Discovery

All Family Field Trips - Wintering Birds

Kids and families will learn about winter survival skills that birds use in the winter at Parker River Wildlife Refuge!

Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the north shore. Our engaging and experienced staff will introduce families to local forests, beaches, and wetlands to make observations in nature, identify wildlife, and enjoy hands on science activities outdoors. Sign up for one, some, or all!

When: 
Friday, March 3, 2023 10am-Noon

Turtle Time at NTL

Learn about turtles from the Seacoast Science Center at the Newbury Town Library

What turtles live here in New Hampshire and what is the difference between land and sea turtles? Meet Raspberry, a 3-Toed Box Turtle, to learn more about body parts that all turtles have in common, what they like to eat, why we think they are so special, and what you can do to help keep them safe.

When: 
Tuesday, March 14, 2023 3:30-4:30pm

CAM Kids: Be Mine Valentine

CAM Kids: Valentine Workshop Second Saturday in Gloucester Massachusetts

Warm your hearts in chilly February by making a handmade love letter from new and recycled papers. Participants are invited to bring their own recycled papers or choose from the many beautiful papers in the CAM Studio. A friend, a loved one, a special sweetheart or a place, like Cape Ann -- who you write to is up to you! Let them know how special they are. 

When: 
Saturday, February 11, 202310am-Noon
Location: 

Eagle Festival Field Trips

Families are invited to take a field trip with Joppa Flats naturalists to search for Bald Eagles in the Newburyport area

Bald Eagles are our goal as we search the skies and trees near the mouth of the Merrimack River on Eagle Festival Saturday. Choose among eight opportunities to join us to observe the surprises among all our winter-visiting birds, including many species of raptors, ducks, and more. Families with children ages 8 and above are welcome. Prices for these hour-and-a-half programs are deeply discounted, thanks to the generosity of our Eagle Festival sponsors, Boston Partners Financial Group and Newburyport Bank.

When: 
Friday, February 18, 2023
4 Morning Sessions 9:30-11am
4 Afternoon Sessions 12:30-2pm

Becoming a Wildlife Detective

What animals do you see in winter?  Kids will learn about how animals survive the winter months

Even in the middle of winter, nature is a very busy “place!” Though you may not see them, there are an amazing variety of critters going about their business, outdoors, all winter long. What you can see are the tracks and other sign that they leave behind. Participants in this program will be able to explore selected areas to look for clues that paint a picture of “who was here” and “what they were doing.” Participants should meet the ranger at the Hellcat Trail in parking lot 4. Please arrive 10-15 minutes early. This program is appropriate for people of all ages and skill sets.

When: 
Sunday, January 29, 2023 10-11:30am

Youth Outdoor Winter Survival Skills Program

Kids and Tweens will learn outdoors survival skills at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary!

This new three-day drop-off program is for youths who want to learn what it takes to survive in the wild. Each day will have a different theme around an outdoor skill. We will explore the sanctuary, look to our local wildlife for inspiration, and complete an outdoor skill challenge each day. Our last day will end with a carefully made campfire and toasted marshmallows!

When: 
Daily, December 28-30, 2022 10am-Noon

Nature Walk Wednesdays | Forest and Salt Marsh Walk

Stroll through the coastal forest and discover what lives in the marsh with naturalists from Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport

Miss Lisa invites you to join her for some family-friendly seasonal nature walks in the area. Together we will explore the salt marsh, the woods, and more. We will look for birds, mammals, and of course, mushrooms! We'll use our "science eyes" and "nature ears" and learn, play, and discover together. What changes will you find as we walk through the woods and into a salt marsh? We'll be looking for snails in the salt meadow hay, birds and mammals as they prepare for winter, fish in the marsh waters, and fungi and lichen on trees and logs.

When: 
Wednesday, December 14, 2022 10-11:30am

CAM: Make & Take Fabric Postcards

Cape Ann Museum Make and Take Fabric Postcards Gloucester Massachusetts

The Sisters In Stitches Joined By The Cloth will be hosting a Make & Take workshop where attendees can create their own fabric postcards at the Janet & William Ellery James Center at the Cape Ann Museum Green on Sunday, July 24. This hands-on event is presented in conjunction with In Her Mind’s Eye: Doris Elizabeth Prouty, an exhibition of quilts designed and sewn by Gloucester resident and self-taught African American quilter, Doris Elizabeth Prouty. Free and open to the public, seats limited and registration required.

When: 
Sunday, July 24, 2022 1-4pm
Location: 

Beach Discovery at Parker River Wildlife Refuge

Discover and explore the facts of the creatures you find at the beach at Joppa

Join Parker River NWR for our weekly beach discovery event featuring Mass Audubon's traveling touch tank! This program allows you to get up close and personal to live beach creatures including crabs, snails, hermit crabs and more. Through hands-on activities, you'll get to explore what makes Plum Island such a unique habitat for many kinds of wildlife.

When: 
Thursdays, July 7 - August 11, 2022 10am-Noon

A Pond a Week at Harold Parker

Discover what creatures live in New England Ponds at Harold Parker State Forest! Photo ©Bill O'Connor

Harold Parker state Forest has 11 ponds, 9 of which were created by the CCC. During the month, visit 4 of these ponds. Learn their function and importance. Meet at the Nature Center inside the campground. Wear appropriate hiking shoes. It is recommended that you bring water, insect repellent and sun screen. Appropriate for all ages, must be able to walk several miles.

When: 
Sundays through July 2022 9:30-11am

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Adirondack Leadership Program at Gordon College’s La Vida Center

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

Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School in Hmailton Massachusetts hosts their annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture exhibit each Fall. Sculpture: Phoenix by Robin Tost.
Pingree School hosts the 15th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, MA. Pingree . The exhibit will open in early September with more than 50 temporary works on display in addition to the 20 pieces in the permanent collection of Pingree School. The exhibit ...
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Corn MAiZE and Haunted Attractions at Connors Farm - Danvers

Corn MAiZE, Maze and Haunted Attractions at Connors Farm - Danvers, Massachusetts
Come to Connors Farm to find your way through this year's maze and enjoy many family fun activities! After completing the maze, stay and have some fun around the farm. Children enjoy apple and pumpkin picking, hayrides, and most of all, visiting the barnyard animals.
9:00 am to 6:00 pm

Crescent Farm Corn Maze

Crescent Farm corn maze in Haverhill Massachusetts
Imagine the biggest puzzle you’ve ever seen. Now imagine a day in the sunshine with your friends or family. Now add an adventure that takes teamwork and memory skills. All these things and more can be found at Crescent Farms Corn Maze. Crescent Farm Corn Maze trails cut into 9 acres of corn. Inside...
9:00 am to 9:00 pm

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

Haunted Happenings Marketplace

The Haunted Happenings Marketplace runs Thursdays-Sundays during October in Salem Massachusetts
The Haunted Happenings Merchant Marketplace is coming this October! Get ready for a one-of-a-kind shopping extravaganza throughout Historic (and some say haunted) Downtown Salem!
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Topsfield Fair

Topsfield Fair is one of the longest running annual fairs in the United States
The Topsfield Fair is a perennial favorite for us.  We're not the biggest fans of the midway, although it is always worth a walkthrough and a ride or two.  We love fruits and vegetables, and are always on the lookout for the winning 'biggest pumpkin'.  Another favorite is checking out the pigs and...
10:00 am to 10:00 pm

Indigenous Peoples' Day Open House at MFA

Free Admission for Indigenous Peoples’ Day at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston Massachusetts
to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day at the MFA. This year, we’re offering free admission—including access to “Georgia O’Keeffe and Henry Moore”—for Massachusetts residents. Enjoy gallery tours, engaging family art-making activities, and more! Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes and honors the...
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Hallowed Harvest Salem

The Hollowed Harvest: Wicked Labyrinth returns to Salem Massachusetts for Halloween month!
Salem's only Jack-O'-Lantern festival, known as "Hollowed Harvest: Wicked Labyrinth", returns for its 4th season with even more Jack-O'-Lantern magic than ever before! Prepare to be blown away by hundreds of intricately carved Jack-o'-Lanterns, an epic spider web tunnel, hands-on pumpkin carving,...
12:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Fall Foliage Cider & Donut Cruises

Take a guided tour of the Essex Massachusetts Marshes with Essex River Cruises this Autumn
Essex River Cruises hosts a narrated sightseeing tour that winds down the beautiful Essex River aboard Essex River Queen, a pontoon boat.
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Saturday, October 19

Fall Foliage Cider & Donut Cruises

Take a guided tour of the Essex Massachusetts Marshes with Essex River Cruises this Autumn
Essex River Cruises hosts a narrated sightseeing tour that winds down the beautiful Essex River aboard Essex River Queen, a pontoon boat.
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Apple Armada & Fall Festival at the Shipyard

Essex Shipbuilding Museum hosts the only Apple Armada race in Massachusetts!
Essex Shipbuilding Museum wants to celebrate the Fall with friends and neighbors. Come enjoy fun, food, drink and a special race on the river - The Apple Armada! Fun for all ages!
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Maudslay is Haunted

'Maudslay is Haunted' is an annual fundraiser for Theater in the Open at Maudsla
Maudslay is Haunted is a North Shore Kid favorite! Theater in the Open’s notorious annual haunting of Maudslay invites you to join a cast of all ages for a one-hour walk through eerie vignettes, spooky sketches and haunting scenes, all in the autumn grandeur of Maudslay State Park in Newburyport....
1:30 pm to 4:00 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

Into the Woods: Guided Halloween Hike at IRWS

At sundown this Halloween season, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary will be transformed into a magical forest.
At sundown this Halloween season, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary will be transformed into a magical forest. Take a guided walk along our Halloween trail, lit by glowing luminaries and home to some interesting nocturnal animals that come out just for Halloween. Learn about local animals of the...
4:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Halloween on the Hill

The Trustees host a celebration of Autumn and Halloween at Long Hill Sedgewick Gardens in Beverly Massachusetts
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to tour the gardens at Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts to celebrate Autumn and Halloween! Long Hill is excited to bring back our annual Halloween on the Hill event! Come explore our beautiful property as we transform the Long Hill gardens into a...
5:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Sunday, October 20

Todd Farm Market

Come to Todd Farm on Sunday - A classic New England Fleas Market in Rowley Massachusetts!
From early Spring to late Fall, Todd Farm is a great Sunday destination for families!  Head to the farm and explore the outdoor award-winning Market featuring up to 240 vendors from all over New England and New York!
5:00 am to 3:00 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

The Lady of Salem: Maritime Art

Learn about the history of Salem Massachusetts through this unique public art installation self-guided tour!
Discover Salem’s Golden Age of Sail as you uncover clues! Celebrate America’s Maritime History! The Ladies of Salem will have you looking up at whimsical and beautifully designed figureheads gracing lampposts downtown. “What is a figurehead ?” you may ask? It’s a large carved wooden decorative...
8:00 am to 10:00 pm
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