Exploration

Come and join us for this family fishing experience! Go to the Accessible Trail parking lot at 40 Asbury Street (left turn just inside the park gates past the old gray farm house) for a FREE drop-in program for ages 6+.  Follow the trail fishing signs for a short walk to the fishing spot.  Learn how to fish, what fish live in the Ipswich River, and how to catch and release responsibly. No experience or license required.

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.

Join a ranger for a tour of a beautiful spot that few people visit: Nelson Island. If we’re lucky, we might catch a glimpse of a nesting osprey. Learn about the history of this little known refuge jewel. If weather and tide permits, we’ll take a very short walk along the marsh. (Muddy, wet areas are possible so rubber boots are recommended.) Consider bringing binoculars and/or a camera. *Please note: Those who call and leave messages after hours, your registration is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation call from a refuge staff member.

Many animals live on the refuge, but are hard to find.  They are either active at night, wary of people, or both.  Though you may not see them, their tracks can be just as interesting to find.  Go out on the refuge with intern Dominic Noce as he teaches you how to find and identify tracks of different types of animals.  Meet the program leader in the refuge visitor center auditorium for a brief slide show, after which he’ll lead you on a tracking exploration on the refuge.  Please wear long pants and boots (for tick prevention) and otherwise dress for the weather.  NO preregistration for th

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge invites families to join Katie Hone, The Monarch Gardener, for a fun and hands-on program that will focus on the charismatic monarch butterfly and its fascinating life cycle.  Meet live monarch caterpillars.  Make a common milkweed seed bomb to take home and start your very own monarch habitat.  Visit the refuge's butterfly garden to see milkweed and to look for monarch eggs.  Meet in t

Halibut Point State Park invites families to join them on a tide pool adventure! Halibut Point contains some of the best tide pools in New England. Join the Interpreter for a trip down to the rocky shore for some inter-tidal exploration. Learn about these interesting creatures living in a unique transitional environment. Meet at the Visitors Center in the park. For all ages. Rain or shine, pouring rain cancels.

Meet at Frye Pond Beach - Fish, frogs, snakes, and salamanders, let’s discover what lives in our tranquil New England ponds!  Nets and buckets are provided.  This activity can be wet and muddy.Recommend bringing water, insect repellent, sun screen, binoculars and camera.Appropriate for all ages.

Enjoy the morning at Pavilion Beach in Ipswich during low tide and discover the living wonders of the sandy coastline. We will walk across the shoreline of Little Neck, where we will search for tiny fish, hermit crabs, periwinkles, and other sea creatures living in this delicate habitat. We will preserve our memories by creating a beach collage.

We will read by Lindsay Barrett George, take a close-up look at some beaver artifacts, and then take a walk to Rockery Pond to see a beaver lodge, dam, beaver chews, and scent mounds. Find out why beaver teeth are orange and what they use their tails for! We may even try our luck at making our own beaver lodge.