Discovery

Meet Beach Creatures and More!

Discover and explore the facts of the creatures you find at the beach at Joppa Flats Education Center Newburyport

Come to Joppa Flats this summer to enjoy some live animal encounters both outdoors in our riverside yard and indoors in our air conditioned lobby! You'll rotate through different live animal stations at your own pace, and may choose to spend your time handling tide pool creatures such as sea urchins and sea stars, meeting moon snails and hermit crabs from the sandy beach, and/or learning about minnows and horseshoe crabs from the salt marsh. We'll also introduce you to our 'seasonal specials' that our interns are raising for release. You might even see praying mantis hatchlings, monarch caterpillars, or American toadlets! Family friendly activities, self-guided science stations and take-home nature crafts - something for everyone!

When: 
Fridays & Sautrdays through August 19, 2023 10am-3pm
Saturday, September 16, 2023 10am-2pm
No Session July 22
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Exploration
Discovery
Mass Audubon
Live Animals
Ecology
Natural History
Trails & Sails 2023
Outdoor Activity

Maritime History Walking Tour

Learn about 400 Years of Maritime History on a walking tour at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!

Join the Salem Maritime National Historic Site for a 30-minute walking tour on the grounds of Salem Maritime National Historic Site. During the tour, learn about Salem’s rich maritime history, from its earliest days as a fishing village to the height of its global trade empire. Explore the historic wharves and buildings along Salem Harbor. Part of Trails & Sails.

When: 
Saturdays, September 16 & 23, 2023 10:30-11am
Sundays, September 17 & 24, 2023 10:30-11am
Location: 
Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Salem
Exploration
Demonstration
Presentation
Festival
History
Discovery
Live Music
Maritime
Heritage
Trails & Sails 2023

Drop in Station | Explore the Pond at Bradley Palmer

Here is your chance to go inside the Willowdale Mansion (willowdaleestate.com) for a unique guided tour. Now an event and wedding venue, this over 100 years-old Arts and Crafts style home has been beautifully restored. The second floor is not accessible. Best for ages 8 years & up.

What kinds of fascinating creatures live in or visit the ponds? Come and visit with the Park Interpreter to see if any creatures are stirring, and if any plants are flowering. Best for ages pre-K and up. This is a great family activity. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

When: 
Fridays through October 6, 2023 9-11am
Location: 
Bradley Palmer State Park
Ipswich
Topsfield
Party
Outdoor Activity
Wildlife
Live Animals
Exploration
Discovery

All Family Field Trips: Study Between the Tides

Explore the tide pools of Sandy Point Reservation with Joppa Flats Educators in Ipswich 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, October 6, 2023 10am - 12pm
Location: 
Sandy Point State Reservation
Newbury
Newburyport
Exploration
Discovery
Mass Audubon
Live Animals
Tide Pool

Annual Salem Merry-Time Fest

Celebrate 400+ Years of Maritime History at Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!

Presented by the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, the annual Salem Maritime Festival in August hosts an exciting array of free family fun festivities, including live music, traditional craft demonstrations and seaport trade exhibits, story-telling, and family fun! Each year, music, demonstrations, exhibits, and children's activities are available throughout the park and on Derby Wharf in Salem Massachusetts!

When: 
Saturday, August 19, 2023
Location: 
Salem Maritime National Historic Site
Salem
Exploration
Demonstration
Presentation
Festival
History
Discovery
Live Music
Maritime
Heritage
Salem Heritage Days

All Family Field Trips: Monarchs and More

Learn about butterflies with Mass Audubon 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!

When: 
Friday, September 15, 2023 10am-Noon
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newbury
Hike
Walk
Exploration
Conservation
Discovery

All Family Field Trips: Exploring at the Shore

Explore the shore at Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester with Massachusetts Audubon!

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 22, 2023 10am-Noon
Location: 
Wingaersheek Beach
Gloucester
Hike
Walk
Exploration
Conservation
Discovery
Beach
Swim
Ecology
Natural History
Mass Audubon

Imagine, Sing, & Learn 3A: Is it Spring?

Learn about the creatures of Spring at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newbury Massachusetts

This Imagine, Sing and Learn with Lisa Hutchings is all about asking the question IS IT SPRING YET? This is an active indoor program for ages 3-6 and a favorite grown-up with some outdoor time (weather permitting). We will learn all about WOOD FROGS, SALAMANDERS, LADYBUGS, SONG BIRDS and more! Using props, group role play, song and movement, we will learn about the fascinating ways animals wake up and come back in springtime – each animal has its own special way of greeting the longer, warmer days of spring!

When: 
Thursday, March 10, 2016 1-2:30 pm
Location: 
Joppa Flats Education Center
Newburyport
Exploration
Sing Along
Dance
Science
Discovery
Crafts

Pages

Northeast Massachusetts Youth Orchestras Summer Sessions

Maudslay in Bloom Self-Guided Walk
Maudslay in Bloom self guided walk at Maudslay State Park in Newburyport Massachusetts.
Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, Massachusetts, offers a delightful self-guided walk that is perfect for families with children. The park's 480-acre expanse, once the Moseley Estate, is rich with historical charm and natural beauty. Families can embark on a self-guided tour through lush...
Where: Maudslay State Park
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
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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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
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Saugus Iron Works Park Grounds & Estuary Walk

Take a hike along the Saugus River Estuary ande explore the Saugus Iron Works Park grounds in Massachusetts
Learn about the natural world in Saugus while ecploring the park ground ast the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Massachusetts.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
7:00 am to 7:00 pm
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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.
Where: Boston Common and Boston Public Garden
10:00 am to 3:59 pm
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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,...
Where: Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham
10:00 am to 10:45 am
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Willowdale Mansion Tour
Tanke a tour of the Willowdale Mansion at Bradley Palmer State Park in Topsfield MA
The historic tour of Willowdale Estate covers historic background, context and conversation about the Arts & Crafts style mansion. Here is your chance to go inside the Willowdale  Mansion (willowdaleestate.com) for a unique guided tour. Now an event and wedding venue, this over 100 years-old...
Where: Willowdale Estate
10:30 am to 11:30 am
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Drop-in Open House at the Nature Center
Drop-in Open House at the Bradley Palmer State Park Nature Center in Hamilton Ipswich Massachusetts
Explore the Nature Center at your leisure. The Park Interpreter will be on hand to demonstrate and answer questions. Come see and touch animal furs, replica skulls, animal models, and other natural history materials. For little artists, coloring pages and washable markers will be on hand.
Where: Bradley Palmer State Park
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
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Growing Wild for Pollinators
Come to Bradley Palmer State Park in Hamilton Massachusetts to learn all about pollinators
Discover the wild world of pollinators and what they do for the natural world around us. Learn how important is it to protect our pollinators for the health of humans, plants, and the environment. Best for ages 6 years and up.
Where: Bradley Palmer State Park
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
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Beverly Farmers' Market
Get fresh local produce at the Beverly Farmers Market in downtown Beverly Massac
The Beverly Farmers’ Market supports local agriculture while making healthy food available to all members of the Beverly community at affordable prices; the market promotes sustainable living practices and fosters community connections through our vendors, free activities and events. The market...
Where: Odell Park
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
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Friday, June 21

Music Together - Friday
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...
Where: Community House Of Hamilton & Wenham
10:30 am to 11:15 am
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Kidleidoscope
Kidleidoscope at Maudslay State Park is a chance for preschoolers to explore the park, enjoy a story and make a craft!
Maudslay State Park has created this program for their youngest crowd! For the young set that loves nature, the park interpreter will lead a three-part preschool aged program that includes a story, craft & walk that involves outdoor exploration. A different nature topic each week so come every...
Where: Maudslay State Park
11:00 am
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Saugus Iron Works House Tours

Free Ranger guided tours of the Saugus Iron Works House in Massachusetts
Join National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a 30-minute tour of The Iron Works House.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
11:00 am
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Salt Marsh Boat Tour with Parker River NWR
Learn how Plum Island and the Great Marsh were formed and how important they are on this boat tour of the estuary.
Pristine beauty, wide open space, gorgeous views, and the chance to float up and down the peaceful, winding creeks of the world's second most productive ecosystem. Learn how Plum Island and the Great Marsh were formed and how important they are. Boat tours are offered through a private outfitter. ...
Where: Newburyport Harbor Tours
11:30 am to 1:30 pm
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Drop-in Open House at the Nature Center
Drop-in Open House at the Bradley Palmer State Park Nature Center in Hamilton Ipswich Massachusetts
Explore the Nature Center at your leisure. The Park Interpreter will be on hand to demonstrate and answer questions. Come see and touch animal furs, replica skulls, animal models, and other natural history materials. For little artists, coloring pages and washable markers will be on hand.
Where: Bradley Palmer State Park
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
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Saugus Iron Works Tours
Free Ranger guided tours at Saugus Iron Works Colonial Industrial Site in Massachusetts
Join the National Park staff at Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site for a tour of the colonial industrial site. On select days, you may be able to stick around and witness pop-up molten iron pour, blacksmithing, waterwheel demonstrations, and take part in hands-on river stewardship activities.
Where: Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
2:00 pm
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Family Solstice 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...
Where: Joppa Flats Education Center
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
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Schooner Ardelle Date Night
Schooner Ardelle turns into the love boat for date night sailing out of Gloucester Massachusetts!
Maritime Gloucester and  Schooner Ardelle have teamed up to create Date Night! Schooner Ardelle becomes the 'Love Boat' for moms and dads, while kids (ages 5-11) enjoy the care of the staff at Maritime Gloucester, the aquarium and lots of fun activities. You'll have a nice romantic sail around...
Where: Maritime Gloucester
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
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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...
Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
7:30 pm to 9:30 pm
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Full Moon Hike at Ward Reservation
Join the Trustees on a journey up Holt Hill under the light of the full moon at Ward Reservation in Andover!
Join Within Wildlight in a mindful journey up Holt Hill under the light of the full moon. Together, we will gather for a meditative hike up the trail as night falls, and circle for a gentle guided meditation beneath the moon & stars. Enjoy the sights, sounds, smells, and unique tastes of...
Where: Ward Reservation
8:30 pm to 10:00 pm
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