Exploration

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

Imagine, Sing, & Learn: Friends in the Garden

Come discover the wonder of the garden at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newbur

Preschoolers will Imagine, Sing the Learn about animal groups in this session! This parent/child program is designed for the creative, curious, and active preschooler. This is a 90 minute program for preschoolers and a grown-up all about t ladybugs and honey bees and how they are friends of the garden. Today “Miss Jan” had a full class and had so much fun singing songs, teaching about how insects help the garden and the farmers, and making bug puppets, and eating our “bugs in a bowl” snack made from fresh fruit: see attached photo for a quick sneak peek.

When: 
Friday, June 13, 2014 10-11:30am

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

Catch and Release: Amphibians

Catch and release amphibians that you findat the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuar

Are you a frog catcher, snake wrangler, dragonfly hunter, or deer stalker?  Do you love splashing through mud, crawling under logs, and running through fields with nothing but a net and your sense of adventure? Then catch and release is for you!  This session's topic: amphibians. We'll search the wetlands for frogs and tadpoles, the woodlands for toads, and under logs for salamanders. Learn where to look, when it's okay to catch a creature, and when to just follow them and observe, how to hold them carefully so you can take a good look, and how to return them gently and safely to the wild.

When: 
Saturday, June 7, 2014 1:30-3pm

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

Hunger Games Spring Survival for Teens

Teens will learnb wilderness survival skills in this session at Mass Audubon's I

In this spring session of the program based on the hit book series The Hunger Games, we will continue to learn the skills necessary to survive in the wild. Navigation in the woods can be tough, and finding edible foods can be even tougher. Didn't you walk by that tree already? 

When: 
Saturday, May 10, 2014 1:30-3:30pm

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Camp Whirlygig for kids ages 4-10 at the Wenham Museum in 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

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

Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic

The Annual Hampton Beach, NH Master Sandsculpting Competition 2025
The fun starts when 200 tons of imported sand is dropped on Hampton Beach and the “Grady Bunch” starts pounding up the sponsor site. The entire area is illuminated for night viewing through June 23rd. Watch Greg Grady and “The Grady Bunch” build a mammoth Sand Demo Site. 
7:00 am to 11:00 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

StoryWalk Series at Maudslay

“Magnificent Monarchs” by Linda Glaser Storywalk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
Enjoy this pre-school StoryWalk® at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time in nature! “Magnificent Monarchs” by Linda Glaser is featured in this StoryWalk Series. Younger kids will love this gentle, richly illustrated children’s nonfiction book aimed at preschool–third grade...
7:00 am to 8:00 pm

Inclyousion Sports at North Shore Children's Museum

Inclyousion Paly Session at the North Shore Children's Museum in Peabody Massachusetts
Join coaches from Inclyousion Sports to learn and play. Inclyousion Sports provides inclusive sports enrichment programs to children in Massachusetts, using innovative behavioral methods to teach sports, fitness, and social skills.
10:00 am to 11:00 am

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

Annual Art in the Barn Exhibit and Sale

Art in the Barn is a fundraiser for the Essex County Greenbelt Association Essex Mass
Art in the Barn is recognized as one of the North Shore’s premier art events, showcasing the work of some of the most talented artists in the region. An annual fundraising event for over 30 years, the show takes place at Greenbelt’s headquarters, Cox Reservation in Essex, an iconic plein air...
10:00 am to 5:00 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

Saturday, June 21

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

Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic

The Annual Hampton Beach, NH Master Sandsculpting Competition 2025
The fun starts when 200 tons of imported sand is dropped on Hampton Beach and the “Grady Bunch” starts pounding up the sponsor site. The entire area is illuminated for night viewing through June 23rd. Watch Greg Grady and “The Grady Bunch” build a mammoth Sand Demo Site. 
7:00 am to 11:00 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

Haverhill Farmers' Market

Haverhill Farmers Market, North Shore Farmers Market, Cape Ann Farmers Marke
The vibrant, colorful Haverhill Farmers Market is where local farmers and food producers meet to sell directly to the community. Established in 1978, the Haverhill Farmers Market mission is to provide access to farm-fresh products and promote local agriculture, as well as serve as a social...
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Marblehead Farmers' Market

Find fresh local produce and other foods at the Marblehead Farmer's Market!
The Marblehead Farmer's Market boasts 15+ local farms, and booths with an educational spin nutrition, vendors and farms selling homemade prepared goods and craft vendors that are switched up in a rotation basis week to week. Additionally there are entertainers and exhibits by environmentally...
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Andover Farmers' Market

Find Fresh Local Produce at the Andover Massachusetts Farmers Market North of Boston
The Andover Farmers Market is a vibrant hub connecting local farmers, artisans and the community through the joy of local food. Whether you come for carrots or conversation, it is a place to nourish the body, mind and spirit.
9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Rockport Farmers' Market

The Rockport Farmers' Market runs every Saturday at Rockport Music in Downtown Rockport!
The Rockport Farmers Market offers a variety of locally-grown produce, hand-crafted products, baked goods, and live music. It provides a community space to support local farmers and artisans.
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

Interpretation Station at Maudslay

Learn about the bloom cycles at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
Join the park interpreter at this station to discover the many park perks at Maudslay! Each week a different feature and area will be highlighted. Check the board at each entrance to find the location of the Interpretation Station. For all ages.
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
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