In the farthest Northeast corner of the United States, where the skyscrapers of Boston scrape the sky and the lighthouses of Cape Cod wink at the ships on the sea, you'll find a rather splendid place known as Massachusetts. Our story introduces a cast of cute, funny, and remarkably adventurous kiddos, who are fondly referred to as the ‘Nature Navigators’. Now, the Nature Navigators are not your average children. They swap video game controllers for magnifying glasses and favorite TV shows for real-life bird watching. You'll find them trudging through the ancient Appalachian trails, their sneakers splattered with mud, and laughter echoing through the trees. They dive into the waters of the Atlantic, swimming alongside the seahorses and occasionally engaging in a friendly race with a speedy blue crab. Our leader is a character as distinctive as Massachusetts itself; a rambunctious raccoon named Rocky. Rocky wears a bright red bandana, a sturdy backpack, and a pair of round spectacles that always seem to slide down his nose. He may seem a bit clumsy, but he's as smart as a whip, and always ready with a joke to cheer up his team. Together, the Nature Navigators and Rocky explore the corners of Massachusetts, from the Berkshire Mountains to the beaches of the Cape, and all the hidden secrets in-between. They always have a giggle as they learn about the environment and the creatures who call this place home. It's wacky, it's wild, it's a hoot-and-a-half, and every day brings a new adventure for these intrepid Massachusetts explorers.
Read morebest nature programs in Gloucester, MA
What began in a humble New York City apartment with just a single student, Spark, has since blossomed into an enriching program impacting thousands of children. Our unique educational approach combines the elements of art, yoga, meditation, and nature to create a holistic learning environment. This distinctive blend is what sets Spark apart, allowing us to reach and inspire a multitude of children in truly meaningful ways. With an array of offerings to accommodate various schedules and needs, Spark has something for everyone. Our services extend beyond the standard after school and weekend classes to include holiday and summer camps, birthday parties, portfolio preparation, private classes, and custom pods. We also welcome homeschool groups and are thrilled to announce the recent addition of a forest school program to our repertoire. You can find Spark on-site in various schools and at our main studio located in the Upper West Side. But we're not stopping there - we're also planning to expand to the Upper East Side and Brooklyn. For our families in Pennsylvania, we run the program from our family studio there. And if you're not in close proximity to any of our locations, don't worry. We offer in-home instruction and virtual options to ensure that Spark can reach you, no matter where you are. We invite you to explore all the ways you can experience Spark and look forward to helping bring our program to you.
Located at the Patton Homestead in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, Kestrel is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to inspiring a greater appreciation of the natural world through playful, outdoor scientific inquiry. At Kestrel, the aim is to help children discover the wonders of nature and build a connection to the environment around them. Each program is custom designed to foster an engaging, hands-on learning experience, giving students the opportunity to develop skills they can use independently, and to create meaningful work to share with others. Kestrel’s natural science and outdoor education programs center the ideas and interests of children, and mentor them to think critically and collaboratively. Kestrel’s mission is to create a sense of wonder and understanding about the natural world. By leading students into the wild to conduct their own scientific investigations, they can gain a greater appreciation for the natural history in their local communities and learn to think like scientists.
Gloucester Adventure, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the preservation and education of maritime history. The 1926 dory-fishing Schooner Adventure, a National Historic Landmark, is in their care. The Schooner Adventure serves as a reminder of the American fisheries and is a living monument to Massachusetts’ fishing heritage with active sailing primarily along the New England coast. This organization is deeply committed to the restoration and preservation of the Schooner Adventure in perpetuity and has plans to use the Schooner as a floating classroom to promote maritime history and environmental education programs. These efforts will benefit both Gloucester and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and will ensure the Schooner Adventure is an icon of American fisheries for generations to come.