Live Animals

Open Air Ecology for Families: The Sandy Beach Habitat

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

No need to face the long lines, parking challenges, and crowds at the beach for this great summertime activity. Join Mass Audubon at Joppa Flats in the riverside yard at Joppa Flats instead! Learn how to identify wild creatures, design small habitats, participate in small group challenges, and more. Sign up for one or all of these programs and see nature through the lens of a naturalist! In this outing we'll explore the habitat of the sandy beach.

When: 
Thursday, August 12, 2021 1:30-3pm
Friday, August 13, 2021 10am-Noon

Woven Llamas: Tween/Teen Take-and-Make Craft

Flint Public Library holds a yarn crafting Flint Public Library holds a yarn crafting take and make kits for teens and tweens! for teens and tweens!

Looking for a craft to keep you busy? No prob-llama! Stop by The Flint to take one of our Woven Llama craft kits! Tweens & teens are welcome to enjoy making their own woven llama craft with our take and make kits available via lobby pick-up beginning Tuesday, June 15 while supplies last.

When: 
Tuesday, June 15, 2020 10am-6pm

Hay Rides at Appleton Farms

Explore Appleton Farms on a hay ride tour! Undoubtedly the best way to experience our 350+ year old farm and all of its spectacular grounds and animals. Rides will take place every twenty minutes during our Pizza Picnics, Fridays from 4pm to 6pm, Saturdays and Sundays 12-4.

When: 
Fridays through November 20, 2020 4-6pm
Saturdays & Sundays through November 22, 2020 12-4pm
Location: 

Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team presents Critters at MPL

Albino Milk Snake being held by a child at Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team presentation. ©Bill O'Connor

Families are invited to get acquainted with some of the creatures that will help us welcome springtime at Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team. Rick Roth of the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team will introduce animals from our local area that you may have never seen up close. After the presentation, there will be an optional walk to an easily accessible vernal pond in our own Powder House Hill Reservation which will soon come alive with the sounds of spring!

When: 
Sunday, March 15, 2020 2pm

Curious Creatures at G.A.R. Memorial Library

Curious Creatures will put on a free prestation at the G.A.R. Memorial Library!

Curious Creatures will put on a free prestation at the G.A.R. Memorial Library! Curious Creatures and their assortment of creatures has a great presentation for kids of all ages. Who know what will come slithering into the Library. Please join us for 60 minutes of fun with the animals from Curious Creatures. Families welcome. Please Drop In. Sponsored by the Friends of the West Newbury Library.

When: 
Thursday, February 20, 2020 4pm

February Vacation Week: Afternoon Birding for Families

Kids will learn about birding at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport during February vacation!

Come to Joppa Flats Education Center for an afternoon full of family fun! Adults and children can spend quality family time in the great outdoors finding, observing, and admiring local wildlife. Can you imagine seeing a Bald Eagle or a Snowy Owl on a winter walk? Families will travel in their cars to several birding hot spots on the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge with Joppa Flats naturalists in the lead. Once there, we'll walk on cleared trails to search for the birds that are here for the winter. Then, we'll wrap up with hot chocolate back at Joppa Flats.

When: 
Tuesday, February 18, 2020 1:30-3:30 pm

North American Birds of Prey at IRWS

Wingmasters present live North American Birds of Prey at Mass Audubon's Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

Come see live birds of prey up close in this presentation that will introduce you to the different types of raptors including eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls. We'll discuss the special features these birds have that enable them to be successful predators at the top of the food chain.  Note: this programs fills up quickly so register soon!

When: 
Sunday, January 26, 2020 11am-12:15pm [FULL]
Sunday, January 26, 2020 1:15-2:30pm

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Sports Camps, Speciality Camps, Day Camps in Danvers MA

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

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.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

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...
7:00 am to 7:00 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 5:00 pm

Marblehead Farmers' Market

Find fresh local produce and other foods at the Marblehead Farmer's Market!
The Marblehead Farmer's Market boasts 15+ local farms, and booths with an educational spin nutrition, vendors and farms selling homemade prepared goods and craft vendors that are switched up in a rotation basis week to week. Additionally there are entertainers and exhibits by environmentally...
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Salem Arts Festival 2025

The Salem Arts Festival is a joint project of Salem Main Streets and Creative Collective in Salem Massachusetts
For three days, this annual family friendly art festival transforms downtown Salem into an opportunity for the arts community to showcase their talents. The popular free event will feature many artists and performers, and includes a variety of art, music, dance, and theatre performances. The family...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Crane Outdoors: Kayak Adventure on the Castle Neck River

Take a guided kayak paddle adventure on the Castle Neck River with the Trustees of Reservations!
One of the best was to enjoy the natural beauty of the Massachusetts North Shore is kayaking the placid waters of the Great Marsh—the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in New England, extending from Cape Ann to New Hampshire. The Castle Neck peninsula on the Crane Estate is a vast barrier...
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

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

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 4:00 pm

Explore! North Shore – Trails Day Hike at Ravenswood

Giant boulders can be found all over Ravenswood Park. How'd they get there?
Join the Trustees to celebrate National Trails Day with a guided hike of Ravenswood Park in Gloucester. On this intermediate hike, you will enjoy a ~3 mile loop with moderate elevation gain, as you are guided up the rocky and narrow Ledge Trail up to a scenic overlook of the harbor and then descend...
10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Music and Movement at North Shore Children's Museum

North Shore, North Shore Childrens Museum in Peabody MA
Music and Movement with Marybeth Maes is an engaging music and movement class for young children at the North Shore Children's Museum. Marybeth brings her guitar and instruments for the children to use while they sing, dance, and play.
10:00 am to 11:00 am

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

Guided Tour | When Granite Was King!

Find out the story behind the history of granite quarrying at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, Massachusetts!
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 12:30 pm

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. Visit Long Hill’s breathtaking gardens and stately historic house for a guided tour. Enjoy the rich history of this grand country estate...
11:00 am to 12:00 pm

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.
11:00 am

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? Kayaking the pristine, sheltered waters of the Essex River Basin offers one of the top on-the-water experiences to be had in Northeast. Add to that a hike on the area’s largest island and you have the...
1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

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.
2:00 pm

Monday, June 16

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 4:00 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

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

Tuesday, June 17

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.
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

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...
7:00 am to 7:00 pm

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 4:00 pm

Music Together - Tuesday in Marblehead

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® of Salem classes make it easy for parents/primary caregivers to play a crucial role in activating their child's music development. Classes are 45...
10:00 am to 10:45 am

Gloucester Gratis Days at Hammond Castle

Bring your kids to the Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester Massachusetts during April Vacation
In keeping with John Hays Hammond, Jr's original vision for his seaside castle-home to serve as a museum offering the Gloucester community access to ancient works of architectural art, Hammond Castle Museum will offer Gloucester residents free, self-guided tours each Tuesday throughout the regular...
10:00 am to 4:00 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
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