10 Free Things To Do in Boston, January

Photo via Method Fitness/Flickr

“Music Pups” Sample Class

Thinking it’s time to get the kiddos involved in music? Try out the Music Pups free sample class in Belmont, during which infants through 4-year-olds will be able to dance, sing, and play instruments. Registration is required.

Saturday, Jan. 5, 9:30 – 10:15 a.m., Powers Music School, 380 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA, 617-484-4696, powersmusic.org

Bootcamp at Boston Common

If your New Year’s resolution is to get in shape, get your rear into gear by heading down to the Common next Saturday for an early morning bootcamp. While early morning and Saturday almost never mix well, this one-hour session involving obstacle courses, relays, and intense drills may prove to be worthwhile as you work toward the body you’ve always wanted.

Saturday, Jan. 12, 6-7 a.m., Boston Common Frog Pond, 84 Beacon St., Boston, 617-635-2120, ultimatebootcamp.com

Artist Demo at the Boston Center for the Arts

Check out artists Selina Narovlansky, Beverly Sky, Ruth Ginsberg-Place, and Silvia Lopez Chavez’s works on display at the Boston Center for the Arts Mills Gallery until February 3. During this January demo, the artists will share with guests their thought processes and techniques used in order to create their collections.

Saturday, Jan. 12, 2-3 p.m., Boston Center for the Arts, Mills Gallery, 551 Tremont St., Boston, 617-426-5000, bcaonline.org

Drinking Boston Book Launch

If you like Boston, drinking, and/or drinking in Boston, meet Stephanie Schorow, author of Drinking Boston, at the Old South Meeting House to discuss how alcohol has played a role in the city’s history and how it was intertwined in politics, the battle for freedom and reform, mythology, and much more.

Thursday, Jan. 10, 6 p.m., Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington St., Boston, 617-482-6439, osmh.org

Boston Symphony Orchestra Community Chamber Concert

The Boston Symphony will present compositions by Verdi, Still, and Previn during its Community Chamber Concert, and will feature the Hawthorne String Quartet and clarinetist Thomas Martin. Tickets are free, but required, and a free reception will follow.

Sunday, Jan. 20, 3-4 p.m., JFK Library & Museum, Columbia Point, Boston, 617-514-1600, jfklibrary.org

Hippo Theater Happenings

The Franklin Park Zoo will be offering free activities for kids at the Hippo Theater in the Franklin Park Zoo’s Tropical Forest on Friday mornings. Activities, 15-20 minutes long, will include animal encounters, interesting facts, and fun crafts.

Fridays until March 29, 10:30 a.m., Franklin Park Zoo Hippo Theater, One Park Road, Franklin, 617-541-5446, zoonewengland.org

Meditation Class

Geared for those with no experience in meditation, this post workday class begins with a talk about the technique and includes a short meditation period, based on the Vipassana tradition. The class is free but accepts donations.

Tuesday, Jan. 8, 5:15 – 5:45 p.m., Back Bay Yoga Studio, 364 Boylston St., Boston, 617-375-9642, backbayyoga.com

Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre Open House

For children ages 3-12 as well as adult beginners, these free trial classes offered at the Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre will include ballet and creative dance classes. Refreshments will be served and attendees will have the chance to win tickets to a winter concert. Please call to pre-register.

Sunday, Jan. 6, 2-3:30 p.m., Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre at The Sanctuary Theatre, 400 Harvard St., Cambridge, 617-354-7467, ballettheatre.org

What Art Thou, Little Bird?

Head down to the Harvard Museum of Natural History to learn about the origin and evolution of birds, including interesting facts on beak and skull shapes and how and why they have changed as years have passed. Harvard’s Arkhat Abzhanov will give the speech.

Thursday, Jan. 31, 6-7 p.m., Harvard Museum of Natural History, 52 Oxford St., Cambridge, 617- 495-3045, hmnh.harvard.edu

George Howe Colt Reading

Join George Howe Colt in a reading from and discussion of his book, Brothers, featuring historical narratives about the author’s brothers and iconic brothers in history such as the Booths, Van Goghs, and Thoreaus.

Tuesday, Jan. 29, 7-8 p.m., Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Cambridge, 671-491-2220, portersquarebooks.com