Pre-School

Salamander Meander

What kind of Salamanders will we find at Mass Audubon's Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary? Photo: Mass Audubon

April is the month when frogs, toads, and salamanders return to wetlands and lay their eggs. We'll search the sanctuary's vernal pools, ponds, and woodlands for a variety of amphibians that are the on the move. If we're lucky, we might see Wood Frog and Spotted Salamander eggs and catch a few adults to observe up close and then release.

When: 
Saturday, May 4, 11 & 18, 2024 10-11:30am

All Family Field Trip | Early Spring in the Salt Marsh

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

Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the north shore. Our engaging and experienced staff will introduce families to local beaches, forests, and wetlands to make observations in nature, identify wildlife, and enjoy hands on science activities outdoors. Sign up for one, some, or all! For kids 4-11.

When: 
Thursday, May 16, 2024 10am-Noon

Wonder Workshop for PreK at North Shore Children's Museum

Pre-K Wonder Workshop at North Shore Children's Museum in Peabody Massachusetts

Join us this Wednesday at 1:30 PM for the Pre-K Wonder Workshop at the North Shore Children's Museum. Led by retired transitional kindergarten teacher Norma, each week explores a different question through hands-on activities. This interactive workshop sparks curiosity and encourages active participation in a supportive environment. Tickets

When: 
Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 1:30 PM

Read to a Dog at Danvers Library

Kids are invited to read to a therapy dog at the Danvers Public Library in Massachusetts

Canceled 4/12/24

Ages 4 - 11. Kids, read to Bentley, our therapy dog friend from B.O.N.E.S.! Bring some books with you or select them from the Children's Room to read to our friendly dog buddy. You'll have 15 minutes to read to our canine companion, who will happily enjoy your stories. This helps to build reading fluency and confidence! Great for reluctant readers! One child per time slot, please.

When: 
Thursday, April 25, 2024 6-7pm

Through Me to You Puppet Show

Through Me to You Puppetry at the Sawyer Free Library in Gloucester Massachusetts

Sawyer Free Library hosts Through Me to You Puppetry foran Extra Special Storytime event at Brown's Mall in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Puppet friends take turns reading stories & singing songs with us! Afterwards, children & families can meet the puppets during a hands on puppet play session!  This special event will be held inside Brown's Mall at Movement Arts Gloucester MA on the top floor of the Brown Building, where regular story time is held.

When: 
Wednesday, April 24, 2024 11am-Noon
Location: 

A Whale of a Time at Maritime Gloucester

Kids will learn all about whales at this Maritime Gloucester April Vacation drop off program in Gloucester Massachusetts

Here in Massachusetts we are lucky enough to host some of the largest animals on earth - whales! Join us in learning more about these majestic mammals! Particitpants learn all about whale behaviors and observe their food source under our microscopes. Create your own unique whale tail design to take home! For kids ages 6-10.

When: 
Friday, April 19, 2024 10am-3pm

Spring Scavenger Hunt with Danvers SEPAC

Kids are invited to join a Spring Scavenger Hunt at the Danvers Public Library in Massachusetts

Kids of all ages! Enjoy a Spring Scavenger Hunt in Children's Room. If they find all of the scavenger hunt items, they can choose a shiny prize from the Treasure Chest! Sponsored by the Danvers' SEPAC in collaboration with the Peabody Institute Library of Danvers. Registration in the event is optional, but will help us ensure that we have enough prizes! Kids who do not register may participate. 

When: 
Saturday, April 6, 2024 10-11am

Process Art Workshop at HW Library

Preschool and older kids will express themselves artistically at Hamilton-Wenham Library in Massachusetts!

The Hamilton-Wenham Public Library invites kids to get creative and have some fun! Join Ms. Eva of Early Childhood Partners for a themed story and activities that practice process art methods. The Process Art Workshop is designed for children ages 2 - 6 years old and their adult. Older children are welcome. This class will be held on Wednesdays from 6:00 - 7:00pm from APR 3-JUN 5 (no group on 4/17). Process Art Workshop will take place in the Children's Program Room.  No registration needed.

When: 
Wednesdays, April 10 & 24, 2024 6-7pm

Pages

Adirondack Leadership Program at Gordon College’s La Vida Center

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

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

Watching the Coastal Edge at Halibut Point

Tour the WWII era observation tower at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport Massachusetts.
Meet at the Halibut Point State Park visitors center to learn about the role Halibut Point has played in America’s military history. One day after the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, U.S.
11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Saturday, February 15

Lunar New Year Festival at PEM

Families can celebrate the Lunar New Year at Peabody Essex Museum in Salem Massachusetts!
Join PEM as they celebrate the Lunar New Year | The Year of the Snake!  Come welcome the Year of the Snake with a vibrant festival heralding new beginnings and the coming of spring! Enjoy a scavenger hunt, art making and guided tours of Yin Yu Tang.  Lunar New Year is celebrated in many Asian...
Where: PEM
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

LEGO Train

LEGO Train Weekend at Wenham Museum during Fevruary vacation weekend in Massachusetts
EVERYTHING IS AWESOME! Calling all LEGO fans – we’re excited to welcome the LEGO Train back to the Wenham Museum this February!  Come see a rainbow colored, L-gauge model train speeding along a brick track as it races by soaring skyscrapers, country cottages, mountainside ski slopes and much more...
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Eagle Festival: Everything Eagles

Kids will learn about eagles, their migrations and varied habitat at Joppa Flats. Image ©David Morris
During Eagle Festival Week, join North Shore Field Teachers at a popular viewing area to spot Bald Eagles along the Merrimack River and learn about behaviors such as soaring, fishing, and showing courtship displays. Using sound effects, props, and group role play, you'll stay active and warm...
10:00 am to 3:00 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

Eagle Festival: Bald Eagle Viewing for Teens

Teens are invited to Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport Massachusetts to learn about eagles and their behaviors. Photo: Bill O'Connor
This youth program will take place at a popular viewing area to see Bald Eagles along the Merrimack River. You'll learn how to spot an eagle in flight, observe their behaviors, and learn how to identify Bald Eagles at their different stages of life. We will use binoculars, field scopes, and bird...
1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

Sunday, February 16

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

For the Love of Birding at Halibut Point

Meet at Halibut Point State Park for Beginning birding - held on the 3rd Sunday of each month.
Start your morning strolling our seaside treasure with Birding Basics Halibut Point State Park. For all ages. Winter brings birds and ducks to the seashore that escape freezing ponds up north. You’ll see Harlequin ducks and loons among the winter visitors at the rocky coastal water’s edge. Join us...
8:00 am to 10:00 am
Subscribe to Pre-School