All Ages

Toy Stores of the North Shore

The North Shore offers a variety of local toy stores for finding just the right gift for kids of all ages!

Kids love toys, and the North Shore has some great toy stores where you find more than just current assorment of toys that you'll find at the big box stores!  From Marblehead to Newburyport, the locally owned and operated stores offer a great array of unique, fun and educational toys that make memorable gifts for kids of all ages.  Local toy shops offer a fun excursion for families to explore the world of toys outside of the warehouse setting.  Some of our fondest memories ad greatest discoveries with our kids happened in local stores! 

Nature's Gifts Free for All

Use what nature has to offer tomake toys at the Joppa Flats Education Center!

This program was canceled due to the Winter Storm! Season's greetings! Come to Joppa Flats during this festive time of year to create clever and whimsical gifts, toys, and ornaments for the holidays using natural materials. We'll make everything from hand puppets and animal masks, to jewelry and frames, to sculptures and mobiles with simple, easy to follow instructions. Or use our materials to create your own original gift of nature. We'll provide sand, seashells, twigs, stones, bark, driftwood, pinecones, and more at our age-appropriate stations. Bring your imagination and enjoy a day of hand-crafting with your family.

When: 
Canceled! Sunday, December 15, 2013 10am - 3pm

The Secret Life of Pets at Newbury Town Library

Come to Newbury Town Library for a free showing of Illumination's 'The Secret Life of Pets'!

The Newbury Town Library invites kids to a showing of Illumination's 'The Secret Life of Pets' as the half-day movie for town kids. A Jack Russell Terrier named Max lives with his owner Katie in a Manhattan apartment. While she is at work during the day, he hangs out with other pets in the building: tabby cat Chloe, pug Mel, dachshund Buddy, and budgerigar Sweetpea. One day, Katie adopts Duke, a large and shaggy mongrel from the pound, leaving Max jealous because of her divided attention between him and Duke. Enraged by Max's attitude towards him, Duke tries to abandon Max in an alley, but they are both attacked by a gang of alley cats led by Sphynx cat Ozone. The cats remove both dogs' collars and leave them to be caught by Animal Control. Hilartiy ensues, and we lear a little about the way pets live their lives while we are all attending to other matters.   

When: 
Friday, January 13, 2016 12-2pm

CAM Kids: Cape Ann Improv

 Cape Ann Museum hosts a family friendly performance by Cape Ann Improv!

What happens when history and fine art meet improv and silliness? Bring the kids and find out for yourself when Cape Ann Improv performs at the Cape Ann Museum. The arts and objects on display in the galleries will provide the inspiration for scenes and characters for interactive improvisational games throughout the Museum. Discover the art, history and culture of Cape Ann and have a good laugh with the talented and witty Cape Ann Improv performers.

When: 
Saturday, January 14, 2017 11am
Location: 

The Nutcracker Panto - Matinee

Come enjoy a Nutcracker Panto performed by Theater in the Open at the Firehouse Center for the Arts!

The tree is lit up and the stockings are hung and Clara’s Christmas is perfect…except for her Uncle Drosselmeyer sitting up on that clock and the sudden rat infestation…sounds like panto time!Edward Speck and Joshua Shack return to direct another cracking holiday panto, this time seizing on Tchaikovsky’s classic holiday tale to do what panto does best: make a favorite old story new and particular to our place and time again. What does Clara’s magical journey have to teach us? How many nuts would a nutcracker crack if a nutcracker could crack nuts? Let’s find out! Come with us as panto and ballet collide in a delicious mix of sugar plums and pies-in-the-face, dance and comedy, fairies and snowballs, in A Nutcracker Panto!

When: 
Saturday & Sunday, December 10, 11, 17 & 18, 2016 at 3 pm
Friday & Saturday, December 9,10, 16,17 & 23, 2016 at 7 pm

Gloucester Stage Holiday Delights 2016

Students participating in the Gloucester Stage Youth Acting Program perform in this wonderful seasonal show about the importance of family and friends.

Gloucester Stage Company Youth Acting Workshops proudly presents Holiday Delights! Students participating in the Gloucester Stage Youth Acting Program perform in this wonderful seasonal show about the importance of family and friends. The show features a cast of 35-40 student actors and a crew of 6-8 student technical interns whose ages range from 6 to 16 years old. Any student who completed a class session during the calendar year of the production is invited to join the cast. Holiday Delights affords the YAW students an opportunity to collaborate harmoniously on a professionally-run, large-scale theater project resulting in a three-performance run at the Gorton Theater, home of the Gloucester Stage Company.

When: 
Friday, December 9, 2016 7:30pm
Saturday & Sunday, December 10 & 11, 2016 2pm

Gloucester Stage Holiday Delights Matinee

Students participating in the Gloucester Stage Youth Acting Program perform in this wonderful seasonal show about the importance of family and friends.

Gloucester Stage Company Youth Acting Workshops proudly presents Holiday Delights! Students participating in the Gloucester Stage Youth Acting Program perform in this wonderful seasonal show about the importance of family and friends. The show features a cast of 35-40 student actors and a crew of 6-8 student technical interns whose ages range from 6 to 19 years old. Any student who completed a class session during the calendar year of the production is invited to join the cast. Holiday Delights affords the YAW students an opportunity to collaborate harmoniously on a professionally-run, large-scale theater project resulting in a three-performance run at the Gorton Theater, home of the Gloucester Stage Company.

When: 
Friday, December 11, 2016 7:30pm
Saturday, December 10, 2015 2pm
Sunday, December 11, 2016 2pm

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Northeast Massachusetts Youth Orchestras

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

StoryWalk Series at Maudslay

It's Summer by Linda Glaser storywalk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
Its Summer by Linda Glaser is the subject of this STORYWALK Series.  Watch the world transform when Spring comes!Enjoy this preschool storywalk at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time outside in nature!
7:00 am to 8:00 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

Creature of the Week at Maritime Gloucester

Come to Maritime Gloucester for a Creature of the Week Session on Cape Ann Massachusetts! Photo ©Bill O'Connor
Every week, we will highlight a different ocean animal that lives in our aquarium and can be found in and around Gloucester. Learn some interesting fun facts about the creature as you get up and close and personal through a meet and greet and a take-home craft. For kids aged 4-8.
10:30 am to 3:00 pm

Music Together - Friday

Marblehead, Beverly Farms, Hamilton, Salem, Peabody Music Together
Music Together® is a research-based music & movement program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and the grown-ups who love them. Music Together® classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45 minutes...
10:30 am to 11:15 am

Kids Sail Free on Schooner Adventure!

Schooner Adventure in Gloucester Massachusetts announces free sailing for kids in 2022!
Schooner Adventure in Gloucester Massachusetts offers free sailing for kids in 2024!* Sail into history on Gloucester's flagship vessel, a National Historic Landmark and icon of the American fisheries. Enjoy an engaging sail on historic Gloucester Harbor, America's oldest fishing port.  Help the...
11:00 am to 7:30 pm

Kidleidoscope

Kidleidoscope at Maudslay State Park is a chance for preschoolers to explore the park, enjoy a story and make a craft!
Maudslay State Park has created this program for their youngest crowd! For the young set that loves nature, the park interpreter will lead a three-part preschool aged program that includes a story, craft & walk that involves outdoor exploration. A different nature topic each week so come every...
11:00 am

Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
11:00 am

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
Essex Hertiage invites you to learn the true causes and events behind the Salem Witch Trials in our documentary film, then discover the myths during our walking tour. The Salem Witch Trials happened over 300 years ago, and it has been dramatized in books, documentaries, movies, and even TV shows....
11:45 am to 3:00 pm

Drop-in Open House at the Nature Center

Drop-in Open House at the Bradley Palmer State Park Nature Center in Hamilton Ipswich Massachusetts
Explore the Nature Center at your leisure. The Park Interpreter will be on hand to demonstrate and answer questions. Come see and touch animal furs, replica skulls, animal models, and other natural history materials. For little artists, coloring pages and washable markers will be on hand.
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Circus Smirkus | 2024 Big Top Tour

Theater in the Open proudly hosts Circus Smirkus' 2024 Big Top Tour in Newbury Massachusetts!
Theater in the Open proudly hosts Circus Smirkus' 2024 Big Top Tour! Every summer, a freshly auditioned company of Smirkus Troupers, ages 10 to 18, take to the road in traditional mud show fashion for a two-month performance tour of New England. Backed by professional coaches, cooks, musicians and...
1:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
2:00 pm

Friday Family Farm Chores at Appleton Farms

Join The Trustees of Reservations at Appleton Farms for our special, hands-on Family Farm Chores program held on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays
Every day has a full list of barnyard chores we need to accomplish to make sure our farmyard friends are happy and healthy. Let’s get to work! Join us for our special, hands-on Family Farm Chores program held on Fridays and Saturdays! Get on your muck boots – your whole family will get to be...
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

DJ Beach Party at Salisbury Beach

Salisbury Beach Summer Beach Party every Friday through the Summer.
Get ready for family fun every Friday night all summer long at Salisbury Beach! Starting at 7:15 PM on the Salisbury Beach stage, enjoy a full evening of summer tunes and excitement. DJ Ralphie B will be spinning your favorite hits, while hosting kid-friendly activities that will keep everyone...
7:15 pm to 10:00 pm

Wednesday, August 7

Saugus Iron Works Tours

Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
2:00 pm

Salem's Ice Scream Bowl

What could be better on a hot summer night than an Ice Cream tasting!  Come to S
Salem’s Ice Scream Bowl is back! It’s time to sample some of the best ice cream in the North Shore from some of the many ice cream shops the area has to offer. Salem’s Ice Scream Bowl event will be held on Wednesday, August 7 on the Salem Common from 6:00-7:30 p.m., rain or shine. A Heritage Days...
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

Stargazing at Mendel Observatory

Mendel Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night
The Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night (weather permitting) starting at dusk or 7:30 pm, whichever is later.  When special astronomical events of interest occur (total lunar eclipses, etc.) the Obs
7:00 pm

Movies on the Common | Jumanji

Come see Jumanji at under the stars on the Common in Salem Massachusetts!
Bring a blanket or a chair and enjoy a family-friendly movie. The Salem Common Neighborhood Association will host this screening of the beloved film Jumanji.
7:45 pm

FREE Family Flicks at the Beach!

Enjoy a movie with freinds and families under the stars at DCR's Salisbury Beach Reservation!
Pack up a blanket, lawn chair and picnic for FREE movies under the stars at DCR’s Salisbury Beach on Saturdays. All movies begin at dusk. All events subject to weather conditions. Please call park number above for update.
8:15 pm

Thursday, August 8

StoryWalk Series at Maudslay

It's Summer by Linda Glaser storywalk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
Its Summer by Linda Glaser is the subject of this STORYWALK Series.  Watch the world transform when Spring comes!Enjoy this preschool storywalk at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time outside in nature!
7:00 am to 8:00 pm

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk

 Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!
Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm

Historic Beverly Scavenger Hunt at Lynch Park

Historic Beverly April Vacation Scavenger Hunt at Lynch Park in Beverly Massachusetts
It’s Homecoming Week and we have history for you! Drop-in at Independence Park for a scavenger hunt in the park! We will provide the scavenger hunt, clipboards, pencils, and prizes, you bring the smiles and your keen attention to detail and let’s have some fun!
Where: Lynch Park
9:00 am to 11:00 am
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