Summer may be coming to an end, but what better way to get one last summer night in than a camp out at Appleton Farms! For the first time ever, Families will be able to set up a tent in the Stone Paddock. Experience the fun of camping, while still having access to bathrooms and the experience of being on a farm!
Maudslay State Park flowering pond has just undergone a restoration to its former beauty! Come join the park interpreter and learn about all the improvements to the pond and bridge. A short walk for landscape lovers. Wear comfortable walking shoes & bring water. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Explore the Ipswich River at dusk. Bring your family and join us for an evening paddle in a canoe as we learn more about the river and some of its inhabitants. Being on the water is one of the best ways to explore and discover the wonders of wetlands. We will paddle through the winding backwaters lined with cattails and other marsh plants, looking for hidden wildlife. Using buckets and strainers, we'll stop and sample the rich aquatic life to learn more about what lives under the water.
Maudslay State Park invites you to a twilight hike! The setting sun brings twilight and twilight is a magic time of the day. Join the park interpreter for a walk to observe the changes that occur from day to night in the great outdoors, followed by a powwow of fun activities that test your senses in the dark.
Come to the Children’s Room for a LEGO Family Build. We’ll provide the LEGOs; you provide the family and the building ideas. Bring your smart phone or camera to snap some photos of your creations as we will build, then take it all apart!
Have a wonderful time watching for whales and seabirds on a trip with naturalists from Joppa Flats Education Center out of Gloucester aboard the Privateer IV. Aside from marine mammals, we will look for storm-petrels, gannets, jaegers, terns, gulls, and phalaropes. Most trips will head to the productive Stellwagen Bank.
Drop in at Joppa Flats BEFORE the beach, AFTER the beach, or INSTEAD of the beach! What is that spiky thing I almost stepped on? How do starfish – or is it sea stars – eat? Are those baby fish, or is that as big as they get? You have the questions, Joppa Flats Education Center has the answers – and the animals – and the touch tanks! Themes will change weekly!
Do you have a mini iron chef in your house? Here's a perfect opportunity to nurture their interest in the culinary arts at Williams-Sonoma's Market Street Lynnfield location! Hey, kids—let’s have a pizza party! It’s super easy and tons of fun to make pizza from scratch and add your favorite toppings. A portion of the proceeds from the class will be donated to No Kid Hungry!
Join the park interpreter and special guest Russ Hopping on a walk to view and identify various butterfly species at Maudslay. Russ is an active member of the Massachusetts Butterfly Club and enjoys sharing his knowledge of butterflies with others. Russ is the Ecology Program Director for The Trustees of Reservations. He has worked for The Trustees since 1997, overseeing the stewardship of ecological resources at The Trustees’ more than 26,000 acres.
Ipswich Museum hosts a morning of fun and historic games at the Whipple House each Wednesday in July and August! There’s no need to make a reservation or stay the whole time - just drop in. We’ll have a variety of historic games to play, including rolling hoops, graces, fox & geese, and more! This is a free, all-ages program, but donations are appreciated.
