Touring Boston – What to Know About Visiting the Bunker Hill Monument & Museum with Kids

Brittney
One of the last stops of the Boston Freedom Trail is the Bunker Hill Monument.  For two years I could see the spire of the monument light up at night from my apartment window, but somehow whenever we went on the Freedom Trail or took visiting friends or family we always got distracted from the Freedom Trail about the time we went near Mike’s Pastries and never finished the second half.

What to Know About Visiting the Bunker Hill Monument & Museum with Kids

When my parents came to town to visit I was determined that we were going to do the full trail so that I would finally see both the USS Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument.

The Bunker Hill Monument was created to commemorate the Battle of Bunker Hill, which was the first fight between the British and the New Englanders during the American Revolutionary War (battle fought on June 17, 1775)  From my perspective it’s a huge, tall, monument with 294 very narrow stairs leading to the top.

Top of Bunker Hill Monument

We climbed the 20 flights on a blisteringly hot day.  Somehow, and I’m not really sure how, my husband managed the climb well ahead of us, with toddler on his shoulders.  I’m kind of glad I didn’t see it because those stair are narrow and I’m sure seeing my boy on his shoulders would have scared me to death.  The other three of us made it about 50 stairs and had to take a break, then we would walk 40 stairs and a break, then 35 stairs … anyway, eventually we made it to the top sweaty, exhausted, and empowered.  The view was fantastic and it was totally worth it… though I could not control my legs or get them to stop shaking for about an hour.

Things to Note:

1.  Price
Both the Bunker Hill Monument and Bunker Hill Museum are free.

View from top of Bunker Hill Monument

2.  Stroller Access
You can easily bring a stroller into the Bunker Hill Museum, but there didn’t seem to be any handicap access and certainly no elevators leading to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument.  If you want to enjoy the view from up there you’re going to have to hike a lot of stairs and either leave your stroller bound tots at the bottom while you do it or carry them to the top with you.

3.  The Stairs
There are so many stairs leading to the top of the monument and they are narrow and winding.  If you’ve got kids with you you’re going to want to keep a close eye on them and if they are too big to be carried but too little to walk all the way up you should probably not attempt to bring them.  The stairwell as well as the stairs are narrow and not a great place for little ones to play.

4.  The View
The view from the top was fantastic, but the windows to enjoy the view were tiny and dirty… and even when you get to the top there is not a ton of room.  Don’t plan on getting there and hanging out or having a picnic or anything.  It’s more like a get to the top, check out how awesome Boston is, rest for a minute, and then start the decent.

Summary and Rating: ★★★★☆

Four stars, it’s hard to complain about free. This place will give you a serious work out and it’s not for the faint of heart.  Not super toddler friendly though you can easily bring up older children and, if you’re feeling strong, you can carry up a baby.  On the off chance that you don’t want to walk to the top you can still enjoy the view from the hill.  There is lots of green grass to run around on and the area surrounding it is beautiful.  Plus right across from the monument is Bunker Hill Museum, which has air conditioning, water and an elevator.

Have you been here before?  If so I’d love to know more about your experience and any tips or tricks you have in the comments section below. 

Bunker Hill Monument & Museum
Boston National Historical Park Monument Square
Charlestown, MA

Phone: 617-242-5641 (Group tours 617-.242-5689)
Website: www.nps.gov/bost or https://www.thefreedomtrail.org/freedom-trail/bunker-hill-monumnet.shtml

Museum: September – June, daily 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. July – August, daily 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Monument: September-June, daily 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. July – August, 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day

Toddler Letters – “Q” is for “Quail”

Brittney
Letter Q Craft - Toddler/Preshooler letter of the week craft Q is for Quail with related craft, tracing sheets and fruits/vegetables.
Toddler/Preshooler letter of the week craft Q is for Quail with related craft, tracing sheets and fruits/vegetables.

Supplies Needed:

  • Colored Craft Paper
  • Letter “Q” Cutout
  • Elmer’s Glue
  • Scissors
  • Googly Eyes
  • Orange Pipe Cleaner
  • Colored Feathers
  • Markers

Set Up:

We started by trimming down some of our feathers so that they would be short enough to fit on our letter “Q”.  Then we added a layer of glue to our “Q” and added our feathers to it making sure that all of the letter was covered.  I cut the orange pipe cleaner into 3 inch sections and then made 5 tiny bends in the middle of each one before twisting the two ends together to form the quail feet. Then I cut a small part off of another pipe cleaner and bent it into a “V” for the beak.  We finished by gluing on our quail feet, beak and two googly eyes.

Toddler/Preshooler letter of the week craft Q is for Quail with related craft, tracing sheets and fruits/vegetables.

Tracing Letters:

Have you made this craft?  What was your experience like and do you have an suggestions to make it better?  I’d love to hear about them in the comments section below.

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Touring Boston – What to Know About Visiting Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II with Kids

Brittney
In addition to visiting the Plimouth Plantation I would highly recommend continuing the adventure by visiting Plymouth Rock (Free… though… not as impressive as I was expecting) and the Mayflower II.

Plymouth Rock is a fairly small rock, I feel like my toddler could have climbed it, surrounded by a monument and a bunch of fences.  It about a thirty second tour and then you’ve seen it and there is not much else to be done.

What to Know About Visiting Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II with Kids

On the other hand Plymouth Rock is located on the same beach as the Mayflower II, which is worth a tour.  The Mayflower II is a replica of the original ship (Mayflower).  It was also built in England and sailed to Plymouth.  The ship was tiny!  The original ship had 130 passengers and we learned that the pilgrims all had to stay below decks (100 or so of them) along with all the animals they brought (goats, chickens & dogs.) They ended up landing at Plymouth in December (brrr) and then dying off due to exposure.  Only two people died while sailing over, and half of all the passengers and crew members died after they landed. Yikes!  All in all they ended up trapped on the ship and below decks for 7 months, though sailing there only took 2 months… the rest of the hardship was finding somewhere to live and building shelters.

Plymouth Rock

I learned (probably relearned since I’m sure my history teachers covered it along the way at some point) this from the actors on the boat telling their stories, which were fantastic.  The sleeping space looked awful and tiny, and I am shocked only two people died on the way over… I would have suspected a lot more murders with them being confined to that tiny space.

After we walked around the Mayflower II we decided to take a short walk up the city hill to the local cemetery.  Along the way we were able to see some of the original house and the cemetery was where the first pilgrims were buried.   We ended our tour with a quick run through the grist mill and then we all needed some time off our feet, trying to see the Plimouth/Plymouth Plantation, Mayflower II and Grist Mill all in one day is a fairly exhausting endeavor…

Things to Note:

Mayflower II actors in costume

1) Parking
There are free and paid areas to park, and you can ask where they are when you buy your tickets.  When we went to see the Mayflower II we ended up parking by the Grist Mill and walking a 1/2 mile or so to the ship.  We were happy to do it because the trail was really scenic and we were able to drop by Plymouth Rock along the way.

2) Pricing
There are a bunch of options for pricing depending on how many of the Plymouth attractions you want to see.  They range in scope from about $20 – $30/Person.  You can find out more here: http://www.plimoth.org/plan-your-visit/hours-prices

3) Stroller Friendliness
This part of the Plymouth experience was not very stroller friendly.  We took our stroller on the 1/2 mile walk from our car to the Mayflower II, but from there on you will need to either have someone stay behind with your stroller/young child or you will need to give your stroller to the people at the desk to keep an eye on and carry your child onto the ship.

4) Child Friendliness
Again this part of the tour was not super baby/toddler friendly.  Seeing a lot of the ship requires you to be able to move up and down some fairly steep/narrow stairways and your child/children will likely need a fair amount of help to do it safely.

5) The Experience
The Mayflower II is populated with actors portraying people that actually traveled on the Mayflower.  They spend the time going about their daily business, talk in accents, and answer questions as if they were actually there.  I thought it was a really fun way to learn more about the Mayflower and what conditions on board were like.  I also really liked talking to the woman on the ship and finding out that her parents sent her away on the ship to find a husband… and mostly to get rid of her.  It was both horrible and fascinating learning about that kind of culture.

Summary and Rating ★★★★☆

Four Stars.  This was a fairly expensive history lesson, but one of the best and most engaging I’ve had.  Being about the see people dressed from the time period and interacting with them was a blast.  I loved being able to direct this history lesson and learn more about the things that I though were interesting in the form of personal conversation, rather than reading similar things from a information card.  Again the Mayflower II allows children, and mine really enjoyed being able to touch things and walk around, but they are going to need a fair amount of supervision while on the boat.

Have you been here before?  If so I’d love to know more about your experience and any tips or tricks you have in the comments section below. 

Plimouth Grist Mill
6 Spring Lane
Plymouth, MA 02360

Plimouth Plantation’s Mayflower II
State Pier (across from 74 Water Street)
Plymouth, MA 02360

Phone: 508.746.1622
Website: https://www.plimoth.org/

70 Objects That Start with the Letter “V”

Brittney
Big list of things that start with letter V
A group of my friends started doing something we are calling Toddler Time and each week we choose a letter to focus on.  I realized that finding objects that start with the letter of the week can be a challenge and I thought it might be helpful to have a long list of “V” letter objects them on hand.  If I’ve missed something drop me a note in the comments, I would be thrilled to add even more letter “V” objects.
  1. Vacation Home: A house or apartment that is used for short-term stays or getaways.
  2. Vaccine: A biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular disease.
  3. Vacuum: A space entirely devoid of matter.
  4. Valentine: A person to whom one sends a greeting card or gift on Valentine’s Day.
  5. Valise: A small piece of luggage, typically used for carrying clothes.
  6. Valley: A low area of land between hills or mountains, typically with a river or stream flowing through it.
  7. Valuables: Items that hold personal or monetary value.
  8. Valve: A device that regulates the flow of fluids or gases by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways.
  9. Van: A large vehicle used for transporting goods or people.
  10. Vane: A blade or sail on a revolving axis used to measure wind direction.
  11. Vanilla: A flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla.
  12. Vanilla Bean: The seed pod of the vanilla orchid plant, used to flavor food and beverages.
  13. Vanilla Wafers: Thin, crispy cookies flavored with vanilla.
  14. Vapor: A substance diffused or suspended in the air.
  15. Vase: A decorative container used to hold flowers or other items.
  16. Vaudeville Performer: A variety entertainer, typically performing in theaters during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
  17. Vault: A large room or chamber used for storage, typically with strong walls and a heavy door.
  18. Veda: The sacred texts of ancient Hinduism.
  19. Vegan: A person who does not consume or use animal products.
  20. Vegetable: A plant or part of a plant used as food.
  21. Vegetable Garden: A plot of land where vegetables are grown.
  22. Vegetable Oil: A cooking oil derived from plants.
  23. Vegetarian: A person who does not eat meat, fish, or poultry.
  24. Vegetation: Plants considered collectively, typically within a specific area or habitat.
  25. Veil: A piece of fine material worn to cover the head or face.
  26. Vein: A blood vessel carrying blood towards the heart.
  27. Velocipede: An early form of bicycle propelled by pushing the feet against the ground.
  28. Velociraptor: A small, swift carnivorous dinosaur of the late Cretaceous period.
  29. Velvet: A type of fabric with a soft, dense pile.
  30. Vendor: A person or company who sells goods or services.
  31. Venom: A poisonous substance secreted by certain animals, such as snakes or spiders.
  32. Venomous Snake: A snake capable of injecting venom through its bite.
  33. Ventricle: A chamber of the heart or brain containing fluid.
  34. Ventriloquist: A performer who practices ventriloquism.
  35. Venue: A place where an event or activity takes place.
  36. Veranda: A porch or balcony attached to a house.
  37. Vessel: A ship or large boat.
  38. Vest: A sleeveless, close-fitting garment worn over a shirt.
  39. Vestibule: An antechamber, hall, or lobby next to the outer door of a building.
  40. Vet: Short for veterinarian, a person who treats and cares for animals.
  41. Veteran: A person who has served in the military or a particular field for a long time.
  42. Vetiver: A fragrant grass with long, thin leaves used in perfumes and fragrances.
  43. Viaduct: A long bridge-like structure carrying a road or railroad across a valley or other low ground.
  44. Vial: A small container, typically cylindrical, used to hold liquids.
  45. Vicuna: A wild relative of the llama and alpaca, prized for its soft, luxurious wool.
  46. Video: Visual content recorded on a tape or digital format.
  47. Video Cassette: A plastic case containing a rolled-up magnetic tape for video recording.
  48. Villa: A large, luxurious country residence.
  49. Vine: A plant that produces grapes, typically grown for winemaking.
  50. Vinegar: A sour-tasting liquid consisting of dilute acetic acid, used as a condiment or preservative.
  51. Vineyard: A plantation of grapevines, typically grown for winemaking.
  52. Vinyl Record: A disc made of vinyl used for storing music or data.
  53. Viola: A stringed instrument similar to a violin but slightly larger.
  54. Violet: A type of flower, typically purple or blue in color.
  55. Violin: A musical instrument in the string family that is played with a bow.
  56. Violoncello: A large string instrument similar to a cello, often referred to as a ‘cello’.
  57. Viper: A venomous snake known for its sharp fangs and deadly bite.
  58. Virus: A microscopic infectious agent that replicates inside living cells and can cause disease.
  59. Viscera: The internal organs of the body, especially those located in the abdominal cavity.
  60. Vise: A mechanical device used to hold objects firmly in place during work or crafting.
  61. Visor: A shield or brim attached to a cap or helmet to protect the eyes from the sun.
  62. Vitamin: An essential organic compound that is a nutrient required for normal growth and nutrition.
  63. Vocal Cord: A pair of folds of mucous membrane in the larynx (voice box) that vibrate to produce sound.
  64. Volcano: A mountain or hill with a vent or crater through which lava, rock fragments, ash, and gases are ejected.
  65. Volleyball: A team sport in which two teams of six players each use their hands to hit a ball over a net and score points.
  66. Volume: The amount of three-dimensional space occupied by a substance or object.
  67. Volunteer: A person who chooses to work and offer services without being paid.
  68. Vote: A formal indication of choice, opinion, or consent expressed by an individual, typically in an election or decision-making process.
  69. Vowel: A type of speech sound made with an open vocal tract, typically represented by the letters A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y.
  70. Vulture: A large bird of prey known for scavenging on carrion.

Can you think of any other letter “V” words?  If so please comment and let me know, I’d love to get them added to the list.

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Touring Boston – What to Know About Visiting the Plymouth Plantation with Kids

Brittney 2 Comments

Recently we headed down to Plymouth to see the Plimouth (original spelling) Plantation.  There they have  recreated the village to mimicked the original one, and they have actors who walk around talking like old English people and answering questions etc.  It sounded cool and we had heard lots of good things about it.

What to Know About Visiting the Plymouth Plantation with Kids
On the plantation you start by visiting the Indian Village and I was a little hesitant about this part, not because I didn’t want to see and learn from the Native Americans, but because I was afraid it would seem… I don’t know, exploitative and wrong somehow. The Native Americans were dressed in traditional garb, but they didn’t speak like actors, instead they told us about what life used to be like for their tribes and it was really cool.

These Native Americans were part of a matriarchal society, the elder women got to decide when someone was old enough to be married, and that was based on their ability to do the chores and other things that needed to be done.  Once they were established as old enough the woman would go out and pick a husband and bring him back to her village.  Food was said to be plentiful and they only needed to work around 3 hours a day to maintain their lifestyle, the rest of the day was for them to do whatever they wanted, which didn’t sound too bad to me…

What to Know About Visiting the Plymouth Plantation with Kids

Then we walked over to the pilgrim village.  The village was fairly big and all of the houses were both open and furnished, so you could walk in and sit on a rough feather bed, and pick up a brass kettle… which meant our son was trying very hard to play with all the ceramic pottery… eek.

We went in early September and the bad part about the village is it was dry and so so hot.  It felt like walking through a dessert.  The baby was hot, we were all sweating, and it was hard to plow along for long periods of time.  We met up with one of the actors and got to ask her some question.  My husband said her expression was priceless when I asked I could take a photo with her, you could see her not knowing how to respond while saying in character.  Anyway, she let me.  The village was cool, and it was a lot of fun to be able to direct the history lesson and experience it in such a hands on way.  

Things to Note: 

What to Know About Visiting the Plymouth Plantation with Kids

1) Price

So if you’re going to make the trip to Plymouth you will probably want to see more than just the plantation.  In a near proximity to the plantation there is also the Mayflower II (patterned after the Original Mayflower that you can climb on and ask actors questions about) and the Gist Mill, where you can see how flour and the like was ground.  You can buy a ticket to see any one of the attractions or a ticket to see any two or even all three of them.  For all three the tickets run about $30/person, two of the three is generally about $20/person.   You can view more specific details here: http://www.plimoth.org/plan-your-visit/hours-prices

2) Parking
Parking is free at the Plantation and there is nice big lot.  They also offer golf cart rids to those with mobility issues, which makes for a pretty fantastic family visit with the old and young.

3) Stroller Friendliness
Yes!  This is mostly an outdoor attraction and there are trails and paths everywhere, as well as lots of walking involved.  Bring a stroller is your child still uses it. 

4) Child Friendliness   
Perfect for children.  Lots of big open spaces, plenty of space to run around in and hands on exploration.  Kids can climb on the beds, sit in the chairs, hold the pots, visit the farm animals and interact with the actors.  My son was only 1.5 years old at the time and he loved it, everyone I’ve talked to with older kids said they also had a fantastic experience.

Summary and Rating ★★★★☆

Dressed up Plymouth Plimouth plantation tour actress

Four stars.  It was a little bit expensive, but I thought this place was a blast.  We went during the off season, but I’ve heard that there is even more to do during the on-season… and probably a few more actors populating the villages, when we went there were only five or six and the village is quite big.  There is a lot of open space for kids and it’s really fun to be able to talk to the actors, ask them questions, learn about why they did the things they did etc.  I also thought it was really fascinating to be able to compare the lifestyles of the early pilgrims to those of the Native Americans, it would have been nice if they could have picked up a few tips from the Natives who seemed to have life pretty well figured out.   I would highly recommend this trip, it was one of the most engaging and interesting history lessons I’ve ever gotten to experience.

Have you been here before?  If so I’d love to know more about your experience and any tips or tricks you have in the comments section below. 

Plimoth Plantation 
137 Warren Avenue
Plymouth, MA 02360

Phone: (508) 746-1622
Website: https://www.plimoth.org/
Hours: 9am-5pm 7 days a week