Live Animals

Open Air Ecology for Families: The Sandy Beach Habitat

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

No need to face the long lines, parking challenges, and crowds at the beach for this great summertime activity. Join Mass Audubon at Joppa Flats in the riverside yard at Joppa Flats instead! Learn how to identify wild creatures, design small habitats, participate in small group challenges, and more. Sign up for one or all of these programs and see nature through the lens of a naturalist! In this outing we'll explore the habitat of the sandy beach.

When: 
Thursday, August 12, 2021 1:30-3pm
Friday, August 13, 2021 10am-Noon

Woven Llamas: Tween/Teen Take-and-Make Craft

Flint Public Library holds a yarn crafting Flint Public Library holds a yarn crafting take and make kits for teens and tweens! for teens and tweens!

Looking for a craft to keep you busy? No prob-llama! Stop by The Flint to take one of our Woven Llama craft kits! Tweens & teens are welcome to enjoy making their own woven llama craft with our take and make kits available via lobby pick-up beginning Tuesday, June 15 while supplies last.

When: 
Tuesday, June 15, 2020 10am-6pm

Hay Rides at Appleton Farms

Explore Appleton Farms on a hay ride tour! Undoubtedly the best way to experience our 350+ year old farm and all of its spectacular grounds and animals. Rides will take place every twenty minutes during our Pizza Picnics, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm, Saturdays and Sundays 12-4.

When: 
Fridays through November 20, 2020 4-6pm
Saturdays & Sundays through November 22, 2020 12-4pm
Location: 

Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team presents Critters at MPL

Albino Milk Snake being held by a child at Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team presentation. ©Bill O'Connor

Families are invited to get acquainted with some of the creatures that will help us welcome springtime at Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team. Rick Roth of the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team will introduce animals from our local area that you may have never seen up close. After the presentation, there will be an optional walk to an easily accessible vernal pond in our own Powder House Hill Reservation which will soon come alive with the sounds of spring!

When: 
Sunday, March 15, 2020 2pm

Curious Creatures at G.A.R. Memorial Library

Curious Creatures will put on a free prestation at the G.A.R. Memorial Library!

Curious Creatures will put on a free prestation at the G.A.R. Memorial Library! Curious Creatures and their assortment of creatures has a great presentation for kids of all ages. Who know what will come slithering into the Library. Please join us for 60 minutes of fun with the animals from Curious Creatures. Families welcome. Please Drop In. Sponsored by the Friends of the West Newbury Library.

When: 
Thursday, February 20, 2020 4pm

February Vacation Week: Afternoon Birding for Families

Kids will learn about birding at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport during February vacation!

Come to Joppa Flats Education Center for an afternoon full of family fun! Adults and children can spend quality family time in the great outdoors finding, observing, and admiring local wildlife. Can you imagine seeing a Bald Eagle or a Snowy Owl on a winter walk? Families will travel in their cars to several birding hot spots on the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge with Joppa Flats naturalists in the lead. Once there, we'll walk on cleared trails to search for the birds that are here for the winter. Then, we'll wrap up with hot chocolate back at Joppa Flats.

When: 
Tuesday, February 18, 2020 1:30-3:30 pm

North American Birds of Prey at IRWS

Wingmasters present live North American Birds of Prey at Mass Audubon's Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

Come see live birds of prey up close in this presentation that will introduce you to the different types of raptors including eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls. We'll discuss the special features these birds have that enable them to be successful predators at the top of the food chain.  Note: this programs fills up quickly so register soon!

When: 
Sunday, January 26, 2020 11am-12:15pm [FULL]
Sunday, January 26, 2020 1:15-2:30pm

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Shore School in Beverly Massachusetts offers a host of Summer programs for kids aged 5-12

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

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

Tulip Festival at Cider Hill Farm

Come cut your own tulips at Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury Massachusetts
A gorgeous, fan-favorite variety of 100k tulips are scheduled to bloom in early May. Welcome spring with this multi-weekend festival featuring free live music, self-guided blooming orchard walks, outdoor hard cider bars, food trucks, fitness n' family activities and cut-your-tulips. General...
8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Beverly Library Spring Book Sale

Beverly Library in Massachusetts hosts hosts their annual book sale and fundraiser. Image is AI generated.
Our annual Friends' Spring Book Sale takes place daily at the main library from Saturday, Saturday May 10 through May 17. The sale will be open daily during regular library hours: Mon.-Thurs., 9AM-9PM; Fri.
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Newburyport Farmers' Market

Newburyport Farmers find organic locally grown produce, meat, dairy Newburyport
The Newburyport Farmers Summer Market celebrates local fresh produce every Sunday morning rain or shine!  Start your Sunday browsing fresh North Shore local produce, meats, cheeses, and seafood in an open air market atmosphere! Food and beverage vendors offer fresh hot coffee, breakfast treats and...
9:00 am to 1:00 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 4:00 pm

"Lilac Sunday" at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

Educational Program for Families North of Boston Arnold Arboretum Harvard
Take part in a beloved Boston tradition! Of the thousands of flowering plants in the Arboretum, only one, the lilac, is singled out each year for a day-long celebration. Tours of the lilacs, dance performances, picnicking (allowed on this special day only), and family activities make for a...
10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Marblehead Junior Class Carnival

The Marblehead Carnival is a fundraiser for the Marblehead High School junior class in Massachusetts!
Come join the annual Marblehead Carnival sponsored by Junior Class at Devereaux Beach. Each year this carnival serves as a major fundraiser.  You'll find rides, games, and great food!
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Sunday, May 25

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

Newburyport Spring Festival 2025

Celebrate the onset of Spring in beatuiful downtown Newburyport Massachusetts
The Newburyport Chamber of Commerce invites you to welcome Spring's arrival to Newburyport at the 2025 Spring Fest!
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

TitO presents Petrushka & the Caterpillar

Theater in the Open presents Petrushka and the Catapillar at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
What happens when your favorite stories need a new ending? Everyone's favorite clown upends iconic fables and fairytales in our signature storytelling style – with tons of imagination, humor, and heart. Join Petrushka and the gang as they retell old stories for our times!
2:00 pm to 4:30 pm

Monday, May 26

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance that occurs on the last Monday of May in the United States. Photo ©2023 Bill O'Connor
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance that occurs on the last Monday of May in the United States
12:01 am to 11:59 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 4:00 pm

Tuesday, May 27

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 4:00 pm
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