Let’s face it—kids love the “Yuck Factor.” And thankfully, there’s a lot to learn from the world of slime! At Mass Audubon’s wildlife sanctuaries, kids are encouraged to look under rocks and rotting logs to see what they can find, because there’s a whole world of wonder waiting to be discovered.
We’ve rounded up more than two dozen upcoming programs for Young Explorers that feature frogs, pollywogs, snakes, worms, slugs, bugs, bats, and all manner of creepy crawlies!
Eastern Red-Backed Salamander © Richard Johnson
Greater Boston
Blue Hills Trailside Museum, Milton
The Secret Life of Dragonflies—June 23
Broadmoor, Natick
Fun with Butterflies & Dragonflies—June 18, June 26, July 10, July 16, and August 6
Ice Cream and…Frogs—July 8
Ice Cream and…Fireflies—July 22
Ice Cream and…Bats—August 5
Drumlin Farm, Lincoln
Baby Bugs—June 7
Splish Splash—June 10
Fairies and Fireflies—June 24
Flutter by Butterfly—June 29
Dragons and Damsels—August 3
Habitat, Belmont
Fireflies are Fun—June 29
Night Fliers—July 12
Insects and Ice Cream—August 3
South of Boston
Moose Hill, Sharon
Bubbles and Bugs (morning)—June 8
Bubbles and Bugs (afternoon)—June 8
Firefly Night—June 8
North River, Marshfield
Little Naturalists: Frogs—June 14
Oak Knoll, Attleboro
Nature Ramblers: Wiggly Worms—June 21
Stony Brook, Norfolk
Family Ponding—July 9
North of Boston
Ipswich River, Topsfield
Nature Adventures with Picture Books: Ponds—July 12
Eco-Art: Salamanders—July 28
Nature Adventures with Picture Books: Butterflies—August 2
Joppa Flats, Newburyport
Imagine, Sing, & Learn 6A: Hermits, Sea Stars, & Snails—June 16
Imagine, Sing & Learn 6B: Hermits, Sea Stars, & Snails—June 17
See, Think, and Wonder Walks for Preschoolers: Riverside Yard Bug Hunt—July 14
Imagine, Sing, & Learn 7A: Frogs, Turtles, & Water Bugs—July 21
Imagine, Sing, & Learn 7B: Frogs, Turtles, & Water Bugs—July 22
Butterflies & Bugs Free-for-All!—July 24
See, Think, and Wonder Walks for Preschoolers: Pond Detectives at Mill Pond—August 11
Imagine, Sing, & Learn 8A: Moths, Caterpillars, & Butterflies—August 18
Imagine, Sing, & Learn 8B: Moths, Caterpillars, & Butterflies—August 19
Cape & Islands
Felix Neck, Edgartown
Snake and Turtle Tuesdays—June 14, June 21, June 28, July 5, July 12, July 19, July 26, August 2, August 9, August 16, August 23, and August 30
Creature Feature: Butterflies—June 16
Creature Feature: Snakes—June 27
Creature Feature: Salamanders—June 30
Creature Feature: Frogs—July 4
Creature Feature: Slugs and Snails—July 11
Creature Feature: Spiders—July 18
Creature Feature: Dragonflies—July 21
Creature Feature: Jellyfish—August 8
Creature Feature: Insects—August 18
Creature Feature: Caterpillars—August 22
Long Pasture, Barnstable
Tidal Flat Explorations—June 29, July 26, August 9, August 23, and August 24
Wellfleet Bay, Wellfleet
Small Fries: Nature Adventures for Preschoolers—June 22
Central Massachusetts
Broad Meadow Brook, Worcester
Butterfly Walk—July 16
Third Week Wonders: Are You A Dragonfly—July 23
Dragonflies at Broad Meadow Brook—August 6
Connecticut River Valley
Arcadia, Easthampton & Northampton
Insects of the Field and Forest—June 18
Fireflies, Fields, and Father’s Day Solstice Celebration—June 19
Berkshires
Lime Kiln Farm, Sheffield
Lime Kiln Farm Sanctuary through the Seasons Series: Butterflies & Dragonflies of the Pond & Meadows—August 7