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Board a refurbished, World- War II era, amphibious vehicle that plies the Charles River waters as smoothly as it navigates Back Bay streets. This historic tour encompasses all the peninsula and is conducted by courteous drivers and informative, entertaining guides who are wonderfully adept at keeping kids engaged.

This venerable funhouse pioneered the interactive-exhibit concept that is now utilized in museums worldwide. Accolades aside, the Children’s Museum is an absolute blast for kids and parents alike. It includes a climbing wall, a sprawling jungle gym, and cultural experiences like a walk-through, simulated Latin American supermarket.

If Boston were to have a mascot, it would most likely sport white feathers and a graceful, arching neck. The swan boats have been a Public Garden (see Swan Boats) fixture since the first fleet glided onto the garden’s shimmering pond in 1877.

Hands-on learning exhibits, like developing animated fish in the Virtual FishTank and racing marbles on sloping tracks, teach children about the physical world. The Omni Theater thrills with its fast-paced IMAX projections. And the planetarium places the cosmos within even the smallest child’s reach.

The aquarium goes to great lengths to keep kids engaged through a variety of interactive displays. Nothing illustrates this better than the Edge of the Sea exhibit, where children can touch some of the region’s typical tidepool dwellers. (see New England Aquarium)

For children with even the slightest interest in sports, a Red Sox game at legendary Fenway Park (see Fenway Park) is pure magic. Fans always feel part of the action at the country’s most intimate professional baseball park. The peanut, hot dog, and soda vendors keep kids’ enjoyment – and blood sugar levels – elevated.

Located on the 50th floor of the Prudential Tower (see Prudential Center), this observatory provides a rewarding Boston geography lesson. Should the jaw-dropping, 360-degree views not keep the youngsters enthralled, the audio/ video tours of Boston’s neighborhoods will. The swift, ear-popping elevator ride to the top also offers quite a rush.

The Frog Pond makes children feel like protagonists in a quaint picture book. As soon as temperatures dip below freezing, kids flock to the pond for ice skating and hot chocolate at the adjacent warming hut. Boston’s oft-oppressive summer days lure them back for splashing and frivolity beneath the central fountain.

The best part of a visit to Faneuil Hall Marketplace is that you never know who – or what – you will see. “Benjamin Franklin” might administer a quick colonial history quiz to an unsuspecting child, a juggler might ask another to participate in a performance, or a street musician might stick the mic in a child’s hand for a singsong. (see Faneuil Hall Marketplace)

Boston’s urban zoo houses over 200 species of animals. Its Tropical Forest section boasts gorillas, leopards, tropical birds, and many other exotic creatures. Butterfly Landing, open during the summer months, positively brims with the brilliantly colored insects. The Children’s Zoo allows kids to get up close and personal with animals of the decidedly huggable variety.