Pre-School

Imagine, Sing & Learn 1D: Paws & Claws in the Snow

Kids ages 3-6 will learn about tracks in the snow and the animals that make them

This parent/child program is designed for the creative, curious, and active preschooler. Each 90-minute session offers a structured series of activities including original songs, movement, dramatic play, outdoor exploration, and a thematic snack. When it's time to go home, you'll receive coloring pages, song lyrics, vocabulary, a fun fact sheet, and a suggested reading list via e-mail. At this ISL, we'll learn to identify tracks in the snow and the creatures that leave them behind!

When: 
Friday, January 18, 2013 1 - 2:30 pm

Friday Morning

Kids ages 3-6 will learn about tracks in the snow and the animals that make them

This parent/child program is designed for the creative, curious, and active preschooler. Each 90-minute session offers a structured series of activities including original songs, movement, dramatic play, outdoor exploration, and a thematic snack. When it's time to go home, you'll receive coloring pages, song lyrics, vocabulary, a fun fact sheet, and a suggested reading list via e-mail. At this ISL, we'll learn to identify tracks in the snow and about the creatures that leave them behind!

When: 
Friday, January 18, 2013 10:00am-11:30pm

Imagine, Sing, & Learn 11B: Do Animals Build?

Kids ages 3-6 will learn about animal homes, nests, burrows hideaways and the  animals that make them at Joppa Flats Education Center

Join Mass Audubon for this fun, hands-on science program about animals who build nests, burrows, webs, and dens and make their own homes comfy and safe. We will make make-believe bird nests, learn how animals use materials from nature and people to create their homes and we’ll burn off some energy with fun role plays as we dig, weave, spin and build! This program will include active group play, a take home craft and a very special homemade snack!

When: 
Friday, November 20, 2015 10-11:30 am

Imagine, Sing, & Learn 11A: Do Animals Build?

Kids ages 3-6 will learn about animal homes, nests, burrows hideaways and the  animals that make them at Joppa Flats Education Center

Join Mass Audubon for this fun, hands-on science program about animals who build nests, burrows, webs, and dens and make their own homes comfy and safe. We will make make-believe bird nests, learn how animals use materials from nature and people to create their homes and we’ll burn off some energy with fun role plays as we dig, weave, spin and build! This program will include active group play, a take home craft and a very special homemade snack!

When: 
Thursday, November 19, 2015 1-2:30 pm

Thursday Afternoon

Kids ages 3-6 will learn about tracks in the snow and the animals that make them

This parent/child program is designed for the creative, curious, and active preschooler. Each 90-minute session offers a structured series of activities including original songs, movement, dramatic play, outdoor exploration, and a thematic snack. When it's time to go home, you'll receive coloring pages, song lyrics, vocabulary, a fun fact sheet, and a suggested reading list via e-mail. At this ISL, we'll learn to identify tracks in the snow and the creatures that leave them behind!

When: 
Friday, February 7, 2020 10-11:30am

Nature Walks for Tots: Rolling Logs & Finding Tracks

Kids ages 4-6 will learn about tracks in the snow and the animals that make them

As we think about the coming snow, we'll find the signs that animals leave in tracks and under rotting logs to discover how they are getting ready for winter. As our colder weather arrives and settles in, Miss Lisa wants you to join her for some family friendly nature walks. Let's explore the woods, the salt marsh, and the streams to look for creatures like birds, fish, frogs, and more while we learn, play, and explore. We'll use our "science eyes" and "nature ears" and discover wildife together!

When: 
Thursday, December 9, 2021 1:30-3pm

Crane Estate Father’s Day Weekend Family Camp Out

campout with the Trusteees at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts for Fathers Day!

The Trustees of Reservations hosts an adventure-filled weekend camping at the Crane Estate! Our special site in the Pine Grove is an ideal location for both experienced campers and first-timers. This overnight includes a choice of optional programs and activities on Saturday afternoon, which may include a Great Marsh Creek Walk, a Dune Hike through the Crane Wildlife Refuge, a Guided Kayak Paddle in Essex Bay, or a Scavenger Hunt for the little ones. Of course you are also free to simply lounge on the beach, or explore the property on your own. Bring a bag lunch for Saturday. REI will teach us how to make a delicious, nutritious camp out supper – and we’ll follow that with s’mores around the campfire on Saturday night. A light breakfast will be provided on Sunday morning. After you pack up on Sunday morning, you are welcome to spend Sunday afternoon at the beach (parking in the lot by the Barn only).

When: 
Saturday, June 18 - Sunday, June 19, 2016 11AM

Sense of Wonder Walks for Families: Witches' Brooms and Gingerbread Houses

Galls can be seen on all sorts of plants and are actually temporary bug homes!

Can you imagine eating the home that you grew up in? Some insects lay eggs inside plants and cause strange-looking growths called galls. The walls of these miniature "bug castles" give the developing insect larvae food and shelter. This is evidence of another fascinating relationship between insects and plants. We will examine a variety of galls and learn about the lives of their inhabitants. On our walk, we'll hunt for as many kinds of galls as we can find.

When: 
Sunday, October 18, 2015 1:30-3pm

Discovering Nature Through Story, Music, and Art

Kids will explore the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary to connect with nature and learn about the creatures of the North Shore Massachusetts wilderness!

Preschoolers and young kids will explore the wonders of winter in the "enchanted woods" of Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in this four-session series. We'll begin in the Nature Center with story, poetry, and imagination. Next, we'll bundle up for a winter walk to awaken our sense of wonder to the silence, scents, and scenery of the sleeping winter woods. Along the way, discover how the trees, plants, birds, beavers, squirrels, chipmunks, and other wildlife spend the winter. We'll look for animal stories in the snow (tracking) and much more. After our walks, we'll create artwork that reflects the wonders of winter that we discovered, while listening to winter nature songs. These keepsakes will bring home winter's secrets and beauty as we await the signs of spring.

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Camp Whirlygig for kids ages 4-10 at the Wenham Museum in Massachusetts

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

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

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

LEGO-Palooza at North Shore Children's Museum

Kids are invited to a freestyle LEGO buiild session
Come and build Legos with us at NSCM! With TONS of Legos available, come and build your creations. This will be a casual club where all participants can follow whatever direction their engineering intuition takes them, we will not be teaching how to make specific models.
9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Music Together - Wednesday

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...
9:30 am to 11:15 am

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 4:00 pm

Family Fishing at Breakheart Reservation

Come to Breakheart Reservation for a full day of family fishing fun!
Join the park interpreter for a drop-in fishing program! Learn how to fish, what fish live in our ponds, and how to catch and release responsibly. Bait and a handful of rods will be provided but feel free to bring your own gear and fish with us and share your tips!
10:00 am to 11:30 am

Sing & Dance with the Music Man

Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton visit Massachusetts
Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10am for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician,...
10:00 am to 10:45 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

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

D&D (Ages 10-14) 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.
4:00 pm to 6:00 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

Saturday, June 21

Andover Farmers' Market

Find Fresh Local Produce at the Andover Massachusetts Farmers Market North of Boston
The Andover Farmers Market is a vibrant hub connecting local farmers, artisans and the community through the joy of local food. Whether you come for carrots or conversation, it is a place to nourish the body, mind and spirit.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Rockport Farmers' Market

The Rockport Farmers' Market runs every Saturday at Rockport Music in Downtown Rockport!
The Rockport Farmers Market offers a variety of locally-grown produce, hand-crafted products, baked goods, and live music. It provides a community space to support local farmers and artisans.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Crane Outdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River

Take a guided kayak paddle adventure on the Castle Neck River with the Trustees of Reservations!
One of the best was to enjoy the natural beauty of the Massachusetts North Shore is kayaking the placid waters of the Great Marsh—the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. The Castle Neck peninsula on the Crane Estate is a vast barrier...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Music Together - Saturday

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...
9:15 am to 11:15 am

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 4:00 pm

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! Our annual celebration of summer returns!
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Guided Tour | When Granite Was King!

Find out the story behind the history of granite quarrying at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, Massachusetts!
Halibut Point State Park is also a granite quarry with a history that goes back billions of years! Over one hundred years ago, the Rockport Granite Company quarried granite stone here.
11:00 am to 12:30 pm

Long Hill Garden Tours

Tour the Gardens at the Trustees of Reservations Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts!
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to join our expert guides for a tour around Long Hill’s stunning Sedgwick Gardens and learn more about the special plants. Visit Long Hill’s breathtaking gardens and stately historic house for a guided tour. Enjoy the rich history of this grand country estate...
11:00 am to 12:00 pm

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

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
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