Plus bonus ideas in nearby MA and CT. (This guide has been revised and updated: May 19, 2016)
Consider 100+ Things To Do with Kids in Rhode Island Kidoinfo’s Bucket List, filled with things to do with your children before they grow up! Fun, food, culture, and history–all unique to our area: these are things we believe every young Rhode Islander should see and do.
For easy planning in any weather and any mood, our list is divided into four categories: Outdoor, Indoor, Food, and Close-to-RI-Favorites. We’ve included a note to let you know if the activity is FREE. (Always a bonus in our book!)
100+ Things To Do with Kids in Rhode Island has been updated again in June of 2014 to incorporate fresh ideas from Kidoinfo readers, and to remove items that have closed or changed since the list made its debut in 2009.
The guide is easy to use–print it out, check things off as you go, add date of visit, make notes, and add your own favorite spots!
Follow Kidoinfo on instagram @kidoinfo: I created a hashtag #kido100things to keep track of all the adventures we try. Feel free to tag your instagram photos so they become part of the collective #kido100things photo collection!
1. Visit Roger Williams National Memorial in Providence. Learn why the founder of Rhode Island was also a champion of the ideal of religious freedom. Bonus: Lovely spot for an outdoor picnic in season. (Free)
2. Stroll through Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, and find the resting place of famous souls like horror, fantasy, science-fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft. (Free)
3. Jump aboard the sunken ship The Hannah in Burnside Park (downtown Providence). Open all year long. (Free) Bonus: Attend Kidoinfo Storytime and Art in the Park during July and August. (Free)
4. Tour downcity Providence sights from a new perspective with Providence River Boat Company. Daytime, sunset, and Waterfire cruises available.
5. Watch the sunset over downtown Providence from Prospect Terrace. Park or hike to the top of Neutaconkanut Hill for another great view of the city. (Free)
6. Music! Enjoy concerts at Waterplace Park in downtown Providence. (Free)
7. Experience Waterfire in downtown Providence. Get there just before sunset to see the iconic bonfires as they are being lit. Take a gondola ride or boat ride.
8. Explore Slater Park in Pawtucket to see the animals at Daggett Farm, ride the swan boats on the pond, enjoy the playground, and visit the home of the Rhode Island Watercolor Society.
9. Visit the window displays of Big Nazo Lab, located in downtown Providence at the corner of Eddy and Fulton Streets. If you’re lucky, you may get a sneak peak inside. (Free)
10. Visit the original Shepard Fairey mural (commissioned by AS220 in 2010) painted on the side of the Pell Chafee Theatre on Aborn Street. (Free)
11. Make art and enjoy live music at AS220’s annual FooFest in downtown Providence. Takes place over the course of one weekend each August.
12. Pack a picnic supper and dine on the lawn of the John Brown House in Providence while listening to Concerts Under the Elms, Thursday evenings in the summer.
13. Visit the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence: meet the animals and play in the Big Backyard space. The zoo also hosts the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular in the fall.
14. Rent a swan paddle boat, canoe, kayak at Roger Williams Park in Providence.
15. Run in the breeze at India Point Park in Providence. Find the pirate ship in the 49-foot ceramic mural located near the playground. (Free)
16. Play at Dexter Park located next to the Cranston Armory in Providence. (Free)
17. Take a hike! Visit Rhode Island Families in Nature to choose from almost four dozen trails throughout Rhode Island. (Free)
18. Play the Rhode Island Farm Scavenger Hunt. Take a road trip and explore 28 of RI’s 1,200 working farms. Visit www.RIFruitGrowers.org to download the map and clues or pick up a pamphlet at a participating farm.
- Visit a real working dairy farm: Wrights Dairy Farm and Bakery in North Smithfield (Blackstone Valley).
- Travel back in time by visiting a 1790s New England farm: Coggeshall Farm Museum in Bristol.
- Visit Casey Farm in Saunderstown. (Free for Historic New England members and Saunderstown residents.)
- Visit a working family farm: Watson Farm in Jamestown (Free for Historic New England members and Jamestown residents.)
- Visit a real working farm: Dame Farm and Orchards in Johnston.
- Visit Kenyon’s Grist Mill in Usquepaug. (Free with a food or clothing donation for the Jonny Cake Center.)
- Head to Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown to wander the grounds and pick various berries and apples. The beautiful market includes a café of prepared foods and baked goods.
19. Shop from a local farmer. Many outdoor farmer markets open May through November with a handful open indoors the remainder of the year. (Visit www.FarmFreshri.org for a complete list of markets.)
20. Go for a ride on the East Bay bike path from Providence to Bristol. (Free) Ice cream stops in Riverside, Warren, and Bristol. Visit http://www.dot.ri.gov/community/bikeri/index.php for a list of bike paths around the state. (Free)
21. Watch Movies on the Block outside on Thursday evenings (June-September) in downtown Providence. (Free)
22. Fly a kite at Breton State Park along Ocean Drive in Newport. Annual Newport Kite Festival in mid-July. (Free)
23. Visit Touro Synagogue, America’s oldest synagogue, in Newport.
24. Experience the Newport Folk Festival at Fort Adams State Park.
25. Visit the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport.
26. Stroll the Cliff Walk in Newport and imagine living in the opulent mansions. (Free)
27. Spend the night at the Rose Island Lighthouse in Newport.
28. Spend the day at Easton’s Beach in Newport. Enjoy the carousel, water slide, skateboard park, and playground.
29. Visit Save the Bay Exploration Center & Aquarium in in Newport.
30. Pack a tailgate picnic and head to Glen Farms in Portsmouth for the Newport International Polo Series. During time-outs, kids run on to the field to stomp down divots. Every Saturday evening in summer.
31. Check out the tide pools at Beavertail State park in Jamestown. (Free)
32. Visit a former military fort with a history dating back over two centuries at Fort Wetherill State Park in Jamestown. (Free)
33. Join URI Marine Scientists at Fort Getty in Jamestown on a summer day at low tide for a two-hour beach walk.
34. Visit the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown.
35. Have a picnic at Roger W. Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett at sunset. (Free after 5pm)
36. Visit every carousel in the Rhode Island area: Crescent Park Looff Carousel (East Providence), Flying Horse Carousel (Watch Hill), Slater Memorial Park Carousel (Pawtucket), Carousel Village, Roger Williams Park (Providence), Easton’s Beach Carousel (Newport).
37. Explore Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth, the oldest and most northern topiary garden in the United States.
38. See Shakespeare in the Park during the summer in Wilcox Park in Westerly. (Free)
39. Visit a blue lobster at the Audubon Environmental Education Center in Bristol.
40. Welcome spring by attending Daffodil Days at Blithewold Mansion in Bristol. Bring your camera!
41. Take a hike up the old ski lift at Diamond Hill Park in Cumberland. (Free)
42. Book a group tour of the Johnston Landfill.
43. Attend a PawSox youth clinic before the Red Sox minor league baseball team’s game in Pawtucket. (The clinic is free. Tickets required for game.)
44. Go bouldering in Lincoln Woods. (Free)
45. Watch a film at the Rustic Tri-View Drive-In, Rte 146, North Smithfield. Open May through September.
46. Pick your own berries, and make your own jam.
47. Visit the Chapel-By-The-Sea in Colt State Park in Bristol. (Free)
48. Visit the Kettle Pond Visitor Center in Charlestown.
49. Visit the shops, feed the animals, and picnic at the Fantastic Umbrella Factory in Charlestown. (Admission is free.)
50. Swim, fish, play, or go boating at Ninigret Park in Charlestown. Visit the Frosty Drew Observatory on Friday evenings to get closer to the night sky.
51. Go camping in Hope Valley’s Arcadia Management Area.
52. Step back into history and explore Smith’s Castle in Wickford.
53. Swim at the Spring Lake Beach Facility and play in the arcade in Burrillville.
54. Go fishing at Sabin Point Park in East Providence. Search for seaglass and play on the playground. (Free)
55. Take the ferry round trip to Block Island for the day.
56. Visit the Jamestown Fire Department Memorial Museum in Jamestown.
57. Have a picnic at Goddard State Park in Warwick. (Free)
58. Ride the Prudence Island Ferry round trip from Bristol for a delightful daytrip.
59. Go on a seal watch. See Harbor seals in Narragansett Bay. View seals from Rome Point from October through April at low tide. (Free)
60. Visit the Biomes Marine Biology Center in North Kingstown.
61. Visit the tiny pirate playground in Warren. (Free) Followed by ice cream at Imagine.
62. Visit the imPossible Dream Playground in Warwick. (Free)
63. Journey with Blackstone River Cruises to learn about the river’s Industrial Revolution past and recovery to vibrant ecosystem. Stay overnight on a canal boat.
64. Cool off at the Waterpark at Yawgoo Valley in Exeter.
65. Visit the Washington County Fair in Richmond during one long weekend in mid-August.
66. Go ice skating outdoors during the winter or indoors during the summer.
67. Play at Adventureland in Narragansett, including mini-golf, bumper boats, go-karts, batting cages and a carousel.
68. Walk along spectacular ocean views on a natural “cliff walk” at Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge and check out the visitor center, just up the road from Second Beach in Middletown.
NEW BONUS ADDITION (Added August 17, 2017)! Brandon’s Beach at Burnside Park is a nautical-themed playground inspired by the Ocean State and Providence’s historic harbor, where large ships would dock in the Providence River. The playground is appropriate for toddlers and young children of all abilities, and offers a wide variety of sensory-rich equipment, including pagoda bells, drums, and music pipes. It also features classic swings, slides and spinners. This playground was built in memory of Brandon Goldner and made possible by the generosity of his family and friends.
69. Play at the Providence Children’s Museum. Explore the Discovery Studio (inside) and climb the Climber (outside). (Free admission after 5 on select Fridays during the year.)
70. Visit RISD Museum of Art and think like an explorer. Find the mummy or hunt for food motifs. (Free on Sundays and third Thursday of the month.)
71. Visit the Edna Lawrence Nature Lab, just around the corner from the RISD museum. See an amazing variety of specimens on display, including birds, bears and bones. (Free.)
72. Visit the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology in Providence.
73. Visit the Museum of Natural History and Cormack Planetarium in Providence.
74. Enjoy films from around world, and learn about filmmaking at the annual Providence Children’s Film Festival. Takes place during the month of February. (Each year, some screenings are free.)
75. Visit the children’s room in one of America’s oldest libraries: Providence Athenaeum on Benefit Street in Providence. (Free.)
76. See a show at Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) in Providence. Check the schedule to attend the brown bag lunch organ concert series. (Free.)
77. Cheer on the P-Bruins at a hockey game in Providence.
78. Watch an IMAX movie at Providence Place Mall.
79. Watch children’s films at Cinemaworld in Lincoln every morning at 10AM, all summer long. (Children are FREE.)
80. Enjoy a garden oasis all year long at the Botanical Center in Roger Williams Park in Providence.
81. Take the Underdog Tour. Visit all the Providence locations used in the film. (Free)
82. Visit the Johnson and Wales Culinary Museum on the Providence-Cranston line. (Scheduled to reopen September, 2014.)
83. See Kaleidoscope Children’s Summer Theater at Scottish Rite Auditorium in Cranston. Tuesdays during July and August.
84. Go duckpin bowling (no ducks involved). Find a list of Rhode Island Duckpin bowling alleys at The Rhode Less Traveled.
85. Attend story time any time of year at Barrington Books, Books on the Square, or your favorite library. (Free)
86. Children provide the power and operate miniature machinery in the Apprentice Alcove at Slater Historic Mill the birthplace of the industrial revolution in Pawtucket.
87. Learn why we honor Gilbert Stuart by visiting the Gilbert Stuart Birthplace & Museum in Saunderstown. Open May through October.
88. Visit the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket.
89. See a show at Stadium Theater Performing Arts Centers in Woonsocket.
90. Enjoy local food, community, and often music from November through May at the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market at Hope Artiste Village.
91. Jump for joy at an indoor trampoline park: Skyzone in East Providence and Launch in Warwick.
92. Strap on skates and roll to the tunes at United Skates of America in Rumford.
93. Take in a dynamic show with Providence’s young talent at Everett’s Friday Night Live (all ages improv comedy Fridays at 7 PM – break during summer) and Manton Avenue Project, where local actors perform plays written by young playwrights.
94.Eat gelato from Venda in DePasquale Plaza in Providence. (In summer, eat near the fountain.)
95. Have wood-grilled pizza at the legendary Bob and Timmy’s in Providence. Eat more yummy pizza at the recent pizza additions to the city: Flatbread Pizza Company or Providence Coal Fired Pizza.
96. Have ice cream at Gray’s or The Daily Scoop on Thames Street in Bristol.
97. Buy a house made hotdog from The Wurst Window at Chez Pascal — take it to go to enjoy by the fountain in Lippitt Park in Providence.
98. Eat crepes or cupcakes at the Duck & Bunny. Eat out in the back garden, weather permitting.
99. Have a food truck lunch or dinner. Use this link to find a list of trucks and their routes.
100. Have supper at Champlins.
101. Enjoy live music and a fun meal at Buster Krab’s Burger Shack and Beach Bar in Narragansett.
102. Order a coffee cabinet at Delekta Pharmacy in Warren.
103. Have a Del’s lemonade. Find the Del’s nearest you with the tool on this page.
104. Have breakfast or lunch at Crazy Burger in Narragansett.
105. Buy lobster off the boat in Point Judith in Narragansett.
106. Have clam cakes at Aunt Carrie’s in Point Judith in Narragansett.
107. Buy pie at Schartner Farms in Exeter.
108. Have a lobster roll at Blount Clam Shack on the waterfront in Warren, or at Crescent Park by the carousel in Riverside, RI.
109. Devour homemade ice cream and visit the cows at the original Gray’s in Tiverton.
110. Have lunch at Stanley’s in Central Falls, open since 1932.
111. Have a doughboy and walk the beach at Iggy’s in Warwick (open year round) or in Narragansett (seasonal).
112. Have breakfast at the classic Modern Diner in Pawtucket.
113. Sample RI’s favorite donuts at Allie’s Donuts.
Many free or discount passes are available at the library.
Connecticut
- Visit the Navy Submarine Force Museum in Groton, CT. (Free)
- Watch the drawbridge raise and lower for boats in downtown Mystic, CT. (Free)
Bonus: Toy store, ice cream, playground all nearby! - Visit Mystic Seaport in Mystic, CT.
- Visit the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center in Mashantucket, CT.
- Visit Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, CT.
Massachusetts
- Pick-your-own seasonal flowers, berries, pumpkins, and more at Four Town Farm in Seekonk, MA.
- Visit Battleship Cove in Fall River, MA.
- Visit the New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, MA.
- Visit Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, MA.
- Visit Plimouth Plantation in Plymoth, MA.
- Visit the Discovery Museums in Acton, MA.
- Visit the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA.
- Visit the Ecotarium: Museum of Science and Nature in Worcester, MA.
- Visit deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, MA
- Visit Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln, MA for trails, farmyards, and play spaces.
- Explore the Adventure Park and Hidden Hollow at Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich, MA.
- Scramble across glacial rock formations at Purgatory Chasm in Sutton, MA. (Free)
- Visit nearby zoos in Massachusetts: Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon, Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro, and Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford.
- Zoom! Car racing and bumper boats at the Grand Prix in Seekonk.
- For even noisier, faster fun, watch a race or demolition derby at Seekonk Speedway. You might get dirty.
- Visit PaperHouse, a house made ONLY of paper, in Rockport, MA.
- Visit Nash Dino Land in South Hadley, MA.
- Visit the Museum of Science in Boston, MA. (Free with your Roger Williams Park Zoo membership.)
- Visit the Boston Children’s Museum in Boston, MA. (Free with Providence Children’s Museum Family PLUS membership!)
- Learn how ice cream is made at Bliss Dairy in Attleboro, MA.
no more Bob & Timmy’s 🙁
What about an awful awful from Newport Creamery the should be on the list
this is awesome I want to go everywhere here
Fantastic resource!! It’s my Go To list when I’m out of ideas for the kids! Thank you~
Hi – Pond and Beyond Kayak (tours, rentals, instruction) offers amazing family kayak tours from memorial day through labor day – and kids programs in the summer –
BLOCK ISLAND –
check out the pictures on trip advisor or facebook!
100 things to do with kids in Rhode Island is a fantastic site…I was born and raised in R.I. and didn’t realize there were so many things to do.
Higgins Armory is closed now 🙁 But most of the exhibits are now on display in the Worcester Art Museum.
Beef barn in north Smithfield is great too! Cheap and rustic place to dine. Cash only but definitely in the budget for a famous roast beef!
How about enjoying an old fashioned Root Beer Float at A&W!!
Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro is an enchanting and doable small zoo with loads of attractions, food and playground abutting. Great way to spend 2-3 hours and easy to find, with lots of parking.
How about the various events surrounding Gaspee Days (including an encampment!), not to mention Smith’s Castle (Bridge to the Past), Smith Appleby House, and the reenactment at the Nathanael Greene Homestead. Plus, there’s always the Louff Carousel in Riverside.
Oh I just noticed somebody else had made that Allie’s comment; sorry bout that!
And *WOW* the list lasts the test of time! 5 years strong and it still holds up! It’s my first time seeing it, and I want to do these things myself – even without kids!
Call me a biased beach goer, but let’s add ‘stopping at Allie’s to get a box of jimmie donuts on the way to the beach’ to this list. Kids love Allie’s.
Need to spell Burrillville correctly on the Spring Lake entry.
Sorry if these are on the list already. I looked quickly, as one of my kids is home with the horrid stomach bug… Just seemed like they were missing.
Daffodil days at Blithewold mansion, in Bristol. Bring your camera!
Also, the Christmas lights at LaSalette Shrine.
Great list!
FYI for #42: The name of the town is Burrillville, not Burriville.
Your list as started to make the rounds again. We used it as our summer “bucket list” a few years back.
It is a wonderful list but needs to be checked for accuracy (i.e. #97 Lizzy’s has been closed for years.) I am sure there are other great places that can be added.
Thanks and keep up the good work.
We are located minutes from Newport in Saunderstown, RI
you are looking for an after school activity for your child, horseback riding is a great choice. Horsemanship is a wonderful hands on way for children to learn about responsibility while having fun and spending time outdoors! Our farm is under new management and has a great energetic instructor who is committed to helping each new rider achieve their goals in the English discipline. There is a variety of horses used in our schooling program, so students can fall in love with one horse/pony, or try something new each ride! In addition to a lovely riding program, we also offer boarding options. The farm boasts large grassy turn outs, an indoor arena with leather mix footing, and access to miles of beautiful trails! There are different private training options available as well. Come join our new family and begin your career as an equestrian! Feel free to contact anytime with questions.
Laura Storey (trainer/instructor)
508-951-3052
Great List!! Thank you!
A Mom of Five Boys
What a great list! I have one edit for you: #42… it is spelled Burrillville. 🙂
4 years later and this post is still helpful. Thanks for making this. We visited Wrights Dairy Farm, thanks to your suggestion. Great place!
Marcia
Great list! Add shop The Providence Flea every Sunday 10-4pm on S. Water St in Providence. Admission is free, its by the waterfront, food trucks, crafters, consigners, thrifters, artists and so much more!
Just letting you know that the Haffenreffer Museum has free admission. Also, check out the Tomaquag Museum! http://www.tomaquagmuseum.com/
Visit Scooter World in Newport. Rent a Mini Cooper convertible, Scoot Coupe, Scooter, bike, jet ski, or Kayak. You can explore our beautiful coast by land or sea. We also now carry SUP’s.
Hmmm I’m thinking someone who writes about RI should spell Burrillville correctly (#42). Also, Lizzy and the Enchanted Creamery in Cumberland closed awhile ago.
Great list! If your kids are slightly older some of these spots have geocache’s hidden at them. See http://www.geoching.com to learn about geocaching.
great original list! can you add some of the ones that people mentioned here after you do a bit of investigation? I live in newport and would love to add Fort Adams State park. You can tour the actual Fort and go in the tunnels. The kids like it. You should also add: The International Tennis Hall of fame, Brenton Point for Kite flying with a Dels lemonaide, go to the Breakers mansion, Green Animals, ice skating in Providence or downtown newport (both outside), Frost Freeze Icecream, Schooner Aurora Lobster Boil. thanks for starting a GREAT list!
three cheers for the 100 things to do with kids printer-friendly list! there’s still fun to be had in and around the ocean state in the three and a half weeks ’til school begins. let’s have fun!
Thank you for the great list.
I would like to share with some info.
RI parks are organizing great outdoor pursuit for summer 2012 (FREE) . We went to 2 of them and liked it. Here is the link:
http://www.riparks.com/RIOutdoorsPursuit/index.html
Also here is the list of things to do in MA this summer:
The Highland Street Free Fun Fridays program invites you to visit a designated museum or attraction in the Boston area for free over during the summer.
Please note that you do not need to register or obtain a ticket. Just show up and enjoy!
‘Admission is Free – So are the Dreams’
View 2012 Free Fun Fridays destination schedule below – or download a printable PDF.
June 29th
Tanglewood
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Peabody Essex Museum
Heritage Museums & Gardens
Museum Of African American History
July 6th
Boston Children’s Museum
Stone Zoo
Cape Cod Museum Of Art
Wenham Museum
Sterling And Francine Clark Art Institute
July 13
Franklin Park Zoo
Children’s Museum At Holyoke
Danforth Museum Of Art
Decordova Sculpture Park And Museum
Reagle Music Theatre
July 20th
Buttonwood Park Zoo
Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center
Hancock Shaker Village
Pilgrim Monument And Provincetown Museum
Higgins Armory Museum
July 27th
Commonwealth Shakespeare Company
Children’s Museum In Easton
Springfield Museums
N.E. Historic Genealogical Society
New Repertory Theatre
August 3
Museum Of Fine Arts Boston
Norman Rockwell Museum
Amelia Park Children’s Museum
Fuller Craft Museum
Arnold Arboretum
August 10th
Battleship Cove
Berkshire Museum
Cape Cod Children’s Museum
Fruitlands Museum
The Sports Museum
August 17th
Institute Of Contemporary Art
Edward Gorey House
New Bedford Whaling Museum
Garden In The Woods
Concord Museum
August 24th
Boston Harbor Island Alliance
Uss Constitution Museum
American Textile History Museum
Old Sturbridge Village
Basketball Hall Of Fame
August 31st
Jfk Library & Museum
Plimoth Plantation
The Discovery Museums
Mass Moca
Ecotarium
fabulous round-up of ideas! so glad you (re)shared this!
thanks Anisa for the great list. A little state with a lot to offer..Best of all many places of interest are free or low cost..
Great list…how about visit Iggy’s for clam cakes and chowda!!
See the famous big blue bug!!!!
I like the list however my kids love amusement parks and water parks. There are none here; so we leave RI and go somewhere else on vacation. What we need is a new Rocky Point with water slides and fun things to do. Somehow going to the landfill is just not my idea of fun.
I like the list but would like to add the following:
Visit Warwick Museum of Art, 3259 Post Road in Warwick. Admission for art exhibits is free! There is also a 7 week art camp for children ages 6-12 – reasonably priced!
Also there are some nice beaches in Warwick including: Warwick City Park, Conimicut Point and Oakland Beach.
I LOVE this list! Thank you for getting it all in one place and for all the others who commented. As a transplant, it’s great to know where to go and what to do in RI. Love it!
Rhode Island is great place to be for families. Depending on what you are looking for – urban/rural/suburban – there are many great neighborhoods. We are an urban family and live in the city on the East Side near the colleges, walking distance to parks, shops, library, etc. We love it. Families also love the West Side of the city although the city recently closed one of the public elementary schools which is unfortunate. Plenty of private schools to pick from as well as some charter schools (although lotteries can be tough). For more rural feel – Wakefield is a lovely area. More suburban – people love Barrington and East Greenwich for their community and schools.
Hope that helps. Feel free to post on the Kidoinfo Facebook page as well!
My wife and I left the NY area in 2003 and moved to RI and it has been even better than we could have ever expected. Where to live depends on your situation. We live in Narragansett and love it the best. We are 12 minutes to Newport, we hop on the ferry regularly for day trips to Block Island and we have awesome beaches. Narragansett also has a really excellent school system and great family activities are all around us. I can work from anywhere, but if you had to commute to Providence it might be a bit much. And you need to move into a neighborhood with year round residents, not renters to avoid the URI student parties and the summer renters. It is awesome here and I would never consider moving back to NY (said by a proud NYC native).
Considering a move to RI (from NY) and THRILLED to see its such a kid-centric state! Seemingly loads to do! Any thoughts on neighborhoods/towns in which to hang our hats?
Thanks for adding to the list Christa! Great places. And I cannot believe I had left Allie’s donuts off the list to begin with!
What a great list, thanks so much Anisa!
I would also add Davis Farmland (for the little ones) and Davis Mega Maze (for older kids) located in Sterling MA. And when we head to the beach my kids love to get a donut from Allie’s along the way in N. Kingstown.
Sarah – Thanks for adding the WW I Memorial Park in Plainville. Sound great.
Jeff – I love the Capron Park Zoo. Perfect size for kids – does not seem so overwheleming!
World war I memorial park in Plainville MA!!! Awesome park with a feeding zoo, and many different animals, one huge playground, and smaller baby playground,a giant sand box that made to look like the beach with a big sail boat for little kids, a butterfly garden, several sprinklers (flower, and cat n nine tails) a giant Unicorn to sit on and the largest slide I have ever seen, that slides right into the butterfly garden! all for FREE!!!
My kids and I went to the Capron Park Zoo this week. Located 20 minutes outside Providence in Attleboro, it’s super easy to get to, it’s affordable ($7 for adults, free under 3) and it offers lots of varied activities. The zoo section is a bit small, but well considered and it doesn’t wear the kids out walking around it. Additionally, the new water park/sprinkler section is super and the playground is sizable. Check it at http://www.capronparkzoo.com.
could also go to the east coast’s one and only butterfly zoo in Tiverton, or climb historic Fort Barton and look out over the Sakonnet River and be able to see 7 different towns (Tiverton, Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport, Bristol, Warren and Tiverton and sometimes Jamestown and Providence too)! All in one view!
Thanks for a great list. I will share it with a Mothers of Twins Group. I would add car shows! I know they aren’t the best for little kids, but they can appreciate the many types of antique cars around and appreciate the music too!
Emerald – I created this list. I wanted all the things I wanted to do with my kids all in one place. I love that everyone share their own ideas and favorite deals. Thanks for adding to the list!
I ADMIRE whoever put this list together, I’m positive it took a lot of time and research! I know my daughter will be extremely grateful and being a mom on a TIGHT budget it was such a relief to see so many FREE and very inexpensive activities. I’ve lived in RI for 6 yrs and MA my whole life and never knew so many of these places existed! As someone else put on one of your other links, Buttonwood Park Zoo members get a number of discounts and free admissions to a lot of places too!
http://bpzoo.org/get-involved/membership/reciprocal-list/
FREE BOWLING–is it already on the list? I don’t see it. Sorry if this is redundant, here’s the link:
http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/
In Connecticut I would add:
Visit Clyde’s Cider Mill each fall in Old Mystic, and watch a wooden steam-powered cider press at work.
Go to Mystic Seaport’s summer Dog Days weekend, all things canine (plus you can bring your dog!) It falls on August 28-30 this year.
Go for a swim (free after 4 p.m. or $10 per family during the day) at the lovely and kid-friendly Dubois Beach down at Stonington Point, and picnic (free) on the Lighthouse Museum lawn. Enjoy a view of three states. (And then walk up the street in charming Stonington Boro and get gelato at Theresa’s.)
Nautical Nightmares at Mystic Seaport–but only for kiddies older than 10.
Get ice cream at Cows and Cones in Gales Ferry, see the animals, go for a hayride to benefit Habitat for Humanity (next to Groton, CT–near the Sub museum.)
Go to Maple Lane in Preston, CT (next to North Stonington) to pick berries in season, including black currants, then head to Buttonwood Farms in Griswold to eat delicious ice cream (a theme here?) and in July and August, view the 10 acres of sunflowers–a sight to behold!) I think they are peak right now.
This list gets better and better, thanks for adding your faves!
i love this list – posted it to my blog and facebook. we went to colt state park, bristol, gray’s ice cream in bristol and coggeshall farm museum today!! what a blast! i think you ought to add: Newport Creamery for an Aweful, Aweful; the Norman Bird Sanctuary; Sachuest Point; and walking Thames in Newport.
You can add: tour Touro Synagogue, Newport to your list. This is the first synagogue built in the U.S. and an historic address regarding religious tolerance was delivered by Geo. Washington to it’s congregation.
What a great list. Even though I’m only an Uncle, I printed the list and I’m going to check some things off.
Matt
What an amazing list! Thanks kidoinfo for being such a great resource.
We are going to the peqout museum today!
I love this list! We moved here two years ago, and I am proud to say we have done a lot of these things! Thanks to Kido, of course!
have no fear! new posts start tomorrow. but save and print this list to keep as backup all summer long!
does this huge, awesome post mean we’re on our own for the week, with no more kidoinfo?
Great list Anisa!!!! I printed it out and plan on going to some of the places with my niece and nephew!!! I went to the Unbrella Factory with a friend yesterday and we LOVED it!!! I bought a beautiful bracelet!!!
Thanks for the IMPRESSIVE list!!!
Excellent list.
To my list I would add:
The Higgins Armory Museum http://www.higgins.org/
Scaling the Highest point in RI http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerimoth_Hill
An evening with the Newport Gulls
http://www.newportgulls.com/
and a summer day in Watch Hill.
wow.
This is why RI loves you! Wonderful!
OMG! What an incredible list! I’m going to frame this for Pascal!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to compile this!!!