Pre-School

Come to the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary to join in the reading of a children's nature story followed by an exploration in the woods, fields and wetlands of the sanctuary.

Celebrate Father's Day by spending a night under the stars camping with the whole family. Many cultures and people from the past depended on reading the forests for their survival. Join IRWS on this fun overnight and learn some new skills. Have an early dinner at home, and then come with your family, your tent, and a dessert to share. 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.

This week's movie FRIDAY NIGHT MOVIE NIGHT at Manchester Athletic Club will feature Animals United (). Drop off the kids (ages 3 - 13 years old) for a night at the movies with pizza and juice served for dinner. Go enjoy some free time while the kids have a blast together, and pick them up tired and ready for a good night's sleep!

Join Mass Audubon's Joppa Flats Education Center in a family ecology cruise aboard Newburyport Harbor Tours Inc.'s Yankee Clipper this Father's Day! Teacher Naturalist, Lisa Hutchings will provide her expert pair of eyes to help your family find all the exciting sights and sounds of Newburyport and Plum Island as you cruise along the Merrimack River.

The Great House at Castle Hill isn't just a big mansion for adults to explore. It was once the summer home (and playground) of the Crane children, Florence and Cornelius. On this special, 45-minute guided treasure hunt created especially for families with children ages 4 to 8, you can sharpen your sleuthing skills as we search for treasures, both large and small, throughout the Crane family mansion.

Got milk? We do! On this special program designed especially for our toddler friends, we'll enjoy calf close encounters, a cow story and costume, milking in the dairy barn and more! For ages 2-5 with an accompanying adult. Please pre-register. For older kids, check out Meet the Cows at Appleton Farms.

This is a great opportunity for dads (uncles, grandfathers, cousins or other father figures) to spend time with their kids! Come to the Manchester Public Library with the kids for a storytime focusing on stories about boats!

We will be exploring the tide-pools of Sandy Point to learn about the relationships between the water, plants, and animals that live in this habitat. We will learn how to search and handle a wide variety of intertidal animals including  snails, mussels, crabs, and other small invertebrates. We plan to play a game that shows what life in a tide-pool is like, sing some songs and get a little wet too!

Come to the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary to join in the reading of a children's nature story followed by an exploration in the woods, fields and wetlands of the sanctuary.