Boston Common Frog Pond

A great place to rest your feet 🦶 🦶 by either taking off 📴 your shoes 👟 and soak or just walk around in the warm water 💦. Toddlers can play ▶️ in the sprinklers or roll around in the water. There was an employee scooping out leaves with a pool net. I found a small stone 🪨 and a tiny stick that I mistook for a cigarette 🚬 butt. I threw both of them away and I was rewarded with finding an abandoned tiny toy Babe 🐖 piglet. If the owner is looking for it, I will send it to you. There is a carousel 🎠 and the famous frog statues are at opposite ends of the pond, not named Amy. The only reason I found for the name was that during the Revolutionary War, men would try to find 🐸 frogs to eat. I don't think 🤔 Kermit would show up saying "Hi-Ho, Kermit the Frog here from Sesame Street News!" The Frog Pond is a great 👍 addition to Boston Common. I relaxed while I walked in the water along the edge.

The pond wasn't open on the day I went but still took cute pictures with these guys. The park itself is beautiful and a nice size, great area for a day in the park lots of trees around.

Went in the summer when it was a pond. Was lots of fun. Would love to come back when it's ice! Be prepared for kids with square guns, they might ask you to join in their fun!

Adorable little ice skating rink to enjoy during the winter in Boston! Good crowd. There was a very talented and friendly guy giving people tips on their skating throughout the day. I would definitely go back! I'd pay the entry fee just to watch him skate, haha! They have lockers, clean bathrooms, and a snack stand. We didn't use a locker though and just left our shoes out, they were fine.

Went here for splash pad and merry go round. Splash pad was closed on June 19 (not opening for the season until June 24th). That was an incredible disappointment and surprise. Hours on the google map location are not attraction specific or seasonal. Check their web site before going. Merry go round is not worth it. No music, old. Probably safe but I personally wouldn't chance it again. Certainly not woth the price. Would have been a 4 if the google location was updated and accurate. Not to mention, there are two entries. One for the "pond" itself and another before the larger attraction.

Amazing place for kids to skate and learn skating as well. Unlimited fun for 25 bucks which includes the blades as well. Check the timings and weather before hand to avoid disappointment. Avoid evening to be in long queues.

There were lots of people around, but the pond had no water — it was basically just an empty space. It’s a huge park, and watching the crowd was actually quite interesting.

Mystical wonderful experience. Skates and admission were about $20 pp. Holiday music playing. Ice really well maintained with regular Zamboni runs.

Had a great time skating there with one of my friends the other day it was quite busy which is fine. Unfortunately when I went I needed my blades sharpened but the guy who could do that wasn't there, oh well next time. Went to go get a locker and u have to pay for it when u enter and it just wasn't clear and I felt like I was cutting the long line by getting a locker. Stopped and grabbed a lil snack and my friend and I both got the 50/50 and fries were good but they had the best onion ring I've ever had! If you have them I recommend bringing your own skates to save time and money but a great activity for almost any age

The quintessential New England winter activity smack in the heart of Boston! The music they play is great! The views are wonderful! If you go at dusk it is all lit up with strands of white lights! SO MUCH FUN for skaters and wanna be skaters! They have skate rentals, skate sharpening on site as you wait! There is a small cafe, tables and chairs, and benches. They rent skate aids for those still learning. Sometimes members of the Boston Skating Club are there practicing! Gorgeous to watch! They do not allow you to bring your own coach to the rink for lessons. From their website, "There's nothing quite like skating with your friends, family and colleagues amid the bright lights of Boston. Whether it's a birthday party, a company retreat, or just friends and family getting together, the Boston Common Frog Pond is the perfect place to make your celebration unforgettable! Pricing 5:30-7:00pm: $2,000 7:30-9:00pm: $2,000 5:30-8:30pm: $3,500 Pricing is for ice time only. It does not include skate rentals or food purchases. Skate Rentals Child skates: $10.00 per pair Adult skates: $15.00 per pair Lockers: $7.00 each Frog Pond Cafe The Cafe can remain open, offering a full menu. Purchases are not included in the Monday Night Rental cost. Skating Instructor At an additional charge, instructors can be on hand to offer basic instruction and assistance for inexperienced skaters. Monday Night Rental Form (PDF) For any inquires about rentals, please email frog.pond@scboston.org."

We stopped into The Boston Common Frog Pond area in November, so the pond was empty, but it was definitely a restful place for a break with several benches that line the pond going around. The two frogs are very cute statues, but outside of the Summer months, visiting can probably be skipped. I don't think I would call it a "Must See" for Boston, but if you're in the area seeing the Granary and need a break, it definitely will fit the bill.

I went here for ice skating and had a great time. No advanced reservations were needed, everyone just waits in one line. I went on a Saturday afternoon and only had to wait about 15 minutes. We rented skates and thought about renting a locker for our shoes, but most people were just leaving their shoes outside on the ground so we did that instead. The rink is pretty nice, and the Zamboni comes through frequently enough to keep things smooth. I felt like the price was reasonable as well. Overall this was pretty great.

Such a fun experience! Loved the atmosphere and it was the perfect day to go skate. The employees were kind and the ice was smooth

This is such a charming and touristic experience but I love it. Every time I am in Boston in the winter I have to come here to skate. I love that it's accessible to all (many other rinks in Boston are members only) and affordable. I always bring my own skates but you can also rent although beware that when you rent, you are getting pretty broken in skates. They have little plastic seals that you can push around and use for balance if you are a newbie skater. My only qualm is that it can be very very busy at times which can be hard to move around. This is not the place to show off and go fast although many people do go super fast. Just go with the flow and enjoy being outside in one of the most iconic city parks in the US!

This would be the place to be in the winter! I would love to see it as an ice skating rink. It would sure be a great time with the family. What a cool way to theme an every changing space

Great hangout spot for the kids in the city. Water fountains in the summer and skating rink in the winter. With a carousel and play area nearby, and food options all around, you can make a day out of it with something for everyone. The place is well kept. The water is clean and the chairs are well-maintained. The water is about ankle deep for adults, so you'll find a mix of young kids splashing around and toddlers who experience an outdoor water body for the first time. A good hangout spot for both locals and visitors with kids.

Boston Common has a pond that often doesn't have any water in it. It always seems to be drained later in fall when it's not as nice out. The Frog Pond is a popular place to bring children to come and play. Close by is a playground with a frog theme of course. Winter is when it's used for ice skating. It seems to bring the most people among anywhere on the Common. Mostly because there's a lot going on around here. The Pond is only just one thing. Also here is a carousel. Fun for the whole family. Also there's a playground just east of the pond where there's even more fun to be had by children. This part of the pond is where you're greeted by a couple of frog statues. In the winter there's different fun and games. The pond is frozen over. Cool literally. Instead of wading now you can do some ice skating. A festive atmosphere with all the lights. There's also festivals and all kinds of events going on. Cool place for kids. It has wading or ice skating. There's fun any time of the year.

As soon as we saw the Frog Pond, our kids shrieked with joy. Minutes later, they were completely drenched in the fountain and wading in the water. Had we had more time, they probably could have played here for an hour. It was a hot, summer Saturday so they loved cooling off in the pond.

My little guy and I stopped by here today for his first time and it was magical. My son hopped all over the frog pond and had so much fun. It's a Tuesday, so not too many people and there were still benches available to sit on. We live pretty far away, so we could only stay for a little while. My son gives it 2 thumbs up.

Iconic location and beautiful surroundings decorated for the holidays! However, the novelty wore off quick elbow to elbow with other skaters. Admission fee + Rental for ill-fitting rusted skates add up to more than a movie ticket ($18/person). We don't go ice skating often enough to have our own skates. Unfortunately my feet and ankles hurt so badly afterwards. My skates had 2 different types of laces. They do have a bathroom and a small "snack bar" on site with overpriced amenities. No one really seems to get the lockers since there are various pairs of shoes littered under/around all of the benches. We followed suit. So trusting...! It was pure chaos on the ice. Kids were falling all over themselves and I saw many parents dragging their crying kids across the pond. Then you have the folks gripping the railing for support and those dangerously taking selfies (despite the announcement this is not allowed). One of the kids didn't stop in time and bowled me over as I slowly made my way around haha. At least he helped me get back up and apologized. We got there around 4 PM and everyone was off the ice for the Zamboni to recondition the outdoor rink for 20 minutes and you alternate skating direction. This happens every hour so you meander across the ice since it gets scratched up instantly. This place is a nice scene in the summer, but I think I want to just watch other pros skate or perform here instead. Another thing to check off the bucket list and just say "been there done that", don't need to do that again.

Lots of fun! Must see when visiting Boston. My family and I decided to come here at night for the lights. Closes late which is convenient. The prices are decent. Didn't expect to pay $15 an hour for the whale assistance pusher for my 5 year old. I believe that should be a flat rate. One downside. Also, be careful where you place your shoes or belongings. It's a mess! Might want to rent a locker. My mother in law asked if she'd be able to enter to be able to watch our belongings and the girl in the front told her she'd have to pay an entry fee even if she was NOT skating!!! Which I think is ridiculous. Besides the girl in the front and the entry fee to watch our stuff...the staff at the skate pickup/drop off window were super friendly, helpful and nice. My kids and I had a lot of fun here. Ice skated for about an hour and a half. There's also a playground for the smaller kids right in front of the pond. Very convenient. But it's not lit up with any lights at night. Again, great place to go, especially at night.

Took advantage of the $18 for 2 - rental and admission Groupon deal, essentially making it half off. I think the prices are steep if you do not have your own skates: $12 skates and $6 admission (if 58" and over; otherwise admission is free). Lockers are also $4 but most people just put their shoes by a bench or carried their belongings in a cross shoulder purse, string bag or bookbag while skating. On college nights, you may have free admission with student ID: https://bostonfrogpond.com/winter-programs/college-nights/. I went in the weekday evening around 5:30pm and enjoyed the lit up surrounding trees and catchy music. The rink is a bit on the smaller side so going during the weekday helped with the crowds. Overall, I enjoyed my experience and would come again (but only when taking advantage of a groupon deal).

Heck yeah, a playground. I told the kids that we'd be visiting the same park in Boston that was the setting for the book "Make Way for Duckings," and they were super excited ... until they didn't see a playground anywhere. To kids, park = playground. You'd think that history and trees and grass would be enough for toddlers and young kids, but no. Fortunately, if you make your way past the swan boat rides, past the Boston Public Garden, you'll see a carousel and, beyond that, Tadpole Playground. Whew! Crisis averted. This is a decent playground. There are several slides, monkey bars, bridges, things to climb, forts, fireman poles and other things to play with. When we were there, the playground was swarming with children. I take it this place is pretty popular! There are also bronze-looking statues of frogs (hence the name Tadpole Playground and Frog Pond). During the summer, these frogs spew water, and make a nice splash pad area. When we were there, though, they were devoid of water, so kids just climbed and rode on them. This playground is good because it is surrounded by a fence. I like playgrounds with fences because this means there is less likelihood of a child running out and getting lost. Outside of the playground, there are food vendors selling freshly squeezed lemonade, water, hot dogs, sodas, etc.

Extremely dangerous!!! Not sure how they even allow this amount of people to enter the ice rink at the same time but its borderline neglectful and irresponsible. People were bumping into each other, knocking each other down, and falling all over the place. You can't keep your guard down for a second here and have to be consistently careful with people around you falling and pulling you down with them. If you want to take your children ice skating this is definitely not the place.

So pleasant and kid friendly. Its only a foot deep and there are so many lifeguards around the perimeter it's probably better guarded than the Capitol. Also I learned that dogs are not allowed around the frog pond path!

You can't help but stumble upon the Frog Pond while strolling common. Even as an adult with no kids I love wading in the water on a day while in town on a hot day. The water is not deep at all. Just a big man made pond to splash around in. During the summer it is best for kids to take a break from the heat. Bring your bathing suit. There are restrooms to change if need be and lockers. Life guards are on duty. There is a playground on one end and a merry-go-rounnd on the other side. Free wifi in the area. The cold months it turns into an ice-rink, however I am not sure the exact dates. All round a nice place to take the family!!

This is a nice ice skating rink in the winter. Admission for adults is $6, but skate rental is on the pricey side ($12). Lockers cost $3 to rent. The ice skating rink itself is fairly small, so there isn't much room to maneuver when it gets busy. I recommend going during the weekday if schedules allow, since it really fills up with little kids and families on the weekends. February 13-18, 2016 (February break for Boston schools) is free skating for the entire week, with free admission and rentals. You can show up as early as 10am and get a ticket. They divide up the day into skating time blocks of 2.5 hours each, and if they run out of tickets for the current block you can get tickets for the next block. When I came at 1pm today, they were out of tickets for the 1-3:30pm time block but still had tickets for the block starting at 3:30pm.

I've been here for the winter for the ice skating many times, the skate rentals are a bit steep so if you have them, bring your own skates. In the summer time, it's just a pond that you can sit around and enjoy the view. I've made some amazing memories with my kids at this place and it still continues to be one of my favorite places in Boston.

The Boston Common Frog Pond is toad-ally awesome! Went I went in the springtime, it was too warm for ice skating, and too cold for frogs. So the frog pond sat as an empty concrete pond. You could just go walking across it. But it was flanked by musicians practicing and performing! It's such a cool place that fronts the lil' tadpole playground and is separated by the frog statues. The frogs here seem to be fans of the Red Sox, which you gotta love. There's a place where you can rent skates or whatnot. But I guess that wouldn't be much fun without the ice. The place was scenic, and a fun place in Boston Common to hang out at.

Prepare to pay even when you don't skate. You have to pay to get inside just to help your little kid getting rental and putting on skates. It is ridiculous. We don't even step on the ice. This is just to stand outside the skating rink near the rental area.

Great day or evening activity. I went on a Saturday afternoon and it was busy as expected. The admission and rental prices are a tad pricey. Look for the Groupon deal, however I don't think it's good on weekends. Lockers were quite dingy but for $4 my stuff was kept safe while I skated! Overall fun activity! Lots of younger children but did not bother me as I am a terrible skater

I took my daughter ice skating at Frog Pond recently during the holiday season. We arrived at opening in the morning and had no trouble promptly renting skates and getting out on the ice. The place is very well organized and the ice surface is a good size. We skated for an hour and at almost the precise half hour mark the Zamboni made the rounds to smooth the ice surface. I would recommend arriving earlier rather than later as the line up for entry was massive by the time we left around noon.

We enjoyed our outing to ice skate in America's oldest public park! 1. Payment: A bit over priced but you are there for the experience of Boston Common. It was $36 for two (skate rental $12 and admission $6) we decided not to get a $5 locker for shoes since most people were hiding them under benches. Payment was cash or card. We went ice skating mid afternoon and were greeted with 15-20 min long line to pay. 2. The Rink: For the rink itself was a bit smaller than I had imagined. I assumed it was going to be to the edge of the frog pond but it was laid within. The ice was Zambonied every hour or so, I think they called skaters off on the :50. It took 15-20 mins total for people to get off the ice and clean it. When we went there were a lot of kids and a range of experience levels so you have to be careful when going around. 3. Experience: Nothing like ice skating in America's oldest park! Perfect date or outing with friends and family. If not everyone wants to pay for admission they can stand on the 3/4 of the rink outside of admission area and stand or sit on benches and watch.

As of December 2021 the rink is TINY and ridiculously crowded with lots of kids. You absolutely cannot get any speed without immediately having to turn. And that's if there is enough room at all to move. It seems the rink has been fenced off to half the size of what it used to be.

Yeah...so it started to sprinkle a bit and the guy comes out of the cage to tell us we've got to leave because they are closing because of the rain. I ask if they can wait ten mi it's because we'd just ordered like $60 bucks of food and the guy just looked at us and said no. I asked why they didn't tell us this before we ordered food the guy just shrugged. Our family and another family who had a disabled child with them had to walk out into the rain with our food and eat in the bathroom. Unfortunate that they made us all leave when the sprinkled lasted about ten minutes. Especially since there was a family with a wheelchair seated as well.

Romantic, serene, and good exercise. The frog pond is a staple to The Boston Commons. It only costs $18 each to skate and the skates are high quality and the scenery is gorgeous. They resurface the ice once an hour with the zamboni

Perfect ice skating spot in the city. Affordable prices and the lockers are a plus. They also have a basic cafe were you can get some hot cocoa and other beverages. We come here every year and always have a great time. They keep pop music playing in the background and maintain the ice every 15-20 minutes.

Most wonderful time of the year !!! Wow so pretty !! Ice skating at nite on the pond so sweet music to glide along to was a blast from the past !! If only for a night brought back childhood memories! So friendly !! Just time the Zaniboni ,, then get hot chocolate while you wait very cold bring scarf - gloves not to freeze your a.:: Off !!! They have skate rentals ! for both adults and kids great prices Also go slow lots of ppl that do not skate very well and ice hurts !! Buts it's so fun it's worth it !!! nice to bring kids !! Or great date nite !! A must try !! Also you can visit common Christmas tree! Had a great nite !! Might just come again ! Gotta love Boston !!!

Free summer family fun on Boston Common... The Frog Pond they not be clean, but the pressure is right ... it's free. The deal: they freeze the Frog Pond in the winter to convert it into a super skating rink!

Frog Pond used to be the shit and really was awesome but that was until I realized that there was a less crowded, cheaper rink in Kendall square. Frog Pond is overpriced for what it is and because of their expensive rental fees, if you plan to go there often, you'll save a lot of money by buying your own pair of skates. And the place is really, really crowded at times which is very annoying. It gets tricky having to dodge all of the kids and then you have these bastards who think they are the shit skating backwards at 150 mph right by you.. Ice bullies I call them.... And they there's the food and drinks that they serve there that's not only very greasy and sugary, but also overpriced. If they were to lower their prices a bit I'd give them a higher rating than four stars but because I don't enjoy getting ripped off... well I guess I'm just bitter now. Oh and the place is poorly maintained and the skate guards are really lazy and don't really help solve people's issues. They never told that ice bully to slow down or stop trying to scare people. I asked them multiples times and they never did anything.

We came here for the ice skating around the holidays -- it was busy and cold (yes, I realize it's ice skating, but this was my first time ice skating outdoors, and I usually warm up pretty quickly when ice skating indoors... and this is my first time living outside of California). Nevertheless, it was still lots of fun. One staff member in particular noticed that it was my friend's first time ice skating and gave him some pointers. He even helped me improve on my backwards skating. If you plan on coming, definitely look out for one of those Groupon/Google Offers/Living Social/BuyWithMe offers. They're flooding my inbox.

During December, you'll find sparkling Christmas lights hanging in nearby trees and holiday music filling the air. There will also be giggling children and adults creating an atmosphere that would make even the grumpyist of Scrooges feel warm and tingly with holiday spirit. While skate rental is definitely on the pricey side, just observing the activities is enough to put you in a jolly mood.

If you are looking to come out with your little ones on a Sunday afternoon and stroll through the Boston Commons then you will arrive at the Tadpole Playground near the center of the Commons... I promise that your youngsters will love it - there are all kinds of activities for the little ones here and it will be an enjoyable time for you.

As I recently watched kids beat the Boston summer humidity splashing around in the Frog Pond, I found myself feeling amazed that this beautiful park has such a survivalist place in Boston's history. Once a burial ground, a site housing British encampments and a cattle grazing area among other things, the Common now serves as the city's premier urban oasis and neighborhood park. One of its many attractions, the Frog Pond was originally a natural marsh. In the summertime the Frog Pond features a 70 foot spray plume and a wading pool for youngsters. The spray plume and a concession stand are open daily from 11:00am - 6:00pm from July through Labor Day. Right across the path from the pond you'll find activities for little land lovers in the Tadpole Playground. Swings, slides and climbing apparatus are an equally fun way to spend a summer afternoon. The Frog Pond is located on the Boston Common, off the Park Street stop on the Red or Green line. I'm told the multi-purpose pond also serves as an outdoor ice skating rink in the winter.

During the summer this is a great place to bring the children. They have sprinklers, it's free and there are lifeguards/staff watching the children in the water. I would recommend this spot and I would suggest grabbing a good spot under the shade of the trees for an excellent afternoon!

I'm not crazy about this place, but its still nice. In the summer you can watch kids splash around in the shallow water, that is probably filled with more urine and bacteria than a frat house couch. In the winter they throw in a ice skating rink, that is gets eaten up pretty quick, but its pretty cheap, and if you head out on a particularly cold mid-week night, its not that crowded. the best part is the little changing room/eatery/bathroom that is there. nothing amazing, but its better than nothing. Its nice for the winter, but as far as summer times goes, you can find me on the esplanade rather than here. if you have kids, please bring them here, and keep them away from the esplanade, as thats where i will be.

Just so happen to have swung by when there was a professional hip-hop skater on the pond. Fabulous time was had watching his fancy dance moves on the ice. Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves and having a great time.

While the equipment is nice, this playground is constantly a complete zoo. Visibility isn't great, so good luck trying to track down the child that just mowed down your child. And there's often one or more balloon artists out front, so the true magic trick would be escaping here without blowing (ha) $5 or more on a short-lived animal or two. In the summer, there's a fountain in the corner, so half-naked and sopping wet kids are always clambering over everything and dripping onto anyone standing below. Therefore, your child may end up in wet clothes even if he himself didn't venture into the fountain. It is nice that this park has plenty of shaded benches, a drinking fountain, and a sunscreen dispenser, although the latter wasn't working on my visit. Overall, while this playground does offer a wealth of structures as compared to, for example, the nearby Eliot Norton park, you'll pay for the variety in terms of chaos.

It is pricey for skate rentals and admission but so much fun and in a good location. There's a small cafe inside, the coffee is only 1.75 a cup but you're better off grabbing some Dunkin nearby before you head in. We went at night so the trees surrounding the rink was lit up and so pretty! If you're planning on skating often, definitely bring your own skates. The line for tickets gets pretty long, we got there around 4:15 pm and waited approximately 20 minutes to get in even though the line was only about 15 people long. As we were leaving around 6 pm the line was three times that size. Def get there a little early!

Great place to hang out and full of laughters!! The piece isn't too bad either but I would recommend bringing your own skates because it's cheaper. Nothing terrible to say about my experiences but the staff are so rude!! They talk with so much attitude and not informative at all!

Beautiful park in the middle of Boston Commons. The park is completely gated in, so it's safe for kids to run around. Lots of great slides and areas to climb. Near the frog pond and merry go round.

After a few go 'rounds at the Frog Pond, you'll start to notice a very specific cast of characters that make up the scene in this zany winter wonderland activity. Get to know them, study their moves and reap the benefits of ridiculous people-watching at a rate of $13 a person. The Skate Guard: Falling somewhere in the bracket of 13-16, these kids are the king of the ice and have no problem enforcing their authority, like the kid who got chosen for 'line leader' in kindergarten or 'teacher's helper' in 3rd grade. Identified by their bright yellow jackets and smug looks. The First-Time Adults: Arguably the most hilarious thing on skates, the first-time adult can be observed gripping the hand rail, falling on his ass or otherwise clumsily inching his way around the rink. The Semi-Pro: Found exclusively in the very epicenter of the rink, the semi pro will most definitely be wearing her own personal, pristine white set of skates and streamlined, often shiny, outerwear. Her ponytail will flounce behind her with every single-axle, as she glances around to see who's watching her graceful moves. The Hockey Wanna-be: Spotted easily, the Hockey Wanna-be will don his own pair of hockey skates, his team's favorite jersey over a hoodie (no jacket for this tough guy), and can often be found icing down his friends by stopping abruptly using the side of his skate blade. The Tourist: Camera in hand, the sheer unadulterated glee and constant stopping mid-lap, to snap photos is a dead giveaway. The Cute Kid: When he falls on his face, it's adorable, mostly because he's bundled from head-to-toe like Ralphie's kid brother in A Christmas Story, so he can't feel a thing. The Hipsters: They are fucking everywhere and if you can't identify one by now, I don't know what to tell you. They're the same here as anywhere else, except this time, they've tucked their skinny jeans into their skates and their black eyeliner is running down their face because it's so cold.

Sooooooo not my scene. Despite my father being a hockey coach, my older brother being a national champion goalie, and my little brother being in tons of newspapers and probably going to college on scholarship--I was the fat son who cried on ice skates during the hockey clinics that MY OWN FATHER taught. I was not looking forward to Frog Pond, but I felt obligated to go for a friend's birthday and complete my Bostonian-ness. Walking to the ice in my skates, I was already close to falling. I made my way out, awkwardly grabbing strangers and walls. "Oh, I'm sorry, I don't know you. But we're friends now," I say to a woman I met clinging to the wall with me. I grabbed her arm, and held it. This was surprisingly an okay thing to do with my fellow wallflower. I see a child slip and fall. I point and laugh (refer to new picture). I'm going to hell. I make my loop around the rink--saying hello to people on and off the ice. A gentleman standing on the outside with his girlfriend says to me, "You're gonna be alright man." I thank him, and tell him "my father would be ashamed." About 20 minutes later (approx 1.6 laps) I feel the courage to skate away from the wall. I'm doing this. I'm soooo doing this. Damn I'm hot. My back is so straight/my body so tense, I'm sure people think I'm wearing a back brace or something. I've learned to shuffle, control my speed, and dodge obstacles. Obstacles being fallen children, wallflower friends, the not-so-frozen ice marked off by cones, and random bits of trash like creamers on the ice. Oh, and there was one family, who I'm sure is from New Hampshire, that I wanted to have kicked out. The son was skating crazily, the daughter in the wrong directions, and the father was just a moron. I did not care for these people, as I pointed and said so to their faces. For $4 to skate and $8 to rent skates, this was amazing. Sure, it's not the nicest rink in the world and it's kind of crazy, but at the same time you're downtown and on the common enjoying a wonderful day in Boston. There's even a little snack shack with food and warm drinks. Stay until evening and the lights make it that much better. Oh, and apparently that's when the professional figure skaters decide to show off their moves. I could totally do those moves, I just don't feel like it.

So if you have a munchkin and they see this place, you must be one crazy parent if you can resist their begging to play and run and jump and be kids here. My munchkin was beyond super excited to have been here. She was even ok with my having said to stay only in certain areas. We had just met some other tourists at another part of Boston Common where this playground is located. They ended up beating us over here so our daughters played together. Having a grand old time. Pro Tip: Beware the water splashing area! If you dont have your kid in swim clothes, strip them down to their skivvies or dont let them in the water like I did. Beware that there is NOT ENOUGH ADULT SEATING. Other than that this playground is pretty awesome overall. Definitely worth a stop if you are in Boston Common.

Pretty much everyone who grew up in the U.S. has heard of the Boston Common. This is a huge park right in the middle of the city. The park is very well maintained and pretty clean. There are a lot of shade trees and nice paths to walk. Toward the middle of the park is the Frog Pond. During the summer, the pond is open for kids to use as a wading pool. A place to cool off is just what my boys needed on the hot summer day we toured Boston. The Frog Pond is only about 18 inches deep, so any size kid can get in and enjoy. The water appeared to be pretty clean, and there is a big fountain in the middle that the older kids really loved. There is one lifeguard / crowd control person working so the kids don't get too out of control. The Frog Pond was a great find for our boys. if you are ever in Boston on a really hot day, check it out.

It's no Rockefeller Center, but an afternoon or evening spent skating at the Frog Pond is good, wholesome fun. It's not going to break the bank either-- it's $4 to get in, and $8 to rent skates. They don't rent half sizes, so of course the skates are always either too big or too small, but hey, you only have to wear them for a couple of hours... if you make it that long! Me, I thought my ankles were going to snap after about 45 minutes. I hadn't been ice skating since I was 6, as my mom was quick to point out. As my childhood photo albums show, the last time I skated my mom was busy documenting the event on camera, me clinging to the wall in tears, her snapping pictures, laughing. I've come a long way since then. I only clung to the wall once, and never burst into tears... I'm a big kid now! Mom was still with the camera this past weekend, snapping pictures and enjoying the hilarity of showing me her spins and pointing out each time a kid half my size lapped me. My sister and I tried synchronized dancing on the ice to Britney Spears, and found out it's harder than it looked. My step dad had the thankless task of watching everyone's bags and keeping the hot cider flowing for the rest of us. But the big entertainment was watching my boyfriend stumble across the rink, taking baby steps across the ice with a huge grin on his face. See? Good, clean fun. You don't have to know what you're doing to enjoy this. In fact, if you take yourself too seriously, you probably won't. Come here to see me falling on my ass as 5 year olds skate circles around me... Or to enjoy the Common on a lovely winter afternoon.

For my 460th review I'm going to chat about what happens on the 60th day, every 4 years... that's right - a leap day - Feb 29th. This year it fell on a Friday giving me opportunity to take the afternoon off and try and find something memorable to do that I'll look back on 4 years from now when the day rolls round again. So what to do? Hmm... leap day, leap day? Leap... jump... frogs... FROG POND!! -result- So on an icy sunny afternoon I found my feet in old hockey boots with my toes feeling frozen and my sense of balance all screwed up. The ice wasn't very smooth or forgiving and the teenage kids trying to show off don't help, but so enough I found my form and was gleefully whizzing around like a camp designer from Project Runway. Look at MEEE! There are downsides to the Frog Pond, like the surface, the crappy hot chocolate and the annoying 16 year old supervisors who tell you off every few minutes. But mostly there are positives - there is no time limit, the price is reasonable, you can bring your own skates, the view is lovely and romantic. Go when you can. If not for the romance, then go for the sight of teenage kids in marijuana-patterned hoodies and uber-baggy jeans trying to be gangster whilst figure skating on a park pond - mission impossible.