Hike

Take a Walk on the Wild Side: Butterflying in the Backyard

Learn about butterflies at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport!

This week we learn about butterflies, how to catch them and what they eat! Adults and children can spend quality family time in the great outdoors finding, observing, and admiring local wildlife. Excursions might include a group game to burn off some steam, an on-the-water scavenger hunt, or a guided tour. We'll observe, investigate, and compare coastal environments and their inhabitants, both on- and offshore. Each adventure will leave your family excited to come back for more!

When: 
Sunday, June 29, 2014 1-3:30 pm

Summer Solstice Celebration

Celebrate the Summer Solstice with Mass Audubon at the Ipswich River Sanctuary

The summer solstice has been celebrated for centuries, with all sorts of traditions growing up around it. Join us on the longest day of the year and create your own traditions, by celebrating nature and being outside. After reading The Longest Day: Celebrating the Summer Solstice by Wendy Pfeffer, we will stroll along the sanctuary trails observing the delights of the season. Upon our return, we will create sun art and light the traditional bonfire. You are welcome to bring a picnic supper to enjoy after the celebration.

When: 
Saturday, June 21, 2014 4-6pm

National Trails Day: Ward Reservation

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

Join the The Trustees of Reservations as they celebrate National Trails Day at Ward Reservation! Come explore Ward Reservation with guided hikes through Pine Hole Pond (a rare quaking bog), a beaver wetland, and a great blue heron rookery. Then finish the day picnicking on top of Holt Hill, with great views of Boston.

When: 
Saturday, June 7, 2014 10am-1pm
Location: 

It's Sand Man! - Saturday

Kids will learn all about sand at Sandy Point Reservation!

You're invited to Sandy Point State Reservation to learn all about sand, where it comes from and surprising facts about the make up of sand!  Join the interpreter in a sand sifting excursion to find the composition of the material that covers our New England beaches. Appropriate for children.

When: 
Saturday, June 14, 2014 9-11am

Follow the Flower Flow

Rhododendron's are plentiful at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport!

Maudslay State Park has one of the best shows of flower bloom in the Commonwealth. Come and join the beginning of this cycle with a look at the two varieties of trilliums that bloom at Maudslay with the park interpreter. This month, we enjoy the bloom of Lily-of-the-Valley, Ghent/Exbury Azalea, Columbine, and Ox-eye Daisy. Wear comfortable shoes and appropriate warm clothes. Meet at the park headquarters at 74 Curzon Mill Rd

When: 
Saturday, June 28, 2014 2-3pm
Sunday, June 29, 2014 2-3pm

Parent/Child Walkabout: Salt Marsh Hide & Seek

Explore the marsh with your child at Joppa Flats Education Center!

In every kind of weather, our favorite thing is to head outdoors to our spectacular local habitats! Each nature exploration will focus on the importance of a sense of place as we explore the ecology, sights, and sounds of our natural landscape. Wildlife, local and migrating birds, collecting techniques, and environmental awareness will be presented in a fun, energetic format that adults and children alike will enjoy.

When: 
Wednesday, May 21, 2014 2-3:30 pm

Scavenger Hunt at Hamlin Reservation

Join the Trustees of Reservations on a treasure hunt at Hamlin reservation in Ip

Looking for something fun to do with the kids during school vacation? Join The Trustees of Reservations at the Hamlin Reservation on a treasure hunt and hike.  Kids will search for natural treasure (and some man-made as well!) as they walk through the gently rolling fields of this former farmland, then over a dike path that leads to a loop trail around Eagle Island in the marshes of Ipswich. Bring your sharpest skills of observation and a bag to collect your treasures!

When: 
Thursday, April 24, 2014 1-2:30pm

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Shore School in Beverly Massachusetts offers a host of Summer programs for kids aged 5-12

Bruins Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations. Together, we are...
7:00 am to 9:00 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

Tower School Tower Tots

Tower School Tower Tots: PARENT & TODDLER WORKSHOPS Marblehead Massachusetts
Our free Parent and Toddler Workshops are teacher-led, interactive, fun and open to everyone! Each workshop has its own unique theme—incorporating music, art, read-aloud stories and sensory explorations—selected to delight children aged 2–4.
9:00 am to 10:00 am

Salem's So Sweet Festival

Salem Massachusetts' retailers have some sweet surprises in store during the Salem's So Sweet Weekend Festival
Salem Main Streets and the Salem Chamber of Commerce invite you to come enjoy the annual Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival – a decadent tradition of delectable chocolate, sparkling ice sculptures, and Valentine’s Day shopping! Now in its 23rd year, the signature elements of...
9:00 am to 10:00 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

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.
10:30 am to 11:30 am

Animal Adventures Series: Inside & Out

Come learn about your favorite animals and their habitats at the Joppa Flats Center in Newburyport Massachusetts! Photo: Kathy Crane, NOAA Arctic Research Program
Joppa Flats Education Center invites families for family fun about your favorite animals with hands-on science, songs, a take-home craft and outdoor time, weather permitting. This is a three-week series for young "naturalists" and their adventure-loving adult to learn about animals together. Please...
1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Saturday, February 22

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

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...
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

First Aid, CPR & AED Training at ESM

Get First Aid, CPR or AED Certified in this workshop at Essex Shipbuilding Museum in Massachusetts
Take a CPR, First Aid, and AED Certification Course hosted by the Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum at the charming Museum School House. Gain essential life-saving skills and the confidence to handle emergencies with ease.
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Children's Maple in the Barnyard at Appleton Farms

Visit Appleton Farms' sugaring operation and learn about making maple sugar syrup!
Maple Season is here! This special program for ages 3-11 & their families will focus on the magic of maple from start to finish. We will discover this tradition by observing trees, tasting sap, learning the tools involved, and finally, tasting the sweet product. We will make sure to have time...
10:45 am to 3:00 pm

Guided Tour | When Granite Was King!

Find out the story behind the history of granite quarrying at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, Massachusetts!
Halibut Point State Park is also a granite quarry with a history that goes back billions of years! Over one hundred years ago, the Rockport Granite Company quarried granite stone here.
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 3:00 pm

Sunday, February 23

Bruins Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
From February 1 through March 15, Cradles to Crayons®, the Boston Bruins, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and Wonderfund are coming together with organizations in your community to collect new pajamas for local children living in low-income and homeless situations. Together, we are...
7:00 am to 9:00 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

Quarry Quest Treasure Hunt

Kids will enjoy this treasure hunt at the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry in Rockport Massachusetts
Enjoy an outdoor treasure hunt at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations during February Vacation! Halibut Point State Park invites kids and families to follow clues then unscramble to find a treasure box!
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
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