Touch Tank

Our Giving Ocean | Salem Coastwatch

Come to Salem Coastwatch Headquarters in Salem Massachusetts to learn about the resources provided by the sea.

Join Salem Coastwatch for a special marine exploration of Salem Sound and its many aquatic gifts. This session wiil focus on how people in Salem Massachusetts have interacted with the gifts from the sealfor time immemorial.  We will follow up with a hands-on, take-home craft. Please register for this community education program at forms.office.com/r/ZHCT9FRPwr. Please note that this event is intended for children aged 4-8 accompanied by an adult.

When: 
Saturday, November 4 & 18, 2023 11am-12:30pm

Team Haverhill’s River Ruckus

Come celebrate Haverhill's River Front at the River Ruckus in Haverhill Massachusetts!

Team Haverhill’s River Ruckus is an annual festival featuring live music, classic cars, Kids Zone, great local foods, and spectacular fireworks over the Merrimack River. Presented by Team Haverhill, a community-based volunteer organization, the festival attracts over 5,000 visitors and residents for a day of family activities including a Classic Car show, live music produced by 92.5 The River, children's activities in the Kids Zone, food from local restaurants, an art exhibition, a crafts show, and spectacular fireworks over the mighty Merrimack River! Team Haverhill’s River Ruckus takes place in the Haverhill Riverfront Cultural District on Washington Street and the RiverWalk.

When: 
Saturday, September 23, 2023 Noon-8:30pm

Feed the Beach Creatures - Rocky Shore Residents

You can look at, AND touch the creatures in Joppa Flats touch tank! Feeding time is a lot of fun!

It's time to feed our touch tank animals! Assist our animal husbandry intern team with sorting, identifying, and then feeding all our in-house marine creatures as you learn about their fascinating behaviors and unique habitats. You can help us with sea stars, sea urchins, and rock crabs from the rocky shore; moon snails, surf clams, and hermit crabs from the sandy beach; and minnows, mud whelks, and horseshoe crabs from the salt marsh.

When: 
Wednesdays, June 14-August 16, 2023 4-5:30pm

Let's Go Outside!

Head to Parker River Wildlife Refuge for a full day of FREE family fun that's focused on outdoor activity!

Join park staff from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for a full day of FREE family fun that's focused on outdoor activity! Parker River NWR and their community partners are excited to welcome community members the annual Let's Go Outside event. This year we will celebrate Let's Go Outside as an Open Streets event. This means the refuge road will be temporarily transformed into a car-free zone for visitors to bike, walk, roll, and play! Parking will be provided at the refuge visitor center and Lot 1, and free shuttle service will be provided between key locations.

When: 
Saturday, June 3, 2023 10am – 3pm

Annual Endangered Species Day Celebration

Piping Plover isjust one of the endangered species you'll learn about at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge invites people of all ages to celebrate Endangered Species Day on Sunday May 19th from 12pm-3pm at the Refuge Visitor Center. Endangered Species Day was designated to educate the American public on the importance of protecting endangered species and highlight the everyday actions that individuals can take to help protect our nation’s wildlife, fish, and plants.

When: 
Sunday, May 19, 2019 Noon – 3pm

Touch Tank Time

You can look at, AND touch the creatures in Joppa Flats touch tank!

Summer beach days are over, but our 110-gallon tide pool touch tank is still filled with marine life! Drop in for this free program at Joppa Flats and examine the critters you might have discovered on your own visits to the shore. Sea Urchiins, Moon Snails, Sand Dollars, hermits, Horseshoe Crabs, and more! This free programming for folks of all ages includes special features for little ones.

When: 
Weekends September 8-23, 2018 12:30-3:30pm

Family Flyby: Boats Afloat!

Make your own boat, then see if it floats at Joppa Flats Education Center!

Free-flow learning at Joppa Flats is fun for the whole family. There's simple science fun with coloring pages, crafts, and toys for ages 2 to 6; science experiments and group challenges for ages 7 and up; and outdoor exploration, seasonal live animals, and scheduled family presentations for everyone. Fly by for an hour or stay all day for family time that suits your schedule. There's something different to see and do with every visit!  This week, kids are encouraged to be a pirate for the day, learn the skills a sailor needs at sea, and learn about ocean conservation!

When: 
Saturday, July 7, 2012 10am - 2pm

Family Flyby: Return of the Touch Tank

You can look at, AND touch the creatures in Joppa Flats touch tank!

Free-flow learning at Joppa Flats is fun for the whole family. There's simple science fun with coloring pages, crafts, and toys for ages 2 to 6; science experiments and group challenges for ages 7 and up; and outdoor exploration, seasonal live animals, and scheduled family presentations for everyone. Fly by for an hour or stay all day for family time that suits your schedule. There's something different to see and do with every visit!  This week we're thrilled to have our touch tank back for the season. Come look AND touch the creature that live in our tank!

When: 
Saturday, June 2, 2012 10am - 2pm

Home & Food Truck Show | Topsfield

Home and Food Truck show at the Topfield Fairground in Massachusetts
April 20th & 21st. FREE admission and FREE parking. All INDOORS & Enjoy the Food Trucks outside. Speak to leading home industry professionals to plan your spring home projects.
10:00 am to 6:59 pm

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 3:59 pm

Barnyard Story Hour at Appleton Farms

Kids can meet the barnyard animals and hear a story at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts.
Barnyard stories really come alive when you get to see the main characters in real life! Bring the kids down to Appleton Farms for our farm-fresh version of story time. Explore the farmstead, visit our learning garden, see our cows and rabbits, and find a spot to play under a shady tree in our...
10:30 am to 11:30 am

STEM Structures at NPL

Kids are invited to come to NPL to make STEM structures during winter break! Newburyport Massachusetts
Come play with a variety of building toys, including magnetic tiles and straws and connectors. Kids of all ages and abilities are welcome, but please take note that some of these building toys have small pieces. Drop in any time between 3:00 and 4:30 p.m. to participate.
3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike in the Dunes

Walk through the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts with the Trustees under the full moon.
There is almost nothing more peaceful than a evening walk at the Crane Estate, and we would like to invite your family to join us for a unique hiking experience. With the full moon rising over the Atlantic, we’ll start with a sunset stroll along Crane Beach admiring this spectacle before heading...
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Wednesday, April 24

Fiddleheads | Preschool Drop-Off Series

The Fiddlehead program at Appleton Farms encourages kids 3-5 to explore their environment in Ipswich Massachusetts
Spring has sprung! It is an excellent time of year for exploring and learning on the farm. We will be planting and harvesting in our garden, taking care of our animals and finding all the signs of spring that nature divulges. Join us on Wednesday mornings from 9:30AM to 12:30PM for a preschool drop...
9:30 am to 12:30 pm

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 3:59 pm

We Walk the Woods!

Walk the trails in a group at Harold Parker State Forest Every Wednesday at 10am
Walk the trails with a group at Harold Parker State Forest every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. – Meeting location varies weekly. Email trek.reef@mass.gov for location.
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Home & Food Truck Show | Topsfield

Home and Food Truck show at the Topfield Fairground in Massachusetts
April 20th & 21st. FREE admission and FREE parking. All INDOORS & Enjoy the Food Trucks outside. Speak to leading home industry professionals to plan your spring home projects.
10:00 am to 6:59 pm

Spring Blooms at the Stevens-Coolidge Estate

Spring Blooms at the Trustees Stevens Coolidge Estate in North Andover!
Join The Trustees of Reservations at our new entrance location showcasing contemporary gardens, historical gardens, and our Garden Gateway visitor orientation center at 153 Chickering Road, North Andover MA.
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

D&D (Tween Session) at Amesbury Library

Dungeons and Dragons for Tweens at the Public Library in Amesbury Massachusetts
Come play in a Dungeons and Dragons ongoing campaign! You'll create your own characters and build the story session to session. Come if you're a beginner or if you know the rules. All are welcome!  Registration is required and is for all 7 weeks.
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Through Me to You Puppet Show

Through Me to You Puppetry at the Sawyer Free Library in Gloucester Massachusetts
Sawyer Free Library hosts Through Me to You Puppetry foran Extra Special Storytime event at Brown's Mall in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Puppet friends take turns reading stories & singing songs with us!
11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Wonder Workshop for PreK at North Shore Children's Museum

Pre-K Wonder Workshop at North Shore Children's Museum in Peabody Massachusetts
Join us this Wednesday at 1:30 PM for the Pre-K Wonder Workshop at the North Shore Children's Museum. Led by retired transitional kindergarten teacher Norma, each week explores a different question through hands-on activities.
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Wonder Workshop for PreK at North Shore Children's Museum

Pre-K Wonder Workshop at North Shore Children's Museum in Peabody Massachusetts
Join us this Wednesday at 1:30 PM for the Pre-K Wonder Workshop at the North Shore Children's Museum. Led by retired transitional kindergarten teacher Norma, each week explores a different question through hands-on activities.
1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Open Door Empty Bowl Circus

Proceeds from the Open Door Empty Bowl Circus benefit community programs sponsored by tthe Open Door in Gloucester Massachusetts.
The Open Door hosts a new twist on an old tradition.  The Empty Bowl Dinner has been reimagined with a new twist—a circus-themed event at Cruiseport in Gloucester.
4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
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