Outdoor Activity

Trail Blazing Trek

Join Mass Audubon naturalists on a hike some of the less travelled trails at IRWS.

Ipswich River Sanctuary invites you to come explore! Looking to get off the beaten path and take "the one less traveled?" Haven't yet hiked alll 12 miles of our sanctuary's interconnected trails? Have a yearning to explore places like Hassocky Meadow or White Pine Loop? Come with us as we trek some of the sanctuary's less frequented trails to discover new sights and sounds in these spectacular habitats.

When: 
Saturday, October 1, 2016 1:30 pm - 3pm

Nature Adventures with Picture Books: Butterflies

Learn about butterflies at the MassAudubon Ipswich River wildlife Sanctuary!

Rita Gallant, Lead Field Teacher at IRWS will read Festive Occasions - Special Event Rental Equipment by Joanne Ryder. Let's find out what butterflies live in our area. Using sweep nets and hand lenses, we'll observe butterflies in the gardens and fields of the sanctuary. Become a butterfly as we learn about the life cycles of these fluttering marvels.

When: 
Tuesday, August 2, 2016 9:30-11:00 am

Eco-Art: Salamanders

Discover, explore and learn through art at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

Salamanders are often found in dark, wet places such as under a rock or log in the soil, while their eggs can be found in vernal pools. We will go for a walk, looking under rocks and logs for salamanders, and visit a vernal pool to discover where they lay their eggs each spring. Each participant will create a clay salamander to take home.

When: 
Thursday, July 28, 2016 9-11 am

Nature Adventures with Picture Books: Crickets and Grasshoppers

Learn about crickets and grasshoppers at Ipswich River Sanctuary!

Rita Gallant, Lead Field Teacher at IRWS will read Crickets and Grasshoppers by Theresa Greenaway. Using nets and hand lenses, come explore with us as we examine a field and learn why crickets and grasshoppers sing and jump, how they eat, and what their similarities are.

When: 
Tuesday, July 19, 2016 9:30-11:00 am

Crane Estate Picnic Concert - The BaHa Brothers

The BaHa Brothers bring beachy Jimmy Buffet music to Castle Hill on the Crane Es

Part of the Thursday Night Picnic Concerts at Castle Hill at the Crane Estate in Ipswich, this is a great way to get together and have fun with the whole family in an exclusive setting. You can pack a picnic dinner, bring the kids, and get ready to dance the night away under the stars on the Grand Allée. Explore the landscaped grounds and the family "Eye Spy."

When: 
Thursday, July 7, 2016 7-9 pm

Family Campout: Discovering the Sanctuary

Explore the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary after hours and join us for a night

Join Mass Audubon for a night of camping under the stars with your family. 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, June 25, 2016 6pm - Sunday, June 26, 2016 9am

Intro to Geocaching at Cox Reservation

Introduce your kids to geocaching at the Cox Reservation in Essex, Massachusetts with Essex County Greenbelt Association!

Come experience the fun new sport of Geocaching at the Cox Reservation in Essex, Massachusetts! This web-based hide-and-seek game is growing by leaps and bounds across the country!Instructors will share how to use a GPS unit and astute powers of observation to find hidden caches at the Cox Reservation.

When: 
Saturday, June 4th, 2016 1:00-2:30
Location: 

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Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts offers farm-based Summer Programs for kids ages 5-15

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 24th year, Salem’s So Sweet has become...
9:00 am to 10:00 pm

NSNP Saturday Srolls at Choate Farm

Come to Choate Farm in Danvers Massachusetts to learn some basic Winter Survival Skills with your family!
Do you and your family have what it takes to survive out in the wilderness?
10:00 am to 11:30 am

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
Come explore the lesser-visited corners of Castle Hill and its surroundings with us this season. This hike is a CraneOutdoors guide favorite because it’s got a little bit of all the things that make the Crane Estate such a special place…
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Music and Movement at North Shore Children's Museum

North Shore, North Shore Childrens Museum in Peabody MA
Music and Movement with Marybeth Maes is an engaging music and movement class for young children at the North Shore Children's Museum. Marybeth brings her guitar and instruments for the children to use while they sing, dance, and play.
10:00 am to 11:00 am

CraneExplorer: Valentine's Coastal Craft

Make Valentines crafts from materials that we find along the shore at the Trustees of Reservations Crane Estate in Ipswich, Massachusetts
The Trustees of Reservations invites ages 12 and up to a valentine craft making workshop! This Valentine’s Day, give a gift from the sea! From seaweed pressings to shell collages, beach treasures make beautiful greetings and keepsakes. Join this workshop to learn fun craft ideas and make marine art...
10:00 am to 12:30 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

Bald Eagles in the Wild for Teens

Teens are invited to Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport Massachusetts to learn about eagles and their behaviors. Photo: Bill O'Connor
Head to the most popular spots to search for Bald Eagles. Learn how to spot an eagle in flight, observe their behaviors, and learn how to identify Bald Eagles at different stages of life. Use binoculars, field scopes, and bird guides. Stay active and warm with group challenges about wingspan and...
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
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