Field Trip

Vernal Pools | Family Nature Series

Vernal Pools - Family Nature Series with Essex County Greenbelt and North Shore Nature Programs

Greenbelt and North Shore Nature Programs team up for this event for all ages! What sound do frogs make? Turns out, they make a lot of different sounds! Come meet the residents of the vernal pools to learn who says ribbit, quack, chirp, peep and more!​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​We recommend all participants wear waterproof boots, as the woods can be quite soggy this time of year!

When: 
Saturday, April 5, 2025 10-11:30am

All Family Field Trip: Gather, Gorge & Store!

Visit Maudslay State PArk in Newburyport Massachusetts to learn about how animals prepare for the winter

Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the north shore with Joppa Flats Education Center . 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!

When: 
Friday, December 15, 2023 10am-Noon

Salt Marsh Science Walk

Kids and families will learn about the marsh habitat with ECGA on a salt marsh sciece walk!

ECGA hosts a salt marsh science walk with a former research fellow from Marine Biological Laboratory to learn about salt marsh science. Join Jade Fiorilla, Northeastern graduate with degrees in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, for a walk to learn about the Great Salt Marsh. Jade has worked on the marsh at nearby Parker River National Wildlife Refuge as a research fellow with Marine Biological Laboratory. She recently completed research pulling together data from a long term study of marsh accretion and deposition events in the Plum Island sound.

When: 
Sunday, November 5, 2023 10:30am-Noon
Location: 

Family Nature Series - Pond Habitat

Families will learn about the pond habitat with ECGA at Bailey Reservation!

Get to know the residents of a beaver pond! From tiny insects, to the beavers themselves, we'll use all our senses to look for signs of life! Join Greenbelt and Northshore Nature Programs to learn all about a pond habitat! Who lives there? What do they eat? How do they get around? We'll use our senses to find some answers to those questions and more!  Meets at Bailey Reservation in Haverhill.

When: 
Saturday, August 5, 2023 3-4:30pm

Exploring the Salt Marsh

Kids and families will learn about the marsh habitat with ECGA and North Shore Nature Programs in this this fun, easy tromp across the marsh

Greenbelt and North Shore Nature Programs present Exploring the Salt Marsh! On this fun, easy tromp across the marsh, we'll look at the different plants, invertebrates, and birds that live there! This event is for families--children and adults of all ages welcome. Wear muck boots or shoes that can get wet and muddy and bring some water to drink. We recommend long pants, tucked into your socks or boots to keep ticks and other bugs from biting. Bathrooms are available on site (provided the CDC, state, and town regulations allow for public visitation at this date). FREE!

When: 
Saturday, April 8, 2023 10-11:30am
Location: 

Family Nature Series - Life Under Logs

Kids and families will learn about the life under logs with ECGA and North Shore Nature Programs in this this fun hike through the forest

Greenbelt and North Shore Nature Programs present Life Under Logs! Get ready to meet pill bugs, spiders, worms, and more! These cool creatures have a great story to tell about the life cycle of the forest. You can get as close (or stay as far away!) as you want in this fun, interactive walk through the woods for all ages. This event is FREE.

When: 
Saturday, October 9, 2021 3-4:30pm

Invertebrates of the Field and Forest

Families will learn about invertabrates of the North Shore with North Shore Nature Programs

North Shore Nature Programs is happy to be participating in our first ever Trails and Sails event! Join experienced naturalists Andrew and Dan on a guided hike through Camp Denison’s fields and forests. Your family can expect to see katydids, dragonfly’s, centipedes, millipedes, and sow bugs! Each family will have the opportunity to touch and hold as many invertebrates as they please! You will also learn about the amazing adaptations these creatures require to live in the wild.

When: 
Sunday, September 29, 2019 2-4pm

Vernal Pond Field Trip to Agassiz Rock

The Vernal Pools at Agassiz Rock in Manchester are teeming with Spring peepers.

The Trustees of Reservations's invites families to learn about vernal pools in Manchester! Vernal pools are crucial to the survival of fairy shrimp, salamanders, and wood frogs. Join the The Trustees of Reservations on an exploration of the pools at Agassiz Rock reservation, and learn how you can certify and protect vernal pools. When vernal pools become certified, we can prevent development on and around them. This program is instructive to the participants, so you, too, can take home the techniques, forms, and methods to certify pools. It is targeted at families, so exploration is an important (and fun!) element in the program.

When: 
Saturday, April 19, 2014 1-3pm
Location: 
Shore School in Beverly Massachusetts offers a host of Summer programs for kids aged 5-12

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

Kidleidoscope at Breakheart Reservation

Kidleidoscope is a program designed for preschoolers at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus Massachusetts
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

Unraveling Winters Wild Tales - Animal Tracking for Families

Kids will learn about tracks and signs and how they can tell a story at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield Massachusetts!
Welcome to the wild world of animal tracking! Participants will learn how to identify animal tracks by focusing on key details such as number of toes, toenail impressions, and overall size of the print.
3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

Saturday, January 31

Superbowl of Birding 2026

The Superbowl of Birding 2026 is a unique competition conducted in Rockingham County, NH, and Essex County, Massachusetts
The Superbowl of Birding is a unique competition conducted in Rockingham County, NH, and Essex County, MA. During a 12-hour period, teams of birders of all ages and abilities seek to amass the greatest number of avian species, to earn the most points based on the rarity of the birds recorded. Teams...
5:00 am to 5:00 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

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

Animal Tracks | Family Nature Series

Essex County Greenbelt teams up with North Shore Nature Programs for a wildlife hike in Ipswich Massachusetts!
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This event with North Shore Nature Programs is geared toward families of all ages who would like to learn about the signs and tracks that animals leave behind!  We will explore outdoors and look at tracks, chewed sticks, scat, nests, beaver constructions and more! Waterproof and warm...
10:00 am to 11:30 am

CraneExplorer: Family Full Moon Hike in the Dunes

Walk through the Crane Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich Massachusetts with the Trustees under the full moon.
There is almost nothing more peaceful than a evening walk at the Crane Estate, and we would like to invite your family to join us for a unique hiking experience. With the full moon rising over the Atlantic, we’ll start with a sunset stroll along Crane Beach admiring this spectacle before heading...
4:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Sunday, February 1

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

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 12:30 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 3:30 pm

Sunday STEAM Club at North Shore Children's Museum

Visit Peabody MA, NorthShore, North Shore Children's Museum
Join in on Sundays at 2:30 for STEAM Club for ages 5-11. Each week participants will explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math with our NSCM staff! Every STEAM club session will see your kids participating in hands-on activities while exploring a new topic. Space is limited, please...
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm
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