Exploration

Imagine, Sing, & Learn 4D: Duck, Swan, Goose!

Kids will learn about swan ducks and geese at Mass Audubon's Jopp Flats Center

Preschoolers will Imagine, Sing the Learn about water fowl and swans! 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, hands-on science, and a thematic snack. You'll receive coloring pages, song lyrics, vocabulary, a fun fact sheet, and a suggested reading list in an electronic goody bag!

When: 
Friday, Apr 12, 2013 1 - 2:30 pm

Friday Morning

Kids will learn about swan ducks and geese at Mass Audubon's Jopp Flats Center

Preschoolers will Imagine, Sing the Learn about water fowl and swans! 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, hands-on science, and a thematic snack. You'll receive coloring pages, song lyrics, vocabulary, a fun fact sheet, and a suggested reading list in an electronic goody bag!

When: 
Friday, Apr 12, 2013 10:00 am - 11:30 am

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

Winter Homeschool for Ages 12 to 15

Tweens and Teens will explore the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary to learn wilderness skills on the North Shore Massachusetts!

Ipswich River's weekly homeschool classes promote an active engagement with nature through inquiry-based, hands-on environmental education. Join us as we explore the many different habitats provided by our nearly 2,000-acre sanctuary, and lay the foundation for a lifelong connection with nature. This season, we will focus on the survival skills that all animals (including humans) need to survive the harsh New England winter.

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.

Wee Farmers at Appleton Farms

Wee Farmers at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts. Photo: ©2011 Bill O'Connor

Wee Farmers is designed for our 3-5 year old friends who want to explore the farm, meet our animals, and get a taste of what Farm Camp is like at Appleton! You’ll get to dig into life on the farm and lend a helping hand brushing our goats, feeding our bunnies, making butter and taste testing in the education garden! Learn about how we grow our vegetables and see how good your senses are with Harvest Blanket. Meet our cows and learn how we milk them. We’ll start our morning with a quick craft before venturing out for some farm discovery and nature exploration.

When: 
Monday-Friday through August 2019 9-10:30am
Location: 

Family Tour at Cape Ann Museum

Cape Ann Museum Family Tours in Gloucester Massachusetts

See the Museum through the eyes of a child with this animated family tour of paintings, sculpture and maritime objects. Learn to think and see like an artist, a fisherman or quarry worker. Created for children ages 3–12 with their caregivers. This 30-minute tour ends in the Activity Center for art projects and play. Free for CAM members or with Museum admission. Space is limited, registration required.

When: 
Saturday, August 31, 2019 1-1:45pm
Location: 

Appleton Farms’ Preschool Farm Explorers

Farm Explorers is a great way for preschoolers to explore Appleton Farms in ipswich Massachusetts!

Spring is here, the plants are blooming, and the farmers are busy! We invite your little farmers to experience life at the farm as they explore the farmstead harvesting, hiking, and playing. Through farm “chores,” such as collecting eggs, brushing rabbits, and other age appropriate hands on activities, stories, and adventures, little farmers will become fully immersed in what life is like for a farmer. Each session will last 1 hour and will have a different theme such as “what plants need to grow.”

Location: 

Outdoor Ecology for Families: Backyard Ecology

Kids and families are invited to come explore the Ecology of the back yard with naturalists from the Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport.

It is summer! Join us in the riverside yard at Joppa Flats to learn about wildlife in the salt marsh, pond, rocky shore, and backyard habitats! You'll identify wild creatures, design small habitats, participate in small group challenges, and more. Sign up for one or all and see nature through the lens of a naturalist!

When: 
Thursday, August 4, 2022 1-3pm

Outdoor Ecology for Families: Pond Ecology

Kids and families are invited to come explore the pond habitat with naturalists from the Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport.

It is summer! Join us in the riverside yard at Joppa Flats to learn about wildlife in the salt marsh, pond, rocky shore, and backyard habitats! You'll identify wild creatures, design small habitats, participate in small group challenges, and more. Sign up for one or all and see nature through the lens of a naturalist!

When: 
Thursday, July 14, 2022 1-3pm

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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

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

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

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 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

Bubbles & Books at the Castle

Kids will enjoy a story time and lots of bubble fun at the for Hammond Castle in Gloucester Massachsuetts
Come to Hammond Castle in Gloucester Massachusetts every Wednesday morning in July & August for Bubbles and Books on our seaside lawn. Fairytales do come true at castles by the sea! Doors open at 10 am. Stories start at 10:15 am.
10:00 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

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

Topsfield HomeGrown Market

Come to Topsfield Massachusetts Common for a homegrown market on the Wednesdays through July
The mission of the HomeGrown Market is to provide the Topsfield community with a series of family-friendly events that emphasize supporting local and offer the opportunity for Topsfield and surrounding North Shore farmers, gardeners, artisans, creators, performers, musicians, nonprofits, young...
4:00 pm to 6:30 pm

Feed the Beach Creatures at Joppa Flats

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 actually feeding our live marine creatures. Feed periwinkles and rock crabs from the rocky shore, horseshoe crabs and minnows from the salt marsh and hermit crabs and shrimp from the...
4:00 pm to 5:30 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

Monday, July 29

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

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

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

Growing Wild for Pollinators

Come to Bradley Palmer State Park in Hamilton Massachusetts to learn all about pollinators
Discover the wild world of pollinators and what they do for the natural world around us. Learn how important is it to protect our pollinators for the health of humans, plants, and the environment. Best for ages 6 years and up.
10:00 am to 11:00 am

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

Willowdale Mansion Tour

Tanke a tour of the Willowdale Mansion at Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield MA
The historic tour of Willowdale Estate covers historic background, context and conversation about the Arts & Crafts style mansion. Here is your chance to go inside the Willowdale  Mansion (willowdaleestate.com) for a unique guided tour. Now an event and wedding venue, this over 100 years-old...
10:30 am to 11:30 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
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