North Shore

Outdoor Adventures for Families: Life at the Edge of the Lake

Explore the habitat at Lake Gardener in Amesbury Massachusetts with Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Educators!

Learn about fall and early winter wildlife with your family in the woods, around wetlands, and along the shore. Lisa Hutchings and her team will assist with the identification of creatures, provide small group challenges, and share their joy and knowledge about the natural world. Sign up for one or all of these educational outdoor excursions and see nature through the lens of a naturalist!

When: 
Saturday, November 19, 2022 10am-12pm
Location: 

Outdoor Adventures for Families: Spring Ponding

Explore the ponds of Dow Brook Conservation Area with Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Educators!

As spring takes over, it's a great time to explore green spaces with your family in the woods, on trails, and along the shore. "Miss Lisa" and her team will assist with the identification of creatures, provide small group challenges, and share our joy and knowledge about the natural world. Sign up for one or all of these educational outdoor excursions and see nature through the lens of a naturalist!

When: 
Saturday, April 16, 2022 10am-12pm
Location: 

Nature Walks for Tots at Joppa: What's in the Pond?

Explore the ponds of Woodsom Farm in Amesbury with Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Educators!

As spring arrives and settles in, Miss Lisa wants to take you through the woods, on the trails, and along the shore to look for creatures, explore, and play. We'll use our "science eyes" and "nature ears" for some outdoor family fun! The session will be spent exploring pond life at Woodsom Farm in Amesbury!

When: 
Saturday, May 8, 2021 10-11:30am
Location: 

Outdoor Adventures for Families: Coastal Challenges Photo Journaling

Mass Audubon Photo Journaling Workshop at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield MA

Fall is a fantastic time to explore our coastline with its rocky tide pools and sandy clam flats. Joppa Flats Education Coordinator Lisa Hutchings will guide families on the identification of creatures, provide small group challenges, and share her vast knowledge and joy for marine life. Sign up for one or all of these educational outdoor adventures. This Session will focus on photo journaling.

When: 
Saturday, November 14, 2020 2-4pm

Outdoor Adventures for Families: iNaturalist Nature Walk

Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary is part island, part forest and part marsh!

Fall is a fantastic time to explore our coastline with its rocky tide pools and sandy clam flats. Joppa Flats Education Coordinator Lisa Hutchings will guide families on the identification of creatures, provide small group challenges, and share her vast knowledge and joy for marine life. Sign up for one or all of these educational outdoor adventures.

Joppa Flats will provide all field gear and equipment. This is not a drop-off class; all children must be accompanied by at least one adult. Locations are subject to change.

When: 
Saturday, October 31, 2020 2-4pm

Nature for Tots at Joppa: Backyard Birds

Meet some of the birds that you'll find in your yard at Joppa Flats Education Center!

The Joppa Flats riverside yard will be our outdoor classroom for families every week! Let's learn about different animals and their habitats, discover the mysteries of weather and where animals go in winter, and do lots of hands-on science with songs, role play, and imagination.  This session will focus on birds that you'll find in your own backyard!

When: 
Thursday, October 15, 2020 10-11am
Thursday, October 15, 2020 1-2pm

Superbowl of Birding 2026

The Superbowl of Birding 2026 is a unique competition conducted in Rockingham County, NH, and Essex County, Massachusetts
The Superbowl of Birding is a unique competition conducted in Rockingham County, NH, and Essex County, MA. During a 12-hour period, teams of birders of all ages and abilities seek to amass the greatest number of avian species, to earn the most points based on the rarity of the birds recorded. Teams...
5:00 am to 5:00 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

Nice n' Easy Hike at Breakheart Reservation

Nice and Easy winter hike at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus Massachusetts
Join the Park Interpreter for this weekly guided hike! Each trip will highlight natural and historic features unique to Breakheart. Hikes are moderately paced and range from 2-3 miles over sometimes uneven and rocky terrain. Best for ages 8 years and up. Meet at the Visitor Center.
9:30 am to 11:30 am

Animal Tracks | Family Nature Series

Essex County Greenbelt teams up with North Shore Nature Programs for a wildlife hike in Ipswich Massachusetts!
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This event with North Shore Nature Programs is geared toward families of all ages who would like to learn about the signs and tracks that animals leave behind!  We will explore outdoors and look at tracks, chewed sticks, scat, nests, beaver constructions and more! Waterproof and warm...
10:00 am to 11:30 am

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
Come explore the lesser-visited corners of Castle Hill and its surroundings with us this season. This hike is a CraneOutdoors guide favorite because it’s got a little bit of all the things that make the Crane Estate such a special place…
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike in the Dunes

Walk through the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts with the Trustees under the full moon.
There is almost nothing more peaceful than a evening walk at the Crane Estate, and we would like to invite your family to join us for a unique hiking experience. With the full moon rising over the Atlantic, we’ll start with a sunset stroll along Crane Beach admiring this spectacle before heading...
4:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Sunday, February 1

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

Watching the Coastal Edge at Halibut Point

Tour the WWII era observation tower at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport Massachusetts.
Meet at the Halibut Point State Park visitors center to learn about the role Halibut Point has played in America’s military history. One day after the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, U.S.
11:00 am to 12:30 pm

CraneOutdoors: Family Winter Wildlife Walk

Come explore the dunes on Castle Neck and Crane Beach in Ipswich Massachusetts to learn about winter wildlife.
A CraneOutdoors Family Winter Wildlife Walk will take you on a stroll through the Crane Beach dunes while learning about the plants and animals that call this special place home. You may be familiar with Crane Beach, but have you ever visited the dune trails? The dunes of Castle Neck are a much...
1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Sunday STEAM Club at North Shore Children's Museum

Visit Peabody MA, NorthShore, North Shore Children's Museum
Join in on Sundays at 2:30 for STEAM Club for ages 5-11. Each week participants will explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math with our NSCM staff! Every STEAM club session will see your kids participating in hands-on activities while exploring a new topic. Space is limited, please...
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm

Snow Moon Winter Celebration

Come to Spencer-Pierce-Little Farm to celebrate February's Snow Moon in Newbury Massachusetts!
Come to Spencer Peirce Little Farm to celebrate the season under the stillness of February's full Snow Moon! Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm opens its gates for a winter celebration that honors the beauty of the land, th
3:00 pm to 6:00 pm

CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike in the Dunes

Walk through the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts with the Trustees under the full moon.
There is almost nothing more peaceful than a evening walk at the Crane Estate, and we would like to invite your family to join us for a unique hiking experience. With the full moon rising over the Atlantic, we’ll start with a sunset stroll along Crane Beach admiring this spectacle before heading...
4:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Monday, February 2

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

Tuesday, February 3

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

Barnyard Story Hour at Appleton Farms

Kids can meet the barnyard animals and hear a story at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts.
Barnyard stories really come alive when you get to see the main characters in real life! Bring the kids down to Appleton Farms for our farm-fresh version of story time. Explore the farmstead, visit our learning garden, see our cows and rabbits, and find a spot to play under a shady tree in our...
10:30 am to 11:30 am

Wednesday, February 4

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
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