Kids

Outdoor Adventures for Families: iNaturalist Nature Walk

Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary is part island, part forest and part marsh!

Fall is a fantastic time to explore our coastline with its rocky tide pools and sandy clam flats. Joppa Flats Education Coordinator Lisa Hutchings will guide families on the identification of creatures, provide small group challenges, and share her vast knowledge and joy for marine life. Sign up for one or all of these educational outdoor adventures.

Joppa Flats will provide all field gear and equipment. This is not a drop-off class; all children must be accompanied by at least one adult. Locations are subject to change.

When: 
Saturday, October 31, 2020 2-4pm

Little Woods Walk: Forest Walk for Families

Join Mass Audubon naturalists on a hike at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield!

Join a Mass Audubon teacher on a child-friendly walk to learn about the people and wildlife who call these forests home. Fall is a wonderful time to enjoy a hike with family and give thanks for the resources and beauty that nature provides for wild animals and people, too. The hike is set at a leisurely pace with stops to explore for birds, mammals, insects, and other interesting creature we'll see along the way.

When: 
Saturday, October 31, 2020 10am-11:30am
Saturday, October 31, 2020 1-2:30pm

Hunter's Moon: Night Hike for Families at IRWS

Walk through the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary lit only by the full moon

The sparkle of the Hunter's Moon will guide our way as we walk the trails of the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. Led by a sanctuary naturalist, we'll explore fields, forests, and wetlands looking and listening for beavers slapping their tails on the river's surface, Barred Owls hooting, White-tailed Deer grazing, and Eastern Coyotes howling. Learn about the fascinating adaptations of these animals as they prepare for winter and hear some Hunter's Moon lore on this fun, fall, after-dark adventure.

When: 
Friday October 30, 2020 7-8:30pm

Nature for Tots at Joppa: Backyard Birds

Meet some of the birds that you'll find in your yard at Joppa Flats Education Center!

The Joppa Flats riverside yard will be our outdoor classroom for families every week! Let's learn about different animals and their habitats, discover the mysteries of weather and where animals go in winter, and do lots of hands-on science with songs, role play, and imagination.  This session will focus on birds that you'll find in your own backyard!

When: 
Thursday, October 15, 2020 10-11am
Thursday, October 15, 2020 1-2pm

Tidepools for Tots

Tide pools for tots is a great opportunity for kids to discover tidal pool creatures and their habitat.

Hermit Crabs, Moon Snails, and Sea Urchins! Come meet these beach creatures in the riverside yard at Joppa Flats. Each family will create their own tide pool model with sand, rocks, seaweed, and salt water. Once each habitat is set up, we'll share our live marine critters with you for you to add to your model tide pool. Your curiosity and wonder will grow as you see how these animals move, hide, and react to each other. Questions and discussion are always welcome!

When: 
Thursday, September 24, 2020 10-11am or 2-3pm
Friday, September 25, 2020 10-11am or 2-3pm

Observing Artificial Satellites

Come learn how to spot satellites at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo: NASA

The program will begin with an indoor presentation that will provide you with the information needed to be able to find and observe artificial satellites like the International Space Station and other human-made orbiting objects. Topics to be covered will include the nature of artificial satellite orbits, the best time of year for observing them, and how to identify them in the night sky. Weather permitting, we'll step outside afterwards to seek out artificial satellites and gaze into the night sky through the telescopes of local amateur astronomers. Along with the early springtime constellations, a young crescent moon and the planet Venus will be visible.

When: 
Friday, March 28, 2020 7-9pm

Kids Minecraft Club at SFL

Kids Minecraft Club at Sawyer Free Library in Gloucester MA

Play Minecraft with other children grades 1-5 (ages 6 and up)  Learn new tricks from each other and explore and build in a world together. This group is for children in grades 1 and up. Due to our child safety policy, at least one parent per session will need to volunteer to stay in the room the entire time of the program, from 3:30-4:30. Please register for just one session per month. If registration is full, please sign up on the wait list and we will schedule you soon!

When: 
First & Second Mondays Monthly 3:30-4:45pm

Dads & Donuts At Sawyer Free

Calling all dads! Bring your kids to Sawyer Free Library for a Saturday morning

This is a great opportunity for dads (uncles, grandfathers, cousins or other father figures) to spend time with their kids! Come to the Sawyer Free Library with the kids for a storytime filled with songs, stories,snacks and fun!  Great for kids aged 2-6 (siblings are welcome). Moms and siblings welcome to attend.

When: 
Saturday, March 14, 2020 10:00am

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Art Academy Summer Program at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly MA

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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