Assembling the 31 Days of Giveaways has always been a fun process. But my favorite ritual each year is organizing the schedule. The big whiteboard in my office is converted into a giant calendar of  July, and we sit around for a few hours trying to get all of the amazing prizes assigned to a date. The hardest part? The ... Read More »

Opening Celebration of Frog Pond Spray Fountain Frog Pond opens for the summer season on the Boston Common. Enjoy a special visit from official mascot Frog Pond Freddie, live entertainment, and arts and crafts activities with Sidewalk Sam. Free refreshments will be available. Boston Common, Boston. Wednesday, Jun 29, 2011 MA Fireworks – 4th of July Fireworks Displays Massachusetts Find ... Read More »

I got a Zoku Quick Pop Maker from my sister and brother-in-law this past holiday season, and now that the weather’s warm I’m having waaaay too much fun with it. If you’ve never seen the Zoku, basically it’s this little box that stays in the freezer. When you’re in the mood for an ice pop, pull it out, insert a ... Read More »

If you’ve got kids, chances are you’ve got a menagerie of stuffed animals too. Most children have an almost magnetic attraction to stuffed animals. There’s just something about those cute, fuzzy faces that kids (and gift-giving relatives) can’t resist. And while a select few might make for snuggly bedfellows and cute room accents, they can easily get out of hand. ... Read More »

  Children’s Concert at the Franklin Park Zoo: Vanessa Trien Visit the Franklin Park Zoo for a lively outdoor concert by Vanessa Trien and the Jumping Monkeys! They will have you strutting like peacocks, hooting like owls, cockadoodle-dooing like roosters, and of course, jumping like monkeys. One Franklin Park Road, Dorchester. Sunday, Jun 26, 2011 The Wizard of Oz Free ... Read More »

by Matt Roberts, Professional Magician There are few things more exciting in life than seeing wonder in a child’s eyes.  As a full-time professional magician, I get to see that wonder every day as I look into the audience at parties, family events and my school fundraising shows throughout the Boston area. A great magic trick is like a great ... Read More »

This past week, on the Magic Beans Facebook page, we asked people what funny sayings they’d learned from their fathers. We had lots of great responses, but one stood out to me. An old friend of mine (and Eli’s) from high school responded with “Quid pro quo.” This struck me because “quid pro quo” is something Eli talks about a ... Read More »

Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell Free Friday Flicks are classic & popular, family-oriented movies shown each Friday night throughout the summer at the DCR Hatch Shell on the Esplanade. Presented for free for over 25 years. Storrow Drive, The Esplanade, Boston. Every Friday from Jun 17, 2011 - Aug 26, 2011 Annual See New England Festival Enjoy a day filled ... Read More »

I don’t usually get preachy here, but this is important, so bear with me a for a minute. Last week, my friend stopped by to take the kids out for a bike ride – his son is close friends with my oldest daughter. I was appalled to see that, while his son was outfitted in a helmet, my friend was ... Read More »

Dragon Boat Festival Celebrate the sport, history and culture of Chinese Dragon Boat Racing at the Weeks Footbridge on Memorial Drive in Cambridge. Races on both days & festival on Sunday with arts, crafts, food, martial arts demonstrations, and music. Western Avenue Bridge, Cambridge. Saturday, Jun 11, 2011 - Sunday, Jun 12, 2011 Stork Fund Walkabout @ Franklin Park Zoo Join us ... Read More »