Science

Monarch Magic

Come to Endicott Wildlife Sanctuary to learn about Monarch Butterflies!

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary invites families to join them at Endicott Wildlife Sanctuary to discover the amazing journey of the monarch butterfly to Mexico. Learn about the monarch life cycle and the challenges facing its habitat. Find out more about butterfly gardening and create a paper butterfly that will spend the winter with children who live near the monarch sanctuaries in the mountains of Michoacan, Mexico. We will then work together as citizen scientists to tag and release several monarchs to start their journey south.

When: 
Saturday, September 14, 2019 1:30-3pm

Sense of Wonder Walks: Ponds

Ponds and puddles offer endless hours of exploration and discovery.

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary invites families for a great exploration of the pond habitat! Though they are small, ponds contain a rich variety of plant and animal life. Explore Waterfowl Pond for a close-up look at a place where hungry creatures are always on the hunt. Using nets and other collecting equipment, dip into the water, sweep through the weeds, and scoop up mud to discover the creatures that live there.

When: 
Sunday, October 6, 2019 1:30-3pm

Girls Day at MIT Museum

Girls are encouraged to follow their interests in the sciences at MIT's Girls Day in Cambridge!

Girls Day, offered twice a year and sponsored by MIT Museum, celebrates women who are exploring, researching, and innovating in fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Meet amazing women in these fields while doing fun hands-on activities. This family-friendly event is recommended for girls 10 and up, but all are welcome. Our theme this time is “Express Yourself with Science” and will highlight women whose work combines science and the arts.

When: 
Saturday, October 2, 2021 1-5pm

Family Nature Series - Life Under Logs

Kids and families will learn about the life under logs with ECGA and North Shore Nature Programs in this this fun hike through the forest

Greenbelt and North Shore Nature Programs present Life Under Logs! Get ready to meet pill bugs, spiders, worms, and more! These cool creatures have a great story to tell about the life cycle of the forest. You can get as close (or stay as far away!) as you want in this fun, interactive walk through the woods for all ages. This event is FREE.

When: 
Saturday, October 9, 2021 3-4:30pm

Observing Artificial Satellites

Come learn how to spot satellites at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo: NASA

The program will begin with an indoor presentation that will provide you with the information needed to be able to find and observe artificial satellites like the International Space Station and other human-made orbiting objects. Topics to be covered will include the nature of artificial satellite orbits, the best time of year for observing them, and how to identify them in the night sky. Weather permitting, we'll step outside afterwards to seek out artificial satellites and gaze into the night sky through the telescopes of local amateur astronomers. Along with the early springtime constellations, a young crescent moon and the planet Venus will be visible.

When: 
Friday, March 28, 2020 7-9pm

Celebrate the Sea Open House

Stop by at Joppa Flats Education Center to learn how we can all take responsibility for sustaining the natural beauty and resources of our oceans and coastline.

A fun-filled day for the whole family about everything from our ocean giants (whales, sharks, sea turtles) to deep sea creatures (octopuses, jellies)! For age 2-6, there are take-home crafts, an under the sea play zone, stuffies, coloring books and simple table-top science. For ages 7 and older, there are displays and interactives about overfishing, microplastics, sea level rise and climate change. Indoors and out. Rain or shine.

When: 
Sunday, March 22, 2020 10am-3pm

Imagine, Sing, & Learn: Whales on the Move

Kids can learn about whales at this Imagine Sing and Learn session at Joppa Flats in Newburyport!

Whales! Let's pretend to go on a whale watch and learn how to breach and belly roll like humpbacks and find out how whales feed and handle some real whale teeth and baleens and bones. We'll also listen to whale sounds underwater and learn how people are protecting whales in the ocean. Keep learning with take-home coloring pages and fun follow-up activities.

When: 
Friday, march 20, 2020 10-11:30 am

Imagine, Sing & Learn: Seals on the Shore

Seals live all over the coast of the North Shore. Kids will learn more at Joppa flats Education Center in Newburyport!

These 90-minute sessions are for both you and your active preschooler! Each week, our structured activities will include original songs, movement, dramatic play, hand-on science, and a thematic snack. We'll give you coloring pages to take home and lots of fun materials via an electronic goody bag after each class. This session is all about seals which are found along the coast of the north shore.

When: 
Friday, March 6, 2020 10-11:30am

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Shore School in Beverly Massachusetts offers a host of Summer programs for kids aged 5-12

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

Family Day at the Bird Banding Station

Kids will learn about local and migrating birds at Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport Massachusetts
There's nothing like a visit to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for wonderful family nature experiences, and seeing the bird banding station in operation is at the top of the list. See Mass Audubon scientists evaluate, examine, and release migrating songbirds while you learn about migration...
9:00 am to 11:30 am

Turtle Time at IRWS

Kids and families will explore IRWS wetland in search of painted and snapping turtles.
Explore our wetlands in search of these fascinating reptiles. Walk about a half mile to visit areas where turtles like to nest and bask in the sun, look at and touch real turtle shells, and, with a little luck, get an up-close look at a painted turtle. Conclude with a trip to the Rockery to see if...
10:00 am to 2:30 pm

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike

CraneOutdoors: The Castle Hill Hike at the Crane Estate in Ipswich Massachusetts
Come explore the lesser-visited corners of Castle Hill and its surroundings with us this season. This hike is a CraneOutdoors guide favorite because it’s got a little bit of all the things that make the Crane Estate such a special place…
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

4th Saturday at Lynn Museum

Lynn Museum in Massachusetts offers free admission on the second Saturday of each month.
Come to the Lynn Museum and Historical Society for FREE family fun. Join us on the second and fourth Saturday of each month for FREE admission to the Museum from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.! You can view our latest exhibitions, purchase Lynn-themed goods in our shop, check out books in our free library, and...
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

The Legacies of Long Hill: House & Garden Tour

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. Step inside the beauty and layered history of Long Hill with a guided tour of its breathtaking gardens and historic house. Once the...
10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Family Dusk Paddles

Join us as we look for elusive river mammals at Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo: American Beaver ©Scott Santino
Have you ever seen a muskrat swimming or a beaver slapping its tail in alarm? We'll look for these elusive mammals while canoeing along the Ipswich River at dusk. Discover some of the clues—such as chewed trees, lodges, or burrows on the riverbank--that they leave behind as we paddle.
5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
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