Celebrate the strawberry harvest. Drumlin Farm’s (208 South Great Rd., Lincoln)Annual Strawberry Picking Day is a Father’s Day weekend tradition for many local families. This year, the festival will take place on Saturday, June 19 from 10 AM-5PM. You can  pick-you-own strawberries and  participate in strawberry-themed children’s activities throughout the day. Be sure to visit the new baby animals in the barns before you leave!

The Museum of Fine Arts (465 Huntington Ave., Boston) will be hosting a Father’s Day Free Community Day on June 20th from 10 AM-4:45 PM  and general admission is free for all . Enjoy time with Dad with family fun activities. Not sure where to begin? Check out the Family Art Cart in the Sharf Visitor Center which has themed art tote bags packed with sketch pad, pencils and activity ideas  to borrow.

The Stone Zoo (149 Pond St., Stoneham, 617-989-2000)

On Saturday, February 27th the Institute of Contemporary Art (100 Northern Ave., Boston, 617-478-3100) is hosting it’s monthly Play Date for families.The ICA’s Play Date takes place on the last Saturday of every month- and the scene is more like a gallery opening than a museum. Play Dates are a bargain too-  ICA admission is free for 2 adults per family with a child age 12 and under . Good to know- children under age 17 are always free at the ICA!

Play Date programming is often exhibit -related and can include films, performances, gallery tours and art-making activities. Inspired by the  ICA’s newest special exhibition, “Roni Horn aka Roni Horn” this month’s play date theme is ICA Birdwatch . Kids can borrow binoculars from the ICA and practice their bird-watching technique outside. Live bird encounters with professional bird handlers will  give kids opportunities to sketch and make their own whimsical bird puppets. And after your kids have had a chance to experiment and make art at their own pace, chances are good that they will be ready to explore the rest of the museum with you!

Image Credit: Roni Horn, Dead Owl, 1998, courtesy of the artist and Hauser and Wirth

Of course, there are no shortage of things to do in Boston-even in winter! You may want to visit (or revisit!) your family’s favorite Boston kid-oriented museum- the Children’s Museum, the New England Aquarium or the Museum of Science are all great choices. Close to the Hotel Commonwealth, you can take a tour of Fenway Park, 5 W!ts Tomb, or the Museum of Fine Arts.  Be sure to  have an early dinner though, because on Friday evening, the Hotel is sponsoring a “Bedtime Stories” Pajama Party  from 7PM-8:30 PM . The cost per family is a suggested $10 donation which benefits ReadBoston and includes storytelling and performances by professional storytellers and a make-your-own hot chocolate bar. Note too, that you don’t have to stay at the Hotel Commonwealth to participate in the Pajama Party, the event is open to all, RSVP at  617-532-5017.

Image Credit: Hotel Commonwealth, used with permission.

My 13-year-old daughter is a Girl Scout- and  has been since kindergarten. Over the years there have been sleepovers at the Museum of Science, International Dinners, Encampments at Girl Scout headquarters in Waltham, and seemingly endless winter weeks of cookie selling. But she is at the age  now where some of her peers scoff at Girl Scouts.

Rare that my life as a writer meshes with my life as a Mom. With approval of our troop leader, I sent out an email for a  ”Mom and Girl’s Night Out For Troop 3450.” It was a school night, but  it turned out that six of us could attend.  In  the lobby of the Copley Plaza Hotel, the girls met the very famous “Catie Copley” , the hotel’s resident  black Labrador and the subject of two children’s story books.  Moms and girls nibbled on crudite and cheese as a prelude to the very serious businessss of tasting each of the seven very  fancy desserts created for judging.  There was a peanut butter cheesecake with butterscotch sauce from Tremont 647, Caramel Delite Cupcakes from Sommerville’s Kick *ss Cupcakes (my personal favorite!)  a layered Lemonade Pushpop  from Aura at the Seaport Hotel, and more.  We hob-nobbed with the famous. I met Chef Rachel Klein, “Are you the Rachel Klein” I asked as I shook her hand.”I just wrote about your Fine Dining , Family Style event for Parents and Kids.” My daughter met Jenny Johnson, who was super-friendly, asking her about school and Girl Scouts.  The event was very well-attended; and many in the crowd were young, professional girls- just the sort of person you want your teenage girl to emulate.

The girls had a blast  at “Cookie Creations”, it was all the talk at the next troop meeting. For the adults, the evening was about as much fun as a Mom could have on a Thursday night. Seems like Troop 3450 will be back next year!

1. Bundle up. Dress the kids (and yourself!) in layers. Don’t forget a hat and mittens and very good (and warm!) shoes or boots.
2. Take the T. First Night activities take place at more than 40 locations throughout the city, but since the Hynes Convention Center is the site of the FedEx Family Festival   (1 PM-5 PM )and is also the starting point of the Mardi-Gras parade  which starts at 5 PM-  try to arrive at Hynes or  Copley  on the Green line, or Back Bay on the Orange line.
3. Plan for an early dinner (or really late lunch) to avoid the crowds. A  3 PM dinner  is not too early to enjoy both the 5 PM parade and the  family fireworks on the Boston Common at 7PM.  There are lots of chain restaurant choices and a food court in the Prudential Center- but if you are looking for a little quiet, consider either  Caffe Jaffa across Boylston St. at 48 Gloucester St.  for family- friendly Middle East  or Asana in the Mandarin Oriental hotel (776 Boyslton St.) for Asian-inspired cuisine.