North Shore Baby - A Field Guide for Parents North of Boston

North Shore Baby - A Field Guide for Parents North of Boston

North Shore Baby includes everything you need to know to make the most of raising a family on the beautiful North Shore. Complete with activities, daytrips, and family-friendly shopping tips, as well as essentials on museums, theaters, classes and playspaces, North Shore Baby is a must for parents north of Boston. So gather up the kids, grab this trusty field guide, and discover all that Essex County has to offer you and your family!  

Dana Rousmaniere is a writer, editor, and content manager for online and print publications. She has written for Fit Pregnancy, Good Housekeeping, The Atlantic Monthly Online, Northshore Magazine, and others. Dana lives on the North Shore with her husband and three children.  

North Shore Baby: A Field Guide for Parents North of Boston is available online and in local boutiques and bookstores such Toad Hall Bookstore in Rockport, the Andover Bookstore, Spirit of '76 Bookstore & Card Shopin Marblehead, and the The Book Rack Bookstorein Newburyport.

Link(s): 
North Shore Baby - A Field Guide for Parents North of Boston
Union Park Press
Great Books
Appleton Farms offers great farm-based Vacation Week Programs for kids ages 5-11

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
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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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
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Afterschool Chess Club at Abbot Library
Kids can play clocked chess matches against each other each Wednesday at the Abbot Public Library in Marblehead Massachusetts
Students in grades 2-5 are welcome to come to this informal chess club to practice by playing with others also interested in developing their skills and sharing an interest in chess. The class will be held on Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. with facilitator Ben Konoff and his daughter,...
Where: Abbot Public Library
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm
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LEGO Club at Danvers Library
LEGO club at Danvers Library Massachusetts
Peabody Institute Library - Danvers invites kids to an afternoon of building and fun! Activities will include free build, themes and instructional design. All structures will remain on display in the Children’s Room till the following weeks's session
Where: Peabody Institute Library - Danvers
3:30 pm to 4:30 pm
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Wednesday, March 4

Mini Movers at North Shore Children's Museum
Things to do for children in Peabody MA
Mini Movers is an engaging dance and movement class for young children at the North Shore Children's Museum. Led by experienced instructors, the program introduces young children to the world of dance in a safe and nurturing environment.
Where: North Shore Children's Museum
10:00 am to 11:00 am
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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
Where: Mendel Observatory at Merrimack College
7:00 pm
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Thursday, March 5

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
♦ Read More →

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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Friday, March 6

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
♦ Read More →

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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

Saturday, March 7

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
♦ Read More →

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!
Where: Halibut Point State Park
7:00 am to 6:00 pm
♦ Read More →

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…
Where: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
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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.
Where: North Shore Children's Museum
10:00 am to 11:00 am
♦ Read More →