Hike

Sense of Wonder Walks for Families: Witches' Brooms and Gingerbread Houses

Galls can be seen on all sorts of plants and are actually temporary bug homes!

Can you imagine eating the home that you grew up in? Some insects lay eggs inside plants and cause strange-looking growths called galls. The walls of these miniature "bug castles" give the developing insect larvae food and shelter. This is evidence of another fascinating relationship between insects and plants. We will examine a variety of galls and learn about the lives of their inhabitants. On our walk, we'll hunt for as many kinds of galls as we can find.

When:

Sunday, October 18, 2015 1:30-3pm

Location:

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

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Winter Homeschool for Ages 12 to 15

Tweens and Teens will explore the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary to learn wilderness skills on the North Shore Massachusetts!

Ipswich River's weekly homeschool classes promote an active engagement with nature through inquiry-based, hands-on environmental education. Join us as we explore the many different habitats provided by our nearly 2,000-acre sanctuary, and lay the foundation for a lifelong connection with nature. This season, we will focus on the survival skills that all animals (including humans) need to survive the harsh New England winter.

Location:

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

North Shore as Classroom

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Discovering Nature Through Story, Music, and Art

Kids will explore the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary to connect with nature and learn about the creatures of the North Shore Massachusetts wilderness!

Preschoolers and young kids will explore the wonders of winter in the "enchanted woods" of Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in this four-session series. We'll begin in the Nature Center with story, poetry, and imagination. Next, we'll bundle up for a winter walk to awaken our sense of wonder to the silence, scents, and scenery of the sleeping winter woods. Along the way, discover how the trees, plants, birds, beavers, squirrels, chipmunks, and other wildlife spend the winter. We'll look for animal stories in the snow (tracking) and much more. After our walks, we'll create artwork that reflects the wonders of winter that we discovered, while listening to winter nature songs. These keepsakes will bring home winter's secrets and beauty as we await the signs of spring.

Location:

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

North Shore as Classroom

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Summer Solstice Yoga Hike at Ward

Holt Hill at Ward Reservation is marked with Solstice Stones and has panoramic

Join HER Wellness & The Trustees to celebrate the summer solstice at Ward Reservation! Participants will enjoy hiking up to the solstice stones to practice an all-levels yoga flow under the sunset and glowing moon. There, we will embrace the sun reaching its highest peak and welcome the fruitful summer upon us, both inside and out! Handcrafted herbal tea and bath salts created for the astrological moment will be provided, along with self-care tips for the summer season.

When:

Tuesday, June 21, 2022 6:30-8:30pm

Location:

Trustees of Reservations

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Stories in Stone Hike at Breakheart Reservation

Explore the history of Breakheart Reservation while learning about the stone artifacts found on site.

Breakheart Reservation has been shaped not only by nature but by the many people who have called it home. Join our park interpreter to uncover this history through the stone artifacts they left behind. This is a 2.5 mile moderate hike along rocky trails, with several stops. Best for adults and older children with a keen interest in history. Meet out-side the Visitor Center. Rain cancels.

When:

Sunday, June 5, 2022 10am-Noon

Location:

Breakheart Reservation

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Halibut Point Quarry Tour

Kids will enjoy this tour of the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry with a focus on its stone-cutting history!

Enjoy a guided tour of Halibut Point State Park around the Babson Farm Quarry, unearthing the granite industry era followed by a traditional hand-tool stone splitting demonstration. One hundred years ago, the Rockport Granite Company quarried granite stone here. Learn about the buildings, bridges, and breakwaters built to last. Touch tools of the trade. Find out how they moved these large, heavy stone pieces and how they “paved” dirt streets in our Nation’s
growing cities—and around the world!

When:

Saturdays, June - August, 2022 10-11am

Location:

Halibut Point State Park

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Outdoor Ecology for Families: Backyard Ecology

Kids and families are invited to come explore the Ecology of the back yard with naturalists from the Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport.

It is summer! Join us in the riverside yard at Joppa Flats to learn about wildlife in the salt marsh, pond, rocky shore, and backyard habitats! You'll identify wild creatures, design small habitats, participate in small group challenges, and more. Sign up for one or all and see nature through the lens of a naturalist!

When:

Thursday, August 4, 2022 1-3pm

Location:

Joppa Flats Education Center

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Outdoor Ecology for Families: Pond Ecology

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

When:

Thursday, July 14, 2022 1-3pm

Location:

Joppa Flats Education Center

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Outdoor Ecology for Families: Rocky Shore Ecology

Kids and families are invited to come explore the rocky shore with naturalists from the Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport.

When:

Thursday, August 11, 2022 1-3pm

Location:

Joppa Flats Education Center

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Seal Walk with the Seacoast Science Center

Join MRWC and naturalists from Marine Mammal Rescue at the Seacoast Science Center to observe harbor seals at Salisbury Beach. The lack of boat traffic in the winter allows for greater seal activity close to shore. Our group will be viewing these seals from a safe distance of at least 150 feet away. After introductions, we will walk together a short distance to where the seals are hauled out.

When:

Saturday, April 9, 2022 Noon

Location:

Salisbury Beach State Reservation

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Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

7:00 am to 7:00 pm

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Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Pingree School hosts the 15th annual Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on their campus in South Hamilton, MA. Pingree . The exhibit will open in early September with more than 50 temporary works on display in addition to the 20 pieces in the permanent collection of Pingree School. The exhibit ...

Where: Pingree School

8:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Music Together - Wednesday

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...

Where: St. John's Episcopal Church in Beverly Farms

9:30 am to 11:15 am

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We Walk the Woods!

Walk the trails with a group at Harold Parker State Forest every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. – Meeting location varies weekly. Email trek.reef@mass.gov for location.

Where: Harold Parker State Forest

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

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Mini Movers at North Shore Children's Museum

Mini Movers is an engaging dance and movement class for young children at the North Shore Children's Museum. Led by experienced instructors, the program introduces young children to the world of dance in a safe and nurturing environment.

Where: North Shore Children's Museum

10:00 am to 11:00 am

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Stargazing at Mendel Observatory

The Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night (weather permitting) starting at dusk or 7:30 pm, whichever is later. When special astronomical events of interest occur (total lunar eclipses, etc.) the Obs

Where: Mendel Observatory at Merrimack College

7:00 pm

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Saturday, November 23

Deck The Halls: Hammond Castle

Come to Hammond Castle for the 6th annual Deck The Halls holiday celebration. Hammond Castle Museum will be dressed for the holidays inside and out. Delight in the enchanting ambiance of Christmas and White Birch trees, meticulously arranged garlands, festive wreaths, and the warm embrace of...

Where: Hammond Castle Museum

10:00 am to 4:00 pm

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Cat's Meow at the Crane Estate

Our imagination is one of our greatest assets. Imagine living in 1929 and visiting the Crane family at their summer home in Ipswich. The house is so big and Mrs. Crane’s kitty, Ptolemy, has gone missing just before the party! Can you help a family servant find our mischievous Siamese? Once he’s...

Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate

10:30 am to 11:30 am

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CraneOutdoors: Castle Neck Hike in the Dunes

While just about everybody on the North Shore has probably been to Crane Beach, the dunes of Castle Neck are a much less explored world unto themselves. Offering one of the most accessible dune ecosystems north of Cape Cod, Castle Neck has over six miles of trails, traversing the dunes, maritime...

Where: Crane Wildlife Refuge on the Crane Estate

1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

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Sunday, November 24

Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.

Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site

7:00 am to 7:00 pm

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Babson Farm Quarry Self-guided Walking Tour at Halibut Point

Take a self guided tour at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations!

Where: Halibut Point State Park

7:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Flying Horse Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit at Pingree School

Where: Pingree School

8:00 am to 6:00 pm

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Essex Turkey Trot 5K Race & Fun Walk

The Essex Lion's Club hosts the annual turkey trot in beautiful Essex Massachusetts!

Where: Downtown Essex

10:00 am to 1:00 pm

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Deck The Halls: Hammond Castle

Where: Hammond Castle Museum

10:00 am to 4:00 pm

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Swampscott Thanksgiving Farmer's Market

The outdoor markets are done for the season but we will have one last indoor Thanksgiving Market on Sunday, November 19th at Swampscott High School Cafe. Stock up with fresh produce for your Thanksgiving table and get your Christmas shopping started early with our crafters!

Where: Swampscott High School

10:00 am to 1:00 pm

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