Play Time

Imagine, Sing, & Learn 11A: Do Animals Build?

Kids ages 3-6 will learn about animal homes, nests, burrows hideaways and the  animals that make them at Joppa Flats Education Center

Join Mass Audubon for this fun, hands-on science program about animals who build nests, burrows, webs, and dens and make their own homes comfy and safe. We will make make-believe bird nests, learn how animals use materials from nature and people to create their homes and we’ll burn off some energy with fun role plays as we dig, weave, spin and build! This program will include active group play, a take home craft and a very special homemade snack!

When: 
Thursday, November 19, 2015 1-2:30 pm

Imagine, Sing & Learn: Tracks in the Snow

Kids ages 3-6 will learn about tracks in the snow and the animals that make them

This parent/child program is designed for the creative, curious, and active preschooler. Each 90-minute session offers a structured series of activities including original songs, movement, dramatic play, outdoor exploration, and a thematic snack. When it's time to go home, you'll receive coloring pages, song lyrics, vocabulary, a fun fact sheet, and a suggested reading list via e-mail. At this ISL, we'll learn to identify tracks in the snow and the creatures that leave them behind!

When: 
Friday, February 7, 2020 10-11:30am

Nature Walks for Tots: Rolling Logs & Finding Tracks

Kids ages 4-6 will learn about tracks in the snow and the animals that make them

As we think about the coming snow, we'll find the signs that animals leave in tracks and under rotting logs to discover how they are getting ready for winter. As our colder weather arrives and settles in, Miss Lisa wants you to join her for some family friendly nature walks. Let's explore the woods, the salt marsh, and the streams to look for creatures like birds, fish, frogs, and more while we learn, play, and explore. We'll use our "science eyes" and "nature ears" and discover wildife together!

When: 
Thursday, December 9, 2021 1:30-3pm

Monarch Migration Celebration

Kids will learn about monarch butterflies at the Stevens-Coolidge Estate in North Andover!

You spent the summer watching them flit about your gardens, now it’s time to wish them well on their trip down to Mexico – it’s the Monarch Migration Celebration at Stevens-Coolidge Place! This celebration will kick off with a children’s pollinator parade around the property (costumes encouraged!) bringing all visitors to an afternoon of demos, crafts & stories, seed bomb making and gardening tips to bring these orange friends to your yard in the spring.
Butterfly release at 2:30pm

When: 
Saturday, October 5, 2019 10am-3pm

Nature Playgroup at The Stevens-Coolidge Place

Toddlers are invited to come play and discover nature at the Stevens-Coolidge Estate in North Andover!

Join The Trustees of Reservations at the Stevens-Coolidge Estate for a nature playgroup designed just for the little ones! To encourage outdoor play and familiarity with the natural world, a nature-based toddler playgroup will be held at the Stevens-Coolidge Place on every-other Tuesday, April through June.

When: 
Tuesdays 2, 16 & 30, 2019 9:30-11am

Raising Treehouse Kids in an iPad World

Do you want to child to ... Dig in the dirt? Daydream? Imagine? Create? Many families today find their days are pressured, tightly scheduled and hectic. Children move from adult-driven activities to device-driven activities with little time left for child-driven free play. In this group parents will learn how to make unstructured play time a natural part of the daily routine. Parents will learn concrete strategies to decrease the allure of electronic devices and find tools to offer a childhood experience surrounded by nature, imagination and creativity.

When: 
Mondays, April 22-May 20, 2019 10:15-11:15am

Marblehead Rec Gym Play Time & Activities

Gym Play Time & Activities at Marblehead Recreation Department

DJ, Dancing & Cookie Decorating! Join the Marblehead Recreation Department for the 8th Annual Daddy Daughter Dance. This is a social event for girls of all ages with their fathers, grandfathers, uncles or other guardians/caregivers.

When: 
Thursdays through April 11, 2019
3-3:45p for ages 2½-3½ 3:45-4:25p for ages 3-4

Pizza and Play Night

Greater Newburyport Mothers and Families Club Pizza and Play Night

Come join the GNFC Kids Outing Team for some Friday night fun! A night filled with free play in an indoor playground. Enjoy musical activities such as instrument play, bubbles, and a dance party. There will be pizza and juice provided for each child. Children must be accompanied by a guardian and registration is required for each child attending. Recommended age is 5 years old and under. Hope you can make this fun event! Sign up on the GNFC website. Space is limited so sign up fast!

When: 
Friday, June 22, 2018 5-7pm

Japescape Acting Workshops at Pathways for Children

JapeScape teaches theater and drama skills while building confidence!

Pathways for Children is hosting a FREE session with Japescape! Jape teaches a series of age appropriate theater games, stage techniques, improvisation scenes and songs while fostering confidence, acting skills, imagination and team spirit.  The workshops are geared for children between the ages of 5-12.

When: 
Tuesday, April 17, 2012 9am-10:30am & 10:30-12:00pm

Pages

Landmark Summer Program at Landmark School in Beverly Massachusetts

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

February Vacation Programs for Kids at Danvers YMCA

February vacation week programs at the Danvers YMCA in Massachusetts
Looking for fun plans during February vacation week? The Danvers YMCA is hosting Vacation Break Adventures from February 16–20, offering a full week of engaging, hands-on activities for kids. There are themed days full of arts & crafts, science fun, gym games, swimming, and more. Highlights...
9:00 am to 4:00 pm

February Vacation Week at Appleton Farms

Appleton Farm's February Vacation Week Program is perfect for kids who want to explore the winterscapes of our extensive property!
In the winter, many people hunker down to stay indoors, but at Appleton Farms, we make the most of the cold, quiet season. There is no better place to spend winter farm days than in exploring in the snow and learning to love the outdoors in all seasons! This program is for kids who are looking to...
9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Quarry Quest Treasure Hunt

Kids will enjoy this treasure hunt at the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry in Rockport Massachusetts
Enjoy an outdoor treasure hunt at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations during February Vacation! Halibut Point State Park invites kids and families to follow clues then unscramble to find a treasure box!
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

StoryWalk at Halibut Point

StoryWalk®! Nest Robin Built, by Denise Fleming - a self guided reading tour at Halibut Point in Rockport Massachusetts
Enjoy this pre-school StoryWalk® at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time in nature! StoryWalk®! Nest Robin Built, by Denise Fleming. Self-guided reading pages posted along a lovely Park trail near the visitor center. Connect with nature and each other while enjoying the...
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

February Vacation at MIT Museum

Kids will have a blast at the MIT Museum in Cambridge Massachusetts during February Vacation Week!
Come on your own, with friends, or bring the whole family to the museum for a special week of programming. The museum has a number of activities planned for the week of February 14-22, including extended Maker Hub and Learning Lab hours, tours, gallery cart demos and family workshops. With the...
Where: MIT Museum
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Giant Candy Land at IPL

Ipswich Massachusetts public library hosts a giant Candyland suring February Vacation Week.
Ipswich Public Library invites kids and families toto take part in some February Vacation Fun!  Play a Giant Candy Land game throughout the library! Work your way with your group of family and friends throughout the library on the giant gameboard. Hopefully you won’t spin and land on the black dots...
2:00 pm to 6:00 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

Friday, February 20

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

February Vacation Programs for Kids at Danvers YMCA

February vacation week programs at the Danvers YMCA in Massachusetts
Looking for fun plans during February vacation week? The Danvers YMCA is hosting Vacation Break Adventures from February 16–20, offering a full week of engaging, hands-on activities for kids. There are themed days full of arts & crafts, science fun, gym games, swimming, and more. Highlights...
9:00 am to 4:00 pm

February Vacation Week at Appleton Farms

Appleton Farm's February Vacation Week Program is perfect for kids who want to explore the winterscapes of our extensive property!
In the winter, many people hunker down to stay indoors, but at Appleton Farms, we make the most of the cold, quiet season. There is no better place to spend winter farm days than in exploring in the snow and learning to love the outdoors in all seasons! This program is for kids who are looking to...
9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Quarry Quest Treasure Hunt

Kids will enjoy this treasure hunt at the Halibut Point State Park and Quarry in Rockport Massachusetts
Enjoy an outdoor treasure hunt at one of Massachusetts most beautiful locations during February Vacation! Halibut Point State Park invites kids and families to follow clues then unscramble to find a treasure box!
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

StoryWalk at Halibut Point

StoryWalk®! Nest Robin Built, by Denise Fleming - a self guided reading tour at Halibut Point in Rockport Massachusetts
Enjoy this pre-school StoryWalk® at your leisure with the younger set and combine reading and time in nature! StoryWalk®! Nest Robin Built, by Denise Fleming. Self-guided reading pages posted along a lovely Park trail near the visitor center. Connect with nature and each other while enjoying the...
10:00 am to 2:00 pm

February Vacation at MIT Museum

Kids will have a blast at the MIT Museum in Cambridge Massachusetts during February Vacation Week!
Come on your own, with friends, or bring the whole family to the museum for a special week of programming. The museum has a number of activities planned for the week of February 14-22, including extended Maker Hub and Learning Lab hours, tours, gallery cart demos and family workshops. With the...
Where: MIT Museum
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Kidleidoscope at Breakheart Reservation

Kidleidoscope is a program designed for preschoolers at Breakheart Reservation in Saugus Massachusetts
Come join our park interpreter for a story time and nature walk! Complete a small craft and explore the woods! Walks are gently paced and approximately 1 mile, though not accessible for strollers. Appropriate for families with children 3-5 years old. Meet at the Visitor Center.
10:30 am to 11:30 am

Family Nature Hike at Parker River

Get outside for a nature hike at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge during Febrary Vacation!
Get outside for February School Vacation Week! Join a refuge ranger for a guided nature program at the Hellcat Trail. Learn about refuge wildlife, winter adaptations, and more. This program is entirely outside. Dress warmly!
11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Saturday, February 21

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
Subscribe to Play Time