcome all willing participants for an interactive reenactment of the Battle of Lexington! Participants will be trained by members of the Lexington Minute Men or His Majesty’s 10th Regiment of Foot before getting the chance to march onto the historic Lexington Battle Green and reenact the first battle of the American Revolution. Guardians are encouraged to drop off their children for training and return to view the battle reenactment. After the battle, participants will have a chance to interact with members of both the Lexington Minute Men and His Majesty’s 10th Regiment.
April 17, 10 – 11:15 a.m.
Lexington Historical Society
Watershed Exploration at the Spaulding House
Step back in time and immerse yourself in Lowell’s rich industrial history at the third oldest home in the city, dating back to circa 1760. Discover Lowell’s industrial past and learn about its connection to the local watershed using the Enviroscape Watershed Model. Explore the impact of human activity on the environment and gain insights into preserving Lowell’s greatest natural resource the Merrimack River.
April 17, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust
New England Quilt Museum Free Admission Day
Families can enjoy free admission to the New England Quilt Museum and visit fiber artist Dawn Allen’s latest series, Domestic Partners, which captures the relationships that humans share with their animals. Many of the images depict humans and animals together, illustrating aspects of their emotional connection. Others, which feature animals alone, invite the viewer to look into their eyes and contemplate their inner lives.
April 17, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
New England Quilt Museum
Exploring Watercolor for Teens
Claire Gagnon proposes an exciting way to explore with watercolor. Paint critters, animals, fantastic beasts, or anything you like! Let your imagination run free. Grades 6 – 12.
April 17, 1 – 2 p.m.
Brush Art Gallery & Studios
Kid’s Spring Crafternoon
Decorate your own suncatcher wind chime! For grades K-4. Registration is required and space is limited. Grades K – 4.
April 17, 2 – 3 p.m.
Pollard Memorial Library
Basketball Skills and Drills
The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell will host a skills and drills session for students to brush up and practice on some of the basics of basketball. This event will be fully supervised with safety of all participants as our main objective. Grades 3 – 6.
April 18, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell
Colonial Fun and Games (Grades 3-5)
Families of the past worked hard, but they did find some time to play! Taverns in particular were a place where people of all ages could play. Explore the world of simple handmade toys along with authentic historical board games to find out how families entertained themselves in the past. We’ll also be making a couple of simple toys to take home!
April 19, 1 – 2 p.m.
Lexington Historical Society
South of Boston
April School Vacation: Cardboard Harbor
Get ready to become a master architect and help construct the New Bedford harbor using only cardboard! From its distinct waterfront buildings to the fascinating boats to the sea creatures in the harbor, let your imagination and cardboard creations transform our Harbor View Gallery into a vibrant mini-version of the city we all know and love.
No matter your skill level, join us throughout the week in this interactive, fun-for-all-ages activity. All tools and supplies will be provided. Then, on Saturday, April 20, join us to view the final version of the cardboard harbor that you helped create.
April 14 – 20, Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
New Bedford Whaling Museum
April Kids Week at Pilgrim Hall Museum
Fun, free entertainment and family-friendly activities with free museum admission for everyone. Running from April 16 to 19th, visitors can also expect daily Treasure Hunts for kids and special programs for young learners. All children must be accompanied by an adult. This event series is Sponsored by The Edgar & Pauline Main Family Foundation.
April 16, 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Pilgrim Hall Museum
April Vacation @ OCHM!
Drop in for an activity or stay for a few hours – kids 12 and under are free! Join Old Colony History Museum for water-themed daily activities during April Vacation week. Morning activities titled, “My Taunton River,” are designed for ages 0-5 and afternoon activities titled, “Adventures of Water,” for ages 6-12. And don’t miss our special guest – the Taunton River Watershed Alliance! The TRWA will be bringing an incredible watershed table and Ms. T, the terrapin (turtle)!
April 16, 11 a.m. – April 19, 3 p.m.
Old Colony History Museum
Colonial Adventures for Kids at Alden House
What was it like to be a child long ago? Alden House’s Colonial Adventure Camp invites kids 8-13 for a day of time travel with hands-on activities, games, and crafts during the school vacation week on Wednesday, April 17 from 10 am to 2 pm.
Activities include writing with a quill, dipping a tallow candle, spinning wool into thread, cooking over a fire, playing games, archaeology, and more. The program is led by museum educators.
April 17, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Alden House Historic Site
Spring Vacation Week: Investigating Historic Waterways
Celebrate Earth Day with Plimoth Patuxet Museums! Explore how historians and scientists preserve and protect the ecosystems that sustained 17th-century daily life in Patxuet and Plymouth Colony to the modern day. Participants will perform scientific tests to understand the health of this essential ecosystem and the role of different communities’ impacts on this historic landscape throughout time. This program is best suited for children ages 10-12. Children must be accompanied by an event ticket-holding adult at all times.
April 18, 10 a.m.
Western Massachusetts
Lanesborough, Vacation Week
Family-friendly programs. Join us for guided experiences, or create you own park adventure! Offerings include guided and self-guided hikes, scavenger hunts, Geocaching, Photography group outing, and an opportunity to give back by building a bird box on Park Serve Day. Read on for more details!
April 13 – 20
Mount Greylock State Reservation
Pioneer Valley Indoor Karting, Racing
It’s time to put the books down and hit the track. It’s Friday and school vacation week is here! Join us for some great family fun. We are open everyday rain or shine!
April 13 – 21
Pioneer Valley Indoor Karting
Free Day: Patriots Day
As part of our new schedule the Museum is open with free admission on Patriots Day! Connect with new art in our current exhibitions grab lunch at our new café and more during our special Monday holiday hours. Explore the entire Museum free of charge including the newly opened New Terrain: 21st-Century Landscape Photography.
April 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Worcester Art Museum
Hancock Shaker Village: Celebration of Baby Animals
Hancock Shaker Village opens for the 2024 season with the Baby Animals Festival, an annual signal of spring for many Berkshire residents. A family favorite for more than twenty years, visitors are invited to experience the ritual of renewal by welcoming this year’s baby animals and the newest arrivals – lambs, piglets, calves, chicks, and kids (goats, that is) – and enjoy a wide variety of events and activities throughout the Village. See the Event Website for further details.
April 15 – 22, 2 p.m.
Hancock Shaker Village
Yankee Candle Village, School Vacation FUN!
This April School Vacation, visit Yankee Candle Village for Spirit Week! Each day will be a different theme! . Dress in the theme for a chance to win a Wax Works package for 4 – one winner each day! We have lots of other fun planned including games to win prizes, visits from Ed the Magician and Tom Ricardi & his birds of prey, as well as raffles, a scavenger hunt, and more!
April 15, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Yankee Candle Village
Volunteer for the Earth Cleanup Challenge!
It’s Earth Month! Are you looking for a way to make a positive impact for your patch of the planet? Join in the region-wide Cleanup Challenge between April 1 and 16!
April 15, 2024
Kestrel Land Trust
The Zoo In Forest Park, Open During Vacation Week
The Zoo in Forest Park will be open ALL WEEK from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during both Massachusetts and Connecticut April vacation weeks. Tickets can be purchased at The Zoo gate upon arrival. Reminder that the City of Springfield charges $3/in-state plate and $5/out-of-state plate, cash only, to park. Parking is not included in the price of admission to The Zoo.
April 15, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The Zoo in Forest Park
Community Science Vacation Week
Want to meet an important scientist who can protect our planet? Just look in the mirror, because science needs you! Harness your powers of observation to help solve real-world problems in your community and across the globe. Hunt for stars, peek at plants, and track animal trends, then share your discoveries. Bring your sense of curiosity — we’re counting on it. Monday, April 15th, is a FREE Admission Day thanks to a generous grant from the Highland Street Foundation.
EcoTarium
KidsBestFest & Northampton Youth Cinema Festival
KidsBestFest is a week-long movie festival for kids and adults with free admission held during the spring school break at the Academy of Music Theatre. We show one movie a day and kick off the festival on Monday, April 15, 2024, at 11 a.m., with doors open at 10:30 AM. This year, we proudly present the Northampton Youth Cinema Festival on Friday night. NYCF is a one-evening film festival showcasing the talent of regional high school and college students. It is produced by Northampton High School students in collaboration with the Northampton Arts Council.
Academy of Music Theatre
Scrabble Club (open to all)
The Northampton Scrabble Club is open to all levels, and the priority is FUN! We play every Monday with games starting at 4:30 but come in at any point and leave after any number of games. We’ll help you learn tips & tricks to get better in a fun atmosphere, no commitment needed.
Lilly Library
April School Vacation Farm Tours
In-depth narrated wagon-ride farm tour through our produce fields and around our dairy and beef barns with milk & homemade cookies.
April 16, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Whittier Farms
Creator Studio For Teens
Drop in from 3-5 in the Innovation Center to try your hand at learning a new skill or making a new craft using our many machines! Each week will focus on a different activity or skill.
April 18, 3 – 5 p.m.
Worcester Public Library
Sprouting with Seeds Art-Making Workshop
Celebrate spring and the quickly approaching Earth Day by joining Clark educators for an art-making activity that incorporates indigenous pollinator seeds that you can take home and plant. Take care of the Berkshire bees with your seed creations that help support a resilient ecosystem, and have fun with family and friends along the way! Free. Recommended for ages 5 and older.
April 17, 1 – 3 p.m.
The Clark
Adams Free Library Storytime
Held in the Lower Annex Meeting Room. Talk, sing, read, write, and play with us! Preschoolers and their caregivers are invited to join us for fun songs, rhymes, stories, fingerplays, and crafts all designed to build early literacy skills.
10 – 11 a.m.
Adams Free Library
Disney’s Frozen, JR
Prepare to be enchanted as students from Berkshire County and beyond take center stage in the timeless story of Elsa, Anna and the magical land of Arendelle in Disney’s Frozen JR. This captivating production, based on the 2018 Broadway musical, promises to bring all the magic of the animated film to life.
April 19
The Colonial Theatre
Family Storytime @ MASS MoCA Kidspace
Families with children up to 6 years old are invited to join MASS MoCA Museum Educators for a storytime and related exploration in the galleries. Each storytime will feature a different children’s book about contemporary art, creativity, and/or the themes of the exhibitions on display. A brief gallery walk-through and discussion of the art will follow.
April 20, 10:30 a.m.
MASS MoCA