Childcare & Education

If you plan on bringing your children with you to the US, you’ll likely need to arrange childcare or schooling in advance. The cost and quality can very widely among different institutions, so you’ll want to consider your options carefully before making a selection. Many institutions also require time to process your application, and there may be a waiting list, so it’s best to start as early as possible.

In the United States, children’s activities—a wide range of them—are emphasized, making it common for children to be enrolled in many different kinds of lessons (music, art, dance, swimming, gymnastics, etc.) and/or sports (baseball, soccer, hockey, etc.). Getting your child involved in such activities can help them fit in better and make friends more quickly with their American peers.

Resources

This list is a starting point for you to plan childcare, schooling, and activities while in the US.

BU Family Resources

The Family Resources provides assistance to BU students, faculty, and staff. Their services include part-time and full-time early childhood learning centers, a babysitting referral service, school vacation programs, and community referrals for childcare resources.

BU Fitness & Recreation Center (FitRec)

BU’s main athletic center on the Charles River Campus offers an array of activities for children, including swimming, soccer, dance, and gymnastics. Details about classes, schedules, and fees are on the FitRec site.

MA Child Care and the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)

These resources list childcare providers and schools—both public and private—in Massachusetts. The MA Child Care website also feature news related to parenting, community bulletin boards for parents, child health information, and activities for children.

Boston Parents Paper

This publication provides ideas for classes, entertainment, schools, special events, where to buy children’s clothes or furniture, and more.

Freedman Center for Child & Family Development

This center connects families with health and wellness resources.

Boston Area Yellow Pages

This resource allows you to filter your search for schools by category, distance, and rating. You can contact schools directly to find out about enrollment and entrance requirements. You can also search for sports centers, dance and gymnastics studios, and more.

YMCA of Greater Boston

This large and well-known activity center provides many sporting activities for adults and children.