Topsfield

Turtle Time at IRWS

Kids and families will explore IRWS wetland in search of painted and snapping turtles.

As late spring transitions to early summer, one thing is for sure: it's turtle time! Join us to explore our wetlands in search of these fascinating reptiles. We'll visit areas where turtles like to nest and bask in the sun, look at and touch real turtle shells, and, with a little luck, get an up-close look at a Painted Turtle. We'll conclude with a trip to the Rockery to see if we can summon our resident Snapping Turtle, Godzilla. For Families - children 4 - 17.

When: 
Saturday, June 7, 2025 10-11:30am

Teen Naturalist Club at IRWS: Spring/Summer Series

Join Mass Audubon for their Teen Naturalist Club at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield Massachusetts!

Explore a variety of local ecosystems, learn more about a wide range of natural history topics, and do real wildlife data collection and conservation projects in this exciting club for teens!

When: 
Saturday, March 15, 2025 2-5 pm
Saturday, March 29, 2025 2-5 pm
Saturday, April 12, 2025 2-5 pm
Saturday, April 26, 2025 2-5 pm
Saturday, May 17, 2025 8-11 am
Saturday, May 24, 2025 2-5 pm
Saturday, June 7, 2025 2-5 pm

Maple Sugaring Saturday at IRWS

Sugaring Off tours are a fun and tasty way to learn about maple sugaring at IRWS

Experience the age-old tradition of maple sugaring at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary! The warm days of late winter awaken the flow of sap in the maples resulting in sweet-smelling, billowing clouds of steam rising from the sugarhouse. On a naturalist-guided walk, learn how to identify a sugar maple, observe tapping and sap collection methods, watch the sap being boiled down in the sugarhouse, and get a sweet taste of the final product. 

When: 
Saturdays, March 1, 8 & 15, 2025 10:30am-3:30pm

Kidleidoscope at Breakheart Reservation

Kidleidoscope is a program designed for preschoolers at Bradley Palmer State Park

Come join our park interpreter for a story time and nature walk! Complete a small craft and explore the woods! Walks are gently paced and approximately 1 mile, though not accessible for strollers. Appropriate for families with children 3-5 years old. Meet at the Visitor Center.

When: 
Fridays, December 2024 - February 2025 10:30-11:30am

February School Vacation at Bradley Palmer

Bradley Palmer State Park has some great acitivities for kids during February vacation week in Massachusetts

Bradley Palmer State Park is located at 40 Asbury St. in Topsfield. All programs are free and open to the public. Reasonable accommodations upon request. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Events outside may include rough, uneven trails that contain ice and snow, warm clothing and sturdy footwear are recommended. Inclement weather cancels events.

When: 
Daily Febraury 16-20, 2025

February Break at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

Sign up for one or all days of February Vacation Activities at IRWS in Topsfield

Winter is an exciting time for outdoor discovery. We have put together four sessions of hands-on, awesome, age-appropriate activities and games to explore the natural world in winter. Sharpen your observation skills as we locate and learn about winter animals and tap a sugar maple tree to make syrup. Sign up for the entire 4-day session, Tuesday-Friday from 8:30am-3:00pm. Separated into three age groups: ages 5-6, ages 7-8, and ages 9-12.

Family Owl Prowl

Join a Family Owl Prowl Campout at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo: Scott Santino

People of all ages love owls, and many species of owls can be found right here in Massachusetts year-round. Experience the excitement of an owl prowl as we take a night hike to look and listen for Barred Owls, Great Horned Owls, and Eastern Screech-owls. Before we head out on our nocturnal adventure, we'll learn fun owl facts in our cozy Barn using real owl mounts, feathers, talons, and a brief slide show. We'll end our evening with an owl-hooting lesson.

When: 
Saturday, February 8, 2025 5:30-7:30pm

DCR First Day Hikes on the North Shore

Explore a nearby state park on New Year's Day for a great start to the year!

First Day Hikes take place at nearby State Parks nationwide on New Year's Day. The annual hike originated more than 20 years ago at the Blue Hills Reservation in Massachusetts. The program was launched to promote both healthy lifestyles throughout the year and year-round recreation at state parks. On the North Shore, there will be First Day hikes at Halibut Point State Park, Downtown Essex & Harold Parker State Forest.

When: 
Wednesday, January 1, 2025 10am

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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

Teen Naturalist Club at IRWS: Spring/Summer Series

Join Mass Audubon for their Teen Naturalist Club at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield Massachusetts!
Explore a variety of local ecosystems, learn more about a wide range of natural history topics, and do real wildlife data collection and conservation projects in this exciting club for teens!
8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Music Together - Saturday

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...
9:15 am to 11:15 am

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

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

Wenham Museum Spring/Summer Sports Sale

Spring & Summer Sports Sale at Wenham Musseum in Massachusetts
Back by popular demand! After a successful inaugural sale in 2024, Wenham Museum’s Spring & Summer Sports Sale returns for its second year. In keeping with the Museum’s former Attic Treasures Sale tradition, the Spring & Summer Sports Sale brings the community together for a fun and...
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Family Program: Creature Sculptures at CAM

Family Program: Creature Sculptures at Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts
Inspired by the exhibition on view, Portrait of a Sculptor: Walker Hancock & Michael Lafferty. Create your own animal or fantastic creature with air-dry clay, inspired by the artist Katharine Lane Weems. Recommended ages 3 and up.
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Little Sprouts in the Garden: Kids Terrarium Workshop

Kids Terrarium Workshop at the Trustees' Long Hill Gardens in Beverly Massachusetts
Engage your curious budding gardener or adventurer in our new Little Sprouts in the Garden series, a monthly themed program to connect your child with the natural world around us.  As the snow begins to melt with spring around the corner, it may be too cold for fresh flowers or green grass in the...
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

LEGO Club at Salem Public Library

Come to the Salem Massachusetts Public Library for an afternoon of LEGO and fun!
Salem Public Library hosts a morning session of LEGO fun! We provide the LEGO, you provide the imagination.  Stop by the library on Saturday mornings (every other Saturday) to play and build.
10:30 am to 11:30 am

Befriend the Barnyard

Befriend the Barnyard is a hands-on barnyard experience at the Trustees of Reservations' Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts
Discover our special barnyard animals! Our Angora rabbits Violet, Mabel, Oiver and Charles; Nubian goats Maeve, Morgana, and Mordred; dairy cows Gray, Jasmine, their calves Gigi and Joanie and our friendly flock of heritage chickens will take center stage as we learn about what makes them so unique...
11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Sunday, March 30

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

Parker River NWR Beach Cleanup

Come help with coastal debris and other trash at the beaches of Parker River Wildlife Refuge
Come help clean the beach at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge! The annual spring beach cleanup, hosted by the Friends of Parker River, is on Sunday March 30. Drop in Lot 1 any time between 9am - 3pm to get a trash bag and assignment. No need to sign up in advance, just show up! Stay for as...
9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Wenham Museum Spring/Summer Sports Sale

Spring & Summer Sports Sale at Wenham Musseum in Massachusetts
Back by popular demand! After a successful inaugural sale in 2024, Wenham Museum’s Spring & Summer Sports Sale returns for its second year. In keeping with the Museum’s former Attic Treasures Sale tradition, the Spring & Summer Sports Sale brings the community together for a fun and...
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

CraneOutdoors: King Tide Hike

Come learn about how the moon isonly part of the king tide puzzle at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
This high tide is royalty! Here’s your chance to see the king….tide that is. Join us for a hike to learn about extreme high tides, known as king tides, which are happening more often due to environmental change. These extreme tides have a variety of impacts on coastal infrastructure, including...
12:00 pm to 3:00 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 3:00 pm

Monday, March 31

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

Wenham Museum Spring/Summer Sports Sale

Spring & Summer Sports Sale at Wenham Musseum in Massachusetts
Back by popular demand! After a successful inaugural sale in 2024, Wenham Museum’s Spring & Summer Sports Sale returns for its second year. In keeping with the Museum’s former Attic Treasures Sale tradition, the Spring & Summer Sports Sale brings the community together for a fun and...
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Pajama Story Time at Danvers Public Library

Kids are invited to the pajama time book reading at the Public Library in Danvers Massachusetts.
Wear your jammies and join us for some stories and rhymes! Ages 0-7 with a parent or caregiver.
6:30 pm to 7:00 pm

Tuesday, April 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

Wenham Museum Spring/Summer Sports Sale

Spring & Summer Sports Sale at Wenham Musseum in Massachusetts
Back by popular demand! After a successful inaugural sale in 2024, Wenham Museum’s Spring & Summer Sports Sale returns for its second year. In keeping with the Museum’s former Attic Treasures Sale tradition, the Spring & Summer Sports Sale brings the community together for a fun and...
10:00 am to 6:00 pm
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