Arthur may be out looking for the next best roller coaster, and this blog has been discontinued. Thanks for visiting and happy travels!

Let's take a peek inside my mailbag today. Janelle writes:

I work at a foster care agency here in Massachusetts, mostly the greater Boston area. I am looking for ideas for field trips/fun activities for our foster kids. This means cheap or donated events. They range from babies to 18 years old. Any ideas?

Thanks for writing Janelle. And thanks for the good work you and the foster parents provide. When planning events for children, having wads of available cash can certainly help. But there are many low-cost/no-cost things to do. Some ideas to consider:

Visit State and National Parks

• The Commonwealth's Department of Conservation and Recreation maintains a list of the many parks throughout the state with many activities for kids of all ages. For example, clicking around on the site, I discovered that the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton offers the Blue Hills Trailside Museum with wildlife exhibits, guided hikes, pond walks, and more. Admission is only $3 for adults and $1.50 for children.
  
• There are some great national parks with wonderful activities and events, as well.

Visit a Museum
There are a wide array of museums throughout the area. Many of them offer reduced or free admission at certain times. For example, the Museum of Fine Arts allows patrons in with no charge on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to closing. Check with your city or town's library. Sometimes, they will have make free passes for museums available.

Other resources:

• Boston.Com's Boston Jr.- Things to do with kids.
  
• About.com's Massachusetts for Families picks.
  
• The Boston Parents' Paper top picks for family fun.
  
• BabyZone Free Things to Do.

Have fun. We'd enjoy hearing back from you about any trips or visits.

-Arthur
Explore New England Massachusetts Blogger
Having a wicked good time in Massachusetts!

Photo: Massachusetts Audubon Society