The Children’s Museum is more than a play space: It’s a three-story learning hub where fun is noble work. Explore rotating exhibits as well as permanent attractions such as the popular bubbles room, where kids can make giant soap bubbles with a variety of tools, and the towering New Balance maze.

Without fail, kids are delighted by these amphibious vehicles, but, no matter your age, no one can resist the thrill of a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang maneuver: One minute you’re bumping along Beacon Street and the next you’re afloat in the Charles River. The “conDUCKtors” ham it up with corny jokes, offer historical tidbits, and let the kids pose at the driver’s wheel. And at a tight 80 minutes, the tours wrap up just as everybody’s starting to get antsy.

This community nature center and preserve in Mattapan, operated by Mass Audubon, is a 67-acre oasis of green right within the Boston city limits. Besides the chance to see dozens of bird and plant species, kids love the 14,000-square-foot Nature Nook, with a sand area to play in, a stream to cross, and logs perfect for balancing.

While other rinks have closed their doors, Chez-Vous has remained a constant in Dorchester for roller skaters of all ages. Skate to music spun by DJs, take a lesson if you need it, and refuel with a casual menu that includes pizza, burgers, and wings. With a history going back to the 1930s, Chez-Vous is a beloved local institution that’s worth a visit.

From the tranquil Butterfly Hollow to the popular Gorilla Grove, the Franklin Park Zoo’s 72 acres are filled with amazing animals — and memorable experiences. A playground, carousel, and other attractions keep the fun going. Feed the family at the Farmhouse Cafe, or better yet, feed a parakeet at the Aussie Aviary.

With its plethora of natural oddities and interactive exhibits, the Harvard Museum of Natural History hits just the right spot for inquisitive young minds. Turn your rock collector into a budding geologist among its gemstones and meteorites. Explore taxidermied wonders under the canopy of whale skeletons in the Great Mammal Hall. And don’t miss the coelacanth, the gnarly fish previously thought extinct, preserved in alcohol for your study.

Tucked away in the picturesque Larz Anderson Park, this gem of a museum beckons vroom-vroom enthusiasts young and old to its carriage house, which boasts the country’s oldest automobile collection. The front yard hosts family-friendly lawn events on weekends, May through October. The rest of the park, with its tree-lined playground, picturesque pond, athletic fields, and picnic areas, is sure to tucker out the most energetic of them.

At this local institution, STEM feels not only accessible but cool. The breadth is dazzling, offering mainstays such as the Hayden Planetarium and the Mugar Omni Theater as well as initiatives such as 2024’s Earthshot, which explores climate solutions through exhibits and programming. From dinosaurs to AI, the Museum of Science remains a must-visit for enriching young minds.

Children and guests of all ages are greeted at the New England Aquarium by Atlantic harbor seals in an outdoor exhibit and a small army of penguins inside — and the fun is just beginning. Visitors will love scrambling up the spiral walkway alongside an astonishing array of aquatic eye candy in the four-story, 200,000-gallon tank. The hypnotic, swirling sea jellies might bring on nap time, while the Shark and Ray Touch Tank is an exciting end to any visit.

When your family has had its fill of ear-blistering video arcades and trampoline parks, head to Ron’s. This throwback spot has been a Hyde Park mainstay since 1976, with 10 cozy candlepin lanes (with bumpers for newbies). Kids gobble down pizzas and award-winning homemade ice cream, while parents sip beers and gossip amid the din. It’s simple, old-school fun for all.

Linking the North End, Downtown, waterfront, and Chinatown, this idyllic, 1.5-mile strip of green through the heart of Boston is the perfect respite from an overscheduled day. Explore bench swings, fountains, food trucks, and an unexpected labyrinth. A great place to start is with a ride on the popular, harbor-themed Greenway Carousel near Faneuil Hall.