Exploration

Friday Family Farm Chores at Appleton Farms

Join The Trustees of Reservations at Appleton Farms for our special, hands-on Family Farm Chores program held on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays

Every day has a full list of barnyard chores we need to accomplish to make sure our farmyard friends are happy and healthy. Let’s get to work! Join us for our special, hands-on Family Farm Chores program held on Fridays and Saturdays! Get on your muck boots – your whole family will get to be farmers together. Help feed the rabbits, Violet and Vanilla, the goats, Morgana, Maeve, Merlin, and Mordred, and the dairy cows, Gray and Jasmine. Collect eggs from our flock of chickens, muck and bed the stalls, scrub buckets, fill hay managers, and more.

When: 
Fridays through May 2024 3:30-4:30pm
Location: 

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 farm and enjoy an hour-long Cow Connection session with our two Jersey Dairy Cows, Gray and Jasmine.

When: 
Saturday through May 25, 2024 3-4pm
Location: 

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!

When: 
Saturday, April 6, 2024 10-11:30am

All Family Field Trip | Early Spring in the Salt Marsh

Kids and families are invited to come explore the marsh habitat naturalists from the Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport.

Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the north shore. 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! For kids 4-11.

When: 
Thursday, April 11, 2024 10am-Noon

All Family Field Trip | Signs of Spring on the Coast

Explore the explosion of awakening Spring life at the shore with Naturalists from Mass Audubon.

Come explore what nature has in store at some of our most amazing wild places on the north shore. 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: 
Saturday, March 16, 2024 10am-Noon

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-off series to educate your preschooler on farm animals, life cycles, plant parts, and farm fun!

When: 
Wednesdays through March 20-June 12, 2024 9:30am-12:30pm
No Session April 17, 2024
Location: 

February Vacation Week at CAM

Come explore the Cape Ann Museum with your family during February Vacation in Gloucester, Massachusetts!

Put on your winter coat and visit the Cape Ann Museum during February School Vacation Week! The Museum will be free for school-age children, 18 and under, and their guardians from Tuesday, February 20 – Thursday, February 22. On Friday, February 23 the Museum will have free admission for all visitors thanks to generous support from the Highland Street Foundation’s Winter Camp Initiative.

When: 
Tuesday, February 20 - Friday, February 23, 2024 10am-5pm
Location: 

Eagle Festival: Everything Eagles

Kids will learn about eagles, their migrations and varied habitat at Joppa Flats. Image ©David Morris

During Eagle Festival Week, join North Shore Field Teachers at a popular viewing area to spot Bald Eagles along the Merrimack River and learn about behaviors such as soaring, fishing, and showing courtship displays. Using sound effects, props, and group role play, you'll stay active and warm outdoors as you and your family learn together. Three date and time choices!

When: 
Friday, February 16, 2024 10am-3pm
Saturday, February 17, 2024 10am-3pm

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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

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

Barnyard Story Hour at Appleton Farms

Kids can meet the barnyard animals and hear a story at Appleton Farms in Ipswich Massachusetts.
Barnyard stories really come alive when you get to see the main characters in real life! Bring the kids down to Appleton Farms for our farm-fresh version of story time. Explore the farmstead, visit our learning garden, see our cows and rabbits, and find a spot to play under a shady tree in our...
10:30 am to 11:30 am

STEM Structures at NPL

Kids are invited to come to NPL to make STEM structures during winter break! Newburyport Massachusetts
Come play with a variety of building toys, including magnetic tiles and straws and connectors. Kids of all ages and abilities are welcome, but please take note that some of these building toys have small pieces. Drop in any time between 3:00 and 4:30 p.m. to participate.
3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

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...
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Wednesday, April 24

Process Art Workshop at HW Library

Preschool and older kids will express themselves artistically at Hamilton-Wenham Library in Massachusetts!
The Hamilton-Wenham Public Library invites kids to get creative and have some fun! Join Ms. Eva of Early Childhood Partners for a themed story and activities that practice process art methods. The Process Art Workshop is designed for children ages 2 - 6 years old and their adult. Older children are...
6:00 pm to 7:00 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

Science & Lore: Full Moon Walk at Appleton Farms

Hike at the Trustees Appleton Farms with your family under the Full Moon in Ipswich Massachusetts!
Join us as darkness settles on the farm to immerse yourself in a nighttime adventure, guided only by the glow of the full moon. On our journey, we will learn about both the science and the mystery that the full moon holds, celebrating her presence through a sharing of knowledge. We will venture out...
8:30 pm to 9:30 pm

Thursday, April 25

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

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

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

Spring Blooms at the Stevens-Coolidge Estate

Spring Blooms at the Trustees Stevens Coolidge Estate in North Andover!
Join The Trustees of Reservations at our new entrance location showcasing contemporary gardens, historical gardens, and our Garden Gateway visitor orientation center at 153 Chickering Road, North Andover MA.
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Silly Stories with Susie Magoozy at North Shore Children's Museum

NorthShore Children's Museum hosts Suzie Magoozy telling stories in Peabody Massachusetts!
Are you looking for excitement? Enthusiasm? Wild rants of singing and dancing?? Or maybe you just like furry puppets! As a former children's librarian, Susie Lord has performed thousands of story times for children and adults.
10:00 am to 11:00 am

Silly Stories with Susie Magoozy at North Shore Children's Museum

NorthShore Children's Museum hosts Suzie Magoozy telling stories in Peabody Massachusetts!
Are you looking for excitement? Enthusiasm? Wild rants of singing and dancing?? Or maybe you just like furry puppets! As a former children's librarian, Susie Lord has performed thousands of story times for children and adults.
10:00 am to 11:00 am

Read to a Dog at APL

Kids are invited to read to a dog at Amesbury Massachusetts Public Library. Image generated with AI.
The Amesbury Public Library invites kids to come read to a dog at the Library! Gus, a mixed lab and certified reading partner dog, would love to hear you read aloud!
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm
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