Tis the season for watching wintering birds in the forest or at the feeders, and the colder weather and shorter days are perfect for cozying up with a good book. This free family event celebrates both of these winter pastimes!
If you don't eat too much pie on Thanskgiving, you're not doing it right. Work off your feast and spend time together outside with a brisk hike through the dunes trails behind Crane Beach. The cool air, stark beauty, and natural stillness are a much better way to spend your day than braving the lines at the mall!
Journey back in time with Mass Audubon and the Topsfield Historical Society on a child-friendly guided hike with hands-on games and activities to learn about the people and wildlife who have called these forests home. Try your hand at building a kid-sized log cabin, see and use real historical carpentry tools, and learn the names and stories of the towering trees and woodland wildlife all around us. Late fall is a wonderful time to take a hike with friends and family and give thanks for the resources and beauty that nature provides for us all. The hike is approximately 1 hour long, set at a leisurely pace with stops to explore. Fun forest activities, snacks, hot drinks, and a roaring fire in our cozy barn are ongoing throughout the program.
As backyard birds head south for the winter, let's give them a proper send-off with a fun, free family event that features bird banding demonstrations, interactive games about bird migration, and lots of table-top science. Younger children will enjoy our crafts and games, while older children can get involved in physics and engineering fun! Preregistration is not required. children must be accompanied by an adult. Family presentations will be offered at half-past each hour.
In this outdoor survival skills program, we will venture out onto the Ipswich River. Learn the In this outdoor survival skills program, older children will learn the basics of the ancient outdoor skill of fire-building. Participants will learn important safety steps, collect their own firewood, try different methods of fire-starting, and end with a roaring campfire and s'mores. No experience is necessary - just a willingness to learn and a respect for working with fire.
Find out why Native Americans call the November moon the Beaver Moon. Spend an evening walking in the crisp autumn air searching for fishers and racccoons and scanning the barren treetops for the silhouettes of owls. Smell the wood smoke and hear the crunch of leaves underfoot, reminding us that winter is just around the corner. We'll stop in the wetlands to observe beavers making their final winter preparations. What a perfect way to spend a quiet evening with your family before the rush of the holidays begins.
Start holiday festivities off early, celebrating the Apples and Wine Festival, the first weekend in November. Enjoy all things apple, try our wine and enjoy live music all weekend. Festivities will include Wine tasting*, Live music, Hands-on cider-pressing demonstrations, Make-Your-Own Apple Pie, Apple samples, Hayrides, as well as loads of apple goodies made fresh in the bakery including hot apple crisp and cider donut caramel sundaes.
Join The Trustees of Reservations at the Stevens-Coolidge Place for a Pumpkin Trail for a magical treat! Children and their caregivers are invited to visit the Stevens-Coolidge Place for a Pumpkin Trail magical treat! This year’s Pumpkin Trail will display 3x as many pumpkins and bring your little nighttime explorers out into the gardens and beyond. Can you spot the nocturnal animals hidden along the trail? Enjoy this self-guided, non-scary event for children of all ages that combines fun and education in a unique way. Storytimes in the orchard will be held every 30 minutes. Costumes encouraged!
Salem Haunted Happenings’ family movie nights are moving to Charlotte Forten Park at 289 Derby Street this year! This series is produced and sponsored by Creative Collective in partnership with Salem Haunted Happenings and the City of Salem.
Beverly Main Streets invites kids and families to Downtown Beverly for the Annual Downtown Trick or Treat event! The annual Downtown Trick or Treat event is a safe and fun way for little ones in costumes to get their free treats! Stop in at businesses on Cabot and Rantoul Streets that have the orange flyer displayed in their windows and receive a fun treat. This event is free and open to the public. Rain or shine.
