Especially for Kids

What can the children do in Boston? A better question might be "What can't the children do in Boston?" Just about every major attraction in the city either is specifically designed to appeal to youngsters or can easily be adapted to do so.

The following attractions are covered extensively elsewhere; here's the boiled-down version for busy parents.

Destinations with something for every member of the family include Faneuil Hall Marketplace (tel. 617/338-2323) and the Museum of Fine Arts (tel. 617/267-9300), which offers special weekend and after-school programs.

Hands-on exhibits and large-format films are the headliners at the New England Aquarium (tel. 617/973-5200), where you'll find the Simons IMAX Theatre, and at the Museum of Science (tel. 617/723-2500), home to the Mugar Omni Theater as well as the Hayden Planetarium.

You might get your hands on a baseball at a Red Sox game or the Sports Museum of New England (tel. 617/624-1234).

The allure of seeing people the size of ants draws young visitors to the Prudential Center Skywalk Observatory (tel. 617/859-0648). And they can see actual ants -- although they might prefer the dinosaurs -- at the Harvard Museum of Natural History (tel. 617/495-3045).

Older children who have studied modern American history will enjoy a visit to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (tel. 617/929-4523). Middle-schoolers who enjoyed Esther Forbes's Johnny Tremain will probably get a kick out of the Paul Revere House (tel. 617/523-2338). Young visitors who have read Robert McCloskey's classic Make Way for Ducklings will relish a visit to the Public Garden, and fans of E. B. White's The Trumpet of the Swan certainly will want to ride on the Swan Boats (tel. 617/522-1966). Considerably less tame (and much longer) are whale watches.

Boston Harbor Cruises, 1 Long Wharf (tel. 877/SEE-WHALE or 617/227-4321; www.bostonharborcruises.com), offers a cruise called Codzilla, which it bills as a "high-speed thrill boat ride." It leaves Long Wharf on the hour from 10am to 4pm daily in the summer; from the shore, you may be able to hear delighted screaming. Tickets cost $19 for adults, $17 for seniors, and $15 for children 4 to 12; reservations are recommended.

Note: When this guide was published, the Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum (tel. 617/269-7150; www.bostonteapartyship.com) was under renovation and scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2009. The expanded museum complements full-size replicas of the three merchant ships that were raided during the colonial uprising in December 1773. I've written this paragraph at least once a year since a devastating fire shuttered the attraction in 2001, so definitely check ahead before heading out.

Walking Tours

Boston By Foot (tel. 617/367-2345, or 617/367-3766 for recorded information; www.bostonbyfoot.com) has a special walk, "Boston By Little Feet," that's geared to children 6 to 12 years old. The 60-minute walk gives a child's-eye view of the architecture along the Freedom Trail and of Boston's role in the American Revolution. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and a map is provided. Tours run from May through October and begin at the statue of Samuel Adams on the Congress Street side of Faneuil Hall, Friday and Saturday at 10am, Sunday at 2pm, rain or shine. The cost is $8 per person.

More Kid Stuff

Before night falls (and sometimes afterward), the whole family can have a great time at the Hard Rock Cafe (food and music), Club Passim (folk music; no alcohol), Shear Madness (audience-participation theater), Blue Man Group (performance art), and the Puppet Showplace Theater.

Beadworks, the CambridgeSide Galleria mall, Curious George Books & Toys, Pearl Art & Craft Supplies, and the various college bookstores can be almost as fun as all-toy stores.

Fun destinations include Salem, Plymouth, and (for Little Women fans) Concord.