Farmer for a Day: Kids in the Kitchen
In the winter, many people hunker down to stay warm, but at Appleton Farms, we make the most of the cold, quiet season. There is no better place to spend winter farm days than in the kitchen! These programs are for kids who love to cook, explore, and be adventurous in the kitchen, and out on the trails. Each day kids will explore a different aspect of farm to table cooking, trying new foods, and learning about where our food comes from! Our morning will be filled with kitchen time, followed by an outdoor adventure of hiking, snowshoeing, and farm explorations. We’ll return to the house to try our concoctions before heading home. Recipes might include: bread & butter, farm frittata, apple & carrot muffins, homemade apple sauce, and butternut squash soup.
Young at Art at CAM
Bring your toddler to Cape Ann Museum on the second Thursday of each month from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. for Young at Art, a gallery-based storytime! Recommended for children ages 4 and younger with an adult. This drop-in program is free for members or with Museum admission. To register please email sarahflanagan@capeannmuseum.org or call (978)283-0455 x16.
Create Sweet Memories | Rent a Sugar Maple Bucket
Start a new maple sugaring tradition by renting your own sugaring bucket for yourself, your family, or as the perfect gift. Join our sugaring experts on Saturday, February 23, for a two-hour interactive program and experience this lovely New England tradition.
Meet Backyard Birds
Drop in at Joppa Flats for an up-close winter wildlife experience! On select weekend and school vacation days, Joppa Flats volunteer Deb La Roy presents demonstrations on bird research and banding. After capturing wild birds in the Joppa backyard, Deb brings them inside to measure, weigh, examine, and then release them. The unique band that Deb places carefully on each bird’s leg connects other bird researchers with the data she’s collected. You’ll learn about your own backyard birds and why they’re here while watching scientific research in action.
February Vacation Once Upon a Contest
Join celebrated Cape Ann Reads writers and illustrators for hands-on experiences. Offered in conjunction with the special exhibition Once Upon a Contest: Selections from Cape Ann Reads. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact the museum.
Adventure Days: Awesome Owls
Have you ever walked through the woods looking for owls during the day? Owls are most active at night, of course, but if you know what to look for you can find their daytime roosts. Together we'll discover what our local owls look like, what they eat, and what they sound like. As a special activity, everyone will help to dissect an owl pellet.
Adventure Days: Carnivores Dining Out
Winter is a great time to look for predators and the evidence they leave behind. Today, we'll look at animal bones, fur, scat, tracks, and chews. Then we'll hike the sanctuary in search of hawks, foxes, fishers, river otters, and more. We'll investigate how these animals are able to hunt prey in the cold winter weather.
Adventure Days: Winter Homes
Can you imagine living outside through the entire winter? We'll explore the woodlands, wetlands, and field edges for nests, cavities, burrows, dens, and lodges to discover how birds, mammals, and insects find homes in this challenging season. We'll build an igloo or shelter and see how warm it can be inside.
Adventure Days: Maple Sugaring
Today we'll learn about one of nature's tastiest treats: maple syrup. We'll discover how to distinguish a sugar maple from all the other trees in the forest and tap one to collect the sap. After a visit to the sugarhouse, we'll know how sap is converted into syrup and try some on our very own pancakes. We'll see who can tell the difference between store-bought syrup and the real stuff!
Imagine, Sing, & Learn: Bald Eagles are Back!
This parent/child program is designed for the creative, curious, and active preschooler. Each 90-minute session offers a structured series of activities including original songs, movement, dramatic play, hands-on science, and a thematic snack. You'll receive coloring pages, song lyrics, vocabulary, a fun fact sheet, and a suggested reading list in an electronic goody bag! This week we'll be focusing on eagles and their annual migration to the Merrimack River estuary!
