Children in the Park (ChiP) is a program aimed at providing an engaging day outside in nature for Boston area youth to experience the wonders of outdoor play and exploration. The Esplanade Association (EA) invites children ages 5-17 attending one of the dozens of day camps in and around Boston to the Esplanade, providing access to one of the region’s most beautiful resources.

EA introduced ChiP as a means to support the physical well-being of children and to introduce more Boston-area youth to the joys of the Esplanade. EA coordinates scheduling, holds orientation for campers and counselors, facilitates meaningful play opportunities, and supplies play equipment. Since the program started in 2009, we have been able to impact more than 7,000 children.

Programs and Activities include, but are not limited to:

• Free play and organized activities at the Teddy Ebersol’s Red Sox Fields
• Scavenger hunts
• Nature play and learning opportunities
• Lunch on the banks of the Charles River

The Esplanade Association’s 2023 Children in the Park program is made possible by donors to the Esplanade Association’s children’s programming fund and due to our partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.