Are you looking for things to do in western Massachusetts? Seeking place-based learning ideas? 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 fun 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
SUGGESTED EVENTS: FEBRUARY 25 – MARCH 3, 2023
Saturday, February 25, 2023
Sunday, February 26, 2023
Monday, February 27, 2023
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Thursday, March 2, 2023
Friday, March 3, 2023
MORE EVENTS : Discover more events on Hilltown Families’ Facebook page.
SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING IDEAS
COMMUNITY-BASED EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES
Featured Events, Resources, & Opportunities FEATURED SUMMER PROGRAM Montessori School of Northampton Summer Program For over 45 years, MSN has offered exciting and engaging summer workshops for children in the tradition of Italian educator Maria Montessori. Located near downtown Northampton, Route 9 and I-91, they offer 8 weeks of programming starting at 18 months old up to 8th grade. Elementary and middle school workshops include Rock Band, Podcasting, Robotics, Digital Animation & Game Making, Outdoor Wilderness Adventures, Film & Videography, Visual Arts: Magical Creatures, LEGO Engineering w/ Minecraft and Pokémon, Graphic Novel/Comic Book Art. Their Toddler and Children’s House (pre/K) programs have half and full-day options available, with a strong teacher/student ratio, theme-based programming, and an expansive playground. Contact : 413-563-4645. summer@northamptonmontessori.org ; msn.coursestorm.com .
FEATURED PRESCHOOL The Montessori School of the Berkshires (MSB) in Lenox Dale, MAFor more information: info@berkshiremontessori.org ; 413-637-3662; www.berkshiremontessori.org .
The Back Porch Festival March 3-4–5! Over 50 bands will perform in 8 venues in downtown Northampton, MA. Join a magical weekend featuring the best in American roots music with artists from all corners of the U.S. With Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Watchhouse (formerly Mandolin Orange), an all-star John Prine Tribute (Kris Delmhorst, Peter Mulvey Tracy Grammer, Winterpills) Cedric Burnside, Kelly Willis, Brennen Leigh & Melissa Carper, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Sunny War, Nora Brown, Ali McGuirk, King Manzi, Lonesome Brothers and many more. Visit www.backporchfest.com for tickets, special hotel packages, and more information. The Back Porch Festival is co-presented with the Northampton Arts Council.
FEATURED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITYHilltown Land Trust
Hilltown Land Trust protects land & promotes ecological diversity & health, respectful land stewardship, historic character, & natural beauty in the Hilltowns.
Do you care deeply about land and the future of the Hilltowns? Get involved and make a difference! The Board and Staff of Hilltown Land Trust conserving and caring for the land, habitat, and trails in this special place. You can participate in many ways, from helping to build and maintain local trails and making sure public events run smoothly, to strategic planning, policy setting, and so much more. HLT is looking for engaged and motivated community members to serve on committees , give input into a new Strategic Plan , become regular volunteers , or consider serving on the Board of Directors . Learn more at: www.hilltownlandtrust.org .
Photo by Ana Seiler.
The Somneuro Lab at UMASS Amherst is recruiting toddlers (15-21 months) for a study exploring the relationship between sleep and memory in early childhood. You and your child will be asked to sleep overnight in the lab at three timepoints (5 months apart). Children will play memory games and have their sleep recorded with non-invasive electrodes. The lab space is equipped with a kitchen, living room, and cozy bedrooms. Compensation is $200 per timepoin t. Families can also receive compensation for time spent traveling to and from the lab. Want to learn more? Contact the Somneuro Lab today! Email: toddlernapstudy@gmail.com. Phone: 413-545-4831. Or, use this LINK
Vävstuga Weaving School in Shelburne, MA , seeks a Business Manager to join a small but dynamic staff. Vävstuga offers weaving classes and sells weaving equipment, supplies, and books in their store, all in a beautiful rural location. Hours for this position are flexible, 28-40 hours per week. Applicants should have business and organizational skills, be self-motivated, and have an interest in and/or experience with weaving. Being able to multi-task and deal with customers/students is essential. Knowledge of word processing, Excel, and QuickBooks is desirable. For more information and/or to arrange an interview, email office@vavstuga.com . Write why you are interested and include a resume. Tel.: 413-625-8241; www.vavstuga.com .
FEATURED SUMMER CAMPKimama Halfmoon
June-August 2023. Ages 6-17.
Kimama Halfmoon, located on Lake Buel, offers day and overnight camps from June to August for boys and girls ages 3 to 14. With specialty programming curated for each age group, campers get to indulge in all of the fun the Kimama Halfmoon facility offers, from water sports to zipline and even a skate park, plus much more. Join Kimama Halfmoon for a one week-long session or the entire summer! Contact: 646-779-5579. usa@campkimama.org ; www.kimamahalfmoon.org .
Use code HILLTOWN
Summer at Stoneleigh-Burnham has seven camps for girls & boys with boarding & day options to explore. Bonnie Castle Riding Camp is a riding program at the intermediate and advanced skill levels, and Horsemanship Day Camp is a riding program at the beginner skill level. Performing Arts Camp focuses on choral music, musical theater, and dance. Animation Camp I & II focus on 2D, hand-drawn animation, compiling frames, backgrounds, and other elements. Basketball Camp provides an opportunity for players to practice in a safe, fun, and supportive setting. Owl Day Camp is a traditional summer camp experience. Stoneleigh-Burnham is committed to making their camps accessible to all Hilltown families and offers financial assistance for select camps. Contact: 413-475-1656 x256. hgebo@sbschool.org ; sbschool.org/summer .
Play outside this summer! Designed for young music lovers ages 5-9, Adventures in Music gives your budding musician a solid foundation in making music in a fun, engaging atmosphere. Participants will enjoy group classes in introduction to music, chorus, and creative movement on the tented lawn of Berkshire Music School’s historic campus, as well as small group workshops in piano, drama, percussion, visual arts, and more! Session 1: Tuesday, June 20 – Friday, June 23. Session 2: Monday, June 26 – Friday, June 30. 10am-4pm. Extended day options are available. Contact : 413-442-1411. cpearson@berkshiremusicschool.org ; www.BerkshireMusicSchool.org
The Center School is excited to offer another year of summer camp for children between the ages of 3 to 12! Between cooking and theater, bookmaking and parkour, their summer camp is designed to give children space for creative play and mindful exploration. With a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities and their excited staff, your child will surely make a summer full of memories with The Center School. Contact: 413-773-1700. k.mccolgan@centerschool.net ; centerschool.net/summer .
Help! An evil robot has taken over the camp kitchen, fired all the workers, and now insists on serving everyone something called a “jankey burger.” Only a few days ago, giant pickles invaded camp! What is going on? Rowe is a welcoming, inclusive camp for independent youth ages 8-18 who love to create their own adventure, from outdoor fun to introspective discussions. They work to create a space where young people can explore and learn about themselves as well as how to be in community. Camps run from 1-2 weeks based on age from June 25-August 11. Scholarships are available. Contact: 413-339-4954. camp@rowecenter.org ; rowecenter.org .
Spend the summer with Amherst Recreation! At Amherst Recreation Summer Programs, children can participate in sports clinics, arts, science, crafts, games, nature activities, swimming lessons, and more. Their caring and experienced staff will make this a summer to remember. Learn more and browse their exciting programs on their Amherst Recreation website. Contact: 413-259-3065. jordanm@amherstma.gov ; amherstmarec.org .
Deerfield Academy Summer Arts Camp (DASAC) is an alternative education community focusing on experimental and traditional arts in a day camp setting for campers ages 11 through 16. DASAC creates space and agency for campers to be their most authentic selves. DASAC is designed to welcome children from the communities that surround Deerfield. Because of this design, they seek camper families rooted in the nearby communities. Session 1: June 27 – July 14; Session 2: July 18 – August 4. Contact: 413-774-1498. cwelch@deerfield.edu ; deerfield.edu/summer-programs/dasac .
FEATURED SUMMER PROGRAMRiotous Youth
July 3-August 18, 2023. Ages 7-17.
Riotous Youth, Shakespeare & Company’s summer youth theater program, is designed to introduce young actors to the language, stories, characters, and ideas in Shakespeare’s plays in imaginative and playful ways. Classes incorporating voice, movement, and acting enable students to explore Shakespeare’s text emotionally, physically, and intellectually. Students create a performance piece based on their experience of the play, which they will share with family, friends, and Company members on the final day of the session. The 2023 Riotous Youth program will hold sessions from July 3 through August 18. Contact: 413-637-1199. jstevenson@shakespeare.org ; www.shakespeare.org/education/riotous-youth
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Partner with HIlltown Families!
Partner with Hilltown Families in your online advertising! Delivering your message each week to over 35,000 subscribers, web visitors, and social media followers each week , Hilltown Families can bring your message to thousands of families in Western Massachusetts. Serving the region since 2005, Hilltown Families is an award-winning, online communication network, recognized as a leading family strengthening initiative in the region, promoting “positive parenting through the social norm of community social connectedness.” A trusted partner in your online marketing! To find out how we can partner together in your online marketing and outreach, contact us for info on our affordable options and packages : swildfield@hilltownfamilies.org . Have an event, resource, or opportunity you’re ready to promote? Click HERE to submit your information.
List of Weekly Suggested Events
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2023
🍁 SUGAR SHACK/FAMILY MEAL . 7am-1pm. Maple Season Breakfast – Bring the family for a maple season breakfast that includes demonstrations of maple syrup rendering, tastings, and tours. North Hadley Sugar Shack. 413-585-8820. 181 River Drive. Hadley, MA.
🍁 SUGAR SHACK/FAMILY MEAL . 8am-1pm. Sap will be boiling, and pancakes will be served. Holiday Brook Farm. 413-684-0444. 100 Holiday Cottage Road. Dalton, MA.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING/ SNOWSHOEING . 8:30am-4pm. Ski Notchview – Renowned for its Nordic skiing and snowshoeing, there is something for everyone. Ski Notchview this winter and enjoy over 25 miles of trails. Half of the trails are groomed and track-set for classical cross-country skiing, and 5 miles are groomed for skate skiing. A separate trail system is for “skijoring” (aka skiing with dogs). Visitors can also snowshoe alongside the ski trails or go off track and explore the backcountry. Rentals are available. Notchview. 413-684-0148. 83 Old Route 9, Windsor, MA.
FAMILY RADIO : 9-10am. Hilltown Family Variety Show. WXOJ 103.3FM Northampton, MA. (Radio )
🌹 BOTANY/ BULB SHOW . 9am-4pm. Annual flowering bulb show at the Fitzpatrick Conservatory. Berkshire Botanical Garden. 413-298-3926. 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA.
🌸 BOTANY/ ORCHID. 9am-5pm. Orchid Show – During the 19th century, Victorian England briefly went through a phase of “orchidelirium.” A veritable obsession with collecting and discovering new species of orchid overwhelmed the nation. Wealthy orchid aficionados sent explorers worldwide to find new or rare species of these entrancing flowers. To this day, orchids continue to bewitch fanatics, resulting in the occasional theft of a particularly notable flower, as is evidenced by Susan Orlean’s 1998 book The Orchid Thief . See what all the fuss about these strange and mysterious flowers is at the Amherst Orchid Society’s annual show. Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School. 80 Locust Street, Northampton, MA (FREE)
ART STUDIES . 9am-5pm. Mead Art Museum – Search for secret doors in a seventeenth-century paneled room. Puzzle over a cuneiform inscription that praises a powerful Assyrian king. Marvel at a hanging sculpture spinning in a still gallery. Visitors to the Mead Art Museum do so much more than see objects—at the Mead, art is experienced, investigated, and explored. The Mead offers a world of resources for connecting art across countless cultures, mediums, and eras, set on Amherst College’s beautiful main quadrangle and flanked by a fascinating, stand-alone stone steeple. Mead Art Museum. 413-542-2335. 41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA.
NEW ENGLAND HISTORY. 9:30am-4:30pm. Historic Deerfield – Founded in 1952, Historic Deerfield is an outdoor museum that interprets the history and culture of early New England and the Connecticut River Valley. Visitors can tour twelve carefully-preserved antique houses dating from 1730 to 1850 and explore world-class collections of regional furniture, silver, textiles, and other decorative arts on display in the authentic period houses; as well as the Flynt Center of Early New England Life, a state-of-the-art museum facility featuring exhibitions and a visible storage area. Support interests in history through the lens of architecture, New England antiques, arts and crafts needlework, ironware and basketry, cooking and baking, gardening, textiles, fashion, furniture, and much more! Historic Deerfield. 413-774-5581. 84 Old Main St, Deerfield, MA.
CREATIVE FREE-PLAY/ INTERACTIVE MUSEUM . 10am-4pm. The Children’s Museum – Dedicated to enhancing children’s educational and cultural awareness through the arts, sciences, and the world around them. The Museum’s participatory exhibits and educational programming invite children and adults to interact and enjoy learning and self-discovery while at play. Young children almost always want to start on the Curvy Climber. And then, throughout the Museum, there are several other activities that older children might spend more time with, including the Legos Table, The Magna Tile Table, Maxi Rollways, and the Imagination Playground. There is also a state-of-the-art World of Motion room that stimulates children and adults’ curious minds. This room is STEM-based and encourages learning and play. Discover more at The Children’s Museum at Holyoke. 413-536-7048. 444 Dwight St, Holyoke, MA.
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-4pm. Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum – Ventfort Hall is an imposing Jacobean Revival-style mansion built in 1893 for Sarah Morgan, the sister of J. P. Morgan. It was one of the approximately seventy-five so-called “Cottages” built in Lenox in the late 19th century when the village became a popular Gilded Age resort. The museum can support interests in history and architecture, photography, film, art, and botany. Photography and film students can test their skills in the house, finding interesting areas to photograph. Art students are welcome to find a spot they enjoy and sketch, paint, and/or interpret the site as it fits their interests and studies. History classes may compare and contrast the architectural elements of Ventfort Hall with observations in their community. Botany students can investigate and identify trees and plants on the property that are of the era. And much more! Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum. 413-637-3206. 104 Walker Street. Lenox, MA.
NATURAL HISTORY/MUSEUM ADVENTURES : 10am-5pm. The Beneski Museum of Natural History – One of New England’s largest natural history museums, featuring three floors of exhibits with more than 1,700 specimens on display. Step inside the museum, and you’ll find: Dramatic displays of fossil skeletons, from fish to dinosaurs to Ice Age megafauna, an extraordinary collection of local dinosaur footprints, geological specimens and immersive exhibits that tell the history of the local landscape through geologic time, including when dinosaurs inhabited the area, and dazzling mineral specimens from around the world and meteorites from beyond Earth. Beneski Museum of Natural History. 413-542-2165. Amherst College. 11 Barrett Hill Dr, Amherst, MA.
MUSEUMS ADVENTURES . 10am-5pm. Springfield Museums – The Springfield Museums uses art, history, science, and Dr. Seuss to explore our shared connections and unique perspectives to promote engagement, literacy, and learning. Located in the heart of downtown Springfield, the Springfield Museums offer access to five world-class museums, including the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, all under a single admission. The museums are community-based educational resources that can support interests and education in art studies, natural history, STEM, astronomy, zoology, geology, paleontology, ecology, history, and, of course, Dr. Seuss. Springfield Museums. 413-263-6800. 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-5pm. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art – A museum devoted to the art of picture books, especially children’s books. The Carle’s picture-book exhibitions showcase various artists, themes, and styles. Their three galleries host six original shows a year, so there is always something new! In addition to exploring art in the galleries, drop into the art studio to experience the creative joy of making art; explore new picture books, and rediscover old ones in their library. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. 413-559-6300. 125 W Bay Rd, Amherst, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-6pm. The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) – One of the world’s liveliest centers for making and enjoying today’s most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA embraces all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. MASS MoCA offers various participatory learning opportunities, including hands-on art-making classes and docent-guided tours. A must-visit for families is Kidspace, a child-centered art gallery and hands-on studio that offers in-depth art education. Visit the ArtBar, a hands-on studio space in Kidspace, to make art or take a project home with you. MASS MoCA. 413-662-2111.1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA.
🎶 PLAYGROUP/ MUSIC. 10:30am. Owl Music For Families – A fun-filled time for toddlers at the Sunderland Public Library. 20 School Street, Sunderland, MA.
🌱 COMMUNITY GARDENING. 10:30am. Families Interested in Gardening – Meet Gaylord Memorial Library resident gardener and seed librarian, Marie Rohan, to learn more about participating in a community garden project at the Gaylord Memorial Library this spring. Pre-registration is requested. Gaylord Memorial Library. 413-538-5047. 47 College Street. South Hadley, MA.
💤 SCIENCE/ PSYCHOLOGY. 11am. Tap Into Your Midnight Mind with Dreams & Writing – Learn how to use the science and psychology of sleep, dreams, and mindfulness to supercharge your creativity and wake up to your best life. Westhampton Public Library. 413-527-5386. 1 N Rd, Westhampton, MA.
ART STUDIES . 11am-4pm. Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA) – SCMA is recognized as a leading academic museum. Their collection comprises 27,000+ objects, representing the diversity of art and material culture across periods and geographies. Visitors can discover artworks from across periods and geographies in their permanent collection galleries and temporary exhibitions, engaging people with first-hand experiences of art, artists, and museum practice. The museum’s collection ranges from ancient Greek vases to contemporary video art. The works in their permanent collection galleries are regularly rotated, so there’s something new to see each time you visit. Special exhibitions highlight a dynamic range of artworks and artists. Smith College Museum of Art. 413-585-2760. 20 Elm Street at Bedford Terrace. Northampton, MA.
🌱 GARDENING . 1pm. The Heirloom Gardener: Traditional Plants & Skills for the Home Gardener – Drawn from his new book, John Forti will share inspiration from our long history of heirloom preservation, garden craft, and homestead lifeways. Artisanal gardening lifestyles are helping rebuild vibrant local agricultural economies and celebrate sustainable cottage industries that contribute to our new, homegrown American arts & crafts movement and backyard environmentalism. Leverett Library. 413-548-9220. 75 Montague Rd, Leverett, MA.
❄️ OUTDOOR ADVENTURES. 1-2:30pm. Family-Friendly Outdoor Adventures – An afternoon of winter activities, including snow tubing for the little ones, a snowshoe demonstration, and a guided hike. Mount Greylock Visitor Center. 413-499-4262. 30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough, MA.
🌎 GEOGRAPHY/ GEOCACHING . 1-3pm. Geocaching 101 – Looking for a fun way to engage your tech-savvy kids with the natural world? This outdoor activity combines hiking with a tech-aided treasure hunt. Mount Greylock Visitor Center. 413-499-4262. 30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough, MA.
🍴 LOCAL HISTORY/ INDUSTRY. 1-4pm. Demo: Cutlery and Hand Tools – Join silversmith Steve Smithers as he explores the story of the first tradesmen/artisans who came to Greenfield and the surrounding towns in the late 18th century, eventually leading to the emergence of the great metal industries of our region. Steve will also discuss and demonstrate the tools and techniques of these early makers. Then, get your hands on some locally made tools as long-time museum volunteer and vintage tool restorer Marc Fournier leads a hands-on tool clinic and explores the history of the area’s tool-making companies. Museum of Our Industrial Heritage. 413-336-8275. Newell Snow Factory, 2 Mead St, Greenfield, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES . 1-5pm. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum – Located on the Mount Holyoke College campus, this Museum is one of the oldest teaching museums in the country, dedicated to providing firsthand experience with works of significant aesthetic and cultural value. The Museum offers pre- and post-visit educational materials designed for kids of all ages to maximize their learning potential while exploring the galleries and connecting art with their personal experiences, including walking and activity guides and educator resources. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum. 413-538-2245. 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA.
🦋 ENTOMOLOGY/ BUTTERFLIES . 2pm. Monarchs – Did you know the monarch was named for an English king? Learn about the monarch butterfly and what is needed to ensure its survival. Join us in the auditorium when the Western Massachusetts Master Gardeners Association brings “Monarchs,” one of their educational “Road Shows,” to the Berkshire Athenaeum. 1 Wendell Ave, Pittsfield, MA.
🏀 SPORTS/ BASKETBALL. 4pm. UMass Women’s Basketball vs. George Washington at Mullins Center. 413-545-3040. 200 Commonwealth Ave. Amherst, MA.
🎳 SPORTS/ BOWLING. 4-11pm. Vintage Candlepin Bowling & Bar – Bowling is a fun way to practice math skills and statistics while observing physics concepts, such as friction, torque, velocity, and gravity. Shelburne Falls Bowling Alley. 413-625-6179. 43 Bridge Street. Shelburne Falls, MA.
🥌 SPORTS/ CURLING. 6-8pm. Learn To Curl – Learning through the lens of curling can support many interests, including science, geography, sports history, geology, manufacturing, maritime history, environmental impacts, and even the study of world languages. A native sport to Scotland, the roots of curling go back to the 1600s, and the science of the sport is rich in physics concepts. Boys & Girls Club Of The Berkshires. 413-448-8258. 16 Melville Street. Pittsfield, MA.
🎺 MUSIC STUDIES/ NEW ORLEANS JAZZ. 7:30pm. New Orleans Jazz: Mardi Gras – Celebrate the spirit of Mardi Gras with a night of hot, steamy New Orleans jazz with music from New Orleans natives like Fats Domino, Mahalia Jackson, and Louis Armstrong. From street parades in the French Quarter to late-night jams in the city’s famed clubs, this party transforms into an unforgettable Mardi Gras celebration with Springfield Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall. 413-949-0925. 34 Court St, Springfield, MA.
🎭 THEATER STUDIES. 8-11pm. Exit 7 Players Presents: Clue – The classic board game is brought to life in Clue! Exit 7 Players Theater. 413-583-4301. 37 Chestnut St, Ludlow, MA.
MORE EVENTS : Discover more events on Hilltown Families’ Facebook page.
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Self-Directed Learning: Mud Season
We all know about the four seasons, but did you know there’s a “fifth season in parts of western Massachusetts?” Locals in the Hilltowns call this time of year Mud Season ! Happening simultaneously with Maple Sugar Season, mud season is a harbinger to spring. Paying attention to weather patterns and documenting annually when this seasonal phenomenon happens near your home year after year can strengthen a sense of place. Mud is also an excellent lens for learning about various topics and interests. Let this “fifth season” spark interests and guide your learning about 3-D printing , entomology , ornithology , architecture , creative free-play , and even pastry arts !
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2023
FAMILY RADIO : 7-8am. Hilltown Family Variety Show. WXOJ 103.3FM Northampton, MA. (Radio )
🥞 COMMUNITY MEAL/ PANCAKES . 7-10am. Pancake Breakfast – Come and support the Northfield Fire Department, and enjoy a delicious pancake breakfast served to you by the members of the Northfield Fire Department and the Junior Firefighters. Held at the Northfield Elementary. 104 Main Street. Northfield, MA.
🍁 SUGAR SHACK/FAMILY MEAL . 7am-1pm. Maple Season Breakfast – Bring the family for a maple season breakfast that includes demonstrations of maple syrup rendering, tastings, and tours. North Hadley Sugar Shack. 413-585-8820. 181 River Drive. Hadley, MA.
🥞 COMMUNITY MEAL/ PANCAKES . 8-11:30am. Pancake Breakfast – Cheshire Fire Department hosts a community breakfast at St. Mary’s Church. 159 Church St, Cheshire, MA.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING/ SNOWSHOEING . 8:30am-4pm. Ski Notchview – Renowned for its Nordic skiing and snowshoeing, there is something for everyone. Ski Notchview this winter and enjoy over 25 miles of trails. Half of the trails are groomed and track-set for classical cross-country skiing, and 5 miles are groomed for skate skiing. A separate trail system is for “skijoring” (aka skiing with dogs). Visitors can also snowshoe alongside the ski trails or go off track and explore the backcountry. Rentals are available. Notchview. 413-684-0148. 83 Old Route 9, Windsor, MA.
🌷 BOTANY/ BULB SHOW . 9am-4pm. Annual flowering bulb show at the Fitzpatrick Conservatory. Berkshire Botanical Garden. 413-298-3926. 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA.
🌸 BOTANY/ ORCHID. 9am-4pm. Orchid Show – During the 19th century, Victorian England briefly went through a phase of “orchidelirium.” A veritable obsession with collecting and discovering new species of orchid overwhelmed the nation. Wealthy orchid aficionados sent explorers worldwide to find new or rare species of these entrancing flowers. To this day, orchids continue to bewitch fanatics, resulting in the occasional theft of a particularly notable flower, as is evidenced by Susan Orlean’s 1998 book The Orchid Thief . See what all the fuss about these strange and mysterious flowers is at the Amherst Orchid Society’s annual show. Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School. 80 Locust Street, Northampton, MA (FREE)
🌷 BOTANY/ BULB SHOW . 9am-4pm. Annual flowering bulb show at the Fitzpatrick Conservatory. Berkshire Botanical Garden. 413-298-3926. 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA.
ART STUDIES . 9am-5pm. Mead Art Museum – Search for secret doors in a seventeenth-century paneled room. Puzzle over a cuneiform inscription that praises a powerful Assyrian king. Marvel at a hanging sculpture spinning in a still gallery. Visitors to the Mead Art Museum do so much more than see objects—at the Mead, art is experienced, investigated, and explored. The Mead offers a world of resources for connecting art across countless cultures, mediums, and eras, set on Amherst College’s beautiful main quadrangle and flanked by a fascinating, stand-alone stone steeple. Mead Art Museum. 413-542-2335. 41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA.
NEW ENGLAND HISTORY. 9:30am-4:30pm. Historic Deerfield – Founded in 1952, Historic Deerfield is an outdoor museum that interprets the history and culture of early New England and the Connecticut River Valley. Visitors can tour twelve carefully-preserved antique houses dating from 1730 to 1850 and explore world-class collections of regional furniture, silver, textiles, and other decorative arts on display in the authentic period houses; as well as the Flynt Center of Early New England Life, a state-of-the-art museum facility featuring exhibitions and a visible storage area. Support interests in history through the lens of architecture, New England antiques, arts and crafts needlework, ironware and basketry, cooking and baking, gardening, textiles, fashion, furniture, and much more! Historic Deerfield. 413-774-5581. 84 Old Main St, Deerfield, MA.
🎶 MUSIC STUDIES/ GUITAR. 10am. ¡Guitarra! Master Class – William Kanengiser will conduct a master class with advanced guitar students, open to observers. Enjoy the interaction between this superb musician and select classical guitar students. UMass Old Chapel. 413-545-0306. 144 Hicks Way. Amherst, MA.
JEWISH CULTURE/ HISTORY. 10am-4pm. Yiddish Book Center – Learning about Jewish culture and history often leads parents and children to conversations about their family’s history, culture, and traditions. Part of The Center’s mission is to offer engaging learning opportunities for curious visitors of all ages who come to the expansive, sunny museum designed to resemble a shtetl (Eastern European Jewish small town), which sits in an apple orchard adjacent to the Hampshire College campus. Visitors don’t need to be able to read or speak Yiddish to enjoy the Center—although, by the visit’s end, they’ll realize they probably knew more Yiddish words than they thought (nosh , schmooze , and shlep are all Yiddish words commonly used in English), and leave knowing even more. Yiddish Book Center. 413-256-4900. 1021 West Street. Amherst, MA.
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-4pm. Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum – Ventfort Hall is an imposing Jacobean Revival-style mansion built in 1893 for Sarah Morgan, the sister of J. P. Morgan. It was one of the approximately seventy-five so-called “Cottages” built in Lenox in the late 19th century when the village became a popular Gilded Age resort. The museum can support interests in history and architecture, photography, film, art, and botany. Photography and film students can test their skills in the house, finding interesting areas to photograph. Art students are welcome to find a spot they enjoy and sketch, paint, and/or interpret the site as it fits their interests and studies. History classes may compare and contrast the architectural elements of Ventfort Hall with observations in their community. Botany students can investigate and identify trees and plants on the property that are of the era. And much more! Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum. 413-637-3206. 104 Walker Street. Lenox, MA.
ENTOMOLOGY/ BUTTERFLIES . 10am-4:30pm. Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory – An 8000 square-foot tropical conservatory with nearly 4000 free-flying tropical and native butterflies from all over the world. Learn about butterflies along with exotic reptiles, frogs, fish, birds, and insects! Ask about their guided tours. Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory. 413-665-2805. 281 Greenfield Road. South Deerfield, MA.
NATURAL HISTORY/MUSEUM ADVENTURES : 10am-5pm. The Beneski Museum of Natural History – One of New England’s largest natural history museums, featuring three floors of exhibits with more than 1,700 specimens on display. Step inside the museum, and you’ll find: Dramatic displays of fossil skeletons, from fish to dinosaurs to Ice Age megafauna, an extraordinary collection of local dinosaur footprints, geological specimens and immersive exhibits that tell the history of the local landscape through geologic time, including when dinosaurs inhabited the area, and dazzling mineral specimens from around the world and meteorites from beyond Earth. Beneski Museum of Natural History. 413-542-2165. Amherst College. 11 Barrett Hill Dr, Amherst, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-6pm. The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) – One of the world’s liveliest centers for making and enjoying today’s most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA embraces all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. MASS MoCA offers various participatory learning opportunities, including hands-on art-making classes and docent-guided tours. A must-visit for families is Kidspace, a child-centered art gallery and hands-on studio that offers in-depth art education. Visit the ArtBar, a hands-on studio space in Kidspace, to make art or take a project home with you. MASS MoCA. 413-662-2111.1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA.
ART STUDIES . 11am-4pm. Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA) – SCMA is recognized as a leading academic museum. Their collection comprises 27,000+ objects, representing the diversity of art and material culture across periods and geographies. Visitors can discover artworks from across periods and geographies in their permanent collection galleries and temporary exhibitions, engaging people with first-hand experiences of art, artists, and museum practice. The museum’s collection ranges from ancient Greek vases to contemporary video art. The works in their permanent collection galleries are regularly rotated, so there’s something new to see each time you visit. Special exhibitions highlight a dynamic range of artworks and artists. Smith College Museum of Art. 413-585-2760. 20 Elm Street at Bedford Terrace. Northampton, MA.
MUSEUMS ADVENTURES . 11am-5pm. Springfield Museums – The Springfield Museums uses art, history, science, and Dr. Seuss to explore our shared connections and unique perspectives to promote engagement, literacy, and learning. Located in the heart of downtown Springfield, the Springfield Museums offer access to five world-class museums, including the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, all under a single admission. The museums are community-based educational resources that can support interests and education in art studies, natural history, STEM, astronomy, zoology, geology, paleontology, ecology, history, and, of course, Dr. Seuss. Springfield Museums. 413-263-6800. 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA.
CREATIVE FREE-PLAY/ INTERACTIVE MUSEUM . 12-4pm. The Children’s Museum – Dedicated to enhancing children’s educational and cultural awareness through the arts, sciences, and the world around them. The Museum’s participatory exhibits and educational programming invite children and adults to interact and enjoy learning and self-discovery while at play. Young children almost always want to start on the Curvy Climber. And then, throughout the Museum, there are several other activities that older children might spend more time with, including the Legos Table, The Magna Tile Table, Maxi Rollways, and the Imagination Playground. There is also a state-of-the-art World of Motion room that stimulates children and adults’ curious minds. This room is STEM-based and encourages learning and play. Discover more at The Children’s Museum at Holyoke. 413-536-7048. 444 Dwight St, Holyoke, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 12-5pm. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art – A museum devoted to the art of picture books, especially children’s books. The Carle’s picture-book exhibitions showcase various artists, themes, and styles. Their three galleries host six original shows a year, so there is always something new! In addition to exploring art in the galleries, drop into the art studio to experience the creative joy of making art; explore new picture books, and rediscover old ones in their library. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. 413-559-6300. 125 W Bay Rd, Amherst, MA.
❄️ OUTDOOR ADVENTURES/ MINDFULNESS. 1-3pm. Mountain Mindfulness: Family Forest Walk – On this peaceful, family-friendly forest walk, participants will be guided on a slow, intentional journey to de-stress while connecting with nature. A mindful outdoor experience incorporates elements of forest bathing, mindful breathing, nature connection, and meditation skills culminating in a group session for sharing and reflection. Mount Greylock Visitor Center. 413-499-4262. 30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough, MA.
🛷 OUTDOOR ADVENTURES. 1-3pm. Winter Wonderland Activity Day – A fun-packed time of winter activities for all ages, including winter crafts, scavenger hunts, board games, and sledding if weather permits. BYO sled. Mount Greylock Visitor Center. 413-499-4262. 30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES . 1-5pm. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum – Located on the Mount Holyoke College campus, this Museum is one of the oldest teaching museums in the country, dedicated to providing firsthand experience with works of significant aesthetic and cultural value. The Museum offers pre- and post-visit educational materials designed for kids of all ages to maximize their learning potential while exploring the galleries and connecting art with their personal experiences, including walking and activity guides and educator resources. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum. 413-538-2245. 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA.
🎭 THEATER STUDIES. 2-5pm. Exit 7 Players Presents: Clue – The classic board game is brought to life in Clue! Exit 7 Players Theater. 413-583-4301. 37 Chestnut St, Ludlow, MA.
ART STUDIES/ GALLERY . 2-5pm. Hampshire College Art Gallery – The Hampshire College Art Gallery is a dynamic space for contemporary art and collections-based exhibitions, uniting innovative curatorial approaches with a focus on teaching and learning. Families can visit the gallery to check out traditional exhibitions, along with more interactive programs. Many objects in their small, eclectic permanent collection were donated when founders first built the college, so there are among them some quintessentially “’60s” artworks, alongside fine art photography. The gallery is located in the Harold F. Johnson Library Building, Ground Floor, on the campus of Hampshire College. 893 West Street. Amherst, MA.
ICE SKATING. 2:30-4:20pm.Public Ice Skate – Ice skating sessions for the public at UMass Mullins Center. Skate rentals are provided. Great opportunity to get moving on cold New England days! UMass Mullins Center. 413-545-3040. 200 Commonwealth Ave. Amherst, MA.
⛸ ICE SKATING. 3-5pm. Williston Lossone Rink. BYO Skates. Greenwood Ct. Easthampton, MA.
🎳 SPORTS/ BOWLING. 4-8pm. Vintage Candlepin Bowling & Bar – Bowling is a fun way to practice math skills and statistics while observing physics concepts, such as friction, torque, velocity, and gravity. Shelburne Falls Bowling Alley. 413-625-6179. 43 Bridge Street. Shelburne Falls, MA.
MORE EVENTS : Discover more events on Hilltown Families’ Facebook page.
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Self-Directed Learning: Sports History
Though western Massachusetts isn’t known as a sports mecca, it’s filled with community–based resources for exploring sports and their history. As the birthplace of at least two major sports and home to teams and clubs engaging in many more, the area offers a variety of ways to learn about sports of all kinds. Read more in our post, Exploring Athletics and Sports History Through Community-Based Resources
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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2023
PLAYGROUP . Northampton Parents Center .
PLAYGROUPS. Family Centers & Playgroups in Hilltowns & Pioneer Valley
PLAYGROUPS. Family Center & Playgroups in Franklin County
PLAYGROUPS . Family Center & Playgroups in south Berkshire County
PLAYGROUPS . Family Center & Playgroups in north Berkshire County
PLAYGROUPS . Home. City. Families. in Springfield
PLAYGROUP . 8:30-11am. Hilltown Family Center Infant & Toddler Play Group – Starting with Infant Playgroup at 8:30am and families with children 9mo-5yo joining at 9:45am. Families are welcome to eat breakfast at 8:30am for a nominal cost. Takes place at R.H. Conwell Elementary School. 413-667-2203 x311. 147 Huntington Rd, Worthington, MA.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING/ SNOWSHOEING . 8:30am-4pm. Ski Notchview – Renowned for its Nordic skiing and snowshoeing, there is something for everyone. Ski Notchview this winter and enjoy over 25 miles of trails. Half of the trails are groomed and track-set for classical cross-country skiing, and 5 miles are groomed for skate skiing. A separate trail system is for “skijoring” (aka skiing with dogs). Visitors can also snowshoe alongside the ski trails or go off track and explore the backcountry. Rentals are available. Notchview. 413-684-0148. 83 Old Route 9, Windsor, MA.
🌷 BOTANY/ BULB SHOW . 9am-4pm. Annual flowering bulb show at the Fitzpatrick Conservatory. Berkshire Botanical Garden. 413-298-3926. 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA.
PLAYGROUP . 10-11am. For ages 0-5 at the Meekins Library. Call to register: 413-345-6015. 2 Williams St, Williamsburg, MA.
JEWISH CULTURE/ HISTORY. 10am-4pm. Yiddish Book Center – Learning about Jewish culture and history often leads parents and children to conversations about their family’s history, culture, and traditions. Part of The Center’s mission is to offer engaging learning opportunities for curious visitors of all ages who come to the expansive, sunny museum designed to resemble a shtetl (Eastern European Jewish small town), which sits in an apple orchard adjacent to the Hampshire College campus. Visitors don’t need to be able to read or speak Yiddish to enjoy the Center—although, by the visit’s end, they’ll realize they probably knew more Yiddish words than they thought (nosh , schmooze , and shlep are all Yiddish words commonly used in English), and leave knowing even more. Yiddish Book Center. 413-256-4900. 1021 West Street. Amherst, MA.
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-4pm. Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum – Ventfort Hall is an imposing Jacobean Revival-style mansion built in 1893 for Sarah Morgan, the sister of J. P. Morgan. It was one of the approximately seventy-five so-called “Cottages” built in Lenox in the late 19th century when the village became a popular Gilded Age resort. The museum can support interests in history and architecture, photography, film, art, and botany. Photography and film students can test their skills in the house, finding interesting areas to photograph. Art students are welcome to find a spot they enjoy and sketch, paint, and/or interpret the site as it fits their interests and studies. History classes may compare and contrast the architectural elements of Ventfort Hall with observations in their community. Botany students can investigate and identify trees and plants on the property that are of the era. And much more! Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum. 413-637-3206. 104 Walker Street. Lenox, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-6pm. The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) – One of the world’s liveliest centers for making and enjoying today’s most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA embraces all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. MASS MoCA offers various participatory learning opportunities, including hands-on art-making classes and docent-guided tours. A must-visit for families is Kidspace, a child-centered art gallery and hands-on studio that offers in-depth art education. Visit the ArtBar, a hands-on studio space in Kidspace, to make art or take a project home with you. MASS MoCA. 413-662-2111.1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA.
ART STUDIES/ GALLERY . 10:30am-4:30pm. Hampshire College Art Gallery – The Hampshire College Art Gallery is a dynamic space for contemporary art and collections-based exhibitions, uniting innovative curatorial approaches with a focus on teaching and learning. Families can visit the gallery to check out traditional exhibitions, along with more interactive programs. Many objects in their small, eclectic permanent collection were donated when founders first built the college, so there are among them some quintessentially “’60s” artworks, alongside fine art photography. The gallery is located in the Harold F. Johnson Library Building, Ground Floor, on the campus of Hampshire College. 893 West Street. Amherst, MA.
MAKERSPACE . 2-4:30pm. Makerspace Collaboratory Drop-In – The East Forest Park Branch Makerspace is a place you can visit for free to use their selection of equipment to create, craft, tinker, and experiment! From traditional crafts to digital tinkering. The East Forest Park Makerspace is your place to create, invent, and learn. Each week there is a drop-in project or two based on a theme. All ages. East Forest Park Branch. 413-263-6836. 136 Surrey Road. Springfield, MA.
MORE EVENTS : Discover more events on Hilltown Families’ Facebook page.
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Self-Directed Learning: World Cuisine
To say that immigration is an essential aspect of American history is an understatement. Many of us would not be here if it were not for immigration. Moreover, the United States is not unique in this. Human populations have been immigrating around the world since the beginning of history. If you go far back enough, you will be hard-pressed to find a community of people in the world that did not originate somewhere else. What this historical phenomenon demonstrates is that human societies are always hybrids. Groups travel and move; as they do so, they adopt customs, influence the creation of new cultures, and bring certain cultural elements with them. All cultures, from the most heterogeneous to those that appear homogeneous, result from generations of immigration. Food cultures and traditions are great ways to illustrate this historical fact. Let international food and culinary arts lead your learning this week by seeking out traditional recipes , researching their cultural significance , checking out the ingredients at grocery stores, and, if available, preparing a family meal together.
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2023
PLAYGROUPS. Family Centers & Playgroups in Hilltowns & Pioneer Valley
PLAYGROUP . Northampton Parents Center
PLAYGROUPS. Family Center & Playgroups in Franklin County
PLAYGROUPS . Family Center & Playgroups in south Berkshire County
PLAYGROUPS . Family Center & Playgroups in north Berkshire County
PLAYGROUPS . Home. City. Families. in Springfield
OUTDOOR ICE SKATING. Daylight. Outdoor ice skating rink open at Lee Athletic Field. Lee, MA.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING/ SNOWSHOEING . 8:30am-4pm. Ski Notchview – Renowned for its Nordic skiing and snowshoeing, there is something for everyone. Ski Notchview this winter and enjoy over 25 miles of trails. Half of the trails are groomed and track-set for classical cross-country skiing, and 5 miles are groomed for skate skiing. A separate trail system is for “skijoring” (aka skiing with dogs). Visitors can also snowshoe alongside the ski trails or go off track and explore the backcountry. Rentals are available. Notchview. 413-684-0148. 83 Old Route 9, Windsor, MA.
🌷 BOTANY/ BULB SHOW . 9am-4pm. Annual flowering bulb show at the Fitzpatrick Conservatory. Berkshire Botanical Garden. 413-298-3926. 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA.
CREATIVE FREE-PLAY/ INTERACTIVE MUSEUM . 9am-4pm. The Children’s Museum – Dedicated to enhancing children’s educational and cultural awareness through the arts, sciences, and the world around them. The Museum’s participatory exhibits and educational programming invite children and adults to interact and enjoy learning and self-discovery while at play. Young children almost always want to start on the Curvy Climber. And then, throughout the Museum, there are several other activities that older children might spend more time with, including the Legos Table, The Magna Tile Table, Maxi Rollways, and the Imagination Playground. There is also a state-of-the-art World of Motion room that stimulates children and adults’ curious minds. This room is STEM-based and encourages learning and play. Discover more at The Children’s Museum at Holyoke. 413-536-7048. 444 Dwight St, Holyoke, MA.
ART STUDIES . 9am-5pm. Mead Art Museum – Search for secret doors in a seventeenth-century paneled room. Puzzle over a cuneiform inscription that praises a powerful Assyrian king. Marvel at a hanging sculpture spinning in a still gallery. Visitors to the Mead Art Museum do so much more than see objects—at the Mead, art is experienced, investigated, and explored. The Mead offers a world of resources for connecting art across countless cultures, mediums, and eras, set on Amherst College’s beautiful main quadrangle and flanked by a fascinating, stand-alone stone steeple. Mead Art Museum. 413-542-2335. 41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA.
PLAYGROUP . 9:30-11:30am. School-readiness program for ages 3-4yo + caregiver. Engagement with young children is modeled through songs, books, circle time, literacy activities, StoryWalks, crafts, STEM activities, free play, cooperative games, take-home activities, and outdoor play. Hilltown Family Center. 9 Russell Road. Huntington, MA .
FIBER ARTS & CRAFTS. 10am. Knit & Crafts Circle – Bring a portable craft (knitting, crochet, spinning, rug-hooking, mending, etc.) and get support and camaraderie. Best for lifelong and self-directed learners. Registration is required. Tilton Library. 413-665-4683. 75 North Main Street. South Deerfield, MA.
PLAYGROUP . 10am. Tinker Tots – Each week, children ages 0-2 (siblings welcome) and their caregivers engage in child-centered play, art, music, storytime, and sensory activities to encourage social, fine & gross motor skills, and pre-literacy. Berkshire Athenaeum. 1 Wendell Ave, Pittsfield, MA.
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-3pm. Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum – Ventfort Hall is an imposing Jacobean Revival-style mansion built in 1893 for Sarah Morgan, the sister of J. P. Morgan. It was one of the approximately seventy-five so-called “Cottages” built in Lenox in the late 19th century when the village became a popular Gilded Age resort. The museum can support interests in history and architecture, photography, film, art, and botany. Photography and film students can test their skills in the house, finding interesting areas to photograph. Art students are welcome to find a spot they enjoy and sketch, paint, and/or interpret the site as it fits their interests and studies. History classes may compare and contrast the architectural elements of Ventfort Hall with observations in their community. Botany students can investigate and identify trees and plants on the property that are of the era. And much more! Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum. 413-637-3206. 104 Walker Street. Lenox, MA.
NATURAL HISTORY/MUSEUM ADVENTURES : 10am-4pm. The Beneski Museum of Natural History – One of New England’s largest natural history museums, featuring three floors of exhibits with more than 1,700 specimens on display. Step inside the museum, and you’ll find: Dramatic displays of fossil skeletons, from fish to dinosaurs to Ice Age megafauna, an extraordinary collection of local dinosaur footprints, geological specimens and immersive exhibits that tell the history of the local landscape through geologic time, including when dinosaurs inhabited the area, and dazzling mineral specimens from around the world and meteorites from beyond Earth. Beneski Museum of Natural History. 413-542-2165. Amherst College. 11 Barrett Hill Dr, Amherst, MA.
JEWISH CULTURE/ HISTORY. 10am-4pm. Yiddish Book Center – Learning about Jewish culture and history often leads parents and children to conversations about their family’s history, culture, and traditions. Part of The Center’s mission is to offer engaging learning opportunities for curious visitors of all ages who come to the expansive, sunny museum designed to resemble a shtetl (Eastern European Jewish small town), which sits in an apple orchard adjacent to the Hampshire College campus. Visitors don’t need to be able to read or speak Yiddish to enjoy the Center—although, by the visit’s end, they’ll realize they probably knew more Yiddish words than they thought (nosh , schmooze , and shlep are all Yiddish words commonly used in English), and leave knowing even more. Yiddish Book Center. 413-256-4900. 1021 West Street. Amherst, MA.
ENTOMOLOGY/ BUTTERFLIES . 10am-4:30pm. Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory – An 8000 square-foot tropical conservatory with nearly 4000 free-flying tropical and native butterflies from all over the world. Learn about butterflies along with exotic reptiles, frogs, fish, birds, and insects! Ask about their guided tours. Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory. 413-665-2805. 281 Greenfield Road. South Deerfield, MA.
MUSEUMS ADVENTURES . 10am-5pm. Springfield Museums – The Springfield Museums uses art, history, science, and Dr. Seuss to explore our shared connections and unique perspectives to promote engagement, literacy, and learning. Located in the heart of downtown Springfield, the Springfield Museums offer access to five world-class museums, including the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, all under a single admission. The museums are community-based educational resources that can support interests and education in art studies, natural history, STEM, astronomy, zoology, geology, paleontology, ecology, history, and, of course, Dr. Seuss. Springfield Museums. 413-263-6800. 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA.
LITERACY/ STORYTIME . 10:30am. Story Time – All ages and abilities are welcome! Drop in for a relaxed story hour, listen to books, play, make a seasonal craft, and chat with other grown-ups. Tilton Library. 413-665-4683. 75 North Main Street. South Deerfield, MA.
PLAYGROUP . 10:30am. For ages 0-5 at the Edwards Public Library. Call to register: 413-345-6015. 30 East Street, Southampton, MA.
ART STUDIES . 11am-4pm. Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA) – SCMA is recognized as a leading academic museum. Their collection comprises 27,000+ objects, representing the diversity of art and material culture across periods and geographies. Visitors can discover artworks from across periods and geographies in their permanent collection galleries and temporary exhibitions, engaging people with first-hand experiences of art, artists, and museum practice. The museum’s collection ranges from ancient Greek vases to contemporary video art. The works in their permanent collection galleries are regularly rotated, so there’s something new to see each time you visit. Special exhibitions highlight a dynamic range of artworks and artists. Smith College Museum of Art. 413-585-2760. 20 Elm Street at Bedford Terrace. Northampton, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES . 11am-5pm. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum – Located on the Mount Holyoke College campus, this Museum is one of the oldest teaching museums in the country, dedicated to providing firsthand experience with works of significant aesthetic and cultural value. The Museum offers pre- and post-visit educational materials designed for kids of all ages to maximize their learning potential while exploring the galleries and connecting art with their personal experiences, including walking and activity guides and educator resources. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum. 413-538-2245. 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA.
ICE SKATING. 11:30am-12:50pm. Public Ice Skate – Ice skating sessions for the public at UMass Mullins Center. Skate rentals are provided. Great opportunity to get moving on cold New England days! UMass Mullins Center. 413-545-3040. 200 Commonwealth Ave. Amherst, MA.
STE(A)M/ PreK . 1pm. Pre-School STEAM Program. Learn how to inspire your kids to engineer, create, design, explore, and build at home. Becket Athenaeum. 413-623-5483. 3367 Main St, Becket, MA.
MAKERSPACE . 2-4:30pm. Makerspace Collaboratory Drop-In – The East Forest Park Branch Makerspace is a place you can visit for free to use their selection of equipment to create, craft, tinker, and experiment! From traditional crafts to digital tinkering. The East Forest Park Makerspace is your place to create, invent, and learn. Each week there is a drop-in project or two based on a theme. All ages. East Forest Park Branch. 413-263-6836. 136 Surrey Road. Springfield, MA.
LEGOS . 3pm. LEGO Club – Playing with LEGOs offers an excellent opportunity for kids to practice problem-solving and spatial skills while engaging in semi-complex tasks. Children ages 6-10 are invited to build with the library’s impressive collection of LEGO Bricks at the Berkshire Athenaeum. 1 Wendell Ave, Pittsfield, MA.
GRANDPARENTING SUPPORT . 4-6pm. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group – A group for grandparents actively parenting their grandchildren. A safe and confidential space to share similar experiences with other grandparents. All groups are on the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month. Free pizza and childcare provided. Questions or to register: 413-663-7588. Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. 61 Main Street. Ste 218. North Adams, MA.
🌟 FOOD STUDIES/ BLACK HISTORY. 4:30-6pm. A Taste of Black History – Enjoy a taste of your favorite soul food and authentic African dishes while learning about the history and origin. Presented by Arise for Social Justice. Call for info. 413-734-4948. 38 School Street. Springfield, MA.
🍽 NUTRITION. 6:30pm. Cheap Eats: Ready, Set, Save – If you’ve been wondering how to buy nutritious foods without breaking the bank, join Big Y World Class Market to learn strategies that will help you enjoy the benefits of eating healthfully while spending less – without needing to stop at the drive-thru! (Virtual )
🌱 GARDENING/ PERENNIALS . 6:30-9pm. Edible Perennial Gardening and Landscaping – Join naturalist and landscaper John Root to explain how to establish and maintain a variety of familiar and unusual perennials, including trees, shrubs, vines, canes, and herbaceous plants for abundant harvests of fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Jones Library. 413-259-3223. 43 Amity St, Amherst, MA.
📚 LITERATURE/ SHAKESPEARE. 6:30pm. Is Hamlet really such a big deal? – S pend an hour questioning this imposing work from many angles with Shakespeare Scholar, Dr. Betsy Fleche and . . . . watch some Hamlet in action! Meekins Library. 413-268-7472. 2 Williams St, Williamsburg, MA.
MORE EVENTS : Discover more events on Hilltown Families’ Facebook page.
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Self-Directed Learning: 28 Days in February
Why does February only have 28 days? The answer is a blend of Roman history, agriculture, and legends. Asking this question and being self-directed in your learning can support interests in calendars , Roman history , and superstition .
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2023
PLAYGROUPS. Family Centers & Playgroups in Hilltowns & Pioneer Valley
PLAYGROUP . Northampton Parents Center
PLAYGROUPS. Family Center & Playgroups in Franklin County
PLAYGROUPS . South Berkshire County.
PLAYGROUPS . Family Center & Playgroups in north Berkshire County.
PLAYGROUPS . Home. City. Families. in Springfield
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING/ SNOWSHOEING . 8:30am-4pm. Ski Notchview – Renowned for its Nordic skiing and snowshoeing, there is something for everyone. Ski Notchview this winter and enjoy over 25 miles of trails. Half of the trails are groomed and track-set for classical cross-country skiing, and 5 miles are groomed for skate skiing. A separate trail system is for “skijoring” (aka skiing with dogs). Visitors can also snowshoe alongside the ski trails or go off track and explore the backcountry. Rentals are available. Notchview. 413-684-0148. 83 Old Route 9, Windsor, MA.
🌷 BOTANY/ BULB SHOW . 9am-4pm. Annual flowering bulb show at the Fitzpatrick Conservatory. Berkshire Botanical Garden. 413-298-3926. 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA.
CREATIVE FREE-PLAY/ INTERACTIVE MUSEUM . 9am-4pm. The Children’s Museum – Dedicated to enhancing children’s educational and cultural awareness through the arts, sciences, and the world around them. The Museum’s participatory exhibits and educational programming invite children and adults to interact and enjoy learning and self-discovery while at play. Young children almost always want to start on the Curvy Climber. And then, throughout the Museum, there are several other activities that older children might spend more time with, including the Legos Table, The Magna Tile Table, Maxi Rollways, and the Imagination Playground. There is also a state-of-the-art World of Motion room that stimulates children and adults’ curious minds. This room is STEM-based and encourages learning and play. Discover more at The Children’s Museum at Holyoke. 413-536-7048. 444 Dwight St, Holyoke, MA.
ART STUDIES . 9am-5pm. Mead Art Museum – Search for secret doors in a seventeenth-century paneled room. Puzzle over a cuneiform inscription that praises a powerful Assyrian king. Marvel at a hanging sculpture spinning in a still gallery. Visitors to the Mead Art Museum do so much more than see objects—at the Mead, art is experienced, investigated, and explored. The Mead offers a world of resources for connecting art across countless cultures, mediums, and eras, set on Amherst College’s beautiful main quadrangle and flanked by a fascinating, stand-alone stone steeple. Mead Art Museum. 413-542-2335. 41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA.
NEW ENGLAND HISTORY. 9:30am-4:30pm. Historic Deerfield – Founded in 1952, Historic Deerfield is an outdoor museum that interprets the history and culture of early New England and the Connecticut River Valley. Visitors can tour twelve carefully-preserved antique houses dating from 1730 to 1850 and explore world-class collections of regional furniture, silver, textiles, and other decorative arts on display in the authentic period houses; as well as the Flynt Center of Early New England Life, a state-of-the-art museum facility featuring exhibitions and a visible storage area. Support interests in history through the lens of architecture, New England antiques, arts and crafts needlework, ironware and basketry, cooking and baking, gardening, textiles, fashion, furniture, and much more! Historic Deerfield. 413-774-5581. 84 Old Main St, Deerfield, MA.
[ends Mar 29] WORLD LANGUAGES/ SPANISH. 10am. Libros y canciones/Bilingual Storytime – Sing songs and read books in English and Spanish. Best suited for children ages 1.5-3. ¡Canta canciones y lee libros en ingles y español! Este evento es apropriado para niños de edades 1.5-3. Reuniremos en la sala de comunidad y se limitará asistencia a 30. Forbes Library. 413-587-1011. 20 West St, Northampton, MA.
HEALTH CARE. 10-11:30am. Walk-in Wellness Clinic – Provided by Westhampton’s Public Health Nurse, Michael Archbald. Clinics include: Guidance in managing chronic health issues; Medication management/side effects consultations; Sharps and mercury thermometers disposal, COVID-19 symptom management including “Long Covid”; Information regarding Home Health Care and local resources. Westhampton Public Library. 413-527-5386. 1 N Rd, Westhampton, MA.
PLAYGROUP . 10-11am. For ages 0-5 at St. Philip’s Church Parish Hall. Call to register: 413-345-6015. 126 Main St., Easthampton, MA.
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-4pm. Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum – Ventfort Hall is an imposing Jacobean Revival-style mansion built in 1893 for Sarah Morgan, the sister of J. P. Morgan. It was one of the approximately seventy-five so-called “Cottages” built in Lenox in the late 19th century when the village became a popular Gilded Age resort. The museum can support interests in history and architecture, photography, film, art, and botany. Photography and film students can test their skills in the house, finding interesting areas to photograph. Art students are welcome to find a spot they enjoy and sketch, paint, and/or interpret the site as it fits their interests and studies. History classes may compare and contrast the architectural elements of Ventfort Hall with observations in their community. Botany students can investigate and identify trees and plants on the property that are of the era. And much more! Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum. 413-637-3206. 104 Walker Street. Lenox, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-4pm. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art – A museum devoted to the art of picture books, especially children’s books. The Carle’s picture-book exhibitions showcase various artists, themes, and styles. Their three galleries host six original shows a year, so there is always something new! In addition to exploring art in the galleries, drop into the art studio to experience the creative joy of making art; explore new picture books, and rediscover old ones in their library. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. 413-559-6300. 125 W Bay Rd, Amherst, MA.
JEWISH CULTURE/ HISTORY. 10am-4pm. Yiddish Book Center – Learning about Jewish culture and history often leads parents and children to conversations about their family’s history, culture, and traditions. Part of The Center’s mission is to offer engaging learning opportunities for curious visitors of all ages who come to the expansive, sunny museum designed to resemble a shtetl (Eastern European Jewish small town), which sits in an apple orchard adjacent to the Hampshire College campus. Visitors don’t need to be able to read or speak Yiddish to enjoy the Center—although, by the visit’s end, they’ll realize they probably knew more Yiddish words than they thought (nosh , schmooze , and shlep are all Yiddish words commonly used in English), and leave knowing even more. Yiddish Book Center. 413-256-4900. 1021 West Street. Amherst, MA.
NATURAL HISTORY/MUSEUM ADVENTURES : 10am-4pm. The Beneski Museum of Natural History – One of New England’s largest natural history museums, featuring three floors of exhibits with more than 1,700 specimens on display. Step inside the museum, and you’ll find: Dramatic displays of fossil skeletons, from fish to dinosaurs to Ice Age megafauna, an extraordinary collection of local dinosaur footprints, geological specimens and immersive exhibits that tell the history of the local landscape through geologic time, including when dinosaurs inhabited the area, and dazzling mineral specimens from around the world and meteorites from beyond Earth. Beneski Museum of Natural History. 413-542-2165. Amherst College. 11 Barrett Hill Dr, Amherst, MA.
ENTOMOLOGY/ BUTTERFLIES . 10am-4:30pm. Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory – An 8000 square-foot tropical conservatory with nearly 4000 free-flying tropical and native butterflies from all over the world. Learn about butterflies along with exotic reptiles, frogs, fish, birds, and insects! Ask about their guided tours. Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory. 413-665-2805. 281 Greenfield Road. South Deerfield, MA.
MUSEUMS ADVENTURES . 10am-5pm. Springfield Museums – The Springfield Museums uses art, history, science, and Dr. Seuss to explore our shared connections and unique perspectives to promote engagement, literacy, and learning. Located in the heart of downtown Springfield, the Springfield Museums offer access to five world-class museums, including the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, all under a single admission. The museums are community-based educational resources that can support interests and education in art studies, natural history, STEM, astronomy, zoology, geology, paleontology, ecology, history, and, of course, Dr. Seuss. Springfield Museums. 413-263-6800. 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-6pm. The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) – One of the world’s liveliest centers for making and enjoying today’s most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA embraces all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. MASS MoCA offers various participatory learning opportunities, including hands-on art-making classes and docent-guided tours. A must-visit for families is Kidspace, a child-centered art gallery and hands-on studio that offers in-depth art education. Visit the ArtBar, a hands-on studio space in Kidspace, to make art or take a project home with you. MASS MoCA. 413-662-2111.1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA.
NEW PARENT GROUP . 10:30am & 1pm. Beyond Birth groups meet weekly. New babies birth-6mos are at 1pm and older babies 6mos-1 yr are at 10:30am. Amherst, MA.
LITERACY/ STORYTIME . 10:30am. Storytime – Westhampton Public Library. 413-527-5386. 1 N Rd, Westhampton, MA.
ART STUDIES . 11am-4pm. Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA) – SCMA is recognized as a leading academic museum. Their collection comprises 27,000+ objects, representing the diversity of art and material culture across periods and geographies. Visitors can discover artworks from across periods and geographies in their permanent collection galleries and temporary exhibitions, engaging people with first-hand experiences of art, artists, and museum practice. The museum’s collection ranges from ancient Greek vases to contemporary video art. The works in their permanent collection galleries are regularly rotated, so there’s something new to see each time you visit. Special exhibitions highlight a dynamic range of artworks and artists. Smith College Museum of Art. 413-585-2760. 20 Elm Street at Bedford Terrace. Northampton, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES . 11am-5pm. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum – Located on the Mount Holyoke College campus, this Museum is one of the oldest teaching museums in the country, dedicated to providing firsthand experience with works of significant aesthetic and cultural value. The Museum offers pre- and post-visit educational materials designed for kids of all ages to maximize their learning potential while exploring the galleries and connecting art with their personal experiences, including walking and activity guides and educator resources. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum. 413-538-2245. 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA.
🎂 DR. SEUSS . 1-8am. Seussabration: Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss – We will be celebrating the birthday of Springfield’s own Dr. Seuss, whose birthday is on March 2, with many fun activities. Test your knowledge of Dr. Seuss with a Scavenger Hunt. When completed, participants will receive a raffle ticket to win a Dr. Seuss-inspired prize. All are invited to this Seussbration. 413-263-6836. 136 Surrey Rd, Springfield, MA.
🎲 ROLE-PLAYING GAMES . 3:15-5:15pm. Dungeons & Dragons – Journey to the Stormwreck Isle for adventure and perhaps fame and fortune in the Forgotten Realms! A small, volcanic island off the Sword Coast that was a beacon to dragons is rumored to be suffused with the magic of countless dragons who have died there, causing unpredictable magical phenomena. Players ages 10-12 of all experiences are welcome. Clapp Memorial Library. 413-323-0417. 19 South Main Street, Belchertown, MA.
PLAYGROUP . 3:30-4:30pm. For ages 0-5 at Goshen Town Hall. Call to register: 413-345-6015. 42 Main St., Goshen, MA.
MORE EVENTS : Discover more events on Hilltown Families’ Facebook page.
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Self-Directed Learning: Women’s History
Western Massachusetts is home to many women changemakers dedicated to enacting social change through the arts, critical inquiry, and learning. Still today, many women poets, writers, activists, artists, teachers, educators, and scientists reside in Western Massachusetts who continue to work towards positive social change, including Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth Porter Phelps, and Juanita Nelson. March is Women’s History Month , a national observation that honors and pays tributes to women who dedicated their lives to social justice, the environment, education, and positive change for society. These women are a tiny sample to explore; however, note the incredible number of talented women today in Western Massachusetts that continue to demonstrate the importance of women’s rights. Their grit and perseverance as pioneers are honored during March. Read more in our post, Local Women & Local History: Understanding New England Women’s Lives from the Past
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THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2023
PLAYGROUPS. Family Centers & Playgroups in Hilltowns & Pioneer Valley
PLAYGROUP . Northampton Parents Center
PLAYGROUPS. Family Center & Playgroups in Franklin County
PLAYGROUPS . Family Center & Playgroups in south Berkshire County
PLAYGROUPS . Family Center & Playgroups in north Berkshire County
PLAYGROUPS . Home. City. Families. in Springfield
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING/ SNOWSHOEING . 8:30am-4pm. Ski Notchview – Renowned for its Nordic skiing and snowshoeing, there is something for everyone. Ski Notchview this winter and enjoy over 25 miles of trails. Half of the trails are groomed and track-set for classical cross-country skiing, and 5 miles are groomed for skate skiing. A separate trail system is for “skijoring” (aka skiing with dogs). Visitors can also snowshoe alongside the ski trails or go off track and explore the backcountry. Rentals are available. Notchview. 413-684-0148. 83 Old Route 9, Windsor, MA.
🌷 BOTANY/ BULB SHOW . 9am-4pm. Annual flowering bulb show at the Fitzpatrick Conservatory. Berkshire Botanical Garden. 413-298-3926. 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA.
CREATIVE FREE-PLAY/ INTERACTIVE MUSEUM . 9am-4pm. The Children’s Museum – Dedicated to enhancing children’s educational and cultural awareness through the arts, sciences, and the world around them. The Museum’s participatory exhibits and educational programming invite children and adults to interact and enjoy learning and self-discovery while at play. Young children almost always want to start on the Curvy Climber. And then, throughout the Museum, there are several other activities that older children might spend more time with, including the Legos Table, The Magna Tile Table, Maxi Rollways, and the Imagination Playground. There is also a state-of-the-art World of Motion room that stimulates children and adults’ curious minds. This room is STEM-based and encourages learning and play. Discover more at The Children’s Museum at Holyoke. 413-536-7048. 444 Dwight St, Holyoke, MA.
ART STUDIES . 9am-10pm. Mead Art Museum – Search for secret doors in a seventeenth-century paneled room. Puzzle over a cuneiform inscription that praises a powerful Assyrian king. Marvel at a hanging sculpture spinning in a still gallery. Visitors to the Mead Art Museum do so much more than see objects—at the Mead, art is experienced, investigated, and explored. The Mead offers a world of resources for connecting art across countless cultures, mediums, and eras, set on Amherst College’s beautiful main quadrangle and flanked by a fascinating, stand-alone stone steeple. Mead Art Museum. 413-542-2335. 41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA.
NEW ENGLAND HISTORY. 9:30am-4:30pm. Historic Deerfield – Founded in 1952, Historic Deerfield is an outdoor museum that interprets the history and culture of early New England and the Connecticut River Valley. Visitors can tour twelve carefully-preserved antique houses dating from 1730 to 1850 and explore world-class collections of regional furniture, silver, textiles, and other decorative arts on display in the authentic period houses; as well as the Flynt Center of Early New England Life, a state-of-the-art museum facility featuring exhibitions and a visible storage area. Support interests in history through the lens of architecture, New England antiques, arts and crafts needlework, ironware and basketry, cooking and baking, gardening, textiles, fashion, furniture, and much more! Historic Deerfield. 413-774-5581. 84 Old Main St, Deerfield, MA.
PLAYGROUP . 10am. For ages 0-5 at St. Philip’s Church Parish Hall. Call to register: 413-345-6015. 126 Main St., Easthampton, MA.
PLAYGROUP . 10am. Playgroup – Nurture your child’s social skills and school readiness at our weekly playgroup for preschoolers (older siblings are also welcome)! Opportunities for free and guided play. No registration is necessary. Please Note: Playgroup happens outside of regular library hours. Montague Center Library. 413-367-2852. 17 Center Street, Montague, MA.
PLAYGROUP. 10am. Playgroup – Free play, crafts, storytime, and songs for children ages birth to 5 years old with South Berkshire Kids at Monterey Public Library. 413-528-3795. 452 Main Rd, Monterey, MA.
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-4pm. Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum – Ventfort Hall is an imposing Jacobean Revival-style mansion built in 1893 for Sarah Morgan, the sister of J. P. Morgan. It was one of the approximately seventy-five so-called “Cottages” built in Lenox in the late 19th century when the village became a popular Gilded Age resort. The museum can support interests in history and architecture, photography, film, art, and botany. Photography and film students can test their skills in the house, finding interesting areas to photograph. Art students are welcome to find a spot they enjoy and sketch, paint, and/or interpret the site as it fits their interests and studies. History classes may compare and contrast the architectural elements of Ventfort Hall with observations in their community. Botany students can investigate and identify trees and plants on the property that are of the era. And much more! Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum. 413-637-3206. 104 Walker Street. Lenox, MA.
JEWISH CULTURE/ HISTORY. 10am-4pm. Yiddish Book Center – Learning about Jewish culture and history often leads parents and children to conversations about their family’s history, culture, and traditions. Part of The Center’s mission is to offer engaging learning opportunities for curious visitors of all ages who come to the expansive, sunny museum designed to resemble a shtetl (Eastern European Jewish small town), which sits in an apple orchard adjacent to the Hampshire College campus. Visitors don’t need to be able to read or speak Yiddish to enjoy the Center—although, by the visit’s end, they’ll realize they probably knew more Yiddish words than they thought (nosh , schmooze , and shlep are all Yiddish words commonly used in English), and leave knowing even more. Yiddish Book Center. 413-256-4900. 1021 West Street. Amherst, MA.
NATURAL HISTORY/MUSEUM ADVENTURES : 10am-4pm. The Beneski Museum of Natural History – One of New England’s largest natural history museums, featuring three floors of exhibits with more than 1,700 specimens on display. Step inside the museum, and you’ll find: Dramatic displays of fossil skeletons, from fish to dinosaurs to Ice Age megafauna, an extraordinary collection of local dinosaur footprints, geological specimens and immersive exhibits that tell the history of the local landscape through geologic time, including when dinosaurs inhabited the area, and dazzling mineral specimens from around the world and meteorites from beyond Earth. Beneski Museum of Natural History. 413-542-2165. Amherst College. 11 Barrett Hill Dr, Amherst, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-4pm. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art – A museum devoted to the art of picture books, especially children’s books. The Carle’s picture-book exhibitions showcase various artists, themes, and styles. Their three galleries host six original shows a year, so there is always something new! In addition to exploring art in the galleries, drop into the art studio to experience the creative joy of making art; explore new picture books, and rediscover old ones in their library. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. 413-559-6300. 125 W Bay Rd, Amherst, MA.
ENTOMOLOGY/ BUTTERFLIES . 10am-4:30pm. Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory – An 8000 square-foot tropical conservatory with nearly 4000 free-flying tropical and native butterflies from all over the world. Learn about butterflies along with exotic reptiles, frogs, fish, birds, and insects! Ask about their guided tours. Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory. 413-665-2805. 281 Greenfield Road. South Deerfield, MA.
MUSEUMS ADVENTURES . 10am-5pm. Springfield Museums – The Springfield Museums uses art, history, science, and Dr. Seuss to explore our shared connections and unique perspectives to promote engagement, literacy, and learning. Located in the heart of downtown Springfield, the Springfield Museums offer access to five world-class museums, including the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, all under a single admission. The museums are community-based educational resources that can support interests and education in art studies, natural history, STEM, astronomy, zoology, geology, paleontology, ecology, history, and, of course, Dr. Seuss. Springfield Museums. 413-263-6800. 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-6pm. The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) – One of the world’s liveliest centers for making and enjoying today’s most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA embraces all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. MASS MoCA offers various participatory learning opportunities, including hands-on art-making classes and docent-guided tours. A must-visit for families is Kidspace, a child-centered art gallery and hands-on studio that offers in-depth art education. Visit the ArtBar, a hands-on studio space in Kidspace, to make art or take a project home with you. MASS MoCA. 413-662-2111.1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA.
NEW PARENT GROUP . 10:30am & 1pm. Beyond Birth groups meet weekly in both Northampton (Thurs) and Amherst (Wed)! New babies birth-6 mos are at 1pm and older babies 6 mos to 1 year are at 10:30am. Northampton & Amherst, MA.
ARTS & CRAFTS . 11am & 2pm. Crafts at Amelia Park Children’s Museum. 413-572-4014. 29 S Broad St, Westfield, MA.
ART STUDIES . 11am-4pm. Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA) – SCMA is recognized as a leading academic museum. Their collection comprises 27,000+ objects, representing the diversity of art and material culture across periods and geographies. Visitors can discover artworks from across periods and geographies in their permanent collection galleries and temporary exhibitions, engaging people with first-hand experiences of art, artists, and museum practice. The museum’s collection ranges from ancient Greek vases to contemporary video art. The works in their permanent collection galleries are regularly rotated, so there’s something new to see each time you visit. Special exhibitions highlight a dynamic range of artworks and artists. Smith College Museum of Art. 413-585-2760. 20 Elm Street at Bedford Terrace. Northampton, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES . 11am-5pm. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum – Located on the Mount Holyoke College campus, this Museum is one of the oldest teaching museums in the country, dedicated to providing firsthand experience with works of significant aesthetic and cultural value. The Museum offers pre- and post-visit educational materials designed for kids of all ages to maximize their learning potential while exploring the galleries and connecting art with their personal experiences, including walking and activity guides and educator resources. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum. 413-538-2245. 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA.
🌟 STEM/ LEGOS. 3:30-5pm. Drop-In LEGO Time – Tired of stepping on your kids’ LEGOs at home? Let them build at the Library! Participants can attempt a LEGO Challenge or build a creation of their choosing. Additional building/engineering toys such as Keva Planks, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, Magna-Tiles, and Snap Circuits will be available too. Monson Library. 413-267-3866. 2 High Street, Monson, MA.
LITERACY/ STORYTIME . 3:30pm. Storytime with Julie – Storytime plus crafts and singing for children up to age 5. Tyler Memorial Library. 413-339-4335. 157 Main St, Charlemont, MA.
ICE SKATING. 4-5:50pm. Public Ice Skate – Ice skating sessions for the public at UMass Mullins Center. Skate rentals are provided. Great opportunity to get moving on cold New England days! UMass Mullins Center. 413-545-3040. 200 Commonwealth Ave. Amherst, MA.
PARENTING SUPPORT GROUP. 5pm. The Brick House Community Resource Center is hosting a parenting support group for any parents and guardians who want to connect. Free childcare. The Brick House. 413-800-2496. 24 3rd Street. Turners Falls, MA.
ROLLER SKATING . 7-9:30pm. Interskate 91. 413-586-8344. 367 Russell Street, Hampshire Mall, Hadley, MA .
MORE EVENTS : Discover more events on Hilltown Families’ Facebook page.
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Self-Directed Learning: Dr. Seuss Birthday
Sam-I-Am, Yertle the Turtle, Marvin K. Mooney, the Cat in the Hat, and other silly Dr. Seuss characters have been well-loved by young readers for decades. Dr. Seuss is one of the most well-known children’s authors of all time, best known for his invented words, imaginary animals, and ridiculous yet thought-provoking plots. A native of western Massachusetts, Dr. Seuss drew upon his surroundings to create images for his stories. The industrial landscape of his hometown of Springfield is reflected in the zany, unaffected-by-gravity architecture found in many illustrations, and the town of Whoville is rumored to be based upon the city of Easthampton and towering Mt. Tom. In Springfield, the Springfield Museum is home to The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum . In Northampton, R. Michelson Galleries is home to a collection of original artwork and even the “secret art ” of Dr. Seuss, along with unorthodox taxidermy and illustration art . Learn more about the lesser-known artwork of Theodor Seuss Geisel in this video, The Secret Darker Art of Dr. Seuss and integrate STEM into your learning by making Oobleck!
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FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2023
The Back Porch Festival March 3-4–5! Over 50 bands will perform in 8 venues in downtown Northampton, MA. Join a magical weekend featuring the best in American roots music with artists from all corners of the U.S. With Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Watchhouse (formerly Mandolin Orange), an all-star John Prine Tribute (Kris Delmhorst, Peter Mulvey Tracy Grammer, Winterpills) Cedric Burnside, Kelly Willis, Brennen Leigh & Melissa Carper, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Sunny War, Nora Brown, Ali McGuirk, King Manzi, Lonesome Brothers and many more. Visit www.backporchfest.com for tickets, special hotel packages, and more information. The Back Porch Festival is co-presented with the Northampton Arts Council.
PLAYGROUPS. Family Centers & Playgroups in Hilltowns & Pioneer Valley
PLAYGROUP . Northampton Parents Center
PLAYGROUPS. Family Center & Playgroups in Franklin County
PLAYGROUPS . Family Center & Playgroups in south Berkshire County
PLAYGROUPS . Family Center & Playgroups in north Berkshire County
PLAYGROUPS . Home. City. Families. in Springfield
OUTDOOR ICE SKATING. Daylight. Outdoor ice skating rink open at Lee Athletic Field. Lee, MA.
🍁 SUGAR SHACK/FAMILY MEAL . 7am-1pm. Maple Season Breakfast – Bring the family for a maple season breakfast that includes demonstrations of maple syrup rendering, tastings, and tours. North Hadley Sugar Shack. 413-585-8820. 181 River Drive. Hadley, MA.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING/ SNOWSHOEING . 8:30am-4pm. Ski Notchview – Renowned for its Nordic skiing and snowshoeing, there is something for everyone. Ski Notchview this winter and enjoy over 25 miles of trails. Half of the trails are groomed and track-set for classical cross-country skiing, and 5 miles are groomed for skate skiing. A separate trail system is for “skijoring” (aka skiing with dogs). Visitors can also snowshoe alongside the ski trails or go off track and explore the backcountry. Rentals are available. Notchview. 413-684-0148. 83 Old Route 9, Windsor, MA.
🌷 BOTANY/ BULB SHOW . 9am-4pm. Annual flowering bulb show at the Fitzpatrick Conservatory. Berkshire Botanical Garden. 413-298-3926. 5 West Stockbridge Road, Stockbridge, MA.
🌷 BOTANY/ BULB SHOW . 9am-4pm. Start your Spring celebration off with all your favorite fragrant flowering bulbs! The Botanic Garden of Smith College. 413-585-2740. 16 College Ln, Northampton, MA.
CREATIVE FREE-PLAY/ INTERACTIVE MUSEUM . 9am-4pm. The Children’s Museum – Dedicated to enhancing children’s educational and cultural awareness through the arts, sciences, and the world around them. The Museum’s participatory exhibits and educational programming invite children and adults to interact and enjoy learning and self-discovery while at play. Young children almost always want to start on the Curvy Climber. And then, throughout the Museum, there are several other activities that older children might spend more time with, including the Legos Table, The Magna Tile Table, Maxi Rollways, and the Imagination Playground. There is also a state-of-the-art World of Motion room that stimulates children and adults’ curious minds. This room is STEM-based and encourages learning and play. Discover more at The Children’s Museum at Holyoke. 413-536-7048. 444 Dwight St, Holyoke, MA.
ART STUDIES . 9am-5pm. Mead Art Museum – Search for secret doors in a seventeenth-century paneled room. Puzzle over a cuneiform inscription that praises a powerful Assyrian king. Marvel at a hanging sculpture spinning in a still gallery. Visitors to the Mead Art Museum do so much more than see objects—at the Mead, art is experienced, investigated, and explored. The Mead offers a world of resources for connecting art across countless cultures, mediums, and eras, set on Amherst College’s beautiful main quadrangle and flanked by a fascinating, stand-alone stone steeple. Mead Art Museum. 413-542-2335. 41 Quadrangle Dr, Amherst, MA.
NEW ENGLAND HISTORY. 9:30am-4:30pm. Historic Deerfield – Founded in 1952, Historic Deerfield is an outdoor museum that interprets the history and culture of early New England and the Connecticut River Valley. Visitors can tour twelve carefully-preserved antique houses dating from 1730 to 1850 and explore world-class collections of regional furniture, silver, textiles, and other decorative arts on display in the authentic period houses; as well as the Flynt Center of Early New England Life, a state-of-the-art museum facility featuring exhibitions and a visible storage area. Support interests in history through the lens of architecture, New England antiques, arts and crafts needlework, ironware and basketry, cooking and baking, gardening, textiles, fashion, furniture, and much more! Historic Deerfield. 413-774-5581. 84 Old Main St, Deerfield, MA.
FIBER ARTS/KNITTING . 10am. Knitting Club at Old Creamery Co-op. 413-634-5560. 445 Berkshire Trail, Cummington, MA.
MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-4pm. Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum – Ventfort Hall is an imposing Jacobean Revival-style mansion built in 1893 for Sarah Morgan, the sister of J. P. Morgan. It was one of the approximately seventy-five so-called “Cottages” built in Lenox in the late 19th century when the village became a popular Gilded Age resort. The museum can support interests in history and architecture, photography, film, art, and botany. Photography and film students can test their skills in the house, finding interesting areas to photograph. Art students are welcome to find a spot they enjoy and sketch, paint, and/or interpret the site as it fits their interests and studies. History classes may compare and contrast the architectural elements of Ventfort Hall with observations in their community. Botany students can investigate and identify trees and plants on the property that are of the era. And much more! Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum. 413-637-3206. 104 Walker Street. Lenox, MA.
JEWISH CULTURE/ HISTORY. 10am-4pm. Yiddish Book Center – Learning about Jewish culture and history often leads parents and children to conversations about their family’s history, culture, and traditions. Part of The Center’s mission is to offer engaging learning opportunities for curious visitors of all ages who come to the expansive, sunny museum designed to resemble a shtetl (Eastern European Jewish small town), which sits in an apple orchard adjacent to the Hampshire College campus. Visitors don’t need to be able to read or speak Yiddish to enjoy the Center—although, by the visit’s end, they’ll realize they probably knew more Yiddish words than they thought (nosh , schmooze , and shlep are all Yiddish words commonly used in English), and leave knowing even more. Yiddish Book Center. 413-256-4900. 1021 West Street. Amherst, MA.
NATURAL HISTORY/MUSEUM ADVENTURES : 10am-4pm. The Beneski Museum of Natural History – One of New England’s largest natural history museums, featuring three floors of exhibits with more than 1,700 specimens on display. Step inside the museum, and you’ll find: Dramatic displays of fossil skeletons, from fish to dinosaurs to Ice Age megafauna, an extraordinary collection of local dinosaur footprints, geological specimens and immersive exhibits that tell the history of the local landscape through geologic time, including when dinosaurs inhabited the area, and dazzling mineral specimens from around the world and meteorites from beyond Earth. Beneski Museum of Natural History. 413-542-2165. Amherst College. 11 Barrett Hill Dr, Amherst, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-4pm. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art – A museum devoted to the art of picture books, especially children’s books. The Carle’s picture-book exhibitions showcase various artists, themes, and styles. Their three galleries host six original shows a year, so there is always something new! In addition to exploring art in the galleries, drop into the art studio to experience the creative joy of making art; explore new picture books, and rediscover old ones in their library. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. 413-559-6300. 125 W Bay Rd, Amherst, MA.
ENTOMOLOGY/ BUTTERFLIES . 10am-4:30pm. Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory – An 8000 square-foot tropical conservatory with nearly 4000 free-flying tropical and native butterflies from all over the world. Learn about butterflies along with exotic reptiles, frogs, fish, birds, and insects! Ask about their guided tours. Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory. 413-665-2805. 281 Greenfield Road. South Deerfield, MA.
MUSEUMS ADVENTURES . 10am-5pm. Springfield Museums – The Springfield Museums uses art, history, science, and Dr. Seuss to explore our shared connections and unique perspectives to promote engagement, literacy, and learning. Located in the heart of downtown Springfield, the Springfield Museums offer access to five world-class museums, including the Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, all under a single admission. The museums are community-based educational resources that can support interests and education in art studies, natural history, STEM, astronomy, zoology, geology, paleontology, ecology, history, and, of course, Dr. Seuss. Springfield Museums. 413-263-6800. 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES. 10am-6pm. The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) – One of the world’s liveliest centers for making and enjoying today’s most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA embraces all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. MASS MoCA offers various participatory learning opportunities, including hands-on art-making classes and docent-guided tours. A must-visit for families is Kidspace, a child-centered art gallery and hands-on studio that offers in-depth art education. Visit the ArtBar, a hands-on studio space in Kidspace, to make art or take a project home with you. MASS MoCA. 413-662-2111.1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA.
PLAYGROUP . 10:30am. Sing and Dance – This program includes songs, music, and movement. No registration is required, and drop-ins are welcome! Bushnell-Sage Library. 413-229-7004. 48 Main St, Sheffield, MA.
ART STUDIES . 11am-4pm. Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA) – SCMA is recognized as a leading academic museum. Their collection comprises 27,000+ objects, representing the diversity of art and material culture across periods and geographies. Visitors can discover artworks from across periods and geographies in their permanent collection galleries and temporary exhibitions, engaging people with first-hand experiences of art, artists, and museum practice. The museum’s collection ranges from ancient Greek vases to contemporary video art. The works in their permanent collection galleries are regularly rotated, so there’s something new to see each time you visit. Special exhibitions highlight a dynamic range of artworks and artists. Smith College Museum of Art. 413-585-2760. 20 Elm Street at Bedford Terrace. Northampton, MA.
ART STUDIES/ MUSEUM ADVENTURES . 11am-5pm. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum – Located on the Mount Holyoke College campus, this Museum is one of the oldest teaching museums in the country, dedicated to providing firsthand experience with works of significant aesthetic and cultural value. The Museum offers pre- and post-visit educational materials designed for kids of all ages to maximize their learning potential while exploring the galleries and connecting art with their personal experiences, including walking and activity guides and educator resources. Mount Holyoke College Art Museum. 413-538-2245. 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA.
GRANDPARENTING SUPPORT . 1pm. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Tea Time, every 1st & 3rd Friday of the month, with Community Action’s Family Center. 413-475-1555. 90 Federal Street , Greenfield, MA .
🎳 SPORTS/ BOWLING. 6-11pm. Vintage Candlepin Bowling & Bar – Bowling is a fun way to practice math skills and statistics while observing physics concepts, such as friction, torque, velocity, and gravity. Shelburne Falls Bowling Alley. 413-625-6179. 43 Bridge Street. Shelburne Falls, MA.
MUSIC STUDIES/ DRUMMING . 6:45pm. The Hilltown Intergenerational Drum Circle – All ages and beginners are welcome to this biweekly drum circle, led by Rosie Fanale. Call to confirm before heading over. Shelburne Senior Center. 413-625-8470. Shelburne Falls, MA.
🎶 MUSIC PERFORMANCE. 7pm. Visit 1960s London Music Scene – M usical visit to 1960s London with a performance at the Agawam Senior Center. 413-821-0604. 954 Main Street. Agawam, MA.
🙏 LECTURE . 7:30pm. A Celebration of Land and Sea: Modern Indigenous Cuisine in New England – Indigenous people in New England have always celebrated multiple thanksgivings to honor the bounty and special qualities of each season’s harvest. These celebrations include Strawberry Thanksgiving, Green Bean Thanksgiving, and Green Corn Thanksgiving. Some of these traditions have survived in southern New England. In this lecture, Rachel shares her knowledge of the multiple traditional thanksgivings of New England, along with her years of work revitalizing these traditional foods alongside her tribal elders. The Botanic Garden of Smith College. 413-585-2740. 16 College Ln, Northampton, MA.
MORE EVENTS : Discover more events on Hilltown Families’ Facebook page.
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Self-Directed Learning: Land Acknowledgement
What is a land acknowledgment? A land acknowledgment is a formal statement of recognition of the Indigenous people and their enduring connections to the land on which we live, gather, and learn. Many layers to land acknowledgment can be researched and contemplated. Get curious, ask questions, and look for answers. If you are new to land acknowledgment, look for reputable information resources to guide you. Consider researching and identifying the Indigenous tribes and people in your area. Visit websites of Indigenous organizations, including Ohketeau Cultural Center and Nolumbeka Project . Investigate land acknowledgments by local businesses , learning institutes , farms , museums , libraries , and town/regions . Compare and contrast the differences in these statements, get curious, research your questions, and make an action plan your family can take for supporting Indigenous people into the future . Remember that starting somewhere is better than never trying when respectfully crafting a land acknowledgment. Learn more: A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgment
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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, Becket, Bernardston, Buckland, Chester, Chicopee, Colrain, Cummington, Easthampton, Goshen, Granby, Greenfield, Hadley, Hatfield, Heath, Hinsdale/Peru, Huntington, Leyden, Montgomery, Mount Washington, Northern Berkshire, Orange, Otis, Palmer, Pelham, Rowe, Shelburne, Shutesbury, South Hadley, Tolland, Tyringham, Westhampton, Windsor, and Worthington Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
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