Outdoor Activity

Sense of Wonder Walk: The Squishiness of Things

 A fallen tree becomes a habitat for many creatures and forms of life at IRWS.

Even as its soft rotting wood becomes a forest recycling center, a dead log is still home to many plants and animals. We'll meet fabulous fungi, slime molds, squishy earthworms, slimy slugs, salamanders, and much more. Find out why slime is important and make some slime of your own!

When: 
Sunday, April 28, 2013 1 - 2:30 pm

Afterschool at Joppa: Early Birds!

This Afterschool Session at Joppa Flats focuses on red winged blackbirds

Come to Joppa Flats after school to learn about song birds! Our afternoon starts off with self-guided activities, challenges, or puzzles that lead us to our topic for the day. As a group, we'll observe, investigate, and compare wildlife, their adaptations, and the changes that they undergo each season. Participants may play the role of a zoologist, a naturalist, or even an Arctic explorer throughout this series. Each experience will leave your young scientist eager for the next session.

When: 
Wednesday, April 10, 2013 3:30 - 5pm

Appleton's April Vacation Farmhands Crew

Join the farmhand crew to work along side the staff at Appleton Farms.

Calling volunteers ages 13 and up! Join the farmhand crew to work along side our staff and gain first hand experience with our milking herd, our calving season and our seeding and planting season for the Communtiy Supported Agriculture program.  This crew will dig in and have plenty of fun on the farm, while helping our busy farmers prepare for summer!

When: 
Tuesday, April 16 - Friday, April 19, 2013 9am-noon
Location: 

Trails & Sails Wildlife Walk at Ipswich River

Come explore the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary as part of Trails and Sails!

Come enjoy a hike at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield, one of Mass Audubon's largest sanctuaries. Visitors will have the opportunity to enhance their hike by visiting naturalist-docents on the sanctuary trails. Docents will be stationed at a wildlife observation tower overlooking a freshwater marsh and alongside a beautiful fall field. Visit them to learn about the fall migration of monarch butterflies, and the needs of migrating waterfowl.

When: 
Sunday, September 23, 2012 10am - 4pm

Woodland Night Walk

We'll be searching the sanctuary for the creatures that come out at night!

During the cool, crisp, early-evening hours of autumn, many interesting creatures set out into the dark woodlands. Deer, owls, and flying squirrels are just a few of the animals we hope to encounter on our hike. Enjoy a walk that will spark your senses as we venture into the night in search of these and other nighttime forest dwellers.

When: 
Friday, November 2, 2012 7-8:30 pm

Afterschool at Joppa: A Waterfowl Welcome

Kids can be game wardens for the day in this afterschool program at Joppa Flats

Our afternoon starts off with self-guided activities, challenges, or puzzles that lead us to our topic for the day. As a group, we'll observe, investigate, and compare wildlife, their adaptations, and the changes that they undergo each season. Participants may play the role of a zoologist, a naturalist, or even an Arctic explorer throughout this series. Each experience will leave your young scientist eager for the next session.

When: 
Wednesday, April 3, 2013 3:30 - 5pm

Afterschool at Joppa: Get to Know Night Creatures!

Learn about nocturnal animals like racoons at this Afterschool workshop

Our afternoon starts off with self-guided activities, challenges, or puzzles that lead us to our topic for the day. As a group, we'll observe, investigate, and compare wildlife, their adaptations, and the changes that they undergo each season. Participants may play the role of a zoologist, a naturalist, or even an Arctic explorer throughout this series. Each experience will leave your young scientist eager for the next session.

When: 
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 3:30 - 5pm

Amesbury Sports Park Free Snow Tubing Admissions

FREE Admission to the Amesbury Sports Park for military personnel

Amesbury Sports Park is offering free snow tubing admission for active military personnel & employees of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and Pease Air Force Base as well as $5 off each of their guests’ admissions from February 25th through March 1st, 2013. 

When: 
February 25th through March 1st , 2013 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

REI: Introduction to Snowshoeing

REI is offeirng a Snow Shoeing Basics course at Appleton Farms in Ipswich!

Discover the joy of winter and the freedom of snowshoeing! On this field outing, you'll learn snowshoeing techniques, ascending and descending hills, snow hazard awareness, and winter preparedness. Don't have snowshoes? We provide snowshoes, snowshoe poles and professional instruction on proper use of equipment, to make every trip a success.

When: 
Saturday, March 2, 2013 9am - 3pm
Location: 

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Summerquest Camp for kids aed 5-14 at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts

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

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

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

Salem Arts Festival 2025

The Salem Arts Festival is a joint project of Salem Main Streets and Creative Collective in Salem Massachusetts
For three days, this annual family friendly art festival transforms downtown Salem into an opportunity for the arts community to showcase their talents. The popular free event will feature many artists and performers, and includes a variety of art, music, dance, and theatre performances. The family...
9:00 am to 5:00 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

Music Together - Friday

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...
10:30 am to 11:15 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

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

Sunday, June 15

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

Spring Birding Walk—Symphony of Bird Song!

You and your child can learn the basics of birding at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport Massachusetts
Stroll our seaside treasure with birding basics.  Hear the symphony of spring bird song!  Watch for them at the field’s, woodland’s, and ocean’s edge.  Learn about their sounds, habits, and flight patterns.  Enjoy extraordinary views. 
8:00 am to 10:00 am

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

Crane Outdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River

Take a guided kayak paddle adventure on the Castle Neck River with the Trustees of Reservations!
One of the best was to enjoy the natural beauty of the Massachusetts North Shore is kayaking the placid waters of the Great Marsh—the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. The Castle Neck peninsula on the Crane Estate is a vast barrier...
9:00 am to 5:00 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

North Andover Farmers' Market

North Andover Farmers Market every Sunday Through October 2, 2022
The North Andover Farmers Market is the perfect destination for anyone living in the Merrimack Valley or the North Shore to shop and enjoy locally-sourced products. The market will take place in the center of town at the intersection of First Street and Main Street. The market has become known for...
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Long Hill Garden Tours

Tour the Gardens at the Trustees of Reservations Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts!
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to join our expert guides for a tour around Long Hill’s stunning Sedgwick Gardens and learn more about the special plants. Visit Long Hill’s breathtaking gardens and stately historic house for a guided tour. Enjoy the rich history of this grand country estate...
11:00 am to 12:00 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
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