Exploration

Family Campouts: Late Summer River Camping

Camp by the riber at IRWS in this overnight camping excursion.

Explore the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary after hours and join us for a night of camping under the stars. Have an early dinner at home and then come with your family, your tent, and a dessert to share. This campout will focus on the Ipswich River. We will start the evening by setting up our tents at the top of the hill, and then head down to the river for an evening canoe trip.

When: 
Saturday, September 16, 2017 6pm - Sunday, September 17, 2017 9am
Location: 
Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
Topsfield
Exploration
Live Animals
Discovery
Camping
Ecology
Mass Audubon

Family Flyby: Butterflies and Bugs

Come learn about butterflies and other insects at Joppa Flats Center Newburyport

All kinds of bugs live in our backyards, including butterflies! At this family fly-by kids will learn about butterflies' and bugs' lives, their births, their diets and their survival skills.  Join us at Joppa Flats Education Center for a magnified look into their bug sized world!

When: 
Sunday, July 27, 2014 10-3 pm
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Exploration
Scavenger Hunt
Birding
Science
Nature
Conservation
Crafts
Mass Audubon

CCSI: Coastal Crime Scene Investigation

Use science and your skiils of observation to solve a mystery at Joppa Flats!

Solve the crime that has been committed at Joppa Flats by investigating clues, performing experiments, and questioning suspects. Handle live beach creatures and perform math, science, and chemistry tasks to narrow down your suspects, put together the timeline and solve the case! Every participant takes home a prize!

When: 
Saturday, October 19, 2013 6 pm - 9 pm
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Exploration
Science
Discovery
Marine
Mystery
Mass Audubon

Vacation Week Flyby: Birds and Buds

Buds are a certain sign of Spring, and appear magically at the turn of the Seaso

Joppa Flats Education Center offers April vacation programs offering a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities - keeping minds active and hands busy during school break! Come all day or as your schedule allows! This Vacation Week Flyby will focus on the birds and Spring buds.

When: 
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 10am-3pm
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Exploration
Scavenger Hunt
Science
Nature
Conservation
April Vacation
Crafts
Mass Audubon

Weekday Little Explorers: Animals in Winter

What animals do you see in winter? Find out at IRWS in Topsfield Massachusetts

What animals do you see in winter? Where do they find their food? We will hike to the woods and look for clues of what they have been eating and where they have been sleeping. Discover tracks in the snow and try to guess what animals have been on the trails.

When: 
Wednesday, Jan 9, 2013 10-11:30 am
Location: 
Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
Topsfield
Hike
Walk
Exploration
Nature
Crafts
Mass Audubon

Vacation Week Flyby: Get Ready, Gather, and Go!

Lots of fun activities are part of every Fly-by at Joppa Flats Education Center!

Our school vacation programs offer a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities while we keep minds active and hands busy during break! Each session offers a different theme, with art activities, experiments, group games, and more. It's free-flow learning for the whole family. Come once or make it a multi-day experience! Fly by for an hour or stay all day for a vacation activity that suits your family schedule.

When: 
Thursday, December 28, 2012 10 am - 2 pm
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Exploration
Scavenger Hunt
Vacation Week
Science
Nature
Conservation
Crafts

Family Flyby: Boats Afloat!

Make your own boat, then see if it floats at Joppa Flats Education Center!

Free-flow learning at Joppa Flats is fun for the whole family. There's simple science fun with coloring pages, crafts, and toys for ages 2 to 6; science experiments and group challenges for ages 7 and up; and outdoor exploration, seasonal live animals, and scheduled family presentations for everyone. Fly by for an hour or stay all day for family time that suits your schedule. There's something different to see and do with every visit!  This week, kids are encouraged to be a pirate for the day, learn the skills a sailor needs at sea, and learn about ocean conservation!

When: 
Saturday, July 7, 2012 10am - 2pm
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Exploration
Scavenger Hunt
Science
Nature
Conservation
Live Animals
Crafts
Touch Tank

Family Flyby: Return of the Touch Tank

You can look at, AND touch the creatures in Joppa Flats touch tank!

Free-flow learning at Joppa Flats is fun for the whole family. There's simple science fun with coloring pages, crafts, and toys for ages 2 to 6; science experiments and group challenges for ages 7 and up; and outdoor exploration, seasonal live animals, and scheduled family presentations for everyone. Fly by for an hour or stay all day for family time that suits your schedule. There's something different to see and do with every visit!  This week we're thrilled to have our touch tank back for the season. Come look AND touch the creature that live in our tank!

When: 
Saturday, June 2, 2012 10am - 2pm
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Exploration
Scavenger Hunt
Science
Nature
Conservation
Live Animals
Crafts
Touch Tank

Family Flyby: Gardening for Wlildlife

What you plant in your yard determines the kid of wildlife that visits!

CANCELED: 5/5 8 a.m. Note to all readers: Lisa Hutchings & Elyssa Davis want to inform you that we had to cancel the gardening family flyby that was scheduled for Sat May 5th.

Free-flow learning at Joppa Flats is fun for the whole family. There's simple science fun with coloring pages, crafts, and toys for ages 2 to 6; science experiments and group challenges for ages 7 and up; and outdoor exploration, seasonal live animals, and scheduled family presentations for everyone. Fly by for an hour or stay all day for family time that suits your schedule. There's something different to see and do with every visit!  This week we'll focus on how to make your back yard more inviting to wildlife by choosing the right plants and planting them to create shelter.

When: 
Saturday, May 5, 2012 10am - 2pm
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Exploration
Scavenger Hunt
Science
Nature
Conservation
Crafts

Pages

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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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...
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

StoryWalk Series at Maudslay
“Summer’s Flight, Pollen’s Delight,” by Flora C. Caputo storywalk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
“Summer’s Flight, Pollen’s Delight,” by Flora C. Caputo is the subject of this STORYWALK Series. Enjoy this preschool storywalk at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time outside in nature!
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 8:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Sing & Dance with the Music Man
Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton visit Massachusetts
Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10am for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician,...
Where: Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham
10:00 am to 10:45 am
♦ Read More →

Kidleidoscope at Bradley Palmer

Kidleidoscope is a program designed for preschoolers at Bradley Palmer State Park
Kids ages 3-6 are invited to join this fun, engaging activity session where they will learn about nature through stories, craft and outdoor activitiies. Topics vary by week, so come for them all! Meets at the Nature Center at 40 Asbury Street.
Where: Bradley Palmer State Park
10:00 am to 11:00 am
♦ Read More →

Backyard Growers Garden Storytime
Join Backyard Growers at Sawyer Free Library Garden in Gloucester Massachusetts for Garden Storytime
Backyard Growers brings a fun outdoor children's gardening program to the library! Children will plan, plant, water, weed, maintain & harvest a garden at the library all summer in this series of Thursday morning events.
Where: Sawyer Free Library
10:00 am
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Boston Common and Boston Public Garden
10:00 am to 3:59 pm
♦ Read More →

Plankton Safari
Join the team at Maritime Gloucester Massachusetts for a Plankton Safari every Monday and Thursday
Come to Maritime Gloucester and discover what lives near the bottom of the oceanic food chain using digital microscopes!
Where: Maritime Gloucester
10:30 am to 3:30 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
11:00 am
♦ Read More →

Salem Witch Hunt Walking Tour
Learn about the true reality of the Salem Massachusetts Witch Trials Salem Massachusetts on a guided walking tour with Essex Heritage
Essex Hertiage invites you to learn the true causes and events behind the Salem Witch Trials in our documentary film, then discover the myths during our walking tour. The Salem Witch Trials happened over 300 years ago, and it has been dramatized in books, documentaries, movies, and even TV shows....
Where: Downtown Salem
11:45 am to 3:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
2:00 pm
♦ Read More →

The Backyard Growcery
Join Backyard Growers at Burnham's Field in Gloucester Massachusetts for a weekly Farmer's Market
Stop by Gloucester’s new weekly farmers market, the Backyard Growcery, managed by Backyard Growers. The Backyard Growcery is located at Burnham's Field, an urban park near Gloucester’s thriving waterfront, and features small-scale North Shore farmers, bakers, a seafood vendor, an artisanal pizza...
Where: Burnham's Field
2:30 pm to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Ipswich Homegrown Market
Ipswich Homegrown Market on the Middle Green in Ipswich Massachusetts.
Every Thursday through the Summer, you will find fresh local produce and other foods from local vendors at the Middle Green in Ipswich Massachusetts! Come enjoy this weekly community event featuring local growers, makers, artists, and dreamers.
Where: Middle Green Ipswich MA
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Salem Farmers' Market
The Salem Farmer's Market bring the goodness of local farm to downtown Salem!
The Salem Farmers' Market brings fresh local produce and other foods from North Shore farms and other local resources to downtown Salem every Thursday at  Bentley Academy Charter School!
Where: Derby Square
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Cow Connection at Appleton Farms
Join The Trustees of Reservations at Appleton Farms for Cow Connection in Ipswich Massachusetts
Immerse your family in the heartwarming experience of being up close and personal with one of our favorite farm animals – cows! Cuddle, brush, and sit with our hand-raised cows at Appleton Farms. Visit our scenic and historic farm and enjoy Family Cow Connection session with our two Jersey Dairy...
Where: Appleton Farms
4:00 pm to 4:45 pm
♦ Read More →

Salisbury Farmers' Market
Salisbury Farmers Market is a great source of local produce.
The Salisbury Farmers' Market offers a vibrant community experience with a variety of fresh, locally sourced produce, unprocessed honey, farm-fresh eggs, and maple syrup. Enjoy music, local market creations, and engage with local farmers. The market also features monthly craft markets, cooking...
Where: Salisbury Town Common
5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Castle Hill Picnic Concert - Soul City
Soul City will perform at the Trustees of Reservations' Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts. You will dance. Resistance is futile.
Looking for a fun family outing on the North Shore of Massachusetts? Don't miss the Thursday Night Picnic Concerts at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate in Ipswich! These concerts offer a perfect opportunity to enjoy quality time with your loved ones in a beautiful and exclusive setting on the North...
Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Wednesday, August 28

Nature Discovery at Maudslay State Park
Find the hidden secrets of Maudslay State Park with the park interpreter
Join the interpreter for this fun program that focuses on interesting aspects in different areas of the park. Use nets, magnifiers and bug viewers to discover the hidden secrets in nature.
Where: Maudslay State Park
10:30 pm to 11:30 pm
♦ Read More →

Thursday, August 29

StoryWalk Series at Maudslay
“Summer’s Flight, Pollen’s Delight,” by Flora C. Caputo storywalk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts
“Summer’s Flight, Pollen’s Delight,” by Flora C. Caputo is the subject of this STORYWALK Series. Enjoy this preschool storywalk at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time outside in nature!
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 8:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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...
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Boston Common and Boston Public Garden
10:00 am to 3:59 pm
♦ Read More →

Sing & Dance with the Music Man
Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton visit Massachusetts
Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10am for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician,...
Where: Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham
10:00 am to 10:45 am
♦ Read More →

Kidleidoscope at Bradley Palmer

Kidleidoscope is a program designed for preschoolers at Bradley Palmer State Park
Kids ages 3-6 are invited to join this fun, engaging activity session where they will learn about nature through stories, craft and outdoor activitiies. Topics vary by week, so come for them all! Meets at the Nature Center at 40 Asbury Street.
Where: Bradley Palmer State Park
10:00 am to 11:00 am
♦ Read More →

Backyard Growers Garden Storytime
Join Backyard Growers at Sawyer Free Library Garden in Gloucester Massachusetts for Garden Storytime
Backyard Growers brings a fun outdoor children's gardening program to the library! Children will plan, plant, water, weed, maintain & harvest a garden at the library all summer in this series of Thursday morning events.
Where: Sawyer Free Library
10:00 am
♦ Read More →

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.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
11:00 am
♦ Read More →
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