Kids

Touch Tank Time

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

Summer beach days are over, but our 110-gallon tide pool touch tank is still filled with marine life! Drop in for this free program at Joppa Flats and examine the critters you might have discovered on your own visits to the shore. Sea Urchiins, Moon Snails, Sand Dollars, hermits, Horseshoe Crabs, and more! This free programming for folks of all ages includes special features for little ones.

When: 
Weekends September 8-23, 2018 12:30-3:30pm

Guided Tour of Empresses of China's Forbidden City Exhibition

Tour PEM's Empresses of China's Forbidden City Exhibition as part of Trails and Sails 2018

This exhibition is the first to explore the role of empresses in shaping China’s last dynasty- the Qing dynasty - from 1644 to 1912. Nearly 200 spectacular objects from the Palace Museum tell the little-known stories of how imperial women influenced court politics, art and religion. Timed to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of U.S.-China diplomatic relations, Empresses of China's Forbidden City is organized by the Peabody Essex Museum; the Smithsonian's Freer|Sackler, Washington, D.C.; and the Palace Museum, Beijing.

When: 
Friday, September 21, 2018 3-4pm

Backpack Babies at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

Backpack Babies is a program that encourages caregivers to explore the natural world with their babies and toddlers. Photo: Sharon Grimes

Backpack Babies is a program that encourages caregivers to explore the natural world with their babies and toddlers. Bring your backpack/frontpack or jogging stroller and explore the meadows, forests, and wetlands with your baby in this four-session series. Each class will begin indoors with a nature book and a few lap rhymes, songs, and games about the topic of the day. Then we'll go outside for a closer look at nature's gifts with our:

Family Campout: Owl Prowl

Explore the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary after hours for a night. Photo Scott Santino

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 and your tent. We will explore nature through games and hands-on activities, set up our tents near the Barn before sundown, and tell stories after the sun sets. All campouts include an evening and a morning activity or hike and a light breakfast.

When: 
Saturday, September 15 6pm - Sunday, September 16, 2018 9am

Seabirds and Whales Cruise

Learn about sea birds while whale watching aboard the Privateer IV out of Gloucester, Massachusetts!

Have a wonderful time watching for whales and seabirds on a trip with naturalists from Joppa Flats Education Center out of Gloucester aboard the Privateer IV. Aside from marine mammals, we will look for storm-petrels, gannets, jaegers, terns, gulls, and phalaropes. Most trips will head to the productive Stellwagen Bank.

When: 
Monday, September 17, 2018 1-5pm

Meet Beach Creatures All Summer Long!

Discover and explore the facts of the creatures you find at the beach at Joppa

Drop in at Joppa Flats BEFORE the beach, AFTER the beach, or INSTEAD of the beach! What is that spiky thing I almost stepped on? How do starfish – or is it sea stars – eat? Are those baby fish, or is that as big as they get? You have the questions, Joppa Flats Education Center has the answers – and the animals – and the touch tanks!  Themes will change weekly!

When: 
Thursdays - Sundays, June 28 - August 26, 2018 10am-3pm

Bound for Butterflies

Joppa Flats Education Center will have Free indoor and outdoor activities for kids and families!

Join the park interpreter and special guest Russ Hopping on a walk to view and identify various butterfly species at Maudslay.  Russ is an active member of the Massachusetts Butterfly Club and enjoys sharing his knowledge of butterflies with others.  Russ is the Ecology Program Director for The Trustees of Reservations. He has worked for The Trustees since 1997, overseeing the stewardship of ecological resources at The Trustees’ more than 26,000 acres.

When: 
Saturday, August 11, 2018 10am-Noon

Whipple Wednesdays Drop-in Games

Whipple Wednesdays at the Ipswich Museum in ipswich Massachusetts

Ipswich Museum hosts a morning of fun and historic games at the Whipple House each Wednesday in July and August! There’s no need to make a reservation or stay the whole time - just drop in. We’ll have a variety of historic games to play, including rolling hoops, graces, fox & geese, and more! This is a free, all-ages program, but donations are appreciated.

When: 
Wednesdays through July and August 2018 10am-Noon
Location: 

Pages

Glen Urquhart School Pre-K through 8th grade in Beverly MA

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

Befriend the Barnyard

Befriend the Barnyard is a hands-on barnyard experience at the Trustees of Reservations' Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts
Discover our special barnyard animals! Our Angora rabbits Violet, Mabel, Oiver and Charles; Nubian goats Maeve, Morgana, and Mordred; dairy cows Gray, Jasmine, their calves Gigi and Joanie and our friendly flock of heritage chickens will take center stage as we learn about what makes them so unique...
11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Trustees Winterlights at Stevens Coolidge Place

The Trustees of Reservations Winterlights at the Stevents-Coolidge Place North Andover North Andover.
Winterlights is back! Join the Trustees for a magical outdoor experience at Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens, and see the gardens aglow with your favorite light installations as well as marveling at new components. Bring the whole family for a fun and safe outdoor experience. Winterlights runs...
4:30 pm to 8:00 pm

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 pm to 11:30 pm
Subscribe to Kids