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Weekly Suggested Events for April 17-23, 2021
Home < Weekly Suggested Events < April 17-23, 2021
Are you looking for things to do in western Massachusetts? Seeking curriculum ideas for remote learning or homeschooling? Are you a self-directed, life-long, and/or experiential learner? Are you curious or wanting to support the interests of your family. Our weekly Suggested Events list includes suggested learning ideas, resources, and events for all ages, each week!
Scroll down to discover featured events, learning opportunities, and educational videos to support learning from home. And be sure to subscribe to our free weekly eNewsletter so you never miss out!
13 SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING IDEAS
10 LEARNING RESOURCES
DISABILITY HISTORY. Smithsonian Disability History
LATINO HISTORY. Smithsonian Latino History
LGBTQ HISTORY. Smithsonian LGBTQ History
ART STUDIES. Virtual Norman Rockwell Museum
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES. Trails at Mass Audubon
MUSIC STUDIES. Jazz Library at the Jones Library
STORYTELLING. National Storytelling Network
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: Hiking Trails in Massachusetts
INDIGENOUS COSMOLOGIES. National Museum of the American Indian Star Stories
CREATIVE-FREE PLAY. Fairy Houses
Featured Events, Resources, & Opportunities
Hartsbrook School Fiddle Camp: it’s not just for fiddles! Bring your cellos, guitars, and ukuleles too. Campers learn tunes from around the world, playing under outdoor canopies on Hartsbrook’s beautiful, spacious campus in Hadley, MA. The experienced instructors bring joy and fun to music lessons, and the school’s donkeys and goats are a receptive audience for practice concerts. For beginner-intermediate through intermediate level musicians in rising 4th through 9th grade. July 5-9, 9am-12:30pm. For more information: www.hartsbrook.org/programs/fiddle-camp.
Programming on Demand at the Springfield Museums is a new way to experience the Springfield Museums. Programming on Demand, or PODs, are field trips for families, friends, and small groups. Customize a field trip to the Museums for your group of five to 30 people (divided into smaller groups of 10). Children & adults will participate in up to three hour-long curriculum-based school programs. Mix and match science, art, history, and Seuss! Summer camp classes at the Museums will include art, nature, and space explorations for children 5 -12yo. Teens will enjoy drawing, painting, and printmaking. July 12-16; July 19-23; July 26-30. All experiences require a mask & social distancing. Classes will be kept small. For more info, call 413-314-6477.
Northampton, MA ♦ Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School is pleased to announce its 2021 Summer Program offerings for students entering grades 6, 7, and 8. Programs include: Entering the World of Cosmetology; Tour de Cuisine: Cultivating the Young Culinarian; Criminal Justice League; Explore Digital Art; Introduction to Drawing and Painting; The Art of Collision Repair and Restoration; Exploring the Field of Automotive Technology. Weekly programs from July 12-July 29. Half-day runs 8:30am-12:30pm. Full-Day runs 8:30am-3:30pm. Students can prepare amazing food, practice beauty techniques, learn about art, automotive, or law enforcement. For full course descriptions, including which weeks they will run and to register for a Summer Youth Program, please see their website. Dates: July 12-29, 2021; Age Range: 11-14yo. Contact: 413-587-1414 x3530; lturner@smithtec.org; www.smithtec.org/summer.
FEATURED SCHOOL
Bement School
Deerfield, MA
Bement is open with students attending school in person, and they are accepting applications for fall 2021 as space remains available. The Bement School, founded in 1925 and located in Deerfield, is a co-educational junior boarding and day school serving 200 students in kindergarten through grade 9. Bement’s rich curriculum motivates and challenges students with strong academics, a renowned fine arts program, and a diverse athletic program. Students participate in athletics and fine arts every day. The pervasive atmosphere at Bement is that of a family, learning, and living together. Bement actively seeks an academically diverse, international, and multi-cultural student body. For information, join their virtual open house or call 413-774-4209 www.bement.org.
FEATURED COHOUSING
Village Hill Cohousing
Northampton, MA
Village Hill Cohousing in Northampton, MA, invites the community to join their online information session, including a virtual tour of their homes and beautiful community. The date is Saturday, April 24, 11am-12noon (EDT) for the first session or 2-3pm (EDT) for the second one. Please RSVP to MarketCom@villagehillcohousing.org, and tell them which session you want to attend, and they’ll send you a link shortly before the event. Meet members, learn more about this vibrant, growing community, and ask questions. They look forward to seeing you there. www.villagehillcohousing.com
FEATURED SUMMER PROGRAM
Miss Leticia Music Summer Camp
Amherst, MA
Dates: July 12-August 13, 2021
Age Range: 6-16yo
Contact: 413-246-7338
♦ missleticia@missleticia.com
♦ www.missleticia.com
Miss Leticia Music Summer Camp and Songwriting Camp: Week 1:Beginner,Rock band-Radio Hits July 12-16, 9-3pm Week 2 Camp Beginner, Rock Band- Radio Hits, British Invasion, Alternative July 26-30, 9-3pm Week 3 Songwriting/Recording Camp – August 9-13, Mon – Thurs 9-4pm, Friday 9-6pm
FEATURED SUMMER PROGRAM
Hilltown Sleddogs Summer Camps
West Chesterfield, MA
Dates: July 6-August 27, 2021; Age Range: 8-16yo
Contact: 413-320-8287
♦ hilltownsleddogs@gmail.com
♦ www.hilltownsleddogs.com/camps
Learn to take care of & exercise a world-class athlete – the Alaskan Husky Sled Dog. Choose a dog for the week. Learn to feed, pet, play, clean-up after, and train a sled dog. Ride a racing rig, scooter, bike, jog, and swim – some of the warm weather activities dogs & Campers love to do together. All have fun bonding, playing & mushing with the team! “My daughter loved the week-long camp, really bonded with her dog and plans to return next year. Hilltown Sleddogs is one of Pioneer Valleys’ unique treasures!” (JG) “The hands-on connection with dogs is amazing. At the end of the week, my boys don’t want to come home.” (EM) Overnight Camps will resume 2022. Covid Safety Protocol will continue for 2021. July 6-August 27, 202
FEATURED SUMMER PROGRAM
Berkshire Music School
Adventures in Music and RockOn!
Pittsfield, MA
Dates: July 5-August 13, 2021
Age Range: 5yo-Adult
Contact: 413-442-1411 ♦ nneubert@berkshiremusicschool.org
♦ www.BerkshireMusicSchool.org
Play outside this summer with Adventures in Music at the Berkshire Music School! Designed for young music lovers, Adventures in Music give your budding musician a solid foundation in making-music in a fun, engaging atmosphere. Participants will enjoy group classes in world music, chorus, and creative movement on the tented lawn of BMS’s historic campus, as well as small group workshops in piano, ukulele, and visual arts interpretation. Session 1 (ages 5-9): July 5-16 and Session 2 (ages 10-13): July 19-30. And RockOn returns for pre-teen and teen musicians experienced in guitar, bass, keyboard, vocals, and drums. Aug. 2-13.
FEATURED SUMMER PROGRAM
Kamp for Kids
Westfield, MA
Dates: July-August, 2021
Age Range: 3-22yo
Contact: 413-562-5678
♦ Anne.Benoit@bhninc.org
♦ www.bhninc.org
Kamp for Kids brings together children with and without disabilities in a unique integrated model that promotes understanding and growth. This summer’s Kamp experience will be offered both in-person and virtually and includes art, health, nature, and other inclusive, fun activities. As a fully inclusive summer camp, it the mission of Kamp for Kids to serve a population of both children with disabilities and their typically developing peers. Please note they are operating at a limited capacity this summer. Please call for more information.
Bare Roots Farm in West Chesterfield, MA.
Now is the time to order your plants, and Bare Roots Farm in West Chesterfield is open for pre-orders via their online store.
This time every year, many families start to think about tending to their gardens, growing their own food, and being able to access locally grown food easily. Gardening connects families with the seasons and is a multidisciplinary activity embedded with learning every step along the way, from botany to soil science to meteorology. At home, gardening can occur in either a garden plot, porch containers, or window sills, becoming a learning laboratory for all family members. Bare Roots Farm is a locally owned family greenhouse growing useful organic plants. Orders can be picked up at their Farm Stand (329 Ireland Street) beginning the 2nd week of May. Place your order now at Barerootsfarm.com.
SEE YOUR AD HERE
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Preschool Directory
Find what you’re looking for in our Preschool & Daycare Directory for Western MA
List of Weekly Suggested Events
SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2021
LITERACY. Daylight. Family Self-Guided StoryWalk at The Boulders, Pittsfield
ORNITHOLOGY. 8am. Beginner’s Bird Walk: Graves Farm at Mass Audubon Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary (Williamsburg, MA)
RADIO SHOW. 9am. Hilltown Family Variety Show with Guest DJ, Beth Jean (Streaming Audio)
COMMUNITY SERVICE. 9am. Earth Day Book Drive to benefit Northampton Public Schools
CREATIVE ARTS. 9am. Wild Arts Cafe at Northampton Center for the Arts (Northampton, MA)
LIVING HISTORY. 9:30am-5pm. Village Earth Week at Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge, MA)
MUSIC STUDIES. 9:30am. 38th Annual New England Saxophone Festival & Competition with UMass Amherst Department of Music and Dance (Virtual)
HIKING. 10am. Group Hike (2.5 miles) to the Dexter Lyman Homestead (Huntington, MA)
GEOGRAPHY. 11am. Arctic Tour of the Polar Bears (Virtual)
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. 11am. Baby Animals at Hancock Shaker Village (Pittsfield, MA)
WORLD CULTURE. 12:30pm. Tour of Florence Italy (Virtual)
PERFORMANCE ART. 3pm. Peppa Pig Live! Peppa Pig’s Adventure at the Calvin Theatre (Northampton, MA)
MYCOLOGY. 3pm. Shiitake Log Workshop with New England Wild Edibles (Heath, MA)
WORLD RIVERS. 6pm. Guided Ancient Egypt Nile Cruise and Tour (Virtual)
ORNITHOLOGY. 7pm. Dance of the American Woodcock at Park Hill Orchard (Easthampton, MA)
HERPETOLOGY. 8pm. Nocturnal Frog Song at Mass Audubon Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary (Northampton, MA)
Self-Directed Learning:
LANGUAGE ARTS
Blackout Poetry: Creative Process of Deconstruction, Reconstruction
SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2021
LIVING HISTORY. 9:30am-5pm. Village Earth Week at Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge, MA)
PreK/INTERGENERATIONAL. 10am. Gifts from the Earth at Abundance Farm (PreK) (Northampton, MA)
CULINARY ARTS. 1-3pm. Homemade Bagels with The Institute of Culinary Education (Virtual)
ART STUDIES. 6pm. Tour of the Art of Paris (Virtual)
Self-Directed Learning:
FOOD HISTORY
Learn about the history of waffles and wafer in this video and then head to the kitchen to whip up a batch!
Self-Directed Learning:
CULINARY ARTS
For more maple inspired recipes, check out our post, “Seasons at Our Table: Maple Sugar.”
MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021
FARM-BASED LEARNING. 8:30am-3:30pm. April Vacation on the Farm at Red Gate Farm (Ages 7-12) (Buckland, MA)
LIVING HISTORY. 9:30am-5pm. Patriots’ Day at Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge, MA)
MINDFULNESS. 10am-12pm. Mindful Monday Nature Walks at Tolgy Wood (Chesterfield, MA) – every Monday in April
CREATIVE ARTS. 10am-1pm. April Vacation Week at Workshop 13 (Ware, MA)
CREATIVE ARTS. 10am. April Vacation ArtPlay! at Northampton Center for the Arts (Northampton, MA)
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-5pm. Earth Week: Take Action at the Springfield Museums (Springfield, MA)
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-5pm. School Vacation Week at the Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge, MA)
FIBER ARTS. 12pm. Potholder Rug Study Hall with Crispina (Virtual)
EARTH DAY. 1-3pm. Community celebration at the Mason Library (Great Barrington, MA)
THEATER STUDIES. 2-5pm. Theater in Strange Times with Workshop 13 (Ware, MA)
CREATIVE ARTS. 4:30pm. Arts for Change with Maia Petrucha (Ages 8-12) (Virtual)
Self-Directed Learning:
MARINE BIOLOGY
Monterey Bay Aquarium Live Web Cams. Watching marine life live might spark new interests!
Self-Directed Learning:
ORNITHOLOGY
Springtime is the season for bird sightings as Western MA becomes filled with a variety of migrating bird species!
TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2021
FARM-BASED LEARNING. 8:30am-3:30pm. April Vacation on the Farm at Red Gate Farm (Ages 7-12) (Buckland, MA)
NATURE-BASED PreK. 9am. Nature Sprouts at Bement. Connecting with nature through stories & hands-on activities (Deerfield, MA)
LIVING HISTORY. 9:30am-5pm. Village Earth Week at Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge, MA)
NATURE-BASED LEARNING. 9am-3pm. Apr
CREATIVE ARTS. 10am. April Vacation ArtPlay! at Northampton Center for the Arts (Northampton, MA)
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-5pm. Earth Week: Take Action at the Springfield Museums (Springfield, MA)
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-5pm. School Vacation Week at the Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge, MA)
LITERACY. 10am-3pm. StoryWalk® at The Mount (Lenox, MA)
NEW ENGLAND HISTORY. 11am Tours of Storrowton Village Museum (West Springfield, MA)
BABYSITTING. 12pm. 4H Babysitting Course with Lenox Library (Virtual)
CULINARY ARTS. 12:30pm. Handmade Pretzels with The Institute of Culinary Education (Virtual)
PASTRY ARTS. 12:30pm. Baking Techniques: Apple Pie with The Institute of Culinary Education (Virtual)
SCIENCE FICTION. 3pm. Aliens: Escape From Earth! with the Lenox Library (Virtual)
STEAM. 3pm. STEAM Tours at Storrowton Village Museum (West Springfield, MA)
CREATIVE ARTS. 3:30pm. Kid Crafting with Storrs Library (Virtual)
CREATIVE ARTS. 3:30pm. Kids crafting with Richard Salter Storrs Library (Virtual)
LIVING HISTORY. 4-8pm. Discover the Life of Clara Barton with the Richard Salter Storrs Library (Virtual)
CREATIVE ARTS. 4:30pm. Arts for Change with Maia Petrucha (Ages 8-12) (Virtual)
ETHNOBOTANY. 6pm. Wabanaki Ethnobotany with Ethan Allen Homestead Museum (Virtual)
CHESS. 7pm. Beginners Chess with Greenfield Public Library. Email librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org for the registration link. (Virtual)
MUSIC STUDIES. 7:30pm. Jazz Concert with the Northampton Jazz Festival (Virtual)
Self-Directed Learning:
ASTRONOMY
Galaxy Zoo asks citizen scientists to support researchers in learning how galaxies form.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021
FARM-BASED LEARNING. 8:30am-3:30pm. April Vacation on the Farm at Red Gate Farm (Ages 7-12) (Buckland, MA)
NATURE-BASED LEARNING. 9am-3pm. April Vacation Days at Mass Audubon Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary (Easthampton, MA)
LIVING HISTORY. 9:30am-5pm. Village Earth Week at Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge, MA)
CREATIVE ARTS. 10am-1pm. April Vacation Week at Workshop 13 (Ware, MA)
CREATIVE ARTS. 10am. April Vacation ArtPlay! at Northampton Center for the Arts (Northampton, MA)
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-5pm. Earth Week: Take Action at the Springfield Museums (Springfield, MA)
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-5pm. School Vacation Week at the Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge, MA)
SPORTS HISTORY. 12:30pm. Learn about Baseball in American culture with the Storrs Library (Virtual)
CREATIVE ARTS. 4:30pm. Arts for Change with Maia Petrucha (Ages 8-12) (Virtual)
ART STUDIES. 5pm. Messy Modernism: Art in 20th-Century American Magazines with Norman Rockwell Museum (Virtual)
BOTANY. 5:30-7pm. Complete Guide to New England Wildflowers Classes with Berkshire Botanical Garden (Stockbridge, MA)
TECH CAREERS. 6:30pm Teens can attend an iRobot career training panel, hosted by Richard Salter Storrs Library (Virtual)
WORLD CULTURE. 7pm. Tour of Mount Kilimanjaro, Serengeti and the Tanzania Tribes (Virtual)
ASTRONOMY. Night. Lyrids Meteor Shower (At Home)
Self-Directed Learning:
PHENOLOGY
Families can help with studies of phenology with Nature’s Notebook, a citizen science program.
Self-Directed Learning:
CITIZEN SCIENCE
Solar Storm Watch helps scientists to track solar storms on their path to Earth via citizen scientists!
THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE. Join the National Museum of the American Indian’s Living Earth Festival (Virtual)
CONSERVATION. All Day. Give Back to the Land Day with Hilltown Land Trust (Virtual)
FARM-BASED LEARNING. 8:30am-3:30pm. April Vacation on the Farm at Red Gate Farm (Ages 7-12) (Buckland, MA)
NATURE-BASED LEARNING. 9am-3pm. April Vacation Days at Mass Audubon Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary (Easthampton, MA)
LIVING HISTORY. 9:30am-5pm. Village Earth Week at Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge, MA)
CREATIVE ARTS. 10am-1pm. April Vacation Week at Workshop 13 (Ware, MA)
CREATIVE ARTS. 10am. April Vacation ArtPlay! at Northampton Center for the Arts (Northampton, MA)
BOTANY. 10am-4pm. Daffodil and Tulip Festival at Naumkeag (Stockbridge, MA)
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-5pm. Earth Week: Take Action at the Springfield Museums (Springfield, MA)
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-5pm. School Vacation Week at the Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge, MA)
SUSTAINABILITY. 10am. Earth Day Festival in the Mason Square Neighborhood (Springfield, MA)
LITERACY. 10:30am. Outside Story Time at Lenox Library (Lenox, MA)
ENVIRONMENTALISM. 12:15pm. Museums a la Carte with Springfield Museums (Virtual)
CONSERVATION. 12:30pm. Screening of The Lorax at Garden Theater (Greenfield, MA)
WORLD CULTURE. 12:30pm. Learn about Colombia with Storrs Library (Virtual)
CULINARY ARTS. 1-2:30pm. Spring Quiche Brunch with the Institute of Culinary Education (Virtual)
CREATIVE ARTS. 4:30pm. Arts for Change with Maia Petrucha (Ages 8-12) (Virtual)
CULINARY ARTS. 5pm. Learn to cook spinach ravioli with the Emily Williston Memorial Library (Virtual)
ART STUDIES. 7pm. Basic Line Drawing: Flowers. Email Greenfield Public Library for Zoom link: librarian@greenfieldpubliclibrary.org. (Virtual)
GARDENING. 7pm. Gardening Workshop with Springfield City Library (Virtual)
NATURAL HISTORY. 7pm. Rediscovering Northampton: A Natural History with Historic Northampton (Virtual)
GARDENING. 7pm. Gardening for Wildlife & Pollinators with Mass Audubon (Virtual)
FAMILY CONCERT. 7pm. Mister G’s Earth Day Celebration (Virtual)
WORLD GEOGRAPHY. 7pm. Tour of Mumbai (Virtual)
FOOD STUDIES. 7-8:15pm. Learn About Local Grains & Flower with River Valley Co-Op (Virtual)
ASTRONOMY. Night. Lyrids Meteor Shower (At Home)
Self-Directed Learning:
DANCE STUDIES
Dive into Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive, an ever-growing collection of dance videos filmed at Jacob’s Pillow from the 1930s to today.
Self-Directed Learning:
MUSIC STUDIES
Listen to the modern “Pioneers of Sound!” with Elska as she takes us on a sonic journey into the world of early electronic music, synthesizers, micro-beats, bells and more.
FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 2021
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE. Join the National Museum of the American Indian’s Living Earth Festival (Virtual)
FARM-BASED LEARNING. 8:30am-3:30pm. April Vacation on the Farm at Red Gate Farm (Ages 7-12) (Buckland, MA)
LIVING HISTORY. 9:30am-5pm. Village Earth Week at Old Sturbridge Village (Sturbridge, MA)
PreK LITERACY. 10am. Tiny Tales with the Richard Salter Storrs Library (Virtual)
CREATIVE ARTS. 10am-1pm. April Vacation Week at Workshop 13 (Ware, MA)
CREATIVE ARTS. 10am. April Vacation ArtPlay! at Northampton Center for the Arts (Northampton, MA)
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-5pm. Earth Week: Take Action at the Springfield Museums (Springfield, MA)
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-5pm. School Vacation Week at the Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge, MA)
CREATIVE ARTS. 4:30pm. Arts for Change with Maia Petrucha (Ages 8-12) (Virtual)
CLIMATE CHANGE. 5:30pm. The Value of Nature: Our Climate Reality with Mass Audubon (Virtual)
INTERGENERATIONAL. 6:30-8pm. Family Campfire at Red Gate Farm (Buckland, MA)
THEATER STUDIES. 7pm. Shakespeare’s Birthday Bash with Shakespeare & Company (Virtual)
WORLD GEOGRAPHY. 7pm. Tour of Brussels (Virtual)
DANCE STUDIES. 7:30pm. Springfield College Dancers Spring Concert (Virtual)
Self-Directed Learning:
ART STUDIES
Google Cultural Institute: A Portal to the Cultural Treasures of the World.
Self-Directed Learning:
COMMUNICATIONS
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Pen Pal Program for T(w)eens.
Weekly eNewsletter
Online and in-person events and resources shared above are done so as a courtesy and not as an endorsement. While we do our best to share accurate and up-to-date information, please take the time to confirm information, age appropriateness, registration requirements, safety protocols, and associated costs.
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Hilltown Families’ list of Suggested Events is supported in part by grants from the Agawam, Amherst, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont/Hawley, Chester, Chesterfield, Chicopee, Colrain, Dalton, Deerfield, Easthampton, Gill, Goshen, Greenfield, Hadley, Hatfield, Heath, Holyoke, Huntington, Huntington, Leyden, Montgomery, New Salem, Northern Berkshire, Northfield, Palmer, Pelham, Plainfield, Rowe, Shelburne, Shutesbury, South Hadley, Southampton, Springfield, Tolland, Tyringham, Windsor, and Worthington Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
