Touch Tank

Team Haverhill’s River Ruckus

Come celebrate Haverhill's River Front at the River Ruckus in Haverhill Massachusetts!

Team Haverhill’s River Ruckus is an annual festival featuring live music, classic cars, Kids Zone, great local foods, and spectacular fireworks over the Merrimack River. Presented by Team Haverhill, a community-based volunteer organization, the festival attracts over 5,000 visitors and residents for a day of family activities including a Classic Car show, live music produced by 92.5 The River, children's activities in the Kids Zone, food from local restaurants, an art exhibition, a crafts show, and spectacular fireworks over the mighty Merrimack River! Team Haverhill’s River Ruckus takes place in the Haverhill Riverfront Cultural District on Washington Street and the RiverWalk.

When: 
Saturday, September 13, 2025 Noon-8:30pm

Touch Tank Time

You can look at and touch the creatures in Joppa Flats Educations Center touch tank in Newburyport, Massachusetts

Spend some quality time at our touch tank where you can see and hold hermit crabs, moon snails, sea urchins and more! Come see how much our horseshoe crab hatchlings have grown and spend some time in our Kid Zone with a science station, take-home craft and coloring pages. Part of Trails & Sails.

When: 
Friday, September 19, 2025 2-4pm
Saturday, September 20, 2025 10am-Noon

Let's Go Outside!

Head to Parker River Wildlife Refuge for a full day of FREE family fun that's focused on outdoor activity!

Join park staff from the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for a full day of FREE family fun that's focused on outdoor activity! Our annual celebration of summer returns! Join us for a free day of outdoor activities at the refuge. Learn to surf cast, meet tidepool critters up close, dissect an owl pellet, and even view the sun through a solar scope. This is an open streets event, meaning most of the refuge road is closed to walk, bike, and roll!

When: 
Saturday, June 21, 2025 10am – 2pm

Feed the Beach Creatures at Joppa Flats

You can look at, AND touch the creatures in Joppa Flats touch tank! Feeding time is a lot of fun!

It's time to feed our touch tank animals! Assist our animal husbandry intern team with sorting, identifying, and actually feeding our live marine creatures. Feed periwinkles and rock crabs from the rocky shore, horseshoe crabs and minnows from the salt marsh and hermit crabs and shrimp from the sandy beach. Sign up for one or more and learn all about our creatures fascinating behaviors.

When: 
Wednesdays, June 12 & 26, 2024 4-5:30pm
Wednesdays in July 2024 4-5:30pm

Our Giving Ocean | Salem Coastwatch

Come to Salem Coastwatch Headquarters in Salem Massachusetts to learn about the resources provided by the sea.

Join Salem Coastwatch for a special marine exploration of Salem Sound and its many aquatic gifts. This session wiil focus on how people in Salem Massachusetts have interacted with the gifts from the sealfor time immemorial.  We will follow up with a hands-on, take-home craft. Please register for this community education program at forms.office.com/r/ZHCT9FRPwr. Please note that this event is intended for children aged 4-8 accompanied by an adult.

When: 
Saturday, November 4 & 18, 2023 11am-12:30pm

Annual Endangered Species Day Celebration

Piping Plover isjust one of the endangered species you'll learn about at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge invites people of all ages to celebrate Endangered Species Day on Sunday May 19th from 12pm-3pm at the Refuge Visitor Center. Endangered Species Day was designated to educate the American public on the importance of protecting endangered species and highlight the everyday actions that individuals can take to help protect our nation’s wildlife, fish, and plants.

When: 
Sunday, May 19, 2019 Noon – 3pm

Family Flyby: Boats Afloat!

Make your own boat, then see if it floats at Joppa Flats Education Center!

Free-flow learning at Joppa Flats is fun for the whole family. There's simple science fun with coloring pages, crafts, and toys for ages 2 to 6; science experiments and group challenges for ages 7 and up; and outdoor exploration, seasonal live animals, and scheduled family presentations for everyone. Fly by for an hour or stay all day for family time that suits your schedule. There's something different to see and do with every visit!  This week, kids are encouraged to be a pirate for the day, learn the skills a sailor needs at sea, and learn about ocean conservation!

When: 
Saturday, July 7, 2012 10am - 2pm

Family Flyby: Return of the Touch Tank

You can look at, AND touch the creatures in Joppa Flats touch tank!

Free-flow learning at Joppa Flats is fun for the whole family. There's simple science fun with coloring pages, crafts, and toys for ages 2 to 6; science experiments and group challenges for ages 7 and up; and outdoor exploration, seasonal live animals, and scheduled family presentations for everyone. Fly by for an hour or stay all day for family time that suits your schedule. There's something different to see and do with every visit!  This week we're thrilled to have our touch tank back for the season. Come look AND touch the creature that live in our tank!

When: 
Saturday, June 2, 2012 10am - 2pm
Art Academy Summer Program at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly 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

Boston Bruins Annual Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore of Massachusetts as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
The Boston Bruins will be hosting their 19th annual PJ Drive with the goal of collecting 10,000 pairs of pajamas from February 1st - March 15th, 2026. The drive will benefit Cradles to Crayons and Wonderfund MA, two non-profits that ensure positive living conditions for children. Local businesses...
7:00 am to 9:00 pm

LEGO Club at RPL

Come build using LEGOs at the Rockport Massachusetts Public Library
Come unwind after school with the library's collection of LEGO bricks. Children under 9 must be accompanied by a caregiver.
3:15 pm to 4:15 pm

Tuesday, February 24

Boston Bruins Annual Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore of Massachusetts as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
The Boston Bruins will be hosting their 19th annual PJ Drive with the goal of collecting 10,000 pairs of pajamas from February 1st - March 15th, 2026. The drive will benefit Cradles to Crayons and Wonderfund MA, two non-profits that ensure positive living conditions for children. Local businesses...
7:00 am to 9:00 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

Chess Club at Salem Public Library

Salem Public Library hosts a weekly chess club for all ages on Tuesday evenings.
Salem Public Library the library is hosting weekly chess nights where players of all ages can play and learn from each other.  Whether you're new to the game or a veteran player, all skill levels welcome, and basic instruc
6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Wednesday, February 25

Boston Bruins Annual Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore of Massachusetts as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
The Boston Bruins will be hosting their 19th annual PJ Drive with the goal of collecting 10,000 pairs of pajamas from February 1st - March 15th, 2026. The drive will benefit Cradles to Crayons and Wonderfund MA, two non-profits that ensure positive living conditions for children. Local businesses...
7:00 am to 9:00 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

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! Read to a dog to help improve reading skills and get comfortable with reading aloud with only a very cuddly dog to hear you! This program will have Gus, a certified reading dog, and his caretaker at the library in our...
3:45 pm to 4:30 pm

Dungeons & Dragons at the G.A.R. Library

Dungeons and Dragons at the GAR Memorial Library in West Newbury Massachusetts
Come to this ongoing campaign using The Dragon of IceSpire Peak. Bring your own character, play one of ours,  or we can help you create one. All are welcome.
4:30 pm to 5:30 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, February 26

Boston Bruins Annual Pajama Drive

Drop off new pajama donations at libraries across the North Shore of Massachusetts as part of the Boston Bruins PJ Drive.
The Boston Bruins will be hosting their 19th annual PJ Drive with the goal of collecting 10,000 pairs of pajamas from February 1st - March 15th, 2026. The drive will benefit Cradles to Crayons and Wonderfund MA, two non-profits that ensure positive living conditions for children. Local businesses...
7:00 am to 9:00 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
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