Outdoor Activity

Wetland Wonders at IRWS

Explore the Bunker Meadow Pond at Ipswich river Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield Massachusetts

Wetlands are known for their rich variety of plant and animal life. Come explore Bunker Meadow Pond and the Ipswich River for a close-up look at a place where hundreds of hungry creatures are always on the hunt. Using nets and other collecting equipment, we'll dip into the water, sweep through the weeds, and scoop up some mud to discover the creatures that live there. Wear boots if you have them. For kids ages 3-11.

When: 
Saturday, October 14, 2023 10-11:30am

Fun in the Field at IRWS

Learn about butterflies and other field creatures at the MassAudubon Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary!

Fields are alive with animal activity on warm, fall days. Spend an early October day chasing butterflies, grasshoppers, and crickets with nets while taking some time to closely observe these amazing insects. We may also encounter predators of the field, such as Blue Birds, Leopard Frogs and Garter Snakes! This will be a hands-on experience the entire family can enjoy.

When: 
Saturday, October 7, 2023 10-11:30am

All Family Field Trips: Visit the Bird Banding Station

Family field Trip to the Banding Station with Mass Audubon Educators at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Massachusetts

Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the North Shore. Joppa Flats' 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, September 29, 2023 10am - 12pm

Trails & Sails

Explore the North Shore with over 150 Free Events in Essex National Heritage Area's Trails & Sails celebration in Massachusetts.

Essex National Heritage Area sites will offer over 150 free family fun events from September 15-24, 2023 for the annual celebration of TRAILS & SAILS. Discover special places in your backyard and be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in cultural experiences of all kinds. Find what makes Essex County like nowhere else during Trails & Sails! It’s all FREE and it’s all located within the 34 cities and towns of Essex County.

When: 
Daily, September 15-24, 2023

GNOCA 5K Run/Walk

GNOCA's 5K Run/Walk in Honor of Jackie Poor & Paula Holm is a 5k Run or Family Friendly Stroll through Scenic Newburyport starting & ending at Michael's Harborside. Tee Shirts will be given to the First 100 Registrants. All participating runners will be assigned numbers and timed. Great Prizes for Age Category Winners!

When: 
Sunday, September 24, 2023 8AM-1PM

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: 

Fair in the Square

Fair in the Square is a Salisbury Days event in the middle of Salisbury Massachusetts

Fair in the Square is a time- honored tradition celebrating each other and showcasing our charming  town. Come shop local vendors and makers offering a wide variety of goods from local honey and bee related products to jewelry to facepainting to artists and more!

When: 
Sunday, September 24, 2023 10am-4pm

Kidleidoscope at Bradley Palmer

Kidleidoscope is a programs designed for preschoolers at Bradley Palmer State Park

Kids ages 3-6 are invited to join this fun, engaging activity session where they will learn about nature through stories, craft and outdoor activitiies. Topics vary by week, so come for them all! Meets at the Nature Center at 40 Asbury Street. An adult must accompany children.  For outdoor programs wear comfortable clothes and sturdy closed toe shoes, insect repellent, and sunscreen.  Bring water.  Inclement weather cancels outdoor programs.

When: 
Thursdays, September 21 & 28, 2023 10:30-11:30am
Thursday, October 5, 2023 10:30-11:30am

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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

Gold Star Run for Honor

Start Your Memorial day with a run/walk to honor a local Saugus Massachusetts veteran, Scott Procopio
The Gold Star Run for Honor is a 5k, 10k, kids fun run or 1 Mile Walk to honor the memory of a local Saugus veteran. Scott J. Procopio was on his second deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, having previously served in Fallujah in 2005. He was killed in action as a result of a roadside...
7:30 am to 12:00 pm

Teen Naturalist Club at IRWS: Spring/Summer Series

Join Mass Audubon for their Teen Naturalist Club at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield Massachusetts!
Explore a variety of local ecosystems, learn more about a wide range of natural history topics, and do real wildlife data collection and conservation projects in this exciting club for teens!
8:00 am to 8:00 pm

Melody Miles

Melody Miles raises funds for kids to pursue their artistic interests in the Hamilton-Wenham School District
The Hamilton-Wenham Friends of the Arts is excited to host the Annual Melody Miles 5k fun run starting from Winthrop Elementary School. Our talented student performers look forward to serenading you as you walk, run, hop, skip, or dance your way along our scenic local race route.
9:00 am

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

Family Day at the Bird Banding Station

Kids will learn about local and migrating birds at Joppa Flats Education Center during their holiday open house!
There's nothing like a visit to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for wonderful family nature experiences, and seeing the bird banding station in operation is at the top of the list. See Mass Audubon scientists evaluate and release migrant songbirds while you learn about migration and habitat...
9:30 am to 11:30 am

Home & Food Truck Show | Topsfield

Home and Food Truck show at the Topfield Fairground in Massachusetts
April 20th & 21st. FREE admission and FREE parking. All INDOORS & Enjoy the Food Trucks outside. Speak to leading home industry professionals to plan your spring home projects.
10:00 am to 6:59 pm

Newburyport Spring Festival 2024

Celebrate the onset of Spring in beatuiful downtown Newburyport Massachusetts
The Newburyport Chamber of Commerce invites you to welcome Spring's arrival to Newburyport at the 2024 Spring Fest!
10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 3:59 pm

Turtle Time at IRWS

Kids and families will explore IRWS wetland in search of painted and snapping turtles.
As late spring transitions to early summer, one thing is for sure: it's turtle time! Join us to explore our wetlands in search of these fascinating reptiles.
10:00 am to 11:30 am

Sing & Dance with the Music Man

Sing & Dance with the Music Man Brian Doser in Hamilton visit Massachusetts
Come join the fun at Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10am for 30 - 45 minutes of great music with Brian Doser! Sing and dance with the Music Man during a family concert, featuring familiar and original tunes, performed by local dad and musician,...
10:00 am to 10:45 am

LEGO Club at Salem Public Library

Come to the Salem Massachusetts Public Library for an afternoon of LEGO and fun!
Salem Public Library hosts a morning session of LEGO fun! We provide the LEGO, you provide the imagination.  Stop by the library on Saturday mornings (every other Saturday) to play and build.
10:30 am to 11:30 am

Long Hill Garden Tours

Tour the Gardens at the Trustees of Reservations Long Hill Gardens in Beverly, Massachusetts!
The Trustees of Reservations invite you to join our expert guides for a tour around Long Hill’s stunning Sedgwick Gardens and learn more about the special plants it’s most known for. In addition to learning about what plants are in bloom as well as the rare and unique species in our collection, you...
11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Guided Tour | When Granite Was King!

Find out the story behind the history of granite quarrying at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport!
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 12:00 pm

Befriend the Barnyard

Befriend the Barnyard is a hands-on barnyard experience at the Trustees of Reservations' Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts
Discover our special barnyard animals! Our Angora rabbits Violet, Mabel, Oiver and Charles; Nubian goats Maeve, Morgana, and Mordred; dairy cows Gray, Jasmine, their calves Gigi and Joanie and our friendly flock of heritage chickens will take center stage as we learn about what makes them so unique...
11:00 am to 1:00 pm

CraneOutdoors: Castle Neck Hike in the Dunes

Hiking the Dunes at the Crane Wildlife refuge with the Trustees of Reservations.
While just about everybody on the North Shore has probably been to Crane Beach, the dunes of Castle Neck are a much less explored world unto themselves. Offering one of the most accessible dune ecosystems north of Cape Cod, Castle Neck has over six miles of trails, traversing the dunes, maritime...
1:00 pm to 3:30 pm

CraneOutdoors: Choate Island Kayak and Hiking Adventure

Take a guided kayak paddle and hike to Choate Island with the Trustees of Reservations!
Join The Trustees of Reservations for a paddle and a hike – what better way to spend an afternoon?  Circumnavigating an island is one of the great rewards of kayaking and reaching the summit of a hill that offers a great view is one of the payoffs of a good hike. This adventure in the Crane...
1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

Cow Connection at Appleton Farms

Join The Trustees of Reservations at Appleton Farms for Cow Connection in Ipswich Massachusetts
Come and meet, cuddle, brush, scratch, talk, and sit with our hand-raised cows at Appleton Farms! The mild heart rate and warm body temperature of the cows induces a slowing of our own heart rate, as well as the release of Oxytocin, our social bonding hormone. Visit our scenic and historic dairy...
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Fused Glass Fish at North Shore Glass School

North Shore Glass School in Salem for Teens, Tweens Adults, Summer, Afterschool and Weekends
Join Anya in making a unique and colorful new fish friend! Class runs from 3-4:30pm.
3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

Family Full Moon Beach Hike

Walk the beach under the full moon with naturalists from Joppa Flats Education Center
Have you ever gone tide pooling as the sun is setting or explored a a sandy beach under the light of a full moon? Engage in on-the-beach nocturnal experiments about night vision, bioluminescence and more. Attract live minnows with your flashlight and watch barnacles open up to feed. For kids ages 4...
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Wednesday, June 5

Fiddleheads | Preschool Drop-Off Series

The Fiddlehead program at Appleton Farms encourages kids 3-5 to explore their environment in Ipswich Massachusetts
Spring has sprung! It is an excellent time of year for exploring and learning on the farm. We will be planting and harvesting in our garden, taking care of our animals and finding all the signs of spring that nature divulges. Join us on Wednesday mornings from 9:30AM to 12:30PM for a preschool drop...
9:30 am to 12:30 pm

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

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 3:59 pm

We Walk the Woods!

Walk the trails in a group at Harold Parker State Forest Every Wednesday at 10am
Walk the trails with a group at Harold Parker State Forest every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. – Meeting location varies weekly. Email trek.reef@mass.gov for location.
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Home & Food Truck Show | Topsfield

Home and Food Truck show at the Topfield Fairground in Massachusetts
April 20th & 21st. FREE admission and FREE parking. All INDOORS & Enjoy the Food Trucks outside. Speak to leading home industry professionals to plan your spring home projects.
10:00 am to 6:59 pm

Mini Movers at North Shore Children's Museum

Things to do for children in Peabody MA
Mini Movers is an engaging dance and movement class for young children at the North Shore Children's Museum. Led by experienced instructors, the program introduces young children to the world of dance in a safe and nurturing environment.
10:00 am to 11:00 am

D&D (Tween Session) at Amesbury Library

Dungeons and Dragons for Tweens at the Public Library in Amesbury Massachusetts
Come play in a Dungeons and Dragons ongoing campaign! You'll create your own characters and build the story session to session. Come if you're a beginner or if you know the rules. All are welcome!  Registration is required and is for all 7 weeks.
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Stargazing at Mendel Observatory

Mendel Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night
The Observatory, with the support of volunteers from the North Shore Amateur Astronomy Club, hosts public stargazing every Wednesday night (weather permitting) starting at dusk or 7:30 pm, whichever is later.  When special astronomical events of interest occur (total lunar eclipses, etc.) the Obs
7:00 pm

Thursday, June 6

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

Swan Boat Rides in Boston Public Garden

Swan Boat Boston North Shore Parent, North Shore Parents Summer Activities Guide
The Public Garden may be one of the most ideal picnicking locations in Boston. Well-groomed and overflowing with tulips, cherry-trees, with willows cascading over the duck pond, the Boston Public Garden is a great place to relax during Boston's most beautiful season.
10:00 am to 3:59 pm
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