Ultimate Family Activity Guide: South Coast MA

Raising kids on the South Coast means you're never short on things to do—if you know where to look. From baby story times to teen rock climbing, our region offers an incredible range of family activities. This guide organizes them by age group so you can quickly find what works for your crew, whether you've got a crawler, a kindergartner, or a moody middle schooler.

Activities for Babies & Toddlers (0-3 years)

Library Story Times & Programs

Every South Coast library offers free programs perfect for the littlest ones. These aren't just story reading—they're crucial early literacy experiences with songs, movement, and socialization.

• New Bedford Free Public Library - Baby Rhyme Time (ages 0-2), Toddler Story Time (ages 2-3), weekly sessions
• Millicent Library (Fairhaven) - Terrific Toddlers program, craft activities included
• Fall River Public Library - Babies & Books, Portuguese-English bilingual story time available
• Marion Public Library - Lap Sit story time for babies, very welcoming community
• Mattapoisett Free Public Library - Mother Goose on the Loose program, music and movement
• Seekonk Public Library - Toddler Time with parachute play and bubbles

Pro tip: Most libraries post their children's program calendars online monthly. Programs typically run September through May (summer programs are more sporadic).

Indoor Play Spaces

• Dartmouth Mall Play Area - Free soft play area for young children, great for rainy days and winter
• Buttonwood Park Playground (New Bedford) - Toddler-specific play structure, swings for babies
• Kennedy Park (Fall River) - Modern playground with toddler section, splash pad in summer
• Jump City (Swansea) - Indoor inflatable play center with toddler-specific area and special toddler time sessions

Parent-Baby Activities

• YMCA Southcoast Parent-Child Classes - Swimming lessons for babies 6 months+, parent-tot gym time
• Music Together Classes - Check for local providers offering music classes for babies and toddlers
• Stroller-Friendly Trails: Buttonwood Park loop, Fort Phoenix path, Lloyd Center easy trails

Toddler-Friendly Outings

• Buttonwood Park Zoo (New Bedford) - Small enough to not overwhelm, lots of animals toddlers can see up close
• Local Farms: Many South Coast farms welcome visitors to see animals. Try Alderbrook Farm (Rehobeth) or Silva Farm (Dartmouth)
• Beaches in Early Morning: Fort Phoenix and Demarest Lloyd before crowds arrive make perfect toddler exploration zones

Activities for Preschoolers (3-5 years)

Preschool Programs at Libraries

Ages 3-5 are prime library years. Most libraries offer multiple weekly sessions with stories, crafts, and STEM activities.

• All South Coast libraries offer preschool story time—call or check websites for schedules
• Special programs: LEGO clubs, science programs, visiting performers, and puppet shows appear throughout the year
• Summer reading programs for pre-readers include sticker charts, prizes, and weekly activities

Parks & Playgrounds

Preschoolers need to RUN. Here are the best playgrounds on the South Coast:

• Kennedy Park (Fall River) - Modern, accessible, splash pad, waterfront views. One of the best in the region.
• Buttonwood Park (New Bedford) - Multiple playgrounds, pond with ducks, wide-open spaces, spray park in summer
• Cushman Park (Fairhaven) - Town green with excellent playground, walking distance to ice cream
• Cushing Park (Rochester) - Playground, bandstand, summer concerts
• Paskamansett School Playground (Dartmouth) - Open after hours, great equipment
• Slater Park (Pawtucket, RI) - Short drive, amazing playground, carousel, petting zoo

Classes & Enrichment

• YMCA Southcoast - Swimming lessons, gymnastics, sports programs
• Little Sprouts Art Classes - Various locations, check for current offerings
• Soccer Tots & Sports Programs - Many towns offer pre-K sports through parks & rec departments
• Dance Studios - Creative movement and dance classes for ages 3+ across the region

Experiences

• Picking Your Own - Apple picking in fall (Dartmouth, Westport farms), strawberries in June
• Buttonwood Park Zoo - Perfect age for really engaging with animals
• Fishing - First fishing experiences at Fort Phoenix or town ponds
• Nature Centers: Lloyd Center for the Environment (Dartmouth) offers family programs

Activities for School-Age Kids (6-12 years)

After-School & Enrichment Programs

• Library programs expand significantly - LEGO clubs, coding classes, book clubs, craft programs, STEAM activities
• YMCA After-School Programs - Homework help, sports, swimming, activities
• Boys & Girls Clubs - New Bedford, Fall River, and other locations offer affordable after-school care with activities
• Scouts - Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts troops across all South Coast towns

Sports & Recreation

Every South Coast town has youth sports leagues. Most offer:

• Soccer - Fall leagues, typically ages 5-14 in divisions
• Baseball/Softball - Spring/summer Little League programs
• Basketball - Winter leagues through rec departments and schools
• Swimming - YMCA competitive swim teams, lessons, water polo
• Martial Arts - Multiple studios across the region (karate, taekwondo, jiu-jitsu)
• Ice Skating - Hetland Arena (New Bedford), hockey programs, figure skating

Museums & Educational Outings

• New Bedford Whaling Museum - Interactive exhibits, kids' programs, hands-on activities. School-age kids love the half-scale whaling ship.
• Lizzie Borden House (Fall River) - Older elementary kids fascinated by history will love this (maybe too scary for sensitive younger ones)
• Battleship Cove (Fall River) - Climb through actual battleships and submarines. Absolutely amazing for kids who like military history.
• Marine Museum at Fall River - Ship models and maritime history
• Heritage Museums & Gardens (Sandwich) - Worth the drive for the carousel, gardens, and vintage car collection
• Boston day trips - Museum of Science, New England Aquarium, Boston Children's Museum (90-minute drive)

Outdoor Adventures

• Hiking: Freetown-Fall River State Forest has easy-to-moderate trails perfect for this age. Destruction Brook Woods (Dartmouth) has boardwalks and varied terrain.
• Biking: Phoenix Bike Trail (Fairhaven), Mattapoisett Bike Path, quiet neighborhoods in all towns
• Kayaking: Lloyd Center offers family kayaking programs; put-in at Salter's Point or town landings
• Fishing: Fort Phoenix and Fort Taber for saltwater, local ponds for freshwater. Kids 15 and under fish free (no license required).
• Geocaching: Hundreds of caches hidden across the South Coast—free scavenger hunt adventure

Summer Camps

• YMCA Southcoast Day Camps - Multiple locations, full-day programs
• Town Recreation Department Camps - Most towns offer affordable week-long camps
• Lloyd Center Nature Camp - Marine science and ecology focus
• Buttonwood Park Zoo Camp - Animal-focused programs
• Sailing camps - Available in Marion, Mattapoisett, and Dartmouth
• Art camps - Check community art centers and studios

Year-Round Indoor Options

• Rock Climbing: Central Rock Gym (Seekonk/Swansea area)
• Bowling: Lanes available in multiple South Coast towns
• Movie Theaters: Cinema 140 (New Bedford), Apple Cinemas (Dartmouth)
• Trampoline Parks: Launch (Warwick, RI - short drive)

Activities for Teens (13-18 years)

Sports & Fitness

• High School Sports - Every town has programs from football to swimming to track
• YMCA Teen Programs - Weight room, fitness classes, basketball leagues
• Rock Climbing - Central Rock Gym has teen climbing programs and teams
• Martial Arts - Many studios offer teen and adult classes
• Surfing - Lessons available at Horseneck Beach in summer; local surf culture developing

Arts & Creative Programs

• Community Theater - Your Theatre (North Dartmouth) and other local theaters offer teen acting programs
• Music Lessons - Private instructors and music schools across the region
• Art Classes - Community art centers, private studios
• Photography - Some libraries and community centers offer photography programs

Work & Volunteer Opportunities

• Buttonwood Park Zoo - Teen volunteer programs
• Library Teen Advisory Boards - Many libraries recruit teen volunteers
• Coastal Cleanups - Organized beach and waterway cleanup events
• First Jobs: Many South Coast businesses hire at 14-15 for summer work

Hangout Spots

Where teens actually want to go:

• Dartmouth Mall - Classic teen hangout, food court, movie theater
• Downtown New Bedford - Coffee shops, restaurants, waterfront, increasingly cool vibe
• Beaches - Horseneck and Fort Phoenix are teen social scenes in summer
• Escape Rooms - Several in the region, great for friend groups
• Cafes with WiFi: Coffee culture growing in New Bedford and Dartmouth—teens welcome at most spots

Educational & Career Prep

• Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech - Career exploration programs for high schoolers
• Library Teen Programs - College essay workshops, SAT prep sessions, career speakers
• UMass Dartmouth Programs - Some summer programs and workshops open to high schoolers

Seasonal Family Activities

Spring

• Herring Runs - Acushnet Sawmill, Mattapoisett—watch thousands of fish migrate upstream (late April-May)
• Earth Day Events - Cleanups, tree plantings, environmental programs across towns
• Opening Day Fishing - Free fishing days in Massachusetts (no license required)
• Strawberry Picking - June at local farms

Summer

• Beach Days - Fort Phoenix, Horseneck, Demarest Lloyd
• Free Concert Series - Fort Taber (Thursdays), town bandstands across the region
• Farmers Markets - Family-friendly with live music and kids activities (Fairhaven, Marion, others)
• New Bedford Folk Festival - Free, family-friendly music festival in July
• Library Summer Reading Programs - All ages, prizes, activities
• Splash Pads - Kennedy Park (Fall River), Buttonwood Park (New Bedford)

Fall

• Apple Picking - Multiple farms in Dartmouth and Westport
• Fall Festivals - Nearly every town hosts harvest festivals with kid activities
• Cranberry Harvest Viewing - Drive past bogs in Rochester and Carver to watch the harvest
• Halloween Events - Buttonwood Park Zoo Boo, downtown trick-or-treating events, haunted houses
• Hiking - Fall foliage walks in Freetown State Forest

Winter

• Ice Skating - Hetland Arena offers public skating sessions
• Sledding - Buttonwood Park hills, school fields when it snows
• Holiday Lights - Blount Marine (some years), neighborhood displays
• Indoor Play - Libraries, gyms, mall play areas save rainy/cold days
• First Night Celebrations - Family-friendly New Year's Eve events

Rainy Day Activities

Because let's be real—you need a rainy day list:

• Library visits (all towns—find story times, LEGO clubs, or just browse)
• Buttonwood Park Zoo (animals are often more active in rain!)
• New Bedford Whaling Museum
• Battleship Cove
• Dartmouth Mall play area (free)
• Jump City indoor play (Swansea)
• Movies at local theaters
• Bowling
• YMCA open gym times
• Baking at home with farmer's market ingredients

Free & Low-Cost Options

Raising kids is expensive. Here's how to do it cheaply on the South Coast:

• Library cards = free entertainment - Programs, museum passes, books, movies, WiFi
• Beaches - Fort Phoenix is free year-round; many others free off-season
• Hiking & nature - All trails are free
• Town parks - Playgrounds and fields cost nothing
• Free museum days - Second Sunday at Whaling Museum, occasional free days elsewhere
• Community events - Most summer concerts, festivals, and town events are free
• YMCA scholarships - Financial assistance available for memberships and programs

Planning Tips for South Coast Families

• Get library cards everywhere - Many South Coast libraries have reciprocal borrowing, expanding your museum pass options
• Follow town social media - Last-minute free events often announced on Facebook
• Check school district calendars - Plan activities around vacation weeks and no-school days
• Join town email lists - Recreation departments send program catalogs and registration info
• Invest in a zoo or museum membership - Buttonwood Park Zoo membership pays for itself in 3 visits and includes reciprocal benefits

Final Thoughts

The South Coast is genuinely a wonderful place to raise kids. We might not have the flashy attractions of bigger cities, but we have incredible natural spaces, strong communities, and a quality of life that lets kids be kids. They can ride bikes to the library, walk to the beach, play in the woods, and grow up with a real sense of place.

Whether your kids are into sports, arts, nature, history, or just need to burn energy at a playground, you'll find it here. The key is knowing where to look—and now you do.