Natural History

All Family Field Trips: Exploring at the Shore

Explore the shore at Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester with Massachusetts Audubon!

Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the North Shore. Joppa Flats' engaging and experienced staff will introduce families to local beaches, forests, 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, September 22, 2023 10am-Noon

All Family Field Trips: Foliage and Fall Preparations for Wildlife

All Family Field Trips: Foliage and Fall Preparations for Wildlife with Massachusetts Audubon at Cedar Pond Sanctuary

Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the North Shore. Joppa Flats' engaging and experienced staff will introduce families to local beaches, forests, 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, October 20, 2023 10am-Noon

CraneExplorer: Music in Nature

Come to the Crane Estate to make music in the peaceful pine grove in ipswich Massachusetts

This program has been canceled! Join this interactive program to make music in the peaceful pine grove, learn about the sounds of nature, and about how music has filled the air at The Crane Estate throughout the years. Enjoy a creative lesson and then create your own music using provided instruments, your own brought from home, or your own homemade instrument made from natural objects using the provided materials.

When: 
Saturday, May 27, 2023 10am-Noon

Castle Hill Butterfly Encounter

Come to the Butterfly Encounter in the gardens at Castle Hill in Ipswich Massachusetts!

The Trustees of Reservations hosts the Butterfly Encounter in the gardens at Castle Hill Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts.  You will hear directly from a giant monarch butterfly puppet, who will recount the adventures growing up in the milkweed patch, metamorphosis and then the amazing journey across continents.

When: 
Saturday, July 15, 2023 1-1:45pm

February Vacation at Joppa Flats: Open Ocean Odyssey

Kids are invited to a drop in session at Joppa Flats Education Center

Joppa Flats Education Center vacation programs offer a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities while we keep minds active and hands busy during school break. Each session offers a different theme, with art activities, experiments, group games, and scheduled family presentations for everyone. It's free-flow learning for the whole family. Come once or make it a multiple-day adventure; drop in for an hour or stay all day for a vacation activity that suits your family schedule.

When: 
Thursday, Feb 21, 2012 10am - 3pm

National Park Junior Ranger Day

Become a Junior Ranger at Salem Maritime or Saugus Iron Works!

Junior Ranger Day is part of National Park Week and is geared toward engaging kids to learn history, teach them stewardship and have fun while exploring their nearby National Parks.  On the North Shore, families can visit Salem Maritime National Historic Site or Salem Sound Coastwatch for free fun activities throughout the day!

When: 
Saturday, April 21, 2012 10am-2pm

February Vacation at Joppa Flats: Wildlife of the World

Come learn about the animals of the world at the Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Cen

Joppa Flats Education Center school vacation programs offer a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities while we keep minds active and hands busy during school break with free-flow learning for the whole family. Each session offers a different theme, with scheduled family presentations and something to engage hearts and minds for all ages and interests. For ages 7 and up, there are STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) activity stations featuring experiments, challenges, data sheets, maps, and charts. For ages 2 to 6, there are stories, crafts, table top games, coloring pages, and science activities. Family presentations will be offered at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm.

When: 
Monday, February 15, 2016 10am - 3pm

Imagine, Sing & Learn: Animals of the Ice

Preschoolers learn about the animals of the polar habitats at the Joppa Flats Center.  Photo: A Weith CC BY-SA 4.0

Joppa Flats Education Center invites preschoolers to a fun session where they will learn about artcic animals! This parent/child program is designed for the creative, curious, and active preschooler who loves animals. 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: 
Thursday, March 16, 2017 9:30-11am

Become a Citizen Scientist

Learn about water and science at Saugus Iron Works as part of Trails and Sails!

U. S. National Park Rangers host an event at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for Trails and Sails! Join the staff as we compare and contrast the differences of two water sources within the park, the Saugus River and the Saugus estuary. Take part in hands on water testing of two bodies of water less than 200 yards apart. Explore the “checkup” of the water by participating in a few simple tests to determine how healthy the waters are. Part of Trails & Sails.

When: 
Sunday, Septmeber 17, 2017 11am-2pm

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Brookwood School Summer Program for kids Pre-K through 9 in Manchester Massachusetts

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

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 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
8:00 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

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
9:00 am to 5:00 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

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

Beverly Farmers' Market

Get fresh local produce at the Beverly Farmers Market in downtown Beverly Massac
The Beverly Farmers’ Market supports local agriculture while making healthy food available to all members of the Beverly community at affordable prices; the market promotes sustainable living practices and fosters community connections through our vendors, free activities and events. The market...
Where: Odell Park
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Thursday, October 9

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

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 16th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, Massachusetts .
8:00 am to 6:00 pm

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour

Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a self guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
This self-guided walking tour is designed to help explain the true history behind the Salem Witch Trials. After more than three centuries of storytelling through countless books, movies, and television shows, the line between historical fact and dramatic fiction has become increasingly blurred....
9:00 am to 5:00 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

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

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

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

Salem Farmers' Market

The Salem Farmer's Market bring the goodness of local farm to downtown Salem!
The Salem Farmers' Market brings fresh local produce and other foods from North Shore farms and other local resources to downtown Salem every Thursday at  Bentley Academy Charter School!
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
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