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 so you never miss out!
Before it was a movie blockbuster, it was a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The Little Mermaid has won fans through books, musical theater, animation, & dance.On April 1 & 2, Pioneer Valley Ballet (PVB) will perform an extravagant adaptation at Northampton’s Academy of Music Theatre for 3 performances.Set to a musical score by Camille Saint Saens, PVB’s The Little Mermaid tells the story of a mermaid willing to give up her life in the ocean & her identity as a mermaid to gain a human soul & the love of a human prince. A Sea Witch helps her reach the human realm, but on land, the mermaid faces dangers & a strict deadline. Will she win the love of her prince before time runs out & she is reduced to sea foam? Find out what happens!
All aboard for the Easter EggspressTrolley at the Connecticut Trolley Museum: April 1-2 & 7-8, and Breakfast with the Easter Bunny on April 1. This is a great opportunity to visit the Easter Bunny while learning about transportation & local history! Take a trolley ride operated by period-dressed motormen sharing historical information about the trolley cars & museum. The Easter Bunny will roam the grounds posing for pictures. Kids will receive a surprise-filled Easter egg when they complete a Scavenger Hunt, make a Bunny Ear Craft, and visit the Fire Truck Museum. Earn up to 3 or more filled eggs! Cost: $13 for all ages. The Connecticut Trolley Museum is located in East Windsor, CT. More info & to purchase tickets, visit www.ct-trolley.org
Ready for Summer 2023? Envision your children outside building shelters, playing games, tracking wildlife, learning & practicing fire-making skills, carving, discovering, foraging for wild edibles & medicinals, experiencing, making new friends, mentoring & so much more! At Home in the Woods Camps are Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm. All summer for ages 7+; 4 weeks for 5- & 6-year-olds! Contact Earthwork Programs for information on additional camps specifically for teens/preteens. Register by April 1 for Early-Bird prices–don’t wait! Some weeks are filling quickly. Contact: 413-340-1161. frank@earthworkprograms.com; earthworkprograms.com.
Living Rivers School (LRS) students assist world-renowned river fish expert Dr. Boyd Kynard as he completes his third year of small fish habitat- and sea lamprey- data collection and concludes studies to determine the extent and quality of Connecticut River fish habitat between the Holyoke and Turners Falls dams. LRS students are credited by name for their service in the reports Dr. Kynard publishes in juried academic journals. They are invited to share their experience and findings with their schools and communities. This is a rare opportunity for students to get real conservation biology research experience and be nurtured as future environmental leaders. Biocitizen’s best program—a life-changer and career-inspirer! Contact: 413-320-0522. kheidinger@biocitizen.org; ma.biocitizen.org.
It’s time to celebrate the arrival of spring in Franklin County with an outdoor family event! CISA and the Franklin Community Co-op are teaming up to celebrate local food with children and families. The day includes a chance to learn from a farmer about the maple sugar process at Bergeron’s Sugar House. There will be a taste test of different grades of maple syrup and maple cream. The folks at Green Fields Market will stir up some fun with a food demonstration, especially for kids, and they will serve silver-dollar pancakes for the syrup. Rise Above Bakery is baking mini croissants using local flour, butter, and milk. In case of stormy weather, the event will be held indoors at the Franklin Community Co-op event space at 170 Main Street.
Shakespeare & Company presents Romeo and Julietas a sensory-friendly performance on Saturday, March 25, at 2pm, featuring the cast of the Northeast Regional Tour of Shakespeare. This production of Romeo and Juliet has been developed to share Shakespeare’s story in a more comfortable environment, including reduced-intensity lighting and sound effects; pre-show materials with story synopses, theater maps, and other “what to expect” content; quiet spaces for those in need of a break, and more. Performance is approximately 90-mins and occurs at theTina Packer Playhousein Lenox, MA. A GKV Foundation grant generously supports this Romeo and Juliet performance. Visit www.shakespeare.org for more information and tickets!
Celebrate spring with The Very Hungry Caterpillar on Sunday, March 26, from 12-4pm at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA. Enjoy a Wiggle Jiggle dance parade with the beloved Caterpillar, art-making in the Art Studio, storytime with the Center Dance Studio, films, and a museum-wide scavenger hunt. The Carle Bookshop is also having a sale with 15 percent off storewide. Members save 30 percent. Plus, free apples and Caterpillar Cookies! For more information and a schedule of activities, please visit www.carlemuseum.org. All activities are free with Museum Admission!
Whole Children offers afternoon and Saturday classes for kids and teens at their new Inclusive Community Center. Summer sessions include a variety of classes, including yoga, theater, art, music, cooking, performing arts, and so much more. Whole Children’s goal is to create an inclusive environment where every child is successful and valued for who they are, no matter their abilities or disabilities. Whole Children is filling a vital need by creating classes where the hard work of skill-building is made social and fun for children of all abilities and, perhaps just as importantly, by creating a supportive and caring community for their parents. Contact: 413-585-8010. info@wholechildren.org; wholechildren.org/hfsummer.
Explore your own creativity and the natural world around you! Amherst Montessori’s beloved LEGO Camp enters its 15th year this June, where young friends dive into the world of LEGO, crafting and engaging in STEM-based creation. In July and August, Homestead Camp offers participants opportunities to dig deep into the outdoors: planning and building garden and chicken infrastructure, learning about and practicing wilderness survival skills, crafting forts, utilizing both foraged and cultivated plant life in cooking and herbalism, and much outdoor free play. Spend the Summer learning skills and having fun while doing it! Registration is per week, Monday-Friday, from 8:30am-4pm. Contact: 413-253-3101. mwiley@amherstmontessori.org; amherstmontessori.org.
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
Find your adventure this summer at Franklin County’s YMCA’s traditional day camp, Camp Apex. Campers experience outdoor activities and discover new hobbies surrounded by nature and friends. From archery to arts & crafts, swim lessons to gaga ball, campers will start their day with many adventures and leave with full hearts and friends that last well past the last day of summer. Field days, silly camp songs, obstacle course fun, hiking, and stream exploring are all things kids can do on any given day up at camp. The best summers are when kids discover new interests, make new friends, and develop strong values while enjoying everything camp offers. Camp Apex: today’s adventures are tomorrow’s memories. Contact: 413-773-3646. kyounger@your-y.org; www.your-y.org/camps
In search of a fun and creative in-person outlet for your young people this summer? Look no further than Barrington Stage Company’s renowned KidsAct! & TeensAct! programs. These exciting camps focus on building acting and communication skills through fun theatre games and building performance skills through ensemble-based work, improvisation, and individualized coaching. Students will create an original musical with their peers to be performed on the final day of the program and experience master classes from professional theatre and performing artists. Spots will fill quickly, so sign up early. Dates: KidsAct! (ages 7-11): June 25–July 7 (no camp July 4), July 10–21, July 24–Aug 4; TeensAct! (ages 12-15): Aug 6–18. Contact: 413-499-5446 x123. education@barringtonstageco.org; barringtonstageco.org.
Girls Week Friendship Camp happens June 26-30 from 9am-4pm for campers ages 6-10 at Woolman Hill. (Cost: $325-380, sliding scale.) Girls Week Friendship Camp is a week of shared fun, kindness, and supportive new friendships among all ages. Campers will build stick houses on the Pocumtuck Ridge, play games, sing, hear stories, and learn how to talk things out, ensuring everyone feels included in an environment of belonging and social safety. A choice of workshops will be offered, including art, dance, hikes, writing, and story-building. Counselors in Training (Grapes) positions are available for girls ages 12-16 who can support friendships among younger girls (Cost: $175 for returning Grapes; $200 for new Grapes.) Contact: 774-280-2490. melissadelo.journey@gmail.com; sarahpirtle.com/journey-camp.
Camp Lion Knoll provides children from 4.5-13 years of age a summer camp experience when the public schools are not in session. Their program allows parents to attend school, work, and/or receive special services while knowing their child is happily engaged and safe. Camp Lion Knoll promotes social and emotional learning and provides children with a quality out-of-school experience that studies show can help stem academic declines typical of a summer break. In addition, campers receive access to swimming, physical education, and art/nature education. Campers also are provided with a structured meal schedule and nutritious meals during the summer. Contact: 413-774-7407. nclayton@girlsclubofgreenfield.org; www.girlsclubofgreenfield.org.
Learn to care for and exercise a world-class athlete – the Alaskan Husky Sled Dog. Choose a dog for the week. Learn to feed, pet, play, clean up after & train a sled dog. Ride a racing rig, scooter, bike, hike, jog, swim, and warm weather activities dogs & campers love together. All have fun bonding, playing & mushing with the team! “My daughter loved the week-long camp, really bonded with her dog, and plans to return next year. Hilltown Sleddogs is one of Pioneer Valleys’ unique treasures!” (JG). “The hands-on connection with dogs is amazing. At the end of the week, my boys don’t want to come home.” (EM) *Bonfire/BBQ eve is back Thursdays, Weeks 3,4,5 & 6. *Gals Only Week 5, all ages! New 7 Weeks of Camp starting June 26-30. Contact: 413-296-0187. hilltownsleddogs@gmail.com; www.hilltownsleddogs.com/camps.
Berkshire Museum camps offer children going into grades Pre-K through 8 the chance to make connections between art, science, and history in the Museum’s new classrooms and throughout our galleries. Campers develop skills, create art, conduct experiments, and make new friends while having a ton of fun!
Camp MacDuffie is an exciting summer day camp for rising 1st to 8th graders. Participants spend the morning engaged in a program area of their choosing, enjoy lunch by Sage Dining Services (included), and then stay active with various outdoor/indoor activities and field trips throughout the week. Their program leaders are passionate and experienced, and they all look forward to creating a fun and supportive environment for your child to thrive in this summer. Come along and join Camp MacDuffie this summer! Contact: 413-255-0000. summer@macduffie.org; macduffie.org/summer-camp.
Play music, learn, and have fun! Week-long summer music workshops for beginner and intermediate instrumentalists ages 8-18, hosted by the Pioneer Valley Symphony at Artspace Community Arts Center. Workshops include theory, history, technique, and small and large ensemble playing during a morning intensive (9am-12pm) and an optional afternoon of supervised free play with music and arts activities (12-4pm.). Tuition is on a sliding scale. For players new to strings: July 31-Aug 4, instruments may be available to borrow or rent. For continuing strings players (1-4 years experience): July 24-28. For brass & winds of all levels: July 10-14. For intermediate/ advanced on any orchestral instrument: July 17-21. Private lessons are also available. Contact: 413-773-3664. admin@pvso.org; www.pvsoc.org/classes.
Nature lover? Passion for science? Enthusiastic about art? Girl Scout camp has it all and is open to all girls–no prior Girl Scout experience needed to attend! Camping has been a cornerstone of the Girl Scout experience for more than a century. While girls are swimming, hiking, sailing, paddling & honing their skills on the archery range, they’re also achieving valuable life skills. Day camp at Lewis Perkins in South Hadley, overnight camp at Bonnie Brae in Otis, or Green Eyrie in Harvard. Stay a few days, a week, or longer at overnight camp. Girl Scouts’ dedication to progression in outdoor programming means campers practice age-appropriate skills & gain experience they need to feel confident taking the next step in their outdoor journey. Contact: 413-584-2602. info@gscwm.org; www.gscwm.org.
Gymnastics Camp is for gymnasts of all levels looking to develop current skills further and learn something new, all while exploring adventures each day! Your child will learn the thrills of working on new skills as they flip, tumble, balance, and swing in our fully equipped, air-conditioned Gymnastics Center. Campers will work with dedicated coaches while making new friends, exploring their creativity, and developing new talents through a wide range of fun and enriching activities like swimming and arts & crafts. Your child is sure to come home with stronger muscles and a greater sense of being a part of a group! Gymnastics Camp: where growth & discovery happen, one adventure at a time! Contact: 413-773-3646. gymnastics@your-y.org; www.your-y.org/camps
The Juniper Institute for Young Writers, an unforgettable week of wild invention, will be back in person on the UMass Amherst campus this summer, July 23–29. At Juniper, young writers come together in a community with like-minded peers and faculty to explore, play, create, question, celebrate, attempt, struggle, and share their voices. Juniper offers the rare and necessary space, creative curriculum, and mentorship to help participants develop a creative practice and move toward their writing goals. Applications are open to writers at all levels and to rising 10th through 12th graders. The Juniper Young Writers Online program will run the week prior to the in-person program, bringing young writers together in a virtual community July 17–21. Contact: 413-545-8988. juniper@umass.edu; www.umass.edu/juniperyoungwriters.
Calling all rising 7th-10th graders! Join The Academy at CharlemontJuly 24-28 for their Whitewater Kayaking & Hiking program w/Zoar Outdoor, or their Ultimate Frisbee sports camp experience w/Academy Coach Will Miller. Learn to navigate the hills & rapids of the Deerfield River Valley w/Zoar staff through an intro to whitewater kayaking, or hone your Ultimate skills w/a combo of agility, endurance & other Ultimate-specific exercise training, fundamental disc handling skills, cutting-edge offensive & defensive formations & strategies, & spirited engagement in low-stakes competitive games, all in a safe, supportive & enthusiastic environment. Transportation available from Greenfield & Shelburne Falls. www.charlemont.org/2023-summer-programs
Amherst Montessori School believes your child is inherently intelligent and that hands-on learning is critical to their developing brains. In mixed-age classrooms, your child is empowered to explore, discover, and learn through all five senses. In a beautiful new building designed uniquely for children, classrooms are filled with sunlight, natural materials, and views outside to playgrounds. Trained Montessori teachers nurture each child’s innate curiosity and independence. For more information: 413-253-3101; kedreich@amherstmontessori.org; amherstmontessori.org.
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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: hilltownfamilies@gmail.com. Have an event, resource, or opportunity you’re ready to promote? Click HERE to submit your information.
It’s time to celebrate the arrival of spring in Franklin County with an outdoor family event! CISA and the Franklin Community Co-op are teaming up to celebrate local food with children and families. The day includes a chance to learn from a farmer about the maple sugar process at Bergeron’s Sugar House. There will be a taste test of different grades of maple syrup and maple cream. The folks at Green Fields Market will stir up some fun with a food demonstration, especially for kids, and they will serve silver-dollar pancakes for the syrup. Rise Above Bakery is baking mini croissants using local flour, butter, and milk. In case of stormy weather, the event will be held indoors at the Franklin Community Co-op event space at 170 Main Street.
Shakespeare & Company presents Romeo and Julietas a sensory-friendly performance on Saturday, March 25, at 2pm, featuring the cast of the Northeast Regional Tour of Shakespeare. This production of Romeo and Juliet has been developed to share Shakespeare’s story in a more comfortable environment, including reduced-intensity lighting and sound effects; pre-show materials with story synopses, theater maps, and other “what to expect” content; quiet spaces for those in need of a break, and more. Performance is approximately 90-mins and occurs at theTina Packer Playhousein Lenox, MA. A GKV Foundation grant generously supports this Romeo and Juliet performance. Visit www.shakespeare.org for more information and tickets!
Spring has arrived, a time filled with sightings of all kinds of exciting natural wonders. The season’s outdoor appeal makes it a perfect time of year for enjoying our natural surroundings and learning about conservation and species preservation, too! In particular, springtime is the season for bird sightings as Western Massachusetts becomes filled with various migrating bird species in the early spring months. In the spring, species to look for include Baltimore Orioles, Eastern Bluebirds, Eastern Whip-Poor-Wills, American Kestrels, Indigo Buntings, Cedar Waxwings, American Robins, Carolina Wrens, American Goldfinches, Great Blue Herons, Red-winged Blackbirds, and many others! Knowing the names of the birds we share our home with and identifying them by their songs and behavior helps us connect to the seasons and strengthens our sense of place. Read more in our post, Sense of Place: A Birds Eye View.
Celebrate spring with The Very Hungry Caterpillar on Sunday, March 26, from 12-4pm at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA. Enjoy a Wiggle Jiggle dance parade with the beloved Caterpillar, art-making in the Art Studio, storytime with the Center Dance Studio, films, and a museum-wide scavenger hunt. The Carle Bookshop is also having a sale with 15 percent off storewide. Members save 30 percent. Plus, free apples and Caterpillar Cookies! For more information and a schedule of activities, please visit www.carlemuseum.org. All activities are free with Museum Admission!
FAMILY RADIO: 7-8am. Hilltown Family Variety Show. WXOJ 103.3FM Northampton, MA. (Radio)
How does food bring your family together? Food interweaves into your family, and one thing is sure, food brings families together both in the kitchen and around the table. You may enjoy cooking with your kids, sharing family meals, shopping for locally grown and produced foods, or exchanging stories at the kitchen table. Fresh maple syrup is a welcomed addition to the breakfast table, with a warm stack of pancakes during sugar season. Did you know thatpancakes are over 6,000 years old? Although not in the present form we know today, the predecessors to the modern pancake consisted of ground wheat cooked in the form of a pancake. Even the ancient Greeks and Romans ate a type of pancake sweetened with honey! Later in history, American colonists ate pancakes, also known asJohnny Cakes. Modern-day technology and contemporary recipes have added to our cultural repertoire of recipes. For recipes submitted by families in Western Massachusetts, check out our post, “Seasons at Our Table: Maple Sugar.”
One of the best “classrooms” is right in your own home … your kitchen! Planning and preparing meals with your family can support an interest in culinary and pastry arts while exposing kids to various embedded learning opportunities. Classic subjects like math, chemistry, and humanities are readily supported in the kitchen, along with general technical skills and valuable life skills. Any pastry chef will tell you about the importance of kitchen math for making great pastries, including an understanding of fractions and measurement units and the practice of addition, subtractions, and division. Chemistry lessons are supported when young chefs learn the science behind the use of baking soda and baking powder and what happens on a molecular level to a protein molecule when heated. Nutrition can be outlined by understanding which foods have carbohydrates, proteins, and/or fats. Sharing the story behind your grandmother’s delicious cookie recipe or researching the history of pancakes online supports lessons in the humanities. Knives skills, operating ovens, and handling food help a young chef gain technical expertise in the kitchen. And life skills to carry on into adulthood can be explored, like planning, organizing, and purchasing ingredients. A kitchen is a mini-lab and learning space. It is a place to expand and support interests, connect with family, and appreciate where your food comes from and how home cooks prepare it. Plenty of recipes can be found online, in books, or handed down from family members from which you can select. Follow your child’s tastes and food preferences and let it lead the way towards learning in the kitchen! If a question is asked (i.e., “Why does bread turn brown in the toaster?” “Why do cookies spread?” “What is a carbohydrate?” “Can we make s’mores indoors?“)
Serving as a continuation of innate childhood creativity, comics, and role-playing games offer maturing tweens and teens the opportunity to exercise imagination and creativity within complex structures. Comics challenge readers’ ability to combine textual and visual elements for understanding, while role-playing games challenge players by containing creative storytelling to a pre-existing structure. Families can utilize a handful of community resources to pursue these interests! Read more in our post, “Comics & Role-Playing Gaming Promote Creativity & Storytelling for Teens.“
Veganism, a diet or lifestyle that does not use animal byproducts, is growing in popularity. When English animal rights advocate Donald Watson coined the term’ veganism’ in 1944, it was motivated by the principle that “man should live without exploiting animals.” However, the concept of abstaining from all animal products goes back thousands of years. For instance, the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras even went so far as to avoid wool. Veganism is also an essential part of our local history! The Fruitlands commune in Harvard, Massachusetts, founded by the father of Louisa May Alcott, was partly inspired by a commitment to veganism. Learn more about the health, environmental, economic, and humane benefits of a diet free of animal byproducts. What’s the best way to start? In the kitchen, preparing delicious plant-based meals with your family! Start with a visit to a local farmers’ market and stop in your local food co-op, scouting for ingredients while discovering new-to-you plant-based ingredients in the stalls and bulk bins and on the shelves.
Self-Directed Learning: Community Supported Agriculture
Did you know the first Community Supported Agriculture garden was founded in Great Barrington, MA, in 1986? The movement was started by Swiss biodynamic farmer Jan Vander Tuin, who came to the United States in the 1980s and assisted in creating the Great Barrington garden. The goal of the CSA movement is to create direct relationships between farmers and consumers. This relationship can help develop fair trade policies and livable wages for farmers. Additionally, CSA farms often employ organic and biodynamic approaches to agriculture, which promote ecologically sustainable farming. Now is a great time to sign up for a CSA near you, supporting local farmers and connecting to where you live through locally grown food. Check out CISA’s list of CSAs in western Massachusetts and their great DIY resources, including recipes & cooking tips, and food preservation & gardening resources. Visit these farms online and consider becoming a member this year! Being a member of a CSA connects you with the local harvest and your local neighbors via the folks who grow your food! Plus, CSAs are loaded with embedded learning opportunities!
What is Yarn Bombing? This guerilla art craze is when knitters create knitted pieces and use them to cover things like lamp posts, fences, bike racks, trees, railings, and even city buses. In the TED Talk,How yarn bombing grew into a worldwide movement, learn how textile artist Magda Sayeg brought this placemaking art into being across the globe.
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.
Hilltown Families’ list of Suggested Events is supported in part by grants from the Agawam, Amherst, Bernardston, Buckland, Chester, Goshen, Greenfield , Hadley, Heath, Huntington, Lee, Montgomery, Northern Berkshire, Orange, Pelham, Plainfield, Rowe, Shelburne, Shutesbury, South Hadley, Southampton, Springfield, Tolland, Washington, Westhampton, Windsor, and Worthington Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
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