Exploration

Nature Adventures with Picture Books: Who's Hiding in and Around the Pond?

Read about amphibians, then find them at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary!

Bring your young naturalist to the sanctuary this summer and experience the joy of books and the wonders of nature. Participate in hands-on nature-related activities inspired by the stories. Sign up for one or more of these adventurous programs.

When: 
Tuesday, July 22, 2014 9:30 am - 11:00 am

Nature Adventures with Picture Books: Who Lives in a Tree

Who lives in a tree?  We'll find out at IRWS's Nature Adventures.

Bring your young naturalist to the sanctuary this summer and experience the joy of books and the wonders of nature. Participate in hands-on nature-related activities inspired by the stories. Sign up for one or more of these adventurous programs.

When: 
Tuesday, July 10, 2012 9:30 am - 11:00 am

Nature Tales: Wonderful Wetlands

Cover art for SQUISH! A Wetland Walk. Comne gte muddy at IRWS in Topsfield!

Join us as we share a children's nature story before we explore the woods, fields, and wetlands of the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary.Today: We'll read [amazon B000PJ7OCS inline] by Nancy Luenn. Then, using buckets and strainers, we will explore a pond and a wetland habitat and search for critters that swim, soar, and crawl.

When: 
Saturday, October 20, 2012 10:00-11:30 am

Sense of Wonder Walks: Evergreen Trees and Cones

Enjoy the spirit of the season and take home the fragrance of the forest at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo: ©Bill O'Connor

Enjoy the spirit of the season and take home the fragrance of the forest. We will read [amazon:978-0060281892:inline] by Margaret Wise Brown. Then we will visit the forest to identify a variety of evergreens by their shape, needles, cones, and fragrance.

When: 
Sunday, December 6, 2015 1:30-3pm

Enter the Owl Zone

Enter the owl zone for a close - up view of a live owl and her babies in the nest at Maudslay State Park

Maudslay State Park invites you for a close-up view of a live owl and her babies in the nest, through a
spotting scope. Plus visit the park interpreter’s table to learn more about this raptor and see
skulls, feathers and owl pellets. Bring binoculars for better viewing of the nest. All ages are
welcome! Follow the signs from the parking lot to the field site.

When: 
Saturday, May 14, 2016 10am-Noon

Popsicles on Perkins Island

Spend the afternoon on the Ipswich River and Perkins Island with Mass Audubon!

Bring your young naturalist to the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary to enjoy an afternoon on the Ipswich River! As the summer starts to heat up, cool down with us on a leisurely canoe paddle to Perkins Island. We'll look for sunbathing turtles and other river creatures on the banks and in the backwaters of the beautiful Ipswich River. Once we get to the island, we'll stretch our legs and enjoy some popsicles.

When: 
Saturday, June 11, 2016 1-3:30pm

Hayrides at Maudslay

Come Explore Maudslay State Park on a FREE hayride!

Enjoy a hayride as you journey thru the park and along the river, to appreciate the rosebay rhododendrons as they exhibit their beauty. All programs sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Meet in the field across from the parking lot. For all ages. An adult must accompany children 12 & under.

When: 
Sunday, June 26, 2016 10am-2pm

See, Think & Wonder: Frogs at Mill Pond

Join a naturalist from Joppa Flats Education Center on a frog hunt at Mill Pond in West Newbury!

In every kind of weather, we love to head outdoors to our spectacular local habitats, so join us for one, two, or more of these nature explorations! Each one will focus on the importance of a sense of place as we explore the ecology, sights, and sounds of our natural landscape. Wildlife, local and migrating birds, collecting techniques, and environmental awareness will be presented in a fun, energetic format that adults and children alike will enjoy.

When: 
Thursday, August 17, 2017 2-3:30 pm
Location: 

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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

Hike & Seek: Magic in the Winter Forest

Kids will learn about the winter survival skills of animals at the Stevens Coolidge Place in North Andover Massachusetts!
Have you ever wondered what happens in nature during the winter months? Do you have questions like, “where do certain animals go” or “why does it snow”? Join us this February school vacation for this self-guided winter themed family-friendly bundle for use along the Stevens-to-Stevens trail in...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

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

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

Family Open House: Signs of Spring Celebration

Come to the Joppa Flats Education Center for our Spring open house in Newburyport Massachusetts
Drop in to learn about returning songbirds, animals waking up from winter, and migrating ocean creatures! Test your knowledge and skills at a science station, examine natural objects with our new bioscope, and take home a fun nature craft or two. Family presentations with Miss Lisa at 11am about...
10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Wenham Museum Spring/Summer Sports Sale

Spring & Summer Sports Sale at Wenham Musseum in Massachusetts
Back by popular demand! After a successful inaugural sale in 2024, Wenham Museum’s Spring & Summer Sports Sale returns for its second year. In keeping with the Museum’s former Attic Treasures Sale tradition, the Spring & Summer Sports Sale brings the community together for a fun and...
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Maple Sugaring Saturday at IRWS

Sugaring Off tours are a fun and tasty way to learn about maple sugaring at IRWS
Experience the age-old tradition of maple sugaring at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary! The warm days of late winter awaken the flow of sap in the maples resulting in sweet-smelling, billowing clouds of steam rising from the sugarhouse. On a naturalist-guided walk, learn how to identify a sugar...
10:30 am to 3:30 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

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

Soup-er Saturday | Emma Andrews Library

Help kids programming at Emma Andrews Library and enjoy some great soup on Soupe
Emma Andrews Library and Community Center invites you to the library for a bowl of hot soup on  a Winter afternoon! Come enjoy the library, share some great food and leave knowing that the price of your meal will go to fund 2025 Emma in the Backyard Summer Programs. Enjoy a bowl of tasty soup,...
11:30 am to 1:30 pm

STEM Club at MPL

Stem Club for kids in grades 3-6 at the public library in Manchester Public Library
Have some fun and learn a little science too at STEM Club! This group meets every third Thursday from 4-5 and is for grades 4-6. 
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Pajama Story Time at Manchester Public Library

Kids are invited to the pajama time book reading at the Public Library in Manchester by the Sea Massachusetts.
Join Miss Audrey for a cozy pajama storytime and craft the first Thursday of every month from 6-7. This program is for kids ages 4 and up and their families. 
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Wednesday, March 19

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

Music Together - Wednesday

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...
9:30 am to 11:15 am

Wenham Museum Spring/Summer Sports Sale

Spring & Summer Sports Sale at Wenham Musseum in Massachusetts
Back by popular demand! After a successful inaugural sale in 2024, Wenham Museum’s Spring & Summer Sports Sale returns for its second year. In keeping with the Museum’s former Attic Treasures Sale tradition, the Spring & Summer Sports Sale brings the community together for a fun and...
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Bowl Painting at TOHP Burnham Library

Proceeds from the Open Door Empty Bowl dinner benefit community programs in citys and towns on the North Shore.
Help paint a bowl to be auctioned at The Open Door's annual fundraiser!! All supplies are provided. Spaces are limited and registration is required.
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Thursday, March 20

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

Wenham Museum Spring/Summer Sports Sale

Spring & Summer Sports Sale at Wenham Musseum in Massachusetts
Back by popular demand! After a successful inaugural sale in 2024, Wenham Museum’s Spring & Summer Sports Sale returns for its second year. In keeping with the Museum’s former Attic Treasures Sale tradition, the Spring & Summer Sports Sale brings the community together for a fun and...
10:00 am to 6:00 pm

Dungeons & Dragons | Roaming Realms | Grades 7-12

Table Top Role Playing Games (RPG) at Newburyport Massachusetts Public Library
This program is registration only. Space is limited so register right away! Join the adventure guild and explore the Roaming Realms! All you need is your wit and a level 4 character sheet. Premade character sheets will be provided as well. This D&D club is for new players as well as experienced...
3:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Pokémon Trading Card Party

Pokemon Trading Card Party at the Peabody Institute public library in Danvers Massachusetts
Bring your Pokémon trading cards and trade away! Don't have any? We will give you 3 to get started on your trades. Ages 8 - 11.
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Friday, March 21

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

Wenham Museum Spring/Summer Sports Sale

Spring & Summer Sports Sale at Wenham Musseum in Massachusetts
Back by popular demand! After a successful inaugural sale in 2024, Wenham Museum’s Spring & Summer Sports Sale returns for its second year. In keeping with the Museum’s former Attic Treasures Sale tradition, the Spring & Summer Sports Sale brings the community together for a fun and...
10:00 am to 6:00 pm
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