Playgroups & Family Centers
Families across Western Massachusetts can connect through local playgroups and family resource centers. These gatherings offer opportunities for social play, parent support, and community connection.
17 events found.
Events for October 2, 2025
All Day
Family Stargazing: Orionid Meteor Shower and Self-Directed Learning Ideas
The Orionid Meteor Shower invites families to learn through science, art, and story. From comet trails to cultural myths, it turns the night sky into a classroom of wonder.
Bike the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail: Nature, History, and Scenic Views in the Berkshires
Ashuwillticook Rail Trail Northern Berkshire Cty.Biking the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail in northern Berkshire County offers a scenic way to learn about local ecology and history. Interpretive signs and natural beauty help foster a strong sense of place along this peaceful riverside path.
Seeds of Memory: Exploring the Living History Garden at Grow Food Northampton
Grow Food Northampton Organic Community Garden 140 Meadow Street, FlorenceIn Northampton, a self-guided walk through the Living History Garden invites intergenerational visitors to explore how seeds tell stories. From Wampanoag farming practices to abolitionist efforts, the plants here carry cultural memory that reflects land, identity, and resilience.
Walking Through Deep Time: A Self-Guided Geologic Tour of Turners Falls
Great Falls Discovery Center 2 Avenue A, Turners FallsExplore the prehistoric past of Turners Falls on a self-guided geologic walking tour that begins at the Great Falls Discovery Center. Perfect for intergenerationallearning, this walk highlights local rock formations and fossil evidence that reveal how the land was shaped nearly 200 million years ago.
Hahn-Warner Arboretum: Explore Trees, Climate, and Conservation Through Self-Directed Learning
Hahn-Warner Arboretum Mosier Street, South HadleyIn South Hadley, the Hahn-Warner Arboretum invites visitors to learn through observation. Explore tree species and get curious about botany and dendrology while walking peaceful trails that highlight nature’s resilience and diversity.
Hats Amherst: Celebrating History, Art, and Cultural Memory
Town of Amherst AmherstAncestral Bridges in Amherst reimagines landmarks through art and history. Each sculptural hat invites visitors to learn about the town’s Black and Afro-Indigenous heritage, linking creativity, community, and place.
Natural Bridge State Park: Learn Geology Through Land and Time
Natural Bridge State Park McAuley Road, North AdamsExplore marble arches, glacial potholes, and hidden echoes at Natural Bridge State Park in Adams. This self-guided walk invites all ages to learn about geology and natural history in a setting shaped by oceans, ice, and time.
Bartholomew’s Cobble: Explore Geology, Ecology, and Biodiversity
Bartholomew’s Cobble 105 Weatogue Rd, SheffieldAt Bartholomew’s Cobble in Sheffield, families can learn about biodiversity and natural history through a hike across varied habitats shaped by ancient bedrock. Trails offer opportunities to explore how geology influences plant life in this unique landscape.
Industrial Heritage & Paper Manufacturing in Turners Falls
Turners Falls Canal District MADiscover how paper manufacturing shaped Turners Falls on a self-guided historic walking tour beginning at the Great Falls Discovery Center. Learn how canals, mills, and workers built an industrial village where water, labor, and ingenuity powered community and innovation.
Celebrate Yom Kippur: Family-Friendly Service with Anna Sobel
Families in Northampton can celebrate Yom Kippur with puppetry and stories. Led by Anna Sobel, this service helps kids learn the meaning of the holiday in a fun, engaging, and family-centered way.
Open + Shut: Exploring Endpapers in Picture Books
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Rd, AmherstWhat happens before page one? At The Carle in Amherst, the exhibit Open + Shut draws attention to endpapers, those first and last pages that frame a story. With both historical and contemporary examples, this exhibit invites self-directed learners to see how design can shape narrative meaning.
Explore Art and History: Self-Guided Sculpture Tours at Chesterwood
Chesterwood 4 Williamsville Rd, StockbridgeExplore Chesterwood in Stockbridge through self-guided tours that support art studies. Learn how Daniel Chester French blended sculpture and landscape, and consider how public art reflects history, process, and place.
Magic Wings Conservatory: Discover the Life Cycle of Butterflies
Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens 281 Greenfield Road, South DeerfieldVisit Magic Wings to learn about butterflies up close. With thousands flying freely, this indoor garden is full of color, motion, and life. Explore butterfly behavior, rainforest ecology, and the delicate balance between pollinators and plants in this living classroom.
Sensory Friendly Hours at Sunderland Public Library
Sunderland Public Library 20 School Street, SunderlandSensory Friendly Hours at Sunderland Public Library create a calm setting with adjusted lighting, quiet zones, and tools that support learning and exploration. Visitors can discover how libraries serve as inclusive community spaces for all.
Understanding Black Bears: Ecology, Conservation, and Safety Tips
Mount Holyoke Range State Park 1500 West Street, AmherstJoin naturalists at Mount Holyoke Range State Park in Amherst to learn about black bears, their habitats, and their place in local ecology. This program offers insights into coexistence and invites reflection on our shared environment.
Step Into the Past at Hancock Shaker Village: A Day of Learning and Connection
Hancock Shaker Village 1843 W Housatonic St, PittsfieldSpend the day at Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield with the whole family. Say hello to farm animals, explore the Round Stone Barn, and watch live demos in weaving and baking. Wander garden paths or forest trails and learn how the Shakers lived close to nature.
Cooking with Eric Carle: A Delicious Exhibition of Food-Inspired Art
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Rd, AmherstIn Amherst, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art presents an exhibition where visitors learn how food shaped Carle’s art. His collages reveal how everyday meals become lasting stories through creativity.
Songs & Stories in the Hilltowns: Goshen Library Storytime
Goshen Free Library 40 Main Street, GoshenFamilies in the Hilltowns are invited to Story/Play Time at the Goshen Library, where songs, stories, and hands-on activities nurture early literacy. Children learn how talking, singing, and playing build reading skills in a welcoming community space.
Storytime at The Carle
Featured
Storytime at The Carle
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
125 W Bay Rd, Amherst
At The Eric Carle Museum, storytime becomes an interactive adventure. Through the Gabrielle Healy Carroll Storytime Program, families engage with books in creative ways—singing, moving, and discovering the art that brings each story to life.
Heritage Riverboat Cruises: Explore the Geology and Ecology of the Connecticut River
Connecticut River Cruise 144 Pine Meadow Road, NorthfieldCruise through time with Heritage Riverboat Cruises in Northfield. This scenic experience offers a chance to learn about local geology, birdlife, and ecosystems while connecting with the Connecticut River’s natural history.
Gather & Share: Community Meal at Goshen Free Library
Goshen Free Library 40 Main Street, GoshenNeighbors gather weekly at Goshen Free Library for a shared community meal, preparing and enjoying warm dishes while building community and learning together through conversation and local food traditions.
Westfield Farmers’ Market
Westfield Farmers' Market 36 Court Street, WestfieldWestfield Farmers' Market isn't just for shopping, they’re places for young people to explore real-world skills like budgeting, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. Talk to farmers, see what’s in season, and learn how local food systems support healthy communities and the planet.
Farmers’ Market at Forest Park
Farmers' Market at Forest Park 299 Sumner Avenue, SpringfieldAt the Farmers' Market at Forest Park, you can learn where your food comes from, talk to farmers, and see what’s in season while picking out fresh produce for the week! It’s a great place for kids and families to explore healthy eating, money math, and how local farmers grows our food.
Creative Connections Art Group: Family Art Making at the Bridge Family Resource Center
The Bridge Family Resource Center 101 University Drive, AmherstAt the Bridge Family Resource Center, families join the Creative Connections Art Group to learn how shared art-making builds communication, well-being, and curiosity through weekly prompts and materials.
Magic the Gathering Club for Tweens & Teens
Forbes Library 20 West St, NorthamptonA Magic: The Gathering Club for ages 10+ offers more than dragons and spells—it’s a chance to sharpen strategic thinking, practice problem-solving, and build friendships. Whether you bring your own deck or borrow one at the library, the fun unfolds every other week in the Community Room.
Jack-o-Lanterns & Folklore: Naumkeag’s Incredible Pumpkin Celebration
Naumkeag 5 Prospect Hill Rd, StockbridgeExperience the Naumkeag Pumpkin Show in Stockbridge, where glowing jack-o-lanterns illuminate the Berkshires. Get curious about its roots in Celtic folklore and how Irish immigrants introduced pumpkin carving to America.
