Pint-size summer in the city: Fun things that kids will actually want to do

We recently revisited a sampling of local family-friendly attractions with a rotating posse of children under the age of 10. Here are some highlights. Of course, your results — with your kids, little buddies, or grandkids — may vary.

Attractions aren’t cheap. Happily, Boston is full of fun freebies that score high with small fry, like the splash fountains on the Rose Kennedy Greenway (www.rosekennedygreenway.org/park-highlight/fountains). Whether the kids want to get their tiny feet wet or get totally soaked, this is the zone. It’s reminiscent of playing in the sprinklers when you were a kid, if you’re a grown-up of a certain age! Plan to pony up for something from a food truck, especially if Cookie Monstah is parked nearby.

The chaos that is the Haymarket? The child in your party may well be entranced; ours was. But plan to carry that tot — this is not the place for a stroller. (For more tips, see www.haymarketboston.org/market-tips.) Even when viewed through the legs of taller people, it’s a colorful scene, and some nice vendor will probably hand you a strawberry. (Consider this one carefully, and be ready to bail if your child finds it overstimulating.)

How much fun is it to ride your bike in the street when there are no cars around? It’s a blast. Our tester kids — old enough to ride two-wheeler bicycles — enjoyed Memorial Drive Recreation Sundays (www.cambridgema.gov/streetsandtransportation/memorialdrive), when this busy Cambridge street is closed to motor vehicle traffic from Western Avenue to Gerry’s Landing. On Sundays from late April to mid-November, walkers, cyclists, families pushing strollers, and folks on roller blades populate this car-free promenade along the Charles River.

We asked an 8-year-old if she wanted to go to a museum. “Yes! The ice cream one!” she replied. We should have seen that coming. Boston has its own outpost of the Museum of Ice Cream (timed entry; weekday tickets from $25; weekend tickets from $33; www.museumoficecream.com/boston) in the Seaport District, featuring ice cream (including vegan, dairy-free options), interactive exhibits, and a ball pit filled with giant pink sprinkles. Kids’ verdict: “More ice cream!” (there was less than we expected), and “They should have a make-your-own sundae bar at the end.” Instead, there’s a place you can buy more ice cream. The adult in our group gave it a C+. Tip: Go late in the day; it’s less busy.

We were eager to check out View Boston ($34; ages 6-12, $15; https://viewboston.com), with its 360-degree-view observation deck on the 52nd floor of the Pru. (Who doesn’t have fond memories of the dearly departed Top of the Hub?) The indoor and outdoor views are pretty spectacular, but the child in our posse wasn’t impressed until she saw the 3-D model of the city. That, and the revolving doors, were the best bits for her. Ava’s summary of the experience (after standing outside surveying the lofty scene): “Boston is … loud.” (Tip: If your party includes four or more, save 20 percent on tickets with the Family Pack.)

Hard to believe the duck boats, a.k.a. Boston Duck Tours (adult tickets, $55; 3-11, $40; under age 3, $11; https://bostonducktours.com/), have been rolling through Boston’s streets since 1994. During peak season, they carry 4,600 passengers aboard 28 boats. Conducktors, dressed as pirates, leprechauns, and other characters, ham it up as they narrate Boston history on the 80-minute tour. (Ours described it as “80 percent bad jokes and 20 percent history” on a recent tour.)

The jokes come fast and furiously, and will go right over the kids’ heads. For them, the fun comes with that splash into the Charles River, and the chance to pilot the vessel for a minute or two. Our take: Out-of-town adult guests and older kids will enjoy this most, while little ones get antsy. (Tip: If your party includes two adults and two kids ages 3-11, ask about their Family 4 Pack; it’s $165, good at the Museum of Science location only. Not valid on Saturdays.)

Yep, the bubble exhibit is still there. And the Japanese House. The Boston Children’s Museum ($22; under 12 months free; https://bostonchildrensmuseum.org) has been around forever — it was founded in 1913 by a group of teachers from Jamaica Plain. This three-level space offers everything from STEAM activities to a cool climbing maze. Even if it’s showing its age in places, it’s jam-packed with things to do, especially for the 7-and-under set. Our 4-year-old companion wanted to do one activity for the duration — make stuff with cardboard tubes —even though we wanted to take her through every exhibit. After all, we paid $66 for this. But once we decided to follow her lead, we had a good time.

Visit on a nice day and make it a two-fer with a visit to Martin’s Park Boston (https://martinsparkboston.org), a short walk away. Built in honor of Martin Richard’s inclusive, playful spirit, the playground elements include a play ship, climbing hill, and rope climb, surrounded by greenery and plentiful seating. With an active tyke in tow, we spent more time in the park than we did in the children’s museum.

If we never saw another chicken finger, we’d be fine. Legal Sea Foods ($10, for kids age 12 and under; www.legalseafoods.com) treats kids like actual diners. They offer a choice of starters, including a fruit cup, carrot sticks, or popcorn; a choice of mains (burgers, grilled chicken sandwich, grilled cheese, pasta, mac & cheese); fried fish, shrimp, and yes, chicken fingers; and even a grilled section with salmon, sirloin tips (both for an upcharge), and chicken breast. Plus, kids choose two sides from a list that includes applesauce, coleslaw, cucumbers, fruit, veggies, fries, jasmine rice, and rice pilaf. Finally, some healthy options! There’s even a charity component — Legal donates a portion of the proceeds from kids’ meals to a program at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Harbor seals. Parading penguins. Seahorses. Sharks. Opened in 1969, New England Aquarium (adults, $39; ages 3-11, $30, www.neaq.org) continues to delight families with its medley of sea creatures. The cylindrical design (built around the Giant Ocean Tank) allows even small people to see the action — they call it a diver’s eye view. But ticket prices gave us an electric eel-like jolt. Happily, New England residents get $5 off admission on weekdays (not on weekends or holidays in summer). That helps a little.

We’re running out of space and didn’t have a chance to share the details of the Boston Public Library’s (www.bpl.org) free family-friendly activities, including Saturday Stories in the McKim Courtyard at the Central Library. After bailing due to illness, we still haven’t made it back to the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum (www.bostonteapartyship.com), but visiting families seem to love it (and the chance to literally spill some tea). And we haven’t conquered those eye-popping milkshakes at Sugar Factory Boston (https://sf1.sugarfactory.com/boston-ma) at Faneuil Hall. No lack of volunteers for that assignment!

See you on the Greenway Carousel — and in line at Cookie Monstah.