Kids Resources

Kids can play Sony Playstation, sit in an airplane, watch a movie, master a Nintendo Game Boy, ride a horse - all while getting their hair cut at KidKlips.

If your children's hair resembles the Shaggy D.A., get them over to Great Cuts for a snip.

Great Cuts specializes in no-frills, quick do's, and does not take appointments. There's usually a lollipop waiting at the other end for well-behaved customers.

If you've butchered your daughter's bangs for the 5th time in a row, she may beg you to take her to Snip-its.

A hair cuttery catering to children, this place is closer to an amusement park than a hair salon. The Snip-its animated crew, including Jean Luc le Spritz and Flyer Joe Dryer, hope to take the terror out of the trim. The best part, for kids anyway, are the videos played during their individual styling session. Did someone say haircut?

Children's Hospital is the largest pediatric medical center in the United States. It is also the primary pediatric teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School.

The hospital has a 300-bed comprehensive center for pediatric health care.

It also offers pediatric dentistry in a facility designed to help children feel at home and comfortable. Its experienced dental staff is trained to respond to the special concerns and needs of its patients. Children are offered the opportunity to see, touch and operate all of the dental equipment.

Children's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital have 24-hour emergency rooms.

Aspen Dental, a chain of dental service providers with offices in 10 states, offers quality, affordable dentistry. Services include routine dental care, whitening, hygiene, oral surgery, and fixed and removable prosthetic dentistry.

Visit the Aspen Dental website for a complete list of locations.

Pediatric Dental Associates of Brookline is committed to providing top-quality dental care, and seeks to give parents information that helps them to make informed decisions about their child's oral health needs.

Lexington Pediatrics has seven physicians and two nurse practitioners providing pediatric and adolescent medicine.

Serious cyclists have frequented Wheelworks for over twenty years. With its top of the line bicycles and equipment, it's not hard to see why die-hard bikers flock here.

But cyclists have kids, too. That's why it carries the best in tricycles, beginner bikes, and mountain bikes. You'll also find bike and child trailers, baby seats, helmets and more. The knowledgeable sales staff takes its littlest customers and their safety seriously.

You can count on leaving the store with the right bike for your child. You'll pay more here than you would at Toys R Us, but the good quality and excellent service are worth it.

The store's annex, Wheelworks Too, has great deals on closeouts and used bikes. You can also rent bicycles here.

Ace Wheelworks, another link in the chain, offers its customers the same high-quality merchandise and service.

Total Entertainment is a full-service, party rental company serving all of New England. Total Entertainment has everything from inflatables and water rides to clowns and roving performers to DJs, costumes, and other entertainment. Tables, tents, chairs, food carts, and other party supplies are also available.

This is the place to outfit the family for a foray into the outdoors, whether it's hiking a 4,000 footer, camping, or heading into the high country for a little skiing or kayaking. REI started out in 1938 as a humble cooperative and evolved into an upscale megastore for people who demand the best in outdoor gear. The store carries baby and kid stuff, and has a full schedule of outdoor-related talks and programs. Check the website for details.

In a world of phony baloney entertainers, Rami Salami, aka Philip Bloom, is the real deal. You'll find the self-proclaimed King of Balloon Twisters perfecting his craft at Faneuil Hall near the corner of North and Congress Streets in Sam Adams Park, and at Harrod's in London if you happen to be in the neighborhood!

Mr. Salami has a unique way of focusing attention on his young audience while including the grown-ups in on the fun. With the help of a very accurate water-squirting camera, rubber chicken, a Big Dig dog (it's a plastic rat! Ha! Ha!), and other silly props, he draws even the wariest of children into his magical circle of fun. A little barrier with colorful graphics and some mini stools keep the adults out, while giggling kids await their time with Rami.

Patient stool sitters are rewarded with the most elaborate balloon accessories you're likely to see. Humongous hats with interesting, inflatable baubles compliment the tiniest of noggins. During outdoor, uncontracted appearances, Rami requests a minimum $2 donation per creation. A small price to pay to see your child proudly sport a new chapeau.

Birthday Parties: The fun begins when Rami opens up his rolling suitcase full of props. After a bit of joking around, he plucks the guest of honor out of the group and creates the first silly hat of the party. Any one who wants a hat gets one!

The balloonery continues with the construction of a house, a spaceship, or a huge geodesic dome. If space permits, the sculpture is attached to the top of a telescoping pole and balanced on Rami's chin. A 10-minute comedy/magic show, and the singing of Rami's theme song, signal the end of the fun.

Juggling! Unicycling! Accordion music. Fun for all ages!

Davey the Clown is a physical comedian, juggler, unicyclist and accordionist. Davey's show contains stellar (but silly) juggling, amazing magic, incredible unicycling on a 6-foot unicycle (space permitting), wacky antics, balloon sculpture, tons of audience participation, and a rubber chicken! After the show, Davey leads a parade with kids from the audience on noisemakers, backing him up on the accordion (makes for excellent photo op's). This is all topped off with fantastic balloon creations for all the kids, and an extra large one for the birthday child.

David Holzman, Davey's creator, has a Master's Degree In Elementary Education.

Yuri's interactive variety show includes dancing and singing, magic, parades, juggling, stories, and more. No two parties are the same, as Yuri tailors each performance to the moods and interests of his young audience and engages everyone in the festivities - including the adults.

Parties are available in the greater Boston area, western Massachusetts, and southern Vermont.

Kristin Chalmers specializes in children's photography. She believes in photographing children in a familiar environment - such as a playground, with their friends or family, or even with a family pet - in order to best bring out a child's true individuality. She takes her time getting to know each child in order to connect with them before ever shooting the first frame. This way, the subject is relaxed and having fun, and the results are never formal and forced.

Hughes Photography takes the art of photography very seriously but value the art of childhood far more. The mom and dad team are talented and technical photographers but truly love children in all their messy, frustrating, sticky, chubby, loving glory.

Teya Rutherford is a custom on-location photographer who offers fine art and traditional portraiture in your home or other location of your choosing - including Teya's 1200 square foot natural light studio.

Teya has recently been recognized with awards from local and international photography organizations and has been chosen by models and families alike to produce portraits that showcase each person’s beauty, both inside and out. Visit her website for samples of her work. Call to schedule a portrait session.

Simply Silhouettes offers an extensive collection of custom-designed silhouette products that offer a unique way to preserve the priceless moments of childhood. The recently-launched web-based business is one of the first to take this traditional art form and give it a modern edge. The child, family and pet silhouette portraits are created with classic styling, handcrafted warmth, and a touch of elegant whimsy. Products include prints, canvases, clothing, stationery sets, paperweights, gift items, jewelry, tote bags, and even wrapping paper.

Two moms - friends and neighbors - brainstormed a way for pint-sized adventurers to find a little space of their own without tearing up living rooms all over the country.

TeePeeforMe is the result - a line of 21 styles of teepees including indoor and outdoor styles and coordinating accessories: tote bags, play mats, pillows, and personalized signs. High quality fabrics come in fun patterns (like Monkey Business, Wild West Red, and Princess Paisley) and the poles are made from durable PVC. The teepees come fully assembled and store easily.

And since the open teepee stands 5.5 ft tall and is 5 feet wide on each side, there's room for parents to play, too!

Cheeky Monkey Murals specializes in murals and painted furniture for children of all ages. Every design is developed to respond to your specific aesthetic, and to achieve a unique and beautiful outcome. Initial consultations to discuss design and ideas are free.

Founded in 1893, Cotting School is the nation's first day school for children with a broad spectrum of learning and communication disabilities, physical challenges, and complex medical conditions. The school's mission is to be a leader in providing high-quality, individualized education, as well as vocational, therapeutic, enrichment, and functional skills programs that will enable our students to realize their highest potential in academic achievement, skill development, social/emotional maturity, and independence.

The Children's Hospital Boston Labs of Cognitive Neuroscience works to shed light on questions about how children learn about and experience the world by learning more about brain and behavior development in infants, children, and adolescents. Studies are related to different aspects of both typical development and various developmental disorders such as autism and dyslexia. With the help of parents and children who participate in the studies, they aim to gain a better understanding of these processes, and to contribute to the healthy growth and development of our children.

To hear more about participation opportunities, please call or visit the website.

Gateways: Access to Jewish Education provides a Jewish education for children with moderate to severe special needs in its supplemental program, and the Jewish day school program supports students with educational challenges in a day school environment.

Pump it Up Party features giant, custom designed, fun-filled, interactive inflatable play structures. Kids can celebrate in private, clean, safe, and climate-controlled inflatable play arenas and brightly decorated party rooms. Friendly trained staff members help ensure parties run smoothly.

In addition to birthday parties, Pump it Up Party offers Pop-in Playtime Days and Family Jump Time; see the website for a schedule and details.

Brilliant Beginnings: Teacher in My Neighborhood is a tutoring and educational play service for early childhood through elementary aged children. Tutors currently work in Charlestown, West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, and other Boston neighborhoods, and are continually adding new locations.

The service started as a network of highly qualified stay-at-home teachers who offer tutoring out of their homes, and all the teachers have masters degrees or beyond, extensive training with leading experts in education, and a wealth of experience teaching. They are trained in individualized assessment and specialized instruction. Most importantly, these teachers tutor because they enjoy the opportunity to help children succeed.

The program is an exceptional opportunity to get a personal teacher who can individualize instruction for your child without having to leave the neighborhood. Depending on the neighborhood, the program can include:

Brilliant Beginnings Tutoring (ages 4 to 12), individualized instruction, one-on-one or small group subjects include early literacy, Spanish, reading, writing, math, special education (Project Read);

Jump Start (ages 4 and up), for children who are preparing for a more academic setting or children who just seem particularly interested in learning to read or try a second language (Spanish);

Confidence Building (school aged), for children who may be having trouble keeping up with their peers and need extra help;

Above and Beyond (school aged), for children who are at grade level, but want to write stories or engage in projects around educational subjects;

Homework Help (school aged), for children who need a little help from someone outside of the home to get organized and get their homework done;

ESL and Spanish (ages 4 and up), for children to gain an introduction or additional practice in a second language.

Boston Casting, Inc. specializes in casting feature films, commercials, and reality television shows, for principal roles as well as extras. With over 20,000 actors on file, including children, special ability actors, and those seeking reality television fame, Boston Casting proves to be a versatile,resourceful company who continues to excel at arranging the perfect ensembles.

Since 1893, the Charlestown Clubhouse has provided extensive extracurricular programs for the youth of Charlestown and its surrounding communities. Membership is open to kids ages 6 to 18.

Education: It offers one-on-one tutoring, computer instruction, homework help, test preparation, enrichment activities, and newspaper and science clubs.

Arts: Provides classes in visual arts such as painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography. Performing arts include music lessons and dance classes for children ten and up.

Social Recreation: Children are offered a variety of fun activities and events. These include dances, peer leadership groups, and tournaments.

Physical Education: It offers basketball and volleyball clinics, hockey and basketball leagues, and intramural sports.

Teen Center: Programs focus on college prep, tutoring, computers, and career prep. Social activities and field trips are also available.

Child Care Program: School-age child-care program for children ages 6 to 10 is provided from 2:30pm-6pm during the school week and 8:00am-5:30pm during school and summer vacations. Call 242.1775 ext 231 for information on eligibility and fees.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEM) is one of the largest organizations in New England dedicated to serving girls and was officially established in 2008 through the merger of three existing Girl Scout Councils. GSEM serves girl members and volunteers living in towns and cities spanning the eastern part of the state from the border of New Hampshire, west to the city of Marlborough, and south to the Cape and Islands.

Camps: The organization also hosts spring and summer camps. Throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire, GSEM camps offer an all-girl environment which increases campers' comfort level, encourages girls to try new skills, and allows girls to test their abilities without the pressure and competitiveness that frequently characterize co-ed camps.

Adult volunteers are critical to the success of Girl Scouts. Opportunities include troop leader (working directly with a group of girls), episodic volunteer (mentoring girls in something you're passionate about), and resource volunteer (helping with office mailings, brochure translations, data entry, and more). Contact one of the local service centers for more information.

Since 1893, the Charlestown Clubhouse has provided extensive extracurricular programs for the youth of Charlestown and its surrounding communities. Membership is open to kids ages 6 to 18.

Education: It offers one-on-one tutoring, computer instruction, homework help, test preparation, enrichment activities, and newspaper and science clubs.

Arts: Provides classes in visual arts such as painting, drawing, sculpture, and photography. Performing arts include music lessons and dance classes for children ten and up.

Social Recreation: Children are offered a variety of fun activities and events. These include dances, peer leadership groups, and tournaments.

Physical Education: It offers basketball and volleyball clinics, hockey and basketball leagues, and intramural sports.

Teen Center: Programs focus on college prep, tutoring, computers, and career prep. Social activities and field trips are also available.

Child Care Program: School-age child-care program for children ages 6 to 10 is provided from 2:30pm-6pm during the school week and 8:00am-5:30pm during school and summer vacations. Call 242.1775 ext 231 for information on eligibility and fees.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEM) is one of the largest organizations in New England dedicated to serving girls and was officially established in 2008 through the merger of three existing Girl Scout Councils. GSEM serves girl members and volunteers living in towns and cities spanning the eastern part of the state from the border of New Hampshire, west to the city of Marlborough, and south to the Cape and Islands.

Camps: The organization also hosts spring and summer camps. Throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire, GSEM camps offer an all-girl environment which increases campers' comfort level, encourages girls to try new skills, and allows girls to test their abilities without the pressure and competitiveness that frequently characterize co-ed camps.

Adult volunteers are critical to the success of Girl Scouts. Opportunities include troop leader (working directly with a group of girls), episodic volunteer (mentoring girls in something you're passionate about), and resource volunteer (helping with office mailings, brochure translations, data entry, and more). Contact one of the local service centers for more information.